RADIO PLAYS SOFTLY
Wayne?
Darling? (mumbles)
Hey, hey, can't be late.
(groans)
It's his first day back and I don't want you treating him differently.
He'll be a bit jumpy to
He'll be a bit jumpy to start with.
But he'll settle back in like that.
Not quite as easy as that, is it? What?
He was shot close range, walking up to help someone.
The shrink says he's saner than you and me put together.
Not saying much.
Get out.
Welcome home.
Sign.
Oh, and Nell baked you a cake for morning tea.
ALL SINGING: Why was he born so beautiful?
Why was he born at all?
He's no bloody use to anyone, no bloody use at all.
Hip-hip. Hooray!
So what am I supposed to be doing? Cutting the cake, Wayne.
So this is why I pay taxes?
For tea parties?
Mrs Stewart.
Ah, Doyle, front desk.
No. Morning tea.
Can I help you? March 10.
This is my 16-year-old daughter's diary.
Look at the entry on March 10.
History essay due. Maths test.
Damien got me some pot with lots of heads.
What do you take this to mean, Mrs Stewart?
You know very well what it means.
There's only one Damien she knows, Damien Parker.
Damien Parker is corrupting my daughte
Damien Parker is corrupting my daughter Kym.
Gidday. Gidday, mate.
Sell you one? A Choc Wedge.
Business a bit slow?
Won't be at morning recess.
After all, what's lunch money for?
Ta, mate.
What is this? Let's talk about it at the station.
No-one's hurt? No.
Keep that up, Wayne, and you won't fit into your uniform.
Sorry.
Kym won't get into trouble over this?
Even if a search reveals she's in possession, the
Even if a search reveals she's in possession, the fact...
What?! Kym, this is Detective Hasham.
What is this?!
What is my diary doing there? Did you read it?!
It was hidden. You must've searched my room.
Someone has to tidy it, it's a pig sty.
Sit down, Kym.
March 10, you got dope from a guy called Damien.
I don't have to say anything.
If we search your bedroom and find drugs, we can charge you.
It's Damien Parker, right?
The one you got the dope from.
No.
How many Damiens do you know?
Is this your diary? Yes.
You wrote in it on March 10th.
"History essay due. Maths test."
"Damien got me some pot with lots of heads."
Your handwriting?
Yes.
It isn't true but.
I just wrote it in there to show some other girls.
Why would you do that?
Impress them.
Excuse us.
She's lying like a trouper.
Let's get this Damien picked up before she talks to him.
Isn't this a little heavy over a bit of dope at a high school?
Isn't dope illegal in the city?
Or do you just enforce some laws?
Pick him up, Mags.
(echoing) Need any help there?
Shoot him!
GUNSHOT
VKC, this is Mt Thomas 308 requesting a rego check.
Victorian plates, Alpha Charlie Bravo 219.
Mt Thomas 308, the computer is down at the moment.
I am unable to assist you.
VKC, Mt Thomas 608 will assist.
No assistance requested, 608.
Didn't catch that, VKC, must be in a dead spot.
Nick's dead spot travels round with him.
Funny, that.
Police. Get out of the car.
Out of the car, driver.
Hands on the bonnet.
Everything okay? No, it isn't!
He just about had his gun out on me.
I have a little boy in there! Sorry, madam.
This isn't a police state!
I'm sorry I scared you.
Can I have a word with you?
Mt Thomas 508, Constable Doyle on board,
has picked up at Mt Thomas school.
Thanks, VKC.
Boss, Maggie's on her way back with Damien Parker.
Mrs Stewart, Kym, you can leave now.
Thanks for your help.
Kym, I'll hang on to this.
Aren't you scared what you might read in it?
I don't think so.
Is Damien here?
Your Damien corrupted my Kym. Bit late for that.
Ladies, thank you.
Damien ought to be here any moment.
She's no better than she ought to be, that one.
If Damien's got up to shenanigans with h
If Damien's got up to shenanigans with her, I know who led.
It's got nothing to do with sh
It's got nothing to do with shenanigans.
The suggestion is that Damien may've procured drugs for her.
