Silver Lining Part 2

Act 2

Scene 1-Amy’s Hospital Room a Few Days Later

(Amy is lying in a hospital bed asleep, Terrance is sitting by her bed holding her hand and speaking to her)

Terrance: Hey, Amy. How are you, Beautiful? I’m...I’m doing fine. Do you remember that day when I took you down to the lake? When I was trying to grab a rock and fell in? Haha. That was the first time I told you I love you. And sadly enough that was the first time I asked you out. When you said ‘yes’ almost immediately, I felt like I was in a dream. And now here we are. Sitting in a hospital room. And...I wanted to ask you something a few days ago. When we were supposed to have the day off. But instead you got put...here. So...anyway...I was going to...um...

(He pulls out the box with the ring in it, kneels down in the proposal stance, and gently grabs her hand)

I know you probably can’t hear me right now, and I don’t blame you. But when you wake up, I would be the happiest man alive if you said ‘yes.’ Amy Lynn Strong, will you be my wife?

(Amy stirs in her sleep and seems to be waking up slowly)

Well...There you have it, Darling.

(Amy fully wakes up and sees him still kneeling, it is somewhat difficult for her to speak because of the pain)

Amy: Terrance? What is this?

Terrance: I’m proposing. I would love for you to say ‘yes.’ Will you, My Love?

Amy: Of course. Terrance?

Terrance: Yes, Sweetheart?

Amy: I love you so much. And I always will.

Terrance: I will always love you, too.

Amy: Terrance?

Terrance: Yes?

Amy: The journal on the dresser. Find Sam and Hunt and give it to them please. With my best wishes of luck.

Terrance: Yes, Dear. I’ll find them. After I finally get a kiss.

(He kisses her, grabs the journal and exits-Stage Left, she looks at the ring he put on her finger and kisses it, lights out)



Scene 2-Angel’s Very Richly Ordained House

(Joseph and Angel are at Center Stage with Hunter and Samuel hiding behind bushes at Stage Right. They are playing ‘Kick the Can and Joseph is it)

Angel: Hey, Joseph?

Joseph: Yeah, Ange?

Angel: Could you possibly move so they can free me?

Joseph: Nope. No can do. Sorry.

Angel: Close your eyes?

Joseph: Nope. Not even for my favorite prisoner. Even though you are my only prisoner.

Hunter: Wow. Someone’s a gentleman.

Samuel: No, Hunter. I’m pretty sure he’s a lady. I mean the ladies are in the middle of the lawn and the gents are right here.

Hunter: True point.

Hunter + Samuel: Joseph’s a lady!!!!

Joseph: I heard that.

Samuel: But you can’t see me!

(He runs out of hiding and kicks the can off Stage Left freeing Angel)

Angel: Whoo-hoo! We did it!

(everyone moves Down Center)

Hunter: And he didn’t even see us!

Angel: You’re amazing, Hunter.

Hunter: No. Joseph’s the amazing one.

Angel: He is amazing, but...I like you more.

Joseph: Rematch?

Samuel: Best 3 out of 5!

(Joseph and Samuel run to Stage Right Center seeming to be conversing about the next game)

Hunter: Angel, please. Just give him a chance. I promise if you’ll go on at least three dates with him...I...I’ll take you to dinner.

Angel: I have given him plenty of chances, Hunt! But if three dates with him means dinner with you...No.

Hunter: Dinner and a movie?

Angel: I’d think about it.

Hunter: Ange?

Angel: Nope.

Hunter: Dinner, a movie, and dancing?

Angel: Maybe...No.

Hunter: What else do you want?

Angel: I’ll take everything you offered, and...a kiss.

Hunter: What?!

Angel: You heard me.

Hunter: But, Ange, that defeats the purpose.

Angel: Then no more chances.

Hunter: He’s my best friend, Angel. I don’t think I could ever do that to him. C’mon. It’s just three dates. Okay?

Angel: No thank you.

Hunter: Ange, I can’t-

Angel: Then he’s had all the chances I can give him.

Hunter: Just...Just give me two seconds, then.

