Royal Hunting Ground Recap

This is a recap for the episode "Royal Hunting Ground".

## Recap

### Before First Interview of Nick Huntley by Murder Squad

The episode opens with DCI Roz Huntley entering a hotel room with her two children, Sophie and Ollie. A police constable is with them. Roz tells them that the hotel wasn't able to provide an adjoining room at such short notice, the but the other one's just down the hall. She says she knows it's difficult, but it's just while the officers are at the house. Sophie asks if their dad, Nick Huntley is going to come here too. Roz says these things take time. Sophie is angry and asks why she isn't doing anything to help him. Roz says it's complicated. Sophie grabs her bags and says she wants the other room.

A forensic search is going on at the Huntleys' house. DS Neil Twyler is there with PC Farida Jatri. Neil doesn't think Nick would have risked leaving evidence here as Roz is a police officer. A message comes through on the radio that there is a DS outside to see Neil. He goes outside to find DS Sam Railston waiting for him with DC Antonioni from Murder Squad. She says that Nick's solicitor is accusing the detectives from Polk Avenue Station of favouring their own DCI's story over his, and their Chief Super is worried that the defence could use it against them in court. Neil asks if they're taking over. Sam apologises and heads on in.

DS Kate Fleming walks into the AC-12 Building and tells Supt Ted Hastings and DS Steve Arnott that Polk Avenue are starting the first round of interviews with Nick Huntley, but there's no news. Hastings is annoyed, saying that Roz has done it again, they had the case in the palm of their hands but Roz has thrown everyone off the scent. He asks who's on it, Kate says Murder Squad with Anti Corruption Unit 9 observing, with one of the AC-9 detectives being DC Jamie Desford. Hastings is furious that the whole thing is kicking off and they're not even in the game, he goes back to his office. Steve asks Kate who from Murder Squad.

### First Interview of Nick Huntley by Murder Squad

Sam is seen interviewing Nick Huntley with DCS Lester Hargreaves in the presence of Nick's solicitor, Jimmy Lakewell. She tells him that neither of them have any work connection with Roz; they're from 4th Street Station. She tells them that detectives from AC-9 will be observing in connection with ongoing anti-corruption enquiries and Lakewell notes this. Jamie is seen in a seperate room watching the interview via video link with another detective.

Hargreaves asks what Nick was doing outside Tim Ifield's flat. Reluctantly, Nick says that he was following his wife because he thought she was having an affair. Hargreaves asks if she was. Nick says he believes so, that's what she told him, with another police officer, a married man. Sam says that Roz denies an affair, that there was no other officer present there that night. Hargreaves asks if he thought she was having an affair with Tim Ifield, then asks how he would describe his emotional state that evening. Sam asks if he was in a frame of mind to control his wife's behaviour or coerce her. Nick denies it, saying she was the one who went to the flat, she was the one who went inside. Sam says that there are no witnesses to her entering the flat, no CCTV, no mobile phone GPS data. Nick says she left her phone at home. Hargreaves points out that he did too. Nick says that he was in a rush and forgot it. Hargreaves asks what he planned to do to Tim Ifield. Nick says nothing, and asks why he would want to kill Tim, how would he? Hargreaves says that they look at three things, oppourtunity -he was there- means -Tim wasn't a big man or a fighter and there were knives in the flat- motive -he thought Tim was having an affair with Roz. Nick keeps denying it, saying this is all Roz, she's trying to frame him. Hargreaves asks if his defence is that it wasn't him, it was the one-armed woman. It is clear neither of them believe him.

### After First Interview of Nick Huntley by Murder Squad

Sam is walking out of the station with Jamie, discussing the search on Huntley's house. Steve and Kate are there waiting for them. The situation is awkward given the relationship between Steve and Sam in series 3. Sam is shocked to see Steve in a wheelchair and asks how he's doing, he says he's fine. Kate asks what Nick's been saying, Jamie says that Sam isn't at liberty to disclose. Steve says that this was there case. Jamie says that's not according to ACC Derek Hilton. Kate asks if he assigned him. Jamie says that Hastings didn't appreciate his ability but Hilton does, then leaves. Sam apologises and goes to leave. Kate tells her that she dumped Steve at the first sign of trouble, it's a bit late for apologies, then leaves. Steve goes to leave, but Sam tells him to wait and then says this has to be completely off the record. Steve says of course.

