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When Ghosts introduced the mystery of Alberta’s murder, it was a fun whodunnit that the show could weave in and out of episodes, dropping clues along the way. But as Thursday’s installment revealed the identity of Alberta’s killer, the storyline also took on unexpected emotional significance for not one but two characters.
When Sam’s new editor announces that he’s shuttering her podcast in just one day, she sets out to solve the mystery in under 24 hours with the help of Jay (and his madcap murder board) and the ghosts. Alberta recounts how she was invited to perform at a New Year’s Eve party at Woodstone mansion, where she drank some alcohol that was left at her room’s door with a note wishing her good luck. But of course, that booze was hardly lucky, seeing as how it was laced with rat poison.
All signs point to Alberta’s sister Theresa being the guilty party — the letter to Alberta’s bootlegger boyfriend Earl was signed “T,” and the two did start dating after Alberta’s death — but Alberta refuses to believe that her own loved one did something so horrible. She wants to shift the suspect focus to her rival Clara, who it turns out was actually working with the cops to get Alberta arrested as revenge, so she can’t be the killer.
Then the basement ghosts reveal that they saw the infamous Al Capone come downstairs and grab rat poison after Alberta rejected him. Alberta is delighted at the idea of being part of a fame-on-fame murder. But alas, Nigel witnessed a dejected Al Capone preparing to drink the rat poison himself until he was stopped by Theresa, who took the bottle away. With the evidence mounting, Alberta reluctantly accepts that her sister killed her — until Hetty, who’s been shifty during the whole episode, exclaims otherwise.
Hetty has always known the truth because she saw it all happen while following her son Thomas around the party: Earl and Thomas weren’t arguing about a bootlegging deal, but about their secret relationship. Earl wouldn’t break things off with Hetty and instead ended his affair with Thomas, which upset Thomas so much that he left the laced booze for Alberta after Theresa handed it to him.
Upon learning that Hetty has kept this information from her for decades, an understandably shocked and upset Alberta exclaims, “I’m sorry I ever considered you to be a friend!”
Hetty tries to explain herself, but it’s not enough. “I was ashamed to have raised a man who would do that to you,” an emotional Hetty shares, adding that there never seemed to be a good time to tell Alberta the truth, especially after they grew close.
Alberta notes how much pain not knowing how she died has caused her. “I’m glad my sister didn’t betray me. But the person who’s come to be like one did, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get over that,” she says as Hetty starts to tear up at the idea of Alberta never forgiving her. And just like that, Ghosts delivers an unexpectedly emotional gut-punch as it unravels one of its biggest mysteries.
Ghosts fans, what did you think of the murder mystery’s twist? Hit the comments!