Reliable Witness Doctors

HE MOANS IN PAIN

Oh, Charlie!

I leave you for one minute.

Don't fuss. I'm all right.

Oh, yeah, you look it(!)

There's...there's a book.

You didn't pack it. I need it.

It doesn't look bad, but I'd best get it checked over.

Please.

Please.

Yeah, I need a doctor for a home visit.

Yes, if it is not urgent, Doctor Haskey can call round

when he is finished here.

Yes, all right. Thank you. Goodbye.

Well, Ted Abbott's looking well.

You wouldn't think he was 83, would you?

-I'm sorry?

-You gave me the wrong notes, Mrs Tembe.

And earlier you cut off that call,

not to mention the double-booking of Mrs Drake.

So, come on. What's up?

I'm sorry. I've just been a little pre-occupied.

There is an addition to your house calls.

Lorna Petty, a health worker, called to say

that Charlie Doyle has a head injury. It is not life-threatening.

OK, I'll head on over as soon as the cavalry...

Speaking of which, you must be the temp?

Sandra.

Right, I'm off out. You have a nice afternoon.

Sandra, I'm going to leave you

in the very capable hands of this young lady.

We're doomed!

We're not doomed.

You all ready to deal with the student body?

-I think so.

-Remember, if in doubt, refer them on.

Sure. I'll be fine.

It'll be an afternoon of STIs, and study fatigue and spots.

Don't forget all the caffeine overdoses. I'll see you later.

And then he took me up this hill

and you could see for miles.

We re-enacted the first dance from our wedding.

Aw, that is so romantic.

He could be making it up of course, I don't know.

Well, it's still romantic.

I mean, imagine remembering all the details of all those dates.

Yeah, that is because he's a police officer.

They're trained to remember every detail.

I wish I could remember one!

Yeah, well, even if you can't, it shows you how much he loves you.

He's being very sweet and thoughtful.

Forget sweet and thoughtful!

He's so sexy...

..and I'm enjoying being spoilt.

I don't think Rob's going to see it like that.

There we go.

That should be fine now, Mr Doyle.

Will we be much longer?

I've got things to do after I've dropped him.

And people say that caring is dead in the medical profession!

What?

You've no idea what I do every day sat in your cosy office.

Have you ever had to sift through a hoover bag

to find some old dear's wedding ring?

Have you ever had to fish false teeth out of a U-bend?

I wonder if she's about to do three prostate examinations in a row?

Don't waste your breath.

He doesn't know what day of the week it is.

Do you, Charlie?

What?

See?

Has your care worker even bothered to explain what's happening today?

You're going to be going to the Pinebrook Care Home just for a bit.

You'll still be close so your mates can come and visit.

Hey, you'll be fine. I promise!

She ran off.

I told them she ran off with the man

who taught her at the college.

Who ran off?

But she didn't.

She didn't run off.

My wife didn't run off.

I did away with her.

I buried her body.

I buried it in the foundations of the house.

Right, we all set then?

We might need a couple more minutes.

This is a nice gallery.

It is a nice gallery. Yes.

Have you been here before?

No.

Have you been here before?

So...do you like art?

Yes! That's why we're here.

I like art.

I do not like anything too modern.

Where is the art in a pattern of coloured dots?

Or an animal in a tank?

No, I like the Impressionists.

So, Manet? Degas?

And Picasso.

Well...

Picasso was slightly later, of course.

Of course.

I meant Pissarro.

# You say Pissarro

# I say Picasso

# So...so, let's call the whole thing... #

So?

I had one old girl

that thought Gareth Malone and Lulu came round for tea.

Charlie's got dementia.

That means he can spout a load of old rubbish, yeah?

But it's often based on actual memories.

What if this is something that actually happened?

You may have all day. But I haven't got time for this.

I've got to go.

Not without my say-so.

What?

You called me over here.

As the senior medical practitioner in the room,

it's up to me to say when he's ready to leave.

You're kidding me?

I've got to get him to say more.

If you think he did it, just phone the police. Hand him over!

What? How long have you been a care nurse?!

If he has murdered her, it's not really our problem, is it?

I'm not going to put him through that.

Not without more proof.

SHE SIGHS

This gets better and better.

