Longmire s02e11 Episode Script

Previously on Longmire *** I promised Henry I'd go get *** *** Cady *** Is it because of me? *** Hey, Walt.
You won.
- What? - The election.
Cady is awake.
Dad.
You look like hell.
You scared me, punk.
Ah, so, any news? Actually, uh yeah.
Looks like my daughter's out of the woods.
Well, that's great.
Yeah.
Uh, sorry, um, I don't think you guys have met.
Troy, this is Sheriff Longmire.
You're number 44.
They still have your jersey in a trophy case at school.
Thing's almost an antique.
Your dad tells me you're a pretty good player.
I'm a running back.
And hopefully, we'll have him on the field soon.
Doctors have finally figured out that Troy has some kind of degenerative muscle disease.
Wasting sickness, they call it.
Not the best of diagnosis, but it's a step in the right direction.
At least we know now what to fight.
Sheriff? There's a phone call for you.
Excuse me.
Sure.
- Hello? - Hey, Walt.
Ruby told me that Cady's awake.
I'm so glad.
Thanks, Vic.
Uh, yeah, she's doing better.
Is that why you called? It's not the only reason, but, uh, I shouldn't have bothered you.
What is it, Vic? It's nothing.
Uh, you should stay there with Cady.
She's resting.
And besides, I've been here for hours.
She could use a break from her dad hanging around.
Ruby can stay with her a while.
What's up? This is Connor Redding.
He's a game warden.
This entire area was part of his patrol.
He was found by bird watchers.
Hey, sheriff.
I gave fish and game the heads up.
This is Devin Gaines.
Appreciate you coming down so fast.
I gather you worked with the victim.
Yeah, I, uh, hired him.
Connor and I were pretty close.
He came out here from Alaska about a year ago with his wife.
They've got a baby girl.
She's only 2.
Looks like he took two stab wounds to the chest.
Deep cuts.
Probably from a hunting knife.
What about our other victim? The elk? Elk season's a month off.
Means this is also a murder.
Considering all the hunting we got out here, it's pretty easy for game wardens to make enemies fast.
Most hunters respect what we do, but there are always a few idiots who don't like having to abide by rules.
Anyone in particular you know? I spent a month trying to catch this one poacher.
He's been killing a lot of elk out of season and taking their heads as some kind of trophy.
This looks like his handiwork.
I've searched the area.
Guy's got serious skills.
Knows where to go, how to cover his tracks.
Looks like Connor probably, uh, caught him in the act, so Wait, so, a guy gets caught killing elk out of season and resorts to murder? It just seems like a lot of risk to put a head on a wall.
If the killer was looking to mount the elk head, he'd need to do it quickly.
Nice job.
Oh, hey.
Yeah.
You'd never know they weren't swimming.
I got more for sale if you're looking to buy.
Actually, I'm more interested in elk today.
Anyone come in recently to have a head mounted? Well, they'd have to be pretty dumb to do so.
I keep a close eye on the calendar.
Anybody comes in with an elk even a day before the season opens, I put in a call to fish and game.
You could risk losing your whole business working with poachers.
I'm sure there are some taxidermists who don't mind, if they're offered enough money.
All the other shops are closed till the fall, when elk and deer season's opened.
That's when we make most of our money mounting heads.
You mind if we finish this outside? I want to let this guy dry out in the open air.
That works.
Summers are tough.
Not a huge market for 13-inch rainbows, as you can see.
But I got a firewood business that lets me stay open year-round.
Well, keep an eye out for me, Lee.
Anyone brings in an elk head, you give me a call.
Yeah, will do, sheriff.
Oh, hey.
I've got a broken deer head back at the station, and I'm not sure it can be fixed, but I'd appreciate it if you'd take a look for me.
Oh, I'd be happy to.
Hey, Lee.
Hey, I just picked up a big load of scrap wood.
Figured you might be able to sell some of it for kindling.
Hey, Cady.
Do I know you? I'm sorry.
I've had a head injury.
I don't remember certain people.
I'm sorry.
Ow.
I'm sorry, it was too good.
I like to think I'm kind of hard to forget.
