Original subtitles

Here, come and see what I've got.

You'll like these, your favorite.

Here then, here.

Come and see.

There you are.

I'm just off.

Yeah, me too.

Bought and paid for.

Thanks.

I didn't realise there was so much work in that place.

It'll look good when it's finished.

When it's finished, yeah.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Don't work too hard. No.

Thanks. It's all right, I'm OK.

I'll go straight home.

I know.

What's happened?

Captain? Well, you didn't like going straight home as well.

My place doesn't need painting.

You and Janie.

We finally split up.

Sir, we left home.

It was mutual.

She gets house.

I'm just living on there alone.

Temporarily. Until things finalise.

Jane is where at the moment?

With France, somewhere.

Any chance of a reconciliation?

Nope.

Anyway, that's the last thing I want.

We'll get a dry light.

Well, I knew there was a lot of needling between the pair of you, but that

happens in most relationships.

It doesn't have to.

Of course it does.

Oh, come on, come on.

I've been buying that kind of advice for years, we all have.

And it's incorrect advice.

You see, you can't always be a bed of roses, you can't live on love alone.

Well, why not?

Janie believed all that. She preached it morning, noon and night. A sense of

responsibility.

Remember your age.

Be serious for once.

Think of the future, not of the past.

Oh!

Well, I like happiness.

No, it doesn't. It agrees with me.

I just wasn't happy with her.

Ah.

You couldn't have timed it better.

I'm no good at decorating. Steve, Steve, do me a favour. Put a bottle of white

wine in the fridge, bring it in, could you? A couple of glasses.

That's in Streatham, isn't it?

Who?

Him? No, his wife. She's gone missing.

Ah, nothing to do with us.

That's Unipol.

But they sent him up here.

Oh, did they? Because the man reckoned there could be suspicious circumstances.

Who's on desk duty?

Sergeant Pierce.

Oh, Frank.

He just wants to send him home happy, John. What? Your man.

Sound interested, send him home happy, then forget it. Happy?

All right, then.

Hopeful.

Hey.

Why's he carrying a set of bathroom scales?

I don't know.

Haven't asked him.

Oh.

So where will you live until everything's sorted?

I don't know.

I'll find a small place somewhere.

I don't need much.

Well, give me a shout if you need a hand with the painting.

Oh, I shall.

Top up? No, I won't use this bit.

So, where's Mike?

Oh, he's having dinner with some colleagues.

In the force? No, in the art world.

The art world.

Thank you. Good night.

Good night.

And your wife's been gone how long?

Five days now.

Without telling you she was leaving?

That's right.

And without leaving a note?

Yes.

Had she told any friends or relatives that she was considering leaving?

No, that's what I've been doing for the past five days as well as... searching

and waiting for her. I've been telephoning.

Telephoning all kinds of people in my know. And without any luck?

Without any luck at all, I'm afraid.

Was she worried about anything?

Worried?

Oh, was she troubled in any way?

No. You hadn't perhaps had a row on the morning she left?

A row?

You know, an argument, a quarrel. I was at work.

The night before, then?

No.

Anyway, I don't think we've ever had a proper quarrel. quarrel in the whole of

our married life.

A difference of opinion now and again, perhaps, but that's not really a

is it?

And you say she hadn't taken a suitcase?

No, the suitcases are all still there in the landing cupboard, and her clothes

are still there, and shoes are there, all her things.

Does your wife have a job, Mr. Thorne?

No, she used to teach, but she's given that up.

I still teach in a technical college.

Some of us have gone showing the young ones what best to do with their lives.

Provided you can get through to them.

Oh, with the majority of them you can, unfortunately.

And do you have any children of your own?

No.

And your wife's full name again?

Sylvia.

Sylvia.

Anne. Anne.

Thorne.

And a description.

What? Well, we need a description of her.

Oh, yes.

She's not very tall.

About five feet, five feet one, something like that.

Age? Thirty -eight.

Old? Slim, quite slim.

Complexion?

Well... I suppose you'd say she doesn't really have a great deal of colouring.

Pale?

Yes, pale.

Pale complexion.

Colour of hair?

Brown. Colour of eyes?

Brown.

She's very pretty.

Quite attractive.

Lots of people think that.

Have you any idea what she may have been wearing on the morning she left?

