Dougie quotes from Taggart

Call sign 361... [Desperate] Hurry, please!

Hello.

Mike?

Er, hang on, June, I'll get him. [He heads to Mike who is with the customer] Mike? [He motions to the recovery vehicle] For you. [Mike passes his notepad to Dougie to continue taking notes while he goes to the radio.]

Yes, June?

Mike... [Breaking down in tears] Christopher's been kidnapped!

Oh, Mike... [She rushes to Mike, he comforts her.]

Okay... What happened?

I found that in the car. [She shows Mike the ransom note, which reads in newspaper headline print "DO NOT CALL COPS, HAVE £50,000 READY IN £5 NOTES. WAIT FOR INSTRUCTIONS". They head into the living room.] I only left him for a few minutes.

You left him?

In the multistorey. He was crying so much. The lift wasn't working, you cannae take pushchairs into some of the supermarkets!

You left him in the car on his own!?

Well, he was crying so much!

Stupid bloody...! [He strikes June across the face.]

Mike!

Jesus Christ! [Frustratedly sits down.]

Look, I'll phone the police.

No.

Well, you've got to, Mike!

[Shows Dougie the note] Read it, it says "no police"!

Well, what are you gonna do? Pay it?

Fifty-thousand... This is all because of David!

Well, do you know where David is? Has he been in touch with you?

No.

The police'll know!

We can't bring the police into it, Dougie! ...I know who might know... [He heads to the telephone and looks in the newspaper. He starts to dial.]

D'you want me to pick Fiona up from school?

Yeah, thanks. [Dougie heads off.]

Mike... What if David won't help us?

Get in the car!

What's up now?

I'll explain on the way.

This is Carol's first night home. Is it that urgent?

We've got a kidnapping - a Balfour baby. [He heads to the front passenger seat so Livingston can drive]

Does Murray know?

I've left instructions for him to be told.

Do you really think you ought to be doing this? Just stop and think. After the David Balfour case, do you think his brother's going to welcome you taking charge?

Oh, just get in the car.

You've got a bloody nerve coming here! Who's in charge of you?

Mike, give him a chance.

He's the guy who put David in Barlinnie.

Oh, so what? Christopher's life could be in danger for all your arguing now!

I'd listen to him, If I were you. What's your name, son?

Dougie Turnbull. I'm Mike's assistant.

Why didn't you phone us sooner?

Because the note says no police or they'll kill him, and I want my son back alive. So if you don't mind, just go. [Points to the door.]

[Picking up the ransom note] I'm afraid it's too late for that now. [He hands it to Livingstone.]

Have the kidnappers been in contact since?

No.

Your brother... Have you spoken to him?

He won't help me.

We're gonna have to talk to your wife, find out exactly what happened.

She's in no state to talk to anybody.

[Entering] I'm alright, Mike.

If it's, erm... If it's any consolation to you both, a baby can't inform on his kidnappers. It's... it's not in their interests to harm him.

What happens if they cannae pay the ransom?

Well, we hope the kidnapper accepts less.

[To Dougie] Who do you live with, son?

Just my mum.

Well, don't say anything to her. Don't say anything to anyone.

I won't.

Secrecy is crucial, okay?

Okay. I'm like an uncle to these kids, you know?

There. That's all working okay. [Grabs his coat.]

Okay. You'd better stay here tonight.

What?

Well, somebody's got to remain on duty! I'm sorry if it interferes with your domestic arrangements. You'll be relieved in the morning. [Taggart leaves. Livingstone frustratedly throws his coat onto the sofa.]

Lie down. Try and rest.

I can't!

...Had to be Taggart, eh?

Can you not try and have someone else put in charge?

Yeah, I'll try my best.

[Looking out of the window] Where is he, Mike? Where is he?

What went wrong?

We don't know. His plans, probably.

Of course, it wouldn't be yours, would it? [Sighs] I've asked for Taggart to be taken off.

Why?

Isn't it obvious?

[to June] Did you ever know your sister-in-law?

No, I met Mike after she was... [She falls silent and focuses back on Fiona and the jigsaw.]

Mr. Balfour. Sorry to bother you, I was in the neighbourhood, thought I'd stop by and see if you got in touch with your brother okay.

Aye, I did.

That's good. We like to be of help at the Tribune.

You have. Thanks. [He tries to shut the front door, but Johnson catches it and forces it open again.]

[Observing Livingstone's unmarked car] That's a police car, isn't it?

No.

I've been a reporter long enough to recognise the trappings, Mr. Balfour. Nothing wrong, is there?

No. [He finally slams the door shut in Johnson's face.]

[As Dougie gets out of the truck] Hi. I've just been talking to Mr. Balfour. Bad business, eh?

You're from the Tribune, aren't you?

