HAPPY VALLEY. Episode One. Script

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

INT. NEWSAGENTS. DAY 1. 10.00 1 The NEWSAGENT gives a CUSTOMER change as a police car comes to a halt right outside (flashing lights, no siren). SGT. CATHERINE CAWOOD (48, unassailably pleasant) strides into the shop. She’s all tooled up; truncheon and cuffs hanging off her belt, radio, bullet-proof vest. We see the three stripes. She looks like she’s made of gadgets. Robocop. But there’s something calm and reassuring and feminine about her manner, despite her striking no-nonsense appearance. She’s probably smiling politely as she asks - CATHERINE Have you got a fire extinguisher? NEWSAGENT (panic) A f - ? CATHERINE For putting out fires. (no response: shop keeper still stunned) I’ve got one in the car, but I may need something bigger. A robust, breathless 70-YEAR-OLD WOMAN has followed CATHERINE into the shop. 70-YEAR-OLD WOMAN There’s a fella round t’corner reckoning to set fire to himself! CATHERINE (charming) Yes, thank you, we’re on top of that. (she pulls some cheap sun- glasses off a stand) How much can I give you for these? CUT TO: 2 LIAM HUGHES (23) has doused himself in petrol and he’s standing on a bench opposite some flats. He’s drunk so much his coordination's gone and he’s distressed. His face is grubby and streaked with tears. He’s got a can of beer in one hand, a cigarette lighter in the other. His empty petrol can’s on the ground in front of the bench. EXT. HOUSING ESTATE. DAY 1. 10.01 CATHERINE heads inexorably towards LIAM with her fire extinguisher. She’s wearing her new cheap sunglasses. P.C. KIRSTEN McASKILL (23, but looks 12) is right behind her.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

KIRSTEN

Nice glasses.

CATHERINE He can send himself to paradise - that’s his choice - but he’s not taking my eyebrows with him.

We see a small indifferent crowd made up of two size 20 women in size 14 clothes, both in their late forties, two teenage girls with push chairs, a couple of grubby lads in their early twenties (also with cans of beer), and one or two people standing on their balconies in the flats. YOUTH 1 Ey! Set fire to yerself nutty boy! It’s freezing ovver here! YOUTH 2 Ey! Guy Fawkes! (he shakes a box of matches) D’you want a matcher!? CATHERINE (CONT’D) Did we call an ambulance? KIRSTEN

On its way. 40+ WOMAN 1 They want to shut their mouths, them two.

40+ WOMAN 2 They want to shut up.

CATHERINE Do we know his name? KIRSTEN Liam Hughes. Twenty-three. Unemployed. Smack head.

GIRL WITH PUSHCHAIR 1 Yeah, you wanna shuddup, Goggins! It isn’t funny! YOUTH 1 It is from ovver here, it’s hilarious. CATHERINE What’s he upset about? KIRSTEN His ex. CATHERINE His ex.

Isn’t it always.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

KIRSTEN She finished with him three days ago and now she’s sleeping with his best bud. GIRL WITH PUSHCHAIR 1 And it’s match! Not matcher . Dozy twat. CATHERINE We’ve got a high ranking highly trained specialist expert police negotiator on his way over from Wakefield. KIRSTEN (checking her watch) E.T.A.? CATHERINE (checking her watch) Basically it’s you and me, kid. YOUTH 2 Who you calling a dozy twat? Who’s she calling a dozy twat? GIRL WITH PUSHCHAIR 1 You, yer dozy twat! YOUTH 1 The one and only...! Human barby- cue! CATHERINE (flicks her head across at the beer crew, keeps her eyes on LIAM) Go and close down the comedy department.

KIRSTEN heads off to quell the YOUTHS (who are the same age as herself) as CATHERINE carries on towards LIAM. CATHERINE turns her radio off. KIRSTEN may look 12 years old, but at 23 she in fact has five years’ experience under her belt, and she knows how to saunter in a threatening and intimidating way that shuts people up before she’s even arrived. But like CATHERINE, once she starts talking she has a manner that’s at odds with her appearance. KIRSTEN

Nice tattoos. My boyfriend has a tattoo. On his sternocleidomastoid. YOUTH 1

YOUTH 2

Is that rude?

(pleased) The dirty get.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

KIRSTEN (CONT’D) (she puts her finger to her neck and considers how rude your neck is)

No.

YOUTH 2

What’s it say?

KIRSTEN

It’s like...

(she considers, isn’t entirely certain)

a butterfly?

YOUTH 2

And he’s a man?

KIRSTEN Maybe it’s a wasp. YOUTH 1 Y’been going out with him long? KIRSTEN considers how long she can keep this lie going. Over yonder, CATHERINE’s within ten feet of LIAM. LIAM You come any closer an’ I’m setting mesen off! CATHERINE’s calm. CATHERINE What’s happened, Liam? LIAM I don’t know what you’ve brought that for. CATHERINE Well. If you accidentally fireball yourself - LIAM The’ll be nowt accidental about it. CATHERINE - you’re gonna get foamed, and believe you me, it’s not a good look.

LIAM Y’needn’t bovver.

CATHERINE But it is better than the alternative. How’s it all come to this then, lad?

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

LIAM I’ve been humiliated. CATHERINE Humiliated. LIAM I don’t wanna talk about it. CATHERINE Okay - LIAM Actions speak louder than words. CATHERINE Okay. Can I just say this though, Liam. The lighter’s making me nervous. You’ve had a lot to drink and you’ve got the shakes and you might press it without intending to, and I’d like you to put it down. LIAM Leave me alone you stupid bitch. CATHERINE (water off a duck’s back) You’re upset, and I understand that. The point I’m making. Is that with all these fumes - and frankly

I don’t know how you’re staying conscious - you could go up any second whether you intend to or not, and once you go up, you won’t just go up a bit, you’ll go up a lot, and the other big thing to say is, it hurts. Three seconds in and you’ll be screaming at me to put you out, seven seconds in and you’ll be begging me to shoot you. Over by the YOUTHS, KIRSTEN’s radio kicks in. RADIO Control to Bravo November nine-five- one-two. KIRSTEN Nine-five-one-two. RADIO

I’ve got a negotiator on his way to you, but he’s stuck in traffic on the A-fifty-eight between Bradford and Halifax.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

As they knew he would be.

