Inspector George Gently (2007–2017): Season 5, Episode 3 - The Lost Child - full transcript

Morning, Mrs Greenwood.

Good morning, Tammy.

Right. Have a good day.

A baby doesn't just disappear.

I want every available
officer back on shift.

Right? Everyone, uniforms,
door to door on that street.

What did the neighbours hear?
What did they see?

Right?

Guv, road block on all
major routes out of that area,

stopping anybody
with a baby in the car.

Right, everybody? Good. On you get.



Oh, Taylor contact the local press.
Tell them we'll get that photograph
out to them as soon as possible.

Dog handler?
On the way there, Sir.

Hasn't turned up yet then?

Nah, nah, it's been snatched, Guv.
From its cot.

Upstairs. In broad daylight.
Can you believe that?

Name of the baby?

Faith Groves. Two months old.

Daughter of Stephen
and Frances Groves.

What do we know about
Stephen and Frances?

Right, well, he's 43,
a bank manager.

And she's 40, doesn't do anything.

Could we just say
"wife and mother", John?

Yeah, if you want.
Nice way of putting it.

No other children?



No. She's their only one.

Mother's hysterical, apparently.

Which is fair enough, isn't it?

Hey, do you know where that
comes from, "hysterical"?

D'you know where
that word comes from?

You'll like this,
I was reading about it.

I thought it was hysterical, like,
Tommy Cooper, he's hysterical.

But, no, it's not. It's Latin.

For "womb".

Eh? Says a lot about women, that.
Doesn't it?

It's Greek.

Well, they knew a thing or two then,
didn't they, the ancient Greeks?

By the way, I need to dart off,

pick Leigh Ann up about two,
if that's all right? What?

This one's serious, I think.

Women!

Afternoon, Sir. Afternoon.

It's this one up here. Thank you.

Mr and Mrs Groves?
No, please don't get up.

I'm Detective Chief Inspector Gently.

This is my colleague,
Detective Sergeant Bacchus.

Please tell me everything you know.

This is my fault, Inspector.
Stephen!

I should have heard something.
Frances went shopping.

I decided to do
some gardening in the back,

I was back and forwards
through the house.

Both doors were wide open
for a while.

I looked in on her at quarter
past twelve. She was sleeping.

She looked like an angel.

Ssh, Stephen, ssh.

Would it be all right if I take
one of these photographs here?

Yes, take whatever you need.

Will you be happy to
speak to the local press?

We'll need to get this out to the
public as soon as possible really.

Right, whatever.
And we will need something

with your daughter's scent on it,
for the tracker dog.

An item of clothing, or a blanket.
I'll get it.

The pink top, Stephen.
Right.

Wait for me, would you, please,
Mr Groves?

Is there somebody who
can come and sit with you?

Friend or neighbour
or work colleague?

Your husband seems to be
taking it very badly.

Sometimes, you don't know what
you've got until you lose it.

Excuse me.

Beautiful room.

All Frances' doing.
Everything perfect for the baby.

This is where Faith was
when she was taken?

Yeah.

Oh, no, please, may I?

Give this to the dog handler,
would you, please?

Tell him to start with the woods
behind the house. Sir.

Has anything been taken?

Clothes, toys?

I actually wouldn't know.

You had Faith quite late
in life, didn't you?

Frances and I tried for
many years with no success.

Do you think this was planned?

When you say "no success"...?

Oh, Faith's adopted.
Did nobody tell you?

Have you noticed anybody loitering
on the street in the last few days?

No, no. I don't recall anyone.

You think this was planned, then?
Uh, yeah. I do.

It would be different if it was
from a pram outside a shop.

Say, you know, barren lady walking
past, and thinks to herself...

What do you know about that? Huh?

What do you know
about barren ladies?

Oh, no, no, no, sorry.
I was just... I was just saying...

Just saying what?

I was just saying...

Can I tell you something?

I nearly did it myself. Twice.

After my third miscarriage,
I thought to myself,

"Well, this is never
going to happen for you.

"You're childless, get used to it."

And you'd be walking along the road

and see some 17-year-old girl
pushing a pram.

And you'd think, "She didn't want
that baby. Why can't I have it?"

And I'd feel a strong, almost
overwhelming urge to steal it.

To follow her home,
wait for my chance, and steal it.

That's quite apart from wanting to
smash her face in, of course.

For having a baby?

Yes. For having a baby.

And then eventually
I had a hysterectomy.

Do you know what one of those is?
A hysterectomy?

I do. It's from the Greek.

Yes.

How nice that our policemen
have a classical education.

Mind you,
with a name like Bacchus.

We were childhood sweethearts.

We eventually got married in '46,
when I came back from Burma.

Army?

Signals. Oh, yes.

I got back as one of the lucky ones.
All in one piece.

Good job to go to.
Good woman waiting for us.

"Here's the lovely life,
you deserve it, come and live it."

All we needed was a child.
Life made us wait 20 years

and then...took it away from us.

You have every chance of seeing
your baby again very soon.

That is the usual outcome.

All right, first question,
you ready?

Do we think either of them
did away with it? Probably not.

