City Homicide (2007) s02e05 Episode Script

Guilty As Charged

MAN: 56, 57, 58.
(WOMAN WHIMPERS) Ah! Oh! (WHIMPERS) No.
MAN: I put it to you, Mr Endicott, that on the evening of September 17, or thereabouts, you murdered your wife, Louise Catherine Endicott.
No.
I did not.
(WHIMPERS) Oh, no.
(GRUNTS) 78.
MAN: I also put it to you that, on that same day or thereabouts, you murdered your 4-year-old daughter, Ruby Dawn Endicott.
Not true.
(SOFTLY) 46, 47.
(RUSTLING) Shh-shh-shh.
I did not kill either of them.
No further questions.
(WHISPERING) The witness may now step down.
Liar! MAN: Murderer! Lying bastard! Liar! He's a murderer! MAN: Settle down, please.
She was my daughter, you monster! And Ruby, our grandchild! Mrs Palfrey.
Our beautiful baby.
Mrs Palfrey, please.
She was just a little girl! (SIREN WAILS) (POLICE RADIO CHATTER) REPORTER: As floodwaters continue to rise, emergency services are on full alert and residents in the area are being urged to evacuate their homes.
In other news, a shock ending to one of our most controversial homicide cases today, with Warwick Endicott acquitted of the murders of his wife, Louise Palfrey Tell me.
and 4-year-old daughter, Ruby.
The decision has left Crown prosecutors stunned and angry.
Informant and lead investigator into the alleged killings, Detective Senior Constable Jennifer Mapplethorpe refused to make any comment after the verdict.
Mr Endicott is now a free man Matt, I Matt's gone home.
You should too.
(SIGHS) I can't believe he walked.
There'll always be cases that get away from us.
What do we do, just deal with it? That's all we can do.
The guy abused and intimidated his wife, and when she threatened to leave, he killed her and their child.
That's the parents' take on it but the evidence did not support it, not enough.
Enough? What more did we need? We needed the bodies, Jennifer.
It was always a risk going to the jury without the bodies.
Yes, we thought all the other evidence was strong enough to secure a conviction but we were wrong.
No, I was wrong.
I was the one pushing to arrest Endicott.
No, it was a collective decision, us and the DPP.
Go home and get some rest.
We need to focus on tying up the Santorini case tomorrow.
At least we have a body on this one, even though it is in bits.
Sarge, I'm gonna be late in the morning.
I wanna talk to the Palfreys.
You think that's wise? I think it's important.
OK, not too late, then.
We've got a full-on day tomorrow.
Thanks.
Night.
MAN ON RADIO: Yeah, yeah, innocent until proven guilty and all that, but everyone knows the guy did it.
WOMAN ON RADIO: Well, the jury didn't agree.
Keep those calls coming, folks.
Warwick Endicott, did he beat the system or is he an innocent man unjustly Dennis, I just need to talk to you, please.
How bloody dare how dare you even show your face Hey! Hey! Don't be silly, I What are you doing? He should be the one you 're restraining, not me! Shut up! I should kill you.
I would never hurt them, you 've gotta listen to me, please.
Shut up, Endicott! I didn't do anything! You 're under arrest.
What are you charging him with? Assault, resisting arrest, whatever.
Just take him in for me, OK? Look, we all know you 're upset about him walking but this is stupid.
He was harassing them.
He killed their daughter and granddaughter, then shows up here to rub their noses in the fact he got off.
That's not what he says, Jen.
I need to get a statement from these guys.
Are you gonna do what I ask or not? You alright? What do you think? That bastard is out on the streets and Louise and Ruby are dead somewhere? I'm sorry, we let you down.
You didn't let us down.
The system did that.
Look, if there's anything I can do to help I'm sorry, it's a stupid offer.
There is.
Find them.
Even if we find them, we couldn't I know he can't be tried again.
It's not about that anymore.
If you want to do anything for us, Jennifer, find Louise and Ruby.
We need their bodies to bury.
That's all we want now.
ENDICOTT: I went to commiserate.
Dennis attacked me.
I don't want to make an issue of it.
Sit down.
(SIGHS) Is this an interview? No.
No.
(LAUGHS) It's a personal vendetta.
