Episode #27 - My name is Victoria Winters. The men who founded the Collins fortune were pioneers...and the great house on the crest of Widows' Hill is a symbol of their strength. But it's different now, for the portraits that look down from the paneled walls see only the horror of unreasoning hatred.
We pan the Collinwood drawing room, focusing on the Collins forbears, an imposing, humorless group.
An agitated Vicki bursts into the drawing room, demanding, "David, are you hiding in here?" She gazes around the room and, not seeing him, looks discouraged and thoughtful. She hears the front door slam and runs out. "David, is that you?" No, just Carolyn. When Vicki asks if she saw David when she came in, Carolyn responds, "If I had, I'd have crossed to the other side of the road. Where's my mother?" Vicki says Liz is searching the house for David. "You people don't know when you're well off," Carolyn teases, grinning--"If that monster has gone into hiding, you should be celebrating, not hunting for him!" When Vicki chastises, "This is serious," Carolyn demurs that it's only one-nine-year old boy, and the world is full of them. "How many of them try to commit murder?" Vicki demands, immediately getting the other girl's attention; Carolyn whirls around to face her, her expression no longer flippant.
Vicki follows Carolyn into the drawing room. "You weren't serious about that, were you?" Carolyn asks. Vicki just wants to know if she has seen David. No, Carolyn says--now tell her what she means. They stand in front of the fireplace, where Vicki admits maybe murder is too strong a word. The main problem is, David has disappeared and they must find him. Carolyn suggests the basement, and Vicki says Liz is down there now. "Just what did he do?" Carolyn asks, her face a combination of amusement and concern. Vicki thinks it best if her mother explain. Carolyn persists: "Did he try to set the house on fire or push someone downstairs?" (said with a casualness that makes one think he's done all this before.) Carolyn says she just came from a guessing game at Burke's hotel room. At Vicki's shocked expression, Carolyn assures her there's nothing to worry about; she was chaperoned by the sheriff. Vicki looks away and says she doubts the sheriff will be bothering Burke anymore. "Don't count on that," Carolyn says. "With everyone around here but me and you thinking Burke tried to kill..." She trails off, mouth open in astonishment.
"Is that what you were talking about?" Vicki nods sadly. "David?" Carolyn asks, stunned. She doesn't believe it. Vicki rises and says she had better... Carolyn interrupts incredulously: "Vicki, you're talking about a kid tampering with the brakes on his own father's, car!" "I know!" Vicki says. "But David," Carolyn counters--"He's only nine years old." Vicki realizes that, but it doesn't change the facts--David must have snuck into the car, found the wrench, took out the valve, and left it on the front seat, just as Devlin found it. "How could you know?" Carolyn persists. "Because David didn't throw the valve away," Vicki explains. "I found it in his dresser drawer less than an hour ago." "What about the valve?" Carolyn demands--"Where is it?" Vicki doesn't know--she locked it in her dresser drawer and when she brought Mrs. Stoddard up to show it to her, it was gone--and so was David. Carolyn paces to the fireplace and stares into the flames. "We sure do breed them in this family, don't we?" she says bitterly. "My mother hasn't left the place in 18 years, my little cousin tries to kill his own father...these walls shouldn't be paneled, Vicki--they should be padded!" "Well maybe he didn't realize how serious it could be," Vicki suggests. Carolyn indicates the portraits of the Collins ancestor with a sweeping arm and says, "I wonder what they think of the last in the family line--the Collins tradition?" "Carolyn!" Vicki protests. "You know what gets me," Carolyn says bitterly, "is the way I've been tearing myself apart, feeling responsible for what's happened." Vicki says that's ridiculous; it wasn't her fault. Gazing up, Carolyn says, "I keep remembering, I was the one who brought Burke up here. If he tampered with those brakes, I gave him the chance to do it." Vicki says it's that part is over now, they must worry about David. "Will you help me look for him?" Reluctantly, Carolyn follows Vicki.