(He motions to Joseph to follow him and walks Down Right, Joseph runs over to him)

Joseph: So? Will she give me a chance?

Hunter: Yeah, but she wants me to take her to dinner, a movie, and dancing. And...she also wants me to...kiss her.

Joseph: You said ‘no,’ right?

Hunter: I said to give me a second and that’s when I motioned for you. Dude, she won’t give you another chance unless I kiss her.

Joseph: You know what?

Hunter: What?

Joseph: I think you like her and you want to kiss her. You don’t want her to give me a chance.

Hunter: Joe, I’d never-

Joseph: You know what, Romeo?

Hunter: No. Actually, I don’t know what.

Joseph: You can have her. I don’t care anymore.

Hunter: Dude, just-

Joseph: No! I’ve gotta go.

(Hunter grabs his arm in order to make him listen)

Hunter: No. Now you’re just being plain stupid. I’ll talk to her and tell her that I can’t kiss her. It would break your pathetic heart and I’d probably throw up all over here.

Joseph: Oh! So now I have a ‘pathetic heart’ too?

Hunter: You wouldn’t give it a chance to listen!

(He lets go of Joseph’s arm)

God! Get out of here!

Joseph: Gladly.

(Angel walks up to them and Hunter walks over to Samuel)

Angel: Joseph?

Joseph: What the hell do you want?

Angel: I was just going to say that he doesn’t have to do anything. I’ll give you five dates. For free. I’ll pay and everything. I thought of what you would do.

Joseph: You’re serious?

Angel: As serious as a scout’s honor. But I do have one request.

Joseph: What?

Angel: Could you two please watch your language? It’s a horrible habit. I mean, you don’t have to say every damn swearword you think of, do you?

Samuel: Uh...Angel?

Angel: Yeah?

Samuel: You just-

Hunter: Brought up a good thought. We have a poor little innocent child around us. We should watch our language.

(Terrance enters running in and panting with the journal-Stage Left, he has a look of panic on his face)

Terrance? What’s wrong?

Terrance: This is from Amy.

(He hands Hunter the journal who hands it to Samuel in order to listen to what Terrance has to say)

And there’s been another murder.

All except Terrance: What?!

(Light’s out)



Scene 3-Police Station

(All of Homicide except Amy are sitting at a table with Hunter, Joseph, and Samuel. Angel is talking to Mrs. Debarring at her desk)

Terrance: I was walking down the road that meets up with Hunter and Amy’s backyards. I heard someone yelling for help. It sounded like the royal pain-Charlie-, so I ran toward the voice. When I got to the crime scene, there was a slash across Charlie’s face and a note was on his back with a dagger stabbed through the middle of it. It was a coded message. I’m no good with codes so I thought of Samuel. He’s been studying codes in his spare time. I ran to where he was playing ‘Kick the Can’ with Hunt, Joe, and Ange. Sam, have you finished the note yet?

Samuel: Yep. Just barely.

David: Could you read it please?

Samuel: It says:

‘We three murderers have almost completed our quota that we chose to meet. We still have five to go, but the two you saved will have to pay for being saved.’

And then the handwriting changed:

‘I know who all three of us are, but the other two don’t know each other. Perhaps we’ll have more dead than planned?

Signed,

3’

That’s what it says.

Josh: How the hell did he read that?

Samuel: I googled different codes?

Mark: That’s a damn smart kid.

Mrs. D: Please, boys. Language.

Angel: Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God! Three killers? What the hell are we supposed to do now, damn it?

Max: Whoa! Slow down there, Angel! Please watch the language for the sake of the Christians! Mon Dieu! Quel est ce monde?

Hunter: What? Who’s Christian here?

Max: Sam and I.

Hunter: Oh. Sorry. Just know you’re going to hear a lot of foul words in the police department.

Joseph: Yeah. Even from people who aren’t police.

David: Y’all better just drop the language or we ain’t gonna get nowhere with these murders.

Terrance: Thank you, David! So, something we have noticed about all the murders and attempts-God bless their health-there is a scar across the face and blood on the torso.

Hunter: Except for Skylar’s. She was hung.

Samuel: Actually...there was a scar on her face. Above her right eye.

