Ashes to Ashes, series three, episode four.
Writer: Jack Lothian
Director: Alrick Riley

xxxx

A small boy sits on the kerbside, playing with a red toy Quattro. "Brmm-brmm" noises abound from the infant. At which point a real red Quattro comes screeching round the corner and zooms past, watched in understandable awe by said small boy. It's GENE and Co en route to somewhere in the customary hurry.

MUSIC: 'Reward' by The Teardrop Explodes

GENE:
I am not drunk.

ALEX:
But you have been drinking.

GENE:
It's nearly dinnertime, of course I've had a bloody drink.

ALEX:
Well isn't that all the more reason to watch your speed? It's a drugs tip-off we're chasing. If I'm going to lose my life, I'd like it to be for something a little bit more worthwhile.

RAY:
Swing a right here, Guv.

SHAZ over the radio:
Target down Tabernacle Street. Over.

CHRIS:
There it is, there's the van.

GENE:
I'm not bloody blind, Christopher, I can see it.

The white van is blocked by a brown Cavalier and swerves to avoid it, ploughing into the workman's hut at the side of the road. The Quattro squeals to a halt and GENE leaps out.

SHAZ over the radio:
What's going on, Guv? Ma'am?

ALEX into the radio:
Shaz, we've got a runner heading south down Tabernacle Street.

The driver of the Cavalier legs it down the road while the passenger, LOUISE GARDINER, gets out with a shotgun. GENE strides towards her.

ALEX:
Guv, she's got a gun!

RAY:
What the hell's he doing?

LOUISE GARDINER fires a shot into the air. RAY, CHRIS and ALEX dive for cover, while GENE quickens his pace to reach her. He grabs the shotgun and pins her against the car for a moment, then suddenly lets her go and she runs off.

CHRIS:
What's the Guv playing at?

GENE empties the shot gun and the others walk up to the scene.

GENE:
Ray, check the van.

RAY hauls out the van driver and gets the keys out of his pocket, tossing them to CHRIS to open the rear doors.

RAY:
Chris.

CHRIS:
Ta.

Inside the van are numerous packages of powder, one of which CHRIS liberally sprinkles on the road. Twonk.

CHRIS:
Tip-off was right, Guv. It's heroin.

GENE starts back towards the Quattro, ALEX going after him.

ALEX:
You deliberately let her go. A suspect. I saw you. What's going on?

GENE:
You'll have to trust me on this one.

ALEX:
Sorry, Guv, "trust me" isn't going to wash this time.

GENE:
OK, you got me, Bolls. It's a massive bleeding conspiracy between me, Linda Lovelace and Shergar and you just rumbled us. So well done, you. Have a Smartie.

ALEX:
I am not going to be fobbed off.

GENE:
What's the bleeding point anyway? It's not like I am the DCI of this district. It's not like anybody tells me about operations going on in my own back garden, is it?

ALEX:
I don't understand.

GENE:
She's D16.

ALEX:
Undercover.

GENE:
Yeah, she's one of us. A copper. Somebody is running a sting on my own patch, and they don't even have the decency to tell me about it.

ALEX:
Look, you're annoyed.

GENE:
Yes, I am annoyed! I'm very bloody annoyed! Somebody's going to get my boot up their arse.



Opening titles.

ALEX voiceover:
My name is Alex Drake. I was shot and found myself in 1983. Is it real? Or in my mind? Either way, I have to solve the mystery of what all this means and fight to get home. Because time is running out.



Gene's office and he slams down the telephone receiver in annoyance. Then bangs it up and down again a few more times to emphasise his displeasure before coming out of his office, steaming.

GENE:
Bollocks! "Confidential. Cannot disclose details of said officer." Give enough red tape, and they try and bloody hang you with it.

ALEX:
Well it's fair enough, Guv. Got to maintain the credibility of her cover.

GENE:
My kingdom, Bolly. A copper from another station wouldn't even dare sneeze in here without my permission. But apparently some undercover dolly can do as she pleases.

And look who appears in CID.

JIM KEATS:
The undercover dolly in question is Louise Gardiner. Good morning. She's with your neighbours, the Hanfield station, DCI Wilson. He posted her undercover to one of the Stafford family fronts six months ago, using the nom de plume of Sarah Huddersfield. Impressive, aren't I? So, what else d'you need to know?

GENE:
When are you going to bugger off and let the real police get on with some real work?

JIM KEATS:
Rome wasn't built in a day, Gene, and an audit was never finished overnight. Still, all the more reason why I can be of help. Chris, if you could just pop those photos up there on the board for me. Thanks. Always helps to have a visual aid.

CHRIS takes the proffered photos and does as he is bid, much to RAY's scorn.

RAY:
Oh, and while you're there, love, tea and two sugars, ta.

ALEX:
I'm sorry, but, um, who are the Staffords?

KEATS:
Notorious crime family.

GENE:
Bunch of bastards.

They speak in unison, but GENE wins the floor on this one.

GENE:
The father, Terry, was a bit of a name back in his day. On first name terms with some of London's finest. But don't let the image fool you, not many shits nastier than him.

JIM KEATS:
Nearly went down for murder but managed to weasel his way out of it. A list of unsolved crimes as long as you like.

CHRIS hands ALEX a mugshot.

CHRIS:
That's Daniel, the son.

SHAZ:
Served three years for attempted murder.

JIM KEATS:
Business deal gone wrong.

GENE:
He slashed his rival across both cheeks, and then gave him a gentle shove out a window, 15 stories high. Bounced higher than Dolly Parton's funbags.

SHAZ:
Daniel was released from prison in January, and as far as I can remember, he's, um, currently going straight, running a mannequin supply firm.

GENE:
Good girl, Shaz. Take note, you lot. She'll soon be giving us the orders.

SHAZ:
Not soon enough, Guv.

ALEX:
So, the undercover officer...

CHRIS:
Louise.

ALEX:
...was assigned to the Staffords, and was part of the attempted heroin heist?

JIM KEATS:
Who did the van belong to?

RAY:
Warren Johnstone. Small time dealer. He's a Man City fan an' all. Anyway we've sent uniform up to pick him up.

ALEX:
So do we think the Staffords are involved in the drugs business?

GENE:
Well, we know who has the answers, don't we?

JIM KEATS:
Maybe you should run with this? Think of it as an opportunity. See how you do working with another station. A modern police force needs to learn how to work as one entity, as well as separate cells.

GENE:
Good, right. Well in case you're all wondering, that's twat speak for giving us the OK to speak to DCI Wilson.



GENE and ALEX race off in the Quattro to Hanfield and DCI Wilson's spacious and airy office.

GENE:
Just where do you get off running undercover operations on my patch?

DCI WILSON:
The Stafford family's influence stretches into our district as well.

GENE:
Your district?

GENE;
For 15 years, Terry Stafford made my life a misery. As a copper, as a DC, as a DCI. Robbery, extortion, kidnapping.

ALEX:
And now it looks like they're involved in drugs. Did your undercover officer tell you anything about that?

DCI WILSON:
No. But it's been a few weeks since her last debrief and info drop.

ALEX:
Why did you put her in there with them?

DCI WILSON:
Because I got to hear whispers from the prison floor. When little Danny Stafford gets out, he's going to raise hell. Bring the family back up to where it belongs. A name to be feared. Whispers aren't enough. I needed someone on the inside. Wasn't going to let the Staffords make a fool out of me again.

