16.sērija Reservation for Two
Emma (as Sutton) is being interrogated by the police after Derek's murder, as Sutton is the only potential witness in the case. Since Emma wasn't actually at the scene, she stumbles on her words while trying to re-enact what had gone on between Ethan and Derek. Alec picks up on this and is suspicious of both Emma (as Sutton) and Dan, who he thinks is trying to hide Ethan (which isn't true). Sutton and Ethan arrive at the reservation that Ethan grew up in. She also meets his father, Ben, who is anything but friendly to the two of them. Sutton and Ethan also warm up to each other again during their time in hiding. Tribal police officers show up at Ben's ranch, looking for Ethan as he is wanted for murder. Ben doesn't rat him out and simply says that he hasn't heard from either of his sons since he kicked them out a while back. He then tells Ethan that he has a week to leave. Emma (as Sutton) is on bad terms with Mads and Ryan, as she is unable to keep up with Sutton's inconsistencies. Emma and Alec have a brief exchange at Derek's funeral regarding the night of the crime when they try to get a read on one another as they both think that the other was involved. Laurel performs with Baz's band for the first time. Ryan tells Mads that Sutton had hit on him at the Black & White Ball. Alec spends the night at Rebecca's. After tensions mount between Emma (as Sutton) and Mads because of what Sutton did, Emma reveals her true identity in order to salvage their friendship, leaving Mads shocked and confused.



17.sērija No Country for Young Love
Emma and Thayer update Mads on the twin situation. Alec demands that Dan find Ethan and bring him home as soon as possible, as he is Alec's "prime suspect." At the reservation, Sutton and Ethan notice Ben talking to a woman who is supposedly into him, although he never reciprocated those feelings. They invite her over for dinner and while Sutton tries to break the ice at the quiet table, Ben gets up and leaves, saying that he doesn't do small talk. Emma, Mads, and Thayer head off to find a college boy who was involved in drug-dealing with Derek, as they're desperate for any leads on who might've killed him to prove Ethan's innocence. Justin is a bit jealous of all of the time Laurel has been spending with Baz due to music commitments. Meanwhile, Rebecca knows of a music producer than could help Laurel's band produce a demo. While Ted is hesitant at first (presumably because of the tie with Rebecca), Kristin steps in and allows her to do it. Kristin is now more suspicious of her husband as she notices that Ted gets weary whenever Rebecca's name is mentioned. Alec is wondering why Rebecca wants to work close to the Mercers. Too many coincidences have led Emma and Thayer to believe that Alec was involved in the Derek's death, while Mads refuses to believe that her father would be a part of such a thing. Sutton tries to get Ethan to reconcile with his father and Ben ends up apologizing for being so harsh on Ethan all these years. After getting advice from Emma (as Sutton), Laurel decides to break up with Justin. Emma and Thayer interrogate two guys at a fraternity house, the frat leader and a pledge, who might know something and both were at the scene when the murderer killed Derek. The pledge then tells the trio that the murderer was none other than Alec (along with his unknown alibi), but he never told anyone because of Alec's ties to the fraternity. Ted confronts Rebecca about her hanging around his family after Emma and Mads go to ask her questions about Alec. Ted refuses to talk to Kristin about Rebecca and Kristin is tired of all of his lies. Sutton tells Ethan that she loves him and they kiss. The cops find Ethan and arrest him on the charges of murder.


18.sērija Not Guilty As Charged
Ethan is taken in at a county jail and Alec reveals that he has a star prosecutor working on Derek's side in the case, as he wants Ethan to be found guilty. Dan contacts his old girlfriend, an attorney, who might be able to help him. Sutton returns from the reservation and Thayer suspects that something had gone on between her and Ethan. Mads is angry at Sutton for hitting on Ryan and for not letting her in on all of the things that had been happening recently. She then tells Sutton that Emma is already a "friend for life," which is something that she couldn't say about Sutton at the moment, pushing Sutton to a breaking point when it comes to the comparisons between her and her sister. Laurel is the only Mercer that is supportive of Emma (as Sutton) during this time. Baz tells her that their band got a spot as an alternate at Coachella, but Laurel isn't sure if her parents would let her go. Theresa Lopez, Dan's ex, agrees to take Ethan's case. When she asks about any other possible persons of interest in the case, Emma and Thayer tell her about Alec Rybak, which upsets Mads. Emma (as Sutton) goes to Rebecca for help, but it is uncertain which side she's really on. Ted creates a lot of tension in the household with the three Mercer women. Rebecca starts to question Alec during their dinner date, while a note arrives at the table telling her to "not trust her date." Alec is quick to refute all of her questions. Sutton and Emma catch up at the cabin and when Emma goes inside for a moment, Theresa sends her a text saying that she could finally see Ethan in jail. Sutton sees the message and responds to it, making sure to delete it right afterwards to leave Emma clueless. Sutton later shows up at the jailhouse, posing as Emma. Not knowing that it wasn't really Emma, Ethan tells her that Sutton means nothing to him. A distraught Sutton (as Emma) then lies and tells him that she (Emma) slept with Thayer. Rebecca gets sent a picture of Alec preparing to hit Derek with a tire iron at the body shop. Ethan is dismissed from custody due to insufficient evidence. Emma is upset when Ethan doesn't come up to her after the hearing and that night, Sutton comes to her and claims that she and Ethan had slept together (which was also untrue).


