" You filthy..." " Little flirt." " How much?" " Piss off!" "God knows if you're worth it." "But fortunately, I can afford to find out." "Payment on delivery, my darling." "Of course it is." "Mind the doors." "Alex, help him." "Leave him alone, he's a drunk." "Patricia, what the hell do you think you're doing?" " Come on." " He might be a diabetic." "See if there's a card in his wallet." ""This card entitles James Manfred OBE..." ""to entry and one free drink at any of the 100 clubs listed on the back. "" "No diabetic, Patricia." "A drunk, but a titled one." "Come on." "No, I don't smell any drink." "He's sick." "He may have had a heart attack." " We'll tell somebody he's here." " We can't just leave him." "In New York, you walk over these guys..." "We're not in New York." "All right, you stay with him, I'll go on upstairs to get help." "No, I'll come." "Tickets, please." "I'm sure he was just a drunk." " Please tell him, or I will." " I don't want to get involved." " He might be dying." "Tell him." " All right." "Excuse me." "There's a man collapsed down on the platform." " Will you call an ambulance?" " Please hurry, he's unconscious." "I couldn't use the phone, sir." "To do that, I'd have to stop the lift." "There's a point outside." "I got to get out and plug it in there." "Then you can use it." "I think it's best to wait till we get there." "Then we can all go down again." "It's the only thing to do under the circumstances, quite honestly." "Excuse me, sir." "Constable, just a minute." " Yes, sir." "What seems to be the trouble?" " Alex, tell him." "Officer, there's a sick man down on the platform, probably just a drunk." " He's not drunk, he's unconscious." " She thinks he's dying." " Perhaps we'd better take a look." " Yeah." " Where is this man exactly?" " On the staircase." " The bottom or the top of the staircase?" " The bottom." "Where is he?" "Along here?" "Probably just a waste of your time, Constable." "I'm sure he's just a drunk sleeping it off." "It's always best to make sure." "Better safe than sorry." "Yeah, I suppose so." "Wake up." "I can't wake up." "I can't sleep." "I hadn't noticed." "I keep thinking about him." "Do you think he's all right?" "Of course he's all right." "It's horrible." "We saw a sick man on the subway." "Tried to help him." "What else could we do?" "Worry." "Come in here, Romeo." "Morning, sir." "What have our villains been up to during the night?" "Nothing much." "Saving themselves up for a rainy day, are they?" " Usual crop of petty larceny." " Nothing else?" "Attempted smash and grab in Bond Street." "A taxi driver thumped a passenger." " Provocation?" " Right, sir." " Marshall." " Coming, sir," "Go on, Rogers." "There's a report of a funny incident at Russell Square tube station." " Yes, sir?" " Tea!" "Sorry, sir, I had to get some more tea bags." "Tea bags?" "You've been using tea bags?" "They're standard issue now, sir." "And I've been blaming the Indians." "Do you still want some, sir?" " Of course I want some." " Very good, sir." " What's funny about it?" " What, sir?" "Russell Square tube station." "Two students, an American, Alex Campbell, and a girl, Patricia Wilson... called a constable and reported a man unconscious on the platform." "When they got there, he had gone." "Probably he fainted, came round and got the next train." "Could be, but the last train had gone." "They came in on it." "They said the man was dying." " Tea bags?" " Yes, sir, sorry, sir." "Fancy her?" " Dying?" " So they said, sir." "They identified the man as well." "James Manfred OBE." "James Manfred." "That rings a bell." "He's some big shit, shot... at the Ministry of Defense, or the Home Office, or something." "It doesn't make sense." "What would a geezer like Manfred be doing in public transport?" "Still, we'd better check up and see." " Have we got addresses for the others?" " Yes, same address." "That's handy." "Hop round and see if he's a nutter." " Russell Square tube station?" " What?" "Yes, sir." "Panovsky." "Sauerkraut Panovsky." "A grocer from Kilburn." "Look him up." " Missing person?" " No, Who's Who, twit." "A grocer from Kilburn is automatically a missing person." "Sometimes I think coppers should be like elephants... big feet and long memories." "Yes, sir." "Or is it long feet and big..." "Jerzy