Longmire s02e12 Episode Script

Previously on Longmire - How'd you find me anyway? - I used to be a cop.
Seems like you're just asking for trouble.
Well, you'd know a lot about that wouldn't you Moretti? I didn't donate $100,000 to your campaign because I like your smile.
I promised Henry I'd get out the vote.
A lot of people on the Res don't have cars.
Your ex girlfriend is in critical condition after getting hit by a car.
You didn't have anything to do with Cady's accident, did you? Don't look back.
It's better to keep your eyes down the road.
The cowboy has always been a dying breed.
But he takes his dying slowly, perched upon his steed.
The prairie is his prison, his church, his wife.
And if you take away his sky, you take away his life.
Yet, where does he go when the ranges all have closed? Does he retire to his bunkhouse in depressed repose? No, he climbs back in that saddle, if just to bide his time.
The cowboy knows a good death Is hard to find.
Originally Aired August 19, 2013 Thanks.
Ed.
All the bank manager could tell me was that the safety deposit box was rented to a man named James Notley.
And Notley's will said that when he died, they had to deliver this box to the Absaroka County Sheriff.
Ruby? Check our records for James Notley.
Already on it.
James Notley sent this here for a reason.
Ferg, you got any salt? Uh I think so.
You want the pepper, too, or Nope.
Just the salt.
Branch, hand me your water.
You making a saline solution? Let the finger soak for a few hours, we'll be able to hydrate it and get a print off it.
James Notley's been in the state penitentiary since 1989.
Lucian arrested him for armed robbery.
I guess I better go talk to Lucian.
Come on, Branch.
Let's go shake your family tree.
The ideal woman is like a good cowboy stew Meaty and saucy and easy to chew.
Her spuds should be yummy without being gummy, and her scent should never turn your face blue.
Lucian We need to talk.
Good, 'cause this here boy's a few iambs short of a full pentameter anyway.
Can we use your office? And miss all this? Now for the pivotal middle portion of my love-struck cowboy limerick triptych.
I want to know about James Notley.
Who? James Notley.
You arrested him, 1989.
Along with plenty other men.
- You need to be more specific, Walt.
- Armed robbery.
Nope.
Still can't place him.
Too many French fries.
- What? - Trans fats.
Causes brain shrinkage, therefore memory loss.
I read about that in an issue of neurology.
James Notley sent me a severed finger today.
That trigger any memories? You know, Walt, folks weren't so chatty back in my day.
I may have had to shorten many a man's finger.
You chopped off fingers? Seriously? Hell, boy, it was the '70s Watergate, women's lib.
All bets were off.
This arrest was made in 1989.
James Notley.
Armed robbery.
Missing finger.
Oh! Yes.
Notley.
Right.
Synapses are firing now.
Yep.
I arrested that man for stealing dinosaur bones.
Excuse me.
Hello? Ed! It's Vic Moretti.
How are you? Deputy Moretti, I was just thinking about you.
You and your wife aren't still in Durant, are you? 'Cause Sean just got back to town.
We could go to dinner at the Red Pony.
Oh, thanks for the invite.
We headed back to Philly a few weeks ago.
That's too bad.
Well we'll have to take a rain check, huh? Yes, we will.
Take good care of yourself.
You, too, Ed.
Distance from caller A lot of these prisoners will hold it in until rec time, so they can unload with a little privacy.
That's what James did, and he was stabbed 13 times mid-delivery and just two weeks away from his release.
- You find out who did it? - No.
I don't think we will, either.
Someone covered the lens of that security camera, and this place is packed with killers, literally.
James have any enemies? Not that I know of.
But if he made eye contact with the wrong maniac, that's all it would take.
Hell, if one of these lifers knew James was gonna be released, he may have gone all stabby out of spite.
The D.
O.
C.
usually handles prison deaths, sheriff.
And you're from the other side of the state.
Why are you so interested in James Notley? Actually, James seemed to take an interest in me.
He had a package, uh, sent to my office.
I'm trying to figure out why.
He have any recent visitors? Let me take a look.
According to our records, his only recent visitors are this Connie Mallery, who I assume to be his girlfriend, and you.
