As Emma spends more time in Chapeau Springs, she notices that other visitors to Hats Off seem to undergo similar transformations. A quiet artist becomes bold and expressive after wearing a wide-brimmed fedora, a shy woman in her 20s suddenly takes charge in her career after trying on a sleek beret. Emma wonders if there’s a hidden power behind these hats, and she digs into the town’s history, discovering that Chapeau Springs has long been a place where people come to reinvent themselves. But there’s something off about Mr. Dunlap’s backstory—rumors swirl that he’s been in town for decades but has never aged.