Original subtitles

What are we to blame for here?

You know, we're both hell.

Shoot it!

You bitch!

It's not my fault!

It's not my fault!

Johnny!

Just don't drop that scarf in your gravy. Oh,

those shoes are new.

Bought at the market yesterday.

Cheap shoes from the market for the Midlands Women of the Year luncheon.

can you be thinking?

It wasn't the price, they matched the dress. And you had to have them at once.

The heels are just slightly higher than I'm used to.

Now, come on, Robert, the taxi will be here in a minute.

Now, tell me how nice I look.

There was a time when praise wasn't altogether foreign to your nature.

You'll do us credit.

You're wonderful.

You always do in my eyes.

Don't over -egg the pudding, Robin. Come on.

Geoffrey, she's ready. Stand by to burst into spontaneous applause as the woman

of the year descends our staircase.

One of the women of the year. There are others, you know. After you, milady.

Oh, great.

Not with a taxi.

Vicky! Mr Wainthrop!

Are you all right?

No, I'm not.

She's hurt, Mr Wainthrop. She came down them stairs like a sack of coals. I'll

phone the doctor and the lunch people to tell them she can't come.

You do no such thing.

It's an honour this lunch is and I don't intend to miss it.

I'll give you a sack of coals.

These life -or -death struggles with desperate criminals, Mrs.

Weintraub. Oh,

we so admire your courage.

Thank you.

Mrs. Weintraub, I'm Helen Rance.

I'll have a job for you if you want it.

This is hardly the place.

DCI Adams told me to look out for you.

Oh.

Though he didn't warn me about... Oh, it only happened this morning. It was the

shoes. Pride is painful.

Well, I'm bound to say it's all to the good for our purposes.

I'll wait for you outside.

The DCL join us.

There's no doubt it was an accidental death.

She came out of the chemist, heard her husband call her name, looked up, saw

him, panicked and ran straight out into the road.

The van driver never had a chance of stopping in time.

What was her husband doing there?

He said he was looking for her.

In Ackersley?

He lives in Blackburn.

Ever since she took the child and left, he's been going out every day, checking

all towns within 20 miles, hanging around the shopping streets and the

social services, DSS, hoping to see her.

Every day?

He's unemployed.

Nothing better to do, he says.

I don't like it. It doesn't feel right.

Why should he pick Ackersley on the very morning his wife goes in to collect

their child benefit?

It doesn't feel right to me either.

That's why I've come to you.

Mrs. Rance chaired the committee which founded the battered women's refuge.

He must have known where to find her.

You think somebody told him?

The women need time and space to sort themselves out.

And to get right away where the men can't find them. Right.

Even so, most refuges are in towns. It means they're hard to hide. Other people

living in the streets who know.

We've gone further.

Ours is six miles outside Ackersley.

Easier to hide, harder to protect.

I told you she was sharp.

How do the women know where to go?

They ask.

Desperate women ask for help.

Ask who?

Reference Library, Citizens Advice Bureau, Social Services.

All they get is the number of a helpline to phone. Where they go depends on

where there's a vacancy.

They're given directions to a particular town, Ackersley in our case.

They come with the kids by bus or train, phone the helpline again when they

arrive, and we pick them up from the station.

What you're saying is that you take such trouble to keep the location secret

that it has to be somebody from the refuge.

told Gary Hawes where to find his wife.

Well, it certainly wasn't Trudy herself, or she wouldn't have panicked when she

saw him.

A member of staff?

There's only two.

A child worker and a manager.

The women run the refuge.

What do you want me to do?

Go undercover.

Find out what's going on.

I can't justify putting anyone of my own in because it's the old problem. No

crime's been committed.

Anyway, looking the way you do at the moment, you'll be more convincing.

I'm leaving home.

Going to a refuge for battered women. Why?

You've been knocking me about, haven't you?

Oh. What?

I never read that thing that you were.

Oh, God knows she can be irritating at times.

Hetty!

Hetty!

You don't have to go so sudden. Do some background work first.

Send Geoffrey off to the reference library.

When they go, it's often sudden. It'll be night when you get there.

It's often night.

I tell you straight, Hetty, I don't like you going into this alone.

