Part Two Miss Marple

It's too ridiculous! I haven't been

Now, instead of doing whatever it is

here I am, sleuthing like mad, trying to clear my husband's name.

a perfectly strange young girl was found dead in our library?

at a five-star seaside hotel.

Ah. Well, then. I'll be quiet.

Oh, I don't know. I just wondered...

MAN: I suppose the key to it all

was that eight years of mourning

I've only just realised it.

little this holiday, then I doubt...

VOICE BREAKING: Poor little Ruby.

Yes, I'm sorry, Mr Jefferson.

We policeman can rarely leave

But I want to help, Chief Constable.

eight years ago in the plane crash, you lost not only your wife

Yes. We were very much thrown

If you'll excuse me, Colonel. I ought to find my son, Peter.

of Mrs Jefferson and Mark Gaskell?

They weren't tremendously pleased, but they took it all right. Was that the reaction you expected?

I had made healthy provision for both of them when they married

Yes? So I didn't expect them

But we'd shared a lot, don't forget.

And they had no blood claim on me.

you were going to leave her?

They'd have made educated guesses.

I don't envy you trying to prove

I want my lunch! Oh, yes. Of course you do, dear. You run along.

Oh, come along, Jane. Are you going

I'm sorry? Well, for heaven's sake!

Who strangled Ruby Keene and why did they leave her body in our library?

Isn't that what you've been thinking about? Well, not really.

Yes. Of course, it's obvious

MAN: ..my direct line for HQ.

Inspector Slack's table there. Back-up tables here. Get on with it.

Got you. Ah, yes. Mr Bartlett.

Ruby Keene seemed happy enough

I dance quite decently, you know.

You finished dancing when? Gosh, sorry. Couldn't say.

What did you do after you stopped dancing? You know how it is.

Could have been anything, really.

Usually drink after waggling a leg.

and strolled about outside.

Sorry, I reported it to the chaps at the station at Thingummy Road.

intelligent than those chaps.

Ours is a murder inquiry. Oh, yah.

Not at all. We need to estab...

We need to establish the actual times of your cousin's movements.

And, of course, the movements of others involved. Yes, of course.

You said in your previous statement

that she did her exhibition dance

Sorry, sorry. Writing letters.

Ruby's just starting to dance.

Just after that, Ray came over

Josie, Ruby hasn't turned up.

She was dancing with poor little rich boy... George Bartlett hasn't seen her for half an hour.

I wish she wouldn't do this.

We're supposed to be on NOW.

Listen, Ray. We'll have to do

I'll buzz upstairs and change. with plenty of the slow spectacular.

Not too much of the athletic flash!

You'll probably put that ankle

Mr Starr persuaded me to go to bed,

10.30. We would have started earlier but Mr Gaskell had letters to write.

At least, that's what he said.

I think it was an excuse, actually. He's not that keen on bridge.

And did anyone leave the table before Ruby was reported missing?

It was more than that. To an extent, of course, she was performing.

She had that from her background. Her parents were both theatricals.

Catching the train on Sundays

You know, even the most horrifying anecdotes always ended in laughter.

No complaints, no comments.

Just clear-headed amusement.

Have you talked to Sir Henry yet?

I haven't spoken to Sir Henry, sir, because he was not at home.

I did, however, leave a message

I have no doubt that he will be here

If you'll excuse me, sir, I shall go and confirm the arrangements.

I say, are you from Scotland Yard?

because Mummy was married before.

Do you like detective stories?

I've got lots of autographs -

Will the murder be in the papers?

I'm back at school next week. I'll be able to tell the chaps

Mummy and Uncle Mark didn't like her

glad she's dead. How do you know?

one way out, anyway, and Mummy said, "Yes, but it was so horrible."

And Uncle Mark said he didn't see

Thought I should take a look at Ruby Keene's room. Of course, sir.

That was Mrs Jefferson's boy,

Did he have anything to say? He thinks his mother did it.

Chamber maids do the staff rooms once a week, so nothing was touched.

Is this the dress she was wearing for the exhibition dance? Yes, sir.

As far as we can tell, she left

Presumably, she came up here,

into the white dress she was wearing when she was found? Yes, sir.

Who occupies the other rooms on this floor? Josie Turner opposite.

The other rooms are empty. The extra summer staff use them later.

There was no-one to see her.

The fire escape's hardly lit.

She could climb down and practically guarantee not to be noticed. Yes.

why a girl changes her dress. Why?

She was going to meet someone?

