Jack the Ripper Page #3

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- That's what I like to hear, sweetheart.

- I'm sure we can agree on a price.

- I'll pay whatever you wish.

What a gentleman!

Come in.

Why don't you sit down?

Don't be afraid, sweetheart.

Don't squeeze me so hard.

No! Don't!

Lulu? Please open the door. Lulu!

- What's the panic?

- Let me in. I can't tell you in the corridor.

There was somebody there.

Jean! Has she gone? Jean!

Oh, Jeanny.

- What a rotten day. They're not biting.

- Charlie!

You want to fry a famished trout like that?

I'd like to see you catch such a beauty.

The most you'll ever catch is a fly.

Not bad for an amateur like you.

The bastard's cleared off.

You were too smelly for him.

Another one!

Pull it in.

Perhaps it'll give you its paw this time.

Blimey!

- Hello.

- Hello, Inspector.

- Well, aren't you cheerful? Any news?

- Not that I know of.

All right.

- There's a madman waiting for you.

- What does he want?

He won't talk to people like me.

I'm obviously not trustworthy enough

for the state secrets he intends to reveal.

We'll see.

- So, you're in charge?

- Only of the murder squad. Just a moment.

You're the one who's after the Ripper

and who isn't catching him?

- That's right. I'll try again later.

- My name's Charlie.

- And your last name?

- My father's name? I'm afraid I don't know.

- Perhaps it's Meyer.

- Mind your own business.

- Your profession?

- I fish.

Then I sell

whatever I don't eat myself or give away.

- So let's say you're jobless.

- Don't interrupt.

- What allegations are you making?

- Allegations? I'm not making any.

I've found something for you. There you are.

- Where did you find that?

- I fished it out of the canal.

Why are you bringing it to me?

I thought you might like to know

where the murdered girls end up.

The Ripper's victims. Here, this proves it.

He cuts them up into pieces

and throws them in the water.

Look. This was in the water

for less than a week.

I know what I'm talking about.

And the fact that she's still wearing the ring

will make your work easier.

Take a close look at it.

If I were you,

I'd have the whole canal searched,

but further up from where I found this.

In the current, of course.

- You understand, don't you?

- Yes, thank you, Charles.

- You're welcome. My pleasure.

- Where can we find you, if we need you?

Well, I'm of no fixed abode,

but if you need me,

you'll find me at the Dolphin.

I like to have a little drink now and then,

you see?

See? I was right. Waiting for your boss

was just the right thing to do.

Your most obedient servant,

Your Excellency.

Now, tell me, don't I deserve some kind of

compensation for my assistance,

some kind of reward?

Your Excellency, surely Scotland Yard may

assume that you did this out of altruism.

I don't know that word,

but since it was you who said it,

it can't mean anything good.

Hello, Mr Channy.

Yes, please send me a chemist.

I need something analysed

that's been given to me. Thank you.

Arrange for Sally Brown's mother

to come here. She has to identify the ring.

I will talk to Major Bentley. We'll have

to have the canal searched, of course.

At last something tangible

has fallen into our hands.

I find that expression a little distasteful.

Forgive me for venturing this remark.

- Unbelievable.

- Quiet, please.

Ladies and gentlemen, the head of Scotland

Yard's murder squad asked you to come

because we're starting a new experiment

which should help us track down

the killer known as Jack the Ripper.

- What a nice boy.

- Just my type.

The artist Mr Altmeyer,

whom some of you may know,

will try to draw a portrait of the murderer,

based on your descriptions,

which might help us with our investigation.

We think that he frequents

your establishment, Miss Lulu,

and that he has close contact

with the ladies you employ.

Yes, poor Jeanny was the last one.

Oh, she was an angel.

An angel! Since when have angels

looked like that?

One of your guests aroused your suspicion.

Please describe him.

Yes, my attention was drawn to one of them.

I'd seen him with Sally Brown a few times.

He dresses unobtrusively

and acts like a gentleman.

He has a very striking profile

and is of average height.

He seems to prefer dark colours.

He wears a black coat...

with a cape, if I remember rightly.

- Is his hair blond or brown?

- Greyish-blond. Like salt and pepper.

- It's quite long and straggly.

- And the shape of his face?

It's more of a thin and angular face.

A strong, prominent chin

and a receding hairline.

- Does he resemble Mr Altmeyer's drawing?

- Yes, it's not bad at all.

But something's not right.

I don't know what. I think it's the eyes.

- They may be bigger and further apart.

- Thank you, Miss Lulu.

Now I'd like to hear

what the others think of this sketch.

Is this how you remember the suspect?

The ladies who work at Pike's Hole

will be able to help us the most.

Perhaps some of you

could give us a more precise description.

It's strange. I've seen this man

at our establishment several times,

but I couldn't describe

his eyebrows or his mouth.

Could he have been with Sally

the night she was killed?

- Possibly. I'm sure I saw her with him.

- No, no. I was sitting at the next table.

I saw the man Sally...

I mean, the man she waved to.

He was wearing dark colours,

but he was short and fat.

- And he was wearing glasses.

- That's true. I saw him.

I was in my cab, outside Pike's Hole.

They came out drunk, arguing.

Sally was cursing him.

He went away looking very sheepish.

Judging by her moral indignation,

this guy must have demanded

some pretty filthy things.

- My, was she angry!

- What do you mean by "filthy things"?

The way you interrogate witnesses

is unacceptable for a lady.

- With your permission, I'll wait outside.

- No, sit down and be quiet.

If factual remarks make you up in arms,

that's your problem.

At your age,

you should know about filthy things.

- I protest against...

- You don't protest against anything,

or we'll take you into custody.

Please continue.

- Where was I?

- I asked you to define "filthy things".

- Damn it...

- I can't. Sally wouldn't talk about it.

But she was really hopping mad.

I would have taken her home,

but she didn't want that either.

I wish I had insisted.

She was such a good girl.

Yes, they're all true saints.

According to the ladies' and the coachman's

descriptions, the man was very tall.

Look, Miss Higgins.

Inspector, you shouldn't trust

those loose women in this case.

- Hey, the old mummy's getting cheeky.

- Calm down, please.

I couldn't have known that. Oh dear.

So, what do you think of the drawing?

The key characteristics seem to have

been portrayed perfectly accurately,

but I would say that the man

was slightly taller and slimmer.

- First he's a dwarf, and now he's a giant?

- I wish I had her imagination.

What can you do,

if she wants a bigger one?

Yes, good. Very good.

That's what he looks like.

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