We shouldn't have let her do this.
It's her call.
This is a waste of time, yours and mine.
I didn't kill anybody.
Sit down! You killed your wife and child, you wrapped them in plastic and you took them somewhere to get rid of them.
What did you do? Bury them? I didn't kill anybody.
My wife left me and took my daughter with her.
You told your neighbours that she'd gone to her parents.
I thought she had.
That's why I kept ringing Dennis and Katrina.
You kept ringing to cover your tracks.
That's what they think.
The jury didn't.
What did you do with the bodies, Endicott? Weigh them down, throw them in the Yarra? Burn them? What? Burning plastic is environmentally irresponsible, Detective.
Think of the fumes.
All your in-laws want to do is bury their daughter and granddaughter.
You can't be tried again.
Tell me where the bodies are.
At LEAST give them some closure.
(MUTTERS) You really think I'm that stupid, Jennifer? You think you 're untouchable, don't you? Well, you 're not, so you 'd better get used to looking over your shoulder.
Sounds like a threat to me.
Wolfie's gonna bleed from the ears when he finds out about this.
(CLEARS THROAT) About what, Matt? I'm going now, Detective.
JENNIFER: You 'll become my pet project.
Every couple of months or so, I'll put your name through all the databases, see what you 've been up to.
One step out of line and I'll be on your back.
And I'll keep doing that for as long as I'm in this job - 20, 30 years.
(DOOR OPENS) Detective Mapplethorpe, a word.
Warwick Endicott was found not guilty.
He is allowed to go where he wants, when he wants and talk to whoever he wants, including his deceased wife's parents.
They were fighting.
Assault is a legitimate charge.
Did you really believe that Endicott was gonna reveal the whereabouts of the bodies? Or did you just think it was worth blowing your professional integrity for the sake of giving him a hard time? Sarge For the last time, it's over, it is done, let it go! And get on with the rest of your work.
Right, we need to get this Santorini matter locked down for the DPP.
Simon.
Thank you, Sarge.
Pathology have confirmed that the victim was killed with a blunt instrument and a chainsaw was used to remove the head and the limbs.
Motive hanging together? Well, the toddler touching theory's looking solid after medical tests on the child.
Someone was definitely interfering with Santorini's nephew, allegedly it was the victim, which prompted Santorini's little visit with the chainsaw.
Now, he probably got that from his repair business.
It covers a whole range of electrical tools.
We have an invoice for one that Santorini had in for repair (VOICE FADES) at the time of the murder, and if we can get a trace You really think I'm that stupid, Jennifer? Jennifer, you and Matt still have time to track down this chainsaw before close of play.
Sorry, Sarge.
Yep.
Santorini's a killer too.
You should focus on him, not Endicott.
It's not that easy, Simon.
Endicott's not the first one to slip through the net and he won't be the last.
MATT: Yeah, great, that's great.
Yeah, looking forward to it.
OK, I've gotta go, Emma.
I'll see you on Friday.
Ciao.
Got a concert coming up on Friday night.
It's a big day.
Let's follow up on this chainsaw, then head home, huh? Sure.
Afternoon, gentlemen.
Ciao.
See ya.
So what happened with Stanley about you jumping Endicott? I didn't 'jump' him, Matt.
He assaulted an innocent person so I brought him in for questioning.
Then he slid out from under, again, with Senior Sergeant Wolfe greasing the wheels.
Wolfie's just trying to look after you.
I can look after myself.
You reckon? (MEOW) Hello, Jerry.
Hello.
Hello.
Mmm.
(ENGINE ROARS) RADIO ANNOUNCER: Taking more calls now as public debate continues over the Endicott murder trial.
Was the police handling of the investigation inept? This morning's poll so far puts it at fifty-fifty.
What are your thoughts, John? MAN: Definitely the fault of the police.
They never had the evidence to convict Endicott, not without the bodies of his wife and kid.
I'm a lawyer, and I know what I'm (LOUD METALLIC CLANG) Jerry! Puss, puss, puss, puss! (CAR BEEPS) (ENGINE STARTS) Jerry.
Dolls.
Two of them - one big one, one little one.
Mother and child.
And you think he killed your cat? I'm not sure.
