Brian Clemens Thriller (1973-76).

[HawkMan]

Dexter rejoins Kathy in the bar,
D " okay Miss More, we'll have the whole story again "
K " I've told you, I keep telling you"
D " well tell me again, from the moment you arrived in this country"
K ( very agitated, crying) " why me?, you should be asking Lewis "
D " but you're the one making the complaint "
The phone in reception rings, Reeves answers it.
R " yes I see, thanks ", he goes to the bar, raps the window beckoning to Dexter, who joins him in the reception.
R " that was immigration, Jane Howard did enter the country on the day she said "
D " Davies said she existed, he was right. I wonder what happened between them "
R " sir"
D " to make her concoct this yarn"
Dexter and Reeves enter the bar, Dexter is blunt, forceful and shouts.
D " what was the fight about?"
K" fight? "
D " the quarrel between you and Jane"
K " we didn't quarrel "
D " are you telling me two girls living in each others pockets for two months and you didn't have a difference of opinion at least once?"
K " well occasionally yes"
D " so you did quarrel, what was it about?,her fault was it, take too long in the bathroom did she?"
K " it was never very serious "
D " ran out on her did you?"
K " NO"
D " Jane did the running then. One silly argument and she was gone.( Shouting), bet that threw you didn't it. Left all alone in a strange country, something snapped, had to rationalise it all, make yourself the centre of attention, caused trouble for a lot of people. You're a stinking little liar aren't you, the whole thing with Jane is a load of drivel, you and Jane parted company long before you came here"

K (crying)" please please "
D " don't "please" me, I hate wasted time. The sooner you tell the truth the better"
K " I am telling the truth"
The bar door opens , Paul comes in, Reeves blocks his way.
R " the bar is closed "
P " redecoration or a convention "
D " just closed"
P ( to Kathy), " tell your friend the castle stays open until 7pm"
K " my friend? "
P " yes the girl who was with you last night. I didn't get her name, she wanted to know about Deringham castle. "
K ( sobbing) " you see I'm not mad"
D " what's your name"
P " that sounds like a policeman talking"
D " that"s right"
P " Paul Eastman"
D " and where were you when you saw the two women? "
P " upstairs in my room, it overlooks the forecourt, at about 9 o'clock yesterday evening "
D " it's getting dark by then, perhaps it was only one girl you saw"
P " of course not, there were two of them, I watched them unload the car. I spoke to the other girl"
D " spoke to her!? "
P " I told you, she wanted to know about the castle"
R " where did you speak?"
P " she was coming out of the bathroom we collided"
R " where was she going?"
P " back to her room I suppose"
D " number 7"
P " probably I don't know. What is all this about?"
R " the other girl has gone missing "
K " oh isn't that sweet, you finally admit she exists, now please, please find her"
Dexter storms out of the bar, face of thunder, angry with himself more than anything else ,this case has got a whole lot more complex.

Dexter runs upstairs to room 7, too late, the maid is vacuuming the room, ruining any forensic evidence.
D ( to himself) " oh, no"
Reeves is looking at the register in reception and notices something. He picks it up and takes it upstairs to Dexter.
In room 7;
D " Michael, your fingerprints have been over everything"
R " ours.....but you weren't taking her seriously then, were you sir?"
D ( playfully) " I hate you Michael "
R " look at this", he shows Dexter the register.
D " hello, what have we here. What do we know about Lewis?"
R " nothing sir"
D " well, we want to know don't we, check Michael"
R " sir"
Reeves leaves, Dexter sits on the bed despondent, he knows he acted hastily in this case. He sees something glittering on the floor, sticking out from under the wardrobe, he bends down, it's a bracelet, with stones in it.
In the bar;
D " did Jane have a bracelet?"
K " yes, there was a gold one, one with stones.."
D " stones?"
K " yes, not real, just paste"
Dexter holds up the bracelet,
K " yes that's it, where did you find it?"

Dexter enters the office behind reception, Arthur is sitting, glass of whiskey in hand.
D " pity about Miss More, such a pretty girl too"
Ar " yes "
D " you noticed?"
Ar " erm...no I ..."
D " sorry you agreed with me, yes"
Ar " I always agree with the authorities"
D " do you, mine is a rotten job, still better than others, I see life. Bet you do too, running an old hotel like this, married couples, dirty weekends, must play havoc with your imagination."
Ar " I'm not sure I know what you mean"
D " you know exactly what I mean Mr Lewis, thin walls, you must have pressed you ear up against a wall or two in your time"
Ar " never"
D " or wanted to, it's the same thing in my book, doing it or wanting to do it, with this difference, if you do it Lewis I'll come down hard and heavy on you. Still , that's just theory eh?"
Ar " look, I would like to help in anyway I can"
D " first you can identify this bracelet. Belongs to your wife perhaps?, no..now what was it you said to Jane Howard, gentleman prefer blondes but I'm no gentleman"
Ar " she was never here, that girl's a nut, you admitted it yourself"
D " yeah, before, I now have another witness"
Ar ( shocked) " impossible!"
Alice comes in,
D " Mrs Lewis, come in, can you please identify this bracelet?"
Al " I've never seen it before"
D " I didn't think so, it was found in room 7, belongs or belonged to Jane Howard. What happened to her sir"
Ar " she was never here that girl is lying"
D " Mr Eastman saw her"
Al " Paul?"
D " yes, Paul, and he spoke to her"
Ar " he can't have!"
Dexter picks up the register and opens it ,
D " look at this, a page missing, cut out, hoping it wouldn't be noticed, careless"
Arthur is totally nonplussed, Reeves appears and beckons to Dexter , they go into reception leaving Alice and Arthur alone.
Al " it's happened again hasn't it"
Ar " no no I swear"
Alice grabs Arthur by the shoulders and shakes him,
Al " tell me, TELL ME TELL ME!!"

 

Edited February 13 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

In reception Paul is speaking to both policemen,
P " I forgot to mention, last night I heard a scream, sometime after midnight ,woke me up, Miss Pendy too"
D " a scream!"
P " yes, I thought it may have been an animal." Meanwhile in the office;
Alice smashes the glass out of Arthur's hand , just as Dexter and Reeves return.
Al " the same thing, all over again!"
D " Michael take Mrs Lewis out"
Reeves and Alice leave.
Dexter has a piece of paper in his hand.
D " sit down Arthur, I can call you Arthur ?"
They both sit,
D " ever been in trouble before Arthur?"
Ar " no"
D " oh, that's strange, they don't usually make mistakes"
Ar " for pity's sake, that was ten years ago"
D ( reading)" yes, in fact a little over ten, lets see, assault on a girl, bodily harm, in fact you damned near killed her. Why didn't it come to trial?"
Ar " she dropped the charges, refused to give evidence"
D " convenient, still that's women Arthur changeable. Tell me Arthur what happened, I'd like to know"
Ar " well I'd been drinking, and I saw her by the side of the road..."
D " no no not that one, I've all the dirty details there, I'm talking about Jane Howard"
Ar " she was never here"
D ( laughing)" come on Arthur we can do better than that, I tell you what, I'll do some theorizing, lead you up the crooked path. You showed her to her room, and you fancied her, so you went away and had a drink perhaps. Yes I think you would have a drink. Another think about her, then another drink, and another drink, then up to her room, it'll be gone midnight now, at first she doesn't know what you want, then she does and she screams!"
Ar " NO ! SHE WAS NEVER HERE"
D ( shouting)" what did you do to stop her screaming? You killed her Arthur didn't you! Dead women can't make charges or drop them, I bet that sobered you up. Then you'd have to get rid of the body, but not far, there wouldn't be time to take it far"
Arthur is standing, Dexter pushing him up against the wall.

D " where did you take the body Arthur, please tell me, it would save so much time and effort"
Ar " it's all nonsense, Jane Howard was never here"
D " oh dear, Arthur...."
Dexter gives Arthur a disarming smile, then strikes him across the face.
In the bar, the others hear a cry from Arthur. They all run out, Reeves holds back Kathy, Alice and Paul in reception as he enters the office. Arthur is nursing a cut lip.
D " why do you want a lawyer Arthur? There isn't any charge yet, call one by all means, but all we can tell them is that you're assisting us with our enquiries. Sit down Arthur, we'll chat again later"
Dexter and Reeves go into reception,
R " no charge sir?"
D " it's all just hearsay at the moment. Find the body then I can pin something on him. Every available man, I want a mile wide search area set up"
R " sir"
Dexter goes over to Kathy, he knows he was harsh with her.
D" don't worry Miss More, we'll find her"
The police with sniffer dogs start a search of the surrounding woodland, Dexter goes with them.
Arthur sees them go, and then opens the front door of the hotel and leaves.
Reeves who Arthur doesn't realise has stayed behind sees him go and follows.
Later Dexter returns, Reeves fills him in with Arthur 's little walk.
D " where did he go?"
R " the river"
D " concentrate the search there"
In the office;
D " oh dear Arthur..tired of my company were you?...ran away"
Ar " didn't run away, wanted to get away"
D " get away or run away...what's the difference?"
Ar " needed to be alone"
D " what, like Garbo"
Ar " wanted to think"
D " get your story straight you mean"
Dexter picks up a bottle of beer from behind the bar, then thrusts it two inches from Arthur's face, who jumps back startled.
D( smiling) " what's the matter Arthur? Just offering you a beer."
Arthur relaxes , until Dexter suddenly makes him jump deliberately by shouting,
D " GOT IT!..a blackout Arthur. That'll sound good with the jury. You killed her but you've blocked it out,.....amnesia"
Ar " a blackout?"
D " yeah, that's given you something to cling on to, okay we'll play it like that if you wish"
Ar " no! no! she was never here"
Reeves comes in with news, he whispers to Dexter.
D " Arthur, I've got to leave you again, you won't run away again will you?....no I'm sure you won't"

[HawkMan]

Police officers with dogs search the area near the river, Dexter with them, Reeves is left to keep an eye on Lewis, as Arthur finds out, when he opens the front door again and sees Reeves blocking his way.
The search is over, police stand around a body that the dogs have located, buried in a shallow grave.
Dexter bends down, uncovers the sheet put over it, it's Jane Howard.
In the hotel Arthur is finding solace in the bottle as usual, drunk, staggering about, he leaves the office and slowly climbs the stairs, and into room 4, Kathy's room. Paul is passing the bottom of the stairs as Arthur reaches the top, Arthur has a bottle in one hand and a cut throat razor in the other.
Kathy backs away as Arthur comes nearer.
Ar " you're going to tell them the truth or I swear I'll kill myself "
He puts the razor up to his own throat,dropping the bottle he grabs Kathy by the neck.
Ar " tell them!"
Paul rushes in , grapples with Arthur,
Ar " NO DON'T STOP ME! TELL THE TRUTH GIRL"
Paul pushes Arthur to the floor, the razor catches Arthur in the face, blood pouring out.
Alice rushes in,
Al " Arthur... oh my god"
Kathy in hysterics.
Later Dexter returns, Arthur is driven off in a police car, holding a bandage up to his face.
Dexter and Paul in the bar;
D " lucky you were here Mr Eastman "
P " I suppose that amounts to a confession "
D " well it depends on what he actually said. If he said ' I killed her', then"
P " perhaps I was too busy trying to get that razor off of him Inspector to take in what he actually said. "
D " but he was going to attack Miss More?"
P " looked liked it yes"
D " that's good, juries like certainties "
P " his wife may disagree"
D " wives, in the eyes of a jury wives testimonies are tinged with prejudice"
Dexter helps himself to a cigar from the bar, and then struggles to locate his lighter, patting his pockets.
Paul hands him a strip of matches attached to a card,
D " thanks"
Dexter leaves the hotel, a satisfied grin on his face, another case solved. Paul goes up to Alice, alone with her thoughts at the reception.
P " I'm leaving Alice, the police have my number if I'm needed. You have it too"
Paul climbs the stairs to start packing.

