"Excuse me, please." "Would you like my seat?" "─ Thank you." "We're not there yet." "I think the current's failed." "Sorry." "─ That's quite alright." "Excuse me, but didn't you used to go to work on a 13 bus?" "Yes I did." "─ Yes, I thought so." "I used to be on that route." "I'm a conductor." "They transferred me." "I'm on the 24's now." "I often used to see you." "Don't you remember me punching your tickets?" "No, I'm afraid I don't." "What's the trouble?" "─ Breakdown." "How long will we be held up here?" "─ Can't say sir." "Not long I hope." "Will we get to Hampstead before eight?" "I doubt it." "You may have to walk there." "─ Let's walk then." "The lady's in a hurry." "No-one must leave the train until I give instructions." "We may be stuck down here for hours." "Oh don't you worry Miss." "The boyfriend will wait for you." "Well, I'm not so sure that he will." "─ Well, if he doesn't wait .." ""You see my head, and you see this loop."" ""You put your head through the loop."" ""Then you'll be hanged."" "Nope, he's not here." "─ Well, you're an hour late, you know." "Yes, I know." "Thanks awfully for coming up with me." "Well, that's alright." "Aren't you going to have a look round while you are here?" "I think I'll go home." "─ Okay, I'll walk along with you." "Wouldn't you rather stay at the Fair?" "─ No." "I'd rather go along with you." "Alright then." "What I told you just now is the truth, you know." "I'm not in the habit of talking to strange girls on trains." "As a matter of fact, I don't go in for girls very much." "I've heard that one before." "─ No, it is true." "Shall I tell you something?" "When I was on the 13 bus, I used to look out for you every morning." "When we got to Swiss Cottage." "How many other girls did you look for?" "─ Only you." "I remember you were away for a week, once." "I was terribly worried because I thought you were ill or something." "That's right." "Last June." "Fancy you remembering that." "I remember it alright." "You did give me a dirty look on the train, though." "I'm sorry .. as a matter of fact I thought you looked rather nice." "Did you really?" "─ Hmm." "Do you know, I seem to think I've seen your face somewhere before." "Not in buses or anything but .." "I know." "Wasn't your photograph in the paper the other day?" "Aren't you the bus-conductor that was decorated?" "─ Yes." "Come on you two lovebirds." "Have a go." "Mother won't know." "What about it?" "─ Well I .. ─ Good." "That's the idea." "Have your choice." "They're all thoroughbreds." "Now come along." "Pass along the car there." "Any more fares please?" "─ Same lodge." "How do you like being a bus-conductor again after the Army?" "It's alright." "There's always plenty going on in a bus." "I'm interested in people." "I've got other ideas." "I only look upon this as a temporary sort of job." "What are you going to do then?" "─ Engineering." "I should be a fully qualified engineer if it hadn't been for the war." "But I'm making up for lost time." "You know, night classes and things." "How long will it take you?" "─ About a year, if I work hard enough." "Do you live at home?" "─ No, I'm in lodgings in Victoria." "Do you do your own cooking and everything?" "No." "I can always get fish and chips round the corner." "That's not so good for you." "─ What's your job?" "I work in a gramophone shop in the city." "Doesn't it get on your nerves, all that music, day in and day out?" "No." "I love it." "What do you like?" "Classical or dance?" "─ Classical." "It makes me feel sad and yet something wonderful is just round the corner." "I can't explain it, but Victor knows." "He's the friend I was meeting tonight." "I suppose he does take you out to theatres and operas and things?" "He does sometimes." "─ Sounds as if he's got a lot of money." "Yes." "I suppose he has." "Bang go my hopes of taking you on the Balcony and tea at the Corner House." "Ices?" "Would you like some ice-cream?" "─ I would." "I love it." "Ordinary ice or choc-ice?" "─ Choc-ice please." "Oh." "What did you say your name was?" "─ I didn't." "But it is Anne." "Anne .. mine is Jack." "Hurry up there." "Room for a few more." "─ Don't go without me." "Now, you sir." "Don't be shy." "Two choc-ices please." "Victor!" "Victor." "Victor." "Victor .." "Victor!" "What's the matter?" "Victor, are you ill?" "What is it?" "─ You're late." "Why are you late?" "I couldn't help it." "There was a holdup on the underground." "Has anything happened?" "─ What do you mean, happened?" "Nothing's happened but me hanging around in this dreary place waiting for you." "I know." "I am so sorry, but the underground broke down." "Have you been at the Fair all the time?" "─ I told you I had, didn't I?" "I gave you 3/4 of an hour then went into the boxing booth." "Came out and went to where we said we'd meet." "I was there minutes." "I didn't see you." "─ Are you telling me I'm a liar?" "No, of course not." "I said I was there a few minutes ago, and didn't see you." "For heaven's sake don't make a scene in public." "Victor, what is the matter with you?" "Stupid fools of women." "Let's get out of this place." "It's getting on my nerves." "I was talking to someone on the roundabout." "I must say goodbye." "I've told you I can't stand this place another minute!" "Alright Victor." "Alright." "Hello Jock." "Got your trains running yet?" "─ Yes, alright now." "Unlucky night, tonight." "─ You are telling me." "That's right .. saw you coming out." "Nice looking girl you had with you, too." "─ Thanks." "She been back?" "No." "─ You sure?" "Yes, I'm sure." "Wouldn't be likely to miss that one." "Why?" "What have you done with her?" "What's the matter with you?" "─ Oh, nothing." "What's this?" "An ambulance?" "What's up?" "Been an accident?" "─ I don't know." "Has the last train gone?" "─ No, you're alright." "Get in the lift." "What's happened?" "Do you know?" "─ A woman has been found murdered." "Oh." "Horrible." "Never mind the murder now." "You'll read all about it in the papers tomorrow." "Come on, come on." "Lovely day, Johnson." "How's the wife?" "─ Fine, thank you sir." "Woman found strangled." "All the horrible details." "Another murder!" "Another murder!" "Woman found strangled." "All the horrible details." "Another murder." "Another murder." "Hello Nelly." "─ Hello sir." "Your usual Mr Colebrooke?" "─ Yes, please." "Here is a beauty." "Thanks .. and could I have that spray as well, please?" "Certainly, sir." "oh, Mr Colebrooke, I confirmed that appointment for 3:30 this afternoon." "Good, Miss Willis." "What about a spray for you?" "Thank you very much." "I'll have that one if I may." "That's alright, Nelly." "─ Thank you very much, sir." "Thank you." "A nice gentleman." "─ Much too nice." "I'm sure the wrong sort of girl will get hold of him." "Can I help you, Madam?" "─ Good morning." "Let me see." "What was the name of the record I wanted?" "It's a jazz record called .." "Are you my baby, boogie-woogie?" "You mean "are you my boogie-woogie baby" don't you, Madam?" "Well yes, I suppose I do." "Miss Vaughan, would you get "Boogie-Woogie Baby" for this lady?" "The other assistant will attend to you." "─ Thank you." "Can I help you, sir?" "Yes." "There are one or two records I would like to hear please." "Yes, sir." "Have you the catalog numbers?" "I'm sorry about last night, Anne." "I don't think we have that in stock." "I'll see." "If you go in the booth over there." "Have you a record "Voice In The Night"?" "─ We might have." "I'll find out." "I'll take him in for you, dear." "─ You'll do nothing of the sort." "You are an old meanie." "Keeping him all to yourself." "Yes Miss Fielding, can you find the record you require?" "Yes I can, thank you." "I've got it." "Am I forgiven?" "─ Yes, that's alright Victor." "Although I was rather upset." "I'd never known you so bad-tempered." "I'd best put your record on before Her Ladyship starts snooping round." "I was bad-tempered." "How would be if I kept you waiting an hour and a half?" "It was only an hour, and I wouldn't have snapped your head off once you explained." "Just to make you feel better." "─ Oh Victor, they're lovely." "Listen." "Dark red suits you." "─ Thank you." "What about some lunch?" "─ I'd love it, Victor." "We'll go to the Savoy." "I'm not dressed for anywhere like that." "─ Nonsense, you always look charming." "Nonetheless, I always feel I'm going to make a fool of myself in those places." "So do I, but I enjoy it." "It's different for you." "You've an air about you." "As though you're from some grand family." "Oh yes, very grand." "Very grand indeed." "What are you laughing at?" "─ Nothing." "Just something that came into my head." "I'd like to lunch anyway." "I'll be free in ten minutes." "Anne." "─ Yes?" "You know, there is something about you." "Something that makes me feel quite differently towards you." "You mean .. than you do towards other girlfriends?" "Yes." "You see, they're not friends, merely acquaintances." "Miss Fielding, will you come and see to the catalogs lying all over the counter." "Yes." "Paper!" "Scotland Yard still baffled." "Read all the latest." "Scotland Yard still baffled." "Read the latest." "Scotland Yard still baffled." "Hello Benson .." "Conway here." "I want the newspapers to repeat that request." "You know .. anyone who was near the spot where the woman was strangled .." "To communicate with us at once." "Yes." "Have you got that letter from the tramp fellow?" "Yes, sir." "My missus says you can never trust a tramp further than you can throw him." "─ She gave one a sixpence once .." "Quite a character, this man .. come in." "I've got him, sir." "─ Oh, good." "Mr Glover." "We've been talking about you." "I have your letter." "My name is Conway." "Don't come too near, mister." "I've got a nasty cold." "Really?" "I'm sorry to hear that." "Come in, come in." "Come and sit down." "Take your coat off." "Take one of your coats off." "Yes, perhaps I'd better." "Otherwise I won't feel the benefit." "Well, I'll take my summer coat off." "I keep my summer coat on top, see." "You probably caught a chill being out so late on Hampstead Heath." "Have a cigarette." "─ Thanks very much." "Thank you." "I'll keep it to have with my coffee after dinner." "Hmm." "Sorry to have dragged you out of a warm bed." "If you'd called when you found the body, you wouldn't have all this inconvenience." "It gave me quite a turn." "I reckon it was that that brought on the chill." "I went all of a sweat when I seen it." "Achoo." "What were you doing there at night?" "Only collecting, sir." "─ Collecting?" "Yes, sir." "Cigarette ends and such." "Yes, I've seen cigarette ends." "Did you find anything else?" "I didn't find nothing there sir." "It was very disappointing." "There was nothing worth speaking of." "Achoo." "That's a very good linen handkerchief you've got." "What?" "Oh yes." "That's right, sir." "─ Where did you get that handkerchief?" "I can't remember where I found this one." "Ah .. so you found it .. where?" "Come on." "There's nothing to be afraid of." "Where'd you find it?" "Hampstead Heath?" "Yes." "I think it was." "Last Monday night?" "─ Yes." "Are you sure of that?" "─ Yes, sir." "Did you find it near the body?" "Did you find it near the body?" "Well it wasn't exactly near." "Yet, on the other hand it wasn't exactly far." "It was what you might call, within a radius of the body." "I felt a cold coming on and this looked fairly clean," "So I picked it up and I've been using it ever since." "It just comes in handy." "Put it on there will you." "Lovely job for you, Ellis." "Lovely job for you." "Sullivan." "─ Sir?" "Take this and wash it, Or get it washed." "And check up on that laundry mark there." "Yes, sir." "Oh." "It's you." "You'll be too early one of these days." "─ Yes." "But not for you." "Saucy monkey." "It was the laundry, Madam." "That seems to be alright." "I expect Mr Victor will be in for dinner, Florrie." "And my sister is going to stay." "Oh, then I'll have to make another sweet." "Your sister doesn't like my raspberry blancmange." "I know." "No." "Give her the blancmange." "I don't see why she should turn up her nose at it." "Who is turning their nose up?" "Are you talking about me?" "I was just saying that you always turn up your nose at Florrie's blancmange." "Don't you let her put you against me, Florrie." "Nothing of the sort." "─ That's alright, Madam." "Victor doesn't usually stay in to dinner when I'm here." "I don't think he likes me." "─ My dear, what nonsense." "He's always rude to me." "You watch." "─ Pure imagination." "If Victor doesn't kiss me when he comes in, I'm going to have it out with him." "No you won't, Mabel." "You'll do nothing of the sort." "Why not?" "I wouldn't say anything to someone's face that I won't say behind their back." "I know that." "─ Don't always pick me up." "You know perfectly well what I mean." "─ I will not have you upsetting Victor." "You've always been the same." "Since he was a boy." "Keep him under a glass case." "He mustn't be disturbed or upset." "Why shouldn't he be?" "Other people are." "You are frightened of his temper." "That's what it is." "Do you remember those wicked paddies he used to get into?" "He was only a child." "─ He still is." "[ telephone ]" "That maybe the man who telephoned to know when Victor would be home." "Mabel, stop flicking your ash into the sugar and come into the sitting room." "How you can live with the kitchen so near to the sitting room I can't think." "You know perfectly well it is to help Florrie." "Every time you come into this house you criticize it .. and me .. and Victor." "Now, you are imagining things." "Well, I suppose if I'd married a man who made a fortune out of pickles .." "I should have had a large, modern apartment like you." "If you sneer at Hector's family, I'll say something about the Colebrooke family." "Yes .. how about old William Colebrooke, eh?" "Mabel .. if you ever dare mention that, I'll never speak to you again." "Mr Conway, Madam." "Mrs Colebrooke?" "I spoke to you I think." "─ Yes." "How do you do." "This is my sister, Mrs Cooper." "─ How do you do?" "Victor ought to be in any moment now mister .." "Won't you come and sit down?" "─ Thank you." "Hello mother .. sorry I'm so late." "Alright darling." "But I hope you haven't been working too hard." "Auntie Mabel has dropped in for dinner." "─ Hello aunt Mabel." "Oh .. thank you, Victor." "─ You see?" "A friend has come to see you." "A mister .." "─ Conway." "Conway?" "─ You haven't forgot me." "We never met." "We haven't." "Though the name is familiar." "─ I haven't come at an awkward time?" "Not at all." "─ You two will want to talk." "I'll take Mabel into the kitchen." "We'll see that Florrie doesn't spoil the dinner." "Don't bother about me, mother." "I've got to go out." "Oh Victor, not again?" "─ I'm afraid so." "Oh, what a pity." "Well, come along Mabel." "Perhaps we'll see you later." "─ Oh yes." "A good photograph of you." "─ Not bad is it." "Do sit down won't you?" "─ Thank you." "Have a drink." "─ No thanks." "A cigarette?" "─ No." "Well, what can I do for you?" "As a matter of fact, I happen to be connected with Scotland Yard." "Oh." "What am I supposed to have done?" "─ Oh, nothing like that." "I hoped you might be able to help us." "─ Yes?" "Of course, you've read about these murders in the paper?" "Yes." "Who hasn't?" "Well, this "strangler" fellow has got us rather guessing, you know." "And I'm very anxious to get in touch with anyone .." "I have reason to believe was in the vicinity when the crimes were committed." "The last girl, as you know, was murdered on Hampstead Heath on Monday night." "Not far from the Fairground." "What part of the Heath exactly were you on, Mr Colebrooke?" "Oh, so you know I was there then?" "How on earth did you find that out?" "We get to know a lot of things." "After all, that is our job." "Well, there is no need to beat about the bush, Chief Inspector Conway." "If you want to know if I went near to where the woman's body was found, I did." "As a matter of fact, I went to the Fair, then I got bored and went for a stroll." "I wanted some fresh air." "I did pass quite near the scene of the murder." "I recognize the spot from the newspaper photographs." "Was anyone with you?" "─ No." "I was alone." "Take a look at this photograph of the murdered girl, Mr Colebrooke." "It may give you a clearer idea than the pictures in the paper." "A striking-looking girl, isn't she?" "She was the fourth, wasn't she?" "─ No." "The sixth." "That's if you include the two last year." "Obviously victims of the same man." "Of