'Almighty God, we give thanks for all you have provided us.
'For strengthening us for your purpose.'
Receive the body of Christ given to thee.
Preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life.
'For bringing hope in the darkest of hours.'
'For guiding us.'
'Receive the blood of Christ shed for thee'.
Preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life.
Take it. Take it.
'And above all, we give thanks to you'
for bringing us together here in your presence,
no longer strangers but part of your family.
And through that family, may we find peace.
- Amen. - Amen.
I've never seen them sit so still.
I think I bored them into submission.
Whatever it takes.
Oi. You lot, pack it in.
Well, it was nice while it lasted.
- Got any more of that wine, Vicar? - Heathens. The lot of ya.
Mrs Butler.
How are you, June? You coming to the fight?
Oh, I don't think my nerves could take it.
Oh, I've been wanting to say, erm,
- Matthew isn't the easiest of boys... - Mum.
- In truth, he's a little bugger. - Mum!
But spending time with you,
it's changed him.
It really has.
Well, he's a wonderful boy.
You can be very proud of him.
Right. Time to bang a few heads together.
At the risk of sounding patronising, I'm proud of you too.
Vic'd be lost without you.
So this happened last night at about...?
He's not entirely sure.
- How much did they take? - He's not entirely sure.
What did these gentlemen look like?
To be perfectly honest,
- I'm not entirely... - Not entirely sure.
So, to clarify, at an unspecified time on an unspecified street,
some unspecified men robbed you.
That's about the size of it.
Yes.
Knock yourself out, Larry.
Right.
Just what I need, this.
- A night of masculine pursuits. - Steady on, Geordie.
Two men, beer, no talk of women.
How is the mother-in-law? Still driving you round the bend?
- Ah. Only talking about manly things,
- like boxing and... - Beer?
Beer. Exactly.
- Beer, boxing, and... - Bakewell tart, anyone?
- Leonard asked if he could join us. - I can see that.
Purely form a charitable aspect, you understand.
I'm a pacifist.
Never
I'm not quite sure I'll have the constitution for the violence.
Or the blood, when it comes to that.
Mm. Are you sure I can't tempt you?
- I'm fine, thanks. - How's the mother-in-law?
Have your tickets ready, please, gents.
Programmes tuppence a go.
Here he is.
- Good man. - Yeah, it's busy.
- Good turnout. - Some might say a resounding success.
- Night is yet young. - Half a crown.
That's very generous of you. Thanks, Keatsy.
No-one ever got poor by giving.
No-one ever got pleasantly drunk, either. Pint? Nah.
Leonard? Ooh... lemonade.
Hey! Ellie!
- No. Geordie, no. - What?
The romance has faded, has it?
Ah, no talk of romance.
Jack, will you tell them, the boxing
ring is no place to talk of romance.
You've met my wife, Geordie. It's precisely the place.
- Jack's having trouble with Mrs C. - Yeah, course he is.
She's moved into the spare room.
- Oh, dear. - She'll hardly talk to me.
When she does, she has such a look of disappointment.
Be back in a sec.
How are we doing?
- A little nervous, I'm afraid. - Ah, what's to be nervous about?
You try. I can't seem to get through to them.
Good luck, boys.
Come on, there's a whole crowd
out there waiting to cheer you on.
That didn't help, did it?
Not really.
- Think I'm gonna be sick. - That's the spirit.
Ladies and gentlemen, honoured guests...
Oh, and Inspector Keating.
I wanted to start off with a boxing joke,
but, er, I can't remember the punch line, so...
That's the last one, I promise.
This place...
I love this place.
I just wanted to prove that...
that everyone deserves a chance to learn a skill.
To help these boys understand who they are,
what they stand for.
I couldn't have done any of that...
..without my lovely wife Marie.
And Will. Will, come up here.
Come on.
Ladies and gentlemen,
this man has been a literal Godsend.
No, it's all you, Vic.
Don't let it go to your head, but you're an inspiration.
Thank you, son.
Introducing, in the red corner,
Matthew "the Battler" Butler.
And in the blue corner, Lucas "Left hook" Rawlings!
Now, come in, boys. One-minute rounds.
I want a good, clean fight.
- You understand? - Yes, boss.
- Touch gloves.
Corners.
Seconds out, round one!
This is the closest I've felt to God in such a long time.
Doesn't say much for your sermons.
- Is that a tear in your eye? - Oh, shut up.
- Is he ignoring me? - Ah!
- What? - I am not here to talk about romance.
He's such a child.
Just cos I said no.
