Original subtitles

[indistinct chatter]

Coming through, guys. Watch out, watch out. Coming through.

[man] All rise.

[judge] I am struck by the sheer inhumanity

of what one human being is capable of inflicting upon, not just one,

but over a dozen other human beings.

Accordingly, you are sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by law.

Ten life terms, to be served consecutively.

He looks more like a movie star than a murderer.

What'd he do? Kill them with his good looks?

A knife, actually. And a scythe.

Hell, I even heard he used a corkscrew.

Slaughtered his friends and his family with whatever he put his hands on.

Until his girlfriend showed him who was boss.

Look, transpo said they, uh...

they wanted to wait out that media circus out there.

I'm going to check it, see if it died down.

Your girlfriend! [laughs]

-Hey, I gotta use the can. -Nope.

-What I am supposed to do? -Figure it out.

-[guard over radio] It's crazy out here. -We got a clear path out the gate?

Nope. We'll be here for a while.

Copy that. [sighs]

[metal squeaking]

[guard] Jesus!

All right, I kept your word. So you gonna tell me who you are?

[groans]

[Maggie] What are your plans this weekend?

I don't know yet.

You know, it's not easy for me, either. Halloween. I get it.

A lot of bad memories.

Why don't we drive up to Rockhurst College this weekend?

We can tour the campus.

I hear they have an excellent pre-med program.

Mom, can we talk about this later, please?

You've been saying that for months. This is your senior year.

It's time for you to make some big decisions about your future.

[sighs] I know you've been through a lot.

And everything's changed. You've changed.

Honey, college could be a really great place

to help you figure things out.

Mom... I don't even know if I want to go to college anymore.

I don't think you really mean that.

-[scoffs] -[doorbell rings]

-Hey. -Hey, Em.

How are you, um... How are you doing? I came as soon as I heard.

Wait. Heard what?

Somebody killed Kieran.

In the courthouse. It's all over the news.

-Do they know who did it? -That's what they're trying to figure out.

Apparently, a guard was murdered, too.

How did he die?

His throat was slit in the courthouse holding cell.

It was, uh... It sounded pretty gruesome.

Wow. He got off easy. [scoffs]

Four months in, and I'm already taking pre-orders on the third printing.

You guys are officially best-selling authors,

and you officially owe me a second book.

Maybe someone cued that up for us.

Uh, book two, Kieran Wilcox's murder.

Pass. Fans dig Kieran the killer, not Kieran the victim.

Got it. Okay. Um...

Well, we've actually been circling around a lot of good--

Cut the BS, Noah. You've got nothing. Stavo told me.

I'm sorry, man. Your writer's block is killing me.

My writer's block is my own sleepless hell. It's private.

Not when it could tank my label. I've invested everything I have

-into our deal. -Why in the world would you do that?

Because you are one of the best writers I've ever worked with.

Noah, I can't wait to see what you do with the legend of Anna Hobbs.

The Anna Hobbs story?

No. That is hokey campfire fodder, barely based on facts.

I'm sorry. No, pass.

Are-Are you kidding me? Noah, where are you going?

Come on. Let me break it down for you.

The facts are awesome.

Anna's parents worked as caretakers on Shallow Grove Island back in the 1930s.

They were working for some wealthy, rum-running family called the Whittens.

Halloween night, she goes batshit crazy,

strips completely naked, kills her parents,

and then slaughters the Whittens in their sleep.

You're researching already?

I don't have college next year. This is it for me.

[Jeremy] Listen, the story's got sex,

it's got blood, and it's based on true events.

The forums on my label's website are blowing up right now

over the cops finding new evidence.

Readers are dying for this story to be told.

[scoffs]

I don't know. Why did Anna Hobbs snap?

It's not even scary unless we know the method behind her madness.

Look, Jeremy and I agree. This is what we're going with.

We're gonna find out the truth for ourselves on her island

and I'm footing the bill.

Congrats, gentlemen.

We're about to take our first trip together as business partners.

[reporters clamoring]

Stop. Pl-- No, please. Just try to get inside.

[woman] Any comment on Kieran Wilcox's murder?

Brooke, how do you feel about your father's murderer getting butchered?

Hey, back off! What is wrong with you?

Did you have anything to do with the murders? Did you want Kieran dead?

[sighs] Just another day in Murderville.

Eight months of quiet and now this.

I mean, if Halloween wasn't bad enough around here already,

Kieran had to go and get himself murdered.

Guys, I don't care about Kieran, alive or dead.

It's this. It's the press. It's Halloween.

I really want out of Lakewood.

Uh, funny you should mention that.

Our editor Jeremy is dragging us to Shallow Grove Island for research,

which I'm sure is gonna be a colossal waste of time.

Or inspiring. He's renting us a mansion, paying for all of our expenses.

Plus, it's the off-season, so we'll basically have the island to ourselves.

-Do I have any takers? -Yes! Yes, I am so down!

-That's one. -[exhales]

-Audrey. -Yeah?

-You and Gina wanna come, too? -Definitely.

I mean, I'll ask her after school, but, yeah, I'm in.

-Perfect. -Thanks.

-Gina! -Hey!

Question: What are you doing this weekend?

Answer: Working the all-night horror-thon with you.

An early copy of Ouija: Origin of Evil just arrived.

-Private screening tonight? -Definitely. New development though.

Noah and Stavo are geeking out on an island

to do some research this weekend.

They invited all of us to come along.

Who's all of us?

Brooke, Emma, myself, and you, if you're interested.

Find someone to cover our shifts?

[chuckles] That sounds really fun, but...

I'm the only manager at the Zenith this weekend.

I have to work the horror-thon and I really need the money.

But I can find someone to cover your shift.

No, no, no, I'll stay. Okay?

We'll sit in the back

and watch crappy horror flicks all weekend, like we planned.

