02x01 - Episode 1

[bunniefuu]

My daughter... she's gone.

ON TV: Police are requesting information
about an Irish couple who've been missing.

Are you the Irish guy?

- Detective Theo Richter.
- DS Diana Huia.

- I don't know what this is. You?
- No, I don't either.

This is Valerie Armstrong.
Knows this maunga better than anyone.

I'm glad you're back.

Last time two tourists went
missing here, they ended up dead.

I'm a journalist,
investigating the Irish couple.

RICHTER: I have the gene
for Huntingdon's.

AILEEN: Don't use this
as an excuse to be alone.

It's happening again.

The Goatman? That's f*cking funny.

Why's that?
- Because I'm the f*cking Goatman.

- PASTORS: Did they ever find her mama?
- RICHTER: Her mum's dead, isn't she?

Yeah, mate. She topped herself.

- RICHTER: We found Ronan.
- Libby!

- RICHTER: Sinead's alive.
- DIANA: It wasn't Val.

It was you.

Give me the f*cking g*n!

I'm not going to jail.

Yes, you are.

- I went to see Frank Pastors.
- Why?

Somebody sent me a message
linking him to this lodge.

[CLATTER]

You!

[ENGINE STARTS]

BRUCE: 'Today is not an easy day.'

The investigation into the death
of Ronan Garvey

and the abduction of Sinead Martin
has reached a resolution.

Move aside, Pastors.

Come on, Pastors, let's go.

BRUCE: 'One accused will appear
in Collinson High Court today.

'Because of injuries sustained, the
other will appear remotely from hospital.

'We are unable to name either
of the accused at this point in time.

'To be clear, no one else
is being sought in connection'

with the death of Ronan Garvey and
the as*ault and kidnap of Sinead Martin.

[FLIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA]

[PHONE RINGING]

'Aileen Ryan, leave a message.'

BRUCE: Because of the nature
of the current crimes, we are aware

that public interest has returned
to the historic Mountain Murders.

'I personally want to assure
the residents of Mount Affinity

'that we believe no connection exists
between recent events

'and the so-called Goatman killings.

'The Goatman killings remain
an active investigation,

'but it is not an active threat.

'I was born and raised in this town.'

This is a place
where neighbour trusts neighbour...

..where no-one locks
their door at night.

'This has been a tragic chapter
in the history of our town.

'But with the imminent conclusion
of this enquiry...

'..that chapter has ended.'

I, for one, will be going to bed
tonight, and my door will not be locked.

It is over.

I would like to acknowledge
the brilliant work

of the New Zealand
Criminal Investigation Branch.

And the considerable assistance
of the Garda Síochána of Ireland.

Are there any questions?

Can you confirm that the accused
are copycats of the Goatman k*ller?

Joy, it would be completely remiss
of me to put that out into the world.

Catch up back in the city?

Well, you know how they've been looking
to appoint a detective to work with Bruce?

- Yeah.
- I start next month.

Diana.

Didn't expect to be seeing you so soon.
What, you leave your undies in the motel?

- Have you seen Aileen?
- She was catching the same plane as you.

- She didn't make it.
- Er... No. No, I haven't seen her.

RICHTER: She checked out of
the motel, didn't make the flight.

We'll find her. All right?

OK.

[RINGING]

[WIND HOWLING]

David, this is Theo Richter.
I'm here with DS Diana Huia.

DAVID: 'If you're calling to complain
about Aileen's work practices,

'we have a department for that.'

- She's MIA.
- 'Ha! Well, that's not unusual.'

When was the last time
you spoke to her?

Day before yesterday.

She was chasing a lead
about the Mountain Murders.

Something about a guy
named Frank Pastors.

Who's Frank Pastors?

Local crim, B&E, GBH.
Locked up in Collinson prison.

I haven't seen him since I was a kid.
Even then we knew to stay out of his way.

He's a piece of sh*t.

Pastors, the same surname as
Buster and Wiki's kid who died, Jarrod?

- Yeah.
- DAVID: 'Aileen met him at the funeral.'

- He was out on temp removal.
- He'd be under guard.

