Winter (2026) s01e06 Episode Script

1
SHE GROANS
SHE SIGHS
Would you like to stay here tonight?
SHE EXHALES
KNOCK ON DOOR, SHE EXCLAIMS
I made you a rehydrating juice
full of antioxidants.
Wow.
You can really put it away
when you're in the mood.
Erm, what happened?
Well, we went out
and we hit the town.
And then what?
You don't remember?
If I remember, I wouldn't be asking.
PHONE RINGS, SHE GRUNTS
Yeah?
'Boss, a suspicious fatality
in a collision.'
OK, yeah. Send me the details.
ELLIS: 'You at home?
'I can swing by
and come and pick you up.'
No, no, I'll make my own way there.
PHONE RINGS
Oh. He's calling me now.
We could No.
I will get a cab,
and I'll go and pick up my car.
PHONE RINGS
Morning, Ellis. What's up?
WHISPERS: Oh, God.
Their vehicle
span off the road here.
Collided with a tree.
Crash was reported
by another motorist, but, by then,
the driver and any other passengers
had fled the scene.
The engine's still warm.
They could've dumped the body.
Could just be a coincidence
that there's a body here.
You think she could've been thrown
from the vehicle?
Possible
but only if it was travelling
at high speed.
Anything odd?
Just a bit.
Can't be certain
but it looks like she's been dead
for more than six hours.
She didn't die in this crash.
Well, you took your time.
Inspector, how are you today?
I'm fine.
You look a bit pale.
You out on the town last night?
HE CHUCKLES
Ooh, hangover, is it?
What have we got?
Unidentified female Caucasian
around 18 or 19 years old.
She's been dead
for more than six hours,
but as yet,
I can't ascertain cause of death.
That's a very odd dress
for a girl in her late teens.
Let me check missing persons
with a description.
I was only joking.
If she died way before the accident,
how did she end up here?
OK, well
the livor mortis is mainly visible
down the left side of the body,
which means she would've spent
considerable amount of time
in this foetal position
after she died.
The rest, I'm afraid, will have
to wait for the postmortem.
Boss.
Got a name for the registered owner.
MR MORRIS: Kyle!
Police. About the car.
They found it, apparently.
You're extremely lucky.
Better not have a scratch on it.
Well, it's got more than a scratch
on it, Mr Morris.
It was abandoned
after being in a collision. What?
Where was the car stolen, Kyle?
Erm
Outside of the hotel last night.
This is the hotel you booked
for your friend's stag do,
the one you were posting about
last night?
Yes. SHE SCOFFS
Make your account private.
It's too easy to find.
And did you report it to the police?
I reported it to the police after
my son had told me it had gone.
It wasn't stolen, though,
was it, Kyle?
We'd like the names and addresses
of your friends on the stag do.
We parked the car outside the hotel,
then went out for the night.
Where?
Just some bars and a club.
I mean, check the CCTV if you want.
We already have.
Fun night?
It must've been, given the amount
of cocaine and alcohol
we found in their blood tests.
Pretty legendary quantities,
even for a stag do.
The hotel receptionist described you
as panicked, incoherent
and in a rush when you checked out.
Just wanted to get back home.
And would you say that you were
in a fit state to drive?
Er Probably not.
Do you think that's why you crashed?
Probably.
And is that why you ran away?
Yeah.
Not because you had a dead body
in the boot of your car?
No, no, no.
S-Someone must've put it there.
Someone randomly dumped a dead body
in the boot of your car
for no reason?
I guess so.
You know, we're in the middle
of a forensic analysis
of your hotel room and the car.
Forensics will tell us the truth.
What we're dealing with, Austin,
is a possible murder
and you and your two friends
are prime suspects.
Pale epidermis.
And from the X-rays,
her bones appear fragile.
A serious vitamin D deficiency.
She hadn't been outside
for some time. Chalk it!
OK, one point.
Some bruising
on the lower left side of the ribs.
Could be a ruptured spleen.
Loose teeth even though
she's only in her late teens.
I'd say she has scurvy.
Yep. Onset of cataracts.
Go on.
