ACT II
(FADE IN. STATION HOUSE NO. 4. CUT TO: INTERROGATION ROOM. RON and LIZ Dunn remain seated. MURDOCH questions them while and CRABTREE takes notes.)
MURDOCH
Mr. Dunn, let me be clear: kidnapping is a serious crime; it is not a joking matter.
RON
We know that! But you asked us why we didn't come to the police right away, and that is why. We didn't think there was an actual, um, crime.
MURDOCH
So what made you think that these notes (indicating) were part of a prank of some kind, to make you think your father had been kidnapped?
RON (a little ashamed)
Dad, my father, um, likes to create hoaxes. Some of them are elaborate hoaxes. It's sport to him.
LIZ
We thought this was just another one of his hoaxes. All the letters are in his handwriting. And who concludes ransom notes with "Love, Dad"? I mean, really?
MURDOCH (skeptical)
But you say you paid the ransom. If you believed this was all a hoax, why did you pay the ransom?
RON
Liz didn't want to pay. But we talked about it, and I thought we should pay. I mean, either it was a joke, or it wasn't. If it WASN'T a joke—
MURDOCH
That is, if it was an AUTHENTIC kidnapping—
RON
— then we ought to pay to get my Dad back. And if it WAS a joke, well— (not sure how to say it) I thought we ought to pay, on the assumption that Dad was going to give the money back to us, after he'd had his little joke. He'd been saying how he wanted to buy a new overcoat. I half expected he'd use the money to buy a new coat, and then return the rest of the money to us. That would be the kind of prank he'd pull.
MURDOCH (incredulous)
He'd demand five thousand dollars, to buy an overcoat?
RON
Dad knew that we had saved up money for a better house. We'd saved about five thousand dollars. This was another reason we thought that this kidnapping might be a prank. How would real kidnappers know that we'd saved up almost exactly that amount of cash?
MURDOCH (slowly)
I see. And you have come to believe NOW that this is NOT a prank, not a hoax.
RON and LIZ
Yes. Right.
MURDOCH
What changed your mind?
RON
We both thought that Dad would come back home in a day or two. We decided that, if he wasn't home by Monday morning, we'd go to the police. He didn't come home. So here we are.
(MURDOCH takes a few moments.)
MURDOCH
All right. Let's start with some basic questions. Who may have wanted money from you? Did anyone threaten your father before today?
(The postures of RON and LIZ show they want to cooperate. CUT TO: BRACKENREID'S OFFICE. BRACKENREID is in his chair, staring at the ceiling, holding the ransom notes in his hands. MURDOCH is standing.)
BRACKENREID
They thought he actually might fake his own kidnapping, as a joke?
(BRACKENREID looks at MURDOCH with no sense of amusement.)
BRACKENREID
Childish stuff, that is! I'll tell you what would be a joke: if they told the kidnappers to KEEP the father, and it would cost THEM five thousand dollars to give him back!
MURDOCH (slowly)
It seems to me that Mr. and Mrs. Dunn now genuinely believe that Lincoln Dunn has been kidnapped. But I am not so certain. Given the elder Mr. Dunn's fondness for pranks, I would almost expect the ransom notes to emphasize that THIS is NOT a prank.
BRACKENREID (in a mocking tone)
"Dear kids, I have been kidnapped. Really, I have been. Really. I'm not joking." That's what he should have said?
MURDOCH
Perhaps, yes. But: it is also possible that Mr. Dunn wrote only what the kidnappers TOLD him to write, and they wouldn't let him elaborate.
(BRACKENREID holds up one of the ransom notes and points to the signature on it.)
BRACKENREID (mocking)
And they told him to sign the ransom notes, "Love, Dad"? That's got to be a first!
MURDOCH
This crime may be a fake, or it may not. At this point in time, considering that a formal report has been made, and considering that the purported victim is missing, we have to assume that a crime has occurred, do we not?
BRACKENREID (resigned, nodding)
We do.
(CUT TO: EXT. OLSEN'S MARKET. MURDOCH sees a sign saying "Olsen's Market" near the front. He walks around the market to the rear, and sees a black metal cylinder with a cover. The area is devoid of people. MURDOCH takes the cover from the cylinder and looks inside. There is nothing in the cylinder to speak of.)
