The Mallorca Files (2019–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - The Blue Feather - full transcript

My pen!

Please!

Please...

Oh, no! No!

Oh, please!

Don't hurt me!

Big night?

Oh... Oh, yeah.

Me and Carmen throwing shapes on
the dance floor till sunrise.

Monday's the new Friday,
then, is it?

What actually happened was
that we stared at paint charts



till the small hours, trying to
agree on new colours for the bar.

Let me guess - no agreements?

Winter? Blake?

Come.

A birdwatcher.

A British birdwatcher.

And there was I, hoping for
a nice and quiet Tuesday.

Tony Ball. His wife Linda has already
called us six or seven times this morning.

She hasn't heard from him
since Sunday evening.

He often vanishes in search
of birds apparently,

but he always lets his wife know where
he is and when he might be returning.

Maybe he hadn't intended to
return.

Hmm! An unfaithful homing
pigeon?

Well, Linda swears Tony is a
loving and devoted husband.



What the eye doesn't see?

While we're checking the traffic-cams,
I want you two to go and talk to Linda.

Intuition?

Information.

Tony also happens to be a diabetic.

He carries a insulin kit
in his camper van,

but, you know, if he's had an
accident somewhere remote...

The address of the villa.

Pollenca.

Pollenca!

That's us at a works do.

Our staff nicknamed him Tony Bore.

Every T crossed, every I dotted.

It's so unlike him not to have
checked in with me.

And all he told you was that he
was heading out to the coast?

Hmm.

Well, there's that patch
of marshland over in Maristany.

Or the natural reserve at
Mondrago.

To be honest, it probably went in
one ear and out of the other.

I was busy fixing a vegan
smoothie for Cesar.

Cesar?

My massage therapist. He comes to
do my back every Sunday.

Hmm.

So I got back from my swimming class
last night and then I realised

24 hours had gone by
without a word from Tony.

Does he ever join you at the
pool? Tony?

No! He's terrified of water.

Oh, you don't think he could've
fallen in somewhere, do you?

Erm...

I was just wondering what kind of
things you might like to do together?

Together?

Tony's as interested in my exercise
room as I am his man cave.

I like to dance -
Tony's got two left feet.

I love my golf - he likes to think
of it as a good walk spoiled.

Might he have had other
plans for Sunday night?

Tony's plans only ever
concern birds.

He'd gone out to watch
nocturnal species,

whatever they may be.

Owls, maybe?
Oh.

My dad was a keen twitcher.

Used to wake me up to hear them
twit-twoo-ing outside my window.

Happy days.

But less happy nights, I'd
imagine.

Does this place ring any bells,
Linda?

Oh, yeah. Tony might've been there
once or twice.

Seems like a good place for Max and
I to start making some enquiries.

Wouldn't you say?

Imagine, my friends...

...how it must feel to be
captured and imprisoned,

torn from your family and
friends.

Aw...

You can't sing or feed...

...and then...

...transported overseas
by ruthless criminals,

you contract a virus from
your filthy cage...

...dying a slow and miserable
death.

So the choice is ours -

we either stand fast against
the enemies of nature

or we lose our beautiful birds
for ever.

Warden Alvarez?

It depends who's looking for
him.

Let me finish with these kids,

then I would be happy to help
you personally.

We appreciate the offer,

but it would be better if my partner
and I search on our own.

The serious birders tend to head for
what we call our hotspots,

where they are more likely to
spot rarer species, vagrants

or migratory visitors.

You should start with these.
Take a couple of our mountain bikes.

It will make things a lot quicker.

Emilia, fetch our friends some
binoculars, would you?

Thank you.

Emilia's the best assistant I
ever had,

and I've had a few.

Gracias.

Miss Fernandez cares deeply about
the natural world.

Ah!
You might recognise Tony Ball.

We mustn't hold you up, Emilia.

We are currently conducting an
important research programme,

ringing and recording
migratory species.

Emilia here is in charge of
hanging our mist nets.

Vital work.

Do you know, Max, I don't
know what I find more weird -

Emilia's body language, or her boss
putting her on a pedestal like that?

Ah, that famous fertile
imagination.

Me? Who was it that came up with the
melodramatic love triangle theory?

Which we still shouldn't discount.
Max...

...Tony and Linda just got
used to living separate lives.

It can happen in a marriage.