Joseph: What about the torso?

Shelby: Was there any blood?

(Samuel opens Amy’s journal)

Samuel: From the pictures Amy took of the scene, the rope was kept over the pole at the exact same height by a metal structure stabbed into Skylar’s back that kept the rope in place.

Hunter: So all the murders are signed on the face and on the torso?

Terrance: Precisely.

(Mr. Debarring enters with flowers in a SILVER LINING for Mrs. Debarring-Stage Right)

All Except Mr. D: Good Evening, Sir.

Mr. D: Eh. It’s not good. It’s excellent.

Mrs. D: Hello, Darling.

Mr. D: Charlotte! These are for you, Dearest.

(Hands her the flowers)

Mrs. D: Oh, William, you didn’t have to.

Mr. D: Actually, I did. I received a note from the murderer-

Terrance: Murderers, Sir.

Mr. D: There’s more than one?

Terrance: Yes, Sir.

Mr. D: Well. I got this note written in a girl’s handwriting. It said that another person would die tonight if the police-‘all of them,’ it said-didn’t take the night off. Of course, I still would have brought you flowers anyway.

Mrs. D: Well thank you, Will. But...A girl’s handwriting?

Mr. D: Yes, my lovely. Do you think I could get a sample of each girl’s handwriting in here?

Mrs. D: Yes, Darling. Girls? Would you mind writing out-what word?

Mr. D: The most distinct word was ‘murder.’

Mrs. D: Write down ‘murder’ please.

(The girls write on papers and each goes to Mr. Debarring to show him)

Mr. D: I’ve seen all of them now. And the one that looks most like it belongs to her.

(He points to Shelby)

Shelby: What?

Mr. D: Yes. I’m almost positive you’re the murderer.

Terrance: There are three, Sir.

Mr. D: Yes, yes. I don’t care. I recognize the handwriting.

Mrs. D: Shelby, I’m sorry, but until further evidence can be made concerning your innocence, we’re going to have to keep you locked up in one of the back rooms. We’re not putting you in a cell until someone proves guilt or we will hopefully release you when you’re called in innocence. I’m sorry, Dear. David? Please?

Jamie: There’s gotta be a mistake here, Chief. We’ve been with Jean and Haylee since the first murder!

Mr. D: So you’re saying you were there when Haylee and Ashley were attacked?

Jamie: No. I meant that we were the first people to reach the house when the call was received.

Mr. D: I believe you. Just not the other you.

Jamie: Shelby.

Shelby: Jamie, you know I’m not the murderer. Or one of them.

Mrs. D: Silence! David, please?

(David takes Shelby off Stage Left and re-enters same)

Terrance: My God people! You would blame the best member of the force?!

Max: Amy was our best. Look what happened to her.

Terrance: Don’t you ever bring up Amy’s dilemma! What the hell do you think this is? Do you believe the best members of the force who are really close inspectors would murder innocent people. Each other? If so, then damn you. Damn you all!

Hunter: Terrance, calm down.

Joseph: I don’t blame him. He’s engaged to Amy.

Mark: He’s what?!

David: Engaged. And you better not hurt him or I may not be respectful towards you.

Josh: David! God, man. You’re the most respectful man here. That’s one hell of a threat. You sure you ain’t the damn leader of the pack?

Mr. D: Boys! (to himself) I hate neighbors.

(Samuel walks over to Amy)

Samuel: I think I know who they are, Angel. I’m not sure if I’m right, though. So please don’t say anything.

Angel: What do you mean, ‘don’t say’? Sammy, this is good news if you know!

Samuel: Well, I just added my clues from the crime scenes I’ve been to and the ones in Amy’s journal. And there were some diary entries. I think you should see the one that stood out to me the most. It mentions you.

Angel: What?! Please let me see it.

(takes the journal from Samuel)

Samuel: Hey! Do you want to know the page or not?

(He takes it back)

Angel: Fine.

