True Colours (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript

[Somber music plays ]

[Crying]

[Dramatic music plays]

NICK: So all Mariah's friends
and family are in there,

and we can't talk
to any of them.

Well, there must be
someone we can talk to.

Maybe.

[Music playing on cellphone]

EILEEN: [Speaking
Arrernte] You got no shame.

[Speaking Arrernte] Are you mad?

What was that all about?



Fuck you!

Don't fuck with me.
I'll give you a hiding.

Yeah...

- You know her?
- She's Mariah's friend.

She was there at the
hospital with her.

How old is she?

TONI: 14 or 15.

NICK: So we'd need a parent
or guardian to talk to her,

and I'm guessing
they're all in there.

We don't need a parent
to get a welfare check.

Hey.

Do you know who I am?

Yeah, you're that cop.

Are you okay?



That's a nice bracelet.

Looks expensive.

I didn't steal it.

Kumantjayi gave it to me.

Flash things.

Where'd she get the money?

She didn't steal it.
She had a job in town.

Tourist one.

Okay.

Well, did you see
her Sunday night?

Fantasia, Kumantjayi was
at your house at 8:00.

But she wasn't found
until midnight.

The crash site is
only 20 minutes away.

So do you have any idea
where she could have been?

Making TikTok videos.

TONI: For four hours?

She was a really sexy dancer.

She was gonna be a star.

Okay.

Thank you.

Hey.

Look after yourself.

[Crying]

You can drive.

[Somber music plays]

DOCTOR: This injury here
is the cause of death.

A blow of some sort to
the back of her head.

From the car seat?

Not possible.

What about the
wound on her cheek?

DOCTOR: Perhaps by
the same object.

There's bruising so she was
still alive when she was hit.

But Mariah was found outside
of her car, on the ground.

There's no way someone with
this kind of brain injury

could have gotten
out of the car.

How did she get there, then?

That would be your job.

Now this is everything
that came in with her.

I'll just sign it all over.

Oh. There's something else
that might be of interest.

Mariah had unprotected sex
within a few hours of her death.

NICK: Sexual assault?

No injuries. No
vaginal tearing.

It looks like the
intercourse was consensual.

So there is a boyfriend.

[Dramatic music plays]

Bull didn't seem to know
what Mariah was up to.

Well, can you blame her
for sneaking around?

What kind of dad
stops his daughter

from seeing her own family?

The kind who wants
to give his daughter

what the community can't.

Like your dad did?

We're not talking about me.

Okay.

Why don't we talk about us?

There's nothing to talk about.

Really?

So, that's it?

I didn't promise you anything.

We were living together, Toni.

And we seemed happy, I thought.

So what changed?

You know what changed?

You're on secondment.

You're not gonna stay.

Before you know it, you'll
be back in gloomy old

Melbourne with
your hipster mates.

I thought you were
coming with me.

I don't like the cold.

Europeans call these ranges
the MacDonnell Ranges.

But for the Arrernte, they
represent the Yeperenye story.

Ancestral beings that
traveled through this area

in the creation stories.

Just over there
is a sacred site.

Aboriginal women, children,
and the uninitiated

are forbidden to cross
the line into the gap.

That means you, right?

You too.

You're not an initiated man.

Besides, if tourists can
go in there, why can't I?

Were you friends
outside of work?

DAVID: Not really. We...

We didn't hang out or anything.

Do you know anything
about her private life?

We found a large amount of
cash in Mariah's possession.

Do you have any idea
where she got it?

Was she doing drugs?

- I don't think so.
- NICK: Sell drugs?

I wouldn't know
anything about that.

I don't want to get
Mariah into trouble.

TONI: But?

She might have been doing
private tours on the side.

Wealthy tourists, they...
They always wanna see

stuff other people don't get to.

I couldn't do it
'cause I'm white,

but Mariah being Indigenous,

she could show them
places, for a good price.

Secret places.

TONI: Mariah's car was found

near where the Men's
Business was being held.

Surely she wouldn't
stupid enough

to take tourists out there?

If they found her,
they'd kill her.

But I thought Samuel
already questioned the men.

What?

I'm worried he
might be conflicted.

Why?

Well, he's not related
to them, is he?

- Not all of them.
- Are you serious?

Well, it's a small community.
What do you expect?

Well, we have to
interview them again.

Officially.

- I can't.
- Why not?

It was men's cultural business.

Women aren't even supposed
to know about that.

Okay, so how do we
get around that, then?

You'll have to talk to them.

