"You looking for something?" "No." "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm quite sure." "Yeah, all right." " Excuse me?" " What?" " I don't know exactly how it..." " That's all right." "You're not the only man that comes here on his own." "No, I suppose not." "Look, it's OK." "I know what you want." "It's 30 for a blow job." "100 quid and you get the... full service." "What's your name?" "Martin." " Martin?" " Yeah." "So, you got a car?" "Yes, it's... just there." "Come on." "Don't mind, do you?" " What?" " Cigarette." "Wha...?" "No." "So, er... you married, then?" "No." "Well, that is what they all say." "No, I'm not married." " I was." " Oh." " Just pull in here, please." " Right." " Just down here." " Right." "Er, is this...?" "Is this where you live?" "No." "No, it's just somewhere I go." "It's OK." "We all use it." " How much further is it?" " It's just down here." "Er, actually..." "No." "Look, this is..." "This is a terrible mistake." "I'm sorry..." "Martin." "I've changed my mind." "Yeah, it's a bit late for that now, ain't it?" "You're still gonna have to pay me." " How much do you want?" " How much have you got?" " No, I'm sorry..." " You're a dirty old man!" "You're a dirty, filthy, disgusting old man!" " Wait..." " How much money have you got?" "I want your sodding money and your credit cards." "Come on!" " Stay there!" " All right!" "40 quid?" " That's not enough, you old bastard." " Well, that's..." "I'm sorry, but..." " What are the PIN codes on these?" " I..." "I don't know." "You don't know?" "You make me sick!" "Dirty old men like you make me sick." "You better start remembering." " You know the PIN codes." " I don't..." "Shut up!" "You lie to me, right...?" "You lie to me and I'll stick this inside your throat." " Put that down." " Oh, yeah?" " Please, I am warning you." " You're warning me?" " Yes." " You're just a dirty old man!" " You hurt me." " What?" " You've hurt me." " Wha..." "What?" "You've hurt me." " Help me." " What?" "Help me." "Yes, Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock." "I look forward to seeing you then." "Bye-bye." "I've just had the "Bristol And Bath Echo", Mr. Palmer." " Sorry?" " They want to know if Monday's all right." "It's about your appointment." "They want a picture of you." " I said 11.15 would be all right." " Yes, that's fine." "Oh, and I've just finished the Year Five schedule." "Did you get Mrs. Wilson about Gary?" " She's in the diary." " Good." "Help me." " How are you today, Mrs. Davis?" " I'm all right." " Who is it this time?" " What?" ""Sex scandal on the Street. " Someone been caught doing something they shouldn't?" "Forget it." "I'm not interested." "I hate that paper." "You know that." "It's all lies." "They make half of it up." " It's only gossip." " Gossip hurts people." "Right, Mrs. Davis." "We're finished." "This time we're keeping all options open." "Vosper lived here on the Branson estate, and we're asking anyone who saw anything last night to come forward." " What are you doing this weekend?" " Sleeping till lunch, then seeing Dave." " Catrin." " Mike." "I'll see you." " Are you doing anything tonight?" " Not tonight, Mike." "I'm sorry." "I can't." " Is this what they call playing hard to get?" " No, I'm seeing my dad." " On a Friday?" " He's on his own." "He needs me." "How about the weekend?" "We could see a film." " All right." "Sunday." " Yeah?" "I said it." "Don't make me change my mind." "Great." "Bye, Mr. Palmer!" " "Echo", please." " 30, guv'nor." "30?" "30 for a blow job." "100 quid and you get the full service." "Mr. Palmer?" " Edward Palmer?" " That's right." "Detective Sergeant McCorkindale, Detective Chief Inspector Quarry, CID." " Really?" " We'd like a word." " With me?" " It won't take a minute, sir." "Right." "Right." "This way." "I'm not used to having policemen here." "We thought you'd prefer to see us here rather than at school." " So you know who I am?" " Actually, we've met." " Have we?" " My sister's boy just started at Brookland." "His name's Garth Johnson." "Er..." "Oh, yes." "I think I know him." "He likes it there." "He's doing very well." "I'm glad." "Lovely place, Mr. Palmer." " Do you live alone?" " Yes." "I was married, but my wife died a few years ago." