Listen Now: Stolen Hearts

Summary

Flesh and Code: Episode "Listen Now: Stolen Hearts" Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: Flesh and Code
• Host/Authors: Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire (co-hosts of the hit podcast RedHanded)
• Description: Flesh and Code delves into the intricate interplay between human emotions and artificial intelligence, exploring how technology blurs the lines between genuine and artificial connections. In the episode "Listen Now: Stolen Hearts," listeners are introduced to a gripping narrative that intertwines love, trust, and unexpected twists in modern relationships.

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1. Introduction to "Stolen Hearts"

The episode begins with hosts Hannah McGuire and Saroti Bala promoting the limited series Stolen Hearts. They set the stage for a captivating story that examines the dark side of modern relationships, emphasizing the vulnerabilities and dangers of misplaced trust.

Notable Quote:

Hannah McGuire [00:28]: "On Flesh and Code, we've been exploring how technology can blur the lines between real and artificial connections and the dangers of opening your heart to an algorithm. But sometimes the most devastating betrayals come from flesh and blood relationships that seem just too good to be true."

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2. Introducing Sergeant Jill Evans

Stolen Hearts centers around Sergeant Jill Evans, a 38-year-old police officer in the small Welsh town of Haverford West. Despite her commendable service record, Jill's personal life is fraught with failed relationships and deep-seated loneliness.

Key Points:

• Jill's dedication to her job contrasts with her tumultuous love life.
• Her best friend, Jenny, highlights Jill's need for love and companionship.
• Jill has experienced three engagements, two marriages, and one affair, underscoring her struggle to find lasting love.

Notable Quote:

Jill Evans [10:40]: "I was probably very lonely."

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3. The Quest for Love

After yet another failed relationship, Jenny advises Jill to turn to online dating. Initially disheartened by the mundane profiles, Jill decides to give it one final try, expanding her search beyond her local area.

Key Points:

• Jill's previous relationships were either unfulfilling or ended disastrously.
• Her shift to a broader online search signifies her desperation for meaningful connection.
• The introduction of Dean Jenkins as a potential suitor marks the beginning of a promising romance.

Notable Quote:

Jill Evans [17:18]: "I'll have one more look."

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4. Meeting Dean Jenkins

Jill connects with Dean Jenkins, a charismatic businessman from London, through an online dating platform. Their interactions are immediate and intense, leading to a swift progression of their relationship.

Key Points:

• Dean's profile appears genuine, featuring his successful product line, the Governor Range.
• Their first date in Cardiff is marked by chemistry and mutual attraction.
• Despite initial nervousness, the date solidifies their connection, leading to frequent communication and weekend rendezvous.

Notable Quotes:

Dean Jenkins [23:04]: "Hello, darling."

Jill Evans [27:07]: "I'm like, oh yeah, whatever, gullible."

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5. Deepening the Relationship

Over the following weeks, Jill and Dean's relationship blossoms. They share personal details, dreams, and even discuss starting a family together. Dean's integration into Jill's life includes meeting his business partner, George, and his mother, Joyce.

Key Points:

• Dean's attentive gestures, like buying boots and arranging romantic getaways, reinforce Jill's belief in their love.
• Mutual plans for the future, including having a child, indicate a serious commitment.
• Jill introduces Dean to her professional life, balancing her role as a police officer with her blossoming romance.

Notable Quote:

Dean Jenkins [31:46]: "I wanted her to feel amazing and special. She was getting from me what she'd never had from anybody else in life."

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6. The Disappearance and Rising Tension

As Halloween approaches, Jill becomes increasingly excited about their impending parenthood. However, Dean's sudden unavailability and lack of communication on Halloween night raise red flags. Jill's professional instincts kick in, leading her to investigate Dean's whereabouts.

Key Points:

• Dean's abrupt silence and lack of response deviate from his usual behavior.
• Jill contacts Dean's mother, Joyce, uncovering that Dean has been involved in an armed robbery incident.
• The revelation shocks Jill, intertwining her personal heartbreak with her professional responsibilities as a police sergeant.

Notable Quotes:

Jill Evans [42:44]: "Babe, I hate it when you do this to me. It makes me worry."

Debbie (Dean's Sister) [44:54]: "There's been an armed robbery, Dean's been arrested."

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7. Climax and Cliffhanger

The episode culminates with Jill discovering the tragic news of Dean's involvement in a shooting that resulted in his death. As Jill grapples with the reality of losing Dean, both personally and as a trusted figure, the narrative leaves listeners on a poignant cliffhanger, questioning the nature of their relationship and the true circumstances behind Dean's actions.

Key Points:

• The juxtaposition of Jill's personal vulnerability with her policing acumen creates a compelling tension.
• Dean's dual life as a loving partner and a criminal complicates the narrative, raising questions about trust and deception.
• The episode concludes with Jill watching news coverage of the shooting, leaving her—and the audience—seeking answers.

Notable Quote:

Narrator [45:50]: "It's thought the 42-year-old victim was killed after he opened fire on police."

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8. Conclusion and Tease for Future Episodes

Hosts Hannah McGuire and Saroti Bala wrap up the episode by highlighting the intense emotional journey of Jill Evans. They invite listeners to continue the series to uncover the full truth behind Dean's actions and the impact on Jill's life.

Notable Quote:

Hannah McGuire [47:24]: "That was Episode one of Stolen Hearts. You can binge the rest of the series and find out what really happened to Dean exclusively and ad-free right now by joining Wondri."

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Reflections and Themes

Stolen Hearts expertly weaves a narrative that explores themes of love, trust, betrayal, and the complexities of modern relationships. Through Sergeant Jill Evans' journey, listeners are invited to ponder the thin line between genuine affection and deception, especially in an age where online interactions can mask true intentions.

