Dark Horse Comics - Resident Alien Pt. 1

[MUSIC PLAYING]
DELBERT: It's down this way.
POLICE CHIEF: You sure?
DELBERT: Uh-huh.
It's the old Haskins cabin down by the lake.
POLICE CHIEF: And he's been here, what, two years now?
DELBERT: About that, yeah.
Comes into town for supplies.
Keeps to himself the rest of the time.
But I only know that he's a doctor because Pete the
mailman told me.
And as you can see, he's a real friendly soul.
POLICE CHIEF: Well a man's entitled to
his privacy, Delbert.
DELBERT: Yeah, but a lot of these cabin guys are a little
bit crazy, Chief.
What if he turns out to be a real mad scientist type?
POLICE CHIEF: Today I don't care if he's Baron Freaking
Frankenstein.
We need him.
[KNOCKING]
POLICE CHIEF: Hello, Dr. Vanderspiegal?
Anybody home?
Guess not.
DELBERT: Chief, you think that could be him?

HARRY: I still can't see the point of this.
I mean, if you want to relax, why not just look at the view?
And if you want to eat fish, why not just go and buy some?
I'll admit this is restful.
All this apparatus is just a distraction.
POLICE CHIEF: You in the rowboat, this is the police.
Please put your tackle down and come into shore.
(IN BRAIN)HARRY: I know how to answer this.
It's a phrase I've heard on a thousand TV shows.
(OUT LOUD) Is there a problem, Officer?
(IN BRAIN)Don't see me as I am.
Don't see me as I am.
Everything is normal.
POLICE CHIEF: Sir, just come on into shore, please.
I don't want to stand here yelling all day.
HARRY: I do have a fishing permit, if that's
what this is about.
POLICE CHIEF: Just get out of the boat, please.
(IN BRAIN)HARRY: They're on edge, jumpy.
Why?
POLICE CHIEF: Can I see some ID?
HARRY: Of course.
POLICE CHIEF: Says here you're a doctor.
Would that be a medical doctor?
HARRY: Yes, but I don't practice anymore.
These days I'm mainly engaged in some private research.
POLICE CHIEF: Well here's the thing, Doc.
We had a murder in town last night.
HARRY: How (IN BRAIN) fascinating (OUT LOUD) awful.
POLICE CHIEF: Yeah.
It was a pretty messy one, too.
HARRY: But I don't understand.
Am I a suspect?
POLICE CHIEF: No more than anyone else is right now.
No, that's not why we're here.
I'd like you to take a look at the body for us, if you
wouldn't mind.
(IN BRAIN)HARRY: Oh no!
(OUT LOUD) Why ask me?
Surely your own doctors could--
POLICE CHIEF: Well that's our problem in a nutshell, Doc.
See, we only had the one doctor in town.
And he's the victim.
State coroner will be here tonight.
But, right now I could do with a lead of any kind.
Thought maybe you could give the body a quick look see,
tell us what you think.
HARRY: It's not really my area of expertise.
POLICE CHIEF: But you're still a doctor.
And, besides, fresh pair of eyes.
You might spot something we missed.
(IN BRAIN)HARRY: I can't get out of this.
If I say no, it will only make them suspicious.
(OUT LOUD)I suppose so.
POLICE CHIEF: Appreciate it, Doc.
We'll have you back with the fishes in no time at all.
Promise.

HARRY: I can do this.
I have equipment.
I can survive.
I can pass as one of them.
But I must be careful not to get involved, to keep my
distance, and keep my head down.
POLICE CHIEF: Mind your head.
(IN BRAIN)HARRY: All those years of hiding and now--
POLICE CHIEF: Sorry you've got to ride in the back, Doc.
(IN BRAIN)HARRY: --I'm trapped.
Calm.
Calm.
Calm.
POLICE CHIEF: You OK back there, Doc?
HARRY: I'm fine.
But, you know, I could've just followed
behind you in my truck.
POLICE CHIEF: Don't worry about it.
We'll get you safe home again.
So Vanderspiegal, that a German name?
HARRY: Dutch, actually.
Originally, that is.
Do we have far to go to the crime scene?
POLICE CHIEF: Nope, not far at all.
Doc Hodges was murdered at the clinic just the
other side of town.
Can't even remember the last time we had a
murder in these parts.
DELBERT: Unless we count last month.
POLICE CHIEF: We don't.
That was an accident, anyways.
Kind of makes you feel different about people,
knowing one of them might be a killer.
Here it is, Doc Hodges' clinic.
DELBERT: Closest thing to a hospital
for nigh on 100 miles.
No sign of the coroner's van.
POLICE CHIEF: Yeah, I got eyes, Delbert.
Out you come, Doc.
Asta, honey, you holding up OK?
ASTA: No, I'm really not.
What do you think?
Doc Hodges was like a father to me.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ASTA: What?
POLICE CHIEF: Sorry, Asta.
This is Dr. Harry Vanderspiegal.
He's come to have a look at the deceased for us.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
POLICE CHIEF: Why don't you take off now?
You look all--
ASTA: I can't.
I have to--
POLICE CHIEF: It's fine.
I'll get one of the other girls to cover for you.
ASTA: Well, if you're sure.
POLICE CHIEF: Body's around the back, Doc.
Asta, you didn't touch anything did you?
ASTA: I did put a sheet over him.
Is that OK?
I didn't want the flies to get at him.

HARRY: OK, then.
The victim was a white male.
Aged in his early 60s.
This is fascinating.
POLICE CHIEF: That much we already know, Doc.
And he was 62.
HARRY: Yes, of course, very well.
Let's see if I can tell you anything new.
The killer was probably right-handed and tall, taller
than the victim anyway.
And he attacked from behind.
POLICE CHIEF: How can you tell?
HARRY: The killer was probably right-handed and tall, taller
than the victim anyway.
And he attacked from behind.
POLICE CHIEF: How can you tell?