Chapter Text
Prologue : Welcome To Covenstone
[A railway station sits on the edge of town. There are some people sat on the platform, waiting for the next train. One is reading a newspaper, another is watching a film on a tablet. There is a family sat on one of the long benches, with a young toddler running around.
The sun shines high above them – it’s almost noon – and there are very few clouds in the sky.
An announcement comes over the tannoy system]
(VOICE OVER) : THE NEXT TO ARRIVE AT PLATFORM ONE IS THE 10:22 FROM LONDON EUSTON. PLATFORM ONE FOR THE LONDON EUSTON.
[Two of the adults gets to their feet, as does one of the teenagers and the family.
The train rounds the corner, pulls into the platform and comes to a halt. A moment later passengers start opening doors and getting out.
We see one in particular – a woman in her late 20s, about 5’6” with long red hair, wire-frame glasses that are tinted against the sun hiding bright blue eyes underneath.
She looks about her, then turns and takes the handle of a large wheeled suitcase as well as picking up a pink backpack.
She walks across the platform, through the ticket office and stops at the main door to the street, where she puts her bag down and looks around]
Eloise Jensen (VOICE OVER) : Covenstone. You’ll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy [pause] Actually I have no idea what it’s like, but you can’t beat the classics.
[She looks around, and sees a taxi rank, then picks up her bag and walks over to the first taxi in the line]
Taxi Driver : Where do you anna go?
Eloise Jensen : [pulls out her phone and looks something up] 314, Rose Way, please.
[The taxi driver nods, then she puts her stuff in the back seat and gets in.
As the taxi drives away, we see a sign outside the station]
WELCOME TO COVENSTONE
xoxox
Gemini Studios & Angelhome Productions Present
COVENSTONE CID
Starring
Eloise Jensen,
Leo Burrows,
Jo Carlton
with
Mary Franks,
Susan Taylor
and
Faith Romero
Episode 1 : The Devil Made Me Do it
Guest Starring : Sarah Jones, Daryl Jones, Bunty Jones, Jerry Crawford, Tomas Jensen, Chris Morgan and Anthony Mayson.
xoxox
Act 1 : The Girl
[Eloise comes out of her front door, locks it, then walks down the path to the street.
She walks along it, glancing occasionally at the odd pile of rubbish on the street corner and the bits of litter blowing past her. The sun is rising behind her as she walks into the heart of the village.
She’s dressed for work – a shirt, jacket, trousers, relatively smart shoes, and a long black jacket.
After about twenty minutes, she reaches a large building that looks half modern, half gothic in design. She looks it up and down, then glances at the sign on the wall.
COVENSTONE POLICE AND CID.
She takes a deep breath, then pulls the door open and walks inside and up to the reception desk]
Eloise Jensen : Good morning. My name is……
Receptionist : Eloise Jensen, our new DC. My name is PC Smith – Hannah Smith. You’re expected.
[Eloise smiles]
Eloise Jensen : Nice to meet you PC Smith.
Hannah Smith : Call me Hannah. You’ve transferred from London, right?
Eloise Jensen : Yeah – worked there for five years, three as a PC, two as Detective.
Hannah Smith : What’s it like?
[Eloise blinks in surprise]
Eloise Jensen : It’s……… [she pauses] Well it’s like here, just bigger, smellier and more people [she shrugs] Not sure I’ll miss it to be honest.
[Hannah laughs]
Hannah Smith : Go on through – CID is upstairs on the right. DI Burrows is expecting you.
[She presses a button and the door buzzes. Eloise gives her a nod, then goes through.
A few minutes later she walks into a large office with a number of desks in. The is a row of filing cabinets down one side, and a row of computers down the other. Each desk also has a computer on.
She looks around, then sees a door with a nameplate “DETECTIVE INSPECTOR BURROWS” on it, and she walks over to it and knocks, then enters when bidden.
She finds a man behind the desk – he’s in his mid thirties, with short blonde hair, bright green eyes and a scar over his right eyebrow. As she enters he looks up, then smiles]
Leo Burrows : DC Jensen?
Eloise Jensen : Yes, sir.
Leo Burrows : Welcome to Covenstone CID. My name is DI Leo Burrows, and I’m in charge of his happy little band. I’ll introduce you to the rest shortly, but have a seat.
[He gestures to the chair in front of his desk, and she sits down]
Leo Burrows : I know we talked on the phone about this, but I just want to make sure you’re…… happy with the situation. If you’re going to be working here, I want to get any potential problems out of the way.
Eloise Jensen : Yes, sir.
Leo Burrows : You asked for a transfer out of London because your husband died?
Eloise Jensen: Yes, sir [she nods] He had been out the night before, and he died in his sleep [she pauses] The cause was never fully determined, but the doctors believe it was possibly a stroke or an embolism [she closes her eyes for a moment] I couldn’t carry on working and living in the city when everything there reminded me of him, sir.
Leo Burrows : [gives her a sympathetic look] I understand, DC Jensen [he pauses] But – and forgive me for asking – there weren’t any problems at work? No conflicts in the team? No desire for promotion that wasn’t being met? No conflicts with other team members?
[Eloise stares at him for a moment, then understanding dawns on her face]
Eloise Jensen : You are wondering why anyone would leave London, sir.
Leo Burrows : You have to admit it is unusual, DC Burrows – the heart of the city, somewhere where advancement is usually guaranteed and where most of the action happens [he smiles self deprecatingly] Covenstone is home, but it’s hardly the centre of the universe.
