Brian Clemens' Thriller 6.2 The Next Victim

[michaellevenson]

A killer is on the loose in London, a strangler who kills women. Police Officers Insp. Frampton and Detective Small are on the case. They believe he will strike again. The examination of the bodies by the police pathologist at the scene is grim. Two women in the same flat murdered , one washing her hair, the other at her sewing machine, the flat vandalised.
Pathologist, " necks broken, nothing sexually, great force used, you know what that means Frampton?"
Frampton, " I do indeed."
After the pathologist leaves Det. Small is troubled.
Small," what did he mean sir?"
Frampton, " Not only does he kill them
but has enough energy pent up inside him to then wreck the apartments of the victims, a psychopath, and he's insatiable!"


Meanwhile Sandy Marshall and husband Derek live in a luxury apartment block, she is confined to a wheelchair after a car accident. It's Bank Holiday weekend and also a sweltering heatwave is hitting London and most of the residents of the block have left for the coast. Derek has to leave Sandy for a day on a business meeting with a Libyan client, an important meeting, and promises to return to Sandy as soon as possible, but this meeting is really important, he even has bought a bottle of expensive wine as a sweetener for the guy to smooth the meeting. It's only after Derek has gone that Sandy realises that Derek may have made an error, the Libyan might be a Muslim and not drink. But too late, Derek is in the lift, smiling, checking his reflection in the glass, adjusting his tie, very smart...for a business meeting.

 

[michaellevenson]

Meanwhile the killer tries to strike again, the strangler is seen wearing blue jeans and trainers.
But this girl ran from him out of her apartment.


She tells the police that the attacker muttered something about his mother.
Frampton and Small start to go through the files to see if anyone with a mother fixation is on record as an attacker of women.

Sandy gets a visit from Betty a resident on a lower floor, and promises to pop up for a drink after she has a shower.
The doorbell of Sandy's apartment rings, it's the postman with a special delivery, Sandy let's him in and the guy enters the block, he is wearing blue jeans and trainers.
He then proceeds to walk down the corridors knocking on doors looking for his next victim. Betty is at her door, she spins round and screams as a man pushes his way in. Who he is we cannot see, but is wearing blue jeans and trainers as was the so called postman.

Sandy is puzzled the postman hasn't arrived at her flat, and realises it's a holiday so why should the postman be calling. Very worried she tries to phone the police but the phone isn't working. She wheels herself down. the corridor to another flat and knocks on the door. The door opened very slightly, an old lady is seen peering through the crack.
Sandy, " Mrs Bluthen I'm sorry to disturb you but I've let a postman into the building and I'm worried I want to phone the sorting office to check may I use your phone , mine is out of order."

Mrs Bluthen, " leave me alone..I want to be left alone."
Sandy, " please Mrs Bluthen it's very important."
Mrs Bluthen, " I have no phone, why would I? I don't want to speak to anyone, leave me alone."
The door is shut, Sandy wheels herself into the lift and down to Betty's.
Sandy knocks on her door and is agitated that she can't get a response. Betty is dead on the floor of her apartment.
Sandy, " BETTY ! BETTY!"
Suddenly a young man turns up and introduces himself as Tom Packer, a new resident wondering why Sandy was shouting.
Sandy, " it's my friend Betty, she doesn't answer."
Tom, " perhaps she's gone out."
Sandy, " no her car is still outside and she said she was popping up to see me. I know this is going to sound foolish, but I let someone into the building, a postman and he hasn't turned up, and erm..well this business with the strangler."
Tom laughs,"oh right! The strangler, you've nothing to worry about, the postman I saw seemed quite normal."
Sandy," you saw him?"
Tom," yes upstairs on the 6th floor."
Sandy, "but he rang me."
Tom, " oh that's an old trick, they put a big hand on all the buttons and first to answer let's them in, it's just a technique to get access, and the guy left, and Betty probably has gone out too."