I've no alternative.

I can't take Geoffrey in a pushchair. Now his beard's beginning to sprout.

Anyway, I've got other work for him. I don't believe it was just chance her

husband finding her in Ackersley that morning. He lives in Blackburn. Here's

address. But he's violent.

You're my associate.

I'm only 18.

I'm getting younger.

Remember what you said to me on our first case. We're not quitters, Mrs.

Waynestrop. Well, this is no time to change your spots.

Use cunning.

Hetty, now listen to me. I'll have to go if I'm to catch that bus.

Hetty?

Hetty?

How can we reach you?

You can't. I don't know myself where the refuge is. They'll pick me up at

Ackersley Station.

How will I know to get in touch with you? It has to be secret. As soon as I

get out, I'll phone.

Now, my cover does here try to persuade me not to go.

Don't leave me.

I'll never hit you again, I promise.

Well, Ray, would you...

She'll

be OK.

She's pretended to be other people before and enjoyed it.

If you won't enjoy this, she's going to have to live amongst women and know what

it's really like to be abused and battered day after day.

They'll see right through her when they do. When they do, she'll leave.

Oh, hello.

Hello. This is Zeb.

I'm Ruth.

Hi. Hetty.

I'm expected.

Yes, you are.

Would you like to see where you'll be sleeping? Maybe get a bite to eat?

I would.

Zeb, will you pop into the kitchen and see if there's any food left?

OK, well... I'm afraid you'll be sharing just for tonight, but we'll work

something out in the morning.

We will go to the

market to buy...

Mum, Mum, I know the answer.

I don't see why I have to do homework. Nobody else is.

Harry is.

Harry's clever.

No, he's not.

Are they always as noisy as this?

You forget, don't you?

Children grow up and you forget what it was like when they were young.

It's terrible with me nerves.

I wouldn't get to sleep with that many.

Have your nerves always been bad?

Oh, no.

When I was a girl, I never had a nerve in me body.

Even at the beginning with Tom, on That's Me Husband, I thought, well, you

through these things.

It's since Trudy was killed that me nerves have been real bad.

Trudy.

Well, we were friends.

And I don't make friends easy.

Even in a place like this.

I was with her.

We'd been to Acklesley to shop.

Groceries and such.

How did it happen?

We went to the post office.

And when we came out, her husband were there.

And she ran into a road and a bunny to... The post office.

To collect a child allowance.

But I thought it was... Oh, never mind. I'm a bit confused.

Oh.

We all are.

First off... You'll settle down.

Yeah? Want some cocoa?

Can't you sleep?

Not a lot.

Oh. We need a... Yeah, cocoa would be fine.

Thanks.

Right.

Are you, er... Are you worried about this fellow in Blackburn tomorrow?

The husband?

No, I'm worried about Mrs. Weintraub.

Makes two of us.

I could go if you like.

Might make it easier.

Walk the way man to man.

You can look after the phone.

No.

I'm a professional.

I've got to take the rough with the smooth.

It were computer studies got out Derek in the end.

She came out of the chemist.

Came out to the post office.

And heard her husband call her name.

Her husband was there.

School run.

Peace, perfect peace for the rest of the day.

I have to talk to somebody called Angie.

She's the coordinator.

She'll want you to sign a licence agreement.

Oh?

Promise you'll obey the rules and pay the rent.

What rules? What rent?

Very few rules and very little rent.

Come on, I'll introduce you.

Do you think the budget would run to one of them clipboards?

Just a cheap one.

It does look a bit more professional.

When you're lying, it's best to stick as close as you can to the truth.

I shan't lie much.

Just ask questions.

I was thinking of Hetty.

Oh, right.

Do you think I could borrow your reading glasses?

Not too strong, though. I want to be able to see what I'm doing.

money. We can let you have a loan of ten pounds, but it'll have to be paid back.

I've got some.

Took it from the tobacco tin under the mattress before I left.

You're a pensioner.

My husband was made redundant.

We live on that.

He's hurt you badly this time.

Threw me downstairs.

Do you need a doctor?

How long have you been married?

Must be 40 years.

And all that time?

No, no.

