All language subtitles for Murder.She.Wrote.S09E06.Night.of.the.Coyote.WEBRip.x264-ION10.

[Jessica] Tonight, on Murder, She Wrote.

They say
it’s haunted up there.

People have claimed
they’ve seen skinwalkers.

Skinwalkers?

-Witches.
[speaking Navajo]

Does anyone know how much
Cutter stole from the stagecoach?

Whatever it is,
it’s probably worth millions.

Max, you know,
it’s not over.

Silverville is still
a big attraction.

It’s none of your business,
all right?

Max was after
the stolen treasure.

Be careful, Mrs. Fletcher.

Fortune fever
is real contagious.

I wanted to kill him
last night.

You’re fired.

[guns firing]

Whoa! Whoa!

All right, hand over
the box real slow.

Damn you, Cutter McGee!

Oh, I can’t believe
that poor man

has to do
that twice a day.

You’ve just witnessed
the last stage robbery

in New Mexico, pulled in
1898 by Cutter McGee.

Cutter lived
most of his life at sea,

and after this holdup,
Navajo Indians stole his pony

and he was
captured by the posse.

And the fortune he stole
that day has never been recovered.

Don’t forget
the Cutter McGee museum

at the end of the street.

It’s well worth
the price of admission.

Come on, I want you to meet Max. Okay?

Max, this is Jessica Fletcher.

-Jessica, Max Teller.
-How do you do, Mr. Teller?

Mrs. Fletcher, Susan
told me you were coming.

Welcome to Silverville.

-Thank you.
-How’d you like the show?

Oh, it was
very entertaining.

You know,
this is a fascinating old town.

When was it abandoned?

In 1905 the old silver mine
was tapped out

and the town was practically
deserted overnight.

The whole story is in the museum.
Have you seen it yet?

No, we’re on our way over there.

Excuse me, Mr. Teller.

The axle’s broken again.

Could you check for Matt

and get him out here to fix it
before tomorrow.

All right, Earl.

I’ll have it for you
when he gets here.

Excuse me, that was
a very impressive fall.

Thank you, ma’am.

Max,

Ben Judson
is waiting for you.

God, that’s right.
Thanks, Betty.

Don’t you forget
you’re having dinner with us tonight.

Oh, I’ll be there, promise.

Sorry to keep you.

Oh, no problem,
I know business can be unpredictable.

Look, you guys
gave me three months

to catch up on my loan.
Now what do you want?

Max, I’m not here
for the bank.

I have a personal
proposition for you.

Personal?

Well, go on, Judson.

I want to buy
Silverville.

-It’s not for sale.
-Now, look, Max.

It’s only a matter
of time before we--

before
the bank has to foreclose.

This way, at least you get
some equity out of the place.

You default
and those FDIC bloodhounds

will be sniffing around
again.

Don’t you worry,
that’s not gonna happen.

Well, you do
yourself a favor.

You think about it.

I thought vultures wait until
you’re dead

before they start picking
your bones.

I want to get this place,
Teller.

[Jessica] You know,
your work has taken

on a whole new dimension

since you moved out here,
Susan.

The desert does
things for me, Jess.

Every day,
I see it for the first time.

Light changes,
the sky moves.

God knows what it is,
but it has,

it’s given me
a whole new perspective.

You’ll like
the one I brought last year

in Santa Fe,
Mrs. Fletcher.

Alamo Canyon at Dusk.

Charles was my first sale
in New Mexico,

-told me I was in the right place.
-Really?

Uh-oh, something is telling me
the lasagna is ready.

-Will you guys excuse me?
-Mmm-hmm.

Max was telling me that
you’re writing a book about

the silver strike here

and doing research
at the museum.

It’s a dry
historical treatise.

It’s hardly
a best seller.

Oh, don’t be
so sure about that.

No, no, no.

Do you live here
in Chaco Springs, Mr. Strickland?

I wish.

No, most of the time I’m in Albuquerque
teaching at the university.

Oh, hello, Max.

Ah, now, here is the man
with more raw data

on Cutter McGee than
anyone else in this country.

You just make sure your book
makes Silverville famous.

