Line of Duty Page #4

STEVE:

I was angry. Angry with Kate, angry

with Lindsay. I didn’t mean

anything.

HASTINGS:

But you do admit that you were

angry with Lindsay?

DOT:

Those words go way beyond angry.

STEVE:

I didn’t kill Lindsay!

KATE:

At her trial, Lindsay testified

that there was a sexual

relationship between you. The

relevant section for the transcript

is Document 46.

STEVE:

I don’t need the transcript. She

was lying.

KATE:

Data retrieval from Lindsay’s

mobile resulted in detection of the

following file, item reference MKJ

32. For the tape, I will now play

MKJ-32.

Steve looks very uncomfortable.

Kate keys a remote control. On a computer screen

appears a wave-form in keeping with the sounds

coming out of the speakers.

It starts with indistinct ruffling noises. Then

we hear breathing noises that get heavier, two

people, a man (Steve) and a woman (Lindsay).

STEVE (O.S.)

That okay?

LINDSAY (O.S.)

Yeah.

More breathing/ruffling noises.

STEVE (O.S.)

You okay?

LINDSAY (O.S.)

Yeah.

The breathing gets heavier, turning into

panting.

Steve looks uncomfortable. So does Hastings.

Kate is neutral. Dot hides a naughty schoolboy

grin.

The panting gets heavier and then the recording

abruptly ends.

HASTINGS:

Do you recognise the voices on this

audio file?

STEVE:

Me and Lindsay.

HASTINGS:

And can you tell us where the

recording was made?

STEVE:

In her bedroom.

HASTINGS:

And were you aware at the time,

that this recording being made?

STEVE:

No, sir, I wasn’t.

Steve looks ashamed.

SOLICITOR:

As DS Arnott didn’t give his

permission, the recording was

illegal.

DOT:

Still, it’s not a nice thing to do

someone, that.

Dot looks at Steve.

DOT (CONT’D)

Just another thing she did to put a

few more winds on your clock, eh?

Steve just glares at Do.

HASTINGS:

Time and time again you denied any

impropriety.

STEVE:

What you can’t know is that we were

both almost fully clothed. And the

file’s been abridged. If you’d had

the opportunity to continue

listening, you’d have heard that we

stopped through mutual consent.

HASTINGS:

“Stopped” what?

STEVE:

(Beats. Ashamed.)

There was some kissing, some

touching. Lindsay became upset and

I comforted her. Sir, I give you my

word, Lindsay Denton and I did not

have sex.

HASTINGS:

(Morally disapproving.)

“Your word.”

DOT:

Whatever your version is of that

audio file, sounds like you pair

went way beyond the professional,

and then she used it to discredit

your case against her. Now I don’t

know many blokes who wouldn’t be

angry about that. And thanks to her

accusations, you were suspended,

your career potentially in ruins.

Dot keys a remote control to bring up on the

monitors a crime scene photo of Lindsay’s body

in the passenger seat of a car.

DOT (CONT’D)

Now for the tape, on screen is

Image 5. Image 5 is a crime scene

photograph taken at 12:45 on July

17th showing the body of Lindsay

Denton. Image 8.

Dot brings up a photo that’s a wider shot of the

crime scene showing Steve’s car with Lindsay’s

body in the passenger seat. Steve is shocked to

see his car there.

STEVE:

That’s my car.

DOT:

Image 8 is a crime scene photograph

showing the vehicle in which

Lindsay Denton’s body was found.

It’s a dark grey Volvo S60.

HASTINGS:

You agree it's your car?

STEVE:

As I’ve said, sir, I reported my

vehicle stolen.

Music

10:
18:40

DUR:
0’31”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

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KATE:

Document 6 in your folders.

Document 6 is a photocopy of Item

Reference IKL-1. IKL-1 is the log

for service vehicles. On July 1st

you signed out service vehicle

Foxtrot Juliet One Four Romeo

Charlie Zulu and it was never

signed back in.

HASTINGS:

You should have, the second you

were suspended.

DOT:

It’s a perk of the job. Didn’t want

to give up the motor.

HASTINGS:

So it’s a matter of fact that this

vehicle was in your possession at

the time of the murder.

STEVE:

The fact, sir, is someone stole the

vehicle.

HASTINGS:

And you reported it stolen when?

KATE:

(Off Steve’s hesitation.)

In the call made to the AC-12

switchboard at 11:59.

DOT:

Yeah. But Lindsay was last seen

alive up to an hour earlier, at the

internet cafe. Now that is plenty

of time for you to get home and

report your car stolen.

STEVE:

I reported the theft as soon as I

realised. The car must have been

stolen earlier.

HASTINGS:

I see.

Steve knows this doesn’t sound very believable,

to his anguish.

Everyone turns to look at document 7.

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X:

Music Ends

10:
19:11

DOT:

Document 7 is a copy of the

pathologist’s report following a

post-mortem examination of Lindsay

Denton. And the cause of death was

a single gunshot wound to the head.

Image 6.

Dot keys the remote control to bring up a photo

of a bullet.

DOT (CONT’D)

Image 6 is a forensic photograph of

Item Reference NJC-4. Item NJC-4 is

a bullet found lodged in the

passenger-side trim of service

vehicle Foxtrot Juliet One Four

Romeo Charlie Zulu. NJC-4 has been

identified as a 9 by 19 millimetre

Parabellum round. Image 13.

Dot keys a remote control to bring up an image

on the computer screens, of a gun in an evidence

bag.

DOT (CONT’D)

Image 13 shows Item Reference SCS

9. SCS-9 is a service-issue

firearm, a Glock-17 pistol serial

number November Mike 8494748.

Dot brings up a photo of the.

DOT (CONT’D)

The Glock-17 was found a short

distance from the vehicle

containing the body of Lindsay

Denton.

KATE:

Document 11 in your folders, also

on screen.

Everyone turns to this document. On screen is a

form FA-1 showing a Glock 17 and ammunition

issued to and signed by Steve.

KATE (CONT’D)

Document 11 is the firearms issue

log from South Ferry Armoury. You

will see a highlighted entry on the

morning of July 13th relating to

said Glock-17 serial number

November Mike 8494748. Said firearm

was never returned.

Music

10:
20:52

DUR:
1’57”.

Specially

composed by

Carly

Paradis.

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STEVE |

No. I returned my firearm a few |

days before Lindsay was murdered. |

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HASTINGS |

Not according to these records. |

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STEVE |

No ... no ... I returned it. Ask |

them at the armoury, they’ll |

confirm it. |

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HASTINGS |

It’s here in black and white, son. |

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Steve is exasperated and anguished. |

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DOT |

You always follow the regs when it |

comes to firearms? |

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Steve hesitates. |

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DOT (CONT’D)|

DS Arnott was seen bearing a |

firearm within this building that |

did not in my view meet|

satisfactory operational |

requirement. On July 13th I gave DS|

Arnott a verbal warning that he was |

in breach of Section 7 of the 1968 |

Firearms Act. |

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Dot looks pleased with how things are going. |

Steve looks anguished. |

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Hastings and Kate look very uncomfortable with |

Steve’s demise. |

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STEVE |

What forensics do you have linking |

me to the crime scene? |

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DOT |

Your car. Your gun. I’d say that’s |

plenty. |

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STEVE |

Were my fingerprints on the gun? |

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KATE |

There were no fingerprints found on |

the firearm at all. It appeared to |

have been wiped. |

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