Scarlet – Episode 1 – The Recently Missing

Below we present the complete text of The Recently Missing, episode 1 of Scarlet.

ACT 1

INTRODUCTION (ELDER HOLMES)

1. MUSIC: [1] OPENING THEME — LET IT FINISH.
2. ELDER HOLMES: It was 1884, almost a year after the affair involving Miss Helen Stoner and the despicable shape-shifter, Dr Roylott.
   I was now well established at 221B (TWO TWO ONE B) Baker Street in the company of Dr John Watson and under the watchful eye of our landlady, Miss Martha Hudson.
   A number of minor and rather mundane mysteries had come my way during the intervening period including the Tarleton murders, the case of Vamberry, the wine merchant (a smuggler of enchanted wine), the adventure of the old Russian woman (a brief, if almost lethal, encounter with the Baba Yaga of legend), the singular affair of the aluminum crutch, Ricoletti of the club foot and his abominable inhuman wife, and the case of Mrs Farintosh, concerning a cursed opal tiara. The publication of a number of my, severely modified, adventures by John Watson (under the titles of The Gloria Scott, The Musgrave Ritual, and The Speckled Band) through his friend and confidante, Mr Arthur Conan Doyle, did my reputation a world of good — even if it did mean I was pestered day and night by people with problems too trivial for my talents. The advantage was that I was now genuinely financially independent. My brother, who had cut me off from the family trust (he was its trustee) when I rejected the life of government service he had mapped out for me, had now realized I had settled on my chosen vocation and would not be changing my mind. As such he had withdrawn into a sullen silence from which he did not emerge for years.
   On this particular day in April I was looking for the, never-less-than-intriguing, Martha Hudson in Hobson’s Curio Shop.
3. (THIS LINE DELIBERATELY REMOVED)

SCENE 1: INT. — CURIO SHOP — MORNING (YOUNG HOLMES, MARTHA, DAMIEN)

