Murdoch Mysteries (2008–…): Season 16, Episode 17 - Ballad of Gentleman Jones - full transcript
Watts and Crabtree ride the rails to catch a killer.
- What are you staring at?
- I'm looking for one
of our hobo brothers.
His name is richmond smithers?
- That's not a hobo's name.
- I don't know his moniker,
Just that richmond's
missing his left eye.
- Don't go round staring
at people while they sleep!
- Can you help me?
- I don't want to.
- If I help you,
What's in it for me?
- You'd be helping richmond
smithers get an inheritance.
- Well, there's a hobo
in camp named trader.
Patch on his eye.
Wasn't at the farm today.
- Really?
Do you know where he was?
- Didn't eat at chow.
I asked why he wasn't hungry.
He said he'd found
a ghost in his pocket.
- Aha.
Wh-what does that mean?
- I don't know.
Looked spooked, though.
Just walked off; that's
the last I saw of him.
- Where was he headed?
- Round that way, around the
old storehouse down the way.
- Uh-huh.
Oh god.
- Single gunshot
wound to the chest.
He likely died quickly.
- Any idea around
what time he was killed?
- No rigor has set in.
The body is cold,
but this is a cold place.
Best guess would
be earlier today.
I'll take him to the morgue
and provide a full report.
- Thank you, miss hart.
sir?
- Say nothing, detective.
- He made me cuff him.
- I didn't do anything and
you're not gonna pin this on me!
Uncuff me!
- All right.
- No, no, no, no, no.
- You have succeeded
in confusing me.
- Take me in so we can talk.
- Take him in, henry.
- Yes, sir. Come along!
- Apologies for the
arrest rigmarole.
I couldn't bear those hoboes
thinking I was a fly cop.
- Fly cop?
- It's what they call an
undercover policeman.
- Oh, you... You were
hired to find this man?
- Yes.
Richmond smithers,
But he was going
by the name trader.
His aunt died, left
him a bit of land.
The man taking care of her
estate hired a few investigators
To seek him out in places
where he might have traveled.
I suppose I was the lucky one.
- I see.
Could this inheritance be
the reason he was killed?
- Uh, don't believe
it was of much value.
And he had no idea it was coming.
- Hm.
Can you tell me anything
else about his death?
- I cannot.
It's not how I expected
the case to conclude,
But my work seems
to be at an end.
I wish you luck.
Oh! There was one other thing.
- Yes?
- One of trader's companions
said he was spooked this morning.
- By what?
- Apparently, he said he
found a ghost in his pocket.
- But there wasn't anything
in his pockets except for this.
- Hm.
How curious.
- Perhaps this is his ghost?
- It's remarkable workmanship.
How much do you want for it?
- Uh, that's
evidence, mr. Huxley.
- What can you tell us about it?
- Well, not so much.
My customers are mostly interested
in ancient and international coins.
We don't see many
of these hobo coins.
- Hobo coins?
- Yes, they trade them for hot
meals, sometimes for money.
I have a few here.
- Oh!
They deface
perfectly good coins?
Why not simply use
them as currency?
- It's an art form, I suppose.
They like them, anyway.
A nice one is worth more
than the nickel it's made from.
- How much?
- Well, these ones are
all less than a dollar,
But yours could be worth more.
It's rather exquisite.
- How do they
carve them exactly?
- Oh, with, uh, nails,
pocketknives, files.
- Really? So...
If they carve them
in their hands,
Would they not sometimes
slip and cut themselves?
- All the time, I imagine.
- Right. Uh...
One last question:
Are these ever
referred to as ghosts?
- Ghosts?
No, sir.
Can't say I've ever
heard such a thing.
- There's a certain
romance to the hobo life.
- Oh, is that right?
- No paperwork.
Hard labour by day,
The company of friends
at night, a canopy of stars.
- Julia ogden, as
long as I've known you,
You have preferred the canopy
of a feather bed in a fine hotel.
- Well, yes.
Well, the accommodations
may not be ideal, but...
- Soot, campfires, the smell
of smoke in your clothes.
The cold.
- Yes, but the freedom,
The total freedom of
living life on the rails,
Would be quite the compensation.
Planning nothing,
answering to no one.
see?
- We could
continue to live here,
In this comfortable shelter,
And simply get rid of the phone.
Detective murdoch.
Yes.
Yes, all right.
I'll be right there.
- The body's just this way, sir,
and the woman who found him.
There were some hoboes gathered
around when I got here but they scattered.
- And who is the woman?
- Gert dotson, sir.
She's a waitress at
arlo's place, a tavern.
- Detective murdoch.
Mrs...?
- Miss. Dotson.
Gert dotson.
- Um, how did you
come to find the victim?
- Ferny.
That's what all
the fellows call him.
I was coming back to the tavern
from the bakery when I found him.
Everyone knows the
hoboes come here.
- And why do they come here?
- I feed them.
Been doing it for years.
Anything that might get
thrown out from the tavern,
Plus leftovers from
a few other places.
I can't stand waste, not
when some are going hungry.
- Of course.
Did you happen to see this man earlier this evening?
- No.
He must have come here and eaten
and then run into whoever killed him.
- So, he didn't come
inside your tavern earlier...
- Mr. Arlo doesn't abide
having the hoboes inside,
So he has me leave
the food out back.
Really, I'm supposed to be
at work right now, detective.
- Yes, of course.
Thank you, miss dotson.
Uh, henry...
I'd wager the
bullet that killed this man
Will be a match for the
one that killed our first victim.
- What's that, sir?
- Appears to be another ghost.
Henry,
This is the same symbol that we
found carved above trader's body.
- What's it a symbol of?
- I have no idea. Look.
- Another one.
Appears to be an arrow.
Perhaps...
It was to lead someone here?
Constables were
searching all night
And into the morning.
They found over a
dozen of these symbols.
- Do we know what they mean?
- No.
They seem to be a
language of some sort,
A-a sequence of signs
carved into fences, posts,
Leading from the railway camp
To a tavern that
serves people food.
- So it's a code.
Directions to a-a
meal, or what have you,
But only the hoboes
are aware of it.
- Precisely.
Some of the signs are
newer and drawn in chalk.
- And you think those
led the victim to his death?
- Well, sir, I found
one similar to this
At the first crime scene.
It had been carved into a post
just above the victim's body.
- So two men lured to their
deaths with... Whatever this is.
- Both in possession
of the same odd coin
And the bullets that
killed them are a match.
I believe we have a
sequential killer on our hands.
- One who's targeting
these men who ride the rails.
What on earth for?
- Easy to target. No
families to miss them.
- But the killer used these
symbols known only to hoboes.
- Perhaps the
killer's a hobo himself.
- Yes, george.
- So what do we do now?
- We need help.
And I know just
the person to ask.
Thought I might find you here.
- Uh, the city streets
are my true office,
But this is a warmer
place to conduct business.
- Of course.
- Hobo signs.
Their code. Where did
you come across these?
- At both murder scenes.
- There's been a second killing?
- Another hobo.
- The arrow with the circle, well,
it's obvious: Follow the arrow.
And the circle with the line,
that means "turn left here."
But this one...
- The sunrise.
- I see a sunset.
I haven't come across it.