[Nods] Yeah.

I thought they weren't gonnae talk to the press.

Nah, they changed their mind.

You're not gonnae print the story, are you?

No, of course not.

Has the kidnapper been in touch yet?

[Knowing this is the first he's heard of it] I... er... I couldn't tell you.

I thought you weren't going to talk to the reporter about it.

We didn't.

Well, I just met him outside and he said you changed your minds.

What did you tell him?

...Well, I just said that I hoped they wouldn't print it.

[Putting his head in his hands, as does Livingstone] Oh, Dougie!

They wouldn't print without confirming with us. Can I use the phone?

Hello?

20,000 isn't enough. We want 50. Have it this afternoon at four. The phone box in Royal Terrace. Wait for instructions. Ring the police and your baby'll be killed. [The line goes dead. Mike replaces the handset.]

They want 50.

Mike, let me go and talk to David.

No.

He might listen to me.

We get the money ourselves.

How will you do it?

Get a loan, from the bank. It means if we don't get the money back, we have to sell the house.

I don't care about the house! All I want is my baby back!

[On the radio to June at base] 361 here. I thought you said the owner was going to be with his vehicle.

[Over the radio] That's what he said.

Check S-reg bronze Ford Cortina.

Details correct.

Looks as if it's been here for months. [Gets out of the truck and approaches the car. He opens the rear passenger door and sees a box on the seat. He opens the box and looks inside...] Jesus Christ! [He runs back to the truck.]

The baby's clothes don't mean the baby's dead.

What do they mean?

I don't know. A way of frightening the Balfours.

What for?

Anger at the ransom collection going wrong.

I suppose he walked into Mothercare and bought the kid a new outfit(!) [Heads back to his car. Livingstone follows.]

What happened wasn't your fault.

I started this sequence of events nine years ago. [They get into the car.] Do you know any kidnapping statistics, Peter? The killing usually happens in the first forty-eight hours. This is the fourth day.

Don't forget what you said: a baby can't betray his kidnappers. So why add murder?

[Entering with a cup] Coffee?

[Stirring] ...Oh, thanks. What time is it?

Quarter to nine. [Livingstone checks his watch.]

[Handing the parcel to Livingstone] Look at the printing. [Mike snatches the parcel and opens it.]

Oh, be careful!

[Takes out the letter and a cassette tape. He reads the letter] "Sorry, unable to collect..." This means he wasn't even there!

Oh, God! [Collapses in tears into Mike's arms]

For God's sake, stop it going out on the news!

...in Glasgow today, there are still fears for the baby's life. The ransom has been increased and as yet there's no further information from the kidnappers. [Dougie turns the radio off.]

You all right, June?

Dead. I know he is.

Sssh, Mrs. Balfour. Don't give up hope.

Hello? ...No, sorry, I think you've got the wrong number. ...Hold on. [Holds out the handset] June, it's for you. It's your mother. [June looks startled.]

I thought I recognised it. I just didn't connect it with Dalmally Road at that time.

That's because it wasn't there, Jo. It arrived later, when you moved here.

[Finds a record in her books] Ah, that's the couple, the Ritchies. [She hands the book over the Taggart.]

Do you remember anything about them?

[Shrugs] Only that they took the place for a few weeks. It was due for demolition and there was a whole series of short lets. [Taggart passes the book to Livingstone.]

Do you remember what they looked like?

No.

[Reading from the book] 8th September 1976 - that's just after the trial.

And after David Balfour's conviction.

You mean they brought the body in? But how...?

The body wasn't Margaret Balfour's.

See, it was well known locally, Jo, that 16 Dalmally Road was a hostel for ex-cons, and at the time of Margaret Balfour's disappearance, you'd had to move out and re-let.

[Handing the book back to Jo] All part of her plan to fool everybody.

But whose body was it?

We don't know yet.

Why did David need your car four days ago?

He said he wanted to visit Margaret's mother on the coast. Wasn't that the truth?

Aye, it was the truth all right. [He goes to the phone to make a call.]

What's going on?

It's all right, I've just phoned the station. They're getting in touch with Mr. Taggart right away.

[to Dougie] Well, where are they?

Don't know. See, we can't understand it. June got a phone call from her mother, but June's mother's dead.

And you've no idea where they've gone?

They wouldn't say. [The phone rings again. Dougie answers.] Hello? ...It's for you. [He hands the receiver to Sinclair.]

Yes, sir? Oh, I've just got here.

[At the other end of the line in Jo Peebles' office] What? ...He didn't say where? ...Oh, it makes sense to me all right! It means the kidnapper's finished his game. You can pack up. [He replaces the receiver]

And Fred [O'Donnell] had nothing to do with it?

Nothing. The fact that he had your car that night, that he drove along that road, just, er, just coincidental.