Oh.
How you feeling? Okay.
But they have me doped up to the gills, and I really haven't tried moving around yet, so Do you, uh, remember anything about the accident? You know how you got that flat tire? Honestly, I-I don't remember anything from that day.
It's a total blank.
Um, is your, uh is your dad around? No.
He got called into work, thank God.
He's been great -- it's just hard to rest when someone is staring at you.
Oh, he got called into work, which means that he won.
It was close.
Really? Mm-hmm.
Really close.
You're not wearing your uniform.
Does that mean you were fired? He hasn't asked me to leave, if that's what you're wondering.
Have you asked him to stay? Did you dress your wounds? Yeah, I used some of that men-wake you gave me.
Thanks.
I'm fine.
It will leave a mark.
Mm.
Yeah, I figured it might.
Henry.
Walt.
Whoa.
You go surfing? Very funny.
Uh, you heard stories about anyone poaching any elk lately? Well, if I had, you'd have heard about it.
Of course, if I had it my way, they'd be shot on sight.
Poachers are the lowest of the low.
They got no regard for natural law.
There's a time to kill things and a time to let them thrive.
Thank goodness you have appointed yourself the protector of natural law.
Natural law isn't my usual jurisdiction, but, uh this poacher didn't stop with the elk.
He also killed a game warden.
Which one? Connor Redding.
Aw, shoot.
Young kid.
Good guy.
What was this poacher after? Meat? Don't think so.
Head was gone, body was left behind.
Looks like whoever it was was after a trophy.
Not much of a trophy.
This time of year, the antlers are barely starting to grow.
No.
Most head hunters wouldn't even bother.
Most poachers don't partially gut the animal, either, unless they were after something else.
You mind if I take a look at this elk? Yeah.
Yeah, just as I suspected.
Pancreas is missing.
That would also explain why the poacher took the head.
He wanted antler velvet.
Not following you, Omar.
You ever hear of elk velvetine? I've heard of antler velvet, but not velvetine.
It's one of those new-age Chinese supplements.
Elk pancreas and antler velvet are the two main ingredients you need to make the stuff.
You saying this hunter was killing elk for its medicinal properties? Well, there's a big, big market in herbal medicines if you can find the raw materials.
These Chinese companies hire a few hunters to -- well, kind of like medical mercenaries.
These guys go all over the world killing animals just so these companies can make their remedies.
Mm.
How do these Chinese companies find their poachers? Wait a minute.
I know how one guy tried.
About a month ago, I had a Chinese guy on one of my trips -- Mr.
Chen.
Couldn't shoot worth a damn, but he sure seemed keen on killing an elk.
Even offered me some cash to do it for him.
What did you tell him? No, of course.
Well, looks like someone said yes.
Hey, punk.
How you feeling? The same as I was a few hours ago.
I'm fine, dad.
Well, uh, Henry gave me his cellphone, so I thought I'd give you a call, see if you needed anything.
Don't worry about me.
You have plenty on your plate.
Ruby stopped by earlier and told me everything.
Sounds crazy.
Okay, uh, I'll call you later, or you can call me 'cause, um, I got a cellphone now.
Uh, okay, you get some rest.
Okay, I will.
I love you.
Bye.
Bye.
What? You had to give him your cellphone? - Ruby.
- Hi, Walt.
Lee.
I didn't think there was much hope left for him.
Oh, I think there's a little life left in him.
Try and take it easy on him, though.
Yeah.
Thanks.
Show me the bill when you get a chance.
Yeah, no problem.
Want me to hang him back up for you? Sure.
Thanks.
This name that Omar gave you -- Mr.
Chen.
It's got to be an alias.
This guy's a ghost.
Paid Omar in cash, so there's no way to trace his receipts.
And the address and the phone number that he listed on the registry -- they're fakes, as well.
Omar give you a physical description? Yeah, mm-hmm.
It was useless.
And politically incorrect.
Walt! I found some information on elk velvetine.
Check in with the other hunting outfitters in town, see if Chen booked any trips with them or if he's got any updated contact information.
Also, question as many of the guides as you can.
If Chen hired any of them to poach for him, that might be our killer.
