Walker: Independence (2022) s01e08 Episode Script

1
Previously on Walker: Independence
My husband was killed.
Who did that? Who killed him?
The new sheriff.
Tom Davidson must be stopped.
I could use someone like you
in the sheriff's office.
I'm the only person who
doesn't work for Tom Davidson.
You run this place for him,
Abby's his clerk, Calian's his tracker.
I failed to be there for my people.
- What do you know about sisters?
- I have one, too.
For most of our lives
we were best friends.
We said things we can't take back.
Did you kill one or
two Tongs on your way out?
Pay up, or I'll ride my ass
straight to San Francisco
and tell them exactly where you is.
Because we are gonna
take down the Davidsons,
and we are gonna set this town
straight all by ourselves,
because nobody else is gonna help us.
Help me, Abby.
You can't stop the rain ♪
It's always coming down ♪
Whoa. Whoa.
Good morning, Manuel.
- Morning, Hoyt.
- Here to pick up for Reyes Ranch.
- I got it right here for you.
- Ah.
The sweet smell of manure
and grain alcohol.
How I've missed you, Independence.
Anything happen since I've been gone?
- Nothing much.
- Oh, come on, Manny.
Only excitement I had the past two weeks
was shooing rabbits out of
Anna Maria's vegetable garden.
You gotta give me something.
A shootout, bank robbery.
Nothing.
Not even a bar fight.
The sheriff should
get stabbed more often.
Well, I'll be damned.
It's Farmer Rawlins.
How are the tomatoes this season?
Nice and juicy?
It's a ranch. We don't grow tomatoes.
Not since the cutworms got to 'em.
What's all this?
Still trying to nail down the sheriff?
Well, you didn't think we'd stop
just because he was gone?
Why didn't you come get me?
I would've helped.
We wanted to give you time,
and let you settle in at the ranch.
Didn't want to interrupt
all your muckin' and hoein'.
- Shh, shh, shh.
- Good morning, Augustus.
Morning, ladies.
Oh, hell no. Uh-uh.
I refuse. Him and me,
we're natural enemies.
- You did not tell him
- What?
That she's Abigail Collins?
Well, I figured as much when I was out
at Otis's ranch.
Yeah, I found it mighty odd
that Abby came in town
right around the same time.
And Gus kept my secret
without being asked.
Calian vouched for him, Hoyt.
Fine. Proceed.
Well, we're still trying
to discern motive.
Why would Tom be so desperate
to be sheriff he'd kill for it?
We ought to look into those
fake Davidson companies then.
Oh, we already did.
Kate and I went to
the state records office
and found each one.
We got ice cream.
They're buying land
in the path of the railroads.
Nothing points to a personal
vendetta, let alone murder.
All right. Then we should
search every inch
- of that sheriff's office.
- I did.
But all I found was this.
- Is that Liam's journal?
- I thought so,
but it's actually Tom's sketchbook.
What does that bottom-feeder
draw, anyways?
Pictures of dead bodies?
Flowers.
It's a study of Texas native plants.
Somehow that's spookier,
and I don't know why.
So this is everything we have?
It's not exactly a smoking gun.
It's too bad Tom Davidson
didn't just die.
Abby, help me, please.
Here.
Somebody help!
That might have been easier,
but it wouldn't be justice.
Did you hear anything
from the hospital, Gus?
Yeah, he's on the mend.
He'll be back from Austin
in a week or two.
So, what, we got nothing?
Well, we don't have evidence or motive,
but we do have one thing.
A witness.
You're saying you want to
come forward as his wife?
Abby, I've seen witnesses get exposed.
Not to put too fine a point on it,
- but they end up dead.
- We just need one person
outside the Davidson web.
Someone with the authority to establish
a real investigation.
I know a judge in Austin.
Federal, not state.
My old commander from my military days.
It's-it's worth a shot.
We really gonna risk Abby's life
on Gus's old war buddy?
We won't go unless you feel safe.
I'm ready. I'll testify.
Hello, Gus.
Sheriff. Hello.
I'm feeling fine, thanks for asking.
I just didn't expect to
see you back so soon is all.
How was it playing sheriff
with Abby as your deputy?
Well, we-we do our best.
The cells are empty,
almost like the town
ran better while I was gone.
Eh, Pax Romana.
Which means you didn't
catch the man who stabbed me.
Well, Sheriff, there was
no evidence, no witnesses.
There was one.
Well, you weren't exactly
talking, were you?
Excuse me, I'm looking for
Sheriff Davidson.
Yes, ma'am. How can I help you?
You sent a telegram about
the death of Liam Collins.
Yes, I did. It was a terrible tragedy.
I'm looking for Mary, his wife.
She's my sister.
When we didn't hear from Mary,
we thought that she was
- sick with grief.
- That's perfectly natural.
But the more time passed,
the more concerned I became.
She and I have been quarreling
in recent years,
and I worried she might never come home.
So I got on a train.
It's good that you did.
You don't think that she's
Let's not get too ahead of ourselves.
I mean, she could have
made her way to another town,
or she could have been
too scared to come forward.
The previous sheriff didn't know
Liam was killed,
so he never made a proper search.
Deputy,
we owe this woman our full attention.
I was just gonna head to
the Western Union office,
you know, and see if
there are any records
of a telegram to or from a Mary Collins.
Was there anyone else that knew
your sister was traveling to Texas?
Miss McKenzie, is everything all right?
Yeah, just my eyes playing tricks.
Hey, Kai.
Hoyt, welcome. I have wonton soup today.
Almost ready.
No time for lunch, I'm afraid.
Just here on ranch business.
Lucia said you had some
alterations for her.
- Yes. All ready to go.
- Mmm.
Maybe some of these almond cookies, too.
You know, for the ladies.
It is your lucky day, Kai.
Someone left you a hell of a tip.
I was expecting more of a celebration.
This is, uh, fake money. Hell money.
Hell money in a red envelope
is a threat.
- Someone wants me dead.
- Who?
The snake oil salesman
from Founders Day.
- Uh-huh.
- He knew my past in San Francisco.
There was a woman I love.
Lily.
I was trying to help her escape
from Chinese organized crime, the Tong.
But they found her and, uh, kill her.
That is a dangerous enemy
you got there.
I knew a one-armed man in Omaha.
Said the Tong took the other.
Why let you know they're coming?
Waiting is its own form of torture.
My father was at the Alamo.
- So you're telling me to stay and fight?
- No.
Staying and fighting
might have been brave,
but it also got my pa killed.
So you gotta ask yourself
is there anything in this world
you love more than your own life?
Yes.
Well, then, take it from a son
who never knew his father.
Run.
Just be sure to let me know
where you end up.
All right?
- You got a horse?
- No.
Say no more.
One getaway horse coming right up.
Come on.
You have my word that I will do
everything in my power
to find your sister.
In the meantime,
this is my establishment.
Please make yourself at home.
We got a problem. Did Abby mention
Absolutely she did. I've got it.
- Well, Sheriff Davidson.
- Miss Carver.
You know, the last time I saw you,
you were on death's door.
Look about the same.
And who is this enchanting creature?
Well, we have a distinguished guest.
You've got her standing around
in the lobby
like she's a common ranch hand.
Darling, you deserve somewhere to rest.
I would very much like that.
Yes, of course.
Please see that Miss McKenzie is put up
in our finest suite.
Thank you.
- He's a peach. Come with me.
- Okay.
Mary! You're all right.
You're not Mary.
Abigail is my middle name,
and a nickname Liam had for me.
Thank God for that.
You shouldn't be here, Charlie.
What have you been thinking?
First you leave Boston
with barely any warning.
You send no news from the road,
and then we get word that Liam is dead.
Murdered.
What?
Liam didn't just die, he was murdered.
Right in front of me.
Abby was shot, too.
Oh
The man who shot Liam, who did this,
is Tom Davidson, the sheriff,
from whom I've been trying
to hide my identity
until you arrived.
How
How was I to know?
Mary, you don't have to stay here.
Let me telegram Father.
We can get you to safety,
or he can send someone to help.
No, no. Charlotte, if you really
want to help me,
just stay in this room.
- Kate.
- I've got her.
Where are you going?
To clean up your mess.
All right, folks
most of the wagons
they traveled with
Gus, what's all this?
Search party for Mary.
What does Tom know?
Nothing yet.
Luckily your sister
didn't bring a photograph.
Mm. We need to get out of here.
Go to Austin, see your judge.
We could leave now.
- Understood?
- Yeah!
Search party should distract
Tom, buy us some time.
Miss Walker?
Just the woman I was looking for.
Sheriff. Welcome back.
You certainly made a speedy recovery.
Yes, I did.
I'm sure by now you've heard all about
Liam Collins' missing wife Mary.
- A bit.
- A few hunters saw
the remains of a burned-out wagon
just over the ridge.
Might be the spot where it all happened.
Mary's sister is staying at Hagan's.
Can you fetch her for me, please?
I want to see the scene
from her perspective.
Well, there's no need to disturb her.
- It's already been such a distressing day.
- Agreed.
I can join you. I'll be
your woman's perspective.
- You know what? And I'll come.
- Mm.
An extra set of eyes should help.
I have a different job for you, Gus.
I should have told you
about the stabbing
when it happened.
It was my pride is all.
No hard feelings, but he's
probably long gone
Or he might be back to finish the job.
He had a circular tattoo
on his knife hand,
and one silver spur on his boot.
Sheriff, that's not much to go on.
I know. But I trust you're
up for the challenge.
Shall we?
Did you find anything?
No, it's nothing.
I see Mary played the piano.
She's got a lot of books,
was an educated woman.
Almost like you two are cut
from the same cloth.
Clever women are far more
common than you think, Sheriff.
You can see Independence
from that ridge.
Think she would have headed there?
- No.
- You sure?
She was probably scared and alone.
I don't think Mary would have felt safe
in a town full of strangers.
Good point.
After all, never know where
the killer might've went.
What did Charlotte say about her?
- She was a fighter.
- Huh.
Opinionated, passionate.
There really doesn't seem to be
much of anything here.
Should we head back to town, uh,
reconvene with the search parties?
Not quite yet.
There's one thing still weighing on me.
I wanted to thank you.
Thank me for for what?
That night you found me bleeding out,
you saved my life.
Anyone would have done the same.
Not anyone.
My own family didn't
check on me in the hospital.
They don't care if I live or die.
But you do.
You're welcome.
You're right, there's nothing here.
But I will find her,
wherever she is.
And so it turns out Calian
never shot the arrow.
Francis's son set the entire
thing up to frame him.
- No.
- Mm-hmm.
If Abby hadn't defended him,
I don't know what he would have done.
It's hard to reconcile that
woman with the little girl who,
whose biggest act of defiance
was an unchaperoned walk.
Mm. That sounds so quaint.
When Abby talks about Boston,
she makes it sound like this
A den of cruelty and sin.
Something like that, yeah.
She's not wrong.
Our father is an oil magnate.
He built his fortune by
destroying other people's.
The American way.
Mary vowed that she would never
take another penny from him.
That's a principled stance.
It sounds like Abby.
She wanted me to
renounce our father, too,
but I I couldn't.
Mary and I were best friends,
but that broke something between us.
I try to use our money
for good, but it's
it's cold comfort to her.
Well, I can't say that I don't
know what it feels like
playing both sides.
Here I am working with the sheriff.
Your job sounds fascinating.
You're a dancer and you run this place.
Is that why you moved to Independence?
No, no.
It's not, no.