Drugs? That's it now, is it? Alright, that is enough!
Don't you lie to me! Sit down, both
Don't you lie to me! Sit down, both of you.
When I saw that Kym you're always mooning over,
I thought the two of you were doing it a
I thought the two of you were doing it and she was under age.
Can you leave the domestics until you get home?
Right. Kym Stewart's diary.
She says on March 10 you supplied her with marijuana.
No way.
It wasn't real dope.
Not real?
She wanted me to get her some and I got her dried stuff, herbs.
Herbs? What kind of herbs?
It was...um,...
Tarra...
Tarragon? That's it.
Use tarragon, do you, Mrs Parker?
Sometimes.
Then you wouldn't object to us searching your house?
Thanks for your co-operation, Mrs Parker.
I told you you wouldn't find anything.
Look what I found out the back shed.
What do we have here?
Never seen it before.
Let me explain to you about drugs on the premises, mate.
It boils down to either you or your mum.
Tell Mr Hasham the truth, Damien.
I was minding it for someone. Ah, one of the three great answers.
It's not mine, never seen it before, and I was minding it for someone.
Who were you minding it for? I can't tell you.
Alright. Where did they get it from? I can't tell you that.
Why not? You scared of them?
Yes.
Yes, I'm bloody scared. Language, Damien!
I just...can't tell you.
So, what are you going to do? Let him sweat.
Small quantity. He'll get a bond and community service.
I'd rather nab his dealer.
It's probably from somewhere else. Can't happen here?
It's everywhere, boss.
Wayne not coming? No, he headed home.
What was that business on the highway today?
Nothing much.
She phoned me, Nick. She sounded very upset.
You wouldn't want to keep a secret around here, would you?
She was parked by the side of the road, feeding her kid.
Wayne was playing it by the book.
Ordering a young mum to put her hands on the bonnet?
He was being cautious, that's all.
You still coaching at the Blue Light gym over at St David's?
Yeah.
Maybe Wayne could give you a hand. Wayne?
Yeah. Not every cop has to work on the street.
Maybe he's got a whole different career ahead of him.
Maybe he could be a PT instructor or something down at the Academy.
Here we go, this is it.
Smell of warm young male bodies. Very nice.
Can't take her anywhere.
That's my lot there. The basketball team.
Never would've guessed.
I planned to talk to you about this before you got hurt.
Shot, Nick. Why does no-one eve
Shot, Nick. Why does no-one ever say shot?
Before you got shot.
We've got full-timers and I help out.
I thought you'd like to lend a hand.
At what? What's your sport?
Wayne, tell Nick you're a human killing machine.
Come on, Roz.
Hai-ya!
Kickboxing.
That could be popular.
Among those with eyes set too close together.
What do you say?
Are you seriously considering teaching kickboxing
to people who wear heavy metal t-shirt
to people who wear heavy metal t-shirts?
Get out of it, Roz. Don't be such a snob.
What do you say?
Terrific.
Delighted.
I ordered a woman with a little kid to get out of the car
and to put her hands on the bonnet.
(scoffs) It's not funny.
I had my holster unsnapped.
Nick came by and saw it.
So, the suggestion of the gym?
They all think I've lost it.
I would, if I was them.
So, if I got involved in this coaching thing
and ended up teaching physical education at the Academy maybe...
Everyone would be safer.
Hey, it's police culture.
At its best.
We look after our own.
If I don't do it, I'm pushing them away.
And loners aren't exactly welcome.
They'll think I'm a psycho, so... Terrific, delighted.
Yeah.
Come on through.
Cup of tea, Jan? Just had brekkie, thanks.
Sit down. Ta.
They won't put Damien in jail, will they?
Nah, first offence.
A bit of information would go a long way in softening a magistrate.
Tom, he's terrified.
After I got over being angry about it I tried to talk to him.
He's too scared to tell you anything.
Nice people he's been mixing with.
I have a living to earn for both of us!
I'm not blaming you, Jan.
It's just the thought of someone like that here makes me angry.
And I can't put the finger on t
And I can't put the finger on them.
Could one of the school kids supplied him?
