Episode list

Naive Holly Warner accepts a job as nanny for the wealthy Michael Walker family. Soon after she begins work, Walker rapes her and subsequently frames her for the kidnapping of his son Robbie. Holly is sentenced to the Women's State Prison where she meets her fellow inmates: maternal Cissie Johnson imprisoned for the mercy killing of her husband, Faith Cronin a wealthy socialite whose face was savagely scarred by her vicious husband Ben, tough-but-fair Maria Trent, and the leader of the women, top dog Rita Jones. Shortly after Holly's arrival, former inmate Crystal Fox arrives, busted on another prostitution charge. Crystal is instantly attracted to Randy Carter, a hunky electrician hired to rewire the prison. Meanwhile, Faith receives her parole, but before going, she entrusts Cissie with an audio cassette tape to be turned over to the police in the event of her death. On the outside, Faith encounters Ben, who demands to know the location of the drug money stolen by Faith's former lover Harry Blake. Faith lovingly remembers her affair with Harry and the horror of his death at the hands of Ben who slashed her face with a razor and framed her Harry's shooting. Faith coldly tells Ben that she's no longer afraid of him and has no idea where the money is stashed. Later, she returns to rural Cedar Lake Inn, the place where she and Harry had fallen in love. After establishing her identity with Joe Holland, the friendly owner, Faith leaves to consult with a plastic surgeon about the removal of her scars and changing her appearance. She then returns to the inn and phones Ben, insinuating that she'll tell him where the drug money is hidden. When he arrives at Cedar Lake, Faith pretends to be terrified, fires a gun, and leaps from the balcony of her room into the water. As everyone tries to piece together the events of the evening, Faith, having completed plastic surgery, says goodbye to her former life and hello to her new one as Patricia Meadows.

As the police investigate the apparent murder of Faith Cronin, Cissie realizes she must give the police the incriminating cassette tape Faith left with her. Faith returns to Cedar Lake Inn as the glamorous Patricia Meadows and announces her intent to purchase the property from Joe Holland. Maria receives a visit from John Randall, Faith's attorney, who wants to pursue an appeal, but Maria rejects the idea, encouraging him to take Holly's case instead, since she's the only innocent woman in the prison. Randall promises to try to help Holly, but she's later raped in the prison library by evil guard Jack Fisher. Rita is concerned when her beloved daughter Debbie misses another visit, and she can't get answers from her ex-husband and his new wife. Cissie revels in the news she's being paroled and can go to live with her daughter's family. Rita exacts revenge on Fisher for assaulting Holly. Cissie promises Rita that once outside she'll make sure Debbie is safe. Crystal continues to flirt with Randy, but Fisher reveals to him Crystal's life as a hooker. Cissie is released, but she is stunned when her daughter Lorraine doesn't want her and admits she had hoped Cissie would die in prison.

Cissie visits Rita's husband Ray and threatens to report him if he doesn't get Debbie to the prison for a visit with her mother. Faith, now established as Patricia, offers Joe a job as builder for the changes she wants to make to the inn. Rita leads the women in faking a riot as a distraction for Fisher while Crystal and Randy to sneak off to make love. Randy and Crystal agree to not keep secrets from one another, but she fails to tell him she's being blackmailed over a teenage son who thinks she's dead. Ray and Debbie fail to appear for their promised visit to Rita. Randy punches sadistic Fisher over his cracks about Crystal. Patricia retrieves Harry's stolen drug money from the room at the inn where they had their affair. She moves the money to a secret hiding place in the wall of the cellar but is almost caught by Joe. Rejected by her daughter and with no place else to go, Cissie arrives at the inn where Faith "died" and comes face to face with Patricia.

Cissie fails to recognize Patricia as being Faith. Wanting to be close to her only friend, Patricia offers Cissie a home and job as the inn's chef. Rita learns that Debbie is in the hospital from a drug overdose after Ray threw her out. As payback for interfering with Holly, Fisher refuses Rita's request to visit Debbie, but Warden Grayson later approves it. Realizing how much her daughter needs her, Rita begs Grayson to recommend her for parole. Nominated for parole without her consent, Maria attempts to sabotage her own chances of release and improve Rita's by taking the blame for the recent riot. During questioning by the parole board, Maria flashes back to murdering her husband after he beat her, causing her to miscarry their child and become barren. Following an impassioned speech by Rita, the parole board approves her release. Patricia leaves Cissie in charge of hiring additional staff while she's away on a secret trip to launder part of the stolen money. After a newly released Rita discovers Debbie has left the hospital with her druggie friends, she goes to Ray's house and shoots him.

On the run for shooting Ray, Rita seeks safety at the inn with Cissie. Crystal receives a blackmail threat through the mail regarding her son Ricky. Jerry, the local cop, frightens Rita when he drops in unexpectedly to introduce young handyman Brad Morris to Joe. Brad hires Joe, and Rita persuades Brad to help her find Debbie. Randy gives Crystal the loan she needs, unaware it's to pay a blackmailer. Brad and Joe locate Debbie, who is reunited with Rita. Fisher rifles through Crystal's belongings, finds the blackmail evidence, and lies to fellow officer Nell, who catches him in the act. Randy plays it cool with Crystal after he hears she's thinking of marriage. Cissie hires Rita as the inn's new housekeeper so that she and Debbie will have a safe place to start a new life. When Patricia phones, a shaken Cissie admits her voice reminds her of Faith. Debbie attempts to befriend a standoffish Brad. Patricia returns home and discovering Rita's presence, demands she be fired. Cissie refuses to stay unless Rita does, too, so a desperate Patricia is forced to reveal her true identity as Faith Cronin.

Cissie is stunned then angry to learn the truth about Patricia, but she ultimately forgives her friend. With the sale of the inn still in escrow, Captain Goddard attempts to persuade Joe to sell to him instead of Patricia. Later Goddard meets with a developer planning to build a theme park on the inn property if they can get it away from Joe and Patricia. Patricia fears everything will be ruined if Rita recognizes her, but Cissie swears she won't and convinces her to give Rita a month's trial as housekeeper. Fisher attempts to bust up Crystal and Randy by casually mentioning Ricky's name. Crystal reassures Randy that he's the only man for her, and Ricky is part of her past. Catching Fisher harassing Holly, a sympathetic Nell attempts to help her, but Holly is too afraid to trust her with the truth. Crystal is passed what appears to be a Dear Jane letter, though it turns out to be a marriage proposal. Maria is terrified to find Holly unconscious on the floor of their cell. In the prison infirmary, Dr. Armstrong informs Holly that she's pregnant, and she tearfully confides in Maria that it's Officer Fisher's baby.

