Fake History

by DoctorH

A teleplay in five acts, like watching an episode on TV. An early-morning murder leads Murdoch through a strange world of fakes and frauds and falsehoods, in which it is unclear who is on the up-and-up and in which it is unclear whether national treasures are what they purport to be. A solution to the mystery is included.

2. Act II

ACT II

(FADE IN. THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, moments later. MURDOCH and CRABTREE are looking at the box without touching it.)

MURDOCH
This little box does not look like refuse. It's proximity to the site of the struggle might be a coincidence, or it might not. Make sure we get photographs of this box where is rests, then collect it and have it checked for finger marks.

CRABTREE
Yes, sir.

(MURDOCH turns back toward the body. OGDEN is beginning her examination in the field. The PHOTOGRAPHER is getting set up.)

MURDOCH
(to PHOTOGRAPHER) There is an object on the ground over there next to Constable Crabtree. Be sure to have photographs made of that object, showing its condition and position.

PHOTOGRAPHER
Yes, sir. With your permission, sir, (to OGDEN) Doctor, I'll take those photographs first.

(OGDEN nods.)

MURDOCH
Very well.

(The PHOTOGRAPHER takes his camera in the direction of CRABTREE. MURDOCH turns to OGDEN, who is still studying the body, illumining places on the body with the portable light. OGDEN notices MURDOCH.)

OGDEN
The victim appears to have been stabbed, multiple times, with a long blade. He appears to have been dead for less than an hour. And William, I think you may be interested in this—

(ODGEN points to the right sleeve of the coat on the body, and shines the light there. MURDOCH can see what appear to be red marks of bruises on the right wrist. MURDOCH starts to kneel down to get a closer look.)

MURDOCH
(kneeling down) Hmm. Julia, can you tell, from the position of the body, whether—

(MURDOCH is interrupted by a ruckus, shouted voices. Still kneeling, MURDOCH turns, but at first cannot see where the ruckus is coming from.)

JACKSON'S VOICE
Sir! You cannot go there! This is police business!

REED'S VOICE
Is that my partner? Is that Monty Paulin?

(MURDOCH stands and sees JACKSON restraining REED.)

JACKSON
Sir, please—!

REED
Is that Monty Paulin!?

(MURDOCH quickly approaches JACKSON and REED.)

MURDOCH
(to JACKSON) Let him go, Constable. (to REED) I am Detective William Murdoch. Do you think you know the identity of the man whose body is there?

REED
It looks like my partner! He was supposed to come to meet with me at our office after a meeting here!

MURDOCH
Your name, sir?

REED
Frank Reed.

MURDOCH
Mr. Reed, if you will come with me, I will allow you to get a closer look to see whether you can make an identification. I caution you, however, not to touch anything.

REED
(nodding in understanding) Yeah.

(MURDOCH and REED approach PAULIN's body. MURDOCH keeps an eye on REED. REED's expression shows mounting horror. REED suddenly looks around, away from the body.)

REED
(in distress) Did you find a package?

MURDOCH
(ignoring REED's question) Do you know this man?

REED
(almost frantic) Did you find a package anywhere here!?

MURDOCH
(indicating PAULIN's body) Mr. Reed! Do you know this man?!

PAULIN
It's my partner, Monty Paulin. He was— he was— he was supposed to receive a package here last night, in this spot. (getting in MURDOCH's face) Did you find that package!?

(MURDOCH takes control of REED. REED is obsessed with the package and never looks at PAULIN's body ever again.)

MURDOCH
Mr. Reed! Come with me!

(MURDOCH physically holds REED and walks him away from PAULIN's body.)

MURDOCH
We MAY have found a package, yes.

REED
Where is it? May I have it?

MURDOCH
No; that is, you may not have it at least until after we have examined it and determined its significance. It may be an important piece of evidence. And if it is an imp—

REED
(not listening) I must have it!

(REED noticed the PHOTOGRAPHER illuminating something on the ground, in preparation for photographing it. REED tries to go over to the PHOTOGRAPHER, but MURDOCH stops him.)

MURDOCH
I cannot allow you to disturb what is being photographed, Mr. Reed. This package— what is it? What is in that box?

REED
(evasive) Something— valuable.

(MURDOCH scowls at that answer and tries a different approach.)