Panovsky." ""Last known whereabouts, Russell Square tube station." ""Reported missing:" "December 10."" "There's a note to refer to Cohen, Bernard." "December 10?" "That's just over a month ago." ""Bernard Cohen." "Reported missing April 24." ""Last known whereabouts:" "Russell Square tube station. "" "Get on to records." "See out what you can dig up about James Manfred OB bloody E." "He's had top security screening... so there's probably not much we're allowed to know." "But see what you can find out." "There's no crime been committed." "Find out what you can about James Manfred OBE." "And get him on the blower for me." "No crime has been committed." "This is not our case." "If he's so important, we should get on to Ml5." " Let them take care of it." " First let's see if Manfred's missing." "Yes, that's probably a very good idea." "What?" "Manfred." "Took long enough, didn't it?" "Put him on." "James Manfred, please." "What?" "You're his secretary, are you?" "James never stops going on about you." "What?" "When do you expect him back?" "Missed the morning meeting with the minister?" "Naughty." "Naughty boy." "That doesn't sound like James at all." "What?" "Tell him Princess Anne." " Princess Anne." " Piss off!" " Go bring in those students." " Right, sir." "Where's my football coupon?" " Top floor." " Thank you." " Might you be Mr. Alex Campbell, sir?" " Yes, I am." "Det." "Sgt. Rogers." "Can you come along to the station for a few moments?" " What station?" "What for?" " An incident at Russell Square." " The Holborn Police Station." " You mean last night?" "The drunk?" "Yes, sir, the drunk." "Would Miss Patricia Wilson be about just now?" "She had an early lecture." " But she does normally reside here?" " From time to time." "Yes, if you don't mind." "Why do I have to go all the way down to the station?" "Can't you ask me what you need to know here?" "I wouldn't mind." "It would save me a trip, too." "But the Inspector would appreciate it." "All right." "Is that all?" "Yes, sir." "You say you didn't even go down there and have a look around?" "I thought he was just a troublemaker... especially when he was so reluctant to help us." " Anyway..." " What?" "Sergeant Rogers is here with Mr. Campbell." "Wheel him in," "Rogers, keep your hands off the policewomen," "This way, Mr. Campbell." "Go and arrest somebody, Rogers." "Quite an adventure you had last night." "Adventure?" "Not everyone finds an unconscious man on the platform of an underground station." "In New York, Inspector, we call it a holiday when you don't." " So I've heard." "But you lost this one." " I didn't lose him." "He just wasn't there when we went back with the policeman." "Was he there the first time?" "I wasn't drunk, he was." "I told the constable that." " You didn't tell him more than that?" " No." "Didn't you tell him the man was dying?" "I said my girlfriend thought he was." "Yes, Miss Wilson, who resides with you from time to time." "We live together." "Very nice, too." "What made her think the man was dying?" "The way he looked, I suppose." "Pale, frightened." " But you thought he was drunk?" " Yes." "You're some sort of student, are you?" " Student of what?" " International Economics." "Do you think we shall profit from the Common Market?" "My only dispute would be the ten-mile limit on fishing." " Where did you meet him?" " Who?" " Manfred." "You knew him well, didn't you?" " I never met him." "But you told Constable Pierce... that his name was James Manfred OBE." "I did." "Did he have his name tattooed on his forehead?" " I saw his club card." " He gave it to you?" "It was in his wallet." "He was holding it out when he fell down." "Bequeathing it, was he?" "What do you want, Inspector?" "Could it be you was having a quick shufti through his pockets... to see if there was anything worth lifting?" "Patricia thought he was a diabetic." " They carry cards, you know." " I have heard." "He was a drunk." "I looked at his card, I put it back in his wallet." " You can look..." " In his pocket?" "We could do, if we knew where to find Mr. Manfred, couldn't we?" "But he sort of picked up his bed and walked, didn't he?" "Patricia saw me put the wallet back." "Why don't you ask her?" "As a matter of fact... that is precisely what we are doing at the moment." "How are you getting on with