Latest / Slice of Crimes | Serial Crime Story & Audio Drama / Heartbreak in Hartville Episode 4: Hopeless Hearts!

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Heartbreak in Hartville Episode 4: Hopeless Hearts! · Slice of Crimes | Serial Crime Story & Audio Drama

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Music.
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Heartville.
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Episode 4, Hopeless Hearts. Hey there, all you sleuth.
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KC here. I'm back on the case and anxious to pick up right where we left off.
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So much is happening, right? Let's recap.
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Daisy is still missing, and Duke and Maggie are desperately clinging to hope
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and to each other. But Mary and And Dane?
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Those two are super complicated. They seem united in tangling up the investigation.
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Is it intentional? Do they even trust each other?
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Hard to say, but one thing is certain, the once-close group of four BFFs has
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hit a rough patch, to put it mildly.
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Meanwhile, schoolteacher Emily is recovering in the hospital after her severe
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panic attack, And her boyfriend?
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Suspiciously, M-I-A. Then there's Derek Steiner. His sketchy story is being
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seriously scrutinized.
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And those two cadaver dogs that alerted on Emily's car?
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Music.
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What Maggie and Mary don't know is that the forensics team is processing that car right now.
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And preliminary results should be in any minute now. Wow!
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This case has us sleuths juggling all kinds of possibilities.
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Will this episode finally provide some clarity? Let's dive in and find out. Music.
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Feeling increasingly desperate and distrustful and somewhat useless,
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decides to bring in outside help, a private investigator from Charleston.
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This PI is seasoned, and just last year he brought a missing 11-year-old girl home to her parents.
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New energy and a fresh perspective is exactly what is needed.
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With all the different directions the investigation is going,
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the important elements are being diluted by the dead ends.
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He wants to refocus on finding Daisy.
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Time is slipping away, and he refuses to leave his baby girl out there all alone, lost, hurt.
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His mind has spun plenty of terrifying scenarios, and truth be told,
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there are some he refuses to consider.
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Hopeless is the worst thing he can be. It's self-defeating, and he's a man of
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action as much as he's a man of his word.
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He has vowed to always protect Daisy, and these circumstances are merely testing
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his limits, and he knows he can overcome this because his love for his daughter is limitless.
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Meanwhile, as expected, two important documents have landed on Detective Robin's
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desk, the report from Derek Steiner's supervisor verifying that he is a safety inspector,
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along with a copy of his inspection report for Mary's mini-schoolhouse.
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From a week ago, and the preliminary forensics report on Emily's car,
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Detective Robbins contacts Duke at the ranch and asks to meet privately with
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him to brief him on all the new information that's come in.
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He knows Duke doesn't want Mary and Dane in the loop any longer as far as new developments.
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Also, Duke has requested that information filter through him at least until
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Maggie has had some sleep and is feeling stronger.
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Duke lets Robbins know he will be there within the hour,
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he won't be alone. He's bringing the P.I. he hired who arrived today.
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He has some pertinent information he's been working on since Duke contacted
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him, and he wants to present it.
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Come on in, Duke. I have some news to share. You can set those files on the
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table there. Looks like you've been doing some digging of your own.
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Hello, Billy. This is Branson. He's the P.I. that I brought in from Charleston.
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We've been keeping contact via phone, but now he is here for the duration,
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until we bring Daisy home.
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He has done quite a bit of research. I asked him to share it with you and me together.
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So, we're all in the loop. Welcome to the investigation.
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I'm happy to have more brains working on this. The more, the better.
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Yes, Detective, I have information that should explain a few things.
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Let me update you quickly, then I'd love to see what you have.
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You remember Derek Steiner, the gentleman that took a tour of the school with Duke and Mary last week?
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Well, he checks out. He's an inspector with the school board.
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And he was there, unannounced, and I guess undercover.
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I've confirmed it. What troubles me is he claims they knew already that he was an inspector.
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He sent them the detailed report the next day explaining the inspection and
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informing them they failed miserably.
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This is unbelievable. I don't know what to think anymore. I can't keep making excuses for my friends.
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What does this even mean? Have you confronted them?
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Yes, Duke. I plan on addressing that as soon as we finish here.
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You're welcome to come with me.
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They're still back at the ranch with Maggie. Let's head over there now.
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We can show you this research over there.
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Truth be told, Duke doesn't want Maggie alone with those two even one more minute.
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He's lost all faith in them. He's lost Daisy and he needed his best friend to lean on. Maggie too.
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Mary should be holding her up in this crisis. He could never have fathomed the
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situation they're in now.
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Part of him is so fiery angry he's about to explode and at the same time his soul is crushed.
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Sat around the massive dining room table, an imposing creation Duke and Dane
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had carved and constructed together out of tree trunks from their own property.
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It had taken an entire summer four years ago to build.
