Thriller s05e05 - Good Salary, Prospects, Free Coffin ( Improved Version)

[michaellevenson]

In a rather posh office on the ground floor of a country mansion, Carter is listening to pop music on headphones, he removes the cans and states that he finds Western pop music mindless, but it isn't aimed at the mind, rather the heart and soul so he's okay with it, he certainly doesn't think it's decadent as he has been taught to believe. At the window of the office a girl is looking out of the window and wonders what Mr Gifford is doing. Carter joins her and says, " oh, he's digging your grave my dear."







American girl Helen shares a flat with two English girls, Babs Bryant and Wendy Philips.
The doorbell rings, Babs answers it, it's Charlie Masters, Helen's boyfriend.
Babs, " hiya Charlie, Helen is just getting ready."
Charlie waves a newspaper,
" actually it was you Babs I wanted to see, look you're still looking for a job aren't you? Found one that might suit you."
Babs looks at paper, " no ties, able to travel, seems ideal."
The front door opens, Wendy Philips enters, " too late Babs."
Babs, " you've got it?"
Wendy, " yep, starting tomorrow."
The advert,
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF ADVENTURE?
Intelligent young woman required for fascinating work.
Important – No Ties – Able To Travel
and work away from home.
EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR RIGHT GIRL!
GOOD SALARY – PROSPECTS

The next day Wendy says her goodbyes to Helen and Babs,
Wendy, " I promise I'll keep in touch."
She is met outside house by Gifford in his car and they drive off.

Wendy is driven to a secluded mansion, she is to be personal assistant to a Mr Townsend. Wendy is greeted by Carter who welcomes her as an employee of Mr Townsend. In the waiting area Wendy meets a young lady and chats about her new job. The girl is not too dissimilar to Wendy in appearance.
Wendy, " I've not met Mr Townsend, hope he's okay."
Girl, " oh he's been very pleasant to work for."
Wendy, " oh I hope I'm not taking your job?"
Girl, " no, I'm taking yours, well not your job exactly, more your place."
The girl produces a gun and coldly shoots Wendy dead.


In the grounds of the mansion her body and luggage are tossed in a recently dug grave, dug by Gifford earlier, a large man with a liking for downing vodka and belching!
A few weeks later Babs wonders why Wendy never kept in touch.
" Thought she would, only to gloat, she was that sort of girl."
Babs looks in newspaper,
" Or she didn't last the pace, look that advert is back, same one."
So a happy Babs applies for the job.

Babs has to go to Arundel Contacts in St Marks Street London for an interview and Carter conducts the interview while secretly tape recording Babs as she tells him all about herself including the fact that she has lost contact with her parents and has a brother Tim she rarely sees because he's a reporter abroad mainly in Africa or South America.
After Babs has left, Gifford enters office.
Gifford, " any luck?"
Carter, " yes, Babs Bryant, best of the bunch."
Gifford notices a blue scarf on floor,
" she left her scarf, never mind, she'll not be needing it."
Carter gives him a withering look.

Babs gets the job and says her goodbyes to Helen and her boyfriend Charlie Masters.
Babs apologises to Helen, the scarf she wore for the interview was Helen's and she must of left it behind, but promises if Helen can't get it back she'll buy her a new one out of her first weeks wages.
She promises to write, unlike Wendy, and is picked up outside the apartment block, this time by Carter.
At the mansion Gifford is with a girl waiting for Babs to arrive, he gives her a gun.
Gifford, " make it clean, unless you want me to do it, you seem nervous to me."
Girl, " no I'm okay, anyway I have to do it."
Gifford, " yes....sooner you do sooner you'll part of the family."

Babs is taken to the mansion and meets the girl in the waiting area, like before this girl looks similar to Babs in appearance.
Babs, " this is a lovely office, hope I get to work in an office like this. Sorry....talking too much, just a bit nervous."
The girl smiles back at Babs, who carries on, " I'm Babs."
Girl, " me too, Babs Bryant."
Babs, " Bryant is my name too."
Girl, " from York."
Babs, " York? That's amazing, I'm from York too."
Girl, " yes, I have a brother Tim, he's a journalist, mainly in Africa, I share a flat , I'm a bit of a drifter really."



