01x05 - The Carnation k*ller

[bunniefuu]

(deep rhythmic music)

(soft eerie music)

(fast tense music)

- [Man] For many months,

this city has been in a
grip of a terrible fear.

For many months, no woman dare
to walk the streets alone.

But now the reign of
terror is over

and the m*rder*r, dubbed
by the popular press,

the Carnation k*ller, has
at last been brought to book

and stands before this court.

Author Steven Page, you
have heard the verdict of

the court, a just and
humane verdict.

(horn beeping)

(loud squealing)

(soft tense music)

- Or I can get the money
today in cash.

Well yes, cash, pound sterling.

Well, of course English pounds.

Do you know of any other kind?

There is nothing wrong
with the money.

It's mine, quite legal.

Okay, so I've changed.

We still have a deal, don't we?

Look, will you stop
going on about the money?

I tell you it's mine, quite
legal, couldn't be more so.

I'm getting it from a solicitor.

An attorney.

- The cab's here.

- What time is it?

- It's 9:45.

- It shouldn't take more
than 10 minutes

to get to the station.

- Less than that.

- Depends on the traffic though.

- Even depending on that,
10 minutes at the most.

- What time is it?

- It's still 9:45.

Oh, well, 9:45 and 40 seconds.

- I don't want to be late.

- I know.

- Funny going to meet someone
you've never seen before.

- A blind date.

- Well, not quite.

- No, after all you know
quite a bit about Mr. Graham.

- Listen sweetheart, I have
to leave town for a day or two

and I thought, mmm, Graham.

Michael Graham, yes, that one.

(buzzing)

Well, I didn't want you
trying to reach me

and I wasn't here,
get the picture.

Yes, yes indeed.

And you too.

(smooching)

- If I miss Graham or
miss the train--

- You won't, there's
plenty of time.

- But Peter, I might.
(mumbles)

- Here we are, and
here's the receipt.

You must get his signature,
remember.

- Yes.

- And the key to the house.

Do you have the train tickets?

- Yes, Mr. Babblestock.

- I got them yesterday.

- Excellent, strange
way of doing business.

The man couldn't come here.

- He's busy, that's
what he said, sir.

A flying visit.

- Yes, I suppose so,
but I'm sorry to put you

through all this trouble,
my dear.

- Actually, I'm looking
forward to it.

- Oh?

- Well, a day away
from the office.

- All right, Mr. Graham
will be at the station.

- I know.

- Outside the--

- Outside the third phone booth,

the one nearest the
magazine store.

- Right.

And by giving you all
this responsibility--

- But after all, it is
the safest way, sir.

Nobody knows ulie's carrying
that much cash except us.

- And Mr. Graham, of course.

You'll recognize him, I hope.

- I should hope so.

- Well, you better
be going then.

- Yes.

I'll see you later then.

It's such a corny idea, how
could I fail to recognize him?

- Graham, 208, I want a
cab right away.

Oh yes, and tell the florist
to stand by the red carnation.

Yes, that's right, a
single red carnation.

(deep tense music)

(phone ringing)

- What?

Right, right, get going.

Operations room.

- WHat's up?

- Page is on the loose.

Page, the carnation k*ller,
he's got away.

- Money.

- Morning.

- Thank you, sir,
thank you kindly.

Hey, hey you!

- Mr. Graham, I'm Julie Marsh
from Mr. Babblestock's office.

I recognized you straight away,

but I must say, I think
it's a corny idea.

Are you ready?

- Ready?

- Our train leaves in
about two minutes.

- Train?

Yes, of course,
whatever you say.

- We have to hurry.

(deep dark music)

- And for pity sake, be careful.

Remember he's dangerous,
very dangerous.

- Dangerous?

- k*lled nine times.

- Always women?

- You weren't there when
he was picked up, were you?

- No, but--

- Well, I was, it took four
of us to hold him down.

Page is a k*ller, man
or woman, he's a k*ller.

- That's lucky.

Compartment to ourselves.

- Very lucky.

- Where do you like to sit, Mr.
Graham,

facing front or back?

- Facing you.

- If that's what you want.

- Oh yes, definitely.

- Thank you.

- My pleasure, Ms. Marsh.

(knocking)

- [Mr. Babblestock] Come in.

- Sorry to disturb you, sir.

- Then don't be (mumbles).

- Well, I wouldn't, sir, but
these do need your signature.

Just there.

If you remember, sir,

you did say I could have
some time off today.

- Oh yeah, so I did, Peter.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Oh yes, put him through.

Hello, George, how are you?

Good (mumbles).

And Emily?

Yeah.

What can I do for you?

