Line of Duty Page #7

STEVE:

When did you see him again?

RACHEL:

I didn’t.

STEVE:

Did he seem troubled to you, or

concerned about something in

particular?

RACHEL:

No. We were having a good time. I

was disappointed he never got back

to me.

STEVE:

Why?

RACHEL:

He seemed very lonely. I thought he

needed to make a connection. Seems

like I was wrong.

STEVE:

You’re not wrong.

RACHEL:

How is he? Is he okay?

STEVE:

I’m very sorry, miss: a few days

ago, Danny Waldron was killed in

the line of duty.

Rachel is shocked. Suddenly the lost connection

strikes her and she can’t help weeping gently.

Music

10:
27:31

DUR:
0’38”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

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28:41

Steve is moved too.

CUT TO:

EXT. RACHEL’S SCHOOL. MOMENTS LATER.

Sombrely, Steve returns to his parked car.

Before he gets in, he decides to make a call. He

selects Sam from his contact list.

SAM (O.S)

(Out of phone)

Hi. This is Sam. Please leave a

message.

STEVE:

(Into phone)

Hi. I’m working late. I just wanted

to say... I’m lucky to have you.

I’ll see you when I get home.

He looks low but happy.

CUT TO:

INT. COURTHOUSE. LOBBY. LATER THAT DAY.

Gill waits outside a courtroom, doing some work

on her iPad. Steve approaches Gill.

GILL:

Steve? There’s really no point you

being here.

STEVE:

I know.

He looks haunted and worried.

PROSECUTOR (V.O)

My Lady. The Prosecution applies

for Public Interest Immunity...

CUT TO:

INT. COURTROOM. CONTINUOUS.

In an empty courtroom, the Judge hears a

submission from the Prosecution team. (The

Defence is absent) The prosecutor is Ebele

Falana, QC.

PROSECUTOR (CONT’D)

...in order that Detective Sergeant

Arnott be exempted from testifying

in respect of this matter.

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1’33”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

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Music Ends

10:
29:34

Music

10:
29:21

DUR:
1’11”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

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The Judge ruminates. |

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PROSECUTOR (CONT’D)|

Disclosures of covert tactics in |

open court will undermine current |

and future police operations. |

Detective Sergeant Arnott conducted |

an undercover investigation that |

was, and is, of the utmost |

sensitivity. |

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C/U Judge. |

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JUDGE |

Some of this evidence was the |

subject of the Defendant’s |

successful appeal to be retried for |

her original convictions. The |

application is refused. |

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CUT TO:
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INT. COURTHOUSE. LOBBY. MOMENTS LATER. |

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Outside the court, Steve waits tensely, on edge.|

The Prosecutor comes out with her team. Gill |

moves towards her, with Steve trailing. |

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PROSECUTOR |

Sorry. |

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GILL |

We tried. You're going to have to |

face her again. |

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Steve looks extremely daunted by the prospect of |

revisiting an old case. |

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CUT TO:
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INT. PRISON CELL. NEXT DAY. |

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Two Offender Manager Officers enter a code in |

the keypad outside the door. An Officer opens |

the flap and addresses the inmate. We do not see |

their face. |

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OFFENDER MANAGEMENT OFFICER |

Stand away from the door! |

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They push open the door, revealing Lindsay |

Denton, in prison attire. Lindsay looks calm and |

confident as she takes up a folder of documents, |

almost as if she’s a lawyer now, and strides out |

of the cell, ready for the battle ahead. |

10:
29:51

10:
30:23

CUT TO:

INT. SOUTH FERRY POLICE STATION. SQUAD ROOM.

NEXT DAY.

Rod and Kate are at their desks. Jackie throws

her jacket over the back of her chair and

crosses to the coffee machine. McAndrew follows

her.

MCANDREW:

You all right, Jacks?

JACKIE:

Yes. You all right, Guv.

Kate watching this exchange.

MCANDREW:

Are you feeling okay?

Hari watching. Looks edgy, nervous.

JACKIE:

Yeah. It’s just been a rough couple

of weeks. That’s all.

MCANDREW:

Yeah.

McAndrew takes her cup and spits in it.

Kate, Hari reacts.

McAndrew hands her coffee cup back and returns

to her office.

CUT TO:

INT. COURTROOM. LATER THAT DAY.

Steve is being questioned by the Prosecutor.

PROSECUTOR:

Detective Sergeant Arnott, please

would you tell the court how you

came to be involved in the

investigation surrounding the

Defendant?

STEVE:

I was and still am a serving

detective in AC-12. On September

5th, 2013, there was an attempt on

the life of a protected witness,

John Thomas Hunter; a police convoy

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10:
30:32

was ambushed, causing the deaths of

three police officers. AC-12 was

assigned to investigate the

possibility of police complicity in

a conspiracy to assassinate Hunter,

and our enquiries focussed on the

officer who led the convoy, and was

the sole survivor.

PROSECUTOR:

And this officer was the Defendant?

Steve glances towards the dock. Lindsay Denton

gazes straight at him with utter confidence.

Seeing her again for the first time in nearly

two years, suddenly Steve looks more nervous.

STEVE:

Yes. Former Detective Inspector

Lindsay Denton.

PROSECUTOR (O.S)

Thank you.

Watched by Lindsay, the Defence Counsel, Melanie

Hepburn, QC, stands to begin cross-examining

Steve.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

Detective Sergeant Arnott, did you

give evidence at the Defendant’s

original trial?

STEVE:

Yes, I did.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

Was there any significant evidence

discovered at the Defendant’s home?

STEVE:

A hidden sum of cash was found.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

Found where exactly?

STEVE:

In some items belonging to the

Defendant’s late mother.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

Specifically the overnight case.

(beat)

How did that make its way to the

Defendant’s bedroom?

STEVE (O.S)

(Beat.)

I carried it up for her.

DEFENCE COUNSEL (O.S)

Why?

STEVE:

I was carrying out an undercover

operation to investigate the

Defendant.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

And who authorised this undercover

operation?

STEVE:

My commanding officer,

Superintendent Hastings.

In the public gallery, Hastings and Gill get a

little edgy.

DEFENCE COUNSEL (O.S)

When?

STEVE:

The operation was authorised

retroactively.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

After you carried the case

belonging to the Defendant’s late

mother up to the bedroom, what did

you do?

STEVE:

I offered my sympathies, and I

turned the conversation towards the

events surrounding the conspiracy

to murder Tommy Hunter.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

Did you ever spend a night at the

Defendant’s house?

STEVE:

No, I did not.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

Part of a night?

Sam reacts.

STEVE (O.S)

Yes.

DEFENCE COUNSEL (O.S)

Until what time?

STEVE:

Three... four in the morning.

DEFENCE COUNSEL:

If you’re unsure of the exact time,

Detective Sergeant, you may refer

to your pocket book.

(Off Steve’s hesitation)

You did record in your pocket book

every time you stayed with the

Defendant?

Hasting’s reacts. He knows where this is going.

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