Episode 5 Silk

Brave, strong, surrounded by men, saying no to all of them.

-Whose are these?

-Came for you, miss. Grateful client, maybe?

All right, Mar? I was passing and I thought,

"What happened to the girl that broke my teenage heart?"

Who was that? Mr Mysterious?

Sean McBride.

You give me what I want and I'll give you what you want.

I'd like to make an official complaint against Billy.

I will not take lectures in chambers politics

from a man who took backhanders from Micky Joy,

the most corrupt solicitor of all time.

Look, come on, Clive. Nobody's listening.

-You don't think I'd be honest with you?

-I wouldn't believe you.

-What's he look like, then, flower man?

-Tall, dark...Northern.

Ready?

OK.

Sorry, can you...stop?

Please. Hello? Stop it.

Can you stop, please?

GATE CLICKS AND BUZZES

Sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm so...

KEYS JINGLE

BOLT CLICKS

KEYS JINGLE

CLEARS THROAT

HE SIGHS

Hello, Sean.

HE TUTS

Are you OK?

Don't drink it.

Mr Lamb?

Please come with me, sir.

Bastard looked at his watch. At his watch!

It's a flat rate for police station attendance,

so it doesn't matter how long you're there, money's still the same.

So even though you're a really big murder,

there is no incentive for him to stay.

-He said to go no comment.

-No comment halves interview time.

Now, did you go no comment?

No.

Bananas are a working-class fruit.

Did you know that?

HE SIGHS

What is all this, Micky?

Empire food, by the boatload, for the masses.

Let 'em eat bananas.

I don't know about you,

but out on my cliff edge, I feel alive for the very first time.

-How do you know about me?

-I've been taking an interest.

You read Dickens?

No? Then get a bloody move on.

It amazes me, the complacency of our species.

"We're here for ever," people seem to think.

"I'll just have another quiet pint and a doze."

What are you doing?

What are you all doing?!

Technically, I'm on bail. It's just I can never leave.

So anything I want, I get.

Apart from vitamin D. But then me and sunshine never did get along.

I've even got Blu Tack for sticking up the Virgin Mary.

You're a grass.

A supergrass.

Mm.

All those years defending all those big criminals and now you're grassing 'em up.

It's an interesting career change.

You want an Unclaimed Baby?

That's what they were called before the Great War, then Peace Babies for a bit,

then, finally, Jelly Babies.

Why am I here, Micky?

What, Sean?

I lied.

-What about?

-A gun.

People lie for all sorts of reasons.

Doesn't necessarily mean that they're guilty.

I panicked.

I haven't panicked about anything in my entire life, not even in Afghan.

Not even when I fell head over heels in love with Martha Costello.

We have this kind of rule at the Criminal Bar.

Never represent a friend.

And here's me thinking we're more than just friends.

Yeah, and that was all, what, over 20 years ago?

Feels like yesterday.

That kiss. You know the one.

HE CHUCKLES

So bloody amazing.

We stepped off the curb and the night bus missed us by about six inches.

I could have died then and there.

We both could have died.

You whispered in my ear, "I've died and gone to heaven."

Now, you were a piece of work, Sean McBride.

BOTH CHUCKLE

I share a cell with a man who stares at me all day.

Never blinks. Doesn't speak, not a word. Just staring and staring.

Then when he goes to sleep, he shouts.

He... He shouts all night, Martha.

Are all barristers as good as each other,

-or are there some you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy...

-Sean...

..and what if I get one of them?

What if they get their first murder and they're hopeless?

Could that happen to me?

I didn't do this, but it looks like I did.

You know the thing about prison? Nobody thinks you're innocent.

And everybody thinks I killed Jimmy Monk,

and the Monk family are like the biggest crime family ever

so every second I'm in there I'm fighting to stay alive.

But if I get 20 years, I can't survive.

If I get a life sentence, I'm dead.

-Sean, I...

-I can't even drink a cup of tea

because it might be poisoned.

I need you, Martha.

Con, miss?

Sort of.

You?

Do you believe in heaven and hell?

I believe in a big-bang beginning to the universe.

Before the big bang?

Well, if it WAS God,

then my cross-examination will start with,

"Why wait four billion years

"after creating something so, well, infinitely big,

"to tell a small tribe in the Middle East not to covet each other's oxen?"