MURDOCH
Someone took the ransom money.
(OLSEN, a man in a shopkeeper's apron, pokes his head outside a rear door of the market. MURDOCH sees OLSEN.)
OLSEN (somewhat hostile)
You! What are you doing?
MURDOCH (showing his badge)
Detective William Murdoch, Toronto Constabulary. Are you Mr. Olsen, by any chance?
OLSEN (now nervous)
Yes. (pause) Am I in trouble?
MURDOCH
No. This black tube here (indicating), what is its function?
OLSEN
It's a vent for an underground storage cellar. The cellar hasn't been used for years. The vent is blocked up.
MURDOCH
Have you seen anyone looking around back here, recently—especially, last Thursday— looking at this vent?
OLSEN
No. Well, wait a minute. There was one person. I had to chase away some man last week, who I thought might be trying to steal some tinned goods being delivered. Wasn't on Thursday, though. Our tinned goods deliveries are on Mondays. He was looking at the vent, but I thought he was more interested in theft. He ran off when I yelled at him.
MURDOCH
Could you describe him?
OLSEN
He was an older man, some grey hair, maybe in his sixties. Short beard. That's about all I can say.
(MURDOCH nods and purses his lips. CUT TO: INTERIOR OF TONY'S PUB. There are several empty tables. On one wall is a menu of available pub food. There is a bar, with various bar-related items. A bowl of apples sits on one end of the bar. MURDOCH walks up to a table where CRABTREE and three men are seated. CRABTREE rises, but the men do not. The men sitting at a table are aged in their late 50s or early 60s: James "Milly" MILLIGAN, Horace "Cob" CHANDLER, and Denis "Foxy" FOX. MILLIGAN has a mustache, CHANDLER and FOX each have short beards. MILLIGAN, CHANDLER, and FOX all have grey hair, but in varying amounts. CHANDLER and FOX have open soft drink bottles in front of them. Tony's Pub otherwise appears deserted, although in the background there is the sound of glasses tinkling [SFX], presumably being washed by the barman.)
CRABTREE
Sir, this is Mr. James Milligan.
(MILLIGAN nods; he does not stand or offer his hand.)
CRABTREE
This is Mr. Horace Chandler.
CHANDLER (nodding)
Call me "Cob."
CRABTREE
And this is Mr. Denis Fox.
(FOX nods.)
CRABTREE
They were with Mr. Dunn on Sunday night.
MURDOCH
Gentlemen.
CRABTREE
They ask that if you have any questions for them, sir, that you get to the point. They all have to be at their jobs at the top of the hour, so they cannot stay here for long.
MURDOCH
Very well.
FOX
Is Linc all right? He did not show up at the Pub last night. (with a note of bitterness) Your constable wouldn't tell us anything.
MURDOCH
We believe Mr. Dunn may have been abducted. As far as we know, he still alive, though we do not know his current whereabouts.
(MILLIGAN, CHANDLER, and FOX look at one another. MILLIGAN seems especially distressed.)
MURDOCH
Can you confirm that Lincoln Dunn was here, in this building, a week ago yesterday?
MILLIGAN
Yes, sir, at this very table. We just talked, had a little something to eat.
MURDOCH
And drank?
CHANDLER (lifting his bottle)
Nothing alcoholic. Not on Sunday nights, anyway. The barman will back us up on this. Do you want to speak to the barman, sir? He's in the back; his name's Tony, he's my nephew.
MURDOCH
No. Mr. Dunn was here from what time to what time?
CHANDLER
From about six to about ten o'clock, roughly.
MURDOCH
Is that typical?
CHANDLER
Yes. Linc's been coming here at the same time every Sunday night for at least the past year. We all have.
MURDOCH
I see. Did anything unusual happen that night?
(MILLIGAN, CHANDLER, and FOX shake their heads.)
FOX
Just like any other night.
MURDOCH
What time did the four of you leave the Pub?
FOX
Usually Milly and Cob leave at nine and Linc and I leave at nine-thirty, sometimes ten.