When we were first married, he hardly ever touched me.

And then, when we had Derek, that's our son, he lives in Australia now.

Well, Robert was a bit mixed up in his mind about the new responsibility and

such. Not being cock of the walk anymore?

If you like.

But even then, he only hit me occasionally.

If he had a drink in him.

It was after the redundancy had got bad.

He'd brood a lot and get these rages.

It was to do with negative equity.

He kept adding up all we'd got and what we could expect, and it was never

enough.

He said it was my fault because it was me wanted to buy our council house in

first place.

And he said I wasted money.

Rain, damn you, rain.

Well, if you think this looks bad, you should have seen me when I left my purse

on the bus.

We've an agreement about how we live here.

There's a little rent to pay, not much.

And we usually share on food.

If you'd rather, you can buy your own.

Oh, well, share.

There's not many rules.

No loud music at night. Never go into anyone's room without asking.

And no man ever to be allowed in, whatever the excuse.

Where I was before, I'd known him to stand at the door and cry.

But for everyone's sake, he must never weaken.

I don't think Robert would ever stand at the door and cry.

Just tell me where you are, love.

Tell me you're all right.

It's a project we're doing at school.

Oh, aye?

I've been looking it up in the local papers, making photo stats and such.

Locking what up?

That accident at Ackersley when your wife was killed. You little... Please

don't. I may not bounce. You think yourself lucky if I don't chuck you

I wanted your side of things.

I don't think they've been very fair.

Come back here.

What did you say?

I don't think they've been very fair.

You what?

The boys in my class at school.

Some of us think there's been an injustice done.

The men aren't always to blame in these cases.

Well, not entirely.

Sometimes not at all.

Is that a comment?

You have a bit of a limp.

Broken bone, badly set.

I fell again at a cupboard door.

Is that what you told people?

Todd, nobody thinks of wife -beating as a middle -class thing.

My friends would never have believed it.

Even Mummy used to say I must have done something to upset him.

Peter's such a lovely man, you see, outside the home.

Kind and considerate.

Takes... Pain to be liked.

Street angel, house devil.

Same as your Robert.

What's your point?

I tried to hide it from Lucy and Josh.

Kitchen cupboard doors. They must have thought those cupboards had a life of

their own.

Then one day Lucy said, we know.

And I packed a couple of suitcases and we left.

But why a refuge? Why not your mother?

He'd have followed.

I was afraid he'd manage to get custody of the kids.

Still am.

I mean, he is a solicitor.

He knows the law.

OK, I thumped her. Now, wrong with that, everyone does it.

My dad took his belt to our mum regular.

You'd have to show him who's boss.

It says here that you broke Trudy's jaw in two places.

Because she didn't have any tea ready.

Watch it.

Right. That's what she did.

All mouth.

Always giving me the needle.

You don't know what it's like until you have to live with it.

So faults on both sides, you'd say.

And the six GCSEs. And couldn't take the place clean or get the meals ready on

time. OK.

You're teaching Noreen to read.

Yeah, reading's important.

Yes, it is.

My parents were so shocked by the schools over here, they sent me back to

Jamaica to get an education.

At least I can teach Zeb myself.

Getting an education didn't stop you being beaten up, though, did it?

I think it made it worse.

My husband used my education against me as an excuse.

He said I had contempt for him.

And needed Thrashing to teach me better manners.

But then Nora's husband battered her because she was good for nothing. She

dragged him down.

I was wondering what you were doing in Ackersley that morning.

You know what I was doing?

It was in the paper.

I went out every day looking, different places.

I wondered why Ackersley that day.

She had to be somewhere.

Like... Where was it the day before and the day before that?

You trying to make some of it?

No, I'm just trying to get a few things straight.

Like, I couldn't help noticing the motorbike in the hall. I mean, it's very

impressive. State of the art, you might say, but since you're unemployed at the

moment... I've always been unemployed.

And the phone, I mean, the rental.

You'd have to have a phone if you've got a little kid.

Social services made us put it in.

Yeah, but you've still got it. And it says in the record that the little

been taken into care. Now, why didn't you object to that?

I need a phone. I don't need a bloody kid.

