Longmire s04e03 Episode Script
High Noon
Whoa! Cheese and rice, man.
- Just about gave me a heart attack.
- That's good.
Who are you? My name's Bob Barnes.
I, uh Working out here for the forest service.
We're surveying the whole county trying to eradicate non-native species of weeds.
As a Native myself, I appreciate the spirit of your work.
But as the owner of this property, I'm gonna have to ask you to stay off it.
Of course, sir.
I meant no harm.
Sorry to disturb you.
You're positive this was on Nighthorse's property? I am.
That guy is intense.
- You saw him? - He kind of snuck up on me.
You see anything else unusual on the property? Yeah, near his garden.
He had this this wooden stake stuck down in the ground, and then it had, like, a long, thick, leather strap attached to it.
- What kind of garden? - I'm not sure.
There was nothing growing, but the soil was freshly turned.
I think he just planted it.
Vic, you there? Hey, Walt, I'm just pulling up to the station.
I need you to get those warrants in order.
Nighthorse? Yep.
- Thanks, Bob.
- It's me who should be thanking you, Walt, for getting me this job.
It's helping me to get my footing.
It's volunteer work, Bob.
Doesn't even pay, so True, but it gives me structure, a sense of responsibility.
Self-respect.
A man's got to work, Bob, and in your case, it's court ordered, so Walt, it's Ruby.
How close are you to the Sinclair station east of town? Not far.
What's up? A trucker just called in a reckless driver in a black SUV heading south on 232 and swerving pretty badly.
Okay, I'll check it out.
Leave me alone.
You all right? Am I? I don't know.
I can't feel my anything.
Come on, Barlow.
Let's get you out of there.
Easy does it.
Big step.
I got you.
I got you.
Who's got you? I'm not sure.
You taking me to jail? Well, I ought to.
I, uh, think maybe you've been through enough, so I'll just take you home, Barlow.
Okay.
Well, on the Oh.
There you are.
Come on.
Buckle up.
I was buckled up.
You de-buckled me.
Get out of the way.
Okay, you do it.
I've got it.
How's your head? I'm all right.
This doesn't look like my seatbelt.
All set? Thank you.
Great meal.
Um, I-I think there must be a mistake.
I don't think so.
- The The tip is too big.
- Well, how much is it? It's $50,000.
Let me see that.
Oh.
I see what I did.
It's not a tip.
It's an offer.
For what? My name's Kevin Morris.
I work for a Boston-based law firm called Dow & Morris, and we just opened an office here in Durant.
My job is to find and hire the best lawyers in this state.
Starting with you, "Caddy.
" Me? Why? Your work on the Henry Standing Bear case.
Word gets out.
You're smart.
You're young.
You know the community.
And we'd much rather have you arguing beside us than against us.
You know Think it over.
Give me a call.
Mr.
Morris.
Um, it's Cady.
What? My name You pronounced it wrong.
It's Cady.
C-a-d-y? Yeah.
I think you're spelling it wrong.
Aw, shit.
Left the keys in the damn car.
You got a spare? Or maybe there's a window open here we can Sheriff, I want to report a break-in.
Yeah.
I thought you might want to sober up.
Hm.
Or maybe go the other way.
Thanks, Walt.
You ought to join me.
Go grab a glass.
Well, I'm not a whiskey man, so Well, beer, then There's beer in the fridge.
Any Rainier? No.
No Rainier.
Just some imported shit.
I'll pass.
You know, uh, Barlow, um I don't usually like to discuss details of investigations, but, uh, there's something I think you deserve to know.
I don't think Branch killed himself.
What? He's not dead? I mean, I have reason to believe that someone murdered him.
If somebody killed Branch, got to be Nighthorse.
Why do you say that? Well, he's been trying to get at me in all sorts of ways.
He planted those old Indian bones on my golf course to try and stall my development.
But I don't go down easy.
When he saw he couldn't get at me, he went after the thing I loved.
If someone went after my daughter, I I don't know what I'd do.
- We got to get him.
- I will.
I will.
But I need to do it legally, and you need to stay out of it.
Now, are you gonna be okay here on your own? You worried I'm gonna shoot myself? Connallys aren't cowards, Walt.
We don't kill ourselves.
Where are the keys to your other car? I don't want you driving, not in your state of mind.
You're grounded as far as I'm concerned.
Oh, they're, uh, in the other room in a desk.
- I can Oh.
- Come on.
Take it easy.
Just Right there.
Take a seat.
Okay, they're in there.
- Here you go.
- You're the sheriff.
Ooh.
Mm.
Arrowleaf balsamroot.
That's those sunflower-looking things? They are.
Well for a man of few words, Walt, this is one long warrant application.
I wanted to be as thorough as possible, so Mm-hmm.
Well, I'll tell you what.
I'm gonna give you a search warrant.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- But not for Jacob Nighthorse's property.
I'll give you a warrant for my home, because those sunflowers grow like weeds along the driveway.
In fact, they grow practically everywhere.
Not along the river where we found Branch's body.
Well, that may well be, but that's not evidence enough to cast suspicion on Jacob Nighthorse.
You mean Jacob Blankenship.
Ah, I almost forgot.
The mysterious legal-name change.
It speaks to a pattern of deceit.
It speaks to an Indian wanting to sound a little more like an Indian.
Look, you clearly have a significant bug up your ass about this, Walt, but I can't let you disturb a citizen based on this thin evidence, particularly since you've played so fast and loose with protocol.
I mean, for all I know, you could've put that dirt in the shotgun casing.
I fully documented the chain of custody.
When you deputized your best friend, the recently released prisoner, to transport the evidence.
We're shorthanded, Your Honor.
Well, then hire a new deputy.
But your request for a search warrant on Jacob Nighthorse's property is denied.
Walt.
Not in the mood to talk now, Vic.
Well, that's nothing new, but you don't have to talk.
We can, like, go get a burger or something.
I need you to look into Nighthorse's alibi for the window of time around when Branch was killed.
You are his alibi.
You're the one that told me that he was out of town.
I saw him get off a plane.
How do I know he was where he said he was? Could've been an act.
Check his flight details.
Have Ferg look into his credit cards.
Okay.
Anything else? The burger Thanks, but not tonight.
This is a confidentiality agreement.
It says that you can't disclose the firm's trade secrets, client list, et cetera.
Go ahead and sign here and initial there.
Okay.
Before Ms.
Longmire gets bored and changes her mind, I thought she might be curious about her compensation package.
So That's not the salary we discussed.
We haven't talked about salary.
You said $50,000.
That was your year-one bonus, assuming you meet certain benchmarks.
We wouldn't expect you to live on that salary.
Is Is there a problem? No.
No, there's no problem.
Would you like to review your health-plan options? Yes, I would like that very much.
Good morning, Ruby.
How are you today? Mathias, why don't you take a seat? I'll tell the sheriff that you're here.
That's okay.
I want to surprise him.
Oh, I like what you've done with your hair, Philly.
Sheriff.
