"A scientist has been kidnapped, along with his work." "A prototype for a new atom bomb." "Norwich might get away with a few broken windows." "Norwich is 25 miles away." "Something of value remains in that hotel." "The Sans Souci Hotel, Cromer." "They have a spy in this house." "Codename N." "N has set a ransom." "£100,000 and the release of 30 Soviet political prisoners." " Any leads?" " No." "And I was just spotted by Veronika." "What do we know about Veronika?" "Veronika is Polish." " Doesn't that rule her out?" " Trust no-one." "Why would he do such a thing?" "His whole life will be examined, I imagine." "His friends, his enemies..." "I was in the Major's room." " We were intimate." " But you're married." "Force of habit." "Like the marriage." "So N was in Germany." "Could we place any of the Sans Souci guests there?" "Carl von Dienem." "Argh!" "Tuppence!" "Tuppence!" "Are you all right?" "Where's Tommy?" "So he was right." "It's Carl." "Rudder!" "Are you all right?" "Meadows, what's the matter?" " It's Carl Denim." " Who?" "He's got the bomb." "We've got to stop him." "What are you talking about?" "Good God!" "What have you done to your head?" "We've got to find the boat." "We've got to find the bomb." "Well, look, let's get you inside." "My house, it's not very far." "Come along, hm?" "Careful." "Come along." "There." "Let's get you in." "Mind the step." "Sit down." "I'll get you something to drink." "I have to call Carter." "We're not safe." "Denim could be anywhere." "Come on, drink your milk." "No, right up." "Come on." "That's better." "Now, take a deep breath." "I'll go and find us something stronger." "No, no, no." "You wait there." "No giving me the slip this time." "Oh, no..." "I told you not to move." "Yes." "I found our friend Meadows on the beach, rambling about a bomb." "No." "I have him here." "You were right." "Who were you talking to?" "N." "It's Carl Denim, isn't it? I don't know how I lost him." "I just panicked." "You can't blame yourself, Tuppence." "Well, that's the best forgery I've ever seen." " Looks like a genuine stamp." " I think it is genuine." "So he left Berlin in October 1946." "That's just about the time that Major Khan had his run-in with N." "Look, we've had a new message." "We've got two days to meet the ransom or they detonate the bomb." "If he's our man, we'll have to act fast." "If we don't stop this lunatic, then we can forget about husbands and nephews altogether." "Now, where could he be, Tuppence?" "We know Carl has a boat." "If he knew Tommy was after him, he would have gone to a safe place." "Yes." "Tommy's a strong swimmer." "Tuppence... we'll find him." " All right." " Denim can't have just disappeared." "Somebody must know where he is." "Who is he close to?" "No, Carl isn't like that." "He's a loner." "A freewheeler." "Come on, Tuppence! Oh, I don't know." "I'm so worried, I can't think straight." "I'm sorry." "I'm scared." "Wait." "Er, Carl talked about a girl." "Yes?" "He brought her flowers." "Dahlias." "Who?" "Sheila's favourite flowers are dahlias." "Sheila and Carl..." "My God, how did I miss it?" "They're together!" "Good work." "What are you doing?" "Veronika!" "That is Miss Perenna's car." "Yes, I know." "My husband drove the same model." "I find it strangely reassuring." "You didn't come home last night." "No." "I stayed with friends." "What friends?" "Mr and Mrs..." "Smithson." "How do you find the Hotel de Paris?" "Good." "A little extra cash." "Anyway I should go in, get changed before Sheila sees me." "Veronika!" "I thought I told you to sweep the leaves." "Yes, Miss Perenna." "Sorry, Miss Perenna." "'A scientist." "A scientist." "A scientist." "'A scientist has been kidnapped." "'British scientist." "Gilbert Worthing has gone missing." "'A prototype for a new atom bomb." "'Norwich might get away with a few broken windows." " 'He's working on a top secret project." " Norwich is 25 miles away." "'Listen, Gilbert, nobody wants to be here.'" "Just tell me where the key is and we can get on with our lives." "You can go back to Cambridge." "Do whatever it is you do with your time." "Punting." "Reading." "Now, come on... ..where did you hide the key?" "You'll talk soon, you little bastard." "I've just upped the dosage." "Then I'll be rid of you once and for all." "You're Gilbert Worthing..." "What's the key?" "I'm talking to you." "What did the Commander mean... ..about the key?" "I'm from MI5." "I'm here to rescue you!" "You think I'm going to fall for that?" "We're all in the same boat, eh?" "I am the country's leading atomic physicist." "You want me to believe that MI5 would send you? What are you doing, Mrs Blenkensop?" "Get your