KIRSTEN

(light)

Okay.

RADIO He says the big thing. Is to keep the subject engaged in conversation. KIRSTEN I think we’ve got that covered.

Back to CATHERINE and LIAM. CATHERINE

I’m Catherine, by the way. I’m forty-seven, I’m divorced, I live with my sister - who’s a recovering heroin addict - I have two grown-up children. One dead and one who doesn’t speak to me. And a grandson! So.

LIAM’s intrigued, but reluctant to ask - LIAM Why - ? Why doesn’t he speak to you? CATHERINE Oh, it’s complicated. Let’s talk about you.

CUT TO:

INT. NEVISON GALLAGHER ASSOCIATES, NEVISON’S OFFICE. DAY 1. 11.30 We see the NGA logo, and in case we’re in any doubt, we also see what it stands for: NEVISON GALLAGHER ASSOCIATES: INDUSTRIAL REFRIGERATION. 42-year-old KEVIN WEATHERILL’s sitting waiting to see his boss. KEVIN’s the firm accountant. He’s nervous. JUSTINE Nevison’ll see you now, Kevin. KEVIN Oh, terrific. Thank you. KEVIN goes into NEVISON’s office. CUT TO: 3

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

INT. NGA, NEVISON’S OFFICE. CONTINUOUS. DAY 1. 11.31

NEVISON’s busy at his desk as KEVIN appears. NEVISON Kevin. KEVIN Nevison. NEVISON What’s up?

NEVISON’s in his late sixties, but he has the energy and aura of a man half his age. Beneath the bluff exterior you never doubt there lurks a shrewd businessman. KEVIN Oh nothing. Nothing’s up. As such. I - can I...?

(”close the door?” he indicates. NEV doesn’t respond one way or the other. KEVIN ventures to close the door)

Can I...?

(”Sit down?” he indicates. Unsmiling NEVISON indicates “Go ahead”) The thing is. Okay. Melissa. NEVISON Melissa. KEVIN My eldest. NEVISON I know who Melissa is, Kevin. KEVIN She’s very bright, she’s very clever. We tried to get her in at Salter Hebble High, but it’s outside the catchment area. The thing is. We - Jenny - it was Jenny’s idea. She - Melissa - sat the entrance exam for St.Bartholomew’s. (NEVISON’s impressed) They’ve offered her a place. But not a scholarship. There’s a lot of competition. We’d like to be able to send her there. But the thing is. I’d need a pay rise. (NEVISON doesn’t respond) If we can’t send her there she’ll have to go to Wellesley Hill.

(MORE)

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

KEVIN (CONT'D)

Which - you know - it’s - it does its best, but. This is a great opportunity. For her. At St.Bartholomew’s.

NEVISON weighs things up.

NEVISON I don’t pay you peanuts, Kevin. KEVIN No, Nevison, I know that. NEVISON How much is it? KEVIN Ten thousand pounds a year. NEVISON Ten thousand. And what about Catriona? KEVIN Catriona’s eight. NEVISON Yes but she’s not daft, is she? You can’t send one and not the other. KEVIN We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. NEVISON Twenty grand a year for... five years, most likely seven. That’s just shy of one hundred and fifty thousand. KEVIN One forty, yes. NEVISON Wellesley Hill’s not a bad school, Kevin. KEVIN Yes, no, I’m not saying it is - NEVISON A clever kid’ll do well wherever they go. Look at me! KEVIN That’s - yes - you’re a great example to everyone. Of course, Nevison. That’s -

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

NEVISON The thing is. I’ve got a hundred and fifteen permanent staff working here Kevin. KEVIN I know how many people work here, Nevison. I do their wages. NEVISON If they all asked for a rise so they could send their kids to St.Bartholomew’s I’d struggle to make a profit. Wouldn’t I? KEVIN I didn’t necessarily mean the whole amount - NEVISON I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. Kevin. (he smiles) I’m going to think about it.

There’s something unsettling about NEVISON even when he smiles. KEVIN doesn’t feel optimistic. He’s seen NEVISON neatly sidestep things this way before. CUT TO: 5 CATHERINE leaves work for the day, heading towards her charmless nondescript 10-year-old car. 48-year-old RICHARD (tie, big North Face jacket) is just heading across the road towards her. RICHARD Catherine! CATHERINE turns and sees him but keeps walking; she’s got somewhere to go. CATHERINE Oh hello. RICHARD EXT. NORLAND ROAD POLICE STATION. DAY 1. 14.30

I thought I might catch you! D’you know anything about this man that set fire to himself this morning? CATHERINE Yes! He didn’t.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

10.

RICHARD No, I meant - the one that was threatening to. CATHERINE An incident occurred and it was dealt with swiftly and efficiently by community police officers. RICHARD That’s not engaging copy. CATHERINE It really wasn’t that exciting. RICHARD You doing anything this evening?

CATHERINE’s reached her car. CATHERINE Telly. RICHARD

D’you d’you - you wouldn’t - like to go out for something to eat. (she hesitates, she knows she should say “No”) I’m losing my job. We all are. The Gazette’s closing down. RICHARD isn’t quite sure why he splurged that, except that it’s occupying the No.1 slot in his thoughts today. CATHERINE You’re kidding. RICHARD

Hundred and twenty-eight years in print and now it’s - well it’s not closing down - it’s all going online. CATHERINE God, Richard. I’m really sorry. RICHARD

They’re announcing it officially tomorrow. I’ve got four weeks left. She lingers sympathetically for a moment, then - CATHERINE Listen, I’ve gotta go, I’ve got to pick Ryan up.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

11.

