03x02 - Of Children and Travelers

[bunniefuu]

[Music]

[Brakes squeaking]

[Camera shutter clicks]

Man: Chilly out there.

Better get in.

[Camera shutter clicks]

What did you do that for?

So if you k*ll me, they can find you.

[Chuckles]

[Buzzer, door opens]

[Door closes]

What the hell happened?

It can be hard to make friends on your first day of jail.

Yeah, well, we're gonna get you out of here.

Your public defender should be here any minute.

His name's Colin Kilpatrick.

He's supposed to be amazing.

But Dad wanted me here for his eyes and ears anyway, so...

And how is Walt?

Busy.

Here, lady.

Hey, boss.

Uh, a dry Rob Roy for me and a Caramel Appletini for the girlfriend here.

Here you go.

Five bucks.

[Laughs]

This, uh...

Five bucks.

[Sighs] Perfect.

Thanks.

[Telephone rings]

Uh, beautiful day. Red Pony.

Hey, it's me.

You're gonna need to ask for the rest of the night off.

Right.

Vic!

Vic!

Hey.

She's young, Walt.

I'm guessing late teens.

She's got bruising around her neck, so I'm thinking someone probably strangled her.

There's drag marks leading down from the road.

What was she thinking?

What do you mean?

I made a lot of bad decisions when I was her age, but I never hitchhiked.

How do you know she was hitchhiking?

How else would you explain this?

Walt: Reflective tape.

Cellphone was in her waistband.

I already tried to unlock it. It's pass code protected.

I.D.?

No purse, no wallet.

The only thing she had in her pockets was a matchbook and some mints.

Passport.

Polina Vasof.

Born Orenburg, Russia, 1997.

What's a 17-year-old Russian girl doing hitchhiking in Absaroka County?

[Sighs]

I'll be up in a minute.

I don't mind. I'm fine.

See you inside.

Okay.

So, the manufacturer is willing to unlock the victim's phone, but only after they do the same thing for every other police department that's already put in a request.

I have been thinking, pretty teenage girl born in Russia, hitchhiking.

Maybe she was caught up in one of these human trafficking rings.

And trying to get away.

Maybe.

But those victims usually have their passports stolen from them.

Polina had hers.

Hey, sorry I'm late.

I had to pick up Branch from the hospital.

Did you take him home?

Uh, no.

He's, uh, actually headed up the stairs right now.

By himself?

If Branch wants help, he'll ask.

Meantime, I talked to Social Services.

Uh, Polina was adopted three years ago by a couple named Lanny and Phœbe Greene.

Do they live around here?

No. Over in Teton County.

Drive out in the morning to notify.

Ruby: No, Walt.

Remember, you've got those three deliveries that are coming into the Red Pony tomorrow that need to be signed for.

[Door opens]

Right.

Ferg said you found a dead girl.

I thought I'd help.

Good. We can use it.

You and Ferg can work out of the Red Pony tomorrow.

Our victim had a phone on her.

Uh, we're just having trouble figuring out what was on it.

Hey, Walt...

Thanks.

For what?

For finding my hat.

[Car door closes]

Walt: Are you Lanny and Phœbe Greene?

What can we do you for?

Records list you two as the parents of Polina Vasof.

Yeah, records say that.

I-I think Polina would argue otherwise.

But you did adopt her?

Yeah. We wanted a family, but, you know, we weren't having any luck on our own.

Then we found this agency, Angels of Kirov, which specialized in Russian girls.

They told us they had a really good match for us, and we were so excited to finally start our family.

Vic: So what happened?

They sent us Polina.

Polina was 14 when she came to America.

Was that the problem?

Well, it was a surprise, yeah, but we didn't care.

I mean, not really.

We had all this love to give her.

Phœbe: And you know what we got in return?

Screaming, hitting, threats to slit our throats in our sleep if we even dared to try and discipline her.

I peeked into Polina's room one night.

She was in bed with the neighbor boy, high on God knows what.

I kicked him out of the house and told Polina she was grounded.

What happened?

[Scoffs] She came after me with an o-ring pick.

Left me with... with that.

So is that why you haven't asked where Polina is?

Uh...

Uh, well, Polina ran away 11 months ago.

We haven't seen or spoken to her since.

Did you file a missing-persons report?

No.

Vic: Why not?

Honestly...

We didn't want her to come back.

Well, you're in luck. She's not.

We found Polina in Absaroka County last night.

We always figured it'd be us or her.

I guess now we know.

Find out anything about that adoption agency?

Not much.

After Putin made it illegal for Americans to adopt Russian kids, Angels of Kirov just sort of disappeared.

