( Full Transcript) Brian Clemens' Thriller 4.5 A Killer In Every Corner

[michaellevenson]

A large mansion, inside a white haired, suited gentleman is in his work study. Books on shelves, a fine oak desk. The man is professor Carnaby and is recording into a Dictaphone.
C " Pavlov may have been the instigator of these techniques, but in retrospect and in view of my enlightened experience Pavlov and his dogs were no more than a circus act. But we have only just scratched the surface, there are still a million unanswered questions on the subject of conditioned behaviour"
Carnaby stops recording. At his desk seated, he leans over and presses a button on top of the desk. Along from his study, down a corridor is the kitchen, the butler or manservant Boz is preparing meat. With a cleaver in one hand he chops at a leg of lamb while swigging from a bottle of wine. Suddenly the bell in the kitchen rings. Boz looks up at the bell, hatred in his eyes, his master calling again. The bell rings, Boz begins to sweat then with his face gripped in a mask of anger storms out and into the professor's study.
Carnaby is seated at his desk, Boz comes up behind him and strikes with the cleaver, once, twice, a chopping motion onto the head of the professor.
Then, soothing classical music is heard. Carnaby is standing behind Boz having just switched on his record player, the music calms Boz who seems to wake up, as if he'd been hypnotized or conditioned.
Carnaby gently removes the cleaver from Boz, we see it was a mannequin that he attacked.
Boz backs out of the study looking apologetic, but not surprised at all, as if the professor has done this before.
Carnaby switches on his Dictaphone and listens to his earlier recording.
C " a million unanswered questions on the subject of conditioned behaviour"



A train is speeding across the English countryside. Three young people share a carriage, two women and one man.
One of the women is reading a magazine called Momentous, Carnaby's face is on the cover.
She accidentally knocks her handbag onto the floor, the young man picks it up.
T " allow me"
An invitation card has dropped out of the bag, the man reads it.
T " Helga Muller?"
H " that's right", she has a German accent.
The man, Tim pulls out a similar invite card from his jacket.
T " Tim Hunter"
The other girl , an American also has a card.
S " Sylvia Dene"

T "well it seems we three are the privileged ones"
H " and what a privilege, a whole week at professor Carnaby's residence. I can't believe it"
T " well I nearly didn't, I thought mates at college were playing a joke on me"
S " it has happened before. The professor invites three students to his home occasionally. It is a sort of seminar, you study and ask questions"
H " from the master"
T " I can't wait to meet him, I want to tackle him on that last paper he did"
H " on criminal psychology, yes that was so...."
S " radical ?"
H " yes, I wonder how we were chosen, of all the students, why us? What year are you in Sylvia?"
S " I graduate this year"
T " I graduate next year"
H " and I'm in my first year, so no pattern there"
The train pulls up at the station.
H " oh good, we're here"
After a minute or so the carriage door opens , a chauffeur is there.
" professor Carnaby's party?"
T " yep, that's us"
The chauffeur is none other than Boz.
Bz " the car is waiting, this way please"

 

[michaellevenson]

They arrive at the mansion and all troop into the hallway.
Bz " this way please"
S " when will we meet the professor?"
Bz " soon, follow me please"
Boz shows them upstairs, they follow carrying their luggage.
H " this house is massive"
T " no wonder the professor rarely leaves it. You could get lost in a place this size"
S " and we probably will"
Carnaby has been observing them from a crack in his study door, he closes the door and speaks into his Dictaphone.
C " day one, subjects have arrived, one man two girls. The man looks fit and strong, that is good, the girls are very pretty, which is why I chose them"



Upstairs the students are unpacking, each assigned their own room. Helga leaves her room and joins Sylvia.
H " aren't the rooms gorgeous ?"
S " fantastic"
H " mine has a view overlooking the grounds"
S " lucky you"
A man in his late thirties enters, looking smart in a leather jacket and black sweater.
Man " hi welcome"
S " are you a student too?"
Sl " good lord no, too long in the tooth, I'm just a wooly old journalist, Mike Slattery is the name"
S " oh right, don't you write for Momentous magazine?"
Sl " occasionally yes"
H " that piece you did on professor Carnaby really was very good, got right under the skin of the man"
Sl " I hope to do a lot more than that, that's why I'm here. Researching the old fellow's biography"
H " that should be fascinating reading"
Sl " so I hope will be the royalty cheques. I'll see you later"
Slattery leaves,
S " mmm, he's rather dishy"
Suddenly a horrific scream echoes through the house, a woman's scream. Sylvia, Helga and Tim rush out of the bedrooms into the corridor, to see Slattery smiling at them.
Sl " don't worry that's normal, the professor has some extraordinary recordings, real life cases. I'll see you at dinner."