Oh, mmm.

Well, give me...

Give me the details.

I see.

- The van crashed here.

We put units into this
surrounding area here

within a few minutes,
no sight of him.

So, he could be
anywhere in this area.

- Suppose he took this route.

- All right, suppose he
did, where's it leading?

- Right to the mainline station.

(mumbles)

That's my point.

- Corbin, is any authority alive

but no train leaves the station
until it's been searched.

Paul, get over there.

- Yes, sir.

- And see that they're
thoroughly searched.

- Dead on time.

- Dead on time.

Do you believe in coincidence,
Ms. Marsh?

- What?

- You remind me of a
girl I once knew.

She's gone now.

They all are.

- Thank you, sir.

- [Mr. Babblestock] Peter?

- Sir?

- Whoever she is, good luck.

- Thank you, sir.

- Well, I suppose I
better start behaving

like the personal assistant
to a London solicitor.

You're Michael Charles Graham?

- Michael Charles Graham.

- Well, Mr. Graham,
your great uncle,

Edward Francis Graham,
has died and

left you 40,422 pounds.

At your request, I now
hand over to you in cash,

which no doubt you will count,
check, and verify later.

And together with that cash sum,

he also bequeathed
you his house,

Westerling in the
county of Hampshire,

together with the
contents there of.

I now hand you the key
to the said property.

And I'm empowered by
JP Babblestock,

attorney to the afore said,
Edward Francis Graham,

to escort you to the
property and remain

while you take inventory
of all the goods and

chattel therein.

- You're going...

(laughing)

- You seem to be taking your
great uncle's death very badly.

- Oh yes, poor great uncle
Edward Francis.

This house, Westerling,
in Hampshire?

- THat's right.

- Have you been to inspect
the property before?

- No.

- But you know
exactly where it is?

- Outside a village, about
15 miles from Winchester.

- Far from the village?

- Afraid so, your nearest
neighbor is, well,

a long way away.

- Sounds like a lonely place.

- [Ms. Marsh] It is.

- But you're going to
take me there?

- Of course, that's what
you wanted, wasn't it?

- That's exactly what I wanted.

Money, a lonely place, you.

(eerie dark music)

- Hey, just a moment, I
was here first.

- I'm sorry, sir, emergency.

- [Man] I'm at the station now,
sir.

- And?

- [Man] We slapped a
delay on all trains.

- How many left before
you got there?

- [Man] About five in all,
sir, I've got the details here.

- I'm sorry, I was miles away.

- So must I be, all
that cash and

I forgot to get you
to sign for it.

Here.

Now I'm covered for every
eventuality legally.

The money is all yours, Mr.
Graham, your responsibility.

- I'm surprised your boss
entrusted you with it.

Oh, I don't mean to say
you're not to be trusted,

but a girl like you.

- Fair game for anyone who
wanted to rap me over the head,

grab the case and run.

Mr. Babblestock thought
it was the best security.

After all, who'd suspect I was
carrying over 40,000 in cash?

Anyway, it was your idea.

I must say, I was a bit
puzzled when you wrote in

and assisted on ready cash.

- It's a business deal.

- That's what I said to Mr.
Babblestock,

a deal that's only just
legitimate, Mr. Graham.

Cash, a quick turnover,
and no questions asked.

- Something like that.

- I thought that was what
you must have in mind.

- Oh, I have lots of
things in mind, Ms. Marsh.

- About time.

- I'm sorry, sir, it
couldn't be held.

Just a moment, sir, outside.

- What do you think
you're doing?

- I'm arresting you
on suspicion.

- Of what?

- That you are Antony
Steven Page.

- For pity sake, my name
is Graham, Michael Graham.

I can prove it.

- I'm still taking you in, sir.

You can prove it when we
get down to the station.

- Take your hands off me.

- They say you never see
what's under your nose.

Come on.

- Let go of me, do you hear?

- It's fate, it has to be fate.

This house, Westerling,
lonely, out of time.

The perfect hideaway.

There's no scent on
earth like the carnation.

Try.

It's heavy, not too heavy,
not too (mumbles), perfect.

And the color, it's so red.

So very red.

- I tell you this is
utterly ridiculous!

- You can explain all
to the superintendent.

He'll be through in a minute.

Ah, found him at the station,
sir.

Page, sir.

It is, Page.

- You tell me.

- Do you know, I feel
curious at ease with you.

Or maybe it's just trains,
rattling along,

taking one far, far away
to somewhere secret,

somewhere safe.

- Safe?

- From the madding crowd.

I bet you're very
efficient at what you do.

- Well, I try to be.

- Never make mistakes?

