State of Play (TV Mini Series)

Episode #1.3 (2003)

John Simm: Cal McCaffrey

Photos 

Quotes 

• Cal McCaffrey : Hi, thanks for coming

  [to visit him in prison] 

  Cal McCaffrey : .

  Cameron Foster : Well, it's a first, so it's a pleasure... Don't eat the food. And Adam swears to me that he can get you bail, so don't take anal sex for granted. And I'll see you back in the office, uh... before you're 40.

• Dominic Foy : Well, what kind of money are we talking?

  Cameron Foster : Nobody's talking money.

  Cal McCaffrey : Unless you've got something we couldn't get anywhere else.

  Dominic Foy : Make me an offer.

• Anne Collins : Stephen was all over the place. I got your message first - arrested; then his - summoned for questioning. I've got journalists hammering on my bloody door and the kids wanted to know what the hell's going on. Why WERE you arrested ?

  Cal McCaffrey : Tactical.

  Anne Collins : Andrew Wilson's saying everything's going to blow over but it's all going in the wrong direction. I just don't know what I'm going to do... If Stephen was seriously involved in something, you'd tell me, wouldn't you ?

  [Notices Cal is getting undressed] 

  Anne Collins : What are you doing ?

  Cal McCaffrey : I could have emailed you answers to all that. Now, we can talk about Stephen or we can do what we came for, but I can't do both, Anne.

• DCI William Bell : Who gave you the briefcase, Mr. McCaffrey ?

  Cal McCaffrey : For the tape, this is the second time I've asked for a phone call.

  DCI William Bell : What part of a professional journalist pretended evidence like this should be kept from the police ?

  Cal McCaffrey : Phone call.

  DCI William Bell : The greedy part ?

  Cal McCaffrey : Phone call.

  DCI William Bell : Or the part protecting his mate, Stephen Collins ?

  Cal McCaffrey : Look, I worked for him... once... about nine years ago. He didn't do it... Phone call.

  DCI William Bell : When he sheltered from the press, he came to your house.

  Cal McCaffrey : So ?

  DCI William Bell : Well, he denied anything to do with her death.

  Cal McCaffrey : Well, he didn't deny it, no, because he was never asked.

  DCI William Bell : Never remotely crossed your mind ?

  Cal McCaffrey : Look, he was on a train; she went under another.

  DCI William Bell : Somebody paid for a professional hit man.

  Cal McCaffrey : The briefcase implies that, yeah.

  DCI William Bell : But you're excluding the VERY public figure who'd have everything to gain by getting rid of her. How come ?

  Cal McCaffrey : If the reason you're keeping me here is to stop me doing a better job than you can, then I would be seriously embarrassed about that. You know ? I'd want to lead, not follow.

  Cameron Foster : Well, you asked for that... when I said ten minutes ago this was getting repetitive. Were either of you listening ?

• Anne Collins : [voice on answering machine]  Hi, it's Anne Collins. I'm sorry I can't get to the phone but if you leave your name and your number, I'll get back to you.

  Cal McCaffrey : At least I heard a bit of you. I hope this is the first thing you hear when you wake up. How are you ? I've been thinking about you. A bit more than I should. Hah. I've got half a dozen people out here thinking I'm making a phone call to my next of kin. I've been arrested so... I don't know when I'm going to get a chance to speak to you again. I just wanted to say... good morning.

• DCI William Bell : Della Smith's on her way back, a bit confused as to why a trusted friend and colleague left her wide open. Do you explain or do I keep on speculating ?

  Cal McCaffrey : An established journalist is arrested for protecting a contact. Now that's going to hit the evening papers in a few hours. Maybe even the telly.

  DCI William Bell : What, you think that scares me ?

  Cal McCaffrey : Look, if I'm in here, refusing to surrender "vital information" because it might jeopardize a contact... and I'm the only person you're holding, then no hit man's going to give two shits about Della Smith, is he?

  DCI William Bell : That's a very dangerous maneuver, Mr. McCaffrey.

  Cal McCaffrey : Well, it's my choice.

  DCI William Bell : [to Sgt. Cheweski]  Make it look like we've relaxed supervision on Della Smith. LOOK LIKE. Plain clothes only. And find a decoy for Della. Get a support unit together.

  DCI William Bell : [to Cal]  Right, can we talk properly or are you going to be dragging the lawyers in again ?

  Cal McCaffrey : I didn't sponsor a hitman for a headline, Inspector. That happened. I'm here because I want him caught. Like you do. So why don't you get your press people to publicize this arrest and then we can all get on with the story.

  DCI William Bell : It's a case, not a story.