[HawkMan]

Kathy is packing her clothes away, Paul enters her room.
The two stare at each other, then embrace,
P " it worked Kathy! It worked perfectly"
K " yes, I knew it would from the beginning"

Flashback;
Jane is falling backwards over the parapet at the top of Deringham castle;
J " Kathy help me!"
Paul Eastman rushes forward and grabs her to safety.
Driving away from the castle ,Jane is in the back seat, Kathy driving and Paul next to her.
J " I don't mind admitting I was really frightened, thank god you were around.."
P " Paul Eastman is the name"
J " do you live round here?"
P " no I'm just touring around, I have a little allowance, not enough to run a car, but I see places, it beats work"
K " anything beats work"
Later that night Paul checks into the Lodge Motel, he spends the night with Kathy.
The next morning as they dress their eyes meet,
P " you wanted her to die didn't you, you weren't going to lift a finger to help her. It would be the same as murder"
K " yes, she has the money, and if she dies it all comes to me"
P " that's a good reason"

The next day Jane is taking pictures of an old thatched house. Kathy and Paul in the car waiting.
K " we'll never get back for dinner at this rate"
Kathy puts her foot slowly on the accelerator, the car inches towards Jane.
P " STOP IT KATHY. Don't even think about it, they'll know it's you, you've got too much motive. Besides I have an idea, get a scapegoat"
K." pin it on someone else?"
P " not necessarily, just muddy the waters ,lead them away from you, on to someone who suspicion would fall on"
K " and I suppose you know someone like that"
P " yes, all that money Kathy, they'll be enough to share?"
That evening in Kathy's room in the Lodge Motel,
K " how do you know so much about this Lewis character?"
P " his wife let it slip,....in a tender moment"
K " okay, it'll need careful timing, like a time when he's at the desk alone"
P " it's possible"
K " then it'll work, all you have to do is scout around for a place where we can do it"
The next day in the car, Kathy, Jane and Paul,
K " Paul knows a great place for a picnic"
J " super"
In the woods, Paul carries the picnic hamper, sets it down on the ground, opens it and pulls out a large knife. Jane comes running up excitedly, Kathy behind. Paul swings round, Jane backs away, into Kathy who holds her. Paul thrusts the knife in, Jane dead.

 

(back in the present )
Kathy is ready to leave, she seems panicky, trying to come to terms with what they've done.
K " we must leave now Paul, I can't stay here a moment longer"
P " okay okay, stop panicking. We'll leave now, but not together. I'll go first, you pick me up round the corner"
K " okay"
Paul leaves the hotel, and waits a little way down the road. Kathy drives up and picks him up. They drive off.
Kathy says nothing during the journey, she seems troubled, upset. Paul wonders if she is cracking up.
Ten minutes or so later Kathy turns the car into the driveway of Deringham castle.
P " Kathy, why here?"
K " I don't know"
P " you don't want to go back in there"
K " I just have to"
Kathy gets out, and runs up to the door of the staircase leading to the top.
Paul is puzzled, then,
P " oh my god!! If she commits suicide, .....the money!"
Paul rushes out of the car and up the stairs.
P " KATHY, NO, ....KATHY COME BACK"
At the top Kathy is standing on the parapet prepared to jump, Paul rushes over and drags her to safety.
P " Kathy, thank god you're safe"
Kathy allows Paul to relax, then with an almighty shove pushes him over the edge, to his death. A cold calculating sneer on her face,
K " SUCKER!!!"
She runs back to her car, another car drives in blocking her, Dexter gets out.
D " look at this Miss More, these matches, Paul Eastman gave them to me, The Lodge Motel, same place you and Jane stayed at, a BIG coincidence. He could have known you and Jane before, got involved. I'm trying to find him but he seems to have vanished. We know he got in a car resembling yours ,with a girl resembling you. You did pick him up, didn't you. Where did you drop him?"
K( laughing)" where did I drop him , that's funny"
Kathy becomes hysterical with laughter, as she points to the little hillock by the side of the castle.
K " WHERE DID I DROP HIM"
Dexter sees Paul's body, dead.
K ( hysterical laughter) " OH MY GOD, WHERE DID I DROP HIM!!?"

 

Cast;

Kathy..Lynda Day George 

Dexter....Peter Jeffrey 

Arthur.....John Carson

Alice....Colette O'Neil 

Paul Eastman....Bernard Holley

Reeves....Richard Corbet

Jane....Kathleen Mallory

Davis...John Line

Miss Pendy....Molly Weir

Edited February 13 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S4 E3- NIGHT IS THE TIME FOR KILLING 

 

Mr Parker head of DI5 Intelligence, a government minister and a uniformed General are in a room overlooking a square in Central London. They are waiting for a defector to contact them, by the name of Marlov.

They've never seen him but believe his defection to the West would be a coup, and soon he will enter the Square below and into the building for this top secret rendezvous.
Marlov enters the Square, passing a workman digging up the road, when suddenly the workman produces a gun from his fluorescent top and fires at Marlov.
The bullet whistles over Marlov's head, and Marlov runs, gets in his car and speeds away.
Later Marlov phones Parker, the General and the Minister listen apprehensively as Marlov, a frightened man makes demands for another rendezvous.

Parker puts the phone down, " he wants another rendezvous, this time, very different, difficult to arrange, but we'll play along, we want him, this is what he wants...."

Across the Square in another room, in another building, at the window is someone with a directional listening device overhearing the conversation, Marlov's people, wanting to track him down.

 

Up in the North of England a train bound for London is being boarded, the overnight sleeper service is filling up with passengers.
Helen Marlow looking very sombre boards, her father sees her off, saying, " they'll be other chances Helen."
Helen's fiance recently died in a car crash and she has as a result had a nervous breakdown. Her father after seeing Helen safely on the train to her sleeping berth goes to speak to the guard. He hands him some money, off the record, and asks him to take extra care of her, he tells him of Helen's recent breakdown.
Also boarding the train is a newly wed couple, their friends on the platform throwing confetti as the two honeymooners board.
An elegant gentleman boards, dressed in a sharp light grey suit, trilby hat, carrying an umbrella looking every inch the perfect English gentleman.



Also behind him boards Bob Mallory, an Australian, then at the last minute another man jumps on, shows his ID to guard, he is last on as the train departs on its overnight journey to London.

Edited February 13 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

The English debonair gentleman is Hillary Vance, a reasonably well known wit and raconteur, after dinner speaker, a sort of B or C list celebrity. As he is about to enter the cramped sleeping berth he is confronted by a charming old lady, Penelope, they last met 40 years ago in Boulogne France.
Penelope " Hillary Vance, fancy meeting you here after all this time."
Vance is puzzled, " er...Madam."
Penelope, " you've forgotten me haven't you? I had the Pomeranian, Edith."
Vance, " Edith, delighted to see you."
Penelope, " Edith was the Pomeranian, yes you have forgotten, Penelope.."
Vance, " Heston- Smythe of course, how are you?"
Penelope, " a bit older."
Vance, " but still très elegance if I may say."
Penelope, " I still think you've forgotten me."
Vance," no no, I remembered the name."
Penelope, " can you remember what you said to me in Boulogne?"
Vance" erm..."
Penelope, " thought not, I'll give you time to think and I'll ask you again Hillary.....until then."
She totters off down the carriage corridor as Vance enters his sleeper.


The honeymoon couple enter their sleeper, the bride opens a suitcase to reveal a gun!


Helen is lying on her bed in her sleeper, tears in her eyes, a knock on the door is heard and the guard saying, " first or second sitting for dinner Miss Marlow?"
Helen," first."
The guard then knocks on Vance's sleeper door, " first or second sitting sir."
Vance opens the door," first or second sitting? Sounds like a protest sit down. "
Guard, " no, dinner sir."
Vance, " crowded dining car, soup splashed everywhere, the food shaken by the perambulations of the train, definitely second sitting for me."

 

Vance gets another knock on the door, he answers it and a brown suited man enters .
" I'm Barkley sir, DI5, here to keep an eye on things, are you okay sir?"
Vance," no I'm not okay, this whole affair is tinged with melodrama and foreboding. This compartment is cramped beyond endurance, I'm a man inordinately fond of open spaces."
Barkley, " won't be for long sir, I'm in sleeper D13 if you need me."
Vance," I said I'm not okay, I need scintillating conversation, and your scintillator is in need of repair."
Barkley laughs, " sorry sir, remember D13."


Later Helen enters the dining car and is shown to a table, it's a table for two and Bob Mallory is already seated and eating.
Bob, " well I guess I'm the lucky one."
They eat in silence , Helen close to tears, Bob tries to break the ice.
Bob, " look I know when someone needs to be left alone, but..do you think it'll help to talk?"
Helen, " I'm sorry Mister..
Bob," Bob Mallory."
Helen, " Helen Marlow, you're Australian?"
Bob, " damn it, knew I shouldn't have packed that Kangaroo."
Meanwhile Vance gets up from his bunk ready to leave for dinner, muttering to himself, " what an earth did I say to Penelope in Boulogne? Was it evening? Summer? Winter? God knows."
Vance opens the door to see the bride from the next sleeper standing there with a gun.
Bride, " inside please Mister Vance."

