MURDER IN WAX

An Original Screenplay By Holly Copella

FIRST DRAFT

MURDER IN WAX FADE IN: EXT. TOWN/FAIRVIEW GLEN -- DAY

The town is small and friendly. There are tiny homes with fenced yards and quiet streets. Near the edge of town there's an old funeral home. Just beyond town and its vast farmland is a resort area. There are large, impressive hotels with swimming pools and tennis courts. Nightclubs, restaurants, and movie theaters surround the resorts. Somewhere between town and the resort area is a large wax museum. A large, historic home resides close to the museum. A young cornfield surrounds the museum and home. EXT. MUSEUM -- DAY

A jeep pulls into the wax museum parking lot. There is scaffolding surrounding the left, front corner of the building with workers repairing the stone siding. INT. IVY'S JEEP -- CONTINUOUS

Two young, attractive women in their early twenties, DEVON VINCENT and IVY JENNINGS, look out of the jeep's windshield and stare at the old museum. DEVON I hate interviews. IVY You'll be fine. I'm the one who should be nervous. If you don't go, you're going to make me late for the modeling audition. I'm sorry. Good luck. DEVON I almost forgot.

IVY I'm up against Jamie Smythe, goddess of Fairview Glen. I'll need more than luck. DEVON Call me tonight and let me know how it went. EXT. MUSEUM/PORCH -- DAY

Devon stands before the large double doors with stained glass windows. She knocks several times, but there's no response. One of the men on the scaffolding, DANNY PRICE, appears to be watching her.

DANNY Devon? DEVON (looks up) Danny, I didn't know you were working for Larry's Construction. Danny jumps off of the scaffolding near her. DANNY Yeah, I started a couple of months ago. What brings you here? I don't remember seeing you this dressed up before. DEVON I have a job interview. DANNY They're probably in the basement. They must have a shop down there. Hey, if you're not busy tonight, we could go out for drinks. Jamie and I broke up. DEVON I'm sorry, but I'm helping my father tonight. DANNY Another time then. INT. FIRST FLOOR CONTINUOUS

Devon slowly enters the museum and walks through the partially finished scenes. Only empty sets are displayed. She wanders through the maze of sets and winding walkways. There's a staircase leading down to the basement near the back of the building. The sign reads "dungeon". INT. BASEMENT

We see horror displays in the basement. Some are easily recognizable and rather elaborate. Devon walks through several sets and nervously rubs her arms while staring at each display. INT. CHURCH DISPLAY

We see an elaborate church scene with a large, marble altar. There are silk flowers and candles displayed upon the altar and around the set. A stained glass window with a false light behind it gives a mysterious glow to the display.

INT.

BASEMENT -- CONTINUOUS

Devon continues to walk through the displays. To the very back of the basement is a door marked "private". Devon knocks on the door. We hear music coming from the room. Devon slowly opens the door. INT. WORKSHOP -- CONTINUOUS

We see several life-like wax men and women standing around the room. They are all dressed in elaborate costumes. A man, BRANT SHETFIELD, sits at the counter with his back to her. He's wearing a white lab coat. There's a wax head on the counter before him. He holds a paint stick in his hand. BRANT Try not to blink. Damn it, you moved. Brant turns on the swivel chair and reaches for a rag. He sees Devon and jerks nervously. He accidentally strikes the wax head with his elbow then frantically scrambles to catch it. He steadies the wax head then stands and faces Devon. He's a very handsome man in his early thirties. DEVON I didn't mean to startle you. knocked-BRANT I'm not used to things moving down here. DEVON I'm Devon Vincent. I'm here for an interview. Brant wipes his hands on the rag and approaches her. shake hands. BRANT Brant Shetfield. It's a pleasure to meet you. Tyler was supposed to be here to do the interview, but he was called away early this morning. You're Ross's friend, right? DEVON Yes, but don't hold that against me. Brant chuckles softly then returns to his wax head, dips the rag in turpentine, and wipes away the excess paint. They I

BRANT I'm terrible with interviews. If you're as reliable as Ross says you are, and you don't mind working long hours until we're back on schedule, you can get started tonight. DEVON Yes--of course. Brant searches for his misplaced paint pen. BRANT Fine. Uh, come back around 6:00. I'll get you started. Ross will be in then. (eyes her) Dress accordingly. Paint seems to get on everything around here. EXT. MUSEUM PARKING LOT -- DAY A black blazer

We see Devon waiting in the parking lot. pulls up to her. INT. MARTIN'S BLAZER -- CONTINUOUS

Devon climbs into the passenger side and smiles at her brother, MARTIN VINCENT. He is a handsome man in his late twenties. MARTIN Judging by that smile, I'd say the interview went well. DEVON I got the job. That's great! like? MARTIN What's your boss

DEVON He's a little strange. type.

Nervous

MARTIN The Norman Bates, psycho killer type? I hope you're not going to be working alone with him. DEVON Please, Martin. Give the overly protective brother routine a break.

MARTIN I'm allowed to worry. pigs. I would know. EXT. DEVON'S FARM -- DAY

Men are

There's an old, restored farmhouse and large barn with acres of land surrounding it. There are horses and cattle grazing near the barn. Devon hurries out of the house wearing jeans and an old shirt. She approaches the tall fence. We see a black and white pinto stallion trotting excitedly around the fence. Devon climbs onto the fence and plays with the horse. Hey, boy. DEVON Did you miss me?

The stallion snickers lowly as if answering her. DEVON I've missed you too. No ride tonight. I have a new job. I can't be late. FATHER (O.S.) Do you think he understands what you're saying? Devon turns. We see her father standing near the fence. She smiles proudly. DEVON Every word. FATHER Ivy's on the phone. She says it's important. Sounded upset. DEVON Oh, no--the modeling job. Devon jumps off of the fence. Martin approaches wearing dress pants, an ironed shirt, and jacket. Devon looks him over and smiles with approval. DEVON Hmm. Dressed to kill. Someone's anticipating a good evening. MARTIN If I'm lucky--right through to a good morning. DEVON You're such a dog.

Martin barks as he passes. EXT. DEVON'S HOUSE/PORCH -- EVENING

Devon sits on the railing and watches Ivy on the porch swing. Ivy appears upset. IVY I know Jamie got the job. She was so giggly and flirtatious coming out of the conference room at the hotel. My first real chance to be someone and that bitch has to screw it up. DEVON You don't know she got the job. IVY I wish she'd fall off the face of the earth. DEVON Speaking of Jamie-Ivy groans. DEVON I ran into Danny at the museum today. He said he broke it off with her. IVY I overheard Jamie telling Paula she'd dumped him. DEVON Paula Jarred? I didn't even know those two were on speaking terms. IVY I still can't believe Paula was auditioning for that modeling job. DEVON Hmm? So she's willing to give up her night job as town lush? INT. PHANTOM DISPLAY -- EVENING

Devon walks through the phantom display and pauses to study it. There's a wax phantom before the organ. She slowly approaches the display with a curious look and walks around the side of the phantom with its back to her.

She looks at the phantom's profile and the white mask. The phantom suddenly turns and lunges for her. Devon jumps backward with a loud, startled scream. ROSS CONNERS removes the white mask and laughs lowly. Devon's expression drops. She angrily slaps Ross on the shoulder. Damn it! DEVON You scared me!

ROSS That was the whole idea. Ross is a tall, slightly round man in his early twenties. He has the look of a practical joker. Ross looks past Devon and offers a nervous smile. ROSS Uh, hello, Mr. Brook. Devon spins. We see TYLER BROOK standing not far from the scene. He's a sophisticated looking man in his late forties. Brant is standing just behind him, wiping his hands on a rag. TYLER Are you finished fooling around, Ross? ROSS Yes, Sir. TYLER Then remove that costume and put it back in the closet. There's plenty of work to be done. Ross removes the cloak and hurries away. Devon and smiles. Tyler looks to

TYLER I hope Ross didn't give you too much of a scare. DEVON I'm used to it. TYLER Sorry I missed our interview this morning. Brant's more of the artist than I am, so he'll be instructing you on what he wants you to do. I don't mean to be rude, but I must return to the city tonight.

DEVON It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Brook. TYLER It's Tyler. Despite what Ross says, we aren't formal here. Tyler leaves. Brant watches him leave with little emotion. He looks at her then turns and walks toward the workshop while talking. BRANT I'll get you started in the back. Devon follows him. INT. WORKSHOP

Devon sits on a stool beside Brant. Brant implants some hair onto the wax head before them. He hands her the pointy instrument and watches while she mimics what he's done. His silence disturbs her. Ross pokes his head into the workshop and looks around. ROSS Is he gone? BRANT Yes, he's gone. Ross appears relieved and enters. shoulder and watches her work He leans on Devon's

ROSS He was in a foul mood tonight! Don't let him get to you, Brant. BRANT He hasn't. Make sure you have that display finished before you leave tonight. ROSS Consider it done. Just keep the troll off of my back. INT. DR. FRANKENSTEIN'S LAB

Devon pushes a flatbed onto the first exhibit in the basement. She pauses and looks around the detailed display. It looks like a real dungeon laboratory. We see electronic machines, a false skylight, and a slanted table with a monster strapped to it. We hear a low moan. Lightning flashes and electric crosses between two circuits.

The monster moves beneath the straps. Devon gasps with surprise. Ross jumps out from behind the table and laughs. ROSS Cool, huh? DEVON It's fabulous. Ross eyes the wax person. ROSS Hey, this looks great. this one? You do

DEVON (proudly) And it only took me four hours. Ross laughs. INT. WORKSHOP -- FRIDAY MORNING

Devon enters the workshop. There's no one around. She looks around and places her hands on her hips. We see a note on the front counter. Devon picks up the note. It reads: "Follow the werewolf". Devon sets the note down. DEVON Great. She looks around the workshop and notices cut out paw prints on the floor. She follows them cautiously from the workshop. INT. GRAVEYARD DISPLAY

Devon follows the paw prints to the graveyard scene. It's dimly lit with tombstones and a crypt in the background. We hear a crack of thunder followed by moans. Devon jumps nervously and looks around with anticipation. The ground appears to open up and zombies rise from the floor and from behind the headstones and trees. Devon rolls her eyes. DEVON Ross-A zombie approaches her from behind the tree. Devon screams and jumps backward. We see it's actually Ross in make-up and torn clothing. Devon backs into someone. A decayed hand falls upon her shoulder. Devon screams and spins around. Brant smiles while holding the fake hand. Ross grabs her from behind. She screams and pulls away from him. She spins and begins playfully beating him with her palms. DEVON You jerk!

Brant removes a remote control from his lab coat pocket and the commotion stops. He replaces the control to his pocket and smiles. BRANT Sorry, I couldn't resist playing along. DEVON You're just as bad as he is. INT. WORKSHOP -- AFTERNOON

Devon is carefully painting a woman's face with the paint pens while Brant stares over her shoulder. BRANT Much better. After lunch I'll show you the horror make-up. Blood, puss, and all that good stuff. DEVON You really get into this, don't you? BRANT More than my former job. DEVON What did you do before you got into horror wax? BRANT I was a chemist. I worked in a lab with my parents. Nice, sterile, cold environment. DEVON Definitely a big change for you. BRANT Tyler got me into wax--so to speak. Working with my parents wasn't a good idea. Not much warmth in my family. DEVON I don't have that problem. brother is completely smothering. Hey, hey! My

ROSS (O.S.) Lunch has arrived!

Both turn on their stools. Ross enters the workshop holding up two bags. TONY O'BRIEN follows him into the room. Tony is a tall, lanky man with a hard to read smirk on his face. Devon smiles warmly. DEVON Tony, what are you doing here? TONY I'm the official delivery boy. BRANT (mutters) A mortician that delivers-sounds sick to me. TONY What's this? Dr. Shetfield acquired a sense of humor? ROSS I'm training him well. TONY Don't train him too well. I'm not springing for lunch every day. Ross grabs his sandwich. ROSS I'll pay you back--one day. Tony approaches the small refrigerator and looks inside. TONY What? No beverage? charge of drinks? Who was in

BRANT There's more soda upstairs. DEVON I'll get it. INT. KITCHEN

Devon enters the kitchen through the door marked "private". We see the workers from outside sitting around the kitchen table. Danny is helping himself to a soda from the refrigerator. He looks at Devon and smiles as she enters. DANNY Guess you got the job.

DEVON Yeah. Working with Ross is like working in a comic strip. Devon opens the refrigerator door and removes a couple of sodas. Danny hovers over her. DANNY So, how about going out tonight. We could go to the new nightclub down the street. I hear it's wild on Friday nights. I can't. DEVON I have plans with Ivy. I'll

DANNY We could all go together. find her a date.

