| EXT. VAN TASSEL ESTATE, ORCHARD -- NIGHT
The lantern light moves through the orchard, away from the house.
We cannot make out the person.
Elsewhere, Young Masbath runs in pursuit. He hides against one
tree, leans to look...
The light enters forest. Young Masbath follows.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- MORNING
Ichabod's hurting. Masbath helps with a shirt.
YOUNG MASBATH
Someone left last night. Looked like they headed to the square,
but I lost them in the forest.
ICHABOD
Man or woman?
YOUNG MASBATH
All I saw was their lantern.
ICHABOD
Business, best hidden is hidden best at night.
Ichabod goes to his work table, organizing his satchel.
YOUNG MASBATH
If someone has the Horseman's skull... if they control the Horseman,
then why haven't they sent him for your head yet?
ICHABOD
Because, I serve a fine purpose alive. It is perfection for our
murderer if I return to New York City with nothing more than tales
of a galloping ghoul.
(pause)
We must uncover the reason these victims were targeted. What was
taken from them... other than their lives? who benefits by their
deaths?
Ichabod fumbles the bottle of white powder.
It bounces, cork popping out... rolls under the bed.
ICHABOD
Damn it.
Ichabod kneels, pained. A trail of the blood-detecting powder has
spilled. The bottle is out of reach.
YOUNG MASBATH
I'll get it.
Young Masbath gets down, ready to crawl for it, but Ichabod stops
him, peering under.
ICHABOD
Wait...
Far under, near the bottle, some powder is bubbling.
Ichabod moves to the end of the bed and lifts, in pain. Young Masbath
helps. They drag the bed to one side.
Under the bed: a Satanic PENTAGRAM has been DRAWN IN BLOOD.
Ichabod stares, trying to grasp the implication. Masbath is about
to speak, but Ichabod puts a finger to his lips.
Ichabod moves to lock the door.
YOUNG MASBATH
(whispers)
Who did this?
Ichabod does not answer. He picks up a wash basin and dumps the
water to wash the Pentagram away.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE/CHURCH -- DAY
WAGONS, HORSES and TOWNSPEOPLE swarm. A CROWD loots the town's
general store. Provisions are passed along man to man and loaded
on wheelbarrows.
All up and down the long straight road, homeowners board up windows
with lumber.
Ichabod and Young Masbath ride, passing many angry faces.
ICHABOD
Panic has set in.
They stop, tying their horses and climbing stairs to the door of
the "NOTARY." Ichabod looks off...
DOWN THE ROAD, at the far end, people head to the church. Much
activity there as well.
ICHABOD
Sanctuary. Or, so they hope.
Families put up tents all around the church within the bordering
wrought-iron fence. Supplies abound.
People work to build and erect massive wooden crosses.
INT. NOTARY PUBLIC, HARDENBROOKIS OFFICES -- DAY
Tidy room. Young Masbath watches Ichabod hand a slip of paper to
the elderly Notary, Hardenbrook.
ICHABOD
Do you have these persons wills?
HARDENBROOK
I have everything... last testaments... birth certificates, death
certificates... deeds.
ICHABOD
Yes, sir... but, do you have these?
Hardenbrook studies the paper with his one good eye.
HARDENBROOK
Certainly... certainly.
Hardenbrook nods, handing the list back, grinning. Ichabod stands
waiting. Hardenbrook is still nodding.
ICHABOD
May I see them, Master Hardenbrook?
HARDENBROOK
Hmm? See them?
ICHABOD
May we look at them now?
HARDENBROOK
Of course. You want them... it shall not take long. Wait here.
Hardenbrook heads across the room. Ichabod offers the list.
ICHABOD
Maybe you should take this.
HARDENBROOK
A fine idea.
Hardenbrook takes it and exits. Young Masbath sits.
YOUNG MASBATH
What good is this?
ICHABOD
To discover what might have been taken from those who died, it will
help to know what was there that could be taken in the first place.
Ichabod waits. After a moment, he looks uncertain. He crosses to
the half-open door...
INT. NOTARY PUBLIC, RECORDS ROOM -- DAY
Ichabod sticks his head in, not liking what he sees.
Hardenbrook's amidst unbelievable disarray. Tables, shelves, and
baskets of unevenly piled documents.
Hardenbrook looks on a shelf, confused, then goes to a table, lifting
papers, mumbling.
HARDENBROOK
Damn... damn... damn...
ICHABOD
Master Hardenbrook...
Hardenbrook turns, a bit startled.
ICHABOD
Perhaps, I could assist in finding them?
HARDENBROOK
Well... that might be... helpful.
INT. NOTARY PUBLIC, RECORDS ROOM (TIME CUT) -- DAY
Hardenbrook is asleep in a chair, snoring, blind eye open. Ichabod
and Young Masbath face official-looking documents, with Ichabod
focused on one will in hand.
YOUNG MASBATH
My father had farm land. It was the only thing we owned of any value.
ICHABOD
(still reading)
And it now belongs to you, according to Baltus. I heard him say
it.
YOUNG MASBATH
Yes.
Ichabod turns the will in his hand to Masbath.
