That afternoon, Jeff rents a room at the Starlight Motel for a secure meeting with Mattie, Annette, and Samantha. He tells them that Donovan’s office and home were bugged, but the FBI found nothing. He says that he is convinced Donovan was murdered by Krull Mining to prevent the stolen documents from being revealed. He believes he could be the next target and has decided to disappear periodically.

He distributes a list of Donovan’s open cases, including Hammer Valley, Ryzer, Tate, and the Gretchen Bane wrongful death case. Samantha reports that the Ryzer fraud lawsuit is dead because the litigation fund withdrew its money, but she will continue to pursue a separate black lung benefits claim for him. Annette concludes that it will be impossible to keep Donovan’s firm open. Jeff details the estate’s finances, including a $500,000 life insurance policy for Judy and various assets and accounts.

Uncomfortable with the private details, Samantha leaves. After eating dinner at the Brady Grill, she goes for a walk and realizes she is being followed. She confronts the man, who knows her name and warns her to go back to New York. He disappears when teenagers approach.

A block from her apartment, Jeff appears. After hearing about the man, Jeff reveals the FBI also raided the other law firms in the Hammer Valley case, but Donovan hadn’t shared the stolen documents with them. He explains that the strategy was to file suit, let Krull Mining lie under oath, then produce the documents. He admits that he has possession of the documents, then recounts how Donovan broke into Krull headquarters and copied them.

Jeff gives Samantha a prepaid cell phone for secure communication. She resists, not wanting to be part of a conspiracy, and says she is considering returning to New York. Jeff points out two men watching them from a truck. He tells her he is disappearing for a few days, and she finally accepts the phone.

On Tuesday, Samantha meets Buddy and Mavis Ryzer at their church. She explains that with Donovan’s death, their federal fraud lawsuit, which was filed in Lexington, Kentucky, is effectively dead, but the separate black lung claim will continue. Buddy is distressed, and Mavis reveals he is being harassed at his mining job with changing shifts and harder assignments. Samantha asks them to sign a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but Buddy refuses, saying he is not quitting. Mavis asks Samantha to take the case, but she declines, citing inexperience and lack of a license in Kentucky. After Samantha leaves, Mavis apologizes for Buddy’s behavior, explaining that he knows he is dying.

At a gas station, Samantha sees the same man following her. Shaken, she leaves and calls Jeff on the prepaid phone. He tells her that the man wanted to be seen to intimidate her.

Back at the clinic, Samantha learns the Crump children have been calling repeatedly, claiming Francine has changed her mind again. She calls Jonah, the oldest, who threatens her with a lawsuit and disbarment. She agrees to have Francine call him if she comes to the clinic.

An FBI Agent named Banahan calls looking for Jeff but agrees to meet Samantha. Samantha and Mattie meet with Banahan, who asks for Jeff’s whereabouts. They both deny knowing where he is, and Mattie asserts that all future communication with Jeff must go through them. Banahan states that Jeff is not currently a subject of their investigation.

On Friday morning, Samantha reads a news story about a sniper attack on a Krull Mining site near Wittsburg, Kentucky. She suspects Jeff is involved and tells Mattie, who dismisses the idea. The clinic staff spends the day decorating for Christmas. That evening, Samantha watches the Brady Christmas parade and attends the tree-lighting ceremony. Jeff appears in disguise, gives her directions for a meeting the next day, and disappears.

On Saturday, Samantha follows his instructions to a remote dock on the Curry River. She and Jeff take a boat deep into a river canyon, then ride a four-wheeler to a cabin on Gray Mountain. Jeff reveals that hidden surveillance cameras show four intruders searched the cabin a few days earlier, likely looking for the documents.

They spend the day hiking on the desolate, strip-mined landscape of Gray Mountain. When Samantha mentions the sniper attack, Jeff denies involvement but expresses admiration for the perpetrators. He shows her the former site of his family home and the cross marking where his mother, Rose, died. Samantha agrees to spend the night at the cabin with him.

They have dinner, talk, and make love by the fireplace. The next morning, Jeff leads Samantha to a hidden cave. Inside, he shows her sealed boxes containing the stolen Krull Mining documents and army surplus lockers holding their gun collection. He explains that she needs to know the location in case something happens to him. He asks her to arrange a meeting with Donovan’s co-counsel, as Vic Canzarro is no longer willing to be involved. Disturbed by the implications and the presence of what appear to be sniper rifles, Samantha asks to leave. They spend the rest of the day at the cabin and make love again.

On Monday morning, Samantha secures Phoebe Fanning’s release from jail on reduced bail. Mattie calls to inform her that Francine Crump has had a massive stroke. At the hospital, Samantha learns Francine is comatose with a poor prognosis.

At lunch, Mattie announces that Strayhorn Coal is backing out of the verbal settlement in the Tate case, likely hoping to win on appeal now that Donovan is dead. Francine Crump dies that afternoon.