DEVON We've already made other plans. The four guys at the table snicker lowly. Danny appears irritated by their snickers. He places his hand on the counter on either side of her. DANNY How about a quickly in the back room instead? The guys laugh. DEVON Fuck off, Danny. The guys burst out laughing. cans fall to the floor. Danny grabs her arm. The soda

DANNY That's not very lady like--not that you'd know anything about that. Devon pulls her arm from Danny and violently shoves him back a step. The other workers stare in silence. DEVON (low) Keep your fucking hands off of me, Price. BRANT (O.S.) What's going on here? Danny looks to Brant and attempts a casual smile. other men collect their lunches and stand. The four

DANNY Devon and I were just talking. DEVON And if this conversation ever comes up again, you'll be doing it with a broken nose. BRANT I don't know what you said to her, but I suggest you get out of my museum. DANNY You can't be serious-BRANT Would you like me to call Larry and have him remove you? Danny points a warning finger to Devon's face. intimidating. DANNY If I lose my job over this, you'll be sorry. Brant suddenly grabs Danny's wrist and glares at him. BRANT Get out! Danny gives Brant a dirty look, pulls his wrist free, and hurries from the kitchen. INT. PHANTOM DISPLAY -- LATE AFTERNOON His look is

Ross and Devon are displaying the wax figures and scenery. Brant approaches in a tuxedo. Ross looks up and whistles. Brant struggles with the tie. ROSS Someone's got a hot date tonight! BRANT I wish. Another tiring formal party at my parents' house. The world would undoubtedly end if I didn't go. Devon approaches him and begins attaching the tie. watches her as she skillfully adjusts it. ROSS Ah, just tell them to blow off. He

BRANT Sometimes I'd like too. But they're my parents. I can't do that to them. Devon straightens and smoothes the tie with a proud smile. Brant fidgets and looks at his watch. BRANT I have to leave in half an hour. If you could clean up whatever it is you're working on, you can leave early. ROSS We're almost finished with this display. It'll just be another hour. We'll lock up on our way out. BRANT Tyler won't like that. It'll have to wait until Monday. ROSS The entire weekend off? the occasion? What's

BRANT I'm required to spend the weekend at my parents' house. Believe me, I'd rather be working. INT. DINER -- EARLY EVENING

A blonde waitress, JAMIE SMYTHE, approaches the counter and clips the order to the revolving wheel before the opening to the kitchen. Another waitress, MARLENE PRESTON, delivers several dirty plates to a tub just near the door. MARLENE You could tend to your tables without young, good-looking men too, you know. JAMIE I was getting there. Don't be in such a rush. When I'm famous, you'll show a little more respect. MARLENE You didn't get that modeling job yet.

JAMIE Burt Danson was very impressed with me. You're just jealous. Jamie walks away. Marlene watches her and rolls her eyes. The phone rings. Marlene snatches the phone with some hostility. MARLENE (into phone) Fairview diner. (pause) One moment. Marlene looks across the diner. Marlene's POV. Jamie flirting with a handsome customer. MARLENE Jamie-Jamie turns. Marlene holds the phone in the air with an icy look. Jamie rushes for the phone. Marlene approaches the counter and pours some coffee. It's obvious she's listening to the conversation. JAMIE (into phone) Uh, yeah. I can meet you. (pause) I'll be there. Thank you. Jamie hangs up the phone and stands immobile a moment. Marlene approaches. MARLENE Something wrong? JAMIE No-(to the kitchen) Max, I'm taking the rest of the evening off. Jamie removes her apron and scurries out of the diner. Marlene just stares after her. She turns toward the opening to the kitchen. MARLENE Max! EXT. ABANDONED FARMHOUSE -- EVENING We see

Jamie gets out of her old, red sports car and stares at the abandoned farmhouse. She's now wearing a tight, low cut dress and high heels. Her face and hair are made-up with the greatest care. She approaches the old house.

We see a dim light through the separation of the old, tattered curtains. Jamie walks onto the porch and knocks on the door. It creaks open. She pushes the door open and peaks inside. She slowly enters the house. INT. FOYER -- CONTINUOUS Jamie enters the foyer of the dilapidated farmhouse and looks around the hallway. The interior walls are cracked and falling apart. The floorboards appear slightly rotted. Jamie looks around. JAMIE Hello? She approaches one of the doorways. Several pigeons fly out of the room. Jamie jumps with surprise. A shadow falls over her from behind. Jamie recovers from the pigeon parade and turns. She lets out a startled gasp then attempts a smile and a soft laugh. JAMIE Jesus--you scared me. A black, gloved hand suddenly grabs her by the throat. Jamie struggles against the hand and gasps for air. INT. TAVERN -- SATURDAY NIGHT

Devon and Ivy enter the tavern. We see several drunk men at the bar and trashy looking women falling over them. We see Ross and Tony in the back playing pool. Ross's laugh is unmistakable. Ross sees them and points to a table near the jukebox. Devon and Ivy approach the table and sit down. Ivy looks around the room with a frown. Her eyes suddenly light up. IVY There he is! DEVON Who? IVY Burt Danson. He's the one hiring the models. We have to go over there and socialize. We see BURT DANSON, a heavyset man in his forties with slicked back hair and gold jewelry, sitting at the bar. PAULA JARRED sits on the opposite side of Burt. Paula is a bleached blonde with the appearance of a low budget porn star. IVY Paula making moves on Burt!

TAMRA (O.S.) Apparently she had the same idea we had. Devon and Ivy turn to see TAMRA LITTLE standing near their table. Tamra is an attractive, strawberry blonde woman in her early twenties. Tamra places her drink on their table and collapses in the chair between them. Tamra's eyes remain fixed on Paula. TAMRA That girl has no shame. She'll sleep her way right into that job. IVY You know about her audition for the job? TAMRA Of course. I was there when she slinked in. She looked like an overpriced streetwalker. IVY You auditioned for the job? TAMRA Half the female population in town applied. All three look back to Paula. She clings to Burt's shoulder with her body pressed against his arm. They appear to be having an intimate conversation. TAMRA But ultimately, it's not who you know, it's who you blow. DEVON It's hard to believe you two were once friends. TAMRA That was a long time ago. It was nothing for her to get me into trouble. I despise the bitch. We see Burt and Paula leave the bar together. watch their lusty exit. TAMRA Well, we know who's getting that job. All three

IVY Don't be so certain. Jamie's full of surprises herself. Time lapse. Burt and Paula return to the bar. Both are smiling. Burt has another drink then leaves. Paula and her brother, JOE JARRED, sit at the bar. Joe is pretty much the male version of Paula. Her brother laughs at something she says. Paula eyes the three women and approaches their table. All three ignore her. Paula leans on their table. PAULA I've got this job in the bag. TAMRA Don't you mean in the sack? PAULA Say what you want, but I intend to be rich this time next year. DEVON Men will tell all sorts of lies to get a woman into their bed. PAULA Oh, the town tom girl is suddenly an authority on men. TAMRA You have to forgive Paula. Her conversation with men is limited to take me--I'm yours. Paula glares then turns to leave. smiles deviously. She stares at the bar and

PAULA Hey, Devon, isn't that your new boss? All three look to the bar. We see Brant sitting in a secluded corner of the bar with his head in his hands, huddled over his drink. PAULA I think I'm going to seduce him. That should make for an awkward work environment. Paula approaches the bar and squeezes in next to Brant. They begin to speak. TAMRA That woman has no shame.

IVY She attempted to seduce my father once--just to prove she could. TAMRA She got mine. We see Brant look back to his glass, drain its contents, and push it across the bar. Devon watches with a frown. Paula presses her chest against his arm and rests her hand on his shoulder. Brant pulls away from her and says something harsh. Devon stands. Ivy pulls her back to her seat. IVY He's a big boy. He can take care of himself. Brant stands, tosses some bills across the bar, and leaves. Paula looks at the bar tender. Both smile. Paula hurries after him. Devon springs to her feet and runs after Paula. EXT. TAVERN PARKING LOT -- CONTINUOUS

Devon leaves the tavern. We see Brant's car speed away from the building. Paula approaches Devon and the doors. She smiles smugly. PAULA Your boss is a real stud. DEVON You're such a bitch. You had to embarrass him, didn't you? Paula laughs and walks past her into the tavern. EXT. IVY'S HOUSE -- NIGHT

Devon walks the drunken Ivy to the front door of the small, suburb home. Ivy laughs uncontrollably as she staggers through the front door. Devon shakes her head with a slight smile then returns to Ivy's jeep to drive herself home. EXT. MUSEUM -- NIGHT

We see Ivy's jeep passing the museum. The museum lights are still on. The jeep slows and enters the parking lot. Devon gets out of the jeep and approaches the doors. She knocks but there's no response. Devon turns the knob. It's unlocked. INT. BASEMENT

Devon slowly walks through the horror displays and eyes each one. The wax figures seem to stare at her as she passes.

She shivers. Devon approaches the workshop door. It's partially open. We see a light on the other side. INT. WORKSHOP

We see Brant slumped over the counter with his head in his hands. There's a wax head and paint pens on the counter before him. There are other paint pens scattered along the floor. Devon is about to announce herself. Brant suddenly casts everything from the counter. Objects fall to the floor with a loud crash. He springs to his feet with a sharpened putty knife in his hand and rams it into the nearest wax woman's head. Devon appears horrified and darts away from the doorway. EXT. BACK ROAD -- NIGHT

Tamara's black car sits to the side of the road with its hood raised. Tamra stares at the engine with apparent disgust. She slams down the hood and leans against the side of the car with a frown. We see headlights approaching. Tamra straightens and stares at the approaching vehicle. INT. TAVERN -- NIGHT

Everyone has gone home. Paula shakes her brother Joe, where he lay slumped on the bar. He's out cold. Paula shakes her head and stands from her bar stool. She's clearly drunk herself. She waves to the bartender, who's cleaning glasses. PAULA Night, Stan. He gives a slight wave. EXT. TAVERN -- CONTINUOUS

Paula enters the parking lot from the tavern and walks toward the road. She appears barely able to walk. EXT. BACK ROAD -- CONTINUOUS Paula hums a tune as she walks along the back road and away from town. We can see her house all by itself toward the back of the private, wooded lane. Paula swings her keys while staggering and giggling. We hear a twig snap within the dark woods. Paula stops and looks to the woods. There's no one there. She passes it off and continues along the lane. Someone approaches her from behind. A black, gloved hand reaches for her. Paula hesitates then turns. She's grabbed by the throat. Paula attempts to scream, but the hand tightens.

INT.

DINER -- MONDAY MORNING

Devon and Martin enter the diner and sit at one of the booths near the window. Marlene approaches with a pleasant smile. MARLENE Hi, Martin. MARTIN Morning, Marlene. How are you? MARLENE I'd be better if Jamie showed up this morning. She left me stranded with the breakfast crowd by myself. MARTIN Don't be too harsh on Jamie. She has to help take care of her sister. It's a lot of responsibility. MARLENE It's a tragedy. They should've left the poor girl go. Marlene stares out the window. Her expression saddens.

MARLENE See what I mean. EXT. TOWN -- CONTINUOUS

Marlenes POV. We see a woman in her mid-forties, DOROTHY SMYTHE, pushing a reclining wheel chair along the sidewalk with a young girl, CHELSIE SMYTHE, immobile within it. Chelsie is in her mid twenties. She has short, blonde hair with a big, gaudy bow in it. Her beautiful face is flaccid and her eyes remain open and fixed. INT. DINER -- CONTINUOUS

Devon looks down to her menu with a sad expression. Marlene continues to stare out the window and shakes her head. MARLENE Poor Chelsie. She was going to graduate just a few weeks before the accident. Had a scholarship and everything. So much nicer than Jamie. So tragic. DEVON Jamie's a spoiled, miserable girl.

MARLENE You wouldn't get much of an argument on that one. MARTIN Could I have some coffee? MARLENE Sure, Darling. Marlene leaves the table. Martin looks at Devon. Devon appears lost and depressed.

MARTIN Is something wrong? Hmm? Uh, no. fine. DEVON Everything's

MARTIN Why don't you come to the city with me one of these weekends. I'll take you to my hunting grounds. It's a place called the Ruby Club. Strictly highbrow people in this place. It's where I meet all my best dates. DEVON Is that where you met your latest conquest, Sukey? MARTIN (frowns) She stood me up. DEVON I don't think I've ever met any of your girlfriends. MARTIN When I find the right one, I'll bring her home. No telling what excitement today may bring. DEVON Thunderstorms with gusty winds. MARTIN You're so negative. DEVON I have reason to be.

SHERIFF CARTER, a man in his late thirties with a chiseled, harsh expression, approaches their table. They look at him as he stops before them. MARTIN Morning, Sheriff. CARTER I don't mean to interrupt your breakfast, but I'm investigating the disappearance of Tamra Little. Tamra? DEVON You're kidding.

CARTER She was last seen talking with you and Ivy at the tavern on Saturday night. DEVON Yes, we had a few drinks. She left the bar the same time we did. That was around midnight. She never was found road near seen her. anything, Devon nods. CARTER made it home. Her car abandoned on the back her house. No one's If you think of let us know.

Sheriff Carter walks away. DEVON (nervous) Terrific-MARTIN What's wrong? DEVON I didn't tell anyone, but I went to the museum late last night. I saw Brant trash the workshop and brutalize a wax woman. MARTIN Brutalize? DEVON He stabbed it in the head with a sharpened putty knife. It was very frightening.

