Under Salt Marsh (2026) s01e05 Episode Script

1
This programme contains strong
language and adult themes.
There is more waste coming into Morfa.
Nessa Taman. She was suffocated.
And not in a dissimilar way to Cefin.
Look I've given you my confession.
You didn't murder Nessa Taman.
Been wasting my fucking time.
(BANGS DESK)
Get out the fucking room!
Hair matching your DNA's been found
on the body of Cefin Hill.
Dylan. Dylan Rees.
He's the father.
Bull, what are you doing?
What the hell are you doing?
No such thing as off the record.
(CLAMOURING)
DENG: Causeway's cut off.
No-one's going in or out.
This storm, it doesn't care
about you or your investigation.
OSIAN: Come quickly! Quickly.
(WATER GURGLING)
(GRUNTING)
MAN: Get him out!
No pulse.
(WHISPERS) August.
Come on, let's get him up.
Ready? Three, two, one.
(GRUNTING)
WOMAN: No obvious signs of trauma.
He could have drowned.
But without further investigation,
I couldn't say for sure what killed him.
OK. Thank you, Dr Taman.
You three take care of yourselves, OK?
So August Antonov warned us there
was more waste coming into Morfa.
And now he's dead.
Could it be suicide, do you think?
- No. He was ready to talk.
- Could he have been killed?
Well, yeah, given he'd been paid
large amounts for his silence,
I'd say that's likely, yeah.
If he knew the waste
was still coming into Morfa,
- he knew where it was going.
- Well, yeah.
So either he was being paid
to keep quiet about that, or
or he knew about Nessa.
We need to find out
who the fuck was paying him,
where the new waste is going,
and who knows about it.
I mean, we've got three bodies now.
Is it one murderer?
Well, we know both children were
asphyxiated in the same manner
and with a similar hand span.
Ellis.
- Ellis.
- Yeah?
We need to focus on finding
that other waste site
before the storm washes it away
tomorrow night.
We've got under 24 hours, so we'll
search his caravan first thing.
OK. Well, what do you want me to do?
Nothing.
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
I think it's best for everyone
if you stay out of this.
Night after sorrow ♪
You're my song ♪
Strings will collide ♪
We are undone ♪
Darken the waters ♪
Deepen regrets ♪
Better to remember ♪
Or better to forget? ♪
(WIND WHISTLES)
(GASPS)
Osian?
Jackie Ellis.
- What are you doing in here?
- I just um
I just wanted to see
about the man you found in the water.
- Is he?
- No.
(BREATHES SHAKILY)
It's so sad.
And now more of us will die,
what with this storm.
If people would've just listened to
me, we wouldn't be in this mess.
Years I've been asking
this town to heed my warnings!
But you haven't been
asking them, have you?
You've been shouting at them
in the streets.
Grabbing kids at school gates.
I tried to apologise to the boy.
- I didn't mean to frighten him, Jackie.
- I know.
I know you didn't.
Walk me back, will you? Come on.
Yeah.
GARETH: Listen, the storm surge
is already at 3m,
and it could double by tonight,
you are not safe here.
CARYS: I am not going up to the Bevans'.
Carys, be sensible, now, please.
I am being sensible.
I am not sheltering at that farm
with those people.
Well, you should go to the
muster point at least, Carys. OK?
Oh, not you as well. Carys!
No the forest isn't safe.
(SIGHS)
- Gareth. (DOOR CLOSES)
- What?
I just er
wondered if I could apologise to you?
You know, just for my behaviour
the other night.
I've no idea. Can you?
You know, it's like the fundamentals
aren't there with you, Eric. Really.
Look. I know you're looking for
some kind of a connection.
But I am not doing this
whatever this is.
Figure yourself out.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
MAN: (ON RADIO) ..barrelling in,
approaching North Wales
this afternoon, bringing in
DENG: How does Jackie Ellis
know the detail of our case notes?
- It's not your problem.
- They're protected files.
It's not your problem is it, huh?
powerful storm approaches,
wind speeds are rapidly ramping up,
and the strongest core of wind speed
will be to the south of Alec
- as it tracks East across the UK
- Bull, what's that?
We can really see those winds picking
- I think it's the caravans.
- Put your foot down, then.
in particular, where the very
strongest winds are most likely.
(SOFT, EERIE MUSIC)
(EXHALES)
(MUSIC BUILDS)
(MUSIC FADES)
(SHEEP BLEATING)
(GRAVEL SCRAPING)
(SEATBELT CLICKING)
Oi!
