The Dresden Files s01e06 Episode Script
Soul Beneficiary
Gerry, time for breakfast! Ah.
Wake up sleepy head.
Gerry.
Time for breakfast honey.
Ready or not, here I come.
Gerry? Good morning sweetheart.
Please don't be mad at me.
I seem to have forgotten your name.
Nancy! Oh, god, Nancy.
Mr.
Franks, please try to relax.
Just calm drink some tea.
It's best for jangled nerves.
You're married.
Is that your wife Nancy you're talking about? Ten years.
I'm sorry, I'm getting so Please.
It's just, I'm terrified that any moment now I'm going to drop dead and I'm going to leave her all alone.
You look like a pretty fit guy to me.
You exercise, right? Yeah? I run, five times a week.
Do you have any enemies or anyone after you, or No, no, no.
See, it's not like that.
In the visions I'm having, I just die.
I'm not murdered or anything, I just die.
You just die? - Yeah.
- Yeah.
Sometimes I see myself slipping on the bathroom floor and cracking my skull.
Other times I'm out for a run and I just suddenly fall down.
It's so strange.
It's like I'm having this supernatural, out-of-body experience.
Like I'm watching myself in a movie.
I'm sorry to ask, but are you on any anti- anxiety medication? You're not going to help me are you? I know an excellent psychotherapist.
Can't you just hypnotize me or something, I mean, can you do something to block out these visions.
I've sent a number of people to him, and he really is great.
You should give him a call.
Oh Mr.
Franks, Mr.
Franks! Mr.
Franks! The Dresden Files SO1EO6 - Soul Beneficiary - transcript: swsubs.
com Here's a question.
If you could see the future but you couldn't do anything to change it, would you still want to know? Me, I prefer surprises, except in my soup.
Kelton Franks, 40 years old, from Highland Park.
Was he a client or a friend? Neither, I just met the guy.
What else can you tell me about him? Well, he was having premonitions he was going to die and now he's dead.
I meant something you didn't tell me on the phone an hour ago.
Uh, he's been married 10 years and he likes running.
Hm, married, that's probably what killed him.
You don't have a good thing to say about the institution of marriage do you? No, I don't have a good thing to say about my ex husband.
Excuse us.
I'm sorry.
Excuse me.
I'll have Butters run a full range of blood tests to see if anything pops up.
Okay.
What? No demand for an autopsy? Well not yet, but I reserve the right.
I reserve the authority.
Bye.
Alas poor Kelton, he did not go gentle into that good night, it was problably your tea that killed him given that you haven't washed your teapot during the current millennium I don't think it was bad housekeeping that killed him Bob.
Then what was it? Poison? People die, you know, it happens.
I checked his aura, it was clean.
Unlike your dishware.
Well, you might at least check the cup for spittle and how much did he drink? I don't know, two sips.
Hardly enough material to test with.
Next time I'll grab a kidney.
Yes, a kidney would be good.
A heart would be fantastic! Spittle! Garden variety heart attack Elevated cardiac enzymes Tox screen came back negatory Nada for drugs, alcohol, poisons boring.
Figures.
Poor guy probably worried himself to death.
You know, I wash my hands constantly.
What? I mean, haven't you noticed you never touch anything that I've touched? I do so.
Can I release the body to his wife Nancy? Yeah, just bring me the paperwork to sign.
Mrs.
Franks? Nancy? I'm Lt.
Murphy.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Thank you.
The Coroner says it was a heart attack.
A heart attack? But he was so healthy, I mean, he jogged Thanks Sharon.
Can I get you a glass of water? Yes, water would be nice.
Wait a minute, can I ask you something? Yeah, of course.
If my husband died of a heart attack why were the police called? Oh, well, your husband died in the office of a friend of mine.
A friend of yours? Well, more like someone I work with, a consultant, Harry Dresden.
Kelton never mentioned his name.
What kind of consulting does he do? He helps out with unusual cases.
Unusual how? What was my husband doing in a police consultant's office when he died? Mrs.
Franks, your husband died of a heart attack.
I'm really sorry.
Take whatever time you need.
Nothing? Not a smidge of colour.
Good.
Who was that on the phone? Murphy.
Coroner says it's a heart attack.
It's all over.
Harry, you're not really satisfied with that conclusion are you? Oh please, I mean there are at least 50 spells that could mimic a heart attack! Maybe we have been testing for the wrong thing And if we're to do any further experiments we're going to need quite a bit more of dear old Kelton.
I wish you could have pinched a hair follicle or two off the dead body before the police arrived.
I've got an idea.
It's a little out there.
And how would that be any different from any of your other ideas? Mixture's not strong enough.
I am trying to capture the essence, not overwhelm it.
Yes well, the only thing you're going to capture is a house fly or two.
Oh please.
All right, do that voodoo that you do, not very well.
Could you just Not strong enough? Maybe I just need to put a little more, that's all.
Get out of here.
Fine.
Hello.
I'm Nancy Franks, Kelton Franks' wife.
Oh, I'm very sorry about your husband.
Thank you.
I'm sorry for coming over like this, I really should have called first, but No, it's okay.