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." "So what's this about?" "Is it something to do with school?" "I suppose that is a natural assumption, isn't it?" "But as a matter of fact, it's nothing to do with school." "We're here in connection with the murder of a young man, Martin Vosper." "He was killed last night on the Branson Estate." " I don't know anything about that." " No?" " It's on the front page of your paper." " I haven't read it yet." "Martin..." "Vosper?" " He wasn't one of my students." " He was 23." "A drug addict." "Heroin." "That wasn't what killed him." "Someone stabbed him around 11 o'clock last night." "But I didn't teach him and he was never at my school." " What makes you think I have any connection?" " A local resident saw your car." " Neighbourhood watch." " They took down the number." " My car?" " A976 WOS." " Is that your registration, sir?" " Yes." " So you were there?" " No." " Please think carefully, sir." " I don't have to." "I wasn't there." "Thing of it is, Eddie..." "you left something behind." "I knew what you two was doing, and I come by for a bit of a laugh." "And there's Martin lying there, like, with a bloody great hole in his gut." "And I mean..." "You've only gone and left your bleedin' credit card." "Is that how you was gonna pay?" "Is that it?" "Do it on the credit?" "Well, you're gonna pay now if you want it back, all right?" "I want a thousand quid... and I want cash." "You're not the only man that comes down here on his own." "They want a picture of you." "I said 11. 15." "Daddy!" "Dad?" "Dad!" "Dad!" "I didn't know what I was doing, Catrin." "I swear I've never done anything like it before." "Go on." "Throughout my life, as long as I can remember," "I have... occasionally been... attracted, as it were, to young men." "Not boys, you understand, and never at school." "Anyway, I never did anything about it." "It was something I had to accept, like an illness." "The fact was I loved your mother." "Then, after the accident, I was on my own, and the feelings were still there, and occasionally I... fantasised, I suppose." "And then last night, you see I was driving home and I knew about the common." "It has a reputation." "Before I knew what I was doing, I'd stopped the car and I was walking on my own, telling myself that nothing was going to happen." "Then I met this young man." "Martin." "Vosper." "And even then, I..." "I don't know." "One thing led to another..." "Then he took out this knife." "You killed him?" " I didn't mean to." " Oh, God!" " Catrin..." " Oh, no, Dad, please." "Catrin." " He was robbing you?" "He threatened you?" " Yes." "And this other man?" "His name is Jack Seddon." "At least, that's what he told me his name was." "He has my credit card." "I dropped my wallet and the cards." "I thought I'd picked them all up, but..." "I must have missed one." "I don't have it." " And he wants a thousand pounds?" " Otherwise he'll take it to the police." "You're a bloody fool, Dad." "How could you get messed up in this?" "Can you forgive me?" "There's nothing to forgive." "This wasn't your fault." "Well..." "I love you, Dad." "Always have, always will, and this doesn't change anything." "You've got to let me help you, right?" "Right." " Why did you take Vosper's knife?" " I'd left the fingerprints." "I didn't know what I was doing." " Where is it now?" " Upstairs in one of the top cupboards." " Why didn't you get rid of it?" " Isn't that what they always find?" " The murder weapon?" " What about your clothes?" "The clothes are fine." "I took them off and put them in the rubbish." " You...?" "!" " The dustmen have already been." " So what are you going to do?" " I don't know." "I suppose what I should have done in the first place." "I'll go to the police." " No." " What?" " No, this is wrong." " Catrin." "I want a drink." "Do you know what I fancy?" "Japanese." "One of those places where the food goes round on a belt." " That's too much of a gimmick." " If you're on your own, you need a gimmick." " I won't let you do it, Dad." "It's not fair." " No, but it's right." "You were right not to go to the police." "That was your first instinct and you were right." " No." " Yes." "You acted in self-defence." "You did nothing wrong." "But if you go to the police, you know what the papers will do." "Not necessarily." "Have you forgotten