Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre

Father Gilbert: Last time, on Focus on the Family Radio Theatre's presentation of Father Gilbert, Dead Air.

Henry Ross: Give me the phone. Who is this?

Frank Ploucier: Oh, you want Father Gilbert.

Father Gilbert: Me? Who is it?

Henry Ross: It's our mystery man.

Frank Ploucier: I'm giving you a second chance. Isn't that what your faith is all about? Second chances?

Father Gilbert: He said his name was Legion, a group of demons.

Henry Ross: He was lying to us, wasn't he?

Murphy: Well, there was a gentleman's club over near Whitehall, posh. All the bigwigs went. It was called The Legion.

Father Gilbert: It's Richard Magnuson. Ah, there's another cassette tape too, from our friend.

Henry Ross: I'm afraid it probably is. Because of mature themes and situations, we don't recommend this program for children under the age of 15.

Henry Ross: I don't believe the arrogance of that man. I almost wish his daughter would wind up like Patricia Atkins just so he'll know what he's done.

Father Gilbert: Don't say that. Don't even think it. I wouldn't put onto that girl the sins of her father, no matter how rotten he is.

Henry Ross: I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Ross?

Dr. Simpson: Dr. Simpson. Come in.

Henry Ross: Father Gilbert, I'm glad you're still here.

Father Gilbert: Oh?

Dr. Simpson: I finished the autopsy on Carl Higgins. I thought you'd like to know that you were right. He didn't kill himself. There was a small needle mark on Higgins' neck along with traces of potassium chloride. It's the kind of thing that wouldn't normally have been noticed in an autopsy, particularly if it seemed like an obvious suicide. But there it was: potassium chloride.

Father Gilbert: So you say it would have been missed if suicide was a foregone conclusion?

Dr. Simpson: That's right. You generally don't look for those kinds of things when the evidence points to suicide.

Father Gilbert: Which is what happened with Patricia Atkins. An assumed suicide that may have been murder. Dr. Simpson, who would know about such a drug? Not your average person, surely.

Dr. Simpson: No. Only someone who'd studied drugs or medicine.

Father Gilbert: A doctor, for example.

Dr. Simpson: Certainly. Our Dr. Ploucier.

Henry Ross: Right. That's it. I want every scrap of information we can find on the man, alive or dead. Ross? Yes, he's right here. Louis? It's him. It's our caller. Stall him. We'll get that trace this time. McKenzie!

Father Gilbert: This is Father Gilbert.

Frank Ploucier: You're a step behind.

Father Gilbert: Yes, and you're getting obvious. Tell me something. Did you really think no one would catch on that the word Ploucier is French for group or legion?

Frank Ploucier: I didn't care whether anyone caught on or not. But now that you mention it, no one did.

Father Gilbert: Look, if you have the girl, let her go. She has nothing to do with us.

Frank Ploucier: Us, Father Gilbert? Are we an item now? The girl has everything to do with us.

Father Gilbert: Well, then why take it out on her?

Frank Ploucier: Why not? Do you really expect us to be chivalrous? She is one of the many tragic consequences of her father's decisions.

Father Gilbert: You could be merciful if you wanted to be.

Frank Ploucier: Mercy is not consistent with our nature of evil. It is one of the reasons why evil will prevail over good. Evil doesn't care. There is no sensible order, no humanity, no mercy or grace, no reason.

If we ever show those attributes, it is only to deceive or as a means to an end. And so evil will always have the edge over good because good is constrained by its very existence. It is disgusting in its orderly nature. Evil is free. Evil races ahead. And your time is running out.

Father Gilbert: Oh, dear. The man you think killed Carl Higgins and Patricia Atkins and heaven knows how many others. Well, Henry, I've chatted for as long as I could. Did you get the trace?

Henry Ross: Yes.

Father Gilbert: And?

Henry Ross: The call came from this office.

Father Gilbert: What?

Henry Ross: We traced the number and the location, and according to the computer, he phoned from this very office.

Father Gilbert: But we were here the entire time. That's impossible.

DI Blain: Well, well. Look who finally came for a chat. I thought you'd come around sooner or later.

