EXT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.00 1
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A DECAYED, POST-INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE. Wasteland. INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, MAIN AREA - NIGHT 1 - 00.01 2 2 HENRY MADSEN - a handsome man in suit and tie - stands alone in this VAST FORSAKEN SPACE. Breathing exerted, afraid. Thinking hard. Scanning the DARK CORNERS for what predators may lurk there - He SPINS, looks behind him. Sees NOTHING. Just darkness and silence. Sound of DRIPPING WATER. His harsh breathing. And a sense of TERRIBLE THREAT in the LOOMING SHADOWS. And now - A FOOTSTEP. Somewhere out there - in the shadows. He takes a SINGLE RETREATING STEP. And another. And a third - faster now, moving backwards - as the ECHOING FOOTSTEPS in the vastness of this terrible place grow CLOSER and CLOSER. And now he’s running - headlong through this awful place - away - just away - EXT. MADSEN HOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.02 3 3 A MASSIVE POLICE OPERATION outside an ORDINARY SUBURBAN HOUSE. A UNIFORMED OFFICER emerges, mud covered. Approaches DETECTIVE SUPERINTENDANT ROSE TELLER - who’s looking at a PHOTOGRAPH OF A YOUNG GIRL. TELLER Nothing? The UNIFORMED OFFICER shakes his head. Teller exchanges a pained, anxious look with DETECTIVE INSPECTOR IAN REED. Who shrugs. REED John said she’s here, so she’s here. Keep trying. UNIFORMED OFFICER nods, exits. TELLER Her oxygen ran out two minutes ago. INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, VAT ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.03 4 4 Madsen has no choice but to scramble up a RUSTY LADDER - which gives on to the VAT ROOM - Only one way out. A STEEL DOOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHAMBER.
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To reach it, he must cross an ANCIENT METAL WALKWAY. - Which spans a CIRCULAR BLACK CHASM - WHICH DIVES TO INFINITY. A BLACK HOLE. He turns from its evil maw. No way. He can’t. He can’t do that. Breathing heavily, casting round, looking for a way out - he HEARS NOISES IN THE SILENCE. Coming closer. Ever closer. The ECHOES OF IMPENDING NEMESIS. A long, UNBEARABLE MOMENT Until - Below, a SHABBY FIGURE appears. Implacable. Eyes that burn with lunacy and murder. Incredible as it seems - this is DETECTIVE CHIEF INSPECTOR JOHN LUTHER. He reaches the foot of the ladder. He advances on Madsen. Who sprints across THE WALKWAY - He’s halfway across when SOMETHING FALLS - minor part of the superstructure - a sheared bolt, maybe. It plunges, reverberating, into darkness. Madsen ignores it. Reaches the DOOR on the other side. It’s metal. Riveted. Solid. LOCKED. He casts around. Finds an IRON BAR. Levers at the door. Frantic, desperate. But it’s not opening. No way. He turns. Sees Luther. At the top of the ladder now. Advancing. Pausing at the edge of the walkway. A moment of eye contact. Madsen gives up on the door. It’s not going to open. He’s TRAPPED.
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So he lifts the iron bar as a weapon - And he and Luther advance on each other - crossing the walkway. It JOLTS under their weight. Madsen ready to kill. Luther grinning. The light of madness in his eyes. Less a man
than a force of nature. Vengeance personified. SCENE 5 OMITTED
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EXT. MADSEN HOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.05
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Teller glares at her watch. Five minutes past midnight. INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.06 7 7 Madsen and Luther advance on each other - converging on the MOMENT OF VIOLENT CONNECTION - When Madsen stops. Suddenly. A moment of EYE CONTACT - Then the WALKWAY GIVES WAY BENEATH HIS FEET - Madsen FALLS - drops the crowbar - it tumbles into darkness - - he CATCHES HIMSELF - just in time - - and hangs there - scrabbling, trying to climb - Can’t. It’s too wet. Too slick. Luther approaches. Edges as close as he can. Takes a moment of PURE MALEVOLENT PLEASURE in Madsen’s desperation. LUTHER You’re going to fall. MADSEN Oh, God - Madsen tries to scrabble up. Can’t. The walkway protests beneath him. A metallic groan. It jolts - gives way a few more centimetres. Madsen is jarred - but hangs on. Just. Over a chasm of darkness. Luther watches with a kind of glee - a kind of madness. LUTHER Where is she? Madsen begins to SLIP - regains his hold - for the moment. His feet scramble, seeking a toehold.
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MADSEN
(in agony) The living room! For God’s sake, the living room! There’s a - panel - behind the plasterboard -
Luther produces his phone.
LUTHER
Be exact. EXT. MADSEN HOUSE - NIGHT 1 - 00.08
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Reed’s phone rings. ANGLE ON THE PHONE: JOHN LUTHER. REED John? (listens. Runs) LIVING ROOM! INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.08 9 9 Luther waits. MADSEN HEY! HEY! LUTHER Thing is - what if you’re lying? MADSEN I’m not! I’m not lying! Please! INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.09 10 10 Reed enters - he’s got a CROW BAR. He’s followed by Teller. Then several UNIFORMED OFFICERS, carrying SLEDGE HAMMERS. Reed hammers and rips at the plasterboard wall, tears down section after section - throws away the crowbar - uses his hands - Teller and a uniformed officer join in. Frantic. INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.09 11 11 Madsen struggles like a fly on a pin - INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.10 12 12 Behind the plasterboard, behind a layer of soundproofing, Reed and Teller find an UPRIGHT, COFFIN-SIZED CONTAINER WRAPPED IN LAGGING. It has an OXYGEN CYLINDER attached. It’s marked with a faded KTR MEDICO logo. The gauge reads: EMPTY. Reed picks up his phone, still connected
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REED
(on phone)
It’s here! INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.10 13 13 LUTHER (on phone, looking into Madsen’s eye) She alive? INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.10 14 14 OFFICERS rush to open the coffin. Inside is MIA DALTON Dead? REED I can’t tell. Teller hauls Mia from the coffin, lays her out. Listens to her chest. Shit. Turns the girl’s head, clears the vomit from her airway. Tilts back her head. Pinches her nose. Covers Mia’s mouth with hers, gently forces air into her lungs. Mia’s chest rises. INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.11 15 15 MADSEN I can’t - I can’t - oh God - please! Luther looks down on him. Frowns. Grabs the handrail. Edges forward. The walkway groans beneath him. The weird shriek and pop of support wires giving way. Luther GRABS THE FRONT OF MADSEN’S SHIRT. Holds him in place. Madsen screams in terror - INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.11 16 16 Teller administers CPR. Reed keeps the phone to his ear. He can hear DISTANT SCREAMING. MADSEN (V.O.) PLEASE! NO! A moment of discomfort. Then Reed LOWERS THE PHONE. And we - INTERCUT TWO LIVES IN THE BALANCE - Mia and Madsen. Until Mia takes in a MASSIVE WHOOP OF AIR - SITS UP - LOOKS
AROUND - WIDE EYED AND TERROR-STRICKEN. Teller cries out - embraces the child.
