Montgomery de la Cruz has been arrested for Tyler's assault in front of his parents & sister and he is also suspected for Bryce's murder because Charlie St. George back up Tyler's story by telling the police that Bryce confronted him before the Homecoming game and he witness Monty admitted it to Bryce. Monty is locked up in Evergreen County Jail as his father goes to pay him a visit.
Mr. de la Cruz: Your mother, she hasn't stopped crying since they picked you up.
Monty de la Cruz: Sorry.
Mr. de la Cruz: I bust my ass for this family, and this is what you do? Answer me!
Monty de la Cruz: What? What answer do you want?
Mr. de la Cruz: Is it true? What they're saying?
Monty de la Cruz: What are they saying?
Mr. de la Cruz: You damn well know. They're saying you assaulted a kid. That you sexually assaulted a kid. A boy. That true?
Monty de la Cruz: No, it wasn't sexual assault. I was messing with him.
Mr. de la Cruz: You were messing with him? The way they said? Why would you do that shit? To a boy? You some kind of faggot?
Monty de la Cruz: What if I was, Dad? What if I was?
Mr. de la Cruz: You're going to prison. You know what they do to guys like you in there?
Monty de la Cruz: What do they do? Describe it.
Mr. de la Cruz: You're gonna get beat to shit. At the minimum. They will beat you down.
Monty de la Cruz: Yeah, well at least none of them will be my dad.
Mr. de la Cruz: You a faggot?
Monty de la Cruz: Sure.
Monty's father gets up from his seat and spits on Monty's face in disgrace. The guard takes Monty back to his cell as he is passing by other inmates, they already know what he did. Clay was released from jail on bail but he will be tracked by the police as he is forced to wear a ankle GPS by order of the court.
Justin Foley: You got one on me, Jensen. I've never had one of those.
Clay Jensen: Yeah, I'm breaking your records all the time.
Lainie Jensen: It's brutal, but it's better than a jail cell. We had to agree to it to get the prosecutor into court this morning and get you RoR'd.
Clay Jensen: I'm not complaining.
Justin Foley: So, what? He can't leave the outhouse?
Lainie Jensen: He's not on house arrest. It's a GPS unit. So, they can track him to school, the library, wherever he's cleared to go.
Clay Jensen: Wait, school?
Lainie Jensen: You have a meeting with the new counselor. She'll do an evaluation and tell the school district if you're okay to come back.
Clay Jensen: Like, to see if I'm still homicidal?
Lainie Jensen: Enough with that talk. Okay? Your state of mind counts. Now, but especially at trial.
Justin Foley: What if it doesn't even go to trial? I mean, what if they come up with new evidence or a new... a new witness?
Lainie Jensen: Is that why you went to see Seth Massey the other night?
Justin Foley: I... Uh... (Stammering) I thought he could help.
Laine Jensen: Unlikely. He was arrested on parole violations. He's going away for a long time.
Justin Foley: How did you know that I was with him?
Lainie Jensen: They had detectives tailing you. You can assume they will from now on. So, watch your back. Both of you. School in ten.
Lainie leaves the outhouse.
Justin Foley: Fuck!
Justin sits down on his bed as Clay just looks at him for answers.
Justin Foley: I thought he could get rid of the dealer. So I could be your alibi.
Clay Jensen: I'm going to prison. For the rest of my life.
Justin Foley: You most definitely are not. I've got to tell you something. It's heavy shit. Ani called me last night. She was with Jess.
Justin goes on to tell Clay that Alex was the one who killed Bryce and Jessica saw it happened. Back at the police station, Deputy Standall is looking through the evidence of the crime scene from Bryce's murder as he calls over a C.S.I. officer to ask about the scene.
Bill Standall: Hey, Andrew. Walker crime scene, what did we get for footprints?
Officer Andrew: Not a lot. There was rain that weekend. So, we mostly had scuff marks from the struggle.
Officer Andrew takes out pictures of the footprints they found at the scene.
Bill Standall: Right, this here shows a limp, right?
Officer Andrew: Yeah, which that Dempsey kid... So, that answers that.
