The next evening, Lucy comes downstairs and finds her mother sitting alone in the dim kitchen, listening to Ben Owens's podcast. As Lucy gets ready to leave, her mother questions where Lucy goes every night, then pivots to the revelation that Lucy secretly published three books. Their exchange is sharp and familiar, showing how little openness exists between them.

Lucy’s mother then focuses on Ben’s episode about Nina. She argues that Nina does not deserve to have her life dissected in public, especially when the podcast’s version of Savvy does not match the real, often unkind girl her mother remembers. Lucy says Ben has suggested many possible suspects and falsely claims she has no control over what he includes, even though she privately knows that is not fully true.

When Lucy says Ben will probably end the podcast by claiming Lucy killed Savvy, her mother is startled and immediately asks whether Ben has any hard evidence. That response makes clear that her main concern is not Lucy’s innocence but whether Lucy could actually be charged. Lucy briefly considers finally asking why her mother has always seemed convinced she did it, but she cannot bear the answer. Instead, Lucy leaves the house without raising the question.