Just because you helped Carmen pick
out some colours for the bar

doesn't mean she wants you to join
her on one of her spray-can sorties.

So, this is the wild beyond, huh?

Honestly, Max, you can be
such a snob.

I'm just more your
metropolitan type.

I used to say the same to my dad

when he insisted on hauling me off
to see the puffins on Skomer Island

or the red kites on the Brecon
Beacons.

Yes, well, my character was formed
quite some time ago.

Oh, we all know that!

What's that supposed to mean?

To be at one with nature requires an
appreciation of stillness and silence.

Well, silence is just plain weird to
an urban guy like me... Whoa!

Well, must've had a loose
spoke, or something.

Hmm.

No further questions, milord!

Well, seeing as we've, er, stopped,

I think we ought to find out if Emilia
Fernandez has any previous, don't you?

You sure you're not over-reacting?

As sure as I know you'll never
win the Tour de France.

Patience is a virtue too, you know.

Uh-huh.
Give things time.

You never know what might turn up.

If it turns up at all.

OK.

Emilia Fernandez, 22 years
old, one of five kids,

hard-knock upbringing
in a Son Gotleu tenement.

Currently serving 12 months'
probation.

For what? Don't know. They'll
get back to us about that.

Uh-huh.
Still think I'm over-reacting?

Well, we'll see.

Argh! Urgh!

Argh! There's more than mud
in that mud!

Well, luckily, I happened to pick
up my dry-cleaning this morning.

Shh-shh-shh.
Don't move.

Hello?

May we help you?

I beg your pardon?

You seem rather interested in us.

I was observing a purple gallinule,
but you're blocking my view of it.

And now you've scared it off.

Hmm.

This place is huge.

Keep up, Max, we need to
find him.

Oh. We're going to have to ask
Ines for help.

You ask for help?

Give things some time, and you never
know what might turn up.

Hmm...

Time.

See?

What did I tell you?

Oh.

Tony?

Mr Ball?

Must've taken some driving for Tony
to get all the way out here.

Well, it's tricky enough
on mountain bikes.

Hmm.

Max.

Ball's lunch?

His insulin kit.

His undisturbed insulin kit.

At least he's take his injector pen.

Well, even if he has,

he wouldn't have enough
insulin to keep him going for...

12, maybe 15 hours.

Yeah. And he's been missing
for 36 hours.

Miranda my hands are tied.

Sending dog teams and helicopters
into a conservation area

requires a specific warrant

that takes time to obtain -
time you simply don't have.

Well, there's a diabetic man out here,
possibly injured, in dire straits.

I'll send an officer team
as soon as I can, OK?

In the meantime, you and Max will
have to search a little harder

and a lot faster.

Easy for her to say.

Help me!

Somebody help me!

I think we might be...

...a bit lost.

We?

You're in charge of the map!

But how's anyone supposed to follow
it without any discernible landmarks?

Well, I managed OK.

Yeah, but you are at one with
nature.

Max, this wilderness you've brought
us to is so far off any beaten track,

do you really imagine we're going to
come across anything that...?

Sorry, you were saying...?

No diabetic would ever be careless
enough to drop their insulin pen.

Miranda!

Badminton net?

It's a mist net.

For trapping birds.

One of Emilia's?

Ah, here!

Hmm.

Could Tony have been trying
to drag himself away?

So you think someone else might have
done the dragging?

Yeah, if they stumbled across one of
those criminals Emilia mentioned.

But why would they want to harm some
kooky British birdwatcher?

Oh! Here.

Hang on, Ines.

Go.

There's been a break-in
at the Balls' villa.

Is Linda OK?

She's a bit shaken, but she's
fine.

We'll get over there straight away.

I've sent forensics along, too.

OK.
Ines, listen.

This break-in confirms our
suspicions.

Max and I have uncovered evidence that
points to Ball having been abducted.

So he might not be in the park
after all?

Good job I didn't call in
ground search.

We might have to amend our
investigation.

To kidnapping?

Or worse.

Black tie.

Not quite what I pictured
when you said dry-cleaning.

Needs must.

Hmm.

I'll pack a posh frock next
time, shall I?

So, you think Tony's having an
affair, and Linda, having found out...

And consumed by rage.

...hired a hitman to disappear him?

Yeah.

Or Linda's the one doing the dirty.

Conspires with her Latin lover,

and bumps off her tiresome hubby.