I just really need to see the place where Kelton Okay, come in.
Please excuse the place.
Can I get you a drink or something? No thank you.
It says on your door that you're a wizard.
What does that mean? It just means I help people with unusual problems.
Unusual how? Oh you know, metaphysical, inexplicable, just stuff.
Was Kelton a client of yours? No, he was just lost, he asked for directions, that was it.
Did you just lie to me? Of course not! Yes you did, I can see it in your eyes.
No Mrs.
Franks, why would I do that? What are you doing here? Is it some kind of a shrine? Yeah, that does look unusual doesn't it, but it's simple.
I can actually explain.
Is that blood? No, no, no, no.
It's a special varnish, it keeps the wood supple.
Why was my husband here? Okay, it was nothing really.
He just came by; he wanted my help interpreting some dreams.
Okay, that was it.
What dreams? He never talked to me about any dreams.
Mrs.
Franks, please don't get upset.
What did you do to my husband? Nancy, I didn't do anything.
Get away from me! Get away.
Mrs Franks, please, just calm down.
Try to relax.
You Mrs.
Franks? Oh my Oh not again.
So how's your heart attack theory looking now Murphy? You should be more concerned about how you're looking now.
Oh give me a break! Two deaths, in your office, within 6 hours of each other.
My Captain's all over my ass for not bringing you in.
Your captain should be ordering immediate autopsies on Nancy and Kelton Franks.
Thanks for the tip.
I already sent Kirmani over to the funeral to pick up Kilton's body and bring it to the morgue.
I'd like to be there.
No.
Excuse us, again.
I'll call you when I know something.
Thank you.
I do hope you remembered to collect Okay, let's see if anyone used a little Thaumaturgy on you Nancy.
I highly doubt Thaumaturgy was used.
Their deaths were relatively painless.
One uses Thaumaturgy to ensure the victim suffers.
And it can also be disguised as a heart attack.
Harry, you're not going to like hearing this, but there is one commonality between the deaths you're overlooking.
What? - You! - Me? You must consider the possibility that every time you come near an electrical appliance it short's out.
The heart is powered by electrical impulses, so if you are experiencing some sort of core energy surge - Core energy surge? - Yes.
- Bob! - What.
I didn't give anyone a heart attack, okay! If you say so.
Yeah I said so.
I heard you.
So drop it! Fine, but I wouldn't get too close to anyone for the next few days if I were you.
Okay Nancy let's see what flavour of Grim Reaper you had for lunch.
Sharon, 'A' sample.
Get out of here Dresden.
Murphy, I just want to see one thing.
I said go.
What's with you? Don't mind my little thing, don't want to touch anybody.
Get a flu shot.
Where's Kelton's body? This is it.
- What? - He was cremated? The woman at the mortuary said that Mrs.
Franks' told her too.
I can't believe this.
What am I going to do with a bunch of ashes? How should I know? I was told to bring them back, so I brought them back.
Put them on the bench.
Can we crack her open so we can see what's going on here? I love a good rib-cracking, I'll get right on it.
Sir, you're scheduled to be in court in half an hour.
- I am? - You are.
Thanks Sharon.
Sorry, Murphy, this is going to have to wait until tomorrow.
Hey Butters, I need this done tonight.
I'll get the overtime approved.
Okay, soon as I get back.
Excuse me, could I have that? Yes.
Get out.
Hey Bob.
I brought back a little more Kelton.
Ready? Get to work.
Yes, for all the good it will do.
Any residual magic would have been obliterated during the cremation process.
Bob, just stick your paw in there and tell me if you get something, okay.
Very well.
Thank you.
Are you sure these are Kelton's ashes? Ah, well Kirmani got them from the funeral home, it said Kelton on the label.
Well, I would offer they were mislabelled.
Something's certainly not right.
I'm going to call Murphy.
I think we need to talk to somebody at the Funeral Home.
And you look great.
Oh, I can't believe she wore that shawl with those shoes.
Where are we in finding that mortician? Nothing yet.
Dresden check in yet? No, it's been three hours.
What makes you think he'll find him before we do? Twenty bucks! You're on.
Let go of me! Hey Murphy.
Let go of me! - Meet Carol.
- I want to file a complaint.
Our delinquent mortician! Police brutality.
Oh, I'm not a cop.
Assault charges then; kidnapping.
Look, we know the ashes you gave police weren't Kelton Franks'.
You do? We do now.
This woman came into the mortuary and said she'd pay me if I gave her the body.
Who was she? I don't know her name.
She said she worked for the Coroner.
And you believed her? She was wearing a valid I.
D.
tag on her lab coat.
She was driving the Coroner's meat wagon.
What did she look like? Asian, pretty, hair pulled back, glasses.
It sounds like Butters' assistant, Sharon.
What? The cute one with the clip board? Kirmani! That money she gave you Yeah? Can you give it to me please? - Quick as you can? - All right.
Core energy surge my ass! Do you really have to use all of it? Well, it's Sharon's money, she touched it, so the more I use the better chance I've got of finding her.
I know, but the rent's due next week.
Bob, you're a spirit; you live in a skull and you have no physical needs.
