Mystery Road: Origin (2022) s01e02 Episode Script

1
JAY: Where's your horse?
JACK: Sore leg.
- (FIRES GUN)
- (POPPY MOANS)
Put your hands up where I can see them!
You're making a mistake.
The individual is actually
Constable Jay Swan.
JAY: I need a list of
all your recent invoices.
- Who hired what, when.
- He's SOS.
- (SPITS)
- MAX: Means "Sons of the Soil".
MARY'S MOTHER: Are you Jack's son?
Unfortunately.
Yeah, walk away. It's what
you're fuckin' famous for.
You gonna hit me?
Come on. Let me give you a lift.
Maybe next time, eh?
- ABE: Why are you here?
- Lawyer like you.
ZAFAR: Like me?
ABE: A good lawyer.
We usually get has-beens or the
wannabes, not actual good lawyers.
POPPY: It wasn't just money they took.
Also Halloween costumes.
- MAN: Belt and keys in the bag!
- (PANTS)
Take the money and go.
(PANTS) He's got my belt.
(VEHICLE DRIVES AWAY)
(MAN LAUGHS)
(SIRENS HOWL)
(SIRENS STOP)
(TRUCK HISSES)
(CATTLE SNORT)
(CATTLE MOO AND STAMP)
Hey, buddy.
You right?
MAN: You were going pretty
fast back there, champ.
Show us your licence.
Why don't you step out?
What?
MAN: Out.
Show me the back.
(CLEARS THROAT AND SIGHS)
(SIGHS)
(CATTLE SNORT)
(CATTLE STAMP)
(CATTLE SNORT)
You gonna book me or what?
(SNIFFS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
Hey!
Oi! Oi!
(SIRENS HOWL)
So, what happened?
I already told ya.
Can you tell us again?
Ned Kelly stole my truck.
You guys chased him.
Now I'm standing here.
Can you give us more of a description?
It's Ned fuckin' Kelly, mate. You
know what he looks like, don't ya?
Tall? Short?
JAY: Caucasian?
Aboriginal?
All I saw was his finger.
JAY: Which was what colour?
Black.
Had a glove on it.
And the officer who
approached your truck
I had a torch blinding me.
Look, last time I seen my truck,
a police car was right up
its arse, with sirens blaring.
So why don't you ask those
coppers what happened to it?
Are you going to the ball tomorrow?
Deb ball?
MAX: Yep.
They still do that thing?
It's the biggest night of the year.
Mate, she's asking you out.
What?
No, I'm not.
Are you?
Absolutely not.
I'm not even going.
CINDY: (ON RADIO) Jay, Max,
we've got reports coming in
of an abandoned cattle
truck on Boundary Road.
(CATTLE BELLOW)
MAN: They're 500 bucks a head.
We need all them killers
back on the trailers now.
(GRUNTS)
(GRUNTS)
These look familiar?
GIRL: They moo.
(SIGHS)
(GIRL LAUGHS)
WOMAN: Can you see the cows?
Yeah.
GIRL: There's cows!
WOMAN: Yeah, over there.
This is a crime scene, not a playground.
Come on, bub.
This fella reckons you can't play.
Did you see this truck arrive?
No.
Heard it, but.
Dogs going off their heads.
Person had a radar.
JAY: What'd the person
with the radar see?
A truck.
Cattle.
Couple of fellas.
Which way did they go?
Mary in?
Why?
Wanted to make sure she
was OK after last night.
Yeah. She's right. She's solid.
(CATTLE MOO)
- (CUFF PUMPS)
- (MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ON RADIO)
- (AIR HISSES)
- Big hello to all our listeners.
We'll be taking your calls.
Here's some important
information for our listeners
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
(FRIDGE OPENS)
(YAWNS)
(DOOR CREAKS)
You need to cut that shit out, you know.
You'd take that one last pleasure
out of my life, wouldn't you?
Wouldn't mind a cup of tea.
It's not cancer of the leg, you know.
(KNOCK AT DOOR)
Hi.
- You looking for Lartesha?
- No, I'm not here to see her.
You're Mary Allen, right?
Yeah.