Steve and Kate are back at the AC-12 offices, watching the recording of the interview with Nick Huntley. Nick is talking about how he followed Roz and saw her stop off at minicab office and take a minicab part of the way to the flat, then went on foot to Tim's flat and went inside. Kate says that Roz took the cab to avoid the traffic cameras and was inside the flat whilst Nick was outside. She fast forwards the tape. Nick says that at around 7, a man came out of the flat and then an hour later came back with a couple of shopping bags. Hargreaves asks what was in them. Nick says he doesn't know, but he remembers that there was a tube sticking out of one of them, like a roll of something. Steve pauses the video and says that fits with the security cameras at the DIY store that evening. He finds the photo and circles the roll of plastic sheeting. Sam asks him to describe the man. Nick describes him as medium height, medium build, receding hair, fair hair, a description that matches Tim Ifield. Steve fast forwards to Sam asking Nick when he left the flat, Nick says about eleven, that a woman came out of the flats and was looking at his car, that she'd arrived a few minutes earlier in a nurse's uniform. Steve says that must be Gemma Riley, Nick's downstairs neighbour, who mistook Nick's car for a minicab. Nick was worried Gemma might get suspicious so he left and drove home. Hargreaves says that Roz says different, that she was at home, off sick from work, and he didn't come back until nine the following morning. Nick says no, that was her, she was the one out all night. Kate says it's hard to know who to believe, Nick or Roz. Steve says that a traffic camera caught Nick leaving the area just after eleven, just as he's stated in his interview. Steve thinks he's telling the truth and he went home. Kate says that Roz hired a minicab to avoid the traffic cameras, and according to Nick, she was still in the flat when he left, but unfortunately, nobody saw her leave. Steve says they know she was on foot, and that's a long way to walk all the way home, but they know her car was at the minicab firm and that's much nearer. Kate says she'll check it out.

Later that night, Steve and Kate are in Hastings's office. Kate tells Hastings that Roz pitched up at the minicab firm as a walk-in, giving no name or contact details and the place has no security cameras. Hastings comments that she knew the one to pick. Kate says that he remembered a dark-skinned woman, but that was all, and nobody saw her return the next day. Hastings says that they've lost her, then, the trail's gone cold. Steve says no, it hasn't. Tim died of severe blood loss, and there's no way the killer managed to murder Tim and clear up the crime scene without getting blood stains on their clothes. The search of Tim's flat uncovered spare hangers in the wardrobe, that bore grey synthetic fibres probably from a tracksuit, but that item of clothing has never been found, so the killer must have taken it. It would be the perfect choice as it's loose-fitting and also unisex, so it could have been worn by Nick or Roz. Hastings says that doesn't give them a clue as to what either of them were doing next. Steve says that it does, because the killer couldn't risk being seen in a new outfit, by wearing it, the tracksuit could have become contaminated by his or her DNA, so he or she had to dispose of it, their next move had to be to return home to pick up a change of clothes. Steve points out that Roz knows inside out all the mistakes offenders make in the hours following a crime, and as SIO, she'd know that nobody even knew Tim was dead yet, and she knows that the twenty-four hours after the body is found will be the main focus to pick up the evidence trail. Kate says that if they'd had the guts, the murderer would have held onto the tracksuit before disposing of it as far away as possible from their known haunts. Hastings says they need to find out what those two were doing on the days leading up to Tim Ifield's murder.

Steve goes out into the offices and tells everyone that they are to conduct a city-wide security camera survey for the period beginning the 19th of March, with the suspects being Nick and Roz Huntley. ANPR targets their registered vehicles and if either of them made a false move, they need to find it.

Roz Huntley is in a meeting with ACC Derek Hilton at Pelbury House. Hilton says that on the medical side, they'll make sure she gets the best treatment, no matter what. Roz thanks him. He offers her a cup of tea and then says that he wishes they could be in the circumstances, but some things can't be ignored. Roz knows he's talking about her husband, then says that she understands, she's recused herself from leading the inquiry. Hilton says that he wishes it were enough, but there are unresolved allegations against her. He's sure he can convince everyone to conclude proceedings quietly, provided she intends to resign. Hilton says that it's the only way she takes back control, the only way to avoid further challenges to the charging of Michael Farmer. Roz is shocked and says that she's given everything to this job. She says that she's not bent, she's a diligent, dedicated, loyal officer. She wants to know why he isn't backing her anymore. He says he is, but AC-12's findings extend further, to Jimmy Lakewell and her. Roz doesn't understand. Hilton says that AC-12 claimed that between them, they had prior knowledge of Michael Farmer's criminal record and it will be such an uphill struggle to fight. If she resigns, it will all be behind her. Roz looks devastated.

Back in the AC-12 Building, Steve and the other officers are carrying out the search of the traffic cameras, working late into the night.

Hastings and Kate are re-watching the interview of Nick Huntley. Kate looks exhausted. Nick is talking about how Roz blamed him the operation on her arm. He says the doctors tried to save it but it was already dead, that the infection had spread into her bloodstream, but she was trying to hide it all, she was avoiding seeing their GP. Sam asks why she was trying to hide it. Nick says that Roz claimed she'd grazed her wrist on some brickwork, but he was doubting that and so was the doctor, because the infection they found was MRSA, which must have come from another person. Hastings pauses the video and starts looking through the transcript. Hastings says that the hospital was forced to disclose the details of Roz's medical condition and it started with a cut on her arm that became infected. He then points out the date that Nick first noticed Roz was wearing a plaster on her arm, the 18th March, the day after Tim's murder.