Helen has told Bob everything, the pain of losing her fiance in a car crash.
Bob, " you said it was over a year ago, I'm no expert but I'd have thought the pain should be healing now."
Helen, " you don't understand Mr Mallory, I was driving the car, it was my fault. I'm sorry I don't know why I told you all that."
Bob," you needed to tell someone."
Helen, " yes, well, it's been nice talking to you Mr Mallory, but I think this table will be needed soon, thank you."
Helen gets up and leaves carriage.

Edited February 13 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Helen walks back to her sleeper, down the corridor, the train suddenly lurches as she passes Vance's door, the door momentarily opens ajar, Helen sees lying on the floor Vance, dead, bullet hole in forehead. She screams and runs off , Bob comes running along.
Helen( crying), " Bob, he's dead! Vance, I saw him."

The guard comes along, Bob tells him, and the guard knocks on Vance's door.
Guard, " Mr Vance....Mr Vance."
No answer, so using his passkey the guard opens the door, the cabin is in darkness.
Suddenly the bedside lamp is turned on by Vance lying on his bed.
Vance " what is this? A deputation?"
Guard, " sorry sir, I knocked."
Vance, " I was dozing, I'm entitled to doze surely."
Guard " sorry sir, but this lady said you were dead."
Helen shakes her head, and cries, " he was dead Bob!"

Helen walks off , shrugging away Bob in the process. Barkley hearing the commotion has turned up.
Barkley, " what's happened?"
Guard " Miss Marlow said she saw Mr Vance dead."
Vance, " and as you can see Barkley my bloodhound I'm not."
Guard " very sad, Miss Marlow's father said she'd recently not been well, mentally."
Barkley, " is that right?"
Bob, " yeah, afraid so."

The guard and Bob leave, Barkley says, "what's that kerfuffle about sir?"
Vance, " kerfuffle is a word I do not recognise, it sounds like a dance popular in the 1920's, now if you substitute melee, or contretempe or misunderstanding."
Barkley, " misunderstanding then sir."
Vance, " of course that what it was, even you can see I'm not dead, however I haven't as yet eaten dinner."

 

Helen is lying on her bunk when there's a knock on the door and a voice.
Barkley is outside, " Miss Marlow, I'm Peter Barkley, I'd like to help. Perhaps you did see Vance dead, I'd like to talk about it. I know you're upset, that's understandable....I'm in D13 if you want to talk about it."
Barkley walks off back to D13 berth. He opens the door, to see the bride sitting on the bed holding a gun.
" come in Mr Barkley."

Vance is in the dining car ordering his food to the bewildered waiter.
Vance, " I'd like a fillet steak, grilled, not fried, for 45 seconds on its two flatter sides. That's 45 seconds, not 44 or 46. You may bring any vegetables you have..er stewing. I doubt if I'll eat them, but the sight of them sad and soggy on the dish will make the steak seem edible by comparison. Also a bottle of claret, please do not excessively touch the bottle, I prefer my wine at room temperature not body heat."


Helen lies on her bunk, the lower bunk, when suddenly an arm flops down from the top bunk , she gets up and screams as she sees Vance dead on the top bunk. The train lurches and the body topples over the edge of the bunk.

She runs out screaming. " BOB BOB."
Bob runs up , Helen cries, " he's dead, in my cabin, Bob I'm not going mad, he's there."
Arriving at the cabin Bob enters and sees no body, he reckons Helen in.
Bob, " nothing Helen. You told me you couldn't stop seeing your fiance in your mind's eye. Well now you've substituted your fiance for Vance. It's all in your mind Helen. Look I'll prove it, the man you say is dead is right now having his dinner. Come I'll show you."

As they walk away, the door opens of the honeymooners berth, the bride pokes her head out smiling, the dead body of Vance behind her on the bed.

Edited February 13 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Helen leaves her cabin and goes to cabin D13 and knocks on the door.
" Mr Barkley are you there, it's Helen Marlow."
No answer, because Barkley is dead on the floor, bullet in the head.
Helen goes back to her cabin passing Vance's and notices on the floor outside the door, confetti, a few pieces.

Helen goes to the guard's car and asks the guard for a magazine to read. The guard obliges and opens a drawer to give Helen a magazine. While his back is turned Helen quickly removes his passkey from a hook on the wall.

Helen knocks on the door of the honeymooners, no answer, she enters cabin. Her attention is drawn to a tape recording machine on the bed she switches it on and hears Vance , giving one of his speaking engagements.


Minutes later she leaves cabin and falls to the floor as someone hits her.
Bob comes along and sees Helen flat out on the floor , Vance and the bride standing over her.
Bob, " what happened?"
Vance, " just found her here."
Bob and Vance carry Helen to her cabin and lay her on the bed.
Helen wakes and says she's okay, just fainted. When Vance, the bride and the guard leave, Helen confides to Bob.
Helen, " I was right Bob, about Vance, someone hit me."
Bob, " so you say."
Helen, " yes and everything I say is suspect isn't it? I've found something, come."
Helen re-enters the honeymooners berth, Bob protesting, "Helen they're on honeymoon you can't just break in."
Helen switches on the tape recording, Bob listens, "so it's Vance, perhaps they know him."
Helen, " has it remotely looked as if they know him."
Bob, " well no, even so why keep a recording like that?"
Helen, " there I'm ahead of you, if Vance is dead and Vance is alive there must be two of them. I believe the real Vance is dead , and the one out there now is an imposter. Now if you wanted to impersonate anyone as asinine and acidic as Vance, where would you start....that voice, and for that you'd need to study recordings."

 

Bob," so if Vance is dead, the body would be tossed off the train."
Helen, " no, someone might find it, the train is stopped an investigation happens, and that is something they can't have."
Bob, " always supposing there is a they"
Helen ," BOB I WAS HIT."
Bob, " okay, so where could they hide it, has to be someplace no one goes.......the luggage car."

In the luggage car Helen and Bob find a large trunk, with Vance's name on it, nervously Bob opens it ....it's empty.
Bob, " you know, you almost had me believing we would find something."
Helen leaves crestfallen with Bob, after they've gone out of the shadows comes Vance staring after them.

Edited February 13 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

The next morning the train is near London.
At Euston Station in a small room full of cleaning gear overlooking the main concourse the Minister, The General and Parker of DI5 wait.
Parker, " train will soon be here General."
General " I don't like it."
Parker, " Marlov once saw Vance lecture in his own country, Vance is unmistakable, he's the only one Marlov will surrender to. Don't worry Barkley will be tailing him."

But Barkley isn't tailing , as the train pulls into the station, he's dead in his berth.
Vance steps onto the platform and sets off for the exit gate.
Helen is in her cabin packing away her clothes, she sees Vance passing her window, seconds later the bride passes following Vance. Helen stares out of window looking for.....


Helen is puzzled then runs out into corridor to see Bob leaving his cabin.
Helen, " BOB, Bob, whoever heard of a bride without a groom."
Bob , " never mind that, something has been bothering me all night. I remember now what, I came aboard behind Vance and I'm sure he had no trunk then."
Helen, " then someone else brought it on board."
Bob, " right! Because they knew they'd have a use for it."

In the luggage car a guard is unloading the luggage, Bob and Helen run in.
Bob, " STOP!"
Bob opens the trunk marked Vance, and the body of Vance falls out.
Helen, " he's on his way out."

Vance is walking across the concourse when someone touches his arm.
"Mr Vance, I'm Ivan Marlov, this way please."

Bob runs full pelt along the platform , Helen running after him.
Bob looks over to an adjacent platform, he sees Marlov and Vance walking along and into a staff locker room.
Bob has no option, he jumps onto tracks and runs jumping over rails to other platform.

In the locker room Marlov disguised as station staff in uniform nervously says, " Mr Vance I'm sorry to put you to all this trouble, but I saw you once at home, you are a very unusual man."
Vance, " I stand out like a sore thumb or the last arbiter of good taste in a lake of mediocrity. Do you have the papers."
Marlov, " I need a guarantee of protection."
Vance, " yes and you'll have it , but first I must know if you have the papers."
Marlov, " I have them."
Marlov opens a locker and removes an envelope turns to see Vance with a gun.
Marlov, " no...no... please!"


Bob runs in, Vance turns , Bob attacks him, punches exchanged. Vance reels back, Bob looks horrified, the skin on Vance's face is peeling off. More punches exchanged, Vance staggers, falls to the floor out cold , Bob bends down and peels off the latex mask to reveal the bridegroom.
" very clever Mister Mallory."
Bob turns to see the bride covering him with a gun. Helen runs in behind her and grabs her around the neck and is choking her.
Bob, " Helen, you don't want to kill her, you know what people will say if you do?"
Helen releases her and the bride falls unconscious.
Helen (laughing), " yes, they'll say I'm mad!"

Cast;
Helen......Judy Geeson
Vance....Charles Gray
Bob....Jim Smilie
Bride....Jacki Piper
Groom.......Duncan Preston
Marlov.....Milos Kirek
Barkley.....Alister Williamson
Parker...Jeffrey Wickham
Guard......Reg Pritchard
Penelope....Aimee Delamain

[HawkMan]

S3 E4 - IN THE STEPS OF A DEAD MAN

 

George Cornfield is a retired architect, and he and his wife Betty are in the basement workshop of their country home. George using electronic bits and pieces has cobbled together a device attached to a small television set. The TV is showing skiing and George flicks a switch on his device and the picture freezes. Betty is overjoyed, " it's wonderful George, Tommy will love it."
George, " that’s why I made it, for Tommy, especially for the sports programmes."
George flicks the switch again and the picture starts up. The girl who lives next door runs into the basement excited holding a letter, this is Sheila Howes, Tommy's girlfriend.

Sheila, "got a letter from Tommy, he's coming home, leaving the army for good."
Betty and George both look relieved, Betty says "thank God for that."
Sheila continues, " and he's asked me to arrange the wedding, soon as possible."
Betty detects a slight disappointment in George, "oh darling it was inevitable, they've been sweethearts since childhood."
Sheila, " you're not losing a son Mr Cornfield, but gaining a daughter, and as my family lives next door you'll see plenty of us."
George, " I'm very happy for you both, it'll be the wedding of the year. We must open a bottle of champagne to celebrate."
Betty runs off the get the champagne, Sheila looks at George's gadget.
" What is it?"
George proudly demonstrates, " it's a stop action device, Tommy will love it."
Sheila, " so clever of you, how an earth did you make it."
George, " easy really, works on all channels, look."
George switches channels, to a news channel, picture showing soldiers in Ireland, two soldiers carry another on a stretcher, the injured one looks in a bad way.
George operates his device, the picture freezes, a close up of the injured soldier.
Betty returns with a tray of champagne and glasses. She screams, runs up to the TV shouting, "TOMMY!!"