MARTIN Maybe you shouldn't go back there. DEVON I can't just call off. MARTIN Sure you can. EXT. MUSEUM -- MORNING

Pouring rain. Martin's black blazer pulls up to the front steps. Devon jumps out of the blazer and hurries onto the porch. INT. FIRST FLOOR

Devon removes her soaked jacket and hangs it on a large rack. She turns. We see Brant standing only a couple of feet away with a cup of coffee in his hand and a tiny smile on his face. He extends the cup to Devon. She gladly accepts it. BRANT Beautiful day, isn't it? DEVON There's a massive thunderstorm coming this way. BRANT I hope the power holds out. I'm afraid we won't get much done if it doesn't. Ross called in sick this morning. DEVON (nervous) He did? BRANT Would you like to see what I've finished over the weekend? DEVON I thought you were going to be gone all weekend. BRANT I had a disagreement with my mother. I'm lucky I made it through dinner Friday night. I've gotten a lot of work finished though.

INT.

CRYPT DISPLAY

The crypt is eerie with its tombs surrounding the torch lit room. We see a male and female vampire attacking a room full of men with swords and stakes. It's a gruesome scene. They moan and hiss. We see what appears to be a man plunging a stake into an open tomb. We hear the pounding of the stake. A vampire flies up from the coffin with the stake in its chest and long fingers clutching it. BRANT What do you think? DEVON It's--very realistic. I wasn't doing much over the weekend. You could've called. BRANT I wouldn't have been very good company. Brant turns off the scene and leaves the room. follows. INT. WORKSHOP -- AFTERNOON Devon

Devon and Brant sit at the counter with wax heads before them. Brant seems less enthusiastic with the paint pen application. Devon eyes him several times while working on her creation. DEVON Would you like to talk about the party? BRANT I wouldn't want to bore you. DEVON Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. BRANT It's not prying. I don't mind-really. My mother's always playing matchmaker. She thinks she has to bring women to the house to meet me. It didn't start off very promising and gradually got worse. This girl was so much like my mother it was frightening. Brant rolls across the room in one swift motion on his stool. He selects a paint pen and rolls back.

BRANT How was your weekend? DEVON As usual, Ivy got drunk, and I had to drive her home. I saw you at the tavern on Saturday. BRANT So you knew I wasn't gone the whole weekend. I needed a few drinks after my ordeal Friday night. If I lived closer to my parents, I'd be an alcoholic by now. DEVON I wasn't sure I should mention seeing you at the tavern. BRANT Why not? DEVON Because you were pretty busy at the time. BRANT Yeah, busy eluding the town slut. Sorry. I have a secret loathe for trashy women. The lights flicker and go out. BRANT Guess that's lunch. INT. KITCHEN Devon gasps slightly.

Devon and Brant sit at the small kitchen table. Both are laughing over glasses of wine. Brant pours more for each of them and continues to smile. DEVON There's always a party with Ross around, I'm afraid. BRANT I've enjoyed working with him. Try working at a lab some time. What a bunch of stiffs. DEVON I suppose I've been exposed to Ross far too long. Tyler doesn't have much of a sense of humor, does he?

BRANT Tyler is a businessman. He's only in it for the money. I suppose that's why he makes a good partner. Someone has to run operations and deal with the public. I'm not good at socializing. DEVON Neither am I, but you don't have much choice in this town. Everyone pretty much knows everyone else's business. You have to know who your allies are. BRANT I don't think I have many of those. I've only ever been accepted among other scientists. We talk the same language, I suppose. DEVON I grew up around cowboys. You can just imagine what I've learned. After I'd graduated high school, my father insisted I find a job in town away from horses and cattle. He thought it might make a lady out of me. I'm pretty much the social misfit. BRANT Guess we have something in common then. My father molded me into his little protg. This museum represents an entire fortune spent on a dream to find out who I really am. So far, it's been the best time of my life. DEVON It takes a lot of passion to be an artist. BRANT I must be the exception. Devon places her hand on his. DEVON I don't think so.

Brant gently caresses her hand. He slowly pulls his hand away and smiles with some embarrassment. He replaces the cork to the bottle of wine. BRANT I think you've had too much wine. Devon sits back and smiles warmly. We hear the loud crack of thunder. Both jump and look toward the window. BRANT Were not going to get much done this afternoon. You may as well leave early. DEVON I'll wait it out. INT. STAIRS -- LATER

Devon and Brant walk down the broad staircase to the basement. We hear running water. They look at one another with apparent confusion. Both hurry down the stairs. INT. BASEMENT

We see two feet of water covering the basement floor. Brant and Devon stand at the bottom of the steps and stare at the water level. BRANT I don't believe this! Brant steps into the water and approaches the first display. Devon hurries behind him. INT. DR. FRANKENSTEIN'S LAB

We see the Frankenstein's lab with two feet of water throughout. The sets are already saturated. BRANT It's ruined! All that work-straight to hell! This can't be happening! Brant turns in the water to face Devon with a look of defeat upon his face. DEVON We'll call someone to pump out the basement. It may be okay. I'm sure we can fix it.

BRANT Nice try. I'd better cut the circuit, just in case the power comes back on. Brant leaves the room. INT. GRAVEYARD DISPLAY Devon hurries after him.

They enter the graveyard display. Devon and Brant watch as wax zombies float face first in the water past them. Brant places his arm around Devon's shoulder and holds her to his side. He appears casual, but it's obvious he's distraught. BRANT Lovely--I'm ruined. The wax zombies gently float around the room. Their tattered clothing drags behind them. A female zombie bumps into their legs. Devon looks at the blonde zombie. She pulls away from Brant and turns the wax woman over. We see it's Jamie Smythe. Her eyes are open, and her skin is clay colored. There are bruises around her neck. Devon screams and jumps into Brant. The body once again bumps against her legs. Brant pulls Devon away from the floating dead woman and stares with a look of horror. They hurry toward the door, crash into a floating wax zombie, and fall into the water. Devon quickly springs to her feet, stares at the male zombie, and screams hysterically while pushing it away. INT. KITCHEN

Brant holds the phone and nods. Devon trembles with her arms folded across her soaked body. She's standing only inches away from Brant. BRANT (into phone) Thank you. Brant hangs up the phone. look of concern. Devon continues to shiver with a

DEVON She was murdered, wasn't she? Brant gently pulls her into his arms and attempts to comfort her. BRANT The police can handle it. You'll be more comfortable at my house. I'll get you some dry clothing.

INT.

BRANT HOUSE/LIVING ROOM -- LATE AFTERNOON

There's a fire in the fireplace. Brant wears dry clothing and pokes at the fire. Devon approaches from the hallway wearing one of Brant's shirts and a pair of shorts. She continues to rub her cold arms and approaches the fireplace. She kneels beside him and shivers. BRANT Are you okay? DEVON I'll be fine. Brant returns the poker and removes a mug from the table and hands it to her. She accepts it. Drink that. BRANT You'll feel better.

Devon drinks from the mug. She makes a face from the alcohol. Brant sits on the floor and rests against the sofa. Devon moves across the floor and sits alongside him. Brant uncertainly places his arm around her shoulder and holds her against him. She sets her cup on the table and clings to him with her head to his chest. He gently rubs her arm with his other hand. Time lapse. Sheriff Carter stands by the fireplace with his note pad. Devon and Brant sit on the sofa. Devon appears completely relaxed now--and possibly drunk. Brant remains tense while leaning forward. CARTER I understand Danny had been working on the museum last week. When did he work last? BRANT Friday afternoon. I'd dismissed the construction company for improper conduct. CARTER There have been complaints before. The outer basement door had been forced open. You wouldn't necessarily notice since the lock still works. BRANT I haven't used that entrance in a month. I'd locked it after a delivery. I'm not even sure what I did with the keys.

CARTER Was there anyone here Friday evening? BRANT Ross and Devon left around five on Friday. I went to a dinner party at my parent's house in the city. I'd arrived home early Saturday morning. CARTER What about your partner, Tyler? BRANT At his beach house or in the city. CARTER No one else has been in the museum since Friday? BRANT Just the construction crew and the four of us--and Tony. CARTER Tony O'Brien? BRANT Yes. He brings lunch on Fridays. CARTER (nods) Once they're finished pumping the water from the basement, we'll conduct a more thorough search. BRANT Thank you, Sheriff. Brant stands and walks Sheriff Carter to the front door. Devon finishes her spiked coffee. We hear voices from the front door. Martin enters the living room and quickly approaches Devon. MARTIN Devon, are you all right? Devon stands and staggers toward her brother. Oh, Martin. you. DEVON I'm so glad to see

She falls into his arms. EXT.

Martin has to hold her up.

FUNERAL HOME -- TUESDAY AFTERNOON

The funeral home is situated just on the edge of town, less than a mile from the museum. It's old and lavish with stained glass windows. A hearse is parked out back near the garage. INT. PARLOR We

Ross, Devon, and Martin sit uncomfortably in the parlor. hear organ music playing in the room across the hall. INT. HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS

Parlor POV. Dorothy Smythe walks along the hallway with Tony. She's sobbing into a handkerchief. DOROTHY You've been so kind, Tony. Jamie would appreciate you taking care of her personally. You'll take care of all the arrangements? TONY I'll take care of everything, Mrs. Smythe. Why don't you go home and rest? Dorothy nods and leaves the funeral home. the parlor. INT. PARLOR -- CONTINUOUS Tony glances into

Tony enters and closes the double, sliding doors behind him. All three are silent. TONY Sorry--I'm running a little late for lunch. ROSS Take your time. It's been a difficult couple of days for all of us. TONY Didn't expect to see you here, Martin. MARTIN After yesterday, I didn't think I should leave Devon alone.

DEVON It was nice of Brant to give us the day off. ROSS I think he was pretty shaken himself. TONY Sheriff Carter said Jamie was killed Friday evening before seven shortly after she'd received a phone call from a man. DEVON Jamie applied for the same modeling job as Ivy. Maybe Burt had something to do with it. TONY Where is Ivy? ROSS Late as usual. DEVON Tamra also auditioned for the modeling job. Now she's missing. MARTIN That's an interesting theory. ROSS Better than Carter's theory. was practically accusing me. TONY Don't personalize it. MARTIN They haven't been able to find Danny to question him. Maybe he'll give a confession to her murder, and it'll be over with. What about Brant? He could've killed Jamie and still made it in time for his parents' dinner party. Devon and Ross both glare at Martin. DEVON Brant wouldn't harm a fly. He

MARTIN Not according to what you'd told me the other day. ROSS What happened the other day? MARTIN After Paula made a pass at him in the bar, he trashed the workshop. Devon saw him butcher a wax woman. DEVON He was just venting. MARTIN I don't trust that man. Sexual frustrations can cause men to do strange things. ROSS Hey, I'm sexually frustrated, and I've never thought about killing women. EXT. TOWN -- AFTERNOON They pause

Devon and Ross walk along the sidewalk in town. outside of the bank. DEVON I'm going to find out why Ivy stood us up for lunch. I'll only be a minute. ROSS I'll time you. Devon smiles and hurries inside. INT. BANK -- CONTINUOUS

The bank is nearly empty. Only one customer is at the counter. Devon approaches the vacant TELLER. TELLER Hello, Devon. If you're looking for Ivy, she left for the afternoon. She did? DEVON Did something happen?

TELLER No. She received a phone call and had to leave early.

DEVON Thanks. I'll check her house to make sure everything's all right. EXT. BANK -- CONTINUOUS He stops

Devon hurries from the bank and approaches Ross. the counter on his watch. ROSS Damn--under a minute.

Devon grabs his arm without looking at him and drags him along the sidewalk. ROSS Owe, that hurts. DEVON Ivy left work early. bad feeling. EXT. I have a

IVY'S HOUSE/PORCH -- AFTERNOON

Devon knocks on the door with urgency. The door opens just moments later. MRS. JENNINGS, Ivy's mother, stands in the doorway. MRS. JENNINGS Devon, I didn't expect to see you today. How are you feeling? DEVON Fine, Mrs. Jennings. home? Is Ivy

MRS. JENNINGS No. She came home half an hour ago, changed, and then left. DEVON Did she say where she was going? MRS. JENNINGS No, but by the way she was dressed, I assumed she was meeting a guy. Devon and Ross exchange looks. INT. MRS. JENNINGS' CAR

Mrs. Jennings presses her foot on the accelerator.

Devon clings to the passenger side door while Ross tumbles across the back seat. Ross pulls himself back into a sitting position. ROSS Does anyone even know where we're going? Mrs. Jennings doesn't respond. She screams and swerves to miss a squirrel in the road. Ross tumbles across the back seat once more. DEVON Wait--what's that road? Mrs. Jennings slams on the brakes. We hear the tires screech. The car slides to a grinding halt. Ross flies into the front seats then strikes the back seat. ROSS I was safer on the floor. All three stare out the windshield. MRS. JENNINGS That's the old Farley farm. DEVON It went up for auction last month, didn't it? ROSS So? DEVON That gates been closed forever. Now it's open. Let's have a look that way. EXT. OLD FARMHOUSE -- LATE AFTERNOON

We see Ivy's jeep parked before the house. Mrs. Jennings' car pulls alongside Ivy's jeep. Mrs. Jennings springs from the car and runs for the jeep. Devon and Ross chase behind her. They look inside the jeep through the open windows then straighten. Devon hurries to the house and runs onto the porch. Ivy appears in the doorway. Devon and Ivy both jump with surprise. IVY How in the world did you guys find me? Mrs. Jennings runs onto the porch and hugs Ivy. Oh, Ivy. MRS. JENNINGS I was so worried!

