Collinsport. In the light of day, the events of the night before still reverberate. The horrible murders on Old Jerusalem Lot Road and the bizarre arson set to burn away the last vestiges of a symbol only a mad woman can see. Some events have yet to reveal their consequence: the clandestine meeting over stolen books and a conspiratorial rendezvous in a hide-away apartment; an odd map and a head in a jar; while two suspects have escaped one from the Collinsports Jail and the other from Windcliffe Sanitarium. In the office of Evan Hanley, Maine’s most famous Legal Wizard, the noted attorney awaits information from his private investigator Tony Peterson before proceeding on a very important case.
Amanda Weymouth looks up to see the tall, handsome detective, Tony Peterson open the door to the Law Office and enter. Peterson winked at her, Is he in this morning?
Yes, Mr. Peterson, she smiles.
He nods and strides over to the door leading to Evan Hanleys office. He knocks once and opens the door.
He sees Evan Hanley carrying a saucer, upon which balances a white china cup of coffee, as he steps behind his desk, “Ah, Tony, there you are.”
Behind Hanley the windows look out on a picturesque vista of the Collinsport harbor.
“Evan.” Peterson says as he walks across the room and takes a seat before the large desk.
The side door of Evan Hanleys office opens and a tall, strikingly attractive brunette, in a smart business suit and wearing a pair of small, dark framed glasses, enters, Care for a cup of coffee? She asks.
Tony Peterson smiles brightly, Love a cup. He lights a cigarette, “Well, Evan you were right about the trinket.”
“Nicole Collins.” Hanley says setting his cup down in the saucer.
“Yes. I found a waitress over at the Nightingale who just happened to overhear a phone conversation that d’Annar had in which he said she had it.”
A phone conversation. She say with whom he was speaking.
No, but she said he seemed very deferential, which to her mind, was very out of character for him.
Yes, that would be, Hanley says pulling absently at his ear lobe as he turns to look up with a smile as his secretary, Tilly Brewster, who steps over and places a cup of coffee before the private investigator. “And how is Mr. d’Annar.”
Peterson reaches over and pulls an ashtray closer and flicks ashes into it, “Nowthats something rather odd. Seems he’s suddenly left town
Hanley cocks an eyebrow, “Gone or missing?”
“Can’t really say I got an operative looking into some information I received from Bangor, but all I can tell you is that the Nightingale is locked up. Fairly well deserted. Seems to have happened in the middle of the night. I spoke to the young woman who was the hostess, and she says, they didnt even receive a call from dAnnar. Just came into work in the morning and the place was locked up. Of course, it could be part of that Blackwater mess he got himself into with the CPD.
“So the trinket . . . the snow globe.” Hanley asks unconcerned about dAnnar.
“Evan, what’s so da**ed important about that globe?”
Tilly Brewster struts over to stand behind the desk at Hanleys side.
Hanley idly turning the cup of coffee a half rotation on the saucer says, “Its part of a case I’m handling Tony.”
“Well it seems oddall this interest in a snow globe, but then again, you do get some odd cases.”
“Well, Tony this is Collinsport. You know what they say, Murder and Sin, the two main attractions.”
Tilly Brewster smirks.
“Wellyou were right. Samantha Evans Collins gave it to her. She has it. Peterson says and leans forward to flick ashes into the crystal ashtray, Even though it appears that dAnnar had planned to try and steal it away or at least that is what the waitress overheard. Seems he was in contact with that wacky librarian from Arkham.”
“Artemis?”
Yes, Dr. Artemis from the Miskatonic Univeristy in Arkham. He has rented a beach house. It seems his parents used to come up here to Collinsport during the summer when he was a kid. Sat around reading mostly. But, he knew David Collins. They played together. AndI did some checking, like you asked, and once again, you were right, his library has all kinds of traces of blood and bullet holes.”
Hanley looks up at Tilly Brewster, knowingly, and he pushes a folder to the side, “Yeswell, Tony, our client Miss Drew wants to be assured that he leaves her alone.”
“The doll at the Blue Whale?
“Yes, Tony. Tilly says with a smile.
So, shes your client?
She is a material witness in this Vampire Murder case. Hanley tells him, And this Artemis seems intent on trying to find some way to drag her into it in order to save his friend.”
