Bridgewater is a production of I Heart Radio three D audio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Bankey. For full exposure, listen with headphones. Listener discretion advised. M h h hi, Mom, Hi, hear me? No, No, for you still at home? It's almost knew it. Are you just waking up? I'm a grown man. I also don't have classes today, and I had a late one last night, and I've actually had a week of late once. Oh, finally seeing someone, Teremy, I'm so glad. No, I'm not seeing someone. The only dates I've had recently are with the library. Oh, Aretty, much different there, then. Oh well, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I don't need you to day, Jeremy. I just think spending time with people your own age might be You know, mom, what did I just say about being a grown man? So? Is it a book that's keeping you awake? Yeah, something like that. It's not the whole thing with your father's dad, is it? Because you said that was all resolved? No, I didn't. I said that the police didn't find anything else with a badge. I didn't say it was resolved. He didn't go and talk to Anne Becker. Did you is that she did or not going to talk to Anne Becker? Mom, why don't you want me talking to her? Instincent history? Jeremy, what is all of that business with your father? She was always sticking her nose and where it didn't belong. You mean in the investigation she was his partner. Makes sense that she would have wanted something just because she was his partner. Does not mean and you know what, just please, Jeremy, you can't trust her. You cannot trust this woman. Mom. I'm sorry. I cannot just take your word on this. I need you to tell me why. There's still a lot that I don't know about Dad's disappearance, so that I don't know what is there to know. I know it isn't satisfying, But people go missing in Freetown forest all the time. Honey, we got I'm lucky. But did he even go missing in Freetown forest? What? My t A just dug up an article that said he went miss singing? Howk him up swamp? Jeremy, You know that local newspapers are hardly the most reliable sorts for anything. Well when corroborated by police files, I think they are. How would you have access to the police files. You're already talking to her too. Mom. I know she's a bit of a kook, but she's had useful insight. And I mean, after this week, I think that there's a lot more than this than we thought. Jeremy, what are you hoping to do? It won't bring him back, you know that, right, that's not I I just think a little I don't know, a little closure would be good. Well, I promise you you're not going to get closure by talking to Anne Becker. Oh my god, you still have not told me what your problem with her is. She filled your father said, with all sorts of nuns, and she pulled them into all her talk of that place that giant dogs and snakes, cold floating lights. And now now she's doing the same with you. No, she is not. I don't believe any of that crap, and you know it. But I do believe there's obviously something suspect about the original case. Yes there is, Mom, I think that the police were too quick to blame it on the popular scapegoat of the moment. You don't think your father got into trouble with the Satanic coat? No, I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is that there is someone out there who knows what happened to him, and there is a reason that his badge appeared now and I am going to do what I always do and learn everything I possibly can about it. And if it was a cult, who knows, they might still be around and more people could get hurt, and I don't want that to happen. Jerry, it is not your job. I'm sorry, Mom, I gotta go. Okay, please please yeah, I will by wait wait, slow down. What did she say again? Giant dogs, cults, hipp and I wasn't telling you about it because it's relevant. I was actually just hoping to oh, oh, lights in the woods, right, yeah, but she was just talking. It doesn't actually mean anything. Well, all information is useful information. I would like to think that I've taught you better than that. I'll just say at the stage, it's all useful. You know, we should be learning everything. We can get a broad look and then we can narrow down. The book is much further along than that it was. But you're telling me finding legitimate occult activity and hawk mock swamp your conversation would Celeste? Those aren't reason enough to revisit some things not the whole thesis. I was always going to do a chapter on spiritual groups in the area, and I would just have more information. But okay, you said you dug up some more information on the gathering. Yeah, um, here it is. It actually seems like there's some other offshoots groups around the country that believe in supernatural portals way to talk to the other side, and according to the lore among these groups, the gathering is old. Wait a minute, are you saying these groups have their own internal lore. Yeah. They swapped information about potential locations where the veil is thinnest and did discuss rituals to open it. You know, so on I've shared you and what we've compiled so far. We oh, um, yeah, Olivia, she's actually been helping me out. You know. Um, she's really she makes really good girl cheeses and and she's really good at this stuff. Now, I know why you've been running off so quick after class this week. I mean not that I'm you know, not good at research. I'm I'm very good at research. It's just, you know, she's a female perspective, you know, Vipen. You spent a lot of time in here with me. Um. Yes, that's kind of my job. No, I mean, I just don't I don't hear you. I don't hear you