Saint tells Chief Nix that she went to see Richie Montrose, making clear that her investigation has brought her to him. Nix, still holding a shovel, responds calmly instead of denying anything. He sets the shovel down and talks about horses seeing almost everything but lacking depth perception, using the comparison to argue that law only deals with visible facts such as who died and how, not deeper motives.

Saint keeps her gun trained on Nix and insists that she still needs to know why. Nix answers that pointing a gun at someone can make the truth come out, but when Saint does exactly that, he refuses to explain further. He tells Saint that what she wants is "not my story to tell," which suggests he knows more than he is willing to confess.

Saint, overwhelmed and angry, says she hates the day, though she holds back her tears. Nix then asks if he can get his hat so she can leave with "a little of the old me," and Saint, still seeing him partly as the chief she once knew, agrees. That moment of hesitation gives Nix the chance to walk into the stable.

As soon as the stable door slams and the bolt slides shut, Saint realizes what is happening and runs after him. She screams, begs, and pounds on the door until her hands split and her throat burns, but she cannot get inside. The chapter ends with Saint hearing a single gunshot and collapsing against the wood, implying that Nix has killed himself rather than answer her questions.