01x05 - Friend of the Devil

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Walker: Independence". Aired: October 6, 2022 –; present.*
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Set in the late 1800s, an origin story of the series "Walker," follows Abby Walker, an affluent and tough-minded Bostonian whose husband is m*rder*d before her eyes while on their journey out West.
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01x05 - Friend of the Devil

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McDowd! We've
got you surrounded!

Come on out and
we won't hurt you!

All right, Santiago.

I'm coming out right now.

Get! Get! Get!

We're coming for you, McDowd!

You're running out
of places to hide!

Hey, can you
hand me the gin?

The brown one, right?

- Abby.
- I'm kidding.

More of a Scotch gal myself.

Aren't you a delight?

So, how's it going?

What with the new
management and all.

Well...

It's the strangest
thing, you know.

Can we turn
those beds, please?

We're in a hotel here, folks.

Ever since Tom took
over, I have just gotten

so damn clumsy.

Kate...

Next one comes out
of your paycheck.

Abby, I'm heading
home to clean up.

See you at the jailhouse later.

So, my meeting with Ethan's
in a couple of days.

We have a lot of work
to do before then.

Grand. Where do we start?

Well, uh, Liam.

I read his file, I
saw that he departed

from the Boston police
pretty abruptly.

We should also probably
talk about your family,

who they are, why you're
estranged from them.

That kind of thing.

I don't see why any
of that matters.

Tom m*rder*d Liam.

Shouldn't we just
focus on the m*rder*r?

Of course, right, but we
need an airtight case,

and when this kind
of thing happens

the Pinkertons often
focus on the victim

as much as they focus
on the criminal.

So if we want their help,
which I'm assuming that we do,

you may have to be ready to
answer some tough questions.

I've already told you
everything there is to tell.

Right, Abby, y-you know
I'm-I'm, I'm trying to help.

I...

There's nothing more to say.

Whoa.

What the hell?

Damn it, Eli.

Come here.

It's damn good...
Damn good to see you.

Yeah, I heard you
were out this way.

I thought I'd come see
it for myself, huh?

He might have been
aiming for you. He punched me

square in the teeth, come on.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you
took a lot of punches for me,

but a lot more
were meant for you.

How's Texarkana?

You still running
the old schemes?

Nah.

Nah, stealing cattle in East
Texas ain't what it used to be.

Half the money, twice the chance

of getting your head blown off.

Yeah, plus, without you there
as sheriff to cover my tracks,

it was, uh, only a matter
of time before I got caught.

What about this little visit?

You in trouble?

Can't an old friend
just drop by?

What brings
you in to town?

I came here to
check on your wound.

Thank you for everything.

You take better care
of me than I do myself.

Well, you're healing well.

It'll leave a scar, though.

That's all right.

I sort of take
pride in them now.

It's good to see you
find your strength.

Calian, is something wrong?

I might not always be around
here for you, that's all.

Hey, come on.

It's Gus. Any idea
what that's about?

No.

I've been so busy with
you and Hoyt and Lucia...

I've failed to be there
for Augustus and my people.

- Calian, that's my fault.
- No. It's mine.

And as long as I've known
Augustus, we've been outsiders.

But lately the way he
trusts the sheriff...

it's hard to know if we're
still on the same side.

I suppose if we can no
longer trust our friends...

who can we trust?

You remember Sadie?

Of course. I knew
her before you did.

Well, she married a
dentist from Ohio.

A dentist?

Not how I pictured her
living out her days.

No kidding.

We always said we were gonna
name that cantina after her.

What cantina?

- You don't remember?
- No.

We were gonna take the
cattle rustling money

and open a little cantina
south of the border.

Sadie's Cantina. That's right.

I can't believe I
forgot about that.

You and I were gonna
get fat and old,

and she was gonna tend the bar.

Well, here's to...

Sadie and her dentist.

We could still do it.

Do what?

Open the cantina. I got a
little bit of money left.

Maybe not enough,

but you and me riding
together again?

- Eli, hang on...
- We could...

- No, no, just think about it.
- Hang on a minute.

I got my hands full
here in Independence.

You name me one thing
the two of us ever put

our minds to we
couldn't pull off.

I can't up and go
to Mexico on a whim.

Why not? Tell me, why not?

Hey, all that money we
made stealing cattle?

I never told anyone
that was your idea.

I'm just asking you to
do me a favor, Tom, okay?

Why are you really here, Eli?

- I told you I'm going to California.
- No. The real reason.

First you come out
here out of the blue,

and now you're selling
me on an old daydream

like your life depends on it.

