Cult TV Special Thread-Brian Clemens' Thriller (1973-76).

[HawkMan]

Pru , Richard's secretary leaves at the end of the day, it's a short walk to her flat. Tracy Conway is following her, she stands behind Pru at the pedestrian crossing and as a truck approaches she puts her hand in front of her behind Pru's back ready to push her into the road. Fortunately the lights change and Pru crosses the road , Tracy follows. Pru enters her apartment block and into her flat.
Tracy reads on the front of building the residents names and flat numbers. She buzzes the appropriate bell and says she is a friend of Richard's and he sent her to see her, Pru let's her in.

Inside the flat Pru is preparing her evening meal when Tracy enters, and says Richard sent her over to get advice from Pru about secretarial work.
Pru, " what sort of job had you in mind "
Tracy, " yours, personal assistant to Richard."
Pru, " but I'm his personal assistant."
Tracy seems lost in a daydream, insane perhaps, she takes out scissors from her bag, " don't spite me."
Pru looks shocked, " spite you?!"
Tracy, " Richard and me we're going to be married. "

Tracy slashes with the scissors, Pru screams, after it's all over Tracy calmly vacuums the room , throwing Pru's uneaten meal in the bin and a calmly leaves, leaving behind a Romantic Heart magazine.....Tracy Conway is a psycho.

[HawkMan]

The next day at work puzzlement for Richard Main as Pru hasn't showed up ,his wife Janice is there , the two of them in Richard's private office, Janice suggests Richard phones to find out if Pru has been reported to be in an accident or in hospital or something. When that leads nowhere Richard calls the police.
Inspector Quinn of Scotland Yard visits Pru's flat with another officer but find nothing, except the magazine lying on the dining table. Her handbag is still there, and Quinn puzzled that she would leave home without it and her money. The caretaker says Pru is a very reserved lady and wouldn't stay out all night at some party or run off with a man she'd met, so Quinn is puzzled, but with no sign of a crime he informs Richard Main that Pru is going on the missing persons list.
Meanwhile Tracy Conway has gone to Girlfinders secretarial employment bureau to get a job.
Mr Robinson the manager interviews her and says with her qualifications finding her a job shouldn't be difficult.

Tracy says she loves to work and is willing to run the telephone switchboard here at Girlfinders temporarily.
Robinson hires her and Tracy is in situ at Girlfinders, ready for the next phase of her plan to marry Richard Main.

When Robinson is busy and out of earshot Tracy phones Main Enterprises, direct to Richard in his office.
Tracy, " Mr Main, this is Girlfinders secretarial employment agency, this is a courtesy call, we have a wide range of qualified secretaries if you should need one at competitive rates."
Richard isn't interested and slams the phone down.
Robinson does overhear this and is pleased.
Robinson, "that's good thinking Miss Conway, the kind of initiative this organisation needs."
 

Meanwhile Inspector Quinn is mulling over the case with his subordinate.
Quinn, " wasn't there a case recently up North, family murdered at dinner, a copy of Romantic Heart left at the scene, look it up in the files lad."
Some time later Quinn is on the phone to Chief Inspector Barnes, " sorry to be bother you sir, but we've got a case on our patch which reminds me of one in your neck of the woods, missing girl, romantic magazine left at the scene that doesn't seem to belong."
Barnes, " I'll be down tomorrow first train."
Quinn, " really sir? It's probably not connected."
Barnes, " I said I'll be down straight away."

Bill Lewis is Richard's business partner, he's been away fishing for a few days and has returned to the upset at work.
Richard fills him in with Pru's disappearance.
Bill, " probably nothing, went to a party , went on a bit too long that's all. I bet you there's a man behind this."
Richard, " I'm not so sure, Pru isn't like that."
The phone rings Richard answers it and hears Tracy Conway again advertising Girlfinders services.
Richard is angry, " okay yes I need a secretary, and after your persistence she'd better be good."

Tracy puts the phone down and informs Mr Robinson, " I've got a job, Main Enterprises, start tomorrow."
Tracy has manoeuvred herself perfectly into Richard's life.

Edited February 20 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Richard Main enters his office, it's 9am and a trolley with tea crockery is ready, choice of sugars for him, letters opened on his desk, neatly arranged and Tracy Conway smiling at him.
Tracy, " I'm Tracy Conway from Girlfinders, I've familiarised myself from the files with the business of the day, the letters I've arranged in order of importance, these I feel need your immediate attention , the rest I can deal with from the files. I've booked your luncheon appointment with Mr Margolis at Paninos restaurant which I gather is your favourite restaurant and telephoned Mr Margolis secretary to confirm. Ready for dictation whenever you want."

Richard is mightily impressed, " well thank you Miss Conway very efficient."
Tracy, " do you remember we bumped into each other in the street?"
Richard, " oh yes."
Tracy, " fate is a funny thing."
Tracy leaves office and sits at her desk, Bill comes over, " I'm Bill Lewis, Mr Main's partner, you'll occasionally be working for me."
Tracy coldly, " I see."
Bill goes into office to see Richard, " who's the Snow Queen?"
Richard " Snow queen? Oh that’s Tracy Conway from Girlfinders."
Bill, "any news on Pru?"
Richard, " nothing yet."

Richard calls Tracy and says, " Miss Conway please get me my wife at home."
Tracy puts the phone down and sits and does nothing then calls up Richard saying, " sorry Mr Main no answer from your wife."
Richard, " well keep trying."

After a while Richard comes out of his office and asks Tracy if she has got through to his wife yet.
Tracy lies, " I've been trying every 5 minutes no answer."
Richard, " where the hell is she?"
Tracy, " probably had a secret appointment that she didn't want you to know about, women are like that."
Tracy sowing marital discontent.

That evening Richard arrives home, Janice is waiting.
Janice, " any news on Pru?"
Richard, " nothing, er where were you today?"
Janice, " nowhere why?"
Richard, " I tried calling."
Janice, " you must have misrouted."
Richard, " I dialled several times."
Janice, " must have misrouted several times, I'll get the dinner."
She leaves room and Richard is not sure what to believe.

[HawkMan]

Next day Inspector Quinn is in his office at Scotland Yard , his assistant says, " he's a big wheel up North sir, this Barnes, what if we've got him down here on a fool's errand?"
Barnes enters, " then I'm the fool, you were right to call me. Okay tell me all about it, on the way to her flat."

Barnes, Quinn and assistant are in Pru's flat, Barnes opens the bin in the kitchen to see the food, " either she was very wasteful or that’s her dinner in there. ( pointing to table) gather the cloth up carefully forensics can take a look."
Quinn and assistant pick up the four corners of the tablecloth and gather them together, lifting a dinner plate, cutlery and wine glass and bottle into a bundle. Barnes notices the table isn't ordinary, the top has got hinges on the side and opens up .
Barnes," hang on, look."
Barnes opens top to reveal a compartment in the table centre, he looks inside and sadly looks away, Pru's body is stuffed inside.

Richard Main storms into his office, face of thunder, today's business lunch didn't go well. Tracy is waiting for him.
Richard, "that was a disaster , two years we've worked on that scheme and it was shot down."
Tracy, " a scheme as good as that has to go, just to another buyer. It isn't the scheme that's the problem just today's contact."
Richard, " you're right! We need a new buyer that's all. Tracy...I'm beginning to wonder what I ever did without you, get the sales manager up here."
Tracy makes the call from her desk, Bill Lewis looks over at her suspiciously he goes into his office then calls her desk, Tracy picks up phone.
Bill, " Miss Conway I want you to get a number for me."
Tracy, coldly, " yes Mr Lewis."
Lewis, " on second thoughts I'll get it myself."

Office junior secretary Sally walks up to Richard's office holding a file, Tracy stops her.

Tracy, " what's that?"
Sally, " stock report Mr Main needs to sign it."
Tracy, " Mr Main is busy."
Sally, " he says the stock report mustn't be delayed."
Tracy grabs it, " don't spite me."
Richard comes out and Tracy hands him file " stock report Mr Main."
Richard signs it and leaves office. Tracy hands file back to Sally.
Tracy, " that's how it will be done in future."
Sally notices Tracy has no rings on her fingers, smiles and sticks her hand under Tracy's nose showing off her jewelled ring,
" oh I'm engaged." Sally then saunters off smiling. Tracy looks daggers at her.

Richard walks back to his office, " Miss Conway I'm phoning my wife, no calls for the next 10 minutes."
After Richard goes back into the office Tracy quickly picks up phone and dials Janice Main blocking Richard's call.
Tracy introduces herself and engages in small talk, Richard angrily pops out of office, " Miss Conway my wife is engaged, can you keep trying you've got time to waste."
Tracy ends call with Janice and smiles happy with her mischief.
A full 45 minutes later Tracy is in Richard's office and says ," your wife is still engaged."
Richard, " 45 minutes, who the hell is she talking to?"
Bill enters and notices a tension in the air.
Bill, " what's the flap?"
Richard, " oh Tracy's been trying to contact Janice, no joy."
Bill, " well let's see if the Lewis luck can change that."
Bill dials and gets the ringing tone, he places receiver up to Tracy's ear.
Bill, " you must have been misdialling Miss Conway."
Tracy looks stressed and leaves.

