Original subtitles

[GUNFIRE]

[RADIO CHATTER]

-Hello, penny control.

Penny control.

MAN (ON WALKIE): Penny control.

-0-7, vehicle unserviceable.

It's finally packed up.

MAN (ON WALKIE): Roger, 0-7.

Where are you?

-On the moors.

Suggest I abandon the vehicle and return on foot.

MAN (ON WALKIE): Roger.

Make your vehicle secure.

We'll get a recovery vehicle out to it tomorrow in daylight.

-Roger.

Understood.

Out.

[RUSTLING]

[GROWLING]

[SCREAMING]

[SCREAMING]

-Chief Superintendent Paddick, sir.

You are Sir Bernard Newsmith, huh?

-Yes.

-Well, I've never seen anything like this before.

Never.

-Neither have I, Superintendent.

Neither have I.

-Animal, vegetable, or what?

-Animal.

-Human animal or animal animal?

-Without tests, I-- I don't know.

-Well, we're nearly finished.

You can take him away soon.

-What's left of him.

-How about, Sir Bernard, let's call it an uninformed guess,

just between the two of us.

-The gashes, claw marks-- well, maybe claw marks,

talons-- any footprints?

-Not there.

There has been a heavy dew since nightfall, but rock hard

before that.

-I'd have expected perhaps trees, a high tree.

All right, Superintendent, just an uninformed

guess-- a private guess between the two of us.

Animal animal.

-Puma, you mean.

Something like that?

-No, not puma.

Bigger, heavier.

-Keep guessing, sir.

-Um, leopard.

-A leopard?

In Lancashire?

[RINGING]

-Little Mere 270.

Hello, Doris?

Yes, Joyce Ballantyne speaking.

Yes, lovely.

No, Ellie's out shopping.

She's not back yet.

Heard?

No, heard what?

Last night?

This morning, up at the camp?

No, we don't listen much now.

No, not a word.

Who was it?

Yes.

Yes, we certainly will.

No, we'll be all right.

Thank you for telling me.

Goodbye.

-Joyce?

Joyce?

Joyce!

Joyce?

It's me, Ellie.

-How many times have I told you, Ellie, that the sitting room

table is no place for the groceries?

-Oh, Joyce, you frightened me.

Why do you go creeping about like that?

It's bad for me.

It's bad for my heart.

-I'm not creeping about.

There's nothing the slightest bit wrong with your heart,

as you very well know-- nothing whatsoever.

You're as strong as a horse.

Although you like to pretend you're not.

-There is.

You know there is.

When I have a shock, I get this fluttery feeling,

as if my heart's going to stop beating altogether.

I told Dr. Spencer about it only last week.

-That's right, Ellie.

I know you told Dr. Spencer about it.

And what did Dr. Spencer say?

-He said there was nothing to worry about.

But how does he know?

It's my heart.

Anyway, it's different sitting quietly,

talking to him in the surgery.

He's never examined me when I've had a shock.

-In any case, it doesn't alter the fact that the sitting room

table is no place for the shopping.

You forgot the celery.

You know I can't eat cheese without celery.

-It's not as if it's the only shock I've had this morning.

No indeed.

-Ellie, there's no celery.

I put it on the list.

-There wasn't any.

Mr. Trueblood said he hadn't got any.

He went to the market this morning,

and he didn't care for the look of it.

Not with his class of trade, he said.

Everything must be tiptop.

-I don't think this winter will ever end.

Summer's always so short.

Winter goes on and on.

-Summer.

Oh, I love the summer.

Do you remember the first summer of the war,

when Daddy came home on leave?

We went to the fair.

-I wonder where we can get some celery.

-You surprise me sometimes, Joyce.

You really do.

You behave as if you just don't care.

-What's the good of caring now?

Somebody's got to be practical.

What good does caring do?

-A bit of sentiment wouldn't do you any harm.

-Sentiment isn't going to run this house,

as well as you know.

-Bitterness isn't either.

-And why shouldn't I be bitter?

I'd be away from here, married, probably with children

of my own, if it just hadn't been for--

-Oh, so yes, you can be sentimental when you like.

I know you had your chances, which is more than I ever did.

-Do you want to make the coffee or prepare the lunch?

You can choose.

-I haven't told you my news, my first shock of this morning.

It was awful.

Terrible.

It was a really terrible shock.

I couldn't wait to get home to tell you.

-I know about it already.

-You know?

You can't know.

Mr. Trueblood told me in the shop not 10 minutes ago.

I ran all the way home to tell you about it.

-Well, in spite of your bad heart,

it's already all over town.

Mrs. Trueblood, the greengrocer's wife,

has run off with Mr. Pilkington, the iron monger.

-Mrs. Trueblood?

Mr. Pilkington?

What on earth are you talking about?

Mrs. Trueblood was in the shop when I left not 10 minutes ago.

-Oh.

Maybe I got it wrong.

Maybe it's Mr. Trueblood and Mrs. Pilkington.

Yes, perhaps that's it.

-No, neither of them has run away with anyone.

They were both in the shop together, large as life.

-Then it was probably the fishmonger or somebody.

-Nobody's run away with anybody.

I wish I knew who was spreading rumors like this.