 

A few weeks have passed since Tommy's death, in the living room of the Cornfield's House George is sitting in an armchair, silent, tearful, looking thinner, Tommy's death has devastated him. In the room is Betty, Sheila and Grace Worth, an American friend of Sheila in England on a study course. Grace is majoring in Sociology and is combining a vacation to see Sheila and studying the English way of life for her degree, the three girls chat.


George stands, wishes Grace a happy time in England and walks out. Betty turns to Grace," sorry about George, but Tommy our son recently died...."
Grace, " I understand, Sheila told me, I'm sorry for both of you."

Grace is staying next door with Sheila, the parents are away in France, their second home, and the house is in throws of redecoration, a mess. Grace and Sheila sharing Sheila's bedroom. Grace says, "Tommy's death hit them pretty hard eh?"
Sheila " he was their only son. Tommy was like life itself, I miss him."
Grace," they'll be other chances, other opportunities Sheila."
Sheila picks up bedside photo of Tommy and sighs," I suppose so."

It's close to midnight and Betty and George are getting ready for bed, Betty trying to get George to cheer up.
Betty, " why don't you go back to work dear, part time of course, you're still young and good architects are needed, you've plenty to offer, it'll help you forget."
George, " forget Tommy you mean? Anyway Doctor Smethwick retired me."
The doorbell rings, George and Betty ponder on who could be ringing this late, they go and answer it, and in the doorway is a soldier , a young man smiling.
" Sorry to call so late, I'm Marty Fuller, a friend of Tommy "

Edited February 14 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Marty is shown in, and points to Grandfather clock in hall, " you made that didn't you sir, Tommy was very talkative about his old man...sorry I mean father."
They all go into the living room, Marty certainly knows a lot about the room.
" Drinks cabinet on the left, painting on wall by Mrs Cornfield's sister, oh and you've got rid of that yellow wallpaper,(laughs) I told you, Tommy was very explicit."
A bit later Marty is relating the sad end of Tommy. A tearful George and Betty listen agog.
"He didn't feel any pain, the drugs I pumped into him made sure of that. He spoke of you two, said you shouldn't mourn him, just remember the good times. I held his hand and stayed with him till the end. Then his hand relaxed and he was gone."
George, " you stayed with him?"
Marty, " that's my job, I'm a medic."
George, "but what about the other patients."
Marty, " Tommy was the best friend I ever had, well...I promised I'd tell you and it seemed so much better to visit then write, but now I must let you good people go to bed."
Marty gets up and goes to leave, he has an aunt up North , says he'll hitch a ride now the last train has gone. George and Betty ask if he could stay the night, see Sheila in the morning, she'll want to ask questions about Tommy. Marty agrees and is given Tommy's room.
Meanwhile at an army barracks, Sgt. O'Hara and a military policeman stare down at an empty bed, O'Hara not happy.
" Come and go as they please, have their hair long, that's not my army. Fuller.....we'll catch up with him."
Military policeman, " he's taken the stuff with him then?"
O'Hara, " we'll get him."
M.P ," bound to."

Next morning Marty is telling pretty much the same story to Sheila, adding that Tommy mentioned her as he died. Grace and Sheila are in the Cornfield's living room.
Sheila, " thank you for telling me Mr Fuller."
Marty, " oh Marty please."
Grace, " where do you go from here Mr Fuller?"
George chips in, " he has an aunt up North."
Marty, " well, she's not really an aunt, not a blood relative, she brought me up, I'm an orphan I don't have folks of my own. She's just listed on my payslip under next of kin."
Grace, " how much leave do you have?"
Marty, " unlimited, I'm on demob leave, I'm now a civillian."
George has that old sparkle in his eye, " why don't you stay with us, for a few days until you decide what you want to do, we'd just love it, wouldn't we Betty?"
Betty, " absolutely."
Marty," okay, on condition that Sheila allows me to take her to dinner."
Sheila looks over to Grace, Marty says " you too Grace."
Grace looks uncomfortable, " no, threes a crowd, you two have fun, I'll get on with my studies."
Marty slaps his head ," oh damn, I forgot, my clothes, I've sent them up North, I can't see myself taking you out in this uniform."
George, " you can borrow Tommy's things."
Marty, " then it's a deal, I'd love to stay a day or two longer. Right, I'll call a taxi."
George takes out his car keys, " no need you can borrow mine."
Later Marty is all dressed up in a smart suit, waiting for Sheila to arrive from next door. Betty says he looks great, George comes in carrying a watch case.
George, " I see you haven't a watch Marty, here take this son." Betty looks surprised as George hands Marty gold watch.
Betty, " but George, that was for Tommy."
George, " I know, but Tommy isn't here, never will be, we have to accept that. Tommy isn't here but Marty is."
Marty," it's real gold, I've never had anything gold......I can't accept it Mr Cornfield, but I tell you what I'll borrow it."

At the end of the evening Sheila is back home, undresses as Grace sits on the bed that they're sharing.
Sheila, " Marty is a super person, and handsome, the sort of person you could fall in love with."
Grace, " I suppose you talked about Tommy?"
Sheila, " no that would have been morbid, as Marty says I have to move on."
Grace, " so he stopped you talking about Tommy."
Sheila, "I know what's eating you Grace, Marty took to me rather than you. He's handsome, admit it."
Grace," yes, but he works at it too hard. Must be strange finally meeting him?"
Sheila, " finally?"
Grace, " Tommy wrote to you, must have mentioned him?"
Sheila, " no , never, but then again, would you unleash Marty onto your girlfriend?"
Grace, " but his best friend?! Something's not right."

 

Next morning Marty is woken up by George and Betty with breakfast in bed. Marty says they're spoiling him, George has something to say.
" Betty and I have discussed it, and this aunt of yours, you don't really owe her anything, so why not stay here with us, permanently, we'd love it son, what d'you say?"

Marty is a bit stuck for words," well erm..thing is I don't have much money behind me"
George, " that’s no problem at all ,how about it?"
Marty looks around room, notices huge poster on wall of Tommy smiling.
" Thing is Mr Cornfield that Tommy and I were so close it sort of hurts having reminders of him all around me."
George, " well that's understandable, sensitive boy like you, we can change things around a bit."
Marty," then that’s fine,( checks watch) oh my God, Sheila will be here soon , I promised to take her out and I'm going to be so late. Mr Cornfield sir, could you please top up the car."
George " be ready and waiting son."
George and Betty leave, Marty opens up his army issue kit bag, and pulls out a wooden box, a first aid box, inside is bottles of pills...

At the army barracks Sgt O'Hara enters the office of the chief medical officer who is taking an inventory of his drugs cabinet.
O'Hara, " anything missing sir?"
Medical Officer, " yes a few things he took, one possible dynamite if used incorrectly."
O'Hara moves over to a desk," this Fuller's desk sir?"
M.O. ,"yes, but it's empty."
O'Hara opens desk pulls out a sheet of paper, " not entirely empty sir. ( reading) To Mum and Dad etcetera etcetera...and an address sir."
M.O. ," Fuller's an orphan, obviously belongs to someone else."
O'Hara, " I'll keep it sir, check on the address."

 

 

Edited February 14 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

While Marty and Sheila are out, George and Betty are in Tommy's room, rearranging things, removing Tommy's possessions, Grace enters and says, " I suppose you're altering this room to Marty's specifications."
Betty, "just making it nice for him, he's a good boy."
Grace, " how do you know he's a good boy, because he told you."
Betty, " he was Tommy's best friend."
Grace, " oh I'm sorry, so Tommy wrote and told you all about him?"
Betty is hesitant, " er..no."
Grace, "How often did Tommy mention Marty Fuller, often, occasionally or never?"
George comes in picks up a cardboard box, "come on Betty he'll be back soon."
George hurries out, Betty says," we're putting all Tommy's stuff in the loft."
Betty reaches up to take down poster of Tommy, Grace interjects "don't take that down Mrs Cornfield, you don't want to pretend Tommy never existed."
Betty hurries out carrying clothes, Grace notices something Betty dropped on bed, Grace picks it up, it's Tommy's diary

At the end of the day Sheila is in her bedroom after spending the day with Marty, "oh I'm tired, but happy tired, Marty is wonderful. I'm sorry Grace I've left you all day, I hope you haven't been bored."
Grace," no I've not been bored at all."
Sheila notices Grace with little black book.
" What's that?"
" Tommy's diary, just borrowed it Sheila, there's something you should read."
Sheila is angered , " that's despicable Grace, give it here."
Grace, " you're going to hear this Sheila."
Sheila puts fingers in her ears, " I'm not listening to whatever you say, (shouts) I'M NOT I'M NOT!"

Grace slaps Sheila's face, " you're going to listen. ( Reads) look forward to seeing S , had letter from S. S is obviously you. Now this entry...had fight with M, M went mad busted up canteen. Watch missing sure M took it, I think M is schizo, sure M is very dangerous. M, Sheila , Marty."
Sheila " you don't know you're just guessing."
Grace , " that's from Tommy's diary, he wrote about someone who obviously was an enemy , M, two days later Tommy died, M is very dangerous, think about it Sheila that's all I ask."

Later that afternoon George and Betty drive down road towards town, passing them is a military jeep. Outside the Cornfield's house the jeep parks, out steps O'Hara and up drive to front door. Looking out of bedroom window is Marty , terrified look on him. The doorbell rings, no answer, so O'Hara goes next door to speak to Sheila.
O'Hara, " sorry to disturb you Miss I'm looking for Mr or Mrs Cornfield, there doesn't seem to be anyone in next door."
Sheila, " no they've just gone out to the shops, can I take a message."
O'Hara, " no its okay Miss, I'll call back."
Sheila is puzzled, " there was no answer sergeant?"
O"Hara , " hardly, if they're out."
O'Hara marches off, Sheila has a troubled look on her face, why didn't Marty answer door?

Edited February 14 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

George, Betty and Grace have gone into town for an evening at the theatre, part of Grace's studying of English culture, and George installed the lighting, so he's keen to go , leaving Marty and Sheila alone at the Cornfield's. Sheila turns the conversation to the army and Marty's experiences, " all those men cooped up together, I bet there was disagreements, fights?"
Marty," oh yes, bound to be."
Sheila, " did the officers clamp down on you?"
Marty, "if they ever found out."
Sheila, "what about the time you busted up the kitchen."
Marty, " I got two weeks confined to barracks."
Marty realises something wrong ," how did you know about that?"
Sheila, " Tommy's diary....you ARE M aren't you. ( Reads from diary) watch missing sure M took it. You weren't Tommy's friend at all, you hated him, you had fights with him."
Marty, " fights? He didn't know how to fight. Fists I could have understood, could have had a chance, but he fought me with letters, with your letters. He went on about you, Mum, Dad, he hit me with a sweet life I'd always wanted. I was an orphan and he attacked me with a family, he went on and on stuffing it down my throat until I couldn't take it any more."
Sheila, " Tommy wasn't like that."
M" He was worse."
S " Perhaps he was, perhaps I never really knew him, but why come here, why lie."
M " I wanted what he had, I wanted you, I know it's wrong , but please don't tell them, I've come so far, done so much."