Get back!
- Is anyone inside?
- No!
(FAINT CHATTER)
Osian.
(WIND WHISTLES)
I need to talk to you.
Shall we go inside?
Just a couple of minutes.
Sit down.
I need to ask you something.
OK, last night, you told me that
you tried to apologise to Cefin
after what happened at the school.
But you and your sister,
you both told the police
that you went straight home
after the school
that you were at The Ship
for the rest of that afternoon.
And you didn't leave.
So Osian.
Did you go and try and apologise to him?
I haven't broken the law, Jackie.
Then what did you do?
I didn't mean to scare him.
So you did? You did leave The Ship.
Did you go and look for him?
It's happening again, isn't it?
People thinking that mad Osian
has done something bad.
That's why you have
to tell me what happened.
I mean, what do you expect
people to think after what you did
at the school to him, and then
that night, he's found dead?
And then you and your sister lie
to the police about your whereabouts.
It doesn't look good, does it, Osian?
OK, I'm trying to find out what
happened to him, and you can help me.
Please.
For Nessa.
(WIND WHISTLES)
OK.
I followed him
after he left school.
Where?
I didn't do anything wrong,
Jackie, I promise you.
I tried to apologise,
but they didn't want to know.
They? Who's they?
Him and his little friend.
They ran off as soon as they saw me,
didn't they?
What does his friend look like?
I dunno.
Small, black hair.
A bit like Cefin, I suppose.
James Rees? Was it James?
If-If that's his name.
So, James and Cefin,
they were together? Are you sure?
Where was it?
Osian?
Walking along the path
not far from where you found Cefin.
And then what?
Then I went home.
- (TEARFULLY) Sorry.
- It's all right.
Thank you, Osian.
Jimmy, are you going to
the muster point? Give me a lift?
Yeah, yeah. Get in the car.
Osian. Hop it, come on. Hurry up.
I've gotta close the shop, man.
(WIND WHISTLES)
Ta.
WOMAN: (ON LAPTOP)
..pushing east across Ireland,
due to arrive in North Wales
this evening.
Winds will be strongest along
the Llyn Peninsula and Anglesey,
the gusts reaching over 100mph in places.
A red weather warning
(FAINT CLUNKING)
(DULL THUD)
(WATER GURGLING)
Victor, did you see anything?
Hear anything?
Nothing.
But it can't be an accident.
There was no-one in there.
What do I say to August's family?
His daughter, his wife?
Isn't it bad enough already?
Look at this, ground's been freshly dug.
- What's that?
- It's a response from the council.
He told them about the landfill,
and he was trying to expose it.
Here you are, look.
August must've known
Nessa was buried at the quarry.
Does that thing work?
Yeah.
It only records 24 hours.
I got it because August
was getting too paranoid.
- Paranoid about what?
- Slow it down. Hang on.
That's Ned Bevan.
What does he want with August?
Speed it up again.
Does he come back?
Does he burn it down?
There. Now. Here you are.
It's not Ned, is it?
He's not tall enough to be a Bevan.
Who's that?
We should check Dylan Rees's whereabouts.
No. Ned Bevan
is our best lead at this point.
OK?
Victor, did August talk about being
paranoid about anyone in particular?
He was worried about everyone.
I didn't really think it was real.
Maybe he was just anxious, but
I guess I was wrong.
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
WOMAN: (ON RADIO) Millions of people
have been urged to stay at home,
as residents and emergency services
brace themselves
for what could be the
worst storm in 50 years.
Blimey.
Are we gonna be safe up here?
Bringing you the latest from our
correspondents around the country.
What is it you think is happening?
You think the whole town
are on their way up?
They'll come to their senses.
That forest is a death trap.
They're not coming, Dad.
They'd rather risk the storm
than shelter with us.
Listen to Shell, eh? Maybe
Maybe you should talk
to the people, Solomon.
They'll come.
They've always come.
Put the petrol in there. Come on.
Don't just sit there doing nothing.
These winds are gonna be very high and
there's a danger of the trees breaking.
Please, if you can,
I need you to go to the farm.
Thanks, Jimmy.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTER)
(INDISTINCT YELLING)
- You seen Cara?
- Yes, she's over there, I think.
OFFICER: This way, please, ladies.
This way.
Cara? You all right?
No. He won't budge.
You all right, James?
I need to go and speak to Nisha.
- Go. I'll watch him.
- OK. It's fine.
OK.
