Smother (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Episode #1.6 - full transcript

A body was found this morning and we
have reason to believe that it's your

husband, Dennis Ahern.

My birthday gift
to you Val, your freedom.

I had reasons to kill dad.

You had reasons, we
can't have been the only ones.

Ingrid says you're
holding back how upset you were.

I woke up when Grace was
shouting and you weren't here.

I could hardly breathe
with the guilt over the fire.

I need you to come down to the
station Calum to answer a couple of
questions.

Did you really think
it wouldn't get back to me?

Your noble betrayal.



I just want to reassure you that I'm
not going anywhere until I find out
the truth.

Here she looks
tired, I'll put her back.

Come here you beautiful thing.

Cherish every moment.

Time goes past so quickly.

Before you know it, they're
not so dependent on you anymore.

I think I'm going to get a coffee.

Anna?

Good idea, need chocolate.

Do you want anything?

No, no, no, I'm fine thank you.

I know what you're thinking.

I know you don't.

Oh, look I was only 17 when I had
you in London and I was on my own.



I know mum.

No, look, I know I wasn't always
from for you Jenny, and I, I...

I have huge regrets about that.

It doesn't matter.
Well it does to me.

Everything was up in the air.

If, if Dennis hadn't asked me to
marry him, like he did, I don't know

what we would have done.

So what you're telling me, that you
married dad so we'd have a roof over
our heads?

No I was in love with Dennis, it's
just that, the security he offered

was definitely, it wasn't something
that I wasn't aware of, let's put it
that way.

You wouldn't understand.

Actually I think I do.

I don't think there's
anything I wouldn't do for her.

Good.

That's how it should be.

Sorry, that will be me.

You're not supposed to have
your phone on in the hospital.

It was dead, it was charging.

Jesus!

I have to go.

Anna!

Anna?
What's going on?

That was Rory.

Would you go home and
check on him, I need to go.

Calum's at the garda station.

What the hell do you
think you're doing Paudie?

He's a child, you
can't just arrest him.

Anna, take it easy.

And he's not arrested.

He's just here for a chat.

I told that to Rory.

He said he was going to call you.

We didn't hear from you.

We asked Calum if there was
anyone else he'd like to contact.

I came as soon as I heard.

He suggested his mother.

Well I'm his mother.

Like I said,I told Rory.

He's a bit, under the weather is he?

Rory's not thinking
straight at the moment.

But I'm here now and
I want to take Calum home.

We can do that, if you insist,
but I would advise otherwise.

Any reluctance
to co-operate might...

Co-operate?

Heclattered a few local thugs
Paudie, it's hardly murder one.

What?

Dennis' body.

The pathologist
reports finally came in.

It suggests that prior to the fall
a wound was inflicted to his head.

Calum has a temper, but he's not...

It's just a chat.

Just a chat to
rule things out, that's all.

When you say stop we'll stop.

Okay?

Rory?

Rory?

Hey, Anna, is everything okay?

They think it wasn't an accident.

They think someone killed dad.

What, do they think Calum...

No, no, I don't know, no
it's just to rule things out.

Elaine was here.

Calum asked for her.

Is she there with you now?

No, she left, she told me I
should be the one to be with him.

Anna?

Mum, I need to go.

Listen, don't tell Rory, okay?
Let me explain.

No, okay, Anna,
Anna just be very careful.

(line drops)

(Distant voices) Calum!
Open the door! Jacob, Jacob. Calum!

Rory?

Hey, come here, let me help.

Oh, hey...

No!

I got a call from my oncologist.

I thought it was months, but
the most I have is a few weeks.

I can't stop thinking about it.

I can't stop
thinking about the fire.

Rory?

If there's something on your mind,
now might be the time, it might...

Well it might help
to, to talk about it.

Elaine, she was meant to
make the dinner that night.

But when I got home she was passed
out on the couch, the boys were

starving, then I realised
she hadn't even bought any food.

The corner shop was
about to close, so I...

I was only gone two minutes.

LOUD BANGING

I forgot my keys.

(Distant voices)
Open the door, open the door!

Elaine, open the door!

Calum!

Open the door!

(coughing)

Calum!

No!

It wasn't Elaine.

It was me.

Elaine had been at it all
day and she couldn't remember.

She thought she left the pan on.

And you never told her otherwise?

Thanks for being here Calum,
sorry about the delay there.

Now, the lads on the beach there,
they say that you assaulted them.

Do you deny it?

That you attacked them?

No.
Calum!

Alfie Dillon says that you used a
hurl as a weapon, is that what you
used?

Yeah.

I believe there's
some history, at your school?

We made a few calls.

How is this relevant?

How is it not?

Your son has a temper.

