Ripped By mstoll
We could take friends out for dinner.
Bad idea.
- Then we'll have them here. - Even worse.
Fine. No friends.
We could go to Brighton for the weekend, just the three of us.
Sorry, four of us.
Sounds like driving to me.
John, you have to do something.
A bottle of wine and an old film
is a feeble way to celebrate your birthday.
It's my way.
- You sure you need me there? - Of course.
You can pour the wine.
DCI Barnaby's phone.
They're ufologists.
Is that a real word?
It seems the area around these woods is a UFO hotspot.
This lot started turning up because of the sightings.
What sightings?
Past week has seen reports of strange lights in the sky.
The locals are claiming the aliens are invading.
The station took six calls about it last night alone.
- So what have we got? - Missing person.
Erm... Felicity Ford.
31-year-old forest ranger.
Last seen yesterday around 1 pm.
This is her van.
Patrol car found it at six this morning.
No sign of Felicity.
The doors were open
and the engine was still running.
Personal belongings?
There was a bag containing keys and a purse on the front seat.
Uniform are still searching the area,
but it's not the kind of terrain to tackle minus a boot.
Who reported her missing?
Her mum. Veronica Ford.
Ahh...
Battery's dead.
Charge it and find out who she was in contact with.
Sir!
Just found it, sir.
What on earth is that?
Nothing very pleasant.
Give me a knife.
Urgh.
Get Kam up here.
Morning.
Mum's looking for you.
More weirdos booking in.
- Don't say that. - It's what they are.
If it weren't for the... tin foil hat brigade,
this place would be sunk.
Orla.
Delivered this morning.
Aren't you going to open it?
- I'll do it later. - Why can't you open it now?
I need to get to work.
Orla!
And where have you been?
Where does it look like I've been?
You were gone for three hours.
Did a couple of circuits round the wood.
- Shall we ask in here? - Oh! Good morning.
Come on!
Hurry up, we're going to be late!
When you're ready, Nathan.
It's no use. The van's dead, Mum.
Don't say that. She'll hear you.
She won't, cos she's dead.
Orla, you need to do your thing.
It's no use.
Try it now.
Yay!
- The girl's got magic fingers. - You're right there.
Thanks, Orla.
She's up to four tours a day.
Still fleecing the alien chasers.
Yeah.
Are you saying she was murdered?
We can't confirm the cause of death.
But that's what you suspect?
My beautiful little... girl. Ohh...
Sorry.
Nelson...
When did you last see Felicity?
Er...
Yesterday.
Before she left for work.
And how was she?
Fine. I think.
We didn't talk a great deal.
I was in bed on account of a cold.
Veronica.
I've just heard. I can't believe it.
You worked with Felicity?
Brogan Steele. I was her fiancé.
They're saying she was murdered.
Just a few questions.
When did you see Felicity yesterday?
In the morning.
She went off to deal with a camper.
There's a campsite in the woods?
No, but... a UFO chaser has set up his caravan illegally.
The village has been overrun with that lot.
- Since the lights started up. - The so-called UFO.
- A lot of nonsense. - Try telling Faulkner that.
Faulkner is the owner of the caravan?
He's some sort of UFO expert.
Flick's been trying to move him on for weeks.
Mrs Ford. Felicity made a call on her mobile last night
around nine o'clock.
We traced the number to a nearby MoD facility,
the RAF base at Cooper Hill.
Can you think why she called there?
Her father? He's the base commander.
Felicity would never have called him.
Why not?
She hated the man.
Chief Inspector Barnaby?
Sergeant Ali. Welcome to Cooper Hill.
Group Captain Ford is expecting you.
I was expecting jets.
There hasn't been a squadron based here for a good ten years.
So nothing flies out of this base?
Not any more.
Then how do you fill your time?
We're a storage facility
as well as one of the main radar stations.
You must be busy these days, then?
UFO sightings.
Cooper Hill seems to be a hot destination for aliens.
Not according to our radar.
How was my daughter killed?
We're not in a position to say.
I'm not her mother. I don't require careful handling.
It's not about handling.
But until we have a pathology report...
Do you at least have a suspect?
It's early days.
Right now our focus is on building a picture of Felicity.
Well, I can't help you there.
Felicity and I hadn't spoken in some time.
Her phone records show
that she called the base around nine o'clock last night.
Sergeant, you were here last night.
Did you receive a call from my daughter?
No, sir. I mean, there was a call,
but I didn't know it was from your daughter.
- What exactly did she say? - She asked for you.
I told her you were in your quarters, then she hung up.
Why do you think she called you?
Given your strained relationship,
it's fair to assume it was important.
I'd say so.
Why wasn't the call transferred?
What?
Isn't there a phone in your quarters?
- I'd asked not to be disturbed. - So you were alone all night?
I need to establish your whereabouts.
Yes. I was alone all night.
I'm not leaving until you come out.
- Got no right to move us on. - That's not why I'm here.
I'm looking for Carter Faulkner.
He's out. Won't be back till later.
- And you are? - Dillon. His son.
- Do you know this woman? - Yeah, she's a pest.
She was found dead this morning, in the woods,
about a mile from here.
Don't know anything about that.
