Ashes to Ashes, series one, episode six.
Writer: Mick Ford
Director: Catherine Morshead

xxxx

MUSIC: 'Tainted Love' by Soft Cell

ALEX is tossing and turning in bed in her flat. She wakes up abruptly to see images of CAROLINE and LITTLE ALEX being projected on the wall in front of her.

# Sometimes I feel I've got to
# Run away
# I've got to
# Get away from the pain you drive... #

ALEX:
I remember this. I remember it.

LITTLE ALEX throws down the Rubik's Cube she's been trying to solve in frustration.

CAROLINE in film:
Alex Price, don't you dare be a quitter! Come on, keep going. Seven steps to solving it, you said. What's the first one?

LITTLE ALEX in film:
You start at the top. With the corners.

CAROLINE in film:
Well, go on then.

MOLLY is sitting silently behind ALEX on the bed.

ALEX:
You know who that is, don't you, Mols?

CAROLINE in film:
Where did you get that? Oh, I know.

ALEX:
No. No. Where? Where did I get it?

MOLLY disappears and the projector abruptly switches off. Ice crystals start to creep up the bedclothes towards ALEX.

ALEX:
Where did I get the cube? Why can't I remember? This is... This is like I'm not making connections. This is... This is like I'm dying.

ALEX gasps.

FLASHBACK to the bullet coming towards us. ALEX gasps again as the centre of the bed drops away and she falls through and continues falling through a black, empty space until landing back on the bed again. Someone, or thing, is under the duvet next to her, but just as it's about to be revealed...



...ALEX is woken by GENE banging his fist on the desk in front of her in CID.

GENE:
You wanna sleep on the job, join the fire brigade! You look as rough as a badger's arse.

GENE sweeps on to CHRIS, brushing away the latter's magazine and earphones

GENE:
You know, some people get Pick Of The Pops. Not me, I get Pick Of The Twats! In the car! Now! Move!

RAY and ALEX troop out after GENE, but CHRIS is waylaid by SHAZ. RAY pops back to act as the voice of conscience.

RAY:
He said now!


Outside the police station, en route to the Quattro.

RAY:
So what's the deal, Guv?

GENE:
We've had a tip-off. There's a blag about to go off at the Post Office on Norvington Road.

CHRIS:
Who gave the tip?

GENE:
It was anon.

CHRIS:
A nonce?

GENE:
Anon. Anonymous. Get in!

MUSIC: "Into the Valley" by The Skids



The Quattro is squealing its way through the streets to Norvington Road.

RAY:
This is like the good old days!

GENE:
Over the counter jobs, love 'em!

ALEX:
Shall I put a siren on?

GENE:
Yeah, we'll let 'em know we're coming, shall we?

ALEX:
Pedestrian!

GENE:
Stop moaning, I didn't hit him! What's up with you this morning? Haven't got the decorators in again, have we?

ALEX:
God, is my brain so small...

VIV over the radio:
Two masked men, armed with shotguns and a hand gun. Shotguns fired.

VIV back at the station:
Reported leaving the scene on the back of a motorbike. Both wearing distinctive helmets. One is black with a stripe, the other's red.

RAY:
What are they? Jump jockeys?

CHRIS:
Guv!

GENE:
Yeah, I see 'em!

A motorbike as described goes right past the Quattro, which turns in pursuit.

ALEX:
Armed with shotguns? Shotguns used?

GENE:
Yes. So duck.

RAY:
Oh, what a shame! The bike's packing up.

The motorbike stops, waits for the Quattro to almost catch up then roars off again.

GENE:
Cheeky bastards!

RAY:
Go on, Guv!

CHRIS:
Bum conkers. They're getting away, Guv!

The Quattro is running almost alongside the motorbike, GENE watching it and not the road. CHRIS points out the lorry blocking the road ahead.

CHRIS:
Guv! Guv!

The Quattro screeches to a halt.

GENE:
Oh, ye of little faith.

CHRIS:
All hail the mighty Quattro.

The motorbike's riders gesture rudely and disappear down an underpass to safety.

GENE:
Now that's just taking the piss!



Opening credits:

ALEX voiceover:
My name is Alex Drake. I've just been shot and that bullet has taken me back to 1981. I may be one second away from life, or one second away from death. All I know is that I have to keep fighting. Fight to live, fight to see my daughter. Fight to get home.



GENE, ALEX, RAY ad CHRIS enter Norvington Road Post Office to take a statement from MR CHATTERJEE.

MR CHATTERJEE:
And let me clarify, let me be clear. You see, there's very much shouting and panic. And mayhem.

GENE:
Yeah.

MR CHATTERJEE:
And the young one has a pistol and the old one has not one shotgun, but two.

GENE:
Right.

GENE is already bored and wanders away leaving ALEX to it.

MR CHATTERJEE:
Two shotguns. Two!

ALEX:
OK.

MR CHATTERJEE:
And he goes 'Boom!' And it goes 'Boom!' 'Give me the money!'

MR CHATTERJEE demonstrates the blagger's movements.

MR CHATTERJEE:
Well, naturally, I comply.

ALEX:
Well, of course. And how much money did they take?

MR CHATTERJEE:
In excess of £4000. Oh, and in case it helps, may I tell you that I personally give a little rip to each note that passes through here.

GENE wanders back into the body of the shop, still bored.

ALEX:
A little rip?

MR CHATTERJEE:
Yes, by its thin metal strip. See, a little tear. There have been so many forgeries lately. But also, when they are grabbing the money, they take my Krishna. My Krishna statue which my father gave me and his father gave him. And his father gave him...

GENE:
Mr Chatterjee. They were wearing masks, yeah?

MR CHATTERJEE:
Yes indeed.

GENE:
So how would you know if one was old and one was young?

MR CHATTERJEE:
How do I know that you're old and he's young? By the way you move, by the timbre of your voice.

ALEX:
You're very perceptive, Mr Chatterjee.

MR CHATTERJEE:
Thank you.

ALEX:
And so, the one that said, 'Give me the money.' Did he have an accent?

MR CHATTERJEE:
Ah, my ear is not attuned yet. But definitely not Welsh. Well, all Welsh people sound like they come from Calcutta.

GENE:
(to ALEX) You got enough for a profile yet?

MR CHATTERJEE:
The young one in the red helmet, though, he's American.

GENE:
American? How d'you know he's American?

MR CHATTERJEE:
Well, because my wife, unfortunately, is a fan of Hill Street Blue. And as I'm putting the money in their bag, this young one, you know, the one who took the Krishna? He keeps asking me, am I talking to him? Which I most sincerely am not, because his tone is not encouraging. But he keeps asking, pointing his gun.

CHRIS doing his best Robert DeNiro:
You talkin' to me? Are you talkin' to me? You talkin' to me?