We’ll have tourists flooding
in here in search of treasure.

Me, I’m in
search of dinner.

You know, I noticed that Cutter
never lost his seafaring ways.

In the museum, his sextant
and chronometer

and all of his charts
were in perfect condition.

He used to use them to find
his way around the desert.

A word to the wise,
Mrs. Fletcher.

Don’t get Max started
on his lost treasure scam.

It sells tickets,
but that’s about it.

[Susan] So, what do you think of him?

I assume you mean Max.

Oh, was I that obvious?

Well, if you mean the way
your eyes never left him, yes.

Yes, I think
he’s very charming.

Well, you know,
after the divorce

I swore I would
never get involved again.

Love’s sneaky like that.

It blindsides you just
when you don’t want it

and you think
you don’t need it.

[horse neighing]

Nice setup
you’ve got here.

Tony, what the hell
are you doing here?

I came to see you.

Come on, I’ll buy
you breakfast.

We can shoot the breeze
about the good old days.

Look, I’m real busy
right now.

How about the next time
you’re coming through?

How about right now?

Four years, Maxie,
not even a birthday card?

Tony, you made
your own trouble.

You almost took me
down with you.

What the hell do you want?

My share of what was
in that offshore account.

I don’t owe you a thing.

Maybe you need
some time to think about it.

That’s okay.
I know all about time.

Forget about the cops,
though.

I’m clean now,
they can’t touch me.

Now, you,
on the other hand,

I’m sure
a lot of folks would be

real interested to hear

how you got the money
to buy this place.

Oh, I can’t believe
I lost my pen.

-Oh.
-You know, it was my favorite,

I’ve had it for years.

I know how you feel.
I’m the same way about my brushes.

Well, we’ll check
the museum,

maybe somebody found it.

Oh, I hope so.

You know,
it’s amazing to me

that anything can grow
around here.

There are some plants out
here on Navajo land

that you won’t
find anywhere else.

Sounds promising.

I’m going to take
a walk down there.

You’ll find
a lot of magic out there.

[coyote howling]

And a very good day to you,
too.

All that brush.

Quite eerie, the way it
echoes up here, isn’t it?

Yes, yes, it is.

Hear it at night,
and you’ll know

why the Shamans believe
that the spirit of coyote

brings evil into the world.

They say
he’s always lurking,

ready to strike
at the unwary.

Sam Keeyani,
pleased to meet you.

Jessica Fletcher.

How do you do,
Mr. Keeyani?

Just Sam.

You picked a nice place
for a walk.

It’s Coyote Canyon.

It gets
a little further up, though.

There’s
a lot of loose rocks.

In other words,
I shouldn’t go any further.

That’s smart.
It gets dark quickly up here.

They say
it’s haunted up there.

People have claimed
they’ve seen skinwalkers.

Skinwalkers?

Witches.

Not that I believe
in the old superstitions.

It’s just that, sometimes
you see things in the shadows

that you can’t
quite make out.

You want to see me,
Mr. Teller?

Yes, Earl.

I’ve been checking
the hay delivery,

and looks like
you’ve shorted us.

Oh, yeah?

Your petty cash slip
says 50 bales.

There’s only 30 out there.

Yeah, well, Carlos called

and said his regular truck
was in the shop.

He’s gonna bring out
the rest in the morning.

Is that so?

Look, I called
the feed company

and got your orders
from last year.

Every time you put in
for more than they delivered.

I must have screwed up,
you know.

I never was much at math.

Bull, you’ve been deliberately
shorting my orders

and selling
the balance on the side.

Now, get out of here,
you’re fired.

Yeah, well, big deal.
This job sucks anyway.

Just give me my pay
and I’m gone.

Forget it.

You’re not getting
another dime out of me.

I want what’s coming to me.

Yeah?

Or what?

[dog barking]

Max.

Max, are you all right?

Yeah, I’m okay.
Nobody hurt, thank God.

This is terrible.

Did you manage
to save anything?

We haven’t been inside yet,

but I doubt if there’s
much left of the collections.

Well, good morning,
Mrs. Fletcher.

Nice to see you again.

Well, thank you,
sheriff Keeyani.

