Marple (2004) s03e01 Episode Script
At Bertram's Hotel
1 The Times Whoa.
Go on PICCADILLY LONDON 1891 Sir.
Ma'am.
- Afternoon, Miss Evershot.
- Good afternoon.
- And this must be your little niece.
- Indeed.
Then it gives me pleasure to welcome you to Bertram's Hotel.
Miss Marple.
There you go, miss.
- Enjoy your stay.
- Thank you.
Straight off the press! Missing millionaire pronounced dead after seven years.
Who gets the fortune? Buy the news, get the scoop.
Is this your first visit to Bertram's, ma'am? Miss Marple.
I used to stay here often but a very long time ago.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you back to Bertram's Hotel, Miss Marple.
Thank you.
I'm sorry, ma'am.
Has it changed that much? Quite the opposite.
It hasn't changed at all.
How very peculiar.
It's the Festival of Britain, Mr Porter.
I've never seen Bertram's busier.
The whole of society's descended.
Ah, no, I'm afraid Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today.
Yes, I'm so sorry.
I know, isn't it? - Gosh.
- Just wait until you see the rooms.
Gosh.
Er, no.
I'll carry my own bags, thanks.
Hello, Henry.
I'm back.
This is my dear friend Brigit.
So sorry.
Umoh, just a minute.
There's a band! Did anybody order a band? Whose is the band? - Jane.
- Yes, sir.
Those roses and the tiger skin rug to Mr Vice-Muller's room.
- Now, please.
- Yes, sir.
Excuse me.
Yes, in the pigeonhole, please.
- I am Malinowski.
- Room 321 .
Good evening.
I happened to find this dropped in the street.
I believe the intended recipient is a guest here.
Bess Sedgwick.
Lady Sedgwick does not have a reservation at Bertram's.
Oh, that is such a shame.
I wonder if she could be using another name.
Perhaps you could pass it on.
Thank you so much.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
- Are you all right? - Yes.
Do you have a reservation for us? - Jack Britten.
- And Joel Britten.
We have a twin room.
Miss Walker.
- Can we have two keys? - I'll see to it.
Welcome to Bertram's.
May I say, what an honour.
I hear the Albert Hall is completely sold out.
Well, that's just too kind of you.
Is this enough of a tip? I can never tell with your funny money.
Well, er This way, please.
Jane, is that you? Oh, Jane.
How wonderful to see you.
Selina.
How well you look.
As do you.
And I simply adore your .
.
punctuality.
You remember Sir Richard Blake Blake Air the aviation tycoon.
You remember Sir Richard Blake Blake Air the aviation tycoon.
My third cousin once removed.
We used to summer with him at Mayfield's House.
Till Mummy got ill.
Wonderful man.
Of course, he owned Bertram's.
Not that it's what it once was.
Of course,none of the London hotels are really safe nowadays Heard how many robberies there's been recently? quite shocking.
Now, didn't his plane go down over the Indian Ocean? Sir Richard's? Missing, presumed dead.
Of course,it's over seven years now, so officially he is dead That's the family solicitor down there.
Look at him.
I say - Shifty as a jackdaw.
- Yes, sir? So, the Blake family are gathering for the reading of will? Well, there's only really his daughter Elvira, and her mother of course, if she turns up.
If she's not engaged in high-level discussions with NATO or beating a land-speed record or wrestling with a grizzly bear.
Who wrestles grizzly bears? Bess Sedgwick.
The Bess Sedgwick.
Oh, there's Elvira.
All that money and look at those ghastly shoes.
Oh, hello, Selina.
Keeps her brushed under a rug at finishing school,I believe.
Still, the life Bess Sedgwick leads, hardly surprising.
Oh, no! What's that? Excuse me! Oi! Hey! Mr Armstrong.
My room ain't big enough for the kind of rhythm we got goin' on.
So I was getting to kind of wonder if we could practise here Here? In here? In this room here? Yes.
Yes, of course, Mr Armstrong.
But umfor the sake of the Bertram's reputation, if I could ask you not to be too .
.
jazzy? 1 2 One, two.
1 2 3 4 A one, two, three, four.
Louis, may I join you? Amelia Walker, now the party's started! My goodness.
Isn't that Amelia Walker, the jazz singer? A glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking Now, heaven knows Anything goes Let's go and sit down over here.
Jazzy, babe.
Good authors too who once knew better words Now only use four-letter words Writing prose Anything goes You are a maid, Cooper, not a guest.
The world has gone mad today and good's bad today And black's white today and day's night today And most guys today that women prize today Are just silly gigolos So though Oh, my goodness.
That's Bess Sedgwick.
Hello, world.
Come on, guys.
Pick it up.
Let's go.
Elvira.
Mother.
I hardly recognised you.
My, how you've grown.
How nice you look.
Excuse me? Oh, they're just suggestions.
The sort of thing that a mother might say to her daughter she hasn't seen for six years.
Please, excuse me.
Lady Sedgwickis it? I am Ladislaus Malinowski.
Good to meet you, Mr Malinowski.
- Aren't you that famous racing car driver? - Yes, I am.
Gosh! How exciting! You must tell me all about it when we dance! That's not a good idea, Elvira.
Oh, really? I think it's a marvellous one.
The world has gone mad today And good's bad today And black's white today And day's night today When most guys today that women prize today Are just silly gigolos So though I'm Tilly? Tilly, are you up here? Tilly? Here you are! Mr Humfries has been looking for you.
Mr Humfries can drop dead.
No.
I don't like the taste.
You'll never sound like Marlene Dietrich.
I don't want to! Here who got you that? I got me that.
My ma always said - keep your savings in jewels.
Well, who'd get you savings like them? You're such a goody-goody, Jane Cooper.
Me, I ain't gonna be a maid for the rest of my life.
Good heavens, are these Louis Quinze? Reproductions all of them.
But how can you tell? The difference between genuine Louis Quinze and reproduction Louis Quinze is that genuine Louis Quinze are not left lying around the dining rooms of London hotels.
There you go, sir.
Mickey! What the hell are you doing here? Waiting for you.
You're married.
That I am.
Married a lovely lass, back in Ballygowlan.
So where's the will reading to be? - In the hotel? - No, in Curtain's office.
Sorry! So sorry! Hats, you see.
My hats.
You wear all these? No, no these hats, my hats.
Yes.
Doyouwearyourhats? Why I wear my hats? These ladies' hats.
Mutti gentleman.
How charming may I see? No! Secret hats! My designs client's eyes only! No hats! No hats for you! What an extraordinary fellow.
He's quite famous, you know.
Mutti's of Hanover.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could wear hats like those! Oh, rather but they're so terribly French.
I have toa glass of water Give him some water, quickly! Let's undo his collar.
Don't panic.
Come in.
Evening, ma'am.
- Your cocoa.
- Thank you.
Now there's the smile of a girl with a night off.
Me, ma'am? Oh, no.
Just had some good news is all, ma'am.
Good night.
That's me done.
Night, Tilly.
DIE Good morning.
Oh, how splendid! Thank you? Jane, ma'am.
- Jane Cooper.
- Jane? Well, that's my name.
Jane Marple.
Marple? Oh.
Well, you be enjoying your eggs, won't you, ma'am.
Good morning to you.
Good morning.
Tilly? Tilly, you up here? Chef's asking for you and I said that I'd Thank you.
Right, the National Inspector Bird, Scotland Yard.
Yes, sir.
Ah, Canon Pennyfather, your hat! Oh, thank you! I'd so hate to lose it.
Canon Pennyfather! Canon Roderick Pennyfather? Oh, ah, yes.
You are? Lady Selina Hazy.
You were a magistrate with my husband, oh, 20 years ago at least.
Lady Selina! My goodness! - And how is your husband? - Quite dead.
But please do join us and let us hear all your news.
I'm afraid I have something of a headache but as soon as I've recovered.
My shield is God Most High.
Now, isn't that Psalm 1.
23? You're in for a treat, inspector Bird.
Golden Flowery First Flush Tippy Orange Pekoe.
This fine tea is worth considerably more than its weight in gold.
Mm.
Lovely cuppa.
So, who had contact with the deceased last night, sir? Tilly did the evening orders, so any number of guests.
I'll need to speak with all of them.
Bertram's has a reputation to A girl's been murdered, sir.
Strangled.
Yes, yes, of course.
And if I may say so, Inspector, I was expecting somebody a little more mature from Scotland Yard.
I was 22 when I was made commander of my company in Normandy I saw more there in a week than you'll learn in a lifetime.
So you keep running your nice little hotel, and leave the grown-up police work to me.
Where were you both last night between one and three? In my room, just talking.
You were absent from your post for an hour last night.
I was I was out the back on my break.
For an hour? I was in my room.
Humfries can confirm that.
I ordered room service and he brought it up.
The manager of the hotel brought up your tray? I was in my room with a headache.
I had a headache and retired.
- How are you feeling now? - Much recovered, thank you.
Quite fine.
- I am sorry to hear about Tilly Rice.
- Rice? How do you know her surname? I saw nothing, inspector, but then who ever notices a maid in a hotel? Tilly Rice was wearing a hat, rather like Bess Sedgwick's.
Didn't you design that for her? I design for Lady Bess, yes, but Mutti's hats are not worn by maids! - Well, we were both in our room.
- All night.
- So you saw nothing? - No.
Now, it's MissMarple, is that correct? Yes, inspector, quite correct.
You saw the deceased last night? Yes.
She said she'd had some good news.
But I suppose, whatever that news was, it didn't end up being very good at all, did it? No.
Might I askhow was she killed? She was strangled.
Oh.
Poor creature.
How was she dressed? in a coat and hat, quite smart.
Really? How very odd.
You see, a girl only dresses in a smart hat and coat if she intends to go out of an evening, and yet last night was not her night off.
I wonder, would it possible to see the body? Seesee the body? Madam, this is a police investigation, not an outing of the Darby & Joan.
A murder! And with Bess Sedgwick here! Yes, I'd feel a lot happier if she was out of the picture.
As If I haven't got enough going on We've three Blake Guests expected as it is and I'm almost out of American rooms! Oh, dear.
Balls.
I beg your pardon? That's the problem with balls instead of skeins.
They roll off into the trickiest places.
I should be getting back to my office.
Mr Curtain, I have a question for you.
It's about my death.
Ah, hello.
And I suppose these would be the stairs to the roof? Out of bounds, is it? Pssst! If I'm not too bold, ma'am there is another way to the roof.
Oh.
If I died, what happens to my share of Richard's will? Half would pass to your daughter, and half would go to newly-formed Blake Foundation for Arts.
Of which you are Chief Executive.
It was your husband's, I'm sorry, ex-husband's wish that I be responsible for his continued financial affairs.
Over last seven years,what has happened to Richard's estate? It has been held in trust.
But you mortgaged the casino in Monte Carlo.
- How did you know? - A friend, on the board of the bank.
I had to raise capital to offset some poor investment on Sir Richard's part, so that his loved ones would be provided for.
How philanthropic of you.
So you won't mind my perusing your accounts? Well, I don't have them here.
At the will reading, then.
I'll check through books, make sure everything's in place, just in case anything should happen to me.
Right,lads,let's get the stretcher up here, quick as you can Come on, Constable.
- Poor girl.
- The thing is, ma'am, is that I'm certain that hat's not hers.
I've never seen it before, and Tillyshe'd always be first to show off new clothes.
Really? Well, I don't suppose it will hurt just to have a look.
That's very interesting.
Tell me, Jane, why did you show this to me? Well, I Let's put this back, shall we? It only seems fair to give the police a chance.
My cousin, Louise Stock, was in service at the Bantrys' and she told me all about you, not gossip, please understand we'd not be so bold but just how you notice things and how you solve things.
And Tilly being killed, well nobody's interested in a maid being murdered.
And I thought maybe you could help.
- If I'm not speaking out of turn.
- Of course not.
