Rebus (2000–2004): Season 4, Episode 3 - The Naming of the Dead - full transcript

As the city prepares this week
for the World Trade Summit
and an influx of protesters

police have stated they are
confident they've enough manpower
to deal with the situation.

But some are putting the estimated
numbers of people travelling
to Edinburgh

as high as two hundred thousand.

Mickey!
Ah, Tory boy.

I didn't think you'd make it.

I thought you'd have your hands full
with these demos?

No, that's uniform, Mickey,
I'm CID, remember?

What do you want?
Eh..no, I've got you one coming.

What about you? The Forth Estate
closed down for the football?

Got to get things into perspective.



Football's not a matter of
life and death.

BOTH: Far more important than that!

Thank you.
Ah!

I think we're in the final, Mickey.

Come on you Hibs!

What is it, Siobhan?

No wallet, car keys, nothing.

Stabbed repeatedly
with a long blade.

Stabbed through the clothes?
Looks like it.

I think our paths have crossed
before.

Gangland killing?

Well, could be.

Muggers don't usually dump the body,
do they?

Is there a pub round here?



A pub?

I might catch the second half.

I'll...I'll check the guest list at
the hotel, see if anyone's missing.

I'll do that as well, shall I?
Uh-huh.

What the hell's going on here?
And you are?

S012. Who are you?

Eh...care to show some ID?

How long are you going to be here?
As long as is necessary,

it's a crime scene.

ID?

As you're probably aware,
assorted world leaders

including our own Prime Minister are
staying at Macintosh House this week
for the Trade Summit.

Your presence here is going to be
very tricky for security.

Commander Steelforth,
Special Branch.

DI Rebus.
Hibs Supporters Club.

And a crime scene is a crime scene,
no matter what side show is going on.

Well, fine. Well, I'll tell the
Chief Constable I have your full
co-operation and understanding.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

What?
Sook.

Gill. Have a word?

It will have to be quick.

Mackintosh House. Can you close down
the crime scene till after the
summit?

Can't do. A week's a long time in a
murder enquiry. We both know that.

What's going on?

SO12 have made it clear
it's compromising security.

We can't help that. I'm with you.
But it's not up for discussion.

They want our people out of there.

DS Clarke. CID.

Why'd you let them push you around
like that?

Because they are my superiors.
That's how it works.

They push me around, I push you
around. It's the order of things.

There's been an incident at the
castle. They want us up there now.

There was a dinner with some serious
bigwigs and one of them jumped.

Look...hold on.
Start at the beginning.

There was a dinner?
To do with the Trade Summit, sir.

One of the guests left the meal,
came out onto the ramparts,
and jumped or...or fell.

He's dead?

Nobody seems to have seen what
happened.

Well, what about these?

Well, the System's down I'm afraid.

This is a terrible thing,
it's absolutely shocking.

It's an extremely bright young man,
apparently.

Siobhan go and see if you can find
a witness.

Did you know the deceased?

Only by reputation. Ben Webster.

Junior International Development
Minister. On the rise, I'm told.

Not now. I bet this is the last thing
you need, eh?

I can live without it.

I need to speak to the last person
who saw him alive.

Who was sitting next to him at
dinner?

I've no idea,
Inspector....it's Rebus, isn't it?

I didn't draw up the seating plan.

I can't find a witness
who saw anything,

but people heard something.
He screamed as he fell.

Well, I'm going to leave it in your
capable hands I'm afraid.
I need to look after our guests.

Now, in my experience when somebody
jumps they don't scream.

You stay around, see if you can get
some statements.

I'll see if I can get
some more information on Mr Webster.

DI Rebus. You have a Mr Webster
staying here. Can I see his room?

The police are there already.

CID. You Special Branch?

No chance I could eh...
I could get in there?

Bit crowded up there.

So, what's the story?

Oh, can't say, very hush-hush.

Did you notice any strange behaviour
when he was here?

Not really. Here for the Summit.
Seemed quite nice.

Let's see,
he was in the Victoria Suite.

Very swanky
for a government minister,

us poor taxpayers
having to foot the bill.

Not in this case. Room's paid for
by Pennen Industries.

They've got a few people staying
here over the Summit.

Siobhan, could you to check out
a company called
Pennen Industries for me?

There's something going on here,
and I don't like it.

