In Blackwell Tower with Coop, Jessica remembers what happened in the Student Affairs office. Understanding now why she was bloody, Jessica knows she wasn’t the killer, despite her hatred of Heather that night. Coop and Jessica move closer to one another, but as Jessica contemplates telling him how she feels about him, Courtney bursts into yelling, “Murderer!” The rest of her friends and Eric follow. Coop tells them it wasn’t Jessica and explains that he is the one who broke into Garvey’s house. Caro doesn’t understand why Coop would do this, and Jessica explains that she told him about Garvey’s implied ultimatum: sex for the letter. Jessica turns to Mint and sees his face go red with anger and humiliation. He asks why Jessica went to Coop and not him, her boyfriend. Jessica admits she was in love with Coop and still is, knowing it will stun Mint and hurt Caro.

Two days before Heather’s murder, Mint sees news that his father’s real estate company has gone bankrupt in the housing crash. He blames his father for being a coward and feels everyone will see him as a failure. He has lost his money and now will likely lose his friends.