MURDOCH
You say Mr. Paulin was to receive this package here, in this spot?

REED
Yes.

MURDOCH
When?

REED
Early this morning. Just before sunrise.

MURDOCH
Who was to deliver the package?

REED
I— I don't know his name. He identified himself as "Mr. Jones," but that was clearly an alias. He always covered his face when I talked to him. I don't know who he is, really. He wanted to remain anonymous.

(MURDOCH reacts with near-disbelief to the strangeness of what was just said, then presses on.)

MURDOCH
Mr. Reed: tell me, if you know, why was Mr. Paulin here to receive this package from this anonymous deliveryman? Why was he here in darkness?

REED
(suddenly taking offence) Are you suggesting that, because this took place in the dark, that it was some sort of criminal exchange? It was not! This was the only way Mr. Jones would agree to the exchange!

MURDOCH
You say there was an "exchange"—? Does that mean that Mr. Paulin was here to deliver something to Mr. Jones, in exchange for that package?

REED
Yes.

MURDOCH
What was Mr. Paulin's part of the exchange?

REED
It doesn't matter. It would have been in a box about this big (indicating). But I don't see that box anywhere.

MURDOCH
And what was in that box?

REED
(evasively) Something valuable.

(MURDOCH scowls. REED is agitated and quickly walks away from MURDOCH on one of the walkways, as if to get a better view of what the PHOTOGRAPHER and CRABTREE are doing. JACKSON signals to MURDOCH that JACKSON will keep an eye on REED, and MURDOCH nods back. MURDOCH turns his attention from REED to PAULIN's body. CUT TO: EXT. STATION HOUSE NUMBER FOUR, daytime. CUT TO: INT. STATION HOUSE NUMBER FOUR, BRACKENREID'S OFFICE. BRACKENREID, MURDOCH and OGDEN are all standing. BRACKENREID, being a gentleman, offers a seat to OGDEN, who accepts.)

BRACKENREID
So this Paulin and Reed were partners? In what sort of business?

MURDOCH
There is a business establishment called Reed and Paulin just off Yonge Street; and according to the sign in front of that establishment, they were buyers and sellers of antiques. But I suspect their business was not that of conventional antique dealers. When I questioned him at the scene, Mr. Reed was rather evasively vague about what business he and Mr. Paulin were in, or what sorts of things they traded. All Mr. Reed would say is that they did not trade in anything illegal.

BRACKENREID
(scoffing, sarcastic) Honest businessmen, are they? They do business transactions outdoors in the dead of the night, just like all other honest businessmen, do they?

MURDOCH
Mr. Reed will be coming to the station house shortly for further questioning, and I intend to press him on his business.

BRACKENREID
You say this Reed seemed to be more interested in recovering a package than in the murder of his partner?

MURDOCH
Yes.

BRACKENREID
But he wouldn't say what was in that package?

MURDOCH
He would not. All he would say was that the contents were very valuable to him.

BRACKENREID
And we recovered that package, did we?

MURDOCH
Uh— we recovered a package at the scene, yes.

BRACKENREID
And we've examined it?

MURDOCH
Yes. There are no finger marks on the package. There is no writing anywhere on it, nor any marking to show where it came from. There is nothing special about it. It was found to be a small wrapped paper box.

BRACKENREID
And what did this box contain?

MURDOCH
A small bag of sand, tied with a loop of string.

BRACKENREID
(after a moment) Was this some sort of valuable sand?

MURDOCH
I intend to analyze it further, but it appears to be ordinary sand. In other words, the bag of sand was intended to be a false substitute for whatever the valuable object was supposed to be.

BRACKENREID
So Paulin was not only murdered, he was being cheated in this exchange.

MURDOCH
It looks that way.

BRACKENREID
Doctor, have you been able to re-create how Paulin was murdered?

OGDEN
Yes, I think so. The weapon used was a knife having a blade about ten inches long. The nature of the wounds indicates this was probably not a knife used for kitchen chores or butchery, which are typically designed for cutting. It was more likely a blade for stabbing, too short and narrow to be a sword—

MURDOCH
A stiletto!

OGDEN
A stiletto, yes, very likely.

BRACKENREID
There's our first big clue. The murderer was probably an Italian!