I don't know, but Damien's not scared of them.
I was. You?!
I saw you fight that Dickerson boy.
He was twice your size and you put him down.
I was scared of Dicko.
I was wetting myself that day.
Tom, what will I do with him?
Since his dad left, he's gone off the rails, gotten out of hand.
Would he go to a Blue Light gym?
I could ask.
Patterson, I've just got you your first recruit.
DOOR KNOCK
Can you get that, Roz? Yeah, okay.
Hello, you're... Damien.
Oh, hi, Damien. Come in.
Cool t-shirt.
Did you get that in Mt Thomas? St David's.
That's great. I love the skulls.
Wayne, your mate, Damien, is here.
I said I'd pick him up.
I don't think he wanted the fuzz hanging around his place.
I told your mum I'd come and ge
I told your mum I'd come and get you.
You got some gear to train in? Yeah.
Good-o. See you later.
Don't kick each other too hard.
Don't worry.
As you throw the strike, you pivot the foot.
See it again?
Mate, don't hog the ball. Pass.
It's a team sport, Derryn.
Tom, I don't know what I'm supposed to be saying.
Tell me how you feel about the situation.
Well, I'm touched that you want to help.
Does he need help? Hey, that's copper stuff.
Well, if he does... You should talk to Wayne about this.
Ta.
He's not having night horrors, not waking up in a sweat screaming.
He seems fine. Good.
I've done a bit of that in my time, it's not very nice.
You've been shot?
Shot at.
Little boys, always told be brave, don't cry.
You end up not being able to talk at all.
That's why I'm talking to you.
Wayne's not about to come in and cry, is he?
What is it they say?
"Get in touch with his emotions" at the station, is he?
No, I wouldn't think so.
Maybe you should give him a hug.
Give me a break.
I'm not a good policeman's wife, I never will be.
What's a "good policeman's wife"?
Your wife is, and Chris at the pub, she'd be a good one.
A good policeman's wife resists interrogation
by her husband's superiors.
In that respect, you're doing well.
Tom, I don't know what you want.
I want him operational.
I don't want him hurting himself or anyone else.
That's what he wants, so that's what I want, too.
You've just described a good police wife.
Tom, don't you come here to check out if I'm good enough
to be married to one of your constables.
Don't you ever do that.
Nell will kill me if I don't eat my tea.
NICK: Good boy, have a shot!
Well done, Evan.
Pass it, will ya?
Come on, play on.
Play on.
Can I help you, mate?
I thought I'd take a look at how you spend your nights.
Mt Thomas is out of grog and women, is it?
I see you got young Damien along.
Look, mate, it's his first night.
If you start pumping him for information, it'll be his last.
What's he doing here? Dunno, mate.
Let's try some of this stuff, eh?
If the other blokes think I dobbed, I'm finished.
The ones you're scared of?
Thanks, Chrissie. Cheers, Chris.
No, mate, it was very impressive.
What are you on about? Very impressive.
You came to a gym and turned it into a roomful of suspects.
Nick, I was simply looking and
Nick, I was simply looking and checking out...
You could've cut the air with a knife when
You could've cut the air with a knife when you walked in.
Wayne doesn't need this, you know.
What are you talking about? He thinks we're watching him.
We are watching him. Aren't you?
A bit, yeah, but it's different because I'm always at the gym.
He knows you never go there.
You rock up and he thinks you're keeping tabs on him.
I was just checking out Damien's movements, that's all.
I know, mate, and I don't like that side of it either.
I don't care what side you like.
The gym's one of the few places you go where you take your uniform off
and you're equal.
Pull the other one, mate. Alright, relatively equal.
You rock up looking like a drover's dog who hasn't had breakfast,
fancying a kilo of prime suspect...
Hungry as that, eh?
All Ds are like that, mate, the good ones, anyway.
Kids there were peeing themselves
because they thought you'd searched the dressing rooms.
Thanks for your tip, Nick.
I might do that next time.
Don't choke on your beer, PJ.
Extracting information is not what the gym's about.
Then what's the use of it?
The use of it is to give kids something to do.
