01x06 - The Man on the Blue Plaque

[bunniefuu]

John!

Over here!

Call the police!

♪ There once was a place
with my little lovely ♪

♪ Whey, hey, h* ♪

♪ And I seek and I search,
and I know that I'll find it ♪

♪ Whey, hey, h* ♪

♪ I know the wind, she blows ♪

♪ I know the tides are low ♪

♪ But you'll find me
at the Whitepost ♪

♪ You'll find me
at the Whitepost ♪

Sorry.

Can we have a lane, please?

No lanes available.

League night.

League night?

League night.

There's only two teams.

It's currently
a two-team league.

Well, make it three.

A fiver says he goes
for the tie-dye ball.

Nah, nah, nah.
He's gonna get the black ball.

-Ahh.
Yep.

Well, what did I say?
Called it.

Pay up.

Double or quits,

he uses the ramp.

-No way.
-Oh, yes.

Yeah.

Ooh!

How did you know?

It's a primal thing.
You can just sense it, you know.

We're gonna win.

Alright.

The skeleton's 30 years old.

Forensics reckon it was buried
in a sandbank out at sea.

Must've got dislodged
and washed up with the nets.

So, he drowned?

Well, they found
a hole in his skull.

Severe head trauma.

What about the, uh,
dental records?

Have they identified the body?

Mike, it could be
a b*llet wound.

Maybe a m*rder.

And there's something
you should know.

♪ Say we're living on a knife♪

♪ Say you'll never
come to life♪

-Oh, whoo-hoo!
-Yes!

♪ Won't you let me go?♪

♪ Say we're running
out of time♪

♪ Repetition, not an alibi♪

Yeah!

Come on.

-Hell yeah.
-Ahh!

Come on, look at you.

Well, I'm basking
in our victory.

You're happy, aren't you?

Well, we won.

'Cause you're seeing
that detective.

Well, it's only been
a couple of days.

You're alright with it, though,
aren't you?

Yeah.

Just, uh, do give me a heads-up
if he's staying over,

'cause I need a chance
to hide all of my crack.

Hey, uh, you remember

when I used to interview
all your boyfriends,

make sure they were up
to scratch.

Oh, and to see if they had
a sense of humor.

It was important to me
that you liked them, though.

Like them?
I wanted to break them.

Yeah, you were
quite the inquisitor.

Yeah.

We're past all that,
though, aren't we?

Yeah.
Yeah, course.

-Why'd you bring up Mike?
-Oh.

'Cause he's standing
over there.

Interview him,
like you used to.

-Seriously?
-Yeah, go on.

It'll be a laugh.
The old routine.

Alright then.

Hiya.
-Uh, Mike McGuire,

what are your intentions
regarding my mother?

What you talking about?

Well, do you like her?

Uh, yeah.

-Pearl --
-"Uh, yeah"?

What, that's it?

What's going on?

Well, do you love her?

Just play along.

I don't love your mum.
Well, not yet.

That'd be weird.
I just met her.

But I like her.

A lot.

-That good enough?
Uh, do you drink?

Gamble? Do any drugs?

-Pearl, I need --
Oh, sorry, sorry.

Don't just change the subject,
Mike.

You got a drug problem,
don't you?

I'm police.

It's a joke.
We're just mucking about.

Look, I need to, um...

I need to tell you something.

It's about your dad.

He was a world
record holder, you know.

What, Grandad?

Fastest yard of ale
ever downed.

When?

A couple of weeks
after he saved those kids

who got stuck in the riptide.

He was only 17.

Well, that's younger
than I am now.

It was in the paper.

He walked into The Neptune,
and he asked Angie,

the landlady then,
for his usual,

and she said,
"What do you mean your usual?

I've never served you before,"
and Flash went, "Hold on.

I've been drinking here
for two years."

Angie grinned, and she slid
the paper across the bar,

and the headline said,

"Local hero, 17-years-old."

And she said,
"No, you haven't."

But she was already
pouring his pint.

That was the night
he drank the yard.

World record was 11 seconds.

It's the Australian
prime minister.

Flash did it in 9.9.

Feels more real now.

What happened, uh...

the night that
Flash disappeared?

I know it's a long time ago.

It doesn't feel a long time ago.

He'd been out drinking.
He liked to drink.

We've established that.

People saw him leaving the pub
at closing,

but he didn't come home.

The next day, they found one
of his boats out at sea.

The assumption was,
he'd gone out drunk

and...

and he drowned.

