Vegas (2012) s01e01 Episode Script

Pilot

Hyah! Hyah! Hey.
What's your count? It's a big day at the auction.
We'll see.
What's going on? Damn it! Pa, we're losing the herd! Hey, pa! Let your dad go.
We're losing time.
Got to get them in before nightfall.
Hyah.
Vincent Savino in the flesh.
I used to see him in the neighborhood until they sent him to run Havana.
You gave me your word.
I told you I'd do my best.
That plane just scattered my herd.
And what am I supposed to do about that, Ralph? You can start by paying me for the six tractor trailers I'm gonna have to turn around empty tomorrow.
I don't know, boys.
Instead of talking to us, sounds to me like he should be rounding up his heifers.
I can't round up 200 ton of beef with 30 minutes of daylight.
Well, I can't land a 300-ton northbound DC-6 with gusts of 30 knots.
Sure you can.
You bring them in from the east, over the casinos, just like you said.
Where this town is headed, Ralph, either take the money or you get the shaft; I made my choice.
You don't like it, move your ranch.
That's not going to happen.
Then get your nag out of here or I'll have you arrested for trespassing.
You heard the man.
You made good time.
Yeah.
Cowboy can take a punch, huh? I don't have time to be back here.
It's all been arranged by the campaign, Mr.
mayor.
It's a quick backstage publicity shot with Liberace.
It'll get you more ink than a hundred PTA meetings.
Where is sheriff Clyde? I've been calling him all week.
He's in Reno with his paramour.
That's, uh, French for "girlfriend.
" And you need one.
No, what I need is a sheriff.
How am I supposed to run on a law-and-order ticket when the law's off chasing chippies? Mr.
mayor, district attorney.
Sorry to interrupt.
We're off the clock, Katherine.
They found a girl, murdered, out on the NTS.
Governor's niece.
Her name is Samantha Meade.
She worked in accounting at the Savoy.
She left last night, she never made it home.
Her car's still in the lot.
An air force driver spotted her body on a sweep.
They're planning an atomic blast next week.
Where's the governor? He's in Carson at a conference.
He's been notified.
Mother's flying in from Reno.
Take a car to the airport.
Meet her the second she steps off that flight.
Hold her hand.
Don't let her get out of earshot.
Go.
Now.
Governor's going to need to hear from us.
Find a phone, call him.
Express our condolences.
Tell him we won't rest until we find Samantha's killer.
All right.
I'm done waiting for the sheriff! You, deputy, what's your name? Armstrong, sir.
Okay, Armstrong, call dispatch, send a car to this man's ranch.
I want him brought back here.
His name is Lamb.
Ralph Lamb.
Got it? Calling car two-one-niner.
You have Ralph Lamb in custody? He's in the back of my car right now.
The mayor wants him out at the test site.
Ah, get those off him.
For crying out loud, Ralph.
Next time you have a problem with the planes, talk to me.
Didn't concern you.
This does.
It's the governor's niece.
Sheriff's MIA, and the rest of them I can't take the chance.
The governor's gonna be in my office first thing tomorrow morning.
I need you to find this killer.
I'm not a cop.
You were, back in the war.
An MP and a damn good one.
I don't expect you to work for free.
I don't want your money.
You get those planes to quit flying over my land, we got a deal.
Maybe I can talk to Blanchford.
Take away the "maybe.
" What's her name? Samantha Meade.
Where you going? Get the body out of there before the coyotes come.
you going back after this sheriff business is over? I'm gonna be here as long as they want me here.
You know, things aren't as bad as they think they are.
You'll find out for yourself, Vin.
I'm taking care of business.
That's not what I hear.
The Savoy's barely been open six months.
You're leaking cash, your counts are thin, and you got a rat running loose.
I'm on it.
No, you're not.
Now, Red, you're not going anywhere.
It's open season out here.
Every crew in the country is planting their flags.
I'm gonna plant mine.
You're gonna be like my right hand.
Huh? I'm glad to hear you say that.
Just got to deal with one thing at a time.
First, we find the rat.
I warmed him up for you.
Nobody told him to do this.
It's okay, Mr.
Savino.
I understand.
Do I know you? Toby Grasso.
I dealt Blackjack for you at the Colonial.
You know what we want to know? Yeah.
Where sheriff Clyde might be hiding.
And? He's at his sister's house in Henderson.
Did I tell you to lay hands on this man? No.
