One Lane Bridge (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Arrival - full transcript

(WATER BURBLES QUIETLY)

(LOW, BROODING MUSIC)

(ROPE CREAKS SOFTLY)

(LOW RUMBLING, ENGINES WHINE SOFTLY)

- (WHEELS TOUCH DOWN, BEEPING)
- (EXHALES HEAVILY)

We'll go down to the station,
say hi to the other officers

- and then head off on a tiki tour.
- Yeah. Sounds good, Stephen.

(CELL PHONE RINGS)

(BIRDS TWITTER)

- Tremaine.
- It's Grub.

Dad's gone walkabout.



What brings you to Queenstown?

Just wanna learn from the best.

Right.

- (CHUCKLES) Kiss-arse.
- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Charm'll open a lot of doors
for you down here.

- OK, there she is.
- (INDICATOR TICKS)

Hi. Your dad asked me
to pick you up.

- How's life in Christchurch?
- (SIGHS) Average.

- Emma.
- Oh, this is Detective Davis.

Uh, just call me Riki.

Just so you know, uh,
your grandad's gone missing.

Oh.

(SOFT, BROODING MUSIC)

(VEHICLE CLATTERS OVER PIERS)



(INTERMITTENT CLATTERING CONTINUES)

(GRAVEL CRUNCHES)

- How long have you been on the farm?
- Coming up 100 years.

(ENGINE STOPS, HANDBRAKE CLICKS)

- Hey, bubba. How you doing? You OK?
- Yeah.

- Good.
- (SIGHS)

Hi, Mum.

How long's he been gone?

EMMA, YELLING: Poppa!

Poppa!

Poppa!

(SIGHS) It's all right, bubs.
We'll find him. Yeah?

Always do.

PANTS: Dementia. Losing his marbles.

Runs a farm for 50 years,
and now he can't even open a gate.

That might not be a bad thing today.

YELLS: Jack? Jack!

Jack!

Jack!

Jack!

Jack!

Need a hand?

Let's hope not.

I'll let you know if I see him.

- New hobby?
- Hm.

- Let me know if you want the chopper.
- Thanks.

- Who was that?
- The neighbour.

Hot neighbour.

Jack?

(UNEASY MUSIC)

(BIRDS TWITTER SOFTLY)

(SOFT, BROODING MUSIC)

I really thought he'd be here.

(BROODING MUSIC CONTINUES)

Charlotte. Stephen.

Can we take you up
on that offer of the chopper?

- Actually, hold that thought.
- (CLICK!)

(UNSETTLING MUSIC)

Jack! Jack.

- Jack, can you hear me? Hey...
- (YELPS) Get bloody off me!

You OK?

You warm?

Thanks so much for finding him.

You're gonna give Stephen
a run for his money.

- (CHUCKLES) Yeah, that's the plan.
- He's dreaming, mate.

SOFTLY: Here you go.

We didn't get a chance
to meet before.

This is Riki. Davis.

- Nice to meet you.
- Oh. Kate.

Aww.

- Thank you.
- It's all right.

Please come.

- You sure?
- Yeah. We're expecting over 200.

One more's not gonna
make a difference.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

- All right.
- Mm.

(CAR DOOR OPENS, SHUTS)

- What's the party for?
- (SEATBELT CLICKS)

Oh, centenary party.
It's a big deal around here.

It's a miracle Grub's been
able to keep this place afloat.

(ENGINE STARTS)

(GRAVEL CRUNCHES)
He needs to be in care.

Over my dead body.

(VEHICLE RECEDES INTO DISTANCE)

(BIRDS TWITTER)

- Well, you did good today.
- Ah.

Hey, I'm happy to find a place
in town until I'm sorted.

