DCI Banks Playing With Fire
Part 1
- Morning. - Hi.
Nice boots.
Yeah, I like to make a good first impression.
Plus, I am not risking the heels in this.
Right...
let's go.
Sir, this is Geoff Hamilton,
Senior Investigations Officer,
- Yorks Fire Service. - DCI Alan Banks.
DS Annie Cabbot.
- How are we for access? - Safe to board.
- Sir? - Kevin?
There was a second boat moored behind, but...
it seems to have caught fire and gone under.
No more bodies, though.
Second boat's owned by British Waterways.
According to their head office, it's unoccupied.
Right, then, Mr. Hamilton. What's the story?
By my estimate, the fire started
between midnight and 1am.
The witness called emergency services at 1:04am.
Lives in the old lock keeper's house about a mile that way.
He said he heard an explosion.
Geoff, do you wanna walk us through it?
Good holiday?
- You look well. - Thanks.
- What did you do? - Well, nothing much.
Read a few books, did a bit of exploring.
- On your own? - Yeah.
The victim?
There.
Odd. Rapid smoke inhalation.
People usually fall on their backs.
This man's on his front.
He was unconscious when the fire started.
Aye, could be.
Two weeks holiday on your own?
Meet people? Make friends?
No.
- Did you talk to anyone? - Not really.
- Weirdo. - We've got a glass here,
in what looks like it could once have been a whisky bottle.
So maybe he was drunk...
..staggering around the place, knocks the bottle over,
lit fag in his mouth, falls asleep,
- ignites the booze... - No.
That's the seat of the fire.
Streamers...here, here and here.
An accelerant was used.
This fire was started deliberately.
We've identified the victim as Leslie Whittaker.
36-year-old single man, second-hand book dealer
with a shop in Cathedral Street.
Now, it's fairly isolated down by the canal,
so we're canvassing as far as
a three-mile radius from the locus.
Did anyone see anything suspicious?
Anyone coming or going from Whittaker's boat
between 11pm and 1am?
Brian, the fire engine's silent-witness camera -
go through the footage for me.
Now, the fire was started deliberately
from inside Leslie Whittaker's boat.
Which suggests he either knew or trusted his killer.
Now, boys and girls, we are into
the minutiae of Leslie Whittaker's life.
Friends, family, associates.
Positional statements from
anyone we can find,
filed and cross-checked onto Holmes via DC Templeton here.
Everybody happy? Let's go.
Better come have a look, boss.
Crime-scene guys found this hidden in the bow
of Leslie Whittaker's boat.
OK, Keith, let's open the box.
How could you go two weeks without speaking to anyone?
Easy. You should try it sometime.
If this is a human body part, I'm back to Complaints.
If you don't shut up, you're back to Complaints.
Hello.
I'm no expert, but that looks like a Turner.
I reckon at least 20 grand.
Right, we've got two choices. If it's genuine, it's nicked.
If it's fake, we could be looking at art fraud.
Over here! We've got a body! It's definitely a body!
Marine Support reckons she was on the second boat,
but it's completely broken up.
A write-off, as far as evidence goes.
Still in her sleeping bag - she didn't try to escape the fire either.
Well...
..maybe because she was unconscious.
There's a head trauma here.
It could be a falling roof beam.
No, I don't think so.
I don't know. Maybe something shorter,
sharper, with more force and violence.
Geoff, are you sure the fire started on Whittaker's boat?
100%.
Maybe that's to confuse us.
Maybe she was the intended victim.
Yeah, but what about the money? The painting?
I know, but I don't wanna rule anything out just yet.
Win, ID and background on this girl.
Find out what she was doing
on that boat and who might have wanted her dead.
I'll check out Whittaker's shop. Annie, the painting -
is it definitely a Turner? If so, genuine or fake?
Either way, find out its market value.
Boss.
- All right, Ken, let's go. - Boss.
- Sir. - Thanks, Mark.
Right, we're looking for accounts, receipts, cash, cheques.
Any kind of paper trail that would explain the money
found on Whittaker's boat.
You look well, Alan.
- Have you been on holiday? - Mexico, Acapulco.
You old rascal.
Maria, when did you last see Leslie Whittaker?
Last week.
How's that ex-wife of yours? What's she called?
Sandra. She's pregnant by her new partner Sean,
who's a graphic designer and they're living in London.
Have you seen anyone suspicious coming or going recently?
Listen, love, the line of business that Leslie's in -
rare and antique books - it attracts its fair share of chancers.
Anything odd, a bit off?
