17/08/2012 EastEnders Omnibus

SHIRLEY: Say something, then.

What am I going to do?

SHOUTS: What am I going to do?! Tell me, Ben!

Do I go out looking for him?

Or do I sit here and wait?

Look, he didn't do it.

I mean, he wouldn't do it, all right?

Not to Hev. You're miles off.

You know any prayers...

start saying them now.

I, er...

..I need to get back home.

Oh, course.

I'm going to OK things with Shirley, smooth the way a bit, yeah?

Oh, Phil, it's all right, you've done enough. More than enough.

I wouldn't have done it for anyone else.

Best I find some clothes. Can't turn up like this again.

-Mum?

-It's all right, Denny. We're going to be OK.

Listen, wait here a sec. Yeah?

Where you going?

Shopping.

It's gone flat...

..that figures.

Here, pour yourself one.

We're going to make a little toast.

Right, you listening?

Yeah?

You listening, Ben?

I don't want to do this, Shirl.

Here's to that...

..lying...

murdering piece of filth.

All that blood on his hands.

Hands that have been all over ME!

Holding me, touching me...

putting this stupid ring on my finger.

-Get the flaming thing off me!

-He didn't do it, Shirl!

-Get it off!

-It won't budge.

-DO IT!

SHIRLEY CRIES OUT

What do you want me to do with it? Shirl?

SHIRLEY GROANS

Look, this don't make sense.

You've got to think all this through.

I mean, you can't have Dad walk into this.

He loves you.

Didn't love her, though, did he?

It's all spinning around in my head, Ben, like I don't know what.

Her face.

His face.

What could have made him so angry to lash out like that?

How hard must he have hit her?

I mean, her head, it was like solid rock,

there was nothing in it except George Michael and concrete.

He's your fella and you're his woman, Shirl,

and he wouldn't ever, ever lay a finger on your best mate.

But we weren't best mates at the time, were we?

So maybe he thought I wouldn't care if she lived or died.

-It was someone else.

-WHO?!

Who is this someone else?

(I don't know.)

Then you'd better find them...

you better track 'em down...

..cos until you do, Ben,

until you do, there is only one person that I'm going to blame.

-Here y'are.

-Cheers.

-Pat Butcher wouldn't wear this!

-Not now, she wouldn't.

-Hmm?

She's six feet under.

No!

New Year's Day.

God, I thought she'd be here for ever.

So, you don't like it, then?

In honour of Pat - no.

Listen, I, er...

I better get back home. Shirley'll be going spare.

Oh, no worries. I'll think of something.

Well, might go and see Ian. Is he still around?

Listen, maybe it'd be better if you came with me.

Phil, are you sure? I don't want to rain on your parade.

It's weird, innit?

I'm trying to get married and you're trying not to.

PHONE RINGS

Let's hope you have more luck than I did, eh?

HE SIGHS

Dad, listen. Shirl's gone off on one.

She thinks that you did Hev in!

I'm trying to tell her you didn't but you've gotta get back.

You've gotta get back here now!

KNOCK ON DOOR Open the door.

-Were you talking to someone?

-No.

I'm not going to let you give him the chance to make up a story.

-No, I weren't.

-Where's your phone?

I ain't got it, have I? Look.

You know, I was in this frame with Hev.

I could've been the last thing she saw come flying at her.

I dunno whether that's a comfort or a curse.

How'd you think it got here?

-I dunno.

-Your dad wouldn't have brought it here, he's not that stupid.

He's many other things but he's not stupid. Not him.

Maybe he did.

-But, Ben, I just said...

-But what if he did? What if he did?

I mean, then that makes him innocent.

You know, he was thinking of you, he was going to give you something that belonged to Hev.

Oh, so this is an engagement present?

No, no, I'm not saying that, I'm just...

I mean, he wouldn't have brought it back in the house, would he? I mean, not if he was guilty.

You know how it got here?

D'you know why?

It's Hev's doing.

She's pointing the way.

(Shirl...)

Shirl, I swear to you, all right, that's just your imagination...

She's saying, "Look, Shirl. Look close, and you'll see."

Why can't you just let her go?

Do you want Hev's killer to be walking free?!

No, course not...

-I-I didn't mean it like that.

-You know, Ben...

..I've not just lost a best friend...

I'm about to lose a lover, a husband, my whole future.

Now I don't want it to be like that but it's out of my hands.

Your dad put paid to that.

-But...

-He's going to be home any second.

I can't promise you it ain't going to be ugly...

but if he's guilty, Ben, if he done this, I'll know the minute I set eyes on him.

So you'd better brace yourself...

cos you could be seeing him for what he really is.

I never thought I'd end up back here.

-Think of worse places.

-Is Grant around?

Portugal.

Good.

You sure about that?

You know, there's not many who'd do what you just did, Phil.

-Knight in shining armour, me.

-Well, you are from where I'm standing.

So I've got a pool table and a games console. D'you fancy that?

All right, Phil?

Sorry, I would ask but, er, it's Ian...

Ian Beale?

-Is something wrong? We go way back.

-He's just had a bad time of it.

-How bad?

-You know Beale, never makes it easy on himself, does he?

-Where is he now?

-Car lot.

I've tried talking to him, he's not responding.

Great. So much for Shirley's big day.

-What do you want me to do?

-What is it? What's happened to him?

Er...listen, maybe it's better if you go with Max. Yeah?

Don't fob me off, Phil.

I'm not, it's just a bit delicate, that's all.

-I can't just turn up with a blushing bride, can I?

-She's an old mate.

-What's wrong with your gaff?

-He's meant to be having a party.

-I'm just...getting engaged.

All I need is a change of clothes.

Do me a favour? Sort that out and I'll sort Beale out.