course, I was forgetting them." "Throwing your mind back to that walk of yours Mr Colebrooke." "Can you remember seeing her or anyone like her on the heath?" "I'm afraid I can't." "It's not surprising, really." "According to the press .." "She must have been murdered about an hour before I left the Fair." "Yes .. but before then, when you were at the Fair?" "No, I'm afraid I cannot remember seeing anybody in the least like her." "During your walk, did you keep to the path, or did you cross the grass at all?" "The path." "─ Are you sure?" "─ Yes." "I may have wondered off to shortcut a bend or two." "As a matter of fact, I did." "And you are quite positive that during the evening you never saw this girl?" "Quite sure." "Ah .. that's that." "I'm afraid I haven't been much use to you." "No fault of yours, that." "You'd have saved us a lot of trouble if you'd come to us, instead of us to you." "After all, we did put an appeal in the papers you know." "[ telephone ]" "Hello." "Who?" "Inspector Conway?" "─ Oh, it is for me." "Thank you .. hello." "Yes?" "Speaking .. don't you know my voice yet?" "What?" "What do you mean, you've had a postcard?" "I mean a postcard from the murderer, sir." "It is addressed to "Scotland Yard .. the Big Four."" ""The Big Four." With a query after "Big"." "It says "You poor half-wits." "Six murders and you haven't even a clue."" ""They'll be another corpse tonight."" "Alright." "I'll come straight back." "I'm so sorry." "I had to let them know where I am." "Look here .. there is one way you might be able to help us. ─ Uhuh?" "Well, we keep a record of all the ladies and gentlemen who go through our hands." "The Rogue's Gallery?" "─ A part of it." "Would you mind coming along to the Yard and having a look at it?" "You might just spot a face you remember on that walk of yours." "Of course." "When would you like me to come?" "I would have suggested tonight, only I heard you say you've got an appointment." "I have as a matter of fact, but I should be free about ten." "Is that too late?" "Not a bit of it." "Scotland Yard is always open." "We'll leave it at that then." "─ Thanks Mr Colebrooke, I appreciate it." "There is one thing I would appreciate." "─ Really?" "What's that?" "Your telling me how you know I was on Hampstead Heath last Monday night." "Ha, that would be giving away professional secrets." "But people are very careless, you know." "Goodbye." "─ Goodbye." "He seemed a very pleasant man, dear." "What did he want?" "Yes, he's gone." "I know that dear." "I asked you what he wanted." "What he wanted?" "Nothing in particular." "Was it .. business?" "Yes, it was business .. in a way." "Yes, business." "Nothing important." "Nothing important." "Victor." "Yes, mother." "What is it?" "I know it is a bore, Mabel coming to dinner, but .." "I do wish you wouldn't go out tonight, dear." "Why not?" "─ I don't know." "Just a silly feeling I have." "You are never at home now, darling." "Always wandering out at night." "Why call it "wandering" mother?" "I go out .." "I don't wander." "Alright, dear." "Take care of yourself, darling." "I will." "What's the matter with you?" "─ Nothing." "Mr Victor won't be in after all, Florrie." "─ Very good, Madam." "I told you, didn't I?" "─ Nothing to do with you, Mabel." "Victor was very nice to you when he came in." "Isn't he getting more like his father, Maud." "There's something about his eyes." "No!" "I don't think he's in the least like Harry .." "I never have." "Victor has never taken after the Colebrookes." "He belongs to our side of the family." "He is completely an Elliston." "But I am worried about him." "─ Oh why, Madam?" "She's just a fusspot." "She treats that boy as though he's made of glass." "He is so restless, Florrie." "It seems as if he can't stay in the house." "He is wandering about by himself, almost every evening." "How do you know he is by himself?" "It's such a lovely summer, Madam." "Probably wants to be out in the air." "I wish I could think that, Florrie." "There he is." "He's Jack Williams." "Been with since he came out of the Army." "Character, excellent." "He came out of my station with a girl on the night of the murder." "About 9 o'clock." "And he came back at midnight." "Alone." "And he was in a state, too." "─ Right." "Now don't say another word until I've spoken to him." "Hello, what are .." "─ Mr Williams?" "─ Yes." "You were off-duty last Monday night?" "─ That's right." "Why?" "I'm from Scotland Yard." "I'd like you tell me exactly where you were and what you did on that occasion." "Monday night?" "Not likely to forget that in a hurry." "That was .." "Exactly .. you were with a girl that night. ─ Yes." "What's her name?" "─ Anne." "Anne who?" "I don't know." "She didn't tell me." "You see, we missed each somehow on the heath." "Where does she lives?" "─ I don't know." "You know where she works?" "That's strange, isn't it?" "So, you can't produce anybody to vouch for your movements that night." "I could do that alright if only I could find her again." "Do you remember seeing this girl before?" "─ She always comes to work by bus." "Your bus?" "─ No such luck." "She did when I was on the 13, but I've been transferred." "I do know she works in a gramophone shop somewhere in the city." "She does, does she?" "She works in a gramophone shop somewhere in the city?" "On the 13 bus route." "And she answers to the name of "Anne"." "Right .. well, if this is the girl, I'll find her." "Good, can I come with you?" "─ You are coming with me." "Does that mean I'm under suspicion?" "Oh .. yes." "If that shoe hurts, why don't you sit down for a bit and take it off?" "Oh yes .. thanks, Tom." "I don't think I could have walked another yard without giving my poor feet a rest." "Oh .." "I wish now I had taken the bus." "But it would have meant breaking into my last pound." "Think of it, Tom." "Walking five miles if it was an inch." "On hard pavements." "And Lucy told me I would not do it because I was Scotch." "The cheek of it!" "She was only Irish herself." "Why bother about her wretched job?" "─ Oh, half the people made me go." "Didn't I tell you I could get you dozens of better jobs than you could yourself?" "I know Tom .. and I believed you .. only .." "The girl that shares my room at the hospital said you were having me on." "And I was a fool if I thought I would ever see you again." "Oh, so you told her about me, did you?" "What exactly did you say, Jeannie?" "─ Oh, just how genteel you were." "Did you say anything else?" "No .. just that your name was Tom Mahon." "How you are a motor engineer." "Did you tell her what I looked like at all?" "Well .." "I said you were awful kind-looking." "You don't mind my having told her about us, do you?" "No, of course not." "Did you tell her I had a little scar here on my neck?" "No, Tom." "Why would I do that?" "Isn't it lovely here, with the moonlight streaming down." "I never dreamed I could be so happy." "Though what an educated gentleman like you sees in a girl like me, I don't know." "I'm not pretty, I know .. nor clever." "And I haven't any nice clothes." "Whatever you are, whatever you aren't." "You are the sort of girl I was looking for." "Oh .. do you really mean that, Tom?" "Of course." "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "You feeling rested now, Jeannie?" "─ Yes thanks, Tom." "Do you want us to go on?" "No .. stay just where you are." "Plenty of time .. no hurry." "Oh .." "look at that big cloud up there." "It will hide the moon." "─ Yes." "In a few moments." "I've been watching it." "─ It's such a black one, too." "It will make it nearly dark." "Yes it will." "How green with envy all the other girls will be." "When I tell them I'm going to be a waitress in such a grand, big hotel." "And that it was you that got the situation for me." "Me?" "Oh yes." "Oh look .. the cloud is just beginning to cover the moon." "Yes." "Just beginning to cover the moon." "And I'll be able to send some money home again." "I do not know how they've managed since I've been here." "And it's all due to you, Tom." "Ahh .. [ singing ]" "I've had this tune on the brain since I heard you whistling it the other day." "Do you know the words?" "─ Of course I do." "[ singing ] "I hear a voice in the night."" ""So mysterious and deep."" ""I'm under its