The Stand at Paxton County (2020) - full transcript
A military veteran comes home to find her fathers harassed and sheriff intent to confiscate the livestock on their ranch under shady pretenses.
41st infantry
combat support hospital.
Incoming wounded, we're
approaching your position now.
Captain Connelly,
the transport has arrived.
Hurry,
he's bleeding out.
- Get this thing clamped off.
Major, help me
get his shirt off.
- We were on standard
patrol, open terrain.
They came out of the
trees from the west,
about 160 yards out.
He ran to the front and
got hit with an IED.
- All right, we got
thoracic abdominal,
pelvic injury.
- I got hit pretty good, huh?
- Prep 10 units of RPCs.
- Hey, buddy, you're
gonna be okay.
You're in good hands.
- All right, let's move.
Hey, Rios?
You didn't have to do all
this just to get my number,
you know, you could
have just asked.
- I thought this way would
be more dramatic, you know?
- Hang in there, Rios.
Today we're
here with Russel Ashton
of the United Animal
Protection Agency.
We're gonna speak
about the major passing
of a recent Title 23.
Good morning, Trent.
We at the UAPA want to
enforce the importance
of this title, as
it protects animals
from terrible and potentially
dangerous situations.
I understand, but
what I'm concerned about--
anybody driving by
saying "I saw thin animals,"
and that's enough to
launch an investigation
on any rancher's herd.
It's the
animal's well-being
that comes first and
foremost, period.
Let's take a look
at this sick horse, Hoag.
Of course.
I'm not sure what to do.
I've never seen
something like this.
- That just don't look good.
- Uh-oh.
Let's get back to work.
- Morning, boys.
Josh Falvey, Fergus Falls Daily.
- What brings you out so early?
- Well, Sunday piece coming
out in a couple weeks
on how ranchers have fared
through the winter.
These Hoag Rafferty's horses?
- Yeah.
And they'll be coming
through winter just fine.
We'll get them there.
- Hoag's in the barn
with the sheriff now.
Going over their compliance.
They went pretty well
and grass is coming,
just around the corner.
- Yeah.
- Remember that for
your Sunday piece.
- I will do.
- We got a bale for ya.
- Thanks, but no thanks.
- Winter's been hard
on all of us, Roger.
- I understand, Hoag.
We all do.
- I know.
We gonna get some
meat on those bones.
Tom!
Tom.
Annie, two men
down at the Rafferty Ranch.
Possible heart attack,
send an ambulance.
Second man down,
fatal gunshot wound.
Possible accident,
probable suicide.
- If this is the wrong number
I'm gonna hunt you down.
- I take it you're still
6,719 miles away from me?
- No, actually I'm on the beach.
Yeah, feeling the sand.
Sipping on a daiquiri,
watching all the sexy men surf.
- Listen, your dad is fine
but he collapsed yesterday.
- What happened?
- Heart attack.
I was quickly reminded
I'm not family.
I tried, they wouldn't
tell me squat.
- They release him?
- In a few days.
You better talk to
your CO and get home.
- I mean, isn't there
a private nurse
that can take care
of him or something?
- Yeah, her name
is Janna Connelly.
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let the wolves
enjoy my bones ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let me go ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let the wolves
enjoy my bones ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let me go ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ You can push me out to sea ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Set me free ♪
- That will be 5.50.
Oh, do you have another
one, by any chance?
I just gave out
my last single.
- Wait a second.
You want me to give you
a 10 and a one?
- Yeah, if you give
me another one
I can you give you a five
and two quarters back.
Listen, I'm just out of singles.
Otherwise I have to
give you 18 quarters.
- Let me get this straight.
You want me to give
you a 10 and a one,
making that 11 dollars
for an energy drink
and a bag of trail mix?
- Yeah.
- Are you playing me?
- I'll just take it
out of the tip jar.
- Excuse me, Officer, are
you Carl Hagen, by any chance?
- What's that?
- Yeah, I knew you as PK,
the preachers kid.
God, I never pictured
you in law enforcement
or growing up to be sheriff.
- I'm Deputy Carl Haggen,
do we know each other?
- Yeah, I'm Janna Connelly,
we went to high school together.
- Oh, shit.
Janna Banana?
- You remember me, don't you?
- Yeah, of course I do.
- God, Paxton County
Sheriff suits you.
- Yeah, yeah, well.
Deputy-- it will be
awhile till I'm Sheriff.
- Right.
Okay, well I'm gonna
head up to the ranch, so.
- Yeah.
- It was good to see you.
- Yeah, it was good
to see you, too.
- Deputy Carl.
- I'll see you around, Banana.
- See you around.
Whew!
Jack?
Hey boy, remember me?
Yeah.
Yeah, there you are.
- Looks like he missed you.
Sorry, ma'am, I didn't
mean to startle you.
Dell's ranch hand, Brock,
Brock McCarty.
- Oh.
No, you just caught me
off guard.
I'm Janna Connelly.
- I know.
He's been expecting
you at some point,
we just didn't know when.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
How is he?
Dell.
- He's been home for
about a week or so.
He's tired... as expected.
Had to force him to sit in
that old chair by the TV.
He's got to learn to leave
all the heavy lifting
to others for awhile, though.
- I'm sure
he doesn't like that.
- Oh no, sure doesn't.
Old Jack likes a body brush.
Likes the soft bristles.
Ain't that right, boy?
Here you go.
That's a good boy.
- He trusts you.
- He knows
I mean him no harm.
Been here about
three months now.
Just getting to know each other.
Isn't that right, Jackie boy?
- Well, it looks like they've
both been in good hands.
- Welcome home.
- You went away
and grew up on me.
- Yeah, I guess I did.
So the doctor said
atrial flutter?
Now, we got to be
careful about that.
That can be dangerous.
- It was a flutter,
it was nothing.
I was overdoing it with Tom,
and hell, Old Man Rafferty
decided he didn't want
any more of winter,
and when the gun went off,
it caught me off guard is all.
- He have any family left?
- I think he outlived
everyone around him.
Big ranch,
isolation like that,
old man, Dakota winters.
You put all that together,
a man will do some
desperate things.
- Yeah.
- I want to go
lay in that new trough.
- Sounds good.
Look who's up.
- Yeah.
Dell, I hate
to break it to you
but you're not gonna
walk to the bathroom
until we go over your
meds, check your BP.
- Calvary's arrived.
- That's right.
Half-awake but
fully operational.
- Morning, Dell.
- Morning, Roger.
- Deputy.
- Ms. Connelly.
- You remember Janna?
- It's been awhile,
but I sure do.
Carl said he ran into you
coming to town last night.
- Yeah.
Paxton sure
hasn't changed much.
- Well, now, a big
captain in the Army.
Medic on leave.
Just came home to help me
with a few things
around the ranch.
- Well, appreciate your service.
You do Paxton proud.
- Thank you,
appreciate yours, as well.
- This is Brock, our ranch hand.
What brings you all the
way out here, Roger?
- Take a walk with me
a minute, Dell?
Must be nice having your daughter back after all this time.
- Well, it is.
She wasn't too keen on
coming back to Paxton.
We got some things to
work out, but it's good.
So I know you didn't
come all this way
to check on old Dell Connelly.
- The old man's
suicide shook up things
pretty good in Bismarck.
- Oh?
- The UAPA got wind of
Hoag, got out to his ranch
and did an inspection
of his herd.
You know, you were there.
- His animals came out
of winter all right.
Hell, he's no skinnier than
I am coming out of winter.
- Yeah, well there's new
directives coming down the pike
from the States Attorney's
office because of it.
It's called the Title 23.
Spot inspections.
Felony counts for
non-compliance.
- What?
- It's the vets that have
the enforcement power, Dell.
Court's gonna act
without informing owners,
taking livestock based solely
on someone's complaint.
- I don't know of one rancher,
not around here,
who neglects
or abuses his animals.
But I do see why you
came out here now.
- Yeah, so you got
some fencing issues,
cracked tank heater, and found
some mold in the barn stacks.
- Yeah, appreciate
you stopping by.
- Thanks for your time, Dell.
We'll be seeing ya.
What was
all that about?
- About the reputation
of our ranch, is what.
Sale of horses, yearlings...
they depend on it.
We lose that,
we lose everything.
- Well, these fixes are doable.
Brock and I--
- No, it's about more than that.
I've had that same list
for Brock for two months
that the deputy
handed us today.
That should of been
done by now.
There's no excuse for that.
I pay him enough.
- Well, Dell, in all fairness,
Brock's been pulling
double duty
since you've been laid up.
- Just leave that, girl.
And he should of been
pulling triple duty.
Horses and sheep, they
don't wait for somebody
to come around.
Unless you've forgotten
how to ranch.
- Forgotten?
Forgotten how I went to
work when your most precious
ranch was stake?
Forgotten how you leaned on
me at 14 to fill her shoes?
Shit, you know,
I didn't kill her, Dell,
but you sure
treat me like I did.
Yeah, let's not have a
conversation about this,
you're right.
And I haven't been a girl
in a long time.
So, Sheriff came by to
talk about fencing issues,
couple gaps by the
road, field fixes.
Normal post code
of winter stuff.
- Routine.
- He got really
upset about it,
and so he started
pushing buttons,
I started pushing back and then
all of a sudden
it's like I'm 14 again.
Just stuck in that
tiny little box.
- Didn't take long, did it?
- No.
- Look, I'm sorry,
I just thought
you should be here.
- No, listen, when you
called, I was coming off
of 36 hour shifts.
God, I was working
on this young guy,
just choking in a
pool of his own blood.
I mean I didn't even
grab the paddles,
I just, I knew it was over.
I just held his hand,
talking about the date
we were gonna on someday.
Where are you gonna take me?
We going to dinner?
A movie?
- Don't let me die.
- He shut his eyes
and died on the table.
We're losing blood.
Get me another clamp.
Guys come on, hurry.
That's how I felt back--
back at the house with Dell,
just so far apart,
like I couldn't
save him either.
Take it, sorry.
- Hello?
Okay.
I'll be right there.
- No, you can't leave me.
- Keltin got caught on
a fence halfway over it.
Torn up pretty good.
Just breathe.
All right you and Dell both
work on your stubborn ways
back home again.
- I know.
- When you come in for
that kind of approach,
it's always a little bumpy.
- Nice shot, Haggen.
♪ Something never
looks so right ♪
♪ There was trouble up ahead ♪
♪ I'm hitting
every green light ♪
♪ You know I'm
due to hit a red ♪
- Hi, Carl.
- Fireball shots on me.
- Oh, uh.
Thanks, but I'm okay.
I wouldn't want you
pulling me over.
You know buzzed driving
is drunk driving.
- No, I would never do that.
I wouldn't do that
to Janna Banana.
Firm warning, maybe.
- You just keep calling
me that, don't ya?
- You know I love the songs
you put on the jukebox, Janna.
Dicky Peterson.
The High Lonesome.
- Oh, watch your
step there, Carl.
Oh, lordy.
- Fiery.
That's what I remember
about you, is you,
you were fiery.
- Sweetheart, um.
- What?
- Ever seen the
movie "Braveheart"?
- Oh, I love that movie.
