Sleepy Hollow
Ichabod and Young Masbath ride, passing many angry faces.
ICHABOD Panic has set in.
They stop, tying their horses and climbing stairs to the door of the “NOTARY.” Ichabod looks off…
DOWN THE ROAD, at the far end, people head to the church. Much activity there as well.
ICHABOD Sanctuary. Or, so they hope.
Families put up tents all around the church within the bordering wrought-iron fence. Supplies abound.
People work to build and erect massive wooden crosses.
INT. NOTARY PUBLIC, HARDENBROOK’S OFFICES-DAY
Tidy room. Young Masbath watches Ichabod hand a slip of paper to the elderly Notary, Hardenbrook.
ICHABOD Do you have these persons’ wills?
HARDENBROOK I have everything… last testaments… birth certificates, death certificates… deeds.
ICHABOD Yes, sir… but, do you have these?
Hardenbrook studies the paper with his one good eye.
HARDENBROOK Certainly… certainly.
Hardenbrook nods, handing the list back, grinning. Ichabod stands waiting. Hardenbrook is still nodding.
ICHABOD May I see them, Master Hardenbrook?
HARDENBROOK Hmm? See them?
ICHABOD May we look at them now?
HARDENBROOK Of course. You want them… it shall not take long. Wait here.
Hardenbrook heads across the room. Ichabod offers the list.
ICHABOD Maybe you should take this.
HARDENBROOK A fine idea.
Hardenbrook takes it and exits. Young Masbath sits.
YOUNG MASBATH What good is this?
ICHABOD To discover what might have been taken from those who died, it will help to know what was there that could be taken in the first place.
Ichabod waits. After a moment, he looks uncertain. He crosses to the half-open door…
INT. NOTARY PUBLIC, RECORDS ROOM-DAY
Ichabod sticks his head in, not liking what he sees.
Hardenbrook’s amidst unbelievable disarray. Tables, shelves, and baskets of unevenly piled documents.
Hardenbrook looks on a shelf, confused, then goes to a table, lifting papers, mumbling.
HARDENBROOK Damn… damn… damn…
ICHABOD Master Hardenbrook…
Hardenbrook turns, a bit startled.
ICHABOD Perhaps, I could assist in finding them?
HARDENBROOK Well… that might be… helpful.
INT. NOTARY PUBLIC, RECORDS ROOM (TIME CUT)-DAY
Hardenbrook is asleep in a chair, snoring, blind eye open. Ichabod and Young Masbath face official-looking documents, with Ichabod focused on one will in hand.
YOUNG MASBATH My father had farm land. It was the only thing we owned of any value.
ICHABOD (still reading) And it now belongs to you, according to Baltus. I heard him say it.
YOUNG MASBATH Yes.
Ichabod turns the will in his hand to Masbath.
ICHABOD Then look here at your father’s will, and tell me why you are not listed.
Young Masbath takes it, boggled. Ichabod grabs another.
ICHABOD Van Garrett had denoted his elder son in his last wishes; the same son murdered along with him. But Van Garrett’s wife and two infant children are not written… and they were spared. (picks up another will) Do you see? Philipse had no family to bestow his farm to. But, here… (picks up another) The Widow Windsor was listed on her late husband’s will. After her inheritance, she amended the document to include her bastard child. This is why the Horseman made absolutely certain to impale the unborn descendant.
Ichabod sits back.
ICHABOD Only the heirs were killed. Proof that the Horseman slaughters by assignment.
YOUNG MASBATH But, if the farm is not mine, who stole it away?
ICHABOD No one yet, far as I can tell. It has gone intestate.
YOUNG MASBATH In test… what?
ICHABOD Intestate. Your farm… all the farms… they belong to no one.
YOUNG MASBATH What does it mean?
Ichabod stares off.
ICHABOD Often in such cases, property which has gone intestate legally passes to whomever the deceased was indebted to. And, who in this town is owed a great many debts?
YOUNG MASBATH (realization) Baltus Van Tassel.
ICHABOD Did your father take a loan?
YOUNG MASBATH Yes. I rode with him on payment days.
Ichabod stands, grim, gathering wills and his ledger.
ICHABOD Tonight, we answer questions. And, to discover who moves about the Van Tassel house after dark… all we need is a candle.
A LOUD NOISE is HEARD from the other room. Ichabod looks.
INT. HARDENBROOK’S OFFICES-DAY
Ichabod bursts in. No one there. A chair has been knocked over and the front door is ajar. Ichabod moves…
EXT. NOTARY-DAY
Ichabod exits. All around is the commotion in the square as before. No telling who it was who just fled.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD’S ROOM-DAY
Young Masbath is seated, bored. Ichabod writes in his ledger. A KNOCK on the door. They both look up.
KATRINA (o.s.) (from outside door) Constable… are you there? (long pause) Ichabod?
The knob is tried and found locked. Pause. At the bottom of the door, a red rose is passed under.
This saddens Ichabod.
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Quiet night. The church is a sight, with a yard resembling an empty squatter’s tent city, surrounded by crosses. Boarded over windows leak shafts of light.
MOVING PAST THE WINDOWS many eyes peer out from the slats.
UP IN THE BELFRY, TWO RIFLEMEN are on watch.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD’S ROOM-NIGHT
Ichabod and Masbath are in darkness, still waiting. Ichabod takes the cover off a lantern, looks at a clock. Midnight, straight up. Ichabod stands, picks up an unlit candle.
ICHABOD Midnight seems an appropriate time.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, HALLWAY-NIGHT
Ichabod and Young Masbath look out, cautious. They move to the nearest door.
Ichabod crouches, using the candle to mark the seam of the door and door frame. He’s making a low, wax seal. If the door opens, the seal will break.
They move to a second door, quietly. Ichabod makes another low wax mark.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, MAIN ENTRANCE-NIGHT
Ichabod and Masbath come downstairs to a hall. Ichabod continues his wax marking at each door.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, BALTUS’ OFFICE-NIGHT
Ichabod and Young Masbath enter, shutting the door. Ichabod walks to shelves at Baltus’ desk, looks through ribbon bound DOCUMENTS and hands some to Masbath.
Young Masbath pulls off the ribbon, pages through these “LOAN AGREEMENT” parchments. Ichabod brings another pile.
ICHABOD (whispering) They are alphabetical.
Young Masbath has the M’s. “MARYIE,” “MEGAPOLENISIS,” AND “MELYN…” Not finding what he wants.
YOUNG MASBATH There is no Masbath here. My father’s loan papers are missing.
ICHABOD (regarding his documents) There are none for Magistrate Philipse either. “Paasch, James” “Pieter, Thomas” “Pos, William.”
A FLOORBOARD CREAKS. Ichabod looks, blows out the lantern. He and Young Masbath stand frozen.
Across the room, light comes under the door, stops, then continues. A DOOR is HEARD OPENING and SHUTTING. Ichabod crosses to follow, pointing back.