Thanks.

Rebus? What brings you here?

I want to get first look
at the report on Ben Webster.

I can't give you anything yet,
I haven't examined him.
I've just got the formal ID.

From whom?

His sister. Parents are dead.

I need to know if there was
a struggle before he fell.

I can't promise anything.

He probably broke every bone
in his body.

Was that his sister just left?

Uh-huh. Stacy Webster.

I'm DI Rebus.

I'm sorry about your brother.

Did you know Ben?

No. No. But I'm trying to find out
what happened.

When did you last see him?

Not for a while.
He's based in London these days.

Well, was based in London.

I'm in Glasgow.
I just came through for the demos.

You two weren't that close?

I didn't say that.

We texted. E-mailed.

Ben was always busy.
He worked in Foreign Aid -

deciding which African nation
deserved our help.

But he really wanted
to make a difference.

Sorry.

I can't believe this has happened.

He could've fallen. It's possible.

I just...he never could hold
his drink...I don't know.

Well, I just need to make sure.

DRUMMING AND CHANTING

Look em,
if you want to talk again...

That's my mobile number.

OK?

OK. And I really am sorry.

You sound like you mean it.

I do. I had a brother,
he died in his early 30s.

Look, why don't I give you a lift.

No, it's OK.

I need some air.

I really hate it when you do that.
What?

Go incommunicado.
I had to guess you'd be here.

Who's that?

Webster's sister.

You know her?

What did you get
on Pennen Industries?

I haven't had time. Sorry.

But our stab victim's not on our DNA
database or any other database.

No criminal record.

I've got a feeling this isn't
a gangland thing after all.

Sir!

Well, talk to me when you've found
out who the victim is, OK?

And when you get that stuff I asked
you for.

On you go.

We've tracked the source
of the dead man's clothing.

It's an overall supplied to garages
throughout the city

by the same company.

I want to know if anyone who was
working in one of them is missing.

Let's give this poor bastard a name.

How's it going with Special Branch?

Still their bitch?

Here, Pennen Industries, used to be
part of the MOD but it was sold off.

It's all I could get.

And you don't deserve it.

Pennen bought his company
off the MOD at a knock-down price.

That's eh...A. Press A.

Why they sold so cheap
is anybody's business,

but I suspect a bit of jiggery
pokery.

So em...Pennen made a bit of a
killing then?

He made a fortune developing
components for smart weapons.

That's B. Press B.

He doesn't like to say he sells
arms, he prefers technology,

bit touchy about it apparently.

Why would Webster
have dealings with him?

Well, African nations are into
hi-tech businesses too.

Pennen's in town,
trying to drum up some trade.

No. The...the most interesting
thing about Webster

is what happened to his mother.

She was murdered about five years
ago in Gullane.

I covered it
when I was at The Herald.

So, the sister comes home to visit,
finds her beaten to death.

They never got the guy.

That was Webster's mother?

Uh-huh. Maybe the grief caught up
with him in the end, eh?

Why are you so interested anyway?

I think S012 are trying to brush this
under the carpet.

Somebody's already decided
it's a suicide.

And you don't think it was?

I don't know. The thing is,
nobody else does either.

I'll see what I can find.

Hi, there.

The girl in the office said
I should talk to you.

Oh aye. About what?

Any of your employees not turned up
for work in the last few days?

Trevor called in sick yet?

No, nothing yet.

Trevor?
Aye, he's missed a few days.

Is this him?

Christ!

Rebus.
David Steelforth.

Wonder if I could have a word.

My hotel, Caledonian Suite,
eight o'clock.

Thank you for giving me your time,
Inspector.

How's the Macintosh House case
coming along?

Is there any chance
we can clear it up

before the Prime Minister arrives?

Doubt it.

What if I gave you a few extra men?

I mean, you must be swamped with all
these protesters all over the city.

We can manage.

You wanted my boss to put this case
on the back burner.

Now you want it prioritised.
What's going on?

Oh, I just want the Summit to run
as smoothly as humanly possible.

Do you have a problem with that?

Why were your men
searching Webster's room?

Security.
There was nothing suspicious.

And it's none of your business.

Was Richard Pennen
at the Castle dinner?

Back off. It was suicide.

Webster was an emotionally volatile
man.

