Heartland (CA) s02e09 Episode Script
Showdown!
Previously on "Heartland" Dad.
I didn't know where else to go.
You can go to hell for all I care.
Ashley, don't! First thing in the morning, I'm moving out.
If you need a place to stay for a few nights, you're welcome to sleep in one of the cabins.
I could work at the dude ranch.
You don't mind if I borrow your bull rider, do ya? He's all yours.
What are you afraid of? I'm like my dad.
I don't want to hurt you, Amy.
I guess I'm willing to risk that.
I'm not.
I I just need Amy, look! It's bad enough they're picking me up, but my mom said she has big news she can't tell me over the phone.
Mallory, you're driving me crazy.
What kind of news can't you tell me over the phone? Do you know how much work I have to do today? Are they having a baby? Are they getting a divorce? I have the five extra horses that Lou brought off that truck, plus the dude-ranch horses.
Yes.
Of course.
Uh-huh.
I will tell Ashley you called.
Okay.
-That Val Stanton? -Again.
You know, next time you offer someone a job at my dude ranch, you might want to check with me first.
Oh, my gosh! It's this song! I hate that song! Mallory, in case you've forgotten, that is your father.
Yeah, talking about the son he doesn't have.
I think I just puked in my mouth.
Cabin three just checked out, and they didn't even leave me a tip.
Look out for the cow.
It would be okay if he used a different last name.
[ Cow moos .]
See? Told you.
A cow.
Figured it had to be Stumpy's.
Lazy J.
Emphasis on the lazy.
Don't worry, Grandpa.
I'm on it.
Must have come through one of the holes in his fence.
Hey, you need a hand taking the steer back? No, I'll manage.
-Sure you don't want some help? -Nope.
You sure know how to take no for an answer.
[ Cow moos .]
Come on.
Come on.
Let's go.
Amy.
Look, you can't do it by yourself, so get over it.
Let's go.
Amy.
Amy.
[ Horse whinnies .]
What are you doing? I know you're mad at me, okay? I'm not mad at you! I don't know why you're here.
You're not helping me.
I want to talk to you.
We haven't had a chance to talk since that night.
What is there to talk about? You can't keep avoiding me, Amy.
I made a mistake.
It's not about you.
I was all messed up after I saw my dad! You don't have to yell at me! [ Cow moos .]
[ Horses neigh .]
And at the break of day You sank into your dream You dreamer You dreamer You dreamer All right, you ready, cow? Yeah, you're home.
Just hold on.
Let me get this off you here.
There you are.
There you go.
You're home.
Hey, Amy, check it out.
That's the same helicopter we saw.
What do you think? Oil or real estate? Yeah.
The usual suspects.
See ya.
It's pretty simple.
Remove and process soiled linens.
Clean and polish all fixtures.
Damp-mop floors and baseboards.
Reposition furniture.
Perform cobweb check.
Report stolen items.
Replace amenities.
And I think that's about it.
Any questions? I'm supposed to do all that? It's called multitasking, Ashley.
Next, the outhouse.
Ew! Ashley! I'll be right there.
[ In Spanish .]
: Hi, Rosalita.
It's Ashley.
Can you do me a favor? You see this? Tire tracks.
Cut fence.
It all adds up to one thing.
I'm thinking more work.
Damn city kids on their ATVs.
Tearing up ranchland, ripping down fences.
They got no respect for anything.
I want you to start riding these fence lines.
Keep them in good repair.
What about Ty? I got my hands pretty full now that Amy's gone back to school.
Ty's gonna be kind of busy for the next little while.
Here you go.
Vegetarian chili times two.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
Ah, Constable Rodriguez, I didn't actually take you for a vegetarian.
Oh, I'm not.
I'm just trying to impress you with what a sensitive guy I am.
-How's it working? -Not bad.
You know, for someone who carries a gun for a living.
Think you're going into the cattle business, you're going into the filling-out-forms business.
Nice to see you, too, Dad.
Do you have any idea how much paperwork I have to do? These RFI tags, registration forms, age verification.
Thank you, Soraya.
I mean, you want to talk about government interference.
What the hell is going on here? There's been an uptick in livestock theft in the last few weeks.
Isn't that why we brand our cattle? Yeah, but it's easy to change brands or brand over them.
So, I mean, all that paperwork's a necessary evil to keep track of ownership.
Yeah, I can see some low-level rustler looking at my cattle and saying, "Boys, we can't take that 'cause it's too well documented.
" Mark, this is my Dad.
Dad, this is my friend Mark.
Doing homework before school's even started? Keener.
I'm just trying to figure out who does what when I'm not here.
Well, so far we're doing just fine.
Just doing what has to be done when it needs to be done.
We're going to have to be a lot more organized now.
Well, just leave it to me.
You'd be surprised how reliable I can be.
It's good to know.
Ashley? Ashley? Ash ley.
"Have a fabuloso day.
Ashley Stanton, VP of Guest Services.
" Fabuloso? Mnn-hmm.
All right, so, I've got you booked in here for the second week of September, and I'll arrange for the trail rides.
- Mnn-hmm.
- for the trail rides.
What are you doing? Multitasking.
Isn't that what Guest Services is all about? Yes.
Yes.
Just ask for Ashley.
Perfect! Okay.
Bye-bye.
Don't worry, Lou.
I've taken care of the rooms and the outhouses.
And I've even entered the new bookings into your computer.
Wow.
You know what? I have to admit, I had my doubts about you.
But cabin three looks like it was cleaned by a professional.
I might even miss you when you go back to school.
Who says I'm going back? Okay, Ashley, you know what? I get what you're doing, okay? You want to be independent and everything, but seriously, dropping out of high school to work at a dude ranch? Excuse me? Didn't you drop out of life to run a dude ranch? It is hardly the same thing.
Whatever.
When the principal calls my mom and tells her I haven't shown up, she is going to be so P.
O.
'd.
[ Phone rings .]
I've got to take this.
Heartland Equestrian Connection.
Ashley speaking.
Hey, Jack, sorry we kept you waiting.
Some kind of roadblock.
Something about cattle.
It's good to see you two.
