The Murdoch Mysteries (2004) s04e08 Episode Script
Dial M for Murdoch
Can I help you? Number, please? Yes, number please? Number, please? Go ahead, sir.
Go ahead, sir.
CHOKING: 'Help.
' COUGHING AND CHOKING 'Help.
' CHOKING 'Help.
' PHONE HANGS UP PHONE RINGS I said no calls while Mr Lowe is here.
Sorry, Isaac.
You were saying the campaign's tilted in my favour, yes? Indeed, your opponent has foolishly come out against the subway project.
Excellent.
But what did we expect from a backward-thinking blowhard like Ellis Cornwall? Which is why you are the right candidate for Alderman.
"Brackenreid! Right the Ship!" eh? Clear sailing from here, I'd say.
Ah, but the voting public is fickle, if it's even thinking at all.
To that end, your campaign wants you out there stumping, driving home your vision of Toronto's world-class future.
I'm ready.
Let me at that gobshite Cornwall.
That's the spirit.
But, first, a little sprucing wouldn't hurt.
Sprucing? Yes.
Your campaign wants your public image as bright as a new button.
And what does this, uh, sprucing involve? Well, for starters, I will have my tailor come over and measure you for a new suit.
A new suit? And who's paying for that? Don't you worry about that.
That's very generous of you, Isaac.
We are going to knock 'em dead, Inspector! I will see you soon.
Yes, you will.
And that's when I plugged into the jack and heard that awful sound, that poor woman being murdered.
Murdered? Are you sure? Yes, strangled.
I have very good hearing.
Oh, really? And do you remember where this telephone call came from? Number 2315.
You again.
It's Miss Moffatt.
Tess Moffatt, Inspector.
Sir, Miss Moffatt believes she overheard a murder last night.
A murder this time.
Well, I'll put my best man on that immediately.
Murdoch! Miss Moffatt, this "murder" is the fourth imaginary incident you've wasted our time with.
A tiny reminder.
You're not a policeman.
You're a telephone operator.
Then you are aware that I am breaking telephone company rules by repeating what I overheard.
Good day, Inspector.
Sir, we are obliged to look into any reports of criminal activity.
More than five minutes on this, Murdoch, and you'll be a telephone operator.
Bloody woman.
Did Miss Moffatt happen to recall the number, George? She did, sir.
2315.
It should be here in the reverse directory.
DOORBELL RINGS Constable? Uh, the back door was open, sir.
Oh.
Uh, do come in.
There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary, sir.
I suppose Miss Moffatt has cried wolf once again.
Hm.
Uh, just a moment, George.
What are you looking at, sir? If I'm not mistaken this is blood.
George, search the house.
Yes, sir.
Explain yourselves.
Detective William Murdoch, Toronto Constabulary.
And you are? Mrs Handsworth, Mr Whittaker's housekeeper.
And I asked you for an explanation.
We believe something untoward has occurred in this home.
Impossible.
Mr Whittaker is a fine Christian man.
And where is Mr Whittaker now? He left on business for Chicago three days ago.
Is there any chance you left the back door unlocked last evening? None whatsoever.
Goodness, has Mr Whittaker been burgled? We're not sure.
Who else has access to the home? I have the only key apart from Mr Whittaker.
Then do you have any idea where this drop of blood came from? I'm sure I don't.
Miss Moffatt, what exactly did you hear on Mr Whittaker's line? I heard the sound of a woman being strangled.
PHONE RINGS Ah.
Pardon me, Miss Moffatt.
Constable.
Sir.
Miss.
Thank you.
Detective Murdoch.
Yes, I placed the call to Chicago.
Oh, my! Will you look at that? Is this a fingermark kit? Yes, it is.
Fascinating.
Have you ever caught a criminal using fingermarks, Constable? Yes, as a matter of fact we have.
It's an extremely useful tool.
Everyone in the world has unique fingers.
Uh, I should get back to my duties, though.
Oh, thank you, Constable.
Of course, Miss Moffatt.
Whittaker is still in Chicago, sir.
He's been there on business for the past three Are you quite sure this is a good time, sir? You can't be in politics without paying attention to your image, Murdoch.
Go on.
Yes, sir.
Whittaker confirms that only he and his housekeeper have keys to the house.
She checked that nothing was missing? She has.
Well, that rules out burglary.
Any reports on a missing woman? Or a dead one, for that matter? No, sir.
Why am I not surprised? Sir, the drop of blood on Whittaker's desk remains a mystery.
What do you think, Murdoch? Brown, blue? Or what about the pinstripe? Too modern? Sirs? Oh, no, sir.
A body's been found near Sherbourne and Bloor, sir.
There you go, Murdoch.
A real case, not some figment of a girl's imagination.
Pinstripe.
I came around the corner and saw him lying there.
Gave me the shock of my life.
And what were you doing in the lane-way, Mr Phillips? I'm a city worker.
I was inspecting a gas line.
Never expected to find something bad like this.
Detective? Excuse me.
He's so young.
Yes, I know this must be difficult.
There seems to be some bruising.
There's a small inconsistency in the ligature marks.
He was strangled, possibly by a thin rope that was frayed.
And the time of death? In the last 12 to 18 hours.
I discovered something quite unusual.
The clothes don't match the boy.
How do you mean? He had a deficiency in mineralized calcium.
Rickets.
Generally a disease of the poor Yes.
Perhaps he stole the clothes? Perhaps Have you seen him? Have you seen him? Right, then.
Thank you.
Sir.
Down there.
Oi! What's your name, lad? Dorrie, think hard.
Have you seen this boy before? We need to contact his parents.
Let them know what's become of their boy.
Can I go now? One more question.
Why did you run, Dorrie? Street boys always get the blame for something.
Don't matter what.
A milliner's? What's a street boy doing buying hats? I spoke to the shop owner, a Miss Elizabeth Lurchen.
She's a kindly soul.
She lets Dorrie use her telephone on Mondays and Fridays at 11 o'clock to receive a call from his uncle.
Is that so? The little angel has a kindly old uncle who telephones regularly.
This Dorrie's got more than he's letting on, Murdoch.
Yes, sir.
I believe he lied when he said he didn't know the dead boy.
Well, perhaps we should listen in to the lad's next call on Monday? Listen in? Yes, sir.
The milliner's shop is on the Temperance Street Telephone Exchange.
That's where Miss Moffatt works.
Give me strength! I could supervise the call, that way it's official police business and she won't be risking her employment.
If we involve her in a murder investigation and it goes wrong, well, I am running for Alderman, you know? BOTH: We know.
Sir, I'm confident George will manage his plan with success.
Operator.
Go ahead, sir.
Connecting you now.
Ma'am, that line is occupied.
Number, please? That line is otherwise engaged.
An incoming callfrom the public telephones at the Junction Exchange.
'I have a call for 1098.
' Thank you, operator.
PHONE RINGS 'Top Hats Millinery.
' 'Good morning, Madam.
I am calling for my nephew, Dorrie.
' 'Yes, sir.
' 'Hello.
' 'Hello, Dorrie.
Are you well?' 'I am, uncle.
Are we meeting today?' 'Yes.
159 Castle Frank Road.
' 'The usual time.
' PHONE HANGS UP A street boy with an uncle living up in posh Rosedale!? That doesn't add up.
Will you stake out the house? Stake out? It's a phrase I learned in the penny dreadfuls.
It means to watch.
Oh, I know.
