The Northumbria Mysteries (2026) s01e01 Episode Script
Episode 1
1
I hear you're doing very well.
Thanks.
Brother Christopher says
you have a professional
and hard-working attitude.
Well, I'm not sure about that.
Such an amazing place.
This location has been home
to a place of worship
since the 12th century.
Jesus!
- Indeed.
- Sorry.
Some say it's haunted.
The spirit of the dark lady.
She was a nun who broke her vows,
bricked up alive
in the priory walls.
Blimey.
We're a bit more lenient
these days.
But this priory was famous
throughout history
for offering sanctuary
to criminals
and the dispossessed.
So, you see, you're not the first.
Well, that's good to know.
And how are you today, Sister Marie?
Can't complain!
Joseph! I got the message
that you couldn't make it
to Bible class today.
That's a pity.
It was a lively discussion.
Yeah, sorry.
It was a personal issue.
- I'll be there next week.
- I shall look forward to that.
Good.
CHOIR SINGING
So, look, Father, I was hoping to
talk to you about
University.
No, sorry, it
it wasn't really a thing
in my family.
Oh, no, um
that's the university choir.
Durham University, they've been
rehearsing here since the 1880s.
They're looking well on it.
Father, I just wanted you to know
that I have changed.
I'm asking for forgiveness.
I can't forgive you.
You have to make your peace
with the boss.
But I thought you were the
For what it's worth
I believe you.
I won't let you down.
It wouldn't be me
you were letting down.
No.
Of course not.
Palestrina
I beg your pardon?
If God were a composer
this is what he would write.
WOMAN SCREAMS
Someone's a bit off key.
The way I get to heaven
The way I get to heaven is to fall
Forgiveness is their business
I'll give them something
to forgive me for. ♪
His name is Brother Mark.
- And how can you be sure of that?
- The ring on his finger.
No, it can't be. Why would anyone
want to hurt Brother Mark?
Let's not jump to conclusions.
Who are you?
What have we got?
Interrupted your evening, ma'am?
Yes, as it happens.
ENO at the opera house.
They only come once a year.
This is the second time
I've had to leave early.
The victim is male, early 30s,
badly beaten,
- found part-buried behind that wall.
- Oh, you've seen it!
I didn't have you down
as an opera fan.
It's just a joke.
Who's that?
I haven't established that yet.
I want a full sweep of the gardens
and the surrounding buildings.
No-one leaves
until we've spoken to them.
This part of the gardens
is closed to the public, right?
Yeah, easy access, though,
and no CCTV.
Seems an unlikely place
to dump a body.
The crime probably took place
here at the scene.
Check to see if there's
any CCTV footage from the road.
- Anything from SOCO?
- Not yet.
- Who's in charge here?
- I'm David Rutherford, I'm the prior.
And who found the body?
Well, I was one of
the first on the scene,
- but I think it was
- Sorry, you are?
Joe.
Joe Ruby.
Joseph is one of
our community helpers
on the voluntary
rehabilitation scheme.
The time is 22:07.
Present at the interview,
Detective Sergeant Raj Singh.
And Detective Inspector
Rose O'Connell.
Can you state your full name, please?
Joseph Ruby.
And you are on the volunteer
rehabilitation scheme
at St Aidan's Priory.
Is that correct?
No comment.
What are your duties
and responsibilities at the priory?
No comment.
Where were you today, Joe?
No comment.
Provisional identification
from witnesses
states that the body
is that of Mark Bancroft,
a 32-year-old novice at the priory.
- What was your relationship
with the deceased?
- No comment.
Here's a funny thing.
There's been no crime
at this priory for decades,
and you turn up
and there's a murder.
I'm sorry, is that a question?
- Or was it a coincidence?
- No comment.
You've got a decent CV on you,
I tell you that.
Disturbing the peace, affray,
resisting arrest.
I mean, I-I could go on.
Oh, and by the way, your footprints
are a match to the ones
at the scene.
- No comment.
- Come on, mate!
Your form? It's not going to
look good, is it,
in front of a jury of your peers?
I would like to say something
about the allegations put to me.
I am not now, nor have I ever been,
his mate.
We've got ourselves a bit of
a comedian, haven't we, Joe?
But I tell you something,
whoever's done this is going down
for a very, very long time,
so if I were you, I'd start talking!
No comment.
OK, let's take a break there.
Pausing the interview at 22:10.
Resuming the interview
with Joseph Ruby.
This is Detective Inspector
Rose O'Connell.
DS Raj Singh has temporarily
left the interview.
The initial forensic
pathology report
states that the victim
appears to have taken
multiple blows
to the head and face.
Long narrow contact points -
maybe a pipe or an iron bar.
It seems he fell and hit his head
on something,
or something hit him,
with extreme force.
No signs of defence.
This wasn't a fight, Joe.
It was an execution.
We've spoken to a few witnesses.
He was a good man.
No-one has a bad word
to say about him.
He gave more than he took
out of life.
Not like some people.
No comment.
He has family,
a mother and a father.
They've just been told.
His mother fainted,
her legs just went.
Her husband couldn't even
comfort her.
He was in shock, he just sat there
with tears rolling down his face.
Their lives will never
be the same again.
I'm sorry.
- I can't help you, I wasn't there.
- Is that right?
I haven't even told you
when the murder took place.
I was
I was busy.
All day.
Doing what?
Come on, Joe.
KNOCKING
Ma'am,
there's something you need to see.
He enters the betting shop at 11:47.
We have him on their CCTV.
He's in there all afternoon
apart from a ten-minute interval
where he's picked up by CCTV
walking back along the high street
before entering a Greggs bakery,
where the girl at the counter says,
verified by their CCTV,
that he orders three sausage rolls
for the price of two
and a can of Tropical Paradise.
Living the dream.
He then goes back
to the betting shop,
where he places a total
of nine bets,
one of which comes in.
The other eight don't,
so he nets a loss of £115,
mostly on horses, one on the dogs.
- So he would have needed money.
- Go on.
He then exits the betting shop
at 1815.
Five minutes later,
he's with Father David Rutherford,
who he remains with
until the discovery.
And the body was found at 1840.
