- Come on, Ali. Keep up. - Can I go and paddle?
Not just yet, sweetheart
Good girl.
Look at the sea!
- How about over there? - Great.
Yeah, OK.
- Hey, we're nearly there. - You are getting heavy, Seany.
There we go.
Can I go now? (Mum) Not yet.
Right, let's have a picture.
OK, everyone, look at me.
- Ready? - Smile!
Hey!
Come on, Ali. Don't sulk.
That's it.
Oh, bubba. Come here. Show me what you've got.
OK.
Who would like an ice cream? Do you want one, Jas?
Yeah!
- Ali! - (Mum) Oh, she's sulking.
- I'll leave her with you. Ice cream? - Yeah, whatever.
All righty. Come on, then.
OK. I'm going to find you chocolate ice cream.
- For you. - Wow! Thank you.
OK.
- One Zoom and a Fab for Ali. - Thanks.
What do you mean? Ali's with you.
- I left her with you. - No, you called her over.
No, I said was it OK to leave her with you and you said yes.
No, I said yes to an ice cream.
She can't have gone far. You've only been gone a few minutes. Ali!
- Could she have gone for a paddle? - Maybe, but it's not like her. Ali!
- I'll go down there. - Ali!
Ali!
Excuse me, can you look after my children? I've just lost my little girl.
Ali!
- Do you need some help? - I've lost my daughter.
- OK. Was she in the water? - I don't know. Maybe. I'm not sure.
- Can she swim? - No, but she might be on the beach.
Don't worry, we'll find her. Where did you last see her?
- Out there. - What does she look like?
Um...
She's a little girl. She's nearly four. She's... Dark hair. A pretty little girl.
(Lifeguard) We've got a missing girl. Urgent assistance required, please.
Ali!
(Mum) Ali, where are you?
Ali!
- Hi, Mum. - Hi, hon. Did you sleep well?
Yeah, great thanks.
Oh, Jas, you hair looks so much better like that, darling.
- D'you think so? - It suits the shape of your face.
Good for your skin too. Keep it off the face.
- Morning. - Hi, Dad.
Hi, lovie.
- Bad night again? - I'm fine.
Maybe you should speak to Dr Meath.
- This time of year's always bad. - David, I'm fine.
- I've got the interview this afternoon. - Oh, yeah. I forgot about the interview.
I'm just a bit nervous about it, OK?
- Toast, Jas? Or cereal? - Toast, please.
- David? - No, I'm fine with this.
Bikini diet.
- Anyway, I've got to go. - What time will you be back?
I'm late tonight. I've got that dinner meeting, remember?
Oh, yeah, right.
But, um...
- Good luck today. - Thank you.
- Bye, lovie. - Bye, Dad.
Bye, Sean.
- Mum? - Hm?
On Saturday, when we go shopping for my birthday,
you said I can bring someone. Can I take Ems?
Well, yes, of course.
But isn't Ems the one that didn't invite you to her party?
Well, yeah, but...
Listen, I'm sure she's lovely.
- What time is it? - Time you shaved that thing off your lip.
Trust me.
- Bye, Mum. - Bye, darling.
- See ya. - Bye. Have a good day.
- And good luck for today. - Thank you.
You might be a bit old for this now, Alice but...hey.
I don't want you to be under any illusions about the work we do here, Sarah.
It can be very satisfying, very rewarding,
but it can also be very hard.
Progress is painfully slow and, well...
only a certain son of person can cope with it.
- How many people are you seeing? - People aren't queuing up to do this.
You're more than qualified. If you want the job, it's yours.
(Woman) What time are we meeting tonight?
- Eight, if that's OK? - Fine.
I know it's going to be deathly dull but it would really help me you being there.
That's my job, isn't it?
I'm looking forward to it.
Hello?
I am now a working woman again.
- When do you start? - A month.
- Right. - You could sound more enthusiastic.
- Talk about it later, OK? - It's not a discussion. I'm doing it.
Anyway, I'm just checking out the town. Having a bit of a wander.
I'll be back about four.
- Well, I'll see you later, then. - David, why are you being so neg...
Oh, great.
(Girl) Seriously, seriously!
Oh, shut up!
Ali?
- You off, guys? - Yeah, we're off.
Thanks, Peter. That was really productive.
- Yes. - Speak next week?
Yes, we will, indeed. And a word of advice.
I'd hold onto this one if I were you. A very capable young lady.
- Well, I intend to. Thanks. - Thanks, David.
- Speak soon. - Yep.
Christ, I had it when men call women "ladies".
Yeah, if only they knew.
Listen, thank you for tonight. You were a star.
I enjoyed it.
- You need a cab, don't you? - Er...
Did you mean now or... did you want to have another drink?
Er...
I better make tracks, actually.
- Hey. - Hi.
