HELLO, LADS

***HELLO, LADS*** is the final episode of the first season of *Dead Man's Phone*.

## Synopsis

*Jerome's fall appears solved, until the case unravels and the world turns upside down.*

## Plot

You message Sophie about the SE15 boys’ allegations that Bradley’s texts were written by someone else. She messages back to say the metadata of Bradley’s chat has been altered by YardOS IDs. She restores Jerome’s phone to the time before his murder. You look through the restored chat and the messages glitch into place. The boys are talking about a racist attack they just experienced from some police officers. Jerome sent Bradley a video to show he filmed the whole thing. The glitchy video shows PC Bronson and PC Maguire approaching the boys. Bronson asks if they know anything about drug dealing around here, because they ‘fit the bill’. The atmosphere turns sour as the boys are offended of being profiled like that. Bronson goes to search Jerome and when he resists, they have a scuffle. Jerome drops his phone and Bronson is heard laughing and mocking them. The police officers are called to another area and they leave. Bradley wants Jerome to put the video online to get them fired but Jerome begs him to forget about it, ashamed of what just happened. Bradley ends the conversation saying he’s happy Jerome has Tara to talk to. You and Sophie discuss this revelation, that Bronson and Maguire may have had something to do with Jerome’s murder, and that Bronson is the ‘redman’, named for his ginger hair.

She tells you to talk to DCI Sutherland. You and Sutherland talk on a private chat just for you two, and tell him about the messages.

### Bad ending

If you sent PC Bronson and PC Maguire or released Bradley, Sutherland tells you he’ll arrange undercover ops to discreetly bring in Bronson and Maguire. Meanwhile, Sophie has found more footage of the incident from Maguire’s body cam, which shows Bronson pinning Jerome to the ground, and him following, doing the same to Bradley. Their location data matches Jerome and Bradley’s location on Mapper. Furthermore, Bradley’s post-mortem finds blunt force trauma to the back of his head, and handcuff-like injuries to his wrists.

Sophie gets Bronson’s records and finds his father had been dismissed from the police after being injured in the 1981 Brixton riots. She theorises that if Bronson’s father blamed the largely black riots for getting him dismissed, Bronson was bound to have inherited his racist views. She recognises history repeating itself and goes offline.

You tell SE15 that the messages were altered by two police officers, and share the video with them. They realise this hate crime is what changed Jerome, and they are outraged. Will comments how you’ve been pitting black youth against each other from the start, like Spring Block and Bradley. Keiran rewatches the B Drilla video and says how it makes sense now, that Bradley was sharing his account of the incident rather than boasting about his murder. You try your best to calm them down but ultimately their trust in you has been broken.

Sutherland informs you Bronson and Maguire have been apprehended and put in interviewing rooms, and that a Stafford Tower resident Winston Haines wants to talk. Winston tells you he gave a witness statement after Jerome fell. A week later, he was outside the tower talking to a neighbour about the ‘redman’ when a boy overheard them and became unsettled. Later when he saw that boy’s face on the news that he’d committed suicide, he decided to tell the police about it. When he leaves, you and Sutherland realise that was the moment Bradley knew Bronson and Maguire were responsible for Jerome’s murder, as only them two knew what the word ‘redman’ was about.

You and Sutherland coldly interview Bronson. He says nothing except “no comment” and Sutherland storms out of the room with fury. Off the record, the only explanation Bronson gives for the crime is “I did tell you before, detective. This sort of thing is just quite common around these parts”.

You interview Maguire who was troubled talking about it at first, but eventually tells the whole story: he and Bronson were responding to a report of drug dealing in Burgess Park, but there was no description of the offenders. Bronson didn’t know Maguire had turned his body cam on. Maguire was horrified as the stop-and-search situation escalated into a racially-aggravated attack. He followed Bronson’s actions as they took photos of Bradley and Jerome’s IDs, got another call and left. Maguire notes in disgust that Bronson had perked up after they left. He told him he’d put his body cam on, much to Bronson’s fury, and they rewatched it, noticing Jerome had been filming on his phone. Maguire considered telling his superiors what happened but thought about his life long aspiration to become a police officer and that this video surfacing would get him fired, so he agreed to Bronson’s plan to get Jerome’s phone and destroy the evidence.