Well, definitely not her.
He might have done.

He was left on his own with her.

What was all those tears about?
Crying like a big lass.

Maybe he was feeling
hysterical, John.

Ah-ha-ha, yeah(!)
You know what I'm saying.

Who wants a dad that cries?

Right, so when your granddad opens
the door, we shout, "Surprise!"

Don't we? But a bit louder.
Go on.

And a big smile. Plenty of teeth.
Let's have a look.

Beautiful. You ready?

Here he comes...!

Surprise!

Hello, gorgeous. I wasn't
expecting you until tomorrow!

Well, I asked her what
she'd most like to do today

because Daddy has to go back to work
and it's really, really important,

and you said, "Daddy, I'd really
like to see my granddad!"
Didn't you? "Yeah!"

Fobbing her off on your old man
isn't being a dad, son.

We've got a missing baby, dad.

So, what have you brought to play,
then? Let's have a look.

A Meccano Set?

Aye. She's a little lass!

That's what I said, Granddad.

I wanted you to try
summit different, didn't I?

You could make a pram or something.

Lads like building and fighting.
Lassies like dolls and talking.

You can burn any amount
of bras you like,

but you cannot change human nature.

I don't have a bra.

Well, come on. Let's go on inside,
pet, here you go.

There you go, enjoy that.
Listen, urm...

There you go, lassie.
I'll try not to be long.

I'll pick her up soon as I can.

You were never much as a son, but
you are a spectacularly useless dad.

What are they making?

They all make a teddy bear that
gets adopted with their baby,

so that when the child is older
they can look at it

and know they were given up in love.

I see.

Is it usually this quiet?

Today's when Mrs Dunwoody tells them
which babies have been placed,

and which haven't.

"Placed"? Chosen for adoption.

Sorry, Guv. Back on the case.

I'll see if Mrs Dunwoody
is ready for yous. Thank you.

Who do you think it was?
Looks serious.

Do you think it's his fiancee?

Where's all the bairns?

Blissfully asleep in the nursery
from two till four,

when they wake up smiling
and refreshed for their next feed.

Course, the babies aren't all
clever enough to read the rules.

Can I not pick him up,
just for a minute?

Here you go.

Oh, Lauren, I know it's hard,
but I promise you

your little lad's better off
learning a routine, honest.

Now, go and get on with his teddy,
there's a good girl.

Would you like a baby each,
officers?

Or I'm doing three
for the price of two this week

if you've got a coupon.

Little baby Faith?
Lord, those poor people.

We shall need some details
of the baby's real mother.

Her name is Susan.
Susan Faulkner. Sweet girl.

Well, they all are for
the most part. Lovely, lovely girls.

They make one mistake, you know,
Mr Gently, and they pay for it.

My Sergeant can tell you
all about that!

Yes. My wife...made a mistake.

You made it together.
But you stood by her.

Yes, and now we're divorced.
Can we crack on? Yes, well.

To thread a needle requires
both needle and thread, you know?

These girls are usually abandoned.

Unlike your good lady.
What's her name? It doesn't matter.

Lisa.

Lisa. God bless her. And the
little one, what's his name?

It really... Do you mind
if we just...? Leigh Ann.

A little girl. Lovely.
Mrs Dunwoody, If we...?

I'll tell you one thing.
Yes, please.

Because they learn
self-discipline in Dunwoody's,

no girl has ever come back twice.

That's very nice...
Well, except Hazel. Hazel?

Hazel Joyce, that showed you in.

Came here with a little bundle
in the oven four years ago

and now she's back as my assistant.

She's a treasure.
Now, Susan Faulkner. How can I help?

Perhaps it was the shock of having
twins that made Susan leave in
the way she did. Susan had twins?

Yes. Faith, and her brother Thomas.

I think Mrs Groves would've taken
them both like a shot, you know.

They looked at a lot of children,

and I had the feeling he was
vetoing them one after the other.

What happened to Thomas?

Susan took him when she left.
Took him where? We don't know.

She left late one night,
a week after giving up Faith,

and without telling a soul.

Four o'clock.
It's time for the feed.

Susan decided Faith
was for adoption,

and I found a new life for her
with the Groves.

Susan and the Groves never met,
and know nothing of one another.

So the mothers have no say
in where their babies end up?

No. But even we can't get
every baby adopted.

Given the choice, nobody wants
a tainted child. "Tainted"?

It's nigh on impossible to place
disabled babies, for instance.

Or children conceived in incest.

How would the prospective
parents know that?

The child was conceived
in incest, I mean?

They wouldn't. Unless they asked.

And if they don't ask?
Then it's buyer beware.

So what was wrong with
Hazel's little 'un?

That's her business, not yours.

Yes. Would you bring me
your register, please?

We might need to borrow it
for a while.

You all right, love?
Is somebody coming for you?

Can I help? Would you like
me to get Mrs Dunwoody?

Once you hand your bairn over,
you're out. They need your bed.

I handed mine over this morning.

He's gone.

They'll be good to him, though,
won't they?

Yeah, I'm sure they will.

Look, I'm sorry to burden you,
but did you know Susan Faulkner?

