ACT II

(FADE IN. EXTERIOR OF STATION HOUSE NUMBER FOUR, daytime. CUT TO: INTERIOR OF STATION HOUSE NUMBER FOUR, INTERROGATION ROOM. SYKES sits in the hot seat. Constable JACKSON stands behind SYKES, just in case. BRACKENREID and MURDOCH are seated opposite.)

SYKES
I'm gonna hang, ain't I?

MURDOCH
I won't lie to you, Mr. Sykes. Mr. Donnan's injuries were severe, and he did not survive. So the charge to be laid against you will be murder. There is a very good chance that you will hang.

SYKES
And it don't matter that Nick Donnan had it coming.

MURDOCH
Are you saying you acted in self-defence? Are you saying that your actions are justified for other reasons?

SYKES
Donnan stole from us. He stole our money. Doesn't that don't count for something?

BRACKENREID (sarcastic)
So the two of you are the real victims here, is that it?

SYKES
I'm just saying that, if you steal from somebody, then the person you stole from has rights, don't he?

MURDOCH
Yes, but those rights are to be enforced in a civilized manner, such as in a court of law. The fact that someone may have stolen from you does not give you the right to beat a person senseless or to take his life.

SYKES (grumbling)
We disagree on that point.

MURDOCH
You say Mr. Donnan stole from you. Did you report this alleged theft to the police?

SYKES
'Course not.

BRACKENREID
Let me guess. You didn't tell the police because the money was dirty; you had obtained it in some less-than-honourable fashion. Right?

SYKES
You might say that.

MURDOCH
So Mr. Donnan owed money to you. Did he owe money to Mr. Weston as well?

SYKES
Yeah. And to Muir. The money he stole belonged to all three of us.

(The name is unfamiliar to MURDOCH.)

MURDOCH
Muir? Who is this Mr. Muir?

SYKES
We called him "Brick." Or "Muir." I don't know his real first name.

MURDOCH
We know Mr. Weston participated in the assault upon Mr. Donnan. Did Mr. Muir participate as well?

SYKES
Depends on what you mean by "participate." He didn't hit Donnan, but that was mostly 'cause he didn't get a CHANCE to. But he was there and wanted to get in a few good knocks. Muir ran off when he heard the coppers coming.

(MURDOCH and BRACKENREID exchange glances.)

SYKES
We learned that Donnan was going to be visiting a friend last night, and we all decided to corner him in an alley near his friend's place, and rough him up a bit. And if he died as a result, well, he had it coming.

BRACKENREID
You say the three of you planned this attack and carried it out? You, Weston, and this Muir?

SYKES
Yeah.

MURDOCH
Please excuse the following observation, Mr. Sykes. Most men who are charged with murder do not confess so readily.

(SYKES laughs bitterly.)

SYKES
What would be the point of me trying to argue I was innocent? Your constables caught me in the act. (with a note of sadness) Besides, I know I'm a dead man. I've known that ever since Donnan stole the money.

MURDOCH
I don't understand.

SYKES
My part of that money was to pay off debts I owed. Debts I owed to The German.

MURDOCH
The German? The German! You mean Joseph Werner, the racketeer?

SYKES
That's the guy. (somberly) I lost some wagers. I bet more than I should have, and I lost. I owe Werner a lot, and if I don't pay him, he'll kill me. So when Donnan stole the money— (shakes his head)— I knew I'd never be able to pay Werner. I knew I was a dead man. So. Whether I get strangled by one of Werner's heavies or whether I get strangled by a hangman's noose, it's all the same to me.

(SYKES hangs his head. MURDOCH and BRACKENREID look at each other, perhaps with a trace of sympathy. CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF A SMALL HOSPITAL. CUT TO: INTERIOR OF THE HOSPITAL, a ward with a bed. WESTON is on the bed, his arm in a heavy cast. FIRST CONSTABLE sits on a chair nearby, guarding WESTON. A NURSE, apparently a Catholic Sister, is next to MURDOCH and BRACKENREID.)

MURDOCH (to NURSE)
Has Mr. Weston been given any pain medication recently?

WESTON
I can answer that: the answer is NO! And my arm is hurting like the devil!

MURDOCH
(to NURSE) Thank you, Sister. (to WESTON) I take it, then, that you have a sound enough mind to answer some questions.