But he is making fun of us, of me.
Matt, look - fur in the joint of a cross, like hair in a door hinge.
Two females wrapped in plastic.
All elements from the original case.
You really need to tell Wolfie.
Forget it.
He already thinks I'm obsessed.
Anyway, we've gotta let this bastard keep playing his games.
Why? Because he's telling me things in the process.
Like what? It's obvious! He's saying he's buried his wife and his little girl somewhere.
He hasn't weighed them down in the river, or burnt them or destroyed them somehow, he has buried them.
Jen, you really need to tell Wolfie about this.
Matt, I mean it.
Don't say anything.
Who's on coffee for the Santorini debrief? Must be my turn.
No worries.
What's that? Nothing.
Oh! Oh! Sorry.
What are you doing here? Getting a coffee.
Getting a coffee, am I supposed to believe that? They do good coffee in there.
I like it.
Don't be paranoid.
Are you following me? Paranoid.
I found your little present.
Sorry? The dolls, I found them.
You know what I'm talking about.
I'm sure I don't.
You stay away from me, Endicott! A long queue? Oh, great.
So we have to suffer caffeine withdrawal.
OK, Detective Joyner.
Now that we have the chainsaw, and the traces of body tissue and bone mulch have been identified in the chain housing, I've been advised that Mr Santorini is going to enter a guilty plea.
Why not? He's been done like a dinner.
So, his lawyer wants to do a deal? In exchange for the guilty plea, the charge to be reduced to manslaughter.
Manslaughter? How can cutting someone up with a chainsaw be misconstrued as manslaughter? The DPP have already agreed to it.
Spooked by the Endicott acquittal, are they? STANLE Y: Mr Santorini will still do plenty of prison time, so your work won't go unrewarded.
Good job, Simon.
So, thank you one and all.
We can sign off on this one.
Are you gonna say something? Something you wanna share? No, Sarge.
Matt? No.
Nothing.
It's just that something's come up with Warwick Endicott.
It sounds like he could be stalking her.
I can't prove anything.
It's just a feeling, that's all.
What's he doing? Burying things in her garden.
Like what? Someone dumped some toys in my garden, and my cat's disappeared.
That's all, OK? Jennifer, are you sure it's him? Not absolutely.
No.
Except that he was downstairs when I just went to get the coffee before.
Did he say anything? Nothing worth repeating.
I left.
Did he threaten you, try to intimidate you? No, he was just there.
Stalking you.
This wasn't a coincidence.
Matt, you come with me.
Fill me in on the details on the way.
I can deal with this.
(SLAMS DOOR) Matt should learn to keep his mouth shut.
He did the right thing.
You know, if Endicott does have something I can handle Endicott.
Yeah, right.
That's why you look so cool, calm and collected.
Dennis and Katrina Palfrey begged me to find the bodies.
You didn't agree? They need to bury them, Duncan.
And Matt of all people should understand that.
This has got nothing to do with Matt.
It's you.
I watched that interview with Endicott.
You provoked him.
You wanted him to come after you.
That's crap, Duncan.
You need to know when to call it quits, Jen.
Let Wolfie put Endicott back in his box.
(DOORBELL RINGS) ENDICOTT: That's nonsense.
Why would I do that? Well, you tell us.
I have no reason to be following Detective Mapplethorpe.
I certainly have no reason to frighten her.
She did her job, so did you.
Not well enough or you 'd be inside right now.
The fact that I was mistakenly charged is history now.
I was proved innocent.
Oh, no, you were found not guilty.
There is a difference.
Look, I've already been subjected to Detective Mapplethorpe's overenthusiasm once since my acquittal.
She can't accept that she's got it wrong, so she's decided to make trouble for me.
So, you 're not denying talking to her this morning? Of course not.
Why would I? I didn't do anything wrong.
What were you doing there? Buying coffee.
I had to go to my accountant.
His office is a block away.
If you don't believe me, call him.
Mmm, we will.
Detective Mapplethorpe is in the wrong here, not me.
She can be quite intimidating, frankly.
Maybe I should be calling my lawyer and getting a restraining order taken out on her.
It would be a mistake, Mr Endicott, for you to harass one of my members.
