(Glass smashing)
(Air hisses)
(Low volume police radio)
- All right? - Sir.
Well, what was it? The usual?
Yeah. Looks that way, Jack.
When did they move in?
Three days ago.
They've got some very nice stuff.
I bet they had some even nicer stuff before. Who called?
A neighbour. Popped round to say hello. Found the front door open.
- Do you know where they are? - No idea.
He must have just had these printed.
- There is a mobile number. - Oh, right, OK. (Clicks fingers)
- You haven't lost another one? - No, I haven't lost another one.
It's just that there's... something wrong with the battery.
Yeah.
You haven't tried charging it.
# Jazz
That's very interesting. I'll give you a ring next week, OK?
Well, we all feel it's a time of change in Denton.
There's a new spirit. You've only got to look at all the building.
Of course, I don't need to tell you. That's what brought you here in the first place.
Brian wasn't so much brought as driven, Mr Mullett.
The price of office space in London.
What I found irresistible is how much money Denton saves me.
Hello?
Who?
Tell me, are you happy with your new house?
Oh, yes. Exactly what we wanted, now the children have left home.
Yes, I'll come straight back.
Do you know a Detective Inspector Frost?
Yes.
He was phoning from my new house. We've been burgled.
Hello, Laurence.
So, what are you up to?
My...er...my observations of Eta Geminorum were interrupted tonight.
So...so... I have to write down the details.
After that, I have to hand in my statement, and Sergeant Brady said I had to wait here.
Eta Geminorum. It's a star, hm?
Yeah.
It's a binary star, 50 times the size of the sun.
The bright component is a semi-regular red giant
varying a magnitude of 3.2.
Every 8.4 years it's eclipsed by its twin star.
The next one is due now,
and calculations indicate UFO activity.
What, tonight?
Yeah.
There are American special forces here, agents of the Majestic Twelve.
I...l saw them.
Are you going to investigate, Mr Toolan?
- Who? - Well, the aliens, George.
- The aliens. - Yeah. Aliens.
Jack! I am waiting.
Very... Very smart, sir. Very, very smart, mm.
You can't... You can't book one of these alien abductions, can you?
They do tests. Psychological, medical.
They look inside your head.
And they insert a tracking device inside your brain sometimes.
You...You wouldn't like them.
- I haven't got all night! - On my way, sir.
It wasn't me I was thinking about! Tell him.
I... I can do my statement now.
- It's all right, it can wait. - Come on. Home.
- Yeah. I saw them. I saw them, Dad. - OK. You can finish that at home.
- I'll finish this when I get home. - Come on.
I did see them, though. I saw their Jeep.
That's how I knew they were American Special Forces.
The same burglars, targeting people who've just moved into the area.
People with money, valuable possessions.
They've got very good information.
Yeah, I know.
Well, where's it coming from?
Take your pick. You've got a list as long as your arm.
You've got estate agents, auctioneers, you've got removal men,
you...you've...
You know, you've got builders, plumbers,
milkmen, postmen.
You name it, the list goes on.
Tried to find a pattern and they ended up with Yellow Pages.
I want it given priority.
All right. They're burglaries. Give me more detectives, I'll give you more thieves.
As it happens, I'm getting you some temporary help. Some DS from Abingdon.
Thank you very much.
Jack, I was at dinner with Mr and Mrs Weston.
I was about to address the Rotary Club
on how successful we'd been in reducing Denton's crime rate.
- Well, it's true. - Well, it didn't sound very convincing.
Especially when everybody in the room knew
the Westons had been burgled while we were sitting there.
- It's hot in here, isn't it? - It is over here.
(Beeping)
Good job, boys. Well done.
You can't ignore it, boss.
I want this repaired and back on the job this time next week.
There's thousands of pounds' worth of damage here. You've got to tell the police.
We've had vandalism before.
Do you know what it'd do to my insurance? Forget it.
- What if they come back? - That's for me to worry about.
- What's this about, boss? - Vandalism, Les, like you said.
But whoever they are, they'd be very unwise to come back here.
- The police ought to know. - No police.
I don't want anybody mouthing off about it, if they want to keep their job. That includes you.
(Warning siren)
(Explosion)
All right, ta.
(Sighs)
(Groans)
(Baby gurgles)
Hey.
Well, who do you belong to, hm?
Me.
Well, well, well, well, well. Hazel.
How are you?
- It's so nice to see you. - You too, guv.
Dear, oh, dear.
Well, Mr Mullet said they were sending over a DS from Abingdon to help out.
I bet he didn't know he was getting two for the price of one.
I was on leave, so it's all a bit short notice.
Well, nothing much has changed round here.
It's obviously different with you, though, eh?
My sister's coming to collect her. She'll only be ten minutes.
Oh, don't worry about that.
We're all very new man here in CID now.
Well, what's its name?
Emma.
Oh, Emma.
Well, I shall address you as Emma
and you can address me as Inspector Frost.
Or, until we get better acquainted,
guv.
Well, come on.
Let's get to work, eh?
I've got some robberies, some big, some small.
So I'm on the posh, you're on the dross.
Small-time break-ins.
Opportunist stuff.
I'm up to speed. George filled me in on the map.
I just put up last break-in, yesterday,
about...9pm.
A Mrs Halliday, out playing bingo.
She got her pension in the afternoon. She left most of it in a drawer. 80 gone.
Right.
I don't suppose anybody saw anything, did they?
No. Same spec.
Old people living on their own. No real security. It could be kids.
Yeah, more than likely.
There's one odd thing.
Ah, odd.
Now, that I like. What is it?
Looking through the file, no witnesses as such so far,
but...
on at least four occasions, other people in the road, all flats,
mentioned someone trying to deliver a takeaway that hadn't been ordered.
Wrong address.
It's not related to the crimes, it just happened the same night.
Any particular takeaway?
- Don't know. - All right.
Tell you what you do. Check out all the takeaways in the area.
You know - Indian, Chinese, pizza, burger. They're all potential witnesses.
Oh...
- And don't forget - bring me back the menus. - What for?
Well, I might get hungry later on, mightn't l, hm? Go on.
That'll do.
Thanks!
What is it?
Now are you going to call the police?
We were about to start shifting the stone.
- We'd just blasted it. - Was there a warning siren?