Hmm. I think that tux might have
gone to your head, Agent Winter.

I'm just exploring every avenue.

Next, you'll be asking me
to believe that Linda

and her enamorado staged
this whole break-in so...

Max!

Whoa!

Did you get the plate number?

I mean, I'm good, Max,
but I'm not that good.

It was a blue pick-up.

Whew.

I thought Tony had come
home so I called out to him

and that's when I must have
scared off whoever was down here.

The rest of the house is secure.

I thought it was only make-believe -
agents wearing black tie on the job?

Oh, it's, erm, complicated.

Sorry! Sorry.

So, Linda, did you hear a car or a
van?

Slamming doors, screeching tyres?

Not a thing.
What if they'd parked close by,

taken whatever it was they were after,
loaded it into, erm, let's say, a...?

A pick-up truck?
... a pick-up truck,

then flew the coop undetected?

Don't mind me.

We're trying not to.

It feels more like a command
post than a twitchers' den.

Tony's always run things like
a military operation -

the company, his medicines,

his hobby.

I was starting to wonder

if he even enjoyed birdwatching any
more. It's become a...

Compulsion?

Or obsession.

A never-ending quest to
archive, to collect everything.

Mmm. My dad reckoned twitchers
could be fiercely competitive, too.

Oh, there's definitely a
pecking order.

When I discovered the break-in,

I thought it might be a jealous
rival,

out to steal his records
or teach him a lesson.

In which case, our intruder must have
been looking for something specific.

Something only they and
Tony must have known about.

Something they had to retrieve
before anyone else could...

Wow, I never realised birdwatching
required so many toilet rolls.

I certainly didn't find it that
exciting.

Honestly, what am I like?

Hang on.

The Lucky Cat.

Puerto de Pollenca.

A boat... maybe?

Someone, anyone, please,
I need help.

Please...

Pick a boat, any boat.

Sorry.

He's just miffed he didn't get
the tuxedo memo.

Isn't that the truck that tried to
run us off the road?

What are you doing?

No guts, no glory.
Miranda Blake!

There's a lot of parking tickets.

Vehicle registered to one
Felipe Santos of Palma.

So he didn't get these close to
home.

The old town market.

Yeah, every single ticket.

All issued at the same time of day.

So Santos is a creature of habit.

And a creature with money to burn
- if he's intending to pay all these fines.

Max.

Exotic enough for you?

Then maybe he keeps a budgerigar.

What, in a pick-up?

I don't know.

I'm just exploring every avenue.

Let's ask for him in that cafe.

Excuse me. We're looking for a
Felipe Santos?

He's over there.

Oh. Gracias.

Mr Santos?

Ahora hablamos.

That's a novel take on plain
clothes, I must say.

Can we talk?

This is about the fire, right?

I didn't know somebody had
reported it.

News travels fast on the
island, eh?

Yeah, yet another dispute
over fishing rights.

I never thought ours would become
such a cut-throat industry.

Come on, I'll show you the damage.

The Lucky Cat.

How ironic.

Let's see where this leads.

Thank God it burnt itself out before
it could do too much damage.

When did you find out about it?

One of my crew called this
morning to tell me.

Is that why you nearly collided
with us?

In your haste to get back here?

Was that you?

Mm.

I'm sorry.

What had you been up to in Pollenca?

I crashed at a pal's place last
night.

You know how it goes -
we sank a few beers.

You very nearly sank us.
I can't apologise enough.

That call sent me into a
tailspin, I'm afraid.

Such a tailspin you forgot to
report the fire to us?

This boat is my livelihood.
We can see that.

Private charters, dolphin cruises.

Birdwatching trips.

A little extra income
for a poor fishermen.

Does a birdwatcher named Tony Ball
mean anything to you?

He booked a trip to go and watch
seabirds at first light yesterday.

He never showed up.

Left me out of pocket.

And then, on top of that...

Why you ask?

We think he might be in trouble.

What kind of trouble?

We can't be certain... yet.

Our orders are to find him
as soon as possible.

When did you last see him?

Last week.

We met for a coffee at some
cafe in town.

We discuss a trip, agreed a
date, set a price.

Listen, when you find the guy
- and I hope you do -

you let him know I'll be charging
him a cancellation fee.

So, do you think he's our intruder?

I'd bet my muddy boots on it.

