Frankie Drake Mysteries (2017) s01e11 Episode Script

1 I've always wanted to know how to do this.
Maybe I could become a police photographer.
They can't object to that.
I mean, a woman can take photos just as well as a man.
What is that? - A developing solution.
- The photograph, I recognize that chin.
It's because it's attached to your head.
- I didn't see you take my picture.
- No.
You didn't.
So now it goes into the fixing solution.
- (PHONE RINGING) - Can you get that? Drake Private Detectives.
Blue lemonade.
Oh! I'm afraid you have the wrong number.
There's no lemonade here, blue or otherwise.
(NOISE OF PHONE HANGING UP) How rude! Such bad manners! - I have half a mind to trace that call.
- What exactly did he say? He said "blue lemonade," and then he hung up.
- I have to go.
- Ooh, but the photographs! Another time! (BAND MUSIC PLAYING) - (WHISTLE BLOWING) - Read about Greta Von Dusen! The German spy who helped sink the Lusitania! (MAN): MI-5 is sending you back to Canada on a mission of the highest priority - a major sabotage plot is afoot, and we need a Canadian on the ground to keep from arousing suspicion.
- Keep the change.
- Arrangements will be made for you to lodge at the boarding house on Adelaide Street.
Settle in, then wait for your Canadian contact, John Smith.
Breakfast is at 7 sharp.
Rent is due every Friday.
I trust you have employment? Yes, as a private secretary.
I work when I'm called.
Is that the telephone I can use? Certainly.
Calls are to be kept short.
- No long distance.
- Of course.
- (CLINKING) - This is Trudy, our maid.
She is an employee of the household and is not available to help with your toilette - or any other personal needs.
- Hello.
I'm Frankie.
My room is just there.
You will be upstairs at the end of the hall on the right.
Trudy will show you the way.
- Is that your suitcase? - Yes.
Why? It's just that some of the other suitcases already arrived.
I hope it's my typewriter.
I wouldn't be much of a secretary without one.
Well, I tried to unpack it for you, but it was locked.
That's OK.
I'd like to unpack my own things.
Sure.
Right this way.
I just left your suitcases right there in your bed.
Mary? What are you doing here? Well, Frankie was showing me how to develop photographs, and then she left rather abruptly, and I would be offended if it wasn't for the look on her face.
- OK, what happened? - Well, the telephone rang.
And I answered the telephone, it was a wrong number, but then she rushed out of here as though the place was on fire.
Tell me exactly what happened, that phone call.
I said, "Drake Private Detectives" - The person on the other end? - He said "blue lemonade.
" Wait, where are you going? - We're gonna look for Frankie.
- What's going on, Trudy? I'll tell you on the way.
(BAND MUSIC PLAYING) Strolling along - The avenue - (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) Whiling the time away What can I get for you? Hot tea or cold tea? I've never had cold tea before, I'll try that.
Good choice.
It's the house specialty.
Smile, Frankie, like we're old friends.
You come highly recommended by the brass in London.
They haven't told me anything about you, "John Smith.
" That name is all you need to know.
Now, we believe that at the centre of this plot is a German agent named Maud Muller.
And our intelligence suggests that she is staying or working at the boarding house where you've been placed.
And I am to determine who she is? - You are to observe and report.
- Do you understand? Good.
When you have something, telephone "College 402" and say the code word "blue lemonade," - and then you hang up.
- "Blue lemonade"? Yes.
We'll meet at this table exactly 30 minutes later.
Good luck, Miss Drake.
Welcome home.
Hi! Oh! Can I help you, Miss Drake? Oh, I was just exploring the house.
So, it's a pretty quiet household.
Yes, it's just you and Mr.
Harper.
Mr.
Harper? I wonder if I know him.
Clive Harper.
He's a baker.
No, I must have been thinking of someone else.
So it's just you and the cook as far as staff goes? Yes.
So Mrs.
Van Cleef says you're up from Niagara farm country.
- Yes, that's right.
- You are not like any other farm girl I ever met.
That's a big compliment coming from a city girl like you.
Well, I'm all done here.
Sorry to bother you.
- No, no.
- Oh! You must be the new boarder.
Miss Drake is it? Please call me Frankie.
- You must be Clive.
- (CHUCKLING): First names? Aren't you a modern gal.
