Friend or foe? A reporter on the prowl. Trust frays to the breaking point.

Story created by Melody Herr

With Special Guest Star:

Rushi Kota as SHERIFF ACHAK

A Little Fish Entertainment and Hunnydew Studios production.

TRANSCRIPT: 

Speaker A:

Move it.

Speaker B:

Wide load. Now let me channel four. Of all the glory. Clint.

Stay on my six. Excuse me.

Speaker C:

Pardon me. Make way, please.

Speaker B:

I said stay on my six, kid. Like a war zone, Diwa. Ha. Kid, I've seen one this. Hell.

This is what I call day night. Oh, hey, there's the cheat. Keep up, Clint. What? You're looking for employment tomorrow?

Get me.

Speaker C:

Got it.

Speaker B:

We'll be rolling of what?

Speaker C:

Oh, yeah. Go.

Speaker B:

This is D1 James with Channel 8 News. We're here on the scene as local Batavia police have just uncovered a ghastly murder. Sheriff Hotchuk. Sheriff Hotchuk.

Speaker D:

Oh, boy.

Speaker E:

No comment.

Speaker B:

What can you tell us about the investigation?

Speaker F:

No comment.

Speaker B:

According to census records, this house belonged to Gregory Whitman, 59.

Speaker F:

No comment.

Speaker B:

Can you confirm if the body was dead or.

Speaker F:

No comment.

Speaker C:

Damn it, diva.

Speaker F:

You always gotta be so dogged.

Speaker B:

First murderer in 15 years.

Didn't you expect me to bark my heels? Hell, this is the scoop of the decade.

Speaker F:

Yeah, don't I know it. The whole world's watching.

Speaker B:

Glad I wore my lime green pantsuit then.

Speaker A:

You're listening to the Farm A Little Fish Entertainment and Honeydew Studios Production. This is episode seven, Hooked.

Speaker B:

Damn sheriff's got us stuck behind the tape like the riff raff. Come on, kid, think. How are we gonna get in there? She's been talking to that girl for 20 minutes already.

Speaker C:

What if we steal a cops badge? Then we can just flash it in and in we go.

Speaker B:

Thank God you. Well, you're not ugly.

Speaker G:

I'll give you that.

Speaker B:

Besides, what police officers do you know that wear line green pants? Think.

Speaker E:

Good point.

Speaker B:

Doc Mona. They really called in the cavalry on this one.

Speaker C:

Who's Doc Mona?

Speaker B:

She's the EMEA over at Otsego County. Best medical examiner in the state.

She oversees three other counties, including this one.

Speaker C:

I thought they handled that stuff at the funeral home.

Speaker B:

Usually they do. Not much happens here. They call her in on the big stuff.

Like that pile up on the interstate last year. She's good. Damn good. We got history.

Speaker C:

Good history.

Speaker B:

Let's go find out.

Speaker E:

These bags get heavier than.

Speaker G:

Damn it.

Speaker E:

You.

Speaker G:

Not old Mona. Just overworked.

Speaker B:

Need any help?

Speaker G:

Yeah, you can get the knife out my back.

Speaker B:

Hmm. Guess it'll be a no in the good history, kid. Ah, come on, Mona. You still sore about that Dorning case? That was three years ago.

Speaker G:

You claimed my office was responsible for the mistrial. That I mishandled evidence.

Speaker B:

Someone in your office? Not you, necessarily. And look, you're here all alone now.

Tell me I'm Wrong.

Speaker G:

You just come here to kneedle me?

Speaker B:

No, I came here to call in a favor.

Speaker G:

In what universe do I owe you a favor, Lansing?

What do you want?

Speaker B:

Suppose you let me put on that extra pair of coveralls that I know you have in the back so I can work my magic incognito stuff.

Speaker G:

You think I'm gonna let Batavia's resident sensational reporter into a crime scene? Every hold back will be on the morning news. Pass five minutes, not five milliseconds. And you lost that. You're trying to call in the moment you print your slanderous article.

Enjoy life outside the yellow tape.

Speaker B:

Come on, kid. Hold my blazer while I get dressed.