And as Tony Ball is terrified
of water,

it's unlikely he chartered the
Lucky Cat.

The weird thing is, however Santos
fits in the picture,

I get the feeling he genuinely doesn't
know what might have happened to Ball.

And if his parking tickets are
anything to go by,

that cafe where the two of them
met must be near the market, right?

Great minds.

I need my medicine...

Senor Tony's a regular of mine.
One of the good guys.

Is he OK?

Well, there's a chance he
might not be.

He ordered an Americano, then sat
at his usual table with Felipe.

Felipe Santos?

You know Felipe?

Ah, who doesn't?

Does Tony meet anyone else
here? A woman, perhaps?

Sure.

Is that her?

Definitely not, no.

This is her. Dear old Anna who runs
the pet shop over by the market.

Well, we should go and talk to
her, anyway, huh?

Miranda?
Hmm.

So, if it wasn't the boat trip Santos
and Tony were discussing, what then?

I don't know. Money?

We know Tony and Linda
overstretched themselves.

Let's say Santos had been
trapping birds.

Tony could have caught him
red-handed

and threatened to shop him unless he
paid him to keep quiet.

The wardens at the nature park

are convinced there's a ring of
bird-smugglers operating on the island.

Oh, that comes as terrible
news to me.

I well recall those dark days of the
bird market in Barcelona,

when one could buy or sell
any wild creature.

Thankfully, that dreadful business
was outlawed years ago.

So, erm, your birds here...?

Zebra finches, canaries.

All bred in captivity?

Under strict licence, I assure you.

As we're here, perhaps you
could identify this for us?

Oh...

From a wild species, I'm guessing.

From the back of
a van, actually.

Not my forte, I'm afraid.

And now, if you'll excuse me,

I have an appointment
in the town centre.

It was nice to meet you both.

I pray you'll find your man.

Bye.

So, according to that waiter, she
and Santos meet on a regular basis.

Dear old Anna sells birds.

And Santos owns a boat.

A damaged boat - matching Anna's
damaged hand.

You spotted that too?

Stay with me, 007!

Received and understood.
Thanks.

Emilia Fernandez.

Charged with assaulting a police officer
during an environmental protest in Palma.

I stand corrected.

So, if Anna brokers the deals,

Santos ships the merch to the mainland,
Emilia could be their supplier.

That impassioned speech of hers and
her love of nature merely a smokescreen?

Showtime!

Look, she's got a second bag.
You keep tabs on her.

I'll speak to the cashier.

Max, can you hear me?
Loud and clear.

Too loud and clear.

Cashier confirmed that Anna
just withdrew 10,000 in cash.

Well, she's in a hurry to get it
here.

Here being...?

The good ship Santos.

Although I can't imagine Anna's money
will be used to pay for its repair.

Hmm. You and me both.

I won't be long.

Try not to drop that.

What's that supposed to mean?

A blue feather you mislaid
in your pick-up.

Those snooping cops found it.

I could have lost my boat last
night.

Oh. If our clients had wanted that,

they'd have made certain of it,
believe me.

Besides, we got the fire out,
didn't we?

We should consider
ourselves lucky

the only thing they want
is their deposit back.

Their associates will be here

to collect it any minute.
Don't think so.

You also dropped this at Tony's
villa. Your boat's ignition key, right?

Whoa! Ow!

Where's Tony Ball, Santos?

Like I said, I wish I could tell
you.

What happened to Tony Ball, Anna?

I'd love to know, for my own sake.

Meaning?

I think I know. Tony Ball hadn't
been watching birds...

He'd been trapping them!

Third point of the triangle.

Tony Ball's your supplier,
right, Anna?

It came to me when I watched

Caleb poking serviettes
into the napkin rings.

Those toilet rolls
you found at the villa -

they were little straitjackets for
our smugglers' winged prisoners.

No struggle, easier to smuggle.

You and your accomplice will be
handed over to

the mainland authorities as part of
a global investigation into

the trafficking of wild birds.

They have huge resources.

What about your resources?

Have they brought you any
closer to finding your man?

Back to square one, huh?

Emilia Fernandez.

My thoughts exactly.

Meet us at the nature reserve!
And bring an ambulance!

Without his insulin, Tony Ball's
living on borrowed time.

Max!

Huh?
The bee-eater.