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TELLER Oh, good girl. Good girl. Good girl. REED (on phone) We’ve got her! INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.11 17 17 Luther stares down at Madsen. LUTHER (on phone) Good. He hangs up. In the background, SIRENS APPROACH. Luther glances in their direction. Then back at Madsen. INT. MADSEN HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 1 - 00.12 18 18 Reed thinks a moment, troubled. Seems about to speak. Then changes his mind. Hangs up the phone. INT. KTR MEDICO WAREHOUSE, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - NIGHT 1 - 00.12 19 19 Luther deliberates. Staring at Madsen, hanging there. MADSEN Oh God, please. An unbearably long beat. LUTHER No. Luther LETS GO OF MADSEN’S SHIRT. Madsen CRIES OUT - clings there for a moment - - then his hand SLIPS - slides - a MAD FLURRY as he scrabbles for purchase - a FROZEN BEAT - - and Madsen TUMBLES into the night - down and down into darkness - On Luther’s face as he falls. FADE TO: INT. PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, CORRIDOR - DAY 2 - 11.15 20 20 Reed walks through hospital doors and along a corridor. INT. PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, WARD - DAY 2 - 11.46 21 21 Luther sits, unmoving, almost catatonic. Facing the window. Pulling back, we see that Reed is with him. There’s a CHESS SET between them. Reed moves a BLACK KNIGHT.
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Luther doesn’t stir - so Reed plays LUTHER’S BISHOP. REED This may turn out to be the first time I actually beat you. His phone beeps: INCOMING MESSAGE. He checks it out, makes a face. Pockets the phone. Stands. Luther hasn’t moved. Hasn’t even blinked. Reed might not be there. Reed claps his shoulder, fraternally. REED Got to go. Reed endures a moment of helpless sadness - then kisses Luther on the head - in benediction and friendship. He leaves. Luther stares out the window. GO TO TITLES - AND FADE IN TO : INT. KTR MEDICO, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - DAY 3 - 08.41 22 22 JOHN LUTHER stands in a HALO OF EARLY MORNING LIGHT. Spellbound by THE DROP. Gazing into the abyss. TITLE OVER: SEVEN MONTHS LATER FADE TO: EXT. MORGAN HOUSE - DAY 3 - 07.31 SUNRISE 23 23 A converted farm. Mist. Early morning crow-calls. An original Mini parked outside. INT. MORGAN HOUSE, KITCHEN - DAY 3 - 07.32 24 24 A kitchen. Eerie in the morning stillness. A tableau. On the worktop - a carton of milk, a loaf of bread. A newspaper. POLICE OPERATOR (O.S.) Emergency. Which service? ALICE (O.S.) Oh, God. Police. Please, please. In the hallway - pass over the corpse of a DEAD GOLDEN
RETRIEVER. Its head has been blown to jam. INT. MORGAN HOUSE, STAIRS - DAY 3 - 07.32 25
25
Panning up the stairs -
POLICE OPERATOR (O.S.) Go ahead caller, you're through to the police.
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ALICE (O.S.) It’s my mum. Hurry. It’s my mum! INT. MORGAN HOUSE, LANDING - DAY 3 - 07.32 26
26
Tracking along the silent landing.
POLICE OPERATOR (O.S.)
What’s happened to your mum? INT. MORGAN HOUSE, LAURA’S BEDROOM - DAY 3 - 07.33 26A 26A A woman’s bedroom. LAURA MORGAN lies dead in bed. Shot through the head. Blood on the bedding. The walls. ALICE (O.S.) Oh, God. Oh God. POLICE OPERATOR (O.S.) Miss? ALICE (O.S.) THEY'RE DEAD! OH GOD, OH DEAR GOD. MY MUM! MY DAD! INT. MORGAN HOUSE, STUDY - DAY 3 - 07.33 27 27 DOUGLAS MORGAN is dead at his desk. Shot through the back of the head. A bullet hole in the window in front of him. Blood splatters the window. He’s in pyjamas, a robe, slippers. Wearing IPOD EARBUDS. Face down across some PAGE PROOFS he was correcting. Fountain pen still in his hand. ALICE I THINK MY MUM AND DAD ARE DEAD! INT. MORGAN HOUSE, SITTING ROOM - DAY 3 - 07.33 28 28 In the sitting room, ALICE MORGAN - HORRIFICALLY BLOOD DRENCHED - is on the phone. POLICE OPERATOR (V.O.) Officers are on the way. We’ll be there soon. ALICE Oh God! MUM! POLICE OPERATOR (V.O.) Is anyone else in the house? ALICE I DON’T KNOW! PLEASE! PLEASE! POLICE OPERATOR (V.O.)
Listen to me now. Stay on the line but make yourself safe. Stay on the line but make yourself safe...
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EXT. MORGAN HOUSE - DAY 3 - 07.40 29 29 As POLICE UNITS arrive, Alice stands at the front door - still holding the phone. Wide eyed, blood-smeared. Terrified almost beyond sanity by what she’s witnessed. She’s an ISLAND OF BLOODY STILLNESS in the BLUE-FLASHING CHAOS. FADE UP TO: INT. KTR MEDICO, UPPER LEVEL, WALKWAY - DAY 3 - 08.49 29A 29A Luther is startled from his reverie by ROSE TELLER entering. LUTHER Boss. TELLER She approaches the edge. Bewitched, as we are by great heights. She stoops - picks up a small chunk of plaster. Holds it over the abyss. Drops it. A beat, as it falls into silence. TELLER Long way. LUTHER Yeah. TELLER (steps back) the Inquiry found no grounds for disciplinary action. Which means, you’re back. If you want it. LUTHER I want it. TELLER Good. We’ve got a nice Category A for you. She gestures - Shall we ? Luther follows. After one last glance into the void. So anyway. While “conceding certain procedural shortcomings” on your part, given the exceptional circumstances, This where you spent your gardening leave, is it? Looking into a big hole? LUTHER I was just - TELLER I know what you were doing.