MR CHATTERJEE:
It was him!



CHRIS, RAY, GENE and ALEX troop out of the Post Office.

RAY:
So, what are we going to do now then, Guv?

GENE:
(to ALEX) Well?

ALEX:
Er, well... Er, we could trawl the files for other raids using shotguns. Or we could go back to that underpass, because the young one in the red helmet is local.

GENE:
How d'you work that out?

ALEX:
Well the way he was riding the bike. He was taunting us, he was leading us on. I mean he knew that that underpass was there and I would say that that demonstrates local knowledge. And that I am making connections.

RAY and CHRIS mimicking MR CHATTERJEE:
And it goes boom, it goes boom, it goes boom, it goes boom.

GENE turns and glares at them.

CHRIS:
Sorry. I was just doing Mr Chatterbox's shotgun dance. The one he did in there.

GENE:
Do it again for me.

RAY and CHRIS:
He goes boom, he goes...

GENE:
No, no, with the actions.

RAY and CHRIS with the actions:
He goes boom, he goes boom, he goes boom, he goes boom.

GENE storms back into the Post Office.



MR CHATTERJEE:
He goes boom! It goes boom!

GENE:
Yeah, was it a bit more, er, he goes boom, he goes boom?

GENE does a slightly different action.

MR CHATTERJEE:
Yes, yes. Exactly like that!

GENE:
Yeah. Chas Cale.

ALEX:
Chas Cale?

GENE:
Chas Cale.

GENE leads the way out again and to the Quattro.

ALEX:
So, who's Chas Cale? And how old is he?

GENE:
That's the problem. He's quite young. About my age.

GENE into the radio:
Granger? Give me the whereabouts of a Chas Cale. I haven't heard about him for a few years so he might have been inside. Get Viv to do a PNC check.

SHAZ in CID:
Sorry, but before you go, if Chris is there can I have a word, please?

RAY:
What is this? A bloody request show?

GENE into the radio:
Sorry, love, he's tied up being a policeman at the moment. I'll give him a message.

SHAZ over the radio:
Yeah, it's just to say...

GENE over the radio:
Righto.

GENE:
She's says you're a pranny with the knob of a dormouse. (to ALEX) What's with you? You got a chill?

ALEX:
No, I'm fine.

RAY:
Someone's walking over her grave very slowly.

GENE:
Looks as if they're about to stop for a smoke.

RAY:
Oh. Hey, good idea.

CHRIS:
Just what I wanted.

All three move to take out their ciggies; ALEX sighs and winds down the window.

RAY:
Leave it out!

CHRIS:
It's cold.

ALEX:
Passive smoking kills, all right?

RAY:
Well, we'll jiggle about a little bit, OK? just wind the window up!



The Quattro drives up along a smart refurbished dock and pulls up outside the 'Alla Casa' restaurant.

ALEX:
So what exactly do we know about this man?

GENE:
Chas Cale is something of a legend, with shotguns as his trademark. Hence the Mexican. We came across each other when he came to Manchester ten year ago.

RAY:
He did the bank next to the Royal Exchange. Got away with half a million, weren't it?

GENE:
Yeah. And I nicked him, good and proper. Watertight.

CHRIS:
He got off though, didn't he?

GENE:
How, I'll never know! Come on.

GENE, RAY and CHRIS get out; ALEX remains in the passenger seat.

ALEX to herself:
When the brain dies, it keeps trying to make connections for up to seven minutes. My body temperature's dropping. Technically I could be dead already. I've got to keep making connections.

FLASHBACK. LITTLE ALEX in the film, trying to solve the Rubik's Cube.

ALEX to herself:
Keep thinking.

FLASHBACK. LITTLE ALEX in the film, trying to solve the Rubik's Cube.

The CLOWN appears outside the car, peering in. He breathes on the glass and ice crystals form. The passenger door opens and ALEX gasps in surprise.

GENE:
You joining us, Bolly knickers?



RAY holds the restaurant door open for GENE and ALEX, he and CHRIS following behind. They look round the virtually deserted restaurant.

GENE:
Thank you, Raymondo.

JOAN CALE:
Table for four?

GENE:
Why not.

CHRIS:
Are we eating, then?

GENE:
That's very generous of you, Chris. Christopher's buying us lunch.

RAY:
Nice one, Chris.

JOAN CALE:
Aperitifs? Cocktail?

GENE:
Is that all right, Chris? (to JOAN CALE) In that case, I would like...

GENE shows his warrant card.

GENE:
...a Chas Cale.

JOAN CALE:
I'll go and get him.

CHRIS:
Have you seen these prices? £3.20 for a T-bone steak without the chips!

RAY:
It's like a Bernie Inn, innit? Classy.

CHAS CALE arrives.

CHAS CALE:
Well knob me sideways.

GENE:
Hello, Chas, you old scrubber.

CHAS CALE:
Darlin', let me introduce quality filth. This man and me had a run in up in Manchester, what, fifteen years ago?

GENE:
Ten. Fifteen is what you would have got if you'd gone down.

CHAS CALE:
Anyway, he lost. One nil. Gene Hunt, my lovely wife, Joan.

JOAN CALE:
You must have made an impression, Mr Hunt. He never usually remembers names.

CHAS CALE:
Well his is easy, innit? Rhymes with my favourite word. In fact we used to call him Hunt the-

JOAN CALE:
Yes. Thank you, Chas. We still have diners in.

CHAS CALE:
Oh, God. I'm in trouble now. Well never mind, eh? Why don't we break open a bottle of champers? Bolly, yeah? Everybody fancy a drop of Bolly?

ALEX:
Does it come with knickers?

CHAS CALE:
Sorry, sweetheart?

GENE:
Ignore her. She's laying an egg. She'd love some.

CHAS CALE:
I do hope this is a social call.

GENE:
So do I!

ALEX:
Where were you today between midday and two o'clock, Mr Cale?

CHAS CALE:
I beg your...

JOAN CALE:
Excuse me, why do you ask?

CHAS CALE:
Hang on, darling. I run a restaurant. I'm the chef here. Where do you think I was at lunchtime? What, you think the customers come in, choose off the menu and cook it themselves?

ALEX:
You haven't answered my question.

JOAN CALE:
And you haven't answered mine.

ALEX:
Someone, using shotguns, using your husband's trademark, did a Post Office this morning.

CHAS CALE:
A post office? Me, do a... Listen, gorgeous. Apart from the fact that I'm retired and my wife would kill me if I went over the counter again, when I did, I did banks. OK? Banks. Not bleedin' Post Offices! I'm insulted now. I'm sorry, I'm insulted.

