The Murdoch Mysteries (2004) s15e09 Episode Script

[PHONE RINGS.]
Station house four.
HIGGINS: George.
It's me.
- Higgins? - HIGGINS: Listen carefully, I'm at Parliament Street about to get on the Queen streetcar heading east.
I don't know where I'm going, or what will happen.
Higgins, what are you on about? HIGGINS: Listen carefully: please do as I ask.
Wait one hour.
If I don't telephone you, by then I suppose the worst will have happened.
- The worst? Henry, this is ridiculous.
- HIGGINS: Tell no one.
Wait one hour and come and find me, George.
I'm counting on you.
Henry? Henry? Henry? Everything all right? Yes.
Yes, everything's fine.
Hmm.
Sir? It's Henry.
Can I help you, sir? Sir? What are you doing here? Can I help you? Whoa! No, whoa, whoa, whoa.
You can't go in here! Excuse me! Bring me Detective Murdoch.
- What time was the call? - 10:42.
51 minutes.
Right.
We'll send constables to the area right away Detective, there is someone who wants to see you - in the interview room.
- Please take care of that, Watts.
Something's happened to Higgins.
This may be related.
With me.
Rupert Newsome.
What's this about? I come to you with dire news.
My wife Lucinda has been kidnapped and I fear I've sent Henry Higgins to his death.
Watts, find the inspector.
We need as many men as we can get to search the Queen streetcar line east of Parliament.
Have them search for any sign of Henry Higgins.
He'd have boarded the streetcar at about ten to eleven.
I'll see if I can track down the driver.
How do you know all this? - What is going on? - It happened last night.
I was hosting a dinner at my home.
Lucinda's father had just returned from the Orient and so we invited Ruthie and Henry for a small fete.
[DISTANT ENGINE.]
What is that infernal racket? It's Bucky Fanshaw's aero.
He's been flying it to and fro without a rest since he got the blasted thing.
But it's dark out.
He must have purchased a lamp.
Oh, he adores that ridiculous machine.
You know, that's how I injured my leg.
Hence Helena, who has been an absolute saviour.
Ah, thank you, dear.
So much better.
You were flying the aeroplane? No, silly Henry! I was invited to view its maiden voyage and was so taken with the spectacle, I tripped on a brass orangutan, or some such trifle Bucky'd obtained in the heart of darkest some-such-place.
I hope this racket hasn't woken the baby.
- Sumatra.
- I beg your pardon? Orangutans live in Sumatra.
I sold guns to the locals there when they were fighting the Dutch.
You know, I have long held the belief that the worst man in the world is the Dutchman.
I couldn't agree with you more.
Say, - have you any bourbon, son? - Of course.
Mr.
Helmsworthy.
- Please, call me Dadah.
- Dadah! We are grateful for the house, of course.
Just It takes so much to keep it running.
- Are you asking me for money? - No! No, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Just, perhaps, uh Some people.
A maid! A cook.
A nanny.
You don't have a nanny? I let her go.
She quit.
And the hiring of someone new would, perhaps, best be done by someone with your Means and generosity.
Oh, I'm really not so generous.
[NERVOUS LAUGHTER.]
- [DISTANT RATTLING.]
- Say, what's that? [ALL SCREAM.]
Stop! Stop that! Freeze! Move and she dies.
LUCINDA: Let go of me! - What's going on? - Dear God.
Lucinda's been kidnapped.
No! They said they'd kill her.
- Well, we have to go after her! - We'll do what they say.
Yes! Presumably, they'll just want money.
Oh, of course they want money.
It is a kidnapping.
We don't know that.
Oh, well, everyone gets kidnapped, Henry.
I was kidnapped! They offered me candy, Mommy and Daddy paid the ransom, you remember, and then I was back in time for tea.
No, no! This is madness! No, we have to go after them.
We don't even know what they want! [PHONE RINGS.]
Hello? KIDNAPPER: If anyone steps outside the house, she dies.
If you make a phone call, she dies.
If you tell the police, she dies.
We won't do anything.
Just tell us what you want.
KIDNAPPER: Tomorrow morning, 1030:am.
The corner of Queen and Parliament.
- 50,000 dollars.
- Fine.
Fine.
Fine, just don't hurt her.
No! Now, wait! Ah I'll have to make a call to arrange it.