MILLIGAN (pointing at FOX)
Usually, that's right, but that's not what happened last week, remember, Foxy? YOU were the first to leave, and you went home at about nine-thirty.
FOX
Oh, yes, that's right.
MILLIGAN
And Linc left maybe five minutes later, and the two of us (pointing to himself and CHANDLER) went home shortly after that.
MURDOCH
Did any of you witness Mr. Dunn leaving the Pub?
MILLIGAN and CHANDLER
I did. We did.
MURDOCH
Did you notice anything unusual? Did you, for example, see Mr. Dunn encounter anyone as he walked out of the Pub? Did you see Mr. Dunn on the street with anyone?
(MILLIGAN, CHANDLER, and FOX shake their heads.)
MILLIGAN
We had no reason to think anything unfortunate had happened to Linc.
FOX
If some fellows abducted Linc, they may have been waiting for him in an alley behind the Pub.
MURDOCH
Why do you say that?
FOX (shrugging)
Just 'cause it looks like a good place for a kidnapper to wait.
(MILLIGAN checks his watch and stands, and CHANDLER and FOX follow suit and stand. MURDOCH and CRABTREE stand as well.)
MILLIGAN
We've got to get going.
CHANDLER
Yes.
MURDOCH
Fine, but we may need to have you come to the Station House for some additional questions.
FOX (turning to go)
Just let us know if you do.
(MILLIGAN, CHANDLER, and FOX head toward the exit, MURDOCH and CRABTREE following.)
MURDOCH
Gentlemen, before you go: were you aware that Mr. Dunn is rather fond of elaborate pranks?
(MILLIGAN, CHANDLER, and FOX look at one another, then suddenly break out in smiles, and all laugh.)
MILLIGAN
Oh, sure. Linc was quite the joker.
FOX
You think this is all a prank? Linc is faking his own kidnapping as a prank?
MURDOCH
Is that possible, do you think?
FOX (shrugging)
Sounds like something he'd do.
CHANDLER (a bit surprised at what FOX just said)
Really? I don't think so. The pranks tended to be of the harmless kind, weren't they? You've never done anything that's involved the police, have you? Faking a crime, a SERIOUS crime like a kidnapping—?
(FOX shrugs again. MILLIGAN, CHANDLER, and FOX head out the exit from the Pub. MILLIGAN and CHANDLER exit.)
FOX (turning to face MURDOCH as FOX exits)
I sure hope Linc is all right.
(FOX exits. MURDOCH and CRABTREE remain standing in Tony's Pub.)
MURDOCH
George, we need to talk to those men for a little bit longer. Have them come to the Station House at their earliest convenience.
CRABTREE
Yes, sir.
(From the back room, TONY the barman appears. MURDOCH and CRABTREE immediately become aware of TONY's presence. TONY begins cleaning the table where everyone sat, picking up the empty bottles and wiping the table surface.)
TONY
Officers, I heard pretty much everything that was said.
MURDOCH
You are Tony?
TONY
Yes. My name is Anton Frank; everybody calls me "Tony."
MURDOCH
And you are related to the Mr. Chandler who just left?
TONY
That "Mr. Chandler" is my uncle. He helped me get started here. Officers: what they told you about Linc's last night here, I don't disagree with any of it. But I thought I ought to tell you that I think this is all a hoax. Linc Dunn was always trying to think up ways to make people waste their time and look like fools, just for his own amusement. That anyone would kidnap him? It's just ridiculous!
MURDOCH
Do you have any evidence to support your opinion that Mr. Dunn has faked his own kidnapping?
TONY (lowers his eyes)
No. (looks up at MURDOCH) But I know Linc. I know what kind of person he is.
MURDOCH
You sound as though you did not care for Mr. Dunn.
TONY (smirks)
Linc? About the only good thing I can say is that he paid his tab on time. (mildly bitter) I didn't care much for his sense of humour.
MURDOCH (intrigued)
Oh?
TONY
Now, if you'll pardon me.
MURDOCH
Just— explain something to me. You didn't like Mr. Dunn, yet you hosted him every Sunday night?
