Four hours after leaving, Tom and Slug drive back toward town in the Oldsmobile with the trunk empty. Tom's father has been buried on what appears to be an abandoned hiking trail about ninety minutes away, a location Slug chose because he claimed to know it from childhood camping trips. Tom accepts the explanation because the alternative feels worse, while Slug appears calm and even sings along to the radio despite the night's violence.

On the drive, Slug turns practical and tells Tom how to clean up the evidence at home. Slug instructs Tom to scrub the house, wash all the bloody clothes in very hot water with detergent and bleach, and handle the remaining mess himself because Slug intends to go home and sleep. Tom notices how experienced Slug sounds, but does not challenge him.

Tom and Slug then discuss how long Tom may have before anyone notices his father is missing. Tom says his mother is still away for another day, and he plans to tell her that his father disappeared on a bender, something he has done before. Tom believes that may buy him several days before real concern sets in, although he recognizes that his father's car still sitting in the garage is a dangerous complication because moving it would be too risky.

The conversation shifts to Alison, who saw Tom and Slug earlier. Slug bluntly says Alison is now a serious problem because she might have seen enough to threaten them. Tom argues that Alison did not really see anything and refuses to consider acting against her, even when Slug presses him on whether he wants to risk his freedom. By the end of the ride, Tom clings to the hope that Alison noticed nothing, while Slug's silence leaves the threat unresolved.