- GORDON: Is everything OK? - JENNY: I, um, finally got a letter from Liam. - OK. - It's OK. - She still doesn't like you. - Give it time. I'm an acquired taste. - So, your biopsy shows that you have A solitary spinal plasmacytoma, A low tumour in the lumbar spine. You'll need to start a regular course of radiation as soon as possible. - When I was a kid, my mother died. The police came to our house around midnight and said that there had been an accident. - But you don't think that's what happened. Clark, what are you doing at my house? - We got an anonymous tip about your sister's death. The way she fell is suspicious. I have to look into it. (SCREAMS) (MYSTERIOUS MUSIC) (ECHOING CHILDISH GIGGLES) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (GIGGLING CONTINUES) (UNSETTLING MUSIC) (HEAVY BREATHING) (LOUD, DISTORTED LAUGHTER) (GASPS, PANTS) - ROSS: Mom! Mom. - Yeah. - What's going on? Are you OK? - Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just, um... You know, I'm just doing my therapy homework. - (SCOFFS) you were screaming. - Yeah, I know. Just, it's... Scream your cares away, right? Look, next time, I'll do it into the pillow. I'm gonna be late for work. Move. Mooooove. Thank you. (UPBEAT BASSY MUSIC) (MUSIC CONTINUES) - DONOVAN: All right. Thank you. - Hey. - Hey. - So, what have we got? - Derek Grant, contractor. Found him still in his bed, if you can call it that. - Shall we? - Yeah. (SOFT MUSIC) (WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY) OK. (GRUNTS) Well, no signs of trauma. Or bruising. Though Derek does have a pretty bad sunburn. - Well, given the tar on his hands, probably got it working on the roof. - Yeah. Well, there's blue under his fingernails. Could be hypoxia. - Heart attack? - I mean, he's a little young. We'll know more after the autopsy. (TENSE MUSIC) - Hmm. - Well, there's no obvious signs of foul play. You might be good on this one. - I wouldn't be so sure about that. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2021 (MACHINE WHIRRS LOUDLY) - Do you have a key to the house? - MAN: Yeah. Sometimes Derek had me come in when he wasn't around, do mouldings, stuff like that. - You show up for work around, what, 9 o'clock? - I was gonna start the wiring today. At first, I thought Derek was just sleeping in. Sometimes he liked to tie one on, you know. But then, when I touched him... (WHIRRING CONTINUES) - What can you tell us about Derek? - He had a habit of making promises he couldn't keep. Debts, you know. With this job, I've never seen him so stressed. - Do you know why this one specifically? - Well, his wife, Shelley, she hated the place. They fought about it all the time, and then she moved out. - Do you have a number for Shelley? - Yeah. (WHIRRING CONTINUES LOUDLY) - Hey! Sir! Sir! Excuse me! - Oh! - Hi! (MOTOR TURNS OFF) - Sorry. It's, uh, tragic, huh? You know, young guy like that. - Yeah. Did you know Derek Grant? - No, not really. I'm a handyman. You know, odd jobs, stuff like that. I used to take care of the yard for the old lady that used to live here, and I said I'd keep it up for Derek until he sold the house. It's a shame. You know, you'd think people would learn by now. - Learn what? - Well, that house? It's haunted. Everybody knows that. (MYSTERIOUS MUSIC) (LEAFBLOWER RESUMES WHIRRING) - MELANIE: Any history of cardiac disease? Breathing trouble? - No. He was in perfect health, according to his GP. I mean, he did live in a haunted house, so... you know. - You're not serious. - You know what, I'm just... keeping an open mind. - RIVER: My mother believed in spirits. Used to see them all the time. She relied on them. They guided her. - (EXHALES HEAVILY) - Whoa. - Oh. Cherry-red discolouration. - Well, let's make sure. (RIBS SNAP) (INTRIGUING MUSIC) - Oof! That is red. Looks like carbon monoxide poisoning. There isn't even a working furnace in that house. How did he die of CO poisoning? (CELL PHONE CHIMES) - We have a rule, River. - I know. Phones on silent only. I'll turn it off. Sorry, I... I have to go. (UPBEAT MUSIC) (BOTH LAUGH) - Ah, you've been training! - Or you're getting slow, man! - Give me one more run, man. Give me one more... - Yo, yo, yo. Hey, you OK? Yo. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, I'm good. I'm good, man. Just... - You sure? You're unsteady, man. - Low blood sugar. Did I mumble? I'm fine! (STAMMERS) It's all good. I got a protein bar here, and I... (STAMMERS) Go back to the office, man. I'm good. - All right. I'll catch you, man. - I'm good. I'll catch you. I'll catch you, catch you. - See you at the office, man. - Yeah. (TENSE MUSIC) - (BABBLES) - Aw, did you see? It's a panda! OK, go on, say it. Who is that? (BABY BABBLES) Oh! Did you hear it? She said mama! - Yeah, you can see in her eyes she has a lot to say. - RIVER: Alison. - Look who it is. Say hi. - Hi, River. - Hi, Sabina. - Uh, I'll call you back, hon. - OK. - OK. Squeeze her tight for me. - I have a friend who works for Indigenous Liberty, the legal aid society. - Yeah, we hear from them all the time. - Yeah. Well, she was looking into a few cold cases for oversights in the system. Well, look. (SOFT MUSIC) - (GASPS) Uh... - OK, Shelley, I'll meet you at the house. I'm about, uh... 20 minutes away. OK. OK, thanks. - (RAPID KNOCK AT DOOR) Hey. You OK? - They found him. - They found who? Alison. - I think I know who killed my mother. - OK. Hey. What do you need? - I need some time off. - Yeah, of course. Of course, but how can I help? How can`? - Um, I, uh... I need to face this myself. - Alison? If you need anything at all, you know that I'm here for you, right? - I know. Thank you. - (EXHALES HEAVILY) (DISTANT CREAKING) Hello? (DISTANT SCRAPING) (TENSE MUSIC) Shelley? (SCRAPING CONTINUES) Hello? (THUD, GIRL GIGGLES) (KNOCK AT DOOR) Shelley. - Derek was gonna build us a dream home. Just had to flip this place first. (FLOORBOARDS CREAK UPSTAIRS) - How long were you two married? - Common law. We were gonna spend the profits from this on a wedding. - And when did you move out? - I'd had enough. I moved in with my mom two weeks ago. I begged him to leave, but he wouldn't listen. This old house, it's different than the others. Always some disaster. This house took everything from me. (FLOORBOARDS CREAK) - You talk about this house like it's alive. What? - The wallpaper. - Uh, what about it? - What's underneath it. Derek thought he could just cover it up, like I could forget it was there. (UNSETTLING MUSIC) I don't know what killed Derek, but... it wasn't an accident. (CREAKING CONTINUES) (WALLPAPER RIPS) (MUSIC BUILDS) Oh my God. * - Maybe you could, uh, see about getting some sleeping pills. - No, Dad, that would interfere with your other medication. - I didn't mean for me. I heard you last night on that couch. You were tossing and turning something terrible. - Sh... - Are you having the bad dreams again? - No. No, I'm good. - Are you sure? Cos you seem a little bit... I don't know. What's the word? Jittery. - Oh, come on, Jenny. OK, there we go. See? That's why I quit coffee. OK. Um... You ready for this? - Well, I'm not thrilled to talk to a crown attorney at any time, but, you know, if you think it's a good idea we do it, then we do it. - Yeah, yeah. I mean, Clark, he... He's got a reputation for being fair. I've worked with him. You know, I think it's better that we face this rather than hide. (KNOCK AT DOOR) (EXHALES HEAVILY) OK. - You say you found Katie at the bottom of the stairs. - Yeah. - Because the pictures from the scene, they` - Oh, hey, you can't show him those. - Of course not, but... they show Katie several feet from the stairs, almost like she fell over the railing. - The paramedics could've moved her when they were trying to resuscitate her. - I'm asking him. - Ask me. Um... Well, she fell. I mean, that's what happened. - OK, but from the top step or over the railing? - I don't understand what you're really asking me? Are you saying, was I there when she fell or...? - Gordon, I'm asking you if she fell from the top step or over the railing. That's what I'm asking you. It is a simple question, Gordon. Top step or over the railing? Which one? - OK, hey, let's take a minute. Let's just take a break for a second, OK? - Let's just finish my questions. - Well, he was asked all of these questions 30 years ago by the police. - And he will be again unless you let me finish talking to him. - Are you accusing him of something? - (BANGS TABLE) OK, that's enough! How dare you march into this house and dredge up the past like this! I lost my little girl! She lost her sister! Do you understand that? And you come in here, and you start picking over the bones like some damn vulture. - OK. I've got everything I need. I'll see myself out. Thank you. - (EXHALES HEAVILY) (DOOR OPENS, CLOSES) You OK, Dad? - I'm sorry I yelled. - No. No, it's OK. You did everything right. (CELL PHONE RINGS) - It's just, uh... Ugh. Sorry. Just give me a second. - I did