ICHABOD
Then look here at your father's will, and tell me why you are not
listed.
Young Masbath takes it, boggled. Ichabod grabs another.
ICHABOD
Van Garrett had denoted his elder son in his last wishes; the same
son murdered along with him. But Van Garrett's wife and two infant
children are not written... and they were spared.
(picks up another will)
Do you see? Philipse had no family to bestow his farm to. But, here...
(picks up another)
The Widow Windsor was listed on her late husband's will. After her
inheritance, she amended the document to include her bastard child.
This is why the Horseman made absolutely certain to impale the unborn
descendant.
Ichabod sits back.
ICHABOD
Only the heirs were killed. Proof that the Horseman slaughters by
assignment.
YOUNG MASBATH
But, if the farm is not mine, who stole it away?
ICHABOD
No one yet, far as I can tell. it has gone intestate.
YOUNG MASBATH
In-test... what?
ICHABOD
Intestate. Your farm... all the farms... they belong to no one.
YOUNG MASBATH
What does it mean?
Ichabod stares off.
ICHABOD
Often in such cases, property which has gone intestate legally passes
to whomever the deceased was indebted to. And, who in this town
is owed a great many debts?
YOUNG MASBATH
(realization)
Baltus Van Tassel.
ICHABOD
Did your father take a loan?
YOUNG MASBATH
Yes. I rode with him on payment days.
Ichabod stands, grim, gathering wills and his ledger.
ICHABOD
Tonight, we answer questions. And, to discover who moves about the
Van Tassel house after dark... all we need is a candle.
A LOUD NOISE is HEARD from the other room. Ichabod looks.
INT. HARDENBROOK'S OFFICES -- DAY
Ichabod bursts in. No one there. A chair has been knocked over
and the front door is ajar. Ichabod moves...
EXT. NOTARY -- DAY
Ichabod exits. All around is the commotion in the square as before.
No telling who it was who just fled.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- DAY
Young Masbath is seated, bored. Ichabod writes in his ledger. A
KNOCK on the door. They both look up.
KATRINA (o.s.)
(from outside door)
Constable... are you there?
(long pause)
Ichabod?
The knob is tried and found locked. Pause. At the bottom of the
door, a red rose is passed under.
This saddens Ichabod.
EXT. CHURCH -- NIGHT
Quiet night. The church is a sight, with a yard resembling an empty
squatter's tent city, surrounded by crosses. Boarded over windows
leak shafts of light.
MOVING PAST THE WINDOWS: many eyes peer out from the slats.
UP IN THE BELFRY, TWO RIFLEMEN are on watch.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT
Ichabod and Masbath are in darkness, still waiting. Ichabod takes
the cover off a lantern, looks at a clock. Midnight, straight up.
Ichabod stands, picks up an unlit candle.
ICHABOD
Midnight seems an appropriate time.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Ichabod and Young Masbath look out, cautious. They move to the
nearest door.
Ichabod crouches, using the candle to mark the seam of the door
and door frame. He's making a low, wax seal. If the door opens,
the seal will break.
They move to a second door, quietly. Ichabod makes another low
wax mark.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, MAIN ENTRANCE -- NIGHT
Ichabod and Masbath come downstairs to a hall. Ichabod continues
his wax marking at each door.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, BALTUS' OFFICE -- NIGHT
Ichabod and Young Masbath enter, shutting the door. Ichabod walks
to shelves at Baltus' desk, looks through ribbon bound DOCUMENTS
and hands some to Masbath.
Young Masbath pulls off the ribbon, pages through these "LOAN
AGREEMENT" parchments. Ichabod brings another pile.
ICHABOD
(whispering)
They are alphabetical.
Young Masbath has the M's. "MARYIE," "MEGAPOLENISIS,"
AND "MELYN..." Not finding what he wants.
YOUNG MASBATH
There is no Masbath here. My father's loan papers are missing.
ICHABOD
(regarding his documents)
There are none for Magistrate Philipse either. "Paasch, James"
"Pieter, Thomas" "Pos, William."
A FLOORBOARD CREAKS. Ichabod looks, blows out the lantern. He and
Young Masbath stand frozen.
Across the room, light comes under the door, stops, then continues.
A DOOR is HEARD OPENING and SHUTTING. Ichabod crosses to follow,
pointing back.
ICHABOD
Keep looking. Then, hide in my room and bolt the door till I return.
EXT. FOREST -- NIGHT
Lantern light moves, far ahead. Ichabod follows.
EXT. FOREST, FURTHER ON -- NIGHT
Ichabod stops, hidden. He can see the light ahead, but it is no
longer in motion. He advances.
EXT. FOREST CLEARING -- NIGHT
A lantern sits on a rock. on a blanket, a semi-naked MAN and semi-naked
WOMAN are in the midst of rough SEX.
Ichabod crawls to peer from underbrush.
The couple keeps coupling, with the man on top. His grunts and
gasps are particularly desperate. He's all over the woman, who lays
back... it is Lady van Tassel.
Ichabod swallows, inches closer.
Lady van Tassel pulls the man's shirt, exposes his flesh. She-raises
a small, sharp KNIFE behind his back.