(SIGHS)
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
Oh. It's cold. You cold?
Your mum, she's er
going to speak to Nisha
and get some blankets, I think.
(EXHALES) I need ask you something.
OK?
The day Cefin died, you told me
do you remember, you told me
that you and him went separate ways?
Was that the truth?
Because um
I just spoke with Osian,
and he told me something different.
He said that he saw you both together.
He saw you that afternoon.
Do you think you could have
remembered it wrong?
You have to tell me.
You have to tell me.
(SOFTLY) You won't get into trouble.
James?
Cefin never went to the farm
that day, did he?
James?
No.
And you two were together
on the path by the salt marsh?
Where were you going?
James, it's really important.
You have to
I told you. I've already told you.
No, you said you were
looking for the Black Sow
you didn't say where you were going.
Where was the Black Sow, where is it?
I don't want him to get in trouble.
Who?
Who won't get in trouble?
Dylan.
Why would Dylan get in trouble?
Because he told us not to go.
He told us to stay away or else
the Black Sow would try to drown us.
He really scared Cefin.
Dylan told you that?
- Why would Dylan tell you?
- Are you upset?
- No, I'm not upset. I'm just
- Are you cross with him?
No, I'm just trying to understand,
that's all. Where were you going?
- I can't tell you.
- James, you can tell me where
- Where were you guys going?
- I have to find him!
No, wait!
- James.
- I want to go!
We haven't finished talking yet.
- Wait!
- Let me out!
Listen to me!
(DIALOGUE MUFFLED)
You're not going.
What the hell do you think you're doing?!
Mum. Mum.
(SOFTLY) Fuck!
- It's OK.
- Cara, I wasn't
Look, he knows something.
Where is it that Dylan
didn't want you to go, James?
- James!
- I think you need to calm down, Jackie.
He's a child, Jackie!
You're meant to be protecting him.
Protecting!
That's exactly what I'm doing.
I'm just trying to find out
what happened to these children.
Or do you not care about that? Huh?
Do you not care what happened to Nessa?
She was my niece too.
Or have you forgotten that?
Where is Dylan?
- Back off, Jackie.
- Where is he, Cara?
- Hey. Jackie, come on, come on.
- Where is he?!
He's still in town.
Jackie!
- Jimmy.
- Yeah? I need to borrow your car.
Bull, um
Victor wanted to go
and see his cousin's body.
I've checked his alibi for last night.
Yeah, no, that's fine. You go
and see what you can get from him.
He might be able to translate
August's papers, so Yeah.
I'll go and bring Ned in.
See if he can clear a few things up.
(PHONE RINGS AND VIBRATES)
(DOOR OPENS)
- Uncle Ned's not in the house.
- Where is he, then?
We don't know.
Well, when did you last see him?
When did you notice he had gone?
I didn't NOTICE. I am not his keeper.
(SPEAKS WELSH)
Anyone else notice?
- No?
- Look.
I know that you know that it was Ned
that's responsible for the landfill.
And he may also be responsible for
burying new waste that's coming in.
And I know that you find it
hard to believe
that he could've been responsible
for Nessa Taman's murder.
But there is a concrete link
between your landfill,
Nessa's death, and the fact
Cefin was drowned in toxic water.
It's also likely that we're
looking at the same perpetrator.
Solomon.
(TERSELY) Solomon.
Was your son involved
in the murder of Nessa Taman?
He doesn't know anything.
None of us do.
You know when you confessed
to me, whose words were they?
Yours or Ned's?
If you know something, Solomon
Don't stick your nose
in family business, Danny.
Shut up, Bryn!
Don't speak to him like that.
(SPEAKS WELSH)
Well, don't you think that it was him
that told the police
about the landfill in the first place?!
It was me, Bryn.
I am ashamed to say
I am part of this family.
As much as I love Shell
and my boys, right now,
I am ashamed that they're Bevans.
(STAMMERS)
I know you can feel what I'm feeling.
You lost a grandson, that can't
mean nothing, for Christ's sake
but we're we're breaking here!
We are breaking, and all you can do
is think about how to protect
this fucking farm, Solomon!
All right.
All right. I'll er
I'll tell you what Ned told me.
The night you discovered Nessa's
body, he came to me, and he
Well, I was asleep, you know,
and he woke me up.
He told me it was him.
He said him and August Antonov had
had found
the body of a girl in the landfill.
And was she dead when they found her?
Yes.
Yes, she was dead.
And there was nothing
either of them could do, so
so they buried her.