(Samuel opens a sealed pocket in the front of the journal and pulls out a hidden paper, he begins reading)

Samuel:

‘February 19

Wow. Now that’s news. Mark just told me that he’d heard from Josh about a gang-’

Amy: (Overlapping offstage)

‘about a gang that’s getting together in a few months. Apparently their going to commit murders. He said Josh was considering joining because the leader worked really close with the police. He asked me if he should join and I just said “No. That’s a horrible thing to do.”’

(Max comes up behind Samuel)

‘Then he continued on saying he was going to marry me someday. Haha! As if that’ll come true. I mean, I know they’re two years apart and everything, but he and Angel would be cute together. I told him that and he said that if all else failed she would stay. I don’t know what he means, but I’m guessing he’s already part of the gang he was talking about.’

Samuel: (Overlapping)

‘he was talking about. Do you really think Mark could be a murderer?

With Love,

Amy Lynn Strong’

Angel: So you’re saying Mark and Josh could be the two murderers who don’t know about each other?

Samuel: Possibly.

Max: I believe it. But who’s in charge?

Samuel: I’m pretty sure I know who it is.

(Lights out)



Scene 4-Back Room of Police Station Later That Night

(The lights are low, Shelby is asleep on a cot in the corner, a bell tolls midnight, the door creaks open, Mark and Mr. Debarring enter, they speak in unrecognizable tones)

Mark: Hey, Boss?

Mr. D: Yes? Please be quiet.

Mark: Sorry. I was just wondering who the third murderer is.

Mr. D: Shut up, Kid.

(Shelby stirs in her sleep, and starts talking in her sleep)

Shelby: Jamie! Tell them it’s not true! Please! I didn’t kill them!

Mark: There she is!

Mr. D: Shut up!

(He draws a knife from his pocket, Josh emerges in all black in an unrecognizable voice)

Josh: Boss?

Mr. D: Not you, too.

Mark: Who’s he? Does he need to die, too?

Josh: What do you mean? You should be the dead one.

Mr.D: Boys! Be quiet!

(Shelby wakes up but can’t see the murderers)

Shelby: Hello? Is someone there?

(Mr. Debarring gives the signal and all three jump up and stab her. She screams and the lights go black)



Scene 5-The Police Security Room

(Max is sitting at a computer, an alarm goes off and he sees something on the computer screen, he catches the faces)

Max: Oh, Mon Dieu! It wasn’t a joke. Carmen! Samuel! Kids! Oh, please, no! They don’t know who it is. Oh no! Haylee! Jean! Amy! None of them know. Wait. Amy has a clue to who. At least that much will probably help. And Hunter! Oh, God watch over those children! Hunter, Joseph, and Angel don’t know! Wait. Angel’s safe. For now. I have to find them and warn them all!

(The three murderers enter silently, Max has a breakdown in French wording)

S'il vous plaît, s'il vous plaît, s'il vous plaît protéger mes enfants! Gardez la ville en toute sécurité. S'il vous plaît! Je ne peux pas supporter de les perdre! S'IL VOUS PLAÎT! Où est mon papier? Mon papier! Je ne peux pas le trouver! Oh! Bon. Samuel doit être capable de lire ça.

(He grabs a pen and paper and starts writing as he is saying these words)

‘Mon cher enfant,

S'il vous plaît pardonnez-moi. Je les aurais attrapé tous là et alors au lieu de vous mettre en danger d'autres. S'il vous plaît savoir que tant que vous êtes par Hunter vous êtes en sécurité. S'il vous plaît. S'il vous plaît pardonnez-moi. Sauvez-vous. Je t'aime, mon fils.

L'amour, papa.’

God, please damn these men to Hell! Please save the children!

(he turns and the murderers kill him)

Mark: I only planned on one tonight.

Mr. D: We have six more.

Mark: Six more? Angel’s not included, correct?

Josh: She is. Sorry, Dude.

(He stabs Mark)

Five more.

(Lights Out)



Scene 6-Interior of Angel’s House

(Joseph, Hunter, Angel, and Samuel are setting up sleeping bags on the floor, Samuel moves his so it’s out of view of the window, the clock tolls one)

Samuel: Thanks for having us over, Angel.

Angel: No problem. Goodnight, Boys.

Boys: Night!