You really gonna bitch about the rent? When I cast a tracking spell I never know where it's gonna take me, so I always brace myself for the worst; death, depravity, horror, the suburbs.
Oh God! Kelton? Who the hell are you? Kelton.
Look pal, there's no Kelton here, so listen, why don't you just get out of my house? Settle down, settle down.
I said get out of my house! Hey, hey, you don't remember me, Harry Dresden? You came to my office this morning.
You died.
- I'll take that as a no! - Get out! Calm down, calm down! No need for violence! Listen, do you have a twin brother? Get out! Sorry about that okay, sorry.
Sorry.
Remember how I said I prefer surprises? Well, I've had a change of heart.
I'd really like to know how this is going to turn out.
I'm having a premonition, but the answer is not well Kidnapping is still a crime, right? Well if Sharon stole his body from his this morning, so I gotta keep it safe, right? Here you go.
Paul Woods.
That seems like a valid license.
Could he be a doppleganger, or a simulacrum Sharon created? Skin walker? Oh god, I hope not.
Maybe he's I have no idea what's going on.
Where am I? God, what the hell did you do to me? It's all right, it's all right, calm down.
Relax.
We're not going to hurt you.
We're just going to ask you a few questions.
Who are you? I was going to ask you that.
Fine, Paul Woods.
Paul Woods, Paul Woods Does the name Kelton Franks mean anything to you? No, who's he? I thought he was you, but he died this morning, so I'm a little confused.
What's the first thing you remember about today? Waking up in bed next to my wife.
Your wife.
What does your wife look like? I'm not telling you that.
Okay, okay, okay.
What's your name? Oh god, please don't kill me.
I'm not going to kill you.
Yes you are, I know you are.
Tell me something Kelton, I mean Paul, do you have premonitions that you're about to die like all the time? How could you possibly know that? When you woke up this morning did you have a screeching headache? Who are you guys? Did you have a headache? Yes.
What are you thinking Bob? Answer the phone.
What are you thinking No, I'm fine, answer the phone.
Hello, Harry Dresden.
Hey, it's me.
Murphy? Hold on one second.
Stay there, stay there.
It can't be.
It can't be.
Murphy? I just want to let you know that I have every cop in Chicago looking for Sharon.
Meanwhile I have been checking her background and it looks like she's worked at the morgue in 10 different cities all over the US, including Atlanta and Tallahassee.
Okay, so? So, I lifted Kelton Franks finger prints from his home address, and guess what? I got two matches, one in Atlanta, one in Tallahassee, both under different names.
That's weird.
It gets weirder, when I pulled the driver's license photo on both these names I get Kelton Franks' face both times.
So, what the guys a con man, moving around, different identies? It's a nice theory, but these guys have one more thing in common - they're both dead.
How does your chest feel? Sore, why? May I? May you what? What are you doing? You poor, poor soul.
And guess what I find when I looked at these guys' next of kin? - Nancy.
- Right.
Both faces are Nancy, but the names are different, and according to these records, both Nancy's are still alive.
But ours is dead.
Murphy you've got to get down to the morgue right away and you got to make sure Nancy's body is still there, okay.
Yeah, I think you're right.
So what was that about Bob, what are you thinking? That man in there is not a doppleganger or a simulacrum, that is the original Kelton.
No, but he died here this morning.
I saw it.
No, he got better.
What does that mean? I recognize certain signs.
Signs of what? Kelton was killed this morning with profoundly black magic.
We did tests this morning.
Nothing came up.
We were looking for the wrong thing.
Believe me Harry, first he was killed with the black and then he was brought back by something even worse.
What are you talking about? Tragedy, heartbreak, unspeakable pain.
Paul, are you okay? Who are you? I'm Sharon, I'm here to take you home.
You are in over your head Harry.
Whoever is behind this has tremendous power and the will to use it.
So what am I supposed to do? Drop Kelton off at the nearest street corner? I could use a little support here Bob.
You're right, I'm sorry.
I'm behind you 100%, whatever decision you may make.
Sharon, she's done it again.
She will no doubt bring him back when it suits her.
She didn't kill him with black magic.
Something tells me he's going to stay dead this time Bob.
Yogi Berra once said, this is like d\j? vu all over again.
I've always found that feeling unsettling.
Of course, it could be worse.
I could be Kelton.
It says here his name is Paul Woods.
It's Kelton.
New name, new identity.
But we both saw Kelton this morning and he was dead.
Just like the guy in Tallahassee, the guy in Atlanta dead.
Murphy, just hold on, okay.
I want to bet you a day's pay one of those guys died when he was out running and one of those guys died in a bathroom fall.
How do you know that? I don't think those were premonitions Kelton was having.
I think they were memories.
I think you know the drill.
I'm getting close Murphy.
That is why Sharon killed him for real.
What do you mean for real? Okay, look, there's a lot I don't get, but what I think is that she has the ability to make it look like somebody's dead without them actually being dead.
Believe it or not, that actually makes sense to me.
They pump them full of korari poison, a paralytic agent, then Sharon fakes the autopsy.
So that's the how, what's the why? Greed Harry.
I'll bet you a day's pay that this is about money, specifically life insurance.
