A girl calls her mom and says she's sorry she hasn't been around. She says she has to go and hangs up abruptly when someone comes in. She says she's not feeling well.

The next thing you know, the girl has been found in a dumpster, rolled in a rug. It looks like she's been branded.

The woman died of septic shock after the branding wound got infected. There's evidence she was tied up. However she came from money as she had expensive dental work. There are no leads as to who she is except a guitar pick with the name of a smusic store.

The clerk at the store says that's Ava who was sweet and nice but he doesn't know her last name. He felt sorry for her because she seemed lost. Also she often came with a guitarist who busks at the park.

The cops go to question Ken, the guitarist. He says he and Ava lived together but then she started hanging out with a new group of friends and broke up with him. He was supposed to meet her at a bar 5 days ago but she ran away.

The bar manager doesn't recognize Ava but does recognize Ken. He gives them video footage (the first ever to be cooperative!)

Ava's mother is a news anchor who is on her way back from Florida. Violet goes through the footage and sees that while Ken was waiting at the bar a man attempted to drag Ava into a car. She got away and ran in the other direction.

The cops run the plates and talk to the owner who starts yelling that this is his car and has a gun on him. He claims all his guns are legal.

The man is arrested and says it's not how it looks. Ava's mother hired him to kidnap Ava and bring her home. He's the doorman in her building.  Ava's parents arrive.

Ava's father says Ava was in a cult and they got a weird voicemail so they were desperate to save her before she could die.

The father says Ava only called when she needed money. She wasn't herself anymore.

The cops visit the cult where a woman doesn't understand how this could have happened when Ava was on a "righteous path." Another woman says they're a community of women and the orignal woman says they are all in charge and all subordinate.

Cosgrove notices a girl giving a hand signal that he's taught his teenagers to make if they're ever in trouble. He takes her outside and she says she wants her parents. They convince her to get in the car.

Sienna tells the cops that she met Ava in a coffee shop. She says they were all free to come and go but Ava was tied up for the branding ceremony. The cops ask her if Ava was stopped from seeing a doctor. Sienna starts saying the Lodestar mantra. A man shows up and says this is his daughter and he wants to talk to her alone.

Cosgrove wants to charge Sienna with manslaughter and assault. Dixon doesn't think they have enough. But id they can find evidence that someone stopped Ava from going to the doctor and then dumped her body, that's murder.

The cops have a search warrant for the cult headquarters. A cop guards the women in a room while the detectives search. Shaw finds brand new carpet in Ava's room and a receipt with Jocelyn Davis' name on it. They also find the branding iron. The girls all try to stop them from arresting Jocelyn but Shaw convinces them to cut it out.

Jocelyn is arrested and questioned. The lawyer claims that Ava chose not to go to the doctor and that there is no case. Samantha says charge her.

Jocelyn is released ROR. Ava's mother is upset and tries to attack her.

Samantha is also upset but Nolan says there's no evidence of homicide. They need something concrete but none of the cult members will cooperate.

Violet tells Samantha she did a deep dive and found some disturbing videos on Jocelyn's devices. Sienna confesses on video to stealing money and blaming someone else but she's not a victim but if anyone finds out she'll want to kill herself. Samantha realizes this is why Sienna refused to cooperate.

Ava also has a taped confession saying her mom is having an affair. If her parents found out it would ruin their lives.

Samantha says the video confessions showed that Jacelyn had power over the women. McCoy says this makes this a kidnapping/felony murder.

Now Jocelyn is in jail but the DAs warn the parents that Ava shared secrets with the group.

Ava's mother testifies. Ava was very creative and talented but had her demons, and this was when she met Jocelyn.  Ava was not allowed to as much as meet her for lunch because Jocelyn said no. For some reason the defense objects and the judge sustains. She also admits on the stand to the affair. Ava's father leaves.

The defense attorney gets objected to right off the bat and claims facts and evidence count not inferences. He wants a directed verdict. The judge says he will see counsel in chambers.

The defense claims there is no direct evidence. The judge agrees that he will find Jocelyn not gilty if they don't have direct evidence. Sam comes in and says she has a witness: Sienna. The defense attorney says no, she won't cooperate.

Sienna doesn't want to testify. Price explains that he needs her and that he knows about the blackmail video. Her father wants them to leave her alone. Samantha says Sienna helped and will be charged if she does not help.

Sienna testifies how Jocelyn threatened to release Ava's confession. However she says Lodestar is in charge and their supreme leader and controlled everyone including Jocelyn. He also made them have sex.

Price talks to McCoy about Lodestar -- Zack Elfont.

The DA's office is willing to offer immunity but Jocelyn won't turn on Lodestar and says he's a great guy who helped her turn her life around at 16. Even her lawyer thinks she should take the deal.

Zach s telling a bunch of girls they can't say that the world owes them anything. The cops burst in and arrest him, much to the girls' dismay.

Xach says Jocelyn won't testify against him. Price says they don't  need it. Zach claims Jocelyn sent him the confessions unsolicited. He has answers for everything including claiming he had nothing to do with the cult. Nolan says he needs Jocelyn or Zach will skate. McCoy says if he convicts Jocelyn that's still a good thing.

Jocelyn finally sees the importance of protecting herself and wants Zach to pay for what he did to the girls and to her. However, ELfont is dead and Samanatha thinks he should go ahead and try to convict Jocelyn.

The defense attorney is pissed. Can't they at least come to a compromise so she doesn't go to prison for life?

Jocelyn makes a speech about how she wishes she never met Zach and she's sorry Ava died. The plea bargain is for 12 years in state prison. The girls all look upset. Price is unhappy too.