Silent Witness (1996) s22e07 Episode Script

Deathmaker - Part 1

It's my turn.
Watch out! I'm too fast.
I'm going to get you! No, you're not! Oi! Rebecca, Danny, come on.
Stop it.
Right, folks, dinner's served.
Mmm Not now.
Did you stop for a kebab on the way? No, no, no.
Food's fine.
Just Just not much of an appetite, that's all.
I hope you're not coming down with something.
No.
Can I get you anything, Pat? Do you want to lie down? - No, he's fine.
Aren't you? Yeah.
Fine.
Fine.
That's the lot.
Are you OK, Mum? Yeah.
I'm all right.
I'm all right.
- Mum, you're crying.
- I'm OK.
I'm just tired.
It's justeverything is so complicated.
OK.
What is? We want dessert! - Now back to the table, please.
Now! - It's all right.
Come on, children.
Let's see if we can find where your daddy has stashed the ice cream.
Is it in here? It's been a pleasure.
Thanks for having me.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
See you soon.
Night.
Thanks for dinner.
You're welcome.
I'll drive.
I've only had two glasses.
You've had three.
What, you were counting? You certainly weren't.
- I know when I've had enough.
- So do I.
Oh Dad? Sorry, Leslie.
Sorry about that.
You know if you ever need to talk to me about anything Les I'm always here for you.
Where are the kids? They're upstairs.
Come on, back here.
Jack Hodgson.
DI Quint's expecting me.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks.
According to DI Quint over there, no-one's claimed responsibility.
Nor does the deceased's background show any indication of a terrorist connection.
Any secondary devices detected? No, none.
SCD's decided a homicide team should carry out the investigation.
No pedestrians around, other than the family.
The only fatality is the driver.
We're just waiting for the final go-ahead.
Right, let's go to work.
According to the family, the bomb went off when she opened the door.
The blast threw the victim 3 metres 42 centimetres.
The victim is female.
Severe burn damage to most of the body.
Skin and flesh torn off in pieces.
Death would have been instantaneous.
She never knew what hit her.
The centre of the blast seems to have been directly beneath the driver's seat.
Looks very much like an improvised explosive device.
Damage to the wall, the trees, combined with the wide blast radius indicates quite a powerful explosion.
Any idea what kind of bomb it was? Too early to tell.
The DSTL officers must locate every scrap of the device they can find, then we piece it together bit by bit.
Thank you all very much now for coming here this morning.
I'm very proud to announce the opening of two new offices on behalf of the Lawson Advisory Group.
We're talking about the creation of nearly 200 jobs.
One of the offices will be here in London, and the other office will be in Belfast, and I'm pleased to say that the Belfast office will be headed up by my daughter Geraldine.
- Thank you, Dad.
Although we advise banks and financial institutions worldwide, Northern Ireland is where we're from.
Has the current economic situation in Northern Ireland affected your decision in any way? - Only in a very positive way.
We're a British company, and proudly so.
Thank you all very much.
Thank you for coming.
Mr Lawson! Mind if I smoke, Mr Lawson? Hmph! You don't have to ask every time, Craig.
OK.
We've a 7:30 with the fiscal committee and then at 9:50 We may win a battle but eventually we will lose the war.
What are you talking about, Dad? Ah, nothing.
Just the rumblings of an old man.
When old men rumble, I listen.
Hmm These last 20 years business has grown.
Borders have just disappeared.
Everyone, including me, has been so busy getting on as to forget the past.
Forget the dead.
Nothing has been forgotten, Dad.
Sometimes I wonder have we settled for peace too soon? Don't worry.
Grandad's fine.
We'll all be downstairs in a bit, OK? We appreciate the shock you must be feeling, but we will need to ask you some questions.
Did Mrs Walsh have any enemies? No, none.
No-one who might want to do her harm? Is that some kind of a joke? My mum was a primary school teacher.
Who'd want to blow her up? Mr Walsh? Your wife normally drive, or did you? I did.
But not last night? She said that I had one too many.
In other words, under normal circumstances, you would have been the one behind the wheel? - Wait a minute.
What are you trying to ask here? We're just trying to establish the facts, Mr Walsh.