At the Bangor Pine Hotel, a solid brick edifice, Burke enters the hotel room of one Mr. Bronson. They shake hands and exchange small talk about his flight's shaky take-off from New York. Bronson's wife was unhappy about the suddenness of his departure, as they had theater tickets, but Bronson assures Burke it's all right--he didn't want to see that play, anyway. This was important, Devlin assures him. The other man takes Burke's coat and offers him a drink. Burke accepts. Bronson pours from a bottle, saying he was sure he'd want one after his hour-long drive from Collinsport. Bronson assures Burke his trip wasn't necessary; he could have rented a car and just as easily brought the papers to Collinsport, to Burke's hotel room. "Bronson, I thought I was clear," Burke says almost angrily. "I told you I don't want you coming NEAR me in Collinsport! And as far as anyone is concerned, you're handling this business--I have nothing to do with it, and the day that anyone in the Collins family connects you with me, that's the day you start looking for another job."
Bronson looks shocked, frightened--and hurt, too.
Burke is seated in a chair as Bronson holds up his drink, toasts, "Cheers," then watches, bemused, as Bronson downs most of his like he really needs it. Burke asks if he's nervous about something, and Bronson says no, why? Burke wants him to be sure he's dignified, secure, sincere--that's half the reason he's on the payroll. Burke sips his own drink. "Don't worry about me, Mr. Devlin, I know my limits. How long do you think I might be up here?" Burke advises him to cancel any theater tickets he might have in the next month--it all depends on how well he handles things in Bangor. Burke asks to see what Bronson has brought him. Bronson opens his briefcase, reminding him he expected to have a couple of more weeks on this. "So did I," Burke says, but Roger Collins' automobile accident changed his plans. Taking a batch of legal-sized papers from Bronson, Burke peruses them and explains that Roger's accident "started the sheriff nosing around, asking questions, so I had to move up the timetable. This what you've got?" Bronson says those papers represent a month's hard work--"a complete financial structure of the family, what they own, what they owe"--he was even able to get a net profit statement for the last five years. "I'm interested in the debt structure," Burke states. Bronson proudly informs him that's there, too. Burke suggests he make himself comfortable; he's going to be here a while. "Are you going to read it all now?" Bronson queries. Chuckling, Burke replies, "That's what I came up here for." Bronson refills his glass, gazes at Burke, perplexed, and says, "You mentioned the sheriff...why are you worried about him? We're not planning anything. . .illegal." Burke grins enigmatically and responds, "I know, but when you're planning a surprise party, it spoils all the fun if the guests of honor know about it in advance."
In the hallway outside her room, Vicki tells Carolyn, "The thing I'd like to know is how David got the valve out of my dresser drawer." Carolyn assumed he'd forced it open, but Vicki says no, it was still locked when she got back there, and they key was in her pocket. "There's only one answer," Carolyn says, "ghosts!" Vicki, annoyed, says she isn't joking; Carolyn, smiling, says, "Neither am I! Listen, we have spooks of all sizes and shapes in this mausoleum! If you haven't seen them yet, stick around, they'll he here-- I'm only half kidding--seriously, there is another way David could have gotten that drawer open. Wait here a moment, I want to get something from my room" Vicki hears a strange sound coming from behind the closed west wing door and nervously calls to Carolyn to come back. Shrugging, Carolyn returns to Vicki's side and says she didn't hear whatever Vicki did and asks where she heard the sound. Vicki indicates the west wing door. Carolyn says she couldn't have, that part of the house is closed off. Vicki insists sure she heard something fall. "But no one ever goes back there," Carolyn insists, and when Vicki starts to protest, repeats, "No one!" "I just heard something," Vicki says, "and it's not the first time." "Vicki, are you trying to scare me with my own ghosts?" "It's true," Vicki insists. "The other day when I was here, the door was open, and I went to it to see who it was and it and it closed by itself, and when I tried it, it was locked." "Of course it was," Carolyn says, "it's always locked!" "Is it?" Vicki asks pointedly. Suddenly, the west wing door opens. In a shaky voice, Carolyn demands, "Who is it? Who's there?" The door opens and Liz emerges and walks towards them, a small smile on her face. ""Mother!" says Carolyn. Both girls gasp in their relief and start chattering at once. "What's the matter with you two?" Liz asks. Carolyn said Vicki heard a noise and saw the door open just a little bit; they wondered who it was. "I dropped my keys, I had to stop and pick them up," Liz explains. "Did you find David?" Liz had no luck in the west wing. "Miss Winters, let's go in your room, I'd like to talk to you," she says. Vicki and Carolyn exchange a glance and Vicki follows Liz into her room. Carolyn stands, deep in contemplation.
