Something's not right.
What's this?
Black rose.
Is that not the flower you give
when someone has already died?
Or a lost love.
There you are now, Miss Nancy Vickers.
Consorting with the low sorts and the likes of that.
There's a Yank in town,
photograph collector of some sort.
You stole this when we were there?
Well it was just lying about.
Some years ago I traveled with an assistant
who subsequently committed suicide.
I saw him!
You've seen a dead person?
You're not dead, Vaudry.
I allowed him to introduce a motif
into my work, a black rose.
And you're saying someone killed him
in the cell, in Dublin Castle?
Is that what you are, detective?
Suspicious of your colleagues?
Someone's trying to cover something up.
I think you may have got my heart off current, Nancy.
What?
Can you see those?
Whoever commissioned this album
are very sick, dangerous people.
Tends to be the case with secret societies.
Henry took it.
Who do they think has it now?
Your employer sent you this, sir.
- Not too happy that we haven't found it yet. - _
Make sure it disappears.
I don't want anyone to know I've got it.
The photo album, did you tell him about that?
I told him everything.
I hope so, Uncle.
People are dying.
Jesus Christ.
I don't think we're looking at a suicide here.
No boy, we're not.
And you shit talking me down in the yard.
Look at this, escalation.
Fuck me.
This isn't a pretty picture.
No it is not.
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She came here to work.
She came here because you could
keep her trapped no longer.
You want to keep her fragile and useless,
just like Mother used to do to us.
No, brother.
I just want to protect her from herself.
The two of you are more alike than I ever could have feared.
A package, two letters, a postcard,
and a new camera brochure.
There are some nice new models listed.
Another new camera?
We can't be falling behind in trends, Mother.
- That's not it. - _
- He was drunk one Christmas. - _
Blabbering about how the camera, what was it Brock?
How the camera captures the soul,
or something silly like that.
What's the matter with you?
I...
I fear something terrible has happened.
How are you feeling since the funeral, sir?
I'm fine, Molloy.
So fine in fact that I'm confident in my abilities
to work on my own again.
Sir?
What I mean is, your trial period of employment
has come to an end.
My foot has healed sufficiently,
and I want to thank you for your work.
I'll be happy sir to continue the same hours
but half the pay.
This job means a great deal to me.
You're dismissed.
Uncle, I'm going with Carruthers now.
If Mother is as bad as she was at the funeral,
I might be gone a few days.
You should stay with your mother, Nancy.
She needs you now.
I thought you'd rather have me here.
I don't need you anymore.
Seems we've both been dismissed.
Molloy!
You really dismissed him?
It's for the best.
And me?
Thank you for your efforts, Nancy,
but I'm back to being independent now.
You spoke to Regan, you said.
This was all supposed to go away.
What were you sent that's so alarmed you
the day that Henry was found?
Why do you place a black rose in your photos?
I don't.
You did.
I didn't.
I saw them.
On that strange little wall you keep hidden in your study.
The black rose is not mine.
Who then?
Go now, Nancy.
My brother is dead, so if you think
that I won't get to the bottom of this,
then you are sorely mistaken.
I am not the same eager little girl I once was.
Neville taught me to be as cold as you are.
Don't think I won't use that.
Watch your back, Carruthers.
Everyone's getting dismissed today.
So, what you reckon?
Laying it all out now, with what we know.
Right, this Yank by the name of Whacker.
He wants to make a buck off murder photography.
He's war hardened, committed atrocities no doubt.
Comes to Europe looking to add to his collection.
Falls in with Louis Cannon and this crowd
looking for ways to make more money.
But Whacker needs a photographer to make some of his own.
One who can pose and photograph the victims.
If not butcher them outright.
The last three fellas are connected,
but the first two suicides have nothing in common.
Well nothing's come up yet.
Happenstance.
What did I say about...
Don't, wait, now, you're looking for someone
to photograph the dead.
Who won't ask questions and can keep secrets.
Someone whose business isn't what it once was.
Sometimes it's just as plain
as the nose on your face, Fred.
Blennerhasset.
And I the fool, tellin' him my theories.