Key Themes:

• Trust vs. Deception: Jill's reliance on both her professional instincts and personal emotions underscores the challenges of discerning truth in relationships.
• Love and Vulnerability: The progression of Jill's relationship with Dean highlights the risks inherent in opening one's heart.
• Duality of Human Nature: Dean's contrasting personas as a loving partner and a criminal character illustrate the multifaceted nature of individuals.

Notable Quote:

Jill Evans [38:06]: "Maybe she should just cut Dean some slack. It's not you, babe. It's me. You've done nothing wrong."

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Final Thoughts

"Listen Now: Stolen Hearts" serves as a compelling introduction to a story that intertwines personal drama with suspenseful twists. As the series unfolds, listeners can anticipate deeper explorations into Jill Evans' character, her resilience, and the unraveling mystery surrounding Dean Jenkins. This episode sets the foundation for a narrative rich in emotional depth and intricate plot developments, making it a must-listen for fans of dramatic storytelling and psychological thrillers.

Transcript

[Hannah McGuire]

Hello listeners, this is Hannah McGuire, co host of Flesh and Code, and I'm Saroti Bala.

[Saroti Bala]

We'll be back with a brand new episode of Flesh and Code next week. But if you can't wait to find out what happens next in Travis and Lily Rose's story, you can listen to all episodes early and ad free right now by joining Wondry in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

[Hannah McGuire]

While you're waiting, we wanted to share another limited series that we think will captivate you.

[Saroti Bala]

On Flesh and Code, we've been exploring how technology can blur the lines between real and artificial connections and the dangers of opening your heart to an algorithm. But sometimes the most devastating betrayals come from flesh and blood relationships that seem just too good to be true.

[Hannah McGuire]

That's exactly what you'll discover in Stolen Hearts. It follows Sergeant Jill Evans, a small town cop in Wales with a less than impressive record in her love life. That is, until she meets Dean, a wealthy, charming entrepreneur who seems perfect in every way.

[Saroti Bala]

But when Dean vanishes without a trace on Halloween night, Jill is left to unravel a mystery that challenges everything she thought she knew about love and trust.

[Hannah McGuire]

From Wondery and novel, Stolen Hearts explores the dark side of modern relationships and the devastating price of misplaced trust.

[Saroti Bala]

We're about to play episode one of Stolen Hearts. If you want to hear episode two and the rest of the series, you can listen exclusively and ad free right now by joining Wondry. Start your free trial in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or by clicking the link in the episode description now.

[Kerry Godliman]

For listeners in the States, the following episode contains references to the Old Bill, which is the police superdrug, which is a chain of pharmacies, and Big Ben, which is the name of one of the bells in the clock tower in the Houses of Parliament, but which is used for a very different purpose. It also contains some strong language.

[Narrator]

Like a lot of small towns in the uk, Haverford west manages to be both charmingly quaint and slightly depressing. It's In Wales, about 100 miles from the capital, Cardiff. It's a small community nestled in the countryside, the sort of place where medieval churches mix with empty shops and greasy kebab houses. But for those that are born there, many choose not to leave because despite the slightly rundown high street, it's the kind of place that you can get on with your life without too much fuss.

[Sam]

It's very quiet, it's peaceful, it's. It's close to the sea and where we live. It's just your bog standard residential cul de sac and nothing out of the ordinary ever tends to happen.

[Narrator]

And Sam, One of the 15,000 residents in Haverford west, loves that about this place. Except today that's going to change. It's 3rd November 2006, and Halloween has come and gone. Leftover pumpkins dot across doorways, unsmashed, unbothered. It's getting late as Sam winds her way through the dark roads lined with trees and fields leading up to her own quiet street. Her headlights start to sketch images of an unusual sight ahead of her. Strangers on her road, lots of them, and they're all in uniforms.

[Sam]

Wow, there are just police cars everywhere here, lined up both sides of the road.

[Narrator]

But she doesn't stop and stare because it's none of her business what's going on.

[Sam]

I went into my house, chucked off my work gear, getting my uniform all chucked in the wash and things.

[Narrator]

Her husband, though, well, he can't resist.

[Sam]

I hear my husband shout, quick, come quick. Come and look out the window. They're searching Jill's house.

[Narrator]

Sam and her husband are not the only ones showing neighborly concern.

[Sam]

I could see neighbors just peering around corners and peeping over fences. Everybody could see everything open all the curtains, every blind officers rifling through all of her things, pulling out bits and pieces from everywhere, picking things apart. Upstairs, downstairs.

[Narrator]

The house in question belongs to a police officer, a neighbor. Everyone in the road knows Sergeant Jill Evans.

[Sam]

The gossip was just woof like wildfire.

[Narrator]

Through the street, and who could blame them? I mean, a raid like this in their town, and for a police officer, no less. It's been a long time since anything this exciting happened in Haverford west, and Sam's husband has a theory as to what or who might be behind the commotion.

[Sam]

He said, I wonder if it's him. And I said, what do you mean him? He said, well, the guy she was with, I wonder if it's something to do with him. And I said, well, gosh, it could be.

[Narrator]

It's been 72 hours since a man was shot dead, and the trail has led the police to Jill's door. A trail lined with tens of thousands of pounds, broken hearts and shower gel. Haverford west has never seen anything like it. But the truth is that this little town is about to witness one of the greatest and strangest love stories the world has ever known.

[Saroti Bala]

The AI Companions who Care are waiting for you. Binge all episodes of Flesh and Code right now and ad free with Wondery. Plus start your free trial in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts.

[Narrator]

From Wondery and Novel. I'm Kerry Godliman and this is Stolen Hearts, episode one, the Governor.

[Kerry Godliman]

To be. Somehow I said something about the bad boys that makes the good girls fall in love. I said something but the bad boys that makes the good girls fall in love. You're no good for me.

