The Coroner Page #4

[IN THE LIVING ROOM, SARAH FIGHTS PANIC]

LEE:

(LIGHT) What's this about?

CUT TO:

EP2/SC20. INT. SARAH'S BUNGALOW. LIVING ROOM. DAY 1.

15.45

JANE, DAVEY, LEE, SARAH

[FRAGILE, SARAH SITS FACING JANE AND DAVEY,

WASHING DOWN THE PILL (FROM PREVIOUS

SCENE)]

SARAH:

Headache.

[A RATTLE:
JANE NOTICES SARAH GLANCE EDGILY

AT LEE AS HE SETS ASIDE A DUSTPAN

(CONTAINING MUG SHARDS)]

JANE:

(TO SARAH, SOTTO) If you'd rather talk without your husband...

SARAH:

No! Sorry... Lee's my brother.

LEE:

Just visiting. From the States.

SARAH:

(BLURTING, EMOTIONAL) It's horrible... I heard, on the news. But I

don't know what I can tell you. I don't know anything about a baby.

[HOVERING PROTECTIVELY, LEE STEADIES HER

WITH A HAND. JANE PUTS THE PHOTOGRAPH ON

THE TABLE FOR HER]

JANE:

We're hoping you might remember these other girls. (POINTING) Karen

Shaw?

SARAH:

Yeah.

LEE:

No.

[THEY ARE AWKWARD AS JANE AND DAVEY EYE

THEM]

DAVEY:

(TO LEE) So you were at Greyvale too?

[LEE NODS]

DAVEY:

(RE PHOTOGRAPH) You're not here.

LEE:

No. Hated having my picture taken back then.

[DAVEY ACCEPTS THAT]

DAVEY:

(TO SARAH) Karen said she didn't remember you.

[SARAH HESITATES]

LEE:

A lifetime ago, isn't it? And being in care isn't generally a memory to

cherish.

[DAVEY HALF-ACCEPTS THAT, EYEING THEM]

JANE:

(POINTING) What about the third girl? Can you give us a name?

[SARAH SHAKES HER HEAD]

LEE:

Sorry.

JANE:

(TO SARAH) Are you sure? Perhaps... [another look?]

SARAH:

(FEIGNING HEADACHE) No, sorry. (STANDING) Is that it?

DAVEY:

Would you give a DNA sample?

[THROWN, SARAH LOOKS TO LEE]

LEE:

To compare to what? It's 40 years ago.

DAVEY:

We may get something back.

[A BEAT, BUT LEE LOOKS TO SARAH (AFFIRMING)]

SARAH:

Okay.

[JANE EYES THEM AS SHE AND DAVEY STAND]

CUT TO:

EP2/SC21. INT. COUNCIL ARCHIVE. DAY 1. 15.48

CLINT:

NSE EMPLOYEE:

[PITCH BLACK, UNTIL THE DOOR OPENS, AN

EMPLOYEE ADMITTING CLINT, ON HIS MOBILE,

HASSLED]

CLINT:

No, I'm working on it. It's too long ago for current records, but I'm into the

council archive room now. It's all under control...

[BUT AS THE DIM LIGHT FLICKERS ON (THE DOOR

CLOSING BEHIND HIM), HE CLOCKS THE GRIMY

ROOM (JUMBLED FILES ON SHELVES, HIS

SNEAKERS STICKING TO THE WET PULPY FLOOR),

BRUSHING AGAINST SOMETHING (WEBBY)]

CLINT:

(SHRILL) Ah, spiders!

CUT TO:

EP2/SC22. EXT. STREET / SARAH'S GARDEN. DAY 1. 15.49

JANE, DAVEY, LEE, SARAH

[APPROACHING THE CAR WITH DAVEY (PUTTING

HER MOBILE AWAY), JANE SIGHS]

DAVEY:

(RE SARAH) She seemed a bit... flaky?

JANE:

Dependent, even.

DAVEY:

But she did agree to DNA, which suggests nothing to hide. Karen too.

JANE:

So I need to ID that 3rd girl. And seeing as Clint has nothing yet there's only

one person left to ask. Although Phil Tate's not going to be happy...

[BUT AS THEY GET INTO THE CAR, REVEAL:

LEE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GARDEN FENCE,

WHEELS TURNING AS HE LISTENS. SARAH

APPROACHES, PANICKED, FOLDING INTO HIM]

LEE:

(SOTTO) Shh, it's okay. I'll make it all go away.