spell."" ""Wonderful night of the .."" "[ off ] I don't know why you wanted to leave." "The joint was just beginning to hop." "[ off ] Oh, it was too crowded." "There was nowhere to dance." "Old faithful erupts every eight days." "─ Oh come on." "You've smoked enough." "I'll go down there and ask that guy for a light." "Nick, you can't." "Why not?" "─ No, Nick." "Excuse me buddy, got a light?" "Thanks." "Thanks a lot." "I hope I .. didn't disturb you." "See what I mean?" "What's the deadline for getting home?" "─ I must be in by 11 or Mum will be wild." "Oh no, Nick." "Not here." "Okay." "But where?" "Here we have the nastiest piece of work in the whole Chamber Of Horrors." "In fact, quite the nastiest type of gentleman you could possibly meet." "I hope none of you here have occasion to meet the present holder of the office." "Very well then." "During his lifetime, this highly respected citizen." "Was paid by her gracious Majesty's government." "To do to death by strangulation, 45 human beings." "Men and women." "He became known by the title of "The Happy Hangman"." "Owing to the fact that he took such a liking to his work." "That he was never happy, unless he was strangulating somebody by the neck." "Until they was dead." "Now then, before we close." "We've just got time to pass along to the "Camden Town murders"." "That he cut the throat of her rival and the four little babies." "He pushed the bodies in a dust-cart all the way up Haverstock Hill." "And dumped them in Belsize park." "Why do you haunt me?" "Why do you come back from the past?" "Why can't you leave me in peace?" "I .. hate you!" "Williams, thanks for coming along." "─ I didn't have much choice." "Sullivan, show Mr Williams off the premises." "By the way, are you on duty at the same time tomorrow?" "Yes, sir." "Well, if we find this girl Anne, you won't mind coming along again?" "It will be a pleasure." "I understand." "Goodnight." "─ Goodnight, sir." "There is a bus-conductor coming down with Sullivan." "Have him tailed." "Have you checked up on those people?" "─ Yes, sir." "Stone was in Brighton." "Mike Holden was celebrating his wedding anniversary." "How about that fellow Mugsy Knight?" "Cast-iron alibi." "In hospital recovering from an appendix operation." "Alright, Ellis." "Yes?" "Colebrooke?" "He's here, is he?" "Alright, show him all the photos of our possibles, will you." "Did they let you have those extra men for covering the parks tonight, sir?" "No." "It is maddening .. the Commissioner thinks some crank sent this postcard." "Why should this fellow write and tell us about it beforehand?" "That's what I've been trying to explain to them upstairs." "Being a murderer, he knows we think of him as the lowest type imaginable." "So he sends us this sort of thing to prove that he's cleverer than us." "Far beyond us, in fact." "─ Hmm." "Yes, it's a theory sir." "─ Thank you, Sergeant." "Excuse me, sir." "There was something I wanted to tell you." "I happened to be talking about it to my missus last night." "Talking about "it"?" "The strangler case." "You have to tell her everything?" "Why not keep quiet?" "I only happened to mention the name "Colebrooke" and .." "She said she's certain she's heard that name before in connection with murder." "She's a great one for murders, my missus." "She can give you all the details of Jack the Rip .." "What do you want to tell me, Sullivan?" "She's certain she's got the name "Colebrooke" in the back of her mind." "She may have it in the back of her mind." "We haven't got it in the records." "There is one other thing, sir." "─ Yes?" "You can take this for what it is worth." "─ What's that?" "My missus says she is certain there is going to be another murder tonight." "Your wife isn't "the strangler", by any chance, Sullivan?" "Not that I know of, sir." "Only she's got the feeling, that's all." "She's septic .. uh, psychic." "I'm sure there is something the matter with her." "Mr Colebrooke thinks he saw this man on Hampstead Heath last Monday night." "Where is he?" "─ He's outside." "Well, show him in." "Come in, please." "Good evening Mr Colebrooke." "So good of you to come." "Seems to be a lucky break for us." "Sergeant Sullivan .." "Mr Colebrooke." "Do sit down." "─ Thanks." "Give me those, Walters." "Come back for them later. ─ Very good, sir." "Have a cigarette?" "─ Do you mind if I smoke a cigar?" "No, not at all." "I say, something seems to have done that a bit of no-good, doesn't it?" "I'm afraid so." "─ Here you are." "Thank you." "So .. so you think you've seen this fellow before, eh?" "Yes, I'm certain I saw him last Monday night." "I'm sorry." "I'm afraid this man has a very solid alibi." "I would be very chary about identifying anybody in a case like this .." "Unless I was actually positive." "I'd swear on my oath that I saw him or his double." "Last Monday night in Regent's Park." "You mean "Hampstead Heath"." "─ Oh yes." "Of course." "Oh well, bad luck about the clue, Mr Colebrooke." "Thanks." "I hope you had a good time in our Rogue's Gallery." "Yes, it was most interesting." "Quite an academy." "I'm afraid we've tested your good nature as it is, bringing you here at night." "So, I won't keep you .. goodnight." "─ Sorry I couldn't be more helpful." "Oh, that's alright." "Goodnight." "─ Goodnight." "Who did he think he'd identified, sir." "─ Mugsy Knight." "Mugsy Knight?" "─ Helps a lot, doesn't it." "Yep?" "Speaking." "What?" "Alright, I'll be right down." "What now, sir?" "─ Another strangler murder." "Get your hat." "Excuse me, sir." "Have you finished with the Mugsy Knight file?" "It's on my desk." "Well sir, my missus tipped it." "Perhaps your missus would like to take my job." "Where is it this time?" "─ Regent's Park." "Regent's Park?" "Evening Wilson." "─ Evening, sir." "Been dead long, Doctor?" "─ Abut three hours at a rough guess." "Is that as near as you can get it?" "─ Yes." "She's been dead not under two hours and not over four." "No doubt about the cause of death, of course?" "No, that's pretty obvious." "Manual strangulation." "Who found the body?" "─ The Park Keeper here, sir." "What time was that?" "─ About twenty past eleven, sir." "Found out who she is?" "Yes sir." "We found her identity card in her bag." "She was Jeannie McLaren from the local Working Girl's hostel." "Did you take her shoe off for any reason, Doctor?" "I noticed it was off sir, when I found her." "No sign of any struggle." "No footprints either, of course." "This fellow has had all the luck so far." "Found something, sir?" "Yes." "I think so." "Can you remember what was in my ashtray when we left the office?" "In your ashtray?" "─ Yes." "Look at that." "Looks like a bit of dried leaf to me." "─ It is .. a cigar leaf." "Now, we might be getting somewhere." "Who the devil has been in this office?" "─ Only me, sir." "I must have dozed off." "Did you take a damaged cigar from the ashtray?" "No sir." "I didn't even see it." "Is anything wrong, sir?" "Was it very important?" "Important enough to hang a man or I'm very much mistaken." "Come on, look for the blasted thing." "Look for it!" "Yes, Sergeant." "Where will I look?" "─ Just everywhere." "Everywhere." "Well, so much for the clue of the battered cigar." "I was saying to my missus yesterday .." "─ Yes, you'd better talk to her in bed." "I'm going to get some sleep." "You better do the same." "Suits me." "I'll get up early and find the girl Williams was on the Heath with." "Williams?" "─ Bus-conductor, sir." "Oh yes .. alright, goodnight." "Goodnight, sir." "─ Goodnight, Ellis." "Excuse me, sir." "─ Oh, Walters." "Yes, sir?" "You were in this office when I left with Sullivan?" "─ Yes, sir." "Did you see a broken cigar in that ashtray?" "Why, yes sir." "─ Well?" "I thought you'd finished with it, so .." "─ What .. did you do with it?" "I smoked it, sir .. it's gone." "Now the next place is the fourth." "You never know." "You might be lucky." "Excuse me, Miss." "Have you got a young lady working here who goes by the name of Anne "somebody"?" "Why yes, Anne Fielding." "Miss Fielding, will you not put records down on chairs." "Someone will sit on them." "What have you got there?" "These are the only records of this symphony in stock." "They are extremely precious." "Put them back on the shelves at once." "Excuse me, Miss." "Is