Putting 'wizard' on your door is like putting up a sign
that says 'lunatics welcome'
not that all my clients are crazy,
but they all think I'm a little crazy.
They ask me to cast spells, move objects without touching them,
and, of course, see dead people.
Don't get me wrong, I can do most of that stuff
but when it comes to dealing with ghosts,
let's just say I'd rather get a root canal.
Are you feeling a cold spot
or whatever you people call it?
Not getting a thing.
You say you've been sensing your daughter's presence here for a whole year?
Yeah, it's not really a...
It's a feeling.
Maybe I just can't let go.
Look, what happened...
I'm sure it wasn't your fault.
Yeah, that's what everybody keeps telling me.
Uh, this guy...
What's his name?
Boone, Gus Boone;
He'd just gotten out of prison.
There used to a jewelry store next door.
The police think maybe he got confused,
came in here and panicked
and killed Lisa
and then took something he thought he could sell.
What was that?
An engraved stone tablet, Egyptian.
I had it under glass.
It must have caught his eye, but he dropped it in the alley.
The cops found it smashed to pieces.
Copts caught the guy?
No.
Well, if Lisa's killer went unpunished that might be enough to keep her spirit here.
Boone is dead.
He left here and he carjacked a guy at gunpoint.
There was a struggle;
Boone's shotgun went off, in his own face.
This feeling...
This feeling you get when you think Lisa's here, can you describe it to me?
Like I left the house with the stove on,
or that there's something out there than I'm supposed know.
So it's like she's trying to tell you something.
I don't know. Honestly.
I'm a bit embarrassed calling you here in the first place.
You know sometimes trauma, it can cause the mind to play tricks.
I don't want to belittle what you've experienced
but a lot of this, it may just be in your head.
Oh no.
Daddy!
I love you daddy.
Mr. Dresden, Mr. Dresden.
Are you all right?
It's your daughter...
It's your daughter.
It's not in your head.
Not all ghosts are spooky, or have unfinished business.
Some are just annoying.
Especially when the ghost has 1,000 years
of supernatural knowledge he feels compelled to share.
Constantly.
So you didn't ask her to appear in any way,
but she still made herself known to you unbidden.
Mhm. And she kicked my ass.
Check the garlic bread.
Why, I'm not eating?
Perhaps she just wanted some company.
You know I'm not doing anything;
Maybe I could find a frequency, chat her up.
Yeah, her father would like that.
Well, it could be our secret.
How old is she?
Seventeen.
Now she wanted me to see, what happened.
From what I saw, Boone, he knew what he wanted.
He was there for the tablet.
There was no hesitation.
Yes, but he dropped it in the alley.
Smashed to pieces.
None of that matters because he's dead
and she wasn't in need of any vengeance
or anything else...
Except maybe a good giggle at your expense.
I don't think that's what she was doing.
Well, I say let her be.
If the poor girl wants to be near her dear old dad
then let her.
You should see her Bob, she's in pain.
Yes well, life is pain.
So is dinner.
You've burnt your garlic bread.
What, no tantrum?
She won't move on.
She wanted me to see that Boone was on a mission.
Something's not right.
Oh, I sense another quixotic crusade
looming on the horizon.
So do I.
What part of case closed do you not understand?
Well, it's closed for you but it's not for my client.
Please let me just see the file.
Go to the library, read the newspapers. They covered it pretty well.
I just think there's more to the story.
Of course you do.
I... uh...
I got a message from beyond the grave.
Get out.
Well, give me the file and I'll be gone.
I can't do that.
You're a cop Murphy, you can do anything.
I can't make you go away.
Ah, you see, that's because you don't want to.
That's because you find me entertaining.
Delusional, completely.
Murphy, seriously,
Harding, he's still a mess with the loss of his daughter.
If I can just look at the file
and I could tell him there's nothing more to know,
then he could move on with his life.
Come on, help me do a good thing.
If I get any Karma points I'll give them straight to you.
Fine.
Oh yeah.
Thank you.
You'll have to go downtown
and see Marie in the basement.
Marie?
You'll like her. She's single.
Murphy, you're the only one for me, you know that.
This is the last I want to hear of this.
Absolutely.
Constanza?
You never told me that.
Go.
I'm going.
Thank you.
Yeah, okay.
Oh Murphy, Murphy,
she is a hell on wheels.
Top of the line cop, if you ask me.
She's pure blue through and through.
You know about her dad right?
No.
I'm sorry, will this take long?
Oh my god, he was a handsome man,
but he was an old school cop,
if you get my drift, right.
