Original subtitles

We can't chase the gold again, sir.

We don't have the time, and it's probably gone already.

This time, it's only about the money. Right from the start.

You buy a time-share,

and one week a year, you come here and you live like a king.

You are the only cowboy in town.

But that money will bring others.

I don't want to see you again.

The times rich list.

And there he is - John Palmer - next to the queen.

This is a national embarrassment.

You will ensure, the next time that John Palmer

is in the newspapers, he'll be appearing at the old Bailey.

We have solid intelligence that Charlie Miller

was on the brink's-mat job.

I heard you can clean money.

Did you now?

I gave you my money because I believed you knew

what to do with it.

Then tell me, very clearly,

where every penny of my dough is, right now.

This programme contains some strong language

it is the time to talk honestly about tortola.

This island has become a story of two halves.

There is great wealth.

Our finance industry, liberated by my deregulation,

is free to attract investment from around the world,

and free to build houses like this.

But for too many of our people,

life is a long way from this.

It is my job as governor

to bring those two halves of this island together.

Today, with thanks to our generous host,

mr Logan Campbell,

we launch a fundraising campaign for a new school in road town.

It is an ambitious target,

but ambition is what is needed

if the children of this island are to share

in the opportunities that have brought so many of you

here to tortola.

- Hello? - Logan.

It's Douglas.

Doug... Douglas Baxter.

Dougie, how did you get this number?

You gave me a brochure, at the reunion.

I'm a little busy right now, Dougie.

Er... It's a business call, Logan.

An opportunity.

Things are going pretty well my end, too.

So much so, I think we can finally do something

really big together, just like we always dreamed of.

- Did we? - Let me give you some figures

that will blow your bloody socks off.

Dougie, I'm, er, going to call you back.

- Well, I wouldn't... - I wouldn't dilly-dally, Logan,

this is a situation of no little urgency.

We have two jobs

find Charlie Miller and the money from his half of the gold,

and get enough on John Palmer to bring him down.

We're on Miller's money, sir.

He has the contacts to fence the gold,

but he'll need help to launder the proceeds.

So we went through his files and we picked out

all of his criminal associates

who at least pretend not to be criminals.

The ones with businesses.

And we ran those business names through companies house,

and every one of them was registered on the Isle of Man.

Which means Miller's criminal associates have someone

on the Isle of Man laundering their money.

Which means, right about now,

we reckon Miller will be knocking on their door.

The Isle of Man is a self-governing crown dependency.

We have no authority there.

I picked up a suspect on the Isle of Man once.

I stuck a blindfold on him,

whipped him back in a speedboat in the middle of the night.

How have you still got a job?

I'm as surprised as you are.

The Isle of Man also shelters vast amounts of offshore money.

It's not a place that welcomes scrutiny.

We won't even leave footprints, sir.

Make sure you don't.

Lundy, Miller. Yes.

Give me a week.

The intelligence points to Spain.

I've heard he's on the cost a blanca, sir,

along with half the crooks from south London.

It's just about finding the chatty ones.

I've requested bowman back from flying squad.

He'll co-ordinate things here while we're all on our travels.

Where are you off to, then, sir?

I've spent a long time on brink's-mat, Jennings,

and working with you two has made it feel even longer.

I've booked a holiday.

Nice flight?

This wasn't the arrangement.

I'll buy a safe.

I could buy a safe!

I was led to believe you could offer a little more than that.

I can offer a lot more than that.

I can clean every penny.

Why's it sitting on a fucking table?

What were you doing, mr Miller, when you were eight years old?

A bit of light pickpocketing, then home for jellied eels

and a knees-up round the old Joanna?

When I was eight years old, I was accepted into mensa.

I would later resign,

after an unsavoury incident at the agm,

but the point is, I am highly intelligent.

And certainly intelligent enough to consider

the combination of south London, hat ton garden

and a great deal of money seeking safe harbour

and conclude that I have become involved

in a rather infamous criminal endeavour.

Or half of it, anyway.

You don't have to concern yourself with that.

But I do.