- How the hell would she get near him?
- She'd get near him all right.

She was going to come home, but there
was something she wanted to check out.

Didn't say what.
This guy, Frank Pastors...

Is she in trouble, Richter?

RICHTER: Leave it with me.
I'll be in touch.

Morning Comms, Sergeant Bruce Harris,
Mount Affinity police.

Can you trace a number for me
and send it through to email?

BRUCE: Possible missing person,
Aileen Ryan.

Was Frank Pastors a suspect
in the Mountain Murders?

Pastors and every bloke in town
was interviewed. They all had alibis.

We could be jumping the g*n.
What if she just went on holiday?

- She doesn't go on holiday.
- BRUCE: Thank you, Comms.

Comms are sending through a ping now.

- Can they make the trace live?
- It's faint. They're struggling.

It's pinging off one tower,
they can't triangulate.

BRUCE: Here we go.

What the hell is she doing
in the middle of nowhere?

[DOOR OPENS]

Of course, come on in.

Sorry, Auntie, I don't think I'll be
needing a lift to the airport any more.

I heard what you said.
You can't find her, Aileen?

- Do you know something?
- I feel sick to the stomach.

She came to me, she had a photo
that somebody had sent her.

It was like a hut in the bush and she said
that it was connected to Frank Pastors.

So, I sent her to Linda.

- Who's Linda?
- Linda Pastors, that's Frank's ex-wife.

- Can I get an address?
- Texting it to you now.

Thanks. Thanks, Auntie. Come on.

Hey.

A few hours ago,
I was packing up my mum's house,

heading back to my real life, you
were going back to yours. Now this.

If it's too personal, Richter,
if you need to step away...

- It's not.
- Yeah, it is.

We need to do our job
as if it wasn't Aileen.

WOMAN: Yeah, I'm coming.

- Mrs Pastors?
- Yeah.

I'm DS Huia, this is
Detective Richter.

- What's happened?
- Do you know this woman?

The Irish journo? Yeah.
Is she all right?

LINDA: Didn't think in a million
years she'd go way the hell up there.

- Your husband...
- I don't have a husband.

Frank. Did Aileen say she'd met him?

What? No. She... She said
she thought Frank k*lled someone.

What happened
after you guys met at the pub?

Her talking about that arsehole,
I just felt ill.

After she left The Beak,
I went to my mate Sharyn's.

- Made a night of it.
- Did you speak to Frank at the funeral?

- Are you kidding?
- Who did he speak to?

Just Buster, as far as I know.

LINDA: There it is.

OK, you stay put. We'll
go take a look.

[WHISPER]

Clear.

DIANA: Bruce, we've got a situation
here. The hut's been hit by b*ll*ts.

- Requesting STG backup.
- 'Copy that. On the way.'

Cheers.

That doesn't feel like a coincidence,
does it?

No, it f*cking doesn't.

Diana!

Looks like the only way out.
She's out there.

[HORN BEEPS]

[HORN BEEPS]

Sinead?

Sinead?

Sinead?

[PHONE VIBRATES]

[♪ "Pull Back" by Cruel Sister]

[MUSIC STOPS, CLAMOUR OF VOICES]

Sinead Martin, Joy Webb-Jones.

Can you comment on the
CEO of Houkura,

Tāmatī Davidson,
abandoning Mount Affinity?

Was there a link
between Ronan Garvey's death

- and your job at Houkura?
- Stand back.

Sinead, why did Ronan die
and you were spared?

- No comment.
- Let's go.

[CLAMOUR CONTINUES]

I went to collect you.

- I took the bus.
- Hi, Sinead.

We understand the defence
is seeking bail for both defendants.

The Crown will strenuously oppose,
but you should prepare yourself.

There's a possibility
they could succeed, certainly...

Valerie Armstrong could be bailed.

If that happens, she'll be
electronically tagged and monitored.

- She'll be home?
- I'll see you in there.

Yeah, thank you.

BRUCE: That's Michaela Armstrong,
Ken and Val's mother.

SINEAD: Is my doctor
testifying for her?

