(cont.)
EXT-NIGHT-DRIVEWAY
Tia and Lawrence each go to their parked cars. Tia is first to discover hers won't start. Then Lawrence discovers his won't start. They exit their cars, looking from the cars to each other.
Tia: Okay, now I admit, this is weird. (she lifts hood of her car) I have no idea what I'm looking for. Everything looks fine, but I'm not a mechanic.
Lawrence: I'm sorry. I'm one of those men who hires other people to do anything mechanical with their cars. (looks around at the darkness) Maybe we should go back inside?
Tia: Don't freak out, Mr. Ross. We still have horsepower. (nods at the stables)
Lawrence: You don't mean--
Tia: We can ride over to your nearest neighbor, and call the cops from there, or take their car if they don't have reception either. (starts for the barn)
Lawrence: (slowly following) I don't ride.
Tia: I know, but you can sit. (looks back, smiles) I'll put you on a lead line. All you gotta do is relax and enjoy the ride.
Tia opens the stable door, turning on the main lights as she enters, then she comes to a sudden stop.
Lawrence: (still outside the stable) What's wrong?
Tia: (sounding shocked) They're gone, Mr. Ross.
Lawrence: What?
Tia: (walking deeper inside) The horses! All of the horses are gone!
Lawrence: (steps inside, looking around) Did they get out?
Tia: Not unless they learned how to open and close the main door. They must have been stolen!
Lawrence: But you were just out here! And we'd have heard a truck big enough to haul all of them!
Tia: Professionals could just take a string of them down the road to wherever they have a truck waiting. (snaps her fingers) Maybe that explains the call!
Lawrence: How?
Tia: Distraction, get it? They call you with a weird message, and you hear a horse. It was probably the thieves, and you heard one of the horses they were stealing!
Lawrence: Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. It wasn't a ghost, it was a damn horse thief.
Tia: A what?
Lawrence: Never mind. We should probably get back inside the house.
Tia: That might not be any safer than being outside, Mr. Ross. (she goes to a tack trunk, opening it and pulling out two large flashlights) We use these when we go on overnighters. (hands one to Lawrence) We can take the trails, through the woods, to your neighbor.
Lawrence: (echoes) Through the woods?
Tia: It's faster than the road, and we won't be out in the open. (turns off the stable lights)
Tia and Lawrence start for the edge of the forest when Lawrence comes to a sudden stop.
Lawrence: Hang on, hang on. I'm an idiot.
Tia: What?
Lawrence: I've been so wound up that I forgot Filippa's sister is supposed to come by tonight.
Tia: Margie Capall?
Lawrence: Yes, and she's bringing along her fiance, Tyler something. Tyler Dane, that's it. They were having lunch in town, and she said she wanted to drop by to pick up some personal mementos. She thought they'd be here around nine. Let's go back inside and wait for them.
Tia: (looking at the house) It's a big house, Mr. Ross.
Lawrence: And?
Tia: Well, what if they aren't just horse thieves? What if they're stealing more than just your horses?
Lawrence: (looks at the house) You mean, they could be inside?
Tia: Why don't we head down the driveway, and meet Ms. Capall halfway?
Lawrence: That might not be a bad idea.
Tia: Don't turn on your flashlight until you absolutely have to, and keep it aimed at the ground.
Lawrence and Tia hasten along the driveway until they reach the first curve, where Lawrence comes to a sudden stop with a gasp.
Lawrence: Oh, my god!
Tia: What's wrong, Mr. Ross? Did you twist an ankle?
Lawrence: No. Look, up ahead!
Lawrence shines his flashlight down the driveway, ahead of them, where a long dark shape is across the entire driveway.
Tia: (adding her light) Is that a tree?
Lawrence: A tree is across the driveway!
Tia: Well, that might stop a car, but we can climb over it-- Hey! (exclaims when Lawrence grabs her arm)
Lawrence: Sh! (lowers his voice and releases her arm) Sorry, Tia. I was thinking, with everything else happening tonight, what are the odds that tree fell over by itself?
Tia: Oh, crap! I didn't think about that.
Lawrence: And whoever dropped it could still be hanging around. Like it or not, we need to head back.
Tia: I DON'T like it, but you're right.
Lawrence and Tia briskly start back for the house.
Lawrence: When we get inside, we'll go into the study, lock it, then barricade the doors and windows. There's no place to hide in there, so we won't have to worry about searching.
Tia: And then what?
Lawrence: What do you mean?
Tia: If there are thieves inside, we'll be trapped in the study.
Lawrence: As far as I'm concerned, they can take everything of value. It's all insured.
Tia: That's a good point.
(To be continued)
Exterreri
Cast
Lawrence Ross -- Erebus
Tia Baylor -- Bailey