Line of Duty Page #3

KATE:

Was she a copper too?

DOT:

Forensics. I don’t see much of her

now.

KATE:

No?

DOT:

No. I was on the piss most nights.

Couldn’t pass a bookie’s. Final

straw was we’d put down half on a

fortnight in Majorca...

KATE:

Oh, don’t tell me.

DOT:

Five-to-one. Dead cert. I couldn’t

go home to face the music. So I

took out a loan, put a grand down

on the last race of the day... try

and win it back...

10:
10:19

Dot looks pretty forlorn and remorseful of his

past. Kate looks sympathetic.

DOT (CONT’D)

Barrel of laughs, me! Yeah.

They laugh.

She finishes her chilli. (He’s already finished

his.) He fusses round her.

DOT:

Can I have your bowl?

KATE:

Cheers.

He takes her bowl to the kitchen area.

A newspaper lies nearby open at a story about

Lindsay’s retrial. It makes him uneasy. He makes

a point of surreptitiously dropping it in the

bin.

DOT:

Hey. There’s seconds here if you

fancy?

KATE:

Any more, and I won’t get off this

sofa.

But she stays on the sofa. The moment is

pregnant between them.

He dishes out a small second helping. She

doesn’t object, makes herself at home on the

sofa. He appears happy about that.

CUT TO:

INT. AC-12. OPEN-PLAN OFFICE. LATER THAT DAY.

At his desk, Steve pores over the Ronan Murphy

file. Page after page, absorbing his

concentration. His phone rings.

It’s Maneet.

STEVE:

Yeah.

MANEET:

I’ve got something for you, Sarge.

On that photo found at Danny’s.

Music

10:
09:54

DUR:
0’31”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

X:

Music Ends

10:
10:25

10:
10:32

STEVE:

Yeah... Sure...

He hangs up.

CUT TO:

INT. AC-12. OPEN-PLAN OFFICE. LATER THAT DAY.

Steve at Maneet’s desk.

Maneet calls up on her computer a scan of the

photo of Danny as a teenager in a group photo of

boys with the Murphys.

MANEET:

It’s from a boys’ home called Sands

View. Danny Waldron’s mum died when

he was eleven; he moved up north to

live with his dad and his step-mum

but that didn’t work out and he got

taken into care. Danny was a

resident at Sands View from the age

of 13 until he was 17.

STEVE:

I keep going through the file.

There’s no link between Danny

Waldron and Ronan Murphy while

Danny was a police officer. The

only link must be this boys’ home.

(Indicates computer screen.)

MANEET:

Unfortunately, I can’t get hold of

any records for that period. One

council department told me they

were lost in a fire, another

department told me they went

missing during an office move.

STEVE:

You think they’ve been lost on

purpose?

MANEET:

Who knows? The lads were chucked

out at 17 and pretty much left to

fend for themselves, with no

follow-up. However... I’ve cross

checked with individuals known to

the criminal justice system, and

I’ve got a name for you. Same age

as Danny so chances are they were

there at the same time.

10:
11:16

10:
11:42

STEVE:

Good work.

Out on Steve.

CUT TO:

INT. FACTORY. CARPET LOOM. LATER THAT DAY.

Steve walks along a busy production line led by

a manager. Loud noise from the machines is

deafening. They approach a worker in his

thirties --Joe Nash.

FACTORY MAN:

Joe, someone here to talk to you

The Factory Man heads off. Steve flashes his ID.

STEVE:

Joseph Nash?

JOE:

Yeah?

Steve shows his ID but does it discreetly so Joe

won’t feel exposed.

STEVE:

I need to talk to you somewhere

quieter please.

NASH:

Yeah.

CUT TO:

EXT./INT. FACTORY/STEVE’S CAR. MOMENTS LATER.

Steve and Joe sit in Steve’s car but factory

business is visible in b/g. Joe is wary and very

defensive, but polite.

STEVE:

I’d like to show you a photograph

if that’s all right?

Steve opens the file envelope and removes a

sheet.

STEVE (CONT’D)

It’s a photocopy of an original

image believed to be approximately

15-20 years old.

Steve shows the boys’ home photo to Joe. Joe

recognises it immediately. And looks

uncomfortable.

