Original subtitles

Three bodies in three days

at various locations across the city.

I'm starting to see a pattern.

Kids going missing refugee kids.

Lowry he's in ICU.

It looks like he's been poisoned.

And do you think Angela's evil or her actions are evil?

Margaret!

You get back.

You got a man in your life?

His name is Lance.

He's married and that suits me fine.

Sometimes I think if me and Alex opened things up

we might be a bit happier.

I'm calling to let you know about another body

in Ferret's Wood.

-What's your name? -Madeleine.

My name's Victoria.

And crash.

Oh no my car.

Come on Mr. Mud Pie. Dad's running your bath.

Aw but I'm playing with Victoria.

Inside Martin.

Come on. Can't have your tea like that.

Bye.

Want to stay for dinner sweetheart?

Quiche Lorraine?

Victoria. Victoria wait.

You're fast.

What's wrong sweetheart? How come you left?

You sure everything's okay?

You know you've really made Martin's holiday.

He loves playing with you.

Talks about you when you're not even here.

Listen sweetheart

you don't have to stay if you don't want to.

You're welcome anytime.

I've gotta go. I've left the oven on.

But I mean it.

Anytime you like.

The world isn't built for people like me.

That's my fault.

And I have to accept this hasn't happened to anyone else.

Only me.

Come on. Get it.

Uniforms on the ground looking for a bag.

Drones assisting overhead.

And the call to my mobile?

Unregistered phone

pinged two local cell towers last night.

Nothing before or since.

So it's been used and dumped. Shit.

Well it's not all shit.

Lovely wee memento for your scrapbook.

Did you not see your close-up this morning?

Oh God you're joking?

Never occurred to you this might be a wind-up?

But it's not. Why would it be?

Well you're a celebrity. You know how it is.

It's not a wind-up.

Stop.

Okay carry on.

Why did you ask Ursula Wilson not to press charges?

What do you mean?

Well when I went 'round there

she said the officer she spoke to advised her

not to pursue her claim.

Is this what you've been stewing on?

Lowry used Lidocaine on her.

That would've been useful information to have yeah?

You said no one would believe her

because she's a sex worker.

Where's the lie Jeanette?

We'd never have gone to trial.

You know how grim these rape kits are.

Sod's law they would have lost it.

The freezer would've broken or some shite.

You know how the justice system fails people like her

again and again and again.

I know I know I know the system. We're it.

I know.

It's just not our job

to influence the victim's decision is it?

Do you think I persuaded her?

Her mind was already made up.

And she was never the same afterwards

even though she never went through with it.

Okay.

How do you know that?

Because I checked on her

to make sure she was okay.

Okay?

Okay. Gotta ask.

Oh hello. Um I'm looking for Margaret.

Sophia Craven.

Uh Margaret's my patient.

I...

Uh and how did it happen?

I...

I'm so sorry. She was...

They think they found something in the clearing up there.

It's uh not a bag. It's underground.

The drones spotted a disturbance in the earth.

Disturbance?

Well once the soil has been turned

it never looks the same.

Okay uh who owns this land?

The farm down the road.

Okay cheers.

Get them digging.

Can I help you?

Detective Chief Inspector Jeanette Kilburn.

You're the owner of this farm?

Yeah.

We've been alerted to some criminal activity

in the nearby wood.

Right?

Have you noticed any suspicious activity

on the farm or in the nearby wood?

-No. -No?

And who else works here?

Farmhands. Butchers.

Short-term contractors.

Any of them got criminal records?

I expect the tax man would like word or two with them.

How long have you owned this farm?

Ten years.

And you live in the farmhouse yeah?

I just own the farm.

Original owners kept the house.

And their names?

Ben and Mary.

No surnames?

Burkeman.

And your name?

Vincent.

Dwyer.

Sorry.

Yeah.

They found something. Get back here.

Okay.

That'd be all for now Mr. Dwyer.

Thank you. Um.

If I need anything else I'll be in touch.

Mm.

Oh there is one more thing.

Do you know a man called Carl Lowry?

Yeah.

Only by reputation.

I hear he's a nasty piece of work.

Hiya how can I help you out?

Hi. I'm DC Mike Dilliston.

I'm with Bristol Metropolitan Police.