Sure, of course he won't cooperate with you
if the whole bloody trail leads back to his doorstep.
I knew there was a reason why they were shuttin' me down.
See if Whacker contacts him.
Business proposition.
Lethal business, like.
But the guilt is gettin' to Blennerhasset.
His nephew's just done, it's gone too far.
The man is shook to fuck, rattled so he is.
The net is closing in, Fred.
It is, girl.
I can't keep our secret anymore.
Not if you aren't dead.
_
Good day, sir.
I'm lookin' for a photo album.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Very well, perhaps we could have some tea.
Or perhaps not.
There ya are now.
Here I am now.
How have you been?
Sad.
I'm just sad, Molloy.
Henry didn't deserve to die like that.
And I don't like being at home.
It makes me sadder.
I can only imagine, Nancy.
Is your confidence in yourself so shaken
that you're back digging graves?
I promised a better life, Nancy.
Work, food on the table.
A small bit of comfort.
I don't have the luxury of not working like you do.
I'm sorry, that was mean.
It's fine.
But why do something you hate for a better life?
Who needs that promise from you?
Me wife.
I promised her.
I bought a small plot for Siobhan when she died last year.
My goodness.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Molloy.
I don't want anyone's sympathies, Nancy.
I just wanted to do me work, you know?
Do you have to give up doing something you love?
I never said I was giving up.
I'm gonna go to Rubinstein, or the Grave Brothers,
or some other fellow gaffer.
Given up?
I mean absolute bollocks to that.
Good for you, Molloy.
Good for you.
It's not so bad.
I get to spend some time with yourself, so.
It's grand.
I'd like your advice on a matter.
Will you have a cup of tea with me?
I'd kill for a sup, Nancy.
I don't know what to do about Uncle.
Something isn't right.
I feel like I should go to Regan,
but what would I tell him?
I didn't burn that photo album.
The one you stole at the seance?
Yeah, but don't say steal.
Steal makes me nervous.
Because that's what your brother did,
from some gathering that crashed in the Wicklow mountains.
That album was never supposed to get out.
The photos in that dreadful collection.
Are they in his style?
Yeah.
They're posed, delicate,
almost as if they're alive.
Did any feature a black rose?
Yeah.
There was one in the photos Henry stole.
I lied to Regan when he asked,
but Uncle used to place them in his photographs.
They were once his signature.
You don't think your uncle could...
I don't know what to think anymore.
It's all so odd.
But something has to be done.
I don't want anyone to suffer the way Henry did.
I have the album at home.
We could take it to Regan.
No, let's take it to Uncle.
You go get it.
I'll get Regan.
And meet at your uncle's?
Let's do that.
I know who he's been workin' for,
but I don't know who he is.
And see I've been gettin' paranoid
on account of him killing folk.
So these people that he's working for?
An organization.
A very...
Ambitious one?
Exactly that.
I've seen some dark souls in my life.
Evil that would turn your stomach.
Kinda folk that don't mind prick teasin' the devil.
But this organization,
oh my they are
pioneers of carnage.
And so creative for one so young.
Well, don't keep me waiting.
They call themselves the Hellfire Club.
Oh, paying tribute to that myth from a century ago.
Who knows, man.
Maybe they're immortal.
Been here all this time.
Well whatever their commission is, it's not my business.
Death and photography is your business, sir,
and they've been paying someone to kill their enemies
and document it as they do.
And you know who it is, don't you?
These police cabs are always out
when there's an emergency.
It is an emergency.
Cattle farmers rioting in Smithfield.
Three cows dead.
Bloodbath.
Farrelly has been watching Blennerhasset's house all week,
and he's actually spotted Whacker
going in not 15 minutes ago.
The call is out.
Have a little patience, man.
Detective!
Everyone is only doing their best, aren't they?
Yes sir.
Would you ever stop being so bloody simple
and just knock off?
Get up on yourself if your mickey's long enough.
Hup, go on.
You see, I'm merely a collector of the macabre.
An enthusiast.
Not a maker, like you are Mr. Blennerhasset,
and if they're trying to hang this on me,
well I ain't going down without a fight.
All right, let's have this out once and...