Ha-ha!

I'm afraid she won't be available, um...for the next three or four months.

-He's grown into his shoes.

-Hmm.

Oi! Get over here!

Sorry, can I call you back, please, sir? Cheers. Bye.

Never walk past Martha Costello, no matter how big you get.

-Hmm.

-Never, ever walk past this lady.

Got that?

Hello, miss.

-Jake.

-That's better.

Now, on your way.

PHONE RINGS

Normally it would be Billy I'd give this to, but... SHE SIGHS

It's my application to join chambers.

Thank you.

You think I should wait until the business with Billy is over?

No, I didn't say that.

I mean, if I lose, I'm the people who made up allegations of sexual harassment,

and chambers won't want me,

and if I win, I'm the people who did for Billy Lamb

and chambers won't want me.

I might as well apply now, for all the chance I've got.

The pupil with the guts to stand up to the man twice her age,

even if it jeopardises her chances

of having the career she sacrificed everything for.

Principle and justice over self-interest.

I'd want someone like that in chambers.

-He, er... He asked me to represent him.

-And you said no?

-Clive.

-I'm late for court.

You have history with him. It's a conflict of interest.

DOOR SHUTS

Who's going to be the judge in my sexual harassment hearing?

Alan Cowdrey's Head of Chambers until we elect a new one, but he's a fair man...

-Who's known Billy for 20 years.

-Don't crack now, Amy.

You stand up to him. You've got lots of people on your side.

And a witness.

You've been following Martha Costello around for the last week, haven't you?

Come with me. I'll show you the other side.

-Billy?

-Harriet?

-I've been thinking, maybe you should take some time off before your hearing.

-Why?

-Well, you seem a bit...

-What?

I'm just trying to help.

-Are you?

-We'd be fine without you.

Wouldn't we, John?

Shall we ask someone what the law is?

Miss?

A quick question.

Is an accused man guilty until proven innocent, or is it the other way round?

No, that's not what I'm talking about.

Is the burden of proof on me to prove that Miss Saigon is making a false allegation?

Maybe you can help the lady from Amnesty International

with a few basic human-rights principles?

You've always bullied your way out of things, haven't you? Bully women.

If they complain, bully them some more.

Well, the things I've seen, the bullies I've known,

you don't even come close to intimidating me.

You have to tell people.

No.

No testosterone, no sex drive.

So what kind of harassment is it when the harasser hasn't got any?

I can't, miss.

Why not?

You told me.

You know, for someone without the male hormone, you're behaving very like a man.

I wasn't harassing her.

Forget about what I've got and no testosterone.

It wasn't sexual.

You were just being a senior clerk.

Yeah, and you're the only one round here who seems to understand that.

-And what does that mean?

-You have to represent me.

-Ah, no. No, no.

-Well, no-one else can.

-Look, I... I know too much. I can't.

You have to, because you understand me like no-one else,

and because if I lose and they kick me out...

..I'm dead.

-How is she?

-Terrified.

Four years on a fight, three if he pleads. He's pleading, right?

Hello, Clive.

-So?

-We're listed for trial and that's what we're doing.

Why don't you do your job?

-My instructions are...

-He sexually abused a 12-year-old girl. The evidence is as strong as it gets.

So go downstairs, be a proper barrister and tell him he's pleading guilty.

-We've just been downstairs...

-Sorry, um...I've forgotten your name.

-Nick Pellegrini.

-Did you know it was me that was prosecuting when you spoke to him?

-No.

-So go and tell your self-pitying paedo

that if he maintains a not-guilty plea and this goes to trial, I'll kill him,

and when I say I'll kill him, I mean I'll kill him.

He will never recover from what I do to him in cross-examination.

-Pleading?

-Yes.

But he wants you to leave out the level-four laptop stuff.

Of course.

Of course he does.

People get credit for pleading guilty.

Paedophiles, people who sexually abuse children,

and don't plead guilty until three minutes before a jury is due to be sworn in,

don't deserve credit,

particularly if, over a number of years, they have downloaded

some of the most repellent pornography I have ever seen in any case.

"Level four" barely covers it.

I expressly said he was pleading guilty

on the basis that you left out the level-four downloads.

You told me what he wanted. I chose to ignore it.

Well, that's not how it works, as you bloody well know.

