This New Clue On Cruel Summer Could Unravel Everything

While every new episode of Cruel Summer gives viewers more to mull over, the June 1 installment confirms one thing: You absolutely cannot trust any of the shady characters on this show. Episode 8 ended with the reveal of a major clue that casts light on another suspect. With only two episodes left in the thrilling first season, it kinda looks like a simple snow globe *could* be the key to solving the case of Kate and Jeanette once and for all...

Warning: Spoilers for Cruel Summer Episode 8 follow. By now, you probably have your theories about what really went down surrounding the kidnapping of Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt) by her school’s vice principal, Martin Harris (Blake Lee). Kate claimed her classmate Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia) knew she was being held in captivity but did nothing to help her. Despite Jeanette denying her involvement, it begs the major question of the series: Did Jeanette see Kate while she was being held hostage?

At this point, it’s pretty clear no one’s telling the whole truth, especially after Episode 8 shined some more light on Mallory “I hate Kate Wallis, now I love Kate Wallis” Higgins (Harley Quinn Smith). The former bestie of Jeanette and current bestie of Kate has clearly been hiding some major evidence, whether she knows it or not.

Early in the season — when Mallory was pals with Jeanette — Mallory hated Kate and especially hated the fact that Jeanette wanted to be like Kate. After Kate escaped from captivity, however, Mallory befriended Kate and the two became inseparable, which was odd, considering how much Mallory clearly loathed her just a year before. While at first it just seemed like Mallory simply had a change of heart after getting to know Kate, this new snow globe clue might indicate otherwise.

Toward the end of Episode 8, Jeanette agreed to meet up with her and Kate's ex-boyfriend, Jamie (Froy Gutierrez), after he apologized for treating her poorly the year prior. While they were chatting, Jeanette noticed a recording device and asked Jamie what it was for. Jamie admitted he had been listening to a message he thought was related to Kate’s disappearance: “A few months after Kate went missing, on Christmas Eve, I got this message on my answering machine,” Jamie told Jeanette. “It was just a bunch of sounds, but I just thought it might have something to do with Kate.”

Jeanette looked upset before asking to hear the message. The only sounds on it were a light tinkling tone (like a music box), some heavy breathing, and what sounded like some movie dialogue, with the characters saying “til death do us part.”

Jeanette was clearly ratted by all this, although it’s not yet totally clear why. The next scene showed her knocking on Mallory’s door and asking for a snow globe. Mallory said it was just a “piece of junk” and told Jeanette she didn’t have it anymore. Except, uh, the very next scene showed Mallory going into her room and getting a snow globe out from a box under her bed.

So, what’s the significance of the snow globe? It’s possible Jeanette stole it from Harris’ house at some point. (It wouldn’t be her first theft from the crime scene.) If so, maybe the twinkling heard on the recording was actually from that very snow globe — meaning Jeanette would’ve had to have been in Harris’ house and stolen it while Kate was there too. It’s too soon to tell right now, but if that’s the case, this wintry trinket could be majorly incriminating in Jeanette’s case.

Either way, considering the episode also showed Mallory outside of Mr. Harris’ house the day after Kate went missing and fans know Mallory has footage of Kate inside his house (whether or not Mallory herself is aware of this), it looks like Mallory could be more sus than anyone thought. How, exactly, the snow globe — and the fact that the message on Jamie’s recorder is from Christmas Eve, specifically — play a role in the case is unclear, but it could be that Mallory knows more than she’s letting on.

Cruel Summer continues Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on Freeform (and the following day on Hulu).