- Starting to look a lot
like William Wallace.
- I got a bunch of blue
chalk all over my face?
- Yeah, just a little bit.
- Okay.
Uh.
I think I better go home now.
I still like the songs you
put on the jukebox, Banana.
- Bye, Carl.
To Paxton's finest.
- No help firing a shot.
My compliments.
- Yeah, it's a gift.
I happen to work
with a lot of men.
My father's one of them.
- You mind if I join you?
- Yes.
- I won't breathe
on you, I promise.
Unless, of course,
you want me to
then actually I'm
open for negotiations.
It's kind of sad
drinking alone.
- Oh, I'm not sad.
Just alone.
- I was talking about me.
Saddest, loneliest cowboy
in Paxton County.
Might help if I could
tell you a joke.
- Oh, really?
All right,
let's hear it, cowboy.
- All right.
A horse walks into a bar,
looks kind of lonely,
orders a couple mojitos.
Bartender says,
hey why the long face?
- Oh, that's it?
That's the stupidest
joke I've ever head.
You should try standup.
- Really?
- No.
- Could we get two of
whatever Braveheart was...
Uh, name's Matt.
- Janna.
- My friends call me--
- Let me ask you something.
This whole easy going southern
cowboy thing work for you?
- Well, ma'am, I have no idea
what you're talking about,
but I like where it's going.
- All right, fine, cowboy.
I can do drinks.
But anything else
ain't happening.
- I think old Deputy Carl
dodged a bullet with you.
- Will you stop talking
and take my pants off?
Oh, shit, shit, shit.
Holy shit.
- You go check the barn.
Go check the fence.
- Brock!
Janna!
- Morning.
- Morning, Matt.
- You know, I make a mean
bacon and egg scramble.
- God, that sounds so good.
I...
I gotta head, but...
Thank you.
Connelly Ranch, case 19.
Doctor Morel field report.
The property in disrepair.
Recommending further
investigation.
Hi,
thanks for calling.
You've reached Marla
Orton, leave a message.
- Oh, God you are in deep trouble for leaving me last night.
Please call me back
as soon as you can.
Thank you.
- Which one was it?
- Old draft horse
in the first stall.
His ears were hanging down.
I checked his nose
and nasal passages.
There's a lot of discharge.
- What's that mean?
- Well, possible Herpes virus.
Too early for
Potomac Horse Fever.
He's past vet intervention.
Should we tag the foal?
- Well.
- What other horses have
been near this stall?
- I don't know what
else to tell you, Dell.
Vet said the virus
is contagious.
Now the foal has
to be quarantined.
So, it's bad luck.
- Jack was Adeline's
horse, Roger.
She had him
since he was a foal.
- Yeah, I know.
But doing the right thing is
rarely doing the easy thing.
Looking out for the
rest of your herd,
now that's doing
the right thing.
- I know it is.
- Now, I wouldn't
ask you to do this
unless I'd do it myself for ya.
- How'd you get so sick, huh?
I'm gonna put you off
in the back quarter,
by that little knoll you liked
so much when summers came.
I won't ever visit
that I won't think about
what you meant to us.
I'll have it written...
"Here lies the one
that loved us all."
"And in turn
was loved as much."
- Dell?
What's the matter?
Where's Brock?
What the fuck?
Where's his shit?
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I should of been here,
I'm sorry.
- She loved that horse.
Morning.
- Morning.
- Can I get you more tea?
- No, I'm okay, thank you.
They took Sugar, too?
- They did.
- Do we even know where?
- They said they'd let us know.
- That's comforting.
- New guidelines.
- Lack of care for livestock,
pasture too short.
Feed purchase records,
inaccessible roads.
I mean, they're making us
sound like accused criminals.
And then I took that
out of Jack's nostril.
- I'll send it out right away.
When I get the results,
I'll come out and
check on some animals.
- God, I just don't get it.
- It's the result
of this new law.
You know, piss off
the wrong neighbor
can cause you
a lot of trouble.
A person can falsely accuse
a rancher of abuse,
causing them to go broke
just to prove their innocence.
Cost them nothing,
cost you the ranch.
- No wonder the old
man killed himself.
- How's mister beautiful
man in the bunkhouse,
the one you were talking
about, how's he taking it?
- Oh, he's not.
Yeah, he just up and left.
- You get what you pay for.
- God, I need someone out
there Dell can really count on.
- Oh, wait I might have a guy.
He was just in here for a
client looking for a place
to work and sleep.
- Really?
- Yeah, go to Mr. Mom's diner,
his name's Hudson.
I'll call him, I'll explain
everything so he knows.
- Oh, my God, thank you so much.
- Of course.
Bye.
- Okay, I love you.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
Can I also get the check
when you have a chance?
- Of course.
- Shit.
- Here you go.
- Thanks.
He show up yet?
- No, but I did run
into the guy that
to me to the Ritz R and R.
- No.
- Yeah.
Yeah, he's sitting at the
counter and he is not happy.
God, this is embarrassing.
The only thing worse
than waking up with a guy
in the first day is
seeing him on the second.
- What's your guy
look like again?
Hudson?
Blonde hair, blue eyes,
about six foot one.
Oh, and he kind of
can't grow a beard.
- I gotta go.
Hey.
Your last name wouldn't by any
chance be Hudson, would it?
Oh.
Wow, this all yours?
- My family's.
- It's beautiful.
- Used to have 160
horses at some point
when I was a kid.
Then Dell hired this Brock guy,
he just took off.
Too much for him I guess.
- Yeah, I've known some
ranch hands like that.
They like the idea
of being a cowboy
just not the real work.
This Brock guy though,
he might take the cake.
All along your fence
there, you got a bunch
of baling wire patch jobs.
Anybody even trying would of
replaced the whole length.
- You think it was deliberate?
- Well, I don't want to talk
bad about a stranger, but...
- All right.
Well, I got to make a decision.
So we got a deal?
- Moneys fine, bunkhouse is fine
but I do have one request.
- What's that?
- Next time you got
an itch that
needs scratching
and you come a knocking,
I'm gonna ask you
to know my full name
before we commence.
- Oh, a cowboy with
principles, huh?
- Yes, ma'am.
- You're gonna make me
pay for this aren't you?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Okay.
- The mucus test came back.
Old Jack was sick all right
- What was it?
- EHV-1, equine herpes virus.
Really contagious.
- We've never had that before.
- It happens.
I feel bad but, he
might of died anyway.
You did the right thing, Dell.
This horse is fine.
- What happens next?
- Let's make it official, right?
I'll assess the entire herd,
blood samples, everything.
I can set up a feeding
and warming plant
to get these animals
back into shape.
- Here you go, Sheriff.
- Thank you.
Carl.
Why don't you go over
there and casually see
what you can find out.
- Yeah, who is that?
- Oh, hi, Carl.
- You getting some feed, huh?
- Yup.
Knocking down that
list you gave us.
Don't want to be caught
short next time you come out.
- Yeah, good deal.
- I'm Matt Hudson,
nice meeting you.
- Yeah, of course.
Uh, Deputy Carl Haggen.
- Yeah, Matt's our
new ranch hand.
We're picking up
where Brock left off.
- Yeah, what happened to him?
- He just left, no idea.
Found a better situation
for himself, I guess.
- Well.
I appreciate the compliance.
I'll be sure to let
the sheriff know that.
- What you find out?
- Well, it looks like Ms.
Connelly's hired new ranch hand,
a Matt Hudson.
- A new ranch hand.
Well, good for her.
- Yeah.
I knew her back in
high school but,
never paid much attention to
her or anything like that.
- I like how you handled
yourself there, Carl.
You're learning.
Subtly, but you're learning.
- Hey.
Hey.
We got the list of conditions
from the state attorney.
- Underweight horses?
That's debatable.
- Fence repair, brush
clearing, standing water.
Yeah, we've seen that already.
- Wait, replace bad wiring in
the water trough tank heater.
Where is that?
- It's up in the north field.
- Yeah, sure enough,
looks like you got
exposed electrical wiring.
I've seen animals
electrocuted by this.
- Thank God this one's dry.
- Looks like ice got in there
and corroded the connections.
- How did they know?
- Well, everybody's
got trough heaters.
- If you don't then--
- No, no, no. I mean.
Did you see Dr. Morel and
her people come out here
or the Sheriff?
- Panel was rusted shut.
Nobody's been here.
- The panels rusted shut
and there's no tire marks
or shoe prints.
How did they know?
Don't you see?
It was Brock.
The inspectors didn't go
out to the north field
but it's right here in the state
attorney's own stationary.
- You think this Brock
guy's tied all the way up
to the state's
attorney's office?
- No.
But we know the Sheriff is.
- You got no way
of proving that.
- I think we need some help.
Legal help.
Dell Connelly, I'm
his daughter, Janna.
I'm picking up from Dr. Kruger.
Thank you.
- Everything okay?
- Just drive.
Well,
doesn't take a genius
to see what's happening here.
It's this new statute.
They couldn't get it
through the voters
so they did an Enron,
shoved it right through
the legislature.
- But why?
- It's these animal rights
groups like the UAPA.
They have a lock on
the state, all the laws
that are being implemented,
offering training
to law enforcement.
They moved into North Dakota
after pushing this new law.
- But, why would they want
to take ranchers' horses?
It doesn't make any sense.
- Oh, well.
Lots of reason.
They'll tell you it's
because they're taking care
of the animals but the truth is
those horses are worth cash
whether they're healthy or not.
- Okay, then so what can she do?
- Well, you need to show
them you're compiling,
first of all, and as soon
as I get that vet assessment
from you pal Dr. Marla, the
care plan for the horses.
- Yeah.
- You and I can walk
it over to the
courthouse ourselves.
That will buy you some time
and you get that ranch in order.
- Okay.
- We had an agreement, Tom.
Tom?
Tom!
Tom Gardner just hung up on me.
He says he doesn't have
any hay for us this year.
- I have an idea why.
- Now listen, Dell, we've
known each other a long time.
- 35 years, Tom.
- I told your pa, Janna.
I just don't have
any hay to sell.
- Tom, you and I
pulled hay for Hoag,
what two three weeks ago?
There's plenty of hay there.
- Since then, I sold
to the young feller,
over at Mandan.
He came took everything I had.
Paid top dollar, too.
- This actually the truth of it?
Mr. Gardner, is this why you
won't sell your hay to us?
People will think it's your hay
that contaminated
the Connelly ranch?
Jack got put down
for EHV-1 had nothing
to do with the product
coming from your ranch.
- Ruth, I got this, go on.
- Tom.
These people, your
friends deserve the truth.
You owe them that.
- It's title 23.
Everybody's spooked.
All the ranchers are hiding
from the Sheriff and his posse.
- Tom's scared
that what happened
to you can happen to us, too.
Sheriff visits, articles,
the value of our
stock goes down.
- Reputation's everything,
Dell, you know that.
Any whiff of fever or
some problem with our hay,
we're finished.
- First they want to
take my damn livestock
now they want to
take my friends.
- Okay, Dell, let's
see about this.
- We got some calls
out on those yearlings.
See if we can get
some buyers lined up.
- Thank you.
Okay, so you're saying the
court can act without notice?