Speaker C:

How did you.

Speaker B:

Her hands were full. She didn't have time to lock the door. Devil's in the details, Clint. That's the first rule of being a recorder.

Speaker C:

Ready when you are.

Speaker B:

Where I'm going, you can't follow. Don't worry, kid. I got my recorder right here. Keep your camera on scope.

This ain't. I'm gonna go see if I can talk to that redhead the sheriff is so keen on.

Speaker C:

You got.

Speaker F:

So your story, Mrs. Whitaker.

Speaker A:

It's Miss.

Speaker F:

Ms. Whitaker, is that Gregory Whitman goes on vacation and just left his door unlocked?

Speaker A:

No, that's what the neighbor told us. Obviously, the killer left the door unlocked when he left.

Speaker F:

But we haven't found any keys in Gregory's place, which would indicate that the killer took them when he left. Now, why would the killer take the keys and not lock the door?

Speaker A:

What does this have to do with.

Speaker F:

How did you get in the house, Ms. Whitaker?

Cat got your tongue? Or maybe your boyfriend will tell me.

Speaker A:

You don't really think I had anything to do with this. That man has been dead for years. Probably.

Speaker F:

Which brings me back to my original question. Why such an interest in a dead man?

Speaker A:

I didn't know he was dead before I got here.

Speaker B:

Right, right, right.

Speaker F:

And who is great Gregory to you?

Speaker B:

Got Whitaker and someone named Josh. Note to self. Check me by hotel so I can make sure. Oh.

Speaker A:

I was right. The knowing is worse. I was looking for the truth, and now I'll never get it. Just more questions. As if my life wasn't already enough of a mess, now I'm somehow tangled up in a murder investigation.

I. I wish I'd never asked Cam to open that stupid diary.

Speaker B:

Sheriff, thatcheck almost saw.

Speaker G:

This pattern. Most likely the murder weapon. You can see there's a stab wound just above the right pectoral, but the wound is curved, as if from a A blunt type blade or some other blade with a unique curve.

Speaker H:

Yeah, that's good to know, doc, but you know, this is kind of like above my pay grade, so can we wrap this up? Cause it's colder than a witch's titan here.

Speaker G:

That's the air conditioner. Not only is it a deterrent to the smell, it's also responsible for the desiccation of the flesh, which has done a beautiful job preserving this pattern here. You see it?

Speaker B:

Mm.

Speaker H:

How long you think he's been desiccated?

Speaker G:

Desiccated or deceased?

Speaker H:

Pick one.

Speaker B:

Yeesh.

Speaker H:

I mean, you see his eyes? They're white and they're white.

And they're still looking at me.

Speaker G:

Not an unusual phenomenon for the iris to cloud over after death. Judging by the level of decomp and the condition of the room, 12 to.

Speaker H:

16 weeks in three to four months. Got it.

You done?

Speaker B:

Almost.

Speaker G:

Put the coin next to the blood spatter for comparison.

Speaker H:

Shouldn't she be doing this?

Speaker B:

Huh?

Oh, damn.

Speaker H:

Your assistant, right? I mean. I mean, judge about you.

Speaker B:

No, just let me explain.

Hang on it.

Speaker G:

No need, Dewa. Deputy cut.

Speaker B:

I mean, is this really necessary? Oh, hey, watch it, buster.

Speaker G:

Gaga too. Sheriff.

This is lovely, even for you.

Speaker H:

D1.

Speaker G:

You know, one day you're gonna find yourself in real trouble, and you won't have a single friend to help you.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah. Story my life.

Are we done with this perp walk business or what? This isn't how I prefer to be handcuffed.

Speaker G:

Real trouble.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, gosh. Sorry.

Speaker E:

Sorry. The rain will wash the coffee stains from my pants.

Speaker B:

Long night, huh?

Speaker E:

No signs of stopping.

Speaker B:

Sheriff's really drilling into your girlfriend, Briley.

Speaker E:

She's not my girlfriend, Riley.

Speaker B:

But you guys slept together.

Speaker D:

You a detective reporter?

Speaker E:

Worse.