You and your dad are UFO experts?
Dad's the expert. Not me.
Was he in the woods last night?
Stayed home.
And were you in the woods?
Not just me. Place was crawling with people looking for the UFO.
Did you see anything unusual?
I'll be back to talk to your dad.
I can't confirm until I get her on the table.
But I'm guessing asphyxiation.
- Strangled or smothered? - Drowned.
It looks like she was immersed in this stuff
when it was in liquid form.
- It's not a nice way to go. - What is this stuff?
It's fascinating, isn't it? It's a synthetic resin,
probably a polymer, but with unusual properties.
It has a low melting point. Which explains...
What is it, Kam?
I have absolutely no idea.
- It must come from somewhere. - Yes. I just don't know where.
So you're saying this stuff's alien?
I'm saying it's alien to me.
Uploaded videos of our strange lights.
Eight in total. All shot around Cooper Hill in the past week.
This one is from last night.
A farmer on the north side of the village.
These pins represent all the recent sightings.
What do you notice?
All within a mile of the village?
Why would an alien cross a galaxy
to visit a small hamlet in a corner of England?
Whoever killed Felicity Ford went to a lot of effort
to make it look like aliens were involved.
This pod is the key. We need to find out what this substance is.
Kam said she'll need a day to do a proper analysis.
She did find this, though, attached to a chain
around Felicity Ford's neck.
Why wear a ring around your neck?
To keep it hidden?
What do we know about the fiancé?
Worked as a biologist until he packed it in one day
and moved to Midsomer.
- What prompted the move? - Felicity.
They met at an environmental conference.
He was so smitten, he dropped everything to be with her.
OK, thanks, can you all gather here, please?
She thinks I'm interfering.
- You could back off a bit. - It's a university scholarship!
Emergency! All hands on deck.
Sorry. Got to bring my booking forward.
I need food for 14 now.
You're not due till four o'clock!
I've had to cut the tour short.
Can you come through, please, everyone?
Reminds me of a sighting I once had in Wales.
Coastguard closed off two miles of beach.
It was very suspect.
I swear that woman won't shut up!
- What's happened? - Roadblocks all over the wood.
- Why? - Haven't you heard?
Felicity Ford's body was found up there this morning!
David. Sorry, come on. Jamie.
I never saw Felicity wear jewellery.
From what we can tell,
the ring had been around her neck for some time.
Then that's why I never saw it.
You and Felicity weren't... intimate?
Does that surprise you?
- You were engaged. - But not married.
My faith is important to me.
And did Felicity share your faith?
No. But she respected it and was happy to wait until our wedding.
Did you sleep here last night?
Yeah. I had some work to catch up on.
Did Felicity know you were here?
Er, no. She had gone home early.
So, did you see anything last night?
No. It was all quiet.
All quiet? Your fiancée was murdered!
What I mean is... I wasn't actually out in the woods.
It keeps picking up ground signals.
Getting interference from the base.
- Can't you sort it? - Yeah.
If I close down their radar.
She was here yesterday lunchtime.
She asked us to move on and I refused.
- And then what happened? - She drove off in a strop.
Any idea where she was going?
So you're hoping to see the UFO?
It's not about hope.
The craft's been flying the skies for the past week.
And have you seen it?
No. But I will.
I've been waiting 30 years for him to come back to me.
Sorry, did you say "come back to you"?
4th of August, 1984.
Me and some mates had been camping in the woods.
One night, I came out here to take a leak.
And that's when I saw it.
It was the brightest, purest light I'd ever seen.
- And this was a UFO, was it? - It was an alien craft.
The most important close encounter in the UK
for the past 30 years.
After about two minutes, the lights cut out
and it flew off into the night.
I was never more alive than in those two minutes.
Nothing since has come remotely close to that feeling.
For God's sake, I didn't come here to pick a fight.
- Then why did you come? - I thought we could be civil.
- Felicity... - You were hardly there for her.
At least when I was there, I was sober.
That was unfair. Rush of blood.
Don't you dare touch me.
Sorry to interrupt. The door was, um...
Do you have any information for us, Barnaby?
Actually, I was hoping you might have some information for me.
Other than Brogan Steele,
was there anyone else that Felicity was... close to?
What's that supposed to mean?
Did she have another lover, perhaps?
No. Of course not.
Where on earth would you get an idea like that from?
Did you ever see Felicity wearing this?
Yes.
Brogan gave it to her.
Brogan has never seen it before.
Felicity never mentioned anyone else?
Not to me.
- Group Captain Ford? - Is this all you have, Barnaby?
Our daughter's been murdered!
You're asking about this trinket.
This trinket meant something to your daughter.
Not only did she wear it every day,
but she lied to her mother about where it came from.
Someone gave Felicity this ring, someone important to her.
So I suggest you two put your heads together
and think who it could be.
This is my first alien abduction!
I don't think she was abducted.
Well, something's happened. The police blocked the roads!
Felicity Ford is dead, and that lot are treating it like a game.
Don't let them get to you.
The booking system's gone haywire again.
You were in the woods yesterday.
- So? - Did you notice anything weird?
- Group Captain! - Campbell. Nadine.
