The Case of the Lighthouse Leapers is the fourth episode of the first season of the Netflix original supernatural series, Dead Boy Detectives.
Synopsis[]
The gang looks into a disturbing trend of deaths at a lighthouse. Crystal hears a distinct voice while piecing together clues about the seaside mystery.
Plot[]
Crystal and Niko make their way down into the butcher shop to pay their rent. Niko hands Jenny an envelope, whilst Crystal pays her with a jar of coins that they got for the Devlin house murder investigation. Jenny criticizes Crystal's form of payment, but ultimately accepts. The girls then discover that a secret admirer is sending Jenny love letters, with Crystal and Niko offering to help her find her admirer, but she turns down their help. The letters are nice, but they are all computer typed, which is creepy and serial killer territory by Jenny's account. Additionally, no one ever turns out to be who you think they are, Jenny remarks. Crystal can relate, as she's not even sure who she is anymore. At that very moment, a ghost fisherman enters the shop, startling Crystal and Niko as he demands to know the whereabouts of the Dead Boy Detectives.
Charles is searching for his spyglass, but Edwin is distracted by the book he received from Monty. Charles reminds Edwin that they're supposed to be trying to get out off the town and not make friends. Crystal and Niko join them with a ghost named Dagfinn, demanding that they get the ghosts out of his lighthouse. He's been haunting the lighthouse at Point No Point for decades. But then the last two days people started showing up jumping off the lighthouse and killing themselves, two so far. And now he's got the extra ghosts of the newly dead sulking and loitering. Dagfinn offers to pay them in saltwater taffy and a cursed magic 8-ball that'll tell them exactly when they're going to die.
Edwin, Charles, Crystal, and Niko arrive at Point No Point just in time to see a lady jump from the lighthouse to her death. The death toll is now up to three, two men and a woman. Upon their death, Edwin deduces that they're suffering from unusual melancholia. They seem to stay at the sea and wander back to the lighthouse. Ghost of suicide, usually wander the Earth, but these are simply lingering. Before long, they're joined by a sheriff's deputy, who received their call about the latest death. She asks for them to describe what happened and the victim, but the deputy is skeptical of their claim given that they are two kids who look like they should be in school, living an itinerary lifestyle, and most likely high. An elderly woman named Asha joins them, though she too is doubtful that anyone jumped into the water. She asks for them to join her for a cup of tea in her gift shop. Crystal declines, but Niko insists. Edwin is suddenly attacked by a cat, which is also the 142nd cat he's crossed paths with so far, keeping track of them as agreed upon with the Cat King.
Whilst Edwin goes off on his own, Charles and Crystal attempt to question the three ghosts about their deaths. They ask the latest victim, a red haired lady, why she jumped. She explains that it was the best feeling ever. Her ex-boyfriend, he never did that touchy-feely stuff, but that morning she heard him telling her that he loved her. She heard it repeatedly, and it kept getting louder, and it was the loudest at the top of the lighthouse. She had to get to him, so she followed it. The first male ghost heard his dad, whilst the second heard his wife Brenda.
Edwin follows the cat that attacked him, and as he suspected, it is actually the Cat King. Edwin claims that there are 142 cats in town, but he's unfortunately incorrect. This is an impossible task, Edwin remarks, leading him to question how this could possibly make the Cat King happy, to which he replies that it gives him more time with Edwin. Hundreds of years older with more experience, the Cat King offers to be anything Edwin likes, transforming into Monty and then Charles. If he isn't going to remove the bracelet, Edwin says that he will return to his investigation, leading the Cat King to question why Edwin cares so much about cases of strangers. He touches Edwin's lip, leaving behind a gold trail which acts as some form of compulsion, forcing Edwin to admit the real reason for the Dead Boy Detectives is that he's doing as much good as he can so that eventually if he goes back to Hell, he can make his case for leniency. Cat King whispers to Edwin that he never has to pretend with him, and that he likes his secret parts, but Edwin pulls away, admitting that his true intentions are selfish. Before parting ways, he tells Edwin that he was way off on his count of cats.
As the Night Nurse arrives in Port Townsend, reading a welcome brochure of Washington, Charles and Crystal make their way to the top of the lighthouse. Just for a second, Crystal wants to talk about the trauma Charles endured while at the murder house, but he doesn't believe there's anything much to talk about. Both Mr. Devlin and his dad were terrible people, and yes, Charles admittedly got angry, but he insists that he's fine. She tries to pressure him to open up, but Charles refuses to do so, explaining that he appreciates her caring but to simply drop the subject. Whilst Charles doesn't hear anything, Crystal begins to hear a woman whispering her name, causing her to reach out and maybe even jump, but she regains her sense when Charles calls her name.
