Previously: In real time, Mr. Ash and John Boddy discovered Madame Chartreuse unconscious on the floor of Priscilla Black’s sitting room. John carried Chartreuse to a sofa while Mr. Ash went to call for an ambulance. While they were alone, Madame Chartreuse then regained consciousness and cryptically warned John of the room and the large mirror that hangs on the wall. John tried to calm her to no avail. When Madame Chartreuse became catatonic, John went to get Ash, but was distracted by an odd image in the mirror. Instead of seeing the room reflected in the mirror, he saw a woman who looked exactly like his deceased cousin Emily Peach. John went to the mirror and watched as the woman left the room. Suddenly, John became dizzy and passed out. Mr. Ash then came back into the room and was surprised that John was gone. When John woke up, he found himself in the strange parallel time. The Black Family of this parallel universe was having tea and Mrs. White asked Vivienne Scarlet if she would like to join them. Scarlet politely refused the offer but later went on a walk around the estate with John Boddy’s parallel time counterpart. Scarlet was unaware that Boddy had been instructed by his uncle Hugh Black to get rid of her. Vivienne and John ended up in the gate house that was undergoing remodeling, where Boddy chloroformed Vivienne. Meanwhile, a woman arrived at Tudor Manor, much to the dismay of Mrs. White and Dr. Black. The woman, Kasandra Scarlet’s mother, relaxed in the lounge, while in the gate house, John Boddy’s parallel time counterpart attempted to rape the unconscious Vivienne Scarlet. John, who had followed them, saw his evil doppelganger attacking Vivienne and hit him on the head with a crowbar.

“The Talented Mr. Boddy” Part 4

In the gate house, the evil John Boddy applies all of his weight on top of an unconscious Vivienne Scarlet . He reaches down and puts his hand up her skirt. He is about to force himself inside of her when John Boddy (rt) comes up behind him and hits him in the back of the head with a crowbar. John watches as his parallel time counterpart collapses on top of Vivienne.

In the hall, Wadsworth shows Kasandra Scarlet to the lounge. “Hello mother.” Kasandra says as she enters the room. A woman standing at the fireplace turns to face Kasandra. The woman is Elizabeth Peacock.

“Darling.” Elizabeth says. Kasandra closes the door and goes over to her mother.

“What are you doing here? Are you trying to mess everything up?” Scarlet asks.

“Darling, calm down. Come have a drink.” Elizabeth says.

“I don’t want to have a drink.” Kasandra says. “I want to know why you are here!”

Meanwhile, John checks the pulse of his evil counterpart and sees that he is dead. He then goes over to Vivienne and buttons her blouse. Suddenly, John hears voices coming from outside the door. He hurries to the window and looks out. He sees Rusty Nayler and another man talking. John, fearing the men will come inside and find Vivienne and his counterpart’s body, quickly opens the door and steps outside.

“Mr. Boddy?” Rusty Nayler says, surprised to see him.

“Hey.” John says, as he straightens out his shirt.

“I am glad you are here.” Rusty says. “This is the contractor your uncle hired to remodel the gate house. He has some plans he would like you to look at.”

“Oh, I really wish I could, but now is not a good time.” John says.

“Oh.” Rusty says. “Alright. Well, when would be a good time for you to look at them?”

“Um, I really don’t know. There is a lot going on.” John says.

“I am really sorry about your loss.” The contractor says.

“Oh, yes. Thanks, thank you very much.” John says, trying to get the men away from the gate house.

“Coral was a lovely woman. She and my mother played bridge together.” The contractor says. “We were all saddened to hear of her passing.”

“Coral’s dead?” John asks. Rusty gives him a strange look. John then realizes what he has just said. “I’m sorry. I know how that must have sounded. I guess I still haven’t dealt with her dying.” He laughs nervously. “It’s still so fresh.”

“Of course.” The contractor says.

“I will call you after the funeral so we can get back to working on the gate house.” Rusty tells the contractor.

“Ok, great.” The contractor says. “Once again I am sorry for your loss. Please give your family my best.”

“I will.” John says. The contractor leaves.

“Please forgive me.” Rusty says.

“What?” John asks.

“I wasn’t even thinking.” Rusty. “I didn’t even consider the fact that this is such a difficult time for you. It’s just so hard to get the contractor out here, that when I heard he was free, I jumped at the chance.”

“Don’t worry about it.” John says. “It’s fine.” He looks back at the gate house door.

“I guess I should get back to work.” Rusty says.

