Marcus’s death was caused by a semi-truck hitting his car while it was trying to avoid a disabled vehicle. Soon after Marcus’s funeral, Eddie is arrested for Skipper’s murder. Ora learns of his arrest from Dovey Kincaid, who waves the newspaper as an “I-told-you-so.” Ora hits Dovey on the head with the rolled newspaper and chases her back home.

Ora visits Eddie at the police station. He has been beaten; Ora is told that it is because he resisted arrest. Ora recognizes the cell guard as someone she taught in Sunday school when he was a boy. She appeals to what she knows is his inclination to respect elders and asks him to find some tomato soup for Eddie. The guard, Chip Smallwood, is reluctant to leave Ora alone with Eddie and handcuffs him to the bed.

Alone, Eddie refuses to speak to Ora but joins in as she recites the Lord’s Prayer.

Ora sits in on Eddie’s conversation with his court-appointed attorney, Jeffrey Thatcher. Eddie denies seeing or talking with anyone after leaving Ora’s home on Thanksgiving Day and denies killing Skipper Kornegay.

Afterward, Ora asks Chip Smallwood whether he thinks Eddie’s beating was warranted. Chip will not answer but agrees to look after Eddie.