hands off it." "Step away from the boat." "I can't let you see what's in there." " Yes." " Who are you working for?" "Where's my husband?" "! Why did you do that?" "!" " He would have done the same to me!" " Are you crazy?" "Well, look!" "You don't understand." "He's got a bomb and he's..." "What?" "Carl, please wake up!" "Darling..." "He's a smuggler?" "Please, tell me about the key." "I'm on your side." "You'll get nothing out of him." "He's a genius, but he's not much of a talker." "Gilbert here has designed a bomb that needs two unique keys to activate it." "We have one." "He's hidden the other." "The only thing standing between me and a life in the sun is this little bastard." "You don't want me to get her down here, do you?" "N won't be nearly as accommodating as I have been." "N is a woman?" "Yes." "And a very generous one, at that." "So he actually is German?" "Yes." "But he's lived here since he was a child." "But..." "I'm sorry." "I thought he was in the Major's room on the night of his death." "A letter was stolen." "He had a bag." "Yes, he had a bag full of money that the Major owed him." "Carl needed to pay for a shipment of French brandy and got fed up of asking, so he took the matter into his own hands." "I mean, how was he supposed to know that Khan had died?" "God rest him." "Oh, God...!" "I'm sorry." " Where's Tommy?" " Leave him be." "Oh, God." "How am I going to find Tommy now?" "Who?" "Meadows." "Maybe you should have thought of that before you tried to kill Carl." "Hold on." "Maybe this will help." " That's it." " Hold his head up." "Carl?" "Carl!" "Mrs Blenkensop..." "Don't smile at her." "She knocked you out." "Sheila, the boat." " The boat!" " It's all right, love." "She knows about the business." "What's going on?" "Where's Tommy?" "Tommy?" " Meadows!" " Meadows!" "Oh..." "Well, he found my stash, so I panicked, I knocked him out." " You what?" " Well, I didn't know what to do with him." "I left him down on the beach near Prussia Cove." "That's where Commander Haydock lives." "Well, where's that?" "Take me there!" "I gave this country the best years of my life at sea." "I came close to death half a dozen times." "What did I get in return?" " I hear the pension is pretty rotten." " I wouldn't know." "They took mine away." "One mistake." "Just one mistake." "Hm!" "Captains are supposed to be the last to leave their ship." "I thought I was, but there were three men below." "They perished." "And I was stripped of command." "Is that what all this is about?" "The money?" "I deserve my piece of the pie." "Who else have you got down here?" "Hm?" "We know MI5 didn't send you alone." "No." "It's just me." "Budget cuts." "Very funny." "N is not stupid." "She has got friends everywhere." "She'll kill you as well, you know." "Send her blonde friend to do it." "I saw her run over a man without a care." "That's what MVD assassins are paid for." "To clean up the loose ends." "Is that why Khan had to be cleaned up?" "You didn't know?" "It wasn't suicide." "And why, exactly, should I listen to you?" "I spoke with Khan." "He and N were old enemies." "He came here to seek revenge, but she got to him first." "I don't believe you." "It was business." "You liked Khan." "I could tell that." "I pegged you from the beginning." "Bird-watcher, my eye." "N told you to get close to Khan, didn't she?" "But you became friends." "I know what you're doing, Meadows." "Don't waste your breath." "N killed Khan because he could identify her." "What makes you think you'll be spared when the time comes?" "We have an understanding." "Mark my words, Haydock." "You'll be next." "Right, let's see if Haydock knows anything." "No." "No." "Let's just think." "You don't suspect the Commander's got something to do with all this?" "Anyone could be N." "Haven't you been listening to me?" "We can't just go in there and ask if they have Tommy." "No." "What this plan needs... ..is a nosey widow." "Don't worry." "I'll get you out of here." "Oh, good Lord!" "Another hypodermic needle..." "Is that your master plan?" "We need to get you out of here before that truth serum starts working." "You're as naive as that drunken sailor." "There's nowhere near enough sodium thiopental in that syringe to create a proper sedative." "I must say, you're rather ungrateful." "Well, you're rather underwhelming." "Just a minute!" "Just a minute! Commander, I was just out for a morning stroll and I saw your house." "Look, Mrs Blenkensop..." "How do you find it, living up here?" "I must admit to being somewhat tempted by the coastal life myself." "Look, this really isn't a good time." "Is that the original fireplace?" "Oh, you must be cosy