We had to open up the back of the van to prove we weren't smuggling cows along with the guitars, Well, speaking of which, that new song Yeah, we're getting a little bit of airplay.
A little bit.
Mom! Dad! -Oh, we missed you.
-Okay.
Okay.
I know you've got something to tell me.
I can handle it.
What do you mean, baby? Give your dad a hug.
The DNA came in and you're not really my parents? Come on! I know you've got something to tell me! Your daddy's got a gold record! Is that a fact? Can you believe it? Isn't that great? Funny thing.
Last time they checked cattle trucks was during that first mad-cow outbreak.
Well, Mark says that beef prices are directly related to cattle theft.
He's been reassigned to livestock fraud.
A fancy name for brand inspector.
Whatever.
A visible brand is your cow's only return address.
What? If Mallory were here, you know what she'd say.
You're dating Constable Rodriguez? No, she'd say, "It only took you how long to get over Scott?" So, we're talking rebound here? Actually, we're talking cows.
Son, l want to be just like you Go ahead, Jack.
Go, Caleb.
Suddenly, it came screaming down, right on the center line.
I had about a half-second to do something.
What kind of truck? A cattle liner.
Didn't even slow down.
Why would somebody be moving cattle in the middle of the night? Well, there's only one good reason.
It's those newly minted brand inspectors.
That's when they're home in bed fast asleep.
Now, I got a call first thing this morning.
Turns out Paul Bailey had his fence cut and lost half his herd.
Paul Bailey? That's Kit's dad.
Yeah.
The way things are going these days, he could lose his ranch.
Hey, Kit.
Hey.
How's it going? Okay.
I heard about what happened.
They backed up a truck and took off with over 50 head.
My dad had a lot of money wrapped up in those cows.
So, what are you going to do now? Ah, well, they were branded, so the police say they can track them, but my dad's not so sure.
And he doesn't want to lose any more, so that's why I'm out here checking the fences.
Hey, you all right? Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm okay.
You know what ranchers always say.
Next year will be better.
See ya.
[ Phone rings .]
Heartland Equestrian Connection.
No, this isn't Ashley.
It's Lou Fleming.
Fleming, the owner.
Yeah, okay.
I'll be sure to let her know.
No, no, thank you.
Okay, bye.
Mallory, what are you doing? You know how my parents had to talk to me in person? Yes, I heard.
The gold record.
That's incredible.
Yeah, and that's just the beginning.
You promise not to laugh? Okay.
No, you really have to promise not to laugh.
Like, not even an inwardly promise.
Like, you have to say it out loud.
Okay.
I cross my heart and hope to die.
What? I'm not laughing.
So, how do you like the new job? So far so good.
Yeah? What have they got you doing? Cleaning cabins? I'm VP of Guest Services.
I delegate.
Sweet.
Yeah, it's got its perks.
I can even have guests in my cabin if I wanted to.
Sounds good.
The timing's off.
I'm not saying never, just not now.
I think it's best for everyone involved just to stay friends.
Everyone involved? Who else is involved? Nobody.
At least not yet, but I've got high hopes.
You know, that smile's only going to get you so far.
Well, like you said, so far so good.
Guys, you've got to promise not to laugh.
Can't promise till I know what's going on.
I know what you're thinking.
It's like my nightmare in plaid.
I think she looks really cute in green.
A school uniform? Blessed Virgin Academy.
You know the news my parents couldn't tell me over the phone? It's because they're sending me to boarding school.
Blessed Virgin? Yeah, it's like a convent.
All girls.
Run by nuns.
Mallory, you're not even Catholic.
That's the least of my problems.
So, why are your parents sending you to boarding school? Apparently, when you get a gold record, you have to be on tour 2 4/7, so your sales don't slump, and the record company doesn't dump your butt.
At least, that's what my mom says.
I need some help here.
So, I suppose you want me to talk to your parents? Worked out good the last time.
Good for who? Frankly, I think it was the bad road food.
Fries, burgers, endless cups of bad coffee.
It cut off the blood supply to their brains.
What are you getting at? When you speak to them, speak slowly and use small words.
Whoa.
Just hold on, missy.
You see, the thing is I already have spoken to your parents.
Okay.
So when do I move back in? I didn't even unpack.
I can tell you that this whole boarding-school deal wasn't just a snap decision.
They did a lot of agonizing and a lot of research.
On how to make their daughter miserable? It's supposed to be an excellent school, Mallory.
And I'm sure that it's the best solution for the next little while.
How long is little? Well, it takes time to build a career in the music business.
Do the words "one-hit wonder" mean anything to you? Your parents want what's best for you, and you ought to want what's best for them.
And right now, that means striking while the iron's hot.
You actually believe that, Jack, do you? Mallory, you're old enough to give it a chance.
And if you can't hack it, well, then, we'll go to Plan B.
Now, get in.
What's Plan B? To come up with Plan C in a hurry.
[ Knocking .]
You remind me of your sister with all these schedules.
They're for you.
I talked to Caleb already.
He knows what to do.
You talked to Caleb, but you won't talk to me? He's got more experience with horses.
You know it's not about that, Amy.
You're not giving me a chance.
I gave you a chance, Ty.
Do you remember? -Amy! Amy! -Let go of me.
No, Amy, listen to me, okay? I was wrong that night.
I just -- I didn't want to hurt you.
Sometimes you say things and you do things, and you just can't go back from there.
Amy, please.
You say you don't want to hurt me, what do you think you're doing right now? I don't know what you said to her, Jack, but she has done a complete 180.
Oh, I just told her I was sick to death of seeing her face looking across the breakfast table at me.
Grandpa.
I might have mentioned that, well, you have her best interests at heart and that she ought to give you the benefit of the doubt.
I'm sure it's a wonderful school.
Don't worry.
I'll be back.
You know I'm gonna take good care of him.
He loves apples.
Don't forget his apples.
And take out the cores 'cause he hates seeds.
This isn't forever, Mallory.
You're gonna be back for Thanksgiving.
-Only four pizza Thursdays to go.
-And Christmas.
What if they're touring on Christmas, and they're in Vegas or something? And I'm the only kid left there, and I'm shivering alone in the dark because they turned off the light and the heat? Why are they doing this to me? I'm sure everything's going to be fine.