GENE:
Well I'm the Queen Mother's left nipple if you didn't do it, Chas. 'Cos I'd know your MO anywhere.

JOAN CALE:
He was here all lunchtime, you can ask the sous chef. I'll go and get him for you.

GENE:
It's OK, Mrs Cale. Ray can go and have a word with him for us. D'you know, I feel an equaliser coming on!



Interview room.

JOAN CALE:
This is ridiculous.

GENE:
Yeah.

JOAN CALE:
We have told you!

CHAS CALE:
Babe, save it. Wait for the solicitor to get here.

GENE:
Said the robber to his moll.

CHAS CALE:
I'm losin' it with you!

GENE:
Come on then, Chazzer, lose it with me. Give us your best shot. Because this time I'm gonna put you down so fast, you'll think you're a bloody horse in All Creatures Great And Small.

JOAN CALE:
Stop this! Stop it! Show 'em your dog tag. Go on, get your wallet out.

CHAS CALE:
No. No.

JOAN CALE:
Show them. Look at you!

CHAS CALE:
Babe.

JOAN CALE:
Show them, before there's no need!

Reluctantly CHAS CALE takes off the medical alert chain round his neck and gets out his wallet, passing them across the table to GENE.

JOAN CALE:
He's a chronic convulsive epileptic with life threatening arrhythmias. Meaning when he fits, his heart beats at 230 beats per minute. Meaning, the next fit could kill him.

GENE:
He takes pills for it, right?

JOAN CALE:
Call his doctor! Put your smart alec questions to someone you'll trust, 'cos yes, he takes Phenobarbital. Which is why he can't drive. But he still fits.

SHAZ pops her head round the door, catches ALEX's eye and ALEX and CHRIS leave.

JOAN CALE:
And the fits are brought on by adrenaline rushes, OK? So that's why he couldn't have done your pathetic Post Office job, and why I made him leave that life eight years ago and come into the restaurant trade. Where we were very happy until you walked in!

GENE:
Eight years ago?

CHAS CALE:
That's when I became this. Useless. That's when the fits started. So, what more d'you want to hear?

JOAN CALE:
Phone the doctor.

ALEX returns.

ALEX:
Ray's on his way back. The sous chef confirms the alibi.

JOAN CALE:
And you put him through this. Thank you!

GENE pushes the wallet and chain back to CHAS CALE and leaves. ALEX looks unconvinced, but follows him.



CID. ALEX hurries behind GENE as he heads for his office to get his coat.

ALEX:
You're not sure, are you?

GENE:
I am, unfortunately. It's not him.

ALEX:
What about your gut instinct?

GENE:
Ah, my gut instinct. Yeah. Funny things guts and instinct.

ALEX:
Trust it!

GENE:
Trust what? I was wrong. I knew Chas Cale when he was in his prime and I'm telling you for a fact, he is not the same man that he once was. Which believe you me is a disappointment, because maybe, just maybe, none of us are.

ALEX:
You don't believe that.

GENE:
Trawl the files for other suspects. You find anything, I'll be in the pub. Company not required.

ALEX:
I need you.

GENE:
Or appreciated.

ALEX:
No, no. I will not have you going wobbly on me! I was watching Cale and his whole body language was evasive.

GENE:
He's epileptic and ashamed!

ALEX:
No. He is guilty!

GENE:
He's ashamed. He's ashamed of being past his best! But I'll give him this, at least HE knew when to call it a day.

GENE leaves; ALEX heads to the kitchen, feeling the cold again.

CHRIS:
This restaurant, Chas Cale's place. It were really swanky, beautiful. You know, and the first thing I thought when I went in there was, 'I'd love to take Shazza somewhere like this.'

SHAZ:
Aw, that's nice!

CHRIS:
No, but let's do it. Let's go somewhere up-market, you know. Somewhere special. This Saturday?

RAY:
What about me and you?

CHRIS:
Oh, no, I think it's a place for couples, mate.

RAY:
You've become such a poof.

SHAZ:
A poof?

RAY:
Yeah. Only likes girls now.

SHAZ:
Well, I'm sure you know how to play with yourself, Ray.

The temperature drops rather and SHAZ realises she may have gone too far.

SHAZ:
Though, come to think of it, I might be busy on Saturday. I'm at me Mum's. So, another time. Sorry.

RAY:
Pity you didn't remember that earlier, isn't it?



CID kitchen.

ALEX to herself:
The tiny part of the brain that controls the temperature. It's on the blink. Why would that be?

FLASHBACK. LITTLE ALEX in the film, trying to solve the Rubik's Cube.
Bullet heading towards us.
Car exploding.
Red balloon.
Audible heartbeat.
TIM looking down.
CAROLINE opening the boot of a car.

ALEX:
But at least this time I can say goodbye.



The PRICES' house. CAROLINE opens the door.

CAROLINE:
Coming! Oh, hello! Sorry, I'm expecting a cab. D'you want to come in for a minute?

ALEX steps into the hall, CAROLINE closing the door and going back to gathering her things together ready to leave.

ALEX:
I called your office, they said you were here.

CAROLINE:
Well, I'm expected in court, so... Is it about those photographs?

ALEX:
No! No, no, no. I just came to say goodbye. Actually. I'm... I'm having to go.

CAROLINE:
Why? Where to?

ALEX:
Just... just away. Away from here. It doesn't matter why. And I wanted you to know that... That I have a daughter. I have a daughter that you would really, really like.

ALEX starts to break down.

ALEX:
Because she and you are... I'm so sorry.

CAROLINE:
It's OK.

ALEX:
I'm so sorry. It isn't, really. What must you think of me? I'm, um... I'm just going to tell you. I... I am... You are...

Doorbell rings.

CAROLINE:
I'm so sorry. My cab.

ALEX:
It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, I can't say it anyway. Let's just leave it at goodbye.

CAROLINE:
No, call me.

ALEX:
I don't have the time.

CAROLINE:
There's always time. Listen, you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to. I, on the other hand...

CAROLINE opens the front door.

CAROLINE:
(to cab driver) Thank you. Coming! (to ALEX) Maybe you need to take control.

CAROLINE hurries to the cab, leaving ALEX standing on the top step.

MEMORY. LITTLE ALEX in the film, throwing aside the Rubik's Cube in frustration.

CAROLINE in memory:
Alex Price, don't you dare be a quitter!

ALEX to herself:
Solve the case.



GENE's office; he's demonstrating some unexpected artistic skills and a bit of pre-planning should the happy combination of ALEX in stockings and a reasonably clear desk become available at any point. He looks up through his door slightly guiltily, then gazes at his reflection in the computer monitor, presumably dwelling on Age. He sighs, has another slug of Scotch and returns to his doodle.

