Episode 5 of *To Cook A Bear* opens with Jussi making his way back to town and reuniting with the Pastor. The latter warmly wraps his adoptive son in a heartfelt embrace, his face lighting up with joy at Jussi's return. As they sit down, Jussi begins to share tales of his adventures, but among the listeners, only Lisa remains noticeably unenthusiastic about his presence, and for reasons that are all too apparent.
Jussi dances around the truth, vaguely mentioning that he had been wandering through the mountains. The Pastor, wise and understanding, chooses not to press the matter further. Outside, as they catch up, the Pastor expresses his regret for ever doubting Jussi, vowing never to repeat such a mistake.
Their moment of reconciliation is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Madam Sjödahl, who brings with her a shocking revelation: Beronius is dead. Inside his house, signs of foul play are unmistakable. There's no telltale mark on his left shoulder, suggesting he may not be the notorious killer they've been hunting. The sheriff, however, has hastily concluded that Beronius died of an apoplectic stroke.
Sjödahl, unconvinced by the sheriff's assessment, urges the Pastor to conduct a thorough examination. Upon inspecting Beronius's body, the Pastor discovers that the man's shoes are damp, indicating he had ventured out during the night. Moreover, when found, Beronius's door was locked from the inside, adding a layer of mystery to the case.
When the sheriff finally arrives, he barely gives the body a cursory glance. The doctor, Sederin, is quick to pronounce the cause of death as a stroke. Sjödahl, visibly distraught as she looks over Beronius's lifeless form, can't hide her grief. The Pastor, ever observant, immediately attributes her emotional turmoil to her affair with Beronius.
The arrival of the new bishop does little to deter the Pastor and Jussi from their investigative pursuits. They stumble upon Beronius's commission book, only to find that a page detailing an ordered portrait has been ripped out. The Pastor, knowing Beronius's reputation for charging hefty fees, searches for the money and discovers that the hidden slot where Beronius usually stashed his cash is completely empty.
Furthermore, the pencil shavings found near Beronius are distinctly different from those discovered at the previous murder scenes, adding another twist to the already convoluted mystery.
From the Pastor's perspective, an individual had come to Beronius's residence to have their portrait painted. Once the commission fee was settled and the money safely stowed away, Beronius stepped outside to answer nature's call—which explained the rainwater marks on his boots. During his absence, the assailant took the opportunity to slip poison into his drink, ransacked the ledger containing commission records, and then made a swift exit. When Beronius returned indoors, he shut and locked the door behind him, only to succumb to the poison's lethal effects moments later.
In town, the new Bishop arrived and took a seat beside the Pastor as they deliberated over the incident. The Pastor, unflinching, spoke with measured calmness and clarity, meticulously recounting the sequence of events. Yet, in the end, the Bishop chose to set aside the report, dismissing it entirely.
This outcome did not sit well with some, including Brahe and Sederin, who voiced their discontent. However, the situation took a more dramatic turn when irregularities surfaced in the church's bookkeeping, hinting at possible misconduct—specifically, tampering and embezzlement. The Bishop, though, asserted that he had conducted a thorough review and insisted everything had been duly accounted for.
Outside, the Bishop was quick to note his strong aversion to the Pastor, yet conceded that someone needed to minister to the congregation, and he'd rather it be Lasse than himself.
Undeterred, the Pastor dove right back into the investigation, turning his attention to Michelsson next. He unearthed a clue: the pencils Michelsson was using might have originated from the Sheriff.
Furthermore, Michelsson and the Sheriff had recently embarked on a joint visit to Kvikkjokk, a remote mountain village, just a short while before Hilda met her untimely demise. At the time, the Sheriff was ostensibly investigating the theft of reindeer, but could this seemingly mundane task have been an elaborate ruse, a smokescreen for something far more sinister? All the pieces of the puzzle seem to be fitting together seamlessly, and even the pencil shavings found at the scene are a perfect match. Yet, the question remains: who is the killer?
Jusse finds himself branded as public enemy number one when he is discovered lurking near Maria’s residence that fateful night. Roope, seething with rage, gets to him first, subjecting the poor boy to a brutal beating that leaves him battered and bleeding, his genitals mutilated by a knife. Left for dead in the woods, Jusse’s ordeal doesn’t end there. As he lies there, bleeding out, someone sneaks up on him in the darkness and plunges a knife into his left shoulder.
Fortunately, the Pastor stumbles upon Jusse and brings him back to his home, where the entire family unites in prayer for his recovery. Outside, however, Brahe arrives, asserting that Jusse’s injuries are a result of “self-defense” and that he is involved in the ongoing investigation. When Jusse regains consciousness, he recounts to the Pastor the harrowing details of Roope’s assault and the mysterious assailant who appeared later to stab him in the shoulder.
Brahe and Michelsson then descend upon the Pastor’s abode, ransacking the place in a frantic search for the artists’ money. Unbeknownst to them, Jusse is hiding in the rafters upstairs. In a twist of fate (or misfortune for Brahe), he slips on a ladder step and is carried away, injured.
Against all odds, Jusse survives and evades capture. For the time being, though, he knows he must flee the town. The Pastor, resolute in his determination to see this through, understands the perilous nature of the situation.
Before Jusse can make his escape, Maria approaches the Pastor, revealing that her marriage to Roope is over. She confesses that she has sinned and is now pregnant, her frequent bouts of vomiting throughout the episode now making perfect sense. The Pastor, ever compassionate, forgives her, all the while Jusse watches from the shadows.
Unable to resist the temptation of a clandestine conversation, Jusse, despite Maria walking arm-in-arm with her mother, beckons her over (her mother oblivious to the exchange). Jusse pleads with Maria to be together, promising to be a loving father to the child, even though it is not his own. They agree to elope that very night.
However, when Jusse arrives at the designated rendezvous point, he is ambushed by Michelsson, who, with Brahe in tow, makes a grand spectacle of accusing him of being the murderer.