[Narrator]

There are matches made in heaven. Pairings that seem like they were always meant to be. Two people who, when you see them together, they just make you think.

[Kerry Godliman]

Of course.

[Narrator]

William and Kate, Posh and Becks, pie and mash, fish and chips, curry and rice, cheese and tomato. Beautiful. Inevitable. Boring. I much prefer the second kind of pairing. The kind that, on the face of it, seem utterly impossible. Romance novels and rom coms are full of these. And if they've taught us anything, and that's questionable, they've taught us that these are supposed to be the most perfect partnerships. The stories are all the same. A rejection here, a heartbreak there, a last minute realization, a desperate race against time to get to the train station, the airport press conference to confess undying love to each other. Or they'll end up sharing one last tragic kiss in the icy sea as behind them, a big old boat sinks. Roll credits. This kind of love comes at a cost, of course. Our heroes will have to risk everything for it, but in the end, it's all worth it. The heart is always worth it. So that's the theme. But now you need to get to know our leading lady. 12 months before her house is turned over by the police, Jill, who's 38, is out on the streets of Haverford west doing what she does best, being a cop. With her athletic build and sharp crop blonde hairstyle that was synonymous with every strong woman of the noughties. We join her, notebook in hand, as she reluctantly scribbles whilst a man in a Panama hat tells her about what might very well be the crime of the century.

[Kerry Godliman]

What had happened was he bought this car someone in the night. He'd taken the badge off the front of the car and got his garden squirrel and stuck the garden squirrel onto the bonnet with superglue.

[Narrator]

Yeah, that's the case. This is what 14 years of police training has brought Jill to A garden ornament and an ongoing war between two feuding neighbors over a parking spot.

[Kerry Godliman]

So he had this garden squirrel perched on the bonnet of his car. Right? Well, I thought it was hilarious. And he was furious. He was going, what do you think about this? And I was like, I just couldn't stop laughing. Maybe People in bigger cities would go, that's ridiculous. Why would you even be called about that? But we would be called about the smallest things because it mattered to people, you know, whether it was big crime or a small crime, it still mattered.

[Narrator]

Although Haverford west might not be a hub for master criminals, Jill has made herself the hero that this small town needs. And she has the awards to prove it. A photo with the Prime Minister here, a commendation for taking down a drug dealer there. Jill doesn't need a big city to make big waves. But in truth, Jill enjoyed a simple diet of country crime.

[Kerry Godliman]

You get burglary, you get theft, you get the assault, the fighting. On a Saturday night, the farmers would come in and the rugby boys would come in and they'd all fight and lost dog, missing child. Just the same thing all the time, over and over and over. The same people you'd go to arguing and the same people assaulting people.

[Narrator]

But after a long day of keeping the streets of Haverford west safe, Jill heads home for the real work, caring for her two daughters. With a domestic routine as militant as her efforts in the force, Jill fixes dinner and prepares school uniforms for the next day. But at the end of the day, no matter how full her life is, there's something missing underneath.

[Kerry Godliman]

I was probably very lonely.

[Narrator]

Yeah. Jill's love life is non existent. And over cups and cups and cups of tea and more than a few custard slices, she laments her misfortunes with her best friend, Jenny.

[Jenny]

Jill needs to be loved. Jill needs to be wanted. That's the way she is. She's just got zest for life and energy. She's always striding out, you know, 100 miles an hour. SHE beams. Life, basically.

[Narrator]

It's not that Jill hasn't had her share of relationships. By this point in her life, Jill's burnt through three engagements, two marriages and one affair. For good measure.

[Kerry Godliman]

I would describe myself as a bit of a mess. My taste in men, it was all over the shop.

[Narrator]

And there was no shortage of men in the local police department, where Jill stands out as one of the only female sergeants. And you'd better believe she's had her fair share of admirers. It all started in 1992 with a bloke called Ian, back from Jill's days as a new recruit at the police academy.

[Kerry Godliman]

Well, I always describe him as Bruce Willis.

[Narrator]

Yeah, sure about that? Jill kept her crush quiet as best she could, but it all came out one night when Jill and Ian volunteered to collect the trainee copper's traditional Friday Night takeaway. A perfect time to make the first move.

[Kerry Godliman]

He volunteered to come with me to get the food and he had these massive hands, so these like shovel hands. He was carrying these drinks and I was quite nervous cuz obviously there's an attraction. We came back and he kissed me in the corridor.

[Narrator]

Clearly, Ian didn't worry about personal relations getting in the way of his career or his marriage for that matter. You see, Ian wasn't exactly single. Every time he swore he'd leave his wife, Jill's heart broke a little more. And Ian stayed married for a little bit longer. So Jill met a new man, David, also a copper, known to ride a police motorbike like he'd stolen it. But off duty, David poodled around in his plain old Citroen people carrier.

[Jenny]

David wasn't a bad relationship, he just wasn't exciting enough, didn't have enough guide up and go in him.

[Narrator]

For Jill, David proved at the end of the day, a motorbike wasn't exactly a personality. And without it, he struggled to match her energy levels.

[Kerry Godliman]

I'm very strong willed, sometimes outspoken, sort of like work hard, have nice things if you can. Whereas David still drives the same plane car, does the same plane thing. David's very quiet, very don't rock the boat, don't stand out, follow the crowd.

[Narrator]

In other words, Jill found him boring. But love conquers all, right?

[Kerry Godliman]

I didn't love David and I don't think David loved me.

[Narrator]

Oh, right, fine. Anyway, she married him happily ever after at long last. Like every great love story, Jill was prepared for a lifetime with steady, plain David and his plane car. They even had a daughter together. But everywhere Jill goes, there's the man that only Jill thinks looks like Bruce Willis. Ian at the supermarket, Ian out on patrol. There's Ian again. Ian, Ian, Ian. Tall, dark, handsome and still very married Ian.

