Dickensian

I'm arresting you for the murder of Jacob Marley.

What's he on about?

- It's a mistake, a stupid mistake... ...it's got to be! - Come along, now.

- I'll get Ma! - No! No, no! Please, please!

Please, it is her wedding day.

Now, now don't you worry, love.

I will settle this somehow

and I'll be back here to walk you up the aisle.

Promise?

Promise.

Pa!

So, what now?

What are you going to do?

I'll be needing a clean shirt.

Yes, of course.

On Christmas Eve, your employer, Mr Jacob Marley,

was murdered between the hours of 9 and 10.30.

Could you tell me where you were at that hour?

- Out walking. - Walking?

Looking to see if the market had left anything behind.

I hadn't taken home what I'd hoped, you see.

Oh?

HE COUGHS

Thank you.

My wages had been docked...

...by Mr Marley.

Two shillings.

Did Mr Marley explain why he did that?

He said my work wasn't up to scratch.

Wasn't it?

That's what he said.

That must have made you very angry, Bob.

Yes.

This walk of yours... Did you encounter anyone?

Exchange season's greetings?

Not that I remember.

No-one at all?

THINK, Bob.

This puts us in a very difficult position,

with no-one to vouch for your whereabouts

at the time Mr Marley was murdered.

A man you had good reason to be angry with,

that very same day.

You see my dilemma?

I suppose and, yes, I was angry with him for docking my wages,

but why would you think I would murder him?

There was a loan,

shown here in Jacob Marley's ledger,

for the sum of £1, 18 shillings and sixpence.

A loan to you.

I say "was"

cos some time after Mr Marley's death,

that very same entry had been crossed out by another hand.

Yours, I take it?

I 'ope we ain't missed all the good seats.

Yeah, well, if we do, we know why, don't we?

I told you to hurry up!

CHURCH ORGAN PLAYS

Thanks for coming.

BELL TOLLS

And in his journal,

Mr Marley had made an entry

for the evening he was killed,

suggesting an arranged meeting, perhaps?

Just an initial

C.

Cratchit?

Where are they?

Martha will just be wanting to make an entrance.

The department of the detective that I represent, Bob,

has one very clear purpose -

to reveal the perpetrator of this murder

by establishing the motive for it

and the opportunity to carry it out.

The loan you have erased from the ledger

gives me a motive.

While the entry of "C' in the victim's journal,

added to your uncorroborated Christmas Eve walk,

provides the opportunity.

It's enough for a court to convict.

I did not kill Mr Marley!

I make no judgment on the rights or wrongs of it, Bob.

My investigation leaves me

in no doubt

as to the nature of Jacob Marley

and I can only imagine the strain of trying to provide for a family at Christmas,

under the weight of a loan you couldn't afford.

No-one would blame a man

for buckling under the burden of all that.

When my Emily was expecting Martha,

we were trying to get our own place, but we didn't have the money.

So she pressed her mother's garnet necklace into my hand,

watched me pawn it.

So, you see, that loan was to buy her another necklace.

To thank her for being the best wife

and mother a man could ever hope for.

There's no shame in a man protecting his family, Bob.

No shame at all.

But a murder IS a murder

and the evidence I have is damning.

I'm sorry.

Wait! Wait!

You need to fetch Mr Scrooge,

ask him to bring my ledger.

SHE LAUGHS

DOOR OPENS

A gentleman for you, Miss. Mr Compeyson.

Oh.

Shall I show him in, then?

Yes. Of course.

Yes, Miss.

Mr Compeyson, Miss.

Thank you, Mary, that will be all.

DOG GROWLS AND BARKS

How can I...

Please. I... must speak.

Erm, there are things I had... I need to say.

I owe you an apology.

I should never have spoken as I did,

should never have used those words and I can

only beg your forgiveness.

- There's no need to apologise... - You're too gracious, madam.

Such behaviour in a gentleman is quite insupportable

and it will never happen again.

Now, should I be any possible use in your business affairs,

do feel at liberty to call upon me.

MAN GROANS

Well, someone needed to put some fire in you, Bumble.

I'm all eagerness to please, my angel.

You're all prattle and chatter - all talk and no action.

Act, Bumble, act! Make me proud - earn my gratitude.

And how might you show it, my sweet?

Just write the letter, Bumble!

Win the Board - raise us up!

Gain the position we deserve and who knows where it may lead!

You think that I've got nothing better to do

than to trot along over here with you during business hours!

Well, Inspector!

You may have plenty of time to waste, but I...

Cratchit?

What are you doing here?

So, it was you, was it?

When the worm turned and did for old Jacob, eh?

The latest entry, sir. You'll see it.

What are you talking about? What...

On whose authorisation?!

Mr Marley made me the loan, sir.

And you thought to renegotiate terms

without the agreement of the surviving partner?

Then you must surely have consulted with Jacob Marley's ghost?!

Hmm? Is that it?

I just needed a month's grace.

What exactly has he done?

Cratchit has taken it upon himself

to move his debt from Marley's ledger to his own,

reducing the immediate burden and amortising it over a lengthier term.

Reducing what he owes?

Hmm. Increasing it, in fact - by a sparing margin.

- It seemed right. - Right? What do you know of right?

Jacob Marley had to be dead in order for you to do this.

Well, if you think you have your man, Inspector,

snap his neck and be quick about it.

I'll have to go about finding - and training - a new clerk!

What's keeping her?

If I knew that...

Keep him calm, keep everyone calm.

How do I do that?

Summat's definitely up.

I've got to get Martha to the church!

You must know that's not going to happen.

Mr Scrooge told you I never stole...

He also took great pains to point out

that Mr Marley had to be dead for you to change the books

and that any further alteration could only be to avoid discovery.

I didn't kill him.

There is nothing more I can say.

All that matters now is Martha - she is alone on her wedding day

and I made her a promise.

A father's promise to his little girl - that is sacred.

I can see you are a good man.

If you have any doubt...

...any doubt at all

please let me keep my promise.

After that, well, I give you my word.

I will be back here

and you can do your worst.

She's not coming, is she? Why's she not coming?!

- Ma! - Why are you still here?

He promised he'd be back.

What's going on? Where's your father?

The police came.

- Why? - They took him. - Why?

Just a few questions about Mr Marley's business.

- Pa! - That's all. - What sort of questions?

Nothing you need worry about. Not today of all days.

I promised, didn't I?

Right, come on, love, let's get you to that church.

What could it mean? That he never actually meant it?

So, you like him now?

He did say he was out of his depth.