Taggart, George and others in “Unfinished Business”

Hello, George.

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

Detective Sergeant Livingstone.

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

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

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

Live with what?

The murder.

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

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.

What do you want to confess to?

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

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

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.

How?

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

Where did you kill her?

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!

Why?

Oh... why do the trees shake?

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

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

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

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

[Shakes his head] No.

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

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

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

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

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

[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.]

[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.]

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

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

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

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!