Liz sits on Vicki's bed and explains to Vicki that the wing from which she just emerged usually is closed off, but she thought David might have found a way of getting in, so she searched there. When Vicki asks about the time she saw it open, Liz suggests the caretaker, while checking the house, might have forgotten to securely shut it. "It closed, and when I tried it, it wouldn't open," pursues Vicki. "It has a spring lock on the inside," says Liz, "and probably closed because of the wind." "Wind? In that hallway?" counters Vicki. Liz has no interest in discussing reasons the door might open or close, "I'm much more concerned about David. Are you absolutely certain that object you found in his room was the valve to my brother's car?" "Well, it looked like it," Vicki says. "Couldn't it have been something he picked up and saved," suggests Liz, "the way boys save rocks?" "If it wasn't the valve, why was he so anxious to get it back?" Liz, slyly, "Are you sure he did get it back?" "Well, I locked it in the drawer, and then it was missing!" Vicki insists. "Mrs. Stoddard, I don't understand." Liz: "I simply want to be absolutely certain. It's a horrible accusation--I want to be sure." Vicki assures Liz she wants the same thing, "but what else can we think?" Liz: "Are you sure you did put it in that drawer?" "Yes!" says Vicki, sounding upset at the unspoken implication. Carolyn triumphantly comes in holding a key aloft, declaring, "Sherlock Holmes to the rescue--watch this!" Liz stands. She and Vicki watch as Carolyn, grinning, unlocks Vicki's dresser drawer with her key. "Where did that key come from?" Vicki asks. Liz says that key was made for the dresser in Carolyn's room. Carolyn takes a magazine from the drawer and studies it. "The keys are all the same," Liz explains. "Then David could have taken her key and opened my drawer with it," Vicki says excitedly. "I know how David can open a drawer, Miss Winters," says Liz coldly, "I want to be certain he had a reason to." "I told you..." Vicki started to say. Carolyn interrupts, "When did you get interested in mechanics? I knew you were a versatile gal, but I never dre..." Carolyn's mouth falls open. "Vicki, where did you get this?" she asks. "Why?" Vicki asks. "Well, there just happens to be a very well-thumbed page on the mechanics of assembling and disassembling a master brake cylinder." Vicki asks to see the magazine and takes it from Carolyn. "This is it!" Vicki says, gazing at the article. "This is how David learned to take the valve out of the car!"
"It's in YOUR room, Miss Winters," Liz says pointedly. "I know," Vicki admits. "He was so determined to give it to me." Voice trembling, holding the magazine in two hands, she says, "He said it was a present." "It's a strange gift, wouldn't you say?" Liz asks, her mouth pressed in a tight line. Carolyn, twisting her necklace back and forth on it's chain, catches her mother's meaning and stares in disbelief.
Back at the Bangor Hotel, Bronson drains his drink as Burke finishes reading the paperwork and hands it back to the other man. "What do you think?" Bronson asks. "It's fine," Burke says, "as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough." He rises from the chair and pours another drink. Bronson reminds him he though he had a couple of more weeks on this--but they are in pretty good shape. "Not good enough," Burke insists. Bronson points out that he has a complete breakdown of all the notes outstanding held by a commercial credit company in Bangor. All they have to do it buy them up, call them in for payment, and... "Bronson," Burke interrupts. "I don't need a lesson in finance. I know we can buy up the notes, I know we can call them in! But there's a lot more to it than that." Bronson says he covered the cannery, the fishing fleet, the house. Burke says, "And I told you you've done a very fine job. But when I put your office on this assignment, I said I wanted information on EVERY piece of property that family owns." "Well," Bronson says defensively, "I went after the big items first, then when you cut the time short..." "All right, all right," says Burke impatiently, "let's get it now. That family owns some property in town. Some houses down by the waterfront, a block of buildings back of Main Street, some other parcels I don't even know about...I want appraisal values, leans, mortgages, everything." Bronson admits it's quite a big job, but he'll do the best that he can. He can't expect better than that. "I expect you to earn that fat retainer I pay you," Burke says, gulping down his drink. "which means I want information--and fast. Now that's not too much to ask now, is it?" "No," Bronson says, a small smile on his face. "Good," says Burke, his face going dark and angry. "I'm gonna do a job on that family. I wanna hit them so hard, they'll wish they never heard of me."
