Cwmderi Diary 2016: 11 March 2016

An exhaustive police search

The police continue their meticulous search, upending the sofa and peering inside the lining. Debbie protests that the phone is nothing to do with Mark, and DS Davies asks, “Do you know anything about it?”

"You've already searched the house"

When Debbie points out that they have already searched the house several times, the DS answers, “And this time we have found new evidence –

DS Davies casts a suspicious eye at Dol

“I’ll be questioning everyone again who has been here since the murder.”

Vicky has a hostile reception

When Vicky walks into the salon, she is asked, “What do you want? An appointment?”

Dani will not reconsider

Vicky pleads not to be sacked, and offers to pay for the missing stock. “Close the door on your way out,” replies Dani, “I can’t work with someone I don’t trust!

"You gave Dol the salon keys"

“You gave Dol the salon keys – now off you go!”

"But I need the money to look after Nicky!"

Vicky continues to insist that she needs the money for Nicky.

Debbie urges the solicitor into action

With the search still in progress, Debbie phones the solicitor to advise him of this latest development; “You need to go and see Mark now! And make sure you do your best!” she orders.

"I'd like to talk to Dolores Collins"

DS Davies reports that they have finished – for now,and wants a quick interview with Dol.

Vicky had an unsatisfactory childhood . . .

Vicky explains to Dani, “The last thing I want for Nicky is the same upbringing I had. I love Mam, but Liam and I were ‘dragged up’, moving from place to place, and Mam having one boyfriend after another. We never knew where the next penny was coming from.”

. . . and Dani can identify with that

Dani says that she can sympathise with that.

“Ricky is lucky that Mark wants him around – if only my Dad had been the same,” adds Vicky, and Dani mentions that she has Dol. “Would you want to live with her?” Vicky demands,

"Nicky must have a better life than I had"

“I didn’t intend to have children, but it went wrong. Nicky must have a better life than I had – that’s why the job means so much to me.”

Gwen is the next customer

Gwen arrives, and Dani, obviously won over, tells her, “Vicky will wash your hair.” She also warns Vicky that this is her last chance.

"Just answer the question!"

DS Davies is becoming rather irritated with Dol; “Just answer the question – you must remember who has been here. Anyone unusual, who is not a close friend?”

Dol then admits that she keeps the back door unlocked;

Dol's excuse for leaving the back door unlocked

“I know how hard it is to find keys when you come back from the pub!”

This angers Debbie

Debbie loses her temper at this revelation, and the DS asks her to leave, although she will want a word later. The DS resumes, “Right, I want a list of everyone who has been here lately – think! This is important.”

"The police are eager to talk to you"

In the prison, Mark is looking at a letter, while a game of table-tennis is going on nearby; a warder comes to fetch him, as the police are eager to talk to him.

Another salon customer . . .

It is a busy time at the salon, as Llinos also arrives; Vicky asks whether she wants tea or coffee, and perhaps a biscuit. Dani warns her not to overdo it.

. . . and then an unwelcome visitor

Then DS Davies comes in, so Dani has to leave attending to Gwen; the detective wants to talk to Vicky, so they are told to go into the back room.

"What did she ask you?"

Debbie demands what the police wanted to know during her enforced absence. “Just who has been here,” replies Dol,

"That detective woman is like a dog on heat!"

“That detective woman is like a dog on heat – you don’t want to mess with her! I told her Liam’s number too – don’t want to get arrested for perverting the course of justice!”

Debbie is afraid her mother has made things worse for Mark, but she replies,

"How much worse can it get?"

“How much worse can it get? They found a dead man’s phone in our kitchen!

"Mark's a murderer!"

“Mark is a murderer – deal with it!”

"They've found new evidence at the house"

James Richards, the solicitor, only has the opportunity to tell Mark that the police have found new evidence at the house before DS Davies and DC Roberts arrive.

"Interview commences at 3:30pm"

The DS wastes no time, starting the interview at 3:30pm; “Can you tell me what this was doing at 39 Maes-y-Deri?

"This was found behind your washing machine"

“It’s Dewi Owen’s phone, and was behind the washing machine.”