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INT. KTR MEDICO, CORRIDOR - DAY 3 - 08.50 29B
29B
Luther and Teller walk.
TELLER You ready for the speech? LUTHER I’m more than ready. I’m eager for the speech. Give me the speech. TELLER Rule Number One - don’t get yourself in this situation again. Which means, you observe case management protocols. Any proactive strategies are to be signed off by me. I don’t sign, they don’t happen. LUTHER Is that the speech? TELLER That’s the speech. LUTHER Good speech. TELLER Thank you. It’s one I prepared earlier. TELLER You and Zoe. You spoken? LUTHER Not for a while, no. TELLER And -? LUTHER It was a trial separation. I tried it, didn’t like it. TELLER She feel the same? LUTHER I did what she asked. Got myself together. So let’s see. TELLER Well, that’s the difference between her and me. She talks about taking you back. I actually do it.
They walk.
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With that, she opens the door - and they step, blinking into the BRIGHT MORNING SUNSHINE. EXT. KTR MEDICO - DAY 3 - CONTINUOUS 29C 29C Outside waits JUSTIN RIPLEY, sheepish in new suit and colourful tie. TELLER DCI John Luther. DS Justin Ripley. Luther offers his hand, they shake. RIPLEY Morning, Sir. LUTHER Good to meet you. RIPLEY Actually, you and I, we sort of worked together once. On the Sidney Jackson thing. LUTHER Yeah, yeah! I remember. You did good work on that thing. RIPLEY So, um, welcome back. And whatever. LUTHER Thank you. He glances at Teller. Who gives him a nod. Off you go. RIPLEY Car’s this way, Boss. If you’re ready. LUTHER I’m ready. They head to Ripley’s car. Teller watching INT/EXT. RIPLEY’S CAR, KTR MEDICO - DAY 3 - 08.52 29D 29D Luther and Ripley get in. Ripley hands him a BUFF ENVELOPE. Luther takes it, doesn’t open it yet. LUTHER So - do we need to have the chat? RIPLEY What chat? LUTHER I was ill. I got better. I’m back. Et cetera.
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RIPLEY Then no. We don’t need the chat.
Luther scrutinises him.
RIPLEY I lobbied to be stationed with you. I put in the request nine months ago. I chased it up three times a week, in writing.
Ah. A moment of mutual embarrassment. Luther hides it by rifling through the file. LUTHER So what’ve we got? RIPLEY Home invasion, murder. Victims are Douglas and Laura Morgan. LUTHER Who called it in? RIPLEY The daughter. Alice Morgan. She was out when it happened. LUTHER Doing what? RIPLEY Buying milk and bread. LUTHER She live there? RIPLEY No. She’s a Research Fellow, some Department of Physics. Lives in a flat near campus. LUTHER So why was she there? RIPLEY Douglas Morgan’s birthday. Luther raises an eyebrow at that. As Ripley pulls away. EXT. MORGAN HOUSE - DAY 3 - 09.02 29E 29E Ripley's car pulls up. Luther gets out, Ripley a step behind. SOCO. POLICE CARS, VANS. UNIFORMED OFFICERS guarding the scene.
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HEADS TURN to FOLLOW LUTHER. He ignores them. Just takes a private moment, considering the scene. Good to be back. Then tucks his tie into his shirt, ducks under the yellow tape. Holds it up for Ripley. Who follows. INT. MORGAN HOUSE, KITCHEN - DAY 3 - 09.03 29F 29F Luther and Ripley enter through the kitchen door. RIPLEY So we need to look for any indication the shooter’s been watching the house - possible vantage points, a hiding place with good line of sight. Step over the blood-stained area from which Alice called 999. LUTHER You might want to keep your hands in your pockets - it reduces the temptation to touch anything. Ripley obliges. They step cautiously over the bloody corpse of the dog. Climb the stairs. INT. MORGAN HOUSE, LAURA’S BEDROOM - DAY 3 - 09.04 29G 29G Luther looks with tenderness at Laura Morgan. Notices PILLS at the bedside. LUTHER Sleeping pills and separate bedrooms. What does that say to you? RIPLEY The husband snored? LUTHER Anything else? RIPLEY Can’t say. Sometimes separate beds make for a happy marriage. LUTHER That’s a very generous thought. He turns to Ripley. Really sees him LUTHER That’s good. First responders have this down as point of entry. The daughter left it unlocked when she went out. LUTHER
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Ripley basks in the light of Luther’s approval. As Luther turns back to the body. Committing the scene to memory. Then exits. INT. MORGAN HOUSE, STUDY - DAY 3 - 09.05 29H 29H Luther examines Douglas - with compassion but no sentimentality. He circles the desk, hands in pockets. He squats. Looking hard. Never still. Using a pen, he teases an EARBUD from Douglas’s ear. We get a TINNY BURST of AUSTERE CLASSICAL MUSIC - Stravinsky. LUTHER He didn’t hear it coming. Checks out the UNCORRECTED PROOFS. RIPLEY He’s a published poet. Small press. Luther straightens, takes it all in. LUTHER
So there’s no burglary, no attempt to stage the scene. No sexual assault. RIPLEY Contract killing, maybe? LUTHER That’s workable. I mean, the shooter’s definitely done his homework. He knows the layout of the house, he’s quick to eliminate physical threats - the dog first, Douglas next. What was the weapon? RIPLEY Some kind of mid calibre pistol 9mm or .38. LUTHER “Some kind”. No gun? RIPLEY They’re still searching. House, grounds, drains. Nothing so far. LUTHER Someone this efficient, you’d expect him to ditch the gun here - at the scene. Am I missing something? Does this seem right to you? RIPLEY None of it seems right to me. LUTHER Good. It’s not, is it. It’s not right.
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EXT. MORGAN HOUSE - DAY 3 - 09.07 29I 29I Luther and Ripley duck under the tape, head back to the car. In the background, an ambulance arrives. EXT. HOBB LANE - DAY 3 - 10.02 29J 29J Luther and Ripley walk to the station. Luther produces his phone - nods for Ripley to go in ahead of him. Then paces as he dials. SCENE 30 - 33 INCLUSIVE OMITTED EXT. FORD AND VARGAS - DAY 3 - 10.02 34 34 Establishing a hyper-modern office building. On a plaque by the door: FORD AND VARGAS LAW CHAMBERS. Through the glass we see a small figure, ZOE LUTHER, cross the lobby and enter the lift. The lift goes up. INT. FORD AND VARGAS, LIFT/ CORRIDOR TO ZOE’S OFFICE - DAY 3 - 35 35 10.02 In the lift, Zoe’s phone rings. Embarrassed, she snatches it from her handbag. ZOE (low) Zoe Luther. Intercut Zoe walking from the lift to her office and Luther on the street. LUTHER Babe, it’s me. ZOE John...hi! LUTHER So guess what? ZOE What? LUTHER The Board of Inquiry came down on my side. ZOE
Oh, John. That’s such - that’s really good news. That’s great news. I mean, I knew they would, obviously. But - wow. That’s great. That’s really, really great. LUTHER I’m back at work.