It's going to be something glamorous today. I can feel it.

Somewhere I've got to dress up.

Well, you never know.

Hello!

So, where are we going?

What's this?

You taking her to a sewage farm?

A sewage farm with a leaky roof?

Go on, you've got to guess. Not you two.

It's not the Seychelles.

I'll give you one clue. It is a fairly long drive.

It's not a Yorkshire theme park?

Oh! Come on, you'll see.

Come on!

Not a word.

Have fun!

How could you lose him?

Me?

I'm not the one who left the door unlocked.

He can't have gone that far.

Looks like I've arrived here in the nick of time.

What?

Don't want the old boy scarpering

before he settles the 30 notes he owes me.

-Vince. Vince Collingham.

-Doctor Haskey.

And I know this young lady.

Always lights up a room...

each time she leaves it.

Eh, Morticia? So, can I see His Lordship?

There might be a bit of a problem with that.

Oh, no. I know he's got a mind like a sieve.

That's why I got him to sign this

when I subbed him the money for his shopping.

It's not that. It's just that... Mr Doyle isn't quite...

available.

What's he on about?

Charlie's wandered off.

You're not telling me you've managed to lose him, are you?

No, no, we've got everything in hand.

It doesn't look like it.

A vulnerable old fella seems to have disappeared on your watch,

Doctor Haskett.

Yeah, it's Doctor Haskey.

And actually you could help us by staying here

and waiting for him in case he comes back.

While we split up and go and look for him. Good idea?

Suppose.

Text me so, I've got your number. Thanks.

I'll drive around the block.

Unbelievable!

Found him.

He's on Edwin Street.

Mr Doyle?

Mr Doyle. It's Doctor Haskey.

I spoke to you at the house?

Yeah.

This is it.

No, it's back up the road.

I can do it.

The foundations are deep.

I've mixed concrete before. Sand and cement.

Be set by morning.

Did you build this house, Mr Doyle?

The trick is to keep turning the mixture, see?

Not too much water.

Keep it turning,

mixing.

Mixing.

Where is your wife?

Charlie!

You can't go running off! What you playing at?

This might be where he buried her.

What?

Well, that's it. We'll have to call the Old Bill then.

I don't...I don't know.

Come on, what's stopping you?

They have an impressive collection of pre-Raphaelite art.

One of the largest in the country.

Mrs Tembe...?

Indeed, there are over 1,500 paintings

and drawings from that period.

Yeah.

This one is by Ford Madox Brown.

The Last Of England.

Clever move, isn't it?

Doing portraits of people in hats.

Saves you a lot of time on drawing hair.

Oh...yeah, yeah...

it also means the sitter can be in and out quicker.

Everyone's happier!

Does she want him to kiss her? Or...

I don't know.

Go on, then, my hopes are suitably lowered.

Clay pigeon shooting.

-SHE LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY

-I've never done that before.

You have.

Jack was really little.

And we were going through that whole phase of no sleep

and the endless cycle of feeds and nappies.

We hadn't been out in ages.

And I won it as a prize in the police raffle.

What's wrong with dinner and a dance?

Think it was the first time we'd been out together as a couple

post Jack.

GUNFIRE

We spent a couple of hours in the fresh air blowing things up.

And it made me feel better.

What about me?

You on the other hand didn't want to go.

You were rude to the instructor

and you moaned about the cold.

In fact, I don't think you were happy till you got back into the car.

Looking forward to this one then.

Pardon the bluntness, Vince.

But what happened to Charlie's wife?

Oh, she ran off with the guy teaching her pottery.

Oh.

Did anybody ever see her again?

Been reading Charlie's old newspapers, have you?

He was a person of interest for a while.

But nothing ever stuck.

As if he hadn't been through enough with her.

I mean, the fact no-one ever heard from her again

made it seem a bit of mystery.

Did YOU think it was a mystery?

Well...

we always wondered,

me and the wife, but...

it was just speculation.

Well, Charlie says he killed her.

-Can I have a word?

-Doc...

-Oi!

-We need to have a patient conference.

Or more accurately, you need to listen to what I'm thinking.

Oh, it's nice to feel valued.

Good, we know the police were involved.