- [Ms. Marsh] I try not to.

- Well, there's always a
first time for everything.

- I'm sure you understand, Mr.
Graham.

- I do not understand.

- We have an emergency, a panic.

- Do the police run around arresting
everyone in sight, huh?

- As I explained, sir, this
man Page is very dangerous.

- Do I look like him in
the slightest way?

- Well, no sir--

- [Mr. Graham] Well then.

- You were wearing a red
carnation, sir.

- Oh, so you're arresting
everyone with a carnation now,

are you?

- Page has a liking,
a reputation,

for wearing red carnations.

Naturally, a young officer
with a little too much zen,

perhaps not quite enough sense.

I hope you'll accept
our apology, sir.

- I have no alternative.

- You could bring a
charge of false arrest.

- For Pete sakes, just
let me get to a phone.

- Of course.

- Sir.

- Sir, Page has been sighted
in 15 different places so far.

- Well, check them all
out and keep looking.

- Babblestock, it's
Graham, Michael Graham.

I'm not at the railroad station,
I'm at the police station.

I can't explain it now,
it's the darn carnation,

I wish I never
thought of the idea.

- Mr. Graham, I'm confused.

The train left over
25 minutes ago.

Why aren't you on it with Ms.
Marsh?

Marsh, the young lady I
sent to meet you,

exactly as you requested.

- I was delayed at a
business meeting,

I thought she would have
enough sense to wait.

After all, there is
another train.

Of course she wasn't there,
but I was,

red carnation and all,
outside the third phone booth.

There was no sight of her.

Of course she couldn't
have missed me.

Too darn conspicuous.

Well, the police didn't miss me.

Oh no, I'll explain later.

- Well, I can only assume
that when you didn't

turn up on time, she decided
to make her way back here.

Would be the only
sensible thing.

No, no, she isn't here yet.

But she should be any moment.

- I think the best
thing I can do is

come over there too and
wait for her with you.

Here, I (mumbles) I'll
let you have this.

- I think Page may have
jumped the boat to France.

(deep tense music)

(mumbles)

- (mumbles) the train was
due to leave 10 minutes ago.

- Police are on the trains.

- The police, what for?

- Oh, didn't you know?

There's a k*ller on the loose.

(soft rhythmic music)

- How much longer is this
going to take?

- Not long, sir.

- What does that mean?

- Not long, sir.

As soon as we finish
searching the train.

- That could take a
quarter of an hour or more.

We'll never make it up.

- It might take even longer
if I stay chatting, sir.

- I see, well, I know my rights.

I want to protest to this delay.

I'm all ready late for a
very important appointment.

- Well, if you must, you must.

(mumbles) must make
a note of it.

Could I have your name, sir?

- My name?

- To put on the
official complaint.

- Forget it.

Just get a move on, will you?

- Won't be long now, sir.

They haven't found a
single m*rder*r yet.

- Well, are you gonna
phone them or shall I?

Look, your girls been gone
nearly an hour.

If she were coming back, she'd
be here by now, wouldn't she?

- Yes, but you don't know Julie.

She's, she's a good girl.

There must be some mistake.

An accident, perhaps.

- A good girl with a
briefcase full of money!

- This is your fault, you know?

- Mine?

- Yes, yours.

If you conducted a business
in a normal manner,

come here to collect it.

- Look, I'm a busy man.

All I wanted was the money,
a quick look at the house,

see what was salable, and
I'm off again.

Don't you realize, I have
been on a plane

for Canada at 7:30?

Your girl's run off Babblestock,

taken off with 40,000 in cash.

Your girl Julie's having herself
an easy ride, Babblestock.

An easy ride, on my money!

(eerie dark music)

- Count and verify, that's
what you said, wasn't it?

- Yes.

- After all, it's mine now.

You dozed off.

Late night?

- [Ms. Marsh] No, just
the train, I suppose.

- Or perhaps I bore you.

- [Ms. Marsh] No, of course not.

- It might be neither
of those things.

Psychologically, sleep
can be a suppressant,

a manifestation of inattention.

At the moment of
supreme excitement,

the mind just switches off.

- Do you know much
about psychology?

- I've had dealings with
psychologists.

They're amusing fellows.

A suppressant to curb the
anticipation of things to come.

Anticipation can be much better
than the event, Ms. Marsh.

Much better.

- Nope.

It isn't pretty what
he does to them, is it?

That's why we have to find
him, and very quickly.

There's no pattern to
them either.

Not once a year, a half
year, or even once a month.

Page kills when he wants to.

k*lled twice in one day.

(phone ringing)

- Yes?

- Yes, sir.

- What was that name again?

