Everyone Here Is Lying: A Novel

Alice stares at the Woolers’ house, shocked that Avery is alive. She feels guilty that she is not happy about Avery’s return because now if Derek did do anything wrong, Avery will accuse him.

Nora feels overwhelmed with joy that Ryan is home. Al does not speak to her, and she knows the children notice the bruise on Nora’s face. No one knows why Marion did what she did, but Nora understands. She has known for a long time that Marion was in love with William from the way she looked at him. She realizes that Marion must have discovered their affair and wanted to hurt both William and Nora.

Gully and Bledsoe interview Avery with her parents present. As she tells her story, Gully notices how Avery pauses for dramatic effect, and she thinks that she does not like the girl. Avery retells how William hit her so hard that she fell on the ground. Avery tells them that she was crying so much that she went to Marion’s house because she gave her cookies. Avery says that she had a cookie with Marion and the next thing she remembers was waking up in the basement. She tells them that Marion told them that she was in love with William, and she took Avery to get back at William and Nora. Avery tells them that she did not want to hurt Marion, but she was afraid that Marion would kill her.

Erin blames William and his love affair for what happened to Avery. Avery goes upstairs after the detectives leave and listens to her parents talking below. William points out that Avery is manipulative, and Erin gets angry at him for not believing Avery. William leaves but tells Erin to be careful around Avery.

Erin feels furious with William for insinuating that Avery made anything up. She believes Avery because she has been through a horrible trauma. She goes upstairs to talk with Avery alone. Erin tells Avery that William left. She asks her if she heard her the night she was at Marion’s house, but Avery tells her that Marion kept her drugged most of the time, so she must have been asleep. Erin asks Avery about an older boyfriend, but Avery tells her she wants to rest. Erin knows that things will take time, so she leaves Avery alone. She checks on Michael, and he tells Erin that he overheard what Avery said and that he knows that everything is William’s fault. Even though Erin agrees with him, she tells him that William is not responsible for what happened to Avery.

The next morning, Erin suggests that they should move to give Avery space from the press. Avery does not want to move because she loves the attention, but she does not confess this to her mother. Instead, Avery tells Erin that she wants to talk to the press, but Erin does not want this because she knows the media will twist whatever Avery says.

Nora thinks about the press conference about Avery’s case that afternoon. She knows that they will reveal her affair. She knows that her marriage with Al is over, and she wonders if she can make it work with William. However, she thinks that her children will not want her to be with William, so she decides not to see him again.

Erin feels so relieved that Avery is home, but she worries about her daughter’s obsession with speaking to the media. She and William do not think it is a good idea, but Avery wants to do it.

Gully and Bledsoe go to the medical examiner’s office to hear Marion’s autopsy report. The medical examiner shows them Marion’s body and points at the wound on Marion’s head. She tells them that the wound is what killed her but that she cannot say for certain if Marion hit her head in the fall or afterward. The medical examiner explains that most falls downstairs do not result in death, so Marion must have hit the post just right. Afterward, Gully and Bledsoe sit in the car and Gully tells him that Avery worries her. Bledsoe asks her if she thinks that Avery hit Marion over the head after she fell down the stairs, but Gully does not know for sure.

William and Erin meet Gully and Bledsoe at the police station. They tell the parents that the medical examiner ruled Marion’s death as “undetermined.” Erin cannot believe that they are insinuating that Avery might have hurt Marion after the fall, but Bledsoe assures her that no one wants to charge Avery with anything. Gully asks Erin how Avery is doing, but Erin does not tell her that Avery seems fine, even better than before the abduction. Erin drives herself to Gwen’s house because she feels like she is the only person who can understand her. Gwen listens to Erin’s struggles with having Avery back.

Michael goes to speak with Avery in her room. He feels furious with her because Avery finally convinced her mother to let her speak to the press. A news crew and a famous journalist are downstairs in the living room, preparing for the interview. He knows that Avery manipulates Erin. Michael asks Avery if Derek touched her in the tree house. Michael tells her that Jenna told the police about her older boyfriend. Avery laughs and tells him that she made that up.

Avery feels excited about the interview. She meets the journalist, Casey, and sits in a chair across from her. She feels like a celebrity and wonders if she will be an actress when she grows up. Avery sees her parents and Michael sitting on the side and feels irritated with them that they do not seem happy for her. Once the interview starts, Casey asks Avery about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Avery tells her everything, except that her father hit her. She notices William looks relieved and knows that her father owes her a favor. Avery recounts how terrified she was, and Casey listens empathetically. Casey asks her why she waited so long to push Marion down the stairs if she knew from the beginning that Marion meant to kill her. Avery feels taken aback by the question but tells her that she felt groggy from the sleeping pills. Casey asks her if she was angry, and before Avery realizes what she is saying, she tells Casey that she was angry because Marion double-crossed her. Casey presses Avery, asking her what she means by that. Avery realizes she has made a mistake and sees her mother’s horrified face. Casey asks Avery to tell her what really happened to her, starting from the beginning.