In Carnaby's study is a rather short man with glasses wearing evening dress, he is writing something in a ledger. This man is George, he closes the ledger.
G " all done professor"
C " thank you"
George goes to the door and sees Boz slowly climbing the stairs, as Boz ascends he seems to be shaking, his hands particularly, sweating profusely.
G " professor look"
Carnaby joins George at the door watching Boz go up.
In Sylvia's room she has changed into a black dress for dinner. She looks approvingly at her reflection in the mirror, when she sees Boz behind her in the glass. She turns, Boz stares and says nothing.
S " is anything wrong?"
Suddenly soothing music is heard from downstairs, Boz closes his eyes and then opens them as if awakening from a trance.
Bz " er...the dining room is this way Miss, follow me please"
Sylvia follows Boz into the dining room downstairs.
Tim and Helga are already there as is Slattery.
S " sorry I'm late , zipper broke"
She looks at the lavish table settings.
Sl " impressive isn't it, the fruits of insanity. The professor's work paid for all this"
S " will he be here soon?"
Sl " any minute, he loves to make an entrance"
The carriage clock on the mantelpiece strikes eight and in walks Carnaby in full dinner suit, as are both Tim and Slattery.
C " good evening everyone, Sylvia, Tim , Helga, delighted to meet you all. Please sit down"
All sit for dinner.
H " will there be an opportunity to ask questions professor Carnaby on your recent paper?"
C " it's open house here Helga, I hope to answer all your questions. But now, dinner. ( to Boz) Okay Boz you can begin"
Boz leaves the dining room and returns to the kitchen.
George is there sitting, shining a pair of black shoes. Boz picks up a tureen of soup, he stares at George.
G " you like her don't you? The American one, I'll let you into a secret, the professor says she's yours! Which means I get the little German one!!"

 

[michaellevenson]

In the dining room the meal is underway, Carnaby is expounding his theories whilst the students eat and listen agog.
C " a conditioned response as one may be achieved by brainwashing for example, is merely an extension of natural phenomena"
S " natural phenomena?"
C" like the dog that seeks out the bitch in season. What could be more natural than that, but the dog can be conditioned to avoid the bitch in season, and once that conditioning is accepted its responses are as automatic as ....this...."
Carnaby picks up a candlestick from the table and moves the lighted candle towards Tim who withdraws quickly.
C " ....as Tim withdraws from the flame"
S " I don't think I agree professor. Tim withdrew because that is the sensible thing to do, it's an autonomic response to withdraw from pain"
C " you think so ?, Boz come here. Perhaps I should explain, Boz came to me as a patient, he was a very sick man. Isn't that right Boz?"
Bz " yes professor"
C " he has been a useful subject in my experiments. His problem was...well we needn't go into that..but it was a very big problem. I have endeavoured to give him a whole new set of responses"
Mike Slattery whispers to Sylvia,
Sl " here comes the party trick"
C " I have managed to eradicate his anti social instincts and substituted a new set, but it's had some remarkable side effects"
Boz places his hand an inch above the lighted candle. Everyone is watching avidly as Boz stands there feeling no pain. Sylvia looks upset and pulls his hand away.
S " stop it! Stop it!"
C " oh I'm sorry my dear I've upset you. No need to be, Boz is unharmed. Isn't that right Boz"
Bz " yes professor"
S " I'm sorry"
C " no need to be. You are just showing a conditioned response. Revulsion at the sight of another human being being hurt. It's a good response, if more people had it the world would be a better place."
T " you didn't hypnotize him?"
C " no Tim, that would be cheating and quite useless. I just taught him a new set of principles."
H " so his problem whatever it was, is gone?"
C " almost"
H " that's really something professor"
C " enough about me, you Helga, what made you want to take up the study of the mind?"
H " I guess it was the orphanage, I was brought up an orphan, they were very kind to me, and encouraged me to take an interest in other people"
C " I approve"
Boz returns to the kitchen to fetch more wine. George is still there shining shoes.
G " could be your lucky night eh?"
George laughs, Boz doesn't find it amusing and leaves with the wine.
At the end of the meal Carnaby stands up.
C " you youngsters have an advantage over me, years. I will now retire, I'll see you all tomorrow, goodnight. Oh by the way I usually charge £500 for a lecture."
Carnaby leaves, Slattery stands up too.
Sl " right, I've got some work to do on the biography before retiring so I'll say goodnight too"
Slattery leaves and the three students chat among themselves.
T " what an evening"
H " I've been trying to remember everything he said"
T " he usually only gives ten minute interviews"
S " Tim is your father a psychologist too"
T " he was, he was killed in a car crash with my mother a few years back"
S " sorry, I've no parents either. Hey could that be the link, why we were chosen, none of us have any parents"
T " but why?, what reason?"
S " hmmm, don't know"