as a kitten up here." "Look, Mrs Blenkensop..." "I'm expecting a guest for breakfast." "How lovely." "Anyone I know?" "Well, no." "Just an old naval friend." "Oh, I love sailors." "Do you miss the sea?" "I..." "It must be so odd when you first reach dry land." "Well, I suppose..." " Did you spot any whales when you were out on the ocean?" " Look, stop!" "I do not have time for callers at this moment." "Please leave, Mrs Blenkensop." "Yes, of course." "I can get a little ahead of myself." "You must forgive me." "Tommy's in there." "I saw his coat." "I told Sheila to keep the engine running." "Anything?" "Meadows!" "We've got to keep moving." "Oh, you try running when you've been tortured by a halfwit for days." "Well, I feel like I have." "Tommy!" " Tuppence?" " Meadows?" " Denim?" " Tommy, are you all right?" " Is Haydock N?" " No, no, he's working for N." "Then who is N?" " I don't know, but she's..." " Wait!" "N's a woman?" "Tuppence, I'll explain later." " Did you find Gilbert?" " Yes!" "Can we get going, please?" "Hang on." "I've got an idea." "Oh, just shoot the lock off!" " But it's not loaded." " You are joking?" "Meadows!" "Come on!" "Look, just help me up there and I'll try and go in through the window." " All right?" " Yes." "Oh, for goodness' sake!" " Get down!" " Bastards!" "Why did you drag me out here?" "I was perfectly safe before! Tommy, this way!" "Look out!" "You bastards! Meadows! Tommy, get him!" "Tommy! Tommy!" "How's this for a winning hand?" "Oh, darling!" "I was worried!" "Here, sip this." "You need sustenance." "Oh, cocoa?" "Yuck!" "God, no." "Can't stand the stuff." "Maybe we should tie you back up and pour it down your throat?" "Gilbert, where is the key?" "Why should I trust you?" "Thousands and thousands of people could die if we don't get to that key before N." "Do you want that on your conscience?" "Because I sure as hell couldn't live with myself." "I hid it in that ghastly bird painting in the lounge at the Sans Souci." "The Arctic warbler..." "Miss Perenna?" "Is that you?" "Oh, Veronika..." "Can I have a word with you in private, please?" "Erm, well, it's..." " It's not..." " Please, we must talk at once." "There's something not right about those two." "Come on..." "The picture." "Well, well, well..." "Caught red-handed." "Ah, Mrs Sprot." "I didn't see you there." "I was reading a book." "Crime fiction." "Not one of yours." "What mischief are you two up to?" "Not mischief." "I..." "I just bought this painting from Sheila." "Oh, really?" "Yes." "Bargain, I thought." " What did you say it went for?" " £20." "For a painting of a bird?" "Well, I mean, it's two birds." " It is an original." " Yeah, well, a family heirloom." "Yes, I remember." "And she sold it to you?" "Ah, Mr Meadows." "Thank you for taking that down." "I'm going to get the frame cleaned." "Well, someone is telling tall tales." "I've cleaned that already." "Well, I don't need it cleaned." "I'll buy it as it is." "Excuse me." "A fine purchase, Mr Meadows." "Where are you taking it?" "To the bank, of course." "Good day, everyone!" "Tommy...!" "So Beresford's Barnets is a family business." "Your little wife here nearly blew my cover after I dealt with Khan." "I should have taken her out then." "Well... what would I have to bargain with now?" "I should have listened to my wife." "Isn't that always the way?" " What's happening?" " Veronika, no!" " Keep back!" "Give me the key." "Don't, Tommy." "Please, don't give it to her." "I beg you." "That bomb will kill a lot of innocent people." "He'll do it." "Won't you, Mr Beresford?" "Everyone has their weakness." "One person you love is worth more than a million civilians you've never met." "Such a little thing, isn't it?" "It's almost disappointing." "You know my demands." "I'll call here in four hours." "Any delay and I'll detonate the bomb." "Oh, Tommy..." "You stupid bloody fool! This is why I didn't want Tuppence on this mission." "You're compromised when you're together." "I held out for five days without food and you give it away?" "I reckon some brawn might have come in handy." " You had the key in your hand." " She had a gun to my wife's head!" "Compromised?" "!" "Have you any idea what we've been through? Two years I worked on those plans!" "Don't you dare talk to him like that! Silence!" "Thank you." "Shall we start thinking about what to do next?" "Gilbert, the bomb." " Will it work?" " Of course it will work." "But you can't be certain." "It hasn't been tested." "Albert, it isn't one of your class demonstrations." " It will work." "It is perfect." " Perfect?" "Do you know how beautiful Dresden was before they flattened it?" "Yes, well, parts of