- Why are you really here?
- Because, damn it,

I won't make it out
there without your help.

And I'm really tired
of running, Tom.

Eli, who are you running from?

Morning, Sheriff.

Morning, Gus.

New batch of warrants just
arrived earlier today.

Yeah, I'm headed in soon.
Can we discuss it then?

Actually, uh, afraid
one can't wait.

Eli McDowd.

Yeah, somebody in town thought
they spotted him earlier today.

McDowd's wanted for cattle
theft, fraud, and m*rder.

There's a huge bounty
on this guy's head.

Right, yeah. Appreciate
you telling me.

Yeah, and one more thing.

If Eli McDowd is in the
area, he won't be for long.

Gil Santiago is after him.

You heard of him, right?

Only rumors.

Yeah, he respects the
bounty more than the badge.

He will get in our way
if we don't move fast.

So I figured that I'd take
a ride off and take a look.

No.

I'd like you to wait for me,

and, uh, your friend
the Apache tracker...

- Calian.
- Yeah.

Both of you, go to the
ridge overlooking the town

and do not do anything
until I get there.

You got it?

Where the hell'd you go, Eli?

Morning, y'all.

Hoyt, it's practically noon.

Which begs the question,

where do you sleep anyway?

You know, here and there.

Oh, I want
to guess this one.

All right, it's Wednesday,
and they muck out

the stables on Wednesdays.

So you didn't sleep there.

I'm gonna say...

that you bunked at the
undertaker's again.

- Mm-hmm.
- Hey.

I appreciate the quiet.

- Do you?
- I do.

I'm sure.

Calian.

Augustus.

Been looking for you.

The sheriff wants your help.

We're tracking down an
outlaw... Eli McDowd.

Of course.

What do you know about him?

I'll be out on the
ridge when you're ready.

There's something very
wrong about this picture.

- And what is that?
- I'm the only person

who doesn't work
for Tom Davidson.

The rest of y'all are at
his damn beck and call.

Oh, please.

You run this place for him.

Abby's his clerk.
Calian's his tracker.

But me?

I'm beholden to no man.
A genuine renegade.

- Hmm, you're a genuine something.
- I'll prove it to you.

Tom and Gus are riding
out of town, right?

- Mm-hmm.
- Well, I'm gonna break

into Tom's place,
see what I can find.

Whatever I dig up, you can take
to that Pinkerton boss of yours.

What?

Hoyt, you aren't
exactly stealthy.

What is that supposed to mean?

She means you're about as subtle

as a bag of hammers, gorgeous.

Given your luck, you'd get
caught and hanged by sundown.

Wow. Okay.

Well, fine, I won't linger
where I'm not appreciated.

Well, if it's appreciation
you're looking for,

you might want to
start with a bath.

Aw, I feel bad.

I think we hurt his pride.

Don't.

He's a modern-day caveman.

He just needs to find
something to smash with a rock.

He does have a point, though.

With Tom preoccupied,
it'd be the perfect time

to go through his place.

Mm, I do need all the evidence
I can get before my meeting.

Well, there's no
question that we are

a lot more discreet than Hoyt.

And he said it himself,

even if we were caught,

we both work for Tom.

We'd have a reason to be there.

You ever cross
paths with this McDowd?

Nope.

Must be a big bounty on his head
if Gil Santiago is chasing him.

Mm-hmm.

I know I've been
distracted lately.

Distracted by what?

Just tell me, because
I can't make sense

of anything you do anymore.

I'm the same person, Augustus.

I haven't changed.

Same person.

Well, maybe you haven't
been paying attention.

But two weeks ago, you
wouldn't step foot in town.

And now you're sitting around
at Hagan's with Abby Walker,

a stranger, and Hoyt
Rawlins, a low-life.

Why?

I was trying to
protect a friend.

And here I was thinking
we were friends.

We used to have
each other's backs.

But now I see I got
to watch my own.

Calian, I presume?

- Mm-hmm.
- Good.

I've heard talk of
this Eli McDowd.

He's got a reputation
for being one

crafty bastard, he's dangerous.

Got a dozen notches on his belt.

If we get close, I go in first.

Nobody makes a move unless
I say so. You got it?

Understood.

Good. Let's ride.

Hyah.

The widow of a lawman
and a Pinkerton agent

breaking into the
sheriff's house?

Is this crazy?

Yeah.

Right.

All right, he keeps
his papers in his desk.

And here's some crates
he hasn't unpacked yet.

Oh, great. You take one,
I'll take the other, huh?

What are you?

-Abby?

