Original subtitles

Come on, Connie.

Just like that, will you?

What can I do for you, Squire?

You taken over from Connie then, have you? No, I'm just helping out.

Oh, come on, Connie. We ain't got all day.

God, I know. Who's going to run a cafe?

Come on.

I can't just drop everything just like this. Oh, now don't argue, Connie. Look,

make it some other time. Listen, sweetheart, Mr. Miles says right now,

okay?

Take your filthy hand off me.

I haven't got me bag or anything. Never mind, come on.

Pull into the side, Diamond.

You'll never get away with this. Shut up!

Well, that's a relief.

He looks as if he's going to be all right.

How did I get here?

You fainted on the edge of the road down by the factory estate.

Faint?

I never fainted in my life.

You were driving that Zephyr.

I'm going to arrest you. You tried to kill me. Kill you?

Mrs. Ross, I ask you.

I don't know what he's talking about. You know all right. I tried to stop you

and... Come on, Don. What happened?

He said you fell at the side of the road and he brought you home. That's right.

I thought I was doing you a good turn. Don't give me that.

All right. It's Saturday afternoon.

No one about on the estate, but you've forgotten something. There was a girl in

the car and I know her. Connie Williams. She runs the transport cafe.

Now, where is she? She'll know what happened.

Okay.

She's outside. I'll call her if you like.

You don't believe him, do you?

Of course not.

I just want to know if you're all right.

I really got bounced off that road.

Shall I get a doctor?

No, don't worry. I'm all right.

Is Mr. Diamond here?

Yes.

Come in.

Good afternoon.

Come this way, please.

Now, Mrs. Williams.

Are you all right, then?

Er, Connie, there seems to be a little misunderstanding.

Quiet. The constable here wants to know what happened.

Mrs. Williams, you were in the car when I tried to stop it. This man put his

foot down, didn't he?

Well, we was driving along and... And we happened to see the officer collapse at

the side of the road.

Isn't that right, Connie?

Yes, it... I suppose.

You know what happened, Mrs. Williams. Yes, she does. She just said so, didn't

she?

Okay?

No.

No, it's not okay.

Come on, Johnny.

Here, I'll take that.

Shouldn't I get a doctor?

No, it's all right. I'm on my feet now.

Shall I ring the station?

No, I think I can get down there by myself.

Get me my other jacket, will you, love, please?

Could do with a cup of tea, too.

They were all lying, weren't they?

I'd say they were.

They did knock you down.

Hmm. But there's more to it than that.

I think there's something very dicey going on down at that transport cafe.

And maybe on to something big.

What I should do now is to get that girl Connie on her own.

I think she'd talk to me.

Yes, that's what I should do.

Mr. Diamond is here.

Good. Show him in.

Come on, Connie.

How nice to see you, Connie.

Mrs. Williams to you.

Thank you for coming along.

I didn't come along. I was dragged.

Now I'm going to be in trouble with the law.

The law?

What do you mean, the law?

It was nothing. I'll tell you later. Nothing? I'll tell you later. Shut up,

will you?

Mr. Miles wants to talk to you. I brought you here to remind you about our

little agreement.

I thought it was quite simple.

You run the cafe, we run the service at the back. No questions asked.

That's how it should have been.

But I hear you've been stepping out of line, asking questions.

Making little jokes.

That could be dangerous, Mrs. Williams.

Who for?

You or me?

Does that answer your question?

I'm sure we can rely on your cooperation from now on.

Take her home, Johnny.

Mrs. Williams!

I wouldn't get any ideas about talking to the police if I were you.

It would be the last mistake you'd ever make.

You laid back?

See anything?

Yes, I've just been out of that transport cafe on the bypass.

Weren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on the school grounds?

Oh, yes, but I thought... Another message from the headmaster?

He's had a lawnmower pinch now.

What the devil does it matter about a lawnmower?

Did you read that article in the paper yesterday about a new series of

robberies on the A1?

They've been taking thousands of pounds worth of stuff in the last few weeks

from lorries.

Well, I think I'm onto a corner of the racket.

You stay in your small corner, Constable Ross.

I'll tell you what to look out for.

This afternoon I tried to stop a car that was parked outside that cafe.

I had an idea I was onto something and... Calm off, Ed John.

You've been onto big things before.

Now, what we've got to do now, you and me, is clear up this school business.

Yes, that's our job tonight.

And I shall want you down there.

Are you interested in what happened to me this afternoon?

