Professor T

Catching up on the news?

Someone left it lying on my desk.

Students.

I've opened your mail. Anything of interest?

I don't read the contents.

Although I couldn't help noticing

an invitation to your mother's upcoming exhibition.

If she drops by, please inform her I am indisposed.

But what if she insists?

Give her your signature look.

What signature look?

'Come Te Non C'e Nessuno' by Rita Pavone.

A word with you please, Jasper.

Your absence from the faculty meeting was widely commented on.

Your colleagues are beginning to grumble, and this hobby of yours

I do not have hobbies. Playing detective!

Nor do I play. It's distracting you.

Your students have begun to complain, and your substitute.

It was an exercise in observation.

You asked them to stare at a fish, Jasper, for 45 minutes.

The detectives are here, Professor.

So you're discouraging me from advising the police?

Well, not at all, no.

We must all do what we can to maintain the rule of law.

And will I see you later?

As you've made abundantly clear, I should focus on my work.

Well, that's all sorted, then.

This is Charlie Turner, six years old, missing since last night.

Charlie was apparently home alone with her father, Max.

He's shy.

Right. Charlie's mother was out at yoga.

There was an also an au pair, Sally Bains, lives with the family

but had been given the evening off.

The front door was open when she got home.

Sally finds the father unconscious, badly beaten up.

Mr Turner?

And Lucy, the mother, arrives home at exactly that moment.

What happened? I don't know.

Max? Where's Charlie?

Charlie?!

Call the police!

All Max claims to remember is the security light

going on in the garden. He opens the door to investigate

and is jumped by a masked assailant.

The next thing, he's waking up on the floor with his wife shrieking

the house down. We're treating it as a kidnap.

And yet there's been no contact from whoever took Charlie.

No note, no call, nothing.

Detective Chief Inspector Brand has asked you to run the rule

over the family and their story, see if they're telling the truth.

You've proved you're expert at dealing with kidnappers.

You're here during the day, even when Charlie's at school?

I don't have anywhere else to be.

Did you notice anything out of the ordinary prior to the kidnapping?

Morning. Morning.

This is Professor Tempest, he's a consultant criminologist.

You've still had no contact? No.

That's not necessarily a bad thing though, right?

In a classic kidnapping with extortion,

one would expect contact within the first 24 hours.

So it is a bad sign?

It's much too early to say.

Parents are obsessed with stranger danger,

and there are a few such cases where a child is trafficked,

but most kidnappings of minors involve a close family member.

What are you implying? Absolutely nothing at all.

The logical explanation, of course, is that your daughter witnessed

the assault and they've taken her to ensure her silence.

Come with me.

You're not supposed to be winding them up. Just evaluate them.

No further evaluation is necessary, for Mrs Turner at least.

Just like that, no more questions? Indeed.

And him? His injuries are genuine.

So we should believe him?

Not necessarily,

but if his story's true, we need to adjust to a new hypothesis.

OK, what's that?

The fact he was badly hurt suggests his assailants

were settling a score, not just intending to neutralise him.

So if Charlie has been kidnapped, that means they know who did it.

You know who the kidnappers are.

What?!

If we did, why would we keep it from you?

Our daughter is missing.

Rest assured, Mrs Turner.

We'll be on it day and night, OK?

We'll do everything in our power to find Charlie.

Can you push me?

Where's my mummy? She'll be here soon.

I want Mummy!

Shut up or I'll fetch the bogeyman,

who eats cry-babies with ketchup for breakfast.

I need to ask you something.

Promise you won't get angry?

Yeah, I promise.

Is Kevin involved in this?

Kevin? What you saying? Just tell me, is he involved?

Come on! He couldn't.

There is no way. No way.

I'm sorry. I don't know what to do.

It's OK.

Let's not bring Kevin into this.

'Una Lacrima Sul Viso' by Bobby Solo.

Jasper, darling, are you there?

I can hear you hiding.

Jasper.

Dear heart, you haven't replied to my invitation.

I'm unaware to which invitation you're referring.

For my exhibition. Don't tell me you didn't receive it.

Perhaps it got lost in the post.

No matter, always carry a spare.

Repondez vous, s'il vous plait.

How are you?

Busy. Very busy, Mother. Too busy to attend an exhibition.

Surely not.

It would mean so much to me.

I will ask Miss Snares to have another look at my schedule,

but I cannot promise anything. Will you, dear?

I need to close the door now, Mother.

Yes, of course. Very well.

Don't forget to dress up.

Thanks.

You know I love Charlie, don't you?

Of course I do.

You think I'm too hard on her.

I've got no patience. No, I don't.

Sometimes...

Is there somewhere you could stay for a few days?

Er... I could ask one of my friends.

Would you mind? We could do with some space.

You'll still get paid.

Your turn.

I want to watch telly.

I don't have a telly.

Hey!

I'm letting you win, you little brat. Just roll the dice.

I don't like this game.

Well, have a bloody nap, then! I'm not tired!

Here's some juice. Drink it.

Morning.

We pulled an all-nighter.

And?

Not much to show for it.

I'm not convinced the professor's right about this one.

He suggested the Turners may know who took their daughter.

So he believes the kidnap story?

I think he believes Mrs Turner, not so sure about Mr.

Max Turner's name popped up in an investigation into VAT fraud.

And this other guy, Kevin Charters.

There was an accusation they were importing mobile phones

and dodging the VAT.

The case was dismissed. Seems pretty small-fry.

There might be more to it, we could take a look.

Go on, then, get on with it.

And don't go accusing anyone of anything unless we're sure.

Roger that.

Excuse me, where can I find Kevin Charters?

Thank you. Thank you.

Kidnapped? You hadn't heard?

I had no idea. When did it happen?

How would you describe your relationship with Max Turner?

We do business together. What sort?

We import. Mobiles, tablets, consoles, that sort of thing.

Has he had any trouble with anyone recently?

No idea. We're not that close.

But you were jointly investigated for VAT fraud.

That was a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding?

Max bought a load of mobiles

from an intermediary...

Turned out to be a bit of a dodgy character.

We were completely cleared.

Your case was dismissed, it's not the same as being exonerated.

We reported ourselves to the tax office,

that's not something you do if you're guilty, is it?

Dan.

You're welcome.

We'll be there as quickly as we can. What's the hurry?

Someone's made contact with the family.

We'll re-mortgage the house.

It'll take too long. Then we'll take out a loan.

Jesus, Max, just tell the truth. You don't think Charlie's worth it.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I'll go.

Listen, it's no good us blaming each other, OK?

This was in the roadside mailbox.

That's ballsy. Yeah, or stupid.

Either way, it suggests they're local.

And it also suggests the Turners are telling the truth.

There was a lock of hair with it, the mum swears it's Charlie's.

There's only one way to find out.

We need to establish beyond doubt that this is Charlie's hair.

Mrs Turner, would you provide a sample for a DNA test?

Well, that's not going to work.

Charlie's adopted.

We can take a sample from something she's kept in close proximity.

A comfort blanket or a cuddly toy?

I'll get the monkey.

You need another coffee? I need an early night.

Well, that's not gonna happen.