“He taught me everything I knew, then one day, he disappeared.”
Detective Gray Cooper investigates her most personal case yet - the disappearances of her father, Woody Cooper, and her partner, Joe Nebraska.
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00;00;05;01 - 00;00;33;16
Gray Cooper
I'm Gray Cooper, private detective. According to the Department of Homeland Security, my business doesn't exist. But according to the blockchain, a government address pays my bills. The following are the recordings of my case log for insurance purposes. You understand? See, I deal in the strange. The place where monsters and conspiracies dance. The kind of strange you're not quite sure is real or unreal.
00;00;34;12 - 00;01;23;28
Gray Cooper
Officially, the following case did not happen. I told you nothing. Welcome to The Strange Chronicles case log. 943 November 20th Year 2053 Salem, Massachusetts. Missing Persons Joe Nebraska and Detective Woodman Cooper My dad and I reconnected with Dad even though he'd ghosted me on our vacation plans. When I told him about Joe and Zeke over the phone, he said, If Zeke had inhabited Joe to the point of choosing clothing and morphing in public, the Joe didn't have much time left.
00;01;24;19 - 00;01;47;13
Gray Cooper
Dad said he'd call a friend to help and get back to me. That was two days ago. I hadn't heard from him since I started in the only place I could think of to get some answers. Dad's office detective Woodman Cooper. He taught me everything I knew. And then one day he disappeared. For ten years, I had no idea what happened to him when Mom died.
00;01;47;22 - 00;01;55;09
Gray Cooper
That's when I met Joe. He helped me find Dad. We were lucky to have made it out of that situation alive.
00;02;00;10 - 00;02;20;06
Gray Cooper
When I arrived at my father's office, he wasn't there. I found a plate of half eaten chicken parmesan on his desk and a beer spilled on the floor. Something had definitely happened here. Dad would never waste a beer. I took a look at the papers on his desk. Looks like he was sniffing around an old case. You never stop being a detective, even in retirement.
00;02;20;17 - 00;02;38;24
Gray Cooper
Says he spends his days sorting out his unsolved cases, tying up loose ends. I picked up his old desk phone, and to my surprise, there was a dial tone. Old dogs with old tech. I hit the redial just for kicks. And of all things, I heard the voicemail from a church. All Saints of Salem.
00;02;43;29 - 00;03;04;24
Gray Cooper
I arrived at the church just after dark. Only a sliver of light left on the horizon. It was a small yellow building with a pointy roof. I turned my lights on to make sure, but I was right. It was Dad's car parked outside that was supposed to be a good sign. When I got out, I peeked into the driver's side window and everything looked just as messy as I expected.
00;03;05;03 - 00;03;13;19
Gray Cooper
Paperwork on the seat, unfinished coffee in the cupholder. I looked up at the church and wondered What would he be doing here?
00;03;16;25 - 00;03;36;15
Gray Cooper
As I approached the entrance, something felt wrong. Inside I found the place empty and the large cross at the back of the altar had been knocked over on its side. Hello? I called out. No response. I was about to knock on the door to the sacristy when a man exited. He was very tall and introduced himself as Ned.
00;03;36;28 - 00;03;52;23
Gray Cooper
Ned told me that a man had been there but left an hour ago. I pointed out that his car was still parked outside and he said maybe he had wandered up the hill to the cemetery. When I asked why the cross was knocked over, he rushed over to fix it and asked me to help. He said it happened sometimes.
00;03;53;04 - 00;04;14;07
Gray Cooper
He guessed it was because Metatron was upset. We got it back up and he explained that he was the property caretaker of the church. He thanked me for the assistance. But who was Metatron? An angel. And he pointed out the window to a statue. I made my way up the hill to the cemetery behind the church. The light was gone now.
00;04;14;07 - 00;04;34;28
Gray Cooper
So I flipped on the torch from my comp device. The stone statue stood at the top of the path. I hadn't prepared for this, and the boots I was wearing were geared more toward breaking hearts than breaking necks. Which didn't make for a comfortable climb. Dad, he wasn't there. So I looked around a bit. I stood before the stone Angel Metatron.
00;04;35;07 - 00;05;00;27
Gray Cooper
She stood in contemplation, wings drawn. Something about it, made it hard to break eye contact with it. But after a bit, I broke away and saw something on the ground in front of her. A matchbox from the gunslinger. I pocket it, knowing it was a sign from Joe. They were here. I see you found Metatron. A voice said as I turned to find Ned.
