Original subtitles

(RASPING AND SNORTING)

(CLICKING)

(WIND HOWLING, DOG BARKING)

(RASPING)

(DOG BARKING)

(HEAVY RASPING)

(SHEEP BLEATING)

- Once you've finished, I'm away to my bed. - I expect you're ready for it.

And you. You were up late with Fiona.

We'd had dinner at the hotel.

She's a good girl, Fiona. We're all very fond of her.

Yes, I know.

I brought her into the world, you know.

I suppose that's why, since her father died,

I've felt a kind of responsibility for her.

She is 27.

Aye, but she's an island girl. Doesn't know a lot about the world.

Am I getting a warning, Alan, or are you coming round to asking about my intentions?

You think it's none of my business. You're probably right.

But I wouldn't want to see her unhappy.

Neither would I. You needn't worry on that score.

That should set in a minute.

How did her father die? She's never mentioned it.

It was about three years ago.

The weather that week was as bad as this.

He suffered a burst appendix.

Damned old fool had been doping himself instead of coming to me.

Anyway, it developed into peritonitis, and at his age he had no chance.

Why didn't they take him out by helicopter?

I doubt if a helicopter could have found us, let alone landed here.

- Look at this, Alan. It's incredible. - What do you make of it?

It'll be clearer when I've made a cast, but...

See here? There are no upper incisors.

Just this ridge.

No creature on this earth has a bite like that.

Turtles have.

Are you suggesting it was done by a turtle?

No. I don't know what I'm suggesting, really.

Some sort of related creature, perhaps.

Such as?

Well, I'm only speculating,

but I do believe there are creatures in the sea that no man has ever set eyes on.

That's a nice thought to take home to my bed, young man.

A man-eating sea monster on the loose.

- (KNOCK AT DOOR) - Come in.

- Your breakfast, sir. - Thanks, Malcolmson.

- I've got some gen on Mrs Anderson. - Good. Shoot.

- Pardon? - Do you never watch "Kojak"?

- Carry on. - She's 38.

- Was 38. - Yes, sir.

Got divorced last year.

She and her husband stayed in Carlisle. Ran a chain of boutiques.

One conviction, for possessing cannabis.

Bit of a girl, seemingly.

Were there any other passengers aboard?

A man called... Howard. He's booked in at the hotel.

I met Colonel Howard. Anything on Mr Anderson?

Not a lot, sir. HQ have been onto Carlisle. They say he went south.

- Hm. What about the chain of boutiques? - Still owned by Mrs Anderson.

She got half the house, too. Used that money to buy Dove Cottage.

Hm. So old man Anderson didn't come out of it too well. That's interesting.

- Anything else? - No, sir.

I'll tell you what I want you to do.

Call HQ. Tell them to chase up old Angus Duncan.

Find out if he saw anything going on between Howard and Mrs Anderson.

And ask if he took a passenger back to the mainland.

- Right, sir. - And put out a check for Mr Anderson.

Sir.

- Been out, Tom? - Thanks. Aye.

The lads are doing a search and I took Baird breakfast.

- How is PC Baird? - He is not a happy man.

A policeman's lot is not a happy one. Truest words ever written.

We had a phone call from Mr McLeod. One of his sheep has been killed.

Too bad. Sheep-worrying isn't top of our list.

No, but it was torn to bits. I was just wondering if it was connected.

Cheers.

- You were out and about early. - I took a walk with this. Is that coffee?

- Aye. - Why did you do that?

I was up in the night. Heard it registering.

By itself?

We checked the stores yesterday, didn't we?

- Some dozy beggar forgot to switch it off. - Sorry, Neil.

Anyway, there it was, clicking away to itself like crazy.

There's nothing radioactive in here.

It was outside, through that wall.

- And? - Nothing, really.

There were traces of radioactivity but I couldn't find the source.

- What lies north of here? - It's just moorland. It's empty.

You're forgetting Symonds, the ornithologist. He's camped there.

- How's it connected with him? - I'm not saying it is.

He's got a radio. Give him a call.

- Perhaps he noticed something. - If you can get through.

- We've lost touch with the mainland. - What? Since when?

Sometime during the night. I had to switch it off eventually.

- I was gonna tell you. - I should hope so.

I've no idea what's going on. It sounded like deliberate jamming to me.

Symonds. Coastguard Inverdee, over.

Symonds. Coastguard Inverdee, over.

Nobody's seen or heard anything unusual. Where next? Over.

- Where are you now, Baird? Over. - Near Colirs farm. Over.

Get yourself up to the back cottages. Have a word with Jamie Forbes.

Thanks.

He said he saw something coming out of the sky. Reckons it was a flying saucer.

A man got out and ran away. Have you got that? Over.

Och, you know, Jamie's a terror for seeing things, sarge. Always has been. Over.

There might be something in it and there might not be.

Get him to show you where it landed. Over and out.

