Shoestring (1979) s01e04 Episode Script

He ever give you this number? No, but the last time we spoke he was here, I know it.
I could hear the jukebox.
Most places like this have a juke.
Look, he said he was staying on in the West Country, living here.
He was supposed to be back in Manchester for the weekend.
- Your boyfriend, is he? - It was important.
Look, I'm sorry I can't help you.
I really am.
There's no Nick Forest here, never has been.
I'm the manager, I'd know.
I just can't understand it.
There couldn't be another site with a similar name? Well, not that I know of.
He mentioned the bungalow he was staying in.
An old place with peeling white paint and a jokey name.
Casablanca! Yeah, it's a right joke round here.
- The rent was £22.
50 a week.
- Ooh, sounds cheap.
Do you let them all? Yeah, everything.
Shacks, caravans.
Height of the season, even bathing huts overnight to the teenage trade.
Nothing called Casablanca.
Sounds as if your photographer was somewhere else.
Tough.
Wasted journey then, miss? You're sure there isn't another place that sounds like Chiltondean.
Oh, positive.
I know every inch of this coast.
Wait, stop a minute, will you? Shouldn't you go to the police about your friend, miss? No, I can't do that.
- There are reasons.
- Oh, I see.
Well, there is a chap you could try.
He works for this lot, Radio West.
Eddie Shoestring.
They told me at reception I had to phone in, but then I overheard somebody say you were here so Are you sure you've got the right man? - It is Eddie Shoestring, isn't it? - It is.
I'm Marion Cutler.
Hello.
I need your help.
Well, what's your problem? I'm not one of your regular listeners.
I'm not local.
He had no reason to lie to me.
- But he's disappeared.
- Disappeared? Well, no, that's not exactly right.
It's It's more like he never even existed.
Well, can I get you anything? I have a photograph of Nick.
I thought you said he was a photographer? Oh, that was taken some years ago when he was in the RAF.
- Pilot was he? - Navigator.
But he can fly light planes, and he was here in the West Country combining both things, aerial photography.
- Survey work? - No, nothing so grand.
He was trying to start up his own business.
Hiring a plane, taking pictures of peoples' houses and estates, you know.
So far you've told me what he was doing, but not what kind of a person he is.
Or why you've come looking for him.
The reason is Nick should have been reporting to the police.
- He hasn't been out of prison long.
- So he's still on parole.
And you don't want to report him officially missing.
So you're asking for my help.
If he doesn't show up within a few days, he's in trouble.
Since he left the Air Force, he's done all sorts of jobs.
Um, salesman for a stationery firm, reed-cutting in Norfolk, labourer on a North Sea oil rig.
It was the last one that put him in prison, a fiddle over supplies, he got three years.
In jail, he took up photography.
And he was so enthusiastic about the way things were going with the aerial pictures.
That's why I'm so worried about him.
Afraid, if you want to know.
Why? Because you think he might get himself into trouble again? Well, Nick's problem is that, after the RAF, everything seems a bit dull.
But, Mr Shoestring, I'm positive he wouldn't play a dirty trick on me.
Something must have happened to him.
But who are you? I don't know who you are.
All I know is you've come down from Manchester and you're really hooked on this bloke.
You don't understand.
I'm a social worker doing after-prison care.
He's just one of my professional concerns, which is why I can't afford any more time to stay and look for him.
And, yes, I am hooked on him! I love him! It used to belong to a private bar until the beach club bought it last year.
It hasn't been let out since and you can see why.
Yeah.
It's not exactly Shangri-La by the sea, is it? Well, I'm gonna make a start on doing it up so we can let it later in the season.
What was the name on the missing sign outside? Ah, no idea.
I haven't been here long myself.
It had no name when I first came here.
You don't think Nick Forest could have broken in and stayed here for nothing? Nah, I check the empty houses every other day.
She seemed a nice chick, that girl who was looking for him.
I feel sorry for her.
- Know what I think? - No? I think he's shacked up with somebody who's address he can't give.
And that's why he made it all up about being here.
Maybe.
