In this gripping episode, we delve into the mysterious and chilling events surrounding Merry Lake Holiday Resort. Once a bustling destination, the resort's popularity plummeted after a series of tragic accidents claimed the lives of several divers. As the story unfolds, we learn about the sinister secrets lurking beneath the lake's surface, including the discovery of a human head and the involvement of a crippled diver manipulated by a nefarious businessman. The investigation takes a dark turn as our protagonist, Cannon, bravely confronts the dangers of the deep, determined to uncover the truth behind the mysterious deaths.
As Cannon dives deeper into the mystery, he encounters unexpected threats and uncovers a web of deceit orchestrated by the villainous Alston. With courage and determination, Cannon pieces together the puzzle, revealing a tale of murder, manipulation, and a desperate quest for freedom. The episode culminates in a dramatic showdown on the lake, where justice is served in a twist of poetic justice. Join us as we explore this thrilling narrative filled with suspense, danger, and the relentless pursuit of truth.
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[00:00:02]
Unknown:
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[00:00:31] Unknown:
The paper last week. It's in again today. Some organization that claims to go anywhere and do anything. It might be worth a try. But I have to be honest with a Mac. Where are they? In the West End. The 33 Half Moon Street.
[00:01:07] Unknown:
Charles Alston and Alastair MacPhee were two businessmen who turned to profit a stretch of waste water land on the River Lee between Freezywater and Waltham Abbey just North of London. The low lying area had been dredged years before for building sand and the result an excavation that filled with water seepage from the river. The hundred feet deep man made lake was bought by the two speculators and turned into a holiday resort. They enjoyed considerable success until well, let Alastair McPhee tell you as he told me in my office.
[00:01:37] Unknown:
You see, mister Mason, there's 50 acres of water there and quite safe for boating, bathing, and fishing. It's stocked with pike and carp and has been crowded with visitors every weekend, for that was until a young fellow with his gull in an outboard skiff lost his engine over the side. It was in water too deep for ordinary diving, and so he got a skin diving friend to go down for it. The friend didn't come up again, at least not for five hours. The police had arrived by then, but before they did anything, the lad's body floated to the surface. A tragic accident. Hey. That's what everyone thought. But the outboard motor was still at the bottom. The owner offered a small reward for its recovery, and another skin diver chappy tried his luck with the same results.
Is there an undercurrent there or weeds or something? No weeds? Aye. But not enough to make it dangerous. And it's still water fed by the River Lee. There can be no undercurrent. There's nowhere for the water to flow. I take the press had a heyday over the double tragedy. Naturally. And business fell off a little, but not so that we had to worry on Julia. However, my partner here and I thought it might be as well to have the bottom of the lake at this point thoroughly investigated. I was in the cable and maintenance service in the war and I knew an experienced diver who was working for himself on the coast. His base was at Portsmouth, so I gave him a ring. And on a skin dive? No. No. Deep water equipment. And I asked him to bring his diving suit, winch, and air pump. I knew I could rig it from a dinghy and operate it for him. I worked on the winches in the navy, you see. Well, he arrived, and we began diving operations three days afterwards.
He was linked to the dinghy by line, air hose, and phone. His instructions were to report everything he found straight back to the boat. The day was perfect for him. Him. Well, let's get you screwed down, Willie. Test for air. It's fine. Try the clock back phone. +1, 23.
[00:03:35] Unknown:
Receiving your clear, Mac.
[00:03:37] Unknown:
Check the line for fouling. Line coiled and checked. You're all set to go. All set. Give it a hand over the gunner. Alright.
[00:03:46] Unknown:
Give me a fathom count, Mac. Here I go.
[00:03:55] Unknown:
Here's the mark. 1234. How much visibility do you like? Clear as a bell.
[00:04:02] Unknown:
Yeah. I I'll redeem the headlight with this right. Hey. What's the mark?
[00:04:06] Unknown:
18
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and 19. I'm on the bottom.
[00:04:10] Unknown:
Check the line. Line check. How's the air hose? Perfect. 115 feet. Give me a check on the bottom, Willie.
[00:04:18] Unknown:
Airman of weed. Light silk with a hard undercrust.
[00:04:23] Unknown:
I'm walking north. Keep your eyes peeled for the outboard motor. Yeah. I am.
[00:04:28] Unknown:
Ground undulates badly. I have to climb up the sides just here. That's the dredgers, Willy. Get away of your stock. No. No. No. No. No. Go away. No. What is it, Willy? What is it? The bottles.
[00:05:01] Unknown:
We were too late, mister Mason. When we got him aboard, he was dead. What was it, cut the line? We don't know, but cut it was clean as a whistle. Well, there must have been an investigation, surely. Yeah. There was. Death by misadventure was the verdict. You see, the dredges dug down to shale and slate, some of it sharp as a knife. To the inquest, they didn't seem any other explanation. As he was climbing over the trenches, they said his line must have fouled on an out jutting piece of slate, and that was that. You don't agree. The war has been over a long time, mister Neeson, but I haven't lost my touch. His air hose was taught all the time.
