Baptiste (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Measure of a Man - full transcript

Baptiste discovers Edward isn't who he says he is and tracks down Natalie. But his attempt to conceal the truth from Edward has tragic consequences for which he holds himself responsible. Baptiste heads to London to find Edward's ex-wife.

She's my niece, I just
want to know she's OK.

It seems fate has plans

for you, Julien.

We could really use your help.

I'm not the man I was.

Dragomir Zelincu ran one
of the big Romanian gangs.

Trafficking, drugs, you name it.

Natalie knew about Dragomir.

She learned it was you,
didn't she?

Please do not tell
me to be calm.

You have no idea.



You have no idea
what is going on!

I've been looking
for you, Natalie.

I am not what you
were expecting?

Your uncle didn't
tell me.

He is not who you
think he is.

Not at all.

I cannot believe he
went to the police.

Why would he do
such a thing?

Like you, I'm trying
to understand.

Who else is
looking for me?

Who else has he,
has he talked to?

Look...

You can trust me.

I assure you, I am
no threat to you.



You can talk to me
about him. I can help.

He was a client.

When he started to see
me I thought he was nice.

He brings presents,
this kind of thing.

Then he doubles
his appointments.

More and more, and
then he starts to get

...jealous of the others.

He asked me how much
he'd have to pay me

to have me all
to himself.

He... did not like my
answer to this question.

This is when he
broke my jaw.

Edward Stratton is the one
you should be asking questions.

Why would he lie to me?

He must have known

it could never hold up
if you were found.

So, he does not care what
anyone thinks. He just...

...wants to find me.
At any cost.

But still, to take such a
risk involving the police

when he didn't have to.

Because he's not
afraid of anyone.

What?

Why do you say this?

Listen, I work for the
police - not for him.

So, please, tell me.

You think it's different
here than anywhere else?

Just because the government
say they support our rights

to sell ourselves?

Because they, they say they
give us power and control,

you think it always
makes it true?

The Romanians...
traffic girls here.

I see it.

All the time.

And... people do nothing.

Myself included.

Keep my head down,
keep out of their way.

Make my money.

What, what does all this have
to do with Edward Stratton?

He's with the Romanians, OK?

He works with them.

This is crazy, it cannot be.
- Why?

Just because he does
not seem the type?

Why do you think the
Romanians find him so useful?

An English man, working
for a trucking company,

the things he can move for them,

without anyone asking questions.

What now?

The detective knows
where she is.

He rang his wife
this morning.

He told her he was
going to see Natalie.

Where is she?

We hear only her
side of the call.

So, we don't know?

If the detective
has found Natalie...

...what do you think
she has told him?

About me?

I don't know.

The truth, perhaps?

Doubt it.
- You hope.

I can talk with Mr Baptiste...

No.

No, I'll do it.

I cannot believe this of him.

I think you would not
be the first to be fooled.

But if Edward is
so dangerous,

why are you still here?

Why don't you go
somewhere else entirely?

Go where?

You think it is so easy?

To pack up and
find another life?

I need time,
I need... money.

Yeah, but, uh...

Just go to the
police for protection.

Edward pays off half of them
to keep his operation running.

To, to keep the girls working.
I, I don't know who I can trust.

I have a friend.

She's the commissioner in the
police in Amsterdam, you can go...

No.

No.

All I want to do is to stay
out of sight until I'm...

..I'm ready to leave.

You told Edward you knew
the truth about Dragomir.

Kim must have trusted
you a great deal to tell you.

She told me nothing.

I learned about her from Walter De
Louw

when he was drunk one night.

And you went to her with
this so she would hide you?

Edward Stratton.

Don't answer.

Well, uh...

I'm supposed to be
meeting him right now.

I sent a text this morning
telling him I had news.

What would you
have me say now?

Nothing.

Have nothing to do with him.

I beg you.

Don't do anything.

And... be careful around him.

If he finds out
you know where I am?

That is something
that cannot happen.

Julien? What kind of
department are you running?

Excuse me?

I found the girl.

She's no relation
to Edward Stratton.

He's no more than a
client, obsessed with her.

Well, we don't actually investigate

people who report crimes, Julien.

