Bat Out of Hell (1966) s01e03 Episode Script

I made it my business
to find out, Mr. Paxton.
Just as I made it
my business to find out
about you and Mrs. Stewart.
And that other
little matter, of course.
-What other little matter?
-Why The bat out of hell!
Hello? Hello, Miss Tracey,
don't ring off
I've typed the Bridgeley
details, Mr. Paxton,
but I shouldn't send
them out yet.
-There's a Council meeting
-I'm going out, Mary.
If anybody telephones, tell them
I shan't be back
till tomorrow morning -
late tomorrow morning;
about eleven-thirty.
Yes alright, Mr. Paxton.
[Door bell]
Mark, Mark are you there?
It's Diana.
Diana?
Why didn't you answer the door?
I've been waiting for ages.
-I thought you've been arrested.
-Arrested?
Yes, someone telephoned
at the office and said
Let's go to the living room.
What’s all this about being
arrested - about the phone call?
What happened this afternoon?
I didn't take your advice,
I went to the motel.
What happened?
The police were there,
they just found Geoffrey's body.
Someone did take
him to the motel,
you were right, of course, it couldn't
have being Geoffrey on the phone;
he's been dead since Monday.
Go on Diana tell me
exactly what happened.
Well, Clay took me
back to the station
because he was curious
what I was doing in the motel.
At first I thought of lying
to inventing some story
about meeting a friend.
In the end I told him the truth.
In other words Mrs. Stewart,
you arrived at the motel
expecting to meet your husband.
To tell you the truth,
I didn't know what to expect.
Thelma - Mrs. Bowen - said
Geoffrey sounded absolutely
desperate on the phone.
I felt I had no alternative
but to keep the appointment.
It never occurred to you
that perhaps the
best thing to do
is to get in touch with me.
No, I'm sorry, it didn't,
I I was so worried,
so confused.
I didn't know what to do.
And you say that Mrs. Bowen
was convinced,
absolutely convinced it was
your husband who telephoned her?
Absolutely! She was sure
it was Geoffrey.
I see. Thank you, Mrs. Stewart.
Inspector, could I ask you
some questions now?
Yes, of course. Go ahead.
How did you find out
about my husband?
Well, I told you we
received an anonymous note.
It arrived this morning
by second post.
Have you any idea who sent this?
No I haven't, not yet.
As you know we found
your husband's body
in a ditch - that runs between the
Chichester Motel and the main road.
It was covered with autumn leaves
and we had great difficulty in finding it.
According to the doctor
it's been there about
forty eight hours,
since the murder in fact.
So you think my
husband was murdered
on Monday - the day
he disappeared?
Yes I do, I think he
was shot on Monday,
quite near the spot where
Mr. Paxton dropped him.
And then taken to the
motel on Monday night
when everyone else was asleep.
Why take him to the motel?
If you suspect the
murder was committed
near Alunbury, I fail to see
I don't know why he
was taken to the motel.
Unless of course, that's
where the switch was made.
-The switch?
-With the clothes.
You haven't forgotten the
other man, Mrs. Stewart -
the man at Benchley Wood?
Oh no! Of course not.
Who was he? Do you know him?
Yes we do, we identified
him this morning.
Does the name Harding mean
anything to you Mrs. Stewart?
Harding No.
Was that his name?
Yes, Ken Harding.
He ran a betting shop at Oakfield,
the shop was just a front
according to all accounts,
Mr. Harding had his fingers
in a great many pies.
Ken Harding
No, I've never heard of him.
I see Thank you, Mrs. Stewart.
Oh Mrs. Stewart, forgive me
for asking you this
but would you describe your
husband as a wealthy man?
Yes, Geoffrey was
quite well off.
Yes, I suppose you
would call him wealthy.
Apart from yourself,
will anyone else benefit financially
from your husband's death?
No, I don't think so.
My husband made a new will
about two years ago
Apart for a few small bequests,
he left everything to me.
What do you call small
bequests, Mrs. Stewart?
Oh, I believe he's left Mrs. Houston,
our housekeeper, a thousand pounds.