Put it in your report. I'll read it.

How's Johnny shaping?

Fine. Why?

Did you keep an eye on him?

Don't have to.

Relax. He's okay.

Don't forget he's new.

Keep an eye on him.

All right.

Now, what's this about the police?

It's nothing.

It's okay.

I was going to tell you about it.

On the way here, we had a run-in with a local copper.

A bloke called Ross.

He saw us coming out of the cafe and tried to stop us.

Is that okay? Yeah. Did you fix it?

Yeah, it's all right. Don't worry. Are you sure?

Look, I'm telling you, it's all right.

It had better be, Mr. Diamond.

I'm tired.

Oh, never mind.

We don't have to go out tonight.

We can't, anyway.

I'm on duty. I couldn't get out of it.

You need a rest.

Didn't you tell them what happened this afternoon?

No.

Why?

Oh, I tried to tell Pearson. You know what he's like.

Couldn't get a word in edgeways.

All he can think about at the moment is some ruddy lawnmower.

Now what are we going to do?

What do you mean?

Diamond was here a little while ago.

I didn't want to let him in, but I thought... I'm sorry, Don. I shouldn't

have talked to him at all.

What did he say?

Oh, he told some story about his being interested in that girl, Connie

Williams.

He claimed more or less that he was having an affair with her and wanted to

keep it quiet.

And he left this.

I couldn't stop him.

It's money, Don.

There's more than 50 quid here.

Who does he think he's fooling?

And who's he afraid of? Not just me.

Well, now I'm afraid.

It looks as if I've taken a bribe.

Here. Here are the details.

A large rollback Bedford van.

Registration number OKX312.

It left Manchester about half an hour ago. A load of cigarettes.

Do you smoke filter tips, Mr. Diamond?

No, not yet. A £30,000 load bound for London. Some of it, that is.

He must be somewhere around here.

The driver?

Doesn't make any difference to him whether he's carrying cigarettes or

cotton waste.

He won't know a thing.

All we need to know about him is that regularly, every run, he stops at

Connie's Cafe for breakfast.

He likes her cooking.

An hour's daylight before he gets there. Not too busy. Just about right.

Is Johnny there tonight?

Yeah. And the boys.

All of them?

Well, we've got to keep an eye on Connie.

There's all that stuff hanging around there.

We have to make a move in a hurry.

Still jumpy about that policeman, aren't you?

Don't make me laugh.

I squared it with his missus.

Anyway, if he was going to shock me, he'd have done it by now.

You're a worried man, aren't you, Mr. Diamond?

Your trouble is when something unexpected like that happens, it's a

trap for you.

You start babbling, trying to kick your way out.

One day you'll go too far.

Let me do the thinking.

I'll do the jobs all right.

You can't shift one single packet of those fags by just sitting there on your

backside thinking about it. I happen to have the ideas, the capital, and the

information. So clever, aren't you?

Well, I'll tell you something, shall I?

I think you're the one who's going too far.

Yes? Yeah, and I'll tell you something else, too.

I think we ought to pack it in.

We've got enough stuff there to set us all up.

I think we ought to sell it and get out while it goes good.

I'm going to set the limit.

What may be good enough for you isn't good enough for me.

Now pour me out another drink.

Sure. We'll go over it again.

It's got to be a smooth job in the morning.

Morning. I'm going out again.

You've only just got in.

I've got the day off.

Oh, you've been out all night. You haven't had any sleep.

No sleep and no lawnmower.

Come on, Don.

I'm going to make you something very nice to look at.

No.

Not this morning, thank you, John.

Where are you going?

Down to that cafe.

Don, what about the money?

Oh, do stop worrying about the money, will you? What are we going to do about

it? Look, you know that's none of your business, don't you?

Look, please don't go.

I've been up all night thinking about that money. I'll take it. I'll give it

to the sergeant and tell him all about it and leave you out.

Now, please, let's talk about it. Talk, talk. I haven't got the time. I'm going

to change and then I'm off.

Morning, Mrs. Williams.

What do you recommend?

This is a transport cafe.

No, we don't cater for the upper classes here.

Oh, I don't know. I've done some driving in my time.

As a matter of fact, I had a short, sharp ride yesterday on your friend

Zephyr. Or don't you remember much about that?

Hitchhiking can be a very dangerous game, I should have told you.

Yes, they should.

Still, from what I can remember, you tried to stop him.

Thanks for that.