You should go.

Especially after all of this Kieran news,

you and your friends probably need some time away.

-You sure? -I'm sure.

Have a good time. I gotta get back to work.

[rock song playing]

Whoa, is that our mansion?

No, that's the Whitten mansion,

where Anna Hobbs committed her heinous murders.

I'm sorry. Heinous murders?

Yeah, that's why we're here.

What, Noah and Stavo didn't tell you guys?

That we're sharing the island with a murder house? No, they did not.

Every town has one. Lakewood has, like, ten.

You mean 11.

And that's exactly why we didn't wanna be in Lakewood on Halloween.

Prepare for landing. Welcome to Murder Island, folks.

-Thank you, Noah. -You're welcome.

Hey, uh, just so you know, I didn't really want to come here, either.

Well, you know, ten fewer murder houses than Lakewood... What could go wrong?

[Noah chuckles]

[Brooke] I thought you said this was gonna be a mansion.

I know my mansions. This is really more of a bungalow.

The rental agency called it a mansion, so...

-This is really cool! -It smells like damp sheets.

At least we're not next door to the murder house.

True.

Does anybody still live there, by the way?

Some heir named Alex Whitten.

He lives completely off the grid, which is cool,

but it doesn't help with our research.

Come on, Stavo, let's go find your bedroom.

All right, team, there's one there, one upstairs.

I'm gonna take the master.

-Upstairs? -Yeah.

Yeah?

[Jeremy] Have fun.

[line ringing]

-[Gina] Hey! -Hey!

So, you're never gonna guess what I found in our rental house.

Please say it's a vintage collection of Betamax movies.

How about a collection of crystal animal figurines?

-One of them's a-- -Unicorn? Tell me it's a unicorn.

Mm-hmm. Just like the one Margot Kidder gets stabbed with in Black Christmas.

-No way. Swipe it for me? -[chuckles]

[clamoring over phone]

Hey, uh, what's that noise? It sounds like you're at a party.

I'm definitely not at a party. Hey, can I call you back later?

-Yeah, sure. Um, I miss you. -Me too. Bye.

What is that?

Oh, it's my NYU application. It's early decision.

That means you're all set on NYU, huh?

It means my mother is a co-dependent hophead and I need a little vacation.

[sighs] Hopefully, NYU Admissions feels the same.

Some stranger gets to decide whether you go where you want to go?

It's not really my style.

It's not your style, huh?

And I thought the basis of our entire relationship was...

I tell you where to go and you go there.

Is that an invitation to New York?

Take me out of the equation. Would you still want to go to New York?

You don't want me there. Got it.

That's not what I... said, Stavo.

-Getting out of Lakewood? Best idea ever. -[chuckles]

Right up there with Kieran getting wiped off the planet.

That's what we should have told those reporters.

How are you doing? With the Kieran of it all?

I'm fine. I just... I...

-Can we not talk about Kieran? -Not him. We're talking about you.

Yeah, I know.

I'm just sick of being "Emma Duval, girlfriend of the killer."

"Emma Duval, girlfriend of the killer" isn't here. Emma is.

-And Emma wants coffee? -I think I want a tattoo.

-Can we touch it? -Sure, yeah, you can touch it.

It's only the actual mask Anna Hobbs wore the night of her historic murder spree.

-We put it under glass just for fun. -I think he's being sarcastic.

Nothing in that case is touchable.

We're a historical society, we're not a petting zoo.

What do you think, Stavo? Brand-new evidence?

The constable's journal from back in Anna's day.

[Stavo] This constable's got a totally different theory.

He doesn't think Whitten was killed in his bedroom.

-So, where was he killed? -Not sure,

but the journal says Reginald's body seemed like

it was staged in the master bedroom after he was murdered.

But... it was a stormy night,

and there was no evidence of rainwater in the house.

Maybe she killed him in a different part of the house and moved him.

Yeah, but if she killed her family in the caretaker's cottage,

she would have tracked water in the house.

[Jeremy] Sounds like a bestseller to me.

Noah, what do you think?

It sounds like a garden variety murder spree with rainwater.

Anna Hobbs is not garden variety.

This is Anna Hobbs? She was beautiful.

On the outside. On the inside... ouch.

The entire town knew about her hysterical episodes at school,

about her violent fits of rage at home.

Here, take a look at her mom.

Lily, sombered by years of trying to heal Anna's madness with her love.

You guys, there's nothing here.

There's some mildly interesting police forensics,

and then there's a pretty girl that people decided to turn into a ghost story.

A ghost story that you... could write the hell out of.

I don't tell ghost stories. I tell real stories.

Well, I find crime scenes exciting.

How do we get into this murder house?

The owners are never there. Talk to the caretaker, Billie.

Let's go see Billie.

[Noah] Oh, great.

[door opening, closing]

Okay, so... I don't want anything too big, or too small.

Mm, no flowers. [chuckles] I mean, look at that.

Well, whatever you do get, Maggie will pissed.

[chuckles] Yes, true.

Do you have any suggestions for the lady?

Uh...

I don't know. [chuckles] That one's not terrible, I guess.

-Yeah, dolphin. -Okay, how about this one?

Skull and crossbones.

Okay, so you either think I'm 12 or a pirate?

All right, if it were me, I'd probably go with... that one.

-"Carpe diem." Seize the day. -Well, that's kinda cool.

-Yeah, okay. Done with that. -[chuckles]

That's a decision for another day.

-Are you ready to go? -Yeah.

Ew!

[scoffs] Fine!

Hey! I, uh... I think I have something that belongs to you.

Yep. It's hard to catch snapper with pastries.

Yes.

-Thanks. -Awesome.

-I'm Alex. -Uh, I'm Emma.

So you make any decisions on that tattoo?