All right, cheers, Phil.

Yeah, I'll just do bed and breakfast for everyone an' all, shall I?

I'm Sharon.

Are you now?

Come on, baby.

-Where the hell is he?

-Let me go get him.

I'm telling you, we're in this together.

Yeah, I know, I know. But I can bring him back

and, like you said, as soon as he walks in that door you'll know,

you'll know that he's done nothing.

Just by looking at him. Then all this can stop.

Shall I tell you what I'm seeing?

Only it's all in flashes...

memories, thoughts about what happened that night.

I can't put it all together, not yet...

but I will, Ben.

D'you want it to be him? Is that it?

You want the bloke that just proposed to you to be guilty?

Cos that don't make sense.

Like you said, how angry must he have been with her?

To whack her? There's no reason for it.

I've seen him lose it and so have you.

But why would he go round hers?

Why would he go round hers before seeing you?

-I don't know, do I?!

-Because he didn't!

Because when he came out, the only person he thought about was you.

Not Hev. Why...?

-Why would she even come into his head?

-Right, you listen.

You listen, all right? I know, I know that Hev is sending me a message,

telling me that there is something rotten in that house.

-Shirl, that's just mental.

-Don't you dare.

-I'm going to go see Jay.

-You're not going anywhere. I need you here.

Why? So I can watch you call my dad a killer?

-Yeah, I really want to see that, don't I?

-I need to, all right?

I need to look him straight in the eyes when I tell him!

Just get over it!

Hev ain't sending you messages.

And all that's left is that stupid picture frame.

Excuse me?

"That stupid picture frame"?

The one with blood on it?

That, "stupid picture frame," that put an end to my best mate's life?!

I'm sorry... but you know what I mean.

-Where you going?

-I can't listen to this.

It can't be anybody else, can it?

What are you going to do anyway? I mean, seriously?

Cos you can't prove it.

The Old Bill ain't got a clue, there's no more fingerprints

and loads of people have touched that photo frame,

so you can't even get any DNA off it.

At the end of the day, you can rant and rave at Dad

but if he comes home and says he didn't do it, then that's that.

Nothing you can do can bring Hev back.

And I know that's what you want...

that's what we all want...

..but it ain't ever going to happen.

PHIL KNOCKS ON THE CAR

You going to get out of here, eh?

You can't hide away in here for ever, you know.

Come on, budge up then.

Come on, budge up!

Ian, you've gotta shake this off.

If Ben can, so can you.

I mean, look...

Look at where he was...

and look at where he is now.

And you two are brothers, right?

So if Ben can do it, so can you.

Nothing's that bad, I know that. Look at the things I've done and...

the things I've had done to me.

Drop dead.

Eh?

That's what Lucy said.

Maybe I should.

Ian...

Ian, you're all out of shape, mate.

You ain't going to stay this way for ever.

I'm here to make sure of that...

and so will Ben, you know?

You can't let him see you like this, not now,

not now that he's turned a corner,

and you wouldn't want to upset him, would ya?

You wouldn't want to do that to him.

Listen, I'm not a word man,

I'm not one for talking about feelings and stuff

but look at all the stuff I've sent your way. Hmm?

I mean, you took all of that, didn't ya?

Your head down the bog,

the knockbacks when you was on your knees, begging me for money.

I mean, you soaked all of that up. All them years I was going at you

and I hit you with everything I had, and you took it, didn't ya?

And you're still standing, ain't ya?

Come on, Ian...

..you're better than this...

Are you listening to me?

You are better than this.

I know it and you know it.

I ain't having this. I'm not having it.

PHIL SIGHS

Listen, there's, er...

..there's someone that wants to see you...

..but I can't have you turning up in this state.

All right?

You listening to me?

HE SIGHS

You all right, little man? Want a biscuit?

Yeah. Biscuits are good.

Right, I'll sort you some clothes out.

Don't like the wedding look then?

-What size are you?

-Have a guess.

-Ah, you'll be all right. You'll fit.

-Good with inches, are you?

Well, he seems nice...ish.

Mum?

I'm OK, Denny.

I promise ya!

Come here.

BEN PANTS

Was the last photo we had taken together.

I bet he burnt it.

I bet he sat there and watched Hev's face curl up and turn black.

-I thought you said you were going to wait to see him before you hung him?

-I am...

..but there are so many things that don't add up.

That night, there are so many things that are not right.

We need to go back there.

-Back where?

-We need to work it through.

There was you, me, Roxy...Jay, Billy. We were ALL there!

-Where was everybody sitting, do you remember?

-I dunno.

I was there...

..Roxy, Roxy was here...

Lola, where was Lola sitting?

Lola here...

-..and then Jay went and sat over there.

-Shirl...

We made everything nice for Phil...

then he came in and he was all over me.

-Please stop it, all right?

-Ben...

Ben, where were you sitting?

Ben...

-Leave them!

-He's going to be home any minute, all right?

-Put them back.

-You don't deserve to marry my dad.

-Put them back on the table, Ben!

He shouldn't have to walk in to something like this.

He loved Hev and he loved little George. He did.

Yeah, well, he can tell us that, can't he?

If he had, right, he'd have never left little George all alone, lying on his bed.

-What?

-He'd never have left a baby like that.

-How? I mean, how...?

-That's shut you up, ain't it?

-No, but, Ben, how...

-No, I don't want hear another word about it.

HOW did you know about George being left in his bed?

You definitely know your inches.

I've got an eye for it, ain't I?

Dunno what to do with this.

I sort of guessed you won't be wearing it again.

No. Suppose not.

So what's going on with Ian?

It's like Phil said,

you know, he's just having a bad time of it, that's all.

Last I knew, those two hated each other.

People change, don't they?