Why don't we... go into the office?
Orla!
You'll have to open it sometime!
Faulkner's close encounter in 1984 is well documented.
The Cooper Hill incident is legend among ufologists.
He's done OK from it.
Written three books on UFO phenomena.
Runs a ufology website.
Big draw at the conferences.
You can't deny the man's dedication.
Or that he had run-ins with Felicity.
Did you find out anything about the ring?
The fiancé says he's never seen it before.
Do you think he's lying?
I think he's lying about something.
Speak to the local jewellers.
See if anyone's sold one like it recently.
Fine. OK.
It's short notice, I know,
but I'm getting a little desperate.
I was thinking a buffet.
Hm, keep it informal. Nothing too fancy.
Now you're asking!
Er, let's say ten?
That's great. OK, I'll call tomorrow to confirm.
Sarah?
Ah! There you are! Eat in ten minutes.
- Someone on the phone? - Yeah, just a work thing.
Please leave a message. Thanks.
Nathan! I need rescue, sweetheart.
Kam?
Chemical analysis supports my original theory.
Our substance is a polymer
made of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen.
Not so alien after all.
Well, theoretically it could have been synthesised
on another planet.
Though chances are, it wasn't.
Mind you, even if it isn't alien,
the material is still problematic.
Problematic how?
According to two chemistry professors
and most of the plastics industry,
our polymer here doesn't exist.
There's nothing like it being produced commercially
or industrially.
Perhaps it's experimental.
- A prototype? - And a poor one at that.
Far too unstable.
We're looking for a bad chemist?
Is there anything that can help us?
Tree catkins.
Found in her hair.
Not unusual for a woodland ranger.
I still haven't been able to identify them.
As soon as I know what they are, I'll let you know.
Kam drew a blank on the substance.
Well, Forensics pulled prints off the van.
- Lab's cross-checking them. - What about the ring?
None of the local jewellers stock a ring like Felicity's.
However, one of them did identify the type.
It seems this is a posy ring, a sweetheart ring.
They come in pairs, with a message inscribed on them.
See? On the inside.
You can just see it faintly.
It says "Hüter meines Herzen".
It's German. It means "Keeper of my heart".
- Is that significant? - Maybe.
Look who was on exercise in Germany recently.
The call Felicity made to the base on the night she died...
We assumed it was her father she was trying to contact.
But in fact...
she was calling you.
Why would she do that?
Because you were in a relationship.
We found this ring
around Felicity's neck.
It was bought in Germany,
where you trained three months ago.
But, you see, this ring is one of a pair.
And I'm betting its partner is hanging around your neck now.
How long had you been seeing Felicity?
Six months.
I'm sorry.
I've spent the last two days pretending...
that I'm not heartbroken.
Why the secrecy?
Do you really have to ask?
Take a look at where we are, Chief Inspector.
Aren't the armed forces tolerant of same-sex relationships now?
Not when it's the CO's daughter.
But Felicity was more concerned about her mum finding out.
Why didn't you tell us about the call?
There was nothing to tell.
She rang to say she couldn't meet that night.
Why not?
She said she had something on.
I just assumed it was work.
The night Felicity died, you were on the base the whole time?
I was on duty. It was a memorable night.
The UFO sightings, you mean?
The radar readings you asked about...
We picked up some anomalous signals.
Sergeant Ali. May I see you in my office?
One moment, please, Group Captain.
Tell me about these signals.
It is rather pressing, Sergeant.
Maybe you could come to the station.
Nelson.
Abigail Tonev.
She runs UFO-spotting tours out of a garage in Cooper Hill.
Seems she was out, scouting new routes for her tour last night
when she came into contact with our bright lights.
- She saw the UFO? - Up close and personal.
All those years, all those tours,
dragging people through the woods, talking about UFOs.
I never believed a word of it.
What happened, Mrs Tonev?
I saw it! I saw the UFO!
Can you describe it?
It was big, as big as a car, and the noise from it was deafening.
And the lights, it hurt your eyes to look at it.
Sweetheart, I need water.
Is there anything else you remember?
Isn't a UFO enough?
What about details, Mrs Tonev?
There was a...
There was a symbol, I think, on the underside.
- What kind of symbol? - Oh, it's hard to explain.
Can you draw it for us?
Well, I'm not much of an artist, but...
That's the best I can do.
There's something else.
When I ran away, that thing came after me.
It was chasing you?
It was hunting me!
Despite the dramatics,
I believe Abigail saw something last night.
But you're ruling out a UFO?
I don't think I ever ruled it in.
I'm not saying there isn't something in the skies,
but the key to this murder is down here in Cooper Hill.
Maybe this can help us.
See if you can find out where it comes from.
Take it back wherever you got it.
I'm not getting in that.
Come on! We're gonna be late.
The lab found a match for a print in Felicity's van.
There you are. Enjoy.
Mrs Campbell?
We'd like to talk to your husband.
Oh... This way.
Now you mention it, I was in Felicity's van the other day.
When exactly?
Er, the day before yesterday. I went for a run.
Got caught in the rain.
Felicity was passing and, um... gave me a lift.
How well did you know Felicity?
Well, I knew her dad, really.