Yeah, for the
for the good of the farm, he said.
For the good of the family.
Danny, I
I know exactly how you feel
about your son.
Because I feel the same about mine.
So that when he come to me,
I couldn't just stand there
and do nothing, could I?
Somebody was paying August Antonov
large sums of money for his silence,
- over £50,000 in total.
- (SOFTLY) What?
- Yeah. Did they mention that?
- No.
Ned could never have got
that kind of money.
Did he mention anyone else
who could've been involved
apart from Antonov?
Solomon.
Where is your son?
(SIGHS) When you released me
from the police station,
you told me that, without doubt
Nessa had been murdered.
So I went to Ned, and I
I asked him if he'd done it.
And I haven't seen him since.
(PHONE RINGS AND VIBRATES)
Jackie.
JACKIE: (ON PHONE)
Cefin didn't go to the farm.
- He was with James after school.
- James told you that?
Did he say where he and Cefin went?
No, but he almost told me.
Where is he now?
We need to get it out of him.
Bull, just wait a sec. Don't hang up.
Ellis?
Ellis!
Eddie?
What are you doing down here?
Everyone's evacuated.
What's wrong? Are you OK?
It's Dad.
Something's wrong.
He said he's getting a boat
and he's gonna leave.
- Leave? Why?
- I think
he's scared cos August died.
- What?
- I've got to tell the family.
- No. Eddie, where is he?!
- At the quay.
(WIND WHISTLES)
Ellis.
Ellis?
- Did you hear that, Bull?
- Yeah, I heard. Yeah.
- I'll go and find Ned now.
- Why is he leaving?
Do you have something on Ned?
Tell me. Do you?
Listen, we haven't got
the full picture yet, OK?
Bull. Tell me!
Listen, do not approach him.
Do you hear me?
Was it Ned that put my niece
in the fucking ground? Was it?!
For God's sake, Jackie,
whatever you do, don't approach him.
He's the best lead we've got.
(SPEAKS WELSH)
My cousin
I'd like to take him home.
Yeah, we'll get him home. Don't worry.
Thank you.
And for listening to him.
He didn't want me to just listen.
He wanted me to do something.
Will you help me translate his words?
This isn't August's.
This is mine from Sunnyside.
Deliveries for the sea wall.
Deliveries.
- Every Thursday. Low tide.
- Sorry?
(SOFTLY) Thursday 14th, Dylan Rees.
Thursday 11th, Dylan Rees.
Dylan Rees.
(WIND HOWLS)
Come on, come on, come on.
Bull, pick up!
(LINE RINGS)
(PHONE RINGS)
(RINGING STOPS)
(BIRDS SQUAWK)
(LINE RINGS)
Come on, Jackie, pick up.
(RINGING CONTINUES)
Where are you going, Ned?
You're not gonna get far in this weather.
Are you running?
I'm glad you came.
You deserve an explanation.
For what?
I was desperate.
I didn't know what to do, Jackie.
I would've lost everything.
What did you do, Ned?
What did you do?
(WIND WHISTLES)
I
(MOANS SOFTLY)
Of all the people, I did not think
Ned?
No. No, I didn't kill her.
(EXHALES)
She was dead when we found her.
We thought she must've fallen in.
I mean
I had no idea she'd been strangled.
It wasn't August, and it wasn't me.
We didn't kill her!
But you buried her.
You found her, and you buried her,
and you didn't say a word!
Has it not haunted you all these years?
Of course it has.
But I did not kill that girl.
Then who did?
Someone was there, before us.
Someone found her
when she was alive. Someone else!
I'm sure they killed August,
and I could be next.
Who?
- I don't know.
- Who?
Ned, please!
Ned!
Ned!
Who was it?
(GRUNTS)
- Just stop. Stop!
- Get off!
(GROANS)
(SOFT, EERIE MUSIC)
(SOFT, SLOW FOOTSTEPS)
(MUSIC FADES)
(SIGHS)
(GROANS)
(BOAT ENGINE HUMS)
(WIND WHISTLES)
- Where is he?
- He's gone.
- What do you mean, he's gone?
- He went on his boat.
What? Oh.
Oh, I should never have
let you get involved.
- Let me?
- Yeah!
Tell me you didn't approach him.
No, not after I told you not to.
- I had to.
- Of course you did.
Yeah. Course you had to.
Because you can't
fucking control yourself, can ya?
What did you do?
What did you say to him?
I tried to stop him, Bull, all right?