Eloise Jensen [after a long pause] : Ever morning I would wake up in the same bed that we’d shared for so long, and he wasn’t there. I’d go downstairs to the table where we would eat breakfast together, then I would walk round the city where we met, where we fell in love, where we spent so many good times together……….. [she shrugs] The thought of doing that for the rest of my life just terrified me, sir. Even if I have to spend the rest of my life making the coffee and fetching the lunches, it would be preferable to staying there.
[Leo stares at her, then smiles]
Leo Burrows : Actually DI Baker said you make the worst coffee he’d ever tasted, so I think we can find something better for you to do than that.
[Eloise stares at him for a moment, then laughs]
Leo Burrows : Come along Detective – I will introduce you to your new partner and the rest of the team.
[He stands up and a moment later she follows suit, then together they walk out into the main office. He leads her over to a pair of desks. One is empty, and the other has a young man sat at it. He is about her age, with short, cropped black hair and hazel eyes. He looks up when Eloise and Leo walk over]
Leo Burrows : DC Eloise Burrows – DC Jo Carlton.
[Eloise gives a nod of greeting, and Jo smiles]
Leo Burrows : I will leave you two to get acquainted as I have things to do.
Jo Carlton : Important case, boss?
Leo Burrows : Anniversary gift for the wife, Jo.
[Leo walks away, and Eloise sits down]
Jo Carlton : DC Jensen…..
Eloise Jensen : You should probably call me Eloise.
Jo Carlton : Jo.
Eloise Jensen [opens her mouth, pauses, then shakes her head] : Jo.
Jo Carlton : IT put your username and password on a post it note in a draw – you’ll be prompted to change it so don’t worry that everyone else knows what it is. We’re all trustworthy round here.
Eloise Jensen : Good to know.
Jo Carlton: Once you’ve got yourself set up, I’ll give you a tour of the station. It’s pretty small so it won’t take that long.
Eloise Jensen : Thanks.
[She pulls the draw open and looks at the note – Jensen.eloise, ejChangeMeNow$1]
Eloise Jensen : Subtle
[She logs in to the computer, and types in a new password, then watches as the Covenstone PD home page comes up. There are a few emails, a welcome message and other administrative details. She reads them through, then she looks up]
Eloise Jensen : Okay. I’m ready when you are.
xoxox
Jo Carlton : And finally this is the custody area. CID doesn’t come down here a lot – it’s mostly the uniforms who brings people here, but once in a while we get drafted to help out if there are widescale disturbances or riots or the like [he shrugs] I’m sure you get the idea.
Eloise Jensen [smiles] : No – London was incredibly peaceful and never had any riots or the like.
[Jo rolls his eyes]
Jo Carlton : That’s pretty much all there is to see, so unless you want to see anything again, I think we could probably get some lunch………
[Leo Burrows comes up behind them]
Leo Burrows : Unfortunately I have to put you both to work, so lunch will have to wait.
Jo Carlton : Work, boss?
Leo Burrows : That thing we pay you for, Jo [he pauses] A report’s come in of a missing girl. Thirteen years old. Didn’t come home after football practice. Possible run away, but might be something more sinister.
[Eloise and Jo exchange glances]
Eloise Jensen : Have the uniforms…….
Leo Burrows : They’ve already been round, and they want someone from CID to follow up [he pauses] I know it’s your first day, but everyone else is already looking into other things.
Eloise Jensen : Of course, boss [she nods] Do you have the details?
Leo Burrows : I sent them via email – IT should’ve delivered your phone by now, so if you go back to your desk you can pick it up, then head out [he paused] get some lunch on the way. I don’t want the two of you dropping dead from hunger before you get there.
Jo Carlton,
Eloise Jensen : Yes boss
xoxox
[Ten minutes later Jo is driving an old-ish car through the town. The sun reflects off the roof, and Eloise eats a sandwich as they make their way towards their destination]
Eloise Jensen : Does this happen a lot? I mean – the town seems so peaceful – I wouldn’t think there’s all that much that goes wrong here.
Jo Carlton : It’s not a big city, so there’s not a lot [he shrugs] But we have murder, theft, the odd assault. People go missing, people run away. It’s just like most places – human nature will out.
Eloise Jensen : Not a hot bed of crime and intrigue?
Jo Carlton : No better or worse than any of the other towns in the area I guess [he shrugs again, then gestures at the streets as they drive] Although we could do with a better rubbish collection department I guess.
[Eloise gives a slight laugh, then continues to eat as they carry on to their destination, driving past the odd pile of rubbish]
xoxox
[Ten minutes later, they pull up in front of a detached house, and get out of the car. They walk up the garden path, then stop at the front door – 217 Sawyer Street – and Jo knocks.
A moment later the door is answered by a middle aged man – Daryl Jones – who invites them in. They walk through to the longue, taking note of everything they see, and both sit down. A moment later a woman around the same age as Daryl walks in – Sarah Jones]
Jo Carlton : Mr Jones, Mrs Jones – my name is DC Carlton from Covenstone CID, and this is my partner DC Jensen. We understand that your daughter Bunty was at football practice this morning, and she didn’t come home?
Sarah Jones : Yeah. We were expecting her home around ten, and she’s never late. Practice finishes at nine, and she usually stops to get something to eat at Marsden’s, and she’s home by ten.
