Jonathan is accused of shooting Lionel Luthor. Lana's father declines to take his case.

What's up with Jonathan? After Lionel is found shot in the mansion's library, Jonathan is found with a gun in his hand and a bottle of tequila, sitting in his truck in the pouring rain. The police take him to jail as a suspect in the shooting. Jonathan tells Martha and Clark that he only had a half a beer that night at a bar. Clark suspects his drink was drugged. Jonathan needs legal representation. Clark and Lana ask her father Henry Small to defend him. Henry refuses at first. Lana finds out why he was dismissed from his law firm years earlier. She encourages him not to hide in the past. Henry agrees to defend Jonathan. Sheriff Ethan tells Martha and Clark that all evidence and witnesses point to Jonathan as the only suspect. The Sheriff suspects jealousy is Jonathan's motive. He had found the engraved watch that Lionel gave Martha, thrown on the bedroom floor, as if found by a jealous husband. Jonathan's blood alcohol test was above the legal limit. The bartender says Jonathan was drunk and complaining about Lionel at the bar. The night of the shooting, Lana overheard a heated argument between Lionel and Jonathan. Later from jail, Jonathan admits his jealousy at finding the watch to Martha and Clark. He apologizes for not having faith in their relationship. Jonathan claims he didn't shoot Lionel, but did let his anger against Lionel and LuthorCorp get the best of him over the years.

What's up with Lex? As Lex arrives at the hospital to find out about Lionel, Dominic Santori, a LuthorCorp executive, accuses Lex of having the best motive for Lionel's shooting. Lionel and LuthorCorp had been orchestrating a buyout of LexCorp, squashing Lex's plans for independence from his father.

What's up with Dominic? Dominic tells Sheriff Ethan and Clark that he believes Lex is guilty of shooting Lionel. He tells of an angry meeting between Lionel, Lex and himself, with Lionel asking Lex to again join him in LuthorCorp, as he has forced a buyout of LexCorp. Lex tells Clark he suspects Dominic in the shooting, now that Lex is being offered a place at LuthorCorp, blocking Dominic's expected rise to power.

What's up with Clark and Pete? Believing in Jonathan's innocence, Clark and Pete begin their own investigation. First they find a bullet in the shed at the site of Jonathan's arrest. Clark believes Jonathan was framed and someone fired the gun off, forcing Jonathan to hold it as he was passed out. Clark visits Lex at the mansion, asking Lex directly if he's trying to frame Jonathan in the shooting. Lex kicks him out with the accusation. Later Clark and Pete visit the bar where Joanthan drank the night of the shooting to question the bartender. The bartender tells them he has no doubt that Jonathan shot Lionel. Clark loses his temper at the accusation. He thinks the bartender drugged the bottle of tequila. As Pete and Clark drive away, a semi truck runs them off the road. The masked driver shoots the gas tank of Pete's car. Clark pulls Pete from the car, shielding him and saving him from the explosion. At night Pete and Clark break into the bar to further investigate. They find the bartender dead in the freezer. Clark picks up a photo and tells Pete he knows who shot Lionel. What's up with

Sheriff Ethan? Someone enters Lionel's hospital room with a gun fitted with a silencer. The shooter fires the gun towards the bed. Clark jumps out with a video camera, pulling back the blankets to reveal only pillows, as Lionel has been moved to another room. As Clark suspected, Sheriff Ethan Miller shot Lionel and tried to frame Jonathan. Sheriff Ethan's motive was self-preservation and revenge. The Sheriff had been paid off by Lionel to help him gain the outstanding shares in LexCorp., needed in the buyout. Then Lionel had threatened the Sheriff with blackmail.

How it ends: Lex's company has been bought out by Lionel. Lex doesn't want to go back to work for his father. Lex tells Clark that people like Lionel bring out the darkness in others.