### Before Second Interview of Nick Huntley by Murder Squad

The next day, Kate is at the hospital, talking to Elizabeth Lewis, the surgical staff nurse involved in the treatment of Roz, who is there with Caroline. Elizabeth says that it isn't possible to examine the amputated hand, as that would have been incinerated, as is standard practice, but the samples that the surgeons took, the infection swabs and tissue biopsies and stuff, they'd still have those. Kate asks how specific they can get about the infection, Elizabeth says that they can do whole genome sequencing of the bacteria, which is about as specific as DNA profiling the person. Kate asks if the bacteria can be matched the bacteria than came from the body. Elizabeth asks how old the body is, Kate says he died seven weeks ago, Elizabeth says that she's no expert, but he'd probably be like a garden overrun with weeds by now. Kate asks Elizabeth to explain how MRSA can get transferred from one person to the wound of another person. Elizabeth says that MRSA is a commensal organism and lives naturally and harmlessly on the carrier, usually inside the nose, that the bacteria can easily get transferred onto hands and then infect wounds of other people. Kate asks her to clarify that it lives in the nose, Elizabeth says that's right. Kate thanks her and leaves, getting out her mobile phone.

Kate calls Hastings and asks him if there were fibres recovered from Tim's nose at his postmortem. Hastings says yes, they were believed to be from a balaclava he was wearing around the time of his death. Kate says that those fibres were sampled a few days after his death, and there's a chance that they're still infected with the MRSA bacteria if Tim was a carrier. Hastings looks shocked and tells her to leave it with him, that he'll get onto the labs and make it a matter of priority.

Roz meets with DC Jodie Taylor in a cafe. Roz says that she said she found something. Jodie eagerly gets out her pocketbook and says that she ran a database check to see why AC-12 might question a link between her and Lakewell. Jodie says that nothing came up professionally as she only knows him socially, through Nick, but she says that ran his name as cross-check with other case keywords. Jodie says that Lakewell was Michael Farmer's solicitor when he was convicted of raping Jade Hopkirk as a sixteen-year-old. Roz is shocked. Jodie asks what it means exactly. Roz says she's not sure, then asks her to do one more thing for her, to carry out some telecoms inquiries.

The AC-12 officers are still carrying out the CCTV search. Steve updates Hastings, saying that all sightings of Nick and Roz only match with places like home and work, nothing suspicious. Steve thinks Roz knows the locations of the ANPR cameras. Hastings agrees. Steve says they're now going through all the CCTV and traffic cameras themselves. Hastings says it's a bit of a tall order, given the time they've got.

Roz is alone in her hotel room, looking exhausted. She gets a call from Jodie, who tells her that AC-12 are still after her and have just requested access to Tim's flat. Roz thanks her and hangs up.

Hastings and Kate are in Tim's flat. They discuss the isolated blood splatter, KRG-13. Kate says that somebody went to a lot of trouble to make it appear that it was Tim's blood, but why not just wipe it up like the rest? Hastings agrees, saying that it's a tiny speck of blood and on the night the killer mopped up all the pools of blood, but this is easily missed. Kate suggests that maybe Roz noticed it when she came back a few days later to investigate the murder and when she saw it she got scared that it could have been hers or Nick's blood. Hastings says that he was here on the day, the place was crawling with FIs and coppers, and the only way she could have tampered with that evidence would have been when it got back to the station. Kate says that she'd need access to the evidence she'd disposed of, because that is the only source of Tim's blood.

Hastings and Kate rush out of the flats. Hastings calls Steve and tells him to focus the search on the day they found Tim's body, the morning of the 23rd straight through to early hours of the morning of the 24th. Steve relays this information onto the rest of the team. Hastings and Kate are seen driving away. Roz Huntley is seen hiding behind a bush watching. She walks off.

Roz is next seen in the hotel room, opening the door to Sam and Antonioni. She invites them in and thanks them for coming. Sam notes that there are restrictions on her coming to Polk Avenue whilst inquiries are ongoing. Sam says that the search is nearly done, so they should be able to go home soon. Roz says that they asked her to contact them if she remembered anything suspicious about Nick's behaviour the night of Ifield's murder. Roz says that the following morning, he was unloading the washing, but there was only one item, a navy jumper. Roz says they've siezed all his items of clothing from their address, so they'll see if they can track it down. Roz thanks them.