What are you doing? Well, you've just given me an idea now for my adventure novel.
Adventure novel? May I read it? Perhaps when I'm done.
Oh, I can wait.
Well, then, Detective Murdoch will decide whether or not we stake out the Castle Frank house.
Might I be able to come along? No, absolutely not.
I have very good eyesight.
Really? No, Miss Moffatt, civilians cannot become involved, especially the fairer sex.
It's far too dangerous.
I'll keep you abreast of any of anythingof any goings on.
Hello, Dorrie.
What have we here? Please, sir, don't arrest me.
They'll kill me, too.
Right.
Let's try this again.
Did you know the dead boy? Young man, you were caught with stolen property.
You'll spend a great deal more time in a prison cell if you don't start cooperating.
Pip.
Pip was his name.
How did you know him? He robbed houses, too.
You said, "They'll kill me, too.
" Who are "they"? The men we work for.
They're rough.
Dorrie, who are "they"? Who is this uncle you speak to twice a week? I don't know.
A man telephones and gives us addresses, we rob the house and leave the jewellery at a drop place.
You never meet? No.
Where's Pip now? He's in the morgue.
Can I see him? We were friends.
Did he have family? Not that he said.
He'll be buried proper, right? Yes, yes of course.
He was a smart one.
He could read.
He taught me some, too.
Really? He said if we wanted out of the thieving life we'd have to learn our letters better.
Maybe they found out and killed him for it.
Dorrie, I know you're scared, but cooperating with Detective Murdoch is your way out, now.
Yeah, if they don't catch me first.
Gulliver's Travels.
Do you know it? I've seen it at the library.
I go and look at all the books until they throw me out.
It's a wonderfully imaginative tale.
Why don't you borrow it? Are you sure? Yes.
Thank you.
I'll bring it back.
Right then, Dorrie, come along.
Marvellous speech at the Rotary Club, last night, may I say? You put Cornwall solidly in his place.
Though, it might be an idea to tone down some of your colourful language.
Tone down? Just so that "My esteemed opponent, Ellis Cornwall," doesn't become "Ellis Cornwall, that bloody little tosser.
" But One more thought here.
Let's consider "Tommy" as the name to call you.
"Tommy?" You serious? "Tommy" is a man of the people.
"Thomas" plays tennis with his opera-loving bon vivants.
I see.
And we may need to do a little work on that accent of yours.
Accent? Let's try enunciating more clearly.
"Oh, Horace, isn't it horrid when you're hot "and in a hurry and you have to hold your hat on with your hand?" Now you, Tommy.
"Oh, Horace, isn't it horrid when you're hot and in a hurry "and you have to hold your hat on with your hand?" I don't see how this bloody posh accent is going to make me a man of the people.
We must be all things to all people.
Will you trust me, Tommy? I've done this before! Excuse me, Isaac.
Urgent business.
Murdoch! Sir? You've got something urgent for me, right, yes? Sir? You've got something, Murdoch, for me.
Ah, yes, yes.
Most urgent, sir.
I spoke with Dorrie.
Apparently he and Pip, the boy who died, were working for jewellery thieves.
But there have been no reports of burglaries.
A bit strange if thieves are running around town.
You sure Dorrie's not telling tall tales? Well, I did catch him with stolen valuables.
It would be in his best interest to tell us the truth.
I'm not convinced you ever get the whole truth from that kind.
KNOCK AT DOOR Sirs, Mr Whittaker called.
He's back from Chicago.
DOORBELL RINGS I have no idea what happened, Detective.
It's all very confusing.
Blood on my desk, the back door unlocked.
I'm as mystified as you.
And how long has Mrs Handsworth been in your employ, Mr Whittaker? Five years.
You'll find no impropriety there.
Her credentials are impeccable.
You're quite sure nothing's missing? Nothing Mrs Handsworth may have overlooked? Everything is just as I left it.
My gold cuff links in plain view on my bureau.
Cash in my desk drawer.
Nothing is missing.
Perhaps it's simply a misunderstanding, then.
So it seems.
I do appreciate your thoroughness.
PHONE RINGS Oh.
Excuse me.
Hello? Yes, I returned from Chicago this morning.
I will be at the office within the hour, yes.
Thank you.
I apologise for the interruption.
I'll be needing to take your telephone, Mr Whittaker.
Whatever for? This fray on Mr Whittaker's telephone line exposed the wires.
It matches the inconsistent ligature marks on Pip's neck.
So it was Pip that Miss Moffatt heard being strangled, not a woman.
He was small enough to get in through the milk box.
Could he have been sent to rob Whittaker's home? It's possible.
Perhaps Pip's killer caught him in the act, then suffered a cut in the ensuing struggle.
But who is the killer? These criminals who take advantage of destitute children.
And the parents who abandon them! I can't imagine.
Everyone has their story, Julia.
Well, at least Dorrie seems to have a future.
Let's hope.
I'll be looking for books that he might like.
Perhaps you should wait for Gulliver's Travels to make its way back Don't be such a pessimist.
Now you must excuse me.
I'm joining Darcy at the hospital for a presentation on the draining of infected wounds.
Are you sure Whittaker had nothing to do with this, Murdoch? The boy was killed in his house.
Yes, sir, but Whittaker was in Chicago at the time of the murder.
I spoke to him there myself.
Fair enough.
If the dead boy was part of the jewel theft ring, maybe we should find out how it operates.
Starting by identifying this elusive uncle.
How do you intend to do that? Well, the thieves don't know that Dorrie is co-operating with us.
What if Miss Moffatt? Not her again! That girl's a bloody pest! But what if she were to trace Dorrie's next telephone call? Miss Moffatt said that the uncle telephoned Dorrie from a public telephone at the Junction Exchange.
He may do so again.
I was thinking I could stake out the Junction Exchange on Friday at 11am.
Stake out? Yes, sir.
It means "to watch".
Very good, George.
You can be on the telephone with Miss Moffatt and she can then tell you when Dorrie speaks to the uncle.
You'll be able to identify the man at the Junction Exchange.
I assume this will call for plain clothes? Yes, George.
I suppose it will.
I'll agree to this caper on one condition.
That Miss Moffatt does not leave her switchboard.
For this plan to work, it's imperative that she remain at her post.
She's part of this once, and this once only.
The question is, can we trust that little stray not to queer the plan? Pip was in a house in Rosedale? Do you have any idea why he might have been there? No.
He did his thieving in Parkdale.
Do you think I was right? One of the men we rob for killed him? It's a possibility.
That's why we'll be listening to your phone call.
Now, it's important that you speak and act naturally.
This "uncle" mustn't suspect that we're on to him.
All right.
Under five miles, please.
Temperance Street Exchange, please.
Try back later.
Operator.
Number please? 'Miss Moffatt?' Hello, Constable Crabtree.
I'll let you know when the call comes through.
'The password is "Goldfish".
' Goldfish.
Excellent.
Number, please.
Goldfish.
Goldfish.
'Goldfish, goldfish, goldfish!' Yes, I hear you.
Which booth is he calling from? I can't tell.
Well, let me know when Dorrie ends the call.
Good thinking, Constable Crabtree.
They're just finishing now.
Oh, for the love of I followed the suspect all the way to the courthouse, where I discovered he is Judge Benjamin Hooper.
Somehow I doubt His Lordship is involved in a jewellery theft ring.
You had a 50-50 chance of being right, George.
Perhaps you'll find the man you didn't follow in our Bertillon photos.