Uh, still can't get into the phone either, but it turns out it doesn't actually...

[groans]

Turns out it doesn't actually belong to the victim.

Uh, the phone was registered to a reform school in Arizona called the Golden Bough School for Girls.

That's weird.

The Greenes told us Polina ran away 11 months ago and they had no idea where she would be.

Hey, guys.

Hi.

Look at you.

[Chuckles] Back in the saddle.

[Laughs] Yee-haw.

You look great.

Thanks.

Um, I...

Dad, can I just... can I talk to you for a sec?

Just one second.

[Clears throat]

Branch looks awful. What is he doing here?

Working.

[Scoffs]

How's Henry's lawyer?

He didn't show up.

The jail told the public defender's office that Henry canceled the meeting.

He didn't.

And it looks like he's getting really roughed up in there.

We have got to get him out.

Track down the public defender. Find out what's going on.

I'll go see Henry.

Thank you.

I just got the address to that reform school in Arizona.

We should really go check it out.

Wait, now?

Dad, what about Henry?

I'll take care of it. All of it.

Yes. Sheriff Walt Longmire.

I need to speak to Henry Standing Bear.

Yeah, I can wait... Again.

Still no luck?

Never had a problem before with the Tri-County Jail, but now that Henry's in there...

Want to turn around, just drive back?

Actually, I do.

But we're already halfway to Arizona.

[Footsteps]

[Rhythmic banging]

[Chanting in native language]

[Banging intensifies]

[Chanting in native language]

Well, Hank Standing Bear, what sort of trouble have you found for yourself now?

Hello, Malachi.

It appears that trouble has found me.

It looks like you could use a friend.

I have friends.

Oh, not in here, you don't.

Walter Longmire can't help you in here.

I mean, he can't even get you on the telephone.

And if word of your close friendship with a white lawman were to get whispered into the wrong ears...

[Chuckles]

But I have some wonderful news.

I just might be able to make all this stop.

Does that mean you also made it start?

[Laughs]

You can't be half-Indian in here, Hank, not with the Brotherhood around.

With us, it's, uh, go red or... go dead.

[Rhythmic banging]

[Screaming]

Vic: Look at all this.

Is this supposed to be a prison or a school?

Ruth: Have you found Polina?

Found her cellphone.

Our office traced its, uh, serial number back to your school.

I'll have my I.T. guy look into it.

Did you contact Polina's guardians after she ran away?

Technically, we are Polina's guardians.

Lanny and Phœbe Greene signed over custody six weeks ago.

We sent an extraction team up to Wyoming to get her out of her regular school and bring her down here.

This is her room.

[Sighs]

You mean you had to kidnap her?

[Laughs]

You haven't met Polina, have you?

This incident was a regular occurrence.

Vic: Maybe the other girl did something to provoke her.

Oh, she did.

[Cellphone chimes]

She got ahead of her in the cupcake line.

Oh, now, that's interesting.

The serial number you gave me belongs to the phone of our Head of Security, Norwood Young.

I'd like to talk to him.

Yeah, me too.

I sent him to retrieve Polina right after she escaped.

I haven't been able to contact him for the last 24 hours.

Then we'll need the pass code to his phone.

Oh, no. I'm sorry.

That is completely against regulations.

Ms. Ruth, Polina was found m*rder*d in my county.

Your Head of Security's phone was found at the crime scene.

[Sniffs] Okay.

I'll make an exception this one time, for Polina's sake.

Hey, Branch. Try 5593.

It works. Great.

Download all the, uh, e-mails, pictures, and text messages.

We're on our way back to you right now.

All right, bye.

Young woman: Sorry!

Little help here?

You guys here about Polina?

What do you know about Polina?

I think I know who k*lled her.

I'm like three weeks away from getting out of here.

I can't get caught breaking into the computer lab.

So, was Polina mistreated here?

Is that why she ran away?

I don't think so.

She was just sort of sick in the head.

She was totally obsessed with trying to escape.

Someone must have done something to her.

All she'd say was she wasn't gonna let it happen again.

Let what happen again?

I don't know, and I wasn't gonna ask.

How do you know Polina was k*lled?

'Cause I saw your sheriff's truck.

Wyoming's the last state she sent me pictures from.

[Door opens]

Aren't you guys done yet? Hurry.

Polina sent me pictures of every driver who picked her up and their license plates in case anything happened to her.

Why did she trust you?

She didn't. I just have computer privileges.

Plus, she threatened to cut me open if I snitched.

Who do you think k*lled her?

Him.

It's the last picture she sent me. Wyoming plates.

Walt!

