Original subtitles

I'm pregnant.

Police in Poulsford are continuing their search for the missing schoolgirls

Poppy Johnston and Abigail Toms. What?

The suspect's wife, I know her. She was my best friend.

I'm going to have to go to Poulsford. All right, I'll get them to endorse

to Linda Bates, but no stepping on anyone's toes.

We're going to be granddad.

Come here.

It's just weird being back.

You know the thing, Linda?

Two girls, one missing over three weeks.

What do you think?

Abigail's burned remains were discovered in Woodland yesterday.

Poppy Johnson is still missing.

So, let me guess.

Coppered. How's the holiday murder town?

I mean, no one really knows anyone, do they?

Do you ever think about what happened all them years ago?

Yeah, every day.

So, is it mine?

I used to come here when I was younger.

It wasn't deserted then.

We used to go crazy in those cornfields.

When I was younger.

Getting off with boys.

Fumbling around like we knew what we were doing.

And this is relevant, is it?

To you being pregnant with my kid? It's not yours.

Oh, come on.

It is relevant.

If you just wait.

Fine.

Tell me the story.

That's what I do, Adam.

Sabotage my life.

You know, you think I was unhappy, but maybe it was the opposite.

Maybe I was just terrified of the happiness I was feeling. Does he know

us?

What do you think?

How about that, Tana?

Oh, yeah, that's a great idea.

Then how about I tell the rest of the force, cos that'll go down well. Tagging

your colleague's girlfriend, you'll be trusted undercover.

Helen, I didn't come here to have a scrap with you.

I came here because...

Yes, to talk to you about the baby, but also to say that if it is mine, and I

reckon there's a pretty high chance it is, don't you?

That I want to be a part of its life.

And I want to be a part of yours.

Now, as most of you will already know, Devon Bates... the man we believe to be

responsible for the murder of Abigail Toms, is now on remand awaiting trial.

While I commend Detective Inspector Cornish and his team for their excellent

work on this tragic case, we must not lose sight of the fact that there is an

inquiry still ongoing.

So Poppy's parents, Michael and Annette, are going to make a short statement,

after which I will be happy to answer any questions.

Stephen Bates has persistently refused to tell police where our daughter is.

So today we are appealing to anyone who might know anything to please come

forward and help police find Poppy.

She has been missing for five days now and we are desperate to hear from her.

Poppy is only 16 years old and it's completely out of character for her to

home without telling us.

All I'm saying is just go home.

Let me have my space, and then... When I'm back in Manchester, you know, we...

Oh, shit.

What's wrong?

I'm at the hospital.

Stephen Bates tried to kill himself.

Right, OK, thanks for letting me know. I'll be over there as soon as I can.

What?

Right, I've got to go. You need to get out.

You what? We're in the middle of nowhere.

Bring a cab.

I don't have a number. Oh, Google it. I've got to go now.

You need to tell him about us and about the baby.

And you need to decide what future you want.

You got a hold of a ballpoint pen?

I tried to do it with... Is he all right?

No one will talk to me.

No one will tell me anything.

Looks like he was trying to take the easy way out, doesn't it?

That's what they say in it.

They say that in the papers.

Do you think he didn't do it?

I admit, it doesn't exactly scream innocence.

Right now, the entire country thinks he's a child killer.

How do you think that feels?

Pretty terrible.

Yeah, especially if it's not true.

I thought you'd been warned off.

Cornish told me he told you to go home.

Yeah, I have.

Helen, people's careers can get ruined by stuff like this.

Is he really worth it, Linda?

Well,

I've got to tell you something, Paul.

I really miss you all.

And I really hope this baby feels well.

Here it is.

Linda Basie's girlfriend.

Fucking rug muncher.

Wait, if you are homeless, yeah?

Murdering bitch.

All right, lads. Shut your mouth.

Hey, you know I'm a policewoman, right? Well, you don't give a shit.

I'm a new out there. I'm a new papa.

All right, this is intimidation, so if you don't get out of my way now, I'm...

Helen Weeks.

Phil, what?

Paul asked me to come.

I thought you hated the countryside.

Oh, not the countryside, it's that.

It's everyone, isn't it?

And how often do you find out that one of your best friends is having a...

...forced for celebration?

I demand champagne immediately.

Or failing that, several pints of strong continental lager. Shall we?

I'd love to.

Hey.

What is this place?

Hell on earth.