On Tuesday, Jeff arrives at the clinic for a scheduled meeting with FBI Agents Banahan, Frohmeyer, and Zimmer. With Mattie, Annette, and Samantha present as his counsel, Jeff is questioned about the tampered hard drives and stolen documents. On Mattie’s instruction, he refuses to answer key questions. The frustrated agents leave.

At the courthouse, while waiting for the judge to open probate on Donovan’s estate, Jeff shares an update from his experts. He explains the theory that Donovan’s plane was sabotaged by someone deliberately loosening a B nut on the fuel line, which would cause delayed engine failure. After the judge officially opens the estate, Jeff tells Samantha that he is disappearing for a few weeks. She says she is leaving for the holidays in Washington, DC, and New York, and they say goodbye.

On Wednesday, after Francine’s funeral, the five Crump siblings and their families arrive at the clinic. Jonah claims that Francine destroyed the will, and the other siblings corroborate this story. The lawyers believe this is false but decide not to fight them. Mattie tells the Crumps that the clinic will not probate the will and advises them to hire their own lawyer.

The next day, the original will arrives by mail with a note from Francine asking Samantha to protect it.

Samantha spends the Christmas holiday in New York City with her mother. She needs to pack up her SoHo apartment, as the lease is expiring. She sees old friends, including her former boyfriend Henry, but feels disconnected from her old life.

Two days after Christmas, Jeff calls on the prepaid phone, revealing that he is also in New York. They meet for coffee. Jeff says he came to the city on a private jet belonging to Jarrett London, a trial lawyer from Louisville. London is Donovan’s mentor and co-counsel in the Hammer Valley lawsuit. Samantha is angered by her deepening involvement but agrees to meet with London.

Samantha, Jeff, and London meet in London’s hotel suite. London explains that they need the stolen documents to fight Krull Mining’s expected motion to dismiss the Hammer Valley lawsuit. He outlines a plan to tender the documents to the court to minimize their own criminal liability. London asks Samantha to use her mother’s connections at the Department of Justice to get the FBI to back off the investigation. Feeling ambushed and used, Samantha storms out of the meeting.

Jeff follows her, and over dinner, he asks Samantha to consider taking over Donovan’s law practice. Samantha gives him reasons why the idea is unworkable, including her lack of qualifications and her distrust of Jeff’s methods. Jeff counters all her objections. They agree that their romantic relationship is just for fun and not serious. Jeff reveals that Donovan and Annette were having an affair. Samantha reaffirms that she will not be staying in Brady long-term.

On the first Sunday of the new year, Jeff is arrested for trespassing in hangars at the Charleston airport. He calls Samantha early Monday morning to say he was investigating and will be out soon.

Samantha goes to court in Colton for the Pamela Booker case. The judge goes off the record and forces the defendant’s lawyer, Kipling, to settle. The judge suggests an award of $1,300 in lost wages plus another $10,000 for damages, for a total of $11,300. The collections agency agrees, and Samantha wins her first case.

At the clinic, Annette reports a tip that the Crumps are planning to probate Francine’s prior will. The lawyers decide to wait before producing the valid will they hold.

Jeff calls to explain that he intentionally trespassed at the Charleston airport to assess airport security and question staff. He obtained the name of a former ramp worker who may have seen something suspicious the night Donovan died.

Two days later, Samantha accompanies Mattie to Charleston for Wally Landry’s black lung hearing. Landry has been fighting for benefits for 14 years. Trent Fuller, a senior partner from Casper Slate, the opposing firm, approaches their table. Fuller threatens Samantha. Mattie intervenes, and Fuller backs off, warning that Buddy Ryzer’s claim will now get their “full treatment.” Samantha is stunned and angered by the bullying.

Samantha receives an email from Jarrett London, stating that Krull Mining has filed a motion to dismiss their lawsuit. He asks to meet again. Samantha replies noncommittally, implying she has fully briefed her mother. In truth, she has only partially told Karen about the FBI’s pressure tactics while keeping the documents secret.

She receives a medical report from Dr. Draper for Buddy Ryzer’s black lung claim, confirming that he has advanced complicated black lung disease.

Samantha receives an email from her former boss, Andy Grubman. He is leaving Scully and Pershing to start a boutique law firm. He offers Samantha a position, asking for an answer by the end of the month. Samantha wrestles with the decision, feeling loyalty to her clients in Brady but tempted by the job offer in New York. She drafts a response to Andy, asking for more details but not committing to an answer.

That night, Jeff shows up at her apartment. He tells her he found Brad, the former ramp worker who quit his job shortly after Donovan’s death. Brad told Jeff he saw a second passenger secretly stay behind on a charter plane parked near Donovan’s Cessna on the night he died. Jeff’s theory is that this passenger snuck out, sabotaged Donovan’s plane by loosening the B nut, and returned to the charter plane to spend the night. He has identified the charter company and knows it does business with coal companies. Brad is willing to sign an affidavit.