Murder She Said

Station annouuncer: The train standing

at Platform 2 is the 4:50

for Ealing Broadway. Hanwell.

Hayes. West Drayton.

Langley. Taplow. Milchester

and Brackhampton.

- Tickets, please.

- A woman has been strangled.

- Pardon?

- A man strangled a woman in a train.

- I saw it out there!

- Strangled?

Yes, strangled.

You must do something.

Me? Well...

Madam, don't you think you had a nap

and maybe had a bad dream?

Young man, I was not dreaming.

What are you going to do about it?

Well... we'll be in Brackhampton

in about five minutes.

- I'll report it then.

- Thank you.

- Can I have your details?

- Of course.

Miss Jane Marple.

- Marple?

- Marple.

Old Pasture Lane.

- Milchester.

- Milchester. I see.

I'll report it

to the stationmaster...

- Yes, please do.

- Thank you.

A bad dream indeed.

All right, Lucy, I'll answer that.

- Good morning...

- Not today.

Inspector Craddock, County CID.

Oh, I am so sorry.

Do come in, Inspector.

I've been going through

all the papers for the last two days

and not a word about the murder.

I suppose the police asked the press

to say nothing for now.

Do sit down.

Lull the murderer into a false sense

of security, then pounce!

What's that?

Oh, how stupid of me. I am so sorry.

Lucy!

You will have some tea, won't you?

- Oh...

- Tea for the Inspector, please.

Yes, ma'am.

Well now, have you got him?

Well, I... that is...

...we've come to the conclusion that

what you saw on the train was...

...a man and a woman...

Yes, as I said.

I mean...

perhaps they were honeymooners?

Inspector, I may be

what is termed a spinster,

but I do know the difference

between horseplay and murder.

Yes, Miss Marple, but there's been

a full search of every train

and no hospital has treated

any such woman.

She was blonde,

with a fur collar coat.

No such woman was seen getting on or

off a train alone or accompanied.

Of course not, she was dead!

The tracks were searched for the

whole length of the line - negative.

Oh, so you don't believe me?

I didn't mean to imply that.

- You did.

- Not at all.

What then?

A woman cannot be murdered

on a busy train

without our finding out about it.

I'm sure you mean well, Inspector,

but if you imagine

that I am going to sit back

and let everybody regard me

as a dotty old maid,

you are very much mistaken.

Good day!

I'm sorry, The Hatrack Hanging,

Falcon Smith's latest,

we haven't received our copy yet.

Plain inefficiency.

- Let me know the moment it comes in.

- Of course, Mrs Stainton.

- Good morning, Miss Marple.

- Good morning, Mr Stringer.

Good morning, Hilda.

One moment...

...The Hatrack Hanging,

I've been keeping it for you.

- Would you say I am unstable?

- Certainly not.

- In full possession of my faculties?

- Absolutely...

- Not given to hallucinations?

- No.

Thank you, Mr Stringer.

- The police think I'm dotty.

- What?

Apparently,

I saw a young man and woman

in the throes of connubial bliss.

If I were you, Miss Marple,

I would write to the Chief Constable.

Mr Stringer, how many detective

novels have we read over the years?

Lmpossible to say.

Certainly hundreds.

Yes, which gives us a certain

knowledge of the criminal mind?

Most assuredly.

Well, this is where we put

that knowledge to the test.

- We?

- Yes, we!

So it has come in!

Oh, has it?

Well, I think I have first call.

You won't like it. Too obvious.

The mother did it, of course.

How do you know? It's just come in.

It always is with Falcon Smith.

A deprived child, you know.

Crumpets for tea,

Mr Stringer, if you care to join me.

Indeed I would, Miss Marple.

Ah, yes, here we are.

I calculate the five o'clock express

to Brackhampton overtook my train

somewhere about there.

How can you be sure?

The ticket collector said

five minutes to Brackhampton.

He came in more than a minute

after the murder.

So that makes it six minutes before

Brackhampton at, say, 30 mph.

So... about there!

The body, Miss Marple?

That was thrown from the train

between here and Brackhampton.

- The police found nothing.

- Of course not.

The murderer returned before the

search and disposed of the body.

By Jove, the police will want

to investigate now.

They say there is no investigation.

- Surely, a fresh search...

- Yes, but we will conduct our own.

- Eh?

- Yes, Mr Stringer.

I recommend

a hearty breakfast tomorrow.

You and I are going to take

an early morning walk!

There must be something somewhere.

A body can't be thrown out of a

fast-moving train without some trace.

If we linger here much longer,

we shall certainly be apprehended.

Nonsense! No one will give two

tracklayers a second glance.

I'm not convinced

our disguises are adequate.

A shoe, a bit of cloth... something.

Our timetable

may have been out of date,

but I'm sure

the 7:
15 is still running.

- Very possibly.

- It could be most dangerous up here.

Undoubtedly.

Miss Marple!

- Miss Marple!

- Yes?

There you are!

I think I heard something.

I think I've found something.

Really?

Consistent with something

having been dumped from a train.

If it was the body,

it would roll down and finish up

against this wall.

Then where is it?

That, Mr Stringer, is the question.

It could be buried.

You'd need a pick or a shovel.

No, this is hardly an ideal spot

for disposing of a body.

Unless...

From her fur collar, I think.

Mr Stringer,

will you give me a leg up?

- Really, Miss Marple, I...

- Please, Mr Stringer.

No, no!

Make a stirrup.

That's it. Come on now.

CarefuI! Are you ready?

- Interlock your fingers!

- They are interlocked!

- Well, are you ready?

- Yes... up!

Magnificent!

Down!

- What a frightfuI man.

- What a frightfuI dog!

Miss Marple,

prudence demands a retreat.

I am convinced the body

is on the other side of this wall.

That's the Ackenthorpe Hall Estate?

I know. Perfect.

Easy enough for someone

from the house to get the body

and dispose of it in the grounds.

Do you mean one of the family?

Yes, or one of the servants -

if they have any.

Servants... I wonder...

Miss Marple, whatever it is,

no, no, no!

Mr Stringer,

we will withdraw temporarily.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

There's nothing on my books.

Not so much as a mother's help.

I'm seeking a post, not offering one.

Pray be seated, my good woman.

Seek no more.

You've come to the right place.

How good to see the spirit

of unselfish service is still here.

Let me see now.

Yes! Here's a perfect plum.

"CheerfuI home for cheerfuI lady.

Own suite, TV, radio

and a use of car.

Tea in bed on Sundays.

Pension scheme."

Heaven forbid!

Oh, all right.

"Mrs Forbes Alexbridge.

Setting up house near Monte Carlo."

They won't have foreigners.

"Own gaming allowance."

I don't like gambling.

"Mrs Hamilton Potts."

The Dingley Stud Farm, you know.

"Seven children - eldest seven."

Oh, no, thank you.

May I have a quiet word

with Mrs Binster?

I am Mrs Binster.

Oh, I see.

Well, I wondered if there was

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