What? No, absolutely not.
You're not getting a point
for cataracts.
Yes, I do. Mm-mm.
In someone so young, highly unusual.
Oh, what, so you're resorting
to cheating now?
No, no, go on. Get it.
Get it. Get it. Eddie. Eddie!
SLAMS LOCKER DOOR
I really hope you're not
scoring points over a victim's body.
Because if that's
what you're doing
at least do it properly.
Whose turn is it? Mine.
Great. Go. Some scarring.
Skin has hardened.
Exactly. Jamila?
Restraint marks. Rope or metal.
Yep, poor thing was tied up
for a very long time.
Was there anything else
that came up in the test?
Yes, the immunology report
doesn't show any antibodies
that would've been formed
by any normal vaccinations.
No MMR?
Yep, MMR, meningitis, HPV -
she's never got any of them.
What about the CT scan
before we open her up?
We haven't had a chance to look yet.
Pull it up.
Sure.
Zoom in on the abdomen. Bit lower.
Oh, no.
She was pregnant.
Her pregnancy was such early stage,
she probably didn't even know.
My God, what have they done to her?
Malnutrition, imprisonment,
ketamine in her system.
You think the idiot stag do's
capable of something like that?
No, it feels like something bigger.
Such as?
Illegal immigrant caught up
in a prostitution ring.
A pervert who kidnapped her
to be his sex slave.
I guess it's gotta be something
pretty extreme.
None of that was the cause of death.
She died of a ruptured spleen,
probably from a blow or a fall.
Which is more likely?
Well, that's your job, I'm afraid.
What did the suspects say?
Put the body in the boot of their car,
and they never met the girl.
Waiting for forensics to disprove.
I can already do that.
Then why didn't you just say so?
Instead of just sitting there with
that big, smug look on your face.
Sorry. Go on.
Raisins, almonds, peanuts, lemonade.
Contents of her stomach.
Just wondering where you might find
those particular snacks.
Thanks.
LAUREN: This is the minibar bill
from your hotel room.
The postmortem revealed
that the victim had eaten nuts
and drunk lemonade.
Oh, and there's plenty
of DNA evidence
that she was in the room.
Time to come clean, Austin.
What have the others said?
Well, your friends seem to think
you were the ringleader.
Are you worried
that your fiance will find out?
What's her name?
Sophie.
You're gonna be in a lot more
trouble if you keep lying.
So why don't you face up
to what you did
and tell us the truth
for Sophie's sake?
OK. Er
The girl did come back
to the hotel
with her little sister,
about 17 or 18, I guess.
Where did you meet them?
On the street
on the way home from the night out.
They said they'd run away.
Run away from what?
They were pretty weird.
Dressed really odd,
didn't know anything
about music or the internet.
It was like they were from
another planet.
Weird names, too.
What were they?
Bernadette and Agatha.
Bernadette was the old one.
She was, erm
She was She was quite wild.
And Agatha, the younger one,
was nervous,
kept saying they had to go home.
That's That's all they said.
KNOCK ON DOOR
Yeah.
HE SIGHS
ETHAN: 'Lauren.'
You said it was urgent. What is it?
'We had the victim's clothes
analysed.
'Guess what we found.'
You wanna tell me why they found
your semen on Bernadette's clothing?
It It What? It wasn't
Look, it's it's not how it looks.
How does it look, do you think?
We were in the other boy's room,
and then me and her went back
to mine and we fooled around.
"Fooled around"?
Like hitting her so hard in
the stomach that she bled to death?
No, no, no, no.
It was totally consensual.
Like I told you,
she was up for all sorts.
Are you victim blaming? No, no.
I I I didn't mean that.
I just
Look, I didn't do anything.
I passed out and everything
was fine, and then when
and then when we woke up,
she was dead.
I swear. Just
SHE SIGHS
Your skin is so pale.
You must have been held captive
for a long time.
How did you escape?
MUFFLED GRUNTS
You poor thing.
PHONE RINGS
HE SIGHS
Yes?
'Winter, our victim's first name
is Bernadette.
'The stag do boys claim she was with
another girl, who's also missing.