We had a conversation, counsel to counsel...

Do you want to go back in and tell the judge?

Maybe we can have a trial just on the disgusting pornography.

-He has a right...

-You do what he did to young children, you surrender every right to everything.

I think there are grounds for appeal.

I agree.

Oh, right.

I'm not sure four years is enough.

Plenty of people come to the Criminal Bar and choose to defend

so that they can fight for the downtrodden and the damaged.

You want damaged? There's damaged.

Thank you.

Who's on the side of the angels today?

Nick Pellegrini?

Martha Costello?

Thank you.

Some barristers get smoothed out by overexposure to bad things.

I mean, they see so much of it, they forget how bad it is and how to feel.

Not me.

-SHE SIGHS

-Two things.

Yes?

There are a series of these prosecutions, 19 in all, every one as bad as this.

Right, good.

And the second thing?

Are you free this evening?

I'll call you.

DOOR OPENS

19 white-ribbon briefs for Clive Reader.

You trying to wind me up?

-It's good work.

-It's prosecuting.

And Clive's very good at it.

300 years of clerking, sirs have always been sirs.

Misses have always been misses.

You come along, and "sir" turns into a first name all of a sudden.

What do we put that down to? I'll tell you, shall I?

Massive disrespect for history.

If there's one thing I learned from my time working for Amnesty,

it's a massive disrespect for history

and an equally massive disrespect for people with too much respect for history.

Let's have a drink, shall we?

Soon. Just you and me.

OK.

Clive.

Clive asked me to look at something for him.

Did he, now? What did he get yesterday?

Four years.

-About right?

-Drug mules get 12 or 13.

-Who was the CPS solicitor?

-Nicola.

Why are you smiling?

They were very flirtatious, Nicola and Clive.

Mm, well, he's like that with everyone. If in doubt, flirt.

Yeah, yeah, but...

What?

Are you good at reading sexual signals, Amy?

Look.

Billy isn't himself at the moment.

Now, I know him really well, and he wouldn't do a thing like that, believe me.

But he did.

-Amy...

-What am I supposed to do, Martha?

It's the truth.

I thought I could rely on you.

Oh, er...thank you for yesterday.

I learned a lot.

So.

Did he do it?

(NORTHERN ACCENT) Our Sean?

He owns three clubs in Manchester. They're a success.

So he wants to repeat that success in London.

He makes an announcement saying that he's opening a new club in King's Cross

and calling it The Electric, which is the name of his biggest Manchester club.

So it seems a bit like world domination?

Two days later, Jimmy Monk visits him in Manchester

and tells him to keep out of the London club scene.

Jimmy tells him that the Monk family want payment

for allowing him even to exist in the Manchester scene, let alone London.

-Protection money?

-By any other name.

The Monk family don't want some Northern upstart treading on their toes

so Jimmy and his goons slap Sean about a bit, because they're like that.

And Sean's left feeling angry and humiliated?

Three months later, he's arrested for the murder of Jimmy Monk

in a Heathrow hotel room.

His prints are in the room and he's on the CCTV entering the hotel.

The timing fits.

-Weapon?

-No gun found.

Well, that's the evidence, but you still haven't answered my question.

Did Sean McBride put a gun to Jimmy Monk's head and pull the trigger? Yes or no?

No.

What was he doing when he came to see you that time?

-What do you mean?

-Well, it would have been after Jimmy roughed him up

but before the date of the murder.

Why don't you just spit it out, Clive?

-How long had he not seen you for?

-I don't know.

Are we talking five years? Ten years?

Then all of a sudden he's down in London schmoozing the only lawyer he knows?

We're old friends.

Hmm. Bit more than that, by the sounds of it.

By the sounds of... Sorry, what do you mean, by the sounds of it?

You'd have said no to an old friend, but you said yes to him,

cos you had a bit of whatever round the back of the Hacienda last century.

You... You're practically a witness and you're representing him.

You're jealous.

HE EXHALES

-I need someone to represent me.

-No.

-It's just...

-It's Billy.

Yeah, but...

-You wouldn't ask Martha, would you?

-I would have, but I can't.

-Why not?

-Because she's representing Billy.

Er...miss? It's the CCTV from the hotel, the McBride case.

-Wow, that was quick.

-Well, we've got both briefs in chambers.

What? Who?

