" Have they caught him yet, sir?" " Hello, Devery." "No, they haven't caught him." "It will break your heart when someone else covers Don Starling." "What makes you think I'm so interested in Don Starling?" "They can't bring out editions fast enough for you." "When you put a man inside, you're interested in when he gets out." " Of course." "I didn't mean..." " All right, all right." " Are you on or off duty?" " I'm just going off." " Come on, I'll buy you a drink." " It's very nice of you, but I'm afraid..." "Teach her to wait." "That's one thing a policeman's girl must always learn." "It's nobody special." "I haven't found a girl who'll put up with my hours." "When you do, make sure she stays that way." "Sometimes when they get married they start making timetables." " The Lacy Arms all right?" " Yeah, the Lacy Arms is fine." "He's been seen all over, of course." " Nearest to us is Bradford." " That one I'll believe." "County police have warned all women to stay off the moors unless escorted." "You won't find Don Starling on the moors." " You think he'll come to Manchester?" " There's $5,000 worth of jewellery here." " He might come back for that." " Or to take a pot shot at you." "A man doesn't break out of jail to kill a cop, he breaks out to get away." " That's not what he swore at his trial." " We all swear violence at times." "How often have you thought, "I'd like to kill that man"?" "And don't tell me who it is." " Evening, Mr Martineau." " Hello, Doug." " What will you have?" " A beer, please." " A beer." " And a scotch." "And a scotch for you." "Let this be my pleasure." " Let it be your pleasure we're off duty." " It wasn't a bribe, you know." "Well, look who's here." "My gorgeous detective." "Hello, Lucky." "Like a drink?" "I'd like you, darling, but you always bring a bodyguard." "Cut it out." "I know you're kidding but other people don't." "Kidding?" "I'm not kidding, darling." "I've been mad about you for years." " Do you know Detective Devery?" " Yes, but not intimately." "Hello." "Well, what nice juicy crimes have we got tonight?" "Oh, very dull, except for Don Starling." "Starling?" "You mean he's in Manchester?" "He could be, I don't know." "You might know more than I do." " Me?" "Why me?" " You were thick with him at one time." "That was years ago before I was married." "Oh, I quite liked Don." "He used to say he'd reform for me." "That night he went and did a break-in." " Dropped him like a hot cinder." " Did he write to you from jail?" "When I've finished with someone, they're finished." " He slugged a warder getting out." " So I read." "The man's on the danger list." "If he dies, that's murder." "Anyone helping Starling would be an accessory." "Serves them right." "Just thought I'd point it out, Lucky, just in case he contacted you." "Why me?" " Well, a man on the run needs friends." " He knows better than to contact me." "But you, you could contact me any time." "Let's have another drink on that." " Look, sir, if you don't mind..." " Yeah, yeah, all right." " On your way." " Thanks for the drink." " Yeah, give her my love." " I will." " A policeman on a date." " Nice to know some of you are human." "Some of us are even married." "Take care of yourself, Lucky." "I could even take care of you if you'd let me." "Is Laurie Lovett there?" " Everything all right, Inspector?" " Depends on your conscience." "Laurie?" "Tomorrow, better pick me up at 8.30." " We'll get there before all the traffic." " You'll be there before the horses." "OK, OK, 8.30." "Doug Savage wants to leave at dawn." "You'd better fill up the taxis tonight." " Yeah, right." " You made me botch that stroke." "Oh, why don't you learn to be a good loser?" " Talking when a man's concentrating." " Quiet." "Watch this." " Good shot." " Clean as a whistle." "Ten, ten." "You might brush this table once in a while, Bert." "What do you want for two bob, leopard skin?" " I suppose there's no soap." " Yes, there's soap." "Bet it's a free sample." "Know what I saw today?" "A little hand vacuum cleaner." "Good for cleaning out my taxi." "If I buy one, Bert, you could lend it for the tables, two bob an hour." "That way I get a free table and a clean one." "How about it?" "Want to make a deal?" "No noise." "Keep washing." " Don?" " Tell them to go on." "You'll catch them up." "OK, Don." "You don't have to gun me." "I hope not." "Tell them!" "OK." "Hey, you two go on." "I'll meet you at the Lacy Arms." "I've still got things to do." "It's all that beer you pour down your gullet." "See you." "Don't look at me." " Tell Bert to go down and lock up." " OK, Don." "Bert, go down and bolt the door." " No good bolting it till you've gone." " Bolt it!" " Do as I tell you." " All right, Laurie, all right!" "Get that blind down." " It's good to see you, Don." " Yeah." "I need money, Laurie." "How about a fiver?" "I need two or three hundred." "Two or three hundred?" " Hello, Bert." " Don." " I never saw you coming." " Neither did anyone else." "And what's more, I haven't been here." " Do you understand, Bert?" " Yes, of course, Don." "Now, you're going to have a nice quiet sit-down in your office." "Just for a bit." "You can listen to music." "I'll take this out so you won't be disturbed." "Have a heart, Don." "Where am I going to get 200?" " Gus Hawkins." " Gus Hawkins?" "Are you kidding?" "Have you ever heard of a bookmaker lending money?" "Who said "lend"?" "We're going to take it." "Does he still send the clerk to the bank with his race money every morning." "They used to cut through Higgitts Passage." "Check that." "We'll need three cars including one of your cabs." " Why three?" " I want a car parked for me to wait in." "The second car follows the clerk, seals off the passage." "I'll make the grab, we'll drive onto the moors, ditch the car in the quarry and your cab picks us up from there." "OK." " When?" " Tomorrow morning." "Tomorrow?" "How can I organise it that fast?" " Tomorrow's Doncaster Races." " That's why." "So we can get lost in race traffic." "Leave me cigarettes and a light." " I'm supposed to drive Doug Savage." " Cancel it." " What am I going...?" " Don't give me arguments!" "I need a new passport and enough dough to get me out of the country." "OK, Don." "What shall I say about the jewellery?" "They're still in Manchester." "And nobody but me knows where." "Oh, I'm not worrying." "It's just that..." "Well, if the boys hear you're wanting a passport and some dough..." "You'll all get your share-out." "But it was me that got the 14 years, remember?" " I never gave you lot away, did I?" " No." "So everybody does what I say and we split even all the way down." "Call me back on this line tonight." "Now, get cracking!" " Where are you hiding?" " Keep moving, that's my motto." "You don't give much away." "Anything you want in particular?" "Yeah, a woman, but I'll fix my own." " For God's sake, don't start that again." " Shut up and get moving!" "Right, Bert, concert's over." "You can go home now." "Lock the place up nice and safe and I'll stay here as quiet as a mouse." " I can't let you stay here." " You can and you will." "Leave me a key." "I'll let myself out." "No one has to know I was here." " Be careful." " Listen." "By the time the law finds out I was here, I'll be in five other places." "Put the lights out, just like usual." "Fine." "Good night, Bert." " Eh?" " Good night." "Oh." "Good night, Don." "Oh, and Bert, don't get any fancy ideas in connection with cops, will you?" "No." "Sure, I don't like you being here but I'm not going to run to the coppers." " What do you think I am?" " I don't think anything." "I just want you to remember, if the law finds me here tonight, you've gone, finished." " You'll be seen to." "Get it?" " Of course, Don." "Of course." "Good night." "Well!" "Hello, Julia." "What time do you call this?" "11.25." " What time did you book off?" " Ten o'clock." "And since then you've been in some pub." "Correct." "Anything for supper?" "There was, if you want to warm it up." "Other men can ring up their wives