TONY
I couldn't kick him out. Linc is friends with my uncle. My uncle likes coming here, and I— am in my uncle's debt. So I put up with Linc. And with Fox. By rights, I ought to— (shakes his head) never mind.
CRABTREE (playing a hunch)
Were you— were you the butt of one of Mr. Dunn's jokes, sir?
TONY (hesitantly)
A few times. You've probably heard about the hockey story?
MURDOCH
No, I haven't.
TONY
A few months ago, Linc and Foxy spread the word that, if Toronto beat Ottawa in a hockey match, my pub would be offering free drinks. Now, Toronto was expected to lose the match, but Toronto surprised everyone and won it; and next thing I know, there are hundreds of people barging in here demanding free drinks.
MURDOCH
And— so you had to tell people it was all a misunderstanding.
TONY
No, I had to serve a lot of free drinks, is what I had to do.
CRABTREE
Why? You weren't legally obligated—
TONY
Because they threatened to burn down my pub if I didn't, that's why! (huffing) Funny little hoax, wasn't it? Not only did I lose a lot of money, I lost some of my best customers, too! (calming down) My uncle thinks that Linc's hoaxes are funny and harmless. Well, I don't agree. Fake his own kidnapping? I wouldn't put it past Linc, not at all. I wouldn't put it past him to fake his own death! Now, if you'll excuse me.
(With that, TONY puts the bottles away and returns to his business, disappearing into the back room.)
MURDOCH
George, the barman's remarks notwithstanding, I think we still have to approach this matter as an actual kidnapping. For one thing, apparently Mr. Dunn had an established pattern, a pattern that a kidnapper may have noted. If someone HAD planned to kidnap Mr. Dunn, and had been watching him for some time, the kidnapper would know Mr. Dunn would be here on Sunday night, until about nine-thirty to ten PM.
CRABTREE
Yes. The kidnapper would know where Mr. Dunn would be, and could be waiting for him.
MURDOCH (indicating)
So if it WERE an authentic kidnapping, Mr. Dunn would have left this establishment through that door. (walking to the door) Mr. Dunn would have walked to the door, exited through the door—
(MURDOCH pushes open the door, and MURDOCH and CRABTREE exit TONY'S PUB to the street. It is mid-day. TONY'S PUB is on a corner lot. To MURDOCH's left, on the corner, is a lamppost.)
MURDOCH
— and would then have been outside. He would have then turned right (he turns) toward his home, walked one block—
(MURDOCH and CRABTREE walk down the street, past some of the windows of Tony's Pub. MURDOCH's eyes scan the surroundings. MURDOCH slows and stops, CRABTREE follows suit. They stand next to a narrow dead-end alley between the Tony's Pub and another building, which will turn out to be a warehouse.)
MURDOCH
— and at that intersection he would turn left and cross the street and walk another half-block to the house where he lived. Somewhere along that walk, presumably, he was abducted.
CRABTREE
That seems reasonable, sir.
MURDOCH
And the kidnapper— or kidnappers— would be lying in wait somewhere, possibly in this alley, as Mr. Fox thought.
(MURDOCH goes into the alley and peers around the back wall of Tony's Pub, in the direction of the entrance, as a kidnapper might do.)
MURDOCH
It would be around ten at night, and dark, and the kidnapper would have to see who was walking down the street.
CRABTREE
There is a lamppost there (indicating the corner lamppost).
MURDOCH
Which would be to the rear of anyone walking toward the alley. It would not illuminate the face. Anyone approaching this direction would be seen in silhouette. It would be hard to identify whether the person coming toward you is the person you want to kidnap.
CRABTREE (speculating)
Mr. Dunn may have been recognizable from his physical build, or from his posture, or from his walk.
MURDOCH (stroking his chin)
Possibly. (looks around) The alley is a dead end. Where would the kidnapper take the victim?
CRABTREE
The kidnapper would probably need some sort of carriage or cart or other vehicle of some kind, to take him to a place where he could be imprisoned. It would be risky to carry or drag the abductee around in public, or to march the victim at gunpoint or tied up, even at night.
MURDOCH
This alley seems too narrow for a vehicle.
