Alleyn Mysteries (1990–1994): Season 1, Episode 5 - Death in a White Tie - full transcript

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𝒯𝓇𝒶𝓃𝓈𝓁𝒶𝓉e 𝓊𝓃𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓉 E𝒩𝒢LI𝒮H

Mr and Mrs Jonathan
Forbes-Patley

and Miss Fanny Forbes-Patley

Lady Diana Croft-Pyle and
Mr David Talbot-Rice

Commander Neame and
Lady Lotts-Lincoln

Baroness Von
Meierling and family

Sir Stanley Spencer-Hume

They're going to kill you

The cigars. And the port

If you won't listen to me as
your doctor, Lord Robert,

then listen to me as your friend



You've got a weak heart. You've
got to start taking care of it

So, avoid cigars like the plague

And stop drinking

And rest, for two
hours, every day

Do you know, Sir Dan, I was
going to take you to lunch

Tell me, Miss Troy: what
are you going to call it?

The Rogues' Gallery?

You're not a rogue, are
you, Captain Withers?

Hello. What are you doing here?

- This exhibition of yours
- You can't come, can you?

It’s just that something's come up.
It’s rather tricky...

I’m so sorry

Maurice Withers, Roderick Alleyn.
Roderick Alleyn, Maurice Withers

How do you do?



Not the famous Chief
inspector Alleyn?

- Hardly - The very one

I must go

I am sorry

- Dinner?
- All right

Friday?

Bridget O'Brien's
coming-out ball

- Saturday?
- Fine

Eight o'clock? If
you're not too busy

Can I help you, sir?

So, this is where you live?

- Bunchy!
- Rory!

- Come and sit down - Not
being arrested, am I?

Now...

what's up?

I’m not quite sure
how to put this

I’d like you to take
a look at something

and signed "M", leave...

Ł500 in your purse,

behind the clock in the
foyer of Comstock House,

the night of April the
19th, before 10.30

Otherwise, this letter may
be given to your husband

A nasty piece of blackmail

- But we were there - Yes

Do you know Dorothy
Halcut-Hackett?

Dorothy Halcut-Hackett?

American actress. Onto
her third husband

General Halcut-Hackett

Oh, yes, I remember

Well, she came to us a couple
of weeks ago, with that letter,

claiming that a friend
of hers had received it

Not one of her most
convincing performances

I kept up a polite pretence

Anyway, we had a word
with the caterer,

Mr Colombo Dimitri

We told him we’d been
having thefts at parties

and were putting a man
in dressed as a waiter

To cut a long story short, Mrs H-H, acting
on her friend’s behalf, of course...

Of course

puts the money in the
agreed place, and we waited

And?

I’m afraid he must
have rumbled us

Or the blackmailer is
one of Dimitri's staff

Good, Bunchy. Or Dimitri himself

At any rate, two days later, Mrs
Halcut-Hackett's friend receives this

'Unable to collect
payment last Thursday

Leave bag with same sum,
table, foot of stairs,

entrance hall...
Wiltshire Galleries...

before five, Wednesday,
April the 25th' Well?

It’s the opening of Troy's
one-woman exhibition

Well, I can't turn up

Bunchy, I need a volunteer

Just to keep an eye on things

Preferably someone who looks not
in the least like a policeman

Place your bets, please

No more bets

Eight, black. Huit, noir

Place your bets, please

Oh, Donna, I’m so excited!

It’s going to look
absolutely too beautiful

It is exquisite

- Morning, Evelyn
- Morning, Herbert

- Bridget - Morning, Bert

I understand from Mr Dimitri that
the cost of the ball will be Ł2,000

I do want Bridget to have a
memorable season, Herbert

Even so - Ł2,000!

The money's coming from my
inheritance - from my real father

Darling

But I do think Paddy meant the money
to be used for her coming out

No doubt

But champagne at the buffet?

I don't see why it's
necessary to have champagne

Is anything wrong? You've
gone white as a ghost

I’m fine

Just a little tired.
All the arrangements

I’m perfectly fine. Really

Try and rest, then

It's the Agatha Troy opening
today - remember? Home by three

It is going to be
frightfully exciting...

Thank you very much

Congratulations, Miss Troy

I just adore art

Thank you

How did you get the
blighter to stand still?

Come, now, Lord Robert

99 per cent of these people are
here to look at each other

They probably haven't even
noticed the paintings...

let alone the
primitivist influence

that's creeping into
Miss Troy's work

The line, texture

Lord Robert?

Daniel, I was hoping you’d be here.
I’m at death's door

It’s like clockwork

Five minutes before a bowel movement.
It never fails

This throbbing ache

It's like a tennis ball...

I did give Herbert a choice

I told him, 'Either Dimitri does the
catering for the ball, or else'

Damn digger! Got it
all sewn up, what?

Used him for this
one's shindig, too

Fortunately, her
parents were paying

Giving away all our
secrets, dear?

I was just explaining to General and Mrs
Halcut-Hackett about Bridget’s ball

Excuse me. Mildred!

I’m so glad you could come

Troy, my dear, this
really is marvellous!

- Thank you - Now, where's
my terrible brother?

Oh, he's over there,
causing trouble, as usual

Well, I suppose it's better
than all those dots and blobs

If by 'Dots and blobs'

you are referring to
Kandinsky, Mrs Halcut-Hackett,

then I must take issue

- Excuse me, Lord Robert
- Of course

The tingling starts in the fingers,
runs up the arm, through the shoulder,

and right down through the
body down to the foot

I think it's some sort
of creeping paralysis...

