ROSS: [starting to forage around in the cupboard] We could hang him. Find a bit of rope and make it look as if he bloody hung himself.

SIMMONDS: [fast and agitated] Don’t be so bloody stupid. What about the bruises and the blood? How’re you going to explain that? I’ve been in the force twenty-three years now, Ross, and I know what you can get away with and what you can’t; and I’m telling you for sure—you won’t get away with a stunt like that. Not a hope in high heaven. You’ve gone too far, boy, and I’m afraid you’re going to have to face the consequences.

ROSS: [wildly, loud] I’ll say that you did it!

SIMMONDS: [staggered] You’ll what?

ROSS: [wildly] I’ll say that you did it!

SIMMONDS: [aghast] You can’t lie about a thing like this, Ross!

ROSS: You were the one who was hitting him. They all saw that. They’ll believe me, for sure.

SIMMONDS: [anxiously] They all saw that I was in control, Ross. That’s what they all saw. I know how hard to hit a man. That’s what they all saw.

ROSS: I’ll say that as soon as they left you went berserk and killed him.

SIMMONDS: [anxiously] No, Ross. I’m in control and people know it. They can call me all kinds of bastard, but they know I’m always in control, Ross. That’s my strength, Ross, and that’s been my strength for years and nobody’s going to believe otherwise because that’s the work of a raw young hot-head if ever I saw it and other people are going to see it that way too, Ross, whether you like it or not, and that’s something you’re going to have to face up to instead of trying to shift the blame to an area where it doesn’t rightly belong and where nobody in their right senses would ever see it as belonging. I think you must be mad to think that anyone would—I think you’d best come down to the main station and confess straight away before you go getting yourself into real trouble.

ROSS: [wildly] No, bugger you. I’m going to lie. I’m really going to turn it on. I’m going to lie and lie and lie and lie. You wait and see. I’m sorry, Sarge, but I’m scared. I’m shit scared.

SIMMONDS: [hysterical] For Christ’s sake, don’t get hysterical. Pull yourself together, man!

ROSS: I’m sorry, Sarge, but I’m scared. Shit scared.

SIMMONDS: Well, getting hysterical isn’t going to help!

ROSS: They’ll lock us up, Sarge! They’ll lock us up for life!

SIMMONDS: They won’t lock me up! I’ve got nothing to do with it!

ROSS: They won’t put us in for life, will they, Sarge? They never put us cops away for as long as ordinary blokes, do they? [Remembering] Ooo, Jesus! Yes they do. Remember those two guys who knocked off the TAB? I’m sorry, Sarge, but I’m going to lie. After all, you were in charge.

SIMMONDS: [exploding] I didn’t tell you to kill him, Ross. I didn’t tell you to kill him!