KIDNAPPER: One call.
No police.
You should have come to the police, Mr.
Newsome.
We all agreed it was safest to play by their rules.
What happened after the call? We waited.
I didn't sleep.
Helena made me a draught, but it had no effect.
In the morning I, uh, I arranged for the money to be withdrawn from our accounts and delivered to the house.
Thank you, gentlemen.
It is going to be all right, you know.
I mean, it's only a kidnapping.
- Ruthie.
- Well - I'll make the drop off.
- No.
She's my wife.
I'll do it.
These are dangerous men.
I'm sorry, son, but I don't know if you have what it takes.
I will ensure she is returned safely.
Henry will do it.
- Dear? - Well, they said no police, but they have no idea that Henry is a police officer.
Plus, he has the most experience to handle things should they go poorly.
Which they won't.
Henry? Are you up to the task, son? I can do it.
- But something happened.
- Yes.
Everything changed.
Henry went to Queen and Parliament.
I followed at a distance.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hello? He spoke on the telephone for no more than a minute.
- And then? - He hung up and crossed to the streetcar.
That was the last we saw of him.
We waited.
Waited.
- Yes.
And then? - But there was no word.
Nothing from Henry, nothing from Lucinda.
Dadah didn't want me to, but I had to come to the police.
Henry called the station because he knew something was wrong.
The kidnappers changed the plan.
- Right, lads.
Get a move on.
- Yes, sir.
We have a dozen men east of the Don.
Station house six and seven have his description.
Thank you, sir.
I only wish I'd said something earlier.
Now, you made the best decision you could, based on the information you had.
Whatever comes of this, George, none of it rests on you.
I should have done the exchange myself.
- I never should have trusted that boy.
- Henry did nothing wrong.
And he's fine.
He's fine.
They always change the location.
That's how they know the police won't be there waiting for them when they get their money.
Though, by now, I'm sure Henry has Lucinda and they're on their way home.
There's been no further contact yet? Nothing.
You must be Mr.
Helmsworthy.
I'm George Crabtree.
I'm the one that Henry telephoned.
We told that fool not to go to the police.
- We'll find him.
And your daughter.
- Good man.
If they try to make contact, we'll be in touch.
- Thank you.
- I found the street Ooh Found the streetcar driver.
He remembers a man with a briefcase - getting off at Carlaw.
- Excellent.
Let's go.
William! I know I'm a little early, but, uh, - I stopped by Scott's.
- Oh, I'm so sorry, Julia.
There's been an emergency.
- I'm afraid I can't stay for lunch.
- Oh! Well - It's Higgins.
- Is he all right? Well, we hope so.
How are you, Doctor? Still at loose ends? Well, I'm applying for surgery positions in hospitals all over town, but nothing yet.
Ah.
Perhaps they're not hiring.
Well, some have chosen other candidates.
But I'm hopeful.
Are you hungry? Ah! Lovely.
We'll take tea in my office.
Mills! Put the kettle on, lad.
The driver remembered him because he was picking nervously at his briefcase.
MURDOCH: It's a nameplate.
As if from a briefcase.
N-H? H-N.
He wasn't picking at his suitcase because he was nervous.
He was leaving us a bread crumb.
[MUFFLED SHOUTING.]
We should have stopped at the armory.
[MUFFLED SHOUTING.]
Show yourself! Police! [MUFFLED SHOUTING.]
Oh my God! Oh, Henry, are you all right? What happened? HIGGINS: There was a kidnapping.
They've taken the ransom money.
- What about Lucinda? - I never saw her.
- Where did they go? - I don't know.
They-they snuck up behind me and they put that over my head and After that they left.
I think someone came back Then you came.
How long has it been since they were here? - Half an hour, maybe.
- Sir, look.
"We said no coppers.
" They knew who I was.
- Not necessarily.
- Oh, good Lord.
It's a finger.
They cut off her finger.
I was standing there, but no one came.
- And then the telephone rang.
- [PHONE RINGS.]
Hello? KIDNAPPER: There is a streetcar approaching in two minutes.
Get on.
Disembark when you see the man with the newspaper.
Where are you? Why can't we do it here? KIDNAPPER: Follow the man with the newspaper.
If you're not on the streetcar, she dies.
What? Operator? Operator? OPERATOR: Good morning.