That’s still just Sam.
Excuse me.

Would you all just
step back, please?

It’s arson.

Get me some samples
for the lab.

Sheriff, it could
have been electrical.

I’ve been meaning
to rewire this place.

Make any enemies
lately, Mr. Teller?

-You hear what I said?
-Now, just think about it.

Someone doesn’t like you
a whole lot.

I fired Earl yesterday.

No, it wasn’t Earl.

How the hell do
you know that?

Look, don’t give me
any double talk.

If it is arson,
talk to Earl.

Mr. Teller, we’ll give it
our full attention.

That includes what Earl
was up to last night,

except I don’t think
that’s your problem.

Now, you think about it.

Maybe you’ll come up
with something that’ll help.

I’ll be in my office.

I’d better go with him.

Well, Mrs. Fletcher,
I guess you’ll need a ride back to town.

Thank you, sheriff.

I promise you the best cup
of coffee in Chaco Springs.

Would you like chocolate
or cinnamon on top?

Oh, nothing, thanks.

Here you go.

Thank you.

If you tasted that sludge
they serve down at the diner,

you’ll know
why I got this monster.

Oh, that is delicious.

Well, thank you.

If you don’t mind
my saying so,

you have a rather curious
way about you, sheriff.

Yeah?
How’s that?

Well, this morning
in Silverville

you put on
an Oscar-winning performance,

allowing people
to think you were getting

your answers
from divine inspiration.

I suspect there was
a simpler explanation.

Go on.

When you looked up at the sky,
apparently in a trance,

you were smelling the air.

I noticed the faint
odor of gasoline.

And then, when you
let the dirt dribble

through your fingers,

you wanted to see
in fact if the wind

was coming from
the burned-out building.

Am I mistaken?

Well, I guess
I’ll be a little more careful next time

I run into
an innocent-looking tourist

in the desert.

What about my missing pen
suddenly appearing like that?

Oh, somebody found
that in front of the museum,

they turned it in.

I figured who else in town
would own an expensive pen

like that except a writer.

The way I did it,
just a little more fun.

But on a case,
I’m not just fooling around.

If a suspect has no idea
what I’m doing,

he’s liable to assume
that I know more than I do.

And that’s when he makes
his mistake, right?

Yeah.

But what I don’t
understand is,

how could you be so sure
that Earl didn’t do it?

When I was a kid on the rez,

we all learned
how to read tracks.

I’d have rather learned
how to ride a bike,

but we couldn’t afford one.

Anyway, the tracks
in front of the museum

this morning
were kind of messed up,

but I did find a partial
imprint of a gasoline can.

Further up the street
it was clearer,

and I found tracks
heading towards a building

deeper on one side
than the other.

Possibly from carrying
a heavy object

like a full can of gas?

You got it.

And on the other side,
the same tracks running away,

only evenly weighted.

I see.

But why do you
discount Earl?

Well, in all the years
that I’ve known him,

Earl’s always worn boots.

These were sneakers
about size ten.

And it’s doubtful
that he’d have changed

his shoes to fool you.

Exactly.

Max, you know,
it’s not over.

Silverville is still
a big attraction.

You and I could rebuild
the museum together.

I mean,
you know I can help.

I don’t need your money.

There’s a lot more
to Cutter McGee than

hitting up tourists
for ten bucks a head.

What is it, Max?

Please, please,
don’t shut me out.

Look, there are
just some things

that I have to keep to myself
for now, Susan, all right?

No, no, it’s not all right.

Damn it, Max,

I’ve shared
everything with you,

and there’s still
a large part of your life

that you are
not letting me into.

It’s none of your business.

Okay, fine.

And whatever it is,
you can keep it,

because I’m not
interested anymore.

Damn.

Hi, there, Alice.

-Hello, sheriff.
-Please, just Sam.

-So, how’s your car running?
-Fine, and yours?

So, when are
you going to take me up

for that offer for dinner?

One of these days.
I’ll let you know.

I chased her for five miles
on the interstate doing 90,

let her off with a warning.

I’ve never done that before.

She’s very pretty.

I found out she works
over at the Mayor’s office

so I made sure they send her
over for any paperwork.