what happened with Mum?" "Three people died in the crash." "Three people, including her." "And what did they turn her into?" ""Doped-up doctor in M1 horror."" "She'd had two hay fever tablets." "But it won't be the same." "This will be worse." "A headmaster of a well-known school, about to step into a big government job." "Homosexual scandal, rent boys, the local common." "Murder." "I don't want to lose you the way I lost Mum." "But what can I do?" "Hmm?" " What can I do?" " Pay him the money." "What?" "The thousand pounds?" " When did he say he wanted it?" " Tomorrow at noon." "It won't help, paying him." "I can't be sure he'll give me back the card." "And even if he does, it's enough that he saw me there." " Where did you say you'd meet him?" " At the railway station." "Give him £100." "No, £200." "Tell him you'll need time to get the rest." "£200 will do him to start off with." " And then?" " I don't know." "We're buying time." "That's all that matters right now." "Somehow we have to get that card back." "And after that... we'll see." "Who is it?" "We're here in connection with the murder of a young man," "Martin Vosper, who was killed last night." "What are you doing here in my room?" "You know we're going to get you eventually, sir." "We know you did it and we'll track you down." "Tell him." "You're going to have to pay." "OK, can we try a nice thumbs up, like "this is a really great school", yeah?" " OK, thanks." " Could you all go back to your classes?" "Quietly." "Thank you." "So, why Ofsted?" " Sorry?" " This new job of yours, chief inspector." "Special responsibilities for school improvements, right?" "Deputy chief inspector and yes." "Isn't it a bit poacher turned gamekeeper?" "I don't think so." "It's the first time that Ofsted has recruited a deputy chief from outside." " So I believe." " Bit of a political hot potato, then?" "You know, "Education, education, education."" "I don't think so." "I'm just glad to be able to make a contribution." "Well, what would you say was the secret of your success?" " I'm sorry." "Here at Brookland?" " Well, yeah." "Three years ago, this was a failing school on special measures." "You come along and now it's got a waiting list as long as Eton." "I can't take sole credit." "It was the entire staff and the children." "If you'll excuse me." "Eddie." "Don't call me that." "You prefer Edward S Palmer... expiry date March '03?" " That's the name on the card." " Where is my card?" "I'll tell you something strange." "My mate says he's seen the name Edward Palmer on TV." "According to this mate of mine, Edward Palmer's a bit of a... well, you know." "He's a bit of a hero." "He's this posh headmaster." "Quite a star." "Please, think about what you're doing." " I am thinking." " Give me back my card." "I didn't mean to kill your friend." "He attacked me." "This is all terribly wrong." "If you go to the police, they'll arrest you for blackmail." "The hell with you, Mr. Palmer." "Who said I was going to go to the police?" "I'll go to the papers." " They pay more than a lousy thousand." " All right, all right, all right." " I'll pay you." " Yeah." "Only, since I found out who you were, the price just went up." "What?" "I want the thousand you got now, plus another five." " I don't have that sort of money." " Find it." "Now give me what I came for." " I don't have a thousand." " What?" " I've only got £200 with me." " Two?" "What?" "!" "That's all I could get in the time." " Screw you!" " Listen, listen." "I've got more money but it's in the building society." "I have to give them notice." "It'll just take a few days." "I'll get the rest." "This is just the interest, then, all right?" "This is nothing." "I still want £6,000, and I want it on Friday." "Where?" "What time?" "I'll be in touch Eddie." "Mr. Palmer?" " Yes, what is it, Carol?" " There are two men waiting in your office." "They're from the police." "Mr. Palmer." "Mr. Quarry, isn't it?" "You said you weren't going to come to the school." "We said you'd prefer it if we didn't." "Well, you were right." " Why have you come?" " There are things we need to clear up." " About your statement." " I wasn't aware I'd made a statement." "What do you want?" "Why are you here?" "It would help us greatly if we could eliminate you from our