Can you think of anyone

who wanted to hurt him?

Everyone loved him.

Come here.

My dad did come home that night.

What d'you mean?

Mum's got it wrong.

I could never sleep
until he got in,

and I heard the door open
and footsteps on the stairs,

and, um...

I must've fallen back asleep.

He came home?

Yeah.

So, Dolly's lying?

She remembers it wrong.

She's upset.
She's had a lot to drink.

Well, what makes you
think she's lying?

What?

Let --

Let's talk inside.

Mike, what aren't
you telling me?

The photos
in The Old Neptune.

Behind the bar?
-Yeah.

Remember the one of Dolly?

Yeah, you said
how young she looked.

Well, there was another
photograph covering it,

and if you looked underneath,
then...

What?

Vinnie was in the photo
with Dolly,

And you can tell by the way
he's looking at her that...

it was intimate.

Well, where is this photo?

I ripped it up.
I threw it in the bin.

What, because you didn't think
I could handle it?

I just...

I didn't want it to hurt you.

Well, don't you think
that's my decision?

I'm sorry, alright?

I don't get it.

What's this photo got to do
with my dad's death?

No.

No, no.

You think Dolly's a suspect?

I didn't say that.

Are you here as a cop?

Or as...

As a what?

To -- I don't know now.

Don't do that.

We were a family tonight,

and we were remembering
someone we loved,

and I invited you to join us,

and the whole time,
you were being a cop!

Just...

No, no. No, Mike.

Go.

Just go.

Stan the Giant is

our only suspect
with a criminal record.

Flash left that actress
for Dolly.

We could go there,
but we have an obvious suspect.

Whether you like it or not.

And what makes you so sure?

Look, maybe you're getting
a bit too personally involved.

Break, break, break
on thy cold grey stones, O sea.

And I would that my tongue
could utter,

the thoughts that arise in me.

O, well for the fisherman's boy,

that he shouts
with his sister at play.

And O, well for the sailor lad,

that he sings in his boat
at the bay.

And the stately ships go on

to their haven under hill.

But O for the touch
of a vanished hand

and the sound of a voice
that is still.

Break, break, break at the foot
of thy crags, O sea.

But the tender grace
of a day that is dead

will never come back to me.

Well done.

Thank you.

You still on duty?

Sharks? In Whitstable?

Get out of it.

Hey, Pearl, here's one.

I was in a pub once
with your dad, right?

-Yeah.
-And, uh, this biker comes in,

a right Herne Bay hell raiser,

you know, acting the big one,
threatening people,

and your dad just
knocks him out,

one punch.

Hardest punch I've ever seen.

Huh.

Real fighter, your dad.

So, I've heard, Keith.

They called her
the Greta Thunberg

of the Kent Coast.

-Garbo.
-Huh?

She's an actress.

They called her the Greta Garbo
of the Kent Coast.

That's the one.

Flash left her for Dolly.

Hell hath no fury
like a woman scorned.

Vinnie was mixed up in drugs.

Then there was
Stanley the Giant.

Oh, Six O'clock Stan.

He did a 10 stretch
not so long ago.

Found 50 kilos of cocaine
in his boat.

Said it was his first time.

MAN #First time
he got caught.

Stan was on Flash's crew
when he was a kid.

Flash kicked him out not long
before he disappeared.

Flash used to have a way
of finding things.

f*gs, bit of knock-off gear.
Harmless stuff.

He wouldn't get messed up
in nothing serious.

MAN #No, no.
He had a code.

Exactly.

Maybe that's what
got him k*lled.

For some reason, I was
expecting him to be short.

Well, the clue's in the name,
Sergeant.

Yeah, Stanley the Giant,
but I thought it was

like an ironic thing,
like Little John.

Well, they call him
Six O'clock Stan, too.

No, I don't get that one.

He's a beanpole.

Tall and thin like
the hands of a clock at --

Six o'clock. Hmm.

Touché, Columbo.

I'll tell you what I told Pearl,

I won't sugarcoat it,
not like some.

Pearl Nolan came to see you?

Got nothing to hide.

I did my time.

People 'round here talk about
Flash like he was perfect,

but he made a lot of money,
and he made it quick.

There's only one way
to do that in this game,

and it comes with its risks.

I paid my price, so did Vinnie.

You're saying Flash did too?

Flash fired you from his crew.

Why?

Two and two together.

You're the detective.

Maybe you can, too.

I bumped into Stanley the Giant.

Playing detective again?