[00:05:35] Unknown:
It wasn't sleep that cut that line. Did you mention his cry just before it happened?
[00:05:40] Unknown:
I must confess, I didn't. Well, if not. In the cold light of day and the sober atmosphere of the court, I just couldn't bring myself to see it. I had the feeling they'd have laughed at me. Are you sure you heard him scream? I've asked myself that a thousand times. I know he did, but even Alston here is skeptical, and I can't see I've been in. Anyway, the newspapers did the rest. Does death lurk in the deep? That was the headline, and that was the end of visitors to Merry Lake Holiday Resort. But it's an incredible story, mister McPhee.
[00:06:13] Unknown:
And you, I take it, want one of my men to dive to the bottom again to retrieve the lost outboard motor. Oh, no. That's not necessary.
[00:06:19] Unknown:
The morning following Willy's death, the outboard motor was found dumped on the shore of the lake.
[00:06:25] Unknown:
What? Well, who put it there? Well, that mister Mason
[00:06:28] Unknown:
is what we'd like you to find out.
[00:06:40] Unknown:
I didn't quite know how to put it to cannon. Like McPhee, I had a feeling he'd laugh at me. However, McPhee had offered a large sum of money if I could induce one of my men to go down there again in the presence of members of the press. I secretly resolved to do the job myself if canon dismissed the whole thing as nonsense. All I could manage as he lounged into the office was canon, have you had any any experience with monsters?
[00:07:08] Unknown:
Plenty of times, chief, but a civil tongue always pays off with that type of client. No. I mean real monsters. Denizens of the deep. What do you think I am? A kerb sitter on Skid Row? We have a client, a Scotsman, who's suffering from hallucinations.
[00:07:22] Unknown:
He's prepared to pay a high price to have his psychological fears dispelled.
[00:07:26] Unknown:
A Scotsman? Boy, that must be some hallucination he's got. There's a man made lake near Freezywater
[00:07:33] Unknown:
on the Harfordshire Road that's claimed two skin divers' lives and a third conventional diver who had his air pipe cut. Freezy water. That's, that's a long way from Loch Ness. Mister McPhee, that's the client, thinks there's dirty work in the muddy water. He wants one of us to dive there and do a double check. A double check for the fourth time. Okay. When do I dive? When can you do it? In no time like the
[00:07:56] Unknown:
present. Anyway, who wants to make a dinner appointment with a man eating monster? Okay. Screw me down, Mac. That water looks inviting.
[00:08:18] Unknown:
'Tis for air. Air okay. Try the talkback phones please, mister Cannon. One,
[00:08:25] Unknown:
two. Okay for talkback. Clear. I'll do a line following check. Line followed and checked. All set to go. Okay. Now give me a fathom, cop, and watch that airline. I never did take to drinking water. Hey, just a minute. I got something to take with me. Can you hand me that, canvas bag, Mary? Here it is. What have you got in there? Professor Pickard's patent monster cure.
[00:08:49] Unknown:
It's a compressed air rifle, an underwater gun. Now tell me there's pike in this lake.
[00:08:54] Unknown:
Unknown biker, but I'm partial to fresh fish. Okay. Over I go.
[00:09:02] Unknown:
Here's the mark. One, two, three, four. Alright there? Yeah. How's the airline? Tight. I've paid out a few hundred, mister Cannon, and never lost money yet. Oh, 200 miles. Mark? Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen. Bottom. You check the lines, sir. 112 feet. Lines checked. What can you see?
[00:09:27] Unknown:
Weed. I'm not serious. I'm walking north. The bottom's full of ditches. I gotta I gotta climb. Lines are alright. Yeah. Silt's about six inches. The ground is hard underneath. And there is a current. Small but strong enough to roll Flotsam. Runs,
[00:09:51] Unknown:
south west southwest. That's the direction of the river.
[00:09:55] Unknown:
Could be.
[00:09:56] Unknown:
Hey. What Yeah. I know you don't. What is it, Kevin? What is it? Why, you lousy
[00:10:03] Unknown:
got him. Ain't Mac. Take me up. Take me up fast. Agent, stand by, no one. Full speed. You can't get the bends at this step. Give it all you've got.
[00:10:12] Unknown:
You're a right cannon. Sure. Just keep aiming, boys. I only took one charge in the gun. What is it, Luca? He's alright. He's breaking surface.
[00:10:25] Unknown:
Bring him in board. Cut the engine. How have you out of here in a jiffy?
[00:10:35] Unknown:
There.
[00:10:48] Unknown:
Know how you can find Earth? How? Take a look at that little patch that's floated to the surface. You can collect some and have it analyzed. It's blood.
[00:10:57] Unknown:
We were accused to discuss his underwater excursion until the blood sample was collected from the surface of the water and had been analyzed. Even then, he was vague. But discuss it, we did. We had no other alternative because the blood was human blood.