It's not good enough.

Some people have got nothing better

to do than gossip about other people.

It's disgraceful.

If only people would mind there own-- Joyce, you're cruel.

You've been making fun of me.

Why are you always doing things like that?

It's mean.

Especially when I've got something really important

to tell you.

-Then tell me something really important.

-Well, it happened last night up near the army camp,

though they didn't discover it till this morning.

It's terrible.

Nobody knows who did it.

But Joyce, last night at Little Mere, there was a murder.

-Really?

-Yes, really.

A vicious, brutal slaying.

That's what Mr. Trueblood said-- a vicious, brutal slaying.

-How terrible.

Who was it?

-Who was what?

-Who was brutally and viciously slain?

-A soldier, that's who.

A private.

Thank goodness it was a private.

-Ellie, what a thing to say.

Thank goodness it was a private, indeed.

They're human beings just like us.

You surprise me.

-Well, I didn't mean it like that.

You know I didn't.

It's just that I hoped it wasn't a corporal.

Otherwise it might have been--

-Might have been your precious Alan.

Is that what you were going to say?

-Yes.

Yes, it was.

I wouldn't like Alan to be slain.

And neither would you, come to that.

You're just as fond of him as I am,

just that you don't like to admit it.

-Am I really?

-You know you are.

He's been a godsend to us one way and other.

[TEAKETTLE BOILING]

I'll go make the coffee.

-Good.

Then we can sit down and have a nice long chat

about the murder.

Did they catch whoever did it?

-I think we'll have snow, a storm.

I wish it would come.

-But you hate storms.

You always have.

Why, you used to creep into my bed when there was a storm.

-At night, I hate storms.

That's only at night.

A nice storm in the daytime is something else again.

Oh!

This heaviness, I wish it would clear.

I've got such a headache.

-Well, you are in a bad way, what with your heart

and your head.

-I'm only human, you know, Joyce.

I do have little ailments, just like other people

from time to time.

-I'm sorry, Ellie.

I think the weather is getting on my nerves too.

-The murder going on just up the road

and the two of us here like this--

-The haven't caught the murderer?

-No, not yet.

It's probably one of the soldiers who

got drunk and had a fight with another one.

That's what Mr. Trueblood thinks.

You know what they're like, the way they wake me

up some nights coming home to the camp, singing and shouting.

-Probably.

Still, poor boy, he was very young.

19.

-19?

How'd you know?

Mr. Trueblood never told me that.

You knew all the time.

You've been pretending.

-I didn't want to upset you.

-But you-- you were pretending not to know.

Why, Joyce?

Why?

-I told you.

You were so full of the news.

I wanted you to have the pleasure

of telling me yourself.

-Pleasure?

Do you think it's a pleasure to know there's

a murderer at large, barrelling about in the garden

at this very minute, perhaps.

What sort of pleasure is that?

-Hush, Ellie.

Stop getting in a state.

They've probably found him by now, sure to have done.

[RINGING]

What on earth's the matter with you, Ellie?

It's only the front doorbell.

Go and answer it.

-You go.

I'm not going.

I'm not stirring out of this room.

-I expect it's only the baker.

-It's not his day.

Oh.

We-- we wondered who on earth it was, Alan.

-Just thought I'd drop by, see how you were.

-Oh, we're fine, aren't we Joyce?

Fine.

-Just in time for coffee.

-I hoped I might be.

I haven't had time to stop all morning.

I suppose you've heard.

-About the murder, you mean?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

Yes, we've heard.

-I just wanted you to know, there's nothing to worry about.

-They've caught the murderer?

-No, not yet.

But they will, Miss Ballantyne.

Don't you worry about it.

I've never seen so many police-- everywhere you look.

Take my word for it.

They'll catch him.

Oh, thanks.

-They know who it is?

-Do they?

Do they know who it is, Alan?

-Well, no.

You see, I'm sort of right in on it.

I've got the job of driving the pathologist around.

-Pathologist?

Sir Bernard Newsmith.

Yes, he came down from London by helicopter this morning.

-Helicopter?

Fancy.

-Did you see the body?

-Yes.

-Was it brutally and viciously slain?

That's what Mr. Trueblood said.

Brutally and viciously slain.

-Well, it-- it was, really.

I overheard Sir Bernard talking to the detective's

boss, Superintendent somebody.

He said it might not have been a human being at all.

-What, the body?

-No, whatever killed him.

He said it might be something else-- an animal of some sort.

-You mean he might have been gored by a bull in the dark?

-No, not a bull.

Nothing like that.

You should have seen this detective's face.

An animal, he said.

Sir Bernard said, yeah.

A puma, he said, something like that?

No, he said.

Not a puma.

Something bigger than that.

Look at those marks, made by talons.

Well, what the, said this copper.

What sort of an animal?

A leopard.

-A leopard?

-I think maybe a leopard.

Copper stares at him.

A leopard, he says.

A leopard in Lancashire?

He said he couldn't be sure yet, the detective not to hold him

to it, but he thought it could be something like that,

anyway-- something with claws or talons.

Anyway, I just thought I'd look in, tell you not to worry.

They'll catch it soon enough, whatever it is.

-That was nice of you, Alan.