And the pathologist said
that rigor hadn't started,
so the time of death had to be
after 1300.
At the earliest.
And he was in the betting shop
from before 12 noon.
Exactly.
Why didn't you just tell us
you were at the bookie's?
Do you know what? I don't even care,
you're free to leave.
I got a tip from
an old contact of mine.
So I went to the bookie's.
It's not a crime to bunk off work
and bet on horses,
unlike wasting police time,
which very much is.
I didn't want to let
Father David down.
You know, he's given me a chance
to turn my life around.
It's my last chance.
But it was a sure-fire thing.
Carrot Cruncher.
I wasn't expecting her
to be wearing a straw hat.
Well, like I said,
you're free to go.
People like you, you always think
it's people like me.
Oh, yeah?
And who are people like you?
You tell me.
Well, I'm not a gambler,
but if I were
I'd look at your past form
and I'd say
you're not one for the big fences.
You'd rather sit on your backside
with a mouthful of hay
than exert yourself
for anything major.
You're a Saturday-night
kebab-shop brawler,
not a big-time criminal,
so, yeah, you're free to leave.
- Thanks for the character reference.
- You're welcome.
So what about you?
Well, you turned up tonight
like some moody pageant princess,
telling everybody what's what.
I bet you've played
the straight game your whole life,
done everything
anyone's ever asked of you.
But when the prizes get doled out,
goody two-shoes doesn't get
anywhere near them.
And on Saturday night,
when I'm in the kebab shop
getting my head kicked in,
you're probably at home, alone,
drinking vino solo,
and watching TV talent shows,
and you're wondering
why no-one appreciates you.
Hmm.
Leave him in there.
For half an hour.
I heard that!
Hey!
- You've done this before.
- Not really, no.
Well, then, you must be a natural.
When I was a kid,
we didn't have a garden.
But there was this teacher at school
who got us to make
these window boxes.
Yeah, out of bits of wood.
We'd put soil in them
and plant stuff.
Took it home.
I used to just sit and stare at it.
- And what did you grow?
- Can't remember, didn't have it long.
Steve Dobson nicked it.
Found it a week later in a skip.
Smashed to bits.
And did you call the police?
Where I'm from,
you don't involve the police.
You deal with things yourself.
Worse for Steve Dobson, though.
- How come?
- I chinned him, out cold.
Do the police think
you have something to do
with what happened to Brother Mark?
A man with Joe's past? Of course.
Well, thanks
for the vote of confidence.
And just for your information,
Sister Marie,
I have never hit anyone
who wasn't bigger than me.
And I have never taken anything
from anyone who has less than me.
For what it's worth,
I think it's deeply unfair,
the way they've jumped
to conclusions.
Have you any ideas
about what happened?
I was with the prior.
Why would Christopher know anything?
And, anyway, since when did you
become a police officer?
A what?
I'd rather be a nun.
Benedict.
Mark's brother.
- What about him?
- He's who they should talk to.
Bless him. He's always looking for
hand-outs to fund his awful habits.
And the other night, I heard them
arguing in Mark's room,
shouting and bawling.
- About money.
- And you didn't
tell this to the police because?
You know why.
God will bring justice in the end.
Do you know where
this Benedict lives?
- No.
- I think he might be homeless.
You said he's got some bad habits, right?
And on top of that,
he's either killed his brother
or he's dealing with the knowledge
that someone else has.
I shouldn't have said anything.
So even if he does have
a place to live
that's not where he's going to be.
What do you mean?
- Does a Benedict Bancroft
drink in here?
- Nah.
Bancroft in here? No?
Is there a Benedict Bancroft
drinks here?
I said, is there
a Benedict Bancroft drinks here?!
Benedict
I just want to talk to you!
Benedict! Uh!
HE GASPS
Hey!
Sorry. I'll bring it back!
You couldn't get an electric?
Come on!
Come on, then, Grandad!
Show us what you got!
What did you call me?
Ow!
I just want to talk to you about
your brother, Mark.
Are you police?!
Might be.
Cos that is police brutality!
Well, why don't you write
to your local MP?
Ah
PHONE RINGS
- Yeah?
- I've got all the phone records
and bank statements
from everyone at the priory.
Everyone has alibis -
admittedly, each other.
The prior was with Christopher,
and Sister Marie was doing
Bible classes around the time,
and besides, she has osteoarthritis,
so that's her out.
Send me everything.
The postmortem's in.
Blunt force trauma to the skull
caused by a narrow metallic object,
possibly a crowbar.
At least ten strikes
fracturing the occipital bone,
but there was another
above the temple,
confirmed to be caused
by a blunt instrument.
Someone must have been very angry.
Or desperate - it feels personal.
Get Forensics back on the scene.
I want them to check
all the nearby rocks for blood.
Any news on the victim's brother,
the Benedict guy?
- There's been a sighting.
- OK, I'll meet you there.
A little birdy tells me you were
round at his rooms the other night
and there was an argument.
A loud argument.
We had a difference of opinion.
I reckon you went to see Mark
to tap him up,
and he knocked you back,
said he was sick of bailing you out.
He never said no.
That's not what he was like.
He was kind-hearted, nonjudgmental.
Not like some.
And he deserved better, he deserved
a better brother than me.
We weren't close,
but I didn't kill him.
So why were you arguing?
I was in debt up to my eyeballs.
So I borrowed a lot of money from
a loan shark from the estate.
I thought I could pay it back,
but I couldn't.
- So you went to see Mark?
- I had 24 hours
before this guy said that I would
have to face the repercussions.
Mark said that he didn't have enough
cash to fix it, not this time,
but he'd go to the loan shark,
talk to him.
We argued about it,
and he went anyway.
And then a week later
he was dead.
Do you know what it's like
to hate yourself?
Yes, I do.
You said this bloke's
from the estate?
If you're going after him,
you better go in heavy.
Cos if he finds out
you're messing him around
- they'll never find your corpse.
- Is it who I think it is?
Benedict.
Oh, no.
- Who are they?
- Coppers.
- What?
- Good luck!
So who are you?!
Benedict Bancroft?
DI O'Connell. This is DS Raj Singh.
