BWW Recap: Secrets, Bombs and Alibis Abound on HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

The plot continues to thicken on HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. Episode three built on the threads from weeks one and two and as usual viewers were given more pieces of the mysterious puzzle that involves attorney and law professor Annalise Keating and her young protégées.

A quick rundown on the unraveling strands goes like this: In the flash-forwards, Keating law students are involved in disposing of the body of Annalise's husband Sam. Wesley is harboring secrets such as Keating's affair and helping hide his neighbor Rebecca. Keating suspected Sam of having a relationship with a murdered coed, even as she continues to teach Criminal Law 100 at Middletown University and run her firm.

The show opens this week with the familiar framing device of the Middletown University bonfire near Christmas-time. We discover the young law students - Laurel, Wesley, Michaela, and Connor - in Prof. Keating's house with a dead Sam Keating in a pool of blood. Michaela is particularly upset. The scene flashes back to two months earlier. Michaela is discovered in bed with her fiancé, Aiden Walker. She gets a call from the office. At the same time, Wesley's curiosity about his neighbor Rebecca Sutter's arrest brings him to the police station and he hatches a plan to get to see the mysterious girl. Annalise meets with the Middletown University president who asks her to represent Griffin O'Reilly, in custody as the other prime suspect in the Lila Stangard homicide, along with Rebecca. O'Reilly is not only the star quarterback, but from a generously wealthy family. Keating said she needs to think about it.

Also weighing on her mind is Det. Lahey's quest to confirm Sam's alibi on the night Lila was murdered. Throughout the episode, Lahey tracks down evidence that points to Sam not having an alibi. But when he reports to Annalise, he lies to her and says Sam's alibi checked out. Curious, I'd say.

When Michaela introduces Aiden to the Keating law team, Connor is excited to see his classmate from boarding school. Connor is also happy to hint that he and Aiden were more than friends. When they are all unwinding at a bar, Connor still teases Aiden about being intimate back in high school and Michaela feels her fiancé lied to her.

The new primary case for Keating and her firm is dubbed the "Hooker Mom," Paula Murphy. Keating comes to

spring Murphy from jail with the charges dropped but federal agents roll up to take her in to custody. They say she is really Elena Aguilar and is still wanted for a fatal bombing from years ago. Behind closed doors Paula/Elena admits to the bombing. Keating doesn't want to see the woman's family destroyed if Murphy/Aguilar goes away to prison. They can win the case, Annalise offers, using the Patti Hearst kidnapping and brainwashing defense. The key is getting to the bombing gang's ringleader, Gabriel, whom the feds have hidden away in the prison system. Millstone jumps on the challenge and uses connections to track down Gabriel. Annalise awards Millstone with the Lady Justice statue, which stirs up the rivalry between the law students once again. As they argue, Lila's phone rings in Wesley's backpack. Wait! How did Wes get the dead girl's phone? It was the phone Rebecca hid in his bathroom. The caller said Lila was supposed to "hook him up," presumably with drugs. Wes is dumbfounded.

Flashing forward again, we go back to the law students trying to move the body and Michaela freaks out about the plan. Laurel pops out the idea of getting rid of the body with the giant campus bonfire.

Time flashes back and Keating decides Elena/Paula needs to confront Gabriel. They arrive at the penitentiary and the reunion of Gabriel and Paula reveals they were former lovers. He also agrees to testify the bombing was all his idea. Discussing the O'Reilly arrest, Sam and Annalise eat dinner with another couple, who talk about Sam's potential move to Yale, which he says won't happen.

The next day, at Keating's office, the team prepares for a potential client, Griffin O'Reilly. During his interview, he talks about an out of hand party with drugs, sex and Lila discovering Griffin and Rebecca in bed. Griffin pushes the blame of the murder on Rebecca.

Wesley, on the other hand, is moving on with his plan to see Rebecca by creating a fake attorney's identity badge. After going to the trouble, he makes in to see her but she refuses help. His troubles increase when he is reamed out by Annalise for jeopardizing the case. He counters with the fact that Rebecca is the kind of client they should take on, the underdog who might not have the means to defend themselves.

Back in court, Keating and company are surprised to hear the prosecution call up a witness: Gabriel, the ringleader. Annalise is livid but Gabriel testifies to say it was all Paula/Elena's idea. (Gabriel was promised and early release if he testified for the prosecution.) They have three hours to rebuild their defense of Elena. The team goes into hyper mode to dig and discover. Michaela Pratt tracks down information but they have bigger problems: Paula Murphy/Elena Aguilar escapes, putting the case on hold.

One more flash forward shows the legal team getting in a car when Michaela discovers her engagement ring is missing. Switching to two months prior, Aiden returns to make up with Michaela and to prove he is not gay. She takes him back after declaring her status as a bride-zilla with a real live Vera Wang wedding dress waiting.

Annalise grants Wesley the Lady Justice trophy for reminding her they need to help the clients who cannot help themselves. She also gives her answer to the University president: She will defend Rebecca Sutter and not Griffin O'Reilly. The members of the law firm arrive at the jail just as the prosecutor claims the case will be short. Rebecca just confessed to murdering Lila Stangard.

Class will be in session again next Thursday night at 10 pm (Eastern). We are sure to see a new case for the law firm and gain more clues to the two murders.

Want more? Here's a taste of next week's episode: "Annalise and her students uncover a shocking truth while investigating the case of the founder and CEO of a major brokerage firm, who has recently been arrested for insider trading. Meanwhile, Wes discovers contents of a cell phone could reveal unsettling clues in the Lila Stangard murder case."

What did you think? Let us know in the comments below, or you can find me on Twitter: @jeffwalker66.

PHOTO CREDIT: ABC

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