*CREDITS*
- Faster. - Sure, thing, Stan. Anything you say.
- Whoa! You tryin' to get us all killed? - I wanna go faster.
Woo-hoo! Ow!
Let the race begin.
Woo-hoo! Woo-hoo!
_
Yee-hah!
Quiet tonight, Larry. Looks like you're in for an easy shift.
- Inspector Keating. - What you got?
One for uniform. Trespassers down at Tanner's quarry.
Bloody Yanks from the airbase. Last time we got a call from
the quarry, one of them sent their motor over a cliff.
Someone needs to go up there and tell them what's what.
Sounds like he's volunteering.
Get off me! Let go of me!
- This way, madam. - Unhand me, you brute!
I'll have you know,
Inspector Keating is a close personal friend of mine!
Ah, there he is! Georgie! Call off your hounds!
Oh, God.
Cheese flan.
Oh! It smells like a backstreet saloon in here!
Be a treasure and save your nagging for your husband, Mrs C.
Did someone say cheese flan?
Not for you. He's not had anything all day.
"He" is in the room.
And has everything he needs except peace and bloody quiet!
There's no need for language.
- He doesn't mean it. - Yes, I bloody do!
When did he become so hateful?
- Where has my Leonard gone? - It's just the stress of the trial.
Well, you can answer that. My nerves are shot.
Of course. You get off home.
- Vicarage? - It's Inspector Keating requesting urgent back-up.
- What's happened? Your step-sister's been arrested.
- What's she done now? - Well, she took herself for a slap-up nosh
to the George Hotel then did a runner before the bill came.
My only crime was eating alone,
when I could have dined with you, Georgie.
Quick as you like.
I, er, have to go out. Tamara's got herself in a bit of bother.
Well, off you pop and save the day.
Leonard, I understand that you're worried about the trial.
But, please, don't be cruel to Mrs C.
I'll be as quick as I can.
Any plans for this evening?
Date with a handsome insurance broker.
- Drinks and dinner. You? - Date with myself. Just drinks.
- Lots of drinks. - Your mate's not so mouthy now, is he?
Oh, looks like someone beat you to it.
Wait here till we're ready to take your statements.
My men will not be complying with civilian orders, Detective.
Oh, hello. I've got some questions you need to answer.
- Not until I've spoken to the guy in charge. - That would be me.
First Lieutenant Ellis. United States Air Force.
Inspector Keating. Northumberland Fusiliers, back in the day.
- Have we met before, Lieutenant? - No, sir.
Sit yourself down, lads.
Inspector, I found these men trespassing.
I was disciplining them when your colleague arrived and arrested me
- along with the junior officers. - Sorry about that.
I'll have this dealt with as quickly as possible...
Listen, it's Saturday night. You guys are busy.
I can have the Military Police arrest these men
as soon as we get back to camp.
Larry, ask uniform to run the Americans back to the airbase.
Thank you. But I can take the men in my own car.
Impounded. Won't get it back till Wednesday, now.
Ah.
If you could arrange that lift?
First Lieutenant, eh?
And they say it's policemen who are getting younger.
I see you've been in the wars.
Bit of a run in with a MiG in North Korea.
I don't let it bother me.
Ah, Lieutenant Ellis,
may I introduce The Reverend Will Davenport.
- How do you do? - Reverend.
Excuse me, I'd better see to the men.
Give my regards to Colonel Wade. Inspector Keating.
Colonel Wade's their Commander.
Yeah, sends me a card every Christmas.
- Not like you to fawn over an American. - I'm not generally a fan.
- But they do have a certain something. - It's the teeth.
Thought you had a hot date?
I'll make them some tea while they're waiting.
Can't these Brits move any faster?!
Right. Let's get your step-sister sorted. Then we'll go for a pint.
Will! I've been in torment!
Then perhaps you should've paid your supper bill?
I've already explained. It was an oversight.
So, what's your excuse for the missing tableware?
A rather valuable napkin ring went AWOL, same time as she did.