talk about your social life or whatever it is you do outside of school. Well, doing a PhD is a full time gig. I know. I'm just saying it's allowed, you know, doing a degree and being passionate about your work and whatever, and having a life outside of those things. Spitballing here. But you can maybe have friends or hobbies, or or maybe you could ask a smart girl out on a date. I can't believe we're having this conversation right now. Sorry, Like, am I crossing a line. I spend most of my weeknights and weekends with you for the past year. You were just telling you about a conversation you had with your mom. We've spent the past two weeks investigating your dad's disappearance. I think we're at the stage where you can ask me about my personal life. But when was the last time you went on a date or did anything but research and writing? You sound like my mom. I do plenty. I I I hike to take photos for your book, okay, I travel to do research. I make new friends often. Not Phil, He's another academic who's so boring? And again it's just for research. Look, I'm just saying, Kettle, you know you're right. Who am I to tell you what to do? I guess I honestly just see a lot of myself in you, and I don't want you ending up like me. I'm going to ask you this and let you know that this is a safe space. But are you unhappy? No? No, it's not that. It's just I know, I don't know. Actually, never mind, It's just I see how much you care about this subject and how people you want to find something out, and you want to be the person to find something out. I get it. It can be all consuming. Do you feel like it's consumed you? I feel like I'm a boring academic and you should probably go hang out with some people your age. All right, why don't we say this today is Friday? If that calendar is correct, Why don't you go play hockey for the rest of the day and just go go go lit a life or something. What are you going to do? Don't worry about me. I am very exciting weekend plans. Ah, You're going to meet up with Anne, aren't you? Yeah? I am all right. Any developments I should know about. No, no developments. I I just can't believe how much I let myself get swept up in this whole thing. It's been good to get back to real life this week, but you're still spending your weekend with that. Yeah, we're going to go talk to the police with that hiker still missing. Um, I don't know. It's just been weighing on my conscience, like I have to convince Anne that we should tell the police about the gathering. Will you think the two are related? I just think I can't. I can't take the chance. And besides, maybe the police were able to share some information on celest Ha. There. It is not done with her yet, are you not quite? So we agree this time I'll do all the talking. That is not exactly what I said. I know how to talk to these people. I was one of them. I think that that is precisely why it's hard for you to talk to these people, Professor Bradshaw, Miss Becker, how can I help you? Officer Batista? You can't be here, and yet here we are. You two are working together. Yes, Look, Batista, Jeremy told me about your girlfriend. Come on, let's take this outside. Katie was at home with me last weekend. She wasn't in Hackamox swamp holding a knife. We are not trying to accuse Katie of anything, not yet, at least I wouldn't think she was there the other night anyway, because you said that she wasn't in the inner circle. And do you think this was the inner circle? They were half a dozen of them, maybe mostly older, all in white robes and armed. Not to mention the person who was in the middle of it all, do you recognize someone? Uh huh? A woman named Celeste Corey. She was a member of the gathering in the seventies. I interviewed her back then, Officer Batista. That's why we're here. I thought you were here to, you know, report cult activity. We need some files. You have all the old files, don't you. I do. But Thomas and I weren't the only people on the force who were looking into the gathering. And God only knows what Celeste has been up to for the past forty years. You're asking me to give you confidential information. Okay, come on, this is a suburban police force, it's not the n s A. I think what Anne is trying to say here is it. Anything that you have on Celeste would be a huge help to us. I'm sorry, I can't giving out information about a private citizen. I could lose my job. Well, I'm sorry. I think dating occultist who lied to the police could also put your job at risk. So I mean, you know, there's no reason your captain needs to know that you're talking to us or about Katie. Right, fine, good, thank you. You didn't see any violence, correct, There wasn't any animal sacrifice or or utilation of anyone. No, no, uh. When we went to see her, Celeste said that they were using those knives for carving symbols into trees. M that tracks you've noticed an upstick and vandalism of both the swamp it. Wait, did you see you went to go talk to her? Yes, on Monday. It was mostly a waste of time, which is why we need at file. So after seeing a cult meeting involving in a legal bonfire and several armed participants, you decided to go talk to one of the perpetrators and then wait five more days before coming to the police. I am the police, all due respect, miss Becker. No, you're not. You can't just go harassing people if I'm going to risk my job for you, then I need you. We weren't harassing anyone, so less talk to us willingly. Mr Bradshaw Captain. I was just umh and a becker. What exactly are you two doing here together? We were just they were asking about the missing hiker. Yeah, that's right. I