[Kerry Godliman]

You'd meet eyes and there'd be this look between us.

[Narrator]

That look soon gave way to snogging and eventually the only thing between them was several broken hearts and a whole lot of confessing after Jill and Ian's affair came to light. And just like that, Jill went from two bad options to to none. Best friend Jenny wasn't worried, though she knew that it wouldn't be long before Jill found a new man. And she did. The man with whom she had her second daughter, Police Constable Hugh. Nickname Cuddles. Jenny wasn't a fan.

[Jenny]

I never liked him from the start, so I refused to go to the wedding.

[Narrator]

No matter, because it quickly ended in tears. Specifically, Jill's when Jenny found her on her own doorstep after another explosive fight with Hugh. When they went round to the house to pick up Jill's things, they found them all piled up in the garden on fire.

[Kerry Godliman]

The big bed was perched on the top like a candle on a cake.

[Narrator]

Big Ben, in this case was a giant novelty dildo that Jill had bought as a joke for a party.

[Kerry Godliman]

All the rubber had melted and it was just the frame. And I remember Jenny saying to me, it was Big Ben on the door. And I was crying at the time, seeing all this, and I just went, oh, my God. We just burst out laughing because it was just what she said. That's Big Ben.

[Narrator]

And with the untimely demise of Big Ben came the end of marriage number two. Jill moved into a new home and began a fresh start with a less than fresh feeling.

[Kerry Godliman]

I was in the bath upstairs in the ensuite and it was cold, the water was lukewarm, there was a skylight just above me and the moon was coming in and I just cried and cried and cried and thought, well, I'm. Here I am again, second bloody divorce. I'm just thinking, what's the point? There is absolutely no point in just looking for a relationship. You'd be better off on your own. But obviously I didn't want to be on my own. I think everyone wants to have that relationship that they feel wanted and appreciated and loved in and I just hadn't found it.

[Narrator]

And so, in 2006, after 16 years of bad relationships and over one of those many cups of tea, Jenny gives Jill the advice on the lips of every best friend of every newly divorced comrade. Get yourself online, girl. And Jill's new type simple. Just don't be a bloody copper. After putting the kids to bed, Jill would fire up her old desktop computer in the living room while on the landline to Jenny. And she'd be looking through seemingly endless profiles of middle aged, overweight, balding, divorced men. And they're all looking for no strings attached fun, posing in front of cars that they don't own and probably holding a fish. Every heart's desire. But it's not doing it for Jill.

[Kerry Godliman]

I said to Jenny, I'm going to come off. It's just doing my head in. But I said, I'll have one more look.

[Narrator]

This time, she tries something different. As New Year's comes around, with the promise of new beginnings, Jill widens her search. Now she's not only looking for a match in Haverford west or even in the whole of Wales, but any man anywhere in the entire United Kingdom. And then.

[Kerry Godliman]

It was his eyes that made me look twice, staring back at.

[Narrator]

Her in an Armani suit, a navy blue suit.

[Kerry Godliman]

He was bald and he had a smile. I would describe him as a man's man. You would look at him and go, he can handle himself. I'd met an actual man, proper man. That's how I can describe it, really.

[Narrator]

Dean Jenkins, brooding with bulging biceps. A businessman. And he's looking for a wife. Maybe it's because he's the first decent looking man within 300 miles of Haverford West. But Jill doesn't wait to message him. She sends him a few. The gist is, you found your future wife. The only problem is she lives in Wales. It isn't long before Jenny hears all about it.

[Jenny]

Look, she said, look at this guy. He's a businessman from London. I was all for it, thinking that he looked fine. The profile sounded good. She liked the look of him.

[Narrator]

The best part, he wasn't a cop. When Jill first picks up the phone and hears Dean's voice, he has her at hello. Or rather he has her a hello, darling.

[Kerry Godliman]

I laughed because his accent was so pie and mash, darling. Initially I was really nervous, but the conversation wasn't nervous at all. I think we spoke for about an hour and didn't really notice the time at all. We just clicked.

[Narrator]

Dean and Jill quickly find their connections. They've both been married before, both parents to two children, all girls, and they've both got high flying careers. Dean tells Jill that he's made his fortune selling his own personal brand of male grooming products. It's called the Governor Range.

[Kerry Godliman]

And I initially thought, oh, this is rubbish, what's he on about? And he said, no, no, I'm serious. He said that if you Google it, it'll come up online. So I was scribbling down governor. Governor range. How do you spell that? He said, go to Superdrug. Because he said, you're not going to believe me and it'll be on the shelf. And I'd say, oh, no, I believe you. I'm not going to go and look. And I'd be quite cool on the phone.

[Narrator]

But Jill isn't cool. She's very curious. I mean, come on, a little window shopping never hurt anybody. So she sifts through the shelves, confronted with endless bold male products with bolder slogans on strength and masculinity, all in the pursuit of getting a man to wash. Jilly's on the hunt.

[Kerry Godliman]

So there I am in secret going, oh, Governor Age Governor age.

[Narrator]

Governor age. It's there.

[Kerry Godliman]

Picked it up and I remember it now, the bottles were black and white. Then I flipped the bottle over and Dean's face was on the back.

[Narrator]

As Jill stares at Dean's brooding face, her heart begins to flutter.

[Kerry Godliman]

For someone in Little Pembrokeshire to meet someone who's got a shower gel range in Super Drug was a big thing for me at that time. And I was like, I can't believe my luck. Never mind those two marriages that have gone, whoa, I've hit the jackpot.