Cos Tilly had a lot more money than she should've done.
She always kept this diary.
Her last entry, the night she was killed, was this "123" "123" - "Money received.
" - Yeah.
I think "123" was someone she was meeting.
How very interesting.
I'll help however I can.
Thank you, miss, and if you don't mind, I'd like to help too, cos I notice things like what you do.
And what have you noticed at Bertram's? - There's always things going on.
- Excuse me.
Like how this place has never changed.
That's not right.
Tell me, Jane, what is an "American room"? Bertram's makes most of its money from its American visitors The Americans like a little bit of luxury as standard, so we give them extras, like a wireless and a bathroom in their room.
England as you see it here hasn't existed for years but it's what the Americans want, so we make it up for them.
I thought Bertram's was too good to be true.
You look disappointed, miss.
I am.
But I'd always rather know the truth.
- Wouldn't you? - Yes.
Speaking of which, I wonder if you could do a little questioning, on my behalf? Canon! You simply must join us for dinner tonight.
Oh, I'm afraid I can't.
The orphans, you see.
I write to potential benefactors on their behalf.
Nonsense! I insist.
Well, I understand that Bertram's is busy, Humfries.
Heaving, Miss Blake.
But Brigit Milford and I, we're best friends.
And she relies on me.
What if I wasn't there and she needed help, and with all this talk of robberies.
If only you could move her nearer my suite.
It's Room 223.
It's just down the hall.
Room 223 is an American room.
Well, if Daddy were still here Yes, yes, of course, that special room for a special lady.
Really? Thank you! Brigit, nothing is too good for you.
I'll just be a minute.
Mr Malinowski I just wanted to say thanks awfully for such a super ride! In your car, I mean! My pleasure, Miss Blake.
First floor, isn't it? Please, call me Elvira, or El.
Everyone else does.
Or, at least, Brigit does.
Brigit is your friend, with her arm? Polio, yes.
You see, we were just 11 , and one afternoon I insisted that we went swimming in river, even though we weren't supposed to.
She contracted the disease? Contaminated water.
Yes.
The joke of it is, I didn't even go swimming in the end, I just sat there and read.
So, you see, it is my fault, really.
You care for her still? That's what friends are for.
You're very sweet.
This is your floor, Miss Marple.
I'm lucky to have a friend like Brigit.
I mean, when your mother's Bess Sedgwick.
I'm sorry? You're Bess's daughter? Why, does that matter? - Can I see? - Never a work in progress.
We didn't always see eye to eye, me and Tilly, but I do miss her, you know.
Well, she had spirit, that one.
Fire.
You and Tilly were drinking partners.
We'd been known to share the occasional tipple.
Was there something she knew, Mickey? Some secret that could have got her killed? No.
What's all this about? Maybesomething you told her? I said no.
- Still got those talking pipes, then? - Aye.
You can hear everything from here.
- Wie lang? - German, that is.
- I still speak a bit, from my service days.
.
.
mit angekommen.
What's he saying? Something about "waiting for my papers".
- "South America".
- Alles ist vorbel.
.
.
habe ich alles gemacht.
That's all I can make out.
Ich bin nicht die I wish you'd told me you and Mr Malinowski knew each other.
He said he'd never date your daughter out of respect for you.
Which is a shame, really, cos I thought he was jolly nice.
Ladislaus and I were involved in some erm .
.
confidential work.
Why is it that you always get everything that I can't have? You get Mr Malinowski and you get excitement and adventure and you even had Daddy for years longer than I did.
All those stories of him you could have told me but you kept them.
All to yourself.
What's that? Nothing.
It's business.
Is it true that you led a cell in the French Resistance? I'm afraid I can't talk about that.
What more damn secrets? You know, whenever I try to talk to you - I try.
- Elvira, wait.
TONIGH Good afternoon, Elvira.
Are you? Oh, Bess.
Do you know, for a moment there, I really thought - Selina.
- .
.
that you were - Hello, my dear.
- Cousin Selina, hello.
"I Sir Richard Oswald Blake, being of sound mind and body, do hereby leave my fortune and estates to be divided into three equal portions between my daughter from my previous marriage, Elvira Louise Blake, my ex-wife Lady Elizabeth Mary Sedgwick, and to newly-formed Blake Charitable Foundation For Arts.
" That's pretty much it.
A very straightforward will.
Doesn't hemention anyone else? Ahof course.
"And to my third cousin, Lady Selina Hazy, who was always so happy at my Cornish estate, Mayfield House, I leave to you .
.
my lithograph print of it as a happy reminder of the place of which you were so fond.
How charming.
I don't suppose I mean Is it valuable at all? Ah No.
Oh.
- You on a break, Gorman? - Erno, Inspector.
I I was looking for you.
I have some information.
Something I overheard.
One of the guests talking in German.
About wanting his papers, and South America.
What if there's a Nazi at Bertram's? Mr Curtain.
The paperwork? AhI'm afraid it is going to take a little longer Then I'll be round tomorrow at three o'clock sharp.
Let's hope nothing happens to me between now and then.
I'm sure I've seen that before.
Yes.
Like the one at Bertram's.
Copied by the same artist, I expect.
- I'm so glad that's over.
- You poor, poor thing.
Shall we get a taxi? I don't feel like R.
I.
P I'm so sorry about Tilly, Mrs Rice.
I packed up all her things for her.
Nice as I could.
She always thought so highly of you.
- "Jane's one to watch," she used to say.
- Really? Mrs Rice Did she have more money than she ought? Ohyeah.
She said it was him that gave it to her.
That foreigner she was stepping out with.
- Do you remember his name? - Lars something.
- Louse? - Not Ladislaus Malinowski? Filthy monkeys.
- Worse than Jews.
- Hm.
Mr Mutti, Mr Malinowski.
I'm glad I caught you.
Caught us? - An English expression for "met with".
- Ah.
I was wondering if I could see your papers? Our papers? Why should we show you our papers? Well, I say wondering.
I mean insisting.
If you'd be so kind.
You're a resident of Milan, Mr Malinowski? 123 Via Seloria? Celoria.
It is very beautiful, Inspector, if you should Mr Mutti.
Well, this all seems to be in order.
I'm sure you won't mind if I hang onto these to check out.
.
.
outside the back, because of the fans.
Thank you.
Oh! Hold the doors! - Good day, my dear.
- Good day, Miss Walker.
Why is it that you hate my mother so? The way that you looked at her yesterday you'd have shot her if you could.
Some people deserve shootin'.
And I'm afraid, my dear, your mother is one of them.
- What do you mean? - Bess Sedgwick took my husband.
And she didn't give him back.
Good afternoon, madam.
How may I help you? We've been getting the Times and it's not been ordered.
We asked for The Telegraph.
Oh.
Good evening, erJack? It is, Miss Marple, but however could you tell? Well, I did happen to notice.
Aren't you left-handed? Whereas your brother Joel Is right-handed.
That's right.
Ah, I see.
So if I'd been carrying my paper like so Well, thenthat would have been very confusing.
Oh, Selina, how was the will reading? Well, fine.
Fine.
Although Oh.
How odd.
They've moved that painting, the Rembrandt copy.
Mr Curtain had the same one in his office.
It looks like a Vermeer copy now.
- Mr Malinowski.
- Did Bess Sedgwick receive my letter? I'm sure if she had, I wouldn't be able to comment.
Letters.
Threats.
Three women.
Three black hats.
- See what you can find.
- Inspector! I'm so glad to have caught you.
It was the hat, you see.
The hat was all wrong.
Just like Mrs Royston in the post office.
Mrs Royston? The black hat on poor Tilly Rice's head.
Surely you noticed how similar the dead girl was to Elvira Blake.
Are you suggesting the killer mistook Tilly Rice, the maid, for Elvira Blake, the heiress? And have you noticed how very alike mother and daughter are in those hats? You're saying Tilly Rice was killed because someone thought she was Lady Sedgwick? I'm saying there are three people who all look very similar.
One of them is dead, and another .
.
may be in great danger.
Lady Sedgwick happened to drop this.
You said her hat was wrong? I can't quite work it out but it does remind me of Mrs Royston in the post office back in St Mary Mead.
If Mrs Royston saw another woman wearing a coat or a skirt that she liked, she'd always say, "I bought one like that just last week.
" Then she'd rush out to buy the coat or the skirt, rather than let anyone know she was copying.
She always wanted everyone to think she thought of it first.
Oh.
I see.
You do? I'm so glad.
Because, you see, that's what's wrong with the hat.
Underneath, her hair was messy.
Something's going to happen it's going to seem as if it came after poor Tilly's death but reallyit came first.
Some day he'll come along The man I love And he'll be big and strong The man I love And when he comes my way I'll do my best to make him stay He'll look at me and smile I'll understand And in a little while He'll take my hand And though it seems absurd Do you know if the deceased was planning to meet anyone up? - Tilly.
- Sorry? Her name was Tilly.
And, no, she didn't say she was expecting anyone.
A gentleman friend, maybe? If Tilly had planned to step out, she would've been wearing lipstick.
How do you know that she wasn't? Have you been up here already? Didn't need to.
Her cigarette.
No lipstick marks.
That's clever of you to notice that.
Well, just because I wear a pinny don't mean I'm stupid.
No.
Well that's me told.
You can see why she loved it up here.
Look at that view.
- Well, aren't you gonna look? - I've seen it already.
I don't understand you.
You can't be that much older than me and yet and yet you act like you're an old man.
It's been a difficult war.
I've seen that look before.
I thought we were fighting for a better world.
When we come back .
.
nothing had changed.
My sister worked in munitions.
"This is it," she said.
"Equality for women.
" And then the war ends and here I am in service.
But even London looks beautiful from up here.
Yeah.
Yeah, it does.
He'll build a little home Just meant for two From which I'll never roam Who would? Would you? And so all else above I'm waiting for The man I Love - Good evening.
- Good evening, dear.
You're not for the concert tonight, at the Albert Hall? Oh, no, dear.
We're staying in tonight.
Jazz is such ungodly music and "The fool says in his heart, ' There is no God.
"' Psalms 1.
41 .
What is it that's wrong with the plain girl? Rickets? - Polio, I believe.
- Mm.
You can see they're quite devoted to each other.
"But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hopes of the afflicted ever perish.
" Psalms 9.
1 8.
What very interesting quotations you employ, Canon Pennyfather.
Good evening, Miss Marple.
-Have you, by any chance, seen my brother? - I'm sorry Jack.
That's right.
Maybe he's at the concert.
Oh, no.
Neither Joel nor I are fond of jazz.
Well, enjoy your soup.
Where are you Canon of? - Ely, Miss - Really? Why, the Archbishop of York is an old, old friend of family.
He runs his province so well, don't you think? Oh, magnificently, Miss Ooh! Really? Oh, my dear.
Your brother was looking for you just a moment ago.
- He went that way.
- Oh.
Thank you, Lady Hazy.
Well, let's hope that we don't have a repeat of last night's excitement.
Once again, so many apologies, ladies and gentlemen, for the loss of light.
I'm sure, with a little Dunkirk spirit What's with the dicky lights in the dining room? They're A-OK everywhere else.
Oh, dear.
We seem to have lost Canon Pennyfather.
Look at that fog, Jane.
I'm glad I'm not outside on a night like this.
Oh, look.
Even Bess Sedgwick has abandoned her car.
- And she's beaten land speed records.
- Mm.
There's a sniper! Watch out! Get out of the way! Be careful! Somebody do something! First floor! This one! It's locked.
Break it down! Come on! What craziness? - That is enough! - I see him.
I see him.
Where is he? Nothing here.
It was bolted from the inside.
Elvira? Elvira? Mother! Why was he shooting at me? I don't know what's happening.
I just don't understand it.
You knew this was going to happen! "Know" is such a fervent sort of word, Inspector.
I "know" no more than you, but one has to wonder who the real target of the shooting was.
Those hats, you see all so similar.