Said no to what?
I thought he'd tell you?
Tell me what?
Ellie?
That's it, keep moving, Matt, keep moving.
Punch his bloody lights out!
Whoa! Oi-oi!
Corners, corners!
You keep it clean, all right?
And don't take your eyes off him.
You're doing so well, just relax.
Seconds out.
Round two!
Guard up, Matt.
Keep those hands up, Matt, hands up.
Hands high.
Hands up.
Hands up, Matt! Hands up!
That's it!
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!
Lucas "Left hook" Rawlings!
You did really well. Really, really well, OK.
You know what it looked like to me?
No, but I suspect you're gonna tell us anyway.
It looked like he threw the fight. Probably put a bet on.
Let it all out, Geordie. "Oh, he's a bad kid, I told you so."
All right! Tetchy.
Now, then. Ellie.
You really know how to cheer a fella up, don't ya?
What did she say no to?
He proposed.
- You proposed to Ellie? - All right, all right.
Wasn't my finest hour.
- Why? - I don't know, I just...
I was speaking to Vic about marriage and...
He asked for my advice.
And that was your advice, was it? Marry her?
No, no. Not exactly.
Sex is sex, Will.
Most of the time it's not even that good.
You've made it very clear you don't understand, Geordie.
So, please can we stop talking about it?
Right, where the hell are the boys?
I promised them a shandy.
- You're not losing hope, are you? - I don't know.
Maybe.
It happens sometimes.
Get in a ring, all that pressure.
It's up and down with these kids,
and today was a down day.
Do you think I expect too much?
I think you expect miracles.
- Ah, what's wrong with that? - Nothing.
I wouldn't have you any other way.
_
Matt?
Luke?!
Matt?
Luke?
- Luke! - Matt!
Luke?
Luke!
Call an ambulance.
Excuse me. Through here.
Benzedrine.
They've had the lot.
- Vic. - I didn't do enough for them.
- You saved them, Vic. - No.
It wasn't enough.
Let Operation Entente Cordiale commence.
- Operation what-what, what-what? - Action stations!
Good morning.
If you say so.
Full of sunshine and flowers again, Mrs C.
You're a veritable cornucopia of joy.
Where's my Brasso?
Who's been cooking in my kitchen?!
That would be your devoted husband.
Dusting's done, vacuuming...
Quiche.
I have made a... quiche.
A quiche?
What unholy nonsense is this?
Your duties for the day are done,
so there's no excuse not to sit down
and resolve whatever may be troubling you.
Leonard has offered to mediate.
Leonard?
- These were locked? - Yeah.
Larry.
Found a key yet?
Swept the whole place. No key inside. Sorry, boss.
That suggests there was a third party involved, doesn't it?
If they were locked from the outside,
then someone else was here.
Maybe it was just hi-jinx.
You know, a few... few uppers, few whiskies.
Come on, Will.
There'd be a note if it was intentional.
Not always.
- But both of them, I mean. - Two desperate people
- looking for a way out. - No.
No, they had this place, they had a family.
What is it?
_
A Mr Lucas Rawlings took out a personal advertisement
once a week for the last two months.
"Young male companion looking for friendly gent
"for meeting of like-minds."
'Companion' spelt wrong. 'Gent' spelt wrong.
- No grammar to speak of. - Meeting of like minds, my arse.
Luke's been importuning.
- Any responses? - Just one asking to meet.
Still giving me the cold shoulder?
Jesus would be proud.
I'm standing here thinking.
Such a child.
Can you two cut to the part where you kiss and make up?
Oh, no kissing unless we get married, apparently.
Who's being a child now?
Frank mark.
We find out where the franking machine's registered,
we are one step closer to finding our "friendly gent".
William Davenport.
Will you marry me?
- No. - See? Now we're even.
I understand you're very upset
about decisions I've made in the past.
But I feel it's unfair of you
to judge me for something I can no longer change.
Very good, very succinct.
- Mrs C. - Mistakes, Jack.
Not decisions.
You've made horrible mistakes.
Non-judgemental, Mrs C.
And you've never made a mistake, have you, Sylvia?
Non-accusatory, Jack.
Not one that ruined people's lives.
Let's try and bring it back to the here and now.
I helped desperate families cross a border.
For monetary gain. And then you lied about it.
- I didn't bloody lie! - Yes, you bloody did!
Listen without fear or favour.
You never asked about it. Be honest, Sylvia.
Yes. Let us do try and be honest.
You didn't care where my money was from
when you were going through it like water.