I served with Group Captain Ford at Cooper Hill.
- You were in the RAF? - Came out in '05.
Bought this place.
Felicity's call records show you were in regular contact with her
with over 30 calls this year alone.
Why all the phone calls, Mr Campbell?
Yeah, why all the phone calls, Victor?
Don't be stupid, Nadine. It's nothing like that.
I was doing Ford a favour.
He and Felicity didn't talk. After the divorce
she took Veronica's side and cut off all ties with him.
I always got on with Felicity,
so he asked me to keep in contact,
let him know how she was getting on.
- Can I have two... - So you were spying on her?
I was helping a friend.
Look, I know Ford can come across as a bit heartless,
but he's a dad who wanted to make sure his daughter was OK.
All I did... was keep him in the loop.
What about Felicity and Sergeant Ali?
Did you know about their relationship?
You told Ford, didn't you?
- What did Ford say? - He wasn't best pleased.
And when did you tell him?
The night Felicity died.
What was Ford doing here yesterday?
Bloody hell, Nadine!
He thought it would be best if I kept our arrangement
between him and me.
It doesn't prove anything!
You lied to me, Group Captain Ford.
You told me you were in your quarters
on the night that Felicity died.
But in fact you were meeting Victor Campbell.
No. I was in my quarters when Felicity called.
I'd met Campbell earlier.
He told you that your daughter was sleeping with your sergeant.
I see. So your theory is that I was so incensed
by my daughter's lesbianism
that I sought her out and killed her!
Please!
If anybody was going to feel my anger, it would have been Ali.
And where is Sergeant Ali?
She's taken some overdue leave.
- Did you ask her to? - Why would I do that?
Because she was about to tell me about the base's radar readings.
Can't think why. They're all very routine.
Routine?
Half of Cooper Hill has seen a mysterious craft
flying around the village.
Has your radar missed it?
My daughter is dead.
And instead of catching her killer,
you are chasing after flashing lights in the sky.
I assure you, we're doing everything we can.
Please, call Sergeant Ali back and deliver her to my station.
Ooh!
- Thanks, Nelson. - Good night, sir.
How are my two favourite girls?
Well, this one needs a change.
Come on. Come here.
- Aren't you coming in? - Yeah, in a minute.
Hi, Sarah. You all right?
- I'll be there. - Not exactly subtle, are they?
Oh, come on, then.
Sergeant Ali, some time last night.
- Same cause of death? - I'm afraid so.
Sarge?
We're missing something here.
Both victims were drowned,
which means that your resin here was in a liquid state.
It would have hardened as it cooled.
Right...
So, in order to pull this stunt off,
you'd have to have enough liquid resin
to immerse a fully grown adult.
And you'd need to keep it heated.
Which means you'd need power.
They were drowned somewhere else?
We're looking for another murder site.
So, you'd also need transport to get the bodies out here,
not to mention a good working knowledge of these woods.
Which leads us to Brogan Steele.
They found Sergeant Ali's mobile.
And Brogan left quite the voicemail message last night.
You and Felicity made a fool of me.
You had no right to take her...
You can't think it was Brogan!
I have two murder victims.
The first was his fiancée,
and the second was her secret lover, Sergeant Yasmin Ali.
Brogan, did you know about this?
Not only did he know, he threatened Sergeant Ali
about the affair.
You and Felicity made a fool of me.
You had no right to take her from me!
I was angry.
I suspected Felicity was seeing someone for a while, but...
when I asked her about it, she just denied it.
Making her a liar and a cheat.
I believed her.
At least... I wanted to believe her.
Flick was spending afternoons thinning out this clearing.
Where she was meeting Sergeant Ali.
I decided to follow her out there.
When was this?
On the day she died.
When I got there, she had her arms around her.
Flick never looked at me like she did at Yasmin.
What did you do?
I watched them until Sergeant Ali left.
- Did you confront Felicity? - No. I felt sick. Numb.
So I just left her working in the clearing.
- Did you meet Ali last night? - No. I made the call because...
I don't know, I wanted to... scare her.
Why didn't you say something before?
I was saving myself for Felicity,
and all the while she was with her!
It's as if I never even knew her.
If it's any consolation,
Felicity went out of her way to keep you in the dark
about her relationship with Yasmin.
I had no problem with her being gay.
Would I have preferred her to be with Brogan? Yes, but...
I'd never disapprove of anyone who made Felicity happy.
Then why did she hide this from you?
Because Sergeant Ali was RAF.
There's no... romance in being a forces' wife, DCI Barnaby.
As soon as you've settled, you're moved on,
until one day they dump you in a place like this
and leave you to rot.
Felicity knew I never wanted that for her.
That's why she hid it from me.
Brogan Steele claims that Felicity met Sergeant Ali here
on the afternoon that she died,
a place called Hunter's Clearing.
I'm thinking this was their spot.
It's remote, no chance of being found...
And it's convenient.
Halfway between the base and the ranger's office.
Oh, done the pathology already?
Victim's still being prepped.
But we did find... another one of these guys.
Same catkin we found on Felicity Ford.
- And have you identified it? - Yes, I have.
It comes from the Populus nigra - the black poplar.