Yeah, it's Joe.
I need a number.
For Ace.
Thanks for coming to see me.
I just need five large, Ace,
and I'll pay you back
at the end of the month.
Do I know you? Cos you
you look very familiar.
Hmm, I don't think so.
Are you police?
Do you know, you're not the first
person to ask that, but no.
No, I'm not.
OK.
The money's in the car.
Get in!
Put your seat belt on. We're going
to go for a little day out.
Actually, I don't think I need
that five large after all.
BEEP
You think I'm a mug.
No.
No-one texts me out of the blue
for a loan.
There's a process.
You're not here for money.
Ace, please
You're fraud squad, aren't you?
I knew I'd seen your face somewhere.
Honestly? No.
You've been sent from another firm.
You'd better start talking.
Why are we here?
Hmm!
I've been here before,
I really don't need to see it again.
Aah!
-
- We've had a tip-off
from an anonymous caller.
Joe Ruby's been kidnapped.
Vehicle checks complete.
It's registered
to a Mr Archie Dawson.
- Oh, God.
- What?
Archie Dawson - street name "Ace",
head of the Dawson crime family?
What the hell's Joe Ruby
getting mixed up with him for?
I imagine that's the name
Bancroft wouldn't give us.
Why would he give it to Joe?
Maybe he speaks his language.
Control, Delta 2-1, urgent.
I need all unit circulation.
Vehicle is a black and grey
Land Rover Defender.
Registration Juliet 3-3-3
Romeo Golf Alpha.
Believed to be involved
in a live hostage situation.
What a view, eh?
This is where a good friend of mine
lost his life.
Yeah. Well, I mean, I say "friend".
More of a business associate, really.
Well, I say "business associate",
more of a
rival.
Just wanted to pay my respects.
Fell to his death this very spot.
It was about this time of day.
Closed to the public,
you know, nobody about.
And guess what?
No CCTV cameras either.
Cos they didn't have all that
kind of nonsense, you know,
back in the 14th century
or whenever they put this wreck up.
So no-one saw anything.
Probable suicide.
I am sorry.
They were his last words as well.
"I'm sorry."
Rumour has it.
Oh!
Oh, G! No!
Black and grey Land Rover Defender,
registration Juliet 3-3-3
Romeo Golf Alpha
has been sighted stationary
at Dunstanburgh Castle.
Informant is a local ranger,
visual confirmation only.
Received. On our way.
I've definitely seen your face
somewhere before,
and I'm going to be honest with you,
mate, right,
it's not making me feel nostalgic.
Still nothing, no?
Oh, well, I suppose this is goodbye, then.
No, wait!
The reason you know me is
because I was in prison with you.
HMP Northumberland.
I was doing six months.
It's true!
Ma'am, up there!
I knew your mate, Sludge Markham.
- You knew Sludge?
- Yeah!
I've been doing some volunteer work
at the priory,
and one of the monks, Mark,
he got done in.
And his brother, Benedict,
he was a client of yours.
And what does that mean?
Are you saying I did it?
God, no!
Cos I know that's not your style,
Ace.
No, that's not my style.
I were brought up a Catholic.
I would never touch
a man of the cloth.
Oh, I see what you're doing.
You're trying to fit me up,
aren't you?
Ace, no, that's not what this is.
Oh, well.
I'd best not take the risk, eh?
Adios, amigo.
- No!
- Police!
Let him go!
DI Rose O'Connell. There's no need
for this. Let him go.
Rose?
Well you've got friends
in high places.
Ace Dawson, we need to speak to you.
You lent money to the brother
of a dead man.
So I heard.
A monk named Mark,
your little narc just told me.
Yeah, he did come to see me.
But if you think that's a motive,
you better think again.
Because he paid his debt off
in full.
I don't get upset with a customer
who pays his debts.
I'm arresting you for kidnap
and false imprisonment.
You do not have to say anything
What if I told you
he also paid his girlfriend's debt?
- Benedict's girlfriend?
- No.
The monk's girlfriend.
Brother Mark had a girlfriend?
Who was she?
How about we drop
these silly charges first?
I don't know her real name.
Her working name's Madame Crystal.
She works out of a massage parlour
in Blyth.
- She's a working girl?
- Yeah.
You can't trust anyone these days,
can you?
We'll catch up soon.
Detective.
You should have told me about Ace.
I didn't know - it was a punt.
How did you find out I was here?
Someone saw you being taken.
Who?
We don't know yet.
Joe
Yeah.
- What are you doing?
- I'm getting in the car.
That's an Aln Valley Police car.
It's not an Uber.
Fancy seeing you here!
You need to leave.
A man can't have a massage?
I don't know if you've noticed,
but it's been
a tension-filled couple of days.
- Seriously, Joe.
- Look, you need me.
These are not the kind of people
who like talking to the police.
What, you, go in there alone?
They won't tell you anything.
They believe me.
I grew up with these people.
And by the way,
what did you make of Benedict?
I mean, I know we've ruled him out
of the murder, but as a bloke
- "We've" ruled him out?
- Mmm, I think he's just posh,
but pretending he isn't,
and spoiled.
But he's too chicken
to do any real damage.
For what it's worth, I thought
he was narcissistic, vainglorious,
and despite
his rampant egocentricity,
probably has self-esteem issues
inherited from a dominant father
incapable of
showing love and affection.
Wow.
- You didn't learn that at Hendon.
- No.
Trinity College, Oxford.
Hmm.
Well, at least we agree
on one thing.
Benedict's an arse.
Er
Sorry, I don't do threesomes.
- Ah, we're not here for that.
- Yeah, we're here for something else.
Well, if you're that desperate
to part with your money,
take your clothes off,
pop yourselves on the table.
We don't want a massage.
I want to ask you some questions.
Sorry, it's her first time.
Stop talking!
- Yes, ma'am.
- I'm going to put you
in jail after this.
Oh, I get it.
It's a role-play thing.
- I'm in.
- Enough!
You two need to get a room -
you don't need my services.
- We don't want a room.
- We just want to talk to you.
That's what they all say.
Oh, God, are you police?
- Why does everyone think I'm police?
- Because!
