Speaker 1: Hayley. The listeners take Torres here. Stay tuned for the
Speaker 1: next episode of Lethal Lit. But first, here's a quick
Speaker 1: word from our sponsor. That's right, Dan, we have just
Speaker 1: learned that the death of local business man Brock Montague
Speaker 1: had been ruled a homicide. Hold on, I believe we're
Speaker 1: about to get a statement. Detectives have connected Mr. Montague's
Speaker 1: death to one of the local residents, Stephanie Reed, age
Speaker 1: six one, mis read passed early yesterday morning. Autopsies of
Speaker 1: both victims have revealed that the cause of death was voison. Yes,
Speaker 1: Ms thom Is it also true that both victims were
Speaker 1: found with a music box nearby. Yes, both were in
Speaker 1: possession of either an original or replica Montague Hotel centinial music.
Speaker 1: He's Hollow Falls home to get another serial killer. We
Speaker 1: cannot confirm that. Thank you, I can confirm it, and
Speaker 1: you're welcome. I'm tig Torres and this is Lethal Lit.
Speaker 1: Brock Montague was a millionaire businessman who returned to Hollow
Speaker 1: Falls to add to his fortune and play the role
Speaker 1: of hometown hero. Stephanie Reid was an antique stealer, first
Speaker 1: in line at every estate sale in the area, who
Speaker 1: would then gossip about whatever she found in the homes
Speaker 1: of the recently deceased. Brock and Stephanie didn't seem to
Speaker 1: have anything in common, but they had to. There's a
Speaker 1: play about a con man who knocks on a door
Speaker 1: in a fancy neighborhood. A couple of answers, and the
Speaker 1: con man claims to be a friend of their children's.
Speaker 1: The couple befriends him, lets him stay there, lends him money.
Speaker 1: Then it's revealed he's lying. The title of the place,
Speaker 1: six degrees of separation is the idea that all people
Speaker 1: are six or fewer social connections away from one another.
Speaker 1: Rock and Stephanie, being victims of the same murderer, had
Speaker 1: only two degrees of separation. They both knew their killer.
Speaker 1: It was time to find that first degree. Ouilla, you
Speaker 1: know everything about this town. Can you think of any
Speaker 1: possible connection between Stephanie and Brock Montague? Anything at all?
Speaker 1: Just another two people who stopped talking to me long
Speaker 1: before everything with your owned debate? Is there anyone you
Speaker 1: can ask? Dick not now lit the dead rest? I
Speaker 1: tried another angle. Come on, Max, there must be something.
Speaker 1: We're back to square one here. Montague was my boss's boss.
Speaker 1: I guess I can do a little research after hours
Speaker 1: to see what I can find, and I can ask
Speaker 1: around and try to learn more about Stephanie. While they
Speaker 1: were hunting for connections, I had to get into the
Speaker 1: mind of the killer. Did death by Stryck nine have
Speaker 1: any historical significance? Well, that's how Agae Christie would kill
Speaker 1: people off in our stories. Come, you're not in the
Speaker 1: let Killer. You think someone's trying to send him a message?
Speaker 1: Just the kind of dat? How do you want to
Speaker 1: respond to I'm at a dead end here, two dead
Speaker 1: and no leads. I need any information I can get,
Speaker 1: even if it comes from him. You're gonna go talk
Speaker 1: to liven him? Were you not? I promise me you
Speaker 1: won't go see him stronger than you think in your head. Okay, Okay, Ali,
Speaker 1: You're right. It's a crazy idea. I promise. I've been
Speaker 1: lying to my friends all this time about Ali, so
Speaker 1: why wouldn't I lie to Ali about this? We have
Speaker 1: to go and see Levinson. Terrible idea. I love it.
Speaker 1: I'll drive. Last year I was responsible for putting Harry
Speaker 1: Levinson behind bars for the rest of his life. The
Speaker 1: prospect of seeing him again, had my stomach twisted and knots.
Speaker 1: Fortunately I had my best friend by my side. What
Speaker 1: if he doesn't talk or he gives us a silent treatment.
