Don't think of a poster campaign as a sign of failure.
You can't crack every case if forty-eight hours.
[Getting into his car.] If there's some public response, that'll be a success.
It seemed such a simple one at first.
[Laughs] Golf's like that! It's often the simpler shots that turn out the most difficult. [He shuts the car door.]
I'll take your word for it.
[Winds the window down] You should take up golf when this is over. Ease that tension a bit. [Taggart rolls his eyes.] I've always said you needed a hobby. [Murray drives away. Taggart and Livingstone walk towards Taggart's car.]
I have my own car tonight.
You know what haunts me? Knowing it's Billy boy and not being able to prove it.
Why did he cut her hair off at the roots?
He could be telling the truth.
Or he could be clever. [Opens his car door] Six hours' kip, all right?
It'll have to be. See you in the morning.
[Gets into his car] You live alone?
Will you stop calling me that?! I thought you'd be fixed up.
There was someone in Edinburgh.
Young and pretty, was she?
[Chuckles] I nearly married her.
She didn't want to be married to a policeman.
She had brains! [Closes the car door and drives off.]
Christmas comes but once a year(!) [He starts to climb down the ladder]
[Now down the ladder] I can think of another adjective.
I haven't touched anything. The workmen opened this one.
[Glances at the bones] They are human?
I'd have gone if they weren't.
How long d'you think they've been here?
These bones? [Picks one of them up] Eight or ten years. I might be able to be more exact when we open the rest.
[Glances over at the wall, then motions to the photographer] Hey, over here. [They move over to a corner of the wall where Taggart uncovers a handbag covered in cobwebs. He also spots a set of small wooden discs. He carefully picks one up with his handkerchief.]
[Handing the handbag to a sergeant] Now, take care of that. We might get a print from the inside. I don't know what these are yet [He also hands over a couple of the discs which have been bagged up. To Livingstone] We've a dismembered body down here. I suppose you'll want to look at it. [He descends the ladder again, followed by Murray and Livingstone.]
Stunning! A complete pelvic girdle.
Just what you've always wanted(!)
What are you, greedy? Yes, I'd say one.
At least it confirms the sex. The pubic arch and inlet look too wide for it to be male.
So you know your anatomy?
[Examining the pelvis] You're right. There should be a groove. Yes, there we are, on the front of the ileum. Uterus has decomposed, often it's the last organ to go.
And why the discolouration?
That would have been big enough, wouldn't you say?
Yes... one limb at a time.
There must have been a lot of blood. He could've cut her up in a bathroom.
You realise this property's been subject to a lot of short lets?
Aye, I know. [Starts to walk off.]
Jim? [Taggart stops.] I hope you're going to work with him [referring to Livingstone].
Haven't I been a good boy so far(?)
Aren't the... what is it... centres of ossification the only way to tell the age?
Sure you wouldn't like my job?
Right now, I'd prefer it.
Provided she's under twenty-five, I can pin it to a year. But I'd sooner do it in my laboratory.
Can you at least have a look just now?
Why are you so impatient?
Well, the sooner we find out who she is, the sooner we find out who murdered her.
And the sooner you stop working with Jim Taggart!
Do you still keep that lucky charm? [An ornamental green buddha.]
You might need it. [He shows Taggart the ring] There's a name engraved on the inside - Margaret Balfour. [Taggart's face falls] Of course, could just be coincidence.
I can give you an indication as to her age...
[Solemnly] She was twenty-two.
You're surprisingly clairvoyant this morning. Well, the upper and central vertebrae have almost joined, which would put her between twenty-two and twenty-five. What have you found?
Margaret Balfour, age fourteen. It was the only photo we had to work on. Husband David is serving a life sentence in Barlinnie for her murder. [He brings up the next slide, showing an abandoned car with the driver door open and the bonnet up.] Now, that's the Balfours' car, it was found abandoned on 20th November 1975 in a lay-by between Howwood and Johnstone on the A737. [He beings up the next slide, showing the passenger seat stained with blood] See the blood staining on the seats? Consistent with a stab wound to the left side. [The next slide shows two photos of the sides of the car.] Now, that's the ground around the car. Notice there's no blood?
Suggesting that Margaret Balfour was removed from the car somewhere else, not in the lay-by.