Oh, they don't pay you
enough for that. (CHUCKLES)

- Just put your bike around the side.
- (GRUNTS)

(CELL PHONE CHIMES)
(GIGGLES LOUDLY)

(CUTLERY CLINKS)

(STIFLES GIGGLE)

(CLEARS THROAT QUIETLY)
(CELL PHONE CHIMES)

- No phones at the table.
- (CELL PHONE BLIPS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

- Here you go.
- (CUTLERY SCRAPES)

There you go.

- No... (SIGHS)
- Well, keep out of it! (PLATE CLATTERS)

- All right.
- (CHAIR SCRAPES BACK)

Hey, I got it. I got it.

(SIGHS SOFTLY)

(SIGHS)

(SIGHS)

(EXHALES SLOWLY)

(SIGHS)

Take me out the back.
Put a bullet between me eyes.

You'd be doin'...

us both a favour.

Waste of a bullet.

(WHEEZES, LAUGHS)
(CHUCKLES)

Yeah, if it's good enough for the
animals, it's good enough for me.

We're not there yet, Dad.

RIKI: So, how long have you two
been married, Lois?

- Oh, it's comin' up 25 years now.
- Oh, awesome.

Stephen tells me you're
training for the Coast to Coast.

That must take a lot of discipline.

- Oh, sleep when you're dead.
- (CHUCKLES)

Girlfriend? Boyfriend?

- Lois, leave the man alone.
- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

- I hope you like red.
- I do.

- How do you like your steak?
- Uh, medium rare.

Correct.

(SOFT, PENSIVE MUSIC)

(NO AUDIO)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

- Man, this place is awesome.
- Yeah, we like it.

Welcome to Queenstown, son.

(UNSETTLING MUSIC)

(BIRDS TWITTER IN DISTANCE)

(PRINTER COMPARTMENT CLICKS)

(DOOR CLOSES IN DISTANCE)

WOMAN: You must be the new guy.

- Tilly Gardner.
- Ariki Davis. Nice to meet you.

Uh, this is you.

- He must've left in a hurry.
- Hm.

Couldn't handle the winters.

- Where are you from?
- Auckland.

- Where were you born?
- Auckland.

Yeah, but what are you?

Cook Island Maori. What are you?

Apparently,
I'm an asker of stupid questions.

Is Stephen in yet?

(TELEPHONE RINGS, )
FOOTSTEPS THUD IN DISTANCE)

(FOOTSTEPS FADE)

(DOOR CLICKS IN DISTANCE)

(RINGING CONTINUES)

(RINGING CONTINUES)

DCS Tremaine's phone.
Detective Davis speaking.

(SOMBRE MUSIC)

OK, we're gonna need a roadblock.

I need you two at the east end
of the bridge.

You two, down here.

Tilly, call through to base
for additional traffic control.

No public, no cars!

(LOW, UNSETTLING MUSIC)

(SOFT CLATTERING OVERHEAD)

(VEHICLE CLATTERS OVER PIERS)

(AMPLIFIED CLATTER)

Hey!

I said no public!
This is a cordoned-off area.

(OMINOUS MUSIC)

(CAR DOOR SHUTS)

Nothing like a man with initiative.

- What've we got? Jumper?
- Yeah. Injuries are consistent with a fall.

Hey. Uh...

the body we found.

It's Grub.

- Eh?
- I recognised him from yesterday.

Couple of the others confirmed it.

I'm so sorry.

Why the fuck hasn't someone
covered him up?

(SOMBRE MUSIC)

(MUSIC MUFFLES SPEECH)

(CELL PHONE RINGS)

(MUFFLED SPEECH CONTINUES)

- Excuse me.
- (RINGING STOPS)

(DARK, BROODING MUSIC)

(KNOCKING)

(DOOR OPENS)
KATE: Oh, gidday. Hey.

Mwah. Come on in.

SIGHS: Oh, God, sor... I'm Kate.

- You must be the new offsider.
- Detective Davis.

What's wrong?

It's Grub.

We found him at One Lane Bridge.

I'm so sorry.

How long had he been there?