I need to see your guns.
What? My guns? What for? Oh, what does it matter? You haven't done anything wrong.
So, just let me take a look at them.
- You got a warrant? - Nope.
And you know I couldn't get one even if I wanted to.
Why would you want to, except for the simple pleasure of annoying me? Someone fired off two .
30-caliber rounds at Jacob Nighthorse last night.
Where? Right there at his home.
Nighthorse doesn't live on the Res.
What's this got to do with you? Wondered the same thing when Nighthorse called me since I have no authority in your county.
Did you really accuse Nighthorse of killing Branch? Then you could understand why he didn't feel too comfortable about calling you in.
I didn't shoot at anybody last night, Mathias.
Great.
Then let me check out all your guns.
No.
Okay.
Well, I tried.
There's nothing else I can do, then, except call in the feds.
Mr.
Nighthorse! The bullet went right by my head.
Missed me by less than two feet.
Now, coming, as this did, on the heels of repeated harassment by Sheriff Longmire, it's pretty clear to me that the sheriff was behind the shooting.
Walt Longmire has tried to connect me to several crimes that I had nothing to do with.
So, I'm hopeful that, by shining a light on the activities of his backward, corrupt, and prejudiced Sheriff's Department, we may be able to rein in the worst of their excesses.
But But barring that, I just want to say right now if I end up dead in the coming days or weeks, the first person you should look at is your sheriff.
Sheriff's Department.
This is Deputy Ferguson.
Hello, Ferg.
This is Henry.
Hey, Henry, you want me to get the sheriff for you? Maybe.
Depends on how you answer a question for me.
Do you know where he was last night? I was off duty, so, no, I don't know where Walt was.
Hello? Is he gone? - Who? - Mathias.
Yeah.
He's gone.
Good.
I don't want to have to answer any of his questions.
I don't want him to ask me where you've been or where you were last night or when the last time I saw you was.
Why not? Because I don't want to have to lie for you.
- Vic, listen - No.
I don't want you to have to lie to me, either.
Look, I get it It sucks that Nighthorse is getting away with this, and it's actually kind of brilliant because you shoot at him, and now his house is a crime scene and you don't need a search warrant anymore, but, Jesus, Walt! He has got great lawyers.
And now Mathias is calling in the feds.
You might've blown your only chance you had to get him, and you might even lose your job.
I know that you have a .
30-caliber rifle, and I just I cannot get in the middle of one of these situations again.
- Vic.
- Not even for you.
- Listen to me.
- What?! I will never ask you to lie for me.
I know you can't verify where I was last night.
No one can.
I need you to take a breath and go find Bob Barnes.
Bob? Why? Because what you just said about Nighthorse's house, you're right.
We have a way in now.
And Bob knows where we need to look.
Vic.
Come on, we got to get over there before Nighthorse's lawyers or the feds find some way to stop us.
What are you doing here? My job.
Aah! Mathias reported a crime.
I'm out here to investigate it.
I reported that crime to Mathias, not you.
He doesn't have any authority off the Res.
Then I withdraw my report.
Nothing happened here, and you can be on your way.
Well, someone's, uh, taking shots at residents in my county, - that's a public-safety issue.
- Aw, please! I don't care if you file a report or not.
I'm compelled to investigate.
You and I both know you did this.
Actually, based on how quickly you pulled that press conference together, I'm inclined to think maybe you did this.
- I shot at myself? - Sure you did.
Create a false pretense which allows you to harass me in the media.
"A false pretense which allows you to harass me.
" That is a perfect turn of phrase.
I'm gonna pass that along to my lawyer right now.
Is he in your truck? Yeah, it's Jacob.
You'll never guess who just showed up to search my property without a warrant! Hey.
Show me where you spotted the arrowleaf balsamwood and that new flower bed.
Bob? You never said anything about people getting shot at.
What? I thought you got me this job to help me out.
I didn't know you were gonna put me in danger.
- You weren't in any danger.
- Oh, come on, Walt.
Why didn't you come out here and look for that flower yourself? I'm not exactly welcome on Nighthorse's property.
So you send me out here to trespass for you? You're not trespassing, and I would never send you into danger.
I honestly had no idea anyone was gonna be firing a weapon out here.
Now can you please show me where you saw that flower? How's about I just point it out through the window for you? Fine.
Get photos of everything here.
I want a match on the location of every one of these flowers on the property, then get some soil samples.
What exactly are we looking for, Sheriff? Shotgun shells, buckshot, traces of blood, anything that proves this is the real place where Branch got killed.
You think he was shot here? Won't know for sure till you get some samples.
All the documents our client has in connection with this pending suit are on these drives.
I'm gonna be prepping motions for discovery.
I need you all to backstop me.
Cady.
We're lawyers.
We don't raise our hand.
We interrupt.
Right, sorry.
It's just that we represent Connally Enterprises? No, we're suing Connally Enterprises Barlow Connally, specifically.
Do you know him? Well, um, I used to date his son, so Great.
You should be able to offer some real insight into this.
I just feel a little weird.
Cady.
- Yeah.
- We're filing motions.
It's not like you'll be facing off against Barlow in court.
Oh.
Good.
And besides, if you recuse yourself from every case in Absaroka County where you know someone on the other side, you won't be able to practice law at all.
This is life in a small town.
All right, next.
Whoever fired that shot must've been in this area, so Hmm.
It's almost like you know exactly where to go.
There aren't too many spots it could've been.
Nighthorse would want to suggest the shooter needed cover.
If it wasn't Nighthorse, the highway's a few hundred yards to the east.
Someone could've walked in from there, so There's horse shit all over the place.
Maybe the shooter rode in.
Nighthorse got a horse? I think so.
Just do what I said and call me back in an hour.
Okay.
Yeah, bye.
The company suing Barlow is Big Pines Timber.
Yes.
Big Pines Timber is owned by Jacob Nighthorse.
Yes, we represent all of Nighthorse's businesses.
- You look confused.
- I am.
The document that I just read said that Nighthorse is suing Barlow Connally for breach of contract, but those two are sworn enemies.
What contract could they possibly have? They may not like each other, but they have a number of business deals through shell corporations or they did have.
This lawsuit might bring that to a close.
I quit.
What? Why? Because of Barlow Connally? Look, I told you, you're just support on this.
All right, look, if you're really that uncomfortable I am, but not because of Connally.
Because of Nighthorse and the casino.
I can't work for a firm that represents the casino.
What's so funny? Only that the casino is the reason you're here.
Your success on the Standing Bear case, y-your connections to the Native community, your support of their causes You are the perfect person to handle Reservation issues.
That's true to a point.
I mean, you have to understand, my mother, she spent her last years on this planet fighting the casino, and for me to stay here and work for them, it's a betrayal, and I'm I'm sorry.
- I can't do it, so - Well.
Well, this is, uh unexpected.
I know.
I'm so grateful.
I was really excited about this job.
- If you'd just told me - It's your responsibility to research a company you plan to work for.
Right.
I must've just gotten excited.