Samuel: And God please watch over us as we sleep. Please.

(Lights out)



Scene 7-Carmen’s Bedroom

(Carmen is asleep in her bed as the clock tolls one, Josh and Mr. Debarring climb into the open window)

Josh: Goodnight, Carmen. Say ‘hi’ to Daddy for me.

Mr. D: Get on with it or there will be six more again. And you wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?

Josh: No, Sir.

(Mr. Debarring climbs back out the window)

I’m so sorry, Sweet Innocence.

(Carmen wakes up and screams, Josh slices with his knife and kills her, Mr. Debarring pokes his head back in the window)

Mr. D: Four more.

(Lights out)



Scene 8-Interior of Angel’s House

(Joseph, Hunter, Angel, and Samuel are still asleep, the clock tolls two)

Josh: (within) How the hell are we supposed to get up there?

Mr. D: (within) Climb.

(We hear climbing noises and Josh enters through the window closely followed by Mr. Debarring, they see Joseph, Hunter, and Angel, but Samuel is still hidden from their sight)

Mr. D: Three in one, boy. Three in one.

Josh: Oh, God. I can’t kill him. He’s my brother.

Mr. D: But you will. Because if you don’t, I’ll kill you and all three of them. Then I’ll find the Lieutenant’s boy and kill him, too.

Josh: No. I can't let you kill the children. That's what you had him for, wasn't it? Killing innocent children so I wouldn't get even more horrified of myself? Isn't that right? You know, originally, he didn't even want to do this, but when you mentioned killing Angel and Amy, he tried to protect them. Isn't that right, Boss? Or should I even call you that? You're just a damn devil! What would your wife say? God, man! Do you even think of the hell she'll go through when she finds out what you've done?

Mr.D: Oh, she's already figured it out. I told her right before I killed her. Charlotte was on your trail, boy. I saved your sorry ass from jail. And you repay me by calling me a 'damn devil'?! I have every right to kill you along with the rest of them. And then I'll find the Lieutenant's boy and kill him. And Amy and Haylee will have to go. And that impertinent David. I believe they'll put him in charge now. Or that damned Terrance. You know what? How about I just kill all of your stupid little Homicide group?

(Samuel wakes up and sees the brawl, he crawls silently to wake the others and they all hide by Samuel’s sleeping bag)

Josh: Never. Not before I kill you!

Mr. D: And how are you planning to do that? The same way Mark was? That’s why you were assigned to kill him.

Samuel: (aside) So Mark and Josh were in the gang. Oh, if only the leader would show his face a bit.

(Mr. Debarring draws his knife and steps closer to Josh)

Mr. D: You’re dead, boy.

Samuel: (aside) Oh my God. Mr. Debarring.

Angel: (aside to Samuel) Whoa! Language.

Hunter: (aside to Angel) Angel, please. There are two murderers in your house, and you’re worried about Sam’s language? (to Samuel) What was the last part you said?

Joseph: (aside) Can I go back to sleep now?

Samuel: (aside to Joseph) Sure. Just try to be quiet. (to Hunter) It’s Mr. William Debarring. Charlotte’s husband. I knew it!

Josh: No. I’m not dead. Not unless you are first!

(He lunges forward and stabs Mr. Debarring)

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. I’m surely headed straight to Hell now.

(The four kids move out of hiding a little bit, but Josh hears them)

Who’s there?! I’ll stab you if you come near me.

Angel: (aside) Shoot! I can’t find the cane, Hunt!

(Hunter stands up slowly and the rest follow suit)

Hunter: Josh?

(Josh hurls the knife and almost hits Angel, Joseph pushes her out of the way and the knife gets lodged in his arm, he collapses)

Angel: Joseph! Oh, God! Are you okay?

Joseph: Yeah. Just a little graze wound.

Hunter: Josh. Why?

Josh: I don’t know why! He wanted me to kill you. Eventually he wanted you dead. At first I was glad for the assignment. But then he...he made me kill Carmen, too, and-

Samuel: You killed Carmen?! You killed my little sister?! How could you?! You cold blooded murderer!

