“A Distraught Widow… and Her Lovers”
~~~ Jonquil Ave. - Victor’s Car- 2:59 pm~~~
Victor grips the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turn white.
“Oh, my God!” Victor hardly whispers. He turns to the man in the back seat, who remains silent.
~~~ Meadow-Brooke Close - Hall- 3:15 pm~~~
The doorbell suddenly rings. A butler in uniform hurries to the front door. He straightens his vest and opens the door. Mrs. Rivers stands on the front porch.
“Mrs. Rivers?” Please come in.” the butler lets her in and takes off her coat. He leads her to the library. Jayne looks up from her magazine as the two enter.
“Hi mom.” Lucy says
“Jayne rushes over to embrace her daughter. A tear runs down her cheek.
~~~ Peacock Residence - Hall- 3:18 pm~~~
Miss Scarlet bounds down the stairs. Mrs. Copper comes from the kitchen, “Miss Vera.” She says, “You’ve got a phone call.”
“Tell him I’m unavailable.” Miss Scarlet says heading out the front door of the mansion.
~~~ Meadow-Brooke Close - Swimming Pool- Continuous~~~
Mrs. Peacock and Mrs. Greys-Cale are in deep conversation as Vera arrives.
“Mother,” she rings, “Who is Kasandra Scarlet and why are you referring to her as Melody Greys-Cale?”
Mrs. Peacock drops her cocktail glass on the concrete. It shatters. Mrs. Greys-Cale looks at Alice with worry.
~~~ Green Estate - Sitting Room- 3:24 pm~~~
Forest puts a silver pistol in the side of his pants. Ms. Magenta lays out a map of their surrounding neighborhoods in East Arlington Heights.
“The kid would have to drive back past our house. It’s a dead end in the direction he was heading…” Madeline says
“Let’s go.” Nurse Tennre says, “I’ll wait at the gates, and if his car passes, I’ll shoot at the tires.”
“We’ll call if we find him.” Forest says patting his gun.
~~~ Boddy Mansion- Kitchen- 3:25 pm~~~
Mrs. White looks out the window and sighs as she pounds bread dough against the wooden board attached to the granite island. Mr. Ash enters the room with Sir Black at his side.
“Al?” Mrs. White backs up into the counter, “You can’t be here! The police already suspect me of murdering my husband! If they find you here……”
“Come now, Beryl.” Sir Black rolls his eyes, “We are in the same boat, only your half is sinking…”
“Al,” Mrs. White starts up again, “John would…”
“I just need a place to hide out for a couple days.”
“John wouldn’t want a killer in his house!” Mrs. White says
“Then he wouldn’t want you to be in his kitchen.” Sir Black smirks
“You know the way to your old bedroom.” Mrs. White says
“Indeed I do.” Sir Black says, he turns and walks up the back staircase.
Mrs. White picks up a meat cleaver and stabs it into the mushy dough.
~~~ A.H.P.D. - Cell #3- 3:38 pm~~~
John Boddy sits on the edge of his lumpy bed, picking at a hole in the sheet. He hears loud footsteps echoing through the hallway. John lays back on the bed, which creeks as he rests his back flat. Officer Turquoise stands in front of John’s cell door. He unlocks it, opens it, and steps inside…
~~~ Boddy Mansion - Kitchen- 3:51 pm~~~
Mrs. White slams the phone down, Sir Black, who is eating a turkey sandwich, looks up at Mrs. White. She smiles at Mr. Ash, who is washing the dishes.
“John’s coming home!” she exclaims
“Really?” Mr. Ash asks, dropping some plates in the soapy water.
“That’s good news.” Sir Black says between chews
“When will he be home?” Mr. Ash asks
“After he signs some papers and contacts Mr. Meadow-Brooke, his retiring lawyer…” Mrs. White says
“Miles is retiring?” Sir Black says, “I’ve sure missed a lot.”
“He has 1/3 shares at Silver Creek Country Club in Florida.” Mrs. White says, “Last I heard, he was at the Country Club having a jolly time with Mrs. Silver, the owner.”
“Does Jayne know about Mrs. Silver?” asks Sir Black
“Does Miles know about you?” Mrs. White asks Sir Black. Mr. Ash’s face turns red.
~~~ Jonquil Ave. - 3:54 pm~~~
Forest walks on one side of the street while Madeline jogs on the other. Eileen Alabaster passes Mr. Green on the side walk. She sees something glisten as she passes. She turns around to see the back of his shirt flutter in the wind. In that brief second, Eileen notices the gun. She quickly turns ahead and walks away from him. Forest meets Madeline at the end of the cul-de-sac in front of Peacock Residence. Madeline notices the car Nurse Tennre described inside the gates of Peacock Residence in the driveway.