It’s just a matter of time.

Mrs. Fletcher.

Sheriff, I thought
this might be useful.

Oh, from the museum?

Yes, it’s an inventory
I was working on.

It’s got all the items
that were out on display,

but there were
several boxes in the back

I hadn’t even opened yet.

I understand the Smithsonian
has the same problem.

Thanks, I’ll check it out.

I hope this
doesn’t give you

the wrong opinion
of New Mexico.

This morning’s disaster
is not a good introduction.

I’d like to correct
that, if you have some time.

Well, a little, until
Susan gets back.

Well, good, I’ll drive
you back to her place.

And on the way, it’ll be

the Charles Strickland
historical scenic drive.

-What do you say?
-I’d love it.

[dog barking]

Well, if it ain’t Tonto.

-Son of a--
-That’s sheriff Tonto to you.

Dumb horse.
Hold still!

I want to talk to you
about last night.

What,
you’ve heard about it?

The whole town
is talking about it.

Yeah, well,
he had it coming.

What’d he do,
go and file a complaint?

Earl, before you say
anything else,

I’m gonna have to read
you your rights.

Oh, come on, sheriff.

So I punched a guy out.
Ain’t no federal case.

Punched who?

Chuck Warren,
down at the Broken Horseshoe.

Jerk was giving me
a hard time.

He shouldn’t have done that,

not after I’d just been canned,
so I popped him.

What time did you leave?

Don’t know, 2:00 maybe.

Did you go
to Silverville last night?

No, why?

Someone burnt
down Max’s museum.

Well, it couldn’t have
happened to a nicer guy.

Look, there’s about
20 guys that can tell you

I was
at the Horseshoe all night.

If you think I did it,
you’re wasting your time.

Yeah, I guess so.

That’s nice war paint,
chief.

Max?

Are you in there?

[Susan] I appreciate
your coming here, sheriff,

but I don’t know
what Max’s death has to do with me.

You were close friends.

I thought maybe you might
have been with him last night.

We’ll, we’ve gone out
a few times, that’s all.

Sheriff, losing a friend
can be very difficult,

let alone under these
kinds of circumstances.

Yes, of course,
you’re right.

Do you know
what time he was killed?

Somewhere between
8:00 and 10:00 as far as we can tell.

Will you excuse me, please?
I have work to do.

Will you excuse me, sheriff?

Susan.

I wanted to kill him
last night.

I thought something
had happened between you.

After the fire, I offered
to help him out financially.

He seemed to think
he was going

to get a big windfall
from Cutter McGee.

He actually
resented my offer.

I was furious.

And you didn’t see him
again after that?

Yes, later, a lot later.

I began to think
that I was foolish and...

I went by
the office about 8:00,

and he was there
with Betty,

that secretary of his.

He was all over her.

Oh, no.

Oh, I’m so sorry.

They didn’t see me,
I just left.

I was so angry
and confused and hurt,

I couldn’t even talk to you
when I got home.

But I didn’t kill him,
Jess.

Did you touch anything
when you came in

and found the body
this morning?

No, I ran right out
and I called you from in there.

Well, it looks like
he had company.

We’ll check
those for prints.

What time did you
leave last night?

I usually leave
around 6:00.

First mistake.
That’s not what I asked you.

So, why did you stay late?

I didn’t say that.

You didn’t have to.

It’s best to tell the truth.

Max was in a lousy
mood all day,

what with the fire and all.

I was ready to go home
when he asked if I’d stay,

so we had
a couple of drinks.

He was telling me about

how he was going
to make a fortune.

Next thing
we ended up, you know.

Nothing like
that ever happened before.

He was still alive
when you left him?

About 8:30, he said he had to
meet someone and he left the office.

I went home.

Do you know
who he was meeting?

No.

But a couple of days ago,
Ben Judson told Max

he wanted to buy this place.

Max said no.

Maybe after the fire,
he changed his mind.

Sheriff, a call
just came in.

Some guy’s been picked up
driving Max Teller’s car.

[Sheriff] What were you doing
with Max Teller’s car, Mr. Sable?

I was sightseeing.

Hey, come on.

