Thriller s05e07- Murder Motel

[michaellevenson]

Taylor is a desperate man, he drives along the motorway late at night, in a hurry, constantly viewing his rear mirror to see if he's being followed.


He turns off the motorway onto a road leading to the Woodheath Motel. He enters reception and goes up to desk. Sam a man in his fifties checks him in, and hands him room 4 key.
Taylor enters room 4 and relaxes, he feels safe.
A little while later two men approach Sam at the desk, Sam nods and hands them pass key , they enter room 4.
Taylor is in the shower when suddenly the shower curtain is drawn back. The two intruders stare at Taylor, the larger one, Roscoe holds a knife and without saying anything he calmly stabs Taylor in the stomach. Taylor collapses, his blood trickles away down the plug hole mixing with the water. Roscoe and his mate Terry return the key to Sam at desk, Sam nods and carries on reading his paper, it's all in a day's work at the Woodheath Motel.

 

[michaellevenson]

Mike and Helen Spencer arrive at the Woodheath Motel, park the car outside in the car park, and Mike leaves and asks Helen to give him 5 minutes before entering herself. Mike signs in at reception and Sam hands him key to room 4. Inside room 4 Mike puts a case down on the bed and opens it, to reveal electronic surveillance equipment. He takes out a bugging device and conceals it under a table lamp.
Helen enters motel and is shown into room 7, across the corridor from room 4.
Helen waits a few minutes then surreptitiously leaves her room making sure no one sees her knocking lightly on the door of room 4. Mike lets her in and the two discuss a delicate situation. Mike is troubled, the firm he works for have started an audit of the accounts and Mike knows they'll find it short of 40,000 pounds. Helen says," but you didn't take it Mike."
Mike, " as my sister I doubt your view will be considered impartial, I just don't know who to trust. Burns will point the finger at me, but he's the only other person to have access to the account, it must be him who stole it."
Mike is here because he received a phone call from Burns secretary Janice Freeman that Burns wants a meeting here at the Woodheath, and says Mike, " whatever happens in this room I want a witness."
Mike hands her a walkie talkie and shows her the bugging device, " now go back to your room Helen and wait for Burns, we've got about half an hour."
Helen leaves with a recording device, and Mike lays on the bed waiting to see what Charles Burns , his colleague and probable thief is going to say, possibly a deal to split the money he stole.

 

[michaellevenson]

Helen in her room also lays on her bed, takes a book out of her bag and starts reading.
Roscoe and Terry approach Sam at the desk, he nods and looks over to room 4. Roscoe knocks on door, Mike answers it and Roscoe and Terry barge in.
In room 7 on Helen's walkie talkie the sound of a struggle is heard as Mike fights for his life. Unfortunately Helen is oblivious to the sound as she has fallen asleep.
Room 4 door opens, Roscoe carries Mike's body out and walks off down corridor.
Helen awakes, looks at her watch , calls Mike up on the radio, but gets no answer.


She hurries out of room and enters room 4 to see Sam in room cleaning and tidying.
Sam, " can I help you Miss?"
Helen, " the man who has this room, where is he?"
Sam, " the room is vacant Miss, no one been here for sometime."
Helen worried, " what?! A man checked in before me, he signed for room 4."
Sam, " oh him, he left Miss, didn't like the room. Why, do you know him?"
Helen, ". er no, it's just that he lent me some cigarettes and I wanted to pay him back."
Sam, " oh I see Miss, we have a machine in reception for cigarettes Miss."
Helen backs out of room in a state of some confusion.
Meanwhile Roscoe has entered room 7, and sees the walkie talkie, picks it up and runs out and shows Sam.
Helen makes a dash for the front door and runs for her car.

Sam to Roscoe, " get her!"
Helen drives off and heads down the road, Roscoe in pursuit in his car. Helen stops at a phone kiosk, runs into kiosk and dials for the operator. She makes a reverse charge call to Mike's fiance Kathy Nesbitt.
Kathy is relaxing in her apartment when she gets the call, Helen tells her she's in the Woodheath Motel at Minsterley and Mike is in trouble and has disappeared, suddenly though the call is ended. Roscoe has yanked open the door of kiosk and grabs phone. Helen terrified as Roscoe, the 6 foot plus giant looms over her.

Kathy concerned, " Helen..Helen....Operator what's happened to my call."
Operator, " sorry caller the connection has been broken. "

 

[michaellevenson]

Charles Burns is in his office along with an auditor, his secretary Janice and two policemen, Turner and Osgood.
Kathy enters and senses something is wrong. Burns tells her the accounts have been milked for 40,000 pounds and now after examining the foreign account 60,000 is missing. Janice Freeman the secretary enters from her office and is shocked, " oh god!"

Turner wants to know where Mike is, Kathy defensive says Mike is not a thief and she doesn't know where he is, but his sister Helen phoned her to say Mike's in trouble.
Turner, " he certainly is Miss. Did she say where he is or where she was calling from."
Kathy has no intention of revealing this, " er no she didn't say."