Edited February 20 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Bill Lewis is on the phone to Girlfinders, Mr Robinson is out of the office at present but the assistant manager speaks to Lewis.
Lewis, " I don't want you to think we're not absolutely satisfied with Miss Conway but we have certain checks that need to be done, such as her previous employment, why she left, references that sort of thing....if you could get Mr Robinson to phone back I'll be grateful thanks."
The call ends but Bill can hear a click on the line, he carefully puts receiver on desk and pokes his head out of office door, to see Tracy working away at her desk. Seconds earlier he would have seen her listening in to the call.

Bill walks across the open plan office passing Tracy and into Richard's office.
Bill, " there's something odd about that girl, Miss Conway."
Richard, " probably because she's very efficient."
Bill, " there's something I can't put my finger on."
Richard laughs " come on Bill, she's just not your type you've admitted that."
Bill " that's part of it yes, an old bird fancier like me, but there's a lack of normal responses."
Richard, " so anyone who doesn't fancy you is odd!?"
Bill, " there's more, I'm certain she's been listening in to my calls."
Richard, " come now Bill, she's only been here a short time and you're accusing her of industrial espionage. She's come in at a difficult time and been the model of efficiency."
Suddenly the door opens and Tracy shows in Barnes and Quinn, while Barnes introduces himself Tracy unseen goes over to the intercom and switches it on, then leaves.
At the desk she sits and listens on her intercom to the conversation inside Richard's office.
Richard is shocked, " Pru murdered...my god."
Barnes, " stabbed in her flat, similar to a case up north in a little town Saltburn. Copy of Romantic Heart magazine left at the scene , anybody in the office reads that magazine sir?"
Richard, " not that I know of."
Tracy listening is shocked, she pulls out her copy of Romantic Heart from her bag and quickly has to hide it. She opens the drawers of her desk, previously Pru's, and sees a photo of Pru with Bill taken at a horse race meeting. She takes photo and runs into Bill's office, opens his desk drawers and finds love letters from a petite blonde girl and a photo of the girl with Bill , Tracy starts to read letter.
" Dear Bill, sorry we cannot continue seeing each other, I'm returning photos of us."
Tracy takes photos and swaps them for Pru and Bill photo and places magazine in drawer, but takes love letters out, runs back to her desk and places them in the drawer.

 

Quinn , Barnes, and a sombre looking Richard and Bill come out of office and go up to Tracy's desk.
Richard ( to Barnes), " this is Tracy Conway, Pru's replacement."
Bill says with a caustic tone " it was supposed to be temporary."
Richard, " Pru's been murdered."
Tracy acting surprised as Barnes goes behind desk," this her desk?"
Tracy, " yes, I haven’t touched anything."
Barnes finds letters addressed to Bill ending relationship.
Bill, " I don't know how they got there, I had no relationship with Pru."
Richard, " obviously Barnes, Pru had a thing for Bill, I wouldn't have thought it of her."
Bill is totally perplexed, " that's just not true, hang on I remember those letters are from Jenny, you know from accounts I took her out a few times and she ended it and returned some photos."
Barnes, " mind if we look in your desk sir?"
Bill, " no help yourself."

Quinn pulls opens the drawers of Bill's desk to find photo of him and Pru.
Bill, " oh yes, I took her to a race meeting, not just her, there was a crowd of us."
Quinn also finds the Romantic Heart magazine.
Bill protests, " well that's not mine."
Barnes," I'll give you time to explain it sir at the station."
Bill is led out, Richard pats him on the shoulder, " don't worry Bill I'll get Cranleigh."
Richard turns to Tracy, " get our solicitor Cranleigh, number is in the company directory. He'll sort this out Bill, if he doesn't we'll change solicitors."
Bill glares at Tracy, " seems we should change something else around here too."

Bill is being questioned by Barnes at The Yard.
Bill, " this is ridiculous, what would I want with a romantic magazine, and those letters in Pru's desk, it's all too pat."
Barnes surprises Bill saying, " yes I agree, far too pat, tell me Mr Lewis do you think it's possible that Mr Main was having an affair with his secretary?"

At Main Enterprises Tracy enters Richard's office.
Richard " I have to wait here for Cranleigh you may as well go home Tracy."
Tracy, " you're worried about your wife aren't you? It's times like this you realise what a millstone she is."
Richard, " millstone is a bit harsh, but yes I'm worried, Janice hates being on her own in the evening , the house is isolated, that's why we bought it for peace and seclusion."
Tracy, " look I'd like to help, why don't I go over to your place, I can stay with her until you arrive."
Richard, " are you sure.?"
Tracy, " absolutely."
Richard, " it would give me piece of mind, thank you so much Tracy."
Tracy leaves, " I'll take good care of her!"

The phone rings Richard picks it up to hear Mr Robinson of Girlfinders.
" Mr Main, Mr Robinson here from Girlfinders, I'm returning a call for Mr Lewis, is he there?"
Richard sighs, " no Mr Robinson can I help?"
Robinson, " it's about Tracy Conway, he wanted details of her previous employment. Well she's new to us as she is to you, very good references from her last job in Saltburn."
Richard wearily, " Mr Robinson I'm expecting a very important call, I've no idea why Mr Lewis wanted this information but when I see him I'll tell him, goodnight."
He forcibly bangs down phone.

Edited February 20 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Janice Main shows Tracy into the living room.
Janice, " so unexpected, not really fair on you Tracy, hardly a secretary's duty."
Tracy, " oh I didn't mind, truth is I wanted to see the house."
The dining table is set for two, candles adorn the table.
Tracy, " oh how romantic, may I?"
Tracy picks up a box of matches and lights candles.
Janice, " I was saving that for when Richard arrives but if it pleases you."
Tracy, " romantic...this room is how I imagined it , Richard has such good taste."
Janice, " erm..well I did have something to do with it too."
Tracy removes her coat, Janice takes it, and offers to take her handbag too.
Tracy, " no I always keep this with me, it contains everything of value to me, except Richard, can't keep him in my bag can I?"
Tracy laughs weirdly, Janice is getting unnerved by this.

Richard is sitting on his desk still waiting for Cranleigh to phone, suddenly Barnes and Robinson's words replay in his mind, " previous job in Saltburn ", " similar to a case in a little town Saltburn."
Richard jumps to his feet, "SALTBURN!"

He picks up the phone , " Operator, Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Barnes urgently."
At the Main residence the phone rings Janice picks it up, Tracy whips out her sewing scissors and cuts receiver cable.
Janice, " oh god.."
Richard puts phone down and runs out of office.

Tracy is rambling, a wild look on her face, " Richard won me over with that easy winning smile, not like my previous employer in Saltburn, he spited me so I had to punish him, he said he loved me but his wife was the problem so she had to be punished too. But Richard..."
Janice is very concerned, " did something happen in the office today?"
Tracy, " yes, two people fell in love , me and Richard. "
Janice is backed into a corner as Tracy with her scissors paces the room totally in her own world.

Tracy, " it's impossible like the magazines say, the romantic triangle, I have to do this.."
Janice crying, " please Tracy..let me go."

Tracy, " don't spite me...don't spite me."
Tracy raises her scissors ready to strike...and Richard grabs her arm, Tracy pulls him towards her and kisses him mouth to mouth, she is pulled off by Barnes and Quinn, Richard comforts Janice.
Barnes sarcastically, " very romantic Miss Conway."
Tracy looks totally insane, a weird smile on her face, " yes, that's what I am , romantic, incurable."

Cast;
Tracy....Francesca Annis
Richard Main.....Patrick Allen
Janice....Moira Redmond
Bill Lewis....Edward Judd
Barnes.....Gerald James
Quinn.....Barry Stanton
Prudence.....Sheila Fearn
Robinson......John Arnatt
Sally.....Jackie Tong

Edited February 20 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S6 E5 KILL TWO BIRDS

Charley Draper is out of prison and his first port of call is his old friend nicknamed Busby, an old boy, living in a dingy bedsit.
Charley walks in proclaiming, " Charley 's home and Charley's rich."
Unfortunately Busby is dead on the bed, throat cut.

Into the room walks three men, London gangsters, Gadder in charge with his musclemen Tosher and Freddy. They've come for their loot, hidden by Charley before imprisonment. Charley realises Gadder had Busby killed, unnecessary because poor old Busby never knew where the money was. Charley asks for a drink, Gadder obliges.
" understandable, chap has been inside, needs a drink, help you relax Charles before you tell us what we want to know."

Charley takes the whisky, then chucks it at Tosher and jumps through a window down into a back alley and runs. Gadder and gang run out the house, into their car and off in pursuit. After they go someone gets out of a car and enters the house, who we cannot see, but whoever it is is wearing an expensive gold watch.

Edited February 21 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Two American tourists, Sally and Tracy are on tour of England, and after a visit to the hairdressers set off in their hired car for their next destination.