Josh Allen's sister?
This is just routine.
I'm reviewing his case.
- We're not interested.
- MARY'S MOTHER: Who you talking to?
- Nobody!
- MARY'S MOTHER: Bullshit, Mary.
MARY: It's nothing, Mum!
MARY'S MOTHER: Well, bring
nothing in here so I can see them.
(MARY SIGHS)
The Kelly Gang's done it again.
Tell me that's not all
that's left of your car.
Well, stole a truck
..let the cattle out.
Lot of trouble for a joke.
Why dump it here, eh?
(LIGHTER CLICKS)
Joshie come to stay with
us when he was a little one.
He was so cheeky, that boy.
And he could eat too, eh?
(LAUGHS)
It was only supposed to
be for a couple of months.
But he just stayed on.
He even moved with us to Jardine.
He was family, you know?
And he always looked out
for us, didn't he, Mary?
And we went through some
tough times together.
But, hey, that's just boys being boys.
- (RUMBLING)
- (CROCKERY RATTLES)
- (SIGHS) I'll get you another one.
- (DOGS BARK)
The file says
MARY'S MOTHER: I know
what your file says.
- (CROCKERY CLINKS)
- Police know nothing.
Coroner knows nothing.
Case closed.
(LIQUID POURS)
MARY'S MOTHER: But he wasn't
just a footnote in a file to us.
(EMOTIONALLY) He was my little boy.
(SOBS)
MARY: You right, Mum?
(BREATHES SHAKILY)
Time for you to go, eh?
I don't know what you're
trying to achieve here.
(CATTLE MOO)
But she's really sick.
And it's not gonna do her,
or anyone else, any good
to drag that pain up again.
Yeah, sure. I get it.
Do you?
I seen you mob come and go,
your 2-year regional post.
Do your time then back
to some big corporate job.
You know, no-one told us
the case was being reopened.
Why now?
Here's my card.
I'm just looking for information.
Ah, I reckon they stuffed up.
They're criminals, remember.
I mean (LAUGHS) ..they're not
the sharpest knives in the drawer.
Or it was exactly what they wanted.
There were some numbers
graffitied on a street sign.
'88'.
'88 was a kick in the guts to this town.
I remember being a kid when
all the men were sacked.
PETER: Yeah.
Overseas company came in. They
sacked hundreds and just dumped it.
Asian company.
Poppy Feng.
Owns the roadhouse.
So you think this is
..racially motivated?
Stealing cows?
H is the eighth letter of the alphabet.
It's what?
'88' is code for "Heil Hitler."
What about the Sons of the Soil?
There's talk they're into Nazis.
Talk? From who?
Sources.
CINDY: The deceased in
the accident yesterday?
Chris Miller?
Well, I did some research,
and his brother has done
six years for armed robbery.
Just got out.
There's a lot of white
power in those prison gangs.
I thought you said they were just
a little rough around the edges.
(LAUGHS)
OK.
But if it WAS them,
why are they drawing
attention to 'emselves?
JAY: Why don't we ask 'em?
Might find a police car in the yard.
PETER: Yeah.
Go find your car.
I'm staying here.
Too old for this shit.
(LAUGHS)
PETER: Come on, Maxie. Fuck off.
MAX: (ON RADIO) You check the
front. I'll check the back.
That wasn't part of the plan.
It's locked.
Max?
(STATIC CRACKLES)
Max, you there?
(STATIC CRACKLES)
(SIGHS)
(CINDY SIGHS)
Jay.
(SIGHS)
(SIGHS)
- (SIGHS)
- JAY: You good?
(SONG PLAYS INDISTINCTLY IN DISTANCE)
Max.
(CHATTER AND LAUGHTER IN DISTANCE)
(PANTS)
Lucas Miller!
Come out slowly with
your hands in the air!
(SONG STOPS)
(PANTS)
MAX: This is the police!
- (DOOR BANGS)
- MAN: Oi!
On the ground!
Hold your fire!
- MAX: Stay down.
- (PANTS)
Not a word.
Ease off!
(WEAPON CLICKS)
What's all this?
Sergeant let you off the leash, did he?