and tell them when they'll be home." "Of course, I couldn't expect you to do that." "You couldn't even phone and tell me you'd be working late." "And I'm supposed to make a meal, whether you come back or not." "I'm sorry, Julia." "I meant to phone you but..." "I got switched to a stolen car job." "Of course, a stolen car is more important than I am." "I don't know." "It is my job." "At least you could come home at ten when you went off duty." "You've been out of this house since half past seven." "I'm sorry." "I was weary." "I needed a drink." " There's plenty of beer here." " Yeah, well, it's not the same." "No, I'm aware of that." "You'd sooner be in some pub than at home," " with low women sitting round the bar." " Now, wait a minute." "That's all I ever do, wait." "Wait for you to go out or come in or go to bed." " Julia!" " It's a pretty empty life." "We never go out together and you're never at home." "I try to keep this place nice and you treat it like a rooming house." " You haven't got enough to do." " Are you suggesting I should take a job?" " No, I'm not." " That would look nice." "The great Inspector Martineau's wife hunting for a job." " You worry about the way things look." " Yes." "Is that wrong?" "It would look all right if you justified your existence by having a baby or two." "Oh, Harry." "What's happened to us?" "I don't know, Julia." "I..." "I suppose it's what hasn't happened to us." "Do you know how long it is since you made love to me?" "A long time." "Don't you want me any more?" "I want children." "Don't start all that again." "We're both still plenty young enough." "Your life wouldn't be so empty." "You never used to mind." "Well, times change, Julia." "We're married." "We ought to behave as if we're married." "We can't afford kids, Harry." " If you thought of your responsibilities." " Responsibility singular." "If it were plural, there'd be a different atmosphere." " Do you need to inform the neighbours?" " To hell with the neighbours!" "That's all you worry about, what people think, your social standing." "I don't know how long you expect me to stand all this." "Me neither." "I don't know how long I can stand it myself." " Is that you, Don?" " You're late." "Plenty of time." "How have you been, Don?" " Sure they come down this passage?" " Sure, about ten o'clock." "Laurie's waiting opposite Gus Hawkins' now." "He follows the money and signals us just before they turn in." " What about the switch car?" " Laurie's taxi." "Clogger drives it and meets us at the sand pits at 10.25." "Chloe, for Pete's sake, hurry up." "Do you want to hit all the traffic?" "All right, all right!" "Bet you wouldn't rush a girl like that, would you, Colin, eh?" "I think the guv just wants to miss the cars." "If you're not ready in two minutes, I'm going." "You mustn't shout." "She's only fixing her face." "You've fixed it two hours already." "Colin, get that money off." "I don't like so much hanging around." "Get it in as soon as the bank opens." " Yes, guv." " Don't worry." "It'll be in like always." "No more credit to anyone on that list." "If they want to put a bet, cash." " Right, guv." " Good luck, guv." " Have we got everything in?" " Yes, guv." "All right." "Well, step on it." "Here we go." "Stand by." "Run for it, Cis!" "Get in!" "Shut her up, for Christ's sake!" "Stroke her with that." "OK, work on it." "This is going to ruin my razor edge." "Cripes, there's a fortune here!" " There sure is." " This job is better than the other one." "Keep her rolling." "We don't want to lose this little lot." " 30 bundles of 100 and those fivers." " 200 fivers." "Hell's bells, that's 4,000 smackers!" "1,000 apiece and one for Clogger." "Quiet." "Mention no names." " The filly's listening." " Keep looking front." "Don't want her memorising your ugly mug." " When are we going to dump her?" " First bit of quiet road." "We won't take her too far." "After all, she's got to walk back." "She's done all the walking she'll ever do." "Cripes!" "She hasn't croaked!" " You didn't have to do that." " Do you think I meant to?" " Shut up!" " Pull yourselves together." "You thought of getting away with robbery." " It's one witness less." " But murder!" " They'll never give up." " Shut up!" "Now, keep your heads!" "Pull over and we'll get rid of her." " Drop her behind that hummock." " Me?" "Not likely." " Do what I tell you." " Why not you?" "You did her in." "All right." "One or two, what's the difference?" " Where did you get that?" " Never mind." "Get this out of my sight." "Help me!" "There's a car coming." "Get moving!" " What do we do with this fellow?" " Cover your faces." " Did he see me carrying the girl?" " He'll stop at the first phone." "Keep moving fast, that's all." "Another mile or two and we'll be through with this car." "Hey, there's a body!" "Police, and quick." "I think there's been a murder." "Your name, please?" "Right." "Which phone box?" "Three miles beyond." "Right." "Will you stay where you are, please?" "M2CK calling all patrols." "Body of a girl reported three miles beyond Crossways phone box on Doncaster Road." "Informant John Hartley waiting at phone." "Over." "This is K51 calling M2CK." "We are in the immediate vicinity." "Proceed to the telephone box and advise on arrival." "Over." "Quite a morning." "Robbery, violence and abduction and now this." " Think there's any connection?" " Could be." "They said a girl." " John Hartley?" " Right." "Are you police?" " Where is it?" " Up the road, three miles." "Hop in." "You show us where and tell us what happened." " It's over here." " Hold it." "Don't go jumping your footprints about there." "It's the girl from Gus Hawkin's office." "See if you can reach HQ." "If not, get back to the phone box." "I hope I'm not going to get too involved in all this." "I'm a commercial traveller on my way from Sheffield." "Don't worry about that." "We already know who's behind this." "We'll have to take a statement." "After that you'll be free to go." "You say it was a Buick?" "Yes, it was an old pre-war one, sort of dirty green colour." "Looked a bit shabby and neglected." " Did you get the registration number?" " I'm afraid not." "I was more concerned the driver didn't run me into the ditch." " Would you know him again?" " Doubt it." "He put his hands over his face." "All three of them did." "What about the man who carried the body?" "No, he'd got back in the car by the time I'd got close enough." " He seemed a well set man." " Tall?" " Not as tall as you." " About what age?" "30, 40, hard to say." " Had on a dark suit or a sweater." " Remember anything about the others?" "No, just eyes, staring eyes over their hands." " They'll all know me again." " They'll be too busy to bother about you." " What did you find out?" " It's the Higgitts Passage job." "She was chained to the handbag." "The boy had the keys in his pocket." " See this on her fingers?" " Those marks?" " It's malachite green." " What's that?" "A powder they dust notes with, stains anyone who touches it." "Get onto the Super, ask him to put out a special to all districts." "Has any officer of any force dusted bank notes recently?" "Right." "This is a break." "K51 calling M2CK..." "If it is malachite green, all the men in that car will have it." " So where the hell's Clogger?" " He'll be here." " He should be here waiting." " There's a lot of traffic." "There's a lot of police, too." "Now, wipe every smudge off that car." "We'll share this out now and you can drop me off in Barnsley." "You go to the races like nothing happened." "But Don..." "If you're questioned, you got a track full of alibis." "And if they find this on you, you won it, right?" "He's here!" "Come on." "Come on!" " Where the hell have you been?" " The traffic was murder." "A lot of things are murder." "Take it up and turn it around." " I don't have my share." " Do you want it here or in jail?" "Get in." "Get in!" "Get back on that road and get lost in the traffic." "Come on, let's move it now!" " Vultures are here already." " Let's hope