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forensicated · 5 months ago

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03x10 - Skipper

TW: Rape and racism discussions in terms of the 80's when it was written and filmed.

Brian is singing A Policeman's Lot in the toilets as he's excited about new police pushbikes. He'll be in the briefing to discuss them.

June's father is in hospital as he's seriously ill. She's placed in CAD to be near the phone just incase with Alec onside with homemade cake for the full 8 hours. Bob is joining them on the street to take June's place to keep them up to strength.

Uniform has their little revenge against Brian brewing with CID co-operation. Operation Mushroom is so-called because he's kept in the dark about it and fed on shit 😂 "Nothing can go wrong, it's planning and teamwork, what we in the MET are known for!"

The Relief try to hide their laughter as Brian gets overly excited about the bikes. He wants 2 volunteers to take them for a test drive around a rather violent estate. He claims it's not as bad as they think and as Nick is an authorised cyclist he's 'volunteered' alongside Taffy. Both are made up about it (!)

Yorkie is on the front desk and humoring a regular about writing to a Duchess. It's clear he has a history and knowledge of how best to deal with him and is very polite to the man but Brian sticks his oar in and moans at Yorkie and calls him insensitive for doing something that makes the man happy.

(Occasionally I have a shufty on google maps at some of the places they walk past on the beat if particularly colourful or eye-catching to see what they're like now because of all the changes and gentrification in London since the 80's. Dinesh and Bob go for a wander past the East West Social Club on Cannon Street 8 mins in - Here it is in 1986 (scroll down a bit) it looks the same as in the ep (only a year later.). A nose down Cannon Street now on Google shows it completely different and it looks like most of the street has been knocked down!) Just after we get a bit (on the same road where you can see Cannon St REALLY has changed!) you can see a bloke stop and stare at Bob and Dinesh and the camera. 😂

Dinesh and Bob are sent to a break and enter nearby. When they arrive it turns out to not be a burglary but a rape. A woman is out for the count on the floor, her husband appears to be drunk and passed out and their son is angry and muttering. The son claims that they were all asleep and a black man with a knife forced the door open, "probably high on drugs like they all are". He took their money, grabbed the woman and forced himself on her. The son starts to cry (with no sign of tears) and says he passed out before he could get to the phone as all had been drinking heavily. He can't say when it happened, he just found her on the floor when he came round again.

Bob and Dinesh lift the woman and take her to her bed where she'd be more comfortable. The son orders them to 'get out there and pull some in, there's enough of 'em!' and that he'd know him if he saw him again. Bob calmly says they'll proceed with their inquiries and sends Dinesh out, saying he'll arrange for the police doctor and a WPC to call. The son refuses but Bob says it has to be done in cases of rape. He then points out that the intruder must have had a key as there's no sign of force on the door. "We probably never locked it." The son admits. Bob looks around and sees no sign of a break-in. He explains about how DNA works and proves beyond doubt who the rapist is and that family members will be the first tested. The man looks shamefaced and tells Bob to forget it, "I'm not sure... I... forget it." Bob glares at him and tells him he'll call back tomorrow when they're all sober. "Some stones are left unturned." he sighs to Dinesh.

As he walks off and leaves Dinesh behind, Inspector Kite is seen watching both of them from a car a little distance away.

Jim tries to get on the bus when a bloke drags him off from behind and tries to push in. Jim tells him to back off and they tussle with Jim trying to arrest him after the man punches him. Bob arrives as if from nowhere and helps arrest the man. In custody, the man insists he thought Jim was going to knife him if he'd let go and that Jim never identified himself as a police officer. Tom smiles and says it doesn't matter either way if he is a police officer or not; anyone can stop another creating a breach of the police or unrest.

SO3 are also involved in Operation Mushroom. "No wonder you've no time to do any work, Alec!" Roy laughs.

Reg brings a bundle of cases upstairs to Roy that have been thrown out by the CPS. "If you ask me this Crown Prosecution Service is one big cock up!" he tells Roy. "I didn't ask you, Reg!" Brownlow's PA is called Joan here (and only appears in the one episode). Reg complains to Brownlow that he doesn't agree with a civilian being placed on the front desk. He insists if people come into a police station then they want to see police, not a member of the public greeting them. "What's going to be next?" "A collator?" Charles drawls, looking pointedly at him.

"In the good old days you could get rid of a bastard like Emmerson []a case the CPS have thrown out] by planting a shotgun in his car!" Ted sighs. Roy tells him to stop pretending he doesn't care about the CPS when he knows that he does. All he wants is the CPS to accept 'good real evidence!'

Roy gives Jim a job of a hold-up that happened the night before at a filling station. "... And don't go by bus!" he tells him to Ted's amusement.

Brian speaks to Brownlow about an idea he has had and Charles makes a dig that he usually goes over his head with ideas. "Send it to heaven like you normally do." For a few moments he is worried that Brian wants him to ride one of the bicycles that have arrived that morning at a tree planting presentation. Thankfully he doesn't! Roy tries to get in to see Brownlow when Brian leaves, but he shouts "GO AWAY!" through the door.

