Bat Out of Hell

Oh! Don't tell me you're taking your mink coat with you.

Oh, don’t be ridiculous. Thelma’s picking it up.

She's taking it to the furrier's for me, I'm having it altered while we're away.

That's right, Di, I spend every bob I've got, never mind the cost.

I'm only having it altered.

And please don't call me Di, you know I hate it.

Have you found the key yet?

Yes, but it won't work. I think the lock's jammed.

It's a damned nuisance, we’ll have to make do with the two upstairs.

We could buy another suitcase.

Yes, I thought you would say that.

'Buy, buy, buy!', that's usually your answer, isn't it Diana?

Oh for goodness sake Geoffrey!

You've had that case donkey's years, it looks like something out of the ark!

This case belonged to my father. It's a perfectly good suitcase.

How can it be a perfectly good suitcase if you can't get it open?

Sounds like the front door. I'll be your friend Thelma.

Mrs. Houston will answer it.

I thought Mrs. Houston had already gone.

No, she changed her mind.

She's going on the 11 o'clock, I promised to run her to the station.

Mr. Paxton, sir.

Hello Mark, what do you want?

It's 9 o'clock, why the devil aren't you at the office?

Well, I thought perhaps you might like to borrow this, sir.

When we were talking about your holiday...

-Oh, good morning Mrs. Stewart. -Good morning Mark.

My dear fellow you shouldn't have taken it literally, I only meant...

I happened to mention we were short on cases, Mark offered to lend us one.

It's very kind of you my dear chap, very kind indeed.

It looks just the job.

The keys are inside.

Yes, I can see that.

Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?

Perhaps I could run you and Mrs. Stewart to the airport?

No it's all under control. Thank you very much.

Ned's picking us up and taking us to the airport.

I'll see you at the office, we're not going until this evening.

I hope you have a pleasant journey, Mrs. Stewart.

Thank you Mark.

And a lovely holiday. I'm sure you will.

It was 78 degrees yesterday.

78? Good grief, we shall fry.

It's bound to be too hot or too cold, isn't it Geoffrey.

Thank you for the case Mark, it's a nice one.

We'll take good care of it.

Well of course we will, he knows that. Come on Mark.

She’s in the living room, go on in.

Thank you Geoffrey.

Geoffrey told me to come in.

Hello Thelma, nice to see you.

Am I too early for you?

No, not a bit. How are you? How's Walter?

Oh, Walter's alright, you know Walter- lazy little devil.

Is that the coat Diana?

Yes, do you know where to take it?

Bolton's in Cork Street. Oh, I adore Mink.

Some people don't know they're born.

Why on earth didn't I marry a millionaire?

Well, to start with, Geoffrey's not a millionaire

and even if he were he'd still be as mean as hell.

Oh come off it.

Mink coats, Aston Martins, four weeks in Can every year.

Well for your information I'm not allowed to drive the Aston,

I bought the mink myself and as to four weeks in Cannes,

do you know where we stay?

Well, the Carlton I imagine?

Carlton!

We stay at a place called the "Plage et Angle-terre"

and if you've never heard of it, I'm not surprised.

Not that Geoffrey cares about the hotel much,

he's out on the golf course by 10 o'clock in the morning.

Fancy going to Cannes to play golf! Does he wear a bikini?

What's the joke?

You darling. We were laughing at you.

Oh were you?

Well I'm going to the office now, I shall be back about half past three.

Ned's coming at 5 o'clock, so be ready.

-Ah, hello Squire. -Ah, good morning Ned.

-How's Diana? -Oh she's alright.

In a bit of a tizz, she always is when there's any packing to be done.

Yes, I was going to give you a ring.

What time do you want me to pick you up?

Well I told you 5 o'clock.

Now no later Ned please, it's a 7:15 take off.

Don’t worry Squire, I'll be there.

Seventeen hundred hours, on the dot.

Mrs. Frobisher has turned down the Longton property.

No! Good heavens I thought we were home and dry with that one.

Yes, so did I.

Well I've got some good news, sir.

This will really shake you.

I've just had a call from our man Roach,

he’s made an offer for Lyncote Manor.

Lyncote Manor? What's he offered for God’s sake.

Fifty thousand pounds.