Tracy is hungry as they missed breakfast and see a roadside cafe and Petrol station and decide to enter for a spot of breakfast. The establishment is located on a country lane a bit isolated. Sally has to hobble out, her right leg is in plaster and she has a walking stick.
Meanwhile Charley has hot wired a car, and driven southwards into the countryside to call at Dr.Kemp, an alcoholic ex doctor, struck off for negligence. Charley needs a bit of medical treatment after his window incident left him limping and bleeding on his face. Kemp staggers about half drunk but does fix him up, Charley apologises for coming because Gadder is after him, Kemp is terrified and asks Charley to leave pronto.

Charley tells him he hasn't too far to go and promises he'll be back to pay him for his medical services, the hidden money is obviously near here. Charley runs off leaving the stolen car as he sees Gadder and friends pulling up outside.

[HawkMan]

In the cafe Tracy and Sally are enjoying breakfast, the cafe come petrol station is run by Sammy Draper and wife Carrie.

Gadder is questioning Kemp, rather roughly, with Tosher and Freddy menacingly threatening Kemp unless he talks. Kemp knows nothing except Charley hasn't got too far to go. Gadder instructs Freddy to get on the phone and find out who in this neck of the woods knows Charley.

Police officers Dexter and Turner are at the bedsit after Busby's body has been removed, they know Charley was here, and now they're on the case, find Charley Draper.

At Kemp's Gadder gets a call, he listens intently, surprised, everything now clear why Charley is in the area.
Gadder, Tosher and Freddy leave but not before forcing open Kemp's mouth and pouring down half a bottle of Scotch to stop him talking.
The phone rings at the cafe, Sammy answers it, he tells the caller that he's only got a couple of customers, and he'll get rid of them.
Sammy tries to get Sally and Tracy out fast, saying it's going to rain so they better get to their sightseeing destination pronto. As they leave a young man enters, a poorly dressed scruffy hippie looking for work.

Sammy can't oblige, so the guy tries to get a free coffee, Sammy tries to push him out, but Sally takes pity on him and hands Sammy some money telling him to give him some breakfast. The girls leave and the scruffy vagabond sits much to Sammy's annoyance.

[HawkMan]

Dexter and Turner the police investigating Busby's murder and after Charley are aware of a report of Charley being seen in the area, and a stolen car outside of Kemp's surgery have brought them to the village where the doctor lives. Inside they find the barely conscious Kemp, he mutters something about Gadder, and this frightens Dexter, Gadder is "new school" criminal, a psychopath a killer, unlike "old school" Charley who rarely hurt anyone except other criminals. It's a race against time to locate Charley and therefore Gadder before the public get hurt. He contacts Scotland Yard to get details of anyone or anywhere in this part of the country that Charley might go for help.

Sally and Tracy run into car trouble, a flat tyre. Tracy at the wheel drives into a farm hoping to find help. She looks around but it appears deserted. Tracy enters the barn calling out, and seeing no one leaves.

Charley is in the barn hiding, up top in the hayloft crouching down among the hay staring down at her. When Tracy leaves, Charley is relieved, he settles down for a sleep. He lies back in the hay, and bangs his head on something. There's a milk churn here in the hay, Charley pushes it away and sleeps.
Tracy tells Sally that there's no one about so they'll have to change the tyre themselves, but when opening the boot Tracy sees no spare tyre. There's no choice but to walk back to Sammy's garage and get a new tyre. Sally with her bad leg stays behind as Tracy sets off.

 

Later she enters the cafe / garage, no one about, she goes behind the counter calling out, and out of the kitchen door steps Gadder with gun, in the kitchen Carrie, Sammy's wife is sitting on a chair, gagged, Tosher and Freddy with guns too, Sammy explains who Charley is and why Gadder wants him, Sammy is Charley's brother.
" we've got to do as they say Miss, or they'll kill my wife."

Sally fed up of waiting for Tracy to return has hobbled the half mile to the cafe and enters, she sees Tracy sitting at a table with Sammy, Gadder comes out of kitchen with gun, putting her in the picture.

Suddenly a car pulls up, it's the police, and a local copper walks in , name of Wilson. He's just checking to see if Sammy has seen anything suspicious, Scotland Yard bigwigs are in town, trouble at Doc Kemp's. Sammy shakes his head. Gadder gun ready listening at the kitchen door, Tosher gun pointed at Carrie's head in case Sammy says something he shouldn't.
The door of the cafe opens and the young man is back , the hippie looking vagabond, this time he's flashing the cash, a wad of notes in his hand.
" Got a job ain't I, now I can pay my own way, I'll have a fry up Sammy, eggs, bacon, the whole works."
Constable Wilson is suspicious, " got a job have you?"
" yeah, farmhand."
"Which farmer."
The guy squares up to Wilson, "didn't ask his name, I'm not the nosey type."
Wilson grabs his arm and looks at the guy's expensive gold watch, "had a nice watch did he?"
"That's my watch, can you prove otherwise?"
Wilson not happy " what's your name son?"
" why, want to send me a Christmas card."
" I want your name."
The hippie replies, " Farrow."
" just Farrow."
"No, Farrow F Farrow, my parents had no imagination."
Wilson not amused replies, " okay if I find out that watch has been stolen I'll remember you Farrow....F Farrow."

Edited February 21 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Wilson leaves, Gadder emerges, Farrow put in the picture, as Gadder says, " we're getting a nice little gathering here. I want everything looking normal for when Charley gets here."
Sammy raises doubts, " perhaps he won't come here, he's a smart boy."
Gadder, " He better come Sammy, or I might get angry and start killing people."
Farrow sits with Sally and Tracy at their table looking concerned.

Farrow earnestly whispers to Sally and Tracy, "perhaps we can do something, jump them or something."
Sally horrified, " but his wife, what'll happen to her."
Sammy trying to act as if everything is normal at the counter overhears this and comes up to the table, " listen cut that out, my wife is in the kitchen with Gadder, he's a maniac, he'll kill her , if you do anything to put her in danger I'll kill you myself."
Gadder pops his head out of the kitchen, " I can hear everything Sammy."

Farrow makes a break for it, punches Tosher before being overwhelmed by Freddy. Sheepishly Farrow returns to his seat. Gadder sends Freddy outside in the dark yard of the garage on the lookout for Charley.

Tosher to Farrow, threatening "I won't forget you when this is over, you're mine."

 

Inside the cafe Tracy and Sally are at a table with Sammy and Farrow, Tosher standing covering them with the gun. Gadder inside the kitchen, a gun at Carrie's head.
Freddy creeps among the oil drums in the yard, suddenly he hears a noise, he turns, Charley jumps down on top of him, a fierce punch and Freddy is out cold.
Constable Wilson reports back to Dexter and Turner at Dr. Kemp's, saying there's nothing to report.
" except a suspicious looking character at Sammy's, a cafe and garage sir, a young fellow, his outward appearance was at variance with a watch he was wearing."

Dexter sarcastically,  " ooohh at variance  hear that Turner?"

Wilson, " the watch was expensive looking but his outward appearance was that of a hippy."

Dexter, " hippy eh? Must be a criminal even their music is rubbish."

Wilson, " as we're after bigger fish Sir I let him off with a warning."

Dexter says, " describe the watch."
" erm...gold designer type, very expensive looking."
Turner says to Dexter, " it could be Farrow, that watch, it's like his signature."
Wilson hears, "yes that's what he called himself Sir, Farrow."
Dexter runs out quick, Turner turns to Wilson, "Farrow is our man, been on Charley's tail since his release."
Gadder is worried, Freddy has disappeared, he looks out of the front door, no sign of Freddy. Gadder orders Tosher out, and as Tosher creeps around the yard, he finds Freddy unconscious, then turns , Charley's fist connects, Tosher out too.
Farrow sees Gadder's discomfort and sneers, " well well , who's setting up who, looks like Charley is calling the shots now."
Gadder points his gun at Farrow, then sighs, " oh do shut up."
Sammy gets up from the table taking away some the tea cups , he pushes open the kitchen door, Carrie has gone! The chair she was sitting in is empty, he says nothing as Gadder calls to him, "over here Sammy."
Gadder grabs Sammy, a terrified Tracy and Sally look on as Gadder puts gun to Sammy's head. Gadder calls out, " Charley I know you're nearby, I've got Sammy, give yourself up."

 

Gadder is looking towards the front door expecting Charley from that direction , but Charley runs out from the kitchen with gun, " here Gadder."
Gadder spins and fires, Charley hit in stomach , police sirens heard, Farrow, undercover cop leaps into action, Gadder grabbed, police pour in , Gadder taken out, Sally and Tracy are okay, Farrow leads them out.
Charley slumped on the floor dying, Sammy's eyes welling up with tears.
Dexter urges Charley ,"the money Charley where is it?"

"To tell you the truth copper I don't know, Sammy here is the only one who knows, he hid it. Go on Sammy tell the nice policeman, it's not going to be any use to me."
Sammy sitting on the floor next to Charley, sounding a bit choked with emotion says, " well it's not far from here, there's a deserted farm, up in the hayloft buried in the hay is a milk churn, the money is in there."
Charley can't help but laugh, remembering he banged his head on it lying in the hay, he chuckles out loud, then dies.

