Line of Duty Page #3

LIGHTWATER:

Thanks, Ted.

Lightwater sits. Hastings sits.

LIGHTWATER:

I think the way this works is

you’ll only hear from me if there’s

anything untoward.

HASTINGS:

Thank you, sir.

DRYDEN:

Thanks, sir.

Hastings starts the tape.

HASTINGS:

AC-12 interview of Deputy Chief

Constable Michael Dryden, by

Superintendent Hastings, DI Cottan,

DS Arnott and DC Fleming, in the

presence of ...

DRYDEN:

I’m joined by my ACPO Rep, Ivan

Gould.

HASTINGS:

Normal practice is for the

interviewee to be questioned by an

officer at least one rank superior.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

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412 CONTINUED:
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HASTINGS (CONT'D)

That’s not possible in this case,

therefore Chief Constable

Lightwater of the East Midlands

Constabulary is kindly sitting in

as an observer.

(To Dryden.)

Any objections from you or from

ACPO?

DRYDEN:

I’m ready. Let’s get on with it.

HASTINGS:

Thank you, sir. Please refer to

Document Number 1 in your folders.

Everyone opens the document, with the exception of Dryden,

who holds his gaze on Hastings.

HASTINGS (CONT’D)

A complaint has been made regarding

a driving offence, SP-30, occurring

on the night of 16th August this

year. A vehicle registered to Mrs.

Helen Dryden, address and

registration number as per Document

Number 1, was photographed by a

speed camera travelling in excess

of the speed limit and a fixed

points penalty and fixed fine

issued to said Helen Dryden. One

week later, on 23rd August, the

Traffic Division received notice

from Mrs. Dryden that at the time

of the offence the vehicle was

being driven by yourself, Deputy

Chief Constable Dryden.

DRYDEN:

Correct.

HASTINGS:

An allegation has been made that

Mrs. Dryden and/or yourself

falsified the notification.

DRYDEN:

Untrue.

HASTINGS:

Said allegation purports that Mrs.

Dryden was driving the vehicle at

the time of the offence.

DRYDEN:

I was driving. Helen was home.

(CONTINUED)

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HASTINGS:

What was your journey that evening?

DRYDEN:

I left home and drove back towards

town to buy some beer and wine from

the off-licence. I changed my mind

and went back home.

HASTINGS:

Can you account for the allegation

to the contrary?

DRYDEN:

I’m a target. Someone in the

Organization wants to make me look

bad. I hope you’ll spend as much

time looking for them as you have

investigating this codswallop.

HASTINGS:

We will, sir.

DRYDEN:

Glad to hear it.

By this point, Lightwater is busy reading/sending e-mails on

his smart-phone.

STEVE:

Would I be able to ask a question?

DRYDEN:

Full marks for balls. Go on.

STEVE:

You didn’t go into the off-licence?

DRYDEN:

No.

STEVE:

So the only person likely to have

seen you leave and return home is

Mrs. Dryden?

DRYDEN:

Most probably.

STEVE:

Will we be able to take a statement

from Mrs. Dryden?

(CONTINUED)

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DRYDEN:

(As if Steve is an idiot.)

Don’t they train you people any

more? A spouse isn’t a compellable

witness.

STEVE:

Sir, we’re under no obligation to

inform your wife that she’s not a

compellable witness; and whether

she can or can’t give evidence

against you is a moot point as per

R v L 2008.

DRYDEN:

I’ll inform her. She’ll back me up.

Nothing moot there.

(To Hastings.)

Anything else?

STEVE:

Why did you change your mind about

going into the off licence?

DRYDEN:

Just did.

Dryden glares at Steve. Tense beats.

HASTINGS:

If I may, sir, there are a couple

of loose ends in connection with

our investigation into the ambush

of 5th September.

DRYDEN:

My number one priority. Anything to

help.

HASTINGS:

Thank you, sir.

KATE:

DC Fleming, sir. You took a call

that night from DI Lindsay Denton?

DRYDEN:

She couldn’t get hold of the Duty

Chief Superintendent. She called

me. I gave Gold approval for the

operation.

KATE:

Did she provide a reason why she

was calling you in particular, sir?

(CONTINUED)

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DRYDEN:

At a meeting with inspectors I’d

given them the word to contact me

in such an event. I need to know if

senior officers aren’t meeting on-

call obligations.

KATE:

She disclosed to you the nature of

the operation?

DRYDEN:

(Sarcastic.)

No, I regularly sign off on ops

without knowing the first bloody

thing about them.

KATE:

Sorry, sir.

STEVE:

Specifically, sir, did you give

approval to DI Denton to proceed

without back-up and without

firearms?

DRYDEN:

Wasn’t the call recorded?

HASTINGS:

She called from her office phone

rather than the Duty Desk, so no,

sir.

Dryden weighs his options, knowing it’s now his word against

Lindsay’s.

DRYDEN:

I don’t recall DI Denton apprising

me of those facts. If she had, I

would’ve expressed misgivings,

naturally.

Pregnant beats.

KATE:

In terms of on-call rotas,

specifically the ghost rota for 4th

Street Station, is that something

you’d ever normally take an

interest in?

DRYDEN:

Why would I?

(CONTINUED)

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412 CONTINUED:
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KATE:

You weren’t involved at all in the

circumstances that led to DI Denton

being the Duty Inspector that

evening?

DRYDEN:

(Even more sarcastic than

before.)

I also personally supervise whether

beat bobbies put on their left shoe

first or their right.

(To Hastings.)

Anything else?

STEVE:

Sir, could anyone have overheard

the conversation you had with DI

Denton?

DRYDEN:

Only my wife. Somehow it feels like

we’ve been here before, DS -

STEVE:

Arnott, sir. Did she overhear or

did you discuss the call with her?

DRYDEN:

Where are we going with this?

COTTAN:

Sir, I think DS Arnott’s worried

your missus got her Sewing Circle

to carry out the ambush.

Dryden laughs, warming to Cottan. Steve fumes.

DRYDEN:

That’s a possibility I think we can

safely discount, DI -

COTTAN:

Cottan, sir.

DRYDEN:

Cottan. That’s right. The Witness

Protection specialist from AC-9.

COTTAN:

Sir.

DRYDEN:

(To Hastings.)

You’re married, Ted.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

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DRYDEN (CONT'D)

You take a call from a woman after

ten o’clock, God help you if you

don’t say what it was about. Am I

right?

HASTINGS:

You are, sir.

COTTAN:

I’m divorced, sir. Now I know why.

DRYDEN:

(Laughs.)

Exactly. I told my wife it was a

work call, nothing more. Naturally,

if you need to take this further,

I’m completely at your disposal.

Whatever it takes to get those

bastards, Ted.

HASTINGS:

Yes, sir.

KATE:

Sir, the phone call from DI Denton?

Was that your first contact with

her?

DRYDEN:

What d’you mean?

KATE:

Did you know her at all, sir?

Very awkward, pregnant beats. Dryden shows the first crack in

his confident facade.

HASTINGS:

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