When a clairvoyant's account of a nighttime assault raises more questions than answers, Curry must put her skepticism aside to uncover the truth. The squad's investigation reveals a long-buried secret that has haunted one family for generations.
A clairvoyant, Beatrice, is assaulted in the middle of the night. She waits until the next morning after a client meeting to call the police. She questions why the police do certain things. She's skeptical of certain questions. She wants to protect her mother and daughter. Despite that, the police must examine the past to get a better understanding of the present. That includes a discussion of Beatrice's alleged abilities. The plot doesn't revolve around whether or not she can commune with the dead. She's convinced that she feels energies in the universe. That helps guide her through empathy. That's all people are typically after when they hire her for her services. They want to feel heard. She provides them with the space for their grief and mourning to go. Most of the detectives don't believe it. Curry had a particularly bad experience with a fortune teller after her husband died. More backstory is presented that informs her actions in this case. It makes her more skeptical than her colleagues. That skepticism is warranted even though she's not the one to get Beatrice to share the truth about the night her father was killed. Instead, that honor belongs to Olivia. It may be another instance of Olivia taking priority of the case instead of letting her detectives lead the way. That doesn't appear to be the motivation though. It's mostly just a way to keep her involved with the pivotal moment of the episode.
Beatrice and her mother Sarah told the police that Sarah killed her husband. He was a drunk who physically abused his family. Beatrice was told to stay in her room when she heard her father come home. Sarah would endure his wrath. She protected Beatrice. That wasn't true. In fact, Beatrice was the victim of his heinous abuse. He targeted her. He molested her until Sarah distracted him. Then, he would take his rage out on her. Every day, Beatrice checked to see if her father locked his gun. One day, he forget. That gave Beatrice the power and freedom to dictate the outcome of events. She felt safe. When she woke up to the familiar sounds, she took action. Sarah took responsibility. She killed her husband in self-defense. A murder case was never brought. The family protected each other. Even in the present, Sarah fears that the police have finally figured out the truth. They've come to arrest Beatrice. That's not true. No one wishes to take Beatrice away. The detectives just want to know what happened to her. She was attacked in her home. Yet no footage exists of the assailant leaving. The brownstone is a creepy environment. The hour plays up the spooky context as it airs near Halloween.
The scary truth is that a man was living in Beatrice's attic. He resided there for roughly three months. Her high school boyfriend was obsessed with her. He has been in and out of mental institutions ever since they broke up. His parents kicked him out because they could no longer take care of him. It was exhausting. They had reached their breaking points. He saw Beatrice's home as his last remaining safe place. He takes ownership over it when he breaks back in. He wants to feel safe. Yet he's the terror that lurks. Every mystery came from his presence. He unnerved everyone. He felt he could pick up where things left off with Beatrice. He spent time in her space before he acted. She was terrified when she woke up to his presence. She didn't recognize him. He thought that was the problem. He just needed to shave. The detectives offer a rational explanation for his actions. They're not condoned. They doubt he will be deemed competent to stand trial. It's closure nonetheless. Beatrice credits some power giving her the strength to kill her father and fight off her assailant. It's better to place that belief elsewhere instead of lingering on what she is capable of doing. That detachment works for her. It's not quite enough for Curry to change her mind about a reading. She doesn't need that closure even though she opens up quite a bit about herself when she provides Beatrice with the final update.