At the Woodheath Motel Sam is making a call to a client, " oh you can't talk right now? You've got the police there? I see, well we've done what you asked, no problem there, but there's a complication ,his sister turned up, we've put her on ice, so we need to discuss what to do ."........
..........and Charles Burns replaces the receiver after a phone call.

The next day Kathy turns up at the motel.
She signs in and is transfixed by a gold watch on Sam's wrist, she says nothing and is shown into room 7.
The maid is in there dusting and cleaning, her name is Petra a middle-aged lady.
Kathy sees a paperback book on the bedside table, picks it up, it's the one Helen was reading.
Kathy, " who does this belong to?"
Petra," previous occupant I guess Miss."
Kathy, " can I have it I could do with something to read."
Petra, " certainly Miss."


Later that day Kathy is in the office of Mr Lee, private detective, she tells him of her worries about Mike.
Kathy, " the gold watch, I gave it to Mike, it had an inscription on the back."
Lee," but you didn't see the back did you?"
Kathy, "well no, but this book ,the one I recommended to Helen, the same one in the room"
Lee, " there was 100,000 copies printed, it doesn't mean a thing, nor the watch."
Kathy," not on their own but together.."
Lee, " look sweetheart has it occurred to you Mike doesn't want to be found, they might be hiding him. He takes the money then lays low for a bit until the heat's off."
Kathy, " NO, Mike is not a thief."
Lee seems a real low life Private Eye, slimy and enjoys the dirty side of the business and a womaniser to boot.

Lee, " I can't stand this cloak and dagger stuff, divorce is much more interesting, you never know what'll turn up. I tell you what , I'll make some enquiries, sniff around, because I like you."
Kathy, " what about your retainer."
Lee sees his chance, " I'll have a poke around the motel, then meet you in your room to discuss payment , which room is it?"
" Seven."
Lee grips her wrist, " fine, you wait for me and I'll come round about 7 this evening, we can have a drink and discuss developments and erm payment."

 

[michaellevenson]

Later that afternoon Turner and Osgood arrive at the Woodheath Motel, they've traced the phone call from Helen as coming from a phone box nearby.
They speak to Sam who denies seeing Mike Spencer , they walk out of motel as Roscoe and Terry walk in.
Turner turns to Osgood, " did you notice that man coming in, the big one?"
Osgood, " nope."
Turner, " observation was always your weakness."
Osgood, " ah, but give me a set of cooked account books and I can spot the bad 'un."
Turner, " well I'm the same with faces and that one definitely is from the rogues gallery."
Roscoe worried goes up to Sam, " police Sam?"
Sam, " nothing to worry about just routine, Spencer's body get it out of here."
Later in the nearby woods a courting couple are walking near a lake, as couples in love often do, they playfully tease each other, the girl runs off urging her boyfriend to find her in a game of hide and seek.
She hides behind a tree, when suddenly something brushes the back of her head. She turns, and screams, Mike's body is hanging by the neck from a branch.


Later, Lee arrives at the motel and heads for the garage at the back, he uses a hairpin to open door and sees Mike's car, he examines it, it's been repainted.
Lee enters the reception and up to Sam.
Lee doesn't waste time, " Mike Spencer, I know you're hiding him, I've seen his car repainted, let's go somewhere to discuss terms."
Sam and Lee go into the kitchen.

Sam, " who exactly are you?"
Lee, " call me an opportunist, I've read the papers , Mike Spencer got away with 100,000 , I'll take a slice of your slice."
Sam, " how long have I got to think about it?"
Lee, " five minutes."
Sam, " no....not nearly as long as that."
Sam picks up a kitchen knife and runs through Lee.
Roscoe enters and sees Lee dead on floor.
Roscoe, " who was he?"
Sam, " called himself an opportunist, but he came at a very inopportune moment, tried to squeeze us."
Roscoe, " what we're going to do?"
Sam points to chest freezer, " we could put him on ice till we think of something, it'll confuse the time of death. I need to speak to our client."

 

[michaellevenson]

Kathy in room 7 opens the evening newspaper she has just collected from reception. The headline screams out, WANTED BUSINESSMAN FOUND HANGED, with a picture of Mike.
Kathy is distraught and cries.

Sam answers the phone at reception, " oh hello I was about to call you, yeah..hmm okay it's a bit short notice but we can manage, we need to discuss this in person."

Charles Burns arrives at the motel and is given room 4. The deadly routine plays out.
A knock on the door and Burns answers it to see Roscoe and Terry framed in the doorway, menacingly standing there.
Burns, " yes gentlemen can I help you?"
Roscoe and Terry push their way in.
In the kitchen later Roscoe cleans his hands and the bloodstained knife, and says to Terry , "Sam's a genius ,best racket I've ever been in, and so simple. Give yourself an alibi, send your victim to us and we do the rest. We're going to be rich Terry."