There's no point in going backwards? How long have you been here? I know what you're really asking.
Why am I not in France? - No, I - Nah, it's fine, it's fine.
Flat feet.
So here I am, working at a bakery until the real men get home to take the jobs back.
You seem pretty real to me.
Thanks.
It's, um, nice to have someone to talk to.
Especially someone as pretty as you.
So, how do you like living here? It's not bad as boarding houses go, but I should say a word of warning: do not under any circumstance help yourself in the kitchen.
Mrs.
Clarke keeps the pantry locked at all times.
Even wears the only key around her neck.
- How mysterious.
- (CLIVE CHUCKLING) Hmm If it's your first time in the city, I'd be happy to be your tour guide.
Why, I might just take you up on that.
I hope you do.
(KNOCKING) Oh, hi! There you go.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Oh! What are you doing lurking there in the shadows? You scared me half to death.
I'm I'm sorry.
I didn't want to interrupt.
So you must be the new boarder.
Yes.
Frankie Drake.
Pleased to meet you.
"Frankie.
" What kind of name is that for a pretty girl like you? - My father chose it.
- Your mother certainly didn't.
- What can I get you? - Oh I have some meat to put on those bones for starters.
You're wasting away in front of my eyes.
I have some cold chicken, nice white bread, - and that should keep you 'til dinner.
- Thank you.
(CLINKING) Where is that child of mine? - Trudy is your daughter? - Yeah.
Apple of my eye.
I better go see what the missus wants.
If you'll excuse me.
(BOTH CHUCKLING) (LOCK CLICKING) (DOOR CLOSING) (FOOTSTEPS) Hello, Miss Drake.
Can I help you with something? Oh no, I'm fine.
Thank you.
I should get back to work.
So many letters to type.
What do you think of our new boarder? Hmm! Too skinny.
- I think she's up to something.
- What do you mean, "up to something"? She showed up out of nowhere, she wouldn't let me put her clothes away, and what girl is leaving the farm right now with all our men overseas and our crops needed - to feed them? - Trudy, mind your business.
I read about girls like her in the newspaper.
It would suit you better if you spent more time doing your work than sneaking out, reading Mrs.
Van Cleef's newspapers.
What if Frankie Drake is a German spy? - (BIG BELLY LAUGH) - A spy? With red hair? (BELL CLINKING) You better go on get the mail before Mrs.
Van Cleef has to.
You know she'll have your hide.
Why are you holding the mail, Miss Drake? I'm sorry.
I always collect the mail back home.
I suppose you don't know any better.
But for future reference, it is Trudy's job to collect the mail.
Of course.
Is your husband in Belgium? I couldn't help - but notice the pretty stamp.
- He died.
Before the war.
I'm sorry.
It's nice that you still keep in contact - with your family.
- My husband's family.
- I was born in Ottawa.
- Ottawa? You must know some very important people.
Not really.
Where is Trudy? - Here, Mrs.
Van Cleef.
- What is the meaning of this? Allowing a guest to retrieve the mail? - Please.
It was my fault.
- It can't be your fault, Miss Drake.
You are a paying guest here.
Your mother might be an excellent cook, but it doesn't appear as though her household acumen has transferred to you.
There are plenty of girls desperate for a position like this.
- Don't forget it.
- Yes, Mrs.
Van Cleef.
I'm so sorry.
Mrs.
Van Cleef? Sorry to bother you.
I think I heard someone knocking on the front door.
Trudy is supposed to answer the door.
I'll see to it.
Thank you.
(LIVELY MUSIC) (RINGING) College 402.
Blue lemonade.
A letter arrived in the mail today.
From Belgium.
For Mrs.
Van Cleef.
It's in German, an innocent story about a family birthday party.
There's a hidden message in Flemish I was not able to translate.
She tried to burn it.
I got to it as quickly as I could.
We have someone who can translate this.
You stay on Van Cleef.
See if you can find any more communications.
Whatever you do, don't engage the target.
If Van Cleef really is Maud Muller, she's a very dangerous woman.
(INAUDIBLE CHATTER) Thank you.
We're on the right track.
Frankie was here so she is retracing 1918.
Frankie a spy.
And you as a maid, - that's almost as unbelievable - Mary, focus.
Right.
So Frankie was here - looking for Mrs.