- How was you meeting? - Yeah, it was good.
- I think we're gonna get that contract. - Oh, great.
Jesus!
What happened?
- I tripped getting out of the car. - You tripped?
Yeah, I got the handle of my bag caught and I tripped.
I must've looked like a complete idiot.
Right.
Anyway, it's not as bad as it looks.
Do you want a cup of tea?
- You're not up to this. - Not up to what?
- A 40-mile round trip, three days a week. - I'm not a child.
- I didn't say you were. - You're treating me like one.
I think I'm perfectly capable of deciding whether I'm up to it on my own.
- Really? - Yes.
Did you have a drink, Sarah?
- No. - Sarah...
- My God, you think I was pissed? - Were you?
I tripped! It was an accident.
I wouldn't blame you. I know...
My problems in the past were a fairly understandable reaction
to a major fucking tragedy in our lives.
Personally, I'd think you'd have to be insane not to have gone a bit mad.
But this is now.
And this is me getting a job.
And how you connect that to the past, I really don't know.
You don't see how getting a demanding unpaid job
in one of the saddest schools in the country is connected to the past?
- No, I don't. - You really are losing it.
Oh, for God's...
You're punishing yourself, Sarah!
11 years on, and you're still punishing yourself.
Why can't you just be happy with what we do have?
A lovely home, two beautiful children.
Isn't that enough for you?
- Love you. - Love you too. Have a good day.
See you later.
You will think about what we discussed, won't you?
I said I would, didn't I?
Listen, thanks for taking the kids. I'm just feeling a bit...
Look, it's no problem.
It's your decision. I just want to help you make the right one.
I know. I know.
I'll try and get back early, OK?
All right, you two. Just jump in the back. Come on.
Just get in.
Feeling better today, Mrs Hooper?
I helped you yesterday. When you fainted.
Yeah, I'm much better today, thank you.
- Good. Have a nice day. - Yeah, and you.
' Ali? ' Oi!
- You got a fucking problem? - I'm really sorry.
- I thought you were someone else. - Well, I ain't, am I?
All right, Melanie, that's enough. It was a misunderstanding.
Now go home.
Piss off, Postman Pat.
Come on.
I'm sorry.
Maybe it's time you went home too.
Yeah, maybe it is.
That was so funny!
(Girl) I was so surprised he did that!
Stop! Let me on!
Please, please open the door!
Let me on, please!
(Girl) Don't be stupid. You'll be fine.
Tell your mum you're going round my house.
It was very funny.
- I gotta go, babes. - Am I gonna see you tonight?
- I'll call you, yeah? - All right. Laters.
Later, babe.
- See ya. - See ya later.
See ya.
- Shit! - You all right, Mum?
Time for bed, please, Jas.
Mum?
- Yes? - Tomorrow...
Emma thinks it might be better to go to Covent Garden, not Oxford Street.
Does she?
So could we go there instead?
- If that's what you want, sweetheart - Yeah.
Then that's fine.
- Night, Mum. - Night-night, baby. Sleep well.
- Night, Dad. - Night, lovie.
Sean asleep?
OK.
Listen, David...
Forget the job. if that's what we're waiting to discuss, forget it.
It's not important.
Because somethings happened, David.
Something...
extraordinary.
What something?
I've seen Alice.
I've seen her. Twice now.
First yesterday, just after I spoke to you, I caught a glimpse of her.
And then again today.
And today...
I stood next to her for ten or 15 minutes on a bus.
And then I followed her home. It was her!
It is her, David. I saw our baby!
And she has your laugh. It's so weird. It's the same as yours and your dad's.
It was her! I know it.
Like you knew the last time?
And the time before that?
This is different.
- Why? - I don't know, OK?
I just... I know that it is.
Our daughter drowned, Sarah.
Alice drowned 11 years ago.
You didn't see her today.
You won't ever see her again.
Our daughter is dead.
I saw her.
(Sarah) Oh, for Christ's sake.
Have a nice time.
- See you in a bit. - Bye.
Hiya. Lucy!
Hi.
Lucy.
- We've got a bit of a problem. - What's up?
Sarah's not here to take them.
My God.
Alice!
- Alice, baby, it's Mummy. - (Man) Come on, slow coach!
- Don't be scared, darling. - Dad...
Come on, love. Excuse me, can I help you?
- That's my daughter. - What?
- That's my daughter Ali! - No, she's not your daughter, love.
- No, it is. - She's not.
- I've come to take you home. - You what? Get in.
- No. Ali! That's my daughter! - Lock the door, babe.
Get in the van and lock the door!
- That is NOT your daughter! - Was it you?
- What?
- You took her. - What?
You bastard!
You took my baby!
- Call the police! - Ali!
- Just get on the phone. - Baby, it's Mummy.
. GO away! ' Ali!
- Please! - Get away!