Remember when you were a kid? No, never was
Remember when you were a kid? No, never was one.
You're a goose sometimes, PJ.
VKC to Mt Thomas or Mt Thomas 608.
Yeah, Mt Thomas, copy, VKC.
Code 16, Barton Highway, three ks south.
Cross street Denmore Lane. One vehicle into a tree.
No more details. Vehicle to advise.
You getting this, Nick? Go with him.
Mt Thomas, copy. 608 on its way.
SIREN BLARES
There's dope.
Oh, Jesus, Derryn.
Derryn, are you with us, mate?
Derryn from the club? Yeah, Derryn from the club.
Captain of the basketball team.
Derryn Coates?
Rod Coates' boy? Yeah, Rod's his old man.
Hmmm.
Rod was a bit of a hippie once.
I'm talking 25 years back.
He could still be using. Old habits die hard.
You think he got it off his old man?
You can take the boy out of the 60s...
But you can't take the 60s out of the boy.
If the dad's growing, the son could be selling at school.
That's what you'd do. If I was
That's what you'd do. If I was bent.
You're barking up the wrong tree. A warrant. We need to check.
Rod's born-again.
I don't care if he's the Pope. I want a warrant.
Lay your healing hand upon him, Lord.
Strengthen him, sanctify him, lead him in your ways.
Amen.
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
They shalt mount up with wings
They shalt mount up with wings as eagles.
They shall run and not be weary.
They shall walk and not faint. Yes.
How's Derryn?
Sergeant Croydon.
He hasn't woken.
Didn't you know he hadn't come home last night?
No.
We'd had a hard day. We slept.
You know he was driving while smoking marijuana.
We gave no permission for a blood test.
We found it in the car.
Could he have got it from your farm?
No.
That was all a long time ago.
We have to search your premises.
I'd like one of you to accompany the officers.
No.
Our place is here, praying for our son.
Leave the keys on the stand when you're finished.
We'll pray for you, Tom Croydon...
..that the spirit of forgiveness may finally come into your heart.
I see.
Cigarette butt?
The boss has a bee in his bonnet about drugs, son.
He gets very angry, can't help himself.
Tell them what it is, Damien.
He's just been to the hospital to see your friend Derryn.
He's still in a coma.
That sort of thing makes anyone angry.
What is it?!
It's a joint.
Derryn got it from somewhere, or the makings, and you know where.
Damien, he could've died.
He's in a coma. He could still die.
And that was in his lap.
I can't tell you.
Nell, you're in the CWA together.
There must be something you want to tell her about.
You've always got plenty to say when she rings up at tea time.
Good.
No, no, she's not free to come to the phone now.
She'll be free if you ring back in a minute.
Of course it's alright.
Trust me, I'm a policeman.
Well?
He knows it's a joint. PHONE RINGS
Where in Mt Thomas would I buy grass, Damien?
Where?
Mrs Parker, Nell Croydon on the phone.
Something about the CWA.
Must've seen you come in.
Listen to me, you little turd.
Your mate almost died last night.
You're protecting the person who almost put him in a grave.
Tell me this person's name or I'll spread word
that you've been giving information.
You can't do that! Oh, yes, I can.
He'll kill me! He?
That narrows it down.
Now, Damien.
Tell me now!
Will he go to jail? If you tell me, I can protect you.
You can't.
He'll go, mate.
Selling drugs to school kids, he'll go.
DOOR OPENS
Did you interrogate my son while I wasn't here?
He's facing serious charges. Maybe I should speak to a lawyer.
Any other day she and Nell would've been on the phone for hours.
Searched the entire Coates place.
Found 17 bibles and not one bong.
I'm relieved, in a way.
Did you put the keys back on the stand?
I'll take 'em back.
Give me a chance for a chat.
Sorry about that.
I suppose if you found anything we'd have known by now.
All clean.
Sergeant Croydon says we're clean, love.
That's nice.
How's Derryn? No change.
You want to talk to me?
About the sort of people he mixes with.
School, gym, gospel hall on Sundays.
Got a girlfriend? (mortified) No!
That's hard to believe.