Don't be away long

- Wits - Oh, hello, Don

Bit of a scrum, what?

Yes

Listen, Wits. About that cheque

I can't tell you what an
absolute goose I feel

Yeah, not now, Don. Try and
sort it out, though, will you?

Absolutely. Count on it, Wits

What do you say, Mumsy?
Seen enough?

Yes, I think so

Excellent work, Miss Troy.
Truly inspired

I was going to say the same
about your food, Mr Dimitri

Bunchy

Hello, Troy. Bit of a
scrimmage, isn’t it?

How would you know? You
were asleep earlier

- Well, I may have been napping a bit
- Highly complimentary!

I did take a good turn round the
room first. Very fine. Tea?

I’d love to

Oh, I say! The distinguished
artist in person!

Oh, have you met my scapegrace
of a nephew, Donald Potter?

- Of course - I’m staying
with Uncle Bunch

Oh, how lovely! Bunchy's
just suggested tea

- Oh, a splendid idea!
- Frightfully good, Miss Troy

Oh, thank you

- Bunchy?
- What? Oh, yes, yes

Fortnum's?

Good afternoon, Mrs
Halcut-Hackett

Sorry to have kept
you, Lady Carrados

Are you going to bounce
every cheque I write?

I’m afraid that I must

Then I shall have to
take my custom elsewhere

And I’ll advise Uncle...
Lord Robert to do the same

Terribly sorry...
Lady Carrados, hello

Hello! I... Excuse me

Of course

- I won't go - Yes, you will

You're better away from London,
and from this fellow Withers

Now, I have never interfered
with your friendships, Donald,

but I must tell you,
the man is a bad 'un

I know from my days
in the Foreign Office

But I want to do my
training at St Thomas's

I don’t want to leave London

and go and muck about with a lot of
earnest Scots from God knows where

The sort of people who go there are
just simply the end! I won't go

- That's my condition -
Then keep your filthy money

By God, I’ll look after myself

I’ll borrow from someone
who's not a complacent

Edwardian relic, and get a job

- Don't you see that I...?
- Oh, shut up! Just shut up

As soon as we get you home,
brandy and oil of cloves

Best thing for a toothache

Bridget looks lovely, Evelyn

Paddy would have been so proud

Thanks

Gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous

I haven't enjoyed
anything so much for ages

- I’m so glad. Miss Troy
- Thank you so much

Mrs Halcut-Hackett

The General has suggested
that I see you home

- How kind - Bunchy,
there's Lady Lorrimer

- Lucy! How are you feeling?
- What?

- How are you?
- Hungry

Oh, Sir Daniel, let's go
and get a bite to eat

- Oh, well, I was...
- Come, come, come along

- Hello, Bunchy!
- Hello!

Troy!

- How are you?
- Troy!

- Hello, Evelyn. How are you?
- Lady Carrados, this is a marvellous party

Where's Rory? I thought he might
have put in an appearance tonight

I don’t know. Perhaps he's
working late at the Yard

No rest for the wicked. Isn’t
that so, Lady Carrados?

Troy?

Mrs H-H. Any hope
of a dance later?

I don’t think so

Oh, no, thank you, Bunchy

Excuse me

Is she all right?

You know, Bunchy,
after 18 years,

I think she's still as much
in love with Paddy O'Brien

as she was the day he died

I dare say I am hard,
modern and beastly,

but I can't bear the idea of
everything getting squalid and drab

because we had to
worry about money

Horrid little flat,
second-rate restaurants,

whitewood furniture
painted to look fresh

I’ve seen those
sorts of marriages

But I’m going to
earn money, Bridget

As a Doctor?

Actually, Wits reckons

there's not much in
medicine nowadays

Hello, Donna!

Evening, Lady Carrados.
Splendid party

Bunchy?

Are you all right?

Sorry. I...

No, no, I must...

Damn it

Stop. Stop it!

My God

- Bunchy, I’m starving...
- I’m sorry, Troy

No matches. The ashtrays need emptying.
It’s a disgrace

Well, go on. Chop chop! I don’t
know what the world’s coming to

Sir Herbert. Sir Herbert. Is
there a telephone to hand?

Yes, room at the end, Lord Robert.
For telephone calls

Chief inspector Alleyn

- Rory - Bunchy?

I’m at the Carradoses' show

I know who the blackmailer is

It’s the cakes-and-ale
fella, all right

I think he's at it here, as well.
I’ll tell you what

I’ll come round
about half-three,

get out of this shirt first, and
pick up my notes from Wednesday

All right. I’ll
wait for you here

It’s a nasty bloody crime, Rory

He might as well mix his damn brews
with poison. He's working with...

Oh, hello. I didn’t
hear you come in.

Somebody with you, Bunchy?

I’m always losing the damn thing

Thank you so much, Officer

I’ll make sure there's a reward

I can't think where
he's gotten to

I could be dead and in my
grave, and he wouldn’t care

I told him. I could feel this
fog creeping into my bones

It seizes up the joints, you know.
And...

- Excuse me, Lord Robert
- Ah, Sir Daniel

Have you seen Mrs Halcut-Hackett?
I promised to take her home

No, I’m sorry. I haven't

My Lord, I think Mrs
Halcut-Hackett has just left

She asked me if I’d seen you

- Thank you - Good
night, Lord Robert

Oh, good night, Sir Daniel.
And good luck

Yoo-hoo! Sir Daniel!

Poor Devil. Well, I’d better
see if I can find her

- Good night, My Lord
- Good night!

Chief inspector...

