Last Words
“This isn’t just about me. It’s about Taylor too. She’s alive. We need your help.”
With these final words, Nolan was shoved to his bloody death on the spikes below.
While there are many suspects and potential motives, one possibility to consider is that these very words – with the revelation that Taylor is alive – is what actually sealed his fate.
And in entertaining this idea, the one who naturally stands out from the crowd as the likely killer is mama Hotchkiss herself.
From the first moment Claire was introduced, we got a taste of the obsessive level of control she exerts over Nolan, and likewise did over Taylor.
Claire was immediately suspicious of Ava’s presence at the house, and made a point of telling Nolan that he’s “on the right track with Caitlin,” thus steering him away from the relationship he wants, and towards the one she wants for him. Which is (not coincidentally) the one that will maintain the best public image for the family, and you can bet the political ties to a senator and potential president are a huge factor here.
When Nolan mentioned he’d rather not join the rowing crew this year, citing a need for more personal time, Claire once again redirected him towards her own wishes, using a complimentary tone to coerce him. “You can handle it, Nolan. You always do."
As if that bit of meddling were not enough, she took things to a whole other level in calling for Beacon Guard surveillance on Nolan.
But Nolan was smart; he knew how to humor her, and how to give her what she wanted without actually giving in. He also had methods of working around Beacon Guard.
So we can see the game they’ve been playing right along.
Just prior to his death, Nolan went to meet Taylor at her cabin. But someone in a white car followed him there.
It’s very likely that Claire was in this car, because once Nolan went "off the grid,” the Beacon Guard surveillance was useless. So if she wanted to stay in the loop, she had to do it the old fashioned way: by following him.
Nolan brought a bag of groceries into the cabin, so if Claire was watching, this was probably the point where she started to get really suspicious about what he was up to and who he was meeting with.
Inside the cabin, Nolan claimed to know someone who could help them. Taylor was hesitant at first, but eventually agreed to bring this mystery person into the fold.
Now we can be pretty sure Nolan’s mystery person was Alison.
After leaving the cabin, Nolan headed to Thorne Hall, and sent a text to Alison, asking to meet on the roof.
This text was either a Hail Mary, or a critical error in judgment, because all of the phone and data traffic on campus gets routed through Beacon Guard. So even if Nolan had sent the text from a “safe zone,” Alison’s house is not safe, and the message would have to pass Beacon Guard’s filters before reaching her phone.
Knowing the level of surveillance on Nolan, and Claire’s personal interest in his affairs, it’s reasonable that she could have intercepted or blocked his text message to Alison.
At some point the fear of losing control had to be smacking Claire in the face, so she pulled the plug, causing the temporary “blackout” of Beacon Guard which delayed the text from reaching Alison’s phone until the next day.
The blackout also afforded Claire a window of opportunity to confront Nolan herself and demand answers, without being seen on camera.
Along the way to Thorne Hall, Claire overheard Nolan’s friends plotting and laughing about killing him.
Nolan was expecting Alison, so when someone showed up on the roof, he just started talking. Even though it was dark and he probably couldn’t see who it really was, he thought he was talking to Alison.
Claire just listened and played along. But once Nolan dropped the truth bomb, that Taylor had faked her death, maybe the shock and absolute betrayal from both of her children was just too much to handle.
For someone who exercises such an obsessive need for control, to realize she’d been played the fool, would make this a very plausible snapping point for Claire.
Maybe she snapped and pushed him. Maybe it was not her actual intent to kill him, but he fell backwards and went over the edge, and it was a done deal.
Fortunately for Claire, her tracks are already well covered.
With everyone at BHU a suspect, she could pin this murder on pretty much anyone, and have some fun doing it.
