Rose Red Page #3

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Since then the house has been closed.

With no psychic energy to feed on,|it's fallen into a sleep.

- Then a coma. And now... .|- It's a dead cell.

- Exactly.|- I wouldn't bet on that if I were you.

It wasn't finished by the time they|married, but they were in no hurry.

They passed the time with|a leisurely honeymoon for a year.

They circled the globe on liners|like this one. The "Ocean Star".

John Rimbauer's favorite part|of the grand tour was Africa.

Ellen didn't enjoy it quite as much.|In fact, she nearly died.

- Was it malaria?|- Probably not.

In her diary she called it|"an unmentionable disease...

...carried by men|and suffered by women."

Doesn't exactly look prostrate|with worry, does he?

Ellen recovered, and when they|took up residence in Rose Red...

...she was pregnant.

January 1909, that would have been.|John thought the house was finished.

The Rimbauers! They're here!

How beautiful you are, Rose Red.

What he didn 't know is that|the house would never be done.

Not in his lifetime, not in hers.

What makes Rose Red one of the world's|most fascinating psychic artifacts...

...is that the house continued to grow|until its death in 1995 or '96.

Until 1950, changes were made|according to the will of Ellen.

And her will, ladies and gentlemen,|was iron.

After 1950... .

After 1950, Rose Red grew on its own.

In the fall of 1909,|Ellen Rimbauer gave birth to a son.

- Grampy.|- Your grandfather, really?

Yeah, I'm afraid so.

In her diary she wrote, "I have called|him Adam, for he is the first."

Sukeena, who came from Africa, |saw her through the difficult labor.

Ellen never refers|to Sukeena as her servant.

First, she calls her "my friend".|And later, "my sister".

When she gave birth to a daughter|with a withered arm...

... she blamed her sickness|and John 's sexual appetites.

Although she wrote,|"In my mind, they are one".

To which she added, "Damn all men".

Their daughter was born|in April of 1911.

And April was what they called her.

After her daughter's birth, |Ellen became convinced...

... that her fever, which recurred|periodically, would kill her young.

That made her easy game|for Madame Stravinski.

If you have anything to say to us...

...you may use my body to speak.

Give us a sign.

Show us a sign.

Not even Sukeena could convince her|that she was a fraud.

Beloved spirits, we invite you|to commune with us.

Show us a sign.

Fraud or not, Madame Stravinski...

... known to police in San Francisco|and Los Angeles as Cora Frye...

... changed Ellen Rimbauer's life|one night in August of 1914.

Sukeena!

You must build.

What did she tell her?

She said she wouldn't die|until the house was finished.

And Madame S. Told her it isn't|finished until you say it's finished.

Until you say.

Ellen took it seriously.|Probably she was right to.

She never had another attack|of her African fever.

- Probably psychosomatic.|- Probably PMS, right, Em?

I wouldn't be surprised.

A new wing started going up|the next week.

What did her husband say?

She gave him a son in 1909, a daughter|in 1911. The son was fine and well.

It was the son John Rimbauer cared|about. Ellen could do as she liked.

- Would you agree?|- Yes. Besides...

... he had affairs of his own|to tend to.

Ellen made additions to the house|until her disappearance in 1950.

Over 40 years|of well-financed eccentricity.

She hired contractors and architects|to build unconventional stuff.

Such as?

The so-called Tower Folly was|completed in 1921.

John Rimbauer jumped|from it two years later.

Was it suicide? Or did he run into|something he couldn't deal with?

The certificate said,|"accidental death".

The gossip said suicide or ghosts.

In any case, during its active years,|and they were very active...

...women in Rose Red tended|to turn up missing.

And men tended to turn up dead.

- The bad days are over.|- Oh, yes. Yes, indeed.

- Are you sure?|- Positive.

Then what exactly do you want|from us, Miss Reardon?

First, let's all get on|a first-name basis, shall we?

That'll make things less difficult.|This can be a difficult field.

People don't understand our goals|or refuse to credit our findings.

Some people are actively cruel.

And... .

- Research goals?|- Yes, yes, yes, yes.

My research goals specify|measurable, psychic phenomena.

Hard data. Telemetry readouts and|anomalous energy levels, primarily.

I want readouts that even the most|stupid, sarcastic, obtuse member...

...of this scientific department|will have to accept.

If I get a little crazy on the subject|sometimes, please forgive me.

I've put in a lot of long days.

If Rose Red is a dead cell, how much|proof can you expect to find?

If you apply electricity|to the leg of a dead frog...

...the muscles contract|hours after it has died.

You people are my psychic|equivalent of electricity.

My goal is modest. A single twitch.

One single twitch.

If I get it, my reputation will be|secure for the rest of my life.

More importantly, we can help|legitimize a branch of psychology...

...which has been treated|poorly for too long.

Why are you here, Mr. Rimbauer?|What are your special talents?

Protecting family interests.|I promised the professor one shot...

...then the developers await.|Tech-Star condos.

You're tearing it down?|It's part of history.

- History don't pay rent and I'm broke.|- Hardly a noble motive.

Are we the team? The whole team?

- She hopes not.|- Beg pardon?

I was hoping for one more|but that's starting to look iffy.

If I have to make do with you five,|then I'll count myself lucky.

I'll see you this Friday at 2 p.m.

I'm sure it'll be|a Memorial Day to remember.

Now if you could all|please come and join me.

I'd like to close with a circle.

- This went out with high-button shoes.|- Anything you'd like to focus on?

- Goodwill, good thoughts, each other.|- That's lovely.

Say cheese.

- Vic? Are you okay?|- Fine.

I'm just gonna go make some room.

He looks gray about the gills.

No, no, no. Well, maybe|half a glass but no more.

Just a minute, please.

The Huskies were surprised|by the blitz.

The linebacker drops into the flank, |then rushes the quarterback.

Nobody on the left side|sees him coming.

Hello. I'd like to speak|with Rachel, please.

- Who's this?|-May I speak with Rachel?

Is it the crazy lady from the college?|How you doing, crazy lady?

Is that for me?

My business is with|your older daughter...

No, see, you got it wrong.|You have no business here.

Not with Sissy, not with Annie,|not with any of us.

Don't ever call here again, got it?

Daddy, that was my call.

- That was just some crazy lady.|- No, you've no right...

Yeah, I do. While you|live and eat here, I do.

Stop it, both of you.

I know what the crazy lady wants.

I know you talked to her|behind my back.

Let me tell you this. Annie's not|going anywhere near Rose Red.

- Mama?|- She doesn't say. I say.

Mama, won't you help me once?|Just this once, won't you speak up?

I've told you, I won't take sides|between you and your father.

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