Norma is missing, leaving Norman to deal with the fallout of her crime. He briefly considers letting the police take her but decides to cover for her. Norman reasons that nothing concrete connects Mary with the Bates Motel. She traveled alone, arrived alone, and indicated that she had happened upon the inn by chance. He cleans the crime scene as thoroughly as he can, reasonably satisfied that there is no evidence left. He finds one of Mary’s earrings but not its mate and assumes the other is still in Mary’s ear. Norman wraps Mary’s body in a tarp, puts it in her car, then drives to a nearby swamp. He pushes it into the swamp, watching until it sinks completely.

Norma is still gone when Norman returns home. He falls asleep and dreams of his mother sinking into the swamp. He thinks of the terrible position Norma put him in by killing Mary, and briefly considers letting her sink. Suddenly, Norman is sinking into the muck. He realizes that Norma killed Mary to protect him and cries to Norma for help. He wakes to Norma at his bedside. She soothes him, and Norman falls into a deep sleep, reassured by his mother’s presence.