Henry Ross: Not that I had any choice. All our attempts to find out about Dr. Frank Ploucier have been blocked by your department. You've got all the files, all the information. Now, would you mind sharing with the rest of the class?

DI Blain: Why?

Henry Ross: Because we think he may be a murderer. And he may have Sandra Magnuson.

DI Blain: So now you're willing to cooperate.

Father Gilbert: Cooperate? What have I been doing for the past few days? Look, what kind of game are you playing anyway? A girl's life may be at stake.

DI Blain: More than one girl's life is at stake, Father Gilbert. I've been investigating this case for a very, very long time. You can multiply your Patricia Atkins by ten, maybe twenty.

Henry Ross: All right, Detective. Rather than bicker, why don't we go through what you know and then we'll add what we've figured out?

DI Blain: Okay. For starters, what's your interest in Dr. Ploucier? I mean, why is the Anti-Corruption Squad investigating him?

Our squad not only seeks to identify those on the police force who may be on the take, but those outside of the force who are trying to influence our officers. I believe Ploucier was the one who had bribed so many officers back when you were with the Yard. Those he couldn't bribe, he blackmailed through his Legion club. He's the center of everything I've learned. That's why I have all his files.

Father Gilbert: Well, tell us about him.

DI Blain: For one thing, he wasn't really a doctor, but he practiced anyway, and then he got caught.

Henry Ross: Was he convicted?

DI Blain: No. The case was mysteriously dropped. Then later he was picked up for petty crimes, embezzling, forgery, you name it. But again, most of the charges were dropped from lack of sufficient evidence.

Then he seemed to disappear for a few years, at least as far as the law was concerned. Not even a parking ticket. Not surprisingly, this period of good behavior coincided with the rise of the Legion club. He made a small fortune and invested heavily into the various clubs in Soho.

Father Gilbert: And that's the connection.

DI Blain: Connection?

Father Gilbert: Well, why Patricia went from the Legion to the Soho club. Ploucier probably arranged it or forced her to do it.

DI Blain: You're catching on. I believe Ploucier was the "he" that Patricia mentioned to you.

Father Gilbert: And not Magnuson?

DI Blain: Magnuson may have introduced Patricia into that life, but it was Ploucier who controlled what went on after that.

Father Gilbert: Until he fell out of favor, according to Magnuson.

DI Blain: That's right. The death of Patricia Atkins scared everyone off. Oh, not that they cared about her dying, of course, but they were afraid of the possible scandal. Anyway, Ploucier was found dead shortly after the Atkins case.

Father Gilbert: Let me guess. Suicide.

DI Blain: So they said. According to the coroner's report, he had cut his wrists with Wilkinson blades.

Henry Ross: But if he's dead, then what are we talking about?

DI Blain: Frankly, I don't believe it was Ploucier they found.

Father Gilbert: Who identified the body?

DI Blain: Your friend, Carl Higgins.

Father Gilbert: So you're saying that Ploucier faked his death and Higgins was in on it?

DI Blain: Yes, and I think this reappearance of Ploucier might prove my case.

Father Gilbert: So where is the body now? Couldn't we use DNA to find out who the victim really was?

DI Blain: Conveniently cremated. The doctor's last wishes and all that.

Father Gilbert: So either Dr. Ploucier is still alive or someone is using his style. Either way, we have to find this person and Sandra Magnuson.

DI Blain: DI Blain. All right. I'll tell them. It's Murphy in the lab. Says he has something important to play for you.

Father Gilbert: All right. Right. Henry?

Henry Ross: You go ahead, Louis. I'm going to check our security tapes.

Father Gilbert: If you say so.

DI Blain: Security tapes?

Henry Ross: This Ploucier character is playing games with us. It's possible he somehow rewired or repatched into my telephone to call us. If he did, then he had to enter the building. And if he entered the building, then we'll have him on tape. Can I borrow your photo of Ploucier to use as a comparison?

DI Blain: Of course. But you still haven't told me everything you know about this case.

Henry Ross: Why don't you walk with me and I'll fill you in?

Murphy: Ah, come in, Father Gilbert. I think I've solved part of the mystery.

Father Gilbert: Which part?