Anyway, I'm really sorry I wasted your time.
And our money.
These were valuable, billable hours you put in today.
I realize that.
Then, why haven't you packed your stuff and left, or are you trying to waste more of our money? - Okay.
- Not the pad.
That belongs to us.
This is mine.
Normally, I wouldn't think it necessary to remind another lawyer about this, but clearly you're a little green, so I will.
Everything that you read and wrote in here today belongs to us.
You signed nondisclosure agreements that couldn't be clearer on that matter.
So, you cannot take your notes and you cannot discuss anything you learned in here today with anyone.
So, if this whole act of yours was designed to get you access to private information about the casino your mommy didn't like, know that we will prosecute you, and it is very hard to defend a civil lawsuit on a waitress' salary.
You can close the door behind you.
Henry's friend from the university rushed the tests on those soil samples from Nighthorse's house.
None of them matched the dirt we found in the shotgun casing.
It's a totally different mineral composition.
And no traces of blood, lead, or gunpowder.
The only thing that was the same was arrowleaf balsamwood pollen.
That was the head of the TSA unit at the White Plains airport in New York.
So, Nighthorse did land there the night of Branch's murder, and he took a helicopter out to the Foxwoods Casino.
They're sending me the security footage now to verify that.
So, Nighthorse has a better alibi for Branch's murder than I do for shooting at Nighthorse.
Too soon? Okay, so, uh, he has an alibi.
Doesn't Nighthorse usually get someone else to do his dirty work? Yeah, he does, but David Ridges is dead, and according to Henry, Malachi's out of town, so Hey, Sheriff.
Uh, while we're on the subject, I've been wondering about something about those surveillance cameras that you think were stolen from Branch's house.
Why would Nighthorse take them? - I mean - You're thinking Nighthorse was the one who brought them to us in the first place, so Right, if he thought those cameras had incriminating video on them, why would he willingly turn them over? - It just doesn't make any sense.
- I know.
I know it doesn't make any sense, Ferg.
- Don't raise your voice at him, Walter.
- It's okay.
Here you go.
What does Barlow want? He left his phone in his wrecked SUV.
You never filed any paperwork about a wrecked SUV, so I didn't know what he was talking about.
I can get that phone for him.
Anything else? They're on hold.
- Tell them I'm not here.
- Walter.
Ruby.
Who's on hold? - Hey, honey.
- Hi.
Hey.
You just missed your dad.
Good.
Actually, I, uh, kind of wanted to talk to you.
- Me? - Yeah.
Really? Why? I need some professional advice.
From me? Have you ever been working on a case and you got good information, but the way you got that information wasn't exactly legal? This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with your dad, would it? It might.
Well, you're gonna have to tell me what this is about.
See, that's the problem.
I-I can't.
Then, I can't help you.
I can't help anyone break the law.
I'm trying not to break the law.
Look All I can say is that I may have found something that would give Nighthorse motive in Branch's murder.
I think he was caught between two people.
What two people? Do we know them? Okay, now I feel like you're not really hearing me.
Right, you can't tell me.
I signed a confidentiality agreement, so anything that I say to anyone can get thrown out in court, and I know my dad wants to do this by the book, so what do I do? You find another source.
I mean, you know the information already.
You just need to find a different way to get it.
A different way that you can explain to a lawyer that doesn't violate whatever confidentiality agreement you may have signed.
Can you find another source? So, this is a bit on the nose.
- What? - A cop drowning his troubles and pouring out his soul to the local tavern keeper.
Yeah.
Except you're not really the local tavern keeper here.
Malachi is.
Also, you are not pouring out your soul, and you are not drinking.
I need a new boot.
This is why you are upset? Your boots are not comfortable? When I was eight or nine years old, my my mom got me some boots nice ones.
I loved them.
Six months in, my feet had grown.
My toes hurt.
Actually had bruises on them.
I kept wearing those boots.
You never were the brightest child.
I'm doing it again.
With Nighthorse.
None of the evidence fits.
Nothing says he killed Branch except my gut.
I want to believe it.
- At a certain point - Your feet start to hurt.
So, if it was not Nighthorse who killed Branch, who else could it be? And if the murder was not connected to Ridges, what was it about? I have absolutely no idea.
Hello, there.
Surprised me.
Oh, I'm sorry.
- I was out back shoeing a horse.
- Oh.
Aren't you a sight for sore eyes.
Ah, good to see you, hon.
- What happened? - Oh, that.
I had a little fender bender.
Your dad actually helped me out with it.
- Do you want to come on inside? - Yeah.
Want a cup of coffee or anything? It's right here.
No, I'm I'm good.
Thank you.
So what brings you around, Cady? Oh, um, I found some things I thought you might like.
A picture and just some things that Branch left at my house Nothing special.
A mug, golf gloves.
Nothing, really.
I appreciate it.
But I'm pretty sure he'd want you to hang on to this stuff.
Okay.
Are you sure? You meant so much to him.
Yeah.
So, how are you holding up? I wish I could say I was keeping it together, but it hasn't been easy.
You must really miss him.
Especially since Branch just started working with you.
Must've been nice to have him right there beside you.
Yeah, it was kind of a dream come true.
I bet.
What was he doing for you anyway, work-wise? I would've thought he'd told you that.
To be honest, Branch and I hadn't really been communicating.
We broke up a month before he died.
Oh.
I didn't realize.
Yeah.
So, you and Branch weren't together? No.
I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you at the funeral.
It just didn't seem like the time.
And it's not exactly true that there wasn't any communication between us.
He sent me a bunch of texts the night before Dad found him.
But But what? I don't know.
They You know, the texts were kind of crazy.
Yeah, he He sent me some texts, too.
I just figured he'd been drinking.
So I didn't do anything.
- If only I - Barlow.
If you've spoken to my dad, you know that Branch did not commit suicide.
There's nothing you could've done.
Well, maybe he didn't kill himself, but I still think I could've stopped him.
Stopped him from doing what? I think Branch got himself all worked up, emotional, and confronted Nighthorse.
Why? I mean, what would Branch know about Nighthorse? I don't know.
Probably something about this David Ridges business.
Well, it's probably not any comfort, but now that my dad knows that he didn't commit suicide, he won't rest until he figures it out.
Aah! Ruby said you'd be here dodging the feds.
I was just getting Barlow his phone back.
Really just a one-person job, so Yeah, well, I needed to talk to you, so Cady came by.
She said that she found out something about Nighthorse that would explain why he'd want to kill Branch, but she can't reveal it without breaking the law, so I am just gonna ask you Did you find out something about Nighthorse when you shot at him and you're making your daughter - launder the information for you? - Vic, listen to me Before you deny it, I found this on the hill at Nighthorse's house.
It was on the ground right around where the shooter would've been standing.
I will I will lie for you.
It's what I came here to tell you.
I'll say whatever you want me to say.
I just need you to tell me what the hell's going on.
I told you already.
I will never ask you to lie for me.
The last person to accuse me with an empty beer can was Branch.