[00:11:13] Unknown:
You see, chief, the lake bottom undulates all over the place. I guess it's that way on account of the dredgers scooping out the sand. They took it right to the bottom and left the understrata exposed. Now all the years, the wheat has taken root and it grows up the sides of the ditches. So you can't tell whether there's a passage through or whether you're gonna walk into a solid wall of rock behind the weed. It's a it's a great place to play underwater hide, go seek. But you knew you were being attacked. You must have seen your adversary. No. Not too clearly. There was a whole wall of weed in front of me. Like I said, you can't tell if it's solid or not. He came out of one side of the wall where there must be a passage. I only swam in time. Well, what did he look like? That's all we want to know.
[00:11:57] Unknown:
Come in. Good afternoon, gentlemen.
[00:12:01] Unknown:
Oh, hello, mister McPhee. Do come in. Have a chair. Thank you. Have you heard the report of the analyst? Yes. We know it was human blood. What can it mean? Well, that's what we're trying to determine.
[00:12:14] Unknown:
Cannon here was just relating his experience with the well, whatever it was. Yeah. That's right. What was it, mister Cannon? It was a human. You have to report. But it didn't look like a human? Neither does any kid who dresses up for Halloween. What are you trying to say, Cannon? Look, chief. I was in conventional diving gear. I only had a brief glimpse of the guy. If it was human. That was human, alright. Didn't look human, but it was. I had to get hauled in on account of I had one shot in that gun. If he'd cut my airline, I'd have wound up like your last diver. But the next time, things are gonna be different. The next time? Sure. You don't think I'm gonna leave it there, do you?
That rat tried to murder me. I don't like that. In fact, missus Cannon's favorite little boy takes positive umbrage. You mean you're going down again? Check. But this time in a skin. And I'm taking a self loading spring gun with me. It takes two people to play hide go seek, and in this game, only one wins. Well, whoever or whatever it is down there will be on guard the next time. Whoever it is has been on guard a long time ever since that first guy in his skin got drowned. He'll know the underword of Shireen better than you. Yeah. I thought it up one too. Right now he's not feeling too good. I can't say for sure where I got him, but get him I did and he lost blood. He'll be resting up for a while, I guess. So that gives me time to case that late bed. So we'll,
[00:13:35] Unknown:
we'll break even when we meet again. You've got a lot of courage. Thanks. Did you report to the chief constable, mister McPhee? No. I did. And he reacted as I thought he would. In fact, he as good as said, there was only trying to get some cheap publicity for the resort. So you'll really be on your own, Cannon. Well, that's the way I like it. If you clear up the mystery, mister Cannon, I'll add £500
[00:13:56] Unknown:
to your fee. No kidding. Well, what do you know? A game of touch for big money stakes. Better than a gambling dive.
[00:14:05] Unknown:
Cannon's Pekka was up, and that's all there was to it. He insisted on operating alone and curtly refused my offer of help. He died for three days in succession without mishap. And on the fourth day, after only an hour in the water, he packed his kit and returned to town in the office. For once, he seemed in a cheerful mood as he sauntered in, a hastily wrapped parcel under his arm.
[00:14:27] Unknown:
Hi, chief.
[00:14:29] Unknown:
Great day for swimming. Oh, you're back early. Started searching for your will o'-the wisp? I found something else. What?
[00:14:36] Unknown:
Why can't I know why that guy was so anxious that nobody went moseying around his Davy Jones locker? Well, out with it. What did you find? You better ring your friend chief inspector Bartomey and get him around here right away. Oh, for heaven's sake, Karen. Come on. You, you really wanna see? Well, of course I do. Okay. There.
[00:14:59] Unknown:
Great Scott. Well, what is it? It's a human head. Female. Oh, rub it up again. Sure.
[00:15:07] Unknown:
Where did you find that? In the weeds. It was partly covered with silt. Remember that current I told you about, the one that flowed west, southwest? Well, it got washed along by that. The heavy boots on the diving gear must have stirred up the mud and exposed it. It's my guess this guy, whoever he is, has been trying for the past few weeks to locate it. But it's ghastly. And how? But that's not all. I found a small piece of cloth from a girl's dress, I think. Yeah. Come over the window and have a good look. Alright. Now
[00:15:40] Unknown:
take a look here. You see it's, it's got a printed pattern. Yes. Yes. It is. Poplar, I'd guess. Well, that's a pretty cheap material these days. Usually came from the dead woman's clothes. I'm sure of it. Very clever, mister Cannon. What? Stay where you are. You too, mister Mason. Boston.
[00:15:57] Unknown:
What are you doing here? Well, it's, it's not a social call, not with that, Luger he's waving. Quite right, mister Cannon. Then you're always right, aren't you? No. No. I, I make mistakes like, not locking the door or like not going to the police in the first place or like missing your black heart with my spear gun. Oh, it wasn't me you shot at cannon. I'm far too long in the two stick of water around underwater.
[00:16:19] Unknown:
A howling. But he's well out of the way now. Does McPhee know about this? Certainly not. McPhee is a man of impeccable character. Then so am I. Sometimes circumstances force us to unpleasant actions. Like, the brutal murder of an innocent groom? Well, she wasn't so innocent. That's by the way. I'll take the piece of cloth, if you don't mind, and the parcel. Now you'll accompany me to my car. Drop dead. On the contrary, it's you all drop dead, Cannon. What is one more murder matter or two? We'd better do as he says, Cannon. That's sensible. The gun will be in my pocket and I'll shoot if you make the slightest move to escape. Where did you get past miss Fairweather? With the aid of a little chloroform.
