VOICEMAIL: You have one new message.

JOHN: Ruth, Ruth, it’s me, it’s me, Luther!

It’s Ian, I think he’s hurt her.

You send a medic, please.

Just send a medic over there now!

You were right.

Poor bastard.

Poor bastard, my arse.

Poor Zoe.

Ugh.

Aah.

Aah.

Ugh.

Ugh.

( indistinct radio chatter ) ( indistinct chatter ) What’s happening here?

Ugh, you are, sir?

Mark North.

Where’s Zoe?

Ah, Jesus God.

No, no, no.

No, no, no.

No, no, no.

( indistinct chatter ) What’s going on?

About an hour ago we received a 999 call.

Gunshots heard 23 Parthenial Street.

First responders found a woman dead.

Single gunshot wound.

Zoe Luther.

No?!

ROSE: Don’t speak up for him, Justin.

Not yet.

He argued with her.

That doesn’t mean he did it.

He was there.

His fingerprints are all over the place, in his wife’s blood.

She’s murdered.

He’s in the wind.

What does that tell you?

He wouldn’t do it.

He wouldn’t do it.

Painful as it may be, I’m afraid the evidence currently tells us otherwise.

ROSE: You ready?

Ready.

First thing to know, we’re in damage control.

We keep an airtight lid on this until it’s resolved.

That means no press, no briefings, and no leaks.

Well, the press will get there soon enough.

Which is why we need Luther in custody without delay.

I don’t want any "killer policeman at large" headlines, are we clear?

Teller is in charge of the investigation but Martin will be assisting heavily.

You’ll give him your absolute cooperation.

You need one of us there on the ground to advise, someone who knows him.

Yeah?

And should that be you?

Absolutely it should be me.

Yeah.

Right.

So do you believe John Luther shot his wife, tonight?

I can’t be sure.

Not yet.

It’s just too early... Exactly.

The last thing I need is for this operation to be hindered by your celebrated loyalty.

DS Ripley, you will assist Detective Chief Superintendent Schenk.

Oh, well, with respect, sorry Justin, but Ripley... Yeah, he may not know Luther quite as well as you, but he’s a damn sight better placed to be nonpartisan.

You, you remain here, you can advise as necessary.

Sorry I think that’s a mistake.

I’m not interested in saving John Luther.

I want the full force of the law stamping down on his face before sunrise, and I want your help to do it.

Now, are we clear on that?

Good.

Then let’s bring him in.

( phone ringing ) I know what you did, Ian.

You tried to make it look like I killed her because you think, if they’re coming for me, I can’t come for you.

Well you’re wrong.

I am coming for you.

All I have to do is stay free long enough to see you dead.

And I’ll do that, Ian.

I’ll see you dead.

WOMAN: Oh.

MAN: Oh, come on, mate.

JOHN: I’ll see you dead.

I’m sorry for your loss.

I didn’t lose her.

She was taken from me.

Do you know why?

The truth of it is, we’re not here to talk "why."

That comes later.

Right now, it’s all about "who".

Meaning John Luther?

That is a possibility, yes.

It’s something we’re looking into.

Oh, I can’t tell you the time, since I met Zoe ever to talk about this guy John, John, John.

Poor John, needy John.

Broken John.

Look, I need to know anything that might have happened between John Luther and Zoe over the last few days... They were seeing each other.

ROSE: Seeing?

Yeah.

Sleeping together.

When did you find out?

Look, I stayed with friends tonight.

You’ve only got to ask them.

We know where you were.

When did you find out about John and Zoe?

About a day and a half ago.

I said to her, "Choose, choose between us, but stick with your choice."

And she chose me, she chose me... and she paid for it.

If that does turn out to be the case, what you must never ever do is blame yourself.

If you pull the trigger on another human being, the responsibility for that is yours and yours alone.

If John killed Zoe, I will not rest until I see him punished for it.

If you’ll excuse me, I’ll have another officer come and take an official statement.

Sorry.

I... No, no, no, it’s me.

Sorry, I’m miles away.

Is this actually happening?

No.

In a few minutes, I’m gonna wake up and my alarm’s going to go off.

By the time I get to work, I’ll have forgotten I ever dreamt it.

He, he just called me.

