Summit Lake

On March 15, Kelsey and Rae work in Rae’s apartment to identify the men from Becca’s journal. They narrow the list to Brad Reynolds, a former classmate; Thom Jorgensen, a professor; and Richard Walker, an ex-boyfriend. Rae discovers that Richard’s family owns a cabin near Summit Lake.

Kelsey calls Brad’s family. His father is evasive, leaving Kelsey with the impression of a serious family rift.

On the morning of February 17, Becca drives to her family’s stilt house on Summit Lake. She walks to Millie’s Coffee House, where she writes in her journal about her fears and hopes for her new life.

Livvy Houston, the coffee shop owner, finds her at the table. Trusting Livvy, Becca confides part of her secret: She’s married to Jack, and her parents don’t know.

At the hospital, Peter Ambrose identifies Becca’s former roommate as Gail Moss. Spotting the police, he evades them and escapes. At a pub, he receives a text from Kelsey that she’s driving into the foothills to interview one of the men from the journal.

Peter calls Gail, who denies that Becca was married or pregnant. When pressed, Gail becomes defensive of Jack and then reveals the shocking news that he died in a plane crash on the same day that Becca was murdered.

On February 17, Jack Covington accepts a ride on Milt Ward’s private jet to surprise Becca in Summit Lake. However, the jet crashes outside Omaha, Nebraska, leaving no survivors.

Meanwhile, Becca is at the stilt house, unaware of the crash. She writes a letter to her unborn child, places it in an envelope with her ultrasound photos, and labels it To My Daughter. She accidentally leaves her journal behind at the coffee shop.

Kelsey hides in an alley while Rae retrieves her car. Rae tells her to stay down as they navigate past police checkpoints and drive out of town, heading into the foothills to follow their lead.

On the evening of February 17, Becca studies at the stilt house, unaware of Jack’s death. She hears three loud knocks at the mudroom door and, assuming that Jack has arrived early, runs to let him in.

On March 15, Rae drives toward the cabin as Kelsey refers to a map. The roads turn to gravel, and Rae explains that the hunting cabins don’t have electricity. They pull up near the cabin and talk about what to ask Brad.

Back at the stilt house, on February 17, Becca opens the door and is shocked to see her old friend, Brad. She recalls how Jack saved him from dying by suicide the previous year. Despite Brad’s unkempt appearance, she welcomes him inside.

Brad explains that he dropped out of school and has been living in his father’s nearby hunting cabin. Hoping to reconnect, Becca invites him to stay and talk.

On March 15, Peter is in a pub and is still on the phone with Gail. She explains that Brad’s broken heart over Becca led to his attempt to die by suicide and withdrawal from school. Gail confirms that he has been living in his family’s hunting cabin near Summit Lake.

Realizing that Kelsey is heading directly to Brad’s cabin, Peter ends the call and tries to phone her, but it goes to voicemail. He frantically dials another number.

In the stilt house on that February night, Brad confronts Becca about his unresolved feelings for her. His agitation grows into an angry rant about Jack, and he pins her against the wall. Hoping to de-escalate the situation, Becca reveals that she’s pregnant. When Brad reacts with disgust, she adds that she and Jack are married. The news enrages him.

Brad violently attacks Becca, raping and strangling her. As Becca lies dying, she sees the beam of the lighthouse and hears a faint siren.

Kelsey and Rae arrive at the cabin, where they find no signs of life, though the front door is open. Among the clutter are newspapers—and a Coach purse. Kelsey enters the cabin.

At the stilt house, Brad gazes at Becca’s body and then grabs her Coach purse and the envelope next to it. He considers staging a botched burglary but instead runs out through the sliding door and drives to the cabin.

He leaves the truck headlights on and the cabin door open. On the table is his collection of the brief notes Becca left him in the morning while he slept after their nights of talking, like “B—See you tonight at the 19th. You’re cute when you snore.—B” (291). Another item on the table is the stolen Business Law test. He goes through her purse and then opens the envelope and begins to cry.

Rae tries unsuccessfully to stop Kelsey from entering the cabin. Inside, they survey the items on the table. They have no cell service. Against Rae’s protests, Kelsey enters the basement and finds an extensive, disturbing shrine to Becca, including stalker photos and clippings about Jack’s plane crash.

As Kelsey photographs the evidence, the headlights of a truck flash across the windows. She pulls Rae down with her, and they hide.

Brad recalls the night’s events, haunted by the image of his choking Becca and distraught after reading her letter to her unborn child. He spends the next day arranging items in the cabin as clues, recalling the months he spent stalking Becca. He leaves, planning to return one last time.

In the basement, Kelsey and Rae find a crawlspace and escape outside. They smell a foul odor from a shed and see a body hanging inside as they flee. Rae screams. Just then, Peter and Commander Ferguson emerge from the cabin.

Peter confirms that Kelsey and Rae are safe. Ferguson approaches the shed and finds a suicide note on the ground near Brad’s decaying body. He reads it aloud.

On March 18, Kelsey gives her statement and learns that Commander Ferguson has been reinstated as a consultant. She says goodbye to Rae at Millie’s Coffee House.

Over the next three days, Kelsey uses Becca’s journal, which she kept hidden, to pen a three-part article about Becca’s life and murder. After sending it to her editor, she reflects on Becca’s life.

On April 28, Peter picks up Kelsey from the airport. They stay in a hotel near the Eckersleys’ home. Kelsey drives so that Peter can read her article. The next morning, they visit Becca’s parents. Kelsey gives Becca’s mother, Mary, an envelope containing Becca’s journal and the letter to her unborn daughter. As Kelsey and Peter drive away, she watches Mary and her husband open the envelope.

On May 11, the day that her article is published, Kelsey runs on the same forest trail in Miami where she was attacked. As light rain falls, she forces herself past the spot of her assault. Soon after, she emerges from the dark trail into a sunny rainstorm.