MUSIC: "Same Old Scene" by Roxy Music

# Nothing lasts forever
# Of that I'm sure
# Now you've made an offer
# I'll take some more #

ALEX bursts into CID, full of renewed purpose, and makes for GENE's office. RAY and DC POIROT are lobbing bits of paper about while SHAZ is trying to help CHRIS solve the Rubik's cube.

SHAZ:
Try that way. That's it.

GENE starts up guiltily, screws up his artwork and lobs it in the bin.

GENE:
Talk of the doodle. Yes. Hello? How are you? What can I do you for?

ALEX:
Chas Cale.

GENE:
Allow me to finish that sentence for you, 'is no longer a suspect.' Thank you very much. Now if you'd like to step back next door, you can catch up with the investigation which, even as I speak, is moving on apace!

ALEX leaves, surprisingly without protest, and addresses CID.

ALEX:
I gather you've made progress.

CHRIS:
No, not really.

CHRIS indicates his Rubik's cube.

RAY:
What progress?

ALEX:
OK, fine. Start from the beginning. Gather round, please. OK, can I point out that we were witnesses? We saw two men...

ALEX snatches the cube from CHRIS, who's still fiddling with it.

ALEX:
We saw two men on a bike. One of whom was local and fancied himself as Robert De Niro. So, may I suggest that you go and check out the local pubs.

CHRIS:
Roger that!

RAY:
Yeah, brilliant!

ALEX:
Keep a low profile.

RAY:
OK.

RAY and CHRIS show an uncharacteristic turn of speed and head for the door. GENE stirs from his office.

GENE:
Oi! OI!

ALEX:
You may have lost faith in yourself, but I was there when you first said Chas Cale and I know that you knew it was him.

GENE:
Can we just knock this on the head once and for all? We have no evidence! It's a minor detail to you, I know, but one that is currently very fashionable.

ALEX:
OK.

GENE:
Where are you going? And where's old Tonto and Kimosabe gone?

ALEX:
They have gone on a pub crawl near the underpass to see what they can find.

GENE:
Pub crawl? Where are my car keys?

SHAZ:
Sir.

SHAZ hold up the keys, but ALEX snatches them and hides them behind her back.

GENE:
You got 'em, Shaz?

SHAZ:
They may be on your desk?



ALEX drives off in the Quattro to the CALE's restaurant and their rubbish bins. She starts to go through them, but decides it's easier to take the whole lot. Lovely.



Outside the Station, and GENE is giving VIV the benefit of his considerable agitation on finding the Quattro is absent.

GENE:
I put it here. Right here. Right outside the flaming police station!

VIV:
We'll put a call out for it.

The Quattro appears, screeching to a halt. ALEX gets out and hands GENE the keys before going to the boot.

GENE:
Nobody but me drives my bloody car!

ALEX:
I just had to get something.

ALEX starts hauling bags of rubbish from the Quattro's boot.

GENE:
What in God's name...? No-one stinks my motor out!

GENE starts throwing the bags out of the boot.

ALEX:
Excuse me, THAT is evidence!

GENE:
I wouldn't worry about it because you're off the case!

ALEX:
Oh, off the case?

GENE:
Off the case and off the team!

ALEX:
Oh, off the team?

GENE:
Yes! Actually, no, you can clean my car out!

ALEX:
I'm off the team.

ALEX trots away, back into the station with the rubbish bags, totally ignoring him.

GENE:
Well, you're back on it. Drake, I want you making my car smell nice again! Drake, get back here! Drake! What are you...? You're off the team!



ALEX carries the bags of rubbish into the evidence room, then feels ill and has a vision of the CLOWN approaching her.

ALEX:
No. No, no, no.

SHAZ:
Ma'am? Ma'am? I'm taking you home, c'mon.

ALEX:
Shaz, that is not rubbish, OK? Don't let anybody throw that away.



MUSIC: 'Mirror In The Bathroom' by The Beat

Meanwhile, in a pub, RAY and CHRIS are preventing an invasion from space...

CHRIS:
It's the wotsits, isn't it? It's the graphics, they're amazing!

RAY
Yeah. It's great not having any birds around, an' all. Well, Shaz.

CHRIS:
You wanna get a bird of yer own.

RAY:
Not when I'm playing this I don't!



Luigi's. GENE is downing a pint at the bar while LUGI finishes dealing with some other customers.

LUIGI:
Complementi de la casa. (to GENE) Eh, what are you doing, drinking by your own? Where are your men? And why is the lovely signorina up in her flat also by her own?

GENE:
The lads'll be here soon. As for the lovely signorina, well, she can take a swan dive from her window as far as I'm concerned.

LUIGI:
Ah, I see. Be careful. Who will catch her?

GENE:
No-one, hopefully.

LUIGI:
You say that now, but what if he is dashing, handsome, full of youthful vigour?

GENE:
Luigi...

LUIGI:
Look, I seen him! I don't know his name, but she bring him here once. He is very keen.

GENE:
Yes.

LUIGI:
Yes! So strike while the iron's hot. Go to her.

GENE:
Luigi! DI Drake is of no interest to me, whatsoever. Comprehendez? Now change the bloody subject or go away!

LUIGI:
You don't fool me.

GENE turns away, annoyed. You don't fool us either, Gene.



ALEX's flat, and she's sitting up in bed, not looking too chipper.

ALEX:
Molls? Molly, I wanted to talk to you. Because I don't think that I'm going to be able to get back to you. And, er... And I wanted to say goodbye. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's... It's ending here. I'm dying here.



Later, and ALEX is shivering under the duvet.

FLASHBACK/MEMORY/DREAM/HALLUCINATION?
LITTLE ALEX in the film, trying to solve the Rubik's Cube inter-cut with the blaggers on the motorbike.

CAROLINE in the film:
Seven steps to solving it, you said.

ALEX taking the rubbish bags.
LITTLE ALEX in the film, trying to solve the Rubik's Cube.

CAROLINE in the film:
What's the first one?

MR CHATTERJEE doing his shotgun dance.

MR CHATTERJEE:
Boom and it goes boom!

LITTLE ALEX in the film, trying to solve the Rubik's Cube; throwing it aside in frustration.

The CLOWN appears at the bedroom door and approaches ALEX, bending over her. She wakes with a start.

ALEX:
No.

ALEX gets up, still cold, and goes to her calendar.

ALEX:
Can't go yet. It's too soon.



Meanwhile in Luigi's...

LUIGI:
You drink alone because of love. Yeah, yeah, you can deny all you like. But you're not alone. All Englishmen, in the art of seduction, are pathetic! No passion!

GENE get ups and leaves.



ALEX has moved to the sofa.

The CLOWN approaches again.

ALEX again dreams of falling through a black, empty space until landing back on the bed. Someone, or thing, is under the duvet next to her, but just as it's about to be revealed she's woken by GENE banging on the door.