they haven't picked it clean." "I intercepted Gus Hawkins an hour ago." "He's on his way back." "Get across to his office." "Soon as he arrives, get him over to HQ." "By bluff, order or warrant?" "By charm." "Break it up, please." "There's nothing to see." "Break it up, please." "Any developments?" " We've found this." "It's been stolen." " Think it was used on the job?" " We're guessing." " Where was the Buick?" "Right there, as far as we can tell." "There's a new patch of oil." " A woman back there heard a scream." " Did she see anything?" "A car full of men driving towards the main road." " Anything else?" " Nothing." "She didn't even tell us that till we asked her." "Silly woman." " What about Doug Savage?" " He's at the races." "But his mother and the cleaning woman heard and saw nothing." " Naturally." "And Lucky Lusk?" " She wasn't there." "The snatch occurred around 10.30." "They weren't open." "How's the lad who was crushed?" "He hasn't spoken yet." "We've got Cassidy with him at the hospital." "Message from the Superintendent, sir." "Halifax are holding a man with dyed fingers." " Will you go back?" " Right." "You have a go at Doug Savage as soon as he gets back." " Oh, good morning." " Morning, sir." " I hear we've got a green man." " Well, Halifax have." "He's a janitor in one of the City Hall departments." "He'd done some petty pilfering but avoided all traps so they dusted 200 one pound notes and he swiped the lot." " When did they pick him up?" " This morning." "He came to work with malachite on his hands." " How much did they get back?" " Nothing." "He took it to Doncaster and blew it on the races." "Well, that would tie up." "He passed the dye on." "I tried to have him sent here but Halifax say we can jolly well go there." " I'll take an excursion." " It's all there." "Right, sir." "Well, the kid had a fractured thyroid cartilage." "Looks like someone chopped her." "She was only 19." "They send out old men with pay rolls, office boys with handfuls of fivers and young girls with money chained to their wrists." "You can see it any day near any bank in any town." "They're asking for murder." "Oh, any news of that Buick?" "57 different varieties but not the one we want." " Why are you here?" " Got Gus Hawkins in the waiting room." " Already?" " I called the patrol to bring him here." "You'll be a Superintendent yet." "His wife squawked a bit so they dropped her home first." "Send Mr Hawkins in, will you?" " How much money was in the girl's bag?" " Gus says $ 4,000." " Four grand." " You want to know something else?" "He's got green on his fingers?" "It wasn't much of a long shot, was it?" "Get out a call to every chemist shop in Manchester." "Anybody trying to buy a solvent for stained hands should be held." " Right." " And don't tell them any more." "Say there's been a simple larceny." " Come in." " Information room." " This is a nice mess." " It's not very pretty, is it?" " Take it outside." " Right, sir." "I should never have sent Cecily with all that money." " It's a lesson learnt too late." " Any clues?" "We're working on it." " How was the money made up?" " $3,000 in ones and 200 fivers." " I hope it chokes them." " Maybe it will." " Who counted it?" " It was 4,000 all right." "I counted it first then Cecily counted it and put it in a bank bag." "Then I went off to Doncaster." "Can I phone the wife?" "Yeah, course." "Get Mrs Hawkins on the phone." " Rusholme 6203." " Did you get that?" "Are you sure you got all that money at the races?" " I want a serious answer, Gus." " So help me!" "It came out of a satchel all crumpled up, just the way I'd stuffed it in." "I never use my own money at all." "See?" "Here it is." "It's still in bundles." "Why?" "I've got a hunch some of that belonged to the Halifax town hall." " I don't want to be involved..." " You are involved." "But not with the borough treasurer." "Now sit down and have a cigarette." "Thanks." "I keep thinking of that poor kid Cecily." "Have her parents been told?" "I suppose I..." "I ought to go round and see them." "I can't face them somehow." "Gus, how long have your hands been like that?" "My hands?" "Oh, I see." "That's funny you should mention it." "I noticed it when I got out of the bath." "I thought maybe I'd handled that many pound notes in Doncaster yesterday..." "Hey, has some bastard been passing me snide money?" "Hello." "Martineau, yes." "They're still trying to get your number." "There's no reply." " We only just dropped her off." " Do you want them to keep on trying?" " No, forget it." " All right." "Forget that number." "I needn't keep you any longer." " Sorry I botched up your racing." " You'd think a wife would stay in to be with a husband who'd been robbed and had a valued girl clerk murdered." "You can never tell about wives." "I've a damn good mind not to go home at all tonight." " How do I get out of here?" " Right at the bottom." " He's now wanted for murder." " Who?" "Starling." "That warder died." "It's in the Stop Press." " What's the latest report on Starling?" " Barnsley." " Who reported?" " Bus conductor." "Just before the checkpoint a man jumped off and disappeared into a fairground." "So he is coming home." "He's also been seen in London, Brighton, Southampton and Ostend." " I'm more inclined to believe Barnsley." " The Super's buzzing for you." "Right." "Are you on a diet today, sir?" "Oh!" "Do me a favour, call my wife." "Should have been home for lunch." "Teach her to wait." "A policeman's girl has to learn." " Just phone her." " Yes, sir." "Yes?" " You wanted me, sir." " What did you get from Gus Hawkins?" "Only that there was $ 4,000 in that bag and the janitor's money was with it." "So far our only link with the killer is green fingers." " We've circulated all chemists." " We've got to do more than that." "Somewhere there are four men walking around flush with money." "And those types gamble." "Find the gamblers and you'll find more green fingers." " There's no racing till Saturday." " I'm not talking about that." "I'm thinking of those gambling schools up on the moors." " Had any experience of them?" " Not much." "It's out of our area." "Well, they toss coins for pretty large stakes, especially after a big race." "It would take 50 men to raid one." "They use lookouts with field glasses." " Still, we've got to raid." " Do you know where it is tonight?" "We did but they must have got wind of it because they cancelled it." "It's been switched to tomorrow." "Informers are pinpointing the locality." " Who decides that, sir?" " The organiser." "He gets a commission for keeping the ring." " Do we know who he is?" " County police think it's Savage." " In Manchester?" " They think." "I can find out quicker than County." "I don't care who finds out." "But I want cooperation between you and County." "There's been a murder and if I find any feuding, I'll throw the book at you." "Of course, sir." "Inspector Vanburgh is working on this." "You can contact him." "Yes, sir." "I suppose you read that Starling is first-degree murder?" "Stop thinking of Starling as your personal property." "He's everybody's problem." "He's about to become Manchester's problem." " Cecily Wainwright is the job you're on." " He'll have read about the warder." "We know his past record - violence, assault, rape and now murder." "He's got nothing to lose now." " We don't know if he's within 100 miles." " I know." "Don't ask me how." "Hunch, sixth sense." "But I know how his mind works." " Now look, Harry." " I grew up with the man." "We fought the same war together." " Are you trying to sell me this stuff?" " I'm not trying to sell you anything, sir." "His only hope is to skip the country." "Where does he go for the money?" "The town where his contacts are." " I'm not taking you off this job." " I'm not asking that, sir." "I want permission to let Devery cover Starling's contacts before he was jailed." "He's a desperate man now." "He could show up at any of them." "You ought to run for mayor sometime." "Thank you, sir." "I want Devery." "And