Alfred Hitchcock Presents s02e26 Episode Script

Good evening.
Tonight's play is called "I Killed The Count.
" Now, I know what you're thinking.
Last week's play was also called "I Killed The Count.
" And you think tonight's is just a revival.
On the contrary, since we were unable to finish the story last time, we shall have another stab at it tonight.
I'd better fill in some of the details for those of you who were careless enough to miss the first episode.
I hope you realize the trouble you're putting us to.
Just don't let it happen again.
First of all, Count Victor Mattoni was found quite dead in the living room of his London flat.
There was a single bullet hole in his forehead.
It's my personal opinion that this was a contributing factor to his death.
Inspector Davidson and his assistant Raines, the investigating detectives, have uncovered a number of clues.
Among them, two letters.
One led them to a Bernard K.
Froy.
And another written by Lord Sorrington, an industrialist.
Before the detectives were quite settled down to work, they are faced with an embarrassingly oversupply of confessions.
For, both Froy and Lord Sorrington confessed to a murder that only one of them could have committed.
I'm certain this is all quite clear.
But for the benefit of any small children who may have missed some of the plot machinations here to clarify are two brief scenes from our last show after which our story continues.
The Count was murdered last night.
Yeah, I know.
I'm sure you didn't expect me back quite so soon.
But I think it very important to summarize the minutes of our last meeting.
First of all, Count Victor Mattoni was found quite dead in the living room of his London flat.
There was a single bullet hole in his forehead.
It's my personal opinion that this was a contributing factor to his death.
Inspector Davidson and his assistant Raines, the investigating detectives, have uncovered a number of clues.
Among them, two letters.
One, which led to Bernard K.
Froy.
And another written by Lord Sorrington, an industrialist.
Before the detectives were quite settled down to work, they are faced with an embarrassing oversupply of confessions.
For, both Froy and Lord Sorrington confessed to a murder that only one of them could have committed.
I'm certain this is all quite clear.
But for the benefit of any small children who may have missed some of the plot machinations here to clarify are two brief scenes from our last show after which our story continues.
The Count was murdered last night.
Yeah, I know.
I killed him.
Did you say you killed him? Yes, that's right.
I killed the Count.
You see, Inspector, Mattoni was married to my daughter Helen.
Oh, no.
Really, sir? She was at finishing school in Italy when they met.
She was young.
He seemed glamorous, I suppose, and she never really knew what sort of man he was until after they were married.
She learned soon enough then.
Drunken, dissolute.
But I won't go into that.
It isn't very pretty.
She stuck it as long as she could, and then came home to us.
When was that, sir? Less than a year ago.
That was the first we knew of the marriage, and we were appalled at the change in her.
A happy, charming girl reduced to a frightened, trembling neurotic.
If only that had been the end of it, it wouldn't have been so bad.
In time, she might have recovered her health.
She had their child to live for.
Six months old now.
But Mattoni followed her here.
You You're probably not aware, Inspector, but my wife died recently.
Oh, no, sir.
My My sincerest condolences.
She was frail to begin with and felt things more keenly than most of us do.
Her distress over what Helen had been through in Italy made her seriously ill.
When Mattoni came here, he insisted that Helen go back to him, threatened the child if she didn't, threatened to sue for his custody.
It was too much, it killed her.
One can hardly blame you for being bitter, sir.
Although Of the two people in the world I cared for most, my wife is dead and my daughter had nothing to look forward to but misery.
So I killed him.
I see.
Would you Would you care to tell me how, sir? Oh, to begin with, I took the flat next door, as you know.
For a fortnight I listened to Count Mattoni's movements through those doors.
It soon became evident that he was incapably drunk every night by about 11:00.
One of the liftmen would come in later on and get him into bed.
But not on Thursdays.
So, last night, after I'd heard no sound for more than an hour, I managed to slip the bolt on this side of the door and came in here.
I had my own pistol fitted with a silencer.
Sorrington? What are you doing here? I've come to kill you, Mattoni.
But I found I couldn't shoot even a specimen like you in his sleep.
Oh, no, please.
Please, I'll do anything you want.
I'll give her a divorce.
I'll do anything, please.
I promise.
You know I wouldn't trust your promises.
Please, please don't kill me.