4. SOUND: [17] JINGLE OF A SHOP’S BELL. DOOR CLOSING — LET IT FINISH.
5. YOUNG HOLMES: Ah, Miss Hudson, I received your missive. How may I be of assistance?
6. MARTHA HUDSON: Oh, Mr ’olmes. You quite startled me. I didn’t expect to see you ’til much later… after lunch in fact.
7. YOUNG HOLMES: I deduced as much from your letter. I must say, your ciphers are getting better.
8. MARTHA: Why thank you, Mr ’olmes.
9. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes, this one was almost a challenge.
10. MARTHA: (DRILY) I see. And ’ow did you locate me? I don’t remember tellin’ you where I was off to this mornin’. Are you going to impress me with ’ow the new wax I’ve ’ad applied to the floor let you track me across London? Or was it per’aps the disappearance of the tote bag that I only use when visiting ’obson’s Curio Shop?
11. YOUNG HOLMES: Actually I simply asked Watson where you had gone.
12. MARTHA: (AMUSED) Liar.
13. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes, well, time’s a-wasting, Miss Hudson. What was it you wished to see me about? I was engaged in practicing with my skeleton keys when Watson alerted me to the note. Escapology is a dull but important part of my repertoire and not something I am inclined to forego practicing without good reason. Is there some new mystery brewing? Something that my special talents would be especially challenged by?
14. MARTHA: Hmmm. Mr ’olmes, I am well aware of your need for diversion. It is a need I share myself… to a degree. But, those times when your mind is properly occupied are not of concern to me today.
15. YOUNG HOLMES: Oh no. You’re not going to bore me with another lecture about my domestic arrangements are you?
16. MARTHA: Mr ’olmes, you are, when not occupied with a case, rowdy, inexcusably slovenly, ’orribly rude to my other tenants, and more or less disagreeable company.
17. YOUNG HOLMES: (OVER) Boring.
18. MARTHA: Mr ’olmes, I’m serious. If your be’avior doesn’t improve, an’ in fairly short order, I will be forced to ask you to leave.
19. YOUNG HOLMES: And leave Dr Watson without someone to assist him in the rent? It would be too cruel.
20. MARTHA: You really don’t listen to anyone else around you, do you?
21. YOUNG HOLMES: Well, people are always engaging in such “little” conversations. They are hardly worth my notice.
22. MARTHA: Of all the arrogant… Dr Watson will be opening ’is own practice soon… and ’e’ll not be needin’ to share the rent much after that. (BEAT) I’ve already spoken to ’im about it and I’m ’appy to let ’im stay at the reduced rent if’n you and I can’t come to an accommodation.
23. YOUNG HOLMES: I beg your pardon, Miss Hudson. Are you threatening me with eviction? Where would your rental income be then?
24. MARTHA: My income would double within a week. I’d actually ’ave some capacity to keep my tenants for more’n a fortnight if you weren’t constantly driving them off. Frankly, Mr ’olmes. Your tenancy is a cost and not a benefit.
25. YOUNG HOLMES: I see… and what are your demands?
26. MARTHA: Mr ’olmes?
27. YOUNG HOLMES: What are the conditions you wish to apply in order for me to remain in residence at 221B (TWO TWO ONE B)?
28. MARTHA: I won’t be demandin’ you not get into any of your moods… it’s clearly beyond you. But I will ask you to stop interferin’ with my other guests.
29. YOUNG HOLMES: If you are referring to that incident with the revolver and Mr Archroy, I barely grazed the man.
30. MARTHA: (IGNORING HOLMES) I will also be askin’ you to keep the ammunition separate from your firearms. I won’t ’ave loaded weapons in my ’ome.
31. YOUNG HOLMES: Ahem. As you wish. What else?
32. MARTHA: No more playin’ the violin after midnight.
33. YOUNG HOLMES: It helps me to relax.
34. MARTHA: Well, it keeps everyone else awake and I’ll not be ’avin’ any more of it. (BEAT) Lastly…
35. YOUNG HOLMES: Thank goodness.
36. MARTHA: (EMPHASIZING) Lastly, I’m all for respectin’ your privacy… an’ if you want to live in an untidy manner that’s yer own business… but I’ll not be lettin’ you turn my property into a ’abitation o’ rats.
37. YOUNG HOLMES: By which you mean?
38. MARTHA: You will, if’n you wish to continue livin’ in my property, engage in the minimum amount of cleanin’ consistent with good ’ygiene, Mr ’olmes. Do we ’ave an accord?
39. YOUNG HOLMES: And I had such high hopes for this conversation. Ah well.
40. MARTHA: (STERNLY) Mr ’olmes?
41. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes, yes, alright. I’ll abide by your rules. Just help me find something to divert me. I need… distraction. The boredom is killing me.
42. MARTHA: (UNDER HER BREATH) Would it were so.
43. YOUNG HOLMES: What?
44. MARTHA: Nothin’ important, Mr ’olmes. I do think you need to grow up a little, ’owever. An’ another thing…
45. DAMIEN NUGENT: Mr Holmes? Mr Sherlock Holmes? My dear sir, I’m so glad to meet you.
46. YOUNG HOLMES: Er… I believe you have me at a disadvantage.
47. DAMIEN: Oh, I’m sorry. Of course, I’m being frightfully rude. Please forgive me. My name is Damien Nugent and I have need of your rather specialized skills.
48. YOUNG HOLMES: I see… perhaps we should adjourn to the tavern next door and continue this discussion. (BEAT) Miss Hudson, would you join us please.
49. MARTHA: In just a moment. I came in to do some shopping. I was told they have a pair o’ workin’ cheirosiphons (KI-ROS-I-FONS) ’ere ’n I wanted to pick one up if it were affordable.
50. YOUNG HOLMES: A hand-held device for disseminating Greek Fire? My dear Miss Hudson, what on earth are you thinking of?
51. MARTHA: Well, you never know when it’ll come in ’andy. Plenty of undead things don’t like fire.
52. DAMIEN: (SHOCKED) Good Lord!
53. YOUNG HOLMES: We are in a curio shop, Mr Nugent. You shouldn’t be so surprised. What brought you in here today, after all?
54. DAMIEN: (STIFFLY) I’m looking for my fiancée, Miss Scarlet Hope. She has a somewhat regrettable weakness for superstition. I was hoping to get some information from the proprietor.
55. YOUNG HOLMES: Well for now you’ll have to settle for giving me some information instead. Miss Hudson will join us presently.
56. MUSIC: [3] (BRIDGE) NEUTRAL SCENE ENDER — LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 2: EXT. — THE STREET OUTSIDE THE CURIO SHOP — MOMENTS LATER (DAMIEN, YOUNG HOLMES, MARTHA, CABBIE)