RICHARD You - I assume you know. But. I just heard this morning, I was covering something at court and - Tommy Lee Royce’s been released. (CATHERINE stares at him) Did you know? CATHERINE’s quiet, stunned. She looks like she’s been slapped across the face. CATHERINE No. (a moment) I mean I knew it’d be around now, but - RICHARD Apparently. Yeah. He’s - (he hesitates, then mumbles the word: he knows it’ll decimate her each time it’s said) out. (CATHERINE’s gone all spaced out. Sunk mentally into her own private place) Are you all right? (no response) Did you - want to do anything? This evening? CATHERINE (miles away, a tiny voice) Can do. CUT TO: 6 CATHERINE’s propped against a wall, waiting outside the school, amongst the mothers. They’re all younger than her, several of them with push chairs and toddlers. CATHERINE’s staring into space. Angry, vulnerable (thinking about Tommy Lee Royce being released). The class 3 door opens, and the 8- year-olds spill out. 8-year-old RYAN CAWOOD appears in a de- mob happy huddle with a load of others. RYAN sees CATHERINE and his face lights up: there’s no-one on the planet he’d rather see. CATHERINE can’t resist a smile back, however bad she feels. He lifts her heart. RYAN races over to her like he’s going to hug her, but then thrusts whatever he’s EXT. SCHOOL, HEBDEN BRIDGE. DAY 1. 15.15 carrying (lunch box, school bag, a painting) into her hands (like it’s a gift, and she’ll be only too pleased) then races off towards her car.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

12.

CATHERINE (amused, annoyed)

Oy!

Just then -

MRS.MUKHERJEE

Catherine!

(CATHERINE turns and sees RYAN’s teacher, MRS.MUKHERJEE) Hello! Sorry, you haven’t got five minutes, have you?

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL, RYAN’S CLASSROOM. DAY 1. 15.20 7 CATHERINE and MRS.MUKHERJEE are sitting on little chairs. RYAN’s with them. Silence, initially. Then - MRS.MUKHERJEE

You’re such a nice little boy, Ryan. Most of the time. But then you let this unpleasant temper get the better of you. And I understand you get frustrated, but we have to find better ways of dealing with it.

CATHERINE’s finding this difficult. CATHERINE Did he...? Hurt anyone? MRS.MUKHERJEE Well no, he hurt himself.

(we see a tiny blemish on RYAN’s forehead)

No-one else was hurt, but the point is Ryan. They could’ve been. When you start throwing chairs across the room and using unacceptable language - (she turns to CATHERINE) - and you see we do have a responsibility to protect the other children. CATHERINE hates this but has to take it on the chin. RYAN seems subdued but indifferent. CUT TO:

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

13.

EXT. CATHERINE’S HOUSE, BACK DOOR. HEBDEN BRIDGE. DAY 1. 15.45 CLARE (45, streaks in her hair, excessive jewellery, exotic clothes, a bit of an aging rock chick, with a bit of the wasted look of an ex-addict) sits on the back door step of CATHERINE’s three-bedroom terrace house. She’s smoking a fag, and she’s wrapped up warm with a steaming hot mug of tea in her hands. She’s soaking up some rare rays of winter 8 sunshine. The back door’s open behind her, and - deep in the narrow house - we’re aware of CATHERINE and RYAN returning home through the front door - RYAN I’m watching telly. CATHERINE Can you get changed first, please? RYAN Ohh! Why? CATHERINE Because I said so. We hear him scramble up the stairs. RYAN Can I have some juice then? CATHERINE Need you ask. RYAN No, I mean are you getting it me? CATHERINE Get changed. CATHERINE drops RYAN’s stuff on the kitchen table then heads outside to see what CLARE’s up to. CLARE Lad down Sowerby Bridge set fire to himself this morning. CATHERINE No he didn’t. CLARE Apparently. Woman in t’shop said. CATHERINE D’you want these? Sunglasses.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

14.

CLARE

Oh. Ta. She puts them on and continues to bask. CATHERINE You been busy? CLARE I’ve been up the allotment all

afternoon, I’ve only just got back. There’s some tea in the pot. CATHERINE I saw Richard. He asked me out. For a meal. Tonight. Is that all right? Can you see to Ryan? CLARE Sure. That’s a bit mad. Isn’t it? A date with your ex-husband. Won’t the new younger model have something to say?

CATHERINE opens her mouth to say something, but realises she can’t be arsed. She just shrugs. Who cares if the new younger model has something to say? Instead (reluctantly) she says - CATHERINE He’s been in bother again. He chucked a chair across the classroom and told Mrs.MUKHERJEE to eff off. CLARE groans: “Not again”. But then she wonders - CLARE Do you sometimes think they over- react? CATHERINE Tommy Lee Royce is out of prison. CLARE hesitates before answering sensitively - CLARE Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I heard. So that’s a bit of a surprise for CATHERINE. CATHERINE Why didn’t you tell me? CLARE (genuine) I didn’t want to upset you. CUT TO:

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

15.

INT. KEVIN WEATHERILL’S HOUSE, DINING ROOM. EVENING 1. 17.30 KEVIN’s angry, subdued. He’s sitting at the supper table with 9 his wife, JENNY (40) who’s in a wheelchair. The meal’s finished. MELISSA (11) and CATRIONA (8) are watching TV in the living room. They are laughing, happy. JENNY worries about KEVIN when he’s in this mood, because she can’t reach him. JENNY You did your best. KEVIN Well it wasn’t good enough. JENNY It doesn’t matter. KEVIN It matters. JENNY At least he thought about it. KEVIN And then said no. JENNY It was always going to be unlikely. KEVIN I’m not just anyone. (suddenly) Jesus Christ!

His temper, when it comes out, is frightening. Disproportionate to what’s gone before. Shocking. JENNY No. No. He knows that. KEVIN

Does he? Does he? How does he know that? What does he do that shows he knows that? You tell me one tiny thing he ever does that shows me he knows that.

JENNY can’t think of anything specific in the heat of the moment. She also knows that anything she says right now is likely to make him cross. CUT TO:

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

16.

INT. NEVISON GALLAGHER’S HOUSE, DINING ROOM. NIGHT 1. 18.20 NEVISON eats supper with his wife HELEN (60) and his daughter ANN (24). ANN prods her food gingerly. She doesn’t want to be at this table with these people. She doesn’t really want to be in this house with these people. (In contrast to KEVIN’s perfectly nice, three-bed, detached bungalow, NEV’s house is probably worth just shy of 1.5 million). HELEN It isn’t like Kevin’s just anyone. Is it. NEVISON 10 Course he isn’t. And I did think about it. It’s more than I’d have done for anyone else. Anyone else, I’d have said on your bike. Fact I’ve mentioned it to you shows it’s not a decision I’ve made lightly. Doesn’t it? Eh? He looks momentarily to ANN for support, which was a mistake, and he realises that as soon as he’s done it. ANN You’re not looking at me. You don’t think I’m going to agree with anything you say. Do you? NEVISON How much did we spend on her education? HELEN Let’s not go down that route again. NEVISON Eh? And what good did that do? I might as well’ve pissed it all up against a wall. ANN drops her fork noisily on her plate and walks out. All done with an air of massive indifference. NEVISON (CONT’D) Yeah, go on. And slam the door. (she does) Clang. Despite his apparent indifference, ANN’s dramatic exit has put NEVISON momentarily off his food. HELEN (calm, quiet, sad) That was unnecessary.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

17.