IVY Well, you can relax. The bastard never showed. MRS. JENNINGS Who? IVY Burt Danson. He's been playing the casting couch game with his potential models. DEVON I can't believe you'd come out here by yourself to meet that snake. And after Jamie was murdered--what if he's the one who killed her? IVY I know it was stupid. ROSS I'll have you know, I risked my life driving with your mother to come out here and rescue you. At the very least, I think you owe me dinner. IVY You've got it, Ross. ROSS Come on, let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps. Ross looks to the barn and stares a moment. ROSS Hey, there's someone in the barn. The three women turn toward the barn with surprise. Jennings grabs Ivy's arm. MRS. JENNINGS Let's get out of here. We see the barn door gently sway in the breeze. glimpse of something move from inside. IVY Do you suppose it's Burt? We see a Mrs.

DEVON We should check. MRS. JENNINGS You are not going into that barn! DEVON We won't. We'll just drive up to it and give the doors a gentle nudge and see who runs out. MRS. JENNINGS You're insane. Just keep the car doors locked. Mrs. Jennings jumps into her car. Ross turns and sees Devon and Ivy climbing into the jeep. Ross runs for the jeep. ROSS Oh, no, I'm going with you two! Ross jumps into the back seat of the jeep. EXT. OLD BARN -- CONTINUOUS

Ivy's jeep approaches the barn and pushes the big doors inward. INT. OLD BARN -- CONTINUOUS

We see the headlights from the jeep light up the interior of the old barn. Paula Jarred is hanging by her neck from the rafters of the barn. Her body sways in the breeze. INT. IVY'S JEEP -- CONTINUOUS

Devon, Ivy, and Ross all scream. Ivy throws the shifter into reverse and floors the pedal. The jeep flies backward from the barn. There's a sudden jolt, and we hear a distinct crash. Ross is cast across the back seat. All three sit immobile a moment. Ivy and Devon slowly look behind them. Ross pulls himself onto the seat and looks out the rear window. EXT. OLD BARN -- CONTINUOUS

We see the front of Mrs. Jennings' car smashed. Ross can be seen nervously waving from the back seat of the jeep. EXT. TOWN -- EVENING

Devon walks along the sidewalk. The police blazer pulls up to the curb along side her. Sheriff Carter leans across the passenger seat.

CARTER Hey, Devon. Can I give you a ride home? I'd like to talk to you. DEVON Martin's picking me up after he gets out of work tonight. I'm supposed to wait for him at the diner. Carter opens the car door from the inside. serious. CARTER It'll only take a minute. Devon uncertainly climbs into the blazer. INT. POLICE BLAZER -- CONTINUOUS His look remains His look is

Carter turns on the seat to face Devon. serious.

CARTER What time did you leave Ivy on Saturday night? DEVON It was about twelve-thirty. Why? You can't possibly suspect her. She was drunk nearly to the point of passing out, and I had her jeep. CARTER Ivy had seen each woman just prior to their death or disappearance. Jamie and Tamra were Ivy's only real competition for that modeling job, and Paula was bragging that she had the job. DEVON What about Paula's death? CARTER Paula was drunk when she'd left the bar early Sunday morning. Everyone in town is aware of her pattern. She was strangled the same as Jamie. No sign of sexual assault. Danny had an alibi. (MORE)

CARTER (Cont) He was at the nightclub on the edge of town nearly all night with some friends. Burt Danson doesn't have an alibi, though his motive would be hazy. We suspect one of the applicants may be cutting down competition. DEVON If that's the case, Tamara hated both women. She'd be a more likely suspect than Ivy. This disappearance could just be part of her plan. CARTER I'm not counting on finding her alive. INT. DINER -- EVENING

Devon enters the diner with an annoyed look on her face. She waves at Marlene and looks for an empty table. We see Brant sitting in a booth to the back of the diner. Devon smiles more naturally and approaches the back of the diner. She pauses before his table. He's reading the paper. DEVON Good evening. Brant peers over his paper. He appears surprised, folds his paper, and stands with a tiny smile. BRANT Devon, how are you feeling? DEVON I'm doing much better. It's been a rough day. I'd rather not talk about the murders. Fair enough. for dinner? I'd love too. He extends his hand to the seat across from him. DEVON So--did the zombies survive? Both sit. BRANT Care to join me DEVON

BRANT Yes, they'll live to scare another day. Though I'm afraid the sets will need some major repairs. I bought a generator. No more power outages. It should keep the new sump pump working if there's another storm. DEVON I could come back to the museum with you and help clean up. BRANT I really appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I have to attend a party at Tyler's beach house. He insists. DEVON Oh-BRANT At least someone's enthusiastic about their work. DEVON My parents have been on me all day about what happened. I need to escape for awhile. BRANT I, uh, could always drag you along to Tyler's party at his beach house. DEVON That has the sound of formal wear. I don't even own a dress. BRANT There's a storage room full of dresses at the museum. If you really wanted to come along-DEVON I'd love too. Take me away from this awful place, Mr. Shetfield. BRANT Consider it done. INT. MUSEUM/FOYER

Brant waits by the front door and fusses with his tie.

Devon appears in a simple, black evening dress with a daring slit up the left side and high heels. Brant stares a moment longer then he should. His smile brightens. Devon appears embarrassed. DEVON How do I look? BRANT Fabulous. Devon blushes and fixes his tie. EXT. BEACH HOUSE -- NIGHT

The lights are on inside and outside the beach house. Couples socialize on the deck and inside the house. We hear music from inside. INT. LIVING ROOM

Brant and Devon enter. There's a crowd of neatly dressed people within the house. Devon links on to Brant's arm. DEVON Do you know anyone? BRANT Not a soul. They walk across the crowded room. Several men watch them pass. Devon uncertainly clings to Brant's arm and whispers softly. DEVON They're staring. BRANT Men frequently stare at beautiful women. DEVON (embarrassed) Stop-We see Tyler across the room. and approaches. He smiles, nods toward Brant,

TYLER I thought you abandoned me. (eyes Devon) But I see you had a better reason to be late. EXT. BEACH HOUSE/BALCONY -- NIGHT

Devon leans on the railing and watches the waves crash to shore as the wind whips through her hair. She smiles contentedly. Several couples walk along the beach and steal kisses in the moonlight. MARTIN (O.S.) Dull party, huh? Devon turns toward the familiar voice. We see Martin standing on the balcony. His expression drops when he sees it's Devon. MARTIN Devon! What are you doing here? And dressed like that? DEVON Martin, you know Tyler? MARTIN Tyler? DEVON He owns this house. He's Brant's business partner. MARTIN I came with a friend. We're party crashers. The club pickens were a little stale. Are you dating your boss? DEVON No, he just brought me along for the ride. MARTIN I'd say he brought you along for his image. So where is he? I'd like to meet him. DEVON He went for drinks. back shortly. He'll be

MARTIN You wait for him. I'll find my friend and introduce you. Martin returns inside the house. Devon turns back toward the railing and watches the ocean. Moments pass. A glass is extended before her. She turns to see Brant. She smiles warmly and accepts the drink.

BRANT Sorry I took so long. I ran into a guy I'd met last week, and I couldn't get away. DEVON That's okay. You'll never guess who I ran into tonight. BRANT Who? DEVON My brother. He's here. he'll meet us out here. He said

BRANT Good. That means I don't have to go back inside and socialize. Time lapse. An hour later. then frowns. Devon glances at Brant's watch

DEVON I get the strange feeling my brother's met Miss right-fortonight and skipped the party. BRANT He shares that information with you. DEVON It's a little kept secret that he's a regular stud. Silence. Brant looks to the beach then back at her with a pleasant smile. BRANT Would you like to take a walk on the beach? Devon smiles and kicks off her shoes. They walk down the steps and into the soft sand. Devon clings to his arm while they walk. DEVON I've had a wonderful time tonight. BRANT Sure you did.

DEVON I did, seriously. It's a beautiful night and the champagne went down easy. BRANT So you're drunk. DEVON I am not. I'm just enjoying myself. You seem to be having a fairly good time yourself. They approach a large rock. Devon heaves herself onto it and hugs her knees to her chest. Brant's eyes stray to the revealing slit on the side of her dress. He immediately looks away and hides his smile. BRANT I'll admit, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Perhaps it's the company I'm keeping. They stare at each other a long, silent moment. fidgets and glances at his watch. BRANT It's getting late. I'd better take you home. Devon hides her look of disappointment. Brant helps her from the rock. She slides off of the rock and into his arms. Neither moves. They once more stare into each other's eyes. Brant gently touches her face then follows through with a warm, tender kiss. A drunken couple can be heard laughing. Brant pulls away, appears embarrassed, and then attempts a smile. BRANT We'd better go. INT. WORKSHOP -- WEDNESDAY MORNING Brant

Devon hurries into the workshop and smiles cheerfully at Ross as she slips into her lab coat. DEVON Good morning, Ross. Brant? Where's

ROSS Tyler sent him on a business trip. Devon appears disappointed and sits on a stool before the counter.

DEVON I thought Tyler did all the business? ROSS Tyler decided he needed to stay behind and do some wax works of his own. DEVON Oh? ROSS He'll be working in the evening the next few nights. You'll be working mornings with me until Brant returns. DEVON How long will Brant be gone? Three days. down. Devon groans softly. ROSS Tyler will also be checking in from time to time. I think he's afraid we'll be screwing around. DEVON In your case, he'd be right. ROSS Helps pass the time and makes for a fun work environment. EXT. PARK -- THURSDAY AFTERNOON ROSS I'm on a count

We see kids playing in the park on the sunny afternoon. Ross and Devon walk along the grass and pause by the fountain. They sit on the edge of the fountain and watch the children play. ROSS Thank God Brant's back on Saturday. Did you get a look at that new wax woman Tyler made? DEVON I suppose he's trying. A little too much make-up. Nothing a little turpentine can't cure.

ROSS I'm not touching Tyler's work. He'll have my head on a stick. Let Brant deal with offending him. Ivy hurries across the park and joins them by the fountain. She's out of breath but smiling. IVY Sorry, I'm late. ROSS We're used to it. So where's Tony? Can't have lunch without the food. We see Tony from across the park carrying a plastic bag. Ross jumps to his feet and hurries to greet Tony. They both approach. Devon and Ivy move to the nearby bench. Ross hands out their salads. TONY I think you should pick up the food tomorrow, Ross. Ross mutters something while devouring his hoagie. TONY I'll take that as a yes. (to Ivy) Did I miss anything good? IVY I just got here myself. DEVON Ross and I were just counting down days until Brant returns. TONY Tyler's that bad, huh? DEVON He's not much of an artist. new wax woman looks like a streetwalker. His

Tony laughs softly. We see Dorothy pushing Chelsie in her wheelchair not far from them. All four briefly stare. Ross immediately returns to his lunch. ROSS Someone should keep Dorothy away from make-up as well.

Devon, Ivy, and Tony all stare a moment longer. We see Chelsie with bright colored lipstick, eye shadow, and blush. She's dressed in a brightly colored, flowered shirt with large, fake pearls around her neck. Dorothy pushes her daughter toward them and pauses. DOROTHY Nice day for a picnic lunch. All four nod. DOROTHY (to Tony) The funeral was lovely. I'm sure Jamie would appreciate what you'd done. She looked-wonderful. TONY Thank you. Devon looks at Chelsie. The make-up and bows in her hair are hideous. Chelsie looks more like a clown than a young woman. Dorothy pushes Chelsie along the walkway across the park. Devon watches them leave. DEVON Why does she insist on doing that? TONY Doing what? DEVON Dress her like a rag doll with all that make-up. ROSS Hard to believe she was once the most beautiful girl in town. TONY Chelsie? ROSS Oh, yes. Before her accident, she was a beauty. I remember every boy in school chased after her. Of course, I was a grade below her. I knew I never stood a shot. IVY I remember hearing about Dorothy's rage over Chelsie wanting to date. If there ever was a man hater, it's Dorothy.

DEVON For such a god-fearing woman-Chelsie and good number was working a slut even ROSS Jamie got into a of them too. Jamie her way on becoming back then.

IVY Jamie was always stealing someone's boyfriend. That's why Tamra hated her so much. TONY I seemed to have missed a lot not growing up here. What actually happened to Chelsie? DEVON She'd fallen off of the bridge near the resorts back when it was all wood land. A lot of kids hung out around there after school. ROSS It was a big time date spot. IVY As if you'd know-ROSS Hey, I've had dates. Ivy bursts out laughing. INT. Ross frowns.

