Line of Duty Page #10

KATE:

This.

She brings up on screen a picture of the

morbidly obese Dale Roach grinning like the

Cheshire Cat next to a police officer in the

uniform of a Chief Superintendent at a charity

event.

KATE (CONT’D)

Councillor Dale Roach with guess

who?

Kate brings up another similar sort of image of

the two men.

KATE (CONT’D)

Chief Superintendent Fairbank.

And another.

KATE (CONT’D)

Roach and Fairbank.

And another.

KATE (CONT’D)

Roach and Fairbank.

Steve and Kate stare at the images thoughtfully.

Dot is watching them.

CUT TO:

INT. AC-12. HASTINGS’ OFFICE. LATER THAT DAY.

From a folder Kate lays scans of the photos of

Roach and Fairbank on Hastings’ desk, followed

by the reports cc-ed to Fairbank. Hastings

studies them.

10:
48:30

KATE:

Chief Superintendent Fairbank

retired in 2008.

HASTINGS:

(Knows him)

Oh yeah, Pat run Vice for donkeys’

years.

KATE:

If Oliver Stephens-Lloyd did submit

a list of abusers at Sands View,

almost certainly it would’ve gone

to Vice.

HASTINGS:

(A little uneasy.)

Almost certainly.

STEVE:

Which makes the fact he was copied

in on Stephens-Lloyd’s missing

persons and post-mortem reports all

the more suspicious.

Hastings hesitates, studying the names copied in

the report.

STEVE (CONT’D)

Sir, former Chief Superintendent

Fairbank still lives in the area...

Hastings takes Steve’s point. He makes a show of

casting aside his uneasiness.

HASTINGS:

Let’s see what he’s got to say for

himself. Good work, you two, good

work.

STEVE:

Sir.

KATE:

Sir.

Exit Steve and Kate. Hastings looks at the

reports with mounting unease.

CUT TO:

INT. FAIRBANK’S HOME. NEXT DAY.

Steve and Kate are shown into a comfortable

sitting room by Patrick Fairbank. The house

displays the signs of a large pension and a

Music

10:
48:00

DUR:
0’33”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

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X:

Music Ends

10:
48:33

distinguished career --expensive furnishings,

police mementoes.

FAIRBANK:

Come in, please.

STEVE:

We’re very grateful for your time,

sir.

FAIRBANK:

Anything I can do to help. I’m

retired now. There’s no need for

the sir. Follow me.

And they walk through the ornate wood panelled

hallway to the lounge.

FAIRBANK (CONT’D)

Take a seat.

Fairbank appears relaxed and amiable as he takes

a seat. Steve and Kate do the same.

STEVE:

I’m DS...

FAIRBANK:

Tea or coffee?

STEVE:

We’re fine, thank you, sir. As I

was saying. I’m DS Arnott.

KATE:

DC Fleming.

Steve and Kate get their pocket books out and

take notes where appropriate.

KATE (CONT’D)

Mr Fairbank, we’d like to begin by

asking you about a social worker

who went missing in October 98.

Oliver Stephens-Lloyd.

FAIRBANK:

(Shakes head)

Doesn’t ring a bell.

STEVE:

If we may, sir perhaps this report

might jog your memory?

Kate passes Fairbank a copy of the Missing

Persons report.

Fairbank makes a meal of opening a glasses case.

FAIRBANK:

(Of glasses)

Blind as a bat without these.

Cleans the lenses.

FAIRBANK (CONT’D)

Are you sure you don’t want a tea

or coffee?

KATE:

We’re fine, thank you, sir.

He puts the glasses on.

Fairbank reads the report, utterly relaxed. Then

he hands it back.

FAIRBANK:

(Professing ignorance)

Sorry.

STEVE:

The report was copied to you. Is

there any reason you might take an

interest?

FAIRBANK:

None at all.

KATE:

Can you explain why you’ve been

sent this report?

FAIRBANK:

Well I don’t remember any of this.

I mean. You’re going back a good

many years.

Kate opens a folder and shows Fairbank the

photos of him with Dale Roach.

KATE:

We’d like to show you some

newspaper clippings, if we may.

Clock chimes. Once again Fairbank makes a

palaver out of putting on his reading glasses.

STEVE:

You appear to be quite close to

Councillor Dale Roach.

FAIRBANK:

Our paths crossed occasionally.

Usually at a charity event. We

weren’t close.

STEVE:

We’re looking into allegations of

child sexual exploitation involving

Councillor Roach.

Fairbank just looks at them both amiably, almost

stupidly.

KATE:

As head of Vice, did you ever deal

with any complaints against Roach?

FAIRBANK:

There may have been some such

saying “Councillor Roach has done

this” or “Councillor Roach did

that.”

STEVE:

And what would it be that the

Councillor “did”?

FAIRBANK:

I don’t recall the details. But

when these things came up, they

would have been looked into.

STEVE:

Did you ever deal with complaints

of abuse at Sands View Boys’ Home?

FAIRBANK:

That doesn’t ring a bell.

KATE:

(Notebook out)

There was a specific allegation

made by the social worker we’re

talking about, Oliver Stephens-

Lloyd.

FAIRBANK:

(Professing ignorance)

Sorry.

STEVE:

Stephens-Lloyd claimed he compiled

a list of authority figures who,

with the collusion of staff,

conducted systematic abuse of boys

resident at Sands View.

10:
51:23

FAIRBANK:

See. I’ve never even heard of this

Stands Views place.

Tense beats while Steve and Kate look sceptical,

but Fairbank seems not to have a care in the

world.

The doorbell rings.

FAIRBANK (CONT’D)

(Exiting.)

Sorry.

Steve and Kate look frustrated.

FAIRBANK (O.S.)(CONT’D)

I’ll get that, love.

MRS FAIRBANK (O.S)

Okay.

FAIRBANK:

Here he is.

HASTINGS:

I hope I’m not too late.

While Kate makes notes, Steve looks out. He’s

surprised to see who’s outside.

CUT TO:

EXT. FAIRBANK’S HOME. CONTINUOUS.

They shake hands. Fairbank uses his thumb to

apply sharp pressure to the knuckle of Hastings’

middle finger and Hastings does likewise.

FAIRBANK:

Spot on. How are you keeping, Ted?

HASTINGS:

Can’t complain, can’t complain.

Steve has witnessed the handshake, and looks

extremely troubled.

FAIRBANK:

I hope you don’t mind me calling

you?

HASTINGS:

Not at all, sir. A matter of

professional courtesy.

Music

10:
51:16

DUR:
1’07”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

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10:
51:57

10:
52:09

10:
52:11

Kate reacts with shock at hearing Hastings’

voice. She sees Steve is in the same boat. Enter

Fairbank and Hastings. Kate stands.

HASTINGS (CONT’D)

As you were, as you were.

FAIRBANK:

Oh now you’ll stay after won’t you?

Joyce will kill me if I let you off

the hook from her Victoria sponge.

Fairbank and Hastings sit.

HASTINGS:

That’s very kind of you, sir. Thank

you. Don’t mind me.

FAIRBANK (O.S)

(To Steve and Kate.)

Now where were we?

Steve and Kate look extremely uncomfortable.

Steve just looks very bitter.

CUT TO:

INT. DOT’S LAIR. NEXT DAY.

Dot scrapes a half-eaten breakfast into the bin.

He turns off the radio and his nerves kick in.

He glances at an array of mobile phones. He

looks even more nervous. Then he exits.

CUT TO:

INT. AC-12. INTERVIEW ROOM. LATER

Dot and senior officers in a meeting. Hastings

shuts the door.

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