No. No.

Mr Thorne, um...

What makes you think there could be something, well, something seriously

Well, the fact that she's been gone for so long without contacting me. Isn't

that reason enough?

Apart from the working day, we haven't been separated in 20 years of marriage.

We never wanted to be.

So, as far as I'm concerned, there has to be... There has to be something very

seriously wrong.

And that's why I've come here.

Well, I have to tell you this, Mr. Thorne. There's not a great deal we can

Oh, I realize that. Without proof that your wife is or could be in some kind of

danger.

I see.

But it was right of me to come here.

Yes. I mean, we have this information now. Should we hear anything, we'll

contact you.

Thank you very much. Also, in the meantime, I'll get someone to make

within the other divisions.

In the London area?

Sorry? Only Sylvia would never wander out of the London area. She loves

She'd never be there. Oh, right.

And then there's the hospitals, of course. I've already seen to that. I've

the casualty departments of all the London hospitals.

They've no word of her.

Well, then that's good news, isn't it?

Yes. Yes, I shall ring them all again tomorrow.

Fine.

Of course, there's another alternative, should your wife stay away from home for

much longer.

What's that?

Well, you could contact a private inquiry service.

No. There's no need. I'm conducting my own search.

That reminds me.

My number at the college.

If your people have any news, perhaps they'd be kind

enough to call me on that number.

Of course, during the weekdays.

Only I'll be busy searching for her during the evenings.

I think... Well, from late afternoon onwards, actually, as soon as I've left

college.

So... Where do you do your searching?

Oh, around the streets.

London streets, as many as possible.

If you never leave London.

Oh, so you say.

So what do you do? Drive?

Oh, no. I don't drive a car. I never have, no.

I go by bus.

By bus?

That's right.

On a strict diet, sir?

I'm sorry.

What? These.

Well, it's just an idea of my own, actually.

It's silly, I know, and you...

Just look at the things.

You see, my wife and I, we met when we were at university.

Well, in fact, she was at university. I was at college.

Same thing, more or less. It was 20 years ago.

Amazing how time flies, sir.

What?

Well, anyway, 20 years ago, someone arranged for us to meet.

Blind date sort of thing.

Well,

you know how you do at that age, I said.

Well, I said that I'd meet her at a particular bus stop and that I'd be

a set of bathroom scales as a means of identification.

So, just a joke, really, then.

Oh, a bit of fun.

Yes, just that, a bit of fun. And I think, well, I hope that if I see her

now in the street somewhere, well, it will amuse her.

Help to remind her, of course.

Of course.

Well, thank you anyway. Thank you for being so helpful.

She'll probably be there when you get back, Mr Thorne.

It's looking all right.

Yep.

Oh, thank you.

Oh.

This is your new home. Hmm.

And yours.

Actually, give me a ring.

Mary Woods.

Yes? Do you have any part in the break -up between you and Jane?

No. That's not important enough, is it?

Anyway, I was talking about happiness, wasn't I?

Rather, the lack of it.

So you were... Anyone like some supper?

Supper? It's all right, don't panic. I'm cooking it. What is it? A surprise.

Sylvia?

Sylvia? You home?

Mummy. Beef burger sandwiches.

Bacon sandwiches.

Now, if you like your bacon well done... Or burnt. Or burnt, then try those two

at the top.

Pepper and salt.

Ketchup. Sorry, there's no chips.

Oh, yes.

Some serviettes. Oh.

Well, the loaf was a bit lumpy.

Anything else? No, that'll do just fine. Thanks, Steve. Good.

Well, I'll be right back. You just help Selza.

Yes. All right. Just a laugh for now, I think.

Yeah. I reckon he done well, hasn't he? Mm.

So what's this meeting, then?

What meeting?

The one that Mike's gone to.

Oh, that one.

It's a kind of social get -together with a bit of business thrown in.

He hasn't rung, so I reckon he'd come straight in.

Yeah. How's these highbrow friends that he has to be now and again just to keep

in touch with what's going on in the art world?

You met these friends?

No, I might think so. I found them a bit boring, a bit stuffing.

Museum pieces?

Something like that.

Ready for seconds?

Seconds? I haven't even got this stuff.

I'll get it.

You just tuck in.

You've got to eat it.