Murphy: Well, the spooky part, all that demonic-sounding dialogue we heard on the second cassette tape.

Father Gilbert: And what did you find?

Murphy: That. Listen.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) What should we do with the girl? We can do whatever we want. She's ours. Yes, she's ours, but her time is running out. Do you understand, Father?

Murphy: But wait. Listen. There's a pause, a dramatic pause, and then…

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Yes, I understand completely. And it's some of the worst dialogue I've heard in ages. Oh, you boys need to go back to the drawing board and start again. You need to be fresh, original. Nobody listens to murder mysteries on the radio anymore anyway. Oh, Dad!

Father Gilbert: What was that?

Murphy: A radio play. The tape fades out for a long stretch of time, and then at the end, you can hear the credits. And then at the beginning of the other side, you can hear the cue tones.

Father Gilbert: Cue tones?

Murphy: Well, some radio producers and stations, when they put their programs onto cassette or reel-to-reel, put three or four tones at the beginning of the tape so the engineer can cue it up to be played on the air. This tape has those tones very faintly on the other side.

Father Gilbert: And what does it mean?

Murphy: Well, radio stations often throw their tapes into recycle bins, meaning that they're bulk erased and used over and over again. I think this one wasn't erased very well and then used by our culprit.

Father Gilbert: So this tape came from a radio station and our suspect got it from there?

Murphy: Meaning that he probably works for the station. But which station? Now, this is where I got especially clever. Well, I searched for any radio dramas that might involve a father and two sons, which took a while because the computer searched back a couple of years. But eventually, I found a drama called Family Trials in which two sons try to write a murder mystery and wind up on trial for a crime they didn't commit.

Father Gilbert: How charming. So who aired it?

Murphy: Citywide Radio.

Father Gilbert: The station where I did my interview.

Murphy: That's the one.

Father Gilbert: Right.

Barry: Father Gilbert, I was wondering how long it would take you to come back. And who's your friend?

Henry Ross: Detective Inspector Ross.

Barry: The police? Oh, now you didn't have to go to extremes for a little hoax.

Father Gilbert: Hoax? What hoax?

Barry: Oh, now I'm embarrassed. You're here about the call, right? The mystery man who spoke to you when you were on my show?

Father Gilbert: Yes.

Barry: It was something I conjured up to stimulate our discussion. You know, draw people in.

Father Gilbert: I'm confused. You're saying the man who phoned in was part of a setup?

Barry: Well, yes. I mean, that's why the call came in on the studio line. Of course, I never expected you to take it so seriously, tracing the call and all that.

Henry Ross: Mr. Barry, I don't think you know what you're dealing with here.

Barry: What?

Henry Ross: Who was the caller?

Barry: Dr. Buvier. He does our five-minute health commentaries.

Father Gilbert: Another doctor, or the same one.

Barry: Look, if there's anything illegal going on, I don't know about it. It was Dr. Buvier's idea to have you on the show and he was the one who suggested calling in. Apparently, he used to follow different types of police cases, a hobby, including the one that you last worked on. The Atkins girl, he knew all about it. So we thought it would be fun for him to call in and…

Henry Ross: Fun? Don't you realize this man may be a kidnapper and almost certainly a murderer?

Barry: Buvier?

Henry Ross: Look at this photo. Is that him?

Barry: It's awfully blurry.

Henry Ross: It was taken by Scotland Yard security cameras. Look closely. Is it Buvier or not?

Barry: Well, it looks like him, yes.

Henry Ross: Well, where is he now?

Barry: I don't know. He didn't come in to do his show today. We nearly had five minutes of dead air.

Henry Ross: I'd like to give you some dead air.

Barry: It was a joke, honestly. I was certain that most of our listeners would recognize his voice. I mean, he changed it a little, but not that much.

Henry Ross: Do you know where he lives?

Barry: No.

Henry Ross: I'll go and get an address from their personnel files. It's possible he has Sandra Magnuson at his home.

Barry: This is amazing and exciting. I'd love to mention this on my show tomorrow.

Father Gilbert: Well, maybe you can, if you're not in jail by then.

