“Beneath The Earth”
~~~Lakeview Funeral Home -Mr. Burgundy’s Office-11:19 am~~~
Mrs. White sits in front of a large mahogany desk with two young people. Behind the desk is a large man. His hands are folded neatly on his desk. He is Quincy Burgundy.
“So the arrangements for your husband’s wake are taken care of.” He says to Mrs. White standing up, “I’m truly sorry for your loss.”
“Oh,” Mrs. White dries her eyes, “It was such a shock!”
“Well, I will see you tomorrow!” Mr. Burgundy says he shakes hands with the young man and young woman with Mrs. White.
They are Mrs. White’s children Doctor Martin White and Nurse Diane White. They exit the office and soon exit the Funeral Home. Outside a brown car is a man with a tattoo running up the length of his right arm.
“Oh Diane, you aren’t going with him?” Mrs. White asks
“He’s my fiancé mother!” Diane White says rolling her eyes
The man Dustin Nayler smiles as she approaches.
“If dad was alive he wouldn’t put up with that!” Martin says to his mother
“Your father really wouldn’t care.” Mrs. White says getting in her small car. Dr. White gets in the passenger seat as the other car blazes down the road.
“That man is too crazy for her!” Dr. White says, “He probably is drunk when he drives…”
“Enough.” Mrs. White cuts him off, “I’ve had a busy day! Not only did I have to prepare for my husbands funeral, but my employer was arrested!”
“Why? Where you two… close?” asks Dr. White
“Martin, that is strictly none of your concern.” Mrs. White starts the engine of the car
~~~ Detroit Metro Airport -Luggage Claim -continuous ~~~
Senator Peacock picks up his suitcase and meets with several business men.
“We heard about your wife.” The tall man says
“Are you sure it was safe for you to leave early?” asks a shorter, plump man
“Fellows, I’m positive, the police have cleared me from any possibility of murdering my wife. The investigation is under going and I have a funeral to arrange. I am going to head back to Bluewood, hopefully with the rest of you.”
“Yes of course.” The tall man says
Sir Peacock sighs and exits the luggage claim area.
~~~ Lake Michigan-Seacrest Yacht -11:43 am ~~~
In a luxuriously furnished lounge a tall man with a brown beard wipes his eyes as he looks in the coffin at the back of the room. In the coffin is Captain Mist.
“Captain Brown!” an older man says upon entering
The bearded man, Robert Brown turns to see an older man in a dark purple suit.
“Oh Marcus, I just can’t believe Roland would die so suddenly!” Captain Brown sighs, “And what a way to go.”
“I know.” The man in purple sighs, “So heartless! Who would do something like this?”
“I really don’t know.” Captain Brown sighs
“My son, Gregory, knows.” The man in the purple says.
As if on cue Professor Gregory Plum enters with Miss Scarlet on her arm a young man comes behind them.
“Gregory.” Captain Brown nods to the Professor
“Captain, dad, this is Miss Vera Scarlet.” Gregory introduces
“Vera.” The man in purple smiles shaking her dainty hand, “I’m Gregory’s father, Marcus Plum.”
“Charmed.” Miss Scarlet smiles, she looks up at the beautifully designed ceiling, “Lovely boat.”
“Thank you.” Captain Brown nods
“And this is my son, Victor.” Professor Plum says motioning to the twenty-four year old who is listening to his iPod and not paying attention, “Victor.” Professor Plum puts his hand on his son’s shoulder
Victor pulls out his ear phones and nods to the Captain.
Miss Scarlet turns to the coffin in the back of the room, “It’s a shame.”
“Yes.” Captain Brown says, “He was a good fellow.”
There is awkward silence.
“So… Marcus, what do you doing for a living?” asks Miss Scarlet
“I do know a little bit about psychological medicine.” Marcus Plum says
“Oh, you’re a doctor?” asks Miss Scarlet
“I am but I don’t practice.” Dr. Plum says
“Practice makes perfect, just ask my mother, it took her three men and she still hasn’t found one that can live for more than two years without dying under… shall I say ‘mysterious circumstances’.” Miss Scarlet chuckles
Gregory’s eyes widen, he turns to Captain Brown, “I’d love to see the promenade…”
~~~ Peacock Residence- Library -12:06 pm ~~~
Mr. Tenné lets Prince Azure in. Mrs. Peacock and Mme. Rose sit on the sofa.
“Mother?” Prince Azure is shocked to see his mother sitting there, “When did you come to the United States?”
“Just this morning.” She lies, “I came to visit my father.”
“And what brings you to Peacock Residence?” he asks
“I came to ask directions to the Rose Estate.” Mme. Rose says, “And these gates were the only ones open…”
“I see.” Prince Azure says, not buying into it, “Do you have any idea what has happened here last night?”
