"Good morning." "45 seconds." "We've been shopping." "Is His Lordship in?" "This all right, Sally?" "Oh, smashing!" "And two crackers each." "Get me, Queen of Sheba." "Good morning, Mr. Pearson." "Good morning, Sally." "Good morning, Peter." "Morning." "What's the matter with you?" "Got a cold?" "Hangover." "You shouldn't go wasting your time." "You've got an exam in three months." "Oh, don't remind me." "Not before Christmas, anyway." "Don't mind my mentioning it, but you don't look too good yourself today." "Had a row with the missus?" "Something like that." "That'll be £2, Peter." "£2?" "What for?" "Tonight's party." "What are we having then?" "Champagne?" "And dancing girls." "Well, they'd better be good." "Anyway, I'm going to get my money's worth." "Thank you." "Roll on the New Year." "Morning, Harvill." "Morning, sir." "Miss Pringle, do you feel it really necessary to make such a display of your popularity?" "I thought they livened the desk up a little." "Banking is one of the few dignified businesses left in the world, Miss Pringle." "Do you mind terribly if we keep it that way?" "I'm sorry, sir." "Good morning, Pearson." "Good morning, Mr. Fordyce." "Miss Farrel, Mr. Sanderson." "Good morning, sir." "I noticed he didn't mention the party." "Miss Pringle." "Sanderson and Pearson to come in, please." "Come in." "Psst." "Psst." "Do you get it?" "Get what?" "He wants to know if you're a hep cat or a square." "Do you mind?" "Pearson." "Yes, Mr. Fordyce?" "Pearson, do you expect people to write with a pen like that?" "What's wrong with it, Mr. Fordyce?" "Wrong?" "The nib's completely corroded." "It obviously hasn't been cleaned or examined for weeks." "This isn't a post office, you know." "A customer coming into this bank has a right to expect efficiency." "I'll speak to Miss Pringle." "She..." "Who you speak to is a matter of complete indifference to me, Pearson." "What concerns me is the fact that it is always I who have to discover every fiddling little misdemeanor in this branch." "A general doesn't inspect every button of every soldier every day, you know." "That is supposed to be what his subordinates are for." "I'll see to it immediately." "Perhaps you don't agree with me." "Perhaps you think because the combined assets of the City  Colonial Bank total more than £371 million, a tuppeny pen nib is of no account." "I'll see to it right away, Mr. Fordyce." "Do that." "And send Harvill to me, will you?" "Mr. Fordyce wants to see you, Harvill." "Come in." "Mr. Pearson said you wanted to see me, sir." "Obviously you know what we have to discuss." "I'm not sure, sir." "Perhaps you don't think it worth discussing." "Perhaps you think that odd pounds, shillings and pence can be missing from the books from time to time without further comment." "Sir, if you mean last Wednesday's balance..." "Well, was it last Wednesday's balance, sir?" "Why?" "Have there been other days when the balance has been irregular?" "Sir, I thought as Mr. Burnaby had returned the £10, the matter was more or less closed." "We were very busy that day and I thought..." "Well, Burnaby's an old customer." "He was accidentally overpaid." "And, well..." "Very interesting attitude, Harvill." "And what would have happened if the money hadn't been returned?" "Would the mistake have been discovered then?" "And if not, what method would have been used to conceal it?" "Look, Mr. Fordyce, I give you my word." "Nobody was trying to conceal anything." "It was..." "Well, it was just a mistake, that's all." "I suggest to you that it's a lie." "And that in fact the money was only put back in the till after you knew that Burnaby had returned the £10 to me personally." "No, sir." "I also suggest that there was an actual conspiracy." "That someone else on the staff was involved with you in the whole plot." "But that's ridiculous." "Why should I try to conceal something that the auditors would have been bound to discover anyway?" "Who initialed your balance last Wednesday night?" "Well, that's nothing to do with it, because I'd already put the money back by then." "When my balance was initialed on Wednesday, it was a correct balance." "Who initialed it?" "I don't see how it makes any difference who initialed it." "But I do." "Was it Sanderson?" "No, he wouldn't..." "No, it wasn't, sir." "Apart from myself and Sanderson, only one other person is authorized to check your balance." "Who is that other person?" "You know perfectly well who initialed it, sir." "I'm only trying to be fair." "Trying not to jump to any conclusions." "But it does seem conclusive that these initials are Mr. Pearson's." "Are those Pearson's initials or are they not?" "Yes, they are." "Come in." "Ah, Pearson." "I was just going to send for you." "That'll be all, Harvill." "Thank you." "You wanted to see me, Mr. Fordyce?" "It's about this business of falsifying the books, which you and Harvill have been mixed up in." "Falsifying?" "This question of Burnaby's £10." "You initialed Harvill's balance last Wednesday, did you not?" "It wasn't falsifying." "We were checking each item." "In a day or two we would have discovered the mistake." "It's very easy to say after the event." "We're not exactly amateurs in the business, sir." "That's certainly true." "Amateurs wouldn't be clever enough to create a fund specifically to cover up mistakes made by the staff." "You do see where such abuse could lead, don't you?" "Well, do you see the point?" "This fund operates only for mistakes which are discovered." "Which means that other mistakes, or rather falsifications, could be occurring which are not discovered." "I suppose you're entitled to put your own construction on what has happened." "Thank you." "Then you would agree that I have a duty to protect this bank, and its clients, against embezzlement." "I must ask you to withdraw that allegation." "It's insane." "It's no good, Fordyce, is it?" "What's no good?" "This, the whole business." "It