Murdoch Mysteries (2008–…): Season 12, Episode 15 - One Minute to Murder - full transcript
When a man is electrocuted during a typing contest with Crabtree and Louise Cherry, Murdoch suspects the reporter was the intended target.
Oh, I'm sorry. This seat is saved.
Terribly sorry.
Ladies and gentlemen...
welcome to the inaugural
demonstration of...
the Langston: a typewriter
powered by electricity,
and created by that fine
gentleman right there,
Mr. Alexander Langston.
This demonstration will take
the form of a competition.
Sorry I'm late, William. I had to
deal with a strangulated hernia.
- Oh!
- So, what have I missed?
Not much.
I did have to guard
your seat with my life.
Oh! All of Toronto is here.
And who's the favourite?
Regrettably, Miss Louise Cherry.
- 85 words per minute.
- Oh. Pity.
What about Paula Schumacher,
that Canadian girl.
- Does she have a chance?
- No, I don't think so.
Also, there is Miss Macy Bronson
of Colorado. She's reached 79.
And George?
- Um...
- And Constable George Crabtree.
What is your top speed, Constable?
I'd rather not say, Mr. Hewitt.
I don't want to intimidate
the other competitors.
They don't look terribly frightened.
Let's hope that you have more of
an impact on our city's criminals.
And we have Miss Louise Cherry,
a star columnist for
the Toronto Telegram.
Tell us, Miss Cherry,
what is the fasted speed
that you have achieved?
- 85 words per minute.
- That is outstanding! You're sure now?
I know how you newspaper types
- are prone to exaggeration.
- I'm not exaggerating.
Hm.
Mr. Linwood, do you think
you can give Miss Cherry
a run for her money?
I'll do my best, for
my self and country.
Our first contestant:
Miss Maisie Bronson.
Ready?
Go!
That is fast.
Her fingers are really flying.
Oh!
Oh, my.
Come on, Maisie!
And stop.
Mr. Frobisher, the final score.
62 words completed with four
mistakes. Final score is 54.
- Next up, Constable George Crabtree.
- Ah!
Ready?
Go!
And... stop!
51 words completed. 10 mistakes.
Total score is 31.
- Miss Louise Cherry.
- Watch how it's done.
Miss Cherry.
Ready?
Go!
What's happening?
Oh...
I can't go on.
- My hand's cramped up.
- Well...
No need to tally that
score, Mr. Frobisher.
How disappointing.
- My deepest regrets, Miss Cherry.
- Mr. Linwood.
Ready? Go!
That is fast!
30 seconds.
George! Unplug the typewriter!
No! You mustn't touch the body!
- Oh.
- Excuse me!
He's dead, William.
Ivor and I trained at
the * team speed-typists.
He was the undisputed champion.
Anything else?
He just turned 25.
And he had his whole life ahead of him.
What makes it worse is that...
he always struggled with his health,
but he'd been doing so well recently.
What was his ailment, Miss Bronson?
He had rheumatic fever as a child.
It left him with a weak heart.
Sir, may I let the rest
of the contestants go?
You have all of their particulars?
- Yes, of course.
- Thank you.
An unfortunate accident indeed, sir.
Was it an accident?
- It seemed so strange.
- I have yet to determine that.
Thank you, Miss Bronson.
The prize money was considerable, sir.
$100. I could've used it.
Not a lot of money for
a man's life, George.
Excuse me, Detective? Edgar
Leonard, Toronto Telegraph.
Do you mind if I ask
you a few questions?
Mr. Leonard, the detective
is busy right now.
- If you came...
- No need, Mr. Leonard.
I'll handle this from here on in.
I was assigned to
report on this contest.
And I saw a man who was electrocuted.
You weren't the only
one at risk, Miss Cherry.
Well, luckily you
were spared, Constable.
You shouldn't write this.
You're involved in the story.
Which is all the more
reason that I should.
What are your initial
thoughts, Detective?
I have no comment at this time.
- Constable Crabtree?
- Go home, Miss Cherry.
Mr. Langston?
You designed this
machine. What went wrong?
It should have been in
perfect working order.
- Well, it clearly wasn't.
- Then it was tampered with.
- By whom?
- A rival?
There's great competition
among typewriter manufacturers.
Remington, Underwood, Royal:
they know my machine is
going to change the world.
- I'll be needing to take a look at it.
- Of course.
I'm as anxious as you are
to get to the bottom of this.
Mr. Langston, besides yourself,
who else had access to the plans
- and schematics of the machine?
- No one.
- This is my invention, solely.
- So you built a faulty device.
- That thing could have killed me!
- I did not!
I have tested this
machine numerous times.
So, you know of no one who had
the knowledge to tamper with it?
- Anyone could have tampered with it.
- Anyone with a reason?
There may be one person.
His name is Alphonse Maloney.
He worked with me during
the design of the machine.
Until we had a falling out.
Thank you. George, please
- see that the machine is delivered to my office.
- Yes, sir.
I'll need it back.
It's evidence now, Mr. Langston.
I've made no bones about my
disagreement with Alexander Langston.
He gave me the shoe for no good reason.
Did you try to get retribution by
tampering with his new typewriter?
If I was going to hurt Mr.
Langston, I would hurt him,
not some innocent bystander.
Besides, I've given up my
resentment a long time ago.
Well, if not you, then who?
Competition brings out
the worst in people.
Always has.
Progress isn't always
for the best, you know?
I wish Mr. Langston no ill will.
But I do not wish him success.
Why is that?
The purity of writing
is achieved by effort.
To electrify a typewriter
changes it forever.
Can you imagine the same being
done to an instrument like this?
It would be heresy.
William!
It's here!
Take a look.
- Oh...
- _
- _
- It looks quite good, doesn't it?
The first run is 500 copies.
- "500"?!
- That's the standard.
Now, we just need to sell it.
I had imagined that's
your job, isn't it?
We must all play our parts.
To that end, I have arranged
a series of readings.
- The first one is tomorrow.
- Oh!
And who will be doing these readings?
Why, you two. The authors.
- Are you sure?
- Of course I'm sure.
You two are the star attraction:
a married couple solving heinous crimes.
If the newspapers had any sense,
they would be publishing a
weekly serial of your adventures.
It would be a hit!
Well, if you think
it would help sales...
I suppose we could come up with
something interesting to say.
Let the company buy you lunch.
We can go over the
details of the reading.
- It does look a handsome volume.
- Indeed, it does.
- George?
- Ah!
Sir, I'm sorry. I...
I see the new book has come out.
It has. It's very exciting.
I dare say.
If you'd like, I can arrange for
you to receive an advance copy.
I think I'm familiar enough
with the content, sir.
Of course.
Oh, George, find out all you can
about the contestants, please.
Sir... they're just some typists
trying for a little prize money.
On the surface.
But as I say in the book,
one must always dig deeper.
I don't ever recall you
doing much digging, sir.
- What's that?
- I'll look into that right away, sir.
Very good.
So, the Detective and
the Doctor wrote a book.
So they say.
How'd they do that with all
they have on their plate?
Hmm.
Well, I've heard it's very good.
