19/07/2016 EastEnders

That is not my son!

Mr Mitchell, I can only apologise.

It's not Ben Mitchell.

Who is it?

Paul?

Paul.

Your tea's getting cold.

HE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR

Five more minutes.

You need to get yourself out your pit.

Your nan's got...big plans.

I mean, what kind of idiot puts us through this?

Eh? I mean, is anyone actually in charge here?

I do understand your distress, Mr Mitchell.

-So where is my son?

-Guv.

You need to get some perspective, Phil.

Does anyone know what happened? How it happened?

The point is it's not Ben lying dead in that hospital bed.

OK? So be thankful for small mercies.

Think of the kid that is in there.

I need to get hold of me mum.

So where is he? Eh? Where's, where's Ben?

Never mind your bleeding heart, Ian.

The point is that we don't know what's happened to him, do we?

I mean, Ben...Ben's still missing.

Shirley?

Wait.

DI McKay.

You'll be aware this is now a murder investigation.

Mr Mitchell.

We got it wrong, thinking the then-seriously-injured man was Ben.

I apologise.

And I can assure you forensic and witness gathering operations

have been ongoing since the moment Paul Coker was found.

We are actively looking for your son.

Ben will be a significant witness.

We believe he was involved in this same incident.

Now we need your help to try and find him.

Make sure he's safe.

What do you mean involved?

Merely that Ben may be very helpful to our enquiries.

PHIL SCOFFS

Do me a favour, will you?

I mean they was... He...

Ben and Paul were a couple.

Any idiot can call round to a few hospitals.

But Ben might, might still be dead. Mightn't he?

So while you and your mates are chatting forensics,

Ben might be at the bottom of a ditch, needing help.

So someone needs to get out there and find him.

PHIL WINCES IN PAIN

You all right?

Just leave me alone, Ian.

-Phil?

-Shut up.

Can I get you anything?

All due respect Mr Mitchell,

but I'd say the best use of your time would be to go home

and get some rest.

Home is where Ben will head, isn't it?

PHONE RINGS

Ian had a phone call from the hospital this morning.

There's a young man been really badly beaten.

He had Ben's phone on him.

No. Is Ben all right?

Does Paul know?

It wasn't Ben.

Pam...

the young man died.

That's...

..terrible news.

There's always something.

Shrimp, could you keep an eye?

Yes, of course.

You'll have to excuse me.

I've got to do the lunch.

-Who died?

-Don't know.

But if something to do with the Mitchells

it's bound to be dodgy, innit?

I was sure it was going to be Ben.

I'd give anything for another chance with him.

Yeah?

Well, if you get one, don't blow it.

When did we get so old and useless?

You speak for yourself. I'm still in me prime.

SHE BUZZES THE DOOR

SHE POUNDS ON THE DOOR

Some sort of accident.

Something to do with Ben's phone and whoever the kid was who nicked it.

Selling phones for a couple of quid?

You can get any blower you want down the bus garage.

It's not right, is it?

You can't even catch a bus without worrying if you'll get mugged.

-Thanks.

-Do you hear that, baby?

OK.

L, you can't throw a surprise party every time Johnny passes an exam.

-So...

-Oh, Johnny. No, it's not Johnny.

-Linda.

So what's the secret?

LINDA GIGGLES

Yes, all right, I heard you. There's obviously been a nasty upset.

I'm sorry about that. Shocking for all of you.

But Les has had a heart attack.

You don't drag us into your dramas, Shirley.

Pam, Phil and Ian had to identify the body.

Yes, you've said all that. Some poor young man with Ben's phone.

-You've said all that.

-Pam, please don't make this so hard.

Ian said it was Paul.

Don't you think I'd know that?!

Can you keep it down a bit?

What a thing!

Don't you... Don't you think I'd know something like that?

You... Awful to say that to me!

I'm sorry.

No. Come on. In. In!

-No.

-Go on.

You've started. You might as well make a complete fool.

You want to get your facts right, Shirley Carter...

..before you start spreading your,

your dreadful, hurtful, terrible tittle-tattle!

What's been said, Pam?

Paul is in there. Isn't he, Les?

-I'm just a messenger.

-He's still dead to the world.

-Yes.

And that's how vicious rumours start. Paul is safe and sound.

And at home. And fast asleep in his own bed.

