Help!
NEWSREADER: A four-year-old boy has been found dead
in bushland not far from the Brisbane River.
The body of Thomas Murnane
was discovered by a jogger early this morning.
Mr Gundelach. Detective Sergeant lan Cornielle.
That poor woman.
OK, we'd better talk about Thom.
I don't want to talk about it. It's macabre, what happened.
- (REPORTERS YELL) - BEN: Shit.
(HORN TOOTS)
Dad, what is going on?
- My dad didn't do it! - Eva!
Christy wants the girls.
I said you shouldn't go running on that track.
Come on!
- Someone else could have... - Well, it was me.
JESS ON VIDEO: OK, Thom-Thom.
You think I did it? Arrest me.
I believe you. I know who did it.
(BEN CRIES SOFTLY)
JESS: The hero. The brave soldier.
The loving father.
And he killed Thom.
I know you and Paul had your problems,
but, I mean, he wouldn't hurt Thom.
You didn't know him.
Over there in the war, he changed.
(JESS BREATHES HEAVILY)
Paul did this?
(CLATTER)
JESS ON VIDEO: Oh, muffin, it's OK.
Go back into your room and I'll be there in a minute.
- Where's Daddy? - MAN: Go to bed, Thom.
- Paul, please! - You won't get custody, Jess.
You won't have him.
- I won't let you have him. - I'm recording this.
Ugh!
Have you shown this to the police?
Why haven't they arrested him?
They haven't found him.
And if Paul doesn't want to be found, he won't be.
After he did this, he went to stay with his army mates.
They say he's left town, but I know he's still around.
I found it in Thom's room four days ago.
I didn't give it to him and he didn't get it from day care,
but Paul has been promising him one for months.
Paul's been with Thom without me knowing.
He was here.
WOMAN: Jess, I'm back.
Ben, I don't think you've met my sister, Nicole.
- Nicky, this is... - Hey.
What do you think you're doing?
Trying to help.
She doesn't need your help.
I didn't hurt Thom.
Just stay away from her, OK?
- (REPORTERS CHATTER) - How is Miss Murnane?
What has Miss Murnane told you?
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hey. - CHRISTY: Hey.
Listen, I'm at a new sale that needs a repaint.
- Really? - You reckon you can get here?
The owner needs a quote.
He can't get anyone to do it before Christmas.
- Great! - OK, I'll text you the address.
- Quick as you can, OK? - OK.
That's for three top coats,
except for the enamel on the architraves and fretwork.
That usually only takes two,
but I'll do three if I have to.
- OK. - (HORN TOOTS)
Oh, great. Here's my boyfriend.
They've recognised you.
I'll go and talk to them.
Hi, guys. How are you?
(ALL CHAT INAUDIBLY)
CHRISTY: Alright.
They'll EFT the deposit.
Thank you.
You know, this...
This sort of thing, it can't last.
I'll see you at home.
- GAME: Cover me! Cover me! Ugh! - (EXPLOSIONS)
Hi. Um...
- Is Paul here? Paul Murnane? - No.
- GAME: Pick it up! - (EXPLOSIONS)
OK, um, but he's...
- He's staying here, right? - Listen, Gundelach.
You've got no business here.
Maybe I could, um, leave him a message?
We'll give you five seconds to fuck off.
OK.
Yeah, OK. OK.
They still need to be iced, Eva.
I can do it, Mum.
- What took you? - I had to get petrol.
I'm not ready and she's got her swimming thing on tonight.
- She's got to take something. - I can finish them!
You need to get dressed.
Go on, go get dressed. I'll take you.
- What have you got on? - Uni Christmas party.
My Urban Environments class.
- Thought that was last week. - That was Construction Design.
Your semester finished five weeks ago.
You got a different party for every class?
Yes.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS)
- Jess Murnane rang. - What'd she want?
She didn't say.
She, um... she came to see me today.
She doesn't think I did it.
(OVEN BELL TINGS)
- Why? - Why what?
- Why did she tell you that? - I don't know.
Make me feel better, I guess.
- And do you? - Yeah.
It helps.
I have to get ready.
Why would I tell anyone?
Yeah, I suppose. 'Bye.
