18 April 2024

Solitary Eileen

Eileen looks a pathetic figure as she sits alone in the interview room at the police station. 

Eleri enters APD

Eleri again walks into APD and informs Jason that she is looking for batteries for the TV remote;  “Double As, I think.   

"Kath changes the channel so often"

“Kath changes the channel so often that they only last for a few days.”

"I know someone who is exactly the same"

Jason says that he knows someone who is exactly the same and cannot watch anything for more than five minutes;  

"You can't stop talking about your ex-wife, can you?"

“You just can’t stop talking about your ex-wife with me, can you?” she sneers.   As he hands over the batteries she asks if he has talked to Gareth.

"He's going to look into some options for me"

“Yes, and he’s going to look into some options for me,” Jason replies;  she tells him not to look so worried, as everything will be fine, then Anita walks in.

"Remember where I am'

As Eleri leaves, she reminds him, “Remember where I am, if you need another chat.”

"You and Kelly only split up two weeks ago"

Anita turns on him;  “Who was that?   You do remember you and Kelly only split up two weeks ago?”   

"Yes, Anita, I know that"

Jason replies that he is well aware of that.

"Thank you for coming over"

In the Deri, Griffiths thanks Kelly and Rhys for coming;  “I thought meeting over a cup of tea will be more comfortable.”

"Get to the point, Ieuan"

“Get to the point,” snaps Kelly and he continues that they will be glad to hear that their wages will be paid today.   

"Finally!"

“Finally!” she continues, 

"The sale of Garreg Wyn went through this morning"

and he explains that the sale of ‘Garreg Wen’ went through this morning.

"I thought you had something major to tell us"

Rhys had been under the impression that he had something major to tell them;  

"Well, there is one thing"

“Well, there is one thing . . .” and he is urged by Kelly to spit it out.

“I’m selling Tomos ac Ellis,” Ieuan goes on;  

There is a stunned silence

this is greeted by a stunned silence.

"We both had a fright"

Eileen tells DS Thomas, “Huwi and I were in the house – Huwi, my five-year-old son.   We heard a noise outside and he got a fright – we both had a fright.”

"But you still went outside"

The DS is surprised that she went outside even though she was frightened.   “Well, I had to see what was going on,” Eileen insists.

"It would her been next week before you arrived"

When she is informed that she could have called the police, Eileen laughs, “It would have been next week before you arrived – you’re not that interested in the countryside, are you?”

"And you took a gun outside with you"

After a pause, the DS continues, “And you took a gun outside with you.”   

"Which is kept under lock and key"

Eileen points out that is kept by the back door;  she adds that it is under lock and key.   

"What did you see?"

“And when you went out to the yard, what did you see?”

“A lorry at the bottom of the road with the dogs loaded on to it.   

"I shouted and asked what was happening"

“I shouted and asked what was happening – and that’s when I saw someone running away.”   

"Then you raised the gun and shot Mr Owen"

The DS suggests that is when she raised the gun and shot Mr Owen.

"I was trying to scare the thieves"

Eileen is adamant that she was trying to scare the thieves, so it is assumed that there were more than one.   “Howard wouldn’t have been able to steal the dogs by himself, but I only saw one other.”

"Did you recognise this second person?"

When asked if she recognised this second person, 

"Oh yes – Kelly Francis"

Eileen proudly announces, “Oh yes – I know her well – Kelly Francis.”   She looks very pleased with herself.

Eleri brings coffees

Jason is loading the van at the back of APD when Eleri appears, carrying two takeaway coffees.   

"I forgot to pay for the batteries"

She hands one to him, as a way of saying sorry;  “I was in such a rush earlier, I forgot to pay for the batteries.”

He apologises to her for the attitude of the staff 

"You paid for the coffee"

and refuses any payment, as she paid for the coffee.   “Not a word to the boss, is it?” she remarks. 

"Mathew thinks he's the boss"

Jason replies, “Mathew thinks he’s the boss – but I run the place.”    

"I thought only Mathew owned the place"

Eleri had believed that only Matthew owned the place.

Jason is quick to stress that Mathew is a co-owner;  

"I'm the boss, too"

“I’m the boss, too!”   She enquires if he has considered selling his share to pay for the divorce, so he advises her never to let his mother hear her say that.   

"Mam and Dai set up APD"

“She and Dai set up APD – it means everything to them.”

