DRILLA

***DRILLA*** is the fourth episode of the first season of *Dead Man's Phone*.

## Synopsis

*A shocking video surfaces on social media. Everybody's asking, who is B Drilla?*

## Plot

BBO reporter Anoushka Nair calls you to warn you she’s about to run a story about ‘B Drilla’ claiming to have murdered Jerome, as he released a video on Snaplife boasting about the circumstances of his death, and that he knows who did it. The SE15 chat is exploding, with the boys trying to make sense of the lyrics. Aaron identifies B Drilla as Bradley North, who was friends with Jerome in primary school. He used to go out with Tara, Jerome’s girlfriend. When they broke up, Jerome and Bradley fell out.

Sophie restores Jerome’s archived Chatsapp convos with Tara and Bradley. They reveal Bradley and Jerome met at Burgess Park at 11am to resolve their feud over Tara. After the meeting, Bradley sent messages threatening to kill Jerome, and the timing matches up with the traumatic incident a week before his death. Sophie restores the live-location data for the meeting at Burgess Park which confirms it happened. It seems the case is almost closed, but DCI Sutherland says they still need a confession and physical evidence tying Bradley to the murder.

Tara is finally brought in for questioning. She says there was a complete change in Jerome’s personality a week before his death, probably when Bradley and Jerome met up. According to her, Jerome and Bradley were great friends in primary school and even though Jerome took Tara from Bradley, he wouldn’t hurt him. If you ask her Bradley’s address, she tells you he lives with his aunt in West Norwood. From this, Sophie identifies the correct Bradley North, and you ask for him to be brought in.

* **If you decide to send Sutherland…**

Sutherland brings in Bradley. Vikram finds no trace of his fingerprints or DNA at the crime scene. In the interviewing room, Bradley only sits motionless and doesn’t respond to anything. When you ask about the redman, he gives you a brief look, but returns to being unresponsive. Sutherland leaves the room and calls you to discuss what to do next. You can either release Bradley or detain him for another 48 hours.

* + **If you detained Bradley…**

You tell SE15 you have Bradley in custody, and they suggest things you could say to make him speak. Aaron suggests there may be evidence on Jerome’s phone, and you share screenshots of Bradley’s texts. Keiran claims the texts weren’t written by Bradley - the slang sounds outdated like it was written by someone trying to sound their age. Aaron tells you to do something about it - someone framed Bradley and doctored the messages.

* **If you decide to send PC Bronson and PC Maguire or you released Bradley…**

You get notified that B Drilla has posted something - a video of water captioned with a possible suicide note. Thames Marine Unit are alerted of a possible ‘jumper’. A while later, a body is found in the Thames. Bronson and Maguire are ordered to bring Bradley’s aunt in to ID the body. It is Bradley. Forensics find none of Bradley’s DNA at the murder scene. Bradley’s blood stream had a high amount of ketamine in it, not unusual for suicide.

Sutherland informs you, Bronson and Maguire that Superintendent Fowler has closed the case, as Bradley’s Snaplife post counts as a confession. He wishes you all well and Bronson and Maguire log off YardOS. If you tell Sutherland you feel uneasy about the conclusion of the case, he tells you that’s just how it is in the job, and that you should take a break. He logs off. PC Bronson calls you to say goodbye in person.

SE15 celebrate that justice has been delivered, but Aaron is still doubtful that the case is closed, wishing Bradley had been brought to trial for closure. Will asks you to show them the threatening messages from Bradley, and Aaron is finally convinced. You say goodbye to the SE15 group chat, as access to Jerome’s virtual phone is being closed. They thank you for solving Jerome’s murder and Aaron asks you for screenshots of Bradley’s texts for their own records. Keiran claims the texts weren’t written by Bradley - the slang sounds outdated like it was written by someone trying to sound their age. Aaron tells you to do something about it - someone framed Bradley and doctored the messages.

## BBO News headlines

* John Greenlees in court on rape charges
* Envid-20 declared a pandemic by GHI
* Drill music video suggests connection to Jerome Jacobs death
* ‘Giant’ human bones discovered
* Isobel Fields sparks controversy over chirps
* NSFA robot finds signs of life in Europa
* Jerome Jacobs suspect ‘B Drilla’ identified as Bradley North
* Jerome Jacobs murder suspect posts possible suicide note (bad ending)
* Body found in Thames thought to be Bradley North (bad ending)
* Body discovered in Thames confirmed to be Bradley North (bad ending)
* Jerome Jacobs’ murder investigation closed after suspect death (bad ending)
* Jerome Jacobs murder suspect taken into custody
* Jerome Jacobs murder suspect released from custody