Charlie's taken us to where he apparently left the body.

Even his old friend wondered whether or not he'd done it.

These aren't just ramblings any more.

Let's just call the police and I can get on with my life, yeah?

How does he just wander onto a building site and bury a body?

You can't do that unless...

-Was Charlie a builder?

-No. He was a shop fitter.

He wouldn't have access then?

Maybe it isn't true.

You're right.

Charlie wasn't a builder.

But I was.

And back in the '80s Charlie managed some sites for me

while I was up north.

Was one of those sites on Edwin Street?

I think you should have gone for a 20-, not a 12-gauge.

Is 20 bigger?

No, smaller. Lighter. Less recoil.

Oh, no. I want the same as you.

Don't moan when your arms turn to jelly.

-OK, Karen. If you'd like to take your gun.

-Thank you.

How does that feel?

Yeah, it's fine.

Well, there's only one of us trained as a police marksman,

that's all I'm saying.

All right. If you'd like to take the gun.

Thanks, you don't have to worry about me, mate.

I've used one loads of times.

Karen! Keep inside the cage.

I'm sorry.

Whoa!

Yeah, yeah.

It's actually quite light when you get used to it.

Unless you're shooting. Keep it pointing down.

And not at humans!

I can't remember for sure if he was there

when the foundations were laid down.

But he was certainly managing the site from the off.

If the police need to talk to me,

Morticia knows where I live.

Still not my name.

I don't know whether to report it or not.

Come on. He's admitted doing it.

He had a motive. He had access.

There's more at stake here than you getting to your next appointment.

The only proof we've got is Charlie's confession.

Everything else is circumstantial.

Sounds pretty convincing to me.

There's only one person who knows for sure.

What are you trying to do?

Talking to you about art.

Yes. I'm sorry...

I am sorry.

I am not very good at this.

Perhaps, it was a bad idea.

I am trying.

It's just that I have never done anything like this before.

It's...

difficult not to think about...

What I've done?

I just thought that if were looking at paintings

it would be easier until we got to know each other.

Maybe, that's the problem.

You know me...about me, but...

well, I don't know anything about you.

Well...well, there is nothing to know.

Where do you work, for instance?

I don't even know that.

No, no, go on, I don't know.

Are you still married?

Well, I'm really not that interesting.

What about your house? What's that like?

It is just normal, really.

Is it big? Is it a small? A flat? Or...?

It is just normal.

Oh, well...

You don't want to tell me, do you?

No.

Well, I... It is just that...

Perhaps we should just give up.

What's the internet say?

Absolutely nothing.

I can't find a thing about whether confessions

from dementia patients are admissible in court.

I suppose their stories could change every time.

All right. Let's suppose he is guilty.

All his life he's kept this secret.

And it's only now that his mind is falling apart

that the barriers come tumbling down and the truth spills out.

I suppose we'd better hope he has another moment where he makes sense.

Else, I'm never going home, am I?

Pull.

HE FIRES TWICE

It is tough.

So, don't worry if you don't get them.

OK.

Pull.

SHE FIRES TWICE

SHE LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY

How could I ever not love this?

Sorry.

Do you remember what you said earlier, Mr Doyle?

Is the car here?

We're all keen to see Headley.

We've all of us been waiting.

No. No, this was about your wife.

The picnic's been packed, you see?

All ready to go.

You looked after the house on Edwin Street, didn't you?

When your friend Vince was building the house.

Yes...going to be a jolly time.

The police asked you all about it, didn't they?

The others will be here soon.

-Any minute now.

-Charlie.

What did you do to your wife?

My wife?

Right, I've juggled all my appointments,

but we've really got to go now.

I was just getting another... telling off.

Come on, Charlie. We're going.

I guess we'll never know.

Actually, Luther,

I think we will.

"Flesh In The Foundations - a gripping thriller.

"Can DI Walsh find out who buried a woman in a building site,

"before the killer strikes again?"

He was reading it when you arrived.

Come on.

Pull.

HE FIRES TWICE

Could you show me again?

OK. Looking straight down the barrel...

How many more times do you need to be told

how to hold the gun properly?

That's what he's here for.

-Thanks ever so much you, Paolo.

-OK.

Paolo.