your name "Anne"?" "─ Yes." "I'm from Scotland Yard." "Did you by any chance happen to be on Hampstead Heath on Monday night?" "Yes." "I was at the Fair." "Did you by any chance meet a man named Jack Williams, a bus conductor, there?" "Yes." "At least he said his name was "Jack" and that he worked on the 24 buses." "What's the matter?" "He's not in any trouble, is he?" "So you are Anne." "I've been looking all over London for you." "Miss Fielding, I don't know what you think these booths are meant for." "Go outside at once!" "I shall report this matter to Mr Osborne." "I'll ask you madam not to interfere with The Police when executing their duties." "But .. what did you say?" "I'm from Scotland Yard." "─ Oh!" "Hello." "This is a surprise." "What are you doing here?" "What happened that night at the fair?" "─ My friend turned up after all." "I didn't get to say goodbye to you." "─ So, that was it. ─ Yes." "I've been thinking about you." "I was to write to you care of the Bus Company." "Were you?" "─ Yes, but I didn't like to." "Wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "All this is for later on." "Miss Fielding .." "Is he the man you met on the underground and went on the heath with last Monday?" "Yes. ─ You sure?" "─ Yes .. yes." "Is this the young lady you were looking for on the Heath from 9 until midnight?" "That's right." "Oh." "Just too bad." "─ What is?" "Well, it means we won't be able to hang you after all." "Can I drop you anywhere, Miss?" "─ No thanks." "I think I'll go back by bus." "24?" "Going my route?" "─ Yes." "Sorry to disappoint you." "But thanks very much for finding her for me." "That's quite alright." "Anything to oblige." "If you want anything, give us a tinkle." "Here is the number:" "Whitehall 1,2,1,2." "Well this is my lucky day." "─ Is it?" "─ Uhuh." "A pity you have to get off, isn't it." "─ I must get back to the shop I'm afraid." "Yes, I suppose so .. well, that's where your shop is." "Oh yes .." "I haven't paid my fare." "─ Oh, don't worry about that." "You know, I really must pay my fare." "─ You are having this one on me." "Well, what would you like to do tonight?" "The pictures or The Palais?" "I can't make up my mind." "What's on at the cinema?" "─ Some sloppy, love thing." "Who is in it?" "─ I don't know." "I've forgotten." "I haven't been to The Palais for ages." "Is the band good?" "─ Terrific." "Now, what do you think you are playing at?" "Meet you at the corner house then?" "─ Alright." "See you tonight. 6:30." "Bye." "Bye." "Yes, Mr Colebrooke?" "Right away, Mr Colebrooke." "Miss Willis, would you take a letter please. ─ Yes, sir." "It is to Johnson and Company." "You have the address." "Dear sir." "With reference to your letter of the 19th instant." "For which we thank you." "We are glad to inform you that we shall be in a position .." "To complete your order, in a very few weeks." "We much appreciate." "How is Wimbledon?" "Fine thank you, Mr Colebrooke." "It's quite a relief in this weather to get out somewhere a bit countrified." "Do you live far from the common?" "─ No, I'm right overlooking it." "I always cross the common on my way home at night." "Where were we?" ""We much appreciate .."" "[ door knocks ]" "Are you expecting someone, Mr Colebrooke?" "─ No." "It must be a stranger knocking on your private door." "Would you mind using the other .." "─ Excuse me." "Hello Colebrooke." "Forgive me for barging in." "I was in the building, so I thought I'd look you up." "That's very nice of you." "That's alright Miss Willis." "Sit down, won't you." "─ No." "I have only a second." "Cigarette?" "No thanks." "─ I suppose you're a cigar smoker?" "I rather expected to see a high pressure businessman with a cigar going full on." "I reserve my vices for after business hours." "Oh, I don't know if I thanked you for looking in at the Yard the other evening." "You were more help than you know." "─ I'm glad." "I wonder if you'd mind coming along again this afternoon." "Say, 4 o'clock?" "What exactly do you want, Inspector?" "Well, unfortunately as you know." "That gentleman you picked out had an unshakable alibi." "Yes, it was a pity." "He was a shifty looking customer." "But we don't want to hang the wrong man, do we?" "Whatever his personal appearance." "So I want you to look at some more photographs." "I'm still interested in that man you say you saw on Hampstead Heath." "Just a moment," "No, I've nothing particular on this afternoon." "Good." "You're losing your handkerchief." "─ Oh, thanks." "See you later." "I'm still intrigued as to how you find out I was on the Heath." "I'll let you into the secret one of these days." "Do you remember taking a man to New Scotland Yard last night?" "Yes." "─ What time?" "Well, I had my grub about half past nine .. just before ten o'clock." "That will be the man." "Where did you pick him up?" "Just outside Madam Tussauds, there." "I was coming back to the rank." "A slim, good-looking fellah?" "Without a hat or overcoat?" "Well, he was slim-looking alright." "But he had a hat and Macintosh on." "You sure of that?" "─ Yes." "I tell you why. ─ Why?" "He kept me waiting so long outside the Yard, I thought he'd gypped me." "It was hardly the place for that." "So I had a look around and I see he left his hat and Macintosh in the Cab here." "Oh he had, had he?" "─ Yes. ─ Hmm." "That might help quite a little bit." "We've added the hat and raincoat." "Is that the effect you wanted to get, sir?" "Yes .. yes, that's fine." "A nice job, that sir." "Alright .. pass those off to the local chaps." "See if they can place him in the Regent's Park area last night." "Very good, sir." "[ telephone ]" "Yes?" "Oh good .. send him straight up will you." "He's here .." "Ellis." "─ Yes, sir?" "I want you to tail him, if we don't hold him." "He didn't see you here last night?" "─ No. sir." "Alright." "They'll tip you off downstairs." "Not that way, Idiot." "He'll see you." "That way .. and Ellis." "Try and disguise those handlebars of yours will you." "Yes, sir." "Have the Regent's Park couple arrived?" "─ Been here half an hour, sir." "What do you make of that woman's statement, sir?" "You now the woman that shared the dead girl's room?" "─ Why?" "Don't you think it's funny that this man told the girl his name was Tom Mahon?" "He wouldn't say his own name, would he?" "─ But why the name of a famous murderer?" "Just the sort of thing a man with a warped brain would do." "How do you like the name "Colebrooke" though?" "My missus said that it is always connected in her mind with .." "Crippen, the brides-in-the-bath and the Camden Town murders." "She shouldn't go to the Chamber Of Horrors." "Mr Colebrooke, sir." "Good afternoon, Colebrooke." "Do sit down." "─ Thank you." "[ telephone ]" "Excuse me .. yes?" "Really?" "Oh .. do they?" "Hang on a minute." "There's a couple downstairs who may give us a clue to the murderer." "It will be amusing to have them up." "Don't you think?" "Yes." "Very." "Alright." "Send them up right away." "This will give you an idea of what we have to put up with at the Yard each day." "Sure you don't mind?" "Sure." "I will enjoy the chance to see how the wheels go round." "As a matter of fact, these two swear they saw the murderer last night in the park." "Indeed?" "They say they are positive they can identify him again." "Really?" "It seems you're getting a lucky break at last, Inspector." "Yes, it does, doesn't it." "Come in." "Come in will you, please." "Good afternoon." "─ Good afternoon." "Miss Kemp .." "Corporal Mappola." "─ Uh .." "Mappolo." "Indeed .." "Mr Colebrooke." "How do you do." "─ Hi." "You on leave?" "Yeah." "I've got to be back with the Krauts in four days." "The Krauts?" "─ Yeah, you know .." "Germans." "Yes, of course." "Well, I must thank you both for coming up with your information so promptly." "Oh that's alright, Captain." "Inspector." "Now, Corporal." "In to your statement, you took Miss Kemp to Regent's Park last night for a walk." "Yeah .. for a walk." "And you passed the exact spot where the body was found?" "Yeah." "There was a couple necking on the grass as we went by." "Yes, that's right." "Then Nick went and asked the man for a match." "Didn't you?" "That I did." "And you heard the church clock strike nine a few moments later?" "Well, we heard it strike." "We