Original subtitles

- You give me everything you've got. Tell me exactly how you got it. And then you walk a

- So, Maja accidentally misdirected a payment into your account?

- Why would Maja be transferring someone 50 grand?

- I can think of a reason.

- Look, are we all in this together?

- No one else was involved in this. - KINCAID: If you say so.

- Full time, premium pay. What do you reckon?

- You know he can't be saved.

- This facility is one of the best in the world.

- You got any idea how much this would cost?

- No. Money's not an issue.

- It's time for a coordinated effort.

- Now might be a good time to bring in my team. Are we good?

- For now.

- KYLIE: Woo!

(GIGGLES)

SINGS: # Para bailar La Bamba,

# para bailar La Bamba,

# se necesita una poca de gracia,

# Una poca de gracia, pa mi, pa ti,

# y arriba, y arriba,

# y arriba, y arriba, por ti sere,

# por ti sere, por t―

Not today, mofo!

# Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan, soy capitan, soy capitan! #

# La, La Bamba.

# La, La Bamba. #

(OMINOUS MUSIC)

(SINGS INDISTINCTLY)

(THWACK!)

(TENSE MUSIC)

(BIRDS CHIRP)

(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC)

- Happy?

- Happy.

- You OK?

- Yeah. Just a bad dream.

- Occupational hazard, I reckon.

- Mm.

- Are you sure you're OK?

- Go to sleep.

- Mm.

- SAM: Ken's gonna get accepted, Sharon.

- I'm not putting him through all that stress.

Airports, travel― the whole lot― unless he's guaranteed of getting on to that trial.

I've done everything they've asked.

Forms, medical reports― the whole lot.

- I know. But sometimes with these things, you just gotta create a bit of a fuss.

We'll chase them today.

- Thanks, Auntie.

- Here you go, darling.

Sam seems determined for us to get to Europe.

- Well, you did agree to it two weeks ago.

- You need to help us help you, yeah?

- Hey, Sam. I hope you realize how grateful we are. Yeah?

- I'll be at the bar.

- Not a bad way to spend the morning, eh?

- Thank you.

I've, uh, got to go soon. Got an early meeting.

- Oh, well, in that case, we better make the most of what little time we do have.

To us? Cheers.

- Cody, um...

I have to say something.

- Oh, you did say soy, didn't you? - It's serious.

- Scary.

Ah! Are you having second thoughts about us going public? Is that it?

Cause if so, that's totally fine. I am happy to keep it underground. It's not a problem

- No. We need to hit pause on things.

- What do you mean?

- I just think that we should avoid letting things get too serious. Just for now.

- Come on, Anais. Not this again. How many times are you gonna flip-flop?

- Just let me explain.

- No, you can't keep leading me on. If you want to end it, just end it.

- I don't want to end it, Cody.

- OK, well, I'm getting really mixed signals, then.

- I'm trying to protect this. Protect you.

- By breaking up with me? - I'm not breaking up with you.

I am just asking that we put things on hold, just for a bit.

- Why?

- (SIGHS)

It's complicated.

- What are you hiding? Are there skeletons in the locked room in your house?

Are you...

Are you in danger?

- I will be fine. My team is looking out for me.

I just need to make sure that you're safe, too.

- Jesus.

- Look, I... I know this is an unfair thing to ask.

So if you don't want to do it, I get it.

It's OK.

- You promise it's temporary? - Yes.

- Just a break?

- Yes, it's just until we're in the clear.

- It's like dating a spy. - (LAUGHS)

- All right. - All right?

Really? - We can put things on pause.

You know I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, Mallory.

- Thank you.

Thank you. - Hm.

You do realize I'm gonna have to start charging you for those drinks?

- Mm-mm. - Mm-hm.

- That's fine. (LAUGHS)

(SWEET MUSIC)

(OMINOUS MUSIC)

- KYLIE: Morning.

- Hey! You're early.

- Hoping for a worm.

What's all this?

- A gift from Vernon.

- Courtesy of Interpol.

- Very kind of you to print them out for me.

- Please. I had a junior do the grunt work.

Hey, listen, I think you're barking up the wrong tree with this, Mallory.

- Thank you, Vernon.

- But, if by some miracle, you do uncover something valuable, I want to be the first to know.

All right? Otherwise, it's the last time you get anything from me.

- Understood.

These are all unsolved murders from Europe.

- Right? Shouldn't we solve the murder on our doorstep before going international?

- Well, yeah. I'm hoping these will help with that.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

- All for one.

One for all.

- Wouldn't there be hundreds of unsolved murders in Europe?

Where the hell do you even start looking?

- Maja's financial records give us a map of where she was when.

So I've had Vernon pull any cases that line up with her movements.

- That's still a lot.

- You should have seen it before.

It's pretty easy to whittle it down once you know what you're looking for.

- What's that, exactly? - A pattern.

(ENGINE REVS, TYRES SQUEAL)

- All for one. One for all.

- Anything that looks remotely staged, keep it separate.

- Copy that.

Oh, this is gnarly.

Is that possible?

- Definitely.

- Why would you go to all of that effort of staging the victims?

- I think the killer wants it to feel important. Like it means something.

But if you strip it back, this is just insecurity.

Someone desperate to be noticed.

(BANGING ON DOOR)

Simon. God. Don't break the door down.

Hi.

OK...

Simon?

- What are you looking for?

- Shhh!

- Oh, you did not just shush me.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait.

- What the hell was that? - A bug. What is going on?

- It has been there in the back of my mind ever since I went hunting.

'All for one. One for all.' - Well, it's the Three Musketeers.

- That boot print you found, near the generator, when that last warning was left.

Where's that photo? - It's on my phone.

But, uh... - Can I see it?

- Yeah. I haven't been able to match it to any brands online yet.