I don't think he'd have heard it.
What do you mean?
The body was under some plastic sheeting.
He may have hidden himself after his demise, but it would be unusual.
So, how did he die?
Cause of death - probably a blow to the head. Skull's cracked.
But nothing to do with falling rocks.
A blunt instrument. Hammer, bar, whatever.
He may not have died here.
I'd say the body's been moved.
Can you give me a time?
Last night. First guess, I'd say
between...eight and midnight.
All right. Thank you.
FROST: Mr Lightfoot?
Detective Inspector Frost. Denton CID.
Sorry. I'm still...taking this in.
We've had accidents before, but nothing...no-one's ever been...
No. Well, I'm calling it a suspicious death.
And I'm treating Denton Quarry as a scene of crime.
Though between you and l,
I don't think that Mr Sims' death was...
..you know, an accident.
I think we're looking at a murder investigation.
Murder?
Mm.
This Mr Sims, he was a security guard.
- Worked for you, did he? - Yes.
Was he on duty last night?
No. I don't have full-time security.
(Clears throat)
Then maybe you can tell me what happened here last night.
Why someone broke into the quarry,
and vandalised some of your vehicles and equipment,
to the tune of...
Ooh, what,
quite a lot of money?
Shall we go and have a look?
Then maybe you can tell me
why you didn't think it was important enough to inform the police.
LIGHTFOOT: I've got insurance to think about.
What I got for the damage wouldn't cover higher premiums.
I don't need people snooping around, nit-picking about how secure the place is.
There's the explosives licence to consider.
What you mean is, your explosives aren't secure,
and you don't want anyone to know.
No. It's all inspected.
It's just when something goes wrong, the busybodies come out.
I'll be honest, Mr Frost. I'm struggling.
I haven't made a decent profit in years.
I decided to carry the cost.
And what are you going to do? Bunch of kids?
You think children did this?
Well, what else?
It wasn't kids who killed Mr Sims.
He wasn't even working. I saw him yesterday afternoon.
He was going to Oxford. Football match.
All right. Thank you very much, Mr Lightfoot.
That'll be all for now. We'll talk again later.
All right. Thank you.
Sims was here yesterday afternoon. Does anybody know what time he left?
Yeah, at five o'clock,
with everybody else.
He got a lift to the Carpenters' Arms a couple of miles away with a man called Davis.
Now, he's a driver here.
Davis left him in the pub just before six.
Sims was waiting for a friend to go to some football match at...
Oxford.
Yeah.
Davis never knew this friend.
Do we know what time the quarry closed?
Well, there was no-one here after half five.
We know someone who was, though.
I suppose it's another complaint from Mr Lightfoot.
The thing is, I can't really blame him. But keeping Laurence away from the quarry...
We can't lock him up.
No, no. It's not a complaint.
It's...
Well, l...l want to talk to Laurence.
What's happened?
I need to know what he saw last night.
Where is he?
He's upstairs. I'll call him.
No, no. No need. No, no, I'll just go up.
It's, um...nothing to worry about.
Um...
- It's on the right. - Thank you.
Busy!
Hello, Laurence.
- What...what do you want? - Can I come in?
Thank you.
I have to finish a UFO field data sheet for last night.
Mm-hm?
So you believe UFOs exist, then, do you?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, they must.
Meaning that in an infinite universe, there must be other life?
If the universe was infinite,
then all things would be repeated infinitely.
That's just silly. Do you know about chaos theory?
Well, I know a lot about chaos, but I'm not so hot on the theory.
Random and chaotic systems eventually form patterns.
And they create order. The universe is the same.
Its order is predisposed to create life.
Other life isn't just possible, it's inevitable.
Do you think I could see your statement?
Thank you.
The Majestic Twelve
have people in the police.
They have people everywhere so the truth doesn't get out.
You could be one of them.
I'm not familiar with the Majestic Twelve. Should I be?
Yeah, the control group.
Established by President Truman in 1 947
after an alien spacecraft crashed near Roswell, New Mexico.
To establish contact with the aliens, and to keep the secret,
the Majestic Twelve are licensed to u-use deadly force.
Mm.
Did you see the security guard when you were up at the quarry?
Yeah.
Yeah, Mr Sims. Yeah.
They hit him. I said that in my statement.
So...l hid him behind some stones.
I was going to go back to see if he'd recovered consciousness,
but...but I didn't.
Yeah... He doesn't like me very much, Mr Sims.
You didn't say this last night.
It wasn't important. The aliens.
Mr Sims is dead, Laurence.
Dead?
Hm.
I would have liked to have seen what someone looked like dead.
You're not very fast, are you?
Come on, Ben! I thought you were faster than that!
Cheater!
Sorry we're a bit late.
You're an hour and a half late.
I said I'm sorry.
Go inside and wash your hands.
Your dinner's not fit to eat.
It's my fault, Sally. Don't...
I know whose fault it is.
You can't keep doing this.
I don't keep...
You wanted rules. If you don't keep to them, I'm going back to my solicitor.
The only reason I needed rules was because you wouldn't let me see my son.
I don't want to row.
I was going to take him to the pictures this afternoon. I got tickets.
- Why didn't you tell me? - Why should l?
My life is not your business.
You have set times. Keep to them.
Stop pushing me. I've had enough!
One day I won't bring him back. See how you like that!
(Whispers) Bye, Dad!
Sims was in the pub till nine.
We traced the friend.
His car broke down. No trip to Oxford.
He phoned the pub at 7:00. Spoke to the landlord, then to Sims.
Why did Sims go back to the quarry?
Well, he lived the other side of Denton, didn't have a car.
- I'd say he went back for a kip. - Hm.
The landlord said when Sims did work nights at the quarry,
he'd sit in the pub till closing time, then walk back to the office to sleep it off.
I dare say Lightfoot never knew.
Yeah. My guess is he didn't care.
I mean, Sims would come cheap as a so-called security guard.
What mattered was to have his name on the payroll.
You know, keep the insurance money down.
See what you can find out about our friend Lightfoot.
You know, have a sniff round.
Got 50 pence?
Well, there's a file on your desk.
Now, two months ago, Sims found Laurence Burrell in the quarry at night.
Now, Burrell wouldn't go.
He threw a rock at Sims. He needed stitches.
Really?