So, I popped into the coroner and I saw the body.

How did you do that?

I must have liked me. I have a certain charm.

...outside East Derbyshire Hospital where we've been informed Stephen

Guilt.

Tried to top himself. Couldn't live with it. Looks like they've got their man.

So, how was the body?

Not a lot left of her, to be honest.

Most of the skin had been removed by insect invasion.

Tell me about the report.

I don't know.

Looks like I have an admirer.

Philip.

What?

Phil, eyes on us. Front and centre. Tell us about the PM report.

What about time of death?

Three weeks.

Give or take.

And this is where our creepy crawlies come in.

Three different types of insect were found in the remains.

Yes, I know, but we're all just insect feed in the end. Oh, cheery.

Right, well, time for a tingle.

Phil. Philip. Oh,

you little face.

Phil, this is Dad and Sid.

Oh, my God.

You've got a gay dad.

How fantastic.

Hiya. Come in. Hi.

Nice to meet you. Hello.

Phil, great to see you.

Here you go.

There you go.

Ah, that's cool.

What about piercings? You guys have piercings?

I could never have piercings.

Scared of the pain?

It's the pain that enhances the pleasure. You have it in the right

Interesting job you got. Oh, yeah.

Hanging out with dead people all day.

Yes, it pays very well, but the conversation's often lacking.

It's amazing what they can do now, with all this tech, I suppose.

You've got to be smart these days to be a criminal. I just need a detective with

a massive ego who's happy to bang up the wrong person.

Cheers, everyone.

It's been a long day. Oh, come on, the party's just really started. Oh, you'll

be fine without me.

Have fun.

Bye.

Let's crack out the poppers.

What do you think's going on?

I have no idea.

But I think it's got something to do with this place.

I mean, who leaves and never comes back? Never.

A father lives here, a sister visits.

Yes. A labyrinthine maze that is Helen's psyche.

God loves the countryside.

So let's assume she wasn't dead three or four weeks.

Like nothing like four weeks.

How do you make a body that's actually relatively fresh look as though it's

rotting for a while?

Oh, never mind how.

Why?

Well, to falsify the time of death, I imagine. But in that case, why burn the

body?

Well, I was hoping you'd have an answer.

Well, it's just a theory, but to open it up.

I think he burned the body just enough to open it up.

For what?

Okay, so, I'm him. I'm the killer, right?

That would be a hell of a twist, but let's go with it.

I burn the body, open up the skin, expose the muscles, organs, whatever.

Yeah.

Transfer your colony across, wrap it all up in a bag.

Job done. Not forgetting to put the fag end in with Stephen Bates' DNA all over

it. Yes, where have you managed to acquire that from?

Maybe I followed him, watched him drop it in the gutter.

Thanks, love.

Possibly.

Right, so where did you get them all from?

All these flies, maggots, different kinds of beetles. Internet.

I've checked his history.

Oh, dark web, bitcoin.

Normal people don't know how to use that.

I do.

You're not normal.

Why, it was you?

Gavin, this is Phil.

He's a colleague of mine from Manchester.

What, you're bringing the whole force down?

You know this used to be a nice town before all this?

Now all we've got are pigs and hacks everywhere.

Well, he seems like a nice chap.

He really ought to get us together for dinner sometime.

Yeah, but he's right, though, isn't he?

What are we doing here?

Well, you're here for Helen.

I'm here to escape a large Nigerian man named Reuben who seems to think we're in

a relationship.

Are we being followed?

How's Stephen?

Better.

He's at the hospital.

Just don't let me see him, though, with all the kids.

It's killing him.

I know.

He shouldn't have to go through this, because it's hard for them to accept

hate towards him.

It's the worst thing that's ever happened to me.

Is it?

It was a long time ago.

I was a coward.

Oh, shit.

You had the chance and you got out and you forgot if I'd have had that same

chance, I would have done exactly the same.

I thought you'd hate me.

I was scared to death coming down here. I thought you'd... Yes?

Oh.

Sorry for staring.

I'm sorry, we're in the middle of something here, private, so... Oh, I

wanted to say, Linda...

I know who you are, and I understand.

Thank you.

And if you ever want to talk...

No, I appreciate it.

Which paper are you from?

I beg your pardon?

It's a newspaper.

Last chance before I really hurt you. What newspaper?

The Post.

We'll pay you to tell your side of the story.

Why don't you get out of here before I shove those stupid glasses up your bony

tabloid ass?