Oh, don't be absurd.
My father owns half of Norfolk.
- They stole it. From the Vikings. - Ah. So, the family has form.
Oh, for heaven's sake, I didn't steal the wretched thing.
Then let Geordie search you and you can be on your way.
Don't worry, it'll be over before you know it.
That line might work with your wife, Mr Keating,
but you'll have to do better if you want to have your way with me.
I refuse to be searched by you.
Right! Things to do, people to see.
That's it? You're not gonna help me?
- I don't think I can. - You could tell him to let me go!
- Let her go. - No.
Don't say I didn't try.
I'm sorry, I can't help you with this now.
Hey.
We've all got embarrassing family, Will.
- No. It's Leonard. - Oh.
- How is he? - Not good.
I just can't seem to find the right thing to say.
Oh!
Obrero?!
Hey! Hey! Obrero! Obrero! Come on. Wake up wake up!
- Obrero! Look at me. - What the hell happened?
He collapsed.
Come on. Come on, Stanley.
You can stop that.
He's dead.
O-B-R-E-R-O. Obrero.
- Stanley. - Mm-hm.
And what was Stanley's job on the base?
- Something in the kitchens. - He wasn't a something, Howie!
He was a short order cook. He... He made the best Denver sandwich.
It's an omelette in a sandwich! Everybody knows that!
- What is it with this country?! - All right, Bobby.
- Did you know Stanley well? - Yeah, I did! We had plans!
- Go on. - We were gonna buy houses on the same street.
Me, Stan and Mikey...
- Mikey? - Stan's brother.
Look, we've told you everything we know.
Just one more question. Why were you at the quarry?
Racing cars, sir.
Who's there?
Jazz and vodka. Will was right.
You do need keeping an eye on.
That man can't stop meddling!
He's worried about you. We all are.
_
I can't imagine reading this sort of story is helping much.
- Come here. - Don't touch me.
What do you want?
To see you.
Well, here I am in all my glory.
Drink me in and be on your way.
Sorry, I'm not going anywhere. Not with you like this.
- What are you thinking? - Hmm, that it's booze.
Or pills?
Bit of pick 'n' mix.
- Overdose maybe? - Here, look.
Gimme some light.
There's more in the back of his throat.
If he was past being able to swallow,
- he was past putting them in his mouth. - So, who did?
Larry, call the pathologist. We need him here, now.
Excuse me?
- Might I have a bite to eat? - I'm sorry, Miss.
Chef's knocked off for the night.
Name?
Airman Howard Bennet, sir.
Airman Robert Cooper, sir.
And you're an apprentice engineer?
I service machines at the laundromat.
And you're a medical orderly, Bobby.
You have access to prescription medicines.
Did you deal drugs to Stanley?
I don't sell 'em! I... I swear it!
You a regular drug user, Howie?
- I don't touch 'em. - You're shaking.
I just watched a man die.
- Did Stanley use drugs? - No!
No, you're confusing me. I... Sometimes my stomach is bad.
I... I take meds for the pains.
So when you found yourself in my police station,
with a pocket full of stolen pharmaceuticals,
you planted them on your legless chum
and shoved a couple in his mouth for appearance's sake.
Why... why would I do that?!
So tell the Inspector what did happen?
Tell us.
They're not gonna talk.
Brothers in arms. You know what it's like.
Pathologist can't make it till morning.
I'm not one to question police protocol,
but you sure we should be doing this?
Nope.
But as soon as the Americans catch wind, they'll wanna take charge,
and we'll never know how he died.
Geordie?
Self-inflicted?
Maybe. But this isn't.
Yeah. Pressure marks.
And a scratch. Maybe from a chain?
- But not this one, this is smooth. - You think he was choked?
Well, I reckon someone would've noticed a strangulation
in the middle of a police station.
And he was definitely alive at the quarry?
Yeah, alive enough to give Larry a mouthful.
And he walked into the station?
No. His mates carried him in.
He was already dead.
Somewhere between the quarry and the station Stanley was strangled.