He lashed out at
school and on the beach.

And maybe another time.

How was your relationship
with your grandad Calum?

How do you think it was.

He loved him.

I thought he was a bully.

And you don't like bullies do you?

They make you lose your temper.
All right, stop!

That's enough.
Calum, come on.

Where were you the
night of the party Calum?

I mean after everyone had left?

He was in bed,he's a child.

He was there...
No.

He was using his grandfather's
credit card just after midnight at

McGrath's garage, large Doritos, two
bottles of Lucozade and a packet of
cigarettes.

I can show you the video.

Anna, hi.

How is Calum?

He's inside,
we're not done here yet.

Right.

I'll wait.

If that's okay?

Actually it's not.

I'm sorry.

Look I don't care
what they say he's done.

What are they saying?

They've CCTV of him buying
stuff at the garage the night of his

grandfather's death.

Calum said he went there,
then to the beach and then home.

That's what he says.

Then that's what he did.

That's all he did.

Anna, Calum's not a liar.

To him the truth is everything.

Yeah...
(speaking Danish)

Uncle Vigo sends his regards.

Tell him hi.

Everything okay?

Em, sure, it's
just a business thing.

He has to sell some stocks for me.

For Val?

For Jenny.
No for Val.

Do you think I want to eat
into our savings account like that?

Because believe me, I don't.

But Jenny, she's in trouble.

I can't just sit
here and do nothing.

I don't want her kid to
be brought up in jail, do I?

Not when I know that I
can stop that from happening.

Are you sure they'd do
the same thing for you?

I don't know honey, but I know who
I am and if I don't do this, then...

And Calum?

Any more news?

His temper is not helping his case.

I see.

The boys from the
beach, the ones he attacked.

Yeah, well it was just one boy's
family who actually reported it,

but the guards are just using what
they've heard from them to prop up

their investigation
into everything else.

Yeah, but he still
attacked them, didn't he?

Well they deserved it.

Umm...

No, no, dad.

Alfie Dillon is a little shit, the
things him and his friends have been

saying about me, and you actually.

And when you were in Calum's
position, all he ever did was stand

up for me.

Alfie Dillon?

Yeah.

Frank?

Frank?

Val?

(Chuckles) All right.

He wrote me out of his will.

I don't see what
that has to do with anything.

No it's not that, it's Spaniard's
Bluff, have you heard of it?

No, should I have?

He left it to Grace.

What is it?

Well without Dennis here to
explain it's just words on paper.

If it's a property, I don't know why
he wouldn't have sold it already.

Do you want me to look into it?

Val?

You could have
called to ask me that.

Calum's with the guards,
they think he killed Dennis.

What?

Look, I don't
believe he did and I...

I don't think you do either.

Do you Frank?

These Seaview developments,
Dennis knew you reported him to the

Planning Department, that's
why he cut you out of the will.

But did he ever
confront you over it?

You think I killed Dennis?

Frank, what happened?

Dennis?

What do you want Frank?

I want to get this out in the open.

What, so you
can what, clear the air?

Yeah.

You're right Dennis, it was me.

It wasn't fair to those people.

They would have bought
those houses without knowing.

This wasn't just another stroke
Dennis, this was real people's
lives.

Okay, so it was nothing personal.

You did it for the people.

Well good job brother, because
those people are now stuck in limbo,

waiting for something
that might never get finished.

So it's another Frank success story
that reverse Midas touch of yours.

As lucky in business
as you are in love huh?

You know, it was a shame
you and Rita never lasted.

I liked her.

Right then I hated him so much.

Were you scared what you might do?

I was scared all right.

Scared of him.

I always have been.

There was a side to
Dennis that maybe you never saw.

Oh...

I think I was aware
of all his sides, Frank.

Did you ever see
him not get his own way?

Whoever he was talking to when
I walked up was getting the full
treatment.

I know what it feels
like to be on the end of his...

Cruelty.

It's like he always knew
what to say to hurt you most.

And you would do
anything to get away from it.

Anything.

Do you know who it was?

His focus was on the development,
so maybe it was somebody who was,

I don't know, trying to
buy it out from underneath him.

But like, they all do that.

Dennis included.

I can't see them
killing each other over it.

It's just business to them.

Unless it wasn't just business.

Don't be running away
from it, go into it, go on!

Get in again Alfie.

Looks like his recent trauma
hasn't affected his performance.

What the fuck are you doing here?

Where did you get that?

It doesn't prove anything.

No you're right it doesn't.

You need to see this.

No thanks, you're all right.

I'm not like you.

I'm not into kids, bloody paedo.

Love filming things don't you?

No but Ronnie,
Ronnie this is not kids.

This is you, painting my house.