“The guy they arrested?”
Tilly Brewster, beside Hanley, smirks again.
You know he escaped last night its all over this mornings Star. Two crazy dames break into Windcliffe and spring him in the middle of the night.
“Yeseven more reason I want to protect our client. So, Tony, I want you dig up everything you can on this Artemis.” Evan Hanley tells him. You looked into the West case?
Tony Peterson takes a sip of the coffee and nods, “I have an operative down in Arkham now working on that angle. I went through the several old copies of The Star. Oh, Tilly this is a damn fine cup of coffee.
“I am hoping the restraining order will take care of the situation.”
“But if it doesn’t you want to be able to annihilate him?”
Thank you Tony, She grins, pulling up a chair to sit at the desk as she pulls over a legal pad and a pen.
“As we usually do, Tony.” Hanley smiles, his eyebrow lifting, “Within the bounds of the law, of course.”
Peterson smiles, “As far as you can stretch it.”
Hanley smiles.
“Ill keep digging. I got a feeling there is a gold mine of information on him. Word has it that some very strange s**t goes down at his library.”
“I want everything you can find.”
Tilly Brewster scribbles a few symbols onto the pad.
“Right.” He squints against the curl of the cigarette smoke, “You still want me to keep tabs on that Reverend Trask?”
“Yes, you have someone watching him, right.”
“Yeahyou do know he has this hide-away apartment,” he looks up at Tilly, “The Brewster Building.
Tilly Brewster chuckles, A hide-away apartment?
Yesand according to my man watching the place, it seems he may be involved with your client.
Miss Drew? Tilly asks with a frown.
Peterson takes out a moleskin reporters notebook, It seems your client, Miss Drew, has been visiting him there. She has been seen slipping in and out of the apartment late at night.
Hanley also frowns, “Now, that I did not know Tony.”
“Yeah, fairly oftenthink he’s . . . you know.”
Hanley smiles, “Well, Tony, I would like to know.”
“Got you.” He takes a long drink of the coffee, and stubs his cigarette out. “I’m heading back over to the Collinsport Star, I got couple of leads on that librarian I want to run down.”
“Great Tony.”
You heard about the beheadings. He asks.
Beheadings? Hanley and Tilly Brewster say together.
Right. Two tourists were found at the old rest stop just outside of town, on the Old Jerusalem Lot Road, late last night.
Hanley pulls at his ear lobe thoughtfully. The police have any leads?
Not a one other than they arrested that crazy girl that hangs out with Nicole Collins.
Samantha Brook?
Yes. Pulled a gun on one of the copsfor some reason. But she escaped from custody early this morning.
Interesting.
This connected to your client.
I would not think so. Hanley tells him and picks up his coffee cup as he sits in deep thought.
“Well I will let you know when I find something.” Peterson says, and stands up.
“Tony I do want to know more about Trask and Drew.”
“Right you got it.” Peterson says and takes a long drink of his coffee, then sits the cup down on the saucer, “See ya.” he says to Tilly with a wink.
Tilly Brewster smirks, Have a pleasant day Tony.
Tony Peterson walks across the office and leaves.
Alone now, Evan Hanley looks at Tilly, “Trask and Miss Drew, now that is very interesting. I did not see that coming.
Indeed. Tilly says walking over to the window and draws a small symbol on the window with a dry erase marker, within which a small view of Tony Peterson appears.
“You might want to check with your father and see if he has rented it in his own name or not.”
Tilly Brewster makes a note, I will see him about it tonight.
“I do worry that Nicole Collins has the Orb of Solace, Hanley says with a sigh, Angelique should be able to get it back, but I do not truly trust that witch.”
In all likelihood Miss Collins probably doesnt know how to use it, Tilly Brewster replies watching the view of Peterson within the symbol on the window, At least not properly anyways.
“I have taken a large risk in aligning with her.” Evan Hanley says as he looks at the coffee in his white china cup, “My big worry is that if Angelique gets what she wants before I do, she will break our arrangement.”
Tilly Brewster chuckles, As if you wouldnt do the same sir.
He looks up at Tilly with an evil smile, “We will just have to make some contingency plans just in case.”
Cue Music End of Episode