Bony tabloid ass.

You're a good friend.

And I never blamed you.

We were both victims.

But... It's because of me.

He got to you through me.

You're 13 years old.

You little girl.

Adam knows it's all going to come out.

If it's not me that tells Paul, it's going to be ten times worse.

Terminal. Who told Adam?

Some prick at work, Mickey.

Well, how does he know?

Only the one who drove him to the hospital.

Jen, I'm going to tell him tonight. No, no, no, no, no. No, listen, don't

interrupt.

If it all blows up, I'm going to need someone to stay for a few days. Yeah, of

course, but you are going to tear your life apart, throw everything away, and

doesn't need to know.

God, you're gorgeous.

I'm trying to belch. Yeah, I know. That's when I like you best.

So, where are you taking me tonight, then?

I thought we'd try this new vegetarian place.

Green tomato.

Oh, right, okay.

Town famous for its pork, and you want to go veggie.

Shouldn't we invite Phil?

I mean, isn't it a bit rude to leave him back with your dad and Sid?

Oh, it's Phil.

He'll be fine.

He was amazing yesterday, you know.

He's got a brain the size of a planet.

He thinks it's all about the insects, does he? Yeah.

Yeah. Placed inside the body.

It would require some pretty specialist knowledge, I mean, let alone where you'd

actually acquire them from.

A layman just wouldn't know that stuff.

Shit.

Pig farms.

What? The killer wouldn't need to buy the books. He could harvest them.

Right, I spent some time on farms growing up. What happens when you let an

animal corpse decompose?

Why? They feed on it and they lay their eggs and that is when the beetles and

the maggots make their appearance.

Oh, shit.

That's it?

The weird farmer, the guy in the bar, accusing everyone of stealing his

Mad Bob. Right, OK, we should go now.

Well, what about dinner?

Oh, I've lost my appetite. Ring Phil.

Pigs? I do love pigs, me.

I say pigs. I mean sausages.

Wonderful animals, pigs.

They're cleverer than dogs.

So, uh, why don't we have, uh, guide pigs?

We could.

Easily.

Sniff a pig. Okay, right, okay, we're getting off topic.

Um, can we ask you some questions about the piglet that you think was stolen?

Don't think it was.

Didn't just disappear into thin air, did it? Want a description?

Oh, no. I think we know what a pig looks like.

Know what a saddleback looks like?

Thought not.

This isn't a big operation.

And you say it happened overnight, yeah? Well, it was there last time I changed

a feed.

It's gone the next morning.

You don't have electric fences, anything like that?

Nope. Have I seen you somewhere before?

Yeah, yeah, at the pub. You came in accusing Trevor, the landlord.

Could be amazing, the amount of pork he serves.

And that cook he's got, Shelley, cooked prime bloody Shakespeare.

If he's such a good poet, why is he cooking sausages?

Yes, what I don't fully understand is that, well, you clearly love your pigs.

So, um, how do you handle them being, you know, slaughtered?

Love them?

They're money.

Somebody steals my pigs.

It's like mugging me in the street.

Well, thank you very much.

We'll let you know if you hear anything.

Why would someone go to all that trouble to implicate bait?

Well, so that everyone thinks that bait is the killer, which is exactly what the

real killer wants.

If he can't get away with killing a second time, not with Bates in custody.

So what do you say? You think Poppy's still alive?

I think she might be, yeah.

I think it's possible.

I think that was your lovely friend.

Gavin? She was following him.

On what grounds?

Uh, fun.

He's been acting suspicious.

He was parked up by the woods the other night.

Oh, are we actually doing this, guys? What if she sees us?

We will claim coincidence.

Mm -hmm.

Come on.

All right, bye.

There he is.

Where's the next one?

Yeah, that's him.

Come on.

What the hell is he doing?

Only one way to find out.

Hey, listen.

Just remember you're pregnant, all right? So if it kicks off, leave it to

All right. So now what?

Right, we follow him inside.

One of us goes around the side in case he bolts. I'll go.

Shit. I've got him.

I've got him.

Okay, okay.

Look, it was just a bit of robbing. They're insured.

It's a Poppy and Abby show, isn't it?

Everyone's making a nice bit of coin out of it. You should be ashamed of

yourself. Yeah, well, thanks for that school bully.

Hello, hello.

You, you don't know anything about me or anything about my life back then, so

why don't you just shut up?

