Carnage for Christmas (2024) Movie Script
1
(screen clicks)
(static crackling)
(ominous music)
(static crackling)
(screen clicks)
- [Lola] Okay, so imagine this scene.
- Sure.
- A shitty motel
in some one-bus town.
It's familiar. A cliche even.
A girl 18 years old right out
of high school, a runaway.
Her name is Annie.
- Seriously?
- I know. I know.
It's a hard knock life.
Anyway, she's not an exploding ginger.
She's blonde, super femme,
wavy hairdo, and so on.
She's run away from home to get away
from her violent shit of a dad,
an old fashioned bikey, you know,
leather jackets and logos.
- [Riley] Is it "The Wild Angels"?
- [Lola] But uglier.
Crazy movie by the way.
Anyway, this piece of sentient
dick cheese has sent out
an underling of his to track her down.
Real greasy, white trash
shit the gang calls Floppy,
because of a drunken incident
in which he couldn't...
- Ugh, gross.
- Indeed.
Thing is Floppy has ulterior motives.
- [Riley] Of course he does.
- [Lola] He's got beef
with her dad, right?
And he has no intention
of actually finding her.
(door thuds)
(terrifying music)
(knife slashes)
(metal rattling)
(terrifying music)
(knee thuds)
(metal rattling)
(knife slices)
(organs mushing)
(Floppy gulping)
(tense music)
- [Riley] Oh my God, are you serious?
- Mm-hmm, so as it turned out,
not only did she know
that he was following her,
but she was counting on it.
So when he threatened her, she was ready.
- I have mixed feelings about this one.
- Mm, me too. You see, Floppy
deserved it hands down.
But as far as I can gather,
the other three out of five
were seemingly unrelated.
I think she might've just
gotten a taste for it.
And guess what?
That's right, dear listener,
Annie is the subject
of next week's podcast.
So if you wanna know more,
you're just gonna have to tune in.
- [Riley] You're such a tease.
- Always. Any emails this week, Riley?
- Oh, do we have emails?
We have two dick pics.
- Mm. Any good?
- [Riley] No. Nothing to brag about.
- Ugh, wandering through
the desert out here,
ladies and gents.
- But we do have an email here
from a Spring-heeled Jack.
- I swear we get more references
to Jack the Ripper on this murder podcast
than there are Jesuses
in a mental institution.
Although I always appreciate
a history buff among us.
- [Riley] I guess you could say
he had a spring in his step.
- Oh, Riley, this is an upscale podcast.
We can't be having dad jokes.
- Anyways, I'll just get into it.
See what Mr. Slinky shoes has to say.
"Dear Riley and Lola, new
listener, big fan of the podcast.
This question is for Lola. What
got you into murder cases?"
- Hmm, I haven't had this one in a while.
What do you think,
Riley? Should I tell him?
- [Riley] Yes, yes,
please. I love this story.
- So in my shitty little
hometown that I grew up in,
there was this urban legend,
slash coming of age ritual
amongst boys mostly,
but it really had the town in its grips.
Probably still does.
These dark things,
(suspenseful music)
(graphic slashes)
they tend to linger.
There was this old abandoned
house not far from my place
that all the kids were scared of.
You see, the house belongs
to an old man in the 1930s.
Nice guy, the kind of guy you'd be happy
to have as your neighbor.
And he used to make
these toys out of wood,
beautiful things, a dying art really.
And every Christmas, he'd
run about the town dressed
as Santa handing out toys
to the neighborhood kids.
But everyone else knew
that he had a dark side,
a real jealous streak.
One night he wakes up from a dream
where his wife has cheated on him,
and he's in a blind rage.
Decides to murder his whole family,
chops them up, wraps them in wax cloth,
hides them around the house:
the attic, in the walls,
under the floorboards.
They found him swinging
from the rafters upstairs
dressed in his Santa suit.
The only one left unaccounted for
was his youngest daughter, Nel,
(suspenseful music)
But our parents told
us it was all bullshit.
But you try telling a
town filled with teenagers
that that never happened.
Which brings me to the
affirmation coming of age ritual.
My so-called Friends Barry
and Brick said they'd done it,
so they made me do it.
It went like this.
You'd get blindfolded and you're put
in this old house alone.
And I remember you had to
say these specific words.
You stand in this old house
and you say, Toymaker, Toymaker,
crawl up from hell and show
me where you buried Nel.
I promise I won't tell.
And then at this point in the
legend, he either kills you
with his hammer or he shows
you the body of his dead kid
and swears you to silence
or he'll follow you all
the way home and kill you.
(suspenseful music)
- [Riley] I do feel it is important to say
to the gentle listeners
that this is in fact not
a work of horror fiction
and is our goal along this real life.
- That's right, and it was just then
that I heard the floorboards
creaking behind me.
- [Beer Can] Still
playing this old game, eh?
- [Lola] It was just Old Man Beer Can.
Us kids used to call him that.
He was just a local drunk.
- [Beer Can] Don't worry kid.
- [Lola] He said.
- [Beer Can] I'm not the
old Toymaker's ghost.
And then he stumbled over
to the peephole and peered through it.
I wasn't sure what he was up to,
so I ducked away into a cupboard.
(bill chimes)
- [Beer Can] Ah, I
gobbled up ya little mate
and I'm still hungry.
(kid screaming)
(suspenseful music)
(kid chuckling)
(door thuds)
(kid gasps)
- I suddenly realized there
was a secret compartment
in the cupboard, a fake back.
I always noticed these kind of
things, things that were off.
If I'd been there back in the day,
I would've noticed the marks,
the scratching mice and rats,
and known that they must've been
after something behind it.
(somber music)
I'd done by accident what
the police never did.
Staring into those empty eye sockets,
that's when I realized
I could've found her,
maybe even saved her
or someone like her.
And so I had to figure it out,
who was the Toymaker?
and what makes a person who's
kind enough to hand out gifts
to children at Christmas snap
and kill their entire family?
(suspenseful music)
And how do you catch someone like that?
Anyway, that is the story
that started it all.
- And sadly, I feel like
we have to say goodbye
because we have gone way over time.
But tune in for next week's podcast,
Riley and Lola, on the "Nancy Crew Show."
All right, smell you later.
And beware of your Santa at
your local shopping center.
- Sweet dreams.
(ominous music)
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
(energetic music)
- Let's go, boy.
(people chattering)
- Are you kidding me? You
could've waited for me.
- Sweetie, if we waited
for you every time,
we'd starve to death.
There'd be two skeletons
sitting at the booth.
- That'd be a mystery to solve.
- Yeah, I think the cops
could solve that one.
- Are you sure?
- You could at least order
some garlic bread next time.
- Garlic gives me the farts.
- Because you're a vampire, Farrah.
- I wish, eternal life sounds fun.
- Yeah, but could you hack
eternal life without pizza?
(people chattering)
I guess she's not that committed
to being a vampire then.
- Doesn't stop her from feeding
on other people's lives though.
- Feeding off of other people's lives
is literally what journalists do.
(people chattering)
(material rustles)
Touchy.
I hear you tell your story
on the podcast today.
So when are you gonna let me write it.
- One day, dear Watson,
you can chronicle the many adventures
of my fantastic life when I have them.
I mean, if I have them.
- Careful what you wish for.
- You will, you're always poking
into every mystery you can find.
One day one will poke back.
- That's what I'm worried about.
- Well, if it makes either
of you feel any better,
I spent my entire week just cataloging
and doing legal bullshit.
- Fuck, I hate both those things.
- You've got that thing
with the bugs next semester though, right?
- Bug thing?
- Oh my God.
Corpse-eating carrion,
like flesh-eating bugs.
- Uh-huh.
- You'd be surprised
what you can find out from a body
by what's eating it from the inside out.
So fucking cool.
- Like maggots and shit?
- [Lola] Uh-huh.
- That's it for me.
- Oh, come on, Farrah.
Don't act like it's not amazing.
- Yeah, but gross.
- Totally gross. That's
what I'm hoping for.
More like spending the entire time
just fucking cataloging bugs.
(people chattering)
- So how are you feeling, my love?
- Fine, whatever do you mean? (chuckles)
- You know what, Lola?
- Oh, just my imminent return
to my oppressive little shit
hole town that I'm from, that?
- How long has it been
since you were back?
- I think I escaped when I was like 16.
Are you like totally fucking
nervous about it or what?
- Delicate, Farrah.
- I mean, I'd be lying
if I said that I wasn't
a little bit nervous.
It's not exactly like I ran around
or I left telling everyone
that I was coming out
as trans or...
And fucking everyone's gonna
be there 'cause it's Christmas,
so everyone's returning.
It's like gonna be a fucking shit show.
And it's just like,
I'm not ready for all
the fucking questions.
Do you know what I mean,
and it's just like.
(table thuds)
Fuck.
- Hmm, preaching to the choir there.
We wouldn't know anything about that.
- Guess, look, I know I'm
not the only queer person
with a tragic backstory, sorry.
- No, don't apologize.
We were showing our family trauma.
- Well, how healthy of us?
- Just lemme know if
you need anything, okay?
- And if anything goes
down in that gothic town
of yours, you know where to find me.
- I do, I love you guys.
I love you too, bitch. You got this.
(upbeat music)
(people chattering)
(upbeat music continues)
(people chattering)
(upbeat music continues)
(people chattering)
(bell ringing)
(Charlie growling)
- [Charlie] Too early. What's the rush?
- There'll be trucks
and cars full of kids
getting to Christmas.
- Mm.
- You know the drill.
- Don't go.
- Baby, you know I have to go.
(Charlie grunts)
I love you.
I love you.
- I love you more and better.
(Lola chuckles)
(suspenseful music)
(lips smacking)
Hush hush hush now
Hush hush hush now
You're being too loud
You're being too loud
Welcome to my delusions
My perfume is your pollution
Welcome to silent auctions
Wraps you up like contact paper
You're gonna love the ending
Spoilers learn info's contagious
Suck my blood pretend
I'm where the venom lives
Kill the
(door thuds)
(tires rumbling)
(sliding door scratching)
(sliding door taps)
(feet tapping)
- The pack of Yeti Menthols?
(paper crackling)
(machine beeping)
(door rattling)
(box taps)
(machine beeping)
- Get back to, Barry.
(sliding door taps)
(machine beeping)
(door thuds)
(engine roaring)
(birds chirping)
(ominous music)
(engine jerking)
(engine roaring)
(mellow music)
(birds chirping)
(door thuds)
(birds chirping)
(feet tapping)
(mellow music)
(feet scratching)
(mellow music)
(ornate knocking)
(door clicks)
(door squeaks)
- Lola.
- Uh-huh.
- Danielle, your sister is here.
- You remember me, right?
- How could I forget?
You gave me my first nipple twister.
- (chuckles) Yeah, welcome
to the house, bitch.
(mellow music)
- Lola, oh my God.
You're beautiful.
Isn't she gorgeous?
- Scrubs up will, I guess.
- Oh, put your stuff in the
first bedroom on the left
and then come to the lounge
for a glass of bubbly.
- You're not gonna
break out the good stuff
for this little shit, are ya?
- Ignore her, she's the
same old butch bitch.
- Huh, nice.
- And everyone at school was right.
She was a Dyke all along.
So watch out for her.
(mellow music)
- Yeah. Not my type.
(mellow music)
- Be nice.
- [Character] I don't
know any man named Hern.
I was at home last night and there he is.
- [Character] Oh, yeah.
Well, you must walk in your sleep at night
'cause you stayed at
the apartment last night
at the Airport Hotel in Oakland
where you registered.
(music drowns speaker)
(paper crackling)
(crickets croaking)
(lips smacking)
- Did I tell you Danielle's
brother's back in town?
- I thought she was trans?
- Yeah, sure. Whatever.
- Come on. Don't be all
classic transphobic like that-
- I'm not transphobic.
(lips smacking)
- Yeah, sure. Okay.
Just be nice to her and
shut up and jump me, okay?
I've got the night shift
in an hour and a half
and I'm gonna feel lighter on my feet.
(lips smacking)
(energetic music)
- The fuck?
(tense music)
(glass shatters)
(Kat screaming)
(flesh pounding)
(flesh mushing)
(ominous music)
(flesh pounding)
(flesh mushing)
(Julie squealing)
(Toymaker panting)
(tense music)
(feet tapping)
(tense music)
(feet tapping)
(flesh pounding)
(Julie screams)
(ominous music)
(ominous music)
(kettle whistling)
- Fuck, shit. (grunts)
(kettle whistling)
- Jesus, Danny, get yourself
a decent coffee machine.
You're not washing your clothes
down by the river, are you?
- No Lola, we don't.
We just don't have real coffee much,
so I went to the store
and bought you a nice brand
and now it's burned, I'm sorry.
- Look, don't be.
Even bad coffee is better
than no coffee at all.
(glass clanging)
(orchestra music)
So Julie Hoptin.
- Oh, you noticed?
I swear she sneaks out of the house
like I'm her mother or something.