Sylvia is getting undressed in her room, she hears soothing music playing, the same piece as before.
In Carnaby's study he has prepared two syringes. There are two glass bottles on his desk, one labeled 'B' the other 'K', medical bottles. Boz and George enter, Carnaby hands one syringe to Boz, who rolls up his sleeve and injects himself willingly. George is less willing.
G " I'm okay professor, I don't need mine, I'm cured"
C " there are women in the house, roll your sleeve up"
Carnaby injects him,
G " really I am cured"
C " go to your room, get some sleep. Boz go with him, make sure he goes and lock him in"
After seeing George to his room at the top of the house Boz returns to the study. Carnaby has a third bottle marked 'A' he opens it then closes it again and replaces it in the cabinet. Boz is shocked.
Bz " you're not giving Aldridge his shot?"
C " no"
Bz " but he's an animal without it, an absolute animal!"
C " that's how I want him tonight"
Carnaby opens his desk drawer and removes a gun. There is someone else here in the house, very dangerous....Aldridge.

 

[michaellevenson]

It's gone midnight when Tim gets a knock on his bedroom door. It's Carnaby.
C " sorry to disturb you Tim, thought you'd be interested in a practical experiment I'm engaged in"
T " yes sir, absolutely"
C" good, we'll be quiet, don't want to wake the girls. Wouldn't want them to think I'm showing any favouritism. Laboratory is upstairs."
Ar the end of the plush corridor where the bedrooms are there is a flight of stairs up to a plainer corridor, painted white, like a medical centre corridor. Rooms on either side.
T " what kind of experiment is it sir?"
C " the physiology of violence"
They stop at a metal door.
C " Tim imagine the knowledge to be gained from a murderous attack, at the precise moment of the attack. To be able to assess the killer as he strikes. Heartbeat, respiration, encephalographic details of brain activity, wouldn't that be a breakthrough Tim?"
T" yes sir fantastic"
C " it's a breakthrough I've achieved"
T " but surely it can only be simulated"
Carnaby presses a button on the wall, a panel opens revealing heart brain and respiratory monitors. Carnaby takes a key from his pocket and opens the metal door. Tim peers inside.
T " .....oh my god"
C " Aldridge...."

Carnaby pushes Tim inside and slams the door shut. There's a spy hole in the door, Carnaby looks through it and begins recording into his Dictaphone.
C " attack to the throat initially, the need to squeeze is very interesting"
Tim is being attacked by Aldridge, a killer so dangerous he is locked away.
C " heartbeat increasing rapidly, climactic phase, extraordinarily powerful. The autopsy will no doubt reveal many broken bones. Now the need to shatter. Strength of attack reaching demoniac proportions, at least I would say if I believed in demons"

Tim is ripped apart, blood splattering the spy hole, Carnaby closes it, experiment over.


