Avery travels to Vincent Blake’s Legacy Ranch by helicopter, cutting a long drive to under an hour. Landon’s planted leak has worked: the press arrives soon after Avery, allowing Avery to control the public story before entering Blake’s territory.

Speaking from a rehearsed script, Avery announces that remains believed to be William Blake’s were found at the Hawthorne estate. Avery frames the death as the result of Tobias Hawthorne intervening after Will physically assaulted an underage girl, and Avery suggests that the autopsy will show blunt-force trauma caused by Tobias, even though Avery knows that claim may not be true.

Avery refuses questions and walks toward the boundary of Legacy Ranch, a massive private property guarded like a military compound. Armed men in ranch-hand clothing confront Avery for trespassing, but Avery shows them Blake’s seal, trusting that it will grant access while the world watches.

The gambit works: within a minute, Avery is taken inside in a black truck. During the silent ride, Avery asks why the armed driver has not questioned where the seal came from, and the driver answers that no one asks questions when someone carries one.

After a long drive through the ranch, Avery reaches Vincent Blake’s fortress-like home. Eve is waiting on the porch, and when Avery approaches, Eve turns away in a calculated move that forces Avery to follow. Eve tells Avery that everything would have been easier if Avery had simply given Eve what she asked for.