Brian targets Bob for a 'little chat' about outstanding warrants. He claims they've been in Viv and Nick's pigeonholes since Thursday and today is Monday. He moans about Bob not making sure they'd ben chased up. Bob admits he doesn't check them regularly anymore because he knows that Brian will do it anyway so sees no point in duplicating the job. "Are you saying I interfere?" "Well it is your prerogative, sir but you're the first Inspector I've ever had who has felt the need to interfere." Bob has been a copper for 18 years at this point (since 1969 when, if he's the same age as Eric, he'd have been 29 so would be 47 here.) Brian claims the relief are unpunctual, scruffy and their locker room is filthy. Bob scoffs. "Warning? Oh yes we get plenty of them, I'll say that for you!" Brian warns him not to walk out when he loses his temper and Bob says he isn't he's standing up and there's no objective about that. Brian says that the new order of policing counts for him too and Bob tells him he's wearing regulation uniform, his boots are shiny and there's nothing out of order to be found in his locker. Brian just smiles a nasty smile and says he knows 'all your lads watering holes, Sergeant. I've made it my business to find out. And yours as well. And may I say scrounging about in tea stores is the wrong impression to give a young officer like Patel." Bob realises he's been spied on but Brian calls it supervision and claims Bob neglects it.

Ken delivers some 'urgent' post to Brian who finally lets Bob leave. Brian rings Roy and asks if he can fill in for him at the tree planting presentation as 'something important has popped up' He assures him with a smile that it's no problem.

Operation Mushroom is a go go.

Jim speaks to a young girl about the hold-up. She gave him what was in the till, approx £51, and tells Jim he didn't speak but he was 'well hung' as the only piece of clothing he was wearing was a mask!

Yorkie takes a delivery to Brian - inside are three bottles with numbers on them and an instruction for him to collect mud samples from along the river. It's a super secret task only he can do.

Jim reports to Roy that the petrol station armed robber did it naked and Roy says he already knows because he's just done another in broad daylight. Jim asks Reg if he knows of any armed robber who has a tendency to do it naked with a gun that's likely to be a replica. Reg claims he has one with a toy gun but wears a tracksuit. It's the right area and a tracksuit would be easy to remove.

Alec calls Bob and asks him what he's up to. "Counting to 10 and thinking of my pension." June calls in that a woman is worried about her elderly neighbours and asks him to go and visit them to see if everything is alright. She hasn't heard anything for 2 days and didn't say they were going away anywhere.

Brian fusses with the bikes and tells Taffy and Nick that they're going for sensitive policing and to use their discretion if they see anything out of order. He takes himself off to Tower Beach to take mud samples. At the same time, a man is taking pictures of him.

Bob shouts through the doorway of a flat to see if anyone answers before looking in the windows. He can't see anything so shouts again before breaking in after spotting a light on. Sadly Mrs Pollard has passed away and her husband is laid in bed holding her and hasn't moved since it happened. He won't allow Bob to touch her and says she's fine where she is. Bob calls for the mortuary van and the doctor to visit and starts to make the man a cup of tea. Now he's calmer he recognises Bob as Sgt Cryer who dealt when his wife lost his purse. Bob engages him in conversation and finds out they've been married for 60 years. He refuses to let her go without him.

Brian goes to collect his next sample, a short distance from Tower Bridge.

Jim receives another call where his naked suspect is still in place at a filling station. Mike speeds over and the two run in. The woman separated him from his gun and wrestled him into the store room.

Roy asks Charles to complain about the CPS but he insists that nothing would happen, even if all the Superintendents in the MET complained. He sends Nick and Taffy out on their bikes with those left in the station sneaking out behind them and singing Daisy Daisy as they cycle off.

Brian changes his office sign to Private after carrying his samples inside and makes a telephone call, asking for Superintendent Chivers. "I've got the samples, shall I arrange delivery or will you send someone?" he asks. When Chivers has no idea what he's talking about he explains that he was personally asked to gather samples of mud to test to see if a missing canister of highly toxic waste lost in the Thames is leaking and he'd had a message through CAD and a letter. Chivers tells him he's clearly been the victim of a practical joke!

Brownlow attends the tree planting with Roy and other important community figures on the rough estate and makes a speech. Nick and Taffy 'play' with local youngsters and lift them up for pictures, earning several blows to their hats. As soon as they leave, a local dog makes its presence known by peeing up the side of the new tree!

Brian sits with the samples on his desk as Yorkie knocks. He doesn't answer so Yorkie opens the door anyway and hands him an envelope telling him he's been sent it from SO3 (forensics) - it's the pictures of him gathering the mud.

With the man asleep, Bob helps the doctor declare the death of Mrs Pollard and the attendants start to remove the body of the man's wife. He wakes to find her being moved and breaks down with Bob comforting him as she's carried out.