Yeah, and why kill lots of different people when you can kill the same guy over and over again, right? Exactly.
The wife, Nancy, her body's gone.
What do you mean? I mean the drawer her corpse used to be in, is empty.
There's more.
We sent a unit to search Paul Wood's place - the house is in flames.
Okay, that's Sharon, she tying up loose ends.
Now listen, Nancy, she might still be alive, but maybe not for long.
Alive? What are you on pal? No, no, I'll explain it in the car.
Let's go.
Hey, watch your back.
Sharon might decide you're a loose end too.
Thanks Murphy.
Harry, you must find Sharon.
She must be stopped.
I'm on it.
She must have touched this.
Good, good.
Now, when you find her, how do you plan to defeat her? That will be a game time decision.
No, no, no.
You must have a proper plan, otherwise the game will be over before it even starts.
Okay, earlier when you said Kelton was killed by the black and brought him back, what did you mean by that Bob? Resurrection, reanimation, but the name is not important.
What is important is the power.
Power to what? Bring someone back to life? That's not possible.
Not even for a wizard is it? What do you know about all this? Enough to be trapped inside my own skull for all eternity.
Didn't you lock the door? Yeah, I did.
Nancy? Nancy.
Nancy.
I know you're here Sharon.
I know you're here.
You really should improve your security.
This is the 2nd time I've gotten in here today.
What's this all about? Insurance money? You collecting death benefits over and over again? It's not all about money.
What's it about then? It doesn't matter.
Once I leave town they'll never find me or stop me.
Hello sweetheart.
Listen carefully.
Your name is Gerry Tildon, you live on Oaktree Court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This is your wife Lisa.
You've been married to her for 8 years.
You love each other very much.
Hi Lisa.
I'm Lisa's best friend Wendy.
I'll be staying with you two for a while.
Hey Wendy.
This is a mistake.
We should be heading for Tahiti, not Milwaukee.
I went to a lot of trouble setting up this new Tildon identity.
I intend to get my money's worth.
And then we can disappear.
Everything will be okay Gerry.
Okay sweetheart, let's go.
We have a long drive ahead of us.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Yeah we do.
Dresden? Harry! Great, Sharon's still in the wind and now Dresden's missing.
He's probably on a weekend pass to middle earth.
Harry? Harry? What are you looking at? Just the usual weirdness.
His coat.
Something's not right.
Let's go.
Where did that come from? I have no idea.
How's he doing this? Electricity? How does he even know we're here? Gerry Tildon mean anything to you? No, not yet.
Okay, I'm off to the bank to open a new account and then we've got a twelve o'clock appointment with the insurance agent.
Make sure he drinks every drop.
I doubled the dosage to keep him pliant.
He'll still be able to sign the insurance papers, right? He'll do anything we tell him.
But just in case he gives you any trouble, kill him.
Gerry, time for breakfast! Wake up sleepy head.
Gerry! Ready or not, here I come.
Good morning sweetheart.
Please don't be mad at me.
I seem to have forgotten your name.
Gerry, I love your sense of humor.
That's why I love you.
Drink your juice, and I'll show you how much.
What's the matter baby? I don't know.
I just I feel strange.
Well then, drink your juice.
It's fresh squeezed.
Go on.
Oh my god.
Honey are you mad at me? Can we talk about this? Maybe go to therapy? Snookums! Oh, I loved that picture.
Honey.
It's the potion.
Hello sweetheart.
Hello - Police! - Whoa.
Harry? Oh honey, don't go.
Hey, Harry, Harry, look at me.
Are you okay? Oh yeah, I know you.
Harry, come on.
I'm guessing you've been drugged.
Come on, let's get you checked out.
I think she's kind of cute.
Yeah, she's adorable.
Let's go.
Come on Harry, we're going back to Chicago.
Anything you say honey.
Come Harry, it's going to be okay.
No, you're not driving.
What do you mean? There you go, watch your head.
One, two, three, go! Yay! Holy mother.
Harry, get back in the car! You sure you're all right? Yeah, well, thanks to you.
Can I get you anything? No, I think whatever they gave me is wearing off.
Well, guess I'll see you around.
- Hey Murphy - Yeah.
You all right? When I came here earlier looking for you, there were words written in the air.
You sure you didn't drink something at Nancy's? Come on, Harry.
It's just an old trick my father taught me, that's all.
How does it work? Well, it's a trick.
I can't tell you how it works, it's a trick.
Right.
Of course.
Welcome back Harry.
Hey Bob.
Words in the air? Words in the air.
Yeah, thanks for tipping them off.
You'd have done the same for me.
You think I probably would have done.
Sharon, she still out there? Yeah.
Sooner or later she will be back, you know.
Yeah, hopefully later.
So Bob? Yes? This resurrection thing, death your punishment? You going to fill me in? Winifred.
She was a sorceress.
What, she's the one who turned you into a ghost? She's the one I lost my heart to all those centuries ago.
Yeah, and? She died.
And I brought her back.
You brought her back? Yes, I transgressed.
I crossed the line, several times.
I wanted her back so badly I destroyed us both.