I'm sorry you had to cancel

Everyone's catching it. The Nailors rang last night to cancel their do.

Come on, Malcolm. Come on. You said you wanted to see the Colonel.

Malcolm has made a discovery, sir.

to meet somebody, suppose it was her boyfriend, a bit of a hard case.

The sort of person she'd want to keep dark, so as not to foul up her chances with Jefferson.

Suppose she tells him that Jefferson

He doesn't like this a bit. Going to take her out of his class.

Doesn't know his own strength.

Big house, easy to break into.

Dumps her there to divert attention

the best line we have at the moment.

There is the financial motive,

it looks as if Mrs Jefferson and Gaskell have a cast-iron alibi.

Slack? I want you to report to me

The Bantrys are neighbours of mine.

Bridget, pop down to the tennis

There. I'll send Mr Starr along to the room that we've given you.

TO HERSELF: Something I've seen and I don't know what it is.

I sometimes feel we have no control over what our eyes decide to see.

Oh, that's it! I should like

No, no. Compliments of the house.

For what it's worth, I always

with the Jeffersons. I assumed she was missing her family.

Did you know that Mr Jefferson planned to adopt her, legally?

Good morning. My name's Clithering.

room? He is expecting me. Indeed.

Sir Henry Clithering. I'll phone his suite now, sir. Thank you.

Sir Henry Clithering is downstairs.

is on the first floor, sir.

His man will meet you at the stairs.

Do you think Josie Turner knew about the adoption business? I don't know.

that Josie planned it and little Ruby sized it up for herself.

Josie was as cross as I was when Ruby didn't turn up for the dance.

It would make sense if Josie had told her to keep her nose clean.

If you can give me one moment,

Excuse me, sir. There's a lady outside. I'm busy, Lake!

What's the matter? She won't

Let her in. This way, madam.

I thought you ought to know.

I'm afraid I'm not putting this

And the girl! Why do I keep thinking

Do you know her, Miss Marple?

No-one seems to know anyone else in this business. "This business"?

the missing schoolgirl is connected with the death of Ruby Keene?

Well, it's probably too late,

I didn't notice what happened then.

by midnight, I saw George Bartlett.

He said that he hadn't seen her

'So I went to look for Josie.'

Josie, Ruby hasn't turned up.

George Bartlett hasn't seen her

this sort of thing. Excuse me.

Damn fool! She can't do this sort of thing. It'll ruin all her chances.

be with someone, little idiot.

The Jeffersons? Never mind. Come on.

Lake here... Who do you think

occasionally. Basil somebody.

Well? HQ, sir. They think they found

She's in a burnt-out car in a disused quarry five miles from here.

The car's a Vauxhall Coaster, sir.

it has all the bizarre ingredients

I can nose around a bit without

Did you know that downstairs in the foyer is one of the most formidable

I can lay you almost any odds you would never recognise her as such.

There she sits, an elderly spinster.

Yet her mind has plumbed the depths

and taken it all in a day's work.

from Arthur and Dolly's place.

of that village and its daily life.

By knowing the village so thoroughly she seems to know the world.

Oh, how kind of you to say so.

Well, I was trying to account for Mr Jefferson's infatuation

I knew you wouldn't fail me.

Miss Marple, Conway Jefferson has asked me to keep an eye on the case,

May I call you in for consultation?

If you think my little ramblings will be to the purpose. Good.

Then may I ask you and Mrs Bantry to dine with me this evening?

the Harbottle-Badger thesis.

What was the name again? Major Reeve. The girl was called Pamela.

No, certainly not. I wasn't implying

No, I simply think he was looking to take his dead daughter's place.

This girl saw her opportunity and fed it for all she was worth.

and went to nurse a dying relative.

When she returned, she found the girl completely above herself,

sitting down in the drawing room, laughing, not wearing her uniform.

People said things, but I don't

the old man found it much pleasanter

how amusing and clever he was

than Miss Harbottle continually pointing out his faults. Yes.

You think it was foul play?

placed in the car and that somebody tried to destroy the evidence.

for several gallons of fuel. I see.

You don't think she was...?

We think she was killed because she was a witness to another crime.

We don't believe the motive

You mean "sexual"? Yes, sir. Another girl has been killed.

We think Pamela may have stumbled across something that made her

Do you think you feel up to answering some questions, sir?

We want to catch this person and we need all the help we can get.

