A Killing in a Small Town

Candy travels to Peggy Blankenship's home to pick up the bathing suit for Meg, who will be staying with the Morrisons. The exchange is cordial, and Candy stays briefly to chat before returning. The errand is part of the morning's routine that will soon be overshadowed by tragedy.

She fails to return to the church in time for the children’s program, returning several hours later. Candy explains that she simply lost track of time and didn’t realize how late it was. The delay unsettles the church, casting doubt on her otherwise trusted role.

Stan Blankenship, away on a business trip, becomes worried when Peggy doesn't answer the phone. He asks the neighbors to check on her, and they begin a household search. The night tightens with a looming sense that something has gone terribly wrong.

Blood is found in the bathroom, and Peggy's infant daughter is crying in her crib. The neighbors then move to the utility room, where they discover Peggy's bloodied and mutilated body. The gruesome discovery confirms a violent crime has occurred and launches the investigation.

Police begin questioning potential suspects, including Stan, who confesses to having had an affair with Candy prior to the murder. Candy acknowledges the affair but insists it ended mutually. Detectives notice inconsistencies in Candy's story and begin to suspect she committed the murder.

Investigators find inconsistencies in Candy's statements and match bloody prints at the scene. These clues push the detectives to consider Candy as the killer. The case tightens as the investigation intensifies.

Candy and Stan decide to hire an attorney to handle the defense. They bring in Ed Reivers to help craft a strategy. Ed begins reviewing the evidence and plotting the best path forward.

Candy confesses to Ed that she murdered Peggy, but claims it was in self-defense. She ultimately agrees to turn herself into the police. Ed begins to plan a defense around her stated self-defense and the questionable emotional cues.

Ed arranges hypnosis to uncover Candy's suppressed memories that might explain her calm reactions. During the session, Candy recalls a childhood accident where she was rushed to the ER, and her mother forced her to remain quiet while she screamed in pain. The memory hints at a deeper trauma affecting her emotional presentation.

The trial opens, and Ed worries that Candy's flat affect will hurt her case. Candy testifies, and the events of the murder are presented partly from her perspective. The testimony outlines the sequence from her arrival at Peggy's home to the confrontation.

In her testimony, Candy recounts arriving at Peggy's home to ask Meg to stay the night. Peggy asks Candy if she is having an affair with Stan, and Candy reluctantly admits it, saying it ended long ago. Peggy then leaves briefly and returns with an axe, ordering Candy not to see Stan again.

A violent struggle erupts in the utility room when Peggy ambushes Candy with the axe. Candy overpowers Peggy and strikes her repeatedly, then showers and leaves the house. The sequence is recounted in stark detail on the witness stand, feeding the defense's narrative.

To provoke an emotional reaction, Ed produces the axe in front of Candy during the trial. Candy cries and screams hysterically, giving the courtroom the dramatic moment the defense sought. The scene tests how the jury perceives Candy's emotional responses.

Candy is found not guilty, shocking the courtroom and some observers. Many people are outraged by the verdict and question the fairness of the trial. The acquittal leaves lingering tensions in the community and among those affected by Peggy's death.

Following the verdict, Candy struggles to move on with life while dealing with public backlash. The film ends with a sense of unresolved consequences despite the acquittal. The final scenes emphasize the personal and social costs that linger afterward.