doesn't involve Burnaby's £10." "It's a question of temperaments." "Yours and mine." "I realize that it's largely my fault that we haven't anything in common." "Really, Pearson." "Can't we straighten this ridiculous business out once and for all?" "I know we disagree about almost everything, that my way of looking at things irritates you." "I am not in the least interested in your way of looking at things." "You are here to concern yourself with banking, not personalities." "Mr. Fordyce, I'm asking you to recommend me for a transfer to one of our branches in London." "Do you really think that I could recommend you to another branch?" "Your signature on a balance sheet is apparently worthless." "If I were to recommend you," "I'd be as guilty of dishonesty as you are." "I'm not dishonest." "Then explain these initials." "I have." "Not to my satisfaction." "Apparently you haven't grasped the full significance of what I've just been saying." "It isn't only that I couldn't, in all honesty, forward your transfer." "There is also a strong doubt in my mind as to whether I can keep you on here." "You'd dismiss me?" "After 11 years?" "From the one business I know?" "You'd make it impossible for me to get another job as chief clerk at any bank in the country." "You..." "You'd do that?" "It is time to open for business, Pearson." "Morning, Jim." "Morning." "Excuse me, is it all right if I park over there?" "Only 20 minutes, sir." "Oh." "Merry Christmas, sir." "The same to you." "Ask Mr. Fordyce if he'll see me for a few moments, will you, please?" "Just a moment, sir." "Excuse me, sir." "Mmm?" "Was it a personal or a business matter, sir?" "Business, of course." "Come in." "Yes, Pearson, what is it?" "Someone to see you, sir." "You know I don't see anyone in the mornings without an appointment." "Gore Hepburn." "What sort of person is he?" "I should say someone of consequence, sir." "Very well, show him in." "But you might interrupt us after 10 minutes." "I don't want the fellow here all morning." "Very good, sir." "Would you come this way, sir?" "Hmm?" "Oh, thank you." "Colonel Gore Hepburn, sir." "Good morning, Fordyce." "Good morning, Colonel." "Won't you sit down?" "Thank you." "Oh, thank you." "Will you need me anymore, sir?" "No, that's all, Pearson." "Just a moment." "Come in, Pearson, and close the door." "But I'm afraid I don't understand." "This is only..." "You will." "Close it, Pearson." "I sent in my personal card, because I did not wish to disclose the interests I represent." "In fact, I am from the head office of the Home and Mercantile Bankers' Insurance." "The Home and Mercantile?" "They insure this branch and look after our security." "Exactly." "I'm on a tour of all your branches in the South West." "I'm sorry to spring myself on you in this way, but it's part of my job to see that people are on their toes and that the safeguard clauses in our policy are being complied with." "Well, I hope you find everything in order, sir." "Well, frankly, Pearson, I think I've caught you flatfooted." "I don't understand." "Oh, now, look, Pearson." "I walk into this bank this morning, hand a card over the counter and immediately I'm shown in here and left alone with Fordyce." "I could have stuck a gun in his ribs as soon as the door closed." "If I may say so, sir, you don't look much like a gunman." "Oh, really, you people in the provinces must stop thinking in this way." "How do you know what a gunman looks like these days?" "Agreed, Fordyce?" "Yes, yes, of course." "Pearson, you should have inquired more thoroughly into Colonel Gore Hepburn's business." "I naturally assumed that you had." "I'm sorry, Mr. Fordyce." "But you couldn't have gone into the strong room, Colonel." "It requires two keys to open it." "Mr. Fordyce only has one of them and I have the other." "Well, that only makes matters worse, Pearson." "It's precisely when the bank robber is up against something he didn't know that people begin to get hurt." "Oh, by the way, I shall want to have a look at the layout of the strong room later on." "Of course." "Whenever you say." "You see what I'm getting at, Pearson?" "Yes, sir." "I see now, sir." "We won't let you in again without a careful check, sir." "Good man." "That will be all, Pearson." "I hope you won't think that Pearson's standards of security represent the efficiency of this branch as a whole." "If his negligence..." "Presumably you asked him to show me in, Fordyce." "Of course, I accept full responsibility for any shortcomings in my staff." "However, I assure you it won't happen again." "In fact, I've been thinking of replacing Pearson." "Oh?" "He's been with you 11 years, hasn't he?" "How do you know that?" "I make it my business to know every small detail of the branches I visit." "Oh, naturally." "You would, naturally." "Excuse me, please." "Fordyce speaking." "Hello." "Hello, is anyone there?" "Mummy, Mummy..." "Harry, is that you?" "Harry..." "Yes, my dear." "What is it?" "Do whatever he says." "Do whatever he says, for the love of God, I beseech you." "Harry, can you hear..." "Don't do anything, Fordyce." "They'll die if you move or say a word." "What are you talking about?" "Let me speak to them." "Shut up!" "Now, listen to me, Fordyce." "Nothing will happen if you sit quite still until I've finished speaking." "What have my wife and child to do with this?" "You must be..." "There are two men at your house." "At this moment, your wife has an electrode attached to each side of her head." "If you fail to co-operate with us in any way whatever, they will pass a charge through the circuit." "It is extremely painful and I'm afraid the effects of it are permanent." "She would never recover her wits." "What is it you want?" "Well, just some money." "Going hunting, Pearson?" "Oh, I beg your pardon, sir." "I thought you might have asked for it during your inspection." "But we seem to have mislaid the ammunition." "Well, that's not very sensible, is