Well, I didn't know he had an interest in painting.
He'd been spending a lot of time with Jacob McMahon.
He's an artist. A failed artist, actually.
Bitter and twisted, and full of self-loathing.
The way you men get in your declining years.
Maria, do you have an address for this Jacob McMahon?
Hello?
Anyone in?
Mr. McMahon? Jake?
- Morrison! - All right, mate, just...
..calm down.
- What are you doing, Morrison? - I'm not Morrison.
I'm police. DCI Alan Banks.
Jake... It is Jake, isn't it?
Why don't you just put the gun down?
- You are Morrison. - No.
Ey?!
I had you there, eh?
You shat a brick.
You should have seen your face.
You got a licence for that?
You got a warrant to break into my house?
- No. - Good.
I'm gonna make a complaint.
You smell burning, Jake?
Yeah. Why is that?
I don't know, but I could smell it too, so
I'm within my rights to break in. Danger to life and property.
I've got some questions.
Hi. I'm looking for Mark Keane.
- Mark Keane? - Bastard.
- Yeah? - DS Annie Cabbot,
Yorkshire Major Crimes Unit.
What have I done?
Are you Mark Keane - the art guy?
What did you expect?
Some boozy toff with a bowtie and a bad case of gout?
Senior Curator at the Northern Gallery -
specialist in 18th and 19th century landscape painting.
- I'm sorry love, I've got to go. - Look,
we've got a murder victim
with what could be a Turner painting
hidden in a safe on his premises.
So your dead man's an artist?
That's the odd bit. Money and painting -
possibly a Turner - hidden away,
but he's a second-hand book dealer.
- All that makes sense. - How come?
Art forgery...
it's not all about painting, you know?
It's a big operation.
Leslie Whittaker...
- you know him? - He sells books.
I like to read.
He was murdered.
Last night.
Where were you...
last night, between midnight and 1am?
My local.
About a mile that way.
We had a lock in.
We found a lot of money hidden on Whittaker's boat...
and what might be a Turner.
Know anything about that?
No.
Who's Morrison?
Nobody.
I were just...
freaking you out.
Sorry, Jake.
What for?
What I'm about to do might be considered
an infringement on your civil liberties,
but as you pulled a gun on me...
..all bets are off, eh?
Thanks, mate.
Yes, Win?
Dental record hit on the dead girl.
Christina Aspern, 19 years old.
Student at Leeds Uni.
Family live out in Harrogate.
Let's face it, having kids is hereditary.
I mean, if your parents didn't have kids,
chances are you won't have any kids either.
And when I talk of family,
I include all of you here today.
All my dear,
dear friends.
And all this - the house, the career,
this golden life of ours,
ultimately, it means nothing.
What's valuable is the rich and rewarding,
life-affirming relationships that I have with you all.
I'm not celebrating 60 years on planet Earth here today.
I'm celebrating the love
and the warmth that I feel as I look at you...
..my beloved family.
Bloody hell, I love you!
Hello, sweetheart. Thanks for coming.
Would you excuse me a minute?
Hello. Thanks for coming.
Hi, I don't think we've met.
Dr. Patrick Aspern?
- Yes? - DCI Alan Banks,
Yorkshire Constabulary, Major Crimes Unit.
Is there somewhere we could talk?
It's about your daughter Christina.
- A fire? - I'm very sorry, sir.
Well, I'm sorry.
- Can I get you a coffee, tea? - No, no.
If you like, sir, I can inform them.
My responsibility.
But thank you.
Patrick...
what's happened?
Miranda...
Christina's dead.
This is...
Miranda, my wife.
And this is Ailsa...
..our baby.
I'm afraid I have to ask...
can you confirm where you were last night, sir,
between 10pm and 2am?
Yes, I was here.
We were all gathering for my birthday -
a sort of...pre-party party.
The fire that killed Christina was started deliberately.
Another person died on the next boat,
and we're not sure who the intended victim was.
Mrs. Aspern, where were you last night?
Here. All night.
Can somebody find Patrick?
Patrick?
Excuse me.
I really am very sorry, sir.
Thanks.
Hi.
- Jeez, you gave me a fright. - Sorry.
Listen, cutbacks - we've decommissioned
the Arts and Antiques Squad, so er...
I need some expert input.
All right. One condition.
You and me, Criterion Bar, George Street,
eight o'clock tonight.
Maybe...
if you tell me what you make of this.
It's not on paper, it's on canvas, so it's an oil painting.
Wow, you're good.
OK.
This is Ingleborough from Hornby Castle terrace.
