The Shadow in the North Page #3

There's a parallel

for everything Nellie said.

North Star,

that's the name of his new company.

Look, she talks here of the regulator.

Extraordinary.

All I've discovered about North Star

is it's connected with a new invention,

some kind of machine called

the steam self-regulator.

Steam engines have regulators

to control the pressure, don't they?

If Nellie says anything

else you must tell me immediately.

Why don't we work together on this one?

I work better on my own.

We used to be a good team, Lockhart.

Why did you come here tonight, Fred?

I thought you'd be interested

in this Bellmann stuff.

You didn't even know

I'd heard of Bellmann then.

All right, I was worried.

You know how Chaka pines

if he doesn't see me regularly.

Might need this.

Nellie Budd's card.

Take care, Sally.

Mr Bellmann,

I believe your involvement

in Anglo-Baltic

has cost my client her life savings.

She was a teacher...

A good woman, and she's entitled to

the money she saved for her retirement.

I admire your loyalty, Miss Lockhart.

But, if I were to pay you this money,

I would be admitting

that I did something wrong.

I make no such admission.

Such a gesture

would also invite every shareholder

of Anglo-Baltic to make a similar claim.

As a matter of business,

this is quite impossible.

I will have a cheque, please,

made out in the sum of 3,270,

payable to Miss Susan Walsh.

The figure is itemised here.

A young woman.

Working in the City of London.

This is a remarkable thing.

Please understand that

I consider it admirable.

But now, you go too far.

I've warned you, Miss Lockhart...

Warned me about what, exactly?

Let's be clear

what these threats of yours amount to.

I have, here,

a record of visits paid by unaccompanied

men to your place of business.

Which, Mr Windlesham informs me,

contains a large and comfortable couch.

During the past month alone, there

have been no less than 20 such visits.

Many of them at night.

Each one of my clients is

a respectable member of society

who will vouch for me unreservedly.

Oh, for sure, but

the allegations alone would ruin you.

An attractive young woman, working

in an apparently clandestine fashion.

There's no need for a fire.

The smoke is quite sufficient.

I will have that cheque.

I advise you to think hard before

circulating your lies, Mr Bellmann.

I know enough about you now to make

an interesting article for the newspaper

about Anglo-Baltic,

and North Star, and Arne Nordenfels.

What do you know of Arne Nordenfels?

You will pay me Miss Walsh's money,

make no mistake about that.

I do not make mistakes.

I think you just have.

You've told me I'm looking

in exactly the right place.

Well, Mr Semple, what can I do for you?

Ah. Well,

my name's not actually Semple.

And I'm here in my capacity

as a private detective.

I'm afraid the electro-dermograph

machine was actually a camera.

I took a photograph

of you the other night.

I think it shows your

clever tricks rather well.

Oh, dear.

Have you come to expose me?

If people are gullible enough

to believe your sance routine,

that's their lookout.

However, I am willing to use

this picture to blackmail you.

Handsome fellow like

you doesn't need blackmail.

Just ask nicely, dear.

Good, wasn't going to, anyway.

But I am interested in what

you said in your trance, the real one.

Oh, I call them my funny turns.

I've been having them for years.

People tell me I say all sorts.

Not much of it makes sense.

You don't remember them afterwards?

Not a thing.

Do you know Mr Bellman?

Never heard of him.

A company called North Star?

How about a magician, named MacKinnon?

Doesn't ring a bell. That's odd.

He seems to know you.

Why don't you have a cup of tea, dear?

Your aura's looking distinctly weak.

MacKinnon.

He's a skinny bloke with blue eyes.

Been here a couple of days, I was told.

He ain't here. And anyway,

he ain't receiving no visitors neither.

Second floor.

MacKinnon?

MacKinnon!

We were a pretty pair in those days.

Where's your sister now?

Still works the halls up north.

You do know MacKinnon,

don't you, Nellie?

I've seen his act.

I might have chatted

backstage once or twice,

but it hardly seemed worth mentioning.

What about a Lord Wytham?

What does Johnny Wytham

have to do with anything?

I don't know.

Why don't you tell me?

He was Johnny Kennett when I knew him,

but that would be 20 years ago

in the music hall.

The original stage-door Johnny,

Jessie and me used to call him.

He was all grace and fun in those days.

And such a handsome man.

Lord! What a swell!

And you can't think of any

connection between him and Bellmann?

I told you, I don't know any Bellmann.

Or MacKinnon?

You shall have to go now, dear.

You've made me quite tired.

If you carry on like this,

I shall be in no fit state

to commune with the spirits.

I was quite a catch once, you know.

Still are, Nellie!

See,

I told you he weren't here!

If he comes back, you tell

him Jim Taylor's looking for him.

I've heard him mention your name.

You're a friend. Come with me.

Alistair is in great danger, Mr Taylor.

Terrible danger.

Who are you?

Alastair and I are friends.

Best thing that he can do

is stop running and talk to me.

It's difficult for him.

He's nervous, and imaginative.

As an artist, he feels things

more deeply than ordinary men.

I'm in the way of being an artist

myself, and I'm as ordinary as it gets.

Alistair is unique.

Most people recoil, as you did,

when they see my face, but not him.

So are two stepping out together,

or what?

Don't mock me, Mr Taylor.

How can I expect anything more than pity

from a man with so fine a soul as his?

From time to time, he has allowed me

to offer him comfort, or a little money.

Awfully big of him.

You don't look as though

you've got that much cash to spare.

I'd give Alistair my

last farthing if he needed it.

I could get you a good

price for work like this.

Don't have to live a poky little place,

earning pennies, love.

The fewer people who see my face,

the better.

Not true.

You ain't so bad-looking.

Could you feel desire for me?

This is my card,

I'll put another address on the back,

a young lady, name of Miss

Sally Lockhart.

If you ever need anyone,

she won't let you down.

I'd do anything to help him,

anything in the world.

Do you understand that?

The love I have for him

is my one reason for breathing.

If you want my opinion,

love's more trouble than it's worth.

Good day.

Of all the reckless,

irresponsible ways to behave.

The situation calls for tact

and careful handling,

so what does Sally Lockhart do?

She shows them every card in her hand!

Bellmann as good as admitted

he had something to hide.

How would the brilliant Frederick

Garland have discovered that?

By writing him a polite letter?

If we had moved carefully,

we might have caught him off guard.

Thanks to me, we know he's guilty.

And now you've made yourself

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