Episode 5 of Ripley kicks off with the shocking discovery of Dickie's corpse finally floating to the surface. Tom religiously scans the newspaper for any news regarding Dickie's demise, but to no avail. Finally, he secures an apartment, albeit with the inconvenience of numerous stairs due to a broken elevator. The landlady, a keen observer, takes a liking to him once he reveals his status as a wealthy bachelor.
As things begin to look up with the elevator finally getting fixed, Tom continues his charade, writing to an oblivious Marge, posing as Dickie. Even a charming lady at the post office finds him irresistible. Tom's artistic talents also come to the fore as he starts painting, revealing a surprising aptitude.
However, the facade starts to crack when Freddie unexpectedly appears, tracking him down through the apartment's phone registered under Dickie's name. Freddie repeatedly catches Tom in his lies but lets it slide, choosing to leave. Downstairs, however, the landlady insists that Dickie resides in the apartment, and it all starts to make sense for Freddie.
Suspicions confirmed, Freddie returns to the apartment to confront Tom. It turns out that Freddie had called Bob, who revealed Tom's true identity as a con artist specializing in forgery services like fake IDs. While Marge is blissfully unaware, believing that Tom and Dickie are having an affair, Freddie is on the right track. He notices Tom wearing Dickie's clothes, shoes, and even his watch, realizing that he has stolen Dickie's identity.
Determined to expose Tom, Freddie rushes to call the police. But Tom, in a panic, beats him to the punch, fatally striking him with a new ashtray. Tom's world starts to spin as he frantically tries to clean up the blood that has stained his precious painting and prepares a story to tell the incoming cops. He rushes downstairs to find Freddie's car, but his every move is watched by a suspicious neighbor and the ever-observant landlady.
Backing away, he carefully poured alcohol into Freddie's already-slackened mouth, plopping a hat onto his head as if dressing up a doll. Attempting to escort his heavily inebriated friend downstairs, they encountered the elevator's malfunction mid-descent, forcing a grueling descent via the stairs. A neighbour, alerted by the commotion, merely cocked an ear before dismissing it as none of their business.
Meanwhile, on the street, Tom resorted to kissing Freddie in a brazen attempt to mask their situation. But their ploy was interrupted by a passerby, a man walking his dog who paused to offer assistance. Tom quickly dismissed him with a wave and, seizing the opportunity, made a hasty getaway in Freddie's car.
Abandoning his unconscious companion and the vehicle in a deserted locale, Tom hopped into a taxi, eager to escape the mess he'd created. Arriving home, he was horrified to find blood smeared across the stairwell and elevator, forcing him into a frantic cleaning spree.
As the gravity of the situation dawned on him, Tom dashed back to the abandoned car, intent on disposing of Freddie's wallet and passport. Finally returning to his sanctuary, he collapsed onto the couch, reaching for a drink to steady his nerves at the end of this harrowing episode of Ripley.