Sims called uniform, but there were no charges in the end.
Well, given the lad's problems, Jack, everyone thought it was better left alone.
Yeah.
(Baby cries)
MAN: Oh, shut up!
(Phone rings)
Hello?
No, I haven't got anything.
Well, it's too soon, for a start.
(Dance music pounds)
MAN: You're in my ear all the time.
(Man and woman argue in background)
Bastards.
After this job, I've got you down for the depository.
And this storage needs sorting out.
I need some overtime, Bill.
We're quiet this week. Maybe I can get you a weekend in Bristol.
No, I can't. I won't see Ben.
I've got the Child Support Agency on my back, and Sally's pushing.
- I'm down with my maintenance. - Best I can offer.
MAN: Come on! - I'll have to take it, then. Thanks.
FROST: Did you see their faces?
Laurence: No, no. They had helmets on.
If it wasn't the American Special Forces, then it will have been aliens.
These, um... These men,
they were smashing windscreens, ripping tyres?
Yeah. The quarry's probably an alien communication hub.
Yeah, a meteorite landed here in 1 91 8, an Eta Geminorum eclipse year.
No... No record of any meteor shower.
Yeah, I understand that,
but about that night...
Laurence? Please,
try and answer Mr Frost's questions.
Yeah, the last eclipse, people saw small spheres,
glowing, a formation of bright lights overhead.
There were other reports
from an RAF station outside of Nottingham.
Denied later, as you'd expect.
Yes, but what about that night!
- Just tell me... - You're trying to shut me up!
That's what they did to Mr Sims because of what he saw.
I don't trust you. I'm not going to tell you any more.
No, no more for you. No more.
FROST: Could he be telling some version of the truth?
I mean, get rid of all the stars and the UFOs.
Could he have been involved
in what happened here that night?
No. No, he couldn't kill anybody.
But could he have struck Sims?
I mean, if Sims had come up here and caught him, could he have lashed out?
I don't know.
Well, if you don't know, Mr Burrell, then I'm sure I don't.
We'll have to take him back to the station.
Tell me about these men you saw.
There was a Jeep.
Did you see the colour?
Please, Laurence.
When Mr Sims got hit on the head,
did you see what hit him?
You were at the quarry, Laurence.
You and Mr Sims had arguments before.
You threw something at him. Now, we have to ask you,
did something like that happen again?
We found the iron bar that killed Mr Sims,
and it has your fingerprints on it.
How?
I'm going home...
No, you have to answer Mr Frost's questions.
Now, there may be a very simple explanation, and then we can go home.
- Yeah, I'm going home. - Come on.
FROST: Will you sit down, please?
Sit down.
Mr Frost, just give us a minute.
Yes, OK. Come on, George. Let's get a cup of tea.
Laurence. Laurence!
Laurence, Laurence...
No, no. No, Laurence.
No. Sit down, please. Sit down.
Come on.
It's OK. He's all right.
Argh!
- Aaaaargh! Aaaaargh! - Laurence! Laurence!
- All right. Now, calm down. - Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!
Get out! Get out!
We've got it. Get out. Get out.
It's all right, it's all right. All right. All right. Calm down.
There's more than enough to charge him with, Jack.
What is it exactly you're looking for?
I know that Lightfoot is up to something, and I want to know what it is.
I'm sorry for this lad Burrell, of course I am, but you've seen how violent he can get,
and unless there are little green men over Denton,
everything he's saying is most likely a lie.
- I know the evidence would suggest... - Getting evidence is our job.
What happens after that is up to a court.
Now, there's every reason to charge him, Jack,
and then, perhaps, you can get back to the list of crimes
for which you don't have evidence.
It's long enough.
(Sighs)
What news on this Mr Lightfoot, then?
I haven't had time yet, Jack. Had to have an X-ray.
Anyway, I thought this was wrapped up. Mr Mullett said...
Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.
How long have we worked together?
What?
You've just broken the first two rules of detection, haven't you?
One - do not think unless I give you permission.
And two - do not believe anything Mr Mullett says
unless he's signing your expenses.
- Lightfoot. - Lightfoot.
- Menus, guv. - Menus?
Small-time burglaries - you thought we might get a witness
on the people who are delivering takeaways.
I never knew there were so many.
Well, well done, Hazel. Well done. Very thorough.
Blimey, some new ones on me.
Well, what do you think?
One of them might have noticed something.
It's a long shot.
No, no, no, no. I mean Indian or Chinese?
The mood I'm in, I could eat both.
(Phone rings)
Yeah? I was expecting you to c...
No. This morning wasn't a good time.
No, I can't promise that.
Look, if I can get something, I will.
You know I need the money.
SALLY: Ben!
You must know that off by heart by now.
But I like it!
If you wear that tape out, I'm not buying you another one.
Mum!
Your dad's taking you out tomorrow. But that's instead of the weekend.
Great.
Hello, Laurence.
Look. I've brought you something to eat.
Aye, I know the feeling.
But it's one of the cook's better nights. Chicken and chips.
Even he couldn't do much damage to that.
Laurence, your dad brought you fresh clothes in.
Is... Is he here?
Well, he was, but I couldn't let him in to see you again tonight.
It's just the rules, but he'll be back again tomorrow.
Laurence, try and eat something, son, eh?
(Door slams)
(Footsteps)
I'm sorry I wasn't here, Inspector.
I called in at the station.
Took some things in for Laurence.
Yeah. I'm sorry.
I was just trying to get some sense of your son.
He's not the easiest person to talk to.
He's frightened, Mr Frost.
If you force him to go somewhere he doesn't want to, that's when he clams up.
Or loses his temper.
We all lose our temper.
Well, that's as maybe.
But we don't lose control.
MOTHER: He was very young when he was diagnosed as autistic.
We didn't know what any of it meant. Just that something was wrong.
He couldn't even interact with other children. His own brother.
Is that still true today?
He doesn't really have a sense of other people.
He'll say things that embarrass people, he can even seem unpleasant.
It isn't how it sounds. You can't judge what he says.
I'm not judging anything. That's why I'm here, Mrs Burrell.
His intelligence works in a different way, that's all.
If you can understand how he sees things.
How does he see things?
He has a very literal sense of the world,
so when he reads about flying saucers
or CIA conspiracies, it never occurs to him they might not be writing the truth.