You have? From who?
Well, if they wrote it, it must be.
Oh, Higgins, will you stop
nattering? We have work to do.
- George! Henry.
- Dr. Ogden.
Shopping, I see.
Well, I thought I should
get something for tomorrow.
Oh, do you have a function to attend?
William and I are doing a public
reading of our book tomorrow evening.
- I hope you both can attend!
- Hmm!
Anyway, I must rush.
- I think I'll go.
- Yes. You do that, Higgins.
I think the chapter dealing
with the Lipstick Murders
- is particularly well-written, sir.
- Mm-hmm.
George... can you assist
me with this cover?
Sir, if this typewriter's
been made into a weapon,
it could be excellent fodder
for the second installment.
Oh, I don't think the Doctor and
I will be writing another book.
Hmm?
Look at this.
What am I looking at?
A wire is attached to the...
Q key.
And also to the power supply.
There's another strip wire
running back toward the keys.
Oh, yes.
It's attached to the Shift key.
So, presumably
if both are depressed at the same time,
that would complete the circuit,
and the arc would
travel through the heart.
George, do you have the text
that was used in the contest?
Yes, I do.
The only time the letter capital Q
appears in the text is here...
line 8, word 94.
Now, Miss Bronson went first.
She reached line 5, word 62.
Then, you went next,
reaching word 50.
Well, I wasn't at my best, sir.
I think I have a cold setting in.
What's the point of all this anyway?
Miss Cherry could
have reached capital Q.
And that would have closed the circuit.
The shock was meant for her.
Sir, she's fortunate she had
that arm cramp when she did.
Was she fortunate, George?
Or was she faking?
You may speak with my doctor, I
assure you my typing injury is real.
We shall.
If you're telling the
truth, Miss Cherry,
then I believe you are being targeted
by a murderer who has yet to succeed.
Me? I doubt that.
Have you made any enemies
during your career, Miss Cherry?
A good many, I'd reckon.
It's par for the course
when you're a journalist
and you tell the truth.
And outside of work?
"Outside of work". Work takes
up a great deal of my time.
No quarrels with friends or
arguments with neighbours?
I have no neighbours I
care to interact with.
- Have you received any threats?
- Of course.
Why, just the other day,
I received one that said
the world would be a better
place if I wasn't in it.
That must be upsetting.
- What did you do?
- Nothing.
For everyone who hates me,
there's a great deal of people
who appreciate what I do.
I write for ordinary, everyday people.
I give them what they want,
not what they're supposed to want.
I'm sure you do.
Why should I ram stories
of tariffs and treaties
down people's throats?
Because I think it's
what's good for them?
I write stories that people
can relate to, warts and all.
And if I ruffle a few
feathers along the way,
I consider it a job well done.
And the people at the Telegraph,
do they think you've done a good job?
The people at the Telegraph
realize I'm the reason
they're still employed.
Miss Cherry is an excellent worker.
She's dedicated.
Some people can misunderstand this.
She can come across as abrupt.
Is that a euphemism
for rude, Mr. Elliot?
She speaks her mind.
That is but one of the many
things I admire about her.
He said "abrupt", did he?
She's more than that.
She has no regard for
other peoples' feelings.
She's opinionated and critical.
The newspaper is worse for having her.
Louise Cherry's a dreadful woman.
She would chop up her own mother
if it would give her a good story.
Does she ever get angry
letters from readers?
- Boatloads.
- Does she pay them much mind?
I'd say she enjoys them.
She likes to be noticed,
does our Miss Cherry.
Positive attention or negative,
she doesn't much care as
long as it's some attention.
You wouldn't still have some
of these letters, would you?
_
_
_
_
_
_
What are you doing, William?
I'm due at the hospital.
Oh...
My goodness. You do look handsome.
It's not every day I appear
on stage with my wife.
You know, we should figure
out what we're going to do.
I was thinking that
perhaps you could start out
reading the first chapter, then
I'll do the next, and so on?
- I think we can do better than that.
- Do you?
- And what's that?
- You'll see.
I'll see you this evening.
Oh, wait.
So, you're not going to
the Detective's reading?
- I don't think so.
- Aren't you interested in the book?
Oh, I'm very familiar
with the book, Higgins.
In fact, if you really want the truth,
I wrote the entire thing.
- What?
- Higgins, Detective Murdoch
is brilliant at what he does,
but he can't write for toffee!
They asked me for my help.
I gave it willingly as an
experienced, published author.
I'm telling you, if it wasn't for me,
that book would've sunk like a stone.
What would haves sunk, George?
Uh, sir... Miss Cherry's heart
when she read all this awful mail.
The majority of it isn't even signed.
To not stand behind one's
convictions is pure cowardice.
Anonymity does seem to bring
out the worst in people, sir.
Any we should be concerned with?
Uh... yes.
We put aside these three.
Miss Cherry wrote very unpleasant,
personal things about them,
and they wrote back in kind.
- Bring them in.
- Sir...
- That is a handsome suit.
- Oh.
Thank you, Henry. It's
for the book reading.
I'd better change now.
I wonder if there's a
chapter about the fact
- that we seem to do most of the work.
- Hmm. Not likely.
Frankly, I hope Louise
Cherry was upset by it.
She deserves to be.
You are a city councillor, are you not?
I am. She wrote an article
in which she suggested that
I've had several dalliances
with vaudeville dancers.
Was there any truth to
Miss Cherry's assertions?
That is not the point.
Yes, I did write a
letter to Louise Cherry.
I would not consider
it a poison pen letter.
How would you describe it, Ms. Thompson?
- Strongly
- worded.
You wrote that she would
- "regret these lies until her dying day".
- I was angry,
but I did nothing
more than threaten her.
I'm letting my lawyer
handle this from now on.
We're suing her and the
newspaper for all they're worth.
And what's the status
of the investigation?
- I really can't say anything.
- I have the right to know,
both as a journalist and possible
target of any further action.
And I've told you, I
really can't say anything.
I should have known not to
expect more of a kept man.
- Oh, Constable Crabtree?
- Currently occupied, Miss Cherry.
Interesting. So, Mr. Banks
didn't exactly leave the matter
- with his lawyers.
- His suit was dismissed.
After that, he paid three
visits to the Telegraph office.
On two of those occasions,
they had to send for
constables from Station House 1.
- And he is an electrical contractor.
- Indeed.
More than capable of
sabotaging a typewriter.
- I want him in here, George.
- Right.
With me, Higgins.
And we'll need a couple of lads.
Miss Cherry. Lads, let's go.
You're with me, right? Right, then come.
The Adelaide incident was
nothing more than a setback.
The man responsible has been sacked,
- I have every...
- Excuse me, sir.
The Detective has asked
that you accompany me
down to the Station
for further questioning.
What are you blathering about?
I've answered enough questions.
Well, if you don't want to
come down on your own volition,
- I suppose I can put you under...
- Get your hands off me!
I have done nothing wrong.
Actually, you just assaulted
a police officer. Lads.
- What?
- Mr. Banks, why is the constable arresting you?
Another fire, perhaps? Or is
it because you tried to kill me?