DINER -- FRIDAY EVENING

Ross and Tony sit at a booth and push the food bill toward the other. TONY You've gotten free lunches from me all week. The least you can do is pay for dinner. Ross digs into his pocket and reveals some bills. ROSS You're becoming be a real nag, you know that? Marlene approaches their table and smiles while pouring them each another cup of coffee. Tony immediately declines before she can pour more into his cup.

MARLENE Sheriff Carter was in here earlier. I guess Danny's off the hook. ROSS Really? MARLENE His alibis checked out. TONY Maybe Joe killed Paula. MARLENE He doesnt have a car. They took his license away after his last drunken accident. Honestly, Tony, you're behind on town gossip. TONY My clients don't gossip much. MARLENE Do you ever consider dating live girls? TONY On occasion. Ross rolls his eyes. MARLENE How about meeting me for drinks at the tavern after work? TONY I, uh, well--I'd like that. MARLENE Great. I'll meet you there around midnight. Marlene walks away. ROSS You've made a date with Marlene? TONY Yeah, so?

ROSS Her brother's one of those biker guys with a tattoo covering half of his body. I heard they're still picking her last boyfriend out of the tread of his hog. EXT. DINER -- NIGHT

Marlene walks out of the diner with another woman. They separate and go to their own cars. They wave to one another. Marlene opens her car door and climbs inside. She starts the car and fumbles within her purse. B.g. The other car pulls away. She removes her lipstick and turns the rear view mirror in her direction. She looks into the mirror. In the mirror, we see the phantom mask staring back at her. She gasps and grabs for the door. A nylon rope is thrown around her neck and the phantom pulls back on it. Marlene clutches the rope and attempts to pull it loose. B.g. We see the owner of the diner cleaning the grill. She slams her hand to the horn. There's no sound. Marlene gasps and struggles against the rope. She finally slumps over. INT. MUSEUM/BASEMENT -- SATURDAY -- LATE MORNING

Devon hurries through the displays and nervously looks at her watch. She stops and stares at the newest display with a werewolf. The woman on the display is caked with make-up. Her brown wig needs more work, and the clothes are wrong for the time-period. Devon rolls her eyes and continues toward the workshop. INT. WORKSHOP -- CONTINUOUS

Devon enters and stops within the doorway. Brant sits on his stool before a wax woman and paints her fingernails. Devon smiles warmly and slowly approaches. DEVON Thank goodness you're back. Sorry I'm late. Brant glances at her briefly and smiles. BRANT And not a moment too soon. didn't know Tyler had you working this morning. I

DEVON I didn't think you were coming back until this afternoon.

BRANT Actually, I was back last night. I see Tyler was busy with some wax works-DEVON Yes. He thinks he's found his calling. What would you like me to do this morning? BRANT Repair Tyler's creations before they make me physically ill--but we'll wait until he's gone. We can finish restoring the zombies and return them to their display. INT. CEMETERY DISPLAY

Brant kneels beside the grave site and fixes the clothing on the female zombie sticking out of the ground. He sits back and gives the wig an added toss. We hear a moan. A zombie appears above the tombstone near him. Brant jumps and falls onto his backside. He stares at the zombie then looks behind him. Devon stands near the doorway holding the remote control. She laughs. Brant stands and brushes off the dirt. BRANT I suppose I deserved that. Devon approaches Brant and looks over the female zombie. The zombie wears an old flowered dress with a lacy collar. DEVON Are you seriously going to leave her dressed in this? BRANT Yeah, why not? DEVON Looks like something my mother would wear. Brant studies the wax woman a moment longer then frowns. Hmm. BRANT I see your point.

Brant unbuttons the zombie's dress. BRANT I've undressed more women today-

Devon moves closer and watches him fumble with the tiny buttons. Brant glances at her and appears slightly embarrassed. BRANT That sounded bad. DEVON I was wondering if we could talk about the other night-Brant avoids looking at her and continues with the dress. He appears very casual. BRANT Okay. Devon continues to watch him work. She places her hand on his and stops him from working on the buttons. He hesitates and looks at her. DEVON There's a tremendous amount of tension between us-BRANT I'm sorry about what happened on the beach. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was stupid and impulsive. DEVON I don't want you to apologize, Brant. She becomes uncomfortable and stares at him a long moment, unable to express herself. Brant stares back in silence as if attempting to read her expression. Devon attempts a smile and waves him off. Never mind. important. DEVON It's not that

Brant takes an aggressive step toward her, pulls her against him, and kisses her passionately. Devon appears surprised but quickly relaxes and returns the kiss. Brant slowly pulls away, looks into her eyes, and smiles warmly. BRANT Problem resolved? Devon smiles with embarrassment and nods. Brant's smile brightens. He kisses her again and with more urgency. She clings to him and returns the kiss. We hear someone approaching. Brant and Devon jump apart. Brant quickly turns toward the female zombie and continues with the dress.

Devon grabs a hair pick and turns to one of the male zombies and pretends to be working. Tyler enters the cemetery set and smiles cheerfully. TYLER Ah, here you are. I'm just going to stay for a couple of hours. I have some business to attend to in the city. I think I have a line on some wax people from a closing museum. BRANT That's great. TYLER I'll be here until five. I have a project I'd like to finish. Tyler disappears from the room. Both watch him leave then look at each other from across the room. Brant slowly approaches Devon. She smiles and tosses the hair pick over her shoulder. Brant once more pulls her into his arms and kisses her. Tyler can be heard from one of the nearby sets. Devon breaks off the kiss and smiles with embarrassment. DEVON I, uh, was thinking--maybe I could come back tonight to finish my shift. Brant stares into her eyes and gently brushes the hair from her face. A sly smile crosses his face. BRANT I was thinking about working late myself. Devon slowly moves out of his arms. release one another. DEVON I'll be back around six. BRANT I'll see you then. INT. FIRST FLOOR -- SATURDAY EVENING Both are reluctant to

Devon enters the dimly lit museum at five-thirty and pauses in the foyer. We see rose petals lining the walkway. Devon contains her smile and follows the petals through the museum. They lead to the basement stairs.

INT.

STAIRS Devon

Rose petals lay scattered along the carpeted steps. looks at each step and smiles uncontrollably. INT. BASEMENT

Devon follows the rose petals along the corridor to the workshop door. She pushes the door open. Rose petals scatter from the slight air gust. We see lit candles and a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket of ice on a crate on the floor. We see a dozen, long stemmed, red roses tied with a ribbon on the crate beside the glasses. Devon enters the workshop with a childlike grin. Beyond the crate, we see Brant lying on the floor with blood covering his white lab coat and his bloody hand clutching his abdomen. Devon cries out. INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR

Martin holds Devon to his shoulder and watches nurses and doctors pass. A doctor steps out of the emergency room and approaches them. Martin nudges Devon. She straightens and looks at the doctor. DOCTOR Your friend's going to be fine. The knife hit this-The doctor holds up the remote control from the zombie set. DOCTOR Probably saved his life. it in his inner pocket. Devon accepts the remote control. DEVON Can I see him? DOCTOR You can visit him for a few minutes, but he's going to be groggy. INT. HOSPITAL ROOM He had

Devon slowly enters the room and approaches Brant's bed. He's motionless with oxygen and IV lines sticking out of his arm. She pauses by his bedside and touches his hand. DEVON Brant? Brant's eyes roll open then close. smiles. He squeezes her hand and

BRANT Devon, I had the worst dream-DEVON Everything's going to be fine, Brant. You'll be better in a couple of days. BRANT I dreamt the phantom tried to kill me. DEVON The phantom? INT. WEREWOLF DISPLAY

Devon follows Ross around the set. Ross doesn't look at her. Ross appears unusually uneasy. DEVON I'm telling you, Ross, he said the phantom attacked him. ROSS And now he doesn't remember a thing. I don't think you can rely on what he'd said after coming out of surgery. The guy was on cloud nine. DEVON Why won't you believe what I'm telling you? ROSS Because it looks like an inside job. The police don't need any more help pointing the finger at one me. DEVON They'll go after Tyler's alibi first. He's his business partner. ROSS He also has an alibi. He picked up a female companion at four o'clock. They were together the entire evening. Brant was stabbed no earlier than five. You'd probably just missed the killer on your way in.

DEVON You must have been somewhere between five and five-thirty. ROSS Yeah, I took my motorcycle out for a ride along the coast. DEVON You have absolutely no motive. ROSS I'm sure they'll come up with something. Anyone entering could've taken the mask and cloak from the closet on their way to the workshop. INT. WORKSHOP -- DAY

Ross and Devon stand by the back counter and watch Tyler apply paint to the male wax head. Tyler appears to be enjoying himself and whistling a lively tune. Ross and Devon look from the unrealistic wax head to one another and raise their brows. ROSS Someone has to tell this guy his work sucks. DEVON You go right ahead. The phone rings. Ross picks it up.

ROSS Hello, Wax Motel. TYLER Ross-We hear someone approaching from the stairs. Both Devon and Tyler turn toward the door. Sheriff Carter pauses in the doorway. CARTER I'm sorry to intrude, but we knocked and no one answered. Tyler stands and approaches Sheriff Carter. TYLER Good afternoon, Sheriff Carter. How can we help you?

CARTER We're looking for Brant Shetfield. Brant? TYLER He's in the hospital.

CARTER His parents took him home, but he'd left this. He hasn't returned? Devon is concerned. to Carter. No. Ross remains on the phone but listens

TYLER What's wrong?

CARTER We found some new evidence. We'll need to search his house and the museum. We have a search warrant. TYLER Surely you don't think Brant had anything to do with killing those women. Devon is horrified. We see Ross staring at Carter as well. He nearly drops the phone. He turns and continues his conversation then hangs up. CARTER We found one of Brant's business cards in Marlene's dress pocket. He'd picked up dinner the night she died. We'd also found a paint pen on the floor in the back of Marlene's car. I'm confident a set of those prints will belong to Brant. TYLER We all use those paint pens, Sheriff Carter. They're all over the workshop. CARTER We'll start with Brant's house next door. They watch Carter leave the workshop.

ROSS That's ridiculous! Brant couldn't have murdered those women. TYLER Of course, he didn't. They won't find anything to support that outrageous theory. Let's break for lunch. INT. BRANT'S HOUSE/SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY Sheriff

DEPUTY HAVENS steps out of one of the bedrooms. Carter is writing something on a tablet. HAVENS Sheriff, you'll want to see this. Sheriff Carter approaches the bedroom. INT. BEDROOM -- CONTINUOUS

The bedroom is vacant of furniture and curtains. There are a few boxes on the floor. There are black and white glossy photos taped to the wall. They are photos of the women who'd applied for the modeling job. On each of the dead women's photos is a red X, possibly drawn with a paint pen. The deputy hands Sheriff Carter the empty, leather folder. It has the initials B.D. on it in gold. CARTER This belongs to Burt Danson. He reported it missing just the other day. Finish searching the house. Put out a warrant for Brant's arrest. EXT. BRANT'S HOUSE -- DAY

Sheriff Carter steps off of the porch and approaches his blazer. Devon hurries toward him. DEVON I heard you're issuing a warrant for Brant's arrest. CARTER We'll need to bring him in for questioning--yes. DEVON He didn't kill them.

CARTER We're dealing with a sick man, Devon. If you see him, call us immediately. DEVON What possible motive would he have? He didn't even know those women. CARTER Sexual frustration, feelings of inadequacies, rejection. Paula embarrassed him at the tavern in front of several witnesses. Now she's dead. We found her photo, a phantom mask, and cloak in his bedroom closet along with the knife he used to stab himself. DEVON Someone planted that stuff there to frame him! CARTER What's gotten into you? Why are you so defensive about him? Oh, I see. You're in love with your boss. INT. FUNERAL HOME/PREP ROOM -- LATE AFTERNOON

Devon sits on the sterile counter beside Ross, who leans against it. Tony preps the deceased client on the table. TONY What makes you so sure your boss didn't do it? Tony carefully applies paint to the dead man's face. TONY As an objective party, I think it's possible he could be a killer. Neither of you know him that well. ROSS He's not the killer type. TONY Neither was Norman Bates. DEVON He's not some closet psychopath. This sexual frustration theory just doesn't come into play.

TONY Be realistic, Devon. The man can't even look a woman in the eyes. When it came right down to it, he couldn't even take the town slut to bed. What more proof do you need? DEVON Brant and I were becoming very familiar the morning before he was attacked. TONY You and Brant? DEVON He was willing and able. If Tyler hadnt interrupted-Tony wipes his hands on a rag and leans against the metal table. He appears very surprised. ROSS I think she's right. TONY Have they picked him up yet? ROSS No one knows where he is. His mother said they had an argument, and he walked out. Devon eyes Ross and appears to sink into thought. TONY If he's innocent, he should turn himself in and explain the mask they'd found in his house. On vacation or not, if they post it in the paper that he's wanted for questioning, he'll return. Tony returns to his client. Ross peers at the dead man.

ROSS So, uh, you doing Marlene? TONY Just the prep. It was her wishes to be cremated. ROSS Doesn't this job give you the creeps?

