The Coroner Page #7

[SHE LOOKS AT MAY – ONE MOTHER TO ANOTHER]

JANE:

Please. Let me help your boy.

[MAY NODS WEAKLY]

MAY:

He came round that night. Drunk. (BEAT) I wanted to talk to him, after

that text but John got in first. Dragged him out... Away. Didn’t see

anything else. (BEAT) John drove off before midnight. Didn’t ask where.

John don’t like questions. (BEAT) I think John hurt him. Really hurt him.

(TOUCHES HER FACE) You can’t tell him I said anything…

[JANE GENTLY BRUSHES MAY’S HAIR AWAY.

REVEALS A LARGE BRUISE ON HER FACE]

JANE:

You don’t have to put up with this, May. There are people who can help.

MAY:

(DOUBTS IT) Maybe. (BEAT) Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one

who even cares that he’s dead.

[OUT ON JANE - FEELS FOR HER]

CUT TO:

EP. 1/SC.34 INT. POLICE INTERVIEW ROOM. DAY 5. 14.15

DAVEY, PHILLIP

NS POLICE OFFICER, NS SOLICITOR

[DAVEY WITH A NERVOUS PHILLIP]

PHILLIP:

I was at the Magistrates dinner in Plymouth at the Regal Hotel.

DAVEY:

Which finished at midnight. Where were you at four?

PHILLIP:

In bed. (EMBARRASSED) I had a few drinks after the dinner… Few too

many. My driver had to take me in.

DAVEY:

No alibi. (EYES THE GRAZE ON PHILLIP’S HAND) How d’you do

that?

PHILLIP:

Fell over outside when I was… When I was drunk.

DAVEY:

I have it on good authority that you attacked Steve Kernan.

PHILLIP:

(ANGRY) Because he was kidnapping my daughter!

DAVEY:

She’s sixteen, she can leave home without your consent.

PHILLIP:

I know the law! She’s a young sixteen. A child! (EYES HIS SOLICITOR)

I’m not denying I hit him but I did not kill him.

DAVEY:

Then why did this good authority suggest you were capable of murder?

PHILLIP:

What? (REALISES) The baby. (EYES DAVEY) I gave her a pill, to get

rid of it. That wasn’t murder. It was kindness. It would’ve ruined her life!

DAVEY:

(COLD) Not your decision to make though, was it?

JUMP CUT TO:

EP. 1/SC.35 EXT. BEACH. DAY 5. 16.23

JANE, DAVEY, MATT, BETH

[JANE WITH DAVEY, THEY WALK AND TALK]

DAVEY:

The hotel staff and driver backed up his story. He was so drunk he couldn’t

climb his own stairs, let alone Gora Point.

[JANE SPOTS MATT AND BETH]

DAVEY:

I’ll talk to John.

[JANE SILENT, STILL LOOKING AT MATT]

DAVEY:

What?

JANE:

Nothing. No, it’s nothing.

DAVEY:

I know you. What is it?

JANE:

(FROWNS) Why wasn’t Matt at Steve’s funeral?

DAVEY:

I don’t know. Cos he can’t cope with it? You know teenagers. Bury their

head. Pretend it hasn’t happened. Stop worrying. He’s got an alibi. He

was with Beth. (HEADS OFF) I’ll let you know what happens with John.

JANE:

Be careful. Don’t make it worse for May. She’s terrified of him.

DAVEY:

(SMILES) I can do subtle. I’ll make out it’s routine.

[JANE HEADS OVER TO MATT AND BETH. BETH

HOLDS UP HER CATCH – TWO SEA BASS]

BETH:

Look what I caught! Can have them for tea.

[JANE NODS, SMILES AT BETH. EYES MATT]

JANE:

Can I have a quick word?

[HE LOOKS AT BETH WHO SHRUGS. HE JOINS JANE]

MATT:

Is it Beth?

JANE:

No, it’s about Steve.

[A TINY REACTION FROM MATT. NERVOUSNESS?]

JANE:

You told Davey you’d spoken to him. When was that?

MATT:

Ten to nine. He was upset about his girlfriend. Said he’d fill me in later.

JANE:

You didn’t talk to him again?

MATT:

No… we were meant to meet but he never showed. So, I went to the party.

JANE:

Did he say he was leaving with her that night?

MATT:

(THROWN) What?

JANE:

She’s pregnant. Sophie. Steve was going to be a dad.

[MATT’S JAW DROPS. STUNNED]

MATT:

What? I didn’t. I had no idea. (SMALL) A dad?

JANE:

Surprised me too. (GENTLE) Why didn’t you go to the funeral?

MATT:

(WRETCHED) I. I couldn’t. (LOOKS AWAY) I just. I couldn’t face it.

CUT TO:

EP. 1/SC. 36 INT. KERNAN’S COTTAGE. KITCHEN. DAY 5. 18.00

DAVEY, MAY, JOHN

[JOHN STORMS IN, HEADS OVER TO MAY]

JOHN:

Next door saw you. Talking to her. What did you say?

MAY:

Nothing. I said nothing, John.

[JOHN GRABS HER HAIR. A KNOCK ON THE

KITCHEN DOOR]

MAY:

(WHISPERS) John, please. Let me go.

DAVEY (OOV):

Any one in?

[MAY PULLS AWAY. SHOOTS TO THE DOOR. OPENS

IT TO FIND DAVEY THERE]

DAVEY:

Mrs. Kernan, just needed a quick word.

[MAY NODS FOR HIM TO ENTER]

DAVEY:

Thanks.

JOHN:

Who gave you permission to come in?

MAY:

I did.

[JOHN GLARES AT HER]

DAVEY:

We’re changing the line of enquiry. Opening up the investigation.

JOHN:

Meaning?

DAVEY:

We’re not ruling anything out.

MAY:

You don’t think he killed himself?

DAVEY:

Possibly. Got some routine questions. (CASUAL) Where… were you both

the night he died?

[MAY EYES JOHN. DIALOGUE OVERLAPS. FAST]

JOHN:

(BRISTLES) Why?

DAVEY:

It’s a simple question.

JOHN:

Why d’you need to know that for?

DAVEY:

Where were you?

JOHN:

I’m not answering nothing.

DAVEY:

Why not?

JOHN:

Cos it’s none of your business!

DAVEY:

(FIRM) Where were you the night your son died?

[ANGRY, JOHN PUNCHES DAVEY IN THE FACE.

KNOCKS HIM OVER]

JOHN:

You want to ask me again, do you? Eh?

[ABOUT TO PUNCH DAVEY AGAIN WHEN MAY

BRINGS A PAN DOWN ON HIS HEAD. FELLS HIM.

DAVEY SCRABBLES UP, GRABS HIS CUFFS]

DAVEY:

(CUFFS HIM) John Kernan. I’m arresting you on suspicion of the murder

of Steven Kernan…

[OUT ON MAY TERRIFIED – WHAT’S SHE DONE?]

CUT TO:

EP. 1/SC.37 INT. CORONER’S OFFICE. DAY 6. 11.28

JANE, CLINT, SOPHIE

N.S. AUNT

[JANE AND CLINT WORKING. A KNOCK ON THE

DOOR, SOPHIE ENTERS WITH HER NS AUNT. JANE

SURPRISED, SMILES WARMLY]

JANE:

Sophie, what’re you doing here?

SOPHIE:

I’m going to stay at my aunt’s. (HANDS OVER A CARD) This is her

number.

[JANE NODS AT SOPHIE’S AUNT WHO SMILES

BACK]

JANE:

You okay?

[SOPHIE SHRUGS. SHAKES HER HEAD.

EMOTIONAL. ALL STILL VERY RAW]

SOPHIE:

I… I gave Steve a present. He had it with him when. I wondered if. If I

could get it back? If that’s okay? Didn’t know who to ask.

JANE:

What was it?

SOPHIE:

Just an old watch. He liked it. Thought it looked retro. Cool.

JANE:

It’s broken sorry, got smashed.

SOPHIE:

Never worked anyway. It’s sentimental. Was my Grandad’s.

[JANE STARES AT HER]

JANE:

It didn’t work?

SOPHIE:

Hands stuck. Least it was right twice a day. That’s what Steve said.

JANE:

(FACE DROPS) At two minutes past four?

CUT TO:

EP. 1/SC. 38 EXT. BEACH. DAY 6. 12. 35

BETH, MATT

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote