Paramount+’s Dutton Ranch episode five opens with Beth and Rip (Cole Hauser) having a quiet day at the ranch, but it’s for a sobering reason. The cattle are dead so there’s nothing to do. Beth (Kelly Reilly) promises they’ll fill the pastures again, but it might take time. Carter still isn’t talking to her after not being told what was happening with the cattle.

(The following is a recap of episode five, “Peaceful Find Peace,” and there are spoilers.)

Rip’s temporary plan to pay the bills is to work with Beth’s sworn enemy, Beulah. Everett told Rip that Beulah’s current foreman is a “f**king idiot” and that Rip should try for the foreman job, at least on a temporary basis. Beulah (Annette Bening) is very cordial during the interview and seems impressed with Rip’s straight talk and resume. She’s looking for someone who will help fix their bottom line, someone smart enough to tackle all the current problems on the ranch.

Beulah also mentions she doesn’t like gossip and knows that if Rip worked for 25 years with John Dutton, then he understands how to guide a ranch. She offers him the job, stressing that the pay will be good and, more importantly, he’ll have her loyalty.

Beth’s obviously torn by Rip’s decision to work with Beulah. She offers to go back to work, but it would take her away from Texas. Neither she nor Rip wants that.

The 10-Petal cowboys seem shocked to see Rip show up bright and early in the bunkhouse. He doesn’t explain who he is or what’s going on. Rip orders them to saddle up and get ready to work in 10 minutes.

Only Chet, the current temporary foreman, balks at the order.

Back at the Dutton Ranch, Zachariah (Marc Menchaca) finishes with the horses and asks Beth if there’s anything else she needs. His work ethic impresses her, and she believes her dad would have liked him. They smoke while discussing prison, cattle, and God. She’s been busy researching online, trying to come up with a way out of their current situation. Zach hopes she figures something out.

Rip supervises as the cowboys separate the calves to wean them. Chet’s furious that Rip’s taken over and doesn’t take it well when Rip rides up, hits him in the shoulder and tells him to stop talking and get to work.

Beth’s still outside researching when Everett (Ed Harris) arrives with the horse they saved. He’s hoping she’ll brighten Beth’s day.

Meanwhile, Carter (Finn Little) is back at Dwight’s ranch and shows Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind) how to feed Xena. Carter reminds her not to mention he’s not going to school now that Rip’s working at her family’s ranch.

After Oreana leaves, Dwight (Ray McKinnon) warns Carter that she’ll break his heart into thousands of pieces. “And it’s gonna be the best goddamn feeling you ever had, you sly dog,” says Dwight. They toast to Carter’s future heartbreak.

Dwight wonders when he’s going to tell his parents that he’s not going to school. Carter confesses there aren’t any cattle on his ranch anymore after they all got sick. Carter misses Montana and Dwight suggests that he let his parents handle things for him now until he figures out what he wants to do. Carter insists he can take care of himself.

Rip watches as Chet and Austin (Sterlin English) go at it in the barn. The other cowboys take their cue from Rip and let the fight continue until Rip signals to stop it. Rip warns them to get their horses watered and return to work.

Rip has a chat with Austin alone as the day wraps up. He asks about Wes since Austin mentioned his name while punching Chet, and Austin says he disappeared off the ranch a couple of weeks ago. His wife and kid have gone missing too.

Rip doesn’t mention it but realizes it was Wes’s body he found on Dutton Ranch. Before leaving for the day, he fires Chet and orders him to pack up and leave the ranch.

None of the cowboys stand up for Chet and he tells them all to f**k off as he leaves.

Rip’s about to leave when Beulah invites him to stay for dinner. He politely declines until he learns she’s serving an 18-hour smoked brisket.

Night’s fallen and Carter’s still working at the ranch when cops drive up, lights and siren going. Dwight knows why but doesn’t explain it to Carter. He runs off and the cops chase him. Carter also runs in the dark when a cop orders him to stop. Carter doesn’t stop and keeps running toward Xena’s pen. When he arrives, Dwight is face down in front of the enclosure, with a bullet wound in the back.

The cops take Carter down too, and he listens to them claim Dwight had a knife and was going to attack them. Carter notices Dwight’s knife is still in its sheath.

Chet confronts Joaquin (Juan Pablo Raba) about being replaced and fired. Chet brings up Wes’s murder and that he’s been covering for Rob-Will.  Joaquin reminds him that he had the gun and that his prints are on it, not his brother’s. Chet warns Joaquin that he knows about the ranch’s cattle and why Wes was murdered.