It's one of a series of six oils Turner
did on his tour of Yorkshire in er...
- 1816, I think. - Real or fake?
I'd need to eyeball it.
But if it is real, you've got yourself a lost, minor masterpiece.
This bad boy hasn't been sighted since the late 19th century
when it was sold at auction to an anonymous buyer.
OK, so if it's real,
or can be passed off as real, how much?
Millions.
Kevin, I want you to run a check on a Mrs. Miranda Aspern.
Miranda...Aspern.
OK. Soon as. Thanks.
This way, boss.
Right, then, art forgery - it's not all about painting, you know?
You need genuinely old paper
culled from old books, so
so Whittaker might have supplied paper.
It's an active as a line of inquiry,
but the Turner was done on canvas.
Win, Jacob McMahon - local artist,
lives in a house out at Jennings Field,
associate of Leslie Whittaker's.
His alibi checks out for the night of the fire,
but get onto Intel. Get a proper profile.
- Boss. - Also,
Also, I've sourced some expert assistance,
- so if Mark can come in and - - Mark?
Mark Keane - Senior Curator at the Northern Gallery.
He's a specialist in 19th-century English-landscape painting.
- Win?- Mark Keane -
I'll action a disclosure check.
Here we are.
- You see that? - Yes, sir.
- What? - Keep talking, tracker Joe.
Well, lucky for us, ground's muddy and we've got protection from the trees.
Our guys reckon these tyre prints
were made within the last 36 hours,
so we should be able to get make
and manufacturer from the wheelbase... - Now!
What?
Come on.
- Bitch! - I know.
Thanks.
Bailey! Come on! Come on!
Clever girl!
Come on, give me the ball! Come on. Give me the ball. (LAUGHS)
Give me the ball!
What's wrong?
Did you kill her?
No.
I'm coming, Bailey.
Come on! Come on, Bailey!
Come on, Bailey! Come on! Come on!
OK, Gerry, why were you hiding in the woods?
Why did you run?
I don't like cops.
Where's Les?
- Is he OK? - Leslie Whittaker?
- Yeah. - Leslie Whittaker's dead.
In a fire on Tuesday night.
A fire that was deliberately set.
Where were you Tuesday night, Gerry?
I were at my mate's...
playing Xbox.
His name's Declan Shannon.
Been there for the last two days. You can check.
I didn't kill him.
Neither did Christina, before you ask.
- Christina Aspern? - Yeah.
I live on a boat with her.
She's my girlfriend.
According to the boat's owner, it's unoccupied.
We were squatting.
Where is the boat?
At the bottom of the canal.
Where's Christina?
Christina died in the fire too.
No, she...
she weren't on the boat,
she were at her dad's on Tuesday.
It was his birthday.
I knew it.
I knew there was something wrong.
Something wrong?
She were gonna grass him up,
to you - the police.
She said she were gonna grass him up,
that's why she didn't go to his party.
Grass who up?
Her dad.
So you're saying that...
Christina was going to report her father,
Dr. Patrick Aspern, to the police.
- Why? - I dunno.
They weren't talking and...
they were eating away at her, like,
really messing up her head.
She said it made her sick.
Her dad killed her.
Unlikely.
The fire was started on Whittaker's boat
and Mark Keane said the Turner could be worth millions.
That's a lot of money and a lot of motive.
Christina was on the end of a violent blow to the head.
Whittaker made no effort to escape the fire.
Neither did Christina. She was still in her sleeping bag.
Are you really saying Aspern killed Christina?
Or his wife, and he's trying to protect her.
- What? - I don't know,
but something's not right there.
So Aspern, or his wife, killed Christina,
and then went to the trouble of setting a fire to make it look like Whittaker
- was the intended victim? - I don't know, Annie,
but here's what I do know.
You're tasked with the art-fraud line of inquiry -
concentrate on that, please.
Patrick Aspern's due in to identify the body.
Let's get a look at the whites of his eyes, shall we?
DS Cabbot on DCI Banks's team.
Yeah, the tox results on...
OK. I'll be right over.
DS Cabbot?
Normally this goes directly to the SIO.
DCI Banks has tasked me with processing the tox reports.
If you want to er...
call him in the middle of a double-murder investigation,
go ahead - speed-dial five.
Thank you.
Is there something wrong?
There's a problem here, isn't there?
I'm not sure this is the appropriate time or place, sir.
My daughter's dead, there is no appropriate time or place.
Tuesday night, your house, the night before the party.
Was Christina invited?
- Of course. - But she didn't come?
- No. - Why not?