Uh, no, actually. Not yet. I mean, it's permanent, so...

What happened to "seize the day"?

It's still early.

-He could be way more fun than a tattoo. -[whispers] Oh, my God. Stop it.

[door opens]

-Read the sign. We're closed. -[door closes]

[sighs]

-Hello? -[glass shattering]

[stammers]

[footsteps over shattered glass]

[giggling]

[Emma] Oh, this is such a good idea. I'm so glad that we came here.

[Brooke] I know. It's delightful.

Audrey! Less texting, more friend time.

You're right. I'm sorry.

Gina hasn't answered any of my calls, or any of my texts.

-She always texts me back. -Relax. Gina's obsessed with you.

And isn't she working, like, every shift at the movie theater this weekend?

I mean, she's busy.

Or, you know, she's figuring out she has more fun without me.

You're so new to this relationship thing.

Trust me, distance makes the heart grow fonder.

-[Emma laughs] -At least, I hope so.

I kinda just told Stavo to think twice about moving to New York with me.

I'm new to relationships, but why would you say that?

I can't be responsible for Stavo moving across the country for me.

I'm barely responsible for myself.

You make it sound like he's a child you're gonna have to babysit.

What about you, Em?

Audrey says you, uh, met a cookie thief

-who wants you to seize his day. -Oh, that is not what he said!

It looked like you were into him and he was definitely into you.

I know his first name. He knows my first name. That's really it.

-So-- -Well, hookups don't require last names.

-Mm! -Okay, yes, that is definitely true.

And, actually, I would rather be Emma these days, than Emma Duval anyways.

Duval has been carrying around a lot baggage, I would say.

-[chuckles] -[sighs] We've all been through a lot.

But, you know, I think there's a fine line between caution and self-sabotage.

Audrey, I don't think Gina's building a wall. I think you are.

And, Em, I think you need to let your wall down.

Okay. [chuckles]

Well, speaking of cookie thieves...

[whistles] Hey!

Go! Scram!

Go!

I'm not stalking you, I promise.

I don't have your pastries, I swear. Just a pail of bait fish.

I'm about to go out for some snapper. Kind of my ritual.

Nice. Do you live on the island?

-Only in the off-season. How about you? -I'm just visiting.

My friends are here doing some research and I decided to tag along.

-Research? -Yes.

Uh, something about a girl murdering everyone in a mansion. I don't know.

-You know anything about that? -Unfortunately. Uh, that's my house.

-Wow. Alex Whitten. -Yep, but you can just call me Alex.

Yeah, yeah. [chuckles]

Cool.

So... I'm gonna go catch my lunch for the week.

Good luck.

You know, if you want, I'll be grilling here tomorrow at the boat.

-You can come by if you want. -Yeah. Yeah, sure. Sounds like fun.

-[both] Bye! -[sighs]

All right, if we play our cards right,

this Billie guy might spill a few skeletons

from the Whitten family closet, too.

That's right. The real story behind the real story.

-Noah, how cool would that be? -Caretakers aren't helpful.

They are old and curmudgeonly.

At the most, he'll try and force us off the property with a rake.

Hello? Billie?

-He's probably hard of hearing. -Can I help you?

I hope so.

We're looking for Billie, the estate's caretaker.

That would be me.

[scoffs] Not what you were expecting?

I was expecting Crazy Ralph from Friday the 13th.

So, no, definitely not.

Let me guess. You're here about the Anna Hobbs story?

Sorry. We don't give tours in the murder house.

Well, what about a few questions instead?

-Sure. Shoot. -Why did she do it?

Why does a woman do anything?

Because she wants to.

Okay, yeah, that's awesome.

But why would she want to kill her own family?

And why kill Mr. Whitten? Real people don't snap without a real reason.

I've got a lot work to do,

but I might be able to fill you boys in on the rest tonight.

That is so funny. We're actually gonna have people over tonight

at the beach behind our house.

You should totally come by. 45 Lampkin Lane.

-I'll do that. -Sounds like a plan.

-Bye. -Bye.

Brooke is gonna be so pissed.

Yeah, I know.

[Wave and Rome's "Strangers" playing]

Hi.

-Hey. -Hi.

Is Stavo around?

-Yeah, he's right over there by the fire. -Cool. Thanks.

Stavo.

-Hey. -Hey.

-How's it going? -Good.

He might die over there.

[suspenseful music playing]

So, what's it like working for Alex Whitten?

Oh, it's a pretty cool gig. Super relaxed.

Alex just comes and goes.

Sometimes, I don't even know if he's in town.

He's definitely here now. Emma's going to lunch with him tomorrow.

And you're definitely going because he's a total catch.

A difficult catch. He's kind of reclusive, hard to pin down.

Have you pinned him down?

Let's just say I've eaten his snapper once or twice.

But that's in the past. I mean, he's a great guy.

A great guy whose ancestors were murdered by a psychotic chick.

Uh, there is no evidence proving that she was actually psychotic.

Could that just be a product of too many rewrites?

Depends who's doing the rewrites.

Well, according to official island legend, Anna Hobbs was completely nuts.

Like, "dousing her teacher in kerosene and trying to light her on fire" nuts.

They say she even tried to drown a Whitten child in a well.

I mean, people actually believed that her insanity was driven by pure evil.

And it all came to a head one Halloween night...

Anna Hobbs' mother knew she needed psychological help,

but her meager salary wouldn't cover the bills.

Rumor has it, she was sleeping with Reginald Whitten...

as a way of, you know, encouraging him

to take Anna to a psychiatric facility on the mainland, you know, pay for it all.

But what neither of them knew was that Anna knew all about their plan,

and it sent her right over the edge.

She waited for her family to fall asleep,

stripped off all her clothes...

And, of course, what's a deranged murderer without a really creepy mask?

