"MURDOCH SOLVES A MURDER IN THE 21ST CENTURY"

ACT I

(FADE IN. Exterior of a PRESENT-DAY POLICE STATION in Toronto. There are numerous indications that the setting is NOT the early 1900's: we see modern automobiles, modern attire, people using cellphones, the CN Tower in the background, etc. It is the early afternoon. CUT TO: Interior of the PRESENT-DAY POLICE STATION. There are some officers in uniform here and there, but the focus eventually turns to SIMS, a detective in plain clothes, working at her desk, using her computer. FINNEY, another detective in plain clothes, walks into the room carrying a hardbound book. FINNEY grins a mischievous grin as he approaches SIMS. SIMS is engaged in her work and does not notice FINNEY approaching.)

FINNEY
Hey, Sims! Think fast!

(SIMS looks up and FINNEY simultaneously tosses the book at SIMS, who deftly catches it with one hand. Unamused, SIMS takes a quick look at the book. It is hardbound and apparently old. The cover is worn and the pages are yellowed.)

SIMS
What's this?

FINNEY
Some detective you are! It's a book!

SIMS
I can see that. What'd you throw it at me for?

FINNEY
Thought you might like to read it.

SIMS (looks at the cover, reads the title and authors)
"Investigations Into The Criminal Mind." By Jennings and Crabtree.

(SIMS turns a few pages. There are various chapters with various intriguing titles. The book is obviously old.)

SIMS
What is it, like Agatha Christie?

FINNEY
No, it's non-fiction. It has stories about real Toronto-area criminal investigations from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I got it as a present from my wife last Christmas.

SIMS (closes the book)
I'll look at it when I get home. (Muttering) Criminal investigations. Just what I need, when I get home from hard day at work: a book about WORK.

(SIMS puts down the book and returns her attention to the work on her desk. FINNEY pulls up a chair next to SIMS's desk.)

FINNEY (pointing to the book)
Look at chapter eight.

SIMS (still paying attention to the work on her desk)
Why?

FINNEY
Trust me. Look at chapter eight.

SIMS (more forcefully)
Why?

(FINNEY says nothing, but picks up the book and waves it at SIMS. SIMS looks up, sighs, then takes the book and leafs through the pages looking for chapter eight.)

SIMS
Chapter eight. Chapter eight.

(SIMS finds chapter eight, then quickly thumbs through the book to see how long chapter eight is. She then reads aloud the title of chapter eight. A close-up of the page shows the title clearly.)

SIMS
"Murdoch and the First Witness for the Defence." Who the hell is Murdoch?

FINNEY
Murdoch is a detective with the Toronto Constabulary. That is, he WAS with the Toronto Constabulary, back in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Most of the cases in the book are his cases.

SIMS (looking through chapter eight)
And what is it in chapter eight that I'm supposed to look at?

(SIMS stops thumbing and looks at FINNEY, evidently thinking that FINNEY is wasting her time. FINNEY grins and leans a little closer.)

FINNEY
Chapter eight involves a murder suspect whose alibi is that he was with a certain person at the time of the murder, a certain person involved in the field of law enforcement. Does that sound familiar?

SIMS (somewhat surprised)
Yeah. You mean like Richard Porter?

FINNEY (grinning)
Could be. When I read the story, it made me think of what you've said about Porter. And apart from the similarity of who provides the alibis, (he smirks) there might be one or two other similarities in there as well. But I'm not gonna tell you what they are.

SIMS
Huh. I take it this Murdoch solved the case?

(FINNEY nods. SIMS looks at her watch. She decides it's close enough to "quitting time," so she finishes up a couple of things and straightens the files on her desk. She then opens up the book to read it.)

SIMS
Okay. Might be helpful. But I doubt it. Thanks, anyway.

FINNEY (smiling, getting up)
Should take you less than an hour to read it. (Pointing accusingly at SIMS) No skipping to the end, now!

(FINNEY walks away as SIMS begins reading chapter eight.)

SIMS (reading aloud)
"On the sixth day of May, a Tuesday, a concerned citizen made a frantic telephone call to the police."

(CUT TO: STATION HOUSE NO. 4, in the early 1900's. The surroundings— attire, horse-drawn vehicles, etc. — quickly establish the time period. CUT TO: MURDOCH'S OFFICE. MURDOCH is seated at his desk, comparing two documents. The door to the office is open. CRABTREE charges into the office abruptly. MURDOCH looks up.)

CRABTREE
Sir! A concerned citizen has just made a frantic telephone call to this station, reporting what he believes to be dead body. He reports that it may have been a stabbing, sir.

MURDOCH (rising)
Let's go, George! You have the address, I assume?

(They exit the office in a rush, and make their ways through the constables' area.)

CRABTREE
Yes, sir.

MURDOCH
Have you got a photographer?

CRABTREE
Yes, sir, he's on his way to the scene, as is Dr. Ogden.

(As MURDOCH and CRABTREE move to exit the Station House, they meet BRACKENREID, who is arriving at the Station House and taking off his coat. He sees MURDOCH and CRABTREE rushing by.)

BRACKENREID
Where are you lads off to?

MURDOCH
We are investigating a reported stabbing, sir.

BRACKENREID (nodding)
Happy hunting, then.

(BRACKENREID continues to remove his coat as he heads to his own office. MURDOCH and CRABTREE move to exit the STATION HOUSE. MURDOCH asks CRABTREE some questions, but MURDOCH's and CRABTREE's voices cannot be heard. FADE OUT.)