Drop your weapons and put
your hands behind your back.
Now!
We're free Australian citizens.
Have you sworn to uphold
the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights?
Get on the ground!
Not if you're the one
asking, Suzie Wong.
(GUN CLICKS)
JAY: We just want to talk.
Mate
..we're having a wake
for my brother here.
Remember him?
Well, no-one else has to get hurt.
CINDY: There's a step there.
Watch your head.
Come on, mate.
- LUCAS: Behave yourself.
- CINDY: Get in.
No sign of your vehicle.
Hm.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
PETER: We're just trying
to be reasonable, you know?
Come on. We just want you to
cooperate. It's not hard
I didn't order a Turkish delight.
Did I?
I didn't order a racist
client, but there you go.
That's the beauty of our justice system.
Did you agree to be interviewed
without a lawyer present, Mr Miller?
- PETER: He was happy to talk.
- And now he talks to me.
Right.
Interview with Lucas
Miller terminated at 8:43.
See ya later, Sarge.
- (SIGHS)
- (DOOR CLOSES)
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
(CHAIR SCRAPES)
(CHAIR SCRAPES)
- Unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
- Mmm.
Possession of prohibited literature.
Trafficable amount of marijuana.
Receiving stolen goods.
Police-issue Glock?
Yeah.
Hey, let the hand of the law
strike me down if it will.
Where's my boys?
They're being transferred south.
- Ah.
- Never know.
Might get to see them
sooner than you think.
But all that's up to you.
(SIGHS)
(CHAIR SCRAPES)
(SLURPS)
- (DOOR OPENS)
- Ahh!
Let me know when you're ready
for me to keep you out of jail.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(LIGHTER CLICKS)
(PETER SIGHS)
Well, Abe reckons that
the guns and drugs charges
are enough to hold him till the morning.
But, you know.
Do you really think it's them?
They have guns and aren't
afraid to point 'em at people.
But Xavier Allen.
I mean, how does he fit in?
Like you said.
950 people hate the police in
this town. They got that in common.
- (LAUGHS)
- (LIGHTER CLICKS)
Alright. I'll call the inspector.
Tell him we got our Kelly Gang.
(DOOR OPENS)
ZAFAR: Shoplifting.
Under-age drinking.
And you're on a bond for offensive
language towards a police officer.
Quite a step up to the
charges you're facing now.
Police want you for
robbing a cattle truck.
That'll mean a period of incarceration.
Before that, you can talk to me.
What were you doing there?
Xavier?
(SIGHS)
How are you mixed up in this?
Hm?
(DOOR OPENS)
What are you doing for him?
ZAFAR: Can't do much if he won't talk.
Can you help me out?
(SIGHS)
Big man now, are you?
You wait till you get home and
Mum and Lartesha get a hold of you.
What the hell were you doing?
Those blokes, they're not your mates.
They're using you, Xavier.
I don't need you to look after me.
Anya
..your daughter
..she needs you.
Just tell me what's going on.
Um
..I can't.
Why not?
Buy gunja off 'em.
(SIGHS)
Xavier?
I feel there's something else.
(DEVICE CLATTERS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
Xavier Allen says he was in
the compound at your request.
Does he?
PETER: That he was gathering
information about a gang
and that he's a criminal
informant for you.
The fact of which, as your
direct fuckin' supervisor,
I had no idea about.
Sources?
It's more of a friendly arrangement
Oh, Christ.
I was being proactive.
Jesus, Max!
(CLEARS THROAT)
Lucas Miller has
..broken the terms of his parole.
So you tell him his
..mates at Rangeview correctional centre
will be happy to have
him back in attendance.
And the robbery charges?
Or have we forgotten about that?
We know what he's up to.
Thanks.
Thank you.
(SIGHS) Lucky he wasn't
actually mixed up with them.
Legal aid were hopeless with Josh.
Mum and I felt like we were on our own.
You're asking me to
talk about it, but
..I mean, I don't even know who you are.
Sometimes things just need a
fresh pair of eyes, that's all.
(SCOFFS)
My family need more than
..fresh eyes.
