STRANGE PARADISE- Episode 182

Episode 182a: Slideshow

Episode 182b: Slideshow

Susan pulls her hand away and turns away from Julian. “Don’t be alarmed my dear.” Julian says to her. She looks at him. “What does it mean?” “I don’t know yet except the mark knows us to be its adversaries and is trying to escape us.” Julian says as he puts the watch in his pocket. Emily rushes to the doorway of the Drawing Room. “Emily I thought you were asleep.” Susan says to her. “I was but I woke up suddenly as if someone had called my name.” She glances at the document. “What are you doing?” “We’re trying to make sense of this document you brought us.” Julian says as he hands it to Emily. “I hope you had better luck than I had. I’ve tried to figure it out over and over again.” Emily says as she looks at it. “The mark it’s gone.” “Just now it vanished.” Julian tells her.

“But that was the crucial thing on it. That’s what I searched for the document for. To identify that mark.” Emily says as she looks at Julian. “It doesn’t want to be identified. That’s why it’s gone.” Julian says. “Then something must have driven it away. What?” “Susan did. That’s why she came here.” Julian says as he looks at Susan. “Isn’t that right my dear?” “I don’t know.” Susan says as she walks over to Emily and takes the document. “She needs a quiet, private place to work.” “Well what must I do?” Susan asks. “Take it to your room. Keep it with you and study it. Let it take your mind back as far as it will go, until the door to the past is opened for you.” Susan turns away with the document as Julian turns towards Emily. “Help her; see if your books can find the clue that she needs.”

Emily picks up her books from the desk and walks over to Susan. Susan looks at Julian. “Mr. Desmond you didn’t answer my question before.” “What question?”

“Why did Laslo say the sound came from the portrait?” “He was wrong. It came from my watch.” Julian says as he holds out his watch. “Well why does Laslo hear it?” Susan asks. “He will never hear it again.”

Cort steps up to Laslo. “Why did you say the man that claims to be my Grandfather?” Laslo looks at him. “What proof has he given you? What do you know about him?” “What do we know about you for that matter?” “My past is no secret.” Laslo says then turns away. “Isn’t it?” Cort asks. Laslo turns and looks at him. “What are you driving at?” Laslo asks as he walks towards Cort. Cort reaches into his pocket and pulls a bunch of papers and newspaper clipping from his pocket. “What have you got there?” Laslo asks. “Oh just some copies from the coroners reports and some obituary notices.” Cort says as he flips through them. “On Sylvia Carlton Thaxton.” Laslo reaches for them. Cort steps away as he pulling them away from Laslo. “Where did you get them?” Laslo asks. “I got them that’s all you have to know.” “How long have you had them?” “Long enough. I just waited until they became useful.” Laslo glances at the clipping then away. “They don’t prove anything.” Cort smiles as he looks at the clippings. “Don’t they? Mrs. Thaxton the former Sylvia Carlton was found slumped over the wheel of her automobile a suicide note and the empty bottle of barbiturates on the seat beside her.” Cort reads. Laslo looks at him. “She had been ill for months.” “Mr. Thaxton arrived home this morning and found her body.” Cort continues to read then looks at Laslo. “It was suicide. The coroner testified.”

“And would he have testified the same if he had found my mother in the room today with a suicide note and an empty bottle of poison beside her?” “Are you accusing me?” Laslo asks him. “If one wife dies in mysterious circumstances it could be called a tragic accident. But how many deaths is one husband allowed before the mystery can become clear?” Laslo looks away. “You can’t prove anything against me.” “Maybe not but I’m going to try.” Cort says as he sets the clippings on the table and takes a gun from his pocket and points it at Laslo.

Laslo looks at the gun. “What are you going to do?” “Oh I’m not going to kill you. I’m just going to take you downstairs so you can explain yourself.” “I’ll do nothing of the kind.” Laslo says to Cort. “Don’t think I won’t use this. This could be called a suicide after attempted murder.” “You wouldn’t dare.” Laslo says to him. “Oh I would dare. I'd like to but I want to find out what happened to your late wife and why you attempted to murder my mother.” Cort says walking around Laslo still pointing the gun at him. “Now move!” Laslo steps to the door as Cort picks up the clippings and follows Laslo from the secret room.