Miss Wilson?" "All straightforward, sir, She confirms Constable Pierce's report," "I thought she would." "That's about it, isn't it?" "Next time you find an unconscious OBE, give us a whistle, will you?" "Try not to lose him this time." "Am I free to go?" "You haven't been arrested or charged, have you?" "You've been free to go all the time." "You've been assisting the police in their enquiries, as we say here." "You accused me of being a thief." "Why don't you hurry back to your school... there might be a protest march for you to join." "Get your hair cut." "A quick cuppa." "I need watering." " Just put it down on the desk, Marshall." " It's me, sir." "Get anything out of the bird?" " She was telling the truth." " So was he." "Give me a good liar any time, more to work on." "Is it that important?" "A missing person, not even confirmed yet." "It's been confirmed." "Manfred isn't just a member of the public to be shoved away in a file somewhere." "He's a geezer with a lot of stick... and a lot of top-secret information in his head." "All the more reason it should be an Ml5 affair." "Ml5, my ass." "Rogers, this is my manor, don't you forget it." " So we'd better do something quick." " Right." "And the first thing we're gonna do is get some tea." "Alex, you don't understand anything." " Will you knock it off?" " Will you get my things, please?" "You're taking it all too seriously." "And my shampoo." "I only bought it yesterday." " Pat, what's really bothering you?" " Your whole attitude." "I'm cold, callous, unfeeling." "I've never met anyone who could treat a dying man... as if he was a bundle of old clothes, and I can't live with anyone who does." "My shampoo, please." "We tried to help." "What happened?" "We're talking to the police, suddenly we're suspects." "It was our duty." "At Holborn?" "That wasn't the name of the station." "There used to be one at British Museum, but that closed down... when London Transport bought up the small companies." "Were they connected?" "Holborn and British Museum?" "I wouldn't be surprised." "It's like a rabbit warren down there." "There we are." "Museum." "Right between them." "The old city and South London Company... were tunneling down there in 1892... when a whole section of the roof collapsed, burying a number of men." " Eight of them, and four women." " Women?" "Yes, they used to work alongside the men in those days." "The men dug and the women hauled the dirt up to the surface." "Just like in the coal mines." "Get on with it, Richardson." "Interestingly enough, there was quite a scandal attached to it... because the company involved went bankrupt." "They couldn't afford to dig the bodies out." "So they abandoned them and abandoned the whole line." "There were some old tunnelers who believed there were air pockets there... and they could have survived for some time." " But the company refused to listen." " How could they survive without food?" "There's plenty of water and food... because I should imagine as each one died, the others ate him." "Not a bad drum." "Do themselves all right, these civil servants, don't they?" "Anything worth nicking?" "What about this one?" " 17th-century Spanish, I'd say." " Would you?" "How much is it worth?" "If it is original, about $5,000." "This geezer Manfred seems to have a lot of money to throw away on old junk." "I wouldn't exactly call it junk." "I don't care if it's the Mona bloody Lisa, it's the money I'm thinking of." "Suspicious bastard." "Where did he get it?" "Maybe inherited it, or somebody left it to him." "Maybe he got it from flogging state secrets." "Monkey nuts." "Do you know this geezer owes his tailor... $620?" "I've never paid more than 20 nicker for a suit in my life." "Some would say you've been robbed." "Very funny." "Not while I'm on duty, sir." "Pompous ponce." " What are you doing there?" " What?" "Do you expect to find Manfred pressed between the pages of a book?" "It's not a bloody public library, you know." "Some of these books are false." "Hello, there." "I think we're getting somewhere." "Anything on TV?" "The bedroom." "Home movies?" "Very tasty." "You'd certainly enjoy looking at them, wouldn't you, Calhoun?" "I might have known you'd turn up." "Just about time, I'd say." "The Chief Superintendent doesn't approve of extra-mural