You're nothing but a criminal.
I should've killed you long before now!
Get him out of here.
Can I quote you on that, Mr. Banks?
"You should have killed
me long before now".
- Is that what you said?
- Miss Cherry! That's enough.
So, you can assure me Mr.
Banks is the guilty party.
We believe so.
But you can't guarantee that
no one else will do me harm?
I'm not sure anyone
could guarantee that.
Very funny.
I hope you throw the book
at him for trying to kill me.
And for actually killing
young Mr. Linwood.
Miss Cherry, Detective.
Congratulations on the
resolution of the case.
It may not be resolved at all.
Ah, yes. Due process
and all that rot. Look,
I've decided to remount the contest.
All of the other
contestants are in agreement.
I was hoping you would
agree to take part.
Of course. I'd still like
to win that prize money.
So would I.
I didn't perform at my best last time.
I'd like a chance to redeem myself.
It's settled then.
There ought to be a large audience.
I'm sure there will be. A
frisson of danger is a great draw.
I'm not sure it would be wise.
The matter isn't resolved yet.
Are you saying I cannot
stage this competition?
I'm saying I don't
think it would be wise.
And I'll take that under advisement.
I've had a new Langston shipped up.
You're welcome to examine
it before the contest.
Good luck.
Gentlemen.
George... are you sure you
want to re-enter the contest?
Your last result wasn't...
Sir, I think I can beat her this time.
And a little recognition
might be nice for once.
I'm sorry, I didn't...
Julia? We're going to be late.
Hold your horses.
Oh, you look splendid.
As do you. I must say,
judging by the ones I've seen,
we look too good to be writers.
What's that?
I thought I would enliven our
presentation with a little demonstration.
Oh! Good idea. What
are we demonstrating?
Now, now. Surprise.
Come, come!
We mustn't keep the taxicab waiting!
Miss Cherry.
I just came to see
that you're all right.
Of course I'm all right. Ahem.
I hope you're not here to convince
me to drop out of the contest.
No, of course not.
The publisher gave me an advance copy.
- Hoping I'd review it, I suppose.
- Is that right? Have you read it?
I have.
It's quite good.
Of course it is.
Why would you say that?
Oh, let's just say I know a
little something of its genesis.
Do you?
Well, thank you...
for being concerned about me, George.
Thanks.
Right.
- Thank you, Henry.
- Oh!
Oh. Thank you, sir.
Uh, sir, I was wondering
if I might attend.
- Of course.
- As long as you allow us
to autograph your copy.
Ahem.
I wrote the whole thing.
That's not a word of a lie.
Why?
Well, Detective Murdoch is a genius,
to be sure. And the Doctor is a...
brilliant scientist, but neither
one of them can write a stitch.
- So, you took over?
- Mm!
Only because they asked me to.
And why wouldn't they? Who wouldn't
take the expert counsel
of a published author?
So, they asked you and
yet, gave you no credit.
Not that I can see.
Why don't you check the
acknowledgements page
at the back of the book? Maybe
you're mentioned in there.
"George... Carbtree"?!
They couldn't even spell
my last name properly?
They'll make money off this.
Off the sweat of my brow! And
I'll see nothing for it. Nothing!
That's not true, George.
You could get revenge.
Well, time to go on.
It's quite sparse.
Shouldn't we wait a little longer?
I've only booked it until
9. It's time to go. Ahem.
Ahem!
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome
to this very special evening.
It is with great pleasure
that I bring to you
Detective William Murdoch and
his lovely wife, Dr. Julia Ogden,
who tonight are
launching their new book,
Solving Murder: A Scientific Approach.
Ah!
The book is available for purchase,
and the authors will be
happy to sign your copy.
Oh, please, do come forward.
Leave room for latecomers.
Ah! Sir. Come in, sir. Welcome.
You've got the right place.
We were just about to begin.
And now, it is my pleasure to
present Detective William Murdoch,
Toronto's own Sherlock Holmes.
Good evening, audience.
I can assure you that I
am not Sherlock Holmes.
Unlike Mr. Holmes, I am real.
I would like to welcome
you to an evening of murder.
Dr. Julia Ogden, also my wife,
will be reading chapters from our book.
But first, I thought you might
like a little demonstration.
Oh, Lord, not the...
- Fingermarks!
- ... fingermarks.
How does one catch a killer if one
does not know who the killer is?
Identifying someone is one
of the most important steps
in solving any crime.
Did you know that every person
on Earth has a unique signature?
One not written with pen and ink,
but on the very appendages
that utilise such tools:
fingers!
That's the thing, George.
Nobody ever got anywhere
in this world by being nice.
Trust me, I've tried.
- Have you?
- Consider your friends.
Do you feel like they've
treated you fairly?
Perhaps not.
And if you say nothing,
they'll continue to act in this manner.
I suppose you're right.
You need to stand up for who you are,
because the world isn't fair.
Far from it.
Well, just because I'm only
a constable doesn't mean I'm...
incapable of thinking, or...
or putting a coherent sentence together,
or spelling properly.
Now you know what it's like
being in my shoes, George...
to be judged for what you are,
and not who you are.
If I were a man, I'd be
called a straight shooter,
but because I'm female
I'm called a... harridan,
or a harpy.
Not another one.
Let me see.
"You have brought me to this.
And now, you will see the
result of your choices."
Whoever wrote this is
inside the building.
- Louise!
- No, I've put up with this long enough.
- Are you coming?
- Louise!
Press firmly.
Very good.
Don't worry. I'm sure
these won't go any further.
You don't have a police record.
You're a whorl!
Excuse me?
Sir Francis Galton established
three basic patterns:
the whorl, the loop, and the arch.
We have Sir Edward Henry to thank
for the system that we use today.
He established Scotland Yard's
Central Fingerprint Bureau.
Did you know that recently,
this very room was the site of a murder?
And we'll get to that
in due time, Dr. Ogden.
Now that we have established
the basic identifying criteria
of the fingermark, ahem,
we can move to the next step,
and this is my favourite.
- Perhaps whoever sent it has already left.
- Coward.
Is there anywhere we haven't checked?
There's one more place: the basement.
Oh, wonderful. Let's see
what's lurking in the basement.
Perhaps we should have
just read from the book.
I thought they would
find it interesting.
You did go on a bit long, William.
There's no point explaining something
if you don't include all of the details.
Yes, of course.
- You could have come to my aid.
- I tried!
You didn't let me get
a word in edgewise!
- Ahem.
- Mr. Clements.
- How many books did we sell?
- Uh, only one.
To a Mr. Henry Higgins.
He wanted me to make sure
you were aware of his name.
Oh.
Perhaps we need to consider you two
may not be the best
advertisements for your book.
Or we could refine our presentation.
Hello?
Hello?
Toronto Constabulary!
Is anybody down here? Show yourself.
Put that down.
No, no, no, no!
Mr. Elliott,
please put that gun now.
Did you write that note?
I did.
Why did you threaten her, sir?
It wasn't a threat.
- It was a goodbye.
- No, no! Don't!
Why?
I have no reason to go on living.
