Strained dinner at the Whitehorse ranch. Ethan tries small talk, which Ben brushes off, so he gets to the point and asks about his mother. Ben says Ethan's mother would be disappointed in Ethan if she were still around. Sutton can't resist sticking up for Ethan and tells Ben he couldn't possibly be disappointed in Ethan because he clearly doesn't care about him. Ben comes out that the cops told him about Ethan's murder charges. Ethan promises he didn't do it, but Ben has already made up his mind. Sutton wants Ethan to stand up for himself, but Ethan tells to snap out of it. She may have been able to turn a bunch of people's lives upside down in this ridiculous search for her birth mother, but he doesn't have that luxury. He also tells her to get the idea of a happy ending out of her head because it's not in either of their near futures.

Laurel's gig. They're playing at the same place Mads snuck out to two nights before. Apparently there is only one music venue in Arroyo. Ted and Kristin watch proudly. Ted takes Kristin's hand, suddenly all lovey-dovey about how great their kids are, and she meets his grasp with suspicion. Kristin spots Justin, and Ted promises to be civil as makes his way over to tell Justin to buzz off and let Laurel move on. Justin sees how happy Laurel is singing with Baz and asks Ted not to tell Laurel that he was there. Across the room, Thayer finds Emma, who tells him about her conversation with Alec. Even Thayer is, like, "Don't be an idiot, Emma. That's the oldest trick in the book."

Emma wonders why Mads is upset with her, and Thayer offers to go find out. He heads over and starts to probe Mads with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, mentioning the Black and White Ball from the jump. When Mads responds badly, Thayer flees the scene just in time for Ryan to return with drinks. Just like her brother, Mads immediately jumps to the touchiest issue, and Ryan comes clean about Sutton's proposition at the ball. Mads doesn't believe Sutton would hit on Ryan, but he says she was very clear and she's bad news. Mads walks up to "Sutton" with the express purpose of telling her, "We're not friends anymore."