Burke slips back on his coat, still jabbering at the nodding Bronson. "Now you'll get on it first thing in the morning. When do you expect a report on that other cannery?" "Bronson: At Logansport?" "Yes," Burke says, "don't tell me you haven't looked into that one, too?" "Isn't it here?" Bronson asks, checking the documents. "Well, I remember my secretary typing it up yesterday," Bronson says. "that's the rival cannery you were thinking of buying into." "That's the one," Burke agrees. Bronson rifles through the paperwork, wondering where the information went. "It's probably back on your desk, in New York City, where it will do neither one of us any good," says Burke sarcastically. Bronson suggests, "Perhaps she made a mistake and mailed it out." "To me?" Burke asks, clearly alarmed. Bronson points out that when he left New York, he didn't even know what hotel he would be staying at. Burke picks up the phone to call Collinsport Hotel, and asks them to call him back. "It wouldn't be there yet," says Bronson, but Burke says it would be if mailed Special Delivery. "Bronson, if I get a piece of mail with your letterhead on it, we're both in trouble." Maybe no one will notice, Bronson suggests, but Burke sourly points out that in that town everyone notices everything--"and don't you forget it."
At Collinwood, Liz is on the phone with Roger, her tone disapproving, explaining that David has been gone for three-quarters of an hour. "Well, if I knew where, I wouldn't be calling you...well, he's your son and he was very much upset. All I want you to do is get home as soon as you can. All right. Goodbye." She walks from the phone, twining her fingers together, and mutters, "Useless! Absolutely useless!" "Isn't Uncle Roger coming?" Carolyn asks from her seat on the sofa. "I don't think he cares whether David ever comes back," Liz says sadly. "Carolyn, I want you to go search the grounds." "Oh, look, he's only been gone a short time," Carolyn reminds her. Liz: "Darling, do you realize how upset he must be?" "Mother, he was frightened, and he ran. He's bound to come back because don't forget, he's only nine years old." "I'm not forgetting," Liz assures her, "and please hurry!" Carolyn agrees to go, but before leaving, asks what Uncle Roger said when she told him about the valve. Carolyn is incredulous when her mother says she didn't tell him: "Why not? Do you want him to go on thinking Burke was responsible when it was David?" Liz: "I didn't tell him because I wasn't sure!" "But Vicki said..." "I know what she said!" Liz cried. "but I can't believe it, I just can't! I have to be sure her story is true." Carolyn turns and leaves without another word, obviously disagreeing with her mother. Liz gazes up at Jeremiah's portrait.
Burke tells Bronson, "If that report hasn't arrived at my hotel I want you to call your secretary and make sure that she sends it up here, to you." Bronson assures him it will be done. The phone rings. Burke answers and asks if any mail arrived for him today. "Good," he says, "yes, I see. Thank you. What? When? Oh, yes, thank you very much," he finishes sourly. "Well, that does it!" Bronson asks what's wrong, and Burke says, the sheriff showed up--"had a search warrant, went through my hotel room. Well he and I are going to have it out over that one!
This seems to be my day, Bronson, not only the sheriff, but the desk clerk tells me they caught someone trying to sneak into my room!" "A thief?" asks Bronson. "No," Burke says, "smiling secretively, "a little boy. I'll be in touch."
NOTES: Here we realize that Roger isn't the only one openly contemptuous of David. Carolyn's feelings for her cousin come through clearly when she says she would have crossed to the other side of the street if she had seen him. Her casual list of the possible horrors David may have committed also show how very little she trusts her cousin. Yet, even she is shocked to hear that he tried to murder his own father. Everyone make a big deal about David being only nine (I used to admire his nerve when I was 13), but he seems capable of performing acts that most adults would think twice about--with no compunctions. Carolyn's bitterness is evident as she outlines just how bizarre her family is, suggesting padded, rather than paneled, walls.
From the secrecy and depth of the report Bronson is running for Burke, it sounds like Devlin has nothing less than total financial ruin in mind for the Collins family. Being accused of trying to kill Roger has sped up Burke's plan, and you can see what a tough man Devlin is to work for--very demanding, and intolerant of possible mistakes (the secretary mailing the report to Collinsport, for instance). Burke plans to hit them hard, and if he is going to jail again, he will make sure they are imprisoned in a different way--by bankruptcy, perhaps?