I, uh, I tend to move around a lot,
and, uh, wherever I go,
it seems like there's a part
for me to play,
and a way that people need to see me.
Or rather that, uh,
the people want to see me.
I know that dance.
It's easy to lose track of
what you really desire.
It is.
But here I feel like
I finally have room
to start deciding for myself.
My future is as wide
as that prairie out there.
No frontiers in Boston, sadly,
but we make do
with discreet parlors.
Charlotte McKenzie
you are not how
your sister described.
My friends call me Charlie.
You two and your nicknames.
I'm here to save your life.
If you're gonna make a quick escape,
you can't be waiting around
for a stagecoach.
The Tong rely on hand-to-hand combat.
Any horse is an advantage.
He ain't just any horse.
Cordell there is the best I ever knew.
Hey, Cordell, come here. Come on, boy.
God.
He must've forgot what it's like
to run free. Damn.
Come on, Cordell.
You can do what you want.
They can't keep you.
Come on, run!
Afternoon, Deputy.
Just taking in the sights here
with my good pal Kai.
Well, afternoon, Kai.
Would you mind giving us a minute?
Thank you.
So, what?
Old Molly misplace her pocketbook?
You come here to hassle me about it?
No, we got bigger problems.
Abby's sister showed up,
now Tom's looking for
Liam Collins' wife.
- Does he know it's Abby?
- No.
But he's out at the old
wagon site with her now.
You ought to go help her.
You don't think I tried?
Tom got suspicious.
All of a sudden it's real important
I find the man who stabbed him.
Going on about a tattoo on a hand,
and one silver spur.
I saw a fella
at the Side Step this morning
had ink on his hand.
Recognized me from Fight Night.
Don't you think this stabber might have
a little dirt on Tom?
Fine. I'll check it out.
But stick close to town. Abby needs us.
All right, Kai, let's get you a horse.
I'll be damned.
Cordell.
Hey, buddy.
- You sure? You got 17.
- Hit me.
- That's 21!
- You're a genius.
You're a savant.
We should take you on the road.
You're back early.
Did you talk to the judge?
No. Tom stopped Gus and I
before we could leave.
He's made it his personal life's mission
to find Mary Collins.
- We need a plan, fast.
- I have one.
Come back to Boston with me.
Father's money can help you investigate,
and Liam would want you to be safe.
You don't know what Liam would want.
Yes, I do.
Even if it's easier for you
to pretend otherwise.
Say, could we, could we fill in
some of the blanks here?
Liam and I were engaged,
and he left me for Mary.
And you never thought
this was pertinent to bring up?
It was six months. At best.
You picked a poor police officer
just so you could control
him with your money.
You don't know what I wanted.
You wrote me off long before
I ever even met Liam.
You picked your side.
Playing the obedient daughter,
going to balls and tea parties
with all those people.
And what choice do I have?
I am an unmarried woman because of you.
Should I have moved
to the middle of nowhere
and start over with nothing?
That's what I did.
Right.
Well
I could never be so perfect as you.
But that doesn't mean I don't love you.
Abby, she came all the way out to Texas.
Do you really want to help me?
Yes. Of course I do.
Then I need you to kill Mary Collins.
Well, we could always
plant some kind of story.
A kindly rancher took Mary in.
She was too weak, she died
of a broken heart. Something
No, it wouldn't work.
Tom would want proof.
Yeah, he will.
He is committed to finding this woman.
The only thing that's going
to stop him is a body.
A body? How would we even get one?
Well, I've bunked at the undertaker's
enough times to know he keeps
a Jane Doe or two
down in the cellar.
I shudder to ask, but why?
He sells the skeletons
to a medical school in Waco.
Geez, get your mind out of the gutter.
You know, Hoyt's right.
It's unconventional but
hell, we need an outlaw
to fool a murderer.
Dang, if Gus is in, then I am.
It's my plan.
Charlie, you'll have to
identify the body.
I can do it, but how, exactly?
You can use this.
Is that my wedding ring?
Well, I doubled back to Liam's grave
after you left it up there.
- You had no right to take this.
- I know.
Tom dug up the body
before I could put it back.
Under the circumstances,
you did a good thing.
All right, when Tom gets back
from the search party,
we're gonna have to distract him
- to buy ourselves some time.
- Mm-hmm.
We'll handle the cover story.
You don't kill him.
I might.
We could use that tattooed fella.
- The one who stabbed Tom.
- Mm.
I bet Tom would be real keen
to interrogate him.
You know, I went to the Side Step,
and there was no man
with no hand tattoo.
You just lie to lie, don't you?
This again? I wasn't lying.
Maybe he crossed the street
for time with a White Dove.
- Hell
- Okay.
There's a faro game starting right now.
I bet you he'll be there.
Well, why don't you come with me,
- and you can point him out.
- Fine.
I'll arrest him myself if
you don't feel up for it.
The worst of Independence.
It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
There's your barrel.
Just point him out
and stay out of my way.
Players, place your bets.
Players, place your bets.
Last chance. Loser, seven.
Winner, queen. No winner.
Gentlemen, move your bets.
- You got a problem?
- No.
Just some questions.
Starting with where you were
two weeks ago.
You know what? No more questions.
You're under arrest
for the attempted murder
of Tom Davidson.
I told you he'd be here.
Golly, howdy, cowboy.
You look good up there.
- New delivery system?
- No.
I have, uh, business. Out of town.
All right.
Well, you hurry back 'cause
I'm working on a new show,
and it's gonna need your special
special touch.
And then maybe, maybe we can go riding.
Although I will probably need
some lessons on one of these
these things.
Where were you
the morning after Fight Night?
I was with my mother, at church.
Church on a Wednesday?
What you got behind your back there?
Why don't you step up here
and show me that ink.
It's not the man.
Now, now, wait, Sheriff.
He got the one spur.
The man who stabbed me was taller.
You are free to go.
Now, how can I help you,
Miss Walker, Miss McKenzie?
You were right earlier.
Charlotte does have
some valuable insight.
After all, who knows Mary
better than her own sister?
I've been thinking, I might know
where Mary would have gone.
Okay, let's go find our missing widow.
Wagon train moved west.
Independence is south.
Doesn't make any sense
that she would come east.
If Mary were in pain,
she would have gone east.
Toward Boston. Toward the people
that care about her.
He's gonna miss it. Should we peel off?
No. Stay the course.
We can't draw too much suspicion.
Well, if we don't draw attention to it,
how we gonna find the body, then?
We won't. Tom will.
Otherwise he won't believe it, trust me.
Lawman can fool a murderer, too.
- The arroyo.
- Do you see something?
No, but if she did come this way
she would be looking for water.
What is that?
Down here.
Are you all right?
Some poor woman.
It's hard to tell
how long she's been here.
It looks like animals got to the body.
There's no way to identify her.
It feels like she's really dead.
Not dead.
Reborn.
Check for a ring.
Mary never took off her ring.
There's an inscription.
"For eternity. Liam".
It's her.
Well, it ain't a proper wake,
but we still ought to raise a glass.
To freedom, however we find it.
To wild plans and wilder people.
To Mary, gone but not forgotten.
Cheers.
- Ah.
- Ah.
There it is.
Might make a Texan of you yet.
No, thank you.
I am counting the hours
until I'm back to peace
and quiet and indoor plumbing.
I bet you prefer the company of
proper Boston gentlemen
over us Texas rogues.
No. They're both too arrogant.
That's good.
You got yourself another drink.
You know, not-not to agree
with Hoyt about
anything for the rest of my life,
you do seem like you're
enjoying yourself here.
Oh, aside from the murderer
and the skeleton
and being prisoner in a bedroom
That last part wasn't so bad.
So, about Liam
An arrangement.
I had money. He could keep a secret,
but then he fell in love.
- You never told Abby?