- Are you OK? - (GASPS) Jeez!
Hello!
- Is everything alright? - Yes.
My friend Brianna's having guy issues.
As in arsehole issues.
And are you still having arsehole issues?
- Online? - I'm fine.
- I'm just worried about you. - I'm fine.
DAVE: Hey, mate.
Tash.
Have you seen Paul Murnane? Lately.
Uh, not since Thom got...
Even before that, like hanging around Thom's house,
maybe when you were babysitting?
Jess told me they were having a break. Why?
(DOORBELL RINGS)
CORNIELLE: I'm very sorry to intrude so late in the day.
CHRISTY: That's alright. Come in.
Mr Gundelach.
Oh, those smell divine.
- Eva's quite the cook. - Clever girl.
I apologise for the disruption we caused last time.
Rather than putting you through the trouble
of another big search,
I thought I could save us all some time and ask you...
...whether you had any of these...
...we may have missed.
Didn't we get you a kit
with one like this a couple of birthdays ago?
(TENSE MUSIC)
Every tradie has one.
Gone.
Yeah.
Do you remember when you last used it?
Lock it? Ever lock it?
No.
Why not?
I've never had any trouble on this street.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS)
Excuse me.
How many times have I told you to lock that?
- Why is he looking for a torch? - Why do you think?
'Cause that's what killed...
- Oh, shit, Ben! - Why'd you tell him?
Because it's true.
There must be ten thousand torches like this in the city.
But yours is missing.
I have to go get dressed.
Thank you very much, Mr Gundelach.
Have you spoken to Paul Murnane?
Let me know if that torch turns up.
EVA: Why won't he leave us alone, that policeman?
Look, he's just doing his job, sweetie.
You look beautiful.
What do you want for Christmas?
What do you mean, you haven't bought me anything?
- Yeah, I got it. - Yeah?
- What is it? - Oh, wouldn't you like to know!
Yeah, I would. OK, here we go.
You're not coming in?
Yeah, I don't think that's a great idea.
People recognise me from the papers.
You know, we don't have to go in.
No! No, come on. Go.
It's important. You did so well here this year.
Go on, get out of here. I'll be back at, like, 8:30, yeah?
These are good.
- They look good. - 'Bye, Dad.
- 'Bye. Save me one. - Alright.
(UNEASY MUSIC)
(TYRES SCREECH)
(TENSE MUSIC)
Uh!
(CLATTER)
You don't take a hint, do you?
I know that's Paul's bike.
Go away. Stay away.
Ugh!
OK.
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello?
- WOMAN ON PHONE: Mr Gundelach? - Yeah.
Eva's father?
- Yeah, who is this? - Yeah, I've got him.
- Who... - Just a minute, please.
- What's going on? - MAN ON PHONE: Mr Gundelach.
This is Michael Gough from Swimming Achievers.
Are you able to come here straightaway?
(JAZZY MUSIC)
- MAN: Mr Gundelach? - Yeah.
Physical violence is behaviour we just don't tolerate here.
What happened? Eva?
Eva pushed Rory down the steps near the change rooms.
It's lucky he didn't break his skull.
- He called you a name. - That's no excuse for you to...
He's the guy! He's the guy that killed that little boy!
He did not!
What happened to your shirt?
Caught it on something.
- TASHA: Have you seen my keys? - Hey, mate.
- What's he doing here? - I said he could. Mum's out.
- Where are you going? - Party.
Look, I'm not sure that's a good idea.
It's the end of the year.
I know, and I know your friends...
It's not my fault everything's gone to shit in our street.
- You're not going out. - Are you serious?
Let her go, man. It's the end of the year.
Thank you!
Mate, you fixed her profile page.
- You saw what they did. - Yeah, but they're dickheads.
- No. - Shit!
- Hey! What is going on? - She wants to go out.
And?
With everything that's been going on?
What do you want her to do, live in a bubble?
Is your stove broken, David?
- Ben said I could. - (SIGHS) Just be careful.
Christy looks nice.
(SHOWER RUNS)
- I'm just worried about her. - I know.
She just seems so, I don't know, high-strung.
We're all high-strung at the moment.