You mean, did the killer think he was firing at Lady Sedgwick, or did he actually know it was her daughter? But what about her death threat? Certainly the note was not real.
- Nono, of course not.
- Mm.
Actually, you've lost me there.
Who sends a written death threat? Not someone who truly intends to kill the recipient.
It's common sense not to warn them.
I wanted to clear my head, and so I went for a little walk.
I couldn't afford the concert.
My allowance is small.
Until I get my inheritance Can't be cheap staying at Bertram's.
Oh, I stay here for free.
I've been running round Bertram's since I was a little girl.
But now it's all been made so horrible.
I was just coming back from walk and I saw torches burning just like when I was little and Daddy took me for a stroll.
He knew I loved London at night.
And then It hit the ground, right in front of me.
And another one.
And then, that man The man who saved my life.
And then I I justI panicked.
- Where did you get the gun from? - It was Mother's.
I was looking for her last night, but she wasn't in her room so to annoy her, I stole it from her bag.
I'm not feeling up to being questioned.
You told me you were in your room the night Tilly Rice was strangled.
That isn't true, is it? No comment.
Someone ran the bath of your room, and let it flood the ceiling of the rooms below.
Someone must have come in when I wasn't there.
Who would want to do that? Plasterers.
Making work for themselves.
There's a recession on,Inspector.
But if you weren't in your room when the bath was run, were you anywhere near room 123? Inspector, how many hands does it take to operate a rifle? Of the type we found, two.
Yes, of course.
I'm sorry to have taken your time, Miss Milford.
I was at the concert from start to finish, Inspector, as I have already said.
And what brought you to Bertram's? I have a flight from London Airport to Lucerne.
Tomorrow morning.
A flight which I will now miss.
But the real reason for your stay - is to design hats? Ja.
In Berlin now there is no hat industry.
But then in Berlin now, there is no hats.
And no industry.
During the war were you loyal to Germany? My war record is classified.
This is a murder investigation.
I do not answer to police inspectors.
Maybe you're not used to it being that way, but you're in Britain now.
And don't I know it.
Don't it ever stop raining here? - Why did you use the back stairs? - To avoid the fans.
You know, they think they own you.
- Is there anything else? - One thing.
What can you tell me about the shooting? The lights all fused before it started just as I was looking for my brother.
Did you find him? Yes, we were in the morning room when the shots were fired.
Thank youer, Jack, isn't it? Joel, Inspector.
Don't worry, it happens all the time.
Bleeding hell! Watch where you're going! Or do I have heart attack every time I walk round a corner? "Bleeding hell"? Wellthe situation asked for it.
It's not like I'm addicted to blue language, is it? Anyway,I was wondering, Brigit Milford Miss Elvira's friend.
Do you think she was? I know what you're thinking.
Her hand.
No.
I've checked her medical records and there's no question of her faking it.
Oh.
- Well - Well - I'd best be going.
- I'll let you get on Well, good night, miss.
Jane.
It's Jane.
Oh, Jane, it's the queerest thing, but I just don't seem to have any money any more.
I can't even pay my bill here but I thought, if Richard had left me just a little money Well, now it's dreaded Plan B sell Mummy's beautiful necklace.
Selina, I had no idea.
Well, it's only rocks and metal after all.
I'm sure worse things happen at sea.
Oh, no! They've been But II put them in the safe! They should have beensafe.
Quite expertly cracked.
Oh, Jane.
What am I going to do? Selina, my dear.
This makes things very complicated.
Three Blake Guests we're expecting three I've had to put them all off.
And the merchandise The Buyer can view at my office.
- There's plenty of it there.
- I hope you're right.
I'm not happy at all with this situation.
Oh, do stop - What is a Blake Guest? - I'm not sure, except we get them every few weeks.
They always arrive by Blake Air, and it's always at night.
They never have to pay for their bills and we're always told that they're not to be disturbed.
They just stay in their rooms, until one nightthey've gone again.
I wonderhow many "Blake Guests" are in the hotel at present? just one - So who occupies this room? - A Mr Jackson.
I've never seen him.
He booked the room four weeks in advance.
I assumed he was an aficionado of the oriental style.
So "Mr Jackson" could be anyone.
Oh, I'm hardly qualified to comment on police work, Inspector.
I just get on with running my nice little hotel.
Room 123.
I wondered if it was significant.
This window gives the best shot of the street.
That's why Mr Jackson, our sniper, wanted it kept at his disposal.
Not that I expect "Mr Jackson" is his real name.
No, and I think Tilly knew exactly who Mr Jackson was, and maybe even what he was up to.
By chance this diary fell into my possession.
Tilly Rice, the murdered maid.
"123", and next to it, "money received".
I reckon Tilly was blackmailing Mr Jackson, and that's what got her killed.
I wonder, Inspector, if we could go over events.
The sniper fired from this window, and when you broke down the door Which was locked and bolted from the inside.
the sniper had vanished.
But Elvira Blake said she saw the sniper from the street.
She saw the rifle resting on the windowsill but can we really be sure she saw any more than that? But where did he go? Not out the window.
There were witnesses in the street.
Joel and we were outside that door the whole time! And, anyway, the door was bolted from the inside.
What if the sniper had already left before you got here? When you forced the door, this part of the bolt was ripped from the door frame, right? Just like Mrs Royston in the post office.
You mean, something happened after it seemed to? Well, almost.
in this case, I think it happened before.
- Wouldn't you say, Jane? - Oh, yes.
You see these holes? Notice anything odd about them, Inspector? They've been unscrewed.
Not ripped out by force.
The killer unscrewed this before the shooting then drew the bolt into it.
When he left, he shut the door.
You thought that you'd ripped it out the frame.
But it was never in the frame.
Right, so he locked the door from the outside.
But then where did he go? I came this way, and no-one passed Amelia Walker on the back stairs.
And yet the sniper cannot have simply vanished.
Look, it's erhighly improper of me to even ask this but .
.
do you have any idea what happened? No, Inspector.
Not yet.
But it's interesting, don't you think, the killer needed us to be moved from Victoria Dining Rooms and into the Morning Room before shooting could take place? I believe everything we saw was designed as a spectacle - a show which required its audience.
That's why the killer had us moved - so that we could see properly into the street.
Which does rather point us in a definite direction, don't you think? Yes.
Like what? That Mickey Gorman was always the intended target.
Well, he kept his paintings down here.
Oh.
MG.
Mickey Gorman.
Look.
It's the same woman.
Same dress, same posture.
He was sweet on her, whoever she was.
And she broke his heart.
Look at where he placed her- always just out of reach.
This is love, but from afar.
Lizzy.
Mickey had a wife called Lizzy, back in Ballygowlan.
But you wouldn't recognise her.
Not from any of this.
Oh, no.
Jane, look closely.
Look at her necklace.
Miss Marple, I've got a bit of a theory coming on.
Mickey Gorman was a very talented painter.
What if he did these, got him mixed up in sort of art fraud? 'Cos then he'd be worth shutting up.
Forgery? Hm.
I wonder.
Unless, of course, it's quite the opposite.
Come on, we're late.
All right, all right, I'm coming.
Mr Malinowski? Housekeeping.
What are you doing? Oh, sir! You startled me.
I said, what are you doing? Just turning down the bed.
Like I do every morning.
- Oh, Lord! - What? A face! At the window! There is nothing here.
Oh.
I must have been spooked.
What with the shooting, and that.
I'm so sorry, sir.
Do you want me to come back later? Later? To turn down your bed.
No.
I'm not bothered by such things.
Sorry, sir.
Very well, sir.
Wait.
Your keys.
Oh.
I'd forget my own head.
What were you doing in there, Miss Cooper? Nothing, Inspector.
Miss Cooper, I know you've been talking with Miss Marple, who is, I have discovered, a very nosy lady.
Please Stay safe.
- Me? - Yeah.
I'm so close, Bess.
I'm certain.
If the police don't ruin Lady Sedgwick.
Your necklace is very beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
But I can't help but feel I've seen it before, in a painting by Mickey Gorman.
Bess.
Elizabeth.
- Lizzy.
- Don't call me that.
It was his name for you, wasn't it? Mickey.
Your husband.
Yes.
We married in Ballygowlan.
A wonderful, bloody-minded man, you've never known the like.
It couldn't last.
My family soon saw to that.
You never stopped loving him? Was he my father? No, Elvira.
I was younger than you when I married Mickey.
You came many years later.
Then why did he come here? Because he was a gentleman.
He would never approach me until Richard had legally been declared dead.
That's the measure of the man Mickey Gorman was.
Elvira, you don't seem entirely surprised.
I'm not.
Please don't think I was prying, but I found these letters, after Daddy died.
Well, there was one from Grandmama where it all came out.
I was so I was so terribly rude to him.
Mickey, I mean.
I thought he'd come to cause trouble.
Oh, no, Mickey wouldn't do that.
Now, I have a lawyer to intimidate.
Curtain? But you're not seeing him till three.
That's what he thinks.
The element of surprise, Elvira.
Perhaps the two of you could go together.
I always find a journey is such an excellent opportunity tocatch up.
Don't you think? I'm sorry! Do you have an appointment? - Just get out of my way.
- You can't just Mr Curtain! Oh, Lord.
Stop him! Thank you, Miss Tibbs.
That will be all.
- Shall I call the police? - No! Certificates, receipts And some very interesting sales records.
You've been doing a lot of trading on the Blake estate behind all our backs.
For your own good.
You filthy liar.
This paperwork proves it.
The funds you raised were flowing into your pockets! Those dockets prove nothing! Then why were you trying to burn them? Well, I And what will you do now? Go to the police? You think I'm afraid of scandal? None of this will stand up in court.
Then I'll administer my own justice.
Put it down, Lady Sedgwick.
Now.
- I told you no police! - I didn't call them, I swear! We had an anonymous tip-off, Mr Curtain.
Looks like I arrived just in time.
Yes.
Yes! Arrest this madwoman! No, Mr Curtain, the anonymous tip-off was about you.
Someone thinks you've been writing nasty letters.
Me? What? Never! In that case, you won't mind me having a little look.
But I've never seen that before.
Hubert Curtain, I am arresting you for the attempted murder of Lady Bess Sedgwick, and for the manslaughter of Mickey Gorman.
- You weasel.
- Better a weasel than an old witch! Old? Miss Marple was right.
It isn't a copy.
It's the exact same one that was hanging at Bertram's.
Art expert are you now, Jane? It's the frame I recognise.
The amount of times I've dusted it.
You see this T scratched in there? But why is it here? - Yes, madam? - Bertram's Hotel, please.
Ma'am.
Mother? I'm so sorry about Mickey Gorman.
You must have loved him very much.
Yes.
Mickey.
He was so I never meant to be a terrible mother.
- Please, you don't - It's the fear, you see.
To love something so much, and, well For one's own life to be so terribly dangerous.
I could face anything except the thought of something happening to you.
So I put up walls between us, to keep you safe.
I won't fail you again.
What the devil's going on, Inspector? I've been speaking to Rembrandt expert from National Gallery Apparently our fake Rembrandt is the worst kind of copy.
- What's wrong with it? - It's the original.
Right, I want everything that looks remotely valuable catalogued before the experts get here.
- What happened to that painting? - What painting? I want that Vermeer, Humfries! And I want answers! Humfries and Curtain are refusing to say anything, but the Rembrandt is real.
I expect you'd already guessed that.
I had my suspicions.
You see, everyone assumes paintings on public display in a hotel are copies, without actually checking.
It's quite the best place to hide a genuine work of art.
In plain sight.
But why move one to Curtain's office? I would imagine he had a buyer lined up.
With all the police at Bertram's following the murder, the buyer would have to view the goods at Curtain's office.
And the death threat you found at Mr Curtain's? Same handwriting as the one in the reading room.
Of course, he's claiming it was planted.