You're just saying that to make me feel better.
Is it working? Come here.
Have fun.
Bye, Jack.
That's good.
-Bye.
-Bye, Amy.
Mallory, you've said your good-byes, honey.
Let's go! Oh, my God! I can't believe I just did that.
It's okay, Mallory.
No! Now I really have to leave forever! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really gonna miss her.
How long do you think she'll last? Oh, I'm gonna say maybe two pizza Thursdays, tops.
Bye! [ Horn honks .]
Could see you from the top of the hill.
I didn't know it was you.
I didn't want to shoot first and ask questions later.
Seems like everyone's getting paranoid these days.
Jack's got me off checking fences.
Well, it's no joke when everything you've got is tied up in cattle.
I mean, you lose a couple of dozen, you can't pay your ranch hands.
Lose a couple of dozen more, you can't pay your mortgage.
Looks like somebody wants to get a real bird's-eye view.
Some pretty nice scenery out there.
No, they're not looking at scenery.
They're looking at my cattle.
You want to make a couple extra bucks? I think that's it.
Lou! How nice to see you.
Hi.
Stocking up? I hear you're taking in boarders.
Actually, I am running a corporate equine retreat.
Oh.
And you've hired my daughter.
I hope she's working out.
To tell you the truth, Val, she's working out very well.
Seriously, Lou.
Trading in show jumping for that trashy rodeo and running away from home to live in one of your bunkhouses? Let's just call that a little summer rebellion.
But scrubbing toilets for minimum wage? I mean, come on.
We don't have toilets.
We've opted instead for environmentally friendly outhouses.
Well, you know, just because you've managed to parlay your MBA into a Western theme park doesn't mean I'm gonna let you drag my daughter down with you.
You know, Val, I'm really glad we've had this chance to talk, because I'm finally beginning to understand why your own daughter doesn't return your phone calls.
I can't believe that summer is over, and we're actually back at school.
I can't believe we have homework on the first day.
Just a sec.
Amy! Wait up.
Oh, my God.
Queen of the rodeo? What does she want? Hey, I was going to give this to Ty, but maybe you could give it to him? Sure.
What is it? Application forms for the online courses.
Don't you think it's great, Ty finishing high school? Are you kidding? Ty? High school? Why didn't you tell me? It's all he's been talking about since his dad showed up.
I mean, who wants to be a ranch hand for the rest of their lives, right? But you know that.
No, actually, I didn't.
Things have sort of changed between us.
Ah, you know what? I'm just gonna You two need to -See ya.
-Bye.
Ah, you know, I don't know if this is the right time or anything, but if there's still something going on between you two No.
No, nothing's going on.
Nothing at all.
-Okay.
-Hurry up, Kit! -Bye.
-Come on! Great.
No, no, no! Please wait.
Hey, are you still doing night checks? Yeah, I guess.
What happened to Ty and Caleb picking up the slack so that you could focus on your schoolwork? I guess it's just easier to do it myself.
Everything's so complicated.
Somebody reads something into something that you never meant or didn't mean to say.
You know what? I know exactly what you mean.
Ever since I broke up with Scott, I just feel like this huge weight has been lifted, you know.
And now I feel like myself again.
And the last thing I need is some big, complicated relationship that just saps all my emotional energy.
Why are you all dressed up? Oh, I'm just trying this on.
Mark's taking me out on a date tomorrow.
He's funny.
He's old school when it comes to dating.
He likes it when I dress up, and he always insists on paying.
And he has this thing about punctuality.
Free and easy, huh, Lou? No complications.
Sounds perfect.
Still here? Jack had me out checking fences half the day.
I ran into your dad.
Nearly got thrown off of Shorty when a helicopter buzzed us.
Helicopter? Flying so low it could have given me a real bad haircut.
But your dad, he took it pretty serious.
Said he'd pay me to watch his herd.
Watch his herd? Caleb, do you have any idea how much work there is to do around here? You're going to go and sit and watch his cattle? I mean, can't he get someone else to do that? Easy, there.
Caleb, you promised me.
I got my job done.
I know exactly what's gonna happen.
You and Ty are going to be off watching his cattle, and I'm going to have to do everything.
What are you getting so worked up about? What happened to being reliable? What happened to "Leave things to me," huh? What was that about? Nothing.
Nothing? You think too much, Amy.
You know, you might be a whole lot happier if you just stop thinking.
You're going to love this place, Lou.
La Mariquita.
La Mariquita? Are you kidding me? Their pollo en molle is amazing.
Oh, so, let me guess.
You've been there? Do I have the right to remain silent? Well, you have the right to pretend you've never been to La Mariquita.
Wait here a sec, okay? I'm sorry.
Mark Rodriguez, RCMP.
What's going on here? Me and my boys are out checking on the herd, came up on a bunch of guys backing a liner onto my field, aiming to take my cows.
-Rustlers? -Uh-huh.
So you guys just decided to handle things yourselves? Scared them off.
No offense, Officer, but if I waited for the cops to show up, my cows would be halfway to Winnipeg by now.
Close them up! I totally forgot where I was.
I don't know what I'm doing.
You know what the best part about doing high school online is? Um, hmm.
You never have to eat lunch in the cafeteria.
No detentions.
-Oh, yes.
-That used to be my major.
Pretty good at those.
So, I talked to Amy.
About what? You.
And her.
I just wanted everything to be out in the open, you know.
What'd she say? She said there's nothing going on.
I guess there isn't.
At least, not with Amy.
Now, now, everybody, calm down! Everybody, everybody, just calm down, please! Please! Now, thank you.
Now, cattle thieves cannot sell stolen livestock without leaving a paper trail.
Now, that's where the RCMP comes in.
DNA, branding, registration make it virtually impossible.
So I'm supposed to let them steal my cattle while you guys are running around playing C.
S.
I.
? Why don't you do something before they steal my cattle? How about you just let Constable Rodriguez explain the best way to handle the situation? Thank you.
Now, I figure between all of you here, I must be looking at a significant amount of acreage.
You can understand the RCMP simply doesn't have the manpower.
Now, that's where you come in.
Do-it-yourself law enforcement.
Why are we paying taxes? It's all laid out in this pamphlet.