And the men topped him up with pills,
make his death look like an overdose,
and carried him into the station.
If it hadn't had been for Miss Scott's cup of tea,
they might have got him back to base to die in his bed.
Lieutenant Ellis was with the lads the whole time.
Has it not occurred to you he might've been lying?
Man's a war hero.
And he's played me for an idiot.
O-W.
I don't think the vodka is helping.
I didn't invite your opinion!
- I wanna help. - I don't want you here!
I don't want you, full stop.
- That's the drink talking. - No! No, it's not!
You're really ending it?
Oh, you can't.
We have a future...
I can't even see past tonight, never mind tomorrow!
- Well, we can make a plan... - No!
All my life, I've hidden what I am
for fear of this, this, this mortification!
And now it is upon me!
I'm gonna have to stand up in court
and be exposed as... as what I am.
I am to be disgraced!
And bring disgrace to all who know me.
You always give in to your shame.
Yes! Because I am not the great Daniel Marlowe!
Who wouldn't know shame if it slapped him in the face!
I was married.
I stood at an altar and made vows I knew I couldn't keep!
If you think I've never felt shame,
then you really don't know me at all.
I'd been to the pictures with my girlfriend.
After the movie, I dropped her home.
I was heading back to base when I saw lights up at the quarry.
There was a fatality there a while back.
- A young airman. - Yes. A tragic accident.
And how was Stanley when you saw him at the quarry?
All I know is the men had a job getting him into the van.
I had to reach out and haul him up.
So, you were inside the van, and the men were outside?
- Yes. - And on the way to the station,
anything untoward happen?
Y'know, there might have been some commotion
while the men dealt with Stanley.
Dealt with him, how?
I couldn't see. It was dark.
- You recognise this? - No.
You don't know anyone with the initials O-W?
Sorry.
Then I'm done for now.
Geordie?
My statement is done. I will see you on Monday.
Did you manage to cancel your date?
Yes, I did, thank you, Inspector.
Well, seeing you're at a loose end, be an angel, call the air base.
Tell them we've got their Lieutenant Ellis in the cells.
I thought you wanted to keep the military authorities at bay.
I do. But I'm not sure that lad in there's who he says he is.
He said he pulled Airman Obrero into the van.
When entering and departing a vehicle,
a superior officer always enters last, and leaves first.
Did you actually do your National Service?
Well?
Well, actually, I was... I was exempt.
Medical, was it?
No. I... I served in the Cadet Corps.
At school. So, you know, it was deemed I'd done my time.
Right, I didn't know that was possible.
Er, excuse me a minute.
Christ.
I said I need a minute.
Searched the interior of the American vehicles.
Nothing of interest. Though, found this in the glove compartment.
Record of their racing results.
Going by the number of entries,
they're at that quarry eight days a week.
Thank you, Larry.
Geordie, I hope this isn't going to be a problem between us.
Not at all. I just didn't know it was an option.
What?
To serve my country on the school playing field
instead of in a Burmese prison camp.
- Yep? - I called the airbase.
Lieutenant Ellis is tucked up in sick bay with a dose of the flu.
Knew it! Thank you, Miss Scott.
So, who's the man in the interview room?
- He's nipped to the lav, sir. - What?!
- By himself? - Well, I thought, as he's an officer.
All right.
So much for the war injury.
Going somewhere, son?
Who are you? You're not this guy, that's for sure.
Did you even serve in Korea? Or was that a lie as well?
You know impersonating an officer is an offence.
A military offence. But I'm not required to explain to a civilian.
I served.
Only, in my day, it wasn't all boozing and racing cars.
It was heat and hunger. And death.
The only thing that got me through were the men serving beside me.
We'd have died for each other.
And we did.
Who killed Stanley?
You don't talk much about the war.
If you'd been there, you'd know why.
Boss, just had a call from the base.
The commander's on his way.
Be here in an hour.
Marvellous.
- Georgie. - Oh, for...
This is my office, not the lounge at the bloody Ritz. Sort it!
