Episode 2 Luther

This programme contains scenes which some viewers may find upsetting

-Alice Morgan.

-What's happened?

-I'm afraid she's dead, John.

I didn't put her down... or have her put down.

Why did you steal the phone I used to call Alice Morgan?

What did he do with the heart?

He ate it.

EXPLOSION

Animal like that...

he's always moving forward.

-All their computers were fixed by one man, Steven Rose.

-That's him.

Benny! Stop this...

Steven.

-Can we salvage anything from this.

-Too soon to tell, boss.

INDISTINCT CHATTER ON POLICE RADIO

Sorry, Guv. She's asked for you by name.

Can I help?

Are you DCI Luther?

Yeah.

I have a message for you.

A message from who?

Alice Morgan.

SIRENS WAIL

What kind of message?

She said to tell John that Stacey has the owl.

When did she give you this message?

Last night.

-See, that's not true, is it? Because Alice is dead.

-I know.

I'm sorry, who are you?

Look, I'm just here to help.

-And how do you know Alice?

-I don't.

-So, what? She just appears to you?

-Yes.

-And did she say anything else?

-Not really.

There was one thing.

Something I don't really understand, I'm sorry.

Something like what?

"Meep meep."

Put this woman in the car and cuff her.

Down there, thank you.

What's all this?

Er, don't ask. What's going on?

We've got another one.

HE INHALES SHARPLY

HE STRAINS WITH EFFORT

HE GROANS

HE LAUGHS

How much of the brain did he eat?

Roberta Wise.

She's a Professor of Economics, University of London.

-A government adviser and...

-And then this.

Look at her life.

Look at what he took from her.

This wasn't murder, this was theft.

Come again?

I think he's this clever, little lonely man, slowly falling apart,

spending his days watching the lives of others.

And you know what that's like -

other people's lives seem so much better than ours.

More interesting, more attractive, more alive.

The way he sees it, they got something that he needs

so, he's just going to take it from them.

No, he's never going to stop,

he's just going to keep doing it and doing it,

because he'll never get back whatever he's lost.

None of us ever do.

-BOTH:

-# My, my, my, Delilah...

THEY SING MUSICAL INTERLUDE

# Why, why, why, Delilah? #

Don't stop, love. Drive on.

I can't. Look at him.

Then let's call the police. They'll deal with it.

What if it was Declan?

-You all right, mate?

-You all right, love? What's happened?

What have you done to yourself?

I'm so sorry...thank you for stopping, I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

THEY BOTH SCREAM No, no.

CAR HORN BEEPS

MUSIC: Paradise Circus by Massive Attack

MOBILE PHONE RINGS AND VIBRATES

-DCI Luther.

-'Back on the beat, Pete?'

Well, needs must, innit?

Thanks for the hospitality.

No, George... I just had to figure out who killed Alice Morgan. All right?

I'm sorry it ended up the way it did but...

-I'll put it right.

-To tell you the truth, I am tempted to let it lie.

I mean, you are obviously a decent chap.

But you did what you did in front of my son.

'If I start showing weakness to him - well, it's nature's way, isn't it?'

The Lion King. Hakuna Matata.

Er, I think you're thinking about the wrong song.

'What one am I thinking of, then?'

Oh, "Hakuna Matata", that's the happy one, right? "No more worries."

-That one.

-That's the one.

Then, I'm definitely thinking of the wrong song.

I've put a price on your head, John.

-How much?

-'Out of interest, how much do you think you're worth?'

Well, probably not enough for a good night out and a cab ride home.

Well, I'm honestly down in the dumps about it.

But you did bring it down on yourself.

'So, you're a dead man walking.'

Toodle pip.

Hey.

We've got Steven Rose leaving the building at 21:32pm.

We follow him down here, down here and then...well, he's gone.

-Off camera.

-Yeah. How many bodies we got looking for him?

All of them, I think.

-Aerial units. Ground units. Dog units.

-Good.

They won't find him. But, er, keep looking.

-IN AMERICAN ACCENT:

-"Cut the chatter, Red 2.

"Accelerate to attack speed."

What? What was that?

Sorry. Erm...

Theo and me - DCI Bloom -

He quite liked the odd Star Wars reference.

"Not this ship, sister."

Do you know any David Bowie?

Erm... Yeah, I liked him in, in that film.

The one in the maze. With the baby.

And the puppets...

We Are The Dead.

I'm sorry?

Well, there's this thing. Cotard's Syndrome.

OK. It's a delusional mental illness

and the patient thinks that he's dead and decomposing.

And the cannibalism? That's a symptom?

No, not usually.