He was wrong then just like you're wrong now.
I was at home that night.
That's the truth.
- Why wouldn't you just tell me that? - Because you weren't ready to listen.
Everything I said would've seemed like a lie.
Well, if that's the case, then someone left that can there to frame you, someone who knows that you drink Rainier.
Yep.
So, what did Cady discover? That Branch was caught between two people.
What two people? She refused to tell me.
So, tell me what you found out about Branch.
Wow.
Thanks, Vic.
Some secrets you don't keep.
- This one I have to.
- Why? - Who are you protecting? - Myself.
Dad, I signed a confidentiality agreement.
I got a job at a new law firm.
- You got a job? - Yeah.
- That's great.
- It is great.
It's the best job I'll ever find in this county, and I already quit.
I had to.
The firm wasn't what I thought it was.
I-I didn't like who they represented.
They represent Nighthorse.
I can't say.
Anything that I say to you, they'll presume that I'm violating my agreement, and they will sue me.
And you found something.
Maybe.
I tried to get the information a different way so that I wasn't violating my agreement.
How'd you do that? I went to talk to Barlow.
What did you think you were gonna get from Barlow? Dad, please don't make me do the wrong thing here.
Why does everybody keep saying I'm trying to make them do the wrong thing? Because I know how much this means to you.
It means a lot to me, too.
Cady, what did you and Barlow talk about? You can tell me that.
We talked about his car accident and about the crazy texts that Branch sent both of us the night before he died.
We talked about David Ridges, and I came clean about the fact that Branch and I broke up.
And we talked about everything except the thing I wanted to talk about.
So Branch sent all those texts to Barlow, too? Yeah.
He said he thought Branch had been drinking and went after Nighthorse.
Barlow.
Barlow? Hello? Door was open.
You really ought to keep it locked, even out here.
I could've shot you, Barlow.
Nah, you got good instincts, Walt.
I had no idea you played piano.
Well, I don't play it much anymore, so You rode over? Well, you took my keys.
Your horse need water? No, she's fine.
How about you? You twist my arm, I'll take a bourbon.
So, to what do I owe this pleasure? Well, I'm not sure it's gonna be a pleasure.
I came over here to confess to something.
But I'm sure you already figured it out.
Out of bourbon.
So Tell me what you did, Barlow.
Well it's not like I planned it.
I just found myself there with a gun in my hand, and, uh I shot at Nighthorse.
Why? Son of a bitch killed my son.
You said so yourself.
Well, you, uh caused a real problem for me, Barlow.
Nighthorse thinks I'm the one that shot at him.
Well, that's what I'm doing here.
I want to come clean.
I'm prepared to face the consequences.
Well, I understand wanting to take out the man that killed the person I love, but that's not what happened here.
Now, why would I make that up? Well, I know you shot at him.
But you're lying about why.
You're a pretty good shot, Barlow.
You wouldn't have missed him twice if you were trying to hit him, no.
No, that wasn't about revenge.
You were trying to miss him, pin it on me.
That's why you left the Rainier can behind.
I think that beer's gone straight to your head.
You even used a gun the same caliber as my rifle.
Even I was starting to think I'd done it.
You're crazy.
Why frame me, Barlow? Unless you're trying to take my focus off investigating Branch's murder.
Why would I want to do that? Because you don't want me to find out who was really behind it.
We already know who was behind it.
Well, whoever it was knew Branch well.
Knew where he hid his key.
Knew how to get into his house.
He typed a suicide note on his computer that sounded like Branch.
With one exception.
They didn't know that Branch and my daughter had broken up a few weeks ago.
I understand Cady came by and broke the news to you.
You think a father could kill his own son? You really think I'm capable of that? Well, I didn't before today.
But you told Cady you got some texts from Branch the night before he died.
Well, uh I looked on your phone, and not only did you get no texts from him that night, but, uh, over the past year, you barely texted at all.
Well, I'm just like you.
I'm not much of a texter.
Well, actually, you are.
You wrote all those texts to Cady from Branch's phone.
You did everything you could to make it look like a suicide.
You drove Branch's truck back to his house.
You wrote a note on his computer.
You got his uniform, staged that whole thing down by the river where the water would wash away anything you overlooked.
How'd you get yourself home from there, Barlow? I didn't see any signs of your horse down at the river.
I guess you could've used that, uh, mountain bike I saw at your house.
Oh, anyway, I I got to hand it to you.
You thought of everything.
Really, your only mistake was the shotgun.
After you shot Branch, you ejected the shell, just just out of instinct.
You didn't realize when you put it back in the weapon there was dirt inside the shell.
And pollen.
Pollen from flowers I found on your property.
Well, I got to hand it to you, Walt.
You are one sharp son of a bitch.
You seem to have an answer for everything.
Well, not everything.
I still don't know why.
Why you would kill your own son.
Because he wasn't my son, you son of a bitch.
That's why! Now, he might've had my genes, but he didn't have my character.
He had no no sense of loyalty about him.
Even after he started working for me, he was still working for you! Working for me? Yeah.
On what? Well, if you don't know, I'm sure as hell not gonna tell you.
You took those cameras from Branch's house.
All this while, I thought Branch found out something about Nighthorse on those surveillance cameras, but it was you.
It was you.
He was surveilling Nighthorse, but he found out something about you.
Oh, he was a smart boy.
Yeah.
He discovered it weeks before you did.
And my daughter figured it out earlier today.
She Branch got caught between you and Nighthorse.
You two aren't enemies.
You're You're working together.
Your real-estate developments, your golf course None of that pays off without a lot of people.
People that Nighthorse's casino will bring.
That Indian had a lot of good ideas, not much capital.
My wife and I were in your way.
You know what the definition of a conservationist is, Walt? That's somebody who's already got his own land and tries to squash everybody else's chance of getting some of their own.
You and your wife were living out here and just killing everybody else's chance of making some money for themselves.
You and Nighthorse killed her.
That's what Branch thought to begin with.
David Ridges killed your wife.
On whose orders? Mine.
I had worked too hard and too long to let you and that bitch wife of yours stand in my way.
Why didn't you just kill me? Oh, no.
That would've drawn too much attention.
So, when you couldn't get at me you went after the thing I loved.
Oh, come on, Walt.
Martha had cancer.
She was already dead.
Now, what did I do? Shorten her life by a few weeks? Maybe a few months.
I'll see you rot for this for the rest of your miserable life.
No, you won't.
This is my county.
There's no way that I'm gonna let you lock me up.
Nobody is taking me from my rightful home.
Drop the gun! You just shot a defenseless man.
You invited me to your cabin and then you killed me.
You're not gonna die, you son of a bitch.
I won't let you.
Not gonna let you Get up! - Let me go.
- Get up! - Aah! - Come on! They're gonna sew you up, and you're gonna have to live with what you've done! I I'm not going to a hospital.
You just let me die, Walt.
You know you want to.
I killed my own son.
Aah! I killed him! Good luck explaining this one, Walt.
