Moonflower Murders

Did you ever read about the murder

of a man called Frank Parris?

At our hotel? Branlow Hall?

He's dead!

We called the police.

His name was

Detective Superintendent Locke.

Why was I afraid you were going to say that?

Stefan Leonida-- he wasn't guilty.

You began by saying that your daughter had disappeared.

The real killer is named

in the book.

"Atticus Pünd Takes the Case."

Susan, we'll pay you £10,000 if you help us find Cecily.

Just a week.

Melissa James,

the British actress, had an accident

which brought a sudden end to her career.

Even when the hotel is full,

we are still losing money hand over fist!

I have the scripts, the director, the contract...

You'll just have to find somebody else.

I need to cash in my shares.

I gave up everything for you.

I don't want to have this argument now!

I should leave this alone.

But you won't.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT Dear passengers, in a few moments,

you will be able to purchase refreshment,

nuts, and a selection of alcoholic drinks.

Alan Conway!

I'm sorry?

I've read all his books.

Ah.

You know, he died last year. Yes, I heard.

A great shame.

He was a brilliant writer.

So clever, and I'm sure

he was a lovely man.

I'm so sorry I'm late, I couldn't,

I couldn't get a taxi.

Have you been here long? Since the time we agreed.

I see you already ordered.

Oh, what can I get you? Uh, no, no, no, no, I'm, I'm getting all this!

Oh, could I have a, a hot chocolate, please?

Yeah, sure. Thanks.

Yes, it's good to see you, Alan.

How have you been?

Well, thank you. Good.

And the new book?

God, it didn't take you long, did it?

I'm not a machine, you know.

That's hardly fair, Alan.

I mean, it's been nearly two years

since "No Rest for the Wicked."

And we do have a three-book contract.

I think we've been more than patient.

It's not that easy, Susan.

I mean, have you any idea

what it's like being a writer?

Do you really think you can push a button

and another idea will simply pop out?

No, I...

I work with a lot of writers, Alan,

and yeah, it's actually your interests

I'm trying to protect.

You have to think of the market.

Your first two books have done fantastically well.

But we have to keep up the momentum.

Yeah, we also have to keep up standards.

I mean, what do you want, someone kills someone else,

there are clues and suspects and a detective,

and it's all so boring?

I'm trying to do something new.

Mm.

I thought you'd be

more cheerful.

You've got a huge following.

You've made a ton of money.

Oh, and I heard that you're leaving the school.

Who told you that? My sister Katie.

Well, at least I won't have to spend any more time

with those over-privileged, stuck-up kids.

My niece and nephew go there. Well, I didn't mean them.

Not Jack and... Lucy.

Daisy. Daisy.

Look, if you're blocked, maybe...

I didn't say I was blocked.

I'm just waiting for the right idea. Right.

Something that actually sparks my interest. Mm-hmm.

And putting pressure on me will...

Frank Parris! What?

No, the man in that paper, I once knew him.

May I? Um, yeah.

He was murdered.

Oh, my God, I'm so sorry.

Was he a friend of yours? No, I hardly knew him.

Killed in a hotel!

A hotel.

That would be

a good setting for a book.

Do you think so? Hmm.

At a wedding.

Oh, I like that.

That would be a great opening.

Bloodstains on the bridal gown.

That's Gothic.

Well, I might give it a think.

It was the start of a quiet day for Atticus Pünd.

It seemed that no one had been murdered for a while,

and he found himself unusually at a loose end.

Oh, yes, oh.

Thank you, Miss Cain.

Now, I believe I have a fairly quiet week,

which will allow me to continue with my book.

Yes-- here is chapter four.

You have already typed it for me.

I had nothing to do last night, so I thought I'd get ahead. Oh!

I have some news for you. Oh, yes?

Mrs. Allingham has canceled.

Oh, the missing husband-- she has found him?

No, she decided she didn't want to.

There is one thing, though.

A Mr. Schultz is coming in at00. And who is he?

He works for the William Morris Agency

in New York-- he's a senior partner.

Oh, and he's in London? Yes.

He called yesterday morning from the Savoy Hotel.

For what purpose?

He said it was to do with a client of his, Melissa James.

Oh, yes!

Ah, the actress who was killed two days ago.

I read in the paper.

I think he wants you to investigate.

And you agreed to an appointment.

Well, well, without Mrs. Allingham,

you had nothing on your desk,

and, well, he has come all the way from New York.

But even so... Melissa James was

a very well-known actress, Mr. Pünd.

It's absolutely dreadful that she's been murdered.

And if you were involved in the investigation,

I think it might be very good for your profile. Mm.

Sometimes, I think

you know me better than I know myself, Miss Cain.

It is my job, Mr. Pünd.

00.

The timing is of great interest to me.

It's good of you to see me, Mr. Pünd.

It's my pleasure, Mr. Schultz.

This is a bad business.

Melissa James was one of our greatest stars,

a fine actress

and a wonderful human being.

Did you ever see her in "Harem Nights"?

Mm, I, I do not often go to the cinema.

She was sensational.

Nominated for an Academy Award,

and she should've won it, too.

I, I understood that she had retired from acting.

Mm, that's right, uh,

she was injured during the shooting of a movie

with Hitchcock five years ago.

And then she moved somewhere called Tawleigh?

In "Devon-shier," is that right?

But she was still our client, and for what it's worth,

she was talking about making a comeback. Mm.

So why are you here, Mr. Schultz?

For the funeral, obviously.

I got on a plane the moment I heard.

Mm, so quickly, yes.

But we want to do more than that.

We want you to help the police

with their investigation.

We at William Morris,

we're not gonna let the killer get away with this.

PÜ Well, the police,

they may not welcome outside intervention, it's...

I'm sure they know your reputation, Mr. Pünd,

and they'll welcome you with open arms. Oh...

We'll pay your usual fee.

You can, uh, put your assistant in touch

with our finance department.

Melissa was one of the kindest and most considerate people

I ever had the privilege to meet, and my partners agree.

We feel we owe this to her.

What do you say?

Did you never learn to drive, Mr. Pünd?

Oh, I've no appetite for it, Miss Cain.

Often seemed to me we live in a world

that's in too much of a hurry.

The pace of change. Yeah, and not just cars.

I mean, it's fridges, washing machines,

televisions, telephones.

And now these new computers.

I do not like machines.

You could say it was the machines

that won us the war.

The Spitfire, radar.

But Nazism itself was a machine, so it always seemed to me.