Darling
fn1 , Season 10 fn2 Episode fn3 3_
FADE IN:
1 INT. brOWNSTONE – BATHROOM – NIGHT. fn4
A swanky fn5 , modern fn6 bathroom fn7 . Expensive fittings and, in the middle, a waterfall shower with translucent glass panels. Faint music drifts in from the next room.
The only discordant note is a trail of clothes across the floor, abandoned as their owner made her way to the shower. The water is on, and we see the shapely silhouette of a young woman fn8 showering.
SHOWERING WOMAN (O.S.)
(sings fn9 )
Oh girl, oh girl, don’t you lie to me. Where did you sleep last night?
Camera pushes in through a gap in the glass panels. We see the back fn10 of the woman fn11 as she faces fn12 the spraying fn13 water fn14 , lathering her long fn15 blonde hair. On her shoulder is a delicate rose tattoo.
SHOWERING WOMAN (CONT’D)
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines, I shivered the whole night fn16 long.
Through the glass fn17 panel, we see fn18 a silhouette fn19 of a man fn20 approaching fn21 .
SHOWERING WOMAN (CONT’D)
Oh girl fn22 , oh fn23 girl, where fn24 did you go fn25 ?
The man cocks fn26 his head fn27 to watch the woman, then slips his hand through the doors and caresses her lower back. The camera follows his hand and we see his wedding ring.
SHOWERING WOMAN (CONT’D)
(smiling now)
You’re going where the cold –
She turns and sees the man. For a moment she looks surprised, then covers it. She shuts off the shower.
SHOWERING WOMAN
You’re home fn28 early fn29 , baby fn30 . Hand me a towel?
He doesn’t.
MAN
Didn’t know it was me, huh, baby?
WOMAN
Oh, silly. Of course I knew it was you. Who else would it be? Now come on, I’m getting cold.
MAN
You’re gonna know all about cold. Baby .
He approaches her menacingly. Camera pulls out, tracking out of the bathroom. We hear the woman scream.
FADE OUT.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE fn31
FADE IN:
2 INT. FLINTLOCK’S OFFICE – DAY.
The office is cluttered and dingy. enters, holding a takeout coffee.
DARLING
You wanted me, chief fn32 ?
FLINTLOCK
Thought you were off the caffeine.
DARLING
It’s herbal tea. That’s what you wanted fn33 me for fn34 ?
FLINTLOCK
fn35 , how long have we fn36 been together fn37 ?
DARLING
You mean …?
FLINTLOCK
On the beat. Catching perps. Getting justice for dead girls fn38 .
She takes fn39 a seat fn40 . Flips open a file fn41 on the desk, closes it again.
DARLING
Almost two years.
FLINTLOCK
You ever regret coming here?
DARLING
Didn’t have much choice, chief.
(sighs)
I’m here because I want to be. Trying to have a real life for a change. You?
FLINTLOCK
I’ve had my fill of real life. Speaking of which, there’s movement on the Emily Irons case.
He hands her a file. Emily’s photo inside.
FLINTLOCK (CONT’D)
We got a guy looks good for it. Worked out of the same building as Emily. Witnesses say his attention fn42 to her was, and I quote, ‘inappropriate fn43 ’. Which I fn44 guess means he was a creep fn45 .
DARLING
We bringing him in?
FLINTLOCK
We got no reason to. We need a way in.
DARLING
You mean you need a honeytrap fn46 . fn47
FLINTLOCK fn48
You’re fn49 a good fn50 undercover.
DARLING
That was before I was made fn51 . Between the shooting and the Mack Culverin thing, everyone knows now that I work fn52 for the justice fn53 department.
FLINTLOCK
And everyone knows the department turned on you.
sips her tea and thinks fn54 .
DARLING
So I’m fn55 the disgraced fn56 cop looking for revenge? That’s a role I can play fn57 .
FLINTLOCK
Might be a way back in for you, fn58 . I know you miss fn59 undercover.
DARLING
You have no idea what I miss fn60 .
She looks again at Emily’s photo, then stands up.
DARLING (CONT’D)
I’ll do it.
CUT TO:
3 INT. DARLING’S APT – NIGHT.
The apartment is classy, but cardboard boxes stuffed with files are stacked under the coffee table. and Sweets are still in their work clothes, but rumpled now.
Sweets refills fn61 both their glasses.
DARLING
I’ve spent ten years pushing rape victims to testify — telling them they’re so brave to come forward, it’s not their fault, they’re strong … But until you go through it yourself …
SWEETS
You want me to tell you it’s not your fault fn62 ? Cos I think fn63 –
(coughs, hard, covers fn64 by sipping her wine)
– I think you already know.
DARLING
It’s over now.
SWEETS
So you’re doing this for what – for closure? Revenge? A second chance?
DARLING
(guard down)
There are some things, you can put them behind you, but they do change you. I just wish I could do something about the nightmares …
SWEETS
Nightmares fn65 ? About Mack Culverin?
notices fn66 Sweets fn67 reaching fn68 for her voice fn69 recorder, touches fn70 her fn71 hand fn72 .
DARLING
Can we keep fn73 that particular nightmare off the record?
SWEETS
Technically you’re meant to say off the record first, but —
(puts the recorder back in her purse)
— I don’t want to give any of those pricks the satisfaction.
DARLING
I thought when I called, the wine and the hour would suggest ‘off the record’ fn74 .
SWEETS
Since when did a late night fn75 or a bit of booze switch off a cop’s instinct?
sips her wine, then settles back on the couch, edging closer to Sweets. Sweets shuffles closer fn76 too.
SWEETS
So why did you call fn77 me?
As ’s fn78 phone vibrates, she pulls it out fn79 —
SWEETS (CONT’D)
TO be continued fn80 .
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT fn81 ONE