I mean, I'm making a...

a leap. Well, it's a small leap - it's more of a hop, really.

So, how do we get ahead of him?

See, I think he's like a feral dog right now

trying to find a place to hide.

I think we lean into that. I think we go public, put his name and face

to the media, force him into one place.

Keep him still and then...

figure out what he does next.

And you think he's rational enough for us to be able do that?

He's delusional, but not deranged.

I mean, the way he sees it, he's just going to do what's necessary to...

to get what he needs just to keep going, you know?

-How you doing, Ben?

-Like an anxiety dream.

I have to keep checking I'm still wearing trousers.

Well, we can't move without knowing what's on them hard drives.

-Guv, you got a minute?

-Sure.

Jonathan Black - March, 1999 - is lured into a park, suffocated.

All right, SIO had the killer down as Brian Elder - local sex offender.

Next day, Brian Elder drowns himself in a canal.

Jonathan Black's underpants in his pocket. Slam dunk.

Is she in the file?

No, she's not. But I am.

See, I didn't think Brian Elder killed himself, right?

I don't think he did it.

I actually think this girl did it.

Stacey Bell.

Back then, no one was paying attention to me,

I was still wet behind the ears, but I was right.

When she was 17, she got done for manslaughter.

She pushed her nan down the stairs and let her die.

She just got out two and a half months ago.

You know there's nothing to it? This psychic drivel, right?

She knows something about Alice Morgan.

DOOR SLAMS

So, you're a partner in a Corporate PR Firm?

Yes. That's right.

So, what are you doing here?

You're educated, financially stable - I just don't get it.

-I'm not sure what you're implying.

-Well, clairvoyants are...

confidence tricksters, aren't they?

-Grave robbers preying on the lonely and bereaved.

-That's not what I do.

-No?

-No.

I don't broadcast this, let alone profit from it.

In fact, most of my life I've pretended it wasn't happening to me.

Why?

Because it's horrible.

I don't to be here doing this. I don't want to be...

humiliated and frightened.

I don't want this to be happening.

I woke up in the middle of the night and she was standing there.

"Tell John that Stacey Bell has the owl."

-Who's Stacey?

-I don't know.

-What owl are we talking about?

-I'm not sure.

Thing is, it does actually make sense.

Jonathan Black had a favourite toy and, er,

it disappeared when he disappeared.

Of course, all of that was kept from the press.

I mean, no one actually - no one knew that.

So, how do you know it?

She's here.

She's standing behind you.

Who?

Her mouth is moving, but I can't hear her words.

-I can make out what she's saying, though.

-Yeah?

What is she saying?

(Tell John, "Hell is real.")

HE INHALES SHARPLY

I can find a connection if there's one there,

but John, I don't think there is.

That poor wee lad died years ago.

Alice died a couple of days ago in Antwerp. There's no connection.

So, because you can't believe it's true, logically it's false.

Is that really an argument now? Ey?

Benny, listen to me, I told Alice Morgan about this,

I told her about Jonathan Black, Stacey Bell.

I told her how it made me feel. How I couldn't...

how I couldn't put it right.

What did she say?

"Let's find Stacey Bell and set her on fire."

But that's not the point.

I don't know what, I don't know what the point is.

The point is, I told Alice Morgan. I didn't tell anybody else.

The only way that Megan could know that is if Alice Morgan told her.

That's it.

Now...she knows something.

She knows something, I don't know what it is, but I just need to know.

Well, if it can be done, consider it done.

-You getting anywhere?

-Somewhere.

-You all right, there?

-He killed Theo, Benny.

I want to find him.

I want to rip HIS heart out and eat it.

So, hurry up.

-DS Lane?

-Boss?

I need you to go to Steven Rose's place of work.

I want you to speak to his boss, his colleagues, friends, lovers, whoever.

Find out what there is to know about him. See what there is on him.

What's this, busywork? Keep me out of your hair?

Nope.

Chop, chop.

Morning, babe.

You awake?

No, no.

No, everything's fine, it's fine. I just, er...

Well, I'm just calling because I don't want you to worry!

Look, I'm going to be home the minute I can.

Yes, I will.

I promise.

I love you, too.

Sleep.

Sleep.

SHE CRIES

TEXT MESSAGE ALERT

'Leave a message after the beep.'

Mum? It's Declan. I just got your text. Is everything all right?

TEXT MESSAGE ALERT

-You all right?

-Yeah.

Actually, I... I dunno. It's a bit weird, it's me mum.

Do you mind if I nip off for a bit?

-Nah. You go home, mate.

-Cheers, Mohan.