Babs is alarmed, but too late, the girl produces her gun and fires, Babs dead.
Gifford comes back in, " well done, want a drink?"
Girl, " no thanks I'm okay."
Gifford, " even better, sometimes even I need a drink afterwards."
Carter comes in, looks at Babs dead body slumped on the chair and says, "get a move on Gifford," then leaves.
Gifford condescendingly mocks him, " get a move on...he always needs a drink afterwards."

Babs body is flung in a grave dug by Gifford who afterwards comes into the house for his swig of vodka and belches as Carter walks in.
Carter, " you're a pig Gifford, just a pig."
Gifford, " useful pig, you couldn't do it."
Carter, " if it was necessary."
Gifford, " but it isn't necessary, not while the pig is here. Funny Babs Bryant came from the same address as Wendy Philips about a month ago."
Carter is alarmed, " you never said."
Gifford, " I only just found out, you picked up this one, I picked up Wendy Philips. Does it matter?"
Carter, " probably not."
Gifford, " it's a mistake though, he won't be pleased."
Carter, " who'll miss them."
Gifford, " we may soon have to find a house with bigger grounds."
Carter shouts, " DON'T JOKE LIKE THAT, THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS!"
Gifford, " on the wrong side, you haven't forgotten have you? The end justifies the means."

 

[michaellevenson]

Helen now alone in the flat, and tells boyfriend Charlie she'll probably have to advertise for more flatmates, Charlie says he has something more important to discuss, their future. He proposes to her, Helen accepts, and as they had planned a vacation already, that will now be a honeymoon. He has a license ready for a civil marriage, witnesses on standby in case Helen accepted and they could be married the very next day.

Helen is swept by the moment and agrees, but she needs a trousseau, something borrowed and something blue. Charlie gives her his watch and suggests the blue scarf he bought for her.
Helen suddenly remembers the scarf Babs lost and decides to head off to St Marks Street to the offices of Arundel Contacts.
Caretaker, " Arundel Contacts Miss? They've gone, nobody in the office for months."
Helen, " but my friend was here recently to get a job."
Caretaker, " well, see for yourself Miss."
Helen is let in the office, and sees it deserted.
Caretaker, " you must have the wrong address Miss."



Helen and Charlie marry and weeks later return to the flat to find the usual stack of unopened mail waiting for them.
Helen eagerly hopes Babs has written but of course she hasn't as she's dead.
Helen enters the American embassy in London, now married she needs to update her passport. A Mr Hanley looks at her passport,
" You're right, needs updating."
Helen, " I recently married an Englishman."
Hanley jokes, " oh dear, we have to put you up before the Unamerican Activities Commission , still if I was younger I'll have snapped you up myself. We"ll get it updated, not my department though, that's Miss Bryant's (calls out) Babs."
Helen taken aback as Babs Bryant appears from inner office.


This unnerves Helen who has to dismiss it as coincidence, but when she starts a conversation with the girl and this Babs Bryant is also from York as was the Babs she knows, she is alarmed. The girl in the embassy is of course the one who shot Babs at the country mansion.

 

[michaellevenson]

Helen tells Charlie of this, and he is totally dismissive of the situation calling it a stupid coincidence and nothing more.
Helen the next day waits outside the embassy in her car and when the embassy Babs comes out Helen follows her home by car. Embassy Babs arrives home and just as she is about to enter house Carter pulls up in car, Babs produces an envelope and hands it to Carter who then drives off.
Helen relates this all to Charlie at home, and he not only is dismissive but orders her to drop this whole thing.
Helen, " something's wrong, she not the real Babs."
Charlie blows his top, " THE REAL BABS !?
HELEN YOU ARE LOSING YOUR MIND, NOW DROP IT."



Helen is sitting at a desk inside the filing room of the local newspaper, she is looking at a ledger containing previous editions of the paper for the current year. The clerk attentive, " can I help you Miss, if you tell me what it is you're looking for."
Helen, " the situations vacant ads."
Clerk, " I don't want to point out the obvious, but most of those jobs would have been taken now."
Helen, " yes, ( points at ad on page) and this one with remarkable regularity."


