Everyone ready to solve a mystery? ;)

(Peter whimpers. :( )

Micky: You bet!

Mike: Sure. ;)

Lauren: I am.

Davy: Me too.

(Everyone is back in the lounge, drinking liquor or coffee or tea. Valerie hands a still-pale Peter a cup of tea, while Mike downs a huge mug of coffee. Carol and Ida finally join them. Ida is still a bit pale, but Carol is sniffling and sobbing and dabbing her eyes on a handkerchief.)

Carol: I...I just can't believe...he's gone... :((

Mike: Well, fact is, ma'am, he's gone, and we've gotta figure out who took him out before somethin' else happens.

Emma: I say we split up.

Carol: (Wails) What if someone gets killed? :o

Mike: We'd know who the murderer is already. :p

Mciky: He's got a good point. :P

Emma: Well, has anyone seen Curry?

(Lots of head-shaking and "nos.")

Mike: We oughta at least find him, 'fore somethin' even nastier than Reggie hits him.

Bobby: I don't think you could get much nastier than what happened to Reggie. :p

Annie: I do. :p

Emma: Look, everyone, choose a partner and split into pairs.

Mike: (Grabs Emma's arm) I choose this one.

Peter: I'm not leaving Valerie! :o

Micky: Goes without saying. *grins at Lauren*

Sybil: Maybe it would help if I remained with Carol.

Davy: (Looks at Daphne) You 'n me, luv? (Winks) Unless you'd rathah 'ave Reggie. ;)

Daphne: You, Dave. *swats at him* ;) :P

Annie: (Grins at Bobby) Guess it's you n' me, kid. ;)

Ida: Hey, who does that leave me with?

Annie: You could always take Reggie. ;)

Ida: I’m seeing more of him than I care to at the moment. :p

Carol: Ida, why don't you go with Sybil and me? We could check the downstairs area with another pair.

Mike: Lauren, is it safe to leave you and Mick down here?

Emma: So close to the kitchen? ;)

Lauren: *nods* Yes, I'll keep an eye on him. ;)

*Micky sticks his tongue out.* :P ;)

Mike: Val, you, Peter, Em, n' I can search upstairs. Dave, you and Daph take the attic.

Davy: (Grins at Daphne) That could be interestin', luv. ;)

Daphne: Hm. Could be. ;)

Annie: Hey, what about us?

Emma: You guys get the basement. Carol and Peter aren't up for walking around in the dark, and certain OTHER people (sideways glance at Mike) aren't up for walking TO the dark. :p

Mike: Em, I'm fine. I didn't drink THAT much. (He shakes his finger at her and almost pitches himself on the floor)

Emma: That's not what I'm seeing. :p

Carol: Maybe we'd better just get going.

Emma: Yeah. Let's report back here in an hour. If we can't find anything by then, someone is going to have to go get the police.

Mike: Yeah, we all have cars.

Davy: Some of us 'ave cars. (Mutters) Damn jeep 'ad to pick tonight to blow on me... :p

Ida: Well, what are we waiting for, Doomsday?

(Peter whimpers; Carol shrieks. :o :( )

Annie: Nice one, Ida. :p

Emma: Let's just get going. :p

(The various groups wander out of the library as "Rosemarie" begins. Carol, Sybil, and Ida stick close to the study and lounge; Micky and Lauren go to the other side of the hall.)

(Micky reaches his leg over to slide down the bannister, but moves said leg when Mike glares at him. :p)

*Lauren grabs Micky's ear and hauls him away.* ;)

(Emma and Mike wander into a bedroom. Emma calls for Curry and throws sheets and clothing out of a drawer. She puts a hand over her mouth to repress her chuckles when she sees that the clothing now hangs all over Mike, who crosses his arms in annoyance. :p :)) )

(Ida shrugs as Carol shrieks and wails to Sybil, produces a huge feather duster from out of nowhere, and starts dusting everything in sight, including Sybil and Carol. Sybil's concentrating so hard on Carol, neither notices the feather duster. ;) :p)

(Davy and Daphne stand in the doorway as lighting flashes and rain falls down the one small window in sheets, each trying to convince the other to go first.)