We shared a room for a week.
What happened to her?

We really need to talk to her.
Did she tell you where she was going?

No. Just disappeared into thin air.

I've got to get me bus.

Good luck, love.

Susan Faulkner's mother
received a phone-call from Susan

the day after she left Dunwoody's,
saying that she wasn't coming home,

but she refused to say where she was.

How're you getting on with that
register? Yeah, it's interesting.

There was 23 mothers at Dunwoody's
during Susan's time there.

But, they've got these weird little
symbols next to their names.

And it's the same for the babies.
What sort of symbols?

According to the key at the back

symbols for different
characteristics, you know?

So, for example, for the babies
you've got one for social class.

You've got one for hair colour.

Skin colour?

Yeah. Skin colour, sleeping,
feeding habits, fat or thin.

Disability. Type of disability.
For the mothers you've got age,

self-discipline - that's marked out
of ten - cleanliness, intelligence.

How they fell pregnant -
I thought there was only one way
of that happening.

Esther Dunwoody really likes to
process people neatly, doesn't she?

Vaguely unpleasant. Like eugenics.

Like what?

23 mothers there
with Susan, you said?

23, yeah.
Any of them live nearby the sea?

Uh... Why? Her mother said
she called from a phone box

and she could hear seagulls
in the background.

No. None of them live by the sea.
You get seagulls at tips, Sir.

Do you want to see if any of them
live on a tip? No, no don't bother.

Hazel. Hazel, the assistant.

She clearly had a problem
with the Dunwoodys.

See if the register
goes back to 1964. Hazel Joyce.

Here we go. Hazel Joyce.

19-years-old. Student. Quite bright.

Says here, "Helpful
with the younger girls.

"Child not placed for adoption."

Bingo.

There's a pram there, Sir.

It's that copper.
The one that came to Dunwoody's.

All right, Susan.
Susan, now don't run!

Why don't you just leave her alone?!
She's done now't wrong!

It's all right, love.

Sue, he's a copper and all!

Susan, it's all right.

We're not here to take Thomas
away from you.

I just need to talk to
you about Faith.

Faith?

What are they like? The Groves?

Are you saying
you don't know, Susan?

How would I know?

Spying on them, mebbies.

Hanging around. Trying to
get a look at Faith?

Thinking to yourself,
"How could I get her back?"

That's stupid.

They must be stupid, leaving a bairn
where it could get snatched.

That's my bairn.
That's my little Faith.

Why did you leave Dunwoody's
the way that you did?

Giving up Faith killed us.
I couldn't do it again.

Why do you feel you have to?

Because Mrs Dunwoody told me there
was a couple who wanted Thomas.

You could've said no.

Yeah. You want to try
saying no to Mrs Dunwoody.

She tells you how terrible life
will be as an unmarried mother.

About the stain you'll carry round
with you all your life.

How happy you'd make
some married couple.

But, most of all,

how you'd be doing the best for
your baby to give it away to people

who can give it everything
that you can't.

"The gift of life."

Are they well off, these Groves?

Very comfortable.

So, in a way, Mrs Dunwoody's
right, isn't she?

I didn't meet any
lasses at Dunwoody's

that wouldn't have loved their baby,

and done everything they could
to give it a good life.

Why can't people help we
to bring up our bairns,

instead of taking them off us?

Susan, are you telling me that you
have no idea where Faith went to?

I signed the forms for Faith to get
adopted when she was six weeks,

and that's the last I saw of her.

Dunwoody tells you that
it'll eventually pass. The pain.

But, if anything,
it's just got worse.

Do yous think I'm a horrible person

for giving away me own little bairn?
No, I don't.

Susan, why didn't you just tell her
that you wanted her back?

What do you mean?

Invoke the three month
probationary period,

tell Esther Dunwoody
that you changed your mind?

What probationary period?

Susan, I need to ask you some
questions about the twins' father.

Why?

Is there any way that
he could have discovered

the identity of the couple
who adopted Faith?

No, he didn't even know
I was pregnant.

What, you didn't tell him?

No. He could've found out.

Could've realised that he didn't
want to see his daughter go.
Could've taken her back.

He's not brainy enough to do that.
And he doesn't even know he's a dad.

Well, I need to know his name,

so I can eliminate him
from our inquiries.

But then he'll know that
he's the father.

Susan, do you not think he has
the right to know he's the father
of your kids? "The right"?

He's pathetic, man.

If I'd married him, I'd have
three bairns to look after.

You don't think
he has a responsibility?

What's the point of telling
a half-wit he's got responsibility?

What planet are yous two living on?

I'm not being chained to him
for the rest of me life.

Susan... Stop messing around
with my life and find Faith!

Do the job yous have been paid
to do and get off my back!

Can I go now? Yeah.

She's absolutely right.
Seven hours Faith's been missing.

Sniffer dogs, nothing.
Door to door, nothing.
We are failing this little girl.

Sir, Stephen Groves called.
Asked if you can go over.

He say why? No. Did you ask? You are
allowed to do your job, you know.

I am doing my job.

Why don't you just, once in a while,
do it a little bit better?

