Speaker 1: Joyceville, a town that seems to breathe secrets, each one
more suffocating than the last. In Act two, the detectives
pulled at the threads, discovering whispers of corruption, the shadow
of blind corp, and a trail of broken lives. But
the deeper they dug, the more they realized there's something
darker beneath the surface, something they weren't meant to uncover.
As we reach the final act, the pieces begin to
fall into place, But the truth it's a weapon, dangerous, deadly,
and not meant to be uncovered. Detective's lake and pool
are closer than ever, but someone or something has been
keeping the darkest truths hidden. This is where everything changes.
The lines between right and wrong begin to blur, and
the cost of knowing the truth may just be more
than they can pay. Get ready for the final chapter,
because in Joyceville, the ties that bind are about to snap.
Speaker 2: The fog had long since wrapped Joyceville in its relentless grip,
and now the investigation into old Man MacDonald's death was
finally reaching its conclusion. But Joyceville, like its weather, wasn't
quite ready to let go of its secrets. Every turn
in the case had led the detectives in unexpected directions,
each new revelation feeling like a twist of fate, and
now the culmination of all those threads was drawing them
toward one final, unsettling confrontation. Inside the police station, Detective
Lake and Detective Pool stand by the evidence board, a
collection of pictures and notes now littered with red strings
connecting seemingly unrelated clues. Forensic analyst Steve stands in the corner,
his earlier frantic energy subdued. He watches the detectives with
a nervous smile, unsure how to read the atmosphere. Major
Simone stands across from them, casually sipping a cup of coffee,
as if she had nothing to do with the chaos
unfolding around her.
Speaker 3: We've been chasing our tails for days, and now we
finally have the answers.
Speaker 4: I knew it. It's always the simplest thing, isn't it.
You spend all your time thinking it's something big, and
then bam, it's right in front of you.
Speaker 5: He crosses his arms, looking over at Major Simone, who's
still acting as if nothing's out of the ordinary.
Speaker 6: You knew it all along, didn't you. Simone looks up,
her cheerful demeanor never wavering, almost as if she were
expecting this moment to come.
Speaker 7: Well, I don't know what you mean, Lake, but if
it's about the festival, I'll be honest, it's gonna be
a real hoot.
Speaker 5: Steve watches this exchange, his mouth agape as he slowly
pieces things together.
Speaker 8: Wait, you mean, Simone, she couldn't have Oh.
Speaker 6: She could, Steve, She definitely could. The room grows tense,
the weight of the moment settling in. Simone finally puts
down her coffee, standing up straight with a shrug.
Speaker 7: All right, all right, you got me. Yes, I've been
a part of this whole mess. I've had my fingers
and a lot of pies around here figuratively and literally. Pauses.
You know, I'm a woman of many talents.
Speaker 5: Simone moves to the evidence board and pulls down a
photo of McDonald, then another photo showing him with a
group of people, including Simone. The connection is clear, but
the story is still unfolding.
Speaker 7: McDonald wasn't just some old man in the wrong place
at the wrong time. No, he had to be stopped.
He knew too much about the Midnight Runners project. The
real project behind it. You think it was all about
cute little Gerbils, It wasn't.
Speaker 6: Detective Pool raises an eyebrow, still focused on the absurdity.
Speaker 4: Of it, all right, and the Gerbil races were the
cover up for what some corporate scheme. Huh, what's next?
A high speed gerbil breeding conspiracy. Lake glances over at
me with a warning look. But Simone keeps talking with
a calm confidence.
Speaker 7: No, it wasn't the Gerbils themselves. It was the people
who controlled them. The technology behind the Gerbil project wasn't
just about cute animals racing. It was about manipulating genetic
codes to create well, things you don't want to know about.
Speaker 8: Wait wait, wait, you mean the Midnight Runners. Those weren't
just regular Gerbils. You're saying there was something more to
them exactly.
Speaker 7: Blind Corp used the races as the front the Gerbils
were being tested for much more. But McDonald started snooping
around and getting too curious, and once he found out
about the project's true nature. She shrugs casually. Well, he
couldn't just go around exposing that, could he.
Speaker 6: So you had him killed to protect the project.
Speaker 7: Oh, not just for that it was bigger than that.
It was about control. McDonald wasn't the only one digging.
There were others. The truth couldn't come out.
Speaker 6: But why the festival? What's it all about?
Speaker 7: The first annual Fall Festival. Oh, that's Blind Corp's contribution.
You think they sponsor it because they love apple cider
and pies. No, no, no, they're using it to keep
the people of joy. So I spell distracted. You think
people care about a few murders when there's a free
carnival in town. It's all about control lake, the pie
eating contest, the entertainment. It's all part of the plan
to keep people from noticing what's really going on.
Speaker 4: Right, So we're talking about genetic experiments, corporate greed, and
a festival, and all because of Gerbil races. That's just
too weird. Steve, still in the corner, is looking a
bit overwhelmed, his head spinning as the absurdity of it
all hits him. But you can't be serious.