Ichabod's eyes widen.
Lady Van Tassel brings the blade to her own hand, slicing deep
in her palm. Blood flows. She rubs her cut hand over her partner's
arching back, smearing blood.
Lady van Tassel caresses the man's chest, neck, face... trailing
blood. The man lifts his head, in ecstasy, sucks the woman's bloody
fingers... it's Clergyman Steenwyck.
Ichabod backs away, having seen more than plenty.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT
Young Masbath unlocks the door. Ichabod enters.
YOUNG MASBATH
I was getting worried. Who was it?
ICHABOD
Lady Van Tassel.
YOUNG MASBATH
What was she doing?
ICHABOD
Something I really wish I had not seen. Never mind it. Did you find
the victims' loan agreements?
YOUNG MASBATH
No. They are all missing.
This troubles Ichabod.
YOUNG MASBATH
There is more, though. while you were gone, I could hear someone
else walking through the house.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, UPSTAIRS HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Ichabod and Young Masbath creep round a corner. Going to the LAST
DOOR, Ichabod crouches, eyes narrowing...
ICHABOD
(whispers, to himself)
Katrina.
The wax seal is broken, flecks of wax on the floor.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, FOYER AND HALL -- NIGHT
Ichabod and Masbath come downstairs, checking all the wax marks.
Young Masbath finds one broken.
YOUNG MASBATH
Here.
Ichabod comes over, pushes the door...
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KITCHEN -- NIGHT
They enter. The kitchen is empty. Ichabod crosses to another door,
crouches. Another broken wax mark.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SEWING ROOM -- NIGHT
They enter... the room with the elaborate loom. Ichabod moves his
lantern to make a quick search, goes to table.
He touches the top of a candle. His finger comes away with a bit
of still wet wax.
YOUNG MASBATH
There are no other doors. This is as far as she could have gone.
ICHABOD
It is nothing. She comes to read books, so her father will not find
her.
(to convince himself)
It is absolutely nothing.
YOUNG MASBATH
What books?
ICHABOD
Fiction plays and novels. Baltus does not approve. Now, come. It
may not be long before Lady Van Tassel returns.
YOUNG MASBATH
But, sir... what books? Where are they?
Ichabod stops, looking around. No books anywhere.
YOUNG MASBATH
If there is a secret place for books... it could be just as good
for the missing loan agreements.
Ichabod ponders this without saying anything.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SEWING ROOM -- LATER NIGHT
SEARCH MONTAGE:
- Drawers are opened and searched, quietly.
- Young Masbath uses a candle to look up the fireplace.
- Ichabod opens a linen cabinet, unfolding blankets.
- Young Masbath looks in a closet filled with big spools of sewing
thread. on his knees,, pulls a wooden box forward. Inside it, he
finds only old cups and silverware.
Ichabod pulls up a rug, feeling along the floorboards.
Young Masbath crawls, doing the same. He climbs under the loom,
tapping on the floor. TAP... TAP... TAP ...
He crawls further under the loom. TAP... TAP ... PLONK. A hollow
sound. He taps again... PLONK... PLONK.
YOUNG MASBATH
Constable.
Ichabod comes over as Young Masbath lifts a loose board. Under
the floor, there are piles of books. Masbath brings them up, handing
them to Ichabod, who studies the spines.
Young Masbath reaches in up to his shoulder. He comes up with "LOAN
AGREEMENTS."
YOUNG MASBATH
Fie!. Here they are.
Ichabod takes them. Names are near the top: "Masbath,"
"Van Garret," "Philipse," and "Killian."
Ichabod sits back, numb, his heart bitterly broken.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KITCHEN -- MORNING
Lady Van Tassel prepares food with two servants at the open fireplace/oven.
Ichabod enters, rushed.
ICHABOD
Excuse me, Lady Van Tassel... Katrina is not in her room.
LADY VAN TASSEL
No. She has gone out.
ICHABOD
Where?
LADY VAN TASSEL
She has taken the last of our grain to be milled.
(crossing to him)
You do have a background in the medical arts, don't you, Constable?
ICHABOD
Very little. I must be going...
Lady Van Tassel holds out her cut palm, the gash sewn shut.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Will you look at this? I cut my hand this morning: I sewed it myself,
but I am afraid it will go bad.
Ichabod takes her hand, distracted and nervous.
ICHABOD
It appears well. It has already clotted.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Look closer. Do you have anything to clean it with?
ICHABOD
It is fine. Now, I must...
Lady Van Tassel grabs Ichabod by the wrist, tight.
LADY VAN TASSEL
(whispering, close)
I know you saw me.
ICHABOD
What... ?
Lady Van Tassel glances to servants, keeps her voice low.
LADY VAN TASSEL
I know you followed last night. You must promise not to tell Baltus...
Ichabod tries to pull away, but she grips tighter. The FRONT DOOR
is HEARD SLAMMING. Ichabod is panicky.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Have mercy on me. Please... have mercy.
Ichabod pulls away just as Baltus enters. Lady Van Tassel goes
back to work as if nothing happened.
BALTUS
Constable, it is urgent that we speak.
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