"Careful, in case Kelly tries to get her hands on this place"

“Careful, in case Kelly tries to get her hands on this place!” warns Eleri and he wonders if she is this suspicious with everyone.   

"You can't trust anyone but yourself in this world"

“You can’t trust anyone but yourself in this world,” she answers.   He remarks that she is full of wisdom today and wonders if she has considered for training as a life coachm

“I have, actually – I think I’d make a good job of that,” she replies.   

"You can practise your craft on me any time"

Jason invites her to practise her craft on him any time.   She thought that is what they were doing.

"Especially if it's a failing business"

As they come out of the Deri, Rhys fears that the new owner will not want to keep them on, but Kelly says that he does not know that.   “Especially if it’s a failing business,” he goes on.

"Ieuan said the business was doing all right"

Kelly reminds him that Ieuan told them the business was doing all right and he chuckles, “So all right, that we’ve had to wait weeks for last month’s wages.”   She imagines that it might be a good thing, so that someone else will clear up Griffiths’ mess.

"Uncle Ieu will find you a job!"

“You never know –   but you’ll be all right – Uncle Ieu will find you a job!” he sneers;  

"Grow up, Rhys!"

she tells him to grow up.   

"Kelly Francis?"

The DS is approaching along the street;  “Kelly Francis?” she asks, 

"I'd like a word . . ."

“DS Thomas – I’d like a word.   

". . . in private!"

She looks at Rhys and adds, “In private!”   

Rhys takes the hint

Rhys goes into Tomos ac Ellis and the others proceed to number 7.

As they drink their coffee . . .

At the back of APD, as they drink their coffee, 

. . . Jason enquires about Eleri

Jason says, “So, Eleri, I haven’t heard any of your story – tell me a bit about that.”   She simply describes it as complicated, 

"You're talking to the right man"

and he answers, “Complicated – now you’re talking to the right man – out with it!”   She will tell him another time, perhaps over a drink.   Again he insists that it is not a good idea;  

"I want to buy you a pint, not sleep with you"

“I want to buy you a pint, not sleep with you,” she stresses 

"I'm not allowed to say no, am I?"

and he complains that he is not allowed to say no.

Then they hear Anita’s voice, so he packs Eleri off to make his life easier;  

"The Deri – after work!"

as she goes, she instructs him, “The Deri – after work!”

"You should be in Llanarthur!"

Anita comes out, shouting at him that he should be in Llanarthur 

"All right – I'm on my way now!"

and he shouts back that he is on his way now.

"You're positive Eileen was carrying a gun?"

At number 7, the DS asks, “And you’re positive Eileen was carrying a gun?”   

"Well, there wee only three of us"

Kelly points out that there were only the three of them there, and wonders who else could have shot Howard.

“It’s possible that Eileen will have you prosecuted for trespass and theft,” Kelly is told, 

"I was trying to liberate those poor dogs"

so she explains, “I was trying to liberate those poor dogs, right, not steal them.”  

She is warned that she could be punished

She is also informed that she could be punished for withholding evidence and she simply replies that Howard did not want a fuss.   She is reminded that she is a witness to a crime, and there is a heavy fine for perverting the course of justice

"I was going to ask if there was any work going"

Rhys comes into APD, looking for Mathew, but he is out;  “I just wanted to ask if there was work going here.”   

"Had enough of working at Tomos ac Ellis?"

Anita imagines that he has had enough of working at Tomos ac Ellis.   

"You never know with a new boss"

“No, I love it – but you never know with a new boss.”

Then Jason comes in, and Rhys asks him if there are any jobs going;  

"What new boss?"

Anita demands, “What new boss?” and she is enlightened that Griffiths is selling the business – 

"He told us this morning"

he told them this morning.   Anita is naïvely confident that everything will be all right.

"Are things all right between you and Ieuan?"

Jason suspects that things are not all right between Anita and Ieuan, but she just walks out, and encounters Griffiths emerging from of the alley.   

Anita runs across the road

She runs across the road 

"You're selling Tomos ac Ellis?"

and demands, “You’re selling Tomos ac Ellis?   It seems that everyone knows, except me!   Couldn’t trust me and my big mouth, could you?   What’s going to happen to Kelly?”

"That's up to her new boss"

He replies that is it up to her new boss.   