MURDOCH
(leery) Of course, the stiletto is a military weapon of Italian origin; but such a weapon may be used by others, regardless of national heritage. The killer might be Italian, or not. I would be more inclined to suspect that the bearer had some military experience.

BRACKENREID
(nodding) Possibly.

OGDEN
Mr. Paulin was stabbed deeply at least five times on his left side, suggesting that his killer was wielding the blade in his right hand, and further suggesting that Mr. Paulin was unable to ward off the attack effectively. There is some trauma to Mr. Paulin's right wrist, suggesting that the attacker grabbed his right wrist and held him, while stabbing. The hold on the wrist hindered Mr. Paulin's ability to flee— and to defend himself.

BRACKENREID
(making a face) The attack you've described, then, doesn't exactly sound military to me. It sounds to me more like the technique of a thug, or an assassin.

MURDOCH
I agree, sir. It seems to be a manner of killing that involves misdirection and deception and stealth.

(BRACKENREID nods.)

MURDOCH
Since we have been told that there was supposed to be an exchange of packages between Mr. Paulin and his killer, it seems likely that the killer was handing over the small package to Mr. Paulin as a decoy, as bait for a trap. When Mr. Paulin reached for the package with his right hand, the killer dropped the decoy to the walkway, seized his wrist, then held his wrist while stabbing him.

OGDEN
(nodding) That would be consistent with my findings.

MURDOCH
The attacker then took the package that he was to receive from Mr. Paulin— the contents of which are still unknown to us— and the attacker ran off, leaving behind the sand-filled decoy package, which may have been inadvertently knocked away from the site of the attack.

BRACKENREID
And which presumably was supposed to contain something valuable but did not.

(OGDEN huffs.)

MURDOCH
Julia? Is something the matter?

OGDEN
There's something I don't understand. The small package was a decoy, as you say. Yet— Mr. Paulin must have THOUGHT it was the real thing. He must have believed that the package contained the very valuable item of interest!

BRACKENREID
(not seeing where this is going) Yes—?

OGDEN
So, it seems to me, the killer must have somehow persuaded Mr. Paulin that he— the killer— actually DID possess the ACTUAL valuable item that Mr. Paulin wanted. Otherwise, Mr. Paulin would not be persuaded to give up whatever valuable item HE possessed in exchange.

BRACKENREID
(still not seeing where this is going) And—?

OGDEN
Well, does this not suggest that the killer must have shown Mr. Paulin some proof— say, a photograph of the genuine item— to convince Mr. Paulin that the killer actually did have the genuine item in his possession?

(MURDOCH thinks and nods. BRACKENREID now gets it, and he smiles slyly.)

MURDOCH
(impressed) If that's true, then the item that was supposed to be delivered to Mr. Paulin may still be in the possession of the killer. We find the item, maybe we find the killer.

OGDEN
And of course, the item that Mr. Paulin was delivering, whatever it was— if you find that item, you may have found the killer, as well.

(MURDOCH nods, again impressed. Still smiling, BRACKENREID is also impressed. OGDEN shrugs as if the observations are no big deal.)

BRACKENREID
(good-naturedly) Murdoch, your wife has been hanging around you for too long!

(CRABTREE knocks on the door and pokes his head inside.)

CRABTREE
I beg your pardon. Mr. Reed has just arrived. I have taken him to the Interview Room.

MURDOCH
All right. Let's see whether we can get some answers.

(MURDOCH exits the office. CUT TO: INTERVIEW ROOM, a few minutes later. REED is in the hot seat. MURDOCH sits opposite. REED seems stunned; he sits open-mouthed for a few moments.)

REED
Empty? The package was empty? Are you certain?!

MURDOCH
Actually, the package included a bag of sand, presumably to give it weight, and nothing else. Was that what your partner was expecting to receive in this exchange, Mr. Reed? Sand?

REED
(blankly) No. Not sand.

MURDOCH
He was expecting to receive something else, then. What was Mr. Paulin supposed to be receiving?

REED
A valuable item. A valuable artifact.

MURDOCH
An antique?

REED
(blankly) Yes. Valuable. Wrapped to protect it from—

MURDOCH
(losing patience) You need to be specific, Mr. Reed. What valuable thing was Mr. Paulin supposed to receive?

(REED hems and haws, apparently not wanting to tell. MURDOCH presses.)

MURDOCH
What? What was it supposed to be?