I'll be ready.
And you'll be in hell.
- Just about gave me a heart attack.
- That's good.
Who are you? My name's Bob Barnes.
I, uh Working out here for the forest service.
We're surveying the whole county trying to eradicate non-native species of weeds.
As a Native myself, I appreciate the spirit of your work.
But as the owner of this property, I'm gonna have to ask you to stay off it.
Of course, sir.
I meant no harm.
Sorry to disturb you.
You're positive this was on Nighthorse's property? I am.
That guy is intense.
- You saw him? - He kind of snuck up on me.
You see anything else unusual on the property? Yeah, near his garden.
He had this this wooden stake stuck down in the ground, and then it had, like, a long, thick, leather strap attached to it.
- What kind of garden? - I'm not sure.
There was nothing growing, but the soil was freshly turned.
I think he just planted it.
Vic, you there? Hey, Walt, I'm just pulling up to the station.
I need you to get those warrants in order.
Nighthorse? Yep.
- Thanks, Bob.
- It's me who should be thanking you, Walt, for getting me this job.
It's helping me to get my footing.
It's volunteer work, Bob.
Doesn't even pay, so True, but it gives me structure, a sense of responsibility.
Self-respect.
A man's got to work, Bob, and in your case, it's court ordered, so Walt, it's Ruby.
How close are you to the Sinclair station east of town? Not far.
What's up? A trucker just called in a reckless driver in a black SUV heading south on 232 and swerving pretty badly.
Okay, I'll check it out.
Leave me alone.
You all right? Am I? I don't know.
I can't feel my anything.
Come on, Barlow.
Let's get you out of there.
Easy does it.
Big step.
I got you.
I got you.
Who's got you? I'm not sure.
You taking me to jail? Well, I ought to.
I, uh, think maybe you've been through enough, so I'll just take you home, Barlow.
Okay.
Well, on the Oh.
There you are.
Come on.
Buckle up.
I was buckled up.
You de-buckled me.
Get out of the way.
Okay, you do it.
I've got it.
How's your head? I'm all right.
This doesn't look like my seatbelt.
All set? Thank you.
Great meal.
Um, I-I think there must be a mistake.
I don't think so.
- The The tip is too big.
- Well, how much is it? It's $50,000.
Let me see that.
Oh.
I see what I did.
It's not a tip.
It's an offer.
For what? My name's Kevin Morris.
I work for a Boston-based law firm called Dow & Morris, and we just opened an office here in Durant.
My job is to find and hire the best lawyers in this state.
Starting with you, "Caddy.
" Me? Why? Your work on the Henry Standing Bear case.
Word gets out.
You're smart.
You're young.
You know the community.
And we'd much rather have you arguing beside us than against us.
You know Think it over.
Give me a call.
Mr.
Morris.
Um, it's Cady.
What? My name You pronounced it wrong.
It's Cady.
C-a-d-y? Yeah.
I think you're spelling it wrong.
Aw, shit.
Left the keys in the damn car.
You got a spare? Or maybe there's a window open here we can Sheriff, I want to report a break-in.
Yeah.
I thought you might want to sober up.
Hm.
Or maybe go the other way.
Thanks, Walt.
You ought to join me.
Go grab a glass.
Well, I'm not a whiskey man, so Well, beer, then There's beer in the fridge.
Any Rainier? No.
No Rainier.
Just some imported shit.
I'll pass.
You know, uh, Barlow, um I don't usually like to discuss details of investigations, but, uh, there's something I think you deserve to know.
I don't think Branch killed himself.
What? He's not dead? I mean, I have reason to believe that someone murdered him.
If somebody killed Branch, got to be Nighthorse.
Why do you say that? Well, he's been trying to get at me in all sorts of ways.
He planted those old Indian bones on my golf course to try and stall my development.
But I don't go down easy.
When he saw he couldn't get at me, he went after the thing I loved.
If someone went after my daughter, I I don't know what I'd do.
- We got to get him.
- I will.
I will.
But I need to do it legally, and you need to stay out of it.
Now, are you gonna be okay here on your own? You worried I'm gonna shoot myself? Connallys aren't cowards, Walt.
We don't kill ourselves.
Where are the keys to your other car? I don't want you driving, not in your state of mind.
You're grounded as far as I'm concerned.
Oh, they're, uh, in the other room in a desk.
- I can Oh.
- Come on.
Take it easy.
Just Right there.
Take a seat.
Okay, they're in there.
- Here you go.
- You're the sheriff.
Ooh.
Mm.
Arrowleaf balsamroot.
That's those sunflower-looking things? They are.
Well for a man of few words, Walt, this is one long warrant application.
I wanted to be as thorough as possible, so Mm-hmm.
Well, I'll tell you what.
I'm gonna give you a search warrant.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- But not for Jacob Nighthorse's property.
I'll give you a warrant for my home, because those sunflowers grow like weeds along the driveway.
In fact, they grow practically everywhere.
Not along the river where we found Branch's body.
Well, that may well be, but that's not evidence enough to cast suspicion on Jacob Nighthorse.
You mean Jacob Blankenship.
Ah, I almost forgot.
The mysterious legal-name change.
It speaks to a pattern of deceit.
It speaks to an Indian wanting to sound a little more like an Indian.
Look, you clearly have a significant bug up your ass about this, Walt, but I can't let you disturb a citizen based on this thin evidence, particularly since you've played so fast and loose with protocol.
I mean, for all I know, you could've put that dirt in the shotgun casing.
I fully documented the chain of custody.
When you deputized your best friend, the recently released prisoner, to transport the evidence.
We're shorthanded, Your Honor.
Well, then hire a new deputy.
But your request for a search warrant on Jacob Nighthorse's property is denied.
Walt.
Not in the mood to talk now, Vic.
Well, that's nothing new, but you don't have to talk.
We can, like, go get a burger or something.
I need you to look into Nighthorse's alibi for the window of time around when Branch was killed.
You are his alibi.
You're the one that told me that he was out of town.
I saw him get off a plane.
How do I know he was where he said he was? Could've been an act.
Check his flight details.
Have Ferg look into his credit cards.
Okay.
Anything else? The burger Thanks, but not tonight.
This is a confidentiality agreement.
It says that you can't disclose the firm's trade secrets, client list, et cetera.
Go ahead and sign here and initial there.
Okay.
Before Ms.
Longmire gets bored and changes her mind, I thought she might be curious about her compensation package.
So That's not the salary we discussed.
We haven't talked about salary.
You said $50,000.
That was your year-one bonus, assuming you meet certain benchmarks.
We wouldn't expect you to live on that salary.
Is Is there a problem? No.
No, there's no problem.
Would you like to review your health-plan options? Yes, I would like that very much.
Good morning, Ruby.
How are you today? Mathias, why don't you take a seat? I'll tell the sheriff that you're here.
That's okay.
I want to surprise him.
Oh, I like what you've done with your hair, Philly.
Sheriff.
I need to see your guns.