How can I direct your call? Get me George Crabtree at station house number four.
Quickly.
I told George what I could and then I got on the streetcar.
I didn't know where I was going, so I wanted to leave a trail.
So, you left the nameplate from the briefcase.
Yes.
At Carlaw there was a man with a newspaper.
He was holding it up over his face so I couldn't see who he was.
As soon as I stepped off, he started walking toward the warehouse.
No one was around.
I followed him inside.
As soon as I stepped inside the warehouse, someone grabbed me from behind.
And after that Well, you know everything what happened after that.
That was very clever Henry, calling George from within the same telephone call.
I don't think it was, sir.
Someone must have been watching.
- They knew I called the police.
- "We said no coppers.
" They cut off her finger because of me.
[LAUGHS.]
- Well, I just don't believe it.
- Believe what? Kidnappers are only ever after money.
Lucinda is perfectly fine.
She's missing a finger.
You want a finger? I can get you a finger.
There are ways, dear.
What exactly do you mean? There is absolutely no chance that finger belongs to Lucinda.
Well? It's a match.
This is Lucinda Helmsworthy's finger.
I've never done a postmortem on a digit before, but I can tell you it was severed very recently, within the last couple of hours, with a very sharp blade.
It appears I am off to Mimico.
You seem displeased.
I am.
It's been lovely catching up, Julia, but let's get down to brass tacks.
I asked you here to offer you a job.
- At the women's clinic? - I heard you were seeking employment and we need the help.
You know I admire the work you do, Kate.
But it's a medical clinic, not a hospital.
I'm a surgeon.
That's precisely why we want you to join us.
We don't have much space and we don't have many resources, but we think it would be beneficial for our patients if we had someone who could do small in-house surgeries, as required.
I don't mean to dismiss the work you do.
The Dispensary is a remarkable place.
Allowing women to be treated by other women is a success in and of itself.
But I'm not sure it's the right fit for me.
I understand.
You're one of the most highly respected surgeons in the field.
And I feel I need to remain at the vanguard of modern medicine.
Women treating women is the vanguard of modern medicine, Julia.
I'm sorry, Kate.
I'm sure there are many doctors and nurses capable of the work you're describing.
I appreciate you taking the time to consider it.
There's something you should know.
Oh? I'm not supposed to say anything, but my brother is a doctor at St.
Tristan's.
- There's a rumour.
- Rumour? Toronto Mercy has put out the word on you.
Put the word out? I fear you've been blacklisted.
This is where they broke in.
They dragged her round front where their carriage was waiting.
As I said, we didn't dare to follow.
WATTS: Detective! Boot prints.
Do you recognize the tread, Mr.
Newsome? I imagine they're from the kidnappers.
Gasoline.
- Gasoline? - Gasoline? Oh.
Gasoline.
Are you sure they were in a carriage, Mr.
Newsome, - and not an automobile? - I'm quite sure, yes.
Blacklisted? They can't do that to you.
Apparently, they already have.
Even your dismissal was entirely unjust.
- You can't stand for this! - I'm not sure I have a say in the matter.
Of course you do.
You were fired because you're a woman who did her job better than her male counterparts.
Yes, but how would we prove that? Well, if they've been telling other hospitals not to hire you, there may be some evidence of it.
If we can find it, we'll sue them into the ground.
What do you say? Let's.
It's only a pinkie.
It is not only a pinkie, Ruth.
It is an indication of that which they are capable.
- [DISTANT PLANE ENGINE.]
- [BABY CRIES.]
Oh! Come, come, come, come! That's quite enough! I am calling Bucky Fanshaw and I'm giving him a piece of my mind.
I don't think he has a telephone in the aero, Ruthie.
- Anything, Watts? - Yes, but nothing related to the case.
[PHONE RINGS.]
- Helmsworthy residence.
- LUCINDA: Dadah.
It's her! Lucy, where are you? Are you all right? LUCINDA: They cut off my finger, Dadah.
Just give them what they want.
Please! I'm scared.
What do you mean? What do they want? More money? We'll give them anything.
KIDNAPPER: Who's "we"? - What? - KIDNAPPER: I said no police.
- Now she dies.
- No! Don't! - I'll do anything.
- [PLANE FLYING OVERHEAD.]
