Episode 2 of Sweetpea dawns with Rhiannon awakening amidst a cheerful haze, only to be abruptly pulled back into the chilling reality of the previous night as she lays eyes on her bloodstained knife and clothes. With a heavy heart, she surrenders these grim reminders to the wash, just as Craig arrives to negotiate for her father's business. She dismisses him abruptly, her thoughts returning to the sinister blade, now cleansed under her hands, eliciting a peculiar sense of exhilaration.
On her way to work, Rhiannon's gaze falters upon the police presence at Meadowlane Lock, the very spot where she had taken a life. At the office, AJ offers her a soothing cup of coffee, but she shuns his gesture, lost in her own tumultuous thoughts. Norman's demand for a front-page scoop prompts a tense moment, as Jeff divulges the grim discovery of a corpse, only for Rhiannon to chillingly reveal it's a murder by stabbing, outdoing him in the race for information.
Yet, Norman dispatches AJ and Jeff to the crime scene, leaving Rhiannon surrounded by whispers of the killer's madness and the elusive nature of the crime, with canal waters erasing all traces of DNA. Haunted by the revelation, Rhiannon furtively snatches Jeff's notes, her actions belied only by AJ's fleeting suspicion, which he dismisses, attributing her demeanor to the shock of the tragedy.
Scrolling through the internet, Rhiannon finds herself immersed in a sea of public outrage towards the unknown killer, their condemnations echoing within her. Suddenly, Jeff's call breaks the silence, revealing the victim's identity—Ryan Lloyd. The address, however, remains elusive, until Rhiannon cunningly maneuvers Norman into sending her on an exclusive assignment to interview the grieving family, AJ in tow, his apologies mingling with the heaviness of the moment.
AJ observes Rhiannon's distant demeanor, and she confides in him, her voice laced with unease, about the strange dissonance of questioning those in mourning while harboring her own unspoken grief. Her anger, an ever-present companion, finds solace in AJ's gentle tale of a misdirected kick that shattered a toe during his grandmother's passing, a moment of shared humanity amidst the darkness.
As for the Lloyds, Ryan's workplace arguments lingered on their minds, yet Rhiannon found herself inextricably drawn to his photographs, a fascination that bordered on obsession. In a flurry, she darted towards the bathroom only to stumble upon his bedroom, where a restraining order lay hidden, a damning testament to Ryan's darker side. Grabbing AJ by the hand, they fled, the truth about Ryan's bullying of Dave, a former colleague pushed to the brink of unemployment, now revealed.
Rhiannon's guilt over Ryan's demise began to dissipate as she empathized with Dave's plight. AJ, impressed by her detective work, couldn't help but marvel. But just as Rhiannon's moment of triumph dawned, Julia's ominous presence loomed, scheduling a house visit in her absence like a thundercloud spoiling the party.
Rhiannon raced home, transforming into a whirlwind of cleaning, erasing all traces of the night's carnage just as Julia arrived with her colleague Stella, their mocking words a bitter aftertaste. Julia's parting shot, a suggestion for hair plugs, was the final straw. Fueled by anger, Rhiannon returned to work, determined to shine a light on Ryan's bullying.
Norman was receptive to her angle, but protocol dictated that Jeff, Ryan's designated case handler, would pen the story. Nevertheless, Rhiannon's efforts were acknowledged, and for the first time, she was invited to join the team at a karaoke bar soirée. There, she not only asserted herself but gracefully declined Craig's persistent advances over her father's business. As she belted out 'Roar,' the night took an unexpected turn when police arrived, questioning everyone about the murder.
Rhiannon sought refuge in the bathroom, where she stumbled upon a graffiti scrawl, filled with curses aimed at Ryan. This discovery emboldened her, and she walked past the officers with renewed confidence. Outside, her eyes locked on a rude patron, the same man who had caused a commotion at the hospital, preventing the nurse from attending to her dying father. Without hesitation, Rhiannon pursued him into an alley, her voice echoing as she cried for help, a ruse that led to a chilling conclusion—she stabbed him, her smile twisted towards a poster of Julia, a silent victory.