Me? Log-in says you were here exactly one week ago.
Can I take a look at that? You are the sheriff of Absaroka County, right? Lucian.
You said you didn't remember James Notley.
Prison records say you visited him just a week ago.
Well, I guess my memory's worse off than I thought.
I doubt that.
You know, you and I have been playing this here match for nigh on to six weeks now.
Right now I need you to answer my questions.
Only if you play this game.
Get up.
Okay.
Tell me about James Notley.
That man was a pain in my ass.
He smuggled dinosaur bones out of the state of Wyoming and sold them overseas.
Ergo, he was a rank opportunist and a speed bump on the road to scientific progress.
So, how does a speed bump manage to smuggle dinosaur bones out from under your nose? Well, in the summer of 1989, the university dug up a complete skeleton of a Triceratops.
It was valued at $800,000.
And Notley waited until they crate the thing up.
Shows up at the university, forced some grad student at gunpoint to load the crates into a van.
About a week later, I get him to confess.
By cutting that off? By busting the bastard's alibi, nephew! Anyway, he had all his fingers when I saw him last week.
As I recall, the two middle ones seemed particularly healthy and robust.
Why the visit? Nostalgia? Money.
By the time I'd arrested Notley, he had already unloaded them fossils, but there was no sign of the cash he made off of 'em.
And I knew he'd stash it someplace.
I just offered to go 50/50.
The 800 grand? No.
On the finder's fee.
And as I told Notley, a finder can command up to, I don't know, he finds.
Why would James want to give you half of 50%? Because he knew I'd either find the money or find him with the money.
And either way, he'd be screwed as a cat in a dog pound.
Some people would call that blackmail.
And some people can kiss my once-magnificent rump.
So, why'd he send the finger? I don't know.
As a souvenir? From what? Night of the robbery.
There you are.
Keep your hands where I can see them.
I thought I was doing the speed limit, deputy.
You told me you were in Philadelphia.
Yes, I did.
Careful.
I said I was in Philly because I was afraid something like this might happen if you knew I was here.
Honestly, Moretti, the last time we met, you creeped me out.
It's not like I broke into your car.
You okay? You seem a little paranoid.
What are you doing in Durant, Ed? Ahh Something about this place.
A lot to live for here.
Besides, I'm pretty sure I can go absolutely anywhere I want to.
Are you sure you're okay? You seem a little tightly wound.
That is a natural reaction to being stalked! Wow.
That's funny, because it feels like you're stalking me.
I mean, how did you, uh, know where to find me, huh? Triangulate my cellphone? You did.
Okay.
There's no easy way to say this, but I don't want you to contact me again.
You're making me feel uncomfortable.
And, quite frankly, pretty violated.
Have a nice day.
Nope, sorry.
No.
Conference hours are over.
Professor Tony Moten? I'd like to talk to you about James Notley.
It was after 2:00 A.
M.
, and we had brought the Triceratops in earlier that afternoon.
And as a doctoral candidate, it was my job to sort and catalogue the vertebrae.
How did James Notley get in? I opened the door.
Why? He knocked.
What happened then? Look, this was 24 years ago, and it's taken me just about as long to get over it.
Why are you asking me to do this all over again? James Notley is due to be released from the state prison in about a week.
You think he still blames me for his arrest? That's hard to tell.
I opened the door.
A guy in a ski mask comes out.
He's got his gun in my face.
He tells me that he's gonna take bones with him, whether they're mine or the dinosaur's.
It's up to me to decide.
I tried to stall him.
The next thing I know, he's got my arm pinned to this table here.
He pulls out a pocketknife, and he cuts off my finger.
It took him three times to get it all the way off! Did he have anyone else with him? Not that I saw, no.
You asked if James Notley still blamed you for his arrest.
Why? I described the pocketknife that he had to the sheriff, and I think that's what got him convicted.
So, what'd he do with your finger? I don't know.
I was just focused on trying to survive.
It's pretty convenient that James robbed them on the same day they brought in the skeleton.
Dr.
Moten might have been James' inside man.
If he was, means he had his own finger cut off for cover.
Might've been worth it.