Any lawyer will tell you,
you never win a murder case.
Even if you find who did it.
Can't change the fact that Josh is dead.
Person who was loved
..can never come back.
But a lawyer can get you some peace.
That's all I want to do.
(SIGHS)
WOMAN: (ON TV) You're,
like, a strip club guy, hey?
- Yeah.
- MAN: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, no.
No, I've been doing that for a while,
yeah, but, um, I've got a new job.
You know, you could say I'm moving on.
WOMAN: Yeah? What are you doing?
MAN: I'm, um
..yeah, I'm doing, um
..I'm working for a guy, you know,
just doing odd jobs here and
there, that sort of thing.
WOMAN: Oh, right. Like a handyman?
MAN: Yeah.
(SIGHS)
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER IN VIDEO)
- (METALLIC TAPPING)
MARY'S MOTHER: (IN VIDEO)
What are you looking at?
Is that your puppy?
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)
MARY'S MOTHER: Tell Mum
what's your puppy's name.
- Joshie.
- (LAUGHS)
MARY'S MOTHER: Tell Mum
what that puppy's name is.
(SIGHS)
- MARY: (IN VIDEO) Oi, you bighead.
- Fuck off.
MARY: (LAUGHS) Look here.
Ah! Don't look away.
Come on! (LAUGHS)
(SNIFFS)
(SOBS)
(SIGHS)
(VIDEO STOPS)
(SIGHS)
(SIGHS)
(HORSE SNORTS)
Hi, Jay.
- How you doing?
- I'm fine.
It is going to take more than
a couple of wannabe bushrangers
to tear this place down.
- (LAUGHS)
- I was looking for Jack. You seen him?
Well, we don't serve beer
till 10 o'clock, so (LAUGHS)
Now, you're both coming
to the ball, aren't you?
I'll be there.
- Who are you bringing?
- (LAUGHS)
Oh! (LAUGHS)
You see the old man,
get him to give me a call, eh?
Well, get him to come to the ball.
I'll do my best.
(DOGS BARK)
(RATTLING)
My son should be doing that,
but he's too busy partying.
He's a young man, Cath.
Mmm.
Don't think I don't see
what's going on here.
We're just friends.
Yeah, well.
She's not looking.
I'm off.
You need a lift?
No charge.
Where are YOU goin'?
Give him a break, Mary.
He can't just act like nothing happened.
- Nothing happened!
- You two need to stop it.
You gotta stop wiping his arse,
Mum. He's got hair on his balls.
Ready?
- Daddy!
- Yeah.
Hey, my biggest bub.
- Father of the Year now, eh?
- Stop it, Mary.
Shall we go?
Sure.
ZAFAR: I'll give you a call
once I've received the paperwork.
Should only be a few days.
Look after yourself.
- You too.
- See you Tuesday.
What do you need? Adjournment?
- Uh, no.
- MAN: G'day.
Oh, what's he up to?
- WOMAN: Nothing much.
- MAN: Cute kid.
Thank you.
That bloke is not what Jess
Thompson needs in her life right now.
She's already fighting a custody battle.
If he isn't careful, he's about
to be a father to baby number two.
You DO have a heart.
Happy people mean fewer problems for us.
- She seems happy.
- That's a very cute name.
- I'm Texas anyway. Well, Tex.
- I'm Jess.
- TEXAS: Pleased to meet you.
- (SIGHS)
JESS: Pleased to meet you too.
You play pool?
Huh?
Free tonight?
Tonight's the deb ball.
Another time.
No, no, tonight's
..that's works fine.
Good.
SONG: (ON RADIO) It's
a long, straight road ♪
Tell your mum she has to
see that new specialist.
I don't know why she won't do it.
She won't do anything
if someone tells her to.
(SIREN CHIRPS)
MAN: Oop! Look out.
SONG: These rough old
hands are a-glued to the wheel
And my eyes filled with
sand from the way they feel
And the lights comin'
over the hill are a-blindin' me
It's a long time ♪
(DOOR OPENS)
But a man's gotta find
a little bread for his mouth
And a home for a girl as
sweet as my honey can be ♪
Hey, mate.