Give me a hand, Steve, there's more outside.
- You're gonna be busy.
- Right.
Too bad we can't be of any help, Shoestring.
Anytime you need a hut.
You know, the odd weekend.
Well, thanks very much, but I've got an old boat for that.
Shoestring? I've heard that name.
He plays at being a private eye for Radio West.
Only just qualified, you know, that chap? Lovely touch.
Pots of money.
Wants to fly to race meetings in France for Sunday lunch.
Look, about Nick Forest I often listen to your programme, you know, Shoestring.
- I must say I rather enjoy it.
- Oh, thank you.
How do I know you're Eddie Shoestring? Answer me that.
Ah Uh What have I got here? Umm, what about this? This is my Radio West expense sheet.
You get expenses with a name like yours? Ah, a pair of shoes! - Wear them out, do you? - Wading in the river.
Catching a poacher.
Can't be too careful, you know.
Haven't seen Nick Forest for a fortnight.
Thought he might have gone home, up north.
He was supposed to be staying in a beach house at Chiltondean.
Oh, was he? He never did say what his local abode was.
- But he hired a plane from you? - Yes, several times.
He paid in cash whenever he took something up, usually an hour at a time.
Of course, he had a valid pilot's licence.
His last address is in Manchester.
Mine's a large Scotch, since you're on expenses.
What's yours? Nothing for me, thanks.
You're not like Nick.
He liked a jar.
Cheers.
What did you talk about? Flying shop, mostly.
Life in the RAF.
The difference between his generation and mine.
The Battle of Britain? Do I look that decrepit? No, I should have known.
No moustache.
Suez was my show.
No, I meant all that technology, university stuff.
But they're just the same today, basically, I suppose.
Did he ever say anything about his work down here? Not a lot.
I got the impression, likeable chap though he was, that he could be a bit of a rascal.
One of those people who's always out to make a deal.
He wanted me to go into partnership with his air pictures.
- So he was doing well.
- He claimed to be.
Last time I saw him, he said he was onto a mint of money.
But I should have thought there weren't that many houses to photograph before the well ran dry.
Do you think he was intending to stay around here for a while? Mmm-hmm.
Certainly.
He's not in any trouble, I hope.
Oh, no.
No.
- Girl trouble.
- Ah! The ladies, God bless'em.
What the hell's been happening here? I'm sorry but They're crazy.
Now this will sting like hell.
Almost as bad as being burned again.
But then it freezes and it helps.
- I'm telling you, he's a doctor.
- That's very nice to know.
Just as well for you, I was having a night off on the beach.
What were you damn well up to, Shoestring, skulking back to the site? Just making sure, like all good private detectives.
Well you made a bloody good mess of it, didn't you? Leave it, Steve.
Can't you see he's had enough shock? Well, so have I.
One of my beach houses gone up in smoke.
I think somebody wanted me gone with it.
I could lose my job.
When the company hears about this and those insurance men come sniffing around Just blame it on vandals.
Whoever they are.
Come on.
You can sit up now.
Here, I put some brandy in.
Thank you, Jojo, that's very kind.
You're pouring out our brandy? He just burnt down one of my properties.
Let's have your arm, Eddie.
That fire didn't just break out from the ray of sunshine.
Look, don't get smart I said, take it easy.
Why won't you believe me, Shoestring? You could have remained beautiful and unscarred.
That bloke Forest never stayed here! No, of course he didn't.
There you are.
You're lucky.
All minor burns.
You can put your clothes back on now.
Lucky? They're dry.
Did you find anything interesting? Here you are.
You'll be sore for a few days.
Get someone to dress you.
That'll make a change for her.
Didn't you see who it was? During the course of my enquiries, I just happened to be breaking and entering, when somebody beat me up.
Then the hut caught fire.
So if I don't get done for housebreaking, I most probably will for arson.
You mean, this Steve called the police? No, that's the interesting thing.
He didn't even call the fire brigade.
Oh.
So poor Guy Fawkes didn't get any evidence.
Oh, no.
I did manage to grab something before the flames engulfed me.