left the dance at 8:30." "Hadn't been gone more than half an hour." "Couldn't have been ten, so .." "Must have been nine." "Sounds logical." "─ Perfectly." "I see you both state, that you believe you would know this man again." "Sure." "Like a shot." "─ Despite not seeing his face?" "I don't need to see his face." "Just his back." "You show me that back, and I'll show you your man." "Why, was there anything very distinctive about it?" "No, not exactly." "But you see, I'm used to sizing people up." "Yes." "Nick's a tailor by profession." "I'd know that back any place." "Wouldn't you?" "─ Sure." "And the man in question was wearing a soft hat and a light raincoat?" "That's right." "And would you say he was an elderly man?" "No .. on the young side." "You can tell that by his back?" "Uhuh." "And by the hand he gave me the box of matches with." "I tell you another thing He's not the kind of guy that digs roads for a living." "Well, judging by his hands anyway." "─ A gentleman, then?" "Could be." "I've got an idea." "Sullivan .. get my hat and old raincoat out of the cupboard." "Now, I'm going to suggest the Sergeant here, puts on that coat and hat." "Maybe you can tell in what way his manly form differs from the man in the park?" "I can tell you that now." "He's too fat." "Fat?" "You mustn't be unkind to the Sergeant." "He is on a diet." "Oh .. no offense." "Well .. suppose I try." "No .. he was a different build to you." "More like our friend here." "This gentleman?" "─ Yup." "It may be very useful to get an accurate idea of this fellow's size and build." "Would you mind if we tried out this impression on you, Mr Colebrooke?" "It seems rather silly to me." "Do you mind, sir?" "Mind?" "Why should I?" "Would you sit on that desk with your back to us?" "This is all very stupid." "We're forgetting the hat." "And his head was bent down, wasn't it .. excuse me." "Anything like him?" "Take a good look." "Don't say anything unless you are sure." "No need to hurry." "There is plenty of time." "Well .. how much longer is this nonsense going on?" "It is worse than being photographed." "Anything like the man?" "Yeah .. very." "You are sure?" "─ Positive." "The guy we saw was exactly his build." "Wasn't he?" "─ Yes." "Except this gentleman's shoulders seem a bit broader to me." "I wouldn't say that." "Of course, it is not the same back." "─ Oh no, it's not the same back." "Well, thank you very much." "You have been a great help." "Haven't they, Mr Colebrooke?" "I'm glad you think so." "Hey!" "You fed up with life?" "I'm convinced he's the man we want." ""A" - he was on the heath the night of the Hampstead murder." ""B" - there's that slip he made: he said Regent's Park instead of Hampstead Heath." "And we have that cigar on him." "At least we would have if that idiot hadn't smoked it." "That would be "C", sir." "That, as you say Sullivan, would be "C"." "There's the taxi man who brought him here last night after the murder happened." "Listen, Sullivan." "That girl was killed about nine." "But that taxi man told you he picked up Colebrooke just before ten." "Didn't he?" "Did he?" "─ Well, didn't he?" "─ Yes, of course he did." "Colebrooke's not going to hang about in the park after he's committed the murder." "So he probably went straight to Baker Street where picked up that Cab." "But that leaves three quarters of an hour unaccounted for." "What did he do in that time?" "Well, there are one or two pubs around there, sir." "Restaurants." "Yes." "And your wife's second home." "Where?" "The Chamber Of Horrors." "Here, who told you to interfere with those curtains?" "Who did that?" "It ought to have been taken away, but it's holiday time and we're short-handed." "Who did it?" "I came in her last night to lock up." "And I found him, just like that." "Some madman, I dare say." "Didn't like the way he stared at him, perhaps." "Funny how he always seems to stare at you, old Colebrooke." "The "Happy Hangman" eh." "A proper strangler, he'd have made, sir." "A strangler with a government license." "It makes you think, don't it?" "It certainly does." "My missus says .." "A great woman, my missus." "─ Is she, sir?" "What did she say, sir?" "Huh?" "─ Your missus." "I haven't got one." "Oh God." "Set me free." "Is that you, Victor?" "─ Yes, mother." "You are very late, darling." "Are you alright?" "Perfectly." "I'll get up, and make you a hot drink." "You'll do nothing of the sort." "I'll come in and say goodnight." "There you are, darling." "─ You ought to be asleep." "I know." "But I thought you might feel lonely when you came in." "I would have been." "I want you to feel that I am always here for you to come home to." "You understand, darling?" "─ Yes, mother." "I do." "There is something so sure and so safe." "Safe?" "Of course it is." "What a strange thing to say." "I only meant that no-one could come to any harm in here." "Have you been out with friends, dear?" "─ No, alone." "Walking." "Just walking." "Is everything alright at the office?" "Nothing has gone wrong, has it?" "No." "Only you seem so worried." "It's chilly in here." "Do you mind if I put on the fire?" "No, dear." "Of course not." "Good old Prince." "Do you remember him in my nursery?" "Yes indeed." "I've several things from the old nursery in here." "Do you remember the day I won this?" "─ I should think I do." "I shall never forget that day, Victor." "And the fat boy who got stuck in the barrel in the obstacle race." "Mother." "─ Yes, dear." "What was father like?" "I mean, I was so young when he died." "In what way, dear?" "Was he at all like I am now?" "In looks you mean?" "─ No, not in looks." "Mother." "You always say that I seem to be worried about something." "Was father like that, too?" "Always worrying?" "Yes, Victor .. yes he was." "But I shared his worries." "I knew what they were, and I helped him fight them." "Darling." "I know parents can't expect their children to share worries with them." "It's against human nature, I suppose." "Now Victor .. don't you .." "I've often wanted to say this to you before." "Don't you think you'd be happier if you found some nice girl, who understood you?" "If you got married and settled down?" "You must know a lot of girls, Victor." "Though you've never brought any of them here to see me." "But amongst them all, there must be one" "Surely, there must be one." "Yes, mother." "I believe there is a girl." "Wasn't it sweet of old Osborne to let me leave early." "Going out with your bus-conductor friend?" "You're a snob, Muriel." "─ A snob?" "I only asked a civil question." "It was just the way you said "bus-conductor"" "It's a bit of a come-down, isn't it?" "After that other fellow, Victor." "Have you broken with him?" "─ No, but I am going to." "There is no point in it now." "─ Okay." "Pass him on to me." "Tell him you know a smashing blond." "Hello Anne." "─ Hello Victor." "You leaving already?" "─ Yes." "I'm leaving an hour earlier." "I want to talk to you." "Very important." "─ But I'm just going to meet a friend." "Put it off." "I must talk to you." "─ I can't I'm afraid." "What about tomorrow?" "─ Yes, I may be able to manage that." "We can have some dinner and then I want you to meet my mother." "Look Victor .. why don't we just go for a walk in the park?" "We can talk just as easily there." "What's the matter?" "You do want to see me, don't you?" "Yes, Victor .. but just this once." "─ What do you mean, just this once?" "I'm afraid it will have to be for the last time." "I can't stay now." "I'll explain everything tomorrow." "Where shall we meet?" "You know that big statue near Hyde Park Corner?" "The man with the shield?" "I'll meet you there tomorrow evening at 7:30." "Is that alright?" "Yes, that's alright." "─ See you tomorrow then." "I thought you weren't going to see him again?" "I couldn't help it." "I didn't know he was coming." "I don't the look of that guy." "─ I didn't expect you to." "Any more than he'd like the look of you." "Anyway, let's hope that's the last we see or hear of Victor Colebrooke." "Well .." "I'm afraid not, Jack." "I promised to meet him tomorrow evening at 7:30 for the last time." "Why?" "Couldn't you have said goodbye just now?" "No, I couldn't." "He's been awfully decent to me." "There is no reason why we shouldn't part as good friends." "I'd