The episode kicks off with Mickey Fitzpatrick (Amanda Seyfried), receiving the startling news that Sergeant Ahearn (Patch Darragh) neglected to order a toxicology report for Paula Mulroney (Perry Mattfeld). This revelation triggers a flashback to 2016, when Mickey first discovered that her brother, Thomas Fitzpatrick (Callum Vinson), was born addicted due to her sister Kacey Fitzpatrick's (Ashleigh Cummings) substance abuse during pregnancy.
Moments later, Mickey unburdens her tale of Thomas to Truman Dawes (Nicholas Pinnock). Truman remarks that she could have confided in him sooner. She confesses her fear of being perceived as a monstrous individual who took Thomas out of spite for Simon Cleare's (Matthew Del Negro) affair with Kacey. Truman, acknowledging a soft corner for Kacey, underscores the gravity of a child's uncertainty about their parent's well-being or the next meal.
As Mickey expresses her concerns for the other women, she and Truman revert to dissecting the case. Truman wonders aloud which officer, in their right senses, would dare question Simon with the current evidence. Mickey, determined, declares her intention to confront him.
Confronting Simon, Mickey reveals she spotted him on the Avenue and is acutely aware of his capabilities, recalling how he singled her out at 14. He counters by claiming she was the one who noticed him first. Differentiating himself from the killer, Simon boasts about compensating his girls financially. When he mentions paying for her sister too, Mickey strikes him. He proceeds to mention Jill (Serena Parrish) and their trip to Salem for Halloween. Returning to the car, Mickey informs Truman that Simon cannot be the killer since he was in Salem when the first three girls were murdered.
The next day at work, Mickey inquires Detective Davis Danjarat (Joe Daru) if he's heard about Paula's plight. Stepping into his office, she imparts her knowledge about Paula. Danjarat promptly vows to contact the Medical Examiner and apologizes for the oversight. Additionally, Danjarat realizes that Sean Kelly (Ben Thompson) was in custody when Paula met her demise.
Mike DiPaolo, alias Matthew Sean Blumm, assures Truman Ahearn that he's not a murderer, to which Truman counters by inquiring if he's merely shielding someone else. Mike vows to investigate further.
Mickey pays a visit to Paula's abode, bearing a bouquet of flowers. While there, her thoughts drift back to 2016, when she confidentially discussed Kacey and Thomas with a social worker. She's abruptly pulled from her reverie by a text from Truman, alerting her to the discovery of Jimmy Scanlon.
Upon examining the deceased, whose attire bore the Riverway insignia, Mickey and Truman discover that Riverway is a boating enterprise specializing in alcoholic cruises and similar ventures. Mickey's revelation that the victim had been submerged for a month jogs her memory about Emily Morris, who was also discovered upstream. Mickey suspects Emily might attend Paula's funeral and decides to go herself.
Gee, played by John Doman, visits Mickey to discuss Kacey. He admits that he lied about her father's demise to shield her from further heartache. Mickey acknowledges his reasoning but insists they deserve the truth. Gee apologizes and reveals that Kacey was hiding because she was pregnant. He further asserts that Kacey had every right to take Thomas, as he wouldn't have survived without her. This prompts Gee to disclose that Kacey was also born addicted to drugs, prompting Mickey to recall a 2016 conversation where Gee assured her that the O'Briens would keep Thomas's paternity a secret.
Later, Mickey confesses to Thomas that she made an irreparable mistake. He comforts her, saying it's never too late to rectify wrongs; all one needs is to apologize sincerely. She wonders how to apologize to someone she can't confront. Thomas advises that she can apologize in her heart.
Mickey attends Paula's funeral and is surprised to see Kacey, who sits beside her.
Elsewhere, Truman engages in conversation with Arnold White (portrayed by Garry Pastore), Jimmy's supervisor at Riverway. Arnold reveals that Jimmy frequently ferried supplies to the cargo crews during their docking waits and occasionally assisted in waste removal. Truman then informs Arnold of Jimmy's tragic shooting and inquiries whether Jimmy was handling more than just refuse. Arnold, expressing ignorance, responds that if Jimmy was indeed moving something else, he was unaware of it.
Following the somber funeral rites, Mickey extends her apologies to Kacey for all the turmoil they've endured. However, Kacey, unable to process it at the moment, declines her apology and walks away. Later in the night, Doctor Aura Williams (played by Britne Oldford) phones Mickey to inform her that Paula's toxicology report confirms an overdose, with normal insulin levels. After their conversation, a knock echoes at Mickey's door, revealing Kacey on the other side. She explains that she left the letter because she believed Mickey deserved to know Daniel Fitzpatrick (Michael Gaston) was still alive.
Upon inviting Kacey inside, Mickey expresses regret for causing her worry. Their conversation drifts to the topic of childbirth, with Kacey confessing that she needed Mickey's belief in her, which she didn't receive. Mickey apologizes, suggesting that perhaps they could have co-parented Thomas together. Kacey, philosophical, remarks that perhaps everything unfolded as it was meant to be. Mickey then introduces Kacey to Thomas as he sleeps peacefully. The discussion then shifts to the murderer, with Kacey mentioning Paula's assertion that the killer was a policeman. Their conversation stalls when Mickey receives a call from Truman, which she hurriedly ends, promising to meet him somewhere the next day.
After spending time with Truman, Mickey fills Kacey in on her lead concerning Emily Morris. Kacey, suggesting she might already know Emily's whereabouts, insists on helping. Mickey, determined to go alone, is persuaded otherwise by Kacey, who argues that Emily and her associates might not open up to a police officer. Though Mickey insists on accompanying her, Kacey agrees to keep her updated, acknowledging her involvement.
The following morning, Mickey dialed Kacey's number, only to be met with silence. Just as she was about to hang up, her phone rang, displaying Truman's name. He inquired whether she had inadvertently overlooked their scheduled meeting, to which she admitted she indeed had.
During their face-to-face session, Truman unveiled what he had uncovered about Jimmy. In return, Mickey shared her concerns about Kacey's unexpected radio silence. Their discussion about Jimmy and his workplace jogged Mickey's memory—Gee had once toiled at a nearby warehouse as a longshoreman. A lightbulb went off in her head; it wouldn't have been difficult for Jimmy to discreetly offload whatever contraband he was transporting.
Meanwhile, Kacey embarked on a fruitless quest to track down Melissa/Emily. Concurrently, Mickey and Truman confirmed their suspicions regarding Jimmy's boat activities. Determined, Kacey ventured into an eerie, abandoned building in search of Emily. On the other hand, Truman and his DPD comrade, Detective Martinez (Franco Gonzalez), scrutinized the coordinates Martinez had extracted from Jimmy's boat's GPS. They pondered over Jimmy's role and Emily's place in this intricate web.
Later, an ah-ha moment struck Mickey; she believed she had cracked the puzzle piece regarding Emily's involvement and elucidated it to Truman. By the conclusion of her explanation, Truman found himself torn—was their current course of action leading them into the depths of a large-scale operation? Mickey, undeterred, vowed to forge ahead solo if necessary.
With renewed urgency, Mickey set out to find Kacey. Her perseverance paid off when she received a text message from Kacey, instructing her to meet at the corner of G and Thayer. Upon arrival, Mickey stepped inside the decrepit building where Kacey awaited, eyes wide with urgency. Kacey revealed she had encountered Melissa/Emily but had slipped through her fingers. Worse, Melissa had dropped a bombshell—she claimed Truman was the killer. With this revelation, the episode came to a cliffhanger.
