Nine months prior to the events of Episode 4 of Outer Range, Wayne was presented with a mysterious chunk of rock, hailing from the Abbott Ranch's western reaches. He instructed the worker to deposit it on his desk, and the strange stone revealed a shifting black inky pattern within, resembling the one glimpsed in Autumn's necklace. Naturally intrigued, Wayne grasped the rock and began to dance with it, as if it were a long-lost partner.
Meanwhile, Joy embarked on a hunt for Trevor, venturing beyond Royal's ranch. Her vigilance over the belt buckle incident remained steadfast, suspecting Royal might have taken it. She gathered the family, only to find that Rhett was absent, prompting her to alert the other officers and keep a watchful eye on him.
As Joy interrogated the family, her gaze fell particularly on Amy. Through Amy's eyes, Joy envisioned the events of that fateful night, which seemed to confirm her suspicions of Rhett rather than Perry, given his absence from home on the night of Trevor's disappearance. However, Perry came to his defense, claiming that Rhett had been out with a girl that evening.
Time was ticking for Joy and Royal. Knowing that Rhett was unaware of the discovery, Perry frantically attempted to contact him before Joy could question his whereabouts and uncover their ruse. Initially, Rhett ignored the calls, but eventually he picked up and lied, claiming he had been with a girl named Maria, shielding the family's secret.
The news reached Wayne and the Tillerson brothers, who were devastated by the revelation. Amidst their grief, Perry ventured into the woods and encountered Autumn. Though he didn't trust her, he handed her his business card before retreating. When Royal confessed to Cecilia that he had no idea how Trevor's body came to be in the woods, his standoffishness became even more evident. Cecilia's inquiries about Autumn's possible involvement only exasperated him, as he continued to shroud the family in secrecy regarding the mysterious hole. Yet, amidst his turmoil, he stumbled upon a rock in the woods, bringing it back to the barn and shattering it into pieces.
Joy's interrogation intensifies, shifting her gaze from Rhett to Maria, who, under pressure, finally crumbles and reveals that she hadn't been with Rhett as she'd initially claimed. This blatant lie inflames Joy, transforming her into a rabid dog, snapping and snarling at both Rhett and Perry, grilling them separately about Trevor's fate. She skillfully pits them against each other, and it seems to be working... until Royal arrives and escorts them home.
The tension between the brothers remains palpable as Royal departs to visit Karl, the Count Assessor. He finds Karl leisurely munching on potato chips, seemingly indifferent to the current tumult. When Royal attempts to broach the topic of the West Pasture, Karl abruptly cuts him off. Finally, Royal's patience snaps, and he threatens Karl with a grim promise of a sizable hole in the ground, knowing that he's been bribed by the Tillerson family. Royal's words are not idle, and after leaving Karl stunned, he decides to depart. However, Karl promptly schedules the hearing for the next week, refusing to be cowed by threats. But, of course, he's all too receptive to bribes!
Joy makes her way to the coroner's office, where the autopsy report arrives. According to the report, Trevor had been deceased for less than 10 hours, his death caused by blunt force trauma to his windpipe. The wound is oddly clean, and the fact that he was found on a mountain adds to the mystery. Despite Trevor's disappearance eight days prior, the revelation that he'd died just 10 hours ago throws a significant wrench in Joy's investigative gears.
For now, the town gathers for Trevor's funeral, where Autumn unexpectedly appears. After the procession and another Billy's signature song (surprisingly not "Angel Of The Morning"), Autumn finds herself gambling with the boys in the dim corners of the bar.
As the game unfolded, Royal sat squarely across from Autumn, their eyes locked in a tense standoff. The air was thick with uncertainty, as neither knew the full extent of Autumn's identity or her connections. Royal, however, was prepared to wager heavily on the outcome. If he emerged victorious, he desired to uncover Autumn's entire story—down to the truth about the mysterious rock pendant around her neck.
Should Autumn prevail, she would be granted the privilege of staying on the ranch indefinitely. Royal raised the stakes even further, offering her the entire western pasture, all she had to do was surrender the necklace. In a stroke of cunning, Royal emerged victorious, his success aided by a subtle cheat.
Meanwhile, Wayne, driven by an unwavering determination, ventured out in the dead of night, his mind focused on uncovering the secrets lurking in the western pasture. Guided by a strange, flickering light, he stumbled upon a vast, gaping void in the earth. Royal, too, had made his way there, and in a fit of rage, he lunged forward, aiming a headbutt at the elderly Wayne. Yet, Wayne's resilience proved stronger than anticipated, as he rose unharmed and retaliated with a forceful strike, using the enigmatic rock he had acquired earlier. The blow landed with devastating precision, knocking Royal unconscious.