Have a seat, boy.
Sit down.
Where's the goddamn album?
Because that's the only thing
that's gonna get any of us outta this.
I don't have it.
I might know who made it, but I don't have it.
So you do know who it is.
Who is it?
Speak!
His name is John Vaudry.
Who the fuck is John Vaudry?
He was my assistant, my friend.
For five years we had a nice life.
Then one day,
we went to see a family whose daughter had died from a fall.
There was dispute over the payment,
which can be difficult with bereaved families.
And after it was all cleared up,
I went to the room where the girl was being waked,
and that's when I saw him.
I saw him cutting her.
The dead girl?
Yes, he had been
defiling corpses.
Young, old, boys, girls.
Whenever the opportunity arose.
You Irish are fuckin' dark.
I cast him out, but then I couldn't tell anyone.
So I,
I just covered it up.
So you knew about all of this from the start?
You could've stopped it.
But then he disappeared.
I was led to believe that he'd committed suicide.
It was only when I saw the photograph
that Regan had found that.
I suspected maybe that he had returned.
But I just suppressed it.
And then, when Henry was murdered,
I knew that I couldn't protect anyone.
So I made a decision to go and tell Regan everything.
Don't shoot him.
Please, he's merely my coachman.
Merely?
In you come, coachman.
Have a seat, right over there.
Please tell me someone's closed the front door.
I did.
No use having it open, not in this weather.
But I closed it.
You left it on the latch.
It was on the latch when I came in.
Shut up!
State your business, coachman.
Oh, I have a letter for Mr. Blennerhasset.
It's him, sir.
Who?
The old assistant.
He has Nancy.
Where?
In the Wicklow mountains.
We're going.
No, he just wants me.
On my own.
No one's goin' nowhere unless I say so.
Open it up now, come on.
Bushrod Whacker, come out with your hands up,
you villainous Yankee.
This fucker called me a goddamn Yankee?
A villainous one he say?
Blennerhasset, I know you're in there!
I need to find Vaudry, and put an end to this.
If the police intervene, he's going to kill her.
I need your assistance.
Yeah, of course.
Whatever you need, Mr. Whacker,
I will be forever in your debt,
but we must get to Nancy.
Son of a bitch.
Right now, get your battering ram!
I lied to you.
You thieved this from me?
No I, I accidentally thieved it.
Give it to Detective Regan.
Trust only him.
One, two!
Again!
You think he's gonna believe anything
that comes out of my mouth
when he sees what I've paid money for?
Blennerhasset!
Perhaps Mr. Whacker isn't the most suitable negotiator.
Come on lads!
One, two.
Give this to Regan.
We best leave by the back way.
I want my innocence proved.
All right.
Right, stop the corridor.
Ann's parked round the back.
You be gentle with her, do ya hear?
You'd let me ride your horse?
I said be gentle with her.
Let us in.
Lads come on, quick, quick!
All right lads.
Let's just slow this all down nice and carefully now,
before someone gets shot in the face, namely me.
Don't worry, Carruthers boy.
We'll get you outta this.
Oh, I'm all right.
I just needed you to all slow down.
Why?
So I can tell the story clearly.
Because it's a matter of great urgency.
What is this?
Nancy.
It's a photo studio.
Is it not obvious?
Ann, come on, go!
Move!
I don't think she's movin'.
Hey.
She's not movin'.
Think we gotta go on foot.
Let's make haste.
Don't move.
Well, not that you can move much.
I mean, you could kick and scream all you want, Nancy,
but we're in the middle of the bloody Wicklow mountains,
so best of luck to you.
You murdered my brother.
Oh, I slaughtered him like a pig, yes,
but he stole a photo album
I didn't get a chance to complete.
And that was a commission, you know.
I need to get paid.
So many empty pages left to be filled.
I don't have your album.
I know.
Don't worry, my employers have doubled their efforts
to get it back, leaving me free to continue my work.
You're a rare type of bastard.
Oh Nancy,
the rarest bastard going.
You wouldn't find a bastard like me
in any old corner of Dublin.
You really were a good crack, Nancy.
You're an absolute tonic.
