Deadly Sanctuary (2015) Movie Script
1
[laughing]
Tiffany...
[sighs]
Get in the truck!
- Let me go!
- ndale!
[screams]
Let go! Help!
Help me!
[screams]
[yelps]
I'll never go back with you!
Pray... I'll get you
before the desert does!
Tiffany!
The desert, it kills you slow!
[howls]
Driving down the road
Hometown in my rearview
Things are getting old
I'm needing something new
I need to find my stride
Gotta get out on my own
Gonna give these dreams a try
Far away from all I know
Under a big sky
In a small town
Got my hopes high
And my feet on the ground
Running headstrong
Into this mystery
Running
I've been saving up for a rainy day
But I'm fine with bright sunshine
And starry nights most all the time
Running
Yeah, under a big sky
In a small town
Got my hopes high
And my feet on the ground
Running headstrong
Into this mystery
Running, running
Oh, come on.
Dad.
Dad? Yeah. Yeah.
You know how you
told me that Castle Valley
is a suburb of Phoenix?
Oh, it isn't.
It's a desert.
Yeah, I know the dry heat
will be good for my asthma,
but what about all this dust?
No one even thought about that.
Yeah, right, right.
Yeah, Dad, the suburbs in Arizona
might be further apart
than they are in Philly.
You're absolutely right.
And I don't even know why
you told your friend Tugg
that I'm an experienced
investigative reporter.
Yeah, you were like, "Oh, she's
a chip off the old block.
It'll be fine."
Well, soon as I start,
he's gonna see right through me.
I don't think...
Dad?
Love you too, Dad.
[screams]
Oh, no! Oh!
Ohh! Right!
Arizona's paradise, isn't it, Dad?
It's absolutely perfect.
Hello!
Stop, please! Hello!
Stop! Help!
You having trouble, little lady?
Yeah. It seemed to develop a rattle.
Looks like a friendly
little gopher snake to me.
Oh, God, no!
Yeah?
- Ugh.
- [chuckles]
Well!
Where you heading, sweetie?
Sweetie is headed to Castle Valley.
I knew it, she's a snowbird.
A snowbird?
Yeah, winter visitor.
Here for six months,
polluting our air, clogging up
the streets and restaurants,
making golf more expensive,
then you skedaddle
back to wherever you come from
and... yeah.
Well, for your information,
I'm actually relocating
to Castle Valley.
I'm taking a very important
managerial position
with the newspaper.
Huh. Is that a fact?
She kind of looks like...
Don't even go there, Jake.
Come on. Let's go.
You take care, lady.
I saw a bunch of black birds flying
a few miles back in a circle.
Why do they do that?
It's just the desert's way
of cleaning up dead.
Probably a dead steer.
So, ma'am, take care of yourself.
[engine starts]
[engine starts]
[sighs]
[pop song on car radio]
What the hell are you doing?
Look, I'm sorry.
I just really need a ride.
You know, I could've just
killed you coming up like that.
Well, where are you going?
Phoenix, LA.
Maybe Vegas, I don't know.
I'm just going a few more miles
to Castle Valley.
That's okay.
I can take a bus from there.
Okay, get in.
I'm actually relocating
to Castle Valley myself.
Do you mind if we don't talk?
- Thanks, lady.
- Hey, hold on a second.
[sighs] Take this $20,
get something to eat.
You could also really use a shower.
Oh, crap!
What time is it?
WOMAN:
Pork rinds is two words.
P-O-R-K space R-I-N-D-S.
Yes, it is, Earl.
I'm just gonna go ahead and
change it to hors d'oeuvres.
You have yourself a nice day too, honey.
Bye.
Well, you must be Kendall O'Dell.
- Am I right?
- Yes.
I have an appointment with Morton Tuggs.
Sugar, you had an appointment
an hour ago with Tugg.
I know. I'm so sorry.
I got in really late last night,
and I had trouble finding this place.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You got lost?
In this town?
Honey, you're gonna have to dig
a little deeper than that
and come up with something better.
Well, don't you fret though.
He's on the phone,
and he happens to be
in a pretty good mood today.
By the way, sugar,
my name, I'm Ginger King.
TUGG: I paid you a shitload
of money for that damn system
and it doesn't work!
Get somebody over here and fix it!
[slams phone receiver down]
Damn!
- That's his good mood?
- Trust me, honey,
once he gets a good look at you,
he'll be just fine.
Go on in, darling, and good luck.
TUGG: Ahhh.
Mr. Tuggs?
It's Tugg.
If it was Tuggs, there'd be two of me.
And with that red hair,
if you aren't Bill O'Dell's kid,
I give up.
You certainly are a chip off
the block, Kendall O'Dell.
Have a seat.
Tell your dad if he ever wants to leave
that big, cushy corporate job of his,
we'll take good care
of him here, all right?
He might like it here,
but I don't know about Mother.
She likes trees and...
You know.
Oh, I do know.
Well, this place'll grow on you.
Spend one winter here,
and you'll never want to leave.
Oh, what about the summers?
Well, it isn't hell,
but, uh, we tell people
we can see hell from here.
Truthfully, it's not so bad.
Right, it's a "dry" heat.
You've heard about it already, huh?
It does make a big difference.
But let's talk about the job, shall we?
I'm assuming you like
our little town enough to stay.
Well, it's not exactly what I expected.
Seldom is.
But I could really use someone
with your experience.
I'm a little concerned
my dad may have oversold you
on my fact checker resume.
Your dad is a fine newspaperman.
If you're anything like him,
you got good instincts,
and that goes a long way.
Thank you.
- Well, then.
- [chuckles]
We're a small newspaper,
so we wear lots of hats
and we do a lot of covering
for each other.
But don't worry.
There's plenty going on around here
to keep the job interesting.
And I hope you aren't
looking to us as a stepladder
to bigger and better jobs,
because that's not gonna happen, doll.
Is that what happened with the
person whose job I'm filling?
I mean, it doesn't matter.
- I shouldn't have asked.
- No, no.
A reporter's job is to ask questions.
John... His name was John.
John had a nose for trouble
and could turn a phrase.
He could've hung his hat
with any of the big dailies,
but he liked it here.
Why did he leave?
Don't know.
He just up and disappeared.
We had the sheriff's posse
search for two weeks
before calling it off.
No evidence of foul play,
but truth be told,
John did have some enemies.
Just none who wanted to kill him.
What kind of enemies?
Husbands.
Boyfriends.
A couple of ex-wives.
Our sheriff.
He was tapping the sheriff's wife?
Oh, no!
The sheriff is Roy Hollingsworth.
Now, Roy, he was pretty hacked off
about John's allegations
that the sheriff's office
had bungled the case of two girls
whose bodies were found
in the desert last year.
John was not shy about
claiming that the sheriff
was uncooperative
in furthering the investigation.
Were the girls murdered?
Both deaths were ruled accidental.
So why was he suspicious?
I found this in his desk drawer.
Check it out.
He didn't tell me anything
other than to say
he'd been going through
the dead girls' files
at the sheriff's office
and he found that.
Something weird.
I would like to follow up on this.
Okay, but I have a full list
of assignments for you already.
If you want to investigate this
in your spare time, that's cool,
but let's just keep it
between ourselves, okay?
- Okay.
- Got it?
Got it.
And be careful.
Ginger!
Welcome aboard, Kendall.
What? I was just walking by
and I heard ya.
Show Miss O'Dell where her desk is,
and make sure
she has everything she needs.
Sugar, you have a place to stay yet?
No, actually,
I'm still staying at the...
I have the perfect place for you.
[chuckling]
Tess Delgado, she's in Phoenix
recovering from back surgery.
She needs someone to stay
at her place till she gets home.
And the best part,
the first six weeks are free.
Oh, hey!
Sounds too good to be true.
Tess had a couple there
who left in a hurry,
and they didn't take their deposit.
It's ten miles out in the desert,
and Ginger can show it to you
if you're interested.
Yeah. It has to be better
than the tiny apartment I had in Philly.
Let's go right now, honey.
It's my lunch hour. Come on.
Thank you.
You hungry, sugar?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Well, well, well.
If it isn't the very important
new manager.
Y'all know each other?
[sighs]
Not yet, no.
Bradley Talverson,
at your service, again.
Kendall O'Dell.
[chuckles]
I work here too.
My friends call me Tally.
Tally here
is our part-time sportswriter.
Huh. Well.
How about that?
Are you ready, Ginger?
- Uh...
- Y'all enjoy your lunch.
Tally.
I'm showing Kendall here, uh,
Tess Delgado's place,
for your information.
That's kinda far out, isn't it?
It's free.
[chuckles]
Well, everything has a price, darling.
Keep an eye out for snakes, hmm?
Come on, sugar.
I bet Tally about crapped his pants
when he first laid eyes on you.
You're a dead ringer for that Stephanie.
- Who?
- His wife.
Well, former wife.
She's dead.
Oh, that's so sad.
Whatever.
Sugar, you're gonna follow me.
KENDALL: It's this hot
and it's only April?
GINGER: Oh, flapdoodle.
This ain't nothin'.
But I'll turn the A/C on
for you, princess.
Does it ever rain here, Ginger?
Complete gully washin' frog stranglers.
[gasps, shouts]
Girl, you make a woman
pee her pants acting like that.
There's a humongous spider
in that drawer.
Let me see what you got going.
- Seriously, Kendall?
- [whimpers]
Get your panties in a wad
over a baby wolf spider?
It ain't gonna hurt ya.
We don't wanna kill it,
'cause it eats things
we really don't like.
Ginger, I'm really not a
big bug fan, especially spiders.
You sayin' you got the rackaphobia?
Something like that.
My brother put a spider
down my back when I was six,
and I definitely never got over it.
- [phone chimes]
- Hold on.
- Can you get the spider first?
- It's my sister, Bonnie.
Hey, Bon-Bon. What?
Can you take the spider outside
really quick?
Really?
I'm so happy for ya.
I'll be there in two shakes
of a dog's tail. Bye.
Will you just take
the spider out really quick?
- I'm gonna be an aunt.
- There's a spider.
I'm finally gonna be an aunt.
And it's all because of me.
I hooked them up with Eric Heisler.
Big-time attorney in Phoenix.
Does tons of adoptions.
- Here.
- Call your cell from my phone,
so we have each other's numbers.
Come on, girl.
- Okay.
- Good. I gotta go.
Keys are in the front door.
You call me if you need something.
Can you please take care
of the spider really quick?
Oh, city girl.
I tell ya.
[Kendall groans]
Why did the people
who lived here move so abruptly?
Was it the spiders?
No, don't worry, honey.
I got a bug guy.
Okay, but why did they leave?
They said the place is haunted.
[vehicle approaching]
Hey!
Freakin' moron!
[barking]
It's time we initiate our new reporter,
who's come to us all the way
from the City of Brotherly Love,
Miss Kendall O'Dell.
Darling, this is for you.
Uh-oh, what is this?
That is the snowbird file.
It's our winter resident subscribers.
You just call them up
and ask what they've been up to.
They get a kick out of seeing
their name in the paper,
and they send all the clippings
back home.
And here's background
for the livestock show,
the city council meeting
and the sheriff's log.
You're the newbie.
Hey, Tugg, can we give her
the 4H Club meetings too?
- Ha ha ha ha ha.
- Oh, come on, Kendall.
We've all manned the rookie desk.
Okay, gang.
Let's get to work.
Hey, what do you know
about Serenity House, Tugg?
Oh, your neighbor down the road?
It's a private psychiatric hospital.
Who's in there, Hannibal Lecter?
There's like this huge 12-foot
fence and these guard dogs.
Like, it's crazy.
Yeah, they had a problem
about three years back
when a very violent patient escaped.
The whole region was panic-stricken
until he was recaptured
a few days later.
The city council
demanded a fence be put up,
but the hospital board,
for some reason, they refused,
and then they shocked everybody
by closing the place down.
It sat vacant for about a year,
and then this cat named Price,
he's a psychiatrist, he bought it.
And he's the one who put the fence up.
Great.
Some neighborhood I live in.
- Hey, Ginger.
- Hey, Lucy.
Y'all ready to order?
Kendall, this here's Lucinda.
Lucy, meet Kendall O'Dell.
Nice to meet you.
Kendall's our, uh, our new reporter.
[sighing]
Well.
Congratulations.
Sugar,
we'll just...
We'll take the daily special.
- Fine.
- [Ginger snorts]
What the hell was that all about?
I knew she'd be jealous.
- Of me?
- Of course.
She has the hots for Tally.
[laughing]
She even boards her horse at his ranch
just so she can be around him.
Well, you can tell her not to worry.
Being recently dumped
has made me sort of down on men.
Aw, sugar, I'm sorry to hear that,
but the truth is, Tally's a good catch.
- I can tell he likes you.
- Well, thanks, but no thanks.
Running off with a ranch hand
doesn't exactly appeal to me right now.
Sweetie pie, Tally ain't no ranch hand.
He owns the Starfire.
Probably the biggest dang
cattle ranch in all of Arizona.
What?
Then why does he have
a part-time job at the paper?
Mm. Escape from the ranch, I suppose.
If he hates it so much, then why
doesn't he just sell it?
It's just a little more
complicated than that.
Here you go.
Now, Ginger, do you need anything else?
No, honey. We're... We're good.
And she is just the sweetest thing.
[chuckling]
Don't pay her no mind.
Go ahead, honey.
Try your sandwich.
Okay. Why don't you
"uncomplicate" Tally for me.
I would love to.
He don't want to be no rancher.
He wanted to be a journalist.
So, when he up and went
to New York to go to school,
well, that didn't make his folks
very happy.
And that's when he met that Stephanie.
Bringing that firecracker
Stephanie back here
did not help none.
Ooh-whee!
Hate at first sight.
And I mean everybody.
How come?
She was a spoiled little brat.
Plus, she hated the ranch life.
That drove Tally's mom nuts.
Truth is, she was a little
nutty before that, but...
Stephanie made this big old announcement
they were going back to New York.
And, honey, that's when the bad,
bad fighting started.
And I'll bet you anything
Lucinda knows what I'm about
to tell you right now.
Don't look!
Woman ticking my nerves already.
Anyways, two years ago,
at the annual Starfire Ranch
summer barbecue...
And everybody goes to it...
Tally saw Stephanie's horse
outside the tack room.
So he went up to check it out
and he found John and Stephanie
sucking face.
