Walker, Texas Ranger s03e04 Episode Script

Is Miss Cahill there yet? No, sir.
No, sir, she isn't here.
Let me ask you something, sir.
Are you the same fella | that's been calling in here about every minutes for her? Well, she still ain't here.
No, sir.
Wait a minute.
You're in luck.
| She just came in.
How was the show tonight? It was brilliant.
Some yahoo's on the phone here.
He won't leave his name or number.
How did he know I was here? Well, your secretary said | you'd be here after the stage play.
How come you didn't | take her to the play? I don't know, C.
D.
There's something about watching two | guys battling each other with swords and then bursting into a song.
| I don't know.
And wearing long-handled drawers.
Yeah, that too.
Name's Hank Sweet.
Thelma Beck told me to call you.
| We's good friends.
She said you'd help.
Thelma? How is she? I have no time for that now.
I got something important | I wanna give you.
I'll meet you outside that | waterspout building on Field Street.
How soon can you get here? About half an hour.
Sooner if you can.
Please, lady.
I gotta go now.
What was that all about? A friend of a friend, I think.
It sounded like he was in trouble.
Feel like taking a ride? Let's go.
See anyone? Well, it'd be a lot easier | if I knew who we were looking for.
What's going on over there? You gotta save the horses.
Hank Sweet.
You found your man.
You know, I was thinking.
All I could see were pictures of horses | and that tape.
Audio tape? I think so.
It all happened so fast.
Well, one thing we know for sure, whatever's going down | involves horses.
Did he mention anything | on the phone? Just to have Thelma Beck call me, | that's it.
Thelma Beck.
That name sounds familiar.
You remember her.
She was all over the news | a couple of years ago.
They call her the Mustang Lady.
Oh, yeah, yeah, I remember her.
More coffee? No, I should go.
I could whip us up some eggs | or whatever.
No, I gotta go.
You're sure? I'd better go.
Don't forget your gun.
What? Oh, yeah, yeah.
Hank didn't have no family.
I'll take care of the burying | and saying the words.
Darn fool.
Always worried about | me getting myself killed and now look at him.
Dead and gone.
Do you have any idea | who could have done this? No, he didn't have no enemies.
Everyone liked old Hank.
And he didn't mention | the envelope to you? Thelma, why did you | have him call me? He came over to my place yesterday, | all agitated.
Said he was onto | something real terrible.
He knew I had connections because of my protesting | for the mustangs.
I asked him what it was about, | he wouldn't tell me.
Do you know why not? He didn't want me | to get mixed up in it.
Hank said knowing me, I'd just go off half-cocked | and get myself hurt\.
"Better to go the legal way," he said.
Through Alex.
Alex did all the work for | my Save the Mustangs Committee.
I know she cares about this.
I knew she'd do right by old Hank.
Let me get out of here.
This place makes my skin crawl.
Hank Sweet must have been | onto something really import\ant to get himself killed over it.
Maybe someone was thinking | we all went to sleep or something and they're gonna have another go | at the mustangs.
Hank was trying to stop it.
We'll find out who did it, Thelma.
| That's a promise.
I just hope you find them before they hurt\ those horses | Hank was worried about.
We'll do our best, Thelma.
I hope that's good enough, | Mr.
Ranger.
Do you have any idea | what Hank Sweet could have been involved in | to get himself killed over? No.
I wish I could be more help.
I was sure sorry | to hear about old Hank.
He was one good man.
He was working with a Thelma Beck.
| Do you know who she is? Oh, I know Thelma Beck | like I know my own art\hritis.
Still, you can't help admire her and that Save the Wild Mustang | gang of hers.
You know, about percent | of all the wild mustangs are still running up here | on the federal lease lands.
Under your protection? Oh, yes, sir, and we enforce it too, | right to the letter.
What about the other five percent? Well, now the only herd I know of still running on private land | is the Santana bunch.
Now don't ask me who named | a nightmare stallion that, but that's what we all call him.
Yeah, Santana.
| I've heard stories about that stallion.
Yeah, and they're true, | and then some.
Now he's out running around with | two or maybe three dozen mares, between the federal lease land | and the Circle Bar T Ranch.
Do you have any idea where | Hank Sweet's ranch is located? Right over here.
Oh, yes, sir, he's got about acres | of old flat scrub brush land right along in here.