[LEE HOLDS HER, PRIVATELY DESPERATE]

CUT TO:

EP2/SC23. INT. BLACK DOG. DAY 1. 16.32

JUDITH, MICK

[(IN HIS CORNER) MICK IS STRETCHED OUT, FEET

UP, OVER-EGGING IT, FLANNEL ON HIS FOREHEAD

WATCHING TV AS A STRESSED JUDITH LEAVES AN

ORANGE JUICE ON THE TABLE, TURNING TO

HURRY OFF]

MICK:

Oh, no ice?

[JUDITH PAUSES]

MICK:

Yeah, I’m burning up here babes.

JUDITH:

Oh sorry love. So wrapped up in serving, doing lunch and bottling up.

MICK:

(PREOCCUPIED, CHANGING CHANNEL) It's okay, love.

JUDITH:

Maybe I should get you a little bell to ring when you want something?

MICK:

(GETTING COMFY) Yeah, just bring it with the ice.

[JUDITH CRACKS, FUMING]

JUDITH:

I'll ring your bell for you.

[MICK IS WRONG-FOOTED]

JUDITH:

You know I been run ragged while you're sat here..?

MICK:

(IN) I'm on my last legs...

JUDITH:

(IN) ...on your lazy backside! My shift ended an hour ago!

MICK:

(WEAKLY) ... head pounding.

JUDITH:

Then get an icepack, get over it and get your carcass behind that bar, you

lightweight! (STEAMING OFF) I got better things to do.

[BEWILDERED, MICK SNIFFLES, ALONE WITH HIS

HANKY]

CUT TO:

EP2/SC24. EXT. LIGHTHAVEN CARE HOME. GARDEN. DAY 1.

16.54

RON, LEE

NSE RESIDENTS:

[RON IN HIS WHEELCHAIR. TENSE, LEE HURRIEDLY

SITS FACING HIM, KEEPING AN EYE OUT]

LEE:

Been a long time.

[RON EYES LEE, NONPLUSSED]

LEE:

(DEADLY SERIOUS) I need a favour.

[RON EYES LEE - A SHOCKED REALISATION]

CUT TO:

EP2/SC25. INT. LIGHTHAVEN CARE HOME. CORRIDOR. DAY

1. 17.01

JANE, DAVEY, LEE

NSE CARERS, RESIDENTS

[DAVEY CATCHES UP WITH JANE AS THEY HEAD

FOR THE EXIT]

DAVEY:

Nurse said he can't speak much since the stroke.

[AS THEY EXIT, LEE SLIPS OUT THE ENTRANCE

BEHIND THEM (IN SUNGLASSES), JANE GLIMPSING

(BUT NOT RECOGNISING) HIM]

CUT TO:

EP2/SC26. EXT. LIGHTHAVEN CARE HOME. GARDEN. DAY 1.

17.04

JANE, DAVEY, RON

NSE CARERS, RESIDENTS

[RON IS UNREADABLE AS: SENSITIVE, JANE SLIDES

THE PHOTO CLOSER]

JANE:

Mr Tate, I know communication is difficult, (POINTING) but can you

remember this girl?

[BUT RON JUST EYES IT, NOT REACTING]

JANE:

Her name, perhaps? Or anything about her?

[RON SHAKES HIS HEAD]

DAVEY:

We think one of these girls might have had a baby, when they were living at

Greyvale...

[RON LOOKS AWAY, DISTRESSED]

DAVEY:

We've found Karen, and Sarah...

[SEEING RON'S DISTRESS, DAVEY HESITATES]

JANE:

What about any boyfriends on the scene?

[AGITATED, RON WAVES THEM AWAY (RIGHT-

HANDED). SHARING A GUILTY LOOK WITH DAVEY,

JANE TAKES THE PHOTO]

JANE:

I'm sorry we bothered you.

[THEY MOVE OFF]

DAVEY:

(TO RON) Oh, Charles Gower sends his regards.

[BUT ALONE, RON'S AGITATION WORSENS, RIGHT

HAND GRIPPING THE CHAIR]

CUT TO:

EP2/SC27. EXT. LIGHTHAVEN CARE HOME. CAR PARK. DAY

1. 17.14

JANE, DAVEY

[CAR:
GETTING IN, JANE AND DAVEY SHARE

DEFLATION]

DAVEY:

Another door closes.

[JANE'S MOBILE RINGS AND SHE DIGS IN HER BAG]

DAVEY:

Maybe this is just how it's going to be. Unless we get something from the

public appeal.

JANE:

(ANSWERING MOBILE) Clint! Where've you been? (TO DAVEY, RE

CLINT, AMUSED) 1976.

DAVEY:

Ancient history, isn't it?

JANE:

(TO MOBILE) Really?

[DAVEY IS QUIZZICAL AS JANE (RE-ENERGISED BY

CLINT) NUDGES HIM TO START THE CAR]

JANE:

Blast from the past.

[DAVEY STARTS THE CAR]

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