Speaker 1: I don't think Levinson would pass up an opportunity to
Speaker 1: taunt us. Do you think we can actually get anything
Speaker 1: out of him? Maybe if we appeal to his vanity,
Speaker 1: ask for his expert analysis, tease him into revealing his
Speaker 1: profound psychological insights. Stroke is literary intellect gross revolting? Are
Speaker 1: you okay with all this? Oh? Seeing Levinson again? Are
Speaker 1: you kidding for sure? You're not like scared? Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope,
Speaker 1: because I can get intense with this stuff, and sometimes
Speaker 1: I just assume you want to do crazy things with me.
Speaker 1: But this is kind of insane. I mean, it's Levinson. Hey,
Speaker 1: I don't want to do crazy things with you. What
Speaker 1: just the way that sounded? How did it sound? I
Speaker 1: don't know? Kind of hot? Oh well you're kind of
Speaker 1: hot yourself. I am scared? Yeah, me too. How about
Speaker 1: some music? Yeah? Crank on? So you almost kissed me
Speaker 1: last night? Is that what happened? Because it seemed like
Speaker 1: you almost kissed me? No, you were definitely the initiator
Speaker 1: from where I was sitting. Weird. Must have been my
Speaker 1: mind playing tricks on me again, silly rabbit. I did
Speaker 1: want to kiss you, so why didn't you? I'm scared.
Speaker 1: We're on the way to sit face to face with
Speaker 1: a serial killer. You put away and you stop? You
Speaker 1: know what I mean? Seriously, I don't. I'm sorry. I
Speaker 1: think sometimes that you can read me like a book.
Speaker 1: Yeah maybe if the book were in let. Okay, kissing
Speaker 1: you means our friendship will change, and I don't want
Speaker 1: to lose what we have. We could have something different,
Speaker 1: though better even, But what if it's not. You're my
Speaker 1: best friend and I'm nervous I'll lose my best friend
Speaker 1: if if tag I got it message received? Do you
Speaker 1: hate me only when you ask me insulting questions like that? There?
Speaker 1: It is hollow falls prison. Oh I think I'm gonna
Speaker 1: be sick. Hey, stop that. You're the girl who put
Speaker 1: this dude in here, tig freaking torres of lethal lit fame.
Speaker 1: You've got this mm hmm. Wow that was nice, dramatic,
Speaker 1: but yeah nice, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're coming in with
Speaker 1: me right, I'll be right there by your side, not
Speaker 1: on the visitor's list. I can't see an inmate unless
Speaker 1: you're on a visitors list. And how do I get
Speaker 1: on the visitors list? Well, inmate has should prove you. Okay,
Speaker 1: how do I get him to approve me? If I
Speaker 1: can't get in to talk to him in the first place?
Speaker 1: Please step to the side, next name, take Torres, Empty
Speaker 1: the contents of your pockets and place them the locker.
Speaker 1: Take you're in, Levinson. Put you on the list. I
Speaker 1: guess do you have ten minutes walked to the red
Speaker 1: line when the alarm sounds, proceed through the door. Hey, okay,
Speaker 1: I I don't know. Hey, you don't have to do
Speaker 1: this alone. You know we can try again together some
Speaker 1: other time. It's now or never. I'll be right here
Speaker 1: when you get out. Hey, just remember you take Torres.
Speaker 1: Thanks win. Yeah, m sit over there. M m m
Speaker 1: m m te Torres Levinson, thank god you're here. You
Speaker 1: have no idea how happy I am to see you.
Speaker 1: I've been bored out of my mind. The discourse at
Speaker 1: meals is abysmal. There's an occasional creative comment regarding the
Speaker 1: dairy air of a certain laundry lady, but the rest
Speaker 1: of it pure Drivel. I don't imagine you were put
Speaker 1: here for the rest of your life for the stimulating conversation. Touche,
Speaker 1: So let's you and I talk. Tell me Ms Torres
Speaker 1: reading anything interesting lately. I'm not here to talk about
Speaker 1: books with you, Levinson. I'm here to talk about murder,
Speaker 1: specifically the newest murders in Hollow Falls. Oh yes, the
Speaker 1: music box killer unimaginative. I would consider two unsolved murders
Speaker 1: to be pretty important. Take The truth is that the
Speaker 1: world is read in tooth and claw, and you know it.