“Right.” John smiles. Rusty is about to go into the gate house when John stops him. “You’re working in there?”

“Well, I was going to do some painting.” Rusty says.

“You can’t!” John snaps. Rusty turns to face him.

“Is something wrong?” Rusty asks.

“No, of course not. But the paint. The color, I mean, it’s just all wrong.” John says.

“But we had that shade specifically mixed to your and Miss Scarlet’s exact specifications.” Rusty says.

“Miss Scarlet?” John asks.

“I mean Kasandra.” Rusty smiles. “I still can’t get used to calling her by her first name. Even though she insists.”

“Kasandra is funny like that.” John shrugs.

“Are you sure she isn’t happy with the color?” Rusty asks.

“What?” John asks.

“The paint. You said the color is wrong.” Rusty says.

“Oh, right. No, it’s not Kasandra. It’s me.” John says.

“You?” Rusty asks.

“Yeah, I just don’t think the color is right for the…” He motions with his hands. “The space.”

“To be honest, I didn’t think it was the right choice either.” Rusty smiles.

“So, I guess we’ll just have to pick something else.” John nods.

“Alright.” Rusty says. “Well, I guess I will just go tinker around in the garage.”

“Great.” John smiles. Rusty turns and is about to leave. But he stops.

“You know being engaged is working for you.” Rusty says.

“What do you mean?” John asks.

“I mean look at you. You look like a completely different person! Your hair and those clothes, I’ve never seen you dressed like this before.”

“I guess it was just time for a change.” John laughs nervously.

“I like the short hair. It suites you.” Rusty says.

“Thanks.” John says. Rusty leaves him alone. John takes a deep breath. In the gate house, Vivienne wakes up. She sits up on the couch and sees a pool of blood at her feet.

“Oh god!” She says. Standing up, she sees John’s (pt) body lying on the floor. She rushes across the room to the door and throws it open. She runs right into her cousin John Boddy.

“John!” She cries. John pushes her back inside and helps her to the couch. They sit down on the couch and embrace. Vivienne sobs into his shoulder.

“Shh.” John says. “It’s ok. Everything is ok.” Vivienne sits back.

“Is it really you?” She asks him.

“Yeah it’s me.” John says. He looks over at the body lying on the floor. “And that’s me, too.”

“That man is nothing like you.” Vivienne says.

“Was.” John says.

“What?” Vivienne asks.

“He was nothing like me. He’s dead.” John says.

“You killed him?” Vivienne asks.

“I didn’t mean to kill him, Viv.” John says. “I just meant to stop him.”

“Stop him?” Vivienne asks. “Stop him from what?”

“I couldn’t let him hurt you.” John says. Vivienne takes his hand.

“You saved my life.” She says. “Thank you.” John smiles. Then he looks over at the body.

“We’re going to have to do something about this mess before someone comes in here. I’ve already had to stop Rusty from coming here.” John tells her.

“Then we should hurry.” Vivienne stands up.

In the lounge, Kasandra and Elizabeth are sitting on the sofa when Mrs. White enters. “Excuse me, but your suite is ready.” White says.

“Thank you, Blanche.” Mrs. Peacock says. Mrs. White gives her a dirty look then leaves the room. “My word. I guess Blanche is still holding a grudge.”

“I don’t think she is the only one.” Kasandra says just as the family enters the hall. “Here they come.” Georgia Peach and Eric White enter, followed by Jonathan Green, Mason Black and Franklyn Peach.

“What is she doing here?” Franklyn Peach asks when he sees Elizabeth.

“Daddy.” Georgia says. “Let me help you sit down.”

“Hello, Elizabeth.” Mason says.

“It’s always nice to see you, Mason.” She smiles. “And Georgia I am so sorry about Coral.”

“Thanks.” Georgia says, pushing her step-father into an over stuffed arm chair. Wadsworth enters and opens up the mini-bar that is in the corner of the room.

“I could use a drink.” Jonathan Green says. He goes over to the bar and pours some brandy.

“Mason, where are you parents?” Elizabeth asks. “I would love to see them.”

“I bet you would.” Georgia says.

“Georgia.” Eric shakes his head.

“Oh come on. Everyone in this room is thinking it. I am just the only one brave enough to say it. Elizabeth why are you here?” Georgia asks.

“Georgia!” Kendal Forrest Black shouts from the door of the lounge. “Mrs. Peacock is a guest in my house and I will not have you speaking to her like that!”

