Big Sky (2020) s01e02 Episode Script

1
Previously on "Big Sky"
Dad?
What's going on?
Danielle she and her
sister never showed.
They're not answering
their texts or calls.
Something is not right.
Cody Hoyt?
You're looking for a couple
of missing teenagers.
How do I put this?
This isn't the first.
What do you think
he plans to do with us?
What's going on?
Are you sleeping with my husband?
I thought you two were over.
Tell me, Cody. Are we working on us?
Woman problems.
A man's got a woman.
Then he got problems.
- Let's go.
- Oh, one other thing.
Ronald.
You've been sloppy.
Any word from Cody?
Nothing.
I'm gonna get the sheriff involved.
What about this Montana State Trooper?
I'm about to go see him.
He said that Cody left at
sunrise for the church cult,
but that he went alone.
Wait, what?
You said they were both going.
- That's what Cody told me.
- He could be off the grid
and out of cell range.
Or in the middle of it.
Or there's a third scenario.
The last time we spoke
to him, he was at a bar.
Not a chance.
Not a chance?
- He's an alcoholic, Denise.
- I haven't seen him drink.
Okay.
I hate to ask, but just how
involved were the two of you?
Look, I'm not
This is not about your private
life with my husband
- Alright.
- so much as I need to get a sense
of Cody's psychological state,
whether he could be off on some bender.
How did you two leave things last night?
I told him we were over.
And how did he take that?
I'm not sure. Not great, I think.
Is he in love with you?
I don't know.
Are you a fan of irony, Ronald?
Myself, I'm a big fan.
I like to button my day,
curl up in bed with a
warm glass of milk,
and read a little Hunter Thompson.
In fact, that's what I was fixing to do
when my ex-wife's cousin called.
I don't like irony.
And I don't like it when people wax on,
be it poetic or philosophic,
or somebody just likes the
sound of his own voice.
The irony here
I hand-picked you in part
because of your good judgment.
This was not good judgment, Ronald.
Can we talk about yours?
Shooting an ex-cop in the head?
The idea is we take girls
who won't be missed.
Dirty girls. The kind of gummy-scummy
we scrape off the bottom of our boots.
But you took two wholesome teenagers,
the type people friends
and family go looking for.
That's what brought Cody
Hoyt to me, Ronald.
Kidnapping doesn't always go easy-peasy.
Mr. Hoyt had already tumbled to the idea
that a long-haul trucker
might be responsible.
That's why I had to deal with him.
I had to clean up a mess you made.
Yes, ma'am?
Sounds good.
I'll be here.
Like the little old lady
who swallowed the fly.
I had to kill the spider that
came looking for the fly,
and now there's a little bird
by the name of Cassie Dewell
come looking for the spider.
We got ourselves a predicament, Ronald.
Nobody knows where we are.
- I'm so scared.
- Hey.
Mom has a tracker on your phone.
Let's just hope that works.
What?
She has a tracker on my phone? Why?
Why do you think?
Well, does she have one on your phone?
She doesn't have to
worry so much about me.
I don't suppose you have
a tracker on your phone?
I don't suppose.
This is like my biggest nightmare.
I'm gonna be on "Dateline."
Hey.
Hey, look, this guy
he went berserk in a fit of rage, right?
Maybe once that rage passes,
he'll come back to his senses.
- I can't believe this is happening.
- Danny.
- Not the time to panic.
- Oh, really, Grace?
- When would be a good time?
- If he was going to kill us,
he would have done so.
Probably 'cause he wants
to do something to us.
Oh, God.
He wanted to talk.
He didn't just zap me.
He wanted to talk first.
I think we're dealing with
a very lonely person.
Okay. Good.
So, how do we trade on that?
Only meant to feel your empty bed
I never meant to
whisper words I said
I can't believe you grew up in Montana
and you don't know how to rope.
I don't need to rope.
Be it animals or people,
I just call 'em over.
"If a man has charisma,
he don't need no rope."
Seeing I got you by my side,
I must've done something right.
But now I've gotta get
back the feeling, Lord
That scared me away from you
All night? Really?
Something came up.
Which doesn't explain
your failure to call.
Mom.
I worry. Can you get that?
Once you bring a child into
this world, you'll understand.
You worry.
