Thriller s02e02 - Once The Killing Starts

[michaellevenson]

Professor Michael Lane teaches at Cambridge University no less, a teacher of engineering and physics. It's Sunday morning and at their Cambridge home his wife Elizabeth is getting ready for her regular church attendance. She hopes Michael will come with her, but he's now an agnostic, though respectful of his wife's devoted Catholicism. Anyway he tells her he promised this Sunday morning to give private extra tuition to George Newton one of his students.



Elizabeth resigned to having to go on her own leaves, minutes later there's a knock on the back door, and into the house steps a young lady, Stella Mason, and into Professor Lane's arms.....they kiss.


That evening Elizabeth is in bed, Prof Lane in the bathroom cleaning his teeth, he calls out mentioning that tomorrow night he's got to go over to see Prof Peterson to discuss the next term's curriculum. Understandably he doesn't expect Elizabeth to come, it's going to be a very dull cerebral evening of discussion about education.
Elizabeth concurs that she'd rather not go. Michael asks if she has a message she'd like him to pass on to John Peterson or his wife Margaret.
Elizabeth says, " tell John I look forward to seeing him and give my love to Margaret."
Michael, " ah come on Elizabeth sound as if you mean it."
Elizabeth quite tired , but used to her husband's pinickety ways says again forcing enthusiasm in her voice, " I look forward to see you John and give my regards to Margaret, happy now dear?"
Michael laughs, " yes dear, much better "
What Elizabeth doesn't know is that Lane has placed a tape recorder at the foot of the bed and it's all gone on tape.

 

[michaellevenson]

In the middle of the night while Elizabeth sleeps Lane is in the study playing back the recording of Elizabeth saying greetings to John Peterson, he stops the tape, then using scissors cuts this portion of tape out from the spool. Then on a newspaper Lane has laid out a pane of glass, using a hammer he smashes the glass, then listens carefully hoping Elizabeth upstairs asleep hasn't stirred. He has a tape splice machine and using this he splices the recording of Elizabeth to the recording of the glass smashing, so now when he plays tape we hear, " ......give my regards to Margaret. " from Elizabeth then the sound of smashing glass.


The next day Elizabeth is at home alone when the doorbell rings, it's George Newton one of Professor Lane's students, he's come to collect a book he left here when last was in the house having private tuition. Elizabeth asks how was the tuition yesterday on Sunday. George is puzzled, he wasn't here yesterday.

That evening Elizabeth mentions this to Prof Lane, who apologises saying he meant George Riley of course was coming over.
Michael Lane is ready to leave for an evening with Prof Peterson, he is in the study, and calls out to Elizabeth, apparently he's lost one of his lecture papers with all his notes on it and has Elizabeth moved it at all. Elizabeth comes in saying that his papers are no concern of hers and she hasn't touched anything, but she helps with the search looking in a bottom drawer of a desk. Lane comes up behind her holding a heavy looking ornament, he smashes it down on her head, Elizabeth falls, dead instantly.
He quickly steps over the body and opens a cupboard and takes out a homemade contraption he has built.

It's a large tray made of wood, attached to it is a metal strip with a little hook on the end of it, this strip is attached to a small motor. He picks up the telephone from the study desk and places it on the wooden tray near the metal strip, the hook at the end of the strip hooks over the dial of the phone. The motor in turn is connected to a timeswitch. Also on this tray Lane places his tape recorder, this too is connected to the timer. When the timer is activated, the metal strip attached to the phone will move in a pre programmed action to dial a number, the tape recorder will play, first an amount of blank tape before the Elizabeth recording starts to play.

 

[michaellevenson]

At John Peterson's house, Peterson and Lane discuss the curriculum when the phone rings, Lane says he'll answer it as it's probably Elizabeth just checking that he arrived safely. Lane picks up phone, his plan has worked beautifully, his contraption has dialled this number, he checks his watch knowing when the Elizabeth recording will start, he pretends to speak to her.
Lane, " yes dear I'm alright, just about to get down to serious work, okay dear, ( to John) John, Elizabeth would like to say a few words."
John picks up receiver, " hello Elizabeth."
He hears Elizabeth saying, " I look forward to see you John, and give my regards to Margaret " then John hears glass breaking.
John, " Elizabeth...Elizabeth are you okay, ( to Lane) Michael I heard glass breaking."
Lane takes receiver, " Elizabeth...hello."
Lane puts down phone then says," look John I better pop back just in case, probably nothing but I better check."
Lane arrives back home, steps over the body then dismantles his device, phone back on desk, motor and timer disconnected and wooden tray broken in pieces and chucked on the fire. Then he calls the police......has he committed the perfect murder?

