On the first day of his trial, Denny receives a haircut and new clothes from Bridget. In the courtroom, she repeatedly tells him to stop staring at the prosecutor, Mr. Easterville, who has a glass eye, and to stop fidgeting. Before the trial, Angus advised Denny to remain calm and focused in court, and Bridget told him that Angus, Lydia, Mrs. Timko, Mrs. Trout, and Lonny had been subpoenaed as witnesses. Nana-Jo, who is still in the hospital, has not been subpoenaed, and neither has Elaine. The day is consumed by jury selection, a process Denny finds tedious. Judge Milton Saginaw presides as Bridget and Mr. Easterville question potential jurors to form the final panel.

Over the first week of the trial, Mr. Easterville calls several witnesses. Denny’s neighbor, Mrs. Trout, testifies about finding him urinating beside her garage with a sled full of guns. Another neighbor, Mrs. Timko, testifies that Denny kidnapped her goose. Police officer Tom Feller states that Denny showed “verbal aggression” toward Tesky after Tesky hit him with his car. Lonny testifies that a rifle is kept in Denny and Angus’s DOT work truck for euthanizing wounded animals. On cross-examination, Bridget suggests that Angus typically handled that task for Denny, though the judge strikes Lonny’s answer as hearsay. When Louella testifies that she felt threatened by Denny during his arrest, Bridget questions her about using excessive force, including kicking Denny in the genitals after he sang a song from Toy Story to calm himself.

Angus takes the stand and is questioned by Mr. Easterville. The prosecutor establishes that Denny does not have a driver’s license. Angus reluctantly admits that he has allowed Denny to drive his truck on occasions when he has been intoxicated, confirming that Denny is a competent driver. He also states that Denny learned to drive as a boy on his grandfather’s farm and has driven Nana-Jo’s car. Under pressure, Angus concedes that it would have been possible for Denny to have driven a vehicle to Tesky’s home on the night of the murder.

Charlene McNeil, a fiber analysis expert, testifies for the prosecution. She confirms that blue wool fibers found at the crime scene match a scarf from Denny’s home, which also contained his hair. However, during Bridget’s cross-examination, McNeil admits the fibers could have been in the Tesky home for a long time as Denny was a frequent visitor during the many years that Nana-Jo worked for the Teskys. Bridget then draws attention to a small label on the scarf embroidered with “MBIT,” revealing it stands for “made by Irene Tesky” (264). She claims Irene knitted four identical scarves—one for her neighbor, one for her sister, one for Denny, and one for her husband. This assertion causes a stir when Toni stands up in the gallery and confirms the story by showing her own identical scarf. Judge Saginaw has Hale removed from the courtroom and warns Bridget about her methods.

Lydia testifies that she is Denny’s biological mother but did not raise him. She reveals that Denny learned this secret in September, just months before the murder. On January 2, the day before Tesky was killed, Denny also discovered that Tesky was his biological father. Lydia admits that Tesky, who was her 31-year-old married basketball coach when she was 17, paid her child support for 18 years. She kept this money for herself, and Nana-Jo was unaware of these payments. She also confesses to blackmailing Tesky into paying for Nana-Jo’s knee surgery. Her combative and profane answers lead Judge Saginaw to find her in contempt of court and sentence her to six days in jail. On cross-examination, Lydia states that Denny does not have anger issues, that she believes he is innocent, and that Tesky sexually groomed her when she was a teenager.

Lydia is placed in the jail cell across from Denny, and they bicker until Denny arranges for a guard to bring her tea and a fruit cup. The next day in court, pharmacist Brenna Talmage testifies that she witnessed Tesky verbally abusing Denny with ableist slurs after. Brenna describes how Denny remained “meek and polite” under this attack (281). The testimony deeply upsets Denny. Later, his friend Nori visits him in jail. She brings a swimming badge from Theo, who finally passed his swim test after Denny’s encouragement. Nori thanks Denny for being a positive influence on her son.

Bridget and Dr. Harland show Denny newly discovered security footage from a camera hidden in the chandelier in the Teskys’ foyer. The video shows Nana-Jo confronting Tesky on the night of his death, having learned he was Denny’s father by reading Lydia’s diary and the nondisclosure agreement tucked inside it. During their argument, Tesky becomes enraged, beats Nana-Jo with a golf club, and then leaves the foyer before returning with a knife. To protect herself, Nana-Jo retrieves a handgun from the bench and shoots him. Distraught, she tries to wipe down surfaces before the video ends. Bridget explains that Nana-Jo, recovering from her stroke, wrote Elaine a note directing her to check Nana-Jo’s sock drawer at 8B, where a CD containing the video was found. Because Nana-Jo acted in self-defense, all charges against Denny are dropped.

Denny is released from jail, leaving Lydia behind to finish her sentence for contempt. He says a friendly goodbye to Grant before Bridget picks him up. Bridget buys them doughnuts, and they share a warm, emotional farewell, their legal journey together now over.

A brief newspaper article reports that all murder charges against Denny have been dismissed with prejudice. The article states that new evidence came to light that fully exonerated him but notes that further details of the case are under a publication ban.

Now free, Denny is happy to be home with his beloved dog. The next morning, however, he wakes to find that George has passed away in his sleep. Heartbroken, Denny curls up beside his dog, whispering his love and saying goodbye.

With the help of Angus and Elaine, Denny buries George in his favorite spot by Turtle Creek. Angus digs the grave while Denny sits with George’s body, which is wrapped in a blanket. They gently lower him into the ground along with a bag of Cheetos, his favorite snack. Denny is overwhelmed with grief, feeling empty and certain his life will never be the same.

Denny is so grief-stricken over George’s death that he stays in bed for two days, but Angus motivates him to prepare the house for Nana-Jo’s return from the hospital. She comes home in a wheelchair and with slurred speech but is happy to be back. Lydia also returns after her release from jail. Lydia tells Denny that her husband, Marco, is asking for a divorce. Meanwhile, Bridget arranges a DNA test and calls Denny and Angus to confirm that Tesky was Denny’s biological father. As a result, Denny inherits an 18% share in Tesky’s company and will receive a significant annual income.

Lydia moves in temporarily but proves unhelpful in caring for Nana-Jo, leaving Denny to manage most of the daily tasks. She buys Denny a Newfoundland puppy named Wilson. The dog was bought and then returned by another owner after a car door kinked his tail. Denny, still grieving George, rejects the gift. Before Lydia goes on a work trip, she promises that she’ll return Wilson after she gets back if that’s what Denny wants. While looking through Lydia’s camera, Denny discovers she has taken many candid, moving photographs of him with Nana-Jo and a particularly beautiful one of him with George. He realizes that despite her faults, Lydia is a skilled photographer.

The neighborhood holds its annual party at Denny’s house. Theo and Wilson play together, which seems to ease Theo’s tics. Later, Lydia texts Denny to say she will return soon to take Wilson back to the breeder. That night, Denny allows the whimpering puppy to sleep in his bed. Wilson curls up on his chest just as George used to. In that moment, Denny decides he will keep Wilson. He accepts that he can love a new dog while still cherishing George’s memory, embracing the new, unexpected direction his life has taken.