Who?

Who’d you think?

When?

Just now.

ROSE: What did he say?

Where is he?

He just said that I did it again.

Oh, Ian.

JOHN: You’re trying to make it look like I killed her, because you think if they’re coming for me then I can’t come for you.

Well you’re wrong.

I just don’t understand it.

Why would he project it onto me?

I don’t know what to do.

I’m telling you this, it feels like... I’m betraying him, you know?

It doesn’t matter now you’ve told me.

See if you can track the phone he’s using, get a lead on where he might be.

Yeah.

Okay.

If we can pin this mess on mental illness, then I can’t be held accountable, and the unit might survive.

Okay, all right.

Wow, I hadn’t really thought of that.

ROSE: Yeah, well, you don’t have to think like that.

I do.

I should never have taken him back.

Oh, I knew the risk.

God knows they warned me, "He’s nitroglycerin."

And I didn’t listen because I was so bent on making it work.

I just so wanted to make it work.

Rose, it’s not your fault.

It’s not your fault.

It’s not your fault.

( door clicks ) If you wanted a key, all you had to do was ask.

I didn’t think you slept.

Oh, only lightly and not for very long.

Why are you here?

I just needed a place to think.

About what?

Zoe’s dead.

Are we speaking figuratively?

No.

Did you kill her?

Would it matter?

ALICE: To me?

Well, it’s nice to see you retain your sense of humor.

I mean it.

Well, I liked her.

But if you killed her, I’m sure you had a reason.

Well, I didn’t.

Fine.

Who did?

( indistinct chatter ) MARTIN: He only smashed symbols of her... relationship with this new chap.

Makes for a very intimate scene.

And we know that he smashes things when he’s angry.

All of which tends to align us in Luther’s direction.

JUSTIN: Unless this was staged for our benefit.

By whom?

Mr.

North?

It’s worth considering, surely.

Well even if he didn’t have an alibi, when a man stages a murder scene, he tends to make it look like how he thinks it should.

It’s always wrong.

But this scene is consistent with the thesis.

To stage such a scene correctly would require a very chilly heart, which doesn’t seem compatible with a crime of rage.

Yeah.

But it’s not right.

Tell me how.

This kind of killing, jealous husband, sex, rage and all the rest of it, you’d expect a knife, a bludgeon of some kind.

A fist.

Not a gun.

MARTIN: You don’t like the choice of weapon, so that makes Luther innocent?

I want him to be innocent.

But if he’s not, then I’ll do my job properly and without hesitation.

MARTIN: That’s a very brave answer.

It’s not supposed to be.

It’s just the way it is.

So, are you going to kill him?

I’ve thought about it.

That’s all I’ve thought about.

Then why are you here?

JOHN: I just need a safe place to think.

You know, in 1988, two psychologists published an article arguing that "positive self-deception" is a normal and advantageous part of most people’s lives.

It turns out, people lie to themselves about three things.

They view themselves in implausibly positive ways, they think they have far more control over their lives than they actually do, and they believe the future will be better than the evidence of the present can possibly justify.

But... you’re way beyond that now.

You’re on the other side of that particular mirror.

Lying to yourself isn’t going to help anymore.

So please, tell me again.

Why are you here?

Alice, I need you to help me.

You’re asking me to be your accomplice?

Yes.

Excellent.

Where do we start?

( phone rings ) Hello?

JOHN: Justin.

Can you talk?

Absolutely yeah, I can talk.

JOHN: You at the house?

Yeah.

It wasn’t me.

JUSTIN: Yeah, I know, I think.

If Luther was going to do something like this, he’d make it look like Mark North did it.

He might be insane, but he’s not stupid.

You’re a good man, Justin.

So where are you right now?

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

I don’t doubt it.

Any info your end?

JOHN: No, I’m not going to compromise you more than I have to, okay?

But don’t trust Ian Reed.

JUSTIN: Sorry, it’s a bit clattery over here.

Can you repeat that?

Don’t trust Ian Reed.

Can you run the details by me?

JOHN: Not now.

Who is that?

One moment.

Telephone Intelligence.

Trace on Luther’s phone.

No news.

Okay.

I’m going to need a brief precis of what you’ve got soon as you like.