So what I want you to do is to
call the Gardai and tell them you're

officially withdrawing your
complaint against Calum Lynch, okay?

Enjoy the practice.

Thank you for coming Alannah.

Thank you.

It's okay Val, I'm
not going to make you beg.

I'm going over Ned's head, it's my
money anyway and I choose to invest
in Seaview.

(Chuckles)

I thought you wanted to
put the past behind us and move on?

We were best friends Alannah.

We were inseparable.

Val, I have tried to explain.

I have no excuse, but
it was the worst time for me.

You didn't have to
take the girls from me too.

You know how much they meant to me.

Did you think about them when
you were screwing their father?

You see, what you never got was
it was never about sex with Dennis.

What really got his rocks off was
while he was shafting you, he was

really enjoying you shafting me.

And that is what you did.

I'll never forgive you for it.

Tell me one thing, Ned said nothing,
but he's been cold for years.

Did Dennis tell him?

No, I did.

You took the girls
from me, you took Ned from me.

You know, in my own
shitty way I loved Ned.

Why did he stay with me?

He stayed with you
for your money, Alannah.

You know, what I did was stupid.

But what you did was cruel.

I won't be stupid again.

Tell me this, on the night of
the party, were either of you or Ned

talking to Dennis in the garden?

Frank said he saw...
What the hell are you on about?

I stayed for the first couple
of hours and I drove Ned home.

He was beyond drunk.

We were never in the garden.

I don't know what
this is about, I'm done.

Alannah, Alannah...

Do you know what
Spaniard's Bluff is?

Calum.

The complaint made by
the Dillons has been withdrawn.

So it's over?

Go on up and see your
brother, he's been worried.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm much better.

Thanks Calum.

It's really about dad.

Dennis?

I didn't tell anyone
that you snuck out that night.

I swear.
I know.

You and Dennis?

He was trying to
take the children from me.

You killed Dennis?

This doesn't belong to you.

Dennis asked you to
sign that for him, didn't he?

It took a while to convince me.

Quite a while.

I mean, giving over
all rights to your own kids.

But eh...

I thought he loved me.

You know, I've been broken for so
long, so alone, he was charming,

he was handsome.

He'd all the answers.

He told me that Anna was always
afraid that she'd lose control of

the boys, that
I'd somehow win them back.

He said if I signed, she'd move
home, I'd get access, that they'd be

part of my life again.

I was an idiot.

I gave them to him
on the night of the party.

Thank you.

It's the right thing to do Elaine.

For the boys, and for you.

Come on, they're inside.

It was seeing Jacob and Calum again.

It was almost too much.

And when everyone was
celebrating, I, I found their room.

I just wanted a toy or a
photo or anything, to take with me.

And that's when Rory
and Anna came upstairs.

Are you okay?

I heard them talking about
the tumour and the prognosis.

He didn't have long left.

We're going to get the
test and find another way.

And that's when it suddenly
dawned on me what Dennis was doing.

It was all just
about getting me to sign.

Dennis Ahern wouldn't want any
grandchildren to be taken away from

him or his daughter.

What he wanted...

Was to take them
away from me, forever.

I'm going to get a lawyer.

No, you're not going to get anybody.

Do you fucking hear me Elaine?

Do you!

Dennis?

I'm sorry.

We can sort this out, okay?
Please!

He called to say
we'd talk through it later.

At an old meeting place.

He said he was sorry
for losing his temper.

I lost my temper
I should not have done that.

Said we'd sort it out,
said all the old things, but...

You just have to trust me.

It was like I'd
woken up or something.

Hey, hey, hey...

Where are you going?

I have nothing more to say to you.

If you want to talk to me again
you can do it through my solicitor.

Your solicitor?

Ah Elaine, no judge, no anyone,
is going to give someone like you

custody of my grandchildren.

I'm their mother.

I've sorted myself out.

It's not like it was.
Says you.

What?

Do you remember
your friend Sarah Ryan?

From rehab?

I haven't seen her since...
That's not what she says.

What she will say to a judge, a
social worker, whoever, is to tell

them about the
wild nights in her flat.

And not just drink, all sorts,
cocaine, pills, call yourself a
mother?

No...

You're bluffing.

Get off me, get your
hands off me, get off!

Okay, we'll see who's bluffing.

Not only won't you get custody, I'm
going to make sure the boys never

see you again.

Because they're
never going to want to.

I'm going to tell
them whatever I want.

Whatever it takes
to make them hate you.

No!

Shut up!

(Screaming)
I said shut up.

(Screams) Help!

Help!

You fucking bitch!

No...

(Blood curdling scream)

Oh God.

In that moment all I could think
about was how he tried to take my
boys from me.

