Shoestring (1979) s01e05 Episode Script

1 All right, come on, you lot, let's get this cleared up.
Quick.
Come on, move up, in the corner.
Sykes? Down to the end you go.
Shepherd! The chores are over here, son, not over there.
Get to it.
Now! What's going, pal, eh? - That all right? - Move! Do you like fish, Mr Peachey? - What kind? - Oh, about a foot long.
Brown with speckles.
Freshwater fish.
Surplus to requirements.
Matter of fact, I am partial to a little bit of fish, yeah.
Right, Harry.
This is it.
Hello? - Radio West? I want to get a message to Eddie Shoestring.
I want you to tell Eddie Shoestring that I've done time before but this is different.
I'm here for something I didn't do.
My wife knows I didn't do it, the police know I didn't do it, I know I didn't do it, I'm innocent.
And I need your help.
Not just me, either, there's Hello? Caller? Hello? - He didn't get any further.
- Yeah, probably caught him at it.
His wife's phoned me several times as well.
Well, you know what she's like.
Petitions, vandalising the Town Hall, going through a highly publicised nervous breakdown.
Well, you've seen the clippings, what can I do for her? He's done time.
Got a bit of form.
I think it's odds-on he was guilty.
Well, except that when a man behind bars goes to the trouble of contacting me, I'm naturally intrigued.
Are you going to visit him? There's always just the chance that he's innocent.
It's not my style, never could be.
Yeah, of course I've used shooters, as frighteners, always unloaded.
The law knows that.
They found some of the jewellery in your house.
How's that for style? They found a piece like it from another job.
I shouldn't have kept it! All right.
I got you here under false pretences.
You what? Yeah, well, sort of.
It's Mel I want to talk about.
I'm, uh I'm scared.
- Scared? - Yeah.
Of what she might do.
Well, I just feel that she's going to do something crazy.
Like what? Do herself in.
Oh, I know what you're thinking.
Yeah, you think it's a put-up job between Mel and me.
- Well, it's not.
- I just don't see what I can do.
I mean, even if she is the way you say she is.
She just feels that she needs somebody to believe that I'm innocent.
And if I don't? You're just like the rest of them.
Villains don't love their wives, don't love their kids, don't love their family, do they? They don't care.
They're just villains.
I mean, Harry never went into that jewellers with a shotgun.
And as for blasting away at the kid, no way! I mean, you get to know something about a man you've been married to for 10 years.
Even if he spent half the time in the nick? All right.
But it wasn't Harry who killed her.
I mean, not Harry.
He wouldn't do that.
He couldn't.
Well, the police think he did.
Well, they proved it in court.
Police! What do you know about the police? He was just the next on the list.
I didn't know they kept a list for pinning murder.
- Mel, you got that hotel order loaded? - Nearly.
You ought to be on your way by now.
All I want you to do is put Harry's case on Radio West.
It's the only way I can get anybody to listen.
- You can do that, can't you? - No.
It's not up to me.
All you've got to do is tell your listeners the truth.
But I don't know the truth! Oh, God! Why is it so difficult? Mrs Shepherd, Harry seems to feel that Feel? Why don't you ask me how I feel, talking to no-hopers like you? Mel, here's the delivery list.
You go on to the registrars, then to Wooditz, then you follow the van wherever he takes you until they're all finished.
Do you understand? - Bye.
- Goodbye.
Yes.
That's right, Mr Drake.
And then he's doing a broadcast at the North Devon bait show tomorrow.
Yes, I will.
Goodbye.
Hello.
I've brought the flowers.
They're lovely.
They're for? They're for one of the Director's offices.
Mr Satchley.
I didn't know he'd ordered any.
I'll show you the way.
Yes? Your flowers, Mr Satchley.
Right.
Lovely.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Reception.
This is Mel Shepherd.
- Who? - The flower lady.
Oh, yes.
What can I do for you? I'm going out onto the roof.
- I'm sorry? - I said I'm going out onto the roof.
- What? - The roof, love, the roof! Mrs Shepherd? Hello? Noon.
Yes, high noon on a foul summer's day and grey clouds in the sky.
Let's hear a little foot-tapping country western sound now from the tonsils of that lovely, lusty lady, Philomena Quinn.