I've just been concerned. Oh do you know Daniel? No? No, I just um, Well, I I guess I feel a bit beholden to him, seeing as he found my father's badge, and I just wish I could have thanked him. Oh, there's still plenty of time for that. You found him, Yes, that's what I was about to tell you. It seems you went back to hiking Freetown for Rest and got lost for a couple of days. Is he all right? He's a little banged up, dehydrated, you know, the usual for lost hikers, but he'll be fine. What happened? Do you mean? What happened? Kid? Didn't know where he was going, took a wrong turn and couldn't find his way out, and that's all. That's all. Well, I'm I'm glad to hear that he's all right. Is there anything else we can do for you no, thank you, Captain m hmm, get back to work, ba Gista, I should really get going. Wait that hiker? What about him? Where can we find him? This episode is sponsored by better Help Online Counseling. Life isn't always easy. If you're feeling depressed, or struggling with uncertainty, or having difficulties sleeping, Better Help offers experience therapists who can listen and help. Just fill out a questionnaire to help better Help assess your needs and match you with your professional license therapist. You can start communicating with your therapist and under forty eight hours and schedule secure weekly video phone or even live chat appointments. Better Help isn't a crisis line, it's not self help. It's professional therapy done securely online, and better Help counselors have a broad range of expertise, many of which might not be available in your area from an in person therapist. Better Help us committed to facilitating great therapeutic matches, so it's easy and free to change therapists if needed. Plus, it's more convenient and more affordable than in person therapy, and financial aid is available. In fact, so many people have been using better Help that they are recruiting additional counselors in all fifty states. Bridgewater is sponsored by Better Help Online Therapy, and our listeners get ten percent off their first month of online therapy at better help dot com slash Bridgewater. That's better h e lp dot com slash Bridgewater. Get matched with a Better Help therapist and get started. You know, Bradshaw, I am impressed. What do you mean storing a police officer for information? I didn't think it hadn't didn't you. Hey, that's not I did not do that. Oh what did you think that was? Then? Listen, you were the one that brought up Batista's girlfriend. I just wanted to tell Captain Haddock about the gathering. I'm telling you that would have been a mistake. We don't want to spook them. If the police get officially involved and start sniffing around Celeste again, they'll close up shop again and we'll miss our chance, miss our chance to what to find out what the gathering is trying to do. Well, Celeste told us they're trying to open the door to the other side. I'm actually just more interested in how would they think they're going to do that? What if it's more than that? What if they've already opened a door and they're trying to let something out, and please no, I know you don't believe me, but something is going on, Bradshaw. You saw the symbols in the fire, You heard the voicemails from your dad. That was not my father, that was that was some kind of prank or something. I got a third one last night and just listen. Olivia taught me how to get it onto my phone. And I really don't want a cool That wasn't my dad, Bradshaw, how can you that wasn't him, and someone is messing with you. I don't know who, I don't know why, but that was not my dad. How can you still not believe that, maybe, just maybe there's something going on here that you can't immediately wave away. How can you be so quick to believe that that is my dad's voice? You know, there is a reason that we believe in these stories, these myths. There are brains way of filling in the gaps. We find a meeting. We see a cloud and we want to give it a shape that we recognize, and a shadow will pass before our eyes, these very weak, very limited human eyes, and we call it a ghost and then we hear a strange voice in the woods, and we want desperately to believe that it is the person that we want to hear from the most. That's what we do as humans. Amen, on a voicemail. What a strange voice on a voicemail? What did I say? The woods? Oh? Yeah, on a voicemail, Jeremy, listen, this is it. We're here. Well, I just want to say we're really glad that you're all right. Uh yeah, yeah, thanks. What exactly happened to you? Daniel? You said you'd listen to me, right, you won't make fun of me, of course, not like we said, Daniel, were not the police. Yeah, but you used to be yes, And during my time on the forest, I encountered a lot of things I couldn't explain in the forest. And it seems like maybe you did too. But if you didn't, that's okay too. It's a big park and getting lost is it's completely understandable. Yeah, yeah, you guys want some water or anything? I might I might get some water. Uh yeah, of course, go ahead. Yeah, we're okay, thank you? What are you doing? Excuse me? And you can't leave him like that. We need to hear what he went through, not some story that he comes up with. Because you're suggesting that he encountered something supernatural. I wasn't suggesting anything. Oh, come on, you were leading him and you know it. Okay, who here has actually questioned people before? And you're not the only one who knows how to do an interview. I've talked to a lot of people with lot of crazy stories, and all that takes is a tiny little push to turn nothing into