rather you didn't see him again." "─ I'm sure you would." "Don't worry." "I don't like it, Anne." "But I promised him." "It will be for the last time." "I know Jack." "You've told me a hundred times you don't like Victor Colebrooke." "And you told me a hundred times you do like him." "Not as much as I like you, otherwise I wouldn't be here." "Oh .. yes." "This looks good." "Hors d'oeuvre or soup?" "─ Soup please. ─ Two soups." "Roast beef and Yorkshire?" "─ Well .." "Steak and kidney pudding?" "Well, it looks like boiled gammon." "─ I like gammon." "Look, what can we have?" "─ Omelet." "Dried eggs, I suppose?" "Two omelets." "─ Two omelets." "Ice cream to follow." "─ Lovely." "If there is any left." "If not, baked apple." "What can we have to drink?" "─ Beer, red wine." "Half a bottle of red wine." "You shouldn't have ordered wine." "Why not?" "Can't we celebrate the same as anyone else?" "Now, if Colebrooke had ordered wine." "─ If you mention his name once again .." "I'm sorry Anne." "I know it's foolish to be jealous as we have only known each other a few days." "Don't forget, I've known you for months and months." "I know it sounds silly but .." "Ever since that first day on the 13 bus." "I knew you were the only girl for me." "I felt that way about you too, Jack." "Ever since the night on Hampstead Heath." "You see, I'm scared I might lose you, Anne." "That's why I dislike Colebrooke." "He's got so much I haven't got." "Well, I'm afraid he'll take you away from me." "He couldn't do that." "You see, everything is different now, Anne." "Once, my ambition was simply to be a good engineer." "Now there is a reason for that ambition." "I love you Anne." "More than anybody could love you." "I know every boy says it to every girl, but you must believe me." "I love you with all my heart and soul." "I love you, too." "Really!" "Nothing out of the ordinary." "It might be a report on anyone's movements." "Where is he now?" "He was at home sir, when Barnes took over from me last night." "Alright, Ellis." "Don't let up on him." "He'll give himself away sooner or later." "Only a question of time." "Very good, sir." "Morning sir." "─ What do you want?" "A cigar?" "Well, what is it?" "─ Another "strangler postcard", sir." "Why didn't you say so?" "Alright." "Well Sullivan, I'm flattered." "It's addressed to me personally this time, instead of the Big Four." "Just what I've been waiting for." "Get the Assistant Commissioner, please." "─ What does it say, sir?" ""Poor old Conway .. not getting very far, are you?"" ""Seven months of murders, and another tomorrow."" "That is today." "─ Yes." "Good morning, sir .. it is Conway here." "Can I come around and see you right away?" "Yes, it's urgent." "Another "Strangler" postcard." "Thank you, sir." "I'll come straight over." "As you feel so strongly Conway, you shall have all the cooperation or men you want." "Thank you, sir." "─ I hope you get him this time." "But if you think you know your man, why don't you arrest him at once?" "And make sure to stop another murder." "We haven't got enough evidence, sir." "We simply haven't got a case." "Although I intend to prevent him committing another murder." "I do want to catch him attempting one." "But if you don't and he succeeds again?" "─ We'll have to take that risk." "We haven't had him out of our site the whole time." "He's been under observation." "Very well." "More news on The Strangler." "New threat by The Strangler." "Another murder tonight." "More news on The Strangler." "You've not been long, dear." "─ I've just been to get the papers." "You will in to dinner then?" "─ I've got to go out." "I'm late already." "I'm just going for the post, Madam." "Shan't be long." "Oh very well, Florrie." "Anything wrong, Madam?" "─ No." "I'll keep that one." "Victor." "What's come over you?" "What's wrong?" "─ Why are you spying on me like this?" "Creeping in the room and watching me all the time." "Why are you staring at me?" "The look on your face frightened me, dear." "Ah yes, the look on my face." "I know that look." "I'm like him aren't I?" "I must have stared at you as he stared at me so often." "But he won't stare again." "I'll leave no trace, no trace." "I'll smash .." "Victor!" "Now you'll be able to tell everybody, that you know I am mad." "Not that you merely think it." "─ Don't darling, don't." "You do think it, don't you?" "You are convinced I'm mad." "Well, perhaps I am." "I don't know." "I just don't know." "Oh, mother." "I wish I were dead." "─ My dear boy." "What is the matter?" "Saying things like that." "How can I care about it?" "I know I am doing it, but I don't want to do it." "I just can't prevent myself." "It's just that you've let your nerves get the better of you." "Oh .. that's all you think it is, do you?" "─ Uhuh." "I'm sure if you'd only see that nerve specialist." "He'd make a different man of you in no time." "I don't want to be different!" "I want to be as I am." "As I was meant to be." "Not like somebody else." "Where is my notebook?" "Have you got it?" "Where is it?" "─ No dear, I haven't got it." "Perhaps you put it in your pocket." "Pocket?" "Victor." "Victor .. don't go." "Victor .. come back .. come back!" "Oh no!" "It is .. impossible." "I've got the search warrant." "Anything from Ellis?" "No sir." "Nothing." "I don't know if it means anything, but according to his report here .." "Colebrooke sometimes goes to a gramophone shop in the city." "What's wrong with that?" "─ Well, sir." "Remember that bus-conductor fellow we had up here over the Hampstead Heath job?" "This shop happens to be the one his girl works at." "You may have something there, Sullivan." "Perhaps she's the girl that Colebrooke intends .." "Look up the number in the phone-book." "─ I have." "They're closed." "Have you got the girl's address?" "─ No." "We didn't bother to get it." "Blast!" "That bus-conductor fellow, he lives up Victoria way, doesn't he?" "Yes." "Look up his address." "I'll put out an all-stations call for him." "Madam, are you in bed?" "Oh Madam, whatever has happened?" "I'm quite alright, Florrie." "I'm alright now." "It can't be true." "It can't be true." "What can't be true, Madam?" "Is it something to do with Mr Victor?" "He's mad, Florrie." "He's raving mad." "─ No." "Of course he's not." "He is, he is." "It's what I've been dreading, ever since he was born." "But he can't help it, Florrie." "Whatever he's done, he can't help it." "It is in his blood." "I'd never have married his father if I'd known." "It was there .. that same terrible look." "It came into his father's eyes sometimes." "But I helped Harry." "I helped him to fight it." "But I never thought .." "I've watched over Victor." "I've tried to guard him." "I must go to Hyde Park at once." "He's gone there Florrie, and I've got to find him." "I've got to at once." "I can't let this happen again." "My bag .. somebody's stolen my bag!" "Mugsy Knight." "You've recovered pretty quick haven't you?" "I'm not feeling so good now." "Take him away." "Mrs Colebrooke?" "Anyone in?" "That's odd .. have a look in there." "Well?" "A good dinner getting spoilt, that's all." "Come on." "This must be his room." "A smashed gramophone record." "I wonder what has been going on." "You think he's bolted?" "He won't get far, with Ellis on his tail." "Another murder tonight." "We'll see about that." "Hello." "Unfinished whiskey, here." "─ Leave it unfinished." "Someone has been burning some papers." "" ..aren, Regent's Park."" "That would be Mclaren, Regent's Park." "─ Can't get away from that." "Torn out of his diary." "─ Yes." ""Strangler threatens again."" "Someone has started to cut this one out." "─ I think I've got something here." "See that?" "─ Hmm." "─ It fits." "Here, look." "Same type of postcard." "Yes." "We've got a case against him now alright." "The next time Ellis phones." "I'll get them to tell him to make an arrest." "Hello Smith .. has Ellis ..?" "What .. where?" "The idiot." "Was the girl with him then?" "Oh, the fool." "Inspector Morton, put me through." "What's happened?" "Ellis followed Colebrooke into Hyde Park and lost him in the crowd." "Morton?" "I've just heard about Ellis." "Yes .. will you warn the local stations?" "Well, do it now!" "Yes, every man they've got standing by and all our own too." "And send