And do you think Mr Curtain was the sniper in Room 123, Inspector? Well, if he was, I don't know how he did it.
Vanished into thin air.
I mean, he's not the invisible Man.
All right.
So, persons unknown flood a bath fusing the lights, so the diners are relocated here to allow a proper view of the street.
But why? Because in some way what we thought we saw on the night of the shooting was not what actually took place.
I keep seeing the events of the evening in my mind, and something is wrong.
Some little detail.
But through that, lies the answer to everything.
If she was there, and the sniper was there, then surely But then it could only be possible if one person could be in two places at the same time.
Of course! The hand! it was the wrong hand! Er war's! Er war's! It was him! I'll kill you.
I'll kill you.
Put the gun down and step away from Canon Pennyfather.
- Now! - Inspector, it's not what it seems.
Filth.
Monster.
Nazi.
You will pay for what you've done! Oh, dear Lord, please! I don't know what he's talking about! Oh, I think you do, Canon Pennyfather.
Or whatever your real name is.
Ladislaus, put the gun down.
There must be a trial for his kind.
Or they win.
The bumbling, forgetful curate like something from a play, or a story, but who didn't know his Bible or his Diocese.
I noticed, Canon, how you only ever quoted from Psalms.
And you thought church in Ely fell under province of friend the Archbishop of York.
But Ely is under the Province of Canterbury, not York.
Du Hexe! Rassenbeschmutzer! Ihr dreckigen Judenschwein! This man is Herman Koch.
"The Butcher of Riga".
Schwein! But aren't you a Nazi too? A Nazi hunter, Inspector.
Mr Malinowski's cigarette case with the swastika design - no real Nazi would carry around clues like that.
But someone trying to bring a Nazi out into the open This man murdered my family, and stole the treasures from my home.
Of course the Rembrandt.
You came over all faint the day that you arrived here.
I thought you were staring at Lady Sedgwick but you weren't.
You were staring at the painting behind her.
Ja.
And when I saw it, I knew he must be here.
This morning I met an associate and he confirmed from my photographic evidence that this man is "The Butcher of Riga"! It's true.
I've been helping Ladislaus since he ran.
Look here, this has absolutely nothing to do with Bertram's Hotel.
Nazis, war criminals But that's what a "Blake guest" is, isn't it, Mr Humfries? A Nazi on the run, flown in on Blake Air, swapping their stolen treasures for a passage to a safe country.
How dare you.
You You maid! Yeah, well, you'll be doing your own cleaning, where you're going.
So Canon Pennyfather wasn't Canon Penny father? I'm afraid not.
You see, the real Canon Pennyfather is holidaying in Lucerne and it was very easy to steal his identity.
Right, let's go back to the beginning.
Tilly Rice was strangled on the roof.
But why? It was her hat, you see.
It was all wrong.
Tilly was strangled, but her hat was pinned down tight so her hair underneath should have been neat, but It wasn't, it was messy.
Which means the hat was pinned in place after she was murdered.
This is ridiculous.
Who is this girl playing detective? Go on, Jane.
The hat created a false connection.
If Tilly had been mistaken for Lady Sedgwick, then Lady Sedgwick would have been the killer's real target.
The death threats were just a smokescreen.
Mickey Gorman was always the sniper's intended victim.
You see, the killer wanted us to believe that the death of Mickey Gorman came after the death of Tilly Rice, and, of course, in strict chronological sense it did.
But the plan of it had always come long before.
Did the killer send the fake death threats to me? - Yes, Lady Sedgwick.
- Then the killer was Mr Curtain.
But I have never seen that before.
- No, that - Well, I wouldn't - Sorry.
- No, it's all right, you go on.
Please.
No, Mr Curtain wasn't the murderer.
The letters were planted in his office by the real killer.
Mr Malinowski? Why didn't you tell us you were courting Tilly Rice? Courting? No! She was my informant in the hotel.
There you go, sir.
My eyes and ears in the hunt for Herman Koch.
I went to see her the night she died and she told me she had to meet someone afterwards.
That's what Tilly called the killer in her diary.
Tilly was blackmailing 123 about something that Mickey Gorman told her when he was drunk.
Tilly thought that 123 would make her rich, but, instead, 123 killed her.
Tilly codenamed the killer 123 because she saw them in Room 1 23 when they never should have been there.
It never ceases to amaze me.
No matter how complicated these affairs seem to be, they always boil down to one thing.
Money.
Lady Sedgwick was about to inherit a vast fortune from her ex-husband, as was her daughter Elvira.
Mr Curtain was about to take responsibility for a third of the entire Blake estate.
Even you had a motive, Lady Selina.
Me? If Bess and Elvira died, you would inherit Mayfield House.
But surely you don't suspect You have to be clear on where everyone was.
Miss Marple and Lady Selina were in the morning room, and Mr Humfries was there too.
Amelia Walker was coming up the back stairs and Miss Blake was in the street.
Lady Sedgwick and Mr Malinowski were caught in the fog, and Mr Mutti and Mr Curtain were to arrive later on foot.
Both Joel and I were in the morning room with you.
Then I helped you break down the door to Room 123.
Oh, no.
There was only one twin present that night.
- But you saw both of us.
- No.
We saw two sets of clothes on one person.
Have you seen my brother? Your brother was looking for you.
All you did was change your clothes.
I saw your clip-on ties.
Perfect for a quick change act.
Anyone would have thought they'd seen both of you, when in fact, Jack was elsewhere in the hotel for the best part of an hour.
This is ridiculous! You can't possibly know But I can, my dear.
You remember when we passed in the lobby? It wasn't what hand you were holding your paper in that gave you away If I'd been carrying my paper .
.
it was your watch.
.
.
like so.
You wear your watches on different wrists.
It was the wrong hand.
But we didn't kill Mickey Gorman.
No.
You were too busy stealing Lady Selina's jewels.
Oh, my goodness! Oh! How can I ever? Get your hands off me! I should like to telephone my solicitor! Be quiet! With Tilly out the way, 123 put their master plan into action The murder of Mickey Gorman.
But what was it that Mickey Gorman and Tilly Rice knew? They knew about Ballygowlan.
A small town in Ireland, where Mickey Gorman married a very young Bess Sedgwick.
What of it? I'm not ashamed.
We did a little investigation at records office in Somerset.
The secret of Ballygowlan wasn't that you were married to Mickey Gorman, it's that you were never divorced.
Damn you all to hell! Yes.
I killed Mickey Gorman and Tilly Rice.
I wasn't going to let them between me and Richard's estate.
They knew the will was invalid.
Sir Richard left the money to his "ex-wife".
But as a bigamist, you were never married to Sir Richard.
Aren't you the clever one, Inspector? I thought sending myself notes was a cunning touch, and putting one in Curtain's office.
You shot at Elvira and dressed Tilly in the hat.
Yes! And it was a damn good plan! Mother! I'm sorry, Elvira.
I'm sorry for everything.
No! But you're not going to get me alive! I've always said whatever else a woman may be, once she is a mother, her child comes first.
But this isn't the way to help her.
This is your mother's attempt to make amends, my dear.
To give her freedom in exchange for yours.
We both know Bess Sedgwick was not the killer in Room 1 23, and she couldn't have strangled Tilly Rice.
At the time Tilly died you were with Mickey Gorman, weren't you, Lady Sedgwick? But then, Miss Blake The note you had already received.
You planted it not to throw suspicion onto Mr Curtain, but away from Elvira.
Because 123 was your own daughter.
If Brigit was to enjoy any quality of life, you'd need a great deal of money.
The will stipulated your inheritance was to be paid to "my daughter by my first marriage".
But as the marriage was never lawful, Mickey Gorman and Tilly Rice knew enough to cost you your entire fortune.
There you go sir.
1 One 2 Two 3 Three.
Tilly Rice was blackmailing you.
So it was you she was planning on meeting up on the roof.
But it can't have been me that shot Mickey Gorman.
I was in the street when the sniper fired.
Of course, the crime needed two people to work.
Yourself and Brigit.
That's why you wanted an American room for Brigit.
Because American rooms are the only ones with an en suite bath.
Brigit left her bath to run over and fuse electrics below.
Knowing the guests would be moved to the morning room to witness the shooting.
Oh! But I couldn't have fired a rifle.
No.
Because the sniper was you, Elvira.
Think, Jane.
The hand was wrong.
Of course! That's so clever! Miss Cooper, for those of us not so intellectually gifted Brigit must've left the hotel first, dressed as Elvira.
Then doubled back on herself and put on the hat and a veil.
Is that right? Brigit then approached the hotel in full view of us all.
Elvira fired at her feet.
You're an excellent shot, like your mother, and when Gorman ran out you killed him in cold blood.
Then, knowing staff are never noticed, you slipped down the back stairs disguised as a maid.
As you said, you spent your childhood at Bertram's.
Who knows its hidden routes and corners better? Your knowledge of the hotel allowed you to creep up behind Brigit.
Then you stepped forward, firing again at the non-existent sniper.
Almost perfect.
But you had given yourself away.
I see him! You see, Brigit has no use of her right hand, and so she fired with her left.
Once you took over, you used your right hand.
As with the Britten twins, the hand was wrong.
Well, that's quite a theory.
Oh, El, you're more than I deserve, but I can't live with this guilt.
You're right.
Elvira did it all for me.
When I found out that Mickey Gorman had got a job here, I thought he'd come to blackmail me.
I swear, Mother, I didn't know he'd only come for you.
Right, miss.
Mother.
Come with us, please.
- That's it.
- No! I'm sorry, Mother.
I'm so sorry! I forgive you.
I forgive you! What I did, I did for good reasons.
You murdered two people in cold blood.
No, young lady, there is nothing good about what you have done at Bertram's Hotel.
But then what happened to the other painting, the Vermeer? I think we're about to find out.
Miss Walker? Mr Curtain's secretary tells me you've been a regular visitor to his office over the last few days.
You were the buyer Mr Curtain had lined up for the painting weren't you? If you believe I have the missing Vermeer, Inspector, please feel free to check my luggage.
Do you always travel with this, Miss Walker? I used to play a bit myself.
Bit rusty now.
Always hated the scales.
Open her up, lads.
Well, I'd better get my money back.
Mr Mutti.
It's home.
Oh, my fathers, they are both home.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
It's my pleasure, sir.
What's the matter, Jane? I was so stupid.
Thinking it was Lady Sedgwick.
How can I ever be as good as you? Get older.
Miss Cooper? Jane.
Um, I wonder if I could um - Excuse me! - Well, if you would be so good as to er Er, if you'd maybe like to consider You're the most wonderful, intelligent, beautiful woman I've ever met.
When I first saw you, you took my breath away and it hasn't come back yet.
Excuse me.
When I'm near you I feel drunk, or dizzy, or drunk and dizzy, and like I'm walking on air.
Inspector Bird.
And whatever you think of me, - if there's any hope you could - Inspector Bird! Yes? What's your first name? Excuse me.
It's Larry.
Larry Bird.
Well, Larry Bird, whatever it is you're trying to ask me, my answer is yes.
Oh, Jane.
I don't know what to I don't know what to Ssh.
Afternoon, Miss Marple.
Oh, good afternoon.
How nice to see a familiar face.
Enjoyed yourself, have you? Well, it's certainly not the Bertram's I remember.
- I'm sorry to hear that.
- But it's nice as usual.
Miss Marple! I just had to tell you.
Larry Inspector Bird - he's asked me to go away with him.
And get married? No, just live together, and see how things work out.
He says, after the War, that's the way things should happen.
Actually, I said that, and then he agreed with me.
And you'd leave Bertram's? Larry said it's only a matter of time before women are allowed into the police force, and I thought maybe I could.
What do you think? I think it sounds exactly like the sort of thing I would never have done at your age.
But always wish I had.
Things are changing, Jane.
And I think for the better.
Good luck, my dear.
Thank you, Miss Marple.
You've changed my life.
Jane! Well, at least that's real.