GENE:
So you put a woman in there to do your dirty work, while you sit on your fat arse, twiddling your thumbs?

DCI WILSON gets to his feet angrily; he breathes with difficulty and walks with a stick.

DCI WILSON:
1979. Looking into the Westminster Bank robbery. Some bugger hits me full force with an Austin Allegro. Never saw 'em, but I knew. Terry Stafford.

GENE:
Well let's see what Terry does when he's got me breathing down his neck. I'll take over from here.

DCI WILSON:
With the greatest of respect, I can't allow that.

GENE:
Well with the greatest of respect, I'm not asking you, I am telling you.

DCI WILSON:
I'd try to dissuade you, but I'd just be wasting my breath, wouldn't I? Keep an eye on that Terry. Daniel's a shit, but he's just the monkey. Terry's the one grinding the organ.

GENE and Alex start to leave, but DCI WILSON has a last word as ALEX is at the door.

DCI WILSON:
Hey, if you do catch the bugger, tell him DCI Wilson says hello. Nice tits, by the way.

In the corridor outside.

ALEX:
Did he just say...?

GENE:
The man's a cripple, Bolly. Have a heart.



CID, and RAY is appreciating the photo of the lovely LOUISE GARDINER.

RAY:
It's not fair Hanfield gets someone so tidy. Could do with a bird like that to brighten this place up.

SHAZ:
Oi!

RAY:
I mean a proper bird. You're like a bloke with tits.

SHAZ:
I am not!

RAY:
I just mean I don't fancy you. It's a good thing!

RAY's really getting in touch with reality there for once… SHAZ goes to put some paperwork on Alex's desk, muttering.

RAY:
Bloody hell.

SHAZ returns to her desk, and CHRIS who's been sitting next to her.

SHAZ:
I heard she had a gun. But you still ran after her?

CHRIS:
Well, the Guv led the charge, but yeah. It's OK. She was one of us.

SHAZ:
Yeah, but what if she hadn't been? It's a bit risky, that, in the line of fire.

CHRIS:
You almost sound like you care.

SHAZ:
Course I do, Chris.

CHRIS puts his hand over SHAZ's.

SHAZ:
I meant as a mate.

CHRIS removes his hand.

MUSIC: 'Golden Brown' by The Stranglers



The Quattro pulls up on a fairly grotty estate and GENE and ALEX get out.

# Golden brown
# Texture like sun
# Lays me down
# With my mind she runs
# Throughout the night
# No need to fight
# Never a frown... #

GENE:
If you want to know what's happening on the streets, Bolls, you have to get your boots a bit dirty.

SHORTY, a druggie and presumably informant, is sitting on an old sofa in a tunnel that may seem familiar. SHORTY seems to be suffering from some unscheduled cold turkey.

GENE:
Afternoon, Shorty. How's life in the fast lane? (to ALEX) Shorty here has a bit of a problem. He likes the brown stuff. Can't stop sticking it in his veins. (to SHORTY) So what's going on out there? Any new players on the street?

SHORTY:
Oh, yeah. That's why I'm sitting in an alley, shivering, puking.

ALEX:
Is there a drought?

SHORTY:
Ain't talking without no cash in hand.

GENE:
Oh yes, you will. Because if you don't, I will do to you what I did to you last time. D'you want to tell the lady what that was?

SHORTY:
He shoved my head down the toilet.

GENE:
You don't want to see his bathroom, I can tell you. Mr Muscle would have a heart attack. DI Drake asked you a question. Is there a drought out there?

SHORTY:
Most of the dealers have either shut up shop or buggered off.

ALEX:
When did the dealers start backing off?

SHORTY:
Couple of months ago. All me normal blokes gone. It's not right. It's not fair.

GENE:
Oh, I'm welling up here. If you hear of anything, you call me, understood?

GENE walks off, ALEX following, but she's halted by SHORTY speaking.

SHORTY:
You belong here. You look like you're visiting, but you're not, are you? You're staying.

ALEX:
What did you say?

A train rumbles overhead, and GENE pops his head back round the corner.

GENE:
Bolly!

ALEX goes to catch him up, but glances at the tunnel wall as she passes. On it are various bits of graffiti, the most notable being "For a good time call 6620", "Molly waz here" and "Gene♥ Sam". ALEX glances again at SHORTY, but he's not saying anything. She leaves, unaware of slashy hearts now beating wildly everywhere…



CID, and GENE and ALEX return to the latter's office.

ALEX:
Droughts don't just happen without a reason. If the dealers are all giving up, there must be something in it.

GENE:
Well it would help if we could actually speak with Wilson's undercover cop.

GENE finds a photo on his desk.

GENE:
What's this? There you go. That's her, with young Daniel and Terry. All looks very cosy.

ALEX:
They definitely look very comfortable with her.

GENE:
Yeah, well they're blokes. When a girl like that wiggles up to you, you going to tell her anything to get her knickers off.

Might have been a Moment there. Might not. Doesn't matter, because VIV's interupted. Huzzah.

VIV:
Guv, uniform picked up Johnstone.

GENE:
Right, where is the filthy little pusher?

VIV:
He's having a little lie down.



The mortuary, and the PATHOLOGIST has a very rational explanation for the demise of a Man City fan c.1983

PATHOLOGIST:
Overdose.

GENE:
Bollocks.

ALEX:
Guv?

GENE:
Warren Johnstone was a dealer, not a dipper. He wouldn't even try his own supply, let alone somebody else's.

CHRIS:
Might have been tempted, Guv.

PATHOLOGIST:
There's a distinct lack of track marks.

RAY:
So this was beginner's luck then, eh?

PATHOLOGIST:
And the bruising left where the needle went in was very severe.

ALEX;
So you think somebody forced the needle into him?

PATHOLOGIST:
Possibly, yes.

RAY:
That's quite clever, that. Well, if I wanted to wipe out a bunch of dealers, I'd just grab' em, shoot 'em up, and overdose 'em. Then they're just another statistic.

ALEX:
We wouldn't have even noticed Warren Johnstone's death if the Guv hadn't wanted to talk to him. Which makes you wonder, doesn't it, how many times this has happened before? Because this is murder.

GENE:
Thank you, Quincy.



The Quattro is parked up with a view of the Staffords' place of business. ALEX is going through reports on drug dealers.

ALEX:
May 28th, Steve Rankin, dealer, dead from an overdose. June 3rd, Tiny Tim Burns, dealer, dead from an overdose. June 12th, Bobby Cashton, dealer...

GENE:
Dead from an overdose. Yeah, we get the picture, Bolly. So, someone has been bumping them off.

ALEX:
It doesn't justify contacting an undercover officer, Guv.

GENE:
No law against visiting. What do they sell anyway?

CHRIS:
Mannequins, Guv.

RAY:
Yeah, it's taking the piss, that. Can't even be bothered for a decent front.

GENE:
Yeah, give me the good old days when blaggers had "shipping companies" and warehouses full of bloody boxes.

ALEX:
Right. You've seen where she's placed. Start the car. Move on.

There's a noise from Mannequin Mansion and GENE looks over.

GENE:
Hey up. There she is, Miss Undercover 1983.

RAY:
Leave this one to me, Guv.

ALEX:
No. Nobody is going anywhere. The first rule of undercover, you do not approach them, especially at their placement.



Inside Staffords Mannequins. Bet that was an interesting argument we just missed… Various mannequins are dotted about.