- What if it's not advertised online? Doesn't need to be. High end. Local.

Show me.

- Where did you get this?

- I made it myself this morning,

with the new boots I bought to go hunting.

Guess who else owns the exact same pair?

- Just do it, Lena! No, no, no.

We have waited too long already, and this whole thing is about to go to shit.

- CODY: G'day!

- Morning, mate. Look, thanks for coming in. I hope you didn't have anything planned.

- No, nothing of any great significance.

- Well, two people have called in sick, so we're already way behind.

Better clock in and crack on! (CHUCKLES)

- Right.

- So you think Maja's murder had something to do with Sam?

- Yeah. Do you remember the night we all bought into Anais' investigation?

Well, when you and I did, Jarrod.

- Finally. Cooked it took so long. - Hey.

- But really appreciate you guys including me.

- Do you remember what you said, Hoana? About helping out?

- What? All for one?

- ALL: One for all, one for all.

- That's what's been bothering me. Sam said the same thing to me!

- All for one, huh?

- It's like he threw it at me deliberately to see if I'd pick up on it.

He was testing me. He got a kick out of it.

You freaked out because somebody had been up in that room, right? - Mm-hm.

- Well, that's when he must have planted the bug.

He has been listening to everything we've been saying ever since.

- Well, it's not exactly an uncommon saying, though, is it?

- Well, someone's been listening to us. - It's got to be him.

OK, I didn't put it together at first, but there has always been something off about him.

That's why I went on the hunting trip, to get a read on him.

Think about it.

He's always sniffing into Kincaid's investigation into Maja, asking questions that cross

Sharon can't see it. She's too close. And the way he puts on that friendly act.

It's too much. It's like a performance, right?

But every now and then, the mask slips. OK?

On the hunting trip, he pointed a loaded crossbow at me.

- What? Did he clip you?

- Uh, no. - He threatened you?

- SAM: Yeah! (LAUGHS)

- Not exactly. OK. He...

- Now, that's what I'm talking about! (LAUGHS)

- He shot a pig. OK? But it was just the way that he was acting. It wasn't normal.

- Yeah, but Sam wasn't in town the night Maja was murdered.

- What? - He was on a hunting trip.

Sharon said Lena was so upset that night that she had to stay with Lena until Sam got back the

- Yeah. And what about Lena? If what you're saying is true, she would know something.

- Well, maybe. I mean, spouses don't always know what their partners are up to.

I mean, maybe he was threatening her. We don't even know if he went hunting.

He could be lying. OK. How else do we explain the bug?

- Kincaid? If anybody would want to know what we've been talking about up there, it's that past

- Jarrod's got a point.

- But what about the bootprint? I bought mine from the same guy that made Sam's.

That treadmark has to be his.

- Yeah. It's possible. And we should probably look into it.

- OK, but just― All of this is just what you would call speculation, though, right?

- Anybody could have used that boot maker. And none of this links him directly to Maja's m

- Such a gnarly call. - Massive.

I just hope we're going down the right path, because if we are, that's gonna break Sharon's

- Is Cody working at Gintopia today? Maybe we loop him in, see if he can get us something o

- No he's not, and even if he was, there's no way we're putting him in the middle of all thi

- Uh, I'm working there today. - What?

- Gintopia. I clean there part time. I can keep tabs on Sam.

- Kylie, we don't know if it's safe.

- No. She's right. We can't ask you to do that.

- You didn't ask. I'm telling you.

If Sam has been listening and I suddenly don't show

after we smashed his bug, he's going to know we're on to him.

Look, I'm going there anyway. I need the cash. Might as well keep an eye on Sam while I'm

- If anything feels off. Anything― - I will be gone like a whippet.

- And what can we do?

- Look, I admit it's all a little bit loose at the moment,

but there is enough there that we can't just ignore it.

We look into it carefully.

OK, I'm going to keep digging through those files.

Hoana, do you want to follow up on Sam's alibi?

- Ka pai.

- And, Jarrod, you keep an eye on Kincaid.

Can't rule out the possibility he planted that bug.

- On it.

(HORN HONKS)

- Everything all right over there? - What? Yeah. Yeah, fine.

- Come on, mate, I'm not paying you to bludge. Fair day's pay for a fair day's work. Yeah?

- Sorry, I just, um... just got a wee bit on my mind.

- Well, in my experience, that is either money trouble or women trouble.

Yeah? Well, my guess is women trouble, right?

So is it anyone I know?

(PHONE RINGS)

- KINCAID: This better be good, Mallory. I've cut short my morning walk.

- I didn't peg you for a rambler, Vernon.

- Doctor's orders. I've been overdoing it on the pastries. Anyway, what's this all about?

- Hey, you know those files you sourced for me? I think I've found something interesting.

- What, don't tell me you found that needle in the haystack.

- Well actually, I found several.

Send a text to Cody Palmer.

(VACUUM DRONES)

(HYDRAULIC DOOR WHIRRS)

(KA-THUNK!)

(EERIE MUSIC)

- Hey, Kylie!

Kylie!

(LAUGHS) Fuck.

This is nuts.

Sam and Lena are into some kinky shit. (LAUGHS)

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

(DOOR OPENS)

- What the fuck are you doing in here?

- Yeah. Hey. Sorry. Um― Uh― It was just an accident. Um...

- It's not your day, is it, mate?

(LAUGHS)

- Surely this can't be coincidence.

- Don't get ahead of yourself just yet.

- JARROD: Do we get a copy of it? - Yes. - No.

- They don't need copies. You'll be briefed, Constable.

- They do need copies. We need to know what we're dealing with. All of us. I've made copies

- I'll tell you what. Why don't you make one for Kylie Shorrock bloody Watson as well, while yo

- OK, Vernon, let's not rake over all that now that we're actually starting to get somewhere.