The next day Helga is in the library looking at a book when Sylvia comes in.


S " studying ?"
H " look at this"
She shows Sylvia a page from the book. A picture of George on it.
H " that is Jorg Kesselheim remember him?"
S " the murderer, yeah"
H " escaped from Bavaria about six years ago. There was a worldwide hunt"
S " so?"
H " I think I've seen him"
S " where?"
H " here! In this house, Kesselheim or his double"
Slattery comes in overhearing the conversation.
Sl " his double more like, lets have a look"
Slattery looks at the picture.
Sl " my word the splitting image of George. George Tiverton that's who saw last night Helga, he's a sort of secretary come assistant to the professor. Wait a minute, I remember the professor told me that while that hue and cry was going on about Kesselheim poor George was arrested three times. He had to carry a letter around with him stating he wasn't Kesselheim. Right ladies, ready for breakfast ?"
In the dining room Carnaby is there, Boz is serving breakfast.
C " morning to you all"
S " where's Tim?"
C " not feeling too well, must have been too much brandy. He woke me in the night complaining of stomach pains. Anyway I prescribed something , he'll be fine"
S " shall I take him up some breakfast?"
C " that's okay Sylvia, he's sleeping, Boz will take care of him, won't you?"
Bz " yes professor"
Up in the laboratory area in the room where Tim was murdered George Tiverton is calmly using a sponge to clean blood off the walls, Boz enters.
Boz goes over to a bed, a body is on it covered by a sheet, he pulls the sheet off and stares at Tim's body.
Bz " Aldridge is an animal, an absolute animal!!"
G " there but for the grace of God...."
Bz " yes, and the grace of the professor."

 

[michaellevenson]

In Carnaby's study the professor is showing Sylvia and Helga read outs from an encephalograph machine, loads of sheets of printouts.
C " these encephalograph readings are invaluable in studying mental trauma"
S " but you need to know the circumstances of when they were taken professor. This one for example, was the patient having a fit, or reading poetry"
C " of course, I have all the information and George my secretary will correlate them for me in due course"
S " that's the man you saw last night Helga"
H " yes the one I thought was Kesselheim"
Carnaby is at a filing cabinet and removes a folder.
C " yes, Helga, poor George was arrested a few times when they were looking for Kesselheim"
S " Mr Slattery told us, did they ever find Kesselheim?"
C " I don't believe they did"
Carnaby hands Sylvia the folder.
C " here Sylvia, this should interest you, proper documented case files"
Sylvia puts the sheets of printouts down on the desk, right on top of the button!
In the kitchen the bell rings, Boz is chopping up vegetables with a knife, suddenly trance like he leaves, sweating and grimacing. He enters the study and shakes and sweats trying to control himself. Carnaby realises what's happening and quickly removes the sheets from the desk, he then goes over to his record player and plays the classical music piece. Boz suddenly seems to have his mind cleared.
C " nobody sent for you Boz, it was a mistake"
Bz " sorry professor"
C " that's okay, return to your kitchen"

Boz leaves, obviously the girls are puzzled.
S " music soothes the savage breast professor?"
C " well, it relaxes the mind, yours too I hope, ready for the earth shattering theories I'm about to propound"
Helga smiles, Carnaby is almost her idol, Sylvia still a bit unsure.
Boz returns to the kitchen mopping his brow with a handkerchief. George is sitting there polishing shoes...again
George laughs,
G " suffered a bit of reversion have we?"
Bz " someone rang the bell"
G " you've got bells on the brain, you have, bells on the bloody brain"
Boz grabs the shoe off of George, who childlike asks for it back, lower lip quivering.
G " give it back, it's mine"
Bz " looks clean to me, almost cleaned away I'd say. You can see your face in it, always supposing you wanted to see your face."
Boz reaches for the butter dish and scoops a lump of butter with his hand and smears it on the shoe.
G ( almost in tears) " why did you do that, I've got to clean them again now"
Bz " it's good for you...occupational therapy"