*Lauren peeks into the billiard room and finds Micky already there, throwing darts at a dartboard.*

(Ida takes one of Micky's darts, picks her teeth with it, and continues dusting...including Micky himself. ;) )

(Peter huddles close to Valerie, who is searching a closet. There's another flash of lighting. When Valerie comes out of the closet, she finds her husband curled up on the bed, clutching a stuffed bear for dear life. :o )

(Carol also hears the lightning. She passes the kitchen and hears strange noises. She goes in and checks...and runs shrieking down the hallway as a white figure ambles into the hall. Sybil follows her.)

(Mike is searching what he thinks is another closet until he turns the nob and discovers that the "closet" is a shower. ;) )

(Davy and Daphne shoot fingers to decide who should go into the attic first.)

*Lauren grabs a pool cue an carries it with her as she checks out the darkened rooms. Micky come up from behind and taps her on the shoulder. She spins around and would've taken his head off with the cue stick if he hadn't ducked.* ;)

(Ida is still dusting. She dusts Micky and Lauren...and reveals white dust flying around Micky in great clouds. White dust that looks like flour... ;) )

*Micky glares at Ida, then turns to find Lauren glaring at him. He grins sheepishly and shrugs.*

(Valerie and Peter walk down the hall, Peter still holding the bear. They hear footsteps over the music. They both stop, Peter whimpering. They finally turn around...to see Ida dust them, then move on. ;) )

(Davy and Daphne are now playing cards to determine who is going in the attic first. ;) )

(A knock on the main front door finally ends the romp. Everyone looks up in a montage - Micky and Lauren in the billiard room, Emma and Mike in a bedroom, Peter, Ida, and Valerie in the upstairs hall, Davy and Daphne in the attic doorway, Annie and Bobby in the dark basement, Sybil in the downstairs hallway. Bobby squeaks and jumps into Annie's arms; Peter whines and grabs Valerie. Everyone runs downstairs at once, some running into each other. They join everyone else at the doorway.)

Mike: Who's there?

Davy: Who's gonna get it?

Peter: I hope no one gets it! :o

Sybil: Someone should open it! We can't let whoever is out there stand in the rain all night!

Annie: Where's Carol? This IS her house.

Ida: Where's Curry? He's supposed to open the damn door! :p

Mike: Hey, Micky could do it. ;)

Micky: Oh, all right. :P ;)

Davy: Nahh, 'e'd scah them away. :p ;)

*Lauren chuckles.* ;)

Annie: Tell 'em what's been going on tonight. That would scare anyone. :p

*Micky goes to answer the door and reveals a man wearing a long overcoat.*

Man: (He's a very familiar fellow with short brown hair and glasses) Want to buy some bibles, fella? ;)

Annie: Honey, this ain't no revivalist meeting. :p

Micky: *quirks an eyebrow* No, thanks, pal. *pauses* Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?

Honeywell: Um, no, never seen you before...(frowns) Dolenz? What are you doing here? This is official CIS business!

Sybil: Do you know this man, Mr. Dolenz?

Annie: And if he's a cop, could get him in here to handle...well, to handle more than what we can handle? :p

Micky: Honeywell?! What're YOU doing HERE? :-/

Honeywell: I'm supposed to be investigating a Mr. Reginald Charrelston. He's known as a seller of...(blushes)...well, of, um, dirty magazine and books in the underground circuits. We're trying to bring him aboveground.

Micky: Oooh, there's gonna be a bit of a problem with that... :P

Honeywell: What?

Mike: Hey, Mick, why don't you just invite him in for tea or somethin?

Peter: I don't think that's a good idea.

Micky: Uh, yeah, tea, sure. C'mon in, Honeywell.

(Annie and Bobby quickly run over to the lounge and shut and lock the door.)

Honeywell: What was that all about?