investigation." "Yes." "But we still have the sighting of your car last Thursday night." " I told you." " You didn't tell us where you were." " You never asked." " I'm asking you now." "I worked late at the school..." "Yes, then I drove home." "I don't suppose your route took you past the Branson Estate?" " It might have." "I really don't know." " This was about 11 o'clock." "Yes." "Perhaps." "Round about then." " You work long hours." " Some days, yes." "There is something else we ought to mention, sir." " Yes?" " Well, you see at first we thought this might have been a drug-related incident." " Vosper was a well-known drug user." " Was he?" "Hmm." "But our investigations have revealed that Vosper was supporting his habit by prostituting himself on the local common." "The alleyway where he was discovered is used by rent boys for sexual congress." "Why are you telling me this?" "I hope you're not suggesting..." "We're just keeping you up to date." "I have never met Vosper." "I know nothing about him." "And I deeply resent your insinuations, Mr. Quarry." "Sorry to have taken up so much of your time." "I understand you were in the army." "I spent eight years in the Royal Marines." "You must have learned a lot about unarmed combat." "It was a long time ago." "We still haven't found the murder weapon." "Forensics say it could be an army knife." "Catrin." " What are you doing?" " Just came in to see you." "That's great, but you can't." "You know that." " Mike, I want to talk to you." " Not here." "Sorry, but I'll get killed if you're found in here." "Just wanted to see you, that's all." "Just being friendly." "I know, but..." "Give me a minute, all right?" "Just wait." "And don't touch anything." "We need these sent to Chemo." " Catrin." " Mike." "I was just looking." "I didn't touch anything." "You want to talk, I've got a break in ten minutes." " Yeah, OK." " I'm sorry, Catrin, but you know how it is." " There are rules." " OK." "Didn't think it was such a big thing." "He was at the hospital?" "Are you sure it was him?" "I've seen him on TV, Dad." "It was Quarry." "Why at the hospital?" "To see you?" "I'm not even sure he recognised me." "Could have been a coincidence." "Some coincidence." " He doesn't know anything." " Not knowing what he knows is the worst." "I've even been having dreams about him questioning me." "Doing whatever it is he does, closing in." "Dad, that's why we have to do something now, before it's too late." " Did you get it?" " Yeah." "Well, you know where Jack Seddon lives." "We wait until he's asleep, then we go into his house and I inject him." "He'll sleep for 12 hours." "That'll give us the whole night if we need it." "We find your credit card and then we go." "Once he realises he hasn't got it, there'll be nothing he can do." " It might not be there." " What?" "The credit card." "It might be somewhere else." "It'll be there." "He doesn't know that we know where he lives." "He may decide to go to the press anyway." "He probably knows Quarry's investigating me." "He may decide he doesn't need the card." "What are you saying?" "I don't know." "Are you saying that he could be a danger to you even without the card?" "Yeah." "Well, there is another way." "What way?" "This is the liquid methadone." "They use it to treat heroin addicts." "Diazepam." "It's what I'm giving a patient." "It depresses the central nervous system." "But if you combine them..." "What?" "You know what." "No." "He's a drug addict." "I saw him in that arcade." "He lives in a horrible dirty squat." "We get people like him in every day." "AIDS, hepatitis, ODs." " You help them." " Sometimes it's too late." "Sometimes they're already dead and nobody cares." "Nobody asks any questions." " It'll be the same this time." " No." "You're a nurse, I'm a teacher." "We're not like that." "You've already killed a man, Dad." "You stabbed him." " It was an accident." " You could have disarmed him." "You could have broken his wrists, but you..." " No, no, no, no." " I can do it." "I see people die every day." "What are we talking about?" "I was going to inject him with 5mg." "Instead, it'll be 15." "It's the only difference." " Catrin, I..." " I want to do it, Dad for you." "We just wanted to thank you, Mr. Palmer, for everything you've done." "Gary going to sixth form, we