Sheriff Marcus Hudson prepares to face the press in the wake of Ryan Stevens’s suicide attempt in jail and the revelation that Stevens’s DNA links to the Kelly Summers case. Haunted by the image of saving Stevens, Hudson reflects on the fallout he expects for his department but resolves to steer it through the crisis. He heads outside to a courthouse-style media setup where protesters and supporters clash, brandishing hostile signs and shouting abuse.

Hudson delivers a measured statement. He confirms Ryan Stevens’s condition and recounts the proper procedures followed after Stevens’s DUI arrest that killed Jackie Clarke, explaining how the DNA entry into CODIS unexpectedly linked Stevens to the Summers case. He acknowledges the community’s anger and declares that no one is above the law, including Stevens.

Hudson announces he has reopened the investigation into Kelly Summers’s murder, citing the new information and the need to ensure the correct person is held accountable. He declines questions, knowing the case is now active, and retreats as the crowd’s reaction splits between cheers and hostility.

Inside, Hudson exchanges brief words with his assistant Marcy, then literally runs into Chief Deputy Pam Olson, who is also his girlfriend outside of work. After a quick, professional reset, Olson flags an urgent matter: a missing person report from Deena Walsh about her roommate, Stacy Howard, who has been out of contact for nearly three days.

Hudson initially treats it as routine, instructing an APB, but Olson insists he listen to a key detail. Deena received a text from Stacy on Monday at around 5 p.m. stating Stacy would be out late meeting a man she’d been seeing. Olson identifies the man as Bob Miller, directly connecting Bob to Stacy’s disappearance.