Would you want something to eat?

No, not really. I'll have a cup of tea.

And some information.

Oh, official business, eh?

Well, why don't you put on your uniform, bang on a door and give me proper

warning? Listen, Connie, I need your help.

What is going on here?

Morning, Squire.

Hello there.

Fifteen me buckle and check the oil.

Size two?

Ah, you're a diamond boy.

Thanks, Clive.

Yeah, so I sold the pumps to, uh, Diamond, and I'm, uh, running a cafe.

Is that all there is to it?

Well, I got me own ideas.

Leave you to work out yours.

Where can I find Diamond? Good morning, Connie.

Excuse me.

Hello, Pat. What do you want? Your usual.

Thank you.

Hello, Esquire.

How's the old shoulder, okay?

Oh, come on.

Haven't had a chance to make your acquaintance yet. Oh, I did have a

friendly chat with your missus.

I hope we got that little misunderstanding sorted out to your

satisfaction.

Yeah, could be. Could be.

Yeah?

That's good.

No hard feelings, eh?

I like to get things quite straight, you know.

I tell you, I never even saw you till you jumped the car and I thought you

were some geezer having me on.

All right, I'll be honest with you.

It was my mistake.

But I had to have my story now, didn't I?

You can't be too sure these days.

Till you know who you're dealing with.

You know.

So you see, Mr. Ross, I work to the rules.

Well, some of them anyway.

The rules of thumb, as you might say.

Yeah.

I think I could work to those rules.

Good.

Good.

Cigarette?

Go ahead.

These are a very special brand.

Help yourself.

Okay, Phillips, that's enough.

All right, Bashard, so long.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven and a tenner. There you are.

But you know, Connie, you're wasted here. You'd make something to your

lovely wife. Oh, do me a favour. I've had that lot.

It's all packed, Mon. There you go.

Bye-bye, Connie.

Fifteen gallons and she's full right up.

Your island water's OK.

Thanks, mate.

Check your tyres, too.

You're a good lad.

See you around some time.

I'm glad we got that little misunderstanding sorted out.

Yes.

Yes, so am I.

Wonderful what a little kindness will do.

We ought to try it more often.

Oh, go and play with your pumps.

Miles?

It's in the bag.

Thank you, Mr. Diamond.

As long as the next move goes off okay, we're laughing.

Don't worry.

I know his kind.

He wouldn't miss his tea.

Nice cup of tea, Mrs. Ross.

Sergeant?

What can I do for you?

You can answer me a few questions, Constable Ross.

If you don't mind leaving it to us now, madam.

He didn't know anything about it till this morning.

I suppose he went straight round to the station to report it, eh?

Is that where you've been?

No, you haven't been round the station, have you?

Because I've just left there.

Now, listen, son.

We know each other.

Just how long has this sort of thing been going on, eh?

Thank you.

Hello, love. Just been round to the off-license.

You didn't have to do that. I'm not a prisoner yet.

You promised the sergeant you'd stay here.

Why did you have to tell him about Diamond when I wasn't here?

I didn't ask the sergeant to come.

When he did and started asking questions, I knew I'd have to answer.

I thought the best way was to try and clear you.

Why go behind my back? Don't you trust me?

I made the mistake, Don. I'll take the plane.

Why didn't you tell me what you were going to do? Surely I've got a right to

know what's on your mind.

I tried to discuss it with you.

Do you think I know what's on your mind most of the time?

It's your job, I know, but you gave up talking to me about it a long time ago.

Yeah. And look what a mess you make when I do start talking about it.

I'm going for a walk.

Don't do that.

The sergeant said he'd check up on Diamond. You promised to stay here.

Don't get in any deeper.

Joan, I've got to... Why? Tell me why.

All right.

Because you talked to the sergeant.

Now, if he starts blundering in, Diamond will get wary and go to ground. I'll

never get near him. Can't you see that?

I'll be left holding the bribe money with no way to prove my story. I'll be

thrown out of the force quicker than it would take you to count the notes.

A further incident was reported today in a mounting wave of crime on the road.

A van with a valuable cargo of cigarettes was found abandoned today

near St Albans in a lane off the A1.

About a third of its load had been stolen.

The police believe that the raiders must have been seen in the lane and

disturbed.

Will anyone who saw this van, a brown Bedford, registration number OKX312,

in Bracken Lane near St Albans...

Please communicate at once with their local police station or get in touch

with New Scotland Yard, telephone number Whitehall 1212.