Perhaps a little too honest there, Jack.
Sit down, Sylvia.
Sit down.
I'm not a saint.
Never claimed to be.
I made my fortune through good means and bad.
I've made my peace with that
But if you can't...
..then I'll go.
Was that succinct enough for you?
Franking machine's only accessible to bank staff.
According to Luke's police report,
he'd never importuned before.
Hadn't so much as touched a fella's knee.
Do you think I pushed the boys too hard?
Do not be thinking that, Will. I won't have it.
Well, what do you know. That's our fella.
- Him? Really? - Trust me.
Mr Burrows.
We meet again.
It's franked in your offices.
There are 30 men in my employ, anyone could've written it.
Ah.
How many of them have been loitering in dark alleys?
Are you married, Mr Burrows?
Course he is.
Do you like the company of men?
I'm not sure I like what you're insinuating.
- Did you meet Lucas Rawlings? - I don't know any Lucas...
Yes or no?
If you lie to me, you're perverting the course of justice.
I...
replied to his advertisement...
asking for a...
Meeting of minds?
- There was a tussle. - Men, you said.
- Two men robbed you. - His friend followed us.
Dark-skinned chap.
He beat me.
And whilst I was on the ground, he robbed me.
_
Hey, it's all right.
Nurse!
- Nurse. - Don't worry.
I'm here.
Did you intend to die, Matthew?
Christ.
And Luke?
Why didn't you come to me?
You know you can come to me.
Would you give us a moment?
Did you notice any tension between them?
- Luke and Matt? - Mm.
Only at the match.
Nothing before that?
Did you know they were up to no good again?
I suspected.
Luke kept showing up with cash he couldn't answer for.
And Matt was covering for him.
I told them that was it.
After the match, they were both out on their ear.
I don't even know if I meant it, really. I mean...
What were they up to? Robbing?
Hm?
Importuning.
Oh, Christ.
Oh, what a mess.
You know you can tell me anything.
Did you get the note?
You left a note?
What did it say?
Matt.
We know Luke was meeting with a gentleman.
Was that what was in the note?
Were you involved, too?
- Matt, what was in the note? - Don't touch me.
- Matt. - Get off me.
- Get off me! - Hey, Matty. Come on.
Stay away from me! Stay away from me!
You know the law's changed.
What law?
When two people agree to commit suicide and one survives...
they only get done for manslaughter.
- Not murder like it used to be. - Which is relevant how?
Front page.
Maybe Matt read this.
Same newspaper Luke's ad was in.
Husband wants wife gone.
50 years of marriage'll do that to a chap.
He kills her and makes it look like
he wanted to meet his maker as well.
What, so you think Matt staged the whole thing to look like a suicide?
You think he tried to kill Luke?
I'm just keeping an open mind.
Oh, you made up your mind a long time ago.
You have given him chance after chance.
He is a boy, Geordie, not a master criminal.
A criminal, nonetheless.
Matt said he left a suicide note.
Someone else was there, someone took it.
Whatever was in that note was so damning,
this person didn't want anyone else to read it.
If someone was there, Will, who was it?
Mr Burrows.
What else happened with those boys?
- You promised. - After they beat you.
You promised this would go no further.
- Did you want to pay them back? - No.
Did you find them at the gym?
- People will see. - Let them. Let them see.
There was a suicide note.
- Did you take it? - I don't know anything about a note.
Can we just...
I was with the boy once, that's all.
I thought you wanted this.
Yeah, well, he doesn't anymore.
I want what I paid for.
- What did they say? - I don't know.
They must've said something.
- I don't know. - What did they say?
Something about, "He makes us think this is normal.
"It's not normal."
All I know is the lad was willing until his friend arrived.
It was consensual.
- Luke's barely more than a child. - In your eyes, maybe.
"He makes us think this is normal. It's not normal."
Yeah, you've pulled something.
- Hey? - Just relax.
You're doing so well, just relax.
Just relax.
Relax.
- Hey, hey. - Stay away!
Stay away! Stay away from me!
Yeah, a bit of ice on that, should sort it.
Hey. You don't fancy a pint, do ya?
It's been hell of a day.
It's the boys.
Luke?
What's happening?
Let me see him. I wanna see him!
Jesus.
Oh, my God.
Did he suffer, do you think?
I don't think so.
What was so terrible that you felt that was your only way out?
Is it Vic?
What did he do to you?
- Hang the diplomacy. It's high time I gave... - Shoes!
I gave you a piece of my mind.
Operation Entente Cordial is FUBAR, I'm afraid, Leonard.