-Miss Warwick.

-CW's prosecuting Sean?

HE MOUTHS

-What do you think?

-I think I'm better-looking.

BOTH CHUCKLE

-It's definitely him.

-Well, we're not saying it's not.

Well, the fingerprints in the room kind of make your mind up for you on that one.

Yeah, but why would he talk to her if he's about to murder somebody?

-I mean, why would he do that?

-You could read it as cold-blooded.

He's not cold-blooded.

DOOR OPENS

Sean McBride. Solicitor's had a bail app listed.

-When?

-He forgot to tell us.

-When, John?

-Two o'clock.

-I'm across the road at two.

-Yes, miss. Sorry, miss.

-Well, I'm free. I'll do it.

-It's half 12 now, sir.

It's fine. Miss Costello's got me up to speed.

Thank you.

-I'm just popping down to Woolwich.

-Why?

McBride bail-out.

-Defending, Clive?

-Helping chambers out.

SHE SIGHS

McBride.

-You want to be careful, sir.

-Why's that? We...

I wouldn't be in a room with a psycho like McBride.

By the way, are you for real?

Sorry?

Bailing a gangland murder?

-Gangland?

-Well, what would you like me to call it?

Psycho nightclub owner with strong interest in guns and killing people

murders youngest brother in biggest criminal outfit in North London? Is that better?

Killing PEOPLE?

Two tours in Afghanistan.

-Where's Martha?

-Busy.

She can't just drop everything for a bail-out.

-What's she doing?

-Let's talk about you.

-Now, were you at the hotel?

-Can we get rid of him?

-What?

-I don't trust him.

-He's fine.

-He's not fine. He's overdoing it.

-He's just coming down.

-He's not coming down from anything. He's here to listen to what I say to you.

-Aren't you? Aren't you?!

-Hey! Hey!

Hey, look! Look! He's the real thing!

Take your shirt off.

-Where's the wire, Sean?

-I don't trust him.

HE SIGHS

Hello? I need time alone with my client.

-I was at the hotel. Turned over the first protection money payment.

-How much?

-Three grand.

Right, so you flew to Heathrow to hand over £3,000.

I... I didn't fly. I drove.

Right, I waited in the hotel at the agreed time. Jimmy didn't show up, so I left. It's simple.

Can you get me bail?

People on a murder charge don't get bail.

Martha said it was worth a shot.

-Yeah, well, she's a big hit with the clients.

-What does that mean?

Well, Martha's one of the world's great optimists.

Clients like to be told they're going to win.

It would be a miracle if I got you bail under these circumstances.

TANNOY: All parties for the Lakin case...

So, here's the equation.

If I'm gonna represent you against Billy, it has to be worth it.

-Sorry? I don't understand.

-Are you any good? Can you cut it at the Criminal Bar?

Right.

So, are you gonna tell me what you're here for?

Erm...yes, yeah.

A... A pit bull tied up outside a shop on Kentish Town High Street,

and a Spinone goes past.

-Spinone?

-Italian hunting dog. She's called Lottie.

She's got like a...a beard and huge feet and just...

Anyway, er...the pit bull, he goes mad, he breaks free,

and he clamps his jaw onto Lottie's back end.

Now, all of this is incredibly shocking. There's blood everywhere.

Lottie doesn't utter a sound.

She just stands there, bleeding and...and hopeless,

waiting to die and...

-Miss Lang?

-Hang on.

-What next? Who are you representing?

-Er...sorry. I have to go.

Mr Reader?

I'll come in and see you!

The defendant lied.

-About?

-His gun.

He said he didn't own one. We have evidence that he did.

Mr Reader?

No gun was found.

There is no murder weapon.

Detective Chief Inspector Fitzpatrick chooses to call the defendant,

and I quote, "a psycho".

I'm going to give him the contact details of one or two mental-health charities,

who would like to have a word with him about this kind of casual stigmatising.

This is a man who served his country in Afghanistan with distinction,

and vehemently denies this allegation.

He wouldn't want to skip bail

because he's desperate to stand trial so that he can clear his name.

And just in case you were thinking of deciding

that the defendant needed to be remanded in custody for his own safety,

you and I both know, although the world likes to pretend that it isn't true,

that prison is the least safe place he could be.

I'm going to retire to consider my decision.

All rise.

