That note was left at the phonebox where Bea and Stella Lamb were taken. It's stencilled over in carbon, so it's doubly hard to trace.
So who's Charley Witham and who's Graham Bathurst?
[Gene pauses and sighs] Charley Witham was a beautiful 14 year old. She was attacked and murdered in cold blood one year ago. Her boyfriend, Graham Bathurst confessed. He's evil and now's he's in prison being evil.
I need more detail, guv. What's the connection to Simon Lamb?
Simon Lamb coached an athletic team Charley was in.
So did he finger Bathurst for the killing?
No, he didn't know him. This isn't a grudge crime.
Well someone thinks he's innocent.
Don't start! I've come at this from more angles than Linda Lovelace. He's not innocent! He confessed and worse he gloated about it.
Well obviously someone wants him out. How about Graham's family?
Oh, quick thinking Van der Valk. But while you been layed up with your Vicks Sinex, I've been leading a kidnap enquiry. You didn't see us yesterday.
[Flashback to yesterday, Simon Lamb is hysterical entering the police station]
Graham Bathurst.
[voice-over] From the moment Simon Lamb walked into the station I knew we had our work cut out.
Release him from prison right now.
[Bored, head rested on arm, not looking up] Righty-ho sir. Anyone else? Ronnie Kray? The Hillbury Road Axeman?
Release Graham Bathurst, or they're gonna die! [slams ransom note on desk. Phyllis looks up] Get your DCI.
Now just hold on!
Get him!
[voice over] And as if by magic, a DCI appeared. We went straight to Graham Bathurst's family. They were the ones who haven't stop bleating for his release for the last 12 months.
Go on, get away. You scumbag, bastard coppers!
[voice over] As you can imagine they were cock-a-hoop to see us, and invited us in for crumpets and jam.
You lied about my Graham. Everything you told the court was lies. You got no shame.
He confessed, Mrs Bathurst. So with respect, shut your bloody bonechute!
Chris, what are you writing down?
Her statement.
Right, add this. Your son Mrs. Bathurst, is a cold-hearted killer and if there's a hell, he's going there to be poked up the arse with sharp fiery sticks, forever and ever, Amen!
There's an e in fiery, isn't there?
[Graham's grandmother walks up]
Oh, Blimey, here comes the heavy mob. Sound the retreat. [voice over] The Bathurst family consists of one drunken mammy and an old bat with a stoop! Don't seem much like a ruthless gang of kidnappers to me. The worst bit was having to go back to see Charley Witham's parents.
Don.
[voice over] One year on, you can still see the grief in their eyes.
No disrespect, Mr Hunt. But I'd hoped that our paths would never have to cross again.
Yeah, well sorry for showing me ugly mug around here, Don. But, erm, the ransom note demands the release of Graham Bathurst.
Well who would want that?
Someone connected to the case. Obsessed with it. Anyone seen hanging around here?
Haven't seen anyone. But...you're not going to release him?
No.
But if someone out there thinks Bathurst is innocent... does that mean you're not so sure that he did it?
Graham Bathurst killed your daughter, Don. I'm more sure of that than me own name.
More from this episode
All quotes from this episode →More Life on Mars quotes · These quotes come from Wikiquote's Life on Mars pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.