- It was drawn
above both victims.
- If that's so, then your killer
is no interloper like myself.
This man is very familiar
with the patterns of stiffs.
- Of what?
- Stiffs. Bindlestiffs.
It's another term for hobo.
Though I loath to admit it,
Your killer may
be a hobo himself.
- Oh.
- And, uh, your hobo
name... What is it?
- Oh, we say moniker in
the life. Mine was curly.
- Hm.
- And that's the only
name you're known by?
No one has guessed
yet that you're not a hobo?
- Please!
I played my part
perfectly, detective.
- Of course, of course.
So, they likely still believe
that you're one of them.
May even think that...
Henry and I simply tossed
you in jail for a couple of nights.
- I suppose. What
are you getting at?
- Go back to their camp, watts.
Live among the hoboes,
learn what you can.
- While there is
a killer at large,
Murdering hoboes
at a rapid pace,
You wish for me to don the guise
of one of his potential victims?
- If you don't, more may die.
- I'm not a copper anymore.
I'm a private detective
with a full case load.
I must refuse.
- Watts, we are at
a dead end here.
No one will speak to us.
All we have for clues are
these symbols and coins.
If not you,
Then I'll be forced to send
someone else in undercover,
Someone without your expertise.
- Yes and I wish
him the best of luck.
- I don't like this plan.
- I don't either, sir,
But if we do nothing we could
be allowing a killer to strike again.
- One of my men in
unnecessary danger.
- Necessary danger.
This killer must be stopped.
If we are diligent, we
can minimize the risk.
- Oh my god.
He looks like a
lamb to the slaughter.
- A pillow, george?
- Yes, sir. I need my
own pillow to sleep.
And who's to say hoboes
don't travel with pillows?
I'm sure some of them do.
- I won't allow this. You'll
be in too much danger.
he's right.
Pillow aside,
The knees of your
trousers are unworn,
Your boots look like they
were shined this morning,
Your hat looks like it was
purchased five minutes ago.
- My hat was purchased
five minutes ago.
- Oh, and george, your hand...
Your hands, george,
they're smooth as a baby's.
- Don't bite.
- I thought you were dead set
against helping our investigation, watts?
- No, I realized the someone
else who you'd send in
To pose as a hobo would
likely be henry or george.
Henry is already known to some of
the hoboes from his arrest of yours truly,
Meaning george
would be sent, alone,
Into a world he is not
equipped to navigate.
- So you'll do it?
- Yes.
- Oh, thank goodness.
Watts, I was not
looking forward to it.
- I'm not about to
go in alone, george.
There's a hobo killer out there.
- Good thinking.
Two will be safer than one.
- Ooh!
- Have you seen all these men?
- Hm. Three or
four are new to me.
These chaps are
nothing if not nomadic.
- Watts...
- It's curly.
We may be in the
company of a murderer.
You slip up at the
wrong moment, george...
In fact, you need a moniker.
- Slick. Try calling me slick.
- An interesting choice.
- I quite like it.
- 'course you do. You're
the one who chose it.
Now, follow my lead.
I have an idea of how we can ask our
new compatriots what this symbol means
Without arousing suspicion.
This
one's easy enough.
It means bread.
- Doesn't look much like bread.
- Oh, well, train your eye, man.
This one... See, a table...
Means sit down feed.
- Boy, you don't draw too good.
I...
Better with chalk, or a knife.
- Cops pinched you, curly.
Didn't think I would
see you again.
- They had nothing on me,
so they couldn't hold me.
I'd never laid eyes on trader until
he was already dead, poor fellow.
- Coppers don't need much of
an excuse to put a man in jail.
- Most of the ones I've met
are actually quite reasonable.
- Well, that's because slick
here is new to life on the rails.
I'm showing him the ropes, starting
with this little lesson on the code.
- Slick, huh?
You choose that name yourself?
- Yes.
- It's wrong.
You're no slick.
Scarecrow. It's
the name for you.
- Scarecrow?
- Mm.
- I'm pasty, scarecrow.
This here's hitch.
And there's mutt,
over there's sleepy joe.
- You'll meet everyone if
you stick around long enough.
- Now, this sign...
"you can sleep in the loft."
- Huh.
- And this one here means...
"get out fast."
- Say, scarecrow,
I'd get out of this
life fast if I were you.
You're city-soft,
Too old to be getting started.
- I'm sure plenty of chaps have
picked up the hobo life at my age.
- Mm, no.
You are looking
a little soft, though.
- Hm.
- But, then again,
Gentleman jones was
as rich as they come
And he turned
out to be a legend.
Toronto boy, too.
I actually know a
song about him...
- Done gabbing, boys.
Work wagon'll be
here in five minutes.
- Wait, uh, do you fellows
know the meaning of this sign?
- Where'd you see that?
- Can't quite remember.
- Some codes only pop up
in little corners of the world.
Might mean something to
a hobo riding down south
Or one coming up north,
But in my ten years
of beating trains,
Never seen this one.
- Look, you're going to
have to come back later.
- No, look, I don't have time for
this. Now please be on your way.
Sir, get out of the road
Or I'll haul you in for
public drunkenness. Ooh!
Oh, now you're
absolutely being arrested.
Come here!
- Oh, god!
Give it a rest, pasty.
We're tired. We
just want to eat.
- Just a little tune while the
crumb boss gets dinner together.
I promise, you'll love this
one, boys. I promise you.
- Crumb boss
means the camp cook.
- Yes, I guessed as much.
- Sounds like pigeons in combat.
- He's no caruso,
but the tune's not bad.
- Pasty's still a suspect.
- Cut it out!
- He did know where trader
went off to be murdered;
Perhaps he did it himself.
Eh, eh?
- You weren't listening
to me at all, were you?
- I'm looking at his hands.
Look at his scars.
Those are the kind of cuts a
hobo could get from carving coins.
He could be our man.
- If pasty put those ghost coins in the
pockets of our victims, that could be.
- Another dead
man, another coin.
- Yes, sir. A lachlan
murphy, a carpenter.
- Opened his own small
concern about two years ago;
Mostly worked in the
west end of toronto.
- So, is it the same killer?
- Well, sir, the bullet we
recovered from his body
Is a match for the other two bullets
recovered from the two deceased hoboes.
- Why would our killer switch
from hoboes to carpenters?
- There has to be
some connection.
- Sirs.
- Henry, were you able to track
down mr. Murphy's employees?
- I was. They said mr. Murphy went into his
apron for a ruler, came out with that coin.
He stared at it, went
pale and then left.
- Went pale.
As if he'd seen a ghost.
bloody hell.
- We liked your song, pasty.
- The other stiffs
are tone-deaf.
- Couldn't help seeing
your hands, pasty.
Make it hard to play?
- The scars?
- Mm.
- No.
- They look nasty.
How d'you get 'em?
- You have hobo coins?
- I don't just have
them, I make 'em.
- Scarecrow was first attracted to
the life of a hobo as a collector of those.
- Still have yours, scarecrow?
- I've got one prized piece.
- Where did you get this?
- Just picked it up.
- No one drops a thing of
beauty like this, all this detail.
I need it.
- Well, scarecrow's
quite attached to it.
- Okay, how about a trade?
You know that symbol
you was asking about?
