Pip pauses work on her university applications to reassess the investigation after the interview with Howie Bowers. Howie has no corroborated alibi for the night Andie disappeared, and Pip notes that Andie could have threatened him by exposing his drug dealing. Howie’s connection to Andie, his defensiveness, and the fact that Andie’s car was found on his street keep him high on Pip’s suspect list.

Pip then reconsiders Max Hastings. Although Max has an alibi through the same story Sal asked his friends to give him, Pip realizes Max may have had time to leave after Sal and Jake went home and Millie and Naomi went to sleep. Pip also considers that Naomi could have left, alone or with Max.

Max becomes more suspicious because he possessed a naked photo of Andie, bought drugs from Andie, and regularly bought Rohypnol from her. Pip decides the Rohypnol lead needs more attention, while also concluding that Max and Howie were probably not working together because Howie only knew Max vaguely through Andie’s drug dealing.

Pip identifies Andie’s second burner phone as the most important lead. The phone may contain details of Andie’s drug customers, clarify Andie’s relationship with Howie, or reveal the identity of the secret older man. Pip believes that if the phone confirms Max, Howie, or Daniel da Silva as that man, she may have enough evidence to go to the police.

Pip also wonders whether the secret older man could be someone not yet firmly connected to Andie, such as Stanley Forbes. She finds it suspicious that Stanley wrote harsh articles about Sal as Andie’s killer, is now dating Becca, and was seen giving money to Howie. Pip ends by updating her persons of interest list to include Jason Bell, Naomi Ward, Secret Older Guy, Nat da Silva, Daniel da Silva, Max Hastings, and Howie Bowers.