Sorry. Sorry. It's just...
It's frustrating, isn't it?

I thought you might like
to see this, Sarge.

Sorry.

Hey, Guv. Look at that.

I knew I recognised him.

"Have a go hero"? Yeah.

He failed a robbery attempt
at the bank that he worked at,

about six years ago, it was.

He absolutely battered these blokes
with stockings on their heads.

He did? Yeah! You wouldn't think
it, would you? To look at him.

No. I knew I knew his face.
How's the phones going?

Come on, Mr Roberts,
that's the tenth time today.

Give us a break.

Are you sure this was
a newborn baby?

The one you're describing sounds as
at least one or two-years-old...

What was the colour of the car, Sir?
Was it black or green? It was red?

When you say gypsies took her...

Bolt. Thank you.

And nut. Thank you, sweetheart.

All right?

What is it?

It's a pit-head, John.
Working model of, with lift.

Oh, aye. I didn't realise
I'd bought a pit-head kit.

Ah, well, that's the beauty,
you can make anything you like.

Bet she had a barrel of laughs
making that, did you?

Screwdriver.

There you go.

Thank you.

You can wind it back up again,
if you like.

That's the nearest you'll get
to any hard work.

Thanks for looking after her.

Do you want a cup of tea
before we go? Dad!

I wouldn't say no.

And I have been working hard
all day.

What, in a collar and tie?
You call that work?

Oh, you're right. No, I forgot.

It doesn't count unless you're
stripped to the waist, sweating
like a pig, with bleeding hands.

Anything?

I'm sorry.

She's gone, hasn't she?

Seven hours.
It feels like a lifetime.

Don't give up hope.
Not yet, not for a long while yet.

Honestly.

I barely know these people,
even though we live cheek by jowl.

They think they're being kind.

It makes me think
there's...been a death.

You all right, Frances?

It'll be nothing, usually is.

We were given one just like this
when we took Faith, that's all.

Sorry. Yes. I saw them
being made this afternoon.

I find the whole thing
a little bit bizarre, actually.

It's hideous. "A gift of a child
is a gift of life."

I never knew what she was
talking about, frankly.

We threw Faith's away.

I had other plans for
letting her know she was loved.

Well, you hang on to those plans.
And that love.

Are you a father, Mr Gently?

It's for you, Frances.

Who?

He won't say.

(You can't ring me here.
I've told you.)

This newspaper story.
"Have a go hero" nonsense.

It seems to have dislodged
something in my memory.

About?

I received quite a bad blow
on the head during the robbery.

I was badly concussed at the time,
it affected my recall.

Things often come back
a bit at a time.

No. No thanks.

So you've remembered something
you want to tell me?

There's been a car parked
in the street the last week or so.

Parked in the same place
or different places?

Different places.
But always near the house.

Can you describe it?

Small. I think it was blue.

How about the driver? A man.

A young man. Young-ish.

Small, blue car.
Young, young-ish driver.

What was he doing?

Nothing. Just sat there.

Like he was waiting.

Did you mention this to anybody?

No.

Not your wife?

No. Why should I?

It's not very helpful at all, is it?

Where is she?

Excuse me.

Hello? Speaking. >

They've got her! They've got Faith!

They want £10,000!

Did you find the bairn?

Ransom demand.

How much?

Why, you going to chip in?
It's getting late. Look,
I'll get Leigh Ann back home.

You know what? You take it
too seriously when I make a joke.

Well, it gets a bit wearing, Dad.
Especially in front of Leigh Ann.

I have enough trouble
keeping her respect as it is.

John...

What, Dad?

When you made detective,

I felt like...I was so proud.

Yeah. Mum told us.

Well, I'm telling you now.

It's a bit late, Dad.

What did you say?

I said, "Did Leigh Ann enjoy
visiting her Grandpa?"

Oh. Yeah. Million laughs.

Why can't I get anything right, Guv?

He was trying to talk to us,
you know? Is this your dad?

Yeah, I think he was trying to t...

Oh, Guv, blue car,
do you see it there?

On your left, passing that cyclist
now. Yep. Got it. I got him.

The blue car is approaching
the drop-off point, over.

'Over.'

Why is he stopping now?

He's having a pee.
Yeah, maybe he's nervous.

All units, hold fast
until he gets to the drop-off point.

Go on my say-so, over.

Something's spooked him.
Let's grab him.

All units pursue and pick up.
Pursue and pick up! Over.

Mind the cyclist.

He was going the other way.

When we were watching
the drop-off he was cycling that way

and now he's...
He's got the satchel!

Guv, it's not the blue car,
it's the cyclist!

Hold tight.

Said he was given a tenner
to pick up the satchel.

Ten more on delivery.

Given a tenner by who?

Some bloke outside a pub -
that's what he says.

Delivery where?

Answer him. Delivery where?

I haven't got time for this.
This is yours if you tell me.

Or it's a borstal and a very long
time in prison if you don't.

You choose.

Out.

Where is she?
I haven't got her.

Where is she? I swear to God.

John? Nothing, Sir.
I'm going to ask you one more time,

and then you and me
going to take a little walk.