(While WESTON grumbles, NURSE leaves. FIRST CONSTABLE rises and tips his hat to NURSE, then seats himself again.)

MURDOCH
Mr. Weston, I have some news for you about Mr. Donnan.

WESTON
He's dead, I heard already. Well, if you're gonna hang me anyway, it would be nice if you'd do it soon. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stand this pain.

MURDOCH
We have spoken with Mr. Sykes.

WESTON
Carly— that is, Sykes— did he tell you that Donnan was a thief, and that he deserved what he got?

MURDOCH
Yes. Mr. Sykes has confessed his involvement in the matter.

WESTON
It won't do me any good to argue I'm innocent, would it? I'll confess, too, but only on one condition.

BRACKENREID
You're not in any position—

MURDOCH (interrupting)
What condition, Mr. Weston?

WESTON
All three of us go to the gallows, together.

MURDOCH
You mean you, and Mr. Sykes—?

WESTON
And Muir. We all got robbed by Donnan. We all planned to get our money back, even if it meant taking it out of his skin. We all worked out how we could trap Donnan in that alley. Muir didn't actually hit Donnan, but he would have, if those two coppers hadn't've come along. So if we hang, we all ought to hang together.

(CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF STATION HOUSE NUMBER FOUR, daytime. CUT TO: INTERIOR OF STATION HOUSE NUMBER FOUR, CONSTABLES' AREA. CRABTREE and JACKSON have some files laid out on their desks. MURDOCH approaches.)

MURDOCH
Any luck finding Mr. Muir, George?

CRABTREE
I think so, sir. Our records about Mr. Weston and Mr. Sykes both mention a Mr. Muir as a known associate, though his first name is unknown. I have looked through our records, and find one candidate named Muir who matches the physical description given by his associates, and who might be our man.

(CRABTREE turns a file toward MURDOCH.)

CRABTREE
David Andrew Muir, previously arrested six years ago for burglary of a jewellery store. He was convicted on the charge of burglary, but all stolen merchandise was recovered and Mr. Muir received a light sentence. He was arrested three times since then on suspicion of burglary, but in all cases there was insufficient evidence to lay charges. He makes a living as a house painter for a Mr. Aldus Quincy.

MURDOCH
Mr. Weston and Mr. Sykes each had a history of violent crimes. Does Mr. Muir have such a history?

CRABTREE
No. But I noticed this: his residence is a rooming house that is fairly close to the residence of Mr. Weston.

MURDOCH (unimpressed)
Hmm. Was Mr. Muir known by the nickname "Brick"?

CRABTREE
There is nothing in the official records saying that he has any aliases, but the records do say that he obtained entry to the jewellery store that he burgled by throwing a large brick through a window and using the brick to smash open the cases holding the jewellery.

MURDOCH (still unimpressed)
That's not exactly what I would call a solid case, George, but it is enough to warrant further investigation. At this time of day, with good weather, Mr. Muir may well be out on a painting job. (straightening up) Constable Crabtree, Constable Jackson, let's contact Mr. Quincy and see whether he can direct us to Mr. Muir.

(CUT TO: A RUN-DOWN HOUSE in a residential neighbourhood, daytime. There are tarps and paint buckets and ladders here and there, indicative of painting in progress. No painter is visible, however. MURDOCH, CRABTREE and JACKSON approach the house.)

MURDOCH (to JACKSON)
Jackson, you go around that way, we'll go this way. We'll meet at the back of the house.

JACKSON
Yes, sir.

(JACKSON leaves to go to the back of the house. MURDOCH and CRABTREE go the other way. There is suddenly a sound like a clanging paint can [SFX] and a cry of "Hey!" MURDOCH and CRABTREE quickly run to the back of the house, where JACKSON is struggling with MUIR. JACKSON lands a respectable blow on MUIR'S face as CRABTREE runs to assist. MUIR falls back, sees CRABTREE, and strikes him, but the punch is a poor one. JACKSON is on MUIR in an instant, trying to restrain him. CRABTREE and MURDOCH jump in to assist. MUIR takes a swing at MURDOCH, but MURDOCH dodges. JACKSON wrestles MUIR to the ground and holds MUIR helpless.)

MURDOCH
Mr. Muir, you are under arrest for the murder of Nicholas Donnan.

MUIR
I didn't! I didn't do it!

(MUIR struggles but JACKSON holds him tight. FADE OUT.)