Episode 6: Scared Stiff

## Synopsis

Bjorn meets with Judson to learn more about the cause of death for Dale Fox, who has apparently died of fright. They then briefly talk with the victim's girlfriend who tells them they should talk to Dale's friend named Ralph.

## Episode Description

There's a new threat in Thornvale, and it's scaring people to death, literally. The newly-formed team gets together to visit the morgue and the victim's girlfriend.

## Key Events

* Bjorn receives a report on Dale Fox's death that said he "died of fright."
* Judson Stone informs Bjorn that the victim's heart seems to have suddenly stopped, his features frozen in a look of fear in rigor mortis.

## Summary

It's the beginning of June and Bjorn has been staying in a nice apartment on East Thornvale. Without cases since the Big Gator, he's been vacationing on the beaches and doing some reading. Bjorn gets a call from Indigo that tells him there's been a strange death. He reads a file about Dale Fox who seems to have died of fright. He left behind his girlfriend and his girlfriend's daughter. Bjorn texts the group to let them know about the odd occurrence.

Henry talks with Miguel about monsters and Thornvale. Miguel tells Henry all about Thornvale -- it's a very old town and used to have a different name when it was a town on the edge of a Spanish fort. It has been occupied since the discovery of the new world and is one of the oldest towns in the United States. He shows him records that show Thornvale has been burned down a few times and there's always been strange events centered around the town like earthquakes and plagues. It's assumed that the weird happens are due to monsters and Rifts but are recorded differently in history.

Bjorn and Sammie head over to the Fort. They exchange information on the weird death that's occurred and Stanley suggests they go visit the Medical Examiner to get a closer look at the body. He also says that he won't be able to go along with them because he has something directly from the Dragon Knight Council he has to take care of that he's not allowed to talk about. Bjorn says he should be able to get them into the ME's office with his official pull.

They head back into the ME's office and meet Judson Stone - a dour, skinny man with a hawkish nose and yellow tombstone teeth. Judson doesn't believe that Sammie and Henry are actually FBI because they don't have badges, so he asks them to wait outside. As their outside waiting in the car, Sammie suggests Henry hacks into the stations security cameras so they can listen in on Judson and Bjorn's conversation.

Judson reveals the body of Dale Fox to Bjorn. His face is trapped by rigor mortis in an awful, horrified expression and hasn't moved. Judson tells him that the victim was reported to have been leaving work and gotten out of his car on the way home. He was found outside of his car, dead. Judson believes something scared him so much that he died. He explains the victim's heart showed signs of Takotsubo syndrome which stopped his heart.

Bjorn comes back out to the car and they decide to stop in and visit the victim's girlfriend. Bjorn's able to get them in easily with his badge. Inside they talk with the victim's girlfriend, Sophia, and her daughter, Annie. Sophia says that she doesn't know anything, but his friend Ralph might. Henry notices that there are needles from drug use and bottles of alcohol scattered around, and that there are bruises along Annie's wrists and around Sophia's throat. Sophia insists that he was a good hardworking man, but all Annie says is that he was 'fine.'

Once outside, Henry tells the others what he noticed. Bjorn remarks that it's a good observation for the future. They decide to head to the power plant to investigate the scene of the crime.

## List of Appearances

* Bjorn Olafson
* Henry Marlowe
* Sammie Overbrook
* Stanley Marlowe
* Miguel Rodriguez
* Judson Stone
* Sophia Foster
* Annie