- HOANA: Where are we heading, exactly?

- Somewhere dark.

Very dark.

- Holy hecka.

- I've been looking through unsolved murder cases that align with Maja's movements through Eu

These are the ones that have caught my eye.

Four victims, three countries.

Amadora, just outside Lisbon, Portugal, April 2021.

Victims one and two. Local police believe it to be gang related.

- SIMON: Jesus.

- Victim three. France, Epernay. August, same year.

A little more artistic flair with this one. Those circles are carved.

- Oh, this is so cooked.

- And victim four. Barcelona, Spain. October 2022.

Even more theatrical.

The victim's boyfriend was arrested but released without charge.

Insufficient evidence.

- It's like some twisted art project.

- There's something similar about these cases, don't you think?

- Well, the stagings do bear some resemblance to display murders, but...

The profile of the victims.

They're all different.

Ages, ethnicities, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds.

- Which is why no one's connected them before.

- So why have you connected them up now?

- Turn to the autopsy reports.

Across the victims, the wounds tell a consistent story.

A single fatal knife strike. 10 to 12cm, clean entry, precise placement.

Whoever did this knew their way around a knife.

- And the edges. Yeah. One side's cleaner than the other.

- Great spot, Jarrod.

A single-edged blade, but not a kitchen knife. The entry is too wide.

- What about a hunting knife?

- I thought the same thing.

And it fits with the weapon that killed Maja.

My line of thinking is that whoever killed her killed these people too.

- Thought you were going to let me know when...

Good God, what's going on here?

- Progress, boss.

- Mallory. Delaney. My office now.

When I approached Command about you two joining forces with Kincaid,

it was about the Maja Staunton case.

And now suddenly, we're looking at murder cases from across the world.

- Which appear to be related, boss.

- What, you're suggesting that Maja was involved in these murders?

- No. I actually think she was probably running away from all that.

And the people involved.

- What people?

- Uh, we're not actually sure ourselves yet, boss.

But as soon as we are, I promise you, we will lay it all out for you.

- Make that sooner rather than later.

- Yes. We will.

- (SIGHS)

Bloody hell.

- We can't tell Sharon we're looking into Sam. Not until we are absolutely sure.

- Yeah, but he was in Spain with Maja.

You always been into hunting?

- I really got into it when I was in Spain.

Managed to fog the girls off to some Corpus Christi thing in Seville.

And I went out to the forest for a whole weekend.

- 'The girls'.

He was talking about Lena and Maja,

and he owns a hunting knife exactly like the one you described. I've seen it.

- Well, we can't start raiding houses yet.

First, we need evidence that places him there when the murder happened.

- OK. Yeah. You're right.

- And we can't drag Sharon into this until we are rock solid.

She's already at her limit with Ken.

Can you update Kylie?

We should all get together tonight, talk this through.

- Yeah, sure. What about Kincaid?

- I'll deal with him.

- Well, my copper's instincts are to bring them both in right now.

Sam and his missus.

Lock them in the interview room and apply a blowtorch to their quivering bellies.

- Not yet. There is no point storming in there

until we have something solid we can actually stick them with.

- We can get something solid by applying pressure on them.

- Right now, we have access. Tons of it.

The second we make an accusation, that's out the window.

- I won't accuse them. I'll let them fall on their own swords.

The longer we wait, the more chance they have of sniffing us out.

The element of surprise goes out the window.

- If we play our hand now, we lose more than we gain. Trust me, Vernon.

- All right, but don't you so much as think about interviewing either of them without m

- Right back at ya.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

- Sam?

Lena?

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

Oh, wow.

She actually found a pattern.

- Yeah. Anais just wants to go through it all tonight.

Keep it. Your copy.

- Oh, awesome.

- Anything to report on Sam?

- Nah, I've hardly seen him or Lena all day. They're out somewhere.

- OK. Well, keep your eyes peeled.

- Oh, yeah. Will do.

Hey, um, just real quick.

Do―

Do you reckon I could...

make a go of this sort of stuff?

- Murder?

- Police stuff.

I mean, I don't exactly want to be cleaning toilets the rest of my life, do I?

- Do you want an honest answer?

- No, actually.

Do you know what? Let's forget that I asked. It's probably best. - We'll leave it.

Read it thoroughly. See if anything sticks out. I'll see you tonight.

- Roger that, Detective. Catch ya. - See ya.

(TENSE MUSIC)

- LENA: Where are you? Why aren't you back yet?

- Just getting things organized.

- Well, hurry up. Ken's been accepted on to the trials.

We need to get the ball rolling.

- Finally.

On my way.

- Lena?

- Anais. What are you doing here?

- Is Sam around?

- He's out. Do you want me to pass on a message?

- No, actually, I came here to see you.

- Oh, did you?

- Yeah, I just wanted to catch up.

- Oh. It's funny, I don't think you ever just caught up with me before.

- How have you been?

- Busy. Yeah, really busy, as I can imagine you must be.

How's the case going?

- Good, actually. Finally starting to get somewhere.

Must be...

intense

having this place together.

- Oh, we love it. Yeah. We're actually talking about expanding.

You know, opening a new place up over in Kelvin Heights.

- Wow! Things must be going really well.

- Honestly,

just some days I feel...

I feel so lucky.

How are things with you?

You're seeing Cody, right?

- Listen, Lena, I just want you to know...

Help is here, OK?

All you have to do is ask for it.

- I don't understand.

- Don't you?

- KINCAID: A cozy little powwow.

- Vernon. We were just having a catch up.

- Well, do you mind if I inject some law and order into this little tete-a-tete?

- Um, what's going on? what's this?

- So, you and Maja Staunton go way back. Is that right?

- School. Sorry. Is this about her death?

- Murder. - OK, Vernon.