- That's a bit Freudian.
- Right? She usually comes home though.
- Do you think it's me?
- Oh no, it's, no, I doubt it.
I mean, she's a bit, but
she wouldn't hide away.
- You're right, the Julie
I know would stay just
to pick on me.
- She's changed a lot since we were teens.
- Could've fooled me.
You have though.
What happened to the metal
t-shirts and skinny leg jeans?
- They were called stove pipes
No, no, things change.
- You're right.
(orchestra music)
- She could've messaged me at least.
Things aren't like they were
out there when we were kids.
- Hmm.
- The economic crisis hit us pretty hard.
Farms were lost. Businesses closed.
I mean, things got a lot
better later in general,
but it got a lot rougher around here.
Bad people got a lift.
- I had no idea.
- I guess they don't care much
for small town problems in the big city.
- No, they don't care
about big city problems
with the big city either.
They step over homeless
people like they're trash
on the sidewalk.
I never could get used to it.
(bell rings)
(door knocking)
- Maybe Julie forgot her keys.
(tense music)
(door rattling)
(floor creaking)
I don't understand. Is this a joke?
- The Toymaker.
Would Julie do something
like this just to scare us?
- No way.
(suspenseful music)
(ominous music)
(feet tapping)
(plastic crackling)
(suspenseful music)
(telephone ringing)
- Are you kidding me? And
what's this supposed to be?
- It's evidence.
- I don't have time for this.
- Looks like you've got plenty of time.
- Who is this?
- My sister.
- I didn't know you had a sister.
- Well, now you do. Are
you going to look for her?
- I'm not gonna call a search for Julie.
She's probably out
scissoring someone's wife.
- I beg your pardon?
- Okay, keep your panties out of a twist,
I'll do a call to keep an eye out for her.
If she's still AWOL in a couple of days,
you can file a missing person thingy.
- I'm sorry, a missing person thingy?
This guy's a fucking moron.
- Hey, I could have you
arrested for just talking like that.
- [Danielle] Constable Banks-
- Senior Constable.
- Congratulations on the
promotion, Senior Constable Banks.
Are you at least going
to look at the card?
(telephone ringing)
(people chattering)
(plastic crackling)
- Creepy. Looks like a prank.
- It's clearly threatening.
- If Julie was fiddling with my wife,
I'd be threatening her too.
Look, you have no idea how many kids
or even grownups are pranking us
with this Toymaker bullshit.
If we investigated every
prank or Toymaker sighting,
we'd have no time to
catch any real criminals.
- Oh my God. Forget about it.
Come on, let's go.
(telephone ringing)
(suspenseful music)
So I'm guessing there was
an incident involving someone's wife.
- Sort of, small town bullshit.
Cassie Connor, well, Cassie Summers then,
but she was already
separated from her husband
and Julie had a little fling with her.
That's all, the entire thing
was blown out of proportion
by a town of fucking Karens.
- Wait, wait, wait, Summers?
As in Barry Summers?
- Yeah, his brother, Paul.
- Swear to God,
this town has more fucking
soap opera bullshit
going on than Ramsay Street.
- (chuckles) Aha, yeah.
- Do you know where Julie's friends live?
- No, but I don't have to.
They all hang out in Nowhere Club.
- Where?
- The Nowhere Club. It's a gay bar.
- Sorry, a gay bar here?
- Well, it's more of a nightclub, really.
A nightclub in this town.
I see the
- [Club Member] Feel like
you're really good at it.
- I am.
- Totally catch.
- [Friend] Whoa. Whoa, whoa.
Look what the cat dragged in.
- Does that make me the cat?
- Deb says that every time.
The one with the loud mouth.
- Oh, the nerve on this one.
- [Danielle] Everyone,
this is my sister, Lola.
- Oh, no.
- Oh, yes.
Your sister's quite the town gossip.
- I'm not. Okay, maybe I am a little bit.
This is Kit.
Her sister's name is Kat. I shit you not.
- Yeah, look, the parents
had a sense of humor.
- Obviously.
- This is Abby.
- Hi.
- And the lady, Sarah.
- Don't listen to this silly
bitch. I am a baroness.
- Really?
- No, but I just like
to think I am classier than these girls.
- Lola, darling, you don't
recognize me, do you?
- What?
- Mr. Proctor?
- One and the same.
- No.
- Wait, what's this?
- I was actually a teacher
at St. Joan's High back
in the day when Lola was in town.
- [Abby] Wow. Really?
- Yeah.
- You were a teacher?
- Mm-hmm.
- Wait, what'd you teach?
- Business, maths, I
actually used to teach
the girls hockey team as well.
Danny here was quite
the pro back in the day.
- I was okay.
- I remember you teaching-
- No, don't say it. Don't you say it.
- [Friend] Yeah. What?
- No, seriously, I'll take it to my grave.
- Religious education.
(group gasps)
- No, you fucking didn't.
- Yes. Yes, I did.
You are mean, girl.
- [Lola] Well, you failed me.
- No I didn't.
- You did. In year 10, you failed me.
I had to take that class twice.
- Wait a minute.
The essay saying that the apostles
- Faked the Resurrection.
- The Resurrection.
Oh my God. No, seriously,
I was so mad at that.
That was you. That was you, wasn't it?
Oh my God, and she was so good about it.
Like a bloody detective she was.
- Wait, weren't you the kid that found
that skeleton of the missing girl?
- That was her.
- That's fucking amazing.
And obviously really horrible.
It would've been like a
really horrible experience.
- Has anyone heard from Julie?
- I thought she walked.
- She's probably snuggling
somewhere with Kat.
- No, I mean Kat's on
night shift all weekend.
I mean, I didn't speak to her today,
but that's not actually unusual, so.
- Where does she work?
- Mm, Green Leaf Station on Maine.
- Julie snuck out to see
her last night, I'm sure,
but she never came home.
- That's weird, I might call
her and just see where she is.
- Is she usually so secretive?
- Not with us.
- I mean, it's not necessarily
safe to be out here,
if you know what I mean.
- I see.
- No, no, no, don't bring up her ex.
- Fuckin' Jerry still has eyes
on her. He's a fucking creep.
- Wait, Jerry as in Brick Kelly?
- (chuckles) Yes.
- Sorry, Brick?
- That's what we used
to call him at school.
He was, is a little stupid, I guess.
(group chuckling)
- Come on, he's not that stupid.
He's just kind of lazy and aggressive.
His parents owned that big
chicken factory up on the hill,
so he never had to try at anything.
And they ignored him,
which made him act out.
How did Kat end up with him?
- Kind of charmed his way in
with her at the beginning.
I mean, like the family
wasn't doing great at the time
when he just came in with
his rugged good looks and so-
- Stop, stop, stop, rugged good looks?
- I hate to admit it, he came out
of the awkward teens looking pretty good.
- What other fucked guys from
my childhood got a glow up?
- Well, I don't know about Barry.
He stayed the same really.
But Dave went to the city for uni
and had some kind of
argument with his family
and now he runs a history society.
- Seriously, wow.
- People change, I guess.
- I guess. Anyway, ladies,
raise 'em if you got 'em.
Danny and I have to go.
I got a paper to write.
- And, honey, be sure
to come back anytime.
Suffice to say I don't teach anymore.
I actually own this shit hole,
so you got a home away
from home here, all right?
So just remember that, please.
- I will. Thank you.
- Nice to meet you.
- See ya. Bye.
- Do you mind trying Julie again?
- Yes, I can.
(mischievous music)
- If Kat doesn't answer her phone,
I'm gonna fucking kill her.
(engine roaring)
(mischievous music)
- [Danielle] Lemme guess,
we're going to the Green Leaf?
- [Lola] No.
- You haven't changed a bit.
- This town sure fucking has.
- That's for sure, for better and worse.
- [Lola] You know, your friends
are pretty fucking cool.
- Yeah, they're Julie's friends really.
They're so nice to me.
- Danny, they're nice to you
because they're your friends too.
- I guess.
- No, Kat isn't here today.
And she didn't rock up for
her shift last night either.
So if you see her,
tell her to not bother
coming back in again.
- Lovely, is she usually
so unreliable with shifts?
- What, are you a cop?
- No.
- Well, if you're not gonna get any fuel,
you wanna come inside
and have a cup of cruelty-free
fairly acquired coffee
I've got in there?
- Listen, I don't think
we're gonna waste any more
of your valuable time.
(tires rumbling)
(ominous music)
(tense music)
(ominous music)
(screen distorting)
(ominous music)
(screen distorting)
(tense music)
(dog barking)
(feet tapping)
(door thuds)
(ground crunching)
It's still the same shitty town.
Just glossed over a little bit.
There's like cafes with real
coffee and fancy servos.
And even that queer bar.
I don't know.
It's the same but different.
- I guess you can paint over
the walls of a haunted house,
but the ghosts are still there.
- Hey, that's poetic. You
should give that to Farrah.
- [Charlie] No way. She can
come up with her own material.
- Anyway, Charlie, I'm really
worried about this thing-
- [Danielle] Lola, the TV,
quick. It's about Julie!
- [Reporter] While
authorities have said that she
was likely a victim
of a robbery gone tragically wrong,
the police have refused
to go on record about the
state of Kat Lancaster's body,
which was discovered by
local teen Mark Palone.
(Mark bellows)
Ms. Lancaster was last
seen with Julie Lane,
who's been missing since
the night of the attack.
(ominous music)
- [Lola] I can't believe I let you talk me
into letting you tag along.
- [Danielle] She was my friend, Lola.
Besides us, it's not safe
for you out here alone.
- We may not even be
safe out here together,
so keep the flashlight down, okay?
(suspenseful music)
- Do you see anything?
- Police made a fucking mess
of the scene, there's
boot prints everywhere.
(suspenseful music)
You know, they towed the car,
but I don't think they even
fucking dusted for prints.
Wait.
- What, what is it?
Are these hand marks?
- Lola?
- Nothing.
(siren wailing)
Shh, get down.
(dispatch chattering)
(ominous music)
- [Danielle] Do you think he's on us?
(dispatch chattering)
(ominous music)
- Fucking doubt it.
Cops in this town always
have one hand on their dick
and one hand on their phone.
But we need to be careful, okay?
- What did you find?
(tense music)
- I think Julie got away.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah, but I don't know
for how long, wait here.
- Fuck that, Lola, wait for me.
- Don't come here.
- Lola!
- Trust me, just-
(Danielle screaming)
(terrifying music)
(ground crunching)
(terrifying music)
(paper crackling)
(terrifying music)
(suspenseful music)
(suspenseful music)
So Julie's parents never showed then?
- No. They disowned her after, you know?
And Kat's parents are
both passed on, so...
It was a car accident.
The twins were 17 when it happened.
It was terrible.
- Poor Kat.
- [Danielle] All alone in the world now.
- She's not, but it's sure
gonna fucking feel like it.
- I don't know, twins are different,
especially when it's-
- Piece of fucking shit.
I know it was you.
- Fuck are you talking about?
- I'm gonna fucking kill you.
- Get the fuck away from me.
(speakers drowning out one another)
- Any more of this, you're
gonna spend the night
in jail, Kit.
- Are you fucking serious?
- Back away.
- At my sister's funeral?
- Back away.
- What are you gonna do about it?
- Back away.
- You haven't done anything about it.
What are you gonna do about it?
(suspenseful music)
(Kit sobbing)
(suspenseful music)
(ominous music)
(flesh pounding)
(audio distorting)
(ominous music)
(brakes squeaking)
(engine roaring)
- Is that Harry Thatcher?
- Yeah. Old man Beer Can.
- [Beer Can] Still
playing this old game, eh?
- Poor guy.
- Well, his liver finally popped.
- No, he was bashed to death.
(flesh pounding)
(blood splashing)
They found him by an old pub
It was armed robbery, they said.
- There's a lot of fucking
botched robberies going
on around here.
(birds chirping)
- You, Lola, or whatever.
Sergeant Kelly wants to speak to you.
- Well, why don't you
lead the way, Constable?
- Senior Constable.
(suspenseful music)
- Will you be all right?
- Do you want me to come with you?
- No stay here.
(suspenseful music)
(paper crackling)
(pen tapping)
- Grab a seat.
(feet tapping)
(suspenseful music)
(suspenseful music)
I understand you came back
to town a couple of days ago.
- That's right.
- It says here you were christened as-
- I know what I was christened as.
I had it changed to Lola legally.
- I see, and you're here for Christmas?
- Correct.
- With your family?
- My sister.
- You only have your sister
and your father here.
Is that correct?
- Obviously.
- Have you seen your father?
- No.
- Why not?
- Listen, is this any of
your fucking business?
- Look, Lola, here's what I know.
This town hasn't seen a
crime worse than shoplifting
or a drunken fight in quite some time.
Then you arrive from the big smoke
and we have two murders.
(suspenseful music)
- You think I'm the killer?
- I am aware of what you do.
Student of forensic science
and you're a host of a
radio show about such-
- Podcast.