Your face, his phonebook, kapow!
He lives in Florida now with some hooker.
Okay, this is just gonna take a minute.
I got a giant submarine sandwich.
Yeah.
Okay.
Gus Boone.
He served 5 years for aggravated assault
and he got out
and he killed a girl the next day.
He got what he deserved.
Blown to bits
by one of Chicago's most eligible bachelors,
Edward Miller.
Who is this guy?
Well, if were a single woman you'd know.
But you're a single man, aren't you?
How's your salami?
Sandwich, I mean, sandwich.
Terrific, thank you.
Okay, Miller, what does he do?
Stockbroker. Commodities.
He buys and sells everything.
He's got cars, he's got boats, planes.
He's got a lot of houses and a lot of women.
Boone jumped into his car outside his office...
Was that just by chance?
No, I think he probably staked out the car;
It was a top of the line Porsche, very sexy car.
Anyway, Miller comes out;
They tussle for the gun
and Boone goes boom.
Do you have the item that was stolen from the store?
Yeah, I've got it right here.
What's left of it.
We have a fragmented 14 by 10 inch Egyptian tablet
known as the lock of Anna... Anna...
Anubis, it's an Egyptian god of the dead.
It's the body of a man and the head of a jackal.
My, my.
Well, I wouldn't care what his he looked like
as long as he had the ass of Brad Pitt.
You want some more soda?
Yeah, all right.
To Chicago's finest.
Miller's fateful encounter with Boone was happenstance
to me there's no such thing as coincidence.
I also don't believe in showing up on someone's doorstep uninvited
but for $500, two day minimum, you learn to make exceptions.
How is he, her father?
Physically he's fine, fully recovered,
but emotionally, he needs closure.
And I can, what, provide that somehow?
Yeah, he just needs a clearer picture of how Boone died.
In an explosion of blood and brain matter.
Sorry, it wasn't pleasant.
Drink?
No, no, no, thank you.
So why do you think he chose you?
Target of opportunity.
He ambushed me in the parking garage in my office,
aimed the gun at me, ordered in my car;
I knew I was going to be murdered in some woods somewhere,
so I hit him with my briefcase.
Grabbed the gud
that was it.
It was that fast?
No, it was a lifetime.
It was probably 6 or 7 seconds.
And he didn't mention anything
about the robbery or Lisa Harding?
Not a word.
Would you show me?
Sorry?
I'm Boone, okay?
What'd I do?
Come on Mr. Dresden,
I've gone over this with the police more times than I can count.
My client just wants to make sure the police didn't miss anything.
Understand?
So, uh... would you mind?
Fine.
Okay, so I got my finger on the trigger
and you hit me with the briefcase.
Yeah, it hit the gun.
And then you grabbed it... the gun?
I gotcha.
And I was just standing there like that.
Now you try to push me away with your hand.
Your left hand. On my chest.
On your chest...
And then... yeah.
- And then... - Bang.
Boone pulled the trigger on himself.
Well, not intentionally I'm sure.
Does that paint a clear enough picture for you?
Yeah Mr. Miller, I think it does, and I thank you.
Can I just ask you one more question?
Mr. Dresden, my masseuse is on a schedule,
I can't keep her waiting.
Absolutely.
Please, tell Mr. Harding my thoughts are with him.
What he went through, no father should...
Forgive me if I don't show you out.
Of course, yeah, thank you.
Mr. Dresden, you lost?
No, no.
Hey thanks again.
You're welcome.
Anubis
fancy meeting you here...
It could be a coincidence.
Rich people buy things
just because Miller collects Egyptian art
doesn't necessarily mean
he's involved in the Harding job.
Even you don't sound convinced Bob.
So you think he put Boone up to it.
Well, yeah, and Boone killed the girl,
he broke the tablet, he became a liability
so Miller had to get rid of him
and he made it look like a car jacking.
But Harry, Miller's rolling in money.
If he'd wanted the lock of Anubis
couldn't he simply have purchased it?
Yeah, yup, yup, I know.
I'll be in my skull.
Dresden?
Please, come in.
What are you doing harassing Edward Miller?
What?
I'm not harassing him.
I just asked him a few harmless questions.
Not according to Miller.
He called the chief to complain.
The Harding case is closed.
Miller owns Egyptian art.
So?
So, the Egyptian tablet is stolen by Boone,
who is then killed by a man with the same interests.
Don't you think that's a little suspicious?
Edward Miller is not a criminal.
Stay away from him.
I guess that'll be that then.