Sheila is alarmed, " done so much ?! That sounds like you planned it , but you couldn't know Tommy would die. But he did die didn't he and you were with him....oh GOD, how badly injured was he?"
Marry grabs Sheila, putting his hand over her mouth, " he'd have lived and I can't let you tell them, it'll kill them!"

George, Betty and Grace return and ask where Sheila is ,Marty replies, " she went home, she got very depressed soon after you left, kept crying about Tommy, I tried to shake her out of it, but I just couldn't, I was very concerned."
Grace, " I had better go back , check she's okay."
Grace arrives next door, Sheila asleep in bed, Grace lies on bed next to her with a book to read. Accidentally Grace nudges Sheila, "oh sorry Sheila," Sheila doesn't stir, Grace leans over and screams , Sheila eyes open...dead.
The funeral takes place, the wake at the Cornfield's house , Sheila's parents are back from France, Mrs Howe in a dreadful state.
Mrs Howe is crying, " why did she do it ? To committ suicide...why?"
George surmises that grief over Tommy's death, then Marty being here, brought it all back, and a sudden deep depression was all too much. Grace isn't convinced, " not so sudden, those tablets she took, they weren't prescribed, she must have got them from somewhere , or someone gave them to her."
Mrs Howe, " what a waste."
George whispers to Grace, " drop it."
Mrs Howe offers Grace the opportunity if she wants to stay with them to continue her studies.
In the hallway Grace meets Marty alone, Marty says ," I hope you stay Grace, I could be really good for you."
Grace looks daggers, " we've only just buried her!"
Marty, " really good for you Grace."
Grace ," you're trying to shut me up, stop me thinking, but I know all about you Marty."

Before the conversation continues Mrs Howe and her husband turn up, Grace says, " Mrs Howe, I've decided not to stay, I'll go and pack, it's time I went back home."
Marty, " Mrs Howe let me walk you back home." Marty takes Mrs Howe by the arm and they leave for next door.

 

George in house alone while everyone troops off to next door. The doorbell rings, George answers it, it is Sgt O'Hara.
O'Hara, " Mr Cornfield sir, I wonder if you know of a Marty Fuller."
George, " yes of course, my son's best friend, he..."
O'Hara, " is a deserter sir. Have you seen him?"
George thinks quick, " erm no I haven't, but since my son's death I wouldn't expect him to come here."
O'Hara, " that's what I thought sir...best friend sir, funny I was asking round the barracks..sorry to bother you sir, I'll leave you my name and phone number, if you hear from him..."
George, " I'll contact you of course."

Betty and Marty return and George asks Marty to go upstairs and change into clothes suitable for a bit of gardening with him. When alone George reveals the truth to Betty.
Betty shocked, " a deserter!"
George, " why not, remember how Tommy said he hated the army and wanted to go over the wall, well Marty's done it, that takes guts."
Betty, " but if they find him.."
George, " they'll take him from us, but it doesn't have to happen, there's an answer to everything and I think I have it."

At the army barracks O'Hara is again with the Medical Officer.
O'Hara, " sir , you said one of the drugs Fuller took was dynamite, your word sir, how so?"
M.O. " well if administered with food could present all the signs of botulism, lethal food poisoning, and is undetectable. But Fuller is a deserter surely, not a murderer."

Edited February 14 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

A few days later Grace phones Betty Cornfield from London saying she's flying home on Saturday evening but will like to see them and say goodbye before she leaves. The house is very noisy as George is doing something in the basement workshop, lots of drilling, banging and sawing going on. Betty says it's a marvellous coincidence because Saturday is Marty's birthday, Grace says she'll be there about 6pm.
Saturday evening: George, Betty and Marty tucking into dinner, Betty has made Marty's favourite, crunchy tuna salad, but Marty tasted a bit and said the tuna tasted off. So he is avoiding the tuna as George and Betty tuck in.
George hands Marty his birthday present, an envelope, Marty opens it, and reads shocked.
George, " it what we planned for Tommy, all legal and witnessed, Marty you are now our legal heir."
Marty, " I don't know what to say, Mr Cornfield. "
Betty, " isn't it time you called us Betty and George."
Marty, " don't like to, I prefer Mum and Dad."
George, " as it should be."
Marty goes over to the drinks cabinet, and removes from his pocket an empty bottle of pills ,and unseen chucks it on the fire. They've done their job!
George gets up and says," Marty come with me, I want to show you something."
Betty, " sit down George finish your dinner."
George, " I must show Marty, come on son."

In the basement George stands proudly in the centre of the room, " this is it Tommy."
Marty smiles, " you can call me Tommy if you like Dad."
George, " no no, you're Marty, I made this for you. See those T squares hanging on the wall, fetch me one will you."
Marty goes over to the far wall to get the tool , suddenly George reaches up to a level and pulls it, a false wall descends quickly and seals Marty in behind the wall trapped in an area about four feet by four feet. Marty panicky, " DAD! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"
George presses a button on a wall intercom, his voice heard by Marty trapped behind wall.
George, " that’s the surprise son, we know about you , being a deserter, but we don't care we love you son, in a way the army took Tommy away from us and we don't want them to take you. That's why I built this , a sort of priest hole, somewhere to hide if they come looking for you."
Marty, " that's great Dad but how do I get out?"
George, " you can't son, suppose I put a release lever in there and you opened it when they were here, I've thought of everything. The only lever is out here, and it's well hidden, no one will know it's here."
Suddenly there's a crashing noise from upstairs, Betty has collapsed onto the floor, clutching her stomach.
Marty, " DAD GET ME OUT OF HERE!"
George reaches for lever , disguised as part of an ornamental column, but he suddenly clutches his stomach in pain, bends over double, " can't reach it, I'll get your mother."
Marty, " DAD, DAD, LET ME OUT DAD!"

 

George reaches the dining room and collapses next to Betty, barely conscious, poisoned.
Grace arrives at the house, no answer from the front door ,she enters from the garden , and sees George and Betty, " oh my God!!"
Grace immediately picks up phone and dials 999, " ambulance please, hurry."

She gets a couple of cushions to place under heads of George and Betty, George is conscious, breathing heavy.

Grace suddenly hears something, a faint voice, "down here, help, down here."
Grace follows the sound and enters the workshop in the basement.
Grace," Marty is that you?"
Marty is heard via the intercom on the wall.
Marty, " Grace is that you?"
G " Marty where are you?"
M " behind the alcove, what you see is a false wall, it's one of George's gadgets."
G " what happened Marty, George and Betty are lying on the floor almost dead."
M " food poisoning I think , something they ate, I was going to get help and I got trapped in here."
G " food poisoning?"
M " I think so, how can I tell stuck in here, let me out Grace."
G " I don't know how to Marty."
M " George said there's a lever, cleverly disguised."
Grace looks up and sees ornamental lever on side of wall, " yes I see it, very cleverly disguised."
M " why don't you press it Grace..(shouts) COME ON GRACE LET ME OUT."
G " tell me about Sheila, you killed her didn't you Marty."
M " are you crazy, she committed suicide."
G " NO MARTY, YOU DID IT".
M " what are you judge and jury, I had nothing to do with Sheila's death."
The front doorbell rings the ambulance is here, Grace turns off intercom and runs out.
Marty, "GRACE, GRACE,...LET ME OUT"

Edited February 14 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

George and Betty are carried out on stretchers, George gasping as he is taken out, " Tommy....Tommy. "
Ambulance man puzzled, " Tommy?"
Grace, " his son, now dead."

It's about thirty minutes later, Grace is still here, pacing the room, unsure of what to do about Marty , his accusing words play in her mind, " what are you judge and jury."
Sgt O'Hara walks into hall, sees Grace , " you the young lady who phoned the ambulance?"
Grace, " that's right, how are they?"
O'Hara, " they'll pull through thanks to you."
Grace, " you've been to the hospital?"
O'Hara " yes, I wasn't sure why I was called, but then I remembered, I gave Mr Cornfield my number, it was in his pocket, still it'll be sometime before I can speak to them, likely to be in a coma for weeks. Food poisoning they say, hah! food poisoning my foot. That'll be Fuller."
Grace, " Fuller?"
O'Hara, " Marty Fuller, a medic and deserter, at least that's all he was until now. He ran off with some drugs, one is a killer, with all the symptoms of food poisoning. You've never seen him?"
Grace thinks hard, then says, " no I've never seen him."

O'Hara, " no , you're a casual acquaintance, and the Cornfields never mentioned him I suppose, we'll get him though. Can I drop you anywhere Miss?"
Grace, " in a coma for weeks?"
O'Hara, " that's what the doctors say."
Grace, " they don't hang murderers here anymore do they?"
O'Hara, " no, more's the pity."
Grace picks up her handbag, " then you can drop me a the station Sergeant, shall we go."
O'Hara, " where you off to Miss?"
G "home."

 

Grace gets in the jeep and O'Hara drives off, Marty still behind wall talking into intercom, but no one is listening.

Marty, " I've always wanted you Grace, and you've wanted me, (screams )
SO LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT!!"