Henry Ross: On the count of three. One, two, three! Dr. Buvier! This is Detective Inspector Henry Ross with the police. Any sign of him? Is he here?

Guest (Male): No one on this floor!

Henry Ross: Ross! Blain! Up here! In here. It's the girl. She's over side. Everyone, clear some room. Is she all right?

DI Blain: Yes. Get an ambulance. Are you lie still, Sandra? It's all right. It's all right, Sandra. We've got you. Thank God. We've got you.

Henry Ross: You won't get away this time. Not only is he a kidnapper, but a cop killer. They'll turn this country upside down and shake him out. How's the girl, Father Gilbert?

Father Gilbert: Oh, physically she's in pretty good shape, but emotionally she's a mess.

Henry Ross: Did she really run away from home?

Father Gilbert: Yes.

Henry Ross: Did she say why?

Father Gilbert: She received a tip-off about her father and his various clubs. The Legion wasn't the only one he belonged to. He's been involved in a whole string of them. And worse, she looked on Magnuson's computer at home and she found an entire disk drive of pornography. And she refuses to talk to him.

Henry Ross: I don't blame her. So who tipped her off? Or should I guess?

Father Gilbert: She didn't say, but I'm sure it was Buvier or Ploucier or whatever his real name is.

Henry Ross: What was his game? Why did he do all this?

DI Blain: Revenge against Magnuson. As I understand it, Magnuson was the one who led the move to close down the Legion. Maybe Ploucier never forgave him.

Father Gilbert: No, there's more to it than that.

DI Blain: What makes you so sure?

Father Gilbert: I don't know, but everything he did was directed at me. It was his idea to have me on the radio show. Well, why drag me into it? What was he trying to prove? He could have had his revenge against Magnuson without my involvement.

Henry Ross: Well, let's ask him when we catch him.

Father Gilbert: If you catch him.

Henry Ross: Oh, we will. I haven't spent this long nor come this far to let him escape now. Why don't you go home, Louis? You look tired. There's nothing more you can do here except wait. We can get statements from you later.

Father Gilbert: Am I free to go, DI Blain?

DI Blain: Well, reluctantly, I have to admit that I can find no evidence to support the idea that you were part of any corruption.

Father Gilbert: Well, thank you for that reluctant admission.

Henry Ross: Look, I don't want you to worry about this, Louis. We will catch him.

Father Gilbert: I'm sure you'll do your best.

Mrs. Mayhew: Honestly, Father Gilbert, I don't know what you're doing here. You really should go home. I've never seen you look so poorly.

Father Gilbert: Oh, thank you, Mrs. Mayhew. I'll go home as soon as I sort through this mail.

Mrs. Mayhew: I'll put all your mail in this pile here, and the rest of it can wait for another day.

Father Gilbert: Thank you. Now, go home. I'll lock everything up.

Mrs. Mayhew: I don't want to be a pest, Father Gilbert, but all of this really can wait until tomorrow. I'm worried about you, that's all. You've been terribly pensive ever since you got off the train.

Father Gilbert: Well, I'm disturbed by everything that's happened. It's understandable, isn't it? You didn't expect me to bound off the train full of joy and happiness, did you?

Mrs. Mayhew: Don't get snippy with me, Father. I'm only saying that you should be relieved, if not happy. You helped to save not only the Magnuson girl, but you solved the case of Patricia Atkins as well.

Father Gilbert: I'm sorry, but I don't feel relieved. I can't help but think about the various lessons I received from the doctor about evil.

Mrs. Mayhew: Oh, the man is obviously off his rocker. Why listen to him?

Father Gilbert: Because he may be right. There's more to evil than I've allowed in my thinking, in my beliefs. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself if people can really be possessed?

Mrs. Mayhew: Like they are in the movies? No, of course not.

Father Gilbert: No, not like the movies. But what if Dr. Ploucier or Buvier or whatever he's called is the embodiment of a demon? What if he was an average person like you or me who opened himself up to evil and it took control of him?

Mrs. Mayhew: I'm sorry, Father Gilbert, but I'd rather not have this conversation. Men possess the power to do evil, but I do not believe evil powers can possess men. The police will catch Dr. Whoever and that'll be the end of it. Now I'll tell you once more to go home. And I'll say goodnight.

