Episode 147 - 1/17/67

Roger goes to David's room and starts to take down the painting of his ex-wife. David interrupts him and says he can't take it. Roger asks why he wants a painting of his mother burning alive. David says he's supposed to have it, but he can't explain why. David says that Roger wants his mother to take him away. He tells Roger that he hates him and he hopes he'll die. Roger tells David he doesn't hate him. David tells Roger that if he takes the painting, he won't speak to his mother again.

Vicki comes upstairs to tell David to have lunch. He goes, and she tells Roger that David is disturbed. Roger brings up what happened to Sam, and Vicki wonders what the connection is between all of the instances of fire. Roger says they're all coincidences, and Vicki says they all started after Laura returned. Roger says he should be angry at Vicki for giving David the painting. Laura arrives and asks if David is willing to see her. Roger asks Vicki to take Laura downstairs, and he goes to grab the painting, but appears unable to do so.

Downstairs, Laura asks Vicki what happened with David. David appears and Laura invites him to her cottage. He says he has to do his schoolwork. Vicki says he can go if he wants to. He says he can't, and runs upstairs. Laura asks Vicki to arrange for them to meet again. Vicki says she doesn't want to disturb him further.

Burke Devlin looks at an old snapshot of Laura when Vicki arrives at his hotel room. She asks him about the photo. He says he loved her, but she married Roger. Vicki tells Burke that she doesn't trust Laura. She describes how she lied about the locket. Burke asks why she'd lie about it, and Vicki doesn't know. He asks if Roger is nervous around Laura, and Vicki says no. Burke gets a call, from Laura, asking him to meet her where they used to meet on the pier. After hanging up, Burke tells Vicki he has a few unanswered questions himself.

Laura meets Burke on the pier. She asks for his help with David. She says Burke means more to David than his own father. Burke says there may be a reason for that, and Laura says that could be, but she'd rather not discuss that right now. Burke gets her to say that if he helps her get David, she'll testify on his behalf in a retrial. They begin to talk about memories, and Burks starts to make a move on her. He says he should hate her, and not trust her, but when they're together, everything melts away.

Our thoughts

John: Roger almost gives a believable performance when he tells David that he doesn't hate him.

Christine: David was clearly not fooled since he promised not to speak to his mother if Roger took the painting away rather than threatening not to speak to Roger. It's about time Vicki started making connections between David's dream, Sam's painting, the Phoenix fire, and Laura's arrival.

John: Burke met Laura on a pier in London, by the looks of it. The fog machine was working double duty on this episode.

Christine: It was almost noirish, right down to the cheap dialogue:

Burke: You're late.
Laura:  You're early.
Burke: I was always an impatient man.
Laura: I remember.

Laura once again acknowledges the question of David's paternity. I'm surprised Burke didn't press Laura more on the issue. He didn't do Vicki any favors by telling Laura she was informing him of her friendly interactions with Roger.

John: Laura has a strange effect on everyone, but not a consistent one. Some folks appear compelled to do her bidding, while others are compelled to go against her wishes.