- Hey, easy, easy, easy! Hey!
- [grunting]
Tally kicked John's ass real good.
I mean, literally kicked his ass.
Stephanie ran out of there screaming,
"He's gonna kill me!
He's gonna kill me!"
Then, she hopped a horse
and lit out of there
like a bat out of hell.
Stephanie, she never came back.
Next morning,
Tally and a couple of his guys
found her face down
in a cholla cactus field.
Face down.
Deader than a doornail.
Oh, my God!
It was ruled an accident,
but rumor has it
the cinch on the saddle
had been tampered with.
Roy Hollingsworth,
he questioned Tally
pretty dang good about that one.
Some folks around here, they
don't think it was an accident,
including John Dexter.
John thought that Tally killed her?
I mean, I don't think
he's capable of murder, do you?
Well, you know, Tally, he has
a bad temper. Don't be fooled.
But I don't think
he coulda killed her either.
Man, must have been fun
having Tally and John in
the office together after that.
- Oh, yeah!
- Ooh.
But I felt the baddest
for Yolanda Reyes,
John's girl.
Now, she knew he was a playboy,
but she said he always
came home at night, so...
In fact, I just saw her
at the dry cleaners
the other day where she works.
Oh. Ginger, let me get this.
Well, sure.
I was just gonna show you
a picture of John and Yolanda.
He was pretty proud
of that truck, I tell ya.
LUCINDA:
Oh, excuse me.
Do you have any money for lunch?
Mm, well, I'm not running
a shelter down here,
so head on out
with all the other runaways.
What?
Oh, come on, Lucy.
Kid looked like
she was starving to death.
It wouldn't kill you
to give her a sandwich.
Oh, it wouldn't kill you
to give her a sandwich either.
Why don't you mind
your business, Elwood?
I cannot afford to feed
every ragamuffin runaway
that comes in this town.
Let Claudia Phillips
and her shelter do it.
Oh, honey, I gotta go. Okay to
leave you here for the check?
Can I just leave money
on the table and come with you?
Gross, Ginger.
Cryin' shame, these girls.
Young as 12, turning tricks
for food and drugs.
I read somewhere
they call them "throwaway kids."
Sometimes they disappear and
end up in those sheiks' harems.
Hey. Hey, when's the last time
you had something to eat?
Yesterday. I had
some French fries yesterday.
Okay. Here.
Take this, go in there
and order the daily special.
It's delicious. Okay?
What's your name?
- Courtney.
- Courtney.
When you're done eating,
you should call home.
I bet somebody really misses you.
Hey, where did you say that shelter was?
Uh, Desert Harbor?
About three blocks north, honey.
All right.
I'll see you back at the office.
Okay, hon.
- Hey, Ginger?
- Yeah?
You don't think that Tally
really had anything to do
with John Dexter's
disappearance, do you?
Of course not, honey.
But, hey, you're the big fancy reporter.
Go on down to the sheriff's office.
Roy will give you the skinny
on everything.
Okay.
Well, hello.
Hello, I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm the new reporter with The Sun.
I was hoping I could speak
with Sheriff Hollingsworth, please.
Uh, uh, he's out.
I can help you though.
I'm Deputy Duane Potts.
I believe the young lady
was asking for me, Duane.
For gosh sakes, Roy,
I thought you were, uh, gone.
Come on in, Miss, uh, O'Dell, is it?
Please.
Come on in. Have a seat.
Thank you.
I was hoping if I could
just ask you a few questions
about the disappearance of John Dexter.
God Almighty.
Tugg has you digging into that dead end?
Things must be slower
than I thought over at The Sun.
Bring me the John Dexter file, Duane!
Thanks, Duane.
Acts like he's never seen
a beautiful woman before.
- I apologize.
- It's okay.
Who was the last person
to see John Dexter?
It might've been me.
I pulled his ass over for speeding
in that souped-up truck, and, uh...
Here it is...
I wrote him this ticket right here
on the 10th of April.
- And where was that?
- He was heading south on 89
toward Phoenix.
Did he seem upset or anything like that?
Well, nobody's really happy
when they get pulled over,
but he might've been a bit more
pissed off than usual,
I suppose.
John and I had our differences.
How so?
Well, it was nothing really.
He had a job to do,
and I understand that
sensationalism sells newspapers.
So there wasn't anything unusual
about him that day?
His car was filled with his belongings,
and he was in a hurry, obviously.
John... liked the ladies.
I think one of them
was giving him some pressure,
and he just skipped out.
Do you mind
if I see that ticket, please?
No, sure.
Thank you.
I just have one more question.
Did you ever suspect Bradley Talverson
to be a suspect
in John Dexter's disappearance?
You are too much.
You do understand that Tally
is one of our
most respected citizens, right?
Yes, but I heard there was
bad blood between them.
There was a woman between them,
who looked a lot like you, incidentally.
Spunky like you too.
Must be a red hair thing.
[chuckles]
And she's dead.
And you're convinced
that was an accident?
That's right, an accident.
Well, thank you.
I appreciate your time
and your willingness
to help me do my job.
Anytime.
Always glad to help a lady.
Especially one
that works at our newspaper.
What did you say to Roy?
About what?
I didn't say anything. I just...
About covering up a murder.
- You didn't say anything?
- No.
Demand to see files and throwing
a bunch of questions at him?
None of that happened, huh?
No, I don't know why he would say that.
I went in there to introduce myself.
I can't believe he would even say that.
There's a lot of things
you better start believing in.
If it wasn't for Roy bailing us out
when this paper went belly up last year,
you wouldn't have a job, you understand?
What?
Roy owns 60% of this paper, darling,
and... he's my brother-in-law.
- [breathes on glasses]
- Oh, brother. I...
Sorry.
Let's just pick this up tomorrow, okay?
Are you okay?
I'm fine. Go.
See you tomorrow.
[wind whistling]
[woman whispering]
Get out.
Get out.
[wind whistling]
[woman whispering]
Get out.
Who's there?
[ring tone]
Hey, Ginger.
Girl, you got to get over here
and see this baby right now!
Right now?
Um, did I stutter?
I said right now.
Okay, I'm on my way.
- Hi!
- [squeals]
[laughs]
How are you?
- Ain't you a sweetie!
- Thank you.
Come on. Thank you. Come on.
- Hi.
- This is Tom.
- Hi.
- This is my sister, Bonnie.
I call her Bon-Bon.
This here is Kendall O'Dell.
- Well, hi, Kendall.
- My new BFF.
Well, Ginger's told us
all about you, Kendall.
Oh, my goodness. Hi.
You are so cute.
Do you know how lucky you are?
Oh, we're the lucky ones.
Thank God Ginger introduced us
to Eric Heisler.
And they named the baby Erica.
- Ain't that sweet?
- KENDALL: Yes.
Let's have a toast.
- Oh.
- Thank you.
- Take that.
- Thank you.
Well, to Erica and Eric, our new baby,
and the best adoption lawyer ever.
Cheers.
Mm, you know what I'm thinking?
I'm thinking you need to meet Eric.
No, Ginger.
I told you I don't want to meet any men.
He's drop-dead gorgeous.
- Drop-dead.
- Yes.
And filthy stinking rich.
And he's single,
and he's very sophisticated.
- And he's got a plane.
- Oh. Mm-hmm.
He brought our baby
back from Virginia in it.
- Ginger!
- You hush now.
Aunt Ginger knows what she's doin'.
[Kendall laughs]
See something you like?
What? No. No!
[phone ringing]
Kendall O'Dell.
BREATHLESS WOMAN:
John Dexter is there?
N-No. May I ask who's calling?
He needs to come quick with the money.
Please, and the tickets
for the bus to Nogales.
Please, hurry.
G... Uh, hello? Hello?
That was weird.
Who the hell was that?
I don't know.
Some woman looking for John.
Imagine that.
I know, I know.
I hear ya. I hear...
I will talk to a doctor, damn it.
Now goodbye.
I'm hangin' up.
I'm hangin' up. Goodbye.
Hey... Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know you were on the phone.
It's okay. Come on in.
I just got a really weird call
from a woman looking for John.
- [Tugg groans]
- She sounded really young
and really scared, and she said
that he owed her money
- and bus tickets to Nogales.
- Bus tickets.
I feel like there's a lot
of young girls around here
and maybe that John
stumbled upon something.
Like what?
I don't know.
Like maybe there's a...
Like a human smuggling ring
going on in Castle Valley.
A smuggling ring.
We're not gonna turn this paper
into The National Enquirer.
I'm not implying that we do that.
I'm just saying that
I think that John was onto something.
Hmm.
How about if I do an article...
on the runaway girls?
I'll do an article on the shelter.
I can get a lot of good information
from Desert Harbor Shelter.
- What do you think?
- Okay.
Tie it in with the fundraiser
at Whispering Winds Ranch
next weekend.
Yeah, Desert Harbor
is their main beneficiary.
And make sure you get photos
of Eric Heisler, the host.
Every time he's on our
front page, we double in sales.
Great. Thank you.
I'm gonna say this again, doll.
I want you to be careful.
Okay?
- S?
- Hi.
I was hoping
to speak with Claudia Phillips?
Come.
May I help you?
Yes. Hello.
I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm a reporter with The Sun.
I'm doing a story on runaway teens,
and I was hoping
I could ask you few questions.
I'm Claudia Phillips.
And I'm unfortunately
very busy today. Perhaps...
I was thinking, with
the big fundraiser coming up,
this would be a great opportunity
to bring some revenue
into this place and...
Two minutes.
Okay.
How many girls do you usually
have staying here?
Eight to 10.
And do you limit
how long that they can stay or...
No, we are not a residence.
This is a place for girls in crisis
to sleep and shower,
get some clothes, food,
medical attention if they need it.
And how do you get most of your funding?
Is it the fundraiser mostly, or...
We get a pathetic amount
of funding from the state,
an occasional federal grant.
So I'm happy for any interest
you generate.
Oh, well, thank you.
How did you get involved
in this kind of work?
I was a runaway once.
Yes, I was.
Anyway, when Violet,
who founded this shelter,
met her untimely death, I stepped in.
What happened to her?
Hit-and-run.
It happens a lot here.
Perhaps because we're close
to the border, I don't know.
Oh, that's so sad.
Well, you're obviously very busy.
Thank you for your time.
Before I go, can I just take
a few pictures of the girls
and maybe interview them?
I think it would really,
you know, help the article and...
Out of the question.
Daniela?
She will show you out.
Well, I wouldn't use their faces
or their real names or anything.
I just think it would
really add to the article
to be able to use that.
No, it is against policy.
Whose policy?
Mine.
Daniela.
[Kendall laughs]
Absolutely not.
[laughing]
I don't think so.
I have not met anyone.
I've only been here a month.
Okay, love you too.
Bye, Dad.
- Hey there.
- Oh, hi.
So, I heard you need a ride to
the fundraiser tomorrow night.
Oh, did a woman with
a Texas accent tell you that?
Mm-hmm.
So I'll pick you up at 6:30.
I didn't say yes.
6:30.
You need to stop
setting me up with people.
Didn't anyone ever tell you
you're not supposed to hook up
with people you work with?
It's a small town, darling.
Limited selection.
Well, maybe not for you.
You already said you were gonna
set me up with Eric Heisler.
Make them compete for you, girl.
Golly! Don't you need
a refresher course.
[sighs]
[knocking]
Who's out there?
I'm not afraid of you!
KENDALL: So much for a quick
shopping trip to Phoenix.
I'm sorry, Kendall.
I should've known
there'd be a backup on 17.
It's 6:00, Ginger!
I said I'm sorry.
[gasps, screams]
[screaming]
Oh, God, no! Oh, God, no!
[Kendall whimpering]
KENDALL:
Oh. Oh.
KENDALL:
You're early.
Yeah. Yeah, so it appears.
You know, I may be wrong,
but, uh, don't you think
you're slightly underdressed
for tonight's event?
No. I always go to black-tie
events in my underwear.
Okay. Yeah, whatever burns your shorts.
So you wanna tell me what you're, uh,
what you're doing out here?
I can't go back inside that house.
And why's that?
Because there is a herd...
of giant spiders in my bathtub.
Oh, a herd of spiders, huh?
You know they actually have
a term for a herd of spiders?
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, it's called a skittering.
- Are you making that up?
- No, I am not.
It's a term of venery.
Like a school of fish
or a pride of lions
or a murder of crow.
So why don't you put this on over here?
Here you go.
And I will round those spiders up
while you're showering.
Nice try.
Why don't you go first?
Okay, but you owe me.
- Owe you?
- Hell yeah.
I don't see Spider-Man anywhere
to save you, do I? No.
Taking advantage of a damsel in distress
would never occur to you, of course.
Never.
What do you want?
Dinner.
Dinner?
Dinner.
Oh, no, that's my good pillowcase.
Well, that's my jacket.
You wanna trade?
What are you gonna do with them?
I'm gonna turn 'em loose
outside. They're harmless.
No, no, no.
Please, just kill them.
You must have me confused
with someone else.
Killing's not my style.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
Just be careful in the bathtub.
Someone... They went out of their
way to play a cruel joke on you.
So they sprayed WD40 all over the tub.
These guys couldn't get out.
Who'd do something like that?
I had the door locked.
Well, you probably left the door open.
- I didn't.
- You probably did, but whatever.
Okay, well, turn around please.
Okay.
No peeking.
- Please take them out!
- All right, all right,
all right, but you owe me.
Wow.
Well, it's the best I can do.
Remember, dinner, my place,
next Saturday.
I'll think about it.
Well, I better go earn my paycheck.
- You better. Oh, hey.
- Hi.
Just don't talk to strangers.
MAN: When he walked into
the bar I could tell
That his mind was far away
He looked like
he'd just been through hell
And today hadn't been his day
He sat down at a table for two
And then he just
stared off into space
He ordered Old Number 7
Shot it down
And he, he wrinkled his face
He did this a time or two
Or maybe three or four
Then he slowly got up,
he blinked his eyes...
If you could get together a
little closer, that'd be great.
Thank you.
Oh! I am so... I am so sorry.
- So sorry.
- Wow.
- I am so sorry.
- Where's my wallet?
- I already gave.
- I'm so sorry.
Hi, I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm a reporter with The Sun.
I'm Mike Scott.
I'm an attorney.
If anyone needs one, I'm available.
- [laughing]
- Can I buy you a drink?