DOG BARKS

Tara Black?

DOG CONTINUES BARKING

So, how've you been?

I remember you. Constable Luther.

You were very kind.

You seemed to care about my brother.

Well, thank you.

I did.

I don't want to upset you, or worry you, but when someone approaches us

with fresh information, we're obliged to review the case.

So, that's what this is?

Fresh information?

During the investigation we, erm... withheld information.

-George Owly.

-Yeah, but...

have you been talking to someone about that?

-Not that I can think of.

-Not any pushy journalist,

or anyone saying that they're a psychic?

-No?

-No?

-Why?

No, it's just, erm...

Sorry, can I just look at that?

Do you remember this girl here?

Sadly, yeah.

Stacey Bell.

Everyone's favourite worst nightmare.

She made Jonathan's life hell.

Wicked little cow.

Is this about Stacey?

Erm, why d'you say that?

Cos you know they moved her back here, yeah?

What, back here on the estate?

I saw her down the shop.

She asked me how I was doing.

I said it was fine.

She said it was a shame about my brother.

And then she laughed.

SHE WHIMPERS

-No...

-Are you OK?

SHE SOBS

It's OK.

Stacey, is it?

It's not, no.

You sure? Because you don't half remind me of someone I knew.

-Who? Your mum?

-Nah.

No, this little girl I knew a long way back.

-I often wonder what happened to her.

-Why's that, then?

You like to think about her when

you're having a little play with yourself?

See, that's exactly the sort of thing she would say, if she was here.

-Except she's not here, is she?

-Apparently not.

FOOTSTEPS FADE

HE EXHALES

FRONT DOOR OPENS

BOTTLES CLINK

KEYS HIT SURFACE

WASHING MACHINE STARTS

LOCK RATTLES

DOOR GENTLY CLOSES

PHONE RINGS

'I'm sorry, we can't get to the phone right now,

'so please leave a message after the beep.'

ANSAPHONE BEEPS

'Mum, it's Declan. I shouldn't be too long,

'I'm just stuck in a bit of traffic, all right. 'I'll see you soon. Bye.'

HE GASPS

HE HYPERVENTILATES

HE GROANS AND GASPS

MOTORBIKE APPROACHES

MOTORBIKE ENGINE REVS

GUNSHOTS

HE GROANS

MOBILE PHONE VIBRATES

-Wotcher.

-George?

All right, John. You still with us, then?

Er, just about. One of your boys just had a pop at me.

Well, obviously I don't know what you're talking about, officer.

But if I did, I'd probably say,

"They wouldn't be my boys, specifically."

See, if you've been greenlit - allegedly -

every would be hit man in London would be after you.

-How was he, by the way?

-Rubbish.

Whoopsie daisy.

-So, how can I help?

-George, just lay off.

I've got a nutjob running around London eating people

-and I've got a dead kid.

-What do you mean, "Dead kid"?

-Yeah.

Now, you and me, we're old school, right?

We're on the same page when it comes to dead kids.

What's this, Billy Bacon and the soft-centered Cockney Villain?

Thing is, George, I think this dead kid is connected to our thing.

-Alice Morgan.

-How?

Like I said, I'm not sure. But I know it's connected.

-What are we now - psychic?

-Yeah, funny you should say that.

On the basis of this...funny feeling in your belly,

you are asking for what? A stay of execution?

They broke the mould after you popped out, didn't they?

Yeah. That's what my mum used to say.

Your sainted mother.

-Is this another appeal to my maudlin East End heart?

-No. Whatever.

Well, I hated my mother, John.

And greenlit is greenlit, I'm afraid.

It's out of my hands.

I'll see you on the other side of the veil.

HE LAUGHS

Mum? Dad?

TEXT MESSAGE ALERT

Mum? Dad?

Mum?

Was it there?

You ever hear of the...

..confirmation bias?

-I beg your pardon?

-We all do it.

You sort of see things in a way that support what you already believe.

So, you, erm...

we form an opinion and then you create a theory

-and then you work hard to prove it.

-I don't follow.

Yeah. Well, see...

..here's me thinking,

"She must really know a lot about Alice Morgan.

"I mean, she must know Alice Morgan!"

You know?

"How else would she know all those details?

"Jonathan Black.

"The toy owl.

"Stacey Bell."

Right? But then the thing is -

no, you don't know Alice Morgan.

You don't know Alice Morgan, at all.

It's Jonathan you know, isn't it?

Jonathan Black and Stacey Bell.

You know them because you were in their class.

Now, which one's you?

Which one's Sarah Roberts?

So, you do remember.

To be fair - you've changed a lot.

