“A Smelly Job”

 "Norwood and Cross, PI”

AVA 2026 Platinum Award-Winning Podcast

Episode 9: “A Smelly Job”

A quiet neighborhood. A missing set of expensive tools. And a smell so powerful it could knock a buzzard off a garbage truck. 

When a skunk crashes the crime scene, Jason nearly taps out of the investigation entirely. But under the stench lies a trail of clues—quite literally.  One suspect swears he’s innocent. Another has no alibi at the time of the crime.  And someone tracked more than footprints back home.  This case? A real stinker.  The truth? Unmistakable. The aftermath? …Febreze can only do so much.

Credits: 

Created, written, and produced by: 

Jody Lebel    vojodylebel@gmail.com         

Directed by: Nick Omana - nick@nickomana.com 

Project Manager and Audio Editor: Edward Waldorph - ewaldorph@yahoo.com 

Foley/Sound Engineer: Tittoedits(@atifullah9988) 

VOICEOVER CAST: 

Narrator: Mike Coward, stocos28@gmail.com 

Jason: Max Cutler,  maxbcutler@gmail.com 

Nicole: Rachel Vega,  rachel@rachelvegavo.com

Mr. Davenport: Spike Spencer, spkspencer@yahoo.com

Christopher: John Causby,  john@groundcrewsound.com

Bob:  Ralph Duke, rdukevo@gmail.com

Peter: Nick Omana, nick@nickomana.com 

Announcer for fake sponsor – Brotherhood Bakery: 

Mark Winkworth,  mjwinkusa@gmail.com 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:11

Welcome back, dear listeners. Nicole Norwood and Jason Cross have a system. Nicole handles the logic, the strategy, and the part where the case actually gets solved. Jason handles the legwork, the coffee, and the part where things go slightly off the rails. Once upon a time they were married. Now they're just business partners, bound not by love, but by a very firm 50-50 agreement and a mutual understanding that neither one is giving up their share. Most days their cases are routine, missing items, suspicious behavior, the occasional lie that unravels under pressure. But today's case is a little different. It begins with a missing toolbox, a backyard garage, and a smell that neither time nor distance seems willing to fix. Nicole's already analyzing from a very safe distance. Jason's already wondering if the smell has soaked into his clothes. And before this is over, they'll both learn that some clues don't just point to the truth, they follow you there. Let's open the file, shall we?

SPEAKER_04 1:23

Uh, why is that cat sitting in the back of my seat?

SPEAKER_06 1:27

His name is Pepperoni. I gave him some pizza, and now he acts like he co-signed the card loan.

SPEAKER_04 1:32

Oh, that furball better not have fleas. We should have taken my car.

SPEAKER_06 1:40

Your car doesn't have character.

SPEAKER_04 1:42

Your car doesn't have mufflers.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

Jason pulled into a quiet suburban neighborhood where ranch houses lined the street.

SPEAKER_04 1:50

There. It's the gray house on the left.

SPEAKER_01 1:52

So what are we doing here?

SPEAKER_04 1:54

This is the home of John Davenport. He reported the theft of some very expensive tools today. Since we were already out delivering subpoenas, I told the insurance company we'd swing by and take a look.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

As they made their way up the driveway, Mr. Davenport opened the garage door. The unmistakable odor of skunk hit them immediately.

SPEAKER_06 2:19

Holy cow!

SPEAKER_07 2:20

Oh, my eyes are watering. Yeah, we get a lot of skunks out here in the summer. They come from the field across the way.

SPEAKER_04 2:27

Oh, why does it smell so strong of skunk inside the garage?

SPEAKER_07 2:31

Well, my dog cornered one back there this morning and promptly got sprayed. I got the critter out by banging a couple of pots together. When did you notice the tools were missing? Well, first I went to the store to get some strong soap. Then after I washed the dog, I opened the garage door to let it air out, and I saw it right away. My big red box of tools that always sat on top of the workbench was gone.

SPEAKER_06 2:56

I'm assuming it was uh heavy since it was filled with tools. No way the dog could have dragged it anywhere. Uh uh N Nicole, where are you going?

SPEAKER_03 3:03

I have to go back further away from this odor.

SPEAKER_06 3:07

What are you solving this case from the end of the driveway or are you down there hoping to get a confession out of the cat?

SPEAKER_03 3:12

Zip it, Jason! Mr. Davenport, what was the value of the tools?

SPEAKER_07 3:18

Uh, well over $2,000.

SPEAKER_03 3:21

Who knew about the toolbox?

SPEAKER_07 3:23

Hmm. Let me think. Um my nephew Christopher did. He borrowed them every now and then. He wanted those tools too. Told me so himself.

SPEAKER_03 3:33

When was the last time you saw Christopher?