- Is he always such a grump? - He's got a lot on his mind.
And what's your excuse?
Well, I've just discovered that my new step-sister is a spoilt brat.
- Rude. - Ah-ha, that is rich.
The way you spoke to Geordie was embarrassing.
Didn't you learn anything at finishing school?
How to land a lord and bake a souffle.
Seriously, just agree to a search and be done with it.
How's your fallen woman? The one who needed my money.
Actually, he's a man.
He's facing a trial for gross indecency.
William Davenport, you're a homosexual!
No...
- Oh, no, don't be embarrassed. - I'm not a homosexual.
Oh. That's too bad. They're so jolly.
Well, my friend isn't. He's actually rather depressed.
Well, then, you must cheer him up!
That's what I was trying to do before I was summoned here.
I'm sorry.
Forgive me.
Now. What's a girl got to do to be searched around here?
I'll go and fetch someone.
_
You'll get your office back in a moment.
- Miss Scott's gonna search Tamara. - Mm-hm.
I thought Larry already checked the car?
Don't tell me my job, thank you.
- Geordie, look at this. - Not interested in cars, Will.
You'll be interested in this one.
Brakes have been tampered with.
One of the men was meant to die in the race tonight.
The race never happened because our lot showed up.
So, instead, the killer struck in the back of the Black Maria?
Er, I'll take this one on my own, thanks.
Show me your hands.
Know a bit about engines, do you?
They don't interest me much. But you're a mechanic?
I did an aptitude test and that's where they put me.
- Oh, beneath you, is it? - No, sir.
But I'm the only guy who ever got full marks
in the Airman Qualification Exam and ended up working in a laundromat.
Ah, well, that could make a man resentful.
Did you resent Stanley Obrero?
No, sir.
Ah, did you fight him in the back of my police van?
Fighting ain't in my game plan.
So, what is?
Get through the day until my veteran benefits kick in.
Well, that's a lot of years fixing twin tubs.
Be worth it when I'm done and the Air Force pays me through college.
That's when my life starts.
You won't see a penny of that money
if you get a dishonourable discharge.
So, tell me, what happened?
Hands palms down, feet well apart.
Thank you. I know the routine.
Yes, you look like you've been around the block.
And you, a vicar's sister.
Step-sister.
Wouldn't be illegal, if that's what you're asking?
It wasn't.
Where did they dredge you up from anyway?
Is your husband a policeman?
Don't have a husband. I have a job.
In this place.
Oh, really? Is it very exciting?
Not really.
Although, earlier, I did serve a cup of tea to a dead man.
- Anything? - No.
- Get their uniforms off them. I want them checked for brake fluid. - Sir.
You know, you're assuming they're not talking because they're protecting each other.
But what if there's another reason?
Like what? Bullying. Intimidation.
Not every group of men is a band of brothers.
D'you know what, you should call it a night.
I've got this.
You think I don't understand because I wasn't a soldier...
You have no idea what I think!
But for the avoidance of doubt, I think you used your posh school
and your privilege to buy your way out of doing your duty.
And I think you are a disgrace!
You're right. I should go.
Erm, it's, er, not a catalogue of car races.
Erm, the numbers aren't time scores, they're dates.
For Americans, they put the month before the day.
And the words in the middle column are in code.
It's a variation of Pig Latin.
Take the first letter, put it to the end of the word. So...
Valium. Candy. Luckies. It's a black market inventory.
No sign of the napkin ring. Lady Muck is in the clear.
Thanks. You can get off for the night.
Oh, the Commander might want a cup of tea when he arrives?
Is he very handsome?
And very married.
With a picture-perfect family.
You never talk about her.
I was eight years old when I was first punched for being a pansy.
That was when I knew I would need to find myself a wife.
Took me a few years, but I found her.
And I didn't have to force myself to like her.
If anything, it was the other way around.
I chased her. I made her love me.
Then came our honeymoon.
The sex.
I thought I'd get used to it.
But after the first few months, everything just petered out.
