Wednesday afternoon, Trey shows up at Cal's as usual, relieving his fear that Johnny would keep her away. They finish cleaning the fixer-upper chair and prepare oak pieces for replacements. Cal leaves openings to discuss Johnny and the gold scheme, but Trey says nothing. He chooses not to push, fearing it would only deepen her silence.

Trey asks to borrow Cal's high-end camera, specifying she needs outdoor shots at fifty yards, video capability, and low-light settings. Cal teaches her to use it on the scarecrow. He realizes she likely intends to film the gold-planting at the river, probably for Johnny. Knowing he'll be at the river himself at dawn, Cal decides he must tell Trey of his involvement before she sees him there. He also tries to remind her she can refuse adults who pressure her into things.

Johnny arrives, having just taken Rushborough to Mossie O'Halloran's fairy hill. He offers Trey a ride home. Trey claims the camera is for a school wildlife project on birds, deflecting Johnny's suggestion to photograph easier subjects. Cal realizes Trey is hiding her real plan from her father, and decides not to mention his own involvement until he understands what she's doing.

Before dawn, Trey follows Johnny down the mountain to a bend in the river. Hidden behind a fallen beech trunk, she films as Mart produces a Ziploc bag of gold. She's stung to recognize Cal among the men, but assumes he has solid reasons. Francie and Sonny wade in and plant the gold. Trey films it all, then escapes, snapping bird photos on the way home as cover.

At home, Sheila is ironing Johnny's shirts. She urges Trey to go stay at Lena's, saying she dislikes Rushborough and that Trey should pretend Cal is her father. Sheila reveals she knows Johnny is salting the river. Trey refuses to leave, insisting she wants nothing from Johnny. Sheila warns her that whatever Johnny promised, he can't deliver, and that nothing he offers compares to what Cal teaches her.