We get a little taste of fear when Liz appears from the supposedly-deserted west wing, but nothing supernatural happening here (Quentin has yet to rise). That David knows his and Carolyn's dresser use the same key and was smart enough to retrieve it and get the valve back shows just how clever this child is. He doesn't miss a trick, especially when one considers he's only nine years old! It's obvious that Liz doesn't believe Vicki--or can't bear to believe David attempted to kill his own father. Liz seems more prepared to accept that Vicki, a stranger, was responsible--after all, the magazine describing how to do the deed was found in HER dresser, right? That David not only attempted murder, but worked so hard to cover his tracks, is further evidence that we are dealing with a gifted, dangerous kid. Of course, it hurts Vicki, thinking back on the "present" David bestowed on her, that he was framing her for what he had done. She thought she was winning his trust--not! Murdering his father and having Vicki arrested would have killed two hated birds with one stone, so David is obviously thinking very hard about all this, determined to arrange the evidence so guilt doesn't fall on him. Carolyn believes Vicki's version of the story and is shocked to learn her mother doesn't--Liz is so determined to be "sure" it was David, she doesn't even tell her brother about the day's incidents. This is clearly a loving aunt in denial.
Why does David go to Burke's hotel room? We know it had to be him, and we know he has the bleeder valve on his person. Now that things have fallen apart in his efforts to focus the blame on Vicki, is he going to try to make Burke, on whom suspicion has already been cast, look like the guilty party?
Who recognized Barnard Hughes portraying Bronson?
Episode #28 - Carter is looking through the filing cabinet in his office when Burke bursts in, demanding to talk to him. People usually knock before they come in here, points out Carter. Did you knock on my door? asks Burke. Oh, so that's it, says Carter. I just called the hotel, says Burke--they told me you searched my room--you had no right to do that! Calm down and let's not talk about rights, advises Carter, I'm investigating a crime here and don't you forget it--I don't need any lessons on rights from you or anyone else. Maybe my lawyers will have something to say about that, says Burke angrily. Are you threatening me? asks the constable. No, says Burke, I'm just telling you to stay away from me. I know you're a big man, big success, says Carter, you have a three room suite on top of the hotel, but you're also a suspect in a crime of attempted murder. I had nothing to do with that, insists Burke. Then why are you so worried about my searching your room?--what do you have to hide? asks Carter.
Burke assures the sheriff he doesn't have a thing to hide. Then why are you all so fired up about my searching your room? asks Carter. Because, begins Burke, you had no right to do it without... ...without a search warrants? finishes Carter--I had one, right here in this mess on my desk, if I can find it--want to see it?--all legal, wouldn't move without it. Burke takes and reads the search warrant, asking what he was looking for. This and that, says the constable, you never know what you might find. Did you find anything? asks Burke. We had time to make a thorough search--you know, you've got some nice clothes up there--where did you buy 'em? Never mind about my wardrobe, says Burke, whose idea was this? I don't see that it matters, says the constable, normal police procedure. I can't buy that, says Burke, if you wanted to search my rooms, you'd have walked in with a warrant when you came to question me, and you know it. I'm just a small town sheriff, he says, I guess I was a little slow. I can't buy that, either, says Burke--who pushed you, Roger Collins? Wait a minute, says Carter, rising from his seat in anger, but the phone rings and he answers--yes, I've got the file--you'll just have to wait a minute, I'm not ready yet--he hangs up and tells Burke that no one tells him how to do his job--not Roger or anyone else. He and that family of his railroaded me into prison 10 years ago, says Burke, and I haven't forgotten it--and it's not gonna happen again. I thought that was all past history, says Carter--I thought you didn't hold any grudges against Roger. The only thing you have to know is that I didn't tamper with that car, says Burke--I told you that up in my room
--and that ought to end it! Nothing ends it until I find out all the information I need, says Carter, I've got to take this file in to my deputy, in the meantime, you better do a little thinking about the fact that a car did go off the road, and Roger Collins was almost killed--and if you didn't do it, who did?
