The Drop Zone The Coroner

Don't. Just stay.

Please stay.

I have to.

Just don't go up. Please.

You can't do this every time. It's my job, Jess.

I just... I don't want you to go.

I can't let the team down.

You mean you can't let Lori down?

No, Jess. I can't.

-Morning.

-Hi.

They're good to go.

I checked them.

Yeah, and I'm double-checking 'em.

Don't trust me?

What's he doing here?

Rafe!

Come on, man. One slip-up!

Yeah, one slip-up that could've killed someone.

It won't happen again.

You stink of booze.

From last night. I haven't touched a drop today.

I wouldn't. I'm not stupid!

Get Out. Out now.

Hey, why're you being such a ball-breaker?

He needs our support!

What? Is he in trouble?

Not him.

I've made a big mistake, Lori.

Yeah? About what?

I'll deal with it myself.

Stix!

RAISED VOICES

Give me one more week.

I can't give you a week!

OK, forget it!

Ready?

Ready!

Ready?

I said yes.

All right, let's do this.

I've been trying to call you.

No hands. Nowhere to park. Parked miles away.

Grockle season. It's like an invasion.

They'll be gone September.

The sooner the better.

Davey's called. He's with a fatality down at the Drop Zone.

Lori, the woman who runs it,

has specifically asked for you to go down, too.

There's the address.

Thanks.

Morning.

Good morning.

OK, so it's a skydiving school -

teaching displays, charity events, competitions.

In fact, they were training for a competition when it happened.

-Who died?

-Rafe Phelps, chief instructor and co-owner.

What do you expect jumping out of an airplane?

Actually, the risk's pretty low, I believe.

I think the road you just drove in on's more dangerous.

It's cos you're scared of heights, that's all.

Anyway, Lori, she's done everything by the book,

just wanted to have you here.

Jumping thousands of feet with nothing but

a bit of material to save you is... It's just madness.

Anyway, I'm not scared of heights. Just sensible.

Well, I wouldn't go that far.

Right, this is Jane Kennedy, the coroner.

-Thanks for coming.

-I'm so sorry.

This is Lori, she was jumping with Rafe when it happened,

and this is Anthony King - he's the other jumper.

Call me Stix.

Sorry, I keep seeing him.

I can't get him out of my mind.

You should go home.

Ah. Not possible, I'm afraid - we're going to need to take a statement.

Where is he? Where's Rafe?

Jess, I'm so sorry.

-I want to see him.

-Right, sorry, who's this?

Oh, this is Rafe's wife. This is Jess Phelps.

Ah, right, Mrs Phelps, I'm DS Higgins, South Dart Police.

I want to see my husband.

Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea. Not right now.

Believe me, you don't.

Could you take Mrs Phelps outside for me, please?

Come this way please, madam.

Hey, can you just give us a minute?

Yeah.

Um... There's something I think you need to see.

We use two parachutes - a main and a reserve.

If there's a problem with the main parachute,

you pull your cut away and pull the reserve.

Standard procedure. Extra precaution.

I examined the parachute straight after it happened.

The British Parachute Association, they'll confirm what I found.

Which is?

This wasn't an accident.

How do you know?

Both chutes were sabotaged.

The connector links on the main parachute had been cut.

And the reserve cable was cut and he didn't have

an automatic activation device fitted, so nothing deployed.

Rafe was a dead man the moment he climbed on to that plane.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

It's worse than the returns queue at IKEA.

It's the offer. Pasty and a pint for a fiver. It's doing well.

Yeah, well, it's giving me a headache.

-Thought people came here for peace and quiet?

-And the views.

And this is the best view in the world. Wall-to-wall profit.

Table three needs clearing, Beth.

Careful!

Sorry.

Sorry, she's always getting in the way.

It's funny how someone so small is always getting under your feet.

Pasty and a pint?

No. Treble vodka, please. Neat.

Excuse me.

-Maybe you should take it easy.

-No chance. I'm getting wasted.

I just killed my best friend.

So we're looking for someone who knows about parachutes.

Well, I don't know. Couldn't anyone have cut the straps?

Well, no, not anyone.

I mean, you'd have to be able to hide what you did.

You know, repack it.

Any idea who could have done that?

No. I mean, none of us would have.

Then why didn't you say anything in front of Stix?

Listen, I'm going to need to take statements from anyone

who had access to the parachutes,

-so can you get the ball rolling, please?

-Sarge.

RINGING

Mum, I'm at work. What is it?

What?!

No, no, no - just keep taking those statements, will you?

I'll be back soon as I can.

All right. Bye-bye.

What are you doing? Just leave me to it, will you?

-I've got this.