REED
A ring.

MURDOCH
A ring? You mean, a piece of jewellery?

REED
Well, yes, but this is no ordinary ring.

MURDOCH
(guessing) The ring had some precious stones, or was made from valuable materials?

REED
Well— somewhat, it was made from valuable metals, but, not really, no.

MURDOCH
(puzzled, trying to understand) You say it was very valuable?

REED
Yes. (slowly) The ring's value came not from what it was made from, but from who owned it. And what its purpose was.

MURDOCH
So this was a ring that had been owned by a famous person or an important person.

REED
Yes.

(MURDOCH scowls but says nothing; his posture suggests he intends to press the issue. REED decides to come clean.)

REED
It had once been owned by— by Queen Elizabeth.

(MURDOCH's scowl vanishes at once, and MURDOCH's eyebrows nearly jump up to the top of his forehead.)

MURDOCH
Did you say Queen Elizabeth?

REED
(nodding) Yes, Elizabeth. She owned this ring from about 1596— I think— until the time of her death. The ring included her royal seal, it was her royal signature. She used it on rare occasions to make impressions in wax when sealing some very important documents.

MURDOCH
(after a few moments) I'm sorry, Mr. Reed, I find that hard to believe. A ring of such a royal distinction would never find its way into the hands of a private person. It would never be brought to Canada. It would stay in England.

REED
But this ring was stolen in 1604, right out from under the nose of King James! It was lost for 300 years, and it has now resurfaced in Canada.

MURDOCH
(hesitantly, skeptically) Wait; is this the seal that King James threw into the Thames—? I seem to recall that King James—?

REED
(interrupting) No, no! What you're thinking of was James the Second! This ring was stolen from James the First!

MURDOCH
(still skeptical) I have never heard that story.

REED
The tale is not widely known! But a great deal is known about the ring, what it looks like, what its properties are— and Mr. Jones showed me that this very ring was in his possession!

MURDOCH
Did you see the ring?

REED
No; when I met with Mr. Jones— he kept his face hidden the entire time, by the way— he presented me with photographs and descriptions. Some of the details were so accurate that I felt that this very likely was the genuine artifact!

(MURDOCH isn't buying it.)

REED
(in earnest) Scoff if you want, but this is my business, Detective! That is, it was Monty's and my business, and it is still my business. I deal in historical artifacts. I am always looking out for frauds, and I have a sense when I am dealing with authentic articles. What I was shown looked totally authentic.

MURDOCH
So this ring was to be what Mr. Paulin was to receive. What was he to give in exchange for it? Was it a sum of money?

REED
No. (harrumphing) We didn't have that kind of money.

MURDOCH
A valuable object of some kind, then? You possessed an object that is of value comparable to Queen Elizabeth's ring, that you were willing to trade for the ring?

(REED reluctantly nods.)

MURDOCH
What was it?

REED
(lowering his eyes) It was a hat. Owned by General Brock. He wore it shortly before he was killed.

MURDOCH
General Brock?

(MURDOCH is somewhat stunned. MURDOCH briefly FLASHES BACK to a memory of MURDOCH and OGDEN visiting the Brock Monument at Queenston Heights near Niagara Falls, including brief closeups of the plaque bearing Brock's name and General Brock's statue, in which the General is wearing a hat. FLASHBACK ENDS.)

MURDOCH
General Isaac Brock? The military leader who captured Detroit and who defeated American troops that tried to invade Canada after the Americans declared war in 1812? That General Brock?

REED
That General Brock. (meekly) I don't think I need to tell you, Detective, that such an artifact is quite valuable.

MURDOCH
You say that he was wearing this very hat when he died?

REED
No. He had this hat, at Fort George, on the day that he died, 13 October 1812. I do not believe we can prove that he was wearing this hat when he was killed in the battle of Queenston Heights, (as an afterthought) though he may have been wearing it.

MURDOCH
How much would such an artifact be worth?

REED
It's priceless. Same as the ring; it is impossible to assign a monetary value to an artifact of such historical significance.

MURDOCH
And you and your partner were buying this ring for yourselves? Or for re-sale?

REED
I wish I did not have to tell you, but I suspect you would find out anyway. We were buying it to sell to someone else.

MURDOCH
And who would that be?

(CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of BRACKENREID's face.)