Of course you do! You're
a... you're a young man!
- You have your whole future before you!
- "Future"?
And what is a future
if my love is not in it?
I love you, Louise. I truly do.
Sir, I understand. Trust me,
I've lost my share of women.
Is there any chance
you think you could feel the same?
Sir, don't do this.
Manfred, stop this.
Life without you is not worth living.
Don't do this, sir.
I love you, Louise.
You're honest and
intelligent and... decisive.
The face of an angel.
- I will always love you.
- Manfred!
I honestly didn't know you
felt so deeply about me.
I do.
Then give me the gun.
That wasn't so hard, was it, Constable?
- Louise.
- Arrest him, will you?
Louise!
Sir! SIR!
Did you write this?
Yes, I did.
"I will see you in the next life."
That could be seen as a threat.
That was not my intent. I...
I was trying to say goodbye.
Am I going to jail?
No.
You are going to see my wife.
Your wife?
She is a psychiatrist,
and I believe she can help you.
Life is a precious gift, sir.
I would hate to see you waste it.
Are you charging him?
Not as yet.
So, the person intending to
kill me may still be at large.
- Mr. Banks remains in custody.
- And do you think he did it?
I don't know.
You made it sound so easy in your book.
You've read it?
- Professional obligation, I assure you.
- Miss Cherry,
we are in the middle of
an investigation here.
And is Mr. Elliot a suspect?
Mr. Elliot nearly took his own life.
He cares for you deeply.
Are you suggesting
I'm to blame for this?
Is that what you think, Detective?
That I should indulge any man
who shows an interest in me,
regardless of what my
feelings on the matter are?
No, of course not,
but there is no reason
to be completely devoid of sympathy.
I harmed Mr. Elliot in no way.
- Let's go, George.
- Mm.
That was a most interesting conversation
we had last night, Constable.
What are we doing here, sir?
I mean, Mr. Elliot seemed quite earnest
when he said he never intended
on harming Miss Cherry.
He did, but he is a
disturbed individual.
Just because he didn't
want to kill her today
doesn't mean he didn't
plot to do so last week.
Right. I'm not sure which desk is his.
Search them all.
How did the reading go last night, sir?
It was a less than resounding success.
They didn't like the book?
I didn't quite get to
the content of the book.
I thought I'd give them an
introduction to fingermarks.
Well, that may have been a mistake.
I'm coming to a similar conclusion.
George?
What's this?
A schematic of Mr. Langston's
electric typewriter.
What would it be doing here?
Find out whose desk this is.
- Why am I here?
- I wanted to speak with a real journalist.
Louise Cherry's writing is a bit
too sensationalist for my tastes.
- It certainly hasn't hurt her.
- No.
But it has hurt others,
yourself included.
You work in this business,
you develop a thick skin.
She took your job
as senior reporter and columnist
when the Telegraph took her on. Correct?
That is correct.
Prior to that, you had quite
an illustrious career...
overseas covering the Boer War,
senior parliamentary correspondent.
Are you planning to write
my biography, Detective?
But it is true that you went from
reporting on matters of significance
to writing about typing
contests and the like.
Your point, sir?
It would only be human
nature for you to be envious
- of your colleague's success.
- "Success"?
That depends on what criterion you use.
How would you describe it, Mr. Leonard?
Louise Cherry caters to the
basest instincts of human nature.
She feeds her readers' prurient interest
in stories of immorality and depravity.
That is not journalism.
It is simply raking up muck
in order to sell newspapers.
- What would you do differently?
- What I did, Detective,
is report the facts and allow my readers
to come to their own conclusions.
I treated them as intelligent beings.
I don't hate Louise Cherry
for what she did to me.
I hate her for what she's
doing to my profession.
How did these come to
be in your possession?
I found them in your desk.
I got them from a man I
interviewed some months ago.
- Mr. Langston?
- No.
Are... are you sure?
Because Mr. Langston stated
that he was the only one
in possession of any
plans to his machine.
Then he lied to you.
I got them from an associate of his.
- Mr. Muloney?
- Yes.
He wanted me to write an article
on Mr. Langston's theft of his idea.
- But you didn't.
- I had no proof
other than his accusations,
and that is no proof at all.
So, you knew that the machine worked.
You also knew about the
contest, the contestants,
and the fact that Louise
Cherry had entered.
Yes. That nicely sums up my
professional life right now.
I can also tell you what
Mrs. Millicent Findleson
is making for the
exhibition baking contest:
her world-renowned apple tartlets.
Apparently, best served with
a dollop of clotted cream.
So, you knew that Louise
Cherry had the ability
to reach the necessary letter
that would trigger the device,
had she not sustained an injury.
I also found these in your desk.
And as you can see,
the charge would not have
been sufficient to kill her.
No, but it was sufficient
to kill Ivor Linwood,
- a man with a heart condition.
- That was not my intention.
No, but it was the
result of your actions.
- I said I didn't mean to harm...
- But you did!
You will be charged with
manslaughter, Mr. Leonard.
Is there anything you wish to say?
What happens to truth when Louise
Cherry and her kind take over?
When the public trusts the
press even less than politicians?
How are we to find truth in anything?
And what happens to us then?
And... stop! Time's up.
87 words, 1 mistake, total score 85.
Miss Bronson is
currently in first place.
85!
And our final two contestants:
Constable George Crabtree,
then Miss Louise Cherry.
Constable.
Ready?
Begin!
And... stop! Time's up.
Miss Cherry is the winner
with 88 words per minute.
- Thank you!
- Well done.
Well done. Well done.
Yes, well, I knew I was going to win.
Second place. That's
nothing to sneeze at, George.
I dearly would have
liked to beat her, sir.
I'm sure you're not the first
person to say that, George.
- Julia!
- I'm joking.
Excuse me.
- You did your best, George.
- I did.
The thing is there's a
big difference between
doing your best and being the best.
I wanted to let you
know I read your book.
You did?
I was wondering if you'd
like me to review it.
I do have a considerable readership.
That would be wonderful.
As long as you don't expect
any special favours for it.
Not at all, Detective.
It's just my feeling that good
writing should be recognized.
Walk me out?
Of course.
You didn't say anything.
Oh, I think I said plenty.
Oh, George?
A moment of your time.
And Mr. Clements has agreed your
name will appear on the cover
of all subsequent printings.
Oh... you don't have to do that!
- We do.
- Well, we do.
We wouldn't have a book
without you, George.
Well, in that case,
I'd hazard the two of you
have some real work to do!
"Work"?
To ensure a second printing, sir!
I mean, after all, fingermarks?
In retrospect, that may not have been...
Not exactly the most riveting spectacle.
Perhaps you could coach us, George?
Yes. Yes, perhaps I could.
What you need is something a few of us
in the industry call razzle-dazzle.
If you're going to
demonstrate something,
demonstrate something exciting!
Like the Truthizer, sir!
Or your Capacitor gun.
You could zap somebody right on stage!
And Doctor, perhaps you could...
x-ray members of the audience
or show how common household items
can be combined to make deadly poisons,
- or kill a rat or something!