Good looking young bloke.
There are no girls his age in the congregation.
He was seeing the Stewart girl, but we put a stop to it.
Kym Stewart?
He couldn't have married her, she's not a believer.
I've seen her at church.
Oh, I see.
In that case, you probably don't want to know
my wife lit a candle for Derryn today.
Hey, Chris, what's the goss on Rod Coates?
The Holy Rod. What about him?
Do him and the boss go back? Could say that.
I can't work out if they're best mates or hate each other's guts.
You could say that, too. Hey?
They grew up together.
Then came Vietnam. Tom was called up, Rod wasn't.
Rod turned hippie, got a bee in his bonnet about the war.
A lot of people did.
They told us at school...
Don't you love it, "They told us at school".
I know you were just out of nappies when it
I know you were just out of nappies when it ended...
Well, the protest thing wasn't so big in the country.
I remember the first Anzac Day aft
I remember the first Anzac Day after Tom got back from Vietnam.
Dawn service.
I was there with Dad, he was in World War II.
Rod turned up and threw blood over Tom and called him a baby killer.
Gee.
He didn't want PJ to go out and search the Coates' property though.
That's Tom for you, bending over backwards.
Tom would've forgiven Rod years ago but maybe Rod hasn't forgiven him.
But it was Rod who behaved badly to the boss.
It's the hardest thing in the world, forgiving someone you've wronged.
I reckon you've got about 10 minutes.
It's okay.
They've gone to the canteen to get something.
Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.
Is he going to be okay? It's a bit early to say.
It's my fault.
How could it be? You weren't with him, were you?
He came to my place after training. I snuck out the window.
His parents wouldn't let him see you.
I'm not holy enough.
Join the club.
He was smoking dope.
With you?
He had some pills as well. Rowies.
Nice combination. Dope and rohypnol.??
Doesn't do a lot for your driving.
He dropped you off, was driving home, fell asleep at the wheel.
I suppose.
I get very tired.
At the station we all get very tired of scraping dead kids off the road.
So, who sold him grass and rowies?
Same person, was it?
And he's selling other stuff as well?
Who is it, Kym?
The ice cream man.
The ice cream man?
At school.
The ice cream man.
The ice cream man? Does he have a name?
Jimmy. Jimmy Richards.
He was in Year 12 when I was in Year 7.
James Richards.
His parents are decent people, he's a terror.
We did him for assault. Yeah. Pub fight, he went bananas.
What's he selling, Kym?
Dope, hash.
Speed, rowies.
Acid. He had some ecstasy last month.
Real little supermarket.
Smack? No.
Only a matter of time.
How do you know about this, Kym? Everyone knows.
And you didn't tell me? You can't dob, Mum.
Does he just sell from the ice cream van?
Ah, nights and weekends he sells at the front bar of the Commercial.
But kids can't go in there.
What's this town coming to?
You should protect us from this. We do our best.
A little information goes a long way.
Who told you?
That is none of your business. Sit down.
Kym? Absolutely not.
Derryn? He's still in a coma.
And we're not answering any more questions.
Why are we here?
To discuss the possible drug charges that Damien will be facing.
Unless we can work something o
Unless we can work something out.
Come on, let's get cracking.
Come on, Doyle, on your bike.
What's going on?
Hi, Wayne. See ya, mate.
What's going on? We received information.
The dealer's Jimmy Richards, school ice cream vendor.
Information from who? Damien? No.
Who, then? The fewer who know, the better.
Everyone's on the stakeout bar me? Someone has to run the station.
Life doesn't stop for stakeou You sent Maggie.
Life doesn't stop for stakeouts. You sent Maggie.
She's a police officer first and a woman second.
You don't trust me any more.
Are you wearing a uniform? Yes.
Would you be in uniform wearing a sidearm if I didn't trust you?
I don't know.
Son, I run this place.
I can assign my people to anything I like.
Say if you understand. I understand.
Then don't question my orders, do as you're told.
VKC's assigned us a back channel, channel 34.
Okay? Okay.
Target's in position.
Ten minutes to recess, Nick.
Okay, on him.