But I've gotta see Marion Cutler.
Mmm.
Well, you don't have to go to Manchester.
She phoned Radio West last night and got your address.
She's here.
She arrived at 2:OO a.
m.
And crashed down in my spare room.
What with one thing and another, it's been a very sleepless night.
Mushrooms and bacon all right for breakfast? When I got home, the envelop was waiting for me, posted second class.
There's no note or anything inside, but that's Nick's handwriting.
- Why would he send you these negs? - I've no idea.
For safe keeping maybe? Why keep pictures of big houses safe? Well, I thought I'd better bring them to you as soon as possible, in case they'd be of some help.
Well, there doesn't seem anything remarkable about them.
Not unless you like looking at other people's tennis courts and swimming pools from the air.
Up the workers.
These are even less remarkable.
Bits of coastline with nothing to see, except sea.
So you don't think they're important then? Well, I'll get Phil to make prints and we can have a closer look.
Now, has anyone got anything sharp? Excuse me.
Magnifying glass? Magnifying glass! I thought they were standard equipment for private eyes.
The lens of your glasses will do, Granny.
This wouldn't be you by any chance, would it? Yes, it is! I've still got those shoes.
Nick took this picture.
Where did you find it? You were his pinup in the beach hut, where he didn't stay.
Mr Sheldon? My name's Eddie Shoestring.
I'm doing some enquiries about the gentleman who took this photograph.
I certainly do remember Nick Forest.
I have one of his aerials.
It tickled us pink, that did.
You know why? That's Hetty, my missus, out there tanning up without a top on.
- Just shows you can't be too careful! - No, you can't.
It wasn't cheap, that photo.
Still, I didn't mind.
Man after my own heart.
Get the punter where you want him.
If he wants to buy what you're selling, he pays.
I've tried the other houses he photographed but no one else was in.
You're the first person I've talked to who met him.
It was great to meet you, Eddie.
Put a face to the voice.
What's the problem with Forest? Or is that for the Private Ear only as they say on the radio? - Be my guest.
- Oh, thank you.
When did you get that print? Well, I saw him twice.
He arrived at the door with the proof first, and then came back with the finished article a couple of weeks ago.
Like I said, a good salesman, good company.
Uh, pull the handle back slowly.
- Oh, you know how to cheat, do you? - It's my privilege.
- I'm very sorry.
- No! You take it.
You won it.
No.
No, thanks, I just came here to find out about Nick Forest.
- Done a bunk or something, has he? - No one even knows where he was staying.
- He never mentioned it to me.
- Well, didn't he give you a receipt? I'm strictly a cash man.
Always have been.
Well, business is good, isn't it? All my business is knock down.
Discount? Benny Sheldon.
Benny Sheldon Sheldon! I've seen that name on the lorries.
Lorries, plant hire, cranes.
I started small, scrap metal.
Then house-clearing and demolition.
You'll have seen my gear going by between sites.
You haven't done badly yourself, Shoestring.
What are you on? Ten grand plus exes? You like to amuse yourself, don't you? Memories of a misspent youth.
Look, I'm sorry I can't help you over this bloke Forest.
It's Busy day.
Hold on.
- Dr Beaton.
- Well, Mr Shoestring.
How are you? I'm a bit tender but I'm okay, thank you.
- He's a patient of yours? - Oh, a slight accident the other night.
Taking things easier now, I hope.
Just playing the fruit machines to see what comes up.
He hit the jackpot but he wouldn't take the money.
Well, I'd better go see how your wife is, Benny.
She didn't want to call you, Tony.
It's bronchitis again, I think.
- I packed her off to bed.
- Right.
He's a first-rate doctor, Tony.
You wouldn't think so by the way he dresses.
Well, none of us are necessarily what we seem.
Look, if your wife is ill, I won't trouble you any further.
Thank you for your time.
I wish I could have helped you more.
That's a funny way to treat bronchitis.
That blob on the Sheldon's drive is a beach buggy.
Look for yourself on the blow-up.
Not much definition left but the registration number's just discernable.
- That's Steve's, all right.