Well as soon as there’s time I will explain.

MAN: We have found the gun.

Did you get that?

I got that.

Got it.

It’s a nine millimeter Beretta.

Pass it to me and I’ll clear the chamber.

Chamber clear.

Bag it.

That’s it.

Forensics in the house are circumstantial.

This gun is hard evidence.

And I don’t want it contaminated or "going missing" as a consequence of some police officer’s misguided sense of loyalty.

Seriously?

They’re good men, but sometimes goodness attracts its own temptations.

JUSTIN: So what do we do?

MARTIN: Well first rule of evidence, limit the amount of transfers.

We’ll take it to the lab ourselves.

They found it.

Found what?

The gun.

Well, you didn’t pull the trigger, it doesn’t matter.

It’s got no value as evidence.

No but if Ian Reed left a gun, he left it for a reason.

ALICE: Meaning?

There was a gun.

There was a gun, I touched it, I gave it to him.

It’s got my fingerprints all over it.

If that’s the gun he’s used on Zoe, my fingerprints are all he needs.

And so?

JOHN: And so it’s on its way to ballistic testing, fingerprint analysis.

DNA analysis.

ALICE: Well, if that happens, it’s over for you.

JOHN: If that happens.

But it’s not going to happen.

Right, they’re leaving from there, taking the evidence to there.

We’re here.

We can get there before them as long as Schenk doesn’t use the blues and twos.

What do you know about stealing cars?

Nothing.

JOHN: Doesn’t matter.

Because I know everything about stealing cars.

Did you get anything for my... Uh-hmm.

Cute.

They’ll know it’s you.

You’re not an easy man to disguise.

That’s not the point.

Well, what is?

Deniability.

Look, if we get caught... I say you forced me to help.

You threatened my life.

You’re not even joking, are you?

Absolutely not.

What’s wrong?

You ever step outside yourself, wonder what you’re doing and think you’ve gone mad?

No.

Look, you and I are who we are.

So you need to know this John, of all the people in the world, I would never betray you.

Are you armed?

No.

You?

MARTIN: No.

Urgent assistance required, repeat urgent assistance required.

Where is it?

In the glove box.

Glove box?

Yeah.

Wait, hit me.

What?

You’ve got to hit me, you’ve got to make it look right.

Go on.

This will achieve nothing.

You’re not acting in a reasonable way.

( phone ringing ) Justin, what’s happening?

They took the gun.

[...].

All right.

Okay, you listen to me.

You need to come in.

All right?

We need to start facing facts.

What do you mean?

IAN: I mean, he’s not behaving like an innocent man, is he?

Maintenance.

( phone ringing ) It’s him.

What do you want, Ian?

I just want to talk.

JOHN: You sound scared.

Are you scared?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m scared.

JOHN: Yeah, you should be.

You should be scared.

IAN: I can’t handle this.

I can’t deal with this, John.

It’s in my brain, it’s like-- it’s like, my head’s full of spiders.

I can’t stand it.

I think I’m going mad.

Honestly, mate, I can’t stand it.

That’s not going to stop me coming for you.

Look I can’t undo it.

All right, I wish I could.

Hand to God, if I could go back, I’d rather it was me that was dead.

I’d rather be dead than go through this.

That can be arranged, Ian.

Listen, just meet me, okay?

Please.

Just, just hear what I’ve got to say, and then after that whatever happens is in your hands.

All right then, 9:00, Faraday Memorial.

ALICE: You’re not going to do what he wants?

Yes, I am.

Was it him?

On balance, I’d guess so.

Yes.

You’d guess?

I couldn’t swear to it.

ROSE: He killed his wife, Zoe.

He’s stolen the only hard evidence we have to convict him!

He busted your ribs!

Wake up!

Stop protecting him!

I’m not.

John just called.

He wants to set up a meeting.

Rose, Rose, I can’t use this.

If we put you unprotected in John’s path, he’s gonna kill you.

It’s not gonna come to that.

He’s convinced you killed his wife.

He’s delusional.

So actually, it may come to that.

Listen, I trust him.

It’ll be all right.

I can bring him in.

I’m not sending you in naked.

No more than I like doing it.

But this is John we’re talking about.

ROSE: Look, you owe him nothing.