Keep an eye on your cattle.
Maintain a presence on the range at all times.
And call the hotline if you see any suspicious activity.
Call the hotline? Why don't I just call for a pizza? That's funny, Tim.
We didn't come here to listen to jokes.
These people could be armed, and they don't want to get caught.
Look, this isn't the Wild West.
So, whatever you do, if you see something, give us a call.
Don't get between a rustler and your livestock.
Hey, Rodriguez! Every cent my family has is tied up in cattle! Now I'm suppose to wait around for some rustler to come along and steal them? Look at this calf! It isn't DNA.
It isn't some number on an ear tag or some brand registration.
It's my whole damn life! I'm supposed to hope you show up in time to save it? Well, I don't know.
I don't want to put those boys at risk.
Oh, there's no risk.
All I want them to do is for what the good constable said.
Just report any comings and goings.
Make a call if they see anything.
I talked to Caleb about it already.
Well, I guess I can't tell them what to do on their own free time, as long as they've got their work done and Amy's.
You do know she's back at school? Yeah, of course I know.
Did you know that Lou's dating that cop? Ah, you got a problem with that? Well, if they weren't dating, I would have told him exactly what I thought of his do-nothing policy.
I think he got the general idea.
Do you mind moving over so I can sweep under there? It's okay, Soraya.
We're on our way out.
The next time anybody brings a cow into this place, I'm calling the cops.
Or worse.
I'm calling my mom.
-Morning.
-How's it going? Good.
Hey, how's school? It's good.
I thought maybe I could give you a drive.
We could catch up.
Sure, but I've got to talk to Ty and Caleb first, get things organized.
Well, Caleb's up at my place, looking at my cows.
And he's gonna switch with Ty in a while, so Did you ever think maybe you should have asked me first? What? Is that a problem? No, no problem.
Just I failed a course last year 'cause I didn't have time to study.
Honey, honey, it's just a few hours.
Oh, what, so, what, are you going to do my homework for me while I do their job? Well, I was pretty good at math.
So how come you can't figure out how many hours are in a day? What do you want from me? You move in next door, and you still have no clue what's going on in my life.
Maybe that's why I'm here.
Maybe this isn't about a ride.
Maybe it's about catching up.
Yeah, I'll take the bus.
Why didn't you tell me? About babysitting cows for my dad? Oh.
Yeah, he asked me and Caleb to go up to the end of Dudson Road.
It's no big deal.
No big deal? And who's gonna feed and water, muck out the stalls, turn out the horses? -I'll get it done, Amy.
-Oh, you'll get it done, while you're out sitting watching my dad's cows? You know, maybe Caleb's right, you do think too much.
Before you say anything just please hear me out.
I'm really, really sorry for what happened, for everything that happened.
Ashley, I didn't know where your horse would wind up.
All I want is for you to come home.
It's not my home.
It's just the place I used to live.
Oh, please, Ashley.
The principal called me to tell me you're not even going to school.
I mean, come on, I know you're mad at me, but don't ruin your whole life.
The cars, the horses, the credit cards.
Ashley, whatever it is you want, it's yours.
No, it's not mine.
It's yours.
And you've made that totally crystal clear.
Oh, God, Ashley, please, I'm begging you! No, you're bargaining, offering me whatever it is I want just so I'll come home.
No.
I don't know what else to do.
Nothing.
There's nothing you can do.
Ashley, come on.
You know, I used to wish that you'd be like all the other moms.
I just wanted my mom to love me like all the other kids.
But now I just want you to leave me alone.
Rosalita! Rosalita! Hey! I've been calling you, man.
Why don't you pick up your phone? No signal.
Kind of makes you long for the time when you had something more persuasive than a cell phone to protect yourself with.
At least the cows are still there.
You got another one of those? Aren't you supposed to be getting back? It's your shift.
What's your problem, man? -I've only got one sandwich.
-Oh.
Well, give me half.
I hope you like mustard.
I swear it was here.
Look, you see? Tire marks.
I'm not disagreeing with you, Ashley.
But the thing I'm wondering, what were you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be in school? Well, I have a job now.
Oh, right, yeah.
VP of Guest Services.
Well, without your mother's cleaning lady doing your work for you, the blush will come off of that rose pretty quick.
I've known your mom for a long time.
And I know she can be difficult, but I'm betting so can you.
So, you might want to meet her halfway.
Mind if I use your phone? Are you gonna call the cops? That's next, but right now I'm calling your mom.
What? What am I supposed to say to her? Well, you can start by saying hello.
Hello? Ty? Caleb? Great.
Come on, boy.
Let's go for a ride.
You got anything else? Nope.
Pretty much my lunch and dinner.
Well, I guess I best be heading back.
You know how Amy gets.
Don't start with me, man.
She's got some pretty high expectations these days.
I intend to meet every one of them.
Yeah, well, she's got some pretty high standards, too, so you're out of luck.
You got Kit.
What, you want Amy, too? -Hey, shut up! -'Cause she's moved on, man.
I said "shut up"! Oh, man.
So, let's make this quick! Come on! Now what? Well, I guess we won't be calling 911 anytime soon.
Let's get to the truck.
Let's move now.
Well, I called the hotline.
I told you, I don't feel good about leaving Ty and Caleb out there.
She say how big the trailer was? I'm talking about those two boys.
You're talking about a damn trailer? I just want to know how many cattle I stand to lose if those guys make another move.
[ Indistinct shouting in the distance .]
[ Horse neighs .]
Get out of here! Now, don't move.
Come on! Still nothing? Nope.
-We've got to do something.
-Like what? There's six of them and two of us.
We can't just sit here.
If we get down over there, then we can make a run for our trucks.
-Ready? -Okay.
Let's go.
Ready? Go! Whoa! What the hell's that? [ Horse neighs .]
Spartan! Amy! Come on! This way.
[ Cell phone rings .]
Amy, run! Ty, he's got a gun! Don't be stupid, boys.
Hey! Nobody move! Don't even think about it.
Grab his gun.
And the keys.
Dad! Dad! -Amy, go back! -Amy! No! I mean, come on, I know you're mad at me, Daddy! Hello! Hello! You need to send an ambulance.