Walt!

[Clears throat]

Where have you been?!

I have been looking for you everywhere.

Ruth: Sheriff?

What are you doing in here?

Checking my e-mail.

Right now Walt wants you to talk to all the drivers pictured on that cellphone, especially the last guy.

Uh, we also need to locate an Arizona resident named Norwood Young.

Ferg: Are you on your way back?

No, we're gonna spend the night here, go talk to Polina's adoptive parents again first thing in the morning.

I'll keep you posted, though.

Thousands of years, and still nobody knows what to do with them.

With who?

Bad girls.

People think they need more discipline and stricter rules.

They send them to convents and sanatoriums, cheer camp.

[Chuckles]

But all we really need is a little bit of love and acceptance.

"We"?

Big mouth, authority issues, poor impulse control.

And temper.

So, yeah, I may have walked a few miles in Polina's shoes.

You know, the only difference between good girls and bad girls is that good girls ask permission and bad girls ask forgiveness.

But we all just want the same thing.

What?

That's my beer.

Can I get... thank you.

So, I've got information on basically every driver, except for this one.

Ferg: There you are.

Whoa. Didn't mean to startle you.

You didn't.

I was just following up on Norwood Young.

No hits on his credit card yet.

Okay.

Walt: Uh, this is me.

Yeah. And this is me.

[Buzzing]

[Chuckles]

Here.

[Lock clicks]

And they say chivalry's dead.

Good night.

Good night.

[Laughs]

[Sighs]

[Chuckles]

[Knock on door]

Branch just called.

Somebody using Norwood Young's credit card just checked in to a motel 30 miles north of here.

Norwood Young?

Yep.

They, uh, send you two to help look for Polina?

Yeah.

Come on in.

[Clears throat]

Cold one?

I'll take one.

Ooh.

So, uh, any leads on our little runaway tramp?

Still searching.

She's a sexy little number, isn't she?

Who?

Polina.

[Chuckles]

Oh, brother, you have no idea.

[Laughs]

Hey, uh, I saw a convenience store nearby.

Would you be a sweetheart and grab us some more beers, get yourself a little something sweet, as well?

Anything else?

Not just yet.

[Laughs]

Ah.

Oh.

She knows how to fill out a uniform.

Oh, yeah.

So, tell me about this Polina.

Oh, she'll get your tall boy tingling.

But, uh, when she starts coming on to you with that sexy little Russian accent of hers, do yourself a favor.

Keep it in your pants.

[Laughs]

I don't mind a little feistiness.

[Laughs]

Well, feisty's one thing, brother, but this girl's nuts.

You know, some days, she is bashing some poor little girl's head in.

Other days, she's off somewhere, drawing pictures of unicorns.

[Chuckles]

And other days, she's waiting for you in your office, wearing nothing at all.

Really? Nothing?

Nothing but a dirty, little grin.

[Laughs] So, uh... is that when you grabbed her by the throat and choked the life out of her?

[Gasps]

Whoa, whoa. What the hell?

See, I'm not looking for Polina, Norwood.

I already found her.

Her body was dumped in my county.

I'm looking for a k*ller.

[Scoffs]

What the hell you breathing down my neck for?

Your phone was at the crime scene.

Oh, sh*t!

[Sighs]

All right, look.

Um, when I found Polina in my office, we, uh, came to a little agreement.

She'd let me hit it and quit it, and after I finished, I'd leave a few doors unlocked for her.

But after she left, I realized she'd stolen my cellphone, so I started tracking her.

I had to get that damn thing back or else my dumb ass would get fired!

So is that when you k*lled her?

Man, I-I couldn't even find her!

You all's cellphone coverage sucks!

[Sighs]

So I-I decided to lay low here for a while, you know, see how things played out.

Look, I know this looks bad, but I swear I'm actually a really good guy.

You mean other than when you were exchanging sexual favors with underage girls?

When you put it like that, you make it sound like did something wrong.

You did.

Is that our guy?

Could be.

We're holding him for statutory r*pe and, uh, suspicion of m*rder.

Hey, Walt.

That was Ruby. She called the Tri-County Jail.

Set up an appointment for you and Henry at 2:00.

Anything else?

Yeah. We brought in another driver... a Gareth Ashbery.

He's from, uh... Riverton.

Branch, if you want some time off...

Come on, Walt.

What else am I gonna do?

Sit around and reread the classics?

Let's talk to that driver.

Walt: You often pick up hitchhikers?

I strive to live in a Christian manner.

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers..."

"For thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

Yes.

But perhaps sometimes one entertains devils, as well.

Is it a sin to k*ll a wicked man?