Bill Standall: So the kid that was in the fight here was dragging his right foot. Like Zach would've. What about this one? Doesn't this show a left foot being dragged?
Officer Andrew: Yeah, possibly. Or maybe we're looking at it wrong. There's not one complete print. I wouldn't take it to court.
Bill Standall: All right. What about tire treads?
As Officer Andrew searches for the results of the tire treads, Bill begins to suspect his own son.
I couldn't get the thought of Ani & Bryce out of my head.
Bryce Walker: Can you blame her?
Yes! Yes, I can. And would you get the fuck out of my head.
Bryce Walker: Come on, Hannah. You need me right now.
Hannah Baker: I don't need you.
Bryce Walker: Yes, you do. Clay's in jail...
Hannah Baker: He's not. He'd got bailed out.
Bryce Walker: How long is that gonna last?
Hannah Baker: We both know it was Monty who did. He had the most to lose.
Bryce Walker: You're sure about that? Do you actually believe Clay?
Hannah Baker: I do. Helmet is not a killer.
Bryce Walker: Why do you call him that?
Hannah Baker: Fuck you!
My phone dings. It's a text from Jess. It says that we need to talk and to meet up at school. I grab my stuff and get ready for school. I don't know what I'm going to do when I see Ani again. I wanna slap her as hard as Jessica slapped me 2 years ago.
Ani is in the kitchen getting her stuff ready for school as her mother begins to speak.
Amara Josephine Achola: You were out again all night.
Ani Achola: Not all night. Jessica Davis needed some help. We've got a test.
Amara Josephine Achola: Mrs. Walker saw you in the window of the coffee shop with a girl and a boy.
Ani Achola: Yeah, Justin Foley was there, too. We're all in the same history class.
Amara Josephine Achola: I will assume that is a lie. The police called this morning.
Ani Achola: What?
Amara Josephine Achola: Deputy Standall. They want to see you again. I told them we would be there this evening.
Ani Achola: I see. All right.
Amara Josephine Achola: Amorowat, I told you not to get involved.
Ani Achola: Mum, I know. I know. But you brought me into this country, and I'm glad you did, and now you have to let me live in this country. And take care of my friends, and my friends needed me last night.
Amara Josephine Achola: Did they also lie to the police? How can you be sure this boy didn't commit the crime?
Ani Achola: Because I know him, Mum! And he's good.
Amara Josephine Achola: You mustn't lie to the police again.
Nora Walker drove to Navy Pier with flower in town as she drops them in the river to mourn her son. Tony arrives to Caleb's gym as Caleb notices that Tony has a worried look on his face.
Caleb: What? What is it?
Tony Padilla: Fucking Standall wants to talk to me again.
Caleb: Shit! Why?
Tony Padilla: Does it matter? Look, I got an all-cash offer to sell the garage to the guy who owns Maverick's.
Caleb: What about the title?
Tony Padilla: He's gonna file a new title himself, transfer it over to his holding company, clean it up. He's cool with it.
Caleb: Jesus, Tony. That's fraud.
Tony Padilla: You're gonna talk to me about fraud? They have Clay for murder. Once they figure out he's innocent, they're gonna work their way...
Caleb: How do you know? How do you know that he is innocent?
Tony just scoffs as a reply.
Caleb: Tell me the truth about that night. About Homecoming.
Tony Padilla: I told you the truth.
Caleb: I...
Caleb then notices that Tim Pozzi was in the gym as he was talking to Luke Holliday.
Caleb: Shit! One second.
Tony Padilla: You kidding?
Caleb: It's Tim Pozzi. That dealer that got banned from City Gym. I have to kick him out.
Tony sees Caleb going to kick Tim Pozzi as Luke then tells him what Tim just told him. A bit later on, Charlie meets with Tyler in the library to check on him.
Tyler Down: You heard Monty was arrested last night?
Charlie St. George: Yeah. You okay? No one's said anything to you or anything?
Tyler Down: I mean, nothing bad. People are... still kinda being nice to me.
Luke Holliday: St. George.
Charlie & Tyler turn to see Luke and some of the football players standing there looking distraught.