Crabtree's sifting through photographs.
Yes, sir.
I take it his grand plan fizzled? Oh! Oh, sir, that is quite a suit.
Thank you, Murdoch.
Not too ostentatious? No.
Not at all.
Good.
Isaac Lowe wants to show off his spruced-up candidate with a picture in the newspaper.
So, if you catch those jewellery thieves It's a perfect opportunity to call in the press.
Ah.
Indeed.
I'll be in my office.
You followed the wrong man.
Yes, I'm aware of that, Miss Moffatt.
Thank you for the reminder, though.
After you left the Junction Exchange, I stayed on the line.
Dorrie's contact, the uncle, made another call, to his brother at the Union Station Exchange public telephones.
How do you know it was his brother? He called him that.
They seemed to be discussing their family, but I suspect otherwise.
Do you? The man at Union Station said, "Grandad wants to know what's happened to his nephew.
" The man at the Junction Telephone, the uncle, then replied that he didn't know.
The Union Station man then said, "Grandad's very unhappy.
His Bible is missing.
" Yes, I see what you mean.
It sounds like they're speaking some sort of code.
As I suspected.
Did he say anything else? Yes.
They agreed to meet.
"Usual time.
At our mother's.
" You think that's code, too? Very likely.
I doubt they're talking about an actual family member.
A public house? I can't think of one called "Mother".
Could it be Our Mother of Divine Sorrow church in Parkdale? I'll inform Detective Murdoch of this immediately.
This has been very helpful.
Please.
Call me Tess, Constable.
Tess, call me George.
Goodness, George, there's a body! Sir, this is This is the man I didn't follow from the telephone exchange.
This is Dorrie's "uncle".
George, this is Randolph Phillips.
The man who claims to have found Pip's body.
Then he's also involved in the jewellery theft ring.
It's hardly a coincidence.
Indeed.
Do you think he killed Pip, then? Yes, I do.
The question is, why? He appears to have been tortured.
That's normally employed to extract information.
I wonder what secret Mr Phillips thought was worth dying for? One-twelfth the size of normal human beings.
It means the Lilliputians are So they're about five or six inches tall, then? Exactly.
You're quick with mathematics.
Once I learn my letters better I want to be an apprentice.
What would you like to do? I fancy work in a printer's shop.
Well, knowing your figures will serve you well, Dorrie.
Why don't you try another chapter of Mr Swift? I will.
Good.
Now, I have to work.
Some work, huh? See you later.
The wounds are unusual, I don't know what caused them.
Some very particular instrument.
But there is no question - Mr Phillips was tortured.
And then finished off? I doubt it got that far.
He had a heart defect.
The pain of being tortured triggered a fatal heart attack.
So it's possible that he died before giving up the information his assailant was after.
Yes, poor man.
Oh, there's no need for sympathy, Julia.
I believe Mr Phillips here murdered young Pip.
Oh, I see.
Be sure to encourage Inspector Brackenreid to stand up straight for the camera.
He has a tendency to drop his head forward somewhat.
Makes him look like a surly bulldog.
The elusive jewellery thieves, I assume.
Yes.
I believe they're organized in a hierarchy.
The young boys, known as "nephews", commit the robberies, then report back to the middle men.
Phillips, in this case, who is the "uncle" and his "brother".
At the head is "Grandad".
Yes, well, some of this homicidal horde have a horrible habit of getting themselves murdered.
Ha! I got you there, Murdoch! 'Ardly any accent at all! Yes, sir.
Hardly any at all.
KNOCK AT DOOR Reports of jewellery thefts are trickling in.
All from wealthy folk who have just returned from holidays.
So their Toronto homes had been vacant for several weeks.
That's why the robberies weren't reported.
But how do the thieves know the empty properties? Someone must be familiar with the neighbourhoods.
I've been checking in with the pawn shops.
None of the jewellery is showing up.
It wouldn't.
I believe this is a sophisticated operation, headed up by a fence who either holds on to the stolen property or has buyers elsewhere.
How does this connect to the murders of Pip and Phillips? KNOCK AT DOOR Ah! Excuse me, gentlemen.
But I have to have my blooming publicity photograph taken.
Keep me informed.
Sir, I can't help notice the Inspector's language has become less salty of late.
That it has, George.
I think I liked him better the way he was.
PHONE RINGS Constable Crabtree.
'George! The man who was on the telephone with Mr Phillips - 'he's right here at the exchange!' Well, who is it? PHONE HANGS UP Tess? Tess? Number please? Yes, sir, connecting you now.
Go ahead, sir.
You're welcome.
Number please? Yes, ma'am? There, there! Tess! What the Dickens? He's right there.
Josiah Lawrence, a telephone installer.
How do you know he was talking to Phillips? I heard him chatting to an operator.
I recognised his voice plain as day.
You're sure? Yes.
I have very good memory.
So do I.
George! Don't let him get away.
Go, go! Sir! You there! Toronto Constabulary.
You're under arrest.
What in blazes for? Just come with me.
You've arrested the wrong man.
Mr Lawrence, do you know a Randolph Phillips? I do not.
I insist you let me go.
I'm late for my shift at the Toronto Telephone Company.
Where you are a telephone installer.
What has my job got to do with anything? It gives you access to people's homes, does it not? Why are you asking? Mr Lawrence, do you know this boy? My Lord.
I've never seen him before.
This man was pulled off the street based on one of Miss Moffatt's wild fantasies, do I have that right? I thought so.
Let him go.
Sir, Miss Moffatt was right about the killing at the Whittaker house.
And if she is also correct about Josiah Lawrence arranging to meet Phillips, he is, in all likelihood, a brutal killer.
Well then hold him, and find some connection to Phillips or the dead boy apart from Tess Moffatt.
Is that clear? Do you recognise this man? I've seen him talking to Pip a few days before he was killed.
Do you know what he wanted? Pip told me that it was none of my business.
And then the next time I saw him he was wearing new clothes.
Is that who killed him? I don't know, Dorrie.
I don't know.
So, Lawrence supplied the addresses of the homes that were vacant to Phillips.
Phillips then tells the boys which households to rob.
And so why was Pip killed, sir? Pip was hired by Lawrence to do a job that didn't involve Phillips, a deviation from the usual pattern.
Maybe that job involved breaking into the Whittaker house.
Perhaps.
Whittaker said nothing was taken.
Whittaker claimed that nothing was stolen.
What if Pip was hired to steal something from Whittaker's home that Whittaker didn't want the police knowing about? Sir, are you suggesting that Whittaker is involved with the jewel thieves? George, could Whittaker be the Grandad? Is it possible he's the fence? And Lawrence sends Pip to his house to find, what? Perhaps it's this Bible that Lawrence referred to in his telephone call with Phillips.
Whatever this Bible is, it was worth killing Phillips over.
So how do we prove any of this, sir? Well, George, these thieves communicate by telephone.
I wonder who Whittaker has been talking to? Perhaps the Inspector will reconsider now and allow Miss Moffatt to listen in to Whittaker's calls.
George, I have another plan, and we've been ordered to steer clear of Miss Moffatt.
Mr Whittaker! A fence? It's just a theory and you didn't get that from me.
I could get in a lot of trouble for even speaking to you right now.
That's so sweet.
Why are talking to me, then? I thought you deserved to know, I suppose.
Thank you, George.
You should tell Detective Murdoch to smoke Mr Whittaker out.