Please don't kill me.
Have mercy on me.
For heavens sake, don't Good heavens, man, can't you even I dragged the Count's body across the room and put it in the big wing chair near the window.
And that's that.
I was afraid that someone might have heard the shot, so I didn't turn on the light in my flat and didn't see the shell case.
I left immediately afterwards and only remembered later that I had left the pistol behind.
But, of course, I couldn't come back for it then.
You've found that, too, I suppose.
Oh, no, sir, we haven't, as a matter of fact.
Come in.
It's me, sir, you wanted me? Yes, Peters.
We should like to take your fingerprints, sir.
If you'll step over here, Peters will attend to it.
Well, I suppose you must.
Left hand first, sir.
During your struggle with the Count, sir, did you happen to notice his wallet drop from his pocket? No, I didn't.
But, of course, it could easily have done so in the darkness.
You didn't pick it up? No.
Excuse me, sir.
Here's the pistol, just as he said.
Oh, this is yours? Yes.
My initials are on it, I believe.
Oh, yes, so they are.
You understand, sir, that after what you've told me, it will be my duty to detain you.
Yes, of course.
That's all, sir.
Clifton, there's an empty flat in the next wing on this floor.
Will you escort Lord Sorrington there for the time being? He's being held.
Yes, sir.
I'm much obliged to you, sir, for being so cooperative.
Not at all.
Peters, have them call me the minute they've checked these prints and Froy's with the ones on the banknotes.
Yes, sir.
Rather convincing a story, I should say.
Yes, sir.
My money's on His Lordship, sir.
Well, it's hardly a betting matter, Raines.
Oh, yes, sir.
Now, it's a pity it couldn't have been the American.
Well, don't give up hope, sir.
Hello? Speaking.
Yes.
Good, good.
Huh? Oh, there was? I see.
Thanks.
The bullet that killed the Count was definitely fired from his own gun.
No fingerprints worth anything, too smudged.
And there was some skin and flesh found under the nails of his right hand.
Apparently the killer got scratched a bit.
Oh, Clifton, see if Lord Sorrington's arms, or his hands, or his face, or neck, or anything show recent scratches, will you? Yes, sir.
May I see your hands, please? Oh, sure.
And your wrists.
Would you mind loosening your collar? What for? Oh, just one of our games.
Thank you.
Don't mention it.
I believe you said you killed Count Mattoni.
Yes.
That's right.
Would you tell us why? I suppose it'll come out anyhow.
I killed him because of his wife.
His wife? Yes.
You see, I happen to be in love with her.
She wasn't living with him when I met her.
She was here in England.
She had left him for good and no wonder.
Would you like me to tell you some of the things he did to her? No, I don't think that'll be necessary.
We will assume that you disapproved.
Yeah.
Well, he followed her here from Italy and started to try to get her to come back to him.
He wouldn't even talk about a divorce.
Of course, she couldn't get one here, or in Italy either, if he wouldn't give her grounds.
She'd had a baby by then, a little boy.
And he threatened the child? Yeah, how did you know? He said if she didn't come back to him, he would sue for custody, and charge that All kinds of stuff.
And he would, too.
He couldn't prove it, of course, but that wouldn't stop him.
It would get into all the papers and there'd be a big smell.
You know something? What? He was crazy.
Helen hated him.
Yet he wanted her to go on living with him so he could torture her some more.
He wouldn't see me, he was afraid.
So I wrote him, and said I'd make a big cash settlement if he'd give Helen a divorce.
And said I'd kill him if he didn't.
He didn't even answer.
So you killed him? Well, not like that.
I mean, well, what happened was, you see, I just wanted to scare him, and I wanted that letter.
I never should have written it, of course.
He could make it sound terrible in any sort of trial.
Yes, he could.
Anyhow I snooped around here some at nights and had found that there were duplicate keys to the flats in the porters' lobby.
So last night, while the elevator was on a trip up, I got the key to this flat and slipped up the stairs.
What time was that? Oh, around 1:00, I guess.
I had a gun with me, but it wasn't loaded.
I only wanted to scare him.
What are you doing here? How did you get in? Never mind.
What do you want? I want that letter I wrote you.
What letter? You know what letter.
The only one I wrote you.