I can't stress that enough.
And I won't be threatened.
I can't stress that enough.
I think you should leave now.
He's lying again.
He's a very good liar.
His performance in court proved that.
And he's not content with just beating the system.
No, he wants to stick it to me as well.
Which is exactly what you 're letting him do because you 're emotionally involved in the case.
I screwed it up.
He killed them, he got off.
Now he's thumbing his nose at us.
And there is absolutely nothing I can do about it, Jennifer, without any hard evidence.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Yeah.
Sarge.
Duncan, anything? No go, Sarge.
I spoke to several neighbours in the area.
They don't remember seeing anyone looking like Endicott hanging around.
Hang on, you spoke to my neighbours? Ah, yeah.
Look, I was discreet about it, Jen.
I didn't mention your name.
There was nothing that specifically puts him at Jennifer's house? Nothing.
Thanks, Duncan.
And Endicott's story about why he was at the coffee shop checks out too.
He saw his accountant.
He'd even made an appointment.
That's not surprising.
He's meticulous.
So we've got nothing.
Any further incidents, Jennifer, I want you to make clear notes, try to get a witness, mobile phone shot, something.
And talk to me straightaway.
Do not do anything on your own.
Is that clear? Yes, Sarge.
Hopefully, now I've spoken to him, he'll stop.
He won't.
He's too arrogant.
And I don't want him to stop.
Sooner or later he'll make a mistake.
You think just because you 're a member of the police force, you 're safe, don't you? You 're not.
We're just as vulnerable as anyone else.
And you 're right about Endicott - he is strange and unpredictable.
Stay out of his face.
You 're going on stress leave.
Sarge, I No argument, Jennifer.
As of today.
It's an order.
You 're off duty.
(GROANS) Stress leave? Apparently.
For how long? Until Wolfie says otherwise.
Maybe I have let Endicott push me over the edge a bit.
I mean, if he has been following me, then Wolfie's visit will probably put him back in his box.
Let's hope so.
Yeah.
A few days off might do me good.
Might go and visit Mum.
So, I'll see you guys later.
Try to cope without me.
And enjoy the concert on Friday.
Stress leave? Yeah, right.
You don't think she'll let it go? Nuh.
(LITTLE BIRD Y SING) * I see the bodies lined up endlessly Ooooh I have survivors to revive Woah-oh-oh I'm sick of feeling this way To my emotions Stanley.
They let me up.
I got your message.
This is the pressing case, is it? Yeah.
Mmm.
Like I said on the phone, I expect to be working all night.
Again.
Linda You can bring the files home, Stanley.
God knows you 've done it before.
But you don't wanna be at home, do you? This isn't a discussion we can have here.
So, we could go and get some dinner What the hell makes you think we could do this over dinner, Stanley? No, don't even start the car.
Stop.
Listen.
Talk.
Do not make this more of the same.
I initiate things, you ignore them.
OK.
Where should we start? What about Joss McGovern? Do you wanna talk about him? Not so self-righteous now.
I get it.
I talk, you walk, is that it? What, are you going to him, are you? No, I am not going to him! I don't care if I never see Joss McGovern again.
This is not about him! This is about us.
It's always been about us, you and me! And you thought having sex with another man was going to help? Explain to me, Linda, how this equates with your religious beliefs.
You 're hardly one to talk about faith.
You only use it when it suits you.
Don't you make this about me! I'm not the one who's been sleeping around.
No, you 're the one who'd rather hide up in that office than say something! I was thinking about our children, thinking about the fact we've been married for 20-odd years.
Obviously none of that worried you.
Because it wasn't about sex, Stanley! It was about company.
Conversation.
Attentiveness.
All things someone might want from a normal relationship.
Don't try to dignify this, Linda.
You were sneaking around behind my back, screwing another man! I keep telling you it was not about that! But, as usual, you are not listening! It is about that for me.
Frankly, the thought of that man putting his hands all over you it disgusts me! I'm going.
I'm going home to pack.
I'll take the girls to my sister's.
You just give me a couple of hours and we'll be gone.
And then it'll be safe for you to go home.
DENNIS: The last time we spoke to her was on the afternoon of the 17th.
