The October Man Page #7

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why Mr Peachy should make a false...

I've already told you, no,

he must've been mistaken.

The other guests in the

hotel don't think it likely...

- What they think isn't evidence.

- But then neither is this, Mr Ackland.

- The letter she wrote is evidence.

- We haven't overlooked it.

- It was probably addressed to Wilcox.

- Probably.

Have you any idea how your cheque

came to be just by her when she was found?

Lt... must've fallen out of

her handbag in the struggle.

Was there a struggle?

I imagine there usually is

when somebody's strangled.

The cheque was screwed up into a ball.

If it had just slipped out of her

handbag, it would be flat, wouldn't it?

Why don't you ask me if I murdered her?

Oh, I don't know. Should I?

It might save time.

That would depend on your reply, wouldn't it?

Shall we forget this and start again?

We have a pretty clear idea

about the person we want.

We think he's a man with mental

trouble in the background -

a paranoiac, believing that

the world is against him,

that people are lying about him.

Someone not quite responsible

for his actions at times.

We think he got tired of this girl

because another girl came along.

We think that Molly Newman

tried to blackmail him

and that in a fit of rage, he killed her.

That's not true.

Most people'd hang for it, but not

this man, not with his mental history.

They'd call it an uncontrollable impulse.

There'd be a verdict of guilty but insane.

No fuss

- quiet, proper medical treatment.

What do you say, old chap?

One more statement? A real one, this time.

I didn't do it, you know.

I just, er... crossed the common.

I was... walking.

Yes?

I didn't do it.

I didn't do it, Inspector. It's fantastic!

I couldn't have done it... could I?

(Train whistle)

(Train puffing)

(Train whistle)

- Mr Ackland, your key.

- Is Mr Peachy in?

Yes.

I heard your knock. Didn't answer

because I didn't want to be disturbed.

There's something

important I want to ask you.

Well?

Why did you lie to the police

about Miss Newman and me?

Shut the door, will you, please?

I'd rather these wild accusations

weren't heard by everybody else.

They might be taken seriously.

Supposing you take this one seriously.

I don't like your tone.

If you think you've been lied about,

why don't you go to the police?

I have been.

- Oh? Didn't they believe you?

- You haven't answered my question.

- Why did you lie?

- I told the truth.

You were in her room and

she was in yours, often.

That's not the truth.

One night I saw you kissing on

the landing. Is that not true?

Well, yes, but that was not...

You asked for answers, you better listen.

You gave her money too, didn't you?

- Thirty pounds.

- How do you know that?

Miss Newman showed me the cheque.

When?

Just before I killed her.

You stay where you are.

I don't want anyone else to hear us.

No... No witnesses.

I think I'd like you to hear.

I think a condemned man should

always know why he is condemned.

- You're insane.

- I have my pride, Mr Ackland.

Before you came here,

Miss Newman... liked me.

She was a nervous girl

always, but she liked me,

and I liked her.

Why else do you think I stayed

in this middle-class filth?

I could buy the place up ten times!

You must've known her

before you came here, then?

Previous acquaintance? Oh, no.

No evidence of that kind either.

I saw her one day in the

street. I followed her here.

She didn't know my real name, of course.

Neither do you.

But... she was... beautiful to me.

She was always in need of

money and I gave her money.

Gave it to her. You understand?

Yes, yes, I... I understand.

Then you came here and

everything began to change.

You made her hate me.

How did you feel about Wilcox?

She never got any money from Wilcox.

She wouldn't have dared ask him.

He didn't know about... Molly and me.

But you, the pair of you up there

sniggering about me, paying me off.

I threw the cheque in her face.

So, that's how it was.

Yes. That's how it was.

I threw the cheque in

her face. That scared her.

Then she started to run and...

I always... liked her in that scarf.

It was soft... pretty.

I took it away as a... memento.

Oh, no, I burned it afterwards. It

wouldn't have been safe to keep it.

So, now there's no evidence

at all against me, none.

She said nothing about me in

her letters to Wilcox, nothing.

Now there's only you.

First her...

and now you.

I shan't stay in London again.

It's been very lonely.

I need somewhere new, somewhere in the sun.

No, there's nothing you can do.

The police didn't believe you

before, they won't believe you now.

There's no evidence. No proof.

Nothing.

(Objects smashing)

Why are you here? Didn't

Harry give you my note?

You should've known it wouldn't stop me.

- Move over.

- What's the matter?

- I'm going to the police.

- What's happened?

But he had a poker in his hand,

he's quite obviously crazy!

I see, and you think we ought to detain

Mr Peachy for questioning, is that it?

I don't know what the formula is

but he told me he's killed her.

- He's clearing out. He's already packed.

- This is a free country.

It's not yet a criminal

offence to leave your hotel.

But this man's confessed

he did it, Inspector.

- Were you at the interview?

- No.

Then I can't ask you to

make any statement about it.

Mr Peachy is going to Scotland. He'll

be staying in Glasgow until the 10th,

when he returns here for

the adjourned inquest.

He telephoned this afternoon to tell me.

Glasgow? I don't believe it.

He has a room booked at

the Midland Hotel there.

I still don't believe it.

And neither would you if

you'd heard what I heard.

He's going away all

right, but not to Glasgow.

Mr Ackland, you've been under a

great strain these last few days.

Mental trouble can play tricks with people.

Leave my mental state out of this.

I've given you some information.

Are you going to act on it or aren't you?

You've given me no information.

You've made some accusations,

I've taken note of them.

- What's the matter?

- I'll walk from here.

Jim.

What are you going to do?

I'm going back to the hospital tomorrow.

No, darling, no, you can't

do that. You can't give in.

(Train whistle)

You said that when the fear

went, the danger would go.

But the fear's come back again.

- And this time it won't go away.

- (Train whistle)

But don't you see? This time

you're not alone, it's both of us.

I've got to go back to the hospital, Jenny.

Then you'd always be afraid,

always, because you'd given in.

But you don't know what

these things are like.

A child without a head

and I'm the executioner.

A strangled girl and I'm the murderer.

- The wheels of...

- Jim!

You're not the murderer and you know

who is and you've got to stop him.

- It wouldn't be any use.

- Maybe not,

but it'd be something, you'd still be trying.

Look, darling, don't give

up, don't give up, please.

- What more can I do?

- You can stop Peachy.

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