Ah. You need to work on
your pickup lines a little bit.
- Can you buy me a drink?
- [laughing]
Very funny.
Sorry, I'm newly divorced.
I'm a little rusty at this.
Well, I'm newly dumped,
and I'm a little angry, so...
[both laughing]
Who's that?
That is Claudia Phillips.
She is actually the woman
who runs Desert Harbor Shelter.
She's very friendly, isn't she?
I think I know her from somewhere.
If you remember
where you've seen her from,
please give me a call.
I would greatly appreciate it.
I will.
If it kills me. I promise.
Enchanting is an understatement.
I don't think we've met, Miss...
I do hope it is "Miss."
Yes, Kendall O'Dell.
Eric Heisler.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah, I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm a reporter with The Sun.
Ah, a reporter.
- Yes. [Laughs]
- Excellent.
Well, I appreciate your interest
in our efforts this evening.
Well, I'm sorry
I'm not a big benefactor.
I'm just a poor working girl
trying to get some pictures.
Actually, could I get a picture
of you, if you don't mind?
- Of course.
- Oh, good. Excellent.
Can I get a picture of you?
Um, I don't know.
- [laughing]
- [Eric laughs] Please.
I mean this night's all about
you and Desert Harbor, so...
I know. Just one picture
to capture the beauty of this night.
A picture is worth
a thousand words, you know.
- Okay. [Laughs]
- All right.
[clicking]
Ah, there you are,
my little desert flower.
ERIC: Talverson.
I didn't realize
you were here with someone.
Oh, I'm not.
I'm not here with anybody.
Oh, come on, darling.
Don't make a scene here right now.
She gets a little cranky
when I don't feed her on time.
Okay. It was really nice to meet you.
- Uh, no...
- Bye-bye.
What?
"My little desert flower?"
- Are you nuts?
- Oh, come on.
It's a good thing
I came here when I did.
- Why is that?
- [sighs]
God, Kendall, trust me.
- That guy's a snake.
- [scoffs]
You think everyone's a snake,
do you know that?
Do you know your eyes
look like little storm clouds
when you get angry?
Please don't talk to me
the rest of the night.
And please never interfere
with my work again.
All right.
Do you know where Ginger went?
I have a bone to pick with her.
I don't know.
I think she left.
Here you go, Dr. Price.
Jack neat.
Oh, are you Dr. Price
from Serenity House?
I'm Kendall O'Dell with The Sun.
I'm your neighbor right down
the road from you. I, uh...
You know, I actually did a
series on psychiatric hospitals
when I lived in Philly, and I was hoping
maybe you and I
could talk together some time.
Don't hold your breath, babe.
- [applause, cheering]
- MAN: All right, thank you.
- Is he drunk?
- I don't think so.
Well, thank you all for coming.
I want to thank each
and every one of you personally
for supporting
this very important cause.
Through your generosity,
young women in crisis
are getting a fresh start
and a second chance at realizing
their full potential
as valuable members of society.
To our past and continued success,
and to the exciting
possibilities our future holds.
Cheers.
To you.
Have fun, everybody!
[whooping]
TALLY:
You have a good night.
[grunts]
Well, well, well.
Don't tell me you believe
in leaving with the one
who brought you now.
Please open the damn door.
I thought you were getting
a ride with Heisler.
Your chariot awaits.
[sighing]
So what's your problem
with Eric Heisler?
You don't like snakes, remember?
Everyone seems to think
he's really great, so...
Right.
Have you heard that he has to come up
with a half million bucks
before the end of the month
or he loses Whispering Winds?
Not so great now, huh?
You sound like a boy
with a jealousy problem.
You know what?
You should try growing up.
Eric slept with my wife.
I'm really... I'm sorry, I didn't...
See ya around.
You don't look so happy, sugar.
I'm not. Who did you tell
about my spider phobia?
- I don't really remember.
- Yes, you do. Think.
Somebody put a skittering
of tarantulas in my bathtub.
- A what?
- A s...
Never mind.
It's not important.
I just need to know who you told.
Maybe Colleen at the beauty shop.
- Okay, who else was there?
- I don't remember.
Yes, think!
All right, give me a sec.
All right?
Mabel Pritchard,
Fran from the bakery, and Rita Torres.
Okay, was Lucinda there?
I believe she was.
[groans]
Yolanda! Yolanda Reyes?
Can I talk to you about the
disappearance of John Dexter?
You've heard from him?
No, I was hoping you heard from him.
I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I took his position at
the newspaper after he vanished.
I have not heard from him
for many weeks.
You don't know why he
would've left so suddenly?
A girl called the paper the other day
and she said that John owed her
bus tickets and money to Nogales.
It was probably her.
He must have gone with her.
But if he went with her,
then what happened to his truck?
I don't know.
He left without saying goodbye.
The apartment manager said
that some men came and took
all his belongings.
Well, listen,
if you remember anything,
will you please give me a call?
Thank you.
Oh, well, howdy, Miss O'Dell.
Hello, Duane.
Um, is the sheriff in?
Uh, nope, he's, uh, he's in Las Vegas.
Roy's a gambler, you know?
Vegas or Laughlin or the Indian casinos.
When Roy ain't here,
that's where you'll find him.
Well, he must be very lucky.
Yeah, well, I don't know
if he's all that lucky.
He's always bitching about
how much he loses
on the tables every day.
Not lucky.
Listen, Duane,
I would really like to see those files
of those two girls that were
found dead in the desert.
- [snaps fingers]
- I was... Duane?
Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
Let me grab them real quick.
Just wait right here.
Hey, you know, I made
some, some fresh coffee.
- World famous. You, uh...
- [Kendall chuckles]
- This is it. You want some?
- Yes, I would love some.
- Thank you.
- I'll be right back.
It's hot.
Um, it's supposed to say "toxicology,"
but there's this handwriting.
Can you read this?
Hmm. Roy's handwriting
is terrible, ain't it?
Yeah, it says "toxicology,"
but then there's nothing written here.
Hmm, that's something.
[phone ringing]
Probably misfiled. I'll look.
You know what?
[phone ringing]
I gotta get that real quick.
Hey, where were these bodies found?
Uh, they were found
on the Starfire Ranch.
You know, the Talverson spread.
Hello?
Right where I'll be on Saturday.
ON PHONE:
Eric Heisler.
Hi, it's Kendall.
I called for a quote from you.
Ah, yes, collecting, are you?
Why don't we get together in person?
How about dinner Friday night?
Okay. Where?
I'll pick you up at 7:00.
Actually, I'll meet you somewhere.
I live in the boonies.
I know every inch of
real estate in Arizona, but...
I'm not familiar with the boonies.
It's Lost Canyon Road.
[chuckles] You are as brave
as you are beautiful.
I don't know any woman
who would want to live
in such isolation.
Well, I'm happy there.
Um, where should I meet you on Friday?
I promised you a special evening.
Well, you are certainly off
to a good start.
Thank you.
- You look great.
- Thank you.
So I brought my notepad.
[both laughing]
Okay. [Clears throat] Okay.
Let's talk about
what you need for your article
so we can get that out of the way,
and the rest of the night can be ours.
- Okay.
- What do you want to know
about Desert Harbor Shelter
and its commitment to helping
young women in crisis?
Well, there are
so many charitable causes
that could benefit
from your involvement.
Why Desert Harbor?
Ah.
It actually came about
as a result of my work
with adoptive parents.
I was driving home from Tucson
one Sunday evening,
and I passed a young girl
on the side of the road
with her thumb out.
Something made me stop.
And for the next hour,
she told me about
her dysfunctional family.
She tried so hard to convince me
that she was in control of her life.
But I saw a frightened little girl
that was desperate
for somebody to care about her.
What did you do with her?
I was haunted
by how tragic her life seemed.
I had just met a girl whose parents
had essentially thrown her away.
Ironically, I was dealing with
a very difficult adoption case
at the time.
I had this childless couple
who were desperate
to have a child
they could call their own.
They would do anything.
That was the inspiration.
And then when a friend mentioned
Desert Harbor Shelter For Girls,
I knew I had to get involved.
I didn't know that.
There's a lot you don't know about me.
But the night is young.
Well, sadly, I have to make it
a short night.
I have a long day tomorrow.
- But tomorrow is Saturday.
- I know.
I was hoping that I could
show you around a little bit.
- Can I take a rain check?
- Really?
[both laughing]
Of course.
How about a dance?
Absolutely.
Oh, my gosh, I see you found
our local thrift stop.
Oh, knock it off, Lucinda.
Hi.
Tal, she doesn't know
to buy a straw hat.
Hey, news flash, honey.
Felt is for winter.
Hey, be nice. Come on.
- Hey, how are you?
- Hi.
Let's get you mounted up over here.
Have you ever ridden a horse before?
- Yes.
- Yeah? Okay.
- Are you really doing this?
- TALLY: What's up, Jeremy?
Yes, we are doing this.
Hop on up.
- Wow.
- Look at that.
Wow. Could watch it all day.
TALLY: Mm-hmm.
- [Tally groans]
- Good luck, Tally.
Ah, thank you.
- Come on.
- LUCINDA: This oughta be good.
[Lucinda laughing]
I was pretty horrified when I
first got to Castle Valley.
It's just so dry here.
But it's very different than it
is back home, that's for sure.
[chuckles]
It grows on you.
Hey, Ginger told me that you
moved to New York a while back.
I mean, but I can definitely understand
why you'd want to come back here.
Yeah, it's in my blood.
And nothing beats riding in the desert.
Then when it rains here, oh, man,
[breathes deep ] you can't
imagine how good it smells.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Thank you for inviting me here today.
Of course.
But I'm not quite sure
where we're gonna go to eat.
[chuckles] We're almost there.
Almost there.
I don't really see a "there" out there.
Trust me.
[laughing]
Hey, do you mind
if I ask you a question?
Yeah.
It's really nice here.
I don't understand
why Stephanie didn't like it.
Oh, boy. Wow.
Is there anything
Ginger hasn't told you?
I don't know.
Why don't you tell me?
[sighs] Well, did you know
that Stephanie and Eric
were planning on grabbing
half of Starfire
in the divorce settlement?
Ol' Eric had some developers
all ready to buy up the land
and turn it into some kind of,
I don't know, suburb of Phoenix.
Ginger did not tell me that.
Well, there you go.
Some things are just, uh...
[sighs]
Yeah.
- It's so pretty here.
- Mm-hmm.
Stephanie was a fool.
Why you gotta bring her up?
I'm not trying to upset you.
I just don't understand, you know?
I mean, didn't she love you?
Didn't you love her?
No! No, and...
Actually, I hated her.
And I hated John Dexter
for implying that I killed her.
I... I'm sorry.
It's just with John Dexter missing,
I'm trying to piece together how this...
I'm responsible for that too.
You know what?
This conversation's over.
[Kendall scoffs]
Well, that went well.
What the...
ON PHONE: Tugg here.
Hey, Tugg.
Hey, Kendall, what's going on?
Hi, it's me. I'm really sorry
to bother you on a Sunday night,
but I'm at the office
and the power just went out.
Does that normally happen?
No, no, it doesn't.
Could be a breaker.
The breaker box is in the utility room.
Okay, um, I'll take care of it.
I'm on the way.
No, no, no. Really,
I didn't want to bother you.
I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
- Be careful now.
- Okay. Bye.
- [thump]
- [thud]
MAN'S VOICE, DISTORTED:
Kendall!
Kendall! Hey!
Kendall!
Hey, what happened?
I... I don't... I don't know.
I was here working and I...
The power went out,
and I don't know
if somebody hit me over the head
or I bumped into something.
What are you doing here working so late?
What are you doing here?
I was on my way home
from a baseball game in Phoenix.
I saw your car, so I stopped.
I think we should call the sheriff.
There's no need for that.
I'm part of the sheriff's posse.
- I didn't know that.
- Yeah, a lot of us are.
We help him out when he needs us.
So you have access to his files?
Yeah, of course.
We've been deputized.
Come on.
Let's get out of here.
Come on.
- Kendall, you okay?
- Yeah, she's fine, Tugg.
She's got a little goose egg
on the head. I'll take her home.
I got worried when I called back
and you didn't answer.
I have some notes I'd like to show you
before I get in tomorrow,
if that's okay.
Sure. So when'd the power come back on?
A few minutes ago.
Breaker was flipped, so I fixed it.
I guess I need to start carrying
a flashlight with me.
God, I had my notes.
They were right here!
That was a nasty blow you took
to the back of your head.
Are you sure you're not mistaken?
I don't know. I guess
I can look for them at home.
Kendall, whenever you're here alone,
make sure to lock that door, okay?
I did.
- Door wasn't locked.
- I know I locked it.
It wasn't. Whatever.
Well, just be sure from now on, okay?
Come on. I'll take you home.
No, no, no, no, no, please.
It's fine.
All right, fine.
Have it your way.
Maybe we should cancel your
introduction to Mexican food
tomorrow night then.
No. You said tequila's
a good painkiller.
I'm sorry I made you come in.
- I'll see you tomorrow.
- Drive careful.
[exhales]
[sighs]
[ring tone]
Hello?
WOMAN:
Stay away from him,
or you will die!
This is insane.
KENDALL: What's this?
We were hoping you'd tell us.
Looks like someone has a secret admirer.
Come on now.
Who are they from?
Yeah, who are they from?
My father.
[chuckles]
Yeah, right.
What's eating him?
Who knows?
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hold your horses.
Remember you asked me
who was in the beauty shop
when I opened my big mouth
about your whole spider thingy?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, she's so damn skinny
it's no wonder
I don't remember seeing her,
but Claudia Phillips.
Thank you, Ginger.
We're still introducing you
to Mexican food later, ain't we?
Mm-hmm. Yes.
[laughs]
- Hey, Lucy.
- Darling.
She's here. She's here.
Kendall, come on, come on, girl.
- Hi.
- Where you been?
Almost sent the sheriff posse
out to fetch ya.
I'm so sorry.
I got held up on the phone.
Anyone we know?
I'm sure it was her father.
Had to thank him for those flowers, huh?
You are so perceptive.
Um, can I have
a white zinfandel, please?
- White zinfandel.
- White zinfandel.
Wine?
This isn't a sushi restaurant.
Can we get her a margarita,
please? Thank you.
Not for me. I learned my lesson
a long time ago.
What lesson would that be, Tugg?
If I tell you, then you won't
learn the lesson.