- The sunset?
- It's no sunset.
It's a tombstone.
Means there's a long, quiet
sleep to be had in a place.
- Why didn't you tell
us about that before?
- One of the others
told me after you left.
- Which one?
- Mutt, hitch, one of them.
They use it all the
time down in nebraska.
- Nebraska.
- Well, thank you for that.
- Thank you?
Gimme the coin.
This was a trade.
- I didn't agree to any trade.
- Pasty, you know there
was no trade, don't you?
- Good gracious.
Why do you think he
wanted that coin so bad?
- Because he made it,
perhaps. I don't know.
Just now I'm thinking
about nebraska.
- Why?
- Nebraska is where trader,
the first victim, grew up.
Whoever knew that
sign was from nebraska
And taught it to pasty
has a piece of this puzzle.
- Unless pasty didn't just
learn it from someone else.
- What?
- Maybe he's lying to us.
- Maybe he knew what that meant all along.
- Right.
- He's clearly got
a bit of a temper
And an ugly way
of driving a bargain.
- Whether it was pasty or one of the
other hoboes who knew that symbol,
That person could be our killer.
- So this latest victim
was writing his memoirs?
- Mr. Murphy worked as a carpenter
here in toronto for the past ten years,
But before that, traveled
the land as a hobo.
This is a record
of his adventures.
- So, there's your connection.
Why did he decide
to settle down?
- Mr. Murphy
didn't write that far.
But he did insert this article
at the back of the book.
- "the death of
gentleman jones."
- A hero in the hobo community.
Wallace jones was his real name,
From right here in toronto.
- Hm.
- Turned his back
on the family fortune
In favour of a
life on the rails.
- Now that's romantic, william.
- Fell to his death out of a railcar
going through nebraska ten years ago.
- Must you spoil everything?
- Well, I'm sorry,
but it's the truth, julia.
- So you say this carpenter
moved to toronto ten years ago?
- Yes.
- Around the same time that
gentleman jones met his end.
- Perhaps he knew the man,
Or also read of mr. Jones'
accident in the newspaper.
In any case, he decided
on a more secure life.
oh!
Uh. Ha!
When she starts to walk, I don't
know what we're going to do.
- There's always the tether.
- We are not putting our
child on a leash, william.
oh.
- Oh...?
- What is it?
- This photograph of jones.
And look at this coin.
That's him.
- Pasty might be our coin maker,
which might make him our killer.
- We should talk to the other
men about pasty in the morning,
Find out everything we can.
- You're right.
But we must be more
vigilant than ever.
- We'll sleep in shifts.
- Agreed.
- I can't doze off
out here, anyway.
- I'll take first watch.
- All right.
- Hey, hey, get off me!
Watts! Curly! It's him.
- You were going to plant
this on me and then plug me.
Aaah!
Get off of me!
These two ain't hoboes,
they're hobo killers!
- Wait a minute!
He's still got the gun!
- And we still have to get him.
- Well, we've
hopped our first train.
- The wrong car
of our first train.
- Well, hitch has
to be our killer.
The bullets from the victims
will match that gun of his.
- Oh, we can't get to his
car until the train stops.
He may be waiting for us.
With his gun.
- Uh, watts...
We're not alone.
- Pasty, my friend and I
came here to help you.
- Doesn't seem that way.
- You're in danger. We all are.
- Who's to say you two aren't
the one killing our kind, huh?
- We're here to find the killer.
Hitch killed ferny
and trader, not us.
I've
known hitch five years.
Never known him to kill anybody.
- No hobo around here has
ever seen you two before.
- Did you know that
hitch carried a gun?
Perhaps the same kind of gun
used to murder your friends?
No.
- So, what do you want to do
now? Throw us off the train?
- Uh, gentlemen don't want
or need suggestions, george.
Please.
- There's no stop here.
The bulls are coming.
- Bulls?
What, like the animals?
- No, george, not the animals.
- This all could have been his.
Gentleman jones was the
eldest brother, you know.
No, thank you.
- You don't refer
to him as wallace?
- No, he preferred to
leave his old name behind.
He only came through toronto
a few times after first leaving.
He loved the wandering life.
I-I still miss him.
- Does this symbol
mean anything to you?
- It looks like a
sunrise to me. Why?
- Hm. No matter.
Mr. Jones, uh...
Did your brother have
any secrets before he died?
Was he hiding
anything? - No.
Gentleman jones
was an open book.
Although not everyone believes
that his death was an accident.
- How do you mean?
- Well, it's hard to believe
that he simply fell off a train
After 20 years
of life on the rails.
The papers believed it.
I wanted to.
- But his hobo friends didn't.
- No.
Well, one in
particular, at least.
The gent's partner.
He told me that my
brother had been murdered.
- He had a partner?
- My brother told me about him.
Called him "the kid,"
Said that they traveled
most places together,
That he was never lonely.
- So this partner wasn't
with him when he died?
- No, he-he wrote to me.
Said that they had parted
ways for a couple of weeks
And that's when my
brother was killed.
- Oh.
Do you have any idea what might
have motivated someone to murder him?
- Well, there was a rumour
That he traveled with cash
Stitched to the
inside of his coat.
And the kid told me that
the coat had been slit open
When the body was found.
- You didn't see the body.
- Not the clothes.
He's buried in the family plot.
I had him brought up from
nebraska in a fresh suit.
- Hm.
- Did this kid mention
anything else about the murder?
The way the kid put it,
They came up to him while
he was sleeping on the train,
And cut his coat open and
when they couldn't find anything,
They threw him off
like he was nothing.
- Did he happen to say
who "they" might be?
- Said that there were
four men that did it.
That he didn't know their names
But when he did,
he'd do the right thing.
- Meaning he would seek revenge.
- Has anyone been
killed, detective?
- I'm sorry to say
that they have, yes.
Three men.
- It's a terrible thing.
It's the last thing my
brother would have wanted.
- Ooh! Uh!
- Stealing a ride
in broad daylight.
Put the foot splitters down!
Let's have a fair fight.
- Now why would
we want a fair fight?
- Now listen, listen!
- Aaaah!
- Watts, we've gotta
get up to hitch's car!
- Going too fast
to jump, scarecrow.
- We'll have to wait until
the next stop, george.
Gentlemen, are we...?
Anyone who will deck
a railway bull is a friend,
As far as I'm concerned.
- Oh.
- Three dead men.
If what owen jones
says is correct,
Four men participated in the
murder of gentleman jones,
Meaning there's still
potentially one victim out there.
- And if he is correct,
Each of these victims
could be a murderer himself.
- Yes, well, sir, their guilt or
innocence is hardly the point at this time.
We need to stop
whoever's doing this.
- This hobo partner that
gentleman jones had,
You think he's our killer?
- Yes.
He went by "the kid."
But there's no saying
he still does now.
- Well, ten years is long enough
to be a kid no longer, murdoch.
We need to tell crabtree and watts.
- Hm.
Let's hope they've discovered
something to help us solve this case
Before there's a fourth victim.
get out.
- Watts, are you all right?
- All right.
- Should we try
to surprise hitch?
- Either he suspects we hopped
the train and is lying in wait,
Or he'll be so startled
he'll start shooting.