Kate walks into the AC-12 Building and tells Steve that they've got the results from the lab. Examination of the wool fibres found in Tim's nose during the postmortem found that they were overgrown with MRSA and whole genome sequencing proves the organism is indistinguishable from the strain of MRSA swabbed from Roz's infected wound. Steve says that this only proves that Roz was involved in a struggle with Tim at some point before he died, but Nick may have walked in on that struggle and could still be the killer, they're close but not there yet. Everyone looks frustrated and exhausted. Hastings gets a phone call and then tells Steve and Kate that Murder Squad have just sent in a piece of Nick's clothing for urgent forensic analysis. He tells them that this is it, make or break.

Nick and Lakewell are talking outside the holding cells at the police station. Lakewell tells Nick that they don't need to fully prove he's guilty, that's for the trial. They just need to cross a threshold of credible evidence and in their eyes, Roz is a credible witness. Nick says that they're all on her side, the lot of them. Lakewell says he got them to bring in an independent team. Nick remembers AC-12 and asks Lakewell to get them in, as Roz was scared of them and they kept coming after her. Lakewell agrees. Nick is getting upset now and says that he's going to lose everything, he's going to lose his kids. Lakewell says he'll do his best to get AC-12 involved. Nick starts crying as he is locked in his cell.

Outside the cells, Lakewell signs out at the desk and Sam comes up to talk to him, asking if there's anything else they can do regarding impartiality. Lakewell says no, they're all good. Lakewell watches her leave, looking worried.

Back in the AC-12 offices, it's the middle of the night and the officers are still working on the CCTV. Kate goes in to talk to Hastings, who is sitting in the dark going through the footage, having lost track of time. Kate switches the light on and says they've got something. Steve shows Hastings footage of Roz's car on the 23rd of March, after she left the crime scene where Tim's body was found, heading home. For some reason, she decided to come back late that night. From the data they got from Roz's phone, it confirms that she went home that night, then returned to Polk Avenue, however, she switched off her phone from 1:00 to 4:00 that night, when she set off from home to Polk Avenue, the exact same precaution she took to cover her tracks when she went to Tim's. Hastings says that if a body's just been found and you're the SIO, you wouldn't switch your phone off in a million years, she was definitely up to something, and whatever it was was between 1 and 4. Steve says that they've got a window of only three hours, they might spot where she went to in that time. Hastings tells the whole team to look for sightings of Roz's vehicle from 1 to 4AM on the 27th of March. He tells them this is the final push and they cannot fail.

### Second Interview of Nick Huntley by Murder Squad

Nick is being interviewed with Lakewell again, this time by Sam and Antonioni, with Jamie again watching. Antonioni shows Nick an image of a navy jumper. Sam asks who it belongs to. Nick, exhausted, says he doesn't know, it might be his. Sam says that skin cells and sweat deposits on it are a match to his DNA. Nick says it might be his. Sam reads a report from their forensic scientist "*In addition, human hair bearing follicular cells was detected on TRH-7. DNA matched a control sample relating to Timothy Ifield with a greater than 99.9% probability*." Nick, devastated, says that he's never met Timothy Ifield, he's never been anywhere near him. Sam asks him if he's admitting it's his clothing. Nick starts crying again. Lakewell asks for some time in private with his client. Sam stops the tape.

### After Second Interview of Nick Huntley by Murder Squad

Back at AC-12, everyone is staring at the screens, looking exhausted. Steve tells Hastings that they found Roz's car on the early hours of the 24th. At 2:45AM, she came off the A38 heading North on the A51, out towards the Queens Chase, where there are no traffic cameras, and a huge radius for the search area, an impossibly large area. If she disposed of evidence, they can't prove it, and without it, they don't know if Roz was the killer. The officers start packing up to go home.

Roz is lying in bed in the hotel room, unable to sleep. She gets a call from Jodie, who tells her that the CPS agreed that the threshold test had been met, and that Nick is going to be charged with the murder of Tim Ifield and is going to be remanded, and they're also looking at him in relation to Leonie Collersdale's murder and Hana Reznikova's abduction. Roz thanks her and tells her that she has to be strong, for her children. She hangs up, blinking back tears.

The AC-12 officers are leaving the building. Steve suddenly stops and says to Kate that Roz ventured miles from home, yet still made it back by 4AM, which is massive travel time, so she only gave herself a few minutes to actually dispose of the evidence, and it was 3AM, pitch black. Kate follows his logic, saying she's not going to risk dumping it somewhere random only for it to be easy to find in broad daylight. Steve thinks that the only reason she'd risk travelling so far was if she knew exactly where she was going. Kate doesn't think Roz has ever dumped evidence before, but Steve says that she's searched for it.

The AC-12 officers walk back into the offices. Kate says that they're looking for a case Roz was involved in where the evidence was so well hidden it took a long time to find, but they need to concentrate on The Chase, within a twenty mile radius of Roz's last known position on the 24th. Hastings watches from his office, looking pleased.