Fantasia said that Mariah
was making TikTok videos.

If we could just get
into her phone...

No, once it's
password protected,

it's impossible to get into.

TONI: Hey, can we stop
up here for a minute?

You just went.

Are we counting?

[Sighs]

Her socials are public.

We can see everything.

She's popular.

900 followers.

There's lots of friends and
family commenting on her death.

"Rest in peace" notices.

She likes a selfie.

TONI: [Chuckles] Don't they all?

[Music plays on cellphone]

It's like, oh, mm-mm!

[Both chuckle]

Alright, let's see who's
commenting on her pictures.

One guy's here a lot.

Keeps posting that love-heart
eye emoji in all her pictures.

I can't see his face.

There's a picture with their
arms around each other.

Yeah, this is definitely
the boyfriend.

Is there a name?

NICK: No, just says "B."

Well if we find the boyfriend,
we've probably found the killer.

Go away!

Oh, shit.

[Suspenseful music plays]

What is it?

Go away!

NICK: It's your brother.

[Dramatic music plays]

Toni, you said it yourself.

If Brendan was the last
one to see Mariah...

No, my brother's not a killer.

Okay.

Well, let's go prove it.

[Dramatic music plays]

So, agreed, you stay in the car

while I talk to
Xavier about Brendan.

What happened to
staying in the car?

You can do the talking.

What's she doing here?

Well, you can talk to her
or you can talk to me.

What do you want?

We're looking for Brendan Alma.

Hasn't been here for a few days.

Heard he might be working
on Keithy Jones' car.

You ever see Brendan
with Kumantjayi?

No.

Mind if we take a
look at the car?

Where are the tires?

Can't talk to her.

Where are the tires?

Over here.

NICK: How long have they
been working on this?

XAVIER: Years. Ready
to kick them out.

Where's Keithy now?

Where's Keithy now?

[Metal music plays on radio]

Toni.

That's Broderick.

I can't talk to him either.

What, you related to him too?

We used to be an item.

We're looking for Brendan.

Thought Keithy might help.

Good luck with it.

He was driving the car
when they found Mariah.

He took her to the clinic.

If anyone knows
anything, he does.

Alright.

Find out what
happened to his hand.

Broderick, right?

Just need to ask you a
couple of questions about M.

Where was she when
you found her?

I already told Samuel this.

Yeah, we just want to make sure
we haven't missed anything.

BRODERICK: Kumantjayi was laying
on the ground, next to the car.

NICK: Was she conscious?

[Dramatic music plays]

You gonna help me cook or what?

Ah...

TONI: Oi.

Oi!

- Keithy, wake up!
- Argh!

- TONI: Where's Brendan?
- I don't fuckin' know.

Fuck off.

I'll give you $20
if you tell me.

[Groans]

TONI: Sit back down.

You knew Kumantjayi, didn't you?

She was a friend.

That's why you're so upset.

When was the last
time you saw her?

Saturday night.

[Speaking Arrernte] Where?

She was with your brother.

♪ I'm a monument, you
can never move me ♪

[Laughs]

Give it here!

- I gotta go.
- What for?

You come back here!

Oi!

Come back here!

Where's Brendan now?

Grandpa Samuel took him.

Took him where?

Ah, I don't know. Might
be at the outstation.

[Speaking Arrernte]
Where you going?

Keithy?

He won't go far.
He's got no cash.

You gave him money, didn't you?

Why? We're trying to
keep him away from grog.

Well, it's not workin', is it?

[Speaking English] Long
as you get what you want!

TONI: Anything?

NICK: No, nothing yet.
He's making me work for it.

I gotta go to my
family's outstation.

I think Brendan
might be out there.

Alright, I'll come with you.

You can't.

I gotta go alone.

How's that gonna work?

Look, if Brendan
killed Mariah...

Toni, we can't have him
arrested by his own sister.

My Uncle Ezekiel is out there.

He's the big boss for all of us.

He's not gonna let his
nephew jump in the car

with a white cop.

Okay, but don't interview
him, don't even talk to him.

Just bring him back here
and we do it together.

Officially.

BRODERICK: [Speaking
Arrernte] Hey, whitefella.

Come back to work
and dig this hole.

[Dramatic music plays]

TONI: [Speaking
Arrernte] Hello, Uncle.

[Speaking English] I'm
looking for Brendan.

You seen him?

[Speaking Arrernte] No.

Keithy told me you
brought him out here.

Keithy should worry
about himself.

