The Seventh Victim Page #5

so unexpectedly.

It's almost like a wish come true.

I want to show you my room.

I want you to see all of it.

But it's a small room, Jason.

It's grown big with the years.

And my window,

through which I see the world.

It's beautiful. That searchlight

and the stars.

Oh, that's not a searchlight.

It's a sword blade,

cutting the blue cloak of a prince.

- Not stars...

- Jason.

I'm going back to Highcliffe.

I've come to say goodbye.

But I thought your coming up here

to the third floor to see me...

Well, that it was your advent

into my world.

It turns out to be goodbye. Why?

Please don't make me tell you, Jason.

I thought I was your friend, Mary.

Just goodbye isn't enough for a friend.

I had begun to write again.

That's what I was doing

when you came in.

It's because of Jacqueline.

I can't go on looking for her.

You went to see Mrs. Redi.

She told you something. What was it?

Jacqueline's a murderess.

She killed a man.

- You believe that?

- I have to.

It was Irving August.

Everything Mrs. Redi said,

it fits in with what I saw.

She even knew that I'd seen

his body on the subway.

But if it's true, then...

...there's all the more reason

for you to find Jacqueline.

And Gregory, he loves her.

He loves you, Mary.

You'll have to tell him.

He's Jacqueline's husband. I can't.

But you've got to tell him, Mary.

Even if only for the practical reason that

he's a lawyer and will know what to do.

I'm going to phone him.

Well, she's got to be found.

That's the first step.

She's got to be found so she can

give herself up to the police.

But we've tried so long to find her.

Judd could tell us, if he would.

- Do you think he knows about this?

- I don't know.

Well, he's clever,

and he's cautious in his way.

I think if he knew

he'd advise her to do what I want.

Surrender herself to the police

and stand trial.

I don't think he knows.

We could tell him.

- Could you find him?

- I suppose so.

I guess I could pick him up somewhere.

Jason...

...I sometimes wonder.

You're so sweet to me.

So kind and sympathetic.

I don't know how I can ever thank you.

Thank me?

You don't have to thank me.

- What's that?

- Verse.

Verse I wrote.

Don't bother going up.

I can do this all night, Jason.

Watch.

Following me to find Jacqueline?

Well, it won't work.

Love and understanding...

...won't make a good detective

out of a recalcitrant poet.

Actually, there are two favors

I want to ask.

One as a poet, one as a detective.

Sounds strange.

I'm going to be very wary.

Some time ago, you spoke

about my writing again.

I want your help.

I'd like you to bring this

to your publisher.

This is curious, Jason.

Half the time you talk as if Shakespeare

weren't fit to tie your shoelaces.

Now this sudden humility.

I should like people to read

what I have written.

I hope it'll find as much favor

as your other book.

But somehow I doubt it.

The time is out of tune.

Why not let your publisher judge that?

Wait. There's that other favor.

- I'd forgotten.

- Tell me where Jacqueline is.

- We've got to find her.

- You don't expect me to do that, do you?

- Yes, when I tell you.

- Tell me what?

You'll have good enough sense

to tell us where she is...

...when I tell you she's a murderess.

She killed a man.

Tell me, why this sudden desire

to publish?

To awaken like Byron

and find yourself famous?

- I think it's time.

- No other reason?

No woman?

Not the little Miss Gibson?

Perhaps.

Wait a minute. I'll call her.

Jacqueline, this is Judd.

Jacqueline.

- Who is it?

- Judd.

I'm here with your sister.

Come on down.

Oh, Mary.

Jacqueline.

It's all right.

You're safe.

Nothing's going to hurt you.

- Your husband seems very certain of that.

- Yes.

I'm very certain there's only one way

to help you, Jacqueline...

...to protect you.

You've got to come with us.

Let me do all I can as a lawyer

to straighten out Irving August's death.

You must come with us, darling.

Let us help you.

For me, this seems to be the end

of a delightful relationship.

Here. This will put some life into you.

It's like coming back to life.

It would be much easier, Jacqueline,

if you told me exactly what happened.

I'd know what to do for you.

Please, Jacqueline.

You know about the Palladists.

You know who they are...

...what they are.

I was one of them.

Jacqueline was always

a sensationalist...

...trying to seize onto something.

Anything to bring her happiness.

Through Mrs. Redi, she stumbled

onto the Palladist movement.

It appealed to her.

I wasn't happy with them.

I wanted to break away.

I was miserable.

I went to Louis for help.

They felt that I'd betrayed them.

They wanted me to die.

Kill myself.

They kept me locked up at La Sagesse.

I was there such a long time.

Imagine the effect of such

imprisonment on Jacqueline.

I was terrified.

The darkness

in the corners of the room...

...all the little noises.

Then one night the door opened.

A man came in.

Tiptoeing in.

I had a scissors in my hand.

I struck at him.

Don't. We know what happened.

Don't go on.

Any court in the land

would understand.

We'll wait a few days, let you rest,

then we'll go to the police.

Why can't Jacqueline stay here with me

for a few days?

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

There's my old friend.

The searchlight?

- Cyrano's sword.

- That's a funny thing to call it.

I like it.

I've always loved the story.

A man knowing he couldn't have

the woman he loved...

...and wooing her for his friend.

We're friends, aren't we, Gregory?

It's been a hard evening

for both of you.

Perhaps you ought to take Jacqueline

to your room, Mary.

Good night, Jacqueline.

- Good night, Mary.

- Good night.

This is no time to play Cyrano.

What was in your mind?

I wanted to get things clear

for Jacqueline.

- To let her know.

- To let her know what?

That you love Mary.

She'll have to know sometime.

Not from me.

Not from Mary.

Goodbye, darling.

I'll only be gone until 3.

- Bye.

- Lf you get lonely...

...go down and see Mrs. Romari.

I told her you were staying with me.

I won't be lonely.

Yes, this is Mary.

But she couldn't have gone out.

No.

Are you sure it wasn't Jason

she went with, or Mr. Ward?

Two men?

No.

I'll get home as soon as I can,

Mr. Romari.

The acceptance of a secret

is an obligation.

In this case, the obligation

carried the necessity...

...of dying if one betrayed that secret.

You understand that, don't you?

Yes. I understand it.

Then you also understand

that you must die.

No.

You've spoken so often

of ending it all.

I can't understand why

this should be so difficult for you.

- You have only to drink a little.

- Yes, Jacqueline.

You were always talking suicide,

of ending your life when you wanted to.

Yes.

- When I wanted to.

- It doesn't matter.

You want to now.

You should want to.

It is your obligation, your duty.

You have only to stretch out your hand,

take up the glass and drink a little.

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