Be careful on that tequila.
It'll sneak up on you.
- TALLY: Yes, it does.
- Ooh-whee!
All right, I'll tell you
anything you want to know.
- Anything.
- [all laughing]
With Ginger, it works like truth serum.
Shut your pie hole, Jim.
Shut your pie hole, Jim.
- Salud!
- Salud!
Bam, bam, bam, bam.
Here we go.
[Jim laughing]
- TALLY: Mm-mm...
- Mm.
Those dang things are good, ain't they?
- Mm-hmm.
- Come on, sugar.
- Food, food, food, Here we go.
- This is all for me?
Don't worry, honey. You can
take home what you don't eat.
- Why don't you, uh...
- Looks real good.
...try that pepper there?
- This?
- Whoa, careful.
Mexican food is a lot
like the desert heat.
It's not for the delicate
damsels or the faint of heart.
Well, since I'm neither a damsel
nor faint of heart,
I think I will be just fine.
- TALLY: Uh-huh.
- TUGG: Okay, bite it.
- JIM: Go on.
- Go ahead, bite it.
- Okay.
- Go ahead, tough girl.
Bite it. Yeah.
- TALLY: Yeah.
- TUGG: Mm-mm.
- Here it comes! Here it comes!
- Ooh!
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, I will be right back.
- The sinuses caught up.
- That got her, man.
Her eyes are already watering.
[laughing]
After all he's done, how can you
even think about quitting?
I don't care how you handle it,
but take care of her.
There's too much at stake.
And I don't want to hear
another word about, Charles.
He's my brother.
I'll handle him.
Hey, Sheriff, how's it going, man?
Some days you're flying high,
some days you're grounded.
CASHIER:
You got that right.
- We all good here?
- Yeah, we're good.
- You need a receipt?
- No, no, all good. Thanks.
CASHIER:
Thanks, man. Hey.
Well, good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty.
Bad hangover?
Everybody does it at least once.
Yeah, but it's the dumb ones
that do it more than once.
Guilty!
Oh, sugar, you want me
to get you some aspirin?
No, thank you.
[clears throat]
Hi, can I talk to Mike Scott, please?
Um, okay. I'll just leave him
a voice message.
Hi, Mike, it's Kendall O'Dell
from The Sun.
Listen, I have something
that may jog your memory.
Claudia Phillips
has a brother named Charles.
Call me back. Bye.
[phone ringing]
Eric Heisler.
Hi, the flowers are beautiful,
but you shouldn't have.
Indeed, I should have.
It is rare to meet someone
as beautiful as you.
I have a surprise.
[laughing]
You sly devil.
Where should I meet you?
No, it's a surprise.
How about I pick you up this time?
Uh, say 6:00?
Sure. What should I wear?
- Hi!
- Hi.
You look nice.
No, you look nice.
Thank you.
KENDALL: Come on.
Tell me where we're going.
ERIC:
Do you know where Prescott is?
Uh, I passed through it. Why?
It's part of the surprise.
Can you give me a hint?
- Be patient.
- [laughing]
KENDALL: I've never been
very good at that.
ERIC: Trust me,
this is worth waiting for.
Uh, are we eating at the airport?
[laughs]
Actually, I had something
a little more exciting in mind.
Is this yours?
Yeah, it's one of them.
Seriously?
I am gonna go talk to Mike,
and we should be good to go.
Okay.
Ginger is never going to believe this.
So where are you taking me exactly?
How does the Bellagio sound?
- Are you kidding me?
- No, I'm serious.
- Is your seatbelt good?
- Yeah.
Okay, just slide that canopy
forward a little bit.
- Okay.
- I got it.
Here we go.
[Kendall laughing]
Oh, my gosh, Eric,
I cannot believe
that you took me to Vegas.
It's been such a magical night.
Mm, viva Las Vegas, baby.
Please think about what I told you.
My good friend's the publisher
of The Phoenix Daily,
and your talent
is right for there, not here.
You'll make more money.
We could see each other more.
I have to get some sleep,
but I will think about it.
ERIC: Mm.
[knocking]
[knocking]
What the hell are you doing?
It's 5:00 in the morning.
How could you spend the night
with that snake?
I didn't.
I mean I did, but I didn't.
And what do you care?
It's none of your business anyway.
I'm trying to protect you.
From what?
Having fun with another man?
I should've known.
You're just like her.
Hey. Hey! Like who?
Like Stephanie?
You don't even know anything about me.
- [scoffs]
- Hey!
I need you to tell me
what happened to her, Tally.
I didn't kill her,
if that's what you're asking.
I never said that you did.
- Hello?
- Hey, Kendall, it's Mike Scott.
- You owe me a drink?
- I do?
Your voice-mail jarred my memory.
I remember where I saw
your friend Claudia.
Where?
When I worked in the DA's office,
I had the pleasure in assisting
in putting her brother,
Charles Sheffield away, for 10 years.
For what?
He was a gynecologist.
Guy got his jollies off of drugging
and molesting teenage patients.
Oh, my God!
Claudia testified on his behalf,
only her name was not Claudia.
It was Rochelle,
and she looked different.
- Where is Charles incarcerated?
- He isn't.
Got out on good behavior
three years ago,
and no one's seen hide
nor hair of him since.
You're right, Mike.
I totally owe you a drink.
[typing]
Oh, my God! Price is Sheffield!
[ring tone]
- Hello?
- Grab your camera.
Hightail about two miles up
Lost Canyon from where you live.
A young guy found a body
up there. A girl.
Yeah, now. Yeah.
[clears throat]
Front page.
[shutter clicks]
[shutter clicks]
[shutter clicks]
[gasps]
Makes you sick the first time
you see something like this.
I just picked up this girl
hitchhiking a few weeks ago.
What the hell are you doing,
Miss O'Dell?
This is a crime scene
on private property.
You probably already destroyed evidence.
Yeah, isn't that more
your department, Sheriff?
- Duane.
- Yes, sir.
Come here.
What exactly are you insinuating?
Hey, did you ever find those two
supposedly misfiled
toxicology reports
on the two dead girls?
Because, you know,
this is the third dead girl
found in the desert in two years,
and I'm starting to think
that maybe there's
some kind of connection.
And you know what?
I think that someone before me,
also was starting to connect the dots.
Really?
There's three murdered girls?
That's for the medical examiner
to decide.
Yeah, this girl shot herself
in the back.
- Hey, you can't do that.
- Yes, I can,
and I did.
Okay?
Critical evidence
taken from a crime scene
from an uncooperative witness.
[grunts]
Oh. Look what happened there.
You should be more careful.
Do we understand each other now?
Better than you think.
I know, Yolanda, but it's the only way
that I can get past
the guard and the dogs.
[sighs]
Look, I was able to get what I need.
Were you able to get
the uniform from your cousin?
Yeah, it might be dicey.
It might be really dicey, but I mean,
don't you want me to find out
what happened to John?
Okay. What time does the van get there?
Okay, all right.
Yes, it will work.
I just need you to distract them
for a minute. Okay?
And listen, if you haven't heard from me
by 8:00 tomorrow morning,
I need you to call Tugg
and tell him where I went.
Okay.
- [dog growling]
- [gasps]
Holy crap!
I was right!
I found you.
[gasps]
Mujer estupida!
Go!
Well, well, well.
What do we have here?
Habla Ingls, baby?
No? That's too bad.
Fortunately, I know
lots of dirty words in Spanish.
[chuckles]
You're very pretty.
Little long in the tooth for my liking,
- but you'll do just fine.
- No!
No!
[grunting]
Now, now, now. Calm down.
- [shrieks]
- You're a feisty one too, huh?
- I like that.
- [whimpers]
You like that hair pulled, bitch?
- What the... What the hell?
- Get off me!
- You!
- Get off me! Get off me!
Charles! Must you screw the help too?
Not exactly the help, huh, sis?
Take a better look.
- You!
- That's right, Rochelle.
And I know who you are, and I
know what you guys are doing.
And so does my editor.
You idiot, Charles!
You damn uncontrollable pervert!
I should've had you neutered years ago.
I told you letting those girls
escape would be our downfall.
- But, Sissy, I...
- Shut up!
Help me get her in the cellar
and let's get the chloroform!
No. No! No!
CHARLES: It's time
for the chloroform game.
- Playing the chloroform game.
- No! No!
You fool.
Had to find out what happened
to John Dexter, did you?
[laughing]
Oh, you'll be joining him soon.
Idiot. I should kill you too.
Come on. Let's go.
I'll be back for you later, baby.
- [kissing noises]
- Get moving! Jesus!
Coming. I'm coming.
[Kendall panting]
[gasps]
Oh, God!
Oh, come on.
[banging]
- [board rattling]
- Oh, come on.
But, Sissy, he said
he'd be here any minute,
and-and-and not to harm her.
I don't care what he said.
Do it!
All right, I'm going, I'm going.
She's gone!
ROCHELLE: You must've left
the door unlocked!
I'm calling Roy. She can't
have gone far. Find her!
Hey. Hey.
Oh, my God.
Disappointed is an understatement.
- Take it easy.
- Eric?
Things could have been
so different between us.
- Come on.
- What are you doing here?
- Come on.
- Mr. Richardson?
Dr. Price says I'm due any day now.
Can we talk about my money?
Yeah, not now.
You'll get your money.
All right, go sit down.
Come on.
Nice and easy.
It'll be okay. Come on.
[wind whistling]
Um, Tugg?
- Mm-hmm?
- I'm sorry to bother you,
but Yolanda Reyes is here to see you.
I'm busy.
She says it's about Kendall.
[shrieking]
You're never gonna get away with this!
- Shut up!
- You killed John Dexter!
Desert Harbor Shelter is
your sick little breeding farm!
You're a sick bastard!
Shut up! Shut up!
- Shut up!
- [gasps]
Is that why you killed
those girls in the desert,
because they couldn't conceive?
I killed them.
- I killed John Dexter too.
- No!
I'm going to kill you too.
And you.
She means nothing to me,
Rochelle. I'll kill her myself.
Then you and I,
we can escape to the Caymans,
just like we planned, and get married.
We have a lot of money there.
Lying bastard!
I shouldn't have listened to you!
[sobbing]
Everything is ruined!
[sobs, laughs]
You look just like
that other whore with red hair
I had to kill.
You?
You killed her?
Stephanie was not a whore, Rochelle!
Did you really think I'd stand by
and let you screw your little
playmate under my nose?
Aaah!
I... You saw what happened, right?
She wa... She was crazy.
I... It was self-defense.
- Come on. Come on.
- No.
You're my ticket out of here.
Come on.
- Come on!
- No!
No!
Help! Help! Help!
- No! No! No!
- Come on.
No. No. Please.
Please don't hurt me! No! No!
- Get...
- No. No.
Come on!
You ruined everything.
Good! Now let go of me!
Get out of the truck.
Get out of the truck.
Help me, please.
I change tire for you, Seor Richardson?
- Uh! No!
- Get in!
- Move!
- KENDALL: Please.
But, Seor...
KENDALL: Selling babies?
What kind of monster are you?
Get to the house. Hurry.
Go, go, go, go!
You're never gonna get away
with this, do you know that?
- Let me out!
- Shut up! Shut up!
ERIC:
Don't make me have to kill you.
Ah!
Have you ever been to a rodeo,
Mr. Richardson?
'Cause you're about to be in one.
- Come on!
- [screams]
[mooing]
- [gunshot]
- Let her go, Heisler!
You stay back!
I swear I'll kill her!
Come on! It's over!
The sheriff's on his way here!
Good. He works for me.
I could use his help.
- Roy's in on it!
- Shut up!
- No!
- [grunts] Aaah!
- No!
- [Eric screams]
[grunts]
No!
- You hurt?
- No, I'm not hurt.
- Y'all okay?
- I need your horse.
Stop it! Let me...
[grunting]
- ERIC: Aaah!
- Not so tough now, are you?
[spits] Sh...
You're lower than a snake.
Here. Tie him up
and throw him in the truck.
All right, don't be shy. Ahh.
All right, guys, a toast.
To the best investigative
reporter I ever met.
Thanks for clearing my name.
Thank you for not being the one
that hit me over the head,
although I did think
it was you that night.
Hear! Hear!
I sure didn't figure Roy would do it.
Of course I didn't figure
he'd got caught up on all this.
I guess he just needed money
to support his gambling habit.
How'd you figure it all out, Kendall?
Okay, well, the key was in
the toxicology reports
of the two murdered girls
that John Dexter was so interested in.
Both girls had traces
of Thorazine in their system,
which Sheffield had been using
to subdue his patients
prior to getting caught.
Thorazine is an antipsychotic drug
that doesn't harm
a pregnant woman's fetus,
and so that's why he had been using it.
And I think me telling you
about Eric Heisler helping
Bonnie adopt was a real key too.
- Don't you, Ken?
- Yes.
I absolutely could not
have done it without you.
- You ever heard of Roy Rogers?
- Who?
It's an old cowboy kids
used to grow up on.
He had a TV show, and it always ended
with him and his wife, Dale Evans,
riding off in the sunset
singing "Happy Trails To You."
Oh, I like that, Tally.
A cowboy with a romantic side.
You know, I should keep my eye
out for one of those.
Yeah, well, they're hard to catch.
- Well, we'll see about that.
- [laughing]
retail by H@w-to-kiLL @subscene
Song and lyrics by
Leah Nobel - Where I want to go.
Of all my wrongs, honey
You have been the right step
I'm takin' off, honey
Will you be my flight deck
You and me, wing in wing
Soarin' high like birds
leavin' burnin' trees
Of all the people in the room
I caught your eye
Firm handshake
You took me by surprise
Didn't know you had noticed me
Before I ever got to notice you
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
Hot touch
You're like silk on my torso
You grab my hips and you
pull me real close, oh
Here I am, look at me
Meltin' fast like chocolate
in a double Dutch pan
You drive me crazy with the
freckles on your shoulders
Sometimes I wonder
What you'll look like
when you're older
Say it now Doesn't matter to me
All that matters
is your soul stays warm
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
I can say without regret
That I've loved every second
I've spent with you
And I'll say you are my pet
But I won't call you baby
like the others do
No, I won't call you baby
like the others do
No, no
That's just not my style
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
You'll take me where I wanna go
You'll take me where I wanna go, oh
You'll take me where I wanna go
[laughing]
Tiffany...