 

[michaellevenson]

Inspector Rush is on the case and the next morning he and his men having searched the house for clues without getting far.
Rush says to Lane, who is dabbing his eyes with a hanky wiping away fake tears, "well the intruder obviously broke this window to gain access." Rush points to the French windows leading to the garden that Lane had smashed to make it appear as a burglary.
Rush, "and presumably surprised by your wife , panicky thing he did, took nothing and then left."

Lane, " Elizabeth probably didn't turn the light on, so the burglar didn't see her."
Rush, "no quite, a pity he didn't take anything, we'd have a lead you see, stolen property. We can pinpoint the time of death accurately, when she spoke to your friend Peterson. Very unusual that, it may help."
Lane crying, " it won't help her!"
Rush, " no...I'm very sorry."
Rush leaves and Lane then bursts into hysterical laughter....this is all too easy.


It's weeks later and Michael Lane and student Stella are necking on the couch at his place. Stella wonders if it was all fate, the work of God, Elizabeth died to clear a path for them. She wants to marry Michael soon, but he suggests they should leave it a while longer in case suspicious tongues start wagging. Stella is puzzled, " what d'you mean suspicious?"
Lane nervously laughs, " sorry did I say suspicious I meant malicious of course."
Stella, " oh Michael I love you."
Lane, " and I love you Stella."

 

[michaellevenson]

The next day at university Lane is completing his lecture to his students including Stella and George Newton, the lecture ends and the students file out except Stella, she has a few words with Lane and says she'll see him this evening at his place.

After Stella leaves Lane goes back to his seat at his desk and is about to get a big shock. An envelope has been left on the desk, Lane opens it and looks on horror as inside is a single white sheet with the words " I know what you did MURDERER" on it, the words a composit of letters cut out of a magazine page and pasted onto sheet.
Lane slumps on the chair flummoxed mouthing, " how? WHO?"


Back home Insp Rush greets Lane as he enters with news that there's no news, the police aren't getting far with their enquiries. Rush notices on the wall a number of paintings, all depicting Christ, he uneasily has a question to ask.
Rush, " forgive me professor but could your wife have known her assailant , is it possible that there was another man?"
Lane laughs, " no chance, if you knew Elizabeth..."
Rush, " devoutly religious?"
Lane, "totally."
Rush, " well I had to check sir, oh by the way, I intercepted the postman outside, these are for you."
Rush hands over letters and leaves. Lane immediately sees a letter with handwritten capitalised letters address, he rips it open to read, " MURDERER TIME WE MET" again in composit cut out letters, and a meeting place specified.


A little while later Lane is in his car at the crossroads in a country lane, he stops, gets out and checks his watch and waits. Suddenly he sees coming towards him on a bicycle a figure, as it gets nearer Lane relaxes, no it can't be the blackmailer, it's an old lady, who pedals away. Then Lane hears a bike bell ringing, he turns to see George Newton waving at him pedalling away down the lane.
Lane, " so, it's George!"

 

[michaellevenson]

George Newton is invited around for more tuition to Lane's house. George sits at the study desk, opens his scholastic books enthusiastically saying he'd appreciate the professor hearing his theories on structural engineering he's come up with. Lane suggests they relax first, have a drink, Scotch whisky. Lane pours the drinks and out of view spikes George's drink with pills.
Lane " tell me George anyone know you're here?"

George, " no I did as you said told no-one."
Lane ," good, don't want anyone thinking I'm showing favouritism. You've erm...told no-one then about you know...."
George, " no professor, may I say something Professor, I know you and Stella, well I like her too, what I'm saying is I'm willing to step aside."
George downs his whisky, Lane smiles, " that's very magnanimous of you George, but you're being swept aside, like dirt."
George shocked, " what d'you mean."
Lane, " oh come now George let's not pretend."
George suddenly slumps over desk clutching stomach, " what's happening.?!"
Lane, " I'm killing you George, 7 pills is a lethal dose, you've had 10."
George slumps dead, now Lane has to remove the body.