- Yes? - I really― - Thank you.

You reconnected while you were in Europe. Is that right?

- In Krakow. Yeah. Late-2021.

- And you went travelling together? - Um, on and off, yes.

- Your husband too?

- From time to time. I mean, when he wasn't hunting or fishing.

- Do you remember where you were on these dates?

- Oh God, no. No, you know what it's like when you're on holiday.

And that's what it was. An extended holiday.

You know, travelling, picking up gigs.

I can't remember specific details.

- OK, well, let me jog your memory. France.

- Vernon, I really don't think we need to do this right now. - I think we do.

- SAM: Hey, babe! What's going on?

- What you did on your holidays. Like a little school project.

- They're here about Maja.

- Really? Great. Are you finally getting somewhere?

- Yeah, I'm trying to work something out.

Are we?

- Well, we've told you everything we know, which is bugger all.

Unless there's some new developments. What's this?

- They're asking about our time in Europe with Maja.

- Why? What's that got to do with anything?

- Maybe nothing. Maybe everything.

- Ooh. Riddles. (CHUCKLES)

- Murders.

Were you in these cities, in these towns, on or around about these dates with Maja Staunton?

- No idea. But dates don't mean much to me. I tend to live in the moment.

- Your wife tells me you're quite the hunter, Mr Masters. - Yeah. On occasion.

- Europe must have been good for that.

I'm curious, what sort of knife do you use for hunting?

- Well, it depends what I'm hunting.

- Well, let's say, uh, something sizable.

- Then I'd say a sizable knife.

- Well, maybe we could swing around your place and take a look. Huh?

- Ah... huh.

Here you go, mate.

Why don't you clutch at these?

Cos you already are.

You've had months on this case with nothing to show for it.

So now you rock up here spewing your half-baked conspiracy theories about our dead fri

Why don't you piss off and get out?

- Thank you for your time. We'll be looking into your alibi for the Maja Staunton killi

- Go ahead, mate. Door's that way.

- Oh, and, uh, by the way, you have a lovely day.

- You need to choose better friends, Anais.

- Maybe Maja should have, too.

Think about what I said.

That stupid idiot!

Now they know we've linked Maja's death to the European murders.

Gonna have to find something to charge Sam with and fast.

Not gonna hang around for much longer.

- SIMON: Shit. I'll update the team.

What happened with Lena?

- I offered her a way out, but it seems like she's made her mind up.

- Are you coming back to the station?

- Yeah. Yeah. Soon.

- Botanical.

Relaxing.

Fucking cops gnawing away at it.

- You think they'll talk to Sharon? Could make her rethink everything.

- Oh, for Christ's sake.

We'll go talk to her ourselves before they do.

Come on.

- OK.

That's good to know.

Thank you. Bye.

That was the Department of Conservation.

They've rechecked, and they confirm Kincaid's notes about Sam's hunting permit.

He did get one for the time he claimed.

Doesn't mean he used it though, right?

- True.

This case is getting weirder and weirder, eh?

- Oh, yeah. - Like those murders in Europe.

(EXHALES) It's crazy.

Reckon we've clocked in a bit of overtime on this one.

- Yeah, a couple of hours, sure. - Oh, a couple of days at least.

What? Uh, I'm gonna be a dad soon. I'm just thinking about, you know, lining it up for when baby

- Yeah. OK. OK, Jarrod. Focus in.

- I'll get Jarrod on to it. OK, bye.

Boss― - I've got to go out. I might be a while.

- Maybe Ken's been accepted. - Hunting permit checks out.

- So Kincaid was thorough.

I've got one more line of inquiry, though, and I just spoke with Anais.

She wants us to talk to the boot maker.

Get a list of clients, and keep it to ourselves, i.e. not Kincaid―

Incoming.

Vernon. - Delaney. A word.

Where's Mallory? - I haven't heard from her.

- Gone rogue again. Un-bloody-believable.

- What are you talking about?

- Don't be coy with me.

She's gone to Gintopia to see Sam Masters on her own.

When I explicitly told her not to. - And what were you doing there?

- (SIGHS) You know what? This bullshit, it's got to stop.

- ANAIS: These European display murders are all very similar in nature.

It appears the same knife has been used across all the victims.

- Yeah, it certainly seems to be the work of the same killer.

Beautiful dress. The suspended body. Are these chronological?

- Yes.

- I mean, you can see the escalation. Each one more elaborate than the last.

- Yes, and Maja's killing goes that one step further, using the cage.

- Yeah, that one almost feels like the outlier.

Uh, the European murders, they're intimate, personal.

There's control there. Even restraint. There's artistry.

It suggests someone who wants to shape things, seeking some sort of admiration.

- Yes, they're trying to control the narrative, which would point to a sociopath.

- Maybe. But Maja's display's all about ego.

It's overt, public, bold ― wanting to flaunt what they're capable of.

And that leans closer to the psychopath, I think.

- But the mechanics are the same. Same execution, same knife.

Maybe the killer just gained confidence.

- Perhaps.

But what strikes me is... is what's missing.

- What do you mean?

- I mean, the injuries are...

precise. They're clean.

The victims themselves, all remarkably undisturbed.

I mean, if someone's fighting for their life, you know,

it leaves, traces, scratches, bruises, defensive wounds.

There's almost none of that.

You know, we're all supposedly capable of entertaining the idea of committing atrocities li

Evil men actually do what good men only dream.

Do you have a suspect?

- Yes. Possibly more than one.

- I actually can't believe that he got on to these trials. This doesn't seem real!

- It's amazing news.

- What did I tell you? Sometimes you just got to give them a push to get them to actually

We needed some good news after today.

- What do you mean? - Don't, Sam.

- No. We gotta tell her.

- Tell me what? What's going on, guys?