Very thoughtful.

-Very.

We'd hardly like it to have a leopard

come knocking at the door.

-Well, if you do, don't answer it.

He'll go away soon enough.

-See Alan out, Ellie.

-Yes, Joyce.

-Don't trouble, Miss Ellie.

I know the way by now.

I'll look in again soon.

And you're not to worry, either of you, OK?

Bye.

-That was nice of him, wasn't it?

-Very.

Rinse the coffee cups, Ellie.

I'm going into the garden to see if I

can find some odd, tired celery.

There might just be a bit left in the vegetable patch.

[HUMMING "RING AROUND THE ROSIE"]

-Oh, did you find any?

-Find what?

-Celery, of course.

Celery.

-No.

No, there wasn't any there.

I couldn't see any.

-Strange.

[SINGING]

-Ellie, please stop that singing.

I've got a headache.

-Well, well.

Fancy a headache-- you that never

has anything wrong with you.

-Please, Ellie.

-I'm sorry.

Shall I get you some of my aspirins with a glass of milk?

-No, thanks.

Don't worry.

I just want a bit of quiet.

-Joyce?

-What now?

-What's the matter?

What's wrong?

-I told you, there's nothing the matter.

I've just gotten a headache.

-Tell me, Joyce.

It's not a headache.

You never have headaches.

You know you don't.

We've only got each other-- just the two of us.

We've got to help each other.

If something's wrong, we've got to stick together.

-Just the two of us, Ellie.

-Just the two of us.

That's all.

-It's not true, Ellie.

Why lie to yourself?

You know it's not true.

-But Joyce--

-Ellie, it's no good.

You must face facts.

You can't just ignore things.

You've always done that, ever since you were a little girl--

pretending that father was all right, always pretending.

Pretending that the sun was shining, that it was raining.

It's no good doing that.

Don't you see, we've got to be honest with one another.

-But he was all right.

He was.

He had his good days sometimes when he was just like before.

You know he did.

-But they were very few and far between, just now and again.

-Then he used to go to the shed and do his carpentry.

Do you remember, Joyce?

Such lovely things.

Your dressing table-- you couldn't buy a thing

like that, beautiful craftsmanship.

You don't find that too often.

-Ellie, you're doing it again.

Everything's golden.

Everything that happened in the past

is like a-- like a rainbow.

Well, it wasn't, and it isn't.

You just can't seem to accept that things weren't like that,

not like that at all, not after the war.

-Joyce, Joyce, leave me something.

-Don't you see?

I may not always be here to stand between you and things

as they really were-- as they really are.

-I'd rather remember Daddy as he was.

He was a marvelous man.

And someone clever.

People used to turn around on the street to look at him.

-Yes, Ellie.

Yes, I know.

Brilliant and handsome-- before.

I'm going to lie down for an hour.

-Yes, you lie down.

I'll-- I'll get the lunch.

I'll call you in plenty of time.

You were, Daddy.

You were brilliant and handsome.

People did turn around to look at you on the street.

You didn't notice.

But I did.

And I was so proud to be walking along beside you.

You were the best-looking man I ever saw.

But I suppose Joyce is right.

That was-- before.

Before.

[LAUGHTER]

-Gloria?

[RUSTLING]

-What's the matter?

-I heard something.

-It's nothing.

There's no one here.

[MOANING]

Gloria?

-What if someone's watching us?

-How could there be, right out here?

-I just feel--

-No, you don't feel.

You get me all worked up, and--

-Kiss me, Roy.

-I love you, Gloria.

[GROWLING]

[SCREAMING]

[SHRIEKING]

-Oh, there we are.

How's the headache now?

-Better.

-Good.

I've got a surprise for you.

Celery.

I found it in the garden.

You must have missed it this morning.

-Oh, good.

-Aren't you going to sit down?

-Did you have the wireless on?

-No.

You know how loud I have to have it on to hear it properly.

I didn't want to disturb you.

Did you sleep?

-No, just rested.

It's shivery.

-Yes, we'll have a storm.

You mark my words-- this afternoon, probably.

I hope they've caught that leopard, or whatever it is.

I wouldn't sleep tonight, I can tell you.

I keep thinking of a wild animal roaming-- what's the matter?

Did I put too much oil in the salad dressing?

I measured it the same as always-- just 1/8 cup full.

-Oh, the dressing is perfect.

It's just that I'm not hungry.

-Shall I get Dr. Spencer for you?

-It's all right, Ellie.

I'm not ill.

-I don't know what I'd do if you were ill.

I-- I just couldn't manage.

-Don't worry.

I won't be ill.

I just feel tired out.

Ellie?

-Yes?

-I don't think we'd better have our walk this afternoon.

-Not have our walk?

But we always have a walk in the afternoon.

Oh, you mean not till they've caught the animal?

Oh, you're right, Joyce.

Yes.

I'll do my sewing, and you can read your book.

That's a much better idea.

[SCREAMING]

[SCREAMING]

-Is the cocoa ready?

-Yes.

Yes, it's on the stove.

I'll get it.

-We'll need some more of this from Dr. Spencer soon.

-Last time he said he was worried

about the amount you were taking.

Suppose he starts to cut it down.