Asha pours Niko a cup of hot tea and tells her that she's ran the shop for years and in that time people have pulled a number of pranks. It was most likely a bird and the morning sun playing a trick on her eyes. Niko plays along, and then turns her attention to the gift shop itself, which is all locally crafted. Asha has even made a few things herself. Edwin joins Niko and asks what she has learned, which is only that there's a kite festival coming up tomorrow; the coast will be crowded with hundreds of people waiting to fall to their deaths. Niko then takes an interest in one of the paintings in the shop, which Asha explains is a depiction of Lilith, the goddess of wronged woman and blood magic. They say you can speak or pray to her through any image of her, and she's exceptionally popular with witches. Another painting in the shop, the mermaids, who are half fish and mainly consist of women who lure men to their deaths in the water. In another painting is the Washer Woman, a local lore and an oracle of sorts. The text on the painting reads, "Light bent through prism, blood red door, only for those in need." The riddle is a way to find the Washer Woman, Asha explains, as she's the artist of the painting. Edwin admires the fact that Niko knows how to ask a lot of important questions, leading him to question where she cultivated such an investigative instinct. She's watched hundreds of hours of detective anime and cartoons, Niki reveals.
The Dead Boys regroup and go over their discoveries thus far, at which point Niko reveals that Edwin had another encounter with the Cat King, which distracts them from noticing that Crystal has wandered off as she begins to hear the same woman calling her name yet again. She's lured away and nearly jumps off the edge into the water below, but Niko pulls her off the cliff. Charles holds her down as Crystal fights to jump in the water, exclaiming that she heard her mother's voice. Edwin and Niko look down to the water below and see some type of glowing light.
Crystal insists that she's fine now. Even though she doesn't remember her mother, she knew that was her mother's voice. It was like Crystal had to go to her. Between what David showed her and now hearing her mother's voice, it's almost like she can reach out and touch whoever she was. However, Charles informs Crystal that whoever she heard wasn't really her mom. All the other ghosts claim to have heard a loved one's voice as well, meaning that whatever is killing people is doing so by luring them in with the voices of those they cherish the most. The ghosts of those who jumped are now stuck due to unfinished business, as they're waiting for their loved ones whose voice they heard to appear.
Edwin joins Niko at the shore, as she's watches two starfish together, remarking how romantic it is. However, Edwin reveals that they have no brain, to which Niko replies that love requires no logic and that it's nice to feel that way about someone, such as how Edwin feels about Monty. Niko has been collecting beautiful pieces of sea glass and gifts Edwin one to give to Monty, specifically a pink one, which means love. Niko herself has never been kissed. Nor has Edwin, admittedly. Niko asks if he wants to kiss Monty, but he's not sure. Every time he sees the Cat King, he's painfully reminded of his inexperience. So she asks if he wants to kiss the Cat King instead, which Edward says that he doesn't. When Niko gives him a red piece of sea glass for courage, Edwin recalls the riddle from the Washer Woman painting about light bending through a prism of a blood red door for those in need. Edwin holds the red glass up to the light and the four of them are taken to the Washer Woman, who asks what they need while wringing the blood of mankind out of a rag.
The Washer Woman can see their lives and feel their pain. She cries for them, but the burden is hers to bear. A high-pitched scream leaves them all in shock and in need of answers. She appears to them because they need deep and asks what they require. They are looking for whatever is killing people near the lighthouse. The Washer Woman replies that the waters are filled with strange beasts as old as the sun itself. They are awakened by the storms, and they feed, but it's something much larger than sirens or mermaids. A sea monster, Edwin deduces. There's no way to kill it, only measure for measure, it must play until it tires. Suddenly, the Boys and Niko disappear, and it's just Crystal alone with the Washer Woman. Crystal asks to get her memories back so she can know who she is. The Washer Woman answers with a riddle. "The ground moves, and the bird cries, stop looking without, and look within." Crystal then joins the others back in reality.
Edwin, Charles, Crystal, and Niko make their way to Tragic Mick's magic shop for help with killing a sea monster.
Jenny reads over the latest letter from her secret admirer when she suddenly hears the floorboards creek despite no one else being home. With a meat cleaver in hand, she makes her way upstairs to find that Crystal's door is open. She is startled by the Night Nurse, who claims to be an old family friend of Crystal's and asks for her location. Night Nurse uses her ability of stopping Jenny's breath to force Jenny to reveal that Crystal and Niko went to the beach. Night Nurse proceeds to leave, wiping the memory of their violent encounter from Jenny's mind.
Based off their description, Tragic Mick believes they're looking for a sea monster named Angie. She sends out a feeling of yearning with her scream and people fill in the blank with whoever they miss. But Angie is shy, and it's rare she would be above water, as she typically tends to keep to herself. She may be killing people, but Tragic Mick explains that it's not her fault she has to eat. He then learns that they saw the Washer Woman, who he's been in search of for over 50 years so that she may tell him how to turn back into a walrus, but she only shows up for those whose need is great enough. He questions how they conjure her. Niko explains that she simply found a piece of red sea glass, though she gifts Mick a green sea glass as it represents emotional stability. Tragic Mick suggests that they simply put Angie back to sleep instead of killing her, meaning they need a lullaby of sorts. Fortunately, Charles has a music box, though with Angie being as big as she is, they're going to need to feed it to her.