- A podcast then.
- Details, Sergeant, they're everything.
Wouldn't you agree?
- When you were a little...
When you were a child,
you discovered the remains of Nel Jenkins,
the missing girl of
this town's only murder.
- Only murder, are you for real?
- I beg your pardon.
- Murders, quite a
history of them actually.
1853, an indigenous family is
murdered, including two kids
after the father is suspected
of stealing eggs, fucking eggs.
1923, Bethany Jans is murdered
by her psychotic fucking husband
in a blind drunk rage.
He got off too, temporary insanity.
Just like he was temporarily insane
every time he'd beat the
living Christ out of her.
1946, wartime, Michael Arata,
a Japanese abattoir
worker, he was murdered.
What was his crime, being Japanese?
He had blunt force trauma consistent
with three police cudgels,
but you boys did a mighty fine job
of covering that one up.
Not quite good enough though.
And I've come back to town only to find
that Old Man Thatcher, Old Man Beer Can,
the town drunk when we were
growing up, he was murdered
in a botched robbery attempt.
There's a fucking ton
of botched robberies going
around, wouldn't you say?
- Yes. Yes, I see your point.
- Do you? 'Cause I could go on.
- I'm sure you could.
The point is, these killings took place
after you arrived back in town.
Now I'm not saying you're the killer,
but I do think you're a troublemaker.
Where people like you go, trouble follows.
And I don't want trouble in my town.
There is a possibility
that whoever the killer
is followed you here.
A famous local who solved an old case
now gets to solve another one.
You, a person with a checkered history
and a dubious, what
would you kids call it?
A fan base.
Furthermore, I don't
think it's unreasonable
to assume that the anonymous
caller who found the body
of Julie Lane wasn't just
some passerby taking a piss
in the bush, but rather
someone who was looking for her
or knew where she was.
And though I can't prove this,
knowing your preoccupations,
there is a distinct possibility
that you made that call.
(suspenseful music)
- I'm free to leave.
- You can leave this
office whenever you like.
We're not holding you.
- That wasn't a question.
- I see, as I said,
you can leave this
office whenever you like.
But the town, no.
Not until I say so.
You're still a person of
interest in this case after all.
- Well, that's great because
I fucking love it here.
Merry Christmas, Sergeant.
(pen taps)
- One more thing.
(tense music)
You're gonna stop interfering
in our investigation or I'm
gonna have you arrested.
- Well, then I'd get
to investigating then.
(tense music)
- Yes, it's me.
Get Constable Kent to keep
an eye on Lola Dulling.
I wanna know every move she makes.
(tense music)
(dog barking)
(tense music)
(crickets croaking)
(sliding door scratching)
(sliding door taps)
(terrifying music)
(crickets croaking)
(terrifying music)
(crickets croaking)
(material creaking)
(terrifying music)
(Toymaker panting)
(crickets croaking)
(terrifying music)
(weapon crunches)
(Sarah gargling)
(screen distorting)
(Sarah gargling)
(crows cawing)
(sprinkler spraying)
- [Dispatch] Calling Unit 1,
Code 212 at the bottle stop, Rene Street.
- Can't hear, a Code what?
- [Dispatch] During the night shift,
witness someone abducting Sarah Whitmore.
- No identification?
- [Dispatch] The kid
said it was the Toymaker.
- The fuck?
- That's what he says.
He saw the Toymaker just carry her away.
- Yeah, sure.
(suspenseful music)
(suspenseful music continues)
(door knocking)
(suspenseful music)
(door rattling)
(door squeaks)
Ladies.
- So let's get one thing straight,
you were watching the
house the entire time
that Sarah was getting abducted?
- Well actually-
- Why are you here?
Why aren't you looking for
her? Do you do anything?
- Hey, don't talk to me like that.
- Fuck you, Jim.
- Listen, I'm just doing my job.
I was told to come here
and let you guys know that I was here
when everything happened,
so neither of you are on a suspicion.
- No shit.
- But if you know anything,
you need to tell me.
- We were here the entire time.
What could we possibly fucking tell you?
- We have the whole town
waking up to the rumor
that a ghost from the fucking 30s
is going around killing people, okay?
And the Sergeant has us looking out
for any suspicious people
following you around.
- Is that possible?
- No, I don't think so.
- Do you have any enemies or any stalkers?
- Lola?
- No, I mean, any trans woman
on the internet gets a lot of shit.
Turfs, religious idiots,
incels, the occasional chaser.
- What's a chaser?
- Chaser, someone chasing
a chick with a dick.
They ride in on their
white horse, wine, dine.
But in the end, they're
just looking to get it in.
- Right, right, right,
right. Any chaser stalkers?
- No, I'd know.
- Yeah, you would.
Hey, listen, I like your
podcast, by the way.
- Oh, thanks.
- Yeah, it's pretty good.
Kinda into that stuff.
It's the whole reason why I became a cop.
Look, the senior constable's
the old fashioned prick.
You know, find the most
convenient suspect.
Get enough dodgy evidence on
them and then put them away.
But, look, if you're doing
your own investigation,
I wanna help, but you need to help me too.
- Why should I trust you?
- Well, I was here last night,
so I'm not the Toymaker.
- Right. Here's how this is gonna go.
You're gonna give me everything you have
and then I'll decide if I can trust you
and I come and go as I please.
Is that clear?
- Fine, and if anybody asks you,
you're tired of the sight
of my handsome face.
- Fine, and if you catch me
anywhere I'm not supposed to be.
No, you didn't, deal?
- If I turn a blind eye
to any unlawful activity,
even for the greater
good, I could lose my job.
(sighs) Fine, gimme your phone.
This is my number.
Prank me and call me if
you need anything, okay?
Now I gotta go. I have an
avenging ghost to catch.
- Nice piggy.
- I bet you knows his whole
life story, don't you?
- No, well, yes.
- Well, it'll have to wait.
- Where are you going?
- I'm not looking for an
avenging ghost, that's for sure.
Stay here. Lock the door, arm yourself.
And don't answer to anyone but me, okay?
And tell the others to do the same.
I'm sure this fucking sick idiot
is out there looking for them.
- I will.
You be careful too.
- Me? Always.
(suspenseful music)
- She hasn't changed a fucking bit.
(tense music)
(door thuds)
(instrument rattling)
(bell ringing)
(calm music)
(paper crackling)
(Dave chuckles)
- Dave, Dave Robert?
- Lola, hey.
- Oh my God, you've changed.
- Yeah, I guess so.
- You look good.
- You too.
- Danielle said that you worked here, so,
I, here I am, (chuckles) decent gig?
- Yeah, it's volunteer for now, yeah.
But I like it.
- You know, I love these old typewriters.
- Well, yeah, this, I
wish this one worked.
You can't actually get
the ink threads anymore,
but if it were up to me, I'd
probably just ditch the laptop
and just have this in the
office instead if it worked.
- I'm guessing you don't get
that many people through here.
- Yeah, you're the first
one this year. (chuckles)
- That sounds like heaven.
I work at this big burger
joint back in the city
and we get tons of drunk people in
and out all night, it's hell.
- That'll be hell for me.
- Here, listen, I was actually
hoping to run into you.
I was hoping you could help
me with a little research.
- Yeah, yeah, of course. What's happening?
- Do you remember the old Toymaker house?
- I remember dropping
a nugget in my pants,
'cause of the Old Man Beer Can, yeah.
- Really?
- Yeah.
I was about to ask you actually,
you planned that with him, right?
- No, he was in there
sleeping of a hangover.
He scared the shit out of me too.
- Right.
(singing in a foreign language)
I...
- Yeah?
I really regret the way that
we treated you back then.
- Hey, don't worry about it.
Everyone treated me like that back then.
Small town filled with small people.
I can tell you you've changed.
- I'm really sorry about... (sniffs)
Look, sorry, what were we
talking about the house,
did you say, the...
- Oh my God, right.
- Yeah.
- So I'm looking for anything about anyone
that lived there after the murders.
- Right, Nancy Crew on
the case then, yeah?
- You're a listener.
- Yeah. Of course.
- You know, I never
thought I would have anyone
in this town listening to my
podcast and now I've found out
that I've got two fans since coming back.
- Yeah, I mean, it's
probably more, you know,
I know some of the high school kids do.
You're the closest
thing this town's got to
a celebrity besides the Toymaker.
But anyway, I don't know if
there's anything interesting.
- You don't believe mean ghosts, do you?
(calm music)
- Sometimes I do.
With all that's happening now,
who knows what's real anymore.
You know, legends have,
legends have power.
You know, if it were up to
me, I would make a museum
of the Toymaker in that house
and then have the legend attract tourists.
- Dave, that's really dark.
I think it would work.
(Dave chuckles)
- No, I asked the council,
they don't want anything to do with it,
and so they don't want the town overrun
by like freaks in the...
- These look pretty, 'cause
I like freaks and ghosts.
- Yeah, look, if there's any records
or anything, I'll put
'em in the office, so.
- Mm-hmm.
(suspenseful music)
(arcade game music)
(door creaking)
(tense music)
- What's up?
- Hey, pig, listen, I need you
to dig up something for me.
I was just at the old Historical Society
and that place is fucking dusty.
Anyway, can you look up
a police record for me?
- Seriously, you know that's not as easy
as it is like in the movies, right?
- Yeah. Trust me, I know.
Something happened in 2018
that relates to the Toymaker myth.
All I could find was newspaper
clippings and articles,
but they're all redacted or snipped out.
Seriously, why doesn't this
town fucking digitize anything?
I figure if there's anything that's left,
it's at the precinct, right?
- Yeah. No need.
I know what it is.
It was a botched murder attempt.
A group of French backpackers
were going through the town.
Stayed a few days.
One of 'em was a trans.
- Go on.
- Well, apparently she was arrested
by a few locals at the Fox and Firkin Pub.
- Who?
- B something,
Barry Summers, Gerard, Kelly.
- Barry and Kim?
- Huh?
- Nothing, go on.
- Well, apparently somebody else tried
to attack her when she went out
for a packet of cigarettes
a few days later.
Tried to drag her through the alley.
Beat her with a hammer,
but she fought him off.
Gave the ghost a good kick
in the olds apparently.
(victim screams)
(tense music)
- Nice. Good stuff.
- Yeah, well, apparently the
victim didn't see the face
and a witness walking her
dog said, and I quote.
- He was wearing a creepy Santa costume
like my grandpa used to wear.
- [Lola] And lemme guess,
Sargent said it was just some
unrelated out-of-towner, right?
- Yep.
- (scoffs) Fucking idiot.
At least he couldn't put that one down
to a botched robbery, right?
Listen, you've kept up your
side of the bargain, Constable?
Kent, Constable Kent, are you there?
- Yeah, I'm here.
Are you anywhere near
the old Toymaker's house?
- Yeah, why?
- Wanted you to see it first.
(suspenseful music)
(screen distorting)
It's against every fucking regulation,
but the others would just fuck it up
before the state forensic team gets here.
The fuck did he do?
(suspenseful music)
- Blood Eagle.
- What?
- Blood Eagle, it's a Viking execution.
More like a torture, really.
- Almost like a fucking Christmas angel.
- That would be consistent to theme.
(suspenseful music)
No note, no toy, nothing.
Fucker wasn't done here.
- I should dust for prints.
- Don't fucking do that.
Then they'll know you were here.
Plus anyone that's this meticulous
isn't exactly gonna leave prints.
(suspenseful music)
Do you see those boot marks?
- Yeah, they're work boots.
I used to have the same
ones when I was 19 working
at the abattoir.
Still kept standard.
- Still got 'em?
- No, and fuck you.
(suspenseful music)
- Hey, who else used
to work with you there?
- Lots of people.
What's the town business ones?
- Barry Summers?
- Yeah, why, do you think he's a suspect?
- I wouldn't say so.
Barry's not exactly the creative type.
- Maybe not, but he sure loved killing.
He was on a Death Squad,
as we called them.
- What?
- The Death Squad.
They make the livestock the dead stock.
(suspenseful music)
The others always said that he used
to have this creepy grin every time he
would bolt a cow, even game bang.
- Yeah. Why does that not surprise me?
See there on the forearm?
- [Kent] Aha.
- Now look at the bruising,
I'd say she was dead before
he tied her up, thankfully.
- Fuck, I can't, how the
fuck is he that strong
to do all of this?
- Sarah wasn't exactly huge.
He dropped her a few times
trying to get this right too.
So we're not exactly
looking for Hercules then.
(suspenseful music)
Did you call this in?
- No. I'm supposed to be watching you.
- With that door open,
the whole town's gonna
be here from the smell,
so we need to get the
fuck outta here now, go.
(ominous music)
(ominous music)
Lola's cops collection service.
You rack 'em, we pack 'em.
- Lola, what the fuck
is going on down there?
- Listen, Charlie, I was
gonna call you today,
but there was no time.
- [Charlie] Brutal murders
in the town of Padan.
