Murder Is Easy Page #7

changing a tire.

Outside the, uh,

Witches' Head Inn.

Plenty of witnesses to it.

Then Ellsworthy couldn't

have done it.

This might be interesting

to you, by the way.

The CID tell me

that the car

that killed Miss Fullerton

has now been identified.

It was a large maroon car,

chauffeur-driven.

A man in the crowd phoned

last night...

and gave the license number.

He hadn't actually seen it,

you understand,

but the woman beside him had,

so she gave him the number.

Only he wasn't sure

he had it right.

Well?

Did he or didn't he?

[HORSE NEIGHS]

Did.

But the chauffeur

had an alibi,

and the car...

belongs to one

of the gentry, so...

that was that.

However...

However...

sometimes it's difficult to see

what's right under your nose.

But you said

the chauffeur had an alibi.

On Derby Day, he drove

his charge to London,

but then he was given

the afternoon off.

And when the car

was returned...

it had a damaged

front bumper.

How do you know

all this?

He was asked to fix

the bumper... on the sly.

Which, being a loyal sort,

he did.

And when he was

questioned...

he lied,

being a loyal sort.

But I don't see...

Please, please,

Mr. Williams.

You're missing the best part.

When, uh, despite his loyalty,

he was dismissed,

he came straight

and told all.

Poor bloke,

he had no notion

of any connection

with Miss Fullerton's death.

He thought the car

had been in an accident

which had gone unreported.

Then...

It was...

[]

Uh, be at the station

at midday.

Luke, what did he

tell you?

Nothing.

Nothing you don't

already know.

Please believe,

I didn't really know.

Not for certain.

I kept hoping

it wasn't Gordon.

But it is?

Why did you listen

to your family?

Why didn't you

just marry him anyway?

No, you don't understand.

I would have defied them.

I would have defied

the world.

Oh, it all sounds so absurd.

You see, I had a little

pet canary, Moonlight,

and Gordon...

Gordon couldn't bear it,

somehow,

that I could love anything else,

even a little bird.

And one day,

he just snatched him

away from me...

and wrung his neck.

Right before my eyes.

And, uh...

And that was when you broke off

the engagement.

I could never forget

how he seemed to enjoy it.

But the years passed and...

And I never saw him

do anything like that again.

Oh, he was always hot-tempered

and proud, but...

Then these accidents

began happening.

And he began to talk about

divine justice and retribution.

He raved on and on to me

about how people had to be

punished for their sins

against him.

[MEOWS]

That's what he said

about Rivers.

Oh, Mr. Williams,

I haven't known what to do.

I've thought a hundred times

of trying to talk

to Bridget,

to warn her somehow.

But you see how

that would seem to her.

Well, you don't have to worry

about it anymore,

because they're on to him now.

And besides, Bridget has

already decided to leave him.

Leave him?

[SOFTLY]

Yes.

Oh, heavens.

We've got to get her away.

Don't you see

what he might do?

EASTERFIELD:

That fool Avery.

Ellsworthy brought these

days ago.

I've been most anxious

to see them.

There.

Lovely, isn't it?

Now, where's the other one?

There was to have been a pair.

Gordon, I feel so ashamed.

You're taking the news so well.

You've every right

to be furious with me.

Now, isn't that a beauty?

Perfect workmanship.

And what an edge.

[DOOR OPENS]

LUKE:

Bridget?

Oh, hello, Honoria.

I expect you've heard. Bridget's

decided to go off with Mr., um...

This fellow here. So they

won't be with us long, hm?

Lord Easterfield,

I'd like to offer my apology,

if you'll accept it.

It wasn't my intention

to take Bridget away from you.

The fact of it is,

we fell in love.

Yes.

Well...

I only hope it is love

you're after,

and not the fortune

that'll come to Bridget one day.

Oh, Gordon, we've been

all over that.

I don't want your money.

It's not your decision,

Bridget.

Oh, I know how

they all sneer at me,

claim that I only prospered

at your father's expense,

and I'll not have it.

I had intended

to prove them all liars

by doing you the honor

of marrying you,

as well as leaving you

my estate.

Come to that, my dear...

may not be a problem anyway,

since, no doubt,

I'll outlive you.

Both of you.

Gordon.

LUKE:

Listen, if you're threatening us...

Threatening you?

[SCOFFS]

How absurd.

It's nothing to do with me,

you know.

I'm only the instrument

of a higher power.

Gordon, please, don't start.

It's happened every time.

That wretched Pierce boy,

Lydia, Carter,

Humbleby, Amy, Rivers.

All my enemies, cast

down and exterminated.

But you understand,

don't you, Honoria?

Of course, Gordon, of course I

understand, and I'm certain you're right.

But you know, Gordon, dear,

you've let yourself get upset.

Upset?

Nonsense, I'm feeling

perfectly fit!

It's amazing, isn't it?

They all die.

Come on, let's get

out of here.

I'll just get my bag

and go home.

Well, what are you

going to do?

Let him go on

killing people?

You can't protect

him anymore.

Gordon is childish,

Uh-huh.

and he's pompous,

and he certainly has

a temper.

But, Luke, deep down,

he is harmless.

I promise you, the man

wouldn't hurt a fly.

Oh, yeah? Well, he sure as hell

would choke a canary.

A canary?

That's why Miss Waynflete

broke off their engagement.

He killed her canary.

She said that?

Miss Waynflete said that?

Yes, she said that.

And then,

there's also the car.

Not that you didn't

suspect that already.

What about the car?

Bridget, he ran down

Miss Fullerton in the Rolls.

I don't believe that.

A woman in the crowd saw

the license number.

I'm sorry.

I don't mean

to be rough with you.

Look, I have to get

to Constable Reed's office.

The constable already

knows about Gordon?

Yes, now, are you coming

with me?

Well, uh...

I need a little time

to pull myself together.

[]

If I could meet you

somewhere...

At Miss Waynflete's.

I'll meet you there later.

All right.

Luke.

Yeah?

I hope the constable

will be discreet about this.

Well, it's obvious now

that Gordon will do anything

to avoid public humiliation.

If Reed trots this out

and makes a big show,

Gordon might even

kill himself

rather than face it.

BRIDGET:

I can hardly believe it.

Gordon a murderer.

I felt certain too.

But now that I've had time

to reflect more calmly,

well...

Do think,

just for a moment,

how cleverly it was all done.

And whatever our feelings

for Gordon,

let us admit that he does not have

the kind of devious intelligence

it must have taken to manage

all those murders.

But it's pretty

straightforward, isn't it?

Take Harry Carter.

He did laugh at Gordon,

and in public too.

And shortly afterwards,

he's drowned.

And Tommy's case

was similar.

And poor Rivers,

killed at the very gates,

rather obvious.

Perhaps too obvious.

Almost, perhaps, as if

a very cunning person

were trying to make it seem

that a less cunning person

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