-He won't.

I'll tell him it's my nerves again.

He'll understand-- especially with the murder.

Take that down.

-Yes, Joyce.

-It was right, wasn't it, Father?

You knew that.

[BOWL DROPPING]

[SHRIEKING]

-Joyce, Joyce, he's gone.

He's gone!

-You are a goose, Ellie.

How on earth could he get out.

-Oh, he's all right.

He wasn't.

No, he wasn't.

Take that light away.

He doesn't like it.

Oh, you poor, poor thing.

[RINGING]

[GASP]

-Oh, Alan.

-I, uh, picked up your meat.

-Thank you.

Come in.

Alan's got the meat for us, Joyce.

-Thank you, Alan.

-It's OK.

I'll say this for you two.

You've got good, healthy appetites.

-Any more news?

-Well, I shouldn't really tell you this.

Nobody knows yet.

But there's been another.

-Another?

ALAN: Another soldier's been killed.

-Oh, my God.

How terrible.

-Did they get anyone?

Catch anyone?

-No, but someone saw the thing getting away.

-Thing?

-It was a girl who saw it.

She thought it was an animal of some kind,

but she couldn't really tell.

She's in hospital.

-Did it attack her as well?

-No, no.

Shock.

She couldn't tell them much.

They're waiting for her to recover.

The camp, they're laying on special controls,

mostly for the married quarters.

So I had a word with the adjutant.

I asked him if he'd include your house in the patrols.

So you've no need to worry.

There'll be someone keeping an eye

on the place at regular intervals.

-That's very kind of you, Alan.

-Oh, it's nothing.

-Yes, very thoughtful.

It makes us both feel a lot better, doesn't it, Ellie?

-Yes.

Yes, indeed.

Would you like a cup of tea, Alan?

-I'd love one.

But I've got to go and pick up my doctor.

So I'll drop by and see you tomorrow, OK?

-Bye.

-I'll see myself out?

-When did it happen, Alan?

The second murder.

-Lunch time, somewhere between 12:00 and 1:00.

See you tomorrow.

-I knew it wasn't there when I first looked.

It's him.

He's found a way of getting out.

I know he has.

-Ellie, don't be silly.

How could he possibly get out?

-I don't know how.

How should I know?

But I know he has.

He's doing these murders.

I'm going to look.

-It's the thickest.

He couldn't get out.

-He could!

He could!

There must be a way.

A tunnel or something.

Look.

That hole in the hedge, that wasn't there.

Joyce, there's something--

-It's a bicycle.

That's all.

-But whose, Joyce?

Whose?

-You see, Ellie?

I told you it was just your imagination.

-I told you, Joyce.

He can get out.

There's the hole.

It is him.

I wonder how long he's been using it.

-That's hardly important now.

We'll have to block it up somehow.

We'll put father's bench over it.

Come on, Ellie.

You'll have to help me.

[SCREAMING]

Help me with the bench, Ellie.

[GROANING]

-Joyce, Joyce, are you all right?

-Oh, help me, Ellie.

I think I've hurt myself.

Help me.

-Don't move, Joyce.

Stay there.

I'll get Dr. Spencer.

-We can't, Ellie.

We can't let the doctor here.

You'll have to get me back to the house.

-It doesn't matter if the doctor comes in here.

We've got to tell the police now anyway.

-Get me back to the house.

[MOANING]

-I'll ring up and get the doctor.

Hello, Doris?

This is Ellie Ballantyne.

Would you put me through to Dr. Spencer?

-I don't think it's broken.

But we can't be sure till we get you into hospital

and have some X-rays done.

-Hospital?

I'm not going into hospital.

-Of course you are.

You'll be well taken care of.

Don't worry.

-I'm not going into hospital.

That's final.

I-- I can't leave Ellie here alone.

-No.

I-- I couldn't manage here by myself.

I couldn't.

Let Joyce stay here, and I'll be able to look after her.

-I must stay here.

-All right.

But you must go into hospital to have X-rays taken

and if necessary a cast or strapping.

Then we'll bring you back.

-Yes.

I can go with you, and then we can come back together.

-I'll have a nurse come in morning and evening.

-That won't be necessary, doctor.

-I can manage.

-No, you can't.

If Joyce is in plaster, you'll never be able to manage her.

We can't have both of you laid up, can we?

-Ellie.

-Hello, Doris?

Get me the Little Mere General, will you?

No, nothing very serious.

-Ellie?

-Yes, Joyce?

-Ellie, I want you to promise me something.

-Promise you?

-Promise me that you won't-- that you won't--

-What?

Won't what?

-That you won't go to the police.

-But I we've got to.

-Promise me, Ellie.

-But what about--

-The hole is blocked up now.

He can't get out again.

-But Joyce--

-There's a spade in the shed.

Please, Ellie.

[KNOCKING]

[POUNDING]

-Oh!

[MEOWING]

-Miss Ballantyne?

[KNOCKING]

[MUMBLING]

[KNOCKING]

-It's me, Nurse Sutherland.

I did knock, but no one answered.

You're Miss Joyce Ballantyne.

-Yeah.

-I came in through the French windows.

They were wide open.

You should keep them locked.

-Yes.