Uh, we don't know.

Was it an accident?

We... We don't know anything yet. Um...

JACK: Are you here for the hooley?

Jack, it's Stephen.

Here.

Grub's dead.

- (CHUCKLES) No.
- He's out with the dogs.

Um, I think he went out with Dermot.

Something about the sheep.

(BIRDS TWITTER IN DISTANCE)

What time was that?

(EXHALES)

You have to ask him.

- Fuck you, Grub!
- (BOTTLE THUDS)

Fuck you!

(DRAWERS SLIDE, CLATTER SOFTLY)

- Oh...
- (PILLS CLATTER)

I didn't take any.

Please don't tell Mum.

I won't.

(SNIFFLES)

Did he drown?

He fell.

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

(SNIFFLES) What am I
gonna do without him?

Hey. Hey.

- Hey.
- (SNIFFLES)

- It's gonna be OK.
- (SNIFFLES)

OK?

- I'll get this.
- (BREATHES DEEPLY)

(UNEASY MUSIC)

(PILLS RATTLE)

(PEOPLE CHATTER,
INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER TANNOY)

Rob!

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

- Hey, Jackie.
- (BOTH CHUCKLE)

BOTH: Mwah! Mmm.

- Good to see you! (GIGGLES)
- You too.

- How was Perth?
- Oh, it was great.

- Yeah?
- Mm.

- Are you ready for the centenary circus?
- SIGHS: Ah.

(CHUCKLES)

All right, what are we lookin' for?

STEPHEN: Kate wanted you both
to hear the news in person.

(EXHALES, SNIFFLES)

(DOOR SLAMS)
Oh! (SNIFFLES)

For now, we're treating the death
as unexplained.

We'll know more in a few days.

We'll need to talk to Dermot too.

(BIRDS TWITTER,
SHEEP BLEAT IN DISTANCE)

(INHALES SHAKILY) Um...

yeah, it was still
light out, so, um...

Maybe 8?

Sheep had gotten out.
I needed a hand to get them back in.

I understand that Grub was spending
a lot of time up at the hut.

Yeah. It's none o' my business.

- I can take you out there if you like.
- Sure.

- Do you live on the farm?
- Uh, the shearers' cottage does me fine.

Family?

Sorry 'bout the crap.

(DOOR SHUTS)

(ENGINE REVS)

(UNSETTLING MUSIC)

(ENGINE RUMBLES IN DISTANCE)

(BROODING MUSIC)

(ENGINE RUMBLES)

(LATCH RATTLES)

(GATE CREAKS)

(LATCH RATTLES)

(BIRDS TWITTER IN DISTANCE)

(FLOORBOARDS CREAK SOFTLY)

- Who uses the hut?
- Just Grub, as far as I'm aware.

He's never locked it.

I just sleep in the ute
if, uh... if need be.

Hey, what's with the, uh,
bloodstain in the back of the ute?

Oh, um, Grub shot a deer.
For the, uh... For the party.

(CELL PHONE RINGS)

- (CLICK!)
- Charlotte speaking.

SOFTLY: Oi!

Well, that's terrible.

OK, yeah.

Thanks. Thanks for letting me know.

(CLICK! CELL PHONE
CLATTERS ON TABLE)

SOFTLY: That fucking bridge.

Who?

Grub.

- Sorry for your loss.
- Oh, fuck off!

(MALLET THUNKS)
(EXHALES)

Did you get the sale in writing?

(SOMBRE MUSIC)

- That poor family.
- SOFTLY: I know.

That poor, poor family.

Grub must've been in more pain
than we realised.

STEPHEN: So once that happens,

the body will need to be
formally identified.

- I-I'll do it.
- JACK: Where is Grub?

Boy's runnin' the place into the ground.

Dad!

(FOOTSTEPS RECEDE)

Maybe Dad should go too.
Might help things sink in a bit.