"You don't think of anyone but yourself!"

“So you’re telling me that Kelly, who is going through a divorce, is going to lose her job, too?”   He suggests that she may be kept on.   “You don’t think of anyone but yourself!”

"Let me explain, Anita"

He asks to be allowed to explain;  “You have to understand, this is the only answer.   I talked to a friend last night – he’s a businessman – knows his stuff.   He told me how much I could get if I sold the business – it’s a good sum!   

"Kelly always lands on her feet"

“Kelly will be fine – she always lands on her feet – I was thinking about our future.   Perhaps Kelly will have a better boss, who doesn’t make such a mess.”

"I gave you one chance too many!"

“I gave you one last chance – one chance too many!” Anita snarls, then turns and walks away.

The DS returns to the interview room

When DS Thomas and her colleague re-enter the interview room, 

"At last!"

Eileen comments, “At last!”

"I've been talking to Kelly Francis"

“I’ve been talking to Kelly Francis to get a clearer picture of events.”   

"Did she confess to stealing the dogs?"

Eileen wonders if she confessed to stealing the dogs.   

"I want to talk about the shooting"

“I want to talk about the shooting,” says the DS, “You were in the house, you heard a noise, you went outside with a gun.”

"I was trying to scare them"

Eileen emphasises that she was trying to scare them, not to shoot anyone.   “So you admit you fired the gun?”   

"It just went off"

She maintains that it just went off – she did not mean to – she was not aiming at anyone – it was an accident.

"The hint wasn't very popular in the area"

DS Thomas smiles;  “Let’s go back to the dogs – you bought the dogs in order to start a hunt.”   Eileen does not consider that to be relevant.   “But the hunt wasn’t very popular in the area.”

"People who do not understand the rural way of life"

“Perhaps not with people who had moved in,”says Eileen, “People who do not understand the rural way of life.”

“Would you say that Kelly Francis was the biggest objector?” is the next question.   Eileen demands what the DS is trying to say.   

"Perhaps Kelly was your target"

“Perhaps she was your target and shooting Howard Owen was an accident, after all.”   

Eileen is speechless

Eileen simply sits there, open-mouthed.

"You seem to be settling in here"

Jason goes to number 7 and looks around him;  “You seem to be settling in here,” he remarks.

"Trying to make the place look cosy"

“Ah, yes , you know – I spend the evenings trying to make the place look cosy,” she replies and asks if Jason is all right.

"I heard about Tomos ac Ellis"

“I heard about Tomos ac Ellis,” he goes on, “I thought I’d pop in to see how you are,” and when she says that she is fine, he does not believe her.   

"Thank goodness I can rely on your money"

She repeats that she cannot rely on Griffiths’ money, but, thank goodness, she can rely on Jason’s money, or she would really be in hot water after signing a contract for the house.

"That's the least of my worries, Jase"

“Anyway, that’s the least of my worries,” she adds, and he wonders what else is wrong.   “Long story, Jase – you don’t have to check up on me every five minutes.”

"I still worry about you"

He protests that he cannot turn it off like a tap;  “I still worry about you.   Do you need help to hang these pictures?”   Kelly thanks him, but says that she is OK, so he leaves the house, telling her to look after herself.

Kelly is visibly shaking – although not in this still picture

As the door closes, Kelly appears to be shaking with fear.

"Why didn't you report the theft of the dogs?"

The police interview continues, “Remind me, why didn’t you report the theft of the dogs?”

"I lost  dog before and you weren't interested"

“I’ve lost a dog before and you weren’t interested,” Eileen sneers.   It is pointed out to her that there is a difference between one dog and a shedful.   

"I lost  field of sheep and it took you days"

“I’ve lost a field full of sheep and it took days for you to come out.”

"So this time you took the law into your own hands"

The DS appears to be getting rather angry and demands, “So this time you took the law into your own hands?”   

"There's no need to answer that question"

Eileen’s solicitor informs her that there is no need to answer that question.   DS Thomas again asks, “Why didn’t you phone the police – especially as you know the thieves?”   

"Were you scared they would get their own back?"      

“Were you scared they would get their own back – or that Howard had been shot?”

"The shooting of course!"

“The shooting, of course!” Eileen snarls, “Happy now?”   The DS announces that they will stop the interview for now and Eileen demands whether she can go home.   