it?" "You can't shoot desperados with an empty gun, you know." "No, I thought we had some rounds somewhere." "Well, I shouldn't worry, Pearson." "They're not very accurate things at the best of times." "By the way, I just wanted to tell you that Mr. Fordyce and I are not to be disturbed on any account." "No one is to come in unless we send for them." "Is that clear?" "Yes, sir." "Good man." "Cigarette?" "I'm always telling myself that I ought to give it up, but now I suppose I never shall." "Huh." "It's snowing." "The papers said that it was going to get warmer today and now look at it." "Do you mind if I light this by the window?" "It has a certain significance for someone watching out there." "We have several prearranged signals, and a special one in case anything goes wrong." "You swine, you swine." "Do you mind if we get down to business?" "I have allowed a short while for your mind to adjust itself to the idea." "Do you think my mind can adjust itself to the idea that my..." "That my wife and my child might be..." "Oh, really, Fordyce, you're being very unappreciative." "It's rather a good plan, don't you think?" "No noisy guns or bleeding cashiers, no rushing off in stolen cars, none of that working through the night with the do-it-yourself tools and the unstable explosives." "I detest brutality." "I want bank robberies to be smoother, more sociable." "Well, now, how about it?" "Beginning to feel adjusted?" "You'll never get away with it." "How unfortunate for your family if I don't." "Fordyce, I can't impress upon you enough that you must behave with absolute naturalness during the next 50 minutes." "Remember every single second that the lives of your wife and child depend on it." "Now, in a few moments you will call Pearson back in." "Listen carefully to what you have to do." "It is imperative that the luggage from my car is brought in here." "But at your suggestion." "Is that clear?" "I'm parked in a 20-minute zone." "I'm going to tell Pearson to drive the car into the car park." "You will inquire whether I have any luggage." "I'm not very concerned about it, but you are, and you insist that the luggage is brought in here." "Now do you understand that?" "Yes, I think so." "I'm not telling you exactly what to say, because I want you to express yourself in your usual manner." "I believe you attended a staff dinner last February, where you were introduced to Desmond Hyde, one of the C  C board of directors." "Is that correct?" "How did you know?" "Never mind." "It'll give us something to be talking about when Pearson comes in." "Now, ring for him." "Miss Pringle speaking." "Ask Mr. Pearson to come in, please." "Yes, sir." "You'd have been most amused if you could have seen him at the house party." "He's a most delightful fellow." "And a first-class shot, too." "You know..." "Come in." "Oh, come in, Pearson." "I'm sorry, Colonel, you were saying?" "Oh, I was only going to say that all the most charming people seem to end up on the board of the C  C." "Oh, by the way, Desmond Hyde was there with his wife, Anna." "I think he said he'd met you." "Yes, I..." "Yes, I dined with him last year at the staff dinner." "I should..." "I should like to meet him again." "Oh, by the way, Pearson, would you mind moving my car into the car park?" "It's in the 20-minute zone at the moment and I hate breaking the law." "I'm afraid I don't drive, sir." "Oh, well, perhaps somebody else..." "Oh, yes, of course, sir." "Harvill." "Yes." "Just a moment, Pearson." "I suppose you left nothing of value in your car, Colonel?" "Oh, no, only my baggage." "I wonder if it'll be safe leaving it in the car park." "It's unattended, you know." "Hmm, I suppose it is a bit tempting." "Yes, you'd better bring the luggage in here, Pearson." "It's no good taking chances these days." "Well, if it'll set your mind at rest, Fordyce." "I'll see to it, sir." "Yes." "Just a shade more deference, Fordyce." "A little more eagerness to please me." "Otherwise, I shall be obliged to arrange a small scream to refresh your memory." "You cowardly..." "By rights, this stuff should be melting now, not falling." "Do you expect me to worry if it snows or not?" "My worries will automatically become your worries now, Fordyce." "If anything should go wrong, the slightest hitch..." "I can't stop the snow." "No, I suppose that would be asking too much, wouldn't it?" "Ah, good." "Thank you, Pearson." "Thank you very much." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Now, let me see." "You must be Miss Pringle." "Yes, sir." "Well, tell me, Miss Pringle, are you looking forward to Christmas?" "Oh, yes, sir." "Are you going to have a Christmas party here?" "Well, I..." "Somebody did mention it, but I don't really know." "Oh." "Well, perhaps you'd allow me to make a small contribution to the party fund, eh?" "Oh!" "Oh, thank you." "Thank you very much, sir." "No, please don't thank me." "It allays the feelings of guilt I sometimes get about the way I misuse my expense allowance." "Oh, thank you, sir." "You're very fortunate in your staff, Fordyce." "That is not my opinion." "Oh, really?" "Have you ever contributed to their Christmas fund?" "I am not in the habit of ingratiating myself with my subordinates." "I have news for you, Fordyce." "You have just done that." "I've done what?" "Ingratiated yourself." "Give me £5." "£5?" "What for?" "Your contribution to the fund and a slight token of regret for the ungenerous thoughts you've just expressed." "That is only £4." "That is all I have." "I don't carry much cash." "Hmm, very wise." "It protects you in case of robbery, doesn't it?" "Ah, well, never mind." "You can owe me the other pound." "Tell me, Fordyce, have you ever read Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire?" "No, I haven't." "How lucky for you." "You'll be able to start as soon as I've gone." "It's in these cases, all 12 volumes." "The rest, I'm afraid, rather old blankets." "You get