00;05;01;06 - 00;05;23;10
Gray Cooper
Instinctively, I put my hand on the trusty baton in my pocket. He offered me a small, laminated card with a painting of Metatron. Under the painting were the words When it is dark. Look up to the light. And I will guide. He told me this was their proudest statue. That Metatron is the angel of mediation and provides guidance to lost souls.
00;05;23;23 - 00;05;43;17
Gray Cooper
I asked if he saw my father. He said he wasn't sure, but he did pass two men coming down the hill as he was traveling up on the other side. Now I thanked him and jogged to the edge of the hill. I saw them. Two men too small to make out who? Dad and Joe. I yelled out, but they ducked into Dad's car down the hill.
00;05;43;18 - 00;05;52;18
Gray Cooper
I went my poor choice, and footwear came back to bite me. And I slipped hard on the ground, scraping the palms of my hands as I caught myself.
00;05;55;12 - 00;06;15;27
Gray Cooper
I finally made it back down to the parking lot just in time to see Dad's car pull away. I jumped into Hero to give chase, but when I turned the key, nothing happened. I got out and opened the trunk. The wires to the battery had been cut after Ned helped me rig the connection using cables from an old electric lawnmower.
00;06;16;04 - 00;06;34;12
Gray Cooper
I was back in business. At least he was more helpful than offering his thoughts and prayers. I never did pick up the trail of Dad's car. I knew I'd have to start again from square one. I headed back to Dad's office, hoping that's where they went. No dice. I lingered a bit, rifling through some of the papers on his desk.
00;06;34;26 - 00;06;56;12
Gray Cooper
And then I had an idea. I went to the file cabinets and scrolled for Z. I found a drive with Zeke's name and clicked on it. A hologram image of text appeared in front of me. Much of the info was a rehash of things I already knew. One thing stood out, though. A note Dad wrote. I could tell it was his typing with every other word misspelled.
00;06;56;27 - 00;07;25;22
Gray Cooper
Zeke is simple, driven solely by selfish desires. He doesn't stray too far from the task in front of him. Remember that he may tip his own hand. That got me thinking. Where would he go? That is simple. A no brainer. Joe's place. When no one answered, I used my spare key empty. In fact, the place looked completely untouched.
00;07;26;09 - 00;07;49;04
Gray Cooper
A thick layer of dust had settled on the kitchen table. It would have been too easy, I suppose. No, Joe. No, Zeke. No, Dad. But I had noticed a shadow change under the door. Next door. So I tried the neighbor. I saw the eye hole go from dark to light. And the door opened a crack with a chain lock still latched.
00;07;49;20 - 00;08;12;03
Gray Cooper
Margot. She's the same neighbor who took his mail when he was out of town. Now, I realize, of course, that that was Zeke the entire time that Joe was not visiting his brother. Joe wasn't there anymore. She said. He left a short time before I arrived, though, said he looked strange, all covered up, sunglasses, hat and that red jacket.
00;08;12;15 - 00;08;32;16
Gray Cooper
He was alone. I almost thanked Margot for being so nosy, but I didn't want her to take my insult as an insult. Back in the driver's seat of Hero, I sit for a minute, fidgeting with the matchbox as I try to think. I open it and riffle through the matches when I see something blue. I dumped the matches.
00;08;32;29 - 00;09;00;22
Gray Cooper
There's a note scribbled in the box. Joe's handwriting. Gray go back to the beginning. Back to the beginning. The beginning of what? Of all this. What happened with Zeke. And then I knew exactly what the note meant. I remembered the day of my mother's funeral. I had thought I was an orphan, abandoned. I was miserable when I felt like I was drowning in grief.
00;09;01;05 - 00;09;09;21
Gray Cooper
Working with Joe brought me back from the brink. Then I knew where to go for help. I put the matches back into the box and changed out of those boots.
00;09;12;09 - 00;09;33;17
Gray Cooper
I parked in the darkness at the public beach, parking desolate in the wintertime. It was quiet. Even the seagulls had left. I sat on a bench engraved with my mother's memory and looked out at the frigid ocean and watched my breath mystify around me. And then a yell broke the spell. It came from behind me, from the trees across the road.
00;09;34;04 - 00;09;49;20
Gray Cooper
I left my mother's bench and ran. As I got close, I heard them. Dad and Joe, not Joe, Zeke. I snooped around a tree and saw Dad was tied to a stake in the ground. He was cussing at Joe, warning him that I was on my way.