- A friend of Sheldon's then? Well, everybody's a friend of Benny Sheldon.
There's another interesting car parked there.
Yeah, Sheldon's Roll's.
No.
A BMW.
It only showed up when I was enlarging.
It's tail.
Just beyond the angle of the garage.
That's probably the ailing Hetty Sheldon's.
With a Dutch number plate? Got a blow-up of that for you, too.
Ah, Phil.
I tell you what, you can have my job when I have my next breakdown.
Well, it makes a change from the usual head and shoulders.
By the way, I've been thinking about those odd shots Forest took of the coastline.
Thinking as a photographer, I mean.
Yeah? Maybe I should do you some blow-ups, just in case.
In case of what? Well, they They might not be so haphazard as you thought.
You know, testing the shutter.
The general set-ups and angles seem intentional.
And they're slap bang in the middle of a roll.
Fantabulous, isn't it? Hope you're all dancing out there like I am here He's such a liar.
He's got fallen arches and he does crochet work during record spins.
For a minute I thought you were on the radio.
No, not me.
Can I have a choc ice, please? - Is Steve around? - No.
He's gone into town for Calor gas.
- You want to see him? - No, you'll do, for the moment.
- How much? - On the house.
You sure Steve would approve of all this hospitality? Mmm.
Tell me, Jojo, what flavour did Forest like? I think you'd better come back when Steve's here.
Forest stayed in that house.
I know it, you know it, Steve knows it.
- So what's happened to him? - You're wrong.
Steve out on the beach buggy, is he? The one he used to visit Sheldon's house with? I don't know what you're talking about.
What about Benny's scuba parties? And the aerial photos Forest took of his house.
Excuse me, I have to serve.
You'll be serving a lot more than ice cream before I'm through.
Next time I come back it will be with the police.
There's just too much vanilla.
Short! My friend is in the bunker.
Oh, good shot.
Go on, you little beauty.
It's been a long time since we had an eyeball to eyeball.
We ought to do this more often, Benny.
You're one guy I know I can beat.
You wanna juice the bet? The bet's double! You have to get away from the grind sometimes.
I make a point of it.
I met one of your team yesterday.
- Oh? Who was that? - Eddie Shoestring.
Eddie? Don't tell me he's investigating you? Better not be, Don.
I've got more fiddles than a symphony orchestra.
Eddie wanted to talk to me about some guy who's gone missing, uh A guy who took a picture of my house.
Oh, it's that number, is it? He always keeps you informed then of what he's doing? Not often enough for our legal advisors! Well, how's he getting on then looking for this photographer? I don't know really.
He had a bit of a glint in his eye when I left the station to come to this important business conference.
Go on! Get in the hole! You're putting me under pressure.
On to something, is he, Shoestring? I don't know.
All I really know is he's keeping our resident photographer busy in his dark room.
Apparently there are some possible leads in some negatives Eddie's got hold of.
- Is that good? - Yeah, take it away.
Ah, there's a little bit more in that one.
It won't take a minute, Benny.
I'm sorry, but I'm afraid he's still engaged.
Can you hold? Yes On his desk.
Thanks.
Hello.
I've got an order for publicity.
Radio West, one moment please.
Sorry, what did you say? Order for Phil.
Publicity.
If you go through that door, past the studio on your left, it's the next one up.
Thank you.
I'm sorry but he's not here at the moment.
Sorry, two minutes! Hey, can't you see the warning light? It's inconceivable that Benny Sheldon would do a thing like that.
- Who's idea was the game? - It was his.
Oh, come on.
We play each other once in a blue moon.
I took him last time.
I owed him a chance to get even.
- And did he? - No, I beat him two and one.
Well, perhaps he let you win.
Benny does not play a customer's game.
He couldn't beat me anyway.
I'm good at it, you know.
Phil.
I'm really concerned about what happened to you.
In the dark room light, I couldn't see a thing.
When I came around, I was in a pool of blood and the place had been turned over.
You can't be suspicious when a fellow club member phones you for a round.
- Golfers belong to a sort of network.