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ZOE
Already!?
LUTHER Yeah, well. They missed me. ZOE Oh, that’s great. That’s such good news. LUTHER What’s wrong? ZOE
Nothing’s wrong - I’m just on my way to a meeting. Can we talk a bit later? LUTHER Absolutely. That’s why I’m calling. We need to have that talk. ZOE We do. We really do. Absolutely. LUTHER Are you okay? ZOE I’m fine. Just hassled. LUTHER So we need the talk. Tonight? ZOE Tonight - I’ve got a dinner. LUTHER After dinner, then. I’ll come round. ZOE Okay. Tonight. Look, I’m sorry. I really do have to go. LUTHER Yeah. You’ve got a meeting. (beat) Zoe? ZOE What? LUTHER I’ve got myself together. I’m back. I’m good. ZOE I know. She hesitates. Doesn’t know what else to say. Hangs up.
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BACK TO LUTHER as he pockets his phone. Takes a nervous breath. Here we go . He enters the building. INT. SCU, BULLPEN - DAY 3 - 10.12 (FORMERLY SC 31) 35A 35A Luther steps onto the BUSY BULLPEN - to see A WELCOME HOME! banner has been pinned up. He laughs as - one by one - the ENTIRE SERIOUS CRIME UNIT STAND TO APPLAUD HIS RETURN. Cornish stands to one side, looking sceptical. Then Teller grins - and hands Luther a NEW MUG. Luther takes it. Reads aloud the legend they had printed. LUTHER “You don’t have to be mad to work here. But it helps.” A broad grin. Reed steps forward. He and Luther hug it out. Loud applause. Whistles. INT. SCU - LUTHER AND REED’S OFFICE - DAY 3 - 10.13 35B 35B Luther and Reed enter. Luther is perturbed by the tidiness of his area. Empty desk. Office chair tucked neatly into it. Telephone. Desk tidy with no pens. Naked pinboard. He puts down the mug. Picks it up again. Puts it down somewhere else. No good. Wherever he puts it, the desk is still empty. REED They welcomed you back with a weird one. LUTHER (distracted) They did. They gave me a weird one. You? Reed shows him a THICK CASE FILE, then drops it onto his desk REED Honour killing. Luther winces, turns to the monitor at his desk. Glances at Alice Morgan - with a female Family Liaison Officer - sitting in shocked silence in the interview room. REED So how are you? LUTHER I’m splendid. REED Excellent, then. Good. Splendid.
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Opens his case file.
SCENE 36 OMITTED 36
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INT. SCU, OUTSIDE INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY 3 - 14.23 37 37 Luther walks to the door of the interview room. Reaches for the handle. Hesitates. Enjoys the moment. Back! Then opens the door and steps through. INT. SCU, INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY 3 - 14.23 38 38 Alice looks up as Luther enters and nods to the Family Liaison Officer. The FLO leaves the room. Luther is low-key, compassionate, unthreatening. LUTHER Ms. Morgan? ALICE Alice, please. She has the beatific air of the deeply medicated. LUTHER I know you must be very tired. ALICE Thank you. I am. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired. LUTHER It’s shock. It’s how we react. It’s one of those strange things. This moment of everyday compassion moves her almost to tears. LUTHER I know this has been a terrible, Alice, I’m John Luther, Senior Investigating Officer. May I? She nods - go ahead . Luther sits. LUTHER
terrible day. I know things look bleak and you feel very alone. But believe me when I say, we’ll do everything possible to get whoever did this. ALICE Thank you. LUTHER So these things I’m going to ask - I have to ask them. I’m sorry.
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She sniffs. Nods. Go on.
LUTHER Do you have any idea who might have wished your parents harm? Even if it’s just a feeling, a sense of unease about someone - something you heard your mum or dad say, maybe? Something that didn’t sit right. ALICE No. There’s nothing. Mum was - a very kind, very gracious woman. LUTHER Would you like a glass of water? A cup of tea? ALICE I’m sorry. I’ll be okay. LUTHER And your dad? ALICE He was a very admirable man. LUTHER The thing is, Alice - this was a very singular crime. No sign of robbery, no apparent - I’m sorry - no sexual motivation. Now, I’ve been a police officer a long time, and one of the things I’ve learned in that time is, crimes like this aren’t random. They don’t happen without motive. I know it’s painful, but I need you to dig deep and really think - about any money worries your parents may have been experiencing, perhaps any marital difficulties - ALICE
I’ve done nothing but think. All I do is think. There’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. Their eyes meet. Her gaze is wide, wounded. Raw. Trusting him 39 Teller is watching Luther and Alice on the monitor. She stands as DETECTIVE CHIEF SUPERINTENDANT CORNISH enters. TELLER Guv. absolutely. Wanting to please - and failing. INT. SCU, TELLER’S OFFICE - DAY 3 - 14.41 39
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CORNISH
So he’s back.
TELLER
From outer space.
CORNISH You do know the man is nitroglycerine. TELLER With respect, sir - a comprehensive investigation under your edict cleared him of any wrong-doing - CORNISH Not least because the sole other witness is in a coma measuring twelve on the Glasgow Scale. TELLER - and Mia Dalton is at school today, not in the ground. Rose, if you bet too heavily on Luther then you stand or fall with him. And with you goes this unit - and my credibility, as its architect. Haven’t you’ve worked too hard, for too long to place that big a risk on such a wild card? TELLER I don’t consider him a risk. CORNISH Then what is he? TELLER An investment . CORNISH
A beat. Challenging but not unfriendly. CORNISH
And if Henry Madsen wakes up? Gives his account of what happened that night? TELLER He won’t. He gives her a wry look. Exits. And Teller sags. Perhaps not as confident as she made herself appear. INT. SCU, INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY 3 - 16.16 40 40 Luther and Alice.
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LUTHER One last time - just to get it absolutely clear in my head. You saw nothing or anyone unusual. ALICE I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you I had. (Beat) I’ve got this feeling, this strange feeling. Like I’m looking at it down the wrong end of a telescope. As if it happened years ago.