And that is the end of the news.

I think we can drink on that, Mr. Diamond.

Who should we congratulate?

The little people who love routine or our devoted police forces.

They'll be working hard somewhere around St. Albans. We are sitting pretty on the

goods, a long way away.

When are we going to move all that gear?

As soon as I get the word from my bar.

It's getting a bit dodgy keeping all that stuff down at the cafe.

And Connie's getting to know too much.

Don't try to unnerve me, Mr. Diamond.

I've calculated all the risks and set myself a target within them.

Yeah?

Did you calculate for Ross?

Why do you keep coming back to him?

Because he keeps coming back to us.

He was nosing around again at the cafe.

I had to give him some more dough.

That must have hurt you.

Do me a favor, will you?

You're beginning to irritate me.

Yeah?

Because I'm using me loaf?

You're sure Ross will give no trouble?

He won't, if we don't push our luck.

Not luck, my friend.

Good management.

Well, if I was the boss, I'd call it off as from now.

But you're not the boss, are you?

I'm going to show you something I'm sure will interest you.

I don't want to know, Miles.

I'm going to quit.

You can't.

You know why?

This is going to be our last, definitely our last and biggest job.

Play that from Four Feather Falls.

Yeah, okay.

Oh, for Pete's sake, give that ruddy thing a rest, will ya?

Oh, blimey, look out.

We didn't finish talking.

Why didn't I think he was as crooked as the rest? I saw you take his drop set.

Yes, but I didn't take it for myself.

You're joking, of course. I said I didn't take it for myself.

No, what's he going to then, mate? Police?

Charities? Connie, listen to me.

When I was here this morning, there was a van in the yard. A brown van. Do you

remember? The Irishman was the driver.

Do you know the load's been stolen?

Paddy's van? He's no thief.

He's not the one I'm interested in.

All I'm interested in right now is getting the weight off my plates.

They're killing me. Connie, please.

Look, I want you to do one thing for me.

I want to find Diamond.

I want you to tell him that I've got to see him. Here.

Now.

Are you in with him, or are you really on a level?

Officially, neither.

Just caught up in the middle.

Like you are, Connie.

We've got nowhere to help us, have we?

Except perhaps each other.

Well, if I do, what's my cut?

All right.

I lose.

Why should you believe me? Who does?

You're making me cry.

Or I'll trust you.

Well, what do I say to him?

Do they just use an open lorry like this?

With the top falling slung over the top?

Yes, I've been into all this.

If this stuff is nickel, it must be worth a few bob.

I haven't calculated the value of just one of these.

But I know exactly how much the lorry will carry.

Ten tons.

Eighty thousand pounds.

Of course, we'll have to divide it by four.

We're just going to take two and a half tons.

Value? Twenty thousand pounds.

All right.

Just a tarpaulin, eh?

Looks too easy.

That is a snag.

My information is that the insurance companies are getting worried.

We've been stirring them up.

They'll probably demand an escort for such a valuable load. That's going to be

our little problem.

Hello, yeah?

Oh, you may, Mrs. Williams.

He's here, so it happens.

Our good friend wants to have a word with you.

Connie, what's she want? Well, ask her.

Yeah?

Who? A mate of yours, you know, Ross the copper.

He wants to see you.

Now! Just a moment, Connie.

What'll I say? Keep her talking.

But I can't just go on and think to keep her talking.

Oh, uh, Connie?

Got a cigarette, Squire?

I'm only passing on a message.

Well, do you want to see him or don't you want to see him?

No, I won't wait.

I've got to look up.

Say you'll see him.

Don't be crazy. He can't come here. You're going there.

But listen... Do as I say.

Connie, I'll be right over.

Okay, I'll tell him.

He's on his way.

Listen, what are you trying to get me into, eh?

Don't you ever think, my friend.

He's just what we need.

Okay, I'll buy it.

Now listen, the lawyer leaves the foundry.

Before it's gone very far, we deal with the escort.

And Ross will take his place.

So I'm locking out the work building, Maureen.

Good evening, friends.

Connie, my plump, why don't you have an early night?

The trouble with women is, in a good mood, they're always talking. And if you

keep them quiet, they sulk all night.

You two been introduced?

Mr. Ross, Mrs. Johnny.

He works the pumps out the back.

Sit down, sit down.

Cigarette?

I must get myself another case sometime.

All right, you win.

I needed that money.