Not many around, but the man at the woodland website
says there's a really old one in this area, in a place called...
Hunter's Clearing.
How did you know that?
Get down there. Check it out.
You didn't have to come with me.
I thought you might need some help.
I think I can find a tree on my own!
Charlie?
Tree's this way.
She's a beauty!
Want to know how I know it's a "she"?
- Not really. - Greek mythology.
Helios was God of the Sun.
He'd drive his chariot across the sky each day,
- and one day his son... - Phaethon stole the chariot,
tried to drive it, but lost control
and plunged to his death.
And his sisters, the Heliades, were so grief-stricken
that the gods turned them into black poplars.
Therefore...
Hey!
Hey! Police! Get back here!
Charlie!
- They disappeared. - You mean, you lost them?
- What were they doing here? - Probably... looking for this.
Looks like something or someone was buried here.
Good morning, sir.
I'm here to see Group Captain Ford.
As you can imagine, we're all very upset about Sergeant Ali.
I've set up a formal investigation.
If we find anything, I'll pass it on.
When did you last see Sergeant Ali?
Yesterday afternoon in my office after you'd interviewed her.
- When you granted her leave. - At her request.
And why would she ask for time off?
To grieve for the death of my daughter.
And what about the radar signal?
Yes, we had been detecting something in the area.
No, we don't know what it is, but it is not extra-terrestrial.
So what is it, then?
Best guess, a drone or a remote aircraft.
A prank.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and inform Mrs Ali
about her daughter's death.
So what are the chances of us finding out who was buried here?
Depends. I may find some genetic material for DNA testing,
but I can tell you that it was originally dug years ago,
but excavated recently.
How recently are we talking?
Within the last week.
If Felicity was working here, she could have found the grave.
Maybe that's why she was killed.
Someone covering up a past crime.
But what about Sergeant Ali?
Maybe she discovered it too.
This is where she and Felicity met, after all.
Then why didn't she say anything about it when you spoke to her?
She was going to come to the station.
But we found a catkin on Sergeant Ali, which means...
She came back after Felicity died.
- So what was she doing here? - Hm...
Something weird happened earlier.
- They doubled back? - No, I'd have seen them.
Looks like some kind of bunker.
A series of tunnels.
Need some more light in here.
These tunnels must connect to the base.
During the war, the MoD built lots of underground networks.
Most were used to store munitions and supplies.
Sir? You might want to look at this.
Does it remind you of anything?
Get on the floor!
I'm DCI Barnaby, Causton CID.
This is DS Nelson. Where is Group Captain Ford?
Barnaby.
Trespassing on MoD property?
We were in pursuit of a suspect.
For all we know they're still down there.
Well, if they are, we'll flush them out.
Before your officers ambushed us, we found a panel down there
with an unusual symbol stencilled on it.
This whole area has been non-operational for years.
There's all kinds of junk down there.
That symbol is connected to whatever's been flying around.
I'm going to get some officers up here to search those tunnels
and I expect the full co-operation of this base.
You're wasting your time.
I get the feeling you're trying to obstruct this investigation.
You forget, DCI Barnaby, you're out of your jurisdiction.
This is MoD property
and until you have a search warrant,
I'll ask you to leave my base.
He doesn't want us in those tunnels.
Because he's hiding something.
And you can bet we'll find out what it is.
So, tomorrow night,
anything in particular you'd like for your birthday dinner?
I thought we were going with the buffet.
I overheard you on the phone.
OK...
When you were arranging the party.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort,
but I'd be much happier spending the night at home.
Colin Smart is retiring.
- Sorry? - Colin, head of geography.
It's his last day tomorrow. I'm arranging a retirement lunch.
I see.
Hm. That's what the phone call was about.
So you and Nelson yesterday...
He wanted to take you and the team out for drinks,
but I told him that you wouldn't want any fuss.
Oh... Well, that's great news.
John, if you wanted to do something special,
you should have just told me!
And I don't. So I didn't.
Bye.
Ooh!
The man is impossible!
Impossible!
So basically we have a small area of excavated land
measuring 180cm in length
and about 70cm in width.
Depth, 50 to 60cm.
A shallow grave. We get it, Kam.
Well, based on the plant roots we found,
I'd say the grave was originally dug between 20 and 30 years ago.
So our man won't be on the database.
Then how do we identify him?
We did find something that might help you discover his name.
Red corduroy. From an item of clothing.
How will that help us?
Well, I'd imagine whoever buried him
did so to avoid reporting his death.
He'll still be officially missing.
I'll make a start on the files, then.
16 men went missing in Cooper Hill between 1980 and 1990.
But I think this might be our man.
Eric Tonev?
Husband to Abigail, father to Nathan.
Tonev went missing on the 4th of August 1984.
Abigail reported him missing.
And check out the description she gave.
"35 years old, 6ft, brown hair,
last seen wearing a blue suit jacket
and red corduroy trousers."
The 4th of August, 1984.
That's the same date Faulkner had his close encounter.
It was a big day in Cooper Hill.
Let's go.
Are you sure it's him?
We can't be certain, not without a body,
but the dates correspond with...
Wait. So you don't have his body?