Well, perhaps you should!

I suggest you get your
officers to do their research.

Morning.

I was getting worried.Yeah?

First the traffic, then the...

...parking behind this station.

If I find the car again it...

...it'd be a miracle.

That's OK.

So, did you have something
you were going to tell me?

I think, Mr Stratton, uh...

I think I must be
honest with you.

I should not have told
you I could find your niece.

I do not think I...

..I can pursue this case.

Oh.

That's disappointing.

A man of your experience...

I'm sorry.

May I ask why?

I cannot go chasing a girl
who doesn't wish to be found.

But I told you,
she's important to me.

Yes. But, er, it seems you...

..are not important to her.

From what we've heard, she
left Amsterdam for Germany

of her own free will.

She's in no danger.

But she's not
thinking straight.

She's upside down
and turned around.

I need to find her.

I need to see that she's OK.

I am afraid you will have
to continue this journey

by yourself, my friend.

You think I'm weak,
don't you?

It's OK,
I'm used to it.

People take one look at me
and they think they know me.

But they don't.

No-one does.

They don't know the shit
I've had to wade through.

How can someone get
run down into the ground,

get trampled on again
and again, still be weak...

..when they're still standing?

You don't know me, Mr Baptiste,
but I'm a fucking survivor.

That's what I am.

All I need from you is to
get out of my bloody way.

I can find her myself.

Julien?

The girl. She's in danger.
You should send cars now!

Tell me where.

Hi. Niels Horchner.

My mother told me
you would be here.

Pleasure to meet you.

So?

No-one was inside when we got
here, and uh... well, the door

was unlocked, but aside
from that, nothing unusual.

May I? Yeah, of course.

Hello?

I'll give you one guess
where I stand right now.

I've never much liked
playing games.

That surprises me
- for someone who is so well versed

in playing them.

It's time to be honest,
don't you think?

The truth can do a lot more
than just hurt, Mr Baptiste.

Believe me,
I know this more than anyone.

You're at the houseboat.

Who are you, Edward?

I told you,
I don't like playing games.

Then stop playing them.

I thought you were
done with this case.

If you knew me, you would
realise that's not an option.

I made a mistake
when I trusted you.

I thought you
didn't make mistakes.

The only way to find out if you
can trust someone is to trust them.

Ernest Hemingway, right?

You're full of surprises,
aren't you, Edward?

Tip of the iceberg, sir.

Where is she?
Where is the girl?

She not with you?

You didn't find her?

You led them here and, uh...

..you didn't find her.

Officers!

Niels!

We need divers!

Dada!

OK.

Let's go.

Julien...

You can't blame yourself for
what happened to that girl.

He found her usingt he
navigation of my car.

Taking my keys.

How can I not feel responsibility
for what has followed?

Love... I know.

This man, Edward Stratton.

Whoever he is...

What is it?

It's just that, uh...

I wish I didn't have this
feeling, a feeling that, uh...

..that everything
isn't quite as it seems.

Come!

Do you remember me?

Mr Stratton, right?

Yeah.

Can I help you?

When I was at school...

..there was this kid...

..called Billy Lomax.

Who was a fat...

..stupid waste of DNA.

And when I was around nine years
old, for some unknown reason,

he decided to make
my life a misery.

Any way he could,
you know?

Started small.

Waiting in the lunch queue, he'd
stick bits of food into my pocket

that I wouldn't notice
till much later.

Which sounds kind of funny.

But not if you're the one...

stinking the classroom
out all afternoon

and everybody's laughing at
you and you don't know why.

And then he graduated to
kicking the shit out of me

whenever he got the
opportunity.

Kids can be real pricks,
can't they?

I was always trying to
think of some way

of stopping him torturing me.

And then there was one
thing that caught my eye,

because Billy had a pet mouse.
Titus he was called, and he

was always talking about him, and
he brought pictures into class.

And one day, he brought
the actual mouse into class.

And at break, when everyone
was outside enjoying the sun

I went into that classroom
and I took him out of his cage.

And I cut Titus in half.

I split him down the middle so
that all his guts... spilled out.

I was nine.

And Billy was...

Well, I'd never seen him
like that, you know?

I'd never seen him cry.