NEVISON I’m a nice fella, Helen. I’m a good boss. I can’t do for one what I can’t do for everybody. Even if it is Kevin. (HELEN appears to be experiencing some

discomfort. Not that she parades it. NEV notices)

Have you...?

(nods towards her abdomen)

Had an okay day? Love? HELEN nods, murmurs “Mmm”, but she’s holding her side, clearly in some discomfort. NEVISON suddenly looks his age. He can’t stand what’s happening to her. CUT TO: 11 CATHERINE and RICHARD share a table. CATHERINE remains preoccupied, but it hasn’t affected her appetite. Perhaps when she’s wound up or upset she eats more. Or faster. I would. RICHARD I don’t know what it is she doesn’t get. You don’t move house when you’ve just lost your job. Do you? You ’d get it. CATHERINE Yeah well. You know. You married her. RICHARD INT. INDIAN RESTAURANT. NIGHT 1. 20.45

She goes, “Oh, something’ll crop up”, so I’m like, “Well what ? I’m nearly fifty, I’m not trained to do anything else”. CATHERINE No. Well. RICHARD Speaking of which. What was the story this morning? With that fella. CATHERINE Richard - (it’s so banal she doesn’t want to think about it) It was a domestic.

(MORE)

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

18.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

He was off his head on booze, he was off his head on skunk. His girlfriend’d dumped him, that’s - it’s the usual everyday story of country folk. RICHARD (interrupts) Where did they take him? CATHERINE Where did who take him? RICHARD The paramedics. I assume there were paramedics - CATHERINE I don’t know, I didn’t ask. Out of sight, out of mind. RICHARD How did you talk him down? CATHERINE I didn’t. I tried to. But then he got his cigarettes out. He hadn’t made the connection. That trying to light one of his petrol-soaked cigarettes would involve clicking his lighter. So I just foamed him. RICHARD What’s his name? CATHERINE I’m not - ! [telling you]. Look. You wanna know what you should do next? How about this. Instead of trying to dish the dirt on one poor misguided misinformed numpty, you write a big article. Something you can sell to one of the nationals. About why so much of it goes on round here. RICHARD So much - ? CATHERINE Drugs! Wasted lives! This valley is awash with every kind of crap you can get your hands on! There’s your story. And you wanna know where they took him?

(MORE)

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

19.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

They probably took him to the psychiatric unit when in fact all he needed was a brief - controlled - demonstration of how petrol behaves when you put it anywhere near a naked flame. Because he had no idea how bad it would be. (RICHARD’s thinking. Maybe that is the way forward. CATHERINE goes quiet again before she asks...) Where’s Tommy Lee Royce living? RICHARD I’ve no idea. CATHERINE Is he living round here? RICHARD Catherine. You know as much as me. More, probably. Hasn’t he got a release address? CATHERINE Yeah. His mother’s. I went back to the nick and rang probation. She lives in a terrace house on Rishworth, but he won’t be there.

CUT TO:

INT. KEVIN WEATHERILL’S HOUSE, KEVIN AND JENNY’S BEDROOM. NIGHT 1. 22.00 KEVIN’s helping JENNY into bed, as he does every night. KEVIN’s calmer than he was earlier. He’s descended into sadness. KEVIN We have no luck. JENNY We have a nice house. We have two fantastic children.

KEVIN gives a humourless snigger. Two fantastic children who are going to go to a sub-standard school because he doesn’t earn enough money to send them elsewhere. KEVIN Nevison says people make their own luck. JENNY Well maybe that’s easy for Nevison to say.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

20.

KEVIN It’s a stupid thing to say. It isn’t like anyone sets out to be un lucky. Is it? We all take opportunities. If we can. If we see them. JENNY I think we do very well. All things considered. KEVIN All things considered? What does that mean? JENNY Nothing. I just meant - KEVIN Given how little and dull and ordinary we are. (JENNY fears where this is going, and she didn’t Half that company should be mine. Jenny. And instead. Every day I have to go in there. Smiling. Then bend over and take it up the [back side] - (JENNY can’t hide her distaste) I’m sorry. It’s what it feels like. Day after day, week after week, month after month. Year after year. mean that anyway. She was probably thinking about her illness. We feel the tension rising within him again)

CUT TO:

INT/EXT. RICHARD’S CAR/STREET. NIGHT 1. 22.25 13 RICHARD’s car pulls up. He’s dropping CATHERINE off. Cut to inside the car. CATHERINE Thanks. RICHARD Pleasure. They turn to say goodbye to each other, but end up lingering and studying each another’s faces. They linger long enough, then eventually they kiss. It’s so easy and so familiar. And so inevitable and right. It becomes increasingly passionate.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

21.

CATHERINE What time’s she expecting you back? From Rotherham.

A lie, obviously.

RICHARD

Midnight? They kiss again. And then they start fondling. It’s clear they’re both becoming aroused. CATHERINE You’ll have to come inside. I’m too old to start shagging in cars. CUT TO: 14 Saturday afternoon. KEVIN WEATHERILL’s car pulls into the lane that leads to Upper Lighthazels Farm, right on the top of Soyland Moor. It’s a trailer park for posh static caravans; weekend retreats. The main farmhouse is a beautiful building, beautifully restored. The barn and various EXT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM, SOYLAND. DAY 2. 12.30 outhouses are covered in scaffolding, in the process of being renovated. As they pass near the building itself, KEVIN lets his window down to say hi to ASHLEY COWGILL (37) who owns and manages the place. There’s something charming and personable but narcissistic about ASHLEY COWGILL. His 2013-reg gleaming white Range Rover is parked up by the farm, along with his wife’s Range Rover Evoque. ASHLEY has a strange trait: even at his most charming and pleasant, he never smiles. He has the manner of someone who fears they’re just about to be found out. KEVIN Ashley! ASHLEY Kevin. (he peers into the car) Jenny.

