Spells for Forgetting

Shortly before the fire, August finishes work at the orchard, preparing to attend the graduation party outside. He’s elated because he and Emery will be leaving the very next day. August’s grandfather appears and confronts him about his choice; he met a neighbor at the pub who sold August his tickets. August attempts to deflect, but Henry sees through it and tells him that he can never leave. If he does, Henry will take away his mother’s home and her job. August knows that he is beaten and feels ashamed for letting Emery down. After his grandfather leaves, August smashes a lantern and sets the orchard on fire.

In the present, August invites Emery in to finish their conversation. He tells her that he felt trapped and scared and acted instinctively. He admits that he never asked Dutch to lie to him; instead, he learned that Dutch had already lied and followed his story. Emery begins to suspect that Dutch was the one who killed Lily. August tells her that Lily and Dutch were seeing each other, and Emery reveals that Lily was pregnant. As Emery leaves, she sees August’s packed things and realizes that he’s on his way out. She asks him to stay one more night so that she can show him something.

Emery waits outside Dutch’s house for him to leave so that she can search for the missing letter. She considers their fractured relationship. After he leaves, she goes inside and searches through his things. However, he returns and catches her snooping. Emery confronts him about his secret relationship with Lily and their accumulating lies. Dutch denies knowing anything about the missing letter.

August prepares to depart but wants to see Emery one last time. On his way to the pub, Dutch drives by and stops to confront him. He berates August for leaving when Emery needed him and tells him that Lily was in love with him. He taunts August with his relationship with Emery until August snaps and beats him up.

Emery goes to the empty pub, hoping that August will stop by. He does, and they reminisce about their youth. Emery sees his damaged hand and confronts him about his fight with Dutch. Before he leaves, Emery shows him the deed to the orchard that she’s been hiding. She reveals that someone forged his signature in order to pass ownership of the orchard to the town.

August considers what he’s learned about his property deed. Emery arrives and asks what advice August received from his friend Eric. August is still waiting to hear more. A sound comes from the door, and August and Emery go outside to find an envelope left on the mat. It includes a copy of the incriminating letter with a note demanding that August leave town. August admits that before she died, Lily came to see him, enraged that he was leaving her. He remembers how she tried to seduce him but doesn’t tell Emery. They decide to find out how she really died.

On the day before the fire, Lily convinces Emery to do a tea leaf reading for her future. They sit in the tearoom and prepare. Once the teacup is ready, Emery is horrified to see the symbol of imminent death. Not wanting to believe the truth, she lies and tells Lily that she will find love.

In the present, Emery goes to the marshal’s office, claiming to need paperwork to renew a permit. She sneaks into Jake’s office and retrieves the file on Lily’s murder. Once safely in her car, she looks through the file and discovers notes and photos of herself. She realizes that she had been one of the case’s primary suspects.

August and Emery go through the contents of the file. August admits that he returned to Saoirse Island to see Emery but didn’t make himself known. They discuss the facts of Lily’s case and her body: Candle wax was found on her dress, and seaweed was in her stomach. Emery admits that August was partially under suspicion because both his father and his grandfather were physically abusive. They go through a series of numbered photos and find that one has been removed.

Emery goes to confront Jake. When she arrives, she sees that he’s been drinking heavily. He admits that the police were looking into her story because she and Lily were best friends who fought just before she died. Emery asks about the missing photo, and Jake admits that it was a photo of Emery’s necklace; Lily had it when she died. Emery realizes that she must have stolen it.