57. SOUND: [8] (WALLA) BUSY STREET. HORSES AND CARTS PASSING ON THE COBBLESTONES. OCCASIONAL HORSE WHINNY AND CRIES OF HAWKERS — ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
58. YOUNG HOLMES: You look nervous, Mr Nugent?
59. DAMIEN: What? Yes, I’m in rather a hurry, I’m afraid.
60. YOUNG HOLMES: Oh?
61. DAMIEN: I’m to be picked up in a moment. (BEAT) Look, I really would appreciate your assistance in this matter. My fiancée has disappeared. She was due back from a trip to Paris. She had grown suddenly ill and was seeing a specialist. We know she arrived back in London safely enough from conversations with the ferry workers but when her father went to collect her she wasn’t there and no one knew where she had gone.
62. YOUNG HOLMES: When was this?
63. DAMIEN: The night before last, sir.
64. YOUNG HOLMES: And I take it you have informed the police?
65. DAMIEN: Oh yes. But they admit to being frankly baffled.
66. SOUND: [18] CARRIAGE PULLS UP AND HALTS NEARBY — LET IT FINISH.
67. CABBIE: Howdy, Mr Damien. Did you discover anythin’?
68. DAMIEN: Oh, hello, Mr Hope. Mr Holmes, this is Mr Jefferson Hope, formerly of the American Colonies and currently a cab driver in London. More importantly, he is also the father of my fiancée, Scarlet.
69. YOUNG HOLMES: How do you do?
70. CABBIE: Cain’t complain. Though I’ll remind you, Mr Damien, that me and mine haven’t been colonies for quite some time now. (TO HOLMES) I understand you’re somethin’ of a detective, Mr Holmes?
71. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes, I consult.
72. CABBIE: I ran afoul o’ them damned Pinkertons back home once or twice so I hope you don’t mind if I don’t shake yer hand. Pickin’ on people who want to stand up fer their rights as workers ain’t somethin’ to be admired.
73. DAMIEN: (SHOCKED) Mr Hope!
74. YOUNG HOLMES: I take it you’re a Marxist, Mr Hope?
75. CABBIE: I ain’t nothin’ but meself. I jus’ don’ like bullies is all.
76. YOUNG HOLMES: Well sir, I am neither a bully, nor an enemy of the poor… and I’ll help you find your daughter if I can.
77. CABBIE: Hmpf. I guess we’ll just have to see about that then.
78. DAMIEN: I apologize for Mr Hope, Mr Holmes. He’s a very forthright man and sometimes forgets his place.
79. CABBIE: Pshaw!
80. YOUNG HOLMES: It’s quite alright, Mr Nugent, I find plain speech rather refreshing. (BEAT) You’re a fair way out of your way today, aren’t you, Mr Hope?
81. CABBIE: What makes yer say so?
82. YOUNG HOLMES: This carriage spends most of its time around Highgate judging by the grade of mud caked to the wheels.
83. CABBIE: Uhuh. I only came down to pick up Mr Nugent.
84. YOUNG HOLMES: I see. Then I’d best not be keeping you.
85. DAMIEN: Yes, of course. But there is more to say. Would you come and visit us this evening? Around seven? Here’s my card. I’m staying with Mr Hope at present.
86. YOUNG HOLMES: Very well.
87. DAMIEN: Then I’ll bid you good day.
88. SOUND: [19] SOUND OF CARRIAGE BEING MOUNTED AND HORSE MOVING AWAY — LET IT FINISH.
89. MARTHA: That looked a little bit tense. An’ that cabbie, ’e was a ’uge specimen of a man. What’d I miss?
90. YOUNG HOLMES: Besides the oversized cabbie? It seems I have been engaged on a missing persons case.
91. MARTHA: Oh, what is it caught your eye this time? Ghosts? Shape-shifters? Some otherworldly nasty?
92. YOUNG HOLMES: None of the above.
93. MARTHA: A mundane case? That’s not like you, Mr ’olmes.
94. YOUNG HOLMES: Well, something about this business smells a little off.
95. MARTHA: Mr ’olmes?
96. YOUNG HOLMES: I mean that quite literally, my dear Miss Hudson. Mr Hope, the cabbie who just took Mr Nugent away, has been transporting rotting meat in his carriage. I’d like to know why. (BEAT) Miss Hudson, I was wondering if you had any objection to accompanying me to Highgate this evening to call upon Mr Damien Nugent and Mr Jefferson Hope?
97. MARTHA: You know, Mr ’olmes? You can be quite passably polite when you set yer mind to it.
98. MUSIC: [5] (BRIDGE) OMINOUS SCENE ENDER — LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 3: EXT. — THE STEPS OUTSIDE MR HOPE’S RESIDENCE — EVENING (CABBIE, YOUNG HOLMES, LESTRADE, MARTHA)