Speaker B:

Ouch. Come on.

Speaker E:

What makes you think we slept together?

Speaker B:

Chef asked her earlier. She abruptly changed the subjects. Kinda like you just did.

Speaker E:

I don't know what that has to do with an old tripod of body that's been dead for years.

Speaker B:

Months.

Speaker E:

Months. How many months?

Speaker B:

What did the sheriff ask you? He questioned you first.

Sit for Tad Handsome.

Speaker E:

He just wanted to know how I knew Gregory and what we were doing here.

Speaker B:

This is the part where you fill in that blank.

Speaker E:

Riley wanted to talk to him, that's all.

Speaker B:

Uh huh. You're holding back, but I'll let it slide for now.

Here's my car for me.

Speaker A:

It's late, I'm tired, it's raining, and you have nothing to hold me. You want to charge me, you know where to find me, Sheriff. Josh, we're leaving now.

Speaker E:

In a minute.

This is dealer.

Speaker A:

She is.

Speaker B:

No, she always is. Chairman.

Speaker A:

Listen, lady, after the night I've had, you do not want to get on my bad side here.

Speaker E:

I'll be over in a minute.

Speaker A:

Fine. One or I'm leaving without you.

Speaker B:

Nice meeting you.

Speaker E:

I know that look. She's serious. And what about the body?

Speaker B:

He's only been dead three or four months.

Something else too.

Speaker E:

What?

Speaker B:

Doc? Mona said the stab wound was Kurt.

Speaker E:

Kurt?

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker E:

I'll call you if I hear anything.

Speaker B:

Even better. Walking away.

I was in bed with you. Handsome Shares that one. Climb out of it for no. Course.

Speaker C:

It'S coming down pretty hard. Maybe we should go home and get out of the rain.

Speaker B:

Home?

We're going to the office, kid.

Speaker E:

I took the lead. Weird being a passenger in my own car.

Hey.

Speaker A:

What?

Speaker E:

Relax your face because I swear to God you're gonna break your teeth clenching that hard.

Speaker A:

Sorry. Just that damn sheriff at shack. He was more concerned about you and me than anything else.

Speaker E:

Yeah, he called me your boyfriend.

But I'm sure he was just trying to get rise out of us.

It's unfortunate about Gregory.

Speaker A:

How convenient of him to be dead right when I need it. So, some answers. God forbid I get any answers on my mother's affair. Whether my father was actually murdered or what the hell happened to my brother. What?

Speaker E:

Breathe. Just calm down.

Speaker A:

Don't tell me to calm down, Riley.

Mommy, who is that man? I have to tell Harrison the truth.

Dad.

Sorry, Dad. I thought I had him.

Speaker B:

What?

Speaker A:

Oh, my God.

When I was little, dad would chase me nightmares away. Now I wake up and realize I'm stuck in it. One endless nightmare.

Speaker B:

Oh, my God.

Speaker A:

Cam. What the hell? Is. Is that one of the calves?

Yeah. What happened to her?

Speaker C:

Had to put the poor girl out of her misery. I found her near the hole in the fence where we're replacing the wood.

Speaker A:

Coyotes got to her?

Speaker C:

I don't think so.

Speaker E:

Look.

Speaker C:

You ever see a coyote do this?

Someone tried to split her stem to sternum with a knife.

Speaker E:

Oh.

Speaker A:

Oh, my God. Who would do something like that?

Speaker E:

I don't know.

Speaker A:

Get the fence fixed today. Barbed wire too. Cut the brush and make a full perimeter. I don't care the cost.

Speaker C:

That's a big job, Riley.

I need an extra hand for that.

Speaker A:

Do what you can. I'll help later.

Speaker C:

Well, the day's half gone already. Where are you going?

Speaker A:

I'm late for something.

Speaker G:

Late for what?

Speaker A:

Just get it done.

Bfc. Please hold. Bfc thank you for holding. Do you have an appointment? He's Currently not available.

One moment please. Can I help you? Good morning. I'm here for an appointment. Just put your name on the sign in sheet.

Hello, BFC. How may I.