We think your dad has been buried out there since 1984.
However, his body was dug up in the last week or so.
Who'd dig him up?
Whoever killed your dad may have moved the remains
to conceal their crime.
We think Felicity Ford discovered the grave,
and Sergeant Ali too.
We understand this is difficult, Mr Tonev,
but we need to ask you about your dad's disappearance.
I was only ten.
- You don't remember anything? - Not of the actual day.
I mean, nobody says, "Your dad's run out on you."
You never tried to find him?
Why you should I try and find him?
He's the one who ran out on us.
Except he didn't, did he?
My God. Poor Felicity.
You knew Felicity Ford?
We weren't close, but...
Children of the base, we had a kind of connection.
Children of the base? Did your father work at Cooper Hill?
Yeah, he was the chief engineer.
Speak to Victor Campbell.
He may have known Tonev when he was at the base.
- Where are you going? - I'll speak to Faulkner.
He's the one person we know was in the woods
the night Tonev died.
I can't believe you opened my mail!
It's an unconditional offer, Orla!
You've got to think of your future.
I have a future!
The labs and the workshops are on another part of the base.
Brass like to keep the grunts and the boffins apart.
But we knew what Tonev was.
And what was that?
That was a traitor.
If he hadn't run off when he did,
he was looking at life in prison.
Sounds serious.
Well, selling secrets to the Russians is.
Thank God for Group Captain Ford.
Why?
Ford discovered what Tonev was up to.
- He was all set to arrest him. - Then why didn't he?
Because...
Tonev did a runner.
- Ah, what time is it? - Just after five.
You idiot! Why didn't you wake me up?
Dad, I've checked it. It's all ready.
The radar's not set up.
- I still can't get a signal. - Just keep trying.
- There's no point! - I said, just keep trying!
I'm not having you mess this up.
Dillon!
Dillon! You get back here now!
Carter Faulkner?
Where do you suppose it came from?
It's hard to know.
But I reckon a nearby galaxy. Somewhere like Andromeda.
Did you see anything else that night?
All I saw was a spaceship.
You ever hear of an Eric Tonev?
No.
He was an engineer at RAF Cooper Hill in the early '80s.
He disappeared the same night you had your encounter.
I don't know anything about that.
We were wondering if what you saw that night
came from the RAF base.
It wasn't a military plane.
Not a conventional one, no, but maybe an experimental craft.
Alien markings!
Markings like this?
Where did you get this?
Not important. But I saw that symbol at the base last night.
- Mr Faulkner? - Why didn't I see it?
- See what? - They must have captured it.
It makes sense now.
That's why it took them so long to come back!
It's not the same ship!
It's another ship that's come to look for them.
I'm not sure that's the case.
They captured it, took it to the base
and plundered it for technology.
I need to warn them.
Need to signal, telling them to stay away from here!
Spying for the Russians?
Far-fetched maybe.
But Cooper Hill was the MoD's main R&D facility, early 1980s.
It's all very top secret.
And?
And this is the Cold War we're talking about.
You think the security services killed Tonev
and dumped him in a woodland grave?
Maybe.
Or maybe Ford couldn't find the proof he needed to arrest Tonev,
so took matters into his own hands.
OK, I can buy Ford murdering Tonev,
but killing his daughter seems extreme.
Over 30 years' service. A decorated officer.
All he has is his reputation.
He's not the only one in the frame.
We should keep an open mind.
Yes!
Wait!
Wait! No!
Where are you going?
Come back!
Hurry up!
Come on, come on!
No!
Aargh!
- It's Faulkner's UFO? - Yeah.
- It can't be a coincidence. - Exactly.
- It's quite a sight. - I'm sure it is.
Get Forensics started. I'll be there as soon as I can.
Oh, and, Nelson,
nobody gets anywhere near that wreckage without my say-so.
Right.
Just damp down the far end.
- Thank you, Constable. - Sir.
- You found the body? - Yeah.
What time was this?
- About six. - Why were you here that early?
Routine. Just doing the rounds.
When did you last speak to Faulkner?
Yesterday. Came down to tell him to move on.
Three people murdered in the space of a week in these woods.
And all of them met you just before they died.
Don't make any travel plans, Brogan.
Do you know him?
His name is Carter Faulkner.
This one was a rush job.
Killer didn't have time to let him dry completely.
Or to find a better dumping site.
I'm thinking they were disturbed.
Footprints and tread marks here.
They lead up to this point... where they stop.
Tyre tracks?
Your killer is mobile. Probably a van.
They keep the heated resin in the back.
Dip them, dry them and dump them.
Also, I got some analysis back on the polymer.
The reason it degrades so quickly
is because it's an old batch.
Happy birthday, by the way.
- That's all we have for now. - Thanks.
The tech boys are still going over it,
but so far they back your theory that it's a military craft.
- Tonev's work? - It's a good bet.
Most of the technology on this thing is decades old.
"Most of the technology"?
It seems the control panel that was used to pilot it
is state of the art.
And there was a thermal imaging camera,
but it shattered on impact.
What the hell do you think you're doing?
That aircraft is the property of the Ministry of Defence.
- Stand down immediately. - I'm not prepared to do that.