Maria informs Warden Grayson that Holly is pregnant as the result of being raped by Fisher, and Officer Nell corroborates having witnessed Fisher's harassment. However, Fisher denies the charges then diverts suspicion onto Randy. Holly demands an abortion from Dr. Armstrong who refuses but warmly offers to help her through a painful time. Warden Grayson launches an investigation into Holly's pregnancy, and orders Randy to be accompanied by a prison guard at all times. Captain Goddard makes another attempt at getting the inn property by talking to Patricia. Rita and Patricia engage in another tense run-in when Patricia catches her snooping. With Rita gone from the prison, drugs are beginning to circulate again through tough inmates Sharon and Kath, who get a lecture from Maria. Crystal begins to ignore Randy as rumors circulate that he fathered Holly's baby. Holly goes berserk and runs away following a threat from Fisher. Fisher and Nell chase Holly onto the roof of the prison, where she threatens to jump. Maria attempts to talk Holly down, but during the melee topples over the edge herself while attempting to pull Holly to safety.

An unlikely Fisher saves Maria from falling to her death from the prison roof. Crystal realizes she was wrong and reconciles with Randy. Brad avoids Debbie's questions about his mother. Randy assures Warden Grayson that he only has eyes for Crystal and attributes rumors otherwise to Fisher. Brad pays a visit to the women's prison and his mother Kath. Ron, Cissie's son-in-law, comes to visit and asks her to move in with the family despite Lorraine's rejection. Rita puts a stop to Brad taking photos of Debbie to advertise the inn and later loses her cool when she catches Debbie talking to a friend who tells her that Ray was shot. Warden Grayson reminds Maria and Kath that she's the only top dog at the prison. Jerry receives a report of a missing child at the camp across the lake. Kath's cohort Sharon offers Holly free drugs. Cissie offers to help Jerry organize a search party for the missing child and then is horrified to realize it's her grandson Andrew.

The search party finds Andrew. Crystal receives parole and insists to Randy that she get a job to help with expenses. Holly's increasingly erratic behavior culminates in a miscarriage and prompts Warden Grayson to have her shackled to the bed in the infirmary while a transfer to a psychiatric facility is arranged. Maria discovers evidence of Sharon running drugs in the prison and tips off Fisher to settle their debt. Crystal gets a job in a doctor's office. Elderly inmate Minnie assumes Crystal's identity to lure love interests by mail. Kath confronts Maria for breaking the cardinal rule of not finking on a fellow inmate. Maria vows to stop drug circulation in the prison, and she and Kath get into a fight. After finding out where Cissie is working, Holly tricks Dr. Armstrong into unshackling her. With a promise of big money to help her and Debbie start over, Goddard convinces Rita to help him get the inn away from Patricia. Crystal runs into old friend Kim, who reveals she was the woman in bed with Maria's husband when Maria stabbed him. Crystal persuades Kim to help Maria by testifying she knows Maria killed her husband in self defense as he was beating her. Dr. Armstrong realizes Holly is missing and sounds the prison alarm. Meanwhile, Holly has hitchhiked to Cedar Lake and accepts a ride to the inn from Jerry, unaware that he's a cop.

Rita and Patricia are each stunned by Holly's arrival and want her gone before the police come after her. Patricia finds herself having the same argument again when Cissie insists they must help Holly. Rita snaps at Brad over the pictures he has taken of her. Later, Rita insists Debbie retrieve the undeveloped film, and when she doesn't understand the gravity of the situation, Rita is forced to confess the details of Ray's shooting. The police inform the Walkers of Holly's escape, but Mrs. Walker ominously vows she'll take care of Holly again. Minnie receives plenty of responses from pen pals who think she looks like Crystal. Crystal informs John Bradley about Kim's willingness to help Maria's case. Brad refuses to give Debbie his film, until she trusts him enough to tell him about her mother's predicament. Patricia discovers a secret passage from the upstairs to the cellar and tells Cissie it will be easier for them to move the drug money now. With escrow set to close in a few hours, Goddard remarks to Rita that he has another plan to stop Patricia. The developer who has been pressuring Goddard to get the inn from Patricia comes to talk with her, and she recognizes him as Tony Osorio, an associate of her husband who made the cassette tape of her razor attack. Holly and Jerry bond over their love of nature. Kath suffers an attack during another confrontation with Maria and is told by Dr. Armstrong she needs heart surgery. Crystal becomes the sole breadwinner when Randy is injured in an accident and can't work. As Cissie's party to celebrate the escrow close gets underway, she and Patricia discover the drug money is missing from the cellar.

Patricia and Cissie consider who might have stolen the money, with the chief suspect being Rita. Although Cissie refuses to believe Rita would steal, Patricia goes to her room and finds a wad of bills hidden in her mattress. Accusing her directly, she and Rita get into a cat fight only Joe can break up. In private, Rita admits to Cissie where she got the money. The situation forces Patricia to tell Joe about hiding the money in the cellar, but she minimizes the amount to a few thousand dollars. After Rita confesses she was paid off by Captain Goddard to help him get the inn, Patricia orders her and Debbie to pack their bags and leave. Rita apologizes to Debbie for spoiling a good thing. Joe persuades Patricia to give Rita a second chance, and Rita offers her an apology, along with a compliment about her fighting prowess. In exchange, Patricia asks Rita to work as a double agent by staying close to Goddard and reporting anything she learns. At the prison, Officer Fisher moves Kath to Maria's cell. Playing Top Dog, Kath attempts to take Maria's bunk. Thinking Kath has brought drugs into the cell, Maria unknowingly dumps her heart pills down the drain, and Kath has another attack. Back at Cedar Lake, Joe spots Brad with a lot of cash and jumps to conclusions. Brad explains he made the money by selling his photos to a magazine, then he quits in a huff, arguing that he won't work for someone who thinks he's capable of stealing. Debbie is sad to see him go, but Rita assures him she understands what it's like to be falsely accused. Still recuperating from his accident, Randy worries how he and Crystal can pay their bills. When a statement from the hospital arrives, he wants to know how much money they have in their bank account. Crystal reassures him they have plenty, though she's secretly worried. Tony Osorio phones the inn for Patricia in another bid to talk her into selling her property. She refuses and hangs up. She and Cissie begin to discuss the stolen money and how they're finished if Osorio ever finds out the truth. As they talk, a smug Osorio listens to every word they say from a hidden bug he planted in the room.