Money or a woman?

-It's always one or the other with Ian.

-You one of them, are ya?

-You one of Ian's exes?

-Me? No.

-No, we're just good friends.

-Well, he's going to need a lot of those.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Do you mind?

Sorry, last thing I need is to get caught with a strange blonde.

Yeah, course.

-You all right?

-All right, Jack.

Bruv, you ain't got a navy blue tie, have ya?

Why navy blue?

Little bit tricky.

I've got a date with this redhead

and she just happens to be obsessed by sailors.

-Sailors?

-Yeah!

I told her I was one once, even had the tie to prove it.

-Navy blue?

-Mm-hm.

-Follow me.

You done?

Good.

Cos I don't want to sit in here all day.

Come on then, get out.

I said get out.

Ian, I can slap you about and drag you out of there

or you can get out yourself. Now come on, out.

Come on. You know...

..it's all good again. Yeah?

Like nothing bad's ever happened.

Ben believes it, I believe it, so can you.

It's all gone away.

But seeing you in this state, it's letting the side down

and I'm not having that.

D'you hear me?

Now, this... This is day one.

This is where we start from...yeah?

Yeah.

Good.

Now...

..now there's someone you need to meet.

-Sure you don't want me to draw a little boat on that(?)

-Funny.

-That looks like any other tie.

-It's the chat that goes with the tie.

-She wants to believe it, she will.

-You even like this girl?

Like her? Bruv, come on. Be serious.

Well, don't be seasick down it, will you?

-# I am sailing... #

-PHONE RINGS

-You all right, Tan?

-# I am sailing... #

Yeah, yeah, get lost. No, not you, babe...

# Home again, cross the sea... #

MUG SHATTERS

So tell me you're the new maid?

Do I look like a scrubber?

-That brother of mine, he's unbelievable.

-Max is your brother?

He's even got you dressed up in Tanya's clothes.

He's beyond help, that boy!

-Do yourself a favour, go. Before I throw...

-You're reading this wrong.

I like my fun as much as the next man but THIS is sick.

-You got a name?

-Don't worry about my name!

I want to know who I'm about to slap.

Oh, really?

-We got a feisty one here, have we?

-You've got a lot more than feisty.

How much he paying you?

Come on, tell me and you can take off.

Such a nice face as well.

-Max!

-Oi.

There was a time I would have hit you back.

There was a time that I'd have aimed higher.

I'm a friend of Phil and Ian's.

My son is in the kitchen, eating a biscuit.

I'm wearing these clothes because mine were no longer suitable.

Now you can apologise or I'll break the other one.

You only had to say.

Let's go over this again, Ben.

Phil must have told you where George was.

He weren't there, so how could he?

Then how do you know?

Cos you went and fetched him.

I never said where he was.

-I never said precisely were he was.

-What does that matter?

All I'm trying to say is that Dad would never do that to Hev.

I mean, not with her kid next door.

That where he was, is it?

-Yeah, you said.

-No...

-..I didn't say.

-How else would I know?

If I didn't say anything and if your dad wasn't there either...

..that means you must've been there.

Thank you.

Least I could do for breaking your leg.

There's a lot more you could do.

-Ain't you meant to be somewhere?

-Oh, totally forgotten.

Sailors, ties, a redhead.

Hmm, nope. Total blank!

-What I do know is...

-Yeah?

..that I'm free right now.

I don't even know your name, do I?

It's Jack.

As in the beanstalk?

I prefer "The Giant Killer."

SHARON GIGGLES

I thought you had a ship to catch.

-It sailed without me, didn't it?

-Your boy's asking for you.

You might be free...

but I'm not.

JACK EXHALES

What?

DOORBELL RINGS

All right, Phil?

-Sharon still here?

-Yeah.

Right, I'll leave you to it.

Ian...?

Sharon.

Oh, Ian, what is it?

A lot's happened, Sharon.

-I'm talking to Ian.

-He ain't exactly talking right now.

Ian, it's me, I'm back!

I'm here. OK?

I'm here.

Welcome home.

Hev brought that frame here.

No...

She made sure it came to me...

cos she knew what it would do to you.

What's it like, seeing it again? D'you want to pick it up?

D'you want to do a repeat on me?

Nothing happened.

You came home that night wearing different clothes.

No...

Say it, Ben...

..tell me what happened.

What are you talking about? Look, nothing happened.

You've been bottling it up all this time

and now's your chance to let it out.

-I've got nothing to tell you.

-TELL ME!

BEN CRIES OUT

Say it, Ben.

I loved her, all right, I swear.

What did you do?

I just... It was an accident. I swear. I promise.

Oh, right, that picture frame just JUMPED into your hands on its own?

-No, it wasn't like that...

-What was it like, Ben?

It was an accident, all right? I just...

I just lashed out, I promise.

I want to hear you say the words.

Go on.

Go on, Ben...

say the words.

SAY THEM!

I did it...

I killed Hev.

BANGING ON DOOR

SHIRLEY GRUNTS

SHIRLEY ROARS

You can tell Hev that you're sorry...

in person.

Look, Shirl, just, please...

BEN CRIES OUT

BEN SPLUTTERS

Argh!

-What the hell do you think you're doing?

-Get your hands off me, Phil.

Just calm down. All right? Calm down.

He did it. He killed Heather.

-He confessed.

-What...? What are you talking about?

-He killed her.

I found the photo frame. And I've got it. I've got it downstairs.

He killed her and he's going to pay for what he did!

Back off! Just back off.

All right? Now let's just all... all calm down.

Calm down! He killed my best mate in cold blood.

-That's not what happened!

-I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses.

I told you, back off! All right? Just back off and calm down.

-Ben, go and get dry, go and get changed.