My Uncle said that skeleton was worth 800 grand.
Split that two ways, I'd say it's still worth a finger.
And if your partner gets murdered in prison, you wouldn't have to share the money at all.
Well, maybe that's why James had the finger sent in To point the finger at his partner.
"Point the finger.
" That was a joke.
I know it was.
So, what do we have? A smudge or a partial print.
Are Dr.
Moten's, uh, prints on file? Yeah.
He was booked on a D.
U.
I.
five years ago, so, yeah.
But just nine prints.
So, that could be Moten's finger.
Yeah, or someone else's entirely.
I know my Uncle said James Notley had all his fingers when he saw him, but Lucian and the truth They have sort of an on-and-off-again relationship.
All right, then, Ferg Uh, find out which funeral home James Notley's body was sent to.
See if the mortician noticed any missing fingers.
Hey.
Hey.
Trouble at home? Hey, Walt, the mortician said that James Notley had multiple stab wounds, but he still had all of his fingers.
Mortician say anything else? Yeah, that, uh, Notley's funeral Is in about an hour.
Want to come to a funeral with me? Might cheer you up.
I'll take you up on the next one.
God entrusts us with the miracle of life.
Thus, we must trust God's wisdom.
We live in an imperfect world.
We're tested.
What are you doing here? Sheriffing.
What are you doing? Well, just burying one more S.
O.
B.
I'm happy to have outlived.
Sometimes you've got to take a moment to smell the roses.
Is that James' girlfriend, Connie Mallery? Yep.
You planning on talking to her? Well I need to find out what she knows about James Notley and a possible partner of his.
Walt, if Notley had a partner, I'd have smoked him out by now.
Let's talk to Connie anyway.
If you want her to talk, don't take me.
- Why? - Notley claimed he was with Connie the night of the robbery.
When I tricked her into admitting otherwise, it busted his alibi, put him in prison.
All these long years later, she still ain't talking to me.
So, did Sheriff Connally send you here? I've told that man for 20 years I don't know where James hid the money, okay? I'm just trying to figure out what James was trying to tell me.
He, uh He sent a safe deposit box to my office, delivered after he died.
What was in it? A finger.
I don't know whose it is or why James sent it to me.
Do you? Oh, good Lord, no.
Do you know if James had a partner? If he did, he never told me.
Did he ever mention the name Tony Moten? Well, he was the guy who was involved in the robbery, but James and I really never talked about him.
We only talked about the future.
But the last time, we barely talked at all.
We got in this fight, and I walked out.
It was just so stupid.
What did you fight about? You know, he was He was this close to getting released, and he was miserable.
He just kept getting more and more paranoid and saying that he was never gonna get of there alive that someone was gonna screw him over.
Did he say who? No.
I, of course, thought he was imagining things.
This has always been his favorite dress of mine.
Been waiting 24 years to wear it again.
I thought it'd be a happy day.
Everything okay? Not really.
You want to tell me what's going on? I used to be a brunette.
I dyed it blond when we first moved here.
And we didn't just move here for Sean's work.
We also moved here for, uh, my protection.
Why? Back in Philly, at my old precinct, there was a cop named Bobby Donolato.
And he was caught up in some, uh some really dark stuff.
So, I uh reported him.
There was an investigation, and then Bobby blew his brains out in his bathtub.
Why didn't you tell me this when you applied for the job? 'Cause I didn't think you'd hire me.
Because you'd done the right thing at your last job? Bobby's friends didn't think it was the right thing.
They blamed me for everything, especially Bobby's partner Ed Gorski.
You mean the ex-cop who turned up a few weeks back? I could never prove it, but Ed started leaving bullet casings in my locker, on my car.
So, Sean Started talking to his company about a transfer.
And we moved.
Why are you telling me this now? Because Ed's stalking me.
He's broken into my car, my house.
Can you prove that? No.
Has he threatened you? No.
As you know, unless Ed makes a direct threat, there's not much legally can be done.
Is Sean in town right now? No.
Then don't go home tonight.
You stay at my cabin till we can figure this out.
Okay.
Walt oh! Um, Hank Thompson from the state prison is on the phone.