[sighs]
Get in the truck!
- Let me go!
- ndale!
[screams]
Let go! Help!
Help me!
[screams]
[yelps]
I'll never go back with you!
Pray... I'll get you
before the desert does!
Tiffany!
The desert, it kills you slow!
[howls]
Driving down the road
Hometown in my rearview
Things are getting old
I'm needing something new
I need to find my stride
Gotta get out on my own
Gonna give these dreams a try
Far away from all I know
Under a big sky
In a small town
Got my hopes high
And my feet on the ground
Running headstrong
Into this mystery
Running
I've been saving up for a rainy day
But I'm fine with bright sunshine
And starry nights most all the time
Running
Yeah, under a big sky
In a small town
Got my hopes high
And my feet on the ground
Running headstrong
Into this mystery
Running, running
Oh, come on.
Dad.
Dad? Yeah. Yeah.
You know how you
told me that Castle Valley
is a suburb of Phoenix?
Oh, it isn't.
It's a desert.
Yeah, I know the dry heat
will be good for my asthma,
but what about all this dust?
No one even thought about that.
Yeah, right, right.
Yeah, Dad, the suburbs in Arizona
might be further apart
than they are in Philly.
You're absolutely right.
And I don't even know why
you told your friend Tugg
that I'm an experienced
investigative reporter.
Yeah, you were like, "Oh, she's
a chip off the old block.
It'll be fine."
Well, soon as I start,
he's gonna see right through me.
I don't think...
Dad?
Love you too, Dad.
[screams]
Oh, no! Oh!
Ohh! Right!
Arizona's paradise, isn't it, Dad?
It's absolutely perfect.
Hello!
Stop, please! Hello!
Stop! Help!
You having trouble, little lady?
Yeah. It seemed to develop a rattle.
Looks like a friendly
little gopher snake to me.
Oh, God, no!
Yeah?
- Ugh.
- [chuckles]
Well!
Where you heading, sweetie?
Sweetie is headed to Castle Valley.
I knew it, she's a snowbird.
A snowbird?
Yeah, winter visitor.
Here for six months,
polluting our air, clogging up
the streets and restaurants,
making golf more expensive,
then you skedaddle
back to wherever you come from
and... yeah.
Well, for your information,
I'm actually relocating
to Castle Valley.
I'm taking a very important
managerial position
with the newspaper.
Huh. Is that a fact?
She kind of looks like...
Don't even go there, Jake.
Come on. Let's go.
You take care, lady.
I saw a bunch of black birds flying
a few miles back in a circle.
Why do they do that?
It's just the desert's way
of cleaning up dead.
Probably a dead steer.
So, ma'am, take care of yourself.
[engine starts]
[engine starts]
[sighs]
[pop song on car radio]
What the hell are you doing?
Look, I'm sorry.
I just really need a ride.
You know, I could've just
killed you coming up like that.
Well, where are you going?
Phoenix, LA.
Maybe Vegas, I don't know.
I'm just going a few more miles
to Castle Valley.
That's okay.
I can take a bus from there.
Okay, get in.
I'm actually relocating
to Castle Valley myself.
Do you mind if we don't talk?
- Thanks, lady.
- Hey, hold on a second.
[sighs] Take this $20,
get something to eat.
You could also really use a shower.
Oh, crap!
What time is it?
WOMAN:
Pork rinds is two words.
P-O-R-K space R-I-N-D-S.
Yes, it is, Earl.
I'm just gonna go ahead and
change it to hors d'oeuvres.
You have yourself a nice day too, honey.
Bye.
Well, you must be Kendall O'Dell.
- Am I right?
- Yes.
I have an appointment with Morton Tuggs.
Sugar, you had an appointment
an hour ago with Tugg.
I know. I'm so sorry.
I got in really late last night,
and I had trouble finding this place.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You got lost?
In this town?
Honey, you're gonna have to dig
a little deeper than that
and come up with something better.
Well, don't you fret though.
He's on the phone,
and he happens to be
in a pretty good mood today.
By the way, sugar,
my name, I'm Ginger King.
TUGG: I paid you a shitload
of money for that damn system
and it doesn't work!
Get somebody over here and fix it!
[slams phone receiver down]
Damn!
- That's his good mood?
- Trust me, honey,
once he gets a good look at you,
he'll be just fine.
Go on in, darling, and good luck.
TUGG: Ahhh.
Mr. Tuggs?
It's Tugg.
If it was Tuggs, there'd be two of me.
And with that red hair,
if you aren't Bill O'Dell's kid,
I give up.
You certainly are a chip off
the block, Kendall O'Dell.
Have a seat.
Tell your dad if he ever wants to leave
that big, cushy corporate job of his,
we'll take good care
of him here, all right?
He might like it here,
but I don't know about Mother.
She likes trees and...
You know.
Oh, I do know.
Well, this place'll grow on you.
Spend one winter here,
and you'll never want to leave.
Oh, what about the summers?
Well, it isn't hell,
but, uh, we tell people
we can see hell from here.
Truthfully, it's not so bad.
Right, it's a "dry" heat.
You've heard about it already, huh?
It does make a big difference.
But let's talk about the job, shall we?
I'm assuming you like
our little town enough to stay.
Well, it's not exactly what I expected.
Seldom is.
But I could really use someone
with your experience.
I'm a little concerned
my dad may have oversold you
on my fact checker resume.
Your dad is a fine newspaperman.
If you're anything like him,
you got good instincts,
and that goes a long way.
Thank you.
- Well, then.
- [chuckles]
We're a small newspaper,
so we wear lots of hats
and we do a lot of covering
for each other.
But don't worry.
There's plenty going on around here
to keep the job interesting.
And I hope you aren't
looking to us as a stepladder
to bigger and better jobs,
because that's not gonna happen, doll.
Is that what happened with the
person whose job I'm filling?
I mean, it doesn't matter.
- I shouldn't have asked.
- No, no.
A reporter's job is to ask questions.
John... His name was John.
John had a nose for trouble
and could turn a phrase.
He could've hung his hat
with any of the big dailies,
but he liked it here.
Why did he leave?
Don't know.
He just up and disappeared.
We had the sheriff's posse
search for two weeks
before calling it off.
No evidence of foul play,
but truth be told,
John did have some enemies.
Just none who wanted to kill him.
What kind of enemies?
Husbands.
Boyfriends.
A couple of ex-wives.
Our sheriff.
He was tapping the sheriff's wife?
Oh, no!
The sheriff is Roy Hollingsworth.
Now, Roy, he was pretty hacked off
about John's allegations
that the sheriff's office
had bungled the case of two girls
whose bodies were found
in the desert last year.
John was not shy about
claiming that the sheriff
was uncooperative
in furthering the investigation.
Were the girls murdered?
Both deaths were ruled accidental.
So why was he suspicious?
I found this in his desk drawer.
Check it out.
He didn't tell me anything
other than to say
he'd been going through
the dead girls' files
at the sheriff's office
and he found that.
Something weird.
I would like to follow up on this.
Okay, but I have a full list
of assignments for you already.
If you want to investigate this
in your spare time, that's cool,
but let's just keep it
between ourselves, okay?
- Okay.
- Got it?
Got it.
And be careful.
Ginger!
Welcome aboard, Kendall.
What? I was just walking by
and I heard ya.
Show Miss O'Dell where her desk is,
and make sure
she has everything she needs.
Sugar, you have a place to stay yet?
No, actually,
I'm still staying at the...
I have the perfect place for you.
[chuckling]
Tess Delgado, she's in Phoenix
recovering from back surgery.
She needs someone to stay
at her place till she gets home.
And the best part,
the first six weeks are free.
Oh, hey!
Sounds too good to be true.
Tess had a couple there
who left in a hurry,
and they didn't take their deposit.
It's ten miles out in the desert,
and Ginger can show it to you
if you're interested.
Yeah. It has to be better
than the tiny apartment I had in Philly.
Let's go right now, honey.
It's my lunch hour. Come on.
Thank you.
You hungry, sugar?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Well, well, well.
If it isn't the very important
new manager.
Y'all know each other?
[sighs]
Not yet, no.
Bradley Talverson,
at your service, again.
Kendall O'Dell.
[chuckles]
I work here too.
My friends call me Tally.
Tally here
is our part-time sportswriter.
Huh. Well.
How about that?
Are you ready, Ginger?
- Uh...
- Y'all enjoy your lunch.
Tally.
I'm showing Kendall here, uh,
Tess Delgado's place,
for your information.
That's kinda far out, isn't it?
It's free.
[chuckles]
Well, everything has a price, darling.
Keep an eye out for snakes, hmm?
Come on, sugar.
I bet Tally about crapped his pants
when he first laid eyes on you.
You're a dead ringer for that Stephanie.
- Who?
- His wife.
Well, former wife.
She's dead.
Oh, that's so sad.
Whatever.
Sugar, you're gonna follow me.
KENDALL: It's this hot
and it's only April?
GINGER: Oh, flapdoodle.
This ain't nothin'.
But I'll turn the A/C on
for you, princess.
Does it ever rain here, Ginger?
Complete gully washin' frog stranglers.
[gasps, shouts]
Girl, you make a woman
pee her pants acting like that.
There's a humongous spider
in that drawer.
Let me see what you got going.
- Seriously, Kendall?
- [whimpers]
Get your panties in a wad
over a baby wolf spider?
It ain't gonna hurt ya.
We don't wanna kill it,
'cause it eats things
we really don't like.
Ginger, I'm really not a
big bug fan, especially spiders.
You sayin' you got the rackaphobia?
Something like that.
My brother put a spider
down my back when I was six,
and I definitely never got over it.
- [phone chimes]
- Hold on.
- Can you get the spider first?
- It's my sister, Bonnie.
Hey, Bon-Bon. What?
Can you take the spider outside
really quick?
Really?
I'm so happy for ya.
I'll be there in two shakes
of a dog's tail. Bye.
Will you just take
the spider out really quick?
- I'm gonna be an aunt.
- There's a spider.
I'm finally gonna be an aunt.
And it's all because of me.
I hooked them up with Eric Heisler.
Big-time attorney in Phoenix.
Does tons of adoptions.
- Here.
- Call your cell from my phone,
so we have each other's numbers.
Come on, girl.
- Okay.
- Good. I gotta go.
Keys are in the front door.
You call me if you need something.
Can you please take care
of the spider really quick?
Oh, city girl.
I tell ya.
[Kendall groans]
Why did the people
who lived here move so abruptly?
Was it the spiders?
No, don't worry, honey.
I got a bug guy.
Okay, but why did they leave?
They said the place is haunted.
[vehicle approaching]
Hey!
Freakin' moron!
[barking]
It's time we initiate our new reporter,
who's come to us all the way
from the City of Brotherly Love,
Miss Kendall O'Dell.
Darling, this is for you.
Uh-oh, what is this?
That is the snowbird file.
It's our winter resident subscribers.
You just call them up
and ask what they've been up to.
They get a kick out of seeing
their name in the paper,
and they send all the clippings
back home.
And here's background
for the livestock show,
the city council meeting
and the sheriff's log.
You're the newbie.
Hey, Tugg, can we give her
the 4H Club meetings too?
- Ha ha ha ha ha.
- Oh, come on, Kendall.
We've all manned the rookie desk.
Okay, gang.
Let's get to work.
Hey, what do you know
about Serenity House, Tugg?
Oh, your neighbor down the road?
It's a private psychiatric hospital.
Who's in there, Hannibal Lecter?
There's like this huge 12-foot
fence and these guard dogs.
Like, it's crazy.
Yeah, they had a problem
about three years back
when a very violent patient escaped.
The whole region was panic-stricken
until he was recaptured
a few days later.
The city council
demanded a fence be put up,
but the hospital board,
for some reason, they refused,
and then they shocked everybody
by closing the place down.
It sat vacant for about a year,
and then this cat named Price,
he's a psychiatrist, he bought it.
And he's the one who put the fence up.
Great.
Some neighborhood I live in.
- Hey, Ginger.
- Hey, Lucy.
Y'all ready to order?
Kendall, this here's Lucinda.
Lucy, meet Kendall O'Dell.
Nice to meet you.
Kendall's our, uh, our new reporter.
[sighing]
Well.
Congratulations.
Sugar,
we'll just...
We'll take the daily special.
- Fine.
- [Ginger snorts]
What the hell was that all about?
I knew she'd be jealous.
- Of me?
- Of course.
She has the hots for Tally.
[laughing]
She even boards her horse at his ranch
just so she can be around him.
Well, you can tell her not to worry.
Being recently dumped
has made me sort of down on men.
Aw, sugar, I'm sorry to hear that,
but the truth is, Tally's a good catch.
- I can tell he likes you.
- Well, thanks, but no thanks.
Running off with a ranch hand
doesn't exactly appeal to me right now.
Sweetie pie, Tally ain't no ranch hand.
He owns the Starfire.
Probably the biggest dang
cattle ranch in all of Arizona.
What?
Then why does he have
a part-time job at the paper?
Mm. Escape from the ranch, I suppose.
If he hates it so much, then why
doesn't he just sell it?
It's just a little more
complicated than that.
Here you go.
Now, Ginger, do you need anything else?
No, honey. We're... We're good.
And she is just the sweetest thing.
[chuckling]
Don't pay her no mind.
Go ahead, honey.
Try your sandwich.
Okay. Why don't you
"uncomplicate" Tally for me.
I would love to.
He don't want to be no rancher.
He wanted to be a journalist.
So, when he up and went
to New York to go to school,
well, that didn't make his folks
very happy.
And that's when he met that Stephanie.
Bringing that firecracker
Stephanie back here
did not help none.
Ooh-whee!
Hate at first sight.
And I mean everybody.
How come?
She was a spoiled little brat.
Plus, she hated the ranch life.
That drove Tally's mom nuts.
Truth is, she was a little
nutty before that, but...
Stephanie made this big old announcement
they were going back to New York.
And, honey, that's when the bad,
bad fighting started.
And I'll bet you anything
Lucinda knows what I'm about
to tell you right now.
Don't look!
Woman ticking my nerves already.
Anyways, two years ago,
at the annual Starfire Ranch
summer barbecue...
And everybody goes to it...
Tally saw Stephanie's horse
outside the tack room.
So he went up to check it out
and he found John and Stephanie
sucking face.
- Hey, easy, easy, easy! Hey!
- [grunting]
Tally kicked John's ass real good.