Wasn't me who got to take the bloody pill.

Why? You come worming your way in here like some bloody detective.

Most unlike just an over -enthusiastic schoolboy.

Ouch!

She never tried to defend herself, you know.

I could hear everything.

I'd hammer on the wall when they fit sometimes and shout, but he took no

It's lies, what he said.

He never went looking for her. He'd lie in bed all day and go out at night.

Somebody told him where to look. Who?

There's a bloke what comes to see him sometimes.

In a suit with a posh car.

I mean, he don't come up.

I suppose he thinks his car might be vandalised.

Well, it would.

Gary goes down and they sit in car and talk.

Up to no good, I'd say.

And what type of car is it?

I don't know, love. I've got no experience.

But I did take a note at number, just in case it might come in useful.

Angie said to talk to the housing department.

But I don't know where I want to live.

No -one's rushing you.

Takes time to sort yourself out.

I'll, er...

Take a couple of sandwiches up to Noreen.

The baby's been playing her off.

Trudy had a baby too, didn't she, a little girl?

What do you know about Trudy?

Well, Mara was telling me last night about her and Gary, was it?

And what happened in Ackersley.

I lay awake thinking about it. Thinking what?

Why she died. She ran in front of a van.

I wondered how Gary knew where to find her. Well, that's what scares all of us.

Did anybody leave the refuge after the accident?

You're bound to have these thoughts if you can't sleep.

Kath left yesterday morning with the kids.

Went into a B &B.

What kind of a life is that?

Seems odd she chose to leave so sudden. Not odd.

I'm thinking Kath had anything to do with it. You're way off being... I don't

mean to offend.

I've speakers outside.

Kath said herself she'd had to stay here waiting for a flat.

Kath would have been the last person to break security. If Gary found Trudy...

then her Ken could have found her.

And if he had, he'd have killed her.

And it wouldn't have been an accident.

And it wouldn't have been quick.

Look, this place works on trust.

We're all jumpy about Trudy's death.

Scared. But we don't know what to think.

But if we don't trust each other, then we've got nothing at all.

I'm sorry I spoke out of turn.

I don't want a sandwich if you don't mind, huh?

I'll just go and sit for a bit.

Come in.

Oh, Robert.

I hope I can call you Robert.

I always think of you as Robert.

I always think of you as Detective Chief Inspector.

You said this morning did I want to see a doctor.

Is the one comes in regular?

Whenever we ask.

She's very understanding.

There's some tablets I've been taking to help me sleep.

I forgot to bring them.

I'll make an appointment for you. If she thinks you need them, she'll prescribe.

You don't keep any here in case of an emergency?

No.

A posh car, she said.

She got the number.

Robert, there are private detectives all over the North who have their own ways

of getting access to the computer at Swansea. We're not that kind of firm.

And I'm not a bent copper.

I can find out whose car this is, but I can't pass the information on.

You got Hetty into this.

Placed her in danger. Now you want help. She was offered a job and she accepted

it. She's in no danger of anything more serious than being thrown out of the

refuge. However, I do take note of what you say.

The baby asleep?

Took a bit of time.

She'll wake up now.

She always does when the kids come back.

Did Myra find you? She was taking your sandwich.

You and Myra are good friends?

Maybe.

Used to be Trudy's friend, but seems like now she's mine.

Boy's not happy.

Who is?

Are you getting enough sleep?

No.

Can't be helped, though.

Doctor gave me some tablets, but I daren't take them.

If the baby woke up in the middle of the night, I'd be dead to the world.

Wouldn't any of the others help?

Ruth would, but I don't like to ask.

She's a kid of her own needs, his sleep.

And Myra's offered.

Does Myra know you've got tablets?

I bet so.

You coming in?

Would you have a tissue, please?

There you go.

Shut the door!

You feel so helpless.

I don't know why I bother with homework.

Knowing that school's interested.

It's a new school.

And there'll be another.

When we get rehoused.

I've never made friends either.

You couldn't take anybody home, is that it?

You have to keep pretending there's nothing wrong.

But everyone knows.

I've had enough, you see.

Stopping mum drinking, talking about a suicide.

I miss having a dad.

