You Deserve to Know

Aimee and Gwen recognize Cathy’s car parked outside of a house. Aimee goes to knock on the door while Gwen waits outside. Cathy invites Aimee inside but defers answering any questions about Scott until Gwen comes inside as well. Cathy takes both women’s phones and tells Aimee to stop looking for Scott. She also reveals that Scott is her son.

The narrative flashes back to early August. Lisa is dismayed when Anton reveals that he has been in contact with Dexter’s mother (he found the number in Lisa’s phone because Dexter’s mother called her). Anton has been eagerly collecting information from Dexter’s mother and is considering writing a book. Lisa is alarmed because she fears Anton’s actions could be traced back to them. He also now seems more interested in his book project than in extorting Scott. She begins to regret beginning an affair with Anton and wonders how to contain the threat he poses.

Aimee is stunned by Cathy’s statement and explains that Scott told her his mother died while he was in college. Cathy reveals important context: Firstly, her name is actually Jen Finch. She assumed the name and identity of Cathy Stocker (Dexter’s mother) in order to pose as the other woman. Jen and Cathy lived in the same community and when Cathy began speaking with Anton, Jen quickly got wind of it. She didn’t want Cathy raking up the past (and potentially endangering Scott/Michael), and neither did other residents of the town. Cathy died in a suspicious explosion, presumably caused by someone who wanted her to stop talking to Anton.

Jen assumed Cathy’s identity and travelled to Maryland, intending to warn Scott/Michael about the threat of his past being revealed. Before Cathy/Jen can reveal more, Scott arrives. Cathy/Jen and Gwen step outside so that Scott and Aimee can speak privately. Scott explains the truth about his past: As a teenager, he and his mother lived in a town in California where marijuana growing and drug dealing were prominent. Scott and his best friend Dexter learned that some men involved in the drug trade were holding a high stakes poker game and they decided to rob it. During the attempted robbery, one of the drug dealers shot and killed Dexter. Scott fled the scene. His mother protected him by secretly sending him to live with his aunt in another state and creating the cover story that Dexter and Michael/Scott both disappeared on a hiking trip. However, Dexter’s mother always suspected foul play.

Scott/Michael eventually cut ties with his mother, blaming her for not doing more to help him and changed his name, building a successful new life for himself. He explains to Aimee that he can’t go to the police because he can still be charged with Dexter’s death (he was carrying out a felony when the death occurred and is thus liable). If he tries to cut a deal with the police, he’ll be forced to testify against the drug dealer who killed Dexter, which is extremely dangerous for him and his family.

When Aimee tells Scott that Anton was the person extorting him, he is surprised and confused. Block did not have the chance to reveal to Scott the information about the university email address (and thus the connection to Anton). Scott reveals that he was never very interested in the identity of his extortioner and never paid any money to protect his secret. As soon as he learned someone was threatening to reveal his identity, he withdrew a large sum of money and began preparing to flee to Ecuador. Aimee is furious and devastated that her husband is prepared to abandon her and their children.

Scott’s plan was sidetracked when he went to the house where Cathy/Jen had been staying to pick up Noa. Cathy/Jen (his mother) took the unplanned encounter with him as a chance to warn him that he faced serious danger: The drug dealers had already killed Cathy to avoid the past being dredged up. Scott left his car in the barn and went to Cathy/Jen’s house to hide and complete his preparations to flee. Aimee storms out, telling Scott that she intends to contact the police.

Aimee and Gwen begin driving home; Gwen (who hasn’t heard anything Scott explained) is confused and continues to press Aimee as to whether Scott could be connected to Anton’s death. Aimee calls Detective Salazar and leaves a voicemail, detailing Scott’s current location. Aimee and Gwen return to their respective homes; Gwen’s mother drives off with the boys, and Gwen plans to follow in her own car in a few hours. Gwen realizes that she left Anton’s notebook (containing his notes from his interviews with Cathy) behind in Frederick.

As Gwen prepares to leave, she runs into Lisa; Gwen reveals that Scott has been located but leaves the details vague. Lisa seems very interested in the story and eager to comfort Aimee. Later, Lisa comes to Gwen’s house and insists on coming inside. Gwen suddenly remembers that Lisa referenced Scott being wanted for murder—even though she, Gwen, never revealed this detail. She questions Lisa, who makes a cryptic comment.

The narrative flashes back to the day of Anton’s death. By this point, the affair between Anton and Lisa has fizzled out. Lisa has also become increasingly anxious about being exposed; she has been trying to contact Cathy Stocker. With no success, she tries a different contact in California, who reveals that Cathy has been killed. After the call, Lisa and her family attend the weekly barbecue at Aimee and Scott’s house. Lisa is shocked to hear Aimee mention that Noa has been spending time with a woman named Cathy Stocker. Lisa has an outburst objecting to these visits, which hurts Aimee’s feelings (she thinks her friend is criticizing her for being a bad mother).