Sir

Looks to me as if he's had a
heart attack or something

The cabbie says not

Dead, isn’t he?

Murdered. Never paid his fare

But I knew he was dead
the minute I saw him

I was an ambulance driver during
the war, so I seen dead people

And that one is definitely dead.
Mind you, I have been wrong...

I can see he's dead!

- Are you all right, sir?
- Erm... I’m sorry

- Shall I get someone else, sir?
- No, no

- It’s a friend of yours, isn't it, sir?
- Yes

What makes you so certain
he was murdered?

Well, he's the one that lives in
Cheney Walk. Not the other one

- What, there were two people in the cab?
- I picked up two, yeah

But I know that this is the one
that lives in Cheney Walk...

cos I’ve had him before

But I didn’t realise it
was the other one, see,

not this one, that got
out at Cheney Walk,

till I got to Queen's Gate

63 Jobbers Road

Which is where I thought
that this one, not that one,

or the one that I thought
was the other one...

I’ve taken a statement
from the taxi driver

Get over to Marsdon House

We have to find out who interrupted
Lord Robert's phone call to me

Start with Colombo Dimitri

I want the report on the
postmortem as quickly as possible

Right, sir

He was a dear, sweet man, Brer

He never harmed
another human being

I want his killer

We'll find him, sir

Wits!

Wits! Wits!

- What?
- It’s Uncle Bunch

He's dead

Who’d want to kill Uncle Bunch?

Did he suffer?

Probably didn’t
know what happened

Thanks for coming

Poor Mildred. And Donald

Donald isn't living there

He and Bunchy had the
most dreadful row

What about?

He's run into debt again.
Gambling

Do you know where he's living?

He gave me a telephone number

But he didn’t want me
to have the address,

in case I gave it to Bunchy

It’s Sloane 8405

I think that's Maurice
Withers' number

The poor boy will be
devastated, Roderick

He loved his uncle

Mildred, I’m going to have to ask you
to let me go through Bunchy's things

- Papers and so forth
- Oh, yes, of course

You know where the study is

Yes

Who’d want to kill
him, Roderick?

Bunchy hadn’t an
enemy in the world

I thought Bunchy Gospell
was seeing you home

We must have missed each other

So, you came home alone?

Of course

Sir Herbert sent me
downstairs for matches

I passed Lord Robert on my way

Inspector Fox. Telephone, sir

Right, Bailey. Thank you, er...
Francois

Merci

Fox here

Brer, what have you got for me?

Well, the guests who left alone
about the same time as Lord Robert

were a Mrs Hallcot, Halcut...
whatever... Hackett,

Captain Maurice Withers, Lady
Lorrimer, Mr Donald Potter,

and Sir Daniel Davidson before

Then a Mr Percy
Percival shortly after

And then no-one for
about ten minutes

Now, Dimitri was in the hall,

and then went into the
buffet, where he spoke

to Sir Herbert
Carrados for some time

Any confirmation of that?

Well, one of his men remembers
Dimitri at the buffet,

but he can't say
when or for how long

- You're keeping an eye on him?
- Yes, Barton's outside his flat now

I told Dimitri that you wanted him
back here at 3.30 this afternoon

Good work, Brer. Well,
finish up there, and then...

get over to the mortuary

At Troy's exhibition, I saw
Dimitri take Mrs H-H's handbag

She's gone to sleep

I’ve made you a cup of tea.
I wish you’d drink it

Last night, when you
were with Bunchy,

did you notice anything
out of the ordinary?

Anything at all?

I noticed Bunchy didn’t
like Maurice Withers

- In what way?
- When he and I were dancing together,

he saw Maurice Withers talking
to Dorothy Halcut-Hackett

He actually stopped still in the middle
of the floor and just stared at them

He seemed quite put out by it

Mrs Halcut-Hackett and
Captain Withers -

were they having an
affair, do you think?

If I didn’t, I’d be the
only person in London

You look awfully tired

What's your relationship
with Captain Withers?

I beg your pardon?

Nothing between you, is there?

I mean, you would...
tell me everything?

I’m sorry. I have to ask

No, Chief inspector.
Nothing between us

I’ve been commissioned
to paint his portrait,

and that's precisely
what I’m doing

Tardieu's ecchymosis on the
congested lungs and the heart

Signs of fatty
degeneration in the heart

The mucous membrane in the fore-part
of the palette - slightly congested

What was the cause
of death, Dr Curtis?

He was rendered unconscious by an
extremely accurate blow to the temple

Something about as sharp as the
back of a big knife-blade, I’d say

Then he was suffocated

Any idea what with?

I found a bit of black wool...
under his tongue

His cloak?

I told your man who
came here earlier:

I haven't the foggiest
idea where Don is

I asked him to make me a cup of
coffee, and never saw him again

He was living here?

I put him up for a
few nights, yes

How was the old boy
killed, by the way?

He was stunned with a blunt
edge and then smothered

Captain Withers,

is that the cigarette case you
were carrying last night?

It is

May I see it, please?

A blunt edge

Have you seen this
cigarette case before?

- No - Open it, please

No

Did you notice Lord Robert as you were
leaving Marsdon House this morning?

- Can't say I did -
Did you take a taxi?

I had my car. And before you ask,
no, I didn’t go straight home

I went to the Matador Club

Alone?

So, you've no witness

as to your driving from Marsdon
House to the Matador Club?

No

Lord Robert, in his diary,

expressed an interest as
to your activities at 'L'

What does L stand for?

What sort of activities?

He didn’t say, but

drugs, pornography, black
market, gambling...