Sybil: Um, it's just rather drafty in here, isn't it? (She makes a big show of flapping her arms and trying to warm herself)

Ida: Why doesn't someone show him around?

Mike: Yeah, we've gotta, um, clean up a bit.

Honeywell: I'm glad you're so interested in my bibles. May I speak to the man and woman of the household?

Annie: (Mutters) That'll be a bit difficult right now...

Mike: We're all men and women. Why don't you talk to us? (Frowns) Don't I know you from somewhere?

Emma: (She recognizes Honeywell; grabs Mike's arm) Um, honey, why don't we go have a snack in the kitchen, FAR, FAR away from our guests?

Honeywell: Hey, I know her.

Ida: (Looks at the remaining kids) Why don't one of you show our..er...friend around?

Davy: (Quickly) Why don't Petah do it?

Peter: (Voice raises) ME? :o

Valerie: I don't think...

Micky: Yeah. ;)

Davy: (Grabs Peter's arm and directs him to Honeywell) Why don't you show 'im around, Mistah Tork? You could show 'im the ballroom, or the dinin' room, or the conservatory? ;)

Peter: Um, uh, yeah. (Hastily takes Honeywell's arm) Come with me, officer. I'm going to show you the ballroom or the conservatory or the dinin'...um, dining room. (Leads Honeywell away)

Sybil: Goodness! What next? :p

Micky: Don't ask. :P ;)

("Magnolia Simms" begins as everyone splits off into different directions. Annie pulls Bobby into the lounge.)

(Carol stands in the hallway in fear for a few moments...before the thunder and lighting send her screaming. :o )

*Micky drags Lauren into the dining room.* ;)

(Peter leads Honeywell into the billiard room first. Davy and Daphne play pool. Davy tries to show off for his fiancee and look like he actually knows what he's doing. He pushes the stick upwards when he hits the ball...but instead of hitting the other balls like he'd intended, it hits Honeywell square in the forehead, knocking him out as Peter watches. :o :p ;) )

(Peter and Honeywell sit on the couch in the study as Ida brings bandages and an ice bag for the big, cueball-shaped lump on Honeywell's head. Sybil plops down in between Peter and Honeywell and starts talking. She's still talking as Ida leaves and we see Davy and Daphne tip-toe by. ;) )

*Peter takes Honeywell into the dining room, just trying to get away from Sybil's non-stop talking. Micky stands in the doorway leading into the kitchen. Peter & Honeywell watch as a Franch maid's outfit goes flying over Micky's head, making him duck.* ;) :P

(The maid's outfit hits Honeywell in the nose. Peter grabs him and pulls him out as quickly as possible. :o )

(Peter pushes Honeywell into the kitchen. Emma is mixing something in a blender. Mike offers the guys a glass. It's a very, very dark red, the color of blood. Peter takes one look at it and flees the kitchen, looking more than a bit green, grabbing Honeywell with him. Mike shrugs and goes to Emma as we finally see the ingredients on the counter - strawberries, ice cubes, orange juice, and cherries.)

(Peter and Honeywell literally run into a screaming Carol. She grabs at Honeywell's coat, wailing and sobbing before finally passing out in his arms. Peter gently but rather shyly puts her in a chair, then pulls Honeywell down to the lounge.)

(Valerie pulls Peter over to a piano in the ballroom to cheer him up and make him less nervous, while Davy and Daphne do a dance exhibition for Honeywell. :) )

*Lauren enters the ballroom, arms folded, with Micky right behind her, holding an ice pack to his head.* ;)

(Ida comes in with a tray of the slush-style drinks Emma mixed in the kitchen, followed by Emma with a tray of various cookies, cakes, and vegetable and meat trays. Mike joins them, holding an ice pack on HIS head with one hand and drinking really strong coffee with the other. :p :) )

(Honeywell and Valerie take the drinks as the kids' dance ends, along with the song.)

Honeywell: (Sighs) Look, I might as well be frank with all of you.