- There you go. - Thank you.
Your husband just rang again. He's about 20 minutes away.
You want to talk yet?
I lost my eldest daughter 11 years ago.
I'm so sorry.
She was nearly four.
And it was on a beach.
And they said she drowned.
Except they never found her body.
And something in me, I don't know why...
told me that she was alive.
You know, that she...hadn't drowned,
that she'd been taken, stolen from us.
And that's never gone away.
I mean, I wish it had. I wish I could've got on with my life but I can't.
And I've seen girls before...
that I thought might be her. You know, thought.
But that girl, my God.
- I was so sure. - Why? What was it?
- Do you have children? - A little boy.
- How old? - Nearly four.
- And what's his name? - Jamie.
Do you think...that you could ever not recognise Jamie?
Do you think you could ever look into your child's eyes
and not know that he was yours?
Right, then.
I've spoken to Mr Taylor
and I've explained that you've been under a lot of emotional stress recently.
To be honest, Mrs Hooper, he's been very understanding.
Bottom line is, he's happy for me to offer you a caution.
Right.
If you did bother them again, you would be charged, OK?
- Yes. - You do understand that?
- Yes. - Fine.
Well, I'll get the paperwork sorted.
Thank you.
- She said they never found the body. - Did she?
Well, sometimes they wash up, sometimes they don't.
It's a tragic accident, Sal, nothing more.
You need to speak to someone, Sarah.
You need to get some help.
And I will support you in whatever way you want,
but you need to get some help. I can't deal with this any more.
I won't deal with it.
It's just not fair on the kids.
This is just a courtesy call, to let you know what happened with the woman.
And to see how you were, how Lori was.
Must've been upsetting for you both.
Oh, yeah, it was but Lori's a tough old cookie, you know.
- Right. Is she in? - No, she's out with her mum.
Right.
- That your wife? - Jo. Yeah, that's her.
And that's Lori when she was about six months old.
Nice place.
Thanks, yeah. Small but home, you know.
So, just to confirm the lady accepted a caution
and knows that she'd be in serious trouble if she came here again.
We feel confident this won't go any further.
All right, OK.
Your colleague told me what happened to the woman.
I feel more sorry for her than anything.
- Yes. It's a very sad situation. - I couldn't imagine anything worse.
Think I'd top meself if I lost Lori.
Well, we should count our blessings, shouldn't we?
I'll leave you in peace, Mr Taylor.
- Sally! - Hi, Lori.
Mum, this is Sally. She was one of the officers here this morning.
Oh, hi. Thanks for this morning.
- Lori said you was very sweet to her. - No problem.
I just saw your husband. Are you both OK?
They're both fine, thanks.
- So you've been shopping? - Bleeding me dry!
I've got teenage nieces. I know what it's like.
Hey, that's not from this morning, is it? She didn't hum you, did she?
No, it's a late birthday present. It was my sixteenth last week.
- Sorry? - It's a tattoo.
- You're joking. - I've been badgering Mum.
Well, you know what they're like.
It was a losing battle but she caved in today.
After this morning, I thought she deserved a bit of a treat.
- Yeah. Fair enough. - We better get going.
- It's nice to meet you. - You too.
- Bye. - Bye, now.
(Mum) You all right? (Lori) Yeah. She's really nice.
She was really sweet to me.
- All right? - Yeah.
Can you believe that?
It's not even ten.
Yeah, but she's had a hell of a day. She must be knackered, bless her.
Didn't think it'd get to me.
- I wasn't even there but it affects you. - Forget about it. It's history.
Millionaire's on.
Come on.
What?
- What's that for? - For nothing, so watch your step.
Oh!
- Want a cup of tea? - Yeah, great.
I'm so sorry, sweetheart
And I'll make it up to you, OK? I promise.
- Do you forgive me? - Course.
Thank you.
Night-night, my darling.
- I love you. - You too.
- Mum? - Yeah?
- Why aren't there any pictures of her? - Of who?
Alice.
Ahem.
Well, there were.
For a long time.
And then your dad decided that maybe it was a bad idea...
to be reminded every day.
Don't the gaps remind you more?
It's time for sleep, sweetie.
Louise told me her mum said that your first child is always special to you.
Different to the ones that follow.
Oh, darling.
Come here. It's OK.
Shh.
You love them all the same.
God, I promise.
(TV) The first to go were the big class one and two machines.
The second heat would also be for points in the world championship.
In the first race, though...
Listen, David...
I'll see someone.
Anyone you want.
I don't want to lose this.
And I don't want to lose you.
Oh!
Hello?
Mr Hooper, hi. It's DS Bridges. I interviewed your wife earlier today.
Er... Yeah. Hello.
Hi. Sorry it's late. I was just wondering, could I have a quick word with her?
Sure.
It's the policewoman from this morning.