Then she found a letter I'd written... To a man.
We separated.
It didn't make the front page of The Times,
but it was a huge scandal, locally.
Because, by then, despite my apathy in the bedroom,
she was... She was pregnant.
You have a child?
No. There was a miscarriage.
People lose babies all the time.
They'll never know.
- You can't blame yourself. - Oh, I can.
And everyone else did, too. I was cut off.
I wasn't even welcome at my mother's funeral.
So, you see, I do understand shame.
I'm so sorry.
I can't imagine the pain of losing a child.
I wish I could take that suffering from you.
You have such vast reserves of compassion, Leonard.
If only you were able to draw on them for yourself.
I'm free! Let's have a drink to celebrate.
- We can go to your club. - I don't have a club.
- Anyway, your chariot awaits. - Ah!
Daddy insists on Jacobs whatever the hour.
Lucky Jacobs!
I'm glad you're not a homosexual.
It would be a great loss to the ladies.
- Here. - Took your time.
Oh, charming
- After me dragging myself out at all hours! - Sorry.
Ah, so you should be. I had to get Mrs Nicholls to sit.
She'll be waking the kids up to feed 'em Spangles.
"Right, well. Thank you, Cathy. You've been ever so helpful."
Actually, you have.
I found the right one.
Oh, hello, Will. How you been?
- Er, not too bad, thanks. - Come for tea. Saturday?
Erm. Sorry. Parish business.
Oh, well, another time, then.
Don't be late, you.
- Night, Will! - Night.
I shouldn't have sounded off like that.
No, you were right to.
- My father made the arrangements... - I don't wanna know.
I need to tell you.
I was 18 and I had plans for my life
that didn't include two years square bashing in Germany.
These days, I understand a little bit more about duty.
And I wish I'd done mine.
And I wish I'd been honest with you from the start.
Though if I had, I...
Well, I doubt we would've become friends.
You know the engraving on the medallion? I know who O-W is.
He's Orson Wade III.
Colonel Wade's son.
Colonel Wade. May I introduce The Reverend Will Davenport.
I hear you're in possession of my son.
He was arrested tonight while pretending to be someone he isn't.
I'm afraid Orson has problems. But thank you for your trouble.
I'll see him safely back to base.
I've also got three of your junior airmen in the station,
and one of them's in a body bag.
- What happened? - Well, that's what we're trying to find out.
But I'm afraid your son and his friends
aren't being very cooperative.
I'll take it from here. I need to arrange to have the body removed.
How can I get an outside line?
No, that body can't go anywhere until I know the truth.
I failed the pilot exam twice.
You know putting on the uniform, driving into town.
I get to be the guy I was meant to be.
My father's son. A hero.
Faking a war wound made it more plausible.
I'm sorry. I never meant to take you for a fool.
How did your chain break?
I got caught up in a fight.
Who with?
- Where's my father? - He's outside!
And that's where he's staying until you tell me the truth.
There's drugs from the pharmacy.
Cigarettes, nylons, rum.
Hundreds of dollars of American goods stolen by your pals
in the course of their jobs on the base.
So, what's your part in all of this?
Not getting togged up in a stolen uniform and
flogging your wares around every pub in the county?
Please, don't tell my father.
So, Stanley was gonna blow the whistle?
That's why you killed him.
I never killed anybody!
If I ever did anything wrong, it's because Stanley made me!
How about I get you some clothes and we go have a chat?
If you're in our crowd, it's because you don't fit nowhere else.
Not fast enough, not white enough, not smart enough.
So grateful to have buddies,
you don't care that you got to do whatever Stanley says.
Steal for him, race with him, do stupid stunts
just to give him a thrill.
- What kind of stunts? - Chicken. Race towards the cliff.
First one to slam on the brakes gets punished.
You've seen the book. Everything they ever stole.
Everything I ever sold. He had us over a barrel.
Those guys can't afford to lose their career.
And... I can't afford to lose my father.
The lad who died a few months back.