99. SOUND: [2] KNOCKING ON DOOR. PAUSE THEN DOOR OPENS — LET IT FINISH.
100. CABBIE: Oh. It’s you. I ain’t got time fer the likes o’ you at present, Mr Holmes.
101. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes. I can see. Why are the police here?
102. CABBIE: (SNARLING) None of your business.
103. LESTRADE: (INTERRUPTING) Actually, Mr ’ope called for our assistance. Good to see you, Mr ’olmes.
104. YOUNG HOLMES: (ACKNOWLEDGING) Inspector Lestrade.
105. LESTRADE: What brings you to this particular address, Mr ’olmes?
106. YOUNG HOLMES: I was engaged by Mr Damien Nugent to locate his fiancée, the daughter of Mr Hope.
107. LESTRADE: I see. Then you would be surprised to learn that Mr Nugent has also gone missin’?
108. CABBIE: Is that really some’t you should be sharin’ with an amateur?
109. LESTRADE: Yes, well. Mr ’olmes, annoyin’ as ’e in fact is, ’as demonstrated a certain flair fer these matters.
110. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes, I believe I was of some small assistance in that business with the tiara. I’m surprised to find you here, Inspector. I would have thought that this sort of thing was a little beneath you.
111. LESTRADE: (EMBARRASSED) Yes, well. We’ve been keepin’ it out o’ the papers but there’s been a slew of disappearances ’round ’ighgate ’n we need to get to the bottom of it.
112. MARTHA: I take it you ain’t got anythin’ to go on yet.
113. LESTRADE: Oh, Miss ’udson. Are you ’ere too?
114. MARTHA: Why you…
115. LESTRADE: I can’t for the life of me see why you insist on draggin’ this ’ere female around with you, Mr ’olmes. Surely she jus’ gets in the way.
116. YOUNG HOLMES: “This ’ere female” as you put it is worth any five of your men, Inspector. But, as you appear to have had at least five of your men blundering about in Mr Hope’s residence I doubt there will be anything left to discover here. (BEAT) Mr Hope, where did you take Mr Nugent after we met with him this morning?
117. CABBIE: Not that it’s any of yer business, but I took him to the cemetery in Highgate. He said he was to meet some varmint there as had information he might be interested in.
118. YOUNG HOLMES: Do you know who he was to see?
119. CABBIE: No. I dropped him at the gate.
120. YOUNG HOLMES: Do you know how he was contacted?
121. CABBIE: An anonymous note. Apparently left at our door. I never saw it.
122. YOUNG HOLMES: Well thank you for your cooperation. We’ll be off.
123. CABBIE: Anything to be rid of you. I’ll get back to talking with the “real” police now, shall I?
124. YOUNG HOLMES: As you wish.
125. MARTHA: I take it you ’ave our next destination in mind?
126. YOUNG HOLMES: Assuredly.
127. MARTHA: Highgate Cemetery?
128. YOUNG HOLMES: Of course.
129. MUSIC: [3] (BRIDGE) NEUTRAL SCENE ENDER — LET IT FINISH.