Journalist Slattery is in his room, obviously not happy with a sheet he's typed up for his book. He pulls it out of the typewriter and leaves the room all dressed for dinner.
In the dining room;
S " where's Tim? Still ill?"
C " that stomach pain turned out to be appendicitis. Tim is in hospital"
S " for how long?"
C" a day or two, maybe a week"
H " he'll miss this whole seminar"
C " I'll make it up to him Helga my dear, invite him again when he's well"
S " I didn't hear any ambulance siren"
C " no I got Boz to drive him to the hospital, seemed the best thing to do. More wine Sylvia?"
S " please"
C " and for you Slattery?"
Sl " thanks professor"
C" book coming along okay?"
Sl " yes sir, thank you again for your time, very generous"
C " think nothing of it"
Boz at the drinks cabinet has poured two glasses of wine. Unseen he drops a tablet into one of the glasses. He hands Slattery a glass, Sylvia gets the drugged one.
Boz returns to the kitchen, George is there having his meal.
G " alright?"
Bz " she drank it"
George gives a little laugh, Boz returns to the dining room. The dinner conversation continues.
C " you see Helga I believe there's too much emphasis on mental health treatment and not enough on prevention"
Suddenly Sylvia drops her glass on the table.
S " sorry, I feel so sleepy, must be the wine"
Sl " but you only had one glass"
C " my fault, I've worked you both hard today. Go to bed my dear, you'll feel better in the morning"
Sylvia stands,
S " I feel silly"
C " nonsense, Boz will see you to your room. Boz take miss Sylvia upstairs"
Bz " yes professor"
Sylvia and Boz leave, she goes up the stairs, Boz behind her. Halfway up she collapses unconscious, Boz catches her and carries her to her room and lays her on the bed. Boz stares down at her, strokes her hair, and then leaves.
Meanwhile Slattery is yawning too, as Carnaby and Helga talk.
Sl " sorry, I feel tired too, I'll retire too. Goodnight Helga, professor"
C " goodnight Slattery"
Slattery leaves and Carnaby turns to Helga.
C " and then there was one"
Helga smiles.
In the study George is pacing up and down nervously, Boz comes in.
G " how long?"
Bz " soon"
G " it's alright for you. You and Aldridge have had your injections"
Bz " that's the whole point of the experiment, you are as you are"
Boz pours himself some wine and smiles, enjoying George's nervousness.
Bz " self doubts?"
G " no I'm fine, better than you, I'm cured"


In the dining room,
C " you know Helga, it occurs to me that you haven't seen the laboratory area. Of course you may find it very dull and academic"
H " oh I'd love to see it professor"
C " then you shall, this very moment, come"
Carnaby leads Helga into the hallway, in the study Boz stares at George.
Bz " pull yourself together man, it's time"
Boz goes into the hall,
Bz " professor Carnaby, a telephone call sir, it's the Boston clinic"
C " oh dear, I'll have to take it, is George there?"
George comes out.
G " yes professor?"
C " show Miss Muller the laboratory area"
G " yes professor"
C " George will be very informative, I'll be back as soon as I can"
G ( to Helga) " this way Miss"
They head upstairs, Carnaby and Boz go into the study, there is no call of course.
Carnaby takes out his Dictaphone,
C " 10.40 initial test has begun. Helga Muller is now alone with Jorg Kesselheim. If he can stay in control for 5 minutes he will remain in control, and I would have effected a cure. 5 minutes!"
Carnaby stares at his watch, George is Kesselheim after all, like the unseen Aldridge, a killer.
At the end of the landing is the stairs leading to the laboratory.
G " this way Miss, upstairs"
They go up.
H " what's up here?"
G " therapy rooms Miss"
Helga, one by one opens the doors, including the one for the room where Tim died in.
George /Kesselheim is beginning to sweat profusely, hands shaking, losing control.

In the study Carnaby turns to Boz , smile on his face.
C " 4 minutes Boz, I've done it, it's going to be okay"
Helga is in one of the rooms examining bottles of chemicals, she turns and screams.

Carnaby and Boz run out of the study up the stairs to the lab area, to find George /Kesselheim standing over Helga's body, looking very sheepish and sad.
C ( angrily) " FAILURE!"

