Dear Dad The Story of Tracy Beaker

# I can make my world come true

# All my dreams will see me through

# Doesn't matter what may come my way

# Believe me now, I will win some day! #

(D-oh!)

-Looks like the pressure's getting to someone.

-Like your front teeth?

Oh! You put me off! I'd have beaten him if you hadn't have put me off!

-You tell her, Rio!

-I didn't do anything!

-I won, fair and square.

You didn't! Jackie put me off!

-Put a sock in it!

-Typical Wellard.

Bad loser.

-Oh, come on, lads.

-Go on, Crash!

EVERYONE SHOUTS Rio! Rio! Rio!

-Crash, my office.

-But...!

-Now!

Isn't it about time you started using your brain before your fists?

He'll have to find it first!

-Don't let them get to you.

-Yeah, they're losers, Rio. Losers.

-She put me off!

-Face facts, Rio.

-When it comes to games...well, well, you're just rubbish!

-Shut it!

Shut it or I'll...

You'll what? Report me to Elaine?

Oh, Rio, I'm so scared(!)

You'll be laughing on the other side of your face, when I tell my dad what you said.

When my dad gets out of prison, I'm going to tell him about you.

And when he finds you, you're gonna be sorry, very sorry, you ever made a fool out of me.

-You're bluffing.

-He isn't.

-Rio's dad is a very...

-Very...

..nasty piece of work.

Ask the last man he put in hospital.

Rio started it. It wasn't my fault!

Crash, I haven't called you in here to talk about Rio.

You've got a letter.

It's from your dad.

-What are you doing?

-Looking for spiders. What are YOU doing?

I'm looking for my chocolate cake.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say it had been...

stolen.

Don't let Rio wind you up.

He's bad news.

-Who's the letter from?

-My dad.

-Isn't he in...?

-No. He's out.

-He wants me to write to him.

-Are you going to?

-Why should I?

-But he's your...

-It's no big deal, is it?

You say it was a chocolate cake?

Yes, Marco.

-When did you last see it?

-This morning.

I'm going to have to take your fingerprints, for the investigation.

Hmm, interesting.

-I was thinking...

-That makes a change.

-Rio's dad...

-Spit it out, lollipop.

Why is he in jail?

Um, er...teacher abuse. Rio's teacher gave him a detention,

so his dad tied him to the seat with sticky tape.

That's not so bad, is it?

It is when it's the last day before the summer holidays.

They found him...

six weeks later.

What was she banging on about?

Rio's dad. He's a right hard case.

-No wonder he's in jail.

-Jail?

-Ergh!

-The sooner someone fosters you weirdos, the better.

-What's wrong with you?

-Nothing.

The only reason you won was cos Jackie put me off.

Darts, football, pool...

I'd thrash you. Anywhere, anytime...

-What you reading?

-Get off!

-Weirdo.

-Game of pool?

But...I don't want you throwing a wobbler when I beat you again, OK?

As if!

-What are you doing?

-Investigating the Mystery of the Stolen Cake.

I could help you...for a price.

I'm an expert in thieves. Rio's dad's a thief - puppies.

He snatches cute little doggies when their owners aren't looking.

Then he tries to sell 'em.

And the ones nobody wants, well...

GRRRRRR!

-What does he do?!

-When the cops caught him,

-he was boiling up a big bowl of puppy soup...

-Stop it!

-I'm only telling him about Rio's dad!

-You're frightening him!

It's a true story.

Red ball...bottom left pocket.

-Yes! Said I was good, didn't I?

-Did your dad teach you?

-He gave me a few tips.

-I don't remember much about my dad.

Why? Is he dead?

No. He was in jail for ages.

Jail?

Yeah. Like yours. Er, Rio...?

Your shot.

What d'you want now, freak-boy?

-Roxy said Rio's dad's in jail for stealing.

-So?

-Did he ever steal cakes?

-Yeah. The police caught him

with two doughnuts and a jam sponge hidden in his pockets.

-Really?

-No! Rio's dad was a big-time thief!

