Neither Connor nor Lanny had heard or seen anything they considered suspicious. Lanny heard a splash at night but assumed it was someone swimming. She had looked outside and seen a small, white fishing boat, which sped off shortly afterward. Gwen is afraid that Lanny’s police statement will jeopardize their secret identities.

Later, Gwen reads the news report about the dead body found in the lake and is disturbed to find similarities to Mel’s victims. The new victim is between 18-22 and unidentified. She’s been mutilated, with some of her skin removed, and her body was disposed of in the water. The article also mentions that Stillhouse Lake, Tennessee, used to be a peaceful community full of longtime residents until a recent financial crash and associated opioid epidemic caused a lot of people to sell their houses for extremely cheap prices, allowing lots of new and suspicious people to move into the area. Gwen receives a text from Absolom pointing out the similarities to Mel’s murders. Gwen still believes it could be a coincidence but is concerned and prepares to move on if necessary. She searches for vans for sale nearby so they can move quickly.