PART 7: Caught in the Act (Cecillia, Elizabeth, Joe, Harry,Carolyn)

Cecillia had spent most of the morning downstairs in the drawing room. Ever since finding Quentin's journals the day before, she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of them; of course, she hadn't actually asked permission yet to be guarding them as her own, but was almost positive that Elizabeth wouldn't object.

Many things she still couldn't understand, no matter how many times she read over them, however some parts talked about very interesting experiments and even a brief section about a stairwell - she wondered what stairwell that could be? The one in the basement?

Cecillia's concentration was suddenly broken as she heard footsteps of someone entering the room; she quickly closed the books, and stood up. "Oh, good morning cousin Elizabeth; how are you today? I'm actually rather glad to see you at the moment, as I had something I'd like to show and discuss with you, if you have the time of course."

"I'm fine Cecillia; it seems we all had an uneventful and peaceful sleep last night. I want to thank you for so willingly helping to begin putting Quentin's room in order. I do appreciated it and so does Mrs. Johnson."

She walked over to the big double windows and opened them to let some fresh air in. "What is it you wished to talk with me about now?"

Grabbing the journals off of the sofa, Cecillia walked over to the window where Elizabeth was at, and showed them to here. "I found these yesterday up in Quentin's room, under the bed. The work in the chemistry like ones are very advanced, according to Julia, and I really don't understand it; however, they are very fascinating to read none the less." She handed them to Elizabeth to look at.

"If you wouldn't mind, do you think that I could hold on to them? I'm nearly certain that Quentin wouldn't mind, and they are exactly the type of thing that I enjoy reading. Of course, I could understand if you would prefer to put them on a shelf with all of the other Collins history books and such."

"Of course you may hold onto them, and I know you'll take good care of them. We didn't even know they were there until yesterday. All the better if you can make sense out of them and enjoy them."

Elizabeth looked out the window and said, "It sounds like someone's driving up the lane. I wasn't expecting anyone this morning." Looking at the journals in Cecillia's hands she added, "If we put them on the shelves and Roger noticed them, can you just imagine the jokes he would make?"

Joe Haskell was standing outside the big doors of Collinwood with a portfolio of papers having to do with the insurance on two new fishing boats. It was easier for Elizabeth to read the charts, select which policy she wanted and to sign the papers in person.

I'd also like to know if there've been any new developments with that thing we buried last week, he thought.

Driving up to the mansion, he thought he saw someone, who looked unfamiliarto him, on the hill near the woods where he and Mrs. Stoddard had disposed of the embarassing problem. He had actually pulled his car over and ran to the area to investigate but the stranger had disappeared.

Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'd better mention it to Mrs. Stoddard just in case, he thought as he began knocking on the door.

All morning Carolyn couldn't get the thoughts the things that Julia had found the day before out of her head. The thoughts of Judith Collins' husband put to his death and locked up in a room in the west wing was just too gruesome. Not feeling herself, Carolyn walked down the stairs on her way out the door; she thought, perhaps a nice walk would do her good.

As she was grabbing her jacket though, the someone began knocking on the door. Sighing, she placed her jacket back on the hanger, straightened her hair, and answered the door. "Oh, hi Joe," Carolyn managed to say with a half smile, as she held the door open for him to come inside.

"Hi Carolyn, I'm here to see Mrs. Stoddard," Joe said. He could see her and Cecillia in the drawing room but didn't want to rush past Carolyn without any further conversation, especially since she looked troubled.

"Say Carolyn, is anything wrong? You don't quite seem yourself today."

"It's probably nothing Joe, but thanks for asking," Carolyn said, smiling. "I suppose that once all of this 'business' is taking care of, the mood will pass."

Grabbing for her jacket once again, Carolyn quickly added "Mother's in the drawing room as you see; good day Joe." She then turned and left the house.

Elizabeth saw the portfolio in Joe's hands and suddenly remembered the insurance papers. "Come in Joe; I could have gone to the cannery I suppose," she said as she took the papers from him. "You remember my cousin Cecillia, don't you?" She watched Joe nod at the young woman, then sat down at the desk and began looking at charts.