Next day Rush is back at Lane's discussing George's death.
Rush, " it's a strange one professor, when someone commits suicide they usually do it at home, in bed with a drink perhaps, one last comfort before meeting their maker. They don't usually cycle out to the country, lay down in a field and do it."
Lane, " obviously a very disturbed young man."

At university Lane is addressing the students regarding George's death.
Lane, " we all know the incredible pressures you have at this time, if only poor George had come to me I could have helped. Plus if any of you have any worries remember I'm always available."
The students leave, Lane puts on his coat, there's a letter in the pocket, he rips it open.....IT CAN'T BE!! The letter says, " THAT'S TWICE YOU'VE MURDERED, ELIZABETH AND GEORGE."
Lane staggers onto chair, " who ? WHO CAN IT BE?!"

 

[michaellevenson]

Lane is at Peterson who is worried about him and he and Margaret would like him to come round for dinner regularly but Lane refuses, as he swigs another whisky. Lane is clearly rattled by what's happened and rages at Peterson when he says," if anything is bothering you Mike, you can confess to me, I'll help if I can."
Lane shouts, " I don't need a confessor."

In the evening Lane and Stella are smooching on the couch at home when Stella has to leave, she's got a busy day tomorrow and longs for the time when they can see each other openly.
Lane walks her to the door, she gets in her car and drives off.
Lane returns inside and notices a letter on the couch where they were sitting. He opens it, horrified, it says, "TWICE A MURDERER YOU WILL PAY. "
Lane can't believe it, crying, " no ! Stella STELLA!"

Lane phones Stella and says, " I need to see you urgently....I'll pick you up."

Later Lane and Stella sit in his car on a deserted country lane, its passed midnight, Lane turns to her, they kiss then..
Lane, " I did it for you Stella, for us, so we could be together."

Stella, " did what Mike?"
Lane, " you know what, killed Elizabeth, I did it to be with you, but you betrayed me, I see it now, you and George in it together."
Stella is shocked, " Mike, no....."
Lane menacingly moves towards her.

 

[michaellevenson]

The next day at uni Lane is in his classroom, the students silently work, Lane looking out of the window sees Insp Rush walking across the lawns across the campus.
Lane sees Peterson walking passed his classroom and goes to him.
Lane, " John, how long has he been here, that policeman Rush."
Peterson, " a little while, one of the students Stella Mason didn't get home last night, reported missing. He asked me a few questions."
Lane," what did you tell him, has he mentioned me."
Peterson is worried, " Mike you are on edge, what's up?"
Lane walks off, then peers out of a corridor window to the lawn below, Rush is standing there staring up at him.


Lane arrives home in a distressed state of mind. He pours himself a drink, then sees the impossible, another letter, this is not in an envelope , but placed on the arm of the couch. Lane reads it, as with the others put together by cutting out letters from a magazine and pasting them to the sheet.
A voice behind Lane says, " I know what you did."
Lane turns, Rush is standing there, " I know what you did."
Lane, " it was YOU."
Rush, " I put it there for you to find professor, but I didn't write it, you've been receiving these letters every day haven't you, in fact I have too, every day, ' I KNOW WHAT YOU DID' or something similar."
Lane ," then WHO?"
Rush goes over to writing desk and opens drawer, and pulls out magazines, pages cut up, glue and scissors.
Rush, " you wrote them professor."
Lane slumps down in tears, Rush has some sympathy and says," I don't know what the psychiatrists will make of it, guilt, a need to confess, I'd say a need to be caught, punished for your sins, whenever you're ready professor."
Rush goes into hall , a uniformed policeman is there, Rush says, " we'll give him a bit of time."

Constable, " shouldn't we stay in there with him sir, in case he attempts suicide?"
Rush looks around at the many paintings , all Catholic themed.
Rush, " no I don't think so, not him."
Lane , hands in front of him as if praying to God, crying, " Elizabeth.....Elizabeth.."

Cast;
Angharad Rees......Stella
Patrick O'Neal......Michael Lane
Michael Kitchen......George
Gerald Sim.....Peterson
Gary Watson......Insp Rush
Patricia Donahue.....Elizabeth

On to next episode

Review - Thriller -s02e03- Kiss Me and Die ( scene by scene)