Speaker 1: Surely you've read Nietzsche. I've read Nietzsche. But that's Tennyson.
Speaker 1: Oh sweet uncle, I'm starving for companionship of your caliber.
Speaker 1: I know something that hasn't been fully released to the
Speaker 1: press yet, a clue that I think might have literary
Speaker 1: over tones. Both of the victims were poisoned, but I
Speaker 1: read the reports and in both cases it was specifically
Speaker 1: Strict nine, and Strict nine is often featured in the
Speaker 1: stories of Agatha Christie. Agatha Christie, well, then that makes you,
Speaker 1: miss Marvel. Did they make you check your shawl at security?
Speaker 1: I'm thinking that the killer might be following in your footsteps.
Speaker 1: And re enacting Christie's stories. Please, how could I inspire
Speaker 1: someone to re enact Agatha christie syrupy mysteries. Frankly, they
Speaker 1: might as well use murder, she wrote, or Dora the
Speaker 1: Explorer's inspiration. Christie could craft at tidy plot, but she
Speaker 1: didn't know anything about blood lust. Anyone who works off
Speaker 1: her templatures beneath much attempt. She is one of the
Speaker 1: most popular detective writers of all time. I would think
Speaker 1: that was popular. I would think you would have learned
Speaker 1: your lesson about following what is popular. You're not popular,
Speaker 1: are you. I'd hate to think that I'm in prison
Speaker 1: for the rest of my life because of a popular girl.
Speaker 1: In regards to the murders, you are clearly grasping at straws.
Speaker 1: I have other ideas, such as what I would talk everlasting?
Speaker 1: What about Tuck everlasting? Really? Well, it's children's literature, so
Speaker 1: not quite my cup of tea. But surely you recognize
Speaker 1: the music box, no getting sloppy tig. Well, it's a symbol.
Speaker 1: But the book is about the choice between normality and immortality,
Speaker 1: the choice that faces people like us dig the exceptional.
Speaker 1: It hardly put us in the same category wouldn't you.
Speaker 1: There are very few people in this world with the
Speaker 1: power to have a real effect on the course of
Speaker 1: human history, who can alter the course of the river
Speaker 1: of time, who can leave even a bend with their
Speaker 1: name on it. Most people spend a lifetime trying to
Speaker 1: create even the merest of ripples, soon erased by the
Speaker 1: correct but not me. The why is a material. My
Speaker 1: name is in the history books, and yours could be too,
Speaker 1: as long as you embrace your exceptionality. The why matters
Speaker 1: Levinson more than the if I'm not like you. Tuck
Speaker 1: Everlasting was also about nature versus civilization. Sometimes ms I
Speaker 1: dream that I'm a lion living amongst sheep, and each
Speaker 1: time I express one of my true instincts, the sheep
Speaker 1: gather round to try to convince me I'm really one
Speaker 1: of them, and the anger builds up inside me, the
Speaker 1: rage at being asked to violate my nature just slay
Speaker 1: handful of sheep can sleep comfortably at night. I'll tell
Speaker 1: you what I think. It's more than just a dream.
Speaker 1: It's the restless voice of my soul communicating to me,
Speaker 1: telling me you are not This serial murder is the
Speaker 1: discharge of profound irrational old forces in need of relief.
Speaker 1: It comes from the heart of the tormented, not the head.
Speaker 1: I think the Christie wouldn't understand. Neither would Natalie bat It.
Speaker 1: But your murders were exceptionally well thought out, rationally executed.
Speaker 1: They weren't fits of passion. I'll confess to a taste
Speaker 1: for presentation, certainly, but well fought out. It's not the
Speaker 1: same thing as rational. I've learned a great deal about
Speaker 1: myself here in this dismal place. Take I've even found
Speaker 1: a kind of peace in a way I can finally
Speaker 1: accept what I am. And what's that? Don't you know?
