Shadows and Fog

Kleinman! Kleinman, open up.

- Kleinman! - We know you're in there.

- Kleinman! - You bastard!

Open the door. Kleinman!

Come on, Kleinman.

Kleinman!

I'm coming, I'm coming.

- Kleinman! - Kleinman, come on.

- What? - For God's sake, Kleinman, are you deaf?

What do you mean, deaf? What's, what's... What's going on?

- We need you to get dressed. - Get dressed? Why?

Don't play ignorant.

I was playing ignorant? I was in a deep sleep.

- We expect the killer to strike again tonight. - The killer? What killer?

The strangler.

- What strangler? - The maniac.

The one who killed Eisler's son and choked Jensen to death

with the piano wire.

Jenson?

The big night watchman?

That's right. Took him from behind.

Crept up, got him by the throat.

He was blue when we found him.

Saliva frozen down the corner of his mouth.

Well, look, I've got to be up early tomorrow for work, so...

Don't play dumb, Kleinman. You live on an island?

Tonight's a foggy night. He always strikes in the fog.

Yeah, but, you see, I...

This is a very busy time for me in my firm.

You know, I'm in competition for a promotion with Simon Carr...

Don't you know no one can walk the streets at night?

Yeah, well, you know, I hear certain...

And it's not just the streets.

The Quilty sisters were killed in their own home

because they didn't lock the door.

Throats cut from ear to ear.

I thought you said he was a strangler.

Does it matter how he kills?

So angry, what is he...

Hey, what's he gettin' so angry for? Okay.

Okay. There's no motive?

So, you know about it.

Well, you know, I hear, now and then, a drib and drab.

He hears what he wants to hear.

Get dressed.

What do you mean, get dressed? This is police business.

The police have had their chance.

Now we're taking matters into our own hands.

No, that's scary.

You're one of us, aren't you, Kleinman?

Yes, yes, I'm definitely one of you.

What do you want me to do?

We have a plan to trap him.

Yeah, but, what kind of plan?

It's Hacker's. He should tell it.

What, well, Hacker, what's...

You'll find out your assignment.

Get dressed. You're wasting time.

- What do you mean? - We'll meet you downstairs in five minutes.

Well, okay, but...

My theory is that it's someone that we all know.

Someone, you know, that we work next to or go to church with.

He lurks in the shadows, waiting to pounce.

But, you see, I was in a deep sleep, so I was...

What is this plan? How can I be of help?

Kleinman. Kleinman. In, in, in, in.

Kleinman, here.

- I brought you some pepper. - Pepper? What...

I overheard everything.

If you're caught by the maniac, blow pepper in his eyes.

Yes, very good. I'll ward him off with a seasoning.

This is ridiculous. I'm petrified. I'm not gonna go out.

Be a man, Kleinman.

What do you mean, be a man?

Suddenly, in the middle of the night, I gotta put on a suit and a tie and...

What do you need a tie for?

You're going to hunt for a homicidal maniac.

Do I know who I'll run into out there? What if I see my boss?

You know, Mr. Paulsen is funny that way.

And there's a big competition between me and Simon Carr for this promotion.

What are you killing yourself for that promotion?

What does it mean? An extra few dollars?

No, I told you. It isn't the money.

I wanna amount to something.

Why should Carr get the promotion?

You know, because he takes Paulsen to dinner all the time?

I mean, you're too frightened of Mr. Paulsen.

You cringe in front of him like a worm.

Well, he makes me nervous. And I don't cringe.

Calling your boss "Your Majesty" is cringing.

Stop it. I don't like this. I don't wanna have to go out.

I was in a nice warm bed. Suddenly I'm part of a plan.

When are you gonna come to your senses and marry me?

You could tell your boss to stuff it

and you'd own half of this whole place.

I'm not gonna marry you.

I have a fiancée. What are you...

Some fiancée.

Eve wants you for an ornament, if you get the promotion.

Don't... Don't talk about Eve.

I don't wanna discuss this all the time. Eve is a lovely creature.

Eve treats you like scum. Be careful.

I'd hate for them to find you in an alley

with your throat slit from ear to ear.

Don't worry about that. He mostly strangles.

Gee, it's empty.

Where, where is everybody?

They're supposed to be here.

Where the hell did they go?

The street's so desolate.

I don't like this. I wanna get back into bed.

I can't do that, though.

If something goes wrong with their plan, they'll say it's my fault.

Why me?

I'm an artist. Every town we played in, I'd get huge laughs.

And here, nothing.

I mean, no one comes, and the few that do just sit there stone-faced.

I know. I was very little appreciated myself.

None of us were.

Well, your specialty is quite different to mine.

I don't know about that. I, I was thinking you can tell a lot

about an audience by how they respond to a good sword-swallower.

Mmm, believe me, nothing is more terrifying

than attempting to make people laugh, and failing.

So, why do we put up with it?

When we pull out tomorrow, why don't we just tell Danzig we're quitting?

To do what?

Well, settle down.

Where we don't have to travel all the time,

where it's not such a grueling life.

Get married, you know. Live like other people.

We're not like other people. We're artists.

With great talent comes responsibility.

But it would be so nice. You could find a job someplace.

But then doing what? Collecting other people's refuse?

- No. - Sweeping the streets?

Of course not. No, you're clever.

Somebody'd give you an opportunity.

But I have a rare opportunity now, to make people laugh.

To make them forget their sad lives.

Listen, it's not my fault that this stupid traveling show

is completely mismanaged.

I'm sure Danzig steals every cent of profit.

I wanna have a baby.

We're going to have a baby, but not right now.

A family? That's death to the artist. I need peace and quiet.

I mean, you know, my mind... It's funny...

It's just constantly filled with, um,

new routines, ideas, gags, brilliant and creative twists.

Why don't you tell the truth?

You don't want to get married.

So, you can play cards and flirt with all the adoring ladies.

- That's not true. - Oh, yes, it is.

I just want to... I have to make a name for myself first.

We will get...

You know, I love you.

No. You keep promising.

But soon it's gonna be too late for me to have a baby.

But, too... Don't cry.

Listen, I'll talk to Danzig.

You don't mean it.

I do mean it. Stop. You know I can't stand that.

Don't cry.

The audience was too quiet tonight.

I felt sorry for you.

You're the only one they seem to like.

Yeah, but I have my little tricks for seducing them.

Yes.

What are you doing wandering around out here?

I was on my way to speak to Danzig.

Mmm.

Like Irish whiskey?

Uh, yes, but my doctor says it's very bad for my stomach.

Oh. That's too bad.

But, uh...

It's probably relaxing.

The most voluptuous woman in the circus.

It would be my luck she'd be married to the strongman.

Don't worry about Peter. He's had a gallon of this already.

You know, sometimes when you're up on the high wire,

I look at you. You look so...

What?

Mmm. Edible.

How hungry are you now?

I'm always famished after a performance. And you?

I can never sleep on an empty stomach.

Do you have a taste for anything special?

I'm not fussy. I eat what you put in front of me.

And you're sure your husband won't wake up?

I mean, I have seen what he does to iron bars.

Nothing wakes Peter up.

Certainly not the sound of two people moaning.

Oh, you. I thought I saw you come in here.

- Hey... - Rat! You rat!

Irmy!

You said you were going to Danzig.

You were supposed to go to Danzig.

Shh! My husband. Shh!

Damn you!

Wait! We were talking about acrobatics.