The CLOWN flickers out of existence.

GENE:
Open up! Police! Open up!

ALEX wakes up and goes to open the door.

GENE:
To stop Luigi asking me why I'm drinking on my own, will... Blime- Look at me. You got the lurgy, you have. I know what you need. Come on!



MUSIC: 'Chant No.1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)' by Spandau Ballet

Back at the pub, BILLY DANE has come in and is regaling his mates with his Robert DeNiro impression.

BILLY DANE:
You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me?

RAY and CHRIS exchange significant looks.



At the bar in Luigi's, and GENE is just draping his coat about ALEX's shoulders while Luigi hands across a hot toddy of some sort.

GENE:
You're a bossy cow.

ALEX:
And you are a Bonapartist.

GENE:
Fine. What's that then, like double-jointed?

ALEX:
You take no notice of anybody else. You refuse to delegate. Everything has to go through you, be decided by you, and I will tell you something else as well...

GENE:
Oh, good! Terrific!

ALEX:
If you're not careful you're going to lose Chris and Ray. Yes you are. 'Cos maybe they worship you. Maybe they do. But they get diddly shit in return, don't they?

GENE:
I am their DCI not their bloody Akela!

ALEX:
When was the last time you give them any responsibility? Any genuine you-make-the-decision responsibility? I bet you've never done it, have you?

LUIGI gives GENE a look of sympathy as he hands over a whisky, before answering the telephone.

GENE:
Fine, fine. Maybe I am over the hill.

ALEX:
Oh, Gene, you are young. You're young!

LUIGI:
It's Chris for you.

ALEX:
Isn't he, Luigi? Young?

LUIGI looks sceptical.

LUIGI:
Who? Him?

GENE:
Oh, great, thank you! What is this, Slap Gene Day? (he grabs the 'phone) Right, you pair of tonsils, where've you been? What you up to? Come again? Right, I'm on me way. (to ALEX) They reckon they've got the young biker boy down at the station. I'm going down there. You stay here, you're not well.

ALEX:
No, I'm com- I'm better!

ALEX trots after GENE.



GENE and ALEX make their way to the Station and CID.

ALEX:
You see, when you give them responsibility they get things done. Chris and Ray have done this on their own.

CHRIS:
He was in the pub doing the Robert De Niro impression! He's in here. We had him just like that, it was a lovely clean take. He stepped out and...

They enter CID to be faced by a young boy.

GENE:
Yes, I knew criminals were getting younger these days, but, um...

RAY appears from the kitchen with a glass of milk and a packet of crisps.

CHRIS:
Where's he gone? Where is he?

RAY:
What d'you mean?

CHRIS:
Where is he?

RAY:
I left him with you!

CHRIS:
He was in 'ere!

RAY:
So where is he now then? I've been getting this for the kid.

GENE:
(to ALEX) More responsibility?

ALEX:
Oh, shut up!

CHRIS:
Donny. Donny, listen to me. This is very important, OK? Look at me. Very important. Where's Billy? Where's your Uncle Billy? Where's he gone?

DONNY:
To the loo.

BILLY DANE:
Everything all right?

GENE:
You been to the Post Office on Norvington Road today? Because I hear you do a pretty mean Robert De Niro impression in there.

DONNY:
He can do all sorts. He can do anyone.

GENE:
Have you got a 500cc dirt bike?

BILLY DANE:
I wish!

DONNY:
He could ride one. He can ride anything. He can do tricks.

BILLY DANE:
Lost me licence, though, didn't I? And with it me bike.

GENE:
What, and that stops you, does it?

BILLY DANE:
Don't know who you're looking for, pal, but if you think it's me, you've got the wrong bloke.

GENE:
I think we should adjourn to the interview room, don't you, pal?

BILLY DANE:
(to DONNY) See you in a minute.



ALEX is walking DONNY along the corridor towards the front desk.

DONNY:
I was outside the pub. Waiting. 'Cos Billy's looking after me.

ALEX:
Well why was that? Why was Billy looking after you?

EVAN:
Alex, hi!

ALEX has a flashback to her dream and gives a short, slightly embarrassed laugh.

EVAN:
What?

ALEX:
Um. Sorry. I, er... I think I had a dream about you last night.

EVAN:
Really? Wow. That's good. It's good. I mean, it's good to see you smiling. Caroline said you were a bit upset.

ALEX:
I was. I was, yeah. What are you doing here?

EVAN:
Well, I just...

GENE:
Oi! Lift and separate, get your big bum over here!

ALEX:
Ah, sorry...

EVAN:
It's OK. It's OK, Ijust wanted to say if you need my help...

GENE:
DI Drake.

EVAN:
Call. Any time. Really, any time...

ALEX:
Thanks.

EVAN leaves and GENE marches up.

GENE:
You don't talk to that man, he works for Caroline Price.

ALEX:
I'll talk to whoever I like.

GENE:
Alex.

ALEX:
I'm handing Donny over to Shaz.

GENE:
No, you're not. He's coming with us.



Interview room.

GENE:
Let's say between ten and three today, what were your movements?

BILLY DANE:
Can I start a little earlier? 'Cos my sister, Donny's mum, went into labour last night. And she calls me from the hospital and asks me if I can come in and stay with her 'til after the baby's born, which happened this afternoon. So I've been at the hospital. Well, from last night through to this evening when I went to the pub to wet the baby's head.

DONNY:
He has, he's been looking after me!

ALEX:
Where, Donny?

DONNY:
At the hospital.

Gene:
Since when?

DONNY:
Since I didn't go to school.

ALEX:
So your sister wanted you, her brother, to be her birthing partner?

Confused looks from BILLY and GENE.

ALEX:
She wanted you at the birth.

BILLY DANE:
Yeah.

ALEX:
She a single parent?

BILLY DANE:
Nah. She's married to Sean, Donny's dad. He was there too, and that's why I was there. Well, and to look after Donny.

ALEX:
So, I'm sorry to push this point, but why did your sister want you at the birth?

BILLY DANE:
Could Donny go and get a biscuit or something?

GENE:
Chris.

CHRIS takes DONNY out of the interview room.

GENE:
Right. C'mon, then! If your sister's got a husband, why were you needed?

BILLY DANE:
Well, that's what I wondered at first. No one knew. Well, obviously my sister did. But no one else. 'Til out popped a coffee coloured nig-nog nipper! Clearly not Sean's, her husband, and then I knew why I was there. 'Cos Sean's upset, understandably. But when he starts slapping her about, well I had to intervene. But I must say, you lot were very understanding, 'cos they're rubbish calls, ain't they? Domestics. So you banged him up, Sean, and let him off with a caution. Which, given the circumstances, I thought was fair.