Luther pinches his nose, stifles a yawn. LUTHER
That happens. Under stress, we remember things in strange ways. Different parts of the brain take over. He makes a note. Alice’s eyes flick to him as he writes. He drifts off for a moment. Stares at the paper. Dry-washes his face with his hands - then YAWNS, extravagantly. LUTHER Sorry. Long, long day. ALICE A moment. Something in Luther‘s eyes. Alice sees it. Their eyes meet. Something has changed between them. LUTHER Can I get you a coffee, maybe? ALICE A tea would be nice. He stands, aching and stiff. Paperwork under his arm. Exits. INT. SCU, OUTSIDE INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY 3 - 16.18 41 41 He shuts the door. And we see the tiredness was a ruse. He’s full of energy, electrified. He races past Ripley. RIPLEY What’s happening? Luther sweeps past. Stops. Turns. Really. There’s no need. It’s very tiring. Going round and round like this. You must be exhausted.
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LUTHER It was her. She did it. INT. SCU, TELLER’S OFFICE - DAY 3 - 16.26 42
42 Teller, Ripley and Luther look at the video feed - a SERENE ALICE. Luther hits a KEY COMBINATION on a laptop. ANGLE ON THE MONITORS: Luther YAWNS, extravagantly. LUTHER Sorry. Long, long day. ALICE Really. There’s no need. Luther hits PAUSE. LUTHER She didn’t yawn. Blank looks. LUTHER Yawning’s contagious. Someone in a room yawns, you yawn too. Even talking about it - (He waits. Teller and Ripley each suppress a yawn.) See? It’s got to do with the parts of the brain that deal with empathy. (taps at the back of his skull, impatient.) She didn’t yawn. She’s a psychopath. TELLER And - he’s back. RIPLEY Nothing in her affect points to survivor guilt - “Why them? Why not me?” That’s pretty atypical. TELLER So her affect’s off. It could be shock - medication. Whatever. LUTHER It could be, except it’s not. RIPLEY
This kind of scenario, an offender typically tries to stage the scene - make it look like murder/suicide, burglary gone wrong. She did none of that.
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LUTHER
Exactly.
TELLER
Exactly how?
LUTHER She’s proud of this! Why let someone else take the credit? TELLER To alibi herself? LUTHER She doesn’t care about alibis. She’s a malignant narcissist; this is all about power, self-affirmation, prestige. TELLER The timeline doesn’t work. There’s not enough time. LUTHER There’s not enough anything. Absence is the point - it’s her way of saying “look at me”. TELLER So where is the gun? It’s got to be somewhere. Everything’s somewhere. LUTHER I don’t know. TELLER Say that again. That was special. LUTHER I don’t know.
Beat. Considers Alice on the monitor. TELLER
She doesn’t look the type. LUTHER
Well, that’s the thing about people - they always manage to surprise you. INT. FORD AND VARGAS, OFFICE FLOOR - DAY 3 - 16.37 43
43
Zoe walks through the corporate office.
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She stop outside her office. MARK NORTH is waiting. Handsome, tousled, dishevelled. Frayed corduroy jacket, jeans. He stands, grinning. And everyone in a fifty foot radius falls in love with him. MARK Ms. Luther. I’m Mark North, from - ZOE (shaking his hand) I remember, yes. She ushers him into her office, closes the door. INT. FORD AND VARGAS, ZOE’S OFFICE - DAY 3 - 16.38 44 44 Zoe stands there. Facing Mark North. He stands, facing her. And before you know it, they’re kissing. Until Zoe breaks away. MARK Did you tell him? Her silence says it all. MARK Zoe, he needs to know. All this
sneaking around, it’s mad. You’ve been separated for months! He’s the only one who doesn’t seem to know it. ZOE I know, I know. But I just couldn’t tell him while he was - y’know.
Getting better. And now I wake up, I feel sick. I’ve got this permanent knot in my stomach. It’s going to kill him. MARK You can’t keep lying. It’s cruel. Her eyes soften, grow sad. Because she knows he’s right. SCENE 45 OMITTED 45
45
INT. SCU, INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY 3 - 16.39 46
46
Luther enters awkwardly. He’s carrying two mugs of tea. He passes one to Alice. She sips. LUTHER Your chair okay? Comfy? ALICE It’s fine, thank you
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LUTHER Because sometimes we like to shorten one of the legs. It means a suspect can’t get comfortable, can’t relax. They’re always unbalanced. Too hot? Eye contact. Alice noting the implied shift in her status. ALICE Really. I’m fine. A connection between them. A knowledge. Almost flirtatious. INT. SCU, LUTHER AND REED'S OFFICE - DAY 3 - 16.42 47 47 Reed and Ripley enter. Ripley busies himself, types in password, turns up the volume on the audio feed. Then takes a seat. They watch. INT. SCU, INTERVIEW ROOM - NIGHT 3 - 18.33 48 48 Luther glances at his notes. LUTHER I see you got your Ph.D. at eighteen - astrophysics, was it? ALICE “Dark Matter Distribution in Disc Galaxies.” LUTHER
Dark Matter. That’s the stuff that - makes up the universe. Except we can’t see it. It doesn’t interact with the stuff we know about in the way we’d expect. ALICE No, but its presence can be inferred from gravitational effects on visible matter. We know it’s there. We just can’t see it. Would many police officers be able to gain my trust by having this conversation? LUTHER Well, I just like to read books. ALICE It beats burning them. LUTHER You, though - you’re the one who’s practically a genius. ALICE Practically?
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She raises a feline eyebrow. And Luther grins - satisfied and predatory. Two people - sizing each other up. Knowing each other for what they are...and liking each other. LUTHER So you went up to Oxford at -? ALICE Thirteen. LUTHER
Wow. I mean, that’s very young. It’s bad enough, just being the clever one in the family - these kids, prodigies, they have it really tough. They’re not one thing, they’re not another. Freaks, really. But I expect your parents were proud. ALICE Very. There were newspaper articles - pictures of mum, dad and me, smiling in the library. When I was nine, I proved tan-1X (tangent minus one -x) . They bought me a dress. Got me on the news. LUTHER But still. What must it have been like? You’re thirteen, your classmates are - what? - twenty, twenty-two? No friends your own age. No boyfriends. ALICE That’s quite a presumption. Actually, I matured very early - sexually.
He meets that challenge with unwavering eye. LUTHER You familiar with Ockham’s Razor? ALICE “All things being equal, the simplest solution is the best solution.” LUTHER
Well, what this principle tells me is, the only other person we know to have been in your parents’ house this morning - it was you. ALICE I don’t see how it’s possible to arrive at that conclusion.