Speaker 1: Do you think there's a copycat out there? Maybe someone
Speaker 1: trying to impress you for their sake? I hope not.
Speaker 1: What's next winning my affection is the Danielle Steel strangler,
Speaker 1: the Nicholas Sparks stalker. Oh, thank you, tig, it's good
Speaker 1: to laugh. I'll come right to the point, Levinson. I
Speaker 1: think it's a little coincidental that there's a second killer
Speaker 1: on the loose. I think you're either behind it or
Speaker 1: know something about who is. Let's be very clear about something, Tick,
Speaker 1: I am the only killer. Back off convict. My apologies,
Speaker 1: my apologies. She is in no danger. It will not
Speaker 1: happen again. The mold was broken with me understand sloppy thinking,
Speaker 1: not like you, Tig be honest. Who suggested this to you?
Speaker 1: Was it Ali? What? No? Why would you say that?
Speaker 1: How is Ali? How would I know? M He's really
Speaker 1: being quite anxious to talk love sick? You know? Guard,
Speaker 1: I'm done here, Ms Torres. Why do you suppose this
Speaker 1: killer of yours uses poison? Tell me he uses poison
Speaker 1: so that he doesn't have to watch his victims died?
Speaker 1: Should you be sure to tell all Ali? I said hi,
Speaker 1: next time you speak to him. Oh, take, I did misquote?
Speaker 1: Needs you before? Here's one to take the heart. Whoever
Speaker 1: fights monsters should see to it that in the process
Speaker 1: she does not become a monster. He definitely said that
Speaker 1: one tota m hm m h. Hey Lee, the listeners
Speaker 1: stay tuned more Ley the lid is up next, But
Speaker 1: first a quick word from our sponsor, Hey Lee, the listeners,
Speaker 1: take Torres here. There's always more to the mystery, and
Speaker 1: I could use your help getting to the bottom of it.
Speaker 1: Join us on Instagram and TikTok at I am Tig
Speaker 1: Torres for more clues and inside Info. Since this whole
Speaker 1: thing started, Winn had been pushing for Ali as a
Speaker 1: serious suspect. But I've been ignoring her, Levinson had me.
Speaker 1: I completely missed the tuch everlasting connection to the music box.
Speaker 1: What else was I ignoring or overlooking? Ali? Is? Well,
Speaker 1: you should just listen for yourself. Sometimes I don't know
Speaker 1: if I'm even thinking my own thoughts or if it's
Speaker 1: Levinson in there. It wasn't always like this. I can
Speaker 1: remember when I was little, he taught me how to
Speaker 1: throw football. He even took me fishing a few times.
Speaker 1: I mean, he never laid a hand on me. Back then,
Speaker 1: he had this shoe box of pictures, really messed up pictures, murders,
Speaker 1: some more photos. Others were cut out from the newspapers.
Speaker 1: I used to look through his box when he wasn't around.
Speaker 1: The one day he caught me with it open on
Speaker 1: my bed and he went nuts. He threw me down
Speaker 1: the stairs, broke my arm, and he taught me up.
Speaker 1: I think he was gonna kill me. He would into
Speaker 1: the kitchen to get something I don't know, the knife,
Speaker 1: and I said, I thought that it was cool this collection.
Speaker 1: I asked some questions. I asked him how we learned
Speaker 1: to tie such good knots. He looked at me differently
Speaker 1: after that. He smiled and untied me, put his arm
Speaker 1: around me, and made me a sling for my arm.
Speaker 1: That was when this whole nightmare started, and he made
Speaker 1: me into his apprentice. It was the only way I
Speaker 1: could stay with him. I didn't want to go back
Speaker 1: to the foster system. Killing you take that was supposed
Speaker 1: to be a show of my gratitude. He kept telling
Speaker 1: me how proud he was going to be. It's so
Speaker 1: much stuff, but I have to tell you this. I
Speaker 1: still want to please him. He's in me. It's like
Speaker 1: I don't even know who I am. You're the only
Speaker 1: when I think of you, I can find my way
Speaker 1: out of the hell that is my brain. I want
Speaker 1: to see you what Levinson said about Ali kept picking
Speaker 1: at me as we drove back from the prison. But
Speaker 1: was it what Levinson said or was it my own guilt?