- It's your man, Kincaid.

He's been throwing around some pretty wild accusations about Maja's death.

He's even got Anais on board.

- None of the victims put up a struggle?

- It appears not.

- The killer drugged them, maybe?

- Toxicology reports all came back clean. No sedatives, no narcotics.

- But that doesn't make any sense.

If someone's coming at you with a knife, you'd at least put up a fight.

- Not if you weren't expecting it. - Exactly.

Maja was stabbed in the throat. You can't do that from across the room.

The killer had to be close to her, which means she felt safe enough to let them get close.

- So someone she knew? - Someone she trusted.

- Masters fits that profile.

If we're gonna nail the bastard, we're gonna need more evidence.

- You fucker!

- Sharon! - Boss!

- This isn't an investigation. It's a personal attack!

(CLAMOURING)

- This is the problem with you! (CLAMOURING)

- No, you can calm down! - (WHISTLES)

Sorry.

- Sharon, we are looking at all possibilities

and no one is going to act on any suspicions until we have absolutely rock solid evidence.

- What suspicions?

And you lied to me.

You and Simon.

- No, boss. We're just trying to look out for you.

- Yeah, and the best way to do that is to find out the truth about Sam Masters.

- Let us do our job, boss.

- If I wasn't going on compassionate leave, I would be shutting all this down right now.

- Wait, you're going on leave?

- As of today. Ken got on to the clinical trials.

- That's good news, boss. - When do you leave?

- Tomorrow. Can't waste any more time.

- It's probably for the best. - Vernon.

- You all keep this bastard honest.

- How about we, uh, reconvene tomorrow, eh?

Make a plan of attack then.

- This is getting pretty wild, eh?

- Yeah and that house ain't safe.

We're getting you out of there tonight.

(TENSE MUSIC)

- Let's not hang about.

- Yeah, we head in, pack a bag and head to your mum's, eh?

- Kylie! Fuck.

She's alive. - I'll dial triple one.

Jarrod, get a blanket. - Yeah. On it.

- Hey, Jarrod. Be careful. They could still be here.

How's her pulse? - Thready.

- Upstairs is clear.

But the padlock's been smashed off.

- Jarrod! Don't touch anything! - Head to Aspiring View Road.

Follow the driveway to the house at the top. I'll stay online.

- Holy fuck!

- Stay with her. - Yeah.

- Anais, no, no, don't go in there. - Wait!

- (SCREAMS)

(GASPS)

(WHIMPERS)

(SIRENS WAIL)

(SOLEMN PIANO MUSIC)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

(INDISTINCT RT CHATTER)

(BAG RUSTLES)

(SOFT, TENSE MUSIC)

- Delaney.

So, what were you all doing up there? Little ex-officio meeting without me?

Trust is a two way street, Delaney.

And that room up there is a real eye-opener.

She said she had shared everything with me.

- There's nothing up there that isn't in the file she's already handed over.

- No? What about the sense of her bloody obsession?

- Let's call it thoroughness, shall we?

- Yeah. All right. What about this? Huh? A warning.

She'd had it previously. She didn't share that either.

- She had her reasons. She still does. - Which are?

- She still does.

- OK. That's enough. All right, you two need to stand down.

- I'm not walking away from this.

- You've acted completely unprofessional, son!

- Are you really questioning my professionalism here,

or is it that you just want us both off the case?

- YELLS: You withheld evidence, son! You call that professional?

- You can take it to Command if you like, Vernon.

We don't walk away.

- We stay on it. Ex-officio, if we have to.

Your call, Vernon. I'm taking her to the hospital.

- (VOMITS, GASPS, PANTS)

(SPITS, PANTS)

Thank you.

You drive. I don't think I can. - Of course. We'll take my car.

- I want mine. I want to go in mine.

(HYPERVENTILATES)

(EXHALES)

Wait. My gun.

- Don't worry. I hid it in your bedside table.

- OK.

- Why Cody?

- To get to me.

- Babe.

- They're stabilizing her and prepping her for surgery.

- Did they say what she...

- She's got a skull fracture.

At this stage, they're not sure what the extent of the brain injury might be.

They're doing more scans to get a clearer picture.

I'm sorry. That's all I could find out.

- No. Thank you, Shelby.

- Yeah. Thanks, babe.

- SIMON: Hoana. How is she?

- Bad, but she's still with us. They're just taking her into surgery.

- Is there anyone we should call?

- Um...

I don't know anything about her family.

- What about Cody?

- His family's up north, I think. Uh, someone should be handling that.

- I'll do it.

- Maybe it's best if I do it― - I said I can do it.

- Hey, um, you should probably let us take a look at you.

- I'm fine.

- OK. Well, let me know if you need anything.

- Thanks, Shelbs.

(ZIPPER WHIRRS)

- So he took a blow to the head?

- Yes. Trauma on the skull is consistent with a heavy, blunt impact,

but it looks like it was the knife that killed him.

- Time of death? - Quite recent.

About five hours ago, given the core temperature and degree of coagulation.

- What about the Shorrock woman?

- She was attacked about the same time. Again, judging by the blood.

The medics moved her, but general positioning suggests she was struck from behind.

- OK, so the killer comes down the stairs, hears her coming in,

gets into position just in time, and bam! Probably thought he killed her.

- SAM: There you go.

Get packing.

- Everything's set. Wheelchair cab's booked and special assistance at the airport.

- Do we need all that with you guys there?

- It's just in case, you know. And you have to book it in advance.

Ken will need help, anyway, getting on the plane.

- There is nothing to worry about.

We've wrangled you 2 million euros in cash.

That'll cover everything. - It's gonna be OK.

I've got meetings with the lawyer in the morning, and once that's sorted, we'll join you.

There won't be any problems.