A surprise is a bad idea.
- Right.
Hitch?
Don't make things
worse for yourself!
We mean you no harm,
so... Don't shoot us.
We just want to talk.
And don't...
Shoot us.
Hitch?
Hitch?
My god, he's dead.
Hitch and another
hobo, sleepy joe,
Got on the train car together.
- And yet sleepy joe was nowhere
to be seen when we found the body.
- You suspect he's the killer?
- He killed hitch
when he boarded,
Placed another coin on him
And escaped while we were
fighting off the railroad bulls.
George and I thought
we were chasing the killer,
But we were chasing the victim.
- His last victim, according
to what you said, sir.
So...
Sleepy joe and the kid,
Uh, the noble hobo
gentleman jones's partner...
Could be one and the same.
If I'm right,
The kid grew up, as it
were, to become sleepy joe.
- And by now sleepy joe could
be halfway to florida on a train.
- Sir, why did you call
gentleman jones a noble hobo?
- He was referred to as such
in the article about his death.
- Noble hobo rings a bell.
- Oof. I've made quite a
muddle of this, detective.
I'm not sure the constabulary
made a very good choice
In their selection of
a private detective.
- Nonsense, watts.
You didn't have enough
information, or time.
When sleepy joe
saw you with that coin,
He knew that we were closing in.
He needed to
finish his killer's task
And leave town that very night.
- The song!
- What?
- Ah, pasty's song!
That was about a "noble hobo,
toronto-born!" weren't you listening?
- I was doing everything
in my power not to.
- I wonder if I can
remember some of the words.
It went something like, uh...
Had no feather bed, just
a blanket made of stars,
And he...
- Why does it matter?
- The song could be about jones.
- His faithful kid,
broken-hearted...
Went off to the something,
something, something...
To stay by his
grave, forevermore
And that's the
something of something.
- Oh, my goodness, george, that's
about the killing of gentleman jones and...
- The kid!
- Well, unless it's just a song.
- No, no, no!
- George, the gent's brother
Had his body transported back here
to toronto for burial, which means...
- If the kid - sleepy joe -
wanted to be "close to his grave,"
He wouldn't hitch out of town
even with his task finished.
- He'd have stayed in toronto.
- When did gentleman jones die?
- Ten years ago.
- Then our man may have lived here ever since,
possibly not riding the rails much at all.
- Perhaps he's been
living on the streets?
Or has re-entered society,
much like the late mr. Murphy.
- But still with a strong
connection to the hobo world.
- How do you figure?
- Otherwise, how would he know
His intended victims
were in toronto?
Aside from the carpenter, they
were all just passing through.
- In any case, our
killer, sleepy joe,
Could still be here in toronto,
Which means we have the
opportunity to capture him.
- How on earth will we find him?
- We draw him out
Using the one thing
we know he wants.
revenge.
If we can get word out that the kid's
vengeance is incomplete, we can trap him.
Yes.
How do you propose we do that?
- With help.
Pasty, pasty!
I've a proposal for you.
If it's about anything but a
feather bed or a hot drink,
I'm too tired to be interested.
Mm!
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
This is downright delicious.
Where's the wine?
- We need you to be
alert for this, mr. Pasty.
- We must bring
this killer to justice.
For that, we'll need you.
- Hm.
I don't help coppers.
- You would be helping hoboes.
Letting people know that they
can't simply kill you with impunity.
- We just want you
to spread a rumour:
That hitch survived the
shooting and is laid up in a clinic.
- Hitch is alive?
- What? Oh, no.
No, I'm sorry, pasty,
hitch is indeed dead.
- We're asking you
to spread a falsehood.
- No visitors at the
clinic allowed, you'll say,
But if anyone wants to
smuggle hitch a bottle of hooch,
Leave it on the step at night.
There are code signs leading
from camp to the door of the clinic.
- What's the angle?
- If the killer believes
hitch is still alive, then...
- The killer will come back to
finish the job and we'll be waiting.
- It's a sign for "free doctor."
- Free doctor. Right then.
- Wait, uh, face goes
on the other side.
- What?
- You're holding it upside down.
- Well, you passed
it to me upside down.
I hope this works.
It's our only chance.
Do you really think the
face should be smiling?
- Oh, for pete...
No, I suppose not.
- Mm.
- Good enough?
- Good enough.
- Sir, do you think
word has gotten out?
- If I'm not mistaken, george, those
clinking sounds were offerings of alcohol
From other members
of the hobo community.
Word has gotten out.
- Did you...?
- Grab him, george!
- Aaah! Oh, my goodness.
Oh, gracious, I'm sorry, miss!
- Miss dotson, what
are you doing here?
- I should ask you what you think
you're doing, manhandling me like that!
And you!
Wearing hitch's hat
like some sort of ghoul!
You ought to be ashamed.
- To repeat the detective's question,
miss dotson: What brings you here?
- Well, I-I was bringing
some food to the men
And they said hitch
was laid up here,
So I simply wanted to give
him my best and these vittles.
- Uh, that's-that's
still edible.
- Uh, miss dotson, your hands?
- Did you get those scars as a
tavern waitress, miss dotson?
- Or carving hobo coins?
- Back away. Not you.
You... Stand in front of me.
Come on.
Back up, keep that gun
pressed right in your spine.
- It's you.
You're sleepy joe, aren't you?
- These two ain't hoboes,
they're hobo killers!
- You followed hitch and you killed him.
- Shut up.
- Miss dotson, this
is a police constable.
He had nothing to do
with your partner's death.
- My husband.
We might not have
been married in a church,
But gentleman jones
was my husband.
And I know he wouldn't
want me looking for revenge,
So I did my best all these years
to forget what those men did to him.
- Yes, and stop this.
Don't make it worse.
- I did what he'd
want for years.
I stayed close to his grave
so he'd never get lonely.
And I-I fed every hobo
that ever came asking.
Now back up.
You two keep still!
They killed him for
nothing, you know.
Those men cut open his
coat and found not a cent.
And then they had the
gall to come into my town,
Into his town!?
Was too much.
aah!
- You all right, george?
- Yes.
- I'm not going to die
in one of your prisons!
- Well, least you'll have a warm
place to sleep for the next while.
- Does the owner keep this
booth for you every day, then?
- Oh, certainly not.
I don't even think he
likes me very much,
Though I surely pay my table's
rent in coffee and sandwiches.
- Must be nice, though, watts,
Not to be tied to the
station house every day.
- Has your flirtation
with hobo life
Caused you to consider
early retirement, george?
- No, no.
I prefer to sleep under
my own roof with effie,
But it must feel good to
have that sense of freedom.
- What feels good is this.
- How so?
- George, I've been blown
about like a leaf by my doubts,
My travels and my
heart these past years.
It feels, I must say,
Quite wonderful
to be right here.
- In the diner?
- In toronto.
- Oh, well. Yeah.
- With you.
And everyone else.
In a place that I can call home.
- Oh, I long to
travel again, william.
With my husband. Do
you think we ever will?
- I do.
- Well, I didn't mean
at this very moment.
- In the meantime...
- Oh, my.
Is that us?
- It certainly is.
That's a tiny, little dr. Ogden
And susannah and a tiny me.
- You're very tall.