Van Cleef - Mrs.
Van Cleef sold the house - a year ago.
- Well then, who is Frankie looking for? Isn't Mrs.
Van Cleef Maud Muller? That wasn't the end of the story.
Come on.
There's another place we could try.
(DOOR OPENING) Miss Drake.
Sorry Frankie.
What a fetching welcoming party you make.
Can one person really make up a whole party? I'd say you could.
I'm done work for the day.
How'd you like to beat me at a game of cards? I'd love to, but I have to type up a letter for my employer.
Maybe later.
Well, I'll hold you to it.
You better get that white bread to Mrs.
Clarke, otherwise she's gonna be serving up rye.
I wouldn't want that to happen, then I'd lose all my special privileges.
- (BOTH CHUCKLING) - (KNOCKING ON DOOR) What? (CLICKING) - You're a spy, aren't you? - What?! No! - Are you working for Germans? - You need to leave before I tell Mrs.
Van Cleef that you were snooping through my things.
Then explain what a farm girl like you is doing - with a gun like this? - You need to put that down.
Lots of safety issues in secretarial work? More than you would realize.
- Now hand it over! - Not until you tell me the truth.
Fine.
You're right.
Sort of.
I'm working for the British.
MI-5.
I was sent to this house to find a German spy - named Maud Muller.
- Why should I believe you? Here.
My identity tags.
"Corporal Francis Drake, the Royal Signal Corps.
" - You stole some poor guy's tags?! - Of course not.
But go down to the war office, look me up.
Yeah, giving you enough time to make your getaway.
So what's your alternative? Shoot me? - Or call the cops? - Maybe.
And yes.
And what if I'm not lying? You either believe me and help me stop the Germans in Toronto Or you turn me in and they win.
I want to help.
- A word, Miss Drake? - Of course.
- Just give me one minute.
- Hmm.
I believe you've misrepresented yourself to me, Miss Drake.
A simple farm girl with no talents that doesn't appear to be the truth.
I don't know what you mean.
Let's not play games.
I believe you would be an asset.
- You want to recruit me? - Smart girl.
What are your terms? We require a minimal time commitment of two hours a week.
Given your flexible work schedule, that shouldn't be a problem.
No compensation of course.
And you'll have - to provide your own uniform.
- Uniform? And purchase your own firearm.
But we will provide the training.
So will you join us? - I, uh - Wonderful.
Pin this to your uniform when on duty.
Khaki is preferred.
We want to look like a real army when the enemy arrives.
- "The enemy"? - The Toronto Women's Home Guard is sworn to protect the city while the men are overseas.
We can't guarantee that the internment camps will hold or that there won't be an insurgency of German-Americans from the South.
You want me to join the Women's Home Guard? Oh dear.
It seems you are a bit slower than I thought.
Nonetheless, you're healthy and strong.
We'll make a soldier of you yet.
Mrs.
Van Cleef is a German spy? I should have known.
I saw one of her letters once.
It looked like it was in German.
They are.
They're from her sister-in-law.
But there's a hidden message in Flemish written in invisible ink.
She says that's how la Dame Blanche does it.
"La Dame Blanche"? You mean she's one of those Belgian citizens spying - on the Germans' every move? - You know about that? I read the papers.
But why should you believe her? Well, my instinct says she's telling the truth.
I'm almost disappointed.
I know.
So Maud Muller is not you, your mother, or Mrs.
Van Cleef.
And if the spy's name is Maud Muller, - then it's not Mr.
Harper either.
- You know, I've been looking at this all wrong.
If you wanted to get a message in and out of this house without anyone knowing, - how would you do it? - Not the mail, that's for sure.
Uh, maybe laundry service? Or food delivery? Or a loaf of bread perhaps.
Ooh! Miss Drake.
Would you like a slice of my nice rhubarb tart? Are those the loaves that Clive brought today? Oh yes, but the one with the blue string isn't for us.
He brings that specially for his young lady.
Do you know her name? Is it Maud Muller? Well, that could be it.
You know what? I don't know why he doesn't just give it to her himself.
It's obvious that he's sweet on her.
Oh.
Momma - Mm-hmm.
- I forgot to water the plant in the dining room.
Could you, please? Mm-hmm.
- What's that? Secret message? - It looks like it.