perversions." "How does the Minister feel about it?" "All this is unfortunate, most unfortunate." "You're a master of the understatement." "And you are a master of the overstatement." "I think it's time you were on your way." "This is my manor, and the villains in it are mine." "You're welcome to them, so just run along and arrest a few." "Missing persons are my concern, too." "Yes, missing dentists, missing greengrocers." "But this particular missing person, as far as you're concerned, Inspector... is no longer missing." "I don't see him around anywhere." "Do you?" "What a droll fellow you are." "The Manfred case is closed." "It was never opened." "Clear?" "If someone is reported missing in my manor... that's my business." "Your dainty little footsteps are echoing in places... where one is well advised to tread lightly." "Are you threatening me?" "You're very perceptive." "Beyond even your well-known, working-class virility." "Why don't you go back to planting pot on people?" "And mind you don't become a missing person yourself." "Bye-bye." "Don't forget to close the door on your way out." " Ml5?" " No, Sergeant, he's a traffic warden." "Yeah, you can say that again." "I'm going to change a fuse." "All right?" "What did you do on your day off?" "Yesterday, let me see." "Got up at 11:00, had a nice lay in." "Got up at 11:00, ham and eggs for breakfast." "In the afternoon I went to the pictures, in the evening I saw that bird." " What a performer, I tell you." " Yeah?" "What's the matter, Terry?" "Who the hell do you think it is?" "Oh, shit." "Do you know what time it is?" "What?" "You were quite right to call." "Send a motor round." "Judging from the wounds, death was definitely..." "Better save it for the Inspector." "He should be here quite soon." "I'd like to have a peek." "Helps to settle the cornflakes." "Good morning, sir." "It's getting to be an interesting place." " Where?" " Russell Square underground." "Both men were well nourished." "All the wounds are fresh." " How fresh?" " Not more than three or four hours." "The man they were working with is missing." " Him I want to see." " What for?" "The strength he's got." "See this." "Right through, in and out the other side." "And you saw what that did." "I don't think I want to meet him." "We'll leave him to Rogers." "You'll find him for us, won't you?" " Shouldn't be too difficult." " Good." "Anything else?" "The usual extensive bruising on the arms and upper body." "Deep abrasions across the face." "Broken ribs on one." "Cracked vertebrae on another." "Couple of fractures." " They fought hard." " Not hard enough." "When do you expect some lab results?" "I should have something for you this evening." " That's a stroke of luck, isn't it?" " Why's that, sir?" "Murder is police business." "And murder, where James Manfred OBE went missing... is definitely my business, wouldn't you say?" "Come on." " What time is it, babe?" " 9:00." " I've got a class in 15 minutes." " Don't you want any breakfast?" "No, I've got to meet Bob at the bookshop this afternoon to give him a hand." "Why don't you come by after classes?" " You know what I want?" " What?" "There's a book by William Frost on poltergeists." "I'll ask him." "Maybe we can catch some dinner at the cafe and a film." " Great." " 'Bye." " Can I help you?" " I'm just browsing." "Do you happen to have a copy of the Kama Sutra?" " Just in paperback." " I'll take it." "The Inspector would like to ask you a few more questions." "I'm working." "May I borrow your assistant for a while?" "Dick Tracy wants to see me again." "How are you doing, Dracula?" "You know, of course, there were four men down there?" "Four men?" "The two victims." "And the suspect, Macdonald." "We're after him." " This one?" " Yeah." "And him." " Who is that?" " Search me." "Different blood group?" "Different blood." "This film shows that he's got megaloblastic anemia." "There are no platelets and a total vitamin deficiency." "That means he's got acute thrombocytopenia." "Sounds poorly." "Keep me informed." "Nice of you to come along so promptly." "I want you to take a look at these photographs." "Is the man you saw at Russell Square tube station in any of these?" "Like a cup of tea?" "That one there." "And there." "Good." "You're sure he was alive when you left him?" "How many