bring in the Don Starling file." "Devery's coming right up, sir." "The Starling file." "No, don't go." "Sort through that." "Find the address of those people." "And check with Records in case anyone's moved." " Give me my home." " They've found the Buick in the quarry." "County think it's the same place they were having the tossing games." "So that's why they switched." "I want that fingerprint report when it comes through." "I've got a job for you." "That's a list of Starling's contacts before he was sentenced." "He's first-degree murder now." "Your job is to make sure they know assisting him makes them accessories." "It will take you most of the day." " Lovett and Roach?" " They've got a private taxi service." "They're part of the same sleazy mob." "Chloe Hawkins." "That's Gus Hawkins' wife." "Before that she was anybody's wife, including Don Starling's." "You never know." " Try Furnisher Steele first." " York Road." "He's an old man." "He's got a furniture warehouse." "It was through him we got Don Starling." "He's not likely to assist." "He might, under duress." "Starling's got nothing to lose now." " Shall I type it here?" " Check in with Records first." " You go with him." " Right." " What's your next move, sir?" " That's up to Fingerprints." "I want to know the story of that Buick." "Get moving." "Hello?" "Oh, hello, Julia." "Look..." "I may be a little late tonight." "Well, I didn't want you to wait up for me." "Yes, I'm sorry about lunch." "I was busy." "I was very busy." "Oh, so busy." "Such an important man." "Couldn't spare one moment all morning to phone his wife." "Of course Devery phoned." "He's not so important." "He has time." "Look, a young girl has been murdered." "I'm not enjoying it, you know." "How do you think I'll like it, spending Saturday evening waiting to wash up after somebody?" "Yes?" " Fingerprint report on the Buick." " What have we got?" "Nothing of any use, I'm afraid." "Plenty of smears but nothing definite." "It was well wiped." "A bloody dead end!" "Give me a cigarette, will you?" "Next stop Laurie Lovett's taxi service." "Turn round." "Did you ring my bell?" " Oh, Mr Steele?" " Yes?" "I'm Detective Constable Devery." "Could we talk for a few minutes?" "Yes." " Well?" " It's about Don Starling." "Oh, yes." "I've read in the papers." " He's going to swing now." " Aye, he is." "He won't be saying, "Thank you, milord," this time." "Huh?" "Oh, yes, love." "Look, we're in the middle of supper." "Do you mind talking in the kitchen?" " Have a seat." " Oh, thank you." " This is Silver, my granddaughter." " Good evening." "Would you like something to eat?" "I'm sure Silver could lay something on." "No, thank you." "I'd like to but I've got some more calls to make." "Is Don Starling caught yet?" " Not yet." " Then he should be." "I don't like him being loose." "He's a dangerous man." "I thought you police were clever." "We'll get him." "Every policeman in England is looking." "Oh, thank you." "One, please." "Is Inspector Martineau worried about Starling?" "Martineau can handle him." "Can he handle a bullet in the back?" "Look, sir, what I have to talk to you about is..." "It might be better in the other room." "I won't keep you a moment." "No need to worry about Silver." "She's deaf and dumb." "Deaf and dumb?" "Since birth." "She can't even lip-read unless you're facing her." "I am sorry." "Well, you shouldn't be." "She isn't." "She's a bloody sight happier than any of us." "Oh, yes, thank you." "It's..." "What about Starling?" "Martineau thinks he might contact you here." "Here?" "He's got more sense." "I'm sure I don't have to tell you about accessories after the fact." "Listen." "Five years ago Don Starling came here, as nice as pie." "Said he wanted a sideboard." "Well, he looked round my furniture." "I even showed him my antiques upstairs." "Then he said he'd think about it." "That night he came and broke in." "The cops nabbed him right here in this building." "And then you warn me about being an accessory!" "I assure you, it's only routine, Mr Steele." "Oh, no, thank you." "I must go." "OK." "Hello?" "What?" "This is Furnisher Steele speaking." "Who's that?" "You may remember me." "This is Don Starling." "You got me into a lot of trouble five years ago." "I got you into nothing." "You made your own trouble." "I've got you in my book anyway." "But I'm giving you a chance to put yourself right." "I'm all right as I am." "To hell with you!" " Well, thanks for the tea." " You're welcome." "I'll see myself down." "Don't bother." "And it was only a routine warning." "Good night, Silver." " Good night." " Good night." "Now, listen to me, Furnisher." "Don't you ever hang up on me again." "Do you hear?" "Answer me." "I am answering you, Starling, so listen carefully." "There's a young man just gone down the stairs." "He's a detective." "If you don't ring off this minute, I'll call him back." "I don't think you will because I haven't finished yet." "The fact that I can have you bashed up probably doesn't bother you." "But what about that shapely kid of yours?" "Something not so nice could happen to her." "And she wouldn't be able to scream." " You twisted, murdering..." " Better do what I want, Furnisher." "It's only a small thing." "I want a place for tonight." "Now listen here, Don Starling, anyone around here will tell you I'm a man of my word." "I've got a gun and I'm not too old to use it." "So you keep away from here." "And another thing," "I am staying right close to Silver till you're caught and that won't be long." "Yes, I'm threatening you." "If you or any of your pals come anywhere near my grandchild, by God I'll shoot you." "So you won't frighten, old man." "I like your guts." "Since you're a man of your word, I'll bargain with you." "You forget this call, I'll leave you and your kid alone." "Deal?" "It's a deal." "I'll keep my word." "And the gun will be handy in case you don't keep yours." "Aye, I know, lass." "I talk too much." "Lacy Arms, good evening." "Who is that?" "I'm sorry to trouble you on Saturday night." "I wonder if I might speak with one of your barmaids." "Mrs Lusk." "Yes, it is rather important." "This is Mr Lusk, her ex-husband, on urgent family business." "Oh, all right." "I'll get her." " Phone, Lucky." "And make it quick." " For me?" "Who is it?" "You want me to say in front of the customers?" " So who am I ashamed of?" " It's your ex-husband." "What, that article?" "I haven't heard from him in three years." " Says it's urgent business." " That means he's hard up." "Don't go away, handsome." "You know what?" " If you played your cards..." " I don't play cards, Doug." "I don't even toss coins." "In fact, I'm a bit of a square." "Hello, Chris." "Mention no names, honey." "This is Don, your dream man." "What?" "What do you want?" "You must be mad, calling me here." "You let me worry about that." "I want a place for tonight, Lucky." "Leave the back door open." "Now, listen to me." "I need help." "And old friends who won't help will get carved, Lucky, you know?" "Well, why sort me out?" "I can't help you." "I can't." "Because..." "Because I'm being watched." "Yes, at the house." "There's one here now." "Oh, you lying bitch!" "Well, it'd better be." "And you'd better forget this if you want that swan-like neck." "Just keep away from me, that's all I ask." "I'm not your woman and I never was." " Two pints of bitter, Lucky." " Right." "Two pints of bitter, Doug." "Bad news?" "Ex-husbands are always bad news." "Two pints of bitter." "Ever meet the lazy blighter?" "Her ex?" "No." "Always drunk or gambling." "She never knew where to find him." "That's the trouble with gamblers." "You think you know where they are and they switch." "I hear you found the Buick." "Any fingerprints?" "Some of the best specimens we've ever had." "So long as they don't match any of these ten." "No, they're too well kept." "Get me another drink." " Good night." " Can't we have any time tomorrow?" " Now he's getting greedy." " Well, Monday." "Chloe will call him." "She's got to