When he's a baby,
you worry, "Is he gonna
fall victim to SIDS?"
When he's going to school,
"Is he gonna make a friend?"
You worry!
Forever.
Even when he's a grown
man, driving a truck.
Maybe especially then.
I'm getting sick of you
not respecting me.
This country is in supply chain crisis.
The trucker is today's American hero.
I am a hero, whether a mother
can see that or not.
Ooh.
Seem pent up.
You get this way,
and it does not become you.
Are you okay?
I'm fine.
Hmm.
I don't think you are.
You're pent up.
Go back to your room
and masturbate yourself
while I make us some lunch,
and you return with a better attitude.
Ronald? Ronald?
What happened to your neck?
Officer Legarski?
Cassie Dewell.
My stars.
You're beautiful.
- Thanks.
- I beg your pardon,
but we don't get many
beautiful women in Montana.
And you're Black.
We don't get many Black
people in Montana.
Beautiful and Black and Montana.
What are the odds?
They give out odds on
that sort of thing?
I truly beg your pardon.
My wife, Merrilee, tells me that
there isn't a shoe size too big
which my mouth does not accommodate.
Have a seat. Can I
offer you some coffee?
Uh Uh, there's not much food.
- The restaurant's closed down.
- I'm good. Thank you.
I can never keep track
of all the conflicting
studies on coffee.
One of them says they're good for you.
The other says not so much.
All I know is
nothing beats a cup of joe.
- I hear ya.
- I'm glad of that.
'Cause your partner,
Cody, truth be told,
he wasn't too keen on hearing me.
What do you mean?
I don't think I'm telling you
anything you don't already know,
but he's a bit renegade.
Oh, when I brought up probable cause,
kind of in one ear, out the other.
The last I spoke to him,
he was headed out
to the Church of Glory and
Transcendence with you.
That's right, but then
he started banging on
about searches without warrants
and conversations in custodial settings.
My loose cannon radar started
beeping, and I told him,
"I think you're gonna need to
fly solo on this one, partner."
Two teenaged girls were
possibly abducted.
The police officer tells the private
citizen to go at it alone?
Well, I take your point,
but the girls aren't officially missing.
And even if they were, certain
protocols need to be observed.
Like what?
Cassie, uh
my, you are a pretty thing
I'm kind of about safeguarding
my pension this time in my life.
I couldn't risk Cody leading me
down the the rogue path.
You last saw him when?
5:45 a.m., driving right
out this parking lot.
- And you weren't curious?
- Beg pardon?
I'm assuming you haven't heard from him.
Did you try calling him
or go out there?
What What are you implying?
I'm just trying to get
a sense of things.
Get a sense of me?
I am a Montana State Trooper.
I was off-duty when I
came out here to help.
I'm out here yet again,
helping you, a private citizen.
You are out of line.
Now, we could start over,
try to get on the same team,
but I could just leave
you be. It's your call.
Shall we go to the compound?
Glory and Transcendence?
Well, we could, but same
thing I told Cody
we need probable cause.
In all likelihood, we'll be
refused entry at the gate.
You know a friendly judge?
Seems to me, you go to him,
you tell him about the missing girls,
Cody's vanished
Oh, hell. Why not?
Great.
This'll take a few hours, though.
Okay, um
maybe I'll I'll drive
around for a little bit.
Oh, no need to hang about.
If I get a warrant, I'll have no trouble
rounding up a small
posse to go up there.
Head on back to Helena.
Maybe I'll hit a few truck stops.
Come again?
Last night, I did some digging
on the FBI Highway
Serial Killer Task Force,
and there's a possible connection
to long-haul truckers.
These girls could have stopped
for gas at a truck stop.
Got grabbed.
Never know.
No.
We never do.
What do you mean "creepy"? Creepy how?
I can't say creepy how. Just creepy.
Rick Legarski is as harmless
as they come, honey.
Word is he doesn't even
give out speeding tickets,
that he lets everybody
off with a warning.
I don't know. I got a vibe.
I take it still no news from Cody?
Um no.
This isn't good.
Whoa, there.
Can I, uh, have a private word?
I'll call you back.
Oh.
Why'd you lock the door?
Habit.
Something my father taught me.
A stranger any stranger
which includes people
you think you might know,
but possibly you don't.