In his room Jean Paul drops the suicide note on the table and picks up the bottle of poison and the syringe. He smells the syringe then opens the poison and smells it. There is a knock at the door. Screwing the lid back on the poison he puts the poison, syringe and chloroform into a drawer. He picks up the suicide note and puts it inside his jacket. Jean Paul steps forward. “Come in.” The door opens and Julian steps inside and walks up to Jean Paul. “You’re going to have a visitor in a moment. I’d like to be here.” “What visitor?” “Laslo, he’s on his way to you.” Julian says as there is another knock on the door. “But you told me he was in the secret room.” “Cort is bringing him here.” Again someone knocks, Julian and Jean Paul look at the door. “I'll hide behind the drapes. Get rid of Cort.” Julian says to Jean Paul. He walks behind the drapes as Jean Paul opens the door. Cort pushes Laslo in. “My stepfather has something to explain to you.” “How did you know I wanted to see him?” Jean Paul asks. “I heard you talking to my mother.” “I see. Now give me the gun.” Jean Paul says to Cort. Cort pulls back.

“Cort don’t be foolish and give me the revolver and wait downstairs.” Jean Paul tells him holding out his hand. “I’ll handle Laslo in my own way.” “I’d keep it pointed at him if I were you.” Cort says as he hands Jean Paul the gun. Cort turns and closes the door behind him as he leaves the room. Jean Paul puts the gun in his pocket and walks closer to Laslo. “Well what explanation do you have for yourself?” “I have nothing to explain.” Jean Paul takes the suicide note from inside his jacket. “Not even about this?” “What’s that?” Laslo asks. “The note that you forged saying Ada was taking her own life.” “I’ve never seen it before.”

Jean Paul turns and puts it back inside his pocket then opens the drawer and takes out the syringe, poison and chloroform. “Have you seen any of these?”

Laslo looks away. ‘No.” Jean Paul nods. “I see.” He walks past Laslo. “They just appeared out of the air when you went to have your little chat with Ada.” Jean Paul says as he puts the three items on his dresser. “Stop lying Laslo.” “I’m not lying.” Jean Paul looks at Laslo. “Someone is.” Laslo steps towards him. “Why don’t you ask the old man who pretends to be her father.” “Oh what should I ask him?” Laslo walks across the room. “Why did he take her to that room in the first place?” “To protect her from you.” Jean Paul says to him. “Then why did he trick me into going there?” “If he did he probably had a very good reason.” “No that’s not true.” Laslo looks at Jean Paul. “He sneaked back into that room bringing that evidence with him. He was going to kill Ada and blame it onto me. He tried to kill me with a knife. He was going to kill both of us.” “Then how would he blame you?” “Then he would have put the blame on you. With Ada dead and me too who would protect you against him?” Julian steps out from behind the drapes and walks towards Laslo. “Really my good fellow I cannot allow my name to be aligned in that fashion.” “I won’t stay!” Laslo says as he rushes to the door. Jean Paul takes out the gun and points it at Laslo blocking the doorway. “It doesn’t seem as though you have a choice.” Julian says to Laslo. “He’s a demon from another world.” Laslo says backing away from Julian. “We are as others see us that’s all.” Julian looks at Jean Paul. “Jean Paul leave him with me.” Laslo turns towards Jean Paul. “No! Don’t he’ll kill me!” Jean Paul glances at Julian as Laslo grabs for the gun. Laslo gets it away then points it at Jean Paul. “I will not stay in this room with him! Get out of my way or I’ll shoot.” “Put that gun down.” Jean Paul says as he walks towards Laslo. Laslo backs away. “Not till he leaves the room.” “In that case I don’t have much choice do I?” Julian says as he steps towards the door then glances back at Laslo. “Do you think I can’t follow you anywhere? Do you think you could ever escape me?” Julian shakes his head then walks through the closed door like a ghost. Laslo drops the gun and steps forward. “You see what did I tell you, he’s not human.”

Susan sits on her bed looking at the document when Emily enters the room. Walking over to the bed Emily sits next to Susan. ”I’ve looked through these before and found nothing but I guess we will just have to look through them again.” Emily says as she glances up from the books. “Julian said he had found a book that had information in it. I wonder where he put it?” Emily sits the books down and walks across the room. “Emily I think it best if we don’t go any further with this.” Susan says as she glances down. Emily walks back to Susan “Why Susan what’s the matter?” Susan stands. “Well I like being here better than any other place in my life.” Emily walks up to her. “And we love having you.” “But soon it will be over.” “No it won’t.” Emily says to her. “Soon we will find the clue to this Desmond curse and I’ll leave forever.” “Well we won’t let you leave.”