- No.
I have my own private life.
I like it that way.
And
I suppose she's right.
I was using my family's money
to try and control him.
I mean I wouldn't feel
too poorly about it.
When he gave up McKenzie money,
he went looking for more
in a lot of the wrong places.
And Mary's still fighting for him?
I think she's discovering that
the bad doesn't cancel out the good.
Hmm. Thank you for protecting her.
It's good to know she has a friend
who's seen a bit more of the world.
I don't know. I wouldn't
sell yourself short.
I know a lot of first-rate
con men who couldn't pull off
what you did today.
Were those real tears?
Yes.
Underneath this buttoned-up exterior
is a reservoir of emotion.
Never thought the day ♪
Would come ♪
When I would find ♪
Someone ♪
To love me only ♪
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I'd try to settle ♪
Down ♪
I'd stay close to the ♪
Ground ♪
I'd spend the hours ♪
Counting ♪
All the flowers ♪
Here you are.
Mary Collins is officially dead
in the state of Texas.
Congrats.
Or, wait, should I say, "Condolences"?
Uh, both, I think.
Thank you, Gus.
For killing me and, uh, for saving me.
Coming to Hagan's?
No, no. Tom is back at his cabin, and,
you know what, I deserve
a night of quiet.
- Mm.
- Good night Mary.
Sheriff Davidson?
Evening, ma'am.
Take more than a knife
to the gut to kill me.
You are a stranger,
so somebody put you up to this.
And all I need is a name.
No?
Okay.
Who wants me dead?
I wouldn't know.
Ah!
Before I go
a small token of my affection.
It belongs with you.
Thank you.
When Liam proposed to me with that ring,
there was no inscription.
The way he loved you,
we never had anything like that.
This still doesn't excuse what I did.
That wasn't you. That was
that was Mary.
Last chance to come back home.
Save me from having to break the
bad news to Mother and Father.
I love you
but I have to stay.
I have to find the truth.
Miss McKenzie,
your coach is ready.
Thank you, Sheriff.
Very much appreciate
you giving my family peace.
Goodbye, Abby Walker.
- Very glad to have met you.
- Wait!
Wait, hold on. She-she forgot
a It was up in the
- Hi.
- Hi.
Don't be a stranger.
I can't help but notice
you're standing with an outlaw
instead of the lawman.
You switching sides?
Nope. Got a full agenda.
You know, someone stole a horse
from the corral near
the sheriff's office.
Huh.
I wouldn't know anything about that.
Too busy helping catch
dangerous criminals.
Speaking of,
Tom said it was the wrong guy.
- Let him go.
- Really?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, that description was spot-on.
Yup. Sure was.
I mean, we did all right in there.
Yeah, I guess.
Calian might've been right about you.
Wish I could say the same.
You need allies, Calian,
wherever you can find them.
Thought you two were riding off
into the sunset.
I thought about what you asked.
If there is anything I love
more than my life.
And there's not?
No, there is.
I love this town.
- What I've built here.
- Well
Sounds like running is not your answer.
And since I have no need for a
getaway horse
Yeah?
Hey.
Tell you what,
why don't you dish up some soup,
tell me about the Tong.
We're gonna need a plan.
Hey, bud.
Howdy.
Y'all got a meeting today?
- I brought cookies.
- We do.
We figured you'd be
with the Reyeses by now.
I'm gonna
run free for a little bit,
- I think.
- What about Lucia?
Look, she knows I gave it a fair try,
but if I drove another fence post,
- I was gonna drive us both mad.
- Very mature of you, Hoyt.
Rawlins. Well, I didn't expect
to be seeing you so soon.
He quit. You owe me two bits.
The hell?
I'm trying to be a better man,
y'all are taking bets.
Pay up, Deputy.
Thank you.
Abby?
What's wrong?
I I need to talk to you
about something that happened yesterday.
Abby, what's going on?
Well, um
I'm not sure Tom is the killer.