Ray and Michaela are a couple,
been together a few years.

Sinead.

Michaela Armstrong.

It's OK. I understand.

From one mother to another,

I'm sorry for your pain and suffering
that you've endured. I empathise.

- We thought we'd lost Val.
- You want them to send her home?

I'm going to do everything I can
to bring both my children home.

- They made mistakes.
- Mistakes?

Let's see what the court has to say.

Whatever happens here today,
both your children will go to prison.

[GAVEL BANGS]

PROSECUTOR: I'd urge you to carefully
consider the grave nature of the charges.

DEFENDER: Your Honour, I submit
that Mr Armstrong has strong grounds...

[AUDIO DISTORTS]

[SPEECH CONTINUES, UNCLEAR]

[SCREAMS]

If it may please the court, I have
just received updated instructions.

My client no longer seeks bail

and has agreed to remain in custody
until the trial.

[DISTANT MOTORBIKE ENGINE REVVING]

[REVVING CONTINUING]

Who the hell's playing silly buggers
up there?

Ginge.

Pissed off at everything.
I don't know what's going on.

[ENGINE STOPS]

I'm sweet.

You don't know f*ck all!

All that sh*t you go on about.

Telling us to f*cking find
our place to stand.

It did nothing for Jarred, and you
were supposed to look after him.

Wait...

[ENGINE REVS]

Definitely recent. No dust
or debris settled in the holes.

The number and spread of b*ll*ts.
It's a semiautomatic, right?

- They weren't mucking around.
- Who'd want to hurt Aileen that bad?

Yeah, I don't think it was
about hurting her, Di.

So, the firing came
from out the front.

Aileen escapes out the
window at the back.

Maybe cuts herself on the way out
and, what, runs like hell?

The question is who did she piss off?
Me, by just turning up.

The Martins for writing
that article about them.

Your gangster friend, Derry Fallon,
the same reason.

Derry's already made his point.

Which brings us back to Frank
Pastors, who's in a f*cking a jail cell.

And his ex-wife, although Bruce
has cleared Linda's alibi.

Take a look!

This... came from up there.

Here.

Long-range sn*per r*fle,
semiautomatic.

It can fire off a volley of shots
and hit a target 2k away.

They've been falling into the hands
of organised crime syndicates lately.

- Diana!
- What you got?

DIANA: Hers?

It's her laptop.
She never would have left it.

- Nothing else has been touched.
- The tyres are slashed.

Wouldn't slash someone's tyres
if they're dead or dying, would you?

[INTRODUCTIONS UNCLEAR]

Richter, Special Tactics Group are
trained to deal with armed confrontation.

- You want to go with them, but you can't.
- Oh, come on, Diana.

I can't rely on favour and goodwill to
do my job. I need a badge and a g*n.

OK, I'll put in an urgent request,
but no guarantees.

Aileen didn't stumble down here
by accident.

Someone sent her a picture of a place
connected to Frank Pastors.

Pastors has some questions to answer.

[BIRDSONG]

Here you go, love.

- Thanks.
- Do you want to talk about this morning?

Valerie Armstrong got bail.

There's nothing more to say.

Your dad phoned. He got back safely.

Says it's raining.

Maybe we should take a trip
to the beach, hm?

- You always hated the beach.
- I hate it when it's cold and windy.

It'd be lovely to have a trip
together before we go home.

I am home.

[MOANING]

No, no, no. No, no, Ronan.

- Sinead...
- Mum, could you please leave me alone?

You were never without this before.

And you haven't even looked at it.

So many people have been asking
for you, Sinead. People care.

[DISTANT HEAVY DOORS SLAM]

- The f*ck?
- Cell inspection, Pastors.

[GROANS] - The art
project will have to wait, mate.

Brucie.

Been waiting for this moment, eh?
How's the jaw, mate?

Sucking on smoothies for
a few months, were you?

- Anything?
- Nothing.

RICHTER: What happened
between you two?

BRUCE: A few years back,
outside The Beak,

a sheep shearer
backed into Pastors' motorbike.

He took a took a hammer
and broke his arm in four places.

