Darren leaves Geneva’s in search of a drink at the icehouse, but he calls his wife Lisa first, intending to leave Lark immediately. She answers his call and tells him she misses him, asking him to come home. She apologizes for her anger over him helping Mack. She is scared for his safety. Lisa tells him she loves him, but she wants him to stop drinking. He assures her he is controlling it. Darren tells her he is helping Greg with a job and will be home soon. Their conversation is strained and brief. Darren thinks about his relationship with Lisa in connection to his past. His uncle Clayton loves her and was very supportive of their marriage. Lisa, a city girl, always struggled to fit into Darren’s rural lifestyle, but she loves his family. Clayton encouraged them to work through their struggles. Darren was unfaithful to Lisa in college, but they did not discuss it. He leaves the conversation with her resolved to quit his job as a Ranger and feels they have mended their relationship at least for the moment.

The icehouse bar is a stereotypical small-town honky-tonk with pool tables and greasy food. Darren has been to these types of establishments before and experienced racist threats.