If I'm your daddy,
I'd have concerns with you
driving around out here,
hitting truck stops all by yourself.
Carry a gun, Cassie?
I carry a gun.
You ever use it?
Why do you ask?
Never had the opportunity myself.
I hope to.
I I suppose every law enforcement
officer secretly wants to.
Mm.
We all wonder how we'll respond
when our number's called.
When it's all on the line.
Will your hand shake?
Will you have the guts
to pull the trigger?
We all want to know
ourselves in the end.
You ever wonder?
I trained at the academy.
I'd pull the trigger.
Good girl.
But my point
well, it can be the Wild West out here,
and no place for a pretty
girl if she's not prepared.
Like I said, I trained at the academy.
But you didn't graduate.
I do my homework.
What happened?
I know those boys at the academy.
Pretty thing like you,
I would reckon they'd
grade you on a curve.
So, is is the goal
here to intimidate me?
'Cause it's not working.
I think we're underground.
You said that he got you
at a truck stop, right?
What, he just grabbed you?
I actually made the mistake
of climbing into his rig.
I work in human services.
Human services?
Oh.
To pay the bills.
By trade, I'm actually a singer.
A famous one, in fact,
although the fame part
is still ahead of me.
Grace.
What?
I think she is a he.
What?
She's a boy.
- No.
- Yes.
What's all the whispering?
Look, um
we could be stuck in here a long time.
Might as well get to know each other.
Can I ask you a personal question?
Sure.
Do you have a penis?
As a matter of fact, I do.
You'll have to excuse my sister.
- Why?
- You can't just go around
and ask people if they have a penis.
I'm not making a judgment, Grace.
You're not gonna try to
take advantage of me now,
- are you, Danielle?
- What?
- God, no.
- Will you please shut up?
Look, I'm so sorry.
Please excuse my sister.
What did I do?
Please.
You called me a loser.
I didn't mean it.
You didn't mean it?
But you repeated it twice.
Loser.
And then you yelled it at me.
Loser!
Sir.
How old are you?
- 17.
- 17.
Cleopatra was fixing to assume
power when she was 17.
I forgot how empowered
girls can be at that age.
And entitled.
You probably think it's your world,
with your pretty little
face, your pretty hair.
My mother would make me
wash my hair every night
so it would smell pretty.
- Yours smells pretty.
- Sir, please.
How old are you?
16?
What's your name?
I asked what your name is.
Grace.
How's your hair smell?
You think I'm an evil person,
don't you, Grace?
I'm actually not.
Right, Michelle?
I, um
- Tell her!
- He's not evil.
See? I'm not evil.
You kidnap us. You tase us.
You have us locked up in some dungeon,
and you think you're a good person?
Grace
Don't play with us, okay?
You want to be a monster? Go ahead.
But at least be an honest one.
You sick pervert.
You creep.
I'm not a monster. Do you hear me?
- You're hurting me.
- I'm not a monster,
and I'm not a pervert.
Do you understand?
- Aah!
- Oh!
Ow! You stupid little bitch!
- Broke my nose!
- Hey!
These girls are just kids.
Do what you want with me,
but they're kids, for God's sake.
You think I won't kill you?
I will kill you.
I'll be back.
- Hey, Jenny.
- Hey.
You here to eat this time or just order?
Yeah. Um, sorry about that.
I was, uh, a little out
of sorts yesterday.
I didn't notice.
Just coffee.
Can I ask you a question?
Sure.
Is there a way to report
somebody missing to the police
in a way not to incriminate
that missing person,
if she were doing something illegal
at the time she went missing?
What do you mean?
That woman you saw me
talking to yesterday
she kind of moonlights as a prostitute.
And she always checks in with me.
Haven't heard from her.
I'm getting worried.
She was working last night?
Yes.
Where?
I think a-a truck stop outside Helena.
It could be coincidental, but maybe not.
Disappearing on the same night.
- And you said Helena?
- I know the stop.
- I'm gonna head out there.
- Wait, no. Come look at this first.
It's not good.
This is the web page for the
Highway Serial Killer Initiative.
All these dots.
Interstates and highways.
Some analyst in Oklahoma
detected a pattern.
VICAP created a national matrix.
We've had more than 500 murder victims
along or near highways.
200 suspects,
almost all long-haul truckers.
Excuse me?