What you got, Hank? One of our guys on the cleaning crew found this letter.
In James' cell? Yeah, penthouse suite.
It was sticking out of James' old mattress.
Officially, that's D.
O.
C.
evidence, but they won't do squat with it.
I thought you'd want a copy before I gave it to them to file away.
- Appreciate it.
- You bet.
James Notley had a partner named Riley Manning.
James' letter says that if Riley denies being his partner, just show him the finger.
It's his.
Letter also says that if Notley is killed in prison, it's because, uh, Riley found the money and had him killed.
What do you want me to do? Letter says that the money's hidden in an abandoned car past mile marker 24.
Go see if it's there.
On my way.
What about you? I'm going to the home of Riley Manning.
Well, it look like we both we struck out no Riley, no cash.
The most likely explanation is that Riley Manning has taken off with the money.
One of his neighbors saw him loading his pickup in a hurry.
We'll speak to Connie Mallery tomorrow, see if she knows anything about Riley - or where he might have gone.
- Okay.
Sounds good.
You sure you don't want to, uh, switch spots? Um, I've spent many a night on that couch.
- It wouldn't put me out.
- No, that's okay.
Thanks.
Extra blankets are in the pantry if you need them.
Okay.
Okay.
Hello? Walt? I'm returning that book I borrowed! I know it's late.
I guess I was just in the neighborhood.
Of course.
It's the co-workers you have to look out for.
I guess my ex was right after all.
You spend that much time together, something's bound to happen.
Lizzie, this isn't what it looks like.
Don't pretend to be embarrassed.
Here, read it.
You can't count on just being young and willing forever.
I'm married! When has that stopped anyone? I knew this was gonna happen eventually! I just thought you'd be man enough to tell me when it did! What are you doing here? Making a fool of myself again.
Pretending to return your book.
- Lizzie, this - She already told me how it isn't exactly what it looks like.
What a strange love rectangle you've got going.
- Excuse me? - Well, as I'm sure you have not noticed, I really like you.
But you're still in love with your dead wife! And I was willing to live with that, because I thought there was a part of you set aside for me! But there's not, because you're saving it for her! Lizzie, there's nothing going on between me and Vic.
Nothing.
Oh, Walt.
Of course there is.
You're just too afraid to admit it.
Still no word on Riley Manning's whereabouts? Vic and Ferg are coordinating a search for Manning's truck, a silver pickup, either no plates or stolen plates.
Ruby sent an A.
P.
B.
to the highway patrol.
You mean Riley Manning was James' partner? I mean, they were friends, but Riley? What gives you that idea? Is Riley missing a finger on either hand? Actually, yeah.
On his right hand.
Oh, my God.
I can't believe I didn't think of that before.
Wait.
So, was it Riley's finger in that box you received? We think so.
James left a letter in his cell.
That's why we think Riley was his partner.
Wow.
When's the last time you saw Riley? I used to see him every month.
He'd come by and get a haircut.
He was always between jobs, and he was James' friend, so I wouldn't charge him.
But then he just stopped coming over.
When? Um, this last winter.
I think the last time I saw Riley was about three months ago.
I was hiking out by Lake Desmet, and he nearly caused me to jump out of my sneakers.
Why? Well, he shouted at me from the lake.
He was piloting this, like, 30-foot sailboat.
So, how does a guy who can't afford a haircut end up with a sailboat? I don't know.
Some guys are just lucky, I guess.
Thanks for your time.
Of course.
- Man, I was going the speed limit.
- I know.
I got an A.
P.
B.
out on a silver pickup, so I need to see your driver's license and your registration.
Is your father named Riley Manning? I don't know.
I never met my daddy.
Look, I really can't afford to pay for a ticket right now.
So, is there anything I can do to get out of it? Well, this is actually my neighbor's truck.
And, uh I don't think it's registered, so Wait right here.
I'll be right back.
Those plates are stolen.
Riley Manning! Raise up your arms and step slowly out of the car! So, you didn't even follow him? Ferg, what happened? Look, I knew I couldn't stall the suspect long enough for backup to arrive.
I figured he was armed and dangerous.