everything right. - What? - Oh-kay. This a bad time? - No, it's fine. What is it? - Well, figured whoever wrote 'die Nora die' must be connected to our haunted house, so I did some digging. - OK. And let me guess. What, it's built on a cemetery by a cult of Satanists? - (LAUGHS) that would be awesomely cool. - Nothing that juicy, I'm afraid. Place was built by a guy named Paul Sullivan, bequeathed to his daughter, Astrid, after he died. - Boomers, am I right? I'll never own a home. I'll just die in my one-bedroom apartment. - Astrid lived there her whole life, raised a family but couldn't make the payments. Bank foreclosed after she passed. There's been four owners since. Guess who sold the house to Derek. - Die Nora die. - She's still alive? - INSTRUCTOR: That's right, Liam. Breathe with her. (HORSE SNORTS) Oh. Slow and steady. Just let it happen. - WHISPERS: 'Let it happen.' - Good. - 'Let it happen.' - Good. (HORSE SNORTS) - Look, I can't. Enough. I don't know why I'm doing this. I mean I don't know why this is so hard, but... - Does anyone have anything to offer to Liam? - Maybe don't worry so much. - OK, cool. That's not really a tip. - Liam, what did you expect to happen today? - (SIGHS) Well, you said a horse is a mirror. She sees me. So if I'm OK, she's OK, right? - Yes. - Well, I'm fine. - Fine isn't a feeling. - Yeah, I know. Angry is a feeling. Frustrated is a feeling. But I've been through a lot, right? And... here, I'm calm. No triggers. No danger. Except a horse kicking you in the head. - Liam, you don't need to be funny. Just be yourself. - Well, I feel more like myself than I have in a long time, but still, I can't connect with her. - And how do you feel now? - I'm supposed to leave here in two weeks. (SOFT MUSIC) I'm just worried that I'm not ready yet. Yeah. - DR SHARMA: Jenny, let's start with you today. Ready? - JENNY: Yeah, sure. (CLEARS THROAT) - Be here. Hit the pillows with what's on your mind. - OK. Be here now. Be here now. All right. I... I'm thinking` - Nuh-uh. Feel. What are you feeling, Jenny? - What am I feeling? What am I feeling? What am I feeling? (SIGHS) (EXHALES HEAVILY) I'm feeling angry. - Good. Angry's hard for you. - I'm feeling angry that my past is back. - Go there. - That, no matter what I do, it just keeps coming back. - (BARKS) - I forgave myself. I moved on! It just! Keeps! Coming! Back! It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair! I just wanted my Legos back! (PANTS) (SOBS) - Jenny. What's your truth right now? - Oh God. My whole body's just buzzing. - Let it out. Own your truth. What's the worst that could happen? - (PANTS) Someone could die. - I know your anger scares you, Jenny, but you could use it to heal. - Yeah, and how? How do I do that? - The place where you stop is where you need to push through. - (BREATHES SHAKILY) (LOCK BEEPS) - ALISON: Thank you. (LOCK BUZZES, DOOR OPENS) (CHAINS RATTLE) (DOOR CLOSES) - GUARD: You need anything, I'm right outside, OK? - Thank you. (LOCK BUZZES, DOOR OPENS) Cliff Malvern, I'm Alison from Slaughter Into Wine. - Yeah, the podcast. You said in your email. Look, is talking to you gonna help my case, or what? - You were convicted on all four counts of murder. You confessed to all four. (TENSE MUSIC) I want to hear your story, Mr Malvern. I... The listeners are interested in... your side of things. - So, which one you wanna hear about? Marcy? Rachel? Deborah? Vicky? - Michelle. * - That woman is not OK. She's about to jump right out of her skin. - Yeah, well, she was OK before she moved into the haunted house. - I've lived in some sketchy places in my time. You can't blame all that on a house. I mean, what could be so terrifying on a video that she can't ever watch it again? (HEAVY BREATHING) (FLOORBOARDS CREAK) (MYSTERIOUS MUSIC) (FLOORBOARDS CREAK) (CREAKING CONTINUES) (HEAVY BREATHING) - OK, look, I mean the fact that she just woke up one morning and this video was on her phone, if that happened to me, I would never go back into that house again. - But someone wrote that threat. - Someone or something. Look, I still don't have an explanation for the carbon monoxide, so... - Well, that's your department. All I know is I can't charge a house for murder. They don't even make handcuffs that size. - OK. (SIGHS) What about contact tracing? - Tracking the movement of infected people? - Mm-hm. What if we could do that for a house? - Hm. (CHAINS RATTLE) - CLIFF: Marcy, she was a... good-looking woman. - I asked about