(cont.)
When Lawrence and Tia reach the perimeter of the main grounds, a horse whinnies somewhere in the darkness.
Lawrence: What the hell?
Tia: It's just a horse, Mr. Ross. Could be one of yours. Might have gotten away.
Lawrence: That's not what I'm talking about. I thought I just saw headlights through the trees!
Tia: I see them, too! Quick! Duck into the stables!
Lawrence and Tia dash into the stables, drawing the door almost completely shut, peering out as an engine gets closer.
Lawrence: How the hell could a car have gotten over that tree?
Tia: No idea. Quiet. It's parking.
Car parks near Lawrence's car, shuts off, a man exits the driver's side, and woman steps out of the passenger side.
Lawrence: (sighs with relief) It's Margie. I didn't recognize the car. It must be Tyler's.
Tia: Oh?
Lawrence steps out of the stable, not seeing that Tia reached out to stop him, but missed grabbing his arm.
Lawrence: Margie! Hi!
Margie Capall: (surprised, turns to the stable) Oh! Hello Larry!
Larry: It's great to see you!
Margie: Well, I didn't expect to find you in the stables, ever. (teases) Don't tell me you've gotten over your fear of horses?
At that moment, Tia steps out of the stables and Margie eyes her without amusement.
Margie: How are you, Tia?
Tia: Just fine, Ms. Capall.
Margie: You're such a taskmaster, Larry, keeping the help after hours.
Larry. There's been some trouble, Margie. I'll tell you about it, but first tell me how you got around the tree?
Tyler: Tree?
Larry: Yes, the tree in the driveway. It's totally blocking the road.
Tyler and Margie exchange mystified looks across the hood of the car.
Margie: We didn't see a tree.
Larry: But there's a tree laying across the driveway!
Margie: Where?
Larry: (pointing) Back there, just beyond the curve. You can't see it from here, but we saw it, right, Tia?
Tia: (nods) We both saw it.
Tyler: We just came up the drive a second ago, and we didn't see a tree.
Tia: You're sure about that?
Margie: What an odd question, Tia.
Tia: It's been an odd night, Ms. Capall. Mr. Ross got a threatening phone call, then our calls were blocked. Our cars won't start, and all of the horses were stolen.
Tyler: What?
Margie: ALL of them?
Margie hurries down to the stable, followed closely by Tyler. She opens the door, enters, the main light comes on, Tyler enters. Larry and Tia exchange looks and shrugs, and they walk down to the stable.
INT-STABLE-NIGHT
Margie and Tyler are standing at the far end of the stable, where the other door is open. Margie looks back at Larry and Tia.
Margie: (to Tia) You left the door open. They weren't stolen, they're just in the holding pasture.
Tia: What?
Tia hurries to the open door, seeing the shadowy shapes of horses meandering in the pasture used to temporarily hold horses that were going to be moved to grazing pastures, or be taken out for rides, etc.
Tia: I didn't leave the door open. (turns to Larry) This door wasn't open.
Larry: It wasn't open when I came out here.
Margie: Well, it was when I came in. (scolds Tia) You gave me a scare.
Tia: What about the cars?
Margie: (sighs) What about them?
Tia: They won't start. Come on.
Tia leads the way out of the stable.
EXT-PARKING LOT-NIGHT
Tia strides purposefully to her car.
Tia: Watch.
Tia gets into her car, tries to start it, and the car starts without a problem. Tia sits in the car for a long moment before turning it off, and slowly getting out. She looks at the other 3 people.
Tia: But it wouldn't start, before.
Larry: She's right, it wouldn't. Mine either.
Margie: Are you sure the two of you didn't have one too many nightcaps?
Tia: (frowns) I don't drink.
Larry: I had ONE drink, Margie. That's not enough to make me imagine cars that won't start, trees in the road, or our phones being blocked.
Tyler: Blocked? How?
Just then, the tune tinkles from Larry's jacket pocket. "When you have another's arms about you
Do you ever think of me?"
Larry: That's -- my phone. (looks at Tia, stricken)
Margie: Aren't you going to answer it?
Larry: Yeah, sure. (fumbles phone from his pocket) Hello?
DFV: Oh, Larry, I'm coming home, Larry. Exterreri is bringing me home. I'll be there in two hours. (a horse whinnies loudly)
To be continued ...
Cast
Lawrence Ross -- Erebus
Tia Baylor -- Bailey
Margie Capall -- Bailey
Tyler Dane -- Seth