"Julia Hoffman and I believe we've discovered the identity of the skeleton we buried. He appears to be a Reverend Trask who was briefly married to Judith Collins just before the turn of the century. The family doesn't seem to make much of it in their history, but the records at the library indicate that he disappeared while searching the grounds." She looked up and saw the shocked look on Joe's face.

"Oh, I guess you don't know yet....Cecillia and Kathryn saw us in the woods that day. They know, and they've offered their help and support. Julia Hoffman is helping me investigate too."

"They might not be the only ones who've discovered the situation. When I was driving up here I thought I saw a strange man heading straight to the woods where we ended up that day. He didn't seem to be just walking; he was going right to it in a brisk manner. I got out of the car to see what was going on and who he was but he'd disappeared. I even called out to him just in case it was just a harmless coincidence."

He looked at Mrs. Stoddard and Cecillia; they looked concerned. "I don't mean to worry you; I just thought you should know. I guess I'm on edge today. I stopped by to see Sam on the way here and he's been compulsively painting a portrait of a man over and over. He doesn't know who it is and he can't stop himself. He's afraid because it reminds him of the time he kept painting Laura Collins in fire. The man looks very angry. He's wearing black clothes and has silvery gray hair."

"Oh, no...that sounds like Trask," Elizabeth said.

She got up from the desk and walked to the shelves to get a book. Flipping through it, she found a page and showed it to Joe. She could see by the look of recognition on his face that it was the man Sam had been compulsively painting.

"I wonder what this means," she asked the two. "Sam must be really frightened. It was so difficult for him when he kept painting Laura. I have an awful feeling that our troubles aren't over yet."

"I need to be more careful," Harry said to himself, nearing the doors of Collinwood. This was the second time that he had been caught snooping, only hopefully this time he hoped that he could get away with it and not be questioned. He didn't get to look around at the grave as he had wanted to, realizing that it best to come back out when it gets dark outside.

Without wanting to make a scene or alarm anyone to his presence, Harry carefully opened the front door and entered. He heard people talking in the drawing room as he quietly took he jacket off and hung it. As quickly but as quietly as he could, Harry began to make his way towards the stairs.

As Elizabeth and Joe were discussing the events that were occurring with Sam and the Reverend Trask, Cecillia thought she heard the front door close, but didn't see anyone enter. Walking closer to the drawing room door, she could see Harry at the base of the stairs; not wanting to give him the chance to eavesdrop, she didn't hesitate in announcing his presence.

"Joe, have you by chance met Mrs. Johnson's son Harry yet?" Upon hearing his name, Harry froze on the steps.

Joe looked at Cecillia in surprise. "No, I don't believe I have yet," he said politely.

He walked over to the drawing room doors and looked startled when he saw Harry Johnson.

"That's him, Mrs. Stoddard," he blurted out. "That's the man I saw in the woods when I was driving up here today. I'd recognize him anyday; I'm sure it's him."

Elizabeth sighed and looked at Harry Johnson and then at Joe. "Harry is staying here for awhile until he gets on his feet again," she told Joe.

"I'm sure he had a very reasonable explanation for walking on the grounds earlier," she said, looking expectantly and raising her eyebrows at Harry.

Harry thought for a moment, trying to think up something cleaver. "Well, you see Mrs. Stoddard, I was just going for a walk when Joe here saw me. I didn't really have time to stay and chat, and beings how I didn't know who he was or what he wanted, I guess I sort of freaked."

He knew from the looks on everyone's faces that they didn't believe him; Harry was used to that sort of look, most especially from his mother. Thinking quickly, he tried his best to get the attention off of him, as he didn't need to be in any more trouble then he had already gotten in.

"By the way Mrs. Stoddard, I saw that daughter of yours mindlessly walking about out there on my way back. Not that it's any of my business, but she didn't seem to be herself." Harry really didn't know Carolyn enough to know what her normal self was like, but figured that it would at least change the direction of everyones thinking.

"If you don't mind now, I really have something I need to do. It was nice meeting you, Joe, and I didn't intend on stirring up any trouble with you. If you'll excuse me . . ."

~End Scene~