Ellie, she's--

-I'll just find the bathroom.

I'd like to rinse my hands.

-It's all right, Joyce.

I've done it.

I've done it.

I've buried him.

-Have you been burying in the middle of the night?

I'm sorry.

I startled you.

I'm Nurse Sutherland.

I let myself in.

One of your little animals died?

-Animals?

Yes.

Yes, one of our little animals.

And I buried him.

-I expect it's the cold.

-Cold?

Yes, that's what it would be, the cold.

Can I get you something?

A cup of tea, perhaps?

-Oh, yes, that would be nice.

-Yes, well, it won't take a minute.

-Heavy sedation?

Do you usually take stuff to help

you sleep, Miss Ballantyne?

[RINGING]

-Hello, Miss Ellie.

I came to see Miss Ballantyne.

How is she?

-Oh, she's fine.

Much better.

Come in.

-I brought some grapes.

-Oh.

I'm just making a pot of tea.

What's that?

-What?

-That gun, what's the gun for?

-They've issued all NCOs with small arms, just in case.

-Haven't been any more murders, have there?

-No, and now we're all armed and don't suppose there will be.

-Oh.

Well, I'll just make the tea then.

-Hello.

-Hello.

Who are you?

-Shouldn't I be saying that?

-Alan Marlowe.

I'm a friend of the old ladies.

I brought some fruit.

How are you feeling, Miss Ballantyne?

-Ah, we're feeling much better now, aren't we?

-Yes.

Much better.

-How did you know about Joyce's fall, Alan?

-How does anyone know about anything?

Had to make a call to Little Mere, and Doris on the exchange

told me.

-Oh, yes.

Doris.

Alan's brought you some lovely fruit, Joyce.

-Thank you, Alan.

That is nice.

-Oh, it's nothing.

Been in Little Mere long?

-Just about a month now.

-Thought not.

-Why?

-Well, it's a small place.

Bound to have seen you around.

Best cup of tea in Little Mere.

-Uh, Miss Ellie, may I have a glass of water, please?

-Wouldn't you prefer another cup of tea?

-It's for the patient.

Some medicine the doctor prescribed for her.

-Oh, yes, I'll get it at once.

-I can drop you off home if you like.

-That's all right.

I've got a bike outside.

-Well, I've got a Land Rover.

We can put the bike in the back.

-It's a rotten night to face that long hill on a bike.

-I think if you ask Alan nicely, he'll

run you back to Little Mere.

-It's all right, Miss Ellie.

I've just asked Nurse--

-Sutherland.

Joanna Sutherland.

-I've just asked Joanna nicely if I could run her home.

-Comfortable now?

-Yes, thank you, nurse.

-I'll look in again in the morning.

-Yes.

-Thanks again for the fruit, Alan.

-Oh, don't mention it.

I'll see you tomorrow, OK?

-And you make sure you have a good night's rest, Miss Ellie.

You've had a long day too.

-Don't worry.

I will.

-Good night.

-I'll tell you straight, I wouldn't mind getting my hands

on the bloody thing, whatever it is.

-Yeah?

Well, you can have it, mate.

I just want a nice, quiet patrol,

get back, report no incidents, and get some kip.

-Really?

-Well, I'd just as soon not give it a chance to have a go at me.

I reckon it can see in the dark.

Aw, hell.

-What's up?

-I've got no fags.

-Can't help you, mate.

I don't smoke.

-I know that, don't I?

-All right, take it.

Listen, the net is still open.

Why don't you just go up and get some?

I'll wait here for you.

-Are you sure you don't mind?

-No, it's no difference to me.

Look, all walk back there, and I'll see you up there.

-Hey, what if that--

-What if what?

Go on.

I'd rather you got some fags than

be bloody miserable all night.

-Well, hang onto that, then.

Cheers, mate.

Won't be long.

[HONKING]

-I think I'll have a latte.

No.

No, wait a minute.

Make it a brown.

No.

No, I'll tell you what--

-Cigarettes?

Oh, and a brandy, please.

A large one.

Thanks.

Andy?

Andy?

Andy!

Andy?

Andy!

Andy!

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[SCREAMING]

-Oh.

Good morning, Doctor.

-Hello, Ellie.

-Joyce has had the most wonderful night's sleep.

Not a murmur.

She's still fast asleep now.

I'll go and get some coffee for you.

-I thought I'd better call you, Doctor.

She was like this when I arrived.

I gave her the sedation you prescribed last night.

-It shouldn't have had this effect.

She's been taking this dosage for years.

Odd.

-Should we try and wake her?

-No.

It's probably the after effects of the shock

her fall yesterday gave her.

I don't think we have much to worry about.

Let her wake naturally.

Tell Ellie I couldn't wait for coffee.

I've got a lot of calls to make. -Shall I stay with her?

-Oh, no need.

The rest can only do her good.

I'll come back again on my way home at lunchtime.

-If you're sure.

-She'll be all right.

Bye.

-Dr. Spencer had to leave, Miss Ellie.

He said he had a lot of calls to make.

-Oh, everything's all right, isn't it?

-Oh, yes.

Fine.

He'll look in again at lunchtime.

-Well, come along in, then.

There we are.