All right, Ruby.
Shoot.
Well, according to these articles, the nearest place you can buy velvetine is China.
Now, you can get a little bit online from those shady Canadian pharmacies.
But look -- a tiny little bottle is more expensive than my car payments.
So, if Mr.
Chen found a way to produce it in the U.
S.
, he could make a lot of money.
Man, they use this stuff for everything.
Cancer patients use it to re-grow muscle, eases arthritis in old people.
They claim pro football players are taking it instead of steroids.
But there are other side effects.
Huh.
Arrhythmia, severe cramping, increase of something called wasting sickness, and high blood pressure.
Huh.
Thank you.
Get some rest.
Thought you guys could use some new reading material.
Already read through it twice.
Well, thanks.
That's -- that's awful nice.
Uh, I'll give Troy first dibs.
I was just heading to the cafeteria.
Why don't you stay and talk some football? Phil Steele's College Football Preview.
Thank you.
So, what schools are you thinking about? I wanted to go to Oregon.
I still do if I ever get out of here.
They even had scouts looking at me last year.
Oh.
All that attention from top programs, you probably put a lot of pressure on yourself.
Do what you got to do.
Lot of boys in your position tend to go the extra mile to impress the scouts.
Extra workouts, protein diets.
Some of them even try supplements.
You ever heard of something called velvetine? Yeah.
I heard, uh, pro and college players use it, right? Yeah.
How about you? No.
Troy, the way I see things, your chances of playing college ball are pretty slim if you don't get out of this bed.
Now, the wasting sickness you have, velvetine can cause that.
If you used it, you should tell the doctors.
They may be able to help you play again.
I just need to know where you got it.
There's at least 20 hunting guides in this town that need to be questioned.
Don't you have to give, like, two weeks' notice or something if you're quitting? I don't know what I'm doing yet.
There's stuff I need to figure out.
So, while you're out soul searching, I'm on my own? What can I say? You should've voted for me.
Yeah, whatever.
Hey.
I'm, uh, looking for the owner -- Rosco Wilkes.
You found her.
My dad wanted a boy.
How can I help you? Uh How many hunting guides do you have on staff? High season, six, but this time of year, ain't that much hunting to guide, so I only got one -- Keith Dixon.
He's up in the big horns.
Left two days ago to scout fishing holes for a client.
He got a cellphone up there? He's got a radio in his truck.
Checks in at night.
Is there some kind of trouble? I'm gonna need some information about a possible client.
Did a Mr.
Chen book a hunting trip with you guys? Name doesn't sound familiar.
Oh, is he one of these guys? You know, it would help if I knew what he looked like.
I could check the registry, see if we got any record of him.
That'd be great.
Thanks.
It's a shame about Troy.
Kid with natural talent like that, as a coach, you're lucky if you see that four, maybe five times in your career.
Could've played Division-I ball.
He could've taken you with him.
A lot of high-school coaches like a shot at a college job.
If a player under you is recruited into a Division-I school, it stands out on your résumé.
Troy said the scouts were coming to take a look at him.
You needed him to make a good impression.
So, what are you getting at, sheriff? Troy's sickness is caused by a performance supplement -- stuff called velvetine.
He said you were the one that gave it to him.
I'll have you know I run a clean program, sheriff.
I won't deny that I'd like a college job, but I'm not risking the one that I got.
Doping players -- that's grounds for immediate dismissal.
I'm not trying to get you fired, coach.
I'm just looking for a man that's connected to the velvetine.
Do you know someone named Mr.
Chen? Never heard of him.
I care about Troy.
I wouldn't push any kind of supplement on him.
Why did Troy say it was you, then? Maybe he was trying to protect his father.
Grant's a sideline dad.
Sits in the stands every practice, yelling.
I had to ask him to leave a few times.
Grant would do anything to make sure that Troy succeeds.
Hey.
So, it turns out Mr.
Chen booked trips with five different hunting outfitters over the last few months.
I talked to as many of the guides as I could locate.
A few of them admit that he asked them to shoot elk out of season, but they all claim they turned him down.
