Episode 2 of "Fool Me Once" begins with a haunting flashback, taking us back to the days when Maya was still serving at the army base. Suddenly, the calm is shattered by a frantic phone call from Joe, his voice urgent and filled with dread, informing her of a calamity that has struck her sister, Claire. Without hesitation, Maya rushes home, her heart heavy with foreboding. Joe, his eyes filled with compassion, wraps his arms around her, offering solace as she grieves the loss of her beloved sister.
Meanwhile, Detective Kierce and his junior partner Marty are still poring over the clues at Maya's house, searching for a connection between the tragic deaths of Clair and Joe. Kierce's questions probe deeper into the relationship between Claire and Joe, seeking to unravel any secrets that may have led to their fates. Maya responds candidly, emphasizing that while the two were close and collaborated on various matters, they were not romantically involved.
Satisfied with Maya's answers, the detectives prepare to leave. However, as they step out of the house, a revelation stuns Detective Kierce. He discovers that Marty has been lying about his marital status during the interrogation. Kierce sternly admonishes the young detective, stressing the importance of honesty in police work and warning him to stop fabricating stories.
The next day, Maya drops Lily off at a cheerful local daycare, her mind still haunted by the new lead about the gun. Determined to find answers, she decides to visit Eva, hoping that she might hold the key to unlocking the mysteries surrounding Claire's final days. Maya's work has kept her away from home for extended periods, but she believes that Eva, despite her own troubles with a volatile ex, may have insights into Claire's life that could lead to a breakthrough. Eva, despite her personal challenges, agrees to help Maya in her quest for the truth.
Eva revealed startling insights about Claire's final days, recalling a lunch encounter where Claire's demeanor shifted abruptly after receiving a mysterious call on her burner phone. Her agitation was palpable as she excused herself to take the call, leaving Eva perplexed. Maya, outraged, berated Eva for failing to inform the police about the burner phone and for not pressing Claire for more details about the mysterious call. Eva defended herself, claiming she feared Claire might be having an affair and didn't want to tarnish her family's memory after her death. Maya left in a huff, shaking her head in disgust.
Elsewhere, Detective Kierce faced a grilling session with his AAA sponsor, Nicole. She scolded him for skipping their meetings and urged him to seek medical attention. Kierce, fearing the worst and the potential loss of his job, hesitated. Nicole suggested a private hospital as a discreet option.
After her confrontation with Eva, Maya made a beeline to Claire's house, determined to uncover secrets. She searched Claire's old hiding place and found the burner phone, but it was lifeless. Suddenly, Eddie appeared, demanding that Maya leave and surrender the phone. Maya probed him about Claire's possible affair, but Eddie's anger turned to tears. He denied any affair but admitted that their relationship had been strained before Claire's death. A tussle ensued, and Maya easily overpowered him, snatching the phone and fleeing.
As Eddie stumbled out to follow her, Maya sped off, unaware that the commotion had caught the attention of Claire's daughter. Curious, she inquired about the phone, and Eddie's evasion piqued her interest. Trying to soothe her, Eddie allowed the children to rummage through their mother's belongings. Among the treasures from Claire's teenage years, they stumbled upon an old camera. Intrigued, they decided to print the photos, and a shocking discovery awaited them - their mother had been pregnant long before they were born.
At the bustling police station, Marty and Kierce delved deeper into the mysteries surrounding the two murders, scouring for clues that might unlock the killers' motives. Kierce harbored a hunch that the answers might lurk in the shadows of Izabella, the Burkett family's nanny. Perhaps, while working for the Burkett's, she had unwittingly stumbled upon a crucial piece of information or overheard a crucial conversation.
The detectives tracked down the nanny, and she revealed a startling tale. She claimed that Maya had descended into madness, hallucinating about her deceased husband. Izabella denied any involvement in the missing SD card and fabricated a tale of Maya attacking her unexpectedly. Regarding the rumored affair between Joe and Claire, the nanny firmly denied its existence, insisting that Joe was deeply devoted to his wife, Maya, while Maya herself had doubts about her worthiness of his love.
Meanwhile, Maya, steeling her nerves, charged the burner phone and delved into its contents. Her eyes narrowed as she spied a particular number that Claire had dialed repeatedly before her untimely death. Curious, she googled the number and discovered it belonged to a local arcade club. Without hesitation, she made her way to the club, but her investigation yielded no new leads or answers. The club owner feigned ignorance, claiming he had no acquaintance with either Joe or Claire.
After a long and exhausting day of sleuthing, Maya received a call from Judith, reminding her of the will reading scheduled for the next day. As she spoke with Judith, Maya's heart skipped a beat. She caught a glimpse of the familiar red car that had been dogging her steps. Panic began to set in as she realized she was at Lily's daycare, about to pick up her daughter. Yet, she steeled her resolve, ignoring the car and heading home. Once there, she swapped out the SD card in the digital picture frame and tried to quell her jittery nerves with a few hours of fitful sleep.
The following morning, Detective Kierce collapsed unconsciously on his kitchen floor, his anxiety mounting as he struggled to compose himself for the drive to his fiancée's monthly check-up. Determined to conceal his fragile state, he provoked a quarrel, forcing her to take the wheel. Safely arriving at the hospital, they eagerly awaited the ultrasound, gazing in awe at their unborn child. Kierce, despite his fears and the urgent desire to safeguard his loved ones, remained silent about his blackouts, afraid to burden her with his secrets.
Meanwhile, Shane kept Maya abreast of his investigation into the mysterious car trailing her. His efforts had yielded limited results; he had only discovered that the vehicle belonged to an enigmatic company named WTCX. Shane promised to delve deeper into the mystery while Maya prepared to attend the reading of the will.
Shane revealed to Maya that she might need the financial resources from the will to contend with the return of Corey the Whistle. Maya, however, was displeased by the revelation, recalling her job loss due to assisting him in exposing army secrets. She had provided him with an audio recording, but he had utilized only half of it, leaving her feeling betrayed. Shane fretted over the potential trouble Corey's return might bring, but Maya longed to move forward with her life, free from past entanglements.
At the reading of the will, the family gathered anxiously to hear Joe's final wishes. However, their anticipation turned to surprise when the lawyer announced a delay due to the absence of a death certificate. The unexpected revelation cast a suspicious shadow over the proceedings. Caroline, Joe's sister, confided in Maya, expressing her doubts about the lack of a death certificate. She recalled the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of their brother Andrew, whose demise Joe had attributed to a suicide, while their mother insisted it was a tragic accident at sea.
Caroline speculated that Joe and Andrew had been their mother's favorites, and she questioned Maya about whether she had seen Joe's body. She revealed that Judith had denied her the chance to view his remains, adding to her suspicions about the truth behind Joe's demise. Maya tried to reassure her that Joe was indeed gone, but Caroline's doubts persisted, particularly when she discovered that the family had been secretly paying Detective Kierce from a private bank account. Maya was stunned by this revelation, realizing that the secrets surrounding Joe's death were deeper and more intricate than she had imagined.