Milk and sugar?

-Thank you.

-What do you think of Alan?

-He seems very nice.

-Oh, we'd be lost without him.

We're miles from the shops here.

And neither Joyce nor I drive.

So Alan does lots of errands for us.

-He's very fond of you both.

Perhaps you ought to think about moving into town,

getting a smaller place.

It might be easier for you to manage.

-We could never do that.

We were both born here in this house.

Now we can never leave it.

Never!

-No, I I suppose not.

It's just that it's a bit remote from anywhere.

-We like it here, Joyce and I. We're used to it,

just the two of us, and animals.

-Well, I'd better get on.

-It's nasty out.

-Oh, I do hope they catch the murderer today.

-Murderer.

Yes, they think it's an animal or something,

a leopard or something.

-No, not now.

After the second one, they knew it was a human being,

although it acts like an animal.

They can make tests, you see.

Jenny, who works at the hospital,

said the third one was really horrible.

The sooner they get him locked up, the better.

-Oh!

-Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Ellie.

I'm terribly sorry.

I thought--

-Third?

-There was another one last night.

I'm terribly sorry to upset you.

I didn't think-- but there's no need to worry.

He only attacks soldiers in uniform,

and they're all armed now.

-Last night?

-I'll pour you another cup of coffee.

I'd better stay.

Would you like me to stay with you, Miss Ellie?

-No.

It's all right.

It's all right.

It's just a shock.

-It was stupid and thoughtless of me.

I'll stay.

You'll feel better for some company.

-No.

No, you have work to do.

Off you go.

-You sure you'll be all right?

-Sure.

I'm fine.

-I'm worried about leaving you.

-No, I'm all right.

-Well, the doctor will look in again at lunchtime.

-Yes.

-Oh, I am sorry, Miss Ellie.

If I thought, I'd-- I'd never have said.

-Don't worry.

-See you tonight, then.

-Joyce.

Wake up.

Wake up, Joyce.

Wake up.

-Ellie.

-Joyce, wake up.

He's got out.

He's got out again.

-I had such a wonderful dream.

-Joyce, he's got out.

He's gone.

-Out?

Gone?

Who's gone?

-Joyce, he's moved the bench away and climbed out.

-Do you remember that bench, Ellie?

Father working on it when he had a good day-- do you remember?

-Joyce, you must listen to me.

Listen to me.

He's escaped.

-Well, perhaps it's just as well.

Poor thing cooped up there.

It doesn't matter.

-But there's been another murder, another soldier.

We've got to tell the police now.

We've got to tell them the whole thing.

-Why?

-Because he could kill somebody else, another solider.

Suppose it was Alan next time.

It could be.

We've got to tell them now.

-You're very fond of your young copper, aren't you, Ellie?

I suppose you think it makes up.

Is that what you think, Ellie?

Is it?

-I've never seen you like this.

What's wrong?

-Wrong?

Nothing's wrong.

I feel fine.

Wonderful.

-I've always been able to rely on you before.

What am I going to do, Joyce?

Tell me.

Tell me what to do.

Hello?

Doris?

-OK, lads.

Bring her around the back, please.

Let them go now.

Wait in the shed around the corner.

[BARKING]

-Major Mortimer?

Now, this is Chief Superintendent Paddick here.

Yes, the dogs have gone off.

Towards the moors.

And all the men and vehicles you can spare.

Oh, and I'm going to need three men for the house here, armed,

two to be posted at the shed in the garden,

and one man inside the house.

Well, I don't think he'll come back here,

but-- well, if we've got a storm, he might.

Fine, thanks.

Yes, I'll keep in touch.

All right.

Goodbye.

Miss Ballantyne?

-I've got to tell them now, Joyce.

You do understand, don't you?

I've got to.

-If you think it's best, Ellie.

Whatever you say.

-Now, Miss Ballantyne, perhaps you'll tell us about it.

Sergeant Young here will write it all down.

Is that all right?

-But it was such a long time ago.

There's so many things to explain.

-Just take your time, Miss Ballantyne.

You just take your time.

Tell us about it in your own words.

-Well, I was six when the war started.

The Great War, that was, in 1914.

And it was all to do with Daddy.

Uh, Father.

He was a wonderful man then.

I can still remember him like that-- only just, vaguely.

He was torn and handsome when he went away to the war.

That was right at the very beginning,

and it was just mother and Joyce and me.

I can remember that the house seemed

so empty and sad without him.

We all missed him so much.

And when he came home on leave, he

looked beautiful in his uniform.

And the house was full of laughter,

and it was sunny again, just like before he went away.

He took Joyce and me to the fairground that time.

We went on the roundabout and the Helter Skelter.

We had a fine time.

He bought us some ice cream from the Italian man.

Mother didn't want us to eat it, though.

She didn't like us eating in the street.

Things were so different in those days.

And then suddenly, he was gone.

We didn't go to the station to see him off.

Just mother.

She cried a lot when she came home.

She told us that Daddy had gone to France to fight in the war.

We didn't understand much about it at the time,

but we cried because she cried, and-- because we

missed him so much.

He came back once more only, but he looked older and more tired.

It was still fun, mind you.

It was winter that time.