go now." "Oh, no, no!" "I've just fixed them." "Off you go, quick." " Hello, Chloe." " Don!" "Very touching little scene out there." " What are you doing here?" " I came to see you, of course." "We're old friends." "Don't you remember?" "You can't stay." "The police are after you." " They haven't caught me yet." " Gus will come home." "Gus is dining at the Midland." "I checked." "You can't stay here." "It's not fair." "Do you want money?" "I don't want money, Chloe." "At the moment I want you." " I've been in a monastery for five years." " For God's sake." "All right, but afterwards..." "Afterwards will you go?" "What is this?" "Am I a leper?" "Everywhere I go, people want me to keep going." " It's Gus!" " Don't open that." "Don't open that!" "Upstairs!" "It can't be Gus." "Come on." "Come on!" "Is it the police?" "No, that's not a police car." "Looks like I've botched one of your dates." "Don, it is not one of my dates." "Who is it?" " What are you doing?" " Does this gadget still work?" "No, please, you can't stay." "I've got to sleep somewhere." "I'll be as quiet as a mouse." " You know I don't snore." " Don, please!" "Remember the time Gus came home?" "I stuck it 12 hours up there for you." " Please, you said you'd go." " And so I will in the morning." "As soon as Gus has gone out." "Relax, Chloe." "Relax." "I bet you're not as tensed up with your other boyfriends." "What's all this on your hands?" "I don't know." "Paint or something." "Who cares?" "I care." "All over my sheets!" "Who's going to touch the sheets?" "They must have gone on to a club or something." "What do we do?" "Wait?" "Well, we've covered all the others." " Hello." "What are you doing here?" " I'm sorry to bother you at this hour." "Come in." "Keep that cute mouth buttoned up." "If I'm caught here, I've got a lot to sing about." "Oh, do it up." "Oh, please, I can't do it up!" "Right." "Push them up." "Chloe!" "Chloe?" "I don't have enough troubles!" "All this and Starling, too." "Apart from a few bets, I hardly knew him." " Why should he show up here?" " The man is desperate, sir." "If he thought you kept money here" "Mr Martineau thought he might break in when your wife was here." "Good evening, Mrs Hawkins." " Good evening." " What the devil's the matter with you?" "Oh, nothing." "I must have fallen asleep on the bed." "And we woke you." "I do apologise." "We won't keep you people up any longer." " Many thanks, Mr Hawkins." " You're welcome." "Tell Martineau he's off his rocker." "Well..." " Where the hell have you been?" " Been?" "Yeah, where did you go after we dropped you here this morning?" " Nowhere." " I've been trying to get you." " Oh, was that you?" " Who the hell do you think it was?" "I..." "I was having a bath." "Were you having a bath this afternoon and this evening, too?" "No..." "I went to the pictures as a matter of fact." "I went to the Roxy." "You said you went there the other day." "Well, I'd only seen half the picture so I went again." "You're always out when I want you." "What's this, a dinner party?" "No, I wasn't very hungry." "I just had a snack." "I thought coffee kept you awake." "Did she stay out late and make the big boss man jealous, hm?" "I'm sorry." " I've had a terrible day." " Yes, I know." "Poor Cecily." "Her parents are in a bad state." "Yes, of course." "He's a tired darling." "He called Chloe and she wasn't in." "She's a bad girl." "I was that mad I went out to supper." "Yes, well, nobody blames him for staying out after a day like this." "Now, he must go and sit down and Chloe will bring him a cup of coffee." "That's what he wants, isn't it?" "The boy's got bad concussion." "The doctor says he'll be all right." "I hope so." "Never can tell with a crack on the head." "No." "Who was the man, Gus?" "He's one of Martineau's boys." "Oh, what...?" "What did he want?" "He's got some mad idea that Don Starling might show up here." "Here?" "Well, why should he come here?" "That's what I said." "You know what they're like when somebody kills a policeman." "They turn the whole town upside down." "Have you seen this picture of me?" "Starling killed a policeman?" "Well, a warder." "It's the same thing." "It's obvious you haven't read the papers." "Gus Hawkins robbed of $ 4,000." "That's not a bad picture that." "It was took at Epsom last year." " This is terrible, Gus." " You don't want to upset yourself." "I admit 4,000 is quite a smack but still, I can afford it." "No, it's Cecily and and the boy I'm worried about." "Hey." "Hey, have you put one of your sleeping pills in my coffee?" " No." " You have." "I can taste it." "I'm not that worried I have to be put to sleep!" "I'm sorry, baby." "I know you did it for my sake." "Come on, it's time you went to bed." "I'm sorry." "Now, stop crying." "You'll be all right in the morning." "Gus?" "Gus!" "I'm here, I'm here." "What are you doing?" "Don't get so panicky." "There's something in the attic." " In the attic." " Most likely a bird." "I told you not to leave the window open." "They fly in." " Come back to bed." " I'd better let it out." " The last one was dead." " We don't have to bother about it now." "No, come back!" "No!" "No!" " You alley cat, you told him!" " No, I didn't." " Has he phoned the police?" " No, I didn't." "No, no, please!" "No, no!" "I'll choke the life out of you." " Morning, sir." " Morning." " Ask Devery to come down." " He went out, sir." " About an hour ago." " Anything new come in?" "There's a report from County about the Wainwright job." "A shepherd saw a black car driving over some rough ground onto the main road near Moor Top." "About 11 am Saturday morning." "Well, the time's right." "Did he get a number?" "No, sir, but he thinks it was a taxi." " He thinks." "That's a great help." " County thinks it was the switch car." " Brilliant of them!" "Where did it go to?" " It joined the race traffic." "Along with 500 other black taxis." "All we've got to do is find the one with broken springs." " Where have you been?" " Over at Gus Hawkins' house." "They've just taken him to hospital." " What happened?" " Seems he fell down the attic steps." " The doctor reported it to us." " Why us?" "Apparently he lives opposite them." "Mrs Hawkins phoned him." "While he took the call he saw a man leave the house." " Anything stolen?" " Not that we know of." "Somebody had been in the attic." "What did Chloe Hawkins have to say?" "She blew her top when we arrived." "She said there hadn't been a man in the house." "Her husband had got up to let a bird out of the attic and slipped." " Did she actually see him fall?" " She seemed pretty confused." "She told the doctor she was asleep and the fall woke her up." " Have you got anything else?" " Just prints." " Who's over there now?" " Harmon and Cassidy." " Is Gus seriously hurt?" " I don't know." "He was still unconscious." "You know," "I think I'd like to be there when he wakes up." "Come on, you can come with me." "Detective Inspector Martineau to see Gus Hawkins." "Oh, yes, sir." "Private ward three on the second floor." "Oh, Sister." "Mr Martineau for Mr Hawkins." " Is he seeable?" " Well, just five minutes." " But don't get him worried or excited." " This is just a social visit." "Hello, Gus." "What the hell do you want?" "We heard you had a sore head." "We came to see you." "I notice you haven't brought me no grapes." "I've never known a copper part with anything." " He's peevish." "He must be better." " Give over!" "You can't kid me." " What do you want?" " Gus, did you see what hit you?" "No, I never saw a thing." "It felt like the whole house was coming in on me." " Why were you going to the attic?" " I thought we had a starling up there." "A what?" "A bird." "We had a bird fly in." "It couldn't find its way out and it died." "No, you tell me what hit me." "The missus tells me the police haven't said anything to her." " It was an accident." " What was it, a beam or something?" "I'm not on the case." "I'll send the officer concerned to see you." "You do that." "You're not holding anything