I don't know how you managed it coming from that shower.
Brock managed it, I suppose, for the longest time.
When you were his assistant.
We could've had a lovely life.
If only he weren't so judgmental about my habits.
He brought me into his world,
and then he took it all away from me.
Now I'm going to take it from him.
It's already been taken away.
Can't you see that?
He's been mourning it for the last 10 years.
He didn't ruin your life, you ruined his.
Well then,
it's time to put him out of his misery, isn't it?
Now that I've mastered my trade,
it's time to take over the death photography business.
The apprentice becomes the master, the way it should be.
And then finally.
For fuck's sake.
They went out through the window,
youse came battering through the door,
and here we are.
Now.
Consider this a surrender
safe in the knowledge
that I am an innocent man in all this murder.
And,
Mr. Blennerhasset said I could
entrust this photo album to you.
Men, take these boys in.
- Yes sir. - Come on, you.
Come on now.
Get in there now, and make yourself nice and comfortable.
Can I get a cup of coffee?
That's not how it works around here at all, boy.
Murder suspects don't get coffee.
They told me you're the only one I should trust,
so if I'm gonna talk,
we're gonna need plenty of it.
Regan?
Roper tells me the suspect helped Blennerhasset and Molloy
escape for some rescue operation?
Yes sir.
But I want to question Mr. Whacker here.
Find those men.
Mr. Whacker's not going anywhere.
Surely one of you fuckers
knows how to make a decent cup of coffee.
Remember how he'd dress you up and give you direction,
and you loved it,
and yet you never noticed me, your audience.
You're distinctly unmemorable.
Look at you now.
You can't keep your eyes off of me.
I thought you might recognize me,
but I was glad when you didn't.
I knew then that he'd kept all of my secrets.
Now if the coachman moves against me, you take him.
But you're in Vaudry's trap.
What if he just jams a knife in your throat there and then?
That's not his style.
Carruthers, if they're engaging with a killer,
you have to tell me.
We need DMP men there.
If they wanted DMP men there,
there'll be DMP men there.
There's a fire!
Open the goddamn door, fire!
Fire!
Don't fuckin' move.
Get me outta here!
Fire!
Get back, get back!
Jesus Christ!
Call the fire brigade.
Call the fire brigade!
Jesus Christ!
Fuckin...
I think you're expecting me.
Look how brave you've become.
Oh Nancy, I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry too.
I should've introduced you to my beau, Percy.
Look at that face.
Now that is a picture.
That's a right picture.
So you've progressed to murders, John.
Quite the leap from defiling corpses.
That's merely an insult, yes?
You don't need to know.
That's been your strategy all along, Uncle,
and look where it's gotten me, thank you kindly.
I was never dead to you, was I?
You were.
I never reported you.
I never spoke of you.
And I refused to let your indiscretions
ruin my reputation.
Goodness, Brock.
You've become fierce gloomy, haven't you?
Maybe you shouldn't have kicked me onto the streets.
Well, you did turn out to be a deranged fiend, John.
Unfortunately.
Well, I wasn't as calm under pressure as I am now.
I've gotten terribly good at biding my time,
waiting for the perfect moment,
waiting for the right commission.
No.
You don't get to play the hero now.
You had your chance.
Let her go, John.
Let her go, and I will take her place.
No harm will come to you, Nancy.
I'm sorry.
Spare me.
Knowles, bring her in.
I thought you would let her go.
Oh, no.
I just wanted to get your hopes up.
Isn't that funny?
Knowles.
You're gonna regret that.
Well, I regret a lot of things, so.
Rest assured, this isn't a memory
that I'll need to photograph, dear Brock.
I'll remember it for as long as I live.
Brock, please.
Me dying won't make this go away.
They know about us, about everything.
Quiet, John.
This is your time.
Shh.
Let it go.
Shh, let it go John.
Well what are we supposed to tell people?
That the fucker spontaneously combusted?
This fucker.
That fucker!
You killed him.
It was an accident.
Was it?
Yes.
I have the coachman trussed up outside.
He's not moving anywhere.
I would like to take a photograph.
Just a small commemoration.
I want no part of this.
