Nicole shut the door to Shannon's room and walked down the hallway back towards the living room. She smiled at herself for a job well done.
"Shannon just didn't realize what a commotion she was causing," Nicole thought to herself. "She'll probably sit and think about it for a while and then do the right thing. Now I can call Chris and tell him I straightened everything out."
Nicole walked towards the phone and was about ready to dial the phone when the doorbell rang. Once again Nicole smiled, "That's probably Chris coming over to surprise me. He's so sweet like that."
But as she neared the door she heard a voice that surely did not belong to Chris. "Yoo-hoo!! Girls!! It's your Aunt Twanky. Open up, I have exciting news!"
"Nope," Nicole said as her smile weakened, "that's certainly not Chris."
Before the door was even all the way opened Twanky strolled right on in the entryway. "I have such exciting news," Twanky stated exuberantly as she looked around the room. Where's Shannon? I want her to hear this too."
"Uh, she's taking a nap right now," Nicole lied, knowing that it was best not to disturb Shannon right now. "Why don't you tell me the news and I'll share it with Shannon when she wakes up."
“Oh, all right," Twanky concurred, "but I don't think she would mind being woken up for this."
"Woken up for what?" Nicole inquired curiously.
"We are going to have another seance!" cried Twanky excitedly.
"Another seance?" Nicole questioned. "That's your exciting news? I didn't think we would have another one since the last one didn't go so successfully."
"Shame on you dear, for saying such things," Twanky scolded her. "The last one was quite successful. Your Uncle Sal appeared to us, did he not?"
"Yes, but..." Nicole started.
"But nothing," she snapped. "Spirits can be very temperamental, my dear. I thought even getting him to appear was quite an accomplishment. Your Uncle was never one for large gatherings anyway. He said that the larger the group, the less food at the buffet table."
"Oh, all right," Nicole agreed realizing she would never win this argument, "when is the seance?"
"Right here tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. sharp," Twanky replied. "You will be a dear and invite everyone again, won't you?"
"Uh, I guess so," Nicole said reluctantly. "But what will you be doing?"
"Organizing, my dear, organizing." Twanky replied as she walked to the door. "Oh, one last thing, I know you didn't have much time to prepare last time so I know this is not your fault, but do spend a little more time with the hors d’oeurves this time. Ta, ta!"
Twanky disappeared out the door as quickly as she had made her entrance. Nicole just stood there shocked, with an unspoken comment still on her lips.
Scene: 2
Murdered?" Shannon gasped. "But who would want to murder you? And why?"
"Well," replied Uncle Sal, "I can't tell you who did it, but I might be able to explain why."
"I don't understand." Shannon looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
"You see honey," Sal began, "I know you thought I was a shoe saleman, but the truth is I was an really undercover policeman."
"You were a cop?" Shannon asked shocked.
"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled, "everyone just thought I was a wacky, old coot. I know it would surprise everyone to find out I had some brains floating around in my head after all."
"No, I didn't mean it like that," Shannon replied, "I meant..."
"That's okay," Sal interrupted. "I had been working on this murder case off and on for 10 years but had never come close to solving it. It was a hobby of mine that I enjoyed tinkering with whenever I had time. About 2 months before I died, I stumbled across some very intriguing evidence and went to research it further. Somewhere along the line I must have tipped the wrong person off because now I'm stuck here in the afterlife."
"Did you find out who did it?" Shannon inquired.
"Unfortunately I did not," Sal answered solemnly. "I had found some old letters written in a strange code. I found them two days before my death and I am convinced they hold the key to the whole mystery. In fact the night I died I was on the verge of decoding them."
"But I thought you died of a heart attack." Shannon thought out loud.
"That was what it was supposed to look like, but the entire night I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me and waiting. I'm not sure how they did it, but I know it wasn't a natural occurrence. You've got to help me Shannon."
"Help you?" she questioned. "What can I do?"
"Remember when you were a kid and I showed you that special, hidden compartment in the basement?" Sal asked.
"Of course I do!" Shannon said excitedly as she remembered her childhood. "You used to let me hide stuff in there like my ragdoll and the fairy princess shoes from my Halloween costume."