 

Cast;
Sally....Susan Hampshire
Tracy......Gabrielle Drake
Charley....David Daker
Gadder.....Dudley Sutton
Sammy.....Bob Hoskins
Farrow....Granville Saxton
Dexter....Donald Morley
Kemp....John Bailey
Tosher....Stephen Yardley
Freddy......Bunny May
Carrie.....Rita Giovannini
Turner.....William Hoyland

Edited February 21 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S1 E3 - SOMEONE AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS 

The episode opens as a young woman walks strangely through a dark mansion, arriving at the top of the house in the attic room. The door closes behind her, and she screams.


Later, outside the mansion, a young man rings for admittance, presumably to inquire about a room for rent advertised via a sign in the window. An odd woman inside the mansion sees him ringing the bell, but refuses to admit him and he leaves, bumping into two young women on the pavement. Chrissie and Gillian are two young college students who ring the bell and are immediately greeted by Mrs Oxhey. Mrs. Oxhey is extremely friendly to them, and she shows them an apartment that exceeds their expectations. When the girls worry that they won't be able to afford it, Mrs. Oxhey seems anxious to rent the space to them, and she gives it to them for a ridiculously low amount, telling them "I want you to have it!" Gillian and Chrissie move in and find a few peculiar things, such as a necklace with a pendant on it and the message "Help me, help me" written on the inside of the wardrobe. They begin to meet the other residents of the boarding house, all of them polite but odd in some unexplainable way. Unbeknownst to the girls, there are peep holes through which they're being watched. The residents also seem to be acting in unison: a man named Col. Wright rifles through the girls' clothes while they are in the bathroom, stealing their underwear, while Mrs. Oxhey sees this and says nothing. All of the rooms are rented, but nobody is ever seen coming or going from the attic room at the top of the stairs.

A pleasant young man named John Elgar tells the girls that the room is inhabited by "Mr. C", and that he's the oldest resident of the house.
Chrissie notices all the residents use the word marvellous a lot, " a marvellous day" " you'll be marvellously happy here", and all have a habit of holding their fingers of both hands clasped together under their chins, in an inverted V shape.

Edited February 21 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Chrissie meets little Jonathan Patrick, a small boy holding a Teddy Bear soft toy which is a bit battered.
Chrissie, " perhaps it's because you loved him too much."
Johnathan, " he's only a toy, he isn't real."
Chrissie, " do you have a real pet?"
Jonathan, " no, I wish I had."
Chrissie buys a kitten and hands it to Jonathan at the Patricks door.
Chrissie, " I hope you don't mind?"
Mr Patrick, " of course not, what's not to mind, a little thing like that."
Mrs Patrick, " what d'you say Jonathan."
Jonathan, " he's marvellous."
In bed that night Chrissie is woken by a scream, she wakes Gillian.
Gillian, " probably just the kid having a nightmare."
The next morning Chrissie is putting rubbish out in the yard,she opens a bin and recoils as she sees the kitten dead.
Mr Patrick explains the cat must have climbed out of the window during the night and fell because he found it in the yard.


Chrissie is becoming increasingly upset, she opens the wardrobe where they found the words "help me" scrawled on the inside of the door.
Chrissie, " we thought this was a joke perhaps it wasn't. And have you seen any of the other residents go outside, I mean actually face the light of day."
Gillian, " of course they go out."
Chrissie," or get any mail."
Gillian, " oh Chrissie please, I'm getting fed up with this."
Suddenly the sound of footsteps is heard from the floor above.
Chrissie, " that's Mr C coming out of his den."
Chrissie runs to door to get a look at the mysterious attic resident, but she can't open it!
Chrissie, " It's stuck."
Gillian, " it can't be."
The door eventually opens, but too late, Mr C is back in his apartment.

At a local pub, she meets the man who bumped into them on the sidewalk outside the house the day they rented the room: he introduces himself as Gary and she tells him about the strange things that have been going on.
Gary, " these old Victorian houses have a life of their own. Nooks and crannies, memories."
Gary is invited round and reckons the place just needs a lick of paint .

[HawkMan]

Next day Chrissie is in the bathroom when she sees an eye pressed against a hole in the wall. Running out fuming she opens the door of a broom cupboard next to bathroom and sees Jonathan in there spying on her. His parents apologise profusely, Mr Patrick says, " I'll deal with him I promise you that."
Mrs Patrick, " how could you Jonathan?"
The three of them enter their apartment, the door is slammed shut. Chrissie turns to go back into her apartment, then stops stunned, inside the Patricks apartment she hears raucous laughter.

Later Gary comes round again, Chrissie has clearly been crying, Gillian explains why.
Gillian, " a peeping Tom, the little boy from across the landing while Chrissie was in the bath looking through a hole in the wall."
Gary, " oh that's dreadful."
Chrissie sobs, " and the cat, and everything's marvellous."
Gillian, " you better go Gary."
Gary, " okay, I'll come tomorrow, take care of her."
After Gary leaves Chrissie implores Gillian, " say we can leave..please."
Gillian, " okay...end of the month..we're all paid up until then, but I promise end of the month we'll go."
Next day;
A man named Thurston arrives at the house and says he is looking for his missing daughter; he has a vague idea she may have stayed there, although he cannot be sure. Chrissie cannot find Mrs. Oxhey to verify it, so Thurston leaves a photograph of her ( the girl from the first scene)

Chrissie promises to phone him after she speaks with Mrs. Oxhey. Oxhey denies ever having seen the girl, as do all the other residents, but Chrissie is positive it's the same girl because the locket in the photo is the same as the one they found when first moving in.
In a cafe Chrissie meets Thurston who surmises that Mrs Oxhey may be running an illegal pregnancy termination service, and promises he'll confront her and find out if his daughter did indeed stay there.

Gillian is awakened in a trance one night by a voice calling to her from the attic. Chrissie wakes up and stops her from entering the attic just in time; the incident is dismissed as sleepwalking.

Next day Thurston arrives at the house to question Mrs. Oxhey, and he is attacked by a figure that comes out of the basement.

Things come to a head when Gary takes Chrissie out of the city for a weekend trip, leaving Gillian alone. She is lured to a cocktail party, where she finds all the other residents in attendance except the mysterious Mr. C.



The residents urge her to take a drink up to Mr. C, and Gillian is given a goblet of wine and climbs the stairs to the attic, she turns and ALL the other residents are right behind her on the stairs urging her forward. Gillian takes another step and turns, ALL HAVE NOW GONE, as if they were never there.
Gillian reaches the door, which opens, she goes inside, then a scream is heard. Meanwhile Gary and Chrissie are in a pub, unfortunately Gary's car has broken down and he's outside looking at it with a mechanic. Chrissie overhears a man telling mates he's got to leave and head back to town. Chrissie asks him for a lift, he agrees and she makes her way back to the city, unable to shake the feeling that something is wrong.

She discovers Gillian missing, and when she searches the house first going into Colonel Wright's room and sees it is empty of furniture, carpet, missing floorboards and full of cobwebs. It seems totally uninhabitable, and in the centre of the room on the floor is a pile of underwear, the girl's that went missing. She then goes into the basement and finds Gillian's dead body leaning out of a trunk.

Terrified, she runs upstairs only to find Thurston. At first this comforts her; Thurston says he has phoned the police, but first he wants her to look in the attic.

Chrissie, " your daughter?"

Thurston, " yes she's down there...come on"

They go up to the attic, but as Thurston is following Chrissie up the stairs, we see a dead body in the basement, it's Thurston!! It's an illusory Thurston with Chrissie.

Edited February 21 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Chrissie enters attic room, it is furnished in a very old fashioned way. A gas lamp lights the room, Chrissie turns to Thurston behind her , but instead sees the mysterious Mr C. A man in his thirties or forties, dressed in Victorian clothes.

