Merlyn's back, and she's hell-bent to get Lucas. The sheriff is on his own bent, though, to get a lawyer who screwed him over. He corners that lawyer, Bryan Hudson, into selling his family's property and evicting a longtime friend, Bertie.

A plague hits Trinity, and Dr. Crower becomes infected and starts going wild, ranting about repentance. Gail succumbs to her passions with Sheriff Buck, and he's only too happy to oblige. A new doctor shows up in town from the CDC to deal with the plague, Dr. Billy Peale.

Dr. Crower decides to investigate Merlyn's murder and becomes even more curious after a woman checks herself into the hospital claiming to be Sheriff Buck's mother. She wants Dr. Crower to kill Sheriff Buck, but the tables are turned on Dr. Crower. Sheriff Buck uses Matt's plague sickness of a week or two ago to his advantage.