Episode 175 - 2/24/67

Word of 'Laura Collins' charred body disappearing in Phoenix reaches Collinwood. Guthrie tells Vicki that Frank got word that the vault where the body was placed was found empty. Vicki and Guthrie discuss the fire connection to Laura, and he says the only way to find out if she's the real cause of the problems at Collinwood is another seance. Guthrie says he's eager to tell Laura about the missing body.

Burke tells Laura that Guthrie is a parapsychologist. She says she knows, and she doesn't care. Burke doesn't understand why he's investigating her. Laura tells Burke that she needs him to trust her.

There's a knock at the door, and Guthrie asks Vicki not to mention the body if it happens to be Mrs. Collins. Vicki answers the door to Burke. She won't let him in the house. Guthrie leaves the house to find them on the front porch. He leaves and Burke asks Vicki who Guthrie is. She says she doesn't know what he means and goes inside. Burke follows her, and she says that the doctor is doing whatever he can to help Liz. Burke asks if he suspects Laura, as he needs to know if he can trust her. He asks Vicki if she trusts her. Vicki explains that the spirit of Josette led her to a crypt where she found two ancestors of Laura who died by fire. Burke doesn't understand the connection to Laura. Vicki says these are the reasons why she doesn't trust Laura, and why she fears her. Vicki tells Burke about the missing body in Phoenix.

Laura sits by the fire when there's a knock at the door. It's Guthrie. He tells her that there's news from Phoenix. She says if it's news from Phoenix, it's not important to her. She expresses her annoyance to Guthrie. He tells her that when they went to bury the body of the burned woman in Phoenix, it was gone. Guthrie mentions that Laura seems upset by the news. Guthrie presses the issue, and asks Laura why it matters so much to her.

She tells him to go away and leave her alone. She then threatens him. He asks what she's threatening to do. She suggests he goes back to the house, when there's another knock at the door.

Burke comes in and asks what Guthrie is doing. Laura asks Burke to make Guthrie leave. Guthrie leaves on his own, and Burke suggests that folks will leave her alone when she explains a few simple facts. Laura leaves the cottage, and Burke follows her out. He asks why she lied about seeing Liz before she fell ill. He asks if she did anything to Liz. She asks him to leave her alone, and he does. Laura goes back inside and returns to the fireplace.

Guthrie returns to the main house, and we see Laura's wide eyes superimposed as he walks in and collapses before the fireplace.

Our thoughts

John: So the disappearance of the body in Phoenix must be related to Laura's time is truly running out. How come no one has brought up the legend of the phoenix to Guthrie?

Christine: Maybe they should have hung David's drawing from Episode 141 on the fridge so they could remember it. I thought surely Vicki would mention it to Guthrie when relating all the connections Laura has to fire.

John: Laura's world appears to be closing in around her, with even Burke wavering as her ally.

Christine: Perhaps her power is diminishing as she gets closer to the end of her phoenix cycle and her hold on Burke is weakening.

John: So Guthrie pushed and pushed, and he got the answer he was looking for. Question is, did he push too far? I guess we'll find out next week. If he survives this episode, they'd better get that next seance scheduled, and fast!

Christine: When the entrancement music begins (aka Cue 145: Spooky, Low Wail, Zap Music) and Laura is staring into fire, it means someone is going down. Looks like Liz may get a roomie, unless someone disrupts Laura's concentration.