Subj: A Return to the Shadows Part 3
Date: 12/3/00 10:54:35 PM Central Standard Time
From: KimD and Vicki Reed

"Good evening Elizabeth," Sheriff Patterson said as he entered Collinwood. "I've been looking for Barnabas Collins. Is he here?"

"Yes he is. Has something happened?"

"Yes. I found the body of Joe Haskell has been found, along with another girl."

“What!” Elizabeth asked aghast. “Joe Haskell! Oh dear God!” Roger rushed to the aid of his sister, holding onto her elbow. Carolyn came down the stairs. “What’s wrong mother?” she asked in her dull, lifeless voice.

“It’s Joe.” Elizabeth said, shaking. “Joe is dead...what about Barnabas Geroge?”

"I need to see him Elizabeth, its official business...” Elizabeth nodded. “Barnabas, he’s here...Carolyn, go and see if you can find him, make sure that David is all right.” Elizabeth shook her head. “None of us is safe in
this godforsaken house.”

Julia was walking up the drive to Collinwood when she saw the Sheriff’s car and she quickened her pace. She broke into a run when she entered the house to find Elizabeth crying in Roger’s arms, looking stunned. “George!” She turned to the Sheriff. “What’s going on here?”

Victoria appeared at the head of the stairs. “That’s what I would like to know.” Victoria whispered, coming down the stairs.

“Well, now that we’re all here, where is Mr. Collins?” he asked.

“What is happening?” Julia finally demanded.

“Murder Julia. Two victims were found in a shallow grave this afternoon. One had the pricks in her neck, the other was stabbed through the heart.” Victoria gasped. “Joe Haskell was stabbed in the chest.”

Julia felt a sick feeling in her stomach; she was going to be ill. She had killed Joe, not Barnabas. “What?”

“Dead. Joe is dead. This is all rather suspicious considering that Joe came to me with information about who he thought the killer was.” Carolyn and Barnabas joined everyone else in the drawing room. Everyone was present with the exception of Helen and Quentin.

Carolyn suddenly took on a wild look. “Joe didn’t know what he was talking about.” She shouted suddenly. “Joe was going out of his mind grieving over Daphne!”

Barnabas looked at her in approval. “He’d been drinking, he probably got into a fight with someone at a bar...”

“I don’t think so Carolyn. He looked completely sober when he came to me.” Carolyn shook her head in anger.

“No! It’s not true!” She screamed with an uncharacteristic ferocity. “No! Joe didn’t know what he was talking about! He didn’t!”

“Carolyn! What is the matter with you!” Elizabeth asked, temporarily forgetting her own sadness.

“Mr. Collins, I’d like a few words with you,” he looked at Carolyn, “In private.”

Victoria went up to her room, lost in thoughts of sadness. She had wanted all that death to end in the past, but it was too big of a wish. Joe was dead, Joe who had reminded her of Peter Bradford, the young man she cared so much for in the past. She remembered Peter’s words that he would find her again someday. If only she knew for a fact that Barnabas was a vampire, if only she had some proof. “Oh Josette.” she whispered. “If I could only be you for a day, I would understand all of this perhaps.”

She noticed the rose Quentin had given her, still lying by her pillow. She wondered what had happened, why there had been that sudden fleeting attraction. He was very handsome, and seemed kind, but she was still confused by her feelings for Barnabas.

But when she had been with Quentin she had wanted one thing that was for him to kiss her. Touch her, oh God what had happened? What had caused that moment of wickedness, moment of desire. That’s when she remembered what Josette had said about her affair with Jerimiah, she felt as if she was bewitched.

Sheriff Patterson was finally left alone with Barnabas. “Do you want to tell me about Joe and that girl?”

“I’m afraid that I don’t know anything about them.”

“Joe was in my office before he died. He made accusations concerning you. Am I correct in assuming he went to confront you afterwards?”

“Yes, I did see him. He made some wild accusations, threatened me and left.” He hoped the lie was convincing.

“What did he say?”

“He accused me of Daphne’s murder and warned me to stay away from Carolyn.”

“Did anyone overhear this conversation?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“What about Carolyn? Joe said she had two wounds on her neck like the others. What do you know about this?”

“I’m don’t know anything Sheriff.”

“Joe said he saw you together.”

“Is that so unusual? She is my cousin. He may have saw us together, but he imagined anything else he may have told you.”

The questioning seemed to go on for hours as George continually asked questions. George was determined to find answers. He knew Barnabas was responsible for all the recent death, but he had no proof if he could only find concrete evidence. Joe’s death was different though. There was no blood missing, and instead of two puncture wounds in his neck there was only a knife wound. “Alright Mr. Collins,” George said finally. “I have no more questions for you.”

“Is there nothing else you need?”

“No, but you’ll be watched.”

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.