Ridley

Last orders, please!

Who's there?

You've reached Kate, Alex and Ella.

We're not home right now,

but if you leave a message, we'll get back to you.

You have no new messages.

Boss?

Darren.

First lead on a murder case.

Bit early.

Jesse Halpin. Sheep farmer. Right.

This is his place.

Someone shot him last night. He was walking home from the pub.

It's a bit out of the way, these woods.

There's a footpath from the village. Leads straight across his land.

Up through those trees to the farmhouse.

Who called it in? Farm worker.

Lorna Spalden. She's given us a statement.

I still need to speak to her, yeah.

I'm gonna check in with Dr Newstone first.

Dr Newstone.

Shotgun wounds to the upper torso.

No soot staining or secondary projectile damage.

Any sign of a firearm?

Nothing yet.

What about these shoe treads?

We've ruled them out as the victim's.

It's a public footpath.

Any number of people will have traipsed all over it.

We'll get them photographed.

But we did find some expended shell cases.

If we're lucky, we might lift some latent prints.

So, whoever shot him was standing here.

So he either chanced upon his killer,

or someone was lying in wait.

That's a reasonably accurate assessment.

This is hardly the time, but well done with that promotion.

Thanks.

Ambitious new DI with a point to prove.

Pretty much sums it up.

Ridley never let himself get carried away with theories and guess work.

Well, Ridley isn't running this case.

I'm not saying he was always right.

Play to your strengths.

You'll get there.

Jesus...

So, this is where you've been hiding?

Jean.

What are you doing out here? I've come to see you.

Can I come in?

Place is a bit of a mess.

I'll get my boots on, we'll go for a walk.

Lorna, isn't it? DI Carol Farman. Copelton Police.

I understand that you found the body?

Yeah, he was lying by the footpath.

Must've been there all night.

Do you always walk to work along the footpath?

I've a place down by Wensbeck Bridge.

Live-in tenant.

Edge of the woods? That's right.

So, erm, how long have you worked for the Halpins?

Must be 20-odd years now.

You'd have known Jesse Halpin pretty well, then?

Well enough.

Is there anyone you can think of that might have fallen out with him?

Well, people round here...

...they never had a good word to say about Jesse.

Any of those people I should be talking to?

Halpins keep themselves to themselves.

It's just the way it's always been.

I'll let you get on.

How's your retirement shaping up?

Well, you know, takes a bit of getting used to,

all this time on your hands.

Well, you cut adrift in your prime.

You've still got so much to offer.

"Access to pension on medical grounds"

was the phrase they used to dress it up.

Well, I used to run a Major Crimes team.

And these days, the school run is about as exciting as it gets. Ha!

The grandkids.

You gotta enjoy that.

Do you know, if I'm honest, they make me feel old.

You miss it then. The job?

So much more than I thought I would.

Your presence was noted at the funeral.

I should have come earlier, but...

To be honest, I didn't know what to say to you.

Nothing anybody can say.

Won't bring them back.

He went to the pub after tea.

And that's The Mason's Arms in Wensbeck?

20-minute walk if you cut across the fields.

And when he didn't come home, you rang the police?

He wasn't answering his mobile.

What time was this?

Must have been well after midnight.

And you were both here all evening?

We don't get out much. The farm keeps us busy.

You own most of the land around the village.

Just shy of 300 acres. Sheep farming, mainly.

I'm sorry to have to ask you this, Mrs Halpin,

but, erm, is there anybody

who might have had a grievance with your husband?

No-one I can think of.

The chances are this wasn't a random shooting.

Well, we keep our own company. Always have done.

Your tenant, Lorna Spalden, hinted that there was tensions.

Neighbours in the village.

Best pay no heed to what Lorna says.

How long will they be out there in the woods?

We've locked off the area as a murder scene.

Crime Scene Investigators are searching for evidence.

She's been up all night. She's exhausted.

I understand.

We'll still need you to identify your husband's body.

There's no rush.

I can speak to a family liaison officer?

No, no. No need for any of that.

I'll see she's looked after.

Thank you.

You heard from Carol Farman lately?

Carol. Yeah.

No, I suspect she's busy. You know, with the promotion and that.

So you won't have heard about last night's homicide?

Sheep farmer right in Wensbeck. Jesse Halpin.

I thought it would be better if you heard it from me.

Have they any idea who killed him?

Well, that's a question for the SIO.

So this wasn't a social call, Jean.

You came all the way out here what, to warn me off, is that it?

It's just some friendly advice, that's all.

From one ex-copper to another.

You can't solve them all, Ridley.

It doesn't pay to dwell on the past.

See you later.

Adless Woods homicide. Victim's name was Jesse Halpin.

He's a sheep farmer from Wensbeck.

Last seen drinking in The Mason's Arms in the village.

It appears he was killed on the walk back home.

Fatal shotgun wound to the chest.

Body was discovered by Lorna Spalden - one of his tenants.

Any names in the mix? No-one so far.

It does seem that the Halpins have a bit of a rep.

Chances are this was personal. Someone with a grudge.

Someone local who knew the area.

So let's get some legs over to Wensbeck.

I want house-to-house inquiries.

Cameras. Phone records. ANPR.

Who did Jesse Halpin talk to last night?

Have a seat.

This stays strictly between us.

But it won't hurt to give you the heads up.

Jesse Halpin was questioned by DI Ridley

in connection with the Zoe Lindsey case.

The three-year-old abducted near Dunmore Sands.

Yeah, I know. Must've been... 14 years ago.

West Riding were running that case.

My old stomping ground. Lowly DS back then.

Why was Ridley anywhere near it? He was asked to rule out Halpin

after his plates flagged up near the crime scene.

And was he ruled out?

Ridley was convinced he was somehow connected.

You clearly weren't in agreement.

A suspect had already been arrested, Daniel Preston.

A lot of evidence pointed to him, but the charge never stuck.

So Ridley might actually have been on to something?

If Ridley gets wind of this, he's bound to start stirring things up.

Wouldn't hurt to bring him in. See what he can add to the mix.

He's just lost his wife and daughter, Carol. Full on breakdown.

I hear he can barely get out of bed.

This might give him something to focus on?

I don't want him anywhere near it!

Last thing we need is Zoe Lindsey coming back to haunt us.

'If anyone out there knows where she is,

'please, please come forward.

'She'll be tired and frightened.

'She'll be wanting her mum.'

'Control from Bravo Delta,

'potential witness on 25 Wishbone Street.'

Jesse Halpin always drank on his own.

Regular, was he? He'd show his face most evenings.

Barely a civil word out of him.

I get the impression that he wasn't well liked?

Halpins have always been oddballs.

You'll see Moll in the village, and she'll look right through you.

So she doesn't get out much?

Jesse liked his women to stay at home.

Even had his daughter home-schooled.

Any trouble last night we should know about? It was quiet.

Usual faces. Well, I'll need you to put some names to those faces.

Yeah?

Hiya.

What's all this?

DI Farman. Copelton Police.

Steve, my lad. They're here about Jesse Halpin.

Aye, erm...

I heard someone shot him.

You work in the pub, then, with your mum?

Not much else on offer round here. Were you working last night?