Roz returns home with her children. Jodie tells the children that the searches are all complete, so they can have their own rooms again. She hands them both their bags. Roz offers to make the children a nice breakfast, they walk past, ignoring her. Jodie brings in a suitcase and rucksack, Roz tells her that they still love their dad. Roz turns to go into the kitchen, but Jodie stops her and says that she got the information the was requesting, the telecoms activity around the time of the attack on Steve. Roz doesn't think it matters anymore. Jodie asks if there's anything else she can do. Roz says no and leaves her. Jodie looks uncertain and leaves the file on Roz's bag.

The AC-12 officers arrive at Queen's Chase Woodland. Kate tells Hastings that two years ago, Roz's team investigated a domestic murder where the boyfriend, who always denied involvement, was the prime suspect, but there was no hard evidence and it looked like he was going to get away with it, until his bloodstained clothing was found in this area by a member of the public. The murderer the confessed to dumping evidence in this area. Hastings tells them to fan out.

Two vehicles approach, one police car and one unmarked car. Hastings looks worried and tells Kate to leave this to him and keep searching. Kate walks off as Sam and Jamie get out of the squad car. Jamie tells Hastings that he's been served a Regulation 15 Notice. Hastings says he's aware of that and they're following a legitimate lead. Hilton gets out of the unmarked car. Hastings says that if he's been insubordinate, he's acted alone and his team are simply following orders. Hilton tells him to round up his team and leave it to Murder Squad.

Kate tells Hastings that somebody's found a patch of ground that looks like it's been recently dug up. At the same time, Hastings and Sam both say to establish a cordon around it. Hastings and Hilton are left alone as officers start to set up the cordon. Hilton says "*I'll see you at the hearing. Don't expect it to go well, H.*" He then leaves, looking worried.

Roz is seen at home, reading through the file from Jodie. There is a sudden knock at the door. She goes to answer it and finds Sam and Jamie standing there. She closes the file, looking worried. Sam starts to arrest her, but she stops and tells Sam that anything she says, she'll say to AC-12.

Lakewell is standing in the foyer of the AC-12 Building when Roz walks in. He's surprised to see her, she tells him that she asked Jodie to call him because she was worried that if he knew it was her, he would have turned her down. She tells him that she's under arrest. Lakewell is shocked. She wants him to represent her. Lakewell admits that he would have turned her down, due to the conflict of evidence with Nick. Roz begs him to represent her for a few hours, saying he's the only person she trusts right now.

### Roz Huntley's Third Interview with AC-12

Hastings, Steve and Kate are interviewing Roz, with Lakewell as the solicitor. Jamie and Sam are observing from another room. Kate says that they'll be referring to evidence discovered on the Queen's Chase Woodland, in a remote area excavated in conjunction with Murder Squad. Kate shows them am image of a rucksack found in a shallow pit. Skin cells detected on the zip fasteners and follicular hair cells found in the front compartment both match control samples related to Tim Ifield. They believe that the rucksack belonged to Tim. She then shows them images of what was in the rucksack, items of bloodstained female clothing. The bloodstains again match control samples for Tim. The quantity of blood suggests that the items of clothing were in close contact with Tim as he bled to death. Steve says that the clothes bare DNA samples matching to a person whose DNA is stored on the police database. Hastings asks if she has anything to say. Lakewell whispers something to her and she replies no comment.

Steve shows the next item of evidence, a grey tracksuit matching fibres found on a hanger found at Tim's flat. It also bears traces of DNA matching the same individual as the set of bloodstained clothing. Hastings says that this tracksuit was stolen from Tim's flat and then worn by the murderer to dump the bloodstained clothing. Steve then shows an image of a white forensic oversuit covered in blood. The blood is a match to Tim Ifield's. Only one other person's DNA was detected on the item. Steve then shows her images of a balaclava, jacket and gloves, all of which bear traces of Tim's DNA, suggesting that Tim was equipping himself to style Balaclava Man. Lakewell suggests that he was Balaclava Man.

Kate shows an image of a mobile phone and laptop computer, both of which match models registered to Tim, and both were severely corroded with acid, leaving their hard drives unreadable. Kate says that skin cells matching to Tim were found on the phone's touch ID sensor, some of which show a chemical profile suggesting they'd been deposited after his death. It seems the murderer used the amputated fingers to work the phone.