Uncle Ken's going to get better. It'll all be worth it. You'll see.

- OK. I'm gonna get packing.

- It's going to be a long night. We should use it.

There's things we have to do, even if Kincaid does try to stop us from doing them.

- What, he's threatening to?

- He's thinking about it.

- (GROANS) I bet.

- We just need to stay focused.

Jarrod, when can we expect that client list from the boot maker?

- I haven't heard anything, but there's an address online. I can drop by tomorrow.

- OK. Yeah. Great. Keep us posted. Kincaid knows about the threats now,

so he might accept the boots as evidence enough to bring Sam in for questioning.

- Kincaid has a pair.

- Sorry, Anais?

- The boots. He has a pair.

- I knew that bastard was―

- Hold on. Just one step at a time. It could mean nothing. It could mean that he is somehow co

- I need a water. - I'll get you one.

- I'm all right. I need to walk.

Mr Palmer.

I'm sorry to be calling so late.

My name is Detective Anais Mallory.

I'm with the Queenstown Local Area Command.

I'm afraid I'm calling with some very bad news.

Doctor, how's she doing?

- Detective. She's one of yours, then?

- Uh, yeah. She's a friend.

- Well, the surgery went well. It'll be a few days before anyone can talk to her.

- OK. Thank you. - Yep.

(SOMBRE MUSIC)

- So this is where you're hiding?

Can I get you anything?

Cup of tea?

- Everyone I'm close to dies.

I should come with a warning.

(CRIES)

(MONITORS BEEP)

- I'll catch you later.

Did you find her?

- I did, but I lost her again.

- What do we do?

- We give her the time she needs, but we keep an eye on her, too.

How's Kylie?

- Stable.

Hey, you should try and get some rest at some point if you can.

- Yeah. Got to track down this bootmaker first.

- You get yourself straight, all right?

Because we need you back on board.

Hey, and just for the record,

I reckon you'd make a shit-hot copper.

Has Anais been in?

- I haven't seen her. Bit on her mind, wouldn't you think?

- We've not been told to stand down.

So what are we supposed to take from that?

- More rope.

You either hang yourself with it, or you use it as a lifeline.

- By solving the case?

- You solve one, you solve the other, don't you think?

It's all well and good connecting the cases.

But if we don't have hard evidence, we can't charge him.

- We've got something that might help.

- From the scene? I thought― - No, no, no, no.

From a while ago. We have a footprint from when that warning note was left.

- All right, I'll take a look.

- We're already following up on it.

- All right. Excellent.

There's an autopsy happening.

I thought I'd go down and peer over Dr Wedderburn's shoulder.

Fancy joining me?

- NATE: Initial observations ― the blow to the head is unusual.

It's a distinctive depression. Something square, but not sharp. Slightly rounded corners, p

Maybe the corner of something heavy.

- Relative to the killing, time-wise?

- There's major bruising despite the bleeding, so I'd say over an hour earlier ― the blow.

- Plenty of time to stage him.

- And this was the knife in his chest?

- ANJALI: Yes.

- Mm. Doesn't match the knife used in the other killings.

- That isn't the murder weapon.

- I thought you said the cause of death was puncture to the heart.

- Yeah.

- And that's the knife that came out of his chest? - Correct.

- OK. Am I missing something here?

- That knife was removed from his chest, but it wasn't the one that killed him.

It appears to have been inserted postmortem.

- As in purely for display?

- The knife that punctured his heart was much wider. Most likely a―

- SIMON: Single edged blade, 10 to 12cm?

- Precisely.

- JARROD: Hey, Simon. I stopped by the bootmaker's address.

- Hang on.

Sorry. I'll catch up.

And?

- Nobody's there.

Newspapers from a few days ago on the doorstep, too.

Looks like he's out of town.

- You think you can find out where he is?

- Yeah. Hundy.

Hey, do you think Kincaid knows we're sniffing around him?

- No, I don't think so. - Too busy stuffing his face.

- Whether or not he's involved, we need to start putting Sam Masters under pressure.

Depending how we get on at Gintopia, we'll get you and Hoana to try his house.

- Yep. On it.

- Developments?

- Uh, just tying up a few loose ends.

Time to put the squeeze on Sam Masters.

Unless you say otherwise.

- Take as much rope as you like, Delaney.

(BROODING MUSIC)

- Anais. Hi.

I know you need some space right now, and we'll leave you to it.

Just let us know you're safe, eh?

Look, we've got you every step of the way.

You don't have to carry any of this alone.

Take all the time you need. We've got things covered on this end.

- Really? Forced entry?

- No. You're right. No need yet. Let's try Sharon's first.

If she hasn't left, they could be there.

With a bit of material evidence under our belts, maybe.

(INTENSE MUSIC)

- Jeez. This place would suit me, Shelbs and the baby just fine, eh?

Yeah, if we won lotto.

- Hey, Si. Nobody here at Sam and Lena's.

- Thanks, Hoana. Now― hold on.

- KINCAID: Did they do a proper search?

- Well, you can tell him the whole house is pretty much made of glass.

There's nowhere to hide. And we did a thermal scan.

- Asshole. - Muppet.

So you think they're here? - Working all the angles.

- I can't imagine the boss is going to be stoked to see us.

- We've got good reason to bring him in, though. Check this out.

The 'n' is identical.

And the way the letters run together on the 'ing's.

- OK, let's see what forensics make of that.

In the meantime, Renner, with me round the back, just in case.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

- SHARON: Yeah. Hold your horses.

I hope that's Sam.

- Boss. Sorry to barge in. We just need to have a word with Sam.

- Clear out the back.

- What the hell? Get out of my house!

- Packed up and ready to go, are we, Sharon? what time's your flight? Your family going wi

- They will be once things are sorted with their lawyers.

Sam's there now, dealing with your allegations.