-No, Mum called me! Anyway, I want to see Beth.

You don't. You're just being nosy.

Oh!

Davey, I'm so sorry.

Oh, brilliant. Thanks a lot(!)

That is just brilliant(!)

Put it in a bag of rice in the airing cupboard.

It should be fine. I can do it if you want me to.

No, no. Leave it! Leave it.

Excuse me.

We gave him vodka, to stop him leaving.

Thought it best.

Right, OK. Hey. Hey, come on.

I believe you were involved in the incident at the Drop Zone?

Who're you?

I'm DS Higgins, South Dart Police.

You better arrest me, then.

Why? What did you do?

Hey, come on. Hey, hey.

What did you do?

He was my best mate...

I can't...

All right, just tell me what you told Judith?

I can't interview him like this. He needs to sober up.

What did he say?

He said he may as well have pushed him out of the plane himself.

All right, can you do me a favour?

Can you keep him here till we can get him picked up? No more vodka!

Judith, have you got a phone I can use?

Where're you going?

Back to the Drop Zone.

I can take you if you like.

No, you're all right. Don't think I could risk it.

Anyway, I thought you wanted to see Beth?

CLATTER

Oh, nice work, Beth(!)

There's a couple you didn't break there!

Stop it. I'm not in the mood.

Must be like looking in a mirror.

Got that phone, Judith? Oh - you got a bag of rice?

Look, can you just move back already? Please!

How's it going?

It's totally doing my head in. Been rammed all day.

Still, I'm off in ten minutes.

I am going to rent a boat

and go out sea as far as humanly possible.

Oh, I don't think that's a very good idea.

-It was a joke.

-Oh.

Although I think it's the best idea I've had all morning.

Hang on, I'm going to get a dust pan and brush.

OK.

Eddie never went anywhere near Rafe's rig.

Rafe brought it in from home.

Did anyone double-check the parachute?

No, Rafe said he'd done it.

Did he leave it unattended?

Well, only for a few minutes.

Did anyone else have access to the parachute?

Um... Me, Stix.

And Eddie.

Right. So Eddie could have done?

No, I don't think so. We're like a family.

Me and Rafe started this place nearly 16 years ago now.

Well, families fall out, don't they? Why wasn't Eddie skydiving?

He packed a rig wrong and Rafe chucked him off the team.

Was he happy about that?

Well, no, but he wouldn't have killed him.

Why didn't I double-check his rig?

Apparently, it's too dangerous.

It is too dangerous!

Hello, I'm from London!

Exactly - you don't know the risks down here.

What, like being hit by a beachball?

Maybe I should try skydiving?

Nah, I used to do it. it was way too expensive.

When I wanted to be on my own, I used to go to Roamer's Bay.

-No-one ever goes there.

-Why not?

It's got quicksand.

That's an old wives' tale.

It's a private beach. The owner wants to keep people away.

Because it's got quicksand!

-So where is it?

-RINGING

-Hold on. I've got to get that.

-You're not going to Roamer's Bay!

-Is there actually anything you'll let me do?

-Coroner's office.

Put your clothes away? Tidy your room?

Very funny.

OK, if you just hold on one second.

Jane, Jess Phelps. She can't reach Davey, she wants an update.

Right.

Mrs Phelps?

Jess. OK. Keep calm.

-Where is it?

-I's better not.

Well, look, I can come over if you like.

All right. I'll see you soon. Bye.

Can you let Davey know?

Yeah, yeah, I'll call him.

Ah. Could be tricky.

Slight problem with his phone.

What kind of problem?

Erm...

I keep thinking that there's been a mistake.

He's going to walk back in.

Can I can call anyone for you?

Family?

He was all I had.

I just want him back.

Give me a second, Jess.

How is she?

Heartbroken.

Said anything?

No.

Jess...

It wasn't an accident.

Rafe's parachutes had been tampered with.

It was deliberate?

Maybe he had...

packed his chute wrong?

No, no. I'm afraid not, no.

It was both chutes. The strapping had been cut.

So can you think of anyone who might want to harm your husband?

No!

Everyone loved him.

Everyone!

OK. Can you put the kettle on, please?

Sure.

Can we go outside?

We met in a bar in Byron Bay. Rafe was competing.

We started talking, never stopped.

We were engaged six days later,

married after two months and that was four years ago.

So it was love at first sight?

Would you have preferred to stay in Australia?

Rafe would. There's better jumps there.

I just wanted to be with him.

You a skydiver as well?

I'm terrified of heights. Hated it every time he went up.

Didn't want him to go this morning.

What can you tell me about the team at the Drop Zone?

They were close. Tight.