Damn it!
What happened?
I cut my finger on your damn door knob.
I'm sorry.
It's kind of busted.
I am going to tell you this one last time.
Leave Miller alone!
Most people would drop it, right here, right now.
No questions asked.
Unfortunately I'm not most people.
When someone says stop,
somewhere between my ear and my brain
what I hear is full speed ahead.
The lock of Anubis.
The insurance company has my other photos.
Where'd you get this in the first place?
From and estate sale in Mumbai.
You went to India?
No I did it all online.
Computers?
Well half my business is Internet auctions.
I had the lock listed online until it was stolen.
Did you get any bidders? Boone? Maybe?
No, I can't sell to prisoners.
It's against the law.
But one did try.
There it is.
See that ip address,
that's unique to the state prison system.
Menard correctional facility.
That's where Boone was...
Yes, but Boone wasn't the bidder...
Sabin345.
Good.
That could be anyone.
Or it could really be sabin.
Who's sabin?
Lucas sabin.
He's all over the news. Don't you watch court TV?
I don't watch TV period.
Sabin was a professor of ancient Egyptian history;
Went off the deep end
and killed a kid and mummified him alive.
Lisa! Was that Lisa?
I think that was a nudge in the right direction.
How did you know Boone, Mr. Sabin?
He and I were cell mates.
Ever been in prison Mr. Dresden?
No.
Violence and tedium.
Those are the major threats against the hell of insanity.
As it turned out Boone was a reasonable protection against both.
During the day he watched my back
and at night he listened to my ramblings.
Over time I believe he actually grew
to appreciate my particular interests.
Those being ancient Egyptian funerary rights?
It's not a crime.
Not unless you practice on live people.
Any idea why Boone would have stolen the lock of Anubis?
No.
He knew you were bidding on it.
I suppose.
And he thought it was important enough
for it to be his first stop after getting out.
But not so important to show it the respect it deserved.
He smashed it to pieces from what I read.
That must have hurt.
It was an interesting piece,
though not particularly significant.
That's an interesting tattoo.
Any special meaning?
No.
I saw something similar on someone else.
Yes, I did do Boone myself.
Really?
I was talking about Boone.
Who then?
You tell me why the lock of Anubis is so important.
Bring me something first.
What?
Boone's autopsy photos.
No.
Good day Mr. Dresden.
Murphy.
If Boone, Miller and sabin all have the same tattoos...
God, don't do this.
Would you please at least consider the possibility
that Boone was working with Miller or sabin, or both?
So you think that Miller or sabin, or both,
contracted Boone to murder a young woman,
take some carved up rock, drop it,
then get his brains blown out?
Good plan.
Oh, damn it!
Well you're not going to find the shooter giving me the hairy eyeball.
You're not going to find him at all unless you give me something to go on.
I told you, ski mask, shot gun. Same m.O. As Boone.
The shooter wasn't Gus Boone; He's dead.
Which leaves his old partner Edward Miller,
copycatting him.
Okay, this bee in your bonnet - kill it!
So what, he doesn't want me asking questions.
I don't want you asking questions.
- You own shotgun? - Several.
Listen, we've had random shootings like this before.
This was not random! This was me, okay.
Now look, all three of them, they had the same tattoo.
Not Boone.
Gus Boone's autopsy photos.
Do you see any tattoos, anything Egyptian?
Okay, maybe sabin lied.
You think?
He's a murderer dresden,
not the most credible witness in the world.
It doesn't change the fact
that Boone stole an Egyptian tablet
and Miller's into all things Egyptian
and Miller and sabin
they both have the same tattoo.
Harry, you're screwing with the wrong people.
Look, at least ask Miller
if he owns a shotgun, would you?
Lieutenant?
You got a minute?
I just got this...
What was that?
Nothing for you.
We're going.
Where?
Miller's.
I've been ordered to make an official apology
for your behavior
and you're coming with me.
Let's go dresden!
Yeah, I'm coming.
Ed what's the matter?
You looking for some liquidity?
Honestly I'm bored with the collection.
I want it in a good home
and I know the gallery in your new casino
is just the place.
What, are you having a mid-life crisis?
You could say that.
Well, you've got some fantastic pieces.
Oh it's grown since you last saw it.
Jt, I'll give you a fair price.
Well, over-charge me.
I'm just glad you gave me first crack at it.
When do you get in?
Be in Chicago in about 6 hours.
You know where the house is right?
I remember the house.
You're not looking to sell that too, are you?
Possibly.
You are looking to make a change.