BRACKENREID
Woodward? James Woodward?

(Now in BRACKENREID'S OFFICE, with BRACKENREID at his desk and MURDOCH standing.)

MURDOCH
That is what he said, yes. Mr. Paulin was planning to resell the artifact to James Woodward.

BRACKENREID
Well, this Paulin was mixed up in something nasty, wasn't he? James Woodward? Criminals don't get more rotten than that.

MURDOCH
Officially, sir, Mr. Woodward is a wealthy man who made his fortune in mining. Officially, Mr. Woodward is not a criminal.

BRACKENREID
The only reason he's not officially a criminal is that he's very good at hiring top-shelf barristers and intimidating witnesses and escaping prosecution! How many people have been killed on his orders, Murdoch? A dozen? Two dozen?

MURDOCH
(sheepish) We suspect a great many, but we have not been able to prove that he ordered the death of anyone.

BRACKENREID
(bitterly) It's just a matter of time before Woodward makes a mistake that will put his neck in a noose! I just hope not too many more people will need to die before that happens!

MURDOCH
I agree with you, sir, in that though he has not been found guilty of any crime, I do not believe that James Woodward is an upstanding citizen.

BRACKENREID
(bitterly) "Citizen." He's lived here almost all his life, yet Woodward's always considered himself British rather than Canadian. Some "citizen."

MURDOCH
Be that as it may, it is Mr. Reed's story is that Mr. Woodward wanted to buy Queen Elizabeth's ring as part of a legitimate business transaction. And apparently Mr. Woodward was prepared to pay handsomely for it. And Mr. Reed is now—

BRACKENREID
(interrupting) Let me guess! Reed is now in fear for his life, because Woodward is mad that Reed couldn't deliver the ring! (muttering to himself) So we've got yet another murder case in which a witness is afraid to testify against Woodward!

MURDOCH
I must point out that there seems to be no reason for Mr. Woodward to want Mr. Paulin to be dead.

BRACKENREID
(harrumphing) No reason that we know about. So where does your investigation go from here?

MURDOCH
To a museum, I believe.

(CUT TO: ESTABLISHING SHOT EXT. MUSEUM, daytime. A sign identifies the museum as a museum of history. CUT TO: INT. MUSEUM, HALLWAY. MURDOCH and CRABTREE are standing with two museum officials. One of the officials, Professor HILL, is an older distinguished gentleman; the other official, Doctor COLVIN, is an equally distinguished woman, younger than HILL.)

HILL
Dr. Colvin can help you, I'm sure. She is our resident expert on historical relics. Now, if you'll pardon me—?

MURDOCH
Thank you, Professor Hill.

(HILL leaves. COLVIN gestures for MURDOCH and CRABTREE to follow her down a hallway. They all walk together.)

COLVIN
Professor Hill said that you have questions about historical artifacts—?

MURDOCH
Yes. We are investigating a murder that took place early this morning. The killer may have in his possession two historical artifacts, both exceptionally valuable. On the assumption that the killer might wish to sell one or both artifacts, I was wondering: to whom might he sell and how he might go about doing so?

(COLVIN smiles slightly, and stops at a door, as do MURDOCH and CRABTREE. COLVIN produces a key and unlocks the door while speaking.)

COLVIN
Well, there are private collectors, of course; and he also might try to sell the artifacts to me, I suppose. If they truly are of historical significance, and if I am able to verify their authenticity, I might be able to convince the trustees to buy them for the museum. What kind of artifacts are they?

(COLVIN opens the door and holds it open; following her gesture, MURDOCH and CRABTREE pass through the door. CUT TO: a STORAGE ROOM with rows of shelves having boxes and drawers. Once MURDOCH, CRABTREE and COLVIN are in the storage room, COLVIN closes and locks the door. Everyone talks as they walk slowly between the shelves.)

MURDOCH
One of them is a war artifact. Something of significance from the war with the United States that began in 1812.

(COLVIN stares at MURDOCH.)

COLVIN
(blandly) It wouldn't happen to be a hat supposedly owned by General Brock, would it? And the other artifact wouldn't happen to be a royal signet ring owned by Queen Elizabeth, would it?

(MURDOCH's eyes go wide, as do CRABTREE'S. COLVIN can tell from their demeanour that she has guessed correctly. FADE OUT.)