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LUTHER There’s no evidence of an intruder. ALICE But absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence. LUTHER Okay, fine. I’m making a leap - but it’s a tiny leap. More of a hop, really. ALICE (celestial smile) Is this where you ask if I hated my parents? LUTHER It’s about that time, yeah. ALICE
Did they make me a freak? Yes. Did I hate them? Absolutely. Did I kill them? No. LUTHER Can you prove that? ALICE I can’t prove a negative. It can’t be done. LUTHER Well, innocence is a negative. It’s the absence of guilt. ALICE Meaning the burden of proof is entirely yours. If you think I did this, then you need to demonstrate how and when. He sits back. Gazing at her in frank admiration. LUTHER And I won’t be able to do that, will I? ALICE Well, you can certainly try. LUTHER Because there’s nothing. You don’t interact with the stuff we know about in the way we’d expect. Your presence,
your actions, they can only be inferred by - a certain absence.
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ALICE Is that a compliment? LUTHER Absolutely. ALICE I hope you’re not trying to beguile me. LUTHER I wouldn’t be so foolish. But here’s the thing, Alice. Right now, you can revel in your brilliance. But people slip up. Every single time. ALICE Well, that’s just faulty logic postulated on imperfect data collection. For instance, what if you only catch people who make mistakes? That would skew the figures, wouldn’t it? LUTHER
Wouldn’t it just. But really, that’s the thing. Most criminals, they’re just not as clever as they think they are. ALICE Well. That must get monotonous. For someone as brilliant as you. Again, they share a knowing smile. Then Luther stands. Picks up his paperwork. Exits. INT. SCU, LUTHER AND REED'S OFFICE - NIGHT 3 - 18.40 49 49 Luther enters, joins Reed and Ripley. On the monitors are MULTIPLE IMAGES OF ALICE. LUTHER Am I wrong? REED You’re not wrong. Teller enters. Reed returns to his own work. RIPLEY There’s really nothing we can find to charge her with? TELLER Such as? Being a space oddity? LUTHER Such as, she killed them.
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TELLER Right now - she’s little girl lost. We’ve got no real motive. LUTHER She hated her parents. TELLER Seriously, who doesn’t? There’s no forensics, no witnesses. Timeline alone gets it laughed out of the CPS. LUTHER You saw her in there! It excites her, that we know she did this. TELLER So prove it. Bring me something of substance. Find me the gun, put it in her hand. Until then - cut her loose and take her home.
INT. SCU, INTERVIEW ROOM - NIGHT 3 - 18.49 50
50
Alice looks up as Luther enters. LUTHER
Thanks for your help. You’re free to go.
She smiles, stands. Perfectly composed. Walks to the door. Luther steps aside. Instead of leaving, she steps up to him. Very close. Very intimate. ALICE I enjoyed our chat. LUTHER Me, too. ALICE You’re very interesting. I might decide to keep you. Luther breaks eye contact and steps aside. Alice walks away. Luther follows with his eyes. Troubled. EXT./INT. LUTHER’S CAR - NIGHT 3 - 21.16 51 51
Luther drives. Watching the city go by. EXT./INT. POLICE CAR - NIGHT 3 - 21.32 51A
51A
Alice in back of a police car. Watching the city go by.
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EXT. LUTHER HOME - NIGHT 3 - 22.21 52
52
Luther walks from his car to the door. EXT. ALICE’S PLACE, MAIN ENTRANCE - NIGHT 3 - 22.21 53 Alice walks to her door. INT. ALICE’S PLACE, HALLWAY/LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 3 - 22.22 54
53
54 Alice lets herself in. Closes the door. The flat is graceful, austere, almost Japanese. Except for the walls, which are hung with FRAMED IMAGES FROM THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE - both gorgeous and forbidding: VAST GALAXIES, EXPLODING STARS. The only human images are ALBERT EINSTEIN and ROBERT OPPENHEIMER. She enters the LIVING ROOM. Looks at the emptiness. Takes comfort from it. EXT. LUTHER HOME - NIGHT 3 - 22.23 55 55 Luther rings the bell. He’s agitated. He waits there for a moment. Then Zoe answers the door. Doubly devastating in an evening dress. LUTHER Wow! New dress! (realising it’s not for his benefit) Oh - you had a dinner. Of course. You look nice! ZOE Come in. INT. LUTHER HOME, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 3 - 22.24 56 56 Luther follows her into the living room. She doesn’t sit. Just picks up a glass of wine - not her first - and stands there, anxious and tense. LUTHER What’s wrong? ZOE You look tired. LUTHER I’m all right. What’s the matter? ZOE
John, I know what you came here to discuss. But before you say anything, you need to know: I met somebody. LUTHER I’m sorry?
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ZOE
I met someone.
LUTHER What do you mean? Met who? ZOE I met someone. LUTHER Who? ZOE Someone. LUTHER What do you mean? When? ZOE A while ago. LUTHER Who? ZOE It doesn’t matter. He stands there, stunned. Trying to work it out, work it through. LUTHER Of course it matters. Are you sleeping with him? ZOE Yes. He’s wounded, stunned, helpless. He paces the floor as if seeking escape - an outlet - but there’s none - - until he explodes with rage - kicks the door - shatters the panels - punches the door - once, twice - and again - and again - finally RIPS IT FROM ITS HINGES and - Stops. Sees Zoe. Looking at him. Not with anger, not even fear - but a sadness that is unendurable. ZOE Just go home, John. LUTHER This is my home. Long beat. ZOE No.