(BELL)

- Morning. - Hi.

I hoped you might come back last night.

- I didn't finish till about three. - What did Dr Goudry want?

He wanted me to take some impressions.

And he wanted to form an impression of me.

How do you mean?

He suspects I'm playing fast and loose with your affections.

- You're joking. - No, I'm not.

Oh, hell. Everybody here feels they have the

right to interfere in the lives of everybody else.

It's that good old community spirit.

- I suppose you told him to get lost. - How could I?

He really feels he's in loco parentis.

Loco's right, the silly old devil.

No, he's quite sweet really, I suppose.

- What's in the box? - This is what kept me up till three.

It WAS Mrs Anderson, by the way.

This is a cast of the impressions I took.

- Of her teeth? - Of a bite on her shoulder.

That's horrible.

- So are the teeth, believe me. - Can I see?

If you like.

Now, then, normal human characteristics when viewed from the side, you see,

but from the front it's just this ridge in place of the upper incisors.

What on earth is it?

I don't know. I just hope it's something artificial.

You mean some kind of dental work?

I can't imagine anyone making an upper set like this, can you?

The canines are definitely human.

I wonder if somebody here could be doing genetic experiments.

What, you mean creating human mutations here? Michael, that's ridiculous.

They've done it with animals, created hybrids.

Sooner or later some nut will work on people.

- It wouldn't be allowed. - Not if it were known about.

But if somebody fancied himself as a Frankenstein, he'd hide himself away.

An isolated house on a fairly remote island.

Oh, stop that. I don't believe it.

No, neither do I, really. But, then, I didn't believe these teeth at first.

- Morning, Mrs McKay. - Good morning, Inspector.

Just put this on the tab, will you?

Incidentally, is Colonel Howard up and about yet?

The Colonel was on his way when I came in.

You mean he's left?

How would he be leaving in this weather?

- No, he's gone for a walk along the beach. - Thank you. I'm much obliged.

Morning, Colonel Howard.

- Inspector Inskip. - Oh, how do you do?

- You're up bright and early this morning. - Just a stroll before breakfast.

I understand you came over on the Tristar.

Yes, that's quite right.

There was another passenger aboard. A Mrs Anderson.

You didn't happen to speak to her, did you?

Not really. I think I got the brush-off.

- You tried to speak to her? - Yes.

It's a very small cabin and there were only the two of us in it,

so I tried to make a few polite remarks.

Yes, of course.

What kind of polite remarks, sir?

I said, "It's a nice day" and she said, "Lovely".

And I said I hoped we'd have a smooth crossing and she said yes.

Then she took a book out of her bag and started reading.

And that's all? You sat for over an hour without saying a word?

No. After about 20 minutes I went out on deck

and stayed there till we came into harbour.

Did you notice if she seemed disturbed in any way?

- Worried, perhaps? - No, I didn't.

Inspector, why are you asking me these questions?

Just an inquiry, sir.

Did you see her when you went ashore?

One of the crew helped her onto the quay.

When I left she was standing there waiting for transport.

- You didn't say anything to her? - I just said goodbye and smiled.

She didn't even notice.

Has something happened to her?

What unit are you with, sir?

I'm awaiting a fresh posting.

Yes, but what unit are you with now, sir?

School of Mountain Warfare, Inverness.

I'm a gunnery instructor.

When you got this brush-off, were you offended?

- What? - Well, did it upset your manhood?

Good Lord, no!

You can't win them all, as they say.

Yes, well, thank you, sir.

It was the right head you found, by the way. Matched the vertebrae exactly.

We'd be in real trouble if it was the wrong one.

For all I know, the island might be full of them.

Cause of death, I think, was haemorrhage of the brain

following a heavy blow that crushed the left temporal bone.

And that happened in the cottage.

Why does he then carry a headless body into the woods? It's a mile away.

You have to ask him when you find him, which I hope is soon.

It's going to bring a lot of unwelcome publicity.

You're telling me!

The popular press'll have a field day.

A madman who kills in a frenzy, mutilates his victim

and wears some kind of a spike attached to his teeth.

- Good front-page stuff. - You two are a big help.

Now, listen, seriously. We had a report this morning of a sheep being savaged.

"Torn to bits" were the farmer's words.

He doesn't think it was a dog.

Do you think it could be our loony?

Bring me the body and I'll tell you. Anything's possible.

But surely there's a world of difference between murder and slaughtering sheep?

To the sane mind, yes.

But Mrs Anderson was killed in an orgiastic frenzy.

The sort of bloodlust that's way beyond the normal human limits.

To the point where he no longer distinguishes

between man, woman, sheep or dog.

If it's alive, he'll destroy it.

So you think he'll kill again?

Almost certainly.

If he hasn't already done so.

Morning.

Good morning.

- Got a licence for that? - I'm working on it, Doctor.

- Where did you find that? - Up on the moors.

Really? Looks like an army job to me.

