Episode 215 - 4/24/67

At The Blue Whale, Burke sees Maggie and joins her at her table. The talk about his altercation with Willie Loomis, and Maggie says it was very effective, as neither has seen him since. Maggie notices Jason arriving at the bar, alone.

Burke goes up to Jason and asks about Willie, since he hasn't seen him around. Jason says that must be a load off his mind. Burke presses Jason on where Willie is, and he says he doesn't know. He hasn't seen him since Burke beat him up. He says he went back to Collinwood to pack, but then disappeared without taking his things. And then his things disappeared the next day. Jason says Willie disappeared knowing he had money for him.

Burke rejoins Maggie, and then a depressed Joe shows up. He says he went to visit his uncle on his farm, and ended up helping search for a missing calf. There was no explanation for its disappearance. They found it on the other side of town, dead. A vet determined that the calf wasn't injured, but had died from a loss of blood. There wasn't a drop of blood in the calf's body, nor where it was found. The vet says it had two small puncture marks on the throat. Burke asks what anyone would want with calf's blood.

Willie ambles into the bar. Burke goes up to him and Willie all but ignores him. He asks what Burke wants. Burke asks what the last thing he told him was, and Willie says he wanted him to get out of town. Willie says he won't make any trouble, and says he's sorry. Burke can't believe it. He asks if Willie is all right. Willie says nothing is the matter, but he's noticeably shaken. He starts to take a drink and clutches his head. He asks Burke to leave him alone.

Jason returns and Burke intercepts him. He tells him that something's wrong with Willie. Jason approaches Willie, who is happy to see him. Jason asks where he's been, and Willie tells him not to ask. He says he doesn't want to talk about it. Jason tells him he knows he was in the cemetery, and Willie jerks up. He denies it, but Jason knows better. Jason asks how he could sink so low as to rob a stiff. Willie says he didn't. Jason offers him the $500 to get out of town, Willie says he doesn't want it.

Burke tells Joe and Maggie that he doesn't know what happened to Willie, but something's wrong. Joe continues to bemoan the dead calf.

Jason says Willie can't stay, and he tells Jason he has to. He asks Jason to leave him alone. Jason notices spots of blood on Willie's sleeve, and asks him where they came from. 

Our thoughts

John: Finally! A sign of vampirism in Collinwood. Anyone who missed Barnabas' hand coming out of the coffin might not realize there's anything odd about the new stranger in Collinwood.

Christine: Today it's calf blood, but who will be on the menu in the days to come?

John: Kudos to John Karlen. Now having seen his early Willie appearances, the transformation he's gone through is pretty amazing. If you haven't seen the last few weeks pre-Barnabas' arrival, you won't fully appreciate his fine performance.

Christine: He's even got Burke worried about him.

John: Fascinating how the groundwork has been laid for Willie Loomis to be a Chupacabra!