State of Play2003

Cameron Foster:
[to newsroom] If Della Smith is in the building, could somebody please tell her that her house burnt down or, uh, her Lottery numbers came up ? [waits for a response] No ? [to DCI Bell] I'm not in the habit of lying. She's not here.

DCI William Bell:
She's working on the Kelvin Stagg murder.

Cameron Foster:
Correct.

DCI William Bell:
With your chief reporter, Cal McCaffrey.

Cameron Foster:
Also correct.

DCI William Bell:
Is he here ?

Cameron Foster:
I believe not. Mr. Bell...

DCI William Bell:
It's Detective Chief Inspector Bell.

Cameron Foster:
If you want to talk to busy people, you make a date or risk disappointment.

DCI William Bell:
Can you tell me the extent of their investigations into that murder ?

Cameron Foster:
No.

DCI William Bell:
Well, you're their editor.

Cameron Foster:
They haven't filed a story yet.

DCI William Bell:
But what, so they just, uh, what ? Run around spending your budget without recourse ?

Cameron Foster:
Seniors do. I know. I don't like it. I'd rather be a dictator but no one would work for me.

DCI William Bell:
One of my officers was murdered. Don't piss me about !... Now Della Smith warned Stuart Brown that the patient he was guarding was a potential target for reprisals. Now, where did she get the authority to present that theory ?

Cameron Foster:
I could've - well, my mother could have given you that from the TV reports. A gunman tries to kill a witness but not quite. Stands to reason that the motive for shooting the guy's still valid.

DCI William Bell:
Well, she sought him out at, uh, 11pm to tell him that ?

Cameron Foster:
You've met Della?

DCI William Bell:
Interviewed her.

Cameron Foster:
Beautiful woman. Recently dumped by a long-term boyfriend. It's a lonely job. Maybe she took a shine to your Stuart Brown. I really can't speculate. Well, I can, obviously. I just have. But it's not helpful, is it ?