All police have sad eyes,
they all hate themselves.
We don't want a room,
we don't want a massage.
We don't want a threesome.
I want to talk to you
about Brother Mark.
Oh, so you're police.
How come he has the sad eyes?
We just want to find out
if anyone knows anything.
We heard, I heard
he was your boyfriend.
SHE LAUGHS
My boyfriend?
- He were a monk!
- So he was a punter?
People always think the worst.
I went to see him.
For
For spiritual guidance.
I'd lost my way a bit.
Picked up some bad habits,
got myself into debt.
And I've got a daughter
who needs me.
I wanted to clean up my act,
find a better way of living.
He was the only one
who believed in me.
He was helping me
to become more
spiritual,
to forgive myself.
Good for you.
It's devastating.
I'm going back to college.
He'd have wanted that.
Can you think of anyone that
might have wanted to hurt him?
Oh, no-one. Everyone loved him -
you couldn't not.
Think harder.
No-one.
OK, look, thanks for your time
and good luck in college, yeah?
I'll decide when we're done.
Sure. Over to you.
I did wonder whether,
in another world
if he'd have liked
to have fallen in love.
He was a romantic at heart.
I always wondered
if there was someone.
- Now, what was that about?
- You're not my partner.
Actually, I think we're working
pretty well together, you know?
- Good cop, better cop.
- I'm serious. We're done.
Joe.
It was me.
- What was?
- I called the police.
I needed to talk to you.
I didn't want to do it on the phone,
so I followed you.
Brother Christopher,
what are you talking about?
I saw the men throw you
in the back of the car.
It was you?
Thanks.
You saved my
Hang on.
How come you were there
when they took me?
I heard Father David
and Sister Marie.
They were talking about, er
love, about sex.
What?
They mentioned Brother Mark.
- Whoa, just slow down.
- They were stressed out.
I thought about calling the police
to see if it was useful,
but you said
that's not what people do,
and you seem to know
about these things.
Right, a word of advice.
Never take advice from me.
I'm scared, Joe.
Father David was shouting
at Sister Marie,
- accusing her of something.
- That's OK.
You did the right thing.
PHONE RINGS
Hi, Raj.
Yes.
They're sure?
Have they checked the blood?
OK.
Do we have a match?
KNOCKING
Joseph!
Come in.
Nice to see you.
Is Is everything OK?
Can I ask you a
delicate question?
Is it about faith?
Are you struggling?
- It's about you.
- Me?
One thing I've always wondered.
What's it like to never have
relationships?
Gosh!
I-I wasn't expecting that.
What's brought all this on?
What about Brother Mark?
Did he ever
Ever what?
It's just I think
he was having an affair.
DOOR OPENS
Detective!
- Joe.
- Hi, Rose.
What can I do for you?
I found the plane tickets, Marie.
You bought two for Spain.
Dated the 20th of April,
the day Mark was murdered.
Is that illegal?
No.
But one of the names on the ticket
was Mark's.
And I think whoever killed Mark
did so out of anger,
not for revenge or for money,
but the number of blows,
the murder weapon
it was personal.
And there's only one thing
causes that much anger.
Love.
Love so deep that even someone
with a degenerative disease
could summon the strength.
- Why are you saying all this?
- Brother Mark.
He was the reason you were thinking
of renouncing your vows,
and that's why David was so upset.
David knows nothing.
Maybe Brother Mark
pulled out of the deal.
Lost his bottle, a chicken.
Just like his brother.
I took some photographs of the soil
around the crime scene.
And in them, among the footprints,
some indentations
that might just be a perfect match
for that crutch.
Do you think
if I took a closer look,
I might find traces
of someone's blood?
Mark's blood?
I
I
loved him.
I-I mean, really
loved him.
He was the best thing
that ever happened to me.
And the worst.
We couldn't reconcile our love
with our faith.
We planned to be together.
We were flying away in secret.
A new life.
A life of love and happiness.
And then, yes, he changed his mind.
Just like that.
He said he couldn't leave
God's work, not yet.
But it was too late for me.
I had given myself to him.
I felt like such a fool,
standing there with my little case.
I didn't know what to do.
Without him,
I'd lost everything.
And then suddenly, I struck him
with my crutch.
He looked at me almost confused.
That just made me more angry.
I snapped.
I found strength I never knew I had.
I hit him as hard as I could.
He didn't fight back
or defend himself
or even cry out.
And everything stopped.
Him.
Me.
Us.
And that's why you didn't
have your crutch with you
when David and I saw you.
SHE SOBS
Because it was covered
in Mark's blood.
Today, we gather with heavy hearts
to commend our brother,
Brother Mark
into the hands of God.
And we do so not in simplicity
What shadows we are.
What shadows we pursue.
For his death has come to us
Nah, you've lost me.
- Edmund Burke.
- Hmm.
Learnt most of what I know
from the holy game of poker.
Oh? And what can you learn
from a card game?
It's not a card game.
It's a betting game.
You play the player, not the cards.
People, patience, position.
Cost me 80 grand,
the house I lived in
- and my relationship with
my daughter to learn that.
- Hmm.
I give it to you for nothing.
I'll stick to the facts, thanks.
You play whatever game you want,
but not around me.
Will you relax?
I am done with all that.
From now on,
it's the quiet life for me.
Is that a promise?
No comment.
CHOIR SINGS
HE HUMS
Joe?
Help me finish off these candles?
I have to come clean with you,
Father David.
I gave you my word that I wouldn't,
but
I gambled.
I bet the last of my money
on the horses.
And I went to the pub.
But I didn't have a drink.
And then I stole a bike.
But I gave it back.
And I hit someone
who probably didn't deserve it.
And I lied.
Well, not lied, but
I didn't tell the whole truth
to someone who probably
did deserve it.
You have been busy.
And worst of all,
an innocent man died
and I thought about myself.
And I'm still thinking about myself
even now.
So if you want me to leave
I'm OK with that.
I don't want you to leave.
This is about the path taken
not the destination.
Sometimes you have to do
a little bad
to do a lot of good.
That's nice.
Who said that?
Jesus?
No.
I think it was Britney Spears.
