Monster of the Day #3339

I seriously wonder what’s happening in this picture.

I mean, it’s clear the lady here has either shot the distinguished gentleman. But why? What is it in her hands? She clearly doesn’t seem to want to touch it; she’s using the two finger ick approach to holding it. Is it the Summons for Satan? Is the Prince of Darkness heading to court?

What does the distinguished gentleman have to do with it? He has a book at his side. Does that have the Summons for Satan in it? Was he about to do the deed when our lady here smudged his head with a paint ball bullet? Is that paper she’s holding important to the Summons? Is that why the ghost is mad? Or just because she killed him?

And did she kill him? The wound is high on the right side of the picture and is the only visible wound.
The lady, on the other hand, looks like she’s come in from the left side. Did she really shoot him? There’s reasonable ways she could have, granted, but I think it’s possible that she didn’t.

If she didn’t shoot him, then why is the distinguished gentleman so angry? Could it be she’s in cahoots with him? Could it be he was on the verge of heading out for the Summons for Satan and was shot by someone else? Someone who left the gun behind for the lady to (stupidly) pick up? And while she’s examining the paper she clearly doesn’t want to touch, the ghost pops up to berate her for comitting one of the dumber mystery tropes, the one where Our Hero becomes a suspect because they handled the murder weapon?

…

I’m over thinking all of this, aren’t I?

I assume she murdered him to procure a deed or some other valuable document.