She'd been with Geoffrey for years,
he was very fond of her.
I see Mrs. Stewart,
have you any idea -
any idea at all -
why anyone should have
committed this murder?
No Inspector, I haven't.
To tell you the truth,
my husband wasn't a very
friendly sort of person,
he had very few personal friends.
On the other hand as far as I know,
he had no enemies.
Thank you, Mrs. Stewart.
I appreciate your frankness.
I'll see you out.
If there are any further
developments, we'll be in touch.
Don't bother about the newspapers,
just refer them to me.
Just as I was leaving,
Clay asked me
name of Geoffrey's solicitor.
I told him it was Nigel Mills.
-And that's all that happened?
-Yes.
Then I think you did well Diana!
Damn well, considering
the circumstances,
but this is quite different
from what I expected.
About an hour ago,
a woman called
Kitty Tracey telephoned me
-and said that you've been arrested.
-Kitty Tracey?
Yes, do you know her?
Oh yes, she's got a
shop in Station Street.
Ned Tallboy owns it.
What’s it about the phone call?
What happened?
She started up by saying
she's got some information for me.
She went on to say
that you've been arrested
this afternoon at the motel.
-My God!
-I asked her how she knew all this
and she said I
make it my business
to find out these things Mr. Paxton,
I found out about you and
Mrs. Stewart for instance
and that "bat out of hell!"
Bat out of hell!
That was on a cigarette case.
What does it mean, Diana?
I don't know what it means;
I told you I hadn't seen
the cigarette case before
not till you showed it to me.
It's got your name on it.
It was in your coat pocket.
I know, Mrs. Houston
put it there.
Mrs. Houston?
Yes I asked her about it,
she said she found
it on the floor
just after taking my coat
out of the wardrobe.
She thought it dropped out
of one of my pockets.
I told you before and I tell you again,
this is not my case.
Alright Diana I believe you.
But tell me about this woman -
Kitty Tracey.
What do you know about her?
Well not very much.
Ned Tallboy owns some
property on Station Street
including Miss Tracey's sweet shop.
I remember him speaking to
Geoffrey one evening about it,
he said she was a difficult tenant
and that she was always
behind in paying her rent
and she was always
causing trouble.
-What kind of trouble?
-I don't know.
And then another evening
we were all having dinner together.
And Thelma said Miss. Tracey
had bought a lampshade
from her that afternoon
and she really thought the old girl
was going round the bend.
I remember Ned saying -
she's not going round the bend, Thelma,
she just wants you to think she is.
What did he mean -
she just wants you to
[Door bell]
Who is that?
I think you'd better answer it.
Go into the bedroom.
Good afternoon, Mr. Paxton.
Sorry to disturb you, sir.
But I called at your office and
they said you'd just left.
Yes I'm afraid I left
rather early today.
May I come in for a moment, sir?
-Oh yes of course.
-Thank you.
Your evening paper, sir,
it was on the mat.
Oh, thank you.
Is it too early for a drink
or can I get you a
cup of tea, Inspector?
Nothing for me, thank you, sir.
I take it you've heard the news
Yes, I have.
Yes, I had to telephone Mrs. Stewart
about five minutes ago
and she told me
about this afternoon
about the motel.
My God, it must have been
a terrible shock to her!
Yes, I'm afraid it was.
But she's a very remarkable
woman is Mrs. Stewart.
But this is what I wanted
to see you about sir,
one of my chaps found
it this afternoon,
brought it to my office
about twenty minutes ago.
That's Mr. Stewart's wallet.
Yes, I thought you'd recognize it.
Where was it found?
At Benchley wood!
Curiously enough not
very far from the spot
where we stood talking
yesterday afternoon.
I expect you've seen
this before too, sir.
Yes, I have.
He used it for
telephone numbers.
Amongst other things
Other things?
Yes he's jotted something
else down here.
T. 100 pounds, T. 300 pounds,
T. 450 pounds and T. 900 pounds.
I'm afraid I don't know
what that means, Inspector.