"This harlequin of a bird is often
persecuted for its plumage. "

Where there's persecution,
there's money.

Lots, usually.

Emilia?
Emilia? Where are you?

I need your help at the
old disused quarry ASAP.

Why leave her radio behind?

"We either stand fast against
the enemies of nature

"or lose our beautiful birds for
ever. "

Emilia Fernandez - cop-punching
eco-vigilante and bird-trafficker.

Except that I didn't write it.

And I'm not hiding.
Not any longer.

He'd been watching me
like a hawk all morning.

Who?

Alvarez.

He said if I came to you, especially
having a criminal record,

you'd charge me with being
an accomplice.

He used that actual word?

I couldn't bear the thought of
losing my job but had to tell you.

Eduardo had seen Tony Ball
here three days ago...

...hanging nets and drilling
holes. So... So these...

...are his words?

And you and I discovered more by
ignoring those spots that he gave us.

What's the quickest way to
the quarry?

Chico can take us.

Chico?

Warden Alvarez, this is
Detective Blake.

Look, we know that Tony Ball
is a bird-smuggler.

We've arrested his
accomplices. Over.

You tell that traitor Emilia
she's finished here! Finished!

I gave her a chance when no-one
else would have!

Just tell us where Ball is,
and we can bring him in too!

And then what? Hit him with a
fine or a suspended sentence?

No, rest assured, that devil is
exactly where I want him to be.

Over there!

Well spotted.

Just patience and silent
observation. Keep him talking!

Er, so you're aware that Ball
is a diabetic,

and unless he's getting his regular
insulin injections, he's going to die?

Look, I'll make this very
simple for you.

Tell us where he is
or face a murder charge.

What about all those
creatures he murdered?

He can't be allowed to get
away with that.

And now I must be allowed to
conclude proceedings.

He's on the move. He's heading
towards the quarry.

We'd better hurry.

Where did he go?

Through there.

It's the only entrance.

Follow me. Stay close.

And I thought those
marshes were weird.

Well, at least we're not on bikes.

He can't have gone far.

He must be here somewhere.

Let's take a look.

Be careful, Max.

He's not in here.

Keep going down to the bottom.
He must be there.

Gotcha.

Let me go!

I have to hear it from Ball that he
promises never to come back here!

That he'll never capture or
sell another single bird!

Stay there! That's a good warden.

I only did what was right. These
killers must be stopped.

Max! Max...

Tony?

Tony?

He's alive.

His insulin pen.

I've still got it.

Tony?

He's coming round.

Your turn to be locked up, Alvarez.

This is what I administered into his
arm if you need to take a look.

Who are you?

Oh, just the woman who
saved your life.

Detective Miranda Blake.

Our money was running out.

I swore to Linda I'd take care
of things.

And smuggling birds was your way
of upholding that promise?

When Anna and Santos showed me the
money I could make,

I knew where the birds would be.

And how to trap them.

Another one of your military
operations?

Miranda?
Hmm?

For better or for worse, eh?

So Ball and co were just a tiny
cog in a much bigger machine?

Prosecutions have been
made as far and wide

as Peru, Brazil, Vietnam.

We may have won this battle, but
the war goes on.

Thank you.

Nice suit, by the way.

Mm!

I should thank you, too.
For what?

For helping me realise
I did the right thing.

Listen, if you need a reference
for the vacant head warden's job...

Really?

100%.

Come on, I'll give you a ride back.

Yeah, the sort of case,
following which...

I could use a new tuxedo?

I was going to say,

"Two hard-working operatives
could use a drink. "

I said I might meet
Carmen for dinner so, erm...

What, in those clothes?

Besides...

...something I'd like to give you.

Hm?

Thank you.

"To Max, from your silent,
patient partner in the field. "

I bought it from the nature
park when you weren't looking.

Oh, here...

"Having laid her eggs,
the female phalarope

"immediately asserts her
independence,

"leaving her partner
to incubate the clutch

"and rear their brood
entirely on his own. "

That's my kind of bird.

Well, if I had to choose the kind
of birds Carmen and I were,

I'd say...

...eagles.

Proud, glamorous...

What?

All right.

How would you see us?

What, us?

Yeah.

I don't know.

A pair of geese?

They... they partner for life.

They, er...

...prefer a nice cosy existence.

Geese?

Yeah.

Hmm.

Ruffle someone's feathers, did I?

Geese?