- It's more than allegations now, Sharon. We have evidence in the latest killing.

- What latest killing?

- It happened last night. Or I should say it was discovered last night.

The victim was Cody Palmer.

- Yes. Murder.

Where was Sam yesterday afternoon?

- This is mad.

- We just need to talk to him, OK? He could have an explanation. Is there anyone else he

- Just Ken upstairs. Hoana, please don't disturb him. He's sleeping.

- Of course.

- If you know where he is, boss...

- I told you he is at the lawyer's. They both are.

Now― Now I need you to leave.

- Of course. - KINCAID: What's the name of the lawyers?

- Ingles and Matheson, in town.

- I'm sure they'll be delighted to see us.

- Sorry, boss. - Boss.

- Sharon...

- Simon, go with them, then I'm guaranteed of one sane voice in this conversation.

- I think we have enough circumstantial evidence to arrest him.

- You'll still need a warrant, though.

- Wait, so, if Sharon's leaving, who's in charge now?

- Auntie?

- I just lied to them. Said you were both at the lawyer's.

- Yes, I heard.

- Don't even know why I did that.

Lena, do you know where Sam was yesterday afternoon?

- With me at the bar.

- Not all afternoon.

- Sam has done nothing wrong.

He wouldn't hurt anybody.

You know him.

- Then I guess it'll get sorted then.

- Of course it will.

(SIRENS WAIL IN DISTANCE)

- JARROD OVER RADIO: Leaving Inspector Li Feng's house. Heading back to base.

- DISPATCH: Copy that, Renner. Over and out.

(PURPOSEFUL MUSIC)

- SAM: Is the car clean?

- Yeah, it's uh, a legit, uh... rental.

- Describe me.

- Wh-What?

- Describe me.

- Nice brown hair... um, big blue eyes?

- That's the wrong answer, mate.

Come on.

Now, if I hear that you have said anything to anyone about this or me, I'm gonna gut you lik

Do you understand?

- CHOKES: Yeah.

- Didn't hear you, mate.

- Yeah, lips...

- Good.

Oh, you got a bike in the back. And, uh, a bit of cash.

Not bad pay for a couple hours work. (CHUCKLES)

Make sure you do the job properly, yeah?

Can't spend your five grand if you're dead. (LAUGHS)

- Consulting their lawyers (!) - I told you they wouldn't be there.

- Well, either Sharon's covering for them or they're lying to her.

- Can we put out a WTI and alerts on Sam's vehicle,

and start things rolling on search warrants for his house and the bar?

- Probable cause?

- The note. Maja's tracking, the material in the Interpol file.

- Well, the forensic examiner is analysing the note, but I still don't think it's enough.

- If there's an argument, show the judge the pictures. That should do it.

- No way. No chance. It's not enough. We need more.

And besides, if we're going to go after them, we're going to need a―

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

- 'Gone hunting' my ass.

- ANAIS: 'And victim four ― Barcelona, Spain, October 2022.'

- Bingo.

- GEORGE: (GRUNTS) Yeah, no worries, Sam!

Yeah, I'll just (GRUNTS)

I'll just start your bloody fire, Sam! It's good! Yeah, easy!

Piece of piss, mate! I do this all the time! Just... cars on fire.

Easy! Anything else you'd like me to light on fire?

Ah, shit.

Bloody car. Come on. Come on.

(GROANS)

(BOOM!) Whoa!

(YELLS)

Oh, shit!

- Have you heard from Anais?

- Not yet. She just needs her time.

- I don't even want to imagine what she's going through right now, eh?

- Eh. Anais is strong. She knows we're here.

We just need to be there when she's ready.

- Know what I could go with right now?

- What's that?

- A big bowl of Kylie's spag bol.

- True, eh?

Even when you chuck too much garlic in it.

- It's the best part. Cleared my sinuses for a week.

- Oh, yeah. It'll clear your chances of getting a pash for the next week, too.

- (GIGGLES)

She'll be all right, eh?

- Yeah, of course she will. E wahine toa ia.

(RT CHATTER IN BACKGROUND)

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

(THUMP!)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

(SOLEMN MUSIC)

- SIMON: Look at this.

This places them in Spain at the same time as one of the display murders.

That's got to be enough evidence to push us over the line for a warrant.

- Well, perhaps. How'd you get this?

- What do you mean?

- How did you get this?

- Look, does that even matter right now?

- Of course it matters.

You think I'm going to pursue a warrant based on illegally procured evidence,

then your head needs a wobble, mate.

You heard from Mallory?

- No.

She's taking some time to herself.

- Well, can't blame her for that.

I mean, she didn't exactly keep her boyfriend out of harm's way, did she?

- Hey! You― (PHONE RINGS)

Hey. Thanks for getting back to me.

Hey, uh, did you manage to look at those dates that I sent you?

The park was closed?

- Lena, my guy came through. He can get us on a boat tonight.

- No.

- Shit has hit the fan, all right? And it's only going to get worse. We need to leave no

- Not until we've dealt with it.

- For fuck's sake. Where exactly are we supposed to go? Huh?

We've got the entire police force trying to sniff us out.

- Back to Gintopia.

- I swear to God, if we get screwed because of this...

- Lena?

What's he done?

- Nothing. It's just a big misunderstanding.

- A misunderstanding? There's been another murder.

- I know. Which he couldn't possibly have had anything to do with.

And he can prove it. But it's going to take a while to sort out.

The lawyer needs a chat with me now, so you're just gonna have to go on ahead.

Do you think you'd be OK getting to the plane?

- Yeah. Of course.

- Great! Then we'll meet you in a few days at the Institute.

- I'll get Ken dressed.

It's battle stations, darling. We're on the move.

- Can I help?

- No, I'm all good, thanks.