What are the photos for? I'm at a dead end trying to find this guy.
He paid cash to all the outfitters, listed the same useless contact information.
So, I called Omar to see if maybe he had a picture of Chen from one of their hunting trips.
It would help us to know what he looked like.
Ah.
And there he is.
Top left.
I know him.
Mr.
Chen? No.
But I know Grant Thayer.
So.
I heard that the doctors have a plan of attack for treating Troy now that they know he was taking velvetine.
Troy told me he got it from Coach Hargis.
I spoke to Hargis.
He said it wasn't him.
He thinks it was someone else -- someone close to Troy.
You just want the best for your kids.
Want to give them every advantage.
I thought the stuff was all-natural.
I had no idea it could have side effects like this.
Where did you get the velvetine? I learned about it from some guy on a hunting trip.
This man? Mr.
Chen.
He was going on and on about it.
When I heard the scouts were coming, I-I called Chen and bought as much of the stuff as he would sell me.
Troy wanted this more than anything and I just wanted to help him.
So, you have a way of contacting Mr.
Chen, then? You looking for Grant Thayer? Yes.
Means you're Mr.
Chen.
You're a hard man to find.
Now I know why.
Jonathan Ling.
You're a scientist? Engineer, actually.
Coalage hired me for a special project -- converting coal to liquid gas, which we sell to China.
How's your company feel about your side business? I'm not sure I know what you mean.
Selling velvetine.
Why should they care? I've done nothing illegal.
I make many trips to China.
Velvetine is made and sold legally there.
And I bring back small amounts that the custom laws allow.
I might charge my customers a little bit extra for it here, but I'm simply obeying the laws of supply and demand.
I guess that high demand is the reason you started harvesting ingredients here -- making velvetine yourself, which is illegal.
You went on hunting trips over several months.
A few of the outfitters said you offered them money to kill elk out of season, and the trips stopped.
Which probably means you found someone willing to hunt for you.
Or it could simply mean that my workload got a little hectic and I no longer have time to take vacations.
So, it's just a coincidence that, uh, around the time you stopped taking vacations, a hunter started slaying elk and taking the exact parts you need to make velvetine.
You have actual proof that I hired this hunter? Not yet.
Looks like this hunter also killed a young man named Connor Redding.
He's a game warden who stumbled on the operation.
And when I find this hunter, it's only a matter of time before he tells me about your involvement, and you'll be implicated in first-degree murder.
I'm sorry I can't be of help, sheriff.
I have no operation.
I'm just an engineer who, on occasion, legally imports a product for a few select clients.
and you are not at work? Looking to drown your sorrows? Work is sort of why I'm here.
I need your advice about something.
You have got to be kidding me.
Given everything that's happened with the election, I'm in kind of a tough spot.
I cannot pretend to feel sorry for you.
So, I never came up with a backup plan in case I lost the election.
Why not work for your father? Not an option.
You want to work for Walt? I don't know if it matters what I want.
So, what advice do you need from me? You've known him the longest.
Is Walt the kind of man who holds a grudge? The first time I met Walt, we were in sixth grade.
I was ahead of him in line for the drinking fountain.
When I took a drink, my lips touched the faucet.
Walt called me out, told me not to do that.
I reacted as any rational Indian kid would.
I turned around and punched him.
After the principal pulled us apart, he asked why we were fighting.
I told him it was a matter of honor.
Walt did not want to share the drinking fountain with a dirty Indian.
But then Walt explained he was simply trying to warn me.
People have germs, and putting my lips on a faucet is a good way to get sick.
What's your point? I challenged Walt without provocation.
He could've hated me for it.
Instead, we have been friends for 38 years.
If nothing else, Walt believes in second chances.
Hey.
Taxidermist -- Lee Rosky -- just called.
A guy named Keith Dixon came in and asked him to mount an elk head.
Turns out that Keith Dixon is one of the guys that Chen booked a hunting trip with, only I didn't get to talk to him because his boss said he was up in the mountains.
He still at Lee's now? No.
Lee refused to stuff the head, so the guy bolted.
But I did get an address from his boss.
Check the back of the house.