Back home Helen and Charlie are at the dining table eating.
Helen, " I went back over a year, I thought that'll be enough to convince you."
Charlie, " convince me of what?"
Helen, " something's wrong, the same ad over and over again."
Charlie, " yes, but with a different number each time."
Helen is exasperated, " Charlie ! Also the wording, have you a sense of adventure, no ties, what sort of girl would answer an ad like that?"
Charlie, " an ambitious one."
Helen, " no Charlie, a lonely one, what d'you think ?"
Charlie ponders his reply, " erm....I think...a touch too much garlic in this meal."
Helen is about to explode in anger when the doorbell rings.
At the door is Timothy Bryant, brother of Babs. Helen tells him everything and Timothy being a seasoned reporter believes there maybe something in this
worth investigating, after hearing Helen followed her home and saw Carter.
Helen restates that it was the same man who picked up Babs.
Charlie gives his views that it's all nonsense to which Tim says, " some of the stuff I've been involved in would make this look like common sense."

Tim Bryant the next day is in his car outside the house of "Embassy Babs" and sees Carter arrive, enters house then moments later leave carrying envelope. Tim follows Carter back to mansion.
In mansion Carter enters and tells Gifford that Babs managed to be alone with the security files at the embassy and she's photographed some really important stuff.
Gifford suddenly freezes saying he heard something, he tells Carter to carry on opening envelope while he hides behind curtains. Tim walks in through French windows from garden and confronts Carter.

Tim says he recognises Carter from his many assignments in Eastern Europe and Carter who is really Eastern European and the last time he saw him was at the big military parade in Beijing. Gifford comes up behind Tim and wraps his hands around his neck.
Carter( alarmed) " GIFFORD!"
Gifford, " he knows!"
Gifford drags Tim over to an aquarium in the corner of the room and pushes his head in. Holding Tim's head down then pulls him out , dead.
Carter, " you're a lunatic Gifford."
Gifford searches the body for ID and opens a driving licence.
Gifford, " Timothy Bryant, we know why he came here. We've got to move fast."
Carter, " how can we explain his death?"
Gifford, " what's to explain, he died in a fish pond."

 

[michaellevenson]

In the newspaper the next day Timothy Bryant's death is reported, body found in lake. Helen and Charlie both read it, and Charlie is convinced at last that something is wrong. Inspector Bruff from Scotland Yard calls round and Helen explains it all. Bruff says after her initial phone call they did check on Timothy Bryant's death and the coroner is satisfied it was caused by accidental drowning.
Also Bruff says there being more than one Babs Bryant from York isn't necessarily suspicious as York is a big place.
Helen, " But put with the other things.."
Bruff, " I see you believe it, but I have to have a more dispassionate approach. However we'll carry out our investigations, we'll let you know if anything comes of them."
After Bruff leaves Charlie hopes Helen will now forget all about it.
But Helen certainly doesn't forget about it. The next day while Charlie is out Helen sees the ad again in the newspaper, this time she's going to apply !

Later that day, Carter is at the desk at Arundel Contacts, Gifford screwdriver in hand is bending down at the junction box where the phone cable enters the wall.
Gifford ( standing)" there done , got us another number. Clever pig aren't I? That's my job done, until the phone rings."
Carter, " I just wish they didn't have to be so young."
Gifford, " ah....getting sentimental are we?"
A little later the phone rings, it's Helen.
Carter, " Arundel Contacts....yes we did advertise.....fourth floor St Marks Street...eleven o'clock will be fine....will look forward to seeing you goodbye."

Helen enters office at 11 am and sits opposite Carter who conducts the interview while recording it all and Helen is offered the job.
Carter in front of Helen phones Gifford to tell him he has found another assistant for Mr Townsend, who of course doesn't exist. He describes Helen's features, auburn hair, height, Gifford writing it all down.
Carter assures Helen she needn't worry, her details will be passed on to Mr Townsend who is totally discreet, but does require his assistants to be personable and decorative and she fits the bill perfectly.
Helen smiles but is taken aback when Carter says she can go on the payroll immediately and he will drive her home now, wait for her to pack and then drive off to see Mr Townsend straight away.
Helen queries this and Carter asks if she has been totally honest in her interview, that she has no ties, and can travel freely wherever required. Helen says yes she has no ties, so yes okay, she'll start today.
Inspector Bruff meanwhile is diligently carrying out enquiries at the U.S. embassy.