She said it was getting worse, she was leaving.
She was going to get a divorce, get away, her and Ruby.
I called her back the next night.
He said she didn't wanna talk to us.
We KNEW he was lying.
No, I wasn't! JENNIFER: What about your daughter's medication, Mr Endicott? What about it? You cancelled it! We spoke to the chemist.
I saw him in the street and I told him that the new medication for Ruby's asthma should be arriving in a week.
And he said they wouldn't be needing it.
DUNCAN: Can you remember the date of that meeting? Yes.
September 11.
That was a week before your wife and daughter disappeared.
You were already planning to kill them, weren't you? No.
MATT: Then why cancel the medication? She'd told me she was leaving me and taking Ruby with her.
JENNIFER: I suggest you knew your daughter wouldn't need her new medication because she'd be dead and so would your wife.
If I killed them then where are the bodies? then where are the bodies? then where are the bodies? (BANGING AT DOOR) Oh, hi.
Tell me it wasn't you that took the records of interview without signing them out.
How did you find out? I checked.
Wolfie will too, eventually.
Swap? (BOTTLE IS OPENED, WINE POURS) I photocopied the trial transcript, as well.
When I came to Homicide, Waverley told me women think differently from men.
She told me to use that.
She didn't tell you to disobey your boss's orders.
That's my job.
Endicott's playing with me because I'm a woman.
But, as far as I'm concerned, what he thinks is his advantage is actually mine.
The guy was acquitted, Jen.
Yeah, but the evidence says that he is guilty.
Well, the evidence was mostly circumstantial, and you know that.
Yeah, the plastic, the hair The medication, the shoes.
I know it too.
Circumstantial.
The shoes.
I haven't revisited the shoes.
Jen, Jen, there's no need to be checking out the shoes again.
Yeah, but the combination of the kind of clay and vegetation gave us a possible search area for the bodies.
Yeah, a thousand hectares within the state forest and the surrounding towns.
We couldn't even begin to narrow it down.
But if we can narrow it down somehow and find out where he went in his car He didn't use his car.
The material from his shoes wasn't found in his car, remember? And that meant, if he did do it, he had to have used a stolen car.
Or a hired one.
No, no, we went through all of that.
We did the rounds.
We found nothing.
Then we're missing something and we need to go over it again! No, what we do is I need to go back to work, and you need to take the break you 're supposed to be taking.
And you need to get all this material back before someone important misses it.
Look, Jen, I know you wanna nail this guy and I know you wanna find those bodies.
But is it worth your life? Because that's what it could come to.
She's still doing all the car rental companies.
Two days running? We did them all last time.
It took three of us a week.
Yeah.
Well, she's doing them all again.
Any sign of Endicott? Not that we've seen.
You covering everything OK? Yeah, no problems.
You guys stay on her.
She's on the move again.
I'm good with faces, especially pretty ones.
This guy is not pretty.
Early September.
Do you remember him? Anything in it? You mean a reward? Or whatever.
Yeah, like you help, and in return I don't get the Fraud Squad down here to audit your books, check the records of all your employees and generally give you a hard time.
The photograph, sir.
Early September? Yeah, he rings a bell.
Maybe.
Don't try too hard.
You feed me any crap and I'll send my mates down anyway.
No, no, for real.
I served him.
I remember his eyes, really piercing.
And he had a funny name.
Hang on.
So how come you 're remembering this now? Why didn't you tell the other police nine months ago? Nine months ago? (LAUGHS) I was in Bangkok with my mates having a very, very good time.
Your guys spoke to Mario so See, here we go.
White HiAce van, September 17.
Returned September 19.
Jolyon Wainwright.
Told you he had a funny name.
Yeah.
Take another look.
What is the point in photocopying hirer's licences when you don't check the photo against the face? DUNCAN: What's she up to now? That's bloody Endicott! (CAMERA CLICKS) If he's following her, she must be onto something.
Definitely a van like this one.
He stopped to get petrol.
Except the signs were all covered up with that brown packing tape stuff.
How did you know it was a Rentareck van, then? Oh, sticker on the fuel cap.
Driveway service, eh? Oh, yeah.
We fill 'em up out here, not like in town.
That's great.
Thanks a lot.