- Oh.
As far as passages from the book goes,
perhaps we should hire
an actor to read it!
After all, I don't think anybody
really wants to hear from the writer.
Terribly sorry.
Ladies and gentlemen...
welcome to the inaugural
demonstration of...
the Langston: a typewriter
powered by electricity,
and created by that fine
gentleman right there,
Mr. Alexander Langston.
This demonstration will take
the form of a competition.
Sorry I'm late, William. I had to
deal with a strangulated hernia.
- Oh!
- So, what have I missed?
Not much.
I did have to guard
your seat with my life.
Oh! All of Toronto is here.
And who's the favourite?
Regrettably, Miss Louise Cherry.
- 85 words per minute.
- Oh. Pity.
What about Paula Schumacher,
that Canadian girl.
- Does she have a chance?
- No, I don't think so.
Also, there is Miss Macy Bronson
of Colorado. She's reached 79.
And George?
- Um...
- And Constable George Crabtree.
What is your top speed, Constable?
I'd rather not say, Mr. Hewitt.
I don't want to intimidate
the other competitors.
They don't look terribly frightened.
Let's hope that you have more of
an impact on our city's criminals.
And we have Miss Louise Cherry,
a star columnist for
the Toronto Telegram.
Tell us, Miss Cherry,
what is the fasted speed
that you have achieved?
- 85 words per minute.
- That is outstanding! You're sure now?
I know how you newspaper types
- are prone to exaggeration.
- I'm not exaggerating.
Hm.
Mr. Linwood, do you think
you can give Miss Cherry
a run for her money?
I'll do my best, for
my self and country.
Our first contestant:
Miss Maisie Bronson.
Ready?
Go!
That is fast.
Her fingers are really flying.
Oh!
Oh, my.
Come on, Maisie!
And stop.
Mr. Frobisher, the final score.
62 words completed with four
mistakes. Final score is 54.
- Next up, Constable George Crabtree.
- Ah!
Ready?
Go!
And... stop!
51 words completed. 10 mistakes.
Total score is 31.
- Miss Louise Cherry.
- Watch how it's done.
Miss Cherry.
Ready?
Go!
What's happening?
Oh...
I can't go on.
- My hand's cramped up.
- Well...
No need to tally that
score, Mr. Frobisher.
How disappointing.
- My deepest regrets, Miss Cherry.
- Mr. Linwood.
Ready? Go!
That is fast!
30 seconds.
George! Unplug the typewriter!
No! You mustn't touch the body!
- Oh.
- Excuse me!
He's dead, William.
Ivor and I trained at
the * team speed-typists.
He was the undisputed champion.
Anything else?
He just turned 25.
And he had his whole life ahead of him.
What makes it worse is that...
he always struggled with his health,
but he'd been doing so well recently.
What was his ailment, Miss Bronson?
He had rheumatic fever as a child.
It left him with a weak heart.
Sir, may I let the rest
of the contestants go?
You have all of their particulars?
- Yes, of course.
- Thank you.
An unfortunate accident indeed, sir.
Was it an accident?
- It seemed so strange.
- I have yet to determine that.
Thank you, Miss Bronson.
The prize money was considerable, sir.
$100. I could've used it.
Not a lot of money for
a man's life, George.
Excuse me, Detective? Edgar
Leonard, Toronto Telegraph.
Do you mind if I ask
you a few questions?
Mr. Leonard, the detective
is busy right now.
- If you came...
- No need, Mr. Leonard.
I'll handle this from here on in.
I was assigned to
report on this contest.
And I saw a man who was electrocuted.
You weren't the only
one at risk, Miss Cherry.
Well, luckily you
were spared, Constable.
You shouldn't write this.
You're involved in the story.
Which is all the more
reason that I should.
What are your initial
thoughts, Detective?
I have no comment at this time.
- Constable Crabtree?
- Go home, Miss Cherry.
Mr. Langston?
You designed this
machine. What went wrong?
It should have been in
perfect working order.
- Well, it clearly wasn't.
- Then it was tampered with.
- By whom?
- A rival?
There's great competition
among typewriter manufacturers.
Remington, Underwood, Royal:
they know my machine is
going to change the world.
- I'll be needing to take a look at it.
- Of course.
I'm as anxious as you are
to get to the bottom of this.
Mr. Langston, besides yourself,
who else had access to the plans
- and schematics of the machine?
- No one.
- This is my invention, solely.
- So you built a faulty device.
- That thing could have killed me!
- I did not!
I have tested this
machine numerous times.
So, you know of no one who had
the knowledge to tamper with it?
- Anyone could have tampered with it.
- Anyone with a reason?
There may be one person.
His name is Alphonse Maloney.
He worked with me during
the design of the machine.
Until we had a falling out.
Thank you. George, please
- see that the machine is delivered to my office.
- Yes, sir.
I'll need it back.
It's evidence now, Mr. Langston.
I've made no bones about my
disagreement with Alexander Langston.
He gave me the shoe for no good reason.
Did you try to get retribution by
tampering with his new typewriter?
If I was going to hurt Mr.
Langston, I would hurt him,
not some innocent bystander.
Besides, I've given up my
resentment a long time ago.
Well, if not you, then who?
Competition brings out
the worst in people.
Always has.
Progress isn't always
for the best, you know?
I wish Mr. Langston no ill will.
But I do not wish him success.
Why is that?
The purity of writing
is achieved by effort.
To electrify a typewriter
changes it forever.
Can you imagine the same being
done to an instrument like this?
It would be heresy.
William!
It's here!
Take a look.
- Oh...
- _
- _
- It looks quite good, doesn't it?
The first run is 500 copies.
- "500"?!
- That's the standard.
Now, we just need to sell it.
I had imagined that's
your job, isn't it?
We must all play our parts.
To that end, I have arranged
a series of readings.
- The first one is tomorrow.
- Oh!
And who will be doing these readings?
Why, you two. The authors.
- Are you sure?
- Of course I'm sure.
You two are the star attraction:
a married couple solving heinous crimes.
If the newspapers had any sense,
they would be publishing a
weekly serial of your adventures.
It would be a hit!
Well, if you think
it would help sales...
I suppose we could come up with
something interesting to say.
Let the company buy you lunch.
We can go over the
details of the reading.
- It does look a handsome volume.
- Indeed, it does.
- George?
- Ah!
Sir, I'm sorry. I...
I see the new book has come out.
It has. It's very exciting.
I dare say.
If you'd like, I can arrange for
you to receive an advance copy.
I think I'm familiar enough
with the content, sir.
Of course.
Oh, George, find out all you can
about the contestants, please.
Sir... they're just some typists
trying for a little prize money.
On the surface.
But as I say in the book,
one must always dig deeper.
I don't ever recall you
doing much digging, sir.
- What's that?
- I'll look into that right away, sir.
Very good.
So, the Detective and
the Doctor wrote a book.
So they say.
How'd they do that with all
they have on their plate?
Hmm.
Well, I've heard it's very good.
You have? From who?
Well, if they wrote it, it must be.
Oh, Higgins, will you stop
nattering? We have work to do.