- It's all I could find.
Our days of exploring the world
are not over, julia.
They've just been delayed.
- Oh!
- I'm looking for one
of our hobo brothers.
His name is richmond smithers?
- That's not a hobo's name.
- I don't know his moniker,
Just that richmond's
missing his left eye.
- Don't go round staring
at people while they sleep!
- Can you help me?
- I don't want to.
- If I help you,
What's in it for me?
- You'd be helping richmond
smithers get an inheritance.
- Well, there's a hobo
in camp named trader.
Patch on his eye.
Wasn't at the farm today.
- Really?
Do you know where he was?
- Didn't eat at chow.
I asked why he wasn't hungry.
He said he'd found
a ghost in his pocket.
- Aha.
Wh-what does that mean?
- I don't know.
Looked spooked, though.
Just walked off; that's
the last I saw of him.
- Where was he headed?
- Round that way, around the
old storehouse down the way.
- Uh-huh.
Oh god.
- Single gunshot
wound to the chest.
He likely died quickly.
- Any idea around
what time he was killed?
- No rigor has set in.
The body is cold,
but this is a cold place.
Best guess would
be earlier today.
I'll take him to the morgue
and provide a full report.
- Thank you, miss hart.
sir?
- Say nothing, detective.
- He made me cuff him.
- I didn't do anything and
you're not gonna pin this on me!
Uncuff me!
- All right.
- No, no, no, no, no.
- You have succeeded
in confusing me.
- Take me in so we can talk.
- Take him in, henry.
- Yes, sir. Come along!
- Apologies for the
arrest rigmarole.
I couldn't bear those hoboes
thinking I was a fly cop.
- Fly cop?
- It's what they call an
undercover policeman.
- Oh, you... You were
hired to find this man?
- Yes.
Richmond smithers,
But he was going
by the name trader.
His aunt died, left
him a bit of land.
The man taking care of her
estate hired a few investigators
To seek him out in places
where he might have traveled.
I suppose I was the lucky one.
- I see.
Could this inheritance be
the reason he was killed?
- Uh, don't believe
it was of much value.
And he had no idea it was coming.
- Hm.
Can you tell me anything
else about his death?
- I cannot.
It's not how I expected
the case to conclude,
But my work seems
to be at an end.
I wish you luck.
Oh! There was one other thing.
- Yes?
- One of trader's companions
said he was spooked this morning.
- By what?
- Apparently, he said he
found a ghost in his pocket.
- But there wasn't anything
in his pockets except for this.
- Hm.
How curious.
- Perhaps this is his ghost?
- It's remarkable workmanship.
How much do you want for it?
- Uh, that's
evidence, mr. Huxley.
- What can you tell us about it?
- Well, not so much.
My customers are mostly interested
in ancient and international coins.
We don't see many
of these hobo coins.
- Hobo coins?
- Yes, they trade them for hot
meals, sometimes for money.
I have a few here.
- Oh!
They deface
perfectly good coins?
Why not simply use
them as currency?
- It's an art form, I suppose.
They like them, anyway.
A nice one is worth more
than the nickel it's made from.
- How much?
- Well, these ones are
all less than a dollar,
But yours could be worth more.
It's rather exquisite.
- How do they
carve them exactly?
- Oh, with, uh, nails,
pocketknives, files.
- Really? So...
If they carve them
in their hands,
Would they not sometimes
slip and cut themselves?
- All the time, I imagine.
- Right. Uh...
One last question:
Are these ever
referred to as ghosts?
- Ghosts?
No, sir.
Can't say I've ever
heard such a thing.
- There's a certain
romance to the hobo life.
- Oh, is that right?
- No paperwork.
Hard labour by day,
The company of friends
at night, a canopy of stars.
- Julia ogden, as
long as I've known you,
You have preferred the canopy
of a feather bed in a fine hotel.
- Well, yes.
Well, the accommodations
may not be ideal, but...
- Soot, campfires, the smell
of smoke in your clothes.
The cold.
- Yes, but the freedom,
The total freedom of
living life on the rails,
Would be quite the compensation.
Planning nothing,
answering to no one.
see?
- We could
continue to live here,
In this comfortable shelter,
And simply get rid of the phone.
Detective murdoch.
Yes.
Yes, all right.
I'll be right there.
- The body's just this way, sir,
and the woman who found him.
There were some hoboes gathered
around when I got here but they scattered.
- And who is the woman?
- Gert dotson, sir.
She's a waitress at
arlo's place, a tavern.
- Detective murdoch.
Mrs...?
- Miss. Dotson.
Gert dotson.
- Um, how did you
come to find the victim?
- Ferny.
That's what all
the fellows call him.
I was coming back to the tavern
from the bakery when I found him.
Everyone knows the
hoboes come here.
- And why do they come here?
- I feed them.
Been doing it for years.
Anything that might get
thrown out from the tavern,
Plus leftovers from
a few other places.
I can't stand waste, not
when some are going hungry.
- Of course.
Did you happen to see this man earlier this evening?
- No.
He must have come here and eaten
and then run into whoever killed him.
- So, he didn't come
inside your tavern earlier...
- Mr. Arlo doesn't abide
having the hoboes inside,
So he has me leave
the food out back.
Really, I'm supposed to be
at work right now, detective.
- Yes, of course.
Thank you, miss dotson.
Uh, henry...
I'd wager the
bullet that killed this man
Will be a match for the
one that killed our first victim.
- What's that, sir?
- Appears to be another ghost.
Henry,
This is the same symbol that we
found carved above trader's body.
- What's it a symbol of?
- I have no idea. Look.
- Another one.
Appears to be an arrow.
Perhaps...
It was to lead someone here?
Constables were
searching all night
And into the morning.
They found over a
dozen of these symbols.
- Do we know what they mean?
- No.
They seem to be a
language of some sort,
A-a sequence of signs
carved into fences, posts,
Leading from the railway camp
To a tavern that
serves people food.
- So it's a code.
Directions to a-a
meal, or what have you,
But only the hoboes
are aware of it.
- Precisely.
Some of the signs are
newer and drawn in chalk.
- And you think those
led the victim to his death?
- Well, sir, I found
one similar to this
At the first crime scene.
It had been carved into a post
just above the victim's body.
- So two men lured to their
deaths with... Whatever this is.
- Both in possession
of the same odd coin
And the bullets that
killed them are a match.
I believe we have a
sequential killer on our hands.
- One who's targeting
these men who ride the rails.
What on earth for?
- Easy to target. No
families to miss them.
- But the killer used these
symbols known only to hoboes.
- Perhaps the
killer's a hobo himself.
- Yes, george.
- So what do we do now?
- We need help.
And I know just
the person to ask.
Thought I might find you here.
- Uh, the city streets
are my true office,
But this is a warmer
place to conduct business.
- Of course.
- Hobo signs.
Their code. Where did
you come across these?
- At both murder scenes.
- There's been a second killing?
- Another hobo.
- The arrow with the circle, well,
it's obvious: Follow the arrow.
And the circle with the line,
that means "turn left here."
But this one...
- The sunrise.
- I see a sunset.
I haven't come across it.
- It was drawn
above both victims.
- If that's so, then your killer
is no interloper like myself.