[Brings up the next slide, showing photos of a bloodstained handkerchief and shirt.] Bloodstained handkerchief. Same blood group found in Balfour's possession. His shirtsleeves were also bloodstained. His story was his wife had had a nosebleed. [Brings up the next slide, showing more photos of the ground, as well as one of a knife.] There it is, the murder weapon. Ordinary sized kitchen knife, found in the grass about twelve feet away. No prints. [Brings up the next slide, showing the contents of the car boot.] Heavy soil traces in the car... [Brings up the next slide, showing a shovel and a pair of shoes.] match those found on the shovel in Balfour's flat and on his boots. He said they'd been for a drive down Kilbirnie way the day before and he had to dig the car out of some mud.
Could've been true, after all.
The theory was... [Brings up the next slide, showing a map of the area in which the car was abandoned.] he buried her body in this area, and then abandoned the car here... [points to an "X" on the map] to make it look as if she'd been abducted by a passing motorist. [He turns the lights back on. Livingstone turns the projector off.]
Your theory, Jim. I wasn't on the crime squad then.
[As he packs away the projector] Then retracted it afterwards. I was in my first year at university. I followed the case. One of the few convictions for murder without a body on record.
But the evidence was circumstantial, but there was a motive: she had a £50,000 insurance policy taken out by her father before he died. It wasn't to mature until she was forty.
Did Balfour have any connection with 16 Dalmally Road?
DSDC Sinclair
[Interrrupting] I've traced the owner of the flat. It was one of the Peebles' properties. Josephine Peebles owned it.
So what's his big idea, d'you know?
He doesn't like friction, he says it's unprofessional.
Sounds like the lecture I got.
Can we at least work together this time? It is teamwork after all.
Are you going to lecture me? When I was a wee boy, Peter, my father forced me to shake hands with my worst enemy after a fight.
He shook hands with me... [Rings the doorbell] I kneed him in the balls, so you'd better watch yours.
We're police officers. [Shows his ID badge] We're looking for Frederick O'Donnell. This was his last-known address.
CMrs. Cochrane
Oh, aye, he did lodge here right enough.
Do you know where he is now?
CMrs. Cochrane
I can point you to him - you go straight doon the road, turn right, and it's first on your right. [Taggart and Livingstone heads off as she calls out to them] But you'se are a bit late!
[Ruefully, to Livingstone] Who needs a lucky charm when I've got you(?)
...five foot six, taking the mean of several estimations. No foetal bones. We've everything here but the skull. Presumably he disposed of that elsewhere to prevent identification.
The neck looks unnaturally bent.
Cause of death or is that too hopeful?
Impossible to say. [He approaches the skeleton and motions to the fractures] Any fracture such as here, and here, would be caused by dismemberment of the body.
She'll be up in a couple of days(!)
Tests brought up one print. [He hands a foolscap to Taggart, who looks through it] On a metal catch inside the bag. Identified as Margaret Balfour's thumbprint.
That's what I like, a nine-year-old print(!)
What do we have on O'Donnell?
Housebreakings, cheque fraud. Attempted murder of a waitress - not proven. And one conviction of incest against his daughter.
Same place as him. She took an overdose nine years ago.
Deathbed confession, Jim?
Nah. He did us no favours. Fell out of bed drunk, died of hypothermia. He was stiff when the landlady found him.
How did you guess about the trunk?
Those pieces of wood that were in the cellar, they had to be sawn out of something to make it sink.
Which means it could be anywhere.
No, not anywhere. In the Clyde, near to Dalmally Road. Though how O'Donnell got it there without a car, I'll never know.
How did he get Margaret Balfour's body from the lay-by to 16 Dalmally Road if he didn't have a car?
Mrs. Robertson. Remember me?
RMrs. Robertson
Sit down. [Taggart and Livingstone do.]
This is Detective Sergeant Livingstone, by the way.
RMrs. Robertson
What did you come for again?
We found your daughter, Mrs. Robertson.
RMrs. Robertson
[Taking in the news, she sits down too.] It was only a matter of time.
Her body wasn't where we expected, where we thought it might be.
RMrs. Robertson
[Confused] I don't...
We found her body in Glasgow, in a house in Maryhill.
On the night your daughter was killed, she was driving down to see you, is that right?
Well, we now think it's possible she... she was abducted from her car after all.
RMrs. Robertson
[Shaking her head] I don't understand.
It, erm... it seems likely your son-in-law David wasn't responsible for Margaret's murder.
RMrs. Robertson
Are you sure it's my Margaret?
Quite sure. We found that by the body. [He produces the bagged-up handbag and places it on the table in front of Mrs. Robertson.] It had her thumbprint inside.
RMrs. Robertson
[Takes a moment to look at the handbag.] ...It's hers. I bought it for her. I'd like to see her.
She... er... that wouldn't be a very good idea...
