Saturday, 13 July

At 3.02 a.m., Alix wakes to the Ring doorbell and assumes Nathan has finally come home, only to find Josie outside instead. Josie is badly injured, with grazes, blood, a split lip, and a scalp wound, and tells Alix that Walter attacked her after they returned home from dinner.

Josie says Walter was angry about Nathan failing to attend the dinner, drank more, insulted her, and then overpowered her when she tried to go for him. Josie claims Erin walked in, tried to help, and was also hit, but says Erin is now safe at a friend's house. Alix urges Josie to call an ambulance, the police, or her mother, but Josie refuses all outside help and insists that Alix is the person she has chosen to tell.

Alix feels uneasy when Josie describes Alix as part of her limited circle, but guilt and concern overcome Alix's discomfort. When Josie asks to stay the night, Alix hesitates, then agrees and makes up the spare room, though Alix is already anxious about Josie assuming a place in the household.

Later that morning, Nathan texts an apologetic message, and Alix is relieved despite the previous night's anger. Josie is still asleep in the guest room, Fred has fouled the floor, and Leon is unsettled by Josie's appearance and Fred's growling. Alix cleans up, takes Fred for a walk, and reflects on Walter's warnings that Josie controls people and has an elastic relationship with the truth; this makes Alix wonder whether Josie's oddness may be more dangerous than she had assumed, so Alix hurries home worried about Leon being alone with Josie.

During Alix's absence, Nathan returns disheveled and hungover. Josie confronts him, telling Nathan that Walter's humiliation over Nathan's absence contributed to the violent night and that Nathan should be a better husband. When Alix returns, Josie notices the silent tension between Alix and Nathan and retreats upstairs, where she listens to their whispered argument.

Back in the guest room, Josie searches her handbag and finds a key she took from the flat the previous night. Touching the key triggers fragmented memories of flesh, blood, muffled crying, the dog near Josie's head, and a silence broken by the sound of a bus outside. Josie hides the key under the mattress, suggesting that the story Josie has told Alix is incomplete and possibly conceals a more serious act of violence.