STEVE (CONT’D)

Do you recognise the image?

JOE:

Yes.

STEVE:

Are you able to recall the name of

this location?

JOE:

Yes.

STEVE:

Mr Nash, you’re not in any trouble.

JOE:

(A hint of resentment now)

How did you find out my name?

STEVE:

I’m not gonna lie. You committed a

number of minor offences -

JOE:

I was just a kid back then. I’ve

put my life back together now.

STEVE:

The convictions are spent. It was

only that your record cross-checked

with an inquiry I’m involved with.

A couple of beats as Joe takes this in. Then he

nods towards the photo.

JOE:

An inquiry into Sands View?

It’s clear from Joe’s discomfort that his

memories of this place are unpleasant.

STEVE:

Connected to Sands View.

Joe needs a breath or two to deal with a surge

of emotion.

Steve points to Danny.

STEVE (CONT’D)

Do you recognise this individual?

JOE:

Yes. Danny.

STEVE:

Danny Waldron.

JOE:

Yeah.

Steve points to Ronan Murphy, wearing the

tracksuit.

STEVE:

Do you recognise this individual?

JOE:

Yes.

Joe shifts uneasily.

STEVE:

What do you remember about that

person?

JOE:

They took us for football on a

Tuesday afternoon.

STEVE:

He was one of the staff?

JOE:

No, he just took us for footie.

STEVE:

What else do you recall about him?

Joe just looks away, doesn’t want to talk about

it.

STEVE (CONT’D)

You’re being a big help, Joe. Is it

okay if I ask you about one more

person? This man here. Him.

Steve indicates Linus Murphy.

Joe reacts with revulsion.

STEVE (O.S)(CONT’D)

Who is he?

JOE:

Mister Murphy. He’s the caretaker.

STEVE:

The other man --the football coach

--was his name Murphy too?

JOE:

Might have been. They was a pair.

STEVE:

A pair?

JOE:

The older one, the caretaker, he

had the keys. For the dormitories.

Changing rooms. The basement. But

him, the younger one, he was in on

it too. With the others.

Joe confronts the memories and he’s instantly

haunted and struggling.

STEVE:

What others?

JOE:

Not in the photo. Visitors. We got

told they were very important

people and we had to do exactly

what they said.

STEVE:

Did you ever get the names of any

of these people?

JOE:

No. No one ever got any names. And

even if we did, it was just “Mr.

Smith.”

STEVE:

What happened with these visitors?

JOE:

Sometimes they’d... They’d come to

the Home, and we’d be told it was

like a private interview. “Mr Smith

can be a big help to you when you

move on” sort of thing. You know.

And then you’d go to a room with Mr

Smith. Or a few of you would.

(beat)

With a few of them.

STEVE (O.S)

The abuse always took place within

Sands View?

Music

10:
14:19

DUR:
2’41”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

JOE |

No. Not always. Sometimes there’d |

be a car or a minibus and they’d |

take us to a hotel or a guesthouse |

or some big...|

(regains his composure)|

Some big private home. You know?|

(Steve reacts)|

The parties...|

(beat)|

The parties they were the worst. |

|

STEVE |

Parties? |

|

JOE |

There’d be a few of them, these |

VIPs, and we’d be farmed out. |

|

STEVE |

Do you recall any details in terms |

of names, addresses or the people |

who drove you to and from these |

parties? |

|

JOE |

This was a long time ago. All |

right, mate. And I wish I could |

remember that information and |

forget the rest. But it’s the |

opposite. |

|

Joe looks haunted, beyond despair. Steve looks |

moved by his testimony. |

|

STEVE |

I know this is hard, Joe, is there |

anything you can tell me about |

these individuals that might help |

identify them? |

|

JOE |

Yes, there’s one of them stands |

out. He’s a big... Big fat whale of |

a fella. He always wore a suit. And |

when he took the suit jacket off, |

he always had these, these... these|

sweat patches. He stank of it. |

(beat)|

And when I’d get told he’d asked |

for me again I’d... I’d throw up.|

You know. I’d be sick. |

|

Joe looks like he’s going to be sick. Steve |

gives him time. |

|

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes