Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996–1998): Season 2, Episode 6 - Woman of the Year - full transcript

Want me to go in for you?
No, we'll both go.

You sure?
Trudi!

You beast! You animal!
It's not my fault.

Trudi!
Don't touch her.

Are you there?

Aah. Aaah.

Will I pass?

Just don't drop that scarf
in your gravy.

Those shoes are new.

Bought at the Market. Cheap shoes for the Mid Lancs
Women of the Year Luncheon? What can you be thinking?

It wasn't the price. They match
the dress. I had to have them!



The heels are just slightly higher
than I'm used to. No, no.

Robert, the taxi'll be here soon.
Now tell me how nice I look.

There was a time you praised me.

You'll do us credit. You look
wonderful. You always do in my eyes.

Don't over-egg the pudding!
Geoffrey! She's ready.

Stand by to burst into spontaneous applause as
the Woman of the Year descends our staircase.

ONE of the Women of the Year.
After you, my lady!

That'll be the taxi.

Aaah!

Hetty!

Mrs Wainthropp.

Are you all right? No, I'm not.

She's hurt. She came down
them stairs like a sack of coals.

I'll phone the doctor. And tell the
lunch people she can't come. No!



It's an honour, this lunch is, and I won't
miss it. I'll give you "sack of coals"!

These life or death struggles
with desperate criminals!

Well...
Oh, we so admire your courage.

Thank you.

Mrs Wainthropp, I'm Helen Rance.
I've a job for you if you want it.

This is hardly the place. DCI
Adams told me to look out for you.

Though he didn't warn me about...

Oh, it only happened this morning.
It was the shoes.

Pride is painful. Well, I'm bound to
say it's all to the good for our purposes.

I'll wait for you outside.
The DCI will join us.

It was accidental death.

She came out of the chemist's,
heard her husband call her name,

panicked and ran out.
The van driver couldn't stop.

What was her husband doing there?
He says he was looking for her.

In Ackersley?
He lives in Blackburn.

Ever since she took the child and
left, he's been checking all towns

hanging around the shopping streets
and DSS, hoping to see her.

Every day? He's unemployed.
Nothing better to do. He says.

I don't like it.
It doesn't feel right.

Why pick Ackersley the very day
his wife collects her Child Benefit?

It doesn't feel right to me either.
That's why I've come to you.

Mrs Rance chairs the committee which
founded the Battered Women's Refuge.

He must have known where she was.
You think somebody told him?

The women need time and space
to sort themselves out.

And to where
the men can't find them. Right.

Even so, most Refuges are in towns.
Means they're hard to hide.

Other people living in the street soon know. We've
gone further. Ours is six miles outside Ackersley.

Easier to hide, harder to protect.

I told you she was sharp.

How do the women know where to go?

They ask.
Desperate women ask for help.

Ask who? Reference Library,

Citizen's Advice Bureau,
Social Services.

All they get is a Helpline number.

Where they go depends on
where there's a vacancy.

They're given directions to a town -
Ackersley in our case.

They come by bus or train,
phone the Helpline again

and we pick them up from the station.

What you're saying is that you take
such trouble to keep the location secret

that it has to be somebody from the Refuge
told Gary Hawes where to find his wife?

It wasn't Trudi
or she wouldn't have panicked.

A member of staff?

There's only two.
A child worker and a manager.

The women run the Refuge.

What do you want ME to do?

Go under cover.
Find out what's going on.

I can't justify anyone of my own going in
because no crime has been committed.

Anyway, looking that way
you'll be more convincing.

I'm leaving home.

Going to a Refuge
for Battered Women.

Why? You've been knocking me about,
haven't you? What?

I've never raised a finger to her. Though God
knows she can be irritating at times. Hetty! Hetty!

You don't have to go so sudden.
Get some background on it first.

When they go it's often sudden.

It'll be night when you get there.
It's often night.

I don't like you doing this alone.
I've no alternative.

I can't take Geoffrey in a push
chair now his beard is sprouting.

I don't believe it was chance, her husband finding
her in Ackersley that morning. He lives in Blackburn.

He's violent! You're my associate.
I'm only eighteen. And getting younger.

Remember you said
we're not quitters, Mrs Wainthropp.

But... This is no time
to change your spots. Use cunning.

Hetty, now listen to me. I'll have to
go if I'm to catch that bus. Hetty! Hetty!

How can we reach you? You can't.

I don't know where the Refuge is. I'll be met
at the station. But how can I get in touch?

It has to be secret. As soon
as I can get out, I'll phone.

Now, my cover starts here.
Try to persuade me not to go.

Don't, don't leave me.

I'll-I'll never hit you again,
I promise.

Well really, would you believe...

She'll be OK.

She's pretended to be other people before.
And enjoyed it. She won't enjoy this.

She'll be with women who know what
it's really like to be abused every day.

They'll see right through her.
And then she'll leave.

Oh, hello. Hello.

This is Zeb. I'm Ruth. Hi.
Hetty. I'm expected.

Yes. Would you like to see where you'll
be sleeping, get a bite to eat? I would.

Zeb, will you pop into the kitchen
and see if there's any food left?

I'm afraid you'll be sharing just for tonight,
but we'll work something out in the morning.

We... will go

..to... the...

mar... ket... to... boy?
Buy.

Mummy, I know the answer.

I don't see why I have to do
homework. Nobody else is. Harry is.

Harry's clever and I'm not.

Lucy, it's nearly bedtime.

Are they always
as noisy as this? Worse.

You forget, don't you?

Children grow up, and you forget
what it was like when they were young.

I'm terrible with me nerves. I wouldn't get
a wink of sleep without me little moggies.

Have your nerves always been bad?
Oh, no.

When I was a girl,
I never had a nerve in me body.

Even at the beginning with Tom - oh, that's me
husband - I thought, you get through these things.

It's since Trudi was killed that
me nerves have been real bad.

Trudi?

Well, we were friends and I don't make
friends easy, even in a place like this.

I was with her.

We'd been to Ackersley to shop -
groceries and such. How did it happen?

We went to the Post Office and when
we came out her husband were there.

She ran out and a van hit her.

The Post Office?
To collect her Child Allowance.

But I thought...
Oh, never mind. I'm a bit confused.

We all are, first off.

You'll settle down.

Yeah? Do you want some cocoa?

Can't you sleep? Not a lot.

Me neither.
Yeah, cocoa'll be fine. Thanks.

All right.

Are you... are you worried about this
feller in Blackburn tomorrow? The husband?

No, I'm worried about
Mrs Wainthropp.

Makes two of us.

I could go if you like.

Talk to him man to man.
You can look after the phone.

No. I'm a professional.

I've got to take the rough
with the smooth.

It were Computer Studies
got our Derek in the end.

She came out of the chemist's...

Came out of the Post Office...

Heard her husband call her name...

Her husband was there...

Wait for me.

School run.

Peace for the rest of the day.

I've to talk to somebody called Angie.
She'll want you to sign a Licence Agreement.

Promise to obey the rules
and pay the rent.

What rules? What rent?
Very few rules and little rent.

Come on. I'll introduce you.
Thank you.

Do you think the budget would run to
one of them clipboards - just a cheap one?

It looks a bit more professional.

When you're lying it's best to stick as close
as you can to the truth. I shan't lie much.

I was thinking of Hetty.

Oh, right.

Do you think I could borrow
your reading glasses?

Not too strong. I want to be able
to see what I'm doing.

Do you need money? We can let you have a loan
of ten pounds, but it'll have to be paid back.

I've got some. Took it from the tobacco
tin under the mattress before I left.

You're a pensioner? My husband was
made redundant. We live on that.

He's hurt you badly this time.

Threw me downstairs.

Do you need a doctor?

How long have you been married?
Must be forty years.

And all that time...? No, no.

When we were first married
he hardly ever touched me,

then when we had Derek - our son -
he lives in Australia now.

Well, Robert was a bit mixed-up in his
mind about the new responsibility and such.

Not being cock of the walk
any more? If you like.

But even then
he only hit me occasionally...

..if he had a drink in him.

It was after the redundancy
it got bad.

He'd brood a lot
and get these rages.

It was to do with negative equity.

He kept adding up all we'd got and what
we could expect and it was never enough.

He said it was my fault because it was me wanted
to buy our council house in the first place.

Ring, damn you, ring!

Well if you think this looks bad, you should've
seen me when I left me purse on the bus.

We've an Agreement
about how we live here.

There's a little rent and we usually share on food, but
if you'd rather you can buy your own. Oh, I'll share.

There's not many rules - no loud music at night,
never go into anyone's room without asking,

and no men ever to be allowed in,
whatever the excuse.

Where I was before, I've known them stand at
the door and cry but you must never weaken.

I don't think Robert would stand
at the door and cry.

Just tell me where you are, love.

Tell me you're all right.

It's a project we're doing at school. Oh, aye?
I've been looking it up in the local papers.

Looking what up?

When your wife was killed. You...
Please don't. I may not bounce.

You're lucky I don't chuck you over.
I wanted your side of things.

I don't think
they've been very fair.

Come back here.

What did you say?

I don't think
they've been fair. You what?

The boys in my class at school, there's some
of us think there's been an injustice done.

The men aren't always to blame
in these cases. Not entirely

Sometimes not at all.

You better come in.

I often walk up here.

You have a bit of a limp.

Broken bone badly set.

I fell against a cupboard door.

Is that what you told people?

It's odd. Nobody thinks of
wife-beating as a middle-class thing.

My friends wouldn't have believed it. Even
Mummy used to say I must have upset him.

Peter's such a lovely man, you see, outside the
home. Considerate and kind, takes pains to be liked.

Street angel, house devil.

Same with your Robert?

Up to a point.

I tried to hide it
from Lucy and Josh.

They must have thought those
cupboard doors had a life of their own.

Then one day Lucy said, "We know."

and I packed a couple of suitcases
and we left.

But why a Refuge? Why not
your mother? He'd have followed.

I was afraid he'd manage to get
custody of the kids - still am.

He IS a solicitor, he knows the law.

OK, I thumped her.
Nowt wrong with that.

Me dad took his belt to our mam
regular. You 'ave to show 'em who's boss.

But you broke Trudi's jaw in two
places because your tea wasn't ready.

Watch it! Right.
That's what she did.

All mouth. You don't know what it's
like till you have to live with it.

Faults on both sides you'd say?

Six GCSEs and couldn't keep the place
clean or get the meals on time! Yeah.

You're teaching Noreen to read.
Yeah, reading's important.

Yes, it is. My parents were so
shocked by the schools over here,

they sent me back to Jamaica to get
an education. I can teach Zeb myself.

Getting an education
didn't stop you being beaten up.

I think it made it worse.

My husband used my education
against me as an excuse.

He said I had contempt for him, and needed
thrashing to teach me better manners.

But then Noreen's husband battered her because
she was good for nothing, she dragged him down.

I was wondering what you were doing in Ackersley
that morning. You know. It was in the paper.

I went out looking.
Different places.

I wondered...
Why Ackersley that day?

She'd have to be somewhere.

Where was it the day before
and the day before that?

You trying to make summat of it? No! I'm
just trying to get a few things straight.

Like I couldn't help noticing the motorbike.
It's very impressive, state of the art,

but since you're unemployed...
I've always been unemployed!

And the phone. The rental. You must have a phone
if you've got a kid. Social Services say so.

But you've still got it. And the little girl's
been taken into care. Why didn't you object?

I don't need a bloody kid.
I didn't forget the bloody pill.

Why... You worm your way in
like some bloody detective!

Most unlike. Just an
over-enthusiastic schoolboy.

Out!

Hey!

Hey, come here.

She never tried to defend herself,
you know. I could hear everything.

I'd hammer on the wall with me
fists and shout, but he took no notice.

He never went looking for her. He'd
lie in bed all day and go out at night.

Someone told him
where to look. Who?

There's a bloke
what comes to see him sometimes.

In a suit with a posh car.
He don't come up.

His car might be vandalised.
It would.

Gary goes down and they sit in car
and talk. Up to no good, I'd say.

And what type of car is it?
I don't know, I've got no experience

But I did take a note of the number.
Just in case it might come in useful.

Angie said to talk to the Housing Department,
but I don't know where I want to live.

No-one's rushing you.
It takes time to sort yourself out.

I'll take a couple of sandwiches
up to Noreen.

The baby's been playing her up.

Trudi had a baby too, didn't she?
A little girl?

What do YOU know about Trudi?

Myra was telling me last night. About her and
- Gary, was it? And what happened in Ackersley.

I lay awake, thinking about it.
Thinking what?

Why she died.
She ran in front of a van.

I wondered how Gary knew
where to find her.

That's what scares all of us.

Did anybody leave the Refuge
after the accident?

You're bound to have these thoughts
if you can't sleep.

Kath left with her kids.

Went to a B & B.
What kind of a life is that?

Seems odd she chose to leave
so sudden. It's not odd.

Kath had nothing to do with it.

I don't mean to offend.
Kath said herself,

- she daren't stay here!
- Kath would never break security.

If Gary found Trudi, then her Ken
could find her, and he'd have killed her,

and it wouldn't have been
an accident.

This place works on trust.
We're jumpy about Trudi's death,

scared - but we don't KNOW
what to think.

But if we don't trust each other then we've got
nothing at all. I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn.

I don't want a sandwich.

I'll just go and sit for a bit.

Come in.

Oh, Robert!
I hope I can call you Robert.

I always think of you as Robert.

I always think of you
as Detective Chief Inspector.

You said this morning did I want to see
a doctor. Is there one comes in regular?

Whenever we ask.
She's very understanding.

There's some tablets
I've been taking to help me sleep.

I forgot to bring them.

I'll make an appointment.
If you need them, she'll prescribe.

You don't keep any here?

In case of an emergency? No.

Thank you.

A posh car. She got the number.

Private Detectives have
their own ways of getting access

to the computer at Swansea. Not us.
And I'm not a bent copper.

I can't pass on any information
I find.

You got Hetty into this.
Now you won't help.

She accepted a job. The only danger
she's in is of being thrown out the Refuge.

However, I do take note
of what you say.

The baby asleep?
Took a bit of time.

She'll wake up now.
Always does when the kids come back.

Did Myra find you?

She was taking you a sandwich.

You and Myra are good friends?

Maybe. She used to be Trudi's friend,
but it seems like now she's mine.

That boy's not happy.

Who is?

Are you getting enough sleep?
No.

Can't be helped, though.

The doctor gave me tablets,
but I daren't take them.

I wouldn't hear the baby at night.

Wouldn't any of the others help?
Ruth would but I don't like to ask.

She has a kid of her own
needs his sleep.

And Myra's offered.

Does Myra know you've got tablets?

Expect so. You coming in?

Would you have a tissue, please?
There you go.

< Shut the door, Mr Brittas.

You feel so helpless.

Why bother with homework?
No-one at school's interested.

It's a new school? And there'll be
another when we get rehoused.

I've never made friends easy.

You couldn't take anybody home?

You have to keep pretending there's
nothing wrong but everyone knows.

I've had enough, you see.
Stopping Mum drinking.

Talking her out of suicide.

I miss having a dad.

Not the one that beat Mum up - just a
dad. Someone to take a bit of weight.

Did he beat you up too?

That's when we left.

Out!

I want to show me mum my painting.
< In the morning.

She's not still drinking here in
the Refuge is she - your mother?

No, she got support.

Sinead too - kids of her own age.

I've got nobody.

I don't belong here.

Nor do you.

I don't follow you.

You've not been battered.
What about this?

It doesn't fool me. Bruises
everywhere. My body aches all over.

It's all put on. You're strong.

Ruth's strong.
She's been here nine months.

You're a new arrival and you're stronger than
Ruth. And you're interested in other people.

How long do you think you've got

..till they find out?
Not long, by the look of it.

Don't worry. I shan't betray you.

We need a camera.

Not the one
that got sat on in Pisa.

A real surveillance camera
with a zoom lens.

Like bird-watchers have.

And we know one.

And he owes us.

The deaf and dumb lad
from the kidnap?

He's profoundly deaf and without
speech. And he's not a lad.

But he'd be glad to help.

Are there any other outsiders
among the women here?

In your expert opinion?

You're thinking of Myra.
She's not strong.

But she's interested in others.
Always trying to make friends.

It's not the same. Myra clings to people
because she can't bear to be on her own.

You'll do well at college.

< Go to bloody bed
or I'll clip your ear'ole.

It's Hetty.

I hope you don't mind me disturbing you. I'm not
used to being on me own. It's difficult to settle.

Everyone needs a friend.
I thought last night...

watching you take those tablets.

I used to be on tablets meself.

I've been lying awake and Noreen's baby's been crying
and I thought... I thought "How shall I manage?"

They've taken you off?

Doctor said I could become addicted.
They all say that.

I could ask the doctor that comes here. She's worse
than any. She won't prescribe unless you're mental

But she's prescribed for you.

There's a doctor
you can go to in Ackersley private.

Did Trudi go to him?

You said last night she was collecting her
Child Allowance when Gary called her name.

But I read about the accident.

You'd been at the chemist's.

Who ARE you?
Just somebody like yourself.

Who told Trudi's husband
she'd be in Ackersley?

Who knew, besides you?

She's been asking lots of questions.
I've noticed.

If you was going to suss out
the Refuge, you'd hire a woman.

Those bruises are genuine.

She wouldn't have made them herself.

I'll take her shopping with me
tomorrow. If she phones out, we'll know.

It wasn't me. You'd sell
your mother to get tablets.

How could I get them off Gary Hawes? Drugs. Moggies?
Valium? Librium? Kids don't take drugs like that now.

Just people like me who doctors won't
prescribe for. You're on the wrong track.

I believe you.

Just the same, isn't it time you
moved on? Started a new life?

Oh, I don't move on.

You can't stay here for ever.

No. I go back. To the man who
battered you? Back to what I know.

You don't begin to understand
someone like me, do you?

"Start a new life"!

I can't live on me own.
I'm frightened.

I've no experience.

So I stay as long as I can...

and then I go back to Tom.

He's always, always glad to see me
at first.

And then when I think
he goes too far

or I'm afraid he might kill me,

I run away.

And then some Refuge takes me in.

And is that how it'll be? Always?

Maybe he'll change as he gets older.

Maybe.

I'm shopping for us all today. Do you want to
muck in or cater for yourself? I'm not bothered.

I'll muck in.

Thank you.

Hetty! It's too early.

Pen, pen!
Wainthropp Detective Agency.

Interesting development! I sent someone to
lean on Gary Hawes to see if anything fell out.

Well, something has. A call from a solicitor
instructing us to cease harassing his client.

How does Hawes have a solicitor,
let alone one with a middle-class practice?

It's the man below.

Ask him about the car.
Was he driving a posh car?

It'd be improper to give you the number, but
I can't prevent you jumping to conclusions.

And I can tell you the firm since
YOU might want a solicitor one day.

Peter Parmenter and Partners...

I just have to go in here
for a moment. I won't be long.

Peter Parmenter and Partners?

Worley?

Well, there MUST be some connection.

Phoning home?

Flowers.

Sorry? I'm famous for me flower arrangements.
Chapel. I had to arrange for a substitute.

Right.

Better find somewhere safe
for the scooter.

Come on.

Can we leave our transport
with you?

And if you've a clothes-horse and
washing... And a black plastic bag.

Right.

Hello.

There might be a job for us.
Stay by the phone for an hour.

How did you find the place?

The children had to be in a school
near Ackersley.