GENE:
(to RAY) Go and check it out.



SHAZ escorts BILLY DANE and DONNY out of the interview room; evidently it checked out. DONNY hesitates.

BILLY DANE:
See yer, yeah? Nice to meet yer! Take care!

DONNY:
Excuse me. Is it tomorrow yet?

ALEX:
Not quite.

DONNY:
Thanks. Bye!

ALEX:
Bye.

GENE:
What now?

ALEX:
You know those bin bags...



CID

VIV:
Here you are, dinner!

Collective groans or disgust from CID as VIV and SHAZ empty the bin bags of rubbish onto plastic sheeting on the floor.

ALEX:
OK, now, this can tell us everything we need to know about the Cales.

RAY:
Oh, she's having a laugh, in't she?

GENE:
Apparently not.

ALEX:
Nothing is insignificant. I want every single scrap of paper sorted into these colour-coded bags. Till receipts, bills, supply invoices.

GENE reaches down with a ruler and fishes out a used condom.

GENE:
What colour for this?

ALEX sighs.

RAY:
Urgh. Bloody hell.



Some time later and everyone but ALEX, RAY and CHRIS has given up sorting through the rubbish. GENE looks on, delegation being the mark of good leadership. Or something.

CHRIS:
So every item builds up a picture of the person?

The telephone in Gene's office starts ringing and GENE gets up to answer it.

ALEX:
Yeah, and such a detailed picture that you could actually steal somebody's identity. You could get into their bank accounts. You know people throw away the most revealing things, and all you have to do is look.

RAY:
Well, can we 'look' in the morning, 'cos I've just about had it up to here!

CHRIS:
Oh, great!

ALEX:
What? What have you got?

CHRIS:
Me niece collects milk bottle tops for Blue Peter and...

ALEX:
Oh.

GENE slams down the phone and kicks the wastepaper basket angrily.



The Quattro screeches up to an area of wasteground and the team get out. There's considerable police activity, blue lights etc. DONNY is lead past by a WPC as they head for the crime scene - where BILLY DANE is lying dead on the ground.

GENE:
His name is Billy Dane.

ALEX:
Who turned him over? Who turned him over? That's an exit wound. Who moved the body? Who turned him over?!

GENE:
The boy.



DONNY and ALEX are in the back of a police car.

ALEX:
Donny.

DONNY:
Hi.

ALEX:
Hi.

DONNY:
Is it tomorrow yet?

ALEX:
Just.

DONNY:
It's my birthday.

ALEX:
Oh, Donny.

DONNY:
When you dropped us off, we went back to Billy's and the phone was ringing, and Billy answered it, and we came straight back out again, and he drove here. And Billy took some money out of this. He told me to wait in the car. He went over there.

ALEX opens DONNY's rucksack to find a Krishna statue and banknotes.

ALEX:
And do you know what happened then?

DONNY:
I saw Billy meet this man out there. This tall man. And they talked. And Billy gave him the money and was coming back to me, but the man followed him, and he went 'bang'. And Billy fell. He didn't even turn, he just...

ALEX:
It's all right. It's all right.

GENE appears at the door of the police car and ALEX shows him the rucksack.

GENE:
The money from the Post Office. Mr Chatterjee said he tore all the notes. Didn't Billy say he was with Donny all day and the boy confirmed it? Right. We need to take him inside, see what he really knows.

ALEX:
He is seven years old!

GENE:
And this is now a murder enquiry!

DONNY:
I'm eight actually. It's tomorrow, it's my birthday. I'm eight!

GENE:
There you go. See, he's a big boy now!

DONNY:
He was going to give me a party. With crisps and things. And games.



The Quattro screeches off with GENE, ALEX and DONNY.

DONNY:
Where are we going?

GENE:
To a party.



Luigi's. GENE, ALEX and DONNY are sitting at a table while LUIGI, still in his pyjamas and dressing gown, takes their 'order'.

GENE:
Go on, ask him. He's not really asleep.

DONNY:
Will you ask with me?

GENE:
Yeah, OK. Er, can we have some crisps, please, Uncle Luigi. And some Coke.

DONNY:
And some Pepsi. And chocolate.

GENE:
Yeah, and one of them big stupid cakes you've got with nothing but air in the middle, and ice cream.

DONNY:
And chocolate.

GENE:
No, we've done chocolate.

DONNY:
More chocolate!

GENE:
Yes. Lots and lots of chocolate. And music. Gotta have some music.

DONNY:
And breadsticks.

GENE:
Candles! Don't forget candles!

ALEX:
No! Candles. Got to blow out the candles.

ALEX closes her eyes and sees MOLLY blowing out the candles on her birthday cake.

DONNY:
Are you always cold? 'Cos you're always shivering!

MUSIC: 'Liviamo ne'lieti calici from La Traviata' by Giuseppe Verdi

GENE:
Luigi, party music!

LUIGI:
It's a restaurant, not a discotheque.

GENE:
It's a birthday!

LUIGI:
Is beautiful music!

GENE:
(to DONNY) Right. You, wait here.



CID. CHRIS is going through one of the office wastepaper baskets.

RAY:
We're meant to be trying to get a trace on that phone call Billy took. What are you doing?

CHRIS:
Seeing what I can find out about us.

SHAZ:
Hey, let's do the Guv's.

RAY, CHRIS and SHAZ go into GENE's office, SHAZ sitting down at his desk to go through the bin.

SHAZ:
He's a pig... He bets...

SHAZ hesitates over a crumpled piece of paper; it's GENE's doodle from earlier in the day.

RAY:
What?

CHRIS:
Show us.

RAY:
My oh, my! Do your tits do that?

CHRIS:
Is that DI Drake?

RAY:
It bloody is, aye. And that's himself! This needs pinning up.



Luigi's and GENE has returned.

GENE:
Here!

GENE lobs a tape at LUIGI and presents DONNY with the Walkman it came from. Something tells me Chris will be looking for that...

DONNY:
What? For me?

GENE:
Yeah. Birthday present.

ALEX hands across CHRIS' Rubik's Cube, confiscated earlier.

ALEX:
Happy birthday.

MUSIC: 'Kids In America' by Kim Wilde

LUIGI:
I go to bed now, eh. For good!

GENE:
Donny, you know you said you spent all day with Billy, is that true?

DONNY:
Can we not talk about Billy?

ALEX:
Didn't you hear what he said?

GENE:
I am trying to do my job.

ALEX:
More Coke, Donny? There, now that is my contribution to childhood obesity. (to GENE) Leave him alone.

GENE:
What's got into you?

ALEX:
What, apart from shards of lead drilling their way through my skull?

GENE:
What, you got a headache?