Just concentrate on the stabbing
and you'll be doing everybody,

including the Prime Minister,
a favour.

What's that got to do
with the price of coal?

Webster was mixed up with Pennen.

I'm just trying to dig
a little deeper.

No, you just want to wind up
Steelforth. Don't.

Siobhan needs your help,

so I want you in the office
first thing tomorrow morning,

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, OK?

What was that?
Sorry?

I said, can I buy you a night cap?

Sure. That sounds good.

And can we talk about your mother?

Eh...where are you?
I'm in the town.

Can you meet me in Bannerman's
in half an hour?

OK. All right.
I'll see you there.

OK. Bye.
Bye.

Hey! Hey! I'm CID!

I'm...I'm CI-

You'll regret this.

Oh!
You look right at home.

Oh!
Why does that not surprise me?

How did you know I was here?

I got an anonymous call
at two in the morning.

What took you so long?

I was tired, I went back to bed.

Come on,
I'll treat you to a bacon roll.

Oh!

And they didn't identify themselves?
I told you, Special Branch.

And you really weren't drunk
and incapable?

They put me in there
to teach me a lesson.

You don't know that for sure.

Let me get to the bottom of this
and don't go off half-cocked, OK.

They returned your phone.

I know that number. Steelforth.

The cheeky bastard.

What a nerve.

Is there anyone, anyone at all,
who might want to hurt your husband?

No. He wasnae exactly the perfect
family man, but he didn't get into
bother.

What d'you mean by not perfect,
Louise?

He could be handy with his fists
when he had a drink in him.

He hit you?
Sometimes.

Sometimes I hit him.

Is that Trevor? That's him.

We were happy then.
He liked living by the sea.

Can I borrow this?
I need a recent photo.

That's not recent,
but he hadn't changed much.

Take it.

I'll make sure it's copied
and returned.

Do you have a pass, sir?

This is better than a pass.

Mr Pennen? I wonder if I could have
a word with you about Ben Webster.

I was told I might be seeing you.

Why did you pay for his hotel?

Hospitality.

He was a government minister,
doesn't that look bad?

My company was working with his
department on new investments,

it's only right
I should pay some of the costs.

You sell arms...eh...technology.

We put money into some of the
poorest nations in the world,

and that's why
we were talking to Ben.

Oh, you're a humanitarian, then.

What exactly do you want?

I'm getting a bit of a bad feeling
about this.

And I don't like people taking
the piss.

You let one of your people go around
doing whatever he wants

without the slightest regard
for procedure.

Procedure?
I'm gonna call in Internal Affairs

if Rebus doesn't stop harassing
Mr Pennen.

You won't be calling in anybody.
That is my responsibility.

Reign him in or you two can forget
about any future promotions.

I just have to lift up the
phone to your Chief Constable

and you two will be at the bottom
of the food chain all over again.

It's a bit like snakes and ladders.

You're about to step on a very big
snake.

You put one of my officers in jail
last night as a joke.

What? Is this true?

Ben Webster's body
has been released for burial.

There's no case for Rebus
to investigate.

You locked up one of my men?

Don't come up and start throwing
your weight around.

What d'you think we are?
The fucking colonies?

Snakes and ladders, Gunner.

Snakes and ladders.

Thanks.

They've released the body?
They can't do that?

The fiscals established it was an
accident.

There's nothing to investigate.

I think there is. I think
something's being covered up here.

We don't have time for this, John.

It won't take long.

If you do this,
you do it in your own time.

It doesn't eat into the Guest case.

I just wanted some time with him
before the funeral tomorrow.

I'm not sure I can face it.

I can go.
No. No, you're fine.

I'm sorry about last night.

Em... colleagues played a practical
joke on me and...

..I spent the night in the cells.

Well, I wasn't expecting that.

Why didn't you tell me
that your mother was murdered?

I didn't think it was relevant.
It was five years ago.

Not relevant?
But...

..if Ben committed suicide,
then it might explain why.

For years all I had was my work
to take my mind off it.

Same with Ben. But we moved on.

Maybe he hadn't healed as...

as much as I thought.

How did your brother die?

Slowly.

Ah...liver cancer.

So is that why you've taken
such a keen interest in me?

What do they call it,
em...projection?

No. I wanted to help.

It's gonna be a tough night tonight.