Cast;
Marty....John Nolan
Grace...Skye Aubrey
George....Richard Vernon
Betty....Faith Brook
Sheila....Denise Buckley
O'Hara.....Derek Anders.
M.O........Christopher Benjamin.
M.P.......Robert Marsh

Edited February 14 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S4 E5 - A KILLER IN EVERY CORNER ( in depth)

A large mansion, inside a white haired, suited gentleman is in his work study. Books on shelves, a fine oak desk. The man is professor Carnaby and is recording into a Dictaphone.
C " Pavlov may have been the instigator of these techniques, but in retrospect and in view of my enlightened experience Pavlov and his dogs were no more than a circus act. But we have only just scratched the surface, there are still a million unanswered questions on the subject of conditioned behaviour"
Carnaby stops recording. At his desk seated, he leans over and presses a button on top of the desk. Along from his study, down a corridor is the kitchen, the butler or manservant Boz is preparing meat. With a cleaver in one hand he chops at a leg of lamb while swigging from a bottle of wine. Suddenly the bell in the kitchen rings. Boz looks up at the bell, hatred in his eyes, his master calling again. The bell rings, Boz begins to sweat then with his face gripped in a mask of anger storms out and into the professor's study.
Carnaby is seated at his desk, Boz comes up behind him and strikes with the cleaver, once, twice, a chopping motion onto the head of the professor.
Then, soothing classical music is heard. Carnaby is standing behind Boz having just switched on his record player, the music calms Boz who seems to wake up, as if he'd been hypnotized or conditioned.
Carnaby gently removes the cleaver from Boz, we see it was a mannequin that he attacked.
Boz backs out of the study looking apologetic, but not surprised at all, as if the professor has done this before.
Carnaby switches on his Dictaphone and listens to his earlier recording.
C " a million unanswered questions on the subject of conditioned behaviour"

 

A train is speeding across the English countryside. Three young people share a carriage, two women and one man.
One of the women is reading a magazine called Momentous, Carnaby's face is on the cover.
She accidentally knocks her handbag onto the floor, the young man picks it up.
T " allow me"
An invitation card has dropped out of the bag, the man reads it.
T " Helga Muller?"
H " that's right", she has a German accent.
The man, Tim pulls out a similar invite card from his jacket.
T " Tim Hunter"
The other girl , an American also has a card.
S " Sylvia Dene"
T "well it seems we three are the privileged ones"
H " and what a privilege, a whole week at professor Carnaby's residence. I can't believe it"
T " well I nearly didn't, I thought mates at college were playing a joke on me"
S " it has happened before. The professor invites three students to his home occasionally. It is a sort of seminar, you study and ask questions"
H " from the master"
T " I can't wait to meet him, I want to tackle him on that last paper he did"
H " on criminal psychology, yes that was so...."
S " radical ?"
H " yes, I wonder how we were chosen, of all the students, why us? What year are you in Sylvia?"
S " I graduate this year"
T " I graduate next year"
H " and I'm in my first year, so no pattern there"

The train pulls up at the station.
H " oh good, we're here"
After a minute or so the carriage door opens , a chauffeur is there.
" professor Carnaby's party?"
T " yep, that's us"
The chauffeur is none other than Boz.
Bz " the car is waiting, this way please"

 

They arrive at the mansion and all troop into the hallway.
Bz " this way please"
S " when will we meet the professor?"
Bz " soon, follow me please"
Boz shows them upstairs, they follow carrying their luggage.
H " this house is massive"
T " no wonder the professor rarely leaves it. You could get lost in a place this size"
S " and we probably will"
Carnaby has been observing them from a crack in his study door, he closes the door and speaks into his Dictaphone.
C " day one, subjects have arrived, one man two girls. The man looks fit and strong, that is good, the girls are very pretty, which is why I chose them"

 

Edited February 28 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

 

Upstairs the students are unpacking, each assigned their own room. Helga leaves her room and joins Sylvia.
H " aren't the rooms gorgeous ?"
S " fantastic"
H " mine has a view overlooking the grounds"
S " lucky you"
A man in his late thirties enters, looking smart in a leather jacket and black sweater.
Man " hi welcome"
S " are you a student too?"
Sl " good lord no, too long in the tooth, I'm just a wooly old journalist, Mike Slattery is the name"
S " oh right, don't you write for Momentous magazine?"
Sl " occasionally yes"
H " that piece you did on professor Carnaby really was very good, got right under the skin of the man"
Sl " I hope to do a lot more than that, that's why I'm here. Researching the old fellow's biography"
H " that should be fascinating reading"
Sl " so I hope will be the royalty cheques. I'll see you later"
Slattery leaves,
S " mmm, he's rather dishy"
Suddenly a horrific scream echoes through the house, a woman's scream. Sylvia, Helga and Tim rush out of the bedrooms into the corridor, to see Slattery smiling at them.
Sl " don't worry that's normal, the professor has some extraordinary recordings, real life cases. I'll see you at dinner"

In Carnaby's study is a rather short man with glasses wearing evening dress, he is writing something in a ledger. This man is George, he closes the ledger.
G " all done professor"
C " thank you"
George goes to the door and sees Boz slowly climbing the stairs, as Boz ascends he seems to be shaking, his hands particularly, sweating profusely.
G " professor look"
Carnaby joins George at the door watching Boz go up.
In Sylvia's room she has changed into a black dress for dinner. She looks approvingly at her reflection in the mirror, when she sees Boz behind her in the glass. She turns, Boz stares and says nothing.
S " is anything wrong?"
Suddenly soothing music is heard from downstairs, Boz closes his eyes and then opens them as if awakening from a trance.
Bz " er...the dining room is this way Miss, follow me please"
Sylvia follows Boz into the dining room downstairs.
Tim and Helga are already there as is Slattery.
S " sorry I'm late , zipper broke"
She looks at the lavish table settings.
Sl " impressive isn't it, the fruits of insanity. The professor's work paid for all this"
S " will he be here soon?"
Sl " any minute, he loves to make an entrance"
The carriage clock on the mantelpiece strikes eight and in walks Carnaby in full dinner suit, as are both Tim and Slattery.
C " good evening everyone, Sylvia, Tim , Helga, delighted to meet you all. Please sit down"

All sit for dinner.
H " will there be an opportunity to ask questions professor Carnaby on your recent paper?"
C " it's open house here Helga, I hope to answer all your questions. But now, dinner. ( to Boz) Okay Boz you can begin"
Boz leaves the dining room and returns to the kitchen.
George is there sitting, shining a pair of black shoes. Boz picks up a tureen of soup, he stares at George.
G " you like her don't you? The American one, I'll let you into a secret, the professor says she's yours! Which means I get the little German one!!"

Edited February 15 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

In the dining room the meal is underway, Carnaby is expounding his theories whilst the students eat and listen agog.
C " a conditioned response as one may be achieved by brainwashing for example, is merely an extension of natural phenomena"
S " natural phenomena?"
C" like the dog that seeks out the b itch in season. What could be more natural than that, but the dog can be conditioned to avoid the b itch in season, and once that conditioning is accepted its responses are as automatic as ....this...."
Carnaby picks up a candlestick from the table and moves the lighted candle towards Tim who withdraws quickly.
C " ....as Tim withdraws from the flame"
S " I don't think I agree professor. Tim withdrew because that is the sensible thing to do, it's an autonomic response to withdraw from pain"
C " you think so ?, Boz come here. Perhaps I should explain, Boz came to me as a patient, he was a very sick man. Isn't that right Boz?"
Bz " yes professor"
C " he has been a useful subject in my experiments. His problem was...well we needn't go into that..but it was a very big problem. I have endeavoured to give him a whole new set of responses"
Mike Slattery whispers to Sylvia,
Sl " here comes the party trick"
C " I have managed to eradicate his anti social instincts and substituted a new set, but it's had some remarkable side effects"
Boz places his hand an inch above the lighted candle. Everyone is watching avidly as Boz stands there feeling no pain. Sylvia looks upset and pulls his hand away.
S " stop it! Stop it!"
C " oh I'm sorry my dear I've upset you. No need to be, Boz is unharmed. Isn't that right Boz"
Bz " yes professor"
S " I'm sorry"
C " no need to be. You are just showing a conditioned response. Revulsion at the sight of another human being being hurt. It's a good response, if more people had it the world would be a better place."
T " you didn't hypnotize him?"
C " no Tim, that would be cheating and quite useless. I just taught him a new set of principles."
H " so his problem whatever it was, is gone?"
C " almost"
H " that's really something professor"
C " enough about me, you Helga, what made you want to take up the study of the mind?"
H " I guess it was the orphanage, I was brought up an orphan, they were very kind to me, and encouraged me to take an interest in other people"
C " I approve"
Boz returns to the kitchen to fetch more wine. George is still there shining shoes.
G " could be your lucky night eh?"
George laughs, Boz doesn't find it amusing and leaves with the wine.
At the end of the meal Carnaby stands up.
C " you youngsters have an advantage over me, years. I will now retire, I'll see you all tomorrow, goodnight. Oh by the way I usually charge £500 for a lecture."
Carnaby leaves, Slattery stands up too.
Sl " right, I've got some work to do on the biography before retiring so I'll say goodnight too"
Slattery leaves and the three students chat among themselves.
T " what an evening"
H " I've been trying to remember everything he said"
T " he usually only gives ten minute interviews"
S " Tim is your father a psychologist too"
T " he was, he was killed in a car crash with my mother a few years back"
S " sorry, I've no parents either. Hey could that be the link, why we were chosen, none of us have any parents"
T " but why?, what reason?"
S " hmmm, don't know"

 

Sylvia is getting undressed in her room, she hears soothing music playing, the same piece as before.
In Carnaby's study he has prepared two syringes. There are two glass bottles on his desk, one labeled 'B' the other 'K', medical bottles. Boz and George enter, Carnaby hands one syringe to Boz, who rolls up his sleeve and injects himself willingly. George is less willing.
G " I'm okay professor, I don't need mine, I'm cured"
C " there are women in the house, roll your sleeve up"
Carnaby injects him,
G " really I am cured"
C " go to your room, get some sleep. Boz go with him, make sure he goes and lock him in"
After seeing George to his room at the top of the house Boz returns to the study. Carnaby has a third bottle marked 'A' he opens it then closes it again and replaces it in the cabinet. Boz is shocked.
Bz " you're not giving Aldridge his shot?"
C " no"
Bz " but he's an animal without it, an absolute animal!"
C " that's how I want him tonight"
Carnaby opens his desk drawer and removes a gun. There is someone else here in the house, very dangerous....Aldridge.

 

It's gone midnight when Tim gets a knock on his bedroom door. It's Carnaby.

C " sorry to disturb you Tim, thought you'd be interested in a practical experiment I'm engaged in"
T " yes sir, absolutely"
C" good, we'll be quiet, don't want to wake the girls. Wouldn't want them to think I'm showing any favouritism. Laboratory is upstairs."
Ar the end of the plush corridor where the bedrooms are there is a flight of stairs up to a plainer corridor, painted white, like a medical centre corridor. Rooms on either side.
T " what kind of experiment is it sir?"
C " the physiology of violence"
They stop at a metal door.
C " Tim imagine the knowledge to be gained from a murderous attack, at the precise moment of the attack. To be able to assess the killer as he strikes. Heartbeat, respiration, encephalographic details of brain activity, wouldn't that be a breakthrough Tim?"
T" yes sir fantastic"
C " it's a breakthrough I've achieved"
T " but surely it can only be simulated"
Carnaby presses a button on the wall, a panel opens revealing heart brain and respiratory monitors. Carnaby takes a key from his pocket and opens the metal door. Tim peers inside.
T " .....oh my god"
C " Aldridge...."