Do you know how hard we've
been working out there?
They could just show up.
- I'm gonna prepare
an injunction in case they do
want to move on the ranch.
Now if they do come,
that's all we got.
So you better hope it holds up.
- Absolutely not.
all right, 10 bucks.
I'm impressed.
- Your mother taught
me some things.
- Oh!
Thank you.
We'll just
take Marla's assessment
on over here to clerk's office.
Right down here?
Yup.
- I just thought we'd get a
little color back in here.
- Mom's favorites.
God, she loved these.
You know she used to put
them in the planter box
and I'd pick em and take
em to school with me.
Hey, I made a lot of friends.
- You have your mother's hands.
- I didn't know that.
You miss her, don't you?
- Every hour of every day.
- Morning specials, we
have pumpkin spice pancakes
and maple bacon potato hash.
I'll give you a
moment to decide.
- Thank you.
You know it's the sugar
that raises cholesterol
that gives people heart disease.
So Russel, how can the
Sheriff's Department
help the UAPA?
- You know all these ranchers
in these parts personally?
- Most of them
and if I don't I'm happy
to introduce myself.
- How much livestock is here?
- A couple thousand
head, anyway.
- That's a few pesos.
- More than a few, Mr. Ashton.
When those horses are
shipped across the border
no back tags, no certificates.
It's clean.
- I'll have to get firm with
a few of them in my own way
but we're gonna need
that political cover.
- I have no idea what
you're talking about.
- Sorry, I've kept you waiting.
Have you decided?
- I think we have.
- All right, you can stay.
- Wow, this is really something.
- Yeah, it is.
You know sometimes
between shifts,
I'll go up by myself and
look up at the stars,
think of this place, right here.
- You know I think
everybody thinks about home
when they want a little comfort.
- Yeah, it's not
always like that.
But even though I ran from this
place with everything I had
I'd do anything to save it.
- I don't know if I've
ever had a place like that.
- Where are you from?
We haven't really covered that.
- Nowhere, really.
A bit of a nomad.
- I know the feeling.
- There was a place
near Elko, Nevada.
It's called the Ruby Mountains.
You ever?
No.
It's unreal.
It's like you're staring
at a dream or something.
In fact, those stars
look a lot like these.
- Sounds romantic.
You ever taken anybody up there?
- My brother.
One summer we were
both ranching near Elko
so we met up, hung out, just
stared at the mountains,
the stars.
You know if I had to pick
a spot that I'd call home
I guess it be there, with him.
- This one time we took
in this Afghan girl,
her mother had been hit,
either by us or by them,
I don't remember
but we took her in,
she would have these
fits, inconsolable
and one night I took
her out, it was just us,
we looked up at the stars
and she stopped crying.
She recognized home.
- Bet she was thinking
about her mother.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Maybe it's not the place that
makes home, but the people?
- Maybe it is the people.
- To nomads.
- To home.
- Why do you always
call so early?
- Janna, it's happening.
They're on the
move to the ranch.
I'm on my way.
- Shit.
Dad!
Dell, wake up.
Fuck.
This is Vin.
- Hi, they're on the way.
Okay, when you
get the seizure order,
you take a picture
from your phone.
I'll try to buy you some time.
- Okay.
Dell!
They're coming to
take the horses.
- Heard you're readying
to sell a few horses.
Just making sure they're
clean animals is all.
It's those spot inspections
we talked about.
- Looks like you already
made up your mind, Roger.
- I'm a licensed vet registered
here in Paxton County
to corroborate any
action that may be taken.
Well, you're looking at
your paperwork, Dr. Morel.
Good morning, Raymond.
- Mr. Connelly, after
checking the horses,
my suspicions have
been confirmed.
Here's a notice of seizure.
The hearing will be in not
more than 10 business days
from today.
- Under what authority
are you taking my animals?
- Under my authority as
the vet of this county.
They'll be well cared for.
- Let me see that.
- They can't take these animals
with this seizure order,
it's incomplete.
This is bullshit, Victoria.
- I'm afraid you're gonna need
a judge to tell us otherwise.
All right,
let's round them up.
Someone check the barn.
- Hey, Judge Williams.
Nice morning, isn't it?
Do you mind if I bend
your ear for a second?
- Carl!
Carl, why you doing this?
Bring out
the mares, let's go.
- Push around local ranchers,
people you've known
your entire life.
- Yeah, yeah, I'm just
doing my job, Ms. Connelly.
I'm just doing what I'm told.
- That's not the preacher's
son I used to know.
Let's
pick up the pace.
Here goes the first trailer.
We're good.
- Oof, Doc.
- Watch the ramp.
This isn't right.
- Damn, damn.
All right,
let's head out.
- Hello, Judge.
You got a minute?
- Fuck it.
We just got to buy some time.
- You're gonna need to move away
from the front of the trucks.
You're interfering with
an officers duties.
- You have a court order
based on old information.
It's not too valid, Sheriff.
I handed Marla's findings
into the courthouse myself.
- I'm gonna arrest you
right now for obstruction,
all of you, how'd that be?
- You're gonna want
to answer that.
I want to answer wha--
- That's your judge.
You're not taking our horses.
- Hello?
- We handed that paperwork
into Cook, ourselves.
There's no way it
just went missing.
- Every time we get our
heads up, they push them back
down again.
- Well, I'll dig through
the public county records,
see if they let anything slide
between crossing their Ts
and dotting their Is.
- I can ask some other
vets in other counties.
I'm sure somebody
like Victoria Morel
has a few skeletons
in her closet.
- I keep thinking
about old Hoag.
- Thank you.
- He just didn't have
anybody to help him.
- Yeah.
And no one knows
where his horses went.
- I uh, I read the hit piece
the Gazette did on your dad.
- To say the least.
- Well, I appreciate
you coming up
to Fergus Falls this morning.
A long drive.
What can I do for ya?
- Well, I'm wanting to talk
to you about the article
you wrote on Hoag Rafferty.
- The rancher?
- Yeah.
I'm curious, you never say
what happened to his horses.
- Well, um.
After the coroner's
office was done,
they were just
hauled off somewhere.
- I noticed you
didn't get a quote,
you just referred to
the coroner's report.
I mean no quote from Sheriff
Bostwick who was there either?
- And?
- Well, a dead man in his barn
and the seizure of his horses.
You're scared of something.
- You weren't there.
- But you were.
You saw something and your
article doesn't account for it.
Please.
- Oh, fuck me.
It was more than just a suicide.
See I gotten an anonymous
tip that Hoag Rafferty
was neglecting his herd.
Ow, shit, shit.
The other ranchers were
feeding the thin animals,
your father and Tom Gardner.
Josh Falvey, Fergus Falls Daily.
The horses weren't neglected.
They were a little skinny
from winter, that's all.
Your pa told me that
Rafferty was in the barn.
I didn't think any of it.
Took a few pictures
of the ranch,
wanted to get a quote
from Mr. Rafferty,
everyday stuff.
So I walked over.
I looked back, I saw
your dad in the field
and Mr. Gardner at the truck
still getting the hay out.
I went inside the barn.
I saw the rancher and the
sheriff over by the window.
The old man was shaking,
pleading with Sheriff Bostwick.
It felt like I was intruding
so I stayed behind the tractor.
- It's cold, it's all the
stress.
Living way the hell
out here in Cottonwind
all by yourself.
- Then the Sheriff started
to work on the old man.
Work on him real good.
- Your wife's gone.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Kids have lost interest.
- It was more than the horse
the Sheriff was after.
Hell of
a lot of work to do.
- Then I saw him hand
the old man his gun.
- Lot of sick animals.
- Everything I ever
worked for, Roger.
- I know, Hoag.
- I thought he was gonna put
down the mare in the stall.
- All the stress will be gone.
No more pain.
- You were in the barn.
- I stepped out before the
sheriff could piece together
that I may have seen
the whole thing.
I ran to where your
father collapsed.
- What, you didn't want
to go to the authorities?
- I checked his record.
Decorated military service.
No one else to corroborate
his word against mine.
The gun was in the man's hands.
The Sheriff said he was there
to help him put down a horse.
Caught him off guard.
You pick.
- And the horses?
- Um.
This lady, Dr. Morel, shows up,
she begins collecting
horses, separating them
into different trailers.
Here.
That's the research
file I put together
when I began to dig in but uh,
nothing went beyond
that, I'm afraid.
- This guy.
Is his name Brock McCarty?
- Um.
A man named... Sam Mansfield.
- And he worked for Rafferty?
- He did, but he quit by the
time I'd gotten out there.
Hey if I'm...
if I can be of any
more help to you...
let me know.
- Thank you.
- God damn it.
- Okay, Mansfield, Mansfield.
They had to submit Dr. Morel's
bonafides to the court
as part of her assessment right?
- Well, maybe the Sheriff
knows something about that.
- Let's leave him out
of this for right now.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
- Here it is.
Dr. Morel lists Sam Mansfield
as part of rural practice
in Layman County.
So Brock is connected to Morel.
- They're probably
still working together.
- No, it's bigger than that.
We're missing something.
Like what are they
doing with these horses?
Well, any
of y'all ever hear
of the Blue Orchid Ranch?
- No.
Why?
- There's a bunch of paperwork
here the Sheriff's Department
filed before the seizure order
and on this transport slip,
looks like Deputy Carl
moved some of the horses
to a Sarah Windgate at
a Blue Orchid Ranch.
And here's the address.
- What do you see?
- Well, they're definitely separating studs from the others.
- Well, a good bloodline
goes for 35,000.
The rest are probably getting
shipped out for processing.
- Holy shit.
Sarah Windgate looks an
awful like Victoria Morel.
- That's how they're doing it.
Morel's operating
as Sarah Windgate
to get these horses shipped.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God, I see Sugar.
They're keeping her
here, thank God.
Is she okay?
- Yeah, she looks fine.
- Okay.
How do we prove all this?
- Well.
We know one guy who's part
of transporting horses here.
Hey, Carl.
You're out of uniform today.
You got the day off?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah day off.
Your drink, miss.
- Thank you.
Listen, I saw you
sitting over here
and I just wanted to apologize
for unloading at
you on the ranch.
You got a job to do.
I should respect that,
it's way out of line.
Can I get you another one, Carl?
- Yeah, sure, why not.
- Take another one on my tab.
Sure.
- I suppose I'd feel
the same way you do
if I were in your shoes.
Ranchers all over
they're pissed off.
- How many?
- Well, Rafferty
ain't the first one.
Far from it.
You know it's not like
I'm new to this, right.
I took the classes in
my community college
for law enforcement, I'm ready.
I thought I was at least.
- No, Carl, come on.
You're a good deputy.
Really, honestly, I
don't know how you do it.
God and that Victoria Morel.
She tends to ride part and
parcel with the Sheriff,
doesn't she?
- That lady she, she's
a cold piece of work.
- You think she's
after Dell personally?
- Nah, she don't care
about no one but herself.
Fact is your old man
just isn't worth as much
as 70 horses.
- Yeah, well speaking
of horses--
- She don't even
care that I have
to run these papers all
the way down to Linden.
I mean can't they
just email that shit?
What am I the Pony Express?