Now it's obvious
what it means here,
but the question is -
was the money received by
Mr. Stewart or paid out by him?
My guess is it was paid out.
Mine too, sir, which makes
me rather curious.
Yes. Well I'm sorry
I can't help you.
Well, I'll have a word with
Mrs. Stewart about it.
Perhaps she might
be able to help.
Oh, you don't happen to
speak Italian by any chance,
do you Mr. Paxton?
No, I'm afraid not.
What about Mrs. Stewart?
No, well I at least -
I don't think so.
Mr. Stewart?
No, I don't think he did either.
Why do you ask?
It was just something
we found in the wallet,
something scribbled down
on a piece of paper.
I think it was Italian,
but we're not sure.
What a very nice flat you
have here, Mr. Paxton!
Have you been here long, sir?
Only about a year that's all
Very pleasant!
Would you be dropping in on
Mrs. Stewart this evening, Inspector?
No, I don't think so, sir.
I think the poor woman has
seen enough of me for one day!
Good afternoon, sir.
Good afternoon, Inspector.
Did he see it?
No he didn't, but he damn
well might have done!
Yes, I'm sorry I remembered
when I got to the bedroom.
What was that
about the notebook?
Was it the one that Geoffrey kept
in his wallet for phone numbers?
Yes, he'd written something down in it.
The initial 'T',
followed by a list of money
he'd received or paid out.
'T'?
Yes. I know what you're thinking.
'T' for Tracey, I thought the same.
Diana whether we like it or not
we've got to do something
about that woman.
We've got to find out
what she's up to.
[Phone rings]
Alunbury, 7432.
Miss Tracey?
Yes, who's that?
My name is Stewart,
Diana Stewart.
Oh yes, Mrs. Stewart!
Now what can I do for you?
I believe you spoke
to a friend of mine
this afternoon about my husband.
Your late husband, Mrs. Stewart.
Miss Tracey, I'd like to talk to you.
Do you think you could drop
in on me one evening?
Well I could, but I'd think rather not,
if you don't mind, dearie.
But if it's a chat you want,
just a little chat,
why don't you drop around
and see me some time?
Yes, alright.
When do you suggest?
Any time, any time you
like it this evening.
Yes, would seven o'clock suit you?
Splendid! You know my
little shop I take it?
Yes I do.
Just walk in,
it'll say 'closed' on the door
but take no notice of that
just walk straight in.
-Thank you Miss Tracey.
-Thank you, Mrs. Stewart.
No, I think it's just ridiculous.
What do you want another
car for anyway?
What's the matter with
the one we've got?
That's what I'd like to know
Of course,
if you are going to be difficult.
What you mean difficult?
It's me that's going to pay
for the damned thing.
Yes, I thought we'd get round
to that sooner or later.
Well, you're not disappointed.
What sort of car is it anyway?
-A Bentley.
-A Bentley?
Yes, it is not a new one.
Its fifteen years old.
Walter, that hole in your head
must be getting bigger every week.
Don't you realise that people
see you driving round in a Bentley.
Good afternoon Thelma.
Hello Squire!
Hello!
-How are you today?
-I'm alright.
Have you brought the car?
Yes, it's outside.
Are you ready?
I'm sorry, Ned, but I changed my mind,
I'm not interested.
What do you mean
you're not interested?
Now look Walter,
I asked you last night,
but you were serious about
this and you said to me
He's serious.
Have you driven the car?
No not yet.
Well, what are we talking about?
Take him for a run in it.
You can't expect him to
buy a car he hasn't been in.
Yeah, of course not!
Come, let's go old man.
Hello Inspector!
-Good afternoon, sir.
-Good afternoon.
Good afternoon Mrs. Bowen.
Could you spare me a few moments?
-Yes of course, Inspector.
-Thank you.
Is there any news, Inspector?
About Mr. Stewart, I mean.
Yes, I'm afraid there is.
He's been murdered.
We found his body this
afternoon at the Chichester Motel.
You're quite sure it is
Mr. Stewart's body?
I'm quite sure, sir.
Mrs. Stewart identified the body.