And she set to work

to make sure that no one would ever hide her away in an institution.

She started with her mother.

Then, she took care of her brother.

[boy screaming]

And, in the dead of night, she calmly headed towards the Whitten mansion.

[groans]

Reginald Whitten never knew what hit him.

[woman screaming]

Overwhelmed by what she had done...

she only saw one way of escape.

And that is the official island legend, according to Murder Island.

You don't sound like a believer.

-I think she was misunderstood. -Exactly.

People have twisted the tragic reality of Anna Hobbs

into a completely fabricated legend.

But how much have they twisted it?

What if the constable's journal is right and Whitten's body really was staged?

So, are you saying that she didn't commit the murders?

It would mean that something else drove her to kill herself that night.

[screaming]

[groans]

I think you broke my back.

-[sighs] What the hell, Jeremy? -[Audrey] Seriously!

Those jiu-jitsu lessons really paid off.

Dude, you do not pull that prank on survivors of multiple murder sprees!

Look, I'm just trying to help out your buddy Noah.

Make the legend more real for him, get him over his writer's block.

Figure out a better way, because that way sucked for everybody.

Moron!

[softly] Yeah.

Well, hey, if you guys still want a tour of the mansion,

I could probably get you in tomorrow.

Sounds like Alex will be gone around lunch time.

-That would be awesome, actually. -Cool. You want to walk me home?

-Sure. -[soft chuckle]

[chuckling]

Thanks for inviting me tonight. I had a good time.

-I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. -Yeah, it was cool.

-Uh... [sighs] -[clears throat]

I guess I will see you tomorrow for the tour.

Yeah, I guess so. Or...

Uh...

[chuckles] Hey. Hey...

-I'm sorry. I can't do this. -Okay. Oh, sorry.

-I should-- I should probably get back. -Is it the blonde?

It's cool. It's cool, dude. I get it. [clears throat]

I'm gonna-- I'm gonna get back.

-Yeah. -Uh, have a good night.

[chuckles] You too.

[door creaking]

Hello?

Happy Halloween, Anna.

[gasps, grunts]

[groans]

[gasps]

[rock music plays softly on radio]

-[Emma] Thank you. -[Alex] Yeah.

[Emma chuckles]

Confession time. I've actually never had snapper before.

-And? What did you think? -[chuckles] It was so good.

All right, well, next time, if you want, I'll teach you how to fish.

Nothing better than catching your own lunch.

-Wow. Who taught you how to fish? -My dad.

We used to go fishing all the time, as a kid.

Yeah. That's like piano for me.

My... My dad taught me how to play.

We used to spend, you know, hours together playing piano.

-I bet that you play beautifully. -Well, I stopped, actually.

I mean, he left, and it just didn't really, you know...

I lost both my parents in a plane crash. I was 15.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Yeah, and after that, everything changed.

-Seems like you handled it pretty well. -That depends who you ask.

When you're young and from a family like mine, it puts you in the spotlight.

And, man, that spotlight blinded me. I couldn't see who I was anymore.

I was lost and everyone was watching.

-What changed? -I embraced it.

I was lost, so I got more lost.

I traveled. I learned to sail but away from the public eye.

It really helped me figure out who I was and... who I wanted to be.

[chuckles]

-What is it? -Nothing.

That just... That makes a lot of sense.

[sighs]

Ew. You actually smell hungover.

-What's this? -An apology.

[sighs] "Marcia's House of Massage."

It's not exactly a day spa, but I made you an appointment.

If you accept.

-Your apology or the massage? -Either.

I'll take it into consideration.

The only reason that I invited Billie last night was to get under your skin.

Tell me something I don't know.

And I know that it was stupid and childish.

Strike two.

Sometimes, I feel like you don't want to be with me and...

[clears throat] ...and it hurts.

[sighs]

Stavo, it's just not true.

I want to be with you.

I'm surprised Jeremy's missing this.

And he hasn't responded to any of my texts.

Nobody saw him this morning?

Nope. He's been MIA since his little prank last night.

Halloween decorations, right?

Please, someone tell me these are Halloween decorations.

[knocking]

Billie! Hello!

Look, usually, I'm a fan of the macabre, but this is...

-[Stavo] Hello! -...too dark.

What, you think maybe Anna Hobbs came back and took Billie's soul?

Noah, I think this is real blood.

I'm calling the police.

-[line ringing] -[sighs]

[indistinct radio chatter]

It could be a prank.

Every year, we get kids daring each other to make it look like Anna's back.

One of these morons ripped off Anna's mask and shears

from the antique store yesterday.

[chuckles] I'll bet Sid is extremely irritated.

Yeah. We gotta call in to him.

-How do you know Sid? -Met him yesterday.

With our friend Jeremy.

Who, by the way, has an Anna Hobbs mask and shears.

-Where's Jeremy now? -I don't know.

Nobody's seen him since last night.

-Does Jeremy have a last name? -Uh, Jeremy Blair.

All right, put out an APB on Billie Fields and Jeremy Blair, just to be safe.

[man over radio] Copy.

Looks like a storm's brewing, so batten down the hatches.

But don't leave the island.

-[thunder rumbling] -I'm bound to have more questions.

[thunder rumbling]

It's gonna be a wild one. Nothing like an island storm.

So powerful and unpredictable.

[chuckles] Sounds like fun.

I love that you're into it. You're like an island girl now.

-[waves crashing] -[wind blowing]

-I'll call you. -Yeah. Sounds good.

-[door closing] -[keys jangling]

[chuckles]

[thunder rumbling]

Hello?

Anybody home?

[phone ringing]

[ringing continues]

Hello?

[distorted voice] Hello, Emma. Miss me?

-You're dead. -Somebody is.

Turn on your back porch light.

[trembling breaths]

[gasps]

You'll never get away from me, Emma.

