Learning English

1. OFFICE

Callie
I need… where is everybody?

Nikesh
Nigel’s leaving drinks. It’s just us.

Callie
Nik, I need you to get in the car and head over. I’ll track you on the computer. Take dogsbody downstairs, she can drive.

2. OFFICE, LATER

Nikesh
Three minutes away.

Callie
Alright, when you get there, just stay calm. No big dramatics. Don’t alert him until you arrest him.

Nikesh
Hang on, is that? We’ve just passed him. Driving in the opposite direction. Turn around…. We’re pursuing him. He’s going down Carnforth. He’s seen us. He’s speeding up.

Callie
Don’t lose him.

Nikesh
He’s going towards the seafront.

Callie
Take the next left. You should be able to head him off.

Nikesh
That’s him!

Callie
Nikesh? What was that? Nikesh, are you ok?

Nikesh
Arthur Montgomery, I am arresting you for the murder of Jamie Phelps…

Callie
Yes!

Nikesh
…You do not have to say anything but, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be used in evidence. Do you understand? Do you understand?

Arthur
Yes, yes. I understand.

3. INTERVIEW ROOM

Nikesh
This interview is being recorded and may be given in evidence at a later date. We are in interview room 3, in Beltonfield Police Station. The date is 26th October 2019 and the time by my watch is 4:42pm. I am DC Nikesh Reddy, also present is DS Callie Pritchard, and Arthur Montgomery – he has chosen not have a solicitor present…

Arthur
There’s no need… I am willing to cooperate fully with your investigation and clearing my name.

Callie
Well that’s nice to hear, isn’t it DC Reddy?

Nikesh
Just lovely.

Callie
Mr Montgomery, I thank you for your cooperation. I am not sure that was my colleague’s experience when he arrested you earlier, but perhaps we can put that behind us.

Arthur says nothing. 

Nikesh
Mr Montgomery, we know that you met Jamie Phelps at Dreamers’ Cliffs on Tuesday morning. You have been identified by Jamie’s son, Pip and we have photographic evidence that places you in the area at the time of Mr Phelps’s death.

Callie
Did you call the meeting or did he?

Arthur
Jamie called me, said that his business had been hacked. He was concerned that his devices were being monitored and would I meet him at the cliffs. We met, I told him I couldn’t bail him out – he seemed to be broke - and I’m afraid he jumped.

Callie
He jumped?

Arthur
Yes. Well, stepped off really. Cowardly thing to do.

Callie
And you didn’t think to mention this when we spoke to you on Tuesday?

Arthur
Well that was an error, but, I wanted nothing to do with it. Stuff like that… leaves a nasty smell.

Nikesh
Mr Montgomery, did Jamie Phelps’ body hit the water? Or did it land on the sand.

Arthur
I don’t know. Didn’t look. Rather squeamish.

Nikesh
So then, after witnessing this… suicide, you came back down, met a fan, took a selfie, hopped back into your car and drove off?

Arthur
That’s about right. Look, the selfie… these people… it’s always easier to just do it. They badger you otherwise and take one anyway and it can get… rather unpleasant.

Callie
You were smiling in the photo.

Arthur
One does.

Nikesh
Mr Montgomery, you don’t need to waste your time making up a story. We know you killed Jamie Phelps. We know you pushed him off the cliff, sent a text to his wife and chucked the phone after him. The phone was dry, you see. The body was wet. We also suspect, that it was you who paid the ransom for the malware. Taking the details from Jamie’s phone.

Callie
Why did you do it Mr Montgomery? Was Jamie Phelps a threat to you?

Arthur
I have nothing more to say.

Callie
Well that’s a shame. After all that talk of cooperation. I wonder… was there something in the file that was hacked? Something you didn’t want made public? Perhaps Jamie Phelps maybe look after something else for you. Something other than money? Drugs, sex…?

Arthur
Of course not.

Callie
You’re a chef, right? You use cooking knives?                       

Arthur
What are you saying? I stabbed Jamie? Cut his throat? 

Callie
No. I mean, what do you do to your knives – to make them really clean? 

Arthur
I wipe them of course! 

Callie
Right. So, did you not think to wipe the phone before you threw it over the cliff?           

Arthur
What?            

Callie
Fingerprints, Mr Montgomery.            

Arthur
Yes fingerprints – but how do you know they’re mine? 

Nikesh
Your cookbook – it could come in very useful – especially if we can match the fingerprints.           

Arthur
Well…. Urgh… ok, let me explain.

4. OFFICE

Nikesh
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who likes the sound of their own voice so much.

Callie
Unusual in a murderer. You ready? I want my chicken korma.

Nikesh
There’s a recipe in Montgomery’s cookbook for that!

Callie
Oh yeah… good job hanging onto that cookbook – a smart move, for once! 

Nikesh
Very funny. Come on then, let’s eat but you’re not ordering a korma though.

Callie
What? I like korma!
Yes, yes…ok… we’ll look into it. Looks like you’ve got your wish Nik, there won’t be any Korma. We’ve got more work to do.

5. ARTHUR'S CONFESSION

Arthur
OK, OK, so why did I do it? It was just tax, alright? Tax. I do some clever things and Jamie does some clever things and we… evade. It’s obscene how much they take. Obscene. And that… little twit Jamie wanted out. Said he was happy for the documents to be published. An attack of the conscience, well….   I had to stop that, didn’t I!

THE END