As her meeting with young stud pen pal Will Brown approaches, Minnie worries because he is expecting to see Crystal, whose photo she actually submitted. In the visitors room, she strikes up a conversation with a short, balding old man, who is waiting for another inmate. They find they both enjoy dancing and baseball. After a long talk, reminiscing about their youth in World War II, they finally realize they have been waiting each other. The visitor is Will Brown, and he has also deceived Minnie with a fake photo. She laughs as he departs, certain they'll meet again because she has managed to steal his watch. Randy and Crystal's financial problems escalate. She still owes blackmail money to Gloria, and then someone turns up to repossess Randy's truck because he's been unable to pay the car note. Desperate for money, Crystal reluctantly agrees to go away with her new boss Dr. Gardner for the weekend, in exchange for another advance on her salary. Joe notes Jerry's continued interest in Holly. Jerry and Holly talk about her love of Cedar Lake, which reminds her of the farm where she was raised. Jerry wonders if she will ever return home. Holly says no, never. She's perfectly happy at Cedar Lake. While cleaning Patricia's room, Rita discovers the bug Osorio planted. After he makes loaded statements to her about recently coming into a lot of money and comparing her to the presumed dead Faith, Patricia realizes he stole the drug money and knows her secret. She instructs Rita to check for other bugs but leave the one in her room since they might be able to use it to their advantage. Knowing that Osorio is eavesdropping on their conversation through the bug, Patricia, Rita, and Cissie agree that they must kill him, just as they killed the others who got in their way. They pretend to draw straws to determine who will do the job, then Patricia says she'll have to find a way to get rid of Osorio's body. Gloria shows up at Randy and Crystal's apartment wanting her money. When Randy tells her that Crystal is away visiting her sick aunt Gloria, she laughingly exposes Crystal's lies and suggests she has actually gone away with a john to solve their financial problems. A furious Randy takes off to find Crystal, muttering that he'll kill her if he finds her with another man. Meanwhile, Crystal and Dr. Gardner drive up to their secluded love nest - the inn at Cedar Lake.

At Cedar Lake, Crystal narrowly misses running into Patricia and Rita. She pulls every trick she can think of to stall going to bed with an increasingly annoyed Dr. Gardner, and just when she is down to the wire, Cissie arrives with room service. Realizing the situation, Cissie spills oysters on Crystal's dress as a diversion, then drags her off downstairs to face Rita and Patricia, who are angry that she's back on the game and brought a john to their hiding place. Crystal swears she loves Randy and only did it for him, but now accepts she was wrong. She returns to the room, where Dr. Gardner fires her before leaving. Joe tells Debbie that Brad is still around, renting a room above a diner in town. Hoping Brad might come back, she urges Joe to go see him and offer another apology. Rita devises a plan to use Crystal in their scheme to get rid of Osorio. Through the bug, they convince Osorio that Crystal is a special hit woman they've hired to dispose of him. Crystal corners him in the lobby, begging him to take her on a walk in the woods, but just as they're going out the door Randy arrives and mistakes Osorio for Dr. Gardner. He calls Crystal a liar and a whore then storms off, yelling that he never wants to see her again. Joe meets with Brad at the diner. After the two talk, they reconcile their differences. Although there's now no construction work because of Patricia's finances, Joe suggests he speak with her about being her photographer for a brochure she wants to create to advertise the inn. Jerry and Holly meet again, and afterward, she admits to Debbie she's falling in love with him. An excited Debbie passes the news on to the other women, but they aren't as thrilled because Jerry would have to turn them all in if he ever finds out they're cons on the run. Holly is devastated to learn from Cissie that the man she loves is a cop. At the prison, Fisher has another run-in with Kath. Angry over her taunts, he pulls her out of a visit with Brad, just as she's about to tell her son why things turned out the way they did for them. Fisher cruelly throws Kath in solitary. Back at the lake, Osorio experiences a nightmare in which Patricia, Rita, and Cissie are witches out to get him. He goes to Patricia and lays his cards on the table. He knows that she's Faith Cronin and faked her death to frame Ben for the crime. He says the tape he made of Ben assaulting her with the razor was a favor to her, and now he expects payment. He wants her to sell him the inn, and if she doesn't, he's going to tell Ben everything. He reminds her that Ben, and the mob, will do even worse to her this time around. Patricia informs Cissie of Osorio's threats and says she really has no choice but to comply with his demands. Cissie urges her to not give up. She promises they'll find a solution. Later, Crystal goes looking for Osorio and screams when she discovers his body at the bottom of the cellar stairs.

Crystal informs the women of Tony Osorio's death. They go through the secret room to the cellar, where it's determined someone pushed him down the stairs to his death, and when Patricia implies Rita killed him, she suggests any of them could have done it. Rita searches Tony's room and finds several hidden tape cassettes containing conversations he secretly recorded at the inn. However, a tape is missing from the voice activated recorder. Rita fears what incriminating evidence might be on the last tape, which either Osorio hid, or it was stolen by the person who murdered him. Patricia approaches Cissie and quietly asks if she killed Osorio. When Cissie denies it, Patricia points out that she killed before. Cissie replies that she only did it to ease her husband's suffering. She wouldn't kill to solve a problem. Cissie then asks the same question of Patricia, who is taken aback. She says she didn't kill either, and Cissie can trust that. She wouldn't lie to her. Cissie then points out Patricia has lied to her before. Jerry stops by the inn to visit Holly, but she's cold to him and brushes him off. Realizing something is wrong, he talks to Debbie about it. She admits they all know he's engaged. Holly probably doesn't want to get hurt. Jerry meets with his girlfriend Francis, wanting to talk about their upcoming wedding, but she insists they have a romantic dinner at the inn, which is opening for business with a big dinner crowd. Rita finds Cissie's tray of burnt dinner rolls and deduces that Cissie left the kitchen while they were baking, which was around the time Tony was killed. Cissie asks for one good reason she had to kill him, and Rita names three: Debbie, Holly, and herself. Cissie vows she wouldn't kill, even for them, but Rita counters she would, for the same reason she would also lie about not doing it -to protect them. At dinner, Jerry breaks the news to Frances that he wants to cancel their wedding. He feels they're getting married because they've been together since they were kids. Marriage is what everyone expects of them, but he knows they would be miserable. Frances leaves the table and asks Joe to phone a cab to take her home, leaving Jerry behind. Jerry seeks out Holly to tell her about the breakup. He interrupts her daydream in which he has learned about her past and angrily places her under arrest. Rita learns from Captain Goddard that he tried to see Patricia earlier in the day, only she was missing, and her bedroom door was locked. Enraged, Rita barges into the kitchen accusing high and mighty Patricia of murdering Osorio and then having the gall to blame her. The pair get into a violent screaming match heard by Joe, as well as their dinner guests. After he goes to investigate the trouble, Rita calms down, while Patricia reminds everyone they must stick together if they're going to get rid of Osorio's body and not get caught. They agree to act that night. Their scheme goes awry though when Joe insists on staying all night to manage the front desk so that they can get some rest. The women agree to hide the body and dispose of it tomorrow night. The next morning Debbie finds Holly going with a packed suitcase. She leaves a letter for Cissie and a letter for Jerry explaining why she has to go. Jerry comes back to the inn and learns from Debbie that Holly left. He races after her and manages to catch her before she can board a bus out of town. He wants to know why she's running away. What is she afraid of? Holly replies that she'll ruin everything for him. Jerry admits that he loves her. He won't hurt her, and she can trust him. Holly finally confesses that she was in prison, and what's more, she has escaped.