- Linden?
Why so far as Linden?
- Ah, Sheriff's got me doing
it two or three times a week.
There's a satellite office
out there by the bowling alley
and it takes me about an
hour just to get back.
- You work hard, Carl.
He signed them.
Matt!
Matt!
Matt, if you--
- Hey, hey, what I tell
you about protocol?
- Sorry, I'm not
here for that, dummy.
Here get dry, meet me outside.
- Okay so how in the
hell you'd get all this?
- Dr. Morel's field office.
- Dr. Morel's field office?
- Yeah, and look at this.
Here's an assessment for
a horse buyer in Colorado
and now it reads.
- Okay, okay,
so she's confiscating the horses illegally,
messing with the paperwork,
selling them off for herself.
- Yeah, and look.
Here's the bill of sale
for the Rafferty horses.
- Mexico.
- Yeah, and north to Canada.
These horses were sold illegally
and look who signed it,
Sheriff Bostwick.
- Oh, shit.
- Fuck.
- What is this, Roger?
- Hey, Sheriff.
There's not gonna
be any trouble here.
- Good.
Dell Connelly.
You're under arrest
for multiple accounts
of felony animal
abuse and neglect.
- What?
- I'm sorry, Dell.
Deputy, read him his rights.
- Turn around.
You have the right
to remain silent,
anything you say can and
will be held against you
in a court of law.
You have the right
to an attorney.
If you cannot
afford an attorney,
we will provide one for you.
- Dad.
- Do you have any questions?
Do you understand your rights?
- Yes.
- We'll get him back.
So I thought
it was absolutely genius
setting up the satellite
office out there.
Yeah, we're
clear out to Linden County.
- So, States Attorneys
General's office
is preparing the
affidavit as we speak.
Thank you.
- As long as Dell goes for it.
So this is the model
moving forward now
that we have political support?
Exactly, exactly.
- Carl, thank you.
Could you get the
door on the way out?
- Yeah.
You uh...
You don't need anything else?
- Just the door, Carl, thanks.
Where'd
you get the prom king?
- I don't know
what got into him.
- I want you with
us in there today.
Hey.
- Hey.
- How's my dad, he all right?
- Yeah, he's a little
tired, a little shaken.
Bails been set,
he'll walk today.
Now it looks like they
want to make a deal.
- Yeah.
- Look at these.
- Yeah?
- Seizure orders,
livestock assessments,
shipping documents,
signatures, it's all there.
- You're kidding?
- Yeah, they're giving
these horses new paperwork,
washing their titles and
either keeping the best ones
for themselves or
they sell later.
The Sheriff's
getting a nice cut.
- Where did you get these?
- Absconded, is
that a legal term?
- Oh, these are
completely inadmissible.
Come on.
- Well, who cares?
At least we know the truth
and that's a damn
good place to start.
- All right, let's go.
Excuse me, but where's the
States representative?
- I'm Russel Ashton, United
Animal Protection Agency.
We've been given the
authority from the state
to act in this matter today.
We provide oversight for
local law enforcement
cases like these.
- Okay, well it's your dime.
Let's hear it.
- We're not heartless,
Mr. Connelly.
I mean we understand.
It's been a tremendous
emotional and financial strain,
both on you and the ranch.
The settlement can end
all this today, right now.
- So you're offering a deal?
- Okay look.
The state will drop
the felony charges
if Mr. Connelly will
accept a lesser charge.
Okay, well
what would that be?
- Class A to class C misdemeanors,
animal endangerment.
- That's going to mean the forfeiture of your animals, Dell.
Now I know it's bad, but,
uh, any future livestock
will be limited to what,
five animals or less.
- You want me to stop ranching?
That's what you're asking.
- So this is how you do it?
I mean to date you haven't
told us where you've taken
our foal or the horses
of other ranchers.
You've done nothing
but stonewall.
I came home from
serving my country
because my father was sick
and I found the town I
grew up in even sicker.
Good men and lifelong
friends turning on each other
out of fear.
The fear you've caused.
Now this land, to make
something out of it
is hard enough, Mr. Ashton.
Something I'm assuming
you know nothing about
and then you come in here
with all the title 23s
you can write and set out
to destroy a way of life
and more importantly the
families that have been
here for generations.
So.
Here's what's gonna happen.
We're gonna pass on your
oh so very generous deal,
thank you by the way.
Bails been set.
Dell's walking
out of here today.
- Well, gentlemen, looks like
we'll be seeing you in court,
doesn't it?
Harper Lee couldn't of
said it better herself.
- I'm still shaking.
- Now what?
- Well, we know
what the truth is.
Just got to find a
way to let it out.
- Legally.
- Sheriff, you better pull
something out of your ass
because if you don't,
we are all going down.
The
old man was shaking,
pleading with Sheriff Bostwick.
I'm at
the end of my rope, Roger.
Then
the Sheriff started
to work on the old man.
Work on him real good.
- Nothing to be ashamed about.
There comes a time, an age,
best not to be a burden.
Then I saw
him hand the old man his gun.
Relief, closure, solace.
Failure.
Carl, we got call.
Possible 59-24 out of the
abandoned Rafferty Ranch.
- Yeah.
Uh.
What's that mean again?
Trespassing, Carl.
- Be all you can be.
- Okay.
- I'm not going to
jail because of you.
Ah, damn!
Bitch!
Shit.
Get back here.
- Get off of me!
Let go.
- You thought you could end me?
- Well, is it over?
- Oh, Sheriff, we're
just getting started.
Hello?
- Josh, it's Janna Connelly.
Oh, hey.
- Come to the Connelly Ranch.
If I'm right I think
the rest of your story's
about to be written.
Okay yeah
I'm in the area I...
- Great.
- Shit.
Shit.
- Shit.
- God you're predictable.
- Looks like you gave
Brock all he could take.
Doesn't have to be
this way, Ms. Connelly.
You have no idea what your
ranch is really worth.
Causality, you're there, just
part of the learning curve,
that's all.
Plenty to go around, just
side step the paperwork
and you're sitting
on a gold mine.
- Equine herpes virus, huh?
Clever.
You got it all figured
out, don't you?
Hired hand lays the ground
work, gets the horses sick.
Victoria Morel can accuse
the ranchers of neglect
and your hands are tied.
You got no choice but
to take the livestock,
make a pretty penny of course.
- I'm gonna need that vial.
Okay.
- And Hoag Rafferty?
- Old man's time had come,
is all.
- That's not the whole
story is it, Sheriff?
- Not what do you intend
by that, Ms. Connelly?
- Well, he did your
dirty work for you.
You had the perfect alibi.
You witnessed his suicide.
Horses were sick,
ranch had too much work
but you handed him
your service weapon.
You know a jury just might
call that accessory to murder.
- See now that right there,
those are threatening words,
Ms. Connelly.
I came out here hoping
you'd listen to reason.
Take the plea deal.
Yeah, I guess we're beyond
that point now, aren't we?
Your face is bleeding.
- I'm unarmed, Sheriff.
- Great.
- What you're gonna kill me?
You're gonna kill every
rancher that gets in your way?
Was it your plan to talk my
dad into killing himself?
Or was it just Hoag?
- All right, you know making
this look like self defense
is a pain and a lot
of paperwork for me
but that's the way
you wanted to play it.
- Put the gun down, Sheriff.
- What the hell you
doing here, Carl?
- Yeah, uh.
Found this phone next
to a dead Brock McCarty.
It's US military.
- US military.
Well, that's her phone.
Looks like you just tied Ms.
Connelly to the murder scene.
Make the arrest, deputy.
- This has gone
too far, Sheriff.
There's another dead
man out there, you know?
- Self defense, Carl.
- Yeah, I know it was.
- Hell we don't know
anything yet, Carl.
Make the arrest,
deputy, do as I say.
- No, I'm not doing what you
tell me anymore, Sheriff.
No, you're under arrest.
- I'm under arrest?
Carl.
You disappoint me.
Carl, you listen to me.
Don't let your feelings
for Ms. Connelly
cloud your judgment.
This has gotten way
out of control.
- What?
I'm sure we
can come up with a solution
beneficial for both of us.
You're like a son to me, Carl.
You hear me, Carl?
- Carl.
Carl.
- Is Carl dead?
- He needs medical
attention, Sheriff.
We can't do this here.
- He knew better.
He knew his place.
Now don't go for his weapon.
Let go of me.
- Janna, get the deputy's gun.
Fuck.
- I'm gonna fuck you up!
- Come on.
- Sheriff, drop your weapon.
- Let go.
- Let him go.
He's out.
That was
some crazy shit.
I got it all.
- Hey, Carl.
Janna!
- Dell, the Sheriff's
in the barn.
Call an ambulance.
- Can I get you
anything else, Sheriff?
- Just the door, Daniel, thanks.
- You got it.
- All right,
Matthew Birdie Hudson.
- How in the hell did
you find that out?
- Don't matter how I found out.
Make you foreman
and you'll take care
of this place
for me, deal?
- Yeah, six months without
you bossing me around
is gonna feel like a vacation.
- Don't pretend like
you're not gonna miss me.
- Well, parts.
- Hey, take care of
my dad, will you?
- You take care of you.
Come back in one piece, okay?
Not that I care.
- You're mean.
Come on, Sugar.
- Give you some time.
- "Here lies the one
who loved us all
and in return the one
who was loved as much.
No matter how deep your sleep,
we'll always hear you,
old friend.
Not even death
will keep your spirit
from running freely
in my field."
That's beautiful.
Here.
- Oh.
Hey, beauty.
Hey, come here,
I want to show you something.
This is all yours.
All yours.
Welcome back, Sugar.
- Although we have had some
setbacks in North Dakota
we have similar laws in motion.
South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana.
Ladies and gentlemen,
it's only a matter of time.
Won't the
situation in North Dakota
effect our reputation?
- Our story is definitely
movie material.
I just really hope that
overall, the message gets out
that this could happen to us
and it could happen to you.
- If I wouldn't have my
expertise in mental health
that I do, I really don't think
I would of made it through.
- Yeah, I don't think, if they
would have taken the animals,
you wouldn't be sitting
here with me today.
- No.
Yeah.
- Love you.
- Love you more.
♪ I gotta get out on my own ♪
♪ Run away from home ♪
♪ And go my own way ♪
♪ You'll never understand ♪
♪ Ain't got no plan
and that's okay ♪
♪ I know I'll be all right ♪
♪ I'm getting out tonight ♪
♪ You're sick but this
town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
heart should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up from
this bad dream ♪
♪ What's right
ain't always easy ♪
♪ I took a stand ♪
♪ Knowing well it
could bleed me dry ♪
♪ Who knows ♪
♪ Why we do what we do ♪
♪ A million reasons why ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ And will I ever know ♪
♪ How the story goes ♪
♪ You're sick but
this town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
our hearts should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up from
this bad dream ♪
♪ How do we sleep ♪
♪ With the secrets
that we keep ♪
♪ You're sick but
this town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
our hearts should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ You're sick but
this town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
our hearts should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up from
this bad dream ♪
♪ What's right
ain't always easy ♪
♪ I took a stand ♪
♪ Knowing well it
could bleed me dry ♪
combat support hospital.