Smoke him out? Yes.
Trap him into saying something incriminating.
You, you have to lure him in, George.
Make him think you know more than you do.
It's an interesting idea, Tess, but please let's just leave it at that for now.
Oh, George, where's your sense of adventure? I've arranged with the telephone company to route all of Mr Whittaker's calls here to the station house.
That way, the moment Whittaker picks up his phone to either place or receive a call, this recording device will be activated, signalled by a flashing Ah, flashing light.
So Whittaker's calls will be recorded and we'll be able to hear them? Yes, sir.
And all of this will take place without our having to attend to it.
Good, because I need your advice on a matter of some importance.
Sir? Follow me.
Be honest now, which is the most flattering? Well Just decide, Murdoch.
This one.
You look like a bulldog, sir.
That's my favourite one, too.
It says, "I listen", as well as, "My mind is already made up.
" That it does, sir.
That it does.
That should satisfy Isaac.
Sirs, the light on the recorder is flashing.
Mr Whittaker must have received a call.
'I know what you're doing, Mr Whittaker.
I know about your part in the jewellery thefts.
'I know everything you've been up to.
' Oh my God.
That's Tess.
'Who is this?' What's that girl doing talking to Whittaker? 'I will explain everything when we meet, Mr Whittaker.
'I know how to find you.
I know where you live.
' PHONE HANGS UP Sir, I swear, I had no idea It sounds like little Miss Bloody Moffatt is after a piece of the action herself! No, I think she's trying to help our investigation by smoking out Whittaker.
Smoking out? Smoking out! Face it, Crabtree, this is all your doing! Smoking out In any case, I think it's best if we get over to Whittaker's right away.
Sir, Mr Whittaker's telephone.
'What are you doing in my house? Who sent you?' 'Never mind who sent me.
' Oh, God, Tess Bloody hell, she's in the house.
I believe she's taken the phone off the hook.
This is happening now! 'We can help each other.
' 'Who sent you? Was it Lawrence?' 'What if I know where your Bible is?' 'Where's my book!' 'I don't know.
Please' Oh, God 'No!' LOUD GROAN Here's your prisoner, George.
Thank God you're here.
This woman is insane! You could've been killed! Don't over dramatise.
I knew you could hear every word.
The operators knew his calls were re-routed to the police station.
She came at me unprovoked! She's dangerous! Mr Whittaker, you are under arrest for larceny and for the murder of Randolph Phillips.
Phillips? Who's that? George? With pleasure, sir.
No! What the devil? She attacked me! 'Where's my book?' 'I don't know.
Please' The missing book your "Bible" contains the information you need to fence the stolen property, does it not, Mr Whittaker? And that is why you tortured Randolph Phillips.
I am not a fence and I did not kill this Phillips person.
My men are searching your home right now.
And I'm confident that they'll find a significant amount of stolen property.
Where were you planning to fence the stolen jewellery? Chicago? I'll speak to my lawyer now.
Someone wanted to squeeze Whittaker out of the jewellery theft ring.
Who was it? I believe Josiah Lawrence.
All he would have needed was Whittaker's contact book to take over.
And he hired Pip to steal it.
Yes, but I believe Whittaker suspected Phillips, not Lawrence.
So Whittaker killed Phillips.
Sirs, I checked out Whittaker's alibi for Phillips' murder.
He was at his office.
He didn't kill Phillips.
That leaves Josiah Lawrence.
Correct.
I went by the Temperance Street Exchange to look through Lawrence's tool bag and I found one implement you might find of particular interest.
The teeth on your Linesman pliers match the wounds on Phillips' tortured body exactly.
Our coroner confirms it.
You were planning on cutting Whittaker out of the jewel theft ring, weren't you? You paid Pip to steal his contact book.
Did your associate, Mr Phillips, find out what you were planning to do? Phillips followed Pip to Whittaker's house, killed him and took the book.
That's why you tortured Phillips, to get the book back.
Now, where is the book? I don't know.
The bugger died before I could get it out of him.
How was Gulliver's Travels? I didn't get too far.
I tried but it's just too hard.
That it is.
Perhaps you'd prefer Treasure Island.
That sounds good.
It was a favourite when I was your age.
Why don't you stay and read it for a bit? Congratulations, Murdoch.
The men found the jewels in a hidden safe at Whittaker's house.
Another case done and dusted.
What now? Whittaker's in jail.
Phillips is dead and Lawrence will hang for it.
What about Whittaker's contact book, the Bible? It's what they were all chasing after, each one thinking the other one had it.
Yet none of them did.
KNOCK ON THE WINDOW Sorry, Murdoch.
I've a ship to right.
The timing couldn't be better.
Now, we'll call a press conference to announce the capture of the thieves and the recovery of the jewellery.
Great.
There you go, lads.
This is exactly what your campaign needs, a photographic opportunity.
There you go, Neil.
Tommy Brackenreid, you're a winner.
I am that, Isaac.
I am that.
Phillips knew to follow Pip to Whittaker's Because he found out what Lawrence was planning, right? But how did Phillips? Oh, I see Dorrie returned your book.
Don't sound so surprised, William.
He's a good boy.
But how did Phillips know that Lawrence had hired Pip? PHONE RINGS City morgue.
'The line to Chicago is now clear.
'I'll put your call through.
' How curious, it's a trunk call from Chicago.
Chicago? Yes, but I didn't place a call to Chicago today.
Julia, how long ago was Dorrie here? Not half an hour ago.
Why? I'll take that call.
I believe you missed your telephone call from Chicago, young man.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Oh? I think you do.
That's mine! No, it's Mr Whittaker's, and I know you killed Pip to get it.
It's a shame that women can never become police officers.
You'd pass all the tests.
Even the physical vigour exam, which I'm sure Mr Whittaker would attest to.
Goodness, the life of a policeman is not for me.
I've something more exciting in mind.
More exciting than police work? My own private detective agency.
A lady detective? Why not? Maybe you'd care to join me? We make a good team.
Don't you think? Yes, I do.
But I can't, I can't let down the Inspector and Detective Murdoch.
How very true.
Where would they be without Constable Crabtree? Oh, I shudder to think, Tess.
I shudder to think.
I can assure you, gentlemen, and you can quote me, that when I right the ship there will be no place for criminals in Toronto for good.
Quite an opportunity fell into your lap, Dorrie.
You followed Pip to Whittaker's house.
You knew he was going to steal something.
You probably even guessed what that was.
No, I only figured that out after he showed me the book.
And when you saw the phone numbers for jewellery buyers in Chicago and elsewhere, you realised that Lawrence was planning to take over the gang.
Yeah, and I think, "Why Lawrence? Why not me? I'm not stupid.
" No, far from it.
I told Pip I wanted the book.
He wouldn't give it to me.
So I grabbed it.
Pip fought back.
He made me bleed, the little toerag.
So I killed him.
I mean, after all, I just wanted the book.
He should'a just given me the book.
Right? Dorrie moved Pip's body into the lane-way and then told Phillips that he had found Pip dead.
Setting up Phillips for Pip's murder.
How could I be so taken in by the boy? We both were.
He used us to bring down the jewellery theft ring and take it over for himself.
He's nothing if not audacious.
I sense it's more than that.
It's as if he imitates normal behaviour to get what he wants and has complete disregard for everyone.
But he's just a child.
You didn't see his complete lack of feeling over killing Pip.
I don't know what we're dealing with here, Julia.