"Well, that is where I kept all of the case documents and evidence when I wasn't working on it. The night I died I only took 3 of the coded letters in the room with me. Whoever killed me took them before the police ever found my body. There are another 4 letters still in the basement," Sal explained. "I need you took go to the compartment and bring them to your room. Hide them in a safe place and meet me tomorrow night. I want to finish decoding them." "
Okay Uncle Sal," Shannon agreed. "I'll sneak down there tonight and get them."
"Oh, and one more thing," Sal said. "Don't breathe a word of this to anyone, even Nicole. This is a dangerous enough situation without getting others involved in it too."
Scene: 3
Lilith unlocked the door to her apartment with a wry smile on her face. "Alfalfa!" she called out as she walked through the door. "I've just been to see Jett and..."
She stopped when she noticed there was no one in the room for her to talk to. Her heart started to race as she scanned the area for signs of the two men she left there only hours earlier, but had no luck. Finally, her eyes fell upon the frying pan on lying on the carpet. She picked it up, noticed that the dent had grown much larger and started to panic.
"Alfalfa!" she screamed as she frantically ran from room to room. "Alfalfa, this is no time to play tricks on me!"
She returned to the living room just as the phone rang. Lilith froze in her tracks. Slowly she walked towards the phone and gently lifted the receiver to her ear.
"Hello?" Lilith whispered into the phone.
"Ah, Lilith. So nice of you to answer," a male voice replied.
"Bruce!" Lilith hissed. "How did you escape? What have you done with Alfalfa?"
"One question at a time dear," Bruce answered as calmly as ever. "How I escaped is no concern of yours. Let's just say that you should choose domestic servants who know how to tie more than just slip knots."
"Where is Alfalfa? If you have hurt him..." Lilith started. "
Why Lilith, you never showed such concern for me. I'm almost hurt by that. I didn't realize you and Sprouts here had become so close," Bruce chuckled. "Don't worry though, he's nice and safe here with me. For the moment anyway."
"With you?!" Lilith yelled into the phone. "You kidnapped him?"
"Kidnapped? That's a rather harsh way of putting it," Bruce responded. "Sproutnapped maybe, but..."
"Bruce!" Lilith cried. "This time you have gone too far!"
"I'm not even halfway to Albuquerque yet," Bruce laughed. "And if you don't do as I instruct, Sprouts will find himself all the way at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean."
"You bastard!" she screamed.
"Do we have a deal now Lilith," Bruce asked, "or do I tell your loverboy here to start holding his breath?"
Scene: 4
Ted and Renee O'Neill were enjoying a nice quiet lunch at Sorbo's cafe. Renee saw Shannon walk in, and she looked to her husband.
"Oh look there's Shannon! Let's ask her to join us shall we?"
"Of course! Shannon, hello!" Ted waved.
"Hi Ted, hi Renee." Shannon forced a smile and walked over.
"Please if you're not busy, join us." Renee motioned to a chair.
"Thank you, I think I will." Shannon said and sat down, hoping some company would take her mind off things.
"Is Ryan not feeling well today? Otherwise, I'm sure he'd be here with you!" Renee asked, not realizing what had recently happened.
"Um..." Shannon looked down at the table.
Just then Ryan and Alexis walked into the cafe. Renee's smile suddenly disappeared as she saw the happy new couple walk in.
"Oh. Why don't we go somewhere else? We always eat here, maybe we should try someplace new!" Renee said as she nodded to Ted to look in their direction.
"Yes, how about the pizza place down the street?" Ted replied, catching her drift.
"Um ok." Shannon turned and saw Ryan smiling at Alexis with his arm around her. Ryan and Alexis went to a nearby table, and Ryan kept glancing their way.
"You look beautiful today, Alexis." Ryan said as he caressed her cheek with his hand.
"Thank you Ryan!" Alexis beamed.
"You’re welcome." Ryan put his arms around her and kissed her.
"Um excuse me I need to use the restroom." Shannon ran into the back, trying to hold back the tears.
Renee looked at Ted, very concerned. “I think we need to talk with them. I will talk to Shannon, will you speak with Ryan?"
Ted nodded. "Of course I will."
Renee sighed. "At least things are going well for Chris and Nicole."