Incoming wounded, we're
approaching your position now.
Captain Connelly,
the transport has arrived.
Hurry,
he's bleeding out.
- Get this thing clamped off.
Major, help me
get his shirt off.
- We were on standard
patrol, open terrain.
They came out of the
trees from the west,
about 160 yards out.
He ran to the front and
got hit with an IED.
- All right, we got
thoracic abdominal,
pelvic injury.
- I got hit pretty good, huh?
- Prep 10 units of RPCs.
- Hey, buddy, you're
gonna be okay.
You're in good hands.
- All right, let's move.
Hey, Rios?
You didn't have to do all
this just to get my number,
you know, you could
have just asked.
- I thought this way would
be more dramatic, you know?
- Hang in there, Rios.
Today we're
here with Russel Ashton
of the United Animal
Protection Agency.
We're gonna speak
about the major passing
of a recent Title 23.
Good morning, Trent.
We at the UAPA want to
enforce the importance
of this title, as
it protects animals
from terrible and potentially
dangerous situations.
I understand, but
what I'm concerned about--
anybody driving by
saying "I saw thin animals,"
and that's enough to
launch an investigation
on any rancher's herd.
It's the
animal's well-being
that comes first and
foremost, period.
Let's take a look
at this sick horse, Hoag.
Of course.
I'm not sure what to do.
I've never seen
something like this.
- That just don't look good.
- Uh-oh.
Let's get back to work.
- Morning, boys.
Josh Falvey, Fergus Falls Daily.
- What brings you out so early?
- Well, Sunday piece coming
out in a couple weeks
on how ranchers have fared
through the winter.
These Hoag Rafferty's horses?
- Yeah.
And they'll be coming
through winter just fine.
We'll get them there.
- Hoag's in the barn
with the sheriff now.
Going over their compliance.
They went pretty well
and grass is coming,
just around the corner.
- Yeah.
- Remember that for
your Sunday piece.
- I will do.
- We got a bale for ya.
- Thanks, but no thanks.
- Winter's been hard
on all of us, Roger.
- I understand, Hoag.
We all do.
- I know.
We gonna get some
meat on those bones.
Tom!
Tom.
Annie, two men
down at the Rafferty Ranch.
Possible heart attack,
send an ambulance.
Second man down,
fatal gunshot wound.
Possible accident,
probable suicide.
- If this is the wrong number
I'm gonna hunt you down.
- I take it you're still
6,719 miles away from me?
- No, actually I'm on the beach.
Yeah, feeling the sand.
Sipping on a daiquiri,
watching all the sexy men surf.
- Listen, your dad is fine
but he collapsed yesterday.
- What happened?
- Heart attack.
I was quickly reminded
I'm not family.
I tried, they wouldn't
tell me squat.
- They release him?
- In a few days.
You better talk to
your CO and get home.
- I mean, isn't there
a private nurse
that can take care
of him or something?
- Yeah, her name
is Janna Connelly.
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let the wolves
enjoy my bones ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let me go ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let the wolves
enjoy my bones ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Let me go ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ You can push me out to sea ♪
♪ When I die ♪
♪ Set me free ♪
- That will be 5.50.
Oh, do you have another
one, by any chance?
I just gave out
my last single.
- Wait a second.
You want me to give you
a 10 and a one?
- Yeah, if you give
me another one
I can you give you a five
and two quarters back.
Listen, I'm just out of singles.
Otherwise I have to
give you 18 quarters.
- Let me get this straight.
You want me to give
you a 10 and a one,
making that 11 dollars
for an energy drink
and a bag of trail mix?
- Yeah.
- Are you playing me?
- I'll just take it
out of the tip jar.
- Excuse me, Officer, are
you Carl Hagen, by any chance?
- What's that?
- Yeah, I knew you as PK,
the preachers kid.
God, I never pictured
you in law enforcement
or growing up to be sheriff.
- I'm Deputy Carl Haggen,
do we know each other?
- Yeah, I'm Janna Connelly,
we went to high school together.
- Oh, shit.
Janna Banana?
- You remember me, don't you?
- Yeah, of course I do.
- God, Paxton County
Sheriff suits you.
- Yeah, yeah, well.
Deputy-- it will be
awhile till I'm Sheriff.
- Right.
Okay, well I'm gonna
head up to the ranch, so.
- Yeah.
- It was good to see you.
- Yeah, it was good
to see you, too.
- Deputy Carl.
- I'll see you around, Banana.
- See you around.
Whew!
Jack?
Hey boy, remember me?
Yeah.
Yeah, there you are.
- Looks like he missed you.
Sorry, ma'am, I didn't
mean to startle you.
Dell's ranch hand, Brock,
Brock McCarty.
- Oh.
No, you just caught me
off guard.
I'm Janna Connelly.
- I know.
He's been expecting
you at some point,
we just didn't know when.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
How is he?
Dell.
- He's been home for
about a week or so.
He's tired... as expected.
Had to force him to sit in
that old chair by the TV.
He's got to learn to leave
all the heavy lifting
to others for awhile, though.
- I'm sure
he doesn't like that.
- Oh no, sure doesn't.
Old Jack likes a body brush.
Likes the soft bristles.
Ain't that right, boy?
Here you go.
That's a good boy.
- He trusts you.
- He knows
I mean him no harm.
Been here about
three months now.
Just getting to know each other.
Isn't that right, Jackie boy?
- Well, it looks like they've
both been in good hands.
- Welcome home.
- You went away
and grew up on me.
- Yeah, I guess I did.
So the doctor said
atrial flutter?
Now, we got to be
careful about that.
That can be dangerous.
- It was a flutter,
it was nothing.
I was overdoing it with Tom,
and hell, Old Man Rafferty
decided he didn't want
any more of winter,
and when the gun went off,
it caught me off guard is all.
- He have any family left?
- I think he outlived
everyone around him.
Big ranch,
isolation like that,
old man, Dakota winters.
You put all that together,
a man will do some
desperate things.
- Yeah.
- I want to go
lay in that new trough.
- Sounds good.
Look who's up.
- Yeah.
Dell, I hate
to break it to you
but you're not gonna
walk to the bathroom
until we go over your
meds, check your BP.
- Calvary's arrived.
- That's right.
Half-awake but
fully operational.
- Morning, Dell.
- Morning, Roger.
- Deputy.
- Ms. Connelly.
- You remember Janna?
- It's been awhile,
but I sure do.
Carl said he ran into you
coming to town last night.
- Yeah.
Paxton sure
hasn't changed much.
- Well, now, a big
captain in the Army.
Medic on leave.
Just came home to help me
with a few things
around the ranch.
- Well, appreciate your service.
You do Paxton proud.
- Thank you,
appreciate yours, as well.
- This is Brock, our ranch hand.
What brings you all the
way out here, Roger?
- Take a walk with me
a minute, Dell?
Must be nice having your daughter back after all this time.
- Well, it is.
She wasn't too keen on
coming back to Paxton.
We got some things to
work out, but it's good.
So I know you didn't
come all this way
to check on old Dell Connelly.
- The old man's
suicide shook up things
pretty good in Bismarck.
- Oh?
- The UAPA got wind of
Hoag, got out to his ranch
and did an inspection
of his herd.
You know, you were there.
- His animals came out
of winter all right.
Hell, he's no skinnier than
I am coming out of winter.
- Yeah, well there's new
directives coming down the pike
from the States Attorney's
office because of it.
It's called the Title 23.
Spot inspections.
Felony counts for
non-compliance.
- What?
- It's the vets that have
the enforcement power, Dell.
Court's gonna act
without informing owners,
taking livestock based solely
on someone's complaint.
- I don't know of one rancher,
not around here,
who neglects
or abuses his animals.
But I do see why you
came out here now.
- Yeah, so you got
some fencing issues,
cracked tank heater, and found
some mold in the barn stacks.
- Yeah, appreciate
you stopping by.
- Thanks for your time, Dell.
We'll be seeing ya.
What was
all that about?
- About the reputation
of our ranch, is what.
Sale of horses, yearlings...
they depend on it.
We lose that,
we lose everything.
- Well, these fixes are doable.
Brock and I--
- No, it's about more than that.
I've had that same list
for Brock for two months
that the deputy
handed us today.
That should of been
done by now.
There's no excuse for that.
I pay him enough.
- Well, Dell, in all fairness,
Brock's been pulling
double duty
since you've been laid up.
- Just leave that, girl.
And he should of been
pulling triple duty.
Horses and sheep, they
don't wait for somebody
to come around.
Unless you've forgotten
how to ranch.
- Forgotten?
Forgotten how I went to
work when your most precious
ranch was stake?
Forgotten how you leaned on
me at 14 to fill her shoes?
Shit, you know,
I didn't kill her, Dell,
but you sure
treat me like I did.
Yeah, let's not have a
conversation about this,
you're right.
And I haven't been a girl
in a long time.
So, Sheriff came by to
talk about fencing issues,
couple gaps by the
road, field fixes.
Normal post code
of winter stuff.
- Routine.
- He got really
upset about it,
and so he started
pushing buttons,
I started pushing back and then
all of a sudden
it's like I'm 14 again.
Just stuck in that
tiny little box.
- Didn't take long, did it?
- No.
- Look, I'm sorry,
I just thought
you should be here.
- No, listen, when you
called, I was coming off
of 36 hour shifts.
God, I was working
on this young guy,
just choking in a
pool of his own blood.
I mean I didn't even
grab the paddles,
I just, I knew it was over.
I just held his hand,
talking about the date
we were gonna on someday.
Where are you gonna take me?
We going to dinner?
A movie?
- Don't let me die.
- He shut his eyes
and died on the table.
We're losing blood.
Get me another clamp.
Guys come on, hurry.
That's how I felt back--
back at the house with Dell,
just so far apart,
like I couldn't
save him either.
Take it, sorry.
- Hello?
Okay.
I'll be right there.
- No, you can't leave me.
- Keltin got caught on
a fence halfway over it.
Torn up pretty good.
Just breathe.
All right you and Dell both
work on your stubborn ways
back home again.
- I know.
- When you come in for
that kind of approach,
it's always a little bumpy.
- Nice shot, Haggen.
♪ Something never
looks so right ♪
♪ There was trouble up ahead ♪
♪ I'm hitting
every green light ♪
♪ You know I'm
due to hit a red ♪
- Hi, Carl.
- Fireball shots on me.
- Oh, uh.
Thanks, but I'm okay.
I wouldn't want you
pulling me over.
You know buzzed driving
is drunk driving.
- No, I would never do that.
I wouldn't do that
to Janna Banana.
Firm warning, maybe.
- You just keep calling
me that, don't ya?
- You know I love the songs
you put on the jukebox, Janna.
Dicky Peterson.
The High Lonesome.
- Oh, watch your
step there, Carl.
Oh, lordy.
- Fiery.
That's what I remember
about you, is you,
you were fiery.
- Sweetheart, um.
- What?
- Ever seen the
movie "Braveheart"?
- Oh, I love that movie.
- Starting to look a lot
like William Wallace.
- I got a bunch of blue
chalk all over my face?
- Yeah, just a little bit.