What can I do for you DC Mike Dilliston?

I need to identify some young males

who may potentially be residents here.

High turnover mind.

I'm afraid these young men have died.

This is a murder inquiry.

Do you know any of these boys.

Could you check them again?

I'm sorry.

Most of them only stay here for a couple of weeks

and then they get moved on or sent back.

So is there anyone else staying here

that you haven't seen in a while?

I've been here four years now.

The time I've been here we've had

a fair amount of them abscond.

How many?

Well in total the whole time I've been here

I don't know probably about 80.

We keep a list.

If you could give me a copy?

Cheers. Here's my email. It's probably easier.

Yeah. Course.

Hey you must know Lou Stanley.

Yeah I do.

You one of his boys?

-"His boys"? -From the gym.

He runs that little boxing club.

No. No I'm not one of his boys.

He's a good bloke. Tell him I said hi.

Thanks for your help.

Hi.

Do you speak English?

Yes.

I'm DC Mike Dilliston. I'm with the police.

We're conducting a murder inquiry.

Do you know any of these guys?

What's your name?

Amar.

What happened?

I fell.

Come find me.

Come speak to me at the station

if you wanna talk about anything any time.

Oh my God.

The hat.

The hat.

It's Martin Ryan.

What now?

The farmhouse.

Hi there.

Go back in the kitchen.

Mr. Ben Burkeman?

What can I do for you?

I'm Detective Chief Inspector Jeanette Kilburn.

This is Detective Inspector Lou Stanley.

We'd like to speak to you in connection to an inquiry.

Can we get you some tea or...

-No I'm fine thank you. -Ah please.

How do you take it?

Builders. Strong.

And what can we help you with today?

We've had a tip-off about some criminal activity

and we're currently conducting a search of the local area.

We've spoken to Vincent Dwyer over at the farm.

You know him?

Of course. We sold him the farm.

You mentioned a search.

What are you looking for?

We found a body.

We've believe it's been there for quite some time.

How awful.

The remains were found in woodland

adjacent to this house

woodland that we believe belong to you

at the time this person went missing.

Madeleine please go to your room.

Have you ever seen anything strange?

If she has she's never mentioned it have you?

I haven't seen anything.

-Are you sure? -She said she hasn't.

Room Madeleine now.

Do you know who it is?

We're still waiting for a formal identification.

We have an idea.

A missing boy.

Martin Ryan eight years old.

Disappeared from the area 25 years ago.

How terribly sad.

You knew him?

He and his family holidayed here a few times

in the nearby cottages.

So he visited the farm?

From time to time.

His mother would buy eggs

for Martin and Victoria to have with their tea.

Sorry who's Victoria?

-Our daughter. -Our other daughter.

Martin and Victoria used to play together

then one day Martin wandered off

and never came back.

It was deeply upsetting for the community.

Is it possible to speak with Victoria?

She's dead.

And I'm very sorry for your loss.

Can I ask what happened?

I don't think we can be of any more help.

We don't know who killed that poor boy

or who would leave his body in the woods.

Now if you'll excuse us. You've upset my wife.

I'm sorry.

Before we leave

do you have a photo of Victoria?

Just for our files.

No.

None at all?

Mr. Burkeman.

Do you know a man called Carl Lowry?

No I can't say that I do.

Thank you for your time.

Do you go to Beecham College Madeleine?

Please go.

I should've seen it coming.

I've been preoccupied.

Yeah I wasn't giving her 100% of my focus.

I've gotta admit that to myself.

What is it that you feel has preoccupied you?

I didn't give her the tools she needed

to stay in control.

Now if I were wired differently

if I'd been able to shelve this obsessional thinking

then...

Then what?

Then I might not be here now.

Where is that?

This is failure.

Yeah. Failure's all I can see.

Are you talking about Margaret?

Or Victoria?

Maybe it's time to let Victoria go.

Failure is not a concrete thing.

Nor is closure.

Seems to me that you feel you failed yourself.

Mm. Yeah. Should've been there for her.

Ah search complete.

No body in a bag anywhere in the woods.

Shit.

He was here the whole time

and they knew or someone knew.

They've waited. Fuck! Why? Why?