Hello?
Sarah, hi. Look, this is almost certainly nothing.
I just wanted to ask you something about Alice.
Go on.
Did she have any distinguishing marks on her body?
Any moles or scars or birthmarks? Anything like that?
Um... She had a small scar on her knee.
She banged it on the steps once when we went swimming.
Right, OK.
Is there anything else you can remember?
Yeah, she had a birthmark on her arm.
A birthmark?
Yeah, just a small one.
About the size of a 20p piece.
Which arm?
Her left one. About where the TB jab would be. Why?
- Birth certificate? - Or hospital book.
Or health records or NI card.
You're winding me up. If we'd known this was gonna happen
- we'd have pressed bloody charges. - I know it's a pain. It's just procedural.
- Any of them will do. - I've no idea where they are.
- They're all packed away. - Yeah.
- But you have got them? - Of course I've got them!
Course she's got 'em.
What is this? You said this was finished. What's changed?
As I say, it's just belt and braces.
So if you could dig them out it would make my life a lot easier.
Go and get 'em, Jo, love, please. I want her out of here. Please, Jo.
Fine. This is ridiculous!
Jesus!
You'll have to come back. I don't know where they are. I'll have to find 'em.
Right. It's not a huge flat, Jo. Want to have a quick look now?
- I don't mind waiting. - Well, I do, so, no!
- I don't wanna have a quick look now! - Look, love.
- Have you got any right to do this? - No. Not yet anyway.
What do you mean "not yet"?
Well, it would worry us if you couldn't provide any of these documents.
And then we'd be asking you to come and have a chat with us.
And then I think we'd be talking about DNA tests.
- DNA tests! You are joking! - If you'd just show us the documents.
Listen to me. There is no way we are going to be doing DNA tests
because some mentally unbalanced woman reckons our daughter is hers, OK?
And there is no way on God's earth I'm gonna put Lori through that.
You understand?
- How do you feel about that, Joanna? - She feels the same as me!
Tell her, Jo, you feel the same.
Yeah.
Jo, love, tell her you feel the same.
Jo, please, tell her!
Oh, God, I'm sorry.
I am so sorry.
What have you... What have you got to be sorry for?
Sal, spoke to Customs. Steven Taylor's dates check out.
- He was in Oman from '94 to '96. - Unless he's a great actor,
- I don't think he knew about this. - What a mess.
I'd been trying for a baby for a couple of years.
But it just wasn't happening.
And...
This bloke I was with... He was a right bastard, he made me feel really bad about it.
And then he left me.
Went off with a mate of mine.
Six weeks later, I heard that she was pregnant.
I started drinking more heavily.
Losing whole days.
And eventually, I couldn't stand being alive any more.
I was just so...
unhappy-
So, one day, I drove to the nearest beach from where I was living.
I can't swim and...
I'd heard it's not such a bad way to go.
When I got there it was packed.
Bank holiday.
And I was sat there, crying to myself,
thinking I can't even top myself properly.
And I saw this little girl.
And her face was all scrunched up.
She was all angry and upset.
I watched her...
I don't know. It seemed like ages.
And no one came to her.
No one came to comfort her.
Eventually, I walked over...
and I asked her what the matter was.
And she said her mummy and daddy didn't love her no more
since they'd had the baby.
I asked her if she wanted an ice cream,
to cheer her up.
She said she did.
And so I took her.
I didn't know what I was gonna do.
But I do remember...
I felt...surprised
when I was outside my flat and she was still next to me in the car asleep.
I carried her in,
put her to bed and I locked the door.
I didn't come out for a month,
except to buy the food from the corner shop.
She stopped asking about her mummy and daddy after about six months.
I met Steve about a year later.
Told him she was mine. He had no reason to doubt it cos...
Well, we were so close.
What about the photos of her as a baby?
It's a friend's baby.
Taken before I met Steve.
They all look similar at that age, don't they?
I am... I am truly sorry for what I did to her family.
Really.
But no one could've loved Lori more than me.
Hi.
Hello. Come in.
- Have a seat. - Thanks.
Joanna Taylor is about to undergo a formal interview under caution.
But just over an hour ago, she told us that in 1996,
a year before she met Steven Taylor,
she abducted a four-year-old child from a beach
and that child is Lori.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God!
It's going to be OK. It's going to be OK!
Oh!
(Sarah) She's my daughter. That woman admitted it.
We have to do a blood test.
- Just calm down, sir. - Get off me!
Of course she'll live with us. She's your sister.
Welcome home, Ali.
I therefore sentence you to the term of five years in prison.
(Sarah) Listen, I had one sip and then I realised it was a mistake.
(David) I'm struggling to work out how you missed our house being trashed
and our daughter taking drugs.
You will not...destroy our family! I swear!
Please! Please don't take her away from me!