Welcome to night. Vale is brought to you by progressive home of the name, your price tool. You say how much you want to pay for car insurance and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. It's easy to start a quote: visit, progressive dot com to get started, progressive, casualty, insurance company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law unlicensed. The new show from night vale has been out for two weeks and today, are presenting the final free episode that will appear on this feed. This is the third episode of unlicensed. After that, you will have to head over to otto about com, slash unlicensed and get that free trial going to hear all twelve episodes. I cannot express what this show means what a joy it was to make and how excited I am for you all to hear it. This episode, I should mention features along with Malek when lucia stress, untill thompson, the voice of your baby act, which you We recognise, as Leonard Burton from night, fail or doktor venture from the venture brothers among many many other roles, as I said before

feel free to use your free trial to listen to this show, however, there for a ton of other really. Interesting, shows an audible, and so I will be sharing some of my recommendations of other audible shows after this episode. If you want to stick around and hear something about some of the shows that I've enjoyed over there get you free trial of audible and listen to the entire first season of unlicensed. Right now, add audible, dot, com, slash unlicensed, that's audible, dot, com, slash unlicensed to listen to all twelve episodes of this show right now and now here is episode. Three of unlicensed enjoy. Welcome to the oak spring wildlife sanctuary during your guided audio tore. Please answer, the following rules to ensure that

art remains. I safe and happy experience for visitors and resident wildlife alike. Please do not touch the perimeter. It is electrified at a high voltage. Please keep your voices low raised. Voices can provoke the animals. Please avoid direct eye contact. Some creatures may perceive this as a threat. If you have any questions or if there is an emergency look for one of our volunteers in that catchy uniforms. Now, let's go meet the animals unlicensed episode, three big game. I feel like I've fallen through a portal and ended up in an african savannah like that re bribery story,

the virtual reality lions and the children's nursery, but this isn't the r The enormous animal in front of loose car takes a few steps towards us, smelling the air, then changes coarse and slips away down. The embankment I know I'm new in town I say, but that's not normal right, Lou doesn't answer. She turns off the car and gets out loud shout walk to the edge of the embankment peering down into the brush where the animal disappeared. Excuse me a breathless man wheezes his voice, startles us both. he was a catchy uniform and carries an arrival, weird question. He says, but did you see a lion come through here He went out away loose, says dryly, indicating the direction

You're not gonna hurt him. Are you? I ask opening my door crack? No man. This is just sedative. He escaped from the sanctuary. And we're trying to bring him home. That's all How do you lose a lion? Lou asks him right. That's the second one! This week he says exasperated, then looking suddenly panicked. He adds. Please don't tell anyone that Well round them both up soon confidentiality is my business. Lou assures him. She answered her card. I've seen these cards, they have her name and phone number on them and that's it I'm a private investigator. She tells him we find lost things if you need any help with your lions. Give us a call. We us lou uses these pronouns shorthand. Perhaps to assure the man that I will also keep a secret or perhaps to make them

innovation, some bigger than it is, but I like the feeling it gives me we're a team. She and I, the man, pockets, the card a bit taken, aback, ok thinks he says then continues to safari into the canyon. I didn't sign up for big game hunting. I say, then I add, did I relax loose says getting back in the car. I give my card out to lots of people only like one percent ever call. I have to execute a ten point turn in the narrow road, somalia and I don't end up in the ditch, but eventually were headed back down the hill. The new kid seems relieved. She thinks the van chases over I'm not ready to give up. Gesture I rarely lose some when I'm telling and it's starting to annoy me, but I'm hungry, so like pull at a little cafe stationed at the main.