I took the papers from
him so that wouldn't happen.

And now...

Now I need them to help Calum.

So what?
You're going to turn yourself in?

Well...

What choice do I have?

But it was self-defence.

What does it matter?

I'm not going to
get my boys back now am I?

Dennis was right.

Who'd give custody
to someone like me?

What is it?
Is there more?

Mam?

There's something I need to tell you.

It was self-defence,
Elaine is the victim here.

She's not...
Oh come on, some fucking victim.

She let everyone think
dad had fallen or killed himself.

He made her sign a custody agreement,
Anna, giving over any claim to her

own sons, and on top of
that he tried to blackmail her.

No, I don't buy it.

Anna!
You're pathetic.

All of you.

Falling for a 'poor me' story.

Dad knew exactly
how to handle her type.

She's a bloody murderer,
I'm calling the Guards.

You asked your father to get
this paper signed, didn't you?

Anna?

He said he'd help,
I didn't know he'd...

Oh Anna.

She doesn't deserve those
boys, what choice did I have?

You really want to give custody back
to a woman who let her house burn

down while she was passed
out blind drunk on the sofa?

Do you?

What is going on? Why are
you looking at him like that?

Rory, you need to tell her.

Tell me what?

Rory?
The fire...

It wasn't Elaine's fault.

Wellwhose fault...

I'm sorry.

Anna...

No.

Tomorrow morning Elaine is turning
herself in to the Guards, I want her

to spend her last night
of freedom with her children.

I think it's the very least
this family owes her, don't you?

Can you come back tomorrow?

Em, I don't think I can.

I have to be up
pretty early in the morning.

It might be a while before I'm
able to come and see you both again.

But I, I'd like to come again,
if you'll still want me to that is.

Why wouldn't we want you to?

Thank you for coming.

I just, I just needed to see you.

Look Karl I know, I know that lately
I've not... I've not been great.

I wanted you to choose me Val.

Not to be left with me.

I did...

I did choose you, I...

Karl I need you now, okay?

More than I ever did.

Don't do this, come on.

I mean think of all the plans we
made, the things we were going to do
together.

I have thought of it all,
I, I can't take this anymore.

I can't take it anymore.

I'm always coming second with you.

What to my family, to my children?

Why can't I have both?

I don't know.

So this is it then, is it?

Yeah.

This is it.

Karl, thank you for helping Jenny.

She deserves to be with her child.

I know what it feels
like to have that threatened.

It's, it's not right.

Subtitles

How could you let her believe
that she'd hurt her own children?

All that time.

I can't even imagine.

She was drunk.

She was so drunk she didn't
even realise, for a minute, that it
wasn't her.

It could easily have been her.

But it wasn't.

And it wasn't fair.

Fair?

Getting Dennis involved was fair?

I just...

I couldn't bear the thought of
losing everything, you know, just
like that.

And without you
I've no hold over the boys.

My boys.

I just wanted to get it done.

I wanted life to
get back to normal again.

Things are never
going to be normal again.

It's nearly over... the film.

I was thinking she
should stay the night.

It's okay by me.

Yeah, it's okay, yeah.

Let her spend as much
time as she wants with the boys.

Hey.

They're off to bed.

Jacob always liked a glass
of water by his bedside, so...

Sit down.

Just let me know when
the young lad gets here.

What's this?

It's Dennis Ahern's blood.

Calum didn't kill his grandfather.

I did.

Once Detective Manning sees the
blood on the letter and hear's Rory's

version of events, he'll
have no reason to look elsewhere.

This is... no, we can't just...

Anna.

The boys...

They're going to lose me anyway.

This way they'll lose less.

Think what it will do to them
to see Elaine on trial for murder?

It was an accident.

But if you...

Anna, I'm not
going to make any trial.

You need to be here for them after.

You need to let this happen.

Mum!

This is the right thing to do.

For the boys, for us all.

But it's not the truth.

I think we should all know that.

What we're doing here...

What we're doing
here is best for this family.

No one else gets
the right to decide that.

I asked Dennis to get
the custody agreement signed.

He did.

But he wouldn't hand it over.

He wanted money.

He was in trouble over Seaview.

I wouldn't pay.

And there was a fight.

(Loud scream)

(Val screams) You fucker!

For all, the truth about us will
be brought out in the law court of
Christ.

And each of us will get what he
deserves, for the things he did in

the body, good or bad.

This is the word of the Lord.

Look I'll see you
back at the house, all right?

Yeah.

Mam?

Coming?

Yeah, I'll be, I'll be
with you in a second sweetheart.

What is it, is there more?

Help!

Yeah, yeah.

Please, please.

Please.

Elaine, Elaine, help, please!