You've run the
gamut, haven't you?

I’ll ask again: what
does L stand for?

It could stand for libel, if you
continue on that course, Alleyn

Were you in the telephone room at Marsdon
House at one o'clock this morning?

I might have been

Do you remember exactly what Lord
Robert was saying on the telephone

when you interrupted?

Oh, you're talking through
your hat, Alleyn!

I didn’t interrupt
any telephone calls

Taylor's Medical Jurisprudence?

Yes, that's Don's

Ah, yes, of course. Do
you mind if I borrow it?

There might be something
useful about asphyxia

If you think I had anything to do
with the death of that fat buffoon,

you're wasting your time

If Mr Potter returns, would you
ask him to ring me, please?

Nasty piece of work, that one is

And what's more,
he's got a motive

Are we sure about the motive?

Well, he knew Lord Robert was onto
him for his activities concerning L

Or he was trying to get hold of the
money that young Donald will come into

Or Mrs Halcut-Hackett has told him that
she's being blackmailed by Lord Robert,

because she and Withers
were having an affair

- Well, that's three motives
- There's a fourth

Withers may be the blackmailer

Well, it wouldn’t be
entirely out of character

Look

We've got his
fingerprints on this

Pocket

See if Bailey can find his dabs
on the chapter on asphyxia

Sir...

Forgive me for changing
the subject, sir,

but I’m willing to bet that
you've had no breakfast

And you were up all night. You really
ought to get yourself a bite to eat

You'll do yourself no favours by
working this case on your nerves

I’m not a hothouse flower, Fox

- Don't lose him, Robinson
- No, sir

Where to now, sir?

Lord Robert's physician,
Sir Daniel Davidson

I examined Lord Robert
only a few days ago

He had a heart condition, but I
certainly wouldn’t have expected

an unprovoked heart attack

So, the newspapers are right?
It was homicide?

Murder, yes. He was smothered

Appearing as a witness
in a murder trial

will do my practice
no end of harm

So, I had rather a struggle
with my conscience

before deciding to come forward

Why did you?

I find myself in the
unenviable position

of being one of the last people
to see Lord Robert alive

In the hall, just
before you left?

Yes

He asked me if I’d seen
Mrs Halcut-Hackett

I was about to tell him
that I hadn’t, when the...

the catering man...

- Colombo Dimitri?
- Yes

He called to Lord
Robert from the stairs

He told him that Mrs
Halcut-Hackett had just left

I said, 'Good night, ' and
went out through the door

The porter was about
to call me a taxi,

when a woman that I’d been trying
to avoid all evening drew up

She's one of my most
lucrative cases,

but her chronic hypochondria would
try the patience of a saint

She rolled down her window
to offer me a lift,

and I... well, I
suppose I panicked

and said the first thing
that came into my head

Which was?

I said...

'Awfully sorry. Must dash. The
Princess Royal's been taken ill'

While she sat there gaping,
I ran off into the mist

I thought I’d get a
taxi as I walked,

but the few cabs that did
come along were engaged

So... I suppose I have no alibi

This really is a
wonderful collection

I’ve always been fascinated
by the Renaissance

Oh, you'll appreciate
the horror of something

I saw last night, then,
at Marsdon House

- What was that?
- A Cellini medallion

Cellini!

Cemented onto a silver cigarette
case and surrounded with brilliants

Hideous! Benvenuto must
be turning in his grave!

I couldn’t understand
how a person

with enough taste to choose the
other pieces there could...

Where did you see
this cigarette case?

On a piecrust table.
In the telephone room

The telephone room?

What time was that?

11.30

I had an urgent case that day, and the
assistant surgeon rang me to report

You can confirm
the time with him

Good

You didn’t go there later, at
about one o'clock in the morning?

No

What sort of cigarette
case did you carry?

One could strike a
sharp blow with it

Yes

But... no

Traces of plate powder in the tooling.
And there was none present on the bruise

Well, that's a relief

Now, now! You mustn't get
investigation nerves

Ah, is that what it is?

You've been a great help

If you don’t mind my
saying, Chief inspector,

you appear to be under
some strain yourself

Might I give you some advice?

Here we are, sir. Just
what the Doctor ordered

Bailey says there were plenty of
prints in the telephone room,

but nothing conclusive

Our lot have gone through the
list of guests, and the servants

But no-one will admit to
having overheard Lord Robert

Mr Alleyn?

Do you know, Brer, if I
hadn’t asked Bunchy to help,

he’d still be alive

If you don’t mind
my saying so, sir,

I don’t think that's the sort of remark
to get you or anyone else much further

Lord Robert wouldn’t
have thanked you for it

All right, Brer. I’ll pipe down

Now, according to Francois,

there were three people who might
have overheard Lord Robert

Captain Withers, Sir
Herbert Carrados,

and Donald Potter

And there's still no
news of young Mr Potter

Yes, but anybody could
have come upstairs,

heard Bunchy, then
gone down again,

while Francois was getting
matches for Sir Herbert

There you are. I told you
you needed a sandwich

Perhaps you'll oblige
me by having a shave

He would have sat facing this way, so he
wouldn’t have seen the murderer come in

"The cakes-and-ale fella -

I think he's at it here as well'

- A second blackmail victim, sir?
- What else?

- He didn’t say who - No

"Might as well have mixed
his damn brews with poison,

and he's working with..."

With Devilish ingenuity?

Or with someone else?

Check with Francois

See if he noticed that rather
vulgar cigarette case, would you?

Right, sir

Francois knows nothing of
any stray cigarette case

What was it, Brer?