Father Gilbert: Goodnight, Mrs. Mayhew. A bath. That's what I need. A nice, long bath. Messages.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Hello, Father Gilbert. I'm glad you made it home safe and sound. I'm sorry we didn't get to have a one-to-one chat. Perhaps we can now.

Father Gilbert: Oh, no.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Now, now. There's no need to phone anyone just yet. Relax. Would you like some music? No. I think music would be too distracting. Don't run away, Father Gilbert. I want to talk to you.

Father Gilbert: All right. Let's talk. Tell me how you're doing all these tricks.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Tricks, dear Father?

Father Gilbert: Did you wire this house while I was gone?

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Now you're being silly.

Father Gilbert: You're so clever. Why don't you turn on the television so I can see your face?

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) You would make such demands of God?

Father Gilbert: You're not God!

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) You couldn't bear to see my face now. No one could.

Father Gilbert: Yes, yes. It's hideous, I'm sure. Are you demon-sporting horns these days or are they passé?

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Now you're talking beneath yourself.

Father Gilbert: Why are you here? What do you want?

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) You didn't answer the question why.

Father Gilbert: Why what?

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Why go to all this trouble?

Father Gilbert: Oh, does evil need a reason? You said it doesn't. It destroys without reason.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) You've been taking notes. Good boy. But have you asked yourself what it is we want to destroy?

Father Gilbert: Lives? Bodies? Hearts?

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Child's play.

Father Gilbert: Well, then tell me!

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) The prize, dear Father, is your soul, your faith. All that you now believe in and cherish in the deepest part of who you are.

Father Gilbert: All of this was to attack my soul?

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) It was never our intention for you to find God as a result of our doings. You were supposed to become as Higgins, a simpering drunk, or perhaps an amoral politician like Magnuson who will reap a lifetime of the seeds we've sown in his heart. But you, Detective Inspector Gilbert, were never supposed to wind up here.

Father Gilbert: I am here, by God's grace.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Don't bore me with the myth of God's grace.

Father Gilbert: It's not myth. It's real. It's more real than you are. Accept it.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Don't be so romantic. We have no place in our hearts for God's grace. If we had our way, we would squeeze the idea out of every molecule of this feeble creation. Now, let's talk.

Father Gilbert: No, I will not talk to you. I will not play your game.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) Do you believe you have a choice?

Father Gilbert: You can scare me, but you can't have me. The scriptures say, "Resist the devil and he will flee."

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) I'd much rather talk about you, Father. Let's talk about your failure to save Patricia Atkins.

Father Gilbert: Ah, I know what you're doing. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.

Frank Ploucier: (on recording) How dare you! Do you think your silly God pays after what you did? Patricia Atkins is dead because of you! And may I say how much we're enjoying her soul? You gave her to us, Gilbert! So don't pray to God! He can't hear you! He won't help you! You are unworthy! Do you hear me? Unworthy!

Father Gilbert: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Now! In the name of Jesus, I say be gone!

God have mercy.

Henry Ross: (on recording) Louis, it's Henry here. I thought you'd be pleased to know that we caught Dr. Ploucier earlier this afternoon. He's in the interrogation room right now. You wouldn't believe it. He's a broken man. He's confessing to everything, even things we didn't ask him about. He's claiming insanity, of course. Says the devil himself drove him to do it all. Anyway, I thought you'd want to hear the news. We couldn't have caught him without you. Thanks for everything.

Host: Father Gilbert, Dead Air, was written and directed by Paul McCusker. Sound design was by Bob Luttrell, with editing by Duane Harms. Music was composed by John Campbell. Our cast included Adrian Plass as Father Gilbert, June Whitfield as Mrs. Mayhew, Brian Deacon as Dr. Buvier, and Anthony Bate as Richard Magnuson. Also starring were Dan Armor, Ian Farthing, Sarah Finch, Max Digby, Paul Grunert, Andy Harrison, Michael Hockey, Julie Higginson, Lynn Robertson-Hays, Jessica Seaton, and Paul Webster. And I'm Dave Arnold, your producer and host for Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. Thanks for listening.