Eloise Jensen : Marsden’s?
Daryl Jones : The pie shop on the high street. It’s on her way home from the football ground.
[Eloise nods, making a note]
Jo Carlton : Could she have gone to a friends? A boyfriends? Girlfriends?
Sarah Jones : Maybe, but she’d have let us know. She’s very responsible.
Jo Carlton : If you could give us a list of names of anyone you think she may have gone to see? You can call them as well, but we can check them off the list.
Daryl Jones : Of course.
Eloise Jensen : Have you been in touch with the football grounds?
Sarah Jones : [she nods] They said she left after practice ended.
Eloise Jensen : Well, we’ll talk to them as well, just to confirm their story too.
Jo Carlton : I realise this is uncomfortable, but was Bunty having any problems with anyone – were there problems at home? Problems with her boyfriend? Girlfriend? Problems at school?
Sarah Jones : No! Of course not! [pauses] Do you think we had something to do with this?
Jo Carlton : Of course not, Mrs Jones. We are just trying to get all the information we can to ensure we can do everything to find your daughter. If there is anything you can tell us that might help, it will make it easier to do our jobs.
Sarah Jones : Of course – sorry. I’m just………. sorry. But no – I can’t think of anything. She’s a good girl, and she just needs to come home.
Eloise Jensen : We will do everything we can to make that happen [pauses] Do you mind if we have a look in her room?
xoxox
[Jo and Eloise look around Bunty’s bedroom – a typical teenage girl’s bedroom with posters on the wall, a laptop on the dresser and clothes lying around on the floor]
Jo Carlton : If you were going to hide a diary, or something you didn’t want your parents to find, where would you hide it?
Eloise Jensen : Behind the mirror or in her underwear draw.
Jo Carlton : Really?
Eloise Jensen : Dad won’t go rooting through her knickers – too weird – and the mirror shows her what she thinks is herself, so she can hide the part she doesn’t want to see.
[Jo quirks an eyebrow, but he walks over and tilts the mirror over until he can see the back, and finds an envelope taped to it. He reaches in, and pulls out a notepad]
Jo Carlton : Do I want to know if you’ve got something like this at home?
Eloise Jensen [she smirks at him] : I’m not a teenage girl any more – I’ve got way better hiding places.
[Jo laughs, then opens up the notepad and glances through it. A moment later his face turns serious]
Eloise Jensen : What?
[Jo doesn’t respond. Instead he takes plastic bag from his pocket and drops the notebook in it, then seals it up and puts it back in his pocket. Eloise watches him, then sighs]
Eloise Jensen : Do we tell them?
Jo Carlton : Not yet – I want to see what’s in it – see if we have any idea. But we should go to the football grounds next.
Eloise Jensen : Yes, boss.
xoxox
[Forty minutes later they arrive at the football grounds, and walk inside.
A woman comes out of a side room to meet them]
Tracey Michaels : Afternoon. Can I help you?
Eloise Jensen : My name is DC Jensen, from Covenstone CID and this is my partner DC Carlton. We’re here about one of your players – Bunty Jones.
Tracey Michaels : Bunty? Is there something wrong?
Eloise Jensen : Could you tell us when she left this morning?
Tracey Michaels : She left the same time as the others – around nine am when training finished. I locked up about ten minutes afterwards.
Eloise Jensen : And you didn’t see anything strange? No one met her? She didn’t go off with anyone?
Tracey Michaels : No – she walked off towards the high street like she usually does [glances between Eloise and Jo] What’s this about?
Jo Carlton : Would it be possible to take a look in her locker, Ms Michaels?
Tracey Michaels : Not unless you tell me what’s going on, no. My girls value their privacy.
[Eloise glances at Jo, and he nods]
Eloise Jensen : Bunty didn’t return home today, and she hasn’t been in touch with her parents. We are trying to trace her movement, and we were hoping something in her locker might help.
[Tracey stares at them for a moment, then she nods, turns and leads them down the corridor and into the locker room. She walks along a row of lockers, then stops and unlocks on]
Tracey Michaels : Let me know if you take anything so I can make a note.
Eloise Jensen : Of course.
[She starts looking through the locker, then she finds a folded piece of paper with the words ‘FOR JERRY’ on it. She picks it up and holds it out to Jo. He gestures for her to read it]
Eloise Jensen : [reading] Dear Jerry, I think our actions have caught up with us. I saw them again before I came in, and I think they’ll be waiting. If you don’t see me, it’s because I’ve gone Downtown. If you’re still here, tell my parents. If not, I’ll see you soon. Love Bunty.
[She stops reading and looks up at Jo, who has closed his eyes]
Eloise Jensen : Downtown?
END OF ACT 1
xoxox
Act 2 : Downtown
[Eloise, Jo and Leo are sat in Leo’s office]
Eloise Jensen : So boss, what’s ‘Downtown’ and why does DC Carlton look so put out about it.
Leo Burrows : I’ll explain everything, but first we should talk to this Jerry person, and find out why the girl felt she had to run. If there’s a reason she’s gone then we should know about it.
[Eloise stares at him for a moment, then nods]
Jo Carlton : We found this as well [he pulls out the notebook, still in the bag] I was going to log it into evidence, but if it involves this…..
Leo Burrows [looks at it thoughtfully for a moment, then nods] : Take it with you, see if it can get this Jerry talking [he pauses] It might also give you an idea of who Jerry is.