-What the hell do you call that?

-What?

-The "psycho" business.

-He said it. Ask him.

He's entitled to think that he can say things in private that remain private.

-It was a casual remark.

-Betraying the real man underneath.

What gave you the right to say that?

You've known him for two minutes and you've seen into his soul?

-You're really angry with me?

-Yes, of course I'm really angry with you!

-Yeah, but deeper than that, you're frightened.

-Frightened?

-Bail in a murder?

Imagine how embarrassed you'd be. You'd need a big drink.

HE GASPS

How many?

What?

-You were a sniper?

-Yeah.

How many Taliban?

-Nine hits.

-Maybe don't use that word in court.

USHER: All rise.

Whatever happens, thanks. That was done properly.

I have considered the arguments of Mr Reader.

In my judgment, the defendant should remain in custody.

Bail is refused.

What would Shoe Lane look like, a week after Billy Lamb leaves this life?

Like a clerks' room full of clerks.

I'm after something more than legacy.

-What's that?

-Atonement.

Also known as grassing people up.

Atonement means a lot more

than the codes of honour that bad people make for themselves.

Grassing up bad people is good.

Not grassing up bad people is lawyering.

Huh!

There are no grasses in hell, Billy.

So what do you want from me, then?

Martha Costello.

Why?

-She thinks I'm the devil.

-So?

I want to show her who I really am.

Why?

I love that girl. You know that.

I know you do.

And you want to look after her.

Trust me.

I've got all her best interests right next to my heart.

My client was sitting in the window of a cafe,

working on his laptop, when he saw what was happening.

He knew what he had to do.

He ran into the kitchen, he grabbed what he needed,

he sprinted across the road and he stuck a kitchen knife into the pit bull's side.

He told me it was the hardest thing he's ever done.

Now Lottie was free, but she collapsed in the road.

Two police cars and four police officers arrived, and what did they do?

They refused to take Lottie to the vet, basically because they didn't want her blood in their car.

At which point my client got upset.

He forgot that he still had the knife, and that he was covered in the blood of two dogs,

and he shouted at them, that they would be responsible for her death if she died.

They arrested him under the Public Order Act.

My client wants me to say that he's not sorry for what he's done,

he'd do the same again tomorrow,

and that he used to respect and trust the police force, but he doesn't any more.

He wonders why back-seat upholstery is considered more important

than the life of an Italian Spinone.

Thank you, Miss Lang.

Stand up, please.

I'm going to deal with this by way of a conditional discharge.

Stay away from big knives and it'll be the last you hear of this.

Thank you.

How is Lottie?

Er...she's alive and well and walking around happily on three legs.

SHE EXHALES

Clive, the election.

Head of Chambers.

It's a three-way tie, my polling tells me. 15 votes each.

AMY AND JOHN SPEAK OUTSIDE

-When are we deciding on Amy?

-Next week.

-Before the election?

-And before Billy's harassment hearing.

-So she'll have a vote?

-Yeah.

I thought you were brilliant in court today.

Listen, I've been thinking,

it's only fair that, if Billy has a silk representing him, so do you.

DOOR OPENS

-You didn't tell me about the gun.

-How was he?

-He likes me better than his blonde brief.

-Hmm, very funny.

-He's good at killing people, though.

Nine dead men, Mar.

-That's different.

-Well, yes and no.

Shooting someone isn't easy, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Like it or not, call it what you want, he's a professional killer.

Hmm. I've got work to do.

-CLIVE SCOFFS

-Jumpy as hell.

-It's an insult!

-Look, as you so rightly pointed out,

you are innocent until proven guilty.

You're entitled to carry on your life as normal until the hearing and so is Amy.

Part of that life is chambers deciding

whether or not she should become a member for ever.

Agreed?

Good.

You're trying to take Clive Reader away from me.

You won't do it, and sleeping with him won't get him either!

-What did you say?

-You heard!

I've seen you fiddling with your hair when you talk to him,

giving it the old Diana doe eyes.

And what about qualities like being hard-working and intelligent?

Can women have those, Billy?

And what about you? Let's do your so-called good parts. What are they?

Sentiment. Loyalty.

The two most overrated human qualities,

and the big thing about both, always male!

I'm not...

a man!

I'm a senior clerk.