Mostly women.
High-risk lifestyles,
transients, substance abuse.
What did this trooper have to say?
Not much. For my money, he's involved.
- The trooper?
- Oh, please.
Yeah. Gut feeling.
That and Cody was last with him
before falling off the
face of the Earth.
Rick Legarski doesn't even have
the imagination to be bad.
Can I talk to your cousin?
The one he was married to?
Cassie, honey, you're wasting your time.
The man strikes me as a sociopath,
and an ex-wife would know.
Okay, fine.
I'll call her.
God, if they're in there somewhere,
it's no man's land.
Looks pretty swollen.
Sure she didn't break it?
It ain't broken.
She's vicious, that little one.
Oh, my God.
She's also beautiful.
All three of them are.
But the little one she's 16.
Probably a virgin.
I think we could get triple for her.
Those girls aren't marketable.
Uh, the lot lizard is,
- but the sisters
- Why not?
I told you. They're wholesome.
They're college-bound.
They've got families.
I don't think Canada
will dare take them.
They'll bring scrutiny,
which puts us in a bind.
I'm busy!
Problems at home?
It's my mother. She's been on me.
- About what?
- Everything.
Saying that I need to aspire more.
That driving a truck is no
way to make a living!
Ronald.
We need to make peace
with the fact that most people don't get
what we're about.
We're the noble soldiers.
This nation is mired in muck.
We clean that muck up.
I get the same thing at home, too.
Merrilee just wants to wallow
in her menopause melancholia
and blame all her unhappiness on me.
It's what women do.
Let me give some thought
on those sisters,
but in the meantime,
that prostitute is a
bona fide deliverable.
Get her cleaned up.
We should be able to
move her out quickly.
- And this Cassie Dewell?
- I'll manage her.
You get the deliverable
shiny and bright.
Yes, sir.
I got all the trouble
I'm ever gonna need
And I just don't want no more
The deck is stacked against you
Life's a losing hand
Even when you think you're up
- You're right back down again
- Catchy song.
And on point.
Sorry?
Bad feeling. I get them.
The day my husband
I somehow knew all day
without even knowing.
When I heard the clank of the car door,
it sounded like a boom.
I looked out the window
I saw the soldiers dressed
in formal uniform.
I knew.
Bad feeling then,
and I got one now, about Cody.
And goody-goody-two-shoes Rick?
He's all over this.
Well, I certainly hope you're wrong.
On both.
The way I figure, we need
two different plans for survival.
One physical, the other emotional.
For physical, I was thinking Stockholm,
unless one of you guys
have a better idea.
- Stockholm?
- Yeah,
it's not just captives that
fall for their captors.
Sometimes it works the other way around.
We just need to get him
to emotionally bond.
Danielle, you're our best shot.
Me?
You're his Cleopatra.
Yeah, he seemed more into you
until you busted up his nose.
You said it yourself. All the
boys fall in love with you.
Yeah, I don't want him to
fall in love with me, Grace.
Danny, our lives are at stake.
And as as creepy he was,
he seemed kind of shaky.
- Fragile.
- Fragile.
You said that he struck
you as lonely, right?
- Vulnerable?
- As psychotics go.
Okay, well, maybe you can charm him.
I'm not.
Look, if we can just get
him to get the chains off,
then it's not impossible.
He does want to be liked.
I think he's got mother issues.
He brought her up in the truck.
So, what? He takes the chains
off. Then what? Hmm?
Then we attack as if
our life depends on it.
I didn't realize you had
a real plan, Grace.
Look, we either fight back or we don't.
That's all we've got.
Anybody that might have seen her at all?
Hey, you got a sec?
No.
Do you recognize her?
She was here the other night
when you were working the
cash register in the mini-mart.
Yeah, she was here. So what?
So you just made yourself 20 bucks.
But now I'm gonna need the
surveillance camera photos of her
from the security camera.
- No!
- Yeah.
'Cause if you don't,
I'm gonna report you to the ABC
for serving underage
girls smokes and beer.
The girls told me you were.
The franchise loses its
liquor and tobacco license,
and you won't be able to
find another job in Montana
or the Dakotas.
Come on.
So, what's the "emotional"
survival plan?
Any ideas on that?
- As a matter of fact
- Oh, God.
You said you sing, right?
