"Scott Is Rude As Hell" Secrets and Lies "The Trail and The Father" Episode Recap

We are having serious withdrawals symptoms with our How to Get Away With Murder on hiatus for a few months. Thankfully we have another series that has piqued our interest and it looks to be a great one.


The episode entitled "The Trail and The Father" opens with Ben Crawford played by Ryan Phillippe going for a run in the woods and discovering the body of a young boy named Tom. Juliette Lewis shows up later as Detective Andrea Cornell who is determined to solve the case as well as hold Ben's feet to the fire.

Lets get into it shall we:

RUN FORREST:

Ben is running thru the streets of his neighborhood begging for help after finding Tom's body and is doing at least 20 in a 10 miles per hour zone to get some help. He gets home and calls the police but is clearly visibly shaken by Tom's death and for good reason. 

WE HAVE COMPANY:

Detective Cornell shows up at the Crawford's home to interrogate oops question Ben about what happened to the little boy. Ben shares with Detective Cornell that his daughter used to babysit Tom at their house. Tom wasn't suppose to go jogging this particular morning but because he was tipsy from the previous evening he wanted to run off the booze?? Detective Cornell continuously questions Ben about what he saw when he spotted Tom's body and she is not buying the story he is selling. 

Tom's mother is broken to the core by the death of her son and Ben goes over to her to comfort her. His wife Kristy is not pleased by his concern for Tom's mother and we deduce that perhaps Ben and  Tom's mom may have been intimate in some type of way but we will get to that later. 

Ben can't seem to remember what happened to him the night before he found Tom's body and that alone is a clue to us. His daughters are truly shaken by Tom's murder and began to act out in various ways. One daughter is rude as hell to her father and the other daughter is hoping that things will go back to normal so she can have a normal christmas.  Ben calls Tom's house and hears the answering machine with Tom and his mom's voice on it and reminisces on moments with him outside on his tricycle. 

Ben and Kristy are clearly having problems in their marriage and she doesn't seem to want to work on it. Surely there are some serious issues involving their marriage but given what is going on with Tom's murder they decide not to give up so early and make a decision at a later date. 

TRASH DAY:

The police are searching thru each neighbors trash and things are being turned upside down as Detective Cornell is pulling out all of the stops to pin this murder on Ben. He returns home after a long day of work and is met by various members of the media and their stinging questions concerning what happened to Tom. 

LETS TAKE A RIDE:

The forensic cop tells Ben he needs to take a ride with him down to the police station to handle some things. Detective Cornell informs Ben and his lawyer that she wants to get a DNA sample but the lawyer needs time alone with his client who isn't the brightest apple in the barrel. Ben keeps telling these fools that he just went for a run even though he can't remember what happened to him the previous night. After watching his young daughter being emotionally shaken by the all the chaos he agrees to a DNA test. After giving up the DNA, he and his wife return home to their stylish and lovely home where his arrogant brother in law is watching the kids. 

Detective Cornell, who clearly doesn't have a private life, shows up again to the family home inquiring about a flashlight which may or may not be the murder weapon. Somebody give this lady a chill pill because not only is she rude as hell but she has constant smirk on her face as if she may have killed the child and is trying to pin it on Ben. 

FAMILY FIRST:

Ben's oldest daughter is in her room totally drove about little Tom being dead and dealing with online hate for her father. Ben's wayward best friend who can't keep a job and is living with the family takes Ben out for a little brotherly fishing expedition and they discuss how Ben and his wife have been arguing a lot lately. 

WOULD YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?: 

After Ben returns to the crib there is a knock at the door and it's one of the neighbors who brings over some food. Before the neighbor leaves he makes a statement about anyone who harms an innocent 

child should be punished and leaves. 

Ben is still trying to connect with Tom's mother and runs over to her home but she won't open the door because she is grieving or is she? Ben goes out for a run a few mornings later and as he prepares to leave he finds "Child Killer" sprayed all of over his white picket fence. 

COFFEE TIME:

Ben gets up to get some coffee the next morning and is being watched by Detective Cornell who is staring at him like a murderer in a horror movie. They both go to the murder scene and Cornell is pushing Ben mentally to confess.  