Josh: I don’t know how I could! But I just did it. Then, as we were running here, I was thinking of how life would be for me without my brother, and I couldn’t do it anymore. So I killed him.

Hunter: Josh, we gotta tell Charlotte. I’m sorry, but we have to turn you in.

Josh: He killed her, too, Hunt. He killed his own wife.

Hunter: Are you kidding?

Josh: Nope. He probably knew she would figure it out, and he was also probably putting her out of her misery. Have you seen how sick she’s been lately?

Samuel: What about my father? Did he kill him, too? Because he’s the Lieutenant? Tell me. Tell me!

Josh: Sam, I’m so sorry. We jumped on him. All three of us. And then I killed him. And the devil made me kill Mark, too.

Angel: Sammy! The journal entry! It said that if all else failed I would stay! When Mark was alive! He was protecting me, Sammy.

Joseph: What are you talking about?

Angel: Amy had a journal full of notes and diary entries that she gave to Sammy to help with the murder. There was a hidden paper that said that Mark would let me stay if all else failed. Amy thought we would be cute together despite the age difference, and it seems to me that he did, too. He was going to save my life.

Joseph: You’ve gotta be kidding.

Josh: She’s not. He was dead set on getting Amy, but then Mr. Debarring attempted to kill her, and then he knew he had to protect Angel, too. So Mr. Debarring ordered me to kill you, Angel. Oh, God! I can’t live with myself anymore!

(Josh pulls out another knife)

Hunter: Josh, no! Don’t!

(Josh stabs himself and dies right in front of his brother)

Josh! He could have just gone to jail and explained everything! Oh, God, please take my brother with you and forgive him! Please! Give him peace!

Angel: It’s okay, Hunt. He knew he was doing wrong. He should be able to have sanctuary.

Joseph: Can I please have a band-aid? I don’t mean to ruin the sad, tender moment at all, well, I guess I do, but my arm’s still bleeding.

Samuel: I’ll call Terrance and David.

(Hunter sinks to the ground and cradles Josh’s body in his arms, he starts to cry)

Hunter: He’s...He’s gone.

(Lights out)



Scene 9-An Old Town Ice Cream Shoppe

(All of the living members of Homicide are sitting at a table with Samuel, Joseph, and Angel. Joseph and Angel are now together. Hunter is sitting at a table by himself, Amy who is now out of the hospital, but still in pain, has Terrance help her to Hunter)

Amy: Hey, Hunt. I...uh...I heard about...your brother. I’m so sorry. If I’d just known when Mark had told me about the-

Hunter: Shhh...Don’t hurt yourself, Ames.. Where’s Sam?

Terrance: I’ll get him for you.

Hunter: No. I’ll just do this. Samuel James Carmichael! Get your hiney over here!

Terrance: I was going to do that exact same thing.

Samuel: Coming, Hunt!

(Samuel runs over to Hunter’s table)

Yeah?

Hunter: Angel says you knew Mr. Debarring was in charge the whole time. How the hell did you figure that out?

Angel: Language, Hunter!

Hunter: I don’t care! He’s used to it! Just focus on your boyfriend.

Angel: Now that I will gladly do.

Samuel: Well, I took some of the notes of things I saw and heard...and smelled. And I compared them to some of the notes Amy took.

Amy: Glad to be of assistance, Sir.

Hunter: So? Evidence?

Samuel: Right. At the first crime scene, the one where Becky Harris died, there was a trail of blood. It was dry when we got there, but there was a left footprint. Followed by that there was a right foot being dragged. Like Mr. Debarring’s limp. There was also a torn piece of wool on a nearby staircase. And on that piece of wool there was a faint scent of lemon.

Amy: Mr. Debarring always carried lemon drops with him. He thought it would make his breath smell better.

Terrance: And there was a hole in his favorite wool coat the last few times I’ve seen him wear it since Becky’s death.

Hunter: Don’t forget his limp.

Terrance: But that was just one murder out of nine.

Samuel: Eleven.

Terrance: What?

Amy: Eleven dead. Three wounded.