TONY They're just people who've passed on. Creepy is displaying life-like wax bodies in scenes of horror. That museum reminds me of a morgue. ROSS I'll gladly take that as a compliment. TONY (mutters) You would. EXT. FUNERAL HOME -- DAY

Devon and Ross leave the funeral home and walk onto the sidewalk. Devon abruptly stops and turns toward Ross. DEVON That phone call yesterday was Brant, wasn't it? You warned him. ROSS I could get into a lot of trouble if I'd do something like that. DEVON I'm not going to turn you in. I think he's innocent too. Where is he? ROSS I don't know. That would be aiding and abetting a fugitive. DEVON You've done that already. ROSS Not technically. They had nothing to really go on when I spoke to him. DEVON I hope he's all right. INT. DOROTHY'S HOUSE/LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

Dorothy sits in a plush chair before Chelsie's wheelchair and brushes her hair. We hear a rustling from outside. Dorothy stops and looks to the big, bay window. We can hear the gentle breeze.

She relaxes and continues brushing her daughter's hair. We hear a thud from upstairs. Dorothy looks to the ceiling with a fixed stare. She sets the brush down on the chair and slowly stands. INT. STAIRS -- CONTINUOUS

Dorothy slowly walks up the stairs carrying an old golf club. We hear a floorboard creak beneath her. She pauses then continues. INT. BEDROOM -- CONTINUOUS

The bedroom door slowly opens. Dorothy looks into the dark room with her golf club firmly in her hand. She turns on the light. There's no one there. She looks across the room. We see the words killer written on the dresser mirror in red lipstick. Dorothy begins to scream and runs from the room. INT. KITCHEN

Dorothy runs into the kitchen, grabs the phone from the wall near the counter, and pushes a button. She turns toward the kitchen doorway and stares while clenching the phone cord. We see a shadow move from the living room. Dorothy gasps, drops the phone, clutches her golf club, and runs for the living room. INT. LIVING ROOM -- CONTINUOUS

Chelsie sits in her chair with her usual fixed stare. Dorothy looks around the room. Her breathing is heavy. There's no one there. She runs to the living room phone and grabs it. There's a dial tone. She looks to the kitchen with concern. Someone's hung up the kitchen phone. She drops the phone and runs for the front door. She pulls on the doorknob. The door is still locked and bolted. She tosses her golf club aside and fumbles with the lock and dead bolt. We hear a floorboard creak behind her. Dorothy spins around. Her eyes widen. She screams. We see a butcher knife thrust forward. The bloody knife is pulled back. Close-up of Chelsie. Chelsie remains immobile in her chair with her usual fixed stare. We hear Dorothy's screams. We hear the knife strike Dorothy again and again. Silence. A shadow looms over Chelsie. Her eyes slowly lift--possibly for the first time. EXT. DOROTHY'S HOUSE -- MORNING

Police blazers block the driveway and a yellow banner ropes off the front yard. Several townspeople gather by the banner and strain to see what's happened. We hear the low murmurs.

INT.

LIVING ROOM

A photographer takes photos of Dorothy lying on the floor in a bloody heap. There are multiple stab wounds and blood surrounds her. Sheriff Carter stands to the corner of the room near the plush chair and stares down. We see the empty wheelchair lying on its side. Carter turns back Havens. CARTER Search every inch of this house. I want the Chelsie found. HAVENS Yes, Sir. INT. FUNERAL HOME/PARLOR -- DAY

Ross and Devon sit in the parlor while reading the morning paper. Ross shakes his head and mutters something. The parlor doors open. Tony enters. TONY Sorry I've kept you waiting so long. ROSS They still haven't found Chelsie. How could anyone possibly harm a girl in her condition? TONY I think it's sick. I'm afraid I've kept you waiting for nothing. I have to run over to Dorothy's place and get another dress. Her sister called and changed her mind again. The funeral's tonight and no one can pick up the dress. ROSS You're going to Dorothy's place? TONY Yeah. I find it a little unsettling. DEVON We'll come with you. You will? TONY Why?

DEVON We just want to have a look around.

TONY All right. Just don't get me into any trouble. INT. DOROTHYS HOUSE/JAMIE'S BEDROOM

Ross and Devon sift through drawers and poke around in the closet. Devon removes a box from the closet. It's filled with junk. She sets it on the bed. Ross joins her. They remove items from the box. Ross picks out a framed picture of Jamie and Chelsie. ROSS What a shame. Two attractive girls--both lives ending in tragedy. DEVON Except Chelsie was a sweet girl and Jamie was a trouble maker. ROSS Chelsie certainly would've given Jamie some competition. Devon sorts through loose pictures in the box then removes a small, black velvet box from the bottom. Ross stares as she opens it. We see a small, diamond ring. ROSS Do you suppose that was from Danny? DEVON I don't remember them ever being engaged. Danny never appeared commitment minded. ROSS Someone else proposed to Jamie? Typical of her not to give it back. Devon places it on her finger. It's rather a tight fit.

DEVON Tiny too. Jamie would have to wear it on her pinkie. ROSS Maybe she stole it. DEVON Just makes me wonder who proposed--besides Danny.

ROSS There are plenty of motives for someone to want Jamie dead. DEVON I think Sheriff Carter's starting to wonder if Dorothy hadn't killed Jamie herself. ROSS What makes you think that? DEVON He told me that someone wrote killer in lipstick on the bedroom mirror. Maybe Dorothy killed Jamie in anger over this modeling job--you know she's totally against women flaunting themselves. She considered the others to be trashy women--Ivy too. Danny may have figured out that she'd killed Jamie and did her in. ROSS But why take Chelsie? DEVON I don't know. ROSS You know, you may be on to something. All four women were strangled, but Dorothy was brutally stabbed. DEVON So was Brant. Though I don't know how he fits into all of this. ROSS Maybe Dorothy wanted him to take the fall for her murders. INT. MUSEUM/WORKSHOP -- LATE AFTERNOON

Devon implants long strands of reddish brown hair into the head of the wax woman. Tyler stands over her shoulder and watches. TYLER You do excellent work, Devon. DEVON Thanks.

TYLER Brant's taught you well. I'm worried about him. I hope nothing's happened to him. It's not like him to take off. DEVON He probably doesn't even know the police are looking for him. TYLER It's been in all of the papers. You haven't heard from him, have you? If you have, you could tell me. I won't say anything to the police. Brant's not just my business partner, he's my friend. DEVON He'll be back soon and straighten everything out. Tyler places a hand on her shoulder and points to the eyes. TYLER This is just so realistic. You've really come a long way. DEVON Thank you. TYLER I have a lot of ideas for the museum displays. I was thinking we could discuss them over dinner tonight. Tyler gently massages her shoulders. DEVON I, uh, have plans for tonight. TYLER Oh? Ross enters the room with a burst of energy. He's wearing a big grin. He claps his hands together excitedly and begins to dance around the room. ROSS Put on your dancing shoes, Devon! We're going to party hearty! Time to get this weekend started!

Devon turns and smiles at Ross. EXT. RUBY CLUB -- NIGHT

His timing is perfect.

Limousines are parked before the elite club within the city. We see well-dressed men and women entering the glittery club. INT. RUBY CLUB

Devon enters the club wearing the borrowed, black evening dress and links onto Ross's arm. It's the first time we've seen Ross in anything other than jeans and a t-shirt. Tony and Ivy enter behind them. Ivy's wearing a red, spandex dress and her hair is styled and curled. There are people at the bar drinking and many on the dance floor. Everyone in the club is dressed in their finest. The four walk across the club and find a table. ROSS I'm going to the bar and order some drinks. I'll be right back. Devon hurries after him. bar. She stops him just short of the

DEVON Okay, Ross. What's this all about? This isn't like you to willing suggest an expensive club like this. The cover charge is more then you make an hour. ROSS On the night Jamie was murdered, Brant said he was out at his parents, but he'd left early because he and his mother got into a fight. Supposedly he came here. I thought we'd come here and see if we could establish an alibi for him. DEVON How did you know Brant got into a fight with his mother? I never told you that. ROSS Uh--an anonymous phone call told me to check this club for a bartender named Ozzy. DEVON You were talking to Brant!

Ross motions for her to keep it down. some uneasiness.

He looks around with

ROSS Just briefly. He was around people during Jamie's estimated time of death. It's the only alibi he can get. The bartender, OZZY, is a big man in his late twenties. He has long red hair, pulled back into a ponytail, and a neatly trimmed beard. His appearance is almost frightening. He casually leans on the bar. OZZY Yeah, he was here that night. I remember him well. He was wearing a tuxedo. Great tipper. Comes in here a lot of Friday nights. Likes to sit in the corner. Quiet--keeps to himself. Several customers order drinks. Ozzy straightens, pours several drinks, and makes change for the customers. ROSS So he was here that Friday night--all night? OZZY Yeah, until about one-thirty. He'd been drinking with another man at the bar. ROSS Can you tell me who he was with? OZZY I've seen the guy a couple of times, but I don't know names. He was with the other guy from about midnight until they left. I remember it well. They were depressing me with talk about women. Your man was interested in some woman, but she'd never be interested in him, and the other guy lost the woman he loved. ROSS Would you tell the police he was here the entire time?

Sure.

OZZY He gives great tips.

Ross looks to Devon as Ozzy walks away. ROSS He was at his parents until six forty-five. It took fifteen minutes to get here. And he has a witness from seven until onethirty. It'd take him at least forty-five minutes to return to town. I'd say it'd be impossible for him to have murdered Jamie. Devon smiles happily and hugs Ross. INT. DEVON'S BARN -- MORNING

Devon brushes her horse in the center of the barn. Martin appears in the doorway and folds his arms across his chest. He smiles a weary smile. MARTIN You're up early. DEVON I could say the same about you. What time did you get home last night? MARTIN About five. DEVON One of those nights, eh? MARTIN Possibly the best night I've had in years. DEVON Really? Does this mean you're in love? Never know. ride? MARTIN Going out for a

DEVON I've neglected my poor horse lately. He needs to stretch his legs.

MARTIN Stay away from the hired men. They've been acting odd the past week. I think they're up to something again. DEVON When aren't they? Tell me something, Martin. Do you remember Jamie being engaged? MARTIN Jamie? No, I don't recall ever hearing about that. Why do you ask? DEVON Ross and I were poking around in Jamie's room after Dorothy's death, and we found an engagement ring in a junk box in the closet. MARTIN Really? She may have been engaged briefly to some guy she barely knew then dumped him. You know how Jamie was. Enjoy your ride. I need to get some sleep. I have a busy night ahead of me. DEVON Pleasant dreams--lover boy. INT. DEVON'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

We hear a thunderstorm in the distance. Devon sleeps peacefully. The curtains gently blow inward from the winds of the approaching storm. A shadow passes the window. We hear a floorboard creak. Devon stirs and nestles her pillow. We see the shadow pass over her. We see a dark figure move closer to her. Devon wakes and springs up in bed with a gasp. We see Brant sitting on the edge of the bed near her. He's wearing faded blue jeans, a cotton shirt, and cowboy boots. DEVON Brant! BRANT I know I'm taking a chance coming here, but I had to see you. Devon throws her arms around Brant's neck and clings to him. He slowly returns the embrace.

BRANT I guess you aren't mad after all. Devon pulls away and glares at him. Yes, I am. DEVON I was worried sick.

BRANT I meant about the accusation. I was afraid you might believe I killed those women. DEVON I know better. Ross talked to that bartender. He's agreed to testify that you were at the club all night. You should be cleared by morning. BRANT What bartender? DEVON The one you told Ross about. The bartender at the Ruby Club. You were there the night of Jamie's murder. BRANT I haven't spoken to Ross since the day they'd searched my house. DEVON That doesn't make any sense. Who would call Ross and tell him to check out that club and mention the bartender by name? BRANT Truthfully, that idea never even occurred to me. I was pretty drunk. DEVON Look at you. You look like a cowboy. Where have you been hiding out?

BRANT In the bunkhouse with your father's ranch hands. I think they mostly felt sorry for me. I've been herding cattle the entire week. DEVON You can be devious when you want to be. BRANT Maybe but it wasn't devious that brought me to your bedroom window. Devon stares at Brant and smiles warmly. She places her arms around his neck and kisses him. Brant immediately returns the kiss and pulls her against him. Devon slowly lowers herself to the bed, taking Brant with her. Brant groans softly. We hear the thunder rumble loudly as the rain pours down. INT. DR. SHERMAN'S OFFICE -- MORNING

Dr. Sherman sits forward in his antique desk chair and smiles at Devon. Devon is nervously shifting in the leather chair. SHERMAN So, to what do I owe this unexpected visit, Devon? DEVON I'd like to start birth control. SHERMAN That's no trouble. I'll get you some pamphlets on what's available. Sherman routes through his desk drawer. pamphlets. DEVON Were you close to Dorothy and her daughters, Dr. Sherman? SHERMAN Our families' go way back. He hands her several pamphlets. DEVON Do you remember Jamie being engaged? He removes several

SHERMAN If she was, she didn't tell anyone about it. Dorothy would have forbid it. She wasn't very fond of men. DEVON I suppose she had reason to be protective--with her husband running off like that. SHERMAN But there comes a time when a mother needs to step back. DEVON I'm sure she felt some guilt about Chelsie. SHERMAN A bit hypocritical of her to be so religious then suggest abortion of a healthy baby. Breaks my heart. It's a shame we can't practice what we preach. Devon appears confused then sinks into thought. EXT. DEVON'S HOUSE/PORCH -- SUNDAY -- LATE AFTERNOON

Devon opens the screen door. A sealed envelope falls to the porch. She picks up the envelope. We see her name printed on the front. Devon opens the envelope. It reads: "Meet me at the museum--7:00 P.M. URGENT--COME ALONE!" Devon stares at the note and sinks into thought. INT. MUSEUM/FIRST FLOOR -- EVENING

Devon closes the door behind her. She nervously looks around the displays then walks toward the back. INT. STAIRS -- CONTINUOUS She pauses at the

Devon cautiously walks down the stairs. bottom of the steps then continues. INT. BASEMENT -- CONTINUOUS

She walks past several displays. We see a light coming from a display that hasn't been touched. Devon approaches the room. INT. CHURCH DISPLAY -- CONTINUOUS

We see candles and flowers all around the room.