So I was parked
in the red zone, what’s the big deal?

They just let you out of jail
in Los Angeles.

Now, that’s a long way
from Chaco Springs.

Max Teller was
murdered last night.

Now, what were
you doing driving his car?

If I’d killed him, you think I’d be
hanging around here driving his car?

Okay, look, Max and me,

we had a mail order business
out in California.

It wasn’t doing
very much until

I started milking
the customers’

credit cards for cash

and putting
the money offshore.

When Max found out about it,
he went to the DA,

turned state’s evidence,
and I got the four years.

And what about
the stolen money?

Max turned over some of it
to throw them off,

but he conveniently
forgot to tell the DA

about the offshore account.

When I got out,
the money was gone.

I figured that Max used
most of it to buy Silverville.

Did you arrange
to meet him last night?

No.

No, the last time I saw Max
was yesterday afternoon.

He wanted to buy me off.

He said he had
some money coming in.

Hey, look, he was
my meal ticket.

I wasn’t about to kill him.

That’s all for now,
Mr. Sable.

You’re free to go...

but stick around
until you hear from me.

I’ve met rattlers
I like better than him.

I just don’t have
enough to hold him,

at least not
till he sheds his skin.

He’s the third person
that Max told

that he had money
coming in.

Well, maybe he decided
to sell the place after all.

Perhaps,
but he mentioned to Susan

that it was coming through
Cutter McGee.

I wonder
if it’s possible

that Max was after
the stolen treasure.

Be careful, Mrs. Fletcher.

Fortune fever
is real contagious.

Well, I’m going to see

what I can find out about
Cutter McGee in the library.

Do you believe people
can meet in dreams,

Mrs. Fletcher?

Well, I like to keep
an open mind.

Why?

Well, my uncle Ashie,
he made me promise

that I’d bring you
to see him.

He says you visited him
many times before.

I don’t recall having met him,
not even in a dream,

but with this kind of setup,
how can I say no?

Oh, it’s Alice,
isn’t it?

-Sheriff Keeyani’s friend.
-Yes, Alice Chee.

There’s no need to introduce
yourself, Mrs. Fletcher.

The mayor is very excited about
you visiting Chaco Springs.

Thank you.

Oh, are you
interested in drawing?

Yes, I am.vI’m taking
a life drawing course in Santa Fe.

Well, I have to run,
I’ll be late back from lunch.

It was great meeting you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Excuse me,
there seems to be some editions

from the Silverville advocate
that are missing

from the year 1898.

I wonder
if you could help me.

Nope.

It’s already been reported
by Mr. Strickland.

There’s nothing I can do,

probably the only copies
in existence.

You wouldn’t happen to have
any other material about

Silverville
from that period?

Two photographs of the town
marshal on horseback,

six bills of lading
for hay feed,

a postcard
from Roger in Atlantic City

to his cousin Lucille saying,

"The water is fine,
come on out," and that.

Worthless, company
went out of business in 1905.

That’s all we got.

Well, thank you very much.

Mrs. Fletcher, hello again.
What are you doing here?

Well, I’m just
trying to find out

more about Cutter McGee.

Oh, well, I think
I can help you.

Will you two shush?

Here.

Let me see.

Oh, just a minute.

I have the only known
photo of Cutter McGee,

probably taken about 1896.

What a character,
and he really wore that cap.

I thought that Max was
taking liberties out there in Silverville.

No, no.
I showed him that.

You know,
I’m going to miss Max.

We got to know each other
pretty well going through

his old material.

Tell me, does anyone know

how much Cutter stole
from the stagecoach?

No, no.
That’s still the big mystery.

I’ve heard
everything from gold

bullion to bags
of silver dollars.

Whatever it is,
it’s probably worth millions by now.

Good morning, sheriff.
Have a seat.

Do you want
a cup of coffee?

No, thanks.
I won’t take up much of your time.

Oh, that’s all right.

We don’t see
each other that often.

I’ve been meaning
to tell you

that when the council voted
on your appointment,

I campaigned to stop it.

Yes, yes, I did.

But times have changed
and we have to change with them.