the idea, of course." "I'm not a fool." "You'll be interested to know that we've got plenty of time." "The whole operation is scheduled to end in exactly 45 minutes." "We'll unpack the cases in the strong room, and refill them with the money." "Not a very fair exchange, I'm afraid." "I don't expect the exchange to be permanent." "Don't you?" "I'll explain the way I want them refilled when we get down there." "You know, I think banks are rather fun." "Got to make a pest of myself, I'm afraid." "Secret plans, Pearson?" "Well, now, let's have a look at the alarm system, shall we?" "This way, Colonel." "Harvill, this is Colonel Gore Hepburn, who's inspecting our security arrangements for the insurance company." "Hello, Harvill." "Good morning, sir." "Now, where is your alarm button?" "There, sir." "Oh, there we are." "Hmm." "Well, you've never had occasion to use it, I suppose?" "Well, we're lucky, sir, a very law-abiding community." "Ah, yes." "Well, you know, it's not the local people we're worried about." "It's these smart characters down from London." "I don't mind telling you, it's got us worried." "That's why I'm here." "Haversham is the center of a large agricultural area, Colonel." "London is a long way away." "There'd be plenty of time to put up roadblocks." "Yes, you'd be surprised how these fellows can think their way around roadblocks." "Well, you..." "You carry the minimum amount of stock in the tills, I suppose?" "Oh, yes." "Yes." "Any withdrawal over £500 has to come from the strong room." "Unless, of course, we have prior warning." "Ah-ha." "Well, let's have a look at the next one." "This is Mr. Sanderson, Colonel." "Sanderson." "Sanderson." "Where have I..." "Oh, yes." "Didn't I see your name in the Banker's World Monthly a little while ago?" "Yes, sir, it was." "Yes, yes, of course, you..." "You were runner-up in the regional chess competition." "Well, you never told me you had a potential chess champion on the staff, Fordyce." "I'm more concerned with what Sanderson does in his office hours." "Oh, yes." "Well, I suppose chess is a failing of mine, too, Sanderson." "Robbing banks is a game of wits, after all, isn't it, eh?" "Well, now, where's your alarm switch?" "Same place as Harvill's?" "Oh, yes, sir." "Ah, yes." "Well." "Any complaints?" "Well, sir, since you ask me, the central heating here..." "Colonel Gore Hepburn is concerned with security, Sanderson." "Well, I'll try to breathe a word higher up, Sanderson, but I can't make any promises." "Now, I'd like to have a look at the codebook you use for your currency orders and then we'll go down to the strong room." "Colonel Gore Hepburn is concerned with security, Sanderson." "Oh, snap out of it, George." "It's not the end of the world." "That's the third black I've put up today." "First, I didn't check up on him, then there was the empty gun and now he's just caught me daydreaming." "Oh, he's not so bad for a colonel." "You really should have checked up on him, I suppose." "He'll probably ask you if you have." "Why don't you put in a call to his office?" "It's a bit late." "It's better late than never." "I'll book a call for you." "Miss Pringle, got Home and Mercantile's number?" "You don't know what this is costing me." "It's costing you £90,000, Fordyce." "I'm afraid you're going to be greatly disappointed, Colonel." "The stocks of a bank in a small community like this do not add up to anything like that amount." "Take off your glasses, Fordyce." "For what purpose?" "What do you want?" "Just take them off." "I can't see, you know." "There are two components factories and a Birmingham Chemicals subsidiary on the bypass, all of which draw their wages here tomorrow." "Tomorrow is also Christmas Eve." "Your average withdrawals on Christmas Eve have never been less than £7,000." "Your current stocks shown in head office return last week were £89,000." "We've been a year setting up this operation." "There isn't the smallest detail of your branch which is not known to me." "Put on your glasses." "You look ridiculous." "Don't misread my character, Fordyce." "I may be unable to suppress my natural charm, but try to remember," "I've only to make one of several pre-arranged gestures at that window and your wife would be subjected to the most unbearable torture." "You would probably find that she would never..." "Don't." "There's about £97,000 there." "The stock lists are kept just inside the safety doors." "Thank you." "Now, I want you to listen to the next stage carefully." "You and I, with Pearson, will go to the strong room." "That's through there, isn't it?" "There's delay." "What?" "On London calls." "I suppose everybody's trying to phone their Aunt Nellie for Christmas." "Oh, I dare say." "They'll phone back as soon as they've got a line." "Oh, thanks." "You let Pearson get halfway up the stairs and then you call him back." "You tell him that if anyone comes in for a large withdrawal, they're to be asked to wait a short while until you become available." "I'll leave you a few thousand pounds to meet any emergencies for the next hour or so." "Pearson goes." "Then we come back up here, take the cases down to the strong room, and repack them in a way I'll describe to you as we go along." "Now, is all that absolutely clear?" "I think I understand." "Very well." "In a few moments I shall ask you to repeat your instructions." "Well, we'd better not send for Pearson for another five minutes." "We mustn't rush things, you know." "After all, we are supposed to be in conference." "By the way, do you have any drink here with which to entertain your more influential customers?" "It's over there." "You fool, Fordyce!" "What have you done?" "Stop!" "Stop." "It's only a fire engine." "The station's in Market Street just around the corner." "Phew!" "Ha!" "Huh." "Now I could do with that drink." "You'd better have one, too." "If I may say so, you look in need of it." "I don't drink during office hours." "I