And for my pains I was sentenced to spend all eternity in my skull.
Oh Bob!
Wake up sleepy head.
Gerry.
Time for breakfast honey.
Ready or not, here I come.
Gerry? Good morning sweetheart.
Please don't be mad at me.
I seem to have forgotten your name.
Nancy! Oh, god, Nancy.
Mr.
Franks, please try to relax.
Just calm drink some tea.
It's best for jangled nerves.
You're married.
Is that your wife Nancy you're talking about? Ten years.
I'm sorry, I'm getting so Please.
It's just, I'm terrified that any moment now I'm going to drop dead and I'm going to leave her all alone.
You look like a pretty fit guy to me.
You exercise, right? Yeah? I run, five times a week.
Do you have any enemies or anyone after you, or No, no, no.
See, it's not like that.
In the visions I'm having, I just die.
I'm not murdered or anything, I just die.
You just die? - Yeah.
- Yeah.
Sometimes I see myself slipping on the bathroom floor and cracking my skull.
Other times I'm out for a run and I just suddenly fall down.
It's so strange.
It's like I'm having this supernatural, out-of-body experience.
Like I'm watching myself in a movie.
I'm sorry to ask, but are you on any anti- anxiety medication? You're not going to help me are you? I know an excellent psychotherapist.
Can't you just hypnotize me or something, I mean, can you do something to block out these visions.
I've sent a number of people to him, and he really is great.
You should give him a call.
Oh Mr.
Franks, Mr.
Franks! Mr.
Franks! The Dresden Files SO1EO6 - Soul Beneficiary - transcript: swsubs.
com Here's a question.
If you could see the future but you couldn't do anything to change it, would you still want to know? Me, I prefer surprises, except in my soup.
Kelton Franks, 40 years old, from Highland Park.
Was he a client or a friend? Neither, I just met the guy.
What else can you tell me about him? Well, he was having premonitions he was going to die and now he's dead.
I meant something you didn't tell me on the phone an hour ago.
Uh, he's been married 10 years and he likes running.
Hm, married, that's probably what killed him.
You don't have a good thing to say about the institution of marriage do you? No, I don't have a good thing to say about my ex husband.
Excuse us.
I'm sorry.
Excuse me.
I'll have Butters run a full range of blood tests to see if anything pops up.
Okay.
What? No demand for an autopsy? Well not yet, but I reserve the right.
I reserve the authority.
Bye.
Alas poor Kelton, he did not go gentle into that good night, it was problably your tea that killed him given that you haven't washed your teapot during the current millennium I don't think it was bad housekeeping that killed him Bob.
Then what was it? Poison? People die, you know, it happens.
I checked his aura, it was clean.
Unlike your dishware.
Well, you might at least check the cup for spittle and how much did he drink? I don't know, two sips.
Hardly enough material to test with.
Next time I'll grab a kidney.
Yes, a kidney would be good.
A heart would be fantastic! Spittle! Garden variety heart attack Elevated cardiac enzymes Tox screen came back negatory Nada for drugs, alcohol, poisons boring.
Figures.
Poor guy probably worried himself to death.
You know, I wash my hands constantly.
What? I mean, haven't you noticed you never touch anything that I've touched? I do so.
Can I release the body to his wife Nancy? Yeah, just bring me the paperwork to sign.
Mrs.
Franks? Nancy? I'm Lt.
Murphy.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Thank you.
The Coroner says it was a heart attack.
A heart attack? But he was so healthy, I mean, he jogged Thanks Sharon.
Can I get you a glass of water? Yes, water would be nice.
Wait a minute, can I ask you something? Yeah, of course.
If my husband died of a heart attack why were the police called? Oh, well, your husband died in the office of a friend of mine.
A friend of yours? Well, more like someone I work with, a consultant, Harry Dresden.
Kelton never mentioned his name.
What kind of consulting does he do? He helps out with unusual cases.
Unusual how? What was my husband doing in a police consultant's office when he died? Mrs.
Franks, your husband died of a heart attack.
I'm really sorry.
Take whatever time you need.
Nothing? Not a smidge of colour.
Good.
Who was that on the phone? Murphy.
Coroner says it's a heart attack.
It's all over.
Harry, you're not really satisfied with that conclusion are you? Oh please, I mean there are at least 50 spells that could mimic a heart attack! Maybe we have been testing for the wrong thing And if we're to do any further experiments we're going to need quite a bit more of dear old Kelton.
I wish you could have pinched a hair follicle or two off the dead body before the police arrived.
I've got an idea.
It's a little out there.
And how would that be any different from any of your other ideas? Mixture's not strong enough.
I am trying to capture the essence, not overwhelm it.
Yes well, the only thing you're going to capture is a house fly or two.
Oh please.
All right, do that voodoo that you do, not very well.
Could you just Not strong enough? Maybe I just need to put a little more, that's all.
Get out of here.
Fine.
Hello.
I'm Nancy Franks, Kelton Franks' wife.
Oh, I'm very sorry about your husband.
Thank you.
I'm sorry for coming over like this, I really should have called first, but No, it's okay.
I just really need to see the place where Kelton Okay, come in.
Please excuse the place.