She'll suffer nothing more than a headache when she recovers. And she didn't see who an assailant was. Sorry. Oh, you're mad. My car's outside now. Off you go.
[00:17:12] Unknown:
Where do we go to?
[00:17:14] Unknown:
My car. And when? They say a murderer always revisits the scene of his crime. Let's put the theory into practice, shall we? Let me enlighten you on a few of shings. See? A peephole in the boat house through to the South Bank of the lake. I had a man sitting here, a crippled man bent and walked so the movement was painful. A helpless man chained to my will through an unfortunate accident many years ago. His instructions were simple. When people arrived on the South Bank, he would don his skin diving suit and take to the water. Just a skin diving suit, but painted in garish colors, frightening colors like a Montezuma Warrior engaging battle with Hermann Cotyen.
You're insane, Austin. As mad as a hatter. Don't you think so? Insane or not? My plan worked admirably to waylay the curious underwater and eliminate them by the simple process of drowning. Neat. And the resultant fear in the minds of the stupid public kept the lake clear of the curious until I'd found what I'd lost. Except that Cannon found it for you. Yes. He did. Now the two skin suits from our dear departed friends are in that corner over there. You'll kindly put them both on.
[00:18:35] Unknown:
How come a cripple could swim like that, Austin? He was energetic. Wasn't he? Fast as a snake. Not like a cripple. He suffered from the bends,
[00:18:45] Unknown:
an accident many years ago when he practiced as a professional diver. That doesn't answer the question, Alston. Doesn't it? Then I'll explain. If a man's diving at great depth, his body undergoes an enormous pressure change. When he's brought to the surface, he must be taken up slowly so that the change in pressure is gradual. If he comes up too fast, the poor fellow gets bubbles of nitrogen in his blood. He's then a cripple.
[00:19:11] Unknown:
However, if he returns to the same depth, his symptoms disappear, and he's quite normal again. Yeah. That's, that's right enough, chief. As long as the man with the Benz stays underwater at pressure, he's normal.
[00:19:22] Unknown:
The bubbles return when he comes to the surface. Can you imagine how a hopeless cripple would feel knowing that for a few hours he could feel normal and move without restraint? I never need worry about my diver. He'll always do what I say or remain a miserable cripple. You see, I have the diving suit. You're a fiend. Yes. I am. Well, now that you're both dressed in skins, we'll go to the boat. What are you going to do? You'll see. Outside and into the boat. This will do I think pleasant on the lake in the late afternoon isn't it there's no point in looking around mason The Merry Lake pleasure resort is far from merry these days. Nobody comes here. Nobody at all.
It's incredible how superstitious the public can be. Who was the girl, Orson? Oh, a local working class girl of no consequence. She, she died. I was forced to hide her away. Where did you dispose of the body? Here, no. What you found, Cannon, was lost by accident. I had my man diving for two weeks searching before that idiot boy dropped his outboard motor right in the area where the search was being conducted. You won't get away with this, you know. Oh, but I will. It's well known that Cannon's been diving every day. You, Mason, you told MacPhee that you'd like to dive yourself. Two more tragedies will be added to the mystery of Merry Lake, and no one will ever be the wiser.
You see, I don't mind how much they investigate the lake bottom now. I found what I wanted. Well, the the triple he'll took. Never. He's only a danger to me under the water. And I never go into the water. In fact, I can't even swim. He can still talk on the surface. Yes, but he won't. It's the effort. And any great effort on his part is a strain on the heart. Because he's not young anymore. Now enough talk. I'll be back in the city by 07:00. I'm delivering a lecture to the Ichthyological Society. You ever seen one of these before? Yeah. What is it?
[00:21:48] Unknown:
It's a dart gun, land type. We use them to dope animals and inject serum to the lions at the zoo. That's right, Cannon.
[00:21:55] Unknown:
A poison dart, but a poison that'll only put you to sleep. The water will do the rest when I drop your bodies overboard.
[00:22:04] Unknown:
You've, you've got it all figured out, haven't you, Orson?
[00:22:08] Unknown:
Well, gentlemen, this is oh,
[00:22:18] Unknown:
What happened, Cameron? The Cripple.
[00:22:21] Unknown:
He's got a horse. Come on. Swim back to the box.
[00:22:28] Unknown:
Where where is he coming?
[00:22:31] Unknown:
He's somewhere in the dig, chief.
[00:22:33] Unknown:
He won't let go of horse. Poetic justice. Yeah.
[00:22:38] Unknown:
That effort must have cost the cripple every reserve of stamina he had. But I guess I'd say neither of them will surface a lion. What a devil. Yeah. What a devil. But maybe it's his well, chief. At least he's free at last.
[00:23:02] Unknown:
Both bodies were washed ashore the following day. The murder of the unfortunate girl made headlines throughout the country, but no connection was made between the cripple and the insane Alston. We informed McPhee as to what had happened, but as he rightly said, what's the point of telling about the inquest?