He owes you.

He owes us both.

You’re not going in there unprotected.

Final word.

All right, but I’m not using this.

So what kind of thing you talking about?

Tactical weapons support.

If it looks like for one moment... Oh no, no.

ROSE:...for one moment your life’s in danger, I give the order.

Rose... ROSE: All right we do it like this or we don’t do it at all.

Your call.

All right, okay, fine.

Fine.

Bring in the shooters.

( door opens ) ( car door opens ) Don’t speak.

Drive.

Please, please.

Mark, listen to me, listen to me.

I didn’t do it.

It wasn’t me.

Luther set the meet here.

For what?

A chat?

Apparently.

No, he’s lying.

Of course he’s lying, but why?

All you need to do is be there at 9:00 AM.

They’ll be leaving, they’ll ask you to wait until they return.

You’ll be alone.

So I do what you say.

And then what?

And then you say you want to leave.

They can’t stop you and then you come back to me.

You’re putting Reed at very considerable risk.

I’m mindful of that, sir.

But he’s right.

This is the best way to bring Luther in without bloodshed.

And Reed?

Reed will be elsewhere.

C019?

Kitted and ready to go.

Now if circumstances warrant, you won’t hesitate to give the kill order.

Absolutely not.

Okay.

Okay.

You’re not coming?

This doesn’t fall within my compass, for which I’m grateful.

I’ve no desire to see what happens next.

IAN: You don’t have to be there.

I do.

We ready?

MARK: I need to speak to you.

Okay.

Of course.

It’s just that we have a, a live situation right now and... That’s all right.

I can wait.

You sure?

Absolutely.

MARTIN: I’ll look after Mr.

North.

MARK: There’s really no need.

I can wait.

Nonsense.

I’ll keep you company until the others return.

Mr.

North, if I may?

This isn’t going to work if you can’t control your temper.

It’s a weakness.

He’ll use it.

I can control it.

Well you’d better.

Because if I understand correctly, police marksmen don’t shoot to wound.

No.

They shoot to stop.

Go for the center of mass.

Here.

The heart.

How apropos.

( indistinct radio chatter ) There he is, by the stairs.

Sergeant?

We’ve got a clear shot and good to go.

On my order.

Not before.

Received and understood.

JOHN: What do you want me to do?

Kill you?

Forgive you?

I don’t understand how you could believe I did this.

You’ve changed your tune since the last time we spoke, Ian.

No, John.

I believe you did it, Ian, because you did it!

IAN: If you really believe that, deep down, then why did you steal the gun?

JOHN: The gun.

Yeah, you did a decent job with that.

But it’s gone now, and so is the only piece of hard evidence they’ve got against me.

So whatever you’re trying to do, whatever you’re trying to do to save yourself, it’s over.

It’s done.

You’re not answering my question... Yeah, I think I am!

IAN: But if you didn’t do it, how could there be any hard evidence against you?

How’s that possible?

JOHN: What, what are you trying to say?

IAN: I’ve spoken to the doctors, John.

What’s happening to you is called a dissociative state.

It’s the mind distancing itself from things that are too much for it to process.

You’re blaming me because you can’t bear to confront what you’ve done.

You’re in pain, you’re distressed.

You need help.

So come home.

All right?

Let us help you.

Thing is Ian, you didn’t come alone, did you?

Wouldn’t have the balls.

No, you came with CO19 who right now, have their assault rifles trained on my center of mass.

And we do not shoot to stop.

Not in our game no, we shoot to kill!

Ain’t that right fellas?

ROSE: Sergeant?

Still clear and good to go.

Ain’t that right boss?

You got the center of mass right here.

Because that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?

You prod me, you wind me up.

I lose it, I threaten your life.

And then you have a legal reason to shoot me.

Bang, bang, bang.

There goes your problems, all out the window.

Oh, Luther, couldn’t contain his temper.

IAN: John, John, listen to me.

You’re ill.

And you’re sick!

I wonder, are you even interested in why I’ve come here if I knew what you was up to?

I don’t know.

Maybe you wanted to get something off your chest?

About something you did to Henry Madsen, maybe?

JOHN: Oh, nice try, no, no.

I’ve got nothing to confess.

Henry Madsen fell.