(looks into the back at MELISSA and CATRIONA)

Ladies.

KEVIN I’ve got a cheque for you. ASHLEY No rush. KEVIN I’ll pop down later.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

22.

ASHLEY Any time. You know me, I’m not going anywhere. I’ve sorted you out your access, Jenny! Wheelchair access. To the games room. If you fancy playing table tennis. JENNY (touched, delighted) Oh, Ashley. ASHLEY You can play table tennis, can’t you? You’re not -

He nods at her legs.

JENNY I can, I love a game of table tennis. ASHLEY Good, well it’s all ready for you then. (he addresses the girls)

Our Sam and our Ben are about if you’re short of somebody to play with. MELISSA Yay! Can we get out, dad? KEVIN Sure. The girls dive out of the back of the car and run towards the farm where two boys - a similar age to themselves - are playing in the yard. KEVIN raises his hand by way of saying a pleasant “see you”, to ASHLEY - ASHLEY Enjoy your weekend! - and drives off towards their holiday trailer. ASHLEY heads off towards the farmhouse after the kids. We stay in the car with KEVIN and JENNY. KEVIN’s pleasant expression slips into sourness. KEVIN Take him. Ashley. Prime example. JENNY Of what? KEVIN

What I’m talking about! You see that car he’s driving? Brand new. Fifty-odd thousand.

(MORE)

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

23.

KEVIN (CONT'D)

All that from holiday caravan rentals. I’m in the wrong game. Altogether. I’m in the wrong... God knows. Everything.

CUT TO:

EXT. HEPTONSTALL GRAVEYARD. DAY 2. 12.35 15 We find CATHERINE lost in her thoughts by her daughter’s grave. It reads: ‘REBECCA CAWOOD “Becky” 1988 - 2006 beloved daughter of Catherine and Richard’, then underneath ‘In God Is My Hope’. CATHERINE stares at that: it does give her a modicum of faith and courage. RYAN’s across the way with CLARE, who’s just as fond and attentive to him as CATHERINE (usually) is, picking their way through the sea of other graves, stopping to read things that interest them. CATHERINE watches RYAN. It looks like intense things are going on inside her head. She looks like she’s either going to kill someone or burst out crying. RYAN calls from across the way (he’s found Sylvia Plath’s grave) - RYAN The’s still all pens left on this grave, Granny! CATHERINE nods, tries to say “yep” but can’t speak. CUT TO: EXT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM. DAY 2. 13.05 16 Half an hour later. ASHLEY’s sitting on a wall rolling a cigarette. The four kids (MELISSA, CATRIONA, SAM and BEN) are off playing down the field below the farm house. They’ve got a dog bouncing around with them. It’s the kind of glorious, happy day they’ll remember all their lives. ASHLEY’s watching the two lads in their twenties unload bags of sand from the back of a builder’s truck, and pile them up neatly against a wall near the old barn that’s covered in scaffolding. ASHLEY lights his rollie, then gets up and starts helping the two lads unload the bags of sand off the back of the truck. There are a lot of bags, maybe sixty. Suddenly an excited voice from down the field - SAM Dad! Dad! Dad!

(ASHLEY looks down the field. SAM’s pointing into the sky)

The’s a red kite.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

24.

CATRIONA

There! All four of them are squealing “There! There! ” wanting ASHLEY to see it. ASHLEY squints up into the sky at the bird, then shouts down to the kids - ASHLEY Beautiful! Lovely. (addressing the two Look at that lads, eh? One of the lads, 22-year-old LEWIS suddenly goes - LEWIS Ashley. ASHLEY turns around. KEVIN’s turned up with his cheque. KEVIN Four-hundred and seventy-five. Was that the right amount? ASHLEY Spot on, Kevin. builders as he still looks up at the Kite) Just then the other lad, who is slightly older (perhaps 29) and taller and bigger than LEWIS, lets one of the sandbags slip from his hands. TALL LAD Shit. The bag of sand splits open on the ground, and a couple of blocks of cannabis resin, wrapped in polythene, are clearly exposed amongst the sand. KEVIN That’s - It’s dead obvious what it is. No-one knows what to do for a second. ASHLEY realises pretty swiftly he’s the one who has to take control. Calmly, he prods one of the blocks with the toe of his boot. He looks at it like he can’t imagine what it is. ASHLEY What d’you suppose that is, lads? LEWIS Search me, boss. No idea. Never seen owt like it. LEWIS is a shit actor. The other, older lad, is wise enough to keep his gob shut. KEVIN lets out an involuntary nervous snigger. He knows they know damned well what it is.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

25.

He knows what it is, so why wouldn’t they? And they know he knows. Silence. Apart from the noise of ASHLEY’s boys and KEVIN’s girls playing happily and noisily together down the field. KEVIN Maybe you should ring the pol[ice] - He realises he shouldn’t have said that. ASHLEY Yeah. Yeah we should. You’re right. I’ll -

(he makes as though to head towards the house) Can I have a word with you? Kevin? Regarding your next season’s rental? On t’caravan. Only there’s a few bits and bobs I need to go through wi’ yer, that’s all.

KEVIN doesn’t want to. He’s frightened. KEVIN

Could...? We do that later? I said I’d help Jenny unload the shopping, she’s - ASHLEY Won’t take long. KEVIN Ashley. Listen. This is - I’m - you don’t need to ring the p[olice] - It’s fine. I’m not - I won’t - ASHLEY Would you like a beer? KEVIN A b - ? No, no, I’m - ASHLEY Come and have a beer. KEVIN I - ASHLEY What’s the matter? I’m just offering you a beer. KEVIN I don’t need a beer. LEWIS Go and have a beer. Kevin.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

26.

Silence.

KEVIN Listen. You don’t need to worry. About me. I haven’t seen anything. ASHLEY How d’you mean? KEVIN This. I haven’t seen anything. ASHLEY Well I have. I can see it. It’s cannabis. KEVIN I mean - ASHLEY I mean I don’t know why there’s bags of camel shit in my bags of sand, but... why? Are you accusing me of something? KEVIN No! ASHLEY ‘Cos I’m just going inside to ring the police, me. Are you accusing me of something? KEVIN No. ASHLEY What you accusing me of, Kevin? Are you thinking that I knew about this? KEVIN No. ASHLEY (to LEWIS) Did you know anything about this? LEWIS No, boss. No. ASHLEY Did you ? OTHER LAD No.