Loo...

No.

I'm so sorry.

POLICE SIREN

Pam?

We'll take it all with a pinch of salt.

Whatever gets said.

Well, I didn't hear Paul go out this morning.

It must have been early. Unless...

You did hear him come home?

You mustn't worry. Promise me, Les. You've got to think of your heart.

I'm sure this is all a big mistake.

What mistake?

DOOR BUZZES

Not now. Not when everything is, is finally...

-God would not be that cruel.

-Pam, what?

Police. >

It's not him.

It's not him. We'll tell them.

-It is not him.

-DOOR BUZZES

So...it's something I'm going to like, innit?

So just, just give me like, give me like a nod for a yes, go on.

Yes! All right? That's enough, all right?

Be a grown-up.

Yep. OK.

I reckon you've booked us a holiday to the Bahamas.

Yes, and you're going to force-feed me cocktails stark naked.

-You pervert!

-Shut up, you love it.

Now, you will tell me, otherwise this cheesy sock will be

meeting your boat and you will be tonguing it.

I'm telling you now.

-All right.

-Tell me!

-All right!

All right.

But you've got to keep it secret, Mick. Right? Pain of death.

FRONT DOOR OPENS

Ben?

Any news?

It was clear that Paul had been in some kind of altercation.

In exceptional circumstances, we can access a patient's phone

if we think a relative might make it to the hospital...

..in time. Yes, I know, I'm, I'm, I'm in the business.

It transpires that it was Ben Mitchell's phone that Paul

had with him. Not his own.

So...

..Paul was alive then?

This morning?

Yes.

I'm sorry.

You can come and...

There is still time if,

if one of you would like to formally identify your grandson.

Did he die on his own?

No, the nursing staff were by his side.

Oh, well, that's good.

That's in the top ten list of condolences.

That's always a comfort for the bereaved(!)

We can drive you to the hospital mortuary.

Yes, yes. Yes.

No. Thank you.

We're not coming.

You do know my husband has had a recent heart attack?

It is not him.

No, I know, but, er...

..we should just go and check though, eh?

I'll go.

Yes.

Someone needs to be here when Paul comes home.

All right, I'll uh...

..I'll...

I'll leave, leave him a note.

Well, my canister's going anyway. I'll have to start swearing like Stan.

You know what? We'll have to get a bigger motor.

You know that, don't you?

-And you're going to have to start taking up knitting, in't you? Grandma.

-Shush!

So...when's she going to tell him?

Tonight. And I am not a Grandma.

I am a Nan.

Nanny.

-Ohh, Nana L.

-Nana L, awww.

The bun's in the... The bun in the oven!

I tell you something now, I can't wait till dinner.

Well, you're going to have to, Grandad,

because this is Whitney's news.

-Not ours. OK?

-No, course.

You're right, you're 100% right, you're proper right.

-Whitney?!

-Whit!

No, I'm going. Whit, Whit!

So I said to him, I said, "Look, if you're going to start giving it

"the big un', then you come and say that to me face."

Yeah? I'll bet he was squirming, eh?

-Eh, can we get some ketchup on that, love?

-Yes, course he was.

I said, "Look, I ain't being unreasonable here, mate.

"All right? You took the mick."

-Yes.

-He short changed me all because I'm on the stall on me jack.

Right, OK. Yeah, it's my shout, darling.

So I told him, I said, "Look, if you ain't got the money in the cash

"pot then you give it to me and you can claim it back yourself."

Ah, I bet he said no.

-Course he said no.

-See, I'd have sat on the bonnet.

-Nah, I got in the cab.

-Yeah?

Yeah, and within a matter of minutes I had both me change and an apology.

Chip off the old block.

-How much you get?

-45p.

I know. Liberty taker.

Yeah, yeah.

Here, what are these rumours about Ben Mitchell?

-What rumours?

-No?

This is Whit, she's left me about five missed calls already.

-I think something's up.

-Go on, then, son. Go on.

Go on. I'll cover for you.

-Do you mind?

-No, no, no, no. Go on.

Oh, and if ever you need any help on how to treat a woman,

you know, come and see your old grandad.

-Here you go, darling.

-Lovely.

-And, er, keep the change.

-Oh, thanks.

OK?

Stone me!

FRONT DOOR OPENS

Nothing.