GENE:
No clothes, no hair. Boobs like crash helmets. It's no life for them, is it?

ALEX:
I told you, we're putting her in jeopardy just...

LOUISE GARDINER arrives.

ALEX:
Hi. Customs and Excise. Just thought we'd have a chat.

LOUISE GARDINER:
I didn't realise we had a visit scheduled for today. Or at all.

GENE:
Well, we just need to know if there's anything our department should be aware of?

LOUISE GARDINER looks round anxiously and drops her voice.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Can't talk here.

GENE:
It's just that you haven't phoned home for a while. Thought it might be nice to catch up. Find out what's been going on in your life.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Westburn Estate. Five o'clock. I'll be there. Now, please.

LOUISE GARDINER raises her voice again.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Well thank you very much for dropping by. I'm sure you'll find everything here meets current regulations.

TERRY STAFFORD appears on the scene.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Hunt. Gene bloody Hunt.

GENE:
Terry bloody Stafford.

ALEX:
Great.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Thought you bastards had forgotten all about me.

GENE:
Just routine enquiries, Terence.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Nothing you ever did was routine, Gene. I'm touched you'd stop by, though. When you retire, you start to wonder what it was all about. Wife buggered off years ago, kid doesn't listen to a word you say. You start to wonder if it was all worth it. And then Mr Hunt here pops up just to remind you that your name lives on.

ALEX:
Well that's very heart-warming. Even if it isn't true.

TERRY STAFFORD:
I never lie to beautiful women.

ALEX:
What are you doing here then, if you're retired?

TERRY STAFFORD:
Oh this? Little Daniel's business. I just stop by on my daily walk. Nice to get out of the flat, see a pretty face. You should know all about that, Gene. Of course you do. I saw you, chatting away to her. The old Hunt charm.

GENE:
Well enjoy your walk. Pretty soon you'll only be allowed an hour round the yard, then straight back to your cell. Highlight of the day. Unless, of course, you drop the soap in the shower.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Oh, dear. Almost sounds like you've got a problem with me.

GENE favours Terence with one of his mirthless grins and they turn to go, until GENE pulls a Columbo.

GENE:
Oh, erm, by the way. A certain DCI Wilson sends his regards. Said you ran over him in an Austin Allegro.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Shouldn't believe half what you see, and none of what you hear, Mr Hunt. Tell him I said hello back.



The Westburn Estate, and GENE and ALEX wait on one of the walkways.

GENE:
She won't make it with Terry sniffing around.

ALEX:
He's quite a character, isn't he? He certainly knows how to wind you up.

GENE:
That murder charge that he squirmed his way out of. He got involved in an argument with a taxi driver over the fare. The driver didn't show Terry the necessary "respect". 12 hours later, the poor bastard's body was found in a lay-by.

ALEX:
Didn't go to court?

GENE:
No, it got thrown out. Inadmissible evidence. Our Terence walks away laughing.

GENE into the radio:
Ray? Any sign of life at the mannequin store?



RAY and CHRIS are keeping tabs on Staffords Mannequins. Yes, you could call this surveillance for dummies…

RAY into the radio:
Shut up shop for the day, Guv. No sign of the bird.



GENE:
We could be here till the sun goes down and the shirt-lifters come out. I am telling you she ain't going to show.

GENE stalks off.



Back at the station, and GENE and ALEX make their way to CID.

GENE;
First thing tomorrow we go back there.

ALEX:
What, and put her at risk even more? Think about it, Guv, it's not...

GENE:
Thinking's overrated. We need answers, Bolls, and little Louise has got 'em.

Oh look who it is.

JIM KEATS:
What gave you the right to directly contact an undercover officer?

ALEX:
It was deemed a necessary risk…

GENE;
It's OK, Bolls. We don't have to answer any of pencil-neck's questions.

JIM KEATS:
Oh, believe me, you do. Maybe I was wrong to give you the leeway. Hoped to challenge you, see you rise to the occasion.

GENE:
I knew it. Out of the closet. He's all over me.

ALEX:
What's happened?

JIM KEATS:
She says she'll only speak to you two. God knows why.

GENE and ALEX burst into CID to find LOUISE GARDINER sitting there, cut lip and blood pouring down the side of her face.



Interview room.

ALEX:
Was it our fault? Did it happen because we showed up?

LOUISE GARDINER:
They were bound to work it out sooner or later.

ALEX;
You're avoiding the question.

GENE;
Was it Terry?

LOUISE GARDINER:
No, it was Daniel, his son. Maybe he heard about you coming to see me, put two and two together. Maybe he suspected for a while. Either way... he wanted a little chat about it.

ALEX:
What did you tell him?

LOUISE GARDINER:
I didn't blow my cover. At least he apologised. Like it was just one of those things. I couldn't, um... I couldn't stay there after that. How bad does it look?

ALEX:
It's all right. A couple of days, it'll be fine. Louise, I know that this is very hard, but we have to know what the Staffords are planning. Are they getting involved in the heroin trade?

LOUISE GARDINER:
Big time. Ripping off other dealers. Closing down the market.

GENE:
What, and bumping folk off, like Warren Johnstone?

LOUISE GARDINER shakes her head, uncomprehending.

GENE;
He's a dealer. Showed up with a nasty case of the blue balls.

ALEX:
Overdosed. Him and four others, space of a month.

LOUISE GARDINER:
I don't know anything about that, but it would make sense if Daniel was looking to close down the networks.

ALEX:
Right, well I'll have a look over the picture profiles, just in case. Louise, I know just how difficult it is to come straight from one world into another.

GENE:
Right, so you've talked about Daniel. But what about the big bastard? What about Terry Stafford?

LOUISE GARDINER:
He's yesterday's man.

GENE:
Don't write him off.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Daniel's the driving force. Terry's… just seems a bit scared of him. He's quite sweet actually. Tells a good story, doesn't stare at my arse when I walk past him.

ALEX:
DCI Wilson seems to think he's still active.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Well, with all due respect, DCI Wilson doesn't know what he's talking about. He isn't the one that had to gain Daniel's trust. Wilson probably saw me as a waste of resources.

ALEX:
I'm sure that wasn't the case.

LOUISE GARDINER:
He wanted a quick and easy collar and I couldn't give it to him. And when Daniel wanted me on his team, I didn't bottle it. And if he'd bothered his arse, he'd know that I have information worth having. Daniel Stafford is looking to set up his own supply networks.

ALEX:
Where does he keep his stock?

LOUISE GARDINER:
I don't know, it was hard enough getting in on the heist on the van. But I know this much. First thing tomorrow morning, he's making a trial run, sounding out potential dealers down to White City. If he's got a half a brain on him, he'll have a sample bag.

GENE:
Good, right. Looks like young Danny boy's going down faster than a five pound prossie.



CID. CHRIS is talking to LOUISE GARDINER.

CHRIS:
Not right, that. Scum. Attacking a woman. It's just wrong.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Undercover isn't exactly what I thought it would be.

CHRIS:
Well, you've got balls though. Not balls. Um. Y'know? The… female version. Like our Shaz. Not so long ago, she goes all out after this nutter. Sticks herself out on the line. I mean that's women for you. Scary.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Well it wasn't my choice to be in there alone. I thought I'd have more back-up.

CHRIS:
Yeah. When Shaz was out there, I felt that I should've been by her side.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Well I wish you'd been running the op then, not Wilson. Might have been easier on me.