How'd you like a piece of her pecan pie in the old chuckwagon? Heaven's just a sin away Oh, whoa, just a sin away I think I'm giving in How I'd love to hold you tight Oh, whoa, be with you tonight Are you the flower lady? That's a stupid bloody question.
- Can I help you? - No, don't come any nearer.
Stay where you are or I'm going off this roof.
Yippee-aye-ay, yessiree, Bob.
Some piece of pecan pie! I'll be back for seconds, Philomena.
Mrs Shepherd, please come away from the edge.
I'm staying here.
- But why? - And you can send him away! Hello.
Police.
Urgent, please.
All right.
Now, will you be sensible? Let's try to sort this thing out.
I saw Eddie Shoestring this morning.
I thought he might help.
Yes, I know.
Look, it's quite simple.
All I want to do is go on your radio and tell everyone how my husband's been wrongly convicted.
Right.
All right.
I can fix that for you.
Why don't we go down to my office? No! I want a microphone here.
Up here? Well, that's not so easy.
You see, it would present some technical problems.
You'd better get it or I'm going off! Hello, we're looking for Eddie Shoestring.
We haven't seen him.
- No? - No.
Well, if he does show up, can you get him to call here immediately, please? It's desperately urgent.
I find that hard physical work is the best form of relaxation.
I'm enjoying your day off.
Is this boat ever going to sail or is it just your psychiatric couch? You were pleased when I invited you.
Wonder if Eddie Shoestring would recognise this tune? Hey, that's you! Because we all think it would be a tremendous idea if Eddie knew just how much we'd like to see him back here at Radio West.
No kidding.
So, Eddie, baby, if you're listening here's a record just for you, one of your favourites, the voice of Paul Robeson and Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen.
How much longer have we got to wait? Just hang on, we're getting the right equipment.
You bastard! Here it is.
It's all right.
Here we are, Mrs Shepherd.
Far enough, Stu.
Put it on the deck.
Is that it? Just pick it up and speak into it.
You'll be okay.
How will I know if I'm on? Get her a radio, Stu, fast as you can.
At 12.
33.
And now, stand by for a special item.
We have someone here to talk to you, a special guest in our building, Mrs Mel Shepherd.
I'll give you a cue.
Are you there, Mrs Shepherd? Thank you.
My name is Melanie Shepherd.
I'm speaking to you from the rooftop of Radio West.
A year ago, you might remember a girl assistant was shot dead in a raid on a jewellers shop.
Everybody was shocked.
It was such an unnecessary killing.
So a killer had to be found.
The only trouble is they got the wrong man, my husband Harry.
Now, somewhere is the man who really did it.
Somebody knows who he is and somebody knows where he is.
Well, this is your chance.
If you know anything, whether you're straight or not, now's the time to come forward.
And if the guilty man isn't found, I'm going to throw myself off this roof.
Should have got authority before doing this, you know.
Please! What else could I do? Anything.
Pull the plugs, close down the transmitter.
She's got a radio out there to check that she's on the air.
Should have called us first.
If anyone tries to trick me or tries to get me down by force, I'll jump straightaway.
That's it.
Yes, well, that was our special item.
Thank you, Mrs Harry Shepherd.
And now why don't we have some music while we try to deal with this very sad situation here at Radio West? Well, Mrs Shepherd - Hello, Mel.
- Oh, no.
Stay where you are.
Oh, come on.
This isn't going to get anybody anywhere.
Have you come to soft-soap me as well? Well, don't! You're one of the reasons I'm up here.
Look, you can't seriously expect anybody to go out there and find him just like that.
It's not possible.
Is anybody going to try? Mel, listen, it's a big city.
He's got to be looked for carefully and can't Please, will you just come away from there? I said, "Is anybody going to try?" Excuse me.
What are you going to do, Eddie? Go and look for him.
What else can I do? The case is closed, off the books.
There's a woman up there threatening to throw herself off.
You must be kidding! Look, Eddie, we had another rape last night.
This morning we had two robberies and a shooting.
Now we've got a nutter on the roof and a Mickey Mouse detective to cope with.
Listen, I've given my word.
And the least you can bloody well do is help me.
Do you think she really means it? Not if I can find the bloke that shot down Miss Blake.