And if you don't tell me
where she is,

you will have a terrible accident
in the process of trying to abscond.

Do you understand?
I haven't got her.

Andrew Fleming,
is this still your address?

Yes, but she's not there.
I haven't got her!

Is this the man
in the blue car, Stephen?

Stephen?

No. Can we speak in private?

Why?

Let's step outside.

I recognise him.

But not from the blue car on
our street. That man was younger.

Where from, then?

Frances...can't know about this.

Will you guarantee that?

No, I won't.

So?

After the story about me tackling
the robber made the newspaper,

I received a lot of local attention.

Civic award.

I've never again
had to pay for a drink

in the Conservative Association,
or my golf club.

People just seemed to react to me
differently.

Including women.

I first met the Flemings
at a work's function.

Sally Fleming recognised me,

asked me to tell her
all about what happened.

She's a very attractive woman.

You were flattered.

Frances and I had been going through
a very difficult period.

She was struggling at the time
with the belief that...

..the certain knowledge that she
could never have a child of her own.

She'd had the hysterectomy.

Yes.

That's an awful thing
for a woman of Frances' age.

So you showed your sympathy
by shagging Mrs Fleming
behind her back.

After six months,
I knew it had to end.

But Sally beat me to the punch

by telling me
her husband had found out.

I'm not proud of this.

The marriage broke up soon after.

They had children.

I heard the divorce was very...

..difficult. The children suffered.

Everybody suffered.
Well, except you.

He particularly...hated...that he
lost his children to another man.

She remarried.

Frances mustn't know.

It'll destroy her. It'll destroy us.

Please.

It's a lovely life,
come and live it, eh?

Guv, what was all that earlier
you said about "lovely life"?

Oh, something he said yesterday
about getting out of the Army,

coming back to England
to the woman he loved.

How everything seemed possible.

All the things that they'd hoped for
as young people before the war.

Yeah. What if Stephen Groves
never wanted a baby, Sir?

What if it was the baby
that spoiled this "lovely life"?

He's got a lovely wife,
he's got a lovely house, lovely job,

he's got a nice car.
He's a hero, isn't he?

He's got women chucking themselves
at him. For some reason.

Who'd want to trade all that in
for dirty nappies and no sleep?

Parents don't get a probationary
period, Sir. I should know.

No, that's it for the rest of your
life, whether you like it or not.

What are you saying?

I don't know.
It's all them tears and that.

It's all a bit of a lie, I think.
It's all an act.

What if Stephen Groves
didn't want a baby?

I mean, he vetoed
as many as he could, and then
he gets stuck with one.

So let's just suppose, right,

that he found a way
to get rid of little baby Faith,

keep his "lovely life".

Murder a baby? Hmm.

He was there.
He was the last to see her.

You said yourself it was local.

Mebbies we don't need to look
beyond the man and wife.

Get Frances in.

How were things
between you and Stephen

when Faith finally
came into your house?

Why do you ask?
20 years on your own, and then...

Yes.

Well, having Faith
was a huge change for us.

Most parents have nine months

to get used to the idea
of becoming parents.

Whereas from the moment we
first saw Faith, it was just weeks.

Did you want to adopt
Faith's brother Thomas as well?

Yes.

Instead of? Or as well as?

Stephen didn't want a son, did he?

He, er...

He didn't want to be
playing football

and pumping up bikes in his 50s.

Whereas with a girl...

Well, she'd be with me,
wouldn't she?

Less of a nuisance.

He likes routine.

He likes coming home
to peace and quiet.

Did Faith cry a lot?

Why do you ask that?
All babies cry a lot.

Ours didn't. Some do, though.

I've seen them drive
grown men to distraction.

I've seen men hit their kids.
My dad hit me.

Well, Stephen would never
have harmed Faith at all.

Is this where this is going?

Why did Stephen
finally agree to adopt?

Why do you say "finally agree"?

Well, because Esther Dunwoody
said that he vetoed a lot of babies.

He...

He finally saw how much
having a child meant to me.

Well, I wonder if
it was another reason.

What other reason?

Guilt.

Guilt?

What about? What about?

This man who tried to extort
£10,000 from you today...

Yes?

Stephen had an affair with his wife
and destroyed their marriage.

About a year ago.

I don't believe you.

He's just told us. I'm so sorry.

No. No.

Stephen would never do that to me.

Frances, listen to us.

In your heart of hearts,
do you really believe that

Stephen wanted to adopt a child?

But why else would he go to
all that expense? Expense?

When we decided on Faith,
we were told...

Because we'd dithered, she was
now reserved for another couple.

And?

Stephen paid a lot of money
to have her taken out of circulation

and made available to us.
Paid a lot of money to who?

Mrs Dunwoody. She told the other
couple that Faith's birth mother

had changed her mind
about having her adopted.

It was a lie.

Faith's birth mother
had no involvement.

It was all done over her head.

What about the other couple,
Frances?

Do you not care?

We'd spent a long time

searching for the right child

to complete our family.

Faith was that child.

Maybe they'd searched
a long time an' all?

You out-bid them. It's like putting
in a higher offer on a house!