times..." "Are you certain he didn't come up after you?" " Yes." " You mean he did?" "He did not." " Did you see anyone else down there?" " No." "I should think eight miles would be sufficient." " What?" " Fishing limits." "Thanks for coming along." "That's all?" "Have you got something else to tell me?" "I hope he'll be back soon." "You can never tell with the police." "Could you give him a message?" "Tell him I'll meet him at the restaurant." "He knows which one." "That's cool." "Everything okay with you and Alex?" "Yeah." "Why?" " Just wondered." " 'Bye." " Want to see The French Connection?" " No, it's too violent." " Would you like a cup of coffee, sir?" " Please." "If Manfred were so important, why isn't there something in the papers?" " Maybe they put a D Notice on it." " What's that?" "If the government wants something suppressed... they ask the press not to publish it." "It's a D Notice." "Shades of home." "Alex, it's very strange." "You find something in that book on poltergeists?" "If he was so important, why was he on the tube?" "He would have had a Rolls and a chauffeur." "If it was a heart attack, why wasn't it in the papers?" " I'd rather talk about poltergeists." " Haven't you got any ideas?" "If this was Chicago, they'd probably be dragging the river... for some man with a concrete bowler hat." "Perhaps he was a spy and the opposition caught up with him." "He'd seen something pretty awful." "I think we were lucky." "Why?" "Whatever he saw was probably watching us." "What movie would you like to see?" " Speak." " Inspector Calhoun?" "No, it's A Man Called Ironside." "Evening, Inspector, Bacon here," "That blood." "I've isolated the organism... and checked it with the medical research boys." "It's a form of pasteurella pestis," "I thought it might be." "That's plague." "In this case, septicemic plague." " Sweet Jesus!" " It's not as bad as it sounds," "The occasional rat gets into the country from a ship." "The rat carries the organism, but the other rats... the ones you normally find in the sewers, kill it off." "That's the end of it," "What about the man who's got it?" "Can he pass it on to anyone else?" "No, he's harmless, poor devil." "So lavatory seats down in the tube are still safe?" "Probably." "I think he'd have to bite you." "Charming." "I hope he hasn't got a touch of rabies as well." "You sound a bit strained." "Why don't you go home and get some sleep?" "Good night." "Bloody idiot." "Get some sleep!" "You still here, sir?" " Have you ever had pasturea pelvis?" " Who?" "Septicemic bloody plague." "Come on, let's get a couple of pints of beer." " We should have gone to the cinema." " Your idea." "At least it was cheap." "Come on, we'll miss the last tube." "Come on." "I'll protect you." "We can get out at Holborn instead and walk the rest of the way." "Okay?" "As I see it, James Manfred..." "Give over about Manfred." "I'm stuffed up to the gills with him." " I appreciate that..." " Open your mouth." "Now perhaps you'll shut up." "How much do you pick up in a week?" "30 quid?" "Hear that?" "30 quid a week, 12-hour day, six-day week." "That's about eight and a tanner an hour, old money." "The way he's carrying on, he'll make it four and three." "Let's get pissed." "Scotch, doubles." "The night before Maggie died..." "The coast is clear." "Think so?" "You should always guard your rear." " My books!" " I'll get them." "Mind the doors." "See you at home." "I got it." "Do you know this fella?" " Never seen him before." " What's wrong with you?" "We're closed, everybody's gone." "I'll handle this." " What about another large Scotch?" " He's a very important gentleman." "You don't want me to lose my license?" "I don't give bugger whether you lose your license." "Are you aware it is an offence to sell alcoholic beverages..." " on licensed premises after 11:00 p. m.?" " I am aware." "Allowing 10 minutes for drinking up time." "You've more than gone over that already, I'd have you know." "You could be assisting us in our enquiries." "It's not the first time it's been done over a glass of Scotch." "Come on, fellas." " I'll cover up for you." " No, sir." "You carry on with the game, I'll sort this out." "I could have you down for six months for this, you know that?" "By the powers invested in me by virtue of..." " The Queen." " God