He was starting on the other arm
when I got there.

He got in a few hits
before I could get the cuffs on him.

Some of these teeth aren't mine.

While we keep him busy,

there's something I need
you to do for me.

DIANA: You had a visitor
two days ago.

Why was she here?

Shelley Duncan's my lawyer.

There's this thing,
lawyer-client privilege.

Her name's Aileen Ryan.

- She's not your lawyer, Pastors.
- Another Irish, eh?

DIANA: We've reason to believe you
know about the whereabouts of Aileen Ryan.

Why did Aileen visit you?

How would I know why some
crazy Irish b*tch came to see me?

- Or where the f*ck she wandered off to.
- You see, I don't believe you.

DS Huia. I remember the stories in the
papers when your mama went missing.

Heart-breaking.

Mount Affinity, eh?

So many unanswered questions.

You're some f*cking prick!

Where is she?
Where's Aileen?

sh*t, eh? Scary guy.

This all good with you
is it, Detective?

Actually, yeah.
You're up for parole in a month.

Being connected to a violent
disappearance gets in the way of that.

- I'll make sure of it.
- How the f*ck am I connected?

She visits you. Someone sends her a
message sending her to your uncle's hut.

Then she vanishes.

FRANK: Whatever this is, it's not me.

This is nothing to do...

Who sent it?

Who sent that message?

FRANK: 'I want to go
back to my cell.'

- RICHTER: 'You scared, Pastors?'
- FRANK: 'Get f*cked.'

- Pastors.
- [KNOCKS ON DOOR]

What aren't you telling us?

- GUARD: Come on, Pastors, let's go.
- Hm!

DIANA: Aileen meets Pastors
at his son's funeral.

He spins her a story,
she gets interested,

visits him in prison, and then she
gets a text from an unknown number,

that takes her to Frank's
uncle's place.

She's ambushed,
flees, and now she's...

out there.

Everything we have
leads back to Frank Pastors.

His reaction when we showed him
the photo of the hut?

- Nearly shat himself.
- BRUCE: [SIGHS] Another damn dead goat.

Any chance he just got sick and died?

Yeah, I didn't think so either.

RADIO: 'Delta Unit to Mount Affinity.
We found a phone but it's locked.

'Same as the laptop. We can
see the last call is from a David.'

- 'That's hers. That's Aileen.'
- DIANA: Any sign of Aileen Ryan?

'Nothing yet, but there's what
looks like dried blood on the phone.'

- OK, keep us updated.
- 'Copy.'

RAY: This feels a bit funny.

Me welcoming you back, when you
grew up here, and I'm just the new guy.

Hey, listen.

It's gonna be OK.

It's not OK.

But thanks.

Well, if you, er...

If you need anything, just...

DIANE: Frank's previous convictions,
break and enter, burglaries,

- he always operated alone?
- Yeah, yeah, lone wolf.

But he must have had mates, right?

Never lasted. It was just us.

You still in contact with him?

Who would he reach out
to, Linda, come on?

His parents are dead,
brother dead, son dead.

He has no friends.

Even his enemies know
to leave him alone.

When that journo said that she
thought Frank k*lled someone,

I thought, yeah -
yeah, he's capable of that.

I just don't know whether
he's capable of keeping it quiet.

DIANA: Thank you.

We'll be in touch.

[PHONE CHIMES]

DIANA: We're hitting a brick wall with
Frank Pastors, so what else do we have?

We know that Aileen was
chasing the Mountain Murders story.

Without access to her laptop or
her phone, we've no idea where it led.

Yeah.

- I need that badge, Diana.
- Yeah, I'm working on it.

Hey, Richter, you good?

When I told her about the
Huntington's, I thought she'd run.

I'm used to being left.

I can't lose her.

Because...?

Yeah.

Because.

WIKI: Blonde, straight out of a
bottle. Nobody has hair that white.

And she's about a size zero,
could fit into one leg of my jeans.

Have you seen her?
OK.

If you hear anything about the
Irishwoman, get in touch with me or Bruce?

She's a bloody nuisance, but she's,
um... She's a really good person.