something in someone's head. Sorry, am I just m this is hard to talk about. Yeah, take your time. We're here to listen to whatever you want to tell us. I did get lost, okay, just a little, and I went back to the forest because something, something had been bothering me about finding the badge. The badge? What do you mean? I kept thinking about it, and I think I think I saw something in the woods right before I noticed the badge on the ground. What did you see? Someone running away? Maybe couldn't have been an animal. No? No, it was bright, white and tall and like like it was made of light. What kind of you didn't follow it? No? I I stepped on something and I looked down to see a police badge. I was freaked I ran right back to my friend. And but that's why I went back. I wanted to. I've been having these nightmares about being lost in the woods and there's something following me and a voice. What what's the voice saying? I thought if that I went back into the forest during the day, it would I don't know. I thought checking out the spot where we found the badge, seeing it again would would stop the nightmares. But I got turned around on my way there, and and were you and your friend hiking at night? What when you found the badge? You said you wanted to go back during the day. The dreams they're always at night. You're still having them. They're different now since what happened, Daniel, when you got lost? What happened? It got dark and my phone died. I mean, it's not like it had any service, but I've been using it for a map and a flashlight. And then I was just it was so dark. But then these lights appeared. There were a few of them, round and white and just hanging there in the air. Were they doing anything else, like moving pulsing? No? No, not at first, but but then then there was a voice. It was whispering, e wa che excuse me, That's what it was saying. E wa cho And did you recognize the voice? Did it sound human? No? No, it didn't. The lights started to move and I, I can't explain it. I wanted to follow, so I did. It's all such a blur, but I know, I know what I saw. I did get lost, but that's not That's not why I went missing. Daniel, what are you saying? I'm saying. I'm saying I was abducted by aliens. Hey, Vippen did nothing in our conversation last night's stick. It's the weekend. Why are you calling me? What's up? Well, it's a bit of a funny story. Actually, I've got one of those two. Actually, And and I went to go see that hiker who was fine, by the way, he was just fine. It was a couple of days ago. Um, he's physically fine. He's pretty rattled. But it ended up being a pretty interesting way to spend a Friday afternoon, because, yep, I'm in a hawk mock swamp. And why are you spending your Saturday morning in a swamp? It didn't seem like a good idea to come here in the middle of the night. Sipen Hey, I wanted to see if I could find traces of what the cults was doing last weekend pictures of the carving CELESTI was talking about, and I, h I got a little lost snippen. No, I'm fine, I'm fine, Really, I just I just thought I was hoping you would remember something about the clearing that they were in, you know, how far into the swamp it was, any distinctive landmarks. Uh, it was the middle of the night, and I was a little distracted by that, you know, cults. But so you have no idea where you were basically basically, yeah, sorry, So have you found anything? Ah, it's hard to say. I've seen some markings on trees, but I'm not sure they're carvings. They don't look distinctive enus. They almost look like like like what hallmark? Really? Come on? What? What could leave claw marks in the swamp? I have absolutely no idea. Here's another one, Professor, It's enormous. It could be woodpeckers maybe, or some kind of squirrel six clawed squirrel. Okay, well probably not that then. Uh, well, maybe it is a carving. It's just a symbol that the gathering uses that we haven't seen yet maybe, Pippen. Yeah, sorry, I m is really great beyond. Yeah, Hey, buddy, listen, why don't you just work on getting out of there. I'll stay with you on the phone and then you and I can go back there on Monday after class. How does that sound? Yeah? Yeah, that that sounds like a good idea takes what? What was? What? Hear? What? That's how? Um? Pippen? You're probably just here in the wind. Yeah yeah, Pippen. PROFESSORI calls what There's something? Professor Pippin Sippen, will you tell me? Do you see someone? Is there? Someone there? Something else? Pippin Fippen, fipp In, God damn it. Bridgewater was created by Aaron Manky and written and directed by Lauren Shippen, with executive producers Aaron Manky, Misha Collins, Matt Frederick and Alex Williams, supervising producer Trevor Young, editing and sound designed by Trevor Young and Matt Stillo, and music by Chad Lawson. Starring Misha Collins as Jeremy Bradshaw, Melissa Ponzio as Anne Becker, Karen Sony as Vip, and Corona Lori Allen as Nancy Collins, Cheryl Umania as Officer Bautista, Victoria Grace as Katie Frank's Will Wheaton as Captain Haddock, Hillary Burton Morgan as Shelley Hoskins, Jonathan Joss as Joseph Hoskins, Sabra May as Olivia Hoskins, Samuel Marty as Ethan Hoskins, Kristin Bauer as Celeste, and Nathan Fillion as Thomas Bradshaw, with additional voice acting by Brigand Snow, Andrew Nowak, Julia Maury Sawa, Jarvis Johnson, and Brielle Bresnan, Kristen dem Curio, James Oliva and leron Amia. Learn more about the show over at Grimm and Mild dot com, slash Bridgewater, and find more podcasts from I heart Radio on the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows, and as always, thanks for listening. H