Jesus.
How long has he been like this?

KATE: You have no idea.

This fucking place eats you alive.

Jack.

- Marion.
- Leave Mum out of this.

Grub.

(SWALLOWS)

(UNEASY MUSIC)

You really think he jumped?

I'm surprised
he didn't do it sooner.

(BROODING MUSIC)

How far away's the Ryders' station
from here?

Uh, 5K or 6K that way.

So how'd he get here?

Yeah.

(AMPLIFIED CLATTER)

(UNSETTLING MUSIC)

(BIRDS TWITTER)

There was no note.

Well, Grub was never a man of words.

And he was clinically depressed.

Yeah.

There was a shit-ton of medication
in the, uh, bathroom cabinet.

Unopened.

You should not be going
through people's cupboards.

We don't have a warrant.

We do things by the book here.

(ELECTRICITY BUZZES QUIETLY)

(JACK BREATHES SHAKILY)

I can do it, Dad.

Andrew William Ryder.

March 17, 1977.

7 pounds, 6 ounces.

CHUCKLES TEARFULLY:
He was a terrible baby.

Oh, sorry.

TEARFULLY: You can't, Dad.

(SNIFFLES)

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

- SOFTLY: Initial thoughts?
- Looks like his back and pelvis are broken.

- Skull's shattered in several places.
- His head's a mess.

Is that consistent with a fall?

It's too early to tell.

(UNEASY MUSIC)

Hey, sorry if I stepped out of line.

Oh, no wonder I'm hungry.

(BROODING MUSIC)

(NO AUDIO)

(NO AUDIO)

(BROODING MUSIC CONTINUES)

(BIRDS TWITTER IN DISTANCE)

Hello?

(DING!)

(VEHICLES PASS IN DISTANCE)

(UNEASY MUSIC)

Jesus. Ariki!

Mate. It's me.

- Joe.
- (EXHALES)

- CHUCKLES: Sorry.
- (LAUGHS)

- Sorry. I was just round the back.
- Ah.

- I didn't know this was your shop.
- It's not. It's Rob's.

(CHUCKLES)
(CHUCKLES)

Oh, it's so good to see your
friendly face, man. (CHUCKLES)

(UNEASY MUSIC)

ON PHONE: Hi, this is Stephen
Tremaine. Please leave a message.

Thank you.

(UNEASY MUSIC CONTINUES)

Hey, it was a kayaker
that found the body.

Rob Ryder owns
the kayaking shop.

Do you reckon there might
be a connection there?

- Yeah. Good thought.
- Hey, I checked with comms,

and the person who called it in
didn't leave a name.

Yeah. We'll look into it tomorrow.

Are we... not going
back to the scene?

Well, it's a bit late in the
day now. I've posted a guard.

We'll resume tomorrow morning.

What if he didn't jump?

Well, I'm not making any assumptions
until we get the autopsy results.

So how did he get
to One Lane Bridge?

There should've been
a vehicle parked up.

And why go all that way?

Why not just blow your
brains out in the top paddock?

I mean, isn't that
what all farmers do?

We should be out there
while it's still fresh.

His wife was an alcoholic.
His dad wore a night nappy.

Hundreds of people were coming to celebrate
a farm that was sucking them dry.

The black dog was snarling.

I mean, what evidence do you have
that he didn't top himself?

I just have a feeling that there's...
We deal in facts here, not feelings.

However Grub died,
we'll deal with it tomorrow.

I thought you did
things by the book here.

You working this case,
that's a conflict of interest.

Not according to my boss.
I rung him this morning.

It's a small town!

DI David Preston.
Number two on the speed dial.

(SIGHS)

(RECEIVER CLATTERS)
You've been here 24 hours.

You don't know the place,
you don't know the people,

and you don't know me.

Shut the door on your way out.

(BROODING MUSIC)

(IMPLEMENT SCRAPES)

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

(LOW, UNSETTLING MUSIC)

REPORTER ON TV:
Did Jiang buy his citizenship?

