Charlie's Dinner

by DoctorH

A Murdoch Mysteries teleplay: In a locked house, a hostess holds a dinner for six guests. The hostess is stabbed and one of the six guests is guilty, but which one? Murdoch is on the case, and he finds that all of the witnesses' stories are remarkably consistent; yet at least one of them must be lying. A solution to the mystery is included.

1. ACT I

"CHARLIE'S DINNER"

(FADE IN. EXT. OF CHARLIE'S HOUSE, about 7:25 in the evening. CUT TO: INT. OF CHARLIE'S HOUSE. There is a gathering going on. At first glance, it is a party, but quickly it becomes evident that this is not a happy get-together. Present are: CHARLIE Luna, a lady in her early twenties (not immediately visible); CHESTER Stanley Shepherd, a very rough-looking and scary fellow; JOHN Luna, a late forty-ish man of average means; MAGGIE Lynne, an attractive woman in her middle years; MARK Mariner, a distinguished man in his mid-fifties; STELLA Bassett, a pretty lady in her mid-twenties (not immediately visible); and SUMMER Kitt, an elderly and very distinguished lady who seems to have most of her mental and physical faculties. Except for CHESTER, who seems to be dressed for hooliganism, all of these people are dressed nicely for dinner. Various rooms of the house are visible, but it is impossible to see every room in the house from any location. There is a sitting room, next to a dining room. The dining room has a table with seven chairs; numerous empty or mostly empty dishes on the table indicate that a meal had been served there. Near the dining room is a telephone. A hallway separates two bedrooms from the sitting room and dining room. Beyond the dining room, barely visible, is a kitchen, and the hallway obviously leads somewhere, but where it leads cannot be seen. The kitchen is something of a mess, as it was used to prepare the meal. All of the people seem to be engrossed in their own activities and are not paying much attention to anyone else. MAGGIE comes from the hallway that leads to the unseen place; STELLA notices MAGGIE and casually walks to the hallway where MAGGIE came from, and disappears. CHESTER is in the sitting room examining some items he found on the fireplace mantle; the items will turn out to be a photograph and a brick. CHESTER seems engrossed in the items. SUMMER is looking in one of the bedrooms; she emerges, looks around, doesn't see what she was looking for, notices CHESTER in the sitting room, and goes back into the bedroom. MARK emerges from the other bedroom and saunters down the hallway. MARK passes JOHN going the other direction, and JOHN goes a step or two into the dining room. MAGGIE is in the dining room; both MAGGIE and JOHN seem to be searching for something. MAGGIE keeps am eye on CHESTER. JOHN does an about-face. For the next several seconds, the camera focuses exclusively on CHESTER, with none of the others being visible. CHESTER is examining the items he has found, and though he doesn't move from where he is standing, he seems to be emotionally affected and he begins looking around as if trying to look for someone. There is a loud scream from a woman, and it will later be established that the scream came from STELLA. CHESTER, JOHN, and MAGGIE all turn in the direction of the hallway. JOHN reacts quickly, but someone— it is MARK but he is not clearly seen— runs past him, and the camera follows JOHN down the hallway (past the kitchen on one side and a storage room and washroom on the other), to two more adjoining rooms, a study and a library. The library is the farthest room in the house from the other rooms. On the floor, face down, is CHARLIE, a knife in her back, blood on her clothes. CHARLIE in not laying on the floor in a normal fashion: her body seems to have collapsed and one of her legs is oddly askew. STELLA stands between the library and the study, looking at the body of CHARLIE in horror and shock. STELLA screams again, but not as much as before. MAGGIE, MARK, CHESTER, and SUMMER join JOHN and STELLA. MARK is distressed and looks away at a bookshelf.)

JOHN
What happened?

STELLA
(shaking, in great distress) S-s-somebody stabbed Charlie!

MARGARET
Did you see who did it?

STELLA
No! I just came in here and saw she was on the floor, bloody!

MARK
Who screamed?

STELLA
I screamed!

(CHESTER has an "Oh, no!" look on his face, and he turns away. CHESTER slowly moves toward the front door. MARK is surveying the scene, and he sees a book in the bookshelf, which takes his full attention. He takes the book and looks at it in shock, then looks at CHARLIE. All the others are in a state of distress.)

SUMMER
What do we do?

MARGARET
We telephone the Constabulary!

(MARGARET goes to the telephone near the dining room.)

JOHN
Did anyone see—?

SUMMER
I didn't.

STELLA
I didn't.

JOHN
I didn't, either.

MARGARET
(on telephone) I wish to report a stabbing. I believe a woman has been killed. Please send someone at once to—

(JOHN sees something on the floor next to the body; it is a key. JOHN stoops down and tries to see what the item is without disturbing the body. When he realizes what it is, JOHN picks up the key and stands up.)

JOHN
Here! I've got the key. It fell out of Charlotte's pocket!

MARGARET
(rejoining the others) Constables are on their way!

JOHN
(waving the key) I'll unlock the front door! I'll let the constables in! (to the others) Touch nothing!

(As JOHN stands up, MARK kneels down next to CHARLIE. After watching MARK for a few seconds, JOHN moves to the front door. JOHN passes CHESTER, who was also moving in the direction of the front door. CHESTER sees what JOHN is up to, and stays close behind him. A view of CHARLIE shows MARK kneeling and bending down to talk to CHARLIE. MARK is holding a book of some kind. STELLA, SUMMER and MARGARET keep their distance from the body.)

MARK
(quietly) Charlie. You—

(The rest of what MARK says cannot be heard [though his lips show him saying "You were right. I am sorry. I am so sorry. Please forgive me."] SUMMER views this scene as strange. STELLA is shaking and leaves the library/study area; she walks a few paces then stops and turns to face the scene of the crime, still shaking uncontrollably. JOHN reaches the front door, and tries the key in the front door; the key works, JOHN opens the door. Outside, it is evening, about 7:30. As soon as the door opens, CHESTER slips through the front door and runs off. JOHN thinks to shout at him, but says nothing and stands with his mouth agape. Moments later, CRABTREE and HIGGINS, in uniform, come running to the front door; they apparently did not see CHESTER running away.)

CRABTREE
Sir, you summoned the Constabulary?

JOHN
(rattled) Yes. There's been— Charlotte— In the—

(JOHN doesn't seem to know what to say, but he admits CRABTREE and HIGGINS into the house and points them in the right direction. FADE OUT.)