I could hear the airplane through the telephone.
Meaning they're nearby.
Is there an automobile garage close by? Someplace where they would store gasoline? The neighbours have a garage, but they've been in Rhodesia for ages.
Lead the way, man! Her life is in danger.
Lucinda! - No! - Rupert! - Mr.
Newsome! - No! Lucinda! - Lucinda! - Rupert! Lucinda! MURDOCH: It's too dangerous.
You can't go in there.
- Lucinda! - Stop, Mr.
Newsome! It's not safe.
No! They're fleeing! HART: I can see why you don't like Mimico.
I've encountered nothing but foolishness and tragedy there.
I suppose the cause of death is self-evident? I'll proceed with the postmortem nevertheless.
I'm not quite sure how to ask this, but, uh, how many fingers have you found? She's missing the fifth digit on her left hand.
Very good.
Thank you, Mrs.
Hart.
So, the garage next door, do you think that's where they were holding her from the start? There wasn't enough evidence to tell one way or the other after the fire.
But whoever did do this knew the place was empty.
So, they know the area.
- Perhaps a friend, or neighbour, maybe? - Right.
I'll head back to Mimico, ask Rupert Newsome if any of the locals have grievances with him.
One can only imagine they do.
Ah, news.
An automobile matching the one driving away from the garage was found parked downtown on Frederick Street.
- Did you examine it for evidence? - I did.
MURDOCH: Badge is missing.
- The money is gone, too, I assume? - In a sense.
What on earth? Newspaper.
This is the briefcase, but I swear there was money in it.
I checked.
So, the kidnappers took the real money out and replaced it with newspaper? Why would they do that? Are you certain the money was inside the case? I watched Rupert Newsome put the money in after the payment was delivered.
MURDOCH: Someone could have removed it between then and the time you left the house.
Right before I left I checked it again.
MURDOCH: How thoroughly? Did you see every bill? Or is it possible what you saw - was only the top layer of bills? - Oh, no.
That's why Lucinda Helmsworthy said, "Give them what they want," when she called the house.
They never got the money.
What Henry delivered was not payment, but a cleverly disguised dead ringer for the money.
They said it was too late.
That's why they killed her.
- It's all my fault.
- It's not your fault, Henry.
It's the fault of whoever stole the money.
If it was swapped out before you left, then whoever took it must have been in the house.
It was in the sitting room the entire time.
The money was delivered at nine AM, and we left to make the drop at 10.
Think, Henry, after Rupert Newsome filled the case with the money was anyone at any point left alone with it? I don't know.
Yes.
Yes, someone was alone with the money.
Why were you so eager to deliver the money yourself, Helmsworthy? My daughter's life was in danger.
She died because that fool muddled everything.
There was never any money in the case in the first place.
BRACKENREID: Someone took it.
And you're the one who could have done it.
I stole the ransom money? You were on your own with it in the sitting room.
- Why were you there? - How dare you? My daughter is dead! An outcome you may not have predicted.
But you were desperate for the money, so you were willing to take risks.
We checked your bank accounts, nearly empty.
- What bank accounts? - Dominion.
- Imperial.
- Toronto banks.
Of course they're empty.
I haven't lived here in years.
MURDOCH: And now you've reappeared.
You've re-entered into your daughter's life, and someone has stolen her money.
And whoever took it had already prepared the fake money.
It was premeditated.
You kidnapped your own daughter.
You are fools.
I have no need for money.
My clients pay in gold.
Death, gentlemen, is good business.
Here's a tip, invest in both guns and mortuaries.
One success feeds the other.
Win or lose, we must succeed in one objective.
- What's that? - To embarrass them.
We can certainly do that.
Whether it will change their behaviour in the future is another matter.
So, the accusations of a hysterical female - are not enough to intimidate them? - A judgment will intimidate.
True power lies in the courts.
But, of course, that will take years.
I just want to humiliate them.
The court case won't be the most efficient way to do that.
But there may be another way.
I believe I might be one step ahead of you, Effie.
Do you suppose they have a telephone? I don't trust the bugger.
But if he took the money, where is it? I asked Henry to do his best to account for Mr.
Helmsworthy's movements between the time the money arrived and the time he exited with the briefcase.
What did he say? Ah, he says Helmsworthy never left the house.
Nor did anyone else present.