He used to break into the world's biggest banks.

He'd be flown in by helicopter in the dead of night,

and blow open safes with dynamite to get at the money.

He's in jail for stealing GOLD bars, not Mars bars.

But I thought he was...

Chantal? A word?

Wey-hey! No hard feelings, eh?

You didn't know you were playing a champion. I know loads of tricks.

Did your dad teach you those, too?

Er, yeah.

-There's one where you line up the reds...

-Do you ever hear from him?

-Sometimes. Another game?

-Do you write to him in jail?

-Erm...

I'll go and see if Duke's got any chalk.

-Very cosy.

-I thought you couldn't stand him.

-He... He's all right.

-That's not what you said earlier.

-Crash is OK! Leave him alone!

I've been looking for you everywhere.

Do you want to break?

-Erm, I'm sort of playing with someone.

-Who?

-Duke hasn't got any chalk, but...

-Him! But you hate him!

-Oi!

-If you don't mind, we're busy.

-It's boys stuff...

y'know?

Hey! What are you doing?

-Looking for the stolen chocolate cake. You're the prime suspect.

-Why?

It's probably in there.

You cheeky...! Come here!

I think it's in the drawer.

Quick, then, before Sid comes back.

-A-ha!

-What?

Feeling hungry?

If I had a penny for every time I'd heard that!

-KNOCK ON THE DOOR

-Yes?

I'm investigating the Mystery of the Stolen Cake.

Well, I can assure you it's not in here...

-Shall we try the garden?

-Mm-hm.

How's the investigation going?

Rubbish. No-one will help me with my enquiries.

I haven't even questioned Crash yet.

-He's playing pool with his new friend, Rio.

-Rio?

Who'd want to be friends with him?

-He's horrible!

-I think it's because Rio's dad's in jail,

so Crash thinks they've got something in common.

Rio's dad sounds even worse than Rio!

Chantal says he's in jail for robbing banks. And he nicks puppies.

-Jackie, I haven't got X-ray vision.

-Yeah. Shift your big bum.

-Rio's dad...

-What about him?

-Why is he in prison?

Cos the police caught him, stupid!

-For stealing?

-Yeah. What's it got to do with YOU anyway?

Stealing?! You said Rio's dad was in prison for teacher abuse!

-He stole dogs as well.

-And robbed banks?

Rio's dad isn't even in jail at all!

-What's going on?

-Rio lied about his dad being in prison.

-I haven't!

-Then why is your dad in jail?

-You don't have to tell them!

-If he hasn't got anything to hide, he'll tell us.

-Well, spit it out!

My dad's in jail...

because...

..because...he stole...

he stole a car...and...

he drove it to this big bank, and then he, um, went inside,

and nicked all this stuff, um...

stuff, you know, from the safe, um, money and jewels and, um,

money and stuff.

Everything, he stole everything in the whole place. The lot.

Dad didn't flinch, not even when the big, angry guard dogs

started growling and showing their teeth! Grrrr, grrr, grrr!

That's my dad, see, not frightened of anything.

Nothing at all!

He's a hard man, a tough nut, a real hero!

-He's making it up!

-I'm not!

Happy now?

-I knew you were lying.

-Oh, get a life, lollipop!

-They're losers.

-Especially Jackie.

She's not. She's just sticking up for her mate.

Like we would.

-What's up, buddy?

-I don't want to be a detective any more.

-Why?

-I'm not very good at it. I didn't find your cake.

Oh, that's all right.

I made another one.

-And this time, I'm gonna keep it in a very safe place.

-Where?

Thought you might fancy playing cards later?

You could teach me.

Or we could go on the computer...

if you want.

I only said my dad was in jail to frighten Lol.

I didn't know your dad had...

I...

I didn't know...

At least you know where your dad is.

I don't even know WHO mine is.

-Maybe tomorrow.

-What?

Cards.

KNOCK ON THE DOOR

Crash!

I was just, um...

-What can I do for you?

-Have you got a stamp?

I need to send a letter.

Subtitles by BBC Broadcast 2005

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