Jo Carlton : Yes, boss.
[They leave his office, and walk down to Jo’s car. He hands her the notebook, then they get in.
Eloise opens the bag, then pulls out the notebook and starts flicking through it]
Eloise Jensen : Oh dear – I see what you mean. It looks like she and this Jerry were into something big. There are names, and codes, and two sets of numbers and dates [she looks up at Jo] It looks like something you’d see for drug running, but the codes……… I don’t know them.
Jo Carlton : There are no drugs in Covenstone.
[Eloise stares at him blankly]
Eloise Jensen : You sound sure about that.
Jo Carlton : You’ll have to trust me for now, but there are no drugs. It’s not allowed.
[Eloise stares at him for a moment longer, then nods]
Eloise Jensen : Whatever it is, if the second number is a price then it’s quite a lot. If someone wanted to stop her…… or if someone wanted in, I can see why she’d run [she flicks through the notepad then stops on the last page] Jerry Crawford, with two lines of text after [she pauses for a moment] Is there a Marigold Street in Lower Covenstone?
Jo Carlton : Yes [he pauses] You’ve got his address?
Eloise Jensen : Simple switch cypher [she frowns] She’s smart enough not to use it on the product codes though. That’s either just free association – something only she knows – or something way more advanced that I’d need to give some more thought to [she shrugs] Anyway – 101 Marigold.
xoxox
[An hour later they pull up outside a semi-detached house.
Jo stopped the car, then looked at Eloise]
Jo Carlton : Remember – he doesn’t know she’s missing, and he doesn’t know we know about the notepad.
Eloise Jensen : Yes boss.
Jo Carlton : Okay then. Let’s go.
[They get out of the car and walk up the garden path to 101 Marigold Street. Eloise knocks on the door.
A moment later, a teenager – around 13, 14 – answers it]
Jerry Crawford : Hi.
Eloise Jensen : Hello. My name is DC Jensen from Covenstone CID, and this is DC Carlton. Are your parents in?
Jerry Crawford : Bunty’s gone, isn’t she?
[Eloise and Jo stare at him, and he steps outside and closes the door behind him]
Jerry Crawford : My parents don’t know about this – if I told them they’d be in trouble to.
Eloise Jensen : We can protect you…….
Jerry Crawford [laughs] : No you can’t. Bunty knew that, and she’s gone where they won’t find her. I’m just hoping that now she’s gone – now we’ve stopped – they’ll leave me alone. Otherwise I’ll have to leave to. Leave or…….. leave or let them find me.
[Eloise and Jo exchange another glance]
Jo Carlton : What are you doing? Who are they? What is this about?
Jerry Crawford : Sorry, sir, but no. All I can tell you is Bunty’s gone to Downtown, and she won’t be coming back any time soon. That’s all you should tell her parents – let them grieve and move on. If you tell them any more they’ll be at risk too. [he opens his mouth, as if to stay something else, then he closes it again] That’s all I have to say.
[He turns and goes back inside the house, closing the door behind him. They hear the lock snap, then turn and walk back down the path]
Eloise Jensen : So that was unusual, right?
Jo Carlton : We should talk to the boss.
Eloise Jensen [arching an eyebrow] : Really?
Jo Carlton : I know what you’re going to want to do next, and you’re going to want to talk to DI Burrows first.
Eloise Jensen [shrugs] : Okay.
xoxox
[Once again, the three of them are in Leo’s office]
Leo Burrows : He wouldn’t tell you anything?
Jo Carlton : Whatever they’re doing, it’s over. He is terrified of whoever is coming for them, and he’s hoping that if he stops, they’ll leave him alone.
Leo Burrows : But you’ve got no idea what it is?
Eloise Jensen : It involves either buying things from people or selling things to people or both, but I’ve got no idea what the things are – the product codes are encrypted in a way I’ve never seen and can’t break yet.
Leo Burrows : And the Crawford boy says you should let it go? Tell the Joneses that their daughter is gone, that they should move on and close the case.
Jo Carlton : Yes sir.
Leo Burrows [looking at Eloise] : But you don’t agree?
Eloise Jensen : I wat to go to wherever this Downtown is, sir, and find the girl. Maybe I can bring her back, or maybe I can just talk to her and get her to tell me what’s going on [she shrugs] At the very least I may be able to find out what all this [she gestures at the notebook] means.
[She realises that Leo and Jo are both looking at her with the same expression – one that is not entirely supportive]
Eloise Jensen : What?
Leo Burrows : Travel between the various towns is restricted, DC Jensen. If you want to travel to Downtown, you have to visit The Mayor’s Office and get a permit.
Eloise Jensen : Pardon me?
Leo Burrows : Travel is not permitted outside the town without permission.
Eloise Jensen : Since………. since when?
Leo Burrows : It’s always been like that. But most people don’t want to leave – Covenstone is nice enough, and what’s out there that could be better?
[Eloise stares at him for a moment, then shakes her head]
Eloise Jensen : I’m sure I’ll come back to that another time. So where do I find The Mayor’s Office?
Leo Burrows : Centre of town. I’ll let them know you’re coming, but are you sure you want to do this? From all reports Downtown is not a nice place.
Eloise Jensen : If there’s a chance we can reunite Bunty Jones with her parents, I have to give it a shot.
[Leo gazes at her for a moment, then nods]
Leo Burrows : I’ll let her know you’re coming. Good luck.