And you know how hard I tried to save him.

I know how hard you tried.

No, I... I came out here... Still clear, still clear.

...to get you away from the locker rooms.

What’s he saying?

Where you’re keeping the diamonds or where you were up until about five minutes ago.

Oh, dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Tick, tick, tick, I wonder where they could have gone?

I didn’t hurt Zoe, John.

Ian, you do me a favor.

IAN: What?

Don’t say her name.

Not anymore.

No more.

All right, it’s over.

IAN: What can I do to prove it?

Just tell me.

Tell me--tell me what I can do.

JOHN: I actually thought I could listen to this.

I thought I could stand here and listen to you lying.

To my face!

Even now!

How can you stand there and lie like it’s nothing?

IAN:Because I didn’t do it!

He goes for a weapon, you take the shot.

IAN: I didn’t do it.

I loved Zoe, John.

She was like family to me.

Wait to see a weapon, wait to see a weapon... IAN: For Zoe.

Please just come home.

Don’t!

IAN: I love you too, man.

Don’t say that!

You piece of [...]!

All I want to do is hear you say it.

Just say it one time, just say what you did.

Say it to me.

Ian, mate... say it to me now!

I can’t!

JOHN: Say it!

IAN: No, because I didn’t do it, John!

You did!

MAN: He’s got a knife.

IAN: You killed her.

It’s your fault!

Do it.

Take the shot.

John!

Run!

Run!

MAN: You got a shot, ma’am.

ROSE: Hold your fire!

Hold your fire.

Don’t shoot him in the back.

All units be alert suspect John Luther leaving the area on foot, heading Southeast, fast.

[...]!

ROSE: Head him off!

Stop him.

Do you know what you’ve done?

Yes, I do, ma’am.

Don’t ma’am me.

Badge!

Arrest this man.

MAN: Come on, Ripley.

Come on.

ALICE: How’d it go?

I got what I wanted.

ALICE: And how close did you come to getting shot for it?

I didn’t get shot.

Fine.

Your funeral.

IAN: That dick!

ROSE: Let it go.

Would you?

"Run, John".

What was he thinking?

He thought he was being John’s friend and it’s already cost him everything.

So let it go.

What you suspended him?

And charged him as an accessory.

Ripley’s finished.

Yeah.

Well, that’s what being John’s friend does for you in the end.

We all pay the price for it.

Come on let’s get back.

MARTIN: Just... once more, if I may.

Luther came to see you, he was distressed... He was greatly distressed, yeah.

MARTIN: It feels unseemly to keep probing this, such a raw wound, so soon.

I must ask what he said.

He said he didn’t do it.

Well, I suppose all things are possible, although not equally.

Is this going to take much longer?

MARTIN: No, I think I’ve got everything I want from you.

If I could just ask you to wait a little bit longer, the insight you’ve given into his mental state, it may be of value... Can I please use the bathroom?

Of course.

( indistinct chatter ) MAN: Not yet.

MAN: Okay.

We need to be done as soon as possible, okay?

MAN: Okay, got it.

MAN: I need the last known location.

MAN: Okay.

( indistinct chatter ) ROSE: All right.

Get on with it.

Ian?

Thank you.

I’m sorry.

The bathroom?

I was... Oh, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, it’s over there on the right.

The flush is broken on the cubicle nearest the wall.

You might want to watch that.

I will, thank you.

Listen... I’m sorry for your loss.

She was very special.

That’s very kind.

She was.

MAN: Excuse me.

I need to be away from here.

Oh, yes, possibly that’s the best thing.

We could arrange an escort, a protective detail?

I don’t think Luther will be back.

Even so, I... I hope you’re not on your own.

It isn’t healthy.

Yeah, I have somewhere to go.

As you wish.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

It’s Mark, I’m on my way.

All right.

Hi, this is DCI Reed.

Can you do me a favor?

Can you run me a trace and track?

Okay, it’s Mark North.

( beeping ) JOHN: Tick, tick, tick.

I wonder where they could have gone?

( beeping ) JUSTIN: John!

Run!

Run!

John!

Run!

Run!

How long did you want to become a police officer, Justin?

Since I can remember.

And why?

Why a police officer?

Does it matter?

