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On the second day of the investigation, the Larsens identify Rosie's body, and the ripples begin spiraling outward. In between questioning Sterling and Jasper, Linden endures some forced family togetherness with her reluctant son. Elsewhere, the Larsens are falling apart when they have to tell their sons of Rosie's death. Also falling apart: Richmond's campaign as the news leaks that his campaign car became Rosie's watery grave. While the coroner's report offers scant information -- other than confirming that Rosie was alive when the car went into the water -- Holder gets a lead from some high school girls, who take him to a basement where their friends partied after the school dance from which Rosie went missing. Inside the basement is a blood-soaked mattress and bloody hand prints snaking up the walls. As the dark underbelly of Rosie's life begins to reveal itself, it's clear that no one will be safe from suspicion.
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Want more? The full recap starts right below!Mitch Larsen rides to the morgue to identity her dead daughter. She spots Stan from the end of the hall and walks toward him, defeated. They embrace, and she collapses in his arms. As they embrace, the mortician prepares Rosie for her exam, her hair still dripping from the lake. Her parents enter the room with Linden and Holder. Linden delicately lifts the sheet as Mitch sobs uncontrollably. Stan gravely looks at this, his new reality. Linden looks at them with compassion, no doubt imagining her own reaction if this happened to Jack.
A bit later, Linden interviews Stan about his last moments with Rosie. He was taking a work order on the phone when he saw her in her garage. He didn't remember her seeming any different than unusual when she waved goodbye. In the room, Holder asks Mitch if she suspects anyone. All she can muster is to whimper that Rosie's fingernails were broken. Linden asks Stan if Rosie was involved in politics. He says no, that she was a homebody. Linden asks about Jasper. Stan says it was a summer fling, then retreats back into his final memory of Rosie. He wishes he had said goodbye.
Later, Linden and Holder's boss gives them the items found on the body and asks for a status update on their contact with Richmond's campaign. Holder says he's going to call them, but the boss thinks Linden would be better to handle it because of the sensitive, political nature of the case. Holder rolls his eyes, and Linden says she's clocked out. The boss tells her she's not clocked out until he says she is and tells her to give him another 24 hours. Holder tries to convince the boss he's up for the task, but it's a no-go. As Linden takes a call from Rick, the boss tells her the car keys were found in the ignition, so to tread lightly because it could be somebody in the campaign.
Linden tells Rick that she has to stay another day. He's sitting underneath a "Welcome home!" banner with Jane Doe's baseball cap on his head. Needless to say, he's disappointed. He deadpans that they should cancel the wedding because he's fallen in love with another woman -- Jane Doe. He tells Linden to get home soon, and they tell each other "I love you" before hanging up.
Linden tells Stan and Mitch to keep the news of Rosie's death within their family so they don't impede the police investigation. Mitch wonders when they can bring Rosie home. Linden keeps it vague and switches topics to tell them a police unit will be coming by to search Rosie's room. Stan wonders why she asked if Rosie had an interest in politics. Linden glosses over it, saying they're investigating every angle. She tells them she's sorry for their loss and advises them to get home and get rest. Stan asks sternly, "Will you find who did this?" Holder says quietly that they will, which displeases Linden. Anyone who's worked in homicide as long as she has knows you don't always get the bad guy.