Is she sleeping with anyone?
I don't know. I mean, how old were we started up?
Year 11?
15?
If she has been sleeping with anyone,
he hasn't been coming here.
Could you blame him?
- Who gave you that? - A friend.
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello?
It's... Hi, it's, um... it's me. It's Jess.
Oh, hey.
Um, are you OK?
Um, oh, not really.
Do you want...
Do you think you could come over, maybe?
- (MOUTHS WORD) - When?
- JESS: Mm, now? - (MOUTHS NAME)
OK.
Does she want you to go over?
Didn't you see the car from the funeral home?
Leave that woman alone, Ben.
I don't believe it. Why don't you mind your own business?
This is my business.
You don't know anything about her.
And you don't know anything about Paul.
Oh, yeah, what do you know about Paul?
I know he didn't kill Thom.
So the coroner's taken him straight to the funeral home?
Well, that's good.
I've been trying to think what to play.
Songs.
He really liked 'Speckled Frogs'
and 'Dingle Dangle Scarecrow'.
(SIGHS)
(LAUGHS) You know... You know what song he really liked?
(LAUGHS)
The Brazilian national anthem.
- Really? - (BOTH LAUGH)
He must have heard it during the World Cup or something.
Every time it would come on,
he would march and jump around the house,
preferably with no pants on,
singing whatever he thought the words were.
Funny, funny little weirdo.
Beautiful.
I can't do this, but I know that I have to.
Man, you should see the stuff the doctor has given
to try and keep me calm.
Oh, it's great gear, but useless.
Jess, I think Paul is around.
- I went to his mate's place. - You saw him?
No, but the bike was tucked away well out of sight.
The bike isn't enough.
Ari or Baxter could say that they've been riding it.
We should call Cornielle.
I don't... I don't want him to have done it.
I just don't want to have driven him to it.
- You should do it now. - I'll do it, OK?
I think you should go.
Thank you.
BEN: Show me how big your muscles are.
(LAUGHS)
- BEN: Whoo-hoo! - (CAMERA CLICKS)
Hey, what are you...
Fuck off!
Parasites!
(GENTLE THUD)
(ENGINE RUMBLES)
(ENGINE REVS)
- What's going on? - Nothing.
- I heard... - Are you OK?
CHRISTY: Eva, you'd better hurry,
because we've got to get petrol on the way.
Hey, Christy, could I get a lift?
- We don't have room, David. - Oh.
Hey, Benny. Benny?
I can't drive.
I'm still a bit point-oh-too-much.
- Better catch a cab, mate. - Oh.
- Hey. - Hi.
(SIGHS) It's gonna be ugly.
We can get through this.
- You still think we can? - Yes.
Christy, are you...
- Are you... - Let's just get this over with.
Tash, iron's on.
- Tasha? - (TASHA SPEAKS IN THE DISTANCE)
The police are all over the place. What if we get caught?
Tash, iron's on!
- Hey, we're nearly ready to go. - OK.
- Tash. - I said OK!
- MAN ON PHONE: Tasha? - Who is this?
(CALL DISCONNECTS)
- EVA: What did we get her? - Who, sweetie?
Jess.
You don't get people things for funerals. You just go.
Oh, good God.
(RAISED VOICES)
Oh, this is great.
(REPORTERS FIRE QUESTIONS)
- (EVA SQUEALS) - MAN: Guys, that's enough!
(RAISED VOICES)
Come on, kids. Eva, out, out, out.
Out!
- Tasha, get off the phone. - (TASHA REPLIES INDISTINCTLY)
I don't care. Put the phone away.
- You right, chook? - Yeah.
MAN: Ben!
(SONG PLAYS) * I'll take care of your worries
* It was you who promised this to me
* It was you who offered me courage
* In my darkest hour you can hear me... *
- (CHATTER) - Shh!
* Softly question my travels
* When doubt becomes me I'm troubled
* And all my fears unravel
* Do I seek to find disappointment?
* Do I write with a sense of shame
* Like a bird on the ground who has injured its wing
* I can no longer sing
* I'm just waiting for someone to tell me
* Again and again and... *
What a sad day.
There's no glossing over it. No getting round it.