Hostilities have resumed.
Hostilities never ceased.
Because you're stubborn. Both of you.
Stubborn... sods.
Have you ever thought, it's not others who need to change?
We are the ones who must change.
You don't half talk a lot of rot sometimes.
You're impossible, Mrs C! You expect too much of people.
I doubt even Jesus would live up
- to your standards. - Hear, hear!
You're not going to leave her, she's not going to leave you.
You are simply going to have
to sit down and find a solution.
You owe that much to each other.
I do not want to see either of you again
until you can promise to be pleasant to each other.
Dickens!
So, you say Luke took those tablets of his own accord.
And you had half the amount that he had in his system.
How'd you count for that?
I can't.
Who put the sign on the door saying to call the police?
Me.
I didn't want other kids to find us.
And you claim there was a suicide note?
- Yes. - So where is it?
Vic was gonna throw you out the club for a mistake Luke made.
That must've stung.
- No that's not true. - So tell me why, Matthew.
He's exhausted, he's had enough.
Did you kill Luke and set it up to look like suicide?
If Matt set this up, don't you think
it would've been more obvious?
- Did you want him to die, Matt? - It doesn't make any sense.
- Did you want him to die? - You can't claim Matt set it up
if the evidence doesn't support it.
Outside.
Bloody hell, could you undermine me any more?
Matt's not gonna talk.
Not with you shouting your mouth off.
He's not gonna talk with Vic there.
Why not?
Just give me five minutes with him.
You're not gonna tell me, then?
Just make an excuse, get Vic out of there.
Five minutes, Geordie.
Operation Infant Cordial.
It's like it's all a big joke to you.
I was desperate.
I love you.
And I don't know how to mend things between us.
I was married to a bastard once.
I promised myself never again.
And then I met you...
..and I thought, there's someone decent.
And good.
Someone I can trust.
I'm still all those things.
Are you?
I have a past I'm not proud of.
But then, I met a woman
who made me want to be so much better.
I've written to Tariq.
Offered him and his family financial support.
Good.
And as for us, no more lavish spending,
no more frivolities.
What do you say?
I miss my lovely jewellery.
I knew it.
I knew it!
I know how impossible it must seem...
..to say the words.
But now is the time.
Matt, if they charge you with murder, then your life will be over.
And is your silence really worth more than your future?
This is not your shame to carry.
He said I was special.
He said I was his favourite.
He, erm...
He takes them in when no-one else will.
He makes them feel safe.
And then he molests them.
Matt, Luke. All the boys.
Hey.
Just relax.
He'd buy us beers, ciggies...
Dirty magazines. He'd look at the pictures with us.
Make a laugh of it.
Some nights, I...
didn't say no.
I should've said no, shouldn't I?
Makes a game of it.
Makes them believe that they want it.
It's what men do, isn't it?
They treat us like dirt.
Might as well make a bit of money from it.
It's not how it should be.
Yeah, don't let him make you think that.
Do you believe him?
There's no doubt in my mind.
He'll have to come in and make a statement.
Matt tried to leave...
..and I sent him back to Vic, Geordie.
I sent him back.
What's going on?
- Search the place. - What's going on?
Vic?
- You... - Will!
Get up!
Mr Morgan, I'd like to ask you a few questions
about the molestation of Matthew Butler.
- What? - I suggest you come with us voluntarily.
But...
..if you wanna make things more official...
- Did you buy them, Mr Morgan? - Well, it wasn't my missus, was it?
- Well, who'd you buy them for? - The boys.
I bought 'em all sorts.
Er... car magazines, comics.
What else did you buy them?
You're gonna try and make my generosity look sinister,
aren't you?
What did you expect in return?
Nothing.
You don't expect them to pay you back?
No.
Not with a kiss?
How could you even think that?
Not by climbing into bed with them?
Is that what Matt said?
That is disgusting.
That is disgusting lies.
- A boy made that up? - A convicted criminal.
Yeah, I never agreed with your scheme.
I thought it was a load of old bollocks.
But I admired you for standing by those boys.
How quick you are to throw them to the wolves.
- He's trying to ruin my reputation. - Why would he do that?
Well... He was out the gym.
I... I guess this is his revenge.
Trying to kill himself is his revenge?
I've only done good for these boys!
You know that, Will, you saw it.
And all you've got is a couple of girly magazines
and the words of a liar.
Where's Matt?
- Dunno. - Has he given his statement?
Don't think so.
Matt!
- He's said all he's gonna say. - You need to tell Geordie.