Can I get you a drink or something? No thank you.
It says on your door that you're a wizard.
What does that mean? It just means I help people with unusual problems.
Unusual how? Oh you know, metaphysical, inexplicable, just stuff.
Was Kelton a client of yours? No, he was just lost, he asked for directions, that was it.
Did you just lie to me? Of course not! Yes you did, I can see it in your eyes.
No Mrs.
Franks, why would I do that? What are you doing here? Is it some kind of a shrine? Yeah, that does look unusual doesn't it, but it's simple.
I can actually explain.
Is that blood? No, no, no, no.
It's a special varnish, it keeps the wood supple.
Why was my husband here? Okay, it was nothing really.
He just came by; he wanted my help interpreting some dreams.
Okay, that was it.
What dreams? He never talked to me about any dreams.
Mrs.
Franks, please don't get upset.
What did you do to my husband? Nancy, I didn't do anything.
Get away from me! Get away.
Mrs Franks, please, just calm down.
Try to relax.
You Mrs.
Franks? Oh my Oh not again.
So how's your heart attack theory looking now Murphy? You should be more concerned about how you're looking now.
Oh give me a break! Two deaths, in your office, within 6 hours of each other.
My Captain's all over my ass for not bringing you in.
Your captain should be ordering immediate autopsies on Nancy and Kelton Franks.
Thanks for the tip.
I already sent Kirmani over to the funeral to pick up Kilton's body and bring it to the morgue.
I'd like to be there.
No.
Excuse us, again.
I'll call you when I know something.
Thank you.
I do hope you remembered to collect Okay, let's see if anyone used a little Thaumaturgy on you Nancy.
I highly doubt Thaumaturgy was used.
Their deaths were relatively painless.
One uses Thaumaturgy to ensure the victim suffers.
And it can also be disguised as a heart attack.
Harry, you're not going to like hearing this, but there is one commonality between the deaths you're overlooking.
What? - You! - Me? You must consider the possibility that every time you come near an electrical appliance it short's out.
The heart is powered by electrical impulses, so if you are experiencing some sort of core energy surge - Core energy surge? - Yes.
- Bob! - What.
I didn't give anyone a heart attack, okay! If you say so.
Yeah I said so.
I heard you.
So drop it! Fine, but I wouldn't get too close to anyone for the next few days if I were you.
Okay Nancy let's see what flavour of Grim Reaper you had for lunch.
Sharon, 'A' sample.
Get out of here Dresden.
Murphy, I just want to see one thing.
I said go.
What's with you? Don't mind my little thing, don't want to touch anybody.
Get a flu shot.
Where's Kelton's body? This is it.
- What? - He was cremated? The woman at the mortuary said that Mrs.
Franks' told her too.
I can't believe this.
What am I going to do with a bunch of ashes? How should I know? I was told to bring them back, so I brought them back.
Put them on the bench.
Can we crack her open so we can see what's going on here? I love a good rib-cracking, I'll get right on it.
Sir, you're scheduled to be in court in half an hour.
- I am? - You are.
Thanks Sharon.
Sorry, Murphy, this is going to have to wait until tomorrow.
Hey Butters, I need this done tonight.
I'll get the overtime approved.
Okay, soon as I get back.
Excuse me, could I have that? Yes.
Get out.
Hey Bob.
I brought back a little more Kelton.
Ready? Get to work.
Yes, for all the good it will do.
Any residual magic would have been obliterated during the cremation process.
Bob, just stick your paw in there and tell me if you get something, okay.
Very well.
Thank you.
Are you sure these are Kelton's ashes? Ah, well Kirmani got them from the funeral home, it said Kelton on the label.
Well, I would offer they were mislabelled.
Something's certainly not right.
I'm going to call Murphy.
I think we need to talk to somebody at the Funeral Home.
And you look great.
Oh, I can't believe she wore that shawl with those shoes.
Where are we in finding that mortician? Nothing yet.
Dresden check in yet? No, it's been three hours.
What makes you think he'll find him before we do? Twenty bucks! You're on.
Let go of me! Hey Murphy.
Let go of me! - Meet Carol.
- I want to file a complaint.
Our delinquent mortician! Police brutality.
Oh, I'm not a cop.
Assault charges then; kidnapping.
Look, we know the ashes you gave police weren't Kelton Franks'.
You do? We do now.
This woman came into the mortuary and said she'd pay me if I gave her the body.
Who was she? I don't know her name.
She said she worked for the Coroner.
And you believed her? She was wearing a valid I.
D.
tag on her lab coat.
She was driving the Coroner's meat wagon.
What did she look like? Asian, pretty, hair pulled back, glasses.
It sounds like Butters' assistant, Sharon.
What? The cute one with the clip board? Kirmani! That money she gave you Yeah? Can you give it to me please? - Quick as you can? - All right.
Core energy surge my ass! Do you really have to use all of it? Well, it's Sharon's money, she touched it, so the more I use the better chance I've got of finding her.
I know, but the rent's due next week.
Bob, you're a spirit; you live in a skull and you have no physical needs.