Cartney, " Thurston is dead, oh yes , you saw him, spoke to him, but you saw what I wanted you to see, what I willed you to see. But he is dead, really dead. Like Oxhey, Elgar, and the others, they are all long dead. And yet they exist."
Chrissie, " this is a nightmare, a terrible nightmare."
Cartney, " no this is real, everything about you is real, I AM REAL."
Chrissie, " this house?"
Cartney, " empty , just a shell, it has no more substance than a spider's web. You have been the most difficult until now, your will against mine, and you sense things, sense them with an extraordinary perception."
Cartney picks up a blue glass goblet of wine as he speaks pacing the room as Chrissie stares unbelieving.
Cartney, " it was different once this house, very different, coaches rattled to the door, pretty women soiréed. That was long ago, 1852 to be precise, September 1852, that was when I retired to this room, more than 100 years ago."
Chrissie, " retired to this room, you?!"
Cartney, " I am very old you see, and clever and time has been on my side, and I have made it so."
Chrissie, " Oxhey, Elgar...."
Cartney, " you saw them because I wanted you to see them, like Thurston just now, I willed him upon you. I told you I was clever, and I am the living proof of it ,LIVING. Of course there is good and evil in every man, but I am a Cartney and you will find a Cartney involved in every black mass since the days of civilisation. We Cartneys have been imbued with more than our share of evil.....and good, but good is such a poor pious thing, who could possibly survive on good alone. ( Raised voice) BUT EVIL IS THE STUFF OF LIFE ITSELF, IT IS ALIVE ,VITAL, IMMORTAL, for those who have found a way, and I have found a way. Eternal life through the infinite power of evil, through the rich black arts, the Devil himself breathed on my chill cheek and gave me eternal life. I have embraced him and he me. I exist and will exist until that final trump when Satan emerges to claim his very own."
Chrissie, ( shakes head) " NO! Those people were real, I saw them, I knew them."
Cartney, " and through them you knew me. oh yes, they were real once. Each and every one of them lived under this roof, my roof. But they are gone now, and all that remains is what I choose shall remain. The darker side of their souls. Those vile, black, hidden things. They have become my inheritance. Oxhey, Elgar, the Patricks all long dead, but they live on, through me, through my Imagination....and YOURS"
Cartney faces Chrissie, hands under chin in the inverted V shape.
Cartney, " through my great hallucinatory powers they actually exist again."
Chrissie stunned as before her Cartney appears to change into Mrs Patrick, then Elgar, Oxhey , even little Jonathan.

Chrissie's eyes start to water, as Cartney influences her mind.
Cartney, " exist not as ghosts or wraiths but of substance, so that they become real tangible. ( Cartney/ Mrs Patrick) marvellous, ( Cartney/ Jonathan) marvellous.
In the beginning was the word, in the beginning there was Lucifer, Beelzeebub, Old Nick himself. And in the end there shall be Old Nick and me, the last of the Cartneys, my influence shall endure forever. I am very old you see, yet I remain young. Can't you guess my secret, I STEAL FROM OTHERS, I STEAL THE LIFE OF OTHERS. You must not mind too much my dear, you will live on through me."

Cartney grabs Chrissie, she screams, and bites his hand, Cartney releases her, she runs out the room screaming.
Outside Gary hears the screams and smashes glass in front door and reaches inside for handle.
Chrissie runs downstairs into hall, Cartney in pursuit, he corners her but Gary picks up shard of glass and stabs Cartney in the back.

Cartney staggers about hall, " you can't destroy me."
Cartney staggers over to a stunned Chrissie, he touches her cheek saying, " I will live on."
Cartney falls dead, Chrissie in total shock collapses too.

Later the police are removing the bodies from the cellar.
Inspector, " that's nine, and we haven't even started looking."
Chrissie has recovered and is sitting on the stairs, Gary with her, arm around her shoulders.
Gary, " forget all that nonsense about living on, Cartney can't hurt you anymore Chrissie it's over."
Chrissie looks to portrait on wall of Cartney, hands in the portrait clasped under chin, fingers in an inverted V shape, as now is Chrissie's who says with a smile on her face, " that's marvellous....marvellous."

Cast;
Chrissie....Donna Mills
Gillian......Judy Carne
Cartney......David de Keyser
Gary......Francis Wallis
Mrs Oxhey....Alethea Charlton
Elgar....Brian McGrath
Col Wright.....Peter Cellier
Thurston.....Clifford Parrish
Mr Patrick....Scott Forbes
Mrs Patrick....Rhoda Lewis
Johnathan...Alan Roberto

Edited February 21 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S5 E3 - WON'T WRITE HOME MOM, I'M DEAD

Douglas Sadler is in a basement full of paintings and sculptures. The art works are home made, created by the young artists living in the commune here in this deserted pub. In effect the artists are squatters but the police say nothing, the village consists of this ex pub and a couple of houses, now deserted, the artists, or more accurately hippies are left alone.
Douglas is breathing heavy, seems scared as he runs through the basement, paper in hand, looking for somewhere to hide it.
Propped up against the far wall is a painting of 6 elm trees in a field. Douglas picks up the painting, turning it over, there's a little gap between frame and back of picture, he folds up his piece of paper and places it behind frame.
He places picture back against wall, puts another one in front of it.
Now he heads desperately for stairs leading up to main living area , but someone is coming down the stairs, holding a vicious looking knife. Doug backs away, but the assailant corners him, the knife is plunged in, Doug screams," ABBY ABBY!"

 

A battered white jeep parks outside the bank of this little English town. Out of the jeep piles half dozen artists/hippies. The manager inside the bank looks disapprovingly as the mob troop in. The leader of the artists is Alan Smerdon who walks up to the manager at the cashier desk.
Alan " has my allowance come through."
Manager, through gritted teeth, " I'll check sir."
Alan, " can't you serve me without that look of disapproval."
Hank another of the hippy artists says, " ah, he's just jealous because he doesn't have a Mummy and Daddy sending him money."
Manager, " it's here sir, how much would you like?"
Alan, " I'll have all of it."
Minutes later the hippies leave, pile back into the jeep and drive off to the commune.

Meanwhile a taxi has pulled up outside the pub where they all live, and an American woman gets out and enters pub.

She enters and sees no one around and calls out, "anyone here?"
A man enters from rear room , he is carrying a knife in one hand and a lump of wood in the other. He silently comes up behind the woman, "can I help you?"
The woman turns startled, the man apologises, "sorry to startle you, I'm Frank, that's a good scared look on your face though, you should keep it, sort of Joan of Arc, before she went to the flames. Mind if I carve you, it's a great look."
Frank starts chipping away at his wood, carving a face.
"So you scare people for fun eh? I'm Abigail, Abby, where is everybody?"
Frank, " in town, it's payday, get allowance from home day."
Abby," I'm looking for Alan Smerdon, I'm his half cousin."

Edited February 22 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

The hippies arrive back, led by Hank, who stops in his tracks as he sees Abby.
" Well, what have we here?"

Abby, "Alan ?"
Hank, " no pretty lady,( pointing) that's the man you want."
Alan Smerdon comes in, Abby steps forward, "Alan, it's me, don't you recognise me?"
Alan looks puzzled.
Frank ," put him out of his misery, Alan it's your half cousin Abby."
Alan, " Abby, yes of course , Geoff's daughter, well Abby it's been a long time, you didn't recognise me, I got more handsome I guess."

Abby, " thirteen years."
Alan, " how are folks back home?"
Abby, "your mother worries about you Alan, she hardly leaves her bed now. You never call or write, and she'd love to hear from you."
Alan," I've been busy."
Abby, " she says it's only the bank statements that keeps her in touch and as long as you draw your allowance she knows you're alive."
Alan," what about if I write and you can take it back to her?"
Abby, " fine, that's great thanks."
Alan," when will she get it? How long you staying?"
Abby," couple of days I guess."
Alan, " great, there's a hotel in town I'll call them."
Abby ," can't I stay here."
Alan alarmed, " here?! This isn't really your scene Abby, we've got a room but palatial it ain't."
Abby, "that's okay, I'd love to learn about how you live here."
A woman enters from the staircase leading up from the basement, carrying a clay bust that she sculpted.
Beryl, " Alan, I've done it look, pure copper red."
Alan looks at the female sculpted face, " it's beautiful."
Abby, " can I see?"
Alan, "oh Beryl, this is Abby my cousin from the States."
Abby looks at the sculpture and is taken slightly aback, the left eye is bleeding, a red streak of paint running down face.

 

That evening everyone is sitting around the log fire, Abby interested in how these young artists live.
Abby ," don't you miss home Alan, all that you had?"
Alan, " what did I have? Fast cars , useless possessions, nothing with real value. But here we take materials and sculpt or paint, give something back , here you can find yourself. Take Frank, when he came here, he had all this pent up aggression, now he focuses it all into his carvings."
Frank with his knife and lump of wood says in his dour Scots accent, "aye that's right I used to get into trouble, fights and stuff."
Abby turns to Beryl," what about you?"
Beryl, " same as Alan, rich family, no real values, I turned my back on them."
Abby," not entirely, you still collect your allowance?"
Beryl, " sure, why not we have to eat, they can afford it. I use it to get materials to work with my hands. And that doesn't conflict with my philosophy."
Abby, " what did Dougie think of it all?"
Alan is perplexed ," Dougie?"
Abby, " Douglas Sadler, he came here."
Alan turns to Beryl, " Douglas Sadler name mean anything?"
Beryl, " no, sorry."
Abby," but he said he was coming here, you remember him Alan, at college , he always admired you, the way you'd dropped out, done your own thing. I got a message that he was heading here some time ago."
Alan," how ? He was never here."
Abby, "this is going to sound strange, but Dougie and I had a thing going, and we had a sort of understanding mentally, telepathy I'd guess you call it. Anyway the deeper we fell in love the stronger it got, for example I'd be out on the road and my car would break down, and Dougie would know, and he'd come out to help. We ended up feeling exactly what each other felt and thought. Anyway we want to get married but Dougie insisted he came to Europe first, to see you Alan, get your advice, I wasn't happy but I had to let him go or risk losing him. Then I got a message, it was a bit fuzzy, maybe distance affects telepathy I don't know, but he said he was almost here. That was two weeks ago, the last time I heard from him."
Frank, " perhaps he's on his way, hasn't arrived yet, have you considered that Abby?"
Abby, " no Frank, you could be right, that's got to be it "

Edited February 22 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

 

The next day Abby has been driven into town by Frank in the jeep. They enter the bank, the manager looks suspicious until Abby says she wants to cash travellers cheques.
Manager, " certainly Madam, sorry I thought you were one of the artistic set."
Frank, " he means from the community, he thinks they're all leeches, sponging off their folks."
Manager, " how would you like the money Madam?"
Frank ," she'd like it quickly."
Back in the jeep Abby notices Frank's mood.
Abby, "he really got to you."
Frank, " his attitude, condescending, holier than thou, makes my blood boil."
Abby, " stop here Frank."
The jeep stops, they get out, Abby stares across a field at some trees.
Abby, " five trees, and I thought they'd be six."
Frank, " what's that?"
Abby, " in my mind I thought I could see six trees."
Frank, " that's odd, there were six until recently, one had to be cut down ,it had died, it was dangerous. But there was six."
Abby, " what happened to it?"
Frank," Dutch Elm Disease, a terrible thing , they are all dying, all will have to come down eventually."