- George! Henry.
- Dr. Ogden.
Shopping, I see.
Well, I thought I should
get something for tomorrow.
Oh, do you have a function to attend?
William and I are doing a public
reading of our book tomorrow evening.
- I hope you both can attend!
- Hmm!
Anyway, I must rush.
- I think I'll go.
- Yes. You do that, Higgins.
I think the chapter dealing
with the Lipstick Murders
- is particularly well-written, sir.
- Mm-hmm.
George... can you assist
me with this cover?
Sir, if this typewriter's
been made into a weapon,
it could be excellent fodder
for the second installment.
Oh, I don't think the Doctor and
I will be writing another book.
Hmm?
Look at this.
What am I looking at?
A wire is attached to the...
Q key.
And also to the power supply.
There's another strip wire
running back toward the keys.
Oh, yes.
It's attached to the Shift key.
So, presumably
if both are depressed at the same time,
that would complete the circuit,
and the arc would
travel through the heart.
George, do you have the text
that was used in the contest?
Yes, I do.
The only time the letter capital Q
appears in the text is here...
line 8, word 94.
Now, Miss Bronson went first.
She reached line 5, word 62.
Then, you went next,
reaching word 50.
Well, I wasn't at my best, sir.
I think I have a cold setting in.
What's the point of all this anyway?
Miss Cherry could
have reached capital Q.
And that would have closed the circuit.
The shock was meant for her.
Sir, she's fortunate she had
that arm cramp when she did.
Was she fortunate, George?
Or was she faking?
You may speak with my doctor, I
assure you my typing injury is real.
We shall.
If you're telling the
truth, Miss Cherry,
then I believe you are being targeted
by a murderer who has yet to succeed.
Me? I doubt that.
Have you made any enemies
during your career, Miss Cherry?
A good many, I'd reckon.
It's par for the course
when you're a journalist
and you tell the truth.
And outside of work?
"Outside of work". Work takes
up a great deal of my time.
No quarrels with friends or
arguments with neighbours?
I have no neighbours I
care to interact with.
- Have you received any threats?
- Of course.
Why, just the other day,
I received one that said
the world would be a better
place if I wasn't in it.
That must be upsetting.
- What did you do?
- Nothing.
For everyone who hates me,
there's a great deal of people
who appreciate what I do.
I write for ordinary, everyday people.
I give them what they want,
not what they're supposed to want.
I'm sure you do.
Why should I ram stories
of tariffs and treaties
down people's throats?
Because I think it's
what's good for them?
I write stories that people
can relate to, warts and all.
And if I ruffle a few
feathers along the way,
I consider it a job well done.
And the people at the Telegraph,
do they think you've done a good job?
The people at the Telegraph
realize I'm the reason
they're still employed.
Miss Cherry is an excellent worker.
She's dedicated.
Some people can misunderstand this.
She can come across as abrupt.
Is that a euphemism
for rude, Mr. Elliot?
She speaks her mind.
That is but one of the many
things I admire about her.
He said "abrupt", did he?
She's more than that.
She has no regard for
other peoples' feelings.
She's opinionated and critical.
The newspaper is worse for having her.
Louise Cherry's a dreadful woman.
She would chop up her own mother
if it would give her a good story.
Does she ever get angry
letters from readers?
- Boatloads.
- Does she pay them much mind?
I'd say she enjoys them.
She likes to be noticed,
does our Miss Cherry.
Positive attention or negative,
she doesn't much care as
long as it's some attention.
You wouldn't still have some
of these letters, would you?
_
_
_
_
_
_
What are you doing, William?
I'm due at the hospital.
Oh...
My goodness. You do look handsome.
It's not every day I appear
on stage with my wife.
You know, we should figure
out what we're going to do.
I was thinking that
perhaps you could start out
reading the first chapter, then
I'll do the next, and so on?
- I think we can do better than that.
- Do you?
- And what's that?
- You'll see.
I'll see you this evening.
Oh, wait.
So, you're not going to
the Detective's reading?
- I don't think so.
- Aren't you interested in the book?
Oh, I'm very familiar
with the book, Higgins.
In fact, if you really want the truth,
I wrote the entire thing.
- What?
- Higgins, Detective Murdoch
is brilliant at what he does,
but he can't write for toffee!
They asked me for my help.
I gave it willingly as an
experienced, published author.
I'm telling you, if it wasn't for me,
that book would've sunk like a stone.
What would haves sunk, George?
Uh, sir... Miss Cherry's heart
when she read all this awful mail.
The majority of it isn't even signed.
To not stand behind one's
convictions is pure cowardice.
Anonymity does seem to bring
out the worst in people, sir.
Any we should be concerned with?
Uh... yes.
We put aside these three.
Miss Cherry wrote very unpleasant,
personal things about them,
and they wrote back in kind.
- Bring them in.
- Sir...
- That is a handsome suit.
- Oh.
Thank you, Henry. It's
for the book reading.
I'd better change now.
I wonder if there's a
chapter about the fact
- that we seem to do most of the work.
- Hmm. Not likely.
Frankly, I hope Louise
Cherry was upset by it.
She deserves to be.
You are a city councillor, are you not?
I am. She wrote an article
in which she suggested that
I've had several dalliances
with vaudeville dancers.
Was there any truth to
Miss Cherry's assertions?
That is not the point.
Yes, I did write a
letter to Louise Cherry.
I would not consider
it a poison pen letter.
How would you describe it, Ms. Thompson?
- Strongly
- worded.
You wrote that she would
- "regret these lies until her dying day".
- I was angry,
but I did nothing
more than threaten her.
I'm letting my lawyer
handle this from now on.
We're suing her and the
newspaper for all they're worth.
And what's the status
of the investigation?
- I really can't say anything.
- I have the right to know,
both as a journalist and possible
target of any further action.
And I've told you, I
really can't say anything.
I should have known not to
expect more of a kept man.
- Oh, Constable Crabtree?
- Currently occupied, Miss Cherry.
Interesting. So, Mr. Banks
didn't exactly leave the matter
- with his lawyers.
- His suit was dismissed.
After that, he paid three
visits to the Telegraph office.
On two of those occasions,
they had to send for
constables from Station House 1.
- And he is an electrical contractor.
- Indeed.
More than capable of
sabotaging a typewriter.
- I want him in here, George.
- Right.
With me, Higgins.
And we'll need a couple of lads.
Miss Cherry. Lads, let's go.
You're with me, right? Right, then come.
The Adelaide incident was
nothing more than a setback.
The man responsible has been sacked,
- I have every...
- Excuse me, sir.
The Detective has asked
that you accompany me
down to the Station
for further questioning.
What are you blathering about?
I've answered enough questions.
Well, if you don't want to
come down on your own volition,
- I suppose I can put you under...
- Get your hands off me!
I have done nothing wrong.
Actually, you just assaulted
a police officer. Lads.
- What?
- Mr. Banks, why is the constable arresting you?
Another fire, perhaps? Or is
it because you tried to kill me?
You're nothing but a criminal.
I should've killed you long before now!
Get him out of here.
Can I quote you on that, Mr. Banks?