We need to warn Regan
about this organization of psychopaths.
No we don't, Molloy.
No?
Have you not learned your lesson?
John Percy Vaudry is dead.
And his vendetta against me is dead.
Now we don't need to antagonize his employers.
We've seen the lengths they go to
to cover up their atrocities.
And you want us to help them cover it up, even more?
This will protect us.
Protect your reputation, you mean.
And you, Nancy.
In my own odd way, I've always tried to keep you safe.
That's why I sent you both away,
to keep you from danger.
That's what you call this?
All right.
I'm sorry.
I made a mistake.
But these people, whoever they are,
if they think that we're a threat,
they will strike against us, and our loved ones.
So this might serve as a warning to leave us alone.
But if Regan has the photo album, it's...
Then they become his problem, not ours.
You do what you need to do.
I'll do this.
Good man, freed up
for your wild goose chase Freddy and this is why I...
I had an album of murder photography.
Roper, you saw it.
Yeah, I caught a glimpse, but it could've been a fake.
Look, do you have to have everything in color
in front of your eyes before you make judgment?
You absolute fuckin' pox of a man.
Freddy!
Language!
All right, where is this proof now?
Right, there was a fire.
Oh yeah, and the collection of photographs
just disappeared, disappeared on you?
Do you not fuckin' think that sometimes that maybe,
just maybe, I'm onto something big,
and someone is trying to kill these fuckers
from stoppin' em talking.
You are dragging foreign lunatics into custody
where they're being left to their own devices
and killing themselves!
Now clean this mess up, man.
God's sake!
Jesus, I hope that's the end of it now.
The album vanished.
Like me case.
Or gone up in smoke like the Yank.
You can be sure now he's not behind it,
and he burnt to a cinder down in the city morgue.
Only the fuckin' legs left on him.
The bollocks scorched off him.
Somebody wanted him dead, and they got it.
And pocketed my evidence when I was distracted.
Fred, you can't trust one single bastard in there anymore.
You're right, girl.
Not one single bastard.
Carruthers, have you not locked up?
Sure I did nothing wrong.
Nancy, please listen.
I will make this right, I will.
It's just that we need to stay out of trouble.
Regan knows you lied to him.
We all lied to him.
Exactly, that's why we need to cover it up.
And what'll you do when he comes after you with proof?
Oh I don't think that'll be a problem anymore.
There was drama in the barracks.
The Yank and the album, gone up in flames.
Glad someone did it.
I expect they'll be calling on you soon, sir.
Oh, can't wait.
Look, Molloy.
Please don't leave my employ.
I think we make a good team, don't you?
I've had me time.
Thank you for the apprenticeship.
Molloy.
It's been lovely to get to know you.
Feel free to write to me if you wish.
Yeah.
Of course.
Good.
We'll do that.
Pack up the last of my things.
My intentions were good.
It's just that my manner needs work.
When me wife died, I never had a photograph of her.
I didn't know, Molloy.
No, you did, you knew.
Before I met ya, I wrote you a letter.
I explained what I could afford,
and you never even replied to me.
It was just business for the likes of you.
I don't wanna be that kind of photographer.
You're going to be a very good photographer, Molloy.
Thank you.
Good luck.
Ah, he wasn't the worst at it.
Nancy, you're much too bright to be living in that morgue.
And stay living in your morgue?
No thanks.
You stopped me visiting because of what happened with him.
Nancy, you don't understand.
No.
I think I do.
You cared for him, didn't you?
You cared for him, and he was a monster.
Even now you can't tell the truth.
Are all your secrets gonna be worth it on your deathbed
when there's no one there to hear you confess them?
I really would prefer if you stayed.
You really have been a great help to the business.
You've been a memorial photographer how long?
Nearly 20 years.
Soon so many people will have cameras
that there will be countless photographs of the living,
people together in the moment, being present, alive.
When you could only have those photographs,
why would you even want the dead ones?
This came for ya.
Thank you, Carruthers.
_
I hear you're going back to the grave digging.
Oh yeah, not for long, Bessie.
Good man.
It's what your father would want.
Leave the past behind.
Keep the memories.
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