A Mother's Son

I'm sorry.

You weren't planning to go away with them,

so I don't understand the problem, David. It's three months' notice.

"That's not the point. It's my weekend with them." The cottage was only available that week.

"Tough! It's not as if the kids are gonna feel deprived."

"You spend half your lives on holiday." That's rubbish.

"How the hell you and him even still have jobs, I don't know."

Do you know what, David? Sometimes I really loathe you.

Piss off, David!

"Mum?" Jamie, sweetheart, I'm really sorry, I thought...

"I can't believe you two still wind each other up." We don't.

"It's nearly two years now." Do you want something, sweetheart?

"Yeah, I was just a bit worried. Liv's not home yet."

What do you mean, not home?

So, she's not at her friend's?

Right.

I thought she might be at chess club.

I got in about ten minutes ago and just assumed she was here, so...

I grabbed something to eat and, um, popped up to see her in her room

but the lights were off, yeah.

Obviously she's not been home.

Yeah, I've tried, but it just goes straight to voicemail.

I'll keep trying her on her mobile and call you if she walks in.

OK.

Hello?!

Hi, Ben.

Jamie?

She's not back? I'm sorry, I only just walked in. Oh, my God. Jamie's just told me.

It'll be fine. It's not. Where is she?

What time was she due home? Seven. Did she leave Reece's on time?

An hour and a half ago. You've called her mobile? No answer.

Where are the others? Could she be with them? Jess is at study group, Rob's got piano. Jesus.

Sweetheart, she'll be fine.

Her mobile will just have run out of juice or something.

Where do you hang out in town? The memorial? The memorial.

Let's drive into town, have a scout around.

It's not even that late. She's 13, Ben.

My daughter is 13 and nearly an hour and a half late. Let's call the police.

Sorry. Right. Whatever feels right.

Livvy!

Livvy!

Livvy...

So, Mrs Mullary, Lorraine should've been home at 7pm?

And she's never done anything like this before? Never.

I'm sure she'll be fine.

She's probably just hanging out with her mates and lost track of time.

OK. Can you give me a description of what she was wearing?

She says she told Rob this morning to tell me she was popping into Jasmine's after Reece's.

What did Rob say? Says she didn't.

It's worth remembering, in this situation, my son's an inveterate liar.

The good thing is they're both in tears, saying they hate each other. Fine.

They'll have forgotten about it in the morning. I don't think so.

If they were brother and sister, we wouldn't bat an eyelid.

We'd be threatening them with adoption or something.

You know, normal family life stuff. Seriously though,

we knew it wasn't going to be without difficulties.

I mean, what are we? We're, er, two months in?

Seven weeks and three days. Mm, seven weeks and three days.

Mwah. We're doing fine.

Bollocks.

The footie's started. Do you mind if I watch it? No.

Rob! Jamie! Footie!

Coming! Do you wanna watch footie? Yeah, right!

How are you getting on?

Binomial theorem. Bless.

Hey, thanks for putting a wash on. Not me.

Ohh! Ohh!

It's a cat barking like a dog until he sees he's being watched.

Then it looks all shifty and starts meowing.

The way they've done it. It's the funniest thing.

Wait. Have you seen the one with the dog and the bacon?

You better not have lost those trainers.

I didn't say I had, I said someone had stolen them,

in the changing room, yesterday. So do a bit of detective work

or they're coming out of your allowance. I'm off! You're early. Insane day.

What time are you back? Late. We've got our jabs.

Oh, God. What time are ours? Tomorrow, Dad. I've told you, like, five million times.

If you get time, pick up some mozzie things, the plug-ins. I'll try.

We're stocktaking so things are manic. Bye, my lovely, gorgeous boy. Ew, gross! Thanks for that.

Have a great day. Kev says the traffic on the heath road's mental.

Come on, everyone, let's move it.

Mad! Why do you listen to this crap?

Cos it annoys you. Tragic!

Wow!

What is it? That's a search, isn't it?

Excuse me. What's going on? If you could just keep moving, madam.

Are they looking for someone? Please.

Do not forget, Jamie. Trainers, OK? Yeah, yeah.

Bye, guys.

Bye. Bye, darling.

Have a good day. Liv, heard what's happened?