Today's an awfully sad day.
But all days pass, as all lives do.
What matters is what happens in them.
So we'll start today with a song.
A happy song that Thom loved.
(CHEERY GUITAR MUSIC PLAYS)
* Five little speckled frogs
* Sat on a great big log
* Eating the most delicious bugs
* Yum, yum!
* One jumped into the pool
* Where it was nice and cool
* Now there are four speckled frogs
- * Glug, glug... * - (PHONE CHIMES)
* Four little speckled frogs
* Sat on a great big log
* Eating the most delicious bugs
* Yum, yum!
- * One jumped into the pool... * - Tasha!
* Where it was nice and cool
* Now there are three speckled frogs... *
(DOOR CLOSES)
I'll be back in a second.
* Three little speckled frogs
- * Sat on a great big log... * - Shh!
* Eating the most delicious bugs
* Yum, yum
* One jumped into... *
Tash?
Hey.
Hey!
Paul!
What the hell are you doing?!
What are you doing with him? Tash!
Let me go!
- Is that who's been calling you? - Leave me alone.
Listen!
- What's this? - It's to put on his coffin!
He wanted to put it on his son's coffin.
Why you?
Because I helped, OK?
I let him see Thom when I was babysitting.
I'd take Thom to the park,
I'd meet Paul there and they'd play.
- And he gave you the action man? - Yes.
Just leave Paul alone, Dad. He's a good guy.
Jess thinks that he killed Thom.
No!
Did he say that he wanted to take Thom away from her?
- Ohh! - Tash, please. Please!
Did he say that he wanted to take Thom from Jess?
Ben, what's going on?
(DOOR BEEPS)
Was it a nice service?
I didn't see it all.
- You should have been there. - Maybe.
Some people think my time's best spent here
nudging things along.
Mr Gundelach.
- He handed this to Tash. - To place on Thom's casket.
Yes.
But you didn't place it on the casket.
- No. - Why not?
Well, I didn't... I didn't think he deserved to.
Why's that?
Why don't you find him and ask him what he did to Thom?
And he rode off on a red Ducati.
Yes.
The same motorcycle you saw under the house
next door to the flats in Enoggera?
Yes.
And were you invited to this house in Enoggera?
No. It was vacant. For sale. He was hiding the bike there.
Mr Murnane's army friend, Mr Bedrosian,
were you invited around by him?
No.
Did Mr Bedrosian say that you weren't welcome at his flat?
Why are you treating me like I'm the one hiding away?
Why aren't you out there right now looking for Paul Murnane?
He's violent! He's a killer!
He didn't want Jess to have his son!
Why aren't you finding him?!
- And you didn't kill Thom? - No!
- This is insane. - Please.
- Why are you doing all this? - What?
Running around, poking into things,
trying to do my job.
Because you're not doing your job!
You just keep hassling me. I'm not your guy!
It's a terrible job, this.
I've seen some terrible things.
Children are the worst.
Children smothered.
Children burned.
Children thrown from bridges.
Children beaten for looking too much like their mother.
Or drowned so Daddy couldn't have them.
Usually it's easy to determine who did it, and why.
There's a history of abuse, history of depression.
But sometimes, occasionally, an accident happens.
A mistake.
And the person who made the mistake
doesn't know what to do.
Things just spiral out of control
because they don't know how to tell the truth.
That they can tell the truth.
That it's not too late to tell the truth.
The truth comes out.
Sometimes it takes an hour, sometimes it takes ten years.
But we don't stop. I don't stop.
We gather the evidence, we find enough evidence
and it points to a particular person.
No matter who that person is, it's over.
It's only a matter of time.
I just want to give you the opportunity
to tell me what happened.
I didn't kill Thom.
I had no reason to kill Thom.
When did you sleep with Jessica Murnane?
I can guess fairly well.
Not where or how often, but at least one occasion.
- What are you talking about? - The DNA sample you gave us.
We ran it against the sample from Thom Murnane.
Probability of parentage is 99.9%.
Did you know you were Thom's father?
I...
I don't... I don't think I should say anything... more.
Might be a show of good faith if you handed in your passport.
(OPPRESSIVE MUSIC)