- Well, we've cornered off
the immediate areas, sir.

- Yes.

- [Man] And there's a
general alert.

- And the gentleman's name is?

- [Man] No, sir, I hope
he hasn't got further.

- Graham, Michael Graham.

I see, can I have a
description of Ms. Marsh?

Ms. Julie Marsh, yes, sir,
I have that.

- But I still feel,
well, I hope there's been

some dreadful mistake.

Look, has a Ms. Marsh been
involved in any accident?

- Well, it may take a while
to check, Mr. Babblestock.

In the meantime, we'll
send someone over

to take a statement.

Yes sir, goodbye.

- What was that about?

- Oh, nothing to do with Page.

Suspected theft.

- That'll be nice.

To get this Page
business off my back

and get back to simple theft.

Who was it?

- Oh, a solicitor, name
of Babblestock.

- It's in the hands of
the police now.

They'll be sending someone
over to take a statement.

- Don't involve me.

- Well, Mr. Graham, as
you keep pointing out,

it is your money.

How can I not involve you?

My surmise was right then.

This need for the money
right away in cash, odd.

- What do you mean odd?

- Just odd, odd.

- Look, I'm a business
man, I make a lot of deals,

a lot of deals, some of
them require immediate cash.

- [Mr. Babblestock] They're
all perfectly legal?

- Of course.

- All the same, you said you
didn't want to be involved.

- The reason is I don't
like too many questions,

the wrong kind of questions.

- Police are bound to want--

- Look, you're a solicitor,
I'm a client, right!

Just steer them away from
the wrong kind of questions,

that's all!

It will be worth your while.

- Money isn't always the
paramount consideration,

Mr. Graham, not to us all.

- Phillips, job for you.

Go through this request.

(phone ringing)
Hello.

And get the fax.

- Yes.

- Yes, madam.

- Uh, I won't--

- Just get the fax (mumbles).

Yes, but where do you
think you saw him?

- Handle the press okay?

- Yes, sir, they got
the full story.

- Picture, big pictures.

- Big pictures, sir.

- Helping are the best police
we have one of them now.

If one of them spot him.

(whistling)

- Not too bad, sir.

Only half an hour then.

- Will we make it up?

- Mmm, ooh, some, not all of it.

Well, don't blame me.

Blame him.

- Oh, no.

- Mr. Babblestock.

- Yes, you two met before?

- This is the idiot
who arrested me.

- Detective Constable Forbes,
sir.

You called a little while ago?

- That's right, it's
about my assistant, Julie,

Ms. Julie Marsh.

- Do you mind if I
take some notes?

- There's been no one
of that name involved

in any accident then?

- No, sir.

- I told you, Babblestock,
she's run off with the money.

- How much money, sir?

- [Mr. Babblestock] More
than 40,000 in cash.

- [Officer Forbes] In cash?

- [Mr. Babblestock]
Yes, and unfortunately,

(mumbles) notes of low
denomination.

- It's sort of unusual,
isn't it, sir,

to carry that sort of
money about?

May I ask why?

- No, I'm afraid you may not.

- It's all right--

- You should know better,
officer,

than to ask someone in
my position to betray

a client's confidence.

Suffice to say, the money,
the whole transaction,

was perfectly legal.

- Ms. Marsh was
carrying the money?

- To hand over to my client,
yes.

- [Officer Forbes] Fine, well,
I better have a description

of her so we'll put it
out right away.

- Yes, of course.

Well, Julie is 27, tall, blonde.

- Now, you'll go out and
arrest every tall blonde.

- What kind of girl is she, sir?

- She's worked for me
for five years,

completely trustworthy.

A nice, gentle girl, (mumbles).

- The next stop's ours.

Oh, we're going to have company.

- Allow me.

- Thank you.

- My pleasure.

(eerie high pitched music)

(horn beeping)

Your coat.

- Thank you.

- Well, thank you very
much indeed, sir.

We'll put this on the
air right away.

We'll find her.

- Nevermind her, find the money.

- What do you suggest I do, sir?

Broadcast a description
of 40,000 bank notes?

- You impotent--

- Mr. Graham, please!

This way, officer.

You'll be in touch?

- As soon as we hear something,
sir.

You don't want to think she's
taken the money, do you?

- I can't bring myself
to believe it.

- Well, maybe she hasn't.

A lone girl with 40,000, she's
a fair target for anyone.

- We're there.

Are you ready?

(eerie dark music)

- Wait a minute, I've
left something behind.

(deep tense music)

Recognize me, didn't you?

- You don't need that now,
I recognized you, remember?

- Oh, I always wear one.

