John was enthusiastically selecting horses, weighing whether to spend five million on a "rising star" or two hundred thousand on an ordinary stallion, when Monica arrived at the ranch with Tate, looking helpless. Upon hearing that Kayce had been arrested, John and Jamie immediately sprang into action. Jamie learned that no court had issued a subpoena for Kayce. It appeared the tribal police had acted alone in apprehending him, and they refused to disclose any information to Monica. John promptly sent Jamie via helicopter to the reservation to negotiate, while assuring Monica that he would rescue Kayce. However, he also hoped Monica would set aside what she called "Indian pride" and consider leaving the impoverished reservation to live with Kayce on the ranch. Only then could the Dutton family protect Kayce and ensure Tate had a happier life.
At the Broken Rock Tribal Justice Center, Chief Thomas and Tribal Sheriff Ben were interrogating Kayce. With a clear conscience, Kayce recounted the details of Danny's daughter's kidnapping. Under tribal law, this was considered justifiable homicide. As for concealing the bodies without reporting, Kayce explained that it was Danny's decision, made out of concern for his daughter, and Kayce had respected the victim's family's wishes.
As they spoke, Jamie pushed the door open and strode in, introducing himself as Kayce's lawyer before taking a seat across from the chief and sheriff. Jamie, experienced and sharp, quickly identified inconsistencies in their case. Without a search warrant, how could the ballistic data from Kayce's pistol be on file at the police station? Even Thomas was reluctant to admit the presence of drug manufacturers on the reservation. Moreover, the sheriff's exchange of official firearms was already a violation of protocol. Jamie seized on these points and pressed relentlessly. Eventually, Thomas and Ben had no choice but to indirectly agree to drop the charges. Jamie immediately demanded the return of the pistol's slide—not only to clear Kayce of the kidnappers' deaths but also to prevent the sheriff from discovering that the bullet that killed Lon matched Kayce's pistol. Unaware of Jamie's scheme, Sheriff Ben reluctantly complied, bringing the incident to a close.
Amid the roar of the helicopter landing, Jamie returned safely to the ranch. He had not let his father down and now needed to collaborate with him to convince Kayce to stay. John took the lead with Kayce,劝说 him outside the horse corral to remain on the ranch and not let his exceptional horse-taming talent go to waste. Meanwhile, Jamie brought in Mel, the president of Montana State University. The university was expanding its humanities programs, specifically allocating funds for Native American studies. Monica could join as an associate professor to pursue her doctorate while helping the university develop the department. The salary for an associate professor wasn't high, but $70,000 was a significant income for Monica. She recognized this as John's doing, but her thoughts weren for herself—she worried that her departure would leave the reservation short one teacher, causing more Native American children to miss out on education. When John returned from the corral and heard her words, he wanted to ask her one question: Was it worth putting other families above her own? This planted a seed in Monica's heart, making her reflect on whether Tate should continue living in poverty.
Outside in the corral, Kayce was training "Tornado." This was his gift to his father—an apology for recklessly charging into the cattle herd that day, disrupting his father's plans, and causing Lee's death. Kayce had only agreed to tame this one horse for his father, as an untamable horse couldn't be considered a gift. Watching nearby, Tate innocently blurted out that he preferred life on the ranch and didn't want to return to their "broken home" on the reservation. Enraged, Kayce sharply rebuked him. Heartbroken, Tate ran off in tears.
After riding "Tornado" a few laps, Kayce found the horse not nearly as difficult to tame as his father had claimed, realizing it was likely just an excuse. As he led the horse back to the stable, John, Monica, and Tate were waiting. Tate happily announced that Grandpa had invited them to stay the night at the ranch. Monica added that she hadn't slept well the previous night due to fear and anxiety, so Kayce reluctantly agreed to stay. A faint smile appeared on John's face—he sensed a shift in Monica's attitude.
After a long day, Jamie had just settled onto the sofa when a ghostly sound echoed through the room—the ringtone he'd set for his sister. Every time he heard it, he knew trouble was coming. Today, Beth had been drinking all day, starting with a meeting her partner Bob at a club in the morning. She neither wanted to end her vacation and return to Salt Lake City nor take over Bob's new company in Yellowstone because she was determined to destroy Daniel and Paradise Valley first. Speak of the devil—Beth looked up and saw Daniel enter the club arm-in-arm with his wife, Vicky. She picked up her glass and walked over, striking up a conversation with Vicky and becoming fast friends, as if they'd known each other for years. Daniel, unable to expose Beth, stood awkwardly to the side, utterly powerless against her.
By the time Beth staggered out of the club, dusk had fallen. She called Jamie, who reluctantly drove to pick her up. The two argued incessantly during the ride. When Jamie once again brought up their mother, Beth suddenly pulled a pistol from the glove compartment and pressed it against her chin. Just as Jamie was about to mock her, a deafening gunshot rang out, startling him into slamming on the brakes. The bullet had grazed Beth's cheek—only then did Jamie understand the depth of her self-blame.
That night, Tate slept in the master bedroom with his grandfather. Out of respect for Monica's pride, Kayce and Monica stayed in a hunter's cabin near the woods. They found themselves deeply divided over Tate's future. Monica was inclined to give Tate a better life, while Kayce refused to rely on his father. Conflicted and frustrated, Monica threw on a jacket and stepped outside for some air. To her surprise, she saw a bonfire burning in the woods.
The bonfire was part of a special ritual. Rip, following John's instructions, had scouted Walker outside the state prison just after his release. Walker had served several years for manslaughter and now had nowhere to go. Though he knew working at the Dutton Ranch came at a price, he had no other options. Now was the moment for Walker to pay that price. A branding iron, glowing red-hot, seared the Dutton emblem into his chest—a mark of trust and loyalty. From that day on, the Dutton Ranch would be his home.