What did Bunchy see...

that turned his mind from
champagne and dancing...

to blackmail?

Mr Dimitri, when you saw Lord Robert
leave, you were standing here?

For a moment, on my
way to the buffet

But before you went to the
buffet, you noticed...

Mrs Hackett, Captain
Withers, Lady Lorrimer,

Mr Potter and Sir
Daniel Davidson

- Leaving separately and in that order?
- Yes

Thank you

And how long were you here,
speaking to Sir Herbert?

Not long. I was hungry, so I had the
servants bring me a little light supper

- Here?
- In the butler's pantry

One more room,
please, Mr Dimitri

Mr Dimitri, did you visit this room
shortly before one o'clock this morning?

I make it my business to inspect
all the rooms, continually

And this would have been at the moment
when Lord Robert was on the telephone

I saw Lord Robert in the
lower hall at about 3.30,

asking for Mrs Halcut-Hackett

The only other time was in the ballroom,
when I returned Lady Carrados's...

Lady Carrados's bag?

It’s incredible how careless many of
these ladies are with their possessions

Really? And would that have been
shortly before one o'clock?

I suppose so, yes

On the evening of the 25th,
during Agatha Troy's exhibition,

Did you also return a bag
to Mrs Halcut-Hackett?

Have you cut yourself,
Mr Dimitri?

It’s er... it's nothing

I’m not feeling well.
Perhaps you’d excuse me

Oh, when you've
answered my questions

We were speaking of
Lady Carrados's bag

We're speaking now of Mrs
Halcut-Hackett's bag,

which you took from a table

I refuse to prolong
this interview!

I’ll answer no more questions
without the advice of my solicitor

As you wish

You'll need more than
advice, Mr Dimitri

He's shaken up a
fair treat to see

He doesn’t know whether he's
Mayfair, Soho or Wandsworth

Wandsworth would be fine

Or Wormwood Scrubs

Tonight, Dr Bronowski,
the mathematician,

who was engaged in the study
of bomb damage during the war,

and went to Hiroshima
and Nagasaki...

considers the relation
of science to liberty

Dr Bronowski

I’m sorry

And when it seemed that you
didn’t trust me at all...

that you thought I could possibly
be romantically involved

with Maurice Withers...

That's ridiculous. When I’m with you, I
find myself saying things I don’t mean

I try to compensate,
and it just...

It wasn't your fault

You’d every right
to ask the question

And I suppose, if the
truth were known...

I was disappointed

I know what I done...

Come on, Fred

It’s me! I’m the murderer.
I did it! I killed him

Look, I killed him

I’m the m-murderer!

I killed Uncle Bunchy.
I’m the murderer

I killed him. I killed him

I killed him

But I will earn money, Bridget.
I will

I’m the murderer

You're to stay away from Maurice Withers.
He's a bad 'un

You can keep your filthy
money, you Edwardian relic!

I know who the blackmailer is

I noticed Bunchy didn't
like Maurice Withers

He's a fat buffoon

A silver Cellini medallion

Taxi!

Who'd want to kill Uncle Bunchy?

You're to stay away from Maurice Withers.
He's a bad 'un

Who'd want to kill Uncle Bunchy?

I know who the blackmailer is.
It's the cakes-and-ale fella

At the Wiltshire Galleries,
I saw the caterer

take Mrs H-H's handbag

A silver cigarette case... I was
the last to see Lord Robert alive

A silver cigarette case. One could
strike a sharp blow with it

No, thank you

- Good morning -
What time is it?

Five past eight

Breakfast?

No, thank you.
Please don't bother

- Something the matter?
- Er... no

Chief inspector, I do
believe you're embarrassed

Nonsense

Morning, Mr Potter

I’d like to ask you some
questions concerning

the death of your Uncle,
Lord Robert Gospell

Where are my shoelaces?

When you left Marsdon
House, what did you do?

I went to the corner
to look for a taxi

Anyone see you?

I shouldn’t think
so, in that fog

Well, we'll just have to find
your taxi, then, won't we?

I didn’t take one

There wasn't one at the
corner, so I walked home

Wait a minute. You
don’t think I...?

You're Lord Robert's
heir, Mr Potter

You're in debt

Lord Robert objected to your
friendship with Captain Withers

He warned you against him

But I’m not a murderer

What were you saying when you
were carried in here last night?

'I killed him. I killed him'

I was drunk. I mean...

I felt... I felt
guilty, I suppose...

as if I were to blame,
because we’d rowed

But I’m not a murderer. You
can't think that. You can't

- Have you lost something, Mr Potter?
- My cigarette case

Hello?

Yes, he is

Hang on

I have inspector Fox
on the telephone

I left this number with the Yard.
I hope you don’t mind

No, not at all

- Inspector?
- Oh, morning, sir

I tried ringing your flat,
but there was no reply

Was that Miss Troy who
answered the phone?

Er... yes, yes, it was

Did you have something
for me, inspector?

Oh, er... yes, sir

Lady Lorrimer has confirmed
Sir Daniel Davidson’s alibi -

running off to cure
the Princess Royal

And young Mr Potter - he surfaced
here last night, at Bow Street nick

Well, why on earth didn’t
someone tell me last night?

Sorry, sir. I thought
you needed the rest

What I need is to
find this killer

All right, Brer. All right.
Just...

Tell young Donald his mother
needs him at home, and...

Oh, and fix that appointment,
will you, with Carrados,

for... ten o'clock?

Right, sir

And there's another 50.
Is that all right?