Your jurisdiction ends at this fence here.
This wood is mine, and you're trespassing on my crime scene.
There's no time for point-scoring.
You don't know what you're meddling with.
Enlighten me, then.
It's not something I can talk about it.
OK. What about Eric Tonev?
My officers will escort you and your men off this site.
- We don't need an escort. - I insist.
Well, I'll admit, I rather enjoyed that.
Call me if Forensics find anything.
They're just about to discharge her.
- Is she OK? - I told her about Dad.
It all makes sense now.
I never did understand Eric running off like that.
He wasn't the most impulsive man.
Do you have any idea who killed him?
Could his murder be linked to the allegations against him?
What allegations?
It was all nonsense, Nathan. Your dad was a patriot.
He loved this country.
And none of that was ever proven!
But he was under investigation?
It was just base politics.
Ford had an axe to grind with Eric
because he was getting more funding for Omega 4.
- Omega 4? - A project Dad was working on.
Ford resented him. So he cooked up a pack of lies
about Eric selling secrets.
Eric's parents were smuggled here from Germany in the war.
Eric felt he owed this country a huge debt.
And he wanted to pay back that debt through his work,
and Ford wouldn't let him!
Five minutes, and let's be out of here.
Let's get back to base.
Orla.
- Is Nathan about? - No.
Have you ever seen one of these before?
Yeah. It's an exhaust valve.
It's for a car, right?
What's in the rucksack?
Well? Did you get everything?
Pretty much.
Well...
I must admit, I'm impressed.
How on earth did they pull it off?
From what I can tell, Dillon had been exploring
the tunnels for months.
One day he comes across the original Omega 4 machine.
It's old, rusting, in need of an overhaul,
but otherwise intact.
So he transfers it to the sawmill piece by piece.
That's when he realises that getting it airborne
is going to require a specialist.
Which is where Orla came in.
Bit of a mechanical genius.
Using the original drawings,
he starts putting it back together,
nicking any parts she needs from Nathan Tonev's garage.
Did they mention the polymer?
I asked them. They didn't know what I was talking about.
Still, a lot of work for a hoax.
I don't think it was just a hoax.
As soon as I saw it, I knew what it was.
I'd heard it described so many times.
Your dad's UFO?
Why didn't you tell your dad about it?
I couldn't.
His whole life had been about that night in the woods.
It'd all be for nothing if he knew it was fake.
Why put Omega 4 in the air?
Dad was diagnosed with cancer a year ago.
When the doctors told him it was terminal,
he started to worry about what he'd leave behind.
Wanted to give something back to the people who believed in him.
You tried to make that happen?
I thought if enough people saw it, he'd be vindicated.
Wasn't that risky? What if your dad discovered it wasn't aliens?
I was careful to keep it away from him in case he sussed.
But then last night I got angry.
I was sick of him blaming me when things went wrong.
I thought, "Screw you. Here it is.
Your UFO made right here in England."
I wish I hadn't have done that.
I hope he believed right to the end.
I'm sure he did.
It's like...
It's like they've got my whole life mapped out for me
and I don't even get a say in it, you know?
You were trying to prove a point?
Maybe. Yeah.
I wanted to show that there's more to life than university.
Working on Omega 4 was the best thing I've ever done.
When it took off the first time, what a buzz!
I did that.
And how do you think your mum and dad are going to react?
Mum will hit the roof.
But... secretly I reckon she'll be proud of me.
What makes you so sure?
She was part of the Omega 4 team.
I was the computer programmer on the team.
It was all pretty basic stuff.
But Omega 4 was Eric's baby.
It was an unmanned, low-altitude craft used for reconnaissance,
- like a drone. - And was it successful?
Never got past the prototype.
Too many problems with the navigation system.
All it needed was a GPS.
And what about the accusation
that Eric was selling sensitive information?
Ford made it all up.
No. No way.
Tonev was guilty.
Ford had a witness that testified against him.
The witness lied, Victor.
How do you know?
Because it was me.
The first thing you need to know is that Eric and Ford
did not get on.
Why not?
Eric thought Ford was an officious jobsworth
and showed him no respect.
And that would have angered Ford.
As did Eric sleeping with his wife.
Eric and Veronica Ford?
Ford was furious when he found out.
He came to me and he told me
Eric and Veronica were planning to run off together.
Why come to you?
Because he knew I'd lie for him.
Victor and I had just started seeing each other
and he said he'd transfer Victor if I didn't do what he wanted.
He said he needed a testimony to get the investigation rolling.
But then Eric disappeared the night they tested Omega 4
and... that was that.
I'm sorry, Victor.
All right, thank you.
Ford's not in the office and nobody knows where he is.
Get an alert out. I want him found.
Right.
Mrs Ford?
Going somewhere?
With Felicity gone, I have no reason to stay.
Someone once told me Berlin is a lovely city.
Was it Eric Tonev?
You and Eric planned to elope.
Yes.
Well, unfortunately Eric got cold feet.
There I was, bags packed, all ready to go.
I don't know why he never showed.
Because he was murdered, Mrs Ford.
But...
How?
Who would kill Eric?
Your husband had motive.
What?
