Charles McLawhorn

Ben ponders a 40-year-old link between his own father and a playwright's murder.

Just as his father was charged with murdering a famous playwright forty years earlier, young Brian Martell is accused of murdering the playwright’s son! In an effort to clear his name, Martell claims Matlock’s father, Charlie, was involved. Charlie and Ben set out to unravel family secrets and solve the mystery.

Dr. Matt struggles with his alcoholism and the death of his family. Lucas tries to push him over the edge by offering him a drink and forcing the bizarre memories of his wife and daughter. Eventually, Lucas tries to have Dr. Matt relieved of his duties at the hospital. Caleb is bothered by his strange neighbor, Mr. Emmett.

Dr. Matt decides to re-investigate the murder of Merlyn. He also is curious when a woman checks into the hospital as Mrs. Smith. Matt soon discovers that the woman is Lucas Buck's mother and is dying because she has a brain tumor. She begins to tell Matt all about the evil of Lucas and how she wants to kill him. Matt becomes even more obsessed with destroying Lucas than ever before. Lucas is trying to persuade Judge Streeter to sign a document declaring Matt insane so that he can be put away. Matt keeps looking for answers by reading the bible, and his obsession grows more intense when he begins to build "shrine" designed to destroy Lucas.