Dad! You know the place.
Dad!
I didn't know where else to go.
You can go to hell for all I care.
Ashley, don't! First thing in the morning, I'm moving out.
If you need a place to stay for a few nights, you're welcome to sleep in one of the cabins.
I could work at the dude ranch.
You don't mind if I borrow your bull rider, do ya? He's all yours.
What are you afraid of? I'm like my dad.
I don't want to hurt you, Amy.
I guess I'm willing to risk that.
I'm not.
I I just need Amy, look! It's bad enough they're picking me up, but my mom said she has big news she can't tell me over the phone.
Mallory, you're driving me crazy.
What kind of news can't you tell me over the phone? Do you know how much work I have to do today? Are they having a baby? Are they getting a divorce? I have the five extra horses that Lou brought off that truck, plus the dude-ranch horses.
Yes.
Of course.
Uh-huh.
I will tell Ashley you called.
Okay.
-That Val Stanton? -Again.
You know, next time you offer someone a job at my dude ranch, you might want to check with me first.
Oh, my gosh! It's this song! I hate that song! Mallory, in case you've forgotten, that is your father.
Yeah, talking about the son he doesn't have.
I think I just puked in my mouth.
Cabin three just checked out, and they didn't even leave me a tip.
Look out for the cow.
It would be okay if he used a different last name.
[ Cow moos .]
See? Told you.
A cow.
Figured it had to be Stumpy's.
Lazy J.
Emphasis on the lazy.
Don't worry, Grandpa.
I'm on it.
Must have come through one of the holes in his fence.
Hey, you need a hand taking the steer back? No, I'll manage.
-Sure you don't want some help? -Nope.
You sure know how to take no for an answer.
[ Cow moos .]
Come on.
Come on.
Let's go.
Amy.
Look, you can't do it by yourself, so get over it.
Let's go.
Amy.
Amy.
[ Horse whinnies .]
What are you doing? I know you're mad at me, okay? I'm not mad at you! I don't know why you're here.
You're not helping me.
I want to talk to you.
We haven't had a chance to talk since that night.
What is there to talk about? You can't keep avoiding me, Amy.
I made a mistake.
It's not about you.
I was all messed up after I saw my dad! You don't have to yell at me! [ Cow moos .]
[ Horses neigh .]
And at the break of day You sank into your dream You dreamer You dreamer You dreamer All right, you ready, cow? Yeah, you're home.
Just hold on.
Let me get this off you here.
There you are.
There you go.
You're home.
Hey, Amy, check it out.
That's the same helicopter we saw.
What do you think? Oil or real estate? Yeah.
The usual suspects.
See ya.
It's pretty simple.
Remove and process soiled linens.
Clean and polish all fixtures.
Damp-mop floors and baseboards.
Reposition furniture.
Perform cobweb check.
Report stolen items.
Replace amenities.
And I think that's about it.
Any questions? I'm supposed to do all that? It's called multitasking, Ashley.
Next, the outhouse.
Ew! Ashley! I'll be right there.
[ In Spanish .]
: Hi, Rosalita.
It's Ashley.
Can you do me a favor? You see this? Tire tracks.
Cut fence.
It all adds up to one thing.
I'm thinking more work.
Damn city kids on their ATVs.
Tearing up ranchland, ripping down fences.
They got no respect for anything.
I want you to start riding these fence lines.
Keep them in good repair.
What about Ty? I got my hands pretty full now that Amy's gone back to school.
Ty's gonna be kind of busy for the next little while.
Here you go.
Vegetarian chili times two.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
Ah, Constable Rodriguez, I didn't actually take you for a vegetarian.
Oh, I'm not.
I'm just trying to impress you with what a sensitive guy I am.
-How's it working? -Not bad.
You know, for someone who carries a gun for a living.
Think you're going into the cattle business, you're going into the filling-out-forms business.
Nice to see you, too, Dad.
Do you have any idea how much paperwork I have to do? These RFI tags, registration forms, age verification.
Thank you, Soraya.
I mean, you want to talk about government interference.
What the hell is going on here? There's been an uptick in livestock theft in the last few weeks.
Isn't that why we brand our cattle? Yeah, but it's easy to change brands or brand over them.
So, I mean, all that paperwork's a necessary evil to keep track of ownership.
Yeah, I can see some low-level rustler looking at my cattle and saying, "Boys, we can't take that 'cause it's too well documented.
" Mark, this is my Dad.
Dad, this is my friend Mark.
Doing homework before school's even started? Keener.
I'm just trying to figure out who does what when I'm not here.
Well, so far we're doing just fine.
Just doing what has to be done when it needs to be done.
We're going to have to be a lot more organized now.
Well, just leave it to me.
You'd be surprised how reliable I can be.
It's good to know.
Ashley? Ashley? Ash ley.
"Have a fabuloso day.
Ashley Stanton, VP of Guest Services.
" Fabuloso? Mnn-hmm.
All right, so, I've got you booked in here for the second week of September, and I'll arrange for the trail rides.
- Mnn-hmm.
- for the trail rides.
What are you doing? Multitasking.
Isn't that what Guest Services is all about? Yes.
Yes.
Just ask for Ashley.
Perfect! Okay.
Bye-bye.
Don't worry, Lou.
I've taken care of the rooms and the outhouses.
And I've even entered the new bookings into your computer.
Wow.
You know what? I have to admit, I had my doubts about you.
But cabin three looks like it was cleaned by a professional.
I might even miss you when you go back to school.
Who says I'm going back? Okay, Ashley, you know what? I get what you're doing, okay? You want to be independent and everything, but seriously, dropping out of high school to work at a dude ranch? Excuse me? Didn't you drop out of life to run a dude ranch? It is hardly the same thing.
Whatever.
When the principal calls my mom and tells her I haven't shown up, she is going to be so P.
O.
'd.
[ Phone rings .]
I've got to take this.
Heartland Equestrian Connection.
Ashley speaking.
Hey, Jack, sorry we kept you waiting.
Some kind of roadblock.
Something about cattle.
It's good to see you two.
We had to open up the back of the van to prove we weren't smuggling cows along with the guitars, Well, speaking of which, that new song Yeah, we're getting a little bit of airplay.