Same here.
We're monitoring.
Got that, base? Got it.
Gidday, Damien.
The special.
Getting it, Nick?
I've got it.
Okay, let's go.
Gidday, Jimmy.
You're under arrest, mate.
You're not obliged to say anything.
Anything you do say may be used as evidence against you.
I need your second name there and your first name there, mate.
Smooth as silk.
He had his own chemist shop.
Not bad.
Then your address and postcode.
They wouldn't even let me in on it. I'm sorry.
It's like they've cut my nuts off.
When Tom came around I thought... What?!
Two nights ago when you were at the gym, Tom came around.
You didn't tell me.
Well, I was worried you'd think he was checking up on you.
Wasn't he? Sort of. It was an honest concern.
Bloody hell, Roz.
Wayne, he was concerned.
I never thought I'd hear you stick up for him.
He's human.
Never thought I'd hear you say that either.
Come to bed.
You reckon that'll fix it? It works for me.
They've just pushed me away.
Even Maggie. I went through the Academy with her!
They come in laughing and joking, I wasn't even at the party.
LAUGHTER
Oh, the look on Jimmy's face.
I love remembering the look on his face.
We all going again? No, not me, boss. I've got a date.
Don't you be late for court at St
Don't you be late for court at St David's tomorrow.
I want this thing to stick. It will.
The hospital called. Derryn Coates is awake.
Thank God for that.
A happy ending.
Ah, same again, thanks.
They will forget.
Will they? They're basically nice people.
Except for Nick, who books innocent drivers and PJ who's a lech.
And Tom, who's a manipulative old bugger.
And I don't like that lustful way Maggie sometimes looks at you.
She doesn't.
No, you're right. She doesn't.
But apart from that, they're... ..basically very nice people.
Can't be late.
You finished next week's rosters? Yeah. Just.
These summonses need delivering.
Thanks for letting me off the leash, boss.
Son, comedy doesn't suit you.
Mt Thomas police.
Boss, it's PJ, he sounds agitated.
What is it, PJ?
Right. See you when you get back.
The magistrate granted bail to Jimmy Richards.
Oh, no!
Call Jan Parker, 61-4736.
See if she knows where Damien is. At school.
Check anyway. I'll ring the school.
Hello, it's Tom Croydon. Mrs Parker, it's Constable Doyle.
I'm trying to ascertain... Is Damien at school today?
Please keep him in your office until one of our officers gets there.
Thank you. Thank you.
He's at school. They're out.
VKC, Mt Thomas station.
Could you ascertain the whereabouts of Mt Thomas 308 and 608
then give me a back channel to them?
Mt Thomas 308, your position, please.
Mt Thomas 308 on highway one kilometre south.
Mt Thomas 608, position, please.
Five kilometres north, VKC.
Mt Thomas vehicles, please switch to channel 28.
Wayne, Nick, vicinity of the high school.
Try and pick up Damien Parker.
Jimmy's got bail.
I'll kill you, you scumbag!
TYRES SCREECH
Don't do it!
Drop your gunbelt. Don't be stupid.
At the moment all you're facing is a bond.
Drop your belt!
Do you know what they do to blokes like you in jail?
Do you want to find out? DROP IT!
Toss it over there.
Done.
Now, you pick it up.
DISTANT SIREN
You right? You okay?
Come on.
This one may need an x-ray. Sounds good to me.
You okay, pal?
Come on.
DOOR OPENS
Got back to work today.
Wasn't that Monday? No, it wasn't.
Do you want to go to bed? You really reckon that'll fix it?
It works for me. Okay, then.
What's this about broken ribs?
He had to disarm the suspect somehow, boss.
Reasonable force, would you say? Yeah, under th
Reasonable force, would you say? Yeah, under the circumstances.
Boy's life in danger, cutting weapon involved.
If he used that martial arts stuff, I'll have his hide.
No, no, no, standard crash tackle, boss.
Wow, that fixed it for me.
Yeah, worked for me, too.
Funny, that.
SUBTITLERS: Kerrie McKay, Tricia Moreno, Jill Zerbini, Megan Boaden