I don't wanna be alone.

Stacy?

Oh, shit!

Ben Webster's life
was an extraordinary one.

He was the most altruistic man
I'd ever met,

one whose single aim in life
was the betterment of others.

His work in bringing aid,
not charity, to the Third World

is one we now honour here today.

Nice speech.

Have you seen Stacy?

Stacy?
Ben's sister.

You shouldn't be interfering in
matters which don't concern you,
Inspector. Especially today.

Can't you see you're intruding
on the family's grief?

I could say the same about you.

I've got something interesting
on Guest.

He wasn't so perfect after all.

He had a violent streak.

Who's Guest?

Our stab victim?

Now, this could lead to something,
right? Maybe the wife did it?

What's he doing here?
I know him from somewhere.

He was picked up last night after
some fracas in a lap-dancing club.

Mr Kamweze, isn't it?

I'm told you had a wee bit of bother
in one of our clubs here in the city.

Before you go any further, I will be
claiming diplomatic immunity.

Why didn't you mention it?
You could have saved yourself
a night in the cells.

I didn't get the opportunity.

I was thrown in a cell without
the courtesy of a phone call.

I know the feeling.

But isn't it because
you were pissed out your skull

and taking a kick
at one of my officers?

There's been a misunderstanding.

Well, the thing is,...

are you actually a diplomat?
Speak to my government.

That's the catch 22 you see,
because before I do that

you have to prove you are
who you say you are.

My wallet was stolen.
I have no ID.

No ID, no immunity. Unless...

A bribe?
No.

I want you to tell me everything
you know about Pennen and Webster.

You were at the dinner
the night Webster died?

That's right.
I'm afraid I can't tell you much.

One minute he was at the table,
the next minute he was gone.

Why don't you check the CCTV?
The system was down.

No, it wasn't. We were given a tour
before the dinner.

I saw the operations room.

Very impressive.

Did we pick up any tapes
from the castle the other night?

What happened in there?
Did we? No, there was no point.

He was lying.,
Steelforth was lying.

Why would he do that?
That's what I'm gonna find out.

Excuse me.
Get a grip, would you?

Hey! I was trying to call you.

Do you know him, Annie?
No.

Sorry. Sorry,
I thought you were somebody else.

I wanna talk to the girl
that you brought in. Is it, Annie?

She's just been taken up
to the interview room, sir.

DI Rebus.
Let me introduce DI Webster.

Why wasn't I informed about this?

We had no idea she was a cop,
never mind undercover!

It's true, John.
They kept us in the dark.

That's why she wasn't at the funeral.

It's beginning to fall into place,
is it, Rebus?

We should have been
informed.

Take that up with the Chief
Constable. I want him suspended.
He's getting in everybody's way.

It took DI Webster eight months
to gain the trust of that group.

Now she's been compromised.
We have to pull her out.

Why is that Rebus's fault?
I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.

Suspend him - now.
No!

I'm not gonna be intimidated
like this!

You want to suspend anyone,
you can suspend me.

What is this,
a scene from Spartacus?

Deputy Chief,
do something about your people.

Do something? You're threatening me
AND my officers.

What is it you want me to do
exactly?

You're lucky I don't kick your arse
down the stairs!

Let's just calm down a moment, shall
we? There's a compromise to be had.

I don't see one.

If Rebus agrees to walk away from
Webster

and concentrate on the Guest case,

I think we can forget about all
this.

OK, you've got a deal.

Gill, speak to him.

You have to walk away,
you've no choice.

I don't like getting pushed around!

They're hiding something,
I wanna know what it is!

They just didn't want you to trample
all over their operation

like a bull in a china shop.

Why are you doing this?
You didn't even know Webster.

It's the sister, isn't it?

Oh, Christ, John.

So I just forget about it, yeah?

Get your head down
and find Guest's killer.

And just because Gunner
stuck up for you in there,

don't think he won't come down on
you like a shitload of bricks.

Any more surprises up your sleeve?

You know I couldn't tell you.

I'm off the case now anyway.
Obviously.

I'm sorry.

What can I get you? Can we have a -
Large vodka and tonic, please.

No, John, I've got to face the
facts. Ben killed himself,

I know he did.

I remembered something that he said
about work

and how it was getting to him.
He despaired of the government.

I mean,
that was the word he used, despair.