Beth’s still researching options while cooking dinner when she calls Rip. After learning he’s eating dinner there, she writes a note to Carter and leaves.

Meanwhile, Carter’s at the station and Sheriff Wade (Josh Stewart) informs him Dwight was a fraud and a thief. Carter calls Dwight his friend and Wade suggests that he forget what he saw if he doesn’t want his parents to know what happened. They’ll put this behind them and no one will know Carter was in any way involved.

Rip and Beulah enjoy dinner and she’s not shocked when Rip reveals that he fired Chet. They discuss how he and Beth became a couple, and Beulah’s genuinely interested in learning more about Beth. Rip describes her as beautiful, intelligent, fierce, tender, and raw. He thinks she’s a bit like Beulah. They toast to that.

Beulah offers him $8,000 a month plus a truck and a house. He doesn’t need anything but the salary and asks for $11,000. She agrees.

Carter’s walking back to his truck when Oreana shows up. He called her for a ride and sobs as they embrace.

Joaquin shows up unexpectedly at Sheriff Wade’s office asking where Whitney Ayers is. The sheriff hasn’t found her and believes she’s either dead or has fled somewhere they can’t reach.

Beth pops into Beulah’s for a drink minutes after Rip leaves 10-Petal. She wonders how Beulah oversees a ranch this size and handles the legacy. Beulah doesn’t seem to carry the weight of it, like John Dutton did. Beth cuts to the chase, wanting them to speak the unfiltered truth. She informs Beulah that they had to put their herd down because of hoof-and-mouth. Beulah’s shocked that Beth would confess this, given the trouble that would come if the authorities found out.

Beth confirms she doesn’t “do fear” or lose money. John wanted to keep the place whole and uphold a promise, and that ultimately killed him. She knows everyone has tried to take 10-Petal too, and that her family’s blood is in the dirt. Beth’s done her research and knows the lengths Beulah’s family has gone to to protect the ranch, including offering it up as a place to hunt big game.

Beth believes Beulah has a real backbone or she wouldn’t have survived all these years. She also believes hiring Rip is the best decision Beulah’s ever made. However, Beulah’s next move is what Beth is interested in. The ranch has existed for 190 years, and Beth insists that if Beulah hires her, she can rebuild the brand into a household name within three years.

Beth delivers her sales pitch, suggesting they move away from selling to big box stores and concentrate on high-end buyers. Beth can sell Beulah’s story and hiring her is basically offering Beulah an exit that not just keeps her legacy intact; it expands it.

“You don’t know me yet, but nobody will fight harder for you,” insists Beth. Between her and Rip, they’ll take this ranch to a new level. In exchange, she wants 20% of the profits and an out for both her and Rip in five years. However, the Dutton name is not for sale – now or ever.

Beth’s leaving as Joaquin arrives, and he wonders what she was doing at the ranch. Beulah confirms that Beth works for her now and that they’re going to sell premium certified Angus ranch-to-table. Joaquin’s shocked but Beulah believes in Rip and Beth, especially since Beth is a Dutton. Beulah calls her a fighter and a survivor, like a cockroach that can’t be killed.

Joaquin reminds her that Rip and Beth might not do what she wants. Beulah knows that people with secrets are corruptible.

Chet’s at home doing coke with a girl when Rob-Will pounds on his door.

Beth returns home and Rip’s sitting outside, waiting. When he asks what she’s up to, she says she has a plan. She promises that within a week, she’ll know everything she needs to know about Beulah. Rip’s already got dirt on her and spills the beans about Wes’s body being buried on their property. He thinks they need to be careful with Beulah’s family and didn’t tell her earlier because he was hoping for peace.

“Well, peace will have to wait,” replies Beth.

• Dutton Ranch Episode 1 “The Untold Want” Recap
• Dutton Ranch Episode 2 “Earn Another Day” Recap
• Dutton Ranch Episode 3 “Act of God Business” Recap
• Dutton Ranch Episode 4 “Start With a Bullet” Recap
• Dutton Ranch Episode 6 “A Cowboy Saint” Recap
• Dutton Ranch Episode 7 “Den of Sin” Recap
• Dutton Ranch Episode 8 “Whiskey Limits” Recap
• Dutton Ranch Episode 9 Season Finale Recap