Not even Jay's seen him.

You're the one that always pipes up.

-You all right?

-All right.

-Yes.

-Good.

Proud of you, boy.

Proud?

What? I can't help it.

For having sex with his girlfriend?

No. Having good swimmers.

Go on, let's get up there.

-Shoosh.

-No, you shoosh.

Is this you being nice?

What?

No, I mean, is this you breaking it to me gently?

Cos it is the sort of thing you'd do.

You splitting up with me?

No. No.

Not everything has to be negative, Lee.

Some things are positive.

OK.

Are you doing this on purpose?

I've been trying to tell you all morning.

Tell me what?

I gave it to you once already but...

You're going to be a daddy.

MICK AND LINDA WHOOP

Quick, get in, Mick.

Make good memories.

-We're having a baby!

-Yeah!

I bought some nice fish for lunch.

Most probably have to be tea now.

See.

If my text has gone through that must mean that Paul's phone is on.

After this hideous nightmare is over,

I shall be having words with the authorities.

This is the kind of thing the police should be doing.

And I've been thinking.

Maybe we could have a little holiday before the handover starts.

Let Paul take us somewhere foreign like he keeps threatening.

Not like that holiday in Beltinge. Do you remember?

Lorna and Harry's beach hut.

Harry's motorboat capsized.

And you and Paul, all of you toppled in the water.

And I couldn't do anything.

Just stood on those pebbles shouting into the wind.

And you disappeared, Les. Actually disappeared.

My heart was in my mouth then.

But you were all right then, weren't you?

Paul saved you.

He couldn't have been more than 11.

He grabbed hold of your cagoule hood and dragged you to the surface.

And he insisted on holding your hand all the way up the beach,

squelching in his plimsolls.

And I said to Lorna, "That's what comes of taking your bronze

"personal survivor."

Please don't make it be Paul, Les.

Please don't make it be Paul.

We would do anything.

Because we, we love him so much.

I couldn't bear it.

I wouldn't bear it.

Not our little boy. Not again.

Please. Please, God. Please, God.

Oh, Les.

We were wondering if there was any news.

Ben Mitchell.

KNOCK AT DOOR

I'll go.

Yeah, I'll hold.

Got something of yours.

Yes, well, no offence, but whatever I left behind I d...

Come on.

Ben.

Come here.

Look at you.

He walked all the way from Soho.

It looks a lot worse than it is. He'll be all right.

Come on, let's get you in. Come on, son.

Come on.

Phil! Ian!

Looks like we're not the only ones who had a heavy night, eh?

-Yeah, well, never again.

-What?

What time do you call this?

Didn't you get my text?

Old Tom Finnerty - he pulled an all-nighter.

Pair of dirty stop-outs.

You can buy me a bacon roll.

I don't think Ben needs an audience right now.

Dad said best leave it to him.

I don't know what time we left the club.

Whenever they was kicking out.

We were walking back and suddenly

there's four massive blokes stood across the path.

It was obvious we was going to get mugged.

Can't fight them all off, can you?

We legged it. Me and Paul got split up.

And I don't know how but I had Paul's coat.

We must have picked up the wrong ones and I lost that,

with his phone.

He's going to kill me.

We should, er, we should call the police.

They finished kicking my head in and then I went back to look for him.

Nothing. But then he had all my cash so I'm hoping he hung on to that.

You know? And got a cab back.

Anyway, I must have passed out or something.

Cos the next thing I know I'm waking up, it's morning and I'm,

I'm wrapped around a bin down an alley on the other side of Soho.

I found some change for a pay phone.

Tried to call here cos Paul's got my phone.

We should, um... We should get you checked over.

Yeah, let me grab my stuff.

No, no. Stay.

Ben, you, uh...

..you were the lucky one.

What you on about?

Your...

..your...

friend.

He's dead.

I'm so sorry, Ben.

My friend?

Sorry.

Oh, Paul.

Who did this to you?

MY FRIEND?!

Ben! Ben! Ben!

-My friend?!

-Oh!

Out. Get out.

-Ben!

-Ben! Ben, calm down!

No! No! Can you hear what he is saying?!

After everything!

Everything...gone!

Oh, darling, come here.

I love him, Mum. I love him.

BEN SOBS

Now's your chance.

It's OK. It's OK.

SHE MOUTHS