Stage Fright Page #6

- What friends?

- Never mind that just now.

We've got to work out

a plan of campaign.

- Everything is going on beautifully.

- We've got to get a story...

...and we'll both have to stick to it.

- I must change.

You shouldn't have come here, Jonnie.

You have been so wonderful up to now.

Don't think that I'm ungrateful.

I'm not. Truly, I'm not.

- I don't know how I shall ever repay you.

- Repay me?

You talk as though this were a favor.

Something that a "thank you"

can take care of.

Dearest, you mustn't be foolish.

You must go away at once. Back to...

...where you were hiding.

Freddie's going to get you

out of the country soon.

And I'll come to see you,

when the run of the show's over.

Why, that may be months,

maybe a year, or more.

Well, you know how it is. We were

playing to capacity before this happened.

Now they're hanging on to the chandeliers.

Fifty pounds up tonight.

Goodness knows how they squeeze them in.

Yes. I could only get standing room.

Well, there you are.

We'll find a lovely place,

South America or somewhere.

And I'll come out to you, as soon

as all of this has blown over.

I'll be glad of the rest for a week or two.

Palm trees...

...sunshine.

Lovely.

A week or two?

Well, you don't want me to give up

everything, do you?

Why not? I have.

Now, Jonnie, I thought you said that

my happiness was all that mattered...

...and you must admit that

you behaved as if it was.

Taking all the trouble

to protect my reputation...

...covering up the accident...

...destroying that dreadful dress

with the bloodstain on it.

I didn't destroy it.

You didn't?

Jonnie, you promised.

Don't you realize if they find the dress...

So long as I have that dress, I'm the one

who decides how long this show will run.

And everything else.

Do you understand?

Where the devil is Miss Inwood?

The orchestra's started her number.

My socks and suspenders, where is she?

Take this. I'll change downstairs.

Sorry, darling. A hook broke.

Just a minute, Charlie.

Jonathan Cooper's in the theater.

The sergeant's seen him.

He was sure to make for your room.

- Have you seen him?

- Of course not. What a stupid idea.

I think I better take a look

at your dressing room.

Doris, show Sergeant Loomis where to go.

- Freddie, there's something...

- Miss Inwood, please.

Doris, what are you waiting for?

Oh, Mr. Loomis, I feel so queer.

It's my heart.

The doctor told me I should

take the stairs easy.

You don't think he'll try to shoot

his way out, do you?

He might be desperate, sergeant.

Don't you think you ought

to go back and get a policeman?

She was glad he got away, Father.

- How do you know?

- By a look she gave Freddie Williams.

"Look she gave"? That won't get you far.

She'd be more delighted if she knew

there was no stained dress.

Oh, yes.

- I wish we still had that dress.

- There's so very little time.

We've got to make every minute count.

I have to phone Smith tomorrow.

Why don't I invite him to the theatrical

garden party with me?

I have to sell programs there.

- I don't quite follow you, my dear Holmes.

- In order to make him see.

Nobody suspects our Charlotte yet,

and they've got to.

First, you'd see my mother and father

and get approved by them.

Most parents nowadays don't seem

to care what sort of people...

...their children go around with,

but I'm not like that.

I know I'm very old-fashioned,

but I've got to think of Eve.

What do you do for a living?

I write a bit.

What, novels and things?

I'm very fond of novels. You know,

I read a delightful one the other day.

Let me see. What was the title?

It was written by that woman.

I can't remember, but she's written

a number of books.

You must have read some of them.

They're all about charming people.

She only writes

about the nice side of life.

Now, this book I was telling you about...

...the title has just slipped

my memory for the moment.

Well, it's about a mother, which is

a nice idea, I think, don't you?

One reads so much

about the younger generation.

It does seem a brilliant idea

to have a change.

Now, this mother isn't old...

I'm sorry to turn up so late,

but I'm stranded for the night.

All the hotels are full.

My flat's uninhabitable.

I told you, it's in the hands

of the decorators.

I know it's a frightful imposition...

...but I wondered if you could

give me a shakedown somewhere?

Well, of course we can.

Can't we, Mother?

Well, it's a little awkward.

Is your father proposing

to stay here too?

Well, Jonathan could have my room,

and I could sleep on the settee.

Where shall we put your father?

No. I'll sleep on the settee,

and you can sleep with your mama.

- I hate to put you to all this trouble.

- Not at all, Mr...? What is your name?

- Jones.

- Brown.

Robinson. Now, Mr. Robinson,

I think we'll make it bye-byes.

A blanket for the commodore,

and we'll all go to bye-byes.

Robinson. I've heard that name before.

No, it won't do. Has Eve gone mad,

turning the house into a hotel in the night?

Who is this man, anyway?

What is his name?

Well, perhaps you better not mention it.

The fact is that he's

a fugitive from justice.

The whole police force is on his heels,

and Eve...

Well, for reasons of her own, my dear,

doesn't want him to be caught.

He's...

He's wanted for murder.

Now you're going too far.

I suppose you think I believed that

that Mr. Smith, who came here to tea...

...was a real detective.

If I hadn't heard her maid's voice outside

the dressing room, they'd have got me.

Eve, darling, I know I should

never have trusted her.

Darling, you've been wonderful to me.

I don't deserve it, but I need you.

I need you more than ever.

Tonight, when I found

what Charlotte was...

...all of a sudden,

I thought my brain would burst.

After all that I'd done for her.

Everything I did for her was because

I loved her and she loved me.

- I'm so sorry.

- Why the umbrella?

It is a garden party, isn't it?

Oh, Roehampton Club, please.

It couldn't be helped, I'm afraid.

You must blame a Miss Doris Tinsdale.

Who is Doris Tinsdale?

She's Charlotte Inwood's temporary dresser.

We've been searching for her all afternoon.

One of our men at the theater...

...let her slip through his fingers

without making a statement.

You look very lovely.

You're very sweet to say so.

What has this Doris Tinsdale person

got to do with the case?

Or shouldn't I ask, Mr. Smith?

Well, Cooper was at the theater last night,

and we think she saw him.

And don't call me Mr. Smith.

After all, my name is...

Wilfred.

Not very good, is it?

It suits some people very nicely.

I rather liked it when you called me

"Ordinary Smith."

- Oh, I didn't mean to, really.

- But I liked it. I liked it very much.

Please go on calling me that, will you?

Yes, I will.

What were we talking about?

Oh, yes. I was going to ask you,

why did Cooper risk going to the theater?

He must have had a very strong reason

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