- Okay.
Uh.
I think I better go home now.
I still like the songs you
put on the jukebox, Banana.
- Bye, Carl.
To Paxton's finest.
- No help firing a shot.
My compliments.
- Yeah, it's a gift.
I happen to work
with a lot of men.
My father's one of them.
- You mind if I join you?
- Yes.
- I won't breathe
on you, I promise.
Unless, of course,
you want me to
then actually I'm
open for negotiations.
It's kind of sad
drinking alone.
- Oh, I'm not sad.
Just alone.
- I was talking about me.
Saddest, loneliest cowboy
in Paxton County.
Might help if I could
tell you a joke.
- Oh, really?
All right,
let's hear it, cowboy.
- All right.
A horse walks into a bar,
looks kind of lonely,
orders a couple mojitos.
Bartender says,
hey why the long face?
- Oh, that's it?
That's the stupidest
joke I've ever head.
You should try standup.
- Really?
- No.
- Could we get two of
whatever Braveheart was...
Uh, name's Matt.
- Janna.
- My friends call me--
- Let me ask you something.
This whole easy going southern
cowboy thing work for you?
- Well, ma'am, I have no idea
what you're talking about,
but I like where it's going.
- All right, fine, cowboy.
I can do drinks.
But anything else
ain't happening.
- I think old Deputy Carl
dodged a bullet with you.
- Will you stop talking
and take my pants off?
Oh, shit, shit, shit.
Holy shit.
- You go check the barn.
Go check the fence.
- Brock!
Janna!
- Morning.
- Morning, Matt.
- You know, I make a mean
bacon and egg scramble.
- God, that sounds so good.
I...
I gotta head, but...
Thank you.
Connelly Ranch, case 19.
Doctor Morel field report.
The property in disrepair.
Recommending further
investigation.
Hi,
thanks for calling.
You've reached Marla
Orton, leave a message.
- Oh, God you are in deep trouble for leaving me last night.
Please call me back
as soon as you can.
Thank you.
- Which one was it?
- Old draft horse
in the first stall.
His ears were hanging down.
I checked his nose
and nasal passages.
There's a lot of discharge.
- What's that mean?
- Well, possible Herpes virus.
Too early for
Potomac Horse Fever.
He's past vet intervention.
Should we tag the foal?
- Well.
- What other horses have
been near this stall?
- I don't know what
else to tell you, Dell.
Vet said the virus
is contagious.
Now the foal has
to be quarantined.
So, it's bad luck.
- Jack was Adeline's
horse, Roger.
She had him
since he was a foal.
- Yeah, I know.
But doing the right thing is
rarely doing the easy thing.
Looking out for the
rest of your herd,
now that's doing
the right thing.
- I know it is.
- Now, I wouldn't
ask you to do this
unless I'd do it myself for ya.
- How'd you get so sick, huh?
I'm gonna put you off
in the back quarter,
by that little knoll you liked
so much when summers came.
I won't ever visit
that I won't think about
what you meant to us.
I'll have it written...
"Here lies the one
that loved us all."
"And in turn
was loved as much."
- Dell?
What's the matter?
Where's Brock?
What the fuck?
Where's his shit?
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I should of been here,
I'm sorry.
- She loved that horse.
Morning.
- Morning.
- Can I get you more tea?
- No, I'm okay, thank you.
They took Sugar, too?
- They did.
- Do we even know where?
- They said they'd let us know.
- That's comforting.
- New guidelines.
- Lack of care for livestock,
pasture too short.
Feed purchase records,
inaccessible roads.
I mean, they're making us
sound like accused criminals.
And then I took that
out of Jack's nostril.
- I'll send it out right away.
When I get the results,
I'll come out and
check on some animals.
- God, I just don't get it.
- It's the result
of this new law.
You know, piss off
the wrong neighbor
can cause you
a lot of trouble.
A person can falsely accuse
a rancher of abuse,
causing them to go broke
just to prove their innocence.
Cost them nothing,
cost you the ranch.
- No wonder the old
man killed himself.
- How's mister beautiful
man in the bunkhouse,
the one you were talking
about, how's he taking it?
- Oh, he's not.
Yeah, he just up and left.
- You get what you pay for.
- God, I need someone out
there Dell can really count on.
- Oh, wait I might have a guy.
He was just in here for a
client looking for a place
to work and sleep.
- Really?
- Yeah, go to Mr. Mom's diner,
his name's Hudson.
I'll call him, I'll explain
everything so he knows.
- Oh, my God, thank you so much.
- Of course.
Bye.
- Okay, I love you.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
Can I also get the check
when you have a chance?
- Of course.
- Shit.
- Here you go.
- Thanks.
He show up yet?
- No, but I did run
into the guy that
to me to the Ritz R and R.
- No.
- Yeah.
Yeah, he's sitting at the
counter and he is not happy.
God, this is embarrassing.
The only thing worse
than waking up with a guy
in the first day is
seeing him on the second.
- What's your guy
look like again?
Hudson?
Blonde hair, blue eyes,
about six foot one.
Oh, and he kind of
can't grow a beard.
- I gotta go.
Hey.
Your last name wouldn't by any
chance be Hudson, would it?
Oh.
Wow, this all yours?
- My family's.
- It's beautiful.
- Used to have 160
horses at some point
when I was a kid.
Then Dell hired this Brock guy,
he just took off.
Too much for him I guess.
- Yeah, I've known some
ranch hands like that.
They like the idea
of being a cowboy
just not the real work.
This Brock guy though,
he might take the cake.
All along your fence
there, you got a bunch
of baling wire patch jobs.
Anybody even trying would of
replaced the whole length.
- You think it was deliberate?
- Well, I don't want to talk
bad about a stranger, but...
- All right.
Well, I got to make a decision.
So we got a deal?
- Moneys fine, bunkhouse is fine
but I do have one request.
- What's that?
- Next time you got
an itch that
needs scratching
and you come a knocking,
I'm gonna ask you
to know my full name
before we commence.
- Oh, a cowboy with
principles, huh?
- Yes, ma'am.
- You're gonna make me
pay for this aren't you?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Okay.
- The mucus test came back.
Old Jack was sick all right
- What was it?
- EHV-1, equine herpes virus.
Really contagious.
- We've never had that before.
- It happens.
I feel bad but, he
might of died anyway.
You did the right thing, Dell.
This horse is fine.
- What happens next?
- Let's make it official, right?
I'll assess the entire herd,
blood samples, everything.
I can set up a feeding
and warming plant
to get these animals
back into shape.
- Here you go, Sheriff.
- Thank you.
Carl.
Why don't you go over
there and casually see
what you can find out.
- Yeah, who is that?
- Oh, hi, Carl.
- You getting some feed, huh?
- Yup.
Knocking down that
list you gave us.
Don't want to be caught
short next time you come out.
- Yeah, good deal.
- I'm Matt Hudson,
nice meeting you.
- Yeah, of course.
Uh, Deputy Carl Haggen.
- Yeah, Matt's our
new ranch hand.
We're picking up
where Brock left off.
- Yeah, what happened to him?
- He just left, no idea.
Found a better situation
for himself, I guess.
- Well.
I appreciate the compliance.
I'll be sure to let
the sheriff know that.
- What you find out?
- Well, it looks like Ms.
Connelly's hired new ranch hand,
a Matt Hudson.
- A new ranch hand.
Well, good for her.
- Yeah.
I knew her back in
high school but,
never paid much attention to
her or anything like that.
- I like how you handled
yourself there, Carl.
You're learning.
Subtly, but you're learning.
- Hey.
Hey.
We got the list of conditions
from the state attorney.
- Underweight horses?
That's debatable.
- Fence repair, brush
clearing, standing water.
Yeah, we've seen that already.
- Wait, replace bad wiring in
the water trough tank heater.
Where is that?
- It's up in the north field.
- Yeah, sure enough,
looks like you got
exposed electrical wiring.
I've seen animals
electrocuted by this.
- Thank God this one's dry.
- Looks like ice got in there
and corroded the connections.
- How did they know?
- Well, everybody's
got trough heaters.
- If you don't then--
- No, no, no. I mean.
Did you see Dr. Morel and
her people come out here
or the Sheriff?
- Panel was rusted shut.
Nobody's been here.
- The panels rusted shut
and there's no tire marks
or shoe prints.
How did they know?
Don't you see?
It was Brock.
The inspectors didn't go
out to the north field
but it's right here in the state
attorney's own stationary.
- You think this Brock
guy's tied all the way up
to the state's
attorney's office?
- No.
But we know the Sheriff is.
- You got no way
of proving that.
- I think we need some help.
Legal help.
Dell Connelly, I'm
his daughter, Janna.
I'm picking up from Dr. Kruger.
Thank you.
- Everything okay?
- Just drive.
Well,
doesn't take a genius
to see what's happening here.
It's this new statute.
They couldn't get it
through the voters
so they did an Enron,
shoved it right through
the legislature.
- But why?
- It's these animal rights
groups like the UAPA.
They have a lock on
the state, all the laws
that are being implemented,
offering training
to law enforcement.
They moved into North Dakota
after pushing this new law.
- But, why would they want
to take ranchers' horses?
It doesn't make any sense.
- Oh, well.
Lots of reason.
They'll tell you it's
because they're taking care
of the animals but the truth is
those horses are worth cash
whether they're healthy or not.
- Okay, then so what can she do?
- Well, you need to show
them you're compiling,
first of all, and as soon
as I get that vet assessment
from you pal Dr. Marla, the
care plan for the horses.
- Yeah.
- You and I can walk
it over to the
courthouse ourselves.
That will buy you some time
and you get that ranch in order.
- Okay.
- We had an agreement, Tom.
Tom?
Tom!
Tom Gardner just hung up on me.
He says he doesn't have
any hay for us this year.
- I have an idea why.
- Now listen, Dell, we've
known each other a long time.
- 35 years, Tom.
- I told your pa, Janna.
I just don't have
any hay to sell.
- Tom, you and I
pulled hay for Hoag,
what two three weeks ago?
There's plenty of hay there.
- Since then, I sold
to the young feller,
over at Mandan.
He came took everything I had.
Paid top dollar, too.
- This actually the truth of it?
Mr. Gardner, is this why you
won't sell your hay to us?
People will think it's your hay
that contaminated
the Connelly ranch?
Jack got put down
for EHV-1 had nothing
to do with the product
coming from your ranch.
- Ruth, I got this, go on.
- Tom.
These people, your
friends deserve the truth.
You owe them that.
- It's title 23.
Everybody's spooked.
All the ranchers are hiding
from the Sheriff and his posse.
- Tom's scared
that what happened
to you can happen to us, too.
Sheriff visits, articles,
the value of our
stock goes down.
- Reputation's everything,
Dell, you know that.
Any whiff of fever or
some problem with our hay,
we're finished.
- First they want to
take my damn livestock
now they want to
take my friends.
- Okay, Dell, let's
see about this.
- We got some calls
out on those yearlings.
See if we can get
some buyers lined up.
- Thank you.
Okay, so you're saying the
court can act without notice?
Do you know how hard we've
been working out there?
They could just show up.
- I'm gonna prepare
an injunction in case they do
want to move on the ranch.