Eloise Jensen : Thank you, boss.
[She looks over at Jo]
Eloise Jensen : What about you?
Jo Carlton : Sorry, partner, but I think I’ll sit this one out. You’ll probably do better on your own – the Mayor is more likely to grant a permit to one than to two.
Eloise Jensen [with a surprised look] : Okay then.
[She stands up, then walks out of her boss’ office, gets her jacket from the back of her chair, then walks over and out of the CID office]
xoxox
[Quarter of an hour later, she walks up to City Hall and looks it up and down. It is a huge, imposing structure that looks like it could have been a castle at one time, but has since been adapted to look more like an office complex.
She walks inside and over to the reception desk]
Eloise Jensen : Good afternoon. My name is Eloise Jensen, and I am here to see The Mayor about……….
Receptionist : Travelling to Downtown. We were told you’d be coming. Up the stairs to the third floor. First door in front of you. You can’t miss it.
Eloise Jensen : Thank you.
Receptionist : Wait until you’re coming down again to say that.
[Eloise gives her a strange look, then turns and walks up the stairs.
She reaches the third floor and sees the door with the nameplate
MAYOR FAITH ROMERO, FA, SD, PLA
on it. She walks up to it, and pushes it open and finds her self in another reception area, but with no one behind the desk. She glances around and sees another door.
She walks over and gives a hesitant knock]
(VOICE OVER) : Come in.
[Eloise pushes the door open and walks into the inner office. There she sees a young woman – about 22 – with short black hair, pale blue eyes that look almost white, golden framed glasses and a light dusting of freckles on her nose and cheeks. She is dressed in a yellow sundress and wearing a gold cross around her neck]
Eloise Jensen : Hello – sorry to come in, but there’s no one at the desk in the outer office.
Faith Romero : Avery’s on lunch. You must be Miss Jensen. Sorry – Detective Jensen, the newest recruit to our CID?
Eloise Jensen : Yes, m’am [she gives a nod] Eloise Jensen, late of London.
[Faith gives her a slight smile, then gestures to the chair in front of her desk, and Eloise sits down]
Faith Romero : I understand you want to travel to Downtown to interview a witness?
Eloise Jensen : Bunty Jones – she’s more of a victim than a witness, m’am. Her parents reported her missing this morning, and we believe that she is now in Downtown.
Faith Romero : I understand she is suspected of running some sort of illicit ring – selling things on the underground market?
Eloise Jensen : That is a possibility, although we don’t know what she is selling and whether they’re illicit or not. This is why I want to interview her, and possibly bring her home. However my main reason for going, m’am, is to bring her home, or at least to be able to give her parents some closure.
[Faith gazes at her for a few moments, then nods]
Faith Romero : Very well – you can have a two way ticket, and I will issue a return ticket for this Miss Jones as well so that the ticket master in Downtown can grant her permission to come back, if she should so desire. However it must be her choice – even if she is a child, you cannot force her to return against her will.
Eloise Jensen : I understand m’am.
Faith Romero : See that you do – I will not have my police officers accused of kidnapping children, even if it is for the best of reasons.
[She reaches into her desk and pulls out a pad. She stamps one with a red stamp, and another with a blue, then tears them off and hands them to Eloise]
Faith Romero : These are non-transferrable – if you give them to anyone else, they become void, and it will not bode well for you. Do you understand?
Eloise Jensen : Yes m’am.
Faith Romero : Good. You should go now – the train will be arriving soon, and you’ll want to be there before nightfall.
Eloise Jensen : M’am?
Faith Romero : You’re new here, so you should trust me. Downtown is not a place you want to be stuck in overnight. You’ll want to return home before dark.
[Eloise gazes at her, then stands up]
Eloise Jensen : Thank you, m’am. I’ll be going then.
Faith Romero : Have a nice trip.
[Eloise blinks, then turns and walks out of the office, through the outer office and down the stairs]
xoxox
[A short while later, she walks up the road to the train station, and into the ticket office. She pulls out the document stamped in red, and hands it to man behind the counter.
He looks at it for a moment, then looks up at her]
Anthony Mayson : You sure you want to do this, Detective Jensen?
Eloise Jensen : How….. [she glances at the paper, and her eyes widen slightly at she sees her name filled in on it] ….did that get there?
Anthony Mayson : I’d assume Mayor Romero put it there. But you didn’t answer my question – are you sure you want to do this?
Eloise Jensen : A girl has gone missing, and has information I need. I have to talk to her, and this seems to be the only way.
[Anthony looks at her for a moment, then he hands the document back to her, along with a return ticket]
Anthony Mayson : Open ended ticket. You’ll need the document as well [he pauses] Good luck, Detective Jensen.
Eloise Jensen : Thank you.
[She walks through onto the platform, then sits down and waits.
A few minutes later, a tannoy announcement comes over the speakers]
(VOICE OVER) : THE NEXT TRAIN AT PLATFORM ONE IS THE FOUR THIRTY TWO TO DONWTOWN. PLEASE DO NOT BOARD WITHOUT TRAVEL AUTHORISATION. THE FOUR THIRTY TWO TO DOWNTOWN.
[Eloise stands up and looks around, then realises she is the only person who is getting on the train.
The train pulls up, and it is a single engine and a single carriage – something that looks like it came out of the eighteen hundreds. Eloise stares at it for a moment, then walks over, pulls the door open and gets in.
