Doctor Who_ Nightshade - Mark Gatiss [26]
(Nightshade sits her down next to her unconscious husband and There was a car in the drive and Jill saw George Lowcock beckons Dr Barclay.)
bending to retrieve something from the boot. He and the NIGHTSHADE: Any word on those meteorites, Barclay?
other policemen had been at the Home for several hours BARCLAY: Not yet, sir. But we’ve found traces of now. Hours, thought Jill, since she’d seen Edmund’s Enstatite.
shattered window and had, much to her own disgust, given NIGHTSHADE: Hmm. Normal enough. And the rocket in to her compulsion to vomit. The old man had been crew?
surprisingly tactful, considering the mess she’d made of his BARCLAY: There’s no trace of them. Anywhere.
eiderdown, gently leading her to his chair next to the (The seated astronaut begins to moan, eyes staring ahead.) wardrobe with the broken door.
CARSON: Help me! Help me!
There was a short knock and Jill turned, smoothing the MRS CARSON: What is it? Robert? Don’t you know me?
hair off her face in an effort to appear stoically calm.
Can’t you say just one word?
George Lowcock, all overcoat, bulbous nose and whiskers, (Nightshade takes her to one side.) bustled into the room, flashing her one of his sweetest NIGHTSHADE: Leave him, Barbara. He’ll come round. In smiles.
time.
‘Well, love, nothing more we can do here.’ He turned to (The telephone rings. Barclay answers.) Trevithick. ‘You’re sure there was nothing taken, sir?’
BARCLAY: Yes? Yes, of course. Right away.
‘Absolutely,’ muttered the old man.
NIGHTSHADE: What is it?
‘Well, we know the glass was broken with some force.
BARCLAY: They’ve found something, sir. Down at the Apart from that, though...’
crash site.
‘Just kids, then?’ offered Jill without much confidence.
NIGHTSHADE: Come on!
‘Probably. Yes.’
(They run from the room. Fade to black.) Trevithick, however, knew his Sherlock Holmes and was not to be put off. ‘No clues? The soil outside the window Trevithick looked up from his perusal of the yellowing must be saturated. There have to be footprints of some script on his knee. Jill stood by the window a few feet from kind.’ His bushy eyebrows lifted expectantly.
him, letting the steam from her tea flood pleasantly into her 74
75
DOCTOR WHO: NIGHTSHADE
DOCTOR WHO: NIGHTSHADE
Lowcock sighed. ‘No sir. No footprints. No traces.
‘I’m sorry. But have you? Is there anything else I should Nothing.’
know?’
Trevithick grunted again and jammed his pipe into his Trevithick avoided her glance and contemplated his shoes.
lopsided mouth. Jill began to usher the policeman out.
‘I woke up and the window was smashed. I rang for you.
Lowcock put on his hat. ‘Naturally, we’ll investigate as far That’s all.’
as possible, miss. If you like, I’ll leave one of the lads on Jill stood up. ‘Right then. In that case I’d better get on.
watch for the next few nights. Might make the old folks feel There’s some workmen coming to fix your window. I’ve got a bit more secure.’
to get everyone ready who is going home for Christmas.’
‘I haven’t told them yet,’ said Jill.
Trevithick eyed her cynically. ‘Catching one last Yuletide
‘Oh well.’ Lowcock beamed again. ‘Probably very wise.’
frolic before the cemetery, eh?’
He touched his hat and then, as he turned to the door,
‘That’s not very nice, Edmund.’
fixed Trevithick with a quizzical grin. ‘Excuse me, sir. Have
‘Who’s going where, then?’ he asked brightly.
we met before?’
Jill looked up at the ceiling as if to conjure up a list of Trevithick rolled his eyes and adjusted himself in his seat.
figures. ‘Erm... the Rayner sisters are going to their family in
‘I don’t believe so.’
Birmingham. Mr Dutton, Mr Bollard and Mr Messingham...’
Jill decided to mediate. ‘This is Edmund Trevithick,
‘The Unholy Three?’
George, he used to be...’
Jill laughed. ‘Yes. They’re going to Blackpool...’
‘No! Don’t tell me... Hang on... Nightshade! That’s it!
‘God help Blackpool.’
Professor Nightshade! Eeh, we used to love that. Shepherd’s
‘And Mrs Holland is going over to Leeds.’
Cross used to empty when you were on. Especially that one