Now if they do come,
that's all we got.
So you better hope it holds up.
- Absolutely not.
all right, 10 bucks.
I'm impressed.
- Your mother taught
me some things.
- Oh!
Thank you.
We'll just
take Marla's assessment
on over here to clerk's office.
Right down here?
Yup.
- I just thought we'd get a
little color back in here.
- Mom's favorites.
God, she loved these.
You know she used to put
them in the planter box
and I'd pick em and take
em to school with me.
Hey, I made a lot of friends.
- You have your mother's hands.
- I didn't know that.
You miss her, don't you?
- Every hour of every day.
- Morning specials, we
have pumpkin spice pancakes
and maple bacon potato hash.
I'll give you a
moment to decide.
- Thank you.
You know it's the sugar
that raises cholesterol
that gives people heart disease.
So Russel, how can the
Sheriff's Department
help the UAPA?
- You know all these ranchers
in these parts personally?
- Most of them
and if I don't I'm happy
to introduce myself.
- How much livestock is here?
- A couple thousand
head, anyway.
- That's a few pesos.
- More than a few, Mr. Ashton.
When those horses are
shipped across the border
no back tags, no certificates.
It's clean.
- I'll have to get firm with
a few of them in my own way
but we're gonna need
that political cover.
- I have no idea what
you're talking about.
- Sorry, I've kept you waiting.
Have you decided?
- I think we have.
- All right, you can stay.
- Wow, this is really something.
- Yeah, it is.
You know sometimes
between shifts,
I'll go up by myself and
look up at the stars,
think of this place, right here.
- You know I think
everybody thinks about home
when they want a little comfort.
- Yeah, it's not
always like that.
But even though I ran from this
place with everything I had
I'd do anything to save it.
- I don't know if I've
ever had a place like that.
- Where are you from?
We haven't really covered that.
- Nowhere, really.
A bit of a nomad.
- I know the feeling.
- There was a place
near Elko, Nevada.
It's called the Ruby Mountains.
You ever?
No.
It's unreal.
It's like you're staring
at a dream or something.
In fact, those stars
look a lot like these.
- Sounds romantic.
You ever taken anybody up there?
- My brother.
One summer we were
both ranching near Elko
so we met up, hung out, just
stared at the mountains,
the stars.
You know if I had to pick
a spot that I'd call home
I guess it be there, with him.
- This one time we took
in this Afghan girl,
her mother had been hit,
either by us or by them,
I don't remember
but we took her in,
she would have these
fits, inconsolable
and one night I took
her out, it was just us,
we looked up at the stars
and she stopped crying.
She recognized home.
- Bet she was thinking
about her mother.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Maybe it's not the place that
makes home, but the people?
- Maybe it is the people.
- To nomads.
- To home.
- Why do you always
call so early?
- Janna, it's happening.
They're on the
move to the ranch.
I'm on my way.
- Shit.
Dad!
Dell, wake up.
Fuck.
This is Vin.
- Hi, they're on the way.
Okay, when you
get the seizure order,
you take a picture
from your phone.
I'll try to buy you some time.
- Okay.
Dell!
They're coming to
take the horses.
- Heard you're readying
to sell a few horses.
Just making sure they're
clean animals is all.
It's those spot inspections
we talked about.
- Looks like you already
made up your mind, Roger.
- I'm a licensed vet registered
here in Paxton County
to corroborate any
action that may be taken.
Well, you're looking at
your paperwork, Dr. Morel.
Good morning, Raymond.
- Mr. Connelly, after
checking the horses,
my suspicions have
been confirmed.
Here's a notice of seizure.
The hearing will be in not
more than 10 business days
from today.
- Under what authority
are you taking my animals?
- Under my authority as
the vet of this county.
They'll be well cared for.
- Let me see that.
- They can't take these animals
with this seizure order,
it's incomplete.
This is bullshit, Victoria.
- I'm afraid you're gonna need
a judge to tell us otherwise.
All right,
let's round them up.
Someone check the barn.
- Hey, Judge Williams.
Nice morning, isn't it?
Do you mind if I bend
your ear for a second?
- Carl!
Carl, why you doing this?
Bring out
the mares, let's go.
- Push around local ranchers,
people you've known
your entire life.
- Yeah, yeah, I'm just
doing my job, Ms. Connelly.
I'm just doing what I'm told.
- That's not the preacher's
son I used to know.
Let's
pick up the pace.
Here goes the first trailer.
We're good.
- Oof, Doc.
- Watch the ramp.
This isn't right.
- Damn, damn.
All right,
let's head out.
- Hello, Judge.
You got a minute?
- Fuck it.
We just got to buy some time.
- You're gonna need to move away
from the front of the trucks.
You're interfering with
an officers duties.
- You have a court order
based on old information.
It's not too valid, Sheriff.
I handed Marla's findings
into the courthouse myself.
- I'm gonna arrest you
right now for obstruction,
all of you, how'd that be?
- You're gonna want
to answer that.
I want to answer wha--
- That's your judge.
You're not taking our horses.
- Hello?
- We handed that paperwork
into Cook, ourselves.
There's no way it
just went missing.
- Every time we get our
heads up, they push them back
down again.
- Well, I'll dig through
the public county records,
see if they let anything slide
between crossing their Ts
and dotting their Is.
- I can ask some other
vets in other counties.
I'm sure somebody
like Victoria Morel
has a few skeletons
in her closet.
- I keep thinking
about old Hoag.
- Thank you.
- He just didn't have
anybody to help him.
- Yeah.
And no one knows
where his horses went.
- I uh, I read the hit piece
the Gazette did on your dad.
- To say the least.
- Well, I appreciate
you coming up
to Fergus Falls this morning.
A long drive.
What can I do for ya?
- Well, I'm wanting to talk
to you about the article
you wrote on Hoag Rafferty.
- The rancher?
- Yeah.
I'm curious, you never say
what happened to his horses.
- Well, um.
After the coroner's
office was done,
they were just
hauled off somewhere.
- I noticed you
didn't get a quote,
you just referred to
the coroner's report.
I mean no quote from Sheriff
Bostwick who was there either?
- And?
- Well, a dead man in his barn
and the seizure of his horses.
You're scared of something.
- You weren't there.
- But you were.
You saw something and your
article doesn't account for it.
Please.
- Oh, fuck me.
It was more than just a suicide.
See I gotten an anonymous
tip that Hoag Rafferty
was neglecting his herd.
Ow, shit, shit.
The other ranchers were
feeding the thin animals,
your father and Tom Gardner.
Josh Falvey, Fergus Falls Daily.
The horses weren't neglected.
They were a little skinny
from winter, that's all.
Your pa told me that
Rafferty was in the barn.
I didn't think any of it.
Took a few pictures
of the ranch,
wanted to get a quote
from Mr. Rafferty,
everyday stuff.
So I walked over.
I looked back, I saw
your dad in the field
and Mr. Gardner at the truck
still getting the hay out.
I went inside the barn.
I saw the rancher and the
sheriff over by the window.
The old man was shaking,
pleading with Sheriff Bostwick.
It felt like I was intruding
so I stayed behind the tractor.
- It's cold, it's all the
stress.
Living way the hell
out here in Cottonwind
all by yourself.
- Then the Sheriff started
to work on the old man.
Work on him real good.
- Your wife's gone.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Kids have lost interest.
- It was more than the horse
the Sheriff was after.
Hell of
a lot of work to do.
- Then I saw him hand
the old man his gun.
- Lot of sick animals.
- Everything I ever
worked for, Roger.
- I know, Hoag.
- I thought he was gonna put
down the mare in the stall.
- All the stress will be gone.
No more pain.
- You were in the barn.
- I stepped out before the
sheriff could piece together
that I may have seen
the whole thing.
I ran to where your
father collapsed.
- What, you didn't want
to go to the authorities?
- I checked his record.
Decorated military service.
No one else to corroborate
his word against mine.
The gun was in the man's hands.
The Sheriff said he was there
to help him put down a horse.
Caught him off guard.
You pick.
- And the horses?
- Um.
This lady, Dr. Morel, shows up,
she begins collecting
horses, separating them
into different trailers.
Here.
That's the research
file I put together
when I began to dig in but uh,
nothing went beyond
that, I'm afraid.
- This guy.
Is his name Brock McCarty?
- Um.
A man named... Sam Mansfield.
- And he worked for Rafferty?
- He did, but he quit by the
time I'd gotten out there.
Hey if I'm...
if I can be of any
more help to you...
let me know.
- Thank you.
- God damn it.
- Okay, Mansfield, Mansfield.
They had to submit Dr. Morel's
bonafides to the court
as part of her assessment right?
- Well, maybe the Sheriff
knows something about that.
- Let's leave him out
of this for right now.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
- Here it is.
Dr. Morel lists Sam Mansfield
as part of rural practice
in Layman County.
So Brock is connected to Morel.
- They're probably
still working together.
- No, it's bigger than that.
We're missing something.
Like what are they
doing with these horses?
Well, any
of y'all ever hear
of the Blue Orchid Ranch?
- No.
Why?
- There's a bunch of paperwork
here the Sheriff's Department
filed before the seizure order
and on this transport slip,
looks like Deputy Carl
moved some of the horses
to a Sarah Windgate at
a Blue Orchid Ranch.
And here's the address.
- What do you see?
- Well, they're definitely separating studs from the others.
- Well, a good bloodline
goes for 35,000.
The rest are probably getting
shipped out for processing.
- Holy shit.
Sarah Windgate looks an
awful like Victoria Morel.
- That's how they're doing it.
Morel's operating
as Sarah Windgate
to get these horses shipped.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God, I see Sugar.
They're keeping her
here, thank God.
Is she okay?
- Yeah, she looks fine.
- Okay.
How do we prove all this?
- Well.
We know one guy who's part
of transporting horses here.
Hey, Carl.
You're out of uniform today.
You got the day off?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah day off.
Your drink, miss.
- Thank you.
Listen, I saw you
sitting over here
and I just wanted to apologize
for unloading at
you on the ranch.
You got a job to do.
I should respect that,
it's way out of line.
Can I get you another one, Carl?
- Yeah, sure, why not.
- Take another one on my tab.
Sure.
- I suppose I'd feel
the same way you do
if I were in your shoes.
Ranchers all over
they're pissed off.
- How many?
- Well, Rafferty
ain't the first one.
Far from it.
You know it's not like
I'm new to this, right.
I took the classes in
my community college
for law enforcement, I'm ready.
I thought I was at least.
- No, Carl, come on.
You're a good deputy.
Really, honestly, I
don't know how you do it.
God and that Victoria Morel.
She tends to ride part and
parcel with the Sheriff,
doesn't she?
- That lady she, she's
a cold piece of work.
- You think she's
after Dell personally?
- Nah, she don't care
about no one but herself.
Fact is your old man
just isn't worth as much
as 70 horses.
- Yeah, well speaking
of horses--
- She don't even
care that I have
to run these papers all
the way down to Linden.
I mean can't they
just email that shit?
What am I the Pony Express?
- Linden?
Why so far as Linden?
- Ah, Sheriff's got me doing
it two or three times a week.