Holly tells Jerry the story of how she was raped by Michael Walker, told his wife who didn't believe her, packed her bags and left their house, and then was arrested when their son Robbie was apparently kidnapped and left for dead in a shack. She understands how much the law means to Jerry and knows he has to turn her in, but she wants him to believe she's telling the truth. He does, and furthermore, he's not going to arrest her. Instead, he's going to investigate the case and prove her innocence. Once he does that, she won't have to go back to prison, and they'll be free to be together. Back at the inn, Crystal experiences great difficulty keeping a persistent Goddard away from Tony's room. Rita lies to him that Tony went down to the lake to check on his boat. Goddard leaves, giving them an opportunity to move Osorio's body, but before they can do it Jerry returns with Holly. After he leaves for the station, Cissie insists Holly be told about Tony's death because she could be instrumental in keeping Jerry away from the inn. With the coast clear again, they start for the cellar but Joe's arrival interrupts them and further complicates matters when he overhears Rita tell a phone caller that Tony checked out early that morning. John Randall pays a visit to Maria. He's certain the new evidence offered by Crystal's friend, a witness on the day of the murder, could result in a governor's pardon. Maria heatedly reminds him that she's a murderer and belongs in prison. Brad returns to see his mother. Officer Nell supervises their visit, giving Kath enough time to explain to her son why she killed a man and went to prison. Brad wants to know more, but Fisher arrives and demands he leave. The two get into an argument which ends with Fisher clutching Brad's throat and slamming him against a wall. Fisher sadistically informs him and Kath that he's removing Brad's name from the approved visitors list. Maria happens to witness the incident. She goes to Nell to complain. Nell uses it as an example to make Maria realize how much more she could do for the inmates if she were on the outside instead of inside. Frances drops Jerry's belongings off at the police station and begins to question him about Holly, whom she met earlier that day at the diner. Jerry insists he and Holly are just friends. When he has to leave the room for a minute, Frances spots Holly's police record on his desk and sees the wanted poster documenting her escape. After finding Tony's boat untouched, Goddard goes back to the inn and is told that Osorio checked out that morning. Rita suggests he contact Tony's family or friends who might know how to get in touch with him. Goddard doesn't think it's a good idea because they're all mobsters. Rita acts surprised and advises him to leave the inn and go into hiding because if Tony has disappeared, they will probably expect him to have some answers. Later, Patricia, Crystal, and Rita finally have another chance to move the body when Jerry and Joe agree to go fishing. They go to the cellar and find it's missing. Cissie confesses that she couldn't sleep, so she took care of it herself in the middle of the night. She adds that no one has to worry about where it is. It won't be found. Out on the boat, Joe mentions Frances. Jerry tells him they've broken off the engagement, which Joe can't believe because Frances told him afterward that she would be stopping by in a few days to plan the reception. Their conversation is interrupted as Joe's fishing line is caught on something beneath the water. As he struggles to free the line, they're horrified to see Tony Osorio's dead body rise to the surface.

Joe and Jerry take Tony's body to Goddard's bait shop. Later, Jerry and Chief Carson arrive at the inn to question the staff. Upon going to Osorio's room, Carson remarks it must be jinxed as it was the same room in which Faith Cronin was murdered. Everyone is questioned with each woman giving a statement contradictory to the one given to the other officer by another woman. Carson feels the staff was very cooperative, until he reads and compares his and Jerry's notes. At the prison, Randy attempts to repair the television in the rec room. He points out to Kath that the wires are frayed and could electrocute someone. He wraps them in duct tape and suggests they leave the TV alone until he can replace the wiring. When given an opportunity, Kath removes the tape. She later tricks Fisher into plugging the set in. He receives a shock that stuns him, but isn't serious. When Randy comes in, he has a go at him, only to learn that Randy had bound the wires and told Kath. Fisher realizes she tried to kill him, and he threatens her in front of Maria. An angry Chief Carson returns to the inn to confront the women, who he accuses of lying. Rita can't suppress her anger and lashes out, which only incites the chief's suspicion. As he argues with her, Debbie returns from a trip and declares her mother's innocence. She remembers seeing Tony at the lake on the last day of his life, arguing with a man who pulled a gun on him when he refused to hand over a cassette tape. Tony tossed the tape into the water, prompting the man with the gun to threaten him. Carson takes Rita and Debbie back to the station to look at mug shots and hopefully identify the man. Patricia is mortified over news of the tape, and the chief's decision to drag the lake for it. Debbie recognizes the mystery man as Roy Scott, a member of the syndicate. After Rita and Debbie leave, Frances meets privately with Chief Carson to give him a tip about Holly. He and Jerry return to the inn and place Holly under arrest. When Carson alludes to additional crimes of harboring a fugitive, Holly swears that although everyone knew she had been in prison, they didn't know about her escape. She apologizes to Patricia for taking advantage of her and thanks everyone for being kind to her. The women say a tearful goodbye to her, encouraging her to be strong. Police inform the Walkers that Holly has been caught, while Chief Carson finds Holly's police file in Jerry's possession and suspends him from the police force because he failed to uphold the law. John Randall informs Maria that the governor has granted her a pardon. She is to be released immediately. Instead of yelling at him, she admits she finally accepts the fact that she can be more useful to others from the outside. She says warm goodbyes to Officer Nell and Minnie, and cautions Kath to stay away from Fisher. As Maria leaves prison, Holly enters, with Fisher taunting her that she's headed for another stint in solitary. At the Walker mansion, Robbie angers Eileen by playing ball inside the house. Through clenched teeth, she warns him that if he makes her angry, she'll lock him up again in that cold, dark shack. Michael overhears her comments and finally knows that she, not Holly, kidnapped Robbie. Eileen coldly admits it. She did it as revenge against Holly and against him. After he warns her to never touch his son again, he phones his attorney to talk about Holly, but Eileen hangs up the phone and promises she'll destroy him if he doesn't keep quiet. Maria decides to go Cedar Lake to see Cissie. At Cedar Lake, the cassette tape has been found. Everyone is on pins and needles as Jerry prepares to listen to it. Much to their relief, when he plays the tape, the audio is garbled. A young man named Ricky Robbins arrives on a motorcycle to see his mother -Crystal Fox.