I'd had five miscarriages.

I no longer had a womb.

Why can't men understand
a simple physical fact like that?

Why is this so hard
for you to comprehend?

I had to have a child,

otherwise my life would have been
completely worthless.

If you don't have a child,
what are you?

What is your life, really?

Did you say all this to Stephen?

And when you told him, he went out
and he bought you a child.

Keep you quiet.

Yesterday morning, when Faith was
taken, and you were out shopping,

where was Stephen?

He was doing the garden.

Doing what, exactly?

He was digging over the borders.

Mr Gently...

You are so completely wrong
about my husband.

Sir!

Right. Go on, get in there.

Carefully.

Carefully!

It's a dog.

Put it back.

All our babies come with
a clear biography

and a clean bill of health.

We want our adopters to have
as much information as possible

on which to base their choice.

So, Mr and Mrs Hopkinson,
tell me what you're hoping for.

And then you can begin to make
your choice. Don't be shy.

Is it the birth mothers
you're worrying about?

Yes.

You're worried about their feelings,
and bless your heart for that.

Hazel.

Just think of it like
a bring-and-buy sale.

We bring them, you buy them.

Hazel...

You can choose your baby
by eye colour, skin colour,

fat, thin - or by parentage...

No need for flippancy, Hazel.
Oh, sorry. I won't be flippant.

You can choose how
your baby was conceived.

Back seat of a car.

Quickie in a bus stop.

Right, that's enough.
What's the matter with you?

Drunken night on the beach
with a total stranger.

Enough. Shall we
go over to the office?

My baby, for instance,
was conceived when my uncle raped me

at my cousin's wedding.

In the middle of
my second term at uni.

Which is why I suppose Mrs Dunwoody

has me in her book
as "quite bright".

Which, compared to her, I am.

Let's go to the office.

I'm sure you're keen to ask a few...

Will somebody answer that door?!
I'll get it, Mrs Dunwoody.

How much did Stephen Groves
pay you for baby Faith?

Pay, Inspector? Pay.

Oh, you mean the donation
they made to the home. How much?

I would have to look that up.

Most of our adopters pay
a donation of gratitude to us.

I never ask them.
It's only if they feel compelled.

This financial gain that you receive
could be construed

as buying and selling babies.

Only by those with
no understanding of what we do.

Or perhaps with some sinister,
un-Christian axe to grind.

Did the couple
who originally chose baby Faith

know you gave her away
to the highest bidder?

They were only told that Faith's
mother had decided to keep her.

Which wasn't true.

I had the opportunity to place
two children instead of one,

both in very good homes.
Should I have passed that up?

The whole point is to get
better lives for the babies.

Not to make money
for yourself, then?

I don't make any money, Sergeant.

The home would just close
without the donations.

It's all spent on the children.

The other couple were given
the opportunity to take the boy

instead of Faith, and they agreed.
They didn't have much choice.

There is always a choice.

Unfortunately, while the paperwork
was almost complete on Faith,

it wasn't even started
with her brother.

And it had no sooner began
when Susan disappeared with him.

Leaving the first couple
empty-handed.

To my great regret.

I need the name of that couple.

I'm not at liberty to give it.
Give me the name!

They may have discovered
that you let them be outbid

in your baby auction,
and decided to take back

what they believe
is rightfully theirs!

There's no need for hysteria,
Sergeant. It's impossible.

They couldn't have found out.
I know the name.

I looked it up.

Get the name, Hazel.
And then go home.

You're dismissed.

Do you need me to come with you
on this one?

It's just it's the anniversary
of me mam's death,

and I usually take me dad
to the cemetery so he can have
a little chat with her.

You know, we pay our respects,
and we do it every year, and...

Oh, no, it's all right,
I'll have a chat with him.

We'll do it some other time.
Let's go to the...
John, John. Go and see your dad.

Sorry, Guv. I know
it's getting desperate.

WOMAN: 'We've taken a call from
a farmer near Witton Gilbert

'who thinks someone's been sleeping
rough with a baby his outhouses.
Are you anywhere near there? Over.'

Give me two minutes.

No-one's seen or heard? No.

Vehicle?

We went to the pub
for our tea last night

and we passed this parked car
in the lane on the way in.

But no-one inside,
so we thought nothing of it.

What kind of car?

Vitesse, I think.

Colour? Light blue.

Well, it was dark. Can you be sure?

I saw it in my headlights.
Light blue.

I closed the door
to stop the dogs getting in.

But it was half open at first light.

Over there. Oh, yeah.

I don't suppose you can remember
the registration of the car?

Not a letter.

When you die,
can I come and visit you?

Er, is that what you'd like?

Aye, yeah, I'd like that.

What was Grandma like?

Er... She was very kind.

And very clever.

And she was very funny.

One Easter, right,
when I was about your age,

they bought us
this big chocolate egg.

I mean, it was huge.
Couldn't believe me eyes.

I started to take the foil off it
really, really carefully,

cos I wanted it to be
absolutely perfect.

And when I'd taken the foil off,

I sat it in the middle
of the kitchen table,

so I could look at it, and it was
the best thing I'd ever seen.