So, I approached the truck.
I addressed him by his name, and he sped off.
Yeah, of course he did.
But not until after I dropped my watch into the bed of his pickup.
It's a digital watch With built-in GPS Which means we can track Riley Manning wherever he goes.
Riley Manning? We have something of yours.
So, aren't you curious how I got hold of your finger? What makes you think it's mine? Your partner told me.
Before he was murdered, James Notley took it upon himself to bequeath that finger to my department.
It seems to have something to do with a Triceratops skeleton the two of you stole and sold off back in 1989.
Some dinosaur bones? You've got the wrong guy.
Tell James that.
"My confession in 1989 was incomplete.
"I never named my partner, Riley Manning, "who helped me plan the heist, drove the van, and kept watch as the bones were loaded.
" That's damning testimony armed robbery and murder.
Nobody died during that heist.
I'm not talking about Tony Moten.
I'm talking about James.
"I have reason to believe Riley has recently found out "where I hid the 840 grand.
"If this is true, I fully expect to be killed before I am released.
" Whoa.
Whoa.
Wait now.
I I might have been involved in a few robberies a long time ago, but I never killed anyone.
And I sure as hell wouldn't turn on James.
He was my partner.
Most guys would've sold out their partner, plea-bargained for a lesser sentence.
Not James.
He did the time.
And when he got out, he got the money.
That was the deal.
So, why'd he have your finger? I got 10% of the money up front.
James got the rest.
But he was going away for a long time.
I wanted to prove to him he could trust me.
So I pulled out a knife, and I gave him 10% of the fingers on my hand.
Where's what money right now? Wherever James put it.
This letter says he hid it in the trunk of an abandoned car.
We checked that car.
It's gone.
Well, that sucks.
But I don't know where it's at.
I might be tempted to believe that if you didn't split from your house and speed away from my deputy.
If you had nothing to do with James' murder, why run? James' girl warned me.
Connie called, said I should probably lay low for a while, that the sheriff was on my trail.
She's never forgiven herself for getting James arrested.
I guess she doesn't want to feel responsible for my arrest, as well.
Me and James were like brothers.
So, why'd he write this letter? He didn't.
I'll bet you old Sheriff Connally blackmailed James into giving up the location of the money and then pulled strings to have him killed behind bars and then planted that letter to set me up.
What makes you think Lucian would do that? His nature.
I mean, he stole James' girl Why not steal his money, too? Lucian had a relationship with Connie Mallery? That's a polite way of putting it.
Sheriff Connally pounced on her the second he put James behind bars.
You owe me a beer.
The heart is like a horse that you can break, but never ride.
The heart is like a horse That you can break We need to talk.
About what?! I'm practicing art here! About your relationship with Connie Mallery.
You can lead the horse to jagged cliffs and force it to peer into the great divide.
- Stick to prose.
- Oh, come on, Walt.
You can't take poor Connie at her word.
The girl is grieving still.
She's gonna come a little unwound.
I didn't hear it from Connie.
I heard it from Riley Manning.
Riley Manning.
Now, who in the hell would that be? That'd be James Notley's partner.
Ever since I looked into James Notley's murder, you've been lying to me.
There are now accusations that you're the one - behind the murder.
- Okay, Walt.
Okay! You win! I'm not like you! I'm not perfect! I've actually made a few damn mistakes in my life! Well, what are we talking about Chopping off fingers, sleeping with a witness, or having a man killed? Look, every one of those fingerless pissants had it coming.
But that don't make me a murderer, just a man.
So, you did have a relationship with Connie.
Oh.
Well For a while, I did.
She was scared and needed somebody to protect her.
And if you think she's pretty now, you should've seen her Looking back, you might say I took advantage of the situation.
But I don't regret it.
We brought Riley Manning in.
He was on the run.
He said Connie tipped him off.
Did you give her any details about this investigation? No.
Now, why the hell would you think that, Walt? Because Connie warned Riley Manning before I even told her we were looking for him.
Connie, it's Sheriff Longmire.
We need to talk.
Connie?! I need you to come down to the station! And, Hank, since you're off duty from the prison, why don't you come with us? So, why am I here? I thought you said that James' letter named Riley as his killer.