OK. Bye.

OK, so what was he thinking, eh?
Punching you?

- Stealing one of the bikes?
- We can always get a new bike.

I know you, you're going to be
soft on him when he gets back, eh?

He needs to learn a lesson!

He needs to work through
what's going on.

Hey.

Ginge will be back,
and so will the Irishwoman.

I hope so.

[FRENCH ACCENT] Hey, guy,
I'm talking to you.

- The showers are freezing.
- Sorry.

- This is my day off.
- But you said they'd be fixed last night.

- So...
- MERVIN: Well, what can I say?

The plumbing fairies have
let us all down.

- Hey, Mervin.
- Sinead.

How's it going?

Yeah, good. Um... I just want to
pick up some of Ronan's things.

Right, yeah. No, that's all gone.

- Cops have everything.
- What about his personal stuff?

- Like in the staff room?
- Sorry, Sinead, I just don't have time.

Ro was k*lled and you
don't have time?

If he hadn't been such a f*ck.

Just go home, OK?

[BEEP]

BRUCE: If you move more than 50
metres from the router on the front porch,

the alarms go ballistic.

It also has a GPS tracker built in.

If anyone wants to visit,

other than legal counsel, an application
must be made to the High Court.

We know our responsibilities, Bruce.

- We take them seriously.
- Just doing my job.

Bruce... Can you tell
Diane that I'm sorry?

That's way down the list of things
Diana has to worry about right now.

Or you.

I'll tell her.

[MOTORBIKE APPROACHING]

[ENGINE REVVING]

What do you want?

What?

Come on then! Do it!
You gonna hit me?

I dare ya! Hit me!

Come on, f*cking do it!
Hit me, I dare you!

f*cking hit me!

f*cking hit me! I dare ya!

- [GROANING]
- Jesus!

What the f*ck was that?

Your boyfriend, he
sold drugs to my mate.

- The drugs that hurt him.
- You mean Jarred?

You knew he was selling that sh*t.
You could've stopped him.

You knew he was taking that sh*t.
You could've stopped him.

- He's dead.
- Yeah. That makes two of them.

You're f*cked in the head!

Whatever.

Look...

I'm sorry you lost your friend.

But if I'm honest...

..I'm more sorry I lost mine.

You're right.

I am f*cked in the head.

Next time just do me a favour.

Don't swerve.

Hey, wait.

You wanting to get run over

might not be the best way to get rid
of you being f*cked up in the head.

They say that you should
face that stuff.

Not run from it.

Thanks.

Except how am I supposed to do that?

I know where those f*ck
kept you locked-up.

DIANA: I talked to the
District Commander.

We're permitted to swear you in as a
temporary New Zealand police officer.

- I'm impressed.
- Don't get too excited, I'm still boss.

Say this and sign.

"I, Theodore Richter,
swear that I will faithfully

"and diligently serve His Majesty."

- I can't say that.
- Just protocol, mate. Nobody likes it.

Yeah, suck it up. It wasn't my
favourite day at the office either.

Go on. Next paragraph.

"While a constable, I will, to the
best of my power, keep the peace

"and prevent offences
against the peace,

"and will, to the best of my skill
and knowledge,

"perform all the duties

"of the office of constable
according to law, so help me God."

Welcome to the force.

Thank you.

Some of the Buster and Wiki's kids
grew up hunting up the Kaikakariki.

They reckon they can help the STG
with local knowledge,

hidden valleys, back-trails.

Go up with them. It's better
than standing in front of this board

full of question marks,
worrying your arse off.

- OK.
- You'll need something warmer, too.

- Thank you.
- Well, you haven't met the kids yet.

- She's a tough one.
- Yeah, that's an understatement.

- She's going to be just fine.
- You don't know that, Wiki.

No, but I believe it.

sh*t, eh! Bloody immigrants coming
over here, taking away our jobs!

You should be well used
to that by now, big man.

- Let's go find your lady, eh?
- Yeah. I'll help here.

- Hey, are you the flash Scottish D?
- I'm Irish, actually.

Have you ever k*lled a guy, bro?