 

[michaellevenson]

In the study Kesselheim has his sleeve rolled up, Carnaby holding a syringe.
K " I didn't touch her"
C " Boz?"
Bz " lacerations, bruising, neck broken"
C " you didn't touch her!!?"
K " I can't remember. I left her for a few moments, she wandered into that room, then I heard her scream"
C ( sarcastically) " then she just happened to be lying at your feet"
K " I swear I don't remember"

Carnaby injects him,
C " you can't remember, of course not, you're cured aren't you! Take him away Boz , lock him up"
Carnaby hurls the syringe across the room in a fit of anger.
C "TOTAL FAILURE!"


Sylvia awakens the next morning on her bed, fully dressed, feeling a bit whoozy.
Carnaby is in his study recording on his Dictaphone.
C " I feel as many as my patients do, the struggle between logic and emotion. Kesselheim 's relapse was partly to be expected, but I felt so sure he was ready. Now it is vital to my researches that Bostyne doesn't fail with the American girl."
In the dining room Sylvia is having breakfast, Boz serving her, Slattery comes in looking worse for wear.
Sl " morning Sylvia, remind me to stay off the wine. Coffee please Boz, make it black. Where's Helga?"
S " she went into town early, didn't she Boz"
Bz " that's right Miss, George took her to do some shopping"
In his study Carnaby continues recording,
C " Bostyne must succeed with the American girl. After all my success with Aldridge has been phenomenal, sedated he is a normal charming human being, unsedated....."
Boz has carried a plate of food up to the lab area. He opens a door, and places the tray of food on the floor and pushes it into the room. Kesselheim's voice is heard.
K " how long must I stay here"
Bz " he didn't say"
K " tell him it wasn't my fault, I didn't kill her"
Boz closes the door,and looks through the spyhole of another door. Helga is there, dead on a bed covered with a sheet.



That evening Sylvia walks into a small drawing room, Slattery is there writing away, longhand, notes for his book.

S " Michael, it's eight o'clock"
Sl " mmmm"
S " well there can't be any shops still open now, Helga has been gone all day"
Sl " probably got lost"
S " George was with her. How long have you been here Michael?"
Sl " sometime, I came to interview the old man, and he allowed me to stay on and observe, then we talked about me doing his biography"
S " something odd Michael, this morning when I woke up, I had such a hangover, a strange one , I'm sure it wasn't the wine. Felt like sleeping tablets"
Sl " come on, can't be , but you're lucky, my head was split in two"
S " you didn't drink much either"
Sl " enough I guess.( standing) Must get some of this typed up, see you at dinner."
Boz enters the study,
C " how's Kesselheim?"
Bz " still sticking to his story"
C " can't remember anything. We must investigate, take him back through it. Until then I'm classifying him as dangerous"
Bz " right sir"
Carnaby and Boz leave the study passing Sylvia as she leaves the drawing room. Sylvia waits for them to disappear upstairs then she slips into Carnaby's study.
She first notices the three bottles of liquid locked away in a glass cabinet. Bottles labeled 'A' 'B' and 'K', she opens Carnaby's desk, in the drawer is a black plastic case, she opens it, three syringes inside. Closing it she then sees a folder, she takes it out and opens it on the desk. The folder contains newspaper cuttings. One page has the headline " Aldridge Escapes", another " Killer Bostyne Believed Drowned" and a third cutting " Hunt Continues For Kesselheim"
S " oh my god, Aldridge Kesselheim and Bostyne"
She hurriedly places the folder back in the drawer of the desk, too hurriedly, a sheet falls out onto the floor, she doesn't see it and leaves.

 

[michaellevenson]

Carnaby and Boz are in the lab area, interrogating Kesselheim.
K " I left her alone for a few moments, I went back in, she was dead"
C " you're blocking Kesselheim. You know what this means, we may have to withhold your treatment indefinitely"
Sylvia knocks on Slattery 's bedroom door.
S " Michael ......Michael"
No answer, she runs up the stairs to the lab area. She just missed Slattery, he came out the bathroom a second or two after she disappeared up the stairs.
In the lab area Sylvia stops outside a metal door, she opens the spyhole and sees a body on a bed , covered up.
The door isn't locked, she gingerly enters. She recoils in horror as she pulls back the sheet to reveal Helga.