You really gonna bitch about the rent? When I cast a tracking spell I never know where it's gonna take me, so I always brace myself for the worst; death, depravity, horror, the suburbs.
Oh God! Kelton? Who the hell are you? Kelton.
Look pal, there's no Kelton here, so listen, why don't you just get out of my house? Settle down, settle down.
I said get out of my house! Hey, hey, you don't remember me, Harry Dresden? You came to my office this morning.
You died.
- I'll take that as a no! - Get out! Calm down, calm down! No need for violence! Listen, do you have a twin brother? Get out! Sorry about that okay, sorry.
Sorry.
Remember how I said I prefer surprises? Well, I've had a change of heart.
I'd really like to know how this is going to turn out.
I'm having a premonition, but the answer is not well Kidnapping is still a crime, right? Well if Sharon stole his body from his this morning, so I gotta keep it safe, right? Here you go.
Paul Woods.
That seems like a valid license.
Could he be a doppleganger, or a simulacrum Sharon created? Skin walker? Oh god, I hope not.
Maybe he's I have no idea what's going on.
Where am I? God, what the hell did you do to me? It's all right, it's all right, calm down.
Relax.
We're not going to hurt you.
We're just going to ask you a few questions.
Who are you? I was going to ask you that.
Fine, Paul Woods.
Paul Woods, Paul Woods Does the name Kelton Franks mean anything to you? No, who's he? I thought he was you, but he died this morning, so I'm a little confused.
What's the first thing you remember about today? Waking up in bed next to my wife.
Your wife.
What does your wife look like? I'm not telling you that.
Okay, okay, okay.
What's your name? Oh god, please don't kill me.
I'm not going to kill you.
Yes you are, I know you are.
Tell me something Kelton, I mean Paul, do you have premonitions that you're about to die like all the time? How could you possibly know that? When you woke up this morning did you have a screeching headache? Who are you guys? Did you have a headache? Yes.
What are you thinking Bob? Answer the phone.
What are you thinking No, I'm fine, answer the phone.
Hello, Harry Dresden.
Hey, it's me.
Murphy? Hold on one second.
Stay there, stay there.
It can't be.
It can't be.
Murphy? I just want to let you know that I have every cop in Chicago looking for Sharon.
Meanwhile I have been checking her background and it looks like she's worked at the morgue in 10 different cities all over the US, including Atlanta and Tallahassee.
Okay, so? So, I lifted Kelton Franks finger prints from his home address, and guess what? I got two matches, one in Atlanta, one in Tallahassee, both under different names.
That's weird.
It gets weirder, when I pulled the driver's license photo on both these names I get Kelton Franks' face both times.
So, what the guys a con man, moving around, different identies? It's a nice theory, but these guys have one more thing in common - they're both dead.
How does your chest feel? Sore, why? May I? May you what? What are you doing? You poor, poor soul.
And guess what I find when I looked at these guys' next of kin? - Nancy.
- Right.
Both faces are Nancy, but the names are different, and according to these records, both Nancy's are still alive.
But ours is dead.
Murphy you've got to get down to the morgue right away and you got to make sure Nancy's body is still there, okay.
Yeah, I think you're right.
So what was that about Bob, what are you thinking? That man in there is not a doppleganger or a simulacrum, that is the original Kelton.
No, but he died here this morning.
I saw it.
No, he got better.
What does that mean? I recognize certain signs.
Signs of what? Kelton was killed this morning with profoundly black magic.
We did tests this morning.
Nothing came up.
We were looking for the wrong thing.
Believe me Harry, first he was killed with the black and then he was brought back by something even worse.
What are you talking about? Tragedy, heartbreak, unspeakable pain.
Paul, are you okay? Who are you? I'm Sharon, I'm here to take you home.
You are in over your head Harry.
Whoever is behind this has tremendous power and the will to use it.
So what am I supposed to do? Drop Kelton off at the nearest street corner? I could use a little support here Bob.
You're right, I'm sorry.
I'm behind you 100%, whatever decision you may make.
Sharon, she's done it again.
She will no doubt bring him back when it suits her.
She didn't kill him with black magic.
Something tells me he's going to stay dead this time Bob.
Yogi Berra once said, this is like d\j? vu all over again.
I've always found that feeling unsettling.
Of course, it could be worse.
I could be Kelton.
It says here his name is Paul Woods.
It's Kelton.
New name, new identity.
But we both saw Kelton this morning and he was dead.
Just like the guy in Tallahassee, the guy in Atlanta dead.
Murphy, just hold on, okay.
I want to bet you a day's pay one of those guys died when he was out running and one of those guys died in a bathroom fall.
How do you know that? I don't think those were premonitions Kelton was having.
I think they were memories.
I think you know the drill.
I'm getting close Murphy.
That is why Sharon killed him for real.
What do you mean for real? Okay, look, there's a lot I don't get, but what I think is that she has the ability to make it look like somebody's dead without them actually being dead.
Believe it or not, that actually makes sense to me.
They pump them full of korari poison, a paralytic agent, then Sharon fakes the autopsy.
So that's the how, what's the why? Greed Harry.
I'll bet you a day's pay that this is about money, specifically life insurance.