He'd been running it for years with Lori.

So they all got on?

I guess so. I didn't really know them.

So how come you weren't friendly with them, then,

if they were like one big happy family?

Well, they were Rafe's, not mine.

I don't know. I tried to get on with them.

I tried everything I could,

but they're not really keen on outsiders.

Who's "they"?

Lori. She, um...she was his first girlfriend.

Couldn't have been easy for her, him turning up here with me.

They were still together?

No, no, they broke up years ago,

but women always have a thing for their first love.

Well, not strictly true.

Not all women.

Jess, when I was making the tea, I found these.

Folic acid.

I'm not pregnant.

I'd love to be.

I have been pregnant once.

I found out on my 39th birthday,

and I lost it the same day.

And ever since then, no matter what I tried,

I just couldn't get pregnant again.

We were doing IVF. It was our fourth round next week.

That was our last chance.

-Hi!

-Hiya.

-Hi!

-Good day?

-Well...

I'm making dinner for us all.

Oh! How come you're so happy?

What, I'm not allowed to be happy now, either?

No, of course you are, it's lovely. It's just...

It was just a headache. I was fine once I chilled out.

What news?

Oh. Wow.

We're having a "spa" night. Your mum's idea.

Well?

Did he do it? Eddie?

Well, Davey's interviewing him tomorrow.

You know I couldn't tell you even if he did.

That's all right. I'll offer him a free pint and he'll sing like a canary.

-No, he doesn't!

-He does.

She's right. You'd better offer him a pasty as well.

Here, this face mask thingy,

it's supposed to get nice and warm, is it?

How warm?

Like someone's just napalmed my face?

Get upstairs quick.

Hey? I thought the burning was good.

Get rid of the dead cells!

What's that for?

Just thinking how lucky I am to have you.

-Oh, no!

-Oh!

ALARM BEEPS

I'm sorry. I should've checked his parachute.

Look, Rafe wouldn't want you to be alone.

Can I... Can I come in?

I never touched Rafe's rig. I wouldn't!

You told half the Black Dog it was your fault.

Yeah, because I hadn't checked it.

So why didn't you check it?

Well, he wouldn't let me.

Because?

I've had some issues.

My wife left. I started drinking. Didn't stop.

I made a mistake packing a chute and Rafe laid down the law,

said I was off the team till I got sober.

Well, that sounds fair enough to me.

Look...

Rafe annoyed the hell out of me. He was patronising, bossy...

..but he was like a brother, man. I loved him. We all did.

I'd never hurt him. None of us would.

We were...

What?

No, it's nothing.

No, come on, Eddie. What?

I saw him having an argument yesterday. With Stix.

Didn't hear what it was about.

With Stix?

All right?

Fancy a sausage?

Eddie said you argued with Rafe yesterday.

What? You can't trust Eddie. Reckon he'd had a couple.

Not by then. Not according to him.

And Lori doesn't seem to think so, either.

Rafe wanted to change a manoeuvre, I said let's stick to the plan.

Can't change a routine at short notice. It's not safe.

Eddie said Rafe shoved you.

Just being passionate. It's what he was like.

Really?

I've been reading up on you. Quite interesting.

Breaking and entering. Stealing cars.

-Resisting arrest.

-That was a long time ago.

Four years. Not that long.

Rafe gave me a job when no-one else would even look at me.

Why would I want to hurt him? I owe him everything.

Exactly. So, I'll ask you again, why did you argue?

It was about the jump.

It wasn't me.

He's hiding something. I don't know what, though. I checked Jess out.

She was a nursery school teacher in Melbourne. No criminal record.

Permanent visa came through last month.

Did you get anything off his phone? E-mails?

No, ta. Annette gave me a cake for the boss' birthday.

I've had two slices already.

There was nothing out of the ordinary, no.

I'll tell you what is weird, though.

-What?

-Rafe withdrew a large amount of money two weeks ago.

Six grand. Almost everything they had.

That is weird. What did Jess say?

News to her. As far as she aware, everything was going on the IVF.

Could it have been for the Drop Zone?

No, not according to Lori.

Strange he didn't tell Jess about the money though, isn't it?

I think she might be involved, you know, Lori.

I think Jess could be right, she could still be in love with him.

Those feelings never really go away, do they?

You know what women are like - more emotional.

In...

If Lori was involved, why insist everything was above board?

Why even mention the chutes were damaged?

She'd want to hide it.

Emotional!

No, I didn't mean... I wasn't...

Phone's fixed. Apart from a bit of rice stuck in the jack there.

Oh, give it here. Oh!

SPLASHING

Davey, I'm so sorry.

Three hours I've had that back! Three hours!