She arrived just as we were leaving.
But surely she identified
the other man,
the man that was found
at Benchley wood.
Yes, she did so but we can
hardly blame her for that.
Why not Inspector?
The man at Benchley wood was beaten up,
his face was unrecognizable.
But he was wearing Mr. Stewart's clothes.
Under the circumstances I think we
do make the same mistakes, sir.
Who was this man, Inspector?
His name is Harding, sir. Ken Harding.
Have you heard of him?
No, I'm afraid, I haven't.
Ken Harding Now that name's familiar.
Didn't you introduce me to
a man called Ken Harding?
-No, I didn't.
-But surely, Thelma,
that man we met at Guildford,
do you remember
He was in that
antique shop there
His name wasn't Harding,
it was Belling. Tom Belling.
I've known him for years.
Well, if you're going to
drive that car, Walter,
-you better try it.
-Very well, Thelma.
And don't buy it - just say you
like it or you don't like it.
I'll deal with Ned later.
In case you didn't get
the message Inspector,
it's my wife who wears
the pants around here.
Is Mr. Tallboy trying to
sell your husband a car?
Yes, a Bentley.
Fifteen years old for Pete's sake.
I saw it outside;
it's in very good condition.
Yes, well that's more than
Walter will be if he buys it.
What is it you wanted to
see me about, Inspector?
It's about the phone call, madam.
The one that you had
from Mr. Stewart,
or rather the man who
called himself Mr. Stewart.
But I didn't have a phone call.
Nobody telephoned me,
it was Mrs. Stewart
that had the call.
-Mrs. Stewart?
-Yes.
I wonder if you'd mind telling me
what happened this morning.
Well do I have to
tell you, Inspector?
No, you don't have
to tell me madam;
don't have to tell me
anything if you don't want to.
It isn't that I don't
want to help you.
It's just that Mrs. Stewart
is just an old friend of mine.
We've known one another
for a very long time
and I promised I wouldn't say
I think the circumstances have
changed now, Mrs. Bowen, don't you?
Yes, I suppose they have.
This morning, after breakfast,
I had a row with Walter,
my husband.
It was a silly little row;
but when that happens,
that happens quite frequently
these days I'm afraid,
I usually rush round to Diana's -
Mrs. Stewart to let off steam
and as I said it
happened this morning.
When I arrived at Diana's,
I found she was in a far
worse state than I was.
Go on, Mrs. Bowen.
She said she just had a phone
call from Geoffrey, her husband.
He'd apparently told her
he was in trouble,
serious trouble
and that he wanted to see her this
afternoon at Chichester Motel.
Diana said she didn't
know what to do,
her instincts told her after
what happened at Benchley wood,
she ought to get in touch
with the police and yet
Well, to cut a long story short,
she finally made up her mind
to keep the appointment
and asked me to say nothing
about the phone call
to Walter or to anyone else.
I see
And I suppose it was no doubt
in Mrs. Stewart's mind
that it was her husband
on the telephone?
No doubt at all.
She was convinced of it.
That's what I don't quite understand
because we know now
that it couldn't have been Geoffrey.
We do indeed!
Thank you, Mrs. Bowen.
You were very helpful.
Inspector, wait a minute.
What made you think it was me
who received that telephone call?
Oh, it's just something
Mrs. Stewart said,
but I obviously got hold of
the wrong end at the
What did Mrs. Stewart say?
She said that you had
received a call,
and that Mr. Stewart or the man
who called himself Mr. Stewart
asked you to deliver
a message to her.
Asking her to meet
him at the motel?
That's right Mrs. Bowen.
But that isn't true.
I didn't receive that phone call,
Diana did.
Why on earth should
she lie to you,
Inspector,
about a thing like that?
Hello, Dawson, what
you are doing here?
Don't tell me you want
another transfer.
No sir, thought you wanted
to see me, Inspector.
Sergeant Booth telephoned
and said that
Of course, I was forgetting.
You do speak Italian,
don't you, Dawson?
Well a little bit, sir.
Well, what does
this mean, Dawson?
Can you translate it for me?