out a general call on him." "Right away." "Take this down .. "Wanted for murder"." ""Victor James Colebrooke."" ""Age 35."" ""Height 5 ft 11 inches."" ""Medium fair hair." "Blue eyes."" ""Wearing grey, single-breasted suit, light raincoat."" ""A grey hat pulled down over his eyes."" ""Wanted for murder." "Victor James Colebrooke."" ""Age 35." "Height 5 ft 11 inches."" "Here you are, sir." "─ Thank you." "Jack Williams?" "─ Yes, what's the trouble?" "Your girl, Anne Fielding." "─ Anne?" "What about her?" "You met her on Hampstead Heath?" "─ Yes." "She had another date then and missed it?" "That's right." "Who was the man was she intended to meet?" "─ Victor Colebrooke." "Why?" "He's wanted for murder." "─ What?" "Wait a minute." "Not so fast." "You know where she is now?" "She's to meet him in Hyde Park." "─ Where in the park?" "Achilles statue." "You know." "Where is your phone?" "─ Here you are." "Not late, am I?" "─ Only a few minutes. ─ I'm Sorry." "Considering I kept you waiting an hour." "─ Well, what would you like to do?" "I don't mind." "─ Let's stroll over here by the lake." ""Wanted for murder." "Victor James Colebrooke."" "He's not here, Florrie." "We're too late." "Madam, let me take you home." "─ But I must find him." "I must." "Dry up, can't you?" "And give the music a chance." "Are you serious about what you told me yesterday?" "About what?" "That this would be our last meeting." "I can't believe you're serious." "Victor, I am I'm afraid." "Look Victor, there is something I've got to say to you." "Yes?" "─ It's this, Victor." "I don't see any sense in us going on meeting." "You see .." "I've found somebody else." "And I must say it sounds wonderful for you." "I congratulate you." "Who is he?" "Just an ordinary sort of person." "A bus-conductor as a matter of fact." "He is going to be an engineer." "And you prefer him to me?" "Yes .. you see .." "I love him." "I thought I'd rather tell you than write or anything." "You understand, don't you?" "Of course, Anne." "I understand perfectly." "Well .. we can spend the rest of the evening together, can't we?" "Alright then." "Where shall we go?" "Let's cut across there." "Oh, there you are." "Switch that thing off." "How did you lose him?" "Mustache get in your eyes?" "Well sir, it wasn't for .." "Sergeant, what has been done so far?" "─ A cordon round the park, and a message." "Jack Williams, the bus-conductor says they were meeting at the Achilles statue." "That's good." "That narrows the field a bit." "He won't go far." "He won't get away this time." "If he hasn't done so already." "─ What are you talking about?" "Have the park cleared from here to Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch." "Wherever there's a crowd." "Sorry, you can't clear the park without permission of the Office Of Works." "I'm the head keeper." "I don't care who you are." "Those parts of the park are going to be cleared." "Now, you start at the statue." "─ Yes, sir." "You'll do nothing without permission." "He's right." "─ I know." "I must have it in writing." "It's more than my job's worth." "Now look here." "─ Don't worry about him." "Let me hop on one of the motorbikes." "I'll get the blasted permission." "Oh, alright." "Can we have a boat, please?" "You've only got twenty minutes, sir." "─ It hardly seems worth it." "We might as well, now we are here." "It's getting cold, too." "Come on." "I've had enough." "Don't stare at me." "Go and clear the path." "Not until I have permission in writing, sir." "Permission be blowed!" "There's a girl's life to think of." "Sorry sir." "I can't do it." "Saturday night." "The Band concert half-finished, the park full of people." "Ellis." "─ Yes, sir?" "Get the Band conductor to play The King, and no back-answers from him." "Right sir." "And if you don't do as I tell you." "I'll have you arrested for obstructing the Police executing their duty." "I protest sir." "Protest until you are blue in the face, but do it!" "Don't go too far." "We won't get back in time." "You know, I've wondered what that little island was like." "Let's land and have a look round." "─ It's forbidden." "It doesn't matter." "I'll go round to the other side where the boatman can see us." "The King." "What's going on here?" "Clearing the park now." "Come along now." "Come along. come along." "─ Would you believe it?" "Do you think it is worthwhile?" "It will soon be dark." "Let's go back." "We may as well look round." "Move along there, please." "Come along, mum." "─ Yes, we're going." "Oh, no." "I can't go." "I must find my son." "He's somewhere in the park." "Sorry Madam." "Then I must see Inspector Conway." "What's that?" "What are they calling?" "Never mind about that." "I want to talk to you." "I brought you here because I don't want anybody else to hear what I have to say." "What is it, Victor?" "Anne, I understand you better than you think." "I know why you're giving me up for this bus-conductor." "This "ordinary" sort of person as you call him." "It's because you thing I wouldn't marry you." "That's it, isn't it?" "Supposing I did ask you to marry me." "That would alter everything, wouldn't it?" "Wouldn't it?" "─ Don't let's talk about it here." "Let's go back." "We can talk about it just as well on our way back." "Well .." "I am asking you to marry me." "I want you to be my wife." "We'll go away together somewhere." "Right away." "I'll give you everything you want, Anne." "And I'll be safe .. safe with you." "My mother knows." "She understands." "She knows what she saved my father from." "You will marry me, won't you?" "No, Victor." "No, I can't." "Help me." "Help me, Anne." "I know what you mean, but I can't marry you." "Ever." "Why not?" "─ Because I love Jack." "Oh, so you prefer him to me, do you?" "You think he's better than I am, do you?" "─ I didn't say that, Victor." "You know well he isn't." "You'd rather have me but I'm too far above you." "That's the trouble, isn't it?" "If you like me better." "─ Go on then, say it!" "Say it then .. you know I'm better than he is." "You know I'm worth a hundred fellows like him." "Go on!" "Say it then." "I tell you." "I can't, Victor." "Let me through." "I must go in." "─ Nobody can go in." "The park is closed." "My girl is in there with The Strangler." "I'm going in." "That's right .." "I thought it was funny taking a boat out for twenty minutes." "He's out there somewhere." "─ He must be on the island." "Here, you leave that boat alone!" "Come in Mrs Colebrooke and sit down." "Now, what is it?" "Mr Conway, it's .. it's my son." "He's on the Serpentine island, sir." "─ Don't let them hurt him." "Whatever he's done, he can't help it." "There, there, Mrs Colebrooke." "You stay here." "Look after her, Sergeant." "Why are you trying to put me off like this?" "What are you trying to do?" "Make a fool of me?" "You heard what I said." "I can't think when you talk like that." "You frighten me." "What's the matter?" "─ So, I frighten you, do I?" "You don't like the way I stare at you?" "Is that it?" "Go on, tell me I'm mad!" "Tell me I'm mad as my mother does." "Why am I frightening you?" "You are mad." "Let me go." "Please let me go!" "You silly little fool." "You think you can treat me like that?" "You're the same as the others." "You're the same as the woman on the heath, and that fool in Regent's Park." "Victor .. it was you." "No, it wasn't me .. it was him." "William Colebrooke." "They paid him for doing what I did." "You'll have your chance, Anne." "You're the one girl who could have saved me, and saved yourself too." "But it is too late now." "Anne .." "Anne, where are you?" "Anne!" "Anne!" "Anne .." "Anne, are you alright?" "─ Yes .. yes." "Island surrounded, Sergeant?" "─ Yes, sir." "He's in the water, making for the other bank." "Mike .. the other side." "Let's have that spotlight." "Come on, Colebrooke .. it's all over." "You won't get me, Conway." "You'll never pay anybody to hang me!" "It wasn't me, it was him." "William Colebrooke!" "It wasn't me." "It was him!" "Better take her straight home, Williams." "─ Yes." "And you be more careful who you walk out with next time, young lady." "You bet she will." "It's alright sir, I've got it." "─ Got what?" "Permission from The Office Of Works." "You've nothing to worry about." "You can clear the park." "T-G"