Charlie St. George: Um... I'll be right back.
While Clay is meeting with Dr. Singh, Justin approaches Ani at her locker.
Ani Achola: You told Clay?
Justin Foley: Yeah. Yeah, I did. But listen, there's something new that happened.
Ani Achola: Okay, me first. The police called me in again. They want to see me today.
Justin Foley: Shit. Come here. You're gonna want to hear this... before you talk to the police.
When I got to school, I immediately went to find Clay. First thing I did was give him huge hug. He may be out of jail but not off the hook. We went to find an empty classroom to talk. I tell him that Ani actually fucked Bryce....
Hannah Baker: You knew!?
But he already knew. So I socked him on his arm.
Clay Jensen: Ow! I deserved that.
Hannah Baker: Why didn't you tell me?
Clay Jensen: I figured after everything she's done for both you & Jess, she should be the one to tell the both of you.
Hannah Baker: How long have you known?
Clay Jensen: Well, I saw them kiss at Homecoming.
I socked him again.
Clay Jensen: Ow. Would you stop that.
Hannah Baker: Since Homecoming?
Clay Jensen: But I didn't know that they fucked until the Sheriff showed me her panties with Bryce's cum on them.
Hannah Baker: Ew!
Clay Jensen: That was when they brought me & Justin in when they got the footage of me with the gun.
Hannah Baker: I can't believe she betrayed us like that. And to think, I thought she actually liked you.
Clay Jensen: So did I. Even when I kissed her.
He kissed her?
Hannah Baker: You guys kissed?
Clay Jensen: Last month when I dropped her off, then Bryce showed up. Then I kissed her yesterday before I was gonna leave.
Wow. I guess Clay really has moved on.
Clay Jensen: This must be awkward, me telling you.
Hannah Baker: No, not at all. They arrested Monty last night. Tyler came forward. We can thank Charlie St. George.
Clay Jensen: Charlie?
Hannah Baker: When Bryce confronted Monty before Homecoming, Charlie was there for it. He tried to tell me the other day.
Clay Jensen: So now Monty is a suspect?
Hannah Baker: And has the biggest motive.
Clay Jensen: Hannah... it wasn't Monty. He didn't kill Bryce.
Hannah Baker: What?
Clay Jensen: After you stormed out from Monet's, Ani figured it out. Jessica knows who killed Bryce.
Hannah Baker: How?
Clay Jensen: She was there when it happened.
Hannah Baker: Who did it?
Clay Jensen: It was Alex. Ani called Justin, he meet with them last night at Monet's and they told him.
Hannah Baker: And he told you.
Clay Jensen: Yeah.
I can't believe it. It was Alex this whole time. And he was gonna let Clay take the blame.
Hannah Baker: How could he... I'll talk to Jess. This cannot get any worse.
We then hear the door open and... Oh for fuck's sake.
Ani Achola: I know you're angry at me.
Hannah Baker: I've got nothing to say to you.
Ani Achola: The situation just got worse.
Clay Jensen: How?
Ani informs them that about Monty's death. News has already spread around school about Monty's death. Ani came up with a plan to frame Monty for Bryce's murder to help clear Clay's name and protect Alex.
Hannah Baker: You've got to be fucking kidding!?
Clay Jensen: Jesus, Ani.
Ani Schola: I know, but it can help when I go to the sheriff.
Clay Jensen: No, don't go down there. Don't do that!
Ani Achola: Clay, I promise I will figure this out. If I can't make things better, I won't make it worse.
Hannah Baker: No shit.
Clay Jensen: Don't go down there. You may think you have a plan, but you're jumping into it head first. You're not listening to reason.
Ani Achola: Okay. First, I do have a plan. And second, are you really the person to criticize me for being headstrong and stubborn?
Hannah Baker: He's being stubborn? You were the one who who fucked Bryce!
Clay Jensen: Let's just calm down. You can yell at her later. It's just, what if it doesn't work?
Ani Achola: Listen, I need you guys to hold up your end. A confession at this point fucks us up! Right?
Clay Jensen: No, I know.