Miss Marple.
Miss Marple.
Go on PICCADILLY LONDON 1891 Sir.
Ma'am.
- Afternoon, Miss Evershot.
- Good afternoon.
- And this must be your little niece.
- Indeed.
Then it gives me pleasure to welcome you to Bertram's Hotel.
Miss Marple.
There you go, miss.
- Enjoy your stay.
- Thank you.
Straight off the press! Missing millionaire pronounced dead after seven years.
Who gets the fortune? Buy the news, get the scoop.
Is this your first visit to Bertram's, ma'am? Miss Marple.
I used to stay here often but a very long time ago.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you back to Bertram's Hotel, Miss Marple.
Thank you.
I'm sorry, ma'am.
Has it changed that much? Quite the opposite.
It hasn't changed at all.
How very peculiar.
It's the Festival of Britain, Mr Porter.
I've never seen Bertram's busier.
The whole of society's descended.
Ah, no, I'm afraid Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today.
Yes, I'm so sorry.
I know, isn't it? - Gosh.
- Just wait until you see the rooms.
Gosh.
Er, no.
I'll carry my own bags, thanks.
Hello, Henry.
I'm back.
This is my dear friend Brigit.
So sorry.
Umoh, just a minute.
There's a band! Did anybody order a band? Whose is the band? - Jane.
- Yes, sir.
Those roses and the tiger skin rug to Mr Vice-Muller's room.
- Now, please.
- Yes, sir.
Excuse me.
Yes, in the pigeonhole, please.
- I am Malinowski.
- Room 321 .
Good evening.
I happened to find this dropped in the street.
I believe the intended recipient is a guest here.
Bess Sedgwick.
Lady Sedgwick does not have a reservation at Bertram's.
Oh, that is such a shame.
I wonder if she could be using another name.
Perhaps you could pass it on.
Thank you so much.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
- Are you all right? - Yes.
Do you have a reservation for us? - Jack Britten.
- And Joel Britten.
We have a twin room.
Miss Walker.
- Can we have two keys? - I'll see to it.
Welcome to Bertram's.
May I say, what an honour.
I hear the Albert Hall is completely sold out.
Well, that's just too kind of you.
Is this enough of a tip? I can never tell with your funny money.
Well, er This way, please.
Jane, is that you? Oh, Jane.
How wonderful to see you.
Selina.
How well you look.
As do you.
And I simply adore your .
.
punctuality.
You remember Sir Richard Blake Blake Air the aviation tycoon.
You remember Sir Richard Blake Blake Air the aviation tycoon.
My third cousin once removed.
We used to summer with him at Mayfield's House.
Till Mummy got ill.
Wonderful man.
Of course, he owned Bertram's.
Not that it's what it once was.
Of course,none of the London hotels are really safe nowadays Heard how many robberies there's been recently? quite shocking.
Now, didn't his plane go down over the Indian Ocean? Sir Richard's? Missing, presumed dead.
Of course,it's over seven years now, so officially he is dead That's the family solicitor down there.
Look at him.
I say - Shifty as a jackdaw.
- Yes, sir? So, the Blake family are gathering for the reading of will? Well, there's only really his daughter Elvira, and her mother of course, if she turns up.
If she's not engaged in high-level discussions with NATO or beating a land-speed record or wrestling with a grizzly bear.
Who wrestles grizzly bears? Bess Sedgwick.
The Bess Sedgwick.
Oh, there's Elvira.
All that money and look at those ghastly shoes.
Oh, hello, Selina.
Keeps her brushed under a rug at finishing school,I believe.
Still, the life Bess Sedgwick leads, hardly surprising.
Oh, no! What's that? Excuse me! Oi! Hey! Mr Armstrong.
My room ain't big enough for the kind of rhythm we got goin' on.
So I was getting to kind of wonder if we could practise here Here? In here? In this room here? Yes.
Yes, of course, Mr Armstrong.
But umfor the sake of the Bertram's reputation, if I could ask you not to be too .
.
jazzy? 1 2 One, two.
1 2 3 4 A one, two, three, four.
Louis, may I join you? Amelia Walker, now the party's started! My goodness.
Isn't that Amelia Walker, the jazz singer? A glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking Now, heaven knows Anything goes Let's go and sit down over here.
Jazzy, babe.
Good authors too who once knew better words Now only use four-letter words Writing prose Anything goes You are a maid, Cooper, not a guest.
The world has gone mad today and good's bad today And black's white today and day's night today And most guys today that women prize today Are just silly gigolos So though Oh, my goodness.
That's Bess Sedgwick.
Hello, world.
Come on, guys.
Pick it up.
Let's go.
Elvira.
Mother.
I hardly recognised you.
My, how you've grown.
How nice you look.
Excuse me? Oh, they're just suggestions.
The sort of thing that a mother might say to her daughter she hasn't seen for six years.
Please, excuse me.
Lady Sedgwickis it? I am Ladislaus Malinowski.
Good to meet you, Mr Malinowski.
- Aren't you that famous racing car driver? - Yes, I am.
Gosh! How exciting! You must tell me all about it when we dance! That's not a good idea, Elvira.
Oh, really? I think it's a marvellous one.
The world has gone mad today And good's bad today And black's white today And day's night today When most guys today that women prize today Are just silly gigolos So though I'm Tilly? Tilly, are you up here? Tilly? Here you are! Mr Humfries has been looking for you.
Mr Humfries can drop dead.
No.
I don't like the taste.
You'll never sound like Marlene Dietrich.
I don't want to! Here who got you that? I got me that.
My ma always said - keep your savings in jewels.
Well, who'd get you savings like them? You're such a goody-goody, Jane Cooper.
Me, I ain't gonna be a maid for the rest of my life.
Good heavens, are these Louis Quinze? Reproductions all of them.
But how can you tell? The difference between genuine Louis Quinze and reproduction Louis Quinze is that genuine Louis Quinze are not left lying around the dining rooms of London hotels.
There you go, sir.
Mickey! What the hell are you doing here? Waiting for you.
You're married.
That I am.
Married a lovely lass, back in Ballygowlan.
So where's the will reading to be? - In the hotel? - No, in Curtain's office.
Sorry! So sorry! Hats, you see.
My hats.
You wear all these? No, no these hats, my hats.
Yes.
Doyouwearyourhats? Why I wear my hats? These ladies' hats.
Mutti gentleman.
How charming may I see? No! Secret hats! My designs client's eyes only! No hats! No hats for you! What an extraordinary fellow.
He's quite famous, you know.
Mutti's of Hanover.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could wear hats like those! Oh, rather but they're so terribly French.
I have toa glass of water Give him some water, quickly! Let's undo his collar.
Don't panic.
Come in.
Evening, ma'am.
- Your cocoa.
- Thank you.
Now there's the smile of a girl with a night off.
Me, ma'am? Oh, no.
Just had some good news is all, ma'am.
Good night.
That's me done.
Night, Tilly.
DIE Good morning.
Oh, how splendid! Thank you? Jane, ma'am.
- Jane Cooper.
- Jane? Well, that's my name.
Jane Marple.
Marple? Oh.
Well, you be enjoying your eggs, won't you, ma'am.
Good morning to you.
Good morning.
Tilly? Tilly, you up here? Chef's asking for you and I said that I'd Thank you.
Right, the National Inspector Bird, Scotland Yard.
Yes, sir.
Ah, Canon Pennyfather, your hat! Oh, thank you! I'd so hate to lose it.
Canon Pennyfather! Canon Roderick Pennyfather? Oh, ah, yes.
You are? Lady Selina Hazy.
You were a magistrate with my husband, oh, 20 years ago at least.
Lady Selina! My goodness! - And how is your husband? - Quite dead.
But please do join us and let us hear all your news.
I'm afraid I have something of a headache but as soon as I've recovered.
My shield is God Most High.
Now, isn't that Psalm 1.
23? You're in for a treat, inspector Bird.
Golden Flowery First Flush Tippy Orange Pekoe.
This fine tea is worth considerably more than its weight in gold.
Mm.
Lovely cuppa.
So, who had contact with the deceased last night, sir? Tilly did the evening orders, so any number of guests.
I'll need to speak with all of them.
Bertram's has a reputation to A girl's been murdered, sir.
Strangled.
Yes, yes, of course.
And if I may say so, Inspector, I was expecting somebody a little more mature from Scotland Yard.
I was 22 when I was made commander of my company in Normandy I saw more there in a week than you'll learn in a lifetime.
So you keep running your nice little hotel, and leave the grown-up police work to me.
Where were you both last night between one and three? In my room, just talking.
You were absent from your post for an hour last night.
I was I was out the back on my break.
For an hour? I was in my room.
Humfries can confirm that.
I ordered room service and he brought it up.
The manager of the hotel brought up your tray? I was in my room with a headache.
I had a headache and retired.
- How are you feeling now? - Much recovered, thank you.
Quite fine.
- I am sorry to hear about Tilly Rice.
- Rice? How do you know her surname? I saw nothing, inspector, but then who ever notices a maid in a hotel? Tilly Rice was wearing a hat, rather like Bess Sedgwick's.
Didn't you design that for her? I design for Lady Bess, yes, but Mutti's hats are not worn by maids! - Well, we were both in our room.
- All night.
- So you saw nothing? - No.
Now, it's MissMarple, is that correct? Yes, inspector, quite correct.
You saw the deceased last night? Yes.
She said she'd had some good news.
But I suppose, whatever that news was, it didn't end up being very good at all, did it? No.
Might I askhow was she killed? She was strangled.
Oh.
Poor creature.
How was she dressed? in a coat and hat, quite smart.
Really? How very odd.
You see, a girl only dresses in a smart hat and coat if she intends to go out of an evening, and yet last night was not her night off.
I wonder, would it possible to see the body? Seesee the body? Madam, this is a police investigation, not an outing of the Darby & Joan.
A murder! And with Bess Sedgwick here! Yes, I'd feel a lot happier if she was out of the picture.
As If I haven't got enough going on We've three Blake Guests expected as it is and I'm almost out of American rooms! Oh, dear.
Balls.
I beg your pardon? That's the problem with balls instead of skeins.
They roll off into the trickiest places.
I should be getting back to my office.
Mr Curtain, I have a question for you.
It's about my death.
Ah, hello.
And I suppose these would be the stairs to the roof? Out of bounds, is it? Pssst! If I'm not too bold, ma'am there is another way to the roof.
Oh.
If I died, what happens to my share of Richard's will? Half would pass to your daughter, and half would go to newly-formed Blake Foundation for Arts.
Of which you are Chief Executive.
It was your husband's, I'm sorry, ex-husband's wish that I be responsible for his continued financial affairs.
Over last seven years,what has happened to Richard's estate? It has been held in trust.
But you mortgaged the casino in Monte Carlo.
- How did you know? - A friend, on the board of the bank.
I had to raise capital to offset some poor investment on Sir Richard's part, so that his loved ones would be provided for.
How philanthropic of you.
So you won't mind my perusing your accounts? Well, I don't have them here.
At the will reading, then.
I'll check through books, make sure everything's in place, just in case anything should happen to me.
Right,lads,let's get the stretcher up here, quick as you can Come on, Constable.
- Poor girl.
- The thing is, ma'am, is that I'm certain that hat's not hers.
I've never seen it before, and Tillyshe'd always be first to show off new clothes.
Really? Well, I don't suppose it will hurt just to have a look.
That's very interesting.
Tell me, Jane, why did you show this to me? Well, I Let's put this back, shall we? It only seems fair to give the police a chance.
My cousin, Louise Stock, was in service at the Bantrys' and she told me all about you, not gossip, please understand we'd not be so bold but just how you notice things and how you solve things.
And Tilly being killed, well nobody's interested in a maid being murdered.
And I thought maybe you could help.
- If I'm not speaking out of turn.
- Of course not.
Cos Tilly had a lot more money than she should've done.