Big, ugly, snotty tears.

I thought that Billy Lomax
was a monster who existed

only to torture me and there
was nothing I could do about it.

And I realised at that moment that
everyone cares about something,

don't they?

Everyone's got something to lose.

What have you got to lose, Kim?

Are you threatening me?

Did Julien Baptiste come
here this morning?

Don't lie.

We are closing now.

He came to see you,
and then he

went to a houseboat
on Keizersgracht.

You should go now. You told
him where Natalie was.

And now she's gone again.

Where to? Where's she go?

I don't know.

Did she tell you about me?

She has, hasn't she? She's
told you about everything.

Get up and walk away, now.

Hey. Hey.

Everything OK?
Yeah, it's great.

It's a lovely place
you've got here.

Thanks for the water.

Who's that?

No-one.
- Bollocks.

The two of you looked
about ready to kill each other.

What's going on, Kim?

It doesn't matter.

Morning.Morning.

Thanks for agreeing to meet here.
- Yeah.

So, what do you have for me?

Mr Baptiste, we've looked
into Edward Stratton.

I've talked to someone I
know from Scotland Yard,

and they've put him
through searches

on every database
they can think of.

But... the man has no
criminal record.

No associates.

His name does not appear

in relation to anything
illegal at all.

Not even a parking ticket.

So, he is careful.

He is a man who covers
his tracks.

No, there is just no way that...

Look, for several years now

Europol have been
running a taskforce

focused on the Brigada
Serbilu, a Romanian gang

headed by the Serbilu
brothers. Huge operation.

They're coordinating
forces here,

in Germany, in Hungry, in Poland.

I work in the Amsterdam
division of the taskforce.

And our principal focus is on the
Brigada's role in sex trafficking.

We study their every dealing.

Their financial transactions.

Their associates.

My point is this, Mr Baptiste -

if Edward Stratton had any
link to the Brigada Serbilu

we would know.
I would know.

Unless his anonymity
is his value to them.

So, we are supposed to
believe that Edward Stratton

is engaged with the
Brigada Serbilu?

And then, yet no-one, in the
entire Europol investigation

would have any idea?

He broke into my car, he found
the address and Natalie died.

We need to keep our eyes open.

Mr Baptiste, I have a huge
respect for the work you've done.

But you're retired now,
and in a different...

You think I'm a dinosaur,
that's what you're saying?

No, I...

OK, OK, can we please
keep it civilised?

You're ruining my
morning coffee, yes?

He's just trying to explain
to you what we have found.

I understand all this.

But in case you'd forgotten,

Edward Stratton
came to you

asking for help
finding his niece.

The girl that drowned
in that canal

was someone else entirely.

He lied to us.

It's important to know
why, don't you think?

Yeah, but she told
you herself.

She was a sex worker. He
became obsessed with her.

I mean, it wouldn't be the first
time I've seen such a thing.

So you...

..you do not believe
he could be dangerous?

I believe we need more
information

before we do anything.

And that this still
is a police matter, no?

You were asked to
help find the girl.

You've done that now,
so...

I found her, yes.

I led them to her.

Now she's dead.

So, please, let me stay.

Let me learn if Edward
Stratton

has taken me for a fool.

OK...

Niels, let's bring Mr
Stratton in and talk to him.

No, no, no
- it's too early.

If Julien wants to ask
him some questions,

I have no objection.

Have him brought in.OK.

Julien...

You shouldn't take
offence at my son.

Of course not. He's
young. He's passionate.

I think we were
like that once, no?

Seems a long time ago.

Niels has not always been
so short-tempered, um...

He's been sick.

For a long time. Cancer.

Um... he has had
an operation,

chemotherapy, and, uh,

it's gone, they say.

Finally.

But still, it is
hard to adjust

back to any kind
of a normal life.

Um...

I asked that Edward
Stratton be brought in

for voluntary questioning.

Except there was no need.

He just walked into
the police station.

He wants to talk to me.

Well, uh, I saw the news.

Saw the news that
she was dead.

Natalie.

The girl you claimed
was your niece?

Yeah.

And, er, obviously I
shouldn't have lied.

I wasn't thinking straight.

It's just that I...