Did I tell you to lay hands on this man?! Did I?! This the way you do business? With animals? Take a couple weeks off.
Come see me when you get back.
Who's supposed to round up the 600 head going to market next week? Oh, Francisco can handle it.
Yeah, we got five ton of feed due to be dropped off this afternoon.
Already told you, little brother, you're coming with me.
You're good with numbers and you're better with people than I am.
Well, that bar's fairly low, big brother.
What do I know about catching criminals? Ask a few questions, listen to what people have to say.
What they don't say is just as important.
We're doing all this 'cause of those planes? Well, it's planes today.
Tomorrow, it'll be a highway running right through the middle of this ranch.
You want that? Where's Don Simmons? Don's just out of warm Springs.
Did 11 months for running bootleg cigarettes.
We need a good tracker.
So, you, me, Don what about Dixon? We'll leave him here; He can help Francisco.
Oh, you want the herd wandering out in the interstate again? Dixon's in.
Where is he? You don't want to know.
You didn't say she was married.
I left that part out.
That would be your son.
Come on, Dixon! Come on! No! No, no! Incoming! Whoa! We don't tie this up fast, the governor's gonna aim that shiny new gaming commission at us like a bazooka.
That's why I want Lamb to handle it.
Why? The deputies can report to me.
A district attorney's a bit more qualified than a cattle rancher.
You know, back in the war, I was C.
O.
of Lamb's unit.
We were based in Naples.
Out on maneuvers, we found a dead girl in the woods, throat slit.
Then other girls turned up dead.
Lamb took charge of the investigation.
He didn't rest.
Locals had a village kid fingered for the killings.
They were about to put a bullet in his head when Lamb finds an order for morphine coming into the quartermaster.
We hadn't seen any action for a couple of weeks, so he wonders why we're running low.
He looks at the victims' bodies and finds Marks in their necks.
Lamb figured out our medic was knocking the girls cold with the drug, raping them, then slicing them up.
Word got to command that Lamb solved it.
Next thing I know, he got transferred to a special unit.
You find me a man like that, and I'll send Lamb back to his cattle ranch.
But you're not that man.
Mayor, your 10:00.
Send them in.
That's French for, "we're done.
" He wants to sink his career, fine.
I'm not going down with him.
Who's this guy, Lamb? Our families' ranches are next to each other.
Uh-huh.
The Lambs have been out there since the Indian wars.
He's got a brother.
What else? A son, Dixon.
His wife passed away when he was in the war.
He stayed on his ranch ever since he got back.
So, what's his angle? A piece of the casino, land rights on the strip? I think he just wants to run his ranch.
Hey, Vincent, you here now? Looks that way.
You're gonna love it.
Paradise.
That's what they tell me.
That's a nice watch.
Thanks.
Write him up and fire him.
Get out of here.
What the hell was that? What's this now? It's flowers; It's nice.
It spruces Get rid of them.
Vince, it's part of They're blocking the eye.
Get rid of them, I said.
At a casino? Samantha worked in the credit department.
Uh, do you mind, ma'am, us asking why you didn't know this? My daughter and I haven't spoken for a year.
I didn't know where she was living.
I assumed it was with that young man.
And who might that be? A day laborer at our ranch.
Cale Green.
Samantha was smitten with him.
He was handy with the horses.
She knew how I felt, and she continued to see him anyway.
So when she went away to school, I fired him.
She found out and Ran away to be with him.
And that's the last we've spoken.
Don.
Looks like you survived warm Springs okay.
I made it back.
Whoever did it came at night.
Too exposed during the day.
Brushes are broken along the path.
Looks like he dragged the body from the car.
Could put the body anywhere for 20 Miles.
Why here? Probably figured she'd be blown to pieces in that atomic blast they got planned.
Hey, come here.
Give me a hand.
That's where he wanted to put her.
Justice is here.
Whoo-hoo.
Oops.
Don, come here.
Motorcycle.
Been out here a couple of days at least.
It would be hard to carry a dead body out on a bike.
What's it doing here, then? I tracked down Samantha's boyfriend.
He's been working out at the rodeo the last couple months.
They've been living in an airstream out there.
Where is he now? He's at work.
Heard about Samantha.
Boss said he's pretty messed up.
So, uh, just tell us what you were doing Friday night.
Drinking in my trailer.
Alone.
Bad answer.
Well, it's the truth.
Find a better one.
Your girl is dead.
When is the last time you talked to her? That night.
I was due to ride Saddle Bronco.