-Oh news travels fast. -Is that your dad?

Yeah I can't talk to him now.

Someone gives me a heads up

that there's a body in the woods

but it's a child who's been missing for over two decades

a child whose disappearance that my dad couldn't solve.

Well his identity is still pending.

That little hat Lou.

You think Martin's connected to our three bodies in bags?

Don't know.

But let's just say it is Martin Ryan

Martin makes friends with Victoria Burkeman

and now she's dead.

The Burkemans they say they don't have

a single photograph of their daughter

and now their second daughter goes to Beecham College

where the third body was dumped.

It's too much of a coincidence.

Bloody Ryan's no longer a missing child.

It's a homicide.

We need to find out what happened to Victoria Burkeman.

Fuck!

-I'm late. -For what?

I've got a date.

Hey.

Sorry I... David what are you doing here?

I need to see you.

Are you... Have you been following me?

I really need to see you please.

It's very urgent.

David this is a real invasion of my privacy.

It's it's not going to be possible

for me to see you again.

Now I I can recommend another therapist.

No no that isn't gonna work for me.

That isn't gonna work for me.

Now I wanna play the shopping game.

I bought a silencer yeah.

I bought a silencer

and you you bought

-a tea set. Yes. -A tea set.

Why do you always say that?

No!

No!

Oh fuck.

I'm sorry. I'm late. I'm sorry.

It was just uh...

Time just got away from me and um...

Sorry. Anyway.

Um.

Okay. Ooh fun. New?

No.

I've already ordered for you.

Biriyani. You always get biriyani.

Biriyani is fine.

Okay.

To finally achieving your dreams.

Thanks.

It's just the beginning.

The gallery wants more pieces.

Wow.

Oh I just hope you remember me and Joe

you know during the cocaine years.

Very funny.

Your dad called earlier.

Oh Jesus Christ.

I can't speak to him today.

We've just found Martin Ryan.

That poor kid.

He was under our noses the entire time

just waiting to be found.

Alex it's just...

I mean it's a bit of closure for his parents

but it's bloody devastating.

It's devastating. He was just...

Sorry.

Hey I'm sorry.

Thank you.

You have no idea how to switch off from this job do you?

That's not true it's just been a really tough...

You're never normally this bad.

Can't you just be here?

I am here. I'm here now aren't I?

-Yeah but you not... -I know what you meant okay?

I know what you meant and just don't say

wanky shit like that to me.

If I'm here I'm here.

Can you not just sit with me and be here?

-I'm sorry. -It's fine.

Alex I have supported you the entire time.

I have never complained. I have never asked you

to change your job. I...

I've had to work to make that happen

and sometimes that means long hours okay?

And you think I haven't supported you?

Hm?

All the evenings you haven't been home.

All the parent-teacher meetings you haven't attended

all Joe's football matches you've missed.

I've supported your absence.

What about all the times you disappear into your studio

and we don't see you for days? What about that?

This isn't the grief Olympics Jeanette.

We're both consumed by our jobs

but I haven't forgotten that we're also married.

That's really unfair.

Before you know it Joe will be all grown up

and we'll be in the house on our own

and we'll have nothing to talk about.

Stop.

I'm sorry.

Sure.

Your painting.

-My painting. -Yeah your painting.

Tell me about it. What's it about?

It's about loss.

You've seen it?

-Sorry? -The painting.

-Have you seen it? -Yes I've seen it.

It's the one...

Yeah.

My friend. It's a gift.

From me to you yeah?

Mojo Joe-Joe!

Hey Dad. How was the food?

Let's put this up.

Gotta go out. It's work.

Bye Joe-Joe.

Bye Mum.

Come in.

Well...

This is um this is bloody delightful isn't it?

Huh?

You have surfaces.

My surfaces have never seen daylight.

You have impeccable taste.

Thank you.

Like I know what I'm talking about.

Thanks for coming over.

I didn't realize how much I needed company

until I sent that text.

Are you okay?

A dear client we've worked together for several years

she died. Suicide.

I'm sorry.

I've been signed off from work which is standard practice.

So I've spent the entire day

just going over my case notes

trying to see if I missed something

trying to find out where I went wrong...

Okay. Okay stop. You can't do that.