I don't know.
When did you last speak to Christina?
About a week before she died.
She was studying public-health management.
I was giving her some work experience.
Anything else?
We've been given to understand
that Christina was going to report you to the police.
Well, I've done nothing criminal,
so Christina would have no reason to report me to the police.
Did you and Christina have a good relationship, sir?
I'm sorry?
Did you have a good relationship with your daughter?
Yes.
I did.
I loved her.
DCI Banks?
Are you ready, sir?
Is this your daughter, sir?
Christina Aspern.
Yes.
What about her things?
- Her possessions? - Still being retrieved from the canal.
Do you think that I...?
Is this head wound why you think
Christina was murdered?
She makes no attempt to escape the fire.
This could explain why.
You're wrong.
I'm a GP.
Look, the skull splinters haven't been driven into the brain,
as would be the case with blunt-instrument trauma.
See? They've been forced outwards.
This is a fracture caused by internal pressure.
These fires,
they reach temperatures of over 1,200 degrees,
at which point, the blood, the brain boils.
Steam needs an outlet, so it blows a hole...
..in the skull.
My Christina was in the wrong place at the wrong time,
but somebody set that fire deliberately!
Now, you do your job and find them.
You need to up your game, old son.
You didn't kill her.
No.
Right, then, Christina Aspern wasn't the intended victim
of the boat fire, Leslie Whittaker was.
So the head trauma wasn't the result of an attack,
but Christina didn't try to escape the fire.
Why not?
Because she'd taken heroin.
Toxicology reports.
There was a large quantity of heroin
found in Christina Aspern's bloodstream,
but more importantly, Leslie Whittaker
had a substantial dose of benzodiazepine in his bloodstream.
- That's a chemical name for... - Rohypnol.
Slipped into Whittaker's drink, knocks him unconscious,
while the killer spreads his accelerant and sets the fire.
Unfortunately for Christina,
she's next door, out of it on heroin.
We'll find Christina Aspern's killer if we focus
this inquiry on Leslie Whittaker.
Boss?
Fire engine's silent-witness camera - you need to see this.
Here we are.
Half a mile shy of the canal-boat fire.
17 minutes past midnight -
matches the time of the murder.
The guys have enhanced as much as they can,
but can't make a face on the driver.
- Licence plate? - Yes.
Patrick Aspern?
Miranda Aspern.
Right, we've got unidentified tracks near the scene of the crime.
If they match Miranda's jeep...
Doesn't mean she had anything to do with the fire.
It means she's a key witness.
That's if it was Miranda in the car.
It could have been Aspern himself.
Dr. Aspern, Miranda - they're hiding something.
Yeah, and you and your support network here
are taking it personally.
My office.
OK, standard protocol is the toxicology reports
are delivered directly to the SIO,
but you were busy with Patrick Aspern,
so what's wrong with me opening an envelope for you?
This isn't about the niceties of procedure, Annie.
It's about you strutting your stuff in front of my support network
with the tox report.
A) They are not my support network.
They are hard-working, dedicated officers
and are vital members of our team,
and as such, I expect you to treat them with
your full professional respect.
B) The toxicology report.
Don't come into a briefing with your colleagues
and showboat like that again.
That's all.
Patrick Aspern.
Don't let this becomes a pissing contest.
- Sorry I'm late. - It's all right.
- Drink? - White wine.
- What kind? - Large.
I didn't know all that forgery stuff still went on.
I mean, I thought you could do x-rays and -
It's an arms race.
Us guys come up with a test...
..the bad guys find a way to fox it.
So...
when do I get to come in and look at your exhibits?
Once we've ran a security check on you.
I should really go home.
I really should go home.
Is there someone else, Annie?
In your life?
No.
Hello, mate.
- Thanks, Kevin. - Dr. Aspern,
we'd like a word with your wife, please.
Miranda's not here, she's gone to her mother's.
We have a warrant to impound her car.
We'd like to interview her as soon as possible.
- Why?- Tuesday night -
the night Christina died -
- where was your wife? - Didn't you already ask her that?
Was Christina the intended victim?
Or is this just some perverse obsession with me and my family?
Tuesday night, where was your wife?
Can I remind you, sir, that providing someone
with a false alibi is a criminal offence.
Would you mind keeping your filthy
black face out of my business?
Kevin, tell Forensics I want
a report on the car by the end of the day.
- Win... - I'm fine.
- Would you like me to - - I'll be fine, thanks, sir.
Yes, Ken?
We've got another fire and another body.
Jake McMahon.
Thanks, Ken.