Big family?

Yeah, pretty big.

They’re proud of you?

Yes.

Family’s important to you, isn’t it?

Family, loyalty, trust, and rules are important too.

Aren’t they?

Yes.

Yes.

So why throw it all away?

For nothing.

You’re not a fool.

What have you got to lose?

Your pride, your self-respect, your job?

Well, they’re all gone!

( beeping ) Something’s happening that no one else can quite see.

Well, I want to see it.

What’s happening?

ROSE: Excuse me.

What is it, Martin?

We need to find Detective Chief Inspector Reed.

Most urgently.

( beeping ) Shhh.

IAN: So you’ve got North doing your dirty work for you, your dead wife’s boyfriend, stealing evidence.

What is it about you, John?

You corrupt everything around you.

You turn everything to [...].

All this.

All this, what you did.

For what?

For greed?

Because you were scared?

Well, now look.

What do you want me to say, John, huh?

What, that I wish I hadn’t killed Zoe?

I do.

I wish I hadn’t.

I didn’t go there meaning to.

But I did.

And so now we’re here, just do what you got to do.

All right, just commit.

She begged you.

Come on, just get it over with.

It’ll be a relief.

I’m sick of this.

JOHN: I know.

I didn’t come to kill you, Ian.

I wish I hadn’t killed Zoe?

I do.

I wish I hadn’t.

What?

So all this, bringing me here, sending her boyfriend to the station, stealing the diamonds, that was all a play?

You set me up for a confession?

Pretty much.

If I was you, I’d killed me.

There’s nothing I’d like to do more.

Do it, come on.

I’ve come so far, I don’t even care.

You know this is the end for me.

No.

Why not?

Because I choose not to.

Did she ever tell you about her and me?

Zoe?

Oh, no she didn’t.

Of course she didn’t.

I knew that.

What do you mean?

It started one night... you’d stayed away working once too often.

That’s not gonna work, Ian.

IAN: She cried afterwards.

Yeah, washed the sheets.

That’s one of the memories I’ve got of her crying, naked, stuffing the sheets into a machine, calling me an arsehole, a bastard.

She still made me do it again before I left.

It’s not going to work.

IAN: She told me I taught her how to really cum.

JOHN: You know, Ian, you can’t play me.

Hey, you can’t make me shoot you.

You can’t choose.

No, no, no, no, no, no, I can’t play you!

You’re John Luther, who sees all, knows all.

Come on, John, after a marriage that long, that unhappy with a woman, that needy?

Oh, there must have been quite a few.

And maybe you knew about some of them deep down, but you know what?

I think I was her favorite.

No more, Ian!

Because I was her revenge.

Every orgasm she took from me was to pay you back.

Enough!

How does it feel?

You murderer.

Come on, how does it feel, tell me?

No.

No.

Ian Reed, I’m arresting you for the murder of Zoe Luther... [...] you.

You should have done it, John.

Now look what you’re making me do.

Look!

Now look what you’re making me do!

Ian... You should have stopped me, John!

ALICE: Ian!

Are you?

Yeah.

He swore he wasn’t going to kill you.

He thought the humiliation of prison would be worse.

The beatings, the rapes, the incessant fear for your life, but I told him, "No, John, you’re wrong.

Dying would be worse."

Because, well, honestly it is, isn’t it?

Dying’s just worse.

So... do I pull the trigger or not?

No.

Alice.

Well, I’m in favor, which leaves us fifty-fifty, with one vote left to cast.

Mark?

What do you think?

You’re a liar.

JOHN: He is a liar.

ALICE: Deciding vote, Mark.

JOHN: Alice, Alice, don’t.

Wasn’t it enough to take her life?

Where is your respect?

Where is your shame?

She didn’t look like a whore though, did she?

JOHN: Don’t listen to him.

Don’t listen to him.

IAN: I mean not dressed, anyway.

But strip her down, roll her round a bit.

Oh... Stop, stop, stop.

Okay, listen!

Ian, stop.

Mark, I know how much you wanted to see him die.

But don’t do it.

I mean she had a few good rides left in her.

Do it!

Do it!

Do it!

No.

No.

No, no.

( sirens wailing ) Oh, no.

( helicopter whirring ) Now what?