-What are you doing?

-He's going to get changed.

-He's not leaving this room.

-Why? What are you going to do?

You going to finish him off?

Is that it, eh? Now, listen, he's going to get changed.

All right? And me and you, we're going to talk.

No, you're not talking me round. He's going to prison.

He's going to prison for what he's done and he's going to pay.

I'm going to call the police. I'll get Marsden and I'll show her what a real murderer looks like!

Not until we've talked. All right? Not until we've talked.

He's going to get changed. Just give me a few minutes. I'll calm him down. And then we'll go downstairs.

All right? We'll go downstairs.

I mean it, Phil. He ain't getting out of this.

Yes, OK, OK. You said. Now go downstairs.

Put the kettle on. He's going to get changed. OK?

I promise you, I promise you. I'll be straight down.

Come on, come on. Come on.

-What happened?

-She found the frame, Dad. She found the picture frame.

-Where?

-I dunno. I just walked in, she shoved it in my face.

-What did you tell her?

-Nothing. I...

-Did you tell her that I knew?

-No. No. I said I did it.

-You what?!

-I can't help it, Dad. I can't keep it in any more...

-Ben, just listen to me, calm down...

No, I don't care any more. I don't! I won't say anything.

I won't say anything about you or Jay. I won't say anything about either of you. I won't. I wouldn't.

You protected me.

And I still am protecting you. All right? Now listen to me.

And calm down, yeah? Now get out these wet clothes. Dry off.

Get out them clothes. Come on. Put these on. Put 'em on.

-Put 'em on! Come on.

-Why?

Because you're wet, Ben. You're soaking wet through. Now get changed.

Dry off. I'm going to talk to Shirley.

-What you going to say? Eh? She tried to kill me.

-No, she didn't.

-She did.

You should've seen the look in her eyes! She had me under water!

-She's angry. She's upset. And now, now I'm going to talk to her.

-There's no point!

There is a point! What, do you want to go back inside?

Is that it? You want to go through all that again? Do you?

No. Course you don't.

I just want to do the right thing.

Going inside, Ben, that ain't going to help anyone. Is it?

-Ain't it?

-No.

No, course it ain't.

Ben, you're my boy.

All right? You're my son. And I love you.

And I'm going to protect you. And I'm going to do whatever if takes.

That's all my life is about right now. Just that, that one thing.

So I will do whatever it takes.

I'd rather go inside myself. Do you understand?

Now you're going to get through this. You're going to have a life.

You're going to have a good life. Because I owe you that much.

Yeah? A better life than me.

And I owe your mum that much, too.

And so do you.

So do you.

Now come on.

We'll get through this together. We'll get through it together.

All right? Now come on. Pull yourself together. Get changed.

And I'll be right back.

Ben.

I promise you, nothing bad's going to happen.

Hello?

Hello?

Sharon?

Lucy!

Hi.

What is he doing here?

He wants to talk to you.

Get out. Get out now!

Lucy, you're upset. I understand. I heard what happened.

You heard, did you? What's he been telling you then?

Oh, not him.

Ian's said nothing. Look, why don't we sit down, eh?

Bobby, go upstairs.

Go on!

Do you see what you've done? You're upsetting him!

He didn't look very upset.

You don't know what you're talking about.

Look, why don't you wait here? I'll talk to Lucy. Go on.

It's OK. I won't be a minute.

Exhibit number one.

I just... I just want to talk it through.

What's there to talk about?

Ben. Him hurting Heather? You don't actually believe that, do you?

You don't actually think he could do that?

He told me. He told me everything. He confessed, Phil.

-Why would he do that if it wasn't true?

-Who knows? He's a messed-up kid!

Listen to me, all right...

No!

He did it.

He confessed. And I'm calling the Old Bill.

Since when do we grass up our own? Eh?

Grass up?

This ain't some stolen car or dodgy booze, this is a murder!

A murder of an innocent woman who just happened to be my best mate.

Yeah? And what's Ben in all this, eh?

What is he - nothing? Nothing?

Now you said to me once, he was like a son to you.

-That's what you said.

-Well, I was wrong! He's a worm.

An evil little worm.

Shirley, Shirley. Wait. Shirl... He didn't know what he was doing!

It was a mistake. It was an accident.

How would you know that?

Phil?

Just give me the phone.

Did you...?

Give me the phone.

Did you know about this?

You did?

You did.

How long?

-A while.

-Exactly?

Since... Since the off.

What?

Since that night.

You knew about this all that time?

Yes.

Yes. I came back to the Square. I found him...

Heather was...

She was already dead.

I feel sick.

Listen to me. All right? Listen. Listen very carefully.

Now, he was in a state. Ben was in a state.

They'd had a row. And he'd lashed out. That's all it was.

He never, ever meant to hurt her.

How would you know that? You said you came back after.

Jay told me.

Jay...?

Jay was there. He saw it all.

Listen to me. I know this is difficult. I know it's horrible.

But it's not like I had a choice. I didn't have hours to think about it or anything, you know?

Ben was coming apart. Jay was in a state.

And I had to choose.

And in that moment, I chose to protect my son.

The robbery?

All her stuff?

I had to cover it up.

You were here.

You came back here, with Ben and Jay.

And we had...

We had dinner together.

I know.

You knew?

All three of you.

You sat there and you knew?

-I'm sorry.

-You let me go.

You let me go off...

Find her.

-What else could I do?

-You knew I was going to find her.

What else could I do, Shirley?

Tell me! Tell me the truth!

And what would you have done? You'd have gone to the Old Bill, wouldn't you?!

-Which is exactly what I'm going to do now.

-Shirley, wait!

-Shirley. Shirley, wait. wait!

-Just stay away from me. Don't touch me.