I mean, literally kicked his ass.
Stephanie ran out of there screaming,
"He's gonna kill me!
He's gonna kill me!"
Then, she hopped a horse
and lit out of there
like a bat out of hell.
Stephanie, she never came back.
Next morning,
Tally and a couple of his guys
found her face down
in a cholla cactus field.
Face down.
Deader than a doornail.
Oh, my God!
It was ruled an accident,
but rumor has it
the cinch on the saddle
had been tampered with.
Roy Hollingsworth,
he questioned Tally
pretty dang good about that one.
Some folks around here, they
don't think it was an accident,
including John Dexter.
John thought that Tally killed her?
I mean, I don't think
he's capable of murder, do you?
Well, you know, Tally, he has
a bad temper. Don't be fooled.
But I don't think
he coulda killed her either.
Man, must have been fun
having Tally and John in
the office together after that.
- Oh, yeah!
- Ooh.
But I felt the baddest
for Yolanda Reyes,
John's girl.
Now, she knew he was a playboy,
but she said he always
came home at night, so...
In fact, I just saw her
at the dry cleaners
the other day where she works.
Oh. Ginger, let me get this.
Well, sure.
I was just gonna show you
a picture of John and Yolanda.
He was pretty proud
of that truck, I tell ya.
LUCINDA:
Oh, excuse me.
Do you have any money for lunch?
Mm, well, I'm not running
a shelter down here,
so head on out
with all the other runaways.
What?
Oh, come on, Lucy.
Kid looked like
she was starving to death.
It wouldn't kill you
to give her a sandwich.
Oh, it wouldn't kill you
to give her a sandwich either.
Why don't you mind
your business, Elwood?
I cannot afford to feed
every ragamuffin runaway
that comes in this town.
Let Claudia Phillips
and her shelter do it.
Oh, honey, I gotta go. Okay to
leave you here for the check?
Can I just leave money
on the table and come with you?
Gross, Ginger.
Cryin' shame, these girls.
Young as 12, turning tricks
for food and drugs.
I read somewhere
they call them "throwaway kids."
Sometimes they disappear and
end up in those sheiks' harems.
Hey. Hey, when's the last time
you had something to eat?
Yesterday. I had
some French fries yesterday.
Okay. Here.
Take this, go in there
and order the daily special.
It's delicious. Okay?
What's your name?
- Courtney.
- Courtney.
When you're done eating,
you should call home.
I bet somebody really misses you.
Hey, where did you say that shelter was?
Uh, Desert Harbor?
About three blocks north, honey.
All right.
I'll see you back at the office.
Okay, hon.
- Hey, Ginger?
- Yeah?
You don't think that Tally
really had anything to do
with John Dexter's
disappearance, do you?
Of course not, honey.
But, hey, you're the big fancy reporter.
Go on down to the sheriff's office.
Roy will give you the skinny
on everything.
Okay.
Well, hello.
Hello, I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm the new reporter with The Sun.
I was hoping I could speak
with Sheriff Hollingsworth, please.
Uh, uh, he's out.
I can help you though.
I'm Deputy Duane Potts.
I believe the young lady
was asking for me, Duane.
For gosh sakes, Roy,
I thought you were, uh, gone.
Come on in, Miss, uh, O'Dell, is it?
Please.
Come on in. Have a seat.
Thank you.
I was hoping if I could
just ask you a few questions
about the disappearance of John Dexter.
God Almighty.
Tugg has you digging into that dead end?
Things must be slower
than I thought over at The Sun.
Bring me the John Dexter file, Duane!
Thanks, Duane.
Acts like he's never seen
a beautiful woman before.
- I apologize.
- It's okay.
Who was the last person
to see John Dexter?
It might've been me.
I pulled his ass over for speeding
in that souped-up truck, and, uh...
Here it is...
I wrote him this ticket right here
on the 10th of April.
- And where was that?
- He was heading south on 89
toward Phoenix.
Did he seem upset or anything like that?
Well, nobody's really happy
when they get pulled over,
but he might've been a bit more
pissed off than usual,
I suppose.
John and I had our differences.
How so?
Well, it was nothing really.
He had a job to do,
and I understand that
sensationalism sells newspapers.
So there wasn't anything unusual
about him that day?
His car was filled with his belongings,
and he was in a hurry, obviously.
John... liked the ladies.
I think one of them
was giving him some pressure,
and he just skipped out.
Do you mind
if I see that ticket, please?
No, sure.
Thank you.
I just have one more question.
Did you ever suspect Bradley Talverson
to be a suspect
in John Dexter's disappearance?
You are too much.
You do understand that Tally
is one of our
most respected citizens, right?
Yes, but I heard there was
bad blood between them.
There was a woman between them,
who looked a lot like you, incidentally.
Spunky like you too.
Must be a red hair thing.
[chuckles]
And she's dead.
And you're convinced
that was an accident?
That's right, an accident.
Well, thank you.
I appreciate your time
and your willingness
to help me do my job.
Anytime.
Always glad to help a lady.
Especially one
that works at our newspaper.
What did you say to Roy?
About what?
I didn't say anything. I just...
About covering up a murder.
- You didn't say anything?
- No.
Demand to see files and throwing
a bunch of questions at him?
None of that happened, huh?
No, I don't know why he would say that.
I went in there to introduce myself.
I can't believe he would even say that.
There's a lot of things
you better start believing in.
If it wasn't for Roy bailing us out
when this paper went belly up last year,
you wouldn't have a job, you understand?
What?
Roy owns 60% of this paper, darling,
and... he's my brother-in-law.
- [breathes on glasses]
- Oh, brother. I...
Sorry.
Let's just pick this up tomorrow, okay?
Are you okay?
I'm fine. Go.
See you tomorrow.
[wind whistling]
[woman whispering]
Get out.
Get out.
[wind whistling]
[woman whispering]
Get out.
Who's there?
[ring tone]
Hey, Ginger.
Girl, you got to get over here
and see this baby right now!
Right now?
Um, did I stutter?
I said right now.
Okay, I'm on my way.
- Hi!
- [squeals]
[laughs]
How are you?
- Ain't you a sweetie!
- Thank you.
Come on. Thank you. Come on.
- Hi.
- This is Tom.
- Hi.
- This is my sister, Bonnie.
I call her Bon-Bon.
This here is Kendall O'Dell.
- Well, hi, Kendall.
- My new BFF.
Well, Ginger's told us
all about you, Kendall.
Oh, my goodness. Hi.
You are so cute.
Do you know how lucky you are?
Oh, we're the lucky ones.
Thank God Ginger introduced us
to Eric Heisler.
And they named the baby Erica.
- Ain't that sweet?
- KENDALL: Yes.
Let's have a toast.
- Oh.
- Thank you.
- Take that.
- Thank you.
Well, to Erica and Eric, our new baby,
and the best adoption lawyer ever.
Cheers.
Mm, you know what I'm thinking?
I'm thinking you need to meet Eric.
No, Ginger.
I told you I don't want to meet any men.
He's drop-dead gorgeous.
- Drop-dead.
- Yes.
And filthy stinking rich.
And he's single,
and he's very sophisticated.
- And he's got a plane.
- Oh. Mm-hmm.
He brought our baby
back from Virginia in it.
- Ginger!
- You hush now.
Aunt Ginger knows what she's doin'.
[Kendall laughs]
See something you like?
What? No. No!
[phone ringing]
Kendall O'Dell.
BREATHLESS WOMAN:
John Dexter is there?
N-No. May I ask who's calling?
He needs to come quick with the money.
Please, and the tickets
for the bus to Nogales.
Please, hurry.
G... Uh, hello? Hello?
That was weird.
Who the hell was that?
I don't know.
Some woman looking for John.
Imagine that.
I know, I know.
I hear ya. I hear...
I will talk to a doctor, damn it.
Now goodbye.
I'm hangin' up.
I'm hangin' up. Goodbye.
Hey... Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know you were on the phone.
It's okay. Come on in.
I just got a really weird call
from a woman looking for John.
- [Tugg groans]
- She sounded really young
and really scared, and she said
that he owed her money
- and bus tickets to Nogales.
- Bus tickets.
I feel like there's a lot
of young girls around here
and maybe that John
stumbled upon something.
Like what?
I don't know.
Like maybe there's a...
Like a human smuggling ring
going on in Castle Valley.
A smuggling ring.
We're not gonna turn this paper
into The National Enquirer.
I'm not implying that we do that.
I'm just saying that
I think that John was onto something.
Hmm.
How about if I do an article...
on the runaway girls?
I'll do an article on the shelter.
I can get a lot of good information
from Desert Harbor Shelter.
- What do you think?
- Okay.
Tie it in with the fundraiser
at Whispering Winds Ranch
next weekend.
Yeah, Desert Harbor
is their main beneficiary.
And make sure you get photos
of Eric Heisler, the host.
Every time he's on our
front page, we double in sales.
Great. Thank you.
I'm gonna say this again, doll.
I want you to be careful.
Okay?
- S?
- Hi.
I was hoping
to speak with Claudia Phillips?
Come.
May I help you?
Yes. Hello.
I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm a reporter with The Sun.
I'm doing a story on runaway teens,
and I was hoping
I could ask you few questions.
I'm Claudia Phillips.
And I'm unfortunately
very busy today. Perhaps...
I was thinking, with
the big fundraiser coming up,
this would be a great opportunity
to bring some revenue
into this place and...
Two minutes.
Okay.
How many girls do you usually
have staying here?
Eight to 10.
And do you limit
how long that they can stay or...
No, we are not a residence.
This is a place for girls in crisis
to sleep and shower,
get some clothes, food,
medical attention if they need it.
And how do you get most of your funding?
Is it the fundraiser mostly, or...
We get a pathetic amount
of funding from the state,
an occasional federal grant.
So I'm happy for any interest
you generate.
Oh, well, thank you.
How did you get involved
in this kind of work?
I was a runaway once.
Yes, I was.
Anyway, when Violet,
who founded this shelter,
met her untimely death, I stepped in.
What happened to her?
Hit-and-run.
It happens a lot here.
Perhaps because we're close
to the border, I don't know.
Oh, that's so sad.
Well, you're obviously very busy.
Thank you for your time.
Before I go, can I just take
a few pictures of the girls
and maybe interview them?
I think it would really,
you know, help the article and...
Out of the question.
Daniela?
She will show you out.
Well, I wouldn't use their faces
or their real names or anything.
I just think it would
really add to the article
to be able to use that.
No, it is against policy.
Whose policy?
Mine.
Daniela.
[Kendall laughs]
Absolutely not.
[laughing]
I don't think so.
I have not met anyone.
I've only been here a month.
Okay, love you too.
Bye, Dad.
- Hey there.
- Oh, hi.
So, I heard you need a ride to
the fundraiser tomorrow night.
Oh, did a woman with
a Texas accent tell you that?
Mm-hmm.
So I'll pick you up at 6:30.
I didn't say yes.
6:30.
You need to stop
setting me up with people.
Didn't anyone ever tell you
you're not supposed to hook up
with people you work with?
It's a small town, darling.
Limited selection.
Well, maybe not for you.
You already said you were gonna
set me up with Eric Heisler.
Make them compete for you, girl.
Golly! Don't you need
a refresher course.
[sighs]
[knocking]
Who's out there?
I'm not afraid of you!
KENDALL: So much for a quick
shopping trip to Phoenix.
I'm sorry, Kendall.
I should've known
there'd be a backup on 17.
It's 6:00, Ginger!
I said I'm sorry.
[gasps, screams]
[screaming]
Oh, God, no! Oh, God, no!
[Kendall whimpering]
KENDALL:
Oh. Oh.
KENDALL:
You're early.
Yeah. Yeah, so it appears.
You know, I may be wrong,
but, uh, don't you think
you're slightly underdressed
for tonight's event?
No. I always go to black-tie
events in my underwear.
Okay. Yeah, whatever burns your shorts.
So you wanna tell me what you're, uh,
what you're doing out here?
I can't go back inside that house.
And why's that?
Because there is a herd...
of giant spiders in my bathtub.
Oh, a herd of spiders, huh?
You know they actually have
a term for a herd of spiders?
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, it's called a skittering.
- Are you making that up?
- No, I am not.
It's a term of venery.
Like a school of fish
or a pride of lions
or a murder of crow.
So why don't you put this on over here?
Here you go.
And I will round those spiders up
while you're showering.
Nice try.
Why don't you go first?
Okay, but you owe me.
- Owe you?
- Hell yeah.
I don't see Spider-Man anywhere
to save you, do I? No.
Taking advantage of a damsel in distress
would never occur to you, of course.
Never.
What do you want?
Dinner.
Dinner?
Dinner.
Oh, no, that's my good pillowcase.
Well, that's my jacket.
You wanna trade?
What are you gonna do with them?
I'm gonna turn 'em loose
outside. They're harmless.
No, no, no.
Please, just kill them.
You must have me confused
with someone else.
Killing's not my style.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
Just be careful in the bathtub.
Someone... They went out of their
way to play a cruel joke on you.
So they sprayed WD40 all over the tub.
These guys couldn't get out.
Who'd do something like that?
I had the door locked.
Well, you probably left the door open.
- I didn't.
- You probably did, but whatever.
Okay, well, turn around please.
Okay.
No peeking.
- Please take them out!
- All right, all right,
all right, but you owe me.
Wow.
Well, it's the best I can do.
Remember, dinner, my place,
next Saturday.
I'll think about it.
Well, I better go earn my paycheck.
- You better. Oh, hey.
- Hi.
Just don't talk to strangers.
MAN: When he walked into
the bar I could tell
That his mind was far away
He looked like
he'd just been through hell
And today hadn't been his day
He sat down at a table for two
And then he just
stared off into space
He ordered Old Number 7
Shot it down
And he, he wrinkled his face
He did this a time or two
Or maybe three or four
Then he slowly got up,
he blinked his eyes...
If you could get together a
little closer, that'd be great.
Thank you.
Oh! I am so... I am so sorry.
- So sorry.
- Wow.
- I am so sorry.
- Where's my wallet?
- I already gave.
- I'm so sorry.
Hi, I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm a reporter with The Sun.
I'm Mike Scott.
I'm an attorney.
If anyone needs one, I'm available.
- [laughing]
- Can I buy you a drink?
Ah. You need to work on
your pickup lines a little bit.
- Can you buy me a drink?