~~~ Peacock Residence-Library -continuous~~~
Victor stands at the phone, “Come on, dad, pick up.” He says
“Perhaps you would like to stay for dinner?” Mr. Tenné asks
“No thank you.” Victor says, “Thank you for letting me use your phone, I seem to have lost mine. I’ll show myself out.” He exits.
~~~ Green Estate Grounds-Outside Sitting Room Window-continuous~~~
Victor’s cell phone begins to vibrate on the dirt…
~~~ Meadow-Brooke Close-Library - 4:03 pm~~~
Jacob and Shane enter the library as Lucy cries with her mother.
“Mom?” Shane looks at the sight of Mrs. Rivers.
“What’s going on?” Jacob asks, sitting on the sofa.
“I… I lost the baby.” Mrs. Rivers says
“Oh, Lucy.” Jacob comes over to her. Shane looks solemnly at the floor.
Jayne stands up wipes her eyes, “Will you be staying for dinner?”
“I believe so.” Lucy says, “There’s not a whole lot I can do?”
The front door swings open and Mrs. Lilac enters.
“Sorry I’m late.” She straightens her hair
“You didn’t mention your sister.” Jayne says
“She came back with me.” Mrs. Rivers says
“My husband is at the hotel.” Mrs. Lilac adjusts her earring
“He can stay here…” Jayne says
“He needs to work on his book.” Pam sighs, “So, what’s for dinner?”
~~~ Meadow-Brooke Close-Front Porch- continuous~~~
A shady figure listens at the window from behind a large potted plant…
~~~ Peacock Residence-Study- 4:09 pm~~~
Mrs. Greys-Cale sits in a chair in front of the desk Mrs. Peacock sits behind.
“That was a close call with Vera.” Mrs. Greys-Cale says
“As long as she thinks Kasandra is her cousin, we have nothing to worry about.” Mrs. Peacock lowers her voice, “I’m just worried she’s going to start realizing the truth and then leave me alone by myself.”
“What is so bad about being alone? You have the butler and maid…” Mrs. Greys-Cale says
“Perhaps you don’t know.” Mrs. Peacock says
“Now what?” asks Anna Greys-Cale
“Do you know why I always wear this pearl bracelet?” asks Alice Peacock
“No, why?” asks Anna
Mrs. Peacock takes it off to reveal a scar across her wrist, “I can’t stand being alone. The day after my Matthew died, I got his old razor and started cutting my wrists. I couldn’t live alone.” Mrs. Peacock begins to cry
“You need medical help.” Anna says
“No!” Alice says, “I just can’t live alone! The ghosts of the people who died here… they haunt me while I’m alone!”
“You don’t have to be alone.” Mrs. Greys-Cale puts an arm on her shoulder
“You’re right, that’s why Vera can never know the truth!” Alice opens her desk drawer, revealing an ivory handled revolver.
“What if she finds true love?” asks Mrs. Greys-Cale
“There’s only one person she’s found true love with.” Mrs. Peacock says, “And he has been forbidden to be on these grounds ever again!”
“Does she know where he lives?” asks Mrs. Greys-Cale
“She doesn’t even know he’s in Chicago anymore.” Mrs. Peacock smirks, “She and the Colonel will never be together…”
~~~ The Drake -Suite # 1208- continuous~~~
Colonel Mustard opens the door of his suite and Miss Scarlet enters.
“Hello, Colonel…” Miss Scarlet takes off her mink coat revealing a satin, red, dress with sequence on the sleeves
“Would you care for a drink?” asks the Colonel
“Do you have the Tequila shots ready?” Miss Scarlet asks
“Right this way madame…” he motions to the bar area of his suite…
~~~ Peacock Residence-Study- 4:12 pm~~~
“… But if they do find a way to see each other…” Mrs. Peacock gasps, “You will help me?”
“What?” asks Mrs. Greys-Cale
“If Vera does leave me, at least let me stay with you until I have found a man in my life… a man I can trust…” Mrs. Peacock says
“A man like Sir Black?” asks Mrs. Greys-Cale
“Al!” Mrs. Peacock smiles, “He’s single, rich, he knows about Vera’s true parentage, and he has a mansion in South Carolina… with a yacht!”
“Well it’s been over two years since Matthew died; you’ve normally grabbed another one in the two month period of your husband’s deaths…” Mrs. Greys-Cale rolls her eyes. Mrs. Greys-Cale’s cell phone rings.
“Hello?” she answers
Mrs. Peacock smiles and turns her attention back to the gun and the box of bullets. She closes the drawer and opens another one; in that drawer are a mirror and some makeup. She takes out the mirror and a tube of lipstick. She applies it as Mrs. Greys-Cale hangs up.
“Who was it, darling?” asks Mrs. Peacock, putting away her accessories
“The Detective, he says that someone flew to Chicago under the name of Melody Greys-Cale…” Anna’s jaw drops
TO BE CONTINUED