How the fuck did you think
I was not gonna find out?
(siren wailing)
- I'm surprised I told
you this, to be honest,
- News broke minutes ago.
I found out hours ago.
- Seriously, how?
- Partly, 'cause no one gives
a what happens out there.
But I only found out
'cause I know a guy that keeps track
of rural broadcasters
chasing corruption claims,
and he saw the report of the first killing
on the Padan News.
He contacted the local station,
but the police told them not
to report on anything too scary,
so they don't cause a panic.
But some AvMed told him
that they knew the kids
that found the first body
and they'd gone to the media about it.
And now there's a hundred TV news vans
on their way right now, and so am I.
- No fucking way, Charlie.
Do not bring your arse here.
- Lola, I know you've
got your Nancy Drew arse
in the middle of whatever the
fuck is happening down there,
and there's nothing that you can say
that's gonna stop me from coming.
- Charlie, it's not worth it for a scoop.
- This isn't about some story.
This is about me white
knighting your arse outta
that horror movie you call a town.
- Fine.
- Send me your
sister's address and for God's sake,
please keep your head
down and stop snooping.
- Charlie, I need you
to do something for me.
- Lola, stop it.
- It's not like that.
Listen, I could be in danger either way.
I need you to contact your friend
and ask them if they can find out anything
about Sergeant Kelly, all right?
- Okay, fine, shit,
but you have to promise me
to text me every 10 seconds
so I know where you are.
- I will, Sergeant
Kelly. Have you got that?
- Sergeant Kelly, yeah, I'll remember.
I'll see you in a few hours.
- I love you, Charlie.
- I love you more and better.
(ominous music)
(crickets croaking)
(ominous music)
(feet tapping)
(ominous music)
(paper crackling)
(terrifying music)
(paper rustles)
(terrifying music)
(keys rattling)
(ominous music)
- [Danielle] Saw card freaked.
We're all at the Nowhere Club and armed.
We can't get ahold of Kit.
Stop looking for killer.
Please come here quick.
- I was about to call you.
The state cops are coming in.
All hell is breaking loose.
- Listen, I know.
Was one of Kat's ears missing
from her body when you found it?
- No. None of them were, why?
- Oh my God.
- What is it?
- You need to find Kit now.
- Kat's sister, what happened?
- There's a severed ear on
my sister's front porch.
That's what's happened,
and now Kit is missing.
- The sister? Shit.
- Where are you?
- I'm near the bar.
The Nowhere Club.
- What? Why?
- [Kent] I was actually
watching your sister's house,
like I'm supposed to be doing for once,
but I saw her leave, so I followed her.
- You didn't see anyone
deliver anything to the house?
- [Kent] No, but I wasn't there
the whole day, as you know.
- Right, the other pigs found Sarah?
- Both banks and Serg
are there with the ambos.
You know, it's fuckin' weird.
- What is?
- I was listening on the radio
when the senior constable found the body.
He immediately called dispatch
and told them to call it into state
as we're under obligation to do.
But when Serg found out that
he had called the state police,
he started going on
about going over his head
as if he were-
- Changing the line of argument.
- Yeah, exactly.
- The sergeant has been burying
this from the beginning.
The first two deaths, that
bullshit about a botched robbery.
He's been trying to make
sure the state police
didn't find out and the media, but why?
- I don't know, maybe he didn't
want the town to be overrun
by reporters and detectives.
It's been enough chaos
here in the recent news,
but at the cost of people's lives.
- He doesn't think of
these victims as people.
Nobody in this town does.
(suspenseful music)
- Huh, then maybe you're right.
- Wait.
- What is it?
What's going on?
- Someone's... I'll call you back.
- Kent, fuck!
(door squeaks)
(ominous music)
(light buzzes)
(door thuds)
(ominous music)
(light buzzes)
(feet tapping)
(ominous music)
(terrifying music)
(light buzzes)
(tool pounds)
(Kent screams)
(tool thuds)
(terrifying music)
(flesh mushing)
(stick scratching)
- Oi.
- Oh, for fuck's sake.
Not now.
- Well, look at this, mate.
Faggot's back in town
and he's telling pigs that I killed Julie.
- Babe, I never said that.
- Don't fuckin' lie to me.
- Yeah, don't fuckin' lie to us.
- Barry, Brick, I haven't told
anyone that you killed anyone
because I think you're
both too fucking stupid
to pull off something as
meticulous as this, especially you,
because you wouldn't have two
brain cells to string together
to switch on a fucking Christmas ornament.
So why don't you get
the fuck out of my way
before anyone else gets
murdered by a real psychopath,
not two cowards who
could only murder someone
if they were old and fucking defenseless.
(tense music)
(tires rumbling)
(tense music)
- Let's go.
- Lola?
- Let's go, go.
- Lola, were they?
- No. Oh my God, why the
aren't you at Danielle's house?
(lips smacking)
- Bitch, you knew I was
gonna come looking for you.
- We need to get to The Nowhere Club now.
- The what?
- [Lola] The Nowhere Club.
(tense music)
What did your friend find?
- [Charlie] A fair bit.
He dug up some stuff
on your Sergeant Kelly.
He's brothers with the mayor
and both are in some redneck
oligarch farming family
with ties to conservative groups,
oil companies, you name it.
During the financial crisis,
they brought up all the farmland in Padan.
They wanna turn it into some
rich arsehole golf resort.
They even brought out the
old meats order place.
- The abattoir?
- [Charlie] Yeah. Right, ugh.
Those fuckers are haunted
by a million cow ghosts.
- [Lola] They'd probably do
anything to protect that kind
of wealth, including covering up a murder.
No, a murderer.
A murderer in the family could bring
the whole fucking thing down.
- [Charlie] This is insane.
- [Lola] No, someone in
their family is insane
and the cops are covering it up.
Did he say who else in town
was connected to the Kellys?
- [Charlie] A few other
families actually by marriage,
the Banks family, the
Kents and Roberts family.
- [Lola] So everyone else in town?
Wait, unless it-
- [Charlie] Oh, shit, you just had one
of your Sherlock Holmes
brainstorms, didn't you?
- [Lola] Fuck yeah, I did.
- [Charlie] Lola, where are you going now?
- Just inside the bar there.
And I need you to go to
the Historical Society.
It's not far, I just need you to go there
and break in for me.
- Oh, you just need me to go break in
and check on something for you?
- Bitch, do you know who
you're fucking talking to?
You know who you're dating, right?
I bey you still have that lock pick
that I bought you for
your birthday, right?
- [Charlie] Yeah. All right.
- And be on the lookout. Okay?
This is the kind of sick
fuck to lay booby traps.
(Charlie chuckles)
(mellow music)
- Booby traps.
- Charlie, grow the up.
- No, I won't.
(hand taps)
(ominous music)
(ominous music)
(door thuds)
(compartment rattling)
(objects rattling)
(taser buzzing)
(compartment thuds)
(door squeaks)
(tense music)
(door clicks)
(terrifying music)
- Jack in the box.
(ominous music)
(crickets croaking)
(wood knocking)
(victim mumbling)
- Hello?
(victim mumbling)
Hello? Oh, shit.
Oh, shit, hold on.
Hold on, I've got you. Oh, fuck, oh, shit.
(door rattling)
(hammer clangs) Oh, fuck!
Shit, I'm with Lola.
I'm with Lola. I'm with Lola, you're good.
You're safe. You're safe, you're okay.
Okay, let's get you of here.
What the fuck?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
(door creaking)
- Lola?
Lola?
Lola?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
- I showed you my little girl, Lola.
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
You had to keep this secret.
(feet tapping)
You did it all, right?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
(neck cracks)
So I had to come. I had to.
I had to kill to bring you here.
Give yourself to me
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
and no more blood will be shed, hmm?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
- Close your eyes. Give yourself to me!
- So what, now you're the phantom
of the fucking opera, Spring-heeled Jack?
- Spring-heeled Jack.
- I always appreciate the
history of above among us.
Jack in the Box.
(screen squeaking)
(tense music)
(speaker drowned out by music)
- You're the closest thing
this town's got to a celebrity.
- Podcast then.
- Not very inventive, Dave.
(terrifying music)
(Dave panting)
- Dave is dead, okay?
- (chuckles) You wish.
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
- Dave is dead, Okay?
- The Toymaker didn't
get you, Dave. They did.
Barry, Gimp, your whole fucking family.
I know what it feels like when
the people who are supposed
to love you reject you
for who you are, Dave.
- Shut up. Shut up!
- So when Barry killed Old Man Beer Can,
you knew you could get away
with it too, the boots.
(screen swooshes)
- These are same ones when I was 19,
working at the other-
(screen swooshes)
(tense music)
- Nice touch, hoping that
they'd pin that on Barry.
Not good enough, Dave.
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
(floor thuds)
(tense music)
- I found your porn collection, Dave.
- You know, if it were up to me,
I would make a museum
of the Toymaker house.
Have the legend attract tourists.
- That's really dark.
- [Kent] Any chaser stalkers?
- In the end, they're
just looking to get it in.
It must have really you off
when that trans backpacker rejected you,
but we're not all that easy, are we, Dave?
(tense music)
That must have made you so fucking mad.
Mad enough for murder.
(Dave grunting)
(tense music)
My heart used to cry like that too, Dave.
Every day, every night.
(Dave grunting)
Innocent people-
(tapping drowns out speakers)
(tense music)
(flesh pounds)
(ominous music)
(feet tapping)
(taser buzzing)
(flesh pounds)
(ominous music)
(Lola sobbing)
- Hey, look at me, hmm?
I hate you.
No, Dave, you fucking love me.
(door squeaks)
(tense music)
(flesh pounds)
(upbeat music)
(Dave grunting)
(Mr. Proctor gargling)
- Who the fuck are you, huh?
(Mr. Proctor gargling)
(upbeat music)
- Get off of him.
(flesh slaps)
(upbeat music)
- My parents put me in Muay Thai,
but I never thought I'd need it.
- We're a great team.
You know martial arts and
I used to teach wood shop.
- No, don't hurt him.
(upbeat music)
- We could've been friends, Dave.
Merry fucking Christmas.
(taser buzzing)
(Dave thuds)
(Dave farts)
- Did he just shit on my floor?
(door squeaks)
Lola, Lola, Lola, you okay?
- I'm fine, I'm fine.
Hey, it's just a scratch.
Did you find Kit?
- Yeah, I found her. I took
her straight to the hospital.
She's hurt and she's in
shock, but she's okay.
- What the hell happened here?
- You know what happened here.
Your nephew, the monster this town made,
the monster your family made.
(feet tapping)
- You're not going anywhere.
- Fuck you, porky.
And one more thing,
evidence that Barry
killed Old Man Beer Can
is already in the hands
of the journalists,
so I suggest you start making some arrests
before the state police do.
(mellow music)
(feet tapping)
- You're gonna pay to clean
up this mess. You got that?
(weapon rattling)
(uplifting music)
(uplifting music)
(sirens wailing)
(uplifting music)
(sirens wailing)
(uplifting music)
- [Lola] Then we were stuck in
town for another week or so,
getting questioned by the state police.
Felt like forever.
- It must've been hell.
To be honest, they really just flew by.
There was a lot to go over.
(suspenseful music)
Last I heard the perp was out of hospital
and in some sort of maximum
security institution.
- [Riley] Boy, is he never getting out.
(suspenseful music)
(terrifying music)
(screen buzzes)
(screen ringing)
(terrifying music)
(flesh pounds)
(Lola screaming)
- Hey, hey. What's wrong?
It's me. It's me, hold my hand.
Squeeze my hand. It was a dream.
(Lola sobbing)
(somber music)
- Yeah, anyway, with Barry in jail
for killing Old Man Beer Can,
it brought down this web of
corrupt families one by one.
Totally ruined any idea that they had
of turning the whole thing into a resort.
I think another company's
bought it all up now though.
- Anyway, listeners, if
you want the full story,
"The Toymaker Murders" by Farrah Stone,
it's her first official
publication through our new label,
Nancy Crew Publishing,
which is really exciting,
and it's gonna be out soon.
So we'll let you know if she's
doing a signing and where
and when because it is
a fucking crazy read.
(mellow music)
(people chattering)
(pen scribbling)
(paper crackling)
(mellow music)
- Are you the real Lola?
- Uh-huh.
- Three of my friends have gone missing
and I think someone's following me.
No one's doing anything about it.
- Hey, it's all right.
Come with us. Let's see what we can do.
Tell me all about it, okay?
- Here we go.
("Toyland" by Good Lovelies)
(people chattering)
Toyland
Toyland
Little girl and boy land
While you dwell within it
You are ever happy there
Childhood's joy land
Mystique merry toy land
Once you pass its borders
You can never return again
(machine rattling)
(lively music)
(lively music continues)
(lively music continues)
(lively music continues)
(lively music continues)
Childhood's joy land
Mystique merry toy land
Once you pass its borders
You can never return again
Once you pass its borders
You can never return again
(bright music)
(screen clicks)
(static crackling)
(ominous music)
(static crackling)
(screen clicks)
- [Lola] Okay, so imagine this scene.