Get it.
I threw it away.
I was fool enough to write it, but I'm not fool enough to believe that.
Get it! All right.
It's in that cabinet over there.
I have to get the key out of the drawer in the table.
Take it easy now.
I was so scared that someone would be there any second that I didn't dare turn on the light.
I hadn't expected anything like that.
I only remembered my gun because I stumbled over it.
I forgot the letter.
I guess you found that, too, haven't you? No, we haven't been through his effects thoroughly yet.
Do you suppose the key to the cabinet is really in there, sir? Well, we'll see.
Yes, here it is.
Yeah, I can quite see why you'd want it back.
I'd have been better off to have let him keep it.
Yes, so would he, wouldn't he? Yes, Mr.
Froy, did you happen to notice the Count's wallet drop to the floor, during your struggle? No.
You didn't by any chance see it on the floor and pick it up? No.
Why? I'll have to ask you to wait in that empty flat again.
Okay.
But what's the point? What's the delay? I don't understand.
Now, you've got your man, haven't you? What are you waiting for? I must say you seem eager for the gallows, Mr.
Froy.
I just want to get it over with.
Clifton? Yes, sir.
What about Lord Sorrington? Any scratches? No, sir.
No sign of one anywhere.
All right, that's all.
Yes, sir.
Lord Sorrington hasn't any scratches, either.
Oh, that seems rather inconsiderate of him, doesn't it, sir? Does it seem plain now, sir, which one of them is lying? No, of course, it doesn't.
And put that away, Raines.
Confound it all, I've never had two people competing for a murder before.
Well, that's what makes the work seem so interesting, isn't it, sir? Each case is different.
We'll get to the bottom of this somehow, you'll see.
It may mean a bit more work, a bit more digging, but we'll do it.
The old bulldog spirit, eh, sir? Well, let's get on with it.
We'll take the other tenants on this floor first, and bring me some lunch.
You know something, sir? What? We've got too much evidence, sir.
Oh, nonsense, Raines.
How could we have too much It is rather plentiful, isn't it? Inspector, this is Miss Louise Rogers.
Inspector Davidson.
How do you do, Miss Rogers? How do you do? I'm sorry to disturb you, we shan't keep you long.
Would you care for a cup of tea? Oh, no, thank you.
I believe you just arrived in London, is that right? Yes.
Where do you usually live? Oh, my people live in Lincolnshire.
I see.
Miss Rogers, a man was found murdered in this room last night.
Oh, how awful.
His name was Count Mattoni.
A tall, dark fellow with a little black beard.
Did you ever see him? No, I don't think so.
Where were you last night? Oh, I stayed in.
I felt too tired to dress so I ordered my dinner in my room.
Then I read my book for a while and went to sleep.
What time was that? Oh, I should think about half past ten.
You didn't wake up during the night or hear a sound, a shot? No.
No, I didn't.
Well, I think that's all, Miss Rogers.
I'm very obliged to you.
I'm sorry, I couldn't be more helpful.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
No help there.
Who's next? Miss La Lune, sir.
Oh, yes, the dancer.
Tell Clifton to bring her in.
Yes, sir.
Raines, perhaps you would like to.
Yes, sir.
Inspector? Inspector? This is Miss La Lune.
Oh.
How do you do, Miss La lune? How do you do? Now, what time did you get home last night? About 2:00.
We went to the Golden Salamander, after I finished.
It closes at 1:30.
My friend brought me straight home.
Did your friend bring you up to your door? Yes.
He almost didn't.
We had to walk.
I said he was no gentleman to leave me there, but he said Just a minute.
You mean, you didn't come up in the lift? I certainly do.
We rang and rang.
Then when we finally got here there was the elevator empty, on this floor.
And you didn't see anything of the liftman Johnson? No.
I'd have told him a thing or two if we had.
Four flights of stairs.
And him in there drinking with the Count.
Now, did you hear anything on this floor, from this flat? Did you hear a shot? No, not a sound.
What's your friend's name? Mark.
Mark Smith.
And did Mr.
Smith come in with you? At that hour? Why, Mr.
Davidson.
Did he? Well, just for a second.
Just to say good night.
Perhaps five minutes? Perhaps.
And was the lift still on this floor when he left? I don't know.