Ani Achola: Clay, I've told you what you need to know. You can do this. You trust me, don't you?
Clay Jensen: I... I trust you.
Hannah Baker: Seriously? We're talking about framing a dead person for murder. This is wrong!
Clay Jensen: I agree.
Ani Achola: What choice do we have, turn Alex in? We do that he'll probally take Jessica down with him.
Hannah Baker: He wouldn't do that. He cares about her.
Ani Achola: So you get what I'm trying to say. We won't be just saving Alex, we'll be saving Jessica as well.
Clay Jensen: By framing Monty? I know what he did to Tyler is unforgivable, but he doesn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to die.
Hannah Baker: And what about his family? Haven't they been through enough?
Ani Achola: It's Monty or Alex & Jess.
Bryce Walker: You're not seriously gonna go with this?
I just ignore Bryce in my head. As much as I hate Ani for fucking Bryce Walker, she's got a point. It's Monty or Alex & Jessica. We all know that Alex won't last in prison, especially when he's the son of a cop. Ani has already filled everyone in, except for Alex. Everyone is in: Justin, Jessica, Zach, Tony, Tyler, even Charlie St. George is in. And now... me & Clay are both in. I can't help but think if any of this would still happened had I not tried to take my own life last year. Maybe had I come forth, Bryce would've gone to jail and none of this would've happened.
Everyone was in agreement with Ani's plan. Rather than wait, Ani decide to leave school and go straight to the police station to meet with Deputy Bill Standall.
Bill Standall: Can I get you some water or anything?
Ani Achola: No, thank you.
Bill Standall: I wasn't expecting you until later.
Ani Achola: Before we begin, if you're expecting I'm gonna help you prove Clay Jensen guilty, you'll be disappointed. 'Cause I don't believe he is.
Bill Standall: You don't? Just so you know, you're facing the reality that most people believe he is guilty. Do you still want to talk?
Ani Achola: I do.
Bill Standall: Okay.
Deputy Standall takes out a recording device.
Bill Standall: Do you mind?
Ani agrees to be recorded.
Bill Standall: Okay. Begin at the beginning. Who you are, what school you're from and why you're here.
Ani Achola: My name is Amorowat Anysia Achola. You can call me Ani. I'm a senior at Liberty High School. It's an interesting place.
Clay goes to the Liberty Tigers locker room where he sees Zach cleaning out his locker.
Clay Jensen: You don't have to do that anymore.
Zack Dempsey: (Sighing) I'm never playing football ever again.
Clay Jensen: Justin told me you went to the sheriff. You didn't have to do that. Thank you.
Zack Dempsey: I didn't do it for you. I did it because it was the right thing to do.
Clay Jensen: Yeah, but sometimes it's hard to know what the right thing is. Listen, Zach. Either way, you put yourself on the line. I'm gonna do the same. You deserve to know the truth.
Clay tells Zach the truth about Alex. Zach couldn't believe it. He feels like he failed Alex. Ani continues talking to Deputy Standall.
Ani Achola: Bryce Walker did hurt a lot of people. Zach & Chlöe, certainly. But I soon realized the one he hurt the most was Jessica Davis.
Bill Standall: You wanna talk about Jessica Davis?
Ani Achola: You need to understand everyone had their reasons. And you need to understand what those reasons are. Everyone had a reason,
Bill Standall: Including you?
Ani Achola: Including me. But this isn't a confession? Before I tell you who did it, and you decide what to do about it, you need to know who could've done it and why.
Bill Standall: Okay, why do I need to know that?
Ani Achola: 'Cause no one's innocent. Violence begets violence, it just doesn't always look the same.
Bill Standall: How do you mean?
Ani Achola: Some of us do violence to ourselves. Some try to break the pattern. Zach tried. Maybe Bryce was trying to break the cycle within himself.
Ani Achola: And Jessica found him before he got the chance.
Justin goes to meet with Jessica in the textbook room.
Justin Foley: Did you bring it?
Jessica Davis: Yeah.
Jessica gives Justin the tape that Bryce gave her with his blood still covering it as she wrap it up in a red rag. Jessica & Justin then kiss as Justin has something to say.
