Carnage for Christmas (2024)

[bunniefuu]

(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 sh*t 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

d*ck cheese has sent out

an underling of his to track her down.

Real greasy, White Tr*sh

sh*t the g*ng 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 d*ck 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 m*rder 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 m*rder 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 m*rder 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 k*ll 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 k*ll 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.

- f*ck, 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 f*cking cool.

- Like maggots and sh*t?

- [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 f*cking 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 sh*t

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 f*cking

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 f*cking everyone's gonna

be there 'cause it's Christmas,

so everyone's returning.

It's like gonna be a f*cking sh*t show.

And it's just like,

I'm not ready for all

the f*cking questions.

Do you know what I mean,

and it's just like.

(table thuds)

f*ck.

- Hmm, preaching to the choir there.

We wouldn't know anything about that.

- Guess, look, I know I'm

not the only q*eer 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, b*tch. 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

k*ll 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, b*tch.

(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 sh*t, are ya?

- Ignore her, she's the

same old butch b*tch.

- Huh, nice.

- And everyone at school was right.

She was a d*ke 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 f*ck?

(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)

- f*ck, sh*t. (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 f*cking 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 f*cking Karens.

- Wait, wait, wait, Summers?

As in Barry Summers?

- Yeah, his brother, Paul.

- Swear to God,

this town has more f*cking

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 g*y bar.

- Sorry, a g*y 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 sh*t 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

b*tch. 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 f*cking 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 f*cking 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.

- f*ck' Jerry still has eyes

on her. He's a f*cking 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 f*cked 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 sh*t h*le,

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 f*cking k*ll 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 f*cking has.

- That's for sure, for better and worse.

- [Lola] You know, your friends

are pretty f*cking 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 q*eer 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 f*cking mess

of the scene, there's

boot prints everywhere.

(suspenseful music)

You know, they towed the car,

but I don't think they even

f*cking 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)

- f*cking doubt it.

Cops in this town always

have one hand on their d*ck

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.

- f*ck 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 f*cking feel like it.

- I don't know, twins are different,

especially when it's-

- Piece of f*cking sh*t.

I know it was you.

- f*ck are you talking about?

- I'm gonna f*cking k*ll you.

- Get the f*ck away from me.

(speakers drowning out one another)

- Any more of this, you're

gonna spend the night

in jail, Kit.

- Are you f*cking 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 f*cking

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 f*cking 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 k*ller?

- 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 m*rder.

- Only m*rder, are you for real?

- I beg your pardon.

- Murders, quite a

history of them actually.

1853, an indigenous family is

m*rder*d, including two kids

after the father is suspected

of stealing eggs, f*cking eggs.

1923, Bethany Jans is m*rder*d

by her psychotic f*cking 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 m*rder*d.

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 m*rder*d

in a botched robbery attempt.

There's a f*cking 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 k*ller,

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 k*ller

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 f*cking 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 f*ck?

- 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.

- f*ck 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 sh*t.

- But if you know anything,

you need to tell me.

- We were here the entire time.

What could we possibly f*cking tell you?

- We have the whole town

waking up to the rumor

that a ghost from the f*cking 30s

is going around k*lling 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 sh*t.

Turfs, religious idiots,

incels, the occasional chaser.

- What's a chaser?

- Chaser, someone chasing

a chick with a d*ck.

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 f*cking sick idiot

is out there looking for them.

- I will.

You be careful too.

- Me? Always.

(suspenseful music)

- She hasn't changed a f*cking 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 sh*t 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 f*cking 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 f*cking 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 m*rder 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) f*cking 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 f*cking regulation,

but the others would just f*ck it up

before the state forensic team gets here.

The f*ck did he do?

(suspenseful music)

- Blood Eagle.

- What?

- Blood Eagle, it's a Viking execution.

More like a t*rture, really.

- Almost like a f*cking Christmas angel.

- That would be consistent to theme.

(suspenseful music)

No note, no toy, nothing.

f*ck wasn't done here.

- I should dust for prints.

- Don't f*cking 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 f*ck 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 k*lling.

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.

- f*ck, I can't, how the

f*ck 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

f*ck outta here now, go.

(ominous music)

(ominous music)

Lola's cops collection service.

You rack 'em, we pack 'em.

- Lola, what the f*ck

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 f*ck 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 k*lling

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 f*cking way, Charlie.

Do not bring your arse here.

- Lola, I know you've

got your Nancy Drew arse

in the middle of whatever the

f*ck 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, sh*t,

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 k*ller.

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? sh*t.

- 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 f*ck' 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, f*ck!

(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 f*ck's sake.

Not now.

- Well, look at this, mate.

f*gg*t's back in town

and he's telling pigs that I k*lled Julie.

- Babe, I never said that.

- Don't f*ck' lie to me.

- Yeah, don't f*ck' lie to us.

- Barry, Brick, I haven't told

anyone that you k*lled anyone

because I think you're

both too f*cking 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 f*cking Christmas ornament.

So why don't you get

the f*ck out of my way

before anyone else gets

m*rder*d by a real psychopath,

not two cowards who

could only m*rder someone

if they were old and f*cking 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)

- b*tch, 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 f*ck are haunted

by a million cow ghosts.

- [Lola] They'd probably do

anything to protect that kind

of wealth, including covering up a m*rder.

No, a m*rder*r.

A m*rder*r in the family could bring

the whole f*cking 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, sh*t, you just had one

of your Sherlock Holmes

brainstorms, didn't you?

- [Lola] f*ck 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?

- b*tch, do you know who

you're f*cking 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

f*ck 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, sh*t.

Oh, sh*t, hold on.

Hold on, I've got you. Oh, f*ck, oh, sh*t.

(door rattling)

(hammer clangs) Oh, f*ck!

sh*t, 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 f*ck?

(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 k*ll 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 f*cking 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 f*cking 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 k*lled 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 f*cking mad.

Mad enough for m*rder.

(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 f*cking love me.

(door squeaks)

(tense music)

(flesh pounds)

(upbeat music)

(Dave grunting)

(Mr. Proctor gargling)

- Who the f*ck 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 f*cking Christmas.

(taser buzzing)

(Dave thuds)

(Dave farts)

- Did he just sh*t 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.

- f*ck you, porky.

And one more thing,

evidence that Barry

k*lled 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 k*lling 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 f*cking 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)