Then Samantha calls and says that she has to work late.
Again.
I let my thoughts get away from me, started thinking maybe she was seeing some other guy.
Have to make you pretty angry, her cheating on you.
I would never lay a finger on her.
She gave up everything to be with me.
I never could figure out why.
So, what did you do after the rodeo? Went to my trailer, drink anything that was wet.
Then I woke up in my truck.
That's all I remember.
Next time we come back Remember more.
Hello.
Good morning, Katherine.
Ralph.
Jack.
Katherine O'Connell.
Haven't seen you since you left for New York.
Thought we lost her for good.
Well, you got me back.
I missed the dust.
Heard about your skirmish at the airport.
Yeah.
Didn't my daddy and your daddy square off over some water rights once? Oh, you mean the The water your daddy stole? As far as those planes go, that's a battle you're not gonna win.
Who said it was about winning? I've been assigned to the Samantha Meade homicide.
I assume you just talked to the boyfriend.
He's short an alibi.
And he was drinking the night she went missing.
Drunken boyfriend without an alibi.
Nevada juries convict on less.
All that's missing is proof.
Katherine.
Where are you going now? Down to the hotel where she worked.
Boyfriend thinks she was seeing somebody else.
Don't they all? Terrible thing about that girl.
I hope I can help you in some way.
I appreciate that.
I saw your little dustup at the airport the other day.
I didn't take you for a cop.
I'm a rancher.
Most of the time.
Three on one, pretty impressive.
It was just a little, uh, misunderstanding.
I'm sure it was.
Gentlemen.
This is Bob Perrin.
He runs our credit department.
Any questions you have, he'll answer.
Oh, the mayor's having a little party here tomorrow night.
An election fund-raiser.
Be my guest; Bring your family.
That's very kind of you, but, uh, I wouldn't know what to do with all that fun.
Well, if you change your mind, you and your guests are welcome.
Samantha was responsible for determining credit lines for our guests.
You saw her at work Friday? Oh, she was there when I left.
Jodie Kent stayed later, and when she returned from her break, Samantha was gone.
Her boyfriend thinks she was seeing someone else.
Talked about late nights at work.
You know anything about that? We promoted her to a high-roller account a few months ago.
It's a very demanding position.
As far as her romantic life, I wish I could help you.
Alice Meade's family is loaded.
Father hit it big with gold in Ely back in the '20s.
Samantha could whistle, and her family would buy her out of any trouble.
Sounds like she wanted to do it her way.
I just ran into Sam Hylan.
He's headed over to the ranch tomorrow to vaccinate that new mare.
He wants to know who's gonna be there.
I'll call him.
What did you find out from security? Uh, said they saw Samantha in an elevator around 7:00, but they didn't see her leave through any of the main exits.
How else could she get out? I want you to check her accounts.
Find out if she was having any trouble with any of the big high rollers.
And I want to see her notebooks.
I want to find out what she was writing in them.
Where you going? She had to get out of here some way.
Sorry.
Come on, guys! Son of a bitch! Motorcycles.
Now that's what you get for pie-Hawking those lovebirds.
You're lucky that the bellman only popped you once.
It wasn't the bellman.
That's what hotel security said when they found you on the floor.
Whoever killed Samantha was afraid that I'd find something, and I did.
I saw blood.
That's why I got hit.
We went over the area, and we didn't find anything.
It doesn't matter.
You found motorcycle tracks next to the body.
Those bikers tore up Barstow, Boulder city, and now here.
Tracks don't mean they killed her.
But it does mean they were out there, and the district attorney, he feels that Bikers make good suspects.
He thought the boyfriend was one, too, but I'm not sure he did it, either.
Well, if we don't do something, the governor is gonna authorize the national guard to get those bikers off the streets.
Soldiers marching outside your casinos.
That'd be really good for business.
I don't suppose you have a better idea.
Well, I was thinking about, uh a roundup.
Take a ride with a real man! Turn around! Let's get out of here! Come on! Get out of my way! Move! You don't look like the law.
I've been hearing that.
Name's Samantha Meade.
She was found dead next to some motorcycle tracks.
I got a man out there right now checking to see if those tracks match your tires.
Which they will.
Now, if you killed her, I don't expect you to say a word.
But if you saw something out there, that's different.
A lot of these charges can disappear.
Get me my lawyer.
The tracks match.
But we got a problem.
What's that? Flowers.
They sprouted up yesterday.
Cryptanthum flowers.
