Buried Alive – Episode 3

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Hope everyone is having a happy holiday. While I’m still in the dark about the release of Buried Alive we can keep this going until the West Coast Milblogger returns next year. This writing has the potential to help reignite the Hemp Revolution only there are external forces too powerful for me to avoid. However, we have secured ourselves on the right side of history. If nuclear war breaks out it’s because the Hemp Revolution was suppressed by the powers that be.

EPISODE 3 - SCENE 1

NARRATOR

(Official) Thursday, August 17th, at 4:20 in the afternoon, it's been an hour since Allen called Marie's Mom Estelle to demand a ransom.

(SFX of bong bubbles, a cellphone ring, and then exhale.)

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

(Trying not to sound high) Hello, this is Detective Larry Hughes. What's going on?

DISPATCH

(Over the phone, like an operator) Detective Hughes, hope you're not smoking weed again.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

(Older cool guy) I'm off duty and the State of Nevada makes a fortune selling weed to pay my salary.

DISPATCH

(Unflinching) You might be right Detective, only the Captain wanted me to call you about a break in one of your cases.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

The Captain? Really. (Intrigued) I'm a cold case detective so it's unusual to get an urgent call from the Captain. This must be big. What is it?

DISPATCH

(Matter of fact) Casino Killer has just struck again. This time the victim is alive and he's demanding a ransom.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

Whoa! (Totally blown away) Are you serious?

DISPATCH

Yes, I'm serious. Sure you haven't been smoking weed Detective Hughes? Casino Killer called a woman earlier today and told her he's buried her daughter alive. If you hurry, you can meet the Sergeant at Cliff Shadows Open Desert Park, that's where the young woman was running on a trail before being abducted.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

Thanks for the call. I'm on my way, should take about a half hour to get there. Remember, I'm a cold case detective, if I had a siren and lights I might get there sooner.

(They both laugh)

NARRATOR

Detective Hughes looks around the Sky High Lounge, a new place in Las Vegas where you can make a reservation to smoke weed in public. As a cold case detective, he's always searching for clues from the files in his mind. All literary detectives have their own device to unlock the mystery they're trying to solve. For Detective Hughes it's smoking pot.

And it works, today he thought about Casino Killer's evolution as a serial killer. His most recent crime - the police know about - took place more than a year ago. That's when he abducted another young woman while she was jogging and buried her alive.

It took more than a day for her family to report her missing. The victim suffocated in a shallow grave police found later. Detective Hughes went to her family's house to reveal the details about her murder.

Now Detective Hughes can catch his nemesis in the act. He needs Casino Killer to make a mistake that leads to his arrest.
The Detective drives to Cliff Shadows Open Desert Park to meet the Sergeant and search for clues while the trail remains fresh.

SCENE 2

NARRATOR

4:52 p-m. Detective Hughes arrives on scene wearing sunglasses and chewing gum. He ducks under crime tape surrounding a parking lot showcasing a pink Mercedes the Sergeant's standing next too.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

(Somber) Hi Sarge. There's no one here. Looks like I beat the press.

SERGEANT

(Loud and happy) Detective Larry Hughes, my man, what are you doing here? Don't worry about reporters, the Captain wants to keep this quiet for now.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

This investigation is related to one of my cold cases. Did the Captain tell you anything?

SERGEANT

(Toned down) Yeah, she says it's Casino Killer and he's asking for a ransom.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

(Surprised) A ransom? Now he's trying to make a living at this. (They both laugh) That makes me want to catch him even more. There's no way I'm letting him leave the country with millions of dollars.

SERGEANT

No doubt. We're all going to be pissed if this guy gets the money.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

(Determined) Not on my watch.

SERGEANT

(Loud and happy again) Not with Detective Hughes on the case. He better watch out now.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

(Getting loud) You got that right. I'm not letting him get away with this. I'll do whatever it takes to keep this guy from getting paid. Look at this pink Mercedes. It looks like he kidnapped Barbie. (They both laugh)

SERGEANT

Her name's Marie. (Serious) She's 22-years-old. According to her Mom she likes to go running in the morning. Today, she was running The Burbs. The trailhead's over there.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

Do you know where he abducted her?

