Nate receives an unmarked police car at his house at four in the afternoon after making the risky decision to report Eve missing, even though he knows he killed her and helped bury her body. Nate sees the report as a calculated move: Eve's car was left at the commuter rail lot, so he believes his safest strategy is to perform the role of a worried husband.

When Detective Sprague arrives, Nate carefully presents a false timeline. Nate claims Eve planned a surprise trip to visit her parents in New Jersey, says money was tight so Eve drove to the commuter rail station instead of taking a direct ride, and adds that he spent the evening at a bar while Eve left for the train. Sprague tells Nate that police found Eve's car and confirmed she bought Amtrak tickets, but the tickets were never scanned and it does not appear that Eve boarded either train.

Nate responds with staged shock and grief, then answers questions about his alibi and marriage. He insists that he and Eve had a happy relationship and even says they were trying to have a baby, hoping to make himself look less suspicious. When Sprague asks whether anyone might want to hurt Eve, Nate deliberately shifts attention to Adeline Severson, describing Addie as a troubled student who held a grudge against Eve, had been seen lurking outside the house, and had left a threatening handwritten note.

Sprague takes Nate's claims seriously and says she will visit Addie, which is exactly the diversion Nate wants. She then asks to look around the house. After checking the living room and bathroom, Sprague enters the kitchen, the room where Nate strangled Eve less than a day earlier. In the middle of the room, Sprague notices something on the floor, and Nate instantly realizes that his attempt to control the investigation may be about to unravel.