- Hey. You know... you've always been like my real mother.

You know that, right?

- You're my daughter, darling. Always have been and always will be.

- (GAGS, BREATHES DEEPLY)

- Ah. And what do I owe this pleasure?

- We're just, um, uh, checking up on some things. Do we have permission to enter?

- Yes, we're all finished. Go ahead.

But tell me...

apart from Anais, this Kylie, and, of course, the victim, has anyone else been in that room?

Can I expect any surprises?

Fantastic (!)

(SOLEMN PIANO MUSIC)

- OK, guys, let's piece it all together.

- What do we have?

- Well, Maja's travels throughout Europe match up perfectly with a bunch of display murder

You know, the same hunting knife used every time.

- And Maja wasn't alone. She was travelling with Sam and Lena when at least one of those murders

And Sam owns a hunting knife that matches the murder weapon.

- Yeah. Then Maja was strung up in a bird cage. Straight out of the same playbook.

- What about Sam's alibi?

- I think it's bullshit.

When we were out bush, Sam said he'd been fishing in Fiordland just before the alleged hunting

MetService records show there was a massive storm in Fiordland that week.

So I called the national park and they confirmed it was closed on the dates he claimed to be

He was lying. Not to mention this.

- The writing on Cody's death note is the same.

- SHARON: We really need to get to that airport.

- Fast as it moves, love.

- Sharon!

It's him.

- I'm sorry, Anais. I've got to get going.

- Sharon, it's Sam. I am sure of it! He killed Cody. Maja too.

- I don't know what you're talking about.

- Where is he?

- I have to go, Anais! This is our only chance.

- Sharon, he has taken everything.

- And my everything is in this van.

- Listen, I am begging you. I am begging you. If you know anything, anything, please.

- Sam's made all this possible. He paid for Ken's treatment.

That is all I know. I don't ask questions.

Let's go.

- Where is he?

YELLS: Where is he?

- He's at the bar.

- HOANA: So what's Sam's motive then?

- To get to Anais. He's repeatedly tried to scare her off the investigation.

Now he's proved he's not bluffing.

- Wait! You don't think Anais has gone MIA because she's planning some sort of revenge, do

- No. She's...

Fuck!

- What is it?

- I'll explain in the car. We need to find Anais. Now.

- Why are we running?

- (SIGHS DEEPLY)

- Hey, Anais.

Hey, um, hope you're doing OK.

Look, um, I just wanted to say that we're all thinking of you,

and I guess we're all a little bit worried.

I know this is a bit weird coming from me,

um, I know everything is cooked at the moment,

but, please, please don't do anything crazy.

Anyway, hope you're all good, mate. Bye.

(PHONE VIBRATES)

- SAM: I thought you might drop by.

- I was hoping we could meet.

- Oh, how can I help, Detective?

- I'd like to pick your brains re. the murder of Cody Palmer.

- Why me?

- You were his employer. I'm sure you saw a lot of him.

- I imagine you saw quite a bit of him, too, eh?

Look, Detective, how about I block out some time in my calendar?

Maybe next week, and you and I can put our heads together, yeah?

That suit you?

- What about right now? Off the record.

- Off the record? Sure thing. Let's keep this thing on the down low, eh?

- I mean, where do we even start looking? She could be anywhere.

- Her phone. We can track it.

- Hey! I just got a message from Anais. - What?

- Yeah! 'Jarrod, you're gonna make one hell of a dad.'

Oh. That's nice, eh?

- Someone's in Gintopia.

- How do you know that?

- I may have broken in earlier and set up a motion sensor camera behind the bar.

- Well, who's in there?

- Illegal cameras. I don't have time for this shit.

- How long ago was that?

- It's a live stream. CI car, no sirens.

- Go!

- Wait, wait!

Fuck.

(HAUNTING MUSIC)

- When we get there, you take up a position by the door.

- Nah, I can go in with you guys.

- You're gonna be a dad. That's an order, Jarrod.

(SIRENS WAIL)

- Idiot! What is he doing?

- Oh, great. I'm so glad you're here.

Whoa, whoa!

A-Anais, what is this?

- I know it was you.

- I don't know what you're talking about.

- Maja?

Cody?

- Look, I don't know what kind of crap Kincaid has filled your head with―

- Sit down.

- Anais, you've got this all wrong.

- No, I don't think I do.

- Well, why don't we do this properly? Yeah?

Let's go talk down at the station. We can clear this whole thing up.

They don't know you're here, do they?

- Start talking.

- I'm not gonna admit to something I didn't do.

- OK.

- Oh, Jesus! Can we just (STAMMERS) breathe, please?

- YELLS: Talk!

- Cody and Maja were my friends. I never would have done anything.

- I spoke to Sharon. I called her before she left for the airport.

- What did she say? - Enough.

- Wait!

You know, we really did have a lot of fun with your boy.

- Fuck you.

- Thanks, babe.

(SIRENS WAIL)

- HOANA: Do it, Jarrod. - Yup.

- Shit, we need to move.

- Back again?

Unfortunately, we're closed tonight, and we do have a no guns policy.

- Where's Anais?

- Told you. We're closed. So why would she be here?

Settle down, cowboy. Do you even know how to use that thing?

Oh, the whole gang's here!

- The hell is going on? - Clear.

- Well, that's an excellent question.

Uh, it appears to be a search of my business without a warrant.

- Who else is here? - Nobody.

- Delaney, what are you doing?

- Guys, this is starting to feel a little personal. I am in half a mind to report you.

- YELLS: Where the fuck is she?

- Whoa! Delaney! Stand down! Stand down!

- I suggest you do as you're told, Si.

- We'll be back.

- There goes New Zealand's finest, eh?

Just, uh, close the door on your way out, will you?

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

Captions by Maia Carr Heke.

Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air.

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