-Where you going?

-Where do you think?

-I can't let you do that.

-Then stop me!

I will if I have to, all right?

What does that mean, Phil? Are you going to kill me, too?

-Just get in that room.

-I'm not scared of you, Phil.

-Get in that room now.

-Take your hands off me!

Just calm down. Please!

I'll scream this this house down if you come near. Get away from me!

Please, please calm down! Calm down! Shut up! Shut up! Shut. Up.

Now you don't make another sound. Do you understand me? Another sound.

Listen. We all need... We need to calm down. All right?

Just please calm down. Please.

Just give me a few minutes and listen to me, and if you still want to go...

What, you'll kill me?

You can go. All right?

He left us. He walked out. No warning. No nothing.

Debts up to here. Bills unpaid.

And Bobby with just me to look after him.

Do you know what that's been like?

If he's such a good family man, then why did he do that? How could he do that?

Well, people do things when they're under pressure. Strange things.

Happens to everyone.

I don't think so.

What do you know?

I mean, how old are you? 17? 18?

What do you really know about anything?

I've been running three businesses and looking after Bobby. I think I know a bit.

Lucy, you are a kid. You're young.

You don't understand what life can be like.

Ian walked out on you, walked out on the day of his wedding,

and I've just done the exact same thing.

Five hours ago I was wearing a wedding dress, halfway up the aisle.

And look at me now. Single. No money. Nowhere to live.

But it was the right choice.

It was the right thing to do.

What are you saying? It was right that he left us? Left his own children?

No, it's not right. Of course it's not.

I'm just saying, people don't always do the right thing.

The sensible thing.

I've done things I never thought possible.

I've found myself sitting in bars, done up to the nines,

nursing my third drink of the night waiting to be picked up.

And why? For love? No.

For a cheap one-night stand that I'd walk out on before the big hand hit 12.

Because I was lonely and miserable and trying to forget.

It's messed up. And I'm not proud, but sometimes...

you know, sometimes things get out of control.

Suddenly you look round, and wonder how you got from being 18 and pretty,

your whole life stretched out before you, full of hope, to 40-odd

and sneaking out of a stranger's bed in the middle of the night.

It just happens.

And maybe, maybe that's what's happened to your dad.

Oh, Lucy, he's broken.

He's like a shell of the Ian I used to know.

Just take a look. Take a look at him. A proper look.

I'd say he needs you.

He needs you to at least give him a chance, hear what he has to say.

At least you can do that before you shut him back out in the cold, can't you?

Please?

Heather's gone, Shirl.

And nothing we do is going to bring her back.

But we can, we can make amends. Ben can make amends.

He can grow up, you know. He can change.

He could become a good man.

And what about Hev? What's going to change for her?

-She's gone.

-And that's it?

Gone. Dead, forgotten?

No, no, no, of course not.

She deserves justice.

What justice? Eh?

Locking away a scared kid?

Banging him up for ten years? That justice?

What, you want him to get away with it?

That your world, Phil? Anyone can do anything they want?

Anything they want? No right or wrong? It's just, well, you get caught or not. Is that it?

No-one pays?

Shirley, he is paying. Can't you see that?

No. He's not. He's out there, swanning around. Young. Free.

Life ahead of him. Hev is dead.

That's not right.

Oh, and you're the moral one, ain't ya?

Cos you've lived your life like a saint, haven't you?

I've never killed anyone.

But what if you had? Eh? Just now.

Upstairs? In the heat of the moment? What if you had?

Then I'd give myself in.

Really?

Yes. Cos I couldn't live with myself.

Waking up, every day, knowing what I'd done. I couldn't. I couldn't go on.

Well, that's you, Shirl. It's not me. And it's not Ben.

Locking him away, that ain't going to help anyone.

All right, you might feel better, cos of revenge.

And what, that'll last a day, a week?

And then you'll know, won't ya? You'll know what you've done.

You've locked him away, and he's getting his head kicked in.

And worse. You know that. Much, much worse than that.

Day in, day out. Until that last little bit of good in him,

that last little bit of good, is destroyed.

Until he becomes something too ugly for you to even set eyes on again.

And that, Shirley, that will be down to you.

That ain't going to help anyone, is it?

You say it... You say it like it makes sense.

Like...that's what anyone would do.

-Well, ain't it?

-It ain't.

No? Well, who really knows what they'd do when it comes down to it?

Anyone. I mean, what about Billy?

If he found Lola with that frame. What would he do?

Eh? Or you? You.

If you found your girl, Carly, yeah, and she'd lost it,

lashed out at someone, didn't mean to hurt them, but they end up dead on the floor - what would you do?

Would you see her go to prison?

Or would you give her a future? Hmm?

Well, you tell me. What, what would you do?

If you need me, I'll be over at Phil's, OK?

Come here.

I'll see you tomorrow.

I loved Hev.

I loved her.

And I thought you loved me, but you don't.

I do.

No, you don't.

You don't care, Phil.

Don't pretend that you do. You don't care at all.

I do care. Course I care!

Nah.

You've never loved me.

Not really.

Not like those other women.

Not like Sharon.

I saw it, Phil.

I saw it in your face when she walked through that door.

It was like your heart leapt out of your body.

You have never, never looked at me like that.

Ain't true, Shirley. She's just a mate.

She's an old, old mate.

Gave up your marriage with Kathy.

Don't tell me she didn't do that for you.

It was a fling.

It was nothing.

I know you, Phil.

I know you.

You would have been all over her.

Not taken your eyes off her for one second.

Like a dog on heat.

I can see it.

And, now, she's here.

And you, you look at me and you think, "I'm stuck.

"I'm stuck with that old battleaxe, cos she knows my dirty secret".