Though, when my great-granddaddy
moved West,

he was attacked
twice by Indians, and--

I guess we have
something in common, then,

seeing as my great-grandma
was murdered

by a bunch of boozed-up
white settlers.

Yes, well.

What I mean to say is,
I don’t remember

when the department
was run better,

and, well,
the Chamber of Commerce

will give you
its full support

when your contract
is up for renewal.

I appreciate that,
Mr. Judson.

Now,
what can I do for you?

I expect you heard about
Max Teller’s death this morning.

Yes, yes, I did.
We will miss him.

I understand you tried
to buy Silverville from him.

The land comes
with water rights.

I needed them
to expand my herd.

And, of course,
there’s no conflict

with you running the bank.

Conflict?
Hell.

Max would have
gotten his money out

before
the bank foreclosed

and the bank would
have avoided another default.

And you’d have
gotten the water,

only he didn’t
want to sell.

If you think I killed Max
to get Silverville, you’re crazy.

I see.

You’ve frozen
Mr. Teller’s accounts.

His personal
and his commercial accounts,

also a safety deposit box.

I’ll send a deputy
over for the box.

Thank you for your time.

[Jessica] Tell me,
what exactly

did your uncle mean
about meeting me before?

Well, he wasn’t too clear.

See, he operates
on a different wavelength

than everybody else.

He’s a Shaman.

That’s a healer, isn’t it?

Oh, they’re
more than healers,

they’re spiritual leaders,

keepers of
the tribe’s oral history.

Some of Ashie’s stories
go back centuries.

Well, I’m definitely looking
forward to meeting him,

assuming that we haven’t
already met.

Here we are.

[speaking Navajo]

He’s happy
that you’re visiting him again.

I’m happy to be here.

[speaking Navajo]

He wants to repay
you for your time together.

Is there anything he can do?

I recently heard a story
about a white man

who was captured after losing
his horse to the Navajos.

That was about
90 years ago.

Do you recall
any stories from that time?

[speaking Navajo]

There was a man
from his grandfather’s clan

who had fallen sick,
and the Shaman

wanted to protect him
from the curse,

so they went out and gathered
rabbit brush to burn

for ash to put on this man

to hide him
from the evil spirits.

[speaking Navajo]

While they were
gathering this,

they saw a bilagaana,
a white man.

He was alone,
so they chased him,

but he hid in the rocks

and was protected
by the enemy spirits.

[speaking Navajo]

After two days, the bilagaana
came out for water.

They gave him some,
but they kept his horse.

[speaking Navajo]

This white man
was touched

by the spirit of coyote,
the trickster,

and he was killed
by his own people.

Fascinating.

Please thank
your uncle for me.

Is there anything
that I can do?

In my many visits with
you through your books,

I have enjoyed
many hours of pleasure.

I ask only one thing,

you sign "to my
good friend Ashie."

With great pleasure.

To be a Shaman, one must
have good friends in high places.

-Hi, Jess.
-Hi.

You want some tea?

Oh, yes.
I’d love some tea.

Oh, can you see anything
interesting in the flames?

I was just
thinking about Max.

-Cream?
-No, thanks.

I feel like I’ve been on a roller coaster
the last couple of days.

I’m not surprised.

This is the first time

that I have
let myself feel this way

about a man since Roger.

That’s a while back.

I didn’t feel like
I could ever go through this again, Jess.

And the prospect of losing
someone as close as that...

and then along
come the voices.

"You should be married,
you need a man."

I know, I know, play
the conventional woman’s role.

Well, it seems to me
that you’ve done all right.

I mean, you’ve built
your own business.

You did it all on your own.

I know, it’s silly.

There’s a part of me
that wants to believe

I can be
completely independent.

And from what I can see,
you already are.

You know, since
I’ve been alone,

I’ve done things,
I’ve been places

that I never would
have dreamed of.

More than anybody I know.

I often wish that Frank and I
could have shared it together.

Still, I’ve been lucky.

I’ve had lots of wonderful
friends along the way.

So have I.

So have I.

Traces of sand were
found in the bullet wound

and in the hair.

You know, it looks to me

as if Max was
killed somewhere else

and then moved
into his office.