- Sure.
- A shitty motel
in some one-bus town.
It's familiar. A cliche even.
A girl 18 years old right out
of high school, a runaway.
Her name is Annie.
- Seriously?
- I know. I know.
It's a hard knock life.
Anyway, she's not an exploding ginger.
She's blonde, super femme,
wavy hairdo, and so on.
She's run away from home to get away
from her violent shit of a dad,
an old fashioned bikey, you know,
leather jackets and logos.
- [Riley] Is it "The Wild Angels"?
- [Lola] But uglier.
Crazy movie by the way.
Anyway, this piece of sentient
dick cheese has sent out
an underling of his to track her down.
Real greasy, white trash
shit the gang calls Floppy,
because of a drunken incident
in which he couldn't...
- Ugh, gross.
- Indeed.
Thing is Floppy has ulterior motives.
- [Riley] Of course he does.
- [Lola] He's got beef
with her dad, right?
And he has no intention
of actually finding her.
(door thuds)
(terrifying music)
(knife slashes)
(metal rattling)
(terrifying music)
(knee thuds)
(metal rattling)
(knife slices)
(organs mushing)
(Floppy gulping)
(tense music)
- [Riley] Oh my God, are you serious?
- Mm-hmm, so as it turned out,
not only did she know
that he was following her,
but she was counting on it.
So when he threatened her, she was ready.
- I have mixed feelings about this one.
- Mm, me too. You see, Floppy
deserved it hands down.
But as far as I can gather,
the other three out of five
were seemingly unrelated.
I think she might've just
gotten a taste for it.
And guess what?
That's right, dear listener,
Annie is the subject
of next week's podcast.
So if you wanna know more,
you're just gonna have to tune in.
- [Riley] You're such a tease.
- Always. Any emails this week, Riley?
- Oh, do we have emails?
We have two dick pics.
- Mm. Any good?
- [Riley] No. Nothing to brag about.
- Ugh, wandering through
the desert out here,
ladies and gents.
- But we do have an email here
from a Spring-heeled Jack.
- I swear we get more references
to Jack the Ripper on this murder podcast
than there are Jesuses
in a mental institution.
Although I always appreciate
a history buff among us.
- [Riley] I guess you could say
he had a spring in his step.
- Oh, Riley, this is an upscale podcast.
We can't be having dad jokes.
- Anyways, I'll just get into it.
See what Mr. Slinky shoes has to say.
"Dear Riley and Lola, new
listener, big fan of the podcast.
This question is for Lola. What
got you into murder cases?"
- Hmm, I haven't had this one in a while.
What do you think,
Riley? Should I tell him?
- [Riley] Yes, yes,
please. I love this story.
- So in my shitty little
hometown that I grew up in,
there was this urban legend,
slash coming of age ritual
amongst boys mostly,
but it really had the town in its grips.
Probably still does.
These dark things,
(suspenseful music)
(graphic slashes)
they tend to linger.
There was this old abandoned
house not far from my place
that all the kids were scared of.
You see, the house belongs
to an old man in the 1930s.
Nice guy, the kind of guy you'd be happy
to have as your neighbor.
And he used to make
these toys out of wood,
beautiful things, a dying art really.
And every Christmas, he'd
run about the town dressed
as Santa handing out toys
to the neighborhood kids.
But everyone else knew
that he had a dark side,
a real jealous streak.
One night he wakes up from a dream
where his wife has cheated on him,
and he's in a blind rage.
Decides to murder his whole family,
chops them up, wraps them in wax cloth,
hides them around the house:
the attic, in the walls,
under the floorboards.
They found him swinging
from the rafters upstairs
dressed in his Santa suit.
The only one left unaccounted for
was his youngest daughter, Nel,
(suspenseful music)
But our parents told
us it was all bullshit.
But you try telling a
town filled with teenagers
that that never happened.
Which brings me to the
affirmation coming of age ritual.
My so-called Friends Barry
and Brick said they'd done it,
so they made me do it.
It went like this.
You'd get blindfolded and you're put
in this old house alone.
And I remember you had to
say these specific words.
You stand in this old house
and you say, Toymaker, Toymaker,
crawl up from hell and show
me where you buried Nel.
I promise I won't tell.
And then at this point in the
legend, he either kills you
with his hammer or he shows
you the body of his dead kid
and swears you to silence
or he'll follow you all
the way home and kill you.
(suspenseful music)
- [Riley] I do feel it is important to say
to the gentle listeners
that this is in fact not
a work of horror fiction
and is our goal along this real life.
- That's right, and it was just then
that I heard the floorboards
creaking behind me.
- [Beer Can] Still
playing this old game, eh?
- [Lola] It was just Old Man Beer Can.
Us kids used to call him that.
He was just a local drunk.
- [Beer Can] Don't worry kid.
- [Lola] He said.
- [Beer Can] I'm not the
old Toymaker's ghost.
And then he stumbled over
to the peephole and peered through it.
I wasn't sure what he was up to,
so I ducked away into a cupboard.
(bill chimes)
- [Beer Can] Ah, I
gobbled up ya little mate
and I'm still hungry.
(kid screaming)
(suspenseful music)
(kid chuckling)
(door thuds)
(kid gasps)
- I suddenly realized there
was a secret compartment
in the cupboard, a fake back.
I always noticed these kind of
things, things that were off.
If I'd been there back in the day,
I would've noticed the marks,
the scratching mice and rats,
and known that they must've been
after something behind it.
(somber music)
I'd done by accident what
the police never did.
Staring into those empty eye sockets,
that's when I realized
I could've found her,
maybe even saved her
or someone like her.
And so I had to figure it out,
who was the Toymaker?
and what makes a person who's
kind enough to hand out gifts
to children at Christmas snap
and kill their entire family?
(suspenseful music)
And how do you catch someone like that?
Anyway, that is the story
that started it all.
- And sadly, I feel like
we have to say goodbye
because we have gone way over time.
But tune in for next week's podcast,
Riley and Lola, on the "Nancy Crew Show."
All right, smell you later.
And beware of your Santa at
your local shopping center.
- Sweet dreams.
(ominous music)
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
(energetic music)
- Let's go, boy.
(people chattering)
- Are you kidding me? You
could've waited for me.
- Sweetie, if we waited
for you every time,
we'd starve to death.
There'd be two skeletons
sitting at the booth.
- That'd be a mystery to solve.
- Yeah, I think the cops
could solve that one.
- Are you sure?
- You could at least order
some garlic bread next time.
- Garlic gives me the farts.
- Because you're a vampire, Farrah.
- I wish, eternal life sounds fun.
- Yeah, but could you hack
eternal life without pizza?
(people chattering)
I guess she's not that committed
to being a vampire then.
- Doesn't stop her from feeding
on other people's lives though.
- Feeding off of other people's lives
is literally what journalists do.
(people chattering)
(material rustles)
Touchy.
I hear you tell your story
on the podcast today.
So when are you gonna let me write it.
- One day, dear Watson,
you can chronicle the many adventures
of my fantastic life when I have them.
I mean, if I have them.
- Careful what you wish for.
- You will, you're always poking
into every mystery you can find.
One day one will poke back.
- That's what I'm worried about.
- Well, if it makes either
of you feel any better,
I spent my entire week just cataloging
and doing legal bullshit.
- Fuck, I hate both those things.
- You've got that thing
with the bugs next semester though, right?
- Bug thing?
- Oh my God.
Corpse-eating carrion,
like flesh-eating bugs.
- Uh-huh.
- You'd be surprised
what you can find out from a body
by what's eating it from the inside out.
So fucking cool.
- Like maggots and shit?
- [Lola] Uh-huh.
- That's it for me.
- Oh, come on, Farrah.
Don't act like it's not amazing.
- Yeah, but gross.
- Totally gross. That's
what I'm hoping for.
More like spending the entire time
just fucking cataloging bugs.
(people chattering)
- So how are you feeling, my love?
- Fine, whatever do you mean? (chuckles)
- You know what, Lola?
- Oh, just my imminent return
to my oppressive little shit
hole town that I'm from, that?
- How long has it been
since you were back?
- I think I escaped when I was like 16.
Are you like totally fucking
nervous about it or what?
- Delicate, Farrah.
- I mean, I'd be lying
if I said that I wasn't
a little bit nervous.
It's not exactly like I ran around
or I left telling everyone
that I was coming out
as trans or...
And fucking everyone's gonna
be there 'cause it's Christmas,
so everyone's returning.
It's like gonna be a fucking shit show.
And it's just like,
I'm not ready for all
the fucking questions.
Do you know what I mean,
and it's just like.
(table thuds)
Fuck.
- Hmm, preaching to the choir there.
We wouldn't know anything about that.
- Guess, look, I know I'm
not the only queer person
with a tragic backstory, sorry.
- No, don't apologize.
We were showing our family trauma.
- Well, how healthy of us?
- Just lemme know if
you need anything, okay?
- And if anything goes
down in that gothic town
of yours, you know where to find me.
- I do, I love you guys.
I love you too, bitch. You got this.
(upbeat music)
(people chattering)
(upbeat music continues)
(people chattering)
(upbeat music continues)
(people chattering)
(bell ringing)
(Charlie growling)
- [Charlie] Too early. What's the rush?
- There'll be trucks
and cars full of kids
getting to Christmas.
- Mm.
- You know the drill.
- Don't go.
- Baby, you know I have to go.
(Charlie grunts)
I love you.
I love you.
- I love you more and better.
(Lola chuckles)
(suspenseful music)
(lips smacking)
Hush hush hush now
Hush hush hush now
You're being too loud
You're being too loud
Welcome to my delusions
My perfume is your pollution
Welcome to silent auctions
Wraps you up like contact paper
You're gonna love the ending
Spoilers learn info's contagious
Suck my blood pretend
I'm where the venom lives
Kill the
(door thuds)
(tires rumbling)
(sliding door scratching)
(sliding door taps)
(feet tapping)
- The pack of Yeti Menthols?
(paper crackling)
(machine beeping)
(door rattling)
(box taps)
(machine beeping)
- Get back to, Barry.
(sliding door taps)
(machine beeping)
(door thuds)
(engine roaring)
(birds chirping)
(ominous music)
(engine jerking)
(engine roaring)
(mellow music)
(birds chirping)
(door thuds)
(birds chirping)
(feet tapping)
(mellow music)
(feet scratching)
(mellow music)
(ornate knocking)
(door clicks)
(door squeaks)
- Lola.
- Uh-huh.
- Danielle, your sister is here.
- You remember me, right?
- How could I forget?
You gave me my first nipple twister.
- (chuckles) Yeah, welcome
to the house, bitch.
(mellow music)
- Lola, oh my God.
You're beautiful.
Isn't she gorgeous?
- Scrubs up will, I guess.
- Oh, put your stuff in the
first bedroom on the left
and then come to the lounge
for a glass of bubbly.
- You're not gonna
break out the good stuff
for this little shit, are ya?
- Ignore her, she's the
same old butch bitch.
- Huh, nice.
- And everyone at school was right.
She was a Dyke all along.
So watch out for her.
(mellow music)
- Yeah. Not my type.
(mellow music)
- Be nice.
- [Character] I don't
know any man named Hern.
I was at home last night and there he is.
- [Character] Oh, yeah.
Well, you must walk in your sleep at night
'cause you stayed at
the apartment last night
at the Airport Hotel in Oakland
where you registered.
(music drowns speaker)
(paper crackling)
(crickets croaking)
(lips smacking)
- Did I tell you Danielle's
brother's back in town?
- I thought she was trans?
- Yeah, sure. Whatever.
- Come on. Don't be all
classic transphobic like that-
- I'm not transphobic.
(lips smacking)
- Yeah, sure. Okay.
Just be nice to her and
shut up and jump me, okay?
I've got the night shift
in an hour and a half
and I'm gonna feel lighter on my feet.
(lips smacking)
(energetic music)
- The fuck?
(tense music)
(glass shatters)
(Kat screaming)
(flesh pounding)
(flesh mushing)
(ominous music)
(flesh pounding)
(flesh mushing)
(Julie squealing)
(Toymaker panting)
(tense music)
(feet tapping)
(tense music)
(feet tapping)
(flesh pounding)
(Julie screams)
(ominous music)
(ominous music)
(kettle whistling)
- Fuck, shit. (grunts)
(kettle whistling)
- Jesus, Danny, get yourself
a decent coffee machine.
You're not washing your clothes
down by the river, are you?
- No Lola, we don't.
We just don't have real coffee much,
so I went to the store
and bought you a nice brand
and now it's burned, I'm sorry.
- Look, don't be.
Even bad coffee is better
than no coffee at all.
(glass clanging)
(orchestra music)
So Julie Hoptin.
- Oh, you noticed?
I swear she sneaks out of the house
like I'm her mother or something.
- That's a bit Freudian.