- He has to stop telling these vicious lies. - They're not lies.
I know my son.
Rotten through and through like his father.
Just tell Geordie what you told me.
- Don't you dare. - I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.
What will people think?
Dirty little pervert.
- Don't bother coming home. - Mum.
Mum.
What, you'll keep me safe, will you?
- Matt. - How's that worked out so far?
How's that worked out?!
- Huh? - That's enough!
No, Geordie. Geordie, leave him!
Geordie!
Get off me!
Get off me.
You know, it's times like this you find out who your true friends are.
It's from my father.
I wrote to him.
You didn't tell me that.
I don't think I was really expecting a reply.
You read it, please.
- Do you want to know? - Yes. No.
Do I?
He wants to see you too.
He says, er, it's been too long.
He's blaming me.
- Leonard. - No, he's blaming me for his failings.
He misses you.
- You don't know him. - No.
But I know his son.
And I've seen him grow from a frightened boy
into the formidable man standing in front of me.
- Am I really formidable? - Terrifying.
Write to him.
Thanks.
What does it say about me that I liked Vic?
It's what they do, these men.
They pull the wool over everyone's eyes.
Everyone fell for him, Will. Not just you.
And they will keep falling for him if you don't arrest him.
- On what evidence? - Matt's word.
It's not enough.
- Well, the other boys then. - No-one's talking, Will.
You can go if you like. I'm not much company.
Oh, I'd rather stay here than go home.
Mother-in-law?
I had her committed to an asylum.
Please tell me this isn't one of your awful jokes.
I wish to hell it was.
How's Cathy?
She's quiet. Sad.
She hid it from me. Not that I blame her.
It's what she grew used to, I suppose.
Living with something like that.
'Did you tell anyone?'
- Who? - It doesn't matter.
They didn't wanna listen.
She grew used to keeping someone else's secret.
Vic's not here.
Can I come in? It won't take long.
How long have you known?
I don't know what you're talking about.
You had your suspicions, didn't you? You must've done.
And then they were confirmed.
How we doing?
A little nervous, I'm afraid.
Good luck, boys.
It was you Matt and Luke came to, wasn't it?
My husband is a kind man.
- You're his smoke screen, Marie. - He loves me.
Did you go back to the gym to speak to the boys?
- I'd like you to leave now. - Was it you who found them?
Was it you who took the suicide note?
He helps the boys.
He loves them.
If you do nothing, you're as much to blame as he is.
After this, I have nothing more to say on the matter.
I want to hear you say it.
I want to hear you say what you did.
- Those kids are li... - "He told us it was because we were special."
I'm not listening to this.
"It was because he loved us, we'd been chosen."
I don't want to hear it.
"He touches us. He hurts us.
- "We just want it to stop." - I swear on my life.
On Marie's life.
That is not me.
I want to hear you say it, Vic.
Well, hit me if you're gonna.
Say you hurt them.
That's what you wanna do, isn't it?
Well, go on.
- They were in your care. - Go on, hit me.
- And you defiled them. - Hit me!
- You drove a boy to kill himself! - Go on, do it!
I'm a good man.
You really believe it, don't you?
If that boy...
wants to stand up in court and say those vile things about me...
..then that's what he's gonna have to do.
But it'll be my word against his.
And I don't like his chances.
I want you to read it. I want you to read what he has done!
- Go on. - I already have.
He has to be stopped.
- You do it. - You're the only one, Marie.
You are the only one who can stop this.
We've been married for 19 years.
When you live with someone like him, they erode you.
You lose all sense of who you are.
And it's only about them.
They make you feel weak and lost.
Marie...
You don't have to feel lost anymore.
Marie would like to make a statement.
You think we're all naive, don't you?
You know, Will only fell for it because he is the best of men.
This has broken him.
Yeah.
Though I doubt you give a shit about that
any more than you do about those boys.
That you done, Keatsy?
Only I'd like to get my head down now.
God gave us Eden.
He gave us perfection.
And what did we do with it?
We destroyed it.
We sinned.
And we grew prideful and vengeful and angry.
We surrounded ourselves with snakes
who only want the worst for us.
And who do we blame for that?
We blame God.
How dare we?
It is us.
It is our doing.
And it is all we deserve.
God will always forgive, he will always offer salvation.
But I don't believe all of us deserve it.
If we sin, we break God's law.
If you sin, you do not deserve his love.
You do not deserve his salvation.
You deserve all of the snakes and the misery and the suffering.
That is all we deserve.
It is all we deserve.
*CREDITS*