Is that it, Phil?

You trapped?

Even if I did want to keep my mouth shut, I couldn't live with that.

I couldn't live with those lies.

And that look in your eyes,

wondering every time, "Is she going to crack?"

If we had a ruck, an argument over the washing up,

what would you be thinking - "I gotta keep quiet, can't take the risk?

"Say if she talks? Say if she spills?"

Where do we go from there, Phil?

Don't you see that there is no way forward any more?

It's not going to work. None of this.

It can work. We can make it work.

We can turn Ben around, can't we?

Now that you know, you can talk to him, you can explain.

Explain what?!

That he did wrong.

Oh, really?

Ain't he got that yet?

You can hear his side.

Shirl, you mean everything, everything to me.

You mean the world to me. You're my life.

SHARON: Phil?

Phil?

Wait here. Don't move.

Hi. I did knock but there was no answer. You all right?

Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. What do you want?

Well, you told me to come back.

Where's Ian?

Oh, he's at home.

Lucy's upset, but I think I got through...

What's he doing? Has he said anything?

Nothing. No, nothing. Well, I just left them to talk.

Are you sure you're all right?

Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just...now's not a very good time.

Oh, right. OK, well...

I'll go and get Denny, we can come back later, yeah?

That's... That's not a good idea.

What do you mean?

You and Dennis coming back. That's not a good idea.

-But you said we could stay.

-Well, something's come up.

I won't get in the way. I can kip on the floor.

It's not going to happen, Sharon. You need to go.

-What's got into you?

-Nothing's got into me. I just don't like the idea of you kipping on my sofa. Sorry.

-I've got no money. I've got a six-year-old who hasn't eaten. I've got nowhere to sleep!

-Tough.

Ain't my problem, is it?

Why are you being like this?

Ain't being like anything.

Well, earlier... Well, it was like old times.

I thought we were close.

What, you think you can turn up here, damsel in distress,

and we all drop everything, we all worship Sharon?

Nothing's too much trouble?

-No, no, no, of course not!

-That's not how it works.

Now, I did you a favour. I helped you out. And that's it. End of story. I ain't interested.

Fine! If that's the way you feel about it.

Yeah. That's the way I feel.

-Well, I won't take up any more of your time.

-Good.

-I'll see myself out then, shall I?

-Yeah.

Well, what are you waiting for?

You haven't changed a bit, have you?

She means nothing to me. Nothing.

Now do you believe me?

You chose Mandy over me. Right here. Right here.

You chose her over your own child!

You pushed me through that door. You chucked me out.

Even when I said you'd never see me again, you didn't care.

Do you know what that's like?

Your own dad choosing someone else over you?

It was wrong.

What, is that all you can say?

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

Sorry? What is that going to help?

I don't know.

Don't you love me?

Lucy, of course I love you! You're my little girl.

But you preferred her?

I was scared.

I just thought if I could get that...

ring on her finger...

then everything'd... everything'd be OK.

I was wrong.

It wasn't.

She was just like all the others.

She didn't love me.

She didn't really love me.

Am I supposed to care?

You left us.

You abandoned us.

I know.

And I'm sorry.

I'd just like you to forgive me. That's all.

Please, if you'll just give me a chance. Just one chance, OK?

I can...

I can prove I can get better.

That...

That I can be a better father.

Yeah? And how are you going to do that?

I don't know.

I...I don't know.

But if you just give me a chance, Lucy, I'll do...

I'll do anything...

I promise you.

I just want to come home.

Come home?

And if I let you?

Any... Anything. Anything.

OK.

You mean it?

On one condition.

Yeah, yeah. Name it. Name it.

You can come back home...

Yes.

..if you sign everything over to me.

What?

All of it. The house.

The businesses. It all has to be in my name.

I'm not going to be left like I was before. Not again.

And if you go again, it'll all be mine.

What do you say?

OK.

You...

You love me.

And you love Ben.

I know that you don't want to, but you do.

And what he did, it was a mistake. A terrible mistake with tragic consequences, but that's all it was.

It was just a mistake.

And you, you're the closest thing he's got to a mum.

And he, he is the closest thing you've got to a son.

And you can't see him get put away. You can't.

And we can work through this together. We can.

I can't. Even if I wanted to, I just can't.

I'll help you, Shirley. Just...trust me. Please.

And I promise you I'll help you.

How? Tell me, how can I live with this?

Just look him in the eye.

Look Ben in the eye, and talk to him, and then you'll see what he is.

He's just a kid. A messed-up kid.

Messed up by me.

-And he needs you, Shirley. He needs you.

-No.

He does. He does. He needs his mum.

So, please, just...

just look him in the eye and talk to him, yeah?

And after that, you can do whatever you want.

I won't stop you. I promise.

Please, Shirley. Please?

Thank you.

Thank you. Stay there.

I'll go get him. I'll be right back.

THUNDER RUMBLES

Ben? Ben?

-Where is he?

-Ben?

Ben?

Ben!

Excuse me.

I've come about a murder.

He'll have gone to the police. He's stupid enough.

Don't you dare tell me to wait here.

Heather Trott.

I know that name.

Ben Mitchell.

This gentleman believes he has information

regarding the death of Heather Trott, Ma'am.

Who you trying to get back at now? Your dead mother?

HORN BLARES

What about the car?!

I was passed over for promotion thanks to your last episode.

Look, I ain't lying, all right? I know who did it.

Is this really all you can think of to get Daddy's attention!?

No. It's got... It's got nothing to do with him!

It's always him!

Everything OK?

Nothing I can't handle.

It's Ben, right? What can we help you with?

What you going to do, bust him out?

I'm this close to doing you for wasting police time!

Tell me.

I, uh.