You'll never do it, Eddie.
Do you want to bet? I wondered why you were closed.
Uh, yes, well, you see, uh - It's Yom Kippur.
- I'm sorry? You're supposed to be sorry.
That's what it's all about.
Right.
I don't know quite know how to explain this, but there's a woman on the roof of Radio West - and I'm trying to We know.
Yeah.
She had the radio on.
We remember Janice, poor dead girl.
Of course.
- What can we do for you, Mr - Shoestring.
Sometimes after a period of time, people remember things, just little bits of evidence.
Well, nothing we didn't tell the police.
He had a hood on.
Off-the-peg clothes.
Look, I was blind with fright and as I did nothing, nothing to save Janice, the gun went off.
There is something keeps coming to me.
- So you were in the shop as well? - Yeah, sometimes I help.
No, it's the detective in charge of the case.
- It was almost as if he knew.
- Knew what? Knew who the man was.
Do you remember, Sydney? The way he kept trying to Well, yes, force a description on us.
Yeah.
The man's build, his voice, the way he walked.
Yeah, like I said, it's as if he knew.
We couldn't help him, we couldn't be that definite.
Well, who was he, the detective, do you remember his name? Yes, it was in all the papers.
The man they suspended over corruption, wasn't it? Hmm.
Coleman.
Colston.
Colston, that was it, Colston.
Mrs Shepherd? Yes? - Aren't you cold? - No.
It's pretty blowy up here.
Wouldn't you like a coat? I know what you're trying to do.
Don't.
- You'll catch a cold.
- Don't be so bloody silly.
Go away! You know who I am.
I'm not a policewoman.
Put it on.
There are some more cigarettes and a lighter in one of the pockets.
Would you like me to get you some coffee? Just to repeat that everything is about the same here.
Mrs Mel Shepherd has given this city a few hours to produce someone who she believes is the real killer of 18-year-old jewellers shop assistant Janice Blake, murdered six months ago.
Meanwhile, police have asked us to beg people not to come sightseeing around the Radio West building.
Three, two, nine I thought someone would be round.
I didn't think it would be you, though.
Hello, Colston.
I thought it would be one of my mates.
I want to talk to you about the Harry Shepherd case.
You know, the ones who ran as if I had cholera the minute there was a whisper against me.
Yeah, I know how you must feel but You know nothing, Shoestring.
You're just a radio detective.
It's kids' stuff, like the rest of the rubbish they put out.
My wife used to listen to that bloody thing all day before she cleared off.
Ah, you don't know what it's all about, son.
Superintendent, do you know Mel Shepherd? What's she been up to? She's on the roof of Radio West threatening to throw herself off unless I can sort out this case.
You ain't got a chance.
Look, you had a strong suspect before you picked up Shepherd.
- How do you know that? - Who was it? Look, I couldn't prove his name then and I couldn't prove it now.
You trying to land me in more trouble? There's only you and me here.
I mean, how can I ever prove I've spoken to you? - Johnny McGivern.
Heard of him? - No.
It was his mark.
The approach and the gun.
All of a sudden, he's lost his bottle.
Been getting nervous.
Only matter of time before that gun went off.
Where can I find him? - Try his social secretary.
- Hey? His wife.
Go on.
No, thanks.
You must have something.
Please.
Do you think I'm stupid? There's nothing in it, honestly.
That would be even more stupid with you on the edge.
Look.
Put it down.
And move back.
I believe in what you're doing.
Do you? Trying to be funny or something? No.
I'm looking for Johnny McGivern.
And I'm in a hurry.
- Get your neck broken.
- Where is he? Listen, bonehead, I've got a pony on this game.
10, 15, 20, one, two, three, four 24 pounds, 36 pence.
How's that? Almost a pony, without the tail.
Johnny isn't here.
So I gathered.
But his wife thinks he is.
So maybe I'd just better go back and phone her again.
Hold it.
Why do you want to see him? Stand back.
Hello, love.
Harry! Why did you let them bring you? I wanted to, Mel.
You shouldn't have.
It's just want those bastards want, don't you see? Now, why don't you come away from there, Mel? You've done it now.
I'm not moving.
I couldn't go on without you, love.
This is the only way.
