From the beginning of Elle’s time at Rainier West High in Season 1 of “Elle” on Prime Video, it’s clear that there’s something shady about Principal Anderson (Matt Oberg). After discovering school budgets that don’t add up, Elle (Lexi Minetree) learns the truth through her investigations with the help of her new friends.
At a mayoral debate in Episode 7, titled “You Picked the Wrong Girl,” Elle lets it be known that Anderson was stealing money from the school to pay off a blackmailer who threatened to expose his secret family and love child. The blackmailer in question was none other than mayoral candidate Dean Wilson (James Van Der Beek), who desperately needed funds for his campaign.
How did Elle and her friends figure out something was wrong?
It all starts when Elle notices a suede orange jacket that allegedly belongs to Anderson’s wife. In Elle’s estimation, a redheaded Seattleite who’s accustomed to rain would never wear authentic orange suede, so she wonders if Anderson is being unfaithful.
Social-justice-oriented Dustin (Zac Looker) investigates the principal’s past, since he always felt there was something shady about him. Dustin and Elle discover inconsistencies with the budget. Elle doesn’t think much of it until tragedy strikes when Shannon’s (Danielle Chand) mother, Robin (Sharon Taylor), is killed in a car accident at an intersection by the high school without a stop sign. Elle learns that, according to the records, the school paid for a stop sign for that exact intersection.
The evidence that exposed the conspiracy
In a “Breakfast Club” inspired episode, Elle and her group of friends purposely get detention so they can break into Anderson’s office. Miles (Jacob Moskovitz) finds a Polaroid photo of Anderson with a woman other than the one he’s married to and a child. A note on the bottom of the photo reads, “What a beautiful family.” The woman in the photo is wearing the orange suede jacket Elle saw in Anderson’s office. Considering the suspicious photo and note, Elle concludes that someone must be blackmailing Anderson.
One last piece of evidence brings everything together: Coastal Northwest Earthquake Insurance is the heftiest item on the budget. Elle finds it odd that the school added the insurance after their big 1995 Seattle earthquake. Being an LA girl, she knows a thing or two about earthquakes and explains during her mayoral debate exposé that most buildings cannot be insured after suffering damages. She cites the Northridge Fashion Center in California as an example of this. When she calls the company number, Dean’s cellphone rings, proving him to be the blackmailer and a fraudulent insurance company. With this, Anderson and Dean are arrested.
