Money Matters
by Susan Parker, Michael Parker

(Age 30+) George’s daughter.  A take charge type, who is probably responsible for the fact that they have got away with their counterfeiting year after year, by rigidly following the credo of Mr. Hammond. She is totally lacking in any sense of humor, but continues to listen patiently to George’s jokes, which she never understands. When the manor is unexpectedly bequeathed to a stranger, Bud Davis, she cooks up a plot to persuade him to sell the manor to her and George.  When things begin to fall apart, it is Annie who keeps her cool and finds a way out of their predicament. (Competent, resourceful, quick thinking)

(Age 50+) The neighbor of George and Annie, Marilena is a self-professed psychic. She is The Contesa de Buzau Si Severin [SEE AUTHORS' NOTES] from Transylvania, but George refers to her as “The Romanian Fruitcake”. She speaks with an accent and occasionally uses Romanian phrases. Her flamboyant personality shines through in manner, dress and movement. She speaks to spirits, and feels the presence of “money” when visiting George and Annie. She is overwhelmed by the attention given to her by “Bud the Stud” Davis, but can she deny her feelings for George?

(Age 30+) An old college friend and sorority sister of Annie’s, she is the quintessential Southern Belle. Beautiful and voluptuous, with an over active libido, on principle she puts a move on all men. She has been invited to Monet Manor by Annie to play the role of a ghost, in order to convince Mr. Davis the house is haunted. She quickly realizes that she knows who Davis is, and admits that she had an affair with him years before, and dumped him because he was two-timing her. She embraces her role, eager to help her friend and to thwart the plans of Davis. (Out going, gushing, demonstrative)

(Age 60+)  The current owner of Monet Manor, which was bequeathed to him by Mrs. Hammond, a former paramour.  He has little interest in Annie and George’s proposal to purchase the manor from him, and never really believes that it is “haunted.”  Bud’s intention for the Manor is to convert it into a retirement home for women, which will only further his hobby, sex. Bud sees himself as a geriatric sex machine, who is more interested in his next conquest then the cash Annie and George are prepared to offer him. (Slight and frail, charismatic, brazen but likeable)

(Age 30+) A freelance property appraiser and design consultant hired by Bud to do a cost analysis on the feasibility of turning the Manor into a retirement home for women. He appears to be very motivated by money and making deals. He is never far from his cell phone and becomes very secretive at times.  When he discovers the printing press, he forces George and Annie into a deal. At first there appears little they can do to protect themselves from his evil intentions, but in the end, with Charmaine’s help, the tables are turned on him. (Mercenary, self-involved, unscrupulous)

(Age 50+) A kind, good natured soul who has worked almost twenty years for the owners of Monet Manor, Mr. Hammond, who passed away ten years ago and his widow who passed away two weeks ago. He works in the basement printing twenty dollar bills on and old press built many years ago by Mr. Hammond. He is a gentle person, who is, perhaps, influenced too much by his daughter Annie. He probably has never thought  much about the fact that he breaks the law every day of his life, but feels he is not doing anyone any harm. He is a total hypochondriac, with every ailment imaginable, (and some unimaginable). At first, flattered by Charmaine’s attentions (His daughter’s friend), he begins to realize that he is attracted to their neighbor Marilena, which eventually evolves into a tender love story. (Caring, thoughtful, always the gentleman.)