DOOR OPENS

Oh great, now they're all here!

-What's he said?

-Nothing. Yet.

Good. Well, stop wasting their time. Come on, home. Home.

He obviously came here for a reason. Ben?

Think long and hard before you speak because I swear...

-Come on. Home. Now.

-Tell them.

I killed Heather Trott.

That's priceless.

You've got to stop doing this. He's not well, is he?

-He's been threatening to do this all day.

-No!

He's obsessed. With this place, with the nick.

-Ever since he got out.

-That's not true.

This is your fault, you know that?

You sent him down. You screwed him up.

It's down to me to pick up the pieces and give him some sort of life.

-I did this!

-So, what you going to do? You going to arrest him?

Give him the attention he wants?

-Because that's what this is all about.

-Phil!

-What?!

Please! Please!

Come on, let's get you home. Come on.

Wait!

Ben Mitchell, I'm arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Heather Trott.

You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence

if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court.

Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

You should be at home really, it's past your curfew.

No, I should be at my parenting course.

I got until ten on Mondays.

When they find out you're not there they'll do you for staying out.

You're such a worrier.

See, you do need walking home.

No I don't! That's the geezer's job.

Right, this is how it all starts, yeah?

One minute you're making fun of me about walking me home,

the next, I'm ironing pants

and you're fixing carburettors down the garage.

What's wrong with that?!

I'll be finished round here! Even Ben'd have a go at me for that!

Quite like the thought of you ironing my pants.

What's wrong?

I dunno.

Now you don't say a word until Ritchie gets here.

-I don't want Ritchie.

-You're having Ritchie!

I'm going to stay here. Make sure that he sees Ritchie.

He actually did it.

Now get home. Get rid of that photo frame.

Get it as far away from the house as you possibly can.

Well, go on. What are you waiting for?

You ain't saying a word to him until he's seen my brief.

I can assure you

that all legal procedures will be properly observed.

Do you want a game of poker instead?

DOORBELL RINGS

Sorry I was so long.

Every doorway and street corner's got too many memories here.

-How's he doing?

-He's all right. Still alive.

-Why, what's happened?

-Nothing.

Denny, are you all right, baby? Are you OK?

He's fine! I couldn't get a word out of him.

-Can I have another biscuit, please?

-Course you can, yeah.

-They're in the kitchen. Go on.

-Good boy.

How was Ian?

It doesn't say much for the community round here, letting him get like that.

One minute he was getting married, the next minute he was just gone.

-I suppose things can fall apart quickly like that, can't they?

-Yeah.

-I weren't talking about you.

-Look, thanks for babysitting, Max.

It's all right. What did we say, five pound an hour?

You want to rate yourself higher than that. Minimum wage at least.

Try telling the wife that.

Honestly, it's like working in a poor house here.

Lucky to get a bowl of gruel in the morning.

DOOR OPENS

Hello, darling, sorry I'm late. Stupid client who just...

You all right, babe? This is.

Sharon. Hi.

Are you wearing my clothes?

Uh. Yeah. Thanks.

Oh, yeah, she had to change.

Why?

Out of a wedding dress.

-I did a runner. From the altar.

-What, into my wardrobe?

Well, I didn't think it was that special.

Probably what your fiance's thinking right now.

Phil?! Shirley?!

Jay?

Has there been a break-in?

Are you even listening to me?

Don't touch that!

If there has been a break in there'll be finger prints, won't there?

Well, has anything been taken?

Dunno, I ain't looked yet. I want Lexi out of here now, though.

Since when do you tell us what to do?

-There might be someone in here!

-If there is you'll need all the help you can get!

-I'm not joking! Get out!

-All right, fine. Deal with it yourself.

This is Mike Sommers, duty solicitor.

You sure you don't want your dad's hot shot lawyer?

Can we just start?

The appropriate adult's just arrived. We'll interview him later.

OK.

I just want to make a statement. Do you hear me?

We'll talk when I'm ready

and to be honest I've got real police work to be getting on with.

But I can prove I killed her, though!

Shirl, I don't know what's happened here.

Ben's gone down the police station. To turn himself in.

What? What for?

You tell me.

Have we not got any kids?

Oscar's at a friends, Lauren's out.

I hope you've noticed Abi hasn't been around lately.

Don't get any ideas. I want my own dress.

Expensive bit of kit, that is.

-So?

-Well you've had a right result, ain't ya? Swapping yours for that.

-That's worth a few quid, that is.

-She'll be back for it.

Get your elbows off.

-You were well harsh on her.

-What?!

I come into my house to find some blonde stood there,

slagging my clothes off, my husband gawping at her.

I wasn't gawping at her!

Yes you were. Falling over yourself to help her.

Have you got enough salt there? You haven't even tasted this yet.

I said to Phil I'd do her a favour, didn't I.

Since when did you owe Phil favours?

All she had was that dress and a hungry kid.

If you'd stopped and thought about it you might have seen, mightn't you?

-Seen what?

-How pathetic she looked.

-Sharon!

-Hiya.

-Welcome home.

-Pops! We've got to go!

-Look everyone, it's Sharon!

Sharon!

Suppose things have moved on a bit, eh?

-Can I get you a drink?

-Pops, we've got to go! Jay? The break-in? Come on.

-Sorry, Sharon.

-Don't worry, Bill. Another time.

-Yeah.

Come on, Denny.

Let's get you a lemonade, eh?

Oi, are you listening to me or what? I don't care what he's said,

I ain't having my boy represented by one of them muppets.

Hit my window again and we'll have problems.

This is getting a little frequent for my liking.

-He's in there with one of them duty solicitors.

-Why?

-I don't know, you need to get in there.

-Not much I can do if he doesn't want me.

-Are you joking?