[00:23:20] Unknown:
They laugh at you.
[00:23:22] Unknown:
The last I heard of McPhee, he was prospecting for oil in the Sahara Desert. It seemed he couldn't get far enough away from water.
What you're hearing is Hardie fiber cement siding living up to its reputation as the siding that handles hail impact with ease. James Hardie knows how important a reputation is, especially when you're a contractor. That's why Hardie's siding withstands severe weather better than vinyl siding, with styles to match its strength, so you can be sure you're providing your clients with the best. Protect your reputation with exterior products by James Hardie.
[00:00:31] Unknown:
The paper last week. It's in again today. Some organization that claims to go anywhere and do anything. It might be worth a try. But I have to be honest with a Mac. Where are they? In the West End. The 33 Half Moon Street.
[00:01:07] Unknown:
Charles Alston and Alastair MacPhee were two businessmen who turned to profit a stretch of waste water land on the River Lee between Freezywater and Waltham Abbey just North of London. The low lying area had been dredged years before for building sand and the result an excavation that filled with water seepage from the river. The hundred feet deep man made lake was bought by the two speculators and turned into a holiday resort. They enjoyed considerable success until well, let Alastair McPhee tell you as he told me in my office.
[00:01:37] Unknown:
You see, mister Mason, there's 50 acres of water there and quite safe for boating, bathing, and fishing. It's stocked with pike and carp and has been crowded with visitors every weekend, for that was until a young fellow with his gull in an outboard skiff lost his engine over the side. It was in water too deep for ordinary diving, and so he got a skin diving friend to go down for it. The friend didn't come up again, at least not for five hours. The police had arrived by then, but before they did anything, the lad's body floated to the surface. A tragic accident. Hey. That's what everyone thought. But the outboard motor was still at the bottom. The owner offered a small reward for its recovery, and another skin diver chappy tried his luck with the same results.
Is there an undercurrent there or weeds or something? No weeds? Aye. But not enough to make it dangerous. And it's still water fed by the River Lee. There can be no undercurrent. There's nowhere for the water to flow. I take the press had a heyday over the double tragedy. Naturally. And business fell off a little, but not so that we had to worry on Julia. However, my partner here and I thought it might be as well to have the bottom of the lake at this point thoroughly investigated. I was in the cable and maintenance service in the war and I knew an experienced diver who was working for himself on the coast. His base was at Portsmouth, so I gave him a ring. And on a skin dive? No. No. Deep water equipment. And I asked him to bring his diving suit, winch, and air pump. I knew I could rig it from a dinghy and operate it for him. I worked on the winches in the navy, you see. Well, he arrived, and we began diving operations three days afterwards.
He was linked to the dinghy by line, air hose, and phone. His instructions were to report everything he found straight back to the boat. The day was perfect for him. Him. Well, let's get you screwed down, Willie. Test for air. It's fine. Try the clock back phone. +1, 23.
[00:03:35] Unknown:
Receiving your clear, Mac.
[00:03:37] Unknown:
Check the line for fouling. Line coiled and checked. You're all set to go. All set. Give it a hand over the gunner. Alright.
[00:03:46] Unknown:
Give me a fathom count, Mac. Here I go.
[00:03:55] Unknown:
Here's the mark. 1234. How much visibility do you like? Clear as a bell.
[00:04:02] Unknown:
Yeah. I I'll redeem the headlight with this right. Hey. What's the mark?
[00:04:06] Unknown:
18
[00:04:08] Unknown:
and 19. I'm on the bottom.
[00:04:10] Unknown:
Check the line. Line check. How's the air hose? Perfect. 115 feet. Give me a check on the bottom, Willie.
[00:04:18] Unknown:
Airman of weed. Light silk with a hard undercrust.
[00:04:23] Unknown:
I'm walking north. Keep your eyes peeled for the outboard motor. Yeah. I am.
[00:04:28] Unknown:
Ground undulates badly. I have to climb up the sides just here. That's the dredgers, Willy. Get away of your stock. No. No. No. No. No. Go away. No. What is it, Willy? What is it? The bottles.
[00:05:01] Unknown:
We were too late, mister Mason. When we got him aboard, he was dead. What was it, cut the line? We don't know, but cut it was clean as a whistle. Well, there must have been an investigation, surely. Yeah. There was. Death by misadventure was the verdict. You see, the dredges dug down to shale and slate, some of it sharp as a knife. To the inquest, they didn't seem any other explanation. As he was climbing over the trenches, they said his line must have fouled on an out jutting piece of slate, and that was that. You don't agree. The war has been over a long time, mister Neeson, but I haven't lost my touch. His air hose was taught all the time.
[00:05:35] Unknown:
It wasn't sleep that cut that line. Did you mention his cry just before it happened?