Susan smiles then looks away. “You don’t understand.” She walks to the window and looks out. The two stars are pulsing together. “Whichever star triumphs my term is done here.” “You make it sound as if it were a sentence that has been passed upon you.” Susan turns towards Emily. “Well in a way yes it is.” “Oh don’t say that don’t even think it.” Susan stands next to Emily. “Oh Emily if I could be just like you. If I could just lead the kind of life you lead.” Emily touches her arm. “Jean Paul and I will always have a place here for you at Desmond Hall. We would never found our happiness together if it hadn’t been for you, do you know that?” “Some people bring happiness to other people but only bring sorrow upon themselves.” Susan says as she turns away. “Well don’t worry about it. We’ve got work to do. That is unless you don’t want to.” Susan glances at the bed with the books and the document. “I’ve never done what I wanted to.” She looks at Emily. “Only what I must.”

Cort stands in front of Jacques’ portrait, he turns and walks to the couch and sits down. Julian steps out of the passageway near the bookcases and walks up behind Cort. “You seem worried Cort.” Cort turns and jumps up. “I didn’t hear you come in.” Julian smiles. “You wouldn’t have heard me if I had been accompanied by a brass band. You were lost in thought. What’s the matter Cort?” Cort walks across the room. “Oh I just promised my mother that I would make sure that Laslo was out of the house by the time she woke up this morning.” “He will be. Jean Paul and I will take care of it.” Julian says as he walks up to him. “I promise you.” “Watch out for him Grandfather he hates you.”

“He doesn’t even know me.” “He doesn’t think you’re human. He thinks your pretending to be my grandfather.” “Do you believe that?” “You did try to kill him.”

Julian turns away. “Laslo is subjected to what we used to call fits. I think you call them hallucinations. He sees things that aren’t there. He hears what no one else hears. In short he has been driven mad.” Julian says as he leans on the desk.

Cort walks up to Julian. “Driven? By whom?” “My boy people aren’t driven mad by other people but only by themselves. The guilt is in their mind. The deceit and betrayal that they have practiced on other people.” “You know a lot about these sort of things.” Cort says to Julian. “Well I spent many years in mental clinics. Didn’t your mother tell you that?” “No she just mentioned hospitals that’s all.” Cort says looking away. “I’ve spent much of my life among people whose minds will not tolerate the memory of their actions. Laslo is not unusual, he’s a sick man driven by demons of deceit, greed and accusations.” “You sound as if you’re almost sorry for him.” says Cort. “All God’s creatures deserve our pity. Especially when their punishment is upon them.”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t see it as I did.” Laslo says to Jean Paul. Jean Paul shakes his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “He was there one moment and then he disappeared.” “Nonsense he went through that door like anyone else.” “No he didn’t.” Laslo says nervously. “He vanished into thin air.”

Jean Paul steps closer to Laslo. “Laslo your mind is giving way.” “Oh I don’t expect you to believe me. You’re playing games with me, that’s becoming clear now” “I hardly can expect clarity from a deranged mind.” “Stop saying that!” Laslo says as he steps away from Jean Paul. Jean Paul steps up to him. “What kind of a mind would try to do what you tried to do tonight?” Laslo turns towards Jean Paul. “You’re the one that’s sick! You were sick the night you came to this house screaming from your bed about visions. Going down into town in the middle of the night to...” Jean Paul steps closer to Laslo. “To what Laslo? Continue.” Laslo looks at him. “You killed Annie Harrigan!” “I did not!” “And Agatha Pruett!” “I deny it!” “And Holly Marshal!” “Holly went away!” Laslo turns away. “That’s the story you give out, I know better.” There is a knock at the door. Jean Paul and Laslo look across the room. Jean Paul steps towards the door as it opens and Emily steps inside. “I’m sorry Jean Paul I thought Julian Desmond was here.” Emily says with a smile. “It’s all right he went downstairs.” “Well I want to ask him about a book.” Emily says to Jean Paul. “Just a minute.” Laslo calls out. “Ask her what happened to Agatha and Holly.” “Leave Emily out of this.” Jean Paul tells him. “No Jean Paul don’t stop him.” She turns towards Laslo. . “Go ahead ask me the questions you want me to answer.” “All right, do you know what happened to Annie Harrigan?” “Who was she?” “You met her the night she was here. I introduced her downstairs.” “Oh yes the girl who was looking for a job. The one you seemed so eager to be rid of.” “What do you mean by that?” Laslo asks. “That’s all I remember.” “Emily go back to your room.” Jean Paul says to her. “No Jean Paul let him get the spite out of his system. He’s been hinting around for weeks about some hideous crime he thinks you’ve committed.” She looks at Laslo. “Go on. What was it you were going to tell me about Annie Harrigan?” Laslo steps closer to her. “Did you know that Jean Paul killed that girl?” “I know he thinks he did.” Laslo looks away. “She won’t believe it until your hands are around her throat like Agatha Pruett.” “Agatha Pruett drowned as I remember.” “What do you mean by that?” “I also remember that you weren’t here that night.” “What do you mean?” “And you weren’t here when Annie Harrigan died either or the night the other woman died.” “I was at Irene Hatters. You can ask her.” Emily shakes her head. “Mrs. Hatter will no longer give you an alibi. You can go ask herself.” “They can’t get anything on me. I didn’t do it and you know I didn’t.” “Do I?” Emily asks. Laslo rushes for the door. Jean Paul steps after him. Emily holds her hand out and stops him. “Let him go.” “Emily what are you doing? He didn’t kill those girls.” Emily steps away. “It doesn’t matter, he’s a coward. He may not be guilty of these deaths but he certainly is guilty of something.” Jean Paul closes the door and walks back to Emily. “And with all the suspicions around he won’t be able to stay here. And after he’s left hiding from his own fears then we will figure out what it is that actually happened.” Emily says as she walks into his arms. “Oh trust me Jean Paul. Your life and mine are one and the same.” Jean Paul kisses her.