Michelle. - Told ya. I never heard of her. - March 15th 1995. You were in Hamilton. - If you say so. - At your trial, the crown connected the murders to your delivery routes ` Calgary, Toronto, Regina, Thunder Bay, Kamloops. - You know, you don't seem like the type for this sorta work. - All of your victims lived near or worked at truck stops. Michelle lived within walking distance to a truck stop, and there's a... a gap in your timeline. March '95. This didn't come out in the trial. A friend of mine told me that you were in Hamilton the night of the 15th. Do you remember that night? (RAIN PATTERS) It was raining. (DISTANT SIREN WAILS) (THUNDER RUMBLES) - I think my teacher will be mad at me again. I'm making fun of John A. Macdonald this time. - (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Alison, show respect. You know how they love their old men. - Even the dead ones? - Especially the dead ones. (RAIN PATTERS) (SOFT MUSIC) - Ow! - You've got knots again. You need to wash it tonight. - But I have to finish this. Mom, we're out of Poppin' Puffs. - I'll get some tomorrow morning. It's raining. - Please! I need the marshmallows for extra energy. - I'm reading that essay before you hand it in. But I'll be back in five minutes. (THUNDER RUMBLES) - This is your chance to tell your story, Cliff. - Come off it. You're no podcaster. - This was a mistake. (KNOCKS ON DOOR) - (LOCK BEEPS) I shouldn't have come. - You were very brave to face that man. - What was I thinking? That he would just confess to killing my mother because he happened to be in the same city the night she died? - You had to try. (RAIN PATTERS) - I just` I've... I've lived so long not knowing what happened. And now I'm so close. I don't know if I wanna find out. But I also don't wanna leave before I know her story. (SOFT MUSIC) - I know a good story. It's about a beautiful and loving woman, an amazing mother, and a heartbreakingly wonderful partner whose mother would have been so proud of her. Her name's Alison, and I love her. - I have to go back. I can't... lie. (SNIFFLES) I want him to know who I am. - We captured the randomised cell phone data from Derek's neighbourhood the night he died. This is every cell phone in the neighbourhood. - JENNY: Are those, uh...? - The two phones that were in Derek's house the night he died. - Yeah. - Yeah. One is Derek's. - And the other? - We don't know. It goes inside the house and... disappears every night, including last night. - Yup, so whoever it is, they're still spending their nights at casa del spooky. (CHUCKLES) - Ah. (THUMPS ON DOOR) - (CHUCKLES) - McAvoy, it's locked. - It's a cop car, Jenny. - Right. (CLEARS THROAT) Do you think they'll show up? - Only one way to find out. (MYSTERIOUS MUSIC) I've hung out in worse places. - Worse than a house that wants everyone dead? * - Why did you agree to see me again? - Michelle... was your mother. Don't you wanna sit? - I'm fine. - OK. Maybe... I was in Hamilton in '95. - I just want the truth. - So tell me. - What? - Tell me what happened to your mother, and if I like what I hear, I'll... (MOUTHS) - It was raining. She went to the truck stop, to their grocery store to buy some cereal, and... - And? - And you wanna know what happened? My mother watched me grow up. She saw me graduate. When I brought home my first girlfriend, she was happy for me. She was beside me for the birth of my child. She is with me here right now. And you... You're exactly where you're supposed to be. - Wait. Thought you wanted my story. - You can keep your story for yourself. I've got my own. (LOCK BEEPS) - JENNY: I had a dream last night that my house was haunting me. - (CHUCKLES) I'd like to think if I was dead, I'd have better things to do. - Yeah. I mean, I don't believe in ghosts. That's a rabbit hole I can't go down. - Yeah, I'm a detective. I want an explanation, something on the other side to make sense of all this craziness. - So ghosts? - No, I... But in Jamaica, we have what they call 'duppies'. - 'Duppies.' - Duppies are malevolent spirits said to come out at night. - OK, that sounds apropos. I mean, story has it that duppies are the manifestation of the soul of the dead haunting and plaguing the living. They suck all the joy and happiness out of the ones they haunt, like a disease. (HOUSE CREAKS) - I mean, maybe that's what's haunting this house. - Yeah, or worse. It could be Obeah or a voodoo curse. - Are you serious? - (CREAKING CONTINUES) - Yeah. Duppy season's