entrance to the canyon sign says it's called the ranch side dinner brain. I teller. We get a window table to keep an eye on the road. This is the only way from the canyon to the freeway. If the Van comes back down out, see it, I've never been to a restaurant like this molly sets. I glanced down at the menu for the first time. It features a selection of mexican ethiopian and debate. I can diner food way too many items for such a small cafe I decide on DORA what and a side of tacos molly gets a waffle. I see a pickup truck ban a prius. This is the best waffle, I've ever tasted. She says

if she surprised fresh from small town nevada, she has yet learned that alleys best food is often in its least promising strip miles. I not still watching the road. Mazda looks like a career, a jeep hey. Can I try your thing? I not again sliding my plate towards her a tesla and then nothing. The road is empty for so long, a chaotic doubts across it. Finally, I called cayley. She tells me that Preston, or rather the boy who looks like preston, returned home a short time ago. I dont know where that kid went or how we got back, but there's definitely something going on. I don't like it will keep working on it. I assure cayley we returned to the car. I put this

what town stranger podcast back on for molly, so she can relax to the forensic details of blood, spatter and rigor mortis on the long journey back to the office. It's fully dark by the time we get back to a sousa. I pull up next to molly's car, so she can get started for home. Oh god, I have to get back on the freeway. Don't I she whispers with the fresh dread of in l, a newbie, you need to develop traffic fatalism. I tell her where I can explain: the gridlock must be accepted as a way of life or one will soon find themselves in a psychological crisis. My phone rings: it's the owner of oak spring wildlife, sanctuary the place that lost the lions. I answer and after a couple of minutes on, the phone

three to help them we're tracking, missing lions. Now Molly asks after I'm off the cow, really not exactly. I say. Ryan meeks, twenty three, a former volunteer for oak spring wildlife sanctuary, is suing organization for damages sustained an injury in the first lion escape which has affected his ability to work there, organization is willing to pay workers compensation, but meeks believes in archer settlement is justified. He claims oak spring was negligent in their safety procedures, which cause the incident. To occur, the sanctuary believes meeks was something against regulations which led to the lions escape and ultimately makes his injury. Now the county is

name to shut the entire organization down. If they don't get, the matter settled quickly and quietly quietly is key. We caught the male lion yesterday, but the females still missing carry evans director of oak spring briefs us as we walk through the fenced grassland planes the next day. That is definitely not public knowledge. She adds that One would be enough to shut us down. A leopard lounges in the dirt behind the perimeter occasionally rolling around in the dust and other sleeps, partially hidden in the branches of a sycamore, non disclosure seems like a danger to the community. I say we don't believe so carry says she's, one of our older cats, very gentle, not in the best health, either Fortunately, certainly the native mountain lions around here pose more of a threat to the neighbourhood, pets and so forth, but ryan makes clear

he was dead and injured. During the escape. Did this gentle, will elderly lie and attack. Him Liu asks that's what he says. Kerry admits, but it's hard to imagine you think he's lying Liu says: Kerry, hesitates before carefully crafting her response. Then she says, he's always been a very dedicated worker good with the cats. The whole incident as a shock to everyone, into the shade of a wooded compound a panther prowls, the fence line, as we walk by yellow eyes, flashing body, almost close enough to touch any witnesses to the incident lou asks I can give you the contact info for Landscaper carry says he was working near the enclosure when it happened here J r greenwood blue takes the landscape, is number and address, as well as that of ryan meeks out

forward you a copy of rains, medical report to carry says taking her phone out. It has the expense breakdown. He stopped near the open range of the lion enclosure several feet. thousand a male congregate in the distance. I can't see a thing. I have read in the males, maim, feeding time. I look away a bit nauseated you're, ok, Lou asks, as we had for the exit. Just not a cat person

I say winding our way through the canyon to go talk to ryan meeks. We get stuck behind a dirty jeep with a bumper sticker. That reads: dig your own. Well, why a phrase for a bumper sticker, no corporate logo or name of a candidate just dig your own. Well, I ask molly what she thinks. It means ice some cars at the sanctuary with the same sticker. She says, but she doesn't hazard any gases we arrive at the address for writing a cabin set back from the road near a dry, creek bed. He has lived here for a few months now. Ryan sister tells us wherein her kitchen sipping glasses of water she's poured from a jug. Apparently he stayed with her for a while. When is divorce, which fresh still

who's this her address from now, but they ve been out of touch recently. She doesn't know anything about the lawsuit at oak spring. He really love that place. She says he started there when he was still at community college for class credit. Was in the exotic animal management programme at more park, but even after he dropped out, he kept working at the sanctuary. She tells us he had to leave school due to money, trouble the divorce child support for two young kids. I wonder why he kept the volunteer gig if he was so strap for cash, but according to the

