Jenny and Florence go to the warehouse party. They approach Ian before he goes on to perform, and he agrees to talk to them. In the green room, they tell him they are investigating Alfie’s disappearance. He explains he was at the vigil to show respect for his half-brother and father. He says he did not kidnap Alfie—he was DJing all day Friday. Florence flirts with him to get him to open up more, while Jenny asks cutting, direct questions. Jenny asks Ian why he has a limp. He explains he was hurt in a snowboarding accident the week before. He says he is not close with his father. Jenny asks why he wears a signet ring like his father’s, and Ian replies that his mother gave him the ring. He suggests that Mr. Sexton might hold a grudge against his family because Alfie was somehow involved in how he lost his job. When they ask how he knows this, he explains that “Helen” (aka Vice Principal Schulz) told him.

After the interview, Jenny is frustrated with Florence for being so flirtatious with Ian. Jenny points out that Ms. Schulz lied about not knowing Ian well, as Ian referred to her by her first name and implied they’d had many conversations. She argues that Ian would inherit his family’s fortune if Alfie were dead. Florence apologizes to Jenny for being flirtatious with Ian, and Jenny angrily asks if Florence has a plan for what she will do “when [she’s] not pretty anymore” (193). They agree to speak to Ms. Schulz again, as well as find Mr. Sexton.

Florence looks up news coverage of Alfie’s disappearance. The Daily Post has a grainy CCTV photo of one of the boys pushing Alfie in the Wetland Centre parking lot. Florence cannot tell whether the boy pushing Alfie is Dylan. Anxious about her son’s possible involvement in the crime, Florence searches Dylan’s room thoroughly, but she doesn’t find anything. At a loss, she spends the evening reading Surveillance Techniques for Dummies.

The next day, Florence realizes she has not fed Greta, the turtle. She opens the tin of crickets Mr. Foster had given her, only to find it is full of nails instead. She decides to feed the turtle leftover Indian food.

Florence asks Adam to help her find Mr. Sexton’s address. He reluctantly agrees, and Florence and Jenny decide to go there the following morning.

Jenny arrives the next morning in the rented van they used for their moms-selling-toddler-snacks disguise. They drive to Mr. Sexton’s address in Guildford to stake out the house. They see Mr. Sexton carry two heavy duffel bags and a white plastic sack of fertilizer into a white van. He drives off, and they tail him to a hardware store. They take a stroller with a plastic baby doll inside as part of their cover and follow him into the store. While tailing him, Florence knocks over a display of paint, and a can falls onto the covered stroller. When concerned customers go to check on the presumed infant inside, they are outraged to see that it is a plastic baby doll. Their cover blown, Florence and Jenny retreat to the rented van in the parking lot. Jenny sees Mr. Sexton leave the store with a saw.

Jenny and Florence are convinced this is highly suspicious. They want to continue to follow Mr. Sexton, but the van won’t start. After she calms down a little, Jenny notes that everything they have seen is highly circumstantial. She presses Florence on why she is so invested in the investigation, but Florence hides her worry that Dylan is a suspect in Alfie’s disappearance.

Florence gets a call from Detective Singh. He tells her they have new information, and they need her to come to the police station. Florence lies to Jenny and tells her it was Will calling about Dylan.

Florence goes to the police station, where she meets with Detective Singh. He tells her that he wants her to bring Dylan to the police station on Friday morning for a formal interview. Florence returns home and tells Will the news. Florence, Will, and Dylan are all worried that the police will see Dylan as a suspect.

That afternoon, Florence makes her preparations. She looks up train times, orders some items online, and downloads pictures of the students onto a USB stick. That evening, Elliott calls her, but she’s too busy preparing to answer.

The next morning, Florence calls Jenny and tries to convince her to go back to Mr. Sexton’s home, but Jenny refuses, and she criticizes Florence for “put[ting her] in this position” (225).

Florence goes alone to Mr. Sexton’s house disguised as someone from the water company. She knocks on his door and tells him she needs to test his water for Legionella. She sneaks into his bedroom and puts the USB stick with the photographs of St. Angeles students in his sock drawer and Alfie’s backpack under his bed. After she leaves, she throws her disguise away.

Florence goes to see Adam. She notes he seems tired. Florence tells Adam that she found Alfie’s backpack in Mr. Sexton’s house. He tells her to call the public tip line and report it. He asks her if she is sure because it could ruin Mr. Sexton’s life. Florence calls the tip line and anonymously reports that she is a house cleaner who found Alfie’s backpack in Mr. Sexton’s home.

The next morning, Florence wakes up to news of Mr. Sexton’s arrest. Detective Singh calls Florence to say they no longer need to formally interview Dylan. Florence feels guilty, but relieved that Dylan is no longer considered a suspect.

Will drops Dylan off at the house. Dylan is worried because Alfie is still missing. When Dylan goes to bed, Florence watches him sleep. He sleepily thanks her, although she’s not sure for what he is thanking her.

On Saturday morning, Florence is in the bridal suite helping her sister prepare for her wedding. The wedding is held at a church that afternoon. Adam accompanies Florence to the reception. Florence is happy that Brooke included her favorite Mariah Carey song in the wedding playlist. She dances with Adam. During the dance, he tells her he needs to tell her something, but they are interrupted when Dylan asks to dance with his mom. They have a wonderful night.

When they return home, Mr. Foster is waiting on the front steps. Florence tells Mr. Foster to stay away from Dylan because he needs to make friends his own age. She throws away the heavy tin of crickets he has given her. Dylan is upset at being kept away from his friend.

Florence makes Dylan waffles for his first day back at school. He notes that her eyebrows look “different,” and Florence knows she’s been obsessively plucking them. When they arrive at school, the moms are discussing Cleo’s conspicuous absence. They wonder whether the school gala will be cancelled. Florence notices that Ms. Schulz is not at the school gates. An administrator from the venture capital firm Omega Plus, which owns the school, tells her that Ms. Schulz took early retirement due to the strain of recent events.

Florence returns home. She is at loose ends. She goes to the nail salon, but her manicurist, Linh, is not there.