Steve then shows an image of a power saw also found on The Chase, with deposits of Tim's blood on the blade of power saw. Hastings says that the killer did not go armed to Tim's flat; the saw was already there, and they know that because Tim had bought some power tools at a DIY store. Kate then shows an image of Tim's amputated fingers, also found on The Chase. The saw blade bears skin cells matching these fingers, suggesting it was used to amputate them shortly after Tim's death. Steve says that organic matter found under the fingernails bears DNA of the same person whose DNA was found on the female bloodstained clothing. Kate says that Tim was dying, and his last act was to claw at the murderer's hand to try to get some of their DNA under his fingernails. Hastings says that not only do they have the DNA of the person who killed Tim, but they have the exact strain of bacteria that was grown from the wound that he inflicted on his killer. Hastings asks if she has anything to say now. Lakewell decides now is a good time to declare his conflict on interest, as he is expecting Roz to claim that she was present, possibly unwillingly, and the murder was committed by Nick, so she requires alternative legal representation. He says they'll have to stop the tape there and starts to pack up. Instead, Roz, looking devastated, confessed to accidentally killing Tim.

Lakewell tells Roz that she doesn't have to say anything. Roz says his blood's all over her clothes, her DNA in his fingernails. She says that their children will need a parent, that she acted alone and her husband took no part, that her witness testimony was false and she withdraws it, that Tim's DNA found on Nick's clothing was planted by her a few minutes after his arrest using a hairbrush she stole from the scene. Here, Roz starts crying, looking devastated.

Hastings says that Tim blew the whistle on her, but she concealed her movements that night. He asks if it was her premeditated intention to murder Tim. Roz says that she went to his flat to challenge him, and covered her tracks purely in case he decided to raise an official complaint. Roz says that things became heated, there was a struggle, she hit her head and blacked out, and when she came round he was in his forensic oversuit, and she was laid out on plastic sheeting and he had tools to dismember her body. Hastings asks if one of their most experienced FIs didn't know she wasn't' dead. Roz suggests that he tried to find a pulse, and when he couldn't find one he jumped to the conclusion it wasn't there. She says that when she came round he panicked, and when she tried to fight back, he panicked even more, because he knew she'd be able to accuse him of attempted murder. She says that they fought over the saw, but it was an accident, she was trying to wrestle it free when it nicked his neck. She says that it was like slow-motion, that first trickle of blood and then a surge, that he bled out all over himself and all over her. He clawed at her hand and then he was dead.

Hastings says that as a police officer, it was her lawful duty to report that death. Roz says that she honestly did think about calling it in and telling the truth, but she knows the law, how hard it is to prove self-defence, that she's seen a thousand crime scenes, and no-one walks away from that with their life intact. She says that Tim was gone, she couldn't save his life, but she could try to save hers.

Hastings asks if she cleaned up the crime scene, and she confirms that she did. Kate asks if she was disturbed the next morning by Hana Reznikova. Roz says that she saw her on Tim's computer, that she had that stupid security system of his. Steve asks how she could access the computer. She says it was an automatic feed, it just came up. Steve asks if she used the fingers to work the phone. She says that one of the amputated fingers matched the sensor, and she used it to text Hana and tell her to go away. She found a notes file on his phone with passwords, so she could use them to take over his computer.

Hastings asks if she waited before disposing of the evidence. She says that rash actions in the first few hours are the downfall of most offenders, that she thought she could think of everything. Kate says that what she did think of was blaming everyone else but herself, including her own husband. Steve says that she framed Michael Farmer, an innocent, vulnerable suspect, not to mention Hana Reznikova. Hastings says that she cast unwarranted aspersions on the credibility of AC-12 and himself, that justice could not be further from her thoughts. He then says that he will seek the authority of the crown prosecutor to charge her with the Murder of Timothy Ifield and Perverting the Course of Justice. Lakewell says that on the night of Tim's death, Roz was in a state of fear and shock, and experienced a momentary loss of control, and that he will be recommending a plea of Manslaughter based on that. He tells Roz to trust him. Roz says she does, and Nick did too, that the first person Nick called after Steve called him was Lakewell, not her. She then asks Hastings if she is still a police officer. Hastings says yes, for the moment. She then arrests Lakewell.

Jimmy is shocked. Roz says that Jodie sought telecommunications records from the 6th of April, the day that Steve was assaulted at the building of Webber & Barratt Partners LLP. Nick received an incoming call to his registered mobile from Steve's and immediately afterwards he called Lakewell, and the call lasted approximately five minutes. Lakewell says that Nick was seeking his legal advice. Roz says that she asked Jodie to look into calls from unregistered mobiles, burner phones of the type used by criminals in the vicinity of his office. She points out a specific call a few minutes after call between Lakewell and Nick. Lakewell doesn't see the significance. Roz thinks he will once AC-12 have had a chance to analyse the calls and the movements of the burner phone detected at his office as it will match his known haunts and activities. Lakewell gets up to leave. Hastings says "*I think you should sit down, fella, or I'll handcuff you to that desk. Sit down.*" Unwillingly, Lakewell sits down.