think this occasion might be an exception." "Very well." "Thank you." "I'm afraid I can't wish you good luck." "No, I agree, Fordyce." "It would be out of character." "You're hardly in a position to know anything about my character." "Oh, I think I am." "You're not a very charitable man, let alone a sporting one." "The opinion of a common thief is of no interest to me." "I flatter myself I am a rather uncommon thief." "A common one would just make off with the money." "But I can't help interesting myself in people." "It's a failing you ought to cultivate, Fordyce." "Thank you." "You ought to encourage Sanderson in his chess, for instance." "You know, I'm interested in every single person who works for me, their families, what happens to them." "You ought to take them out for a drink occasionally, join their Christmas party or just listen to them." "I believe it to be enough if my staff respect me for my efficiency." "And your family, do they respect you, too?" "Must you keep reminding me of what they're going through?" "Can't you stop gloating?" "I'm not gloating." "I asked because I noticed that when the telephone rang this morning your child was calling for his mother and not his father." "And when your wife spoke to you, she used the word "beseech"" "as if you were not often given to mercy." "Shut up, will you?" "Don't raise your voice, Fordyce, if you really want to show them mercy." "I will not stand here having judgment passed on me by a criminal." "I'm only trying to show you the error of your ways, Fordyce." "Who are you to moralize?" "Sitting there like some damn saint!" "Saints love their fellow men, but when you're called to account, how many of your fellow creatures will give evidence for you?" "Those people out there, for instance?" "What'll they say?" "I am not particularly interested in the opinions of my..." "Now!" "Repeat your instructions." "What happens when Pearson comes in?" "We go through the door to the staircase." "And Pearson or I switch off the electric eye." "Then we go down and open the safety doors for you." "Then I tell..." "No, then you tell Pearson to go." "But I say that there should be two members of the staff in the strong room at all times." "In the end, you tell Pearson to lock us in, that is, by locking these two doors here." "Then he goes." "Then he goes." "Yes, but I stop him and say that there are to be no large withdrawals until..." "Until we've finished." "Right." "And above all, speak naturally." "If it goes differently, or you forget anything, for heaven's sake, don't panic." "I'll be there." "Just behave as if it were in fact a normal security check." "Now, are you absolutely certain that everything's been taken into account?" "Because if we should fail, you know what it means." "The orders are already given." "They will be ruthlessly carried out." "Is it likely I should let you make a mistake?" "Up to now, you've made all the threats." "I'll make only one." "If anything happens to my family, I'll kill you." "I swear I will." "Call Pearson." "Miss Pringle speaking." "Ask Mr. Pearson to come in, please." "Yes, sir." "Come in." "Well, Pearson, we're ready to go down." "Got your keys?" "Yes, sir." "Things still quiet out there?" "Nothing doing at all, sir." "You couldn't have chosen a better time if you'd planned it." "Oh, really?" "This way?" "Ah!" "Is your electric eye system in order?" "Yes, sir." "Good." "Well, we'd better switch it off, then." "Yes, sir." "Right." "Lead the way, Pearson." "I sometimes feel I never want to see the inside of another bank as long as I live." "Do you ever get like that, Fordyce?" "No, I can't say I do." "I must be in need of a holiday." "When did you last check your alarm system?" "It's always checked every Saturday morning before we open." "What's that light for?" "It's a red blinker light." "It flashes to warn us if the inner grille door hasn't been properly closed." "Mmm-hmm." "If it isn't attended to after 30 seconds, the general alarm is set off." "I say, yes, good idea." "30 seconds should give them time to open up and reset the grille door." "We've never had occasion to need the reminder." "I'm sure of that." "Well, I suppose it's all in the day's work for us, the moment before a strong room door opens." "And yet, I suppose, it's also the moment 1,000 thieves have dreamt of as the highlight of their lives." "Let's hope their dreams don't come true, sir." "Yes." "The stuff you fellows collect in these places." "Well, let's have a look at your current holdings, Fordyce." "Thank you." "Mmm." "Do you always carry as much as this?" "Except for the two months just after Christmas." "Pearson, will you turn on the ventilator?" "We may be down here some time." "Pearson, I don't think we need keep you any longer." "Let's have your key to the safety doors, will you?" "My key, sir?" "This is somewhat irregular." "Strictly speaking, Colonel," "Pearson should only give that key up to his deputy." "And, besides, there should be two members of the staff down here all the time the strong room is open." "Quite right." "In fact, if you hadn't come out with it, it would have meant a black mark in my report." "However, Pearson, the usual form on my inspections is for the chief clerk to lock all the doors to this part of the bank and then to let us have his key to the safety doors in case we have to leave the strong room unattended for any length of time." "Well, what about it?" "Think you can trust me to keep an eye on Mr. Fordyce, Pearson?" "Yes, I think so, sir." "Good." "Just lock the outer door to my office, will you, Pearson, so that the Colonel and I can get in there from here if we have to refer to anything." "Very good, sir." "I shan't open them again until I hear from you." "Correct." "Oh, Pearson, should anyone come in for a large withdrawal, tell the clerks to ask them to come back in an hour." "Say we're having an audit or something." "Very good, Mr. Fordyce." "Right, hurry!" "Go to your desk, Fordyce." "Don't hurry." "Sit down." "Why didn't you tell me, Fordyce?" "I didn't remember." "He cleans the windows once a month." "Even when it's snowing?" "We have a contract." "Does he come inside later?" "No." "No, that's done by the office staff." "Right!" "Open the safe." "I hate packing and unpacking." "Can't wait to get settled in one place." "The air on Dartmoor is very bracing, I believe." "No doubt." "However, I shall be far beyond the reach of our extradition laws." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "Nothing." "Nothing." "Right to 25, twice to 16, 5, 10." "I can't..." "I can't do it." "I can't." "All right, old man, don't panic." "It'll come back." "Yes." "Right to 25." "One, four." "Right." "We'll take the pound notes first." "20,000 in each of the big cases, 10,000 in the small." "I'll send you a postcard, Fordyce." "You'll be able to come and stay with me in my villa." "With your family, of course." "That's the pounds done." "Right." "Now for the fivers." "We haven't much time." "Just fill up each case as far as you can go." "Fivers are a damn nuisance." "It'll take years to farm away this lot." "Around the racecourses is the usual practice, isn't it?" "I'm afraid professional ethics prevents me from disclosing that information." "Here, let me." "Right, I'll do that." "Shut the safe door." "Outside with them." "Okay." "The inner door!" "The electric eye." "The door." "Lock it." "Here, drink this." "I don't want it." "You won't have to listen to me much longer." "Thank heaven." "That last little exhibition was to tell my friend that the first stage of the operation is completed." "It is the last signal he will get from me." "The next will come from you." "I can't take anymore of this." "Look, I've had enough." "You've got what you came for." "Now why don't you go?" "That is exactly what I intend to do, but first we must discuss the most important stage of this operation, my getaway." "They'll catch you." "They'll catch all of you." "I hope not, Fordyce, for your sake." "What do you mean?" "I have a rendezvous with my friends in about an hour's time." "If I fail to turn up, they're likely to become irritable, restless and generally unpleasant." "I am not interested or concerned..." "Oh, but you are, Fordyce." "You've missed the point again." "You are most concerned." "Would you dare..." "You haven't..." "You don't mean you're taking them with you?" "Not taking, Fordyce, borrowing, to use a banker's term, as collateral." "You cannot subject them to anymore." "My wife is very highly strung." "For pity's sake, leave them." "Look, I'll go with you willingly." "I'll do anything you say." "Sit down." "Now listen carefully, Fordyce." "No one need die if you do as I say." "I want one hour, that's all." "City  Colonial." "Can I help you?" "How would you like it, Mrs. Tate, in fivers?" "In ones, please, that is if it's not too much trouble." "No trouble at all." "Your call's through." "I'll be with you in a minute." "I'll hang on for you." "Look, Arthur, I'll do it if you're busy." "Okay." "It's Home and Mercantile on the line." "Get through to their bank insurance department." "Okay." "And look slippy, or he'll be gone." "Roger." "Hello?" "What time do you make it?" "It's about 20 to..." "Exactly, man!" "19 minutes to 11:00." "Right." "Now." "As soon as I drive away, you come back in here, go to that window, mop your brow with your handkerchief twice very distinctly." "After that you have one hour. 60 minutes." "What does that mean?" "We're leaving a man behind in Haversham." "I will be in touch with him by telephone every 15 minutes." "If he reports that a police alarm has been given, or that we're being followed, your wife and child will be killed immediately and we will switch to another escape plan already prepared." "But if all goes well, your wife and child will be released exactly one hour after I leave here." "Is that absolutely clear?" "Yes, it's quite clear." "It's time for Pearson." "Just a moment." "Don't, for heaven's sake, deceive yourself into thinking that this couldn't happen." "After I leave, you're on your own and only you know what is at stake." "If suspicions are aroused, you must prevent the alarm being given at all costs." "I don't have to tell you anymore, do I?" "No." "I'm afraid I understand only too well." "Right." "Miss Pringle speaking." "Is Mr. Pearson there?" "One moment, sir." "Mr. Pearson." "Just coming, sir." "Yes, I'm still holding on." "Pearson." "Colonel Gore Hepburn's ready to leave." "Get his car around immediately, please." "Very good, sir." "And he'd like to see you before he goes." "See me?" "That's right, Pearson." "Yes, sir." "They're finished in there." "Well, what about her?" "She's been hanging on for two minutes." "Who is it?" "The Home and who's-its." "Well." "I'll take that." "You go and get the Colonel's car." "Right." "And don't smash it up." "Roger Dodger." "Hello." "Hello." "Hello?" "Hello?" "They've cut off." "Come in." "You wanted to see me, sir?" "Just a moment, Pearson." "Now, Fordyce," "I'll just get you to sign this clearance certificate, if you will." "Don't want my fellow directors to think I've been spending the time with a popsie in Brighton." "Thank you." "Well, Pearson, I just wanted to tell you that" "I intend giving an excellent report on this branch." "Thank you, sir." "About that ammunition..." "Ammunition?" "What ammunition?" "My memory gets a bit rusty at Christmas time." "There's just one thing, Pearson." "The next time a Home and Mercantile man calls, telephone his office and check up on him." "It's a rule." "I realize that, sir." "As a matter of fact..." "Well, no harm done." "Fordyce had the good sense to check himself." "Well, thank you very much, Fordyce." "You've been most cooperative." "Thank you." "Oh, Pearson, say goodbye to the staff for me, will you?" "Wish them a merry Christmas." "And you might say that in my opinion it would take a