Lucy goes back to Ben Owens's hotel room the night after Paige caught them in bed. Ben tells Lucy that he took Paige's key back, making it clear that he is not changing course because of Paige's disapproval. Lucy notes that her career may either benefit from or be damaged by the public exposure surrounding the case, and she stays despite knowing Ben is still using her life and Savvy's murder for his podcast.

On Ben's table, Lucy finds notes for a future podcast episode. The outline includes several possible endings to the case, but the most developed version argues that Lucy likely killed Savvy and then suffered a mental break that erased the memory. Seeing that theory written out upsets Lucy, especially because the alternatives blaming Matt or leaving the case unresolved are only briefly sketched.

When Lucy confronts Ben, Ben says the outline was only one possible ending and that it was his original theory before Lucy agreed to speak with him. Ben insists that his mind is not made up and says that knowing Lucy has actually made him less certain, not more. Even so, Ben admits he still has serious doubts because Lucy has not told him the full truth, including truths beyond her marriage to Matt.

Ben reminds Lucy that her interview will air the next day and says he still has questions she seems unwilling or unable to answer. Lucy recognizes that Ben is right that she has withheld information, which keeps his suspicion alive. She also asks whether Ben is afraid she might kill him if he thinks she could have murdered Savvy, but Ben says he is not really worried.

Lucy then asks whether Ben plans to use their sexual relationship in the podcast. Ben says he would not reveal that and points out that doing so would make him look terrible. As the conversation continues, Lucy's mind turns violent: she imagines using a glass, a knife, a lamp, a pen, or even a pillow to kill Ben, while Savvy's voice in her head reacts with dark enthusiasm. The chapter ends with Ben noticing Lucy withdraw inward, and Lucy bluntly tells him that she is thinking about killing him.