So, if Laurence had something to hide, he could make something up.
He doesn't make things up.
You sound very positive about that.
Whatever Laurence really saw that night, he's not lying.
A sniff at Lightfoot led me to this.
Mackintosh Holdings. Do you know who Mackintosh is?
Stuart Mackintosh and l do not move in the same circles.
Probably rubs shoulders with Mr Mullett down at the Rotary Club.
Sure you're not going to help me with this?
- No, you don't need any help, Jack. - No, I don't mean this one.
I've got one out there from the Hung Wing,
another one from the Golden Coin - they do a very good black bean sauce,
but mind you, I think their rice is a little bit chewy.
What's this? Mackintosh Towers, is it?
Yep. The biggest development in Denton since the '60s.
And the planning department turned it down twice,
because most of it's on green belt land.
"Denton Country Park - green lungs for a growing community."
FROST: Oh, I see.
So, he buys a few trees, puts a couple of ducks on a pond,
and then all this green belt land that Mackintosh bought
is worth 20 times more than he paid for it.
And then some.
Right.
Well, what's this got to do with Charlie Lightfoot and his quarry?
Denton Lake.
An ecologically-friendly environment for fish, fowl and endangered newts.
The quarry is Denton Lake.
Or it will be. Just fill it up.
Yes, but if Charlie Lightfoot is selling,
why is he having trouble with his business?
His bank manager should be giving him a party, surely.
(Doorbell) - That'll be the Taj Mahal.
I ordered that exactly 37 minutes ago.
Well, I'd better be getting home as well, Jack.
(Groans)
Chicken Korma, Rogan Josh, Naan.
Thank you. No couriers allowed on the premises wearing helmets.
It's only a takeaway.
Take it off.
Oh, George, I'm never going to eat all this.
If you don't want it tonight, heat it up for breakfast.
No, I'll stick to cornflakes.
Coward.
- Let's have a look at your moped. - What for?
I'm doing a thesis for Open University.
"Are fast foods really fast enough?" All right?
Mr Frost is here.
- What do you want? - Well, there's gratitude for you.
Now, where would you be today
if I hadn't given you the nod to all those scoops over the years?
Off Denton News, with a column in a national, probably.
(Chuckles) Yeah, but you wouldn't half miss us, wouldn't you?
You've always got a lot more out of me than I've ever got out of you,
and you are here to do it again.
Cop a look at that.
FROST: I'm thinking of making an investment.
You know, looking after my future.
What do you think of Denton Park, Mackintosh Holdings? Worth a flutter?
Local business, you're the expert. Who else should know more?
- What's the real question? - What do you know about Charlie Lightfoot?
Denton Quarry?
Somebody got killed up there.
Security guard, yeah? I haven't been following it, but I heard you got a man.
Said he'd seen aliens. Is he disturbed?
Disturbed? Well, he is now. He's in a cell.
No, you know, I'm just...
sniffing around.
Something smells at the quarry?
Mm-hm.
Come on. I'll tell you a story.
Oh.
The council wants to demolish these.
Trouble is, they've got nowhere to rehouse the tenants.
FROST: So, is that what Denton Park is all about?
You're joking - not even a corner. All private and all expensive.
Do people still live in these?
The council can only afford to condemn the worst.
The whole thing's rotten. Then there's the subsidence.
Look, some of these cracks come right up from the basement.
They weren't just shoddily built - they're crap from the foundations up.
So, what's the connection?
Mackintosh and Charlie Lightfoot built this rubbish together.
Most of the money came from Lightfoot, because he had the land and the quarry.
They fell out. I don't know why.
Once they started to make money, Mackintosh dumped Lightfoot.
But they're back in business.
I mean, now that Mackintosh is buying the quarry.
He's got to. No green spaces and ecology, no Denton Park.
That's how Mackintosh managed to get planning permission
to build on green belt that he bought on the cheap.
I'd bet my pension that Lightfoot will make him pay through the nose.
- So, no love lost there, then. - They hate each other's guts.
Oh.
I'm not going to sell cheap to you or anyone else.
I made that mistake 27 years ago.
I don't need a trip down memory lane, Charlie. This is a rip-off.
I wouldn't have sold out, if my partner hadn't told me the business was down the tubes.
Phoney accounts, the lot!
And now you've got a very sweet deal.
But without my quarry, you'll lose it.
OK, Charlie. OK, I'll find the money.
Oh, you will. Only the price has doubled.
It's market forces, Stuart.
That's bullshit, Charlie. What do you think I am?
You...are the bastard that tried to send me a message the other night!
Sell cheap or get shafted.
Couldn't you afford better help?
They killed a man, for God's sake!
I don't know...
what you're talking about.
We need each other, Charlie.
Do we?
That Inspector Frost doesn't think I'm telling the truth.
Now, I could give him a reason to believe that nutter who saw it all.
And you'll give me what I want, or you'll end up inside.
And don't think I'll blink first.
After all these years, and I've got you by the balls.
Colin, my dear boy.
You come bearing gifts, I hope.
Anything interesting?
It's a move from a big house in Weybridge.
I helped out.
There's a lot of pictures.
I don't know what. I wasn't there to unpack. One bloke reckoned some were a bit decent.
Very promising.
What's the score on the house?
Hanning Avenue.
It's big grounds. It's quite isolated.
They're not back till tomorrow.
They're at a wedding back in Surrey.
That's all I know.
You're too honest, Colin.
Alarms?
Well, the electrician was there when we unloaded, so there's no system yet.
He was pricing it up for them.
In that case, there's no time like the present.
I'll catch you next week. See what the job's worth.
I need the money, Oscar.
Tonight?
Tonight.
And that's my last one.
I can't keep doing this.
The police have been round all the removal firms, so I can't keep on.
Oh, morality and conscience tugging at you again, dear boy?
What a blessing I was brought into the world with no such burdens to bear.
Come back tonight. If we can get in, you'll be paid.
(Dials number)
It's Oscar. We have a jaunt on.
(Machinery grinds)
You don't want to be just wandering around here, Inspector.
- It's not the safest place. - I'll be careful, Mr Lightfoot.
I wouldn't want to be the one that's responsible for putting up your insurance premiums.
I don't know what you're looking for. It happened out there.