..wanted to find her.

I wanted to find her
so desperately that I...

..didn't care.

But why would you lie?

Because...

..I lov...

..I loved her.

Fuck.

And I was worried about her,

and she just disappeared
and I thought

just some missing
prostitute, you wouldn't bother.

If you thought she was my niece,
I thought you would try harder.

I was just upset and I just
wanted to know that she was OK.

I know
- I was stupid.

Falling for her like that,
I just couldn't help it.

You don't always
choose the people

you fall in love with, do you?

We appreciate you coming in,
Edward, but you do understand -

we need to know your
movements, yesterday afternoon?

Absolutely, yes.

Just so we are thorough.
- Yes, yes.

After I saw Julien Baptiste,

I went to a cafe.

Cafe Stellan, I believe.

And had a coffee.

It was pretty busy.

Er...

I'm pretty sure there were
some security cameras there,

I don't know if they
were working or not.

You get dummy ones,
don't you? You get fakes.

Like with speed cameras,

it's impossible to tell
which ones are real or not.

Is that it? Yeah.

OK...

This was, um, just after he left me.
- Mm-hm.

What?

He stays there until the police
arrive from the houseboat.

He's looking.
- Mm-hm.

Subtlety is not his
strong point.

This is a performance.

Maybe. But we have nothing.

We have to let him go.

Most of my life I've looked for
people who have gone missing.

Perhaps trying to find their
soul is a stretch too far.

Is everyone asleep?

No, they're out.

So?

Huh?

Tell me.

It's a hard thing to...
discern the measure of a man.

I missed something the
first time with this man.

Perhaps Martha's son is right.

Maybe I should walk away.

I was hired to...

..to find the girl.
I played my part.

Julien...

For such a bright man...

..your complete lack of
self-knowledge is astonishing.

You know, in all the
years I've known you,

you have never walked away

from anything you've started.

Not even those bloody bees!

You won't let them go,

despite numerous
attempts to do so.

It's your most
irritating trait.

And your most brilliant.

Well, I'll try to get
a better idea of him.

I'll make some calls.

Good.

We should get a dishwasher...

Sorry. I'm going to get it...

Hello?

Hello, Miss Evans?
I'm, uh, Julien Baptiste.

Sorry, who?

Julien Baptiste, I'm a
former detective.

I'm currently working for
the police in Amsterdam.

Baptiste?

Didn't you find that girl,
Alice Webster?

I did. Today, uh, I'm calling
about your ex-husband.

Is he in trouble?

You sound as if he could be.

He called, the other day.

It's the first I'd heard
from him in a long time.

He sounded...

..he sounded strange. I
couldn't work out what he wanted.

What is it you needed
to ask me about him?

Uh...

I'm trying to get a sense
of what kind of man he is.

Of how much he told me is true.

He said he moved to
Antwerp ten years ago.

Yeah. We both did.

Well, he didn't mention you.

Well, we'd both rather
forget what happened after.

What do you mean?

He didn't tell you
about Lucy?

Lucy?

Our daughter.

She died of an overdose
when she was 19.

Edward just...

There was no coming
back for him.

He couldn't even talk to me,

because I reminded him of her.

By the time we realised
she was an addict,

it was too late.

She moved to Amsterdam
and we couldn't...

Nothing we said
made a difference.

Tell me, after this tragedy,
did his lifestyle change?

What do you mean?

His financial circumstances.

Once it happened, our lives
went on different paths.

I moved back to England...

What is it you
think he's done?

I, I'm not sure, I...

I thank you for your time. I'm
sorry to have bothered you.

Thank you.

Anything?

Well...

If he's involved with
the Brigada Serbilu,

it would have happened
after his wife left Antwerp.

When they split up.

There's an e-mail for you.

It's my contact in the UK.

Jesus!

What is this, Julien?

I need to find Edward Stratton.

Sir?

Excuse me, sir?

I'm looking for
Karveel Street?

Take the second
road on the right.

And then it's
a sharp left.

Thank you.

You shouldn't have
come down here.

I think you and
I must talk.

You think?

Hello.

I'm sorry, I don't
speak Dutch.

Gas Meter.

Oh, OK. Come on up.