Carnaby pushes Tim inside and slams the door shut. There's a spy hole in the door, Carnaby looks through it and begins recording into his Dictaphone.
C " attack to the throat initially, the need to squeeze is very interesting"
Tim is being attacked by Aldridge, a killer so dangerous he is locked away.
C " heartbeat increasing rapidly, climactic phase, extraordinarily powerful. The autopsy will no doubt reveal many broken bones. Now the need to shatter. Strength of attack reaching demonic proportions, at least I would say if I believed in demons"
Tim is ripped apart, blood splattering the spy hole, Carnaby closes it, experiment over.

Edited February 15 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

The next day Helga is in the library looking at a book when Sylvia comes in.

S " studying ?"
H " look at this"
She shows Sylvia a page from the book. A picture of George on it.
H " that is Jorg Kesselheim remember him?"
S " the murderer, yeah"
H " escaped from Bavaria about six years ago. There was a worldwide hunt"
S " so?"
H " I think I've seen him"
S " where?"
H " here! In this house, Kesselheim or his double"
Slattery comes in overhearing the conversation.
Sl " his double more like, lets have a look"
Slattery looks at the picture.
Sl " my word the splitting image of George. George Tiverton that's who saw last night Helga, he's a sort of secretary come assistant to the professor. Wait a minute, I remember the professor told me that while that hue and cry was going on about Kesselheim poor George was arrested three times. He had to carry a letter around with him stating he wasn't Kesselheim. Right ladies, ready for breakfast ?"
In the dining room Carnaby is there, Boz is serving breakfast.
C " morning to you all"
S " where's Tim?"
C " not feeling too well, must have been too much brandy. He woke me in the night complaining of stomach pains. Anyway I prescribed something , he'll be fine"
S " shall I take him up some breakfast?"
C " that's okay Sylvia, he's sleeping, Boz will take care of him, won't you?"
Bz " yes professor"
Up in the laboratory area in the room where Tim was murdered George Tiverton is calmly using a sponge to clean blood off the walls, Boz enters.
Boz goes over to a bed, a body is on it covered by a sheet, he pulls the sheet off and stares at Tim's body.
Bz " Aldridge is an animal, an absolute animal!!"
G " there but for the grace of God...."
Bz " yes, and the grace of the professor"

 

In Carnaby's study the professor is showing Sylvia and Helga read outs from an encephalograph machine, loads of sheets of printouts.
C " these encephalograph readings are invaluable in studying mental trauma"
S " but you need to know the circumstances of when they were taken professor. This one for example, was the patient having a fit, or reading poetry"
C " of course, I have all the information and George my secretary will correlate them for me in due course"
S " that's the man you saw last night Helga"
H " yes the one I thought was Kesselheim"
Carnaby is at a filing cabinet and removes a folder.
C " yes, Helga, poor George was arrested a few times when they were looking for Kesselheim"
S " Mr Slattery told us, did they ever find Kesselheim?"
C " I don't believe they did"
Carnaby hands Sylvia the folder.
C " here Sylvia, this should interest you, proper documented case files"
Sylvia puts the sheets of printouts down on the desk, right on top of the button!
In the kitchen the bell rings, Boz is chopping up vegetables with a knife, suddenly trance like he leaves, sweating and grimacing. He enters the study and shakes and sweats trying to control himself. Carnaby realises what's happening and quickly removes the sheets from the desk, he then goes over to his record player and plays the classical music piece. Boz suddenly seems to have his mind cleared.
C " nobody sent for you Boz, it was a mistake"
Bz " sorry professor"
C " that's okay, return to your kitchen"

Boz leaves, obviously the girls are puzzled.
S " music soothes the savage beast professor?"
C " well, it relaxes the mind, yours too I hope, ready for the earth shattering theories I'm about to propound"
Helga smiles, Carnaby is almost her idol, Sylvia still a bit unsure.
Boz returns to the kitchen mopping his brow with a handkerchief. George is sitting there polishing shoes...again
George laughs,
G " suffered a bit of reversion have we?"
Bz " someone rang the bell"
G " you've got bells on the brain, you have, bells on the bloody brain"
Boz grabs the shoe off of George, who childlike asks for it back, lower lip quivering.
G " give it back, it's mine"
Bz " looks clean to me, almost cleaned away I'd say. You can see your face in it, always supposing you wanted to see your face."
Boz reaches for the butter dish and scoops a lump of butter with his hand and smears it on the shoe.
G ( almost in tears) " why did you do that, I've got to clean them again now"
Bz " it's good for you...occupational therapy"

Edited February 15 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Journalist Slattery is in his room, obviously not happy with a sheet he's typed up for his book. He pulls it out of the typewriter and leaves the room all dressed for dinner.
In the dining room;
S " where's Tim? Still ill?"
C " that stomach pain turned out to be appendicitis. Tim is in hospital"
S " for how long?"
C" a day or two, maybe a week"
H " he'll miss this whole seminar"
C " I'll make it up to him Helga my dear, invite him again when he's well"
S " I didn't hear any ambulance siren"
C " no I got Boz to drive him to the hospital, seemed the best thing to do. More wine Sylvia?"
S " please"
C " and for you Slattery?"
Sl " thanks professor"
C" book coming along okay?"
Sl " yes sir, thank you again for your time, very generous"
C " think nothing of it"
Boz at the drinks cabinet has poured two glasses of wine. Unseen he drops a tablet into one of the glasses. He hands Slattery a glass, Sylvia gets the drugged one.
Boz returns to the kitchen, George is there having his meal.
G " alright?"
Bz " she drank it"
George gives a little laugh, Boz returns to the dining room. The dinner conversation continues.
C " you see Helga I believe there's too much emphasis on mental health treatment and not enough on prevention"
Suddenly Sylvia drops her glass on the table.
S " sorry, I feel so sleepy, must be the wine"
Sl " but you only had one glass"
C " my fault, I've worked you both hard today. Go to bed my dear, you'll feel better in the morning"
Sylvia stands,
S " I feel silly"
C " nonsense, Boz will see you to your room. Boz take miss Sylvia upstairs"
Bz " yes professor"
Sylvia and Boz leave, she goes up the stairs, Boz behind her. Halfway up she collapses unconscious, Boz catches her and carries her to her room and lays her on the bed. Boz stares down at her, strokes her hair, and then leaves.
Meanwhile Slattery is yawning too, as Carnaby and Helga talk.
Sl " sorry, I feel tired too, I'll retire too. Goodnight Helga, professor"
C " goodnight Slattery"
Slattery leaves and Carnaby turns to Helga.
C " and then there was one"
Helga smiles.
In the study George is pacing up and down nervously, Boz comes in.
G " how long?"
Bz " soon"
G " it's alright for you. You and Aldridge have had your injections"
Bz " that's the whole point of the experiment, you are as you are"
Boz pours himself some wine and smiles, enjoying George's nervousness.
Bz " self doubts?"
G " no I'm fine, better than you, I'm cured"

 

In the dining room,
C " you know Helga, it occurs to me that you haven't seen the laboratory area. Of course you may find it very dull and academic"
H " oh I'd love to see it professor"
C " then you shall, this very moment, come"
Carnaby leads Helga into the hallway, in the study Boz stares at George.
Bz " pull yourself together man, it's time"
Boz goes into the hall,
Bz " professor Carnaby, a telephone call sir, it's the Boston clinic"
C " oh dear, I'll have to take it, is George there?"
George comes out.
G " yes professor?"
C " show Miss Muller the laboratory area"
G " yes professor"
C " George will be very informative, I'll be back as soon as I can"
G ( to Helga) " this way Miss"
They head upstairs, Carnaby and Boz go into the study, there is no call of course.
Carnaby takes out his Dictaphone,
C " 10.40 initial test has begun. Helga Muller is now alone with Jorg Kesselheim. If he can stay in control for 5 minutes he will remain in control, and I would have effected a cure. 5 minutes!"

Carnaby stares at his watch, George is Kesselheim after all, like the unseen Aldridge, a killer.
At the end of the landing is the stairs leading to the laboratory.
G " this way Miss, upstairs"
They go up.
H " what's up here?"
G " therapy rooms Miss"
Helga, one by one opens the doors, including the one for the room where Tim died in.
George /Kesselheim is beginning to sweat profusely, hands shaking, losing control.

In the study Carnaby turns to Boz , smile on his face.
C " 4 minutes Boz, I've done it, it's going to be okay"
Helga is in one of the rooms examining bottles of chemicals, she turns and screams.


Carnaby and Boz run out of the study up the stairs to the lab area, to find George /Kesselheim standing over Helga's body, looking very sheepish and sad.
C ( angrily) " FAILURE!"

Edited February 15 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

In the study Kesselheim has his sleeve rolled up, Carnaby holding a syringe.
K " I didn't touch her"
C " Boz?"
Bz " lacerations, bruising, neck broken"
C " you didn't touch her!!?"
K " I can't remember. I left her for a few moments, she wandered into that room, then I heard her scream"
C ( sarcastically) " then she just happened to be lying at your feet"
K " I swear I don't remember"

Carnaby injects him,
C " you can't remember, of course not, you're cured aren't you! Take him away Boz , lock him up"
Carnaby hurls the syringe across the room in a fit of anger.
C "TOTAL FAILURE!"

 

Sylvia awakens the next morning on her bed, fully dressed, feeling a bit whoozy.
Carnaby is in his study recording on his Dictaphone.
C " I feel as many as my patients do, the struggle between logic and emotion. Kesselheim 's relapse was partly to be expected, but I felt so sure he was ready. Now it is vital to my researches that Bostyne doesn't fail with the American girl."
In the dining room Sylvia is having breakfast, Boz serving her, Slattery comes in looking worse for wear.
Sl " morning Sylvia, remind me to stay off the wine. Coffee please Boz, make it black. Where's Helga?"
S " she went into town early, didn't she Boz"
Bz " that's right Miss, George took her to do some shopping"
In his study Carnaby continues recording,
C " Bostyne must succeed with the American girl. After all my success with Aldridge has been phenomenal, sedated he is a normal charming human being, unsedated....."
Boz has carried a plate of food up to the lab area. He opens a door, and places the tray of food on the floor and pushes it into the room. Kesselheim's voice is heard.
K " how long must I stay here"
Bz " he didn't say"
K " tell him it wasn't my fault, I didn't kill her"
Boz closes the door,and looks through the spyhole of another door. Helga is there, dead on a bed covered with a sheet.

That evening Sylvia walks into a small drawing room, Slattery is there writing away, longhand, notes for his book.

