Ace Wonder: Message from a Dead Man Page #2

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to find a starter for this.

All night to put her in

and probably a good part of tomorrow, too.

You folks are gonna

need a place to stay.

You wouldn't happen to own

the local motel, too, would you?

No, that's this guy over here.

He owns the local bed

and breakfast down the road.

Perfect.

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

JEFF (O.S.):

Thanks again, Jim, for taking us in on such short notice.

JIM (O.S.):

Yeah.. It's no problem.

What is a problem is

the water heater is down.

I'll just have to get

that fixed by tonight.

JEFF (O.S.):

Could we give you a hand? We'd love to help.

JIM (O.S.):

Yeah, sure, why not?

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

Okay, guys, upstairs to the

left, every room is available.

Follow me.

Just take your bags

here for now.

We have three rooms

available.

This one, and the other

two down the hall...

so go ahead

and take your pick.

You still seem hesitant

about my offer.

I really do think

I could help.

You might consider my size

to be a handicap...

but I like to think

of it as a good thing.

Sort of fly under the radar,

so to speak.

I assure you, I'm as adept as

any accredited professional.

Hey, they're coach broke down.

They're gonna be spending the night here.

Bobby said he'd have it done

first thing in the morning.

A little warning

might have been nice.

Isn't that what this is?

We don't even have hot water.

So we'll give them a discount.

I've done a staggering amount

of research on the topics of forensic investigation.

And I rarely use Wikipedia,

unless I've taken the time to write the article myself.

Fine, knock yourself out.

Hey, guys, did Derek tell you

about the tree house?

Tree house?

Yeah, it's pretty cool.

Mom, what are you doing?

Derek, the house is already

clean, I just want to keep it that way.

Fine.

You owe me one.

This is awesome.

So, who built it?

It's one of Grandpa's projects.

Oh, the one who died?

So, when was it built?

We built most of it

when I came to visit.

He added the roof, but

otherwise, it's just like we left it.

Does he build a lot of stuff

like this?

You name it, he built it.

Cabinetry, furniture,

decorative art.

Half the house.

Never stopped.

Always onto something new.

Wait, he sounds

like a really cool guy.

A man who, after his death,

is still shrouded in mysteries.

He was not shrouded

in mystery, okay?

He was just a normal guy,

who lived a normal life...

and made an awesome tree house.

I'm sick of everyone trying to

turn him into some kind of--

Kook? Loony? Wacko, weirdo,

madman, crazy guy, crackpot-

What is your problem?

I should clarify, I don't

think he was crazy...

and you obviously don't

think he was crazy...

but apparently some people do.

If anyone can set the record

straight, it's you.

If you'll help me write this

book, together we can tell the true story of James Morton.

Plus, we can do a 50-50 split

of the profits when the book hits the market.

It's definitely a code.

There are repeating patterns

throughout, but they don't make any English words.

And what does it mean by you

can use my Remington?

Maybe wants you

to shoot somebody?

What's the other note say?

It's all in my plans.

What's in his plans?

Have you tried finding

the Remington?

Yeah, but I don't know what

it looks like or where he would have kept it.

Maybe it's in here.

I already looked there, guys.

Cool.

Theoretical Physics?

Bio-electrical Impulse and Photon Transfer?

Photon Mass and Charged Particle

Manipulation?

I thought your Grandpa

was a woodworker.

He was...

Why would a woodworker want

books like these?

"Property of Virgil Logan,

Willow Wood Library."

I say we ask the librarian.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC CHANGES)

Hello?

Sir?

Mr. Logan?

Mr. Logan!

Ssh.

I'm right here.

This is a library

for heaven sake.

Hmm.

Oh, I'd be sleeping, too.

Yes, you'd be sleeping, too.

Don't think you wouldn't.

Now then, what would you

lot be here for?

Or should I say, why?

Um... yeah, Grandpa borrowed

some books from you a while ago. Do you remember a James Morton?

Well yes, yes. Of course,

I remember James Morton.

I still do have an excellent

memory, you know.

Yeah, I'm sure you do.

Don't these seem like unusual

topics for him to be studying?

Well, that all depends on what

you mean by an 'unusual' topic, doesn't it? Hmmm?

Why would a woodworker be so

interested in science?

B-- but-- but was James Morton

primarily a woodworker?

Or was he perhaps, one of the

foremost scientific minds of the 21st century, hmm?

You ever think of that?

His comprehension of the

mysteries of energy and physics...

went far beyond anything

I've ever known.

His genius was unparalleled!

What do you mean?

There was no parallel

to his genius.

A genius apparently

which was not passed on to his progeny.

(SNICKERS)

Do you have a list of

the books that he borrowed?

You know, I personally paid

for every book on these shelves.

And the shelves themselves!

Custom made to my specifications.

Your grandfather made them,

of course, he cut me a deal.

All these books were

purchased according to your grandfather's requests.

You see this book?

I stocked this book on a

Tuesday and by Thursday...

he had read it cover to cover

and was intimately familiar with it's contents.

Well, he certainly didn't show

that side of himself to me.

Don't be ridiculous.

Why would a grown man talk

to a young boy about biochemical conduction?

Apparently, you've just

scratched the surface...

of something you won't

likely comprehend.

Let me know

if you need anything.

Drop by anytime,

take anything you need.

Tape.

Thanks.

Now this needed some attention

quite some time ago.

Yeah, Dad was like that;

he was rarely in the house.

Always tinkering with somethin'

out there in the shop.

He passed away?

Yeah he died last week.

I'm sorry, I had no idea.

We weren't that close.

( PHONE RINGS)

Jim Morton.

Hey, Dad, this is Derek.

I'm at the library, looking

at the books Grandpa borrowed?

Yeah, what's up?

Well, they're pretty intense.

It looks like he was studying

solar radiation or some kind of advanced optics.

Does any of that sound familiar?

Doesn't ring a bell.

So, you have no idea

what he was up to?

No, I don't.

JIM (O.S.):

Why are you at the library?

I'm just returning some books

Grandpa borrowed.

Oh. Well, great, thanks.

Man, it sure seems like

there's a lot to keep track of these days.

I know the feeling.

Yeah. Take this place for

instance; a huge, gorgeous home.

Yup, thanks, Dad.

But in reality, taxes and the

upkeep make this place more trouble than it's worth.

I'm sure that's not

what he intended.

I just don't remember him

being much of a scientist.

He was an artist.

Here, check this out.

What? He made that?

That's really, really

complicated.

Yeah, he made tons

of stuff like this.

And back at his workshop,

he's got these binders filled with designs.

Wait, designs?

Yeah, blueprints.

As in his plans.

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