Not the one that beat mum up.

Just a dad.

Someone take a bit of weight.

Did he beat you up too?

That's when we left.

Ouch! In the morning.

She's not still drinking here in the refuge, is she, your mother?

No. She got the port.

Sinead too. Kids of her own age.

I've got nobody.

I don't belong here.

Nor do you.

I don't follow you. You've not been bothered.

What about this?

It doesn't fill me.

I've bruises everywhere.

My body aches all over.

It's all put on. You're strong.

Ruth's strong.

She's been here nine months.

You're a new arrival and you're stronger than Ruth.

And you're interested in other people.

How long do you think you've got?

Till they find out.

Not long, by the look of it.

Don't worry.

I shan't betray you.

We need a camera.

Not the one that got sat on in Pisa.

A real surveillance camera.

With a zoom lens.

Like bird watchers have.

And we know one.

And he owes us.

The deaf and dumb lad you save from the kidnap.

He's profoundly deaf and without speech.

And he's not a lad.

But he'd be glad for help.

Are there any other outsiders among the women here?

In your expert opinion.

You're thinking of Myra.

She's not strong.

But she's interested in other people.

Always trying to make friends.

It's not the same.

Myra clings to people. She can't bear to be on her own.

You'll do well at college.

I hope you don't mind me disturbing you. I'm not used to being on my own.

It's difficult to settle.

Don't worry, love.

Everyone needs a friend.

I thought last night, watching you take those tablets.

I used to be on tablets myself.

I've been lying awake and Noreen's baby's been crying.

I thought, I thought, how shall I manage?

They've taken you off?

The doctor said I mustn't persist or I'd become addictive.

They all say that, then.

I suppose I could ask the doctor that comes here.

She's worse than any.

Say what you like. She won't prescribe on us. You're mental.

But she's prescribed for you, hasn't she?

The doctor can go to, inaccurately, private.

Did Trudy go to him?

that she was collecting her child allowance when Gary called her name.

But I read about the accident in the papers.

You'd been at the chemist.

Who are you?

Just somebody like yourself.

Who told Trudy's husband she'd be in Ackersley that morning?

Who knew besides you?

She's been asking a lot of questions.

Hmm, I've noticed.

If you were going to hire someone to suss out the refuge...

It'd be a woman.

Those bruises are genuine.

She wouldn't have made them herself.

Yeah, but... I'll take her shopping with me tomorrow.

If she finds out, we'll know.

It wasn't me.

You'd sell your mother to get tablets, let alone Trudy. How could I get them

Dario? Drugs he could be supplying.

Mockeys, valium, limrium.

Kids don't take drugs like that now.

Just people like me who doctors won't prescribe for.

You're a... You're on the wrong track.

I believe you.

Oh.

Just the same.

Isn't it time you moved on, started a new life?

I don't move on.

You can't stay here forever.

Well, I'll go back.

To the man who battered you? Back to what I know.

You don't begin to understand someone like me, do you?

Start a new life.

I can't live on my own.

I'm frightened.

I've no experience.

So I stay.

As long as I can.

And then I go back to Tom.

Always, always glad to see me at first.

And then when I think he goes too far...

Or I'm afraid that he might kill me. I run away.

And then some refuge takes me in.

And is that how it'll be always?

Maybe he'll change as he gets older.

I'm shopping for us all this morning.

Do you want to muck in or cater for yourself?

I'm not bothered.

I'll muck in.

Thank you.

Hey! It's too early!

Pen! Pen! When's not detective agency?

Interesting development.

After you left yesterday, I sent someone to lean on your friend, Gary Hawes, to

see if anything fell out.

Well, something has.

A call from a solicitor instructing us to cease harassing his client.

What's a man like Hawes doing with a solicitor?

Let alone one with a middle -class practice and a brass plate in Worley.

It's the man below.

Ask him about the car.

Was he driving a posh car by any chance?

A BMW.

It would be improper to give you the number, but I can't prevent you jumping

conclusions.

And I can give you the name of the firm.

After all, Robert, you might want to set us to yourself someday.

Peter Parmenter and Partners.

I just have to go in here for a moment. I won't be long.