[Narrator]

It's all going so well. It doesn't even matter to Jill that one of Dean's products is a blood red body wash called Beat the Filth. I mean, Jill knows all too well that the filth is cockney slang for the police. Even so, she's coy about telling Dean exactly what it is she does for a living. For now, she just says that she works in law, sort of, and it does the trick.

[Kerry Godliman]

He got on so well and he started to form that attachment. And I remember thinking, we haven't met yet. He could have a completely bogus picture on there. A lot of people can fall head over heels with an image they build of that person. There could be a completely fake picture up there and the person they're talking to could be completely fake behind the telephone call. But people form an image in their head and you can fall in love with that person before you actually meet.

[Narrator]

It's a fear that Jenny teases Jill about.

[Kerry Godliman]

She said he might be like 40 stone and 65 years of age. And then, what are you gonna do? And I'm like, oh, don't, please don't do this because I'm gonna be gutted.

[Narrator]

They decide to meet up for their first date. Jill makes her way to Cardiff. It's the halfway point between her and the dreamy Dean. She's nervous. All the heartache and all the mistakes, all the missed opportunities and failed attempts at finally failing feeling loved, have now led her to here, a small two star hotel. With a breath to settle herself, Jill steps onto the sticky tile floor of a bar that seems less than prepared for true romance.

[Kerry Godliman]

I was thinking, oh, no, this is it now. This is make or break.

[Narrator]

The hotel bar on a Friday night is a lively place. But when Jill hears a man call her name, it cuts through the noise like a hot knife through butter.

[Kerry Godliman]

I didn't know he was there, but he called my name. He goes, jill, Jill. He's got this funny way of saying, jill. Jill turned around and he was there. And it was like, oh, thank God.

[Dean Jenkins]

Hello, darling. 220.

[Narrator]

The first thing Dean Jenkins notices about Jill is how tall she is. Several inches higher than him. But Dean's not a man who's easily daunted. He's used to getting what he wants, and as soon as he sees Jill, he wants her.

[Dean Jenkins]

I'd be crushing, I can't deny it.

[Narrator]

By his own account, Dean doesn't show his emotions easily. But meeting Jill Evans sets his pulse racing.

[Dean Jenkins]

When we met, it was as though we'd been together 100 years. That's how it was. It was like putting a pair of gloves on, going, oh, God, we sure haven't known each other forever. That's how it felt because we was very comfortable each other's company. Jill's a character. She made me laugh. I mean, damn, we laughed a lot. And at the time, I wasn't laughing that much in my life. So it was a breath of fresh air.

[Narrator]

They settle in at a table. Joel's fingers wrapped around a gin and tonic.

[Kerry Godliman]

It was icing the glass. The glass was going ding, ding, ding, ding, ding with the ice. I went, what's that noise? And he was so cool, and he just went, it's your glass, darling. He goes, you're shaking. And I was like, oh. Laughing. But he was so laid back, and if he had any nerves, you'd never see them. He was rock solid on top of. I knew straight away that it was going to be something between us.

[Narrator]

After a drink, they decide to go for a walk. Dean's never been to Cardiff before, and for a girl from Haverford west like Jill, Cardiff is very much the big city. Groups of scantily clad young girls bustle around. Lads with square haircuts, cheap cologne and tight shirts. But Jill and Dean don't take any notice of all the hub. They're too busy focusing on each other.

[Dean Jenkins]

She's a very strong woman. It's like you can admire someone who knows what they want and goes to get it. And she was like that sort of person. So we kind of clicked in that way. Time was just flying as he was walking the streets, just laughing and joking with each other, you know, bouncing off each other about life and then laughing about life.

[Narrator]

Squeezing into a small table of a local Indian restaurant, Dean pulls out Jill's chair for her and orders them both a drink. A gin and tonic for Jill, a Vulcan Coke for himself. They order their curries, and as they start to tuck in, a stag party walks through the door. The groom's brandishing A pair of pink, fluffy handcuffs.

[Kerry Godliman]

Dean made a quip about the handcuffs and he said, I'll bet you got a pair of them or something like that. And I said, oh, no, we've got a black, rigid pair. And he goes, you. You are like this. And I said, oh, no, wear a uniform. And he went, you are. What are you talking about?

[Dean Jenkins]

And she said, I'm a police officer.

[Kerry Godliman]

And he just went. And the curry came out.

[Narrator]

Jill freezes. She's seen this reaction before and normally it means the date's ruined, but then Dean's face breaks into a grin and.

[Kerry Godliman]

I said, is that a problem? He goes, why would it be a problem? He said, no, not at all. He says it. He goes, listen, my darling, I got every respect for the Old Bill.

[Narrator]

Dean doesn't ask too many questions. And Jill's relieved that her job is quickly discarded as an area of interest. It's getting late and the two of them are still giggling like school kids.

[Dean Jenkins]

You kind of think, we don't need to go home. It doesn't matter. We can talk all night. We was flirting with each other. You're close, you're going in for the.

[Kerry Godliman]

Big one, right Was just a kiss. There was nothing seedy in it. There was no sleeping together or anything like that. It was refreshing.

[Narrator]

Finally, real romance. Get in there, Jill. Over the coming weeks, Jill and Dean take every opportunity they can to see each other. When the kids are away, Jill and Dean go out to play every other weekend. Hotels in Wales, hotels in England. Even when they're apart, Jill and Dean hold each other close.

[Kerry Godliman]

We would probably send about 50 texts to each other a day. Every morning it would be, hello, darling, what have you got? Ahead in your day? Or how are you feeling today? It was like talking to your best friend.

[Narrator]

And as you'd expect, there's even a couple of cheeky photos. Cheer up, my lovely. How can you be sad when this woman is all yours? You lucky, lucky man. Over tea and Welsh cakes, Jenny's getting her share of the story, whether she wants it or not.

