 Eight weeks after the bomb, the day before the mayoral election, gentle Dale finds his employer, shopkeeper Gracie, murdered. Mitch Cafferty says Jonah Prowse claimed the murder and offers to help find him. Gray Anderson makes mayor Johnston Green s initial unwillingness an electoral issue, so a search party is formed, in fact several, uncoordinated. Mother Green tells 16 year-old Dale he s the shop s heir, even though Dale was mad at Gracie before her death, and offers her help; Sean s street gang intimidates Dale. Jake finds Jonah wounded at Emily s but is also held at gunpoint, told Mitchell and his own men did him in; Jonah faints, later flees while Jake informs dad the sitting mayor, but is caught by Gray s men, which swings the election his way. Cafferty asks Dale 50% protection money  dont t repeat her mistake . Jonah is on death-row by Gray s one-man tribunal, but when Jake calls Gray s bluff to be judge and executioner, Jonah is left to leave, helped by Emily. Now many weeks-long wanderers arrive destitute, including Roger. Dale shoots Mitch.