Yes

- And I’ve got a few outstanding debts here
- Show me

I shouldn't play with that

I did once, and Beastly
Bart nearly broke my arm

- Beastly Bart?
- My stepfather, Sir Herbert

I think he would
have broken my arm,

if the doctor hadn’t heard
me screaming and come in

You must be Bridget

He's forbidden me from
seeing Donald, you know

That's pretty beastly.
Don't you think?

He might have had his reasons

I think he thinks Donald killed his
uncle - which is too ridiculous!

- You're the police, aren't you?
- Yes, we are

Are all detectives
as handsome as you?

I knew your father

Sir Herbert will
see you now, sir

What I can't get over...

is the thought that my hospitality
was so cruelly abused

Now, what was I saying?

You stayed in the buffet for
some time, smoked a cigar,

had a peg of brandy, chinwagged
with that fellow Dimitri, then...

Then went home

With Lady Carrados
and Miss O'Brien?

No, I packed them off earlier. My
wife was absolutely fagged out

The chauffeur came back for me later.
I dare say

you’d like to speak to him

Oh, I think we can
take that as read, sir

I would like to speak
to Lady Carrados...

- No, I can't allow that
- Sir, please...

She's... she's sleeping

She's taken this whole
business dammed hard

Even if I did disturb her, I’m
quite certain she’d refuse

Yes?

Her Ladyship, sir,
wishes me to say

that, if Mr Alleyn has a
few minutes to spare,

she would be very
pleased to see him

- Oh, it's huge, it's...
- How lovely!

Evelyn

Oh, Rory, it's so
good of you to come

What is it?

You're being
blackmailed, aren't you?

A letter came a few days ago

There had been others,
but I ignored them

But this one threatened things
that would have hurt Bridget

So, you did what
the letter said,

and you put some money in a bag,

and you left it in the
telephone room at the ball

And Colombo Dimitri returned it to you
empty, shortly before one o'clock

Do you already know all this?

Evelyn, I have to ask you:

Does Dimitri have
some hold over you?

Oh, I don’t think so

How could he know?

Know?

Is it something to
do with Bridget?

Paddy and I...

We weren't married

Not legally

Or at least, I should say that
we were married, but illegally

He'd left a wife in Australia

In an institution

She was beyond hope,
the doctor said

She didn’t even recognise him

She'd become hopelessly insane only
six weeks after they were married

Paddy hadn't told anybody
about the marriage

Ah, I’m sorry to bother you, Sir Herbert.
May I use your telephone?

Oh, yes, of course

How could the blackmailer have found
out about Paddy's first wife?

Well, five months after we were married
- I’d already started Bridget -

I came up to London to stay with
my mother and to see the Doctor

Paddy stayed in the country

And a few days later, he
sent a telegram, saying,

"Letter arrived from Australia

Best possible news.
Driving up to town"

On the way, his car hit a bridge
in a village called Ripplecote

He was taken to the vicarage,
and then to the hospital

He died without ever
recovering consciousness

And the best possible news?

It had to be that
his wife had died

But I couldn't find any letter amongst
his things. I never did find it

I wrote to the hospital

Endless enquiries were made

Eventually, I assumed that any letter
was lost, and with it my secret

Till now

You understand, Rory?

I’d do anything to
keep this from Bridget

- Yes?
- Captain Withers, this is Bertie

- Yes?
- We've had a bloke down, from the council

From the council?

On a Sunday? And you let him in?

Oh, we've had a call
from Robinson, sir

He's followed Maurice Withers to a
house in the country, near Leatherhead

- L?
- There are roulette wheels,

and a storeroom full of unbonded
spirits on the ground floor,

and upstairs - well,
there are more bedrooms

than might be required
by the average family

Casino and a brothel

Whatever tickles your fancy, sir

- Wits!
- Have you been blabbing?

- What?
- What did you tell Alleyn?

Nothing, Wits. Nothing.
Nothing at all

What's the matter?

Just shut up

I don’t see how the two could
possibly be connected. My friend...

Mrs Halcut-Hackett,
I think we should

drop your imaginary friend.
Don't you?

We have already spoken
to Captain Withers

- Has he confessed?
- To what?

Nothing. I mean, nothing
to do with this

Er... nothing that matters to
anyone but me... my friend

I didn’t mean "confessed".
I meant...

You meant Withers has confessed to
writing a compromising letter to you,

which found its way
to a blackmailer

Captain Withers and I have a
business relationship. Nothing more

Really?

He has a small commercial
venture, in which I’m investing,

and we naturally require
to talk things over, so...

This "venture" wouldn’t
have anything to do

with a house of ill
repute in Leatherhead?

No! Ill...? No!

We believe that after
the ball, Withers went

to the Matador Club with a lady.
Was that you?

Who told you? Not
Captain Withers

Look, do you want to be cleared

of involvement in Lord
Robert's death or not?

I don't know why you're
hounding me like this!

Sir...

What a very pretty case. The
medallion is Cellini, is it not?

Rather careless to have left it

in the telephone room
at Marsdon House

How did you...

Is my husband having me watched?

Not to my knowledge

When were you in the
telephone room?

Shortly before one

Shortly before one

'To Darling Dodo,
from her Mugwump'

May I hang on to this?

Go right ahead

Thank you

Now, Mrs Halcut-Hackett

These love letters
from Captain Withers

When did they first go missing?

Six months ago, after
a charade party

Have you any idea who
might have taken them?

Lord Robert Gospell

He was at the party

I kept the letters in the
drawe of my writing table

The catering men turned the room
into a buffet for the party,

but they were supervised the whole
time, so it couldn’t have been them

Lord Robert must
have gone snooping

And who supervised
the catering men?