SPEAKER_06 3:35

What? We we can't hear you from the next county.

SPEAKER_03 3:39

Very funny. But when you're close, stink up that car for three days, don't complain to me.

SPEAKER_07 3:44

What? Uh uh Christopher came over for a picnic last weekend. I I believe that's the last time I saw him. Did anyone else know about the tools? Uh, my neighbor Bob and his son Peter. Uh, they used the tools not too long ago to fix their tractor.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

Nicole told Jason to take one more quick look around. Then the two of them headed over to talk to Mr. Davenport's nephew.

SPEAKER_06 4:06

Christopher, do you know anything about your uncle's missing tools?

SPEAKER_05 4:10

No, I sure don't. But he does have quite a collection. Said he's gonna give them to me someday. Did you happen to borrow some tools and forget to return them? No, sir. What is he missing?

SPEAKER_04 4:21

Where were you earlier today?

SPEAKER_05 4:23

At work. But I did come home to grab some lunch.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

Back in the car, Nicole complained that her eyes were watering. She rolled down the windows and turned on the AC.

SPEAKER_06 4:33

I don't hear Pepperoni complaining.

SPEAKER_04 4:35

The cat licks himself clean and eats fish from a tin. I doubt the smell is ruining his day. Huh. Let's get back to the case at hand. Christopher has no alibi for the lunch hour.

SPEAKER_06 4:48

True. So let's go talk to neighbor Bob and his son, Peter. They're only two houses down.

SPEAKER_04 4:54

I'm walking.

SPEAKER_06 4:55

Okay, fine. I'll follow you with the car.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Neighbor Bob crossed his arms and insisted he knew nothing about any missing tools.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

Every time I borrow something, I make it a point to return it clean and put it back exactly where I found it. That's just being a good neighbor.

SPEAKER_04 5:16

Is your son Peter home? We'd like to speak with him.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

He's out in the garage tinkering with his car. Jason and Nicole headed around back, where a large detached garage stood behind the house. Clanking noises echoed from inside. The moment Jason opened the door, the unmistakable odor of skunk hit them full force. Nicole covered her nose.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

Oh, sorry about the odor. Ever since this morning it seems like it's everywhere.

SPEAKER_06 5:46

I see you're working on an old Ford. She's a beauty.

SPEAKER_02 5:50

Yeah, isn't she? I got her for a steal. I've been fixing her up little by little. Peter wiped off a wrench and tossed it onto a cluttered workbench.

SPEAKER_04 6:00

No, you don't have a toolbox.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

Uh no, but I've got a lot of tools. Most of them hanging on the back wall there. Could you envy that ratchet?

SPEAKER_06 6:09

You ever uh borrow some tools from Mr. Davenport?

SPEAKER_02 6:14

Oh yeah, sometimes.

SPEAKER_04 6:15

Did you borrow any of his tools today?

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Oh, no, ma'am. While Nicole stood outside, Jason looked around the garage for a bit. Then they headed back to Jason's El Camino.

SPEAKER_04 6:28

Well, now we know who took the tools.

SPEAKER_06 6:31

We do. Wait, we what? We do?

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Solution. When Peter saw Mr. Davenport leaving for the store, he slipped into the garage and stole the toolbox. But in the process, he unknowingly walked through the skunk spray left behind that morning. He carried the odor back with him, on his shoes and clothing, contaminating his own garage and giving himself away. And now a word from our sponsor.

SPEAKER_08 6:58

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unknown 7:36

It's done.

SPEAKER_08 7:37

Brotherhood Bakery. Where every order is taken seriously. And nothing is ever traced back.

SPEAKER_06 7:46

Ever. Alright, okay. Now I definitely want some biscotti.

SPEAKER_04 7:52

You heard the part about no paper trail, right?

SPEAKER_06 7:56

So? That just means they're efficient.

SPEAKER_04 7:58

Oh, Jason.

SPEAKER_06 7:59

What? Maybe they I don't know, respect customer privacy?

SPEAKER_04 8:03

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_06 8:04

Fine. Let me look at the menu in peace. Oh, don't you start.

unknown 8:10

Hmm.

SPEAKER_04 8:10

That cat has better instincts than you.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

Next time on Norwood and Cross P.I., a condo association meeting turns ugly when accusations start flying. Tempers boil over, and a routine disagreement spirals completely out of control. One resident claims he only peeked inside the office. Another swears the victim was alive five minutes earlier. And somewhere between the shouting, the threats, and the coffee break, someone makes a fatal mistake. Nicole spots the clue. Jason accidentally starts a 20-minute argument about whether an outdoor cat counts as a pet. Somehow, that becomes the second most hostile confrontation of the evening. And somewhere out there, someone's already telling a lie they hope nobody notices. Another case awaits, next time on Norwood and Cross PIS.