I'm not expecting any flying saucers.
No. You'll be retiring soon, won't you?
Well, a bit of a turn-up for the book, isn't it, your old mate buying this place.
Nice price.
Something I can help you with?
If not, I've got work to do.
You know what? I've got one of those minds
that never stops whirring.
I wake up sometimes in the middle of the night,
with what someone said going round and round.
Especially when people try to tell me something that doesn't make any sense.
I often wonder why they bother.
Usually boils down to the fact
that it's about something that they don't want me to know.
You'd better get back to work.
Not for much longer, though.
Eh?
Right, you go on, Ben.
See you next week, eh?
- She wasn't in a bad mood. - That's cos she hasn't seen me yet.
Hey, go on. You're about five minutes late. Oh, no!
Watch the road, watch the road.
Bye!
Oh.
Sorry, I was expecting crispy duck and pancakes. Come in.
Now...
It's...just a whisper.
You can't eat it, but it could be very tasty.
So? Charlie Lightfoot?
Gosh, it's been hot today.
No. Stuart Mackintosh.
I talked to a couple of people in London.
Property and business pages.
Mackintosh Holdings is picking up a bit of interest in the property world
over Denton Park, and I mean outside Denton.
There's some serious people Looking at it for investment.
Mackintosh can't finance that all on his own.
Is that a problem for him?
Shouldn't be.
Maybe the question that needs asking is can he finance any of it?
What do you mean?
He has several other companies. They're not doing well.
This mate of mine reckons Denton Park is a lifeline.
If it comes off, he makes a fortune. If not,
there is a whole pack of cards waiting to come tumbling down.
It's life or death.
If the rumours are true.
Hm. Thank you very much.
Now, can I invite you to dinner?
I can offer you, um...
chicken korma, a pizza, or chilli burger and chips.
Ben! I'm home!
Ben!
Ben! Sorry I'm late.
Laurence?
Laurence! Laurence!
(Rings buzzer)
Hello?
(Buzzes again) - Hello!
My little boy's gone missing.
He's taken him somewhere.
I've been round there, and they're not even in.
I never wanted him to see Ben. Never! I fought him all the way, and this is what happens!
Nobody listens to me! No-one!
Calm down, please. Just tell me what happened.
You are?
Sally Stokes.
- Your little boy? - Ben. His name's Ben.
He went out with his father this afternoon.
His access. We're divorced. But he hasn't brought him back.
OK. Come in.
The paintings were dreadful.
I wouldn't do them the favour of stealing the damn things.
But some very useful furniture, Colin.
A Georgian wine cooler,
a perfect Empire escritoire...
One of them must have had a grandmother with taste, I suppose.
So, till the next time, dear boy.
No. I told you.
Of course. But when the Child Support Agency pop by again,
you know where I am, don't you?
DOCTOR: Have you ever had any blackouts before?
Anything like a fit?
Do you understand what I'm saying?
I don't know you.
I'm a doctor, Laurence. You passed out.
I can't find anything wrong,
but I need to know if anything like this has happened to you before.
You're...you're not my...my doctor.
- Doctor, he is going to be all right? - I can't say until I've seen the medical history.
You certainly can't just stick him back in the cell.
No. Look, I'll get his parents' telephone number, and you can talk to them, OK?
I'll come with you.
I think it's better done not just in front of...
(Muffled voices)
(Mumbles)
(Siren)
Warm today.
Yeah. At least your air conditioning works.
Inspector Frost? Mr Mackintosh is happy to see you.
Yeah. Yeah, blue will be fine.
(Knocking at door)
Inspector Frost, sir.
Inspector Frost.
Stuart Mackintosh. Sorry to keep you.
No, it was very good of you to find the time.
Well, Inspector, I er...
I really don't know how I can help you. I've paid up all my parking fines.
Oh, yes...
It's very impressive.
Yes. Probably the most exciting thing to hit Denton this century.
Oh, I keep saying that.
I mean this century, and last century.
Is that where the quarry is now?
The quarry?
Yes. Yes, I suppose it is.
It's going to form the lake.
Do you know Mr Lightfoot?
Well, of course I do.
Has he sold you the quarry yet?
I'm not with you, Inspector.
You do know there's been some trouble up there?
Someone broke in, and smashed up an awful lot of very expensive machinery,
and unfortunately, during this incident, somebody got killed.
Appalling. I read something about it.
Of course, I've got no contact with Charlie Lightfoot personally.
It's all down to lawyers when it comes to business competitors these days.
Mm. That's very convenient,
considering your previous relationship with Mr Lightfoot.
That was a long time ago.
Mm.
Oh, yes...
I remember the building trade in those days.
I was still on the beat. It wasn't Denton, of course, but it was the same everywhere.
Damage to building sites, fights, too many cowboys...
No, it was a dirty business.
Has much changed? Or have the cowboys just got more expensive suits?
- I don't wish to seem rude, Inspector... - No, I know. It was a long time ago.
What have they got now? They've got the...the Eco-warriors.
I don't know what happened up in the quarry, but maybe it was the Eco-warriors
trying to tell Mr Lightfoot not to sell.
Maybe they were trying to send you a message.
That would seem extremely unlikely.
Have you had any threats?
Has Mr Lightfoot?
I don't know. Why don't you ask him?
I have.
Trouble is, it's very difficult to know when someone's telling the truth.
Especially if they're frightened of something.
Still, I'm probably barking up the wrong tree.
But I've got to cover every angle.
Thank you very much for your time.
Well timed, George.
I take it you haven't heard.
- No. Heard what? - Burrell.
He did a runner.
Yeah. That's what Mr Mullett said.
(Mumbles)
You said that he didn't know how to pretend,
and yet he could fool a custody sergeant who knows every trick in the book,
and a police doctor!
MOTHER: It's not pretending.
He can switch off like that if he's angry or upset. You can't get through to him.
When he was little, we'd call the doctor.
FATHER: Well, it's not like he passed out. - Well, this was!
We never locked him in a cell!
Inspector, this is, er...
This is like something we'd always hoped for, prayed for...is falling apart.
We'd begun to believe that Laurence could live his own life.
He took all our energy. Everything revolved around him.
That's why our other son Gary left Denton.
But Laurence has come such a long way,
and now, after this...
we're back where we were.
