He may just be the meanest Christmas villain of all time. A man who counts his money,

well children starve, who mocks the sick and begrudges his most loyal friends, even the

tiniest bit of happiness.

Oh yes, he's the old gee of bad guys, all right.

Darth Vader, the Grinch Voldemort, all rolled into one evil lump of a man.

But just you wait. This nasty piece of work will get his come-upence and in the most unexpected

and satisfying way. I'm speaking of course of Ebenezer Scrooge. I'm Keith Morrison and this is

season two of Morrison mysteries. Our story is set in the 1840s, London, England. It's winter,

cold and bleak, but it's Christmas Eve, The warmth and joy of the season of giving permeate the

grave fog of the city in all places. But one, the tiny shriveled heart of Ebenezer Scrooge.

As we begin, Scrooge is sitting in his office,

barking orders at his kind-hearted clerk Bob Cratchit, who's only hoping to have Christmas day off to spend time with his family.

Especially, his desperately ill son, Tiny Tim. But loathsome Scrooge doesn't give a thought to any of that.

No, Cratchit's family means nothing to Scrooge. And Christmas, a passing annoyance, a waste of valuable time.

Yes, and meanness Scrooge was second to none, except just possibly to his died seven years before the Christmas Eve of our story.

In fact, it's thoughts of Marley that begin Charles Dickens,

a Christmas Carol. Marley was dead to be in with.

to be in with. There was no doubt whatever about that.

The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk,

the undertaker, the chief mourner.

Scrooge signed it.

And Scrooge's name was good for anything he chose to put his hand to.

...