ACT 2

SCENE 4: EXT. — HIGHGATE CEMETERY — NIGHT (MARTHA, YOUNG HOLMES, WOMAN, LESTRADE, CONSTABLE)

130. SOUND: [9] (WALLA) WIND THROUGH TREES. OCCASIONAL HOOT OF AN OWL — ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
131. MARTHA: Well, Mr ’olmes. We’re ’ere. Look at them posters on the wall. ’ave you ever seen so many?
132. YOUNG HOLMES: No, I can’t say that I have. In fact this is the single greatest number of missing persons posters I’ve ever seen at one time. Put up by family members and friends by the look. Older people… children… teens… even strong young men. All missing in the last few weeks. Whatever has been happening here has not been small in scale.
133. WOMAN: (AT A DISTANCE SCREAMS) Aahhhhh!
134. YOUNG HOLMES: Quick, Miss Hudson, I believe the scream came from around that corner.
135. SOUND: [21] RUNNING FEET — LET IT FINISH.
136. MARTHA: Mr ’olmes. Wait. It looks like the attacker ’as been run off by that policeman. It’s Inspector Lestrade, isn’t it?
137. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes, let’s get a little closer and see if we can discover what they are saying. Best to keep to these shadows I think.
138. WOMAN: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Oh, thank goodness you came along Inspector. ’e came out of nowhere, ’e did. Just lunged at me, ’n tried to drag me into the cemetery.
139. LESTRADE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) And why were you on the street this late, Madame?
140. WOMAN: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Now don’t you go lookin’ at me like that. I’m a respectable girl I am… an’ it’s miss. Just finished me shift at the weavers an’ I’m goin’ home.
141. LESTRADE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Of course. Can you describe your attacker?
142. WOMAN: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Course I can. Seen ’im large as life I did. ’e’s about your ’eight. Wears the clothes of a young gentleman ’e does. Carryin’ a cane with a silver ’andle. ’e ’ad a red cravat an’ a brown striped waistcoat. ’e was also wearin’ a large brown coat.
143. MARTHA: You want to be careful, Mr ’olmes. She could be describin’ you.
144. YOUNG HOLMES: Yes, I believe so. And if I’m not mistaken, Lestrade is reaching the same conclusion.
145. LESTRADE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Thank you, miss. I’m fairly sure I know ’oo the culprit is. Constable?
146. CONSTABLE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Yes, sir?
147. LESTRADE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Get the men searchin’ the cemetery. ’e’s probably gone to ground now, but we knew ’e was coming over ’ere and this young lady’s described ’im to a “t.” If we miss ’im ’ere we can get ’im at ’is ’ome.
148. CONSTABLE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Who are we lookin’ for, sir?
149. LESTRADE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) Mr Sherlock ’olmes o’course.
150. YOUNG HOLMES: It appears I have been “fitted up,” as they say, Miss Hudson.
151. MARTHA: What’re you goin’ to do?
152. YOUNG HOLMES: I believe I need to drop out of sight for a while.
153. MARTHA: With the Yard after yer?
154. YOUNG HOLMES: Oh, don’t worry. This is London. People can disappear in London faster than ale into a drunkard.
155. MARTHA: Looks like you’ve only got a few moments before they start comin’ this way. What do you want me to do while your ’idin’ out?
156. YOUNG HOLMES: I’ll hardly be hiding, Miss Hudson. Being a hunted man just makes the game more exciting.
157. MARTHA: Maybe for some as don’t ’ave the good sense to get outta the rain when a storm’s comin’.
158. YOUNG HOLMES: Never you mind worrying about me. Tomorrow I want you to come back and explore this cemetery. See if you can count how many freshly turned plots there are. I’ll contact you soon.
159. MARTHA: Freshly turned plots? You do like bein’ mysterious, don’t you? But you’d better scarper. It looks like they’re startin’ the search now.
160. SOUND: [22] FOOTSTEPS RUNNING AWAY — FADE UNDER.
161. CONSTABLE: (A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY) ’ere, someone just went ’arin’ off down the street. Get after ’im lads.
162. SOUND: [23] WHISTLES BLOWING. RUNNING FEET ETC. — FADE.
163. MUSIC: [6] (BRIDGE) ADVENTUROUS SCENE ENDER — LET IT FINISH.
164. MUSIC: [2] CLOSING THEME — LET IT FINISH.

Scarlet

• Scarlet – Episode 1 – The recently missing
• Scarlet – Episode 2 – On the run
• Scarlet – Episode 3 – The warren

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