Justin Foley: Jess, seriously...
Jessica Davis: Shh. No talking.
Justin Foley: No, this time I am talking. Okay? I do not have time to mess around.
Jessica Davis: Yeah, okay. I know. I love you. I don't want anything to happen to you. And I'm scared.
Justin Foley: Hey. Don't be scared. Do you believe in me? I mean, do you really believe in me?
Jessica Davis: Yes. Of course I do.
Justin Foley: Then we're gonna be okay.
Justin opens the door to step out and finds Hannah making her way in.
Hannah Baker: Hey.
Justin Foley: Hey, can't talk right now.
Hannah Baker: It's happening now?
Justin Foley: Good, Ani filled you in.
Justin runs off as I enter the textbook room to talk to Jessica.
Hannah Baker: What the fuck?
Jessica Davis: I take it they told you.
Hannah Baker: This whole time it was Alex and you witnessed it? You guys just stood there and watched Clay get arrested for a murder he didn't commit. After everything he's done for you guys...
Jessica Davis: I know. I know. And I hate myself for letting Clay take the blame. We were scared. I didn't know what to do.
Hannah Baker: You should've come to me. We would've done something, together.
Jessica Davis: I'm sorry.
Jessica begins to cry as I give her a hug.
Hannah Baker: Jess, you & Alex were there for me last year. Now it's my turn.
We let go of each other.
Hannah Baker: I'm still pissed at Ani for fucking Bryce, but her plan is insane. But what other choice do we have?
As Hannah comforts Jessica, Ani continues on...
Ani Achola: Everyone had their reasons. The trick was trying to tell who just wanted Bryce dead, and who could actually kill. I mean, what does a killer look like? You know, I'm actually asking, because... we had no idea.
Bill Standall: But you had your suspicions?
Ani Achola: Who among us would be most likely to take a gun... and pull the trigger?
Alex goes to the yearbook room to check on Tyler after hearing about what Monty did to him.
Alex Standall: Hey, man.
Tyler Down: Hey, Alex. Uh, Clay & Hannah were looking for you. I told them that you weren't in first.
Alex Standall: Yeah, I'm kinda skipping today.
Tyler Down: Oh...
Alex Standall: But... I heard about Monty being arrested. And what he did to you. Are you okay?
Tyler Down: I mean, yeah.
Alex Standall: That's really fucked up. I'm so sorry.
Tyler Down: Thanks.
Alex Standall: Listen, um... Do you still have a gun?
Tyler Down: No. The last one I gave Clay & Hannah, that was all I had. Why?
Alex Standall: No, I just... Just don't want those guys to come after you. Monty's guys.
Tyler Down: Well, if they wanna go to jail...
Alex Standall: Right. What are you working on?
Tyler Down: Uh...
After Clay, Hannah, & Tony stopped him at Spring Fling, Tyler decided to document his recovery by taking pictures of himself showing off the bruises that Monty left him. Tyler took a picture each day since Spring Fling. Tyler decided to share some of the pictures to Alex.
Alex Standall: Holy shit, Tyler. You took these as proof?
Tyler Down: Yeah. I only took one that first night. I thought I would leave it behind as proof. And then, after that, I... I started to take one a day. Just to... like, track the bruises, I guess. I ended up tracking how I changed. Over time.
Tyler shows Alex the rest of the pictures he took one by one.
Tyler Down: After Bryce died, I almost quit. But I kept going.
Alex looks at the pictures and sees Tyler's road to recovery as the guilt begins to weigh in on him.
Alex Standall: Talking to the police must've been like a weight off, right?
Tyler Down: Yeah, it was.
Tyler already knows that Alex killed Bryce, but Alex doesn't know that they know. Tyler can see the guilt on Alex's face.
Tyler Down: Hey... are you okay?
Alex Standall: Yeah. Yeah, I am.
Alex walks away as Tyler is now concern about Alex. Back at the station, Ani has told Bill the truth about Tyler & Spring Fling.
Bill Standall: So the false alarm at Spring Fling wasn't a false alarm at all?