After Ricky says that Gloria didn't tell him anything about his late mother, Crystal pretends they were friends since childhood. She avoids answering any more questions, insisting they talk in the morning. Maria, now a guest at the inn, overhears their conversation and wonders why Crystal won't answer Ricky's questions. In private, Crystal admits Ricky is her son. Maria can't understand how a mother could give up her child. Crystal says she shouldn't judge her and gives an impassioned speech about how she thought she was doing the right thing for her son because she couldn't take care of him alone at sixteen. Jerry questions Michael Walker, while Eileen secretly listens. Debbie catches Ricky stealing food from the kitchen and hits him over the head with a frying pan. Learning that he's the son of Crystal's old friend and has no where to stay, Joe offers to let him bunk with him and work around the inn for food and lodging. Back in prison, Holly explains to Randy the reason why Crystal was with Dr. Gardner at Cedar Lake and promises that Crystal didn't sleep with him. After Jerry leaves the Walker mansion, Eileen wants Michael to admit to her that he raped Holly, but he continues to deny they ever had sex. Jerry visits Holly in prison, where she's harassed by Fisher. She tells Jerry about Eileen Walker's pathological jealousy of her. He returns to the Walker house to speak with Eileen and gets into an argument with Michael. Eileen walks in on them. Believing that Michael has turned her in, she confesses to kidnapping Robbie, and reveals Michael's rape of Holly. Randy goes to Cedar Lake and reconciles with Crystal, but when he also meets Ricky, Crystal shuts down since she isn't prepared to be completely honest with either of the men in her life. Ricky gives Randy advice on how to handle women and demonstrates it with Debbie. He bets Randy that he can get Debbie before Randy bags Crystal again. While playfully testing a mattress for a complaining guest, Joe and Patricia end up in romantic situation that is interrupted by Rita. Rita bad mouths Patricia to Cissie, who gets Rita to admit that she's also interested in Joe. Rita laments that Joe's a nice man who treats her with her respect, and unfortunately, guys like him never want to give her a tumble. Tired of being constantly put off by Crystal, Ricky forces her to talk about his mother. He's angry about being dumped with a horrible person like Gloria to look after him. When Crystal tells him that his mother was torn to pieces when she had to give him up, he retorts that she was just a dumb slut who wasn't smart enough to use birth control. Crystal orders him to stop talking about her like that because she's his mother.

The women encourage Crystal to not give up on Ricky. Ricky reveals to Randy that Crystal has lied to him again. Debbie stops Ricky from leaving and persuades him to listen to Crystal. After Crystal explains the circumstances of his birth, Ricky agrees to let her be his mother for a two-week trial period. Patricia asks Rita to find out from Goddard if the syndicate is still after the inn since Roy Scott was arrested for Osorio's murder. Brad returns to the inn, where Maria recognizes him as Kath's son. She tells him about his mother's heart condition and convinces Warden Grayson to restore his visiting privileges. Holly is released from prison. Randy needs time to think about his relationship with Crystal, since he doesn't know if he's prepared to be the father of a teenage son. Crystal doesn't know if she wants a man who's ready to reject her because of her son. The women give Holly a welcome home party. Rita apologizes for not believing in her innocence, and she and Holly agree to put the past behind them. After speaking with a syndicate contact, Goddard warns Rita that they've got to be very careful as something really heavy is coming down soon. Rita informs Patricia that Goddard is scared. Holly rejects Jerry's insistence that she instigate lawsuits against all the people who wronged her, but she has considered changing her name. Jerry proposes she change her name to Vernon by marrying her. Ricky wants to celebrate Holly's engagement by getting into the inn's booze and playing loud music. Debbie and Brad try to stop him, but fail. Joe admits he's attracted to Patricia. Although he vowed to never be in a position to allow a woman to hurt him after his wife walked out on him, he wants to give Patricia a chance. They engage in a steamy kiss that's interrupted by Ricky's loud music. The next morning Patricia laments to Cissie that she can never get any closer to Joe because he's scrupulously honest, and she can never tell him she faked her death and framed Ben. Jerry, whose suspension from the police force has been lifted, arrives to give Cissie an update regarding her friend Faith Cronin. She and Patricia are stunned when Jerry breaks the news that due to a lack of evidence the case against Ben Cronin has been dropped; he's a free man again.

Patricia declares she and Joe can never be together because she doesn't want to risk him becoming Ben's target as Harry was. Cissie insists Ben would have no reason to ever come back to the inn. John Randall asks Maria if she would consider a career as a correctional officer. Brad shows Debbie a photo he took of her that has been published in a magazine. Cissie learns her son-in-law Ron has been in a terrible accident. After Brad says he can't see becoming serious with her, Debbie decides to take Crystal's advice of becoming interested in someone else to make him jealous. Maria gets an employment application from Warden Grayson. Cissie visits Ron at the hospital and introduces herself as "Aunt Emily" to her granddaughter Judith Anne. Crystal tries to discourage Maria from working at the prison. Lorraine finds herself in a similar situation to her mother when doctors tell her she may soon have to decide to take Ron off life support. Ben Cronin checks into the inn and requests the room where Faith was killed. Lorraine asks for her mother's forgiveness. Patricia comes face to face with Ben. She manages to be hospitable, but Joe can't hide his antagonism. In private, Patricia tells Holly, Rita, and Crystal that they have to keep an eye on Cronin for Cissie's sake, and they must placate him because he has a short fuse. Cronin questions Captain Goddard about Osorio's boat and the drug money and cautions him not to lie. To make Brad jealous, Debbie goes with Ricky for a motorcycle ride. He kisses her, and after they become stranded, she starts to walk back to the inn. Cronin wonders why Patricia won't look him in the eye. He declares he was framed for his wife's murder. He believes she is still alive and has come to the inn to prove it. Rita visits Goddard, who has decided to leave on Osorio's boat. While they discuss Cronin's visit, they find the drug money hidden in the seat cushions of the boat. Cronin confronts Cissie, whom he believes knows where Faith and the money she and Osorio stole are. Cissie insists Faith is dead, and she knows nothing about drug money. Cronin then subtly threatens the lives of Lorraine and her children and implies he was responsible for Ron's injuries.

Goddard proposes he and Rita assume new identities, take the money, and run away to Rio. Cissie isn't sure if Cronin was telling the truth about causing Ron's accident or was bluffing. She decides to not cave in quickly to his demands. Joe and Brad go in search of Ricky and Debbie. Lorraine phones Cissie with news that Ron is improving. She mentions receiving a bouquet of get well flowers from someone named Ben and speculates he must be a friend. Cissie begs Cronin not to hurt her family, as they're innocent. Warden Grayson refuses to restore Brad's visiting privileges unless Kath stops being combative with Fisher. Ricky repairs his motorcycle and gets Debbie back to the inn the next morning. She's delighted when Ricky and Brad get into a fight over her. Nell informs the warden after seeing Fisher harassing Kath, who is honestly trying to be a model inmate. Maria goes before interviewers for her oral exam. Fisher is annoyed by Warden Grayson questioning his methods of dealing with inmates. Ricky scoffs at Crystal's attempt to talk about safe sex, and Rita reacts badly too when Crystal suggests she tell Debbie about the birds and bees before she gets in trouble. Maria thanks John for helping her to get the correctional officer job, but she declines his dinner invitation and later regrets it. Rita discusses leaving Cedar Lake with Debbie. Cronin threatens Cissie's family again, giving her one hour before he acts. Cissie tells Patricia about Cronin's threats. She vows she could kill him and would give anything if she could give his money back. Rita overhears their conversation and rushes to see Goddard. Patricia decides she must reveal her real identity to Rita because Rita can help with Cronin just as she did Osorio. She plans with Cissie to leave town, after which Cissie can reveal to Cronin that she's alive and has the money. Rita's husband Ray has spotted Debbie's photo in the magazine and arrives at the inn looking for her. He and Rita have a confrontation, but he leaves, promising that it isn't over. Rita breaks the news to Cissie that she and Debbie are leaving. She instructs Debbie to wait for her and then goes to get some money from Goddard. Ray finds Jerry and blows Rita's cover. Joe comes in just as Patricia is packed and ready to leave. She asks him to watch after things while she's gone, and gives him a kiss goodbye. At the bait shop, Rita takes a small amount of the drug money, just enough for a fresh start for herself and Debbie. Before she can get away, Ray arrives with Jerry to arrest her.