MR working with animals just made him happy. Do you know where he is now? I ask I dont have his address. She says, but he got a gig cared taking some property as it went free exchange kind of deal. He lives on the land it somewhere, an upper canyon. I put molly in charge of trying to track down ryan's new address, while we had out to our next contact on the list j, our green wood, the landscaper, I think I found ryan, I say- expecting mood to be impressed. She just nods there's an old help, wanted add for property caretaker that matches the same time

frame and location. I explain it has an address great lou says her response to my epic feed of detective work reminds me of trying to all my dad with magic tricks. When I was a kid, that's great molly, he would say I realized He already knew how all the tricks worked. That's probably the case with Lou too Lou swerves into a driveway with enough forced to bang my elbow into the door. Jeez is all I can say before: lose out of the car charging off somewhere. I look around trying to get my bearings from what I can tell weave a arrived at our destination. but Lou hasn't gone toward the house that presumably belongs to J r greenwood she's jogging toward a sagging trailer on the adjacent property. Where women and cut off sweat pants is burning trash in a barrel.

by the time I catch up louis spring water from a garden hose onto the woman's fire and the woman is shouting and trying to grapple the hose away. You're wasting my water, the woman yells, my tanks, almost dry, there's a burn ban, Lou barks back one spot could set this whole canyon up the woman manages to get the hose back, knocking looted the ground in the process, I'm a trained. Our fight fighter, the woman rance, I know how to control a burn now get the hell off. My property The woman is busy turning off the trickle of water. I help Lou to her feet. I was there when we put out the. Bull fire in two thousand ten. The offended woman continues. I was with the puerto. La fire camp I read an article about portillo crews, not long ago. It's a camp near the border. They train prison inmates to fight wildfires and pay them something like three dollars a day, we're sorry to disturb you. I say practically tugging lou sleeve, like hell

says lou I can see she has no intention of leaving. I turned to the woman instead ma am you said yourself, your water tanks, almost dry Those aren't the best conditions for controlling fire. Are they You want a wine about it, fine I'll put it out. She grumbles not admitting any wrong. It's just. We don't have city garbage out here. She says gotta do something with the trash burning. It's the easiest thing! shovels dirt onto the flames stuffing them out. Lou gives me a look now she's impressed abracadabra. I made the fire disappear. I've got a neighbour whose real arsonist, the woman chatters on almost gossiping now why don't you go make trouble with him? Instead lives right over there J, our greenwood he's the firebug. Not me. What makes you say that there's an engine, those voice that I don't recognize you remember, though,

car fires in the valley. The woman asks remind me says: Lou well, the woman's it's in the spring of two thousand and twenty in the spring of two thousand and twenty one more than thirty car fires were set around the san fernando valley. The spree began with a few abandoned cars, then moved on to apartment, complex carports and shopping center parking lots after hours on the final night of the spree. Eight cars were lit up and one of the fire spread to an adjacent rite aid. Destroy, the thrifty ice cream parlor inside, as only select right aids have thrifty borrowers. This was a big loss to the community. The arsonist was never caught and you're. Saying. J r greenwood is

arsonist lou asks. I know he is born and says I expect looter ask more questions like how do you know that? Or did you talk the police, but lou is already off again and I'm following close behind when she knocked at the door of j hours, us and finds he isn't home lula so anyway,