My uncles use them for rashes.
Good to know, come rash season, don.
Can we go back now? Flowers pop up like this, it means it rained a few days ago.
And the park rangers confirmed that it rained the night before Samantha was killed.
Well, that's still wet.
Means the hole was dug the night it rained.
That's when the angels were in Barstow.
So they didn't kill her.
Well, the tracks match.
They were out here at some point.
Just not dumping Samantha's body.
You ever get Samantha's notebooks? I asked yesterday; Nothing yet.
Maybe there's a reason.
Everybody's here.
Joey skins and fat Frankie from New York.
I just saw Liccavoli from Detroit by the cage.
The cowboy over there is Mert Hayes.
He owns the tumbleweed and everything around it.
Word is he's putting it on the market.
All of it? All of it.
Mr.
district attorney.
Always on the job.
Howdy, Mert.
Sheriff, pull yourself together.
I'm working on something.
Just sit tight.
Cigarettes? This is a party, not a funeral, so Act like you're having fun.
We're here for business.
Yes, we are.
My goodness.
Is that a plane I hear? Or is that just my heart taking off? I need a drink.
Amazing what running water can do.
Here's where you tell me I look nice.
You look nice.
Thank you, Ralph.
That's very kind.
Deputy Lamb.
Delighted to see you could make it.
How's the head? Still hard.
I'll second that.
Oh, uh, Mr.
Savino, assistant district attorney Katherine O'Connell.
It's a big night for law enforcement.
I'd better be on my best behavior.
Uh miss O'Connell, deputy, excuse me.
Pleasure.
Mayor loves those types.
And the money they bring.
Yeah, well They bring in all kinds of things.
Gum? Really, Lamb? It is such a terrible habit.
I've seen worse.
Ladies and gentlemen, please make your way to the ballroom I want you to keep an eye on the cowboy.
I don't trust him.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
We're closing.
Oh.
Sorry.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause for mayor Ted Bennett.
We all know that from glitter gulch to the strip, this town burns brighter than Times Square at night.
In ten short years, we have turned our little burg into one of the hottest places in America.
Your vote for a second term, ladies and gentlemen, I promise you this: You ain't seen nothing yet.
If you liked our past, you will love our future.
I bring you the new Las Vegas! Miles of luxury hotels, state-of-the-art casinos Mind looking up a guest for me? Last name Monaco.
Uh no one by that name.
We do have a Monaco suite up on the third floor.
Really? Mm-hmm.
Who was staying there Friday night? Fellow named Stuart Mills.
He's from St.
Louis.
Left Saturday.
Must've been in a hurry.
He, uh, forgot his cash and bags in the room.
We've been calling, but his wife says he's not home yet.
Too noisy in there for you? Ah, no.
I'm just not much for crowds.
Oh, a man after my own heart.
How about that? Next time you want to take a tour, let us help.
We don't want any more accidents happening around here.
It's bad for business.
Name is Stuart Mills, one of Samantha's high-roller accounts.
Checked out of the hotel so fast the morning after the murder, he left all his stuff behind.
I don't suppose you told the casino you broke into their office.
Oh, what they don't know won't hurt 'em.
You look like ready cash.
Bill Van Dyke.
I represent the motorcycle enthusiasts you've erroneously detained.
Oh.
Just flew in from L.
A.
and I'd like to see my clients.
You bet.
Let me escort you.
Wake up, boys.
Cavalry's here.
What are you doing? I am not seeing my clients in this cell.
You can't lock him in there.
Man wants to talk to his clients.
A dozen bikers.
Should take all day.
Excuse me, open Open the Lunch is at noon.
Excuse me.
Excuse me! Mr.
Mills ain't going back to his job any time soon.
Spoke to a switchboard operator at the savoy.
Candy or Lou Ann? Samantha made five calls last week to the bank where Mills worked.
She wanted to verify his income, 'cause it was listed at 15 grand a year, and he was taking out markers for five times that.
Bank manager looks into it Mills was stealing.
Can I finish? He was skimming from the bank to pay off his casino markers.
No one had any idea until Samantha called.
Explains why he'd kill her.
We're looking for a man by the name of Stuart Mills out of St.
Louis.
Flat-busted broke.
Probably reaching out for cash.
Is it serious? It's going to be serious if we don't find him.
Hmm.
Give me a dollar.
What for? I'm superstitious.
Guy pawned it earlier today for 120 bucks.
Well, what do you know? And he's staying at the Westward Ho.