Jerry arrests Rita who returns to the Women's State Prison. After Cissie tells him what he wants to know, Cronin promises not to hurt her family again. Patricia and Cissie learn about Rita's arrest, and Patricia wonders how long Rita knew where the drug money was hidden. Cronin sends his goon Al to guard Osorio's boat and the money, but Al is knocked unconscious by an unseen assailant, and when he awakens, the boat is gone. At the prison, Fisher taunts Rita as he takes her to solitary. An upset Debbie turns to Brad, crying that she needs him more than ever with her mother back in prison. Ricky spots the two embracing. Goddard returns from the city and is taken to Cronin, who discovers his passport and the ones for Rita and Debbie in his pocket. He gives Goddard and Al just one hour to come back with every penny of his stolen money or he'll have them killed. Goddard drives Al to the bait shop. While Goddard retrieves some of the money he had hidden, Al drives off in his truck. Ricky drops off a bag of money for Cronin, explaining that Goddard left it for him before getting out of town. Ricky says Goddard mentioned a tip. Cronin sarcastically replies that his tip will be getting to live to see 18, if Ricky keeps his mouth shut about what he's seen. Chief Carson arrives to question the women regarding their knowledge of Rita being a fugitive. He thinks Cissie knew she was harboring a wanted criminal and places her under arrest. Rita is released from solitary and trades insults with Kath, her new cell mate. From a photo, Rita realizes Brad is Kath's son. Rita blames him for her arrest since it was his picture of Debbie that led Ray to Cedar Lake. Kath doesn't want to hear anything bad about her kid. She warns Rita that she has taken over as top dog and has gotten tougher. Patricia manages to scrape together the $10,000 to get Cissie released on bail. Joe and Patricia admit they're falling in love with one another. She wants to come clean with details of her past, but he stops her. He doesn't want her to tell him anything that makes her uncomfortable because she doesn't owe it to him. They embrace and kiss passionately. The next morning Ricky notices that Joe didn't come home last night, while Crystal is told not to disturb Patricia, who didn't come down for breakfast. Now that they're lovers, Patricia tries to lure Joe back into bed, but he reminds her of their work responsibilities. Besides, the day will go quickly, and it will be bedtime again soon. At the reception desk, Joe and Patricia can't keep their hands off one another. As he begins to button his shirt and tuck it in, a woman arrives, throws her arms around him, and gives him a kiss. Patricia is stunned when Joe introduces her as Karen Holland, his wife.

Ricky makes Joe's reunion with Karen even worse by pointing out Joe's disheveled appearance and his failure to come home the previous night. Karen stalls telling Noe why she has returned to a place she hated. Patricia and Cissie each thought Joe was divorced, and Patricia wonders why he didn't formally end it. Joe explains why. Karen's leaving him destroyed his ego. He was afraid to love again, so there was no point in pushing for a divorce. He declares his love to Patricia and willingness to risk another rejection. Karen reunites with old friend Jerry and is barely civil to Holly. After Karen proposes he return to Chicago with her to pursue an architectural career, Joe forcefully informs her that he loves Patricia, not her. He wants a divorce and for her to go back home. Debbie and Brad agree to visit their mothers in prison together. She thinks it would be cool if Rita and Kath were best friends. Rita watches with a smirk as Fisher takes away Brad's photo away from Kath, and she refrains from losing her temper. Nell quarrels with Fisher about his harassment of Kath. He realizes she was the one who reported him to Warden Grayson and threatens to not be there when she needs him. Ricky snoops in the cellar and is caught by Captain Goodard, who's hiding out. He sends Ricky to get Patricia. He tells her that he needs her to help him sell his bait and fish shop in order to get enough money to go far away from Cronin's mob. Patricia offers him $50,000 cash which he's forced to accept. A distraught Cissie fears Patricia is up to something. Karen tips Frances off to Jerry and Holly's engagement. When Ricky asks him for advice on handling Debbie, Joe suggests he ask Crystal. Karen confronts Patricia. She wants Patricia to step aside so that she can save her marriage. Patricia flatly refuses and orders her to leave the inn. When Karen reveals that she's an investigative reporter and can ruin the inn's reputation, a worried Patricia backs down. Ricky gets good advice from Crystal, leading to tentative steps toward friendship with Debbie. Maria agrees to ask John Randall to defend Cissie's case. Karen's attempt to seduce Joe fails badly. Later she overhears Patricia and Joe laughing about her sleeping with a married man under the same roof as his wife. Frances fills Karen in on all the criminal activity at Cedar Lake Inn. Karen decides to write an expose and phones her office to get files on Ben Cronin, Faith, Tony Osorio and Patricia. Cronin phones Cissie regarding her possible knowledge of Goddard's whereabouts then makes veiled comments about her family. She reports her fears to Patricia. Brad accidentally reveals that Patricia is buying out Goddard. An upset Cissie demands to know what's going on, leading to a quarrel. After Cissie storms out, Patricia finds her unconscious on the floor.

Cissie is released from the hospital suffering extreme stress. Patricia forcefully orders her to bed and won't answer her questions about the origin of her recent loans or the loaded gun in her desk. Feeling like a prisoner, Cissie compares Patricia to Officer Fisher. John agrees to defend Cissie. Patricia hires Brad to run the bait and boat shop. Karen receives dossiers on everyone except Patricia. Holly has an uncomfortable meeting with Frances and Karen, but assures Jerry nothing can hurt her as long as she has him. Karen realizes Cissie is the key to helping her figure out all the criminal connections at the inn. Unsure if Nell or Kath badmouthed him to the warden, Fisher physically abuses Kath, but is stopped by Rita who's ready to usurp Kath as top dog. Crystal plays matchmaker for Debbie and Ricky. Karen gains access to Cissie, but Patricia stops her from asking more questions about Faith Cronin. Cissie fails to bring Maria and John together for dinner. Brad interrupts Ricky mustering the courage to kiss Debbie. Maria rejects John's attempt at wooing her, arguing that she has to concentrate on training and her new career. Karen manages to get Holly to admit she hasn't slept with Jerry and tells Frances. Frances makes Holly uncomfortable by commenting that she might not have lost Jerry herself had she saved herself for marriage like Holly. She then goes to Jerry and offers to sleep with him any time, no strings attached. Later Jerry becomes amorous with Holly, who stops him because she really loves him and wants sex with him to be different than the others. Karen's probing with Cissie and Joe leads her to speculate that the late Harry Blake was Patricia's brother, and she killed Faith and framed Ben for the crime to avenge Harry's death. The new guest at the inn turns out to be one of Crystal's former johns. Ricky catches him trying to force himself on Crystal, and her past as a prostitute is ultimately revealed. Unable to handle it, Ricky angrily rides off into the night on his motorcycle.