'They may be related.
'I think the best way to find the
missing girl is through Bernadette,
'but we need to know more.'
I was wondering if we could test
for a paternal DNA match
on the victim's pregnancy.
'Not without
Bernadette's family's consent.'
We don't know who the family are.
'Tell me about it,
but that's the law.
'Winter, I am desperate
for a lead here.
'Please find me something,
or we have nothing.'
I am doing everything I can.
You have my wo BEEPING TONE
"Thanks, doctor. I appreciate it."
OK, Bernadette.
I'm gonna find out
exactly who you are.
Where are we with the boys' phones?
I found these videos
on Austin's phone.
He deleted them,
but I guess he doesn't realise
we can still retrieve them.
CHATTER FROM RECORDINGS
BERNADETTE: 'Hey, look at it.
It's fizzy.'
ELLIS: That must be Agatha,
the other girl.
LAUGHTER
JAKE: 'Take a drink.'
AUSTIN: 'You know what?'
INDISTINC
BOYS EXCLAIM
ROHAN: Now, that's just
the first video.
There's also a second one.
Check this out.
JAKE: 'Oi, wake up, stud.'
GRUNTING 'Where's the girl?
'She probably legged it with
her little sis by the looks of it.'
KYLE: 'Oh, look
at the state of him.'
EXCLAMATIONS 'Is she dead?
'She's not breathing any more!'
'Fuck.'
INDISTINCT 'What happened?'
AUSTIN: 'Bernadette?'
'Hey, dude, dude, dude.
'What did you do to her?'
'Wake up.' 'We are so screwed.
'I'm not going to prison. I'
'Turn it off. Turn if off.'
I genuinely can't remember anything,
I swear.
I don't know what happened to her.
Using your video, the forensics team
revisited the crime scene.
They found hair and blood marks
in the bath
and a handprint in the shower
all of which are consistent
with a fall.
We think she slipped
while intoxicated,
hit the edge of the bath
and ruptured her spleen.
So So you know that it wasn't us?
Perhaps not.
But you are still in
an extraordinary amount of trouble.
Why did you move the body?
I I just panicked.
Look, it was a really stupid thing
to do, and I am so sorry, but
You'll be detained in custody while
we draw up a full charge sheet.
But I'd get used to
the feel of that cell if I were you.
SOFTLY: Hi.
How was your day?
Awful.
I didn't know
if you were coming back
after being away last night, or
Or what?
I don't know.
Jesus, Lauren, you
you could've text.
Where were you?
Don't you ever think you have
the right to ask that again.
Do you understand me?!
I'm moving out this evening.
I'm just taking essentials
for now.
Where are you going?
A friend's. Not Not his place.
I guess it's over, then.
Better finish packing.
INHALES DEEPLY
Who are you, Bernadette?
Don't worry.
I'm right here.
You all right? Yeah.
Just a little trick
to overcome sleep deprivation.
Triggers the endorphins. Right.
You sent a message to come down,
so I'm here.
Did I? God, I am tired.
OK, if we could just
get on with it
Lauren, you've been acting
really strangely with me
since you stayed over.
I wonder why that is (!)
I was hoping you might tell me that.
Because of what happened.
It was totally unprofessional.
It's completely screwed up
our professional relationship.
What happened?
What do you think happened?
Christ, Ethan,
don't make me spell it out.
You don't even drink.
You just totally took advantage
of my drunkenness.
HE CHUCKLES
What's so funny?
What, you think that we?
Yes. Didn't we?
As if I'd take advantage of you.
Lauren, you were wasted.
You tried to arrest me
on the dance floor.
I just took you home
and tucked you up in bed.
Oh, my God.
You couldn't have just told me that?
Sorry.
It's kind of funny, though.
HE CHUCKLES
I'm sorry.
I'm the one
who got completely hammered.
Don't worry about it.
Anyway, the reason
that I asked you to come over,
yes, Bernadette
The victim?
I've worked it out.
How? HE SIGHS
Hardest one I've ever had to crack,
but last night,
I found these tiny scars
on her heart's arteries
because they were re-plumbed
during a heart defect operation,
probably sometime after birth.
