273 - The foundations of Collinwood lie deep in the age-old cliff, and it would seem that even the thunders of heaven could never shake the stones on which it stands. But it may be that the whole vast structure of the proud and ancient house rests on ground no larger than the size of a man's grave--and the disturbed earth is about to send a shudder through the piled stones that will topple the walls and destroy the old house forever.
Collinwood basement. Burke and Patterson dig up the trunk and pry it open.
Back in the drawing room, Roger asks Liz why she didn't tell him of her secret, first assuring her he would have kept it,
then admitting he'd have used it for his own form of blackmail. Burke and Patterson come back upstairs as a call comes in that Jason has been captured. The sheriff reveals to Liz and Roger that the trunk was completely empty.
Liz insists she see this herself, and she, Patterson and Roger go into the basement. When the sheriff shows Liz the inside of the empty trunk, she becomes hysterical--why have I lived in torment for so many years? She cries. How can you be sure Paul is really dead? Asks Patterson. A deputy and Burke escort Jason in. The latter at first refuses to say a word,
then says he'll tell the truth--but only to Liz. Against Roger and Burke's advice, Liz agrees.
Drawing room - After Jason has told Liz the entire story, Liz has Roger, Burke and Patterson come in. Paul was only stunned by that fireplace poker, says Jason, who agreed to help Paul escape for a portion of the money he was stealing. He last saw Paul 10 years ago in Hong Kong, and has no idea where he is now. Liz announces that she's dropping all charges against Jason, payback in return for the truth. Furious, Roger demands Jason be arrested; the money he took also belonged to HIM, after all. Sneering, Jason reminds them of the public scandal this revelation would cause. Liz insists she can't bear that thought, and only wants Jason to go. Burke agrees with her, and Roger grudgingly gives in. Get out of Collinsport by morning, Patterson orders Jason, who persuades Liz to extend the deadline to sunset. When Jason offers to give his word of honor, the sheriff calls that "the most worthless commodity on the market. (Diss!) Jason, beaten and not happy about it, salutes Liz with a flower and leaves.
Jason lurks around the front door of the Old House.
NOTES: Imagine, if you will, a man so black of heart and bereft of soul, he not only helps dupe an innocent woman into remaining a prisoner in her own home for 18 years, but allows her to think she murdered her equally blackguard husband while the two of these charming "buddies" went off into the world together, splitting money that didn't belong to either of them?
I give you, my friends, Jason McGuire. Turns out Liz didn't murder Paul after all! Turns out Jason knew it all along, but figured he could milk money out of her, then marry her when he knew damned well her husband was still alive!
Frankly, I wish Liz had taken a fireplace poker and whomped Jason over the head with it until he was dead, if only to murder him for what he did to her. Instead, she was meek and accepted his insistence that he be allowed to go free--and in return, he'd tell her the truth about the horror he had put her through. Liz told Carolyn she'd even been visiting Paul's "grave" all these years!
Jason deserves a terrible fate.
Interesting how Roger admitted that, had Liz told him the truth, he wouldn't have been much better than Jason and would probably have held it over her head in a different fashion. Fascinating, too, that Liz didn't keep this secret all these years to avoid the law, but to protect Carolyn, who, it's obvious, means everything to her.
Sheriff Patterson was wonderful, and very kind to Liz. He seemed to believe Jason's story even before looking in that trunk, so you suspect he knew from the beginning that Jason and Paul had concocted a tale and made off with the money.
Enjoyed the little exchange between the Sheriff and Burke, when the latter warned Jason to get out of town and the Sheriff kind of intervened and said that was his job. "OK," said Burke, sounding chastened, but I think Dana Elcar stepped on his line.
All in all, except for Liz' insistence she could hear them digging in the basement and that she'd felt Paul's presence all these years, there wasn't a supernatural element to be seen. This was pure soap, IMHO, but really good soap.
Now, Jason's going in for one last, big score, hanging around the Old House with evil intent. What does he want? Heh heh heh. What will he GET?
274 - A prize of great wealth has been wrested from the greedy hands of a dangerous man. His plans of many years have been destroyed. Time is running out for him, and desperations steers him on a perilous course--a course that leads to the jagged rocks of death.
