Taggart, Series 1

Taggart:
Hello, George.

George:
[Waking up] ...Oh, Mr. Taggart. And your colleague... Oh, I forget.

Livingstone:
Detective Sergeant Livingstone.

George:
[Remembering their previous meeting at the psychiatric hospital] Varsity.

Taggart:
[Entering the room as Livingstone closes the door behind him] Well, George... what's all this about? [He sits at the desk opposite George]

George:
I've come to confess. I can't live with it any longer.

Taggart:
Live with what?

George:
The murder.

Taggart:
George, the doctor told me when you were at the hospital, you couldn't stop talking about it.

George:
Oh, I couldn't stay there. Every day they make you sit around and talk about your illnesses. Imagine everyone... talking about their illnesses. I told them I was cured, but... they wouldn't believe me.

Livingstone:
What do you want to confess to?

George:
Well, can I have a light please? [Pulls out a cigar out of his coat pocket.]

Livingstone:
[Getting a lighter out of his coat pocket] That's the one I gave you three weeks ago.

George:
I've been saving it for a special occasion. [Livingstone lights the cigar. George takes a drag and coughs] And I suppose this is a special occasion of sorts. That woman, at 16 Dalmally Road, in O'Donnell's room... I killed her.

Taggart:
How?

George:
With a knife. It was I who... cut up her body, and... hid it under the floorboards.

Livingstone:
Where did you kill her?

George:
In O'Donnell's room. She was fine when he brought her back. He went out the next morning, leaving her in bed. And I went in... [he starts sobbing] ...and I killed her!

Livingstone:
Why?

George:
Oh... why do the trees shake?

Taggart:
Usually because there's a lot of wind(!)

George:
Well, it was such a long time ago. There was a struggle, I remember there was a struggle...

Taggart:
[Interrupting] George... George! Margaret Balfour was either dead or heavily injured before she was brought back to Dalmally Road.

George:
Was she? I saw no signs. ...You don't believe me.

Taggart:
[Shakes his head] No.

George:
You couldn't just lock me up for one night? I could do with a bite to eat. I'm starving.

Livingstone:
Why don't you go back to where you were?

George:
And hear them all talk about their illnesses? I don't want to go back to hospital. I'm not ill, you see?

Taggart:
George... [Writing something down on a piece of paper] Why don't you go to Jo Peebles'?

George:
[Somewhat shocked at hearing that name] Ms. Peebles!?

Taggart:
[Tears the paper off the pad and places it firmly in front of George] There's the address. I'm sure you'll find her very charitable. [Opens the door and beckons George to leave and not waste any more of his time.]

George:
[As he leaves the interview room] Oh, I wish I could get back to Ethiopia. I've got friends there. Thank you. [He finally leaves.]

Livingstone:
[As George makes his way up the steps to the exit] He needs a psychiatrist.

Taggart:
He needs a bed. Besides, psychiatrists haven't done him much good up to date.

Livingstone:
A few days ago, you were running around like mad trying to find him!

Taggart:
Aye, that was a few days ago. I don't believe he has any idea what went on in Dalmally Road. But, see where he's going - he'll stir up a few unpleasant memories there!