Anyway, one of my former interns
is now a paediatric surgeon,
so I gave her a call.
In the middle of the night?
Well, 3am.
She wasn't that pleased,
but she did call me back.
She checked the records,
and there was only one match
that ticked all the boxes.
Bernadette's real name
is Pearl Erickson.
18, from Long Ashton.
Oh. Mwah!
That's the only one
you're ever getting from me.
Yes! HE CHUCKLES
This is the victim, Pearl Erickson.
We're just waiting on
a family identification.
She was last seen
with another younger woman,
still missing, probably around 16.
They may or may not be sisters.
They met the boys here,
close to the hotel.
There is no CCTV
to show they used any transport,
so they may have escaped captivity
on foot.
So, we start the search
in this area.
Matt, can you coordinate
a street-by-street search?
This is a hunt
for a vulnerable young woman
who's in grave danger,
so time is of the essence, got it?
ALL: Mm-hm. Thank you.
What I don't get is,
why didn't they just go straight
to the police after they'd escaped?
Well, who knows
how long they've been locked up for?
They'd be very confused
by the world.
And I bet they've been taught
to mistrust authority.
Maybe they just didn't know how.
My God, what those girls
must've been through.
Ma'am, Dr Winter called. Right.
'The victim's birth mother
is at the morgue.'
SHE GASPS
WHISPERS: She's so cold.
When was the last time
you saw your daughter?
She was eight.
My ex was violent
and I drank too much.
Erm, the house wasn't safe for us,
so
I put her into care
with a homeless charity.
It was only supposed
to be temporary, but, erm
Did she have any siblings?
No. She was my only baby.
I tried to track her down,
but the nuns said that she was
placed with another family,
and they wouldn't give me
her details.
Nuns?
Er, yeah, it was this religious
religious charity.
They take in troubled kids.
My faith is
is important to me,
but the nuns were not kind.
I think in their eyes, I'd sinned,
and so I didn't deserve contact with her.
I'm so sorry, but Pearl was in
the early stages of pregnancy.
We need to ask your permission
to take a DNA test,
which may reveal
the identity of the father.
No. No.
It could considerably help us
with our investigation.
No. She is with the Lord now.
So just let her get some peace.
OK? It's done.
Course. We totally understand.
I hope I can help,
but I must warn you,
the nuns were big on charity,
but admin was not
their strong point.
Well, we're looking for information
on a young girl
fostered somewhere between 2014
and 2016.
She'd have been
around eight years old at the time.
OK. Let's have a look.
I'm sorry about this.
It's a bit of a mess.
There was a nun
called Sister Mary Ann
who ran the foster programme.
She died recently and
she had her own way
of doing things.
This might
Yes.
Here we go.
We're only talking ten years ago.
This looks like a filing system
from the 1980s.
Some of these don't even have
surnames or dates of birth.
We're aware of Sister Mary Ann's
failings in this matter.
Where are the files
for each fostering process?
You must have more than this.
Mary Ann ran it
like her own little fiefdom.
She would choose
the most God-fearing foster parent
and pair them herself.
If they were a true believer,
that was enough for her.
The victim was given another name.
Would that have been
Sister Mary Ann?
Yes, she liked to rename
what she called the waifs and strays
with a saint's name.
Right, so the names in here
aren't even real?
Not all of them, no.
Well, some of them have asterisks.
What does that mean?
They were unvaccinated.
Wait, so people specifically asked
to foster unvaccinated children?
I'm deeply ashamed
of how things used to be round here.
We're putting that right.
I've heard enough.
We're taking this for now.
HE GRUNTS
Do you want any more?
Not unless you want me to explode
all over your kitchen.
I'd rather you didn't.
You didn't tell me
you were getting a takeaway.
You've already eaten.
I'm still hungry.
Go on, help yourself.
Connor, this is Ellis.
We work together.
All right?
Are you his boss?
Mm-hm. Yeah, she is.
And she's a very good one.
She pay you to say that?
Ha-ha-ha (!) ELLIS CHUCKLES
Oh, my God. What?