SHE SIGHS

SHAKY SIGH

Yeah, it's Lamb.

William Lamb, I'm ringing for my test results.

-Yeah.

-FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING

-CLEARS THROAT

-Sorry.

No, no.

Do you like boxing, sir?

CROWD CALLING OUT

That's Jake.

CROWD CALLING OUT

What's he doing?

He can't... Can he?

Yes, he can.

HE LAUGHS

Come on, my son!

Go on!

BELL RINGS

Sean McBride wonders whether you will work alongside Miss Costello.

Seems he liked your bail application.

I told the solicitor, two silks, it just wouldn't happen.

No.

Be like Federer and Nadal playing doubles. Just wouldn't happen.

-No.

-No.

Not even if one of the silk needs protecting from her dangerous client,

and our senior clerk is happy for it to happen,

so happy that he might forgive the other silk

for arguing that he's a sexual predator.

Which one of us is Federer?

Well, guile and grace, no sweat, no grunts? I'd say you were Roger, sir.

HE CHUCKLES

-BELL RINGS

-Ready, guys?

-Come on, Jake!

-Go on, Jake!

That's it, into him!

Go on!

Ooh, yes! Ooh!

-Yes!

-CHEERING

Go on! Go on, son!

Yes, Jake! Good boy!

-PHONE RINGS

-Come on! He's done it.

-Hello?

-He's done it! Well done!

Yes!

Whoo-hoo!

Fantastic.

Yes, my son.

(LAUGHING) Go on!

Yes!

Go on, my son.

'Yeah, erm...Billy Lamb.'

Yeah.

Yeah, sure. 2nd June, 1969.

Right.

Right.

Thank you.

Sure.

No, I'll be fine. Er...yes.

I'm with someone.

Bloody hell.

Why would you do that?

You and she up against each other for Head of Chambers

and you're being her junior.

-I'm not her junior.

-Course you are.

Do you know what I think?

I think you've been half in love with since you met.

You're wrong.

It's my job to know everything about you.

-Everything?

-Everything.

The closer I get, the more I know, the better I can look after you.

How much closer?

PHONE VIBRATES HE LAUGHS

You're working.

-What?

-You just looked at your phone.

Me, your phone...

it's all in a day's work.

I don't think so.

PHONE RINGS

PHONES RING AND VIBRATE

Hello?

John?

What is it?

Er...

there's, um...

..a clash

in the diary.

Is that why you got me back from the pub?

The pub?

You're turning into a real clerk.

Was he your first?

-What?

-Toxic cocktail.

First love revisited.

What are you saying?

If you get him off, will you be getting off with him?

The word from all the coppers is that he did it.

Not the case, not the evidence, the actual word.

Just so you know.

HE EXHALES

Afghanistan.

Eight shots. 300 metres. 350, maybe.

That range, you have to aim a tiny bit high,

because the trajectory of the bullet has a small downward curve in it

so the focus is all on the execution of a shot.

It's not about another human being.

There were nine, weren't there?

The ninth was a firefight.

Usual mayhem. I found myself in a drainage ditch and there he was.

15 feet away. Him or me.

What was it like?

His weapon jammed, so he ran at me.

He nearly got to me, but...

Not like sniping?

Blew his face off.

At that range, you know...

I try not to think about it.

I'll see you upstairs.

Martha?

I didn't do this.

A planned killing in cold blood.

A single gunshot through the back of the head, just behind the left ear.

We say this man was forced to kneel down on the carpet

and was shot from behind by a trained killer

who knows about the science of killing people.

That killer, the evidence will show...

..is Sean McBride.

Well, Jimmy Monk came into the club with these three big fellas.

Erm...Sean, he was out the back, but then he came through.

What happened?

Jimmy said he liked the club, but he should stay away from London.

-Did Sean respond?

-He laughed.

One of them got a hold of Sean round the neck,

and the other two gave him some slaps.

Slaps?

Actual slaps with the palm of the hand.

I... I think they just wanted to make him feel stupid.

What was Jimmy Monk doing?

He was smiling,

and he said he wanted money in return for allowing the Manchester clubs to carry on.

Was there any further contact between Sean and Jimmy?

Yes.

Er...Sean gave him a call.

Did you hear what Sean said?

He was arranging to meet Jimmy.

-Where?

-A Heathrow hotel.