According to your first statement,

when you reported her missing

Pamela left Westcliff to attend a Guide's rally in Danemouth

The local station questioned

They agreed that Pamela said she was going to Woolworth's and would catch the bus from the depot.

She hadn't got a real boyfriend

that Miss Hart was carrying on

with a very undesirable man connected with race courses

Well, he was certainly disgusted.

Conway? You don't really think that?

I merely say that your friend

What a wonderful prosecuting counsel you'd have made. She would!

I want everything you can find on Bartlett. I can't believe anyone

"this film bloke" is Basil Blake.

If it is, I want as much as possible about his visits to Danemouth. Check him out with the film studio.

Was there a long-haired rug

That dress she was wearing had some long hairs stuck to it, apparently.

Mountain goat, something like that.

Don't reckon I've seen one. Whose house would you find one in?

How about an ex colonial type?

Favourite occupation when bored with safeguarding the Empire?

Shoot a Himalayan goat or two.

Was at the Majestic last week.

And the young man might have resented it. That's plausible.

It struck me when her cousin Miss Turner was at Gossington yesterday

that she was angry with the girl.

what do you suppose sparked off

From what I can gather, the bond between and his young in-laws

was not so much respect and love

Mr Gaskell and Mrs Jefferson

less sorrowful, that's all.

Yes, I think, if you'll excuse me, I'll just telephone to Arthur.

Oh, Dolly, dear. Indeed, of course.

Good night, Sir Henry. Good night.

Why did you refer to Mrs Bantry

It seems to me that this may be

there's no smoke without fire.

Some will even say it, too. They'll be quietly shunned.

Colonel Bantry is very sensitive. He'll turn in and in upon himself.

He's probably started already.

we have got to find out the truth.

It's 15 miles to Gossington.

Ruby Keene was last seen here

Almost any type of car could have made the journey in that time,

But why anyone should kill her here

and kill her there - beats me.

I don't think anything of the kind.

I think that a very careful plan was made and what happened was

Dolly was humming it this morning.

and here they are playing it.

I'm not very up on the latest thing.

Now, why do I keep thinking of it?

Ah. It's the police again, hm?

There's no need to be afraid,

Have you seen any tobacco? No, sir.

I think I'll go and get some.

They're asking if we have any long-haired white rugs in the house.

Not white, I believe, sir.

Of the hairs in the rug, sir.

Turn the place upside down.

What can I get you? I'll take a two-ounce tin of my usual, please.

Thank you. Put it down, will you?

You were going to refuse him tick.

What is it, Blake? I just wanted to say how sorry I am, sir.

You are? About what? This business of the...body in your house.

Something so...inexplicable.

Look, Blake. You and I have never got on well in the past, have we?

Thanks for the offer and all that,

Oh, yes, it was Addie's fault

with that good-looking young fellow.

Mark! Jeff felt neglected. No wonder

You weren't over attentive to him

No, but it's female company

As to everything else. But a girl like Ruby Keene...

Quite. Jeff's always been such

Gentlemen are sometimes not so level-headed as they seem.

How is Conway today? I thought

Yes, he's all right.

we shouldn't talk about her.

Oh, Mark! And she knew her stuff!

It's just a figure of speech, Addie.

We were mugs not to have tumbled

on the half-baked little sourpuss,

What an unscrupulous person you are,

Yes. Addie only has to whistle and along he comes, wagging his tail.

The most reliable man in England. He's hoping to marry her, of course.

"Do you take this sack of potatoes

Well, will you excuse me?

A quick burn up the corniche

What do you think of the principal beneficiaries of the murder?

No wonder Mr Jefferson missed her.

in having more done to their houses

Oh, yes. I think he's attractive,

Because if so... Well, Dolly,

..would not want to see her

So, where's there's a motive

and where there's opportunity

Mrs Jefferson and Mr Gaskell.

from Ruby Keene's exhibition dance until, well, after midnight.

What about Blake? He was at the studio party until the small hours.

He knew Ruby Keene, we think, but there's no discernible motive.

Well, he had the opportunity, true,

he can't account for his movements from the time when she was killed

and the Reeve girl was in his car, but everything else is against him.

Completely dim. We're following him up, but it's 1,000-to-1 that.

By the way, sir, I suppose Ruby Keene really was dead by midnight?

Ah. Now, I'd already asked myself

She was heavily drugged before she was killed, a barbiturate.

impromptu violence, does it, sir?

A random killing, you mean?

'Basil Blake was seen leaving the party around 11 o'clock.'

My old granny, as a matter of fact.

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