I found 'em. Look.
"Agatha, age 6. Bernadette, age 8."
"Fostered by JS MS."
And both have the asterisk,
so they must have been unvaccinated.
Who the hell are JS and MS?
I have no idea.
Well, they weren't sisters,
and these aren't their real names,
so this is basically meaningless.
Well, why don't we share this
with Dr Winter,
see if those initials
have any matches
on local medical records?
PHONE RINGS
Put me on speakerphone and pull up
the case study I just sent you.
Yeah, hold on.
OK, got it.
'You remember these idiots
about ten years ago?
'Only measles deaths in Bristol
in years.'
No, but I'm not from around here.
Yeah, I remember 'em.
'Total whack jobs,
extremely religious.
'Parents refused to vaccinate,
'which lead to the deaths
of their two daughters.'
The GP threatened to sue
for negligence.
Take a look at their names.
Joshua and Mariah Sanders.
JS, MS.
So what?
Their actual daughters died,
and they just tried to replace them?
Whoa.
HE YAWNS
Wow, another breakthrough.
Back again, are you?
Apparently so.
I thought we agreed
Well, it looks to me like
you're in the mood to solve things.
Simone, I'm tired. Come on.
Let's look at what you have.
Two deaths, apart from mine,
with the same triangle symbol.
I know what we're dealing with.
Well, then focus.
Let's look at the new case.
The murder victim, Philip Jensen.
Teacher murdered in London
even though
he lived around Somerset.
Who's the woman in the picture
with him?
It says she's his fiance.
What? Well, fiance.
He was engaged to be married.
BOTH: Just like us.
There's gotta be something in it.
I need to call Lauren back.
No, not now. She's busy. Hold fire.
Yeah, you're right.
You're exhausted, honey.
Why don't we think on it overnight?
Call it a day? Good idea.
You could even
go and see a certain someone,
apologise for messing her around.
I don't need to ring the phone ♪
I'll take myself up out the door ♪
I've made mistakes
I took it slow ♪
It never ends
I'm all alone ♪
WOMAN: 100%.
MAN: As long as it's not as dodgy
as the last one.
Hey. Hey.
Wasn't expecting you to call,
I'm not gonna lie.
I'm with friends.
What do you want? I'm sorry.
Just been hot and cold,
and it's not fair on you.
SHE SIGHS
Look, we've been on two dates.
If you're not interested,
I'll survive.
And if I promise to be
more open and available
will you try again?
I'd really like another chance.
OK.
Let me think about it.
Out the door ♪
I've made mistakes
I took it slow ♪
It's all the same
I hope you know ♪
That I'll just leave
Run out the door. ♪
LAUREN: OK, let's go.
ELLIS: OK, Joshua and Mariah Sanders
live on a farm near Abbots Leigh.
They could still have
a young girl in captivity
and should be regarded
as extremely dangerous.
We need to find and arrest
these monsters
before they can do her
any more harm.
DNA lab rang.
We've got a match for the father
on the pregnancy of Bernadette,
aka Pearl Erickson.
Did the mother change her mind
and allow us to do the test?
Who's the match?
Just show me.
He's a gardener with
a historic conviction for burglary.
Randall Boyd.
SIRENS WAIL, PHONE RINGS
Doctor, we're on our way to
Abbots Leigh to the Sanders' house.
Can I call back later?
'Inspector'
Randall Boyd.
Unusual name, so quite easy
to find his business page.
"Gardener and handyman -
from roots to roofs,"
"I've got you covered."
And it has a list
of all the villages he works in
and also a business address.
Eddie, just grab that map behind me.
If he was working
at the Sanders' property,
he could've struck up a relationship
with Pearl, got her pregnant.
What if Agatha didn't return
to the people who abused her
but instead runs to
the only other person she knows?
If so they're heading
to the wrong side of the city.
PHONE RINGS
She hung up on me.
What are you doing?
Paying Randall Boyd a visit
to locate the girl.
Boss, no -
that's a job for the police.
Someone's gotta find her.
Need a gardener.
SIRENS WAIL
Let's go.