This is insane.
My mother was just murdered.
In front of our eyes.
Why are you not out there trying to find them? I can't breathe in here.
Sir, you can't be in here.
Oh Of course.
I'll get out of your hair Steady.
Steady.
Are you all right? Oh Thanks.
Is that a Belfast accent I detect? Aye.
What's left of it.
You take the accent out of Belfast You find anything? You know who might have done this? DI Quint will be in touch as soon as we know anything more.
I'd like you to think back to the evening before the explosion.
Did anything unusual happen? Anything out the ordinary? It was just a normal Sunday dinner, and then Oh, God.
It's all right.
Mum and Dad did seem a bit on edge.
Why was that? Just making a big deal out of nothing.
I did see Mum crying in the kitchen.
Did she tell you why she was crying? But, you know, I know them both.
Something wasn't right.
Excuse me.
Mr Walsh? Has he gone? No way that old fella could climb over that, could he? Oh, no Something's happened to him.
Any idea why your father would run? He's not running.
He's confused.
Anybody would be after what just happened.
I'll need DNA samples from you and your children.
What? Seriously? You think we're involved? Purely for purposes of elimination.
Issue an alert for Patrick Walsh.
Ping his mobile for a possible location.
Hello? Who got to you? Right, you little bastard, let's find out who you are.
Goody.
I love puzzles.
Personally, I'm more of a Pictionary man.
Oh Found this near the house.
Initially, I thought it was the receiver of the detonation signal.
Then it'd be even more damaged.
Disintegrated, even.
It could belong to the victim.
Hmm.
Morning.
Comparisons with antemortem dental records confirm the victim is indeed Olivia Walsh.
Torso, arms and legs charred due to burn damage.
The skin is intact in some places, but Fractures of the ribs, ruptures of the eye globes.
Oh! Want to have a look at this? See what you think.
Looks like a crystal of some sort.
Any idea what it is? No.
We don't know.
Get it tested.
Nikki, do you have anything? Yeah.
The lungs show areas of contusion.
So does the liver.
Transection of the aorta.
Yeah.
Lamellar haemorrhages of the colon.
Tears of the mesentery.
All consistent with characteristics of blast injury.
Any idea what it is yet? Crystallised ammonium nitrate.
Part of the explosive? Semtex is often used as a booster for ammonium nitrate - and the making of nitrates was severely restricted in the mid-'80s.
Bomb-makers used the technique of extracting nitrates from fertilisers.
Nitrates that have been subjected to this extracting method crystallise in a certain way.
The nitrate fertiliser method is a recurring feature of handmade IEDs.
Semen was found on Olivia Walsh's intimate swabs.
Pat Walsh's DNA doesn't match the sample.
She was sleeping with someone other than her husband within the last three days.
Da, it's me.
What brings you here? Does a son need a reason to see his father? - No, but my son does.
- Uh-huh.
- Who died? - Nobody died.
Nobody we know.
A case today brought back some old memories.
Good or bad ones? Both, I guess.
How old would she be now? She was, what, eight years younger than you? This morning, when I saw that blast scene it all came back like it was yesterday.
I'm sorry, Da.
I didn't 62.
She'd be 62.
Her birthday's March the 21st.
Yeah.
I know.
- How long have we got to stay here? - Until forensics have finished examining the house and surroundings.
- When will that be? - I will tell you as soon as I know.
If you need anything, if you'd like to talk, or if you think of something that might be pertinent, I'm here for you.
Thanks.
"Pat Walsh here.
Leave a message.
" This isn't like Dad.
Something's wrong.
Men like your father, they're old school.
He probably doesn't want to share his grief.
He wants to be left alone.
What's he going to do without Mum? When she went in for appendicitis last year, he was so worried he practically stopped eating.
Your dad is tougher than you think.
I should go round to their house.
Maybe he's there.
Can you wait till the evening, when the kids have gone to bed? None of this makes any sense.
None of it.
It's OK.
It's all going to be all right.
Any progress on the phone? The SIM card was severely damaged, but it does belong to Olivia Walsh.
Her service provider's given us a list of calls and text messages.
Most of it is just shopping lists and chatter, but three weeks ago, a new number enters the picture.