“From what Alice has told me, a murder!” Mme. Rose says, “I could hold a séance and contact the spirit of your sister-in-law! Perhaps she can bring some information to light.”
“Actually,” Mrs. Peacock cuts her off, “I think it would be best to let the dead rest in peace!”
“Oh, right.” Mme. Rose says
“The Rose Estate?” Prince Azure queries
“Across the street…” Mrs. Peacock says
~~~ Town House 103- Living Room -12:09 pm ~~~
Nurse White and Mr. Nayler enter and immediately start kissing.
“Ahem!” a mans voice coughs
They look over at the sofa where a man and a young blonde woman are talking… over champagne.
“Dominique?” Nurse White looks at the man and the woman, “Don’t you have work today?”
“No.” the man says in a brief French Accent. This man is M. Dominique Brunette.
“Oh.” Nurse White says, “I’m going to change.” She hurries down the hall
“So…” Mr. Nayler says indicating the beautiful blonde on M. Brunette’s arm.
“Ah, yes, this is Madeline Magenta; she is friends with the Peacock’s.” M. Brunette says
“Who in Chicago or its suburbs hasn’t heard of Alice Peacock?” Dustin laughs
“I heard there was a murder there.” Madeline says
“It wouldn’t surprise me if there was.” Dustin says, “Those upper class people always try to make it into the papers.”
“I think I better be going.” Ms. Magenta says
“Must you?” asks M. Brunette standing
“I don’t want to interfere with your life.” Ms. Magenta goes to the door and exits.
“Where did you find her?” asks Dustin
“It’s nothing like that!” M. Brunette frowns, “She just lost her husband.”
~~~ North Cleveland Avenue Outside Town House 103- Street -continuous ~~~
Ms. Magenta gets to her car as her cell phone vibrates. She pulls it out to see a text message flashing across the screen.
‘Need help, meet me at Jackson Park at the East Lagoon. F.G.’
Madeline gets in her car and drives off.
~~~ Lake Michigan- Shore-12:15 pm ~~~
Vera and Gregory walk together… the awkwardness is not lost between them. Victor lags behind.
“So what do you intend to do once life is back to normal?” asks Gregory
“Greg, if you haven’t noticed, my life is never normal… nor will it even become normal!” Vera says
“Well I didn’t exactly mean…” Professor Plum stops talking
There is awkward silence as they proceed to walk along the shore.
“So…” Professor Plum says, “Do you have any children?”
Miss Scarlet shoots a dirty look at him, “In my business, I have no time for children.”
“Ah…” Professor Plum says, “Where exactly is you ‘station’?”
“At the corner of ‘Walk’ and ‘Don’t Walk’.” Miss Scarlet strides fasts until she realizes the Professor is not going to follow her. Disappointed she sits at a bench. Professor Plum stops when he gets to the bench.
“Is it my imagination, or are you blowing me off?” asks Professor Plum, sitting next to her.
“Is it my imagination, or were you trying to build a relationship with me?” asks Miss Scarlet, “You ask about my life? I don’t have time for relationships. I’m a busy woman!”
“So you target rich and unsuspecting men?” asks Professor Plum
“You are neither rich, or unsuspecting…” Miss Scarlet gets up and starts to walk away
“Yeah, but I know who killed those people last night.” Professor Plum calls out to her.
Miss Scarlet stops dead in her tracks and turns to him, “Would you like to talk about it?”
~~~ Jackson Park- Forest-12:19 pm ~~~
Ms. Magenta stumbles over a log. A head she sees the figure of a man shoveling dirt into a hole. She walks over to him.
“What did you want, Forest?” she asks
Mr. Green turns to her, “It’s done; now we can continue business as if it was mine.”
“Are you sure it will work?” asks Ms. Magenta
“I bought a flight ticket addressed to my father and I heard about a bus crash earlier. It blew up.” Mr. Green says with a smirk in his eyes
“And?” asks Ms. Magenta
“Let’s pretend my father was on that bus.” Forest says shoveling some dirt to cover up the garbage bag that is being buried.
“Is he dead?” asks Ms. Magenta
“He had a weak pulse.” Forest says, “A couple minutes in that bag with dirt in his lungs will seal the deal.”
“Let’s just hope your plan is as waterproof as you say it is.” Ms. Magenta says.
And with that, a light rain begins to drizzle through the tree branches. Forest quickly finishes burying his father and then rolls a rather large rock on top of the area.
“What are you going to do? Write: ‘Here lies Thallo Green’?” Ms. Magenta asks as the rain begins to pour harder
“After the rain has soaked up the ground, the rock will sink in a little deeper. No one will suspect what is under here.” Mr. Green says
Forest and Ms. Magenta heads out of the wooded area. Under the muddy earth, the garbage bag begins to shake tremendously as does the muffled groans of suffocating agony…
TO BE CONTINUED