And the lake at Little Mere was frozen over solid.

We skated.

And Daddy made us a toboggan.

That was his real hobby-- carpentry.

He loved it.

He could make anything.

And he bulled us right to the top

of Deep Dean Hill on the toboggan.

And then he'd let us go, and we screamed and screamed.

It was marvelous.

Now Deep Dean Hill's gone too.

That's where they built those new houses.

Then Daddy went back to France, and we

used to read the newspapers, and mother

used to read his letters to us.

He always said, how's Muffet and Moppet?

He called Joyce Little Miss Muffet, you see,

when she was born.

He called me Moppet because of my hair.

He said it was just like a mop.

And when I was little, he used to lift me up and turn me

upside down and pretend to mop the floor with me.

And I used to scream and pretend to be frightened.

Of course I wasn't really.

Then we read about the Big Push.

That was an awful time.

We kept thinking that Daddy was going to be killed,

because we knew he was right there in the front line.

I shall never forget the day that the telegram came.

And Mother's face when she saw it.

At first, she didn't want to open it.

But Joyce said she had to.

And then she cried and laughed, and then she cried again.

And she said that Daddy was coming home.

The telegram wasn't from him.

It was from a friend of his, a Captain something or other.

And it told us the time of the train and everything.

And we all went to the station to meet him.

CONDUCTOR: All clear, please.

All clear.

[SHRIEKING]

-The house was awful after that.

Daddy was strange.

He had his good days now and again,

when he was more like his old self.

But mostly it was awful.

He used to scream and shout.

He had the most terrible nightmares, and he was violent.

He used to hit mother sometimes and even us.

He was often ill, and Mother told us

that it was because of what had happened to him in France,

that he was gassed and had shell shock

and that we must try and understand and be patient

and that eventually he would be better.

But he never was.

He was never the same man again.

-Yes?

-Then in 1921, Mother told us she was expecting another baby.

I don't know why, but we were rather shocked

somehow, Father being like he was.

Anyway, Mother had Stephen.

He was a beautiful baby.

Joyce and I adored him.

But Father didn't take to him at all.

Mother wasn't well after that, and Father

got worse and worse all the time.

He would have Stephen in the same room with him.

And then Mother died.

She hadn't been well, you see, since Stephen was born.

Father hated him even more after that and one day

started to brick up the cellar.

He said he was going to put Stephen in there.

Let him rot, he said.

But of course, Joyce and I stopped him.

[BARKING]

-And it turned out that Stephen was strange in some way,

did it?

-Oh, no.

Not at all.

He was a very intelligent child, very bright.

Father was a bit better after he'd gone away

to boarding school, but he never spoke about him.

Stephen wrote him letters.

He never opened them.

He just threw them on the fire without a word.

Of course, we didn't tell Stephen that.

And so he just kept on writing.

If he asked, we said that Father enjoyed his letters

but that he never wrote back to anybody.

And then-- it must have been in 1933-- Daddy died.

Well, he'd been in bed for over a year, so none of us

missed him very much.

We were quite glad, really, because we'd realized long ago

that he would never get any better.

So we thought this was probably the best thing.

-How did Stephen take it?

-He was heartbroken, as if he and father

had been everything to each other.

Joyce and I could never understand it.

-That was in 1933?

-Yes.

We started reading the newspapers

then about Hitler and Germany.

One crisis after another, it seemed to us.

-Where was Stephen then?

-Oh, he was still at boarding school.

But Joyce said that he should come home and go to day school.

She said we needed a man about the house.

There was only one big row.

Stephen wanted to join the OTC at school,

but Joyce put her foot down firmly over that.

She wrote to the headmaster and said

she wouldn't allow it under any circumstances.

Stephen was furious, but Joyce was adamant.

-You see, Stephen, I just wanted to look after you,

make sure you were safe.

After all, I'd brought you up since you were a baby.

I've been mother and father to you.

And all you wanted to do was get away from me, go to the war.

You do understand, I couldn't let you do that, don't you?

You were all I had, all I'd ever had.

I had to keep you.

You were everything to me.

Ellie was there all the time, but it was you I wanted,

Stephen.

That was all.

[BARKING]

-He took a job that summer.

He said that if he had some money,

he could help us to manage, and that he could

buy his own clothes when he went to university.

It was only a casual job, mind you.

-And what happened after the summer?

-One day, Joyce said there was going to be another war.

I was sure she was right.

All the papers seemed to be full of it.

Joyce said there would be conscription

straightaway this time.

Everybody who was 18 would be called up

and made to go and fight in France.

She kept on and on about it, about Stephen

and what had happened to Daddy and about how she'd never

let it happen to Stephen-- never, never.

Stephen came across from Blackpool on Sunday afternoon.

She said she wanted him to go of Canada, about how

much better the universities were there.

But Stephen wouldn't go.

He was determined not to go.

He even said that if there was a war,

he wouldn't wait to be conscripted.

He'd join up.

He said that if Joyce had let him join the OTC at school,

he'd have been able to be an officer straightaway.

But he didn't care.

He'd join up and try and get a commission afterwards.

Well, when he'd gone back to Blackpool,

Joyce was out of her mind.

She couldn't leave it alone.