Then it's still there.
Right.
Watts, find George at the Newsome estate - and search it top to bottom.
- If it's there, we shall discover it.
Unless he is cleverer than us, of course.
In which case we will likely fail.
But the risk of failure should not dampen the endeavour.
She's really gone.
I honestly never thought I'd outlive her.
- Nor I.
- I mean, we had our differences, but I never wished for this.
Well, I may have.
But I wouldn't have if I thought it would really happen.
What am I meant to do? What do you mean? My whole life these last years has been doing that which Lucinda told me.
What am I to do now? Some people, when they lose a spouse, they just up and die.
They do.
I spoke to Rupert about whether or not he and his wife - had any enemies here in Mimico.
- And? Well, he says they don't.
But that's not to say all kinds don't detest him without him knowing.
Clearly.
But neighbourly hatred hardly seems reason enough to kidnap and murder his wife.
What about money? Well, he says he doesn't know anybody in need of money.
Apparently, all the neighbours are just as wealthy as they are.
- Although - What? Well, except for Ruth and Henry, of course.
Well, there's no sign of it here.
- Shall we try the second floor? - Right.
Watts! Hold on a minute.
What are you doing? Excuse me! CRABTREE: It's here.
The money.
You? I don't know anything about that money.
It was found in your baby's pram.
Are you saying you didn't put it there? I'm saying what I said.
I don't know a thing about it.
You disliked Lucinda Helmsworthy.
Yes.
That's no secret.
And yet you asked her for money that very evening.
- I did.
What of it? - She refused.
- You became desperate.
- I was annoyed.
You seemed entirely unconcerned at Mrs.
Helmsworthy-Newsome's kidnapping.
No, I wouldn't say that.
You said, "Everyone gets kidnapped.
" Many people do.
You also volunteered Henry to make the delivery.
Would you really send your own husband to meet with criminals knowing he had not the ransom, - but a dead ringer briefcase? - Of course I wouldn't.
Unless you knew he was in no immediate danger.
And how would I know that? Because you arranged all of it.
You hired someone to kidnap her.
You prepared the fake money.
You sent Henry with the dead ringer knowing the men who received it were expecting that all along.
Except something went wrong, didn't it, Mrs.
Higgins-Newsome? Well, if you believe that, prove it.
She's definitely hiding something.
What, I don't know.
- She took the money.
It was in her pram.
- She claims she didn't.
Perhaps someone else felt it was a safe place to hide it.
Because she knew that if we found it, we'd assume it was her.
I can believe that Ruth might be capable of stealing money.
But to set all of this up? BRACKENREID: I do tend to agree, Murdoch.
- The woman's away with the fairies.
- Sir! Higgins, wind your neck in! I'm on your side, son.
If she didn't do it, then who did? Well, she's protecting someone, but who? Oh, not He was alone with the money, too, but it's his money.
It can't be him.
It has to be, Higgins.
Who's the one person Ruth Newsome would go to prison to save? Ruthie had nothing to do with it.
It was all me.
I'm the one who kidnapped my wife.
I did it for love.
You kidnapped your wife for love? For the love of another, Detective.
Another woman, not another detective.
My saviour, my beauty, my soulmate, Helena.
She cared for me, nurtured me back to health.
Her kindness and tenderness were things I had never felt from Lucinda.
We wanted to run away together.
Couldn't you have got a divorce? From Lucinda? Oh, no, no, no.
She would not have allowed that.
The choice of divorce lies with the husband.
Legally, but not in my marriage, Inspector.
So you hired someone to kidnap her instead? It sounds ignoble when you put it that way.
Well, it's worse than ignoble.
I just needed the money.
The accounts are in your name.
Again, legally, yes.
But our finances, like everything in our beloved union, was under the strict control of Lucinda.
I couldn't embezzle a thin dime without her noticing.
And, so, I endeavoured to secure enough money for Helena and I to escape Mimico through illicit means.
- Kidnapping.
- A fake kidnapping.
But she was bloody kidnapped! I didn't even want it to happen! I told Helena to call it off.
So it was her idea, then? All she did was provide me with a name.
Someone who could arrange for such a thing.
I was the one who set the plan in motion.
But, when the day neared, I reconsidered.
I told Helena to call it off.
Apparently, it didn't take.