CHRIS has taken a shine to LOUISE GARDINER.

CHRIS:
I'll get you that cuppa.

CHRIS pops off to the kitchen, RAY gives LOUISE GARDINER a long, discomforting look, and she goes to speak to ALEX.

LOUISE GARDINER:
So what happens now?

ALEX:
Well, we'll need to keep you here, for protection. I know it's not easy being somebody you're not. I'm sure you just want to get back to somewhere familiar.

LOUISE GARDINER:
It's just, um, it's just the pressure. I can't... I can't keep playing this stupid game.

JIM KEATS shimmers up.

JIM KEATS:
You want to run, don't you? You want to leave.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Yes.

JIM KEATS:
I don't blame you. But the end of the road is in sight. And I'm asking you, as a favour to me, don't stop now. Keep going. See this through to the end. Otherwise... Otherwise it's all been for nothing. And I think you're worth much more than that.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Thank you, sir.



Gene's office.

GENE;
Right, tomorrow morning, bright and early, you two are going to cast a beady eye over Daniel Stafford's house. If he moves, you tell me.

RAY nods; CHRIS seems to have a problem. I mean beyond the usual one of being slightly thicker than treacle.

GENE:
What?

CHRIS:
Er, it's, er, just that the Guv asked me to come in early tomorrow and look at some case files.

GENE:
Who asked you to do that?

CHRIS:
Keats. Jim Keats.

GENE:
You see, because just for a second there, I thought you referred to him as "The Guv". But that's impossible, isn't it?

CHRIS:
Yeah. Erm. Yeah, I'm sorry. I meant... Tomorrow morning. Bright and early. Surveillance on Daniel Stafford.

GENE:
Because Jim Keats isn't running this operation. I am. Don't forget it.

RAY:
Yes, Guv.

RAY and CHRIS go back into CID.

RAY:
Twat.

ALEX:
Shaz. Um, you know the other day when you talked to me about seeing stars. What exactly did you mean?

SHAZ:
Why?

ALEX;
I'm just interested.

SHAZ:
Oh. Did the Guv ask you to do this?

ALEX;
To do what?

SHAZ:
Ask me questions. Psychological stuff. Y'know, see if I'm fit for a promotion.

ALEX:
No. It's just me. I'm just interested.

SHAZ:
Right. I don't really remember. It's not a big deal. You won't say anything will you, ma'am?

ALEX:
No.

SHAZ:
It's tough enough being a woman in here without them thinking I'm, you know.

ALEX:
Like me.



Alex's flat, and she's got her notepad out again. Just to recap, she now has written on it "ICU; Weather Vane; Rural; Dead Copper?; Gene (underlined); 6620; Gene/Sam; Shaz; Stars." She triple underlines "Stars".

ALEX:
Everything has a pattern and a pattern to everything. Find the connections. Find a way out of this.

The television switches itself on; the picture is just static, but there's the sound of crows. It gets louder and suddenly GHOSTLY COPPER makes an appearance in the flat. ALEX wakes up with a gasp on the sofa, understandably shaken.



Gene's office, and ALEX goes for a little clandestine rummage in his filing cabinet before anyone else is in. Only to find it empty. Me, I'm not absolutely clear what she was looking for.



RAY and CHRIS are outside DANIEL STAFFORD's place. They're sitting in a blue Ford Escort, which you wouldn't catch me doing if I was a character in Ashes to Ashes, I can tell you…

RAY:
Half five in the morning. It's not right. No-one should be around at half five in the morning. It's unnatural. Hey, you should go easy on that Hai Karate, mate.

CHRIS:
Oh, it's just a dab and a dash.

RAY:
Wasting your time with that Louise bird. I've seen the way she looks at me. It's in the bag.

CHRIS:
You've not even spoken to her.

RAY:
Animal attraction. Call of the wild. What?

CHRIS:
Nah, it's nothing. Stupid, but... I thought I had a bit of a connection to her when I spoke to her.

RAY:
I'll tell you what, mate, I wouldn't stand in your way. I wouldn't bother with one of those undercover plod anyway.

CHRIS:
Why not?

RAY:
What, all that pretending to be someone else? Head cases, the lot of them.

CHRIS:
Well, I just thought she was quite nice, that's all.



CID kitchen, and the lovely JIM KEATS materialises as ALEX is making herself a cuppa.

ALEX:
You're up early?

JIM KEATS:
Tragic side effects of an empty social life and workaholic tendencies. Heh. Yourself?

ALEX:
Thanks to a tip-off from Louise, we're planning on picking up Danny Stafford over in White City this morning.

JIM KEATS:
Well out of your jurisdiction.

ALEX:
Mmm. Try telling that to the Guv.

JIM KEATS:
He's driven, I'll give him that. You know, I sometimes wake up in the middle of night, worried I've misjudged him. That I'm in the wrong, not him.

ALEX:
Don't let him know that, will you? You'll never hear the end of it.

ALEX smiles and JIM KEATS gives a snort of laughter. He puts a stack of files down on the counter.

ALEX:
Did you get those files from the storage room in the hallway?

JIM KEATS:
No, Chris dragged these out the basement for me.

ALEX:
But you got some from there?

JIM KEATS:
I haven't even started on this floor yet. Why?

ALEX:
Oh, just something I was looking for has disappeared.



Back at the blue Escort of Observation, DANIEL STAFFORD appears and gets in his car.

CHRIS:
Hey up, he's on the move already. He's got a motor.

RAY into the radio:
Guv, he's on the move and we're right on him.



Meanwhile, in the CID kitchen, JIM KEATS is going on a charm offensive.

JIM KEATS:
You seem a little strung out.

ALEX:
Do I? I, er... I haven't been sleeping very well, actually. You know, this, um, this might sound a little bit strange to you, but, er…

ALEX gives an embarrassed laugh, and JIM KEATS joins in. I'm getting EVAN flashbacks.

JIM KEATS:
What?

ALEX;
I think I'm being haunted.

JIM KEATS:
Metaphorically or...?

ALEX:
No, literally.

JIM KEATS:
Odd is probably underselling it a bit then. I can't say I believe in all that sort of thing, to be honest.

ALEX:
No, nor do I. Well not in the real world, I don't.

JIM KEATS:
Who is haunting you? Old lady, creepy child, King Edward II?

ALEX laughs. It's all very chummy.

JIM KEATS:
Sorry.

ALEX:
It's a policeman, actually.

JIM KEATS:
Interesting.

ALEX:
Or maybe it's a projection of my own subconscious. Maybe it's... my fears. Suspicions.

JIM KEATS:
It's a little early in the morning to be doing this, isn't it?

ALEX:
Yeah.

GENE arrives to interrupt this little chitchat.

GENE:
Just had word from Ray.

ALEX:
Danny Stafford's on the move?

GENE:
Well if Louise is right, we can catch him red-handed. Sorry to interrupt your little coffee morning, James, but some of us have real work to do. It's the early bird that bags the bastard.

GENE leaves, ALEX flashes JIM KEATS a smile and follows.

MUSIC: 'No More Heroes' by The Stranglers



A narrow street; RAY flashes his warrant card in front of the car and DANIEL STAFFORD pulls up and gets out.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
What the hell do you want?

GENE wordlessly pushes him up against the car.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Oh. Thank Christ, you're police. For a minute there I thought I was in trouble.

