Warning: Major spoilers ahead

The local caretaker, Errol Childress, who gave Detective Gilbough and Papania directions, is in a room with writing all over the walls, watching over a man – who he refers to as ‘Daddy’ - tied to a bed. He leaves the room and heads to a house close by, where his lover Betty is. Later, we see Errol painting the exterior of the school and watching the children play outside.

Rust shows Geraci the video footage of Marie Fontenot’s rape and murder. Shocked by what he’s seeing, Geraci reveals that Ted Childress was in charge and dropped the case. Rust and Marty leave Geraci on the boat, threatening that a hitman will kill him if either of them are arrested. To prove their point, Rust signals to Robert Doumain who fires bullets into Geraci’s car.

Looking back at their evidence, Marty spots that one of the houses in Dora’s neighbourhood had recently been painted green. They hypothesise that the killer must have painted the house, which is why people reported being followed by a “green-eared spaghetti monster”. On their way to the house Rust and Marty speak about their 2002 fight, with both of them accepting responsibility for their part.

They arrive in Dora’s neighbourhood and find the house that had been painted green and contact the original owner, Lilly. She remembers that one of the people who painted her house had a scarred face. Checking the payment records, they discover that the company Lilly used was called Childress and Son Maintenance – a firm that works in many of the areas where people have disappeared from. Through records they’re able to find an old address.

Rust meets with Robert Doumain and hands him a number of packages with evidence. He instructs Doumain to send them if he doesn’t hear from Rust in 24 hours. Marty meets with Detective Papania and gives him the heads up to expect a call.

Rust and Marty head to the address they found, only to discover there’s no phone signal. Marty uses it as an excuse to knock on the door and ask Betty to use her phone. A dog runs out of the house to a shed, where it’s silenced. Turned away by Betty, Marty breaks into the house as Rust inspects outside, where he finds Errol – and the dog now dead. As Errol runs into the woods, Rust follows him, finding an old overgrown building – a place Errol calls ‘Carcosa’. Inside, he finds kids’ clothes, bones and latticework throughout the corridors.

Marty, having found Betty’s phone, heads into the woods after Rust. Rust makes his way further into ‘Carcosa’ and reaches a room where there’s a skeleton wearing an antler crown. Struck by a hallucination, Errol takes advantage of Rust being distracted and stabs him.

Marty rushes in and shoots Errol, who in response throws a hammer into Marty’s shoulder. Rust then shoots Errol in the head, killing him. Despite suffering from his own wound, Marty helps Rust as police arrive on the scene.

Days later, Marty is visited in the hospital by Detectives Gilbough and Papania. They confirm Errol and Betty were Billy Childress’ children and they’ve matched the tools found in Errol’s home with the Lake Charles murder and Dora Lange’s case. The media report on what was found at Errol’s house, but Tuttle doesn’t face any consequences – suggesting there have been further cover-ups.

In the hospital, Marty is emotional to see that Maggie and his daughters have come to visit him. He later visits Rust in his hospital room, who confesses he’s angry he didn’t recognise Errol back in 1995 and shares his frustration that everyone involved hasn’t been punished.

A few days later, with Rust almost fully recovered, the reunited colleagues head outside the hospital so Rust can have a cigarette. He shares that he’s disappointed he survived being stabbed – as he felt himself die while in a coma and felt the presence of his daughter waiting for him.

Trying to distract Rust, Marty asks about growing up in Alaska with the pair discussing light vs darkness. Rust comments that “Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light’s winning” – and with that, the pair exit the hospital.

< Episode 7 – ‘After You’ve Gone’