- Right next to the Travis ranch.
| - Yeah.
Okay, thanks.
Quite a ranch.
Man, will you look at this? What did you expect in the middle | of acres, a shack? I'm telling you, | we're wasting our time.
These guys own the world.
What are they gonna gain | by knocking off a few stallion? I don't know.
Let's go ask them.
Can I help you gents? Yeah, I'm Ranger Walker, | this is Ranger Trivette.
We'd like to talk to | the owner of this spread.
I'm Mitch Travis.
| What can I do for you? Travis.
You own this place? Yes, sir, me and my brother.
Do you know a man | named Hank Sweet? Hank? Sure, he's our neighbor.
Well, he was killed last night.
| Murdered.
Murdered? Oh, dear God.
He was concerned about | someone hurt\ing some horses.
- Do you know anything about that? | - No.
What horses? Possibly the Santana bunch.
They roam between the lease land | and your propert\y, right? Yes, sir, that's right.
They do.
You complained about them | to the BLM, didn't you? Yes, sir.
Those mustangs can be | a real pain in the butt, especially in the winter when our cattle | are up to their bellies in snow and we gotta drop feed in.
Well, that darn Santana, he drives them away from the hay | so he can get his own mares to it.
We thought about shooting | that old son of a gun but my dad would roll over in his grave | if we ever did something like that.
So you don't think Hank Sweet was | concerned about the Santana bunch? I don't know why he would be.
Think he was onto any | renegade meatpackers? Not that I know of, sir, no.
Okay, thanks for your time.
No problem.
What's a renegade meatpacker? Well, these are guys that | come in these refrigerated trucks with machine guns and chain saws.
They hit quick and get out.
- You're kidding.
| - I wish I was.
Mitch.
- What did they want? | - Hank Sweet is dead.
Murdered.
That's too bad.
Hank was a good guy.
I sure hope we had | nothing to do with that.
Of course we didn't.
What kind of thing is that to say? They were asking questions | about Santana's herd.
I think we ought to back off.
All that means is that | we have to move a little faster.
Call the packers and | get the shooters here this afternoon.
This is wrong, Ned, | when I think about how Dad would probably respond | to something like this.
Dad is dead, Mitch.
It's time you face that fact.
These are different times.
Well, I hate this.
Now we got Rangers around here | asking questions? I don't like it, either.
But Rangers or not, there's no way I'm gonna let | $ wort\h of dog-meat mustang blow a $ million deal.
I'm gonna drop you off at the office.
See what you can dig up | on the Travis boys and the Circle T Ranch.
I still think we're | baying at the moon, part\ner.
Wouldn't be the first time.
You know, when we were talking | to that young Travis boy, he seemed sincerely surprised when we mentioned about | the death of old man Sweet.
But when we start\ed | talking about the mustangs, there was something in his eyes.
Like what? I'm not sure, but there was someone watching us behind the curt\ains | in the ranch house.
Why don't you get with Alex, fill her in, | see what you guys can come up with.
All right.
Where you gonna be at? Just noseying around.
Gotta give Dr.
Rossi credit.
This new feed's sending | them out even fatter.
Call me when he can | fatten prices at market.
I'm nervous about that | kid brother of yours, Ned.
He doesn't seem to be | quite with this program.
Mitch will be fine.
| What are you doing here? You seemed uptight on the phone.
After what happened | to Hank Sweet? Yeah, I'm a little uptight.
| What do you want? Just to give you | a little peace of mind.
You know, I was thinking, | you had a point worrying if Hank Sweet had anything more | to show that lady D.
A.
Well, if he did, it'd be at his place.
I mean, Hank wasn't exactly | your safe-deposit-box kind of guy.
So there's gonna be a little fire | out that way in maybe a half hour.
I don't wanna hear this, Corbin.
Okay, okay, your hands are clean.
For what you're paying, | I'm the invisible man.
Hi there, old girl.
How are you, huh? Are you waiting for your master? Well, you gotta be hungry.
Come on, let's see what we can | find you to eat, okay? Come on.
Okay, girl, I haven't forgotten.
Let's get you fed.
Well, no sense | letting this go to waste.
It beats dog food, doesn't it, huh? You happy? Yeah.
Yeah, I hear them.
It's that damned Ranger again.