Yes, it is.

But what if this wicked man sneaks into his daughter's bed at night and teaches her filthy tricks?

[Tires screech]

She was fine when you left her there on the side of the road?

Yes. She was laughing.

Why?

Probably because she had just stolen my wallet.

Did that make you angry?

Did you turn around, try to get that wallet back?

No. I just wanted to get away.

Her fantasies were twisted, evil.

Vic: Maybe they weren't fantasies.

Maybe she was telling you the truth about what her father did.

Well, then, I will pray to Nicholas, the Patron Saint of Children and Travelers, for the lord to guard her spirit from each of her foes.

Why did Polina really run away?

Lanny: What?

I'll take the truth this time.

She wasn't happy here.

According to Polina, her father r*ped her.

Is that why she ran off?

How did you really get that scar on your arm?

Hey, hold on.

We weren't perfect parents, but we're not perverts.

I told you, she... she att*cked me when I tried to ground her.

You also told me you hadn't seen her in over 11 months.

Records show you enrolled her in a reform school just six weeks ago.

These aren't our signatures.

I mean, someone forged our names.

I bet that other family put our names down in order to get rid of her.

What other family?

Listen, Polina didn't run away 11 months ago.

We re-homed her.

Re-homed her?

I mean, we couldn't control her, you know?

We tried... I don't know.

We tried contacting the Angels of Kirov.

They didn't even exist anymore.

Social Services wasn't any help, so...

What did you do?

Phœbe: I joined an online support group.

They suggested a chat room where we might find someone to take Polina.

Who did you find?

A woman named Priscilla Gunther over in Durant.

She said she and her husband, Art, had raised a bunch of troubled Russian kids already and had room to take in another one.

So we put Polina in the car, and we drove up to Durant, and we re-homed her with the Gunthers.

With people you had just met online?

We were desperate. It seemed like they could handle her.

I mean, there's no law against re-homing a kid like Polina.

Unless, of course, the Gunthers turn out to be sexual predators.

They were nothing like that.

I mean, she said she had a psychology degree.

He spoke Russian. They were excited.

No red flags. I mean, we wouldn't have left Polina...

So where did this re-homing take place?

Gunthers lived here.

When did they move?

A couple nights ago.

Just up and out without saying boo.

The Gunthers have a daughter named Polina?

That might have been her name.

Teens, pink hair, sort of a handful.

Vic: How so?

Well, these are thin walls and close quarters around here.

It's hard to ignore the shouting and arguing.

Any idea where they went?

No.

You know, I don't get it.

Art paid for his security deposit and next month's rent all in cash.

You know, I'd send it back to him, but he didn't leave a forwarding address.

Do you mind getting us all the paperwork you have on the Gunthers?

No, of course not.

So, was Polina coming here to see the Gunthers, or was she headed west to confront the Greenes?

Depends who you blame more, the ones who abused you or the ones who were supposed to keep you safe.

I don't know. Maybe she just got in the wrong car, Walt.

You got your meeting with Henry, though, so you should go do that.

I'll wait here for the information on the Gunthers, and I'll meet you back at the station.

Yeah.

[Buzzer]

[Door closes]

Malachi: Walter Longmire.

Where's Henry?

Right now Hank Standing Bear is, uh, busy getting back in touch with his roots.

You can think of me as his emissary.

Malachi, if anything happens to Henry...

Then you'll do what? Arrest me again?

How are things on the res, anyway?

I presume it's all peace, prosperity, and sunny weather now that Mathias has taken my place.

You used your badge to run an extortion ring.

Your arrest is no one's fault but your own.

Well, amen to that.

That's why I want to talk to you.

Look, I am a changed man, and, um, I'll always owe that to you, Walt.

I've found a Brotherhood here, a Brotherhood of, uh, warriors that taught me to accept total responsibility for my actions.

Inspiring.

I hope the parole board thinks so.

[Laughs]

You know, it'd really help me out if you came to my hearing and, uh, backed me up.

And why would I do that?

There are a lot of dangerous men in here, some that you've arrested yourself.

Now, can you imagine what would happen if they knew about Hank Standing Bear's, uh, cozy little relationship with Sheriff Walter Longmire?

That sounds like a thr*at.

Interesting.

To my ears, it sounds like...

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Have a nice day.

[Buzzer]

[Door closes]

Excuse me. I'm looking for Henry.

Henry's off tonight.

Do you mind if I set these here?

Yeah. Uh, just a moment, pal.

[Sighs]

Any leads on, uh, Art and Priscilla Gunther?

Nothing. No social, no driver's license.

Apparently, neither of them actually exists.