I've thought it over and over.
I've tried every other kind of protest.
- They don't work.
- Mel! I couldn't live without you.
Mel, it won't work, not in a million years.
You'll never find that geezer, it won't work.
Well, we can try.
Come on! Come on, back, please.
- Nice little outing for you, Shepherd.
- You're lucky I'm cuffed.
Don't worry, old son, she won't jump, she's not the type.
She's frustrated.
Get in the van, Harry.
Don't get yourself hurt.
Get in.
Get in, Harry.
Sergeant, clear all these people back, right out of the way.
Right, Sir.
- Any chance of going up for a picture? - Oh, don't be bloody stupid.
Look, all of you, out of the way.
Right back.
I want you all right back out of the way.
Radio West, 329 metres.
And here, the drama of Mrs Mel Shepherd, I'm sorry to say, continues as she stands on our roof, still maintaining the innocence of her husband Harry Shepherd, who, one year ago began a prison sentence for the murder of 18-year-old jewellers shop assistant Sorry, it's important, can I have a word? Come on, McGivern, I'm in a hurry.
I know how you must feel.
My apologies.
What the hell are you up to, friend? It's not what you think.
I'm Eddie Shoestring.
Shoestring? - Yeah, that's right.
Steady.
A private detective? I know what you're looking for, mate.
Not me, oh, no.
Some people think that you were the blagger in that jewellers raid.
Me? Shoot a kid for 1500 quid's worth of high-street trinkets? Do me a bloody favour.
All right, how do you convince me that you were clean? I don't believe I'm hearing this.
Then I'll tell your wife what a rotten game of pool you play.
Okay.
But I didn't do it.
And I'll tell you something else.
Harry Shepherd couldn't do it.
Say that again.
Out.
Not his style, anyone will tell you that.
Look, when it happened, everyone agreed whoever did it was a bloody maniac.
We all turned narcs for a week to see if something turned up.
When nothing did, the law framed Harry Shepherd.
Framed him proper for a quick arrest.
I'd help you if I could, Shoestring, for his missus' sake.
Poor cow, threatening to do herself in like that.
Then put your mind to it.
- Well, it did occur to me at the time - What did? Getting rid of the stones, some of the other stuff.
A fence? A fence? This bloke's more like the Berlin bloody Wall.
Well, while you're telling me, could you just get your, uh, lady here to pick up the phone and dial Radio West? 329 radio It's nearly 9:30.
Where is he? I don't know! He just called and said to tell you to hang on.
He's onto something.
That's all.
Oh, great.
Just great.
Bastard! I'm sorry, Mrs Shepherd, it's It's the police, it's out of my control.
Mean, cheating bastards! - How did you get in here? - I get into all the best places.
Shouldn't you be rushing round playing hero rather than intruding here? I thought I might add to your friends' entertainment.
I doubt it.
Have you any idea who's here tonight? Well, let me guess.
The ones without chins are titled and the ones with double-chins are lawyers and MPS.
Not bad.
And the girl in the pool is Miss West Country.
My daughter.
Perhaps we'd better go and talk in the drawing room.
Now, maybe you'll explain why you're here.
Come on, Marrick, don't play the stiff, lily-white shirt fronts with me.
You might be able to fool this bunch, but I know what you really do.
My manservant, despite the delicate way he serves drinks, did, in fact, wrestle.
And not Olympic rules.
Decidedly unsporting is Lacey.
He could break your neck like a stick of celery.
Now, what do you want to know? The man I'm looking for stole some jewellery in the Harry Shepherd case.
Now, either he must have sold it somewhere or he's cooling it off.
Categorically, Shoestring, if that maniac had come to me, I'd have made sure he was grassed on.
Well, maybe you could suggest somewhere else he might have gone.
Nobody else.
You can take my word for it.
Nothing goes on that I don't know about.
I believe you.
Well, in a normal raid, would they hang on to the goods? If I were you, I'd forget about the pickings and think more about the hardware.
I wonder what would happen if they could hear you now? As I say, I have a daughter.
By hardware you mean a gun? The police here are tougher on unlicensed guns than anywhere else.
And if the man who bought that shotgun couldn't get a clean piece, he'd only have one source.
