Bunny Lake Is Missing Page #2

we'll have to pay it then, won't we?

- Are you the one...

- Just a moment.

- Shall I send her to see you?

- Yes. Send her by 8:00 tomorrow.

- Right. LopeZ is the name.

- Thank you, Mrs. Twigg.

The cook walked out just because

I said something about the junket.

That may be the least of our worries, Elvira.

The cook who walked out,

is she a German woman?

- That's one way to describe her.

- What time did the cook leave?

Around 11:
15, I suppose.

It was in the middle of cooking lunch.

Brace yourself, Elvira.

We can't seem to put our hands

on one of the children.

- Which one?

- My little girl. Bunny Lake.

I don't recall any Bunny, or any Lake.

But youre the one I spoke to

on the telephone.

- I recognize your voice.

- When was this?

This morning. Don't you remember?

I telephoned because it was

Bunny's first day and we were late.

Yes, now I remember.

And I took her to the First Day room,

just as you told me to.

But now we don't seem to be able

to find her.

- How old is she?

- She's a four.

The fours are all gone home ages ago,

except those that stay to dinner.

Will you all please stop saying that?

The fours are not all on their way home.

Mine isn't, and she isn't at dinner, either.

If she's a four,

I imagine Miss Daphne would...

Miss Daphne went home with a toothache!

You don't seem to know very much

about what goes on here.

- A child whos been placed in your...

- London office. Can I help you?

Mr. Steven Lake, please.

She couldnt have walked out that way.

- She couldnt have walked out at all.

- What do you mean by that?

If she couldnt have walked out by herself,

then someone took her.

- Is that what youre saying?

- Of course not.

I assume you regulate who comes

into this school and who doesn't.

People don't just wander in off the street,

do they?

- Certainly not. We keep...

- Then listen to me for a minute.

Shortly before 10:00,

Bunny was brought into this room.

A little boy about 18 months old

was playing here.

Yes, and I saw the boy later in the hall

with his mother.

The cook promised to keep an eye on her

until the 10:
00 recess.

Listen to me.

We all agree she couldnt have

got out of this room by herself.

Barring witchcraft, that can only mean

someone took her out, correct?

- I don't know. I mean...

- I do.

If you'd stop defending yourself

for a minute, Miss...

Smollett, and I'm not defending myself.

If you would worry less about yourself

and more about this child...

you seem to have misplaced,

we might begin to get somewhere.

Since she couldnt have gone out by herself,

it means someone took her out.

The question is who.

Who took the child out of here?

Think about it.

Calm down and begin to think.

How can I when you scream at me?

- Forgive me, we're all a little overexcited.

- What I was going to say is...

even though someone did take her

out of this room...

it doesn't necessarily mean

they took her out of the school, too.

In which event she'd still be here.

The question is where.

Have you searched the place?

- Of course we have.

- Maybe we'll have better luck.

Your track record, just for today,

hasn't been too dazzling.

So you don't mind if we look for ourselves,

do you?

Not at all.

I'll be in the office if you should need me.

Don't worry, Annie. we'll find her.

we'll start on the top floor

and we'll work our way down.

- What's up there?

- Miss Bentons private flat.

We thought Miss Benton

was in the hospital.

I told you, it's a private flat.

- She could have easily run up here.

- Listen.

It was an underground train

But there was noBody on it...

eXcept this dog.

It was the giants dog, really.

He didn't know that he was on the train.

And this dog had great Big...

huge eyes and the most awful teeth.

Who is it?

But this dog had hundreds of teeth,

just to mash you up with.

To mash you right up and...

Such imagination.

We might think of teeth gnashing.

But mashing...

Which is exactly what they do, of course.

Are you parents?

We don't usually see parents up here.

we're looking for a four-year-old girl

named Bunny Lake.

Have they lost one? How careless.

- Are you Miss Benton?

- No, not at all.

I am Miss Ford.

Miss Benton and I started this school

together, but now I'm retired...

except for my book.

I'm writing a book on childrens fantasies.

- Would you like a cigarette?

- No, thank you.

I have all their little nightmares

on my tape machine.

You don't have bars on these windows.

All the other windows have bars.

The children arent meant

to come up here now.

Elvira thinks I may frighten them

by asking about their dreams.

But I'll tell you something in confidence.

Every now and again,

one brave child slips through the defenses.

So, lets hunt, shall we?

Now, what's her name?

Her real name is Felicia,

but weve always called her Bunny.

We have to call, although very often

when they hear the calling...

they hide and laugh at us.

This woman is crazy.

Don't you think we all are,

to one degree or another?

Crazy, I mean. Especially children.

That's why with a child

you have to think of everything.

Your little girl

has probably gone to sleep somewhere.

Yes, youre probably right.

She does take a nap every afternoon.

But where?

Perhaps she's been frightened.

They do go to sleep sometimes

after a bad fright.

Quite sensible of them, too.

- What could have happened to frighten her?

- Who could say?

What happened to her?

What are you hinting at?

- That something happened to Bunny?

- Easy, honey.

Miss Ford, if you do know something,

please level with us.

I wouldnt want to embarrass you.

- Embarrass me? How would you do that?

- By calling the police.

What an enchanting idea.

The telephone is in here.

Dreadful painting of Madge, this.

Makes her look like Mother Earth

or something.

You wouldnt mind my calling the police?

It's exactly what I should do myself

were I the childs father.

I'm not her father, I'm her uncle.

Ann is my sister.

Curiouser and curiouser.

You've no right to come up here.

Absolutely no right at all.

We have every right in the world to be here,

or any other place in this building.

You seem to have been

a little careless, Elvira.

- Call the police, Steve.

- The police? No, Mr. Lake. Please.

Miss Benton wouldnt like that.

She just wouldnt have it.

Au contraire. I'm sure Madge would want us

to protect our good name.

Please, we can look again.

I've rung up Miss Daphne.

She'll be back from the dentist

within half an hour.

I'm sure she can explain everything.

Miss Benton wouldnt want the police

dragged into The Little Peoples Garden.

- Unbelievable.

- It's their free play.

- What are they doing?

- Exactly as they like.

Expressing themselves.

They must find that

tremendously hard work.

Don't you want to look anywhere else?

No, I don't think so. I've got men peering

about all over the shop.

I just wanted to get to understand

the place a little.

- Miss Daphne Musgrave?

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