Ani shakes her head as she admits the truth.
Bill Standall: Okay, you're going to tell me why I shouldn't go arrest Tyler right now.
Ani Achola: Well, because this conversation would be over. And in a few minutes, I'm going to tell you exactly why you can't go arrest Tyler.
Bill Standall: He was the only one who kept a gun?
Ani Achola: He thought he needed the power. He thought it made him a man.
Bill Standall: Does that really matter to kids these days? Being a man?
Ani Achola: I think you know it does.
Tyler came to us and told us that Alex asked him for a gun. Now I'm really worried for Alex. We needed to be careful with him. Me & Clay decided to go find Alex and talk to him while playing coy. We find him walking in the hallway...
Hannah Baker: Alex.
Clay Jensen: Hey. Where you going?
Alex Standall: I have an appointment off-campus, it's physical therapy.
Hannah Baker: How're you gonna get there?
Alex Standall: My dad'll pick me up.
Clay Jensen: Your dad. You're... you're gonna see your dad?
Alex Standall: Yeah, I just texted him. He should be here soon. Why?
Clay Jensen: Um... We just talked to Tyler.
Hannah Baker: He told us you asked him for a gun.
Alex Standall: Yeah, I just needed to blow off some steam. And I thought I'd do some target practice, and my dad won't let me. But anyway, he didn't have one. So...
Clay Jensen: Are you... Is everything good?
Alex Standall: Yeah, everything's fine.
Clay Jensen: Okay. And your dad's gonna pick you up and you don't need, like, a ride?
Alex Standall: No. Thanks.
Hannah Baker: Hey, Alex. Listen, actually... Do you have 1 minute to talk before you go?
We stop walking.
Alex Standall: About what?
Clay Jensen: Look, I think Ani did it. And I can't cover for her anymore.
Alex Standall: You think Ani? That's crazy.
Hannah Baker: Is it? Because it wasn't us. She's all that's left.
Back at the police station...
Ani Achola: Alex was right, nobody's clean. I knew Alex was using steroids.
Bill Standall: But not from Bryce.
Ani Achola: Monty was buying from Bryce.
Bill Standall: We didn't find anything on Monty.
Ani Achola: Does it surprise you he might be a step ahead? Maybe your sheriff should have dug deeper. But you were all briefly convinced you had your man in Tony Padilla.
Bill Standall: Tony had a motive.
Ani Achola: He did. He had more motive than you know.
At Padilla's Automotive, Tony is getting ready to leave and take the evidence of him laundering money to his family in Mexico with him, but Caleb has something for him.
Caleb: Whoa, this is happening now?
Tony Padilla: Ani's talking to the cops so I've got to be ready to move.
Caleb: Okay. Give me 2 minutes.
Tony Padilla: I don't have it. You're just gonna try and convince me not to do this, and we've had this conversation plenty.
Caleb: I swear I won't. Just come outside.
Tony Padilla: If I don't make it to the police station by this afternoon, they're coming here. You get me?
Caleb: I get you. Now, come outside before I pick a fight with you and embarrass you in front of Javi.
Tony Padilla: Any other day, and I would prove that statement ridiculous. What are you gonna say outside you can't say in here?
Caleb: Not what I can say, more what you can see.
Tony Padilla: Okay.
Tony & Caleb make their way towards the front of the garage.
Caleb: In retrospect, this is probably a bad idea, but it's already set in motion, so you're just gonna have to deal with it.
Tony Padilla: What the fuck am I gonna have to deal with, Caleb?
They reach to the front of the garage as Tony sees his beloved Mustang parked outside, Caleb was able to get the Mustang back from Nora Walker.
Tony Padilla: No.
Caleb: It's too late, it's done.
Tony Padilla: No, Caleb.
Caleb: It's too late. Now take the keys. If you're gonna leave me, then at least you'll have your first love.
Tony could not believe that Caleb got his Mustang back. Back at the police station...
Bill Standall: So, Tony did have a killer motive we didn't even know about?
Ani Achola: And you yourself came to think that Clay could do it, now you don't. You had tried to use Mr. Porter and the Bakers against him. But it worked the other way, didn't it?