Later when Abby gets back the phone rings, someone wanting Abby. Abby goes into hall to take call.
Abby, " hello, Janet hi , any news?"
Janet, " I've just arrived from Rome, Douglas wasn't there, he left for England two weeks ago."
Abby, " well he's not here either, listen Janet I've just remembered, Alan's birthday is day after tomorrow, wouldn't it be just like Doug to turn up then, a surprise visit."
Janet " yeah sure, look I'll try and get there, if I can make it I'll be on the train, about 5.30 okay?"
Abby, " okay Janet, see you."

 

Abby is asleep that night, suddenly she wakes, a voice is heard, a male voice, " Abby.....Abby...."
She sits up, was it in her head, a telepathic message from Dougie.
Abby, " Dougie?"
Voice.." Abby......Abby..."
She gets our of bed, looks out of window, and sees a black car drive into the village, a Rolls Royce. She leaves the bedroom and goes downstairs, the voice is heard again.
" Abby.....Abby..."
It's coming from the basement, Abby descends stairs and into darkened room. Spooky looking sculptures sit on various benches, the macabre work of Beryl.
" Abby......Abby.."
" Abby, what are you doing down here."
Abby turns, it's Beryl, Abby just runs out and outside in front of the pub, suddenly coming along the road is the black Rolls Royce, Abby jumps back as the car goes away down the road.

Next morning at breakfast,
Abby," who owns that car, big black Rolls Royce, big ghost of a car, I saw it last night."
Alan, " no one here, our budget doesn't run to Rolls Royces. Probably tourists, they occasionally come out here to stare at us."
Abby, " Janet Sadler is coming tomorrow, you remember her, it has to be tomorrow, Dougie I think will be here too."
Alan says nothing, then..." tomorrow my birthday, you thought I'd forgotten, tomorrow is my birthday. "
Abby, " yes Alan, and Janet thinks Dougie will be here then too. She's coming on the 5.30 train. "
Alan," I'll pick her up , and get some champagne."
Beryl comes in teasing, " champagne Alan Smerdon , did I hear you correctly.?"
Alan ," why not, got to live once in a while."

 

Edited February 22 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Next evening, Janet arrives at nearby station.

 

 

A black Rolls Royce is there, someone gets out to meet her. Janet places her luggage in the boot of the car, and gets into the passenger seat, the car drives off.
A bit later, the Rolls is parked in a lonely dark country lane, a woman's scream is heard. The car boot is opened, the dead body of Janet Sadler is flung in on top of her luggage.

Alan enters commune carrying bottles of champagne, " come on everybody, it's my birthday let's get this party going."
Beryl," are we starting without this Janet Sadler Alan, I mean how long do we wait."
Abby, " something's happened to her I can feel it."
Frank," nothing has happened, she said if she could make it she would, perhaps she can't come, or perhaps she's on a later train."
Abby, " she's not coming ever. "
Frank annoyed by Abby's misery guts attitude, "what d'you mean by that, explain yourself."
Abby, " what?"
Frank, " you said Janet's not coming."
Abby, "did I say that? I didn't even know I said it."
Beryl, " how long do we wait?"
Frank," well let's ask Abby, she's the psychic one, come on Abby, concentrate, concentrate on Janet Sadler, when she coming. Tell us...tell us Abby." They all laugh at her.
Abby, " NO STOP IT!"
Abby crying runs out and upstairs.

Later Beryl comes in after seeing Abby upstairs, "she's asleep she's okay now."
In the middle of the night Abby gets out of bed, half asleep as if in a trance, she walks down to the basement, as if drawn there telepathically. She goes to the kiln, and opens a peephole in the door and peers in.
Inside of the kiln are two sculptured clay busts being ' cooked' , suddenly the heads ARE ALIVE, Douglas and Janet, disembodied heads alive as the flames lick around them, they scream out.
" ABBY...ABBY HELP US...ABBY..AAAARRRGGGGHH!"

 

Abby pulls herself away crying, was it real, Or a telepathic message from beyond the grave.
She hurries back to bed.

Later in the basement Alan is staring into the kiln, Beryl walks up behind him.
Beryl, " you can't open it Alan, not until tomorrow. I mean it Alan, you open it and you'll ruin everything."
Alan, " the ashes, they're evidence."
Beryl, " not anymore, total metamorphosis, rebirth."

 

 

Edited February 22 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

The next day Abby is in the field looking at the 5 dying elm trees, Frank's jeep pulls up at the roadside, he gets out.
Frank, " Abby we've been looking for you, why did you come here?"
Abby, "Dougie and Janet need me, those trees, somehow they're important, 6 trees, but there's only 5 now."
Frank," come back Abby. You're letting this Douglas thing get on top of you, the truth is he isn't coming, ever, you've got to face it, you're not the first girl to have a man run out on them, but why he'd do that to a pretty girl like you, I don't know."
Abby, " he hasn't run out on me, I don't believe he's coming here, I've accepted that, but he's in trouble, he's been trying to reach me, I know it, and there's that car, a big black Rolls Royce, I've seen it, it's in the village somewhere."
Frank, " there's no Rolls Royce."
Abby, " it almost knocked me down."

 

The following afternoon Alan and his gang of hippies, not Frank, are heading off to a nearby rock concert.
Alan, " coming Abby?"
Beryl, " it'll be fun."
Abby, " no, I'll be packing, I can't stay here forever. "
Alan, " I'll be sorry to lose you Abby."
Abby, " if you want to write that letter to your mum before I go."
Alan," sure."

Later Abby is packing when she hears that disembodied voice again, haunting, whispering, Dougie's. "Abby.....Abby.."
She leaves room, following voice.
" Abby....Abby..."
And into Alan's bedroom.
She looks around room, and opens bedside table, takes out sheets of paper, written on it are lines and lines of the Alan Smerdon signature, as if someone was practicing writing it. Frank comes in, Abby hands Frank sheets, " look at that .....and this Frank."
Abby has found Rolls Royce car keys, Frank grabs them and runs out.
Frank is outside and goes over to barn a few hundred yards down the road. It is padlocked, but Frank unlocks it with a key from the keyring and enters barn. The car is there, he opens boot and sees Janet Sadler's labelled luggage, he runs out.

Edited February 22 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Abby comes down stairs into main living area, and hears Doug's voice again, "Abby....Abby.."
It's over by the stairs leading down to the basement, Abby descends stairs and walks through basement.
" Abby......Abby....."
It's over by the far wall. Abby walks over to wall and sees three paintings propped up against each other, crouching she looks at each one, she sees painting of 6 elm trees, she picks it up, and her hand feels the paper stuck into back of frame. She takes paper, unfolds it and looks at it.
Beryl enters ," what are you doing here?"
Abby, " Dougie wanted me to find this, that's why I kept seeing this image, 6 trees."
Beryl, " what is it?"
Abby, " it's from the University magazine, a clear photo of Alan Smerdon receiving his diploma." She hands it to Beryl, the photo is of a very different person to the Alan Smerdon here.
Beryl, " I don't understand, are you saying.."
Abby, " the Alan here is an imposter , Dougie did come here, saw the man posing as Alan and had to be silenced. Dougie and Janet, they're both dead."
Beryl, " this is crazy Abby, why?"
Abby, " the ten thousand a month allowance, that's an amount someone would murder for."
Alan's voice is heard upstairs, " Beryl?"
Beryl calls out, " Alan...down here."
Alan comes down stairs,
Beryl, " I'm afraid she knows Alan."
Alan ," that's too bad, another day and you'd have been gone....Beryl."