Speaker 8: The Gerbils were cute. Everyone loved them. They were harmless.
Speaker 7: They were too cute, Steve. That's what made it work.
People would never suspect the thing.
Speaker 5: The tension in the room shifts, and Detective Lake, still
calm but now with a firm resolve, takes a step forward.
Speaker 6: So it was you you killed him.
Speaker 5: Simone leans back against the desk again, as if she
were explaining the day's weather, completely unfazed by the accusation.
Speaker 7: Of course, and I'd do it again too, But that's
the game we're playing. It's just too bad Donald couldn't
keep his curiosity in check.
Speaker 4: She picks up her cup of coffee again, sipping it slowly.
Speaker 7: Anyway, I think we've all had enough of the serious talk,
haven't we. How about we wrap it up and head
to the festival. You don't want to miss the apple
pie contest.
Speaker 5: Lake and Pool exchange one last look. The case has
been solved, but the underlying questions about the town and
its relationship with blind corp linger.
Speaker 4: You really do love your festivals, huh.
Speaker 5: Lake doesn't respond. She just watches Simone with a steady,
calculating look. The tension in the room as palpable as
the realization of Simone's guilt settles in. With the fog
still hanging thick over Joyceville, the detective stood at the
crossroads of the town's secrets. The air heavy with the
weight of all they had uncovered. But even as the
pieces of the puzzle fell into place, there was a
lingering feeling that Joyceville's darkest truths were far from being
fully revealed. Yet, for now, the case of old man
McDonald's death had found its resolution. Detective Lake and Detective
Pool sit at a booth, both looking slightly weary but
with a sense of quiet accomplishment. The usual hustle and
bustle of the diners present, but there's a strange calm
in the air now. A waitress serves them coffee and
they nod in appreciation.
Speaker 9: Let me know if you need anything else.
Speaker 10: Detectives thank you, Miss d.
Speaker 4: A Hey, good morning.
Speaker 5: Table for one.
Speaker 4: Please follow me.
Speaker 9: Sorry we're short staffed. My nephew is running late this morning.
She usually ushers folks to their tables.
Speaker 10: That's all right, I'm just passing by.
Speaker 4: It's a lovely place you got here.
Speaker 6: You know, Pool. Sometimes the answers come in the strangest ways.
Called the Gerbils, the festival. It's almost too ridiculous to believe.
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's like something out of a bad crime novel.
I mean, Gerbil racist really, who would have thought? But Hey,
that was a solid catch link. I didn't see Major
Simone coming.
Speaker 6: I wasn't sure about Simone at first, but something about
the way she deflected attention toward the festival seemed off.
The more we dug, the more everything pointed back to blindcorp.
I'm still not sure how deep it goes.
Speaker 4: She stirs her coffee, absently lost in thought.
Speaker 6: And then there's Steve. You'd think we were in a
circus with the way he kept throwing out suspects. The
narrator really, Pool laughs, shaking his head again.
Speaker 4: Yeah, don't forget that one, the narrator. I mean, come on, Lake,
what kind of absurd idea was that? It's like accusing
the paper for printing the truth? Ridiculous. Lake smiles slightly,
but her expression hardens again as she watches the busy
diner around them.
Speaker 6: It was all too easy to overlook Major Simone, the
way she carried herself, always so unbothered, casual. But that
was the trick, wasn't it. The sweet, harmless goofball act
makes it easier to slip under the radar, especially when
you're pulling all the strings.
Speaker 4: She looks across the diner as if searching for something
in the faces of the patrons. I guess, but it
just feels wrong. A big corporation like Blind Corp using
something as simple as a gerbil race to cover up
something so twisted makes me wonder what else they've done
around here.
Speaker 5: There's a silence between them, and the weight of everything
that happened hangs heavy in the air. A few moments
past before forensic analyst Steve walks in, looking uncharacteristically serious.
He approaches the table, and both detectives raise their eyebrows,
surprised by his sudden appearance.
Speaker 8: Well, I've been thinking about it, you know, the case,
the whole thing, and I just well, I had to
say something.
Speaker 6: Steve looks around the diner before leaning in closer.
Speaker 8: I feel like I missed a lot. I mean, I
was looking at the wrong things, wasn't I I spent
all that time looking at the obvious suspects and never
thought about you know how Blind Corp and Major Simone
were right in front of us. Detective Lake and Detective
Pool exchange a glance.
Speaker 4: You're finally coming around, Steve, took you long enough.
Speaker 6: Steve nervously scratches the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable
with the teasing.
Speaker 8: Well, I thought I was on the right track with
all the Gerbil racing, but it's like I was just
missing something.
Speaker 4: I didn't see the her picture.
Speaker 8: Blindcorp was the real culprit here, not Simone, not MacDonald.
Simone was just trying to protect their little game, the
one that no one should have known about.