Over the following week they tracked Jerome’s home address on their patrols, looking for an opportunity to grab his phone. When they found him walking home alone at night and approached him, Jerome spotted them and ran away, shouting “redman”. Maguire struggles to continue as he explains they chased him up to the 12th floor. Jerome kicked Bronson in the face, and Maguire lunged for the phone, but missed and pushed Jerome backwards off the building. As they ran downstairs, someone had already called the police and the paramedics arrived a few minutes after. Bronson told him to check Jerome’s pulse, to explain their fingerprints on him. Maguire recalls the disturbing moment he and Bronson held back Jerome’s screaming mother, “grappling with the mother, minutes after the son.”

When their shift ended, Bronson went to Maguire’s flat to tell him his plan to frame Bradley by changing his texts through YardOS, as he knew of the flaws in the system. Bronson changed the texts, and Maguire deleted the video thinking it would be the end of it. When Bradley posted his music video, Bronson had come up with the final part of the plan, but Maguire told him he’d rather go to prison than kill another innocent boy. Bronson casually threatened Maguire that if he pulled out of the plan now, he would kill him too, and feel nothing.

Maguire says when you told him and Bronson to collect Bradley, Bronson’s plan came into action - they incapacitated Bradley on a quiet road, drugged him with ketamine and drove him to a bridge with no cameras. Maguire crafted Bradley’s suicide note post, and they pushed Bradley over the bridge, throwing the phone after him. They disposed of the ketamine and handcuffs and went back to work. Maguire recalls looking up and seeing Jerome smiling at him from across the river. He enthusiastically confesses to the murder of Jerome and Bradley, and manically shares with you and Sutherland his interpretation of ‘redman’ - Jerome came to him in his sleep, and told him that Bronson is Satan, the devil, with his red hair and face. Jerome and Bradley were sacrificed in his place, and he became Satan’s servant. Now that their crimes have been uncovered, he must be sacrificed so Jerome and Bradley can live again. He bursts into tears and Sutherland asks to speak to you on YardChat.

Sutherland tells you you have all the evidence for the full story, and says he will notify Crown Court that you’re charging them. When you tell Sophie what has happened, she cryptically says she cannot talk to you anymore, as “they’re listening in”. You share Maguire’s confession video with SE15. Aaron sadly reflects how all they wanted was Jerome’s phone. Lucas regrets pitting Bradley against them, saying they should have protected him.

When you ask Sutherland how it’s going, he tells you Maguire has had a psychotic breakdown and been sent to hospital. Crown court have decided to dismiss Maguire’s confession as evidence as his mental health was not assessed before the interview. The government doesn’t want this story to get out as it could cause social unrest. Then he tells you Bronson’s lawyer is planning to twist Maguire’s mental breakdown into the reason they manipulated the texts. Bronson also told his lawyer that you have been sharing evidence of the whole case with Jerome’s friends, undermining all the evidence collected.

Just then, the Home Secretary calls you and seedily tells you that Scotland Yard will be making sure the footage is not released to the public, as it could spark civil unrest akin to the Brixton riots. He also says they will discreetly suspend the two police officers, and that history will say Jerome was murdered by Bradley, who then committed suicide. He says he and the Superintendent are very impressed with your dedication to serving your government, offering part of the defense budget to you. You can either refuse it or take it.

You inform SE15 that the case has been thrown out and that Bronson and Maguire will walk free. The video evidence has vanished from their phones. Outraged, the boys make plans to catch a bus into town carrying knives and kill the first policeman they see. The access to Jerome’s phone slowly starts shutting down, and you can do nothing to stop them.