Beryl removes silk scarf from around her neck and hands it to Alan.
Alan, " it'll be over very quick."
Abby backs away and screams.."FRANK..FRANK. "
Frank enters building he cries out, " Abby Abby." He hears the scream from Abby.
Frank runs down stairs, Beryl blocks him.
Beryl, " keep out of this Frank."
Frank, " I've never hit a woman, but I've never met one with murder in her heart before." He pushes past her.
Alan has wrapped the scarf around Abby's neck and is tightening his grip, Frank grabs him, punches exchanged, Alan picks up Beryl's sculpture to fling at Frank , Beryl screams " NO ALAN."
Frank ducks the flying bust, and lands a knockout punch, Alan crashes to the floor.

Frank comforts Abby, " the police will be here soon, about time they cleared this place out. Here for you.....Joan of Arc."
He hands Abby his finished carving, the face on the wooden carving is Abby's.
On her way home she takes one last look at the 5 trees that were once 6.

 

Cast;
Oliver Tobias......Alan Smerdon
Pamela Franklin......Abby
Suzanne Neve......Beryl
Ian Bannen....Frank
Dallas Adams.....Douglas Sadler
Lesley North.....Janet Sadler

Edited February 22 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

S2 E3 - KISS ME AND DIE ( in depth)

A sprawling mansion in the English countryside surrounded by acres of land. Deep, deep down under the building is a sad sight.
A young man in his thirties, chained to a wall. He is wearing Elizabethan clothes, next to him on the floor is a single candle, almost burnt down.
The man is having difficulty breathing as the candle finally flickers and dies.
Man " please...let me out...please let me out LET ME OUT!! LET ME OUT!!!"

Robert, an American in his thirties drives his open top sports car into the centre of a picturesque village. He parks his car outside the pub, The Columbine, on the seat next to him is a Dictaphone. He picks it up and switches it on, a voice is heard, an American male .
Voice " so now I have reached this beautiful village, an English Shangri La. The pub the columbine inn serves the best bitter beer I've tasted in this country"
Robert places the Dictaphone in his pocket and enters the pub.
The barman and innkeeper is a stout fellow named Jack Woolbridge.
J " what can I get for you sir?"
R " a room please"
J " certainly sir, and for how long sir?"
R " a couple of days I guess"
J " yes sir, I'll get our Jenny to show you to your room sir"
Robert is shown upstairs to his room.

Edited February 28 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Robert unpacks his clothes away, among his possessions is a gun.
A little later he goes back to the bar.
J " everything alright sir?"
R " fine, I'll have a pint of your bitter beer please"
Jack pours the beer. At a nearby table are three blokes drinking, one calls over.
Bill Gurney ( dressed in milkman's overalls) " you won't get a full pint sir,not with all that froth Jack puts in it"
J " I'll put less froth in my beer Bill Gurney when you put more cream in your milk!"
General laughter as Robert takes his beer over to the three mates.

R " mind if I join you?"
BG " help yourself sir, American are you?"
R " that's right Robert McCabe"
Ken Hawkes " sit down Mr McCabe"
Robert sits in a largish chair, a wooden one with a high back to it, the others sit on stools.
The three mates, Bill, Ken and Tom Whidden all shout at once,
" aarrgh,...not there sir, that's old Fred's chair"
R " Fred?"
KH " he'd go berserk if he caught you sitting on his chair"
Robert brings over a stool to sit on.
B" funny enough the last one to sit in Fred's chair was an American like yourself sir. Fred went potty, almost started a rerun of the battle of Bunker Hill. Jim Stone was his name. Very fond of him we were"
K " someone else very fond of him. Miss Dominie"
R " who is she?"
T " Dominie Lanceford , niece of Johnathan Lanceford. She lives up at the manor. You can see it from here sir"
Tom points at the window, overlooking the village is the huge sprawling mansion /manor.
R " did this.....what's the name..Jim Stone....did he stay there ?"
B " good lord no, he might as well of though, visited there often enough"
K " at one time we thought Jim Stone would be settling down here, or she going off to America with him"
R " this Johnathan Lanceford, a real English squire eh?"
B " not really sir, though he behaves as if he were, runs the manor very efficiently. You see the Lanceford family go back centuries, roots here and in Bavaria. When Dominie's parents died Mr Johnathan comes over to look after her. Originally Johan, but he changed it Johnathan. Not English at all"
K " nice enough fellow though, always been good to us"
T " we thought Jim Stone would be marrying into that family"
R " what happened?"
Jack comes over to the table,
J " time gentlemen please, lets have your glasses"
K " we've got time for one more"
J " you certainly haven't,I've got my license to think about. ( to Robert) , mind signing the register sir"
Robert gets up and goes over to sign the register
R " nice talking to you"
When Robert is gone,
K " hey Jack, what's going on, since when do you keep licensing hours?"
J " you know Mr Lanceford doesn't like people talking about his affairs, especially not to strangers"
(Raymond Mason, John Atkinson, and Barry Jones are Ken, Bill and Tom.)

Back in his room Robert switches on his Dictaphone. Once again the American male voice is heard, the voice of Jim Stone, the prisoner from the first scene.
JS " I've found my Snow White, her name is Dominie Lanceford. It is almost as though she was waiting here for me. I might never have found her if I decided to return to mainland Europe as first planned. That's fate I suppose, and I feel this is my fate. That's the end of this tape, I'll try and get it in the afternoon mail"
Back in the bar a little later, Robert has asked about the old fashioned rifle hanging on the wall behind the bar.
J " Indeed it does work sir, my late uncle used it right up until he died last year. With his bullshot and pouch of gunpowder he could pick off a flea from a hundred yards. Just ask old Fred over there"
Robert looks over to the table, the three mates have now become four.
R " that's Fred ?...with the chair"
J " the very same sir"
Robert goes over to the table.
R ( to Fred) " I hear one of my countryman nearly started a war in here?"
F " how's that sir"
R " when he sat in your chair"
F " oh, that sir yes, but he did make up for it"
Fred a scruffy vagabond type with a wooly hat on, places his empty beer glass in front of Robert.
R " oh...would you like a beer?"
Robert turns to get up, but Jack is already there, pint in hand for Fred. Everyone laughs.
F " oh thank you sir"
R " put that on my bill"
J " yes sir"
Fred reaches into his pocket and pulls out a live rat!
F ( to rat) " Isn't that nice of the gentleman Sally my girl."
He strokes the rat,
F " caught her in one of my traps, she looked at me so old fashioned like, I didn't have the heart to kill her. In you go Sally my girl ( placing rat back in pocket)"
R " the American...Jim Stone I believe he was called"
F " oh yes sir, friend of Miss Dominie up at the manor. Are you on business sir?"
R " sort of, I'm a painter"
The others leave, Robert and Fred continue their chat.
R " I'd love to do some painting in that house"
F " no sir that will never happen"
R " why not"
F " because you'll not be invited sir"

Fred finishes his beer, and five seconds later Jack places another one in front of him.
J " I'll put that on your bill too sir!"
F " Mr Johnathan doesn't hardly see anyone these days"
R " why not?"
F " don't know sir, it used to be such a happy house, but since Dominie's parents died it's as if a great sorrow has fallen on that house"
R " what's he like ? Mr Lanceford"
F " a scholar and a gentleman sir, he owns the family bank in the City, got loads of money.
R " married?"
F " divorced, Mr Lanceford doesn't have much luck. Even his rats are bigger than anyone else's"
R " how do you mean?"
F " well sir, I'm known in these parts as the local ratcatcher, I was up at the manor about four months ago to lay some chain traps in the cellar. They worked too because Miss Dominie told me they had disposed of the bodies and I'd be needed no more"
R " well?"
F " well about 2 weeks ago on one of my ...er... moonlight walks.....I heard them chains still rattling"
R " well they must have reset the traps, don't you think?"
Fred looks like he wants to say something to the contrary, but he looks up and sees a swarthy man glaring at him.
" evening Fred"
F " er...evening Ben"
Fred gets up,
F " er....I better be going sir"
R " finish your beer"
F " no it's okay sir....goodnight"
Fred scarpers, almost runs out of the pub. The swarthy guy goes to the bar, the three chums return.
R " who's that man at the bar?"
B " that's Ben Kroom. Works for Mr Lanceford, has done for years"
T " you see he's Mr Lanceford's gamekeeper and Fred is the local poacher"
R ( laughing) " oh I see"

Edited February 23 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

Later that day Robert is in the grounds of the manor house, hiding between some trees spying the house.
He takes out of his jacket pocket a knife, takes off his jacket, then closes his eyes, steadying himself for the pain he is about to inflict on himself. He draws the knife across his arm, blood soaking his shirt sleeve. He pockets the knife, and runs across the lawn up to the front door.
He loudly bangs on the door, it is opened by a severe looking lady, Miss Faversham, the housekeeper.
R " my arm, I caught it in some barbed wire"
Fv " I'm sorry there's no one here to help you, try the doctor in the village"
She is about to shut the door when another female voice is heard behind her.
" what is it Miss Faversham?"
Fv " just a stranger Miss Dominie"
Robert pushes past Faversham making sure Dominie can see his arm.
R " sorry to have bothered you"
D " that looks alarming. Miss Faversham get some disinfectant and a bandage quickly"
Outside in the grounds Ben Kroom, shotgun in hand is patrolling the estate. Inside the house Dominie has bandaged Robert's arm, they've been talking. Miss Faversham is in attendance standing halfway up the spiral staircase in the centre of the room.
D " there, thankfully it wasn't your painting arm Mr McCabe"
R " thanks, you should be a nurse"
D " I once thought I'd like to be a surgeon. Have you noticed how few women surgeons there are?"
Robert gets up and walks about the room.
R " this room, the tone of it is special, the colour tone I mean, that's the painter talking. I'd love to paint in this room. Maybe you Dominie, standing by the window, the sun streaming past your hair, holding a book, looking pensive"
Robert reaches for a book from the bookcase.
R " one of these perhaps"
D " they're all Johnathan's , all first editions, all Edgar Allan Poe. Johnathan says he is still an underrated writer. What do you think?"
R " I've never read any of his work"
D " not even The Pit and the Pendulum? Someone should take your education in hand"
R " perhaps you can read them to me"
D " Johnathan wouldn't allow that, but I'm sure he wouldn't object to you painting. Tomorrow alright Mr McCabe?"
R " tomorrow , I look forward to it"
Robert leaves, Miss Faversham comes over,
Fv " you shouldn't you know"
D " a chat with a passing stranger, what's wrong with that?"