- I can't see... - Where would he go?
He's only comfortable where he knows.
Look, I'm aware of that.
Please, Mr Frost! We are worried sick here,
but let us look for him!
Because if he sees the police...
A window.
I can't believe it.
He opened a window, and just walked out.
What do you think the press are going to do with that?
This was a man who was going to be charged with murder!
I've got no excuse, sir, but we've known Laurence Burrell for years.
- He always seemed slow. - He wasn't very slow last night!
MAN: You tell 'em, Mr Mullett! - Shut up!
Anything from the parents?
No.
Stand by. I'll deal with you lot later.
Sir.
You should be out looking for him, Jack, but I think you better stay here.
- Why? Is there something else? - There's a missing child.
Oh, no.
The mother and father are giving different stories,
blaming each other, but there's no question the lad has disappeared.
It's a boy of seven, Jack.
Of course, it could be a nasty family row.
Or something very much worse.
All right. (Sighs)
So, you actually left him not at the door?
- Several houses away? - Yes.
You didn't watch till he got to his own door, and went inside?
It was a few yards. Of course he went in. Why wouldn't he?
Sally was waiting for him.
She was still waiting for him two hours later.
She was trying to phone you for another hour.
- We hammered on your door at ten o'clock. - I don't know what she's up to.
A child doesn't come home, his mother doesn't know where he is,
he's been missing all night.
What exactly could she be up to?
She's tried everything to stop me seeing him.
Even his grandmother - my mother - she had to go to court.
They said she wasn't a suitable person for Ben to be with.
She's a 70-year-old widow, right,
and the lawyer asked her what sort of men she associated with.
That's the sort of thing Sally's capable of.
She's trying to find all sorts of ways to show I'm not fit to look after Ben.
And this is another one?
He was at home at six.
She's got him somewhere, I'm bloody sure.
You haven't got much explanation for your movements last night.
I wasn't really doing anything. I was just walking around.
FROST: For five hours?
I don't have a lot of options for entertainment. I can sit at home, or I can walk around.
When you were picked up, you had 200 quid in your pocket.
You can buy a lot of entertainment for that.
That's money I saved.
So...
You took this 200 quid from underneath your mattress,
and then you took it out for a walk?
It's got nothing to do with this.
We've met before.
Haven't we, Mr Stokes?
Yeah, I work at Richmond Removals. You were round there a couple of months ago,
talking to the crews, asking about...l dunno...some robbery or other.
Oh, yeah.
Anyway, about this walk.
So, you walked away from your wife's house,
and then you walked around the streets till gone 1 1 .
I had a lot on my mind.
Yes. I want to know what.
Why aren't you asking Sally these questions?
My son is missing! She's got him somewhere!
Right.
I want to know exactly where you did walk to last night.
Right? Here is a pen and here is some paper, and I want you to write it down.
In the meantime, I'm going to look at your flat.
I take it you have no objections.
No? Good. Thank you.
Carry on.
He says he brought him home.
You don't believe him?
I don't know what to believe, Mrs Stokes.
All we've heard is you and your husband slagging each other off.
We need facts. Times.
Because at the moment, one thing's clear - both of you can't be telling the truth.
Now...have you got us some photographs of Ben?
Hazel.
(Sighs)
What have you got, George?
A Mrs Ellicott across the road.
Around six o'clock yesterday evening, she saw Ben pick up those keys,
unlock the door, and go inside.
And she said she'd seen him do it before... if his mother's not in.
I just want him back. If Colin can just bring him back...
Were you out yesterday afternoon?
Just for a while.
When did you get back?
Six-ish.
I had to get back for Ben.
That was when Col...
It was what we agreed.
At six o'clock your son used a front door key to let himself in.
Now... What time did you really get home, Mrs Stokes?
I didn't mean to be late.
It was an interview for a job. They kept me waiting.
How often does he come in to an empty house?
He doesn't. That key is for emergencies.
I'm on my own.
His father must have come back, taken him.
He said he would. That's what happened.
Oh, God.
No, it couldn't have been anything else.
It couldn't.
Is this about the burglaries?
Another one of our clients got done, you know.
I know. I'm afraid not.
I wish it was. I want to talk to you about one of your employees.
A Mr Colin Stokes.
I just need a little bit of information about him.
I'm not saying he's done anything wrong, so this is confidential.
Why, what's happened?
His son is missing.
- What? - Do you know the boy?
Well, he brings him in sometimes. He used to.
I haven't seen Ben here since they, um...they split up.
Colin's had problems. It hasn't been easy for him.
I'm not saying it's been easy for her either.
What sort of problems?
Well, financial, mostly. I can't tell about the emotional ones.
I probably shouldn't say this, but I think Sally's made it hard for him.
Access.
Still, like most things in life,
Lack of money makes things ten times worse, doesn't it?
Yes. I've seen where he lives.
Yeah. Well, when it's quiet in here, I try to help. I send him off to other depots.
Staines, Bristol, Solihull. Keep him working. Give him some overtime.
Tell me - did Colin Stokes ever mention at all in any way
about taking Ben away from his mother?
No. No, never.
I heard him complain about her, but deep down, he knew Ben was best off with his mum.
All right. Thank you for your time.
So now you know he did go home, right?
She's the one who's been lying.
He was on his own.
Did you go back?
- Did you phone the house? - No.
Your wife says you threatened to take him and not bring him back.
I was angry. I'd never do it.
Ben was seen in Abercrombie Avenue, just after half past six.
Now, why would he be there?
Does he have any friends there?
Do any friends of yours, or any of your wife's live in the area?
No-one I know.
He went home...
he let himself in...
and then...
he left again.
- Did you make arrangements to meet Ben? - No! How many times do I have to say it?
I want... I want to get out of here. I want to look for him.
And where would you look?
I'd start by putting that bitch up against the wall till she told me.
Sounds like a very good reason why you should stay here.
I'm going. I've had enough.
So have l!
You won't say where you were
between the hours of six and eleven last night.
Threatening your wife.
Now, if you don't want to stay here, I can make arrangements
for you to stay in a cell.
Now, sit down.
Thank you.
(Laurence mutters)
Bit too young... Sometimes hungry... Need to eat food...
Mr and Mrs Stokes can't both be telling the truth, can they?