I provided someone with a photo of my own
kids and he spotted them in the Landrover.

I could have done that.
Horses for courses, Gary.

Debt-collecting, putting on the
frighteners, I-I couldn't ask for better.

Covert surveillance
needs someone less... colourful.

And another hundred when it's done.
Once they know they've been found,

the place is useless. Then we move on to the next.
- You've got it in for Refuges.

A man's wife and children
should be under his control.

That's what holds society together.

It's time the men fought back.

Beginning with Begwyn House.

What do you want?

- If that's waste paper, don't make litter.
- Piss off.

Hetty!

Do you mind coming into the Common
Room a moment? We're having a meeting.

A solicitor!

It means trouble. Then we'd better
be there to stop it. Oh.

I never listen but you can't
help over-hearing, can you?

He were on phone to his mates.

Where's Angie?

Well, YOU've just been
poking about in her office.

We were wondering about the phone
call that you made this morning.

Flowers? Just the arrangement.

Oh. And Angie's office? Checking the
details in my file. You're not one of us.

Every woman could be one of you.
I've been here long enough to learn that.

That's words. That's just words.

She were asking me questions last night. About
the pills. We know about Myra and the pills.

And you don't mind?
We know, but it's not we don't mind.

Why are you here? You don't
need refuge. Why ARE you here?

Wainthropp Detective Agency. I
told you she'd been sent to suss us out.

The kids said someone was following the Landrover
last week, but Jean didn't believe them.

This place works on trust,
you said. I've betrayed it.

I don't feel good about that
but you've not trusted me either.

No. We haven't.
Who's employing you?

Your Management Committee.
Without even telling us?

To find out why Gary Hawes knew
that Trudi would be in Ackersley.

After Trudi died, trust was gone.

They think one of us is responsible?

Not me. I never told nobody.
You said you believed that.

I do. It wasn't Myra.

As I think you know, Karen.

Karen!

We use only first names
amongst ourselves.

That's why I had to look in
Angie's records.

Parmenter.

Peter Parmenter and Partners.

My husband's firm.

There's a connection between
Peter Parmenter and Gary Hawes.

- He knows where you are?
- He knows I'm near Ackersley. No more than that.

- I think you'd better explain.
- I signed a Power of Attorney form.

My mother sent it to
Ackersley Post Office. I lifted it.

And her husband found out. Said he'd
take the kids unless she co-operated.

And she believed that?
He's a lawyer. He knows the law.

He says the Children's Act
gives him access.

And judges have said Refuges
aren't suitable places for children.

- You should have talked to us.
- I was frightened.

If someone was following that Landrover...
He'll have found this place by now. Listen!

Somebody's outside.

Call the police.
Close the shutters!

Noreen, check that the baby's OK!

Stand by to repel boarders.

I'll get the front shutters.
I'll check the baby.

Leave the bike.

Let's try and influence events.

OUT, OUT, OUT!

Go away!
We're not at home to callers!

Come on.

OUT, OUT, OUT!

Give it to the bitches!

Get that bench! Come on, hurry up!

One, two, one, two.

I'm coming Ruth, coming.

Quick, bring anything. Anything!

Come on quick. Anything to throw.

Come on, you're not doing it
hard enough.

That's it. That's it! Come on.

Dirty nappies!

I'm off!

Hey! Where are you going?

They've gone!

They've gone. They've gone!

I don't think we're needed.

Where's he going?

Get a hold of him.

Everything OK?

Yes, sir.

You can't come in. No men allowed.

Parmenter put him up to it.

Well done, Mrs Wainthropp.
We aim to please.

Are you sure you're all right?

Oh, I'm all right.

By jove I've learned a lot.

Count my blessings.

How are we going to persuade Hilda
Outhwaite you're not a wife-beater?

Would the Woman of the Year
care to dance?

Don't be daft.
Oh, come on, come on, come on!

Here, I'm NOT just the woman
of the year, I'm for good.

Subtitles by Subtitling Unit
BBC Scotland, 1997