Episode 69 - 9/29/66

Mrs. Johnson meets with Burke Devlin in his hotel room. She also believes Bill was murdered. She says Bill thought the world of Mrs. Stoddard, but didn't have much use for Roger. Mrs. Johnson admits to harboring special feelings for Bill, though he never realized it. They go over the timeline when she last saw Bill, and she suggests his body washing up on the shore of Widow's Hill was Bill's way of identifying his killer—Roger Collins.

Carolyn calls Joe into Roger's office. She wants him to take the day off. He says he can't, and they make out in the office.

Burke tells Mrs. Johnson that Bill said he could prove Roger was guilty. He asks Mrs. Johnson if she'll participate in his conspiracy to avenge Bill Malloy's death. She agrees.

Carolyn and Joe talk about her argument with Burke. Carolyn is conflicted, and Joe says Burke must be lying. He tells her about Burke being jealous that Roger ended up with Laura. Carolyn pleads with Joe to take her to the beach so she can listen to the waves and forget about Burke Devlin.

Burke fills Mrs. Johnson in on the timeline of Roger's whereabouts. Mrs. Johnson says Vicki must be lying to keep her job. Burke agrees Vicki must have been lying or mistaken about the timeline.

Joe tries to find someone to cover for him, but he can't. The phone rings in Roger's office and Carolyn answers it. It's for Joe—someone was looking for him to get back to work. Carolyn storms off in a huff.

Burke asks Mrs. Johnson to try and get a job up at Collinwood. There's a knock at his hotel room door. It's Carolyn. Burke hides Mrs. Johnson in the kitchen. Carolyn says her uncle denied Burke's claims. Bill plants the seed with Carolyn that Mrs. Johnson needs a job now that Bill is dead. Carolyn suggests that she could come up to Collinwood.

Our thoughts

John: Though I was right about Mrs. Johnson working for the Collins' clan, I had no idea it was under such suspicious circumstances.

Christine: Interesting how Joe draws parallels between Roger stealing Laura away from Burke with his money and sophistication the same way Burke may be stealing Carolyn away from good old easygoing square Joe. Carolyn is pretty spoiled to think that Joe can just take a day off work to entertain her and be upset when he can't.

John: "You do everybody a favor by walking around and letting everyone look at you"? That Burke Devlin is one smooth talker.

Christine: Joe could pick up a thing or two from the smooth talking school of Burke Devlin.

John: Burke plays Carolyn like a fiddle. Mrs. Johnson might be up at Collinwood before the week is out. She does have a creepy demeanor, and she's already planted the seeds that her beliefs hedge toward the uncanny. Maybe she's just the key that will unlock the ghosts of Collinwood once and for all.

Christine: She is quite a bit more spirited than the Mrs. Johnson we come to know at Collinwood. She believes in signs and omens and that Bill Malloy's corpse was pointing a dead finger at his killer. She may not be wrong about that.