- MINISTER: Uh, absolutely not.
- (SNIFFLES)

Well, he's only spent
10 days in the country.

How can he be
granted citizenship?

Well, Huan Jiang has a great
affinity for New Zealand.

He's invested a lot of time and
resources into the local economy.

- Does he plan to live here?
- I think that's all we've got time for today.

Minister, does the fact that...?

Sorry, we've got a... flight to catch.
I'm reallysorry.

(DOOR CLOSES, KEYS CLATTER)

(INHALES, EXHALES SHAKILY)

(SNIFFLES)

(SIGHS)
EXHALES: Oh...

- (SIGHS) When's the funeral?
- (SNIFFLES)

Dunno. Don't know.

(CLOTHING RUSTLES)

(CELL PHONE RINGS)

- Hey, sis.
- ON CELL PHONE: Hey. How was your first day?

Uh,

- I've had better.
- Ah. Bummer.

- What's Queenstown like?
- Beautiful.

It's, uh... It's white on rice,
though. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

How's the girls?

(SPOON CLATTERS)

(SIGHS SOFTLY, DRUMS FINGERS)

I might go into the office.

Clear my desk for the
next few days ahead.

Need me to come?

No, thanks.

Why don't you go for a ride,
get a feel for the place?

(DOOR OPENS)

- Done?
- Yeah, thank you. (DOOR CLOSES)

Ariki.

How's he handling it?

I've only been here 24 hours.

You got him on a bad day.

This was outside.

Oh.

(SIGHS)

We're s'posed to be
docking next week.

And then... drenching
the week after.

(BIRDS TWITTER IN DISTANCE)

- Whatever you think is best.
- (SIGHS)

Yeah.

Yeah, I'll go and, um...
I'll feed the dogs.

(DOGS YAPS)

(DOGS BARK)

(ENGINE STARTS)

(DOG BARKS)

(LOW, BROODING MUSIC)

(SNIFFS)

(BREATHES SHAKILY)

(SNIFFLES)

(SOMBRE MUSIC)

(BED CREAKS SOFTLY)

(GASPS)

(SOBS)

(CAP HISSES, LIQUID POURS)

(KNIFE CLATTERS)
Fuck! Oh...

Oh, for...

(BREATHES HEAVILY, WHIMPERS)

(DOOR OPENS)
JACKIE: It's just me.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(INHALES, EXHALES SHAKILY)

(SOBS)

(KEY TURNS, LOCK CLICKS)

(ALARM BLIPS SHRILLY)

(BEEPING, ALARM STOPS)

(LOW, UNSETTLING MUSIC)

(UNSETTLING MUSIC BUILDS)

(PANTS, PUFFS)

(UNSETTLING MUSIC CONTINUES)

(SOBS QUIETLY)

(SNIFFLES)

(SOBS)

(SOMBRE MUSIC)

(NO AUDIO)

(SOMBRE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(PANTS, PUFFS)

(LOW, UNSETTLING MUSIC)

(TYRES SQUEAL)

Oi! (PANTS, YELPS)

You fucking moron!

(HELMET CLATTERS)

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

(UNSETTLING MUSIC)

- (PADLOCKS CLINK SOFTLY)
- (PANTS)

ECHOES: Stop. Stop! Stop!

(GASPS, YELLS)
Wha...? Oi!

(PANTS)

PANTS: Whoa. Whoa. (PUFFS)

(UNSETTLING MUSIC CONTINUES)

Fuck.

We're not treating
Grub's death as suspicious.

What about... the affair?

(EXHALES SOFTLY)

Come out here!

Cos you're a fucking drunk.

(SOBS)

The death of Andrew Ryder
is now being treated as a homicide.

It's a small town.
Someone knows something.

(UNSETTLING MUSIC)

(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)

SOFTLY: I could've killed him.