One of Us is Lying: Chapter 28 Summary & Analysis

Wednesday night, Cooper and the rest of the “murder club” are at a coffee shop in downtown San Diego. Kris, Maeve, and Ashton are there too; Addy asks why Bronwyn picked the location, which is a little bit out of the way, but Bronwyn insists there’s no special reason. Cooper, who has only been out in public with Kris a few times, is still struggling with how to carry himself now that he’s out; he is afraid to be affectionate in public.

Bronwyn lays out a folder containing information about Simon—he was depressed, he paid two kids to stage an accident, he had a “creepy online persona,” he was fighting with Janae, he had a thing for Keely, and used to be friends with Jake. Cooper adds that Simon deleted Cooper’s original About That post, but Bronwyn corrects him, stating that they don’t yet know for sure that Simon was the one who did that.

The group turns to a folder about Jake next—when they’re adding information about him, Ashton speaks up to explain that Jake is a total control freak who ruled Addy’s life for years. As Bronwyn writes this down, the front door opens and Eli enters the shop. He intentionally walks past the “murder club,” but when he catches sight of the beautiful Ashton, he stops to introduce himself. He tells the rest of the group he can’t talk to them and heads up to the counter.

Bronwyn asks Ashton to take Sam Barron’s contact information up to the counter, where Eli is ordering a drink; she does so, but comes back with the envelope still in hand, explaining that Eli said Sam already called him—and the kids should mind their business. As the group turns back to the files in front of them, Kris speaks up. He points out that it would be pretty much impossible for anyone who wasn’t in the room to have killed Simon. If none of the Bayview Four or Mr. Avery did it, that only leaves Simon himself; Kris points to the notes in the folder which indicate that Simon was, according to Janae, depressed. Everyone realizes the possibility that Simon committed suicide.

Bronwyn follows this line of thought—Simon wanted to be at the center of everything, but was hugely unpopular. He was “obsessed” with making a “huge, violent splash at school,” and she speculates that perhaps framing them all for murder was “his version of a school shooting.” Kris speaks up again—if Jake wasn’t Simon’s killer, he must be his accomplice. Cooper marvels at Kris and Bronwyn, the “brains of this operation.”

Addy emotionally protests that Jake wouldn’t try to hurt her—or any of them—and Ashton tells everyone else that the two of them have had enough for the night. She gathers her things to take Addy home, and Addy apologizes for getting emotional. As Addy and Ashton leave, Maeve laments that Addy’s right—what their group is speculating about does sound kind of impossible. Kris points out one more sticky note, about Janae, suggesting that she might be a way to get proof.

After Bronwyn and Maeve leave, Kris and Cooper finish their drinks and gather up their things to leave. Outside the coffee shop, Cooper envelops Kris in a deep embrace and kisses him; he apologizes for not being more affectionate, and the two hold hands as they walk down the sidewalk.

In jail, Nate reflects on how hard he’s trying to make himself invisible and keep his mind off the world outside—and the people in it—who are “better off forgetting [he] exist[s.]”