Peter Parmenter and partner.

Worley.

Well, there must be some connection.

Phoning home?

Flowers.

Sorry? I'm famous for my flower arrangements, Chapel. You don't think

kind of thing when you run away. I had to arrange for a substitute.

Right.

Better find somewhere safe for the scooter.

Hiya. Look, can we leave our transport in your hall? And if you've a clothes

horse and some washing they need there.

And a black plastic bag might come in handy.

Yeah, right.

Hello?

Right, there might be a job for us.

Stay by the phone for the next hour.

And tell Wayne and Ray.

How did you find the place?

The children had to be in a school near Ackersley.

I provided someone with a photograph of my own kids.

And once he spotted them, he followed the Land Rover.

I could have done that.

Horses for courses, Gary.

Deck collecting, putting on the frighteners. I couldn't ask for better.

Covert surveillance needs someone less... colourful.

And another hundred when the job's done.

Once they know they've been found, the place is useless.

Then we move on to the next.

You've really got it in for refugees.

A man's wife and children should be under his control.

That's what holds society together.

Time the men fought back, beginning with Begwin House.

What do you want? If that's waste paper, don't make litter. Give it to me.

Piss off.

Betty, would you mind coming into the common room a moment?

We're having a meeting.

A solicitor? You wouldn't expect it. It means trouble, Mr. Wainthrope, no doubts

about it. Then you and me had better be there to stop it.

I'll never listen, but you can't just overhear him, can you? Before that car

come, he brought phone to his mates.

Where's Angie?

Oh, don't you know?

She's out.

We've just been poking about in her office.

We were wondering about the phone call that you made this morning.

Flowers? Just the arrangement. I don't supply.

Oh, in Angie's office.

Checking the details in my file.

You're a spy, aren't you?

You're not one of us.

Every woman's one of you, or could be.

I've been here long enough to learn that. That's words. That's just words.

You were asking me questions last night. Making accusations about the pills. We

know about Myra and the pills.

And you don't mind?

I said we know.

Not that we don't mind.

Why are you here?

You've not been battered. You don't need refuge.

Why are you here?

Weyentrop Detective Agency.

I told you she'd been sent to suffer that.

The kids said someone was following the Land Rover last week, but Jean didn't

believe them.

This place works on trust, you said.

And I've betrayed it. I don't feel good about that.

But you've not trusted me either.

No, we haven't.

Who's employing you?

Your management committee.

Without even telling us? To find out why Gary Hawes knew that Trudy would be in

Ackersley that morning.

After Trudy died, trust went out of the window.

They think one of us must be responsible.

It's not me! I never told nobody. You said that you believed that. I do.

It wasn't Myra.

As I think you know, Karen.

Karen?

We use only first names amongst ourselves.

That's why I had to look in Angie's records.

Parmenter? Peter Parmenter and partners?

My husband's firm.

There's a connection between Peter Parmenter and Gary Horse.

He knows where you are.

He knows I'm near Ackersley. No more than that. I think you'd better explain.

I had to sign a form.

Power of attorney. I told my mother to send it to Ackersley post office and I'd

collect it.

And her husband wormed the information out of her.

Said he'd take the kids unless she cooperated.

And she believed that.

He's a lawyer.

He knows the law.

He says the children's act gives him access.

And there's judges who've said refuges aren't suitable places for children and

ordered them returned to the family home.

You should have talked to us.

I was frightened. If the kids were right, if someone was following that

Rover, he'd have found this place by now.

Listen.

Somebody's outside.

Call the police.

Close the shutters. No intent that the babies go out and they'll knock your

door. Damn lies to repel boys.

Leave the bag.

We better try and influence events.

We need it.

Everything OK?

Yeah.

He can't come in.

No men allowed.

Parmenter put him up to it. Well done, Mrs Weintraub.

We aim to please.

Yes!

Are you sure you're all right?

Oh, I'm all right.

My Jove, I've learned a lot.

Count me blessings.

How are we going to persuade Hilda out where you're not a wife, Peter?

Would the woman of the year care to dance? Oh, stop it, Dan. Oh, come on,

on, come on.

I'm not just the woman of the year. I'm for good.