Yeah, I've got to go back up to Manchester. Things are firing up on that

was working on.

You say tonight? Go back tomorrow morning?

Maybe we could have dinner tonight together.

Is everything all right?

Hey, what's wrong?

Look, Helen, whatever it is, just spit it out.

I think I'm ready to be a mother.

Coming back here and seeing all this pain and anguish. It's like people make

themselves vulnerable just by having kids.

Just by loving something that much. What's the alternative, eh?

Close your heart to risk never being hurt.

I need the loo. You've just been.

Yeah, but I've got a baby pressing down on my bladder.

I saw your picture in the paper.

Right.

You're a friend of Linda Bates.

And?

Can we talk?

Yeah.

I'm coming out.

This is a bit of a nightmare, actually, you being a friend of Steve's wife,

but... I'm hoping you'll help me.

Help you?

Prove he didn't kill anyone.

Why do you think he didn't kill anyone?

Because that night everyone reckons he took Abigail Toms.

It was with me.

It was me he was meeting in that pub.

For you, you and Stevie were together.

We had to meet in places a bit out of the way.

So you have an alibi for him?

Well, sort of.

He didn't have time to get back to Poulsford and kill someone.

Why not go to the police?

I'm only 16.

How long have you been seeing each other?

We didn't do anything.

You know, sexual.

Not until my birthday.

He wouldn't.

We kissed.

Okay, there's no need to get upset.

I'm shitting myself.

Because you know what they'll say?

They'll say, well, there you are then.

He was into young girls.

It's proof.

He did it with Abigail and Poppy as well, but he killed them.

You could have been next.

But that's crap.

He's not like that.

Okay.

I understand.

You know, we need to take this to the police.

What did you say your name was again?

Rory Harcross.

Well... Aurora.

They're my parents.

Harcross.

I need some air.

I'm pregnant.

Who learns from respect?

Don't be scared, he's fine.

You don't believe her, do you? No, I don't. Why?

Because it means you're wrong?

Why would she lie?

Why's she got to gain?

She's got text after text proving the affair.

She gives Bates a rock -solid alibi for the time you've got him abducting

Abigail Thompson.

You're determined to prove me wrong, aren't you? Oh, my God.

If you convict an innocent man, would you rather she take her story straight

the papers?

Fine.

I'll take it once round the block.

By the way, your mate Linda's here.

Would you like to be the one to tell her?

She's lying.

The post was full of little bitches like that.

I don't think so.

Oh, and you'd know, would you?

I know it can't be easy to hear, but it can't hurt to have an alibi.

Can't hurt?

How would you feel if some little slut came along and said she was screwing

poor saint, she loved him?

I would be upset.

But given these particular circumstances, I would rather he was a

killer.

What am I going to tell the kids?

I don't know.

How can we tell Charlie I know a stepdad's anything because it was with a

younger than she is?

What's she like? Is she pretty?

She's young.

Firm tits, slim waist.

I know you're in on me.

We were like that a long time ago, didn't we?

Who is she?

Helen, please tell me.

What is her name?

I suppose that's why I never came forward earlier.

Because I knew they wouldn't believe me.

They'll investigate.

I'll make sure they do.

I knew her.

Abby.

We went out together a few times.

Bonded when we found out we had matching rose taps.

Tit -tats, she called them, because they were... You know.

I can't believe she's dead.

Thanks, anyone.

Aurora?

Who lives with you in that house?

My dad. Why?

Do you ever see your granddad?

He lives in Hull.

Big deal. I'm a council over there.

Why?

I used to know him.

Bye.

Are you going to tell me what this is all about?

No. Oh, for God's sake, Helen.

You've been weird ever since we came down here. There's something.

I know there's something.

I don't want to discuss it.

We're having a child together, Helen, in case you'd forgotten.

I think that bonds us pretty tightly, don't you?

So if there's any secrets, if there's something that you're not telling me...

Helen?

Helen! Helen, stop!

Stop! I was abused.

Raped. Is that what you want to hear?

I was 13 years old and his name was Peter Harcross.

Harcross? Yeah, him.

He was a friend of my dad. My dad was a single father and my mum had died and my

dad didn't know how to cope and Peter pretended to be a helping hand. And he

knew that my dad was gay.

And he used that against me. He said if I ever told anyone, he would ruin him.

He would make sure that everyone knew and he was a counsellor and my dad was

still in the closet back then.

And it, you know, it wasn't just me.