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It was their gift to Maggie in honor of Daisy's arrival, a solid,
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timeless piece meant to anchor their growing family.
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A table meant for love, laughter, and countless family meals.
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But now, it felt like the foundation of something far more fragile.
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This wasn't a gathering to celebrate life. This was something else.
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An uneasy silence blanketed the room, heavy with distrust and simmering blame.
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The table that once symbolized unity now sat between them like a battlefield,
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once allies, now adversaries.
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Dane, Mary, I've just received some disturbing information. I've shared it with
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Duke, and he asked that we address this all together.
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I'm sorry, Maggie. You also are not aware of this. Mr.
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Derek Steiner is, in fact, a school board safety inspector, and he conducted
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an inspection last week.
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So that lead is a dead end. What next? That's not all the information,
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but you two already know what I'm about to say.
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You knew he was an inspector. He sent
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you a full report outlining all the inadequacies in your safety systems.
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Specifically indicating where cameras are missing. You failed the inspection.
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And you knew the vulnerabilities that existed. Is that why you were so scared?
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You knew you'd ultimately be held responsible for knowingly,
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not protecting Daisy and the rest of the children?
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Why would Mary volunteer his name if she knew?
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You tell me, or better yet, ask your wife.
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I'm telling you, no way. We did not know. I thought he was a helicopter dad.
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Mary, tell him. I didn't know. Dane, I never saw a report or whatever.
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I'm the one who reported him. You didn't even say anything.
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Dane, I can't speak for you. But I didn't know. What?
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What, Mary? You can't speak for me? If I got a report, I would tell you.
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Hey, Mary, that weird dad that did the tour the other day? He was an inspector and we failed.
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This is nuts. What is happening to everyone? He's going to find out,
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Dane. That's what's nuts. My best friend deceiving me.
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I'll note your denials. But it was sent FedEx, and I have someone tracing the receipt as we speak.
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Duke, would you like to share the research your private investigator has been working on?
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On cue, the private investigator spreads the files across the table for all to see.
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It's a disturbing collection of suspicious sightings, registered offenders,
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and people with dark pasts, peeping, exposure, and child pornography.
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Bronson is convinced there's a predator involved, a serial predator.
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Is this how you brought that other little girl home? This is hard to look at,
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but if someone on there has Daisy, I'll check every single one.
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A parent's worst nightmare, hoping their daughter is kidnapped because the alternative is homicide.
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What's this, Daniel Manning? Dane, what the hell's going on?
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Duke stands in shock, holding a file given to him by the private investigator.
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The name Daniel Manning leaps off the page, sending Duke's heart racing.
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It's a name from Dane's past, a name he thought was long buried.
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But now it's reappeared on a list connected to child pornography.
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A list that Duke can't ignore.
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Daniel Manning? Seriously, Duke? You think I'm some kind of spy with forged IDs and a double life?
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The closest I got to that was back in college when we had fake IDs to get into
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bars. Remember that. We both did it.
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Duke's eyes narrow, searching Dane's face for any sign of deception.
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The ease with which Dane deflects the accusation only makes things worse.
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But Duke doesn't press further, at least not yet.
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The seed of doubt is planted and it's starting to grow
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seed of doubt this guy
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has big love and trust for his buddy or he's drowning in denial on the contrary
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his wife Maggie isn't missing a thing she's reached her limit you were supposed
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to protect her Dane you were supposed to protect Daisy how could you let this
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happen how could you betray us like this,
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Maggie's words hit Dane like a sledgehammer but before he can respond Mary Mary
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steps in, her voice cutting through the tension with a comment that stuns everyone.
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I don't know if it's ironic or hypocritical to hear you talk about betraying
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a friend, Maggie. The room goes silent.
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Maggie's eyes widen in shock and even Duke is momentarily speechless.
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Mary's words hang in the air, confusing and unsettling. Has Mary lost her mind?
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She did say the blame was driving her mad.
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Mary, this is getting to all of us. The guilt, the stress, we didn't do enough. We didn't do better.
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But don't lash out, babe. We need to stick together, all four of us. We're all we've got.
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And Maggie and Duke, I swear to God, we're going to get Daisy back home safe.
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And when we do, we won't ever let this happen again. We can't.
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Jane's words are meant to be reassuring, but they fall on deaf ears.
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Neither Mary nor Maggie have even the slightest reaction. Looks like Duke's
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lost his credibility and Mary's lost her mind.
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You've heard the saying the tension could be cut with a knife? Well, here we have it.
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But Detective Robbins is going to disrupt this tense moment by dropping a bomb.
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Remember there were two reports on his desk when Duke came to his office?
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I have the preliminary findings from the forensic team processing Emily's car.
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In the trunk, blood they say was found. Both fish and human. Female.
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What are you saying? What does this mean?
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We're still processing the evidence, Duke, but the blood, it's not a good sign.