[panting]

45 Lampkin Lane. Copy that.

That's where those Lakewood kids are staying, right?

-[woman] Yes, Sheriff. -Okay, heading over now. Over.

[thunder rumbling]

-I-- -[leaves rustling]

Police! Show yourself!

[screams]

Okay. Thank you.

They're still saying the sheriff's on his way.

We need to get off of this island right now.

I mean, you don't think...

You don't think Kieran's killer is here, right?

What if Kieran's killer is on this island

to take revenge on what is left of the Lakewood Six?

Then why kill Billie?

There were bloody shears in Billie's yard.

Clearly, a reference to the legend of Anna Hobbs.

It's like the killer is combining these two legends

into one brand-new murder spree.

I mean, call me crazy, but I think we're in Freddy vs. Jason territory here.

No. Who do we know who would love to combine two very bankable legends?

I think we're in Jeremy territory here.

I mean, how far would he go to create a buzz for his next release?

I can't believe that this is happening again.

[woman screams]

-What was that? -It came from outside.

[woman] Help! Somebody!

Gina?

-He's... He's dead. -Who's dead?

[all gasp]

[whimpering sobs]

It's okay, it's okay. You're okay, I promise.

-Gina, what are you doing here? -I came to surprise Audrey.

Next question, why is there a head on the front porch?

It's the sheriff's.

Why is the sheriff's head on the front porch?

He's here to help us. He... There's a killer on the island.

-[whimpers] What? -Okay, so what is the plan?

-We need a plan. -Wait, Gina, how did you get here?

-I took a boat, but it left. -Okay, okay.

So, we're basically trapped on the island until the ferry comes in the morning.

No. No, we're not.

We need your help.

[thunder crashing]

Thank you so much for doing this for us.

It's gonna be rough.

I hope we can beat the storm.

I can't believe somebody would do this to Billie.

-There was a severed head, Audrey. -I know.

-There was a severed head! -I know.

It's gonna be okay. Hey, hey. Look at me. Look at me. Alex has a boat.

We are going to get to the mainland. It's okay. Come here.

Okay, okay.

-Come on, let's go! -Gina, Audrey! Okay, here you go!

-What the hell? -Where's your boat?

Someone stole your boat?

We're not getting off this island, are we?

I'm not used to having visitors, but, uh, make yourselves at home.

I'll go fire up the generator.

-I cannot believe we are actually here. -The Whitten Murder Mansion.

-Oh, wait. The Whitten what? -[Stavo] Oh, you don't know?

This is the house where Anna Hobbs committed her final murder.

This is where she killed Reginald Whitten, brutally, in his bed, as he slept.

Can we maybe... stop the murder talk for a minute?

Yeah, and there are a few details in that story that don't add up anyway.

[electricity surges]

Wow.

-Now, this is a mansion. -Hey, there's a phone in here, guys!

-You all getting any bars yet? -Uh, no. Cell towers must be out?

-This is dead, too. -I don't like this. We're totally cut off.

Isn't anybody worried about where Jeremy might be?

No, we are better off without him.

Wow. You must really think he killed those people.

All signs point to yes. He is the one who brought us all to this island.

He showed up with shears last night, shears showed up at Billie's,

Billie showed up dead, and now he's MIA.

Okay, wow, you really don't like him, do you?

Okay, look, whether or not Jeremy did this,

whoever did... might have killed Kieran.

-In a courthouse. -[softly] Yeah.

-In police custody. -Exactly.

So, I doubt that a few locks on the door are gonna stop them from getting in here.

We need to get ready.

What we need to do is call the authorities.

Are-Are you sure there isn't any way we can get the phones back up?

I don't know about that, but, Alex, I saw a CB radio in your truck?

-Yeah, but it's been dead for two years. -I might be able to get it working.

-I'll come with you. -Cool.

No! Shouldn't we all stay together inside?

I mean, doesn't it seem like the most logical course of action right now?

We're sitting ducks. This is a pretty classic horror concept.

And Then There Were None, anyone?

We'll be fine. Don't worry.

I just need a screwdriver, wire cutters, and some tape.

Okay. The kitchen's second door on the left.

-Try the bottom drawer. -Okay.

-[SYML's "Where's My Love" playing] -So... who's Kieran?

[sighs]

-That's a long story. -It's okay. It's a dark and stormy night.

You and I have more in common than I think you realize.

It all started with this guy named Brandon James...

who was obsessed with my mother.

Yeah, so...

I ended up feeling pretty betrayed and very wary of new people.

-Wow. -Mm-hmm.

You're such a survivor and I'd say it's incredible.

Everything that's going on...

if it were me, I'd be curled up in a ball somewhere.

Yeah.

I was trying to get away from all of it this weekend,

and look at us now. [chuckles]

[sighs] And I got you involved in it, too.

It's terrible to say, but I'm kind of relieved you told me all of this.

[chuckles]

Yeah. You and your friends seem way too calm and collected,

given the circumstances.

-Yeah. -Yeah.

Yeah. Well, we've been through a lot. [chuckles]

I know.

[thunder rumbling]

Hey.

Are you okay?

I know that this can be a bit much.

Yeah, I've never dealt with the murder thing before,

but you guys seem to have a handle on it.

And... we'll get through this.

[sighs] I never should've taken that ferry.

Well, in retrospect, the movie marathon was a much... much better idea.

-[chuckles] -Yeah, tell me about it.

There could have been a lot more of that, for instance.

-Hey, wait. So, um... -Mm-hmm?

So, you were on the ferry this morning, right?

-Mm-hm. -So...

What, did you just, uh, wander around the island all day?

-Yeah, it was exhausting. -Yeah.

How did you figure out where we were staying?

What do you mean?

I mean, we were kind of off the beaten path.