Later Kathy has recovered her composure after the shock of Mike's death, and picks up phone to Motel switchboard, Petra answers it.
Petra," switchboard here."
Kathy, " can you get me Minsterley 391, a Mr Lee please."
A few minutes later, " sorry room 7 , no answer on that number, I can try later if you want."
Kathy, " yes please. "

Kathy pokes her head out of her room and quietly walks to reception, no one is around and she enters kitchen. No one here either, Roscoe and Terry have been told by Sam to dump Mike's car and have left motel.
Kathy looks around kitchen , she notices blood stain near freezer, and opens it, to see it full of frozen food. She removes top layer of food, jumps in horror as Lee's face stares up at her.


She hears footsteps, and looks for a hiding place, and opens broom cupboard door and out flops Helen half dazed lying on floor.

Kathy drags Helen back into cupboard and hiding as Sam enters to cook himself eggs.

Janice Freeman, Burns secretary enters motel and Sam shows her into a private office.
Sam , " no problem with Burns but the price is now 15 grand not 10."
Janice, " what! You're joking."
Sam," a complication , Helen Spencer. "
Janice, " your problem Sam."
Sam, "no ours, look you got away with 100,000, you did it neat and tidy , it'll be a shame to spoil everything for such a small amount. I'll tell you what I'll throw in for free a Mr Lee a snooper ,now he is our problem."
Janice, " okay Sam I'll leave it with you."
Sam, " okay make yourself comfortable and we'll celebrate this latest deal with a drink."
In the kitchen Roscoe says to Terry, " Sam wants us to deal with Lee, dump him somewhere."
Petra comes in carrying tea tray, " Lee?"
Roscoe, " yeah, that's what his ID said, snooper."
Petra, " she's been trying to contact a Lee, girl in room 7."
Roscoe and Terry look at each other grimly.

 

[michaellevenson]

Kathy after comforting a groggy Helen tells her she's going to get help, when the coast is clear she creeps out of cupboard and into reception to see Sam at desk.
Kathy, " I'd like to check out please, sorry it's so late."
Sam, " that's okay Miss, if you just give me a few minutes to get your bill."

Detectives Turner and Osgood are working late at the HQ of Mike's company when Osgood searches Janice Freeman's desk, and finds a Woodheath Motel room key.
Turner, " find anything.?"
Osgood, " yes look, in the secretary's desk."
The phone rings, Osgood answers it, it is from an airline company asking for Janice Freeman, Osgood takes the message.
" Miss Freeman asked us to book her on the first available flight to Rio De Janeiro, well the first isn't until the 13th next week. We wondered if that'll be okay."
Turner grabs phone,
Turner, " if I was you I'd cancel it."
Turner slams phone down and says to Osgood, " that rogues gallery face, I've just remembered, Roscoe, wanted for the Benson killings, escaped jail 6 months ago, come on."

 

[michaellevenson]

Kathy is at the desk with Sam waiting to pay her bill with her luggage with her when Janice comes out of the office.
Janice, " Kathy? What are you doing here?"
Sam, " you know her?"
Janice, " Mike Spencer's girlfriend."

Roscoe appears and grabs Kathy's case, "not going are you Miss?"

Kathy is led forcibly into room 7.
Janice goes to leave, walks out of front door, then comes running back in.
" Sam..police."
Sam, " my office quick."
Turner walks in and confronts Sam, "Roscoe where is he?"
Sam, " who?"
Turner, " and where is Janice Freeman?"
Osgood and other officers run into reception from kitchen having got in the back way.
Turner, " okay search this place."
Suddenly a scream is heard from room 7, Turner and men run in just in time to stop Roscoe suffocating Kathy with a pillow. Roscoe and Terry arrested.
Sam grabs gun from reception desk and covers Turner as he comes out room 7.
Sam dashes out, Janice hearing the commotion and overhearing the police wanting her, runs out of office shouting, "wait for me Sam." Janice runs out followed by Turner.
Sam outside fires gun, Janice falls dead, Turner ducks behind parked cars, makes his way behind Sam who is ducking behind another car. Sam gun drawn watchful, Turner up behind Sam, springs into action, grabs Sam who fires wildly into air as Turner eventually wrestles him to ground.
The excitement dies down, Kathy and Helen arm in arm leave comforting each other.
Sam ,Roscoe and the gang are driven away in a police vehicle.
A couple of stray bullets fired by Sam had obviously hit the neon Woodheath Motel roadside sign, it now reads.....d.eath Motel.

Cast;
Sam.....Derek Francis
Kathy.....Robyn Millan
Mike.....Ralph Bates
Burns.....Edward Judd
Roscoe......John Hallam
Lee.....Alan MacCelland
Helen....Anne Rutter
Turner....Patrick Jordan
Janice.....Gillian McCutcheon
Osgood....Paul Humpoletz
Terry......Patrick Tull
Petra.....June Watson

On to next episode

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