Edwin, Charles, Crystal and Niko return to the shop in search of bait, but they're interrupted by Monty, whose simply returning Edwin's book. Jenny returns from out back and tells Crystal that a redheaded woman in a pantsuit came by looking for her, claiming to be a family friend.
Charles, Crystal and Niko head out back to retrieve the scraps Jenny just threw away to use as bait for Angie, though Crystal questions how anyone could've possibly tracked her down. Charles suspects that maybe whoever the woman is has special powers like Crystal. Meanwhile, Edwin and Monty chat about being free and Monty asks Edwin out on a date, but he can't due to being in the middle of a project. However, Niko simply tells him the truth about them being detectives on a case. They have very little time to waste, but Edwin does agree to at some point take a walk and talk with Monty. Not far off, the two cats continue to keep a close eye on Edwin, discussing how the male cat was initially out smarted by Edwin.
Edwin, Charles, Crystal, and Niko return to the lighthouse with the music ball and meat scraps. Standing near the edge, they spot the red-headed women mentioned by Jenny. The four of them cautiously approach the Night Nurse, who reveals that Crystal was simply bait for her to get to the Dead Boys, explaining that she's the Night Nurse on duty who runs the Lost & Found Department, placing errant dead children where they're meant to be. Crystal grabs Night Nurse in an attempt to get in her head, but what she sees leaves her traumatized. Charles pulls out a paddle, prepared for a fight, refusing to allow Edwin to be taken to Hell. Night Nurse isn't sure what his afterlife is, but they must get him processed. He doesn't belong on earth any longer. He claims that she knows nothing about them, and so to prove a point, she sticks him in an old memory.
Charles is forced to live his final moments alive, freezing in a lake as boys throw rocks at him, which led to his hypothermic death and internal bleeding. She questions why he would want to stay on earth after experiencing this. She then puts him in a mother memory of him being abused and beaten mercilessly by his father. Night Nurse tries to get Charles to understand that no matter what he's done or will ever do, the world will beat him down for it. His afterlife must be better than his time on earth. Now back in the real world, Charles takes his frustrations out on the Night Nurse, attacking her with the music ball. When she takes it from him, he proceeds to knock her over the ledge and down below to Angie, who swallows her whole. While he may have taken care of the Night Nurse, Edwin suggests that he may have been too extreme. Charles retorts that him dying at 16 was also extreme. He doesn't want to be dead, in fact, he hates it, but every day he has to put on a smile because who else is going to be holding it together and keep the spirits up if not him. But he's not even sure what the point is anymore. He couldn't stop Devlin from murdering his family. He can't stop Crystal from hurting. And he can't stop whatever it is that is going on with Edwin. And he sure as hell couldn't stop his dad from beating him, no matter how good he was. As he cries on the ground, Edwin attempts to console him.
The sun has risen and the four of them intend to return home. As they're leaving the lighthouse, Dagfinn thanks them for their good work, as all the other ghosts have wandered off. He pays them as promised with salt water taffy and the cursed magic 8-ball.
Down below, Niko spots Tragic Mick searching the shores for red sea glass so that he may meet the Washer Woman.
Once they've returned to the shop, Crystal and Niko go into their respective rooms. Edwin and Charles remain in the hallway, where Edwin insists that Charles can talk to him about anything. Charles tells Edwin the same. Edwin then joins Niko in her room, where they watch Scooby-Do and other detective shows. Seeing how much hope Crystal had when she thought she was hearing her mom, gave Niko something to think about. So now she's going to finally read her mother's letters.
Elsewhere, Charles and Crystal discuss the tiring day behind them. Charles has been angry for such a long time. And she's tired of not being any closer to who she is. She just wants something that's real, and so Charles kisses her. Although he doesn't feel it, she kisses him back.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- George Rexstrew as Edwin Payne
- Jayden Revri as Charles Rowland
- Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace
- Briana Cuoco as Jenny Green
- Ruth Connell as Night Nurse
- Yuyu Kitamura as Niko Sasaki
- Jenn Lyon as Esther Finch
Guest Starring[]
- Michael Beach as Tragic Mick
- Joshua Colley as Monty
- Sherri Saum as Maddy
Co-Starring[]
- Omer Aubin as Charles' Dad
- Hazel Bartlett-Sias as Girl 2
- Ryan Graham as Male Ghost 2
- BJ Harrison as Asha
- Gardiner Millar as Dagfinn
- Shayan Moallef as Male Ghost 1
- Amber Nash as Tabby Cat (voice)
- Katie Prasad-Keough as Washer Woman
- Devak Shah as Pakistani Boy
- André Sogliuzzo as Grey Cat (voice)
- Isla Sunar as Girl 1
- Sharon Taylor as Officer Parris
- Teagan Vincze as Red Haired Ghost
- Sangeeta Wylie as Charles' Mum
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
References[]