Man in the Attic

Dr. Slade arrives late at the Harley home in London during the third night of the Jack the Ripper killings and rents a room and an attic for his research. Mrs. Harley notices his strange behavior, such as turning pictures of actresses to the wall and claiming that he can feel their eyes on him. He hints at late-night work, without explaining what his research involves.

Lily Bonner arrives to stay at the house, and Slade leaves for the evening to meet her before her opening night in London. He wears an Ulster coat and carries a small black bag, details that will later become clues. The meeting takes place in the run-up to her London performance.

At the theatre, Annie Rowley is murdered by the Ripper. Inspector Warwick informs Lily that the suspect was seen wearing an Ulster coat and carrying a small black bag. The murder marks the killer’s continued activity and adds a tangible clue about the suspect’s appearance.

The next morning, Warwick visits Lily to ask questions about the case. Slade appears and shares his unorthodox opinions about the Ripper, claiming the police will never catch him. Lily's suspicions begin to deepen as Slade’s sudden insights clash with official narratives.

Mrs. Harley grows suspicious after smelling burning from Slade's attic. She discovers that Slade has burned his black bag, suggesting he’s discarding evidence. Slade claims the burn was due to a contaminated bag, while Mr. Harley mentions he owns a similar bag, heightening the tension.

Lily becomes drawn to Slade as he recounts his family history, describing a mother who was both beautiful and evil and whose life he loved and hated. He shares that his mother ended up as a woman of the streets and shows Lily a picture of her. The personal revelation deepens the unsettling aura around him.

Inspector Warwick arrives to take Lily to the Black Museum, and Slade accompanies them, much to Warwick's displeasure. The trio moves toward the museum, where the case takes on a more macabre dimension. The dynamic between investigator and suspect becomes increasingly charged.

At the Black Museum, Slade makes numerous derisive comments about the gruesome exhibits and shows a particular interest in the five pictures on the wall of the Ripper's victims. He again insists to Warwick that the police will never catch the killer. The scene underscores his unsettling proximity to the case.

The same evening, another woman is murdered, extending the Ripper killings. Later Slade is seen washing his hands in the river, a disturbing image that hints at his possible involvement. The events heighten the sense that he may be connected to the crimes.

Lily wakes in the night and finds Slade downstairs burning several items of clothing, including his Ulster coat, which appears to bear blood stains. Slade claims that a solution spilled on the coat and that it might be contaminated. The arson-like act intensifies the suspicion surrounding him.

Warwick checks Slade's credentials at the University hospital and is told that Slade is involved in research and works very late hours. The hospital records support his claimed routine but keep him under suspicion. This adds a procedural aspect to the mystery.

Lily asks Slade to meet her backstage at the theatre that evening, while Warwick attempts to match Slade's right thumbprint to a crime-scene print and enlists Mr. Harley's help to search Slade's room. Warwick discovers a picture of Slade's mother in a drawer, but Lily confronts them, accusing them of harassing an innocent man. The investigation presses forward amid personal entanglements.

Warwick's assistant realizes that the picture of Slade's mother is actually Anne Lawrence, the Ripper's first victim, whose portrait is on the museum wall. The revelation reframes the personal connection as a direct link to the historic case. The museum setting becomes a focal point for truth and misdirection.

Slade goes to the theatre to see Lily and becomes agitated by the lustful attention of the audience. He confronts her backstage, declares his hatred of other men looking at her, and pulls a knife with the intent to kill, but cannot bring himself to do it and escapes through a window. The pursuit through the theatre heightens the sense of impending danger.

Police pursue Slade through Whitechapel toward the river; he appears to drown himself, but his body is never found. Warwick and the others search the river, leaving open the possibility that he survived. The story ends with the killer's fate unresolved.