I was as surprised as anyone when those men broke in - and took poor Lulu.
- Freeze! RUPERT: From that point on, I could only watch in horror as the events played out.
LUCINDA: Let go of me! If you didn't want it to happen, why did you take the money? What else was I meant to do? What choice did I have? The plan was she would be kidnapped, and I would secure the ransom.
And I would send a fake payment in its place with the kidnappers' fee layered on top.
The plan was no one would get hurt and so I abided.
But something went wrong.
When did you know the plan had changed? When Henry stepped on that streetcar and didn't come back.
- That's why I came to you.
- You came to us and lied.
Of course I lied.
I am culpable.
I thought if you could find her safely, all would be all right, but all was not all right.
They must have decided they wanted more money, and I would have given it to them if I'd had the chance.
I'd have given them everything.
I never wanted her to be hurt.
You and Newsome fell in love? Of course.
When did this happen? As soon as I laid eyes on him.
He's such a wise and kind man.
[LAUGHS.]
And you helped him plan a kidnapping.
- What? Of course not.
- He told us it was your idea.
Well, that's mad.
I love him but Drop the act, love.
He let it slip.
Implicating you serves him no benefit.
I never loved that twit.
I was using him for his money.
Then I found out he was too scared of his wife to take it.
So you introduced him to the kidnapper.
He wanted to run away with me.
He thought up various idiotic ways to try to find the money.
When he landed upon a kidnapping, I told him I knew a man.
That was the beginning and end of my role.
Did you call it off when he asked you? Yes.
Apparently, the message didn't get through.
MURDOCH: All protestations aside, you were involved in the planning of a serious crime which resulted in a murder.
- You are guilty.
- Me? Do you really think a jury will believe I had anything to do with this? Newsome's the one you want.
He's the one you can hang.
Let me go and I'll tell you everything I know.
It's bad, Ruthie.
He may hang for this.
But he didn't kill anybody! He hired the kidnapper, so he's responsible.
It's called constructive murder.
- Henry, you have to help him.
- My hands are tied, dear.
You know, you're lucky you're not behind bars.
I didn't do anything.
You ended up with the money.
I saw Rupert hiding it.
I knew it would be found instantly.
I aided him without his knowledge.
Also, we need that money, Henry.
Can't we just keep it? It's ransom money! Yes, but whose is it now? Rupert and Lucinda won't need it.
- And possession is nine-tenths of the law.
- It's not, actually.
You do realize you would have gone to prison for him - if we hadn't figured out the truth.
- Well, what choice did I have? - He would never make it in prison.
- Oh! And you would? I'd be fine.
Thank you.
Landlady says she hasn't seen him in a few days.
So, before the kidnapping happened.
Perhaps he set up the safe house in the garage and, when it burned, he fled altogether? Along with his unknown associates.
- Anything left behind? - Yes.
This Nope.
This was in the wastebasket.
"Helmsworthy estate.
Mimico.
September 4th.
" The date she was taken.
Why leave this behind? And where has he gone? I don't know, Detective, but I fear we'll never find him.
A lawsuit could take years.
The idea of a lawsuit could capture the attention of your readers in an instant.
Plus we could make all the off-the-record claims we'd never be able to make in a court.
But are nonetheless true.
They fired you because you are a woman, more precisely because you're a woman who is smarter than they are.
Let's burn them to the ground.
[LAUGHS.]
I love it.
Of course, Mercy will fight back, but who cares? - It'll be fun.
- What do you mean fight back? If I write, "A woman is suing the hospital," they will find another paper and have them write, "Ah! A woman is suing the hospital.
" Of course, they're going to attack you, Julia.
But so what? Think of all we can accomplish.
Nothing will be accomplished.
If anything, my claims will discredit me even further.
- Only in the eyes of some.
- In the eyes of those in power.
But the publicity will help the case.
Yes, but nothing will change.
We could get your job back.
In time.
The last thing I want is to go back to that place and work with those people.
In fact, I'm going to do something else entirely.
Thank you for catching Mr.
Newsome.
I understand he has considerable resources, but so do I.
I happen to know more than one old boy who works for the crown.
I'm confident Rupert Newsome will face the consequences he deserves.
Our only regret is that it's unlikely now we'll find the men who kidnapped your daughter.
But we will continue to pursue them as long as they remain at large.
