Where Are the Children?

Nancy Eldridge's birthday day turns terrifying when she discovers her children Michael and Missy have vanished from the back yard after she finishes a shower. Nancy finds Missy's red mitten hanging from a swing chain and immediately calls Clay and the police, signaling the start of a tense investigation led by Chief Ed Coffin. The family and town brace for news as officers begin to piece together what happened.

The kidnapper sends Lenny Barron, a DJ at WOMR, information about Nancy's past, leaking her life in San Francisco and her former identity as Nancy Holder. The revelation recalls nine years ago when Nancy's two children disappeared, were found dead, and she was wrongly convicted before her conviction was overturned. The chilling connection between the present abduction and her past heightens the danger for Nancy and her supporters.

In a flashback, Nancy's husband Carl is a college professor and Nancy is accused of causing the disappearances of her two children. The bodies are discovered on a San Francisco Bay beach, and Nancy is found guilty in a controversial trial. Carl is believed to have committed suicide after the verdict, and the prosecution's case collapses over time.

After her conviction is overturned, Nancy relocates across the country to Cape Cod to escape California's shadow and rebuild her life with Clay, Michael, and Missy. She begins dying her hair a different color to leave the past behind and tries to maintain a sense of normalcy for her children. The move marks a fresh start, but memories linger.

With Clay's support and the kids, Nancy gradually heals from the trauma of the past. She continues therapy with Dr. Jonathan Knowles, who helps her confront painful memories. The family life provides resilience as they confront the new crisis of the missing children.

Chief Coffin learns about Nancy's past from Lenny and Deputy Bernie Miles and shifts his focus to her as the primary suspect. Officers are dispatched to search for Legler, trying to find any link that could explain the disappearances. The town's fear and bias push the investigation in a dangerous direction.

Dr. Knowles questions Nancy at home and helps her remember that her ex-husband Carl used to dress her like a little girl during their sexual relationship. This memory exposes a manipulative and abusive past that underpins Nancy's fear. The revelation weakens pressure on Nancy from authorities and reframes the investigation.

Rob Legler, the instructor who vanished, is located and his statements reveal that the kidnapper lured him to Cape Cod to implicate Nancy. This evidence undermines the idea that Nancy orchestrated the disappearances and strengthens the defense against a wrongful accusation. The focus shifts toward identifying the real kidnapper.

Dorothy finds Missy's other mitten near the Lookout, knocking down the possibility that Missy lost it in a car or elsewhere. Greek businessman John Kragopoulos suspects something is off and notices Parrish's suspicious behavior. The Lookout becomes a pivotal location in the investigation.

Kragopoulos confronts Parrish at the Lookout and is killed by Parrish, who strikes him with a fireplace shovel. The deadly confrontation confirms Parrish's involvement and heightens the stakes for everyone involved. The search for Missy and Michael intensifies.

Nancy and Dorothy realize that Parrish is actually her ex-husband Carl, who has been watching Nancy for years and orchestrating the abduction. The revelation makes the danger personal, as Carl now directly targets Missy. The revelation reframes the entire investigation.

Carl drags Missy to Widow's Walk at the top of the Lookout, threatening to drop her, as Nancy and Clay race to intervene. A tense struggle ends with Carl losing his grip and a tree crushing him into the water. Michael reunites with Missy and the family, aided by Dr. Knowles and Chief Coffin as they escape.

With Carl dead and Missy safe, Nancy, Clay, and Michael begin to rebuild their lives. The long trauma of past accusations, the failed investigation, and near tragedy finally resolves as they leave the Lookout for good. The family finds a sense of peace, even as memories linger.