And when I've given you a name, I'd like to get back to my guests.
Out all last night and now this.
I haven't eaten a meal at home since Tuesday.
Still, maybe it'll take the newspapers' minds off the rapist we can't catch and the Follet Street job.
- Here you are, love.
- Thank you.
It's Sonia, Mrs Shepherd.
Yes? I've brought you something to eat.
Nothing like a rooftop scare, is there? You catch those camera boys' faces? Those ghouls live for a jump.
Wins them a prize or something.
Mad bloody cow.
I know, it makes me dizzy just looking at her.
- Diabolical.
- Hey? Liberty.
Biggest one you'll ever take, son.
I had to see you.
My family is private, son.
Bother any of them again, I'll see you get blown away.
Right.
Now we've got your commercial out of the way, can we get on with it? Steve.
Enjoy smashing you into the ground one day.
Private detectives don't carry guns in this country.
Been known to carry tape recorders.
Look, all I'm trying to do is save a life.
Now, did you sell anyone a gun just before that girl was murdered? Sawn-off shotgun.
- So you remember? - Every gun I remember.
Did you get a name? Joking.
Well, what did he look like? Moustache, glasses, young, ordinary.
Anything else about him? I was selling a gun, I don't notice faces that much.
Also I don't have a face.
Right.
You've been a great help.
One thing, a thought.
Yeah? Me own theory about that jewellers shop job.
Maybe he meant to kill her.
What? You don't buy a sawn-off shotgun for a pygmy shop raid.
Doesn't make sense.
Asked this bloke what sort of a shooter he wanted for what sort of a job.
Never said what the job was.
Just asked for the shotgun.
"To make sure.
" That was his words.
You mean everybody's been on the wrong track? We've all assumed that Janice Blake was killed because of the robbery.
What if it was the other way around? What if the robbery was a cover for killing the girl? An 18-year-old shop assistant? Why? That file you told me about, was there anything in it about the girl? A boyfriend, associates, anything? She had a boyfriend, yes, but he wasn't questioned.
Why should he be? Eddie? Eddie! Would you like some soup, Mrs Shepherd? Or how about another jumper? Just go away, the lot of you.
I'm sorry to bring you downstairs at this hour.
It's all right.
What can we do for you? I want you to go back to the day Janice was killed, I want you to go over it with me.
Now, where did she usually stand? - Here.
She stood here.
- Right, okay, now, was there anything different about her that day? Did she seem frightened? Or upset? Or as if she'd had a row? No, she was just the same Janice as always.
She was a nice, quiet girl.
I remember teasing her because she wasn't doing the crossword.
Yes, she always did the crossword.
"Is it too hard for you?" I asked her.
I remember now, she was doodling instead.
Yeah.
Doodling what? She was she was doing something to a picture in the newspaper.
She was drawing a moustache and glasses on it.
It was one of those photo fits.
Then she asked if she could use the phone to call her boyfriend, Charlie.
He worked at the newspaper.
Sorry to haul you out of bed at this hour, Charlie.
That's all right, there's always somebody on duty.
The morning Janice was killed she phoned you.
What was it about, Charlie? I wasn't in.
Someone left a note on my desk.
What did she say? That she thought she'd found out who the rapist was.
- You didn't tell the police? - Of course I did.
They said they get 50 calls a week like that.
Anyway they were just about to charge Shepherd.
The morning she was shot she was doing this.
Now, does this remind you of anyone you know? Well, come on! Well, it's like someone Can't be.
She must have been mistaken.
Look, in this situation, anything is possible.
Who the hell is it? It's a guy who works here.
Saw the note on Charlie's desk, didn't you? Couldn't take the chance that she was right, could you? You bastard! You were even taking pictures at the radio station.
I'm going to jump! Do you hear me? I'm going to jump! I'm going to bloody jump! I don't care any more! You want me to jump, you silly All right, all right, back it up.
Get it out of here.
I'll jump! That's what you want, isn't it? God, I hate you! Mel! Mel.
Mel, come on, I've got him, Mel.
Come on.
It's all right.
I've got him.
Come on, Mel.
Mel, come on, just relax.
Mel? Come on, now.
Mel, come on.
Oh, no.
Oh! It's all right.
Shh, it's all right.