Rusty accompanies Bea as she drives around searching for Aaron. They head for Tornado Ridge, which Joe mentioned off-hand. They drive as far as possible and stay overnight at a bed and breakfast. After drinking a bottle of wine, they have sex. In his seventies, Rusty is grateful that Bea is assertive in their sex life. Early in dating, they discussed past sexual relationships, including Rusty’s two affairs. They continue their journey to Tornado Ridge in the morning, but they don’t find Aaron. They head home.

Bea confesses that she feels responsible for Aaron’s behavior because she didn’t consider the impact of raising a Black child in an isolated white community. Bea couldn’t get pregnant naturally, so she and Lloyd adopted Aaron from the family of Bea’s best friend, Neba. Bea was excited to have a baby, but she immediately noticed people treating Aaron as an outsider. Bea brought Aaron in contact with other Black children from the bigger cities, but he also felt out of place in these circles. Rusty consoles Bea, knowing that all her love could never shield Aaron from racism’s realities.

Rusty and Bea see a swarm of police vehicles in their driveway when they arrive. Rusty demands to see the overseeing officer, but he knows the police are executing a search warrant.

Sergeant Dom Filipini shows Rusty and Bea the search warrant for the house and Aaron’s belongings. Dom won’t say whether Aaron is a suspect in a crime, and Rusty takes comfort that he doesn’t have an arrest warrant. Police broke through the unlocked front door, and now officers in bulletproof vests collect and pile items in the kitchen. Lieutenant Glowoski asks where Aaron is, but Rusty refuses to speak without a lawyer.

Rusty brings Bea away from the commotion. Officers try to pack up Bea and Rusty’s personal computers, but Rusty stops them and demands to implement a minimization procedure, since there is confidential information on both devices. The threat of this tedious process successfully scares Glowoski off. The officers bag other evidence, and Glowoski returns from the garage with a large coil of plastic rope, which neither Bea nor Rusty remember being there.

Rusty calls Cap when the police leave. Aaron’s disappearance frustrates Cap, but he is relieved the police only had a search warrant. He suspects police changed Mae’s death from an accident to foul play. Cap promises to contact the PA’s office, and Bea tries to message Aaron.

The next morning, Rusty and Bea straighten up the house and hope Aaron will call. Cap informs Rusty that the PA’s office wants to talk to Aaron. In the afternoon, officers arrive with an arrest warrant, charging Aaron with first-degree murder. Rusty is stunned, since he expected manslaughter charges at most. Dom and his officers search the house for Aaron. Bea sobs when she reads the warrant, and Dom offers to contact Lloyd as he leaves.

Rusty immediately calls Cap back. He realizes that his and Bea’s comments about the rope inadvertently cast more suspicion on Aaron, since he’s the only other person who could’ve put the rope in the garage. Bea cries and imagines horrible situations for Aaron in prison. Rusty knows Aaron won’t be released on bail, but he tries to console Bea.

Rusty calls Joe and Nat, who fully believe in Aaron’s innocence. Rusty wakes early to clear his head on the lake. When he returns, Cap calls to inform him that the police arrested Aaron at Ginawaban. A prosecutor will think Aaron was attempting to conceal evidence, and Rusty feels his belief in Aaron’s innocence waver. Cap will join Aaron at his initial court appearance in Portage, and Rusty promises to attend. Bea pretends to sleep to avoid her new reality.

The state police question Joe about Aaron and the truck. Rusty and Bea pick Joe up on their way to Portage, and Joe recounts his interrogation. Joe initially feigned ignorance about his missing truck, but he pretended to remember giving it to Aaron so he could grieve on his own. He told the police he wasn’t thinking about Aaron’s suspended license. The alternator on the truck stopped working, but rather than flee, Aaron stayed in the dead truck.

The family meets Cap in the Marenago County courthouse. Glowoski’s affidavit concludes that Mae died by strangulation on September 14. Analysis determined that rope fibers found on Mae match rope found in Aaron’s closet. The information shocks Bea, but Rusty knows there’s room for doubt in the pathologist’s findings. A handcuffed Aaron enters the courtroom, and soon after, Judge Wendy Carrington and prosecutor Hiram Jackdorp appear. Rusty recognizes Judge Carrington from a panel they were on together, and he feels some relief.

