04x25 - Chasing The Dragon
CID are on an OBBO on the Rochester Estate. They're bored and aren't even sure where their suspects are supposed to be. Jim insists that his snout has too much to lose to lie to him. Though how they can keep saying they've not seen anything given Jim's chair is wound back and his eyes are closed and Mike's slumped mostly below the level of the windows that he's side on facing on the back seat I don't know....! The only one sat up is Ted.
Malcolm and Pete spot some pretty spectacularly poor parking outside a bookies. Pete wants to pull him but Malcolm reckons he'll be out as soon as he's put a bet on and it's not worth the paperwork. Pete thinks the car looks hooky and he wants a look at it. "It's practically brand new...?" "That's what I mean!"
The CID boys have gotten out of the car and are looking around to stretch their legs. This time from a car that has caught Ted's eye. Luckily, he's watching because it's the drug deal they'd been waiting for! Unfortunately, however, the personal radios are playing up so Ted makes his way down by himself. The car speeds off before he can get to the bottom of the stairs so he runs to the CID car with the car radio and circulates the description of the men, car, and the registration.
Malcolm spots the car and has to press his horn for Pete. Pete has to choose between arresting the man who has just come out of the bookies or joining Malcolm. He chooses Malcolm. They chase the black capri and Pete thinks he made the right choice with Malcolm as he thinks nicking these dealers might just get him back into CID. The dealers drive erratically and crash so Malcolm and Pete get out to make chase. Pete manages to catch his but three punks stop Malcolm from catching his.
Ted, Jim and Mike catch them up and check the boot of the car and find a lot of drugs. The suspect is silent and refuses to even acknowledge them. In his search, Ted spots a skipping rope underneath the car and kneels to check it out further. There's a pool of blood slowly spreading... "Call an ambulance! Call an ambulance now!" A young woman looks over the balcony searching for her daughter. She spots the police around a crashed car and Ted holding the skipping rope and screams her daughter's name.
Viv accompanies the girl's mother to the hospital. The daughter has serious head injuries and has been rushed into surgery. Derek urges Tom to ensure that everyone involved files a report as soon as they're back and he wants to see Jim, Mike and Ted in his office. Derek asks how Tom is coping with being back. He thinks he's absolutely fine but Derek doesn't agree, he thinks he's looking and sounding much better than he has for a long time.
Ken and Claire are at a Laundrette to deal with reports of a fracas. Ken isn't happy as they get called often to deal with petty squabbles and it ties up a lot of police time. Two women are arguing over a machine, one claims that the other put her washing in 'her' machine and so she pulled it out. This has coated the floor with water and soap. Ken ends up falling flat on his arse. Claire shouts at the arguing women to shut up and orders the one who damaged the machine by forcing the door open to tidy it up.
As they bring their suspect in, Pete repeatedly tells Malcolm that they got to the car first so he is their collar. He doesn't want CID to get the glory when it's the job that can get him where he wants to be.
Derek is not in the mood to be messed with when CID arrives in his office. He shouts at Ted not to call him Guv but to call him Sir. He asks why he hasn't had a written report from them and Ted starts to say he thought it best that they came and spoke to him. Derek doesn't agree. Reg listens with his ear at the door as Derek tears them a new one.
Pete pushes the suspect into an interview room and tells him they have him hook line and sinker for driving a car full of skag and likely nicking the car in the first place. He's screaming in the man's face until Malcolm shouts at him to stop. He only stops for a few seconds though before adding manslaughter to his potential charges and asks who he's been dealing for.
Still, he stays quiet. Pete loses his temper, calls him a stupid little skag-end and storms out. Malcolm takes exactly the opposite approach - a typical good cop/bad cop measure. He sits on the table in front of the boy, asking in a soft and measured tone what his name is. This time he answers. He's called Michael Squire and he lives on the Rochester Estate. He didn't even see the girl, he was driving to get away from the police. He tells him not to listen to Pete. "You're dealing with me now."
It still remains touch and go for the girl, Reg tells him not to go through to tell Conway just yet as he's still bollocking CID. "What a voice!" he laughs before quickly covering. "... I could hear them through the door!"
Malcolm tells Alec that Michael doesn't know who the man who got away is, but he has given him a list of places that the man is supposed to go to tonight to get the money for the drugs. Alec praises him and goes through to charge Michael.
With Frank on leave, Derek agrees to let Pete and Malcolm see the case through. Malcolm is going undercover on the Rochester to try and nail him. He commends them for how they've handled the case so far.
The young lad asks Alec what will happen to him. Alec sighs, shakes his head and tells him to sleep on it.
The doctor comes through to talk to Viv and Debbie's mum. She tells them that Debbie is awake and asking for a drink. Viv comforts her mum as she breaks down in relief.
Pete is still full of the joys of what Conway said, telling Malcolm that he too would do good in CID. "I'm following this case through because I want that bloodsucker off the street!" Malcom reminds Pete. He's not interested in using it as progression. "I just don't like your methods." "Yeah well, they get results!"
Malcolm is welcomed into a party on the Rochester Estate and introduces Pete as his brother-in-law. They agree to catch up later. The man lets Malcolm in but won't let Pete in. Inside Malcolm hears a man threatening a lad - the one who got away from them that afternoon. The man wants his money and drugs but the police have ended up with them. The man won't listen to excuses and gives the boy until the end of the night to get them to him. Malcolm leaves the party and updates Pete who grabs the lad at the bottom of the stairs. He is terrified and stuck between a rock and a hard place. He gives the address of the big boss and the boys pass it on to Derek who takes it to Ted and the CID boys. (... Derek's calmed down as he doesn't react when Ted calls him guv.)
Pete and Malcolm wait for CID to arrive. Ted joins them in the car as Jim removes the prisoner to his. "Don't try anything silly, he's not as well brought up as we are."
Pete points out the big boss man's expensive flat and the flash Merc - the one that was parked outside the bookies that morning - just outside. Malcolm and Pete are sent by Ted to go and make him jumpy. Ted, Jim and Mike stay outside as backup to be 'ready when he lands.' A woman answers the bell and so Malcolm covers that they're simply looking for the owner of the car outside. She lets them up and answers the door with most of her top buttons open which definitely distracts Pete! She leads them inside the flat where her boyfriend welcomes them to make themselves at home. He makes the girlfriend get drinks but they refuse so she makes just him one. Malcolm asks him to get dressed so they can take him down to the station. The suspect laughs and says he's clean and the place is clean so it's a massive waste of time. He suggests they have a few drinks and relax. Pete says the same thing and then that they'll return with a warrant and take the place apart if he doesn't. He just scoffs and tries to buy them off. Malcolm shouts at him to get dressed and confiscates his car keys. "I need the car for the girl man." "We want to see what's locked in your garages.... sir."
They open the garage doors and find it full of obviously stolen property as well as at least 2 metal suitcases full of drugs. "Bingo!"