- Colombo Dimitri himself
- Colombo Dimitri

Thank you very much, Mrs Halcut-Hackett.
That'll be all for now

Mrs Hackett

You think I was too
hard on her, don't you?

- Well, sir...
- Go on

Well, it seems to me, sir, that, if
Mrs Hackett is being blackmailed,

she's something of a
victim in this as well

All that woman has to lose is her...
sham respectability

Bunchy lost his life. I’m
going to find his killer,

even if it costs me the job.
Is that clear?

Yes, sir

- Sorry, sir - Police

Here we are. No, there doesn't
seem to be anything here...

Look again, Mr Cuthbert,
or you'll close

Ah, well, there was a party
from the Marsdon House ball,

about quarter to four

Then there was a bit of a lull.
One or two others

Ah. "M Withers and guest".
There we are

About 20 past four

- Blonde? Mutton dressed as lamb?
- American accent

- Thank you, Mr Cuthbert - Always
delighted to help the police

Bridget O'Brien, does your mother know
you're being taken to places like this?

Mr Alleyn

Donald and I were just
discussing coming to see you

Really?

We know who killed Uncle Bunch

Yes?

Now, what makes you so certain
it was Captain Withers?

Well, I saw him this morning

He was in a rage

He thought I’d lost
my nerve yesterday

and gone to the police
to tell them...

About Leatherhead?

Yes

He told Donald,
if he didn’t want

his throat cut, he
should keep quiet

And if the police asked
me, I was to say

that when Wits left Marsdon House, he went
to his car and drove to the Matador Club

- I was to I’d seen him
- And had you?

No, I left after him

Why would he have killed
your uncle, do you think?

He probably thought
his power over me

would get him my inheritance

And would he have succeeded?

No

Good for you, Bridget

- Chief inspector Alleyn
- Lady Carrados

Yes, put her through

Evelyn... No, no, she's fine.
She's here

- Where's Donald? Is he with you?
- Yes. He's here too

- I’ll be right over - Yes, do

I’ll see you then

Is she coming over?

- Yes - Golly

A nightclub! I’m really
very cross, Bridget

It’s simply not
done by debutantes

- And I’m surprised at you, Donald
- Oh, Donna

Thank you for looking after her

Glad I could help

Rory...

It’s about Herbert

After you left, he asked me such
odd questions. About Bunchy

I’ve never seen him in
such a state, so tormented

I was terrified

He's always been a
bitter man, but...

Like everyone else, you're probably
wondering why I ever married him

- Evelyn...
- It was a mistake. I can see that now

But two years after
Paddy died...

Rory, if you ever get married,
don't do it out of gratitude,

or habit

Habit?

He was always the
one I turned to,

well, the whole family

"We need a fourth at bridge.
Herbert"

"We need an escort for Mother.
Herbert"

"I need a driver to take
me to my dying husband"

He drove you to the
vicarage that night

Yes. Well, we're trying to
trace the Reverend Harris

He was your vicar some time ago

Yes, I know that 18
years is a long time

Well, have you any idea where he might
have moved to after leaving Ripplecote?

We’d be very grateful
if you could try

- Morning, sir - Morning

Good morning, Evelyn

Morning, Herbert

Why don’t we get
away from all this?

Away?

You and me

Try to...

Never mind

It isn't where we are

Is it?

Herbert...

Thank you very much, madam

Sir...

The Reverend Harris's wife remembers
a letter belonging to Paddy O'Brien

She says she found it under a couch after
O'Brien had been taken to hospital

She can't understand how it
could have gone missing,

cos she says she
gave it to the man

who’d driven Lady
Carrados to Ripplecote

Harcourt the butler found him

"Evelyn, forgive me"

Do you think he was capable
of blackmailing his own wife?

He’d kept hold of that letter
for years, and never used it

He was a jealous,
bitter, lovelorn fool,

who knew an old mistake was
about to come to light

and poison his marriage
for ever, but...

he wasn't a blackmailer, Brer

No

Somebody else knew the
contents of that letter

Mind the step

- Morning, Barton - Morning, sir

Have a look at this

Yes, I understand, but can
you please tell the Doctor,

when he gets back: as
quickly as possible

She's in a terrible state

Thank you

Good. Now, Bridget,
take a look at this

The day your stepfather
twisted your arm for

playing with this desk -
how long ago was that?

About a year ago

And since that time, has anybody outside
the household been alone in this room?

No...

The caterer, Colombo Dimitri?

Yes. He interviewed us in here about
the arrangements for my dance

We were going off to Newbury that
day, so he had to come in first thing

Good. Thank you, Bridget

Sir, Dimitri bought a
Times this morning

According to the newsagent,
he usually takes The Express

And Barton says that he paid particular
attention to the personal column

You seem extraordinarily
tense today, Captain Withers

Do I?

You do

If you could just relax, I’d be
able to finish you off today

By the way, where are
they going to hang you?

It makes quite a difference to
the way I frame this, you see

- Excuse me - Captain Withers?

This way, sir

The inspector would like
to have a word with you

Ah, Mr Dimitri

Do sit down

I understand you were alone in this room
on the morning of March the 19th. Correct?

I can't just remember where
I was over a month ago!

Oh, well, perhaps I can help you.
It was the day

you took a private letter
from this secret drawer

Are you calling me a thief?