What? My guns? What for? Oh, what does it matter? You haven't done anything wrong.
So, just let me take a look at them.
- You got a warrant? - Nope.
And you know I couldn't get one even if I wanted to.
Why would you want to, except for the simple pleasure of annoying me? Someone fired off two .
30-caliber rounds at Jacob Nighthorse last night.
Where? Right there at his home.
Nighthorse doesn't live on the Res.
What's this got to do with you? Wondered the same thing when Nighthorse called me since I have no authority in your county.
Did you really accuse Nighthorse of killing Branch? Then you could understand why he didn't feel too comfortable about calling you in.
I didn't shoot at anybody last night, Mathias.
Great.
Then let me check out all your guns.
No.
Okay.
Well, I tried.
There's nothing else I can do, then, except call in the feds.
Mr.
Nighthorse! The bullet went right by my head.
Missed me by less than two feet.
Now, coming, as this did, on the heels of repeated harassment by Sheriff Longmire, it's pretty clear to me that the sheriff was behind the shooting.
Walt Longmire has tried to connect me to several crimes that I had nothing to do with.
So, I'm hopeful that, by shining a light on the activities of his backward, corrupt, and prejudiced Sheriff's Department, we may be able to rein in the worst of their excesses.
But But barring that, I just want to say right now if I end up dead in the coming days or weeks, the first person you should look at is your sheriff.
Sheriff's Department.
This is Deputy Ferguson.
Hello, Ferg.
This is Henry.
Hey, Henry, you want me to get the sheriff for you? Maybe.
Depends on how you answer a question for me.
Do you know where he was last night? I was off duty, so, no, I don't know where Walt was.
Hello? Is he gone? - Who? - Mathias.
Yeah.
He's gone.
Good.
I don't want to have to answer any of his questions.
I don't want him to ask me where you've been or where you were last night or when the last time I saw you was.
Why not? Because I don't want to have to lie for you.
- Vic, listen - No.
I don't want you to have to lie to me, either.
Look, I get it It sucks that Nighthorse is getting away with this, and it's actually kind of brilliant because you shoot at him, and now his house is a crime scene and you don't need a search warrant anymore, but, Jesus, Walt! He has got great lawyers.
And now Mathias is calling in the feds.
You might've blown your only chance you had to get him, and you might even lose your job.
I know that you have a .
30-caliber rifle, and I just I cannot get in the middle of one of these situations again.
- Vic.
- Not even for you.
- Listen to me.
- What?! I will never ask you to lie for me.
I know you can't verify where I was last night.
No one can.
I need you to take a breath and go find Bob Barnes.
Bob? Why? Because what you just said about Nighthorse's house, you're right.
We have a way in now.
And Bob knows where we need to look.
Vic.
Come on, we got to get over there before Nighthorse's lawyers or the feds find some way to stop us.
What are you doing here? My job.
Aah! Mathias reported a crime.
I'm out here to investigate it.
I reported that crime to Mathias, not you.
He doesn't have any authority off the Res.
Then I withdraw my report.
Nothing happened here, and you can be on your way.
Well, someone's, uh, taking shots at residents in my county, - that's a public-safety issue.
- Aw, please! I don't care if you file a report or not.
I'm compelled to investigate.
You and I both know you did this.
Actually, based on how quickly you pulled that press conference together, I'm inclined to think maybe you did this.
- I shot at myself? - Sure you did.
Create a false pretense which allows you to harass me in the media.
"A false pretense which allows you to harass me.
" That is a perfect turn of phrase.
I'm gonna pass that along to my lawyer right now.
Is he in your truck? Yeah, it's Jacob.
You'll never guess who just showed up to search my property without a warrant! Hey.
Show me where you spotted the arrowleaf balsamwood and that new flower bed.
Bob? You never said anything about people getting shot at.
What? I thought you got me this job to help me out.
I didn't know you were gonna put me in danger.
- You weren't in any danger.
- Oh, come on, Walt.
Why didn't you come out here and look for that flower yourself? I'm not exactly welcome on Nighthorse's property.
So you send me out here to trespass for you? You're not trespassing, and I would never send you into danger.
I honestly had no idea anyone was gonna be firing a weapon out here.
Now can you please show me where you saw that flower? How's about I just point it out through the window for you? Fine.
Get photos of everything here.
I want a match on the location of every one of these flowers on the property, then get some soil samples.
What exactly are we looking for, Sheriff? Shotgun shells, buckshot, traces of blood, anything that proves this is the real place where Branch got killed.
You think he was shot here? Won't know for sure till you get some samples.
All the documents our client has in connection with this pending suit are on these drives.
I'm gonna be prepping motions for discovery.
I need you all to backstop me.
Cady.
We're lawyers.
We don't raise our hand.
We interrupt.
Right, sorry.
It's just that we represent Connally Enterprises? No, we're suing Connally Enterprises Barlow Connally, specifically.
Do you know him? Well, um, I used to date his son, so Great.
You should be able to offer some real insight into this.
I just feel a little weird.
Cady.
- Yeah.
- We're filing motions.
It's not like you'll be facing off against Barlow in court.
Oh.
Good.
And besides, if you recuse yourself from every case in Absaroka County where you know someone on the other side, you won't be able to practice law at all.
This is life in a small town.
All right, next.
Whoever fired that shot must've been in this area, so Hmm.
It's almost like you know exactly where to go.
There aren't too many spots it could've been.
Nighthorse would want to suggest the shooter needed cover.
If it wasn't Nighthorse, the highway's a few hundred yards to the east.
Someone could've walked in from there, so There's horse shit all over the place.
Maybe the shooter rode in.
Nighthorse got a horse? I think so.
Just do what I said and call me back in an hour.
Okay.
Yeah, bye.
The company suing Barlow is Big Pines Timber.
Yes.
Big Pines Timber is owned by Jacob Nighthorse.
Yes, we represent all of Nighthorse's businesses.
- You look confused.
- I am.
The document that I just read said that Nighthorse is suing Barlow Connally for breach of contract, but those two are sworn enemies.
What contract could they possibly have? They may not like each other, but they have a number of business deals through shell corporations or they did have.
This lawsuit might bring that to a close.
I quit.
What? Why? Because of Barlow Connally? Look, I told you, you're just support on this.
All right, look, if you're really that uncomfortable I am, but not because of Connally.
Because of Nighthorse and the casino.
I can't work for a firm that represents the casino.
What's so funny? Only that the casino is the reason you're here.
Your success on the Standing Bear case, y-your connections to the Native community, your support of their causes You are the perfect person to handle Reservation issues.
That's true to a point.
I mean, you have to understand, my mother, she spent her last years on this planet fighting the casino, and for me to stay here and work for them, it's a betrayal, and I'm I'm sorry.
- I can't do it, so - Well.
Well, this is, uh unexpected.
I know.
I'm so grateful.
I was really excited about this job.
- If you'd just told me - It's your responsibility to research a company you plan to work for.
Right.
I must've just gotten excited.
Anyway, I'm really sorry I wasted your time.