Yeah.
Danielle and I sing. A little bit.
We used to be in choir together.
Figured we'd start a a girl band.
Oh, my God.
Seriously?
Look, there are studies that
link mental health and music.
Oliver Sacks, musicophilia
Where do you come up with this stuff?
You wonder why you have no social life.
Was it a church choir?
Yeah. Why?
Well, we're looking to
bond with a psychopath.
They tend to be religious.
Maybe we sing a little for his soul.
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
And to the Holy Spirit
The three in one
As it was in the beginning
Is now, and will be
Forevermore, amen
Amen
Glory to the Father and to the Son
And to the Holy Spirit
The three in one
As it was in the beginning
Is now, and will be
Forevermore, amen
Time to go, Michelle.
On your feet, please.
Time to go where?
To a much better place, I promise.
That doesn't sound good.
We've got new clothes for you.
Shampoo. It's time to clean you up.
What's going on?
- Let's go.
- Where are you taking her?
I'm taking her to the National Republic
of None of Your Beeswax!
Look, don't make this worse, asshole.
What did you just say to me?
Our uncle's a cop,
and when you scared us on the highway,
I took a picture of your plates
and I texted it to him.
He ran them.
It's only a matter of time.
You're lying.
I'm actually not.
She was lying, right?
I wouldn't know. I wasn't there.
Whatever.
I need you to shower.
Let's go. Take off your clothes.
I'd rather keep my clothes on.
I'll look the other way.
Tell me what's going on.
You say you're not evil. I believe you.
Please tell me what's going on.
I did tell you.
You're being sent to
another place tomorrow.
A better place.
Where you do what you do.
But it will be safer.
I don't want to go to this other place.
Well, you're going.
And don't make me use this again.
Take off your clothes
and get in the shower.
And you're going to wash your hair.
- Please.
- Let's go.
Make sure you use the shampoo.
Turn around.
You can't be finished already.
I want you to look at me.
Look at me.
This is me.
Are you okay?
Yes.
What happened?
He had a plan.
Now that plan is ruined.
We need to focus on the positive.
Which is what exactly?
That we're not dead.
Yet.
What was the plan that you ruined?
They're into trafficking.
They sell us off as sex slaves.
Oh, my God.
How did you ruin it?
I showed him the goods.
Got me out of going there,
but I'm still here.
Still here is better.
Hey.
You've got us.
Don't forget that.
I'm headed to the trooper's ex-wife now.
When someone talks that much,
they have something to hide.
She knows you're coming?
Denise set it up. How'd you do?
She was definitely at the truck stop.
I got surveillance video
that'll confirm it.
As for what happened to her,
I'm still thinking it has to be
connected to the Sullivan girls.
All three of them go missing
along the same highway
on the same night.
Okay, I'm pulling up now.
I'll call you after.
Nothing yet.
Why aren't the police out looking?
It hasn't even been a day.
Plus, this particular area,
there's not a lot of manpower.
If it goes on long enough,
maybe the FBI will get involved.
So, we just sit and wait?
No.
They're counting on us.
We do not wait.
She didn't send any photo.
There's no service in that area,
and she didn't send
anything from her cell,
because I checked 'em
before I destroyed them!
Are you 100% sure that
the other one has
male equipment?
Because sometimes, women
have been known to have
outward-facing thing-a-ma-goos.
I'm positive.
Oh, God.
I swear. Okay.
A little curve ball. We adjust.
That's what leaders do.
Let's just go home, sleep on it,
pray on it, start with a fresh
mind-set in the morning.
I'm sorry.
This is my doing.
I'm sorry.
We will get through this, Ronald.
But things are about
to take an uglier turn.
Sally.
I'm not calling about alimony.
You got your nose in something?
I'm sorry?
There was a private detective here.
She was asking questions about you.
I beg your pardon?
Are you honest?
Are you dangerous?
Are you prurient?
Please tell me you haven't been
hanging around the strip malls again.
And what was the name of
this private detective?
Her name is Cassie Dewell.
Works with my cousin Denise.
She's not a fan, Rick.
I couldn't sleep.
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O, sisters, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O, sisters, let's go down
Down in the river to pray
O, fathers, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O, fathers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol' way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O, sinners, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O, sinners, let's go down
Down in the river to pray