Speaker 1: Was he wearing one of those orange jumpsuits? Did did
Speaker 1: he have a prison? Taty, you're pretty quiet? Yeah, you
Speaker 1: all right? When I have to tell you something, Tig,
Speaker 1: when I'm glad you guys are here, Ella and I
Speaker 1: have news. It seems our friend Stephanie used to work
Speaker 1: at the Montague. We knew it used to be a
Speaker 1: Catholic reform school before it was shut down for girls
Speaker 1: sent by wealthy parents to hide embarrassing pregnancies. So we
Speaker 1: were digging around for records. There was a list of
Speaker 1: the nuns, which gave us nothing, but then we found
Speaker 1: Stephanie was the secular headmistress of students. Isn't that crazy? Wait? What?
Speaker 1: What's what's wrong with the two of you? Tag has
Speaker 1: something she wants to say, Tig, I talked to Ali
Speaker 1: when we've been talking a lot, actually for how long
Speaker 1: since the night Brock die? Why didn't you say anything?
Speaker 1: I don't know, I don't I don't know. He wanted
Speaker 1: me to hear his side of the story and it
Speaker 1: got complicated. I'm so sick of this Tours. You were right, Win,
Speaker 1: I should have been considering all he as a suspect
Speaker 1: this whole time. I know I did the wrong thing. Enough. Please,
Speaker 1: you're not allowed to do this. You can't just drag
Speaker 1: us all along with you and make us risk our
Speaker 1: jobs and mess with our lives and possibly get us
Speaker 1: all killed. Oh well, you're keeping secrets from us you
Speaker 1: don't get to do that. Isn't anyone else? Sick and
Speaker 1: tired of pretending, pretending that that we're detectives, pretending we're
Speaker 1: investigative journalists. I can't do this anymore. I'm out Wait, Win, Please,
Speaker 1: you can't leave now we're finally on the right track.
Speaker 1: Well when I'm sorry, I'm gonna go make sure she's okay.
Speaker 1: Wins right, Max, we can solve this. Why is that
Speaker 1: our job? Tig. I get why you had to clear
Speaker 1: your aunt's name with Levinson, but why this. I have
Speaker 1: followed you into the fire before I have the scars
Speaker 1: to prove it. You're on your own this time. I'm
Speaker 1: I'm sorry. You did the right thing, hiding your lead
Speaker 1: on Ali Jane Ferranti in Town to Researcher podcast on
Speaker 1: the source of all the evil that plagued Hollow Falls
Speaker 1: over the years. Having messed everything up with my friends,
Speaker 1: I was running out of places to turn. Absolutely earn
Speaker 1: his trust, collect as much information as you can. My
Speaker 1: friends are all really upset with me. With all due respect,
Speaker 1: tag your friends or kids. I know that sounds harsh,
Speaker 1: but it's true. They're overwhelmed by the situation. But guess
Speaker 1: what these situations are by definition overwhelming. You can't let
Speaker 1: yourself be knocked off balance. I guess you have what
Speaker 1: it takes to be a serious journalist. And I didn't
Speaker 1: know her, but I think your aunt Beth would have
Speaker 1: been very proud of you. You know, Tig, I would
Speaker 1: love to help you develop your show. Would you consider
Speaker 1: working together as partners? Really? Yes? But what about your show?
Speaker 1: I'm still making it. I would just be setting aside
Speaker 1: some extra time to help you make yours. Maybe give
Speaker 1: a little professional advice here and there. I have some
Speaker 1: excellent contacts, Jane, that would be amazing. It's not going
Speaker 1: to be easy, you know. This is a major step
Speaker 1: up for lethal it which means you're going to have
Speaker 1: to approach your work differently. Your work is your life,
Speaker 1: less time with family, less time with friends. Your school
Speaker 1: work will take a hit too. You ready for this, Well,
Speaker 1: my friends already aren't speaking to me. And I don't
Speaker 1: think a bad grade in bio is going to sink
Speaker 1: my college applications when my essays about taking down a
Speaker 1: serial killer, never mind the applications after this, those schools
Speaker 1: are going to be begging for you to come and lecture.