A mental illness, perhaps, or, a good boy gone bad? Or is it possible to be born without a conscience? He's ready.
Go ahead, sir.
CHOKING: 'Help.
' COUGHING AND CHOKING 'Help.
' CHOKING 'Help.
' PHONE HANGS UP PHONE RINGS I said no calls while Mr Lowe is here.
Sorry, Isaac.
You were saying the campaign's tilted in my favour, yes? Indeed, your opponent has foolishly come out against the subway project.
Excellent.
But what did we expect from a backward-thinking blowhard like Ellis Cornwall? Which is why you are the right candidate for Alderman.
"Brackenreid! Right the Ship!" eh? Clear sailing from here, I'd say.
Ah, but the voting public is fickle, if it's even thinking at all.
To that end, your campaign wants you out there stumping, driving home your vision of Toronto's world-class future.
I'm ready.
Let me at that gobshite Cornwall.
That's the spirit.
But, first, a little sprucing wouldn't hurt.
Sprucing? Yes.
Your campaign wants your public image as bright as a new button.
And what does this, uh, sprucing involve? Well, for starters, I will have my tailor come over and measure you for a new suit.
A new suit? And who's paying for that? Don't you worry about that.
That's very generous of you, Isaac.
We are going to knock 'em dead, Inspector! I will see you soon.
Yes, you will.
And that's when I plugged into the jack and heard that awful sound, that poor woman being murdered.
Murdered? Are you sure? Yes, strangled.
I have very good hearing.
Oh, really? And do you remember where this telephone call came from? Number 2315.
You again.
It's Miss Moffatt.
Tess Moffatt, Inspector.
Sir, Miss Moffatt believes she overheard a murder last night.
A murder this time.
Well, I'll put my best man on that immediately.
Murdoch! Miss Moffatt, this "murder" is the fourth imaginary incident you've wasted our time with.
A tiny reminder.
You're not a policeman.
You're a telephone operator.
Then you are aware that I am breaking telephone company rules by repeating what I overheard.
Good day, Inspector.
Sir, we are obliged to look into any reports of criminal activity.
More than five minutes on this, Murdoch, and you'll be a telephone operator.
Bloody woman.
Did Miss Moffatt happen to recall the number, George? She did, sir.
2315.
It should be here in the reverse directory.
DOORBELL RINGS Constable? Uh, the back door was open, sir.
Oh.
Uh, do come in.
There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary, sir.
I suppose Miss Moffatt has cried wolf once again.
Hm.
Uh, just a moment, George.
What are you looking at, sir? If I'm not mistaken this is blood.
George, search the house.
Yes, sir.
Explain yourselves.
Detective William Murdoch, Toronto Constabulary.
And you are? Mrs Handsworth, Mr Whittaker's housekeeper.
And I asked you for an explanation.
We believe something untoward has occurred in this home.
Impossible.
Mr Whittaker is a fine Christian man.
And where is Mr Whittaker now? He left on business for Chicago three days ago.
Is there any chance you left the back door unlocked last evening? None whatsoever.
Goodness, has Mr Whittaker been burgled? We're not sure.
Who else has access to the home? I have the only key apart from Mr Whittaker.
Then do you have any idea where this drop of blood came from? I'm sure I don't.
Miss Moffatt, what exactly did you hear on Mr Whittaker's line? I heard the sound of a woman being strangled.
PHONE RINGS Ah.
Pardon me, Miss Moffatt.
Constable.
Sir.
Miss.
Thank you.
Detective Murdoch.
Yes, I placed the call to Chicago.
Oh, my! Will you look at that? Is this a fingermark kit? Yes, it is.
Fascinating.
Have you ever caught a criminal using fingermarks, Constable? Yes, as a matter of fact we have.
It's an extremely useful tool.
Everyone in the world has unique fingers.
Uh, I should get back to my duties, though.
Oh, thank you, Constable.
Of course, Miss Moffatt.
Whittaker is still in Chicago, sir.
He's been there on business for the past three Are you quite sure this is a good time, sir? You can't be in politics without paying attention to your image, Murdoch.
Go on.
Yes, sir.
Whittaker confirms that only he and his housekeeper have keys to the house.
She checked that nothing was missing? She has.
Well, that rules out burglary.
Any reports on a missing woman? Or a dead one, for that matter? No, sir.
Why am I not surprised? Sir, the drop of blood on Whittaker's desk remains a mystery.
What do you think, Murdoch? Brown, blue? Or what about the pinstripe? Too modern? Sirs? Oh, no, sir.
A body's been found near Sherbourne and Bloor, sir.
There you go, Murdoch.
A real case, not some figment of a girl's imagination.
Pinstripe.
I came around the corner and saw him lying there.
Gave me the shock of my life.
And what were you doing in the lane-way, Mr Phillips? I'm a city worker.
I was inspecting a gas line.
Never expected to find something bad like this.
Detective? Excuse me.
He's so young.
Yes, I know this must be difficult.
There seems to be some bruising.
There's a small inconsistency in the ligature marks.
He was strangled, possibly by a thin rope that was frayed.
And the time of death? In the last 12 to 18 hours.
I discovered something quite unusual.
The clothes don't match the boy.
How do you mean? He had a deficiency in mineralized calcium.
Rickets.
Generally a disease of the poor Yes.
Perhaps he stole the clothes? Perhaps Have you seen him? Have you seen him? Right, then.
Thank you.
Sir.
Down there.
Oi! What's your name, lad? Dorrie, think hard.
Have you seen this boy before? We need to contact his parents.
Let them know what's become of their boy.
Can I go now? One more question.
Why did you run, Dorrie? Street boys always get the blame for something.
Don't matter what.
A milliner's? What's a street boy doing buying hats? I spoke to the shop owner, a Miss Elizabeth Lurchen.
She's a kindly soul.
She lets Dorrie use her telephone on Mondays and Fridays at 11 o'clock to receive a call from his uncle.
Is that so? The little angel has a kindly old uncle who telephones regularly.
This Dorrie's got more than he's letting on, Murdoch.
Yes, sir.
I believe he lied when he said he didn't know the dead boy.
Well, perhaps we should listen in to the lad's next call on Monday? Listen in? Yes, sir.
The milliner's shop is on the Temperance Street Telephone Exchange.
That's where Miss Moffatt works.
Give me strength! I could supervise the call, that way it's official police business and she won't be risking her employment.
If we involve her in a murder investigation and it goes wrong, well, I am running for Alderman, you know? BOTH: We know.
Sir, I'm confident George will manage his plan with success.
Operator.
Go ahead, sir.
Connecting you now.
Ma'am, that line is occupied.
Number, please? That line is otherwise engaged.
An incoming callfrom the public telephones at the Junction Exchange.
'I have a call for 1098.
' Thank you, operator.
PHONE RINGS 'Top Hats Millinery.
' 'Good morning, Madam.
I am calling for my nephew, Dorrie.
' 'Yes, sir.
' 'Hello.
' 'Hello, Dorrie.
Are you well?' 'I am, uncle.
Are we meeting today?' 'Yes.
159 Castle Frank Road.
' 'The usual time.
' PHONE HANGS UP A street boy with an uncle living up in posh Rosedale!? That doesn't add up.
Will you stake out the house? Stake out? It's a phrase I learned in the penny dreadfuls.
It means to watch.
Oh, I know.
What are you doing? Well, you've just given me an idea now for my adventure novel.
Adventure novel? May I read it? Perhaps when I'm done.