Bridgewater is a production of I Heart Radio three D audio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Bankey. For full exposure, listen with headphones. Listener discretion advised. M h h hi, Mom, Hi, hear me? No, No, for you still at home? It's almost knew it. Are you just waking up? I'm a grown man. I also don't have classes today, and I had a late one last night, and I've actually had a week of late once. Oh, finally seeing someone, Teremy, I'm so glad. No, I'm not seeing someone. The only dates I've had recently are with the library. Oh, Aretty, much different there, then. Oh well, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I don't need you to day, Jeremy. I just think spending time with people your own age might be You know, mom, what did I just say about being a grown man? So? Is it a book that's keeping you awake? Yeah, something like that. It's not the whole thing with your father's dad, is it? Because you said that was all resolved? No, I didn't. I said that the police didn't find anything else with a badge. I didn't say it was resolved. He didn't go and talk to Anne Becker. Did you is that she did or not going to talk to Anne Becker? Mom, why don't you want me talking to her? Instincent history? Jeremy, what is all of that business with your father? She was always sticking her nose and where it didn't belong. You mean in the investigation she was his partner. Makes sense that she would have wanted something just because she was his partner. Does not mean and you know what, just please, Jeremy, you can't trust her. You cannot trust this woman. Mom. I'm sorry. I cannot just take your word on this. I need you to tell me why. There's still a lot that I don't know about Dad's disappearance, so that I don't know what is there to know. I know it isn't satisfying, But people go missing in Freetown forest all the time. Honey, we got I'm lucky. But did he even go missing in Freetown forest? What? My t A just dug up an article that said he went miss singing? Howk him up swamp? Jeremy, You know that local newspapers are hardly the most reliable sorts for anything. Well when corroborated by police files, I think they are. How would you have access to the police files. You're already talking to her too. Mom. I know she's a bit of a kook, but she's had useful insight. And I mean, after this week, I think that there's a lot more than this than we thought. Jeremy, what are you hoping to do? It won't bring him back, you know that, right, that's not I I just think a little I don't know, a little closure would be good. Well, I promise you you're not going to get closure by talking to Anne Becker. Oh my god, you still have not told me what your problem with her is. She filled your father said, with all sorts of nuns, and she pulled them into all her talk of that place that giant dogs and snakes, cold floating lights. And now now she's doing the same with you. No, she is not. I don't believe any of that crap, and you know it. But I do believe there's obviously something suspect about the original case. Yes there is, Mom, I think that the police were too quick to blame it on the popular scapegoat of the moment. You don't think your father got into trouble with the Satanic coat? No, I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is that there is someone out there who knows what happened to him, and there is a reason that his badge appeared now and I am going to do what I always do and learn everything I possibly can about it. And if it was a cult, who knows, they might still be around and more people could get hurt, and I don't want that to happen. Jerry, it is not your job. I'm sorry, Mom, I gotta go. Okay, please please yeah, I will by wait wait, slow down. What did she say again? Giant dogs, cults, hipp and I wasn't telling you about it because it's relevant. I was actually just hoping to oh, oh, lights in the woods, right, yeah, but she was just talking. It doesn't actually mean anything. Well, all information is useful information. I would like to think that I've taught you better than that. I'll just say at the stage, it's all useful. You know, we should be learning everything. We can get a broad look and then we can narrow down. The book is much further along than that it was. But you're telling me finding legitimate occult activity and hawk mock swamp your conversation would Celeste? Those aren't reason enough to revisit some things not the whole thesis. I was always going to do a chapter on spiritual groups in the area, and I would just have more information. But okay, you said you dug up some more information on the gathering. Yeah, um, here it is. It actually seems like there's some other offshoots groups around the country that believe in supernatural portals way to talk to the other side, and according to the lore among these groups, the gathering is old. Wait a minute, are you saying these groups have their own internal lore. Yeah. They swapped information about potential locations where the veil is thinnest and did discuss rituals to open it. You know, so on I've shared you and what we've compiled so far. We oh, um, yeah, Olivia, she's actually been helping me out. You know. Um, she's really she makes really good girl cheeses and and she's really good at this stuff. Now, I know why you've been running off so quick after class this week. I mean not that I'm you know, not good at research. I'm I'm very good at research. It's just, you know, she's a female perspective, you know, Vipen. You spent a lot of time in here with me. Um. Yes, that's kind of my job. No, I mean, I just don't I don't hear you. I don't hear you