- [laughing]
Very funny.
Sorry, I'm newly divorced.
I'm a little rusty at this.
Well, I'm newly dumped,
and I'm a little angry, so...
[both laughing]
Who's that?
That is Claudia Phillips.
She is actually the woman
who runs Desert Harbor Shelter.
She's very friendly, isn't she?
I think I know her from somewhere.
If you remember
where you've seen her from,
please give me a call.
I would greatly appreciate it.
I will.
If it kills me. I promise.
Enchanting is an understatement.
I don't think we've met, Miss...
I do hope it is "Miss."
Yes, Kendall O'Dell.
Eric Heisler.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah, I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I'm a reporter with The Sun.
Ah, a reporter.
- Yes. [Laughs]
- Excellent.
Well, I appreciate your interest
in our efforts this evening.
Well, I'm sorry
I'm not a big benefactor.
I'm just a poor working girl
trying to get some pictures.
Actually, could I get a picture
of you, if you don't mind?
- Of course.
- Oh, good. Excellent.
Can I get a picture of you?
Um, I don't know.
- [laughing]
- [Eric laughs] Please.
I mean this night's all about
you and Desert Harbor, so...
I know. Just one picture
to capture the beauty of this night.
A picture is worth
a thousand words, you know.
- Okay. [Laughs]
- All right.
[clicking]
Ah, there you are,
my little desert flower.
ERIC: Talverson.
I didn't realize
you were here with someone.
Oh, I'm not.
I'm not here with anybody.
Oh, come on, darling.
Don't make a scene here right now.
She gets a little cranky
when I don't feed her on time.
Okay. It was really nice to meet you.
- Uh, no...
- Bye-bye.
What?
"My little desert flower?"
- Are you nuts?
- Oh, come on.
It's a good thing
I came here when I did.
- Why is that?
- [sighs]
God, Kendall, trust me.
- That guy's a snake.
- [scoffs]
You think everyone's a snake,
do you know that?
Do you know your eyes
look like little storm clouds
when you get angry?
Please don't talk to me
the rest of the night.
And please never interfere
with my work again.
All right.
Do you know where Ginger went?
I have a bone to pick with her.
I don't know.
I think she left.
Here you go, Dr. Price.
Jack neat.
Oh, are you Dr. Price
from Serenity House?
I'm Kendall O'Dell with The Sun.
I'm your neighbor right down
the road from you. I, uh...
You know, I actually did a
series on psychiatric hospitals
when I lived in Philly, and I was hoping
maybe you and I
could talk together some time.
Don't hold your breath, babe.
- [applause, cheering]
- MAN: All right, thank you.
- Is he drunk?
- I don't think so.
Well, thank you all for coming.
I want to thank each
and every one of you personally
for supporting
this very important cause.
Through your generosity,
young women in crisis
are getting a fresh start
and a second chance at realizing
their full potential
as valuable members of society.
To our past and continued success,
and to the exciting
possibilities our future holds.
Cheers.
To you.
Have fun, everybody!
[whooping]
TALLY:
You have a good night.
[grunts]
Well, well, well.
Don't tell me you believe
in leaving with the one
who brought you now.
Please open the damn door.
I thought you were getting
a ride with Heisler.
Your chariot awaits.
[sighing]
So what's your problem
with Eric Heisler?
You don't like snakes, remember?
Everyone seems to think
he's really great, so...
Right.
Have you heard that he has to come up
with a half million bucks
before the end of the month
or he loses Whispering Winds?
Not so great now, huh?
You sound like a boy
with a jealousy problem.
You know what?
You should try growing up.
Eric slept with my wife.
I'm really... I'm sorry, I didn't...
See ya around.
You don't look so happy, sugar.
I'm not. Who did you tell
about my spider phobia?
- I don't really remember.
- Yes, you do. Think.
Somebody put a skittering
of tarantulas in my bathtub.
- A what?
- A s...
Never mind.
It's not important.
I just need to know who you told.
Maybe Colleen at the beauty shop.
- Okay, who else was there?
- I don't remember.
Yes, think!
All right, give me a sec.
All right?
Mabel Pritchard,
Fran from the bakery, and Rita Torres.
Okay, was Lucinda there?
I believe she was.
[groans]
Yolanda! Yolanda Reyes?
Can I talk to you about the
disappearance of John Dexter?
You've heard from him?
No, I was hoping you heard from him.
I'm Kendall O'Dell.
I took his position at
the newspaper after he vanished.
I have not heard from him
for many weeks.
You don't know why he
would've left so suddenly?
A girl called the paper the other day
and she said that John owed her
bus tickets and money to Nogales.
It was probably her.
He must have gone with her.
But if he went with her,
then what happened to his truck?
I don't know.
He left without saying goodbye.
The apartment manager said
that some men came and took
all his belongings.
Well, listen,
if you remember anything,
will you please give me a call?
Thank you.
Oh, well, howdy, Miss O'Dell.
Hello, Duane.
Um, is the sheriff in?
Uh, nope, he's, uh, he's in Las Vegas.
Roy's a gambler, you know?
Vegas or Laughlin or the Indian casinos.
When Roy ain't here,
that's where you'll find him.
Well, he must be very lucky.
Yeah, well, I don't know
if he's all that lucky.
He's always bitching about
how much he loses
on the tables every day.
Not lucky.
Listen, Duane,
I would really like to see those files
of those two girls that were
found dead in the desert.
- [snaps fingers]
- I was... Duane?
Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
Let me grab them real quick.
Just wait right here.
Hey, you know, I made
some, some fresh coffee.
- World famous. You, uh...
- [Kendall chuckles]
- This is it. You want some?
- Yes, I would love some.
- Thank you.
- I'll be right back.
It's hot.
Um, it's supposed to say "toxicology,"
but there's this handwriting.
Can you read this?
Hmm. Roy's handwriting
is terrible, ain't it?
Yeah, it says "toxicology,"
but then there's nothing written here.
Hmm, that's something.
[phone ringing]
Probably misfiled. I'll look.
You know what?
[phone ringing]
I gotta get that real quick.
Hey, where were these bodies found?
Uh, they were found
on the Starfire Ranch.
You know, the Talverson spread.
Hello?
Right where I'll be on Saturday.
ON PHONE:
Eric Heisler.
Hi, it's Kendall.
I called for a quote from you.
Ah, yes, collecting, are you?
Why don't we get together in person?
How about dinner Friday night?
Okay. Where?
I'll pick you up at 7:00.
Actually, I'll meet you somewhere.
I live in the boonies.
I know every inch of
real estate in Arizona, but...
I'm not familiar with the boonies.
It's Lost Canyon Road.
[chuckles] You are as brave
as you are beautiful.
I don't know any woman
who would want to live
in such isolation.
Well, I'm happy there.
Um, where should I meet you on Friday?
I promised you a special evening.
Well, you are certainly off
to a good start.
Thank you.
- You look great.
- Thank you.
So I brought my notepad.
[both laughing]
Okay. [Clears throat] Okay.
Let's talk about
what you need for your article
so we can get that out of the way,
and the rest of the night can be ours.
- Okay.
- What do you want to know
about Desert Harbor Shelter
and its commitment to helping
young women in crisis?
Well, there are
so many charitable causes
that could benefit
from your involvement.
Why Desert Harbor?
Ah.
It actually came about
as a result of my work
with adoptive parents.
I was driving home from Tucson
one Sunday evening,
and I passed a young girl
on the side of the road
with her thumb out.
Something made me stop.
And for the next hour,
she told me about
her dysfunctional family.
She tried so hard to convince me
that she was in control of her life.
But I saw a frightened little girl
that was desperate
for somebody to care about her.
What did you do with her?
I was haunted
by how tragic her life seemed.
I had just met a girl whose parents
had essentially thrown her away.
Ironically, I was dealing with
a very difficult adoption case
at the time.
I had this childless couple
who were desperate
to have a child
they could call their own.
They would do anything.
That was the inspiration.
And then when a friend mentioned
Desert Harbor Shelter For Girls,
I knew I had to get involved.
I didn't know that.
There's a lot you don't know about me.
But the night is young.
Well, sadly, I have to make it
a short night.
I have a long day tomorrow.
- But tomorrow is Saturday.
- I know.
I was hoping that I could
show you around a little bit.
- Can I take a rain check?
- Really?
[both laughing]
Of course.
How about a dance?
Absolutely.
Oh, my gosh, I see you found
our local thrift stop.
Oh, knock it off, Lucinda.
Hi.
Tal, she doesn't know
to buy a straw hat.
Hey, news flash, honey.
Felt is for winter.
Hey, be nice. Come on.
- Hey, how are you?
- Hi.
Let's get you mounted up over here.
Have you ever ridden a horse before?
- Yes.
- Yeah? Okay.
- Are you really doing this?
- TALLY: What's up, Jeremy?
Yes, we are doing this.
Hop on up.
- Wow.
- Look at that.
Wow. Could watch it all day.
TALLY: Mm-hmm.
- [Tally groans]
- Good luck, Tally.
Ah, thank you.
- Come on.
- LUCINDA: This oughta be good.
[Lucinda laughing]
I was pretty horrified when I
first got to Castle Valley.
It's just so dry here.
But it's very different than it
is back home, that's for sure.
[chuckles]
It grows on you.
Hey, Ginger told me that you
moved to New York a while back.
I mean, but I can definitely understand
why you'd want to come back here.
Yeah, it's in my blood.
And nothing beats riding in the desert.
Then when it rains here, oh, man,
[breathes deep ] you can't
imagine how good it smells.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Thank you for inviting me here today.
Of course.
But I'm not quite sure
where we're gonna go to eat.
[chuckles] We're almost there.
Almost there.
I don't really see a "there" out there.
Trust me.
[laughing]
Hey, do you mind
if I ask you a question?
Yeah.
It's really nice here.
I don't understand
why Stephanie didn't like it.
Oh, boy. Wow.
Is there anything
Ginger hasn't told you?
I don't know.
Why don't you tell me?
[sighs] Well, did you know
that Stephanie and Eric
were planning on grabbing
half of Starfire
in the divorce settlement?
Ol' Eric had some developers
all ready to buy up the land
and turn it into some kind of,
I don't know, suburb of Phoenix.
Ginger did not tell me that.
Well, there you go.
Some things are just, uh...
[sighs]
Yeah.
- It's so pretty here.
- Mm-hmm.
Stephanie was a fool.
Why you gotta bring her up?
I'm not trying to upset you.
I just don't understand, you know?
I mean, didn't she love you?
Didn't you love her?
No! No, and...
Actually, I hated her.
And I hated John Dexter
for implying that I killed her.
I... I'm sorry.
It's just with John Dexter missing,
I'm trying to piece together how this...
I'm responsible for that too.
You know what?
This conversation's over.
[Kendall scoffs]
Well, that went well.
What the...
ON PHONE: Tugg here.
Hey, Tugg.
Hey, Kendall, what's going on?
Hi, it's me. I'm really sorry
to bother you on a Sunday night,
but I'm at the office
and the power just went out.
Does that normally happen?
No, no, it doesn't.
Could be a breaker.
The breaker box is in the utility room.
Okay, um, I'll take care of it.
I'm on the way.
No, no, no. Really,
I didn't want to bother you.
I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
- Be careful now.
- Okay. Bye.
- [thump]
- [thud]
MAN'S VOICE, DISTORTED:
Kendall!
Kendall! Hey!
Kendall!
Hey, what happened?
I... I don't... I don't know.
I was here working and I...
The power went out,
and I don't know
if somebody hit me over the head
or I bumped into something.
What are you doing here working so late?
What are you doing here?
I was on my way home
from a baseball game in Phoenix.
I saw your car, so I stopped.
I think we should call the sheriff.
There's no need for that.
I'm part of the sheriff's posse.
- I didn't know that.
- Yeah, a lot of us are.
We help him out when he needs us.
So you have access to his files?
Yeah, of course.
We've been deputized.
Come on.
Let's get out of here.
Come on.
- Kendall, you okay?
- Yeah, she's fine, Tugg.
She's got a little goose egg
on the head. I'll take her home.
I got worried when I called back
and you didn't answer.
I have some notes I'd like to show you
before I get in tomorrow,
if that's okay.
Sure. So when'd the power come back on?
A few minutes ago.
Breaker was flipped, so I fixed it.
I guess I need to start carrying
a flashlight with me.
God, I had my notes.
They were right here!
That was a nasty blow you took
to the back of your head.
Are you sure you're not mistaken?
I don't know. I guess
I can look for them at home.
Kendall, whenever you're here alone,
make sure to lock that door, okay?
I did.
- Door wasn't locked.
- I know I locked it.
It wasn't. Whatever.
Well, just be sure from now on, okay?
Come on. I'll take you home.
No, no, no, no, no, please.
It's fine.
All right, fine.
Have it your way.
Maybe we should cancel your
introduction to Mexican food
tomorrow night then.
No. You said tequila's
a good painkiller.
I'm sorry I made you come in.
- I'll see you tomorrow.
- Drive careful.
[exhales]
[sighs]
[ring tone]
Hello?
WOMAN:
Stay away from him,
or you will die!
This is insane.
KENDALL: What's this?
We were hoping you'd tell us.
Looks like someone has a secret admirer.
Come on now.
Who are they from?
Yeah, who are they from?
My father.
[chuckles]
Yeah, right.
What's eating him?
Who knows?
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hold your horses.
Remember you asked me
who was in the beauty shop
when I opened my big mouth
about your whole spider thingy?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, she's so damn skinny
it's no wonder
I don't remember seeing her,
but Claudia Phillips.
Thank you, Ginger.
We're still introducing you
to Mexican food later, ain't we?
Mm-hmm. Yes.
[laughs]
- Hey, Lucy.
- Darling.
She's here. She's here.
Kendall, come on, come on, girl.
- Hi.
- Where you been?
Almost sent the sheriff posse
out to fetch ya.
I'm so sorry.
I got held up on the phone.
Anyone we know?
I'm sure it was her father.
Had to thank him for those flowers, huh?
You are so perceptive.
Um, can I have
a white zinfandel, please?
- White zinfandel.
- White zinfandel.
Wine?
This isn't a sushi restaurant.
Can we get her a margarita,
please? Thank you.
Not for me. I learned my lesson
a long time ago.
What lesson would that be, Tugg?
If I tell you, then you won't
learn the lesson.
Be careful on that tequila.