Just Jimmy?

He was very insistent that it be just Jimmy.

They agreed the date and the location for the meeting and ended the call.

-HE SIGHS

-How did he seem after the call?

Er...he was pumped up. You know, excited.

Did he say anything to you?

He said it would be like going out on patrol.

What did he mean?

Afghanistan.

Did Sean McBride own a gun?

-Yes.

-Can you describe it?

Er...a pistol.

With a...like a red stripe on the handle.

-Where did he keep it?

-A drawer in the office.

Where is the gun now?

-I don't know.

-Did you look for it?

-Yes.

-When?

When he was down in London for the Jimmy Monk meeting.

You checked on the gun?

It was gone.

What did you do when Jimmy and his heavies were slapping your best friend around?

Nothing.

-Why not?

-I couldn't.

-Were you restrained?

-No.

-Were you scared?

-Yes.

-And what were you scared of?

-Jimmy and his heavies.

-Why?

-They're hard men.

Did you offer to go with Sean to the meeting at Heathrow?

No.

-Why not?

-Same reason.

Fear?

Sorry, could you speak up?

-HE SIGHS

-Yes.

Sean went to Heathrow to make a protection money payment to Jimmy Monk?

I don't know.

And Sean being nervous the night before, well, that's hardly surprising, is it?

I mean, you'd have felt the same,

if you had to make that payment to a man like Jimmy Monk?

Possibly.

Sorry? Possibly?

Well, yes, I would have been. But then Sean had a gun.

Sorry, did you see Sean take it with him?

No.

Did you see him remove it from the drawer?

No.

Did he talk to you about taking it with him?

No.

Then you can't say that he had a gun, can you, Mr Brannigan?

Why are you smiling?

Well, er...call me old-fashioned, but it's common sense.

Nobody else had access to that drawer and knew what was in it.

Apart from you.

I don't know what you mean.

Sorry, when...when did you decide to become a witness for the prosecution?

-What are... What are you saying?

-Who runs The Electric now?

I do.

Thank you.

FILE THUMPS

So Jake is boxing?

Yeah.

-Not the same without him.

-Nah.

-HE LAUGHS

-Do you remember when he...?

Don't, John.

Please.

-I've done something big.

-Oh, yeah? What's that?

-Given up hockey.

-Ah, about time. Girls' game.

-Ha-ha.

-Why?

Before the game last week,

we were running through a short corner routine.

-Mm-hmm?

-Bent down to tie my shoelace up,

and one of my team-mates hit the ball.

Missed my head by an inch. Thwuh!

HE SIGHS

-I think if it had...

-You wouldn't be here today.

Nah.

Doesn't bear thinking about.

Except it does.

-What?

-Makes you think.

That...life is short.

And precious.

JOHN WRITING

Mm-hm.

I didn't know why he was angry.

He wouldn't say.

Just kept pacing around and punching things.

What was he punching?

A cupboard. A wall.

Me.

He hit you?

-Where?

-My stomach.

No, I meant where were you?

My flat.

Had he told you why he was angry before he hit you?

No.

Did he tell you afterwards?

He said it was that bastard Monk, who'd threatened him at the club.

Thank you so much, Miss Philpott.

You were his girlfriend?

-Yes.

-But not now?

No.

Who finished the relationship?

-He did.

-When?

The week before he came round and hit me.

What were your feelings for Sean before he finished the relationship?

He was my boyfriend.

Sorry, does that cover your feelings for Sean McBride?

What?

Does what you've just told this court

adequately describe your feelings for this man?

MARTHA CLEARS HER THROAT

"I love you with all my body and soul,

"especially my body,

"but my soul, too.

"I want to be with you for ever.

"Will you do that secret thing you do to me tonight?" Who said that?

-SHE CLEARS THROAT

-Me.

This is a text message you sent Sean the day before he split up with you.

Now, is that a better description of your emotions

than the one you've just given this court?

Yes.

So, you were crazy about him. You were madly in love with him.

You couldn't get enough of Sean McBride.

You were devastated when he finished with you and you were angry...

-No.

-..and this is your revenge.

This is you lying about the man who broke your heart.

I'm telling the truth. He hit me.

-He wouldn't do that.

-How the hell would you know?

Miss Costello is doing her job, Miss Philpott. Just answer her questions.