Yeah, and why kill lots of different people when you can kill the same guy over and over again, right? Exactly.
The wife, Nancy, her body's gone.
What do you mean? I mean the drawer her corpse used to be in, is empty.
There's more.
We sent a unit to search Paul Wood's place - the house is in flames.
Okay, that's Sharon, she tying up loose ends.
Now listen, Nancy, she might still be alive, but maybe not for long.
Alive? What are you on pal? No, no, I'll explain it in the car.
Let's go.
Hey, watch your back.
Sharon might decide you're a loose end too.
Thanks Murphy.
Harry, you must find Sharon.
She must be stopped.
I'm on it.
She must have touched this.
Good, good.
Now, when you find her, how do you plan to defeat her? That will be a game time decision.
No, no, no.
You must have a proper plan, otherwise the game will be over before it even starts.
Okay, earlier when you said Kelton was killed by the black and brought him back, what did you mean by that Bob? Resurrection, reanimation, but the name is not important.
What is important is the power.
Power to what? Bring someone back to life? That's not possible.
Not even for a wizard is it? What do you know about all this? Enough to be trapped inside my own skull for all eternity.
Didn't you lock the door? Yeah, I did.
Nancy? Nancy.
Nancy.
I know you're here Sharon.
I know you're here.
You really should improve your security.
This is the 2nd time I've gotten in here today.
What's this all about? Insurance money? You collecting death benefits over and over again? It's not all about money.
What's it about then? It doesn't matter.
Once I leave town they'll never find me or stop me.
Hello sweetheart.
Listen carefully.
Your name is Gerry Tildon, you live on Oaktree Court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This is your wife Lisa.
You've been married to her for 8 years.
You love each other very much.
Hi Lisa.
I'm Lisa's best friend Wendy.
I'll be staying with you two for a while.
Hey Wendy.
This is a mistake.
We should be heading for Tahiti, not Milwaukee.
I went to a lot of trouble setting up this new Tildon identity.
I intend to get my money's worth.
And then we can disappear.
Everything will be okay Gerry.
Okay sweetheart, let's go.
We have a long drive ahead of us.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Yeah we do.
Dresden? Harry! Great, Sharon's still in the wind and now Dresden's missing.
He's probably on a weekend pass to middle earth.
Harry? Harry? What are you looking at? Just the usual weirdness.
His coat.
Something's not right.
Let's go.
Where did that come from? I have no idea.
How's he doing this? Electricity? How does he even know we're here? Gerry Tildon mean anything to you? No, not yet.
Okay, I'm off to the bank to open a new account and then we've got a twelve o'clock appointment with the insurance agent.
Make sure he drinks every drop.
I doubled the dosage to keep him pliant.
He'll still be able to sign the insurance papers, right? He'll do anything we tell him.
But just in case he gives you any trouble, kill him.
Gerry, time for breakfast! Wake up sleepy head.
Gerry! Ready or not, here I come.
Good morning sweetheart.
Please don't be mad at me.
I seem to have forgotten your name.
Gerry, I love your sense of humor.
That's why I love you.
Drink your juice, and I'll show you how much.
What's the matter baby? I don't know.
I just I feel strange.
Well then, drink your juice.
It's fresh squeezed.
Go on.
Oh my god.
Honey are you mad at me? Can we talk about this? Maybe go to therapy? Snookums! Oh, I loved that picture.
Honey.
It's the potion.
Hello sweetheart.
Hello - Police! - Whoa.
Harry? Oh honey, don't go.
Hey, Harry, Harry, look at me.
Are you okay? Oh yeah, I know you.
Harry, come on.
I'm guessing you've been drugged.
Come on, let's get you checked out.
I think she's kind of cute.
Yeah, she's adorable.
Let's go.
Come on Harry, we're going back to Chicago.
Anything you say honey.
Come Harry, it's going to be okay.
No, you're not driving.
What do you mean? There you go, watch your head.
One, two, three, go! Yay! Holy mother.
Harry, get back in the car! You sure you're all right? Yeah, well, thanks to you.
Can I get you anything? No, I think whatever they gave me is wearing off.
Well, guess I'll see you around.
- Hey Murphy - Yeah.
You all right? When I came here earlier looking for you, there were words written in the air.
You sure you didn't drink something at Nancy's? Come on, Harry.
It's just an old trick my father taught me, that's all.
How does it work? Well, it's a trick.
I can't tell you how it works, it's a trick.
Right.
Of course.
Welcome back Harry.
Hey Bob.
Words in the air? Words in the air.
Yeah, thanks for tipping them off.
You'd have done the same for me.
You think I probably would have done.
Sharon, she still out there? Yeah.
Sooner or later she will be back, you know.
Yeah, hopefully later.
So Bob? Yes? This resurrection thing, death your punishment? You going to fill me in? Winifred.
She was a sorceress.
What, she's the one who turned you into a ghost? She's the one I lost my heart to all those centuries ago.
Yeah, and? She died.
And I brought her back.
You brought her back? Yes, I transgressed.
I crossed the line, several times.
I wanted her back so badly I destroyed us both.
And for my pains I was sentenced to spend all eternity in my skull.
Oh Bob!