We are not here to investigate and arsonist. I call from the porch. This is not our job, no response. This is illegal, no response hate Lou, I'm quitting I'm I'm walking. This is bullshit, no response, no response, no response. The first step is to look for accelerants. Everyone has accelerants in their house, lighter fluid for their barbecue hairspray cooking oil hand sanitize her anything within ignition point below. Ninety degrees is highly flammable, but I'm looking for suspicious accelerants, either in quantity or type, something that stands out like this a five gallantry.

must perish in wax and thus a cabinet with two cassio size containers of non dairy kremer. Not what you normally think of as part of an arsonists tool box, but it happens to be highly flammable, emma contains sodium aluminum silicate. I tell motley put a flame to it and it goes up like gunpowder. Molly doesn't respond. That's when I realized, isn't it perhaps with me. I hear her voice coming from side. Are you mister, green why'd? She asks loudly ass if trying to alert me as if she expects me to fly out the back door. upon hearing that someone else's here. Instead, I stride onto the front porch to meet him, who the heck argue greenwood,

asks, and why are you stealing my coffee kremer? I realize I'm still holding one of the containers I set it down on the porch railing on Lou rose and I'm an investigator. What do you know about the valley, car fires when you ask people about a crime, those people generally assume your accusing them and then become defensive, but green. Just size and folds his arms over his dirty coveralls you've been talking to Tasha. He asks he tells us that hush the trash burner. Next door is his axe. She moved into the trailer down the hill when they split. She doesn't get running water or electricity down there and J. Our think sheeplands him for that. It's not my fault, he says, she's the one who chose to live down there, she's out

is turning a man for petty things or outright lies J. Our claims tosh it just has it inform he did do time. arson, but it was one incident. A long time ago touch knows about that and uses it against him, but he didn't set those fires in the valley he's very adamant. I let him finish, and then you have a lot of paraffin wax inside. I say why I may candles he says electricity goes out here a lot. I sell em to folks allotted kremer to crema. He asks apparently not seeing a connection. Like I say, electricity. A good refrigerator goes out. Gotta make do with it.

I did stuff, I probably should it just believe the guy, but I think that do Lou Rosen's conclusions, though based on nothing in particular, are correct. The real arsonists name is richard. Mosquito, and he will be arrested at his mother's place in santa claus Rita next year. During his confession, he will explain that he set the fires because he had been upset over losing his job. When asked why he stopped It will say that he had been quote feeling better lately. He will be sentenced to twenty years at avenue. The most overcrowded state prison in California. We're not really here about the fires I say feeling like the wheels have not only come off but rolled somewhere very far away. We are sure to us

about the lion escape at oak spring. Sanctuary shit. Lou says: that's right! Yes, that's why we're here, J r asks you to cops private. investigators, luke, clarifies did you see anything unusual that day well, he says I saw a lot of unusual things. I got two oaks early so opened up, one in the maintenance shows that had been used in a while, but I will do some supply. I inventory and that's what I saw. One of the most bags was torn wide, open real mess in their other stuff was spilled and knocked over. Two I said to myself: look like rats been in here and sure enough as awesome robins and it s a big ness, not just city rights, but pack, rats, I'm thinkin

Who interrupts him? Did you see the lion escape, or did you interact with ryan meeks at all J r nods? Sure after a come out of the shed, Well that kid bleeding insane allying got away. I didn't see it happen, though jr pauses thinking, I didn't think about it. Much had to clean up the shed was more upset that I lost my brand new sheers just got them last week. They were in the back of my truck. He adds that was most of my day yesterday. Looking for mushers Liu asks him what type of sheers they were how much they cost the model. I looked back toward jars landscaping truck. I notice that it also has a dig your own well bumper sticker on it. I asked J r about it, mostly to change the subject before luke and offer our services to take on the case of the missing shears tracking lions is one thing but tracking down missing plant scissors, I draw the line. That's from price

Spect J r explains toward the center here in the canyon. I do landscape and work for them to good folks. They seem popular around here. I say thinking of all the stickers we ve seen they saved a lot of folks properties from gettin raised in some city developments, game awhile back folks around here Furthermore, I, if you memory anything else about the lion escape. Let us now move hands, J R, her card you could offer to share your water with tosh. I say not sure why I'm saying it She doesn't want anything for me, J R, bristles, journeymen, speak to me. He gazed down the hill a bit. Sadly, as we pull out, I watch him retrieve coffee cream of the poor, trailing and turn it over in his hands ass. If trying to understand its significance. Ryan's injury. Lou says as we drive towards the address attract there.