Sheriff, you look like hell.
Did you find out why these guys are after me? Chicago thinks you talked to the gaming commission.
I I never said a word! Screw the commission.
I want the feds here now.
And I want a free pass out of the state.
They don't give that away for nothing.
I'll tell them where the bodies are buried.
You hear what they're cranking out up at Hoover? Four billion kilowatt hours each year.
They didn't put these towers up to light up a bunch of two-bit bingo parlors.
Somebody was dreaming big.
Yeah, well, they can keep on dreaming.
I'm done here.
It seems so.
Good-bye, Clyde.
Stuart Mills, you in there? Where you going? I'm not lying to you.
I didn't touch that girl.
Then why are you hiding? She came to my room about a week ago.
She, uh, wanted a source of income for the money I laid off at the casino.
I told her I had a deal with management.
Who? Bob Perrin.
He's, uh, the credit manager over there.
What kind of deal? I got underwater big-time about a year ago shooting craps.
Bob starts talking about going to my bank.
Telling everybody about my debts.
He said, if I wanted to get things straight, I I'd better start borrowing from my bank.
Who else knows about your, uh, arrangement? Just Perrin.
He wanted to keep things between us.
He said I could keep gambling after he got his cut.
And then Samantha starts asking questions.
Must have rubbed you the wrong way.
Nice, honest girl like her took pride doing her job right.
You just had to kill her.
It was Perrin, all right? He told her to back off after I complained, but she wouldn't listen.
She made an appointment with the top brass.
Perrin couldn't let that happen.
They'd know he cooked the books.
I figured he'd just make the problem go away.
You know, uh, buy her off, get her a better job.
Then I read the papers.
Remember everything you said.
We're going downtown.
You're going to tell the d.
A.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Boss! Boss, I'm sorry.
I tried to stop them.
We're here for Perrin.
You need to step out into the lobby.
This is my house.
You don't walk into my house.
Not unless you want me in yours.
I have a warrant for his arrest for the murder of Samantha Meade.
Then go and arrest him.
He's not here.
Unless you have a search warrant, I suggest you and your boys get the hell out of my casino.
You're trespassing.
I am the law here, Mr.
Savino.
And I will decide who's breaking it.
Let's have a look at Mr.
Perrin's desk.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
If you want to shoot a deputy sheriff in the back, you go ahead, Mr.
Savino.
Doesn't strike me as a smart mo first week in town.
Especially since my brother was a state champion with a Winchester 30-30.
How are we doing? A few minutes more.
Es squeal) Go! Go! Head him off! You about done? All right, let's go.
Yes, I understand.
We may not have enough to convict.
A savoy maid said she saw Perrin go in a second floor room the same time Samantha was in the elevator.
It looks like he killed her, took her body out a service entrance.
That's why he didn't want you poking around.
But nobody saw him with the body.
We don't have an eyewitness, but I can only work with what I have.
Maybe you need more.
My civil rights have been violated! My clients' civil rights have been violated! Shut up! Listen to her.
Should you insist on a trial, and in the interim, your clients' motorcycles were inadvertently damaged by paving equipment Oh, those fellas tend to run things over first, ask questions later.
We could not be held responsible.
However, should you cooperate with the murder investigation, we would guarantee suspended sentences on the vandalism charges and your clients will ride away free men on their bikes.
Does that pretty mouth do more than talk? What are you?! That was rude.
Now, a good bike is like a good horse.
You find one you like, you don't let it go.
That night in Boulder city we went riding out in the flats.
Came across this guy dragging something off the road.
He sees us, he drives off.
Then we saw that dead girl.
And then we just got the hell out of there, man.
Who was gonna believe we didn't do it? Did you get a look at the guy? Nah, too dark.
What about the car? One of those Cadillacs.
A blue one.
It's Perrin's car.
How much he get us for? Not that much.
Accounting can handle it.
That's good.
We don't want him talking, though.
I've got people on the inside.
But the cowboy he could be a real problem.
I'll handle him when the time comes.
Thank you, Mrs.
C.
You're welcome, Vincent.
Thanks, mom.
One thing at a time.
One thing at a time.
I heard you caught the guy.
She wasn't cheating on you.
I wish I could have met her.
People will tell you that the hurt goes away.
For some, it does.
I know you didn't have to come down here.
If you need work, I'm always looking for a hand.
If I ever come back, I'll look you up.
I need you to come with me.
You got yourself a new job, sheriff.

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