GENE:
It's a bit early for a drive, Daniel. Where you off to, church?

DANIEL STAFFORD:
To see my girlfriend. Spot of morning glory.

GENE:
What, 6am? Do I have "gullible" written on my forehead?

GENE leans forward so DANIEL STAFFORD can have a good look at said Manc brow, which he does.

ALEX:
Here we go again.

GENE applies his unlabelled forehead to DANIEL STAFFORD's nose.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Urgh.

GENE:
See I know you're lying because your lips move. Just like your old man.

RAY, meanwhile, has been going through DANIEL STAFFORD's car and finds two nice big parcels of powder not terribly well hidden in the glove box.

RAY:
Guv. You'll want to see this.

GENE:
What, a little pressie for the girlfriend?

CHRIS has found a petrol can.

CHRIS:
Found this, Guv. Smells like engine oil.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Something here stinks. I did not put that heroin in my car.

GENE:
No, course you didn't. Happens all the time, doesn't it? Pop out for a little drive and leave a couple of kilos in the glove compartment.

GENE tosses the bag of heroine back to RAY, but while his attention has wandered, DANIEL STAFFORD knees him where it hurts, pushes CHRIS aside and legs it. ALEX hares after him, swiftly followed by the boys, CHRIS still carrying the petrol can.

# Whatever happened to the heroes?
# No more heroes any more
# No more heroes any more
# No more heroes any more
# No more heroes any more... #

DANIEL STAFFORD makes it to a high brick wall and throws himself over it, closely followed by GENE. With great presence of mind, or total disregard for consequences, CHRIS lobs the petrol can over and there's noise of it hitting something.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Umph!

There's a general noise of breakages - glass, noses, that sort of thing - then GENE's face appears back over the wall. Next to him is a sign on which is displayed the emblem for the children's television show "Blue Peter".

GENE:
Would somebody like to give me a hand dragging this bastard back over?

ALEX:
Is there a garden in there?

GENE:
Yes. Why?



CID, and the television is on, showing, guess what? "Blue Peter". There's a certain amount of shifty looks amongst CID, and some pointed ones at GENE.

JANET ELLIS on the TV:
Vandals broke into the Blue Peter garden and caused rather a lot of damage. And one really cruel thing they did was to pour fuel oil into the fish pond. Well we've drained the pond,and we've rescued some of the fish, but a few of them have died and the oil itself has caused a lot of damage.

PETER DUNCAN on TV:
And if that wasn't enough, they then smashed our sundial and then callously threw it into the pond.

JANET ELLIS on TV:
Well we hope to repair the damage, but it's very sad to think that a few people take such pleasure from harming...

GENE:
It's only a bloody garden! Turn it off.

SHAZ:
Such a shame. Those poor little fish.

GENE:
Off.

JANET ELLIS on TV:
...some good news. Just have a look at our appeal totaliser.

SIMON GROOM on TV:
Yes, well done, Weather Beaters. As you can see, we've reached the 40,000 mark on…

SHAZ switches off the television.

GENE:
Right, anything else we need to know about Daniel before we rattle his cage?

LOUISE GARDINER:
Watch what he says. He's slippery.

GENE:
Course he is. He's a Stafford. Like father, like son.

ALEX;
Don't worry. We won't compromise your cover. We won't tell him it was you who tipped us off. And hopefully, we can find out where he's keeping his heroin supplies before they hit the streets.

LOUISE GARDINER:
And then... can I go home?

ALEX:
I'm sorry, I still think this is the safest place for you to be.

LOUISE GARDINER:
I feel like I'm being punished.

ALEX:
You're not…

LOUISE GARDINER:
I've done everything that was asked of me. I went in there, terrified that I'd be uncovered, and when I was, I didn't back down.

ALEX:
I understand...

LOUISE GARDINER:
No. You don't! It was like I was pushed in there and abandoned. And now I'm out, I want to leave it all behind me.

ALEX:
Soon. I promise.

LOUISE GARDINER:
You promise? Sorry. Um. I didn't mean to, um... Well can I at least call my mum?

GENE:
Yeah, use my office.

ALEX:
Louise, um, please don't reveal any details about your whereabouts, will you?

GENE ushers LOUISE GARDINER into his office and leaves her to it.



GENE and ALEX make their way to the interview room.

ALEX:
You know considering the lack of support she seems to have had, I think Louise has done a really good job. You know she brought us Daniel Stafford. Guv, I think maybe at the end of this case we should bring her onto the team.

GENE:
No.

ALEX:
Well, at least consider it.

GENE;
She's a decent enough cop, but she's a liability.

ALEX:
Well considering what she's been through, I...

GENE:
I am not a baby sitter, Bolls.

ALEX:
I know. I just don't want to send her back over to Hanfield. Y'know DCI Wilson, I don't think's handled her very well. I just want to give her a chance, Guv, you know? Somebody like you...

GENE:
Do I look like a slice of toast?

ALEX:
No.

GENE:
Then stop buttering me up like some demented housewife. By the time we leave this room, I want Danny Stafford bagged and tagged.



Interview room.

ALEX:
Five dealers dead in two months. A van load of heroin you tried to steal. A network of dealers you tried to set up.

GENE;
Not to mention the party pack in the glove compartment.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
So what exactly are you charging me with here?

ALEX:
Well, at the moment, you are helping us with our enquiries. It's just a quaint way of putting it.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
OK, you've got me on possession. The rest is speculation otherwise you'd be out kicking doors in instead of talking to me.

GENE:
Well, I don't really want to get my shoes scuffed. Be a lot easier if you just tell us.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
You do realise you're being used, don't you? I know who tipped you off. Incredible. He's playing you. It's almost beautiful.

ALEX:
Who? Who's playing us?

DANIEL STAFFORD:
My dad, Terry, obviously. He planted the heroin in my car. He must've give you the tip-off.

GENE:
See, that's the trouble with your generation, always blaming it on Mummy and Daddy.

ALEX:
Why would your own father want to set you up?

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Well, we've never seen eye-to-eye. But he always had the authority. But then I come out of prison, I see him for what he really is. An old man, past it, a fossil. And he knows that every time he looks at me. That his time is up. I'm the future.

GENE;
You've got a very high opinion of yourself.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Well, people react when they feel threatened. How would you feel if someone younger came in? Someone smarter, better looking than you?

GENE:
Oh, they'd melt in my shadow, son.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Yeah, sure, course they would. Meanwhile, they'd be nipping round the back and giving your bird a good seeing to. Proper satisfaction.

DANIEL STAFFORD winks at ALEX. GENE takes offence at this and propels DANIEL STAFFORD's head firmly against the table.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Urgh.

ALEX:
I apologise for my DCI's behaviour.

GENE:
Well don't.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
No, it's all right. I deserved that one. Edward Hampton. D'you remember him?

GENE:
Course I do. He was the taxi driver that Terry bumped off.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Well what if I told you that I witnessed it? That I'm willing to sign a full statement. Anything you want to bang up my old man, charge of murder. That one's been hanging round you lot for a while, hasn't it?

ALEX:
What, you want to make a deal with us?

DANIEL STAFFORD:
I tried prison. I didn't like it much. I'm not planning on going back. So yeah, love, I want to make a deal. Me for him. (to GENE) You'd be a hero, right? The man who finally brought Terry Stafford to his knees. And I'm the fella that can help you.