It'll sneak up on you.
- TALLY: Yes, it does.
- Ooh-whee!
All right, I'll tell you
anything you want to know.
- Anything.
- [all laughing]
With Ginger, it works like truth serum.
Shut your pie hole, Jim.
Shut your pie hole, Jim.
- Salud!
- Salud!
Bam, bam, bam, bam.
Here we go.
[Jim laughing]
- TALLY: Mm-mm...
- Mm.
Those dang things are good, ain't they?
- Mm-hmm.
- Come on, sugar.
- Food, food, food, Here we go.
- This is all for me?
Don't worry, honey. You can
take home what you don't eat.
- Why don't you, uh...
- Looks real good.
...try that pepper there?
- This?
- Whoa, careful.
Mexican food is a lot
like the desert heat.
It's not for the delicate
damsels or the faint of heart.
Well, since I'm neither a damsel
nor faint of heart,
I think I will be just fine.
- TALLY: Uh-huh.
- TUGG: Okay, bite it.
- JIM: Go on.
- Go ahead, bite it.
- Okay.
- Go ahead, tough girl.
Bite it. Yeah.
- TALLY: Yeah.
- TUGG: Mm-mm.
- Here it comes! Here it comes!
- Ooh!
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, I will be right back.
- The sinuses caught up.
- That got her, man.
Her eyes are already watering.
[laughing]
After all he's done, how can you
even think about quitting?
I don't care how you handle it,
but take care of her.
There's too much at stake.
And I don't want to hear
another word about, Charles.
He's my brother.
I'll handle him.
Hey, Sheriff, how's it going, man?
Some days you're flying high,
some days you're grounded.
CASHIER:
You got that right.
- We all good here?
- Yeah, we're good.
- You need a receipt?
- No, no, all good. Thanks.
CASHIER:
Thanks, man. Hey.
Well, good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty.
Bad hangover?
Everybody does it at least once.
Yeah, but it's the dumb ones
that do it more than once.
Guilty!
Oh, sugar, you want me
to get you some aspirin?
No, thank you.
[clears throat]
Hi, can I talk to Mike Scott, please?
Um, okay. I'll just leave him
a voice message.
Hi, Mike, it's Kendall O'Dell
from The Sun.
Listen, I have something
that may jog your memory.
Claudia Phillips
has a brother named Charles.
Call me back. Bye.
[phone ringing]
Eric Heisler.
Hi, the flowers are beautiful,
but you shouldn't have.
Indeed, I should have.
It is rare to meet someone
as beautiful as you.
I have a surprise.
[laughing]
You sly devil.
Where should I meet you?
No, it's a surprise.
How about I pick you up this time?
Uh, say 6:00?
Sure. What should I wear?
- Hi!
- Hi.
You look nice.
No, you look nice.
Thank you.
KENDALL: Come on.
Tell me where we're going.
ERIC:
Do you know where Prescott is?
Uh, I passed through it. Why?
It's part of the surprise.
Can you give me a hint?
- Be patient.
- [laughing]
KENDALL: I've never been
very good at that.
ERIC: Trust me,
this is worth waiting for.
Uh, are we eating at the airport?
[laughs]
Actually, I had something
a little more exciting in mind.
Is this yours?
Yeah, it's one of them.
Seriously?
I am gonna go talk to Mike,
and we should be good to go.
Okay.
Ginger is never going to believe this.
So where are you taking me exactly?
How does the Bellagio sound?
- Are you kidding me?
- No, I'm serious.
- Is your seatbelt good?
- Yeah.
Okay, just slide that canopy
forward a little bit.
- Okay.
- I got it.
Here we go.
[Kendall laughing]
Oh, my gosh, Eric,
I cannot believe
that you took me to Vegas.
It's been such a magical night.
Mm, viva Las Vegas, baby.
Please think about what I told you.
My good friend's the publisher
of The Phoenix Daily,
and your talent
is right for there, not here.
You'll make more money.
We could see each other more.
I have to get some sleep,
but I will think about it.
ERIC: Mm.
[knocking]
[knocking]
What the hell are you doing?
It's 5:00 in the morning.
How could you spend the night
with that snake?
I didn't.
I mean I did, but I didn't.
And what do you care?
It's none of your business anyway.
I'm trying to protect you.
From what?
Having fun with another man?
I should've known.
You're just like her.
Hey. Hey! Like who?
Like Stephanie?
You don't even know anything about me.
- [scoffs]
- Hey!
I need you to tell me
what happened to her, Tally.
I didn't kill her,
if that's what you're asking.
I never said that you did.
- Hello?
- Hey, Kendall, it's Mike Scott.
- You owe me a drink?
- I do?
Your voice-mail jarred my memory.
I remember where I saw
your friend Claudia.
Where?
When I worked in the DA's office,
I had the pleasure in assisting
in putting her brother,
Charles Sheffield away, for 10 years.
For what?
He was a gynecologist.
Guy got his jollies off of drugging
and molesting teenage patients.
Oh, my God!
Claudia testified on his behalf,
only her name was not Claudia.
It was Rochelle,
and she looked different.
- Where is Charles incarcerated?
- He isn't.
Got out on good behavior
three years ago,
and no one's seen hide
nor hair of him since.
You're right, Mike.
I totally owe you a drink.
[typing]
Oh, my God! Price is Sheffield!
[ring tone]
- Hello?
- Grab your camera.
Hightail about two miles up
Lost Canyon from where you live.
A young guy found a body
up there. A girl.
Yeah, now. Yeah.
[clears throat]
Front page.
[shutter clicks]
[shutter clicks]
[shutter clicks]
[gasps]
Makes you sick the first time
you see something like this.
I just picked up this girl
hitchhiking a few weeks ago.
What the hell are you doing,
Miss O'Dell?
This is a crime scene
on private property.
You probably already destroyed evidence.
Yeah, isn't that more
your department, Sheriff?
- Duane.
- Yes, sir.
Come here.
What exactly are you insinuating?
Hey, did you ever find those two
supposedly misfiled
toxicology reports
on the two dead girls?
Because, you know,
this is the third dead girl
found in the desert in two years,
and I'm starting to think
that maybe there's
some kind of connection.
And you know what?
I think that someone before me,
also was starting to connect the dots.
Really?
There's three murdered girls?
That's for the medical examiner
to decide.
Yeah, this girl shot herself
in the back.
- Hey, you can't do that.
- Yes, I can,
and I did.
Okay?
Critical evidence
taken from a crime scene
from an uncooperative witness.
[grunts]
Oh. Look what happened there.
You should be more careful.
Do we understand each other now?
Better than you think.
I know, Yolanda, but it's the only way
that I can get past
the guard and the dogs.
[sighs]
Look, I was able to get what I need.
Were you able to get
the uniform from your cousin?
Yeah, it might be dicey.
It might be really dicey, but I mean,
don't you want me to find out
what happened to John?
Okay. What time does the van get there?
Okay, all right.
Yes, it will work.
I just need you to distract them
for a minute. Okay?
And listen, if you haven't heard from me
by 8:00 tomorrow morning,
I need you to call Tugg
and tell him where I went.
Okay.
- [dog growling]
- [gasps]
Holy crap!
I was right!
I found you.
[gasps]
Mujer estupida!
Go!
Well, well, well.
What do we have here?
Habla Ingls, baby?
No? That's too bad.
Fortunately, I know
lots of dirty words in Spanish.
[chuckles]
You're very pretty.
Little long in the tooth for my liking,
- but you'll do just fine.
- No!
No!
[grunting]
Now, now, now. Calm down.
- [shrieks]
- You're a feisty one too, huh?
- I like that.
- [whimpers]
You like that hair pulled, bitch?
- What the... What the hell?
- Get off me!
- You!
- Get off me! Get off me!
Charles! Must you screw the help too?
Not exactly the help, huh, sis?
Take a better look.
- You!
- That's right, Rochelle.
And I know who you are, and I
know what you guys are doing.
And so does my editor.
You idiot, Charles!
You damn uncontrollable pervert!
I should've had you neutered years ago.
I told you letting those girls
escape would be our downfall.
- But, Sissy, I...
- Shut up!
Help me get her in the cellar
and let's get the chloroform!
No. No! No!
CHARLES: It's time
for the chloroform game.
- Playing the chloroform game.
- No! No!
You fool.
Had to find out what happened
to John Dexter, did you?
[laughing]
Oh, you'll be joining him soon.
Idiot. I should kill you too.
Come on. Let's go.
I'll be back for you later, baby.
- [kissing noises]
- Get moving! Jesus!
Coming. I'm coming.
[Kendall panting]
[gasps]
Oh, God!
Oh, come on.
[banging]
- [board rattling]
- Oh, come on.
But, Sissy, he said
he'd be here any minute,
and-and-and not to harm her.
I don't care what he said.
Do it!
All right, I'm going, I'm going.
She's gone!
ROCHELLE: You must've left
the door unlocked!
I'm calling Roy. She can't
have gone far. Find her!
Hey. Hey.
Oh, my God.
Disappointed is an understatement.
- Take it easy.
- Eric?
Things could have been
so different between us.
- Come on.
- What are you doing here?
- Come on.
- Mr. Richardson?
Dr. Price says I'm due any day now.
Can we talk about my money?
Yeah, not now.
You'll get your money.
All right, go sit down.
Come on.
Nice and easy.
It'll be okay. Come on.
[wind whistling]
Um, Tugg?
- Mm-hmm?
- I'm sorry to bother you,
but Yolanda Reyes is here to see you.
I'm busy.
She says it's about Kendall.
[shrieking]
You're never gonna get away with this!
- Shut up!
- You killed John Dexter!
Desert Harbor Shelter is
your sick little breeding farm!
You're a sick bastard!
Shut up! Shut up!
- Shut up!
- [gasps]
Is that why you killed
those girls in the desert,
because they couldn't conceive?
I killed them.
- I killed John Dexter too.
- No!
I'm going to kill you too.
And you.
She means nothing to me,
Rochelle. I'll kill her myself.
Then you and I,
we can escape to the Caymans,
just like we planned, and get married.
We have a lot of money there.
Lying bastard!
I shouldn't have listened to you!
[sobbing]
Everything is ruined!
[sobs, laughs]
You look just like
that other whore with red hair
I had to kill.
You?
You killed her?
Stephanie was not a whore, Rochelle!
Did you really think I'd stand by
and let you screw your little
playmate under my nose?
Aaah!
I... You saw what happened, right?
She wa... She was crazy.
I... It was self-defense.
- Come on. Come on.
- No.
You're my ticket out of here.
Come on.
- Come on!
- No!
No!
Help! Help! Help!
- No! No! No!
- Come on.
No. No. Please.
Please don't hurt me! No! No!
- Get...
- No. No.
Come on!
You ruined everything.
Good! Now let go of me!
Get out of the truck.
Get out of the truck.
Help me, please.
I change tire for you, Seor Richardson?
- Uh! No!
- Get in!
- Move!
- KENDALL: Please.
But, Seor...
KENDALL: Selling babies?
What kind of monster are you?
Get to the house. Hurry.
Go, go, go, go!
You're never gonna get away
with this, do you know that?
- Let me out!
- Shut up! Shut up!
ERIC:
Don't make me have to kill you.
Ah!
Have you ever been to a rodeo,
Mr. Richardson?
'Cause you're about to be in one.
- Come on!
- [screams]
[mooing]
- [gunshot]
- Let her go, Heisler!
You stay back!
I swear I'll kill her!
Come on! It's over!
The sheriff's on his way here!
Good. He works for me.
I could use his help.
- Roy's in on it!
- Shut up!
- No!
- [grunts] Aaah!
- No!
- [Eric screams]
[grunts]
No!
- You hurt?
- No, I'm not hurt.
- Y'all okay?
- I need your horse.
Stop it! Let me...
[grunting]
- ERIC: Aaah!
- Not so tough now, are you?
[spits] Sh...
You're lower than a snake.
Here. Tie him up
and throw him in the truck.
All right, don't be shy. Ahh.
All right, guys, a toast.
To the best investigative
reporter I ever met.
Thanks for clearing my name.
Thank you for not being the one
that hit me over the head,
although I did think
it was you that night.
Hear! Hear!
I sure didn't figure Roy would do it.
Of course I didn't figure
he'd got caught up on all this.
I guess he just needed money
to support his gambling habit.
How'd you figure it all out, Kendall?
Okay, well, the key was in
the toxicology reports
of the two murdered girls
that John Dexter was so interested in.
Both girls had traces
of Thorazine in their system,
which Sheffield had been using
to subdue his patients
prior to getting caught.
Thorazine is an antipsychotic drug
that doesn't harm
a pregnant woman's fetus,
and so that's why he had been using it.
And I think me telling you
about Eric Heisler helping
Bonnie adopt was a real key too.
- Don't you, Ken?
- Yes.
I absolutely could not
have done it without you.
- You ever heard of Roy Rogers?
- Who?
It's an old cowboy kids
used to grow up on.
He had a TV show, and it always ended
with him and his wife, Dale Evans,
riding off in the sunset
singing "Happy Trails To You."
Oh, I like that, Tally.
A cowboy with a romantic side.
You know, I should keep my eye
out for one of those.
Yeah, well, they're hard to catch.
- Well, we'll see about that.
- [laughing]
retail by H@w-to-kiLL @subscene
Song and lyrics by
Leah Nobel - Where I want to go.
Of all my wrongs, honey
You have been the right step
I'm takin' off, honey
Will you be my flight deck
You and me, wing in wing
Soarin' high like birds
leavin' burnin' trees
Of all the people in the room
I caught your eye
Firm handshake
You took me by surprise
Didn't know you had noticed me
Before I ever got to notice you
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
Hot touch
You're like silk on my torso
You grab my hips and you
pull me real close, oh
Here I am, look at me
Meltin' fast like chocolate
in a double Dutch pan
You drive me crazy with the
freckles on your shoulders
Sometimes I wonder
What you'll look like
when you're older
Say it now Doesn't matter to me
All that matters
is your soul stays warm
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
I can say without regret
That I've loved every second
I've spent with you
And I'll say you are my pet
But I won't call you baby
like the others do
No, I won't call you baby
like the others do
No, no
That's just not my style
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
And I know I'm not always right
But I got good feelings tonight
And I know
You'll take me where I wanna go
You'll take me where I wanna go
You'll take me where I wanna go, oh
You'll take me where I wanna go