Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door

Riley’s family helps her, Nick, Mrs. Penny, Betsy, her coworkers, and Gabe settle in at the commune. That evening, they all hang out together. Blossom is typically cheerful, which irks Riley. Her mom once again reminds her that being special is better than being normal. Later, she finds Nick hanging out with Mrs. Penny, who figured out how to hack into Dickie’s camera. They find footage from the night of the murder, proving that Duncan killed Dickie. Afterward, Riley and Nick retreat to their room. Riley is shocked to realize that the room is the one from her vision of her and Nick having sex. She realizes that this was all fated.

Nick and Riley make out in their room. Overwhelmed by feeling, Nick wonders if he could commit to a relationship with Riley after all. They have sex for the first time.

Riley and Nick have sex repeatedly. They’re cuddling early in the morning when a vision overtakes Riley. In the vision, Nick is wielding a gun and is shot. A call from Jasmine interrupts the scene. Flemming is on the line. He informs Riley that he has Jasmine and won’t release her until Riley returns the evidence she took from Nature Girls. Nick overhears the conversation and promises Riley that he’ll handle everything. Remembering the vision, Riley slips out while Nick gets ready. She decides that she can’t let him die.

Riley races to City Island to find Flemming and rescue Jasmine. When she meets Flemming, Jasmine is nowhere around. Fleming threatens to kill Riley if she doesn’t return the evidence. Riley lies and says she copied the evidence and left it somewhere he won’t find it. If he kills her, he’ll never be able to recover it. The conversation turns to Dickie, whom Flemming admits he killed for taking “advantage of [his] generosity” and trying “to cut [him] out” of the Nature Girls enterprise (399). Riley, meanwhile, overhears Jasmine, who is gagged, struggling nearby. Riley finally frees her by proving to Flemming and Duncan that she’s psychic. She announces that Duncan revealed his and Flemming’s work to his girlfriend, which infuriates Flemming and incites a fight between the men.

Riley and Jasmine try to flee, but Duncan grabs Jasmine, and Flemming grabs Riley. Outside, they encounter a group of churchgoers, including Donna, a woman from Riley’s office. Riley engages the women, using the opportunity to distract the men. She reminds Flemming that he’s been seen trying to kidnap her and Jasmine, and the friends race away. They run into Mrs. Penny. Riley informs her they’re in a bad situation and that she must head to the Capitol building to report Flemming’s crimes. At the Capitol, Flemming tells security that Riley is armed.

Riley informs security that Flemming is the one with the gun, but the guards continue chasing her. Finally, she runs into the terrified chief secretary, Janice. She tells Janice what’s going on, detailing Flemming’s involvement in Dickie’s and Bowers’s deaths and determination to hurt her and her friend. She convinces Janice that she’s serious by reading her mind and proving that she’s psychic. Janice notices that Riley has been shot. Flemming appears and attacks Riley, wielding his gun and shoving her head into a fountain. Riley realizes that it’s okay if she dies because at least Jasmine and Nick are safe.

Nick appears, rescuing Riley. Then Detective Shapiro shows up, threatening to arrest Nick. Weber appears, informing Nick that he wasn’t taken off the case and that Shapiro is dirty. Another scuffle ensues, and Nick is hurt. Cops and onlookers realize that Nick and Riley’s allegations against Flemming are true; they have video footage of Flemming chasing and attacking Riley. Still, Riley and Nick aren’t sure they’ll make it out alive. They tell each other how much they like each other and enjoyed sex together. Then Mrs. Penny and her gang of vigilantes come to the rescue. The clean cops make sense of what’s happening, and emergency medical technicians tend to Riley and Nick. As they’re leaving, Griffin appears and starts badgering Riley with questions. Frustrated, Nick punches him in the face.

Riley and Nick receive care at the hospital. Afterward, Roger picks up Riley. On the drive home, they discuss everything that happened. At Front Street, Riley runs into Gabe. They agree to remain friends, though Gabe thinks Riley has grown beyond his lessons.

Brian and Josie give Nick a ride home from the hospital. On the way, they listen to radio reports of the mayor’s downfall. He’s now in police custody since Duncan told the cops everything. The group drives to Griffin’s, where Nick confronts him about his relationship with Riley. He demands that Griffin stop making Riley pay him for marital damages, or he’ll tell Bella about his extramarital affairs. Griffin acquiesces.

Nick visits Riley. They discuss everything that happened and make plans for their future. Nick will move into Dickie’s old apartment so that he and Riley can be closer. Riley decides to quit her job at SHART, too, so that she and Nick can continue working cases together.

A few weeks later, Riley and Nick spend a summer day by the river. They talk about their new life, their last case, Riley’s psychic abilities, and their future. When they return to Front Street, they find Blossom and Gabe redoing Riley and Nick’s apartments. They’ve turned one into a bedroom and the other into a living room. Then Elanora and Weber arrive. They have a new case for Nick and Riley.