Almost as soon as she has closed thee door, the train pulls off]
xoxox
[Eloise watches out of the window, but despite the fact she left Covenstone in daylight, the journey seems to take place in darkness – all she can see is the occasional flash of movement and light]
xoxox
[Sometime later – Eloise look at her watch but it seems no time seems to have passed despite the journey seeming to have taken hours – the train slows down and stops.
She looks out of the window and sees an identical platform to Covenstone station, but the entire effect is slightly dingier. The sun is out, but is filtered through a sheet of grey clouds.
She gets out of the train, and zips up her jacket, then walks across the platform, picking her way between piles of rubbish and puddles of water.
She goes into the ticket office, and stops at the counter]
Eloise Jensen : Hi, I was wondering if you could help me. I’ve come here to find someone – someone who may just have arrived?
Christopher Morgan : You must be Detective Jensen.
Eloise Jensen [rolls her eyes] : Do I have my name tattooed on my forehead? Does everyone know who I am?
Christopher Morgan [shakes his head with a wry smile] : No m’am, but we don’t get a lot of new arrivals. The girl you’re looking for came earlier today and was unexpected – usually we get some warning [he shrugs] Most new arrivals go to City Hall or to The Rec Centre. I’d start with The Rec Centre, then City Hall.
Eloise Jensen : Thank you, Mister…….
Christopher Morgan : Morgan, m’am – Chris Morgan.
[Eloise gives him a polite nod, then walks out into the street. She looks around, then sees a taxi rank on the corner of the building. Walking over she gets in to the first one]
Taxi Driver : What?
Eloise Jensen : The Rec Centre please.
[Without responding, the driver sets off. As the taxi pulls away, they pass a sign that says
WELCOME TO DOWNTOWN]
END OF ACT 2
xoxox
Act 3 : The Product
Taxi Driver : We're here.
[Eloise looks out the window to see a hotel. She blinks]
Eloise Jensen : This is The Rec Centre.
Taxi Driver : Yes. Now get out – I've got another fair to get to.
[Eloise puts the notepad in her pocket, then gets out of the taxi. She turns to pay him, but finds the taxi has already driven off]
Eloise Jensen : Huh.
[Turning back, she walks into the hotel, then walks over to the main desk]
Eloise Jensen : I was hoping you could help me. I was told a young girl might have arrived here earlier today – she would have come here from Covenstone,
[The man behind the desk stares at her for a moment, then shrugs]
Receptionist : Room 47. Fourth floor, turn left.
Eloise Jensen : Thank you.
[She walks over to the stairs, goes up four flights, then turns left and walks along the corridor until she reaches room forty seven. She stops outside the room, takes a few calming breaths, then knocks on the door]
(VOICE OVER) : What? I told you I didn't want to be disturbed.
Eloise Jensen : Miss Jones? My name is Eloise Jensen. I'm from Covenstone [she pauses] I've come on behalf of your parents… [she trails off as the door swings open].
(VOICE OVER) : Come in if your coming, but close the door behind you.
[Eloise walks into the room, then turns and closes the door. When she turns back, she sees Bunty Jones – a girl of thirteen with purple hair, purple eyes and purple framed glasses. She is lying back on the bed, dressed in t-shirt, jeans and socks.
Eloise looks round the room and sees a small suitcase in one corner, and a small overnight bag next to it. There is a laptop on the desk, with a notepad next to it. She sees a long coat hanging up on the back of the door.
She turns back, then walks over and sits down in the chair next to the desk]
Bunty Jones : Police?
Eloise Jensen : Covenstone CID. My first day.
Bunty Jones [she gives Eloise a surprised look] : And you came here to find me? [smiles] You must want to make a good impression.
Eloise Jensen : I don't like leaving things half done. Or parents without their children. It doesn't sit well with me.
Bunty Jones : Lost a daughter? Or a friend lost one?
Eloise Jensen : We're not talking about me, Miss Jones [she reaches into her pocket and takes out the notepad, then tosses it on the bed] Who are 'they'? Why are you scared of them? Why did you think abandoning your parents was a better idea than telling someone about them?
[Bunty gazes at her, then shakes her head]
Bunty Jones : Believe me, Detective, you don't want to know.
Eloise Jensen : Miss Jones…
Bunty Jones : You've been here what? A day? A week?
Eloise Jensen : It's my second day in town, my first day in work.
Bunty Jones : Wait until you've been here…. just wait until you've been here a little longer. Then you'll know why you shouldn't ask questions you don't want the answer to [she glanced at the notebook] Why Jerry, why my parents are better off with me here. Why I ran and why I hope they can't find me.
[Eloise stares at her]
Eloise Jensen : You aren't coming back are you – you are staying here.
Bunty Jones : If I come back they'll find me, and as bad as [she waves her hand indicating her room and The Rec Centre and Downtown in general] is, there are far worse places I could end up. And if I come back it won't be just me – my parents, and Jerry and anyone they think has been involved.
Eloise Jensen [staring at the notebook] : Just tell me what the codes are. Tell me that, so maybe I can understand.
[Bunty stares back at her for a moment, then she sighs]
Bunty Jones : You worked out the code for Jerry's address? [Eloise nods] Use that twice, then reverse the first one, then apply the second again. Then apply a cyclic integral.
[Eloise nods, then she takes a deep breath]
Eloise Jensen : What do you want me to tell your parents? And Jerry? And my boss?