Does it, sir? It was reported to us as a flying saucer.

One of the new folding type.

Gentlemen, if you step this way. What's the story?

Jamie Forbes saw what he thought was a flying saucer earlier.

It landed beyond Mathesors croft.

Jamie Forbes and a flying saucer. That's all I need.

- For once he was nearly right. - He saw a man get out of it and run away.

- How early this morning? - About five o'clock.

- What was Jamie doing there at that time? - You know Jamie. Out at all hours.

- I've been wondering about him. - Jamie's a good loony.

He's not a killer. He takes both hands to break a matchstick.

- Mr Gaffikin, what do you think? - It looks like an army chute.

But I don't know this particular pattern.

It's not seen a lot of use. It's never been patched.

- You say a man ran away? - Yes.

- According to Jamie. - He must be crazy.

It's suicidal to jump in these conditions.

Suicidal or not, somebody has. That's obvious.

Somebody who wanted to get here in a hurry. Is it linked with our killer?

- I don't see how it can be. - Neither do I, dammit.

Brew up some of that poison you call coffee.

(PHONE RINGS)

Excuse me, sir.

Hello. Police.

Yes. Just hang on a moment.

- Coastguard for you. - Inskip here.

Hello. What can I do for you?

Doc Symonds. Of course I know him. Canadian. Bird-watcher.

OK. We'll check on it. Thanks for phoning.

Doc Symonds. McGrath says he can't raise him on the radio.

He's wondering if he spent the night in town.

I saw him yesterday.

He was aiming to get back to his camp before dark.

Dove Cottage, where Mrs Anderson was murdered.

Bautry Woods, where you found the body.

McLeod's farm, where a sheep was torn to bits.

Symonds...

...who isn't answering his radio.

- It's an absolute straight line. - Exactly.

It's hellish country to travel in this weather, though.

If that is the route he's taken,

he's forded the river twice and gone straight across the marshes.

Tom, I doubt if our maniac even noticed.

- So what do we do? - I wish I knew.

We certainly can't risk the coast road in this.

We could drive to Durrock and then take the cliff path.

Even worse. It's only two feet wide in parts.

Fiona could lead us. She knows every inch of the island.

- Would she do it? - I'm sure she would.

This is as far as I think we can risk it.

The tide's out. We can work round the headland and pick up the path there.

OK, Fiona. Lead the way.

Hold it, Fiona.

Who's that?

Hello there. We meet again.

What are you doing out here, Colonel?

- Just pottering about. - Aye.

For your own safety, I'd advise you to potter back to town.

If you mean the old mine shafts, they're clearly marked on the map.

I'm not talking about the old mine shafts.

No.

You don't appear to be out for a picnic either.

Mrs Anderson is dead.

Murdered by some raving lunatic who's still around here.

Till he's captured, it's not safe here.

Poor woman. Is there anything I can do to help?

The best thing you can do is go back to your hotel and stay there.

As you wish.

Miss Patterson.

- He took all that very calmly. - Yeah.

His type are trained not to show emotion. Except at polo matches.

It's called military sangfroid.

What the hell is that?

Looks like something the navy's mislaid.

As if we didn't have enough on our plates.

Tom, get on the radio to HQ and find out if that thing belongs to the navy.

Ask McTaggart to bring his boat around to the point.

They can load it aboard there.

I want this taken back to town and stored safely.

The chandlery. Put a guard on it.

- And keep an eye on Colonel Howard. - Right.

- Inskip, look at this. - Michael, it looks like blood.

Yes. It is.

Tom!

This could be part of that thing. Get Doc Goudry to analyse the blood.

Come on, let's check on the coastguard.

- There was radiation outside? - Aye.

We have a Geiger counter. Last night it suddenly started registering.

Neil thought the radiation was on a line with Symonds' camp.

This morning there was a slight trace, but whatever had caused it had gone.

If there was something radioactive last night,

it should still be registering strongly now.

It's probably nothing to do with Symonds. Just a coincidence.

- There is another possibility. - What?

Maybe the source of the radiation is mobile.

- Suppose the killer is radioactive. - Come on! How can that be?

Look at the facts. Those teeth, this radiation

and that strange craft we found just now.

Maybe it's got nothing to do with the navy.

- Suppose it's alien. - Alien?

I mean, suppose originally it didn't come from the sea

but landed there before coming ashore.

- And then something radioactive got out. - Yes.

I don't believe this. You said the teeth marks showed human characteristics.

Some of the teeth.

I'm only suggesting a theory.

But we seem to be up against more than a runaway lunatic.

Maybe we are. But a straightforward homicidal

maniac with bad teeth is good enough for me.

McGrath, do you know where Symonds is camped exactly?

- We could find it, even in this weather. - Let's go.

He's camped just up this gully here.

Hold it, Fiona. That's far enough.

McGrath.

My God, Inskip.

Nothing human did that.