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Luther exits. Zoe picks up her mobile phone and dials. ZOE Ian, it’s Zoe. EXT. LUTHER HOME - NIGHT 3 - CONTINUOUS 57 Luther crosses to his car. He gets in. Sits. Lost. SCENE 58 - 59 INCLUSIVE OMITTED INT. BAR - NIGHT 3 - 23.48 60
57
60 A late night bar. Almost deserted. Luther drinks in silence, toying with his wedding ring. Finally he removes the ring and pockets it. Reed enters, signals the barman for a drink and sits down beside Luther in companionable silence. A beat. LUTHER Are you going to say anything? REED Anything you’d like me to say? LUTHER Nope. REED Then why say it? Luther nods. Drinks. SCENE 60A OMITTED 60A 60A INT. ALICE’S PLACE, LIVING ROOM - DAY 4 - 06.55 60B 60B Alice drinks coffee, watches 24 HOUR NEWS. Bored, she turns off the TV. Goes to her laptop. ANGLE ON THE SCREEN: A RAPID-FIRE COLLAGE AS - She Googles JOHN LUTHER + POLICE. Flicks through MULTIPLE HEADLINES about Luther’s arrest of HENRY MADSEN: SERIAL KILLER MADSEN “MAY HAVE KILLED MORE” - MADSEN “MAY NEVER WAKE” FROM ARREST COMA...MADSEN DETECTIVE SUSPENDED IN “TORTURE” INQUIRY...MADSEN INQUIRY CLEARS DETECTIVE... She focuses on a TEXT FRAGMENT reading “DETECTIVE JOHN LUTHER, 38”. Googles WWW.GRO.GOV.UK. Pulls up LUTHER’S MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE. On which is listed HIS WIFE - ZOE GILLIAN LUTHER, NEE CORNELL. SHE GOOGLES ZOE GILLIAN CORNELL . FINDS A LEEDS UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS WEBSITE - ZOE CORNELL, HUMANITARIAN LAW. She Googles ZOE LUTHER + HUMAN RIGHTS + LONDON. Arrives at the website of FORD AND VARGAS.
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Prints it all off. Begins to read. MADSEN “MAY NEVER WAKE” FROM ARREST COMA. She smiles. Sips coffee. The sun coming up. EXT. BAR, STREETS - DAY 4 - 07.41 61 61 Reed and Luther step out, wincing in the DAYLIGHT. Luther straightens his tie. He’s been in these clothes since we met him. He looks like he’s been awake since Christmas. REED Where you going? LUTHER
You ever get a song stuck in your head? It goes round and round? REED T’Pau. China in Your Hand . Deep strangeness, that song. High weirdness. LUTHER So I keep thinking. She’s a narcissist She needs constant recognition, needs to exaggerate accomplishments. How does somebody like that keep secret the best, the most perfect thing she ever did? REED You don’t need to be thinking about Alice Morgan right now. LUTHER Why? What do you suggest I think about. Henry Madsen? My wife? REED I dunno. Normal stuff. Breakfast. LUTHER Thing is, the way Alice sees it, the world is full of people who’ve offended her, embarrassed her, let her down - and those people deserve to be punished. She got away with it once. She’s already eyeing her next victim. And she won’t stop until somebody stops her. REED So be patient. Build a case. LUTHER There is no case! She didn’t leave one. She didn’t leave anything.
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REED Then what are you thinking? LUTHER She’s compelled to impress - people in general, but right now me in particular. She needs to show me how brilliant she is. She needs to be admired. REED And -? LUTHER I give her what she needs. Then take it away. Make her angry. See how careless it makes her.
He walks off.
REED
John -
LUTHER
What?
REED
Slow down. Luther just gives him a look. Shrugs. Walks off. INT. PET CREMATORIUM - DAY 4 - 07.55 61A The Morgans’ dog being wheeled on a gurney. INT. PET CREMATORIUM, INCINERATOR - DAY 4 - 07.55 61B
61A
61B TWO VETS manhandle the dog into the incinerator...Where the dog is consumed in jets of bright blue flame. EXT. ALICE’S PLACE, WALKWAY BRIDGE - DAY 4 - 08.44 62 62 Luther is waiting, lost in grim introspection, as Alice Morgan approaches on the walkway. Alice holds open her bag - an urn inside. ALICE They burned my dog. LUTHER It’s protocol. It’s what happens. ALICE He was only a dog. It seems unduly pitiless to me, to burn someone’s dog.
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LUTHER It seems kind of pitiless to shoot the dog in the first place. She reads him. Sees his weariness. Reaches out. Touches him. Scans him with laser-bright eyes. ALICE You look exhausted. Would you like to come in? INT. ALICE’S PLACE, LIVING ROOM - DAY 4 - 08.47 63 63 Alice and Luther enter. Alice places the urn on the mantel. Luther gazes at the PICTURES on her wall: images taken from the Hubble Space Station. Graphics of the early universe. Vast galaxies. Exploding stars. LUTHER How are you? ALICE Fine. Unburdened. LUTHER Good. It’s good to feel unburdened. ALICE Are we being listened to? LUTHER Would it make a difference? ALICE Who knows? LUTHER Well, we’re not. ALICE So you’re not here to interrogate me? LUTHER No. She smiles, a little. Stands at his shoulder. Very close. ALICE Liar. She points out the LARGEST PHOTOGRAPH. It stands over the mantel, over the urn. ALICE
This is a black hole. It consumes matter, sucks it in - crushes it beyond existence.
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ALICE (cont'd)
When I first heard that, I thought, that’s evil at its most pure. Something that drags you in, crushes you, makes you nothing. (Off Luther’s reaction) What’s wrong? Don’t you believe in evil? LUTHER I have to. I’ve seen it. ALICE Ah. Henry Madsen. LUTHER Him. Others like him. ALICE Me? LUTHER Conceivably. ALICE What’s happening to your marriage? (off his reaction) Last time I saw you, there was a ring. Today: no ring. Is someone else involved? LUTHER That’s not what I’m here to discuss. ALICE Is he handsome? LUTHER If you like that sort of thing. ALICE Are you in pain? LUTHER You don’t understand love, Alice. It’s not your fault. You can mimic it, you can recognise it in others - but you can never understand it. ALICE Did you come here for sex? LUTHER No. ALICE Because you’d be surprised by how many men do. Do you think they have any idea how fatuous they look?
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LUTHER I think a lot of us are afraid of that, yeah. ALICE Then why? LUTHER To tell you I know you kept the gun. ALICE Well, why would I do that? LUTHER Because you couldn’t help yourself. ALICE And how did you arrive at this diagnosis? LUTHER See, you think you’re unique - but so does everyone else with your disorder. You’re all unique in exactly the same way. ALICE Wouldn’t it make things easy for you if that were true. But it’s not. There’s no gun to find. LUTHER Keeping it wasn’t a rational decision. It was a compulsion, something you did because you needed to. That compulsion makes you weak in ways you can’t see and don’t understand. And it will bring you down. Always does. Tick tock. Tick tock. ALICE Are you threatening me? Because honestly, I wouldn’t. LUTHER And why’s that? ALICE Come, now. Really. Because I’d be hurt and angry. LUTHER You trying to frighten me now? ALICE Why, are you frightened?