Was he over a barrel as well?
Stanley told him to jump his car across the ravine.
It was a suicide mission.
Mikey was driving the heaviest car in the fleet.
It was never gonna fly.
You know you're accusing Stanley of murder?
Stanley Obrero was the greatest bastard that ever lived.
And that's why Howie and Bobbie killed him
in the back of your police van.
I tried to stop them, but I wasn't strong enough.
And that's how I bust my chain.
Do we believe him?
The boys have checked out the uniforms.
Stanley's is covered in brake fluid.
Fits with him being some kind of psychopath.
- But at the same time... - Something stinks.
Stanley's neck. The marks look like an impression from a chain.
But we only found the one chain in the Maria,
and Orson claims it was his.
Mm. The initials fit. O-W. Orson Wade.
What did Orson say was the name of the airman who drove off the cliff?
Mikey.
And what did Bobby say was the name of Stanley's dead brother?
It's Mikey.
What if the initials aren't O-W, but M-O?
Mikey Obrero.
Stanley was wearing his dead brother's chain.
His brother was the kid who drove off the cliff.
I wish you'd told me.
You needed me to be the strong one.
Your knight in shining armour, bring you to life with a kiss.
And you did.
Actually, it was the other way around.
After it all, I had to start again.
I couldn't find a way of doing that,
until I met you.
No, surely not.
Leonard, you changed everything.
Quite aside from giving me yourself, you gave me hope.
A new life, a whole new family.
You know, I stand to lose... everything.
But I've been so caught up in my own fear and misery that
only now it's occurring to me that you stand to lose it all, too.
It's too late for all this.
But maybe we don't have to lose each other as well?
So, Orson's told us everything.
The little inventory of all your crimes and misdemeanours.
How it was used to trap you
in a cycle of repeat offending and subservience.
He also told us the man controlling you was Stanley.
But it's Orson.
That's crazy!
Tell him he's wrong!
If you're the good guy in all this,
why did one of your friends try and kill you tonight?
Stanley Obrero doctored the brakes of your car.
And he did it because a few months back,
you made his brother drive over a cliff. Just for kicks.
Even though you knew it could kill him.
I'll probably never understand what is going on in here.
You look at these men and you don't see friends, or comrades.
You see victims.
Men with dreams, but no means to attain them.
Men who joined the military as a stepping stone to a better life.
But instead, they met you.
And before they knew it, their future was in your hands.
You don't know what I am to them!
Stanley had some scars.
I think you might have them, too?
Punishment when you disobeyed?
Where are your scars, Orson?
So, we've established you're a bastard.
But did you kill Stanley in the back of that Black Maria?
Stanley's revenge had been foiled.
Worse, he knew we'd impounded the doctored car,
and it was only a matter of time
until his murder attempt was discovered.
Why are you crying? You a girl?
Whoa, Stanley, stop!
- Stan, calm down! - Stan, come on!
Who killed Stanley?
- Come on, Stan. - Be careful.
- Easy. - That's enough.
We all good now?
Stan?
I didn't mean to hurt no-one.
He was my friend.
I wouldn't want to be the man who has to knock on that mother's door.
What will happen to Bobby?
He'll be tried for manslaughter in the military court.
Three lives destroyed by Orson Wade III.
And Daddy'll make sure he gets away scot-free.
You know, when I was growing up,
I thought my father was master of everything.
It's only when I look back from a distance,
that I saw he was just a small man with a very limited reach.
So, what you saying?
Not you, son.
Orson Wade, I'm charging you with murder.
Bobby killed Stanley.
And you killed his brother, Mikey.
Just as surely as if you'd driven him over that cliff yourself.
Inspector, I thought we agreed
that this issue would be dealt with on base.
Your son's a civilian
and can't be prosecuted under military law.
He'll be tried in an English civil court,
same as any other murderer in the land.
Take him back to the cells.
Come on, you.
- Night. - Yeah. Night.
Er, give my best to Leonard.
Tell him to keep his chin up.
*CREDITS*