DONNY:
Billy did take me to the park yesterday. And he left me there.

ALEX:
But you said you were at the hospital all day, Donny.

DONNY:
Yeah. Billy told me not to tell anyone.

ALEX:
Well, when was this?

DONNY:
When Mum had to have that operation. To get the baby out. I dunno, lunch time?

GENE:
Where did Billy go?

DONNY:
With the man on the bike.

GENE:
What man was this?

DONNY
Dunno. But he had a black helmet with a stripe down the middle, and Billy got a red one.

GENE:
Was this the same man that Billy met tonight?

DONNY:
No. The man tonight was tall.

GENE:
Right. I'm going back the station.

ALEX:
Well what about the boy? You can't just leave him. I'm not very well!

GENE:
Be a mother, Alex. Just put him to bed and rub some Vicks on your chest.

ALEX:
I'm not well. I mustn't go to sleep...

GENE leaves.

DONNY:
Then have this, here. Coke. C'mon, raise a glass and say 'Chas!' C'mon, 'Chas!'

ALEX:
Why are you saying that?

DONNY:
It's what you say when somebody gives you a drink. You say it.

ALEX:
No, no, no, no, I say 'Cheers'.

DONNY:
Yeah, 'cos I'm saying it how Billy says it. Like when he gave a high-five to the man on the bike. He said 'Chas!' And on the phone tonight, 'Chas'.



ALEX and DONNY are outside the PRICE's door; it's the early hours of the morning. CAROLINE answers.

CAROLINE:
D'you know what time it is? What? D'you need to come in?

ALEX:
No, I can't. I can't, I'm trying to solve something. But in case I can't, and because I've, well, I've no-one else in this world. This is Donny. Look after him. Please. Bye.

ALEX turns to leave and then realises something.

ALEX:
No, I can't. I can't leave him with you!

CAROLINE:
Alex, if you have to...

ALEX:
I can't leave him with you.

CAROLINE:
He'll be fine, I have a daughter.

ALEX:
I know, I know! And you could be such, such a wonderful mother! So wonderful! But I don't remember a boy turning up. And surely I would. I know you have a daughter. I know you have a daughter... because...

CAROLINE:
She's not here, right now.

ALEX:
Not here! She's not here. Now that's good. Thank you.

ALEX leaves.



CALES's restaurant. ALEX rings the doorbell.

FLASHBACK to Rubik's cube.

ALEX voiceover:
Keep making connections. Stay alive!

JOAN CALE unlocks the door; CHAS CALE has also come down. ALEX flashes her warrant card.

ALEX:
Inside.

CHAS CALE:
What is this?

ALEX:
Inside, please!

CHAS CALE:
You'd better have a bloody good reason for this, sweetheart.

ALEX:
Billy Dane, Mr Cale.

CHAS CALE:
Who?

ALEX:
Billy Dane. You know Billy Dane. The live wire, the cocky boy, the bike boy.

CHAS CALE:
Listen, darlin'...

ALEX:
The boy you did the Post Office with.

CHAS CALE:
Oh, right, yeah, yeah.

ALEX:
The boy who was shot dead tonight in front of his eight year old nephew on a piece of scrubland.

CHAS CALE:
What?

ALEX:
Two shots. Back of the head. The first delivered after he'd handed over two grand from that raid to the man who then blew his face off as he walked away. The second when he was already face down on the ground. All witnessed by an eight year old boy.

CHAS CALE:
(to JOAN CALE) Why?

ALEX:
Oh, now this is interesting.

JOAN CALE:
My husband was here all day.

ALEX:
Would you care to confirm that, Chas? You see, because the self same eight year old boy says that he saw you pick up Billy from the playground next to the hospital, and that Billy was giving you a high-five and calling you Chas.

CHAS CALE:
But I didn't kill him.

ALEX:
No. No, but you see, the question is...

JOAN CALE hits her over the head with a bottle (possibly of Bollinger - oh, the irony) and ALEX falls, stunned, to the floor, her warrant card falling out of her hand.

JOAN CALE:
Take her to the kitchen. Put her in the kitchen!

CHAS CALE:
You didn't have to have him killed!

JOAN CALE:
And you didn't have to do that Post Office, did you?

CHAS CALE:
He was just a kid.

JOAN CALE:
He was trouble. Trouble when he worked here, and trouble when he left.

CHAS CALE:
You said you were just going to teach him a lesson.

JOAN CALE:
Let's make that teaching you a lesson. Well, you won't do it again, will you? Kitchen!

She makes a telephone call.

JOAN CALE:
It's Joan Cale. Get over here now. Yes, yes, I've got the rest for you.

CHAS CALE drags the semi-conscious ALEX to the kitchen where JOAN CALE joins him with rope to tie ALEX up.

JOAN CALE:
He's on his way, he'll be here soon.

CHAS CALE:
Who?

JOAN CALE:
Tie her up. Gag her too.

CHAS CALE:
What are we going to do with her?

JOAN CALE:
She'll be collected and taken away.

CHAS CALE:
Are you mad?

JOAN CALE:
Do you really think, with what I've set up here, do you really think that I can have police crawling all over us just because you can't resist one last taste of what it was like?! And you could kill yourself doing that. God... Adrenaline brings on the fits and the next one could... So tie her up and tie her tight.

They gag and tie up ALEX and drag her into the cold store. She screams in terror as she realises what they're going to do. JOAN CALE closes the door.

ALEX:
No! NO! NO!



Back at the station, SHAZ is clearing up the mess from the CALE's rubbish bags.

GENE:
Why would anybody throw away this amount of meat? The sell-by dates are recent. It's like it hasn't even been refrigerated.

SHAZ:
Like they were never going to use it?

CHRIS:
Guv, Guv. This going through people's rubbish...

RAY:
It bloody works, look!

CHRIS:
We went round to Billy Dane's flat, went through his bins, and found this old pay slip. He used to work at the Alla Casa. He worked for Chas Cale.



ALEX is trussed up, slowly freezing to death in the CALES' freezer and haunted by the blurred presence of the Clown, as GENE drives up to the restaurant and leans on the doorbell. CHAS CALE looks terrified and is evidently starting to suffer the effects of the adrenalin.

JOAN CALE:
No! No!

CHAS CALE:
Who is it? Who is it?

CHAS CALE starts to fit.

JOAN CALE:
It's the man who's coming to take her away. It's OK! That's it. You know what's coming. It's OK. You know what's happening. You're OK.

GENE starts to wander round the side of the building looking for an alternative way in. Meanwhile ALEX is seeing the CLOWN getting closer. In the kitchen CHAS CALE is fitting.

JOAN:
Oh... I'm here for you!

JOAN goes to answer the door but sees it's GENE and runs back to CHAS instead. Meanwhile the CLOWN is getting ever closer to ALEX.