London were quite pretty, too." "Lads, stop this, or we'll be here all night." "We have to negotiate." "The Home Secretary's burying his head in the sand." "We've got precisely three and a half hours to release 30 dangerous Soviet agents." "No." "We're missing something." "I mean, if she's deserted the Stalinist cause, why the interest in 30 political prisoners?" "What if she only wants one?" "She said," ""Everyone has a weakness." ""One person you love" ""is worth more than a million civilians you've never met."" "Well, what is it, Tuppence?" "Sprot had a photo on her dresser." "She said it was of her husband." " Veronika, can you check if it's still there, please?" " Sure, yes." "She told me they were divorced." "From her attitude, there didn't seem to be any love lost." "That was all part of her cover." "Either way, if divorce was the cover, why keep the photo?" "Thank you." "Now, doesn't he... ..look a lot like...him." "It's Roger Blake." "Arrested for attempting to blackmail a civil servant in 1949." "Blake's codename was M!" "It was all for him." "She kept his photo, his letters..." "She told me M stood for Major." "Ah, she fooled us all." "Not least me." "We've found her Achilles heel." "Wait a minute." "Roger Blake's dead." "Well, since when?" "About two weeks ago." "He had a heart attack in Pentonville Prison." "Well, she obviously doesn't know that." "You know... ..there is a strong resemblance." "To who?" "Well, it looks like you, Tommy." "Come on, Tommy." "Bit of a hairstyle, coat, hat..." "No." "Something longer, I think." " In low lighting." " More like no lighting." "Oh, come on, Tommy!" "Mrs Sprot did always have a soft spot for you." "Perhaps you reminded her of M. The likeness is striking." " I don't see it myself." " Really?" "You both have classic good looks." "Well, I mean..." "I suppose the jawline is the same, but..." "He looks more like Clark Gable." "I get that a lot, too." "Carl...!" "How on earth would we do this?" "You just need to convince her for a second." "You can do that." "Just long enough to get close to her." "Then we tell her that we'll swap you for the keys." " I'd know Tuppence a mile off." " Well, they've been apart for three years." "And prison can change a man." "All right." "Hello?" "No, but I think we have what you're really looking for." "Roger Blake." "All right." "Shall we say nine o'clock?" "She went for it." "We're going to meet her on the pier at nine o'clock." "Just the two of us." "Here, you're going to need this." "Erm, Tuppence, you do the finishing touches." "Oh, Christ, Tommy, don't shoot off your own foot." "Tuppence... you must promise to stay put while Carter and I meet Mrs Sprot." "She did say just the two of us." "I will." "I promise." "I need you to believe in me." "Of course I believe in you." "Look, I can't do it if you don't." "Oh, Tommy, I believe in you." "I'm just a little nervous, that's all." "Yes?" "I thought you could use this." "I could never grow a real one." "Baby-face and all that." "Ladies love it." "Very Clark Gable." "Thank you, Carl." "I suppose he's not all bad." "Shall we try it?" "There..." "Clark Gable, eat your heart out." "I'm sorry, Tuppence." "You were right." "I have my moments." "That moustache... ..it suits you." "Is this really necessary?" "Yes." "You're my prisoner." "I can't have you walking about freely." "I feel like I'm walking the plank." "Don't look up." "Try and stay out of the light." "What can you see?" "Just Carter and Tommy." "Any sign of Sprot?" "Not so far." "Let me have a go." "We shouldn't be here." "I promised Carter." "Carter said stay off the pier." "We are not on the pier." "Yes." "I'm not sure this is quite what he had in mind." " Tommy needs our help and he knows it." " But Carter said..." "Oh, Albert, live a little!" "There she is." "No, no." "Slow down." "Stand right there, Blake." "Run for it and I'll shoot you in the back." "I said no guns." "Doesn't a person's word mean anything anymore?" "Not in the case of blackmail, no." "It's a life for a life." "Actually... it's a life for 100,000 lives." " She's armed, I think." " Oh, God!" " I'm going down there." " No!" "We wait." "So you're N." "After all this time." "It's almost a pleasure to meet you." "The pleasure's all yours." "But let's save the catch-up for another day." "Scones at the Savoy." "Isn't that what you like?" "The Savoy, yes." "Release him." "The keys first." "Roger, is that you?" "Say something." "It's been three years." " That's enough." "Keys first, romance later." " Relax, will you?" "You're not getting anything until I've spoken to Roger." "I call the shots." " It just depends how you look at it." " No, please, don't