We find inspiration
where we can get it.
CHOIR SINGS
I hear you're doing very well.
Thanks.
Brother Christopher says
you have a professional
and hard-working attitude.
Well, I'm not sure about that.
Such an amazing place.
This location has been home
to a place of worship
since the 12th century.
Jesus!
- Indeed.
- Sorry.
Some say it's haunted.
The spirit of the dark lady.
She was a nun who broke her vows,
bricked up alive
in the priory walls.
Blimey.
We're a bit more lenient
these days.
But this priory was famous
throughout history
for offering sanctuary
to criminals
and the dispossessed.
So, you see, you're not the first.
Well, that's good to know.
And how are you today, Sister Marie?
Can't complain!
Joseph! I got the message
that you couldn't make it
to Bible class today.
That's a pity.
It was a lively discussion.
Yeah, sorry.
It was a personal issue.
- I'll be there next week.
- I shall look forward to that.
Good.
CHOIR SINGING
So, look, Father, I was hoping to
talk to you about
University.
No, sorry, it
it wasn't really a thing
in my family.
Oh, no, um
that's the university choir.
Durham University, they've been
rehearsing here since the 1880s.
They're looking well on it.
Father, I just wanted you to know
that I have changed.
I'm asking for forgiveness.
I can't forgive you.
You have to make your peace
with the boss.
But I thought you were the
For what it's worth
I believe you.
I won't let you down.
It wouldn't be me
you were letting down.
No.
Of course not.
Palestrina
I beg your pardon?
If God were a composer
this is what he would write.
WOMAN SCREAMS
Someone's a bit off key.
The way I get to heaven
The way I get to heaven is to fall
Forgiveness is their business
I'll give them something
to forgive me for. ♪
His name is Brother Mark.
- And how can you be sure of that?
- The ring on his finger.
No, it can't be. Why would anyone
want to hurt Brother Mark?
Let's not jump to conclusions.
Who are you?
What have we got?
Interrupted your evening, ma'am?
Yes, as it happens.
ENO at the opera house.
They only come once a year.
This is the second time
I've had to leave early.
The victim is male, early 30s,
badly beaten,
- found part-buried behind that wall.
- Oh, you've seen it!
I didn't have you down
as an opera fan.
It's just a joke.
Who's that?
I haven't established that yet.
I want a full sweep of the gardens
and the surrounding buildings.
No-one leaves
until we've spoken to them.
This part of the gardens
is closed to the public, right?
Yeah, easy access, though,
and no CCTV.
Seems an unlikely place
to dump a body.
The crime probably took place
here at the scene.
Check to see if there's
any CCTV footage from the road.
- Anything from SOCO?
- Not yet.
- Who's in charge here?
- I'm David Rutherford, I'm the prior.
And who found the body?
Well, I was one of
the first on the scene,
- but I think it was
- Sorry, you are?
Joe.
Joe Ruby.
Joseph is one of
our community helpers
on the voluntary
rehabilitation scheme.
The time is 22:07.
Present at the interview,
Detective Sergeant Raj Singh.
And Detective Inspector
Rose O'Connell.
Can you state your full name, please?
Joseph Ruby.
And you are on the volunteer
rehabilitation scheme
at St Aidan's Priory.
Is that correct?
No comment.
What are your duties
and responsibilities at the priory?
No comment.
Where were you today, Joe?
No comment.
Provisional identification
from witnesses
states that the body
is that of Mark Bancroft,
a 32-year-old novice at the priory.
- What was your relationship
with the deceased?
- No comment.
Here's a funny thing.
There's been no crime
at this priory for decades,
and you turn up
and there's a murder.
I'm sorry, is that a question?
- Or was it a coincidence?
- No comment.
You've got a decent CV on you,
I tell you that.
Disturbing the peace, affray,
resisting arrest.
I mean, I-I could go on.
Oh, and by the way, your footprints
are a match to the ones
at the scene.
- No comment.
- Come on, mate!
Your form? It's not going to
look good, is it,
in front of a jury of your peers?
I would like to say something
about the allegations put to me.
I am not now, nor have I ever been,
his mate.
We've got ourselves a bit of
a comedian, haven't we, Joe?
But I tell you something,
whoever's done this is going down
for a very, very long time,
so if I were you, I'd start talking!
No comment.
OK, let's take a break there.
Pausing the interview at 22:10.
Resuming the interview
with Joseph Ruby.
This is Detective Inspector
Rose O'Connell.
DS Raj Singh has temporarily
left the interview.
The initial forensic
pathology report
states that the victim
appears to have taken
multiple blows
to the head and face.
Long narrow contact points -
maybe a pipe or an iron bar.
It seems he fell and hit his head
on something,
or something hit him,
with extreme force.
No signs of defence.
This wasn't a fight, Joe.
It was an execution.
We've spoken to a few witnesses.
He was a good man.
No-one has a bad word
to say about him.
He gave more than he took
out of life.
Not like some people.
No comment.
He has family,
a mother and a father.
They've just been told.
His mother fainted,
her legs just went.
Her husband couldn't even
comfort her.
He was in shock, he just sat there
with tears rolling down his face.
Their lives will never
be the same again.
I'm sorry.
- I can't help you, I wasn't there.
- Is that right?
I haven't even told you
when the murder took place.
I was
I was busy.
All day.
Doing what?
Come on, Joe.
KNOCKING
Ma'am,
there's something you need to see.
He enters the betting shop at 11:47.
We have him on their CCTV.
He's in there all afternoon
apart from a ten-minute interval
where he's picked up by CCTV
walking back along the high street
before entering a Greggs bakery,
where the girl at the counter says,
verified by their CCTV,
that he orders three sausage rolls
for the price of two
and a can of Tropical Paradise.
Living the dream.
He then goes back
to the betting shop,
where he places a total
of nine bets,
one of which comes in.
The other eight don't,
so he nets a loss of £115,
mostly on horses, one on the dogs.
- So he would have needed money.
- Go on.
He then exits the betting shop
at 1815.
Five minutes later,
he's with Father David Rutherford,
who he remains with
until the discovery.
And the body was found at 1840.
