Episode 13 of "Will Trent" kicks off with the police meticulously processing the crime scene at Trent's residence, where Angie was cruelly abducted. Ormewood's concern for Trent is palpable, while Faith informs him that Paul is en route to fetch him. Paul insists that Trent stay at his home while the police diligently work on the case.
As Trent wracks his brain, he realizes he's forgotten his tape recorder and anxiously sets out to find it, his mind racing with the possibility that Angie might have used it to leave a crucial message. He feverishly searches the house, retracing the steps of her attack, until he finally discovers the recorder in the bathroom drawer. His hunch was correct; Angie had indeed left a message, detailing the killer's description.
Determined to be back in action, Trent insists on rejoining the case, and Amanda reluctantly agrees. They return to the office, diving into the 1986 case file in hopes of uncovering a hidden connection to the present predicament. Trent's eyes fall upon his mother's file, and his anger towards Amanda resurfaces. It transpires that the killer didn't murder Lucy; he kept her confined until she passed away during childbirth. Lucy, it seems, was his favorite.
Upon learning of Lucy's tragic demise, Trent can't help but blame himself. He inquiries about his father, but Amanda reveals that Lucy never divulged the man's name.
Through a haunting flashback to 1986, we witness Amanda and Evelyn's tenacious efforts to solve Lucy's case, despite being rookies. The seasoned detectives in charge of the case shut them out, but they refused to give up.
Switching back to 2023, Ormewood and Faith are hot on the trail of evidence but only manage to uncover that neighbors spotted a coal jaguar during Angie's abduction. Trent revisits the initial crime scene and receives a chilling call from the killer. The murderer tails him in a vehicle, attempting to run him down, but Trent narrowly escapes.
He rushes back to Paul's house, trying to jog his memory about the killer's scent, who had previously attempted to assault Paul. Trent surmises that the killer is targeting him to grab his attention and holds Trent responsible for Lucy's demise. However, the truth is far more twisted; the killer made a blunder at the crime scene and is desperately trying to cover it up.
Later, Trent returns to the office, determined to confront one of the lead detectives from the infamous 1986 case. The detective in question, Butch, proves to be as problematic as ever. Initially, Trent harbors suspicions that Butch might indeed be the killer and proceeds to grill him relentlessly. Predictably, Butch flies into a rage and storms out, leaving Amanda to dismiss him as a coward, lacking the stomach for murder.
Just as tensions flair, Faith bursts in with groundbreaking news—she has uncovered a witness from the 1986 saga. Kitty, the very first victim of the killer's spree, somehow managed to escape his clutches. However, the terror she endured has left her petrified at the mere thought of discussing her ordeal. Trent, with gentle perseverance, attempts to coax more information from her, but her hesitancy is palpable.
Elsewhere, Angie battles for her life as the killer tightens his grip around her neck. Once he releases her, she listens intently, plotting her escape with every breath.
Back at the precinct, Ormewood and Faith stumble upon a crucial clue in James' case file, hinting that Butch might, after all, be the perpetrator they seek. Digging deeper, they uncover Butch's disturbing penchant for assaulting sex workers. Amanda, sensing a breakthrough, instructs them to keep an eye on Butch while she and Evelyn track down James. They locate him at a club and interrogate him about Butch, who James reveals to be a rapist and choker of sex workers. James' conviction in Butch's guilt is unwavering.
Concurrently, Ormewood, Trent, and Faith embark on a stakeout to monitor Butch's movements. Alert and cunning, Butch spots them and retaliates with gunfire, turning the tables in an instant. The confrontation intensifies as Butch refuses to surrender, but they manage to wound him in the arm and apprehend him.
While awaiting Butch's recovery from surgery, they receive heart-wrenching news—Kitty's body has been discovered. Overwhelmed by a panic attack, she had fled the safe house only to fall back into the killer's clutches. Trent receives a chilling phone call from the killer, taunting him over Kitty's death. The reality dawns on them: Butch is not the killer. They are back at square one, and the pressure mounts on Trent, pushing him to the brink where hallucinations of his late mother haunt him.
As Trent delves deeper into the labyrinth of case files, his attention is drawn to an unusual footprint. Scrutinizing James' documents, he discovers discrepancies in the dates, setting off a chain of revelations. The dots begin to connect, and the stark truth dawns upon him: James is the killer. In a strategic maneuver, Trent brokers a deal with James, promising Angie's safety if James surrenders. Determined and alone, Trent heads to James' residence, unaware of the impending worry it triggers in Amanda's heart. Fortunately, Paul's timely arrival with the solved scent mystery offers them a glimmer of hope and confirms their suspicion that James is indeed their quarry.
Before Trent can reach Angie's side, she attempts a daring escape, managing to dial his number amidst her panic. Yet, her words are muffled, leaving a void of unspoken urgency. Upon Trent's arrival, James, ensuring solitude, greets him cordially and invites him in, offering a drink that Trent politely declines. Instead, Trent demands to see Angie, but James, unperturbed, consumes the drink and reveals his ties to Lucy, whom he held in affection, while conclusively denying any paternal bond with Trent.
James eventually leads Trent to the basement where Angie lies unconscious. With a sinister twist, James intends Trent to witness Angie's demise. A fierce struggle erupts, with Trent emerging victorious, momentarily contemplating James' fate. However, Angie's fleeting moment of consciousness acts as a restraining hand, preventing Trent from crossing the line. Trent apprehends James, but the situation takes a grim turn – the drink James consumed was poisoned, prompting a race against time to the hospital.
Angie too is rushed for medical attention, her condition stabilizing amidst the chaos. As the dust settles, Trent grapples with the harrowing events, his actions having saved Angie but at a cost he could never have anticipated.
Does Trent extend forgiveness to Amanda? As it transpires, Amanda was the very one who, in Trent's infancy, rescued him from certain doom after James callously tossed him into a trash can. She fought tooth and nail for custody of Trent, yet in the conservative climate of the 1980s, a single woman was deemed unsuitable to raise a child. Faced with insurmountable societal barriers, Amanda was compelled to relinquish Trent, though she did secure the solace of naming him after her father.
Amanda harbored the hope that Trent would lead a life free from hardship, but fate had other plans. Nineteen long years later, serendipity brought Amanda and Trent back into each other's lives when he found himself in legal trouble, and she, without hesitation, took him in and nurtured him.
Upon learning the harrowing tale from Evelyn, Trent sets out to find Amanda, his heart brimming with gratitude. When they finally reconnect, Trent expresses his profound thanks. Amanda, in a gesture of profound affection, bestows upon him Lucy's necklace before bidding him farewell.