FLASHBACK
Red balloon flying up into the sky.
CAROLINE getting into a car.
Cassette being put into the car stereo.

GENE is still trying to gain entry to the restaurant while the CLOWN gets closer and closer to ALEX.

FLASHBACK
TIM winking in the rear view mirror.
Red balloon blowing along the ground.
CAROLINE leaning out of the passenger window.

CAROLINE in flashback:
Alex!

LITTLE ALEX catching the red balloon.

GENE is getting increasingly frustrated and yells through the glass.

GENE:
Joan! Chas! Come and open this bloody door!

The CLOWN very close now.

FLASHBACK.
Car exploding.
A segment of number plate falling to the ground in flames.
More flames.

ALEX seems to lose consciousness in the freezer.

FLASHBACK.
More flames.
A figure moves across, blocking the view.

Cut to GENE moving across to the door of the 'Alla Casa'. GENE's eye is caught by ALEX's warrant card still lying on the floor where she dropped it. He steps back from the glass, draws his revolver and shoots the glass in.

MUSIC: 'Vienna' by Ultravox

# We walked in the cold air
# Freezing breath on a window pane
# Lying and waiting
# The man in the dark in a picture frame
# So mystic and soulful
# A voice reaching out in a piercing cry
# It stays with you until. #

ALEX sees a blurry mix of the CLOWN and GENE before losing consciousness. GENE carries her out of the cold store.

# The feeling has gone only you and I
# It means nothing to me... #

GENE puts ALEX down on a sofa in the restaurant and rips open her blouse to facilitate some rather dodgy CPR.

GENE:
I've bloody dreamt about doing this!

# This means nothing to me... #

GENE:
Don't you dare!

No response from ALEX. GENE looks round desperately and nobly resigns himself to having to give her the kiss of life (what a guy). But she wakes up before he gets the chance. Sigh. Pesky writers, eh?

ALEX:
I worked it out. I made the connections, and I solved it. And you saved me. And if you saved me... maybe I can save them.

GENE:
Yeah, I think it's called concussion.



MR CHATTERJEE's shop; RAY and CHRIS are returning his property.

MUSIC: 'Golden Brown' by The Stranglers

MR CHATTERJEE:
Forgive the stick of willow, but once bitten, twice shy. What can I do for you?

RAY produces the Krishna statue.

MR CHATTERJEE:
Ah. Hare Krishna...



CID kitchen. SHAZ is cleaning up the bump on ALEX's head, while RAY has pinned up GENE's doodle and has joined CHRIS to see what happens.

ALEX:
Ow!

SHAZ:
D'you think you need stitches?

ALEX:
No, I'm all right. Ow!

GENE arrives with a paper bag of sustenance of some sort for ALEX.

GENE:
Oh, listen to the whimpering and the whining. Get your laughing gear round that. How are you?

ALEX:
I'm fine. Good. I'm great, actually. How's Chas?

GENE:
Oh, you know. Chas lives to fit another day. In prison.

GENE sees the doodle.

GENE:
Bloody hellfire!

He removes it from the wall and pockets it.

GENE:
Disgusting, obscene, smutty filth. I'll find out who did it.

ALEX:
What? What's obscene?

GENE:
Nothing.

ALEX looks round, confused, as SHAZ hurries off and RAY and CHRIS look suspiciously occupied.



CID, and GENE, RAY and ALEX are trying to explain the ins and outs of the case to CHRIS.

RAY:
The restaurant's a scam. The Cales were using it to launder money. It didn't matter to them if no one came in to eat. It didn't bother 'em!

GENE:
Look, this is how it works. You buy a restaurant for cash, yeah? Dirty money, money from a bank raid. Do it up, you run it at a loss, and then you sell it on, and the money you make...

RAY:
Is clean money. Legal money!

GENE:
And lots of it. Hence the hit man. (to ALEX) D'you know about the hit man?

ALEX:
Yeah. Yeah, he was on the way to the restaurant to pick me up. Why, d'you get him?

GENE:
No, we didn't. We will do.

CHRIS:
So when they launder money they don't actually wash it? Oh, they do! Right, I see. Yeah, I've got it now! I've got it...

They sigh in despair.

GENE:
(to ALEX) Right. Let's get you home, shall we?



GENE and ALEX are walking along the corridor to the station entrance.

ALEX:
All I have to say to you, Gene Hunt, is that you should trust those ageing instincts, because you haven't even approached your prime yet.

GENE:
I think you're right. In fact, I'm about three minutes away from reaching my sexual peak. Do you wanna celebrate?

ALEX:
Unfortunately, I have a headache.

GENE:
Of course you do.

DONNY appears, clutching his Rubik's Cube, now solved.

ALEX:
Hey!

GENE:
Hello. Where d'you come from?

DONNY:
Look what I done! I got taught how to do it by the bloke who brought us here. It's brilliant, isn't it?

EVAN shimmers up, much to GENE'S dismay.

ALEX:
Yeah, it's brilliant.

EVAN:
Great presents for kids. I gave one to Caroline's daughter the other day. She loves it.

FLASHBACK. LITTLE ALEX in the film with the Rubik's Cube.

ALEX:
Of course you did... It was you! It was, er, it was you who brought Donny in.

EVAN:
I keep getting these reports from Caroline that you're ill or you're upset or both, and every time I see you, you just... I'm also here 'cos Donny wants to see his mum and he wants to see his new brother, if that's OK?

DONNY:
Can you come? You haven't seen my baby brother yet. And you can now!

EVAN:
Oh, I can give you a lift home. I mean, it sounds as if you haven't been to bed all night.

DONNY:
Please say yes. Please do.

ALEX:
All right, yeah. Sure.

EVAN:
(to DONNY) Come on.

EVAN and DONNY leave.

ALEX:
I'm just going to, um...

GENE:
Yeah, yeah, I'll see ya... see you later. Well, tomorrow probably.

ALEX:
Yeah.

GENE:
Some time. Whenever.

ALEX:
See you tomorrow.

MUSIC: 'Ghosts' by Japan

ALEX walks away, and as she does has a flashback to the dream of falling through a black, empty space until landing back on the bed again. The figure next to her in the bed pushes back the duvet to reveal it's... GENE.

# When the room is quiet
# The daylight almost gone
# It seems there's something I should know
# Well, I ought to leave
# But the rain it never stops
# And I've no particular place to go #

ALEX turns to look back at GENE in surprise, but he's gone.

# Just when I think I'm winning
# When I've broken every door #

End credits

# The ghosts of my life
# Blow wilder than before
# Just when I thought I could not be stopped
# When my chance came to be king
# The ghosts of my life
# Blow wilder than the wind... #