You see, if this is the partial proceeds

of the brink's-mat robbery

and let us agree without rigmarole that it is

then the level of discretion required is substantial.

What's the plan?

I've registered the first batch of companies,

and funds will be deposited shortly.

But we must move at a pace unlikely to attract attention.

I thought the Isle of Man didn't pay these things much attention.

Less than the mainland, certainly,

but on the spectrum of tax havens, we are at the conservative end.

And what happened to that world of international finance

you talked about?

I tried.

What do you mean, you tried?

I...

They'll only get me off this island if I'm in handcuffs or in a box.

So why you're leaving us voluntarily, love,

is beyond me.

Then again, I come from the rough end of England,

so maybe France is a bit prettier.

Good luck to you, Lena, and thanks for all your graft.

Thank you, John.

Hey, shirl, give them whatever's in petty cash.

Let them see her off in style.

Thank you.

I'll miss you, too.

Take care.

Senor Palmer, I heard about the British newspaper.

How rich it says you are.

I'm not giving you a raise, son, but I appreciate the effort.

No.

- You do not have the money they say. - Not yet.

But you could.

Yeah?

I know the accounts better than anyone

better than Shirley - which is lucky for you.

What's your game, then?

The business is successful, but.

It is not honest.

You pay bribes and take more deposits

than you have time-shares to sell.

But th-that is not interesting to me.

What is interesting to me is that.

I think you are a clever man who is pretending not to be.

The way that you use Shirley and hide the truth from her,

hide the fact that you are laundering money.

But there are better ways to launder money than that.

And I can show you them.

What did he do?

He pitched me some bloody tax dodge.

You see, John, this is what happens.

I know.

If you don't play it by the book, why would anyone else?

You're right, shirl..

From now on, this place runs completely legit.

Check his bloody pockets, too.

Governor, this is Gabriella lunez.

- Hi. - Nice to meet you.

From the DEA.

How long are you visiting?

It's a permanent posting.

I'll be working at the consulate.

I don't remember being consulted on that.

Well, we don't have to consult you, but I'm here to say hi.

I'm just surprised it's merited.

We are a small island.

We have an epidemic of south American cocaine

in Florida, with a lot of the proceeds

being laundered in the Caribbean,

through small islands like this.

Not this one.

Then I won't be here long.

Let us give you an office here, and some support staff

I'm all set at the consulate, thanks.

Then enjoy your time on tortola.

It is a special place.

So I've heard.

So, do the Colombians still use the.

Whirlybird for their drops?

I wouldn't know anything about that.

Man, that would be easier.

But my people like the personal touch.

I tell you, Florida to here on a speedboat

is not great on the back.

Still, this is helping.

You can leave me to count it.

I'll let you know if there's a problem.

What happens to it now?

Er, well, this money that your associates made

in the construction industry in Florida

will be legally banked in a number of countries around the world.

You're very careful, Campbell.

That's why I'm a bag man, and that's why you're.

Well, whatever it is you are.

Enjoy your time on the island.

I always do.

- Good morning, jp. - Beautiful day.

What happened to "mr Palmer"?

I am sorry, mr Palmer.

I'm only joking, son.

What's the DEA's authority here?

That depends.

If she sees evidence of a crime punishable in the states,

she can pursue it.

So I would hope that there is nothing to see.

There's nothing to see.

Glad to hear it.

This is not the time to attract attention.

It doesn't look like much.

Well, this is the address in the brochure.

Let me do the talking.

And that's when mr Baxter told me about you, and this island,

and what you and this island could do for me and my money.

What a curious decision that was.

It's an opportunity, Logan.

As always, Douglas, what you deem an opportunity

falls well below my standards.

In this case, I think we may find a temporary alignment.

I heard you got banged up.

A business deal gone wrong.

I heard you got caught doing coke in a wimpey.

- It was a berni inn. - Is that better?

What a lot of people don't appreciate is that

berni inns are technically restaurants.

I think we're straying from the point a bit here, gentlemen.

He's struck off, you're a crook,

and I run a respectable business.

That's very much the point.