Brad finds Ricky at the bait shop and talks to him about mothers in prison. Fisher breaks up a fight between Kath and Rita vying for top dog status. Rita persuades Nell to tell Warden Grayson about Fisher's last physical assault of Kath. Karen torments Holly to Frances's amusement, and Cissie humorously puts Karen in her place. Karen accuses someone of stealing her engagement ring. Warden Grayson cautions Fisher she'll fire him if there's another incident with Kath. Rita marks Fisher with a "Beware Rapist" sign on his back. Patricia finds Karen's ring. Karen apologizes to Joe and Patricia, claims she won't cause more trouble for them, and says she won't fight the divorce. They very cautiously accept her apology. Fisher goes after Rita in a cold rage when Grayson spots the sign on his back. Karen confides in Frances she has a plan to expedite uncovering the connection between Faith and Patricia. Crystal receives a makeover and begs Ricky for a chance to earn his respect. Fisher catches up with Rita during her visit with Debbie and Holly, but Nell makes him leave. While Joe and Patricia are out having a romantic dinner, Karen snoops in Patricia's room, where she finds the gun and Patricia's fake legal documents. Patricia explains to Cissie how she stole the identity of a dead woman in Phoenix in order to become Patricia Meadows. Karen phones Ben Cronin. Fisher visits Kath in solitary and makes a deal. If she takes care of Rita, he'll ensure her visits with Brad are restored. After Kath agrees, Fisher thinks to himself that he'll get rid of Kath just as soon as she gets rid of Rita.

For her first day as a correctional officer, Maria is assigned to work with Fisher at Women's State. Kath swipes a knife and hides it in Rita's mattress. Maria finds it during a cell search but covers for Rita, who says she's being framed. When Brad arrives for a visit, Fisher denies it. He tells Kath he'll only let her see her son when he's completely satisfied that she has gotten Rita out of the way. He gives her back the knife stolen from the kitchen, urging her to kill Rita, but instead, she impulsively stabs him with it. When Rita happens upon them, Kath admits Fisher wanted her dead. On the prison monitors, Maria sees Rita dragging an injured Fisher into a cell. Just as she's about to sound the prison alarm, Maria is stopped by Kath who says the inmates are in charge now. She forces Maria to lock down all of cell block D. Nell radios Maria. Held at knife-point by Kath, Maria lies that Warden Grayson ordered a lock-down and search of D block. Nell radios the warden, who denies the orders. Kath gives her demands to Warden Grayson via radio. Fisher must be removed from the prison for good. Brad panics when Grayson orders an armed riot squad. Maria tricks Kath into letting her and Rita go off together to shut off non-existent vent valves in case tear gas is deployed. Alone, Maria encourages Rita to unlock her handcuffs so that she can get to a gun to stop Kath. When Rita hesitates, Maria promises she'll make sure Warden Grayson knows she helped, which will ensure that Rita isn't punished along with the other women. Nell convinces Grayson to allow Brad to talk to his mother and convince her to end the uprising. He tries but fails. While Kath is distracted by Brad, Fisher and Rita attempt to overpower her. Kath raises her knife to stab Fisher, and Maria fires her gun, but she misses and shoots Rita instead. Crystal's new appearance amuses Joe, who says she'd look sexy in a tent. Ricky announces he plans to move on. Sheila, Ben Cronin's secretary, won't let Karen speak to him, but he reads a letter she sent him asking for a meeting and decides to see her. Cissie breaks the news of Rita's shooting to Debbie. Debbie visits Rita following her surgery, and Rita realizes that she's paralyzed. Maria feels guilty about the shooting. Ricky decides to hang around a little longer after Brad suggests he enjoy time with his mother while he can. Karen explains her theory to Cronin, but he becomes angry and orders her to stop investigating him and his wife, who didn't really die. Learning what Karen has done, an enraged Joe threatens her. Afterward, Patricia eavesdrops as Karen phones her contact in Phoenix to say she's on her way to uncover every last one of Patricia Meadows' secrets.

In Phoenix, Karen learns that the real Patricia Meadows is dead and didn't have a brother. Randy returns to the inn to reunite with Crystal, but she insists she's celibate now because she wants to be a real mother to Ricky. Brad pushes Ricky to talk with his mother, and he and Crystal agree to try to be a family. While speaking with Warden Grayson about Faith Cronin, Karen begins to realize just how much Faith and Patricia are alike. After Crystal suggests a jury won't convict Rita now that she's paralyzed, Rita, who has regained feeling in her legs, continues to fake her paralysis. Debbie agrees to help Patricia and Cissie lure Ray back to the inn. Maria catches Rita standing. Warden Grayson informs Fisher that more women have spoken out against him, including Holly, and he's now on suspension from the prison. Karen confronts Patricia with the accusation that she's a surgically altered Faith and threatens to tell Ben Cronin unless Patricia gives up Joe. The two get into a fight interrupted by Joe and Jerry, who force Karen to leave. A furious Karen phones Cronin, but Sheila won't put the call through. Enraged, Karen comments to Frances that everything is Patricia's fault, and she intends to hire a "hit man of sorts" to solve her problem. Cissie begs Patricia to tell Joe the truth because he can protect her, but she fears she can't make him understand. A concerned Frances phones Joe after Karen fails to come home overnight. Patricia admits to Cissie that she went looking for Karen the previous evening, planning to threaten her with a gun, but her car was missing. Ray is drugged by Debbie, then Cissie and Patricia move him to the cellar, where they tie him up and threaten to kill him unless he signs a statement clearing Rita of his attempted murder. Holly declines Jerry's suggestion that they elope and is stunned to see Fisher has moved into one of the inn's cottages.