Laslo walks down the staircase carrying his suitcases. Julian stands in front of the door leading to the outside. “Your not leaving are you?” Julian asks. “Yes.” Laslo says as he tries to step around Julian. “You haven’t said goodbye to Jean Paul.” “I don’t want to see him.” “Since you’re not going to leave until you do why not do it gracefully.” Jean Paul steps out of the Drawing Room. “Laslo we’ve been waiting for you.” Laslo sets his suitcases on the floor and steps up to Jean Paul. Jean Paul points at the Drawing room. Laslo walks in followed by Jean Paul. Cort stands in the room watching Laslo. “Well you’ve got what you wanted since I married your mother. I’m leaving.” Laslo says to Cort then starts to turn away. “I have a few other things I want too.” Cort says with a smile. “Cort and I have decided that there are some things you should sign just as a precautionary measure.” Jean Paul says as he picks up papers from the desk. “What things?”

“Well until we can have your marriage to Ada officially annulled I think it would be safer for her if we have you sign this statement reliving her from any financial obligation to you.” Jean Paul says to him as he lays the paper on the desk. “You can’t force me to do that.” “Oh maybe we can’t force you but the newspaper clippings and medical reports of your wife’s death might persuade you.” Cort says as he takes the clippings from his pocket. Laslo walks to the desk and sits down. “Does Ada know about this?” “Cort and I see that there is no real necessity to remind her of the mistake she made in marrying you unless of course we have to. “ Jean Paul says to him. “All right I’ll sign it.” Laslo says.

Jean Paul hands him a pen and Laslo signs his name. “Is that all?” Laslo asks.

“Not quite.” Jean Paul says as he sets down more papers. “This is a statement confessing that you forged a suicide note and that you intended to kill her.” “It’s not true.” Laslo says to him. “Tell him Julian.” Jean Paul says. Julian walks up behind Laslo. “You were right Laslo. I did trick you into going to her, but I knew what you planned to do. I forced you to play your hand.” “Why do you want this confession?” Laslo asks. “For the police if ever you’re incautious enough to return to Desmond Hall.” Laslo signs the paper and sets the pen back in its holder. “May I go now please?” “Of course.” Jean Paul says. Laslo stands and steps towards the door. Julian steps in front of him. “Before you go a word of advice. Don’t tempt fate Laslo. All over the world there are many lonely and rich women, one day you will be caught for what you are but not yet.” Laslo walks around Julian and enters the foyer. Julian looks at Cort and Jean Paul. “I think this is the first time in hundreds of years that the Desmond men have united against an enemy.”

Laslo picks up his suitcases, looks around the foyer and walks out the door of the mansion.

Emily rushes into Susan’s room. “I found the book.” she says as she holds it in her hand. “What does it say?” Susan asks. Emily walks over to Susan. “Well there is something about a woman here they call Le’Contesse Gabrielle.” Emily says as she opens the book and sits next to Susan on the bed. “Julian mentioned her name.” “She had two sons; one was rumored to be the natural son of Louis IV. The case was hushed up.” Emily says as she looks at Susan.

“What was the case about?” Emily glances down at the book. “Treason apparently involving witchcraft. The King had the records destroyed.” “What happened to the Contessa’s sons?” Susan asks. “One left France, the other was never heard of again.” “When did the trial take place?” “Let me see.” Emily says as she looks at the book. “July 1682 was the last date mentioned. But listen to this. There is a description of an execution not dated. The sun filled the square. The Cathedral bells rang and thousands of Parisians bustled about in anticipation of yet another burning at the stake.” Susan hears church bells and becomes dizzy. She falls back on the bed as she faints. The document falls from her hand to the floor.

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Summaries written by Debby Graham . The slide presentation is the work of Ron Janick.

~Ron/Bella~
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