(mumbles)

- The train will be moving soon,

I don't wanna be carried
down another 15 miles.

(deep dark music)

(buzzing)

- Is something important?

- Oh, it doesn't matter now.

I'll go in the morning,
I suppose.

- Well.

- (mumbles) Uncle Edward's face.

I never knew him.

- Well, he was a good man.

- He was a fool sitting on
all that money,

putting it to no use.

If he built it up, he
could've been rich.

I mean really rich.

- Are you rich, really rich?

- I will be.

I will be.

- It's very nice, I believe,
quiet.

The kind of place where
a man could take time,

reassess himself.

The house you've inherited,
Westerling.

(deep tense music)

- After you.

- And here we are, Mr. Graham.

I'm afraid it's a bit dusty.

- No matter.

I don't mind walking.

- What?

Oh well, I promise you, I did
arrange for a car to meet us.

I did it myself over a week ago.

- I told you, I didn't mind.

I enjoyed it, as a
matter of fact.

To be out in the open with
such charming company.

This is magnificent, splendid.

- Splendid.

- For my purposes.

It's so very, very quiet.

Nice room.

Ooh, you are on edge.

- On edge?

- As if you're
expecting someone.

- What?

- To jump out on you
at any moment.

Have you any idea where
the kitchen might be?

- Down beyond the stairs,
I should think.

- Well, there won't
be any milk but

there might be coffee and sugar.

Will that do?

- Yes, yes, thank you.

(deep dark music)

- You are expecting someone.

- No, no, of course not.

- Sister Anne, Sister Anne,
see is thou anyone coming.

The kettle's on, we'll
hear it whistle.

Ah, there's plenty of
(mumbles) too.

Enough for a month, certainly
enough for dinner tonight.

- Dinner?

- You're supposed to help me
make an inventory, aren't you?

This place is packed from
top to bottom.

It will be a long job.

You may have to stay the night.

- Well, I can't do that!

Besides, aren't you
supposed to be rushing on

somewhere from here?

- I changed my mind.

I'm a creature of
sudden impulses.

Well, we'll talk
about that later.

Do you want to show me
the rest of the house?

- All right.

Where shall we start,
in the kitchen?

- No, I've seen it.

Upstairs, the bedroom.

Best place to judge the
character of whoever

occupied the house before.

- But you know who
occupied the house before,

your great uncle.

Besides, we're supposed
to be taking an inventory,

not judging characters.

- Well, indulge me.

I hardly knew the old boy,
you know?

And in a bedroom,
everything is laid bare.

After you.

- (speaking in French),
Sergeant.

It's French for getting
no where fast.

- Page will turn up.

- No, oh, I don't mean we
won't find him, not ever.

It's how we'll find him.

When he kills again,
that will lead us to him.

(mumbles) coppers
standing here waiting,

hoping, yes, hoping for
a corpse to turn up.

(screaming)

- It was ridiculous,
quite ridiculous!

- I can't bare them.

- Such a tiny rodent.

- Rats (mumbles).

- One rat and a small one.

You'll agree it was a small one.

- I don't know, I
didn't stop to see!

- It was a very tiny one,
that's what's so peculiar.

You run from a creature
probably more frightened of you,

a creature too small to
present any threat to you.

And yet, you don't run from me.

- You, why should I?

- Well, I'm bigger than a rat.

It was nice upstairs.

I liked it.

Especially the bedroom,
big and somber.

- And damp.

- Only needs to be slept in,
Julie.

- Slept in with rats
running over you?

- It'll be quite easy to
dispose of them, to k*ll them.

Quite humanely, of course,
I shall assist upon that.

I shall probably do it myself.

- It sounds as though you're
intending to say on here then.

- I think I might, for a while.

After all, why not?

I have everything I need here.

Everything I want.

(whistling)

Coffee.

(screeching)

- It's as though he fell
off here to the world.

- Don't understand it.

After all, Page is a loner,
no friends, no contacts.

Anyone would be a fool who
took Page under his roof.

- A dead fool.

It's a woman.

- Huh?

- If you don't know Page,

most of the time he's as
calm and sane as you are.

Handsome too, a big hunk
with a charm to match.

He's conned some woman
that doesn't know yet.

- But tomorrow, she may be dead.

Well, how did you get on?

- I don't know whether
to file it under larseny

or missing person.

- Well, who's missing?

- This girl that works
for Babblestock,

and the damn fool trusted her
with 40,000 pounds in cash.

Supposed to hand it over to
the chap at Waterloo Station.

What an awful coincidence.

This chap, the one I
pulled in today,

the chap with the carnation.

Well, that was how they
were going to meet, you see.