That's a camera?! (CLICKING) (KNOCKING ON DOOR) That's her.
Probably here for the bread.
You sure they won't know that anything's different? Hopefully not.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Hello.
Is Mrs.
Clarke not here? Uh, she's upstairs.
But you're here for the bread, right? She told me to give this to you.
Thank Clive for me.
See, Miss Drake? No problem.
Miss Drake? There you are, Frankie! Ready for that game of cards? I just need to make a phone call.
(FOOTSTEPS) - Reach your boss? - I did.
He's sending someone over to collect my work.
Ahhh Then I have some time - with you.
- A little.
You know how to play poker? I think I might know a trick or two.
So, tell me about yourself.
Well, I would rather talk about you.
- (CLIVE LAUGHING) - I work and I sleep.
That's my life.
Don't play coy with me, Clive.
I know you have a sweetheart.
- (CHUCKLING) - No.
No, you you got it you got it all wrong.
A special loaf of bread, a pretty girl, you too shy to deliver it yourself You certainly know a lot about it.
Attention to detail is crucial in my line of work.
You know, I don't feel much like playing anymore.
Don't be a sore loser.
(DOOR OPENING) (DOOR CLOSING) That will be them.
(FOOTSTEPS) (MAN IN BLACK CLEARING HIS THROAT) I'm done with this game.
It's a little late for that.
Ugh! (LIVELY JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING) What are you guys doing here? - We are here to help.
- You need to leave.
- We're not going anywhere.
- This is how you discovered Quon's, isn't it? This is where you used to meet - John Smith, right? - Mary What have you been telling her? You and Trudy met at Mrs.
Van Cleef's boarding house where you uncovered a German intelligence hub coordinating a sabotage plot against Canada.
Sorry, Frankie.
Didn't have much choice.
So? Where's John Smith? Is he that rather severe-looking fellow in the front? - I thought he looked British.
- No.
- I-I haven't seen him yet.
- Oh.
- Well, do you expect to? - If I was reactivated using the old code word, then so was Smith.
Protocol applies.
Meet at Quon's 30 minutes later.
- But the war's over.
- I thought so too.
Oh, this is so unbelievable! Frankie, I have to say, I admired you as a private detective, but now that I know - that you were a secret agent - Mary I mean, you caught Clive Harper.
You intercepted a vital message.
You could very well have saved all of Canada! - (BAND MUSIC PLAYING) - All I did was intercept a message in a loaf of bread.
I didn't catch Maud Muller.
In fact, I let her get away.
We believe we can persuade Clive Harper to help find her.
So your mission's complete.
My mission was to stop a major sabotage plot.
And we think that we can do that now.
MI-5 will be in touch should your services be required again.
- But - I follow orders, Miss Drake.
So must you.
Can you believe the impertinence of that man? Buttering me up with his fancy bread and his fancier words.
And all the time spying on my every move.
The Germans don't care about you, Momma.
Oh, they don't, do they? Then why did Clive ask me to keep this trunk hidden away for him, hmm? That's why you've been locking the pantry? To hide Clive's trunk? If I knew the type of man asking, I never would have done it.
Anyway, now that all that foolishness is over maybe things can get back to normal.
And by that, I mean that you can do your job properly for once.
I will.
Starting right now.
(DOOR OPENING) No one saw me come up here.
Trudy, we're allowed to be seen talking to each other.
Not according to Mrs.
Van Cleef.
Look.
I found this in the trunk that Clive asked my mother to hide for him.
You think it could a clue? "Maud Muller, on a summer's day, raked the meadow sweet with hay.
It's a poem.
Maud Muller by John Greenleaf Whittier.
Of course, you develop your own photographs.
So we have a picture of a farm girl and a poem about a farm girl.
So, what does it mean, "farm girl"? The poem is the key to decoding the message.
These letters and numbers, if we write them out in order, then 42E could mean we go to line 42 and count 5 letters in.
We do that for each.
"September 22nd.
" That's two days from now! Cherry and Eastern.
What's there? - Nothing worth anything, I don't think.
- Wasn't there a rail yard? I thought this was your first time in Toronto.
Not exactly.
(RINGING) Hello, operator.
College 402, please.
I see.
Thank you.
- Who were you calling? - My contact.
The line has been disconnected.