And the pathologist said
that rigor hadn't started,
so the time of death had to be
after 1300.
At the earliest.
And he was in the betting shop
from before 12 noon.
Exactly.
Why didn't you just tell us
you were at the bookie's?
Do you know what? I don't even care,
you're free to leave.
I got a tip from
an old contact of mine.
So I went to the bookie's.
It's not a crime to bunk off work
and bet on horses,
unlike wasting police time,
which very much is.
I didn't want to let
Father David down.
You know, he's given me a chance
to turn my life around.
It's my last chance.
But it was a sure-fire thing.
Carrot Cruncher.
I wasn't expecting her
to be wearing a straw hat.
Well, like I said,
you're free to go.
People like you, you always think
it's people like me.
Oh, yeah?
And who are people like you?
You tell me.
Well, I'm not a gambler,
but if I were
I'd look at your past form
and I'd say
you're not one for the big fences.
You'd rather sit on your backside
with a mouthful of hay
than exert yourself
for anything major.
You're a Saturday-night
kebab-shop brawler,
not a big-time criminal,
so, yeah, you're free to leave.
- Thanks for the character reference.
- You're welcome.
So what about you?
Well, you turned up tonight
like some moody pageant princess,
telling everybody what's what.
I bet you've played
the straight game your whole life,
done everything
anyone's ever asked of you.
But when the prizes get doled out,
goody two-shoes doesn't get
anywhere near them.
And on Saturday night,
when I'm in the kebab shop
getting my head kicked in,
you're probably at home, alone,
drinking vino solo,
and watching TV talent shows,
and you're wondering
why no-one appreciates you.
Hmm.
Leave him in there.
For half an hour.
I heard that!
Hey!
- You've done this before.
- Not really, no.
Well, then, you must be a natural.
When I was a kid,
we didn't have a garden.
But there was this teacher at school
who got us to make
these window boxes.
Yeah, out of bits of wood.
We'd put soil in them
and plant stuff.
Took it home.
I used to just sit and stare at it.
- And what did you grow?
- Can't remember, didn't have it long.
Steve Dobson nicked it.
Found it a week later in a skip.
Smashed to bits.
And did you call the police?
Where I'm from,
you don't involve the police.
You deal with things yourself.
Worse for Steve Dobson, though.
- How come?
- I chinned him, out cold.
Do the police think
you have something to do
with what happened to Brother Mark?
A man with Joe's past? Of course.
Well, thanks
for the vote of confidence.
And just for your information,
Sister Marie,
I have never hit anyone
who wasn't bigger than me.
And I have never taken anything
from anyone who has less than me.
For what it's worth,
I think it's deeply unfair,
the way they've jumped
to conclusions.
Have you any ideas
about what happened?
I was with the prior.
Why would Christopher know anything?
And, anyway, since when did you
become a police officer?
A what?
I'd rather be a nun.
Benedict.
Mark's brother.
- What about him?
- He's who they should talk to.
Bless him. He's always looking for
hand-outs to fund his awful habits.
And the other night, I heard them
arguing in Mark's room,
shouting and bawling.
- About money.
- And you didn't
tell this to the police because?
You know why.
God will bring justice in the end.
Do you know where
this Benedict lives?
- No.
- I think he might be homeless.
You said he's got some bad habits, right?
And on top of that,
he's either killed his brother
or he's dealing with the knowledge
that someone else has.
I shouldn't have said anything.
So even if he does have
a place to live
that's not where he's going to be.
What do you mean?
- Does a Benedict Bancroft
drink in here?
- Nah.
Bancroft in here? No?
Is there a Benedict Bancroft
drinks here?
I said, is there
a Benedict Bancroft drinks here?!
Benedict
I just want to talk to you!
Benedict! Uh!
HE GASPS
Hey!
Sorry. I'll bring it back!
You couldn't get an electric?
Come on!
Come on, then, Grandad!
Show us what you got!
What did you call me?
Ow!
I just want to talk to you about
your brother, Mark.
Are you police?!
Might be.
Cos that is police brutality!
Well, why don't you write
to your local MP?
Ah
PHONE RINGS
- Yeah?
- I've got all the phone records
and bank statements
from everyone at the priory.
Everyone has alibis -
admittedly, each other.
The prior was with Christopher,
and Sister Marie was doing
Bible classes around the time,
and besides, she has osteoarthritis,
so that's her out.
Send me everything.
The postmortem's in.
Blunt force trauma to the skull
caused by a narrow metallic object,
possibly a crowbar.
At least ten strikes
fracturing the occipital bone,
but there was another
above the temple,
confirmed to be caused
by a blunt instrument.
Someone must have been very angry.
Or desperate - it feels personal.
Get Forensics back on the scene.
I want them to check
all the nearby rocks for blood.
Any news on the victim's brother,
the Benedict guy?
- There's been a sighting.
- OK, I'll meet you there.
A little birdy tells me you were
round at his rooms the other night
and there was an argument.
A loud argument.
We had a difference of opinion.
I reckon you went to see Mark
to tap him up,
and he knocked you back,
said he was sick of bailing you out.
He never said no.
That's not what he was like.
He was kind-hearted, nonjudgmental.
Not like some.
And he deserved better, he deserved
a better brother than me.
We weren't close,
but I didn't kill him.
So why were you arguing?
I was in debt up to my eyeballs.
So I borrowed a lot of money from
a loan shark from the estate.
I thought I could pay it back,
but I couldn't.
- So you went to see Mark?
- I had 24 hours
before this guy said that I would
have to face the repercussions.
Mark said that he didn't have enough
cash to fix it, not this time,
but he'd go to the loan shark,
talk to him.
We argued about it,
and he went anyway.
And then a week later
he was dead.
Do you know what it's like
to hate yourself?
Yes, I do.
You said this bloke's
from the estate?
If you're going after him,
you better go in heavy.
Cos if he finds out
you're messing him around
- they'll never find your corpse.
- Is it who I think it is?
Benedict.
Oh, no.
- Who are they?
- Coppers.
- What?
- Good luck!
So who are you?!
Benedict Bancroft?
DI O'Connell. This is DS Raj Singh.
Yeah, it's Joe.
I need a number.