No, I don't suppose they can.
I just want to believe that one of them knows where he is.
Yeah, well, don't we all?
Mr Frost!
- Oh, hello, there. How are you going? - Cool, you know.
- Old Raj takeaway. Do you know it? - No, it must be new.
Thank you.
All right. Come on, let's go. Follow that bike.
Come on! Let's go!
Hey, you lot! Follow that bike!
That rider on that bike is the thief. I'm sure of it.
FROST: An empty house.
How do you knock on the door to check without arousing suspicion? Well...
carry a bag of fried rice.
So, if someone answers the door, he says, "Sorry, wrong address."
If no-one answers...
Get out of the way!
Sorry!
If no-one answers, he goes and burgles it.
I know every takeaway in Denton.
- That one doesn't exist. (Hoots)
Look out!
Idiot!
Oh!
Get out of it!
Get after that bike!
Right. The van. That should stop him.
(Screech of brakes)
Oh, sh...
Come on, man! Get on!
Get him out of the way, and I'll meet you round the other side.
- Right. Come on. Let's go! - Move that van!
FROST: All right...
You're nicked, son.
Oh...
Oh, my God.
You're still nicked.
(Presses number)
# MOBILE RINGTONE: Scotland The Brave
Do it.
(Engine roars to life)
Denton Park...
is not just an inspired design
for living in the 21 st Century.
For those of you who had the vision to invest in this project,
it is something else.
An opportunity to make a great deal of money.
We have liftoff.
ALL: Denton Park!
MAN: Thanks for letting me get involved. - Thank you. Not at all. My pleasure.
- Oh, morning. - Morning, guv.
- Any news on Ben? - Nothing.
Today's the crunch.
Mr Mullett's got to assume the worst.
First...public appeal, then usual route.
Waste ground, woods, rivers.
You can feel it downstairs already. Everyone's stopped talking.
No more sightings, then?
Last one's Alviston Road. 7:1 0.
Still on his own. No idea where he was going.
Not to his dad's and not to his home.
We've had to let Stokes go.
He's still very iffy on where he was.
What about the school?
Nothing unusual.
No suggestion of strangers hanging about.
The teacher did say that Ben was very preoccupied.
She said he's still unsettled about his parents. Normal thing. Any kid would be.
- These are the pictures from his dad's? - Usual stuff.
Probably the same sort of stuff as at his mum's.
No.
These are different.
What's it meant to be?
The Big Store.
It's Saturday. We're closed.
I'm Detective Inspector Frost.
Denton CID. Is it all right if I have a look round?
I can't just let you in.
It's all right. You can search me for any old wardrobes when I come out.
(Whistles)
Is that it?
Sh.
(Rustling)
- Hungry, are you? - Who are you?
Me?
My name is Jack Frost.
I'm Ben.
Yes, I know. Want a drink, Ben?
Do you know, a lot of people have been looking for you.
Mum and Dad?
Yeah. Especially your mum and dad.
Oi! Get down from there, you idiot! You'll break your neck!
Oi!
Are you deaf?
Laurence? Laurence... What are you doing?
Laurence. Remember me? I'm a mate of your brother's. Remember?
Look, I'm going to come and get you. Just wait there, OK?
I... I've got explosives.
What?
I'm going to blow it all up.
The beacons won't work then, and the aliens won't ever find it.
Th... They'll leave me alone then.
Police.
Well? Is it Lightfoot?
Yep. He was trapped inside the car.
If the fall didn't kill him, he'd have drowned.
He didn't stand a chance, Jack.
What has Traffic got to say?
Well, there's a lot of rubber down on this corner.
I'd say last-minute braking's a speciality.
I guess Lightfoot did it once too often.
Forget Traffic. Get Forensic down here.
What?
- Look at this. - Yeah?
This is a lot of wall.
What did he do? Drive down here, and aim straight for it?
No, he knew this road.
I mean, it's only a couple of miles from the quarry.
And it's a very unlucky quarry.
I wouldn't want to work there, would you?
(Phone rings)
Yes, sir?
Yes, he is. I see.
Superintendent Mullett. They've found Laurence Burrell.
(Siren)
Where are the parents? Find them. And what about a psychiatrist?
Then get onto the local hospital. I need to know how to talk to him.
Mr Jameson, get your men out of here.
- Well, where is he? - Up there.
FROST: Oh, well, this should really do the job!
He'll think the Majestic Twelve have flown in from America to finish him off. What's going on?
He's got explosives. He's been placing them on the machinery.
How the hell did he get explosives?
Mr Jameson!
Tell the inspector how he got hold of explosives.
Charlie keeps a spare set of keys
for the detonator cabinet and the explosives store hidden.
You know? Just in case.
Just in case someone wants to break in and steal some?
- Is that it? - It wasn't my idea.
How did Laurence know?
His brother. He used to work here.
Did the blasting.
Laurence used to come down with him sometimes when he was younger.
I suppose he saw.
What we don't know is whether he can actually set this stuff off.
What? He takes one look at the night sky,
and can name every single constellation.
Yeah, he's only got to see it once and...
of course he'll know.
Mr Jameson, how stable is this stuff?
Well, it's not that easy to just set it off. That doesn't mean it can't be done.
- Thank you very much. That's as clear as mud. - Thank you, Mr Jameson.
He's not going to come down.
We need someone who knows how to talk to him. It could take as long as it takes,
but we must remember what he's capable of when he loses his temper.
He didn't kill Sims.
Laurence isn't a suspect. Not any more. In fact, he's our only witness.
What?
Look, Lightfoot is dead.
I think he's been murdered.
- I'm going up to speak to Laurence. - No, I can't allow that.
If anything happens to him it'll be all my fault, because I didn't listen to anything he had to say.
- That's why he's up there now. - Jack...
Look, will you just please get everybody out of sight?
Especially the ones that look like they've been beamed down from the Starship Enterprise.
- Jack... - It's all right. I'll be fine.
As long as I don't break my silly neck before I reach him.
(Creaking)
Gentlemen, can you move yourselves and your vehicles out of sight, please?
Thank you.
Laurence.
I want to talk to you.
Yeah. Yeah, I've got bombs.
Yes, I know. I know. I know.
We... We can talk, though, can't we?
I'll...I'll come a little bit closer.