There's a satellite office
out there by the bowling alley
and it takes me about an
hour just to get back.
- You work hard, Carl.
He signed them.
Matt!
Matt!
Matt, if you--
- Hey, hey, what I tell
you about protocol?
- Sorry, I'm not
here for that, dummy.
Here get dry, meet me outside.
- Okay so how in the
hell you'd get all this?
- Dr. Morel's field office.
- Dr. Morel's field office?
- Yeah, and look at this.
Here's an assessment for
a horse buyer in Colorado
and now it reads.
- Okay, okay,
so she's confiscating the horses illegally,
messing with the paperwork,
selling them off for herself.
- Yeah, and look.
Here's the bill of sale
for the Rafferty horses.
- Mexico.
- Yeah, and north to Canada.
These horses were sold illegally
and look who signed it,
Sheriff Bostwick.
- Oh, shit.
- Fuck.
- What is this, Roger?
- Hey, Sheriff.
There's not gonna
be any trouble here.
- Good.
Dell Connelly.
You're under arrest
for multiple accounts
of felony animal
abuse and neglect.
- What?
- I'm sorry, Dell.
Deputy, read him his rights.
- Turn around.
You have the right
to remain silent,
anything you say can and
will be held against you
in a court of law.
You have the right
to an attorney.
If you cannot
afford an attorney,
we will provide one for you.
- Dad.
- Do you have any questions?
Do you understand your rights?
- Yes.
- We'll get him back.
So I thought
it was absolutely genius
setting up the satellite
office out there.
Yeah, we're
clear out to Linden County.
- So, States Attorneys
General's office
is preparing the
affidavit as we speak.
Thank you.
- As long as Dell goes for it.
So this is the model
moving forward now
that we have political support?
Exactly, exactly.
- Carl, thank you.
Could you get the
door on the way out?
- Yeah.
You uh...
You don't need anything else?
- Just the door, Carl, thanks.
Where'd
you get the prom king?
- I don't know
what got into him.
- I want you with
us in there today.
Hey.
- Hey.
- How's my dad, he all right?
- Yeah, he's a little
tired, a little shaken.
Bails been set,
he'll walk today.
Now it looks like they
want to make a deal.
- Yeah.
- Look at these.
- Yeah?
- Seizure orders,
livestock assessments,
shipping documents,
signatures, it's all there.
- You're kidding?
- Yeah, they're giving
these horses new paperwork,
washing their titles and
either keeping the best ones
for themselves or
they sell later.
The Sheriff's
getting a nice cut.
- Where did you get these?
- Absconded, is
that a legal term?
- Oh, these are
completely inadmissible.
Come on.
- Well, who cares?
At least we know the truth
and that's a damn
good place to start.
- All right, let's go.
Excuse me, but where's the
States representative?
- I'm Russel Ashton, United
Animal Protection Agency.
We've been given the
authority from the state
to act in this matter today.
We provide oversight for
local law enforcement
cases like these.
- Okay, well it's your dime.
Let's hear it.
- We're not heartless,
Mr. Connelly.
I mean we understand.
It's been a tremendous
emotional and financial strain,
both on you and the ranch.
The settlement can end
all this today, right now.
- So you're offering a deal?
- Okay look.
The state will drop
the felony charges
if Mr. Connelly will
accept a lesser charge.
Okay, well
what would that be?
- Class A to class C misdemeanors,
animal endangerment.
- That's going to mean the forfeiture of your animals, Dell.
Now I know it's bad, but,
uh, any future livestock
will be limited to what,
five animals or less.
- You want me to stop ranching?
That's what you're asking.
- So this is how you do it?
I mean to date you haven't
told us where you've taken
our foal or the horses
of other ranchers.
You've done nothing
but stonewall.
I came home from
serving my country
because my father was sick
and I found the town I
grew up in even sicker.
Good men and lifelong
friends turning on each other
out of fear.
The fear you've caused.
Now this land, to make
something out of it
is hard enough, Mr. Ashton.
Something I'm assuming
you know nothing about
and then you come in here
with all the title 23s
you can write and set out
to destroy a way of life
and more importantly the
families that have been
here for generations.
So.
Here's what's gonna happen.
We're gonna pass on your
oh so very generous deal,
thank you by the way.
Bails been set.
Dell's walking
out of here today.
- Well, gentlemen, looks like
we'll be seeing you in court,
doesn't it?
Harper Lee couldn't of
said it better herself.
- I'm still shaking.
- Now what?
- Well, we know
what the truth is.
Just got to find a
way to let it out.
- Legally.
- Sheriff, you better pull
something out of your ass
because if you don't,
we are all going down.
The
old man was shaking,
pleading with Sheriff Bostwick.
I'm at
the end of my rope, Roger.
Then
the Sheriff started
to work on the old man.
Work on him real good.
- Nothing to be ashamed about.
There comes a time, an age,
best not to be a burden.
Then I saw
him hand the old man his gun.
Relief, closure, solace.
Failure.
Carl, we got call.
Possible 59-24 out of the
abandoned Rafferty Ranch.
- Yeah.
Uh.
What's that mean again?
Trespassing, Carl.
- Be all you can be.
- Okay.
- I'm not going to
jail because of you.
Ah, damn!
Bitch!
Shit.
Get back here.
- Get off of me!
Let go.
- You thought you could end me?
- Well, is it over?
- Oh, Sheriff, we're
just getting started.
Hello?
- Josh, it's Janna Connelly.
Oh, hey.
- Come to the Connelly Ranch.
If I'm right I think
the rest of your story's
about to be written.
Okay yeah
I'm in the area I...
- Great.
- Shit.
Shit.
- Shit.
- God you're predictable.
- Looks like you gave
Brock all he could take.
Doesn't have to be
this way, Ms. Connelly.
You have no idea what your
ranch is really worth.
Causality, you're there, just
part of the learning curve,
that's all.
Plenty to go around, just
side step the paperwork
and you're sitting
on a gold mine.
- Equine herpes virus, huh?
Clever.
You got it all figured
out, don't you?
Hired hand lays the ground
work, gets the horses sick.
Victoria Morel can accuse
the ranchers of neglect
and your hands are tied.
You got no choice but
to take the livestock,
make a pretty penny of course.
- I'm gonna need that vial.
Okay.
- And Hoag Rafferty?
- Old man's time had come,
is all.
- That's not the whole
story is it, Sheriff?
- Not what do you intend
by that, Ms. Connelly?
- Well, he did your
dirty work for you.
You had the perfect alibi.
You witnessed his suicide.
Horses were sick,
ranch had too much work
but you handed him
your service weapon.
You know a jury just might
call that accessory to murder.
- See now that right there,
those are threatening words,
Ms. Connelly.
I came out here hoping
you'd listen to reason.
Take the plea deal.
Yeah, I guess we're beyond
that point now, aren't we?
Your face is bleeding.
- I'm unarmed, Sheriff.
- Great.
- What you're gonna kill me?
You're gonna kill every
rancher that gets in your way?
Was it your plan to talk my
dad into killing himself?
Or was it just Hoag?
- All right, you know making
this look like self defense
is a pain and a lot
of paperwork for me
but that's the way
you wanted to play it.
- Put the gun down, Sheriff.
- What the hell you
doing here, Carl?
- Yeah, uh.
Found this phone next
to a dead Brock McCarty.
It's US military.
- US military.
Well, that's her phone.
Looks like you just tied Ms.
Connelly to the murder scene.
Make the arrest, deputy.
- This has gone
too far, Sheriff.
There's another dead
man out there, you know?
- Self defense, Carl.
- Yeah, I know it was.
- Hell we don't know
anything yet, Carl.
Make the arrest,
deputy, do as I say.
- No, I'm not doing what you
tell me anymore, Sheriff.
No, you're under arrest.
- I'm under arrest?
Carl.
You disappoint me.
Carl, you listen to me.
Don't let your feelings
for Ms. Connelly
cloud your judgment.
This has gotten way
out of control.
- What?
I'm sure we
can come up with a solution
beneficial for both of us.
You're like a son to me, Carl.
You hear me, Carl?
- Carl.
Carl.
- Is Carl dead?
- He needs medical
attention, Sheriff.
We can't do this here.
- He knew better.
He knew his place.
Now don't go for his weapon.
Let go of me.
- Janna, get the deputy's gun.
Fuck.
- I'm gonna fuck you up!
- Come on.
- Sheriff, drop your weapon.
- Let go.
- Let him go.
He's out.
That was
some crazy shit.
I got it all.
- Hey, Carl.
Janna!
- Dell, the Sheriff's
in the barn.
Call an ambulance.
- Can I get you
anything else, Sheriff?
- Just the door, Daniel, thanks.
- You got it.
- All right,
Matthew Birdie Hudson.
- How in the hell did
you find that out?
- Don't matter how I found out.
Make you foreman
and you'll take care
of this place
for me, deal?
- Yeah, six months without
you bossing me around
is gonna feel like a vacation.
- Don't pretend like
you're not gonna miss me.
- Well, parts.
- Hey, take care of
my dad, will you?
- You take care of you.
Come back in one piece, okay?
Not that I care.
- You're mean.
Come on, Sugar.
- Give you some time.
- "Here lies the one
who loved us all
and in return the one
who was loved as much.
No matter how deep your sleep,
we'll always hear you,
old friend.
Not even death
will keep your spirit
from running freely
in my field."
That's beautiful.
Here.
- Oh.
Hey, beauty.
Hey, come here,
I want to show you something.
This is all yours.
All yours.
Welcome back, Sugar.
- Although we have had some
setbacks in North Dakota
we have similar laws in motion.
South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana.
Ladies and gentlemen,
it's only a matter of time.
Won't the
situation in North Dakota
effect our reputation?
- Our story is definitely
movie material.
I just really hope that
overall, the message gets out
that this could happen to us
and it could happen to you.
- If I wouldn't have my
expertise in mental health
that I do, I really don't think
I would of made it through.
- Yeah, I don't think, if they
would have taken the animals,
you wouldn't be sitting
here with me today.
- No.
Yeah.
- Love you.
- Love you more.
♪ I gotta get out on my own ♪
♪ Run away from home ♪
♪ And go my own way ♪
♪ You'll never understand ♪
♪ Ain't got no plan
and that's okay ♪
♪ I know I'll be all right ♪
♪ I'm getting out tonight ♪
♪ You're sick but this
town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
heart should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up from
this bad dream ♪
♪ What's right
ain't always easy ♪
♪ I took a stand ♪
♪ Knowing well it
could bleed me dry ♪
♪ Who knows ♪
♪ Why we do what we do ♪
♪ A million reasons why ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ And will I ever know ♪
♪ How the story goes ♪
♪ You're sick but
this town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
our hearts should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up from
this bad dream ♪
♪ How do we sleep ♪
♪ With the secrets
that we keep ♪
♪ You're sick but
this town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
our hearts should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ You're sick but
this town is sicker ♪
♪ A black hole where
our hearts should be ♪
♪ Dirty money and
the taste of liquor ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'm waking up from
this bad dream ♪
♪ What's right
ain't always easy ♪
♪ I took a stand ♪
♪ Knowing well it
could bleed me dry ♪