Burke Devlin's pen

Burke Devlin's pen is a fictional item featured in the 1960s daytime Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. The pen was used as a plot device in a storyline unofficially referred to as "The Murder of Bill Malloy" story-arc.

The character of Burke Devlin purchased an expensive silver filigree fountain pen engraved with a fancy design upon it. During a time that he was still trying to get revenge against the Collins family, Devlin became romantically attacked to Carolyn Stoddard - the niece of his sworn enemy Roger Collins. Devlin gave the pen to Carolyn as a gift. Carolyn recognized it's value and believed that Devlin giving it to her meant that he really liked her. When Roger discovered where the item had originated, he forced Carolyn to surrender it to him. He did not want her to have any connection to Burke.

Roger Collins discovered the murdered body of his former employee Bill Malloy on the beach below Widows' Hill. It was at this time that he had accidentally dropped the pen in the sand. It was recovered later, but its discovery made Roger extremely nervous as the pen could be used as evidence against him in the matter of Malloy's death. Roger did not kill Malloy (the true assailant was Collinwood caretaker Matthew Morgan), but he knew that the authorities would suspect him anyway.