- [Man] Who was going to meet?

- [Officer Forbes] The girl,
the one with the money,

it's all in the report.

- Graham!

- Yes, sir, the chap who
raised hell with me today.

I pulled him into the station.

- Give it to me again.

This girl carrying
40,000 was going to meet

Graham at Waterloo Station?

- Yes.

- The station we're
covering for Page.

- Oh yes, sir, that's why I
pulled Graham in by mistake.

He was there at Waterloo
Station wearing this.

- That's how the girl
would know him!

- Yes, sir.

- [Sergeant] Who's the lawyer?

- Babblestock.

- Call (mumbles).

- It gets dark early
this time of year.

- [Ms. Marsh] Yes.

- No, don't draw them.

Close them.

- Don't you want to start
taking that inventory now?

- Later.

When I finish my coffee.

(soft humming)

Much cozier.

Well, do sit down, Julie.

Take your coat off.

I do wish you'd relax.

I can be very good
company if you relax.

Sit down.

You're very accurate about
this place, it is very lonely.

When I stood and looked
outside the window just now,

I couldn't see another
place or a building.

Not another person within miles.

I think I may plant carnations.

All around the house,
red carnations.

A sea of them.

Like the Red Sea.

The blood Red Sea.

- But I don't understand.

- Quite simple, Mr. Babblestock,

simple enough for us
to overlook,

even though it was staring
us in the face.

Ms. Marsh was going to
meet Mr. Graham here,

wearing a red carnation.

Page likes to wear a
red carnation.

- Coincidence like that,
no, it's impossible.

- The stupid things in life
are all possible, believe me.

What were the exact
arrangements?

- Mr. Graham was to stand
outside the third phone booth

wearing a carnation.

- Then it is possible.

Page escaped less than
a mile from the station.

He might easily have made
his way there.

- And your girl picked
him up by mistake?

- No, it's true she never
seen Mr. Graham before.

I was worried about it, none
of us in the office had.

- So, the carnation could
be the clincher.

She'd go up to a man wearing
it and say, "Mr. Graham."

- And Page is smooth
enough to say, yes.

- And she was to hand
over 40,000 in notes?

- Yes.

- And the house.

- When Ms. Marsh left
here with train tickets

and keys to a house Mr.
Graham had inherited.

She was to take him there.

- Money, an escape route,
a house to hide in.

- And a pretty girl to go along.

What else could Page ask for?

Where is this house, Mr.
Babblestock?

- It's called Westerling.

That's the full address.

And I'll say in one respect,
this is encouraging.

- Encouraging?

- Well, the idea of Julie being
a thief's been k*lling me.

- Well, I wouldn't get
too encouraged.

Page may be k*lling her.

- Get through to the Hampshire
County Police, hurry!

- Do you know we know nothing
about each other, you and I?

We've been together for
some time now,

yet I know nothing about you.

I'd like to.

- I'm just a girl who
works in an office.

- Incorrect, you are a pretty
girl who works in an office

and now you're here with me.

Makes a difference.

- Why do you keep
staring like that?

- I like to look at you.

I'm sorry I'm disturbing you.

I didn't mean to.

I spend too much time alone.

- Alone, but I thought
you told Mr. Babblestock

you run nine companies,
always on the move.

- Yes, that's why I'm alone,
I suppose.

Too much time for business and

not enough for personal
relationships.

But now we're talking
about me and

I wanted to talk about you.

You're not married, no
engagement ring.

But you must have
boyfriends or a boyfriend.

- A boyfriend, yes.

We really ought to make a
start on that inventory.

- All right.

- You do upstairs and I'll
stay down here.

- We'll do it together.

- All right.

- After we've eaten.

- Eaten?

- Those are my terms,
dine with me and

then we'll get right down to it.

- All right, agreed.

I'll go and see--

- No, no, the meal's my
idea, my responsibility.

You stay here and relax.

I'll go and prepare it.

- Whatever you say.

- And then, we'll get to
know each other better.

(light tapping)

- Perhaps you need a
drink, Mr. Babblestock.

- No, no, no thanks.

Oh, but perhaps you
would like one.

- That's very kind of
you, sir, but I'm on duty.

My superior officer is
standing nearby too and--

- Scotch if you have it.

- Soda?

- Please.

- Mr. Graham?

- Yes, I'll have one.

One glass of scotch.

(mumbles) the 40,000 pounds.

- Why don't you shut up?

Yes, you, Mr. Graham, there's
a girl out there somewhere,

perhaps with a homicidal maniac,

perhaps fighting for
her very life

and all you can think
about is a case full of

(mumbles) money.