She stifles a scream as she hears a door opening further down the corridor. Looking out through the spyhole she sees Carnaby and Boz. Carnaby speaks into the Dictaphone,
C " I've decided to withdraw treatment indefinitely. This will mean he will revert to homicidal tendencies"
Carnaby and Boz go down the stairs, Sylvia silently behind them when she hears Carnaby around the bend in the stairs saying,
C " we've forgotten something Boz"
Bz " are you going to run my test?"
C " yes of course, but first.."
They're coming back up, Sylvia runs back up and hides, she takes a key from a hook and opens a door and enters the darkened room. She faces the door listening intently, when a hand touches her shoulder. She turns, it's Kesselheim, reaching out to her, he's chained to a chair. She doesn't scream, Carnaby and Boz are in the corridor outside. Boz enters the room where Helga's body is, puts it over his shoulder and carries it out.
In the " cell" Kesselheim has grabbed Sylvia 's neck chain and is pulling at it, grinning with sexual menace. The chain snaps, Sylvia darts out, slams the door shut and locks it.


Sylvia sees Michael coming out of his room, she runs up to him and flings herself into his arms.
S " oh Michael thank god"
Sl " what's up?"
S " Helga is dead!"
Sl " what!!"
S " come I'll show you"
She gabs his hand and leads him upstairs.
Meantime Carnaby has returned to his study and sees the newspaper cutting on the floor. ' Aldridge Escapes ' is the headline. He goes over and unlocks the medical cabinet. He takes out bottle"A" and opens it, and tips a bit onto his finger and tastes it.
Upstairs Sylvia and Slattery enter a room, the body of Helga is gone.
S " Michael she was here I swear, she'd been murdered. Bostyne Kesselheim and Aldridge are all killers and they're in this house"
Slattery stares incredulously.
Downstairs Boz passes the study.
C " Boz come here"
Boz enters, Carnaby holding bottle.
C " Aldridge has been out thinking us, his sedation, he's not sedated at all, this is water"
Bz " then Kesselheim was telling the truth, he didn't kill that girl"
C " where's Aldridge?"
Bz " I haven't seen him for sometime"
C " lock all the doors and shutters, switch off the phone. I want the house sealed"


Upstairs in the lab area,
S " listen Michael, Carnaby has clippings of all of them. They escaped from mental asylums, Carnaby would have access to places like that wouldn't he? He probably helped them escape"
Sl " why would he do that?"
S " for his researches. You don't believe a word I'm saying do you, I'll prove it"

They leave the room, and walking towards them is Carnaby.
C " what's going on here?"
S " I ..er... was conducting an experiment, to see how the press could be deceived"
C " you're welcome to see the lab Sylvia but I prefer if you waited for the official tour, there's a lot of valuable equipment up here. And you Slattery this isn't your field at all"
S " it was all my fault professor I'm sorry"
Sylvia and Slattery go back down the stairs. Sylvia runs to the front door, it's locked. Carnaby comes down the stairs. Sylvia goes up to Michael.
S " I think I'll like a drink before dinner, what about it Mike?"
Sl " sure I'll join you"
They go into the dining room, Boz has just finished locking the shutter on the window, he leaves.
Sl " what can I get you Sylvia?"
S " nothing, I don't want a drink, I want to get out of here. Look, that shutter, I'm not imagining that am I ?, and the front door was locked"
Sl " Boz often locks up at this time."
Sylvia picks up the phone it's dead, she hands it to Slattery, who now looks concerned as he fails to get a dialling tone.
S " Michael they've killed Helga, and probably Tim, you've got to believe me Michael or we'll wind up dead too"

 

[michaellevenson]

Sylvia runs out of the dining room, she sees Carnaby and Boz in the study talking earnestly, she opens the door gently, sees the Dictaphone on the desk and grabs it, pulling the key out of the door and slams the door shut and locks them in.
Carnaby calls after her,
C " Sylvia wait..."
Bz " the door's locked professor"
C " break it down"