We see a blonde woman in a full, white, wedding gown and veil lying on the altar near the front of the church display. The gown's train drapes over the side of the altar, her veil to the side, and her hands neatly clasped over her abdomen. Devon remains still a moment. She nervously looks around the room. No one's there. Devon slowly enters the room and approaches the display. We see it's Chelsie on the altar. Her hair is neatly pinned up and her make-up is carefully applied. She's a vision of beauty. She's dead. Devon holds back her gasp. We see the diamond ring on her left, ring finger with a gold wedding band below it. We hear the door gently shut. Devon spins around. We see Martin standing by the door. His expression is blank. He walks toward her with a glass of champagne in his hand. Devon remains still. Martin walks past her and pauses before the altar and the dead woman. He places his hand on Chelsie's. We see the matching wedding band on his left hand. Martin stares at Chelsie. Devon stares at him with horror. MARTIN Seven years ago, Jamie and two of her friends intercepted Chelsie on her way to meet her boyfriend. Jamie and Chelsie got into an argument, and Jamie pushed her from the bridge. Chelsie and I were going to run away and get married after she'd graduated in two weeks. I loved her more than life itself. She was the first woman I'd ever made love tothe only one. She was pregnant with our child. Last month, I learned from Marlene that Dorothy terminated Chelsie's pregnancy after the accident. Martin finishes his drink, sets it on the floor, and turns to Devon. Devon appears alarmed. MARTIN I killed Jamie, Tamra, and Paula for robbing me of my one true love--my only happiness. I made it as painless as possible. But Dorothy destroyed the only part of Chelsie I could have taken with me. I didn't kill Marlene. Someone must've had a score to settle with her and used the series of murders to their advantage. It's all in my journal on your bedroom dresser. Devon is now down to tears.

DEVON Oh, Martin, you could have told the police about Chelsie. It didn't have to be this way. MARTIN It wouldn't have done any good. No one would be able to prove Jamie intentionally wanted to hurt her. DEVON And Brant? MARTIN When I learned how much he meant to you, I tipped Ross off to the Ruby Club. I was the one he spent the evening with drowning his sorrows. I knew he was innocent. My journal will clear him as well. You were my only reason for living, Devon. I just want you to be happy. Chelsie and I will be together forever now. This is the way it has to be. DEVON What do you mean? What have you done? MARTIN Just a little poison cocktail. Devon gasps in horror. support. Martin clutches the altar for

MARTIN It's okay, Devon. I'll finally be happy. Chelsie and I will finally be free. DEVON No, we need to get an ambulance. Martin snorts softly and approaches her. her face. He gently touches

MARTIN It's already too late, I assure you. Devon begins to cry. Martin holds her in his arms. They embrace for a long moment. Martin releases her and wipes away her tears.

MARTIN I love you, Devon. But it's time for you to go. I only have a few minutes left, and I'd like to spend them alone with Chelsie. DEVON (sobs) I love you, Martin. Martin smiles warmly and turns toward the altar. He clutches the altar and takes Chelsie's hand. Devon slowly backs away. She turns and heads for the door. We hear a thud. Devon spins. We see Martin lying on the floor alongside the altar. INT. WORKSHOP -- SATURDAY EVENING

One week later. Devon enters the workshop and pauses in the doorway. We see Tyler sitting at the counter. He curses and wipes some paint from the wax face. Devon looks around then approaches. DEVON Good evening, Tyler. Tyler looks back at her and stands. TYLER I'm sorry about your brother, Devon. DEVON (nods) Where's Brant? here. He said he'd be

TYLER He had to run a few errands. He'll be back soon. Devon walks toward the rack against the far wall and slips into her lab coat. She takes a seat at the counter before a wax head. DEVON Are you going to the city tonight? TYLER More than likely. Would you like to come along? I'm attending a friend's party. It should be great fun.

DEVON I'm working tonight. My first night back in a week. Tyler approaches and sits alongside her. TYLER I'm your boss, remember? I'll give you permission to take the night off. Tyler places his hand on her arm and strokes it. pulls her arm away and stands. DEVON Stop it. You know damned well I'm seeing Brant. Now leave me alone. Devon leaves the room. INT. MUMMY DISPLAY Devon

The mummy is in a stalking position. A woman is braced against a pillar in the ancient tomb setting. There are fake gold trinkets, statues, and life-size idols. There are several archaeologists in the set as well. They are all in positions of horror, one even lay dead near the tomb. The woman is one of Tyler's creations. The make-up is heavy and unrealistic. Devon enters the display with a rag and some turpentine. She applies some solution to the rag and begins cleaning up the wax face with disgust. She stops at the base coat and stares at the woman a moment longer. She leans closer and examines the eyelashes then stares into the wax woman's eyes. Devon appears confused. She applies more solution to the rag and scrubs the face. We see gray skin beneath the base. Devon stares at the clean spot and touches it with her fingers. It's cold and hard. She takes a step back and removes the hat. She stares at the woman a moment longer. Devon's eyes widen. She reaches for the wax woman's hair and rips it off with some effort. We see Tamara! Devon jumps back with a startled, horrified cry. She backs into the mummy and turns around with surprise but doesn't make a sound. She stares through the slits in the bandages. Devon removes a scissors from her pocket and carefully cuts the bandages around the head. She pulls the bandages back. We see Martin staring back at her. She drops the scissors and the wrapping and gasps with a look of horror. Tears fill her eyes. DEVON (softly) No--

Devon looks in the direction of the workshop then runs from the display and toward the stairs. INT. LOBBY

Devon runs to the front desk near the door and grabs the phone. She punches in several numbers and nervously stares down the hallway in the direction of the stairs. DEVON Deputy Havens, oh, thank God! I need you to come out here right away-The line goes dead. Devon appears concerned. She hits several buttons. Nothing. Devon casts the phone aside and runs from the museum. EXT. MUSEUM PARKING LOT -- CONTINUOUS

Darkness. Devon runs across the parking lot to Martin's blazer. She throws open the door and jumps inside. INT. MARTIN'S BLAZER -- CONTINUOUS

She feels her pockets with a look of horror. She cries out and slams her hands on the steering wheel. She springs from the car. EXT. MUSEUM PARKING LOT -- CONTINUOUS

Devon looks around the farmland and the distant lights from town. She's completely isolated. We see lights from the funeral home just a cornfield away from the museum. Devon runs across the parking lot and alongside the cornfield near the road. EXT. FUNERAL HOME -- NIGHT

Devon runs across the front lawn and onto the elegant porch. She pounds on the front door. There's no response. She runs from the porch and hurries around to the back of the home. She reaches the back door and pounds violently while screaming. The door opens. Tony stares at her with some surprise and confusion. TONY Devon? What's wrong? all right? Are you

Devon grabs him and pulls him inside with her. INT. PREP ROOM -- CONTINUOUS Tony watches her with a

Devon slams the door and locks it. look of confusion.

She casts her back against the door and begins to sob. She sinks down the door and buries her face into her hands. Tony kneels before her. TONY Are you okay? Devon looks at him. She appears completely shaken.

DEVON You have to call the police. They need to go to the museum right away. TONY What? Why? DEVON Tell them--tell them they're using real people in their displays. I found Tamara and Martin in the mummy display. TONY Are you serious? DEVON Please--just do it. TONY You think Tyler and Brant-DEVON Tony, please! Tony nods and hurries across the room to the wall phone. Devon exhales nervously and stares at the sheet-covered client on the metal table. We see the chest rise. Devon's eyes widen. She slowly stands and stares. Tony begins talking on the phone. Devon slowly approaches the table and stares at the sheet-covered body. The head beneath the sheet falls to the side. Devon holds back her gasp. Tony turns while on the phone. Devon snatches the sheet and whips it off of the body. We see Ivy clutch the nylon rope around her neck and pull it free with a gasp. Devon looks to Tony with a look of shock. Tony tosses the phone down and bolts across the room toward her. Devon screams and jumps backward into the counter. Tony snatches the rope from the table near Ivy. DEVON How could you?! TONY Believe me, Devon. I didn't want this to happen.

Tony lunges for her. Devon bolts for the door and attempts to unlock it. The rope circles her neck from behind. Tony pulls on it. Devon clutches the rope and gasps for air. She releases the rope and rams her elbow back into his midsection with all of her strength. Tony gasps as the air is knocked from him. He backs up a step and releases the rope. Devon turns toward the counter and grabs a sharp, tube-like instrument. Tony moves toward her. Devon spins and plunges it into his shoulder. He cries out in pain and stumbles backwards. Ivy coughs and wheezes. She slowly sits up on the table. Devon rushes to her side and practically pulls her from the table. Ivy collapses to her knees. DEVON Ivy! Get up! Devon attempts to pull her to her Ivy clutches Devon's arm. feet while screaming.

DEVON Get up, damn it! Get up! Tony pulls the instrument from his shoulder. from the object. TONY God damn it! He clutches the sharp instrument in his hand and jumps for Devon. Devon screams and jumps backward to avoid him. She slams into the counter then bolts across the room. TONY Why'd you have to get involved, Devon? Do you think I really wanted to hurt any of you? DEVON Then don't! TONY I'm in too deep. I can't back out now. I'm sorry. Tony raises the instrument. We hear pounding on the door near her. The door vibrates. ROSS Devon--Tony! What's going on in there? Open up! Ross! DEVON Help me! Blood flies

Tony dives for Devon. She screams and clutches his wrist, preventing the instrument from piecing her. Ivy looks up weakly and clutches the side of the table.

She attempts to pull herself to her feet. We hear a thunderous rumble from the door. Devon screams as the instrument is forced closer to her chest. She's losing the battle against Tony. We hear the splintering crack of the door being forced open. Tony releases Devon. She falls backward to the floor. Tony bolts for the door. The door flies open with enormous force and strikes the opposing wall, shattering the frosted glass. Ross charges into the room. Devon scrambles to her feet as Ross runs toward her. We see Tony appear behind Ross. Devon appears horrified. DEVON Ross! Ross spins around. Tony plunges downward with the instrument. Ross cries out, stumbles backward to avoid the sharp tube, stumbles over Ivy, and crashes backward onto the floor. Ivy coils back with her leg and kicks Tony to the side of the knee. Tony stumbles sideways and crashes into the counter. Devon and Ross grab Ivy by either arm and pull her to her feet. They drag her from the funeral home. EXT. FUNERAL HOME -- CONTINUOUS

Ross and Devon pull Ivy across the front parking lot. Ivy's thrown into the back of Ross's beat up, old car. Devon and Ross jump in. The car's engine starts with a loud roar. The back wheels burn out in the driveway. They rocket backward into the street. The back end of the car swings as it burns out on the road and they head in the direction of the museum. INT. ROSS'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS

Devon looks behind them then to Ross, who clenches the steering wheel. He looks in the rear view mirror then glances at Devon. ROSS What the hell was that all about? Why did my best friend just try to kill me? Devon looks past Ross toward the museum as they prepare to pass at a thunderous speed. DEVON Ross, stop! Ross slams on the brakes. The car skids and screeches to a grinding halt. Devon and Ivy are flung forward then bounce backward. ROSS What?

DEVON Brant's car. He's back. could be in danger!

He

ROSS Damn it, Devon, tell me what's going on. DEVON They're using real people in the displays. ROSS What?! (shifts into reverse) We need to get the police. EXT. BACK ROAD -- CONTINUOUS

The old car burns out on the road and flies in the direction they'd just come. INT. ROSS'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS Ross is

We see the headlights of another car approaching. driving fast. DEVON We have to warn Brant! IVY Are you insane? He's one of them!

We see the headlights are in their lane. Ross cries out and swerves harshly while slamming on the brakes. The car squeals and spins wildly. All three scream. EXT. BACK ROAD -- CONTINUOUS

Ross's old car shoots into the cornfield and plows down a section of corn. We see the hearse skid to a halt. INT. ROSS'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS

Devon, Ross, and Ivy scream as corn stalks crash against the sides of the car and into the windshield. The car bucks and comes to a stop. Ross looks behind them. EXT. CORNFIELD -- CONTNUOUS It

The hearse enters the cornfield behind the old car. comes at top speed toward them.