Do you remember the promise you made me?

She said that she would kill me if I told anyone.

-And I did tell someone. Because you said that I could trust you.

-I know.

You promised.

-You did nothing.

-That's not true.

I was ten years old! Too petrified to sleep.

Do you know what happens to someone, when they don't sleep?

-To their mind?

-Yeah.

-You do?

-Yeah.

-Good.

Because it was your fault.

You lied.

So, that's it?

All this woo-woo bullshit, that's it? That's it?

This is way of putting all of that right, because you're petrified -

still petrified - of Stacey Bell.

Do you know what it's like to be haunted?

Megan, that is just your guilt talking, OK. The dead are gone.

No.

The dead aren't even dead, John.

I'm arresting you.

I'm arresting you on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

No, you're not.

Sorry?

You can't arrest me for anything.

No? And why's that, then?

Because I know what you were planning.

-You and Alice Morgan.

-What's that supposed to mean?

Conspiring to sell uncut diamonds.

Running away with a wanted killer.

What would happen to you, I wonder, if I were to tell?

Megan, did you break into my house? Did you take something from me?

-Like what?

-A phone.

How long have you been listening to me and Alice?

Long enough.

Long enough to know what happened to her?

Was Alice talking to someone that I didn't know about?

Someone that, someone that could hurt her?

Megan...I need to know.

Of course you need to know.

It would be inhuman not to.

I make good on my promise - I make good on my promise to you...

..then you help me out. All right?

One step at a time, John.

I need to go.

-COMPUTER BEEPS

-Boss! We're in!

INDISTINCT CHATTER

This is some guy, huh?

SNIPPETS OF LAUGHTER AND CONVERSATION

Right, what we got?

Steven Rose has been keeping tabs on over two hundred people.

We've been in contact with as many

as possible and advised them accordingly.

Anything we can use to get ahead of him?

No contingency plans as such, but there is a data list of bolt holes,

places all over London he could hide out in.

Abandoned homes, schools, swimming pools.

The problem is, that there are hundreds of them, spread over

six hundred square miles of Greater London.

-DS Lane, what did you get?

-He lives alone,

has done for about seven or eight years.

A few girlfriends, nothing serious. Not since a girl called Katherine.

-Katherine who?

-Meadows. She and Steven were students together.

Prototypical first love thing, back when summers

were endless and whatnot.

She's long since married, she's now Katherine Woodward.

Other than that, no flatmates, no hobbies, no real friends...

No life. This, erm, Katherine, she's definitely not on the list?

Not listed, sir. There is no Katherines on the list.

-Kates, Katies?

-Nope, she's not there.

-Well, we need to talk to her. Has she got an address?

-Er, yeah.

'Police warn that Steven Rose should be considered dangerous.

DOORBELL RINGS

'Members of the public should not approach him,

-'but should immediately contact the police.

-DOORBELL RINGS AGAIN

'Police are also appealing for

'anybody who might have information...'

< Hannah, get the doorbell, please?

-Owen, get the door.

-Who died and made you God?

Sorry, I can't. I'm too busy having a life.

-Can you get your arse off the sofa?! Door!

-Hmm.

'These are live pictures coming to us now of the urgent manhunt

'that is ongoing across the capital for Steven Rose.

'We will be updating you as we get the information.'

INDISTINCT CHATTER AT FRONT DOOR

Katie, did you call this lot?

Steven?

'And I would like to repeat, police have warned

'Steven Rose should be considered extremely dangerous.'

THEY SCREAM

The Woodward's are gone, he's got 'em.

Benny, I need you to go through that list of bolt holes.

Isolate a two-mile radius from this point.

On its way, boss. Red lights are properties on the database.

HE EXHALES DEEPLY

If he wanted to kill her...

..he would have just killed her here.

The fact that he's taken her away, that tells me that he needs time.

To do what?

I think the thing of it is that he's come back to get what he's lost.

And the husband? The step-kids? How does that fit?

Katie loves THEM. All right? And that's what Steven does.

He takes from others what he hasn't got.

What is your knowledge of crime to journey stats?

Er, stats say that the less familiar an offender is with a given area,

-the closer to home he'll commit his crimes.

-Exactly.

Which puts Steven within a mile and a half of us.

Yeah, yeah. MOBILE PHONE RINGS

-That's Benny. I told him to send you a list of those bolt holes.

-OK.

OK. So...so, what? We isolate the properties

-that fall inside that radius?

-No.

-Looking for what? Vacant houses for let or sale?

-No, too risky.

-We know he needs time, right?

-Renovations?

No, it's the same problem, isn't it? Erm...