David stands in the entrance of the Collinsport Coffee Shop. Maggie comes up behind him and puts her hands on his shoulders--come on, young man, in you go, she says with mock seriousness--march!--you were lucky you weren't picked up for vagrancy, she teases. I didn't do anything! he says (always defending himself!) Hands in pockets, she asks him how long he was hanging around the hotel lobby. I was just sitting there, he says defensively. She chuckles. Wouldn't it be better to sit in here where you can have a sundae at the same time? she asks. I don't want anything, he says. Of course you do, she tells him, now you get up on one of these stools while I go see what I can cook up. She goes behind the counter and puts a napkin in front of him. You're David Collins, aren't you? she asks. Yes, he says. Your dad comes in here for coffee quite often, she says, scooping out ice cream, did you know that? No, he says. Well, says Maggie, do you want nuts and whipped cream on it, too? I don't care, he says. She chuckles and says she wishes all her customers were like him
--she pours lots of chocolate syrup over the ice cream--as a matter of fact, I was hoping your father would come in tonight--kind of anxious to talk to him--do you know where he is? The office, I guess, he says. Don't you know? she asks. I told you, he says, shifting his eyes, at the office. Oh, she says, how did you get into town anyway? she asks, pouring more good stuff on his sundae. With my father, lies David. Will he know where to find you? she asks. Uh huh, he fabricates--say, do you think I could work the fountain sometime? Sure, she says, applying canned whipped cream--say, when do you think your father will be coming in for you? Pretty soon, he says. He is coming, isn't he? she asks, adding cherries to the sundae. I told you, he says. You sure did, she agrees, OK--but don't gobble it--I have to make a phone call and tell my father where I am--she gives him a spoon and he digs in. How does it taste? she asks. Pretty good with whipped cream, he says. She pats his shoulder and laughs, and says, "You bet it is." Then she goes into the phone booth and dials, her face much more serious. David continues to enjoy his ice cream.
Police station - Burke eyes all the wanted posters on the wall, arms crossed over his chest. See anyone you know? asks Carter, joining him. I graduated from that class five years ago, says Burke. Has it been that long since you go out of prison? asks Carter. My sentence was reduced, says Burke--I was a good boy--still am. I know, you keep telling me, says Carter. I've been thinking about that question you asked me, says Burke--who else might be responsible for that accident. The phone rings. Carter tells him to hold it. Put him on, says Carter--just a second, Burke, long distance--Frank, how are you?--just grand--look, I left word for you to call me collect--well, if the New York Police Department has all that money to spend on phone calls (Burke pays attention to this), it's all right with me--did you come up with anything?--he looks at Burke--I see--look, Frank, where are you?--can I call you back in 10 minutes?--good, call you back soon. Burke taps his lip, looking quizzical. Did you think of anyone? asks Carter. No, and that's the point, says Burke. So you're the only pigeon, says Carter. I didn't know you had business with New York, remarks Burke. We get inquiries now and then, says Carter--that's the trouble, up until now, you're the only one I could put my finger on. Yes, says Burke angrily, and you're gonna keep on putting your finger on me, aren't you?--I'll tell you one thing right now--I came to this town for a visit--and I don't want you hounding me for something I didn't do! Hound you?--I wouldn't think of it, Carter assures him. What do you call searching my room? asks Burke--what do you call calling people in New York and asking questions about me--and don't try to tell me that phone call wasn't about me? You're beginning to sound more and more like a man with a guilty conscience, says Carter. All right, let's get this over with, insists Burke--you came to my room to look for a bleeder valve--the one that was stolen from Roger's car. Maybe, says Carter. Was it there? asks Burke. Nope, says Carter. That ought to prove something, says Burke. Doesn't prove a thing, says Carter--if you took that valve off, you'd be a darn fool to hang onto it. Why do you go on looking for it? demands Burke. It's my job, says Carter. You do your job, says Burke, but get offa my back and stay off! I'll be seeing you, Burke, says Carter, his hand on the phone. Burke leaves. Carter asks for Frank Palmer.