What about those chat rooms the Greenes told us about?

Maybe they're showing up there.

Vic: We've been going through them, but there's no sign of the Gunthers.

These chat rooms, though, really messed up.

How so?

Ruby: Like this, Walt. Listen.

"We've had our 4-year-old Chinese daughter for six days now.

She's always crying.

We were hoping for a less-emotional child.

We're looking to re-home her."

It sounds like a big swap meet, only for kids.

There's no oversight, no regulations.

Just people passing children from one house to another.

Branch: Some of which belong to predators.

"Looking to take in an 8-year-old boy.

Slender and blond preferred.

Cute and quiet a must."

The worst part is that no one's using their real names, so there's no way to find these creeps.

Maybe we don't find them. Maybe they find us.

Now, the Gunthers specialize in troubled Russian children.

Let's start looking for a home for a rebellious Russian daughter.

[Door opens]

Ferg: I found Corey Majack.

Cell or your office?

I'm a salesman with the Howling Bison Brewing Company.

I cover all the Western States.

Do you recognize her?

Yeah, I do.

Gave her a ride.

[Bell jingles]

She wanted me to make a stop, and she told me to take her to this trailer park.

Polina: Okay, stop.

Wait here.

So, then, she was going to see the Gunthers.

Did you wait for her?

For like a minute.

I got scared and drove off.

Why?

She looked like she was gonna go k*ll someone.

[Sighs]

Any responses to our post yet?

Since announcing that we're looking to re-home our troubled, Russian daughter, Agna, we've had a number of interested parties.

No Gunthers.

By: Oh, um, "we would be happy to welcome your beautiful daughter into our home. My husband and I have much experience with Russian children, and our girls would love a sister."

It could be them.

Tell them we're at our wit's end, want to hand over Agna immediately.

Um, we want her to see a picture of her new family first.

Can they send one?

[Buzzer]

[Door closes]

Henry...

[Sighs]

What is going on in here?

I do hope the public defender is on his way this time.

[Buzzer]

[Coughs]

I'm Gus Higgins.

It looks like I've been assigned to your case.

We were expecting Colin Kilpatrick.

Yeah. Colin's awesome. [Laughs]

Something big must have come up.

But you got me.

So, which fella are you again?

[Papers shuffling]

They sent a picture.

They say it's their daughters.

It's Polina.

Tell them we can't wait to meet them.

Cady: You know what? You're fired.

Get lost.

[Buzzer]

Where is he going?

Back to law school, hopefully.

I fired him.

Okay.

So what now?

Now you get a new attorney.

Good.

Who?

Me.

Help sell it.

That could be her.

Are you Agna's parents?

We are. We're parked on the other side of the lot.

Agna refuses to get out of the truck.

[Sighs] Like I told you, I just can't put up with her attitude anymore.

I-I don't know how you handle it.

[Sighs] My husband and I figure every tantrum is just another chance to earn a child's trust.

Your husband and children are here, as well?

He took Sofia to use the bathroom.

Our oldest daughter is on a school trip.

We are so excited. [Laughs]

We got to get out of here.

[Speaks Russian]

They're gonna take you back to the orphanage!

What the hell happened to Polina?! Tell me!

Get in!

Tell me!

Polina came back.

She said she was taking Sofia with her, and I was gonna let her.

I was.

[Voice breaking] But my husband heard us, and... oh, my God, he was drunk, and he just kept choking her!

What's happening?

Walt: Pull over! Pull over!

[Tires screech]

[Tires screeching]

Step out with your hands raised!

Drop the w*apon! I will sh**t!

Girl: Let us be!

[Speaks Russian]

We're family.

If you come any closer, I'll sh**t.

I'm here to help you, Sofia.

[Speaks Russian]

You can only trust family.

Then you should know Polina sent me for you.

You know Polina?

I feel now I do.

[Speaks Russian]

Polina abandoned us.

We can't trust her.

Polina had a lot of problems, but you brought out the good in her.

[g*n cocks]

[g*nsh*t]

Don't take another step!

[g*n cocks]

She said she'd always be there for me.

Where is she?

Polina wanted to protect you, Sofia, more than anything.

She never once forgot about you.

You're lying, just like her!

She wanted me to give this to you.

[Both laughing]

sh**t him, Sofia, now!

I've failed a lot of people, Sofia.

I'm not gonna fail you.

Okay.

You're safe now.

Ugh! Aah!

Oh, you broke my arm!

Ah! Aah!

I only wish I could do more.

Where am I going to now?

Somewhere better, I promise.

Whatever it takes.

You sound like Polina.

Thanks.