Calm down or you'll be in a cell. What's he saying?

He's in there telling them he's a murderer, and you want me to calm down?

We should at least talk about this.

Look, it's commendable that you want to tell the truth

but there are ways of telling the truth.

If I'd wanted a proper lawyer I'd have got my dad's, all right?

Right, at last!

This is Mary Smith, your appropriate adult. Mary.

TAPE BLEEPS

Interview commencing at 21:47.

Walford Police Station on Monday August 13th.

Those present: myself, DS Crisp, DCI Marsden,

Ben Mitchell, Mike Sommers - duty solicitor, and Mary Smith - appropriate adult.

Where do you want to start?

Let's go back to the night in question.

I remember your psych report.

That passage about your upbringing.

Little or no emotional integration with parents.

It's always because they weren't hugged enough.

And what's that got to do with anything? I killed her.

Like your dad killed Stella Crawford? What else did it say?

Oh, that you continually seek out your father's attention.

I used a picture frame.

It's sitting on the table in my living room.

Either through attempts to please or antagonise.

It's a big, heavy, metal frame, right? And I picked it up.

I picked it up and I hit her. I hit her on the left side of her face.

-I hit right there.

-Then there was the bit about you have trouble

differentiating between real events and fantasies.

She just fell on her back.

You were at the scene!

You saw all of that!

What my colleague is trying to say is...

Forget me, this interview,

forget the fact the CPS aren't going to let you get away

with wasting our time again.

Forget your dad, and whatever messed up reason you have for revenge.

Your step-mum was devastated by Heather's death.

Now you want to drag it all up again, break her heart again.

And for what?

-You're a selfish...

-I'm not.

-..manipulative...

-Please!

-..spoilt kid,

and if you had any decency, you would stop this right now!

Yeah, but I did all this!

-Then tell us something you didn't read in the paper. Because right now...

-There was a tea towel!

There was a tea towel that I put over her face!

Fibres from a towel were found on her face.

We didn't find anything matching in the flat, though.

I wrapped the picture frame in it before I left, all right?

Is that something I could have read about in the newspaper?

You know, sometimes when it hit me

that Phil would never love me as much as I loved him...

..I knew it would be all right, because I had Hev.

I could see us growing old together, when all the men had gone.

And you do go. Die or leave.

We were going to be like Laurel and Hardy,

in our PJs, tucked up in a big double bed.

No prizes for guessing which one was Hardy.

Never knew which was which.

Doesn't matter which was which.

They were a pair.

Don't punish me anymore.

I'd never do that!

Then tell me!

Ben said that he did it but I don't know.

I don't trust him. Not like I trust you.

I know that Phil has been working on you both.

Making you think you're like Laurel and Hardy. Like you're a pair.

But you're not a pair. You are not like Ben.

You're kind.

No.

You've got a good soul.

I haven't!

You've got a heart.

-You've got a heart that loves.

-I'm not! I am a bad person!

I am a bad person!

Just speak, Jay.

Just speak!

BILLY: Jay! You in there?

If anyone's in there, I got a baseball bat!

Shirl!

Lola said there'd been a break-in.

-No, everything's fine.

-So I rushed round.

Now you can run straight back again.

Jay?

You all right, son?

-Jay, what is it?

-He's fine.

-No, he's not.

-Billy, will you just go, please?

-I'm not going till I find out what's the matter with him.

-Billy seems to think you're royalty.

-Compared to him, I probably am.

-Let me buy you a drink.

-That count as a chat-up line round here?

-All right, suit yourself.

-Look, I'm sorry. Sorry. It's a bad day.

Least you haven't got a broken leg.

Not in the diamond business, are you?

No.

-Buy it off me anyway.

-I've only got a couple of hundred quid on me.

That'll do.

Look, if you need it that much I'll lend it you.

-I don't take charity.

-I'm not a con man.

Look, just take the ring, please!

You never know when you might need it.

-What's wrong, Jay?

-It's five minutes to your curfew. Just get home, yeah?

-He's right, Lo. You should get back.

-Only if you come with me.

I ain't going until I get some answers.

D'you remember the night Heather died, Bill?

Yeah.

I had food poisoning.

I was upstairs and you came in.

Yeah, you was in a right old state.

You said I was your boy.

Yeah. Always.

And you'll always be like a dad to me.

And I'll tell you.

I want to tell you, but right now... I need to talk to Shirley. Please.

If they have to talk.

I trust you.

Oh, you're so good at that.

What?

The way you saw them off.

Just like you did at the table, pretending you had food poisoning.

And Heather was dead in her flat!

It wasn't like that!

They just pulled me along.

You let me go over there!

You let me find her!

Listen, I was gone.

I was completely gone.

They showed me a direction and I just took it.

You got her blood on your hands like him!

Listen. Heather wouldn't give him the money.

I tried to stop him, but it all happened so fast, all right?

I ran... I ran to the Arches.

Ben and Phil turned up, they said we were family, said we was just like family, right?

Now look!

I've lost Heather. I've lost you.

I've lost absolutely everybody and I just can't get it out of my head.

Yeah, and I hope it never goes.

I hope it stays in there for ever.

Police'll be here in a minute.

They're going to come looking for that.

You know Phil told me to get rid of it?

Asked me to protect you two.

I thought Ben had already given himself up?

Yeah, but without that, he's just another lying kid,

like he's always been.

What are you going to do?

-I've thought about it.

-The answer's still no.

You see a ring has two values, don't it?

How much you pay for it and how much it means.

I know John spent thousands on this. In terms of what it means,

-200 is about right.

-Take it somewhere in the morning.

-Look, we need somewhere to stay tonight!

-So let me lend it you.

I will not start my new life on the scrounge.

Thank you.