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LUTHER Because I don’t think you’d do that unless you were scared - and you wouldn’t be scared unless you thought I might be right. ALICE So you’ve identified my critical defect. Let’s move on. Let’s talk about yours. What’s your weakness? What makes you afraid? LUTHER You do know I can see you, the actual you: I can see the mess two inches behind your eyes. ALICE
Such insight. I wonder - why did your wife turn her face from you, John? Why would she do that? Is it because you shine so bright? Eye contact. She looks at him with great tenderness. Almost pity. But Luther turns away from it. LUTHER I’m coming for you. ALICE Not if I come for you first. He exits. She watches him. Her expression deeply ambiguous. EXT. STREETS BY FORD & VARGAS - DAY 4 - 09.09 64 64 Luther is deep in thought. More shaken by Alice’s words than he first appeared. Thinks. Checks his watch. Scowls. Makes a decision. Walks towards the building. INT. ALICE’S PLACE, KITCHEN - DAY 4 - 09.11 64A 64A Alice is in the kitchen. Deep in thought. Half unconsciously, she’s toying with a VICIOUS HATPIN - moving it through her fingers - round and round, round and round. She turns to leave. Slipping the hatpin up her sleeve. EXT. FORD AND VARGAS - DAY 4 - 09.46 65 65 Through the glass we see Luther enter via the main doors. He strides past reception. Badges the security guards. Vaults the turnstile and strides to the lift.
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INT. FORD AND VARGAS, LIFT/ RECEPTION/ CORRIDOR - DAY 4 - 09.47 66 66 The lift opens. Luther emerges. STAFF look with alarm as he walks down the corridor to Zoe’s office - and through the door. INT. FORD AND VARGAS, ZOE’S OFFICE - DAY 4 - 09.48 67 67 Zoe is with SEVERAL SENIOR PARTNERS. All of whom look up in alarm as Luther bursts in. LUTHER Morning. Everybody out. ZOE John - LUTHER (claps hands) Everybody OUT! Raus! Raus! Reluctantly, the SENIOR PARTNERS stand. Exchanging glances. LUTHER If you’re thinking about calling security, don’t bother. Call the police. Ándale! Ándale! Arriba! Arriba! ZOE He’s joking. This is his sense of humour. Everybody, this is my husband. John. LUTHER (ushering them) Out! Out! Zoe makes a gesture, reassuring them. They exit. And Luther jams a chair under the door handle. ZOE Way to get me sacked. He sprawls on the chair. No threat in him. ZOE
John, the people in this office, they don’t know you. They’re scared. They think you’re going to do something. LUTHER Do I embarrass you? ZOE Right now? Right at this moment? Absolutely. Yes. LUTHER Is that what this is all about?
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ZOE
No.
LUTHER Then am I boring? Is that what it is? Because personally, I don’t think I’m boring. ZOE You’re not boring. You’re the opposite of boring. LUTHER So he’s boring? Rupert Fanshaw- Pendleton or whatever his name is. ZOE His name is Mark. LUTHER So does a woman just reach a stage in life when she wants a man to be boring? Because I have to tell you - nobody warned me about this. ZOE He’s not boring. LUTHER Are you living with him? ZOE For the moment. LUTHER Is the sex good? ZOE It’s not about the sex. LUTHER It’s always about the sex. You enjoy sex with him. You must. And the pictures of that go round and round my head like a train. ZOE Your trouble is, the train in your head never stops. You really frightened me last night. LUTHER You know I’d never hurt you. ZOE Why are you here, John?
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LUTHER I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps you might like to come home and be married to me. ZOE Some men bring flowers - LUTHER Yes, but this was a grand gesture. ZOE This is professional ruination, is what this is. Next time, think flowers. LUTHER Next time? ZOE You know what I mean. Luther wearies. Searching her gaze for some vestige of hope. LUTHER I just - I need to know why. ZOE You always do. But not everything has a motive. Sometimes things just happen. LUTHER Nothing just happens. There are laws. Physical laws, I mean - not - (Beat) How did we get here? Yesterday I’m in
one place. Suddenly I’m fifteen thousand miles away. I know I’ve travelled, because I’m dizzy and I want to throw up. But I don’t remember crossing the bits in between.
She meets his eyes. Locks on. ZOE
You tell me. How do you think we got here? What happened?
She’s offering him an opening, a chance to say something that’s been left unspoken. There’s a certain hunger in her expression. But whatever it is, Luther can’t face it. He looks away - - to Zoe’s disappointment. Again. She sighs, silently. ZOE Okay. You’re the reason. You are. You left.
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LUTHER I’m here. Right now. Look at me. I’m here. ZOE Part of you. But never all. Because you care more about the dead than the living. That’s where your heart is. LUTHER That’s not true. ZOE All those years spent up to your neck in malignancy. All those months looking for Henry Madsen. All those months that came after. You were just - gone. And you weren’t coming back. Not my you. Not my John. LUTHER And him - ? ZOE When he’s with me, he’s with me. LUTHER Is that all it takes?
Painful beat. She doesn’t rise to it. LUTHER Do you love him? ZOE Yes. I’m sorry. LUTHER And me? ZOE
Always. But not like that. Not any more. I know it’s a cruel thing to hear - but you need to accept this, John. If you love me, you need to accept it. LUTHER I don’t know how to do that.
Before she can answer, the door breaks open - and TWO SECURITY GUARDS spill in - Luther stands, backing away, badging them. LUTHER Police! Police!
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EXT. FORD AND VARGAS - DAY 4 - 09.58 68
68 Luther is ejected onto the street - almost into the arms of Ripley - who graciously pretends not to notice anything amiss. Luther takes a moment to straighten himself. Then they walk. LUTHER How’d you know I’d be here? RIPLEY Your phone was off. DI Reed said: “try the wife.” LUTHER So is it good news? Good news wins a prize. RIPLEY I don’t know if it’s good news. LUTHER See, that was a test. News is neither good nor bad. So - RIPLEY
So, the morally neutral news is - ballistics came back on the bullets fired at the Morgan house. LUTHER And? RIPLEY They were 9mm Parabellum. Designed for ultra-compact weapons. LUTHER Excellent work, Sergeant Ripley!
They head for Ripley's car. INT. FORD AND VARGAS, ZOE’S OFFICE - DAY 4 - 09.59 69 69 Rattled, Zoe opens a drawer. Hesitates. Finds a LEATHER TOBACCO POUCH and a LIGHTER. Struggles with herself. ZOE Sod it. She takes the pouch and lighter. Exits. EXT. FORD AND VARGAS, SMOKING AREA - DAY 4 - 10.02 70 70 Zoe, flustered, walks along the building, pouch and lighter in hand. ZOE Raus, Raus. Mother of God.
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