"That's not possible, I'm afraid"

The DS smiles as she replies that will not be possible at the moment.

"I thought I'd found something I was good at"

In the Deri, Kelly and Rhys are sitting with their drinks;  “For the first time ever, I thought I’d found something I was good at,” Rhys groans, “I could see myself having a successful career, working my way up and doing well for myself.”

"Rhys, can't you just shut up?"

Kelly does not sympathise with his plight;  “Seriously, Rhys, can you just – I don’t know – shut up?”   

"Why its my life one step forward and ten steps back, like?"

Then she apologises, explaining, “I might be charged with stealing Eileen’s dogs, trespassing and perverting the course of justice.   Why is my life one step forwards and ten steps back, like?”

"What?"

This takes Rhys by surprise and he wants to know what she is talking about.   

"That's what the cops wanted earlier"

“That’s what the cops wanted with me earlier.”   

"What's that about cops?"

Unfortunately Anita has just walked in and wants to know why she is talking about cops.

“What did the police want with you?” she demands, and Kelly tells them the whole story.

"I stole Eileen's dogs"

“All right – I stole Eileen’s dogs after working out that she killed the ones that were of no use to her – I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”   

"And you could go to jail?"

Anita is incensed by the thought that Eileen is going to have her prosecuted and that she could go to jail.

“Yeah, perhaps – but I won’t need a job when I’m in jail will I?   

"Couple of months' holiday – rent-fee lodgings"

“You know, couple of months’ holidays – rent-free lodgings – win-win!   Please, Auntie Neet, I can’t control this, so for now I’d like to enjoy my drink in peace and quiet.”   

She moves elsewhere in the Deri

She picks up her bag and drink and goes elsewhere.

"There are people in worse situations than you"

At another table Eleri is consoling Jason that there are people in worse situations than him.   

"That makes me feel a lot better"

“Oh, that makes me feel a lot better!” he groans and she accuses him of not being satisfied with anything.

"A suitcase full of cash is not going to land on your doorstep"

“A suitcase full of cash is not going to land on your doorstep – so you’ve got a decision to make,” she tells him, “You’ve got three options – take Gareth’s advice – sell the house.”   He protests that he cannot do that.

"Tell your ex-wife where to go!"

“So you know what the final option is – tell your ex-wife where to go!” is Eleri’s advice.   

At that moment Kelly looks across

Jason remains silent and at that moment Kelly looks across from where she is sitting.

Griffiths emerges from Tomos ac Ellis 

Griffiths is just coming out of Tomos ac Ellis as Rhys approaches;  “You know I don’t want to sell, don’t you?   I’ve tried every other option.”

"I've worked my socks off for you"

Rhys protests that he has worked his socks off for Griffiths 

"Lots of small businesses are finding it hard these days"

and is told that a lot of small businesses are finding it hard these days – Tomos ac Ellis is exactly the same.   “You need to think positively – focus on selling houses – beating Kelly!   We’ve had a lot of fun here, haven’t we?   

"I'll give you a head start"

“I’ll tell you what, as I’ve seen you first – I’ll give you a head start on how to make an impression on an owner.   There is a rumour that Ffion Llywelyn is looking for new house – 

"I'm sure you can charm her"

“I’m sure you can charm her, so that she goes through Tomos ac Ellis.”

"Thanks for the tip-off, Ieuan"

Rhys likes the sound of this and thanks Griffiths for the tip-off.   

"But not a word to Kelly"

He is warned not to say a word to Kelly.

Eileen is pacing anxiously 

While her solicitor is making notes, Eileen is pacing up and down in the interview room.   

"I have enough to charge you with GBH"

Suddenly the door opens and DS Thomas informs her, “I’ve spoken to the CPS.   They agree I’ve got enough evidence to charge you with the intentional grievous bodily harm of Howard Owen.”

"I did no such thing"

Eileen declares that she did no such thing and is told that she will appear before the magistrates tomorrow morning.   

"They will decide whether you get bail"

The DS appears to be enjoying telling Eileen, “They will decide whether you get bail or not.”

Eileen is outraged that she could go to jail and it is assured that it is a possibility, but the length of the sentence depends.

"I can't leave Huwi!"

“I can’t leave Huwi!” Eileen protests.

"You should have thought about that"

“You should have thought of that before shooting Howard Owen,” she is told.