hurt him, OK?" "Give me the keys and your gun and he's all yours." "Look, I'm going to give you everything, just tell me you're OK." "Tell me they haven't hurt you." "I'm fine." "You sound...strange." "Stand still!" "That's as close as he gets!" "OK." "Wait, wait, wait." "Just let me ask a question." "What was the name of the hotel that we stayed at in Rio?" "Roger?" "Something's gone wrong." "She knows." "Roger?" "It was the, er..." "No!" "Oh, God!" " Where is he?" " The keys, now!" " Why isn't he here?" " Where's the bomb?" " Not without Roger." "Where is he?" "He's dead." "He died two weeks ago." "A heart attack." "Shoot." "I have nothing to live for." "Kill me." " Tell me where the bomb is, or so help me, God, I'll..." " Uncle!" "Look out!" "Argh!" "Oh, my God, she's shot Carter!" "Argh!" "Where are you going?" "Get on your knees!" "Get on your knees!" "We never made it to Rio." "Roger wanted to dance at the carnival, watch fireworks on the beach..." "Do you want to see some fireworks, Mr Beresford? Uncle?" "I'm all right, Tommy." "Get after her." "I need the bloody key for these handcuffs." "Here, in my pocket." "I'm so stupid." "Tommy...?" "He's been shot." "Carter, are you all right?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "I'm fine." "There's no time for all that." "Get after her." " Where did she go?" " She went in there." "Go!" "Now! Albert... over here." "It's got to be close." "The last time we were in this position, you were more use to me alive." "No!" "Tuppence! Tuppence!" "Tommy..." "Are you all right?" "She's dead." "I've found it." "Pull the key out." "That could kill us." " Well, just turn it off." " So could that." "I think we ought to get Gilbert on the phone." "Quickly." "Yes." "There's a phone down here." "Oh, look at this." "Crikey, Tommy, we've really done it this time." "We've been in tighter spots than this." " Hello, Gilbert?" " Yes, and in worse company." "We've found the bomb." "Help us disarm it." "'Oh, don't tell me the only help we've got is from Albert Einstein." "'Is it armed?" "'" "Yes, the keys are in it." "It's counting down." "'Tell that idiot schoolteacher, 'whatever he does, don't cut the red.'" "He says to avoid the red wire." "I'm not an idiot." "'Just don't do anything." "Wait, let me think...'" "Gilbert, come on." "Damn this hand." "My hands, your eyes." "Please..." " 'All right, listen." "You're looking for a green wire.'" " A green wire." "There's no green." "There's no green!" "There's no green wire." "'There must be." "That's impossible.'" "There's no green wire, man!" "Talk!" "'There must be." "I can't remember." "I don't know!" "'" "Gilbert, come on!" "'I can't think." "Stop." "I need to think clearly.'" "Please, come on...!" "Tuppence!" "Blue..." "Do it." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "Well... ..any old fool can build a bomb." "It takes a genius to defuse one." "You know what I love about you, Tuppence Beresford?" "What?" "You never, ever do what you're told." "Thank you." "How's the arm, Major?" "Well, it stings a bit." "But apart from that, everything's going rather well." "So you found your leak?" "Yes." "Sprot gave it away when she mentioned scones." "Only my driver knew about my weakness for afternoon tea at the Savoy." "You mean that driver...?" "Mm, Larry, yes." "He thinks he got away with it." "He doesn't know that his next stop's the Third Floor interrogation room." "That must be an awful relief." "I'll say." "Er, this is for you." "It's a first payment." "And er... and my thanks." "I'm tempted to subcontract you some work." "Private detective agency sort of thing." "Nothing dangerous." "Is that something that would interest you?" " Yes, Uncle." " Yes!" " Yes." "Good." "Well, start thinking about a name." " Operation Beresford!" " The Young Adventurers!" "You two work it out." "I've got somewhere to be." "Young is a bit misleading." "Middle-aged, at best." "Speak for yourself, Tommy!" "Operation Beresford sounds like a hospital procedure." "Please, not The Young Adventurers." "We want to sound exciting, passionate." "Reliable, dependable." "We're not selling insurance." "You want peace of mind, whatever you're selling." "People want adventure, Tommy." "Not if you're investigating their property rights." "We'll be chasing jewel thieves, uncovering government conspiracies..." "We could carve a nice little earner out of domestic disputes." "Murder within the establishment." "Fraud." "That's your bread and butter." "Oh, I'll need a new hat." "I should renew my library card." " We should get an office." " Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Tuppence." "The possibilities are endless!"