Subj: Collinwood 2001 Part 32
Date: 8/1/01 9:04:19 PM Central Daylight Time
From: N.E. Collins

Dave Woodard had seen to Julia's removal and placement into the Collinsport Hospital. Julia would be mad as a hornet when she had regained herself, but Dave was enjoying his moment of absolute power. He was second in command at Windclyffe and with Dr. Hoffman incapacitated he was lord ruler supreme. Dave was the kind of man who would have made a good benevolent dictator to an under-developed country. But could he run a finely tuned organization such as Julia had set up? This was his question and he put it far back on a distant burner for he wouldn't have Julia Hoffman's disapproval get in the way of his plans. He supposed he should do the decent thing and contact Penelope Hoffman about her sister's accident. Her accident, he thought grimly. How foolish of the old girl to let a patient get a deadly hold on her like that. He would never let that happen to him. He was always alert and aware to the dangers of the unstable mind and you wouldn't see him being snuck up on. As he dialed the phone, the blonde woman shyly entered the room and stood behind Dave Woodard unaware. He almost wet his pants when she croaked out with a lusty request. "Hey, sailor, gotta light?"

Victoria Winters was walking on a gossamer cloud. Nora Collins had told her the whole story of her parentage and though it was a bit shocking and some of it was not very nice it was still better to know than not to know. Jamison Collins was her father and Betty Hanscomb was her mother and her mother was still alive and working at one of the lighthouses. She wanted to go and meet her, but she wasn't sure how to go about it. The woman had put her up for adoption and never looked back again. The money that Vicky had received anonymously all those years had come from Nora Collins who felt obligated to the poor child. Her mother and father had had nothing to do with her life, only the creation of it. But an orphan will make any kind of an excuse for their progenitors, even past the point of good sense.

"Earth to Vicky! Come in, Vicky!" Carolyn Stoddard teased her friend. "You look like you are a million miles away and I wish I were there with you."

Vicky smiled shyly. "Oh, no, Carolyn. I'm right here and I couldn't be happier."

She held onto the other girls hands and spun her around in wild abandonment. Carolyn was her niece. She couldn't tell her yet, but she could be very happy about it. And Mrs. Stoddard was her sister and Roger Collins her brother, and of course little David was her nephew. And she had another older sister, Meredith who was an invalid. These forbidden thoughts did a merry dance inside her soul and then the phone rang and it was the Entertainment Tonight people wanting to set a date.

"So, let me get this straight. You'll be here on the 5th of August and the show will air on the 6th? Is that right?" She waited for the confirmation. "Very good. I am sure that will be fine with Miss Collins and you understand that you will be conducting the interview at her cottage and not the big house." There was a pause while the other party spoke. "Let me ask before I commit myself to that. Please, hold the line. Carolyn they want to film some of this house and the grounds before they to see Aunt, I mean Miss Collins. Would that be alright do you think?"

Carolyn was excited about it. "Oh, sure, anything to liven up this tomb. Tell them that I am ready for my close-up."

Both girls laughed and Vicky returned to the spokesperson. "That will be fine. We will be looking forward to your arrival. Good-bye now."

Vicky hung up the phone and she and Carolyn made to go their separate ways. Vicky to Aunt Nora and Carolyn to pay a visit on her mother. Vicky walked Carolyn to her car and they were still chatting about the Entertainment Tonight event when Matthew Morgan overheard them. Vicky excused herself and proceeded for the cottage. Matthew sidled up to Miss Stoddard. "So, when are these TV people gonna be here snooping around?"

Carolyn rolled her eyes. "The sixth if you must know, Matthew. Now that you're filled in on the family's personal business do you think you could do something to make the place look presentable for the cameras?" She revved up her sports car and took off down the drive.

Matthew spat on the ground and gave answer. "Sure thing, bitch."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.