And our money.
These were valuable, billable hours you put in today.
I realize that.
Then, why haven't you packed your stuff and left, or are you trying to waste more of our money? - Okay.
- Not the pad.
That belongs to us.
This is mine.
Normally, I wouldn't think it necessary to remind another lawyer about this, but clearly you're a little green, so I will.
Everything that you read and wrote in here today belongs to us.
You signed nondisclosure agreements that couldn't be clearer on that matter.
So, you cannot take your notes and you cannot discuss anything you learned in here today with anyone.
So, if this whole act of yours was designed to get you access to private information about the casino your mommy didn't like, know that we will prosecute you, and it is very hard to defend a civil lawsuit on a waitress' salary.
You can close the door behind you.
Henry's friend from the university rushed the tests on those soil samples from Nighthorse's house.
None of them matched the dirt we found in the shotgun casing.
It's a totally different mineral composition.
And no traces of blood, lead, or gunpowder.
The only thing that was the same was arrowleaf balsamwood pollen.
That was the head of the TSA unit at the White Plains airport in New York.
So, Nighthorse did land there the night of Branch's murder, and he took a helicopter out to the Foxwoods Casino.
They're sending me the security footage now to verify that.
So, Nighthorse has a better alibi for Branch's murder than I do for shooting at Nighthorse.
Too soon? Okay, so, uh, he has an alibi.
Doesn't Nighthorse usually get someone else to do his dirty work? Yeah, he does, but David Ridges is dead, and according to Henry, Malachi's out of town, so Hey, Sheriff.
Uh, while we're on the subject, I've been wondering about something about those surveillance cameras that you think were stolen from Branch's house.
Why would Nighthorse take them? - I mean - You're thinking Nighthorse was the one who brought them to us in the first place, so Right, if he thought those cameras had incriminating video on them, why would he willingly turn them over? - It just doesn't make any sense.
- I know.
I know it doesn't make any sense, Ferg.
- Don't raise your voice at him, Walter.
- It's okay.
Here you go.
What does Barlow want? He left his phone in his wrecked SUV.
You never filed any paperwork about a wrecked SUV, so I didn't know what he was talking about.
I can get that phone for him.
Anything else? They're on hold.
- Tell them I'm not here.
- Walter.
Ruby.
Who's on hold? - Hey, honey.
- Hi.
Hey.
You just missed your dad.
Good.
Actually, I, uh, kind of wanted to talk to you.
- Me? - Yeah.
Really? Why? I need some professional advice.
From me? Have you ever been working on a case and you got good information, but the way you got that information wasn't exactly legal? This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with your dad, would it? It might.
Well, you're gonna have to tell me what this is about.
See, that's the problem.
I-I can't.
Then, I can't help you.
I can't help anyone break the law.
I'm trying not to break the law.
Look All I can say is that I may have found something that would give Nighthorse motive in Branch's murder.
I think he was caught between two people.
What two people? Do we know them? Okay, now I feel like you're not really hearing me.
Right, you can't tell me.
I signed a confidentiality agreement, so anything that I say to anyone can get thrown out in court, and I know my dad wants to do this by the book, so what do I do? You find another source.
I mean, you know the information already.
You just need to find a different way to get it.
A different way that you can explain to a lawyer that doesn't violate whatever confidentiality agreement you may have signed.
Can you find another source? So, this is a bit on the nose.
- What? - A cop drowning his troubles and pouring out his soul to the local tavern keeper.
Yeah.
Except you're not really the local tavern keeper here.
Malachi is.
Also, you are not pouring out your soul, and you are not drinking.
I need a new boot.
This is why you are upset? Your boots are not comfortable? When I was eight or nine years old, my my mom got me some boots nice ones.
I loved them.
Six months in, my feet had grown.
My toes hurt.
Actually had bruises on them.
I kept wearing those boots.
You never were the brightest child.
I'm doing it again.
With Nighthorse.
None of the evidence fits.
Nothing says he killed Branch except my gut.
I want to believe it.
- At a certain point - Your feet start to hurt.
So, if it was not Nighthorse who killed Branch, who else could it be? And if the murder was not connected to Ridges, what was it about? I have absolutely no idea.
Hello, there.
Surprised me.
Oh, I'm sorry.
- I was out back shoeing a horse.
- Oh.
Aren't you a sight for sore eyes.
Ah, good to see you, hon.
- What happened? - Oh, that.
I had a little fender bender.
Your dad actually helped me out with it.
- Do you want to come on inside? - Yeah.
Want a cup of coffee or anything? It's right here.
No, I'm I'm good.
Thank you.
So what brings you around, Cady? Oh, um, I found some things I thought you might like.
A picture and just some things that Branch left at my house Nothing special.
A mug, golf gloves.
Nothing, really.
I appreciate it.
But I'm pretty sure he'd want you to hang on to this stuff.
Okay.
Are you sure? You meant so much to him.
Yeah.
So, how are you holding up? I wish I could say I was keeping it together, but it hasn't been easy.
You must really miss him.
Especially since Branch just started working with you.
Must've been nice to have him right there beside you.
Yeah, it was kind of a dream come true.
I bet.
What was he doing for you anyway, work-wise? I would've thought he'd told you that.
To be honest, Branch and I hadn't really been communicating.
We broke up a month before he died.
Oh.
I didn't realize.
Yeah.
So, you and Branch weren't together? No.
I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you at the funeral.
It just didn't seem like the time.
And it's not exactly true that there wasn't any communication between us.
He sent me a bunch of texts the night before Dad found him.
But But what? I don't know.
They You know, the texts were kind of crazy.
Yeah, he He sent me some texts, too.
I just figured he'd been drinking.
So I didn't do anything.
- If only I - Barlow.
If you've spoken to my dad, you know that Branch did not commit suicide.
There's nothing you could've done.
Well, maybe he didn't kill himself, but I still think I could've stopped him.
Stopped him from doing what? I think Branch got himself all worked up, emotional, and confronted Nighthorse.
Why? I mean, what would Branch know about Nighthorse? I don't know.
Probably something about this David Ridges business.
Well, it's probably not any comfort, but now that my dad knows that he didn't commit suicide, he won't rest until he figures it out.
Aah! Ruby said you'd be here dodging the feds.
I was just getting Barlow his phone back.
Really just a one-person job, so Yeah, well, I needed to talk to you, so Cady came by.
She said that she found out something about Nighthorse that would explain why he'd want to kill Branch, but she can't reveal it without breaking the law, so I am just gonna ask you Did you find out something about Nighthorse when you shot at him and you're making your daughter - launder the information for you? - Vic, listen to me Before you deny it, I found this on the hill at Nighthorse's house.
It was on the ground right around where the shooter would've been standing.
I will I will lie for you.
It's what I came here to tell you.
I'll say whatever you want me to say.
I just need you to tell me what the hell's going on.
I told you already.
I will never ask you to lie for me.
The last person to accuse me with an empty beer can was Branch.
He was wrong then just like you're wrong now.