She always kept this diary.
Her last entry, the night she was killed, was this "123" "123" - "Money received.
" - Yeah.
I think "123" was someone she was meeting.
How very interesting.
I'll help however I can.
Thank you, miss, and if you don't mind, I'd like to help too, cos I notice things like what you do.
And what have you noticed at Bertram's? - There's always things going on.
- Excuse me.
Like how this place has never changed.
That's not right.
Tell me, Jane, what is an "American room"? Bertram's makes most of its money from its American visitors The Americans like a little bit of luxury as standard, so we give them extras, like a wireless and a bathroom in their room.
England as you see it here hasn't existed for years but it's what the Americans want, so we make it up for them.
I thought Bertram's was too good to be true.
You look disappointed, miss.
I am.
But I'd always rather know the truth.
- Wouldn't you? - Yes.
Speaking of which, I wonder if you could do a little questioning, on my behalf? Canon! You simply must join us for dinner tonight.
Oh, I'm afraid I can't.
The orphans, you see.
I write to potential benefactors on their behalf.
Nonsense! I insist.
Well, I understand that Bertram's is busy, Humfries.
Heaving, Miss Blake.
But Brigit Milford and I, we're best friends.
And she relies on me.
What if I wasn't there and she needed help, and with all this talk of robberies.
If only you could move her nearer my suite.
It's Room 223.
It's just down the hall.
Room 223 is an American room.
Well, if Daddy were still here Yes, yes, of course, that special room for a special lady.
Really? Thank you! Brigit, nothing is too good for you.
I'll just be a minute.
Mr Malinowski I just wanted to say thanks awfully for such a super ride! In your car, I mean! My pleasure, Miss Blake.
First floor, isn't it? Please, call me Elvira, or El.
Everyone else does.
Or, at least, Brigit does.
Brigit is your friend, with her arm? Polio, yes.
You see, we were just 11 , and one afternoon I insisted that we went swimming in river, even though we weren't supposed to.
She contracted the disease? Contaminated water.
Yes.
The joke of it is, I didn't even go swimming in the end, I just sat there and read.
So, you see, it is my fault, really.
You care for her still? That's what friends are for.
You're very sweet.
This is your floor, Miss Marple.
I'm lucky to have a friend like Brigit.
I mean, when your mother's Bess Sedgwick.
I'm sorry? You're Bess's daughter? Why, does that matter? - Can I see? - Never a work in progress.
We didn't always see eye to eye, me and Tilly, but I do miss her, you know.
Well, she had spirit, that one.
Fire.
You and Tilly were drinking partners.
We'd been known to share the occasional tipple.
Was there something she knew, Mickey? Some secret that could have got her killed? No.
What's all this about? Maybesomething you told her? I said no.
- Still got those talking pipes, then? - Aye.
You can hear everything from here.
- Wie lang? - German, that is.
- I still speak a bit, from my service days.
.
.
mit angekommen.
What's he saying? Something about "waiting for my papers".
- "South America".
- Alles ist vorbel.
.
.
habe ich alles gemacht.
That's all I can make out.
Ich bin nicht die I wish you'd told me you and Mr Malinowski knew each other.
He said he'd never date your daughter out of respect for you.
Which is a shame, really, cos I thought he was jolly nice.
Ladislaus and I were involved in some erm .
.
confidential work.
Why is it that you always get everything that I can't have? You get Mr Malinowski and you get excitement and adventure and you even had Daddy for years longer than I did.
All those stories of him you could have told me but you kept them.
All to yourself.
What's that? Nothing.
It's business.
Is it true that you led a cell in the French Resistance? I'm afraid I can't talk about that.
What more damn secrets? You know, whenever I try to talk to you - I try.
- Elvira, wait.
TONIGH Good afternoon, Elvira.
Are you? Oh, Bess.
Do you know, for a moment there, I really thought - Selina.
- .
.
that you were - Hello, my dear.
- Cousin Selina, hello.
"I Sir Richard Oswald Blake, being of sound mind and body, do hereby leave my fortune and estates to be divided into three equal portions between my daughter from my previous marriage, Elvira Louise Blake, my ex-wife Lady Elizabeth Mary Sedgwick, and to newly-formed Blake Charitable Foundation For Arts.
" That's pretty much it.
A very straightforward will.
Doesn't hemention anyone else? Ahof course.
"And to my third cousin, Lady Selina Hazy, who was always so happy at my Cornish estate, Mayfield House, I leave to you .
.
my lithograph print of it as a happy reminder of the place of which you were so fond.
How charming.
I don't suppose I mean Is it valuable at all? Ah No.
Oh.
- You on a break, Gorman? - Erno, Inspector.
I I was looking for you.
I have some information.
Something I overheard.
One of the guests talking in German.
About wanting his papers, and South America.
What if there's a Nazi at Bertram's? Mr Curtain.
The paperwork? AhI'm afraid it is going to take a little longer Then I'll be round tomorrow at three o'clock sharp.
Let's hope nothing happens to me between now and then.
I'm sure I've seen that before.
Yes.
Like the one at Bertram's.
Copied by the same artist, I expect.
- I'm so glad that's over.
- You poor, poor thing.
Shall we get a taxi? I don't feel like R.
I.
P I'm so sorry about Tilly, Mrs Rice.
I packed up all her things for her.
Nice as I could.
She always thought so highly of you.
- "Jane's one to watch," she used to say.
- Really? Mrs Rice Did she have more money than she ought? Ohyeah.
She said it was him that gave it to her.
That foreigner she was stepping out with.
- Do you remember his name? - Lars something.
- Louse? - Not Ladislaus Malinowski? Filthy monkeys.
- Worse than Jews.
- Hm.
Mr Mutti, Mr Malinowski.
I'm glad I caught you.
Caught us? - An English expression for "met with".
- Ah.
I was wondering if I could see your papers? Our papers? Why should we show you our papers? Well, I say wondering.
I mean insisting.
If you'd be so kind.
You're a resident of Milan, Mr Malinowski? 123 Via Seloria? Celoria.
It is very beautiful, Inspector, if you should Mr Mutti.
Well, this all seems to be in order.
I'm sure you won't mind if I hang onto these to check out.
.
.
outside the back, because of the fans.
Thank you.
Oh! Hold the doors! - Good day, my dear.
- Good day, Miss Walker.
Why is it that you hate my mother so? The way that you looked at her yesterday you'd have shot her if you could.
Some people deserve shootin'.
And I'm afraid, my dear, your mother is one of them.
- What do you mean? - Bess Sedgwick took my husband.
And she didn't give him back.
Good afternoon, madam.
How may I help you? We've been getting the Times and it's not been ordered.
We asked for The Telegraph.
Oh.
Good evening, erJack? It is, Miss Marple, but however could you tell? Well, I did happen to notice.
Aren't you left-handed? Whereas your brother Joel Is right-handed.
That's right.
Ah, I see.
So if I'd been carrying my paper like so Well, thenthat would have been very confusing.
Oh, Selina, how was the will reading? Well, fine.
Fine.
Although Oh.
How odd.
They've moved that painting, the Rembrandt copy.
Mr Curtain had the same one in his office.
It looks like a Vermeer copy now.
- Mr Malinowski.
- Did Bess Sedgwick receive my letter? I'm sure if she had, I wouldn't be able to comment.
Letters.
Threats.
Three women.
Three black hats.
- See what you can find.
- Inspector! I'm so glad to have caught you.
It was the hat, you see.
The hat was all wrong.
Just like Mrs Royston in the post office.
Mrs Royston? The black hat on poor Tilly Rice's head.
Surely you noticed how similar the dead girl was to Elvira Blake.
Are you suggesting the killer mistook Tilly Rice, the maid, for Elvira Blake, the heiress? And have you noticed how very alike mother and daughter are in those hats? You're saying Tilly Rice was killed because someone thought she was Lady Sedgwick? I'm saying there are three people who all look very similar.
One of them is dead, and another .
.
may be in great danger.
Lady Sedgwick happened to drop this.
You said her hat was wrong? I can't quite work it out but it does remind me of Mrs Royston in the post office back in St Mary Mead.
If Mrs Royston saw another woman wearing a coat or a skirt that she liked, she'd always say, "I bought one like that just last week.
" Then she'd rush out to buy the coat or the skirt, rather than let anyone know she was copying.
She always wanted everyone to think she thought of it first.
Oh.
I see.
You do? I'm so glad.
Because, you see, that's what's wrong with the hat.
Underneath, her hair was messy.
Something's going to happen it's going to seem as if it came after poor Tilly's death but reallyit came first.
Some day he'll come along The man I love And he'll be big and strong The man I love And when he comes my way I'll do my best to make him stay He'll look at me and smile I'll understand And in a little while He'll take my hand And though it seems absurd Do you know if the deceased was planning to meet anyone up? - Tilly.
- Sorry? Her name was Tilly.
And, no, she didn't say she was expecting anyone.
A gentleman friend, maybe? If Tilly had planned to step out, she would've been wearing lipstick.
How do you know that she wasn't? Have you been up here already? Didn't need to.
Her cigarette.
No lipstick marks.
That's clever of you to notice that.
Well, just because I wear a pinny don't mean I'm stupid.
No.
Well that's me told.
You can see why she loved it up here.
Look at that view.
- Well, aren't you gonna look? - I've seen it already.
I don't understand you.
You can't be that much older than me and yet and yet you act like you're an old man.
It's been a difficult war.
I've seen that look before.
I thought we were fighting for a better world.
When we come back .
.
nothing had changed.
My sister worked in munitions.
"This is it," she said.
"Equality for women.
" And then the war ends and here I am in service.
But even London looks beautiful from up here.
Yeah.
Yeah, it does.
He'll build a little home Just meant for two From which I'll never roam Who would? Would you? And so all else above I'm waiting for The man I Love - Good evening.
- Good evening, dear.
You're not for the concert tonight, at the Albert Hall? Oh, no, dear.
We're staying in tonight.
Jazz is such ungodly music and "The fool says in his heart, ' There is no God.
"' Psalms 1.
41 .
What is it that's wrong with the plain girl? Rickets? - Polio, I believe.
- Mm.
You can see they're quite devoted to each other.
"But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hopes of the afflicted ever perish.
" Psalms 9.
1 8.
What very interesting quotations you employ, Canon Pennyfather.
Good evening, Miss Marple.
-Have you, by any chance, seen my brother? - I'm sorry Jack.
That's right.
Maybe he's at the concert.
Oh, no.
Neither Joel nor I are fond of jazz.
Well, enjoy your soup.
Where are you Canon of? - Ely, Miss - Really? Why, the Archbishop of York is an old, old friend of family.
He runs his province so well, don't you think? Oh, magnificently, Miss Ooh! Really? Oh, my dear.
Your brother was looking for you just a moment ago.
- He went that way.
- Oh.
Thank you, Lady Hazy.
Well, let's hope that we don't have a repeat of last night's excitement.
Once again, so many apologies, ladies and gentlemen, for the loss of light.
I'm sure, with a little Dunkirk spirit What's with the dicky lights in the dining room? They're A-OK everywhere else.
Oh, dear.
We seem to have lost Canon Pennyfather.
Look at that fog, Jane.
I'm glad I'm not outside on a night like this.
Oh, look.
Even Bess Sedgwick has abandoned her car.
- And she's beaten land speed records.
- Mm.
There's a sniper! Watch out! Get out of the way! Be careful! Somebody do something! First floor! This one! It's locked.
Break it down! Come on! What craziness? - That is enough! - I see him.
I see him.
Where is he? Nothing here.
It was bolted from the inside.
Elvira? Elvira? Mother! Why was he shooting at me? I don't know what's happening.
I just don't understand it.
You knew this was going to happen! "Know" is such a fervent sort of word, Inspector.
I "know" no more than you, but one has to wonder who the real target of the shooting was.
Those hats, you see all so similar.