Roz says that the call Lakewell made was received by another burner phone. The second burner phone made a call immediately afterwards to a third burner phone. Roz says that the phone is no longer active, but using historical phone triangulation data, they were able to track the phones movements. The call was picked up in the Moss Heath area and proceeded immediately to the location where Steve was attacked a few minutes later. The third burner phone belonged to the man who abducted Hana, planted evidence in Michael Farmer's house an assaulted Steve, Balaclava Man. Lakewell defended Michael at his first offence. Roz says she knew nothing about it, they have to believe her, it was Lakewell who served up Michael to be framed, not by her, but by the people who are really behind this cover-up, which brings them to the second burner phone.

Roz holds up a napkin from the Kingsgate Hotel with a mobile phone number on it, saying that the man who gave her the number gave it to her for what she believed at the time to be limited to illicit sexual activity, this being the number that got the call from Lakewell and then called Balaclava Man. She tells them that it belongs to Hilton. Everyone is shocked.

In the other room, Jamie, looking panicked, grabs his phone and leaves. Sam starts to pack away her things.

Back in the interview room, Hastings arrests Lakewell for Perverting the Course of Justice and terminates the interview. He tells Steve to hold Roz and Lakewell until they can arrange custody and leaves with Kate. He asks the AFOs outside to secure the exits.

Police cars with blue lights on pull up outside Pelbury House. Kate tells Hastings that Hilton is in his office with the door clothes and his PA will hold him there if he tries to leave.

Back in the interview room, Roz is talking, saying that there was a conspiracy, she was never in on it, she thought she playing them, but she was the one being played. Steve says that's half the story, Hilton counted on her putting her career ahead of the truth. Roz says that was Lakewell, he knew how desperate she was to close the case, how open she was to being pressurised. Lakewell says that nobody needed him to point that out. Steve says that Tim was dead, Hana and Michael in prison, and it looks to him like she made those decisions all by herself. She says that she's not a bad person, maybe he would have done the same in her situation. Steve says that he would have stopped sooner, she'd have two hands and he'd still be able to walk.

Hastings, Kate and the AFOs arrive outside Hilton's office, where Jan is waiting. They enter the office. Hilton isn't there.

Steve asks who Balaclava Man is. Lakewell corrects him, saying it's Balaclava Men, plural, and if you don't do their bidding a body gets taken out of cold storage with your DNA all over it. He says that Hilton isn't top dog, he panics every time a new body's found. Steve asks Lakewell who is top dog, saying if he tells them they'll give him immunity. Lakewell says that there are some people there's no immunity from.

Jamie walks in and thanks Steve for holding him, saying they'll take it from here. Steve asks where they're taking him. Jamie says protective custody with an assumed name in an undisclosed location. Steve says he'll need to run that by Hastings, Jamie agrees, on the phone to someone.

Steve phones Hastings to tell him that AC-9 are taking Lakewell into protective custody. Hastings tells him not to comply, that Hilton's been tipped off. Hastings orders an urgent lockdown of Pelbury House.

Steve lies to Jamie, saying it's all good. Lakewell asks where he's going, Jamie says he's not at liberty to disclose. Roz asks what's happening to her, Jamie tells her she's going to a different location, another team will come for her. Steve offers to run off a copy of the DIR disk, Jamie says he doesn't want to wait around. He asks Steve to stand by for further instructions, uncertain. Steve watches as Jamie leads Lakewell to the lifts, which don't work. Jamie asks what's wrong with them, Steve says they're slow this time of night. Jamie asks Steve what he's trying to do, Steve says that they know someone tipped of Hilton. Steve asks Jamie if Hilton sent him. Jamie says he just needs the lifts working. Steve tells him that the lifts have been disabled, and he needs to wake up, that Lakewell isn't going into custody, Hilton won't let that happen. Steve asks Jamie if Hilton told him what route to take. He says there will be no prizes for guessing what will happen in transit.

Hastings, Kate and the AFOs arrive back at the AC-12 Building.

Lakewell says he's not going anywhere. Jamie drags Lakewell in the direction of the stairs and tells Steve that Hilton has his back, 100%. Roz, who's been watching the whole thing, says that's exactly what he said to her. Jamie looks shocked. Steve says if he walks out, he'll be a dead man.

Hastings, Kate and the AFOs walk into the foyer. Kate thinks that something's not right.

Jamie drags Lakewell away, then draws a gun when officers try to stop him. Steve tells him not to do this. Roz tells him that there's still a way out for him, that he shouldn't make the same mistake she did.

Back in the foyer, Balaclava Man walks in, holding a PC hostage. He tells them all to back off. He shoots at an AFO next to Hastings who falls to the floor, wounded.

Steve tells Jamie that if he co-operates with the inquiry, he'll be in the clear, but only if no-one gets hurt.

Kate shouts at Balaclava Man to drop the gun. He again tells them to back off. Hastings grabs a gun from the wounded AFO. Balaclava Man yells at him to drop it. Hastings shoots Balaclava Man.