A little bit.
Mom! Dad! -Oh, we missed you.
-Okay.
Okay.
I know you've got something to tell me.
I can handle it.
What do you mean, baby? Give your dad a hug.
The DNA came in and you're not really my parents? Come on! I know you've got something to tell me! Your daddy's got a gold record! Is that a fact? Can you believe it? Isn't that great? Funny thing.
Last time they checked cattle trucks was during that first mad-cow outbreak.
Well, Mark says that beef prices are directly related to cattle theft.
He's been reassigned to livestock fraud.
A fancy name for brand inspector.
Whatever.
A visible brand is your cow's only return address.
What? If Mallory were here, you know what she'd say.
You're dating Constable Rodriguez? No, she'd say, "It only took you how long to get over Scott?" So, we're talking rebound here? Actually, we're talking cows.
Son, l want to be just like you Go ahead, Jack.
Go, Caleb.
Suddenly, it came screaming down, right on the center line.
I had about a half-second to do something.
What kind of truck? A cattle liner.
Didn't even slow down.
Why would somebody be moving cattle in the middle of the night? Well, there's only one good reason.
It's those newly minted brand inspectors.
That's when they're home in bed fast asleep.
Now, I got a call first thing this morning.
Turns out Paul Bailey had his fence cut and lost half his herd.
Paul Bailey? That's Kit's dad.
Yeah.
The way things are going these days, he could lose his ranch.
Hey, Kit.
Hey.
How's it going? Okay.
I heard about what happened.
They backed up a truck and took off with over 50 head.
My dad had a lot of money wrapped up in those cows.
So, what are you going to do now? Ah, well, they were branded, so the police say they can track them, but my dad's not so sure.
And he doesn't want to lose any more, so that's why I'm out here checking the fences.
Hey, you all right? Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm okay.
You know what ranchers always say.
Next year will be better.
See ya.
[ Phone rings .]
Heartland Equestrian Connection.
No, this isn't Ashley.
It's Lou Fleming.
Fleming, the owner.
Yeah, okay.
I'll be sure to let her know.
No, no, thank you.
Okay, bye.
Mallory, what are you doing? You know how my parents had to talk to me in person? Yes, I heard.
The gold record.
That's incredible.
Yeah, and that's just the beginning.
You promise not to laugh? Okay.
No, you really have to promise not to laugh.
Like, not even an inwardly promise.
Like, you have to say it out loud.
Okay.
I cross my heart and hope to die.
What? I'm not laughing.
So, how do you like the new job? So far so good.
Yeah? What have they got you doing? Cleaning cabins? I'm VP of Guest Services.
I delegate.
Sweet.
Yeah, it's got its perks.
I can even have guests in my cabin if I wanted to.
Sounds good.
The timing's off.
I'm not saying never, just not now.
I think it's best for everyone involved just to stay friends.
Everyone involved? Who else is involved? Nobody.
At least not yet, but I've got high hopes.
You know, that smile's only going to get you so far.
Well, like you said, so far so good.
Guys, you've got to promise not to laugh.
Can't promise till I know what's going on.
I know what you're thinking.
It's like my nightmare in plaid.
I think she looks really cute in green.
A school uniform? Blessed Virgin Academy.
You know the news my parents couldn't tell me over the phone? It's because they're sending me to boarding school.
Blessed Virgin? Yeah, it's like a convent.
All girls.
Run by nuns.
Mallory, you're not even Catholic.
That's the least of my problems.
So, why are your parents sending you to boarding school? Apparently, when you get a gold record, you have to be on tour 2 4/7, so your sales don't slump, and the record company doesn't dump your butt.
At least, that's what my mom says.
I need some help here.
So, I suppose you want me to talk to your parents? Worked out good the last time.
Good for who? Frankly, I think it was the bad road food.
Fries, burgers, endless cups of bad coffee.
It cut off the blood supply to their brains.
What are you getting at? When you speak to them, speak slowly and use small words.
Whoa.
Just hold on, missy.
You see, the thing is I already have spoken to your parents.
Okay.
So when do I move back in? I didn't even unpack.
I can tell you that this whole boarding-school deal wasn't just a snap decision.
They did a lot of agonizing and a lot of research.
On how to make their daughter miserable? It's supposed to be an excellent school, Mallory.
And I'm sure that it's the best solution for the next little while.
How long is little? Well, it takes time to build a career in the music business.
Do the words "one-hit wonder" mean anything to you? Your parents want what's best for you, and you ought to want what's best for them.
And right now, that means striking while the iron's hot.
You actually believe that, Jack, do you? Mallory, you're old enough to give it a chance.
And if you can't hack it, well, then, we'll go to Plan B.
Now, get in.
What's Plan B? To come up with Plan C in a hurry.
[ Knocking .]
You remind me of your sister with all these schedules.
They're for you.
I talked to Caleb already.
He knows what to do.
You talked to Caleb, but you won't talk to me? He's got more experience with horses.
You know it's not about that, Amy.
You're not giving me a chance.
I gave you a chance, Ty.
Do you remember? -Amy! Amy! -Let go of me.
No, Amy, listen to me, okay? I was wrong that night.
I just -- I didn't want to hurt you.
Sometimes you say things and you do things, and you just can't go back from there.
Amy, please.
You say you don't want to hurt me, what do you think you're doing right now? I don't know what you said to her, Jack, but she has done a complete 180.
Oh, I just told her I was sick to death of seeing her face looking across the breakfast table at me.
Grandpa.
I might have mentioned that, well, you have her best interests at heart and that she ought to give you the benefit of the doubt.
I'm sure it's a wonderful school.
Don't worry.
I'll be back.
You know I'm gonna take good care of him.
He loves apples.
Don't forget his apples.
And take out the cores 'cause he hates seeds.
This isn't forever, Mallory.
You're gonna be back for Thanksgiving.
-Only four pizza Thursdays to go.
-And Christmas.
What if they're touring on Christmas, and they're in Vegas or something? And I'm the only kid left there, and I'm shivering alone in the dark because they turned off the light and the heat? Why are they doing this to me? I'm sure everything's going to be fine.
You're just saying that to make me feel better.