Okay I'm sure that you did everything in your power

to help your client

but people have autonomy.

They're in charge of their own choices all right?

You have to give yourself a little bit of grace

even when you don't feel like it.

Especially then.

Thank you for saying that.

Well there's uh...

Have a lot of uh grown-up shit.

What do you mean?

Just really nice stuff.

God wouldn't last a second in my house.

Yeah it could.

You should just...

Hey.

Uh Jeanette this is Lance.

-Uh Lance Jeanette. -Hi.

She's my friend. She's with the police.

Ooh.

What have you been up to then hey?

I should go.

No. No no no don't go.

I wanted to give you these.

One for every week I've known you.

Wow.

We just got the dental records back.

It is Martin Ryan.

This case nearly killed my dad.

Dominated our lives for over a decade

until it went cold and then...

Well you just forget that at the center of it all is...

Once we've done everything our end

he can go home.

-Sorry. -No.

Hey Lou.

I've got the Ryans' statement in front of me.

The day that Martin disappeared

he went to play in Ferret's Wood with Victoria Burkeman.

It's a whopper of a detail for the Burkemans to forget.

And the rest.

Uh I'm heading to the Ryans now.

Okay I'll carry on.

Okay bye-bye.

How was the party?

Exceptional.

Never mind there's always next year.

When's your actual birthday?

Today.

Happy birthday mate.

Mm.

Cheers for this.

Harry put this on his TikTok.

Absolute snake.

I look like a gerbil.

For real though when Mr. Drake comes back

I'm gonna report him for bullying.

Heads up.

Jacob told me.

What are you talking about?

You don't have to be embarrassed.

Remember when Harriet pissed herself

on the trip to the Somme?

It's fine.

Just put me in an awks position when Jacob came to talk to me.

Like was the bed actually wet?

Are you sure it wasn't you? You know?

Do you wanna fuck Jacob Charlie?

'Cause you seem to have a real interest in my sex life.

What sex life?

Whatever Jacob said it's not true okay?

Okay.

I never knew how much she hated me

until the first time she tried.

Why do you think she hates you Margaret?

'Cause I have a normal life.

She wanted to punish me

for achieving something she never can.

This is not my experience

of talking to Angela. She is...

She won't be happy until I'm dead.

Oh. Thanks.

I've run the bath.

Okay.

You can come and join me if you like.

Our sex is notoriously shit.

I have to go to the police station

to give a statement about my client

so even if it weren't shit I'd have to pass.

Well just come and keep me company then.

-Mm-hmm. -Mm.

Because no one can change it.

You can't just dig inside and make it untrue.

What happens to me now?

What happens now?

How do you mean Victoria?

The world isn't built for people like me.

Everything's destroyed.

It's my fault.

It's my fault.

It's not your fault Victoria.

It's my fault.

There's no way to sit with it.

Hm-hmm.

The longer I live the longer I have to accept

that this hasn't happened to anyone else.

Only me.

I'm tainted.

There's one way out.

Victoria.

Do you feel motivated to act on these feelings?

Because because I have to tell you that you matter.

You do matter to people.

No! No!

Darling?

Yeah?

Come and talk to me.

Yeah.

Good grief.

Mm sit with me.

I'm worried baba.

I'm no one's baba.

You can talk to me about it all you know?

It's confidential I'm afraid.

Of course.

I can still help you relax.

Mm.

What the fuck did you do that for?

Uh. I don't know...

I was just being playful.

Fuck's sake.

Maddie. Maddie.

You all right?

Listen I only told Charlie

because I know she's your friend and I was worried about you.

Look I promise you. I didn't tell anyone else.

I didn't even mean to tell her all right

but she saw us leaving the party together

and wanted to know what happened.

Nothing happened.

Okay I was just worried about you.

Are you uh...

Am I what?

Are you all right?

Maddie...

My goodness.

Stone's throw from home.

So this was your holiday home?

Yes.

When Martin went missing we stayed.

I think the idea of him

coming back here and finding the house empty haunted us

particularly Barbara.

And your wife is she...

Unfortunately she died three weeks ago.

It's all right.

I think to be honest the truth would've killed her.

Tell me about that holiday

and Victoria Burkeman.

They went out into the woods to play.