OK, go.
OFFICER: Move, move, move.
INDISTINCT Stay where you are.
Police!
OFFICERS: Clear.
Clear. Clear.
There's no-one here.
Randall?
Agatha. ETHAN GRUNTS
EDDIE: 'He left,
and we've heard nothing since.
'I've sent you a location pin.'
Oh, we got the wrong place.
Well, maybe he's found
the right one.
Look, we think
he might be in trouble.
Right.
Boss, Winter found the father
of Bernadette's child,
and he's at the address.
SIRENS BLARE
JOSHUA: Hey.
Oi!
Devil sent you?
Who are you?
It's over, Mr Sanders.
I know what you did.
Did your husband
just kill Randall Boyd?
Have you forgotten
the sixth commandment?
"Thou shalt not kill."
That boy was darkness incarnate.
Thou shalt not kill.
He led Bernadette astray.
Cool story.
I'm sure God's gonna buy that one.
ETHAN GRUNTS
ETHAN GROANS
Mariah, take the girl to the car.
No, no. Leave her alone!
Take the girl to the car!
Hurt me. Hurt me!
Try me. "The Lord is a man of war."
"Make no covenant with evil,
nor show it no mercy."
You're a pair of freaks.
Come on, kill me.
You'd be doing me a favour.
A man like you
cut the throat
of the woman I loved
so I have got nothing left
to live for.
Fine.
MARIAH: No. No, Joshua, don't!
ETHAN GRUNTS
Agatha! Run!
Run! GROANING
Lord, give me your strength,
for if I prevail,
I shall reap a righteous harvest.
No, no! TASER CRACKLES
JOSHUA GROANS
HE PANTS
OFFICER: Stay where you are.
SOFTLY: Thank you.
Thank you.
Are you hanging in there?
Can you get me down?
I'll be fine, honestly.
You wanna explain
how you got Boyd's DNA match
without the mother's consent?
Found the girl, didn't I?
Isn't that enough?
Nearly got yourself killed. Aww.
I didn't know you cared so much.
Ethan, I am serious.
What has gotten into you?
That was so reckless.
Ooh, is this you telling me off?
Yes.
Honestly, you're impossible.
Well, that's rich coming from you.
Sorry I overstepped the mark.
It's OK.
I was just worried about you.
So you do care.
So, listen.
Robert Parker is putting in
an appeal
to overturn his conviction
for Simone's murder.
As he should. He's an innocent man.
Just a heads-up, I'm leading a team
reopening the other triangle
murder case of Philip Jensen
and looking at links with Simone.
I hope that's OK.
Jensen was engaged to be married,
just like Simone and me.
Maybe that that's the link.
Yeah, there was a receipt for
an engagement ring in Jensen's file.
Do you remember
where you bought Simone's ring?
Er, little place in Clifton.
Can't remember the name.
Wharf? Wharf Jewellers?
Yeah, could be.
Why don't we look into it?
Get some rest.
I'll pick you up tomorrow.
Oh, that is punchy.
You wanna try some?
Why are you never here
when I need you?
DOORBELL RINGS
Hi.
What the hell happened to you?
Oh, yeah, no, nothing.
LAUREN: Wharf Jewellers. Here it is.
Yeah, this is the place.
It's derelict.
How are we gonna get in?
Just keep a look out.
Worrying that
you've clearly done that before.
I was a boy scout. Came prepared.
Well, someone's been here recently,
if only to pick the mail
off the floor.
What exactly are we looking for?
A ledger of some kind.
Simone.
Ugh.
It's Philip Jensen.
It's the first victim.
Oh, God.
That's Rosemary Lockheart.
These aren't the crime scene photos,
so only the killer could've taken these.
What is this place?
They're keeping a scrapbook
of their crimes.
You don't need to see this.
HE SOBS
Wait, look.
This is one of Simone's pictures.
The statue.
Pegasus.
That's what Parker meant.
STRAINED: Pegasus.
The last thing that she said
was Pegasus.
She was talking about this photograph.
But why?
What's so important about this?
We're gonna find out.
CLAMOURING