Hey, matey, maybe I can help you a little more.
The reason I remember is I saw the van parked the night before, when I was going fishing.
Oh, where? It was in a picnic area by the road, about 4 kilometres down that way.
Looks like she got a hit.
(CAR HORN BEEPS) Go! Get out of the way! Look, I'll find out where she's headed, you call Jen.
Move this thing now! (PHONE RINGS) You 've reached Jennifer Mapplethorpe.
Please leave your name, number and a short message.
(BEEP) Jen, it's Matt.
Endicott is following you.
He's on your tail.
(CAR BEEPS) (BRANCH CRACKS) You 'll need more people up here if you wanna find the bodies.
You can try calling from your mobile but I'll cut your hand off before you get that thing out.
Does does that apply to my gun? You haven't got one.
You 're off duty.
You think I'm stupid? No, I think you 're very clever.
Thank you.
So why don't you do the clever thing now and tell me where they're buried? You can't be tried again.
No.
Maybe I should do the compassionate thing and put poor old Dennis and Katrina out of their misery.
What'll it cost you? Nothing.
Why should I care about their grief? So where does that leave us? You mean you? It leaves you in a great big hole all alone.
Pretty useful this thing.
The blade's big enough to dig with which saves me having to retrieve the shovel that I left with Louise.
What about your daughter? Don't forget her.
I had no choice with that.
You really are too smart for your own good, aren't you? No, I'm not.
If I was, I would have found this place before the trial.
They'll never find it now, will they? How do you think you 're gonna get away with this? They haven't found my wife and daughter.
What makes you think they'll ever find you? If you kill me, you will have the entire force hunting you down! Really? Well, who's gonna tell them it's me? (SCREAMS) Surprise.
Do not tempt me.
(CAR APPROACHES) It's OK, it's OK, it's over, Jen.
It's OK.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Endicott's in Interview One, ready to go.
Thank you.
You OK? Still haven't found them.
Could take forever in that bush.
I know.
But we have him now on attempted murder.
It's not good enough.
They're still out there somewhere.
We have to find them.
We or you? Jen, you don't have to do anything else.
I can take the interview.
No.
It's not finished yet.
(WHISPERS) Righto.
When you 're talking to your lawyer, you might want to tell them that we've done the maths.
Attempted murder, assault police, stalking, threats to kill should add up to What do you reckon, Duncan? So, off the record, let's get back to that conversation we were having in the bush about bodies, about compassion.
What about it? Well, things have changed.
If you tell us where those bodies are, there might just be something in it for you.
What would that be? Oh, 15 years could become DUNCAN: No way.
He deserves everything he gets.
There's every chance I could get nothing.
Your story, my story.
What's to say you 're not just making this all up? You 've been pursuing a personal vendetta against me.
This is just more lies.
We have the machete, with prints! DUNCAN: We have you following Detective Mapplethorpe.
Oh, yeah, we got some lovely photos of you.
You see, while you were following her, we were following you.
JENNIFER: There's dozens of uniforms out there searching.
It's only a matter of time.
So, you can take us to where those bodies are, maybe save yourself a few years.
What's it gonna be? I want it in writing and I want a lawyer present.
And five years.
Not 10.
(SCOFFS) (POLICE RADIO CHATTER) (SIRENS WAIL) (CAR ENGINE STARTS) Why did you bury them like that, with their arms around each other? The pillows.
I wanted them to be comfortable.
There was a time when they loved me.
(S ANDRINE SINGS) * When will these shoulders learn To carry this load? And when will these legs learn to walk down this road? What can I see from here? More of these broken years And when will these ears learn to listen instead? And when will this mouth learn to check what it says? And what can I see from here? More of these useless fears MATT: How did it go? They've got what they need now.
A chance to cry.
I never said thanks to you guys for being there.
Don't worry about it.
Maybe next time you 'll realise you don't have to do this all on your own.
Was it worth it in the end, letting him off the hook like that? It might be.
How? He's a child killer.
Prisons are full of people like Santorini that hate child killers.
Five years, that's almost as good as a death sentence if other inmates find out what Endicott did.
And they will.
It's getting hard to make up my mind But I'm gonna make it through this time.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode