The Coroner Page #2
Season #1 Episode #2- Year:
- 2015
- 45 min
- 495 Views
JANE:
Thanks for waiting.
BILL:
Punctuality is the politeness of kings. For those of you who don’t know her,
this is our Coroner, Jane Kennedy –
JANE:
I know everyone here, Bill. This is a problem –
[SHE PLACES THE PRINTOUT ON THE TABLE. THE
HEADLINE READS ANOTHER BODY WASHES UP ON
GREYROCK POINT]
JANE (CONT’D):
Three in a month. We need to talk about reforming the rules for sea-burials.
BILL:
I hope that you are not suggesting those present are lacking in their jobs?
JANE:
It’s possible.
PRINCE:
Sorry but everyone here takes a great deal of professional pride in their
work.
[MRS BLACKSTONE CLEARS HER THROAT]
GRAVELLE:
These botched sea-burials could easily come from undertakers outside of
your jurisdiction –
PRINCE:
On strong currents.
BLACKSTONE:
Why aren’t they being hauled to an emergency general meeting?
JANE:
It is a subject I’ve raised with the Coroner’s Society and it’s not just here
but we can’t ignore that it is here and something needs to be done about it.
Look, it’s not my job to tell people how they’re disposed of; if you want to
have a traditional sea-burial, I’m all for it. But what I won’t support is a
situation where unidentified bodies keep floating up on my patch as a
consequence of botched sea-burials. I can’t have it.
BILL:
So what do you propose?
JANE:
(KNOWING IT WILL GO DOWN LIKE LEAD) The simplest thing would
be to insist that all bodies buried at sea are subjected to a DNA test.
BILL:
A voluntary test?
JANE:
At the moment.
BILL:
Who’s going to pay for that?
JANE:
You’d pass that onto the customer.
GRAVELLE:
Undertaking is a highly competitive undertaking. If we raise our rates our
customers may well take their business elsewhere.
JANE:
You could all raise your rates.
BILL:
That would be price-fixing, which is illegal.
PRINCE:
And in case you hadn’t noticed we’re just coming out of a recession.
JANE:
I did catch the news, yes.
BILL:
Or why don’t you pay for it?
JANE:
My office barely has enough money to keep the lights on, Bill, you of all
people should know that.
BILL:
Voluntary DNA testing isn’t going to work.
JANE:
Then you could lobby for DNA testing to become law.
BILL:
That would require a change in national legislation…
JANE:
And as Councillor you would be in a perfect position to throw some of your
weight that way.
BILL:
I don’t see why those who are recently bereaved should have to submit their
lost loved one to an invasion of their privacy.
JANE:
It’d be a tiny sample.
BILL:
It’s the principle. It’s an invasion of their human rights.
JANE:
I’m not entirely sure dead bodies have human rights.
BILL:
(PATRONISING) I think you’ll find if you ask a lawyer…
JANE:
I don’t need to ask a lawyer, Bill, I am one. And when I was appearing at
the Supreme Court they most certainly didn’t.
BILL:
Well you’re not in London now.
JANE:
(APPEALING TO THE UNDERTAKERS) You won’t consider passing this
on to your customers?
JANE:
Then perhaps it’s time I conducted a review of which undertakers I choose
to use in future.
[THE TONE IN THE ROOM IMMEDIATELY CHANGES
BUT IT’S TOO LATE. JANE LEAVES]
CUT TO:
EP2/SC10. INT. POLICE STATION. DAVEY’S OFFICE. DAY 1.
09:
33DAVEY, DORA
[DAVEY’S A LITTLE BLEARY-EYED AND IS
SLUGGING A COFFEE IN BETWEEN FILLING OUT A
MISSING PERSON’S FORM FOR DORA. HIS HEAD’S
NOT FULLY SWITCHED ON JUST YET…]
DAVEY:
So who’s missing?
DORA:
My boyfriend.
DAVEY:
And when was the last time you saw him?
DORA:
Like, like about a week.
DAVEY:
Be good to be precise about that.
DORA:
Sunday. A week ago on Sunday.
DAVEY:
Ten days. That’s a long time.
DORA:
Well he does that. Leaves home and takes off sailing when he needs to clear
his head, you know.
DAVEY:
Sailing?
DORA:
Yeah he went sailing – boat’s gone.
DAVEY:
What sort of boat is it?
DORA:
A National 12. Blue wooden hull. It’s called Hispaniola.
DAVEY:
Does he sail on his own?
DORA:
Yeah I can’t stand the water.
DAVEY:
Me too. How often does he go out?
DORA:
Once, twice a month.
DAVEY:
So you’d say he’s experienced?
DORA:
Very.
DAVEY:
And he’s gone off unexpectedly before, you say?
DORA:
Yeah but never for this long. He always calls.
DAVEY:
How’s his health?
DORA:
Why?
DAVEY:
Doesn’t have epilepsy or anything like that?
DORA:
No he’s fine. D’you think he’s drowned?
DAVEY:
If he’d come off his boat we’d expect to find the wreckage; they can’t sail
themselves. And I haven’t had any reports like that from the Coast Guard
but I’ll double check.
DORA:
Has been pretty stormy of late -
DAVEY:
When you say clear his head, what d’you mean by that?
DORA:
He can get himself into scrapes.
DAVEY:
Trouble?
DORA:
Yeah gets himself into trouble, like. With you lot.
[DAVEY WAKES UP AND FLIPS THE FORM OVER TO
THE FRONT PAGE]
DAVEY:
What’s his name?
DORA:
Burton. Kevin Burton.
DAVEY:
Your fella’s Kevin Burton?
DORA:
You know him?
DAVEY:
I do.
CUT TO:
EP2/SC11. INT. CORONER’S OFFICE. CORRIDORS / OFFICE.
DAY 1. 10.11
CLINT, JANE, DAVEY
NSE JOURNALIST:
[TELEPHONES ARE RINGING OFF THE HOOK AS
CLINT KEEPS UP WITH JANE WHO IS WALKING AT A
CLIP. HE HAS IN HIS HANDS FILES WHICH HE IS
CLINT:
Here’s your list of those gone in the night and you’ve missed your ten AM
with the Bereavement Officer –
JANE:
I’ll call her.
CLINT:
These are from the community, all natural causes apart from that one which
is an RTC but they weren’t a donor so…and here’s your post and…these are
your missed calls and don’t forget you’re in court at half four. Lots of calls
from the press but I’ve said no comment.
JANE:
Good.
CLINT:
That journalist from the bluff’s hanging about…
[JANE FLICKS A LOOK TOWARD A HALLWAY. SHE
SPOTS THE NS JOURNALIST WAITING]
CLINT:
Told him you weren’t going to be passing comment but he’s pretty
persistent. And Davey’s here.
[CLINT WAITS OUTSIDE THE OFFICE. INSIDE SHE
FINDS DAVEY SITTING ON THE END OF THE TABLE]
JANE:
Thanks.
DAVEY:
Clint? Nice pic online.
CLINT:
Cheers. Getting one framed for Mum.
[CLINT GOES. AS JANE SHUTS THE DOOR THE
SOUND OF RINGING PHONES FADES. JANE
IMMEDIATELY TENDS TO HER EMAILS]
DAVEY:
Thought you said he wasn’t efficient.
JANE:
He isn’t. Apparently the storms have brought in a swell and he wants to
clock off by lunch. Which isn’t going to happen. If this is a social call can it
wait?
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"The Coroner" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_coroner_758>.
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