Secrets and Lies Episode 1.10 The Lie

Abby is missing and Ben is convinced Jess has her. Cornell calls Ben to inform him that police are on their way - but only because Jess called and accused him of rape. He goes to Jess' house and breaks in, frantically calling out for Abby. The cops arrive and arrest Ben as Jess insists he raped her. Cornell arrives on the scene and is taken aside by an officer, finding the blue jacket in Jess' house. At the station, Ben is delirious and frantic, admitting he slept with Jess but didn't rape her. Much to his surprise, Cornell reveals to Ben that she knows he didn't have the jacket - and that he didn't kill Tom.

Ben receives a phone call from Abby. Jess never had her; she just wanted to be by herself. Ben and Christy have a civilized conversation, with Ben informing her that the blue jacket was Jess'. Christy is shocked to hear Jess killed Tom. Jess is brought into the police station for questioning. She tells Cornell that Ben raped her, but Cornell doesn't buy it. She presents Jess with the blue jacket. When Jess insists she didn't kill her own son. Cornell believes her, telling Jess that someone is framing her for her son's death.

The Crawford family surprises Ben at the house for a reunion. Natalie and Abby begged Christy to allow them to see Ben and she gave in, as they didn't get the Christmas they wanted. At the station, Cornell rounds up officers, showing them a photo and asking if they've seen "her." One officer did; the officer dropped "her" off at Chelsea Bay Drive the previous afternoon. Cornell needs to review footage. At the Crawford house, Ben presents Christy with the signed divorce papers. Setting up for dinner, the family discusses the fact that Jess killed Tom. Meanwhile, Cornell tries to get the killer charged for murder, but without evidence and a confession, that can't happen.

Before dinner, Ben is fixing up outside the house. Noticing an opened vent, he peers inside and finds blood-covered sneakers. The family is digging into their food when Ben enters the room, sneakers in hand. He confronts Abby, asking if it is blood on her sneakers and questioning her role in Tom's murder. She breaks down into tears and tells him it was an accident - she didn't mean to hurt him. She explains her plans for them to run away, telling her family what really happened the night Tom was killed. Christy and Ben were fighting and Jess and Scott were too, and Abby thought she had a way to fix it.

Using Natalie's key, Abby went to Jess' and pulled Tom out of bed in order to get him to run away with her, luring him out with the promise of Scott coming back. Once they were in the woods, Tom dropped his toy tank and wanted to go home. He started running back and a panicked Abby ran after him, accidentally striking him with the flashlight. She was going to tell Ben, but he had already gone out for a run and found Tom. She was scared so she put her shoes in the vent under the guest house. Hearing this, Ben and Christy are in tears, while Natalie is upset and wants them to come clean.

With Abby following, Ben goes into the woods and burns Abby's shoes. Later, Ben instructs Abby to pack a bag and gives Christy the $150,000, sending the girls off. Natalie refuses to go along with Christy and Abby, threatening to go to Cornell. Ben and Christy question their parenting; Ben plans to give Cornell what she wants. He sends Christy and Abby off. When Natalie tells him her thoughts, he gives her the option of not being a part of it. Along with Dave, Ben takes Natalie to Michael's and the two share a heartbreaking goodbye. After dropping Natalie off, Ben goes to Cornell, fires his lawyer and confesses to Tom's murder.

While Cornell takes his statement, the assistant district attorney summons her, accusing her of tanking his case. Cornell insists Ben is innocent and that Abby is the real killer, but the ADA isn't budging. When Ben is being led away to his prison cell, Cornell tries one last time to get Ben to retract his false confession, telling him Abby premeditated the murder. Protecting his daughter, Ben continues to hold that he is the killer and retreats to his cell. A defeated Cornell escapes to her car and has a breakdown.

Cornell sits at the bar with a drink when her ex-husband Dr. Ethan Barrett approaches. He has come to keep her company and the two discuss the outcome of the investigation. When Ethan tells her there is nothing she can do about it, she is adamant that she will put Abby away. Meanwhile, Christy and Abby are on the road. Christy assures Abby that everything will be ok. Abby says that she was sure Jess would have moved away, shocking Christy. With no remorse whatsoever, Abby states that none of this would have happened if she got Tom to the river.