The penultimate episode of Harlan Coben's "Run Away" unfolds much as you'd anticipate. A flurry of revelations, a handful of fatalities, and the stakes set for a climactic finale that will hopefully deliver the answers we crave. Episode 7, "Sliding Doors," is the point where chaos erupts, and it's thrilling to witness.
Everything is starting to come together now, in a way that's quite satisfying. Almost all the pieces fit into place, with just a couple of key details left to be resolved in the finale, giving that climactic episode a more manageable task. The elimination of half the supporting cast certainly doesn't hurt either. But let's get to that.
We begin with a flashback to three weeks earlier, revisiting the scene that opened Episode 5 from Mother Adiona's perspective. After Dee Dee leaves, she visits a confused man named Nathan and warns him that he's in danger and someone has been sent to kill him. Naturally, he dismisses her as crazy, but we'll return to the significance of this later.
The point is, Ash and Dee Dee are on a rampage, and now, thanks to killing Elena in the previous episode, they have her phone. This is crucial since Simon messages her after paying Randy ten grand for DNA test results to tell her he's the father of all three of his children. Ash and Dee Dee start messaging him back, with Dee Dee requesting permission from the Shining Truth to add him to the kill list, indicating he knows more than he should.
However, they don't message in Elena's tone, which makes Simon suspicious. Lou feels the same way after receiving a similar message. They connect to share their concerns, and Lou mentions she's asked her contact to ping Elena's phone since she deleted the tracking app. It's now a waiting game.
Lou rushes to Isaac and Ruby to report Elena's disappearance, and they promptly set out to find Sebastian Thorpe. Fortunately, they arrive at a crucial moment, as he has news to share. Henry has received a letter that he opened, revealing a message from a woman named Victoria, proposing a meeting at a specific time and place – and to their luck, the meeting is scheduled for that day.
The location, while somewhat secretive, is easy to deduce: it's the Lookout, a café nestled in the park. To cover all bases, Isaac and Ruby split up to monitor both potential locations. Isaac quickly spots a waitress who matches Victoria's description.
Victoria has some intriguing revelations. She's Henry's birth mother. When she became pregnant, she was part of the Shining Truth cult. Henry's father is Caspar Vartage, the infamous "One." However, after giving birth, she was told her child had died. After leaving the cult, Henry tracked her down through an ancestry site, and she explained everything to him – including her revelation to the leaders at Shining Haven, which must have been what tipped them off initially.
Simon's financial acumen is crucial here; without his resources, this plot wouldn't have worked. He's already paid ten grand for DNA results and owes Rocco £50K. And Rocco wants to meet him, claiming to have discovered something about Paige. For some reason, Luther – who's been released on bail – also wants to meet and demands $10K of his own.
Simon and Cornelius gather the £60K from Yvonne and prepare to meet Rocco. In more personal news, Simon also informs Yvonne about Paige's rape. To his surprise, she reveals that she already knew and helped Paige get private counseling. What's more, Ingrid also knew about it all – leaving Simon as the only one in the dark.
Throughout Run Away Episode 7, Ash is becoming increasingly disillusioned with Dee Dee and the cult, particularly after receiving the note from Ariona. When he confronts Dee Dee with this note, she explains the situation. Here's the gist: The One is dying. In the Shining Haven, male blood is considered the purest, so when he passes, the Visitor and the Volunteer are due to inherit the cult's substantial fortune of private donations and other unknown assets. However, the One was sexually promiscuous and sired a number of illegitimate children with women in the compound. According to the cult's own rules, all of those children would have a claim on the inheritance, which would destroy the Shining Truth.
As a result, the One and his sons authorized the murder of all the bastard offspring, including, sadly for Ariona, her own son conceived with Vartage. "Sliding Doors" ends with chaos. Simon's assassination is approved by the Shining Truth, but first, Ash and Dee Dee decide to go after Aaron. This, of course, proves that they didn't kill him, even though they intended to, which means someone else did. They discover this for themselves when they arrive at his flat and find it empty, with crime scene tape on the ground and his mattress covered in blood.
Luckily for them, they spot Simon outside, heading with Cornelius to meet Rocco in the basement. So, they follow. Rocco isn't a great negotiator, but in exchange for the cash, he's willing to reveal that Paige got on a bus to Brackmere. He also points out that Luther shot Ingrid specifically - but why? Before any more can be revealed, Luther himself arrives and spots Ash and Dee Dee, who are hiding nearby, planning to kill Simon. They shoot him and Rocco. Cornelius gets nicked in the arm too. But when Simon tackles Dee Dee, Cornelius shoots Ash in the neck. Dee Dee, devastated, cries over his body, giving Simon and Cornelius time to flee. However, they don't get far as Dee Dee pursues them through the estate. Simon lures her to one of the higher balconies where she eventually shoots and corners him. However, just as she's about to kill him, Mother Adiona appears out of nowhere and throws her from the top balcony to her death.