Oh, I can wait.
Well, then, Detective Murdoch will decide whether or not we stake out the Castle Frank house.
Might I be able to come along? No, absolutely not.
I have very good eyesight.
Really? No, Miss Moffatt, civilians cannot become involved, especially the fairer sex.
It's far too dangerous.
I'll keep you abreast of any of anythingof any goings on.
Hello, Dorrie.
What have we here? Please, sir, don't arrest me.
They'll kill me, too.
Right.
Let's try this again.
Did you know the dead boy? Young man, you were caught with stolen property.
You'll spend a great deal more time in a prison cell if you don't start cooperating.
Pip.
Pip was his name.
How did you know him? He robbed houses, too.
You said, "They'll kill me, too.
" Who are "they"? The men we work for.
They're rough.
Dorrie, who are "they"? Who is this uncle you speak to twice a week? I don't know.
A man telephones and gives us addresses, we rob the house and leave the jewellery at a drop place.
You never meet? No.
Where's Pip now? He's in the morgue.
Can I see him? We were friends.
Did he have family? Not that he said.
He'll be buried proper, right? Yes, yes of course.
He was a smart one.
He could read.
He taught me some, too.
Really? He said if we wanted out of the thieving life we'd have to learn our letters better.
Maybe they found out and killed him for it.
Dorrie, I know you're scared, but cooperating with Detective Murdoch is your way out, now.
Yeah, if they don't catch me first.
Gulliver's Travels.
Do you know it? I've seen it at the library.
I go and look at all the books until they throw me out.
It's a wonderfully imaginative tale.
Why don't you borrow it? Are you sure? Yes.
Thank you.
I'll bring it back.
Right then, Dorrie, come along.
Marvellous speech at the Rotary Club, last night, may I say? You put Cornwall solidly in his place.
Though, it might be an idea to tone down some of your colourful language.
Tone down? Just so that "My esteemed opponent, Ellis Cornwall," doesn't become "Ellis Cornwall, that bloody little tosser.
" But One more thought here.
Let's consider "Tommy" as the name to call you.
"Tommy?" You serious? "Tommy" is a man of the people.
"Thomas" plays tennis with his opera-loving bon vivants.
I see.
And we may need to do a little work on that accent of yours.
Accent? Let's try enunciating more clearly.
"Oh, Horace, isn't it horrid when you're hot "and in a hurry and you have to hold your hat on with your hand?" Now you, Tommy.
"Oh, Horace, isn't it horrid when you're hot and in a hurry "and you have to hold your hat on with your hand?" I don't see how this bloody posh accent is going to make me a man of the people.
We must be all things to all people.
Will you trust me, Tommy? I've done this before! Excuse me, Isaac.
Urgent business.
Murdoch! Sir? You've got something urgent for me, right, yes? Sir? You've got something, Murdoch, for me.
Ah, yes, yes.
Most urgent, sir.
I spoke with Dorrie.
Apparently he and Pip, the boy who died, were working for jewellery thieves.
But there have been no reports of burglaries.
A bit strange if thieves are running around town.
You sure Dorrie's not telling tall tales? Well, I did catch him with stolen valuables.
It would be in his best interest to tell us the truth.
I'm not convinced you ever get the whole truth from that kind.
KNOCK AT DOOR Sirs, Mr Whittaker called.
He's back from Chicago.
DOORBELL RINGS I have no idea what happened, Detective.
It's all very confusing.
Blood on my desk, the back door unlocked.
I'm as mystified as you.
And how long has Mrs Handsworth been in your employ, Mr Whittaker? Five years.
You'll find no impropriety there.
Her credentials are impeccable.
You're quite sure nothing's missing? Nothing Mrs Handsworth may have overlooked? Everything is just as I left it.
My gold cuff links in plain view on my bureau.
Cash in my desk drawer.
Nothing is missing.
Perhaps it's simply a misunderstanding, then.
So it seems.
I do appreciate your thoroughness.
PHONE RINGS Oh.
Excuse me.
Hello? Yes, I returned from Chicago this morning.
I will be at the office within the hour, yes.
Thank you.
I apologise for the interruption.
I'll be needing to take your telephone, Mr Whittaker.
Whatever for? This fray on Mr Whittaker's telephone line exposed the wires.
It matches the inconsistent ligature marks on Pip's neck.
So it was Pip that Miss Moffatt heard being strangled, not a woman.
He was small enough to get in through the milk box.
Could he have been sent to rob Whittaker's home? It's possible.
Perhaps Pip's killer caught him in the act, then suffered a cut in the ensuing struggle.
But who is the killer? These criminals who take advantage of destitute children.
And the parents who abandon them! I can't imagine.
Everyone has their story, Julia.
Well, at least Dorrie seems to have a future.
Let's hope.
I'll be looking for books that he might like.
Perhaps you should wait for Gulliver's Travels to make its way back Don't be such a pessimist.
Now you must excuse me.
I'm joining Darcy at the hospital for a presentation on the draining of infected wounds.
Are you sure Whittaker had nothing to do with this, Murdoch? The boy was killed in his house.
Yes, sir, but Whittaker was in Chicago at the time of the murder.
I spoke to him there myself.
Fair enough.
If the dead boy was part of the jewel theft ring, maybe we should find out how it operates.
Starting by identifying this elusive uncle.
How do you intend to do that? Well, the thieves don't know that Dorrie is co-operating with us.
What if Miss Moffatt? Not her again! That girl's a bloody pest! But what if she were to trace Dorrie's next telephone call? Miss Moffatt said that the uncle telephoned Dorrie from a public telephone at the Junction Exchange.
He may do so again.
I was thinking I could stake out the Junction Exchange on Friday at 11am.
Stake out? Yes, sir.
It means "to watch".
Very good, George.
You can be on the telephone with Miss Moffatt and she can then tell you when Dorrie speaks to the uncle.
You'll be able to identify the man at the Junction Exchange.
I assume this will call for plain clothes? Yes, George.
I suppose it will.
I'll agree to this caper on one condition.
That Miss Moffatt does not leave her switchboard.
For this plan to work, it's imperative that she remain at her post.
She's part of this once, and this once only.
The question is, can we trust that little stray not to queer the plan? Pip was in a house in Rosedale? Do you have any idea why he might have been there? No.
He did his thieving in Parkdale.
Do you think I was right? One of the men we rob for killed him? It's a possibility.
That's why we'll be listening to your phone call.
Now, it's important that you speak and act naturally.
This "uncle" mustn't suspect that we're on to him.
All right.
Under five miles, please.
Temperance Street Exchange, please.
Try back later.
Operator.
Number please? 'Miss Moffatt?' Hello, Constable Crabtree.
I'll let you know when the call comes through.
'The password is "Goldfish".
' Goldfish.
Excellent.
Number, please.
Goldfish.
Goldfish.
'Goldfish, goldfish, goldfish!' Yes, I hear you.
Which booth is he calling from? I can't tell.
Well, let me know when Dorrie ends the call.
Good thinking, Constable Crabtree.
They're just finishing now.
Oh, for the love of I followed the suspect all the way to the courthouse, where I discovered he is Judge Benjamin Hooper.
Somehow I doubt His Lordship is involved in a jewellery theft ring.
You had a 50-50 chance of being right, George.
Perhaps you'll find the man you didn't follow in our Bertillon photos.
Crabtree's sifting through photographs.
Yes, sir.