-So, did you text Noah--? -Are you serious?

-What? I'm not saying-- -What are you saying?

Are you saying I could be involved in all this stuff somehow?

-No, no, no. I didn't-- I didn't-- -I don't believe this.

-I was trying to do something nice-- -No, no. I'm sorry.

Uh... After last year, I've got a hair trigger.

I automatically assume something terrible is happening.

I'm saying this because I really like you.

That hair trigger feels more like a way to keep me at arm's length.

And I'm not okay with that.

[scoffs]

Hey.

-Did you at least make out? -[chuckles] Shut up.

You could do a lot worse.

What's wrong? Are you worried about Stavo?

Yeah.

I don't know. We just keep having that fight.

It's honestly starting to feel really pointless and stupid.

Maybe you should just tell him that when he comes back.

Hey! Emma! Let me in! Please!

Let me in!

[Audrey] Jeremy does not look happy.

I say we leave him out there.

If he's the killer, that's one thing. If he's not...

Shouldn't we, at least, try to let Stavo and Noah know?

I think we can handle it.

Whoa, where did that come from?

I'm not a fan of guns, but my great granddad was a bootlegger.

What are you saying? We gonna shoot him?

No, but if your friend is the killer, isn't it better that we have control?

-He's not really our friend. -All the more reason for the gun.

What do you think, Emma?

[Jeremy grunts]

Jesus, you guys, I was starting to--

You must be Alex Whitten. You have a lovely home.

Guys? Maybe tell him he can put the gun down?

-Jeremy, where have you been? -What the hell? I'm not the enemy--

-Where have you been all day? -Okay, fine.

After the bonfire, I passed out on the beach.

I-- I woke up the next afternoon,

and I went for a swim to wash the drunk off.

I was headed back to change when I saw some psycho...

in the Anna Hobbs mask leaving a human head on the front porch.

You came back to the house. Okay, why did you leave?

The sicko looked at me. They saw me. They had shears. I had nothing, so I ran.

And I kept running. I ended up lost. Then, everything went dark.

I went to the sheriff's station. It's empty. Everything's empty.

I-I was looking for literally anybody.

And I saw the lights on here, and I was like, "Oh, thank God."

But, apparently, you guys have turned on me.

Well, here's the thing. The only person that we know

who had a mask and shears is you.

You are the one brought us here. You're the one who's been--

Okay, okay!

Look, we don't know who the killer is. Okay? So let's not point fingers.

Why don't we get Jeremy in some dry clothes and try to calm down?

-[gun clicks] -Come on.

[Jeremy sighs]

All right. There's towels and clothes in the closet if you want them.

-Wait, what are you doing? -It's okay. It's the right move.

[banging on door] What the hell, guys! This isn't funny!

Look, if Jeremy is the killer, we're safer this way.

Yeah, and if he's not, we're the paranoid jerks

who just locked him in there by himself.

If he's not the killer, we're doing him a favor.

He's safer in there than we are out here.

-Guys, let me out! -Okay? Come on.

[Noah] Hey, double-tape that for me, okay?

Enough double-taping! We gotta get this thing moving already.

Aah! Look, I'm trying, okay? I'm not Marconi!

He invented the radio!

Look, you need to chill because you freaking out

is just making this worse.

Making it worse than I already made it?

We're here because of my writer's block.

It's my fault that we came to Murder Island and found murder.

I'm the inciting incident!

I'm Marion Crane stealing 40 grand and running away!

Everyone's gonna die because of me!

You are so self-involved.

Uh, you guys haven't seen Gina, have you?

Not since you guys left earlier.

-Okay. I'll go find her. -No, I'm gonna come with you.

I'm good.

-This looks great. When did you do this? -That looks really great.

This is the most expensive bottle of wine in the house.

-Don't waste it on a night like this. -It's actually the perfect time.

And besides... it's already open.

It makes me think of this Buddhist parable that I like.

-Buddhist parable? -I know, right?

But still, I like it.

It's the story of a man running for his life.

A vicious, blood-thirsty tiger is chasing him.

He runs as fast as he can all the way to a cliff,

until he trips over the edge.

But he manages to catch a vine.

It looks like he's escaped.

Until he looks down...

and sees a family of vicious, blood-thirsty tigers...

-[sighs] -...waiting for him to drop.

And, to make matters worse, two adorable little mice start to chew on the vine.

[chuckles]

[thunder rumbles]

In that moment, he contemplates his fate, his certain death.

And that's when he sees a patch of wild strawberries

growing in the cliff's rock.

So, what does he do?

I don't know. Tell me.

He eats the strawberry. And nothing's tasted sweeter.

"Seize the day." I see why you love that story.

-[Emma chuckles] -[wine glasses clink]

[knocking on door] Gina?

[gasps]

-Hey! I was just-- -What the hell are these?

You opened my phone?

You didn't wanna come, and then you surprised me.

And now, I find out you've been stalking me?

I'm not stalking you.

You were on the island, taking pictures of us. You lied to me.

-How can you possibly explain that? -I came to surprise you yesterday, okay?

When I saw you and Emma talking so intimately, I just backed off.

-I didn't know what to do. -I don't understand, okay? Why?

You know my last girlfriend cheated on me.

I'm not cheating on you.

You spend a lot of time with Emma. You told me you once had a thing for her.

Not anymore. Not like that.

Then why do you always choose her over me?

I don't!

I hate how petty this sounds, but every time she calls, you're there.

[scoffs] Even when we have plans.

You could've picked me this weekend, but you picked her.

Audrey! Audrey, come here. You have to see this.

-Right now? -Yes, right now! Come here!

Stay.

[sighs]

What?

Is that blood?

On the phone, he said I would never get away from him. Never.

-Jeremy's locked up, right? -Uh...

You know what? This is why you have writer's block.