[Welding tools crackle]

TONI: [Speaking
Arrernte] What's that?

[Speaking Arrernte] Leave
it. You can't fix it.

[Speaking English] Brendan!

Brendan.

What's going on?

You know when he
drinks he goes mad.

That's why we brought him here.

- He's detoxing?
- Yeah.

You could kill him
doing it like this.

You said bring him here.

Yeah, but not like this.

He needs to dry out and
get proper medical support.

No!

Is there some other reason why
you're keeping him out here?

Some reason why you
won't let me talk to him?

Might be.

A girl is dead.

If you know something,
you need to tell me.

Even if it is family.

[Speaking English]
Brendan didn't kill her.

If you're so sure about that
then you'll let me take him.

[Dramatic music plays]

[Sighs]

Brendan, I need to
ask you something.

The car accident.

That young girl.

You were seeing her, yeah?

You used to be such a happy kid.

Always laughing.

I can't remember the last
time I saw you smile.

When we were kids, you'd
always come back from Adelaide

at Christmas and bring
me a big bag of lollies.

[Chuckles]

Yeah, you loved
me for my lollies.

I shared them with all
the other kids too.

But then you stopped coming back

and those kids would flog me up

'cause I didn't
give them lollies.

Because you wasn't there.

I'm sorry, I didn't know.

But I'm here now.

I just need you to
tell me the truth.

Were you sleeping with M?

Why didn't you just tell me?

Frightened.

- Of what?
- Her dad. Bull?

A mad bastard.

If he found out she was
with someone like me,

he'd kill me.

She told you that?

Brendan.

I don't know how
else to ask you this.

But did you have sex with
M the night she died?

[Sighs]

[Suspenseful music plays]

Did you have a fight?

No, she just left.

Did you follow her?

Climb out the window
and go after her?

Brendan!

Did you chase after her?

Make her run into that tree?

[Suspenseful music plays]

Brendan!

Shit!

NICK: Yep, that's pretty
much all we have to go on.

Rhonda just wanted an
update on where we're at.

Okay.

So I told her we've
interviewed a number of people

in Alice Springs and
at Perdar Theendar,

but there's no
major suspects yet.

And Broderick's account
was pretty similar

to what Samuel reported.

Mariah was already on the road.

All they did was take
her to the clinic.

Did you find out what
happened to his hand?

Yeah, says he burned it.

Did he say how?

NICK: Reckons it was
another kangaroo cook-up.

- Do you believe him?
- Nah, not for a minute.

I think he was trying to
get into the burning car.

But Mariah was
already on the road?

Yeah, exactly. He let
something else slip, too.

Said they saw
headlights of a vehicle

driving away when
they approached.

But when I asked him if he
knew the car, he backed off.

He's hiding something.

NICK: Yeah, I reckon.

Good work.

Keep on it.

Let me know how you go.

- Hey, Nick, thank you...
- What the fuck's going on, Toni?

What I didn't tell Rhonda

is that our main
suspect is your brother.

That you left me stranded so
you could speak to him alone,

and that I haven't
heard from you since.

Okay, I'm sorry.

So did you find Brendan?

Yeah.

Where is he?

He did a runner.

Okay, we need to
put out an alert.

Brendan got a car?

TONI: Nick, we can't do that.

A bunch of white cops after him?

We know how that ends.

Toni, I don't want this
to be true, either.

But he was her boyfriend,
she had sex, she's dead.

If this was anyone else,

you'd have them sitting in
interrogation right now.

We got an issue.

I just got off the phone
from an irate tourist couple.

They want to report
Mariah Cawood with fraud.

We paid her $2,000,
and then, pfff!

We never heard from her again.

Where exactly did Mariah
promise to take you?

She said she was just
gonna take us out to

one of those Aborigine places.

Mariah's dead, and
you were paying her

to take you out
to secret places.

- I think trouble's found you...
- It was just some place she said

that no one else
was allowed to go.

She also said that she
was going to sell us

some more of those rocks.

What kind of rocks?

Special rocks.

Look. Tjuringas.

Shit, cover them up!

[Birds calling]

[Dramatic music plays]

SAMUEL: [Speaking Arrernte]
Hey, come and have a look.

[Speaking Arrernte]
What are you doing?

Have a look here.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

How does this whitefella know?

See all these scratches here?
They're not real Tjuringas.

[Speaking Arrernte] They've
been lying to the tourists.

They don't know.

[Speaking English] Okay.

So I was wrong about the rocks.

