Victim

Thanks, Mrs. P.

You're a fine one,Jack, waking

me up. You know I'm on nights.

Just a sec.

Yeah, okay, the Chequers,

then. Yes, I heard.

The fat parcel, back of your

wardrobe. Yeah, I'll find it.

Look, don't waste time

talking. Yeah, bye.

- Mrs. Pesco?

- Yes.

Uh, we're police officers.

We'd like a word about your

lodger, Barrett. Jack Barrett.

- Ah. Won't you come in, please.

- Thank you.

Oh, Mr. Melville Farr's chambers?

Can I speak to Mr. Farr, please?

Mmm? Oh. Barrett. Jack Barrett.

Oh, thank you.

He's quite a giant killer,

this Major Humphries.

How long has he been running his head

against this particular brick wall?

Three years, Mr. Farr...

Ever since the Rural district Council designated

his land for acquisition as a housing estate.

Well, he's in the right, you know.

It's beyond their powers

under the '57 Housing Act.

He's strangled in red tape.

Do you think we should take it on, sir?

The major's funds must be running a bit low.

- Who are his solicitors?

- Hambury and Wilcox.

I'd let them worry

about that if I were you.

The point is, the major's right, the ministry's

wrong, and I should like to make them squirm.

Mr. Jack Barrett for you, Mr. Farr.

He says it's very urgent.

All right, william, uh, telephone

Major Humphries's solicitors.

Arrange a meeting sometime next week.

Very good, sir.

Put him through.

Barrett?

If I hear from you again,

I shall inform the police.

Do you understand?

That's absolutely final.

- Boy's a bit exclusive today, isn't he?

- Yes, he doesn't look any too happy.

- Was that Barrett coming back?

- Yes.

You'd hear a pin fall on a feather, P.H.

Compensation for dead eyes, dear boy.

2,000.

- 2,300.

- All right, but what are you gonna do?

- Did the police come?

- Yes. I had to nip out pretty smartish.

- Did you get the parcel?

- Yes. It's in your bag, under here.

- The point is, what are you gonna do?

- Oh, I don't know.

Look,just go to a cinema and

sit it out till it's dark.

- No, no.

- What then?

Better you go now.

Then you can't tell 'em.

I wouldn't give you away.

- They'd twist it out of you. - No,

they w - They wouldn't, mate. Look-

I'll be all right now, Eddy.

Thanks for bringing the parcel.

No, no, you stay and finish my beer.

- Well, watch yourself now.

- Yeah.

What's the matter with boy, Eddy?

Oh, he's all right.

- Did you get Barrett?

- No, sir.

Gave us the slip. Sorry, sir.

- "Sorry" never arrested anyone, Sergeant.

- No, sir.

- Find anything in his room?

- Nothing worth a penny, sir.

Clean, tidy, very bare.

I had a talk with the landlady.

Boy never went anywhere.

Hardly a shirt to his name.

Lived out of tins in his room.

- This has a familiar ring, bridie.

- Yes, sir.

When you bring him in

we shall find the answer.

- Send out a general alert.

- Yes, sir.

- Get on with it, bridie.

- Yes, sir.

Hello, Farr. I was hoping

I might bump into you.

- Ah, yes? - It's about

this charity subscription -

Charles, you've made a

fortune for your shareholders.

- Why don't you ask them to stump up a bit?

- I've tried, my dear fellow.

But they're most uncooperative.

- Hello, Mandrake.

- Charles.

- Hello, Farr.

- I've seen your exhibition.

Congratulations. I thought the industrial

photographs were absolutely splendid.

- Thank you.

- Have you seen his show?

- No, I haven't.

- Well, you should. It really is excellent.

Excuse me, milord.

Telephone call for you, sir.

- Who is it?

- A Mr. Barrett.

Oh, not in, thompson.

Want a drink before lunch?

Better let me get them. You'll need all

your money for Charles's subscriptions.

Oh. So you've turned up again, boy.

Hello, Miss benham.

I want to see Mr. Doe.

- Is he in?

- I'll see.

Ah!

So the prodigal has

returned, Miss benham.

Looked us up again, eh?

Can I speak to you?

Shall I say yes, or shall I say no?

Please, Harold.

All right. I don't hold malice.

Let's hear what you've got to say.

Come along. Why aren't you working?

- Got the afternoon off.

- Very nice.

Just going to make a cup of tea.

Harold, I want you to promise

me something. It's important.

Promise?

Well, it's waited six months.

Surely it can wait a little longer.

No, it can't. It's got to be now.

Now?

Are you dictating to me?

Harold, listen, please.

I said "please" once, boy.

It didn't have much effect, did it?

- This is different.

- Oh, I see.

You've got to promise me

you'll never tell anyone.

Tell? Have I got anything to tell?

Well, yes. You remember.

Back last spring...

When I -When I left.

Oh, that.

Well, there's no fun in gossip

unless you can mention names.

You never did, did you?

Not that secrets don't have

a horrid way of leaking out.

Did you find out the name, Harold?

Did you? I must know!

What do you mean, "must"?

I don't think I'm going to

tell you. Just sweat it out.

I know what horrid imaginings are.

Now you're going to have your share.

You look at me as if you hate me.

That's a very good guess.

For God's sake, get out!

Come back when I'm in a better temper!

No, I'm sorry, Mr.

Barrett. Mr. Farr has left.

No, I haven't seen him since lunch.

Hmm.

Yes, I agree, but by inclination

we're all individualists.

Every man wants to

own his own business...

But the pressure of modern commerce...

Is gradually pushing the

independent trades out of existence.

Now, my plan is to let

them keep their autonomy...

But at the same time have all the

advantages the combines enjoy...

Through an associated

purchasing company.

You haven't heard a damn

word I've been saying.

Yes. Yes, I have. It's a fine

plan. It'll help a lot of people.

You only heard because you're trained to

listen with one ear and look with the other.

You really care about people, don't you?

Yes. Yes, of course I do.

Sorry, Phip. I know you don't

like people coming to the showroom.

Not me, old mate. The powers that

be aren't keen on social calls.

Phip, can you drive me out of London?

Sorry, sport. Couldn't

have come at a worse time.

I'm scheduled to deliver a crate out

at Richmond when I'm finished here.

- Where do you want to go?

- Kelworth, New town.

Well, fag a lift from a lorry.

Be all right?

Yeah.

Yeah. I'll be all right.

- Good evening, Mr. Farr.

- Evening, Mrs. Brooks. My wife home?

- She's not back from the clinic yet.

- Oh.

- Her brother's here.

- Oh, good.

- There you are, Mel.

- Hello, Scott. How are you? Nice to see you.

Felt a bit lonely. Ronnie

went back to school today.

Never mind. Only 10 weeks till

Easter. Come and have a drink.

What's all this about clinic?

- Laura having trouble?

- No, no.

Only of her own making. She's taken a

spare-Time job working with difficult children.

- Oh.

- Apparently she's rather good at it.

If you go into court with that

rubbish, it'll do your client no good.

Brent's wife will get

costs, custody and alimony...

Which is exactly what she wants.

Selfish b*tch.

No, I-I-I'd

plead discretion.

Place the whole of her life on

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