"You should have killed
me long before now".
- Is that what you said?
- Miss Cherry! That's enough.
So, you can assure me Mr.
Banks is the guilty party.
We believe so.
But you can't guarantee that
no one else will do me harm?
I'm not sure anyone
could guarantee that.
Very funny.
I hope you throw the book
at him for trying to kill me.
And for actually killing
young Mr. Linwood.
Miss Cherry, Detective.
Congratulations on the
resolution of the case.
It may not be resolved at all.
Ah, yes. Due process
and all that rot. Look,
I've decided to remount the contest.
All of the other
contestants are in agreement.
I was hoping you would
agree to take part.
Of course. I'd still like
to win that prize money.
So would I.
I didn't perform at my best last time.
I'd like a chance to redeem myself.
It's settled then.
There ought to be a large audience.
I'm sure there will be. A
frisson of danger is a great draw.
I'm not sure it would be wise.
The matter isn't resolved yet.
Are you saying I cannot
stage this competition?
I'm saying I don't
think it would be wise.
And I'll take that under advisement.
I've had a new Langston shipped up.
You're welcome to examine
it before the contest.
Good luck.
Gentlemen.
George... are you sure you
want to re-enter the contest?
Your last result wasn't...
Sir, I think I can beat her this time.
And a little recognition
might be nice for once.
I'm sorry, I didn't...
Julia? We're going to be late.
Hold your horses.
Oh, you look splendid.
As do you. I must say,
judging by the ones I've seen,
we look too good to be writers.
What's that?
I thought I would enliven our
presentation with a little demonstration.
Oh! Good idea. What
are we demonstrating?
Now, now. Surprise.
Come, come!
We mustn't keep the taxicab waiting!
Miss Cherry.
I just came to see
that you're all right.
Of course I'm all right. Ahem.
I hope you're not here to convince
me to drop out of the contest.
No, of course not.
The publisher gave me an advance copy.
- Hoping I'd review it, I suppose.
- Is that right? Have you read it?
I have.
It's quite good.
Of course it is.
Why would you say that?
Oh, let's just say I know a
little something of its genesis.
Do you?
Well, thank you...
for being concerned about me, George.
Thanks.
Right.
- Thank you, Henry.
- Oh!
Oh. Thank you, sir.
Uh, sir, I was wondering
if I might attend.
- Of course.
- As long as you allow us
to autograph your copy.
Ahem.
I wrote the whole thing.
That's not a word of a lie.
Why?
Well, Detective Murdoch is a genius,
to be sure. And the Doctor is a...
brilliant scientist, but neither
one of them can write a stitch.
- So, you took over?
- Mm!
Only because they asked me to.
And why wouldn't they? Who wouldn't
take the expert counsel
of a published author?
So, they asked you and
yet, gave you no credit.
Not that I can see.
Why don't you check the
acknowledgements page
at the back of the book? Maybe
you're mentioned in there.
"George... Carbtree"?!
They couldn't even spell
my last name properly?
They'll make money off this.
Off the sweat of my brow! And
I'll see nothing for it. Nothing!
That's not true, George.
You could get revenge.
Well, time to go on.
It's quite sparse.
Shouldn't we wait a little longer?
I've only booked it until
9. It's time to go. Ahem.
Ahem!
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome
to this very special evening.
It is with great pleasure
that I bring to you
Detective William Murdoch and
his lovely wife, Dr. Julia Ogden,
who tonight are
launching their new book,
Solving Murder: A Scientific Approach.
Ah!
The book is available for purchase,
and the authors will be
happy to sign your copy.
Oh, please, do come forward.
Leave room for latecomers.
Ah! Sir. Come in, sir. Welcome.
You've got the right place.
We were just about to begin.
And now, it is my pleasure to
present Detective William Murdoch,
Toronto's own Sherlock Holmes.
Good evening, audience.
I can assure you that I
am not Sherlock Holmes.
Unlike Mr. Holmes, I am real.
I would like to welcome
you to an evening of murder.
Dr. Julia Ogden, also my wife,
will be reading chapters from our book.
But first, I thought you might
like a little demonstration.
Oh, Lord, not the...
- Fingermarks!
- ... fingermarks.
How does one catch a killer if one
does not know who the killer is?
Identifying someone is one
of the most important steps
in solving any crime.
Did you know that every person
on Earth has a unique signature?
One not written with pen and ink,
but on the very appendages
that utilise such tools:
fingers!
That's the thing, George.
Nobody ever got anywhere
in this world by being nice.
Trust me, I've tried.
- Have you?
- Consider your friends.
Do you feel like they've
treated you fairly?
Perhaps not.
And if you say nothing,
they'll continue to act in this manner.
I suppose you're right.
You need to stand up for who you are,
because the world isn't fair.
Far from it.
Well, just because I'm only
a constable doesn't mean I'm...
incapable of thinking, or...
or putting a coherent sentence together,
or spelling properly.
Now you know what it's like
being in my shoes, George...
to be judged for what you are,
and not who you are.
If I were a man, I'd be
called a straight shooter,
but because I'm female
I'm called a... harridan,
or a harpy.
Not another one.
Let me see.
"You have brought me to this.
And now, you will see the
result of your choices."
Whoever wrote this is
inside the building.
- Louise!
- No, I've put up with this long enough.
- Are you coming?
- Louise!
Press firmly.
Very good.
Don't worry. I'm sure
these won't go any further.
You don't have a police record.
You're a whorl!
Excuse me?
Sir Francis Galton established
three basic patterns:
the whorl, the loop, and the arch.
We have Sir Edward Henry to thank
for the system that we use today.
He established Scotland Yard's
Central Fingerprint Bureau.
Did you know that recently,
this very room was the site of a murder?
And we'll get to that
in due time, Dr. Ogden.
Now that we have established
the basic identifying criteria
of the fingermark, ahem,
we can move to the next step,
and this is my favourite.
- Perhaps whoever sent it has already left.
- Coward.
Is there anywhere we haven't checked?
There's one more place: the basement.
Oh, wonderful. Let's see
what's lurking in the basement.
Perhaps we should have
just read from the book.
I thought they would
find it interesting.
You did go on a bit long, William.
There's no point explaining something
if you don't include all of the details.
Yes, of course.
- You could have come to my aid.
- I tried!
You didn't let me get
a word in edgewise!
- Ahem.
- Mr. Clements.
- How many books did we sell?
- Uh, only one.
To a Mr. Henry Higgins.
He wanted me to make sure
you were aware of his name.
Oh.
Perhaps we need to consider you two
may not be the best
advertisements for your book.
Or we could refine our presentation.
Hello?
Hello?
Toronto Constabulary!
Is anybody down here? Show yourself.
Put that down.
No, no, no, no!
Mr. Elliott,
please put that gun now.
Did you write that note?
I did.
Why did you threaten her, sir?
It wasn't a threat.
- It was a goodbye.
- No, no! Don't!
Why?
I have no reason to go on living.
Of course you do! You're
a... you're a young man!
- You have your whole future before you!
- "Future"?
And what is a future
if my love is not in it?