CRABTREE
The vehicle could be parked in the street, and the kidnapper could be hiding in the alley, or lay in wait behind the vehicle in the street.
MURDOCH (puzzled)
A vehicle facing east, as it would be if it were parked properly in the street, would be facing an inconvenient direction; it would need to be turned around to have an effective escape route. And if the vehicle were on the other side of the street, the area would be too open; assuming Mr. Dunn did not cross the street right at this spot and approach the vehicle on his own, the kidnapper would have to come across the street to abduct him.
CRABTREE (pointing to the windows on Tony's Pub)
In view of anyone in the Pub who might happen to be looking.
MURDOCH
Yes. Indeed, the WHOLE AREA here is too open; in the event the victim tried to escape the kidnapper, there are many possible places the victim might flee. For example, assuming the victim had the good sense not to try to flee down this dead-end alley, the victim might run up to this window on Tony's Pub (demonstrating) and hit it with his hand to attract the attention of his friends. (sighing) If I were a kidnapper, George, I would not commit the act here.
CRABTREE
So you think it WAS a prank, sir?
MURDOCH
All I'm saying at this point is that Mr. Fox's hunch about the kidnapper waiting in the alley is probably wrong.
(MURDOCH walks on, CRABTREE follows. They pass the warehouse building to the east of Tony's Pub, and come to a door in the warehouse. The door has a sign on it saying that the building is available for sale or lease, and another sign saying that trespassers should keep out. Across the street are several houses.)
MURDOCH (thinking aloud, pointing)
There is the house where Mr. Dunn lived with his son and daughter-in-law. Apart from the alley, there seems to be no place where a kidnapper might lay in wait. Except— (MURDOCH looks at the warehouse he's standing next to) — could it be that the kidnapper did not NEED a vehicle, but simply waited for Mr. Dunn to come out of Tony's Pub at his usual time on Sunday night, and when Mr. Dunn got near this doorway, the kidnapper forced him inside, possibly at gunpoint?
(MURDOCH looks into a window of the warehouse. The windows on the warehouse are all dirty. MURDOCH tries another window. The warehouse seems to be mostly empty, but there are some crates on the floor. Protruding from behind one crate is what appears to be a human foot, wearing a stocking.)
MURDOCH
George! I think someone may be in there!
(As CRABTREE peers through the window, MURDOCH goes to the door and tries the door. It opens. MURDOCH enters the door, CRABTREE follows. CUT TO: INTERIOR of the warehouse. The building appears to be a storage building, with lots of floor space, some support pillars, and few interior walls. Many of the windows are boarded up. There are some windows that give illumination to the interior, but they are high up, such that a person on the street could not see in through those windows. The warehouse seems to be mostly empty, but there are some crates and partitions that prevent seeing the whole floor.)
MURDOCH
Hello?
(MURDOCH approaches the crate where he thought he saw a foot, and as he approaches, it becomes clear that what MURDOCH saw was indeed a human foot. Near the foot are two neatly placed shoes.)
MURDOCH (pointing)
George!
(MURDOCH and CRABTREE carefully approach the foot. As they get closer, they see one leg, then another leg, which they find belong to a dead man. The dead man is lying on some blankets that have been laid flat on the floor, and a pillow is under his head. Near the makeshift bed are a table and a chair, with some remnants of food on the table, along with a few books and newspapers neatly arranged. There are some partly burned and some whole candles in various places nearby. All of these "furnishings" are arranged behind crates, making them difficult to see though the windows from the street. The dead man appears to be asleep, but he does not stir. MURDOCH rubs his nose, indicating an unpleasant odour may be present; CRABTREE makes a face as well.)
MURDOCH
We seem to have found Mr. Lincoln Dunn.
(MURDOCH touches the body to feel for a pulse. The body is cold and slightly discoloured, and MURDOCH pulls back his hand upon checking for a pulse.)
CRABTREE
Is he dead, sir?
MURDOCH (standing and crossing himself)
Yes. He's not faking. It would seem Mr. Dunn has been dead for some time.
(A close-up of the dead man's face shows his face matches that face in the photograph seen earlier. FADE OUT.)