What I am, mr Campbell,

is an international businessman with an eye for an opportunity

and £10 million looking for somewhere to go.

I'm afraid I'm running at full capacity

with my corporate clients.

And I'd very much like to be one of your corporate clients.

Life doesn't work like that.

Life can work any way you want it to.

Boarding school.

Grammar school.

Borstal.

Life is pre-destined, gentlemen, and I have work to do.

Then I'll see you tomorrow.

And the day after that.

Then I hope you enjoy the sunshine.

If you were local police, you'd have a nicer office.

If you were here officially,

then you wouldn't be alone.

You're from the mainland?

Madrid.

We are national police looking into corruption on tenerife,

which means we are looking into mr Palmer,

which means it is nice to meet you, mr boyce.

- You failed to convict him once. - Are you here to try again?

Yes.

We need intelligence from inside his business,

and his senior team are all English.

We can't get near him.

Then you keep watching, I'll get near him.

And I know where to find you when I do.

So, what do you think?

I think that there are no windows.

Well, the thing about windows is that you can see through them.

Not so good for keeping secrets.

Secrets like this, senor Palmer, they are expensive.

What do you want?

I want the people of tenerife to stop cleaning hotels,

washing plates in restaurants and serving drinks in bars.

I want them to own the hotels, and the restaurants,

and the bars.

You know, this island, it makes everybody rich,

apart from us.

Maybe this room is where that changes.

How much?

- Ten million pesetas. - Five million.

Yes, five million now, and five million when it's done.

How would it work?

Well, I give you a set of, er... How do you say?

Dummy accounts to give to Shirley,

with all the details that she wants.

But here, I create another set.

I will build you a machine, senor Palmer,

through which you can put as much dirty money as you can find,

and it will come out clean.

It will be easy.

You know, son, what I've found is that.

When people think something's going to be easy.

They can't believe how hard it can get.

Hello?

Mr Palmer, there are some Russians here to see you.

Some what?

We would like to buy your businesses, mr Palmer.

I'm sure you would, but they're not for sale.

We would pay a fair price.

Listen, mate,

I've spent a long time building what I've got here.

I'm a long way from finished.

Things are different now.

How's that, then?

We are here.

Well, then,

I'm sorry you've come all this way for nothing.

Tomorrow, the price will be lower.

You shouldn't have let them in.

I think they're kgb.

Yeah, well.

Doesn't matter who you are before you come to this island.

It's who you are here that matters.

And if you can't do your job.

Then I'll find someone else who can.

Are you ok?

Just tired.

Must be exhausting, sitting behind your desk.

Moving money around the world.

You know, it's harder than you think.

And some of the money stays right here.

I wanted to talk to you about that.

About the school.

It's going to take years to raise the funds.

That's another generation of kids sitting in huts.

So... why don't you pay for it?

- The whole thing? - Well, at least enough

to get construction started.

Jesus Christ, where does it end?

What? Donations, sponsorships, campaign contributions.

I've done a lot for this island.

This island has done a lot for you.

Hosting lauretta's endless bloody fundraisers.

You and lauretta are a two-way street.

What does that mean? I mean, having the governor in your corner

helps bring in the corporate clients that buys you all this.

Us.

My clients buy us all this.

None of this is mine, Logan.

You know that.

Aren't you a lawyer?

Charity should involve sacrifice.

Otherwise, it is something else.

Please excuse me, I have a meeting.

Campbell! This is an honour.

I need you to do me a favour.

In my world.

Favours don't come for free.

I know.

I must say, I find the people of tortola absolutely entrancing.

You have the most wonderful joie de vivre.

It's refreshing, frankly.

You've no idea of the inherent misery of the English.

I don't know if either of you have ever been

to the Isle of Man, for example,

a place which almost seems to revel in its bleakness

with a sort of dickensian devotion to despair.

A gift from Campbell.

A farewell gift.

Or?

Or.

We have another type of conversation.

With less talking.

You know, son, I don't drink with villains anymore.

But for you, I'll make an exception.