### Good ending

If you sent Sutherland to pick up Bradley and detained him, he tells you to act as if nothing has happened until you’ve spoken to Bradley again, as you have the advantage over Bronson and Maguire.

You tell SE15 that the messages were altered by two police officers, and share the video with them. They realise this hate crime is what changed Jerome, and they are outraged. Will comments how you’ve been pitting black youth against each other from the start, like Spring Block and Bradley. Keiran rewatches the B Drilla video and says how it makes sense now, that Bradley was sharing his account of the incident rather than boasting about his murder. You try your best to calm them down but ultimately their trust in you has been broken.

Meanwhile, Sophie has found more footage of the incident from Maguire’s body cam, which shows Bronson pinning Jerome to the ground, and him following, doing the same to Bradley. She gets Bronson’s records and finds his father had been dismissed from the police for after being injured in the 1981 Brixton riots. She theorises that if Bronson’s father blamed the largely black riots for getting him dismissed, Bronson was bound to have inherited his racist views. She recognises history repeating itself and goes offline.

In the chat with Bronson and Maguire, you post something normal and Bronson tries to convince you to release Bradley. You return to the interview room and Bradley is visibly relieved when Sutherland tells him you know the truth. Bradley says he can’t trust the police anymore, and explains he was meeting Jerome to talk about Tara, telling him that he was happy they’re happy together. They were interrupted by the officers, and instantly getting a bad feeling about it. He recalls Bronson, the redman, seemed to hold a lot of hatred and called them slurs, while Maguire looked as helpless as them. After the policemen left, they went home and Jerome shared the video he had secretly filmed. Bradley was going to send it to BBO News, but Jerome wanted to forget about it, so they did. When Bradley heard Jerome had died, he didn’t suspect the police at first, but when he heard a Stafford Block resident telling his story of the murder and mention the word ‘redman’, he knew Jerome had been murdered by Bronson. He used his music as an outlet for his anger and fear, but didn’t realise at the time that it sounded sus. When Sutherland came to pick him up, he was scared he’d be killed like how they killed Jerome.

Sutherland tells Bradley he’s in danger as he’s the only one who knows the truth. To get cold hard evidence, you have the idea to announce Bradley has been released, use the live-location app on Bradley’s phone to lure out Bronson and Maguire and catch them in the act. You suggest Kane poses as Bradley. You get Kane back in, explain the situation to him and tell him your plan. He agrees to it. You tell the SE15 boys of the plan and they approve.

You and Sutherland plan out the arrest - Operation Redman. You contact undercover ops to get a wire planted in Bronson and Maguire’s car. Kane will be sent to a secluded location with Bradley’s phone on him and Sutherland and a firearms team will be waiting close by. Bronson and Maguire start driving towards Bradley’s phone location and you listen in to the wire in their car. You hear Maguire watching the phone location and Bronson talking about his plan to inject Bradley with ketamine and dump him in the Thames by a bridge with no cameras.

Then Sutherland calls you. You hear him and the firearms team waiting for Bronson and Maguire to approach Kane, and then ambushing them. The call abruptly ends and Sutherland messages you to say Maguire immediately surrendered, but Bronson tried to run away. They are ready to be interviewed.

You and Sutherland coldly interview Bronson. He says nothing except “no comment” and Sutherland storms out of the room with fury. Off the record, the only explanation Bronson gives for the crime is “I did tell you before, detective. This sort of thing is just quite common around these parts”.

You interview Maguire who was troubled talking about it at first, but eventually tells the whole story: he and Bronson were responding to a report of drug dealing in Burgess Park, but there was no description of the offenders. Bronson didn’t know Maguire had turned his body cam on. Maguire was horrified as the stop-and-search situation escalated into a racially-aggravated attack. He followed Bronson’s actions as they took photos of Bradley and Jerome’s IDs, got another call and left. Maguire notes in disgust that Bronson had perked up after they left. He told him he’d put his body cam on, much to Bronson’s fury, and they rewatched it, noticing Jerome had been filming on his phone. Maguire considered telling his superiors what happened but thought about his life long aspiration to become a police officer and that this video surfacing would get him fired, so he agreed to Bronson’s plan to get Jerome’s phone and destroy the evidence.