It was Linda as well.

He got to her through me.

Helen, come here. No.

He wanted Jenny.

I know he did.

He would turn up at the house and he would pretend to be surprised that my

wasn't in.

He would help himself to a beer.

And he would sit down next to me and he would rub my leg.

And I was so shit scared that she would be next. And I swore, I swore that I

would never, I'd never let him get to her.

And he said, he said that I had to keep loving him or he'd try someone else and

I knew he meant her.

That's how he would describe it.

Loving him.

Like, like, loving means lying still like you're dead.

And throwing your guts up after and then running home so fast you can't feel

your legs anymore.

I got him, Paula.

Paula.

Paula calls me a bully.

And I was looking after them.

I was a bitch to her and Jenny because I was trying to protect them.

And it's ruined our lives.

You know, because it never leaves you.

It never leaves you. Not really. It's fucking in here.

Every relationship, every fucking relationship I've ever had, I've fucked

And it's him that's to blame. The filthy fucking bastard. No.

No.

Helen, look at me. Look at me.

Hey.

You haven't fucked up every relationship, okay?

You've got me.

You've still got me.

Not for long.

What do you mean?

What are you saying, Helen?

And it didn't mean anything what she was just screwing, but... Fuck.

And don't ask me for reasons, because I've got none.

He was there, and I fancied him, and I knew it would mess everything up, but I

didn't stop myself, because I couldn't, like, I have never been able to.

The baby.

Tell me it's not his, Helen.

Tell me.

I don't know.

Oh, shit.

I really don't.

It could be his, Paul, or it could be yours. How could you do this to me?

How could you?

Why?

Why would you do this to me?

Because it's who I am.

And I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Adam Perrin!

I've got to go back to Manchester.

No, Paul. You don't have any stay anymore. Just leave me alone!

Tick actually for them to do it, you know

What? Paul, Paul, I know. I know who killed Abigail Toms.

It's Trevor. Trevor Hare. I'll meet you at the pub.

Lovely girl, that Abigail.

She had one of them stupid tattoos they all have.

Huge rose.

That's like goody two -shoes round here.

Where's Trevor?

Where is he? No.

You can't go up there. I'm police. You can't.

Heading for the lower villages.

There's only one road there, so I thought we'd catch him.

Trevor knew about Abigail's tattoo.

It's the same as Rory's. They both have that road in private places.

Plus, he's an ex -police, so he knows all about DNA and time of death

And he's had all the coppers in his pub, so he's had the inside track on

everything.

Hiding in plain sight. More than that.

Flown, didn't he?

Telling people he used to give Abigail and Poppy lifts in his car and it

explains the fag end too. From the Bay Garden.

He knew Bates.

He knew exactly what he was up to with Rory and knew it could set him up.

There he is.

I love you.

Now this road, I know where he's going.

To the old Thompson station.

Come on, this way.

You okay?

Yeah, it's not bad.

Why the hell didn't he search this place when he first came?

Probably under five foot of water.

Trevor? Stop.

You shouldn't have come here.

You've put me in a terrible position.

Because now there aren't many options.

You don't want to kill her, Trevor. Kill her?

I love her.

You let us go, or I will kill her.

You try and stop me, and I will kill you.

Where are you going to go?

Live on a little island.

It's over.

It's all over, Trevor.

No.

It's not.

No. No.

It's my fault. No, no, no, no. He was my friend.

My little girl.

to the Trevor Hare investigation.

Yeah, I'm not here for that.

I'm here for something else.

I want to report a historic case of child abuse.

Again, who?

No.

How historic?

20 -odd years ago. In the perpetrator?

Peter Harcross.

He's a local councillor in my hometown.

Works in Hull now.

A few years off retirement.

Local government?

Mm -hm.

They'll get attention.

I want him done for it.

I'm so sorry you've had to live with this.

drug dealer, criminal, if I can stand up to them.

Well, please.

Please come home.

Let me try.

You know, Helen, right now I can't even look at you.

My kids, we go over.

I've got a problem. They're gonna kill us. They'll kill us all.

Right, we're gonna find who did it and it back. The business carries on as

usual.

Every time you look at me, I've got whore written across my forehead.

You want a relationship with a woman who doesn't even know who the father is?

Well, I love you. Stay away from Frank Linnell. I've got a bit of a reputation.

Some people see me a certain way. How much blood is there? It can't be a

problem. Do it!