-What are you talking about? -You blame yourself.

Because you're profiting off of your dead friends' stories.

Because they're dead and you're alive.

And you know what? It's not writer's block that's in your way.

It's survivor's guilt.

So, what? You don't feel bad about making money off of murder?

No! Not really, man.

[man speaking over radio]

Oh, yeah! Oh, yes!

Okay, yeah. We just, uh, turn it to nine for emergencies, and, uh...

Hello? Hello? Uh... Mayday, mayday!

Come in?

[man, garbled] This is Coast Guard Captain Sloan.

-State your emergency. -Oh, my God, it works! [laughs]

Answer him!

Uh, we're on Shallow Grove Island. There is a killer here!

There's at least three people dead, including the sheriff.

And we are all trapped at the Whitten Mansion. Ten-four.

This better not be a prank. It's a federal crime.

No, sir! No, this is very much real. We are in a lot of danger.

[sighs, chuckles]

-I really hope Jeremy's still in here. -Let's find out.

-Could he really have gotten out of there? -[sighs] I guess so.

Maybe he left that message and then took off.

-Or he could still be in the house. -Someone's messing with the generator.

Jeremy, whoever-- I need to find Gina.

Hey, Audrey, I'm not letting you go alone.

We'll double check the house. If he's in here, we'll find him.

[knocking on door]

Hello? Are you guys there? Open up! Open the door! Hey!

Whoa.

-Thank God. -We got a hold of the Coast Guard.

They're getting a boat here. Cops, too. But it's gonna take a couple of hours.

-What happened to the lights? -Generator's out.

I'll go see if I can get it going again.

You guys stay here. Keep that door locked.

[softly] You okay?

[loud clattering]

-Who the hell are you? -Who the hell are you?

Stay away from me!

Whoa. Have all you people lost your minds?

I've got a house full of maniacs up there treating me like I'm a killer.

Or maybe they're trying to kill me. I don't know.

Come any closer, you psycho, and I swear I'll use this!

Now, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna start a fire?

[door opens, slams shut]

[opens stove door]

[man grunts]

[groans]

-[grunts] -[gasps]

Do you think this rain is ever gonna stop?

[sighs] Hey. They're gonna be here soon, okay?

You were right to go help Noah.

You're being too nice.

-What's the matter with you? -I'm the matter with me.

I'm sorry I was... I was being a jerk.

And I made you into a jerk. I'm sorry.

[sighs]

This is the part where you kiss me.

-Brooke, Stavo-- -Sorry, guys.

We've been looking everywhere. There's no sign of Gina, or Jeremy.

Wait, this is the master bedroom, isn't it?

Reginald Whitten's body was found right there.

The constable's journal said the body was staged, but why?

And why was there no rainwater?

Can't we, you know, focus on the murders that are happening now, in this century?

Oh, look, it's a Whitten family album. This should be interesting.

Or...

Or Mr. Whitten really liked to take photographs.

Of scantily clad women who aren't his wife.

Including, not only Mrs. Hobbs, his alleged mistress, but also Anna.

Uh, can I have that candle, please?

You guys, I don't want to get too excited,

but I think there is an honest-to-god secret door here.

Uh... There's just got to be some kind of hidden lever, or...

Oh, I bet it's... No? Okay. But no, I've seen this before.

It's probably, like, a... certain book that you have to, uh...

Or maybe it's, it's something on the floor that...

[creaks]

Holy haunted mansion, Batman.

We have to go in, right?

I thought that all of this was over. I thought that it ended with Kieran.

-That I could just move on. -Maybe you can.

Murder followed me out here. I'm not getting away.

But, you know, maybe I could help you out.

-I mean... -[chuckles]

I know some cool places. We could just go.

We'd be like travel partners.

No strings.

You know, I think it could be fun.

-So, what? We just take off? -Yeah, why not?

Yeah, that does sound... pretty amazing.

[creaking]

-You hear that? -What is it?

I don't know. Maybe it's Jeremy, or whoever's doing this.

[creaking continues]

-Lock yourself in. -Okay.

This is a terrible idea, you know.

This is straight out of Edgar Allan Poe.

Wait, don't you guys see?

This is the missing piece in the Anna Hobbs story.

It explains how the body was moved.

So, if this is the how, what's the why?

I bet this was built during Prohibition.

Yeah, but why would a rum-running tunnel go to a bedroom? Unless...

Wait. If Whitten was pressuring Mrs. Hobbs, then maybe when Anna...

Oh, my God. I think it's all starting to make sense.

Want to fill the rest of us in?

If I'm right, it's all about where this passage is leading.

[locking]

-I was right. -About what?

Where are we?

This is Billie's cottage, the caretaker's cottage.

This is where the Anna Hobbs murders happened that Halloween night.

Except Anna Hobbs didn't commit them.

It's clear that Reginald Whitten had a roving eye, or worse.

So, the question is, what would he do with a secret passage

from the master bedroom to the caretaker's cottage?

What if he used it to conduct secret rendezvous

with Anna's mother, Lily, who felt like she couldn't say no?

But then, let's say his eye turned to young Anna...

whom he'd photographed and he'd watched grow up, wild and rebellious.

Maybe he thought to himself, "I want that,"

and he came for her one night.

But that would've been Mrs. Hobbs' breaking point

and she would've intervened.

No, stop it!

Whitten, not used to hearing "no," could've snapped.

Maybe he grabbed the nearest weapon, a pair of Mrs. Hobbs' own garden shears...

-[yelling] -[screaming]

...and he killed Anna's mother.

-No! -[cries out]

[grunts]

And her little brother.

Perhaps because he'd seen it all.

-[grunts] -No! [groans]

And then, maybe next, he turned to Anna, determined to have his way with her...

but terrified and enraged, Anna fought him off

and vanquished the monster.