Samuel: Anyway. Haylee and Ashley’s murder-and a half-was next. First, they have the same wounds, as did all the bodies except Josh and Mr. Debarring’s. Sorry, Hunt. Second, Haylee said she saw a man in black who look about as old as her dad. Her dad is 28. Mr. Debarring was 25. They also looked closely alike. When I sat close to Haylee and Jean, I could smell the same scent of lemon.

Terrance: Holy mother of-

Angel: Language! God, they swear a lot.

Terrance: Don’t start that again, Ange. Skylar’s death?

Samuel: Fingerprints on the metal clasp through her torso, courtesy of Amy and your investigation of Mr. Debarring. The same footprints at Becky’s scene. The lemon drop smell. And then we ran into him at the scene of crime. He had a piece of Skylar’s hair on his black, wool coat. That same coat had a hole in it. And he was eating a lemon drop.

Terrance: Amy’s...wounding?

Samuel: Done by the same technique. She also smelled like-

Terrance: Lemon. I noticed that when I found your body, Amy.

Samuel: And all this evidence comes before Josh told us. I figured it out before Shelby died. But I wasn’t sure.

Angel: How the hell did he figure that out?!

All Except Angel: LANGUAGE!

Samuel: Charlie’s murder. Once again, there was a trail of blood that I saw when Terrance took us to investigate. It was the exact same trail as the other ones. Later that day I saw blood on his shoes.

Joseph: I saw that, too.

Samuel: It wasn’t really hard to tell. Continuing on, the note that he stabbed through Charlie’s back smelled of lemon. The top half was written in Mark’s handwriting, but the bottom half was written in Mr. Debarring’s. I recognized the handwriting from the note on Charlotte’s flowers which, by the way had somehow been infected with a hidden poison. The poison caused her to get sicker over time until it was too unbearable and she had to go home and rest. Which is where Mr. Debarring then made the decision to kill her. There was also a lemon drop by Charlie’s body, mind you. And as we were talking about the note and discussing the accusation against Shelby, I heard Mr. Debarring mutter, “I hate neighbors.” There was also a list I pick-pocketed from him. It had all the names of the first people injured or murdered up until Charlie. Each name had a check mark next to it. There was also a list of everyone who died the last night of murderings. Of course, the list excluded Mr. Debarring. Josh and Mark were on that part of the list. And all of those names had a big red “X” across them with the word “kill” across the top of the “X.” I also received a note from my dad. It’s written in French. It says,

“My dear boy,

Please forgive me. I should have grabbed them all then and there instead of endangering you further. Please know that as long as you are by Hunter you are safe. Please. Please forgive me. Save yourselves. I love you, son.

Love, Dad.”

And then I knew that he had trusted my guess when I finally figured out who the final murderer was. The list with the names and the “X”’s and checks was under the note. He knew I would find it. And that’s how the murders were solved.

(Everyone applauds Samuel, and David, now Chief of Police, comes over to him)

Joseph: I would like to give an ice cream sundae toast to Samuel James Carmichael! For without him, we wouldn’t have even the slightest idea who the leader was. Or his henchmen either. We’d all be dead if it weren’t for him.

Terrance: To Samuel! We’d never know who to keep an eye out for without our newest member of the Homicide Division. Chief? Lieutenant?

(Chief David helps Lieutenant Amy over to Samuel’s side where they present him with a badge of honor)

Everyone Except Samuel: TO SAMUEL!

(As they all continue cheering, Boy #3 from the very beginning runs in frantically)

Boy #3: Chief! Lieutenant! They’re at it again. There’s been another murder.

Terrance: I thought the murderers were all dead.

Boy #3: The other ones are. This one’s two escape convicts. You know who they are, Chief. You locked them up with me the night Becky Harris died. I was going to tell Chief Charlotte to watch out for them, but they had already escaped when everyone came rushing in to answer to the Homicide call. They disguised themselves and sold Mr. William Debarring secretly poisoned flowers. The poison was hidden in the silver lining. The lining was on every single bouquet he brought her. She was dead long before Mr. Debarring thought to kill her.

Angel: Oh, God. Not again.

Everyone Except Angel: Language, Angel!

(Lights out, final curtain closes and the show ends)