Silence.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

27.

KEVIN Fine, that’s fine. ASHLEY

Is it? What’s fine Kevin? Can you explain to me how this is fine? KEVIN I don’t want any trouble, Ashley, I just want to go back to Jenny and the caravan - ASHLEY I’m not happy making threats, Kevin. I like Jenny, I’m fond of the girls, but if you’re accusing me of something, that’s a very serious business. KEVIN Ashley. Ashley. This is - (he’s floundering. When suddenly he has an idea. And suddenly he talks with a confidence and ease that surprises ASHLEY) You can trust me. Believe me. I think people have to make money the best way they know how, and yes. Actually. I would like a beer.

ASHLEY’s slightly taken aback. He weighs things up. He indicates towards the farm, “After you”. KEVIN sets off. ASHLEY follows. ASHLEY turns around and mouths angrily at LEWIS - “Pick it up!” We linger with LEWIS and the OTHER LAD just long enough to see LEWIS whisper to the OTHER LAD - LEWIS Knob. LEWIS pulls gloves on then crouches down to stuff the cannabis back into the sand bag. The OTHER LAD looks down at the top of LEWIS’s head. And if looks could kill. CUT TO: 17 ASHLEY’s fascinated to know where this is leading. He closes the door behind him. So it’s just him and KEVIN. KEVIN’s nervous. But determined. KEVIN How would you like to make half a million pounds? INT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM, KITCHEN. DAY 2. 13.06

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

28.

ASHLEY

Sorry?

KEVIN

I -

(he struggles, he’s shaking with nerves, but he’s also determined)

It’s not something I could do on my own. I’ve thought it through, I’ve

thought through most of the details. But I’d need help. ASHLEY weighs things up. Never smiles. ASHLEY Do you want a beer? KEVIN Not really. A moment. ASHLEY Well I’m listening. KEVIN

Nevison Gallagher. Has a daughter. Ann. Nevison could afford to lose half a million pounds. Easily. Any more and he might go to the police. It’d take a good few days - probably a week - to let him get that kind of money together. In cash. Without arousing any suspicion at the bank. And I don’t know where we’d - you’d - keep her, there are aspects I haven’t thought through. Yet. But the basic... ASHLEY You’re talking about - (amused, the closest he gets to smiling) kidnapping her?

KEVIN refuses to be ridiculed. KEVIN

She’s just finished college, she doesn’t have a job. No-one except them would miss her. Just for a few days. That’s all it’d take. ASHLEY I thought you liked old Nev.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

29.

KEVIN No. No, Ashley.

(his face hardens) I don’t like old Nev. Did you know. Him and my dad. Were best friends. At school. They grew up in the same street. They cooked the idea up together, they kicked it all off together. Then my dad went off to college. To train to be an accountant. And when he came back. Nevison offered him a job. (he sneers)

They were partners! And somehow Nevison side stepped that. Like he does side-step things. He’d got the lawyers in. And my dad - being my dad - he just accepted it. ASHLEY weighs things up. Maybe it isn’t so daft. ASHLEY Can I think about it? KEVIN Oh, that’s what Nevison said. When I asked him for a rise. So I can get Melissa into a better school. He thought about it and then he said no. ASHLEY glances out of the window down the field where the kids are playing. CUT TO: 18 KEVIN leaves the house. LEWIS and the OTHER LAD see him go. They watch him. They’re puzzled, concerned. Has ASHLEY dealt with it? LEWIS gives KEVIN a hard stare as he heads off, but KEVIN - somehow - manages to give the hard stare right back as he walks away. LEWIS downs tools (well, sand bags) and heads across to the farmhouse. CUT TO: EXT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM. DAY 2. 13.10 INT/EXT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM, FRONT DOOR. DAY 2. 13.11 LEWIS appears at the door, initially full of bluster, but as soon as he opens his mouth to ASHLEY he’s polite, because he’s scared of him. LEWIS What did y’say? 19

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

30.

ASHLEY’s thoughtful. KEVIN’s given him pause for thought. ASHLEY He’s sorted, he’s fine, he’s chicken shit, nobody needs to worry about him. LEWIS (confidentially) I’m not happy wi’ this new fella. He means the OTHER LAD in the yard. ASHLEY He’s fine. LEWIS He’s too quiet. ASHLEY He comes recommended. LEWIS He keeps looking at me funny. ASHLEY

Give him a break. He’s been inside for eight years, he’s only just got out. (LEWIS isn’t happy. ASHLEY nods at the kettle) Get kettle on. The’s summat I wanna talk through wi’ yer. Both of yer.

(he goes to the door and calls across the yard)

Tommy! Immediately continuous -

CUT TO:

EXT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM. DAY 2. 13.12 20 The OTHER LAD looks up, and - as we look into his intense light blue psychopath’s eyes - we realise that this is TOMMY LEE ROYCE. It’s a huge moment. ASHLEY D’you wanna a cup o’ tea? TOMMY downloads the bag he’s dealing with and heads for the house. CUT TO:

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

31.

EXT. HEPTONSTALL. DAY 2. 13.30 21 CATHERINE and CLARE wander along the lane away from the graveyard. RYAN’s exploring ahead of them, out of ear-shot. CLARE Was that Richard? I heard. Last night. CATHERINE takes a moment to think of an appropriate answer. CATHERINE We didn’t do anything we haven’t done a thousand times before. CLARE Ey - I’m not judging anybody. CATHERINE I felt sorry for him. Losing his job. And she just goes on at him apparently, and - CLARE What? CATHERINE doesn’t want to lay it all at his door, that isn’t the real reason she slept with him. CATHERINE

I get lonely. I didn’t want Tommy Lee Royce buzzing round in my head all night, I wanted something else. CLARE Did it work? CATHERINE No. He might not even be living round here any more, he might’ve - CATHERINE Clare. He’s the sort that thinks Manchester is abroad. It wouldn’t occur to him to go anywhere else, he wouldn’t know how to be anywhere else. He’s like a rat, he’ll never be more than three feet away.