I was at home that night.
That's the truth.
- Why wouldn't you just tell me that? - Because you weren't ready to listen.
Everything I said would've seemed like a lie.
Well, if that's the case, then someone left that can there to frame you, someone who knows that you drink Rainier.
Yep.
So, what did Cady discover? That Branch was caught between two people.
What two people? She refused to tell me.
So, tell me what you found out about Branch.
Wow.
Thanks, Vic.
Some secrets you don't keep.
- This one I have to.
- Why? - Who are you protecting? - Myself.
Dad, I signed a confidentiality agreement.
I got a job at a new law firm.
- You got a job? - Yeah.
- That's great.
- It is great.
It's the best job I'll ever find in this county, and I already quit.
I had to.
The firm wasn't what I thought it was.
I-I didn't like who they represented.
They represent Nighthorse.
I can't say.
Anything that I say to you, they'll presume that I'm violating my agreement, and they will sue me.
And you found something.
Maybe.
I tried to get the information a different way so that I wasn't violating my agreement.
How'd you do that? I went to talk to Barlow.
What did you think you were gonna get from Barlow? Dad, please don't make me do the wrong thing here.
Why does everybody keep saying I'm trying to make them do the wrong thing? Because I know how much this means to you.
It means a lot to me, too.
Cady, what did you and Barlow talk about? You can tell me that.
We talked about his car accident and about the crazy texts that Branch sent both of us the night before he died.
We talked about David Ridges, and I came clean about the fact that Branch and I broke up.
And we talked about everything except the thing I wanted to talk about.
So Branch sent all those texts to Barlow, too? Yeah.
He said he thought Branch had been drinking and went after Nighthorse.
Barlow.
Barlow? Hello? Door was open.
You really ought to keep it locked, even out here.
I could've shot you, Barlow.
Nah, you got good instincts, Walt.
I had no idea you played piano.
Well, I don't play it much anymore, so You rode over? Well, you took my keys.
Your horse need water? No, she's fine.
How about you? You twist my arm, I'll take a bourbon.
So, to what do I owe this pleasure? Well, I'm not sure it's gonna be a pleasure.
I came over here to confess to something.
But I'm sure you already figured it out.
Out of bourbon.
So Tell me what you did, Barlow.
Well it's not like I planned it.
I just found myself there with a gun in my hand, and, uh I shot at Nighthorse.
Why? Son of a bitch killed my son.
You said so yourself.
Well, you, uh caused a real problem for me, Barlow.
Nighthorse thinks I'm the one that shot at him.
Well, that's what I'm doing here.
I want to come clean.
I'm prepared to face the consequences.
Well, I understand wanting to take out the man that killed the person I love, but that's not what happened here.
Now, why would I make that up? Well, I know you shot at him.
But you're lying about why.
You're a pretty good shot, Barlow.
You wouldn't have missed him twice if you were trying to hit him, no.
No, that wasn't about revenge.
You were trying to miss him, pin it on me.
That's why you left the Rainier can behind.
I think that beer's gone straight to your head.
You even used a gun the same caliber as my rifle.
Even I was starting to think I'd done it.
You're crazy.
Why frame me, Barlow? Unless you're trying to take my focus off investigating Branch's murder.
Why would I want to do that? Because you don't want me to find out who was really behind it.
We already know who was behind it.
Well, whoever it was knew Branch well.
Knew where he hid his key.
Knew how to get into his house.
He typed a suicide note on his computer that sounded like Branch.
With one exception.
They didn't know that Branch and my daughter had broken up a few weeks ago.
I understand Cady came by and broke the news to you.
You think a father could kill his own son? You really think I'm capable of that? Well, I didn't before today.
But you told Cady you got some texts from Branch the night before he died.
Well, uh I looked on your phone, and not only did you get no texts from him that night, but, uh, over the past year, you barely texted at all.
Well, I'm just like you.
I'm not much of a texter.
Well, actually, you are.
You wrote all those texts to Cady from Branch's phone.
You did everything you could to make it look like a suicide.
You drove Branch's truck back to his house.
You wrote a note on his computer.
You got his uniform, staged that whole thing down by the river where the water would wash away anything you overlooked.
How'd you get yourself home from there, Barlow? I didn't see any signs of your horse down at the river.
I guess you could've used that, uh, mountain bike I saw at your house.
Oh, anyway, I I got to hand it to you.
You thought of everything.
Really, your only mistake was the shotgun.
After you shot Branch, you ejected the shell, just just out of instinct.
You didn't realize when you put it back in the weapon there was dirt inside the shell.
And pollen.
Pollen from flowers I found on your property.
Well, I got to hand it to you, Walt.
You are one sharp son of a bitch.
You seem to have an answer for everything.
Well, not everything.
I still don't know why.
Why you would kill your own son.
Because he wasn't my son, you son of a bitch.
That's why! Now, he might've had my genes, but he didn't have my character.
He had no no sense of loyalty about him.
Even after he started working for me, he was still working for you! Working for me? Yeah.
On what? Well, if you don't know, I'm sure as hell not gonna tell you.
You took those cameras from Branch's house.
All this while, I thought Branch found out something about Nighthorse on those surveillance cameras, but it was you.
It was you.
He was surveilling Nighthorse, but he found out something about you.
Oh, he was a smart boy.
Yeah.
He discovered it weeks before you did.
And my daughter figured it out earlier today.
She Branch got caught between you and Nighthorse.
You two aren't enemies.
You're You're working together.
Your real-estate developments, your golf course None of that pays off without a lot of people.
People that Nighthorse's casino will bring.
That Indian had a lot of good ideas, not much capital.
My wife and I were in your way.
You know what the definition of a conservationist is, Walt? That's somebody who's already got his own land and tries to squash everybody else's chance of getting some of their own.
You and your wife were living out here and just killing everybody else's chance of making some money for themselves.
You and Nighthorse killed her.
That's what Branch thought to begin with.
David Ridges killed your wife.
On whose orders? Mine.
I had worked too hard and too long to let you and that bitch wife of yours stand in my way.
Why didn't you just kill me? Oh, no.
That would've drawn too much attention.
So, when you couldn't get at me you went after the thing I loved.
Oh, come on, Walt.
Martha had cancer.
She was already dead.
Now, what did I do? Shorten her life by a few weeks? Maybe a few months.
I'll see you rot for this for the rest of your miserable life.
No, you won't.
This is my county.
There's no way that I'm gonna let you lock me up.
Nobody is taking me from my rightful home.
Drop the gun! You just shot a defenseless man.
You invited me to your cabin and then you killed me.
You're not gonna die, you son of a bitch.
I won't let you.
Not gonna let you Get up! - Let me go.
- Get up! - Aah! - Come on! They're gonna sew you up, and you're gonna have to live with what you've done! I I'm not going to a hospital.
You just let me die, Walt.
You know you want to.
I killed my own son.
Aah! I killed him! Good luck explaining this one, Walt.
I'll be ready.
And you'll be in hell.