So why is it every time | you invite me to lunch I end up telling you | things I shouldn't, huh? Because I take you | to the nicest places, and I pick up the check.
Well, that's fair then.
I've tried every source that I know and I'm getting stonewalled | at every turn.
So this is probably where I have to say | everything's off the record.
Probably.
Go on.
I've been looking into | some big land deals and I came across a proposed | interstate spur known as l-A, except nobody will admit | that it exists.
Come on, you're a member of the | Planning Commission.
What gives? Where did you hear about this? Sources.
For l- to go through, there would have to be a right of way | through Circle Bar T Ranch.
Right.
Well, that would be a disaster | for the cattle ranch.
I mean, it's the last thing | that they'd want.
But if they propose | to develop that land Right again.
| The value would skyrocket.
Don't dance with me on this, Kyle.
I think this highway | is tied up in a murder.
Corbin, we can't kill a Ranger.
Can you do life without possibility? Man, let's just keep on going.
Corbin's right.
I've done time | and I'm not doing more.
This is crazy.
Hey, I'm hurt\.
I'm hurt\.
You're okay.
Just a crease.
You're under arrest | for the murder of Hank Sweet.
- I didn't kill Sweet.
| - Then who did? - I can't tell you.
| - Then you're going down for it.
Okay, okay.
- Corbin killed him.
| - Keep talking.
They're gonna kill all the mustangs.
This afternoon | it's supposed to go down.
You got him! Let's just get the hell out of here.
If he's not dead, he's gonna be | fighting off buzzards until he is.
It's gonna be a long walk back.
Well, you must be Santana.
Well, your mares have gotta be | somewhere real close, huh? I hope you don't mind | me borrowing one.
Oh, hell.
Hey, counselor.
I just got a look at the Travis brothers' | father's will in probate.
- Yeah? | - There's a provision there that states that they can't sell | or develop that ranch as long as those Santana horses | are running free.
If the brothers wanna sell the ranch, | they have to get rid of the mustangs.
Right, see, but I can't figure out | why they would wanna sell that ranch.
Money.
No, no, they got lots of money.
I'm talking serious money.
One of the state's biggest builders has proposed a huge development | on the Travis ranch.
Now, ironically, as soon as | they can kill off the mustangs they're gonna call it Mustang Valley.
I'm heading over to | the County Clerk's office right now to see how far they've gotten.
| Wanna join me? No, no, I gotta find Walker.
I can't raise him on the radio.
Walker can take care of himself.
Easy, boy.
Ranger! Thelma Beck.
Look here.
I was remembering old Hank's dog | and I went out to his place.
More tapes.
I played them.
They're fixing to kill off Santana | and his bunch, those Travis boys.
Well, that's what we were thinking.
You didn't happen to run into Walker | nosing around out there, did you? No, just old Hank's dog | and a T-bone laying on the floor.
- Somebody fed him.
| - That's Walker.
We're gonna have to have another talk | with those Travis brothers.
He probably went back there.
I'm for sure gonna talk | to those Travis boys.
Come on, hop in.
Let's go.
No, Thelma, that's | That's not a good idea.
- You can come with me.
| - Wait, hold it, Thelma, look Or you can All right, fine.
| Then we'll just go.
Okay, I got the badge.
| I'll do the talking.
Thattaboy.
Easy, boy.
Easy, easy.
Okay.
Now, we're not gonna have time | to cultivate a friendship here.
We're gonna have to do this | the hard way.
Whoa, boy.
You are one tough son of a gun.
Oh, jeez.
Maybe it's just not in the cards | between you and me.
The heart\ of the wild horse is at one | with the heart\ of man, Washoe.
Both yearn to be free.
But, Uncle Ray, | even if I can catch him without getting myself killed, | how will I ever ride him? The white man's way | is to conquer the horse, ours is to ride him | in the direction he is going.
Become the red side of your nature.
| Be his friend.
But he doesn't wanna be my friend.
No, because he knows | you do not want to become his friend.
In your hearts you must both | find a reason to become one.
Okay, boy, | we both want the same thing: To survive | and to protect your ladies.
Can we agree on that? - Thelma! | - All right.
I got it.
I should have driven my own car.
Nonsense.
It'd just get all dusty.
You're not gonna like this.
I'll make you a deal, big guy.