No sign of infection, or bacteria of any kind I realize the reference in the medical records so pull them up on my phone, you ever been scratched or bitten by a cat lou asks. I told you, I'm not a cat person. I say the road ends at an open, grassy hill and padlocked gate looks like we'll have to walk the rest of the way, or at least I will molly seem squeamish about the suggested boundaries of private property, I'm over the gate and halfway up the long driveway before I see that she's finally decided to join me, guinea man in his twenties stance outside a mobile home. As if he's been expecting us from the idea badge MS evans showed us, I can tell that we have found ryan meeks, he's polite and nervous, has pictures of his kids and frames on the wall. Nora

Fourteen months and real three years, we always in head, start and loves books. Nora started running soon as she could walk ryan think shall be an athlete. He tells us about the lion incident, the same basic story. We got from carry evans. He shows us the bandages covering his hip bone. But of course, there's something he's not telling us. I happen to know what it is, but I'd. Rather he set himself. There was a second line that escaped, I say after the first one damage the fence. Did you know that he shakes his head? Concern which lion he asks? Did they catch it? They caught it. I say then I had we know it

The shares he's at a loss for words now looks like I'll have to supply them form. After all, we know you stole them from J r greenwood landscaping truck while he was in the maintenance shed that you use them to injure yourself. Those wounds are straight and uninfected a cat didn't cut. You like that. I continued. We know you damage the fence and let that line escape and made up a story about it. So you could. So what I don't understand is how someone who seems to care about animals could lead

sick lion loose in the community risking harm to both the cat and the people and wildlife live here. Just for the money, molly looks at startled this meeks. I realize I forgot to share my theory with her. I did a her loose is the only thing that makes denies. Then I hear a soft thudding sound coming from the back bedroom. What's come back their molly, she hears it too. I saw your car coming down. The road ryan says his voice and ashamed. Mumble now had to but her somewhere? He gets out and opens the bedroom door before any of us can do anything missing in balance down the hall and brings rate mommy

her giant head rams into my knee shoving me sideways. I know my life soon be over what strange way to die, attacked by a line in the kitchen of a mobile home. Then I hear they see rumble she's, not attacking. I realize she's purring. She nudges me again less forcefully before it. know what I'm doing. I'm screeching her back in the ears for no reason, maybe the adrenaline rush. I laugh. I hate cats ryan opens the front door and the lion lets herself out into the cooler era. Early evening. The whole properties fenced in he assures us used to be a livestock range. She has lots of room to Jerome here. Why did you take her? I ask he avoids our eyes.

She was gonna, be transferred out of state. I didn't want to see her go. That's all why the lawsuit asks Lou. He concentrates on the floor. I couldn't afford to take care of her plus pay, my child support in the bills and all he explained I use it most. My food stamps to feed her as it is. He opens his freezer to show a shelves pact tight with hunks of raw meat. I notice a few frozen pizzas crammed in there as well. She loves it out here. He says and I take real good care of her. I realize he's pleading with us. You can't hide a lion lou says, especially when you're deliberately drawing attention to yourself with the lawsuit. You know that right I can. feel the man's acute loneliness, his attachment to the animal

I understand that feeling. I felt that way too. After my divorce, person who I most wanted to talk about it with was tommy, but for obvious reasons that wasn't possible, the only other option was jake and my nights with him were what got me in that mess. In the first place, the upheaval, the void searching, or something to care about, maybe more importantly, searching for something to care about you to feel like you're, even capable of being loved anymore. Take the comp claim, I say Lou looks at me surprised, they're, willing to pay the workers comp I say forging ahead. All the sanctuary cares about. Is the lawsuit dropped, the lawsuit take the comp? It's something anyway, and if I do that