Little Jayco.
(LAUGHS)
You've shot up. How's it going?
- Yeah, good.
- What have I done wrong?
Oh, I just want a word with your
passenger, if that's alright.
I'm late.
Won't take long.
SONG: But I can feel
the load start a-shiftin'
In a dance ♪
I stopped by the house.
- True?
- Yeah.
This, uh, deb ball thing.
You going?
I wasn't planning to. Why?
Did you do all that to
ask me out on a date?
Nah. Nah.
Um
..well, yeah, maybe.
Geraldine Southwell wants me to go.
I just, um
..I just need some backup.
Wow.
Constable Jay Swan requesting backup.
Alright.
I'll be your backup.
(LAUGHS)
(PHONE RINGS)
(SIGHS)
(SIGHS HEAVILY)
Check your drawer.
Hm.
JAY: Dad!
Dad!
(SIGHS)
- JACK: Hey.
- (DOOR CREAKS)
Where you been?
Here.
I live here.
(SIGHS)
Right.
(JACK SIGHS)
I wanted to apologise
for the other night.
It's none of my business.
Righto.
I made detective today.
Did you?
Yeah.
I tried calling you.
Sorry. I had womans here.
Your father might be getting old,
mmm, but he can still bull-jump.
Mmm-mmm!
Right.
Geraldine wanted me to make sure
that you're coming to the ball tonight.
Did she?
Reckon you can make it?
Yeah.
I'll see you there, yeah?
(SIGHS)
(WIND GUSTS)
(VEHICLE ACCELERATES)
(ENGINES REV)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
(WHISTLING)
- WOMAN: Yeah!
- MAN: Jump down.
WOMAN 2: Yeah.
(ORCHESTRA PLAYS ELEGANT MUSIC)
GERALDINE: Here he is. (LAUGHS)
Jay.
Lovely to see you. You look fantastic.
- Geraldine.
- (LAUGHS) Now, who do we have here?
Mary.
Mary. Of course.
You look stunning, Mary. Gorgeous.
Um, where's Jack?
He'll be here.
Ah. Of course. Loves
to make an entrance.
Hello! I'm Geraldine
Southwell. Lovely to meet you.
Now, I've got you sitting
right up the front.
She make me weak, that woman.
You know how many times I've met her?
I'm glad you got me to come.
- Sissy!
- Hey.
- Oh!
- Oh!
You look so pretty!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Howdy!
Jay.
- How are you, brother?
- I'm good.
Good to see you.
Didn't expect to see you here.
Well, your sister put
the hard word on me.
She does that. (LAUGHS)
How'd you go finding those fellas?
We're looking at someone.
Really?
Mate, that's great! That's good.
- That's good.
- These your bodyguards?
Uh, no, no.
This is, uh, Benno and Lachie.
- Guys, this is Detective Jay Swan.
- Benno.
They work for the foundation.
- Mining?
- Surveying.
Good to meet youse.
Well, I can't get through
this without booze.
(CLAPS) Got a speech to make.
- So I'm a bit
- Oh, come on. You'll be right.
(LAUGHS) Thanks, mate.
I'll catch youse.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER AND LAUGHTER)
Do you want a refill, baby?
All good.
Hey, boys. Refill?
There you go.
(CLEARS THROAT) You sure
this is the pub you meant?
Why not? It's great.
I just haven't been here in a while.
I'll get the drinks. You rack 'em.
- Yeah.
- Hi. Two of those.
WOMAN: Yep.
What are YOU doing here?
We're just playing pool, mate, alright?
Alright. OK.
OK. I get it. I get it.
Alright? Hey.
- Whatever was done,
- he was just doing his job.
Alright?
(GRUMBLES)
Ta.
Oh, why don't you break?
(ORCHESTRA PLAYS ELEGANT MUSIC)
Come on. Up you get. Let's go.
Come on. Off you go. That's it.
Beautiful.
That's it. Come on, boys. That's it.
Go do it. Go do it.
Come on, boys.
Excellent. Who wants to have a dance?
Let's go have some
fun. That's excellent.