Aren't you arresting him for James' murder? Riley's four months behind on his pickup payment.
His mortgage is upside down.
He certainly doesn't own a sailboat.
In fact, Riley's never had much money at all.
Which means he's never really had a reason to kill James.
Oh, my God.
Ohh.
I'm I'm afraid to say it, but What if What if it was Hank? I mean, you know that he works at the prison.
That's how we met in the first place.
What if Hank was afraid that I'd go back to James once he was released? How long have you and Hank been seeing each other? Well, I mean, not long.
You know? I mean, for years I was faithful, but You think Hank is capable of murder? You know, he told me that he wouldn't want to live without me.
I just you know, I just thought that he was just being sweet, but Hank's got this jealous streak.
And his temper if he was angry yeah, I think he could've killed James.
Would you be willing to say that in court? I don't know.
When Hank gets angry, it can get pretty scary.
I just talked to Connie.
What'd she say? This.
Hank's got this jealous streak.
And his temper If he was angry Yeah, I think he could've killed James.
I can't believe it.
Believe what? That she would talk about me like that.
I never laid a hand on her.
James was the abuser, not me.
Connie said she was afraid that James would go crazy on her when he got out.
You were supposed to protect her? Yeah.
What'd you do about that? I told psycho Carl that James was going around calling him his bitch.
Next thing you know, James was getting shanked on the crapper.
You did this at Connie's request? Damn right I did, and on her dime.
She paid me 15 grand.
Where do you think Connie got that kind of money from? Who knows? I mean, her job? She's an occasional hairdresser, works out of her house.
So unless she got a pretty big tip Oh, shit.
You mean Connie has James' 800 grand? Did you forge that letter you found in James' cell? I didn't have to.
James wrote it himself and gave it to me.
Connie was telling him about some friend that had been buying sailboats and taking vacations in the Caribbean.
All of a sudden, James starts getting all paranoid - about this friend.
- Riley Manning.
She was playing us the whole time, wasn't she? She found James' money and spent it.
Come on.
She had you kill James before he was released and could figure it out.
Connie, you can come out now.
Connie, is there anything you want to say to Hank? He's gonna be going away for quite a while.
I believe in mercy, sheriff.
But anybody who did what he did to James deserves whatever's coming.
I couldn't agree more.
Actually it's this way.
What What are you doing? Arresting you for conspiracy and murder.
Wait.
Hank told me the whole story.
And, Connie, for your own protection I'd stay on that side of the cell.
Sheriff, I don't understand.
Wait.
What When Hank gets angry, it can get Pretty scary.
It's your move, Walt.
You've been exposing your queen, hoping I'll rush in and get myself trapped.
The queen's gambit.
I guess not everyone's gonna fall for it.
Like the horse has its rider, like the moon has its sky So a man has his loneliness mistaken as pride.
The sheriff is not here.
I'm not looking for Walt.
I'm looking for you.
Can you keep a secret, Henry? I have been known to keep one or two.
That ex-boxer from the res who knocks people's teeth out what's his name? His name is Hector, and he's a mercenary for hire, for the Cheyenne.
Do you think he'd ever do something for someone who wasn't Cheyenne? What did you have in mind? Yeah? Walt, do you know one of your deputies came to me to hire Hector? What did Vic want? For Hector to scare off a man named Ed Gorski.
Can I help you? "We men are wretched things.
" We are? Says who? Achilles.
About 3,000 years ago.
Read "The Iliad"? I'm familiar with the classics.
But have you read it, Ed? Interpretations vary.
I think it's a poem about a man's destructive rage.
Achilles was a warrior.
He had a partner, a fellow warrior.
A friend.
There's no greater enemy than the mortal enemy of a friend.
I would not disagree with that.
So Achilles confronted his friend's great enemy.
Achilles gave the man one warning There is no weapon No army that could protect this enemy from the sheer hell that is Achilles' rage.
And what happened to this enemy? Achilles ran his sword through the man's guts and dragged his dead body around the town.
So could this enemy have done anything otherwise? He could have got out of town while he still had the chance.