The coroner heads back to town to tell Chase’s parents about his death, and the undertaker takes the body away. The sheriff and Deputy Joe Purdue inspect the crime scene, noting that that there are no footprints and that there is an open grate in the fire tower right above Chase’s corpse. They collect fingerprints, hair, blood, and fiber samples. As they work, they speculate on who would want to harm Chase. Despite the sheriff’s protests, Joe remarks that Chase was promiscuous and known to be involved with married women sometimes. Ed thinks only a man—maybe a jealous husband—would be strong enough to push Chase from the tower.

Pa departs for a trip to Asheville to apply for an increase to his military disability payments. As he leaves, Kya wonders if he will abandon her like everyone else. Unlike Ma, he waves when he leaves. Kya takes Pa’s fishing skiff almost all the way to the ocean, but the rough waves frighten her. On the way back, she gets lost. She encounters Jodie’s friend Tate Walker, who helps her navigate to familiar territory. Being around him calms her because he doesn’t disrespect her the way the other townspeople do.