not till November. - Oh my God! You're such an... - (LAUGHS) - ...ass! Ugh. - Although lately it feels like one's been hanging around. - What?! Oh my God. (DISTANT BANG) - (GASPS) That sounded like it came from downstairs. - How could anyone have gotten past us? - This is so dumb. This is so dumb. (SUSPENSFUL MUSIC) WHISPERS: Leave. - Hey. - (GASPS) Oh, shoot! - You OK? - Yeah. Yeah, I'm OK. I'm OK, I'm OK, I'm OK, I'm OK. I'm OK. I don't believe in ghosts. I don't believe in ghosts. I don't believe in... - There's no one down here. (DOOR SLAMS SHUT) He doubled back on us. Wait here. (DOORKNOB RATTLES) - Ugh! Son of a... (GRUNTS) We're locked in! (DRAMATIC MUSIC) Hey, Malik. We're inside the house. - Can you feel that? - Yeah, no, s-send a car... over. - (GROANS) - What the...? Damn it. - It's carbon monoxide. - What the...? - If we can feel it now, we've only got a few minutes. You gotta keep your heart rate down! Come here. There's more oxygen down low. Come here. Control your breathing. - (COUGHS) - Control your breathing. Did you see any windows? - No. We gotta get outta here, Jenny. - Yeah, we just have to find the source. - All right, I'll check these tarps. (GRUNTS) - I'm gonna check this wall. (SUSPENSFUL MUSIC) - Donovan? - Yeah? - Come here. - OK. - Come here! Help me move this. (COUGHS) - Ready? - (COUGHS) - One, two, three. (LOUD CRASH) - (BREATHES HEAVILY) - You've got to be kidding me. I'll go first. (DRAMATIC MUSIC) (DISTANT MOTOR WHIRRS) (WHIRRING GETS LOUDER) (MOTOR SHUTS OFF) Whoa. - Keep going. (COUGHS) (SUSPENSFUL MUSIC) - (GRUNTS) (MUSIC BUILDS) - The leaf blower guy? * - I don't get it. So you built a bunker just to keep people out of a house? - My house. My grandfather built this house. And my mom was supposed to leave it to me until the bank took it away. - JENNY: Astrid Sullivan was your mother. - So you became the handyman. - I took care of the place. And I saved everything I had to try and buy it back, but the price just kept going up and up and up, and they make it impossible for people like me! - Yeah, but that doesn't give you the right to kill. - Derek... He was literally ripping the guts out of my home! This house was all I had. It was my house. - Hey. - ALISON: Hey. You got a minute? - Yeah. You're resigning. - Deep down, I think I always knew what happened to my mother. And this job... was about seeking justice for people like her. But it's all different now. I feel like... the living need my help more. - What are you gonna do now? - I'm going to work for Indigenous Liberty. They need someone with experience in restorative justice. - Yeah, no, that, um... That makes total sense. I think... I think you're doing the right thing. - (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Thanks. - (SIGHS) What am I gonna do without you? - You'll manage. You have a team that trusts you. (SNIFFLES) You just need to start trusting yourself more. You can do it, Jenny Cooper. - I can do it, Jenny Cooper. - (BOTH CHUCKLE) Come here. Ugh. I love you, Alison. I mean, I hate that you're leaving. - (BOTH LAUGH) I love you. - I love you too. But before I go... - Did you...? - Tada! - (CHUCKLES) - Mixed berry. Your favourite. - My favourite. Ugh, you're amazing, Alison. - I know. - (LAUGHS) Thank you. (SOFT MUSIC) If you ever need anything... If you ever wanna come back... - I know. - I'm gonna get tears in my pie. (LAUGHS) - Mmm! - Ugh. Oh my God, it's so good. - I know. - (LAUGHS) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (FOOTSTEPS APPROACH) Hey. - CLARK: Hey. - Thanks for coming. - Yeah. You called. I'm here. Your move. - Right. Yeah. I, um... I wanted to set the record straight on what happened to my sister. - Great. (OMINOUS MUSIC) You know, I think it's better if I talk directly to your dad. - Look, um... The truth is... The truth is that... um... that... Come on. (STAMMERS) I need one second. (MUSIC CONTINUES) (BREATHES RAPIDLY) No, Jenny. No. No, Jenny. - Bite. Jenny, here. Bite. Bite. Bite the apple. Scientific fact ` you can't have a panic attack and eat an apple at the same time. - (BREATHES MORE STEADILY) - OK. OK. Jenny, when I lay murder charges, there's only two things that matter. OK, will I get a conviction? And does it serve the public interest? Did he kill your sister? - No. - OK. - That's it? - That's it. (SOFT MUSIC) (CELL PHONE CHIMES) (MESSAGE SENDS) Captions by Able. Captions were made with support from NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2021