[grunts]

But her family was gone and this was Whitten's island.

The story would never end in her favor. She needed to get far away.

So, she went to the pier, but there was no boat.

And she was covered in her family's blood, so she tried to wash it off.

She died from her wounds, and that was how they found her.

And Whitten's body was moved to the master bedroom by--

Mrs. Whitten.

She would want to save her family from shame,

so she made up the whole Anna story.

Okay, you got all of this from a secret passage?

Way more believable than the crazy girl goes bonkers,

kills everyone, stabs herself.

-I'll give you that. -Look, my version is just a hypothesis.

Okay, I don't buy the legend, but I like this version better.

How does any of this help with what we're going through right now?

This is a very special place.

Somebody drew us here so they could do this to us.

-Someone like Jeremy? -[Brooke screams]

-Or not Jeremy. -[gasps]

[Noah] Oh, my God.

-Well, I guess he's not the killer. -So, who is?

Wait, do you guys see that?

Ugh. Sorry, buddy.

Okay.

[sighs]

That's Alex's van. Who's the guy?

[Noah] Alex.

I think it's Alex Whitten.

So, who's with Emma?

[grunts]

[screams]

[panting]

[knocking on door]

-Emma! Emma, it's Alex! -Oh!

-Hey. -Are you okay? I heard your yells.

He was here. He attacked me.

Was it Jeremy?

I don't know. I couldn't tell. He had the mask on. We have to go warn--

Wait, wait. I'll make sure the coast is clear, okay?

Oh.

[gasps]

"A.W."

I really wish you hadn't done that.

Who are you?

I'm the man you're meant to be with, Emma.

Don't you see that? You feel it, too. I know that you do.

-[both grunt] -[Emma gasps]

I did all of this for you.

You're not Alex Whitten. That is Alex Whitten.

I didn't think you would have ever given Tom Martin a second glance.

But then, you liked me so much even before you thought I was Alex Whitten.

Because we're so alike.

I understand what you're going through.

-You do? -Yeah.

My parents didn't die in a plane crash like Alex's. They were murdered.

I was just a kid, but I saw it happen.

I was stuck with their bodies for three days before they found me.

That's terrible. That's really terrible.

I'm a survivor like you.

You survived all those murders, a boyfriend who wanted to kill you,

a father who abandoned you.

Everybody's hounding you, like they hounded me.

The press... they loved the story of a four-year-old kid

being locked up with his parents' bodies.

When I saw you on the news, I could feel it...

that spotlight just burning you.

And I knew that I had to do something about it,

something big, something for you.

-What did you do? -I went on Jeremy's website.

I made a little buzz around the Anna Hobbs legend.

You steered us here.

You... knew that you wanted to be Alex Whitten.

Yes!

I staged the murders and the call so that I could be your hero.

Your savior.

Yeah? You killed all of those people for me?

Only the people that got in our way, or that could identify me.

But those people, they're not important.

When the storm clears up, let's just go, you and me.

I can teach you to be somebody else.

Isn't that what you want? To be somebody else?

Yeah.

You really think that we can do that?

I know how to disappear, Emma. I'm... I'm good at it.

[chuckles] Everyone's always so careful with me, but you're not.

I think I've been looking for someone like you.

So, you're saying yes?

Let's eat the strawberries.

It's locked.

If Alex locked us in, then he knows what we know.

We've gotta go back.

What about my friends?

They're fine. I took care of them.

Like you took care of Kieran?

I have to be honest. I didn't... I didn't kill Kieran.

I don't know who did.

But I would if that's what you wanted.

What about-- What about Brooke and Audrey and Noah?

How did you take care of them?

I locked them up so... so they wouldn't get in our way.

Good. Good.

[grunts]

No! Emma, come here!

Emma!

Emma...

Come out, come out...

wherever you are!

[door opens]

[screams]

Where's Emma?

[grunts]

[screams]

That wasn't very fair.

Why are you doing this, Emma?

You should be thankful! We had it all figured out.

So, what? If you can't have me, no one can have me?

-Yes! -[laughs]

That's a little cliché, don't you think?

I don't need a hero!

I'm Emma Duval! I don't need you!

[grunts]

-[indistinct chatter] -[siren wailing]

I get why you suspected me of cheating. I do.

Believe me, karma kicked my ass for that.

It's just...

You need to understand that Emma is part of my life,

one of the most important parts, and no one's ever gonna take her place.

But you and me, that's completely different.

They don't have to compete.

I'm really sorry for pushing you away. I don't want to do that anymore.

You mean, you don't want to break up?

I totally thought that's where this was going.

Did I ever tell you about the time I kidnapped Noah and tied him up?

[chuckles] Let's just say, I've made some mistakes, too.

Come here.

[sighs] Oh, I'm sorry.

I've been thinking a lot about New York, and I just...

-I don't want to hear it. -You don't?

You're coming to New York with me.

I can't picture it without you.

-You're so desperate. -Shut up.

I want to be where you are, wherever that is.

[sighs] So, here we are again.

The aftermath.

You doing okay?

Yeah.

I am.

[Noah] I figured out a cure to my survivor's guilt.

Since the victims can't tell their own stories,

it's my responsibility to make sure they're heard.

Anna Hobbs may not have survived her ordeal,

but she lived long enough to take down the bad guy.

And that makes her kind of a final girl.

That story deserves to be told.

But how do you keep living after being a final girl,

after seeing all that horror?

Maybe finding yourself is a good start.

But I have a feeling our story isn't over,

and there's another sequel in the works.

'Cause here's the thing.

If Tom, AKA Alex, didn't murder Kieran in that courthouse, then who did?

Was it someone Kieran hurt?

Or...

was it someone who wants to take his place?

Welcome to Lakewood, Mr. James.