talk about your social life or whatever it is you do outside of school. Well, doing a PhD is a full time gig. I know. I'm just saying it's allowed, you know, doing a degree and being passionate about your work and whatever, and having a life outside of those things. Spitballing here. But you can maybe have friends or hobbies, or or maybe you could ask a smart girl out on a date. I can't believe we're having this conversation right now. Sorry, Like, am I crossing a line. I spend most of my weeknights and weekends with you for the past year. You were just telling you about a conversation you had with your mom. We've spent the past two weeks investigating your dad's disappearance. I think we're at the stage where you can ask me about my personal life. But when was the last time you went on a date or did anything but research and writing? You sound like my mom. I do plenty. I I I hike to take photos for your book, okay, I travel to do research. I make new friends often. Not Phil, He's another academic who's so boring? And again it's just for research. Look, I'm just saying, Kettle, you know you're right. Who am I to tell you what to do? I guess I honestly just see a lot of myself in you, and I don't want you ending up like me. I'm going to ask you this and let you know that this is a safe space. But are you unhappy? No? No, it's not that. It's just I know, I don't know. Actually, never mind, It's just I see how much you care about this subject and how people you want to find something out, and you want to be the person to find something out. I get it. It can be all consuming. Do you feel like it's consumed you? I feel like I'm a boring academic and you should probably go hang out with some people your age. All right, why don't we say this today is Friday? If that calendar is correct, Why don't you go play hockey for the rest of the day and just go go go lit a life or something. What are you going to do? Don't worry about me. I am very exciting weekend plans. Ah, You're going to meet up with Anne, aren't you? Yeah? I am all right. Any developments I should know about. No, no developments. I I just can't believe how much I let myself get swept up in this whole thing. It's been good to get back to real life this week, but you're still spending your weekend with that. Yeah, we're going to go talk to the police with that hiker still missing. Um, I don't know. It's just been weighing on my conscience, like I have to convince Anne that we should tell the police about the gathering. Will you think the two are related? I just think I can't. I can't take the chance. And besides, maybe the police were able to share some information on celest Ha. There. It is not done with her yet, are you not quite? So we agree this time I'll do all the talking. That is not exactly what I said. I know how to talk to these people. I was one of them. I think that that is precisely why it's hard for you to talk to these people, Professor Bradshaw, Miss Becker, how can I help you? Officer Batista? You can't be here, and yet here we are. You two are working together. Yes, Look, Batista, Jeremy told me about your girlfriend. Come on, let's take this outside. Katie was at home with me last weekend. She wasn't in Hackamox swamp holding a knife. We are not trying to accuse Katie of anything, not yet, at least I wouldn't think she was there the other night anyway, because you said that she wasn't in the inner circle. And do you think this was the inner circle? They were half a dozen of them, maybe mostly older, all in white robes and armed. Not to mention the person who was in the middle of it all, do you recognize someone? Uh huh? A woman named Celeste Corey. She was a member of the gathering in the seventies. I interviewed her back then, Officer Batista. That's why we're here. I thought you were here to, you know, report cult activity. We need some files. You have all the old files, don't you. I do. But Thomas and I weren't the only people on the force who were looking into the gathering. And God only knows what Celeste has been up to for the past forty years. You're asking me to give you confidential information. Okay, come on, this is a suburban police force, it's not the n s A. I think what Anne is trying to say here is it. Anything that you have on Celeste would be a huge help to us. I'm sorry, I can't giving out information about a private citizen. I could lose my job. Well, I'm sorry. I think dating occultist who lied to the police could also put your job at risk. So I mean, you know, there's no reason your captain needs to know that you're talking to us or about Katie. Right, fine, good, thank you. You didn't see any violence, correct, There wasn't any animal sacrifice or or utilation of anyone. No, no, uh. When we went to see her, Celeste said that they were using those knives for carving symbols into trees. M that tracks you've noticed an upstick and vandalism of both the swamp it. Wait, did you see you went to go talk to her? Yes, on Monday. It was mostly a waste of time, which is why we need at file. So after seeing a cult meeting involving in a legal bonfire and several armed participants, you decided to go talk to one of the perpetrators and then wait five more days before coming to the police. I am the police, all due respect, miss Becker. No, you're not. You can't just go harassing people if I'm going to risk my job for you, then I need you. We weren't harassing anyone, so less talk to us willingly. Mr Bradshaw Captain. I was just umh and a becker. What exactly are you two doing here together? We were just they were asking about the missing hiker. Yeah, that's