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| Episode 2, Scene 1: The Morning After Written by Pyraxus Synopsis: In this scene Detective Wise returns early in the morning to further investigate the crime scene and look for further clues. She stops at the ridgetop lodge first and after talking with Barbra and Paul, she decides to check something out that may be a lead which Paul informs her of. Setting: Sunday December 1st, 2002: Just after dawn The Ridgetop Lodge Characters: Barbra Olstad (Hope 90), Paul Woodland (Rhode Island) and Eileen Wise (Magnadoodle) Open on the lobby of the Ridgetop lodge just after daybreak where Eileen is just entering and taking off her coat. Entering from the dining area is Barbra Olstad who moves to greet the Detective. Barbra: (with a pleasant yet concerned demeanor) �Good morning Detective Wise, is there any word yet on the case? Has Elizabeth been found?� Eileen: (rubbing her hands together to warm them from the morning chill) �I�m afraid not Barbra. We still haven�t located her but I�m hoping to gain some more insight by examining the site of the abduction in greater detail. Is Nicole around this morning? Barbra: (shaking her head in response) �No, she went in to town to pick up a few things for the upcoming festival. She should be back in a few hours though. Eileen: [raising an eyebrow in speculation] Did you happen to notice anything out of the ordinary yesterday morning or afternoon? Anything unusual at all?� Barbra: �I�m afraid I was indoors all day preparing the rooms for the upcoming celebration. Nothing unusual happened here that I am aware of. [knits her brow as a thought comes to her] Wait a minute, Paul did mention something to me. He was outside chopping some wood and said he heard the sound of a motorcycle or something off to the South in the ravine. He said it was odd that anyone should be down there since it is pretty overgrown and mostly just woods.� Eileen: (still rubbing her hands, but pausing a moment as she hears this) �Hmm��a motorcycle you say? Interesting. [begins rubbing her hands again] Is he around by chance so that I can speak to him directly?� Barbra: �I�m sure he�s around here somewhere.� (noticing the detective warming her hands) �Oh my! Where are my manners? Would you like a nice mug of hot chocolate to warm you detective?� Eileen: (smiles) �As a matter of fact, that would be very nice, thank you.� Barbra: (heads for the dining area motioning Eileen to follow) �I�ll get that for you and while you�re warming up I will see if I can find Paul.� Eileen: �Perfect, thank you Barbra.� The two women enter the dining hall where Barbra mixes up a large mug of hot cocoa for Eileen, sets it down on the counter and grabs her coat from a nearby coat rack. Barbra: �Enjoy the beverage and I will be right back with Paul.� Eileen: (picking up the mug and sipping the drink) �Thanks again Barbra.� Barbra: �My pleasure.� (heads for the lobby and exits through the main entrance) As the front door shuts Detective Wise sits sipping her hot chocolate, seemingly going over the clues in her mind and trying to decide what avenue to take next. It is only a minute or two before she hears the door open once again. She turns to see both Barbra and Paul entering the dining room. Barbra: �I found him detective, he was just outside by the porch. I have a few things to do in the lobby still so I will leave the two of you to talk.� Eileen: �Great, I�ll call you if I need you then Barbra. I don�t want to keep you from your duties.� Barbra nods then moves into the lobby to tidy up and prepare for the opening of the lodge�s winter season. Paul: (in a serious frame of mind and tone) �Good morning detective, Barbra says you would like to speak with me?� Eileen: (rising from her stool at the counter to greet him) �Yes Paul. She tells me you noticed something unusual yesterday as you were chopping wood. Could you please tell me about that?� Paul: �Yes, of course. (tilts his head up and to the right in remembrance) Somewhere around noon I suppose, I was chopping the last bit of firewood for the coming snow season when I heard a sound off in the distance. Low at first, but then getting a bit louder. I recognized it as some sort of vehicle, most likely a motorcycle or ATV. Since there is no snow yet it wouldn�t have been a snowmobile out on the trails.� Eileen: (politely interjecting) �And this sound was coming from the South slope of the mountain?� Paul: (nodding as he answers) �Yes, which is quite odd this early in the season. Usually only snowmobiles are buzzing about in that area when our winter activities begin. It�s really too close to the lodge for any hunters to be down there and there is little if anything of interest down there to begin with. Eileen: �You said �little� of interest. What is down there that would warrant any attention?� Paul: The only thing I can think of is an old run down trapper�s cabin from the last century. It has fallen into disuse since there aren�t any real roads down there. There is an old fire road which runs close to it, but it�s hardly ever used anymore. When the snow is thick enough some of the guests like to snowmobile down there, but other than that only the occasional visitor takes the old trail down there on foot. Eileen: (finishing off the last of her hot chocolate and setting the mug down) �Hmm� you say there is an old trail leading down there from the lodge?� Paul: (nodding) �Yes Ma�am. Would you like me to take you down to see it?� Eileen: �That would be quite helpful Paul. It may be nothing, but it certainly sounds like something to look into, and I can�t think for the life of me what else to investigate beyond going back over the crime scene.� Paul: �Well then, whenever you�re ready we can go.� Eileen: �By all means, let�s go now Paul. [moves toward the lobby, followed by Paul, to retrieve her coat and sees Barbra working] Barbra, would you please stay here and call for the sheriff if we are gone for more than a few hours?� Barbra: (Looking up from her cleaning duties) �Yes of course. Where should I say you went if I need to call him?� Eileen: �Tell him we went to investigate the old trapper�s cabin in the South ravine. I have my radio, but the ravine might block it�s reception and it would be prudent to prepare for that possibility.� Barbra: �Very well detective, I�ll make sure to let Nicole know that Paul is helping you in the investigation if she returns before you.� Eileen: (putting her coat on and heading for the door) �Thanks again Barbra. And also for the hot chocolate, it really hit the spot.� Barbra: (smiling, yet showing concern for the situation) �Don�t mention it.� Paul opens the door for Eileen and the two of them head toward the South slope in the cool autumn morning air. End of Scene 1 |
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