Jerry promises to take care of Fisher, and Joe stops him with the same advice Jerry gave him about Ben Cronin and the law. The women force Ray to make a statement to John Randall in order to clear Rita, but when he's told he could now be jailed himself for perjury, he grabs the gun Cissie has hidden in her pocket. He decides to get away by using her as a hostage, though Jerry subdues him in an exchange of gunfire. Maria promises she won't reveal Rita's faked paralysis. Fisher is surprised by how many people associated with the prison are running around the inn. Cissie warns Patricia that Fisher is their biggest threat next to Cronin. Patricia decides to try to buy the cottages to ensure that Fisher doesn't stay. She and Joe get into an argument when he can't figure out how she's coming up with so much money when she's allegedly broke. Jerry reports that Karen appears to be missing. Debbie visits Rita at the prison, where Maria forces her to admit the truth about her paralysis. Patricia angrily informs Joe that Fisher bought one of the cottages before she could make an offer. Fisher urges Holly not to testify against him because if he loses his job, he'll be forced to move to Cedar Lake, live in his new cottage, and will always be around looking at her. While out hunting, Fisher's leg is trapped under a rock slide in the wilderness. Looking for flowers, Holly finds him. He sends her to get help, but once she gets back to the inn, she sits down to go over wedding plans with Patricia, smiling as if she doesn't have another care in the world.

The morning after Fisher's accident, Holly goes to see him. He realizes she hasn't told anyone he's injured and can't move. She walks away without speaking. Randy arrives at the inn early for Holly's engagement party and wants to get together with Crystal. Rita pushes Maria by having her wait on her hand and foot. Michael Torres, Fisher's replacement at the prison, watches as Maria snaps at Rita. They get into an argument, with him suggesting she's worse than the guy he replaced. When Rita continues to push and taunt her, Maria dumps her out of the wheelchair. Everyone is astonished to see Rita leap to her feet. Torres offers an apology to Maria for starting off on the wrong foot, but they continue to clash. Holly returns to a dehydrated Fisher. She places a large bottle of water for him -just outside his reach- and walks away with a smile. Nell and Maria discuss John Randall's interest in her. Torres introduces the two to his girlfriend Deirdre, but at the prison, Maria takes a call for him from another woman named Sandra. Rita forgives Maria. Crystal informs Patricia that they're receiving multiple calls for Fisher, who appears to be missing. Randy wants a kiss from Crystal. Holly goes back to Fisher and after teasing him, gives him the water. Jerry looks for Holly and finds her, but doesn't see Fisher. Jerry sings a song for Holly at the engagement party and gives her a ring. A delirious Fisher imagines he sees Holly and promises never to hurt her again. He then believes he sees his ex wife, who taunts him about leaving him for another woman. Ricky urges Randy to marry Crystal, but he says the time isn't right. He later confides in Crystal that he's broke and can't marry her until he can give her and Ricky a proper home. Holly reveals that she isn't inviting her father to the wedding because she only wants friends there. Brad finds Fisher and goes for help. Jerry takes Fisher's statement about the accident while Holly smiles knowingly at him.

Fisher doesn't reveal that Holly knew about his accident and didn't get help. Jerry brings news of the strange disappearance of the Finleys, who own the diner. Rita worries as she gets ready to face the judge at her hearing. Torres angers Maria when he accidentally sees her changing into her uniform and stares too long. He offers to take her out for a drink later, but she declines, countering that she doesn't want to be another notch on his belt. Jerry and Joe share their women problems with one another. Joe's worried because Patricia doesn't trust him enough, and he thinks Karen uncovered something about her past before she disappeared. Jerry says Holly trusts him so much it's scary. He also doesn't know how much longer he can hold out not making love with her. Holly arrives back at the inn with a grave expression. She tells everyone that the judge threw the book at Rita despite Maria's supportive testimony. At the prison Rita laments being separated from Debbie for another two years. She needs her mother. Debbie replies that she has all the women at the inn to look after her, and it's the only real home she's ever had. She promises Rita that they'll remain just as close as they are now. Cissie comes by to visit Rita and reinforces Debbie comments. They all plan to look out for her. Rita isn't so sure, though. She says she's never been able to warm up to Patricia, who she thinks is cold, while Crystal is too much of a ding-a-ling. She admits if she thought she could get away with it, she'd break out of prison that night to be with her daughter. When Maria goes on another rant about knowing the women better than Torres, he suddenly kisses her. Jerry tells Joe and Patricia that Chief Carson has ordered a full scale manhunt for the missing Finleys, and the town is scared. Crystal proposes making Fisher's life miserable to drive him away, and finds a humorous way to annoy him by using Ricky's new puppy. Fisher walks out the front door and straight into a woman he attempts to subdue. At that moment Cissie arrives and is confused until the woman turns around and appears to be Rita. Aghast, Cissie doesn't understand how she got back to the lake so quickly when she just left her at the prison. The woman is confused, too. She explains that she isn't Rita. Her name is Roxy.

Roxy introduces herself to everyone as Roxy Lawrence, Rita's twin sister. Patricia nearly makes a slip in front of Joe by saying that in all the years she's know her, Rita never mentioned a twin, but she quickly amends years to months. A stunned Cissie phones the prison to check on her story, and speaks with Rita who confirms her sister's identity. Roxy wants to rent a room at the inn, but Patricia gives an emphatic no. She obviously dislikes Roxy even more than Rita. To make the situation worse, Fisher happily offers to rent her a room in his cottage. Cissie goes to the prison where Rita explains that her sister blamed her for stealing Ray. Rita is certain she's back to make trouble for her and possibly turn Debbie against her. Jerry and Holly return with news that the Finleys were found dead in their walk-in freezer. Roxy claims she wants to take care of Debbie and tells the girl it isn't right for Cissie to look after her when she's not family. Debbie persuades Ricky to take her to the prison. After Holly kisses him passionately, Jerry pushes her back explaining that if they keep going he won't be able to keep his promise of waiting until they're married. He leaves Holly looking frustrated, and privately, he remembers Frances' offer of no-strings sex. At the prison, Rita begs Debbie to stay away from Roxy, but Debbie tearfully counters that they look so much alike, it's almost like having Rita back home. The more Rita tries to warn her that her aunt is trouble, the more Debbie begins to defend her. Maria finds a bouquet of flowers in her locker, along with a note from Torres asking if they can be friends. She coldly throws the flowers back at him and walks away. Randy arrives with no place else to stay. He's been evicted from his apartment. Crystal is sure Patricia wouldn't mind if he slept in one of the rooms at the inn. Holly questions why they aren't staying together, so Crystal explains she's being celibate as part of her desire to change into a good mother. When Crystal talks about how sex changes things, Holly begins to react wry strangely. Crystal offers to listen if Holly's frightened of sleeping with Jerry for the first time on their honeymoon, but Holly gets defensive, insisting she's fine. Debbie wonders to Cissie why Rita said such horrible things about Roxy, who seems like a nice person. Roxy slips out of her clothes at the cottage, while Fisher secretly spies on her through the window. The next morning Crystal buys a final lottery ticket from Fisher with the last dollars Randy has. Fisher is stunned when the newspaper reveals it to be a winning ticket. Debbie goes jogging with Roxy, and they agree to do it again every morning since Roxy is so concerned about health. Inside the cottage after Debbie leaves, Roxy immediately lights a cigarette and sprawls on the bed. Suddenly a pair of hands appears from nowhere and begins to slowly massage her back. She rolls over to face her masseuse and smiles seductively.