- So does Sheldon! There's Steve and Jojo at the beach club, the doctor, a couple of heavies with Forest somewhere in the middle.
And, on top of all that, I've got his girlfriend social worker asking me to keep it secret from the police! You've got no proof, Eddie, that's the trouble.
You lead an exciting life, Eddie.
Cheers.
Well, this one's a real gem.
I've got burnt, you got your head bashed in.
And now that the prints and negs have gone, we've got no evidence.
I suppose you think that's my fault.
Well, come to think of it, Don, Benny Sheldon did win, didn't he? Not all of it is gone.
You know I said I'd do blow-ups of those coastal shots.
Well, for what it's worth, the original negs were stolen.
But I made dupes and I've still got 'em.
So we're looking at the coast.
From a fixed point, roughly.
And roughly what does it mean? Ram's Head Pier, Whittaker's Bay, the inlet, and can you make out the radio mast there? Well, your eyes are better than mine.
That's fine hair, the Wilburton transmitter.
Oh, yes.
So, we're looking shore-wards from approximately a mile out, at approximately four miles of coastline.
You know, Eddie, you amaze me.
I thought you were just a pretend sailor with that boat of yours.
Now don't shoot the navigator.
Forest took the pictures from the air.
He was a navigator.
Yes, but why would he take pictures of a piece of boring English coastline, the sort that people go abroad every year to avoid.
Right, so if there's nothing of interest there, it follows that what is of interest is out at sea.
There is nothing there, really nothing.
I mean just a load of choppy, grey waves.
Ram's Head pier, Whittaker's bay, Wilburton transmitter.
So that's what's known As the Circle of Uncertainty.
Right.
Nick Forest couldn't have sent those negs to Marion Cutler because of those houses.
It must be that patch of sea that's important.
Think of a word.
- Sea.
- Diving.
- Down.
- Deep.
- Wreck.
- Treasure.
Treasure.
The Bristol Channel's full of wrecks.
Spanish wine trade, slavers, even war-time salvage.
Mmm.
And they're all chartered by Trinity House, aren't they? Unless there's a wreck down there that isn't on anybody's charts.
What about that Dutch car I asked you to check for me? I'm still waiting.
How are your burns tonight? Touchable.
Good morning.
- Today then? - With a bit of luck.
- Workboat ready? Final survey before lunch.
We should have recovered the stuff for you by nightfall.
So long as the sea stays calm and there are no further snags.
Snags? The doctor means that diving that deep can be a risky business.
Nobody can stay down too long.
You promised me you had a professional scuba team.
None better in the West Country.
For the money you'll be earning, we expect you to take risks.
- Radio West.
Good morning, Sonia.
Mr Shoestring? - Is Mr Satchley in? - No, he's not.
No, he wouldn't be, would he.
Can you tell him from me that he owes me a favour? Right.
Mention the golfing network.
What? He'll understand and forgive.
- Forgive what? - The hire of a light plane.
And, Sonia, try to stress the word "light," will you? Bye - bye.
Oh, Eddie.
My own bed downstairs would have been a far better idea.
Never lose the frisson in your life.
Don't forget what it was like in a bedsit.
I'll lose my job.
- Two miles? - Roughly.
What's that? An old fort.
From the Napoleonic days.
You'll see the Ram's Head.
Wilburton's radio mast in a few minutes, when I make the turn.
Let's find your Circle of Uncertainty.
Ram's Head, Whittaker's Bay, Wilburton, all where they should be.
And coming up, just about now That boat's right in my circle! Look, can we get in closer? Okay, I'll raise the hire fee.
You think Radio West can stand it? I should think so.
Wasn't too bumpy, was it? When we flew over that boat, I saw your face.
You know something.
Cheers.
- Maybe.
- Why they were diving, maybe.
Look, Shoestring, I have a business to run, just like anyone else.
And I'm just trying to find out what happened to Nick Forest, that's all.
- No other implication? - Not as far as I'm concerned.
If it'll help you find him, I think some people are looking for the wreck of a plane.
- You mean you know it's a plane.
- All right.