INT.

ROSS'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS

Ross looks away from the rear view mirror with surprise. ROSS Oh, shit! Ross steps on the gas. Devon and Ivy turn and look out the back window. Both scream. Ross makes a sharp turn. There's a small clearing. We see an electric poll directly before them. All three scream. Ross turns the wheel and narrowly misses the poll. INT. HEARSE -- CONTINUOUS

Tony enters the small clearing just behind them. As they swerve, the electric poll is right before Tony. Tony gasps and attempts to turn. EXT. CORNFIELD -- CONTINUOUS

The hearse collides with the poll. There's a tremendous crack. The poll is jarred. The electric box on top sparks. We hear a loud crack. INT. ROSS'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS Ross laughs lowly.

All three look back.

ROSS Serves him right! Bastard! The car sputters and slows. All three jump with surprise. Ross shifts into neutral and turns the key as they come to a stop. The car grinds. Ross pounds on the steering wheel. ROSS Son-of-a-bitch! What a piece of shit! They get out of the car. EXT. CORNFIELD -- CONTINUOUS Steam rises from beneath the hood.

Ross stares at his car. Ross kicks the tire.

ROSS Rotten piece of shit! There's no movement from the hearse. Ross. Devon turns to Ivy and

DEVON Go back to the funeral home. Call the police and tell them to come to the museum right away.

ROSS Where do you think you're going? DEVON I know Brant's not involved. He could be in serious danger. I have to warn him. ROSS Devon, you can't go back there! DEVON I have too. By the time Carter arrives, it could be too late. Devon turns and runs. EXT. MUSEUM -- NIGHT

We see the dark museum. Devon crouches in the cornfield and watches a moment. We hear the sound of a small engine coming from the house. A couple of lights appear. We see someone pounce beside her. Devon spins with a gasp. Ross stares at the museum. ROSS What's the plan? DEVON I don't have one. ROSS Fine, then we'll use mine. DEVON You have a plan? ROSS We'll slip in through the basement door and remain low until we see what's happening. DEVON The basement door is locked. Ross removes a set of keys from his pocket. surprised. ROSS Not for long. DEVON Where did you get those? Devon appears

ROSS Brant gave me a set of keys to accept a couple of deliveries. He never asked for them back. DEVON You're a crafty bastard, Ross. Let's go. INT. WORKSHOP

A single emergency light dimly lights the workshop. The room has an eerie glow about it. The basement door slowly opens. Devon and Ross peak into the workshop. There appears to be no one around. They hurry inside and dart behind one of the counters. Devon looks toward the door. Nothing moves. Ross peers onto the counter. We see the remote. He snatches it and sits on the floor a moment. ROSS I have an idea. DEVON Whatever it is--no. ROSS (smiles) Trust me. Wait here. Ross springs to his feet and sneaks across the workshop. Devon frowns. INT. FUNERAL HOME/PARLOR

Ivy hurries across the dark parlor and stumbles past a leather sofa. She fumbles with the phone on the end table. She dials the police and stares toward the front door. IVY (into phone) Hello? Deputy Havens? (pause) Thank God! It's Ivy. I'm at the funeral home-(pause) I'm okay, but Ross and Devon are in trouble. We see a shadow pass in the hallway. Ivy appears horrified. The front door gently shuts. She backs up a step while clutching the phone. We see Tony step into the doorway to the parlor. He's holding a tire iron in his hand. Despite the darkness, we can see he's been injured and he's angry.

IVY (into phone) Havens! Help! He's going to kill me! Ivy throws the phone to the floor and bolts across the room. Tony doesn't move from the doorway. She's trapped! IVY Why are you doing this? You're supposed to be my friend. TONY Friends? We were never friends. None of you were ever my friends. You, Ross, and Devon used me every chance you had. IVY That's not true! Tony slowly walks toward her. Ivy backs across the room and into a table. Tony walks closer and raises the tire iron above his head. TONY Don't you understand? I have no choice! I've involved myself into something I just can't get out of! Tony's about to strike. Ivy reaches behind her and fumbles with a vase. She clutches it and throws it at Tony. The urn hits him in the head and cracks open. Ashes cover his face and body. Tony clutches his eyes and coughs. Ivy bolts across the room and through the divider doorway to the adjoining room. Tony recovers and runs after her. INT. MUSEUM/MUMMY DISPLAY

Devon slowly moves along the wall and stares at the display. Martin's face is once more covered, and Marlene's wig and hat have been replaced. We hear voices from another display. Devon slowly passes the mummy display and approaches the vampire display. The voices are louder. We hear Brant and Tyler talking. A shadow approaches. Devon dives onto the mummy display and slides behind the tomb. We see Tyler walk through the display and head toward the workshop. Devon watches a moment. She looks behind her to the sword the wax soldier holds. Devon moves closer and removes the sword. INT. VAMPIRE DISPLAY -- CONTINUOUS

We see Brant sitting on the edge of the tomb in the dim lighting.

He touches up the make-up on the female victim being bitten by one of the vampires. Devon slowly enters the display. Brant looks up then immediately stands. BRANT Devon-(warm smile) I didn't think you were coming. Devon raises the sword to his chest and glares at him. Brant stops and stares at the sword with surprise. BRANT What are you doing? DEVON You're using the murdered women in your displays. BRANT What are you talking about? DEVON Martin is beneath the mummy wrap. I saw him. I'm convinced the others are here as well. Tony embalms them and delivers them to the museum for the displays. They were thought to be buried, but they're not. BRANT I don't understand. You know I wouldn't do something like that. Devon, I know you're frightened and upset, but you have to trust me. Please, put down the sword. I'd never do anything to hurt you, you know that. I love you. Devon stares into his eyes. Her expression softens. slowly lowers the sword. Brant relaxes. BRANT You had me worried for a moment there--even if that sword isn't even sharp enough to give a paper cut. Have you called the police? DEVON Ivy called them. They should be here any minute. BRANT We'd better wait outside for them. She

TYLER (O.S.) Wouldn't be a bad idea-Both spin toward the display opening. We see Tyler standing in the opening. He's holds a gun on them. TYLER --if your friend had been able to complete her call to the police. Tony called me on his car phone and told me you and Ross were on your way here. Tony went back to take care of Ivy. BRANT Then it's true? You attempted to display dead people as your own wax creations. TYLER Why not? It saved on expense and cut the work time in half. Once you were out of the way, I could bring in my new partner, Tony. He would fix my artistic errors and create the most beautiful displays a museum has ever seen. The murders gave me the idea to dissolve our partnership. BRANT You tried to kill me then frame me for the murders. TYLER You wanted to reconstruct my creations. I couldn't allow you to see what lay beneath the make-up. It would've worked out perfectly, if it hadn't been for Martin coming forward and confessing. INT. FUNERAL HOME/VIEWING ROOM

Ivy screams and bolts across the room. Tony keeps her prisoner. She jumps behind a closed coffin on its stand. There are flowers surrounding the entire room along with some lit candles. Tony lunges for her. Ivy continues to scream and knocks over several flower arrangements. She's trapped behind the coffin. She places her hand on the closed coffin lid and stares at Tony. Tony removes a switchblade knife from his pocket.

TONY It'd be easier on you if you don't fight it. Ivy stares him in the eyes with a look of horror. Tony slashes the knife at her. Ivy lets out a sharp cry and pushes the coffin forward with all her strength. The coffin topples off of its hydraulic stand and strikes Tony. He cries out and shields his face. The coffin knocks him to the floor. We hear a bone crushing sound along with a gasp. Ivy slowly walks around the stand and the toppled coffin now lying top down on the floor. Tony lay beneath it with his eyes open. Blood seeps from the corner of his mouth. He doesn't move. We hear the police sirens in the distance. INT. MUSEUM/VAMPIRE DISPLAY

Brant remains between Devon and Tyler, who holds the gun aimed at them. TYLER Think of it, Brant. You'll actually be a part of this museum forever. It'll be your greatest contribution to your dream. BRANT You're sick. TYLER Perhaps, but with your share of the museum, I stand to be a wealthy man. These displays will bring a fortune. I'll even put you in a display together. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Kind of as a last romantic gesture. We hear a woman's shrill scream echo throughout the museum. Devon and Tyler jump with surprise. Brant appears confused but not startled. There are several screams to follow. We hear low groans and beastly snarls. The vampire behind Brant straightens and turns toward them. We hear the vampire hiss. Tyler cries out with surprise and fires at the vampire. The vampire turns toward the woman lying across the tomb and covers her neck. We hear the woman's scream. The room is alive with movement. Brant shifts his eyes slightly. Devon turns with surprise. Tyler is frightened and angry and waves his gun at Brant. Stop it! TYLER You're not fooling me!

BRANT It's not me. The control panel is on the wall by the door. Tyler turns toward the doorway. Brant snatches the sword from Devon and lunges for Tyler. Tyler spins around. Brant swings the sword for Tyler. The blade cuts into his arm. Tyler drops the gun and clutches his bleeding arm. The blade isn't sharp enough to do any serious damage. Brant and Tyler both leap for the discarded gun. Brant snatches it. Tyler straightens and runs from the room. Brant runs after him. INT. PHANTOM DISPLAY -- CONTINUOUS

Tyler runs along the corridor near the phantom display with the phantom posed before the organ. We hear the loud, evil music from the pipe organ. We hear Brant running along the corridor not far behind. Tyler gasps and hurries onto the display. He approaches the pipe organ. There's a space behind the organ where he can hide. We see the phantom glare at Tyler. Tyler's eyes widen and he cries out. Tyler bolts away from the pipe organ. The phantom leaps into Tyler's path. Tyler screams. The phantom clutches Tyler's throat with both hands and begins choking him. Tyler gasps and falls to his knees. Brant appears near the display and stops. TYLER No, please don't! BRANT Ross, let him go. The phantom, Ross, looks at Brant and releases Tyler. He takes a step back while staring at Tyler and removes his white mask. Ross smirks and wickedly raises his brows. ROSS Scared ya, didn't I? Ross laughs evilly. Tyler appears surprised. Brant approaches them and motions Tyler to his feet with the gun. Tyler clutches his chest painfully. Devon hurries onto the set with the sword in her hand. She walks up behind Tyler. Tyler continues to stare at Ross and Brant. TYLER You tricked me! You never told me the displays moved and made sounds! BRANT It didn't seem important at the time.

ROSS I think I should play the phantom when we open. Tyler pulls a large knife from his lab coat and raises it above his head. He's about to plunge it into Ross. Devon cries out. Ross spins toward Tyler and sees the knife only inches from him. Devon lunges forward with the sword and runs it through Tyler's back. Tyler gasps and looks to the blade sticking out of his chest. His eyes roll back. He sinks to his knees and collapses to the floor. Brant and Ross stare at Tyler with surprise and shock. DEVON Oh, my God! Brant rushes to Devon and gathers her in his arms. Ross continues to stare at Tyler then looks at Devon. She clings to Brant and sobs softly. ROSS Remind me to never piss you off. Devon pulls away from Brant and hugs Ross happily. Ross smiles warmly. We hear the faint sirens outside and movement upstairs. She quickly pulls away with a concerned look. DEVON Ivy-We hear thundering footfalls along the upper floor and down the stairs. Sheriff Carter and Deputy Havens approach them with their guns drawn. Ivy is only steps behind them with several other officers. DEVON Ivy! Devon runs past the police and hugs Ivy. IVY I was afraid he'd killed you! DEVON What about Tony? IVY He's dead. ROSS Damn--you girls are dangerous!

INT.

MUSEUM LOBBY -- EARLY MORNING

Devon, Brant, Ivy, and Ross sit on the bench near the admission counter and watch the police remove another stretcher with a filled body bag. BRANT (depressed) How many was that? ROSS Ten. But who's counting. Apparently Tony and Tyler had been in business before Jamie's murder. Brant watches the stretcher pass by. BRANT I was stupid enough to believe he'd bought those wax works from a closed museum. I suppose I deserve whatever happens from this. I'm such a fool. ROSS Don't feel too bad, Brant. I'd changed wardrobe on several of those women and never knew they weren't just wax figures. IVY Who do you suppose they were? ROSS Tonys other clients from the funeral home. BRANT I think we should call it an evening. We can all go to my house next door. There are plenty of spare rooms. We could all use some sleep. Ross stands and assists Ivy to her feet. Devon and Brant stand as well. Brant holds Devon back. Ross and Ivy leave the museum. BRANT I'm very grateful you trusted me earlier. Given the situation, it would've been very easy to suspect I was involved. You probably shouldn't have trusted me, but I'm glad you did.

DEVON I was just hoping I wasn't wrong. When I thought about those rose petals on the floor, the way you made love to me, and that look in your eyes when you told me you loved me, I knew I had to trust my feelings. BRANT You certainly can't buy that kind of trust. And I'm telling you right now, my next business partner will have to be someone I can trust--someone willing to share my name. What do you say? Devon stares at him a moment then smiles with embarrassment. DEVON Sounds like a permanent position. BRANT Very permanent. Devon smiles and clings to him. DEVON That's an offer I simply can't refuse. FADE OUT