SIMMONDS: [livid] Get out!

KATE: Don’t threaten me!

SIMMONDS: [loudly] Get outside!

KATE: What will you do if I don’t? Chain me to the bloody door and rape me?

SIMMONDS: [advancing on her] Get outside!

KATE: Tell us all what happened down at the station, Sergeant. Tell us!

The REMOVALIST and ROSS re-enter carrying the cupboard.

REMOVALIST: [looking at his watch] This is the last thing, then?

SIMMONDS: [to KATE, a little hysterical himself] You’re a liar, woman. A bloody liar and you’re not fooling anyone. [Pause.] The truth of the matter is that you tried your best to seduce us from the word go. [Pointing to ROSS] A young boy straight out of training school. Could’ve scarred him for life!

REMOVALIST: [to FIONA] This is the last item, then?

FIONA nods.

KATE: [to the REMOVALIST] Can you find another man at short notice, removalist?

REMOVALIST: Another man to help unload?

KATE nods.

Well, that’s a bit tricky, Missus. I was contracted out under the understanding that another man would be supplied by the hirer.

FIONA: [agitated] I’ll help.

REMOVALIST: It’s not the sort of work for a lady, love.

KATE: [tight-lipped] Could you find another man?

REMOVALIST: Well, probably. Yes. It’ll cost you double time, though.

KATE: I don’t care what it will cost. Have you got the address?

REMOVALIST: Indeed I have, Ma’am.

KATE nods and takes FIONA’s arm. She goes to move outside. FIONA turns to KENNY, but he has already started to talk to SIMMONDS.

KENNY: Look, they’ve got all the furniture. You can let me go now.

FIONA: [to KENNY] Look, I’ll get in touch tomorrow about Sophie.

KENNY: Could you tell him to let me go now?

FIONA: Could you let him off the handcuffs now, Sergeant?

SIMMONDS: Mr Carter was not handcuffed for your convenience, Mrs Carter. Mr Carter is being detained pending arrest for offensive behaviour.

FIONA: I’m not intending to press charges against him.

SIMMONDS: [with relish] I’m afraid the matter is out of your hands, Mrs Carter. The offences have been committed against myself and Constable Ross.

KATE: [sharply] Are you coming, Fiona? The taxi won’t wait around all day.

KENNY: He’s going to beat shit out of me, Fiona.

KATE: [sharply] Don’t be so ridiculous!

KATE drags a bewildered FIONA out to the taxi. ROSS returns. There is a pause.

SIMMONDS: [ominously] Why would we beat shit out of you, Carter?

SIMMONDS walks up to him, pushes his head against the door and looks into his eyes.

Why would we do that? [To ROSS] Can you think of any reason why we’d do that, Ross?

ROSS: [sullen] No.

SIMMONDS: What’s wrong with you, Ross?

ROSS: [sullen] Nothing.

SIMMONDS: You’ve been stomping around like a constipated bear since we arrived, Ross. If you’ve got something to say, then get it off your chest. Have you got something to say?

ROSS: [sullen] No.

SIMMONDS: I’ll tell you what, Ross, if your attitude doesn’t show a marked improvement, I’m going to give you a rocket in your first report. [Loudly] If you’ve got a chip on your shoulder, then knock it off, Ross, and knock it off right now or I’ll turn it into a bloody great log. Now knock it off, Ross. [Bellowing] Knock it off! Get me?!