- Right? She usually comes home though.
- Do you think it's me?
- Oh no, it's, no, I doubt it.
I mean, she's a bit, but
she wouldn't hide away.
- You're right, the Julie
I know would stay just
to pick on me.
- She's changed a lot since we were teens.
- Could've fooled me.
You have though.
What happened to the metal
t-shirts and skinny leg jeans?
- They were called stove pipes
No, no, things change.
- You're right.
(orchestra music)
- She could've messaged me at least.
Things aren't like they were
out there when we were kids.
- Hmm.
- The economic crisis hit us pretty hard.
Farms were lost. Businesses closed.
I mean, things got a lot
better later in general,
but it got a lot rougher around here.
Bad people got a lift.
- I had no idea.
- I guess they don't care much
for small town problems in the big city.
- No, they don't care
about big city problems
with the big city either.
They step over homeless
people like they're trash
on the sidewalk.
I never could get used to it.
(bell rings)
(door knocking)
- Maybe Julie forgot her keys.
(tense music)
(door rattling)
(floor creaking)
I don't understand. Is this a joke?
- The Toymaker.
Would Julie do something
like this just to scare us?
- No way.
(suspenseful music)
(ominous music)
(feet tapping)
(plastic crackling)
(suspenseful music)
(telephone ringing)
- Are you kidding me? And
what's this supposed to be?
- It's evidence.
- I don't have time for this.
- Looks like you've got plenty of time.
- Who is this?
- My sister.
- I didn't know you had a sister.
- Well, now you do. Are
you going to look for her?
- I'm not gonna call a search for Julie.
She's probably out
scissoring someone's wife.
- I beg your pardon?
- Okay, keep your panties out of a twist,
I'll do a call to keep an eye out for her.
If she's still AWOL in a couple of days,
you can file a missing person thingy.
- I'm sorry, a missing person thingy?
This guy's a fucking moron.
- Hey, I could have you
arrested for just talking like that.
- [Danielle] Constable Banks-
- Senior Constable.
- Congratulations on the
promotion, Senior Constable Banks.
Are you at least going
to look at the card?
(telephone ringing)
(people chattering)
(plastic crackling)
- Creepy. Looks like a prank.
- It's clearly threatening.
- If Julie was fiddling with my wife,
I'd be threatening her too.
Look, you have no idea how many kids
or even grownups are pranking us
with this Toymaker bullshit.
If we investigated every
prank or Toymaker sighting,
we'd have no time to
catch any real criminals.
- Oh my God. Forget about it.
Come on, let's go.
(telephone ringing)
(suspenseful music)
So I'm guessing there was
an incident involving someone's wife.
- Sort of, small town bullshit.
Cassie Connor, well, Cassie Summers then,
but she was already
separated from her husband
and Julie had a little fling with her.
That's all, the entire thing
was blown out of proportion
by a town of fucking Karens.
- Wait, wait, wait, Summers?
As in Barry Summers?
- Yeah, his brother, Paul.
- Swear to God,
this town has more fucking
soap opera bullshit
going on than Ramsay Street.
- (chuckles) Aha, yeah.
- Do you know where Julie's friends live?
- No, but I don't have to.
They all hang out in Nowhere Club.
- Where?
- The Nowhere Club. It's a gay bar.
- Sorry, a gay bar here?
- Well, it's more of a nightclub, really.
A nightclub in this town.
I see the
- [Club Member] Feel like
you're really good at it.
- I am.
- Totally catch.
- [Friend] Whoa. Whoa, whoa.
Look what the cat dragged in.
- Does that make me the cat?
- Deb says that every time.
The one with the loud mouth.
- Oh, the nerve on this one.
- [Danielle] Everyone,
this is my sister, Lola.
- Oh, no.
- Oh, yes.
Your sister's quite the town gossip.
- I'm not. Okay, maybe I am a little bit.
This is Kit.
Her sister's name is Kat. I shit you not.
- Yeah, look, the parents
had a sense of humor.
- Obviously.
- This is Abby.
- Hi.
- And the lady, Sarah.
- Don't listen to this silly
bitch. I am a baroness.
- Really?
- No, but I just like
to think I am classier than these girls.
- Lola, darling, you don't
recognize me, do you?
- What?
- Mr. Proctor?
- One and the same.
- No.
- Wait, what's this?
- I was actually a teacher
at St. Joan's High back
in the day when Lola was in town.
- [Abby] Wow. Really?
- Yeah.
- You were a teacher?
- Mm-hmm.
- Wait, what'd you teach?
- Business, maths, I
actually used to teach
the girls hockey team as well.
Danny here was quite
the pro back in the day.
- I was okay.
- I remember you teaching-
- No, don't say it. Don't you say it.
- [Friend] Yeah. What?
- No, seriously, I'll take it to my grave.
- Religious education.
(group gasps)
- No, you fucking didn't.
- Yes. Yes, I did.
You are mean, girl.
- [Lola] Well, you failed me.
- No I didn't.
- You did. In year 10, you failed me.
I had to take that class twice.
- Wait a minute.
The essay saying that the apostles
- Faked the Resurrection.
- The Resurrection.
Oh my God. No, seriously,
I was so mad at that.
That was you. That was you, wasn't it?
Oh my God, and she was so good about it.
Like a bloody detective she was.
- Wait, weren't you the kid that found
that skeleton of the missing girl?
- That was her.
- That's fucking amazing.
And obviously really horrible.
It would've been like a
really horrible experience.
- Has anyone heard from Julie?
- I thought she walked.
- She's probably snuggling
somewhere with Kat.
- No, I mean Kat's on
night shift all weekend.
I mean, I didn't speak to her today,
but that's not actually unusual, so.
- Where does she work?
- Mm, Green Leaf Station on Maine.
- Julie snuck out to see
her last night, I'm sure,
but she never came home.
- That's weird, I might call
her and just see where she is.
- Is she usually so secretive?
- Not with us.
- I mean, it's not necessarily
safe to be out here,
if you know what I mean.
- I see.
- No, no, no, don't bring up her ex.
- Fuckin' Jerry still has eyes
on her. He's a fucking creep.
- Wait, Jerry as in Brick Kelly?
- (chuckles) Yes.
- Sorry, Brick?
- That's what we used
to call him at school.
He was, is a little stupid, I guess.
(group chuckling)
- Come on, he's not that stupid.
He's just kind of lazy and aggressive.
His parents owned that big
chicken factory up on the hill,
so he never had to try at anything.
And they ignored him,
which made him act out.
How did Kat end up with him?
- Kind of charmed his way in
with her at the beginning.
I mean, like the family
wasn't doing great at the time
when he just came in with
his rugged good looks and so-
- Stop, stop, stop, rugged good looks?
- I hate to admit it, he came out
of the awkward teens looking pretty good.
- What other fucked guys from
my childhood got a glow up?
- Well, I don't know about Barry.
He stayed the same really.
But Dave went to the city for uni
and had some kind of
argument with his family
and now he runs a history society.
- Seriously, wow.
- People change, I guess.
- I guess. Anyway, ladies,
raise 'em if you got 'em.
Danny and I have to go.
I got a paper to write.
- And, honey, be sure
to come back anytime.
Suffice to say I don't teach anymore.
I actually own this shit hole,
so you got a home away
from home here, all right?
So just remember that, please.
- I will. Thank you.
- Nice to meet you.
- See ya. Bye.
- Do you mind trying Julie again?
- Yes, I can.
(mischievous music)
- If Kat doesn't answer her phone,
I'm gonna fucking kill her.
(engine roaring)
(mischievous music)
- [Danielle] Lemme guess,
we're going to the Green Leaf?
- [Lola] No.
- You haven't changed a bit.
- This town sure fucking has.
- That's for sure, for better and worse.
- [Lola] You know, your friends
are pretty fucking cool.
- Yeah, they're Julie's friends really.
They're so nice to me.
- Danny, they're nice to you
because they're your friends too.
- I guess.
- No, Kat isn't here today.
And she didn't rock up for
her shift last night either.
So if you see her,
tell her to not bother
coming back in again.
- Lovely, is she usually
so unreliable with shifts?
- What, are you a cop?
- No.
- Well, if you're not gonna get any fuel,
you wanna come inside
and have a cup of cruelty-free
fairly acquired coffee
I've got in there?
- Listen, I don't think
we're gonna waste any more
of your valuable time.
(tires rumbling)
(ominous music)
(tense music)
(ominous music)
(screen distorting)
(ominous music)
(screen distorting)
(tense music)
(dog barking)
(feet tapping)
(door thuds)
(ground crunching)
It's still the same shitty town.
Just glossed over a little bit.
There's like cafes with real
coffee and fancy servos.
And even that queer bar.
I don't know.
It's the same but different.
- I guess you can paint over
the walls of a haunted house,
but the ghosts are still there.
- Hey, that's poetic. You
should give that to Farrah.
- [Charlie] No way. She can
come up with her own material.
- Anyway, Charlie, I'm really
worried about this thing-
- [Danielle] Lola, the TV,
quick. It's about Julie!
- [Reporter] While
authorities have said that she
was likely a victim
of a robbery gone tragically wrong,
the police have refused
to go on record about the
state of Kat Lancaster's body,
which was discovered by
local teen Mark Palone.
(Mark bellows)
Ms. Lancaster was last
seen with Julie Lane,
who's been missing since
the night of the attack.
(ominous music)
- [Lola] I can't believe I let you talk me
into letting you tag along.
- [Danielle] She was my friend, Lola.
Besides us, it's not safe
for you out here alone.
- We may not even be
safe out here together,
so keep the flashlight down, okay?
(suspenseful music)
- Do you see anything?
- Police made a fucking mess
of the scene, there's
boot prints everywhere.
(suspenseful music)
You know, they towed the car,
but I don't think they even
fucking dusted for prints.
Wait.
- What, what is it?
Are these hand marks?
- Lola?
- Nothing.
(siren wailing)
Shh, get down.
(dispatch chattering)
(ominous music)
- [Danielle] Do you think he's on us?
(dispatch chattering)
(ominous music)
- Fucking doubt it.
Cops in this town always
have one hand on their dick
and one hand on their phone.
But we need to be careful, okay?
- What did you find?
(tense music)
- I think Julie got away.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah, but I don't know
for how long, wait here.
- Fuck that, Lola, wait for me.
- Don't come here.
- Lola!
- Trust me, just-
(Danielle screaming)
(terrifying music)
(ground crunching)
(terrifying music)
(paper crackling)
(terrifying music)
(suspenseful music)
(suspenseful music)
So Julie's parents never showed then?
- No. They disowned her after, you know?
And Kat's parents are
both passed on, so...
It was a car accident.
The twins were 17 when it happened.
It was terrible.
- Poor Kat.
- [Danielle] All alone in the world now.
- She's not, but it's sure
gonna fucking feel like it.
- I don't know, twins are different,
especially when it's-
- Piece of fucking shit.
I know it was you.
- Fuck are you talking about?
- I'm gonna fucking kill you.
- Get the fuck away from me.
(speakers drowning out one another)
- Any more of this, you're
gonna spend the night
in jail, Kit.
- Are you fucking serious?
- Back away.
- At my sister's funeral?
- Back away.
- What are you gonna do about it?
- Back away.
- You haven't done anything about it.
What are you gonna do about it?
(suspenseful music)
(Kit sobbing)
(suspenseful music)
(ominous music)
(flesh pounding)
(audio distorting)
(ominous music)
(brakes squeaking)
(engine roaring)
- Is that Harry Thatcher?
- Yeah. Old man Beer Can.
- [Beer Can] Still
playing this old game, eh?
- Poor guy.
- Well, his liver finally popped.
- No, he was bashed to death.
(flesh pounding)
(blood splashing)
They found him by an old pub
It was armed robbery, they said.
- There's a lot of fucking
botched robberies going
on around here.
(birds chirping)
- You, Lola, or whatever.
Sergeant Kelly wants to speak to you.
- Well, why don't you
lead the way, Constable?
- Senior Constable.
(suspenseful music)
- Will you be all right?
- Do you want me to come with you?
- No stay here.
(suspenseful music)
(paper crackling)
(pen tapping)
- Grab a seat.
(feet tapping)
(suspenseful music)
(suspenseful music)
I understand you came back
to town a couple of days ago.
- That's right.
- It says here you were christened as-
- I know what I was christened as.
I had it changed to Lola legally.
- I see, and you're here for Christmas?
- Correct.
- With your family?
- My sister.
- You only have your sister
and your father here.
Is that correct?
- Obviously.
- Have you seen your father?
- No.
- Why not?
- Listen, is this any of
your fucking business?
- Look, Lola, here's what I know.
This town hasn't seen a
crime worse than shoplifting
or a drunken fight in quite some time.
Then you arrive from the big smoke
and we have two murders.
(suspenseful music)
- You think I'm the killer?
- I am aware of what you do.
Student of forensic science
and you're a host of a
radio show about such-
- Podcast.