00;09;50;06 - 00;09;53;05
Joe Nebraska
Nothing can save you now, Woody boy.
00;09;53;20 - 00;10;06;11
Gray Cooper
It looked like Zeke was setting up Dad in some sort of ritual sacrifice, placing stones on the ground just like faux tours had in that case in Washington. Zeke sneered with Joe's mouth.
00;10;06;27 - 00;10;08;14
Joe Nebraska
Gray will be too late.
00;10;08;23 - 00;10;14;24
Gray Cooper
I hated to crush his expectations, but chose to jump out at that moment with my revolver. Let him go.
00;10;15;03 - 00;10;22;08
Joe Nebraska
Which one would have I let you pick? The one who will live? Who does Gray Cooper love more?
00;10;22;19 - 00;10;24;12
Gray Cooper
Joe, listen to me.
00;10;24;19 - 00;10;25;29
Joe Nebraska
Joe's not here.
00;10;26;04 - 00;10;28;26
Gray Cooper
Joe, I know you can hear me. We're going to save you.
00;10;29;09 - 00;10;34;00
Joe Nebraska
What if I told you Joe is already dead?
00;10;34;08 - 00;10;36;20
Gray Cooper
Joe, remember the case with the werewolf lady?
00;10;36;25 - 00;10;37;12
Joe Nebraska
What?
00;10;37;24 - 00;11;04;01
Gray Cooper
Remember when we drove back from upstate after the comet? Oh. Zeke fell to his knees in pain. I rushed over to untie Dad while Zeke clutched his head. The Metatron card fell out of my pocket. I looked at Zeke sunglasses. Despite the late hour look up to the light. We needed light. Joe was helping me all along. The matchbox.
00;11;04;27 - 00;11;29;28
Gray Cooper
I lit one of the matches. The small flame was purple. I said the Metatron quote aloud. When it is dark. Look up to the light and I will guide the flame. Became a purple ball of fire in my hand. Zeke screamed, pulling off his glasses and the red jacket burst into purple flames. He was withering. That meant so was Joe.
00;11;30;11 - 00;12;01;20
Gray Cooper
I took off my trench and tossed it over him. When we uncovered him, I could see in his eyes that it was Joe again. We took Joe, Nebraska, to the hospital, and despite some decent burns, he's going to be all right. They patched up my hand, too. When he and Zeke were in a mind meld, Joe was able to see exactly how Zeke was able to come back, even though he had been essentially destroyed.
00;12;02;07 - 00;12;22;23
Joe Nebraska
He wanted revenge on you, Gray, for rescuing Woody. That night, when we vanquished him, a piece of him went into all of us. He was banished from his earthly presence. But then he found his way back through alien means the blue dust. That case in Kansas. I went out to help you. It was a mistake. When I got to the scene, you'd already left.
00;12;23;04 - 00;12;42;03
Joe Nebraska
I took some of the dust for evidence. Zeke was in that dust. He waited for his moment. I inhaled the dust. It was all he needed to grow the seed of himself already stowing away inside of me. He needed time to fully take over my body. He needed me to stay away from you. I convinced him to meet for drinks.
00;12;42;11 - 00;12;49;21
Joe Nebraska
I wanted to leave you a clue. Show you it was not me in this body. And it wasn't, by the way. That guy was a sicko.
00;12;50;04 - 00;12;51;21
Gray Cooper
I'm so sorry, Joe.
00;12;52;02 - 00;12;54;25
Joe Nebraska
You're my partner, Gray. I do it again in an instant.
00;12;55;03 - 00;13;00;06
Gray Cooper
You're a good egg, Joe. So I got a call for another case. You think you'd be up for it?
00;13;00;15 - 00;13;01;15
Joe Nebraska
Tell me where.
00;13;05;20 - 00;13;32;26
Gray Cooper
We all face demons in our lives. Hopefully for you, they won't be actual demons from the underworld. But no matter how dark the alleyways in your life get, some punk will turn on a light somewhere. It's all temporary. The ups, the downs. This life. So get yourself some cinnamon candy. A loyal sidekick. And I'll be out here working the cases of the strange Chronicles.
00;13;33;25 - 00;13;49;00
Gray Cooper
Stop.
00;13;51;07 - 00;14;20;16
Gray Cooper
This has been an episode of the Strange Chronicles of Fiction podcast. You can follow us on Instagram at the Strange Chronicles podcast or email us at info at the Strange Chronicles dot. This has been a kings of content production. Thank you for listening.