"Well I didn't put it there!"

Mark answers, “I didn’t put it there!” and the officer asks him who did.

"Filling the place with cops" is rather an exaggeration

When Llinos has left the salon, Dani expresses her displeasure; “I give you a second chance, and you fill the place with cops! I’m looking after the salon for Sheryl,

Vicky is admonished severely

“and it doesn’t look good, you being questioned by the police here!”

The door opens, and before Dol can get inside, Vicky orders her to get out.

"I only came to apologise to both of you!"

Dol insists she is here to apologise to both of them, but Vicky promises to throw her out,

Dani's withering gaze causes her to leave

and Dani glowers malevolently, so she leaves, muttering, “The youth of today!”

"I've never seen that phone before!"

“How many more times? I’ve never seen that phone before – I’m not the only one who lives at Maes-y-Deri.” DS Davies asks if he is suggesting that another member of the family killed Dewi Owen.

"Do us all a favour and admit it"

“Do yourself, us and Dewi Owen’s family a favour – and admit it,” she says, “How can you deny it with all this evidence?”

Once more Mark declares his innocence, adding, “Listen, if I had killed Dewi, do you think I’d be stupid enough to hide that in my own home?”

"I saw the police at Maes-y-Deri on CnocCnoc"

Ricky asks Debbie what has been going on at Maes-y-Deri, as he has seen photos of police cars there on CnocCnoc. She admits that a phone has been found;

"Dad isn't guilty – is he?"

“Does it belong to that bloke who was killed?” asks Ricky, “Dad isn’t guilty – is he?”

The solicitor raises an objection

DS Davies says she is going to tell Mark what happened; “You and I both know that you cannot do that!” interrupts the solicitor. She then says she will tell a story, and his client can tell her if she is wrong. Her first statement, that he attacked Dewi, is immediately refuted.

"He was on the floor when I arrived!"

“He was on the floor when I arrived!” Mark states, “And I didn’t see a single phone in the flat – that’s the truth.” The sergeant then suggests that someone else accompanied him.

“I suspect that you’re trying to protect a family member or friend. Give us some information, and we could make it easier for you.”

"Someone is obviously trying to frame me!"

Again Mark is adamant that he did nothing, and that someone is obviously trying to frame him. “The evidence is against you,” he is told.

How did Dol afford this apologetic drink?

In the Deri, Dol brings Vicky a pint, but is told that is not the sort of apology she wants; “You took advantage of me – I was trying to help you, but you were helping yourself.”

"There was a lot of temptation there"

Dol maintains there was a lot of temptation there, and that she will repay the money. Vicky has heard this before; “You’re going to find the money by stealing from someone else?”

"This will have been to the laboratory"

The DS brings the interview to a close at 5:45pm, saying, “The next time I see you, this will have been to the laboratory. Every fingerprint and detail left on it will be revealed – sleep well!”

"Anything you'd like to share with me?"

The solicitor says that this latest evidence has come as rather a shock, and asks if there is anything that Mark would like to share with him.

"You think I'm guilty!"

“You think I’m guilty!” Mark tells him,

"You need me more than ever now!"

but the solicitor maintains that Mark needs him now more than ever.

Vicky leaves to pick up Nicky

Vicky leaves the Deri, telling Dol that she is going to make sure that Nicky is brought up properly, and that a pub is not a suitable place for him. Dani comes over and warns Dol,

"The salon won't be the only place you're banned from!"

“I’m keeping an eye on you from now on. One more step out of line, and it won’t be just the salon that you’re banned from – but here too!”

"You don't scare me one bit!"

Dol assures her, “You don’t scare me one bit!”

"This has made the case more difficult"

The solicitor visits Debbie, imparting the unpleasant news, “I’d like to cheer you up, but this new evidence has made the case more difficult.”

"Why did they only find the phone today?"

Vicky wonders why the police did not find the phone until today.

“At the moment, my best efforts won’t be good enough,” warns the solicitor, “If there’s a shred of evidence connecting Mark to that phone, he could be looking at twenty years, or more!”