S " Michael, it's eight o'clock"
Sl " mmmm"
S " well there can't be any shops still open now, Helga has been gone all day"
Sl " probably got lost"
S " George was with her. How long have you been here Michael?"
Sl " sometime, I came to interview the old man, and he allowed me to stay on and observe, then we talked about me doing his biography"
S " something odd Michael, this morning when I woke up, I had such a hangover, a strange one , I'm sure it wasn't the wine. Felt like sleeping tablets"
Sl " come on, can't be , but you're lucky, my head was split in two"
S " you didn't drink much either"
Sl " enough I guess.( standing) Must get some of this typed up, see you at dinner."
Boz enters the study,
C " how's Kesselheim?"
Bz " still sticking to his story"
C " can't remember anything. We must investigate, take him back through it. Until then I'm classifying him as dangerous"
Bz " right sir"
Carnaby and Boz leave the study passing Sylvia as she leaves the drawing room. Sylvia waits for them to disappear upstairs then she slips into Carnaby's study.
She first notices the three bottles of liquid locked away in a glass cabinet. Bottles labeled 'A' 'B' and 'K', she opens Carnaby's desk, in the drawer is a black plastic case, she opens it, three syringes inside. Closing it she then sees a folder, she takes it out and opens it on the desk. The folder contains newspaper cuttings. One page has the headline " Aldridge Escapes", another " Killer Bostyne Believed Drowned" and a third cutting " Hunt Continues For Kesselheim"
S " oh my god, Aldridge Kesselheim and Bostyne"
She hurriedly places the folder back in the drawer of the desk, too hurriedly, a sheet falls out onto the floor, she doesn't see it and leaves.

Edited February 15 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Carnaby and Boz are in the lab area, interrogating Kesselheim.
K " I left her alone for a few moments, I went back in, she was dead"
C " you're blocking Kesselheim. You know what this means, we may have to withhold your treatment indefinitely"
Sylvia knocks on Slattery 's bedroom door.
S " Michael ......Michael"
No answer, she runs up the stairs to the lab area. She just missed Slattery, he came out the bathroom a second or two after she disappeared up the stairs.
In the lab area Sylvia stops outside a metal door, she opens the spyhole and sees a body on a bed , covered up.
The door isn't locked, she gingerly enters. She recoils in horror as she pulls back the sheet to reveal Helga.


She stifles a scream as she hears a door opening further down the corridor. Looking out through the spyhole she sees Carnaby and Boz. Carnaby speaks into the Dictaphone,
C " I've decided to withdraw treatment indefinitely. This will mean he will revert to homicidal tendencies"
Carnaby and Boz go down the stairs, Sylvia silently behind them when she hears Carnaby around the bend in the stairs saying,
C " we've forgotten something Boz"
Bz " are you going to run my test?"
C " yes of course, but first.."
They're coming back up, Sylvia runs back up and hides, she takes a key from a hook and opens a door and enters the darkened room. She faces the door listening intently, when a hand touches her shoulder. She turns, it's Kesselheim, reaching out to her, he's chained to a chair. She doesn't scream, Carnaby and Boz are in the corridor outside. Boz enters the room where Helga's body is, puts it over his shoulder and carries it out.
In the " cell" Kesselheim has grabbed Sylvia 's neck chain and is pulling at it, grinning with sexual menace. The chain snaps, Sylvia darts out, slams the door shut and locks it.

 

Sylvia sees Michael coming out of his room, she runs up to him and flings herself into his arms.
S " oh Michael thank god"
Sl " what's up?"
S " Helga is dead!"
Sl " what!!"
S " come I'll show you"
She gabs his hand and leads him upstairs.
Meantime Carnaby has returned to his study and sees the newspaper cutting on the floor. ' Aldridge Escapes ' is the headline. He goes over and unlocks the medical cabinet. He takes out bottle"A" and opens it, and tips a bit onto his finger and tastes it.
Upstairs Sylvia and Slattery enter a room, the body of Helga is gone.
S " Michael she was here I swear, she'd been murdered. Bostyne Kesselheim and Aldridge are all killers and they're in this house"
Slattery stares incredulously.

Downstairs Boz passes the study.
C " Boz come here"
Boz enters, Carnaby holding bottle.
C " Aldridge has been out thinking us, his sedation, he's not sedated at all, this is water"
Bz " then Kesselheim was telling the truth, he didn't kill that girl"
C " where's Aldridge?"
Bz " I haven't seen him for sometime"
C " lock all the doors and shutters, switch off the phone. I want the house sealed"

Edited February 15 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Upstairs in the lab area,
S " listen Michael, Carnaby has clippings of all of them. They escaped from mental asylums, Carnaby would have access to places like that wouldn't he? He probably helped them escape"
Sl " why would he do that?"
S " for his researches. You don't believe a word I'm saying do you, I'll prove it"
They leave the room, and walking towards them is Carnaby.
C " what's going on here?"
S " I ..er... was conducting an experiment, to see how the press could be deceived"
C " you're welcome to see the lab Sylvia but I prefer if you waited for the official tour, there's a lot of valuable equipment up here. And you Slattery this isn't your field at all"
S " it was all my fault professor I'm sorry"
Sylvia and Slattery go back down the stairs. Sylvia runs to the front door, it's locked. Carnaby comes down the stairs. Sylvia goes up to Michael.
S " I think I'll like a drink before dinner, what about it Mike?"
Sl " sure I'll join you"
They go into the dining room, Boz has just finished locking the shutter on the window, he leaves.
Sl " what can I get you Sylvia?"
S " nothing, I don't want a drink, I want to get out of here. Look, that shutter, I'm not imagining that am I ?, and the front door was locked"
Sl " Boz often locks up at this time."
Sylvia picks up the phone it's dead, she hands it to Slattery, who now looks concerned as he fails to get a dialling tone.
S " Michael they've killed Helga, and probably Tim, you've got to believe me Michael or we'll wind up dead too"

Sylvia runs out of the dining room, she sees Carnaby and Boz in the study talking earnestly, she opens the door gently, sees the Dictaphone on the desk and grabs it, pulling the key out of the door and slams the door shut and locks them in.
Carnaby calls after her,
C " Sylvia wait..."
Bz " the door's locked professor"
C " break it down"

Sylvia runs back to Michael Slattery.
Sl " what's happened?"
S " I've locked them in the study"
Sl " you did WHAT!!"
Sylvia turns on the Dictaphone,
S " you're going to listen to this Michael"
Carnaby's voice is heard,

C " it is vital to my researches that Bostyne doesn't fail with the American girl"
Sylvia winds the tape back a bit,
C " Kesselheim's relapse was partly to be expected"
S" convinced?"
Slattery is definitely convinced, the loud banging as Boz tries to break out of the study also helps to persuade him.
Sl " that door isn't going to hold for much longer...come on"
They run out, just as Boz and Carnaby smash their way out of the study. Slattery and Sylvia run upstairs, Boz in pursuit. Slattery stops halfway up, turns to face Boz. He aims a kick at Boz, a direct hit to the face. Boz falls backwards, ends up unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. He catches up with Sylvia upstairs, grabs her hand ,
Sl " quick in here"
They dive into Sylvia 's bedroom.

Carnaby runs along the corridor and opens the door of Sylvia's room, Sylvia and Slattery flatten themselves behind the door against the wall. Carnaby shuts the door and leaves, he goes up to lab area.
( in the bedroom)
S " lets move out"
Sl " no, he's gone to the lab area, it's a maze up there, let him get clear then we move"
( lab area)
Carnaby is shouting ,desperate, standing in the corridor ,his voice carries to Slattery and Sylvia.
C " Sylvia, Miss Dene ,answer me . You're in terrible danger. The man you're with...Slattery... IS NOT SLATTERY. Slattery was murdered by the man you're with...Aldridge....you're with Martin Aldridge"
( in the bedroom)
Sl " fancy trying to get away with that, don't listen to him"
(lab area)
C " please Sylvia listen to me, he's killed many times, get away from him"
( in the bedroom)
Sl " so that's his tactic, divide and conquer"
( in the lab area)
C " Sylvia, if you trust him, if you think he's sane, that's a testament to my work. I've given him the face of normality, but underneath the exterior he is a cold killer. Run from him before he kills you too"

( in the bedroom)
S " shouldn't we move out of here?"
Slattery looks wide eyed at her, he is beginning to sweat and breathe heavily.
Sl " not yet,.....you haven't kissed me !!"
S " OH NO !!"
Sylvia knows the truth, Aldridge lunges at her, pushing her down onto the dressing table trying to rip her dress off, she fights him off, reaches her hand onto the dresser and grabs at a pair of scissors. In an arcing motion she slams the scissors into Aldridge's back. He screams, she runs out of the room

Carnaby opens the cell containing Kesselheim, he tosses him the key to his manacles.
C " it's Aldridge, he's on the loose help us"
At the foot of the stairs Boz is still unconscious, Sylvia searches for the keys on him, she takes them out of his pocket and runs to the front door. Too late, Aldridge is running down the stairs after her, blood running down his back. She runs into the study, a big mistake, she's trapped.
S " please no...please..."
Aldridge menacingly moves towards her, Carnaby appears at the door.
C " Aldridge!"

Aldridge turns, Carnaby has a gun, he fires, one shot, Aldridge falls backwards across the desk, dead.
Carnaby looks sadly at the dead Aldridge, SUDDENLY BOZ IS BEHIND HIM ,HANDS AROUND HIS THROAT, SQUEEZING.
Aldridge fell across the button on the desk, the bells are ringing in the kitchen, where Kesselheim is shining shoes and giggling as he hears Aldridge being shot.
Carnaby ( choking) " NO BOZ STOP"
Carnaby is dragging himself over to the record player as Boz strangles him, he desperately tries to reach it but he can't make it!!
Sylvia runs to the front door, unlocks it and runs out into the night air.
She's free of the murderous goings-on in Carnaby's house.

the end
 

Cast;
Sylvia....Joanna Pettet
Carnaby.....Patrick Magee
Kesselheim....Max Wall
Slattery....Eric Flynn
Boz.....Don Henderson
Helga....Petra Markham
Tim....Peter Settelen

Edited March 6 by HawkMan

[Gerrumonside ref]

Hi @HawkMan

Is everything okay for you?

I know you’re putting a lot of work into this thread, but I wanted to ask.

Cheers

Gerum

Edited February 16 by Gerrumonside ref

[HawkMan]

3 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Hi @HawkMan

Is everything okay for you?

I know you’re putting a lot of work into this thread, but I wanted to ask.

Cheers

Gerum

Thanks @Gerrumonside ref, my knee is slowly recovering,  left flat today for first time in 3 weeks to go to the local shop. Usually 5 minutes there and back, today took 65 minutes. Aiming for reasonable recovery by end of month.

Still, I'm enjoying doing this thread.