 

[michaellevenson]

Carter drives her home, and enters flat and therefore Helen has no option but to play along, no chance to make a phone call alerting Bruff at Scotland Yard that she is in deep.
Carter and Helen drive off to the country mansion. Charlie comes home, surprised Helen isn't home, then sees the newspaper by the phone and sees the Sense of Adventure advert, he realises Helen has answered ad, he phones up police then dashes out of flat.
Later Charlie is walking along pavement in street that Helen told him "embassy" Babs lives. A car is parked, as Charlie passes car the back side door opens, Inspector Bruff beckons Charlie to get in. In the car at the wheel is Hanley from the embassy who is revealed to be the security chief at the embassy and a uniformed police officer.
Bruff explains that their only lead is the girl and they have to wait and hope she'll lead them to bigger fish.
Meanwhile at the mansion Gifford is with a girl who has a resemblance to Helen, petite and auburn haired. Gifford gives her a gun ready to kill Helen with. Gifford tells her of his pride at the operation that he and Carter run, such a simple idea, find a girl that no one will miss disappear her and replace with their own agents.
Gifford, "how are things back home?"
Girl, " the same, nothing changes."
Gifford, " oh but they do, not immediately noticeable, but every day we get stronger, I like to think our organisation here contributes to that. Any comment like that from our masters?"
Girl, " just that they're satisfied."
Gifford splutters angrily, " SATISFIED IS THAT ALL ? Oh....hmm....satisfied...okay..I'll settle for that, I like to give satisfaction."

 

[michaellevenson]

Carter arrives with Helen, Gifford all smiling courtesy welcomes Helen to Mr Townsend's team. Carter interrupts, " forget that Gifford, something is wrong, two girls from the same address I can accept but not three."
Gifford, " you mean she's from the same address as Wendy Philips and Babs Bryant?"
Carter, " yes, it bothered us then it should be more concerning now."
Carter assures Gifford he wasn't followed here, Helen is confused, and plays the innocent. Carter is sure Helen is hiding something, Gifford suggests their Babs might be able to shed light on this, Carter agrees, and tells Gifford to get her to come over.

Embassy Babs leaves her house in a hurry, jumps in her car and drives off, unbeknown to her, the police follow, Hanley, Bruff the uniformed officer and Charlie as well.


Embassy Babs arrives at the mansion and identifies Helen as someone who came to the embassy to update her passport as she'd just got married.

Carter shocked, Helen isn't as she said, single and unattached. Carter explains coldly to Helen that Gifford is a pig, but is very useful at extracting information, not necessarily very pleasantly and it would save time if she told them what she knows voluntarily.
Helen, " Babs is dead! And Wendy Philips."
Carter, "that's remarkably accurate, but we have to find out if it's only guesswork and who you've told."
Gifford ramping up the pressure says while cracking his knuckles, " if you don't talk, that's okay, I could do with a workout. Cellar is third door on the right, shall we go."
Helen screams and tries to run out, but Gifford grabs her.
Gifford, " okay get rid of the hysteria and we can have a nice chat."
Suddenly the police run in, Inspector Bruff and Hanley, Hanley with a gun, that he points directly at Bruff!
Hanley, " don't move Inspector."
Bruff, " give me the gun Mr Hanley."
Hanley, " don't treat me like a mug Inspector "
Carter steps forward, " sorry Sir."
Hanley, " this isn't going to look good Carter."
Suddenly a shot rings out, Hanley falls dead. A uniformed officer steps in from the French windows, gun in hand.

Bruff, " this is Colonel Westcott, embassy security."
Westcott, " a big mistake getting her (fake Babs) into the embassy, we figured you had to have an insider, we settled on Hanley."
Bruff turns to Helen being comforted by Charlie, " I told you we investigate every claim, however wild. ( To Carter) One last thing, whatever happened to the real Hanley?"

Cast;
Carter......James Maxwell
Helen....Kim Darby
Charlie......Keith Baron
Gifford.....Julian Glover
Babs Bryant.....Susan Dury
Babs Two.....Gillian Hawser
Bruff....John Abineri
Hanley....Bruce Boa
Wendy.....Janine Faye
Timothy Bryant.....Martin Read
Wendy Two....Annette Woolet
Helen Two....Christina Palmer
Westcott.....Norman Chancer
Newspaper Clerk..Peter Hill
On to next episode

Thriller s05e06- The Next Voice You See

Famous American jazz musician Stan Kay is in London with his wife Susie for a jazz club tour. Stan and Susie are in a bank waiting in a queue when armed men burst in wearing balaclavas. Their leader holding sawn off shotgun orders the staff to fill cash bags. One member of staff behind counter...

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