very clever fellow to rob this bank." "And I'm an expert." "I'll give you a hand with your bags, sir." "That's all right, Pearson." "I'll help the Colonel out." "Thank you very much." "Can I help you, sir?" "No, it's all right, thank you, Harvill." "Have a good Christmas." "Thank you, sir, and the same to you." "Well, I'll do my best." "That's what I call a car." "Better than that old tin can you run around in, Arthur." "I wasn't a colonel." "I was a corporal." "Better go in, Fordyce." "Don't want you catching cold." "Well, goodbye." "Keep your chin up." "Good morning, Mr. Fordyce." "City  Colonial." "Mr. Fordyce." "What the..." "What's going on, Mr. Fordyce?" "What are you talking about?" "How dare you come into my room without knocking?" "I've just had Home and Mercantile on the phone." "Who?" "You didn't ring them, did you?" "What do you mean?" "Of course I rang them." "You heard what Colonel Gore Hepburn said." "That wasn't him." "The real Gore Hepburn's in Manchester." "Are you out of your mind, Pearson?" "Why did you lie?" "What were you doing at the window just now?" "That's enough, Pearson." "I've had enough of your impertinence." "I'll ring the Home and Mercantile myself." "Either some stupid typist has made an error, or you received some garbled message." "Now you get back to your work at once." "Come off it, Fordyce." "Do as I say." "He's robbed the bank, hasn't he?" "How much did he get away with?" "£93,000." "£93,000?" "And you helped him?" "I had to, Pearson." "I still have to." "I don't understand." "They've got my wife, Pearson, and the boy." "Oh, no." "There mustn't be any alarm." "The police mustn't know." "Not for an hour." "There's one of the gang out there keeping watch." "But the police are..." "I daren't tell them, Pearson." "I can't." "I can't take the risk." "But I've already rung them." "What?" "You've called them?" "I rang them immediately." "You must stop them." "They're on their way." "You've got to stop them." "Tell them it was a mistake." "Mistake?" "You rang them in error." "You must think of something." "But the others, Sanderson, Harvill?" "They know?" "They heard me ring." "But they mustn't say anything." "They mustn't." "Explain to them what's happened." "They'll understand." "Pearson, promise me you'll do that." "Promise, please." "You know what you're asking?" "They've got to help me, Pearson, they must." "But the money, Mr. Fordyce." "The bank's money!" "Forget the money, Pearson." "Pearson, listen." "Now listen to me." "My family are all I've got." "I have no friends, nobody." "Only my wife and my son." "That's all I've got." "You've got to understand, Pearson." "They're all I've got." "Good morning, sir." "I'm Detective Sergeant Collins." "Good morning, Sergeant." "Well, I'm afraid there's been a rather unfortunate mistake." "A mistake?" "Detective Constable Kane." "He took the call." "A Mr. Pearson made the call." "He gave a description of a man and a car." "The inspector sent out a general alarm." "You must cancel it, immediately." "Well, I mean, it's very important." "It's my fault, I'm afraid." "I'm Pearson." "The man I described is a senior official." "An official?" "From head office." "He's a very important man, and, well, if he's stopped..." "I've made a bit of a fool of myself." "You see, I thought he was described in our banker's journal as a thief." "And then I found a rather large sum of money missing." "Money missing?" "Well, it wasn't exactly missing." "I had it, Sergeant." "I'd taken it to check without telling Mr. Pearson." "And you panicked." "I'm afraid so." "You'd better cancel the alarm right away." "I'll just take details." "But there's really no time." "It is rather urgent." "You see, he's a fairly big shot, and, well, if he's stopped..." "Well, you understand." "You'd all be in for a rocket." "That's right." "Okay." "Use the car radio." "Yes, Sergeant." "May I offer you a drink, Sergeant?" "Well..." "Well, it's Christmas time." "Thank you, sir." "This way." "Would you like water or soda, Sergeant?" "As it comes, please, sir." "Your very good health." "Not joining me, sir?" "Oh, yes, of course." "Did anyone see you arrive?" "How do you mean, sir?" "Was there a crowd when your car drew up?" "No, not particularly." "The usual shoppers." "Why, sir?" "Nothing, Sergeant." "Nothing special." "It was just that I wouldn't like people to get the wrong impression." "You know how quickly rumors start in this town." "I shouldn't worry, sir." "We didn't have any bells or sirens going." "Oh, then you might just have been clients." "Yes." "As a matter of fact, I am a client, sir." "I keep my ill-gotten gains in this bank." "Yes, of course." "Yes." "I had forgotten that." "I hope you won't think I'm making too much of this, Sergeant." "It's just that I do have the good name of the bank to think of." "You take your job very much to heart, don't you, Mr. Fordyce?" "It's a heavy responsibility, Sergeant." "I understand, sir." "Well, it was very nice." "Have you time for another?" "No." "Better be getting back to the station." "I do hope there won't be any trouble." "Well, between you and me, sir, it's the Inspector I'm worried about." "Inspector Latimer?" "No, he's gone." "We've a new man, Mason, from London." "Dead keen." "He got this call and was off like a greyhound." "Mistakes do happen." "Sure." "But he's not going to like being sent on a wild goose chase." "No, I suppose not." "But don't worry, sir." "I'll explain." "Thank you, Sergeant." "Thank you very much indeed." "Nothing wrong, sir, is there?" "How do you mean?" "I hope you don't mind me mentioning it, sir, but you look a bit under the weather." "Oh, no, there's nothing wrong." "Nothing at all." "It's been a hard day so far." "I understand, sir." "I bet you'll be glad when it's over." "Yes, I will, Sergeant." "Well, merry Christmas, sir." "And to you." "Hello, Fordyce." "Nice to see you again." "Meet a friend of mine, Bill Mason." "Mason, this is