[00:05:40] Unknown:
I must confess, I didn't. Well, if not. In the cold light of day and the sober atmosphere of the court, I just couldn't bring myself to see it. I had the feeling they'd have laughed at me. Are you sure you heard him scream? I've asked myself that a thousand times. I know he did, but even Alston here is skeptical, and I can't see I've been in. Anyway, the newspapers did the rest. Does death lurk in the deep? That was the headline, and that was the end of visitors to Merry Lake Holiday Resort. But it's an incredible story, mister McPhee.
[00:06:13] Unknown:
And you, I take it, want one of my men to dive to the bottom again to retrieve the lost outboard motor. Oh, no. That's not necessary.
[00:06:19] Unknown:
The morning following Willy's death, the outboard motor was found dumped on the shore of the lake.
[00:06:25] Unknown:
What? Well, who put it there? Well, that mister Mason
[00:06:28] Unknown:
is what we'd like you to find out.
[00:06:40] Unknown:
I didn't quite know how to put it to cannon. Like McPhee, I had a feeling he'd laugh at me. However, McPhee had offered a large sum of money if I could induce one of my men to go down there again in the presence of members of the press. I secretly resolved to do the job myself if canon dismissed the whole thing as nonsense. All I could manage as he lounged into the office was canon, have you had any any experience with monsters?
[00:07:08] Unknown:
Plenty of times, chief, but a civil tongue always pays off with that type of client. No. I mean real monsters. Denizens of the deep. What do you think I am? A kerb sitter on Skid Row? We have a client, a Scotsman, who's suffering from hallucinations.
[00:07:22] Unknown:
He's prepared to pay a high price to have his psychological fears dispelled.
[00:07:26] Unknown:
A Scotsman? Boy, that must be some hallucination he's got. There's a man made lake near Freezywater
[00:07:33] Unknown:
on the Harfordshire Road that's claimed two skin divers' lives and a third conventional diver who had his air pipe cut. Freezy water. That's, that's a long way from Loch Ness. Mister McPhee, that's the client, thinks there's dirty work in the muddy water. He wants one of us to dive there and do a double check. A double check for the fourth time. Okay. When do I dive? When can you do it? In no time like the
[00:07:56] Unknown:
present. Anyway, who wants to make a dinner appointment with a man eating monster? Okay. Screw me down, Mac. That water looks inviting.
[00:08:18] Unknown:
'Tis for air. Air okay. Try the talkback phones please, mister Cannon. One,
[00:08:25] Unknown:
two. Okay for talkback. Clear. I'll do a line following check. Line followed and checked. All set to go. Okay. Now give me a fathom, cop, and watch that airline. I never did take to drinking water. Hey, just a minute. I got something to take with me. Can you hand me that, canvas bag, Mary? Here it is. What have you got in there? Professor Pickard's patent monster cure.
[00:08:49] Unknown:
It's a compressed air rifle, an underwater gun. Now tell me there's pike in this lake.
[00:08:54] Unknown:
Unknown biker, but I'm partial to fresh fish. Okay. Over I go.
[00:09:02] Unknown:
Here's the mark. One, two, three, four. Alright there? Yeah. How's the airline? Tight. I've paid out a few hundred, mister Cannon, and never lost money yet. Oh, 200 miles. Mark? Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen. Bottom. You check the lines, sir. 112 feet. Lines checked. What can you see?
[00:09:27] Unknown:
Weed. I'm not serious. I'm walking north. The bottom's full of ditches. I gotta I gotta climb. Lines are alright. Yeah. Silt's about six inches. The ground is hard underneath. And there is a current. Small but strong enough to roll Flotsam. Runs,
[00:09:51] Unknown:
south west southwest. That's the direction of the river.
[00:09:55] Unknown:
Could be.
[00:09:56] Unknown:
Hey. What Yeah. I know you don't. What is it, Kevin? What is it? Why, you lousy
[00:10:03] Unknown:
got him. Ain't Mac. Take me up. Take me up fast. Agent, stand by, no one. Full speed. You can't get the bends at this step. Give it all you've got.
[00:10:12] Unknown:
You're a right cannon. Sure. Just keep aiming, boys. I only took one charge in the gun. What is it, Luca? He's alright. He's breaking surface.
[00:10:25] Unknown:
Bring him in board. Cut the engine. How have you out of here in a jiffy?
[00:10:35] Unknown:
There.
[00:10:48] Unknown:
Know how you can find Earth? How? Take a look at that little patch that's floated to the surface. You can collect some and have it analyzed. It's blood.
[00:10:57] Unknown:
We were accused to discuss his underwater excursion until the blood sample was collected from the surface of the water and had been analyzed. Even then, he was vague. But discuss it, we did. We had no other alternative because the blood was human blood.
[00:11:13] Unknown:
You see, chief, the lake bottom undulates all over the place. I guess it's that way on account of the dredgers scooping out the sand. They took it right to the bottom and left the understrata exposed. Now all the years, the wheat has taken root and it grows up the sides of the ditches. So you can't tell whether there's a passage through or whether you're gonna walk into a solid wall of rock behind the weed. It's a it's a great place to play underwater hide, go seek. But you knew you were being attacked. You must have seen your adversary. No. Not too clearly. There was a whole wall of weed in front of me. Like I said, you can't tell if it's solid or not. He came out of one side of the wall where there must be a passage. I only swam in time. Well, what did he look like? That's all we want to know.