It was smooth and it was huge
and it was chocolatey! You know?

And I couldn't take me eyes off it.

And then your grandma came over,
right, just to have a look at it,

and she reached over

and she smashed it to bits
with the flat of her hand!

She just meant it as a joke,
you know. What did you do?

I just cried, I think.

Like that.

Granddad's ready.

Hello, sweetheart. You going to
take my thing for me? Thank you.

How was she today?

Well, you know women. Chatterboxes.

Did she ask after us? You?!

No, she never mentioned you.

What you doing here?

We've got surveillance on the barn,

but the kidnapper
won't go back there. No?

How's your dad?

Oh you know, him and me mam
had a nice old chinwag.

It's good to see him
get a word in edgeways

cos that never happened
when she were alive.

Thanks. Now, are we
ruling out Stephen, Sir?

I never thought it was that likely.

And what about the couple
originally intended for Faith?

Well, turns out they're both
serving police officers. Really?

And they don't need
to sleep in a barn.

The kidnapper does, though,
so he's not local. Yeah.

We're not really getting far
on this, are we, Guv?

Well, yes, we are.

Faith Groves was alive last night.

She's cared for,
she's been fed and changed.

So, he wants something in return for
her, doesn't he? He or she, that is.

Well, if it's money,
what's the delay for?

It's blackmail, isn't it?

Keep your eyes open for a blue
Vitesse, driven by a youngish man.

All right.

A youngish man
who parks outside the house.

What? I think she's at it as well.
Nah. Yeah.

Really? Yeah. Dear me.

It's like Peyton Place, innit?

Are they in there? Yeah. I phoned
them and gave them an update.

Do you want to tell me about it?

About Mrs Fleming?

I thought Gently was
a better man than that.

I thought YOU were
a better man than that.

Well, now you know I'm not.

I'm not a war hero, I'm not
a "have a go" hero.
I'm just an ordinary man.

An ordinary, vain, self-centred,
middle-aged man.

I didn't want Faith.

I know.

And this is life's punishment on me
for not wanting her.

For being too selfish to make room
in my stupid little life

for the thing you wanted the most.

I'm so sorry.

I made you have something
you didn't want.

Frances, I did want us
to have children.

I just wanted us to have them
when we were younger

and I wanted them to be ours.

I can't help that.
It's just the truth.

I know.

But I promise you,

if life gives me a second chance
to be a father to Faith,

I'm going to grab it
with both hands.

You remember this moment,
please, in the future.

Whatever happens after this,
you remember what I said.

I love you, Stephen.

You must remember it.
Please, promise you'll remember it!

I promise. But...

No.

It'll stop.

I have to go out.

Is this that young man
who waits in the car sometimes?

Sorry.

Here we go.

I'll get him. Wait.

Where's she gone?

Who's the man in the car?

They're now turning right, repeat,
right off the Shields Road, over.

See all that?

Used to be a lagoon.

A tropical lagoon.

260 million years ago.

Oh. When you think about
all the creatures that have
lived and died here.

People as well.

Think of all the ghosts.

Ghosts?

Elizabeth Gibbon, for instance.

Threw herself off the top of
this mill tower. Broken-hearted.

Ditched by her lover.

She chose death.

Her husband lived on happily
with his wife.

Her ghost walks this place at night.

Doesn't seem fair, does it?
How do you know that?

I have a degree. History.

I didn't know. No.

There's a lot you don't know.

Because you don't really
want to know, do you, Mrs Groves?

Gareth, I cannot give you
what you want.

I... I cannot be for you...

what you want me to be.

I've tried to explain, and I'm sorry
you don't understand, but...

..this has to stop. Because of him?

I hate him. I'd like to hurt him.

You have. Believe me.

How long they been up there?
Ten minutes.

Any sign of the baby?

Nah. She's not in the car either.

What do you want to do?

Nothing.

You're dead beautiful, you know.

I'm not. You are.

Gareth, I want this to stop today.

I want you to drive away
and never look back. Ever.

I want you to find
a lovely young woman

and give yourself to her
and make a life.

And I want you to forget about me.

Just as I'm going to
forget about you.

Let me ask you...

Do you love me?

Of course I do.

What's that look like to you?

The end of the affair.

Is he the kidnapper, do you think?

I just don't think she'd be here
otherwise. Unbelievable.

She forces her husband
to buy somebody else's baby,

and here she is shagging him.

Women!

Gareth...

Sweetheart...

If you feel for me
as you say you feel,

this is the biggest gift
you can give to me.

Listen, it's the only thing
I really want.

All you want.

Not me?

I want Faith.

Please.

Gareth, please take me
to where Faith is.

No! Police.

No!

Oi! Ey!

Where's the baby?

Where?

Guv, Guv, he's not breathing.

Has he got the baby?
He was taking me to her.

Where? Where is she?
He didn't say.

He just said she was in
the last place I'd want her to be.

I just wanted to say how sorry I am.

I used too much force, I know that.

I just got angry.

I get angry quite a lot, actually.

I don't know why.

Don't you?

They don't think
he'll last the night.

Do you want to sit down?
Sorry.