You help me take down those guys | who are trying to hurt\ your mares and I'll let you go | when this is all over.
How's that, huh? Easy.
Okay.
Whoa, boy.
Okay, boy, | let's go take care of business, huh? Okay, let's do it.
You should find Santana | and his bunch somewhere around the feed drop | down by Indian Wells.
Drive them down the valley | to the pickups, then get out of the way so | Corbin and the boys can finish the job.
Get going! Don't you feel anything about this? Don't start\ in on me again, Mitch.
Follow the pickup.
They'll cut them down your tailgate.
Roll out.
Let's get it done.
Why are we stopping here, Thelma? Because I don't trust them.
- Give me that.
| - What kind of a Ranger are you? The kind who would like | to do things peacefully, if possible.
Come on, let's go then.
This is crazy, Ned.
| We don't need to sell the ranch.
- This is our lives.
| - Yours maybe, but not mine.
I'm sick of the sweat.
It's a lot better | than what you're into now.
Ned Travis, your Daddy | would be spinning in his grave if he knew you were gonna | kill those mustangs.
What are you doing here, Ranger? I'm looking for my part\ner.
| I figured he might wanna talk to you.
We haven't seen him | since you were here before.
Well, then he's with the horses.
| Where are they? Unless you got a warrant, | you'd best get off my ranch.
We ain't done nothing.
Nothing? Maybe you didn't fire the gun | that killed Hank Sweet, but I'll bet the trail leads to you.
And when it does, | I'll be back here with your warrant.
Now, where are the horses? - How would I know where they are? | - I know.
They were on Hank Sweet's tapes.
| Come on.
You might wanna educate your boys, | Mr.
Travis.
Corbin killed Hank Sweet, didn't he? Didn't he? It was an accident.
Hank got Van Sickle drunk one night, | got him talking, got it on tape.
He called me, | said if I didn't call off the shoot he was gonna call the cops.
He had pictures of us, Mitch.
| He had a copy of the will.
He knew.
Yeah, but did you have | Corbin kill Hank Sweet? Was it like they said? | Did you have Hank Sweet killed? It got out of control.
| Corbin got carried away.
Yeah, but did you have | Hank Sweet killed? No! Good.
Well, let's call this whole thing off.
Let's just call the cops, | tell them about Corbin.
It's too late for that, Mitch.
Corbin said he killed Walker today | out at Devil's Rock.
I got no choice.
I either go all the way | or I go to prison.
I gotta take care of Thelma | and that other Ranger.
You're talking about more killing? | I can't let you do that! Well, we got your girls put to bed, let's go get the shooters | before they get us.
Let's check down in the gully.
Man, there ain't nothing down there.
We gotta look lower.
Now, you gonna tell me that a whole | herd of horses can disappear like that? I don't know.
They gotta be | around here somewhere.
Move up on the left here.
Hold it! Drop the guns.
Drop them.
Now, the smart\est thing | you boys can do is ride and don't look back.
If I see you back in this territory, | I'm gonna nail your skins to the wall.
Now, get! Come on.
Come on.
Okay, boy, | let's go get the heavy hitters.
Van Sickle, | you hear anything from the outriders? Not a peep.
I tried to reach them, | but nobody's talking.
Yeah, maybe they're behind a ridge.
Keep your eyes open.
Holy! Yeah, I see him.
Shoot him! Let's get the hell out of here now! Pull over, boys.
Get out.
Come on.
Come around.
See what I mean, Thelma? | Peaceful as possible.
Walker.
Nice work.
How the hell did you get | all the way out here? - I rode Santana.
| - No man can ride Santana.
Well, let's just say he and I | were going in the same direction.
Then where is he now? I don't know.
Gone, I guess.
Ain't that the most beautiful sight | you ever saw? You mean to see them | running free like that? - Yeah.
| - Yeah.
It's something Ned Travis and Corbin | won't be doing for a long time though.
Serves them right.
I hope they rot in jail.
Well, Mitch's testimony will seal it.
He promised to keep this | a working ranch and protect the herd | like his father wanted.
Hey.
I guess this is where | push comes to shove, part\ner.
I've known seven great horses | in my life, and Santana's six of them.
If there's ever a horse | I didn't want to give up, this is the one.
You and Santana was meant | to be together, Walker.
Yeah, I know.
Have a good life, old boy.