Come on, he did bother to cook.

After all, two years' time.

It's my... The relief column has arrived!

My God, I know the police are underpaid, but surely they can afford furniture.

I'd like you to meet some friends of mine.

What on earth is this? A plate of sandwiches.

A plate of what?

We thought we'd come and cheer you up. Cheer me up?

Two bottles of syrup.

We thought you might need it, all this painting.

Smoked salmon.

Good Lord, you don't really do your own decorating, do you? Surprisingly, yes.

King prawns? Oh, come on, Jessie, a dark cow. Oh, foxtrot, Oscar.

Oh, somebody has been to the supermarket.

Two tins of smoked oyster.

How was the business meeting?

Oh, it was fine. I thought it was a very productive evening, didn't you? Well,

yes.

Come along, move some of this rubbish, lovey.

Thank you. Chinese salad.

Not an ear, no.

Oh, how dull.

Lump fish.

What fish?

And fresh peaches.

That's nice.

They do help yourself.

No.

I think I'll stick to this rubbish thing.

No wonder they can't catch criminals anymore.

Museum pieces?

Oh, sorry.

It's all right.

I can walk away from it.

God, really, meet those dreadful people.

What a load of credits.

Fantastic sandwiches, Steve. Yeah, well, it must beat lumps of fish any day.

Let me wrap that up for you. That's all right, I'll eat it on the way.

Well, look, we must get together again soon, sometime. Sure, sure. Talk about

Jane. I've already talked about Jane. All right, then we'll talk about you.

It's a deal.

Well, look, take care of yourself, OK?

Bye.

We thought we'd help out with a painting.

Yes, to the benefit of our talents, darling.

Lovely.

Bring a little colour into your life, darling.

I'm drinking the last of it.

Oh.

Doghouse, is it?

I don't think so, yeah.

Look, that mess in the next room, I'll clear it up.

I know you will.

So, what time did they all leave last night?

It was before two.

Sorry I fell asleep on you all. I'd had a hard day.

Yeah, I bet.

Is there any breakfast going? Some toast, something like that?

Beaten the last of the bread.

Hang on a minute.

Morning, love.

Good morning. Oh, morning.

That should add a little colour to your life.

Darling.

All right, then. I'm sorry about last night.

No, I don't really see why I should be.

You don't? No.

I brought them round here to cheer you up. I thought we could all have a good

time together.

All right, I should have realised that certain people, certain friends just

don't mix.

Yes, maybe you should have realised that.

I'll come and see you tonight.

Alone?

Alone.

We'll go out together somewhere nice.

Alone.

All right.

That woman, Cecily?

Yes. How long has she been a business colleague?

For a long time. Years.

She's a very good artist and designer. An art expert, in fact. She's in great

demand.

I'll bet she is.

She's only ever been a friend.

A good friend.

Nothing more than that.

Whoever suggested otherwise.

All right.

See you later.

Come on, you kids, on your way. Go on. Get off it.

That's right.

Morning, ma 'am. Morning, morning.

Got all this for that silver black?

That's it, please.

Now, would you believe about 800 ,000 quids worth? Show me.

All silver work and silverware.

Fine stuff.

And not just antique, more than that. That stuff's ancient.

And all one -off pieces.

Candlesticks, platters, chalices, statuettes.

They knew what they were taking, and we'll never find them.

So are we doing it our way, going through the motions, asking around? They

meld this lot, do they? No.

Owners won't believe that. Try to tell them. I said, look, straight silver's no

good to anyone these days.

He'd have gone abroad.

Of course he would. That's a shopping list.

Stuff could already be abroad.

Captain? I've notified them, but the owners still aren't happy.

I feel like saying to them, look, what does it matter now? As long as the

stuff's been loved, cared for and appreciated by someone, even if it is

else.

My advice, copy insurance money, find a new hobby.

Life's too short.

What do the owners say?

They say we should bring in experts.

Experts. I've had enough of so -called experts!

I'll take your bag. Oh, thanks.

It's a pleasure.

Pleasure. Paul Van Vian.

Thanks, ma 'am. You seen that lift?

Yes. You're making one hell of a fan.

I said I'd go out there, but the owners want to arrange for their solicitors and

their insurers to be there as well.