[00:11:57] Unknown:
Come in. Good afternoon, gentlemen.
[00:12:01] Unknown:
Oh, hello, mister McPhee. Do come in. Have a chair. Thank you. Have you heard the report of the analyst? Yes. We know it was human blood. What can it mean? Well, that's what we're trying to determine.
[00:12:14] Unknown:
Cannon here was just relating his experience with the well, whatever it was. Yeah. That's right. What was it, mister Cannon? It was a human. You have to report. But it didn't look like a human? Neither does any kid who dresses up for Halloween. What are you trying to say, Cannon? Look, chief. I was in conventional diving gear. I only had a brief glimpse of the guy. If it was human. That was human, alright. Didn't look human, but it was. I had to get hauled in on account of I had one shot in that gun. If he'd cut my airline, I'd have wound up like your last diver. But the next time, things are gonna be different. The next time? Sure. You don't think I'm gonna leave it there, do you?
That rat tried to murder me. I don't like that. In fact, missus Cannon's favorite little boy takes positive umbrage. You mean you're going down again? Check. But this time in a skin. And I'm taking a self loading spring gun with me. It takes two people to play hide go seek, and in this game, only one wins. Well, whoever or whatever it is down there will be on guard the next time. Whoever it is has been on guard a long time ever since that first guy in his skin got drowned. He'll know the underword of Shireen better than you. Yeah. I thought it up one too. Right now he's not feeling too good. I can't say for sure where I got him, but get him I did and he lost blood. He'll be resting up for a while, I guess. So that gives me time to case that late bed. So we'll,
[00:13:35] Unknown:
we'll break even when we meet again. You've got a lot of courage. Thanks. Did you report to the chief constable, mister McPhee? No. I did. And he reacted as I thought he would. In fact, he as good as said, there was only trying to get some cheap publicity for the resort. So you'll really be on your own, Cannon. Well, that's the way I like it. If you clear up the mystery, mister Cannon, I'll add £500
[00:13:56] Unknown:
to your fee. No kidding. Well, what do you know? A game of touch for big money stakes. Better than a gambling dive.
[00:14:05] Unknown:
Cannon's Pekka was up, and that's all there was to it. He insisted on operating alone and curtly refused my offer of help. He died for three days in succession without mishap. And on the fourth day, after only an hour in the water, he packed his kit and returned to town in the office. For once, he seemed in a cheerful mood as he sauntered in, a hastily wrapped parcel under his arm.
[00:14:27] Unknown:
Hi, chief.
[00:14:29] Unknown:
Great day for swimming. Oh, you're back early. Started searching for your will o'-the wisp? I found something else. What?
[00:14:36] Unknown:
Why can't I know why that guy was so anxious that nobody went moseying around his Davy Jones locker? Well, out with it. What did you find? You better ring your friend chief inspector Bartomey and get him around here right away. Oh, for heaven's sake, Karen. Come on. You, you really wanna see? Well, of course I do. Okay. There.
[00:14:59] Unknown:
Great Scott. Well, what is it? It's a human head. Female. Oh, rub it up again. Sure.
[00:15:07] Unknown:
Where did you find that? In the weeds. It was partly covered with silt. Remember that current I told you about, the one that flowed west, southwest? Well, it got washed along by that. The heavy boots on the diving gear must have stirred up the mud and exposed it. It's my guess this guy, whoever he is, has been trying for the past few weeks to locate it. But it's ghastly. And how? But that's not all. I found a small piece of cloth from a girl's dress, I think. Yeah. Come over the window and have a good look. Alright. Now
[00:15:40] Unknown:
take a look here. You see it's, it's got a printed pattern. Yes. Yes. It is. Poplar, I'd guess. Well, that's a pretty cheap material these days. Usually came from the dead woman's clothes. I'm sure of it. Very clever, mister Cannon. What? Stay where you are. You too, mister Mason. Boston.
[00:15:57] Unknown:
What are you doing here? Well, it's, it's not a social call, not with that, Luger he's waving. Quite right, mister Cannon. Then you're always right, aren't you? No. No. I, I make mistakes like, not locking the door or like not going to the police in the first place or like missing your black heart with my spear gun. Oh, it wasn't me you shot at cannon. I'm far too long in the two stick of water around underwater.
[00:16:19] Unknown:
A howling. But he's well out of the way now. Does McPhee know about this? Certainly not. McPhee is a man of impeccable character. Then so am I. Sometimes circumstances force us to unpleasant actions. Like, the brutal murder of an innocent groom? Well, she wasn't so innocent. That's by the way. I'll take the piece of cloth, if you don't mind, and the parcel. Now you'll accompany me to my car. Drop dead. On the contrary, it's you all drop dead, Cannon. What is one more murder matter or two? We'd better do as he says, Cannon. That's sensible. The gun will be in my pocket and I'll shoot if you make the slightest move to escape. Where did you get past miss Fairweather? With the aid of a little chloroform.
