The October Man Page #3

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It's all right, what there is of it,

but... well, I want to get married.

Anyone in particular?

Yes, only he's married already and

she won't divorce him, so he says.

He's a buyer for a firm in Birmingham.

- Oh, you're tired.

- I've just been working late.

Thanks, thanks very much for the drink.

Well, I've always got some if

you feel like a little chat.

- Now, you won't forget?

- Thanks, I won't.

Thanks again for doing the light, darling,

I don't know what I should've done.

Thank you.

Warm-hearted and demonstrative, that's me.

Well, that's, erm, very nice.

- Good night. -

Bye-bye, darling.

( Jazz orchestra playing)

Look, there's Jim.

Hello, Jim, you're late.

- Sorry.

- Joyce, dear, this is Jim. Jim, my wife.

- How are you?

- How do you do?

I'll call you Jim because

Harry's spoken of you so often.

- Good.

- I think Jenny's dancing.

- Shall we go back to the table?

- Right.

We were beginning to think you'd

backed out at the last minute.

- No, I've been looking forward to it.

- Good. That's fine.

Evening, Ackland.

- Good evening.

- Nice to see you.

I was just telling Miss Jenny that

the staff dance is the one occasion

when I can see your husband without

getting asked for new equipment.

Oh, sorry. Jenny, this is Jim

Ackland. Jim, my sister, Jenny.

- Hello.

- How do you do?

You're the man who never comes to tea.

Oh, you can see what a reputation you've got.

- Yes, I shall have to try and correct that.

- ( Lively tune starts)

Will you... dance?

Yes.

Ah, 11:
30, time for bed.

Yes.

Come on, we don't want to be sitting

here as if we were waiting up for them.

Darling, you've said that

every night for the past week.

It's been a lovely evening.

- I like your hair like that.

- Do you?

Same time tomorrow?

Same time.

Good night.

Good night.

(Knock on door)

Er, yes?

- Oh, hello.

- Hello. I wanted to talk to you.

Oh, well, er... come in.

You've been out a lot lately. I said

to myself, he's got a girlfriend.

I'm afraid I can't offer you

a drink. Won't you sit down?

Er, no, I wanted to ask you a favour.

- Light gone wrong again?

- No, it's not that.

Er... look, I've got three modelling jobs

for Kitskas, the wholesalers, next week,

and they owe me for three others, but

they don't pay till the end of the month.

I've got to have some money. I'm

in a jam and I hate asking you,

but could you possibly lend me some?

Yes, of course. How much do you need?

Er... thirty pounds.

I could definitely pay you back at the

end of the month when I get my cheques in.

Thirty pounds, that's rather a lot, isn't it?

You'll have it back, I promise you.

Oh... that's all right.

Well, I haven't got that much

on me. When do you want it by?

Well, now. As soon as possible.

Oh.

Look, I'm terribly sorry to bother

you but, well, I have to have it.

Let's see, it's... Saturday, isn't it?

I could go to the bank on Monday morning,

or Miss Selby could cash

me a cheque tomorrow.

Must you really have it before Monday?

Look, I know it's awkward for

you. I could get a cheque cashed.

By Miss Selby?

Oh, no, I wouldn't let her know.

Oh, no, of course not.

There we are.

Well, it's terribly kind of you.

I'll let you have it back faithfully.

Oh, that's all right. Don't worry about it.

How's the man from Birmingham?

I haven't seen him this week.

Oh.

I had a letter from him though.

It's a great life, isn't it?

Is there anything else I can

do to help apart from the money?

Oh, no.

No, no, thanks. No, I

think I'll go home soon.

My mother and father

live in Maidstone, and...

well, maybe I could get my old job back.

- I was in Woolworths.

- Oh.

- Oh, I'm keeping you up.

- No, you're not.

Well...

Well, thanks again.

- I won't forget.

- All right.

- Good night.

- Good night.

What do Joyce and Harry think about me?

Well, they like you.

- Do they mind my being with you?

- Of course they don't. Why?

Oh, I just... just wondered.

Harry thinks a lot of you. He says you've

done most of the work on this process.

Oh, nonsense.

Did he, er... tell you

about that accident I had?

Yes. Poor darling, it must've been dreadful.

But that's all over now,

isn't it? You're well again.

Yes, I'm... l'm... well, but...

What, darling?

There's... something I never told Harry.

What?

It's my head.

- I'm not sure if it's right yet.

- But it must be now.

I love you. You know that, don't you?

And I want to ask you to marry me...

but I can't until I know for

certain that I'm all right.

You see, they warned me that for a

time, there's a chance of a relapse.

If that happens, I... have

to go back to hospital.

That won't happen.

The day I came here, I stopped by the bridge.

An express came by and I

wanted to fall in front of it.

It's... something in my mind, a sort of

fear, as if it's dangerous to stay alive.

Because the child was killed?

Yes. Yes, I suppose so.

When the fear goes, the danger will go.

Same time tomorrow?

Same time.

Just going to post a letter.

(Clock chiming in distance)

(Police whistle)

(Whistle)

(Whistle)

(Bell)

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, they're here.

Right, sir.

How do they know it was Miss

Newman? How can they be sure?

Her bag.

She just went out to post a letter.

That's just what I can't get over.

She just went out to post a letter,

just like she always did on Sundays.

It must've been a lunatic.

Something here, sir.

(Clock chimes)

One o'clock.

Where's Miss Selby?

She went up to Miss Newman's

room with that plainclothes man.

It's chilly here.

I was so warm in bed.

I think I shall go back.

They said we had to wait in here.

That was a CID man, you

know, the one in the mac.

It's all so sordid, the

police and everything.

We'd have had time to

play a dozen hands by now.

Rich, with Miss Newman

dead?! It's Sunday too.

It's Monday now.

Besides, I think she was

knocked down by a car.

They say she was strangled from

behind with a scarf or something.

Poor little thing, she

was always so full of life.

Mr Ackland's been rather a

long time in there, hasn't he?

25 minutes.

I shouldn't have thought

he had so much to tell them.

He may have gone to bed.

His coat's still there and his scarf.

Miss Newman went to post a letter.

The box is just down the road

- what was she doing in the middle of the common?

She must've been dragged there.

All the way to the middle of

the common? Don't be silly.

She must've gone there herself.

- With the murderer, you mean?

- With someone she knew.

- Some man.

- She had a boyfriend.

Perhaps it was him.

Yes, and perhaps it was someone from here.

- Oh, no!

- Well, let's see.

Now, you were in, Mr

Pope, and you, Mr Connor?

- Yes, yes.

- What about you, Mr Peachy?

- Oh, I went for a walk. You saw me go.

- Mm.

I got back just before it rained.

That leaves Mr Ackland.

That was the last time you saw

her, when you gave her this cheque?

Yes, definitely.

And you didn't see her while

you were walking on the common?

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