Maggie is looking out the window. She offers David another sundae, but he says no thank you--I'd better be going.. (A polite attempted murderer!) She asks him if he'd like to try making another one himself. Could I? he asks. Sure, she says, go right around that counter and I'll give you a full set of instructions. He sees her gazing out the window and asks if she's looking for someone. No, she giggles, only a customer--it's getting pretty lonely in here--let me show you how to use that ice cream scoop. I know how, he says, digging the scooper into the melting ice cream. Go right ahead, she says, handing him a clean dish. Very good, she praises--you want to know something funny?--the hotel clerk just told me you were trying to get into Burke Devlin's room. David applies chocolate syrup. That's not true, he says, the door was open, I was just looking. Any particular reasons? she asks. He starts to apply whipped cream to the sundae, but stops and starts to leave when she asks that question. Where are you going? she asks. I don't want the sundae, he says. She tells him she's sorry--she wasn't trying to be nosy, but to make conversation. I think I'll go back to the lobby, he says resentfully. Hands on his shoulders, she says it is getting pretty lonely in here, and that sundae will go to waste--why doesn't he go back there and make another sundae for her, and they can have a party?--he can even put hot fudge on it--deal? OK, he agrees, heaping whipped cream on his sundae as Maggie again stares out the window. Roger enters, and Maggie go to the door to greet him--it's so good to see you, she tells him--I kept him here as long as I could, he was hanging around in the lobby--I thought you'd never get here. I have a few other things to do besides chasing around after my son, says Roger disdainfully--where is he? He was right here making a sundae, says Maggie, surprised--he couldn't have gotten out those doors that fast--he was here just a minute ago, believe me!
Roger checks his watch and sighs. Maggie comes in and says she has checked the lobby; no one saw him go through--he disappeared so quickly! Spells and incantations, says Roger--if he does materialize again, do me a favor--don't call me. How will he get home? She asks. He found his way into town, didn't he?--I'm sure he can solve that problem, too. It's dark now, says Maggie reproachfully. All right, if he does show up, try checking with the office, but tell him to warn himself that he's in for a good, solid lecture. Maggie asks Burke if he knows that David tried to get into Burke's room. No, says Roger. I asked him why, he said he was just curious, says Maggie. Curious about what? asks Roger. He didn't say, says Maggie. If you do see David, the minute you see him, get hold of me and call me, says Roger. I'm curious about something--my father, says Maggie--I've wanted to talk to you about it ever since--he's been very upset lately--and I'm worried about him. Upset about what? asks Roger. I don't know, she says, but I thought maybe you could tell me. Why me? asks Roger. I'm not sure, she says, but ever since that night Burke came back to town and you came looking for Pop, he's been frightened--I want to know why? How should I know? asks Roger. I'm sure it has something to do with you and Burke, says Maggie, when Burke came to the house, Pop was so jittery that I... Burke came to see your father? asks Roger, upset. A couple of times, says Maggie. Were you there? Roger asks. Yes, she says. What did they talk about? Roger asks. I don't know, she replies, Pop was just acting so strangely. Did he talk about me? asks Roger sharply. Then he IS involved, says Maggie. He's involved in nothing, insists Roger. Then why are you so worried about their conversation? She asks.
I'm not worried, he says, just curious, like you are--doesn't it seem strange that a man comes back to Collinsport after 10 years then runs right over to see your father? That doesn't seem strange at all--Burke used to pose for my Pop, says Maggie. Oh, that's what they were discussing, says Roger, your father's latest painting. Partly, says Maggie, as a matter of fact, Pop's going to do a portrait of Burke. Burke enters the restaurant and asks Roger what he thinks of that--he's going to be preserved, in oil--do you have any of that lobster roll in the kitchen--I'm not breaking up the great romance, am I? (Funny line, given the relationship between Maggie and Roger in the 1991 DS remake.) No, says Maggie, we were just talking about Pop. Burke asks Roger if he is a fan of Sam's. No, but you seem to be, says Roger coldly. Would you see about the lobster roll, please? asks Burke. She reluctantly leaves. Why should my going to see Sam Evans bother you, Roger? asks Burke. I was just wondering how you expected him to do a portrait of you when you plan to leave town so soon, remarks Roger.
Plans change, you ought to know that, says Burke. I know that you've had your last chance, says Roger, I'm not gonna let you have it again. You still think I tried to kill you, don't you? asks Burke. Don't mess with me, orders Roger. What are you going to do? demands Burke--put pressure on the local police?--railroad me out of town like you did 10 years ago? I'm going to get rid of you, one way or the other, says Roger. It won't work, not this time, says Burke, I'm not... I know what you are, interrupts Roger, nothing but an ex-convict who managed to pick up a little money--well, you've had it, Burke--the minute the brakes in my car failed and I went off that road, you signed your way right back into prison. I'm not there yet, says Burke. You will be, says Roger, and leaves the restaurant.