Just that time I guess.
All right, well,
looking forward to seeing you.
Mr. Miller, I'm It. Murphy
from the Chicago police dept.
What's this about?
I'm here to extend an official apology,
on behalf of the department,
for any trouble this gentlemen may have caused you.
Fine. Is that it?
May we come in?
What for?
Well I've been directed by my superiors
to try to resolve your differences with Mr. Dresden
so there's no further dispute...
Just tell him to mind his own business.
Regarding his recent
and somewhat inflammatory accusations.
What accusations?
May we come in?
Yeah.
Mr. Dresden noticed some unusual tattoos
on your neck this morning.
Hieroglyphics?
What? Boone was tattooed.
Boone took at trip to the prison infirmary
for an infection.
Doctors took that before his release.
Any reason why you and Mr. Boone
would have similar tattoos?
I don't know anything about Boone.
Really?
He knew a lot about you.
We found several articles in his personal belongings
that detailed your wealth, your connections,
even your success on the dating circuit.
He must have been targeting me.
For a carjacking?
What are you saying?
Similar tattoos; Egyptian artifacts.
You two shared a common interest.
Maybe Boone was bringing you the tablet
and dropped it
and you shot him.
Excuse me, I have an appointment.
With jt Bergen at 8:00 o'clock?
That's it, we're done, right?
One last question.
According to Boone's autopsy photos,
his tattoos were removed
sometime before you killed him.
Do you know why?
Why would I know that?
Those tattoos weren't removed,
they were transferred.
That's what the tablet was for, to open the door.
Harry.
You jumped bodies, didn't you.
Little upgrade?
- Don't move. - Put the gun down.
Boone, I know it's you,
now just let her go and you walk away.
Nosy son of a bitch.
Murphy, that's not Miller.
He's Boone in Miller's body.
He just jump bodies.
No!
Murphy?
You actually talked to sabin?
Who the hell are you?
Okay.
Boone, put that gun down
because you don't know what you're messing with, all right?
Just put the gun down.
This'll be interesting.
Hey, whaddya know! I'm alive.
Saved by one of the tools of the trade:
The shield bracelet I inherited from my mother.
Thanks, mom.
Seven hours to save Murphy.
Piece of cake.
Dying hadn't changed Gus Boone a bit.
He was a thug, an armed robber.
When he wanted something, he took it
and now he'd stolen Murphy's body
and I had to get him out before he traded her in for a new model
what is that?
That is blood from Murphy's cut finger.
And why is that important?
A voodoo doll?
How completely irresponsible of you.
So you're going to reach out and touch Boone,
by bringing pain to Murphy's body.
Well, that's where Boone is.
Harry, Harry, that is black magic
and you cannot afford to dabble in the black.
I need a way to convince Boone
that he can run but he can't hide, all right.
And with this??
With that you run the risk of alerting the high council
and falling prey to your darker desires.
Do I have a choice, huh?
I got a dead billionaire; I got a possessed cop;
I got a psychotic killer on the loose
and in 4 hours he's going to meet up with a Vegas tycoon
and he's going to jump into him.
And in the process he's gonna blow Murphy's brains out!
Now if you've got any better ideas Bob...
Yes, alert the media.
What?
Just alert the media.
Make sure that the Vegas tycoon learns
that Miller is dead and the deal is off.
Oh come on... And then what, huh?
Boone doesn't want to be Murphy.
He'll kill her and he'll just jump into his next choice,
whoever that might be!
And what is that doll going to do
but inflict pain on the villain
who already possesses your friend.
Would you forget about the doll?
Okay, listen.
We got to figure out a way, all right,
to get Boone out of Murphy without killing Murphy.
All right?
All right.
Yeah.
A lesser vanishing...
Corn of pentagrams;
Shamanistic exorcism.
Bob...
I'm thinking, I'm thinking.
Spiritual cleansing potions.
Come on Bob.
Harry, these things take time to prepare,
and even then I doubt they'll work.
You're dealing with an ancient spell!
And that egyption mumbo-jumbo that is not my forte.
That's what they do.
Who?
Harry?
It's all right Bob, I think I got it.
Boone betrayed you.
I don't know what you're talking about.
You marked him with the tattoos;
That's why you wanted to see the autopsy photos,
to see if they were gone.
You told him where to find the lock of Anubis
and he was supposed to jump into somebody, a guard,
warden, anybody that could get you out of here.
It doesn't matter now.
But he screwed up your plan
and I bet you'd love a little revenge.
What's in it for you?
