Victim Page #7

Eddy Stone.

Eddy had no right to butt in. I

shan't half tear him off a strip.

Look, why don't you tell

them to do their damnedest?

I daren't. Couldn't

afford the publicity.

Slightest smell, I'll be

out the old man's will.

There's quite a little bit coming to me.

What's with you? You're

not here for the ride.

I knew boy Barrett.

Tragic little sport.

Came to me when he was on the run. I couldn't do much for him

- I was broke.

You look broke.

- You're very realistic.

- It's a very realistic situation.

What have they got on you?

Some

- Some letters in my handwriting. They're all signed.

You can't afford to buy those letters.

I can.

What's all this generosity in aid of?

I want to get in touch with them.

They won't get in touch with me.

You tell me when your next summons is. I'll

go in your place and negotiate for both of us.

Wish I had the guts to trust you.

You trust my bank balance.

I've had my next summons.

Tonight, Smith Place, 8:00.

How many letters?

Five.

Right.

Over here, Mr. Farr.

You bring a policeman?

Not that I care if you have. You

see, my motto is different from yours.

- Mens sana in corpore

sano. - My God, you're -

It wouldn't take long for a magistrate

to decide who's got the clean mind...

In the healthy body.

Ah, I knew the white

hope of Cavendish Cars...

Would blab when I saw him

joyriding with you in the park.

Well?

I want to buy his letters and what

you've got on me, the negative.

I shan't take one without the other.

I must remind you, Mr. Farr, that you're

in no position to say what you'll do.

It's a question of policy with us.

We don't usually sell original material.

Ah, won't be peanuts.

I shan't hand over any money until

I see the negative and the letters.

The question is, how much?

Now, don't push, Mr. Farr.

Don't push.

We say when.

Well, we've had this "will he or

won't he" conversation so often.

Well, I've met him now, and I agree he's

not the subject for continual pressure.

Soft for, oh, one payment though.

Mmm, well, now, not too greedy.

He's got a lot at stake. A wife, career.

Yes, the more they've got,

the more they fight to keep it.

Now - Now - Now that is

a hell of a good idea.

Mm-Hmm.

I'll watch. I'll make sure she's out.

It'll only take me a few

moments once I'm there.

A nice salutary warning. See

what'll happen if you blab, hmm?

Okay. Well, bye then.

Dd

Don't bother to close it. I've

got to go back to the clinic.

Better to.

It's only whitewash.

It'll wash off.

What does it mean, Laura?

I don't know.

Hooligans.

Nonsense. Too explicit.

This spells oblique blackmail

to me. What's behind it?

- I don't know.

- Oh, come along.

It's beginning to make a pattern.

How long have you known?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Is Mel "queer," as they say?

Have to make up your

own mind about that.

I've already done that, my dear.

It's time you had someone to talk to.

You knew nothing about this boy

Barrett? You didn't suspect anything?

No.

I suppose in the back of my mind

I've always dreaded this, but...

Mel seemed so happy and

satisfied with our marriage.

Successful.

Oh, he's been successful, all right.

But what has this marriage meant for you?

Have you been satisfied?

Yes.

Yes.

- He's very kind and understanding.

- That's not what I mean.

Have you found real love, Laura?

Yes, I

- I think so.

It's all I've known.

How dared he marry you.

There was nothing he didn't tell me.

I married Mel knowing

everything about him.

How could you possibly understand

what it might mean? You were 19.

I loved him then.

In spite of everything, I -

I can't stop loving him.

You can't understand that, can you?

No. I don't think I can.

My dear, I've prosecuted and

I've defended this offense.

Either way it brings havoc.

- Mel hasn't committed an offense.

- Perhaps not.

But the rot's still there.

Look how he's behaving now.

What's happened to his integrity?

Mel's to become a Q C.,

Laura. Eventually a judge even.

Is he going to sit on the bench knowing that

he himself has covered up a serious crime?

He's done nothing, I tell you.

The crime I'm talking

about is blackmail.

If he doesn't go to the police about

this, he'll be covering up blackmail.

But... if he does go to the police,

it's the end of his career...

Everything he's ever worked for.

It's the end of himself if he doesn't.

He can either go to the police, which

apparently he's reluctant to do...

Or he can deal with it himself.

Oh, yes, Mel's clever

enough to run them down...

Turn their own weapon against them.

"Do as I say or I'll hand you over. "

And what does that make him?

A blackmailer. No better than they are.

You mean he can't avoid being

destroyed, whichever happens?

Yes, I do, Laura.

And I don't want you to

be destroyed with him.

You're young enough to

start again. Clear off.

Leave Mel to fight

this battle on his own.

- You don't really think I could do that.

- It's not only you I'm thinking of.

I've got a son, and I'm not going to have

Ronnie hero-Worshipping Mel, knowing what I do.

I think you'd better go.

Perhaps I had.

Well, I'm up the road if you want me.

A telegram, sir. Miss Hobson sent it

over. She thought it might be important.

Thank you.

Um -

I'm going out.

Uh -

Ca-Cancel my lunch date, and, uh...

A:

- Apologize to Mr. Cannon.

Right, sir.

What does it mean, "Contact your wife"?

Has someone been to the house?

No.

What does it mean?

There was something on the garage door.

Big letters in paint.

What did it say?

I don't want to tell you.

What did it say?

"Farr is queer. "

What does the rest of it mean?

All these instructions?

Where to take the

money and how to pay it.

The dirty words on the garage

door are a final test of strength.

They-They're a gentle reminder that you could

be included in the sphere of operations too.

Are you -

Are you going to keep the appointment?

A man who is paying blackmail...

Is hardly likely to make an ideal Q C.

I'm sure your brother

Scott will tell you that.

Oh, never mind what Scott says.

He's a perfect barometer

of public morality.

In any case, he's right.

But if I hand the blackmailer

over to the police...

It won't just be the end of my career.

It'll be the end of everything.

And our ugly little story will appear in daily

installments on millions of breakfast tables.

On the other hand, if I pay...

I buy security...

Of a sort.

What are you going to do?

For the moment, I'm going up to town.

I've taken enough away from you already.

When I come home, I shan't

expect to find you there.

Just leave an address

with Mrs. Brooks so that I-

So that she can send anything on to you.

William.

Come down here a moment, will you?

Yes, sir.

Close the door.

I'm afraid you -

You've got to prepare

yourself for a bit of a shock.

I'm sorry to worry you

with this, but, uh...

I'm not quite sure how this

is all going to end, and I -

I don't want it to burst in your face.

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