Because I've spent a lot of time alone,

and a lot of time with that twat,

and neither are much fun.

You're interesting.

Because you're a villain who knows Campbell,

and you're a villain who hasn't been caught.

How do you know I haven't been caught?

That cigarette was only half done.

It don't matter if you're as rich as they come

if you've done time,

you don't ever treat tobacco like that.

So let's drink mr Campbell's beer,

you tell me what you've not been caught for,

and let's see if we haven't got more in common than we think.

Do you read the newspapers, mr Palmer?

Not really.

In the newspapers, they say things are happening in my country.

What they don't know is that those things have already happened.

The cold war is over.

Wasn't something I paid much attention to, to be fair.

Well, now you should.

The Soviet union will collapse.

And for those who are quick, there are opportunities.

I thought you lot were, er, dirt-poor?

No offence, like.

The people are poor because the state is rich.

And the state cannot give that money to the people

or they will know we had it all along.

- So the money must find... - An escape.

So who are you, then, in all of that?

I am a scout,

looking for somewhere for a lot of money to go.

Well, I know a little about that.

I know.

Because I do read the newspapers, about brink's-mat,

about gold finger.

I need your business, mr Palmer.

It is the biggest on the island.

The best place for our money to hide.

You're wrong.

You don't need my business.

And buying it would give you attention you don't need.

Give me your money.

I'll clean it, take a fair cut and give it back.

And the newspapers can write about me all day long.

They won't ever know about you.

You're going to clean my money, then give it to him,

starting with 1.5 million.

I'll pay back double in a couple of weeks.

Take a cut for yourself, and your pal here,

send the profits somewhere safe.

Then we go again.

You see, I'm still learning about money,

but what I do know is money like this should be put to work.

That's what this is.

An investment strategy.

Investment strategy is a rather grandiose term

for running drugs into Florida.

Tell me something, Campbell.

All that money I bring you,

that the Colombians bring to you,

where do you think it comes from?

Construction.

Does a lot of construction money fall out of the sky?

No, no, no. You see, there's a system.

About how much I know.

And this is not the system.

I don't want to be a bag man anymore.

Are you part of this, er, insanity, Douglas?

The returns are hard to ignore, Logan.

They are hard to ignore.

That's that, then.

It was a good meeting.

Er.

Thanks for the intro.

Do you ever hear from Sarah?

The old gang?

I live here so that I don't have to see the old gang.

Do you know what I think about, Logan, when I think of you?

The roller.

You fly over for the reunion,

then it's, what, two hours from Heathrow to Cambridge?

And you hire a roller - a '72 silver shadow, no less

for a two-hour drive.

But it wasn't about the journey, was it?

It was about the arrival.

Nice rolex.

I'm a scholarship kid with rejection issues

and lifestyle choices that have crippled my self-confidence.

I need as much arm our as I can afford.

- But you? - The golden boy of Cambridge?

Why did you need the roller, Logan?

Good luck, Dougie.

Good luck, Logan.

He wants to start with a million dollars a week,

then he'll double it when he sees it's working.

We are not ready.

This is the whole point, isn't it, of this machine you're building?

Only if we are in control of the machine.

I'm in control.

You know, senor Palmer,

tenerife has always been conquered.

The arabs, the africans, the Europeans.

And then they all thought that the island was theirs forever.

Then someone else came along and took it from them.

An island is easy to conquer.

And hard to defend.

You'd be surprised where I've come from

to get what's mine.

And you'd be surprised what I'd do to hold on to it.

Anyway, I've got a plane waiting.

You've got work to do.

Where are you going, senor Palmer?

To hold on to what's mine.

Good afternoon. I'm dropping off a time-share deposit

to your accounts department.

I can take that for you, sir.

This is my life savings.

I-I'd like to deliver it myself.

If you could just give me a name for someone in accounts

and point me in the right direction?

Can I help you?

No, thanks. I've got what I need.

I was thinking about the school,

and how you should name it after your mother.

Mothers, they're... They're important.

They should be remembered.

You'll pay for the school?

I'll pay for the school.

Why?