See, what he means, Mrs. Robertson... she's been dead a long time. [Mrs. Robertson looks visibly upset] There will be a press announcement this afternoon, but we wanted you to know first. Have you any neighbours we could ask to come in.
RMrs. Robertson
[Shakes her head] No neighbours.
RMrs. Robertson
No-one comes to see me anymore. I prefer it that way.
[Taking back the handbag] Why did you leave Largs?
RMrs. Robertson
Too many people wanted to speak about me and not to me. Does it mean that David'll come out of prison?
A report has to go to the Procurator Fiscal, then to the Crown Office, then all the way to the Home Secretary. But, yes, that's what it means.
Jim, you keep on about it!
Peter feels the same as me, sir.
There's some evidence there was a trunk.
What do you want me to do about it?
Frogmen. Selected parts of the Clyde where a trunk might be disposed of, starting near Dalmally Road.
Have you any idea how long an operation like that would take?
We think you should consider it.
I am not wasting police time searching the Clyde for something that might not exist anywhere. She could have been kept in a knotted sack under the floorboards. That would account for the curvature of the spine. You find some hard evidence there was a trunk, I'll sanction the request. [Murray heads into his office.]
[To Livingstone] Thanks for your enthusiasm(!)
What does he want? A photograph?
[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.
AAlan
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.
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...
Jo... [Beckons Jo aside] No more.
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.
And why him? [Motioning to David, he starts to aggressively approach him, but Jo stops him. Taggart appears on the driveway.]
[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.
80,000 nicker... Works out to be... [DC Sinclair gets out his calculator.]
Works out at nearly £9,500 a year.
SSinclair
[Reading the calculator's display] Er, £9,411.76.
Can't folk work things out in their heads nowadays?
[Entering, carrying some files] Jim? Have you started on the Highlands Electrical enquiry yet?
[Not lifting his eyes from the paper] Yeah, we've got 230 customers' returns.
Try and be enthusiastic about it. I'm just off to a conference in London.
Well, you'd better hurry(!)
Is David Balfour still in your conscience?
[Holding up the paper] He'll be all right for the rest of his life.
£80,000 doesn't carry you far these days.
Is he still at Jo Peebles'?
Forget about him, Jim. He's been compensated. You can't give him back eight and a half years of his life! [He hands the files to Taggart and heads for his office]
[Calling after Murray] I can found out the truth about Margaret Balfour's murder! [He starts going through the files...]
You really think Jo Peebles knows more?
Yes, I do. Why did O'Donnell try to conceal Margaret Balfour's identity?
Well, maybe he panicked after David Balfour was arrested.
[Briefly shakes his head] He'd a dismembered body under the floorboards, what difference did it make? Anyway, he'd left before the arrest.
Murderers don't always behave logically.
You wade through that lot. [Hands Livingstone a large pile of files and papers] I'm going out.
Call sign 361... [Desperate] Hurry, please!
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.]
Mike... [Breaking down in tears] Christopher's been kidnapped!
Oh, Mike... [She rushes to Mike, he comforts her.]
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.
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.]
Jesus Christ! [Frustratedly sits down.]
Look, I'll phone the police.
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?
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?
I thought that was for your plants.
BBill
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.
BBill
[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.
BBill
Uh-huh. Always had a great fascination for Monte-Carlo. But I suppose I'll still be here... as long as Jo allows me.
BBill
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]
AAlan
Taggart's here to see you.
Tell him I don't want to talk to him.
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.
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.
[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?
I just went along wi' it, to get some sleep.
Well, you're nine years too late.
[To David] You. Phone. [He leaves.]
Hello, David? It's Mike. Look, I need to talk. Somewhere private.
Meet the man that killed Margaret. You wanted somewhere private. Where's more private than a cemetery? How'd you find me?
Phoned the Tribune. Spoke to that reporter, Laurie Johnson. Why are you staying there?
Do you expect me to stay with you?
[Sighs] ...I need a favour, a big favour. We've got a son, Christopher. He's ten months old. He's been kidnapped. They're asking a ransom of £50,000. They say they'll kill him if I phone the police. So I'm not gonna... [Sighs] Did you know we had a son?
A daughter too, she's six.
Everything gets to you inside.
I've nae right to ask... it's your money they're after.
All that stuff about you in the papers.
Davey, I don't know what we're gonnae do!
You left me to rot in there. A year campaigning, and then nothing. Not even a letter. Was it guilt that stopped you visiting us? Or were you just too busy bringing up a family?
Come on, look at what I did do for you!
You know what kept me going? Knowing there'd be compensation when she was found. A lot of it. I wasn't coming out to do a trip down the social. That money is all I've got. I've earned it.