GENE unceremoniously shoves DANIEL STAFFORD out of the interview room and into VIV's care.

GENE:
Right, Skip, would you kindly escort Mr Daniel Stafford back to his luxury suite.

VIV:
Right you are, Guv.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
You think about it, Hunt. Deal's only good for so long.

VIV leads DANIEL STAFFORD away, but not far enough before CHRIS arrives escorting LOUISE GARDINER.

CHRIS:
Interview room through here, quite cosy, really.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Eh?

LOUISE GARDINER:
Thanks.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
What, you? Here? No, no, no. No way. Nobody does that to me. Nobody sells me out!

GENE:
Get him out of here.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Nobody sells me out!

GENE:
Out!

DANIEL STAFFORD:
I'll miss you, baby. But it won't be long, I promise you that.

VIV:
Come on.

A still struggling and protesting DANIEL STAFFORD is lead away.

DANIEL STAFFORD:
Nobody sells me out!

ALEX:
Right, we need to get her out of here.

CHRIS:
Sorry, I was giving her a guided tour.

ALEX:
Too late to worry about that now. Daniel's got connections. The longer she stays here, the more danger she'll be in. We need to find somewhere safe.

GENE;
Well what about that place that serves cheap plonk?



MUSIC: 'Mambo Italiano' by Dean Martin

Luigi's. CHRIS is sitting with LOUISE GARDINER at one table, GENE, ALEX, RAY and SHAZ at another.

CHRIS:
Fancy another?

LOUISE GARDINER:
OK.

CHRIS goes to the bar, LOUISE GARDINER follows him.

RAY:
He's well in over there.

SHAZ:
Shut up, Ray.

RAY:
You can't tell me to shut up. I'm your superior.

SHAZ:
Only in rank. And only for the moment. So shut up.

CHRIS:
Don't worry. The Guv won't let anything happen to you. I won't.

MUSIC: 'Ain't That a Kick In The Head' by Dean Martin

LOUISE GARDINER:
Police are big on that "we'll look after you" thing.

CHRIS:
Well it can't have been easy for you out there.

LOUISE GARDINER:
The only way to survive really is just to... become who you're meant to be. Think like them. Like what they like. Be how they'd be until... until you don't where you start and they end.

CHRIS:
Bit like Batman and Bruce Wayne. I mean, is he a bloke in a cape pretending to be a millionaire playboy? Or is it the other way round?

ALEX:
You know, Guv, even if you do go back on this deal with Daniel, he's going to want something first. You know, a show of faith. Bail. And once he's out, he'll sell up and we will be back to square one. A load of heroin out there on the street and us having absolutely no idea where it is.

GENE;
D'you know, I want you to stop talking so that I can enjoy my drink in peace.

ALEX:
And I want you to promise that there'll be no deal with Daniel Stafford.

CHRIS:
I find you quite interesting, and, you know, if ever you wanted to... If you fancied a pint or anything, you know… Not a date. But, it could be...

LOUISE GARDINER:
I'd like to, but, um… The person that you're sat here with now isn't... it isn't really me.

CHRIS:
No, I don't understand.

LOUISE GARDINER:
I'm not sure I can go back to normal.

CHRIS' hopes dashed, LOUISE GARDINER changes the subject.

LOUISE GARDINER:
D'you think they'll take Daniel up on his offer?

CHRIS:
Oh, I dunno. The Guv wants one thing, ma'am wants another. Usually they just shout and chuck stuff at one another until one of them gives up.

LOUISE GARDINER:
He can't walk free. Not after what he did to me.

CHRIS:
Something else happened, didn't it?

LOUISE GARDINER starts to cry.

CHRIS:
What?

LOUISE GARDINER:
There was... There was...no-one there. No-one there... to protect me, to stop him.

CHRIS:
What? What did he do?



The police station, and CHRIS charges to the front desk.

CHRIS:
Keys to the cells.

VIV hesitates.

CHRIS:
Now!

VIV hands them over and CHRIS strides off to the cells. He opens the door to DANIEL STAFFORD's cell and goes in.

CHRIS:
All right, dickhead?

DANIEL STAFFORD grins. CHRIS punches him repeatedly in the face, hauls him up, slams him against the wall and punches him in the stomach until he goes down, where CHRIS follows up with kicks. GENE and ALEX come running down to the cells, presumably alerted by VIV. GENE hauls CHRIS off DANIEL STAFFORD.

GENE:
Chris, that's enough. I said, enough!

CHRIS:
He raped her, the bastard raped her.

ALEX:
Viv! Ambulance.

VIV queries GENE with a look.

GENE:
Yes.

CHRIS:
He raped her.

GENE takes CHRIS away, leaving a coughing and spluttering DANIEL STAFFORD behind.



CID, and ALEX is giving CHRIS a Talking To. GENE may not be helping the general tone of reprimand.

ALEX:
Attacking a suspect in a cell. Beating him to within an inch of his life. You know they have a word for that.

GENE:
Justice.

ALEX:
Assault. Police brutality of the lowest, nastiest kind. I expected better from you, Chris.

CHRIS:
He had no right to do that to her.

ALEX:
And you had no right to take the law into your own hands. This isn't the Wild West. Still, this solved one problem. We won't be getting any evidence against Terry now. Any self-respecting lawyer's going to take one look at his face and think we got it through coercion.

GENE:
Bugger. I hadn't thought of that. It's not like the good old days when you could hold them up in traction, the judge wouldn't give them a second look.

ALEX:
Oh, it gets worse. You see, he cries police brutality. Sympathetic judge lets him go. Who do you think his first port of call is going to be, Chris?

CHRIS:
Louise.

ALEX:
Exactly.

CHRIS:
I didn't mean that to happen, ma'am. I was just trying to protect her. She was told before that she'd be all right undercover. And they let her down. We let her down. The police. And that's not right. It's just... It's not right.



Alex's flat, and LOUISE GARDINER has evidently just made another phone call.

ALEX:
Your mum all right?

LOUISE GARDINER:
As much as she can be.

ALEX:
Parents worry, don't they? More than kids ever realise they do. I'm sorry.

LOUISE GARDINER:
What for?

ALEX:
Because I think you were let down. I think DCI Wilson failed you. And I think you paid a very heavy price for it.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Just all feels so pointless. Even if we take the Staffords down, someone else will spring up in their place.

ALEX:
It's natural to feel disillusioned. And that's why I'd like you to join us. At Fenchurch.

LOUISE GARDINER:
You don't want someone like me.

ALEX:
No, don't do that. Don't put yourself down. I'd like to help you, Louise.

LOUISE GARDINER:
Why?

ALEX:
Because maybe that's why I'm here. To help coppers like you. So, here's what we're going to do. We are going to go through all your reports, and we are going to find something. We are going to find something to bring down the Staffords the right way.

LOUISE GARDINER:
You're not going to stop until you bring them down, are you?

ALEX:
It's what we do, isn't it? I know you might find it strange, but, um, outside of this... for me, there's nothing.

ALEX goes to the kitchen to get some glasses. A gloved hand clamps a cloth over her mouth and grabs her; she gives a muffled scream.



Jim Keats' office, and he's going through the photographs of DANIEL STAFFORD's injuries. He ostentatiously lays them out in front of GENE, who's sitting opposite.

JIM KEATS:
Very pretty pictures. The cuts in particular come out nicely. Please, look at them.

GENE:
I don't need to. I was there.

