Line of Duty Page #5

DRYDEN:

You okay to hang about two secs,

Les? Jo’s got an idea she wants to

go over with you.

HARGREAVES:

Alright, sir.

Exit Hargreaves. Dryden shuts the door.

JO:

What idea?

DRYDEN:

From now on, Les does the press

conferences.

JO:

This is “my” idea?

DRYDEN:

Obviously, if there are any major

breakthroughs, I’ll step back up to

the plate.

Jo gazes at him, can’t believe the ego of the man.

JO:

We’ve had a number of interview

requests from the broadsheets.

DRYDEN:

Excellent.

JO:

They’re interested in your view

that police cutbacks increase

crime, when the figures from the

Office of National Statistics show

that crime is actually falling.

Dryden’s face drops.

JO:

I’ll say you’re too busy.

Dryden opens the door for her. She exits. Dryden looks

worried and edgy.

CUT TO:

220A EXT. POLICE HQ. MOMENTS LATER.

Lindsay watches from a short distance away as Jo comes out of

the building to a waiting cab.

(CONTINUED)

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220A CONTINUED:

JO:

(To cabbie.)

Cab for Jo Dwyer? Hillside Lane

Station, please.

Jo is about to get in when Lindsay appears right beside her.

Lindsay goes on a charm offensive.

LINDSAY:

Hi, Jo. Pleased to meet you.

Lindsay Denton.

JO:

I know who you are -

Immediate tension from Jo -- she knows Lindsay’s under

investigation re the ambush.

JO (CONT’D)

-- and I’m already late for a

meeting.

LINDSAY:

So sorry, I know you’re rushed off

your feet, it’ll only be a minute

of your time.

Jo doesn’t look at all keen to talk.

LINDSAY (CONT’D)

You must get so many calls and e-

mails ...

JO:

I’m sorry. I should’ve replied.

It’s been a busy time -

LINDSAY:

It’s about publicising the

disappearance of a teenage girl,

Carly Kirk -

JO:

I’ll get back to you as soon as I

can.

Jo gets into the cab.

LINDSAY:

You’re avoiding me.

JO:

No -

(CONTINUED)

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220A CONTINUED:
(2)

LINDSAY:

I’m a serving Missing Persons

detective and I intend to discharge

my duties. Till someone says

otherwise.

JO:

Of course -

LINDSAY:

So help me find this girl.

JO:

(Beat)

Okay.

LINDSAY:

Why are you lying to me?

JO:

I’m not.

Lindsay stares at Jo, holds it long enough to make Jo feel

very uneasy.

JO (CONT’D)

(To Cabbie)

Let’s go.

The cab pulls away. Lindsay watches it leave, dismayed.

CUT TO:

221 OMITTED

221A OMITTEDOMITTED

222 INT. LINDSAY’S HOUSE. THAT NIGHT.

Lindsay scans broadsheet newspapers while the TV plays

rolling news coverage of Hargreaves’ press conference.

Flanked by Jo, he does his squirming best. The E-fit named

“Joe” is blown up behind him.

HARGREAVES:

This is an E-fit of a suspect

strongly linked to the ambush. He

used the name Joe, although our

assumption is it’s an alias.

REPORTER 1 (O.S.)

There are reports of an incident at

the General, the hospital. Is there

a connection with this new suspect?

(CONTINUED)

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222 CONTINUED:

HARGREAVES:

I’m not at liberty to confirm any

connection.

REPORTER 1 (O.S.)

We understand casualties from the

ambush were taken there. Why won’t

you reveal their names?

HARGREAVES:

That information is sensitive.

RONSON:

So there was a connection with the

incident at the hospital?

HARGREAVES:

I, uh, no, I -

RONSON:

(Exasperated.)

“No” there wasn’t an individual

connected to the 5th September

ambush receiving treatment or “no”

this individual was not involved in

an incident?

HARGREAVES:

As I said, I’m not at liberty to

confirm a connection.

RONSON:

Would Deputy Chief Constable Dryden

be at liberty to confirm a

connection?

HARGREAVES:

I’m constantly in touch with the

Deputy Chief Constable.

RONSON:

But not right now.

Laughter from the reporters. Hargreaves squirms. Jo tries to

look poker-faced.

The doorbell rings. From Lindsay’s reaction, we see that a

caller is rare.

CUT TO:

223 INT. LINDSAY’S HOUSE. HALLWAY. CONTINUOUS.

Lindsay lingers in the hallway reluctant to open the door.

The doorbell rings again. She attaches the security chain and

then opens the door ajar.

(CONTINUED)

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223 CONTINUED:

Kate stands on the doorstep showing a bottle of wine.

KATE:

Peace offering.

LINDSAY:

Kate, I, uh ... really, that’s not

necessary.

KATE:

I screwed up, boss. This is an

important posting for me and I was

too eager to please.

Lindsay doesn’t want to let Kate in but Kate doesn’t look

like she’s leaving. Reluctantly, Lindsay releases the chain

and opens the door.

CUT TO:

224 INT. LINDSAY’S HOUSE. MOMENTS LATER.

Ensconced on a chair, Kate drinks a glass of wine. Lindsay

sips hers, definitely the uneasy host. Kate makes a fuss of

the cat/kitten.

KATE:

Aren’t you gorgeous? Yes, you are.

Yes, you are.

(To Lindsay.)

She’s a little princess, I bet?

LINDSAY:

Aren’t they all?

KATE:

(To cat.)

I bet you get your own way, don’t

you? I bet you do.

(To Lindsay.)

How’d it go with Carly’s foster

parents?

LINDSAY:

You don’t want to get their hopes

up, of course, but ...

Lindsay trails off. Awkward beats -- Kate feels the need to

make conversation, and fast.

KATE:

Lived here long?

LINDSAY:

A year. No, nearer 18 months. It’s

easy to lose track.

(CONTINUED)

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224 CONTINUED:

KATE:

I’m trying to get enough together

for a deposit. Not easy, nowadays.

LINDSAY:

No, nowadays.

KATE:

This place is very cosy.

LINDSAY:

I had somewhere ... it’s just ... I

had to downsize.

Kate tries to look sympathetic. It only makes Lindsay more

uncomfortable.

KATE:

I’m sorry, boss, I’ve probably

interrupted something.

LINDSAY:

I’m not sparkling company. Lot on

my plate.

Kate puts her glass aside and stands.

LINDSAY:

Thank you for the wine. It was a

nice thought.

Loud music starts up, reverberating through the walls. It

creates a desperately embarrassing situation, as a visitor is

now exposed to Lindsay’s domestic ordeal.

KATE:

Why don’t I go and have a word?

LINDSAY:

Please don’t. A couple more minutes

and she always turns it down.

KATE:

Okay.

Lindsay moves past Kate to open the door to the hallway.

Momentarily they’re physically very close.

KATE:

You were right, ma’am, that people

shouldn’t talk. Problem is, they

do, and no one’s getting to hear

your side. AC-12 twist everything,

make everyone look guilty.

Lindsay is less uneasy about their physical proximity than

Kate would have expected.

(CONTINUED)

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224 CONTINUED:
(2)

KATE:

I wouldn’t have taken this posting

if I thought you were.

LINDSAY:

There’s an interesting exercise.

Take the worst thing you’ve ever

done, and state it in the simplest

terms. No dressing it up, no

implicit mitigation.

KATE:

I wouldn’t want to play that game.

LINDSAY:

Me neither. But AC-12 do.

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