Silent Lucidity

LXIII

[Ask Jeeves]

NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT

There was a mansion and the interior hall with a portrait of a woman holding a dog. Phillip, the butler, walked up to two maids who were standing in the hallway.

"Now, now. I know it's a terribly sad day," Phillip said."Bunny LaCroix was a good woman, a fair employer with a kind heart." The two maids looked close to tears. "But there is work to be done. In less than twenty-four hours the LaCroix family will descend upon this estate for the funeral and the reading of the will and it is our duty to make sure this manor is in tip-top shape." He looked at the portrait. "We owe that much to Bunny." He said To the first maid, "Colette. To the master closet. I'd like you to select Mrs. LaCroix's wardrobe for the burial." He said to the second maid, "Olivia. Please make sure all the lavatories are spotless."

"Why do I have to?" Olivia asked.

"Now, now. You're still the new hire. Colette has seniority." He clapped his hands twice. "Chop chop, there's no time to waste." Colette hurried up the staircase and Olivia headed in the opposite direction. Phillip looked in the direction Olivia went and walked away.

INT. BUNNY'S WALK-IN CLOSET - MASTER BEDROOM

Colette selected a suit, then a blouse. She opened the jewelry box and chose a brooch. She topk a pearl necklace and puts it on. She heard a door open and looked around. She went back to admiring the necklace on herself in the mirror but then heard a door close. She walked out of the closet into the bedroom towards the door and heard footsteps. She turned around and gasped. Bunny LaCroix was standing behind her.

"But.... you're dead," Colette said. Bunny was glaring at her and steppedtoward her. Colette kept backing away until they are out in the hallway. Bunny ripped the pearl neckace off Colette's neck. The necklace broke, showering the pearls on the floor. Colette tried to back up and fell over the banister screaming. She fell through a glass table on the first floor. She laid dead on the floor surrounded by broken glass as Bunny stood by the banister on the second floor looking down.

Phillip ran up to where Colette was lying looking at Colette and then up at Bunny. "What have you done?" Bunny turned and walked away.

SHADY HILLS MOTEL PARKING LOT

Dean was tightening a screw on the Impala's headlight. Sam approached carrying two tiny cups. Kennedy followed after Sam, carrying a cup of her own.

"Hey, yo," Sam said. "Individually brewed." He handed a cup to Dean. "Technology, man."

"Real men don't drink out of cups this small," Dean complained, smelling the coffee. "What is that cinnamon roll?"

"It's uh glazed donut. Look man, if you don't want it, I..."

Kennedy sighed. "Dean, stop. Please."

"Nah, it's... got it. Sorry, babe," Dean said, taking a sip of the coffee. "So, any leads on the scanner or the Interweb?"

"Nothing," Sam replied. "Not even a cat up a tree."

"So right when we're ready to jump back into it, it goes uh—radio silence."

"Murphy's law."

"Well, Murphy's a douche. Hey, feel like taking a detour to Connecticut?"

"What?"

Dean held up a cell phone. "Found it while I was dustbusting." He handed the phone to Sam.

"One of ours?"

"It's one of Bobby's. And, in total, 27 messages. The only one that counts is from two days ago. Apparently Bobby's been named a beneficiary in Bunny LaCroix's will."