- Find something?
- Well, sort of.

I know that Boston's a big
place, but Tom is from there,

all the Davidsons
are from there.

Did you ever hear
about them back home?

No. First time I
heard of them was

when Hoyt told me
about them at Hagan's.

All right, well,
what about Liam?

Do you think he might
have known them?

Liam was a police officer.

I'm sure he knew lots of people.

Fair enough.

Abby?

Kate.

It is a coincidence, though.

Both Tom and Liam,
two men from Boston,

should leave home, wind
up all the way in Texas,

and both be hired as the
sheriff of the same little town.

I'd prefer not to
think about what

my late husband and his
m*rder*r have in common.

Fine, it's...

It's a hell of a
coincidence, Abby.

Of all the sheriffs' jobs in
all the country, why here?

Why Independence,
where the Davidsons

have their bloody hands
on everything? It's...

I can't speak for the Davidsons.

Liam and I weren't
happy in Boston.

We needed a fresh start.
Independence had a job.

He took it.

What? As his wife, you
never questioned this?

Don't speak to things you
know nothing about, Kate.

- - Kate, I...
- Shh.

Did you hear that?

You mind pointing
those someplace else?

You two stole my idea.

Well, we figured we'd
have a better chance

of sneaking in than you.

Yes, clearly we were
horribly mistaken.

Still my idea.

Well, did you get lost? We
b*at you by a good ten minutes.

Well, after what you said,
thought I'd freshen up a bit.

You just point those baby blues

at some boxes, we can
get out of here faster.

What'd y'all find so far?

A whole lot of nothing.

I bet it's 'cause you
don't know where to look

for Tom's secrets.

You got to think
like a criminal.

Yeah? How do we do that? Get
kicked in the head by a horse?

Twice.

The floor.

I'd bet my life Tom
has a hidden place

under one of these
loose floorboards.

It's gonna be in one
of these. You'll see.

Kate, Hoyt. Look at this.

Hmm?

I was gonna check the books.

Soon as I was finished
with the floor.

It's a list of companies.

- Chamlee Mining Works.
- What about them?

They were the ones
that had the offer

to buy the Sullivans' land.

Mm, Laredo Pines Company.

All of our liquor
orders at Hagan's

list Laredo Pines as the buyer.

But only since Tom took over.

This must be how the
Davidsons are buying

- things in secret.
- Hmm.

Could help us unravel what else

they're buying and why.

Yeah.

That's just what I was thinking.

Why would McDowd
come to Independence?

There's bigger towns out there
if you want to disappear.

Why not ride for the border?

It doesn't matter
where McDowd goes.

With Santiago on his trail,
he's got nowhere to run.

You're not out here for
your opinions, Deputy.

Whoa.

What is it?

These tracks.

Something's not right.

Like what?

For a man on the run,
McDowd's not moving very fast.

We should push on.

Sooner we find
McDowd, the better.

I'll take the long g*n

and head up the canyon.

If McDowd's drawing
us in for an ambush,

I'd be able to pick him off.

No.

Come on.

Sheriff, his warrant
says "dead or alive."

Do you really think
a man like McDowd's

just going to surrender
if we find him?

No, a man like that,

only way they go peacefully
is in a pine box.

Damn it, Gus!

Button your lip
and stay behind me!

You care to have that
tone with me again?

We need to keep moving
is all. Let's go.

Yeah.

So, did you send the list
of companies to Ethan?

I just sent the telegraph.

That was good work back there.

Even you.

Oh, sure, knock old Hoyt down.

But don't y'all forget
who the real outlaw is.

Lookee here.

What is that?

It's silver. I think.

Took it from Tom's
place. I collect 'em.

You guys don't know
everything about me.

Apparently we do not.

You contain multitudes.

Hey. I want to play a game.

I ask you one question,

and you have to
answer honestly. Yeah?

Fine. One.

All right.
I'll go first.

All right.

Tell me one thing about
you that nobody else knows.

Oh. Easy.

I have a birthmark on my
butt in the shape of a...

Strawberry.

We stopped at a watering hole.

He's an exhibitionist.

(Hoyt laughs

Hello, Strawberry.

All right. Now you.

Right, uh, something
nobody knows.

My father was
never fond of Liam.

He wasn't from that world
and Daddy didn't trust him.

So, at first, I had to
sneak out to meet him.

And of course Liam
didn't have much money,

so he surprised me.

With a picnic at the
Boston Public Gardens.

But all he brought were
a couple of apples.

I was starving.

We talked for hours.

We stayed out so late,

we watched the
lamplighter go to work.