She looks tired. Haunted. Fucked off. CLARE

CUT TO:

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

32.

EXT. CATHERINE’S HOUSE, HEBDEN BRIDGE. EVENING 2. 16.45 22 The day’s fading. CATHERINE, CLARE and RYAN arrive home after their afternoon out. RYAN’s headed straight for the house. He finds a wholesome bunch of flowers propped up by the front door. RYAN Granny, the’s some flowers. CUT TO: 16.46 CATHERINE opens the little envelope (marked ‘Catherine’) that came with the flowers. She reads the card inside. CLARE Who they from? CATHERINE (amused, self-conscious) Richard. CLARE You’re playing wi’ fire, y’know that, don’t you? Just then, from upstairs/over the bannister - RYAN (oov) Y’gonna read me a story, Gran? CATHERINE looks weary, and murmurs - CATHERINE Five minutes. To myself. (then loud) Have you got changed? RYAN I will have by t’time y’get up here! CATHERINE (calling up) And what about running a bath? CLARE I’ll bring y’up a cup of tea. INT. CATHERINE’S HOUSE, KITCHEN/HALLWAY. EVENING 2. 23

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

33.

CATHERINE indicates that that would be very welcome, then sets off upstairs. CLARE’s thoughtful when CATHERINE’s gone: she’s worried about her. CUT TO: 24 Next day, mid-afternoon. The glorious winter skies across the moors. CUT TO: EXT. SOYLAND MOOR. DAY 3. 15.00 EXT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM. DAY 3. 15.01 25 KEVIN’s packing the car up, ready to head off home again. 10- year-old MELISSA - happy, red-cheeked, the wind in her hair, like she’s been happily playing on the moors since the crack of dawn, appears from over near the farm. The other three kids are happily playing further off with the dog. MELISSA MELISSA races off as soon as she’s delivered her message to rejoin the gang. Nervous of what he’s started, but excited by the possibilities, KEVIN heads off towards the farm building. CUT TO: 26 KEVIN heads towards the door, just as ASHLEY emerges. ASHLEY indicates “This way” and at length murmurs - ASHLEY Okay. I need one or two more EXT. UPPER LIGHTHAZELS FARM, YARD. DAY 3. 15.02 details off you, but in principle, yeah. It’s a departure, but me and Lewis and Tommy are confident it’s something we can handle. KEVIN isn’t quite sure how to respond. He feels he ought to be delighted, but in fact he’s terrified. KEVIN Well that’s - He nods, wants to say “Great”, but he’s more stunned than anything. Dad! Ashley says. Have you got time to pop over to the house for two minutes before we head off home.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

34.

ASHLEY Obviously I’ve got overheads, so here’s what I can offer you. (a pause. He knows this’ll go down badly) Ten percent. KEVIN Ten - ? But. No. Look. This - ASHLEY We’re talking fifty grand, Kevin. It’s enough to put the kiddy through school, more or less, that’s what y’wanted, isn’t it? KEVIN I want half. ASHLEY I can’t justify half, Kevin. I’m the fella taking the risks here. You’re not. Let’s be honest, essentially, when the fun kicks in, you’ll be doing sod all. KEVIN I gave you information! ASHLEY You did, but the reality is me and the lads could turn the whole job round without you. Now. Couldn’t we? Eh? So in fact you’re lucky I’m offering you anything at all.

KEVIN’s appalled.

KEVIN You - you can’t do that. I - I - I could - ASHLEY What? What could you do? Tell the police about my sand? What sand? (KEVIN realises that the endless bags of sand have I don’t wanna fall out with you, Kevin. I want you to put Melissa through this nice school. It’s what she deserves, it’s what you deserve. Come on, I’m not even expecting you to get your hands dirty. gone. He’s amazed. How the hell did ASHLEY do that?)

(MORE)

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

35.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)

You’ll be fifty grand better off, and you won’t even know the thing’s happened. KEVIN A hundred. A hundred grand. I want Catriona to be able to go too when the time comes.

ASHLEY takes his time. Is he going to get cross? Is he going to slap KEVIN one for pushing his luck? No. Not ASHLEY. He’s too clever. ASHLEY Right. Fine. Hundred. KEVIN’s unsettled. That was too readily agreed to, and this is mad. And he’s also realising how slippery ASHLEY is. KEVIN When - when - when’re you...? ASHLEY The less you know, Kev. (a moment) Tomorrow, probably. Or Tuesday. (KEVIN’s worried, disturbed. He’d have liked more time to get used to the idea) You’re a dark horse, you. Aren’t you? Eh? (for a second, there’s something almost

resembling respect that fleets across his face) So. What’s their address? Where do they live?

CUT TO:

EXT. NO.64, REGAL HOUSE, SOWERBY BRIDGE. DAY 4. 09.00 27 Monday morning. Scuzzy flats that stink of piss (we can tell this just by looking at them). CATHERINE - once more kitted out with all the gadgetry - is with another one of her PCs. 25-year-old SHAFIQ SHAH, who (like KIRSTEN) looks like he’s in his teens, but in fact has seven years’ experience under his belt. He always looks happy, like he’s just having the greatest day ever. They head along an external corridor towards a flat where the glass is bust in the door and some rudimentary attempt to board the place up has been made.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

36.

A group of three skulking hoodies with their underpants hanging out of their jailing arses move along uninvited when they see CATHERINE coming. It’s an effortless effect she has. SHAFIQ (as they skulk off, SHAFIQ winks at them) Y’all right, lads! CATHERINE gets her baton out and raps on the door with it. A distant voice from within goes: “Fuck off”. SHAFIQ reckons to cock his ear. SHAFIQ (CONT’D) I think that was - “Come in”. Sarg. In Swahili. CATHERINE If I’d said that it’d be racist. SHAFIQ (smiling, amused) Nah... CATHERINE tries the door. It’s secured by a very loose- fitting Yale lock, and the door itself looks like it’s made of damp balsa wood. CATHERINE puts her shoulder to it, and gives it a good hard sharp nudge. It looks effortless and practised, and the doors fall open first time. CUT TO: DAY 4. 09.01. CATHERINE and SHAFIQ come into the flat. It’s a shit-hole. It looks like a rubbish tip, full of black bags, most of them spilling their contents. Stuff everywhere - probably all at floor level. Garbage everywhere. CATHERINE puts her baton away and heads through to the next room. We go with her. On the floor, under a grubby duvet, on a grubby mattress, a BOY and a GIRL (both white) in their early twenties, both spaced out and off their heads on something, so they both appear to be not quite with us. Empty vodka bottles everywhere. The only decent things in the room are a telly and a games console. BOY Oy. Oy. Where’s yer warrant? CATHERINE I haven’t got one, I don’t need one. INT. NO.64, REGAL HOUSE, SOWERBY BRIDGE. CONTINUOUS. 28

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

37.