[Jenny]

He was into boots. He was into kinky boots. And I think he was buying her boots.

[Narrator]

Is that a share or an overshare? Who's to say? Either way, Dean, it turns out, is a big fan of boots.

[Dean Jenkins]

I'm a sucker for a woman in a pair of boots. I don't know why. I don't know why. It's just we've all got something.

[Narrator]

And that's not the only gift Dean's got for Jill. One weekend, about six weeks after they first met, Dean calls Jill after work.

[Kerry Godliman]

He said, I booked your flights, you just need to sort out the kids. And he'd arranged it all and he said, just need your passport. And I booked and paid for your flight. I was like, my God.

[Narrator]

Goodbye, two star hotels in Cardiff and hello, romantic weekend away to Italy. Bologna to be precise.

[Kerry Godliman]

We stayed at this little hotel in a side street, a bit gothic y but the rooms were very elegant, very nice.

[Narrator]

Dean is here on business, and not just any business. They're here for Cosmoprof, one of the most prestigious beauty trade shows in the world. An all elegance, all decadent, statement upon statement. Display of elite fashion, big money and the creme de la creme of the glittering cosmetics industry. Dean is in his element. Shaking hands, mingling, gliding through crowds of beauty aristocracy, past tables of hair straighteners and mascara.

[Dean Jenkins]

She saw my business world, how I worked and how it came about and what it does. It was nice for her to see Dean the businessman. This is what I'm about. So anybody that gets to share that sees the real me because that's what I'm like. She got me real sometimes she got a real me.

[Narrator]

In the evening, Jill, Dean and the beauty aristocracy head out for dinner at an expensive restaurant in the heart of town.

[Dean Jenkins]

Tiny restaurant is so exclusive.

[Narrator]

Jill takes her seat at the table next to Dean and opposite his business partner, George. George is a big deal. He's Dean's most successful colleague, a giant the beauty industry with his products displayed in London's poshest department store. Jill's desperate to make a good impression. But this swanky restaurant only makes our small town girl feel even more out of place.

[Kerry Godliman]

We go to the table, we sit down, I say, I'll have a pizza, I'll have cheese and tomato pizza. And they go, oh, you mean a margarita. And I go, oh yes, a margarita. They would say champagne, I'd say prosecco. And I was remembered thinking, oh, just say the right word, for God's sake. Never mind the cheese and tomato, just say margarita and then you'd be fine.

[Narrator]

By the time the desserts have come round, champagne has relaxed everyone except Jill, who's nervously fidgeting with her false nails.

[Kerry Godliman]

I was fiddling, fiddling, fiddling, and I heard it go ting.

[Narrator]

One of her nails breaks off her finger and goes sailing through the air across the table towards George.

[Kerry Godliman]

And I watched it go up in slow motion and down and land in his ice cream on the spoon, which was ready to go again with another mouthful. And I'm like, oh, no. Oh, no.

[Narrator]

George lifts the spoon up to his mouth.

[Kerry Godliman]

Please don't eat this. Please don't eat. And something in my head was going, he isn't going to eat it. She isn't going to eat it.

[Narrator]

He isn't going to eat it.

[Dean Jenkins]

He isn't going to eat it.

[Narrator]

He did eat it.

[Kerry Godliman]

He goes, what is this? It's a nail. Bring the owner here. And I'm like, oh, no. They got all the waitresses, check their nails. And there was a big hoo ha. Take all the ice cream back, blah, blah. It wasn't until we left this restaurant and Dean was like, fancy that nail bean. And I went, dean, it was to tell you. And he goes, what? And I said, this showed the missing nail hand. And he goes, oh, you're joking. And I went, no. And he just burst out laughing and thought it was hysterical. But I was mortified, going, like, oh, my God, how embarrassing.

[Narrator]

The love struck pair wander under the Italian moonlight.

[Dean Jenkins]

I wanted her to feel amazing and special. She was getting from me what she'd never had from anybody else in life.

[Kerry Godliman]

He just fit. I'd always had this image of sort of person I wanted to be with, but never seemed to end up with that image. Whereas he epitomized the image that I had. We were very different. Ego. You make me laugh so much, you say, because you're so down to earth, you don't feed me the that people think I want to hear. That's what I love about you.

[Narrator]

That's right. Dean's dropping the L bomb. It's intense. But Jill doesn't mind.

[Kerry Godliman]

Jenny used to say to me, I can't believe you've met someone who's minted, got his own business. He treats you brilliantly. And look, you're going away and doing stuff. She said, which is what you always should have been doing. I'm like, I can't believe it either. I finally found what I was looking for.

[Narrator]

Back in Haverford west, the gray reality of normal life seeps in along with the British reign. But Jill's seen how life can be. She doesn't want it to stop, can't let it stop. And a conversation in Italy has planted a thought in Jill's mind.

[Kerry Godliman]

I always wanted to see a child. And he said he'd always wanted a son.

[Narrator]

It's eight weeks since their first date. Jill takes the plunge.

[Kerry Godliman]

We agreed that we would try at first, best friend.

[Narrator]

Jenny's a little taken aback. It just all seems so fast.

[Jenny]

I used to think it was a bit crazy getting Pregnant mind. But there we go. It's what they planned. They planned it together. He was in love with her and she loved him and they were gonna have a baby and everything was gonna be wonderful.