The money that passes through this island

should do some good along the way.

Every time I think I know you a little more,

I realise that I know you a little less.

You know me better than anyone.

I don't think that's saying much.

I remember the first time that I met you,

with lauretta.

I couldn't stop looking at you.

Really?

I can't say I noticed you.

Yet here you are.

For now. Now's good.

Right.

Task force.

Hello, bowman. I thought you'd be in the pub by now,

with the guvnor away.

What do you want, Lundy?

Go to the coach and horses in Greek street in half an hour.

A bloke will give you something for me.

Call me when you've got it, and don't tell boyce.

What a joke!

A cooked breakfast needs to follow some basic rules, nic,

or the whole thing collapses.

- I can't hear this again. - Look, a tattie scone

should be served in addition to a black pudding.

The idea that it's some sort of replacement is frankly illogical.

Tone!

Two rooms... Booked by the met police.

If it's a honeymoon, it isn't very romantic.

It ain't an honeymoon, I can tell you that for free.

Seconded.

Then, what are you doing here?

We're not making any arrests, we're not interviewing under caution,

- so you can't stop us. - This is a small island.

And the people that live here make it even smaller.

I've had three phone calls to say that you're here,

and two about the scene you caused at breakfast.

It wasn't a scene.

We're not telling you what we're doing

just so you can get on your phone and tell whoever you answer to

round here.

You know, I worked the beat in Glasgow for 20 years.

Took this job for the quiet life.

Turns out I hate the quiet life.

I'm three ranks above you, I'm bored out my skull,

and I answer to the fucking queen.

So tell me why you're here.

We're on the brink's-mat task force.

Christ, is that still going?

We think some of the money's being laundered here.

And we're here to ask some questions.

There are around 100 financial advisers on the Isle of Man.

And outside every office is a board where they are required to

post the names of the companies registered through their office.

Look at the size of the offices, look at the size of the boards.

And that's the Isle of Man all over.

- What's this? - You're now temporary

special constables of the Isle of Man police force.

Which means? Fuck all.

But it'll stop them phoning me.

That's for me.

Lundy.

Don't do that again.

Er, you know, sir,

usually a south London villain with a...

With a few quid in his pocket, he comes over here,

he spends his time

falling out of pubs and shooting his mouth off, but.

Miller's as careful as they come.

I've been here a week and I've got nothing.

I needed some help to narrow things down.

Help from whom?

I don't think you want to know that, sir.

Lundy, do you understand the basic concept of a chain of command?

I know a bloke in the telephone business

who doesn't have much time for villains,

but he does have a list of all the phone calls

made in the last month from the Isle of Man to the cost a blanca,

which I need bowman to fax to my hotel

so I can start knocking on doors.

It's a bad line, Lundy.

I'm afraid I didn't catch any of that.

Thank you, sir.

Ceremony by new order.

You're going to have to tell me where we're going soon.

No. We're getting lower.

I told you, it's a surprise.

Two more?

- Absolutely. - You and your bloody surprises.

I didn't know what to wear.

Yeah, well, you scrubbed up not too bad.

This is going right to my head.

How about this, then?

You know this thing can, er, get us to The Bahamas for Christmas?

We have Christmas at home, John.

I'm just saying.

You know, who would have thought we'd ever have our own plane.

Be able to go anywhere we want.

Be anyone we want?

I don't want to be anyone else, John.

You know, I just want us to have a nice life.

And a safe life... Together.

Yeah?

And if that nice, safe life comes with champagne at 30,000ft?

Yeah, well, I can live with that!

Well, that's good, lucky,

because this is just the start of it.

Where are we going, John?

We're going somewhere good.

Somewhere better.

I thought it would be better-hidden,

what types like this do with money.

But it's not, it's bold as brass.

It's legal, nic.

Otherwise they'd have to answer our questions.

Yeah, well, someone on this island knows where Miller is,

and where his money is, and I ain't leaving until we find them.

We'll find them when Miller makes a mistake.

And he will.

Before this, all Miller did was bounce between

south London and the scrubs.