"Nice to meet you today.
"Hopefully we can have another chat soon.
" And did they? Two days later.
"Had a lovely time.
" Sounds innocuous to me.
But it's signed kiss, kiss, kiss.
What about the number that sent the text? It's registered to the Hyde Park Mini-Marathon - an annual charity race.
I'll tell Quint.
They have a few phones allocated to volunteers.
Any records of who would have this phone on the day in question? No, but they do have a list of people who volunteered that day.
Let's split up.
Door-to-door time.
- Got anything? - No, sir, not yet.
- Three left.
- OK.
Let me know.
"Hello?" Mr Alex Harris? Yeah.
I'm DC Anderton.
- Can I have a word, please? - Yeah.
Sure.
Hi.
Mr Harris, do you know this woman? That's Olivia.
Is she all right? Can I come in and ask you a few questions? - Sure, but I've got - It won't take long.
Yeah.
Come on in.
Sir, I've located the user of the phone.
Mr Alex Harris.
I met Olivia in the park.
I run there regularly, so I see her all the time - and occasionally, I volunteer for the Hyde Park Mini-Marathon.
Mr Harris? Oh Yeah.
So I suggested that she take part.
What kind of relationship do you have with Olivia Walsh? I just told you, didn't I? If you agree to it, Mr Harris, I'd like to take reference mouth swabs.
I'll agree to it if you tell me what this is about.
Olivia Walsh is dead.
She was murdered.
H ow? Her car exploded.
The car bomb that was on the news this morning? No rush, Mr Harris.
Put out your tongue.
I can tell you what you're going to find.
We had sex.
Maybe three times.
She was lonely and she had issues.
What kind of issues? No idea.
Olivia initiated the affair.
Although she didn't seem to really enjoy herself.
I know it sounds bizarre.
It was almost as if she was doing it because she felt she had to.
She felt compelled to have sex with you? I know it seems strange.
When was the last time you had sex with Mrs Walsh? Three days ago.
After, she said it would be the last time.
Mr Harris where were you on the night of Sunday the 15th between the hours of 6pm and 9pm? I was in my office working late.
I run an architectural firm, so I often work late.
Alone.
We're going to need your mobile, and to check your offices.
Yeah.
Yeah, sure.
Dad? Dad? Oh! Thanks.
Where's the body? It's not been located yet.
The amount of blood loss and the blood trail by the door, I think it's highly unlikely the victim walked away.
Signs of a struggle.
Which moved to here.
The appearance and distribution of the blood could suggest impact spatter from some form of blunt-force trauma with the victim probably in a standing position.
Possible arterial bleeding, the victim close to the floor.
No Looks like expirated spatter.
Then the victim is moved across the floor.
Yeah but only as far as here.
What then? Victim's lifted from the floor, transferred into or onto something? There was a second car.
Five-year-old dark-blue hatchback.
Neighbours said they saw the car drive away and return yesterday afternoon.
Take a look? Come on.
What's wrong, Dan? I want to go home.
I know, but we've just got to stay at the hotel a little bit longer.
I'll never see Polar Bear.
Polar Bear is going to be waiting at the house nice and safe when you get back.
No, he's not, because we're never going home again.
Of course we are, baby.
How about, when we get back the hotel, you get to pick a cool film to watch, and he will be there when we get back, OK? I want to see Polar Bear I know you do.
How's it all coming along? The DNA profiles obtained from the blood samples in Pat Walsh's house all match Pat Walsh himself.
Toxicology? Toxicology shows presence of gemcitabine and capecitabine in Walsh's blood.
GemCap? Cancer drugs? He was seriously ill.
Also presence of warfarin, so maybe blood clots or a heart condition as well.
His GP might have more information.
I'll check it out.
This assault on Walsh it feels different from the bomb attack.
It feels savage.
Impulsive.
Personal.
Whereas the bomb attack was meticulously planned and executed.
At a distance from the victim.
Might suggest two different perpetrators.
Anything? Nope.
Car's just been cleaned, it's spotless.
Clarissa.
Jack.
The stain inside the suitcase was blood.
Pat Walsh's blood.