Lisa pulls Anton aside and explains the danger they have caused: The real Cathy Stocker is dead, so Noa has been visiting an imposter. He insists they must tell Scott and Aimee everything, but Lisa refuses and orders him to keep quiet.

Gwen confronts Lisa, assuming that Anton confided in her about extorting Scott. She threatens to tell the police and Aimee that Lisa knew about the danger to Noa. Lisa reveals that she will lie and claim that Anton threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone As Gwen begins to walk out of the house, Lisa strikes her in the back of the head with a pewter candlestick. Lisa stresses that she can’t let Gwen tell Aimee the truth, and states that she told Anton the same thing (although he didn’t listen). Gwen realizes that Lisa killed Anton.

Lisa seemingly confirms this, explaining that when she saw Anton following Scott, she knew he was going to warn the latter and reveal the truth. The two women begin physically struggling and Lisa attempts to strangle Gwen. Gwen fights back, striking Lisa in the head with the candlestick and killing her.

At home with her children, Aimee hears police sirens. She looks out to see police cars and an ambulance arriving at Gwen’s house. She goes outside and asks if they found Scott, but Salazar says they were unable to locate him at the address she provided. He reveals that Lisa has died inside Gwen’s house. As a crowd gathers, a neighbor quietly tells Aimee that she saw Lisa going to Gwen and Anton’s house frequently during the day, confirming that Lisa and Anton were having an affair. Overwhelmed, Aimee drives herself and her children to go and stay with her parents.

On Saturday morning, Detective Salazar calls Aimee with news: Scott has turned himself in and will be sent back to California. Salazar also reveals they found Anton’s blood on Lisa’s car and believe she murdered him. The case is closed, and Gwen is not being charged. Aimee and Salazar speculate that Lisa killed Anton to prevent him from talking to Scott: She saw him following Scott toward the bar, and went after him.

On Monday, Aimee visits Scott at the Montgomery County Detention Center. Scott explains that he is being charged with felony obstruction of justice but his lawyer thinks he can get a deal by testifying against the man who shot Dexter. Scott explains that pressure from his mother made him panic; he doesn’t know where Jen/Cathy has gone, and he doesn’t expect to hear from her again. The two of them part on warm terms.

After leaving, Aimee drives to Nassau Court. She packs some things, planning to move away. A reporter tries to question her, but she ignores him. Aimee drives away from Nassau Court for what she feels is the last time.

The narrative resumes one year after the murder. Gwen now lives in Miami with Marcus and her best-selling book about the murders has made her wealthy and in demand as a speaker. Aimee visits Gwen for the first time in a year. She shares that Scott is awaiting trial and expected to avoid prison by testifying. She also begins asking Gwen about the book, and Gwen admits that she had to fabricate things; for example, she had to invent the feelings and motivations of Lisa and Aimee in their parts of the story.

Then, Aimee begins asking about some inconsistencies. In Gwen’s book she mentions that she left Anton’s notebook (the one with notes from his interviews with Cathy Stocker) behind at Cathy/Jen’s house in Frederick. However, since Aimee was present, she saw Gwen take the notebook as they left. She speculates that Gwen wrote the notes in the notebook herself and wanted to ensure no one would ever ask her to show it (thus protecting her secret). The conversation also reveals that Gwen and Anton actually lived on Nassau Court before Marcus and Lisa. Aimee doesn’t seem upset about the information she uncovered, so Gwen begins to reveal more and more: She was the one who unearthed the secret about Scott’s past and began researching it, and she was the one who interviewed Cathy Stocker. She also sent the email from the university server, extorting Scott. Anton knew nothing about any of this, until he found her notebook one day.

Aimee asks if Gwen was the one who killed Anton; she denies this but reveals that she and Marcus were having an affair months before Anton’s death. After Gwen learned that Lisa and Anton were sleeping together, she and Marcus began their own relationship. They decided to each kill the other’s spouse so that they could both be free to be together. On the night of the murder, Anton spoke with Gwen after Scott walked him home. He told Gwen he was going to follow Scott and tell him the truth. Gwen alerted Marcus, who followed in the car he shared with Lisa (explaining why blood was later found on this car).

Gwen begins to become suspicious about the detailed questions and Aimee reveals that she is wearing a wire: Gwen’s confessions have been recorded. Police rush over and arrest her as Gwen expresses her shock and betrayal.