Thank you both.
Detective, Constable.
- Mrs.
Hart.
- I have rather peculiar news.
I don't know what it means, but perhaps you can make sense of it.
- What is it? - The finger.
It doesn't match the body.
It must.
I checked print on the finger myself.
It belongs to Lucinda Helmsworthy.
I'm quite certain, Detective.
The severed digit was sliced at approximately two millimetres further down the proximal phalange.
Then it's not her finger? No, it is her finger, George.
It's not her body.
Well, how can that be? You said you saw her in the building.
It went up in flames.
The kidnappers escaped the fire in a motorized carriage.
She must have somehow escaped the flames with them.
Then whose body did we find? Death gentlemen, is good business.
Here's a tip, invest in both guns and mortuaries.
One success feeds the other.
Mr.
Helmsworthy.
He owns a mortuary.
He must have somehow obtained a body.
Why? What's he after? - Is he behind all of this? - Yes.
But I'm afraid the truth is far more sinister.
Come.
Lucinda Helmsworthy.
You! No! I did everything right! You weren't supposed to find out until that fool was hanged! I found out about Rupert's silly kidnapping plot when his hired man came straight over and told me.
He was a petty thief.
If I was willing to pay him not to do it, then he could make his money and do nothing.
Who was Rupert going to tell, the police? You then hired this man to stage your own kidnapping? God, no.
I paid him triple Rupert's fee to leave town, not come back.
And then I brought in my own men, capable men.
Who were they? What does it matter? They've done nothing wrong.
They desecrated a dead body under your direction.
You'll never prove where that body came from.
It was in the garage.
We found it there.
The fire started accidentally.
You cut off its finger.
Did we? Prove it.
Mrs.
Helmsworthy-Newsome, tricking the police into believing a serious crime has been committed is in and of itself a serious crime.
No, no.
No.
We said no police.
Everything else was an accident.
Even if you get away with all of this, was it really worth cutting off your own finger? What, this? I barely felt a thing.
I'd cut off my own hand to watch that man hang.
Crown attorney says it's a complete cock-up.
A jury will never be able to understand what the bloody hell happened, or even why these idiots are being charged.
It's criminal conspiracy, sir.
To what, exactly? To kill someone? She's not dead.
To kidnap someone? Her idea.
Steal money? It was theirs, anyway.
They desecrated a dead body.
And even if we can prove it, what's that? Six months.
What about him, sir? He intended to kidnap his own wife for ransom.
He called it off.
The part that he planned never happened.
They can't just get away with this.
The rich get away with murder.
Or at least fake murder.
You couldn't make it up, Murdoch.
Mimico.
Well, I told you.
- Told me what? - That she was fine! - Oh, you also grieved her death.
- Yes.
Well, I won't be making that mistake twice.
- Now, about that money - Oh, Ruthie! I just tried to have the woman kidnapped.
- I can't ask her for money now.
- But you called it off! And, besides, I didn't do anything.
LUCINDA: Oh, Perty! Where are you? You're not dressed.
We are to dine with the Fanshaws at eight.
Lucy.
Lulu.
Come Sit.
- I'm going riding.
- Shan't we have a little chit chat? You know, to put all that behind us? It was all that nurse's fault.
She was a temptress.
I was powerless, honestly.
You're aware of my powerlessness.
Indeed.
How about a tussle then? Hm? You disgust me, Rupert Newsome.
Ooh.
LUCINDA: No matter what you do, I will never divorce you.
No, I will spend every day for the rest of my life making you as miserable as I possibly can.
Never been here before.
What is this place? The Dispensary.
Never heard of it.
EFFIE: It's a women's clinic.
Where do you go? Dr.
Frick, same doctor I've been to all my life.
- What about for more intimate issues? - Like what? Contraceptives? Oh.
Well, I-I don't Why are we here? - Because this is how we win.
- What do you mean? I'm not going to waste my life on a battle I can never win.
Instead of fighting them on their battlefield, we can build our own.
Julia.
What are you doing here? I wonder if it's not too late to accept your offer? - You want to work here? - I do.
Oh, I'm afraid we have a line of highly qualified female surgeons ahead of you.
[LAUGHS.]
Of course we still want you.
We're desperate.
But I thought you wanted to change the world.
I believe we can do just that.