So the suitcase could have been used to transport the body - but where to? And why return it to the house? They also found the remnants of packing tape impacted on the wheels of the suitcase.
The tape has a distinctive green and white logo on it - it looks like company branding.
So I ran a few searches.
Any results? Yesterday afternoon? Uh-huh.
Around four? No idea, I'd have to check.
Do you need proof of identity to rent a storage unit? No.
So, theoretically, you can rent under the name of Muhammad Ali? Who's he? Does this man have a unit rented with you? Well, I wasn't on watch, but I can check with Zach tomorrow morning.
Or, um I can do it now.
Now is good.
Looks like the same suitcase as the one from Walsh's house.
Mm-hm.
Exits ten minutes later.
So you bring a suitcase and you're not dumping anything in the unit Taking something from the unit.
Boom-boom.
What, though? Crate of cold lager? Wrapping of some kind.
Trace of a serial number, maybe? He's heartbroken.
How could we have forgot his polar bear? - I'll go get it.
- You will not.
We don't know what's going on.
Whatever it is, has to do with Mum and Dad, not us.
Les, you're not going.
I'm going stir crazy here, Marie.
I'll be OK.
All right, really.
Pat Walsh's GP confirms he was a sick man, pancreatic cancer, advanced stages.
He was receiving chemo and radiation therapy.
Well, that explains the GemCarb.
What about the warfarin? That's where it gets interesting.
Apparently, Walsh also had stomach ulcers - warfarin would be contraindicated.
So why is it present? Well Was Walsh endangering his own life? Possible.
Maybe someone was giving it to him without his knowledge.
I'm, er, I'm Mr Walsh.
It's my house.
just need to pop in.
Sorry, sir, no-one's allowed in.
Umlook, it's my son's favourite toy.
It's kind of an emergency, I'd just really appreciate it I'm sorry, sir.
OK, yeah.
Thanks.
I measured some of the trajectories of the blood spatter on the walls.
I estimated from the impact spatter that the initial assault was about a foot from the wall, approximately six foot from the floor, Pat Walsh's head height.
We then have what looks like arterial bleeding down here, potentially suggesting a change of weapon.
Then, the coughed-up blood.
This could correlate with suggested injuries sustained.
Now, although there were signs of a struggle there were no bloodstains between these two areas, so, from the couch to the living room door, from the living room door to the front entrance, he left no blood trail, despite sustaining an arterial bleed.
Not impossible.
No, but it's very unusual.
Right, so I analysed the plastic fragment retrieved from the fridge found in Walsh's storage unit.
I found a possible source.
A blood bag? Correct.
So, Walsh possibly stores bags of blood in the fridge? Why? Whose blood? Blood stored in blood bags needs an anticoagulant of some sort.
Toxicology found the presence of warfarin in the blood in Walsh's house.
Warfarin is a potent anticoagulant.
So, Pat Walsh secretly stores bags of his own blood? Yeah.
Yesterday, Pat Walsh goes to his storage unit with a suitcase.
He transports the blood bags in the case back to his own house, where he sprays the blood all over his walls.
Bastard staged his own death.
What is going on?! Do you know how upset we've been? I mean, losing Mum was bad enough, but for you to just disappear What's wrong? You OK? YeahI'm fine.
What's wrong? Cancer.
Pancreatic.
I don't have much time left.
Is this why Mum was upset the other night? Yes.
I need your help.
- We have to do this together.
- Do what? Find the people who killed your mother.
That's up to the police.
You should get to a hospital.
I'm going to ring Marie, she'll pick up She was my wife.
She was your mother.
Now she deserves justice.
Text Marie.
Tell her you are going to take a few days away from the family.
No, I can't lie to her.
She needs me - and so do the kids.
She'll never believe me.
Make her believe.
The police and whoever is after me think that I am dead now.
Now, that buys us time.
Now come on.
Come on.
The spiral is one of the oldest symbols of justice in the world.
Thought to belong to the earliest settlers in Britain This could be just random scratchings from the explosion.
Yes, it could be.
However, back in the '80s and early '90s, this was the unofficial symbol of a Loyalist organisation that went by the name of The Guild.
