Ronnie quotes from Taggart

[Tightening a screw] ...the fan belt shouldnae work loose again. I'll take it for a wee drive, see if it's that's what's causing the problem.

Didn't look loose to me...

I'm sure he knows what he's doing.

It's all my brother and me were ever good at.

What's going on?

Oh, David's just fixed the fan belt on the car. Er... [Realises she hasn't introduced David to Ronnie] David Balfour, my husband Ronnie McIsaac...

We've met.

Jo... [Beckons Jo aside] No more.

What do you mean?

I want a home, not a... a halfway house. I want to forget.

Well, it's only for a few weeks.

But you said we'd have time on our own. You promised.

I know...

And why him? [Motioning to David, he starts to aggressively approach him, but Jo stops him. Taggart appears on the driveway.]

Quite a party(!)

[Slamming the car bonnet shut, he stares at Taggart] If you've come to apologise, you're too late. I'll try the car. [He gets in the driver's seat.]

Listen, if there's anything I can do...

Try resigning. After next Sunday, your name won't be worth the space it takes up in the telephone directory.

I thought that was for your plants.

Oh... er... Just, er... testing. [Takes another swig. David sits at the kitchen table] You'll be off soon?

I get the impression people are trying to get rid of me.

[Chuckles as he joins David at the table] Made any plans yet? You know what I would do if I had your money? I'd go and live in Monte-Carlo.

Monte-Carlo?

Uh-huh. Always had a great fascination for Monte-Carlo. But I suppose I'll still be here... as long as Jo allows me.

I might go to London.

Aah, there's a city! Oh, I spent a good few years there.

Me and my brother had this... dream once. It was more than that... We were going to go into the car hire business, you know? Go tae London, buy a couple of flash cars... it never come off. Suppose I might go abroad - Spain, Portugal, France... [Alan enters]

Taggart's here to see you.

Tell him I don't want to talk to him.

You tell him.

You here?

I've got nothing to say to you.

You've said it all through the papers. Maybe that's the coward's way.

If I said what I really felt, it'd be libellous.

How long have you been here now? Two weeks? Sit down. [David does so in an armchair opposite Taggart.] You didn't come here just 'cos it was a place to stay... I need your help. [David scoffs.] You find that funny?

No. What I find funny is you coming here to ask me. Why should I help the police do a job they should'ha done nine years ago?

Why did O'Donnell bring her body back twenty miles from the lay-by to Dalmally Road? How could he use Jo Peebles' car without her suspecting anything? Why did she trust him so much? You've got more opportunity to talk to her than I have.

You think she knew?

There were two other people in that house - George Cunningham and Jo Peebles. Cunningham's been in and out of mental hospitals for years. I doubt he'll tell us anything.

Are you saying Jo can?

[Pauses] Well... let's say there's too much that doesn't make sense about what O'Donnell did and why he did it.

There's a lot that didn't make sense about what I was supposed to have done. I didn't hear you asking those questions then.

Why did you confess to me? [The telephone rings in another room.]

You've never been interrogated have you?

Ah, no. No.

I just went along wi' it, to get some sleep.

...Sorry.

Well, you're nine years too late.

[To David] You. Phone. [He leaves.]

Hello?

Hello, David? It's Mike. Look, I need to talk. Somewhere private.

Anything you want to say to Jo, you can say in front of me.

[Seeing Jo and David walk past the doorway] Jo? David? [They enter the living room]

What's it about now? The kidnapping?

Not quite. We found the trunk we were looking for - we wonder if you recognise it. [Livingstone shows Jo a photo of the trunk.]

...No, I've told you.

Are you quite sure? [He shows her another photo.]

...Yes!

It was never in O'Donnell's room?

[Finally snapping] Why don't you people ever believe me?

Satisfied? She's been through enough because of him! [Nodding at David]

Listen, you'll have to excuse me, I've got stuff to pack. [Starts to leave the room]

David? [David stops in his tracks] Where are you taking your money abroad? Oh, this is Detective Sergeant Livingstone, I don't think you've met.

How'd you know I was going abroad?

I figured a fellow like you would have bought a car if you hadnae intended on leaving the country.

There's no crime in it.

We hear your brother approached you about the ransom?

That's right.

I knew nothing about it until this morning.

I didn't tell anyone. Mike... wanted it kept secret from the police and the press.

And you refused to help him?

It's my money! He never helped me!

He did. For a year after you were in prison.

And then he deserted me!

Bet you'd do anything to get back at him, wouldn't you? Anything at all.

Are you accusing me?

Who says?

Because I've been accused before. Okay... I hate my brother, but I don't hate him that much! And I'd never hurt a kid. I know who could have done it. [Taggart's glances at David] Norman Burt. [Sheila's husband] He... got out of Barlinnie a week before me. Ask Jo.

Just because he had towels in his bike box?

Towels?

He goes swimming. That was a confidence placed in me by a client. Thank you, David, thank you very much(!)

Who's Burt?

He's a wee man. Used to work in the Peebles' shipyard. Turned to burglary when he lost his job.

Jo Peebles recognised that trunk!

Yeah, I know she did. [They drive off.]