Open up! Sheriff's department! Walt! Velvet's been scraped off.
It looks like the head that goes to our elk body.
It's got to be the same one.
I'll call the judge, get a warrant.
We don't need a warrant.
Guy's got a lot of animal parts, but they're all on the wall.
Antler velvet.
Is this what I think it is? Pancreas.
Well, we found Keith's stash.
Now we just have to go find Keith.
Why couldn't Vic come? Lighten the mood in here a bit.
If I recall, last time Vic went hunting with you, Omar, she got shot.
And why did we have to bring him? Well, he's the best tracker I know.
I'll be the judge of that.
Okay, so you said Keith was heading to piedmont falls? According to his boss, he was scouting fishing holes.
Destination -- Piedmont Falls, Wyoming.
He probably entered in right there.
Though there's no fishing worth a damn anywhere near here.
But it is near an elk migration route.
Looks like we found our man.
Or at least his truck.
You said Keith worked for you? Yeah.
Till I had to fire him.
Why? Found out he took a few guys out on a special hunting expedition.
They offered him money to shoot a bald eagle, and he took it.
Killing animals for money is one thing.
Stabbing a man to death's another story.
You think Keith could've killed Connor Redding? Yeah, I do.
Elk tracks.
Look at this.
Salt lick.
Think fishing and game could've put this out here? No.
But it sounds like Keith.
Some guys track.
Keith was always a shortcut artist.
He puts out salt licks to attract the elk, then hunkers down somewhere and waits for his prey to come to him.
That tree line's the best vantage point for a hunter.
Keith's probably hiding in there right now.
We need to get moving.
Easy, Omar.
I am easy.
Till I find Keith.
Do not be in such a hurry! Henry?! Henry! O.
I.
T.
What the hell's -- Old Indian Trick.
But you are an Indian.
I am Cheyenne.
This is an Apache death trap, and if you were not distracting me, my leg would not be stuck in a hole with sharp wooden stakes! The animal's leg goes in easy enough.
Yes, but you try to pull it out, it messes you up.
Give me a hand here, Omar.
Before guns, the hunters used these traps to bring down big game Easy.
Well, that sounds like Keith.
He's probably nearby.
We ran that print you sent us through the DCI computer.
Got a hit right away.
Guy's name is David Ridges.
He got any kind of record? Yeah, at least five prior arrests in Montana and Wyoming, mostly assaults.
I got his last-known address here if you want it.
I do.
Can you e-mail it to me? Sure thing.
What the Don't move, Keith.
Oh, come on, Walt.
Let him run.
I love a moving target.
Vic, get Devin Gaines on the phone.
Tell him we got Keith Dixon in custody.
Mm-hmm.
I'll get, uh, Mr.
Dixon settled into your office.
Hey, Walt.
Does this mean you still work here? I guess it does.
Okay, then.
You want to try and slap some poaching charges on me, be my guest.
You can't ever prove that I set any of those traps.
No need.
Considering all the, uh, antler velvet and pancreas we've already taken from your house, I say we'd got more than enough evidence to charge you.
You guys went to my house? All those body parts.
Devin Gaines said that's at least 15 years in prison.
I wasn't killing those elk for me, all right? I was hunting for someone else, and he was using those parts to make medicine or something.
Was this the someone else? He either goes by the name Mr.
Chen or Jonathan Ling.
You ease up on my charges, and I'll write a novel about the guy.
Huh.
Okay.
May be able to cut some years off your poaching sentence, but you're still looking at a life term for killing Connor Redding.
Connor Redding? What are you -- what are you talking -- He's the game warden we found stabbed next to a beheaded elk.
Now, whoever killed Connor also killed that elk and took its head.
We found that head in your dumpster.
Whoa, okay.
Hold on a second here.
Okay? The first thing you learn is never dump illegal parts where anyone can find them, and I definitely wouldn't leave a rotting head outside my own house -- I mean, come on, guys.
Really, how stupid do you think I am? Stupid enough to ask a taxidermist to stuff it for you.
Come on.
Okay, y'all were at my house, right? You saw the 10-point buck on the wall.