Over the following week they tracked Jerome’s home address on their patrols, looking for an opportunity to grab his phone. When they found him walking home alone at night and approached him, Jerome spotted them and ran away, shouting “redman”. Maguire struggles to continue as he explains they chased him up to the 12th floor. Jerome kicked Bronson in the face, and Maguire lunged for the phone, but missed and pushed Jerome backwards off the building. As they ran downstairs, someone had already called the police and the paramedics arrived a few minutes after. Bronson told him to check Jerome’s pulse, to explain their fingerprints on him. Maguire recalls the disturbing moment he and Bronson held back Jerome’s screaming mother, “grappling with the mother, minutes after the son.”

When their shift ended, Bronson went to Maguire’s flat to tell him his plan to frame Bradley by changing his texts through YardOS, as he knew of the flaws in the system. Bronson changed the texts, and Maguire deleted the video thinking it would be the end of it. When Bradley posted his music video, Bronson had come up with the final part of the plan, but Maguire told him he’d rather go to prison than kill another innocent boy. Bronson casually threatened Maguire that if he pulled out of the plan now, he would kill him too, and feel nothing.

Maguire says the plan was put on hold after Sutherland was sent to collect Bradley, but resumed when it was reported he was released. They followed Bradley’s live-location to Burgess Park. When the firearms team apprehended them, Maguire felt a sense of freedom, believing they would have killed Bradley, and he would’ve lost his mind. He confidently agrees to testify in court. Sutherland asks to speak to you on YardChat.

Sutherland says he will notify Crown Court that you’re charging them. You share Maguire’s confession video with SE15. Aaron sadly reflects how all they wanted was Jerome’s phone. Lucas regrets pitting Bradley against them, saying they should have protected him. The boys discuss that Maguire wasn’t the real killer, but the redman’s racist attack leading to the attempted coverup. Sutherland tells you they have been charged with murder, attempted murder, racially-aggravated assault and perverting the cause of justice. However, the government is trying to keep the situation quiet by prohibiting press contact. You have the idea to leak evidence through a third-party. SE15 leaks the stop-and-search video, the hidden audio recording and Maguire’s confession to BBO News, as well as starting #FKJJ, ‘feds killed Jerome Jacobs’. A montage of news coverage of Jerome’s murder case plays out.

A year later, Lady Justice Byron is addressing the court. After hearing testimonies from Maguire and Bradley, she asks you how much responsibility you think Maguire holds. You can either say he is a victim, he is partly to blame, or just as responsible as Bronson. The jury comes to a verdict to charge them both on all four accounts with life imprisonment. Maguire will be eligible for parole, but Bronson will not. The Home Secretary commends you and Sutherland for your work.

On the SE15 chat, the boys are moving on from Jerome’s death. You check in to say goodbye as access to Jerome’s phone will be shut down. They express their gratitude for giving Jerome justice and reflect on his life. Though Lucas realises there are good police and bad police, he still stands by the fact your name is stupid. They share a video of Shareefa Energy performing a poem about police brutality, Tremors and Earthquakes.

In Season 2, a news article reveals a public inquiry has been launched into the handling of the case.

## BBO News headlines

* John Greenlees convicted of rape charges (bad ending)
* John Greenlees acquitted of all charges (good ending)
* US declares itself Envid-20 “free”
* WWII bomb kills three in Coventry
* Isobel Fields dropped from ‘Certain Death’
* Teachers protest government’s education plans
* Massive flooding devastates the Netherlands
* Jerome Jacobs murder suspect released from custody (good ending)
* Two police constables convicted of the murder of Jerome Jacobs (good ending)