SHAFIQ Somebody rang three nines and said they’d heard screaming coming from this flat. GIRL Oh - it were me. BOY It were her. GIRL He smacked me on the head. She does indeed appear to have a tiny contusion on her forehead. BOY It were an accident. GIRL With the thing. (she means the games console) BOY It were an accident. GIRL It wor an accident. CATHERINE’s just pulled some latex gloves on. CATHERINE What’s your name? You. Lad. I’m talking to you. BOY Jason Tindall. You can call me Tinner if y’want. CATHERINE Right, well can you pull that syringe out of your foot. For me. Please. We see what CATHERINE’s seen: he’s got a syringe sticking out between the toes on one of his grubby feet where he’s been injecting himself. TINNER groans. CUT TO: EXT. REGAL CLOSE, SOWERBY BRIDGE. DAY 4. 09.15 29 CATHERINE and SHAFIQ have arrested JASON TINDALL and walk to get into their patrol car.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

38.

CATHERINE Would you like to hear some jokes? SHAFIQ If you’re confident I can handle ‘em. CATHERINE Liam Hughes. Is threatening to press charges against me for assault. SHAFIQ Assault by foam. Yep - that’s - yeah. That’s good, that’s funny. CATHERINE And. Steady on, brace yourself. The Newsagent I borrowed the fire extinguisher off. Has invoiced me. Personally. For seventy-five quid. To replace his fire extinguisher. The one he didn’t even know he had. SHAFIQ Nice! Nice one. I like them, they’re both good.

CUT TO:

INT. NGA, KEVIN’S OFFICE. DAY 4. 14.45 30 KEVIN’s in his office. He’s in a permanent state of anxiety, given what he’s set in motion. JUSTINE appears at the door. JUSTINE Kevin. Hiya. Nevison wants to see you. KEVIN’s horrified. Does NEVISON know something? He hides his terror as best he can. KEVIN Now? What for? JUSTINE (smile) Dunno. KEVIN gathers his mental resources and heads off. CUT TO:

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

39.

INT. NGA, NEVISON’S OFFICE. DAY 4. 14.46 31 NEVISON’s busy at his computer when KEVIN taps at his open door. NEVISON Kevin. Come in, sit down, shut door. He does. KEVIN Is something wrong? NEVISON No. (beat)

Well. We’ll come onto that. The good news is. I can’t review your salary, not just at the minute, but what I will do. And I really don’t want this bandying about because I genuinely can’t do it for everyone... I’ll pay their school fees. Both of ‘em.

KEVIN’s stunned.

KEVIN But... you said [no] - NEVISON

I know what I said. You’ve got Helen to thank. And Ann. One way and another. They both had a go at me. KEVIN Ann. Did she? NEVISON Mm. So. KEVIN I - well - I don’t know what... to say. KEVIN tries to smile but in fact he’s appalled. NEVISON There was something else. (a pause)

I’ve been thinking about - not retiring, I’d go mad - but just taking a bit of time off. The thing is, you see. (it’s the first time he’s said it out loud)

(MORE)

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

40.

NEVISON (CONT'D)

Helen’s been diagnosed with liver cancer. KEVIN H - ? NEVISON finds this hard to talk about. He thinks the world of his wife. KEVIN’s stunned all over again. NEVISON Four months since. Prognosis isn’t... (dries up)

anyway. There’s things she wants to do. Places we’ve visited over the years that she wants to go back [to] - (NEV has a tear in his voice. He gets on top of it) So. (he smiles) Point is. I’d like you to deputize. For me. I know you think I take you for granted sometimes, Kevin. But. Well. Deputy Managing Director. Temporary. Happen, happen not. Is that something...? You feel you could...? Handle. In return for putting ‘em through this school? KEVIN I’m - I’m sorry. About Helen. NEVISON Yeah. Yeah, it’s shit. There’s no other spin you can put on it.

CUT TO:

INT. NGA, KEVIN’S OFFICE/CORRIDOR. DAY 4. 14.55 32 KEVIN heads back to his office. What’s he gone and done? How’s he going to get out of the dumb greedy nasty kidnap plan he’s set in motion? CUT TO: 33 CATHERINE’s waiting for RYAN again. The other kids have been released, but no RYAN. Then MRS.MUKHERJEE emerges and heads over. Once more apologetic. EXT. SCHOOL, HEBDEN BRIDGE. DAY 4. 15.15

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT

41.

MRS.MUKHERJEE Sorry. Catherine. You haven’t got ten minutes again, have you?

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL, CORRIDOR OUTSIDE HEADTEACHER’S OFFICE. DAY 4. 15.17 RYAN sits alone making shapes with his fingers.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL, HEADTEACHER’S OFFICE. DAY 4. 15.20 35 This time CATHERINE’s with MRS.BERESFORD, the head teacher. She’s very good, very professional, sympathetic but no nonsense, the same age as CATHERINE. Once again, CATHERINE finds this difficult. MRS.BERESFORD

We have someone - an educational psychologist - who pops in once every three weeks, and I’d like to ask her to spend some time with Ryan. CATHERINE

He gets frustrated because he struggles with his reading, I - (as politely as she can) - don’t think it’s rocket science. MRS.BERESFORD remains polite and plausible and delicate too. MRS.BERESFORD

We can’t keep letting him repeat these sort of behaviour patterns and not explore what the root cause might be.

CATHERINE goes quiet, and thoughtful. CATHERINE

No, of course, I appreciate [that] - MRS.BERESFORD (interrupts - probably

because she’s more nervous than rude)

You see...

(delicately) We have had comments from other parents. (that touches a nerve for CATHERINE.

(MORE)

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