You won't turn me in ryan asks in disbelief. I realize I've overstepped. I look at loo. She just looks back at me. waiting for me to continue. We You have no reason to turn you when I say tentatively. If our clients are happy, that's all we care about right. Detective, rosen, lucas there's then stands and offers her hand to ryan? He shakes it stunned and we leave the man with his lion to eat they're frozen dinners together in peace

a lone pair of headlights, snakes down the road traveling away from an isolated piece of property in upper canyon, the two people in the car argue about the radio and the air conditioner, but they're not really arguing they're enjoying a comfortable rhythm. started to develop between them spin along day, and there are more than ready to leave this strange little wilderness enclave behind them, go to their respective homes and get some sleep on their downward journey. They pass by many things in the dark that they do not see. A flock of emu is once someone's exotic pets, roost in the chaparral, the moon

This is over cribs at a forgotten cemetery for silent film stars lighting, their headstones, like soft, eternal marquise, squatters start their evening. Camp fires near abandoned cars, advance alone. Headlights. Finally, blink away just another spark swallowed up in the night, all his quiet, except for the occasional distant cry of a wild cat from the sanctuary below. And answering cry from an isolated piece of property and upper canyon is lost in the wind hmm the

This episode of unlicensed was written by Bree williams with Joseph think and Geoffrey trainer. It stars molly Quinn, ass, molly, lucia stress as loo and t l thomson as our narrator, with james or vanhecke as the oak spring audio guide, here, the rest of the serious get your free the trial of audible at audible, dot com, slash unlicensed. Now I sorry that bunch of deer just ran by my window that actually did happen was very distracted. Ok! So now I have been listening through audible originals over the last two years and, as promised here are three personal recommendations of shows that I have enjoyed if you want to keep exploring what's on audible again, no,

asked me to do this. These are shows I chose to listen to and personally liked apocalypse untreated by gabby done, for close a group of residence at eighteen psychiatric centre as they try to survive after the world ends. as their medicine. Slowly runs out sort of stand, meets girl interrupted The sea in the sky is a deeply human cipher story about a small, manned mission to europa to search for signs of life. Written by a producer of the dinner party, download and tower fifth seven, is a safe. I thriller that takes place over a single long night at an art

I will style radio call in show and asks the question. What, if not everyone who is listening is human here all episodes of unlicensed to day and a bunch of other cool shows at audible, dot com, slash unlicensed. I really hope you do. I love the show he made so much okay, see out there. This show was sponsored by better help. When you are feeling great, you can do great, but sometimes life and all of the other feelings that come with it get in your way. I have found therapy really invaluable to me. Sometimes my therapy is to deal with issues like a fear of flying something really rock solid, tangible, but sometimes it's just really just a mirror. To my own emotions. We all meet, need a mirror for doing makeup or hair just to see our physical selves and why not have a mirror for your inner self to that's. What therapy is and being able to understand yourself, better is empowering and when you feel empowered, you're more prepared to take on everything life throws at you

better help it's a great option. If you're wanting to try therapy, it's convenient, flexible, affordable and entirely on line just the lot, a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licence therapists and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. If you want to live a more empowered life therapy can get you their visit. Better help, dot com slash night fail to day to get ten percent off your first month. That's better help. Eighty lp dotcom slash night veil. From the creators of welcome tonight, veil allison, dead and within the wires comes a new audible, original unlicensed, the outskirts of los angeles, with a cold saxon strip, mall sprawl into the desert to unlicensed private investigators, scrape by on whatever smoke. This has come their way, but when a teenage girl pleads for them to take the strangest case of their career, this unlikely air No resources, no backup will follow a tree we'll seemingly unconnected cases which will lead them to ransom, a murder

serious wellness centre and a conspiracy that might go all the way to the governor, simple. to catch small fires. Early. They don't stay. Small forlorn unlicensed available now have godaddy com, slash unlicensed acts.