It is Italian?
It's Italian, yes.
But it's not easy to translate,
what is it exactly?
Oh, it's just a
note we've found.
What does it mean, Dawson?
Well, it simply says - you came
into my life like very quickly.
Very quickly?
Yes, but that's not quite right.
You came into my life
like something quick.
Something
Like a bat out of hell?
That's right, sir.
Here we are
You better drink this.
I wish to God you'd worn gloves.
I didn't think of it.
Why should I? I didn't know
what I was walking in to
You're sure, you're quite sure
that you didn't touch the knife?
-Yes.
-You sound doubtful.
I don't think I touched it.
You don't think!
Diana, for God's sake,
this is important if you let
your fingerprint on that
I didn't touch it.
I told you I didn't touch it.
Tell me again what happened.
I told you twice already.
Tell me again, Diana.
When I went in to the shop, I found
No, start again at the beginning,
the very beginning - you
drove up in the car
I parked the car across
the road from the shop.
There was no one in the street;
it was quite deserted.
You sure of that?
Yes, I went across to the shop.
There was a 'closed'
sign on the door
but I took no notice of it,
I went in.
Did the doorbell ring?
No, now you come
to mention, it didn't.
Go on.
Well, there was no one in the shop.
I stood there for a moment
wondering what to do.
Then I noticed one of those
bells on the counter,
you know, those old fashioned
little bells, I rang it.
But nothing happened.
I saw there was a staircase
at the back of the shop.
I went towards it.
I was about to go up
when I saw the knife.
Go on.
I was about to pick it up
when I realised there
was blood on it
and then I saw the shoe
I started up the stairs
-How far up?
-What do you mean?
How far did you go
up the staircase?
About three quarters
of the way, I suppose.
And then I saw Thelma,
she was on the landing.
I screamed.
I couldn't help myself
I knew immediately she was dead,
I couldn't get out of
that place fast enough.
Now listen, Diana,
I know you touched the door
when you went to the shop
and you touched the
bell on the counter.
But when you were climbing
the staircase, did you touch
-What is it Mrs. Houston?
-It's the inspector.
Inspector Clay?
Yes, he'd like to have a word
with you, madam, if it's possible.
-Did you tell him I was in?
-Yes, I did.
I didn't hear the bell,
Mrs. Houston.
No sir, I was in the hall
and I saw him coming
up the drive.
I see.
I think perhaps you'd better
see him, Mrs. Stewart.
Yes, alright, Mrs. Houston,
show him in.
You know what's happened,
they've found Thelma
Be quiet Diana,
let me do the talking.
Good evening, Mrs. Stewart.
Good evening, sir.
Good evening, Inspector.
I'm sorry to bother you, madam,
but I particularly wanted
to have a word with you
about that phone call.
Phone call?
Oh yes - the one Geoffrey,
my husband,
was supposed to have made?
That's right, madam.
Have you discovered who
did make it, Inspector?
No, we haven't, Mr. Paxton;
as a matter of fact
Mrs. Stewart, correct me
if I'm wrong,
but if I remember rightly,
you said it was Mrs. Bowen
who received the call?
That's right.
That she rushed round here
to deliver the message to you?
Yes, that's
that's quite right.
I'm sorry, madam, that's not
what Mrs. Bowen says.
Not what Mrs. Bowen says?
Well, I'm afraid, she doesn't
confirm your story.
You mean - there wasn't a
phone call, Inspector?
Oh, yes sir, there was a
phone call, alright.
But according to Mrs. Bowen,
it was Mrs. Stewart who received it.
She says that when she
arrived here this morning,
you were very upset.
You said that you'd a
phone call from your husband
and didn't know
what to do about it.
That's not true!
That's simply not true!
Well, I'm sorry, madam,
I'm only repeating
what Mrs. Bowen said.
When did you see Mrs. Bowen?
This afternoon, sir,
just after I left you.
I'd like to get to the truth about
this phone call, Mrs. Stewart,
because it seems to
me to be important.
Excuse me, madam,
it's Mr. and Mrs. Bowen.