Fifty- well is it a firm offer?

Yes, I think so.

I heard a rumour last week that he was interested.

Some talk of him turning it into a hotel.

He's doing very well with that place at Bridgeley.

Well, he'll want a survey of course.

Yes, he's asked Len Watling to do it.

Watling! That's a stroke of luck.

Yes, I thought you'd say that.

We're meeting this morning, the three of us.

-Where, at the property? -At 12 o'clock.

Well you'd better get hold of Watling first, have a word with him.

I've already spoken to him. His car's broken down, I'm giving him a lift.

Oh. Let me see... quarter to eleven.

I suppose you wouldn't like me to come with you?

I wish you would, sir. I was going to suggest it.

It would be a great help.

You know what Bob Roach is like, he loves being made a fuss of.

You could be buttering him up while I pick up Watling.

Alright Mark, I'll be ready in 20 minutes.

I don't know why there always seem to me to be a 101 things to do

before one can get away.

I'll be back as soon as I've picked up Watling.

Right, I'll see you up at the house.

It's alright Diana, it's all over.

Now don't worry. You brought my car around?

Yes, it's outside.

Good. Now listen, when we've got him in the car, go straight back home.

Phone me at the office later, make it about 4 o'clock

it will easily be that by the time I've been to Oakfield

and got rid of the car.

You're quite sure he's dead?

You say your husband has no relatives, Mrs. Stewart, not living locally anyway?

Look inspector, my husband hasn't suddenly taken it into his head

to visit friends or relatives or anything like that.

We were going away together,

we were due to leave for the south of France this evening.

Mr. Tallboy was picking us up to take us to the airport, I -

Yes, yes. I understand Mrs. Stewart,

I understand the situation perfectly

but I must warn you the police have no responsibility towards missing adults.

Your husband may have been taken ill

or be suffering from loss of memory,

he might have even confused the arrangements

and gone straight to the airport.

Well then why hasn't he telephoned?

The plane's due to take off in 15 minutes.

Yes of course.

How do you account for Mr. Paxton's story?

I can't account for it madam,

perhaps you tell me again sir about Lyncote Manor?

About what happened this morning?

Mr. Stewart told me that Bob Roach had made an offer for Lyncote Manor

and they'd arranged to meet there at 12 o'clock.

He asked me if I'd drive him out to the property

then go into Oakfield to pick up Len Watling the surveyor.

Go on sir.

Well, I drove out to Lyncote Manor, dropped Mr. Stewart off

and then went on to Oakfield.

Len Watling was out,

he was in London and his secretary knew nothing about the appointment.

Naturally I was puzzled and I drove straight back to the manor.

When I got to the house there was no sign of Mr. Stewart

and I assumed he'd either returned to the office

or gone off somewhere with Bob Roach.

I waited for about 20 minutes

and then I came back here to Alunbury.

What time was that, sir?

It would be about 3:30 when I got back to the office.

The first thing I did was to phone Bob Roach.

He said he'd never contacted Mr. Stewart

and he certainly wasn't interested in buying Lyncote Manor.

Well, after that I just didn't know what to do.

I dictated a half-a-dozen letters, made a few phone calls,

then I was just about to ring Mrs. Stewart

when she telephoned herself.

I was getting worried, it was quarter past four,

we were due to leave at five.

I told Mrs. Stewart what had happened

and she asked me if Mr. Stewart's car was still in the car park,

I went to have a look and sure enough it was there alright,

just where he'd left it.

I see. Have you any...

I think that's for me, may I?

-Hello? -Inspector, this is Williams.

Yes Williams. Any news?

No, I'm afraid not sir.

What about the hospitals?

Well, we've been in touch with Oakfield,

Westerton and the two down here sir.

There's nothing to report.

Alright Williams, I'm just leaving.

I'll be with you in about 15 minutes.

What was that about the hospitals?

Oh that's alright Mrs. Stewart, it's just routine,

we always check with the hospitals...

quarter past eight.

I'm going back to the station,

if your husband should turn up or you hear anything,

please get in touch with us immediately.

If not, I'll phone you myself about half past ten.

Very well inspector.

And try not to worry, there's probably a perfectly simple explanation for all this.

Are you alone in the house Diana?