Mike: That's a first. (Emma elbows him) :p

Honeywell: I'm not a bible salesman. I'm a CIS agent.

Davy: Some of us guessed that, Inspectah. :p

Honeywell: (Squints) Jones? What are you doing here?

Valerie: We could ask the same of you, Inspector.

Honeywell: I'm investigating a pornography publication ring.

Ida: Huh?

Micky: *perks up* Come again? ;)

Valerie: He's looking for someone who sells and prints dirty books.

*Lauren glares at Micky, making him drop his ice pack.* :P ;)

Honeywell: I told you what I'm doing here. What are all of YOU doing here?

Valerie: Mr and Mrs. Charrelston are...were good friends of mine.

Honeywell: Were? (Raises his eyebrows...then groans and grabs the ice pack on his head) :p

Mike: That seems to be goin' around. (Holds one on his head.)

Carol: My husband...he's dead. He's dead and gone now. (Voice rises) Someone killed him! :o :((

Honeywell: Someone must have gotten to him before we could. :p

Carol: What?

Lauren: Huh?

Honeywell: Mrs. Charrelston, I hate to tell you this, but...(sighs) we suspect your husband was in charge of the ring, at least in this part of California.

Carol: (Sits down hard on the chair; Ida and Valerie both go to her) What? :o

Honeywell: Reggie Charrelston ran the Southern California branch of an international pornography ring. We were hoping to question him and find out who the head is, but it seems someone took him out before we could get him to talk. :p

Carol: But...but...he's a well-known mystery publisher! :o

Honeywell: He's published underground pornographic books and magazines under at least seven different company names for years. We haven't been able to catch him until now.

Lauren: Wow...

Mike: We still have his very fresh body here, Inspector. We could even gift-wrap him for you.

Honeywell: Just showing me to him will be more than necessary, thank you.

(Cut to another shot of everyone's darting feet, and we finally make it to the lounge. Honeywell puts the ice bag on a table and throws the door open...to find Bobby and Annie necking on top of each other. Reggie is on another couch with a blanket and a bottle of rum over him.)

Sybil: Oh, my. The psychological implications of this, not to mention the sexual... :o

Valerie: Please put a sock in it, Sybil. :p

Bobby: (As he and Annie finally manage to turn around) Oh, um, hi folks. Enjoying the party? :) ;)

Honeywell: I see you two certainly are. (Frowns) Is that Reggie?

Annie: Yeah. He just had a little too much and is sleeping it off.

Honeywell: Please, I know all about what's gone on here tonight. That man is sleeping it off for good.

Annie: How did you find out?

Honeywell: I'm CIS, ma'am. Besides, (nods at the others) they told me.

Annie: You TOLD him?

Honeywell: I'm going to have to know if we're going to find out who killed him. (Looks behind him) Um, you guys wouldn't know just WHO killed him, would you?

Micky: Process of elimination, anyone?

Mike: Ok, he was killed when we were all in the dinin' room, havin' dinner. (Looks at the assembled group) Who wasn't here the whole time in the dinin' room?

Curry: (Appears in the doorway with a gun in his hand) I think you'll come to the conclusion that I wasn't. ;) >:)

Mike: (The gun is pointed straight at him) Oh, shit. :o

Curry: Nobody move, or Tex here gets it. X(

Micky: Oh, sure... :P

Emma: No! (She stands, but Valerie puts a hand on her shoulder)

Carol: Curry...why?

Curry: The only reason I ever took this lousy job was to get into his confidance. I'm not a butlah, Mrs. Charrelston. I'm a hit man. ;) >:)

Ida: I KNEW you were a lousy butler. ;) :p

Davy: You're a disgrace to us Britons! :p

Honeywell: You won't get away with this, fellow.

Curry: Name one reason I won't.

Mike: Well, here's one. (He hits Curry on the hand as a batallion of men dressed like Honeywell come in the lounge.)

Micky: What a good reason. ;)

Honeywell: (Grins and indicates Curry) That's him, boys. You can book him for the murder of Reggie Charrelston.