Fordyce, the manager." "Do you know this gentleman, Mr. Fordyce?" "Know him?" "Well, of course I know him." "He's from head office." "That's funny." "We heard he was from an insurance company." "That's right." "That's what I meant, head office of the Home and Mercantile." "They insure this bank." "Excuse me, Inspector." "We sent out a message about this business." "Message, Sergeant?" "Yes." "There's been a bloomer." "One of the clerks here sent out a false alarm, apparently." "There you are, Mason." "I told you there'd been a mess-up." "Inspector, I'm afraid you've made a terrible error." "This is Colonel Gore Hepburn." "I know him well." "You do?" "He's from the Home and Mercantile, one of their principle directors." "I see." "I admit the mistake was ours originally." "But I really feel that you've made matters considerably worse." "I think the best thing you can do is to release the Colonel forthwith and apologize." "That's exactly what I suggested to Mason myself, Fordyce." "You'd be prepared to vouch for him, would you, sir?" "Well, of course I would." "You say you've know him for several years?" "Yes, Inspector, yes." "Now, for goodness sake..." "Then what about this, Mr. Fordyce?" "You're prepared to vouch for this, too?" "They're all the same." "Good Lord!" "There must be 50,000 quid in this lot." "£93,000 to be exact, Sergeant." "Mr. Fordyce and I were planning a little last-minute" "Christmas shopping, as I explained to Mason." "I'm waiting for your answer, Mr. Fordyce." "You knew about this?" "It might help if I tell you that I also can vouch for Colonel Gore Hepburn, except that last time we met, he was a rear admiral on a jewelry job." "My immediate interest is in his accomplices." "Accomplices?" "Well, he could hardly have got into your strong room and packed four heavy cases without help, could he?" "Well, sir?" "He made me do it!" "They've got my wife and child." "Oh, really, Fordyce." "He threatened to kill them if I didn't do as he said." "You've got to hurry, Inspector." "We can still save them." "It's no good, Fordyce." "It won't work." "Keep quiet." "When did you last see your wife?" "When I left home this morning." "And then she rang about an hour ago." "There's no time." "He has to ring someone every 15 minutes." "What's your number?" "She's not there." "They took her away and my son." "For all I know, they may already..." "Your number, please." "It's Haversham, 2153." "We're wasting time, Inspector!" "If your family's in danger..." "If?" "...we'll save them." "Of course they're in danger." "They threatened to electrocute my wife." "For pity's sake, Inspector, you don't think I robbed the bank voluntarily, do you?" "I was forced and threatened!" "What on earth are you talking about, Fordyce?" "Now, listen, Hepburn, I've taken enough from you..." "Calm down, Mr. Fordyce." "Yes, but..." "Calm down." "We'll soon see." "Haversham, 2153." "Who's that speaking?" "Tommy Fordyce." "Tommy!" "Is your mother there, Tommy?" "This is Inspector Mason." "Hold on." "I'll call her." "But I don't understand." "They must have released her." "Anybody mind if I smoke?" "Mrs. Fordyce speaking." "Hello, Mrs. Fordyce." "I wonder if you could tell me, has anyone called on you this morning?" "Any strangers?" "Strangers?" "What do you mean?" "You've been alone all morning?" "Yes." "Hello, Mary." "Mary, this is Harry." "Are you all right, dear?" "All right?" "Of course I'm all right." "Then they let you go?" "Let me go?" "Who let me go?" "But when you rang before, there were two men with you." "Two men with me?" "What are you talking about, Harry?" "I didn't ring you." "You know I never ring you at the office." "You've told me not to." "But it was your voice, yours and Tommy's." "You said, "Do what they want, I beseech you,"" "and..." "No!" "No!" "This is Inspector Mason again, Mrs. Fordyce." "I'd be most obliged if you could come down to the station right away." "But what is it?" "What's happened?" "Nothing serious, ma'am." "Just routine." "But..." "But it was her." "She was desperate." "I'm afraid I must ask you to accompany me to the station." "But you don't understand." "They're going to pin a medal on you, Fordyce, for gallantry." "Inspector, you don't really believe I'm lying, do you?" "I tell you it was her voice." "And Hepburn, he kept signaling to someone outside." "There are just some questions I must ask you." "Inspector, I'm telling the truth." "I am not a criminal." "I am the manager of this branch." "I've been here 15 years." "You've got to believe me." "Look, he made me stand by this window and mop my brow with my handkerchief as a signal." "I believe you." "You are making a mistake." "You can put it all in a statement, Mr. Fordyce." "Get your hat and coat." "Okay, in the car." "Just a moment, Mason." "There's something you ought to know." "I know it's a two-handed job." "No, three-handed, actually." "Me, a man and a tape recorder." "It took us a bit of time to get the voices right, but we managed." "Anyway, it worked, didn't it, Fordyce?" "The man?" "Don't be silly, Mason." "I use better men than him." "Who was the man?" "Father Christmas." "Someone Fordyce ought to believe in." "Are you fit, Mr. Fordyce?" "Excuse me." "May I just have a word with my chief clerk, Inspector?" "Of course." "Thank you." "Pearson." "Yes, sir?" "Pearson, I have to go out for a little while." "I'm sure you'll be able to run things in my absence." "Yes, I think so, sir." "How long do you expect to be away?" "You'd better ask the Inspector that." "What is the usual sentence?" "For what?" "For completely failing in my duty towards my staff?" "That's not against the law, sir." "Oh, and there's one other point, Pearson." "I owe Colonel Gore Hepburn a pound." "Could you possibly lend me one?" "Oh, yes, of course." "Thank you." "I'll return it tonight at the staff party." "Thank you, Pearson." "All right, Inspector." "Shall I give you a hand with the evidence?" "Thank you, sir."