I take it his grand plan fizzled? Oh! Oh, sir, that is quite a suit.
Thank you, Murdoch.
Not too ostentatious? No.
Not at all.
Good.
Isaac Lowe wants to show off his spruced-up candidate with a picture in the newspaper.
So, if you catch those jewellery thieves It's a perfect opportunity to call in the press.
Ah.
Indeed.
I'll be in my office.
You followed the wrong man.
Yes, I'm aware of that, Miss Moffatt.
Thank you for the reminder, though.
After you left the Junction Exchange, I stayed on the line.
Dorrie's contact, the uncle, made another call, to his brother at the Union Station Exchange public telephones.
How do you know it was his brother? He called him that.
They seemed to be discussing their family, but I suspect otherwise.
Do you? The man at Union Station said, "Grandad wants to know what's happened to his nephew.
" The man at the Junction Telephone, the uncle, then replied that he didn't know.
The Union Station man then said, "Grandad's very unhappy.
His Bible is missing.
" Yes, I see what you mean.
It sounds like they're speaking some sort of code.
As I suspected.
Did he say anything else? Yes.
They agreed to meet.
"Usual time.
At our mother's.
" You think that's code, too? Very likely.
I doubt they're talking about an actual family member.
A public house? I can't think of one called "Mother".
Could it be Our Mother of Divine Sorrow church in Parkdale? I'll inform Detective Murdoch of this immediately.
This has been very helpful.
Please.
Call me Tess, Constable.
Tess, call me George.
Goodness, George, there's a body! Sir, this is This is the man I didn't follow from the telephone exchange.
This is Dorrie's "uncle".
George, this is Randolph Phillips.
The man who claims to have found Pip's body.
Then he's also involved in the jewellery theft ring.
It's hardly a coincidence.
Indeed.
Do you think he killed Pip, then? Yes, I do.
The question is, why? He appears to have been tortured.
That's normally employed to extract information.
I wonder what secret Mr Phillips thought was worth dying for? One-twelfth the size of normal human beings.
It means the Lilliputians are So they're about five or six inches tall, then? Exactly.
You're quick with mathematics.
Once I learn my letters better I want to be an apprentice.
What would you like to do? I fancy work in a printer's shop.
Well, knowing your figures will serve you well, Dorrie.
Why don't you try another chapter of Mr Swift? I will.
Good.
Now, I have to work.
Some work, huh? See you later.
The wounds are unusual, I don't know what caused them.
Some very particular instrument.
But there is no question - Mr Phillips was tortured.
And then finished off? I doubt it got that far.
He had a heart defect.
The pain of being tortured triggered a fatal heart attack.
So it's possible that he died before giving up the information his assailant was after.
Yes, poor man.
Oh, there's no need for sympathy, Julia.
I believe Mr Phillips here murdered young Pip.
Oh, I see.
Be sure to encourage Inspector Brackenreid to stand up straight for the camera.
He has a tendency to drop his head forward somewhat.
Makes him look like a surly bulldog.
The elusive jewellery thieves, I assume.
Yes.
I believe they're organized in a hierarchy.
The young boys, known as "nephews", commit the robberies, then report back to the middle men.
Phillips, in this case, who is the "uncle" and his "brother".
At the head is "Grandad".
Yes, well, some of this homicidal horde have a horrible habit of getting themselves murdered.
Ha! I got you there, Murdoch! 'Ardly any accent at all! Yes, sir.
Hardly any at all.
KNOCK AT DOOR Reports of jewellery thefts are trickling in.
All from wealthy folk who have just returned from holidays.
So their Toronto homes had been vacant for several weeks.
That's why the robberies weren't reported.
But how do the thieves know the empty properties? Someone must be familiar with the neighbourhoods.
I've been checking in with the pawn shops.
None of the jewellery is showing up.
It wouldn't.
I believe this is a sophisticated operation, headed up by a fence who either holds on to the stolen property or has buyers elsewhere.
How does this connect to the murders of Pip and Phillips? KNOCK AT DOOR Ah! Excuse me, gentlemen.
But I have to have my blooming publicity photograph taken.
Keep me informed.
Sir, I can't help notice the Inspector's language has become less salty of late.
That it has, George.
I think I liked him better the way he was.
PHONE RINGS Constable Crabtree.
'George! The man who was on the telephone with Mr Phillips - 'he's right here at the exchange!' Well, who is it? PHONE HANGS UP Tess? Tess? Number please? Yes, sir, connecting you now.
Go ahead, sir.
You're welcome.
Number please? Yes, ma'am? There, there! Tess! What the Dickens? He's right there.
Josiah Lawrence, a telephone installer.
How do you know he was talking to Phillips? I heard him chatting to an operator.
I recognised his voice plain as day.
You're sure? Yes.
I have very good memory.
So do I.
George! Don't let him get away.
Go, go! Sir! You there! Toronto Constabulary.
You're under arrest.
What in blazes for? Just come with me.
You've arrested the wrong man.
Mr Lawrence, do you know a Randolph Phillips? I do not.
I insist you let me go.
I'm late for my shift at the Toronto Telephone Company.
Where you are a telephone installer.
What has my job got to do with anything? It gives you access to people's homes, does it not? Why are you asking? Mr Lawrence, do you know this boy? My Lord.
I've never seen him before.
This man was pulled off the street based on one of Miss Moffatt's wild fantasies, do I have that right? I thought so.
Let him go.
Sir, Miss Moffatt was right about the killing at the Whittaker house.
And if she is also correct about Josiah Lawrence arranging to meet Phillips, he is, in all likelihood, a brutal killer.
Well then hold him, and find some connection to Phillips or the dead boy apart from Tess Moffatt.
Is that clear? Do you recognise this man? I've seen him talking to Pip a few days before he was killed.
Do you know what he wanted? Pip told me that it was none of my business.
And then the next time I saw him he was wearing new clothes.
Is that who killed him? I don't know, Dorrie.
I don't know.
So, Lawrence supplied the addresses of the homes that were vacant to Phillips.
Phillips then tells the boys which households to rob.
And so why was Pip killed, sir? Pip was hired by Lawrence to do a job that didn't involve Phillips, a deviation from the usual pattern.
Maybe that job involved breaking into the Whittaker house.
Perhaps.
Whittaker said nothing was taken.
Whittaker claimed that nothing was stolen.
What if Pip was hired to steal something from Whittaker's home that Whittaker didn't want the police knowing about? Sir, are you suggesting that Whittaker is involved with the jewel thieves? George, could Whittaker be the Grandad? Is it possible he's the fence? And Lawrence sends Pip to his house to find, what? Perhaps it's this Bible that Lawrence referred to in his telephone call with Phillips.
Whatever this Bible is, it was worth killing Phillips over.
So how do we prove any of this, sir? Well, George, these thieves communicate by telephone.
I wonder who Whittaker has been talking to? Perhaps the Inspector will reconsider now and allow Miss Moffatt to listen in to Whittaker's calls.
George, I have another plan, and we've been ordered to steer clear of Miss Moffatt.
Mr Whittaker! A fence? It's just a theory and you didn't get that from me.
I could get in a lot of trouble for even speaking to you right now.
That's so sweet.
Why are talking to me, then? I thought you deserved to know, I suppose.
Thank you, George.
You should tell Detective Murdoch to smoke Mr Whittaker out.
Smoke him out? Yes.
Trap him into saying something incriminating.
You, you have to lure him in, George.