He found Nessa.
How did you try? Tell me.
Tell me how you tried,
what did you do? What
What, you rushed in,
and you accused him?
There is a procedure. You can't just
rush in like you always did.
You know you failed too, yeah?
Or have you forgotten that?
I'm just sick of defending you.
- I'm sick of trying to protect you.
- Protect me?
- Yeah!
- How?!
Dylan Rees.
- What about him?
- We have evidence
linking Dylan Rees
to the murder of Cefin Hill.
- Hair on the body.
- Not Dylan's hair?
Yeah, Dylan's hair.
- And he hasn't got an alibi.
- (EXHALES) Bollocks.
- You'd have told me.
- I didn't tell you
because you cannot handle it
when it gets personal.
I can handle it, Bull!
What I can't handle is you falsely
accusing another person that I love!
You are not as loyal
as you think you are.
You're just fucking destructive,
and you harm people.
(SOFTLY) Fuck you.
And another reason I didn't tell ya
was because I had your voice
nagging in my head,
telling me to trust my instincts
and not the evidence!
Where was the evidence
when you fucking arrested my sister?!
Fuck!
(WIND HOWLS)
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
Are you OK?
I was five minutes away.
I could've apprehended him.
I could've done something.
Why didn't you just?
So that's why you were
holding back on Dylan Rees?
Because of Jackie Ellis.
(SCOFFS)
Why do you protect her?
I don't understand how you can trust her.
She assaulted you.
This isn't good for you.
Or for the investigation.
I'm sorry, Bull.
I know I said I wasn't gonna report you,
but frankly, I wouldn't be doing
my job correctly if I stay quiet.
Are you threatening me, DC Deng?
- No. No.
- That's what it sounds like.
- I'm looking out for you.
- Oh, yeah.
Cos if you're not happy with
how I'm running things, just say.
Go on, say it. What,
you wanna bring a replacement in?
- No. Of course not.
- Cos in case you hadn't noticed
we are completely cut off from
the rest of the world. Completely.
No-one else is coming.
It's just me and you now.
And there is only one person
in charge here.
You've been working with me
for barely more than a week now,
and you've known Jackie Ellis
for less than that, so do not
act like an authority on things
that you do not understand.
This is my case. Mine to solve.
Mine to fuck up.
Do you understand me?
Do you understand me?
Yeah.
Good.
You tried to call me earlier. Was
there something you wanted to?
The waste.
The truck deliveries, they were
going to the sea wall every Thursday.
And Dylan Rees signed them in.
Hang on, did you say the seawall?
Yeah.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
Shit!
(ENGINE STARTS)
Dylan?
Dylan?
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
(GROWLS SOFTLY)
(DOG WHINES)
Willow.
(RAIN FALLS NOISILY)
(OFFICER GIVING INSTRUCTIONS)
Listen.
Listen to me.
Shell tells me you don't want
to come up to the barns for shelter!
I mean, is that true?
Come on, now.
Every time there's been a bad storm here,
you've all come up to
the barn for shelter
and lives have been saved.
I'm proud of that.
So come on now. Eh?
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
Listen, I know
I know what happened was wrong
with the landfill.
I know that you don't want
anything to do with us now.
But if you stay here,
more people will suffer,
more lives will be lost.
You give us time, and we'll fix it.
I promise you.
But come on.
Come on and take shelter now.
It's too dangerous in the forest.
I don't care how long it takes.
I'll stay, and I'll catch
my death if I have to.
The storm will get much worse tonight.
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
You can't stay here.
Jim, come on, now.
Bring your family, man.
It's safe in the barns.
All right. All right, we'll come.
Come on.
Get in your cars. Come on.
Come on to the barns.
(BUSY CHATTER)
Get in your cars. Come on.
Come on, guys.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Get in your cars, and
come on to the barns.
This way!
That's it, come on.
There you go.
(FAINT CHATTER)
(TENSE MUSIC)
- Cara?!
- (GASPS) I can't
- I can't find him!
- Can't find who, love?
I thought he was there!
He was by the car, but he
Cara! Cara!
- What's going on?!
- It's James!
It's James, Shell! It's James.
He's gone. I can't find him!
(WHIMPERS)
(MUSIC BUILDS)
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
(WAVES CRASH)
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
It's in the wall.
It's in the fucking wall!
(GRUNTS)
(MUSIC FADES)
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
(TENSE MUSIC)
(MUSIC BUILDS)
(MUSIC STOPS)
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