Living Proof - Installment Four Selection

Caroline, with both detectives following right behind her, took four steps towards the door, when the door opened by itself in front of her.  "Okay, Detective, what the heck do you call this?" Caroline burst out in a nervous blurt.  The three of them stopped, when suddenly...they heard a heavy thud from behind them followed almost immediately by another.  They whirled around to find Harold's body on the floor, limbs akimbo, and Chuck, the morgue attendant out cold right next to it.  Caroline screamed again, but did not faint, much to the relief of the weary detectives.

"What in the blue blazes is going on here?"  Keene's voice was beginning to loose its gentleness. 

Yes, it's definitely taking on an edge, thought Caroline as she fought to compose herself.  She was, after all, an actress.  She could handle this.  "What nerve could do that Detective?" Caroline asked a tad snidely as she walked a bit closer to Harold's body. 

Just then Harold showed up, laughing uproariously.  "I thought I'd give it a go, you know, but I seem to have made a bit of a mess."

"Harold, do you want them to find out about you?"  Caroline hissed.  "They might exorcise you or something."

"You worry too much.  You always did.  It's why you're ‘just a simple actress' and you never made it big.  We both know SOUNDS OF LOVE is a total B movie from the get go.  Why you keep harping on me not getting that bouncer part I'll never know.  It wasn't that big a deal to me.  I have a real life, well I did anyway, remember?"  Harold waved his hand as if to dismiss Caroline.

She just stood there and sputtered.  She was that mad.  How dare he!  "What do you know about it anyway Harold; you didn't stick around to see how my life was going.   You've always been so self-centered."

"Ahem.  Excuse me gentlemen, but if you are quite finished I do have another autopsy to perform."

Sharp and Keene, still trying to revive the attendant, both looked up sharply to see a doctor standing in the forgotten doorway.  "Of course, Doctor.  We just need a few more minutes here.

Caroline turned back to Harold to ask him about the tattoo, but he had gone.  Just like him, so unreliable.  The truth was, Harold wasn't a bad person at all.  She had no idea why he had said all those nasty things to her.  Maybe being dead makes you cranky.  "Are we done yet Detectives, I really need to get home.  I have lines to memorize for tomorrow's shoot."

"Yes", said Sharp as the attendant came around.  "I think we've seen enough."

"Would you mind dropping me at my bank?  It may sound stupid, but I always keep my scripts in the safety deposit box when I'm not at home.  A girl can't be too careful."  Caroline smiled at the two tired men.

Sharp just nodded.

Keene escorted Caroline into the bank where Harold was waiting.  "I was hoping you would come here.  Looks like you still stash your scripts in your safety deposit box like someone could steal your part away."

Before Caroline could open her mouth, Harold was gone.  She just snorted.  Keene looked up at her quizzically.  Caroline located her box and motioned to the bank teller to come and open it with her.  Suddenly, Keene placed his hand over Caroline's.  He bent and looked at the box number.  "Did Harold Dennis bank here?"

"Not that I know of, why?  Oh my God!  The numbers are laid out just like the tattoo."  Caroline was finding it hard to breathe.  Someone has tattooed a safety deposit box number on Harold's head.  But why?  Is that why he was murdered?  What's going on?

Keene was already on his cell to Sharp when the teller came to let Caroline into her box.  She retrieved her copy of SOUNDS OF LOVE and closed her box.  There was nothing else in it.

The bank was about to close and just as Caroline and Detective Keene were leaving a man rushed through the doors, almost knocking Caroline to the floor.  When she turned to scold him it was none other than ...