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Duke felt like he could crumple to the ground, but instead, he braced himself,
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holding Maggie up as her knees buckled.
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The mention of blood had blindsided her, and Duke hadn't fully considered how
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devastating this news would be, especially since he had withheld the information
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about the cadaver dogs in Emily's car.
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He thought he was protecting her, but now
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watching her unravel he was facing his failures
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he failed to protect his daughter and now failed
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to protect his wife he was lacking judgment relying
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on instinct and instinct wasn't enough to navigate such a complex situation
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he needed to act with intention and forethought no more snap decisions gently
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he guided maggie to another room away from prying eyes away from Dane and Mary.
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They no longer provided comfort.
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She needed a moment, needed to process the shock.
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And he needed to tell her something else, something he hoped would restore a
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sense of control, if not hope.
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Maggie had to hang on to hope. They both did.
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Hopelessness would destroy them.
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Maggie, I volunteered to take a polygraph I would like for you to also take
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one We need to set an example I fully expect everyone else to follow my lead,
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We need the truth I need the truth,
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Everything around us sounds like a lie Feels like a lie I don't even trust my
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own judgment anymore I'll clear my name, you'll clear yours And the police won't
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waste time scrutinizing us Everyone will have the opportunity to clear theirs, too.
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And it will clear up who is lying, who knows more than they are telling us.
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It should finally bring us some answers and allow us to see who we can trust.
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Right now, I'm struggling with trust. I'm sure you are, too.
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And those two in there, Mary and Dane, they're our best friends.
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We really need them. We need to find a way to trust them again so we can all be strong together.
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The four of us. Like we have always been.
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For Daisy. I think this will work.
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What do you think, Maggie? I can't think, Duke.
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All I do is cry. And when I stop, something else blindsides me. And I don't know.
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I think what I'm feeling is hopeless. There's no hope left in my heart.
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I think it's because I'm so tired.
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Duke, I've never been so tired in my whole life.
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If you think it will help? I'll do the polygraph. Duke leaves Maggie on the
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couch to go look for Detective Robbins.
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When they return, she's asleep.
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Duke is relieved she is finally sleeping. She hasn't since Daisy vanished. Neither has Duke.
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I want to be polygraphed. Maggie, too. We want to set a precedence.
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I think you should tell everyone.
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Dane, Mary, Emily, and if there's anyone else, tell them you are polygraphing, starting with me.
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Lay the pressure on. Don't tell them I volunteered. Tell them you need me to,
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and I agreed. Can you set this up as soon as possible?
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Sure, Duke. There's no way I would ever say no to this.
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Polygraphing everyone, even you and Maggie, will be helpful to the investigation.
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There are a lot of things that need clearing up. I just want you to know I can't force anyone to do it.
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And polygraphs are really good, but not foolproof. You know,
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they're a tool, informational for us, but not legal as evidence.
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Just so we're clear. But yes, I can get it all set up.
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Let's do it. Polygraph me, and then we polygraph everyone we can.
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We need to know who's telling the truth and who isn't.
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It's no surprise that Duke is putting so much faith into the polygraph results.
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He has so many unanswered questions occupying his mind, it's hard for him to
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process anything at this point.
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Personally, his biggest concern is Dane. He wants nothing more than his friend
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to be telling the truth. for his name on that list of monsters to be an error.
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Realistically, he doesn't expect that outcome, and it will be the most difficult
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for him to come to terms with.
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However, with the forensic blood evidence that just came in,
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he knows getting Emily to take a polygraph is also crucial.
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She may know where Daisy is. There's no time to waste.
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Time to shut the door on episode four, but it's not case closed.
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Hey Sleuths, KC here. Did this episode answer some of your questions?
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Any of you think you know what the polygraphs will reveal? Are you one step ahead already?
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Well, Sleuths, nothing is ever exactly as it seems.
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So there are likely some extra twisty turns up ahead. Hang on until next week.
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Infinite thanks for listening.
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Music.
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How do you feel after an episode of Slice of Crimes?
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One step closer to the truth? If you haven't cracked the case yet,
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no worries. You're not alone.
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But before you go, remember, the mystery doesn't end here.
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Enjoyed this episode? Show some love. Share Slice of Crimes with your friends,
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family, or even that neighbor who's a little too interested in true crime.
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Oh wait, that's probably you.
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Your five-star ratings and killer reviews help keep these investigations coming.
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And I couldn't do it without you.
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Got your own theories? Burning questions? Or maybe a case you think I should
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tackle next? I'm all ears.
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Send your ideas and suggestions my way. The more you engage,
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the sharper my sleuthing gets.
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So until next time, fellow sleuths, keep your wits about you. Stay curious.
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Stay sharp. You never know what the next slice of crime will serve up.
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And trust me, you won't want to miss it.
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Infinite thanks for listening today and for tuning in next week.