bless her." "Indeed, God bless her." "Don't you smile when you say that, either." "Are you aware that Her Gracious Majesty is over there... overseas in the far-flung empire, helping to keep the world safe... slogging her pretty little guts out so as you can live in a democracy?" "Look at this place." "A knocking shop, isn't it?" " Where did you get that coat?" " Off the chair." "Do you realize that is stealing by finding?" "Any rough stuff, leave him to me." "What do you know about stealing by finding?" "You could have a year for that." "Unless you've got a record." "Listen, are you quite sure about the Scotch?" "Have you ever seen Dartmoor?" "You want to see Dartmoor from the inside?" "There you go, then." "What time do you open up in the morning?" "Is anybody there?" " What's all that about?" " Officer, I can explain." "There might be..." " What's the matter?" " Someone may be trapped down there." "Somebody might not be, too." "What are you making a fuss about?" "There is somebody." "Is anybody there?" "Calm down." "Take it easy." " Get out of my way." " Come on, don't start." "Come along, now." "I'll have to arrest you." "Look, I can explain..." "Just give me a chance to explain." "We're going down to the station." "Come on, take it easy." "Good morning, sir." "Mr. Campbell, will you let me finish reading the report?" " Anything else, sir?" " Beards!" " You've got to find her." " This isn't a lost property office." " What are you going to do?" " Don't know." "Breaking and entering public premises." "That's a very serious offence." " Christ!" " Please don't shout." "I have an awful headache." "Sit down." "Look, I know she's in trouble." "Why do you think she's in trouble?" "Did you two have a fight last night?" "She left her books..." "I am reading the report, Mr. Campbell." "Unless you've something to add..." "I suggest you go home and leave us to get on with it." "Where the hell is Rogers?" "Never mind." "You gone drag, Rogers?" " Where did you get that?" " A cleaner found it in Holborn Station." "That's Patricia's." "She was there." " I never doubted it for one moment." " Then do something." "I can't do anything with you shouting all the time." "Be a good lad and go home." "We'll call you if we need you." " Inspector, Patricia..." " Hop it." "Now!" " There's blood inside it, sir." " What?" "There's blood inside the bag." "Get that down to Bacon right away." "Put me on to Mr. Richardson, London Transport, CID." "Mind the doors." "It can't be that bad, son." "You can't solve your problems by giving them to other people." "You youngsters are hopeless." "We've got schedules to keep up." "People can't jump onto the tracks." "Holds up the line for hours." "Is there any way out of here except up those stairs?" "It's drugs, isn't it?" "I had a nephew..." "Is there?" "You tell me!" "I've been on this job since the beginning, 40 years." "I worked for the city." "It's like a rabbit warren down there." "Mind the doors!" "Mind the doors." "Mind the doors." "Mind the doors!" "Doors." "Mind the doors." "Pat?" "Pat?" "Alex!" "Patricia, is that you?" "Are you all right?" "Leave him." "Come on, let's go." "Who's there?" "Good God!" "What is it?" "What the hell's going on here?" "Come on, what is it?" "Manfred?" " Where?" " Down there." "You stay here." "Two of you stay with this lady and gentleman." "The rest of you, come with me." "God, does this place stink." "Not surprising really, when you consider it's been buried since 1892." "What was this place?" "If it hadn't been for the cave-in, it would have been a station." "But at the time, it was a storage area and work base." " And they just left it like this?" " There was no money." " Don't you remember, I told you the story..." " Yes." "Come on." "People were trapped in the cave, the company went bankrupt..." "All these generations have survived." "This one's alive." "Norton, keep an eye on things." "In here, sir." " Manfred?" " Yes, sir." "Let's get to a radio phone." "I want everyone down here." "Photographers, the medical boys, Bacon, everyone." "You look after it." "Keep the press out." "What about Ml5, sir?" "Yes, inform them." "James Manfred..." "OBE." "I think he's dead, sir." "What a way to live." "You stay here." "All of you, stay here." " Get those kids out of here." " Yes, sir." "Mind the doors!"