never would have believed it." "Well, it's entirely down to his own hard work." "He's a credit to you, Mrs. Wilson." "Nobody ever gave him a chance before." "It's when he came here." "I can't believe it." "He's a different lad." "Well, he's got a very good brain and he enjoys maths and physics." " I hope he'll consider university." " That's what he says." "Thanks ever so much, Mr. Palmer." " You're a good man." " Oh, please." "I don't know where he'd be if it hadn't been for you." "Thank you." " He's not coming." " He may already be in there." " Did you go home tonight?" " No, I went straight to you." "Why?" "Just wondered." "You think the police might be watching me?" "Possibly." "Let's go home." "We're here now." "Let's just take a look." "Come on." "There's someone in there." "I think he's asleep." "This way." " It's all right." "He's unconscious." " What?" "Heroin, crack, I don't know." " Catrin..." " Dad, let's not argue about this." "Not here." "Not now." "They'll know." "Dad, take a look at him." "He's out of it." "Look at his arm." "Do you think the police will find one more hole amongst those?" "He's probably dying anyway." "HIV, hepatitis..." "I'm doing this for you, Dad." "I can live with it." "I don't mind." "No." "No, Catrin." "We're leaving now." "Come on." "I'm sorry." "I couldn't let you do it." "It's not in your nature." "I know you're only thinking of me, but it was wrong." "I could never forgive myself." "Look, I killed Vosper." "I didn't mean to but I did, but I'm not a killer." "I couldn't commit murder, not even on Seddon, and nor could you." "I know you believe you're doing the right thing, but you and I, we're not like that." " I can't believe we went so far." " What are you going to do?" "What I should have done in the first place." "Go to Quarry." " You're going to tell him?" " Yeah." "Not about tonight, of course." "I mean tonight it never happened, but the rest of it..." "He knows anyway." " I'm sure." "He knows what happened." " You can't know that." "Oh, I do." " And what about me, Dad?" " What?" "Are you going to do this to me again?" "The story, the lies, the photographers." "Everyone looking at me like I'm a freak show." " Look..." " You go to the police, I'll lose you." "They'll take you way from me and I'll lose everything." "I'll just be the poof's daughter, a laughing stock." " No." " It happened before." "How can you let it happen again?" "I'm sorry, Catrin." "I'm so sorry about everything, but I have to do what's right." "When will you go?" "Tomorrow, after school." " Do you want me to come with you?" " No." " I'll go alone." " Right." "I just need to wash my face, then I'll go." "You do what you think is best, Dad." "It's what you've always done." "Mr. Palmer." "It's all right, Carol." "Please come in." " I was actually going to..." " It's all right." "We won't take up much time." "We just felt we should let you know we found the man that killed Martin Vosper." " What?" " May we?" "This morning, we were called to the scene of a particularly brutal murder." "A man called Jack Seddon was killed late last night." "He'd been living in a squat on the Eastbury Road." "Someone poured petrol over him and set him on fire." "He literally burned alive." "Oh, God." "It seems almost certain that Seddon's death was drug-related." "He was a well-known drug user and had large quantities of heroin on him." " We're still investigating." " As we were going through the house, we came upon a switch-bladed knife." "We had Forensics look at it, and it was the knife that killed Vosper." "We thought you'd like to know." "You found the knife?" "Vosper was involved in vice, we know that." "In the days before he died, Seddon was seen splashing around money." "It looks as if he stabbed Vosper, took his earnings." "We still don't know who killed Seddon." " We know it wasn't you." " How do you know it wasn't me?" "We know you were at home at the time... sir." "Can I give you a word of advice, sir?" " Yes." " The Branson Estate, the common, places like that..." "I'd steer clear of them in future." "Yes." "Detective." "Is it true you're leaving Brookland?" " Er, yes." " That's a shame." "Garth thinks a lot of you." "I can do it, Dad." "I see people die every day." "If I thought I'd lose you, Catrin, I don't know what I'd do."