Burke sits at the same table where Roger left him. Are you sure it was David Collins? asks Burke. I had him in here for 15 minutes, Maggie says, before he disappeared--of course that's who it was. When they told me a kid had sneaked into my room, says Burke, I never dreamed...did they know what he was looking for? You know kids, laughs Maggie--the chambermaid left the door open and he decided to look around--just curious, I guess. When it comes to that family, says Burke, nobody's just curious, not where I'm concerned--sit down. I have to get back to work, she says. There's no customers around, he reminds her--keep me company. Maggie smiles and joins him. Roger Collins was a little upset when you told him I'd been to see your father, wasn't he? Yes, she says, he seemed to be. This might be important, says Burke--did your father and Roger see anything of each other while I was away? No, not at all, she says, until... Until when? prompts Burke. She doesn't reply. You know I'm very fond of your father, says Burke, I wouldn't do a thing to hurt him. That night you came back to town, says Maggie, Roger Collins came in here looking for Pop, and seemed pretty anxious to find him--now what's happening--what is it? Before that night, says Burke, they weren't seen with each other at all, right? I told you, says Maggie, the last time I remember seeing him at the house, I was just a kid.
Just abut 10 years ago, says Burke. I think so, says Maggie--it was just about the time...of your trial. That's right, says Burke, an odd look on his face. What's happening? asks Maggie. I don't know, says Burke--yet.
Police station - How long do you intend to sit on it? demands Roger of Carter--until Devlin packs his bags and leaves town? Don't worry about that, says Carter, I already asked Burke to stay around for a while. He should be behind bars, opines Roger, not walking around the streets, talking to people--digging up... Digging up what? asks Carter. I just think when a man tries to commit a murder, something ought to be done to him, says Roger. Something will, Carter assures him, taking some water from the cooler--it's a curious thing about this whole affair--it has to do with more than just a car going off the road. I don't know what you mean, says Roger. You talked about Burke digging up something, says Carter. That's just a phrase, says Roger. I know, says Carter, but it reminded me of something I asked Burke long ago--I said what do you have to hide--is there something you don't want him to dig up? I did not tamper with the brakes on my own car, says Roger, I merely came here to find out if you've learned anything more--anything at all that would help you make an arrest. Drinking his water, Carter says he did get a report from New York about Burke--seems he's clean--runs an investment company--buys into outfits, then sells them at a profit--all very legal, except for one curious thing my friend dug up--it seems Devlin hired a private detective to come up here two weeks before he arrived--from what I can find out, the detective's job was to dig up information about you and your family
--so that same question I asked Burke, I hope you can answer--do you have anything to hide?
Burke drinks coffee. Maggie asks if he wants anything else, and he says he thinks that will do him for a while--is she looking for the kid? Yes, she says, I just don't understand it--he disappeared into thin air! Maybe he got into my room, says Burke as Maggie collects the dishes. He didn't even have time to get out of the restaurant, she says, accepting his money. If you see him again, says Burke, tell him I've had enough of the Collins family for one day. She nods. Don't worry, he says. Me?--I never worry, Maggie smiles. She puts the money in the register. We see her through the phone booth, where David abruptly pops up. (Clever little boy!) He exits the booth, looking around, then heads out the door.
NOTES: David was hiding in that phone booth all this time? While Maggie and Burke talked, and Roger and Maggie? Wow, is he ever lucky no one wanted to use that booth during that time!
The back and forth between Roger and Burke continues, with the sheriff wondering what is REALLY going on. I do like Carter, he's no-nonsense, has a dry sense of humor and refuses to take crap from either Roger or Burke.
Enjoyed watching Maggie and David making sundaes, it was such a natural, fun scene--even if she did have ulterior motives and was keeping him there until someone came to get him. That poor kid does need and deserve attention, and he sure doesn't get any at home, at least nothing positive. So the daddy-killer is now officially on the lam. What will Roger think/do when he finds out his own son attempted to kill him?
Love, Robin