For Ace.
Thanks for coming to see me.
I just need five large, Ace,
and I'll pay you back
at the end of the month.
Do I know you? Cos you
you look very familiar.
Hmm, I don't think so.
Are you police?
Do you know, you're not the first
person to ask that, but no.
No, I'm not.
OK.
The money's in the car.
Get in!
Put your seat belt on. We're going
to go for a little day out.
Actually, I don't think I need
that five large after all.
BEEP
You think I'm a mug.
No.
No-one texts me out of the blue
for a loan.
There's a process.
You're not here for money.
Ace, please
You're fraud squad, aren't you?
I knew I'd seen your face somewhere.
Honestly? No.
You've been sent from another firm.
You'd better start talking.
Why are we here?
Hmm!
I've been here before,
I really don't need to see it again.
Aah!
-
- We've had a tip-off
from an anonymous caller.
Joe Ruby's been kidnapped.
Vehicle checks complete.
It's registered
to a Mr Archie Dawson.
- Oh, God.
- What?
Archie Dawson - street name "Ace",
head of the Dawson crime family?
What the hell's Joe Ruby
getting mixed up with him for?
I imagine that's the name
Bancroft wouldn't give us.
Why would he give it to Joe?
Maybe he speaks his language.
Control, Delta 2-1, urgent.
I need all unit circulation.
Vehicle is a black and grey
Land Rover Defender.
Registration Juliet 3-3-3
Romeo Golf Alpha.
Believed to be involved
in a live hostage situation.
What a view, eh?
This is where a good friend of mine
lost his life.
Yeah. Well, I mean, I say "friend".
More of a business associate, really.
Well, I say "business associate",
more of a
rival.
Just wanted to pay my respects.
Fell to his death this very spot.
It was about this time of day.
Closed to the public,
you know, nobody about.
And guess what?
No CCTV cameras either.
Cos they didn't have all that
kind of nonsense, you know,
back in the 14th century
or whenever they put this wreck up.
So no-one saw anything.
Probable suicide.
I am sorry.
They were his last words as well.
"I'm sorry."
Rumour has it.
Oh!
Oh, G! No!
Black and grey Land Rover Defender,
registration Juliet 3-3-3
Romeo Golf Alpha
has been sighted stationary
at Dunstanburgh Castle.
Informant is a local ranger,
visual confirmation only.
Received. On our way.
I've definitely seen your face
somewhere before,
and I'm going to be honest with you,
mate, right,
it's not making me feel nostalgic.
Still nothing, no?
Oh, well, I suppose this is goodbye, then.
No, wait!
The reason you know me is
because I was in prison with you.
HMP Northumberland.
I was doing six months.
It's true!
Ma'am, up there!
I knew your mate, Sludge Markham.
- You knew Sludge?
- Yeah!
I've been doing some volunteer work
at the priory,
and one of the monks, Mark,
he got done in.
And his brother, Benedict,
he was a client of yours.
And what does that mean?
Are you saying I did it?
God, no!
Cos I know that's not your style,
Ace.
No, that's not my style.
I were brought up a Catholic.
I would never touch
a man of the cloth.
Oh, I see what you're doing.
You're trying to fit me up,
aren't you?
Ace, no, that's not what this is.
Oh, well.
I'd best not take the risk, eh?
Adios, amigo.
- No!
- Police!
Let him go!
DI Rose O'Connell. There's no need
for this. Let him go.
Rose?
Well you've got friends
in high places.
Ace Dawson, we need to speak to you.
You lent money to the brother
of a dead man.
So I heard.
A monk named Mark,
your little narc just told me.
Yeah, he did come to see me.
But if you think that's a motive,
you better think again.
Because he paid his debt off
in full.
I don't get upset with a customer
who pays his debts.
I'm arresting you for kidnap
and false imprisonment.
You do not have to say anything
What if I told you
he also paid his girlfriend's debt?
- Benedict's girlfriend?
- No.
The monk's girlfriend.
Brother Mark had a girlfriend?
Who was she?
How about we drop
these silly charges first?
I don't know her real name.
Her working name's Madame Crystal.
She works out of a massage parlour
in Blyth.
- She's a working girl?
- Yeah.
You can't trust anyone these days,
can you?
We'll catch up soon.
Detective.
You should have told me about Ace.
I didn't know - it was a punt.
How did you find out I was here?
Someone saw you being taken.
Who?
We don't know yet.
Joe
Yeah.
- What are you doing?
- I'm getting in the car.
That's an Aln Valley Police car.
It's not an Uber.
Fancy seeing you here!
You need to leave.
A man can't have a massage?
I don't know if you've noticed,
but it's been
a tension-filled couple of days.
- Seriously, Joe.
- Look, you need me.
These are not the kind of people
who like talking to the police.
What, you, go in there alone?
They won't tell you anything.
They believe me.
I grew up with these people.
And by the way,
what did you make of Benedict?
I mean, I know we've ruled him out
of the murder, but as a bloke
- "We've" ruled him out?
- Mmm, I think he's just posh,
but pretending he isn't,
and spoiled.
But he's too chicken
to do any real damage.
For what it's worth, I thought
he was narcissistic, vainglorious,
and despite
his rampant egocentricity,
probably has self-esteem issues
inherited from a dominant father
incapable of
showing love and affection.
Wow.
- You didn't learn that at Hendon.
- No.
Trinity College, Oxford.
Hmm.
Well, at least we agree
on one thing.
Benedict's an arse.
Er
Sorry, I don't do threesomes.
- Ah, we're not here for that.
- Yeah, we're here for something else.
Well, if you're that desperate
to part with your money,
take your clothes off,
pop yourselves on the table.
We don't want a massage.
I want to ask you some questions.
Sorry, it's her first time.
Stop talking!
- Yes, ma'am.
- I'm going to put you
in jail after this.
Oh, I get it.
It's a role-play thing.
- I'm in.
- Enough!
You two need to get a room -
you don't need my services.
- We don't want a room.
- We just want to talk to you.
That's what they all say.
Oh, God, are you police?
- Why does everyone think I'm police?
- Because!
All police have sad eyes,
they all hate themselves.