Make him think you know more than you do.
It's an interesting idea, Tess, but please let's just leave it at that for now.
Oh, George, where's your sense of adventure? I've arranged with the telephone company to route all of Mr Whittaker's calls here to the station house.
That way, the moment Whittaker picks up his phone to either place or receive a call, this recording device will be activated, signalled by a flashing Ah, flashing light.
So Whittaker's calls will be recorded and we'll be able to hear them? Yes, sir.
And all of this will take place without our having to attend to it.
Good, because I need your advice on a matter of some importance.
Sir? Follow me.
Be honest now, which is the most flattering? Well Just decide, Murdoch.
This one.
You look like a bulldog, sir.
That's my favourite one, too.
It says, "I listen", as well as, "My mind is already made up.
" That it does, sir.
That it does.
That should satisfy Isaac.
Sirs, the light on the recorder is flashing.
Mr Whittaker must have received a call.
'I know what you're doing, Mr Whittaker.
I know about your part in the jewellery thefts.
'I know everything you've been up to.
' Oh my God.
That's Tess.
'Who is this?' What's that girl doing talking to Whittaker? 'I will explain everything when we meet, Mr Whittaker.
'I know how to find you.
I know where you live.
' PHONE HANGS UP Sir, I swear, I had no idea It sounds like little Miss Bloody Moffatt is after a piece of the action herself! No, I think she's trying to help our investigation by smoking out Whittaker.
Smoking out? Smoking out! Face it, Crabtree, this is all your doing! Smoking out In any case, I think it's best if we get over to Whittaker's right away.
Sir, Mr Whittaker's telephone.
'What are you doing in my house? Who sent you?' 'Never mind who sent me.
' Oh, God, Tess Bloody hell, she's in the house.
I believe she's taken the phone off the hook.
This is happening now! 'We can help each other.
' 'Who sent you? Was it Lawrence?' 'What if I know where your Bible is?' 'Where's my book!' 'I don't know.
Please' Oh, God 'No!' LOUD GROAN Here's your prisoner, George.
Thank God you're here.
This woman is insane! You could've been killed! Don't over dramatise.
I knew you could hear every word.
The operators knew his calls were re-routed to the police station.
She came at me unprovoked! She's dangerous! Mr Whittaker, you are under arrest for larceny and for the murder of Randolph Phillips.
Phillips? Who's that? George? With pleasure, sir.
No! What the devil? She attacked me! 'Where's my book?' 'I don't know.
Please' The missing book your "Bible" contains the information you need to fence the stolen property, does it not, Mr Whittaker? And that is why you tortured Randolph Phillips.
I am not a fence and I did not kill this Phillips person.
My men are searching your home right now.
And I'm confident that they'll find a significant amount of stolen property.
Where were you planning to fence the stolen jewellery? Chicago? I'll speak to my lawyer now.
Someone wanted to squeeze Whittaker out of the jewellery theft ring.
Who was it? I believe Josiah Lawrence.
All he would have needed was Whittaker's contact book to take over.
And he hired Pip to steal it.
Yes, but I believe Whittaker suspected Phillips, not Lawrence.
So Whittaker killed Phillips.
Sirs, I checked out Whittaker's alibi for Phillips' murder.
He was at his office.
He didn't kill Phillips.
That leaves Josiah Lawrence.
Correct.
I went by the Temperance Street Exchange to look through Lawrence's tool bag and I found one implement you might find of particular interest.
The teeth on your Linesman pliers match the wounds on Phillips' tortured body exactly.
Our coroner confirms it.
You were planning on cutting Whittaker out of the jewel theft ring, weren't you? You paid Pip to steal his contact book.
Did your associate, Mr Phillips, find out what you were planning to do? Phillips followed Pip to Whittaker's house, killed him and took the book.
That's why you tortured Phillips, to get the book back.
Now, where is the book? I don't know.
The bugger died before I could get it out of him.
How was Gulliver's Travels? I didn't get too far.
I tried but it's just too hard.
That it is.
Perhaps you'd prefer Treasure Island.
That sounds good.
It was a favourite when I was your age.
Why don't you stay and read it for a bit? Congratulations, Murdoch.
The men found the jewels in a hidden safe at Whittaker's house.
Another case done and dusted.
What now? Whittaker's in jail.
Phillips is dead and Lawrence will hang for it.
What about Whittaker's contact book, the Bible? It's what they were all chasing after, each one thinking the other one had it.
Yet none of them did.
KNOCK ON THE WINDOW Sorry, Murdoch.
I've a ship to right.
The timing couldn't be better.
Now, we'll call a press conference to announce the capture of the thieves and the recovery of the jewellery.
Great.
There you go, lads.
This is exactly what your campaign needs, a photographic opportunity.
There you go, Neil.
Tommy Brackenreid, you're a winner.
I am that, Isaac.
I am that.
Phillips knew to follow Pip to Whittaker's Because he found out what Lawrence was planning, right? But how did Phillips? Oh, I see Dorrie returned your book.
Don't sound so surprised, William.
He's a good boy.
But how did Phillips know that Lawrence had hired Pip? PHONE RINGS City morgue.
'The line to Chicago is now clear.
'I'll put your call through.
' How curious, it's a trunk call from Chicago.
Chicago? Yes, but I didn't place a call to Chicago today.
Julia, how long ago was Dorrie here? Not half an hour ago.
Why? I'll take that call.
I believe you missed your telephone call from Chicago, young man.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Oh? I think you do.
That's mine! No, it's Mr Whittaker's, and I know you killed Pip to get it.
It's a shame that women can never become police officers.
You'd pass all the tests.
Even the physical vigour exam, which I'm sure Mr Whittaker would attest to.
Goodness, the life of a policeman is not for me.
I've something more exciting in mind.
More exciting than police work? My own private detective agency.
A lady detective? Why not? Maybe you'd care to join me? We make a good team.
Don't you think? Yes, I do.
But I can't, I can't let down the Inspector and Detective Murdoch.
How very true.
Where would they be without Constable Crabtree? Oh, I shudder to think, Tess.
I shudder to think.
I can assure you, gentlemen, and you can quote me, that when I right the ship there will be no place for criminals in Toronto for good.
Quite an opportunity fell into your lap, Dorrie.
You followed Pip to Whittaker's house.
You knew he was going to steal something.
You probably even guessed what that was.
No, I only figured that out after he showed me the book.
And when you saw the phone numbers for jewellery buyers in Chicago and elsewhere, you realised that Lawrence was planning to take over the gang.
Yeah, and I think, "Why Lawrence? Why not me? I'm not stupid.
" No, far from it.
I told Pip I wanted the book.
He wouldn't give it to me.
So I grabbed it.
Pip fought back.
He made me bleed, the little toerag.
So I killed him.
I mean, after all, I just wanted the book.
He should'a just given me the book.
Right? Dorrie moved Pip's body into the lane-way and then told Phillips that he had found Pip dead.
Setting up Phillips for Pip's murder.
How could I be so taken in by the boy? We both were.
He used us to bring down the jewellery theft ring and take it over for himself.
He's nothing if not audacious.
I sense it's more than that.
It's as if he imitates normal behaviour to get what he wants and has complete disregard for everyone.
But he's just a child.
You didn't see his complete lack of feeling over killing Pip.
I don't know what we're dealing with here, Julia.
A mental illness, perhaps, or, a good boy gone bad? Or is it possible to be born without a conscience? He's ready.