Murder Most Foul Page #4

as a tribute to George?

Well, Miss Marple

and Dorothy are perfect

for the two scheming sisters.

- I couldn't play a murderess.

- Couldn't you?

One of us could.

He or she's had practice.

What's that supposed to mean?

Well someone slipped a noxious

dose into old George's whisky...

..and that someone is in this room.

Oh, belt up!

Oh no, no, I'm not having this,

in front of a new colleague too.

There's no question of George being

murdered by a member of my company.

The whole thing is obviously

some ghastly mistake.

No, you're wrong.

One of us is a murderer

and you feel that too, don't you?

Well, my dear,

it's hardly for me to say.

- Stop it! Stop it!

- Bill!

Stop talking about it.

I can't stand it any longer.

You know. You know it was me.

You and your insinuations

and sarcasm.

- What do you mean?

- I'm going to finish you.

I'll close your big mouth

once and for all.

Bill!

Let go of me. Let me go!

- That had you going a bit.

- Well...

You know what your trouble is,

you can dish out jokes

but you can't take them.

- I think that was in very bad taste.

- Yes, so do I.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset

anybody but him.

Well, you've upset me.

For heaven's sake, I've had enough.

I'm going to bed.

I'm feeling a bit tired myself.

If I might be shown my room?

Oh, certainly, dear lady.

It's been a trying day.

Very trying indeed.

Florrie! Florrie!

So glad to be one of you.

Good night.

Mrs Harris will show you up.

Come on then, number ten, upstairs.

Thank you, Mr Cosgood. Good night.

You shouldn't take too much notice.

Strange lads, but their hearts

are in the right place.

I'm sure they are. Good night.

Good night, dear lady.

You'll soon feel at home.

We're all one big happy family.

I hope you know what you're doing,

dear boy.

You'll find this comfortable. He did.

- He?

- The deceased. You know, Mr Rowton.

Well, breakfast is at 8:30.

No cooking in the rooms.

Put a shilling in the gas if you're

cold. Don't waste the light.

No male callers upstairs.

Oh! Naughty p*ssy!

What are you doing in there?

Come along. Off you go.

Remember September?

Eva?

Yes?

What are you doing?

I couldn't sleep.

Why would that Marple woman want

to sneak out of the house so early?

How should I know?

Perhaps she's just eccentric.

She certainly looks it.

I wonder...

Oh darling,

you're not going all creepy are you?

Really, you could haunt a house.

I do wish you hadn't wakened me.

Now I'll start fretting again.

- Put it out of your mind.

- It's easier said than done.

Where can one go on honeymoon

these days? Everywhere is so old hat.

Hey, what do think about Moscow?

How can you care about that

after what happened?

Life must go on, darling,

George or no George.

Were you in love with him?

No... it was all over.

Was it?

Yes.

I hated him.

Don't worry, darling.

I won't tell anyone.

Mr Stringer!

What are you doing in that get-up?

Just training to get into peak

condition for any emergency.

Is there one already?

No emergency,

but a very interesting development.

Oh, do stop bobbing about

and come over here.

Remember September.

Not a date, a play

and by my new employer,

Driffold Cosgood himself.

- You do see the significance?

- No.

Well, follow me, Jim.

Follow me closely.

It seems to me that whomever

Mrs McGinty was blackmailing

must have had some connection with

the production of this play in 1951

and is with the Cosgood Company.

The author himself?

- Perhaps.

- How did you come by it?

- I found it on my pillow.

- What?

It was left there deliberately.

Then the murderer knows!

He's been on to you all the time!

He's playing cat and mouse with you.

- Two can play at that game.

- Miss Marple, I'm deeply disturbed.

Don't get yourself in a state.

I'm not in a state... I'm cold.

Oh, dear me.

There we are.

That's better, isn't it?

Tuck it well round.

Now...

What organisation

would be likely to keep a record

of all professional theatrical

productions?

The censorship people.

To be sure. The Lord Chamberlain's

Office in London.

I'd be obliged

if you would go there post-haste

and enquire into the history

of this play.

Where it was produced in 1951,

who was in it and so on.

It may have been played

in many theatres.

I hardly think so - I've read it.

Very well,

I'll take the next train up.

Good. To your task and I must fly.

I wish to be at the table

when they come down.

Away, away!

Thank you, Mrs Harris.

I seem to be a trifle early.

No, the others are a trifle late. Not

that I'm complaining.

If they're not down in time,

I've got six cats to feed.

Good morning, Florrie.

Good morning.

Good morning, good morning.

Good morning, Mr Cosgood.

- I trust you slept well?

- Like a toff, thank you.

Good, good.

Nothing like sleep for knitting up

the ravelled sleeve of care,

as the bard so aptly pointed out.

What's that you find so engrossing?

- Your play, Mr Cosgood.

- What?

This is your play?

Yes. Yes, it is.

- Where did you find this?

- In my room last night.

- Now isn't that extraordinary?

- Yes.

I assume poor George must have

borrowed it. Don't let me stop you.

I've finished reading it.

Ah well, let's see how the good

Florrie serves us today.

How do you find it?

- The kipper?

- The play.

Oh, I beg your pardon. The play.

I find it most interesting.

- How very gratifying.

- Has it ever been produced?

Oh, no.

I completed it only quite recently.

I see.

I have high hopes for it though.

Those must sustain you.

They do, dear lady. They do.

Ah, Ralph!

I was up half the night thinking.

I want to ask you a question.

- Oh?

- Yes.

Could you believe in Miss Marple

as a lady detective?

I don't know any lady detectives.

Maybe not, but what do you think?

She's hardly typecasting.

You're quite wrong. She's perfect.

- What are you getting at?

- I have an idea!

Keep the theatre closed till Monday,

let the publicity build up,

then reopen

with Out Of The Stew Pot.

That old potboiler!

A murder mystery! We've got

one of our own. Why not put one on?

You may have a thought here.

With Miss Marple

as the Honourable Penelope Brown.

Now I do see what you mean.

Yes, by Jove, it's brilliant!

- You're familiar with it of course?

- No.

A classic of its kind.

I'll fetch the scripts.

Ralph, call the theatre.

Tell them we're rehearsing all week.

Mr Cosgood!

I wouldn't think I'm anyone's idea of

a detective.

Not anyone's, Miss Marple,

but you're mine.

You're certainly mine.

And mine.

Spotlight!

Get it on me... and keep it on me.

Now you've all read the play.

Let me put you in the mood.

The scene is a filthy attic in Soho

in the very heart

of London's square mile of vice

and worse, a dim figure is flitting

about the stage - that's you, Bill.

You play Sidney,

assistant to Penelope Brown -

amateur criminologist -

that's you, Miss Marple.

Sidney is looking for something...

searching... searching...

searching...

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