Speaker 5: Lake and Pool both look at Steve, their expressions a
mix of amusement and my old disbelief at his sudden epiphany.
Speaker 6: Welcome to the party, Steve. At that moment, Major Simone
walks in her usual carefree attitude in place, humming a
tune under her breath. She waves at us as she
approaches the booth.
Speaker 7: Good morning, Detectives. I trust everything's wrapped up now, no
more murder mysteries to solve. Steve looks at me, his
expression a bit stiff, clearly still processing the weight of
everything he's learned.
Speaker 8: Yeah, Major, you could say.
Speaker 4: That, Simone laughs, Oblivious to Steve's discomfort. She sits down
at the booth next to the detectives, still smiling as
if she's done nothing wrong.
Speaker 7: I have to say, miss Amigos, I'm glad it all
worked out muybian. You know, sometimes the world just needs
a little more pie and panadas, a bit of luvia rocha,
and less drama.
Speaker 5: She looks at the detectives, her grin wide, and there's
something almost unnerving about her cheerfulness.
Speaker 6: Funny you should say that, Simone. But we're not done
just yet, are we. Simone tilts her head, not quite
understanding the tone, but her smile falters for a split second.
Speaker 7: Oh, Clara, can no mermana, of course not. There's always
more to do, always more.
Speaker 6: To fix your one hundred percent under arrest mayor major
Simone for the murder of old man MacDonald.
Speaker 4: Simone smile falters, and for the first time, a flicker
of something darker crosses her face. She leans back in
her chair, still calm, but now fully aware of what's happening.
Speaker 7: I kaho noja dan senta ha ha. Well, it was
bound to happen eventually, wasn't it. You did your job,
I did mine. It's all a part of the game.
Speaker 4: Simone stands, her demeanor still unruffled. As we moved toward her,
handcuffs at the ready. She pauses for a moment, looking
at each of them, her face softening into something almost regretful.
Speaker 7: Do sabes guetalvez, No trabide podriamos amigos.
Speaker 4: The mood in the diner has shifted. What was once
an ordinary day is now marked by the arrest of
a town figurehead, and so.
Speaker 5: The case was closed. Major Simone, the lovable goof who
once brought pies to the local festivals, was no longer
the innocent bystander. She had been playing a much darker
game than anyone had realized. But the truth, as it
always does, found its way out. As the detectives walk
out with Simone in tow, Lake looks over her shoulder
at Steve, who is still sitting at the booth, his
face a mix of disbelief and relief.
Speaker 6: You did all right, Steve. I'll give you that. But
next time, no more narrator theories.
Speaker 5: All right, damn right, Steve.
Speaker 4: At least we can all finally off. Fuck it's raining blood.
Why is the rain red?
Speaker 6: That's another mystery for another time. Pool. For now, we
have to book this criminal.
Speaker 5: Lake and Pool step outside into the fog. The case concluded,
but the feeling of Joyceville's secrets still lingering in the.
Speaker 10: Air, and so we reached the end of the tangled
web that is fog bound deceit. The shadows of Joyceville
have been peeled back, revealing the deep roots of conspiracy, corruption,
and loss. From the first step into that dusty warehouse
to the chilling truths uncovered within its walls, the detective's
journey has brought them face to face with a darkness
they couldn't have prepared for. Detectives Lake and Pool didn't
just uncover a murder. They unearthed a town's buried sins,
the corporate giants, the twisted experiments, and the lives that
were quietly destroyed Along the way. Every piece of the
puzzle fell into place. But as with all things in Joyceville,
the truth is never as simple as it seems.
Speaker 5: What you've seen, what you've.
Speaker 10: Heard, is only part of the story. There are more secrets,
more lives tied to the darkness of blind corp more
lies that will ripple through this town for years to come.
And while our tale ends here, Joyceville's secrets they never rest,
they never sleep. Thank you for walking this twisted road
with us. The fog may have cleared, but don't think
for a second that the truth has been fully revealed.
It's only just begun.
Speaker 9: This episode is made possible by listeners like you. Visit
our website at lifdesign dot net, forward slash Excuse Us.
Speaker 3: For support or additional information, please visit our website or
Patreon page at Patreon dot com. Forward slash rob pull.
Speaker 9: Art Tonight's production of Excuse Us, a mystery drama with
delightful undertones of humor and eldritch horror.
Speaker 3: What's produced by Rebecca Lakepool and Will Driglepool, Written and
directed and performed by Rodriguapool in association with R and
R Side Audio Theater.
Speaker 9: Music and sound effects by Epidemic Sound.
Speaker 3: Some other sound effects who.
Speaker 9: Are recorded live on set, voice modulation by eleven Laps.
If you enjoy this production, please make sure to review
or subscribe to our show Wherever you listen to your podcast,
check out.
Speaker 3: Our patret page for bonus content. Until next time, this
is Rodrigo
Speaker 1: Paul saying thank you very much for listening.