That's a head worth mounting, okay? Why would I waste money stuffing a puny head like this? Huh? And who told you that I brought that head to the taxidermist? Sheriff's department! Lee.
We need to talk.
Sorry.
Couldn't get to the door quick enough.
I don't move as fast as I used to.
I'm sorry.
I was looking for Lee.
He left about an hour ago to make some firewood deliveries.
I'm his wife, Bonnie.
I was just making myself some tea.
Lee should be home shortly.
Come have a cup while you wait.
Please, um, let me get that for you.
Oh, thank you.
The tea's already in the pot, and there's another cup on the counter there.
You take a seat.
Allow me.
Okeydokey.
There you go.
I was so sorry to hear about your wife's passing.
You two knew one another? A little.
We were chemo buddies.
She never mentioned you.
It was a group of us.
We kind of formed a private club.
Martha would always say, "Admission is free 'cause we've all paid our dues.
" I was surprised she was taken so quickly.
Considering what I'm going through at this stage, I'm grateful she was spared this kind of pain.
What kind of treatment do they have you on? None.
The last round of radiation almost did me in.
It's funny.
You take medicine trying to kill a disease, and it almost kills you.
I told Lee, I said, no more.
No more doctors, no more hospitals, no more medicine.
So, uh what's all this, then? Just herbal remedies.
You familiar with a supplement called velvetine? Yeah, Lee got it for me after he read about it on the Internet.
Supposed to be some kind of miracle cure.
I don't know if it's making me any better, but it makes him feel better when I take it.
Do you know where he gets it from? Lee! One man's already dead, Lee! Lee! Stop this! You listen to her.
Stop.
Lee, what is going on here? Please tell me.
He was trying to save you.
What? I was just trying to get your medicine for you.
The velvetine.
Keith Dixon came by my shop with a sample of the velvetine, and it worked.
I could see the change in you right away.
But when we ran out, I I couldn't afford it.
I looked everywhere, tried everything.
And you couldn't stand by, let that disease win -- you had to fight it.
So you decided to make your own velvetine.
But that game warden caught me.
He was gonna take me in, and that would've meant jail.
So we fought.
And I stabbed him.
I couldn't let him take me away -- not -- not with Bonnie in her condition.
It was either him or your wife.
Yes.
Lee, baby.
I am not getting better.
You have to let me go.
You have to.
No.
No.
I never will.
Hey.
I was beginning to wonder about you.
You disappeared for a bit.
Been a little preoccupied.
Did you know Cady Longmire was in a car accident? She okay? She will be.
But I've been looking into the circumstances of the accident, and I found some odd things.
FirstI found a round puncture in the side wall of a brand-new tire on the station wagon that Cady was driving.
Not the tread, but the side wall, meaning someone flattened that tire on purpose.
Also lifted a fingerprint off the car right above the rear-back flat tire.
Belongs to a guy named David Ridges.
Tried to visit him at home, he wasn't there, but I did find an interesting detail on his résumé.
You found that David works for me.
Normally, I wouldn't blink at that.
You have a lot of employees, but then I remembered what you said about retail politics.
Getting more of our own voters to the polls, keeping more of the other guy's voters away.
You didn't have anything to do with Cady's accident, did you? You know, my people have had a bad couple of centuries.
Some of us have learned that to get by in the present, you need to let go of the past.
In fact, I'd imagine that I have already forgotten more than most people will ever experience in their lives.
My advice to you would be to do the same.
Don't look back.
Could lead to real pain.
It's better to keep your eyes down the road, my man, on your very bright future.
Not really an answer, Jacob.
I'll see you around.
Favorite from the Busy Bee.
Biscuits and gravy.
Thank you.
Have you gotten any sleep in the last few days? I plan to.
Things are starting to settle down.
Got a full team back at the station again, so decided to keep your boyfriend on.
He's not my boyfriend.
I'm not sure what he is.
Well, whatever.
"Whatever"? I don't think I've ever heard you say that word my entire life.
I know I had some issues with branch in the past, but I got to let that go.
I got to let a lot of things go.
Maybe I'm just starting to mellow.
I should get hit by a car more often.
No.
Once was enough.