After three more hours, Oren clears Avery to return to Hawthorne House with heavy protection. During the ride, Oren reports that security footage verifies alibis for the Hawthorne family and Thea, bringing Avery brief relief about Grayson. Constantine is also “clear” in the sense that he did not personally fire the gun, but Oren leaves open the possibility that someone could have hired help.

Oren explains that investigators will examine finances and phone records while his team focuses on staff. The Laughlins are cleared, but Avery learns that Melissa Vincent, known as Mellie, was among the staff on the property that day. Because Mellie previously saw Nash outside Libby’s room, Avery tells Oren what Alisa said about Mellie and Nash and what Avery herself witnessed.

At Hawthorne House, Alisa is waiting. Avery angrily confronts Alisa and Oren for assuring Avery that Avery was not in danger. Alisa admits a legal oversight: Tobias Hawthorne’s will requires Avery to live in Hawthorne House for one year, and if Avery dies before fulfilling that condition, the inheritance might not pass normally through Avery’s estate.

Alisa then reveals a second, more dangerous oversight. If Avery is unable or unwilling to serve as conservator of the Hawthorne Foundation, control passes to Tobias Hawthorne’s grandsons, giving them access to enormous influence and philanthropic power. Oren asks about transferring that control to Libby, but Alisa says Avery cannot sign the necessary documents until Avery turns eighteen, and even then the authority may be unclear.

Because Avery cannot leave Hawthorne House and lacks evidence to remove the family, Oren orders Avery to go nowhere without him as a visible deterrent. Oren also reveals that the armory is intact but recent footage shows Jameson and Grayson both looking at rifles. Avery initially focuses on the fact that the estate has an armory, then realizes there may be another reason Jameson visited it: his middle name is Winchester.