 

[michaellevenson]

Tom wheels her back to her apartment and they have a nice chat.
Tom tells her he is an old hand at using a wheelchair, his mother was confined to one in the last years of her life.
Tom," I miss her, I hadn't thought about her recently, but you remind me of her, I hope it's not a life sentence ?"
Sandy, " oh no, I should be out of this chair within 6 months the doctors say."
Sandy reveals she is wheelchair bound when she crashed her new sports car after the brakes failed.
Tom ," how could that happen to a new car. It was okay when you drove it back from the showroom?"
Sandy, " well actually Derek my husband drove it."
Tom," I see a present?"
Sandy, " well no, Derek is in insurance doing very well, but it doesn't quite stretch to sports cars."
Tom, " and as you have some of your own money you decided to treat yourself?"
Sandy, " yes"
Tom, "lucky girl, and it was okay when Derek drove it back, strange. Derek wasn't in it when you crashed?"
Sandy," no he had to go out on business, so he gave me the keys and said, here's your new toy."

Tom," and you couldn't wait to drive it, still I've never heard of brakes failing like that not on an expensive car."
Sandy, " just unlucky I guess "
Tom," Derek, insurance is an interesting career, you get to know all the fiddles what to do, what not to do, all the scams."
Sandy, " scams?"
Tom, " you know, to defraud companies. Buildings that burn down just as the fire insurance is close to running out, just before the firm goes bankrupt, or burglaries that are convenient. Yes if you're smart you can really clean up. I bet your life is insured for a big sum. Oh sorry none of my business "
Tom seems a nice guy until he blurts out, " I bet you've got nice legs! Oh I'm sorry, that's my problem, always saying things without thinking."
Sandy, " no it's okay, I'm flattered, I did do some modelling, would you like to see some photos?"
Tom, " oh yes please "
Sandy goes to a bureau and pulls out a photo album and hands them to Tom.
Sandy, "they're not very good."
Tom looks at pictures, " not good? They're fantastic."
Sandy at bureau opens a ledger, listing the residents of the block, " you're on the 6th floor Mr Packer?"
Tom," yes that's right."
Sandy checks, no Tom Packer is listed.
Sandy desperately needs Packer out of her apartment.
Sandy, " Mr Packer I know I'm being silly, but could you check again on Betty, I really am very worried."
Tom," yes, okay, er..I'll be back."
Reluctantly Tom leaves, Sandy quickly locks door.

Meanwhile Police officers Frampton and Small have found a case history of a violent offender now free, who attacked a nurse while talking about his mother. This could be the man. Further investigation at the suspect's flat reveals he is a TV repair man ,and the last two customers were living in the block of the two murdered women,

and there's photo of a wheelchair bound women, whom Frampton deduces might be his mother. The man is Tom Packer, whom meanwhile hasn't gone checking on Betty but got to the lift waited and turned back.

 

[michaellevenson]

Packer returns to Sandy , sees the locked door , " MRS MARSHALL...MRS MARSHALL." He breaks down door and runs in.
Tom," why didn't you answer me, (shouts) ARE YOU MENTAL !?"
Sandy backs away scared, Tom seems to be losing control, then calms down.
Tom," do you want a drink? Let me get you one, I'll join you."
While at the drink cabinet he notices something odd, he bends down to examine behind the phone, the telephone wires into the apartment have been cut.
Tom, " Mrs Marshall....your phone it's.."
But before he tells Sandy this she smashes a heavy ornament on his head.


She desperately wheels out of the flat bangs on Mrs Bluthen's door.
Sandy, " MRS BLUTHEN HELP ME...PLEASE. "
There's no answer, Sandy wheels herself to the lift but the lift isn't there and Packer is staggering out of the apartment, head bleeding and coming towards her. Sandy goes through a door to the stairs, she has no option, she tips her chair over and slides out, and crawls in agony down the stairs, one stair at a time as Packer follows her, head bleeding and staggering slowly after her.

Tom, " MRS MARSHALL... COME BACK....MRS MARSHALL



Packer sees her down the stairwell a few flights below, he cries out, " MRS MARSHALL I SEE YOU."
Sandy inching down slowly as Packer gets nearer, suddenly hands grip her throat!! It's Derek saying "now I'll be rid of you, they'll blame it on the strangler...



...they'll BLAME IT ON THE STRANGLER!"
Packer desperately launches himself at Derek, and punches him senseless, Derek unconscious, Packer inches up to Sandy cowering on a few stairs above.
He reaches her arms outstretched, " I wouldn't have hurt you, not you, you're different, like my mother "
Packet dies, head in her lap.
The police arrive just as the excitement is over!

Cast;
Sandy.....Carroll Baker
Frampton.....TP McKenna
Derek....Maurice Kaufmann
Tom Packer....Max Mason
Betty....Brenda Cavendish

 

[michaellevenson]

Thriller (1973)