Oh, no, frets Willie, Barnabas, insisting that he "must live in a prescribed manner," is off to the races again, all set to turn another young woman (and he knows it's Vicki) into his Josette. Willie reminds Barnabas he failed with Maggie, but Barn says he'll be less hasty this time, and start off with a gift of jewelry.
Outside, Jason keeps prowling around, and looks in the window in time to see Willie bring a big box of jewelry in for Barnabas' perusal.
Willie tells Barnabas he knows his next Josette will be Vicki, but Barnabas refuses to confirm or deny it. Both are unaware that Jason, eavesdropping outside the front window, has overheard their conversation.
Later, Willie runs into Jason in the woods and learns that Jason's marriage to Liz didn't happen--and his entire scam fell apart. Jason demands that Willie give him some of the jewelry he spied through the window earlier.
Willie says no until Jason threatens to reveal what he overheard about Barnabas' plans for Vicki--and his involvement in what happened to Maggie.
Blue Whale - Jason sits at the bar, awaiting Willie. Vicki enters searching for Carolyn. Jason attempts being friendly toward Vicki, but she treats him with scorn and disgust. Jason can't comprehend why everyone is so angry with him--hey, Paul Stoddard was equally guilty. But HE didn't come back, says Vicki contemptuously. Realizing she's about to rush away, he tells her he'll be laughing at her. "Just who are you, Vicki Winters, and where do you come from?" he taunts. Why do you ask that? She asks uncertainly; he's gone for her weak spot. Because I know you don't know the answers to those questions, says Jason--well, I was in this vicinity 18 years ago, and maybe I know the answers.
What do you know? Asks Vicki, hardly daring to hope he'll answer her. "Whatever I know, my dear, I'll take with me when I go," he says cruelly. You're only trying to hurt me, accuses Vicki. Am I succeeding? He asks. Vicki simply leaves. Willie enters the bar and hands over only a single brooch--all he dared to take from the box.
Jason gets nasty, but Willie tells him that's all he's going to get.
Dusk - Jason breaks in through the Old House front window and enters the drawing room.
NOTES: One has to wonder why Barn doesn't just pursue her romantically instead of going ahead with a plan that didn't work before, but as he told Willie, he has special requirements. Maybe he needs his girlfriends to be brainwashed.
Barnabas praises Willie for being wiser and stronger, and Willie proves how wise he is by correctly predicting the identity of the next bride-to-be. What neither of them realizes is that a snake is listening to everything--Jason McGuire, the ultimate rattler in the grass has overheard all! More importantly, he's seen that big box of jewelry and now is as greedy as Willie once was (and we all know where that greed got Mr. Loomis, don't we)?
It was a great scene in the woods as Jason intercepted Willie and gave him the "double dipping of hands in the jewelry box" speech. Jason needs a stake for his next gig in Texas or Florida, and even if Willie refuses to come along, he can help him get started--he's gotten Willie out of lots of scrapes and Loomis owes him! Willie tries to razz Jason about the failure of his plans, but you could see McGuire was not happy about it and was going to do something physically nasty to Willie. Then Jason drops two names--Maggie and Vicki--letting the frightened Willie know he overheard some very dangerous "current events." Thus blackmailed (I guess that's Jason's modus operandi), Willie has no choice but to agree to meet Jason and fork over some jewels.
Before meeting Willie at the Blue Whale, there is a fascinating scene between Jason and Vicki. He KNOWS something about her--or does he? He warns her that her day of reckoning is to come, and that black and white just might become murky to her. He accuses Vicki of living in a "perfectionist's paradise" and cruelly asks, "Who are you, and where do you come from"? You can see it takes all of Vicki's willpower not to scream in his face, but she softly asks "What do you know?", realizing that he might be lying, but probably praying he really can shed some light on her identity. Proudly, Vicki turns on her heel and leaves him, but you know his words must have stung. He is such a prick!
It's Jason's turn to be bothered as Willie finally shows up--but with only one paltry piece of jewelry for him! That's not enough, snarls Jason, but Willie says, "That's all you're gonna get," and HE turns on his heels and leaves Jason fuming.
Determined to get more, and to meet his maker, Jason breaks into the Old House.
Love, Robin