Bill Standall: I think the sheriff in the end felt the case was helped by their interview.
Ani Achola: But you didn't think so. Otherwise we wouldn't still be sitting here.
Bill Standall: (Sighing) So, just what I've learned today: Tyler Down was almost a school shooter, Tony Padilla's family was deported because of Bryce Walker's family, and my own son went to a prostitute with Bryce. What else?
Ani Achola: Well, of course you know that Justin Foley's a drug addict?
Bill Standall: No, I did not know that.
Ani Achola: Well, you need to, for where we're going.
Justin has filled Charlie St. George in on the plan.
Charlie St. George: I don't know. Isn't this, like, against the law?
Justin Foley: I don't know, I just... It's what we have to do. You're the only one who can do it. You're his friend.
Charlie St. George: Can I ask you something? Some of the guys, they're saying you're, like, a drug addict. That you do heroin. That's not true, right?
Justin Foley: Yeah, it's true. I've made... a lot of mistakes, man. Sometimes I feel like that's all life is. It's just all the mistakes you make and all the shit you gotta do to set it right.
After giving it some thought, Charlie agreed to the plan. Ani continued on...
Ani Achola: Justin was as good as his word. He would defend Clay until the end. Which was going to get complicated.
Bill Standall: Or Clay would defend Justin.
Ani Achola: Or Tyler Down. And keep his secrets. Or Hannah Baker. Or Jessica Davis. Or Zach Dempsey.
Bill Standall: Or Alex Standall?
Ani Achola: Look, it's complicated.
Bill Standall: We need to make it simple.
Ani's cell vibrates.
Ani Achola: I think... I think I would like that glass of water now, if... if you don't mind.
Bill Standall: (Sighing) Okay.
Bill stands up and leaves the room to get Ani some water. Ani takes out her phone and reads the text she received. The text says "Homework done. Let me know when we can study." She quickly puts her phone away as Standall returns with a bottle of water as he hands it over to Ani and returns to his seat.
Bill Standall: There you go. So, we got about a dozen kids who could've done it.
Ani Achola: It's all about Homecoming night. Everyone was there. Everyone had their reasons for wanting to kill Bryce. At the end of the night, one of them would have followed through. Clay Jensen had been broken by Bryce more than once. Bryce had threatened to ruin Monty's life. Jessica Davis was on fire with the cause, with anger at Bryce. Justin Foley would've done anything for her. Tony would've loved to get into that fight. Tyler felt under attack all over again. And Zach's dreams were destroyed with one hit. So, he tried to destroy Bryce's dreams. As you know, he didn't finish the job.
Bill Standall: So who did?
Ani Achola: You all knew that Clay threatened Bryce on the field.
Bill Standall: We did.
Ani Achola: And you know that Justin pulled him off. And sent him running.
Bill Standall: Yes.
Ani Achola: And how'd you know all this? You talked to the other players, correct? So, I imagine they told you that Bryce and Monty also had words on the field? Monty spent the whole night literally trying to break Bryce in half. Monty followed that bus as soon as it left Liberty. Monty had a secret. Bryce knew what it was.
Bill Standall: The secret being his assault on Tyler?
Ani Achola: Yes.
Bill Standall: And that would drive Montgomery to kill him?
Ani Achola: That, and a betrayal. He thought Bryce was his brother.
Bill Standall: No, Monty had an alibi.
Ani Achola: Talk to Charlie St. George. It won't hold up.
Bill Standall: (Sighing) So, you're telling me... You're telling me Montgomery de la Cruz?
Ani Achola: Process of elimination. Jessica was also home in bed. Her dad tucked her in. And while she was sleeping... Justin was out getting high. He bought from a dealer named Halls, out on the waterfront by Whitley Docks. He got blackout high right there.
Bill Standall: We can check that. Whitley Dock is covered with security cameras.
Ani Achola: Check it. I suppose they've got cameras up and down the waterfront. Then you should look for Tony Padilla. He wasn't home in bed with his boyfriend. He was out waiting for a fixer. A guy who works for a local dealer hooked into a Mexican cartel.