back?" "Now, Gus, would I be asking you what hit you if I knew?" " You really must go now, sir." " Yeah, all right." "Well, get better soon, Gus." " You send that man along." " Yes." "That was quite a moment, the starling in the attic." "Yeah." "Look, I know this is not my case but I've got to see Chloe Hawkins." " I'll hold the office." " You don't know where I am." " Give me an hour." " Right." " Who's in there?" " Only Mrs Hawkins, sir." "I'm Detective Inspector Martineau." "May I come in?" " I was just about..." " I'd like to ask you" " about your husband's accident." " Yes, of course." "The police have been once, actually." " I've told them everything I know." " Yes." "Now tell me." "Who was the man in the attic?" "Man?" "In the attic?" "We think we know but we'd like you to tell us." "I didn't see any man." " May I use your telephone?" " Of course." "It's down here on the table." "Give me the CID." "I want to talk to Cassidy if he's in." "Hello, Cassidy." "Martineau." "Those fingerprints in Gus Hawkins' attic." "Get out Don Starling's prints and compare them." "Yes, Starling's." "Yeah, and call me back here." "Rusholme 6203." "Right." "Harbouring an escaped murderer is a very serious offence, Mrs Hawkins." "I should sit down." "Or course, if you were intimidated or blackmailed, that would put a different complexion on the matter." "Without your help we'll have to make persistent enquiries." "It's often very embarrassing for the people concerned." "We get to know all sorts of things." "I didn't harbour him." "He was here when I came back." "You are referring to Don Starling?" "Yes." "He said if I didn't hide him he'd tell Gus all sorts of lies about me." " I was afraid..." " So you hid him in the attic?" " Then this morning Gus found him." " Did you see him hit Gus?" " No." " What was he wearing?" "He was wearing a dark shirt and a light tie." "He had a check coat on." " Was he hungry?" " He had some bread and cheese." " Did he ask you for money?" " No, he said he didn't want any." "A man on the run and he doesn't need money." "Hello." "Martineau." "Get me Devery as soon as you can." "Did you notice anything unusual about his appearance?" " No, I don't think so." " Was he unshaven?" "He needed a shave but it wasn't all that bad." "Yes, Devery." "Yes, it was Starling." "Now, get out a circular to all crime areas at once." " Tell me about his hands." " His hands?" "Yeah." "Were they dirty?" "Were the nails broken?" "I didn't notice his hands." "So they looked clean and well cared for." "As clean as mine, for instance?" "Well, no, they weren't as clean as yours." "They had paint on them or something." " What colour paint?" " Green." " Are you sure about the colour?" " Yes, I'm quite sure." "Green, like the green on your husband's hands?" " Yes, that's right, only more." " Right." "Thank you, Mrs Hawkins." " Will Gus have to know about this?" " That depends on you." "I mean, if you've told us everything, we needn't ask Gus, need we?" "Oh, if Headquarters ring back, tell them I've gone, would you?" " Are you a married man?" " Yes, sir." "Watch her." "She's a man-eater." "I'm watching you, Bill Bragg." "You got a two-headed penny there." "Never mind about watching me." "Keep your eyes open for the cops." " Bert, that was heads." " All right." "The book's closed." "Right." "Head 'em for four." "One head, one tail." "Re-throw." " He'll never do that." " He'll never do it." "Give it a good spin." "Two heads." "He's made it!" " Here you are." "Here's four." " I'll head 'em for eight." " Eight?" "The bet's eight." " I'll take three." "Right." "Three." "Five to come." "All right." "Over here." "One, two." "All right, three to go." " Three to go." " What, has he done it twice?" " Yeah." " Here, I'll have one." "Three to go." "You want one?" "All right, Bragg." " One for Bragg." "Two more to go." " I'll have two." "Whose money am I going to take?" " Mine." "I was first." " You damn well weren't." " I was first." " Spin a coin for it." " No, put a book on it." " You're bitching my luck!" "All right!" "I'll split it." "Well, if you're so keen on it, take the lot and we'll see what happens." "All right, all right." "The book's closed." " Right, head 'em for eight." " Come on, Joe!" "Two tails!" "All right, don't shove." "You'll all get it." "I'll head them for ten." "You'll all get paid." " You'll what?" " I'll head 'em for ten." " Give us your money." " I'll take ten." "Right, right." "Get 'em up." "Now get a good 'un." "He's headed 'em." "He's headed 'em!" " Right, 20 you win." " Leave it in the ring." "Right, 20 to cover." "And it's covered." "Let's have the money and get 'em up again." "Good spin." " Beautiful." " He's done it again!" " That's 40 for you, boy." " No, let it ride." " And the bet's 40." " How about it, Tawny?" "If Tawny had 40, he'd retire." " He's won the pools!" " His grandmother left him a fortune!" "Get 'em up." "Bloody fool, he's going to shop us!" "That's six, seven, eight." "Eight fivers is 40." "Your bet's covered, Doug." " Spin 'em again." " Yes!" "Good old Dougie!" "Put it away, you fool." "I'm not letting the swaggering blighter get my dough." " You can't afford it." " Who can't afford it?" "You can't afford to flash all that money." "Somebody's going to ask." "He hasn't got a chance, not this time." "I headed it." "I headed it!" "$ 160." "It's all yours." "Come on, I'll skin the lot of you." "Hey!" "All right, come on." " He can't do it again!" " Yes, he can." "I've seen them headed eight and nine in a row." " I've got to bet." " I'll stop you if I have to knife you." "Get back." "Give him room." "All right." "All right, all right." " Things are popping." " I hope so." "They've just brought in Doug Savage." "He's got the greenest fingers you ever saw." " I'm glad you're back." " What's this about Doug Savage?" "County raided a tossing school this morning." "They nabbed him, green fingers an' all." "They've taken the Lacy Arms to pieces." " Has anyone questioned him?" " County had a go." "The Super got precisely nowhere." "What did Savage say about his fingers?" "I don't think he's even noticed." " Any calls, I'm with the Super." " He's out." "He went over to the Chief." "Your Starling call started a minor riot here." " Where's Doug Savage now?" " He's still in the interview room." "The Super said to hold him there for you to have a go." "Oh, did he now?" "Well, the great man himself." "How much longer am I going to be kept down here?" " That's up to you." " So I'm booked for gambling." " Give me a summons and I'll go." " I'm not interested in your gambling." "So what's this Gestapo stuff about?" "The brutal murder of a young girl who never did a bit of harm to anybody." "What's that got to do with me?" "It's go this to do with you." "We have evidence that involves you in the murder." "I should say so." "Come off it!" "What kind of a story is this?" "A true one." "For your own good, you'd better believe it." "When the hell did a copper worry about anyone but himself?" " Not often." "It's you who needs to worry." " An innocent man doesn't have to worry." "Not if he's prepared to give a full account of his actions." "You've got an account." "I was at Doncaster." "Yes, we've checked it." "You left Higgitts Passage in a Silverline taxi at 9.30am." "Your bloodhounds interviewed the driver." " Do you always take a Silverline?" " No, but Laurie Lovett let us down." " I've been over this." " Good." "Let's go over your last 12 hours." " What the hell for?" " Within the last 12 hours you have met and spoken with at least one of the murderers." "Yeah, meshugga." "Someone has deliberately involved you in the murder." "So show me the evidence." "Not yet." "First you'll answer some questions." "If there is any evidence, you've planted it." " Where did you go when you closed up?" " To bed." " Before that who did you meet?" " What is this, a vice check?" " I'm trying to help you, you idiot." " Oh, yes, you're trying to help!" " How long have you known me?" " Too long." "Have I ever tried to fix you?" " You've