Same as they always did.

And then...

An hour few hours later

she came to the door frantic

saying that she'd lost him.

She'd made a nest she said.

She went to go and get some more twigs.

When she came back he was gone.

Do you think Victoria may have heard Martin?

I don't think so. I really don't think so.

She was in an awful awful state.

Barbara went 'round the next day

to try and reassure her tell her it wasn't her fault.

But Ben said

that she was taking it badly give her some space.

I haven't really talked to Ben and Mary since then.

I heard that they went to Barbara's funeral though.

You heard? You didn't attend yourself?

I couldn't.

I couldn't.

If you become the parent

of a missing or a murdered child

your life suddenly becomes

about managing other people's feelings.

And people watch you.

When you have a child

the volume of your life gets turned up.

And when that child disappears

it doesn't go back to the same volume

as it was before.

It gets much much quieter.

Much quieter.

Richard.

I'm sorry that I've had to bring you such terrible news.

Oh thank you for telling me.

Martin used to love that picture.

Victoria used to play at it with him.

He would be Jesus.

And she would be Mary Magdalene.

Just in time.

-What is it? -How's this for you?

No death record for Victoria Burkeman.

If she's dead her parents never told anyone.

The fuck?

Never reported missing no tax payments nothing.

Then the Burkemans are lying about her being dead.

I found an ID for the first body.

I think his name might be Daniel Rexha.

How'd you get that?

I went to the hostel in town.

The Royal Hotel.

The manager provided me a list of people

that have absconded over the last four years.

Absconded what does that mean?

Well his asylum claim is still active.

His case worker said Daniel missed the last fortnight

in meeting with her.

Which is which is not unusual.

It's not suspicious until a claimant

misses two meetings.

So if they disappear after only skipping one...

It could be weeks before anyone starts looking for them.

She says hi by the way.

Hi. She's good people.

That's good work good work Mike.

Okay let's go over this again.

We've got three bodies dumped over three days

all in public places.

Fourth body Martin Ryan different MO.

But the tip-off to his whereabouts

was phoned in to me directly

which is more than a little significant.

Martin Ryan's body was found on land

connected to the Burkemans.

Victoria Burkeman was friends with Martin Ryan.

She was with him on the day he went missing.

But her parents claim that she's dead.

But there's no official record.

Victoria Burkeman.

Fuck that's Verity.

Okay Lou find out everything you can on Victoria Burkeman.

We need to know what's happened to her.

And um Mike.

Start contacting local hostels in the area

and gather a list.

Get me anyone who's missed a case worker's appointment.

Anyone who can't be traced. Be back now.

I wanted to let you know that I've spoken to your father.

As he called the station a number of times.

Now I understand that's a conversation

you may have wished to have had yourself.

But I saw fit to inform him of our findings.

It's the right thing to do to let him know.

The Ryan case dominated his professional career.

I'm well aware.

Anything else?

Only please tread carefully Jeanette.

We don't have unlimited resources

and we need to think about what we can solve and how.

If we botch this

it's a poorly produced documentary

on police failures waiting to happen.

Understood.

Carl Lowry.

-What about him? -He's conscious.

He'll need medical sign-off

but he might be willing to make a deal

now he knows someone is trying to kill him.

I'll let you know.

Thank you ma'am.

I'm here to see DC Mike Dilliston please.

Okay hang on a sec.

He'll be right down.

Amar.

Can we talk please?

Yeah. Yeah sure let me just find an empty room yeah?

Come.

You okay?

I can't do this. Sorry.

What's wrong?

Hmm.

-Hi. -Hi.

Hi.

Wow uh thank you.

What brings you here?

Uh I had to come in anyway

to give a psychiatric statement

about my client Margaret.

Yeah.

So I just figured that you could use some sugar and caffeine

if not for some moral support.

That's very kind of you. Thank you.

Victoria Burkeman.

You know her?

Yes.

We're looking for her.

So am I.

She's the one I told you about the...

She vanished.

Is she dangerous?

To herself certainly.

And to others?

Goodness.

You're brave.

Nothing to say to me?

Now that's disappointing.

And there was me thinking

you really started to enjoy yourself.

Oh you smell the same.

Where you're going

there is only pain.