Lorraine Mullary has gone missing. She never came home last night.

They reckon something really bad's happened to her. What? I only saw her yesterday.

"Do either of them know her?" Not really. She was in the year in between them.

I've met the mum a few times at the PTA.

"Oh, poor woman." Anyway, I'm gonna skip the jabs tonight.

It's still a week before we fly, so... Sorry? Why?

The kids are really upset. Rob and Jess as well. A girl's gone missing.

I think they're pretty scared apart from anything. "OK."

It'd be great if you can get back early, too. Um, I'll do my best.

Thanks, sweetheart. I love you. Speak to you later.

I love you, too.

She's probably just done a moonlight flit with a lad.

Or maybe she had a row with her mate and then buggered off up to London for the day?

Yeah, maybe she did.

Over here!

Any news, Mrs Mullary?! Can we come in, please?

Are there any developments? Has she done this before? Will you be issuing a statement?

Mrs Mullary! Mrs Mullary!

Jamie, you little sod.

"It was just after 4pm today that police were able to confirm the body of a young female

was found in nearby reed beds."

"..from her school to walk a quarter of a mile to her home."

"Lorraine had been expected home, after visiting friends, at 7pm."

"She was reported missing shortly after 9pm."

"At daybreak this morning, local residents joined police

in an extensive search of the low-lying marshland and reed beds."

"Yesterday, East Lee was slowly gearing up for next summer,

today it's become the centre of a brutal murder inquiry."

"But even within that short space of time,

the small community in which she lived has been rocked by the fear

of what might be living within their midst."

"Tonight, it seems, their very worst fears have come true."

"Anna Daniels, Anglia News, East Lee."

I don't know why, darling.

But I do know that something like this is very, very rare.

The chances of it happening again - It could be someone we already know.

Someone we walk past every day in town.

You'll be OK, Liv.

Me and Mum won't let anything happen to you, will we?

No.

No, of course we won't.

I'm going to leave the door open in case you get scared, OK?

If you can't sleep, you come into ours. Mm.

Night-night, my sweetheart.

Are you OK?

I know.

You said you didn't really know her.

Maybe just to say hello to.

She hung out with friends of friends.

But I liked her.

She was a bit odd.

A bit of a loner.

But there was something about her.

Her poor parents.

Night.

Jamie?

I love you, darling.

I love you, too.

Ben? Hm?

I've told Livvy she can come in with us if she gets scared. Is that OK? Mm.

Is Jess OK? Mm, fine.

You did check on her, didn't you?

Rosie... It's fine, I'll go.

Ro, she's fine. She's revising. Please don't disturb her.

I know what she's like.

She's not the sort of girl to get overly spooked.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I know you mean well, but - I'm not their mum.

I wasn't gonna say that.

I just think...

You know, I know my kids, you know your kids,

let's play to our strengths.

Everything feels really odd.

Hm.

Let's pray they catch this bastard quickly.

Who's there?

Dad?

Mum, it's ten past! We're gonna be late!

Have you been in my room again? What are you talking about?

You know what I'm talking about. Someone's been in my room.

Are you OK? Oh...

I'm fine.

I haven't. You have. I don't even like them. Why would I take them?

Just get your own. How many times. I didn't take them!

What's the matter? Nothing! I'm going to walk. I don't want you walking.

- It's broad daylight. I'll survive. - Come back here, please?

There are no obvious indications of a sexual assault.

No semen? No.

And the knife wound?

A single blow, just under 2cm wide at its entry.

Penetrated about 10cm and severed the abdominal aorta.

Sorry. My son's off sick. He's got this bug that's going around.

Do you mind if I take this? My little girl's got it too.

Hey, Niall. Are you OK?

If you're too sick to go to school, you're too sick to go...

Sorry about that.

No worries.

So,

time of death?

"The man, believed to be a local resident,

was tonight said to be helping police with their enquiries."

"But with no further details given, speculation remains rife

amongst this small community."

Bastard. "..Anglia News, East Lee." He's just being questioned.

They don't pull these guys in unless they've got good cause.

Can we talk? That's why I'm here, Dad, cos I don't.

No problem.

What time did you get in on Monday night?

Er, quite late. Nearly nine, I think.