Four months ago, a man was washed ashore.
A French civilian pilot, very unofficial flight.
The plane was assumed to have crashed into the sea.
- The plane was going to land here.
- Yes.
- Unofficially.
- Yes.
So what was so special about it? You don't ask those sort of questions.
If the money's right? And if you value your neck.
I don't like it.
The pilot was probably just curious.
There were two men in that airplane.
Now why were they showing so much interest? He'd be a damn sight more worried if he knew about Forest and Eddie Shoestring.
Any trouble, and my people would prefer to leave that package on the sea bed.
I know who owns the plane.
I can easily find out why it flew over.
I was giving a flying lesson this morning.
Pupil's name logged, is it? Well, uh, no - You've been snooping, haven't you? - Not at all! - On that boat.
- We were doing visual altitudes.
At sea, you need some object.
It's amazing how flimsy these things are, isn't it, eh? You could push a fist right through that.
I'll call the police.
Oh, I bet you will.
I suppose you'll tell them all about the planes that come here on the quiet? Listen, palsy, you've got about five seconds, before we smash you up and your plane, squadron leader.
You think Marion's boyfriend is dead.
It's possible.
It's odds-on that he found out where the plane went down and wanted himself in on the action.
So he sent the negatives to Marion as a kind of insurance? Yeah.
Then maybe something went wrong and they got rid of him.
Anyway, whatever's in that plane is valuable.
Yes, it is.
The owner of the BMW is Jan Poestma.
Well, who's he? He's a very dangerous South African gentleman.
He hops, steps and jumps between Marseilles, Amsterdam and London.
So far, he's managed to stay one jump ahead of the police.
What does he deal in? Diamonds? Drugs.
He's suspected of being the key figure in a big heroin ring.
You had a call from a girl called Jojo.
They put it on tape because she said it was really important.
Thank you.
I couldn't tell you before, Eddie.
I was scared of what Steve would do.
But now I think it's time you knew what happened to Nick Forest.
I can't tell you on the phone.
There's a place we could meet, a church called St Aidan's.
It's always open.
Jojo? Just keep going.
Wherever you're going.
Yeah, what is it? It's Shoestring.
He's just put out on your boat with Jojo.
He what? I think he's heading to the Fort.
He must have found out about Forest.
Who's Forest? Nick joined the team after he discovered what we were diving for.
Last week he stayed down too long.
He got the bends.
He's ill.
He should be in the hospital.
If he'd gone to the hospital with the bends, the authorities would want to know how he got them.
And where.
So Dr Beaton's looking after him here.
- Keeping him under sedation.
- Some doctor.
I think we got some company.
- Where's Forest? - Down there.
Come on, Shoestring, out you come.
Well, you nearly did it, Shoestring.
- What? - You nearly ruined everything.
I could have done without that business at the church.
We didn't want you to blow our cover.
I almost managed it though, didn't I? Fortunately, we just recovered this.
Our evidence.
Half a million quid's worth of heroin.
Coppers just don't look like coppers any more, do they? Well, Eddie, you'll get all the glory.
Now that we got Poestma in the bag, we should get the next man in the chain and the next and so on and so on.
Well, I hope Forest pulls through.
I know someone else who does.
I've just come from the hospital.
Nick's going to be fine.
I'm glad to hear that.
You don't think there will be any charge from the police, do you? I shouldn't think so.
He didn't do anything except get the bends, did he? I want to get him back to Manchester as soon as possible.
I really hope I can make him settle down.
Well, that's good.
He needs someone like you to Mr Shoestring, you're on! Oh, my God! Marion, good luck! Well, Eddie's sitting right beside me now looking fit and tanned and uh He's here to tell you about another story concerning one of your problems.
So it's over to you, Eddie Shoestring.
Hello.
Funny life being a private detective.
You never know what you're gonna find or who you're gonna run into.
The one thing you can rely on is you're always going to run into trouble.
Now the trouble I met with on my last case was of a very unpleasant kind.
- Bye! - Bye-bye.
It all started when a young lady interrupted my cup of tea in the canteen.