June receives a telephone call from the hospital to let her know that her father has deteriorated. "... Are you trying to tell me he's dead?" she asks quietly, before agreeing to head over immediately.

Alec updates Bob about the prank they carried out on Brian. Bob thinks it's one thing the relief having a pop but it undermines the authority of a senior officer when the Sergeants get involved. "Yeah we thought you might be a bit po-faced about it and that's why we didn't tell you." Alec adds. "As it happens I agree with you, the man is a prat!" but he realises Brian is young and clever enough to adapt unlike them. He then asks how June is but Alec doesn't know anything outside of the telephone call from the hospital. "Bet she was glad of your care and attention." he sighs.

Bob knocks on Brian's door where he's singing A Policeman's Lot again. "Come to gloat have you?" he asks, showing him the mud. Bob admits he wasn't involved but he knows that the others will think he had it coming. He tells him that he doesn't find it funny himself. Brian thanks him for his honesty and apologises for overstepping the mark earlier but says he won't let being the butt of a practical joke stop him from doing his job.

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magnusarchivestimeline · 13 years ago

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Statement of Nathan Watts (MAG – 001 – Anglerfish)

MAG – 001 – Anglerfish:

Statement of Nathan Watts, regarding an encounter on Old Fishmarket Close, Edinburgh. Original statement given April 22nd 2012. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London.

Regarding: Figure in the shadows asking for a cigarette (Marlboro Red). Multiple missing persons.

People:

Nathan Watts

Michael MacAulay (friend being celebrated -- Earth Sciences masters degree)

"The stranger"

Jessica McEwen (missing Nov. 2005)

Sarah Baldwin (missing Aug. 2006)

Daniel Rawlings (missing Dec. 2006)

Ashley Dobson (missing May 2008)

Megan Shaw (missing June 2008)

John Fellows (missing Mar. 2010)

Places:

Old Fishmarket Close, Edinburgh

Albanach, Royal Mile (bar)

Cowgate

Misc.:

Marlboro Red

"Can I have a cigarette?"

Gentle swaying (the stranger)

Key Language:

I was startled out of my thoughts by the words as I thought I had been alone. Quickly trying to compose myself and looking around, I noticed a small alleyway on the opposite side of the street. It was very narrow and completely unlit with a short staircase leading up. I could see a light fixture a little way up the wall at its entrance, but it either wasn’t working or wasn’t turned on, meaning that beyond a few steps the alley was shrouded in total darkness.

Stood there, a couple of stairs from the street, was a figure. It was hard to tell much about them as they were mostly in the shadows, though if I’d had to guess I would have said the voice sounded male. They seemed to sway, ever so slightly, as I watched, and I assumed that they, like me, were probably a little bit drunk. I lit my own cigarette and held out my tobacco towards them, though I didn’t approach, and asked if they were ok with a roll-up. The figure didn’t move except to continue that gentle swaying. Writing it down now, it seems so obvious that something was wrong. If I hadn’t been so drunk maybe I’d have noticed quicker, but even when the stranger asked the question again, “Can I have a cigarette?” utterly without intonation, still I didn’t understand why I was so uneasy. I stared at the stranger and as my eyes began to adjust I could make out more details. I could see that their face appeared blank, expressionless, and their skin seemed damp and slightly sunken, like they had a bad fever. The swaying was more pronounced now, seeming to move from the waist, side to side, back and forth.

By this point I had finished rolling a second cigarette and gingerly held it out towards them, but I didn’t get any closer. I had decided that if this weirdo wanted a cigarette, they were going to need to come out of the creepy alleyway. They didn’t come closer, didn’t make any movement at all except for that damn swaying. For some reason the thought of an anglerfish popped into my head, the single point of light dangled into the darkness, hiding the thing that lures you in. “Can I have a cigarette?” It spoke again in the same flat voice and I realised exactly what was wrong. Its mouth was closed, had been the whole time. Whatever was repeating that question, it wasn’t the figure in the alleyway. I looked at their feet and saw that they weren’t quite touching the ground. The stranger’s form was being lifted, ever so slightly, and moved gently from side to side.

I dropped the cigarette and grabbed for my phone, trying to turn on the torch. I don’t know why I didn’t run or what I hoped to see in that alley, but I wanted to get a better look. As soon as I took out my phone, the figure disappeared. It sort of folded at the waist and vanished back into the darkness, as if a string had gone taut and pulled it back. I turned on the torch and stared into the alley, but I saw nothing. Just silence and darkness. I staggered back up to the Royal Mile, which still had lights and people, and found a taxi to take me home.

#nathan watts #old fishmarket close #edinburgh #michael macaulay #the stranger #cigarette #marlboro red #john fellowes #jessica mcewen #sarah baldwin #daniel rawlings #ashley dobson #megan shaw #mag 001 #anglerfish

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