Fv " it's upsetting you, your cheeks are all flushed"
D " put some colour back in them, that must be good. You fuss too much"
Fv " I care for you Miss Dominie"
Dominie ascends the stairs, Ben Kroom returns,
K" what's he been doing here?"
Fv " he hurt himself that's all"
K" did she see him?"
Fv " yes, I was here the whole time"
K " when Mr Johnathan finds out they'll be trouble, I can promise you that!"
Fv " well.....he's coming tomorrow"
K " oh no...no he's not!"
Fv " he'll come, Mr Johnathan daren't cross her on this"

 

The next day Robert is back at the house with his paints and easel. Dominie is posing, holding a book while Robert paints.
R " talk if you want to"
D " what about?"
R " well, what do girls usually talk about, boyfriends perhaps"
D " don't be boring..I must see what it looks like"

Dominie walks over to view the easel.
R " it doesn't look like anything yet"
D " and it never will"
Robert is no painter, the canvass is a mess.
D " you don't know the first thing about it, why did you say you could paint?"
R." I needed to get into this house, to speak to you"
D " why didn't you just ask?"
R " would I have got in?"
D " probably not"
R " I'm a detective, I'm looking for Jim Stone. I know he came to this village, and I know he saw you"
D " it's not very nice tricking your way in to a private home, you better go. I've never heard of Jim Stone"
Dominie starts to climb the stairs, Robert takes out his Dictaphone and switches it on.
Jim Stone's voice " I've met my Snow White, her name is Dominie Lanceford"
D(shouting) " turn it off, I never want to hear his voice again. What do you want?"
R " I told you, I'm a detective, but my name isn't McCabe, it's Stone, same as my brother!"

D " you're Jim Stone's brother?"
R " we had our own business together, Jim was on a sabbatical, but he always kept in touch. Two months ago he came here, that was the last message, and Jim didn't come home. Why did you say you never wanted to hear his voice again?"
D " do you think I'm pretty Mr Stone, attractive?"
R " yes I do"
D " I'm 23, since growing up I've had three serious boyfriends, I couldn't hold any of them. They all ran out on me. Have you any idea what that does to someone?"
R " kids are like that"
D " Jim Stone was no kid, I loved him, and he loved me, and suddenly he was gone"
Into the room from the front door marches Johnathan Lanceford,tall, blonde, Germanic, imposing.
L " what's this?, Kroom tells me we have an artist here. You know young man if I wanted a portrait of my niece I'm quite capable of commissioning one"
Lanceford stares bemused at Robert's work.
L " what on earth are you playing at, who are you?"
D " he's a detective Johnathan, looking for Jim Stone"
L " looking!? He's back in the States isn't he?"
R " no Mr Lanceford he's not. Miss Dominie tells me he left here suddenly for no reason"
D " I didn't say no reason. There was a telephone call from home, wasn't there Johnathan?"
L " that's right"
R " what about?"
L " I've no idea"
D " whatever it was, it was obviously more important than me"
Dominie close to tears, runs upstairs.

Edited February 23 by HawkMan

[HawkMan]

R " Mr Lanceford, I'm also Jim Stone's brother, there was no call from the States"
L " I know, to have someone run out on you for no reason is painful, to have him do it after a possibly traumatic telephone call is another thing altogether, I imagine it eases the pain slightly. "
R " you mean she was lying?"
L " you're a man of plain judgments Mr Stone, no, quite possibly Dominie believes it by now"
R " people usually know if they themselves are lying"
L " not always Mr Stone, not when the lie covers up great pain. To quote one of your own poets , Edgar Allan Poe, a great loss brings an iciness, a sickening, a sickening of the heart. Do you read Poe?"
R " no I don't"
L " he had a most subtle mind. He stayed here in this very house as a boy. I like to think this house may have inspired him to write one of his finer works. The Fall Of The House Of Usher. No doubt he was told the foundations of this house are unstable and have been for centuries, I feel quite sure it planted the germ for his story about the much more perilously crumbling house of Usher. He was the poet of pain. I don't mean he celebrated it, but he understood its horror, he could forgive anything people did to avoid it. Yes he knew all about the suffering of the ultra sensitive. To quote again, his heart hung like a lute, the slightest touch and it quivered. Reading him can be quite therapeutic, I recommended him to Dominie, to calm her agitation, but unfortunately it seems to have increased it"
R " when exactly did my brother leave Mr Lanceford?"
L " I don't know, I was in London for a few days on business, when I returned he was gone."

 

That evening in the pub, Robert seeks out Fred, at his usual chair. This time no need to buy him pints of beer, he seems well drunk already, slurring his speech.
R " you said last time about rats at the manor house, still rattling in the chain traps"
F ( slurring) " did I say that, oh yes, well mister, if you ask me that was no rat"
R " what else could it be, I mean if you heard rattling..."
F " ah..not just rattling, but groans too"
R " groans! Human groans?"
F ( giggling) " well I don't mean rats groans, hahaha rats groans"
Fred slumps forward, fast asleep in a drunken stupor. Jack the innkeeper comes over.
J " looks like he'll need that old rat of his to take him home sir"
R " he was mentioning groans in the cellars of the mansion"
J " everyone knows about them. It's the foundations, they're not safe, haven't been for years, keep settling and resettling, complaining like"
R " I see"
A stormy night , rain lashes down as Robert drives his car toward the Lanceford manor house. He parks it, nestling behind some trees for cover and gets out.
The front of the house is floodlit as Robert runs across the lawn and presses himself against the side of the house. Quietly he creeps alongside the outer wall. He finds what he was looking for, a way down to the cellar.
A ventilation grill is located at ground level, he bends down, ear up against the grill.
Suddenly a shaft of light plays over him, panic stricken he flattens himself against the wall. Ben Kroom has opened a side door and looks out.
K "are you sure? I didn't hear anything"
Miss Faversham is behind him.
K" probably just a fox, I'll set the dogs onto it, they'll tear it to pieces"
Robert has heard enough, he quietly moves further away and makes a dash for the woods. He wrestles his way through the thicket and then...PAIN!
He had stepped into an animal trap. The metal jaws clamped onto his leg. He screams silently, the barking dogs getting closer. He pulls the jaws of the trap apart releasing his foot. He then desperately hobbles back to his car.
Thankfully he makes it back and gets in. Two Doberman pincers leap up barking as Robert reverses the car back the way he came.....a fruitless trip with just a sore foot to show for it.

 

In the pub the next day , Ben Kroom is at the bar with Tom and Ken, Robert at a table on his own.
K " this time of year it's not so much the poachers that concern me, it's the foxes. Almost caught one last night, no doubt it has a sore foot this morning"
Tom " Mr Stone,..how do you deal with foxes back home?"
R " it's not so easy Mr Whidden, our foxes shoot back"
Everyone laughs, except Ben, then total silence as Dominie walks in, in riding gear. She goes up to Robert.

D " I must see you alone"
R " okay, we'll go to my room"
The two of them climb the stairs, Robert with a slight limp.
Ben immediately leaves the pub, he has someone to tell.
Up in Robert's room,
R " what did you want to see me about?"
D " you must leave here Mr Stone , today"
R " why?"
D " because...I might be getting fond of you"

R " that sounds like a reason for staying"
D " I mustn't want you, it's for your own good"
R " you're mad, bad and dangerous to know"
D " don't joke please, I must never want anyone again, it's the only way"
R " I'll leave when I find out what happened to my brother"
Suddenly the door opens, Lanceford is there,
L " Dominie I've been looking for you, luckily I saw your horse outside. You've forgotten haven't you? We're lunching with the Richards"
D " no I hadn't forgotten Johnathan, I'll go and get changed, goodbye Mr Stone"
Dominie leaves,
L " what did she say to you?"
R " that's not your business"
L " oh please"
R " she told me to leave, sooner the better"
L " she said that!, well I would do as she says Mr Stone."

Edited February 23 by HawkMan