I won't come any further than you want me to.
All right?
Bloody hell.
How the hell did you do this?
Listen.
I know you saw Mr Sims that night.
And I also know that you saw the men that killed him.
But we...
We can't catch them without you.
There's all the p...police, and a...all the army.
Th...They haven't gone away.
No, I know. They will. They will.
Let them through! Let them through!
We understand now what happened.
We...we know that you were telling the truth.
Th... They locked me up.
They won't lock you up again. I promise.
They locked me up.
Now, come on.
You can...you can... You can go home.
I'm not going.
You're safe now. Eh?
Come on. I'll come up and get you.
Argh!
(Groans)
Oh!
Laurence...
I can't move. I can't...
I can't go up any higher, and I can't go back.
Laurence? Can you hear me?
Oh, my God.
Laurence... Laurence, be careful.
Laurence, it's moving.
You shouldn't be up here. You're too old, Mr Frost.
Yeah, I know that. I know that now.
Oh, God.
Laurence I can't move. I can't...
Careful! It's all moving.
It's best to stand.
I'll hold you. I'll hold you.
Then you can...you can walk down.
All right. OK. OK.
- All right? - Yeah? OK...
I need some more help. No uniforms.
I'm all right. Get him down, will you?
Well done, Jack.
Very good.
- Quite a performance. - Performance? What performance?
What about the explosives?
He said it's perfectly safe.
(Laurence shouts)
- Are you all right? - We're all right, yeah.
Laurence, Laurence, are you all right?
- Yeah. - Good.
(Chokes)
Sir, next time you tell me that I can't do something...
..make it an order, will you?
We've found a way in which they could have got a Jeep up to the top of the quarry like you said.
It's only a small track, but a four-wheel drive vehicle could have done it.
Yeah, no problem for a Humvee.
Humvee?
Yeah, a H-M-M-W-V.
High-Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle.
No other Jeep with a wheelbase that wide.
That's how I knew it was the American army.
Special vehicle, then, is it?
Yeah, o...only th...the best Jeep in the world.
I drew it. Yeah, I d...did draw it.
- Was this the registration number? - Yeah.
Yes, the registration number.
What do you want?
You don't see many of these about. I was thinking of buying one.
I'm not selling. Want to clear off or will I throw you out?
What colour was it before?
Not that it matters. We've got traces of it off Mr Lightfoot's car.
Scratch this, and I'm sure we can get a match.
See this?
I had this when I first became a copper.
I haven't used it in years.
That's all we had.
Long before radios and mobile phones. Just this.
Look at that. Still works.
MACKINTOSH: This is not just about money.
It's about a partnership for the future.
There is still room to come on board.
But not for long.
The train is about to leave the station.
If you want to book...book now.
I'll book, Mr Mackintosh.
What the hell is this?
Sorry to interrupt. Your secretary did ask me to wait, but I said that you wouldn't mind.
Well, gentlemen...
If you're all going to invest in this, I've a little tip.
Not that financial advice is my strong point, you understand, Mr Weston,
but you'd be much better off if you put your money in a Post Office savings account.
Get out of here.
Stuart Mackintosh, I am arresting you
on suspicion of murder of Alan Sims and Charles Lightfoot.
You do not have to say anything...
..but...
"it may harm your defence if you do not mention,
when questioned, something you later rely on in court.
Anything you do say may be given in evidence."
Hm. Looks like the meeting's over.
All right. Take him down.
(Knocking)
- Hi. - Hello.
- Are you busy? - No. Come in.
I didn't get...
I didn't get... (Turns off radio)
I didn't get a chance to thank you.
What we were thinking,
well, it didn't bear...
I suppose we must look pretty stupid, me and Sally.
Oh, yes. That's one word for it.
There are others for what you did to a seven-year-old boy.
And I don't suppose it's going to end
like his favourite film, either.
Eh?
Ben.
His favourite video.
The one he's always watching. What's it called?
The Big Store.
It's the one about two kids - American kids - who run away
and hide in a department store to try and stop their parents having a divorce,
and the parents join together to look for the kids,
and then the parents fall in love, and it all ends happily ever after.
You know, we can't change what's happened between us - me and Sally -
but we know what matters most.
- It's Ben. - Mm.
Well, I hope so.
But it's not going to be easy for you, though, is it?
No, Sally got that job, so...
She knows I can't keep paying what I'm paying now, so...
we'll just work it out together.
Mm.
Do you remember when I came to see you at Richmond Removals
about those burglaries?
Well, there was another one.
The night that Ben went missing.
That was the same time that you went mooning about in Denton, taking your 200 for a walk.
Yeah, well, I explained that.
You see, the thing is, Colin...
..that everywhere you've worked there's been a major burglary.
And I'm not just talking about Denton. I'm talking about Staines, Bristol, Solihull...
I don't know anything about it.
You help me, you help yourself.
If you want a new start with your kid, you won't get it if you're banged up.
I don't know whether I can keep you out of jail,
but maybe you can give yourself a chance.
And Ben.
All right, Oscar?
Why don't you stick to daylight robbery like the rest of the antiques trade?
You'll find there's been a mistake, Inspector.
I may not know much about antiques, but I've got a nose for a villain when I see one.
Jack.
27 takeaway dinners.
I did get a result.
What did you do with them?
I ate them.
What, all of them?
I couldn't delegate, or we might have had half the station off with poisoning.
But after years of eating fast food,
I'm hardened to the stuff.
It wasn't an easy job, but...someone had to do it.
- Well, I'm sorry, Jack. It's excessive. - Hm?
Rotary Club again, is it?
Hm?
Actually, it's the Licensed Victuallers' annual dinner.
It's not an easy job, is it, sir?
But someone has to do it.
(Sighs) Here, haven't you got a home to...
Shh.
(Whispers) Haven't you got a home to go to?
(Whispers) I thought so, but... I've got a problem.
My sister just dropped Emma off, and I've got to take these files to the CPS.
The break-ins - they've brought the remand hearing forward.
All right, all right. Go on.
- I'll look after her. - Thanks, guv.
She won't wake up.
I'll only be an hour.
An hour!
An hour?
(Grizzles)
(Baby cries)
Shh.
(Crying intensifies)
Hazel. Haz...
Hazel!
(Crying continues)