She'll suffer nothing more than a headache when she recovers. And she didn't see who an assailant was. Sorry. Oh, you're mad. My car's outside now. Off you go.
[00:17:12] Unknown:
Where do we go to?
[00:17:14] Unknown:
My car. And when? They say a murderer always revisits the scene of his crime. Let's put the theory into practice, shall we? Let me enlighten you on a few of shings. See? A peephole in the boat house through to the South Bank of the lake. I had a man sitting here, a crippled man bent and walked so the movement was painful. A helpless man chained to my will through an unfortunate accident many years ago. His instructions were simple. When people arrived on the South Bank, he would don his skin diving suit and take to the water. Just a skin diving suit, but painted in garish colors, frightening colors like a Montezuma Warrior engaging battle with Hermann Cotyen.
You're insane, Austin. As mad as a hatter. Don't you think so? Insane or not? My plan worked admirably to waylay the curious underwater and eliminate them by the simple process of drowning. Neat. And the resultant fear in the minds of the stupid public kept the lake clear of the curious until I'd found what I'd lost. Except that Cannon found it for you. Yes. He did. Now the two skin suits from our dear departed friends are in that corner over there. You'll kindly put them both on.
[00:18:35] Unknown:
How come a cripple could swim like that, Austin? He was energetic. Wasn't he? Fast as a snake. Not like a cripple. He suffered from the bends,
[00:18:45] Unknown:
an accident many years ago when he practiced as a professional diver. That doesn't answer the question, Alston. Doesn't it? Then I'll explain. If a man's diving at great depth, his body undergoes an enormous pressure change. When he's brought to the surface, he must be taken up slowly so that the change in pressure is gradual. If he comes up too fast, the poor fellow gets bubbles of nitrogen in his blood. He's then a cripple.
[00:19:11] Unknown:
However, if he returns to the same depth, his symptoms disappear, and he's quite normal again. Yeah. That's, that's right enough, chief. As long as the man with the Benz stays underwater at pressure, he's normal.
[00:19:22] Unknown:
The bubbles return when he comes to the surface. Can you imagine how a hopeless cripple would feel knowing that for a few hours he could feel normal and move without restraint? I never need worry about my diver. He'll always do what I say or remain a miserable cripple. You see, I have the diving suit. You're a fiend. Yes. I am. Well, now that you're both dressed in skins, we'll go to the boat. What are you going to do? You'll see. Outside and into the boat. This will do I think pleasant on the lake in the late afternoon isn't it there's no point in looking around mason The Merry Lake pleasure resort is far from merry these days. Nobody comes here. Nobody at all.
It's incredible how superstitious the public can be. Who was the girl, Orson? Oh, a local working class girl of no consequence. She, she died. I was forced to hide her away. Where did you dispose of the body? Here, no. What you found, Cannon, was lost by accident. I had my man diving for two weeks searching before that idiot boy dropped his outboard motor right in the area where the search was being conducted. You won't get away with this, you know. Oh, but I will. It's well known that Cannon's been diving every day. You, Mason, you told MacPhee that you'd like to dive yourself. Two more tragedies will be added to the mystery of Merry Lake, and no one will ever be the wiser.
You see, I don't mind how much they investigate the lake bottom now. I found what I wanted. Well, the the triple he'll took. Never. He's only a danger to me under the water. And I never go into the water. In fact, I can't even swim. He can still talk on the surface. Yes, but he won't. It's the effort. And any great effort on his part is a strain on the heart. Because he's not young anymore. Now enough talk. I'll be back in the city by 07:00. I'm delivering a lecture to the Ichthyological Society. You ever seen one of these before? Yeah. What is it?
[00:21:48] Unknown:
It's a dart gun, land type. We use them to dope animals and inject serum to the lions at the zoo. That's right, Cannon.
[00:21:55] Unknown:
A poison dart, but a poison that'll only put you to sleep. The water will do the rest when I drop your bodies overboard.
[00:22:04] Unknown:
You've, you've got it all figured out, haven't you, Orson?
[00:22:08] Unknown:
Well, gentlemen, this is oh,
[00:22:18] Unknown:
What happened, Cameron? The Cripple.
[00:22:21] Unknown:
He's got a horse. Come on. Swim back to the box.
[00:22:28] Unknown:
Where where is he coming?
[00:22:31] Unknown:
He's somewhere in the dig, chief.
[00:22:33] Unknown:
He won't let go of horse. Poetic justice. Yeah.
[00:22:38] Unknown:
That effort must have cost the cripple every reserve of stamina he had. But I guess I'd say neither of them will surface a lion. What a devil. Yeah. What a devil. But maybe it's his well, chief. At least he's free at last.
[00:23:02] Unknown:
Both bodies were washed ashore the following day. The murder of the unfortunate girl made headlines throughout the country, but no connection was made between the cripple and the insane Alston. We informed McPhee as to what had happened, but as he rightly said, what's the point of telling about the inquest?
[00:23:20] Unknown:
They laugh at you.
[00:23:22] Unknown:
The last I heard of McPhee, he was prospecting for oil in the Sahara Desert. It seemed he couldn't get far enough away from water.