But I'm not going to thank you for it. You don't have to.

No, I don't.

You tried to kill me.

For that, you owe me a lot more.

Now, hold on a minute. I don't make the stuff.

We all have to work very hard for our money.

Don't we, Johnny?

Oh, yeah, sure.

We're just getting this business started. Listen, you two.

I'm in trouble at the station.

If you don't help me, I'm going to start talking.

If we help you, Mr. Ross,

it can't be for nothing.

Well, what do you want me to do?

Take a ride on the A1.

What's the racket, Diamond?

Stick around.

Tomorrow you'll find out.

Mrs. Ross?

Sergeant Pearson here again.

No, I haven't heard from him either.

Well, I can't wait much longer.

If he doesn't turn up within the hour, I'll have no alternative to report the

old matter and issue a warrant for his arrest.

Yes, on a charge of bribery and corruption.

Take it easy, Diamond. Get out of it, Whigger!

What's going on?

All right, mate. In here. Come on.

Now you just stand there and keep very quiet and you might not get hurt.

What are you done with my escort? You get your escort back in a minute and

then you'll be on your way.

Understand? Now you're to keep to your usual route.

Same roads, same stops, same everything.

And just keep going and say nothing. Do you understand?

Because we'll be watching you, mate, and we'll be right behind you all the way.

Okay?

Okay.

What do you have to hit him so hard for?

Relax. You can't control yourself. That's your trouble.

You might have killed him.

Why don't you belt up?

Wasn't my idea.

Miles figured it all out.

He wanted it this way.

Look, I'd better tell you this.

My name's Ross.

Yeah?

I'm a police officer.

Oh yeah, I'm Sterling Moss.

They slagged your escort and made me put on his kit.

A fat lot of use he was.

I think they've killed him.

Got to talk to him.

I think he's in a bad way.

If he dies, you could swing for it.

That makes two of us, Johnny boy.

I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you.

For Pete's sake, look out, Diamond!

Diamond? Yeah.

If it's murder, that cop has seen everything.

Are you sure he's with us?

Look, it doesn't matter.

Miles said if he's crooked, we use him.

If he's not, we get rid of him at the other end.

I wish I could be sure about Russ.

It would make life a lot easier.

Thank him, Mrs. Williams.

When Mr. Diamond arrives, perhaps he'll be good enough to leave us alone.

What'll it be, mate?

Fill her up, will you?

Sure, leave it to me.

What are you waiting for?

Don't you eat here?

Ross.

You wait here.

All right, Len.

I'll be with you in a minute.

What's the matter, Len?

Nothing.

Nothing. Cheer up, may never happen.

Give us a cup of tea, will you?

The usual.

Here.

I've got good news.

We clean out all the goods early tomorrow morning.

Good. We're making a bulk sale for cash.

It's about time, too.

Then we're away.

Everything under control?

Come on, Johnny.

The grub will be ready in a minute.

Cheer up.

Where's the phone, Connie?

It's out the back, isn't it?

Wait till you've had your grub.

Never mind about that. I've got to make a call.

Look, Len.

I must phone the police.

Len.

Len, wait a minute.

Oh, excuse me. Can I use your phone?

Certainly. Behind the door.

Why don't you do what you're told, eh?

What do you expect me to do?

I don't know what goes on.

You put me in with this bloke.

What bloke? Well, the phony one, the escort.

And? He told me he was a copper. He told me to phone the police.

Oh, what a shame.

You shouldn't have done this, boy.

He was going to be all right.

We need Johnny, don't we?

Come on, Harry, get back in.

You heard what the driver said?

That proves it. Ross was trying to get on to us.

We should never have brought him in.

Not we, Diamond.

You.

You brought him into this.

He's dead.

All right, Miles.

So you tell me what we do.

Ross, it's your problem.

What do you suggest?

How did I say?

Harry!

Harry!

Okay, Ross.

This is your lot.

Not yet, Diamond.

So you thought you were going to shop the lot of us, did you, mate?

Mr. Ross.

If you want it this way.

Bye.

Nice work, Johnny.

Okay, let him have it.

Well, go on, Johnny.

I always knew you were chicken.

Don't do it, Diamond.

You give me a hell of a lot of trouble, right?

I could have had this gang inside two days ago, but I wasn't sure of you You

know Russ not all police wear uniform

Thanks, Johnny

Come on you need a doctor What about miles he beat it ten minutes ago?

Don't worry. He won't get far and dead