Hm, The Guild supposedly consisted of a group of powerful politicians, police officers, members of the business community who allegedly sanctioned political assassinations.
Its existence was never proven.
Investigative reporter Orla Flanagan wrote several articles about them, citing an inside source.
No names were ever mentioned, and the group was reportedly disbanded years ago.
Bloody hell.
I'll follow up on it.
The wheels are turning in Hodgson's head.
That obvious? Can practically hear them whirring.
What's on your mind? I, er, just remembered, I've got to meet up with an old friend.
I know that look, you're up to something, Jack Hodgson.
And what might that be, Clarissa Mullery? I don't know.
But I'm sure I'll find out over the nice cold G& that you are buying me.
Jack Hodgson! You haven't changed a bit.
Orla Flanagan, you have! For the better! Still full of charm and flattery, I see! Not to mention rugged good looks.
Tell me about it! The crush I used to have on this fella! Never got anywhere with Mr I-have-to-study.
All right.
Clarissa Mullery, I'm a colleague of Jack's.
Nice to meet you, Clarissa.
Orla AhOrla we need to pick your brain about something.
.
Pick away.
It's about The Guild.
Can I assume this is something to do with your work? And you're going to say we can't talk about it If it has a bearing on a case, why am I talking to two forensic scientists and not the police? You may well get a visit from the police, but this here now is just two old mates having a drink.
What do you want to know? Do you think it's possible it might be active again? I've not heard anything that would suggest that, no.
You had an inside source.
Jack you know better than to ask a reporter to reveal her source.
I'm not asking you to reveal anything.
All I'm asking ismight it be possible to re-establish contact with that source, to find out? I know The Guild has personal meaning for you but I was getting phone calls threatening to put a bullet in the back of my head.
I know.
You think it's too dangerous, don't do it.
I don't mind the danger but if I'm to go opening up doors again that nobody wants opened, I need a better reason than a favour to an old mate.
I think what Jack's trying to say, in his graceful, understated way is that the information that you provide might potentially save lives - that is a good reason, isn't it? She's good.
Hi, this is Les Walsh.
"Please leave a message, I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
" When you were growing up back in Belfast, did people ever talk about The Guild? Talk? It's Northern Ireland, people never stop talking.
And you believed that it existed? I believed a lot of things, not all of them turned out to be true.
What about your family? Your dad? Where exactly are you going with this, Clarissa? I'm just wondering if there are any personal insights into The Guild that you could offer.
Mm Well, my personal insight is this Go to bed, I'll see you in the morning.
"I'm really sorry, but I need some time on my own, "don't worry, I'm fine.
" I will issue an alert for your husband and the car.
Try not to worry.
There is also something you need to know, Marie we think your father-in-law might still be alive.
All that blood - I thought Pat may have been in touch with your husband.
I don't understand.
Why? We don't know, but we will monitor your phone, in case Les rings again.
Mummy? Hello, you.
Let's go in.
When's Daddy coming back? Mummy? Hello, you.
Let's go in.
When's Daddy coming back? Orla Flanagan.
I checked up on those articles she wrote on The Guild.
Interesting reading.
Aye, Orla knows her stuff.
You know her? Umwe were college mates.
Well, Flanagan refers to a source in her article.
If The Guild is active agin, that source might know.
You'll have to ask Orla.
Hell will freeze over before a reporter reveals her source to a police officer.
However, if an old friend were to ask I had a drink with her last night.
What did you talk about? Just asked the same question you did.
Whether Orla establishes contact with her source or not is entirely up to her.
So, the thing is, if China is interested in financing in Belfast, that's the sort of contact we need.
We'll only be about an hour, Craig.
Right, Ms Lawson.
Because the level of finances that they're talking about Hello? Hello, who is this? Hello, Orla.
What's so urgent that it can't wait? Were DSTL able to determine provenance? OK, hang on, let me talk you through this.
So, the detonation trigger is radio-controlled instead of the modern preference of mobile phone.
Also, I detected RDX, a Semtex ingredient of a variety widely used by bomb-makers in the 1980s.
Enough detail to pinpoint an individual bomb-maker's signature? Well, the way the wires are tied and the red electrical tape, are both characteristic of IEDs made in South Armagh in the '80s.