Sylvia runs back to Michael Slattery.
Sl " what's happened?"
S " I've locked them in the study"
Sl " you did WHAT!!"
Sylvia turns on the Dictaphone,
S " you're going to listen to this Michael"
Carnaby's voice is heard,

C " it is vital to my researches that Bostyne doesn't fail with the American girl"
Sylvia winds the tape back a bit,
C " Kesselheim's relapse was partly to be expected"
S" convinced?"
Slattery is definitely convinced, the loud banging as Boz tries to break out of the study also helps to persuade him.
Sl " that door isn't going to hold for much longer...come on"
They run out, just as Boz and Carnaby smash their way out of the study. Slattery and Sylvia run upstairs, Boz in pursuit. Slattery stops halfway up, turns to face Boz. He aims a kick at Boz, a direct hit to the face. Boz falls backwards, ends up unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. He catches up with Sylvia upstairs, grabs her hand ,
Sl " quick in here"
They dive into Sylvia 's bedroom.

 

[michaellevenson]

Carnaby runs along the corridor and opens the door of Sylvia's room, Sylvia and Slattery flatten themselves behind the door against the wall. Carnaby shuts the door and leaves, he goes up to lab area.
( in the bedroom)
S " lets move out"
Sl " no, he's gone to the lab area, it's a maze up there, let him get clear then we move"
( lab area)
Carnaby is shouting ,desperate, standing in the corridor ,his voice carries to Slattery and Sylvia.
C " Sylvia, Miss Dene ,answer me . You're in terrible danger. The man you're with...Slattery... IS NOT SLATTERY. Slattery was murdered by the man you're with...Aldridge....you're with Martin Aldridge"
( in the bedroom)
Sl " fancy trying to get away with that, don't listen to him"
(lab area)
C " please Sylvia listen to me, he's killed many times, get away from him"
( in the bedroom)
Sl " so that's his tactic, divide and conquer"
( in the lab area)
C " Sylvia, if you trust him, if you think he's sane, that's a testament to my work. I've given him the face of normality, but underneath the exterior he is a cold killer. Run from him before he kills you too"

( in the bedroom)
S " shouldn't we move out of here?"
Slattery looks wide eyed at her, he is beginning to sweat and breathe heavily.
Sl " not yet,.....you haven't kissed me !!"

S " OH NO !!"
Sylvia knows the truth, Aldridge lunges at her, pushing her down onto the dressing table trying to rip her dress off, she fights him off, reaches her hand onto the dresser and grabs at a pair of scissors. In an arcing motion she slams the scissors into Aldridge's back. He screams, she runs out of the room.



Carnaby opens the cell containing Kesselheim, he tosses him the key to his manacles.
C " it's Aldridge, he's on the loose help us"
At the foot of the stairs Boz is still unconscious, Sylvia searches for the keys on him, she takes them out of his pocket and runs to the front door. Too late, Aldridge is running down the stairs after her, blood running down his back. She runs into the study, a big mistake, she's trapped.
S " please no...please..."
Aldridge menacingly moves towards her, Carnaby appears at the door.
C " Aldridge!"

Aldridge turns, Carnaby has a gun, he fires, one shot, Aldridge falls backwards across the desk, dead.
Carnaby looks sadly at the dead Aldridge, SUDDENLY BOZ IS BEHIND HIM ,HANDS AROUND HIS THROAT, SQUEEZING.
Aldridge fell across the button on the desk, the bells are ringing in the kitchen, where Kesselheim is shining shoes and giggling as he hears Aldridge being shot.
Carnaby ( choking) " NO BOZ STOP"
Carnaby is dragging himself over to the record player as Boz strangles him, he desperately tries to reach it but he can't make it!!

Sylvia runs to the front door, unlocks it and runs out into the night air.
She's free of the murderous goings-on in Carnaby's house.




Cast;
Sylvia....Joanna Pettet
Carnaby.....Patrick Magee
Kesselheim....Max Wall
Slattery....Eric Flynn
Boz.....Don Henderson
Helga....Petra Markham
Tim....Peter Settelen

 

[michaellevenson]

Thriller (1973)