This man is very familiar
with the patterns of stiffs.
- Of what?
- Stiffs. Bindlestiffs.
It's another term for hobo.
Though I loath to admit it,
Your killer may
be a hobo himself.
- Oh.
- And, uh, your hobo
name... What is it?
- Oh, we say moniker in
the life. Mine was curly.
- Hm.
- And that's the only
name you're known by?
No one has guessed
yet that you're not a hobo?
- Please!
I played my part
perfectly, detective.
- Of course, of course.
So, they likely still believe
that you're one of them.
May even think that...
Henry and I simply tossed
you in jail for a couple of nights.
- I suppose. What
are you getting at?
- Go back to their camp, watts.
Live among the hoboes,
learn what you can.
- While there is
a killer at large,
Murdering hoboes
at a rapid pace,
You wish for me to don the guise
of one of his potential victims?
- If you don't, more may die.
- I'm not a copper anymore.
I'm a private detective
with a full case load.
I must refuse.
- Watts, we are at
a dead end here.
No one will speak to us.
All we have for clues are
these symbols and coins.
If not you,
Then I'll be forced to send
someone else in undercover,
Someone without your expertise.
- Yes and I wish
him the best of luck.
- I don't like this plan.
- I don't either, sir,
But if we do nothing we could
be allowing a killer to strike again.
- One of my men in
unnecessary danger.
- Necessary danger.
This killer must be stopped.
If we are diligent, we
can minimize the risk.
- Oh my god.
He looks like a
lamb to the slaughter.
- A pillow, george?
- Yes, sir. I need my
own pillow to sleep.
And who's to say hoboes
don't travel with pillows?
I'm sure some of them do.
- I won't allow this. You'll
be in too much danger.
he's right.
Pillow aside,
The knees of your
trousers are unworn,
Your boots look like they
were shined this morning,
Your hat looks like it was
purchased five minutes ago.
- My hat was purchased
five minutes ago.
- Oh, and george, your hand...
Your hands, george,
they're smooth as a baby's.
- Don't bite.
- I thought you were dead set
against helping our investigation, watts?
- No, I realized the someone
else who you'd send in
To pose as a hobo would
likely be henry or george.
Henry is already known to some of
the hoboes from his arrest of yours truly,
Meaning george
would be sent, alone,
Into a world he is not
equipped to navigate.
- So you'll do it?
- Yes.
- Oh, thank goodness.
Watts, I was not
looking forward to it.
- I'm not about to
go in alone, george.
There's a hobo killer out there.
- Good thinking.
Two will be safer than one.
- Ooh!
- Have you seen all these men?
- Hm. Three or
four are new to me.
These chaps are
nothing if not nomadic.
- Watts...
- It's curly.
We may be in the
company of a murderer.
You slip up at the
wrong moment, george...
In fact, you need a moniker.
- Slick. Try calling me slick.
- An interesting choice.
- I quite like it.
- 'course you do. You're
the one who chose it.
Now, follow my lead.
I have an idea of how we can ask our
new compatriots what this symbol means
Without arousing suspicion.
This
one's easy enough.
It means bread.
- Doesn't look much like bread.
- Oh, well, train your eye, man.
This one... See, a table...
Means sit down feed.
- Boy, you don't draw too good.
I...
Better with chalk, or a knife.
- Cops pinched you, curly.
Didn't think I would
see you again.
- They had nothing on me,
so they couldn't hold me.
I'd never laid eyes on trader until
he was already dead, poor fellow.
- Coppers don't need much of
an excuse to put a man in jail.
- Most of the ones I've met
are actually quite reasonable.
- Well, that's because slick
here is new to life on the rails.
I'm showing him the ropes, starting
with this little lesson on the code.
- Slick, huh?
You choose that name yourself?
- Yes.
- It's wrong.
You're no slick.
Scarecrow. It's
the name for you.
- Scarecrow?
- Mm.
- I'm pasty, scarecrow.
This here's hitch.
And there's mutt,
over there's sleepy joe.
- You'll meet everyone if
you stick around long enough.
- Now, this sign...
"you can sleep in the loft."
- Huh.
- And this one here means...
"get out fast."
- Say, scarecrow,
I'd get out of this
life fast if I were you.
You're city-soft,
Too old to be getting started.
- I'm sure plenty of chaps have
picked up the hobo life at my age.
- Mm, no.
You are looking
a little soft, though.
- Hm.
- But, then again,
Gentleman jones was
as rich as they come
And he turned
out to be a legend.
Toronto boy, too.
I actually know a
song about him...
- Done gabbing, boys.
Work wagon'll be
here in five minutes.
- Wait, uh, do you fellows
know the meaning of this sign?
- Where'd you see that?
- Can't quite remember.
- Some codes only pop up
in little corners of the world.
Might mean something to
a hobo riding down south
Or one coming up north,
But in my ten years
of beating trains,
Never seen this one.
- Look, you're going to
have to come back later.
- No, look, I don't have time for
this. Now please be on your way.
Sir, get out of the road
Or I'll haul you in for
public drunkenness. Ooh!
Oh, now you're
absolutely being arrested.
Come here!
- Oh, god!
Give it a rest, pasty.
We're tired. We
just want to eat.
- Just a little tune while the
crumb boss gets dinner together.
I promise, you'll love this
one, boys. I promise you.
- Crumb boss
means the camp cook.
- Yes, I guessed as much.
- Sounds like pigeons in combat.
- He's no caruso,
but the tune's not bad.
- Pasty's still a suspect.
- Cut it out!
- He did know where trader
went off to be murdered;
Perhaps he did it himself.
Eh, eh?
- You weren't listening
to me at all, were you?
- I'm looking at his hands.
Look at his scars.
Those are the kind of cuts a
hobo could get from carving coins.
He could be our man.
- If pasty put those ghost coins in the
pockets of our victims, that could be.
- Another dead
man, another coin.
- Yes, sir. A lachlan
murphy, a carpenter.
- Opened his own small
concern about two years ago;
Mostly worked in the
west end of toronto.
- So, is it the same killer?
- Well, sir, the bullet we
recovered from his body
Is a match for the other two bullets
recovered from the two deceased hoboes.
- Why would our killer switch
from hoboes to carpenters?
- There has to be
some connection.
- Sirs.
- Henry, were you able to track
down mr. Murphy's employees?
- I was. They said mr. Murphy went into his
apron for a ruler, came out with that coin.
He stared at it, went
pale and then left.
- Went pale.
As if he'd seen a ghost.
bloody hell.
- We liked your song, pasty.
- The other stiffs
are tone-deaf.
- Couldn't help seeing
your hands, pasty.
Make it hard to play?
- The scars?
- Mm.
- No.
- They look nasty.
How d'you get 'em?
- You have hobo coins?
- I don't just have
them, I make 'em.
- Scarecrow was first attracted to
the life of a hobo as a collector of those.
- Still have yours, scarecrow?
- I've got one prized piece.
- Where did you get this?
- Just picked it up.
- No one drops a thing of
beauty like this, all this detail.
I need it.
- Well, scarecrow's
quite attached to it.
- Okay, how about a trade?
You know that symbol
you was asking about?
- The sunset?
- It's no sunset.
It's a tombstone.
