One year ago, in the eighth episode of The Lowdown, Dale pays a visit to Lee's bookstore, having read his articles and marveling at his bravery in exposing his work for public scrutiny and criticism. Lee then mentions his truthstorian gig, piquing Dale's curiosity and leaving a profound impression on him. "Things are not as they seem," Dale muses before departing.
In the present day, Lee returns to the church to perform his Citizen's Arrest. Marty, realizing the danger he's in, appears and pretends to be an FBI agent to distract the authorities and get Lee out of the church. It works for a few minutes as the shocked and dumbfounded church members struggle to process the ludicrous turn of events. The pair drives off, but Marty is shot in the leg in the process. Lee tends to his wounds with a subjective remedy - bovine vagina muscle relaxer - sending Marty into a tripped-out and lethargic state.
Lee takes Marty back to his bookstore, but trouble soon follows when Native American artist Chutto throws a rock through the window and berates Lee for getting his grandpa killed and complicating the land affair further.
The next morning, Marty is sober, and Lee heads to see Francis reading her work. Lee does his best to support her while remaining civil with Sam and Johnny, a stark contrast to his actions in the parent/teacher conference in the previous episode. Outside, Lee receives a call informing him that Frank has walked in with a lawyer and a story about killing Arthur in self-defense. Despite stealing the will and killing the man in cold blood, it seems Frank will go unscathed.
Certainly! Here's a more expressive and vivid retelling of the events as described in your original text:
Lee's frustration boiled over into a confrontation with Betty Jo, fueled by his refusal to wield the gun, despite Marty's entreaties. Their conversation unfolded in public, as Lee's righteousness clashed with Betty Jo's admission of complicity. She revealed that while she had collaborated with Frank, no one truly desired Dale's demise. Instead, she claimed to have merely "unlocked the door" while Frank, the mastermind behind the scenes, dispatched the white supremacist thugs to intimidate Dale. When the thugs accidentally took Dale's life, Betty Jo orchestrated a suicide-imitation scene to cover their tracks.
Justifying her actions, Betty Jo argued that Dale was on a downward spiral. She also shifted some blame onto Lee, reminding him that he was the one who had revealed the location of the Will to them in the first place. Lee, a man of principle, admitted to having shown Donald the secret letters, driven by a desire to do what was right.
The mystery of Dale Washberg's death unfolded as Marty introduced Donald to Lee at Cyrus's place. Lee, armed with his well-researched article, wanted to verify Donald's account before making it public. Lee confirmed that Dale had intended to return half of the Washberg Indian Head Hills land to its rightful owners. This was a problem for Donald, who sought to profit from the land's sale at a premium. When Betty Jo learned of this (motivated by greed and financial gain), she conspired with Frank to use Allen and his goons to intimidate Dale into submission. Unfortunately, Allen's lackeys botched the job, taking Dale's life in the process and forcing them to cover up the crime.
Lee had recorded Betty Jo's confession, but he had overlooked Donald's involvement. It emerged that Donald was largely in the dark about everything except his role as a campaign bride and his silent complicity with the psycho-Nazi church and Trip Keating. Although Donald had hoped to make amends after his election, the damage had already been done.
With this development, Donald decides to sever ties with Trip Keating and One Well, instead opting to woo the people. This begins with a heartfelt meeting with the Native Indians, where he generously relinquishes the land. Meanwhile, Lee, after penning his article at Heartland Press, instead of dwelling on Dale's murder, shifts his focus to celebrate Lee's life, extolling him as a "sensitive soul" and a virtuous man.
As for Frank, his fate is sealed when Bonnie uncovers the truth about her son, Blackie. Realizing that his death was a cover-up, she seizes a gun and, in broad daylight, shoots him in the face.
As the final act unfolds, Lee arrives at Sam and Johnny's wedding with the gang. He refrains from any foolish remarks and strives to be civil for Francis's sake. He also takes a turn and realizes that Francis needs stability, and what better place to find that than living with Sam and Johnny. Lee confesses that he is a liability and damaged, but Francis doesn't see it that way. By the end, she proudly proclaims him as her father, while Lee is finally ready to let go of that ratty old white van, signifying his transformation into a new chapter.