My father was furious,
but it didn't matter.

I knew Liam was the one.

Oh, so, he defied
your father then?

Abby, would you say that
he was a risk taker?

Would you say that
he was reckless?

- Kate.
- Do you think that going

west was an impulsive thing?

Or could he have
been running away

from enemies, I don't know,
say, in the Boston police?

What exactly are
you asking, Kate?

I am asking you how well
you knew your husband.

Excuse me.

Hey, Hoyt, you want
to go to the bar?

Indeed, I do.

What'd you find?

Tracks.

They make no sense.

Well, maybe he's doubling back?

No. More like he has
no direction at all.

Stay back.

- Damn it.
- Sheriff?

He was never here.

He weighed down the saddlebags

to mimic a horse
carrying a rider.

That's why it
never broke a trot.

He sent us on a
wild goose chase.

But where would he go?

You two carry on further in case
he went that way on foot. Hyah!

There's no way he's back there.

I know you see it.

The sheriff's hiding something.

He ain't the only one.

If you've lost your trust
in me, Augustus, I'm sorry.

I'd like the chance
to earn it back.

I think you're right about Tom.

My gut says that him
and McDowd have history.

Watch the way he rode off?

Headed back to town.

I think we should head
that way ourselves.

Well, let's ride.

So, by the time they
open the boxcar, I'm long gone.

And that, my friend,
is how I robbed

the Lindale train
coming and going...

- Oof.
- All in the same day.

- That is quite a feat.
- Yeah?

You know, when I do
a double like that,

I usually go for
something a little bigger

like the Houston
and Texas Central.

The H&TC?

Yeah.

Well, that's-that's the
biggest train in Texas.

Ah, don't b*at yourself up.

Everybody's got to
start somewhere.

Evening, Sheriff.

You're on your own, friend.

What in the hell do
you think you're doing?

Belly up, Tommy. I hear you
own the place after all.

Look, this isn't good
for either of us.

Why's that?

Because you're
a wanted fugitive

and I'm the damn sheriff.

Oh, I noticed that, yeah.

It's like Texarkana
but even better.

Here you are,
lawman, businessman,

feared and respected
by all these people.

- That's enough.
- No, no, Tommy boy.

Just-just-just
hear me out, okay?

Hey, look, it got
me thinking, right?

Opening that cantina in Mexico

was a little
far-fetched, I admit it.

And why bother?

You found paradise right here.

It's time for you to go now.

Just don't like to think
you're hiding something from me.

I love you more
than you will ever know.

That's my only secret.

We can run this place
together, like old times.

This little trouble I'm in,

- you can end it, you can protect me.
- Protect you?

All you got to do is pin
a deputy star on my chest.

- Have you lost your damn mind?
- No.

No, I-I'm seeing
things really clearly.

Tommy, I think I like this town,

all these nice folks,

so, yeah, maybe I'll settle in.

We can get to know each
other a little better.

I'm sorry, Tom,
somebody catch your eye?

No. Abby's just an employee.

Oh, is that all?

You need to stop stalling and
get on your horse and you go.

- Let's go.
- Hey.

I'm waiting on your answer.

Are you gonna make me a deputy?

You listen to me, okay?

Things aren't like the old days.

I work for my family now.

They do not tolerate
unnecessary risk.

You understand what I'm saying?

Yeah, Tommy, I think I do.

Well, then you
answer me this, okay?

How long, do you think,
until the good people

of Independence find out what
kind of a man you really are?

Sheriff.

Whoa...

Hey, look.

McDowd!

Throw down your g*ns!

Sheriff?

What's the play here?

Throw 'em down, McDowd.

Come and take 'em,
you son of a bitch.

Stay down till it's over.

You're hit.

Oh, damn it!

Come here.

Careful!

Lower your g*ns.

Stay down.

- Get your hands off me.
- Shh.

Hoyt, stand down.

Let him go.

Let go of me.

- Hey, hey!
- Kate! No!

What do you want to do?

I'm gonna go up there.

Wait, why you?

Let me go.

No. You're gonna
want to let him

go talk to his friend alone.

You want to save Abby?

I'm your best bet.

Okay?

If these so-called bounty
hunters do anything stupid,

sh**t 'em.

I do hate bounty hunters.

One thing we can agree on.

All right.

Everybody take it easy.

Who are you? Another
one of Tom's employees?

Of course you would be
up here, saving yourself.

You know what? It would be
better if you did sh**t me.

Because then I wouldn't have to
be in another room with you...

You walk around here like you're
better than everyone else.

- Let me tell you something!
- You know what?

