The fourth episode of "The Waterfront" kicks off with Belle's unexpected arrival at Porter's residence, where Harlan, leaning heavily against the wall and clutching his chest, admits to having made a grave mistake. Though his heart palpitations haven't escalated into a full-blown attack, they serve as a grim reminder of the stakes. Upon catching sight of Porter's lifeless body, Belle resolves to rectify the situation alongside Harlan.
Together, they devise a harrowing tale of a bizarre accident, depicting the car Porter was working on as the culprit that toppled over, crushing his face beneath its weight. They also orchestrate a seamless power transition, installing Drew Jr., their cousin's husband, as the new sheriff. Remarkably, this fabricated narrative gains traction with the authorities, leading Harlan to believe that business should resume as usual following the funeral.
Harlan then approaches Stevie, a disgruntled associate of Porter's who is acutely aware of Harlan's guilt. Despite his resentment, Stevie reluctantly arranges a meeting between Harlan and Grady. However, another meeting, concerning the expansion of the beachfront land, falls through as Belle experiences a change of heart and decides to withdraw from Wes's offer. She now views the deal with suspicion, seeing only trouble ahead with him. Cane senses that something is amiss when he grills her for details, but Belle remains tight-lipped about betraying him.
Meanwhile, Marcus, sensing foul play partly due to Bree's intelligence, decides to extend his stay in town following Porter's demise. Unfortunately, the local officers, particularly the newly appointed sheriff Drew Jr., opt for cremation without conducting a thorough investigation or autopsy. This oversight is set to cast a shadow over the final assessment of Porter's untimely death.
Despite everything that has transpired, Cane remains visibly distracted, his eyes betraying a hint of stress and rarely meeting Peyton's gaze. She intuits that his thoughts wander elsewhere, specifically towards Jenna, a suspicion almost confirmed when Peyton attempts to engage him romantically, only to be rejected. This entire scenario plays out as a territorial display, made plain when Peyton boldly inquiries about Jenna's feelings towards Cane. Jenna swiftly dismisses any notions of a deeper connection, insisting they are merely friends, yet the underlying currents speak otherwise. Peyton, sensing the tension, issues a stern warning for Jenna to step back.
Among the unwelcome attendees at the wake stands Emmett Parker, a shadowy figure from Harlan's criminal past. He corners Cane outside, subtly urging him to rekindle old ties. Marcus, catching this enigmatic exchange, immediately concludes that Cane is entangled in darker dealings. As he confides in Bree about his suspicions, their intimate gestures do not go unnoticed by Cane.
Later, in the sanctity of his office, Cane confronts Bree, finally addressing the elephant in the room. The truth unfolds: Cane's testimony had been instrumental in separating Bree from Diller, a decision that seemed justified considering her intoxicated state and the subsequent inferno. Ever since, Bree has harbored resentment towards her brother, but Cane insists she take ownership of her actions. Her chaotic state had been detrimental to her well-being and, arguably, best for Diller's welfare. This revelation underscores their estrangement and Bree's relentless desire to bring her brother down.
Accountability is a nice way of segueing over to Harlan, who shows up to see Shawn at the bar. After speaking to Belle, Harlan admits he knows that Shawn is his son and apologizes for taking so long to get in touch. Harlan admits he was in a bad place back then and it’s probably for the best that they’ve taken so long to contact one another.
The pair have a really nice chat, as Harlan reminisces about Bebe and what a lovely person she was. She was the one who ended their affair and Harlan knows it was wrong. Seeing Shawn though reminds him of her, and he’s proud that this prospective lawyer, who has graduated law school and now works at the bar, has made a good go of his life.
Back home, Cane confronts Peyton about her behaviour but she bites right back. After being attacked the way she was, and people dying around them, Cane trying to shield her from this is the worst play. Peyton can sense there are still lies between them so she decides to pack her stuff and leave.
Cane meets with Wes in the morning and tries to understand what’s going on. Wes explains that Belle never even responded to the finalized terms he had and she got cold feet when things “got personal”. Cane tries to probe for more details but he doesn’t elaborate and simply tells him to talk to Belle.
With no-one else to turn to, Cane speaks to Jenna that night. What’s interesting is that Jenna’s estranged relationship with Scott – where he ices her out when things get too stressful at work or health-related issues get real – is not dissimilar to what Cane is doing with his wife.
Through all of this, Cane decides that he and Jenna probably shouldn’t see each other anymore. When he leans in to kiss her though, there’s a moment between them and they eventually decide not to do this.
As for Harlan, he meets with Grady, who’s quite the charismatic, enigmatic fella. He’s nothing like we thought and he fanboys over Harlan’s criminal past. Grady has been building his own empire, one silo at a time, and intends to turn the pastures out back into a cornfield to hide from the drones hovering about. The risks in this field have multiplied but so too has loyalty.
Harlan is eager to conduct business directly with Grady, relying solely on his own team and capping their exchanges at two deliveries per week. He proposes a mutual non-interference policy, urging them to focus on their respective tasks efficiently. On the flipside, Stevie hatches a scheme of his own, aiming to seize control of the operation from Porter and carve out a 25% slice for himself. Harlan promptly squashes this ambition with a resolute "No." Feeling defeated, Stevie makes a dash for it, only to meet his untimely end as Grady's men unleash a barrage of fire from a mounted light machine gun. Fear not, viewers, this grim turn of events will not resurface in the series; savor it while it lasts!
Elsewhere, Bree engages in a conversation with Marcus, whose obsession with this case has driven him to the brink of insanity. He is relentless in his pursuit of unraveling the truth, but Bree is swift to assert her brother's innocence. Marcus, however, remains deaf to her pleas, convinced that Cane is the mastermind behind it all, shielded by Harlan's protection. The absence of an autopsy, coupled with the rampant drug trafficking, fuels his suspicion, and it seems he is inching closer to exposing the entire clandestine operation.