- Jeremy's not a killer. - He knew about your affair.
So what?
Right, let's get you out of here.
Just give me a moment, would you, Nathan?
It's me. I'm in trouble.
Help me.
What are we doing here?
Abigail Tonev knew that her husband was running away
with Veronica Ford.
Meaning?
Meaning we need to find her, quickly.
Check the back.
- What are you doing here? - Abigail called me.
- Why did she call? - Left a message, actually.
Said she was in trouble, needed help.
- Yes, but why did she call you? - We're friends, I suppose.
- Of a sort. - Friends?
She says that you falsely accused her husband of spying.
Abigail knew that Eric was having an affair with Veronica.
But you were the only one who knew
they were eloping that night.
Did you tell her, Group Captain Ford?
- She had a right to know. - Sir?
Open it up.
I don't see how me telling Abigail
that her husband was leaving is relevant?
Oh, I think it's very relevant.
Eric Tonev, I presume?
1984. Eric Tonev is planning to leave his wife for Veronica.
Abigail finds out
and makes sure he's going nowhere.
- Barnaby. - Your van, sir.
Been spotted in Cooper Hill Woods.
Head for Hunter's Clearing.
Why on earth are we stopping here?
You know why.
I remember when they came round to the house...
and they told us that he'd run off.
Sometimes when people can't cope,
they decide the best thing is to disappear.
Well, I knew what really happened.
See, I heard the phone.
I saw you answering it from my bedroom door.
And you... you rushed out.
Left me there alone.
I waited up two, maybe three hours.
And then you came back...
and you were a mess.
You had mud and blood on your hands, on your clothes.
You caught up with him that night.
You caught up with Dad and you killed him!
That's not true!
I forgive you, Mum.
I forgive you!
It's just time for all this to stop!
I can't do it any more. I'm tired!
Can't do what?
It's best that we end it here.
Together.
You, me and Dad. A proper family again.
He's got a gun.
Sir.
Call for backup.
Please! Please, Nathan! Nathan, please!
Nathan!
Sir!
Get down!
Come on!
Nathan! Please!
Nathan! No!
Where are you taking me?
Mum!
Stop, Mum!
Mum!
OK...
We know what happened, Nathan.
We know you were only looking out for your mum.
Keeping her secret safe.
Felicity found the grave, didn't she?
She knew it was your dad.
Children of the base. Your connection.
You all knew each other's stories.
She'd have known about him going missing all those years ago.
She came to see you.
Probably felt you should know first.
Decent of her.
And how did you repay her
for her act of decency?
You murdered her, Nathan!
I didn't have a choice!
She was gonna go to the police.
I managed to buy some time.
Asked her to hold off until I spoke to Mum.
But instead you planned her death!
I didn't want to. I liked Flick.
What about Sergeant Ali?
Bad timing.
After Flick, I had to move Dad's body.
Ali was in the clearing.
She went back there to mourn Felicity.
I didn't mean for things to get so out of hand.
It all just happened.
Oh, it didn't just happen.
It was planned.
The bodies. Crime scenes.
Your dad's resin. You went to a lot of effort.
I was trying to protect Mum.
What about Faulkner?
Why did he have to die, Nathan?
I went to dump the resin in the woods. He saw me.
Against the wall. Both of you.
You need to think this through.
I have.
The best thing is for me and Mum to end this all now,
quick and clean.
I don't think your mum wants that.
What's the alternative, eh?
They'll put us both in prison.
Can't have that.
You won't cope, Mum, you know that.
Not without me to look out for you.
If I have to go through you, I will.
I'm not moving, Nathan.
Put the gun down, Nathan.
- Mum, just listen to me. - Put it down, son.
I'm trying to protect you.
From what? The truth?
I think it's time everyone knew what happened.
They're gonna hate us for it!
- You're probably right. - Then why not end it here?
Because your dad wouldn't want that!
He loved you very much, Nathan.
And I'm so sorry I took him away from you.
Ssh. It's OK.
It's OK.
There. Ssh-sh.
I caught up with Eric when he went to pick up Veronica.
Begged him to stay.
He wouldn't listen.
He just walked away.
So I picked up a rock and hit him.
Next thing I knew, he was bleeding in my arms.
I... told Eric Nathan would never get over him leaving.
And I was right.
So, er... birthday night in, then?
Well, I could manage a pint first.
- Ah... - You have other plans?
- I could change them. - There's no need.
- Sarah said not to make a fuss. - And she was right.
Off you go.
I'm back.
Sykes?
Surprise!
Happy birthday, darling!
- I said no party! - What, these two?
They popped round on the off-chance.
Nothing to do with me.
Here. You have to open it now.
You said you wanted to watch an old film.
- This is marvellous! - Check out the title.
Go on. Let's get it started.
- Can I have a little hold? - Oh, yeah, of course.
Hello, darling!
Oh, you're gorgeous!
Of course she's good with babies.
What's the problem?
Have you ever met someone that just gets right under your skin?
- Yes. Yes, I have. - What did you do?
- I married him. - Someone get the lights.
Where are we going? Where are we going?
- Drinks all round. - Thank you.
There you go.
So beautiful.
Yay!
Ripped By mstoll