So why did Steelforth
take the CCTV tapes?

Well, maybe he didn't want Ben's
death all over YouTube.

You think I'm wasting my time,
don't you?

Just remember,
he was my brother, not yours.

Let it go.

I've been given compassionate leave
so...I dunno.

Well, if you need somewhere to stay,
then there's always my place.

I'll take you up on that.

I suppose I owe you an apology.

You suppose?
I do.

How's that?

So, where are we with the
um...the...eh...Guest case?

I've been thinking about
the dump site.

The rurality of the setting,
it must mean something.

Rurality? Is that a word?

Profilers say gives you a clue

to what kind of killer
you're dealing with.

We need to think why did he choose
this site.

Profilers are a bunch of
self-regarding, self-publicising,
arseholes.

No. No. You're...you're clutching at
straws here, Siobhan.

Look at the wife again.

Years of abuse, pent up hatred.

She can't take it any more, she grabs
a knife - uhh - Trevor no more.

You should have thought about that
in the beginning. I did mention her,
actually, but you weren't...

Mickey!
..listening.

It's good to have you back, sir.

I haven't got much time I'm afraid.

Pennen has been doing some business
with a US company

called eh...Trimerino.

Now, they have got the contract
to re-arm the Iraqi Police.

These e-mails from their office

proves that they're trying to claim
it's humanitarian

and they're looking for aid money.

Where did you get these?
You don't ask, I won't lie.

There's a shitload of money
involved. I'm gonna do a piece.

You know, the murky world
of foreign aid etc, etc.

Do you think Pennen got Webster
involved in this?

Oh, they might have been trying to
pressure him

to rubber stamp it as aid,
which it isn't.

Pennen can be a ruthless bastard
when he wants to be.

I've got a lot of stuff on -

No. No. You have to move on this
now, John.

Don't give them time to cover their
tracks. I'm off. Got a deadline.

You find out anything useful,
give us a bell.

I'm going to question Louise Guest.
Are you gonna come?

There's something I need to do here.

What's that?

Oh, shit, nearly forgot.
I've got to return that.

Your guy Trevor,
he was there five years ago?

Yes. Wife said they lived there
for a while.

That was the year Webster's mother
was murdered.

So were lots of people.

What else did she say?

That was it.
It's when they were happiest

and then they left.

Mrs Guest?

Louise Guest?

Yes...yes.

The grieving widow.

We just want to know a little more
about your time in 'Gullayn'.

It's 'Gullin'. Get it right.

You said that's when you were happy?
So why did you leave?

It was him. He just suddenly wanted
to up sticks.

Did he have work there?

He was doing some green keepin'.

They've got a posh golf course
down there. His cousin got him in.

Does the name Webster
mean anything to you?

It talks, does it?

Ben Webster?
Did he ever mention the name?

Not to me.

And you really don't know
why he wanted to leave Gullane?

Fell out with his cousin he said.

I don't know what went on.

RAUCOUS LAUGHTER

What's the cousin's name?
Duncan.

Duncan what?

I cannae remember.
I never spoke to him much.

He was a bit of a weirdo.

I don't know who killed Trevor.
I'm not sure I even care.

You still think she had something to
do with it?

I dunno. My instinct tells me that
this is adding up to something.

When you're guilty,
you try to look innocent.

We need to find the cousin.

I can't find anything,
I need more than Duncan.

Try Trevor Guest again.
I told you, he was clean.

Wait a minute.

Assault in Edinburgh two years ago.

A Duncan Barclay arrested but not
charged for a fight outside a pub.

So?

The address he gave,
it's a Gullane address.

Call the golf course
tomorrow morning.

Find out if a Duncan Barclay ever
worked there. If so, he's our man.

Don't need to. The man he attacked
was Trevor Guest,

who didn't want to press charges.

Get out the Gullane files.

What's happening? Siobhan said she's
looking into the Gullane killing
for you. That case is closed.

I need to know what you're thinking,
John. We're on very thin ice here.

This all comes back to Webster.

Guest knew something
about his mother's death.

The Gullane killing
and his death are connected.

And Pennen?
Not sure - yet.

OK. Only you,
me and Siobhan know about this.

Let's try and keep it that way.

I don't want Steelforth
coming after us again.

There definitely isn't a link
between Barclay and your family?