You mean, did the killer think he was firing at Lady Sedgwick, or did he actually know it was her daughter? But what about her death threat? Certainly the note was not real.
- Nono, of course not.
- Mm.
Actually, you've lost me there.
Who sends a written death threat? Not someone who truly intends to kill the recipient.
It's common sense not to warn them.
I wanted to clear my head, and so I went for a little walk.
I couldn't afford the concert.
My allowance is small.
Until I get my inheritance Can't be cheap staying at Bertram's.
Oh, I stay here for free.
I've been running round Bertram's since I was a little girl.
But now it's all been made so horrible.
I was just coming back from walk and I saw torches burning just like when I was little and Daddy took me for a stroll.
He knew I loved London at night.
And then It hit the ground, right in front of me.
And another one.
And then, that man The man who saved my life.
And then I I justI panicked.
- Where did you get the gun from? - It was Mother's.
I was looking for her last night, but she wasn't in her room so to annoy her, I stole it from her bag.
I'm not feeling up to being questioned.
You told me you were in your room the night Tilly Rice was strangled.
That isn't true, is it? No comment.
Someone ran the bath of your room, and let it flood the ceiling of the rooms below.
Someone must have come in when I wasn't there.
Who would want to do that? Plasterers.
Making work for themselves.
There's a recession on,Inspector.
But if you weren't in your room when the bath was run, were you anywhere near room 123? Inspector, how many hands does it take to operate a rifle? Of the type we found, two.
Yes, of course.
I'm sorry to have taken your time, Miss Milford.
I was at the concert from start to finish, Inspector, as I have already said.
And what brought you to Bertram's? I have a flight from London Airport to Lucerne.
Tomorrow morning.
A flight which I will now miss.
But the real reason for your stay - is to design hats? Ja.
In Berlin now there is no hat industry.
But then in Berlin now, there is no hats.
And no industry.
During the war were you loyal to Germany? My war record is classified.
This is a murder investigation.
I do not answer to police inspectors.
Maybe you're not used to it being that way, but you're in Britain now.
And don't I know it.
Don't it ever stop raining here? - Why did you use the back stairs? - To avoid the fans.
You know, they think they own you.
- Is there anything else? - One thing.
What can you tell me about the shooting? The lights all fused before it started just as I was looking for my brother.
Did you find him? Yes, we were in the morning room when the shots were fired.
Thank youer, Jack, isn't it? Joel, Inspector.
Don't worry, it happens all the time.
Bleeding hell! Watch where you're going! Or do I have heart attack every time I walk round a corner? "Bleeding hell"? Wellthe situation asked for it.
It's not like I'm addicted to blue language, is it? Anyway,I was wondering, Brigit Milford Miss Elvira's friend.
Do you think she was? I know what you're thinking.
Her hand.
No.
I've checked her medical records and there's no question of her faking it.
Oh.
- Well - Well - I'd best be going.
- I'll let you get on Well, good night, miss.
Jane.
It's Jane.
Oh, Jane, it's the queerest thing, but I just don't seem to have any money any more.
I can't even pay my bill here but I thought, if Richard had left me just a little money Well, now it's dreaded Plan B sell Mummy's beautiful necklace.
Selina, I had no idea.
Well, it's only rocks and metal after all.
I'm sure worse things happen at sea.
Oh, no! They've been But II put them in the safe! They should have beensafe.
Quite expertly cracked.
Oh, Jane.
What am I going to do? Selina, my dear.
This makes things very complicated.
Three Blake Guests we're expecting three I've had to put them all off.
And the merchandise The Buyer can view at my office.
- There's plenty of it there.
- I hope you're right.
I'm not happy at all with this situation.
Oh, do stop - What is a Blake Guest? - I'm not sure, except we get them every few weeks.
They always arrive by Blake Air, and it's always at night.
They never have to pay for their bills and we're always told that they're not to be disturbed.
They just stay in their rooms, until one nightthey've gone again.
I wonderhow many "Blake Guests" are in the hotel at present? just one - So who occupies this room? - A Mr Jackson.
I've never seen him.
He booked the room four weeks in advance.
I assumed he was an aficionado of the oriental style.
So "Mr Jackson" could be anyone.
Oh, I'm hardly qualified to comment on police work, Inspector.
I just get on with running my nice little hotel.
Room 123.
I wondered if it was significant.
This window gives the best shot of the street.
That's why Mr Jackson, our sniper, wanted it kept at his disposal.
Not that I expect "Mr Jackson" is his real name.
No, and I think Tilly knew exactly who Mr Jackson was, and maybe even what he was up to.
By chance this diary fell into my possession.
Tilly Rice, the murdered maid.
"123", and next to it, "money received".
I reckon Tilly was blackmailing Mr Jackson, and that's what got her killed.
I wonder, Inspector, if we could go over events.
The sniper fired from this window, and when you broke down the door Which was locked and bolted from the inside.
the sniper had vanished.
But Elvira Blake said she saw the sniper from the street.
She saw the rifle resting on the windowsill but can we really be sure she saw any more than that? But where did he go? Not out the window.
There were witnesses in the street.
Joel and we were outside that door the whole time! And, anyway, the door was bolted from the inside.
What if the sniper had already left before you got here? When you forced the door, this part of the bolt was ripped from the door frame, right? Just like Mrs Royston in the post office.
You mean, something happened after it seemed to? Well, almost.
in this case, I think it happened before.
- Wouldn't you say, Jane? - Oh, yes.
You see these holes? Notice anything odd about them, Inspector? They've been unscrewed.
Not ripped out by force.
The killer unscrewed this before the shooting then drew the bolt into it.
When he left, he shut the door.
You thought that you'd ripped it out the frame.
But it was never in the frame.
Right, so he locked the door from the outside.
But then where did he go? I came this way, and no-one passed Amelia Walker on the back stairs.
And yet the sniper cannot have simply vanished.
Look, it's erhighly improper of me to even ask this but .
.
do you have any idea what happened? No, Inspector.
Not yet.
But it's interesting, don't you think, the killer needed us to be moved from Victoria Dining Rooms and into the Morning Room before shooting could take place? I believe everything we saw was designed as a spectacle - a show which required its audience.
That's why the killer had us moved - so that we could see properly into the street.
Which does rather point us in a definite direction, don't you think? Yes.
Like what? That Mickey Gorman was always the intended target.
Well, he kept his paintings down here.
Oh.
MG.
Mickey Gorman.
Look.
It's the same woman.
Same dress, same posture.
He was sweet on her, whoever she was.
And she broke his heart.
Look at where he placed her- always just out of reach.
This is love, but from afar.
Lizzy.
Mickey had a wife called Lizzy, back in Ballygowlan.
But you wouldn't recognise her.
Not from any of this.
Oh, no.
Jane, look closely.
Look at her necklace.
Miss Marple, I've got a bit of a theory coming on.
Mickey Gorman was a very talented painter.
What if he did these, got him mixed up in sort of art fraud? 'Cos then he'd be worth shutting up.
Forgery? Hm.
I wonder.
Unless, of course, it's quite the opposite.
Come on, we're late.
All right, all right, I'm coming.
Mr Malinowski? Housekeeping.
What are you doing? Oh, sir! You startled me.
I said, what are you doing? Just turning down the bed.
Like I do every morning.
- Oh, Lord! - What? A face! At the window! There is nothing here.
Oh.
I must have been spooked.
What with the shooting, and that.
I'm so sorry, sir.
Do you want me to come back later? Later? To turn down your bed.
No.
I'm not bothered by such things.
Sorry, sir.
Very well, sir.
Wait.
Your keys.
Oh.
I'd forget my own head.
What were you doing in there, Miss Cooper? Nothing, Inspector.
Miss Cooper, I know you've been talking with Miss Marple, who is, I have discovered, a very nosy lady.
Please Stay safe.
- Me? - Yeah.
I'm so close, Bess.
I'm certain.
If the police don't ruin Lady Sedgwick.
Your necklace is very beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
But I can't help but feel I've seen it before, in a painting by Mickey Gorman.
Bess.
Elizabeth.
- Lizzy.
- Don't call me that.
It was his name for you, wasn't it? Mickey.
Your husband.
Yes.
We married in Ballygowlan.
A wonderful, bloody-minded man, you've never known the like.
It couldn't last.
My family soon saw to that.
You never stopped loving him? Was he my father? No, Elvira.
I was younger than you when I married Mickey.
You came many years later.
Then why did he come here? Because he was a gentleman.
He would never approach me until Richard had legally been declared dead.
That's the measure of the man Mickey Gorman was.
Elvira, you don't seem entirely surprised.
I'm not.
Please don't think I was prying, but I found these letters, after Daddy died.
Well, there was one from Grandmama where it all came out.
I was so I was so terribly rude to him.
Mickey, I mean.
I thought he'd come to cause trouble.
Oh, no, Mickey wouldn't do that.
Now, I have a lawyer to intimidate.
Curtain? But you're not seeing him till three.
That's what he thinks.
The element of surprise, Elvira.
Perhaps the two of you could go together.
I always find a journey is such an excellent opportunity tocatch up.
Don't you think? I'm sorry! Do you have an appointment? - Just get out of my way.
- You can't just Mr Curtain! Oh, Lord.
Stop him! Thank you, Miss Tibbs.
That will be all.
- Shall I call the police? - No! Certificates, receipts And some very interesting sales records.
You've been doing a lot of trading on the Blake estate behind all our backs.
For your own good.
You filthy liar.
This paperwork proves it.
The funds you raised were flowing into your pockets! Those dockets prove nothing! Then why were you trying to burn them? Well, I And what will you do now? Go to the police? You think I'm afraid of scandal? None of this will stand up in court.
Then I'll administer my own justice.
Put it down, Lady Sedgwick.
Now.
- I told you no police! - I didn't call them, I swear! We had an anonymous tip-off, Mr Curtain.
Looks like I arrived just in time.
Yes.
Yes! Arrest this madwoman! No, Mr Curtain, the anonymous tip-off was about you.
Someone thinks you've been writing nasty letters.
Me? What? Never! In that case, you won't mind me having a little look.
But I've never seen that before.
Hubert Curtain, I am arresting you for the attempted murder of Lady Bess Sedgwick, and for the manslaughter of Mickey Gorman.
- You weasel.
- Better a weasel than an old witch! Old? Miss Marple was right.
It isn't a copy.
It's the exact same one that was hanging at Bertram's.
Art expert are you now, Jane? It's the frame I recognise.
The amount of times I've dusted it.
You see this T scratched in there? But why is it here? - Yes, madam? - Bertram's Hotel, please.
Ma'am.
Mother? I'm so sorry about Mickey Gorman.
You must have loved him very much.
Yes.
Mickey.
He was so I never meant to be a terrible mother.
- Please, you don't - It's the fear, you see.
To love something so much, and, well For one's own life to be so terribly dangerous.
I could face anything except the thought of something happening to you.
So I put up walls between us, to keep you safe.
I won't fail you again.
What the devil's going on, Inspector? I've been speaking to Rembrandt expert from National Gallery Apparently our fake Rembrandt is the worst kind of copy.
- What's wrong with it? - It's the original.
Right, I want everything that looks remotely valuable catalogued before the experts get here.
- What happened to that painting? - What painting? I want that Vermeer, Humfries! And I want answers! Humfries and Curtain are refusing to say anything, but the Rembrandt is real.
I expect you'd already guessed that.
I had my suspicions.
You see, everyone assumes paintings on public display in a hotel are copies, without actually checking.
It's quite the best place to hide a genuine work of art.
In plain sight.
But why move one to Curtain's office? I would imagine he had a buyer lined up.
With all the police at Bertram's following the murder, the buyer would have to view the goods at Curtain's office.
And the death threat you found at Mr Curtain's? Same handwriting as the one in the reading room.
Of course, he's claiming it was planted.
And do you think Mr Curtain was the sniper in Room 123, Inspector? Well, if he was, I don't know how he did it.