That wasn't a question,

-"He wouldn't do that."

-Milady.

The witness is absolutely right.

My learned friend is giving evidence.

Did you tell the police?

No.

Did you tell your flatmate when she came home an hour later?

No.

You waited until Sean was arrested for this murder

and then you gave your statement to the police.

What secret thing?

I'm not saying.

-Is it something sexual?

-Not really.

What, then?

He used to whisper in my ear.

What did he whisper?

SHE SNORTS

After a kiss.

"I've died and gone to heaven."

Miss Costello?

If I were a more cynical, hard-nosed-bitch type of barrister,

I would say that my learned opponent still has the hots for the killer in the dock.

But then I tell myself, "That can't be right,"

and her esteemed junior would make sure that it wasn't right.

-I'm not her junior.

-Of course you're not, darling.

We need to get back for the vote.

On?

Whether to make Amy Lang a member of chambers.

LOW CHATTER

LOW CHATTER

-JOHN:

-OK.

We have a decision. Head of Chambers has to make the call.

He's not here, obviously, so, um... who's going to inform Miss Lang?

HE SIGHS

You're in.

SHE LAUGHS

46th voter.

Ha-ha!

Oh! Yes!

There were people in the room across the corridor, 1045.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

OK.

Good.

KNOCK AT DOOR

You're on.

Were you the duty manager at the hotel on the night of the murder?

Yes.

-Did you notice an arrival?

-The defendant.

-Had he made a booking?

-Yes.

Room 1044.

In what name?

Costello.

-First name?

-Just an initial.

E.

As in Elvis Costello?

A singer, Your Ladyship.

It's been A Good Year For The Roses, wouldn't you say, Mr Reader?

But not so good for Shipbuilding.

The rooms, er...next to and opposite 1044, were they also booked?

Yes.

And on the day of the murder, did the guests for those rooms turn up?

Nobody turned up.

What were the names used?

Nick Westlake,

Martin Land,

Steve Keane and Robin Page.

JUDGE: Lunch?

Martha?

Nick Westlake, Martin Land,

Steve Keane, Robin Page.

All boys in our class at school.

-Yours and Sean's?

-Yes.

Jesus Christ. Well, so that's it.

He keeps the rooms around 1044 empty so nobody hears or sees anything.

Get a bloody cigarette out for me.

Look, they don't know.

CW doesn't get it. The police don't know.

-And it is not our job as defence counsels.

-Martha.

You take the witness.

I don't think you can carry on with this.

I've looked into his eyes.

I know the answer when I look into a client's eyes.

I get it right.

When you say that the rooms were not occupied,

-you mean that the people who booked them didn't show up?

-That's right.

-But you didn't go up there yourself, to the tenth floor?

-No.

So you can't actually say that there was nobody in those rooms?

Nobody booked in.

Yes, but you didn't see for yourself that those rooms were empty?

Strictly speaking, no.

If I suggested to you that room 1045, the room opposite room 1044,

was actually occupied at the same time

as when the defendant was waiting in room 1044,

you can't tell me that that isn't true?

There are rumours the hotel is haunted.

RIPPLE OF LAUGHTER

JUDGE: Tomorrow at ten?

MUSIC PLAYS

MUSIC: "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division

# Love

# Love will tear us apart

# Again

# Love

# Love will tear us apart

# Again... #

-HE SIGHS

-Where's Martha?

I don't know, Sean.

Maybe she's thinking about what a liar you turned out to be.

-I'm not a liar.

-You lied about the gun.

I think you're lying about everything.

Who was it? Who apart from you made fake hotel reservations

in the name of your classmates?

I've prosecuted lots of men like you.

You're a manipulator and a fraud, and Martha...

HE GRUNTS

-..she's vulnerable.

-Yeah, I get it.

Get what?

You're in love with her, aren't you? Hmm?

Am I right?

Am I?

You're going down.

GRUNTING AND GROANING

Stop it!

ALARM BEEPING Help!

-Aaah!

-Get back!

Shit!

Don't touch him!

Look at me. Did you do this?

He put his hand on my knee.

The cancer is moving.

-That's...

-Let me finish!

If I were to catch you coaching a witness, I'd finish you.

Is that your killer point?

-What are you afraid of?

-SHE SNIGGERS

Trust me.

Square peg, round hole!