Let's just say somebody I care is about is involved now.
It doesn't matter to me.
I wouldn't expect it to matter to you,
but let me tell you something,
the next person Boone's going to jump into
is a Las Vegas tycoon.
His life is going to be high rolling, the ladies,
while you're sitting here rotting away
with your gentleman friends.
You gonna let him get away with that?
You're going to destroy him.
Tell me how the lock works!
With the markings in place on the supplicant's neck.
The supplicant places his left hand in the well of the palm
in a secret stone.
Anubis.
The supplicant invokes the will of Anubis
and is granted the ability to transfer himself
into anyone else's body,
the moment of his own death.
The transfer is fuelled by his own life blood.
So it's a get out of death free card.
If you need such an imbecilic crutch to grasp the concept.
Yes.
So it jumped Boone needs to die
and be the invisible contact for this target?
His left hand on the heart of the new vessel.
You got it, but how do you stop it
without him killing the person he's in.
By turning the lock of Anubis.
Which is broken.
Hey Marie.
Hey, how are you?
Back for seconds?
Yeah.
This one's to go.
It's for Murphy.
She says hi by the way.
Yeah, well, you sure you don't want to stay?
I got donuts.
Oh you know, I'd love to but I gotta run.
All right, she wants this bag of broken rocks, huh?
That's it.
The lock of Anubis?
Not yet.
I need your help putting it together.
Now if I can just use your phone.
Yeah, right there.
Is that voodoo doll?
Pretty much.
Yeah.
Fergus' plane won't be landing to day.
Who is this?
You know who it is.
You're not dead?
I'm a wizard that way.
Really.
Uh huh, really truly.
You like that?
What did you do?
Reached out and touched you Boone.
I got a line at your soul and I can do it anytime,
anywhere, no matter who you jump into.
Just so you're clear, I own you.
I've forgotten more of that death and magic
than Satan has ever known.
That's why you're going to sit tight,
you're going to wait for my next call
and then we're going to discuss what you're going to do with me next.
Yeah, it's Murphy.
I just got a call on my cell phone.
I need a trace.
Now what?
We wait for Boone to kill me.
The final showdown. I kind of like that part.
Face the villain, beat the bad guy.
It's the waiting beforehand that kills me.
Wondering if I'm going to survive;
Knowing I might not.
Gives me ulcers.
So this, whatever it is you do, is it real?
Yeah.
How long have you been doing it?
Since I was a kid.
And do you always help people?
Not always.
Special time with an uncle;
He had other ideas about how best to use my abilities.
Where is he now?
Dead.
I'm sorry.
Son of a bitch!
Wait here.
Enjoying your life as a woman?
What are you?
The guy that's gonna send you to hell.
Son of a bitch!
Your buddy Salim,
told me the lock of Anubis is a two way street.
You touch it once,
if freezes the soul and move from body to body;
Touch it again and the game's over.
That's why I destroyed it.
We'll see about that.
Oh, say hi to my uncle when you're down there.
Where's the damn lock?
You're Boone, aren't you.
You killed my daughter!
Tell me where it is or I'm gonna kill him!
That's not the lock.
Where is it?
You're looking at it.
What?
I told you, you're looking at it.
Do you have the lock or don't you?
Actually, I do.
Come on out, Boone!
Someone wants to say goodbye to you!
Its okay Charles, it's gonna be okay.
It's gonna be okay.
Hold on.
Hey Murphy. You all right?
Come on in.
Hey, want to take a seat?
Oh no, it's okay, I'll just sit here.
Sit here. It's a nice sofa.
So, how are you?
On an administrative leave.
Administrative leave.
I asked for it. I just... I don't feel like I'm all here.
Those doctors' tests show anything?
No, not so far. They say I'm perfectly fine.
I wish I agreed with them.
Well, that was quite a hit to the head you took from Miller.
Harry, I keep dreaming about you.
Good dreams, bad dreams, what you got?
I don't know.
Sometimes you're pretty scary in them.
Other times not so much.
But in all of them you're performing?
Like on stage or... what?
Like miracles.
Weird, huh?
Yeah, that's weird.
And I see something else.
Yeah, what's that?
Miller killing himself. I feel like I was there.
You weren't there. Miller clocked you one.
He took me out.
He rant off and blew his brains in private
and I brought you back here and you were completely out of it Murphy, gone.
Could you make me a promise?
Yeah.
After tonight, if I go back to work...
When.
When...
Promise you will never lie to me about anything
ever again.
Murphy...
Good night Harry.
Murphy.