Who else did you talk to?

He said Dad
used to smuggle drugs.

Pfft.

Is it true?

All fisherman have the option
to smuggle.

Some say yes, some say no,
some get caught, some don't.

-And Dad?
No.

He never took the risk.

He warned his crew against it.

But Stan had other ideas,

so your dad let him go.

Look, he worked hard.

He made money,
more than others.

That's why there were
so many rumors.

Stan was jealous.

He wanted an easy life,

and he's still spreading gossip

because he can't stand the fact

that your dad made his money
straight.

I was just scared

that he wasn't the person
I thought he was.

It seems like everybody knew him
better than me.

People thought they knew him.

He wasn't superman,

and he wasn't a crook either.

He loved being a dad.

And he adored you.

And that's all that matters.

Do you think Stan k*lled Dad?

Oh, pfft.

Well, who then?

I don't know.

Mum, why did Vinnie
have a key to our house?

Oh, I'm tired.

I'm drunk.

Let's go home.

-Mum, I just --
What?

The key, I don't know.

I thought I'd already told you.

Please don't ask me again.

-Hey.

Cheers.

Dolly didn't wanna
press charges.

Flash did this?

It's all in the report.

So much for the local legend.

Ha, yeah.

My aunt and uncle ran a pub.

They said their regulars
were half people.

They showed you the side
they wanted you to see,

but they always had
another side, too.

How am I gonna tell Pearl?

What, her dad was scum?

Or...

that her mum had reason
to k*ll him?

St--

Ooh, we should do something,
right?

No, no, no, no.

Never lie to my daughter again.

Argh!

Three across --

What was the name of the ship
in "Mutiny on the Bounty"?

Tina.

I appreciate you coming.

When I was a kid,
Vinnie had a key to our house.

Do you know why?

Was it 'cause him and Flash
were mates?

Well, Vinnie knew Flash
since they were kids.

Did that make them mates?

Not sure.

Not everyone thought
Flash walked on water, you know.

For every belly laugh Flash got,

someone else was
the butt of his jokes.

A lot of time, that was Vinnie.

Flash could light up a room,

he could also suck
the air out, too.

You either loved him,
or you hated him.

What about Dolly?

What about her?

Well, was...

was she and Vinnie mates, too?

Were they sleeping together,
you mean?

Do you think
that's why he had a key?

D'you really wanna know?

Vinnie always swore

that there was nothing
between him and Dolly.

He swore it on our marriage,

on his mother,

on Gillingham Football Club,

and that was a rare commitment
he didn't take lightly.

Then one night,



he didn't come home.

Next morning, I asked him
if he'd been with Dolly.

He said no,

but I knew he was lying.

Later that day,

they found your dad's boat
out at sea.

Well, what does that mean?

You don't need to be

a private detective
to figure it out.

I started playing gumshoe
meself.

I followed him, Vinnie.

He used to meet Dolly
at her beach hut.

My mum hasn't got a beach hut.

Maybe she sold it.

DFLs pay 30 grand for them now.

Or maybe she had a reason
to keep it secret.

Say she shot him
in self-defense

and kept the g*n,

good place to hide it?

I'll get a warrant.

Then let's bring her in.

-Is Pearl around?
-She's out.

Do you know where she is?
She's not answering her phone.

Dunno.
Maybe you should take a hint.

Well, she's had a hard
couple of weeks.

Last thing she needs
is you messing her around.

Is this a joke?

Go on then,
what's your next line?

What, you gonna smash
my face in or --

Well if you hurt her, then yeah,
that's exactly what I'll do.

-Charlie...
If he doesn't, I will.

Hey, Dolly.

Is this about Stan?

'Cause he had that coming
a long time.

It's not about Stan,
but for the record,

the pepper spray,
it was pretty cool.

Have you got it on you now?

We need to talk.

Did you know about this place?

I've only found out today.

How did you find it?

We followed Dolly here.

So many secrets.

I dunno what to believe.

Everyone's got a different
version of my dad,

and my mum's hiding something.

I've got some answers...

I think.

But it might be painful.

What have you found out?

Be honest with me.

There was a police report
from a long time ago,

and, uh...

Dolly had been beaten up.

It wasn't the first time.

She didn't press charges,
but she said who did it.

It was Flash.

Was it bad?

Does that make my mum
a suspect then?

It doesn't mean
she k*lled him,

but it does mean
we need to talk to her.

I picked the lock.

You're a real private eye.

I watched a YouTube video.