Cap immediately argues for a probable cause hearing and leniency on bail. Jackdorp counters by claiming Aaron is a flight risk. Judge Carrington sets a date for the probable cause hearing, but Rusty knows a grand jury indictment will overrule this. Aaron goes back into custody, and Cap, Bea, and Rusty meet at the nearby diner. Cap thinks they need to find a more experienced lawyer, since he’s never tried a murder case and can’t physically handle the commute to Portage. Rusty suspects Cap also doesn’t want to become Hardy’s enemy. Cap promises to help find a qualified lawyer, and Bea and Rusty leave to visit Aaron.

After being processed, Bea and Rusty wait in the jail. They meet Aaron in the dining hall, where Bea holds Aaron’s hand briefly. Aaron immediately professes his innocence, but Rusty warns him not to discuss the case. Instead, Aaron describes the jail, which is decently comfortable. Rusty informs Aaron about Cap’s departure. Aaron tells Rusty not to hire a Black lawyer, since Marenago jurors will have more bias against Black people. Rusty thinks Aaron qualifies for free public defense, but Marenago likely doesn’t have lawyers familiar with murder trials. They talk about other logistics, and Bea appears more optimistic.

Rusty and Bea leave as Joe visits Aaron, and they walk to a nearby park. Bea wonders if Rusty should be Aaron’s lawyer, since Rusty has experience and knows what it’s like to be wrongly accused. Rusty laughs, knowing no prosecutor would let someone so close to Aaron represent him. Rusty explains that his prosecutorial experience is much different than the skills needed for defense. Rusty also knows that taking the role would inevitably harm his relationship with Bea. Joe tearfully exits the jail and declares that he’ll confess to the murder, and Bea concurs. Rusty admires their love, but he knows Jackdorp won’t take the confessions seriously. Lloyd also visits Aaron and expresses his hope that Aaron qualifies for free defense.

Rusty and Cap try to find Aaron new counsel, which proves difficult because few lawyers in the region have tried murder cases. As Aaron’s probable cause hearing approaches, Rusty still has no leads. He calls Nat for names from Kindle County, but to his surprise, Nat thinks Rusty should take the job. The work might preserve Rusty’s relationship with Bea, who would hold a grudge if Rusty refuses and Aaron winds up in prison.

Rusty puts the decision to Aaron in the jail’s private attorney’s room. He explains why he’s been reluctant to accept and promises to honor confidentiality regardless of their relationship. Aaron quickly accepts the arrangement. Rusty still needs the judge and prosecutor to agree, so he hugs Aaron before heading to the courthouse.

Rusty meets the gruff Jackdorp in his office. Jackdorp doesn’t care who Aaron hires, and he gives Rusty the indictment file. The grand jury indicted Aaron on one count of first-degree murder in Skageon County and one count of obstruction of justice in Marenago. Rusty and Jackdorp spar about the trial’s location. The pair goes to Judge Carrington’s office, where she greets Rusty warmly. Judge Carrington also has no issue with Rusty representing Aaron. As the defense lawyer, Rusty can’t be called as a witness, and his relationship with Aaron will be obscured.

Rusty meets Mansy for coffee. After Rusty expresses his condolences, Mansy promptly asks about Rusty becoming Aaron’s lawyer. Rusty explains that he hasn’t made up his mind yet, but it has been impossible to find anyone else. Mansy calls the idea—which he heard from Hardy and Jackdorp—crazy. Mansy tries to dissuade Rusty by describing the Marenago jurors’ loyalty to Jackdorp, who is a formidable opponent. Rusty thanks Mansy for the warning, but he’s not deterred. As a final plea, Mansy states that he’ll end their friendship if Rusty takes the job. Mansy won’t forgive Rusty for defending the man who killed Mae, nor for the negative things Rusty will have to say about Mae. Rusty promises to think it over, but he mourns the friendship’s likely end.

Rusty considers Jackdorp and Hardy’s collusion. He concludes that they’re trying Aaron in Marenago because the community doesn’t know him. Mansy’s speech only makes Rusty more certain that the Potters have already made up their mind about Aaron’s guilt, and rather than seeking a fair trial, they’re seeking a quick trial. Rusty ultimately decides he’ll be Aaron’s lawyer, since he deserves justice just as much as Mae.