right. I I've just been concerned. Oh do you know Daniel? No? No, I just um, Well, I I guess I feel a bit beholden to him, seeing as he found my father's badge, and I just wish I could have thanked him. Oh, there's still plenty of time for that. You found him, Yes, that's what I was about to tell you. It seems you went back to hiking Freetown for Rest and got lost for a couple of days. Is he all right? He's a little banged up, dehydrated, you know, the usual for lost hikers, but he'll be fine. What happened? Do you mean? What happened? Kid? Didn't know where he was going, took a wrong turn and couldn't find his way out, and that's all. That's all. Well, I'm I'm glad to hear that he's all right. Is there anything else we can do for you no, thank you, Captain m hmm, get back to work, ba Gista, I should really get going. Wait that hiker? What about him? Where can we find him? This episode is sponsored by better Help Online Counseling. Life isn't always easy. If you're feeling depressed, or struggling with uncertainty, or having difficulties sleeping, Better Help offers experience therapists who can listen and help. Just fill out a questionnaire to help better Help assess your needs and match you with your professional license therapist. You can start communicating with your therapist and under forty eight hours and schedule secure weekly video phone or even live chat appointments. Better Help isn't a crisis line, it's not self help. It's professional therapy done securely online, and better Help counselors have a broad range of expertise, many of which might not be available in your area from an in person therapist. Better Help us committed to facilitating great therapeutic matches, so it's easy and free to change therapists if needed. Plus, it's more convenient and more affordable than in person therapy, and financial aid is available. In fact, so many people have been using better Help that they are recruiting additional counselors in all fifty states. Bridgewater is sponsored by Better Help Online Therapy, and our listeners get ten percent off their first month of online therapy at better help dot com slash Bridgewater. That's better h e lp dot com slash Bridgewater. Get matched with a Better Help therapist and get started. You know, Bradshaw, I am impressed. What do you mean storing a police officer for information? I didn't think it hadn't didn't you. Hey, that's not I did not do that. Oh what did you think that was? Then? Listen, you were the one that brought up Batista's girlfriend. I just wanted to tell Captain Haddock about the gathering. I'm telling you that would have been a mistake. We don't want to spook them. If the police get officially involved and start sniffing around Celeste again, they'll close up shop again and we'll miss our chance, miss our chance to what to find out what the gathering is trying to do. Well, Celeste told us they're trying to open the door to the other side. I'm actually just more interested in how would they think they're going to do that? What if it's more than that? What if they've already opened a door and they're trying to let something out, and please no, I know you don't believe me, but something is going on, Bradshaw. You saw the symbols in the fire, You heard the voicemails from your dad. That was not my father, that was that was some kind of prank or something. I got a third one last night and just listen. Olivia taught me how to get it onto my phone. And I really don't want a cool That wasn't my dad, Bradshaw, how can you that wasn't him, and someone is messing with you. I don't know who, I don't know why, but that was not my dad. How can you still not believe that, maybe, just maybe there's something going on here that you can't immediately wave away. How can you be so quick to believe that that is my dad's voice? You know, there is a reason that we believe in these stories, these myths. There are brains way of filling in the gaps. We find a meeting. We see a cloud and we want to give it a shape that we recognize, and a shadow will pass before our eyes, these very weak, very limited human eyes, and we call it a ghost and then we hear a strange voice in the woods, and we want desperately to believe that it is the person that we want to hear from the most. That's what we do as humans. Amen, on a voicemail. What a strange voice on a voicemail? What did I say? The woods? Oh? Yeah, on a voicemail, Jeremy, listen, this is it. We're here. Well, I just want to say we're really glad that you're all right. Uh yeah, yeah, thanks. What exactly happened to you? Daniel? You said you'd listen to me, right, you won't make fun of me, of course, not like we said, Daniel, were not the police. Yeah, but you used to be yes, And during my time on the forest, I encountered a lot of things I couldn't explain in the forest. And it seems like maybe you did too. But if you didn't, that's okay too. It's a big park and getting lost is it's completely understandable. Yeah, yeah, you guys want some water or anything? I might I might get some water. Uh yeah, of course, go ahead. Yeah, we're okay, thank you? What are you doing? Excuse me? And you can't leave him like that. We need to hear what he went through, not some story that he comes up with. Because you're suggesting that he encountered something supernatural. I wasn't suggesting anything. Oh, come on, you were leading him and you know it. Okay, who here has actually questioned people before? And you're not the only one who knows how to do an interview. I've talked to a lot of people with lot of crazy stories, and all that takes is a tiny little push to turn nothing into