‘Secrets and Lies’ Recap: ‘The Trail’

It’s Christmas time in their quiet town and it’s about to not be so quiet anymore.
Mild-mannered painter Ben Garner (Ryan Phillippe of I know what you did last summer, Cruel Intentions) stumbled upon Tom, his 5 yr. old neighbor, dead while running through the woods in the rain.

Detective Andrea Cornell (Juliette Lewis of Natural Born Killers, Enough)came to his home to question him. During questioning, Cornell found out that he was drinking heavily the night before and his wife Christy (Private Practice’s Kadee Strickland) told Cornell that Ben normally doesn't run at that time.

He approached Jessica Murphy (Natalie Martinez of Under the Dome) when she came out of her home escorted by cops.

He had a conversation with Dave his friend/moocher and they discussed how Ben and Christy argued the night before and she kicked him out which resulted in heavy drinking. He then needed to run to blow off steam from the night before.

Christy approached him about where he was after the argument when she kicked him out. They discussed their current relationship status which has been rocky.He didn't know how to respond to her because he didn't know where he was.

Cornell requested him to come down to station because she wanted a DNA sample.

He tried to see Jess across the street who wont open door or let him in. Cornell showed up and told him to come into his house. She had pictures of flashlights and asked him if he owns one of those in the images. Christy told Cornell that they do. They went to his tool shed. They looked in his paint kit and low and behold it’s gone.

Cornell brought him into the woods to trace his steps on the running path that led to Tom. She asks him more questions about his flashlight, why he called Jess and about the fight with his wife. He told her about the guy on the motorcycle. She still badgered him with questions.

He decided to give the DNA sample because the press kept bothering him and his family. He just wanted his family to have peace. Later that night, they decorated the tree because they still need normalcy.

He approached Dave and asked him how did he get home being that he was drunk and couldn't remember. Dave told him he sent him home in a cab.

His boss fired him before job was even finished. Being accused of killing a child is bad for business. He called every client who turned him down for work.

Cornell explained to him that the truth comes out. It could take an hour or 10 years. She implied that she will not give up trying to find out what happened.

She asked how many times did he sleep with Jess Murphy because she can tell him at least once and when. The DNA showed that theres a probability of 99.9% that he is Tom’s father.
He visited the spot where Tom was found dead and there was a memorial area of stuffed animals set up to honor Tom. He found Jess in the woods. He asked her if she knew that Tom was his. She said no and Cornell was the one who told her. He told Jess he wouldn't hurt tom and she believed him because she knows who did it.

What are your thoughts on this new murder mystery? Is it Ben? Scott? One of the neighbors?

Image courtesy of INFGoff.com