But Kumantjayi was taking
tourists to sacred places,

faking sacred
objects, selling them.

If someone in the community
found out, what would happen?

[Speaking English]
Give her a good hiding.

Exactly.

So what if the car accident
was a good hiding gone wrong?

Someone chased after
her, ran her into a tree?

[Speaks Arrernte] [Speaking
English] Might be.

So who would do that?

Bosses of this country.

And who's that?

Me. You.

Our family.

Sorry to ask you this,

but where were you the
night of Mariah's accident?

[Speaks French]

What?

Learning French.

Apenange, this theory of yours?

Don't mean anything.

'Cause until you walked
in with these fake rocks,

I didn't even know that
girl was doing anything.

What if Brendan did?

Well, let's go and
talk to your brother.

[Dramatic music plays]

I'll do it.

[Sighs]

[Sirens chirp]

[Cellphone rings]

Hey.

NICK: Hey.

How'd you get on?

They're not real.

Mariah was selling
fakes for cash.

NICK: [Chuckles]

Yeah, gotta admire her
entrepreneurial spirit.

Where are you now?

Still looking for Brendan.

NICK: You want me to help?

Yeah.

That'd be great.

Hey, Nick?

NICK: Yeah?

Um...

I know I've been a bitch lately.

Just... [Indistinct shouting]

- Holy shit!
- NICK: What?

It's Brendan!

Brendan!

Got something to
fuckin' hide, eh?

Tell me why you're
fuckin' running?

Come here you little cunt!

TONI: Brendan!

[Dramatic music plays]

Oh, shit!

Where's Brendan?

Like I already told
you 50 times already,

okay, I picked him up,
and then we had a yarn,

and then I dropped him off.

Why wouldn't you take
him all the way home?

[Chuckles]

It irritates you, doesn't it?

Your little princess,
hanging out with her people.

Ohh, after everything
you built for her,

straight back to poverty
without a second glance.

Gets under your skin, eh?

Beautiful Mariah taking
a walk on the wild side

with some dirty Black bloke...

Don't...

Did you follow her out there?

Oh, is that it?

You wanted to see who stole
your little girl's heart?

Or some other part
of her anatomy.

Christ.

Where were you the night
your daughter died?

I was in bed, alright?

Watching Netflix, Season
2 of "The Bridge."

It's a bloody good show.

Shit, you should watch it.

You should.

'Cause I reckon you'd
fuckin' learn something.

[Knock on door]

Oh, here's the boss.

[Door opens, closes]

Forensics checked Bull's tires.

They don't match the prints
you found at the crash site.

Maybe, but that's gonna
take a really long time

and right now, we don't
have enough to hold him.

- Come on, Rhonda.
- We don't.

Here.

Go on.

[Pen scratching]

We need to organize
a search party.

And where would we start?

Bull said he dropped Brendan
off at the boundary gates.

And even if he's telling
the truth, we are talking

hundreds of square kilometers
of uninhabited bush.

We need an army.

Get some trackers.

What'll it look like if I spend
taxpayers' money on a search

for the investigating
detective's brother?

Every second person I talk
to on this case is related.

That didn't bother you when
you forced me to take this on.

What if your brother isn't dead?

What if he's just
pissed somewhere?

[Scoffs]

Maybe it was Bull who
chased his daughter

into the tree that night.

But if it wasn't,
there's a vehicle

hidden out there in the
community somewhere.

I suggest you go back
to Perdar Theendar.

[Dramatic music plays]

[Television playing
indistinctly]

ISABELLE: Eileen's
the only one allowed

to finish the
paintings for Paris.

If we don't find
her, we're screwed.

I'm sure Xavier's involved.

We should have Xavier
charged with kidnapping.

[Speaking Arrernte]
Why are we lying?

Eileen is not at
Xavier's outstation.

[Speaking Arrernte]
If we tell the truth,

it will make our friend too sad.

Easier to go along with it.

Careful.

Speaking in another
language will make me think

that you're trying to
hide something from me.

GRACE: [Speaking English]
Hey, you're good. You noticed!

VIV: [Speaking English]
That's Luritja language.

It's from south side.

We had a bet you'd be
able to pick it up.

I lost.

[Gasps] Ohh!

[Speaking Arrernte] Who is that?

What happened?

Who done this to you?

Brendan, what happened?

Who did this to you?

ISABELLE: Is he breathing? Can
you tell if he's breathing?

VIV: [Speaking Arrernte]
Who did this to you?

Brendan. Brendan! Brendan!

[Dramatic music plays]