Means there's a long, quiet
sleep to be had in a place.
- Why didn't you tell
us about that before?
- One of the others
told me after you left.
- Which one?
- Mutt, hitch, one of them.
They use it all the
time down in nebraska.
- Nebraska.
- Well, thank you for that.
- Thank you?
Gimme the coin.
This was a trade.
- I didn't agree to any trade.
- Pasty, you know there
was no trade, don't you?
- Good gracious.
Why do you think he
wanted that coin so bad?
- Because he made it,
perhaps. I don't know.
Just now I'm thinking
about nebraska.
- Why?
- Nebraska is where trader,
the first victim, grew up.
Whoever knew that
sign was from nebraska
And taught it to pasty
has a piece of this puzzle.
- Unless pasty didn't just
learn it from someone else.
- What?
- Maybe he's lying to us.
- Maybe he knew what that meant all along.
- Right.
- He's clearly got
a bit of a temper
And an ugly way
of driving a bargain.
- Whether it was pasty or one of the
other hoboes who knew that symbol,
That person could be our killer.
- So this latest victim
was writing his memoirs?
- Mr. Murphy worked as a carpenter
here in toronto for the past ten years,
But before that, traveled
the land as a hobo.
This is a record
of his adventures.
- So, there's your connection.
Why did he decide
to settle down?
- Mr. Murphy
didn't write that far.
But he did insert this article
at the back of the book.
- "the death of
gentleman jones."
- A hero in the hobo community.
Wallace jones was his real name,
From right here in toronto.
- Hm.
- Turned his back
on the family fortune
In favour of a
life on the rails.
- Now that's romantic, william.
- Fell to his death out of a railcar
going through nebraska ten years ago.
- Must you spoil everything?
- Well, I'm sorry,
but it's the truth, julia.
- So you say this carpenter
moved to toronto ten years ago?
- Yes.
- Around the same time that
gentleman jones met his end.
- Perhaps he knew the man,
Or also read of mr. Jones'
accident in the newspaper.
In any case, he decided
on a more secure life.
oh!
Uh. Ha!
When she starts to walk, I don't
know what we're going to do.
- There's always the tether.
- We are not putting our
child on a leash, william.
oh.
- Oh...?
- What is it?
- This photograph of jones.
And look at this coin.
That's him.
- Pasty might be our coin maker,
which might make him our killer.
- We should talk to the other
men about pasty in the morning,
Find out everything we can.
- You're right.
But we must be more
vigilant than ever.
- We'll sleep in shifts.
- Agreed.
- I can't doze off
out here, anyway.
- I'll take first watch.
- All right.
- Hey, hey, get off me!
Watts! Curly! It's him.
- You were going to plant
this on me and then plug me.
Aaah!
Get off of me!
These two ain't hoboes,
they're hobo killers!
- Wait a minute!
He's still got the gun!
- And we still have to get him.
- Well, we've
hopped our first train.
- The wrong car
of our first train.
- Well, hitch has
to be our killer.
The bullets from the victims
will match that gun of his.
- Oh, we can't get to his
car until the train stops.
He may be waiting for us.
With his gun.
- Uh, watts...
We're not alone.
- Pasty, my friend and I
came here to help you.
- Doesn't seem that way.
- You're in danger. We all are.
- Who's to say you two aren't
the one killing our kind, huh?
- We're here to find the killer.
Hitch killed ferny
and trader, not us.
I've
known hitch five years.
Never known him to kill anybody.
- No hobo around here has
ever seen you two before.
- Did you know that
hitch carried a gun?
Perhaps the same kind of gun
used to murder your friends?
No.
- So, what do you want to do
now? Throw us off the train?
- Uh, gentlemen don't want
or need suggestions, george.
Please.
- There's no stop here.
The bulls are coming.
- Bulls?
What, like the animals?
- No, george, not the animals.
- This all could have been his.
Gentleman jones was the
eldest brother, you know.
No, thank you.
- You don't refer
to him as wallace?
- No, he preferred to
leave his old name behind.
He only came through toronto
a few times after first leaving.
He loved the wandering life.
I-I still miss him.
- Does this symbol
mean anything to you?
- It looks like a
sunrise to me. Why?
- Hm. No matter.
Mr. Jones, uh...
Did your brother have
any secrets before he died?
Was he hiding
anything? - No.
Gentleman jones
was an open book.
Although not everyone believes
that his death was an accident.
- How do you mean?
- Well, it's hard to believe
that he simply fell off a train
After 20 years
of life on the rails.
The papers believed it.
I wanted to.
- But his hobo friends didn't.
- No.
Well, one in
particular, at least.
The gent's partner.
He told me that my
brother had been murdered.
- He had a partner?
- My brother told me about him.
Called him "the kid,"
Said that they traveled
most places together,
That he was never lonely.
- So this partner wasn't
with him when he died?
- No, he-he wrote to me.
Said that they had parted
ways for a couple of weeks
And that's when my
brother was killed.
- Oh.
Do you have any idea what might
have motivated someone to murder him?
- Well, there was a rumour
That he traveled with cash
Stitched to the
inside of his coat.
And the kid told me that
the coat had been slit open
When the body was found.
- You didn't see the body.
- Not the clothes.
He's buried in the family plot.
I had him brought up from
nebraska in a fresh suit.
- Hm.
- Did this kid mention
anything else about the murder?
The way the kid put it,
They came up to him while
he was sleeping on the train,
And cut his coat open and
when they couldn't find anything,
They threw him off
like he was nothing.
- Did he happen to say
who "they" might be?
- Said that there were
four men that did it.
That he didn't know their names
But when he did,
he'd do the right thing.
- Meaning he would seek revenge.
- Has anyone been
killed, detective?
- I'm sorry to say
that they have, yes.
Three men.
- It's a terrible thing.
It's the last thing my
brother would have wanted.
- Ooh! Uh!
- Stealing a ride
in broad daylight.
Put the foot splitters down!
Let's have a fair fight.
- Now why would
we want a fair fight?
- Now listen, listen!
- Aaaah!
- Watts, we've gotta
get up to hitch's car!
- Going too fast
to jump, scarecrow.
- We'll have to wait until
the next stop, george.
Gentlemen, are we...?
Anyone who will deck
a railway bull is a friend,
As far as I'm concerned.
- Oh.
- Three dead men.
If what owen jones
says is correct,
Four men participated in the
murder of gentleman jones,
Meaning there's still
potentially one victim out there.
- And if he is correct,
Each of these victims
could be a murderer himself.
- Yes, well, sir, their guilt or
innocence is hardly the point at this time.
We need to stop
whoever's doing this.
- This hobo partner that
gentleman jones had,
You think he's our killer?
- Yes.
He went by "the kid."
But there's no saying
he still does now.
- Well, ten years is long enough
to be a kid no longer, murdoch.
We need to tell crabtree and watts.
- Hm.
Let's hope they've discovered
something to help us solve this case
Before there's a fourth victim.
get out.
- Watts, are you all right?
- All right.
- Should we try
to surprise hitch?
- Either he suspects we hopped
the train and is lying in wait,
Or he'll be so startled
he'll start shooting.
A surprise is a bad idea.
- Right.
Hitch?
Don't make things
worse for yourself!