(ORCHESTRA PLAYS WALTZING MATILDA)
(ORCHESTRA PLAYS LIVELY MUSIC)
(ORCHESTRA PLAYS WALTZING MATILDA)
(MUSIC ENDS)
- MAN: Well done.
- (APPLAUSE)
(LAUGHS)
(TRILLS LIPS)
Married in a green felt dress, eh?
Again?
Uh, I'm not that rich.
You're a lawyer.
Ha!
(SIGHS)
My dad would probably approve of you.
Should have seen your face.
- (LAUGHS)
- (LAUGHS)
I was gonna run.
I'd hunt you down.
- You sound like a bounty hunter.
- Probably why you picked this place.
Ta.
(SIGHS)
You asked me the other night
..what I'm doing here.
I may have found something.
An old case.
Should you be talking to ME?
Honestly, I don't know
who else I can talk to.
Put it away.
I haven't even asked anything yet.
Who got in your ear about this?
- No-one.
- Well, you need to drop it.
Josh Allen's death tore
too many lives apart.
I'm not trying to stir anything up.
Why did they let Ziggy Wells go?
They would have had enough
evidence for a murder conviction.
Wasn't there DNA?
- What was the reason?
- I'm not talking to you about this.
Abe.
OK.
(SNIFFS)
(SIGHS)
Ziggy's statement was deemed an
internalised false confession.
Why was that?
When you find out, you tell me.
Hm.
Witnesses saw Ziggy argue with the
deceased the night of the murder.
Ziggy had no alibi for the
time and confessed to it.
The second Ziggy gets
released, leaves town,
just like an innocent person would?
It's (SIGHS)
Are we done?
Sure.
If that's your reason
to be in this town
..I'd find another.
You know?
Uh, my brother, Patrick, and
I stand before you here tonight
as proud members of
the Southwell family,
who first settled in
Jardine five generations ago.
Jesus. (LAUGHS) I thought
I'd missed the speeches.
PATRICK: (CLEARS THROAT) Uh, and, uh
..our father, uh, Neil Southwell,
was the driving force
behind the establishment
of the Jardine
Indigenous Debutante Ball.
GERALDINE: He did it as a gesture
to acknowledge the
injustices of the past,
so that we could walk
together side by side today.
(PATRICK CLEARS THROAT)
That's right.
Uh, our family has been lucky enough
to honour many great
Aboriginal men and women,
uh, with this Lifetime
Achievement Award,
and this next winner certainly
matches that description.
Still the youngest ever winner of
the Australian Rodeo Championships,
stockman, gentleman, father,
local legend.
Let's give it up for Jack Swan!
(APPLAUSE)
I don't I don't think he's coming.
Uh, I'm told he's still
starting himself up.
Ladies and gentlemen,
put your hands together
and welcome to the
stage Jack's son, Jay,
who will say a few
words on Jack's behalf.
(APPLAUSE)
Thanks, everyone.
(MOUTHS WORDS)
- Thanks.
- (LAUGHS)
- Jay. Just yeah, just
- Mmm. Mmm.
(CLEARS THROAT AND SIGHS)
Um
Um
(SIGHS)
Hope youse all have a good night, yeah?
(APPLAUSE)
GERALDINE: Now, uh, enjoy
yourselves. Eat, drink and be merry.
Goodnight, Elvis.
- She gonna get some dick ♪
- (WOMEN LAUGH)
Thank you for tonight.
She loved it.
(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)
Our dads are designed to let us down.
Don't be too hard on him.
Maybe you should go see him.
(DOOR CLOSES)
- (STOPS ENGINE)
- (BEEPING)
(SIGHS)
Dad!
(DOG WHIMPERS)
(DOG BARKS)
(BREATHES SHAKILY)
(BREATHES SHAKILY)
But I think it's very
important for our community
that it doesn't get out.
Put it down.
(GROANS)
(BOTH GRUNT)
Where'd you work before this?
Would you go back there?
ZAFAR: Yeah, they'd have me back.
MAN: You might want to think about that.
Who are you? You're not Jack!
MARY: You think I DID lie.
Fuck you!
We've had a confession.
JAY: Who?
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