Added to thatthese tool markings are like fingerprints.
DSTL could match them up to the individual tools used - however, without those tools, it's a like having a bullet but no gun to match its ballistics.
So, in answer to your question - the best they could do was narrow it down to these seven possible candidates, known to have operated in South Armagh.
Looks like Patrick Walsh.
Well, I'll be damned.
Exactly.
Taking care of yourself, I see.
Somebody's got to do it! Still single? I don't know if you are being creepy or endearing.
Bit of both, I suppose.
I heard a rumour that they're back.
I'm long out of the loop.
You're Ken Lawson's chauffeur.
He might pretend to be a businessman, but we both know he's a political lobbyist.
Even if I knew anything, I have no reason to talk to you.
You did, before.
I did, before, because I wanted our people to know that justice was being served.
- And now? Times are different.
Maybe.
For how much longer? People are scared, no matter which side they're on.
When people are scared, they revert to what they know.
Are they back? I've driven Mr Lawson to a number of meetings recently.
Some familiar old faces.
Who, exactly? Doesn't matter.
If the killings start, there's nothing you can do about it, you can only stay out of the way.
That's not my style, Craig.
I don't want you stirring up shit again.
Just leave it alone.
Who are we waiting for? The less you know, the better.
Dad, I want to help you, but I am not going in to this blindly.
He's an old friend from back home.
What's his name? It's better you don't know.
Well, why do you want to see him? Does he know who did this to Mum? Maybe.
Dad, this is all so crazy.
Why would anybody want to kill her - or you? I don't understand it.
I don't know who did this.
We'll find out.
Won't be long.
I don't want you involved any more than need be.
Oh, Dad Whoever's behind this, they are dangerous people.
Yes, I need your help but I don't want to draw you or your family in any more than need be.
I want you safe.
Niall Molloy - joined the IRA in '76 first IED attributed to him went off in County Antrim in '79.
Since then, he was involved in a total of 12 bombings, killing more than 60 people, many of them civilians.
Had a reputation as a master of the art.
Earned him his nickname: Deathmaker.
Do you think I could get a shot of that inhaler? Yeah! Of course.
You're a life-saver.
Several Loyalist paramilitary groups had Molloy at the top of their hit list, including the group known as The Guild.
June of 1991 - rumour has it that Niall Molloy wants out.
IRA hierarchy won't let him.
A few days later - he vanishes.
Now, acting on an anonymous tip, the RUC find traces of blood, along with a bloodstained knife, in an old farmhouse.
Oh, my God.
It was established the blood on the knife matched Molloy's.
But no group claimed responsibility for Molloy's disappearance, and that was the end of the matter.
Except, it wasn't.
This is a photo of the real Patrick Walsh.
According to Irish records, a Patrick Walsh died in 1989 of natural causesin County Kerry.
So, hang on, a former IRA bomber's wife is blown up with a device which bears all the hallmarks of the bomber's own device, right down to the detail.
So, either Pat Walsh was trying to kill his own wife Or someone was trying to make a very clear statement.
What's his name? Rocky.
Does he pack a punch? Aye, sure.
He's a dote.
Slainte.
Slainte.
Is this what we're reduced to? Drinking Irish whiskey wrapped in a Union Jack? At least we're alive.
True.
Niall, it wasn't me.
I didn't talk.
Then who did? I don't know.
You know there was a time when I thought it might be our old mates come back for their pound of flesh but, no why would the IRA go to all the trouble of making and planting a bombwhen a bullet in the back of the head would do the trick just as well? Take your hand out of your pocket.
What? Niallthe beatings I took for you in the old days I was tortured, I never gave you up! Yeah but this time? You caved in after three broken fingers.
Who was it? I didn't see his face.
Accent? I don't know.
It was a Brit.
He was waiting for me.
Wanted to know if Niall Molloy was still alive.
Where he lived.
Was he acting on his own, or did someone send him? You going somewhere, Mac? PleaseNiall.
.
Somewhere safe, maybe? I know you have a bolthole, we all do.
Write it down.
Look I won't say a word! You know that! I know.
Please you don't have to do this! NiallI'm begging you! Please
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