Iron Lake

At Sam’s Place, the grain Cork spread earlier is untouched, indicating that the geese may be gone. Cork looks through Jo’s manila folder again and realizes that the key to the mystery isn’t the photos, but the folder itself. Jo’s folder is thin and creased in only one place, but Sandy’s folder had many creases, as if something had been removed. Cork wonders whether Sigurd or Wally removed anything. The label on Jo’s folder is different, handwritten instead of typed like the rest. Cork realizes that Harlan printed fresh copies from negatives that must still be in his darkroom.

Early the next morning, Jo lets herself into Sandy’s house, wakes him up, and ends their relationship. Sandy will be leaving for Washington, DC soon, but Jo’s family and career are in Aurora. Sandy, however, wants her to come to Washington, DC after her divorce. He shows her a photograph of Cork and Molly having sex, given to him by the judge. Jo is angry, feeling that she took all the blame for their failed marriage while Cork acted like an innocent victim. She and Sandy have sex and stay in bed for the rest of the day.