Boss, there's the old Onslow Hospital.

Yeah, OK.

Erm, OK. So, what do we do?

Well, we should call in armed response.

Yeah. We...we should do that.

Except last time we did that he got away...

So, what do we do?

-We do it right.

-Good answer.

SCRAPING OF METAL ON METAL

SCRAPING CONTINUES

Please, don't.

-SHE CRIES

-Please.

SCRAPING GETS LOUDER

HE GROANS WITH EFFORT

SHE SOBS

SHE GASPS SHARPLY

Steven. Please, don't.

I want you back.

SHE WHIMPERS

Oh, my god. Oh, my god.

TYRES SCREECH

(Hey, wait.)

DISTANT SCREAMING

(Emma?)

OWEN SCREAMS

RUN!

KATIE SCREAMS

OWEN WAILS

CLATTERING

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

SHE PANTS

HE GASPS

Are you Owen Woodward?

Are you hurt?

Where is he?

Who else is he with?

My family.

OK. OK. You need to get out.

OK. It's going to be OK.

(Quietly. It's going to be OK.)

KATIE CRIES

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Steven! Stop! Stop! Just stop!

Just stop!

SHE WHIMPERS (Stop. Stop.)

You lost her, mate. OK? She's gone. SHE CRIES

She's gone. All right? But this thing that you're feeling,

this thing, it's in your head, it's a physical thing, you know.

It can be put right.

-I died.

-No, no. The dead don't come back, OK?

Now, we think they do, but they don't.

Steven!

Don't! Stop! Stop!

Emma...

Emma.

Put it down. Put it down.

INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER

We got to talk about that gun.

-Yeah, I should have told you I took it.

-Yeah, you should have.

You found it, all right?

It was Steven's gun and you found it.

It'll be all right.

It was a good shooting.

Hey, Ben.

Good work, Dirty Harriet.

Boss, can I have a word?

Yeah.

It's about that other thing.

I've been having a nosey around

Megan Cantor's financials.

Now, there's nothing massively out of the ordinary,

but there is something, it might be nothing.

-Not everything's something.

-She does pay rental on a safe deposit box.

Nice hat.

Nice coat. Very sensible.

-We find ourselves in a pickle.

-We are. We're in a pickle.

What if I found a way to fix it?

For you to save some face and make some money?

Quite a bit of money.

Well, as it happens, I often find

that money has an elevating effect on my frame of mind.

There. That's what you wanted.

That's what you tried to steal from Alice.

Well, it seems a bit unseemly when you put it like that -

but, yeah, that's the gist of it.

Where'd you find them, by the way?

Inside the body, were they? What, she swallow them?

Do you want them, or what?

Are we being serious, now? You do know what this lot is worth?

Yeah.

Enough to start a new life.

But that's not going to happen now, is it?

What am I going to buy with these?

Shame she died.

You ever find out who did it?

Look, you've got your money now.

What are the chances of you me doing a favour?

Here we go, then. What do you want?

Cocaine, heroin, pills... whatever's lying about.

Well, that's an unusual request. I mean, given the day job.

It's been an unusual couple of days, George.

HE SNIGGERS

Yeah.

And where did you come across this information?

A tip.

From...?

A source.

A source.

And this puts it to bed?

For good?

Yeah.

Will there be anything else?

No, boss. Thank you.

WOMAN YELLS

Get off of me!

Ow!

They'll do her for intent to supply and then they'll upgrade to murder

when they connect the toy to Jonathan.

HE EXHALES WEARILY

Do you feel better putting it right?

Did you hurt her?

Who?

Alice.

Did you?

Why would I?

Because you wanted me to keep my promise.

You had to stop me from leaving.

Hmm.

It could be that.

Or perhaps it could be that Alice Morgan...

was your blind spot.

You didn't love her, not really.

She frightened you and she excited you...

..and you mistook that for love.

But you would have killed her, eventually.

If she didn't kill you first.

Perhaps that's why I did it.

SHE LAUGHS

But I didn't.

Megan...

..are you scared of me?

Clearly not.

Well, you should be.

Because I'm coming for you.

MUSIC: A Few Hours After This by The Cure

# A few hours after this and we're apart again

# Like black and white checks at opposite poles in a secret game

# Played in a strange symmetry

# You really should have known by the cut of my smile

# That the answer will be simple

# It still took you a while to get it out of me

# I thought you'd do it easily

# Just put your hands around my heart and squeeze me till I'm dry

# I never thought you'd ever stop to ever ask me why

# I never saw you again

# I never saw you again

# I never saw you again

# I never saw you again. #