This isn't his world, no matter how much he wants it to be.

Sooner or later, he'll come unstuck.

I just hope it's sooner.

I don't know how much more of this place I can take.

That's it, tone.

What is?

It's south London.

It's always bloody south London.

Wow!

I can't believe you remembered!

1972 Olympics.

Some bird with red hair got a perfect round

and I said, "she must have put in the graft,"

and you said it was the, er, the horse that won it.

Some... It was a French type.

"Best in the world," you said.

Selle francais.

And I sat in our shitty little flat.

And I told you, one day, I'd buy you one.

What, they'll not sell you one?

No. They train them together, the French.

Yeah. They're a family, and you don't split up a family.

Yeah, you're right.

Which is why I bought all bloody six of them.

You didn't!

They'll train them here, and then they'll send them

to any tournament, or whatever you call it, anywhere in the world.

And you can take the plane and you can come see them

- when you want. - I'll drop in when I can.

I'll be flying right over.

I can't believe this!

You deserve it.

With everything you do, and everything I don't.

Madame.

Would you like to ride?

Can I? Of course.

Oui. They're yours.

You have fun, love.

And take your time.

I'm going to, er, have a little wander about.

You're a good man, John.

Ain't you supposed to be a detective?

- You're milking it, pal. - Just tell me.

Silwood, hawkstone, silver lock, st Mary's.

They're all south London council estates.

That's Miller's money, and this bloke has it.

- And he ain't at work. - It's a small island.

There can't be many Douglas baxters in the phone book.

Come on, then, mate.

Let me get you a proper drink.

We've got all the British beers if you want a taste of home.

Just... just another lemonade, please.

Dear, dear.

I won't be getting rich off the likes of you, will I?

Come in, John.

Thanks for seeing me.

You left tenerife a little quick, Lena.

I didn't get to say some things.

John... look.

It was my fault.

Things got... Things got out of hand.

Too much partying.

And I should know better.

I'm older, I'm the boss.

That's not true.

And that is not what it was.

It was more than just that.

It's cruel to tell me that it was just that.

You're right.

You're right, I'm sorry.

It was more than that.

And, look... Anything you need, any time.

I'll sort you out.

There's no limit on that.

But what happened, can't happen again.

It's not right.

It was, er.

I don't know.

That island... It does things to you.

Well, it does things to me, anyway.

I'm pregnant.

And I'm a catholic.

So I'm pregnant.

Well?

She's got a record, sir.

Glad to hear it.

It took a bit of digging, but I think you'll like what I found.

Go on, then.

No!

Behave!

Nic, we are recently sworn-in special constables

of the Isle of Man police force,

which is a situation we should treat with the utmost respec...

For fuck's sake!

Hurry up.

If he's got Miller's money, then he's hiding it well.

Not that well.

Good evening.

No, thanks, love.

You're on holiday.

Bit of sun, bit of booze,

and now you're looking for a bit of the other.

No, thanks.

There is something about islands, is there not?

Yeah, there is.

They feel safe.

Remote.

Forgotten, hidden.

A place where consequences do not apply

to what we do now, and to what we did before.

The period between being convicted of a crime

and being sentenced for that crime is a difficult place to be.

If you're held on remand, it's simple enough,

but if you're out on bail, then that's more complicated.

Do you stay and take your punishment, or do you run?

Those that run make the wrong calculation.

They look at what they're facing - a year, two years,

three in your case

and they think, "I can't do three years, I don't have it in me."

"I'm just an accountant from lewisham"

"who embezzled a bit of money."

So they run.

They find an escape.

An island.

But, over time, they realise their mistake.

They've swapped three years for a life sentence.

And they're trapped.

And whatever that island turns them into,

and whatever that island makes them do to survive,

that's who they have to be.

Forever.

You ain't on holiday.

No.

And neither are you.

You're just another lost soul hiding on an island,

looking for refuge.

And, instead, you found me.

And?

Who are you, then?

You know who I am,

you know who I want, and you know it's not you.

So, now there is just me, you and John Palmer

on an island.

And there is something about islands.