JIM KEATS:
That's something you might want to think twice about before admitting, Gene. D'you know the real tragedy? Christopher Skelton could have made a decent copper. Better than decent. Instead, he ended up getting roped in with you.

GENE:
Danny Stafford had it coming to him.

JIM KEATS:
It doesn't look good for Chris. At all. His time in the force is over. But I could pull some strings. Have him transferred over to my team. A personal guarantee to rehabilitate him, keep an eye on his progress...

GENE:
No.

JIM KEATS:
I'm sorry, I thought you said no?

GENE:
You heard me.

JIM KEATS:
You want to throw away his career, make him sacrifice everything just because of your stubborn pride? What are you going to do, Gene, when your team abandon you? Because they will, one by one, when they realise what you really are.

GENE stands up and looms a bit. JIM KEATS sits back, a little scared, and GENE gently tips over the cup of tea on JIM KEATS' desk so it pours over him.

JIM KEATS:
Typical. Yeah, when the pressure's on, you revert to teenage behaviour. A spoilt kid in his dirty sandpit.

GENE:
I'm not the one who's going to have to change his trousers.

On which valid point, GENE leaves.



GENE returns to CID.

CHRIS:
Guv.

GENE:
Where's Drake?

RAY:
Dunno know, Guv. Not bothered turning in yet.

SHAZ:
Probably a protest against certain people's thuggish behaviour.

CHRIS:
He had it coming to him for what he did. What if it had been you?

SHAZ:
Don't you compare me to her.

RAY:
Both birds. Both coppers.

CHRIS:
Oh, I didn't mean it that way, Shaz.

CHRIS:
Guv?

GENE:
What?

CHRIS:
I'm going to be OK? I mean, you sorted everything, didn't you? It's just, I can't lose this job.

GENE:
Yeah, you'll be fine. Listen, if Her Nibs thinks that she can sit at home in a bath full of righteous indignation over what happened here yesterday, she's got another bloody thing coming.



Er… A grave, a coffin with a window, a shadow of the weather vane and a thunderstorm. Oh, and ALEX is in the coffin, eyes closed. Things not looking too good then…

Alex's flat door, and GENE employs his usual gentle touch in the art of knocking.

GENE;
Alex!

In her cosy coffin for one (picture window included), ALEX hears a distorted voice and opens her eyes.

GENE:
Drake, are you in there?

It dawns on ALEX where she is just as a shovelful of earth hits the window of the coffin. GENE takes a step back and charges down the door. ALEX starts to beat on the glass to get out. GENE finds her lying on the floor of the flat's living room, and turns her over.

GENE:
Bolly.

Earth falling on the glass and the sound of crows. GENE gives ALEX a gentle slap on the cheek (makes a change). ALEX beats on the window of the coffin.

GENE;
Come on, wake up. Bugger.

More earth on the window of the coffin.

GENE;
Bolly!

Not really getting anywhere there, so GENE steals himself for a bit of mouth-to-mouth. Noble fellow. In her coffin ALEX screams. And wakes up, causing GENE to rear back in some surprise.

ALEX:
Nuh!

GENE:
Aargh!

GENE recovers himself and is all business.

GENE;
What happened?

ALEX:
Oh, God.

GENE:
Where's Louise?

ALEX:
I couldn't breathe.

GENE;
Louise, where is she?

ALEX:
I don't know. They must have taken her.

GENE:
Did you see anyone?

ALEX:
No, no, it happened too quickly. God, my head.

GENE:
Terry Stafford, it's got to be. Right, listen, Bolls. I know you've had one of your turns, but a fellow police officer is in grave danger here. Come on, get your arse in gear. Now.

ALEX:
Urgh.



Staffords Mannequins, and a gentleman from the imaginatively named "Fenchurch Removals" has just finished loading up his van.

RAY:
You. What's going on here?



CID, and RAY breaks the bad news to GENE. Guess who else is there.

RAY:
All shut down, Guv. Staffords have sold the place off.

CHRIS:
Wherever they've taken her, it's not there. I can't believe this is happening.

JIM KEATS:
It gets worse. Daniel Stafford never made it to the hospital. He escaped from the ambulance. I've only just this minute had the call.

ALEX:
Well, if he escaped and they've got Louise...

JIM KEATS:
It's not good enough, Gene, is it? An officer out there in danger. A man with a grudge set free, thanks to your leadership. You better hope to God that you find her because the clock is ticking.

SHAZ:
Guv. This report from Louise, from March, it refers back to an earlier one dated February.

GENE:
And?

SHAZ:
Well there isn't one for that date. And it ain't the first time it's happened.

GENE flicks through the reports.

GENE:
She's right. Some of these reports are missing. It's good work, Shaz.

SHAZ:
Promotion. Date it, stick to it.

ALEX:
What, so they've definitely been tampered with?

GENE:
Yeah, and who'd be able to do that?



GENE and ALEX burst into DCI Wilson's office at Hanfield.

DCI WILSON:
What the hell do you think you're...?

GENE:
How much did the Staffords pay you?

DCI WILSON:
I have no idea what you're talking about.

GENE picks up a handy putter and starts testing his swing.

GENE;
You play golf? Course you do. Like all the other useless bastards. Like Keats. I bet he plays an' all. You've got five seconds.

GENE swings at a pot, cup or other piece of china on the desk and shatters it. For preference I think he'd have done better with a driver…

DCI WILSON:
I swear to God.

GENE;
You better start talking because I've now got the bit between my teeth, my friend.

ALEX:
Guv, just think about what Keats is going to say when he…

GENE takes a second swing and another piece of pottery breathes its last, then aims the club at DCI WILSON

GENE:
It's your last chance.

DCI WILSON:
Daniel Stafford. He paid me to look the other way.

ALEX:
What?

DCI WILSON:
He said he'd clocked Louise was working undercover.

ALEX:
Well why didn't you get her out of there?

DCI WILSON:
It was too late. But he promised. He promised he wouldn't do anything as long as some of the reports, the most incriminating ones, disappeared.

ALEX:
So she's been in there risking her life for nothing!

DCI WILSON:
No, no. See, it made sense. Said he'd keep Terry in line. Said he'd sort out the other dealers. I, I mean, that's better, isn't it?

GENE:
Better? What d'you mean better?

DCI WILSON:
Don't have the resources to police all of them. Far better just to have one bugger to worry about. Safer. Sometimes you have to shake hands with the devil for the greater good!

GENE:
The Staffords have taken Louise.

ALEX:
We need to know where. Where's their base of operations?

DCI WILSON:
Daniel. Daniel had bought the old Armstrong department stores. That's where you'll find the heroin.

ALEX:
And you better pray that's where we'll also find Louise.

GENE shifts his grip on the putter and approaches DCI WILSON, who gasps in fear. GENE delicately taps the middle of a round of shortbread, breaking it, dumps the putter on the desk, takes a piece of shortbread and leaves. That man is a terror for a biscuit.



The Quattro tears round a corner to the front of the dilapidated department store, only to pull up nose to nose with JIM KEATS' Batmobile Datsun Cherry.

GENE:
Chris, Ray, you go round the front. Me and Bolls, we'll head round the back. Oh, joy, Jim's here.

GENE checks his gun and notices ALEX's look.

GENE:
It's all right, Bolls. I'm not going to shoot you again. Him, on the other hand...



