The Devil's in the Details

The Devil's in the Details is the tenth episode of season one. Content warnings: menacing voices, loud noises, and mentions of animal cruelty.

The transcript can be found here.

Episode Description
In which Abbie’s work is interrupted and the pipes are rattled.

Summary
Abbie is in their room, ready to have some alone-time with coffee, calming music, and a book on the eel riot of 1886. The radiators begin hissing and whispering, but Abbie is determined not to let them get in the way.

Abbie is interrupted by Lily, wanting to borrow their headphones, and ask about how much Abbie is paying for rent - she's trying to figure out if she can afford a lawyer to dispute the brothel law. Abbie pays $475 a month, paying extra for the cat fee in case they're ever in the position they own a cat - they never had a cat as a child, since their twin sister, Gail, was allegic. Abbie asks what happened to Lily's headphones, and Lily admits to throwing them out of the window after Spoodle fired her.

Before Lily leaves to look over finance spreadsheets, Abbie asks her if she's noticed any problems with the radiators.

Once Abbie is alone again, the radiators start whispering again, clanging and rattling as Abbie does their best to ignore it, stopping when Wes knocks on the door. He wants to talk about the incident with the wolves and birds. Abbie insists that it was birds imitating wolves, since many birds, such as corvids, are good at mimicking other animals. Wes is unconvinced that hundreds of birds could be doing that at the same time, but doesn't know how to explain it.

Abbie also asks Wes about the radiators, but drops the topic when Wes is mentions reorganising the month's finances in order to hire repair work.

The radiator noises start up once again as Wes leaves. Abbie continues to read aloud from their book, insisting to themselves that it's just sleep deprivation and stress.

Lily comes back in the room, wanting to show Abbie something - while the house is haemorrhaging money, overall they have $800 more than they should have. At that moment Wes comes back in as well, also wanting to show Abbie something, but stops when he sees Lily, and begins an argument about finding her CV. Abbie, frustrated at the frequent interruptions, leaves.

Wes asks how Lily could think of leaving when Dot's leg is still broken. Lily points out that Dot's leg is nearly healed, and that she isn't leaving immediately, simply exploring her options job-wise. She also doesn't appreciate having a teenager giving her life advice.

The argument quickly turns to Lily's resentment of Dot for leaving her and Dale to take over the running of Fenwood, and how Lily doesn't want to live permanently in Mount Absalom, ultimately culminating in Lily bringing out Wes's unopened pay checks, and asking him why he hasn't been cashing them in. Wes explains that he loves Fenwood, and wants his pay checks to go towards upkeep. Lily points out that a few hundred each month won't do much either way, and asks for Wes's address and social security so the taxes can be sorted out.

Wes grows increasingly upset as he struggles to remember his address; he remembers that it's on Oak Street, that his dad always trips over the shoes in the door, that there's a dining room that never gets used, that the kitchen at the front has green and white tiles. As he continues to list details of his house, the radiators clang and rattle and hiss, growing louder and louder, ceasing only when Wes states his address at 1974 East Oak Streek.

Lily is in shock for several moments because of the radiator noise, finally saying that East Oak Street is abandoned lots, not houses before leaving the room. Abbie comes in a few moments later, returning for their book. They ask if Wes is okay, and asks about the radiator noise. Wes is confused by the question.

After Wes leaves to go home, the radiators clang again, and a whisper asks Abbie for help, and echoes Abbie's prior singing. Abbie once again tries to ignore it by reading their book. Lily comes in once more, and Abbie asks her about the radiators. Lily confirms that she also heard them going haywire a few minutes ago with Wes.

Abbie asks if there's something weird going on in the house. Lily can only laugh in response.

Post-Credit Fact
Paranormal Psychic Investigator Dr. Conrad Cartwright PhD stayed in the Fenwood House on October 17th 1973. According to the guestbook, he had a “very productive stay.”

Cast

 * Clarisa Cherie Rios as Lily
 * Kathleen Hoil as Abbie
 * Michael Turrentine as Wes

Crew

 * Writer: Jessica Best
 * Sound design: Ryan Schile
 * Director: Jeffrey Nils Gardner
 * Music composer: Stephen Poon
 * Recording engineer: Mel Ruder
 * Lead sound designer: Ryan Schile
 * Executives Producers: Eleanor Hyde and Jeffrey Gardner
 * Theme performed by:
 * Stephen Poon
 * Lauren Kelly
 * Gunnar Jebsen
 * Travis Elfers
 * Mel Ruder
 * Betsey Palmer