[Bunty shrugs]
Bunty Jones : Tell them their daughter is dead. That you came here, and found out she had been killed [she shrugs] It will let them grieve and move on [she pauses] It's not like I can return anyway.
[Eloise opens her mouth, but realises she has nothing she can say. She picks up the notebook from the end of the bed and stands up.
She walks over to the door, then turns]
Eloise Jensen : If you need any help, or you need me, then get in touch [she tales out her card and puts it on the side table near the door. After a second or two, she reaches into her other pocket and pulls out a small silver pistol, and puts it down next to the card] Look after yourself.
Bunty Jones : I'll see what I can do, Detective. But once you read the notebook, you're going to have far bigger worries.
[Eloise smiles, then turns and walks out of the room]
xoxox
[An hour later, she is sat on the platform at Downtown station, her hood pulled up against the light rain that is now drizzling down.
She is reading through the notebook, making notes above the lines written in code]
(VOICE OVER) : THE NEXT TRAIN ON PLATFORM ONE IS THE NINE FIFTY SEVEN TO COVENSTONE. PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE ALL DOCUMENATION BEFORE TRAVELLING. THE NINE FIFTY SEVEN TO COVENSTONE.
[She slips the notebook back into her pocket, then she stands up and takes a step forward as the train pulls in.
It's another ancient model, and she is the only one boarding.
As she reaches for the handle, another door further down the carriage opens, and a man gets off the train. She stares at him blankly for a moment, unable to believe what she is is seeing, then she gets in, and it sets off as soon as she is seated.
She notices that there is the same level of darkness as before, but this time she concentrates more on the notebook than the scenery.
Just as the train pulls into Covenstone station, she decodes the first of the product codes, and her eyes widen in disbelief and shock.
She climbs out of the train, and strides across the platform.
As she walks through the ticket office she sees the ticket master watching her with a slightly amused smile]
Anthony Mayson : Came back alone then, Detective.
Eloise Jensen : So it would seem, Mister Mayson.
[She strides past him and out into the street. It is dark, but there are no clouds in the sky. The moon is big and bright and provides plenty of illumination. She walks over to the taxi rank, and gets into the first one there]
Eloise Jensen : City Hall, please.
Taxi Driver : Right away, m'am.
xoxox
[Half an hour later, the taxi pulls up outside the building, and Eloise gets out. She pays the driver, then turns and walks inside.
Without stopping, she goes up to The Mayor's office, and walks into the outer office. There is still no receptionist at the desk, so she walks over and knocks on the inner office door]
(VOICE OVER) : Come in, Detective.
[Eloise blinks, but pushes the door open and walks in. She finds Faith sat behind her desk.
Faith Romero : Please, have a seat. I am guessing you have questions [she pauses] You saw her?
Eloise Jensen : Yes.
Faith Romero : And she's not coming back?
Eloise Jensen : No.
Faith Romero : She told you why?
[Eloise walks over and sits down, then she takes the notebook out of her pocket and puts it on the desk in front of Faith]
Eloise Jensen : She gave me the key [she pauses] I decoded it on the train on the way back.
[Faith stares at her for a moment, then flicks the notebook open and looks at it.
Sally Tremain, Adult Souls, 2, 5 YR, 15-02
Gary McMathers, Child Souls, 5, 52 YR, 16-02
Carla Freeman, Adult and Child Souls, 2/3, 112 YR, 12-02
She reads a few more lines, then looks up]
Eloise Jensen : What I don't understand is…. [she trails off, then shrugs] any of it. How a thirteen year old girl could be trading souls, what YR means, why anyone would take it seriously…. [she trails off again] But you, Madame Mayor – you don't look all that surprised.
Faith Romero : I wish I could say I was, but the trade in souls is a problem that all six Mayors have been trying to deal with for a long time. The gangs, the independents – they make it very difficult to stop.
[She realises Eloise is staring at her, and smiles]
Faith Romero : But that's probably not what you meant, is it?
[She leans back in her chair, then takes a deep breath]
Faith Romero : You have two choices, Detective. I can tell you the truth, or I can let you go and ensure you'll forget all about this. You'll remember that Miss Jones is dead, which is what you'll tell her parents and young Mister Crawford, as well as your colleagues. But you'll remember nothing about what we discussed today, or the notebook or its contents.
[Eloise stares at her for a few moments, then shakes her head]
Eloise Jensen : I want to know the truth. I want to know why you don't seem surprised a thirteen year old girl would abandon her parents, why she is apparently trading in human souls, and why I saw my husband getting off the train when I was coming back here.
Faith Romero : Your husband?
Eloise Jensen : My husband [she pauses] The one who died two months ago.
Faith Romero : You are sure it was him?
Eloise Jensen : I'm sure [she stared levelly at Faith] So – tell me. I want to know.
Faith Romero : Somehow I doubt that. But if you insist.
[She presses a button on her desk, and Eloise looks around as a wave of light sweeps through the room]
Faith Romero : Very well, Detective – the truth…..
xoxox
[Twenty minutes later, Eloise walks out of City Hall, and down the street.
She walks along various streets, not really focusing on anything, then reaches her house. She goes inside and closes the door behind her.
Looking around, she takes off her jacket, then walks upstairs, pulls out her laptop, starts up an application called "The Rachel Papers" and creates a new entry.]