She went on and on about what had happened to Daddy

and how we couldn't let the same thing happen to Stephen.

She swore she wouldn't, and she said

that I should feel the same.

-Stephen only wanted to be an officer like his father.

-Exactly.

Funny, I had never thought of it like that,

but that's what it amounted to.

Then one day, Joyce told me that she had a plan.

She talked and talked about it, all through the following week.

She said that it wouldn't be difficult, that we could do it,

that it would be better for Stephen.

Eventually I had to agree.

Joyce was always stronger about things than I was.

She went to the doctor and told him she couldn't sleep.

He said it was her nerves and gave her some tablets.

But she wrote to Stephen and told him to come over

on Sunday-- said that she wanted to talk to him.

She made tea.

And not long afterwards, Stephen fell asleep in his chair.

She'd put four tablets in his tea.

The doctor said she must never have more than one.

I was terrified.

But she said everything would be all right.

And we-- we took him down to the cellar.

We had everything ready.

All the stuff was there.

His father had started on it ages ago,

when he was angry with Stephen.

-You rigged him up in the cellar?

-Yes.

-We both thought it was best for him.

-You-- you kept him there for how long?

-Well, at first he used to shout and scream.

But if it was especially bad, or we thought someone was going

to call, we just gave him some tablets

in a drink or something.

He-- he had to drink, you see.

Well, they had to be stronger and stronger as time went on.

But gradually, he stopped making any noise at all.

He'd just whimper now and again.

It was very difficult during the war with only two rations

for three people.

-And you kept him there right through the war?

-Yes, of course.

-And when it was over?

-That was the awful part.

We-- we couldn't let him out then.

He was too far gone.

He wasn't normal.

-He's been in there nearly 30 years?

-We thought it was best for him, you see.

That's what we thought.

What do you think they'll do?

-Well, that's not for me to decide, Miss Ballantyne.

I just have to report.

I don't think he'll come back here.

We're bound to catch him soon.

Have a good night's rest, all right?

Good night.

[NOISE]

[SCREAMING]

-Joyce!

Joyce, what are you doing out of bed?

Put on his uniform?

What's the matter with you?

Take that coat off.

Take it off.

-It's mine!

It's mine!

[RINGING]

-Hello, Joanna.

-Oh, Alan.

I didn't expect you to be here.

-They wanted someone in the house,

so I sort of volunteered.

It seemed better to have somebody they knew around.

-Where's Miss Ellie?

-Dr. Spencer gave her a light sedative, sent her off to bed.

-Well, who would have believed it?

Two dear, sweet old ladies.

What on earth made them do it?

-Who knows what makes people do things?

-What do you suppose they'll do with them?

-I don't know.

I don't think there's a lot they can do.

You can't really lock up two old ladies like this.

I don't think you can.

-Maybe put them in a home.

-Might just as well leave them here

with their own things around them.

They must have suffered a lot over the years.

-And him, the brother, what about him?

-They'll have to lock him up when they catch him.

He can't be much more than an animal.

-Why soldiers?

Why do you suppose he only attacks soldiers?

-I don't know.

Probably in what was left of his brain,

he thought the army had something

to do with him being locked up.

I suppose over the years he got it all muddled up.

Then he saw the uniform, and that was enough.

-There.

Poor old things.

Should I look in and see Miss Ellie, do you think?

-I think she's asleep.

Perhaps you'd be better not to wake her up.

-Yes.

There's a storm starting.

Just as well.

-Poor creature, being out on a night like this.

They say they're hunting him with dogs.

-Yeah.

But in this much rain, the dogs won't be a lot of use.

-They're off across the moor somewhere.

I hope they catch him soon.

Damn rain.

I'll get soaked.

-You'll accompany me to Little Mere.

It won't take 10 minutes.

-What about these two?

-Well, they're both asleep.

There's two more men patrolling the garden.

I'll only be gone 10 minutes. -It would be nice.

-Well, come on then.

-I'll just look in and see Miss Ellie.

-All right.

How is she?

-Sleeping like a baby.

-Come on, then.

-Are you sure it'll be all right?

-Well, you can't get back in this.

Come on.

Let's run.

-Joyce!

Joyce!

It's me, Ellie.

Wake up.

Wake up.

I'm frightened.

Joyce, wake up!

-You always did hate storms, didn't you, Ellie?

-At night.

Not in the day time.

Only at night.

[SCREAMING]

-Go away.

It won't hurt you.

-Joyce.

Joyce.

I heard something.

In the hall.

-Of course you didn't, Ellie.

-I did!

I did!

Someone's there.

Look!

-No one's there.

-Joyce, he can see us.

He can see in the dark.

-Ellie, get to the telephone.

-I can't.

I can't.

Talk to him.

Tell him who we are.

-Stephen.

It's me, Joyce.

Stephen!

[SCREAMING]

Stop coming at us.

It's me, Joyce.

Joyce!

[GUNSHOT]

ELLIE: Stephen!

Stephen!

He only wanted the picture, Joyce.

Stephen!

He knew, Joyce.

In the end, he knew who the picture was.

-There's one thing he didn't know--

one thing he'll never know now.

He'll never know that everything we did, the whole thing,

was all done for him.