Steve tells Jamie that all he has to do is give him the gun.

The PC is covered in blood, looking shaken. Hastings tells the officers to secure the exits and get medics and runs up the stairs with Kate and the AFOs.

Steve tells Jamie to give him the firearm. The AFOs burst into the room. Lakewell yells at them not to shoot. Hastings tells Jamie to drop the firearm. Steve tells Jamie to do as Hastings says and listen to him. Hastings says that there's a fella lying dead downstairs because he didn't co-operate and tells Jamie not to test them. Steve keeps encouraging Jamie to give him the gun. Jamie lowers the gun and finally gives it to Steve. Everyone relaxes and an AFO cuffs Jamie. Another one cuffs Roz and leads her back to the interview room, where the AC-12 logo is up on the board. Everyone looks exhausted.

### After Roz Huntley's Third Interview with AC-12

The next day, Hilton is found dead on the Jetty, having apparently shot himself. Hastings and Kate watch the forensics officers work at the scene. Kate says there's no signs of a struggle or that anyone else was there. Hastings thinks it was suicide. Kate says that this is the same location that a social worker who was trying to blow the whilst on child sexual exploitation, Oliver Stephens-Lloyd was found dead, and his death was made to look like suicide too. Kate thinks that Hilton could have easily made a run for it if he was tipped off. Hastings thinks he just knew the game was up. Kate looks uncertain. Hastings walks off, leaving Kate staring at Hilton's body.

Back in the AC-12 Building, Steve tells Hastings that the man he shot has been identified as Robert Denmoor, a known criminal with links to Tommy Hunter. Activity on his phone matches all his known haunts and his biometrics are an exact match to those from the photograph captured the night of the disappearance of Leonie Collersdale and the attack on Steve, even down to his bootprint. Kate pins his photo up on the board. Steve says that Hastings got him. Hastings says that he got one of them, but there may be others out there and they have no idea what they're up to. Kate says that a consistent method has been to exploit vulnerable young women to blackmail officers into fearing they'd be incriminated in serious offences. Steve says that they had that hold over Hilton too, whether or not he was H. Kate says that means he wasn't top dog. Hastings says that's top in the police, Steve says not among the real criminals, Hastings asks if bent coppers aren't criminal enough.

Hastings looks over the eight officers with surnames beginning with H and says that he's satisfied H was ACC Hilton. He tells Kate to take his photograph down off the board. She looks surprised, but takes it down anyway. They look over the boards, one of which shows various people with known links to organised crime (Anthony Gates, Lindsay Denton, Danny Waldron, Jackie Laverty, Matthew Cottan, Tommy Hunter, Mike Dryden, Jeremy Cole, Patrick Fairbank and Manish Prasad), one of which shows the eight suspects for H and one of which shows Robert Denmoor and the various girls known to have been exploited by the OCG (Carly Kirk, Baswinder Kaur, Leonie Collersdale, Hana Reznikova and Rikki Neville). Hastings says that this is beginning to feel like a life's work.

### Epilogue

Michael Farmer is seen walking out of HMP Blackthorn. He drops his bags of belongings and hugs his grandmother, Eileen Farmer. The two of them walk away, looking very happy.

 *Caption: All proceedings against Michael Farmer have been discontinued. Michael Farmer still lives with his grandmother at an undisclosed location.*

Lakewell is seen being led into a cell at Blackthorn.

 *Caption: James Lakewell pleaded guilty to Peverting the Course of Justice. He declined to enter a Witness Protection scheme and has refused to give a statement to the police.*

Roz is seen in HMP Brentiss, where Nick, Sophie and Ollie are waiting behind a glass partition to talk to her. She no longer has a sling or any type of dressing on her amputated arm.

 *Caption: Roseanne Huntley pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Timothy Ifield and perverting the course of justice.*

She holds her good hand up to the glass. Nick shows forgiveness, but Sophie watches her coldly.

 *Caption: Nicholas and Roseanne Huntley remain legally married.*

Roz is lead back to her cell by the OMOs.

 *Caption: Roseanne Huntley is currently serving a setence of ten years.*

The board with the eight suspect for H is shown. They are: Michael Hill, Susan Hyde-Albert, Paul Haleton, Raymond Hall, Michelle Harris, Derek Hilton, Lester Hargreaves and Roseanne Huntley. Close up on the image of Hilton.

 *Caption: The Coroner recorded Derek Hilton's death as Suicide.*

Steve is now on crutches. He and Kate leave the AC-12 offices. Hastings watches from his office. The lift doors close on Steve and Kate and on Hastings.

 *Caption: Superintendent Hastings' Regulation 15 Notice was rescinded. He remains in command of Anti-Corruption Unit 12.*