Detective Cornell is curious as to why Ben wouldn't  give the police a DNA sample earlier. When they return home Ben find that his home is FULL of cops searching throughout the home. Ben's wife gave the cops permission to search the crib which pisses Ben off and he orders them out of the home.  

BEN GOT THAT DONALD TRUMP:

Later Ben is at his job and is let go by one of his clients because of this pesky murder mystery and those crazy accusations via the media. He gets home and calls some of his leads for business and is let down one by one because of the scandal with Tom and at the same time is being photographed by the local newspaper from the neighbors yard next door.  Ben emotionally breaks down after thinking about the good times with his kids and Tom and his mother.

CAMERA TIME:

Cornell calls Ben back down to the police station - AGAIN-  for more questions aka interrogation. This lady is persistent to say the least and before long Ben is on candid camera. She implores Ben to tell the truth and tells him that she will NOT STOP until she finds out who killed the kid. Ben is adamant that he did not kill Tom but is cut off by Cornell who informs him that she knows that Tom is Ben's son. 

Dammit Ben!!! 

DADDY DEAREST:

Ben and Tom's mother meet in the woods regarding Tom's murder and she tells him that she knows that he didn't kill him but she knows who did. She states that her husband Scott killed Tom and she knows that he did because of his temper. She produces video where the family is being terrorized by Scott and she knows that he would kill them both if he wanted too. Ben's oldest daughter is holding secrets as well and Ben finds out that she is meeting with Tom's dad or wanna be daddy Scott but she covers by saying Scott just wanted to give her something to put on Tom's grave. 

TEST TIME: 

Ben agrees to undergo a polygraph to prove his innocence and answers all the questions albeit one particulate one.  The test results come back and Ben's lawyers bows out and tells him to find himself a criminal lawyer because things are about to get bumpy. 

TABLE TALK:

Ben brings the information about his daughter being with Scott to the table during family dinner and all hell breaks loose. The next morning Ben is going on his morning run and hears Scott terrorizing Tom's mother - again!! Ben thinks he's  this big Mike Tyson type of guy and almost loses his life running up in there like he is gonna save the day.

Yeah Ok Ben!! Ben gets a quick beat down from crazy Scott who is stopped by Tom's aunt. 

Ben goes to the police station and insist that Cornell arrest Scott for his sons murder. Ben is so not bright and as they are talking Cornell has him in the interrogation room and gets him to talk too much.Cornell is sneaky as hell but she is pressed to pin it on Ben. 

THAT PROGRESSO SOUP PHONE CALL: 

*RING! RING!* Tom's mom calls Ben's phone and asks him to come over because she can't seem to get things together for his funeral. Ben's wife is bothered by this call and we believe that the wife may or may not have killed Tom in a fit of rage. Ben is low key cold bloodied by not telling his wife that he is the father but we believe its gonna come out in a crazy way. Tom's mom puts the moves on Ben but Ben being the upstanding husband *Side Eye* that he is turns her down flat. 

The next day Ben and the family prepare for the funeral and he is contacted by Detective Cornell who has no tact. The family arrives to the church and are met with reporters and angry protesters who tell Ben that he doesn't need to be seen there. Once inside there is chatter and somber faces from neighbors and family friends who come to pay their respect. The funeral is heartbreaking to say the least and the family is later seen watching television together but not before Detective Cornell knocks on their door. - AGAIN!!!!!!!

She informs Ben that somebody leaked the DNA information to the press and walks off - BLANK STARE!!!

The family is in shock and disbelief and leave Ben standing in the living room like Celie off The Color Purple but Ben has to break the news to his youngest daughter Abby which is heartbreaking. 

Damn you shady lady detective!!!  

OH BABY:

Ben and Kristy have a heated debate about how and when Tom was conceived and before long secrets are exposed. Kristy ended up pregnant and didn't want a baby and had an abortion without thinking of how Ben would feel. While she was recovering Ben and Tom's mom knocked boots and nine months later Tom was born. 

Tom is later seen on his couch and is visited by Scott who is standing over him and who lets him know that he will eventually kill him!! 

RUNNNNN BEN!!!!  

*Gifs and Images via @tvtagsecretslie*