Wait a minute.
No.
No, it wasn't here.
He must have rung for it, because I heard it come up to this floor, pick him up and go back.
You can hear the doors, you know.
Yes.
And you didn't hear anything else? No.
Well, thank you, Miss La Lune.
I believe that's all we want to Unless, of course, Raines has something? No, sir, I don't think so.
Good.
Well, thank you again, Miss La Lune.
Here's Johnson, sir.
Good.
Come in, Johnson.
Yes.
Now then, I want straight answers and no evasions, Johnson.
Is that clear? Yes, sir.
All right.
Now, you were on the lift last night.
Is that right? Yes, sir.
Now, what time did you bring Miss La Lune up? I don't know exactly.
About what time? I'm not sure.
I told you I wanted straight answers, Johnson.
You didn't bring her up at all, did you? No, sir.
All right.
Now, what was the lift doing empty on this floor at 2:00? Where were you? I don't know.
You don't know? Please, sir, I wasn't on the lift last night.
I swapped with Mullet, sir.
With Mullet? We often do that, sir.
Why didn't you tell us this before? I didn't think it mattered, sir.
Didn't you? Well, that's all, Johnson.
You can go now.
All right, sir.
Now we are getting somewhere.
Yes, sir.
Where? Well, don't just stand there.
Get Mullet.
Yes, sir.
Haven't you a uniform, Mullet? Why aren't you wearing it? I didn't have time to change, that's why.
With everybody chasing me, do this, come here, do that.
Nonsense, you had plenty of time.
Well, I couldn't find it.
It was gone out of my locker.
Oh.
I know I've seen you somewhere.
Now then, you're on the lift every night except Thursday night when Johnson takes your place.
Is that correct? Yes, sir.
Only last night, Johnson didn't take your place, did he? And you were on the lift.
Raines here.
Yes, sir.
Yes.
You see, I had a tip on the dogs for Monday night.
Johnson didn't mind, so we swapped about.
Why didn't you tell us before? You didn't ask.
Yes.
Did you leave the lift any time during the evening? No, sir.
Then what was it doing empty on this floor at 2:00 this morning? Long enough for Miss La Lune to walk up four flights of stairs and go to her flat? Were you putting the Count to bed, as usual? Oh, no sir, not last night, sir.
He never expected me on Thursdays.
I didn't come near this flat.
Then what was the lift doing on this floor? Where were you? Excuse me, sir.
It's about the fingerprints, sir.
Well, what about it? They don't match either set we sent down, sir.
I knew it.
I knew they weren't going to.
Confound it, Raines But they have identified them with the files at the Yard, sir.
They belong to a Pat Lummock.
He had a bad record about 20 years ago.
They want to know if they should send us out a photograph, sir? Oh, do they? No, thank you.
I don't need Pat Lummock's photograph when I've got Pat Lummock.
Wonderful memory, sir.
Yes, never forget a face.
Now then, you better come clean, Mullet.
Lummock, or you'll be in serious trouble with your record.
Because it happens that in the Count's wallet, found here on this floor, there were two banknotes with your fingerprints on them.
Now you'd better tell me all you know about this murder and who you're shielding, and I want the truth.
Do you understand? The truth.
All right.
Oh, heavens, you'll never believe me now.
With my record, you'll never believe me.
I killed Mattoni, I didn't mean to.
Honest, I didn't.
What? Now see here, Lummock.
Are you seriously contending that you killed Mattoni? Yes, sir, that's right.
I killed the Count.
Oh, no.
No, no.
No, two's enough.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry who enters this flat telling me he killed the Count.
I don't have to stand for this sort of thing.
I won't have it.
Do you hear? I won't have it! Well, we've done it again.
We still haven't finished the story.
How extremely careless of us.
But I promise you on my honor the truth will be out next time.
I've excused the actors until we return when they will present the final act of our play.
Unfortunately since you are all accessories after the fact, I cannot permit you to leave the room.
You may, however, discuss the case among yourselves.
Who killed the Count and why? Only one person could have done it.
Was it Mullet, the liftman? Did Bernard Froy do it? Was it Lord Sorrington? Or was it a fourth person? Who is the guilty party? Tune in next time and find out.
Good night.