certainly walloped me." " When you've been a rough boy." "I've never laid a hand on you to make you admit anything." "Have I ever exaggerated the evidence against you?" " No." " Well, I'm not exaggerating now." "When I talked to you in the bar last night the evidence wasn't there." "Between last night and this morning you were drawn into this case." " You can get yourself out." " Is there something at my pub?" "Before you went to bed, who did you meet?" "Nobody." "What the hell is this evidence?" "You'll know when I get my men." "You'll also know who shopped you if you were shopped." " Let's move on to this morning." " You know damn well where I was." " You handled a lot of money." " How the devil do you know?" " A guess." "Who were you tossing with?" " I wouldn't know." " Notice anyone abnormally flush?" " I didn't notice anything." "It was at the tossing game that someone involved you in this murder." " Do you owe that person protection?" " Who says I'm involved?" "You do." "You talk a lot of guff about evidence and what do you show to back it up?" " You can go." "I'll get this another way." " Persecute some other poor bastard." "We'll see you in the pub." "You can help us question the customers." "Now, wait a minute." "You're not coming officially?" "I've got no alternative." " You'll scare off my trade." " To hell with your trade." "This is a murder hunt." "If I give you the tossing school," " will you let my pub alone?" " I won't come near the place." " But when you interview them?" " Not in your pub." " Swear?" " You've got my word, Doug." "All right." "There was Tawny Jakes." "Clogger Roach, Laurie Lovett..." " Laurie Lovett?" " What's up now?" "One or two things." "I'm looking for Don Starling." "I'm also looking for his mates in yesterday's job." "Why come to me?" "Well, you're a taxi man." "You get around." "Plenty of other taxi drivers." "They get around too." "That's so, but your name gets mentioned." " Who by?" " By your friends." "One in particular." "You usually do business with him." " You should know who I mean." " How the hell do I know?" "Hey, have you got a warrant to search this place?" " Not yet." " Then get out." "This is private property." " Laurie, any orders come in?" " No, get off back to the rank." " Yeah, right." " Just a minute." "I want a word with you." " Who are you?" " You know who I am." "Come here." " What's your name?" " Roach." "Clogger Roach, eh?" " Do you work here?" " Yes, he works here." " He ought to be on the rank." " I'm afraid the rank will have to wait." "I want you to come to headquarters." " About what?" " What you were doing yesterday." " I went to the races?" " Together?" " Then who did you take?" " My kid brother." " I see." " You can't arrest me." "I've done nothing." "You can't arrest me when I've done nothing." "You're not being arrested, just asked to come to the station." "Better go and wash your hands first." "How did you make out at the tossing school?" "What tossing school?" "You coppers don't seem to realise a man has a living to make." "Who's going to repay all this business we drop?" "Better write to your MP about it." "I've changed my mind." "I'm not coming with you." "I'm too busy." "I'll have to take on all Clogger's jobs." "And I've changed my mind." "I'm sending you in first." "Put him in the car." " You mean, you're not taking him?" " I'm splitting you up." "Besides, he hasn't washed his hands." "Tell the driver to come back as soon as he's taken him in." "Come on, you too." "Freshen up for tea." "You've no right snooping round here without a warrant." "If I did what was right, I'd arrest you here on the spot." "For what?" " Committing a felony." " What felony, for instance?" "Murder for instance." "Take him outside." "Take your hands off me." "I've read about you coppers." "Only read about us, Clogger?" "Your hiding place wasn't good enough." " I don't know what you're talking about." " I think you do." "This is a quarter share of the money taken from a murdered girl." " I'm taking you into custody." " I only work here." "It was you, Starling and Lovett." "Who was the fourth?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "You'll have plenty of time to think it over." "Get them to send some men over and take this place apart." "Right, come on." "Right, show him in." "Lovett." " Where's Clogger?" " Don't worry about Clogger." "He's sitting down, thinking what he ought to say next." "Sit down." "Cigarette?" " So, I'm getting the soft treatment?" " To begin with, yes." "Statements by accused persons are often a nuisance at a trial." "I don't think I need yours." "I think I've got you right without any words from you." "You were the driver of that Buick, the murder car." "You all made a good job of wiping that Buick but you forgot one thing." "You forgot the driving mirror." "And when you stole that car, you adjusted that mirror." "You left a lovely thumb print, Laurie." "At least, I'm betting it was yours." "Yours or your kid brother's." " What's my kid brother got to do with it?" " I don't know." "We've just brought him in." " You've got nothing against that kid." " You see how nicely it fits?" "We've got four men." "Starling, Roach, you and your kid brother." "I'm admitting nothing but that kid's absolutely innocent." " Then who was the fourth man?" " How do I know?" "You mean you can't tell me." "We know you were there, man." "You'll get nothing out of me." "There were four men on this job and I want four men." "If I don't get the fourth man, I'll get your kid brother." "And don't think I can't get him." "Now, I'm offering no inducements, but your kid might not even have to go through a grilling." "if I got the fourth man." "You bastard cop." "Who was the fourth man?" "Tawny Jakes." "That the lot?" " Yeah." " Right." "You'd better go and think up the name of a good lawyer." "You're certainly going to need one." "What's this for?" "You can't take me without telling me what for." "Shut up, Tawny." "You're embarrassing yourself." "Number three, sir." "You've no right to keep someone waiting around without a charge." "What's the charge, if there is a charge?" "The charge could be murder." "And we've been busy with your friends." " What friends?" "I've got no friends." " You could be right." "I've got two statements already so you watch your step." "I'll watch my..." "Oh, yes." "I've been shopped, haven't I?" " Who was it?" " Guess." "Laurie Lovett." "I could have got away and he shopped me." "What did he say about me?" "If he said I did it, he's a liar." "I never laid a finger on that girl." "Starling had her in the back." "He croaked her." "And you were in the front with Lovett?" "Yes." " I never said I was there." " You were there." "We've got the lot of you now, except Don Starling." "Where is he?" " I don't know." " He must have told you." "I tell you, I don't know where he is." "He faded and I wish I'd done the same." "He can't stay." "Did he talk of going abroad?" "Not a word." "For God's sake, Inspector." "Give me a cigarette." "Where's he been hiding?" "I don't know." "He only said one thing, "Keep moving. "" "That was his motto, keep moving." "Give me a light, Inspector." "All right." "Take him downstairs." "I'll see him again later." "If he said I did it, he's a liar." "I swear to you I never touched her." "The Three Musketeers." "Yeah." " But where's the fourth?" " He can't hide forever, sir." "He's staying around to pick up that loot." "I know it." "It's somewhere in this city." "If he can get at it, he'd clear off." "He might have got it and cleared already." "Reports of him keep pouring in." "Have you seen today's instalment?" "You can take your pick." "He's been seen all over Manchester, sometimes in two places at once." " Furnisher Steele's." " Oh, yes." "A girl reported seeing someone like him on the fire escape." "Nothing to it." " How do you know?" " I went round to Steele's and checked." "Did you check any of the others?" "No, sir." " Just Furnisher Steele?" " Did I do wrong?" "You tell me." "She's a very pretty kid." " You