Silent Witness

This programme some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting

Ow!

No, I'm really not happy with the arrangements for this evening.

Couple of things.

You say you can fit an extra ten people in the alcove

by the window, but I've seen that alcove, and, with respect,

a romantic meal for two would be a squeeze.

It's my sister's baby shower and I need everything to be perfect.

Listen, I'm coming over now.

To show you how the seating can work.

Honestly, it's no trouble. See you in a minute.

'999, emergency...'

DCI Andy Steemson. This is DS Karen Wretzky.

Nikki Alexander, pathologist.

Jack Hodgson, forensics.

I know what you're thinking.

It's only been 24 hours since Lucy disappeared,

but there's something we're keeping under wraps.

We got a one-second 999 call from her mobile at 9.23am.

Nothing audible. Well, it should help with the location at least.

Only picked up on the one mast.

So we can't triangulate. No.

Traces of what looks like blood and maybe fingerprints were found here -

the samples are on their way to you.

Of course, it's still possible that she walked off into the sunset,

but I want to rule out that she was taken by force from this location.

I also want to rule out that she's in this location.

OK.

Let me spell it out. A missing girl. A big search party.

A media circus.

Couple of days later, the body shows up in her home,

in the attic or cellar, usually. It's been there all the time.

That's not going to happen on my watch.

You want a forensic guarantee

there's not a dead body on the premises...

basically?

Basically, yeah.

Fine. Then we'll need the run of the house.

OK.

He grows on you.

I look forward to it.

Getting that burnt smell?

Mm.

This is a big place for a primary school teacher.

Hm.

I'm thinking family money.

Got some bike treads here.

No bike.

Jack?

What is that?

I think it was... a cake.

Who bakes a cake then disappears into the sunset?

Haven't you got a rehearsal?

No.

Want me to run you in?

No.

Someone got a hangover by any chance?

No.

You've got two minutes. I'll make toast to go.

Dad, I've got four lines.

I don't want to spend my Sunday waiting to say them. Please!

Mum won't be happy.

Mum's not going to remember unless you tell her.

Wow. They're searching the lane.

Think they've found her?

No idea. Tell you what, though, forget about the rehearsal.

Dad, I can look after myself.

Fair enough. Off you go, then.

I found a cycling app on Lucy's laptop - it uploaded automatically

and tells us she cycled 3.75 miles on the morning she vanished.

What time was it activated?

Um, 9.10.

So, she triggered the program as she left her house...

I'm ahead of you.

Sorry.

Traffic cams on the main road

were checked for the morning she went missing. No sightings? No.

Leaving five surrounding lanes and a B-road.

We've got something - bang on 3.75 miles from her house.

'We believe Lucy left her home in Felking, Surrey, at around 9am

'on Saturday morning and that she was riding

'the bike in this photograph.

'Did anyone see her in that area at that time?

'Whoever's taken my sister, Lucy is a good person to her bones.

'She'd help anyone in any situation,

'and I want her back. I NEED her back.'

Hello.

All right, I'll be there in 30 minutes.

Hiya. Thomas Chamberlain.

DS Steele. Maureen to my friends.

Right.

She's got track marks on both arms. Looks like a user.

Just saying.

Ah! I used to have one of them!

I couldn't get those little tapes any more.

Bloke on Tottenham Court Road still sells them.

Yeah? When we're done, give me his details, would you?

Gladly.

Victim is female, no apparent ID, and is lying on her back.

There's a single, penetrating wound to her chest,

dusting of fine white powder to her tracksuit.

Got to be coke, right?

Well, yes... or talcum powder.

Either way, she's not a primary school teacher, that's for sure.

What is it with bank holiday weekends and girls going missing?

I blame the tabloids myself.

Check for a planar distribution of any injuries in case she fell

or was thrown from the road above.

Who called this in?

Council engineer. Routine checks on the bridge struts.

He was getting back into his van when, thank God, he found the body.

If she was dumped from up there,

killer's on camera one side of the bridge or the other.

Well, I'll get on with the postmortem, if that suits.

Before you do, do me a favour?

What?

Run her prints.

If she hasn't got a record a mile long, I'll take it all back.

Bike gets dragged under the car...

Paint's a visual match to Lucy's bike -

manufacturer will confirm that.

Now we know the road she took, we can do targeted house-to-house...

Strand of hair!

Must've hit her at speed to send her off the road at this height.

Brake marks on the asphalt back that up.

Bastard.

Tread prints?

Jack?

We'll see, but when wheels lock up, all you tend to get is burnt rubber.

We need to search these woods now in case she came round and wandered off.

What, you're not hopeful?

That velocity and impact - no.

Given that her bike and phone are missing,

it's more likely the assailant removed her body from the scene.

You'll be pleased to know you were entirely correct.

About our victim?

Mm-hm. Tina Lunt, 32.

Long record for theft and possession - coke and cannabis -

nothing for a couple of years, though.

She's listed as divorced, ten-year-old son.

Jack, I need you to check out the white powder on this tracksuit.

Sure. Just leave it on my desk.

Right. When do you think you might get round to it?

Er, this afternoon, the earliest. Might need a gentle nudge.

Count on it.

Although both arms bear scars suggestive of needle-use,

the marks are old - months, possibly years -

no evidence of recent activity.

Maybe she was smoking it?

Yeah, why don't we see what tox says?

There's some kind of metal object embedded in her chest.

Can you see?

Oh.

Clean, neat entry wound. Right.

Let's have a look at it.

My God.

It's a fork screwdriver.

The tip of the screwdriver has been bent at a 45-degree angle.

The metal is discoloured with a mottled sheen,

suggesting it's been heated and recast.

There's also, can you see, crisscross markings on the shaft,

possibly from being clamped in a vice.

Wow.

You see these plastic flakes in the wound?

Yeah. She was stabbed with such force, the handle broke clean off.

That's unusual?

Very. Tool handles are made with cellulose acetate -

noted for its extreme durability.

All of which suggests it was done deliberately.

And that couldn't have bent when it struck her sternum?

No.

So, what kind of person needs to modify the end of a screwdriver?

Did you see or hear anything unusual yesterday morning?

Car alarm.

That's right. My car alarm went off.

I didn't hear it because our bedroom faces the back.

And you sleep like a donkey.

That, too. Yep.

It woke you up, though?

I went out and checked on the car.

Nothing suspicious - no indication why it'd gone off.

Has that happened before?

Once or twice. Not lately.

I just turned it off.

What time was that? When you were out on the drive?

It was about nine, I think.

Maybe a bit after.

Mr Timpson, that's exactly when we think Lucy cycled past on the lane.

You're sure you didn't see her?

Positive.

What about a vehicle?

I'm sorry. I just shut off the alarm, went back to bed.

It was my day off.

What do you do?

I'm a GP.

You're married?

My wife's in her study if you need to speak to her.

Was she around Saturday morning?

She was asleep next to me.

I saw someone this morning in the lane...