Is it working? Come here.
Have fun.
Bye, Jack.
That's good.
-Bye.
-Bye, Amy.
Mallory, you've said your good-byes, honey.
Let's go! Oh, my God! I can't believe I just did that.
It's okay, Mallory.
No! Now I really have to leave forever! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really gonna miss her.
How long do you think she'll last? Oh, I'm gonna say maybe two pizza Thursdays, tops.
Bye! [ Horn honks .]
Could see you from the top of the hill.
I didn't know it was you.
I didn't want to shoot first and ask questions later.
Seems like everyone's getting paranoid these days.
Jack's got me off checking fences.
Well, it's no joke when everything you've got is tied up in cattle.
I mean, you lose a couple of dozen, you can't pay your ranch hands.
Lose a couple of dozen more, you can't pay your mortgage.
Looks like somebody wants to get a real bird's-eye view.
Some pretty nice scenery out there.
No, they're not looking at scenery.
They're looking at my cattle.
You want to make a couple extra bucks? I think that's it.
Lou! How nice to see you.
Hi.
Stocking up? I hear you're taking in boarders.
Actually, I am running a corporate equine retreat.
Oh.
And you've hired my daughter.
I hope she's working out.
To tell you the truth, Val, she's working out very well.
Seriously, Lou.
Trading in show jumping for that trashy rodeo and running away from home to live in one of your bunkhouses? Let's just call that a little summer rebellion.
But scrubbing toilets for minimum wage? I mean, come on.
We don't have toilets.
We've opted instead for environmentally friendly outhouses.
Well, you know, just because you've managed to parlay your MBA into a Western theme park doesn't mean I'm gonna let you drag my daughter down with you.
You know, Val, I'm really glad we've had this chance to talk, because I'm finally beginning to understand why your own daughter doesn't return your phone calls.
I can't believe that summer is over, and we're actually back at school.
I can't believe we have homework on the first day.
Just a sec.
Amy! Wait up.
Oh, my God.
Queen of the rodeo? What does she want? Hey, I was going to give this to Ty, but maybe you could give it to him? Sure.
What is it? Application forms for the online courses.
Don't you think it's great, Ty finishing high school? Are you kidding? Ty? High school? Why didn't you tell me? It's all he's been talking about since his dad showed up.
I mean, who wants to be a ranch hand for the rest of their lives, right? But you know that.
No, actually, I didn't.
Things have sort of changed between us.
Ah, you know what? I'm just gonna You two need to -See ya.
-Bye.
Ah, you know, I don't know if this is the right time or anything, but if there's still something going on between you two No.
No, nothing's going on.
Nothing at all.
-Okay.
-Hurry up, Kit! -Bye.
-Come on! Great.
No, no, no! Please wait.
Hey, are you still doing night checks? Yeah, I guess.
What happened to Ty and Caleb picking up the slack so that you could focus on your schoolwork? I guess it's just easier to do it myself.
Everything's so complicated.
Somebody reads something into something that you never meant or didn't mean to say.
You know what? I know exactly what you mean.
Ever since I broke up with Scott, I just feel like this huge weight has been lifted, you know.
And now I feel like myself again.
And the last thing I need is some big, complicated relationship that just saps all my emotional energy.
Why are you all dressed up? Oh, I'm just trying this on.
Mark's taking me out on a date tomorrow.
He's funny.
He's old school when it comes to dating.
He likes it when I dress up, and he always insists on paying.
And he has this thing about punctuality.
Free and easy, huh, Lou? No complications.
Sounds perfect.
Still here? Jack had me out checking fences half the day.
I ran into your dad.
Nearly got thrown off of Shorty when a helicopter buzzed us.
Helicopter? Flying so low it could have given me a real bad haircut.
But your dad, he took it pretty serious.
Said he'd pay me to watch his herd.
Watch his herd? Caleb, do you have any idea how much work there is to do around here? You're going to go and sit and watch his cattle? I mean, can't he get someone else to do that? Easy, there.
Caleb, you promised me.
I got my job done.
I know exactly what's gonna happen.
You and Ty are going to be off watching his cattle, and I'm going to have to do everything.
What are you getting so worked up about? What happened to being reliable? What happened to "Leave things to me," huh? What was that about? Nothing.
Nothing? You think too much, Amy.
You know, you might be a whole lot happier if you just stop thinking.
You're going to love this place, Lou.
La Mariquita.
La Mariquita? Are you kidding me? Their pollo en molle is amazing.
Oh, so, let me guess.
You've been there? Do I have the right to remain silent? Well, you have the right to pretend you've never been to La Mariquita.
Wait here a sec, okay? I'm sorry.
Mark Rodriguez, RCMP.
What's going on here? Me and my boys are out checking on the herd, came up on a bunch of guys backing a liner onto my field, aiming to take my cows.
-Rustlers? -Uh-huh.
So you guys just decided to handle things yourselves? Scared them off.
No offense, Officer, but if I waited for the cops to show up, my cows would be halfway to Winnipeg by now.
Close them up! I totally forgot where I was.
I don't know what I'm doing.
You know what the best part about doing high school online is? Um, hmm.
You never have to eat lunch in the cafeteria.
No detentions.
-Oh, yes.
-That used to be my major.
Pretty good at those.
So, I talked to Amy.
About what? You.
And her.
I just wanted everything to be out in the open, you know.
What'd she say? She said there's nothing going on.
I guess there isn't.
At least, not with Amy.
Now, now, everybody, calm down! Everybody, everybody, just calm down, please! Please! Now, thank you.
Now, cattle thieves cannot sell stolen livestock without leaving a paper trail.
Now, that's where the RCMP comes in.
DNA, branding, registration make it virtually impossible.
So I'm supposed to let them steal my cattle while you guys are running around playing C.
S.
I.
? Why don't you do something before they steal my cattle? How about you just let Constable Rodriguez explain the best way to handle the situation? Thank you.
Now, I figure between all of you here, I must be looking at a significant amount of acreage.
You can understand the RCMP simply doesn't have the manpower.
Now, that's where you come in.
Do-it-yourself law enforcement.
Why are we paying taxes? It's all laid out in this pamphlet.
Keep an eye on your cattle.