Carol: But...why? Why did you do it? :o

Curry: I was hired. I'm a professional, Mrs. Charrelston. This is WHAT I do.

Valerie: Who hired you?

Curry: I'm not sure. I only talked to a phone. I'm in the phone book under "hit men." ;)

Honeywell: (As he hands Curry to the ever-present Agent Broderick) That's it, fellows. We're slamming the book shut on this case.

Agent Broderick: I slammed my hand in a car door once. ;)

(Honeywell rolls his eyes as Broderick leads Curry out, followed by most of the men. The remaining men take notes and samples from the crime scene and talk to Sybil, Carol, Annie, and Bobby, the latter two of whom have finally untangled their limbs from each other.)

Honeywell: (Turns to the eight young people sitting on the couch and chairs in the back of the room) Thanks, kids. Nice job.

Micky: No problem. ;)

Emma: (Shrugs) It was obvious. He was the only one who wasn't in the dining room when the muder occured.

Honeywell: Say, you wouldn't want to help further with catching this pornography ring...

Mike: (puts up a hand) NO, Honeywell. Tonight was more than enough. We're rock muscians, not spies.

Peter: Please. Solving a murder tonight was scary enough. I almost got killed and lost my wife and my best friend the last time we did any spying for you! :p

Honeywell: But you could get in touch with people in your posistion I would never be able to...

Mike: NO, HONEYWELL. NO MORE SPYING.

Honeywell: Very well. I'll need all of you here to come to the office for statements, and we'll be finished tonight. (He walks out...and into a door...before finally making it out of the house)

Mike: God, that guy is a bozo. I can't believe he thought we'd really spy for him again. :p

Emma: We HAVE helped him in the past, Mike.

Mike: And almost gotten killed for our efforts.

Micky: He kinda reminds me of a rash. He keeps coming back. :P ;)

Mike: There are times when ongoing characters can get really annoying. :p

Valerie: Well, we might as well give Carol our farewells and go and get our statements over with.

(Ida brings the group their wraps and hats and gives Valerie one last hug.)

Ida: You be good now, young lady. I don't want to hear that you've gone and done anything silly, like blown something up. ;)

Valerie: (Sideways glance at Micky) Oh, no, I have someone who does that for me. ;)

Micky: Any time! ;) :D

Emma: What about Carol?

(Carol is now being consoled by Sybil. Annie and Bobby have returned to...well, they've returned to enjoying themselves. ;) )

Ida: Sybil will help her, and maybe someone will talk her into seeing a REAL psychiatrist.

Mike: (Frowns) You know, I bet all those letters and nasty warnings Carol recieved weren't intended for her. She never said the letters or phone calls or even that bird specifically mentioned her. I bet they were intended for her husband and got to the wrong person by mistake.

Emma: And the bird may have been intended to unnerve husband and wife. Whomever hired Curry may have thought they were both in on the porno ring.

Lauren: That makes sense.

Peter: There's still one thing I don't know...

Valerie: ONE thing? :p

Peter: Who hired Curry in the first place?

Ida: Probably some rival porno ring. :p

Mike: Or the head of the ring Reggie was involved in was getting nervous and decided to eliminate him.

Davy: I guess we'll nevah know now.

Peter: What about Annie and Bobby?

Ida: (As noises drift over from the couch) I think they'll survive. :p

Mike: We'd better go give Honeywell his statements.

Valerie: (Nods) I had a very...interesting...time, Ida. Invite us over the next time you're having a dress-up party. :)

Lauren: As long as it isn't a murder mystery. ;)

Ida: Yeah, and I'll make sure to screen the next butler we hire, so it doesn't turn into more of a mystery than originally planned. ;)

Valerie: Thanks again, Ida! (Smiles, and heads out with the others to their respective cars, as Ida returns to dusting...including the area where the chalk outline of Reggie Charrelston's body is. The outline is rather, um, contorted to actually be what Reggie looks like when he fell. The camera fades out on Ida, the duster, and the outline.)