Clint! You got our spare work phone?

Your old one, before we got it upgraded?

You mean the emergency phone?

Yeah. Can you get it, and lend it to Davey, please?

But it's our phone. In case our phones break.

Yeah, but ours are working.

Please? There's been a slight problem with Davey's.

Oh, you haven't? Not again?

BANGING

BIRDSONG

Sarge?

Yeah?

Well!

There must be thousands there.

All right, I'll get these checked.

Jess.

I take it you haven't seen this before, no?

No - where was that?

In Rafe's drawer. Any idea who could have put it there?

No!

OK. Are you OK?

Yeah, fine.

Well, I'll have an officer stay with you until we get this place secured.

But if you need anything in the meantime you can always call me.

-All right?

-OK.

Stix.

Stix!

Hey, hey! I need your bike.

Give me your bike! Police - get off, give me your back!

You'll get it back! You'll get it back!

I could do this all day.

So why did you run?

You've got your finger prints all over Rafe's house,

all over the drawers, all over the money you put back.

-It wasn't hard to work out.

-I wanted to give it back.

Rafe gave me the money a couple of weeks ago.

-What for?

-Well, cos he found out I was in debt.

Because?

-Skydiving.

-Skydiving?

It's addictive. A buzz.

That moment where you're falling and nothing else matters. Nothing.

But it costs.

Rafe found out how much I owed and bailed me out.

And I couldn't keep it. Not after.

So why did you break in?

He made me promise not to tell Jess.

I couldn't just hand it to her.

Right, I'm going to ask you one last time - why did you argue?

Rafe wanted the money back, and I said I'd spent it.

A down payment for a base jump at Angel Falls in Venezuela.

And he went mad, said he'd never trust me again.

I'll just be a minute. Clint, you said it was urgent?

Yeah, Rafe's doctor's just called.

They got a letter this morning from a private clinic.

I e-mailed it over and I thought you might want to have a read of it as soon as possible.

Surfing, Sunday? Yeah, I'll tell him.

I feel like Clint's social secretary.

Rafe's footage.

Oh. Rafe was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

His doctor missed it.

Thought it was a frozen shoulder.

Rafe wasn't happy, so he went to a private clinic,

and they diagnosed it.

He's a bit young for that, isn't he?

Yeah, younger than average.

In his case, it would've affected his speech, swallowing,

even his breathing.

He was given a life expectancy of a couple of years.

-Wow. And he was still skydiving?

-Hm.

Does Jess know?

He wasn't ill. He can't have been. He would've told me.

We were trying for a baby.

His consultant said he was devastated.

Did he never mention anything about his health?

Nothing. He didn't say anything.

Jess, I'm going to need to see where Rafe kept his kit.

You think he did this himself?

Sarge.

Good work. Can you bag that up for me, please?

No. Rafe would never've killed himself jumping. No way.

He was ill.

It didn't feel like his last jump.

He was exactly the same, there was nothing different about...

There was something?

He said something about... that he'd made a mistake.

What about?

I don't know. He said he'd deal with it.

-Were you and Rafe...? I know you used to be together.

-Oh!

Look, whatever it was, it had nothing to do with me.

He was in love with Jess. They were trying for a baby.

Of course. I didn't....

I just...

Sorry.

DOOR CLOSES

Oh, no...

You've got to be joking!

And whatever you two are having when you're ready.

-A weekend away at a proper spa.

-You can go on your own.

I'm not going anywhere near one of those places. It's too dangerous.

Two Bacardi and cokes, cheers.

Hey, buy you a drink? Celebrate finishing the case.

Nothing, thanks.

-All right. Cheap round.

-You haven't finished.

Why's that, then?

SHE SIGHS

Why would Rafe kill himself in front of the people he was closest to?

I dunno, chasing the buzz? Stix said it was addictive.

Can I see the footage from the jump?

-Why?

-Look, you don't have to watch it with me.

Will you just e-mail it to me? Please?

-All right. Go on, then.

-Thanks.

-What was that?

-RINGING

Hello? No, it's not Clint.

Beth?

He seems pretty calm.

He's doing the routine.

It's drilled into you.

It becomes instinct. Look, locate, cutaway, reserve, arch.

Why would Rafe pull the reserve if he'd cut the lines himself?

No idea.

Whatever you've got planned, cancel it.

We're going to work at mine.

Sounds good to me.

Beth!

Davey! Davey, help.

All right, love. All right.

-I'm stuck!

-Don't panic, love, don't panic. It's the worst thing you can do!

All right, Beth.

I'm going to grab that towel.

I want you to catch it and I'm going to try to pull you out, all right?

-All right?

-Yeah.