- All of this is your fault!
- Kate!

- Kate, go!
- Hey!

Are you trying to
get yourself k*lled?

So, you're that outlaw that
everyone's after, right?

And you're Abby.

Your boss told me.

Oh, yeah, you two were
chatting at the bar.

Didn't seem altogether
friendly, was it?

Oh, I can see why you've
got his attention.

Hmm.

Did you know him in Texarkana?

I don't know what
you're on about,

but I'll tell you this for free.

Your sheriff down there

might be the most
dangerous man in Texas.

- Eli.
- Hey.

I'm unarmed.

What took you so long, Tommy?

Come on. Let's get me a fresh horse
- so I can get the hell out of here.

- Eli.No, no, no, you
distract 'em, Tom.

- I'm-a slip out...
- That's enough.

We both know that's
not gonna happen.

I guess not.

I'm sorry. I can't
help you here.

I'm working to build
something in this town

that's bigger than
you and me both.

Whoa.

I wish we'd gone
to Mexico, Tommy.

I wish you'd gone to Mexico.

Yeah, wouldn't have made
much of a difference.

There's no place I can run
Santiago won't find me.

Then stop running.
Turn yourself in.

He'll gut me in
the street, Tommy.

No! No! I will
take you in myself.

You're gonna get the rope.

It's better than
the alternative.

Just another weary
outlaw, huh, Tom?

Tired and small.

Getting his neck stretched
out for a crowd of people.

Spare me from that,
won't you, Tommy?

You can't be serious. No.

Hey, hey, there's another way.

- Let us help you.
- Yeah.

Maybe in another life, okay?

Tommy, I know I done wrong.

And I know I don't deserve it,

but there must be some
small bit of grace here

for me here at the end,
yeah? Come on, Tommy.

Come on.

I will not do this for you.

Hey! Hey, hey.

Please don't make
me hurt her, Tom.

Hey, hey, put it down.

Eli, we can work this out.

There's still one
way you can help me.

I'm not gonna do that for you!

- Now or never, Tom!
- Eli!

No, no, no, no, no.

Eli. Come on.

Stay with me...

No, no, no, no, no!

Sheriff, without the body
I can't collect the bounty.

You had no right putting
yourself in danger for me.

Thank you.

You would have done the same.

And you might yet.

That's true.

Kate, I'm sorry.

About earlier, what I said.

Come here.

I know... I know that
what I said to you

about Liam hurt you.

And I'm sorry.

I'm sorry that I hurt you.

But I'm not sorry for asking
you difficult questions.

Because I care about you.

And I'm gonna do everything
I can to help you.

And right now that
means building

the best possible
case to take Tom down.

You're right.

Am I?

The truth is, Liam
wasn't perfect.

I don't know everything
that happened

with the police in Boston,

I don't know if he had enemies.

Or if we were running from
them when we came here.

Or even our last night together,

I thought he might be
hiding something from me.

I'm sorry, Abby.

To answer your question,

I don't know how well
I knew my husband.

But I promise you...

I am ready to face the
truth, wherever it may lead.

I have to ask you
one more question.

- It's just one. I promise.
- All right. All right.

It's my job.

What did you see in there?

With Tom?

I saw a criminal.

The k*ller we know he is.

But I also saw a scared,

heartbroken man giving up

something he loved very dearly.

Sheriff.

Glad to see you're
doing all right.

I wanted to thank you.

For what you did.

You were very brave.

Trying to talk him
down like that.

But you can't reason
with a desperate man.

He was a friend. Wasn't he?

He told me you were dangerous.

I turned a blind
eye to some things

in Texarkana I shouldn't have.

The past is hard
to face, isn't it?

Maybe we should all be judged
on what we do with today,

Miss Walker.

I can't talk right now.
Tom will be back soon.

I'm not sure this
can wait any longer.

The way I see it,
everybody who knows

something about Tom
Davidson winds up dead.

Eli McDowd.

- Just like Griffin...
- You can stop there.

What did McDowd know that
Tom wanted buried with him?

Tell me you aren't suspicious.

What do you want me to say?

That something's
wrong in this town?

Of course something's wrong.

I mean, damn, does
everybody think I'm a fool?

Look, I knew Tom was
hiding something,

just like I knew you were.

I'm not hiding anymore.

I'm tired of watching
the bodies pile up.

And Tom m*rder*d Liam Collins.

I wish you had
come to me sooner.

I mean, why wouldn't you trust
me with something like this?

I think I know who
m*rder*d Liam Collins.

And it wasn't Tom.
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