Bill Standall: You're telling me that Tony was laundering drug money?
Ani Achola: He was laundering garage money. Sending cash south to his family, because Bryce's lawyer had ruined their lives. But Tony was 2 miles upriver when Bryce died.
Bill Standall: Any idea where my son was?
Ani Achola: Alex? Alex went out to meet Tyler, not Jessica. Alex knew Tyler was upset after the fight. He didn't want you to know why. They met at Rosie's Diner. As for the Bakers... They were home. Andrew Baker & his wife are their alibi.
Bill Standall: And Clay Jensen?
Ani Achola: Clay Jensen was with me. He never told you because he was protecting me. I saw his car at the Chatham house. I told him we had to get out of there. I got in the car and drove around with him all night. Talking him down.
Bill Standall: And Monty followed Bryce?
Ani Achola: Yes, Monty followed Bryce. But he saw Zach's car, so he waited down at the end of the main pier. Monty saw Zach drive out of there, headlights off. Fast. He waited another minute or 2. Then he drove down the pier to confront Bryce. Monty's conscience stirred and he went back to help Bryce. But Bryce was in a fury of pain. And in that moment, helping him up, Monty looked into his eyes. Monty realized that the cycle had to be broken somehow. And all those years of being manipulated, all the rage, the hurt, burst out of him. Monty drove home alone, knowing he would have to live with what he's done.
Bill Standall: So, let's go through how you know what you know. First, Bryce and Monty's interaction during the game and at the team bus.
Ani Achola: I told you, I pay attention. I listen. I can't tell you my sources, but... if you go back to Zach Dempsey, I'm sure he'll confirm the story.
Bill Standall: And Alex was with Tyler? And Tony Padilla, what happens if I bring him in?
Ani Achola: You won't.
Bill Standall: We don't have anything to tie Monty to the scene.
Ani Achola: Bryce had something he wanted to give to Jessica. Did you find anything? On the pier? On his body?
Bill Standall: No.
Ani Achola: If you search through Monty's things, his room... perhaps his football locker... I imagine you'll find it. And I imagine Bryce's blood will be on it.
Bill Standall: We already searched his locker.
Ani Achola: For steroids.
Deputy Standall stops the recorder.
Bill Standall: Okay, I've got footprints. I've got tire treads consistent with my wife's car. And she was at home in bed all night.
Ani Achola: He wouldn't have gone to the pier alone. He wouldn't have been alone, Deputy Standall. I've watched these kids all year. You may think they're divided against each other. They're not. When someone needs them, they'll be there. No question. They take care of each other. So, Alex would've been there for a friend. For a friend who was maybe more injured by Bryce than he was. Or Monty was. Whose life had been destroyed by Bryce... and who's had to rebuild it. Piece by piece.
Bill Standall: I see. Alex wouldn't have been alone.
Ani Achola: Montgomery de la Cruz killed Bryce Walker.
Bill Standall: (Sighing) It would be a terrible thing to blame the wrong person for Bryce's murder.
Ani Achola: And yet you were all ready to blame Clay Jensen.
Bill Standall: I don't think you would know this, because the sheriff has us locked down on leaks, but Montgomery de la Cruz was killed in his jail cell. Just hours ago.
Ani Achola: Dear God. Poor Monty.
Ani acted shocked as she already knew when Justin informed her earlier today.
Bill Standall: Even the dead deserve the truth.
Ani Achola: I am sorry that Monty's dead. I am. Justin tells me he could be... loyal... and fearless. And that he stood up for his friends. I'm sorry that Bryce is dead. He was my friend, and I believe he would've shown the world that redemption is possible. But they both caused pain while they were alive. They caused great pain to a number of people. And it is time for that suffering to end. So, let the dead bury the dead, Deputy Standall. Let the dead bury the dead.
Deputy Bill Standall knows that his son is the real killer. And he knows that Ani is lying, but he loves his son. A year ago, he almost lost Alex when he shot himself after Hannah's attempt. He would do anything to protect him. Even framing someone else for murder.