Oh, much worse than
that, Mr Dimitri

I’m advising Lady Carrados
to charge you with blackmail

Then I shall sue her for libel

Perhaps I should explain

Lord Robert wasn't sleeping
at the Wiltshire Galleries

He was watching you
collect the money

He was also watching you
at the Marsdon House ball,

when you returned Lady Carrados's empty
bag to her shortly before one o'clock

Lord Robert? I cannot
be accused by the dead

Well, that's very true

But what a motive for murder

Now you accuse me of murder!

Sit down, Mr Dimitri

Have you seen this
cigarette case before?

- No, never - Open it, please

Let me pass! You can't keep
me here against my will

- Why don’t you sit down?
- I demand to see my lawyer

There's plenty of
time for lawyers

Sir Daniel Davidson
has arrived, sir

Sir Daniel...

I’m so sorry. I think we may have
called you out unnecessarily

Is Lady Carrados all right?

She was absolutely distraught,
but a police doctor was here

And she's fine

I'm so sorry. Er... since you're
here, I wonder... Do you mind?

More questions?

- Let me - Oh, thank you

I understand you were
a witness to a scene

that took place in this
room about a year ago

You were attending to Lady Carrados,
and you heard Miss O'Brien scream

You came downstairs, and
you saw Sir Herbert

Carrados and Miss O'Brien
together in here

- Do you remember?
- Yes. Very well

Would you describe exactly what you
saw when you came into the room?

Sir Herbert was holding
Miss O'Brien by the arm

Twisting it?

- Shouting at her?
- Yes

- What about?
- About?

That she must never touch
this writing desk?

Yes

As I recall, yes

This is familiar to you, I think

That's the cigarette case I mentioned! It’s
part of the collection at Marsdon House

Yes. It is Cellini

I dare say. Could you tell us
again exactly where you saw it?

Among a collection of objects
d'art on a piecrust table

in an upstairs room
at Marsdon House

- The telephone room?
- Yes

In your consulting rooms you told
us that you saw it at... 11.30

11.30. Perhaps earlier

Would you swear that
it was no later?

Of course. That was the only
time I was in that room

I’m quite ready to swear to it

I swear I saw this case on the
table in the telephone room,

not later than 11.30

Will that do?

There is a slight discrepancy

We have a signed statement
from the owner, saying

she didn’t leave it in the
room until shortly before one

She was mistaken

Would you open it, please?

Read the cutting aloud

"Childe, Darling.

Living in exile. Longing

Only want daughter

Daddy"

What does it mean?

It's a message. From one
blackmailer to another

Simple code, using
initial letters

"Childe, Darling"

C - D

"Living in exile"

L - I-E

"Longing. Only want"

L - O - W

"Daughter. Daddy"

"CD, lie low. DD"

To Colombo Dimitri, from...

DD

Daniel Davidson

Donald Duck

You killed a friend of mine.
For nothing

We had no idea of
your involvement

No idea you were abusing
a position of trust,

to spy out information on your
patients for Dimitri to steal

No doubt your blackmail
would have continued,

if it had not been for
Lord Robert Gospell

As soon as he suspected that Dimitri had
his claws into Lady Carrados as well,

he telephoned me straightaway
at Scotland Yard

I’m at the Carradoses' show

I know who the blackmailer is

And you, Sir Daniel, stumbled
upon that telephone conversation

It's a nasty bloody crime, Rory

Mistakenly assuming you
were about to be exposed

as a blackmailer,
you interrupted

He's working with...

Oh, hello. I didn't
hear you come in

Yoo-hoo! Sir Daniel!

Two hours later, you made your excuses
to Lady Lorrimer and disappeared

Can I give you a lift?

Must dash. Princess
Royal's been taken ill

Drive on, Charles

Taxi!

But you came back, didn't you?

Lord Robert!

Oh, hello! Would you
care for a lift?

Thank you

And you knew exactly what to
do, didn’t you... Doctor?

Just how to render
him unconscious

Just how to smother him
with his own cloak

Steady on, sir. He's
not worth a candle

What a marvellous flight
of fancy, Chief inspector

If a trifle over-embellished
with sentimentality

But how are you going to prove

that it's all anything
other than conjecture?

Mr Dimitri...

I can charge you with blackmail

Or I can charge you with blackmail
and conspiracy to murder

You got it exactly right, Alleyn.
He's your murderer

I’ll go to prison for blackmail.
I’ll confess

But I won't hang for a
crime I had no part in

I’ll tell you everything.
The whole story

Snivelling little...

Filthy murderer! You filthy, filthy..!
I kill you!

I kill you!

Well done, sir

Filthy murderer!

I want to go to Southampton.
Fast

Captain Maurice Withers? Alias
Michael Webber. Alias Mugwump

Scotland Yard, sir. I’d like
a few questions with you

About a house you own.
In Leatherhead

He always seemed so...
charming, Roderick

It’s a terrible thing to say, but
he did wonders for my indigestion

Are you sure it was Sir Daniel?

I’m afraid so

Though how he moved from such care
to such ruthlessness is beyond me

The funeral's on
Wednesday morning

If you don’t mind, Roderick - it
would have meant so much to Bunchy

to have you there,
carrying the coffin

Of course

Bunchy

Bunchy...

When did you first
suspect Sir Daniel?

When I asked to see
his cigarette case

There were traces of plate
powder in the tooling

It had just been cleaned

Traces of plate powder
in the tooling?

How frightfully observant

What else did you notice?

Well, I did notice that,
whenever I’m in trouble...

I just want to be with you

And that, although
your eyes are grey,

there are little
green flecks in them

And when you smile,
your face goes crooked

Bless you