“But Aunt Kendal…” Georgia says.

“That is enough.” Kendal says. She crosses the room to the sofa.

“Welcome to Blackport, Elizabeth.” Kendal says.

Back in the gate house, John and Vivienne have moved the body and have started to clean up the blood just as the door opens and Rusty enters. “Good heavens!” Rusty says when he sees the pool of blood on the floor.

“Rusty!” John says. “I thought I asked you not to come in here.”

“Yes, sir you did. But I needed some of my tools. What happened in here?” He asks.

“We had a little accident.” Vivienne says.

“A little accident?” Rusty says. “That is a whole lot of blood to have come from a little accident.”

“It’s fine Rusty. We’re going to take care of it.” John says.

“Maybe I should call your uncle and let him know what’s happened.” Rusty says, going over to a phone.

“You can’t!” Vivienne says.

“And why not. This is his estate the last time I checked.” Rusty says. “And he told me to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. And from where I am standing this looks pretty suspicious.”

“Rusty, please.” John says. “Can’t you just let it go and trust me when I say we are taking care of it?”

“No, I am afraid I can’t.” Rusty says. He picks up the phone to call Hugh. “Not only did your uncle tell me to watch out for anything suspicious, but he also told me to keep an eye on you as well.”

“On me?” John asks.

“But he’s not the John you need to keep an eye on!” Vivienne shouts.

“Vivienne!” John shouts at her.

“What is going on?” Rusty asks, putting the phone down.

“I am sorry, John. But we have to tell someone!” Vivienne says. “This is my cousin, Rusty.”

“I know that.” Rusty says. “I know you are a long-lost cousin. One of the Sable’s.”

“No, I’m not.” Vivienne says. “And this is my cousin John Boddy. The John you know is in there.” Vivienne points to the other room.

“What are you talking about?” Rusty asks.

“John Boddy, the John you know, he’s in there. And he’s dead.” Vivienne says. Rusty hurries past them and goes into the other room. They follow him in. On the floor is John’s body.

“How is this possible?” Rusty says, looking up at John.

“This isn’t going to make sense, but we come from a different time.” Vivienne says.

“Vivienne. You’re Vivienne Scarlet.” Rusty says. “And you. You are John Boddy.”

“You know who we are?” Vivienne asks. “But how?”

“Coral told me.” Rusty tells them.

“Coral?” John asks.

“Yes, she knew all about the time portal in her room. She was even writing about it in her journal.” Rusty says.

“She was?” Vivienne asks.

“Yes, and that’s why she is dead.” Rusty says.

“What do you mean?” Vivienne asks.

“Someone killed Coral so that she wouldn’t tell about the time portal.” Rusty says.

“Coral was murdered?” Vivienne asks. “Do you know who killed her?”

“No, but whoever did it is still here.” Rusty says.

“Then that explains why John chloroformed me.” Vivienne says. “Whoever killed Coral knows about the time portal and they know that I am from a different time.”

“That means that we need to get back to our own time before we end up like Coral.” John says.

“Rusty will you help us?” Vivienne asks.

“Of course. I would hate for anything to happen to you like it did to Coral.” Rusty says. “And I am sorry that Boddy tried to hurt you.”

“It’s not your fault Rusty.” Vivienne says, putting a hand on his shoulder. John goes over to the window and looks out at Tudor Manor.

“If you are right Rusty, and the person who silenced Coral is here on the estate, then we have to make sure that Vivienne stays kidnapped.” John says.

“What do you mean?” Vivienne asks.

“If you show up at the house, whoever is behind this will surely kidnap you again or even worse.” He says.

“Is there somewhere you can hide me, Rusty?” Vivienne asks.

“The only place I can think of that no one goes to but me is the tool shed.” Rusty says.

“The tool shed?” Vivienne frowns.

“It’ll have to do, Viv.” John says.

“But what about John?” Rusty asks. “People are going to start to wonder when he doesn’t show up.”

“But he is going to show up.” John tells them.

“He is?” Rusty and Vivienne ask in unison.

“I am going to pass myself off as Boddy, and find out who ordered your kidnapping and murdered Coral.”

“It will never work. They would know you are not their John.” Vivienne says.

“I fooled Rusty earlier.” John says. “I’ll change into John’s clothes and you two can school me in his mannerisms and tell me all about the family.”

“It’s too risky, John.” Vivienne says.

“It’s a risk I have to take if we are ever going to get home.” John says.

TO BE CONTINUED…