I love you, Louise. I truly do.
Sir, I understand. Trust me,
I've lost my share of women.
Is there any chance
you think you could feel the same?
Sir, don't do this.
Manfred, stop this.
Life without you is not worth living.
Don't do this, sir.
I love you, Louise.
You're honest and
intelligent and... decisive.
The face of an angel.
- I will always love you.
- Manfred!
I honestly didn't know you
felt so deeply about me.
I do.
Then give me the gun.
That wasn't so hard, was it, Constable?
- Louise.
- Arrest him, will you?
Louise!
Sir! SIR!
Did you write this?
Yes, I did.
"I will see you in the next life."
That could be seen as a threat.
That was not my intent. I...
I was trying to say goodbye.
Am I going to jail?
No.
You are going to see my wife.
Your wife?
She is a psychiatrist,
and I believe she can help you.
Life is a precious gift, sir.
I would hate to see you waste it.
Are you charging him?
Not as yet.
So, the person intending to
kill me may still be at large.
- Mr. Banks remains in custody.
- And do you think he did it?
I don't know.
You made it sound so easy in your book.
You've read it?
- Professional obligation, I assure you.
- Miss Cherry,
we are in the middle of
an investigation here.
And is Mr. Elliot a suspect?
Mr. Elliot nearly took his own life.
He cares for you deeply.
Are you suggesting
I'm to blame for this?
Is that what you think, Detective?
That I should indulge any man
who shows an interest in me,
regardless of what my
feelings on the matter are?
No, of course not,
but there is no reason
to be completely devoid of sympathy.
I harmed Mr. Elliot in no way.
- Let's go, George.
- Mm.
That was a most interesting conversation
we had last night, Constable.
What are we doing here, sir?
I mean, Mr. Elliot seemed quite earnest
when he said he never intended
on harming Miss Cherry.
He did, but he is a
disturbed individual.
Just because he didn't
want to kill her today
doesn't mean he didn't
plot to do so last week.
Right. I'm not sure which desk is his.
Search them all.
How did the reading go last night, sir?
It was a less than resounding success.
They didn't like the book?
I didn't quite get to
the content of the book.
I thought I'd give them an
introduction to fingermarks.
Well, that may have been a mistake.
I'm coming to a similar conclusion.
George?
What's this?
A schematic of Mr. Langston's
electric typewriter.
What would it be doing here?
Find out whose desk this is.
- Why am I here?
- I wanted to speak with a real journalist.
Louise Cherry's writing is a bit
too sensationalist for my tastes.
- It certainly hasn't hurt her.
- No.
But it has hurt others,
yourself included.
You work in this business,
you develop a thick skin.
She took your job
as senior reporter and columnist
when the Telegraph took her on. Correct?
That is correct.
Prior to that, you had quite
an illustrious career...
overseas covering the Boer War,
senior parliamentary correspondent.
Are you planning to write
my biography, Detective?
But it is true that you went from
reporting on matters of significance
to writing about typing
contests and the like.
Your point, sir?
It would only be human
nature for you to be envious
- of your colleague's success.
- "Success"?
That depends on what criterion you use.
How would you describe it, Mr. Leonard?
Louise Cherry caters to the
basest instincts of human nature.
She feeds her readers' prurient interest
in stories of immorality and depravity.
That is not journalism.
It is simply raking up muck
in order to sell newspapers.
- What would you do differently?
- What I did, Detective,
is report the facts and allow my readers
to come to their own conclusions.
I treated them as intelligent beings.
I don't hate Louise Cherry
for what she did to me.
I hate her for what she's
doing to my profession.
How did these come to
be in your possession?
I found them in your desk.
I got them from a man I
interviewed some months ago.
- Mr. Langston?
- No.
Are... are you sure?
Because Mr. Langston stated
that he was the only one
in possession of any
plans to his machine.
Then he lied to you.
I got them from an associate of his.
- Mr. Muloney?
- Yes.
He wanted me to write an article
on Mr. Langston's theft of his idea.
- But you didn't.
- I had no proof
other than his accusations,
and that is no proof at all.
So, you knew that the machine worked.
You also knew about the
contest, the contestants,
and the fact that Louise
Cherry had entered.
Yes. That nicely sums up my
professional life right now.
I can also tell you what
Mrs. Millicent Findleson
is making for the
exhibition baking contest:
her world-renowned apple tartlets.
Apparently, best served with
a dollop of clotted cream.
So, you knew that Louise
Cherry had the ability
to reach the necessary letter
that would trigger the device,
had she not sustained an injury.
I also found these in your desk.
And as you can see,
the charge would not have
been sufficient to kill her.
No, but it was sufficient
to kill Ivor Linwood,
- a man with a heart condition.
- That was not my intention.
No, but it was the
result of your actions.
- I said I didn't mean to harm...
- But you did!
You will be charged with
manslaughter, Mr. Leonard.
Is there anything you wish to say?
What happens to truth when Louise
Cherry and her kind take over?
When the public trusts the
press even less than politicians?
How are we to find truth in anything?
And what happens to us then?
And... stop! Time's up.
87 words, 1 mistake, total score 85.
Miss Bronson is
currently in first place.
85!
And our final two contestants:
Constable George Crabtree,
then Miss Louise Cherry.
Constable.
Ready?
Begin!
And... stop! Time's up.
Miss Cherry is the winner
with 88 words per minute.
- Thank you!
- Well done.
Well done. Well done.
Yes, well, I knew I was going to win.
Second place. That's
nothing to sneeze at, George.
I dearly would have
liked to beat her, sir.
I'm sure you're not the first
person to say that, George.
- Julia!
- I'm joking.
Excuse me.
- You did your best, George.
- I did.
The thing is there's a
big difference between
doing your best and being the best.
I wanted to let you
know I read your book.
You did?
I was wondering if you'd
like me to review it.
I do have a considerable readership.
That would be wonderful.
As long as you don't expect
any special favours for it.
Not at all, Detective.
It's just my feeling that good
writing should be recognized.
Walk me out?
Of course.
You didn't say anything.
Oh, I think I said plenty.
Oh, George?
A moment of your time.
And Mr. Clements has agreed your
name will appear on the cover
of all subsequent printings.
Oh... you don't have to do that!
- We do.
- Well, we do.
We wouldn't have a book
without you, George.
Well, in that case,
I'd hazard the two of you
have some real work to do!
"Work"?
To ensure a second printing, sir!
I mean, after all, fingermarks?
In retrospect, that may not have been...
Not exactly the most riveting spectacle.
Perhaps you could coach us, George?
Yes. Yes, perhaps I could.
What you need is something a few of us
in the industry call razzle-dazzle.
If you're going to
demonstrate something,
demonstrate something exciting!
Like the Truthizer, sir!
Or your Capacitor gun.
You could zap somebody right on stage!
And Doctor, perhaps you could...
x-ray members of the audience
or show how common household items
can be combined to make deadly poisons,
- or kill a rat or something!
- Oh.
As far as passages from the book goes,
perhaps we should hire
an actor to read it!
After all, I don't think anybody
really wants to hear from the writer.