I'm on my own.
But now what? - I'm going to that rail yard.
- You're not going alone.
- I have a contingency plan.
- So what's the plan? - You're not gonna tell me?! - It's empty.
Maybe we're too late.
Did you learn to pick locks in spy school? Actually, my father taught me.
I haven't met anyone like you before.
- Well, thank you.
- I'm not so sure that's meant - to be a compliment.
- Over here.
Bread crumbs.
Why do I feel like I'm in a Brothers Grimm's story.
- Blueprints? - There's maps.
The shoreline.
The target, it's the Welland Canal.
- Why? - Because it's the only route out of the Great Lakes.
By blocking it, the Germans stop food and munitions from going overseas.
And Canada's feeding half the allied forces these days.
Look, I appreciate your help, Trudy, - but you never signed up for this.
- Too late.
- (DRAMATIC MUSIC) - Don't even think about it! Put the gun on the table.
NOW! And step away.
"Maud Muller, on a summer's day.
" I never did ask.
Trudy, what is that poem about? It's about what might have been.
Maud here can relate to that.
What might have happened if we never found your secret lair? You don't know what's at stake here.
It has to stop.
The war has to end.
I'm gonna leave now.
Don't try to follow me.
Well, I found you before, I can find you again.
Then I'll take Trudy here for insurance.
- Come on.
Let's go! Now! - Frankie? Keep walking.
Keep walking.
Go! Go into the car.
Hurry up! Get in! Get in.
(GUNSHOT) (TRUDY): Get down, they're shooting at us! Ladies, come on out! (HEROIC MUSIC) Trudy, meet the Toronto Women's Home Guard.
Your contingency plan.
It's over, Maud.
Hand over the guns.
Mrs.
Van Cleef?! You shouldn't be here, Trudy.
I've kept you on out of courtesy to your mother, but I'm afraid I can't overlook your disobedience any longer.
You're firing me after you just shot at me? Domestic service is clearly not for you.
It's time to go do something with your life.
- - She's right.
Easier said than done.
What's gonna happen with Maud? You don't wanna ask.
You are to be commended.
Not only for catching the real Maud Muller, but for thwarting the attempted sabotage of the Welland Canal.
- I'm glad to be of service.
- However - However? - However, you have disobeyed orders, you've broken protocol, you've revealed yourself and your classified mission to civilians, placing them in the gravest danger for which they are entirely unprepared.
- Mr.
Smith - Even one of those things is cause enough to have you dismissed.
And now we found out the Germans know who you are.
- (BAND MUSIC PLAYING) - What are you saying? From this moment forth, consider yourself discharged from service.
I'm sorry.
And you haven't seen Smith since? If you were known to the Germans in 1918, you still would be.
Why would MI-5 - reactivate you? - It doesn't make any sense.
Smith was always here before me.
That phone call came in over an hour ago.
This isn't like him.
Maybe he's waiting on some sort of signal.
Yeah, that isn't protocol.
You know what? I'm gonna go sit at that table.
(DOOR OPENING) - GUN! - (MUFFLED GUNSHOTS) - Everybody down! - (PEOPLE SCREAMING) Oh! That was quite the shot! I was aiming for his head.
- Smith's gone.
- So is the shooter.
- Which one do we follow? - Neither.
- Why? - Gun is a British Army issue.
That man was a British agent?! - Then John Smith - Was about to be assassinated by MI-5, and I was used as the bait.
So.
MI-5 reactivated you in the same way as in 1918.
That way, you would know to go see John Smith straight away.
But how would Smith know to see you? Well, maybe they called him as well.
And like me, he couldn't resist - following protocol.
- So, Smith would see you, and feel that everything is as it should be.
Giving MI-5 the perfect opportunity to "take care" of him.
Why turn on their own? And why drag you into this? I don't know, but if we want answers, we have to find Smith.
I'm guessing John Smith isn't his real name, so the city directory is out.
- What do you know about him? - Absolutely nothing.
- His hands were always dirty.
- A gardener? No, it wasn't soil.
It was more like grease.
A mechanic.
But there's so many in the city, - where do we start? - It always took him exactly 30 minutes to get to Quon's.
And I never saw the same car or bike parked outside.
OK So we're looking for a mechanic within a half-hour walking distance from Quon's Cafe.