Inside the deserted store, and mannequins abound, some of them shrouded in plastic sheeting. Many of them are 'armless' though, so nothing to fear from them…

RAY:
If anything moves, whack it!



GENE, ALEX and JIM KEATS, meanwhile, come upon TERRY STAFFORD and LOUISE GARDINER being very friendly by a green Transit outside.

GENE:
Now, that's what I call undercover.

They approach.

GENE:
Well, I've seen some slappers in my time, but you take it to a new low.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Hunt.

LOUISE GARDINER steps forward, gun pointing at them. If I was ALEX with her record, I'd leave now.

GENE:
Drugs in the van, Terry?

LOUISE GARDINER:
Back away, please.

GENE aims his gun.

GENE:
My colleague here, she reckons you've got the makings of a good cop. She's got faith in you. I hope you're going to be smart enough to drop that before somebody gets hurt.



CHRIS and RAY still make their way warily through the mannequins. RAY squeezes past one of them.

RAY:
Sorry, love.

CHRIS pushes half a dozen clothes hangers along a rail, making a filthy din that causes RAY to turn. CHRIS waves a dummy's hand at RAY, but behind him DANIEL STAFFORD erupts from beneath some plastic sheeting and attacks him.



Back outside at the Mexican stand off.

ALEX;
We know you've been let down. We know Daniel Stafford found out about you. We know Wilson didn't protect you.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Didn't need to. I was there for her.

GENE:
Regular little Bonnie and Clyde.

ALEX:
Daniel was right, wasn't he? You did set him up.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Thought he could take over the business. Not while there's a breath left in my body.

GENE:
Well that could be arranged.

ALEX:
Just put the gun down.

JIM KEATS:
Listen to Alex, Louise. Listen to her.



Back inside, and DANIEL STAFFORD's getting the better of CHRIS.



ALEX is still doing her stuff outside.

ALEX:
You cut your own face. What happened, Louise? Broken home? Bad family?

LOUISE GARDINER:
Don't.

ALEX:
This isn't the answer. HE isn't the answer.

LOUISE GARDINER:
I swear, if you come any closer, I'll sh…

GENE fires, hitting the gun and LOUISE GARDINER drops it.

LOUISE GARDINER
Ahhh!

GENE:
You know, you really have got to stop all this psychological bollocks, Bolly.

ALEX:
Good shot.

GENE:
I was aiming for her leg.



In the city of the mannequins, RAY is making better progress with DANIEL STAFFORD and launches him over a shop counter. CHRIS tries to grab him, but he struggles free and legs it outside.

CHRIS:
Daniel!

ALEX:
Guv, there's Daniel!

DANIEL STAFFORD makes for the Transit van and starts to drive off.

GENE:
Stay back!

TERRY STAFFORD:
No, Daniel…

ALEX:
Louise.

The Transit hits LOUISE GARDINER and she falls to the ground. GENE shoots at the Transit and hits DANIEL STAFFORD in the shoulder with the third shot. The Transit crashes into some bins and boxes and comes to a halt.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Louise?

Both TERRY STAFFORD and CHRIS look at LOUISE GARDINER ineffectually, but JIM KEATS steps forward. ALEX, meanwhile, applies the van door to DANIEL STAFFORD as he tries to make a final run for it, and knocks him out. Would that be assault, Inspector…? She joins the others, who all look on as JIM KEATS kneels beside her and takes her in his arms.

TERRY STAFFORD:
Tell me she's going to be OK?

JIM KEATS:
Don't move, don't move. Just be still, be still. Sshh. Sshh. It's all right. Sshh. It's all right. Sshh. Don't try and speak. Sshh. Don't be scared. I'm here, DC Gardiner. I'm here. Sshh, sshh. Louise...

She dies. I hesitate to read it this way, but JIM KEATS looks almost triumphant.



MUSIC: 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra

Luigi's, and the man himself brings a tray of colourful cocktails from the bar to CID's tables.

LUIGI:
Grazie. (singing to himself) # I travel'd each and every highway #

LUIGI reaches the table and starts dishing out the drinks.

LUIGI:
Signorina.

GENE:
What is that?

LUIGI:
It's cocktail hour.

GENE;
Well is there any chance I could get a drink that looks like it hasn't minced its way over from Mayfair?

LUIGI:
Eh… Si.

LUIGI removes the offending beverage and moves on to SHAZ and CHRIS.

SHAZ:
A girl can't help who she falls in love with, Chris.

LUIGI:
Screwdriver.

SHAZ:
Even so...

LUIGI:
Enjoy.

SHAZ:
…it was her own fault.

CHRIS:
She didn't deserve that.

SHAZ:
No, I know. But you gave her every chance.

CHRIS:
How's your bruises, mate?

RAY:
Don't even feel them. I had him, that Daniel Stafford.

ALEX:
I can't believe I trusted her.

GENE;
Shagging Terry Stafford.

ALEX:
She was right though. Police did let her down. You can't just put somebody in undercover and expect them to make sense of things by themselves.

GENE:
Tough titty. That's the job. You get dirt on your hands. Crap in your pants.

ALEX:
Course, I knew you'd be a beacon of sensitivity.

GENE:
I'm cheering you up.

ALEX:
Well you're not really, are you?

GENE;
I'm saying you were right to believe her. I mean the bottom line is, we trust each other.

ALEX:
It's not that easy though, is it? How could you tell if somebody was hiding a deep dark secret?

And just when we might actually be getting somewhere, JIM KEATS arrives.

JIM KEATS:
Um... I just wanted to say… I know you all tried your best today. And to lose a fellow officer... Words aren't enough.

GENE:
You're still talking.

JIM KEATS:
Chris, I've been asked to, er, file a report about your assault on Daniel Stafford. And as far as I'm concerned, it was accidental. He attacked you, you defended yourself.

CHRIS:
Really?

JIM KEATS:
We lost a good copper today. I don't want to make it two. If it comes back to bite me in the arse somewhere down the line, I'll take the flak. You just keep doing what you do best.

CHRIS:
Thanks, Gu… Jim, sir. Sir Jim. Thank you.

JIM KEATS turns away to the bar.

ALEX:
You know, you should be thanking him as well.

GENE:
Yeah, right. What, you're serious?

ALEX:
Chris' career was over. He's been given a second chance, and it's thanks to Jim. So yes, Guv, I am serious.

GENE heaves a sigh and bites the bullet.

GENE:
Thank you, Jim, for what you did.

JIM KEATS raises his cocktail in acknowledgement. But GENE hasn't finished yet, and gets to his feet.

GENE:
Thank you. And thank you for gracing us with your presence. For coming down from your ivory tower to poke and prod us mere mortals, and for giving me the chance to work with such a fine figure of a man.

ALEX:
Oh, for God's sake.

GENE:
Y'know sometimes, I'm surprised I can even look at you, such is the brightness of the sun that shines from your arse. Thank you, Jim. Thank you.

GENE drains his Scotch and they exchange a look of mutual hatred.

GENE:
Right. Who'd like a bloody drink?

It goes dark around ALEX, and she look across to the door to see the GHOSTLY COPPER. Those pesky crows are back again, too. ALEX looks again and he's gone.


End credits


MUSIC: 'Watching The Detectives' by Elvis Costello

# She is watching the detectives
# Ooh, it's so cute
# She is watching the detectives
# When they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot
# They beat him up until the teardrops start
# But he can't be wounded 'cos he's got no heart. #