We don't want a room,
we don't want a massage.
We don't want a threesome.
I want to talk to you
about Brother Mark.
Oh, so you're police.
How come he has the sad eyes?
We just want to find out
if anyone knows anything.
We heard, I heard
he was your boyfriend.
SHE LAUGHS
My boyfriend?
- He were a monk!
- So he was a punter?
People always think the worst.
I went to see him.
For
For spiritual guidance.
I'd lost my way a bit.
Picked up some bad habits,
got myself into debt.
And I've got a daughter
who needs me.
I wanted to clean up my act,
find a better way of living.
He was the only one
who believed in me.
He was helping me
to become more
spiritual,
to forgive myself.
Good for you.
It's devastating.
I'm going back to college.
He'd have wanted that.
Can you think of anyone that
might have wanted to hurt him?
Oh, no-one. Everyone loved him -
you couldn't not.
Think harder.
No-one.
OK, look, thanks for your time
and good luck in college, yeah?
I'll decide when we're done.
Sure. Over to you.
I did wonder whether,
in another world
if he'd have liked
to have fallen in love.
He was a romantic at heart.
I always wondered
if there was someone.
- Now, what was that about?
- You're not my partner.
Actually, I think we're working
pretty well together, you know?
- Good cop, better cop.
- I'm serious. We're done.
Joe.
It was me.
- What was?
- I called the police.
I needed to talk to you.
I didn't want to do it on the phone,
so I followed you.
Brother Christopher,
what are you talking about?
I saw the men throw you
in the back of the car.
It was you?
Thanks.
You saved my
Hang on.
How come you were there
when they took me?
I heard Father David
and Sister Marie.
They were talking about, er
love, about sex.
What?
They mentioned Brother Mark.
- Whoa, just slow down.
- They were stressed out.
I thought about calling the police
to see if it was useful,
but you said
that's not what people do,
and you seem to know
about these things.
Right, a word of advice.
Never take advice from me.
I'm scared, Joe.
Father David was shouting
at Sister Marie,
- accusing her of something.
- That's OK.
You did the right thing.
PHONE RINGS
Hi, Raj.
Yes.
They're sure?
Have they checked the blood?
OK.
Do we have a match?
KNOCKING
Joseph!
Come in.
Nice to see you.
Is Is everything OK?
Can I ask you a
delicate question?
Is it about faith?
Are you struggling?
- It's about you.
- Me?
One thing I've always wondered.
What's it like to never have
relationships?
Gosh!
I-I wasn't expecting that.
What's brought all this on?
What about Brother Mark?
Did he ever
Ever what?
It's just I think
he was having an affair.
DOOR OPENS
Detective!
- Joe.
- Hi, Rose.
What can I do for you?
I found the plane tickets, Marie.
You bought two for Spain.
Dated the 20th of April,
the day Mark was murdered.
Is that illegal?
No.
But one of the names on the ticket
was Mark's.
And I think whoever killed Mark
did so out of anger,
not for revenge or for money,
but the number of blows,
the murder weapon
it was personal.
And there's only one thing
causes that much anger.
Love.
Love so deep that even someone
with a degenerative disease
could summon the strength.
- Why are you saying all this?
- Brother Mark.
He was the reason you were thinking
of renouncing your vows,
and that's why David was so upset.
David knows nothing.
Maybe Brother Mark
pulled out of the deal.
Lost his bottle, a chicken.
Just like his brother.
I took some photographs of the soil
around the crime scene.
And in them, among the footprints,
some indentations
that might just be a perfect match
for that crutch.
Do you think
if I took a closer look,
I might find traces
of someone's blood?
Mark's blood?
I
I
loved him.
I-I mean, really
loved him.
He was the best thing
that ever happened to me.
And the worst.
We couldn't reconcile our love
with our faith.
We planned to be together.
We were flying away in secret.
A new life.
A life of love and happiness.
And then, yes, he changed his mind.
Just like that.
He said he couldn't leave
God's work, not yet.
But it was too late for me.
I had given myself to him.
I felt like such a fool,
standing there with my little case.
I didn't know what to do.
Without him,
I'd lost everything.
And then suddenly, I struck him
with my crutch.
He looked at me almost confused.
That just made me more angry.
I snapped.
I found strength I never knew I had.
I hit him as hard as I could.
He didn't fight back
or defend himself
or even cry out.
And everything stopped.
Him.
Me.
Us.
And that's why you didn't
have your crutch with you
when David and I saw you.
SHE SOBS
Because it was covered
in Mark's blood.
Today, we gather with heavy hearts
to commend our brother,
Brother Mark
into the hands of God.
And we do so not in simplicity
What shadows we are.
What shadows we pursue.
For his death has come to us
Nah, you've lost me.
- Edmund Burke.
- Hmm.
Learnt most of what I know
from the holy game of poker.
Oh? And what can you learn
from a card game?
It's not a card game.
It's a betting game.
You play the player, not the cards.
People, patience, position.
Cost me 80 grand,
the house I lived in
- and my relationship with
my daughter to learn that.
- Hmm.
I give it to you for nothing.
I'll stick to the facts, thanks.
You play whatever game you want,
but not around me.
Will you relax?
I am done with all that.
From now on,
it's the quiet life for me.
Is that a promise?
No comment.
CHOIR SINGS
HE HUMS
Joe?
Help me finish off these candles?
I have to come clean with you,
Father David.
I gave you my word that I wouldn't,
but
I gambled.
I bet the last of my money
on the horses.
And I went to the pub.
But I didn't have a drink.
And then I stole a bike.
But I gave it back.
And I hit someone
who probably didn't deserve it.
And I lied.
Well, not lied, but
I didn't tell the whole truth
to someone who probably
did deserve it.
You have been busy.
And worst of all,
an innocent man died
and I thought about myself.
And I'm still thinking about myself
even now.
So if you want me to leave
I'm OK with that.
I don't want you to leave.
This is about the path taken
not the destination.
Sometimes you have to do
a little bad
to do a lot of good.
That's nice.
Who said that?
Jesus?
No.
I think it was Britney Spears.
We find inspiration
where we can get it.
CHOIR SINGS