That still might be a lot.
Was there that many in 1918? This is the place.
The only mechanic within a half-hour radius at The Ward that was in business - in 1918.
- I'll go.
- He won't know who I am.
- No, let me do it.
Heads up.
- Is he skipping town? - I guess he is.
Running out on our friend with the gun? Of course.
You need to leave, Miss Drake.
I found you, MI-5 isn't far behind.
Now I can help you, but you have to be honest with me.
(WOMAN GASPING) - Who's that?! - Maud Muller.
In the flesh.
Please.
Frankie I can explain everything.
Miss Drake, - this isn't what you think it is.
- I think you're a double agent.
- No.
Never.
- I was the double agent.
You were trying to blow up the Welland Canal.
I was sabotaging the sabotage.
Just like I did the other three times they tried.
MI-5 didn't know? No.
I saw what happens to double agents.
Especially the women.
Scapegoats, like Mata Hari.
They always seem to end up dead.
I could not allow that to happen.
And so you fell in love Oh, that is so romantic! It's just like the movies.
The thing is though, Miss Drake, you were a much better spy than I expected.
It's why I tried to cut you loose after you caught Clive Harper.
So my orders weren't to stop working the case? No.
But I couldn't have you jeopardizing Maud's fragile position.
- You just wouldn't let it go.
- You lied to me.
I wasn't deactivated.
The Germans didn't know who I was.
I'm sorry, but it was all I could do to stop you from finding out the truth about Maud.
And you two have been living happily ever after.
Why does MI-5 still care after so many years? Well, since the end of the war, MI-5's been on the chopping block.
Finding one of their agents with a German spy, that would go some way to proving that they're still relevant.
Proving that there are still threats against our sovereignty that they need to neutralize.
- That's not our life anymore.
- Choice is yours, Miss Drake: either you can turn us in or you can help us to get as far away from here as possible.
It won't take them long to find you.
Then I say we get these two on the first train to anywhere.
MI-5 will be monitoring the train stations.
Yes they certainly will.
- (BELL RINGING) - (INDISTINCT CHATTER) (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) (WHISTLE BLOWING) All aboard! Ah! This man needs to sleep and not be disturbed.
It's doctor's orders.
He's getting off at the last stop at Temiskaming.
Please don't wake him 'til then.
- Yes, ma'am! - Thank you.
- Tickets.
- (INAUDIBLE REPLY) (STEAM WHISTLE BLOWING) (TRAIN CHUGGING) One "police escort" ready and waiting.
Are you gonna be OK by yourself? Are you kidding me? I've never been to the border.
I think I might go to Niagara Falls on the way back! Go on the Maid of the Mist for me and bring back a postcard.
Two tickets to Argentina, leaving from New York the day - after tomorrow.
- Thank you for everything.
Thank you.
Your name really is John Smith, isn't it? You're a hell of a spy, Frankie Drake.
(JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING) How am I supposed to go back to fetching coffee and answering telephones at the station after this? It was answering a phone call that started this in the first place.
So do you think that means it could happen again? Don't you have work you have to get back to? No, they won't miss me.
Besides, I haven't heard the rest of the story! But we told it all, remember? The Welland Canal.
Maud Muller.
Crisis averted.
No, not the spy story.
Your story.
Drake Private Detectives, how did that happen? (CHUCKLING) What do you think? If this is your idea of a night on the town, we have some serious talking to do.
So I've been thinking about what it is - I want to do next.
- You're not going back to London? No.
For the first time, I think I might just stay put.
Toronto's not so bad, you know.
I do know.
I grew up here.
"Not so bad" is exactly why I left.
This place isn't doing the city any favours.
So are you gonna tell me what we're doing here - or am I gonna have to guess? - Well, you are out of a job, and I'm out of a job.
Please don't say you want me to clean up this dusty old warehouse.
I'm thinking of opening my own private detective agency.
That is a great idea! This town could use a woman like you.
- You mean like us.
- I don't understand.
You said that you've never met anyone like me before.
Well, I've never met anyone like you.
You're quick on your feet, you know how to handle yourself in a crisis, and your mother makes a mean rhubarb tart.
So what do you say? Are you in? Private Detectives? I'm in! (BOTH LAUGHING) How am I gonna explain this to my mother?