We mean you no harm,
so... Don't shoot us.
We just want to talk.
And don't...
Shoot us.
Hitch?
Hitch?
My god, he's dead.
Hitch and another
hobo, sleepy joe,
Got on the train car together.
- And yet sleepy joe was nowhere
to be seen when we found the body.
- You suspect he's the killer?
- He killed hitch
when he boarded,
Placed another coin on him
And escaped while we were
fighting off the railroad bulls.
George and I thought
we were chasing the killer,
But we were chasing the victim.
- His last victim, according
to what you said, sir.
So...
Sleepy joe and the kid,
Uh, the noble hobo
gentleman jones's partner...
Could be one and the same.
If I'm right,
The kid grew up, as it
were, to become sleepy joe.
- And by now sleepy joe could
be halfway to florida on a train.
- Sir, why did you call
gentleman jones a noble hobo?
- He was referred to as such
in the article about his death.
- Noble hobo rings a bell.
- Oof. I've made quite a
muddle of this, detective.
I'm not sure the constabulary
made a very good choice
In their selection of
a private detective.
- Nonsense, watts.
You didn't have enough
information, or time.
When sleepy joe
saw you with that coin,
He knew that we were closing in.
He needed to
finish his killer's task
And leave town that very night.
- The song!
- What?
- Ah, pasty's song!
That was about a "noble hobo,
toronto-born!" weren't you listening?
- I was doing everything
in my power not to.
- I wonder if I can
remember some of the words.
It went something like, uh...
Had no feather bed, just
a blanket made of stars,
And he...
- Why does it matter?
- The song could be about jones.
- His faithful kid,
broken-hearted...
Went off to the something,
something, something...
To stay by his
grave, forevermore
And that's the
something of something.
- Oh, my goodness, george, that's
about the killing of gentleman jones and...
- The kid!
- Well, unless it's just a song.
- No, no, no!
- George, the gent's brother
Had his body transported back here
to toronto for burial, which means...
- If the kid - sleepy joe -
wanted to be "close to his grave,"
He wouldn't hitch out of town
even with his task finished.
- He'd have stayed in toronto.
- When did gentleman jones die?
- Ten years ago.
- Then our man may have lived here ever since,
possibly not riding the rails much at all.
- Perhaps he's been
living on the streets?
Or has re-entered society,
much like the late mr. Murphy.
- But still with a strong
connection to the hobo world.
- How do you figure?
- Otherwise, how would he know
His intended victims
were in toronto?
Aside from the carpenter, they
were all just passing through.
- In any case, our
killer, sleepy joe,
Could still be here in toronto,
Which means we have the
opportunity to capture him.
- How on earth will we find him?
- We draw him out
Using the one thing
we know he wants.
revenge.
If we can get word out that the kid's
vengeance is incomplete, we can trap him.
Yes.
How do you propose we do that?
- With help.
Pasty, pasty!
I've a proposal for you.
If it's about anything but a
feather bed or a hot drink,
I'm too tired to be interested.
Mm!
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
This is downright delicious.
Where's the wine?
- We need you to be
alert for this, mr. Pasty.
- We must bring
this killer to justice.
For that, we'll need you.
- Hm.
I don't help coppers.
- You would be helping hoboes.
Letting people know that they
can't simply kill you with impunity.
- We just want you
to spread a rumour:
That hitch survived the
shooting and is laid up in a clinic.
- Hitch is alive?
- What? Oh, no.
No, I'm sorry, pasty,
hitch is indeed dead.
- We're asking you
to spread a falsehood.
- No visitors at the
clinic allowed, you'll say,
But if anyone wants to
smuggle hitch a bottle of hooch,
Leave it on the step at night.
There are code signs leading
from camp to the door of the clinic.
- What's the angle?
- If the killer believes
hitch is still alive, then...
- The killer will come back to
finish the job and we'll be waiting.
- It's a sign for "free doctor."
- Free doctor. Right then.
- Wait, uh, face goes
on the other side.
- What?
- You're holding it upside down.
- Well, you passed
it to me upside down.
I hope this works.
It's our only chance.
Do you really think the
face should be smiling?
- Oh, for pete...
No, I suppose not.
- Mm.
- Good enough?
- Good enough.
- Sir, do you think
word has gotten out?
- If I'm not mistaken, george, those
clinking sounds were offerings of alcohol
From other members
of the hobo community.
Word has gotten out.
- Did you...?
- Grab him, george!
- Aaah! Oh, my goodness.
Oh, gracious, I'm sorry, miss!
- Miss dotson, what
are you doing here?
- I should ask you what you think
you're doing, manhandling me like that!
And you!
Wearing hitch's hat
like some sort of ghoul!
You ought to be ashamed.
- To repeat the detective's question,
miss dotson: What brings you here?
- Well, I-I was bringing
some food to the men
And they said hitch
was laid up here,
So I simply wanted to give
him my best and these vittles.
- Uh, that's-that's
still edible.
- Uh, miss dotson, your hands?
- Did you get those scars as a
tavern waitress, miss dotson?
- Or carving hobo coins?
- Back away. Not you.
You... Stand in front of me.
Come on.
Back up, keep that gun
pressed right in your spine.
- It's you.
You're sleepy joe, aren't you?
- These two ain't hoboes,
they're hobo killers!
- You followed hitch and you killed him.
- Shut up.
- Miss dotson, this
is a police constable.
He had nothing to do
with your partner's death.
- My husband.
We might not have
been married in a church,
But gentleman jones
was my husband.
And I know he wouldn't
want me looking for revenge,
So I did my best all these years
to forget what those men did to him.
- Yes, and stop this.
Don't make it worse.
- I did what he'd
want for years.
I stayed close to his grave
so he'd never get lonely.
And I-I fed every hobo
that ever came asking.
Now back up.
You two keep still!
They killed him for
nothing, you know.
Those men cut open his
coat and found not a cent.
And then they had the
gall to come into my town,
Into his town!?
Was too much.
aah!
- You all right, george?
- Yes.
- I'm not going to die
in one of your prisons!
- Well, least you'll have a warm
place to sleep for the next while.
- Does the owner keep this
booth for you every day, then?
- Oh, certainly not.
I don't even think he
likes me very much,
Though I surely pay my table's
rent in coffee and sandwiches.
- Must be nice, though, watts,
Not to be tied to the
station house every day.
- Has your flirtation
with hobo life
Caused you to consider
early retirement, george?
- No, no.
I prefer to sleep under
my own roof with effie,
But it must feel good to
have that sense of freedom.
- What feels good is this.
- How so?
- George, I've been blown
about like a leaf by my doubts,
My travels and my
heart these past years.
It feels, I must say,
Quite wonderful
to be right here.
- In the diner?
- In toronto.
- Oh, well. Yeah.
- With you.
And everyone else.
In a place that I can call home.
- Oh, I long to
travel again, william.
With my husband. Do
you think we ever will?
- I do.
- Well, I didn't mean
at this very moment.
- In the meantime...
- Oh, my.
Is that us?
- It certainly is.
That's a tiny, little dr. Ogden
And susannah and a tiny me.
- You're very tall.
- It's all I could find.
Our days of exploring the world
are not over, julia.
They've just been delayed.
- Oh!