Vanished into thin air.
I mean, he's not the invisible Man.
All right.
So, persons unknown flood a bath fusing the lights, so the diners are relocated here to allow a proper view of the street.
But why? Because in some way what we thought we saw on the night of the shooting was not what actually took place.
I keep seeing the events of the evening in my mind, and something is wrong.
Some little detail.
But through that, lies the answer to everything.
If she was there, and the sniper was there, then surely But then it could only be possible if one person could be in two places at the same time.
Of course! The hand! it was the wrong hand! Er war's! Er war's! It was him! I'll kill you.
I'll kill you.
Put the gun down and step away from Canon Pennyfather.
- Now! - Inspector, it's not what it seems.
Filth.
Monster.
Nazi.
You will pay for what you've done! Oh, dear Lord, please! I don't know what he's talking about! Oh, I think you do, Canon Pennyfather.
Or whatever your real name is.
Ladislaus, put the gun down.
There must be a trial for his kind.
Or they win.
The bumbling, forgetful curate like something from a play, or a story, but who didn't know his Bible or his Diocese.
I noticed, Canon, how you only ever quoted from Psalms.
And you thought church in Ely fell under province of friend the Archbishop of York.
But Ely is under the Province of Canterbury, not York.
Du Hexe! Rassenbeschmutzer! Ihr dreckigen Judenschwein! This man is Herman Koch.
"The Butcher of Riga".
Schwein! But aren't you a Nazi too? A Nazi hunter, Inspector.
Mr Malinowski's cigarette case with the swastika design - no real Nazi would carry around clues like that.
But someone trying to bring a Nazi out into the open This man murdered my family, and stole the treasures from my home.
Of course the Rembrandt.
You came over all faint the day that you arrived here.
I thought you were staring at Lady Sedgwick but you weren't.
You were staring at the painting behind her.
Ja.
And when I saw it, I knew he must be here.
This morning I met an associate and he confirmed from my photographic evidence that this man is "The Butcher of Riga"! It's true.
I've been helping Ladislaus since he ran.
Look here, this has absolutely nothing to do with Bertram's Hotel.
Nazis, war criminals But that's what a "Blake guest" is, isn't it, Mr Humfries? A Nazi on the run, flown in on Blake Air, swapping their stolen treasures for a passage to a safe country.
How dare you.
You You maid! Yeah, well, you'll be doing your own cleaning, where you're going.
So Canon Pennyfather wasn't Canon Penny father? I'm afraid not.
You see, the real Canon Pennyfather is holidaying in Lucerne and it was very easy to steal his identity.
Right, let's go back to the beginning.
Tilly Rice was strangled on the roof.
But why? It was her hat, you see.
It was all wrong.
Tilly was strangled, but her hat was pinned down tight so her hair underneath should have been neat, but It wasn't, it was messy.
Which means the hat was pinned in place after she was murdered.
This is ridiculous.
Who is this girl playing detective? Go on, Jane.
The hat created a false connection.
If Tilly had been mistaken for Lady Sedgwick, then Lady Sedgwick would have been the killer's real target.
The death threats were just a smokescreen.
Mickey Gorman was always the sniper's intended victim.
You see, the killer wanted us to believe that the death of Mickey Gorman came after the death of Tilly Rice, and, of course, in strict chronological sense it did.
But the plan of it had always come long before.
Did the killer send the fake death threats to me? - Yes, Lady Sedgwick.
- Then the killer was Mr Curtain.
But I have never seen that before.
- No, that - Well, I wouldn't - Sorry.
- No, it's all right, you go on.
Please.
No, Mr Curtain wasn't the murderer.
The letters were planted in his office by the real killer.
Mr Malinowski? Why didn't you tell us you were courting Tilly Rice? Courting? No! She was my informant in the hotel.
There you go, sir.
My eyes and ears in the hunt for Herman Koch.
I went to see her the night she died and she told me she had to meet someone afterwards.
That's what Tilly called the killer in her diary.
Tilly was blackmailing 123 about something that Mickey Gorman told her when he was drunk.
Tilly thought that 123 would make her rich, but, instead, 123 killed her.
Tilly codenamed the killer 123 because she saw them in Room 1 23 when they never should have been there.
It never ceases to amaze me.
No matter how complicated these affairs seem to be, they always boil down to one thing.
Money.
Lady Sedgwick was about to inherit a vast fortune from her ex-husband, as was her daughter Elvira.
Mr Curtain was about to take responsibility for a third of the entire Blake estate.
Even you had a motive, Lady Selina.
Me? If Bess and Elvira died, you would inherit Mayfield House.
But surely you don't suspect You have to be clear on where everyone was.
Miss Marple and Lady Selina were in the morning room, and Mr Humfries was there too.
Amelia Walker was coming up the back stairs and Miss Blake was in the street.
Lady Sedgwick and Mr Malinowski were caught in the fog, and Mr Mutti and Mr Curtain were to arrive later on foot.
Both Joel and I were in the morning room with you.
Then I helped you break down the door to Room 123.
Oh, no.
There was only one twin present that night.
- But you saw both of us.
- No.
We saw two sets of clothes on one person.
Have you seen my brother? Your brother was looking for you.
All you did was change your clothes.
I saw your clip-on ties.
Perfect for a quick change act.
Anyone would have thought they'd seen both of you, when in fact, Jack was elsewhere in the hotel for the best part of an hour.
This is ridiculous! You can't possibly know But I can, my dear.
You remember when we passed in the lobby? It wasn't what hand you were holding your paper in that gave you away If I'd been carrying my paper .
.
it was your watch.
.
.
like so.
You wear your watches on different wrists.
It was the wrong hand.
But we didn't kill Mickey Gorman.
No.
You were too busy stealing Lady Selina's jewels.
Oh, my goodness! Oh! How can I ever? Get your hands off me! I should like to telephone my solicitor! Be quiet! With Tilly out the way, 123 put their master plan into action The murder of Mickey Gorman.
But what was it that Mickey Gorman and Tilly Rice knew? They knew about Ballygowlan.
A small town in Ireland, where Mickey Gorman married a very young Bess Sedgwick.
What of it? I'm not ashamed.
We did a little investigation at records office in Somerset.
The secret of Ballygowlan wasn't that you were married to Mickey Gorman, it's that you were never divorced.
Damn you all to hell! Yes.
I killed Mickey Gorman and Tilly Rice.
I wasn't going to let them between me and Richard's estate.
They knew the will was invalid.
Sir Richard left the money to his "ex-wife".
But as a bigamist, you were never married to Sir Richard.
Aren't you the clever one, Inspector? I thought sending myself notes was a cunning touch, and putting one in Curtain's office.
You shot at Elvira and dressed Tilly in the hat.
Yes! And it was a damn good plan! Mother! I'm sorry, Elvira.
I'm sorry for everything.
No! But you're not going to get me alive! I've always said whatever else a woman may be, once she is a mother, her child comes first.
But this isn't the way to help her.
This is your mother's attempt to make amends, my dear.
To give her freedom in exchange for yours.
We both know Bess Sedgwick was not the killer in Room 1 23, and she couldn't have strangled Tilly Rice.
At the time Tilly died you were with Mickey Gorman, weren't you, Lady Sedgwick? But then, Miss Blake The note you had already received.
You planted it not to throw suspicion onto Mr Curtain, but away from Elvira.
Because 123 was your own daughter.
If Brigit was to enjoy any quality of life, you'd need a great deal of money.
The will stipulated your inheritance was to be paid to "my daughter by my first marriage".
But as the marriage was never lawful, Mickey Gorman and Tilly Rice knew enough to cost you your entire fortune.
There you go sir.
1 One 2 Two 3 Three.
Tilly Rice was blackmailing you.
So it was you she was planning on meeting up on the roof.
But it can't have been me that shot Mickey Gorman.
I was in the street when the sniper fired.
Of course, the crime needed two people to work.
Yourself and Brigit.
That's why you wanted an American room for Brigit.
Because American rooms are the only ones with an en suite bath.
Brigit left her bath to run over and fuse electrics below.
Knowing the guests would be moved to the morning room to witness the shooting.
Oh! But I couldn't have fired a rifle.
No.
Because the sniper was you, Elvira.
Think, Jane.
The hand was wrong.
Of course! That's so clever! Miss Cooper, for those of us not so intellectually gifted Brigit must've left the hotel first, dressed as Elvira.
Then doubled back on herself and put on the hat and a veil.
Is that right? Brigit then approached the hotel in full view of us all.
Elvira fired at her feet.
You're an excellent shot, like your mother, and when Gorman ran out you killed him in cold blood.
Then, knowing staff are never noticed, you slipped down the back stairs disguised as a maid.
As you said, you spent your childhood at Bertram's.
Who knows its hidden routes and corners better? Your knowledge of the hotel allowed you to creep up behind Brigit.
Then you stepped forward, firing again at the non-existent sniper.
Almost perfect.
But you had given yourself away.
I see him! You see, Brigit has no use of her right hand, and so she fired with her left.
Once you took over, you used your right hand.
As with the Britten twins, the hand was wrong.
Well, that's quite a theory.
Oh, El, you're more than I deserve, but I can't live with this guilt.
You're right.
Elvira did it all for me.
When I found out that Mickey Gorman had got a job here, I thought he'd come to blackmail me.
I swear, Mother, I didn't know he'd only come for you.
Right, miss.
Mother.
Come with us, please.
- That's it.
- No! I'm sorry, Mother.
I'm so sorry! I forgive you.
I forgive you! What I did, I did for good reasons.
You murdered two people in cold blood.
No, young lady, there is nothing good about what you have done at Bertram's Hotel.
But then what happened to the other painting, the Vermeer? I think we're about to find out.
Miss Walker? Mr Curtain's secretary tells me you've been a regular visitor to his office over the last few days.
You were the buyer Mr Curtain had lined up for the painting weren't you? If you believe I have the missing Vermeer, Inspector, please feel free to check my luggage.
Do you always travel with this, Miss Walker? I used to play a bit myself.
Bit rusty now.
Always hated the scales.
Open her up, lads.
Well, I'd better get my money back.
Mr Mutti.
It's home.
Oh, my fathers, they are both home.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
It's my pleasure, sir.
What's the matter, Jane? I was so stupid.
Thinking it was Lady Sedgwick.
How can I ever be as good as you? Get older.
Miss Cooper? Jane.
Um, I wonder if I could um - Excuse me! - Well, if you would be so good as to er Er, if you'd maybe like to consider You're the most wonderful, intelligent, beautiful woman I've ever met.
When I first saw you, you took my breath away and it hasn't come back yet.
Excuse me.
When I'm near you I feel drunk, or dizzy, or drunk and dizzy, and like I'm walking on air.
Inspector Bird.
And whatever you think of me, - if there's any hope you could - Inspector Bird! Yes? What's your first name? Excuse me.
It's Larry.
Larry Bird.
Well, Larry Bird, whatever it is you're trying to ask me, my answer is yes.
Oh, Jane.
I don't know what to I don't know what to Ssh.
Afternoon, Miss Marple.
Oh, good afternoon.
How nice to see a familiar face.
Enjoyed yourself, have you? Well, it's certainly not the Bertram's I remember.
- I'm sorry to hear that.
- But it's nice as usual.
Miss Marple! I just had to tell you.
Larry Inspector Bird - he's asked me to go away with him.
And get married? No, just live together, and see how things work out.
He says, after the War, that's the way things should happen.
Actually, I said that, and then he agreed with me.
And you'd leave Bertram's? Larry said it's only a matter of time before women are allowed into the police force, and I thought maybe I could.
What do you think? I think it sounds exactly like the sort of thing I would never have done at your age.
But always wish I had.
Things are changing, Jane.
And I think for the better.
Good luck, my dear.
Thank you, Miss Marple.
You've changed my life.
Jane! Well, at least that's real.
Miss Marple.
Miss Marple.