Maintain a presence on the range at all times.
And call the hotline if you see any suspicious activity.
Call the hotline? Why don't I just call for a pizza? That's funny, Tim.
We didn't come here to listen to jokes.
These people could be armed, and they don't want to get caught.
Look, this isn't the Wild West.
So, whatever you do, if you see something, give us a call.
Don't get between a rustler and your livestock.
Hey, Rodriguez! Every cent my family has is tied up in cattle! Now I'm suppose to wait around for some rustler to come along and steal them? Look at this calf! It isn't DNA.
It isn't some number on an ear tag or some brand registration.
It's my whole damn life! I'm supposed to hope you show up in time to save it? Well, I don't know.
I don't want to put those boys at risk.
Oh, there's no risk.
All I want them to do is for what the good constable said.
Just report any comings and goings.
Make a call if they see anything.
I talked to Caleb about it already.
Well, I guess I can't tell them what to do on their own free time, as long as they've got their work done and Amy's.
You do know she's back at school? Yeah, of course I know.
Did you know that Lou's dating that cop? Ah, you got a problem with that? Well, if they weren't dating, I would have told him exactly what I thought of his do-nothing policy.
I think he got the general idea.
Do you mind moving over so I can sweep under there? It's okay, Soraya.
We're on our way out.
The next time anybody brings a cow into this place, I'm calling the cops.
Or worse.
I'm calling my mom.
-Morning.
-How's it going? Good.
Hey, how's school? It's good.
I thought maybe I could give you a drive.
We could catch up.
Sure, but I've got to talk to Ty and Caleb first, get things organized.
Well, Caleb's up at my place, looking at my cows.
And he's gonna switch with Ty in a while, so Did you ever think maybe you should have asked me first? What? Is that a problem? No, no problem.
Just I failed a course last year 'cause I didn't have time to study.
Honey, honey, it's just a few hours.
Oh, what, so, what, are you going to do my homework for me while I do their job? Well, I was pretty good at math.
So how come you can't figure out how many hours are in a day? What do you want from me? You move in next door, and you still have no clue what's going on in my life.
Maybe that's why I'm here.
Maybe this isn't about a ride.
Maybe it's about catching up.
Yeah, I'll take the bus.
Why didn't you tell me? About babysitting cows for my dad? Oh.
Yeah, he asked me and Caleb to go up to the end of Dudson Road.
It's no big deal.
No big deal? And who's gonna feed and water, muck out the stalls, turn out the horses? -I'll get it done, Amy.
-Oh, you'll get it done, while you're out sitting watching my dad's cows? You know, maybe Caleb's right, you do think too much.
Before you say anything just please hear me out.
I'm really, really sorry for what happened, for everything that happened.
Ashley, I didn't know where your horse would wind up.
All I want is for you to come home.
It's not my home.
It's just the place I used to live.
Oh, please, Ashley.
The principal called me to tell me you're not even going to school.
I mean, come on, I know you're mad at me, but don't ruin your whole life.
The cars, the horses, the credit cards.
Ashley, whatever it is you want, it's yours.
No, it's not mine.
It's yours.
And you've made that totally crystal clear.
Oh, God, Ashley, please, I'm begging you! No, you're bargaining, offering me whatever it is I want just so I'll come home.
No.
I don't know what else to do.
Nothing.
There's nothing you can do.
Ashley, come on.
You know, I used to wish that you'd be like all the other moms.
I just wanted my mom to love me like all the other kids.
But now I just want you to leave me alone.
Rosalita! Rosalita! Hey! I've been calling you, man.
Why don't you pick up your phone? No signal.
Kind of makes you long for the time when you had something more persuasive than a cell phone to protect yourself with.
At least the cows are still there.
You got another one of those? Aren't you supposed to be getting back? It's your shift.
What's your problem, man? -I've only got one sandwich.
-Oh.
Well, give me half.
I hope you like mustard.
I swear it was here.
Look, you see? Tire marks.
I'm not disagreeing with you, Ashley.
But the thing I'm wondering, what were you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be in school? Well, I have a job now.
Oh, right, yeah.
VP of Guest Services.
Well, without your mother's cleaning lady doing your work for you, the blush will come off of that rose pretty quick.
I've known your mom for a long time.
And I know she can be difficult, but I'm betting so can you.
So, you might want to meet her halfway.
Mind if I use your phone? Are you gonna call the cops? That's next, but right now I'm calling your mom.
What? What am I supposed to say to her? Well, you can start by saying hello.
Hello? Ty? Caleb? Great.
Come on, boy.
Let's go for a ride.
You got anything else? Nope.
Pretty much my lunch and dinner.
Well, I guess I best be heading back.
You know how Amy gets.
Don't start with me, man.
She's got some pretty high expectations these days.
I intend to meet every one of them.
Yeah, well, she's got some pretty high standards, too, so you're out of luck.
You got Kit.
What, you want Amy, too? -Hey, shut up! -'Cause she's moved on, man.
I said "shut up"! Oh, man.
So, let's make this quick! Come on! Now what? Well, I guess we won't be calling 911 anytime soon.
Let's get to the truck.
Let's move now.
Well, I called the hotline.
I told you, I don't feel good about leaving Ty and Caleb out there.
She say how big the trailer was? I'm talking about those two boys.
You're talking about a damn trailer? I just want to know how many cattle I stand to lose if those guys make another move.
[ Indistinct shouting in the distance .]
[ Horse neighs .]
Get out of here! Now, don't move.
Come on! Still nothing? Nope.
-We've got to do something.
-Like what? There's six of them and two of us.
We can't just sit here.
If we get down over there, then we can make a run for our trucks.
-Ready? -Okay.
Let's go.
Ready? Go! Whoa! What the hell's that? [ Horse neighs .]
Spartan! Amy! Come on! This way.
[ Cell phone rings .]
Amy, run! Ty, he's got a gun! Don't be stupid, boys.
Hey! Nobody move! Don't even think about it.
Grab his gun.
And the keys.
Dad! Dad! -Amy, go back! -Amy! No! I mean, come on, I know you're mad at me, Daddy! Hello! Hello! You need to send an ambulance.
Dad! You know the place.
Dad!