don't think..." " Anything you say..." "All right, I'll confess." "Furthermore, I've been invited round for breakfast and so have you." " Me?" " Old man Steele wants to talk to you." " Yes?" " Another Starling report in, sir." "All right." "Let's have it." "A postman who knows Starling alleges he saw him in Manfield Road at two o'clock this afternoon." "Go on." "He tried the door of the house and then hurried away." "He didn't knock." "He just tried the door." " What number?" " Number 230." "The house belongs to a Mrs Lucretia Lusk." " You want a confirmation slip?" " No, I've got it." " She'd have been at the Lacy Arms." " Yeah, and right now she's at home." "Oh, hello." "Wait a minute." "I'll come down." "You're too late." "Ten minutes sooner and you'd have caught me in the bath." "Ooh, what a thrill!" "Come in." "Now you're making me sorry I am late." "No, I don't believe it!" "You are human." "I want to ask you some questions, Lucky." "Ohh." "I came in a police car, you know." "We can't use those for private amusement." "Why not?" "That makes it official." "If you come sneaking around here, people will know you're up to no good." "Give over!" "If I made a pass at you, you'd be frightened to death." "Try it and see." "Yes, well, business before pleasure." "Well, let's get the business over quick." "Well, you can sit down, can't you?" "That's not against the law." "Lucky, how well did you know Don Starling?" "Don Starling?" "What about him?" "You used to know him quite well." "Oh, yes, but that was years ago, long before I met my ex." "When I found out what he was like, I dropped him like a hot cinder." "Have you seen him in the last couple of days?" "Starling?" " What could he want to see me for?" " Money." "Oh, I should think so!" "He'd never come to me for money or anything else." "He could come to you for shelter." "I haven't set eyes on him." " Why?" " He's been seen hanging around here." "He tried your door." "Tried my door?" "When?" "When was that?" " Early this afternoon." " Oh, my God!" "Don't worry." "It's only a report." "It might not even be true." "He might be here listening to us." "What if he came in when I was upstairs?" " I feel safe while you're here." " Has Starling threatened you?" " Please don't go." " Just tell me about Starling." " He said he'd carve me up if I talked." " He has been threatening you." "You don't know what it's like not to have a man to protect you against people like Don Starling." "Now, look, don't worry." "He won't get near." "I'll see to that." "You have to pretend to be tough just to keep your end up." "Hey!" "Don't be such a softy." "I'll put a couple of men outside to make you feel better." "Oh, why do you have to be married?" "Yeah." "Well, I am married, Lucky." "Both of us had better remember that." "Nobody knows what's going on and what isn't." "I wish life was that easy, Lucky." "Well, why can't it be?" "You've got no children." "All's fair when a man has no children." " Well, there's no future in it." " I'll take a chance." "The other woman's chance." "I'll be back here by 11." "I can't make times, Lucky." "God knows where I'll be at 11." " It might be 3am before I'm away." " You could have a key." "I've never given any man a key." "Yeah..." " Well, I'll phone you if I can make it." " No, don't do that." "Phone me if you can't make it." "You're a bad lot, Lucky Lusk." "No more work." "Beddy bed." "At midnight?" "Not on your sweet life." "The morning's different as long as you don't wake me up." "Steady, Silver." "I'm not going to hurt you." "Steady, Silver." "I'm going to tie you up, that's all." "Stop it." "Stop it or I'll shoot." " Come on." "Stand back, please." " Move, please." " You're leaving yourselves open." " What's up?" " There's somebody shooting upstairs." " Silver!" "Shooting from the top." "Come on, now." "Keep back there." "You're leaving yourselves wide open as targets." "Watch yourselves." "Get your men around this place." "Don Starling's up there." "Let them know he's armed." "If we're not careful, a good man might lose his life." "Now, come out of it." "In the back." "It looks bad to me." "I'll put her in an ambulance." " Starling's on the roof." " Right." " Did you see him?" " He disappeared up there." "The old man took a shot but missed by a mile." " Did Starling return the fire?" " He raised his pistol." " Then he changed his mind." " He's saving ammunition." "That means he hasn't got a spare clip." "Get on the phone to the Superintendent." "Tell him I want all the men surrounding this block to be issued with firearms." " I'll come with you." " Get across the road." "Get on the highest roof." "Look down and tell me what's happening." "He's in the next bay behind the chimney stack." "That's four gone." "You should have six shots left." "He can't go further." "There's a two-storey drop to the next roof." "Do you hear that, Don?" "Come on, I'm waiting for you." "I'm not scared of you, you butcher!" "Of course you are." "You know I can always lick you." "Sure, with the whole police force behind you." "You're wrong there, Don." "If you want to have a go at me you'll have to do it now." "There are more men coming." "For now it's you and me on this roof." "Come on." "Let's see how good you are." "Prison must have softened you up, Don." "Are you frightened of one cop?" "Look out!" "Look out, he's coming!" "I got you in the lungs." "You'll go before I do." "Hold me!" "For God's sake hold me!" "Don't let me go!" "Don't let me go!" "Don't let me go!" "Hurry!" "For God's sake, hurry!" "All right." " Darling, you haven't taken your pills." " I need a drink, Julia." " You know what the hospital said." " To hell with the hospital!" "Are we going to have a day like yesterday?" "I'm on edge, Julia." "Can't you see I'm on edge?" "But this isn't the first time you've sent a man to the gallows." "You detested Starling." "He deserved to hang." "Well, none of us are perfect." " Where are you going?" " To Headquarters." " You don't start till tomorrow." " I'll take a look at my new office." "You just can't wait to get out of this house." "Oh, for God's sake, Julia!" " Try and understand." " I'm sorry, Harry." "I'll try." "Will you phone me if you're coming home for lunch?" "Aye, I'll call you." "Harry Martineau." " Hello, Lucky." " Why haven't you been to see me?" "I've been the wounded hero." "Didn't you know?" "Yes, I read." "I thought perhaps you were mad at me." "Now, why should I be mad at you?" "Oh, I don't know." "Because of what I said about us." "Well, we both should have known better." "You're a great girl, Lucky Lusk." "You'll make some man a great wife." "It would have to be someone who liked kids." "You want kids, Lucky?" "Sure I do." "Oh, they'd fight and holler and scream and probably drive me up the wall." "But I'd love them." "By the right man." " Oh, Harry, I..." " You'll miss your bus." "I think I already have." "You know where I am if there's ever anything I can do." "There's one thing you can do, Lucky." "Call one of them Harry." "Where are you off to, love?" "Want to finish the evening in style?" "Sorry, dear." "You've got the wrong customer." "Don't worry, love." "I won't bankrupt you." "On your way, and think yourself lucky it isn't tomorrow." " Come again?" " I'm giving you advice." "Beat it." "Well, there's no need to be..." "Hey, you're Martineau!" " Hello, sir." " Hello, Devery." "Anything wrong?" "No, just the social disadvantage of being a prominent policeman." " I'm glad to see you about again, sir." " So am I." " How's Silver?" " Oh, fine." "They say she'll be sitting up before the end of the month." "I didn't come and see you in hospital because... might look like lick-spittling for a PC to visit a chief inspector." "I understand." " Can we give you a lift?" " No, I'm just walking." "It's my last day of liberty, you know." "Bloody shame a man like that is so alone." "Alone?" "He's married, isn't he?" "You don't have to be on your own to be alone." "M2CK calling K51." "Are you receiving?" " Here we go again." " Over."