Speaker 1: So there. I was working side by side with a
Speaker 1: total pro who treated me like I could be one too,
Speaker 1: tig torres professional journalist. Uh. I want to see you.
Speaker 1: I know I keep asking you this, but I can't
Speaker 1: help it. It's all I can think about lately. I
Speaker 1: I want to see you take I want to help you,
Speaker 1: protect you and make sure you're not going to go
Speaker 1: out there looking for another killer all by yourself. Okay,
Speaker 1: point really, really, face to face? Where are you? I
Speaker 1: gotta go, but listen, I'll be in touch again soon. Okay,
Speaker 1: be safe? Ally bye? Think that was great? It doesn't
Speaker 1: feel great. Every story needs a way in your the
Speaker 1: perfect ambassador, tig it's your town. You put away the
Speaker 1: last murderer, and you're still in touch with your old
Speaker 1: boyfriend who tried to kill you. But before, I was
Speaker 1: trying to get at the truth, reveal the honest story
Speaker 1: behind the fake one that got publicized. This is different.
Speaker 1: It's creating a new story where there doesn't have to
Speaker 1: be one. I know you don't want to admit this,
Speaker 1: but Allie's a legitimate suspect. What if he'll only confess
Speaker 1: to you in person? What if this is his John
Speaker 1: Hinckley Jr. Moment and he's doing it to impress you.
Speaker 1: The sooner that comes out into the open, the better.
Speaker 1: Maybe that's another victim who doesn't have to die. I
Speaker 1: guess listen, it's my job as your producer to lean
Speaker 1: into the places that are going to push this narrative forward.
Speaker 1: It might be uncomfortable for you at times, but we
Speaker 1: want the best story possible. Right, Yeah, but let's work
Speaker 1: some magic and editing. Uh. You'll see, tig this is
Speaker 1: the beginning of big things for you. Iron Horn's Epic
Speaker 1: Productions and I Heart Radio present Lethal Litt A tig
Speaker 1: Torres Mystery Season two, created an executive produced by Heather
Speaker 1: Einhorn and Adam Staffaroni. Created by Alex Sagura and Monica Gallagher.
Speaker 1: Executive produced by I Heart Radio head writer Melanie Hoops,
Speaker 1: writers Louis Cornfeld, Jasmine Alshammy, and Adam Stafferni. Directed by
Speaker 1: Critzia Bajos, with performances by Rebecca Solair as Tick Torres,
Speaker 1: Shelley Chnoy as Win, Matt Gumley as Max, Luke Slattery
Speaker 1: as Ali, Rachel Orem Land as Ella, with Critzia Bajos
Speaker 1: and J. P. Blanc special guest Chuck Bryant As Brock Montague.
Speaker 1: Additional voices Paul Gayet, Caleb Jene, Stacy Moseley, Alba Ponza
Speaker 1: de Leone, Stephanie Shea, Christian Ochoa, Louis Cornfeld, and Megan Gray.
Speaker 1: Post sound and music by Chapter Four. Sound supervision and
Speaker 1: sound design by Sarah Giblaska. Music by Corine Duadi, Produced
Speaker 1: by a Rupe, Santa Kaila and Bo Young. Blood Development
Speaker 1: Executive Greg Lock, Art production coordinator and script supervisor Laura Martin,
Speaker 1: Operations Laura Kaufman, Marketing and Publicity Jesse Post Digital Marketing
Speaker 1: Jennifer Gennaro. Creative direction and designed by Ryan McCann. Key
Speaker 1: art illustrated by Rebecca Mock. Promotional art illustrated by Bree Newman.
Speaker 1: Special thank you to the Shadow Unicorn. Head to Lee
Speaker 1: the Lit podcast dot com to share theories, discover new evidence,
Speaker 1: and follow case updates. Einhorn's Epic Productions and I Heart
Speaker 1: Radio present Lethal Lit, a take Torre's Mystery