You don't have to stand for that. Well, as long as it keeps the peace. Anyway,

Jake's dealing with it at the moment. If he can't baffle them with double talk,

nobody can. No one can.

No.

So, uh, how'd the party finish last night?

Painfully.

But they're Mike's friends, and apparently if you care for someone

have to suffer their friends as well. Isn't that how it goes?

So they say.

What about Janie's friends?

I usually manage to avoid them.

The bad ones.

Sometimes even the good ones.

Yes, well, that's what I shall do. I shall suffer them but make them keep

distance. What about you? You still on your own?

Yeah.

I must say, you're looking well on it.

Thank you.

Oh, perfect.

Fine. Bye -bye.

Tomorrow at four.

Solicitors, insurers, the lot.

Lovely.

And they'd like very much for you to be there as well.

Don't reckon we're doing enough.

I wonder if he ever

found her.

Who? His wife.

Whose wife?

Oh, the fellow that was in here. His wife went missing, remember?

And he had those bathroom scales.

Oh, him.

Who needs people like him?

London Transport.

What?

You mean you don't know? No, I don't know. Oh.

Yeah.

Ah, there's the lady asking to see you, ma 'am. Just you, no one else.

Now, she'd reported someone missing.

We'd have dealt with it, I suppose.

No, I'd have dealt with it.

I'd even go back in uniform with someone like that.

Kids? Yes, kids.

Children.

They've been bothering me for weeks.

What exactly do you mean by bothering you? Oh, hanging around, getting in my

way.

No taller than that.

Two girls.

Sometimes they have a small boy with them.

And they obviously intend to give me a bad time.

Because now they've vandalized my car.

Did you see them do this?

No.

So that's why I'm here.

I do not like being threatened by children.

Fair enough.

So, I'll just take you down to the proper department where you can make

complaint. I'm making it here.

Sorry, not to me. I don't deal with complaints. Oh, for God's sake, darling,

you're in the police force, aren't you?

Do we really have to discriminate?

Well, it's not really a question. I mean, after all, we do know each other,

don't we?

Friends of a friend and all that.

I see.

Well, now, look, I do have rather a lot to do. Yes, I'm sure you have. But I am

quite prepared to take you down to the duty sergeant who can deal with your

complaints. You have already made that perfectly clear. I am perfectly prepared

to discuss my relationship with Mike Turnbull.

Briefly.

If that's the real reason you came here.

It isn't.

Fine, so would you like to come with me? As you happen to have mentioned the

man, we don't... seem to see a great deal of him lately.

We? His friends.

He's quite a talented man, did you know that?

If it wasn't for the job he's doing now, he could make a good living out of his

knowledge of art.

Yes, well, perhaps he likes the job he's doing now. Well, you're bound to say

that, aren't you? Does he ever discuss these things with you? What things?

Oh, painting, drawing, music. Yes, of course he does.

Oh.

Now, listen, hang on just one minute. Yes?

Now, if you came here just to pick a fight, I think that I ought to... I

haven't. It's just that we hope that he... Well, that he isn't losing

in the finer things.

It can happen.

Trouble?

She came to see you? Yes.

At your office? That's right, at my office.

What's so funny?

She really is cool, that one.

Is that what you call it?

You see, she acts on impulse.

Always has.

She gets a thought in her head and that's it.

Oh, well, the thought she had in her head this afternoon was that you were

starved. Starved?

Of intellectual stimulation.

Oh.

Well, are you?

Do I slow you down?

Nope. Make you feel like you're missing out on something? Never.

Good.

Her original excuse for coming to see me was that she was being given a rough

time by some kids. Kids?

Small children.

Well, that makes sense.

What makes sense?

She hates children, feels threatened by them.

Yes, you said that.

She ever been married?

Certainly never.

Well, what sort of love life does she have?

Boyfriends, girlfriends?

Nothing. Nothing?

That's right.

And she's happy that way. I know it sounds corny, but she really is the kind

woman whose love affair is with her career, nothing else.

Ah, I see.

So she gets her fun from dressing up, acting on impulse, and invading other

people's offices and homes.

Exactly. She just likes dropping in on people.

Oh.

What if the compliment were returned?

For what?

Well, if you and your fun -loving tribe happened to drop in on her out of the

blue, how would she like that?