I'm sure he didn't want
any real harm to come to Faith.

We'll find her.

Your husband only knows that
we tried to apprehend the kidnapper

and that in the process
the man was severely injured.

He knows nothing about
your relationship with this man.

Then it's time that he did.

Why did you do it?

To hurt you. Me?

That man in the blue car...

always watching the house.
He was waiting for you, wasn't he?

No, Stephen. He was waiting for you.

Waiting for me to leave?

No.

He was waiting to talk to you.

And I told him he couldn't.

That he could never talk to you.

Remember you swore to me
that you'd come back.

That you'd come back
with double the love in your heart.
Do you remember that?

Yes, I remember.

I've never seen anything
as beautiful before or since

as you on that day.

What happened to
our lovely life, Frances?

You left me, Stephen.

With a baby.

You walked into that jungle...

..and you never came back.

I thought you were dead.

I was 17, unmarried.

And I had a baby.

A son.

Your son.

What happened to him?

I didn't really have much say,
Stephen.

They were very plain
in the mother and baby home.

Do you know, I did it for him
as well as me.

And then...

..a year later, when I was told
that you were safe,

that you'd be coming home...

You know your letter, "Let's
start living that lovely life."

How could that life include knowing
about a son you could never see?

How long have you been seeing him?

He turned up...

..just when we were
looking for a child to adopt.

He said he wanted to be
part of our lives.

Life hasn't been
very happy for him, Stephen.

He's really...very, very fragile.

Do you have any idea what it's like

to be completely cast adrift
from your own?

Never meet anyone
who looks like you, talks like you,
shares your history?

Do you have any idea what it's like
to walk through your own life

and wonder who you really are?

What your real name is?

To wonder, "Was I so worthless
that they gave me away?"

Nothing's changed, has it?

I still am wortthless.

I told him no.

And I didn't expect
to see him again.

But then in the pile of toys
and cards left for Faith...

..I found this bear that I made
for him in the home.

The bear that had gone with him
into his new life.

What did you call him?

I called him Gareth.

Yes, your dad's name.

Mrs Groves...

What was the name of the mother
and baby home where you had Gareth?

It's what's now called Dunwoody's.

11:30, and there's a baby crying.

Is somebody going to do
something about this situation?!

Oh, no, little laddie.

If you're waiting to be picked up
on demand by Esther Dunwoody,

you'll have a long wait.

You cry. I can wait.

Go on.

Go on.

Leather lungs.

Thanks. John...

If he dies, there will be an inquest.

I want you to know that,
in my opinion, you are not at fault,

and I will back you to the hilt.

Thanks, Guv.

♪ Silver buckles at his knee... ♪

Guv!

♪ He'll come back and marry me

♪ Bonny Bobby Shaftoe. ♪

Is this little Faith
come back to us?

I've never had a return before.

This baby needs a feed.

And its mother.

I had a son.

You still have a daughter.

It doesn't seem five minutes
since this was Leigh Ann.

Give her here!

It's unnatural.

Men crying.

There, there.

Here we are.

Come on. There.

Does her mother know she's safe?

Mrs Dunwoody, how long is it
since the Groves adopted Faith?

Three weeks, is it?

Well within the probationary
period, then?

What probationary period is that?

Then one you don't tell
the girls about.

Well, yes, technically.

It's time her mother
knew she was safe.

♪ Across the evening sky

♪ All the birds are leaving

♪ But how can they know

♪ It's time for them to go? ♪

Susie?

Come here.

♪ I shall still be dreaming

♪ I do not count the time

♪ Who knows where the time goes?

♪ Who knows where the time...

♪ Goes? ♪

Is she happy?

How were they?

Crucified.

All we did was put things back
the way they were

before Susan was
cheated out of her baby.

Who does the bairn
belong to though, Guv? Nobody.

You can't own children.
You just look after them for a bit.

They belong to themselves,
don't they?

I don't know. I'm no expert.

Suppose there's no law, is there,

saying that you and your dad has to
get on with each other? Nope.

I suppose it's the same for him.

Mebbies he's thinking what it must
have been like to have a son

who wasn't such a sarcastic
clever-clogs.

Ask him.

Yeah, aye.

So, this is the place you work?

Aye.

Mr Gently told me
you're browned off.

What? A bad day at work?

I killed someone.

Come here, son.

Come here, son. No, it's all right.
Come here, son. Come here.

Come here, come here,
come here, come here.

♪ I cannot get to my love
if I would dee

♪ The water of Tyne
runs between him and me

♪ And here I must stand
with a tear in my ee

♪ Both sighing and sobbing,
my true love to see

♪ Oh, where is the boatman,
my bonny hinney?

♪ Oh, where is the boatman?
Bring him to me

♪ To ferry me over the Tyne
to my honey

♪ Or speed him across
that dark water to me

♪ And here I must stand
with a tear in my ee

♪ Oh, sighing and sobbing
my true love to see

♪ Oh, bring me a boatman
I'll give any money

♪ And you for your trouble
rewarded shall be

♪ Just carry me over the Tyne
to my honey

♪ And I will remember
the boatman and thee. ♪