[Narrator]

But one person has yet to approve. A person that even Dean holds his tongue for. And so one day in April, Dean and Jill set off on a 300 mile journey to a steakhouse in Surrey to meet his mother, Joyce, matriarch of the Jenkins family. Joyce is sharp of mind and blunt with her words. You get the sense that leading the Jenkins tribe has not been an easy job. And at first, Joyce is a little wary of Jill. She was very upfront. I thought I was a bit suspicious when she had two kids by two different policemen. Don't know if I like that very much. But Jill's not one to be phased. If she can break up a local bust up between rugby lads on a Friday night, then she can disarm the skepticism of even the most ferocious mother in law. Over dinner, the two women get talking. She came across as being very professional and she was studying to become an inspector. I thought, well, maybe he's found someone on his wavelength. And she seemed to make him happy. I had a lot of time for her, love time for Jill. Thank God for that. And that's not all. Over time and more meetings, Jill and Joyce become more comfortable with one another. Until eventually Jill reveals that she and Dean have got some news to share.

[Jenny]

Said, you know, me and Dean are.

[Narrator]

Trying for a baby and I went, oh, that's nice. But when Jill's back is turned, Joyce turns to Dean with a simple question and a sweet motherly tone.

[Jenny]

Said to Dean those famous words, what.

[Narrator]

The fuck are you doing? It does all seem a bit fast, doesn't it? But Jill's undeterred. She's 38 and she can feel her biological clock ticking. Although it takes a couple of months of trying, Jill gets pregnant. No turning back now. Jill and Dean are tied together forever. As spring turns to summer, it's time for Jill to let her colleagues know about her hunky new boyfriend. For once, Jill's been trying to keep her work and her love life separate. But now she's having a baby. It's time to spill the beans. One of the first people Jill confides in at the Haverford west police station is Sergeant Kevin Jones. A bear of a man. Kevin knows all about Jill's checkered love life, and so he's naturally supportive.

[Kevin Jones]

He wasn't a police officer, for a start. He seemed to be reasonably well Off. So he wasn't freeloading or anything like that. And she was very happy. Yeah, I think she'd found Mr. Right.

[Narrator]

And it's Kevin that Jill goes to when she has her first argument with Dean, who is, technically speaking, still married. And Jill wants him to hurry up and get divorced.

[Kerry Godliman]

He told me that it was over. They were just waiting for the divorce to go through. For me, the fact that it was over was like, well, how long do you wait then?

[Narrator]

Stranger yet, Dean would sometimes have his phone off when Jill called. And when Jill pulls him up on it, Dean responds with a burst of short, angry text messages. Just hang on. I'm just going to get into character now. 1, 2. Lower 1. 1, 2.

[Kevin Jones]

That should do it.

[Narrator]

You are bang out of order. I turned my phones off to go to sleep. Only you are very quick to judge me when all I do is for you. I have never made you or yours feel not good enough.

[Kevin Jones]

I've been divorced before, and I said, I got to be honest with you, Jill. You know, if he's going to his wife and he's divorcing his wife and she doesn't know about you, the last thing he wants is the phone going off with you on the phone and him having to explain who this is. Because if she finds out, this amicable divorce I might be going through will not be amicable anymore. If she thinks he's got another girl, I said so. I don't blame him for doing that, so he doesn't have to explain what this phone call is until he gets back.

[Narrator]

You know, Kevin's advice makes Jill doubt herself. Is she just jaded after all those terrible exes? Is she sabotaging the one good relationship she's ever had? Maybe she should just cut Dean some slack. It's not you, babe. It's me. You've done nothing wrong. You get it from all angles. At present, the one that gives you the hardest time is me. I'm so, so sorry. I can't speak. I feel too upset and too ashamed.

[Kevin Jones]

They hadn't spoken for two or three days, which is the first time they'd not spoken for that amount of time. And she said, oh, she'd rung him and she'd said, oh, look, Dean, you know, I've had a think about it, and we said, I am still going to be seeing you. And he burst into tears on the phone. He burst into tears and said, I thought you were going to finish it. You know, I thought it was all over. You know, I'm really glad it doesn't because I didn't want it to finish and I was like, okay. Well, he seems care noon about that.

[Narrator]

A few weeks later, Dean sends Jill a text with the news she's been waiting so long to hear. Sorting divorce but am on my way. Happy days. So what if they had a blip? Jill trusts Dean with her life. He becomes a part of the family and he fits like a glove. He joins Jill's family on holiday in France. And Dean finds time to do quick business with Jill's brain brother who sells him a new car. Of course it's a Jag. I mean, Dean already has one in silver, but this one's in blue so frankly it's a must have. Anyway, it's nothing the governor can't afford.

[Kerry Godliman]

He'd look at my wardrobe and he'd say, I'm gonna buy you some clothes. It'd be like, I need to buy.

[Narrator]

You a new wardrobe to prepare for the baby. On the way, Dean helps Jill pick out a new car. A slick black Chrysler with a DVD player in the back seat seats for her two girls. And just in case anybody wasn't aware that they were totally in love, Dean suggests they get matching guv license plates. A nod to his Governor Range. And Dean says that with the new baby just around the corner, he's going to take the next big step. He's going to move to Wales to be with Jill. It's not going to be easy moving his business with his two girls in the London, but he's determined to make it work. For now though, Jill and Dean are still long distance, meeting up on weekends. One Sunday afternoon with Jill in the passenger seat, Dean drives her home. And in true Dean form, he's driving over the speed limit.

[Kerry Godliman]

I said, you better watch his speed in you get stopped. And he said something about, oh, I can't afford to get stopped, I'll be in back prison or something like that. And I went, what? He was laughing. He said, got you so gullible you believe anything. And of course I was like, oh yeah, whatever, gullible.

[Narrator]

I'm not so sure about that. Jill's a cop after all. What's for sure is that she's obsessed. And in case Dean hasn't picked up the hint, she sends him a pitch perfect voicemail. About you baby, it's all about you. Nearly home 10 minutes ago and she.

[Kerry Godliman]

Thought I'd send you a little song to see you.