- A podcast then.
- Details, Sergeant, they're everything.
Wouldn't you agree?
- When you were a little...
When you were a child,
you discovered the remains of Nel Jenkins,
the missing girl of
this town's only murder.
- Only murder, are you for real?
- I beg your pardon.
- Murders, quite a
history of them actually.
1853, an indigenous family is
murdered, including two kids
after the father is suspected
of stealing eggs, fucking eggs.
1923, Bethany Jans is murdered
by her psychotic fucking husband
in a blind drunk rage.
He got off too, temporary insanity.
Just like he was temporarily insane
every time he'd beat the
living Christ out of her.
1946, wartime, Michael Arata,
a Japanese abattoir
worker, he was murdered.
What was his crime, being Japanese?
He had blunt force trauma consistent
with three police cudgels,
but you boys did a mighty fine job
of covering that one up.
Not quite good enough though.
And I've come back to town only to find
that Old Man Thatcher, Old Man Beer Can,
the town drunk when we were
growing up, he was murdered
in a botched robbery attempt.
There's a fucking ton
of botched robberies going
around, wouldn't you say?
- Yes. Yes, I see your point.
- Do you? 'Cause I could go on.
- I'm sure you could.
The point is, these killings took place
after you arrived back in town.
Now I'm not saying you're the killer,
but I do think you're a troublemaker.
Where people like you go, trouble follows.
And I don't want trouble in my town.
There is a possibility
that whoever the killer
is followed you here.
A famous local who solved an old case
now gets to solve another one.
You, a person with a checkered history
and a dubious, what
would you kids call it?
A fan base.
Furthermore, I don't
think it's unreasonable
to assume that the anonymous
caller who found the body
of Julie Lane wasn't just
some passerby taking a piss
in the bush, but rather
someone who was looking for her
or knew where she was.
And though I can't prove this,
knowing your preoccupations,
there is a distinct possibility
that you made that call.
(suspenseful music)
- I'm free to leave.
- You can leave this
office whenever you like.
We're not holding you.
- That wasn't a question.
- I see, as I said,
you can leave this
office whenever you like.
But the town, no.
Not until I say so.
You're still a person of
interest in this case after all.
- Well, that's great because
I fucking love it here.
Merry Christmas, Sergeant.
(pen taps)
- One more thing.
(tense music)
You're gonna stop interfering
in our investigation or I'm
gonna have you arrested.
- Well, then I'd get
to investigating then.
(tense music)
- Yes, it's me.
Get Constable Kent to keep
an eye on Lola Dulling.
I wanna know every move she makes.
(tense music)
(dog barking)
(tense music)
(crickets croaking)
(sliding door scratching)
(sliding door taps)
(terrifying music)
(crickets croaking)
(terrifying music)
(crickets croaking)
(material creaking)
(terrifying music)
(Toymaker panting)
(crickets croaking)
(terrifying music)
(weapon crunches)
(Sarah gargling)
(screen distorting)
(Sarah gargling)
(crows cawing)
(sprinkler spraying)
- [Dispatch] Calling Unit 1,
Code 212 at the bottle stop, Rene Street.
- Can't hear, a Code what?
- [Dispatch] During the night shift,
witness someone abducting Sarah Whitmore.
- No identification?
- [Dispatch] The kid
said it was the Toymaker.
- The fuck?
- That's what he says.
He saw the Toymaker just carry her away.
- Yeah, sure.
(suspenseful music)
(suspenseful music continues)
(door knocking)
(suspenseful music)
(door rattling)
(door squeaks)
Ladies.
- So let's get one thing straight,
you were watching the
house the entire time
that Sarah was getting abducted?
- Well actually-
- Why are you here?
Why aren't you looking for
her? Do you do anything?
- Hey, don't talk to me like that.
- Fuck you, Jim.
- Listen, I'm just doing my job.
I was told to come here
and let you guys know that I was here
when everything happened,
so neither of you are on a suspicion.
- No shit.
- But if you know anything,
you need to tell me.
- We were here the entire time.
What could we possibly fucking tell you?
- We have the whole town
waking up to the rumor
that a ghost from the fucking 30s
is going around killing people, okay?
And the Sergeant has us looking out
for any suspicious people
following you around.
- Is that possible?
- No, I don't think so.
- Do you have any enemies or any stalkers?
- Lola?
- No, I mean, any trans woman
on the internet gets a lot of shit.
Turfs, religious idiots,
incels, the occasional chaser.
- What's a chaser?
- Chaser, someone chasing
a chick with a dick.
They ride in on their
white horse, wine, dine.
But in the end, they're
just looking to get it in.
- Right, right, right,
right. Any chaser stalkers?
- No, I'd know.
- Yeah, you would.
Hey, listen, I like your
podcast, by the way.
- Oh, thanks.
- Yeah, it's pretty good.
Kinda into that stuff.
It's the whole reason why I became a cop.
Look, the senior constable's
the old fashioned prick.
You know, find the most
convenient suspect.
Get enough dodgy evidence on
them and then put them away.
But, look, if you're doing
your own investigation,
I wanna help, but you need to help me too.
- Why should I trust you?
- Well, I was here last night,
so I'm not the Toymaker.
- Right. Here's how this is gonna go.
You're gonna give me everything you have
and then I'll decide if I can trust you
and I come and go as I please.
Is that clear?
- Fine, and if anybody asks you,
you're tired of the sight
of my handsome face.
- Fine, and if you catch me
anywhere I'm not supposed to be.
No, you didn't, deal?
- If I turn a blind eye
to any unlawful activity,
even for the greater
good, I could lose my job.
(sighs) Fine, gimme your phone.
This is my number.
Prank me and call me if
you need anything, okay?
Now I gotta go. I have an
avenging ghost to catch.
- Nice piggy.
- I bet you knows his whole
life story, don't you?
- No, well, yes.
- Well, it'll have to wait.
- Where are you going?
- I'm not looking for an
avenging ghost, that's for sure.
Stay here. Lock the door, arm yourself.
And don't answer to anyone but me, okay?
And tell the others to do the same.
I'm sure this fucking sick idiot
is out there looking for them.
- I will.
You be careful too.
- Me? Always.
(suspenseful music)
- She hasn't changed a fucking bit.
(tense music)
(door thuds)
(instrument rattling)
(bell ringing)
(calm music)
(paper crackling)
(Dave chuckles)
- Dave, Dave Robert?
- Lola, hey.
- Oh my God, you've changed.
- Yeah, I guess so.
- You look good.
- You too.
- Danielle said that you worked here, so,
I, here I am, (chuckles) decent gig?
- Yeah, it's volunteer for now, yeah.
But I like it.
- You know, I love these old typewriters.
- Well, yeah, this, I
wish this one worked.
You can't actually get
the ink threads anymore,
but if it were up to me, I'd
probably just ditch the laptop
and just have this in the
office instead if it worked.
- I'm guessing you don't get
that many people through here.
- Yeah, you're the first
one this year. (chuckles)
- That sounds like heaven.
I work at this big burger
joint back in the city
and we get tons of drunk people in
and out all night, it's hell.
- That'll be hell for me.
- Here, listen, I was actually
hoping to run into you.
I was hoping you could help
me with a little research.
- Yeah, yeah, of course. What's happening?
- Do you remember the old Toymaker house?
- I remember dropping
a nugget in my pants,
'cause of the Old Man Beer Can, yeah.
- Really?
- Yeah.
I was about to ask you actually,
you planned that with him, right?
- No, he was in there
sleeping of a hangover.
He scared the shit out of me too.
- Right.
(singing in a foreign language)
I...
- Yeah?
I really regret the way that
we treated you back then.
- Hey, don't worry about it.
Everyone treated me like that back then.
Small town filled with small people.
I can tell you you've changed.
- I'm really sorry about... (sniffs)
Look, sorry, what were we
talking about the house,
did you say, the...
- Oh my God, right.
- Yeah.
- So I'm looking for anything about anyone
that lived there after the murders.
- Right, Nancy Crew on
the case then, yeah?
- You're a listener.
- Yeah. Of course.
- You know, I never
thought I would have anyone
in this town listening to my
podcast and now I've found out
that I've got two fans since coming back.
- Yeah, I mean, it's
probably more, you know,
I know some of the high school kids do.
You're the closest
thing this town's got to
a celebrity besides the Toymaker.
But anyway, I don't know if
there's anything interesting.
- You don't believe mean ghosts, do you?
(calm music)
- Sometimes I do.
With all that's happening now,
who knows what's real anymore.
You know, legends have,
legends have power.
You know, if it were up to
me, I would make a museum
of the Toymaker in that house
and then have the legend attract tourists.
- Dave, that's really dark.
I think it would work.
(Dave chuckles)
- No, I asked the council,
they don't want anything to do with it,
and so they don't want the town overrun
by like freaks in the...
- These look pretty, 'cause
I like freaks and ghosts.
- Yeah, look, if there's any records
or anything, I'll put
'em in the office, so.
- Mm-hmm.
(suspenseful music)
(arcade game music)
(door creaking)
(tense music)
- What's up?
- Hey, pig, listen, I need you
to dig up something for me.
I was just at the old Historical Society
and that place is fucking dusty.
Anyway, can you look up
a police record for me?
- Seriously, you know that's not as easy
as it is like in the movies, right?
- Yeah. Trust me, I know.
Something happened in 2018
that relates to the Toymaker myth.
All I could find was newspaper
clippings and articles,
but they're all redacted or snipped out.
Seriously, why doesn't this
town fucking digitize anything?
I figure if there's anything that's left,
it's at the precinct, right?
- Yeah. No need.
I know what it is.
It was a botched murder attempt.
A group of French backpackers
were going through the town.
Stayed a few days.
One of 'em was a trans.
- Go on.
- Well, apparently she was arrested
by a few locals at the Fox and Firkin Pub.
- Who?
- B something,
Barry Summers, Gerard, Kelly.
- Barry and Kim?
- Huh?
- Nothing, go on.
- Well, apparently somebody else tried
to attack her when she went out
for a packet of cigarettes
a few days later.
Tried to drag her through the alley.
Beat her with a hammer,
but she fought him off.
Gave the ghost a good kick
in the olds apparently.
(victim screams)
(tense music)
- Nice. Good stuff.
- Yeah, well, apparently the
victim didn't see the face
and a witness walking her
dog said, and I quote.
- He was wearing a creepy Santa costume
like my grandpa used to wear.
- [Lola] And lemme guess,
Sargent said it was just some
unrelated out-of-towner, right?
- Yep.
- (scoffs) Fucking idiot.
At least he couldn't put that one down
to a botched robbery, right?
Listen, you've kept up your
side of the bargain, Constable?
Kent, Constable Kent, are you there?
- Yeah, I'm here.
Are you anywhere near
the old Toymaker's house?
- Yeah, why?
- Wanted you to see it first.
(suspenseful music)
(screen distorting)
It's against every fucking regulation,
but the others would just fuck it up
before the state forensic team gets here.
The fuck did he do?
(suspenseful music)
- Blood Eagle.
- What?
- Blood Eagle, it's a Viking execution.
More like a torture, really.
- Almost like a fucking Christmas angel.
- That would be consistent to theme.
(suspenseful music)
No note, no toy, nothing.
Fucker wasn't done here.
- I should dust for prints.
- Don't fucking do that.
Then they'll know you were here.
Plus anyone that's this meticulous
isn't exactly gonna leave prints.
(suspenseful music)
Do you see those boot marks?
- Yeah, they're work boots.
I used to have the same
ones when I was 19 working
at the abattoir.
Still kept standard.
- Still got 'em?
- No, and fuck you.
(suspenseful music)
- Hey, who else used
to work with you there?
- Lots of people.
What's the town business ones?
- Barry Summers?
- Yeah, why, do you think he's a suspect?
- I wouldn't say so.
Barry's not exactly the creative type.
- Maybe not, but he sure loved killing.
He was on a Death Squad,
as we called them.
- What?
- The Death Squad.
They make the livestock the dead stock.
(suspenseful music)
The others always said that he used
to have this creepy grin every time he
would bolt a cow, even game bang.
- Yeah. Why does that not surprise me?
See there on the forearm?
- [Kent] Aha.
- Now look at the bruising,
I'd say she was dead before
he tied her up, thankfully.
- Fuck, I can't, how the
fuck is he that strong
to do all of this?
- Sarah wasn't exactly huge.
He dropped her a few times
trying to get this right too.
So we're not exactly
looking for Hercules then.
(suspenseful music)
Did you call this in?
- No. I'm supposed to be watching you.
- With that door open,
the whole town's gonna
be here from the smell,
so we need to get the
fuck outta here now, go.
(ominous music)
(ominous music)
Lola's cops collection service.
You rack 'em, we pack 'em.
- Lola, what the fuck
is going on down there?
- Listen, Charlie, I was
gonna call you today,
but there was no time.
- [Charlie] Brutal murders
in the town of Padan.
How the fuck did you think
I was not gonna find out?