(mumbles)

I said shut up and I meant it!

Either keep quiet or
leave this office.

I think perhaps I will.

- Your house, Mr. Babblestock.

(ringing)

- [Man] I have Sergeant
(mumbles) here.

Hampshire police.

- Let me speak to him,
make it loud and clear.

- [Man] Yes, sir.

- You might as well hear
this too, she's your girl.

- [Hampshire Police]
Superintendent?

- [Superintendent] Yes?

- [Hampshire Police] Sergeant
Fowl, Hampshire Police, sir.

- Have you checked the house?

- [Sergeant Fowl] Westerling,
you did say Westlerling, sir?

- Yes, what have you found?

- Well, I'm here now and
I've been over the place

from top to bottom,
grounds and all.

There's no one here, sir.

In fact, it looks as
though there hasn't been

anybody here for months.

Superintendent?

- Yes, I'm here.

- [Sergeant Fowl] Any
further instructions, sir?

- No, thank you, Sergeant.

(deep tense music)

- Tin beans or peas,
any preference?

Right!

Anything happening out there?

Big parade passing by, circus?

- There's no one.

- Right.

- No one at all.

- Sorry it didn't lead anywhere.

- Superintendent, no
one at the house means--

- There's no point in
jumping to conclusions.

We all ready did that
and where did it get us?

Probably she didn't meet
Page after all.

- Then she did run off
with the money.

- Perhaps not that either.

She may turn up with the money
and a reasonable explanation.

Stranger things happen
all the time.

The minute I hear anything,
I'll let you know.

- There's no point in your
staying any longer, Mr. Graham.

Your (mumbles).

- I suppose, sir, I still
have to see the house.

- If there's any further,
I'll let you know.

- Yes.

Place for a man to
reassess, right, Westerling?

(eerie dark music)

- That's not relaxing.

I thought I told you to relax.

We agreed, didn't we?

I'll tell you what, why don't
you hunt around in there

and see if you can come
up with some wine for us.

- All right.

- You're not going back on
your agreement, are you?

- No, no, of course not.

- Good, a deal's a deal.

Off you go then.

(deep tense music)

(screaming)

- Peter, for god's sake,
what kept you?

- Where is he?

- In the kitchen.

You should've been here
nearly an hour ago!

- I would've been, the
train was delayed.

There's a mad man on the loose.

How long have we got?

What's he doing in there?

- Preparing a meal.

When I got here (mumbles).

I thought you'd gone back.

- Hey, it was my idea, remember.

- But you should've been here.

We worked it out together
down to the last minute.

Me on the slow train, you
on the express,

and a taxi to make up
the difference.

You should've been here!

- I told you, the train was--

- It isn't going to work, I
know it isn't going to work.

- It is going to work perfectly.

Now get ahold of yourself.

Julie, Julie, you've
got to keep calm.

You must be brave.

- He's, he's much bigger
than we imagined.

He's stronger.

- We're not dealing in
brute strength.

- Did anybody see you
on the train?

- There was a woman, but
she won't remember us.

- And when you left the station?

- I pretended the car
hadn't turned up

and persuaded him to walk,
just as we'd planned.

- Have we got
anybody on the way?

- No one.

- Perfect.

You got his signature
on the receipt?

- Yes.

- Good.

- It isn't going to work.

- I keep telling you it is.

You trust me, don't you?

- Yes, but--

- Well, what could go wrong now?

- But it's all ready
started to go wrong,

don't you see that?

The train was late, that
was something we hadn't

thought of, wasn't it?

What's gonna go wrong next?

- All right, let's just
look at this with a legal,

incisive mind, take
it step by step

and if you can find
one loophole, just one,

we'll call it off.

- Please, Peter!

- Now, now, step by step.

You met Michael
Graham as arranged,

and he signed for it,
as arranged,

you gave him his money,
as remained, right?

- Yes.

- Then you took him on a train,

you brought him to this house,
Westerling.

You let him into the house,
you gave him his door key,

and you left him.

You never saw him again, never!

All right.

Go back to Mr. Babblestock,
you hand him the receipt

signed by Graham and you're
clear, we're both clear.

- There'll be an inquiry.

- Eventually, yes,
there's bound to be.

And we'll tell
exactly that story!

The police will check
out the real Westerling

from top to bottom and
find nothing.

It will become one of
those unsolved puzzles.

Graham is a mysterious man.

Why else did he want all
this money in cash anyway?

And the police will
check and check,

and eventually come
to a dead end

and you and I will have
40,000 pounds to play with,

my darling.

- But this house.

- This house was a
possession of a man who died

without heirs (mumbles).

You know we've been trying
to chase his relatives

for months.