[Narrator]

Love you, babe. With summer giving way to autumn and the leaves turning brown, Jill can't wait for the the Big day to finally come. When Dean moves to Wales, they text each other day and night. I love you so much that I reckon I must have loved you from the day I was born. Yep, that's it. True love. Never experienced it till now. My lovely, gorgeous man. Kiss, kiss. And again, 30 seconds later. I just happen to want to tell you that you do things to me that nobody else ever could. And I love you for that. I know you're under pressure on all sides at present, but I just want you to know that I am with you. And no matter how tough it gets, nothing will break us and we will see that light at the end of the tunnel. Kiss. Kiss. Dean's there every morning. Morning. Sexy. Kiss. And at lunchtime. Love you.

[Kerry Godliman]

Kiss.

[Narrator]

Soon, Halloween creeps round the corner. Jill has five months before their bundle of joy is due to be born. She's never liked Halloween, a trait she's passed on to her daughters who are filling up on Haribo suites before any trick or treaters try and come round and scoff them. You can expect a knock on the door tonight because it's Halloween and trick.

[Kerry Godliman]

Or treaters will be out in force certainly. Well, for most people it's just a bit of fun. But after problems last year, extra pin police will be on duty in case things get out of hand.

[Narrator]

As usual, Jill's playing text tennis with Dean. After a few rounds of flirty banter, he signals a break in play. He's got his girls and he needs to drop them back with their mum. Babe, don't phone me for at least half an hour. Dropping kids back. Kiss.

[Dean Jenkins]

Kiss.

[Narrator]

Jill cooks dinner, hot dogs as her daughters watch TV. After a couple of hours, she checks her phone.

[Kerry Godliman]

Nine o' clock came nothing. Nothing came at 10, nothing came at 11. So I thought, oh, maybe it's just gone on. I'll just go to bed. Didn't really sleep much because didn't hear from him because it wasn't like him. And then woke the next morning and still nothing. No message on the phone.

[Narrator]

Babe, where are you? Not like you to be so quiet. A knot is forming in Jill's stomach. Babe, I hate it when you do this to me. It makes me worry. But I shall presume you're doing your own thing and will contact me when you're ready. Kiss. After six hours, Jill's fear curdles into rage. Dean, this is ridiculous. I'm worried sick. Can't you just text me something so I know you're okay? By 2:00pm, Jill is in full on worst case scenario. Mode. It's all becoming too much. She phones Dean's mum, Joyce. He's in a meeting with George. He's in a meeting with George, Dean's business partner, the one who Jill had given the finger, or rather the fingernail to. He'll ring you, he said he'll ring you as soon as he can. Jill hangs up, relieved but not convinced. As a police sergeant, Jill has a sixth sense for trouble and she can't shake this knot in her stomach.

[Kerry Godliman]

I was thinking, something's wrong, something's wrong. Your imagination starts giving you all these scenarios.

[Narrator]

But like any good parent, Jill keeps the routine by making the family tea and preparing the school uniforms. Every second scrapes at her nerves until finally the phone goes off. It's a text, but it's not from Dean. It's his sister Debbie, with an instruction. Go to a phone box and call me.

[Kerry Godliman]

I said to the girls, I've run out of milk, I won't be long. It was a really frosty cold night. Freezing cold, but I wanted answers, so I went up to the phone box.

[Narrator]

Jill opens the door to the phone box and a foul smell hits her.

[Kerry Godliman]

I remember looking down and going, oh no, what am I standing in here?

[Narrator]

She punches Debbie's number into the machine.

[Kerry Godliman]

And if it words were, there's been an armed robbery, Dean's been arrested. It was like a spinning top, you know, in those old spinning tops and someone's pressing it down, pressing it down, it gets faster and faster and faster and I felt that that's where my head was going. I actually thought she was joking and I said, this is ridiculous. Debbie, you need to tell him now, right? Stop with these stupid stories. And if he doesn't ring me, that's it, the relationship will be over. And she went, jill, will you listen to what I'm telling you? This is true. Have a look on the news. She put the phone down and I'm in the phone box thinking, what the hell is going on?

[Narrator]

Jill catches sight of herself in the reflection in the glass. Cold, scared and confused. Does she even recognize the woman staring back. Back at home, she frantically turns on her tv.

[Kerry Godliman]

This is where the shooting happened.

[Narrator]

Outside a building society in New Romney. It's thought the 42 year old victim was killed after he opened fire on police. That's coming up on Stolen Hearts from Wondery and Novel. This is episode one of six of Stolen Hearts. Stolen Hearts is hosted by me, Kerry Godleyman and written by Kim MacAskill, Tom Wright and Anna Sinfield. Our producer is Tom Wright. Associate producer Anna Sinfield assistant producer Amalia Sortland Additional production by Leona Hamid fact checking by Andrew Schwartz and Fendel Fulton. Managing producers are Latta Pandya, Olivia Webber, Cherie Houston and Charlotte Wolf. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frisson Sync music and sound design by Nicholas Alexander. Additional engineering by Daniel Kempst. Executive producers are Max O', Brien, Maitha Lee Rao and Johnny McDevitt. For novel, executive producers are Erin O', Flaherty, George Lavender, Marshall Louie and Jen Sargent. For Wondery.

[Hannah McGuire]

That was Episode one of Stolen Hearts. You can binge the rest of the series and find out what really happened to Dean exclusively and ad free right now by joining Wondri. Start your free trial in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or by clicking the link in the episode description now.

[Saroti Bala]

And don't forget to tune in next week for our next episode of Flesh and Code, where we'll continue to unravel the complexities of AI relationships and their very human consequences. Follow Flesh and Code on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Flesh and Code early and ad free by joining Wondry plus in the Wondry App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. And before you go, be sure to tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at wondry.com survey and if you have a tip about a story you think we should investigate, please write to us at wondery. Com Tips.