19.sērija Weekend of Living Dangerously
Emma and Mads go to confront Ethan about what had happened between him and Sutton at the reservation, but he refuses to speak to her. Dan tells Ethan that Emma (as Sutton) was the only one who stood by his side during the trial, but because of Sutton's lie, Ethan is still mad at Emma. Ted comes home to find Kristin looking through his old files on Justin's case. Emma then confronts Sutton and Sutton wants to pay Emma to leave town. At the end of their argument, Emma tells Sutton that she's going to reveal herself to the Mercers before she goes anywhere. Emma finds Kristin crying in the country club bathroom and tries to comfort her while Sutton looks on. She finds out that Kristin thinks that Ted and Rebecca had an affair. Kristin also wants Emma to accompany Laurel to the Coachella festival. Meanwhile, Mads and Ryan haven't been spending any time together because of her recent involvement with the twins and what happened with Derek. She hints that she thinks her dad is involved and Ryan tells her that she should find out the truth sooner than later. Emma finally catches Ethan and they figure out the truth about Sutton's lies. The group decides to focus on Rebecca and her possible involvement with everything that has been going on. Dan is getting suspicious of Alec. Emma, Laurel, Ethan, and the band are stranded in Buford Falls when their van breaks down. Ted assures Kristin that the phone call he had received the night Justin's mother passed away was from a doctor and not from Rebecca. It is later revealed in a conversation with Alec that Ted was lying. Theresa and Dan reconnect and it turns out that they had broken up because of Alec. Sutton and Thayer are researching Rebecca and find out that she was once married to a very wealthy man. They call up his residence and his housekeeper picks up. She was close to Rebecca and tells them that Rebecca had longed to return to Phoenix after the divorce, since the "love of her life" had lived there. Although she never knew his name, the housekeeper also tells them that she kept a locket with his photo in it, which prompts the two to go looking for it. Emma (as Sutton) tells Laurel that she is a virgin and Laurel tries to get her and Ethan together. Right after Mads and Thayer find out that Alec had proposed to Rebecca, Sutton and Thayer find out that the photo in Rebecca's locket was of Ted. Ethan finally admits to Emma that he had kissed Sutton on the ranch and an upset Emma tells him that a part of him will always wish she was Sutton.



20.sērija Unholy Matrimony- sezonas noslēguma sērija
Emma and Ethan have officially broken up. Thayer questions Rebecca and his father as to why they need to plan a wedding in just two days. Sutton finds out about the breakup and quickly hits on Ethan, although he assures her that his feelings for her are long gone. Kristin runs into Alec and Rebecca and learns about their wedding. She tells Rebecca that she and Ted had "talked" and that everything was okay, which Rebecca misinterpreted and thought that Ted had finally revealed their secret to her, leaving Kristin confused. Later, Emma shows Kristin the locket that Sutton and Thayer had found. Sutton and Thayer approach Dan and Theresa for help, but Dan tells them to drop the case. Kristin begins distancing herself from Ted since she is now certain that he had lied to her. Emma goes to Thayer for support and he begins to show feelings towards her. During Ted's toast at Alec & Rebecca's dinner, Kristin storms out of the room, with Rebecca close behind. Kristin finds out about the affair, with neither Rebecca nor Ted denying it. She leaves the dinner with Emma (as Sutton) and Laurel by her side. Ethan and Sutton break into Rebecca's house during the dinner, looking for clues. They stumble upon the photo of Alec at the crime scene on her computer. Ted and Alec have a fall-out, with Ted angrily telling Alec that he never had his back - Alec reminds him that Kristin doesn't know "half the secret." Ethan wants Emma back, but she says that they're over for good. Emma (as Sutton) reluctantly attends the wedding (without any of the Mercers) to witness a plan that Dan & Thayer had come up with. Laurel shuts the door on a guilty Ted when he decides to come home. Emma (as Sutton) confronts Rebecca right before the wedding, but she insists that Alec was with her the entire night of Derek's murder. Dan and his police crew do a thorough search of Alec's house while the Rybaks are gone and find the murder weapon, a bloody tire iron, in his golf club bag. Alec gets arrested right after he is officially married. Ethan decides to go to the wedding to find Emma, but instead, sees her hugging Thayer. Sutton is shown overlooking the entire event and Rebecca walks in, with Sutton addressing her as "Mom". It is later then revealed that Sutton and Rebecca had known about each other for some time and had planned for the events to occur.