Come on.

Come on. I'll do it again.

Come on.

Stay still, stay still.

Stay nice and calm, nice and calm. Stay nice and calm, nice and calm.

OK. Again, again. Put your arm round...

OK.

You OK?

I thought I was going to drown.

This place is full of quicksand, Beth.

That's why no-one uses it!

That's what Mum said.

What, and you still came?

I thought it'd be OK!

How bloody stupid are you? Huh? People have died here!

People have died here, Beth! They've died! You would've been next.

We wouldn't have found you - we wouldn't have known where to look.

We would've lost you, Beth! We would've lost you!

Please don't tell Mum.

All right. All right.

OK. I'm sorry, darling.

-I was just about to call you.

-I gave Beth a lift home.

You OK?

Yeah. Headache's back. I'm going to go upstairs

and have a lie-down.

OK. Painkillers're in the bathroom.

Rafe went through the main drill. The one you do if your chute fails.

So?

So why do that if he'd sabotaged his own chutes,

if he wanted to kill himself?

I dunno, survival instinct, changed his mind. Take your pick.

OK, OK, thanks.

-That was the IVF clinic.

-What did they say?

Well, hang on. The IVF clinic?

Yeah. Rafe cancelled two weeks ago, said they'd changed their minds.

Jess would've known. She would've been in touch with them the week before.

They want to make sure you're OK, that you're taking your pills.

Actually, I saw some pills in her cupboard. Clomiphene citrate?

No, never heard of that.

Where're you going?

Back to work.

Hold up. I'll come with you Catch you in a bit.

OK.

The drug's called clomiphene citrate.

That looks smaller than the others.

Yeah. That's what I thought.

You definitely don't prescribe it?

All right, great. Thank you - that's been very helpful. Bye.

You were right. It's not one of theirs,

but it is used to stimulate ovaries.

What's that?

It's a parachute.

There you are, look.

Look, see? Same logo.

Oh, yeah.

Hello? Hi. Thanks for getting back, I'm sorry it's so late.

It's DS Higgins, South Darts Police, UK.

I'm checking one of your members.

Do you have a Jessica Jackson or a Jessica Phelps registered to you?

You don't? OK, no, no, not to worry.

Thank you.

Sorry - sorry! Hang on!

Do people register under nicknames, do you know?

They do?

You said it was urgent?

Jess...

I know you used to be a skydiver.

I checked with the Australian Parachute Federation.

JJ - that's your jumping name. Jessica Jackson, your initials.

And your last registered jump was on your 39th birthday,

which was the day you lost your baby.

So is that why you wanted the IVF?

A baby.

Something that you wanted more than anything else in the world...

To have it taken away,

and the months and months of trying for another one.

All you could think about.

And then Rafe told you that he didn't want one.

He knew how much I wanted a baby.

He knew I did everything I could...

just to hold my own child. He took that away.

Never said why.

You thought he was in love with Lori?

I asked him.

I asked if he wanted to leave me for her.

He didn't answer.

I couldn't stop myself.

I wanted to punish him.

I went to the garage.

I found his rig.

I don't know why I did it.

I love him.

Where did you get these?

Online. My best mate in Oz, Stacey, she swore by them.

They gave her twins.

And how long have you been taking them for?

Four months.

Jess, in a small percentage of women,

these tablets can induce psychosis, paranoia.

Your hormones go haywire. You imagine all sorts.

But they worked for Stacey. I was taking double the dose.

Triple.

No, love. These wouldn't have helped.

I think Rafe was going to tell you that he was ill.

He told Lori that he'd made a terrible mistake,

and I think he realised he shouldn't have cancelled the IVF.

He...

s...

He still loved me?

Can I ask you something?

If it's, "Can I borrow your mobile phone?" then no.

How come you know so much about IVF?

Oh, Annette got pregnant six months after we got together.

It's kind of why we got married, really.

She said her dad would kill her. And then she...

Well, so we tried IVF - that didn't work, and we didn't try again.

Well, you'd have made a great dad.

Davey?

Did you tell her?

No, no. And I'm not going to.

On one condition - if you ever want to go off on your own again,

you tell me, OK, and even then I might come with you.

Non-negotiable. All right, deal?

Deal.

Oh, Clint. You can have this back now, mate.

-I got a new one.

-Oh, cheers.

Oh, Lauren rang. You met her at the beach last week?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

-Yeah. Sorry, pal. Just wants to be friends.

-Oh.

Not all bad news, though.

Your mate Woody called. He's got a special deal on ounces.

OK, are we good to go?

Ready.

Ready. Love you, man.

One last jump, Rafe.

Subtitles by Ericsson