I know what you're doing. Trying to put me off

with your distractions and your flirting.

I don't need dirty tricks to beat you.

That's why you were waving it around earlier.

-You were lulling me...

-Lulling?

..into a false sense of security.

Who do you think I am, some kind of devious mastermind?

Get over yourself.

Pull!

SHE FIRES TWICE

I love blowing things up!

We call them acquired memories!

He reads the book.

It combines with his own memories of his wife leaving,

and his time managing the site,

you mix them all together, what do you get?

Murder confession.

Well done, Columbo.

Mr Doyle, do you want to take the book with you?

I think it's caused enough damage, don't you?

And one other thing. Delete my number.

Why would I want to call you?

Maybe, I shouldn't have told you everything about me.

Oh, no, that wouldn't be right.

I should have planned it better.

If I'd have worked out things to talk about, we might have got on.

You work out things to talk about?

I get shy and then flustered and then I forget otherwise.

I guess that makes me sound even more weird.

Well...

I must be weird, too.

If it is any consolation,

it did not help.

Art. Letherbridge. Christianity.

You didn't do Christianity.

The other two went so badly.

That's exactly the sort of thing I'd write.

And sometimes if I have a difficult phone call,

I write bullet points.

I do that, too!

Ah, well. See, we do have things in common.

Our faith...

and bullet points.

It's a start.

Yes.

Yes, it is a start.

SHE FIRES AND GIGGLES

Erm, remind me again.

Which one of us is in double figures?

And which of us has three?

It's my bad back, isn't it?

Normally, it would be clay carnage up there with me around.

A grand total of three!

How can you be so good at this

when your eyesight's more shocking than mine.

It's good fun, though, isn't it?

Yeah, it is.

Thanks, guys.

What you doing?

It's over.

Oh, no! I've just got into my stride.

You told them to cut it short on purpose

just to save you getting a hiding.

You are joking.

Your beginners' luck was just about to end.

Ooh... Sounds like somebody's angling for a rematch.

Bring it on.

SHE LAUGHS

I hoped I wouldn't be seeing you again.

Why you leaving me messages?

When I got back, I took a proper look at the book.

I don't understand.

I hadn't noticed the name of the author before.

"Flesh In The Foundations - a novel by Edwin Street."

That's the same as...

Yeah. It's the name of the street where he said he buried the body.

That's an odd coincidence, isn't it?

It's not a coincidence.

It's a pseudonym.

I looked it up on the internet.

It seems our Charlie Doyle wrote one long-forgotten novel.

Those memories didn't come from the book.

They went into one.

That's why he was so keen to get it off the shelf.

So, have you called the Old Bill?

I suppose we'd better be there when they get to the care home.

-I'll do it.

-Hold up.

Look, he's confessed to you.

And by the sound of it this is a thinly veiled confession.

He's wanted to get caught ever since he's done it.

But what would be the point?

He's got to be punished.

And would he even know he's being punished?

The trial would be a farce.

It's not just about Charlie, is it?

What about his wife's relatives? They deserve justice.

All those years of wondering.

So, what, we let him get away with it?

MUSIC: "Secret Of Life" by James Taylor

Oh, it's a shame it had to end so soon.

Who saying it's ended?

Oh, you do know how to treat a girl.

We could at least have gone to a cafe?

It's what we had after we'd been here shooting before.

You are a tightwad.

It's all we could afford.

We sat in our old battered car, in the rain,

eating cheap bread and a couple of apples on the turn.

And we talked about our cheeky little boy

and how nice it had been to spend some time on our own,

even if it had only been for a couple of hours.

Did we?

And look at us now.

Two grown-up kids, who have both flown the nest.

It seems like we've gone from there to here,

in the blink of an eye.

Well, I can't remember before,

but I've had a really lovely afternoon. Thank you.

That's great.

You are really...

..sweet and thoughtful, aren't you?

A face I'll never forget. Nicola Smithson!

You managed to lose the puppy fat!

A doctor, a lawyer and an airline pilot.

Perfect role models for our pupils.

Someone should cut her down to size.

Well, it's going to be like being on Concorde!

It's the closest we'll ever get.

We like to send out a clear message -

bad behaviour will always be met with zero tolerance.