I can't think of one, no.

But Gullane's a small place.

Tell me about it, I grew up there.

And you don't know anything about
these guys Guest and Barclay?

I left when I was 18.

Was your brother killed because he
knew who murdered your mother?

I think you're chasing your tail,
John.

I found an e-mail that Ben wrote
to me. He never finished it.

It's here on his laptop. It's just
the usual, how are you type stuff,
until the end.

"..but my depression
has returned with a vengeance.

I feel like I'm back
in that dreadful place I was
five years ago..."

I just think you're creating
a mystery where there isn't one.

Oh, I should have been there
for him.

I just didn't see the signs.

Too busy stopping a fucking demo,

which is perfectly legal,
by the way.

I've lost everyone who's ever meant
anything to me.

I think that qualifies me
as being extremely needy.

I've got a streak of bad luck
as wide as the Forth.

Can you smell hash?

If it was any stronger
we'd be singing 'I Am The Walrus'.

DCS Templer. We're looking for
Duncan Barclay. Can we come in?

He's not here. Look, we're not
interested in what you've got
planned for the demo tomorrow

or what you might be smoking in
there, that's not our problem.

But we need to speak to
Duncan Barclay right now.

He was here, till a few days ago.

He just up and left.

He was upset about that killing.
Somebody stabbed, or something.

He said he was a cousin.

Where did he go?
Back home, I think.

Why are you asking me, anyway?

Why don't you ask
your undercover cop?

Rebus.

We've tracked down Barclay, but
there's something you should know.

He was one of the activists
that Special Branch was watching.

One of the group Stacy infiltrated.

They knew each other.

Oh, come on! You lied to me.
You did know Barclay!

Now you're trying to make me believe
you didn't know he and Guest were
cousins? I didn't.

Is my head buttoned up the back?
Where exactly are you going with
this?

Are you telling me everything
you know?! Yes!

You have to believe me.

You think Ben killed Guest
and then killed himself?

It's possible.

Did Ben know
that Guest was in Gullane

at the same time
your mother was murdered?

How could he?
You could have told him.

But I didn't!

I'll call you.

If you're going to Gullane,
I want to come with you. No.

This is about my mother's death,
Rebus.

That's exactly why you can't come.

We worked together for a while,
doing gardens, green keeping.

But he thought the world owed him.

He resented some of the money
round here,

and there's quite a bit of it.

Talked about robbing some of the big
houses. Wanted me to help him.

Then he stole some money from me
and just disappeared.

I didn't see him again
until I bumped into him in Edinburgh

and I just flew off the handle.

And did he?
What?

Rob houses.
Houses like the Webster's?

I...I can't be sure but,
I think he broke in.

And killed Mrs Webster?
I...I never said that.

Did he kill her, or did he not?

He said he did.
And you didn't tell anyone about it?

I...I didn't believe him.
He...he was a bullshit artist.

It...it took a while to sink in.

Jesus Christ!

Did you tell anyone else
about Trevor?

Who did you tell?

One of the group.

I...I was stoned
and talking to this woman...um...

she had long...long dark hair,
bunches.

It may not be as bad as you think.

You don't know what I'm thinking.

Yes I do.

Because there are only two options.

Either Stacy told Ben
and Ben killed him

and now she's trying
to protect his reputation.

Or...

Stacy?

Stacy?

Steelforth!

STEELFORTH!

I want some answers.

I'd wanted to find my mother's
killer for years.

Well, you could say
it was an obsession.

And then by pure chance
I got a name.

I had somebody in the frame.
Guest.

Did you kill him?
I started to check him out,

and I discovered
what kind of person he was

and I knew it was him.
I just knew, instinctively.

I'll ask that again.
Did you kill him?

Yes.

And your brother?

I went to share the good news
with him.

I thought he'd be pleased
justice had been done,

I mean, he was big on justice.

He wanted to go to the police
there and then.

I mean, he cared more about that
bastard Guest than he did about me.

I couldn't believe it.

I just...couldn't believe
that he'd ruined my life.

I started hitting him.

And I didn't mean to push him over,
I didn't.

You've got to believe me. I didn't.

Get your things.

You're under arrest.
Don't, John.

Get your things.

I'll disappear. You'll never
have to see or hear from me again.

Get your things! Now!