Eloise Jensen (VOICE OVER AS SHE TYPES) : My first day at Covenstone PD did not go exactly as planned. I met my new boss, and my new partner, and we were assigned a case. Then I met The Mayor, and she told me….. she told me….
[She stops typing for a moment, and closes her eyes]
[flash back, Mayors Office]
Faith Romero : Detective Jensen, Eloise – you died two weeks ago.
Eloise Jensen : Pardon me?
Faith Romero : Two weeks ago you died in a car crash. Your car collided with a lorry on Tower Bridge, and went into The Thames. Your body was recovered, but you died at the scene.
Eloise Jensen : So this is…..
Faith Romero : Hell.
Eloise Jensen : I'm in hell?
Faith Romero : Perhaps not the version you were expecting, but yes. Those who decide these things felt that – on balance – your life choices were enough to send you to the third of six districts of hell, colloquially known as Covenstone.
Eloise Jensen : And Downtown is the fourth? A slightly worse place to be?
Faith Romero : You learn quickly [she points to the window on her left] The weather here is always sunny, but it's also hot. Sticky. Warm. In Downtown it's grey and drizzly. You've maybe noticed the rubbish, the way the town never really looks clean? [Eloise nods] You should also try getting service at some coffee shops, or on some customer support lines.
Eloise Jensen : So this is a low grade kind of hell. Annoying but not the brimstone and torture. It will annoy you but not to the point you'd notice? [Faith nods] But we're stuck here forever.
Faith Romero : Well that's where things get complicated. Miss Jones – you're case today – she was doing something bad.
Eloise Jensen : Trading souls.
Faith Romero : I wasn't lying when I said we're trying to stamp it out – the six Mayors don't want our charges to be killing each other and trading their souls to their warders in exchange for lighter sentences. It undermines our position, and The Empress does not smile on that.
Eloise Jensen : The Empress?
Faith Romero : Do I need to explain? Who do you think rules hell, Detective?
[Eloise stares at her for a moment]
Eloise Jensen : So Bunty was sent to a more severe district as a punishment?
Faith Romero : She believes she ran away for her own safety – she believes it was free will. But if someone darkens their soul enough… we are required to act.
Eloise Jensen : We?
Faith Romero [smiles] : There are some things, Detective, I'm not permitted to tell you. It would not end well for me.
Eloise Jensen : Does anyone ever return from a more severe district? Or move up to a higher one?
Faith Romero : Sometimes. Not often, but it's not unknown.
[Eloise stares at her for a few moments, then opens her mouth, but Faith raises her hand]
Faith Romero : No one is permitted to know why they are here. You might remember on your own, but I can't tell you.
Eloise Jensen : Good to know, but I was going to ask who else knows all this.
Faith Romero : Just you. No one else. Others may have an idea, but no one knows for sure.
Eloise Jensen : And that was Tomas I saw?
Faith Romero : I can't say for sure, but he's down here as well, and from what I've heard of him, he's likely in Downtown.
Eloise Jensen : Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
[Faith gazes at her for a moment]
Faith Romero : You remember the rules about travel between districts, Detective? You will not be allowed to return to Downtown, or any of the others, without a good reason.
Eloise Jensen : Believe me, Madame Mayor, I have no desire to see him again.
Faith Romero : Then I believe our business is done.
Eloise Jensen : You said a lighter sentence? Remission?
Faith Romero : It's what YR means. All of our charges are here for a certain length of time. No one knows how long they will be here, but when that time is up they are given a choice – they can stay, or they can go to the other place, or be released.
Eloise Jensen [nods in understanding] : And remission cuts down the time they'll be here [she pauses] I can see why you don't have a problem with people trading drugs around here.
Faith Romero : Why would anyone want to trade something so prosaic as crack when you could bargain for your freedom?
[end flashback]
Eloise Jensen (VOICE OVER AS SHE TYPES) : … so now I have to lie to a mother and a father and tell them that their daughter is dead, and then work out how I'm going to deal with being a police officer in the third circle of hell [she pauses typing] and right now I'm not sure which one is going to be harder.
[She closes the application, then shuts down the laptop. She puts it away in a draw, then locks it, then walks over, and flumps down on to her bed, staring up at the ceiling.
She glances out of the window, and sees that the moon is still shining brightly in the sky.
She glares at it for a moment, then rolls over on to her side, and closes her eyes]
Eloise Jensen (VOICE OVER, THOUGHT) : Still at least there is always tomorrow - and tomorrow is another day.
xoxox
Epilogue : The Empress
[Faith is sat in her office when suddenly there is loud pinging sound. She closes the top of her computer, then presses a button on her desk, and part of her bookshelves slide up, revealing a screen behind them.
A moment later, it turns on and the top half of a shadowy figure appears. Faith comes out from behind her desk, walks round, then goes down on one knee and bows her head]
Faith Romero : My Lady. To what do I owe the honour of this call?
The Empress : I understand you had two visits from our newest resident today. Are things going to plan?
Faith Romero : Yes, My Lady. She found her way to The Lost Soul, then returned and asked for more information. I gave her the chance to leave without learning anything, but she wanted to know.
The Empress : So she exercised her free will?
Faith Romero : It was all her own choice – I understand the requirements of what we are doing, My Lady.
The Empress : Then you have done well, my child. Things are progressing well. Soon – very soon – we will have what we need.
[Before Faith can respond, the screen goes dark. She continues to stare at it for a moment, then a smile spreads across her face]