Well, not anymore, Julie.

That's something I
haven't told you.

You see, I put the file among
the closed cases in the vault

and it may never come
to light again.

- But if it does.

- If it does, I made a
regrettable mistake

but not a criminal one.

- SO you see, Julie,
legally this house doesn't

exist anymore.

It'll likely remain locked
up, forgotten for years.

Until maybe vandals break
in or the local authority

gets curious, and what
will they find?

An unexplained skeleton.

The rats will have taken
care of everything else.

- Rats?

- You probably scared them away.

- I saw one upstairs
in the bedroom.

- Only one?

I told you, I checked
this place thoroughly,

it's alive with rats.

Just a few bones, Julie.

There'll be nothing left to
connect with Graham or us!

You just have to brave
just a little longer,

just a little--

- Julie!

It's supposed to be lucky,
try it?

All of it.

How is it?

- It's fine.

- Not too salty?

- No.

- A little sherry improves
everything, don't you think?

I'll surprise you in a
little while.

I really will surprise you.

And the feast will
soon commence!

- But Peter, he looks so strong.

- I told you, we're not
dealing in brute strength.

He'll be back in a
minute with a meal,

you make sure you give him
a drink with it

and just two of these.

Tasteless, painless, and quick.

- Humane.

Something he said.

- Julie.

Julie.

- I'll be outside, I'll
give you 10 minutes.

(ringing)

- Hello, yes?

Where?

Right, keep me posted.

You might've been right about
Page taking a train anyway.

Winchester, police there
have just found a woman

dead on a train, strangled.

(deep tense music)

- Cuisine a la Graham.

- It looks marvelous.

(speaking in French)

- If mademoiselle would
care to take a seat.

- It probably needs a good
red wine to compliment it.

But all we seem to have
is a bottle of white.

- That's better, you're
much more relaxed.

It couldn't be that your
coming to like me at last,

could it?

No, no, I'll do that, I'm
much stronger.

One drives it in.

A moment.

- Glasses.

- It should breathe first.

Everything should be alive to
breathe for a little while.

(knocking)

- [Mr. Babblestock] Come in.

- I'm just on my way down
to Winchester.

- Yeah, what for?

- To look at a corpse.

Not a very pleasant task.

- It's not Julie, is it?

- No, Mr. Babblestock, a
woman in her late 30's.

She's been positively identified
and it isn't Ms. Marsh.

We're taking Ms. Marsh off the
missing person's list, sir,

and putting her back
under wanted.

- Surely there's some
connection, this m*rder.

Winchester, you said, is
the same general direction

as Westerling.

- Yes, and it is even
possible that your Ms. Marsh

and Page traveled on
the same train.

- Well then--

- But that's where the connection
begins and ends, I think.

After all, sir, if Page
had picked her up,

he wouldn't have missed a
trick like that, would he?

Pretty girl, empty house.

No, I think Page and Ms. Marsh
are two separate issues now.

- You're not gonna send your
compliments to the chef then?

You've hardly touched
the (mumbles).

- It's delicious, it's just
that I'm not very hungry,

that's all.

- Got your minds set on
other things, eh?

I don't blame you.

I've known it before.

I am very attractive to women.

I suppose that's why I
hate them so much.

Well, love hate, always
putting on a stare to snare

a man and then draw him
back at the last moment.

It's frustrating.

But you're not like that,
are you, Julie?

You mean it.

I sensed it right away.

- The wine must be ready by now.

- It's soft.

I knew it would be.

I imagined it to be soft.

I imagined lots of things.

Somehow a reality never
measures up to the imagination,

to the woman!

It's the women who let you down!

Only way they could (mumbles).

Julie.

- The wine.

- It can wait.

Time for that later, Julie.

Later.

You're not going to
disappoint me, are you?

(deep dark music)

- What happened?

Did he feel all groggy?

Go upstairs to lie down?

I told you those pills act fast.

We're clear now, Julie.

(mumbles)

Julie, come on.

Darling, I know what you
had to do was a shock

but you'll get over it.

Come on, Julie.

(loud intense music)

- Pardon me, do you
believe in coincidences?

You remind me of a girl
I used to know.

- Hey, hey!

- Hello, Page.

- Hello.

- Been waiting for someone
at the station, were you?

- Yes, a girl.

Any girl.

- You've been a bad boy,
haven't you?

- Have I?

- I don't suppose you remember,
do you?

- Remember what?

- No, that's what I thought.

Shall we go and talk now,
somewhere quiet?

Though I don't suppose he'll
ever be able to tell us

just what he did.

(deep dark music)

(slow eerie music)