something in someone's head. Sorry, am I just m this is hard to talk about. Yeah, take your time. We're here to listen to whatever you want to tell us. I did get lost, okay, just a little, and I went back to the forest because something, something had been bothering me about finding the badge. The badge? What do you mean? I kept thinking about it, and I think I think I saw something in the woods right before I noticed the badge on the ground. What did you see? Someone running away? Maybe couldn't have been an animal. No? No, it was bright, white and tall and like like it was made of light. What kind of you didn't follow it? No? I I stepped on something and I looked down to see a police badge. I was freaked I ran right back to my friend. And but that's why I went back. I wanted to. I've been having these nightmares about being lost in the woods and there's something following me and a voice. What what's the voice saying? I thought if that I went back into the forest during the day, it would I don't know. I thought checking out the spot where we found the badge, seeing it again would would stop the nightmares. But I got turned around on my way there, and and were you and your friend hiking at night? What when you found the badge? You said you wanted to go back during the day. The dreams they're always at night. You're still having them. They're different now since what happened, Daniel, when you got lost? What happened? It got dark and my phone died. I mean, it's not like it had any service, but I've been using it for a map and a flashlight. And then I was just it was so dark. But then these lights appeared. There were a few of them, round and white and just hanging there in the air. Were they doing anything else, like moving pulsing? No? No, not at first, but but then then there was a voice. It was whispering, e wa che excuse me, That's what it was saying. E wa cho And did you recognize the voice? Did it sound human? No? No, it didn't. The lights started to move and I, I can't explain it. I wanted to follow, so I did. It's all such a blur, but I know, I know what I saw. I did get lost, but that's not That's not why I went missing. Daniel, what are you saying? I'm saying. I'm saying I was abducted by aliens. Hey, Vippen did nothing in our conversation last night's stick. It's the weekend. Why are you calling me? What's up? Well, it's a bit of a funny story. Actually, I've got one of those two. Actually, And and I went to go see that hiker who was fine, by the way, he was just fine. It was a couple of days ago. Um, he's physically fine. He's pretty rattled. But it ended up being a pretty interesting way to spend a Friday afternoon, because, yep, I'm in a hawk mock swamp. And why are you spending your Saturday morning in a swamp? It didn't seem like a good idea to come here in the middle of the night. Sipen Hey, I wanted to see if I could find traces of what the cults was doing last weekend pictures of the carving CELESTI was talking about, and I, h I got a little lost snippen. No, I'm fine, I'm fine, Really, I just I just thought I was hoping you would remember something about the clearing that they were in, you know, how far into the swamp it was, any distinctive landmarks. Uh, it was the middle of the night, and I was a little distracted by that, you know, cults. But so you have no idea where you were basically basically, yeah, sorry, So have you found anything? Ah, it's hard to say. I've seen some markings on trees, but I'm not sure they're carvings. They don't look distinctive enus. They almost look like like like what hallmark? Really? Come on? What? What could leave claw marks in the swamp? I have absolutely no idea. Here's another one, Professor, It's enormous. It could be woodpeckers maybe, or some kind of squirrel six clawed squirrel. Okay, well probably not that then. Uh, well, maybe it is a carving. It's just a symbol that the gathering uses that we haven't seen yet maybe, Pippen. Yeah, sorry, I m is really great beyond. Yeah, Hey, buddy, listen, why don't you just work on getting out of there. I'll stay with you on the phone and then you and I can go back there on Monday after class. How does that sound? Yeah? Yeah, that that sounds like a good idea takes what? What was? What? Hear? What? That's how? Um? Pippen? You're probably just here in the wind. Yeah yeah, Pippen. PROFESSORI calls what There's something? Professor Pippin Sippen, will you tell me? Do you see someone? Is there? Someone there? Something else? Pippin Fippen, fipp In, God damn it. Bridgewater was created by Aaron Manky and written and directed by Lauren Shippen, with executive producers Aaron Manky, Misha Collins, Matt Frederick and Alex Williams, supervising producer Trevor Young, editing and sound designed by Trevor Young and Matt Stillo, and music by Chad Lawson. Starring Misha Collins as Jeremy Bradshaw, Melissa Ponzio as Anne Becker, Karen Sony as Vip, and Corona Lori Allen as Nancy Collins, Cheryl Umania as Officer Bautista, Victoria Grace as Katie Frank's Will Wheaton as Captain Haddock, Hillary Burton Morgan as Shelley Hoskins, Jonathan Joss as Joseph Hoskins, Sabra May as Olivia Hoskins, Samuel Marty as Ethan Hoskins, Kristin Bauer as Celeste, and Nathan Fillion as Thomas Bradshaw, with additional voice acting by Brigand Snow, Andrew Nowak, Julia Maury Sawa, Jarvis Johnson, and Brielle Bresnan, Kristen dem Curio, James Oliva and leron Amia. Learn more about the show over at Grimm and Mild dot com, slash Bridgewater, and find more podcasts from I heart Radio on the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows, and as always, thanks for listening. H