Episode #237 - The mysterious disappearance of a girl has baffled everyone at Collinwood and those who were close to her. A girl, seemingly dead, has left no trace. A desperate search is underway before a horrible fate destroys her forever.
Foyer - Vicki tells Jason the strange tale of Maggie's seeming death/disappearance. As usual, he is only concerned about how it will reflect on his own plans. Sheriff Patterson and Burke stop by, and all four of them go into the drawing room. They searched everywhere, the Sheriff says, but there was no trace of Maggie, and their bloodhounds seemed oddly nervous when set on the trail from the hospital window. Vicki describes how she got the mysterious call at the cottage shortly after Willie's visit. Jason, sucking on a cigarette, pays close attention on hearing this. When Vicki can't definitely say it was Willie on the phone, Jason glances heavenward as though saying thanks-dodged another bullet.
The sheriff speaks privately with Jason on the foyer. He ran checks on Willie, who has a police record, and Jason, who thus far comes up clean.
Jason denies knowing anything about Willie's connection with Maggie, but you can see he's not at all happy as he bids the sheriff farewell.
Vicki expresses her concern that everything about Maggie's illness was very strange. Although Burke is sure the nurse was mistaken when she thought Maggie dead, Vicki isn't so sure the nurse was wrong.
This time, the Old House door is actually open, not just closed, when Patterson comes by, so the Sheriff walks in and nearly scares the crap out of Willie by calling out, "LOOMIS!" when Willie comes downstairs. The sheriff grills Willie like a piece of fish on a barbecue, harshly asking questions about Maggie, and his whereabouts both the night the phone call was made and last night, when Maggie disappeared from the hospital.
Just to make sure Willie understands what a nothing he is, the sheriff leaves him with a warning--he's got Willie's jail record sitting on his desk, and if Maggie is found dead, he's going to see to it that Willie goes to prison and serves hard time.
Woodard assures Vicki and Burke the nurse who felt Maggie had died is very efficient, and while she might have mistaken a catatonic seizure after shock for death, it's not likely. In any event, if Maggie is still alive, she must be found. It's a bizarre case, for sure, but the blood test results might tell more.
Vicki reminds Woodard that Willie had similar symptoms, and even though he concedes they were a lot less terrible, he might just go examine Willie. Burke promises to deliver Loomis, if that's what he wants. The oddest thing, says Woodard, are those puncture marks--what do they mean?
Jason pays Willie a threatening, unfriendly visit at the Old House. Although Willie does his best to force Jason to go, and that the sheriff can't pin Maggie's disappearance on him, Jason doesn't like the fact that HE is being investigated because WILLIE is being checked out. He demands that Willie quit his job and leave. Impossible, says Willie, and orders Jason out. When Jason threatens him, Willie raises the hammer. Jason laughs, which catches Willie off-guard. Jason knocks the hammer from his hand, knocks him to the floor and proceeds to smack Willie, four time, across the face (I guess the words "punching bag" are written in invisible ink across Willie's poor, sweet puss, aren't they?)
Jason's parting shot is that he'll go all the way if he has to, which in this case I guess means killing Willie. Willie rises after Jason leaves, looking very glum and angry. He wipes his bloody mouth with a handkerchief.
In the woods, Jason hears dogs howling. He closes his coat more securely around his throat and shrinks away. The sound of the dogs comes closer, and closer, and Jason's eyes widen with terror.
I always loved Gerringer's Dave Woodard and Elcar's Sheriff Patterson, and to get them both on the same day, plus great scenes between Jason and Willie, was a real treat.
You had to feel really sorry for Willie. He's threatened by both the sheriff and Jason (who he is still trying to protect, for God knows what reason), smacked across the face, beaten by Barnabas-yet he still seems to retain traces of humanity. Superb performances, especially by Karlen.
Episode #238 - The search for the missing girl continues. She seems to have vanished into thin air. But she is hidden in a place no one would think to look. A place close by, a place where she is to play her part in a diabolical fantasy.
After Liz asked Carolyn and Vicki not to go anywhere alone after dark after seeing the picture of the missing Maggie Evans on the front page of the COLLINSPORT STAR, the girls decided to troop down to the Old House and see how Barnabas was progressing with the refurbishing project. The knock, no one answers, but the door swings open by itself, so despite Carolyn's sudden fear attack, Vicki talks her into going into the house--and then talks the nervous blonde into going upstairs, too! The are both fascinated by Josette's room, especially such small details as the comb, brush and mirror. Vicki sniffs the jasmine perfume, then jumps when the door suddenly slams shut. When Vicki nervously pulls it open, Willie is there. He's worried that they may have put something out of order and puts everything in its rightful spot on the vanity, ignoring their compliments about the quality of his work.
No one will be staying in that room, he says when Vicki asks. He refuses to tell them which room is Barnabas' and pushes them to leave--it's getting DARK! He's just about to hustle them out the front door when Barnabas himself appears. The girls wax rhapsodic about the room, which Barnabas admits is Josette's-"brimming with femininity." Willie looks guilty when Barnabas questions the girls about Maggie--"She's a nice girl--I hope she's found soon." (nasty, Barnabas, not to mention hypocritical!)
Barnabas also admits that the story he told Carolyn and Vicki the night of the storm was the tale of Josette's suicide, but he says no one knows who Josette's lover was. (Yeah, right, just look in the mirror. . .never mind.) Barnabas bids them goodnight.
After they've gone, Willie, prodded by Barnabas, admits he gets upset when Barnabas talks to anyone. "You'll learn," Barnabas says. "You'll learn", then orders him to complete the dinner arrangements for their "guest".
Back at Collinwood, Vicki and Carolyn gush over the loveliness of Josette's room to Liz, who seems puzzled that Barnabas chose to restore that particular room. Hmmm...
At a lovely, candle-topped table set for two, Barnabas orders Willie to bring down their guest.
A woman in a wedding gown floats downstairs, Josette's music box open in her hand, playing the music. Barnabas takes her hand and kisses it "Josette, my darling, welcome," he greets her.
NOTES: A diabolical fantasy is how Vicki describes Barnabas' obsession, but the man must be half-crazed after being enclosed in a coffin all those years, and hey, Maggie looks like Josette, so why not kidnap her, brainwash her and turn her into his lost love with the help of his Renfield-like servant? Isn't that what insane vampires do upon escaping?
Willie becomes terrified every time anyone from Collinwood ventures over to the Old House. How ironic it is that Liz wants the girls to keep away from town, and they troop over to the Old House where that very attacker Liz fears is holed up in the guise of cousin/rich gentleman. Only Willie knows the truth, and since Barnabas keeps beating him, only wants a little peace. Strange how you change when a vampire attacks you-pretty jewels become a lot less concern than saving your own hide-and suddenly, Willie fears for Carolyn and Vicki, two women he himself advanced upon, sexually, himself-but how benign Willie's lechery compared with what Barnabas has in mind for Maggie!
Love, Robin