We'd never get past the porter. What?

She doesn't like visitors, never has, not even friends.

That's a bit one -sided, isn't it?

Not really, it's just the way Stephanie is. We accept it.

You know what?

None of us has ever been invited to her home.

We've never been inside the place.

Well, it seems to me that good old having a nice time with Bethel is a bit

odd one.

Not really. She's just an individual, that's all.

Ah, an individual.

back for that meeting at four.

Right, ma 'am. You'll only be out for an hour or two.

So where will I contact you? I just said I'll be out for an hour or two. If

anyone's got any messages, tell them back.

I will.

See you later.

Yeah, where is it?

We called you up because we thought there'd been a row up there.

Bit of a family fight that went too far.

Then we discovered she didn't live here anyway.

Oh, we found her notes.

Suicide? Yeah, all the way from the top.

Witnesses told us she'd been seen hanging around here for the past few

But kind of switched off, they reckon.

Wouldn't talk to anyone.

No idea, just a goodbye note.

I said it all.

I'm so tired of everything.

All right.

Let's have a look at her.

Yeah, well, I'm sorry, lady, but Miss Grant won't have anybody go up to her

place.

Why? That's her business.

Haven't you ever wondered why?

No. Like I just said, it's her business.

Yeah, well, it's my business now.

She made a complaint.

I'm following it up.

Oh?

Oh, it's about some children who were given her trouble. Oh, them.

You know the children?

No. They come from one of the estates somewhere.

You can always tell estate kids.

Have they been given you any trouble?

No. But then I don't bite, do I?

You don't what?

Oh, you know.

Kids like that, estate kids, they try it on with her. And if you bite, they give

you trouble.

It's a bit of a game with them.

Miss Grant, she didn't know how to deal with them, eh? No.

She just didn't seem to like kids.

When I tumbled that, I just dug it in for her.

Would you mind telling me which floor she lives on?

Hello?

No one's going to hurt you.

Where is she?

In my office.

And the child? With us. She's been taken care of.

How old is this child?

Six.

And it hurts? It's settled? Yes. We've checked.

Anyway, she's a resident.

I don't believe it. It's true.

Is the child all right? Has she been badly treated? No.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

It's just that she hasn't seen the light of day for those six years.

And that child cruelty... We're going to charge her.

It must be difficult being a fun -loving individual with a small kid in tow.

I take it, Miss Grant, that you have a solicitor.

Oh, yes.

Then perhaps you care to phone him?

I think that perhaps I'd prefer a cigarette.

Miss Grant, you will be charged with an offence under Section 1.

of the Children and Young Persons Act.

For what? Neglect? Cruelty? What?

In the fact that you failed to provide adequate... My child has been well fed,

well clothed and well sheltered.

She had also been well protected against the influences of other children.

Under the Act, failure to provide adequate food, clothing... I've just

explained.

Tell her, will you? And medical aid will be seen as neglect, likely to cause

injury to health.

Now, is your child registered with the local GP?

Or with Child Welfare?

Miss Grant.

Miss Grant, we can find no record of her.

Does anyone have a light?

Your man in the bus?

Yeah.

Got a description of his wife?

Somewhere, yeah.

It's it?

You'd better go and find him.

I've seen a bankside mortuary.

Where? For an ID.

You dealt with him, didn't you?

Yeah, of course I dealt with him. Well, some woman has taken a dive off

Lanscourt Towers, and she could have looked like that.

Once.

I thought I'd do a bit of undercoating.

Help you out.

That's very thoughtful of you, love.

Yeah, I thought that.

I said to myself, I said, well, I'd better make up for all those years of

sacrifice that you're always on about.

Me?

It was supposed to be a joke.

This man, Thorne.

You say you saw him?

Yeah.

In the nick?

Yeah, that's right.

We didn't know, did we, then?

Talk to him for how long?

Um, about 20 minutes.

Had him there, in the nick, for a good 20 minutes?

Yes, sir.

I put a call out.

Also told to alert London Transport.

Jake, I want you out there.

You too.

A pair of you.

You know him?

Once you're out there looking for him.

Woman's been dead a good few days.

Battered to death.

No sign of a murder weapon.

Oh, um, he'll have that with him.

The murder weapon, Gov.

See, we think we know what it is.