Clay's mom pissed me off.

You want to be pragmatic? Ok, then how about not letting your clearly mentally stressed son think you believe he is actually capable of murder? Surely appeasing him and keeping him calm should be pragmatism 101.

Then you can explain that the world wouldn't see it like this and they need to get ready, but that she fully trusts him, she doesn't trust the rest to act faithfully.

Or you know, actually love your kid. Like the dad does. And trust that you've raised a good kid. And please, of clay had actually done it (I don't know if he did only wat he'd up until this episode), he would have been a bigger pile of nerves than he has ever been. He is zero chill 100% of the time. Much less if he had done it.