(siren wailing)
- I'm surprised I told
you this, to be honest,
- News broke minutes ago.
I found out hours ago.
- Seriously, how?
- Partly, 'cause no one gives
a what happens out there.
But I only found out
'cause I know a guy that keeps track
of rural broadcasters
chasing corruption claims,
and he saw the report of the first killing
on the Padan News.
He contacted the local station,
but the police told them not
to report on anything too scary,
so they don't cause a panic.
But some AvMed told him
that they knew the kids
that found the first body
and they'd gone to the media about it.
And now there's a hundred TV news vans
on their way right now, and so am I.
- No fucking way, Charlie.
Do not bring your arse here.
- Lola, I know you've
got your Nancy Drew arse
in the middle of whatever the
fuck is happening down there,
and there's nothing that you can say
that's gonna stop me from coming.
- Charlie, it's not worth it for a scoop.
- This isn't about some story.
This is about me white
knighting your arse outta
that horror movie you call a town.
- Fine.
- Send me your
sister's address and for God's sake,
please keep your head
down and stop snooping.
- Charlie, I need you
to do something for me.
- Lola, stop it.
- It's not like that.
Listen, I could be in danger either way.
I need you to contact your friend
and ask them if they can find out anything
about Sergeant Kelly, all right?
- Okay, fine, shit,
but you have to promise me
to text me every 10 seconds
so I know where you are.
- I will, Sergeant
Kelly. Have you got that?
- Sergeant Kelly, yeah, I'll remember.
I'll see you in a few hours.
- I love you, Charlie.
- I love you more and better.
(ominous music)
(crickets croaking)
(ominous music)
(feet tapping)
(ominous music)
(paper crackling)
(terrifying music)
(paper rustles)
(terrifying music)
(keys rattling)
(ominous music)
- [Danielle] Saw card freaked.
We're all at the Nowhere Club and armed.
We can't get ahold of Kit.
Stop looking for killer.
Please come here quick.
- I was about to call you.
The state cops are coming in.
All hell is breaking loose.
- Listen, I know.
Was one of Kat's ears missing
from her body when you found it?
- No. None of them were, why?
- Oh my God.
- What is it?
- You need to find Kit now.
- Kat's sister, what happened?
- There's a severed ear on
my sister's front porch.
That's what's happened,
and now Kit is missing.
- The sister? Shit.
- Where are you?
- I'm near the bar.
The Nowhere Club.
- What? Why?
- [Kent] I was actually
watching your sister's house,
like I'm supposed to be doing for once,
but I saw her leave, so I followed her.
- You didn't see anyone
deliver anything to the house?
- [Kent] No, but I wasn't there
the whole day, as you know.
- Right, the other pigs found Sarah?
- Both banks and Serg
are there with the ambos.
You know, it's fuckin' weird.
- What is?
- I was listening on the radio
when the senior constable found the body.
He immediately called dispatch
and told them to call it into state
as we're under obligation to do.
But when Serg found out that
he had called the state police,
he started going on
about going over his head
as if he were-
- Changing the line of argument.
- Yeah, exactly.
- The sergeant has been burying
this from the beginning.
The first two deaths, that
bullshit about a botched robbery.
He's been trying to make
sure the state police
didn't find out and the media, but why?
- I don't know, maybe he didn't
want the town to be overrun
by reporters and detectives.
It's been enough chaos
here in the recent news,
but at the cost of people's lives.
- He doesn't think of
these victims as people.
Nobody in this town does.
(suspenseful music)
- Huh, then maybe you're right.
- Wait.
- What is it?
What's going on?
- Someone's... I'll call you back.
- Kent, fuck!
(door squeaks)
(ominous music)
(light buzzes)
(door thuds)
(ominous music)
(light buzzes)
(feet tapping)
(ominous music)
(terrifying music)
(light buzzes)
(tool pounds)
(Kent screams)
(tool thuds)
(terrifying music)
(flesh mushing)
(stick scratching)
- Oi.
- Oh, for fuck's sake.
Not now.
- Well, look at this, mate.
Faggot's back in town
and he's telling pigs that I killed Julie.
- Babe, I never said that.
- Don't fuckin' lie to me.
- Yeah, don't fuckin' lie to us.
- Barry, Brick, I haven't told
anyone that you killed anyone
because I think you're
both too fucking stupid
to pull off something as
meticulous as this, especially you,
because you wouldn't have two
brain cells to string together
to switch on a fucking Christmas ornament.
So why don't you get
the fuck out of my way
before anyone else gets
murdered by a real psychopath,
not two cowards who
could only murder someone
if they were old and fucking defenseless.
(tense music)
(tires rumbling)
(tense music)
- Let's go.
- Lola?
- Let's go, go.
- Lola, were they?
- No. Oh my God, why the
aren't you at Danielle's house?
(lips smacking)
- Bitch, you knew I was
gonna come looking for you.
- We need to get to The Nowhere Club now.
- The what?
- [Lola] The Nowhere Club.
(tense music)
What did your friend find?
- [Charlie] A fair bit.
He dug up some stuff
on your Sergeant Kelly.
He's brothers with the mayor
and both are in some redneck
oligarch farming family
with ties to conservative groups,
oil companies, you name it.
During the financial crisis,
they brought up all the farmland in Padan.
They wanna turn it into some
rich arsehole golf resort.
They even brought out the
old meats order place.
- The abattoir?
- [Charlie] Yeah. Right, ugh.
Those fuckers are haunted
by a million cow ghosts.
- [Lola] They'd probably do
anything to protect that kind
of wealth, including covering up a murder.
No, a murderer.
A murderer in the family could bring
the whole fucking thing down.
- [Charlie] This is insane.
- [Lola] No, someone in
their family is insane
and the cops are covering it up.
Did he say who else in town
was connected to the Kellys?
- [Charlie] A few other
families actually by marriage,
the Banks family, the
Kents and Roberts family.
- [Lola] So everyone else in town?
Wait, unless it-
- [Charlie] Oh, shit, you just had one
of your Sherlock Holmes
brainstorms, didn't you?
- [Lola] Fuck yeah, I did.
- [Charlie] Lola, where are you going now?
- Just inside the bar there.
And I need you to go to
the Historical Society.
It's not far, I just need you to go there
and break in for me.
- Oh, you just need me to go break in
and check on something for you?
- Bitch, do you know who
you're fucking talking to?
You know who you're dating, right?
I bey you still have that lock pick
that I bought you for
your birthday, right?
- [Charlie] Yeah. All right.
- And be on the lookout. Okay?
This is the kind of sick
fuck to lay booby traps.
(Charlie chuckles)
(mellow music)
- Booby traps.
- Charlie, grow the up.
- No, I won't.
(hand taps)
(ominous music)
(ominous music)
(door thuds)
(compartment rattling)
(objects rattling)
(taser buzzing)
(compartment thuds)
(door squeaks)
(tense music)
(door clicks)
(terrifying music)
- Jack in the box.
(ominous music)
(crickets croaking)
(wood knocking)
(victim mumbling)
- Hello?
(victim mumbling)
Hello? Oh, shit.
Oh, shit, hold on.
Hold on, I've got you. Oh, fuck, oh, shit.
(door rattling)
(hammer clangs) Oh, fuck!
Shit, I'm with Lola.
I'm with Lola. I'm with Lola, you're good.
You're safe. You're safe, you're okay.
Okay, let's get you of here.
What the fuck?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
(door creaking)
- Lola?
Lola?
Lola?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
- I showed you my little girl, Lola.
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
You had to keep this secret.
(feet tapping)
You did it all, right?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
(neck cracks)
So I had to come. I had to.
I had to kill to bring you here.
Give yourself to me
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
and no more blood will be shed, hmm?
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
- Close your eyes. Give yourself to me!
- So what, now you're the phantom
of the fucking opera, Spring-heeled Jack?
- Spring-heeled Jack.
- I always appreciate the
history of above among us.
Jack in the Box.
(screen squeaking)
(tense music)
(speaker drowned out by music)
- You're the closest thing
this town's got to a celebrity.
- Podcast then.
- Not very inventive, Dave.
(terrifying music)
(Dave panting)
- Dave is dead, okay?
- (chuckles) You wish.
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
- Dave is dead, Okay?
- The Toymaker didn't
get you, Dave. They did.
Barry, Gimp, your whole fucking family.
I know what it feels like when
the people who are supposed
to love you reject you
for who you are, Dave.
- Shut up. Shut up!
- So when Barry killed Old Man Beer Can,
you knew you could get away
with it too, the boots.
(screen swooshes)
- These are same ones when I was 19,
working at the other-
(screen swooshes)
(tense music)
- Nice touch, hoping that
they'd pin that on Barry.
Not good enough, Dave.
(ominous music)
(lights buzzing)
(floor thuds)
(tense music)
- I found your porn collection, Dave.
- You know, if it were up to me,
I would make a museum
of the Toymaker house.
Have the legend attract tourists.
- That's really dark.
- [Kent] Any chaser stalkers?
- In the end, they're
just looking to get it in.
It must have really you off
when that trans backpacker rejected you,
but we're not all that easy, are we, Dave?
(tense music)
That must have made you so fucking mad.
Mad enough for murder.
(Dave grunting)
(tense music)
My heart used to cry like that too, Dave.
Every day, every night.
(Dave grunting)
Innocent people-
(tapping drowns out speakers)
(tense music)
(flesh pounds)
(ominous music)
(feet tapping)
(taser buzzing)
(flesh pounds)
(ominous music)
(Lola sobbing)
- Hey, look at me, hmm?
I hate you.
No, Dave, you fucking love me.
(door squeaks)
(tense music)
(flesh pounds)
(upbeat music)
(Dave grunting)
(Mr. Proctor gargling)
- Who the fuck are you, huh?
(Mr. Proctor gargling)
(upbeat music)
- Get off of him.
(flesh slaps)
(upbeat music)
- My parents put me in Muay Thai,
but I never thought I'd need it.
- We're a great team.
You know martial arts and
I used to teach wood shop.
- No, don't hurt him.
(upbeat music)
- We could've been friends, Dave.
Merry fucking Christmas.
(taser buzzing)
(Dave thuds)
(Dave farts)
- Did he just shit on my floor?
(door squeaks)
Lola, Lola, Lola, you okay?
- I'm fine, I'm fine.
Hey, it's just a scratch.
Did you find Kit?
- Yeah, I found her. I took
her straight to the hospital.
She's hurt and she's in
shock, but she's okay.
- What the hell happened here?
- You know what happened here.
Your nephew, the monster this town made,
the monster your family made.
(feet tapping)
- You're not going anywhere.
- Fuck you, porky.
And one more thing,
evidence that Barry
killed Old Man Beer Can
is already in the hands
of the journalists,
so I suggest you start making some arrests
before the state police do.
(mellow music)
(feet tapping)
- You're gonna pay to clean
up this mess. You got that?
(weapon rattling)
(uplifting music)
(uplifting music)
(sirens wailing)
(uplifting music)
(sirens wailing)
(uplifting music)
- [Lola] Then we were stuck in
town for another week or so,
getting questioned by the state police.
Felt like forever.
- It must've been hell.
To be honest, they really just flew by.
There was a lot to go over.
(suspenseful music)
Last I heard the perp was out of hospital
and in some sort of maximum
security institution.
- [Riley] Boy, is he never getting out.
(suspenseful music)
(terrifying music)
(screen buzzes)
(screen ringing)
(terrifying music)
(flesh pounds)
(Lola screaming)
- Hey, hey. What's wrong?
It's me. It's me, hold my hand.
Squeeze my hand. It was a dream.
(Lola sobbing)
(somber music)
- Yeah, anyway, with Barry in jail
for killing Old Man Beer Can,
it brought down this web of
corrupt families one by one.
Totally ruined any idea that they had
of turning the whole thing into a resort.
I think another company's
bought it all up now though.
- Anyway, listeners, if
you want the full story,
"The Toymaker Murders" by Farrah Stone,
it's her first official
publication through our new label,
Nancy Crew Publishing,
which is really exciting,
and it's gonna be out soon.
So we'll let you know if she's
doing a signing and where
and when because it is
a fucking crazy read.
(mellow music)
(people chattering)
(pen scribbling)
(paper crackling)
(mellow music)
- Are you the real Lola?
- Uh-huh.
- Three of my friends have gone missing
and I think someone's following me.
No one's doing anything about it.
- Hey, it's all right.
Come with us. Let's see what we can do.
Tell me all about it, okay?
- Here we go.
("Toyland" by Good Lovelies)
(people chattering)
Toyland
Toyland
Little girl and boy land
While you dwell within it
You are ever happy there
Childhood's joy land
Mystique merry toy land
Once you pass its borders
You can never return again
(machine rattling)
(lively music)
(lively music continues)
(lively music continues)
(lively music continues)
(lively music continues)
Childhood's joy land
Mystique merry toy land
Once you pass its borders
You can never return again
Once you pass its borders
You can never return again
(bright music)