The Boston Strangler Page #7

One valid definition of sanity is

someone who isn't in an insane asylum.

Where does he work?

Pyne Furnace on Bradford Street.

There was soot on the floor

of Terry Evans' apartment.

It could have come from a furnace.

Check his work record

against the stranglings.

See when he was off work

or on outside jobs.

All right.

Number seven, October 5th...

...Liza Gordon, 215 Huntington Ave.,

Boston.

October 5th.

DeSalvo checked out from a job

at Rollins Place at 2 p.m.

That's 15 blocks from Huntington.

She died at approximately 2:30.

He could have made that easily.

Number eight, October 19th.

Bobbie Eden, 205 Park Dr., Boston.

Time of death, approximately 7:30 p.m.

He had an emergency repair job

a couple of blocks away.

405 Park Dr.

He checked out at 7 p.m.

That's eight out of eight

he was available for.

Number nine, November 1 st.

June Williams, 448 Charles St.

Approximate time of death was noon.

Worked all day in the shop.

Wait. Lunch, 11:
30 to 12:45.

Killed her during lunch.

We're not a mile from Charles Street.

Number 10, November 10th.

Terry Evans, 24 Essex St. in Cambridge.

Time of death, approximately 1 p.m.

Worked in repair shop, 10 to 12 noon.

Serviced furnace at 38 Hudson St.,

Cambridge, 3 to 6 p.m.

He had time to squeeze in number 10.

Number 11, November 25th.

Pat Bruner, 4 University Rd., Boston.

November 25? That was the day

of the president's funeral.

Everything was closed.

He was available.

Call the hospital

and put more security on him.

What did you tell the children where I am?

They haven't asked.

What? What do you mean they haven't asked?

- They're only...

- Yeah?

They're only little children.

They accept things.

But...

...don't they miss me?

I talked to Mr. Asgeirsson.

- Why are you talking to him?

- Don't get excited.

Don't get excited?

They tell me he's gonna defend me.

For what?

Albert, I'm just telling you

what he said to me.

You want to know, don't you?

Don't. Don't get angry.

I'm not saying this.

I don't believe anything.

What did he say?

He asked me to try to talk to you.

He...

He thinks you should plead guilty

to housebreaking.

Cut it out!

You, uh...?

You believe them?

Albert, I don't believe anything.

I don't know what's happening.

He said...

...if you admit it,

it won't matter if they find out.

Find out what?

That you are sick.

You believe them, then?

I love you, Albert.

I love you, Irmgard.

Albert's survival depends on his

absolute certainty of his innocence.

If he accepts your interrogating him...

...it'll stir up all the terrible rumblings

going on inside of him.

Isn't that the idea?

To get him to hear those rumblings get

louder and louder until he can't stand it?

Phil's right. He's got to be questioned.

I think you want to question him

because you want to question him.

You got the smell of prey and want

to close in for the kill, just like any cop.

My motivations are my affair.

I wouldn't let you question him...

...if he was charged with the stranglings

and was in jail.

I won't allow it when he's in a hospital

and mentally incompetent.

- You don't care if he's the Strangler?

- Of course.

But I'm here to protect him,

not help send him to the electric chair.

Suppose I find out

without legal risk to Albert?

You can't.

I'm willing to sign a paper guaranteeing

that anything I get out of him...

...will never be used against him

in court.

- What's the point?

- I have to know if he's the Strangler.

We all have to know

so we can breathe again.

You would honor it, but what about

your successor or some gung-ho DA?

You sign for Albert, I sign for the state.

If another prosecutor tries to use any

evidence I get, or even a confession...

...it would be thrown out because

it was deceitfully exacted from Albert.

This is a medical problem,

not a legal one.

You don't appreciate the danger

to Albert as a patient in this hospital.

If you force Albert the family man...

...to acknowledge the existence

of Albert the Strangler...

...he'll go over the edge.

BOTTOMLY:
We haven't got one piece

of evidence that can be used in court.

No fingerprints, no witnesses, nothing.

It's the only direction I can take.

He could become catatonic,

hide from himself...

...withdraw totally.

We've got a ward full of them.

Nobody knows where they withdraw to,

but they're not here with the rest of us.

That's quite a responsibility.

It's bad enough if he's guilty, but...

...what if he's innocent

and you push him over the edge?

Would it keep him in here

for the rest of his life?

Almost certainly.

Then it's the next best thing

to a conviction.

Mr. Asgeirsson was to see me.

He told me I don't have to talk to you.

He's right. You don't.

You don't have to talk to me.

And if you do talk, nothing you say

can be used outside this room.

- DESALVO:
Bottomly is what you said?

- BOTTOMLY:
That's right.

I'm sorry.

He doesn't make me remember anything.

He just looks like anyone else to me.

Look at his hand.

It makes me feel frightened somehow.

But he's still no one I've ever seen.

Is it the best you can do?

I'm sorry.

All right. Thank you for trying.

Do you remember what you did

the day before you were arrested?

Um, I worked.

Is that the day you hurt your hand?

What's my hand got to do with anything?

I'll be absolutely honest with you.

I want to hear what you say happened,

then we'll check what did happen.

If what you remember

is different from the facts...

...I'll assume the doctors are right,

that there's something wrong with you.

Go ahead and check.

I fixed this furnace in South Boston.

A lot of the hot-air pipes were leaking...

...a lot of hot air mixed with raw gas.

And the valve was jammed.

And I couldn't turn it off.

So I tore up some rags to try to...

I, uh...

...tore up some rags...

...to see if I could stop the leaks.

I could smell...

[CLUNY SCREAMING]

BOTTOMLY:
What happened then?

DESALVO:
I tried to force the valve shut

with my wrench.

I put it on the valve nut...

...and the wrench slipped off.

My hand...

BOTTOMLY:
Go on.

What about your hand?

DESALVO:
I guess it got caught in the fan.

BOTTOMLY:
You guess? Don't you know?

Uh, yeah, I know. I...

I, um, got it caught in the fan.

Look, I'm tired.

Yeah, all right. That's enough for now.

But...

...understand your predicament. If the

hospital releases you, you'll stand trial.

I'm sure you'll be found guilty

of breaking and entering...

...the Taylor apartment even though

it's a miscarriage of justice.

If you don't stand trial, the hospital will

keep you because they think you're sick.

So one way or the other,

you're not going to be free.

Look, I'm not stupid.

Don't you suppose I know that?

What am I supposed to do?

I can't yell anymore.

My wife won't even listen to me.

Listen to me.

That's why I'm here.

Maybe the two of us

can find out what happened.

If I weren't so worried about how to

take care of Irmgard and the children...

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