SERGEANT

Not yet, waiting on search dogs. We're assuming it was on The Burbs trail. Feel free to walk around. I'm going to be here for a while. Forensics has staffing shortages.

NARRATOR

(Seductive) Detective Hughes walks The Burbs trail letting his eyes scan the ground. (Sound of walking on dirt gravel) He's alone under the clear blue sky as the heat of the day starts to take its toll on him. He can feel sweat beading up on his forehead. He wants a cool cloth to wipe his face.

Then he sees it. A white dish towel sitting in the brush. He puts on plastic gloves, picks up the cloth, and takes a sniff from a distance. The sensation of being light headed from a Whippit. He puts the cloth in a plastic bag for forensics.

On a hunch, he follows a small dirt path just off the main hiking trial. It descends into a clearing, where a dirt road turns into a paved road, semi-trucks parked there face the 215. His cellphone's map app shares the location as Buckskin Avenue.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES
(Out of breath and sweaty) Sarge! Found where he took her.

NARRATOR

Detective Hughes returns to the parking lot encircled with crime tape because of a pink Mercedes. Holding up the plastic bag with the white dish towel inside it, he walks toward the Sergeant, and a small crowd of officers gathered around him. Also present, a K-Nine unit.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

Found this about a mile down The Burbs trail. It's got chloroform on it. Need to get forensics to confirm that.

Right next to it, found a small path leading to Buckskin Avenue. He must have carried her to the road. One of the truck drivers parked there says he saw a blue car earlier today.

SERGEANT

Sounds good Detective Hughes. We'll get forensics on this and take a closer look at the trail. The Captain called. She wants you to meet her at the house where Marie's Mom lives. It's a gated community off Boulevard. They're expecting you.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

Thanks, he knew who to pick for a ransom. Must have been stalking her for a while. Might want to have some people hit nearby running trails in the morning. They can ask people if they've seen this pink Mercedes, and maybe someone else. We might even get traffic camera video too. If we're lucky, we can get a license plate number for that blue car.

SCENE 3

NARRATOR

7:11 p-m. Before the sun sets, a gate lifts as Detective Hughes is waved in by security inspecting his badge. They know about the distinct classic muscle car he drives. (SFX of powerful engine rev)

The streets are filled with multi-million dollar mansions overlooking the Detective, as he arrives at Marie's Mom's house, off North Rampart Boulevard.

He parks in the street near a squad car. He doesn't mind the stroll to the house; taking in the ambience of the grounds during such a stressful time.

Flashing his badge, Detective Hughes makes his way to the front door of the main house as silence engulfs him.
(Beat. SFX of a door opening with muffled voices inside.)

CAPTAIN

(In control of the situation) Hello! Can I help you? (Now seeing who it is) Detective Hughes, good to see you, the Sergeant says you've already been helpful.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

Yes, thank you Captain. Got here A-S-A-P. Hope I haven't missed anything?

CAPTAIN

Well, I've met Estelle, Marie's Mom. And her sister, Hazel. She's in high school.

Right now, we're all taking a break. Later, we're going over specifics.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

You should ask them if they know the routes Marie likes to drive? I got here fast taking North Cheyenne Avenue to North Rampart Avenue. Could have taken the freeways instead.

We're trying to track down traffic cameras in the area. It could narrow down the search.

CAPTAIN

Good thinking. I'll let you know what they say.

(Confident) Be here tomorrow for the ransom call. We're going to listen in. We're keeping this low key. She's not supposed to be talking to the police. If Casino Killer finds out he might kill her daughter.

DETECTIVE LARRY HUGHES

Good to know, I'll go home, to get well rested for tomorrow.

After spending so many years trying to solve these crimes; I can finally hear Casino Killer's voice.

(Epic line ending the episode) Never would've imagined this development in my cold case investigation.

Thank you,
Cyrus Emerson

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