What was your plan,
kick the door in?

I've got a warrant

to search the hut.

What for?

Officially a g*n.

Well...

the g*n.

Unofficially?

Something to clear Dolly.

What were you looking for?

The truth.

I know this
may be difficult.

Oh, yes.

I thought these might
raise their head.

I'm sorry.

Ancient history.

Do you wanna
talk about it?

Everything's in the report.

End of story?



everyone was very happy
with that outcome.

Especially your colleagues.

They're not my colleagues.



You probably weren't even born.

Things were different then.

Four weeks after these photos
were taken,

your husband disappeared.

It looks like he was m*rder*d.

You must understand why
we need to talk to you,

even if we let you down


You seem like a nice girl.
I'd like to help you.

But I've gotta be honest
with you.

I won't say another word.

I made a promise, you see,

and that's the end of it.

What promise?

It's in my dad's handwriting.

-Have you read it?
-No.

I'm too scared to.

Will you read it?

Are you sure?

"Dear Dolly..."

Go on.

"You've read letters
like this before,

and I know what you think --
it's just another threat.

But this is the last one.

I'm not going to try
and make you understand.

I know the sea,

and it'll take me.

I don't want to be found.

There's something sacred
about a dying wish,

and I need you to honor it.

Light another fire for me
down by the beach.

Burn these words
and these thoughts

and watch them fade into smoke.

I was a bad husband, Dolly...

...but I tried to be
a good father.

So make a promise.

This sickness stops with me.

Pearl never has to know."

He k*lled himself.

And Dolly knew.

And she kept it secret
all these years.

To protect me,

so that I wouldn't think
it was my fault.

She kept her promise.

Is it a crime

to conceal a suicide note?

It is, yeah.

But only if anyone finds out.

Charge me, my love.

Or let me get back to work.

I knew his mum
committed suicide.

I just...

People just didn't
talk about it.

I heard people alluding to it,
but...

I never made a connection.

Some detective.

Mike told me about
the police report.

Mum, I'm so sorry.

He found the hut?

Yeah.

And you read what was inside?

I burnt it.

Why didn't you?

Oh, I wanted to,

so many times.

Today even.

But it was the last thing
he ever said to me.

I just couldn't let it go.

I found the letter
after I'd put you to bed.

It wasn't the first.

I should've phoned the pub
or the police.

I should've acted quicker,

but I was just so tired
of it all.

I loved him,
and it was all more complicated

than him being a good
or a bad man.

When he didn't come home,

I called Vinnie.

I'd given him a key
because he...

because he knew about
your dad's temper.

I don't know why.

It made me feel safe.

He was a good friend.

Vinnie came round to the house.

Then he went out
looking for Flash.

He found your dad's boat
about a mile from here.

I swore him to secrecy
about the letter.

Why?

'Cause Dad didn't want me
to know?

Because...

I didn't want you to carry
the weight of it all.

So, you carried it.

Mum...

thank you.

Thank you.

Where did you even get it?

Pub.

They said it was my birthright.

Right, get the timer ready.

Aussie P.M. did it in,
what, 11 seconds?

Flash did it in 9.9.

Can't be so hard.

Ready?

Three...

two, one, go.

Oh, my God.

Go on, Charlie.

That's it.
You've got a bit more.

Go, go, go.

More! Keep going.

Ugh!

Yes!



Oh, not bad.

Yeah.
Still slower than Flash, though.

Ooh, I dunno.

I think I might have Flash beat.

You said he did it
in 9.9 seconds.

Can you keep a secret?

Right.

Heard the story a million times,
but I always play along.

So, Mum told me that Grandad
did it in exactly one minute.

Then someone told me
it was Whitstable record,



Next thing you know,
a couple of years later,

Dolly tells me he was
the fastest man in all of Kent,



Then they find his body,

and he's all of a sudden
a world record holder.

Maybe he never even did it
at all.

Yeah.

There are loads of stories
like that about Flash.

Probably only about half of them
are true.

Doesn't matter,
if they make people happy.

Yeah.

Alright, come on then.

-Your turn.
-No way.

Ooh, come on.
It'll be fun.

-No way. No.
Come on!

So, no charges?

So, it's over then?

Yeah.

Thank you.

No problem.

I'm gonna...

Yeah, go.
I'll wait for you here.

No, don't wait.

You need some space?

Yeah.

And some time.

So don't wait, okay.

Is that beach hut
really worth 30 grand?



♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ La, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la ♪