Like, "Yo m*therf*cker!
Open yo mouth and suck on this!"

So, you lot know the bush?
You can help us?

Yeah.

City cops might be slick with their g*ns,
but we know the forest better than them.

We grew up out here, know every inch.

sh**t a deer or something?
Can you ask?

- Such an egg, Davinity.
- sh**ting deer? What's that about, sport?

No, it's the opposite.

Deer and pigs have no
business up here.

They root up the ground,
eat a lot of native trees.

Yeah, gifts from Queen Victoria, along
with influenza and attempted genocide.

So, boom!
For the environment.

- Mason, put it over there?
- OK.

My uncle thinks
we should sh**t all foreign imports.

- Oh, yeah?
- What part of Scotland are you from?

[BUSTER LAUGHS]

- [MASON LAUGHS]
- RICHTER: Let's get going, yeah?

It's all good.

Come on.

See? There's nothing here.

[BOLT THROWN, DOOR SQUEAKS]

[SCREAMS]

Let me out!

Film me.

Why?

Just do it.

People need to know what they did.

Ready?

Yeah.

[BEEP]

This is where I was kept.

[PHONE VIBRATING]

- Aileen?
- HANNAH: 'Richter?'

- Hannah.
- See you down there.

'I heard about Aileen.

- 'Any news?'
- No. Not yet.

Listen, coverage is pretty bad
up here, so I might lose you.

I haven't told Sinead.

'You should. She should
hear it from you.'

Listen, um... Aileen didn't
say anything, did she?

- Any idea what she was doing?
- 'No, nothing.

'If I'm honest, we avoided her.'

Richter, when Sinead was
gone... I prayed.

- It helped.
- Yeah.

Right until you ran your
car into a pole.

I got her back.

Yeah. Yeah, you did.
How is she?

Oh, Richter, I...

I... I don't know how to help her.

- 'Hannah?'
- Hello?

Hello, Hannah?

Here you go.

Only time you'll get an excuse
to eat ice cream all day.

[CHUCKLES] Thank you.

MICHAELA: Oh,
enough with the doom and gloom!

Shall we tell Ray the story
about Ken's raft?

He was, what, 12 years old?

Ken wires together drums and
bits of wood, put the thing in the river.

Wants to ride it all
the way to Tiraki.

- Thought he might make the newspapers.
- [RAY LAUGHS]

I couldn't talk him out of it.

Val bikes along the road,
watching, because...

she knew that Ken's dreams
have a way of falling apart.

So, 20 minutes later,
the raft starts to sink.

Ken tries to hold it together, refusing
to admit that it's a losing battle.

Little Val, eight years old.

You jump off the bridge.

Swim out.

And drag him ashore before
he can drown.

The protector.

That's your role in this family.

RAY: I'll get us a cup of tea.
Oh, and your meds.

Didn't protect my boy when he needed
you most, though, did you?

He tried to sh**t himself
in the head.

It would have been a closed casket
because you...

..didn't drag him back to shore,
you just pushed him further out.

I blame you.

SINEAD: 'Before I was captured,
I wanted to die.

I was so scared I was afraid
my heart would stop beating.

- [KNOCK ON DOOR]
- HANNAH: Sinead?

I'm tired, Mum.

The journalist, Aileen Ryan.

She's missing.

OK.

I'll call you tomorrow.

I'm moving in tomorrow.

Good night.

SINEAD: 'I didn't want to be here
any more...'

[INSECTS SINGING, HUM OF VOICES]

DAVINITY: OK, there's your problem.

You went through the scree slope,
the obvious way.

If it was you,
where would you be looking tomorrow?

Um... OK.

So, there is a track that's
around here...

I'm not gonna tell you
not to worry, bro.

You have friends.

We're here for you.

All the promises Houkura made.

Just divided our town,
nearly poisoned us.

But the poison was here
long before that.

The darkness hasn't gone, has it?

I don't think so.

Hello?

Aileen!

AILEEN!

[GROANING]

[WIND HOWLING]

[♪ ROCK MUSIC BUILDING]

[♪ "Little Dragon" by Katie Kim]