Tricia waits more than an hour for Ethan to return and grows increasingly frightened as the weather worsens from snow to ice. She worries Ethan may be injured outside and blames herself for bringing him to the house. Tricia also reflects that her original goal has failed because Jamison's body is still hidden beneath the floorboards.

While pacing the kitchen and battling pregnancy nausea, Tricia realizes she has no way to get help because the poor phone service was part of her plan. She had counted on the isolation to keep Ethan from contacting Judy, learning there was no appointment, or arranging a quick escape. Tricia considers that she might need Luke's help if Ethan does not return, but she does not trust Luke because of his attachment to Adrienne Hale and his ability to piece together the truth.

When a knock finally comes, Tricia is relieved to find Ethan at the door. Ethan explains that he walked far enough to get phone reception and contacted a local plowing service, but the roads are too bad for anyone to come before morning. That news means Tricia and Ethan are still trapped in the house overnight, which is especially dangerous because a man remains tied up downstairs.

Ethan then says the strangest part is that the plow service already had a reservation to come to the house the next morning. Tricia pretends to be surprised, but internally admits she arranged and prepaid the plow in cash before the trip so they would be stranded long enough for her to recover Jamison's body. When Tricia asks whether Ethan called the police, she is relieved he did not. With the worst tapes already destroyed, Tricia ends the chapter still hiding the truth from Ethan and trusting that she will find another solution to the body problem.