You got it.

Here, we found this
in his safe deposit box.

The only prints
on it are Max’s.

-May I?
-Go ahead.

Theodore McGee,
as in Cutter McGee?

The same. The last entry
is on the day before

he robbed
the Silverville stage.

You’d think
this would have been

on display in the museum.

Then why did he lock it up?

Maybe Max really
was after the stolen money,

and this told him
where it was.

Remember what I said
about fortune fever.

Anyway, it ends
before he even stole it.

Unless...

That’s it.

It’s right here
in the front of the book.

We’ve got to go
to the library.

Why?

Because, unless
my guess is wrong,

this will not only tell us
where Max was killed,

but also where the stolen
treasure is hidden.

Did we really have
to come here?

I’m already
six weeks overdue

on a copy of
The Hunt for Red October.

Thank you.

Are you enjoying that
Tom Clancy novel, sheriff?

Yes, it’s kind of thick.

It takes
a while to get through.

Apparently.

Now,
Charles Strickland told me

that McGee used his sextant
to navigate in the desert,

which means that the numbers
in the front of this diary

could refer
to map references.

Now, like longitude
and latitude.

He left out north and west
designates to disguise it.

Now, let me see.

Thirty six degrees,

23 minutes North.

Hundred and nine degrees,
12 minutes West.

Well, that would put it
50 miles west of Silverville.

I don’t have enough men
for that kind of search

unless we narrow it
down somehow.

Well...

Rabbit brush.

Your uncle said they were
collecting rabbit brush

when they found McGee?

Yes, for protection
against evil.

There’s not
a whole lot of places

rabbit brush grows
around here.

In fact, only one
that I know of.

Coyote Canyon.

There’s two sets
of prints going up,

one following the other,
and only one coming back down.

The ones coming back
down are deeper.

Could he have been carrying
something or somebody?

Like Max Teller’s body?

These sneaker prints match
the arsonist’s

found out at Silverville.

They stop here.

There’s prints everywhere.

Sheriff, could
that be blood?

Eddie, this is Sam.
You copy?

[Eddie over radio]
Sure thing, sheriff.

I want a forensic team up here
at Coyote Canyon asap.

I’m on it.

What did your uncle mean

when he said
that McGee had the spirits

of his enemies on his side?

The anasazi,
or ancient enemy,

that’s the Navajo name
for the people

that lived here
before we arrived.

There’s an old anasazi
burial cave up there.

A traditional Navajo
tries to avoid dead bodies.

In the old days,
they never would have

followed them up there.

Mcgee Drew a skull
and crossbones.

Maybe we just might
use it to catch the killer.

I thought you’d want
to get this back as soon as possible.

Thank you, sheriff.

I’ll just need
you to sign a receipt.

A’ight.

Charles Strickland, please.

[phone ringing]

Hello?

Mr. Strickland?
This is Jessica Fletcher.

Oh, hi.

How’s the research going?

Well, better than
I’d hoped, actually.

[Jessica] The police gave me access

to Max Teller’s safe deposit box.

Yeah?
What was inside it?

Cutter McGee’s diary,

but what I really
wanted to tell you

was that I think
I know exactly

where McGee
hid the stolen strongbox.

Well, I thought perhaps
we could confirm it together.

Of course, where do
I meet you and when?

Who is it?

Charles Strickland.

Were you expecting
someone else?

Yes.

Max Teller’s killer.

I’m sorry to disappoint you.

Have you found
that strongbox yet?

Yes, yes, I believe I have.

My God.
You’re right.

This must be it.

Yes, I suppose you realize
that the contents of this box

could make us
both very rich.

I’m very much
aware of that, Mrs. Fletcher.

Bonds?

Bonds?

That’s right,
from a company

that went bankrupt
about 90 years ago.

You killed Max Teller
for these

worthless
pieces of paper.

You know, you keep
talking like that,

someone’s liable
to take you seriously.

I can’t let that happen,
Mrs. Fletcher.

[sheriff]
Don’t do it, Strickland.

It’s over.

Deputy.

Wait, wait, wait.
I have nothing to do with Max’s death.

You want to straighten
him out, Mrs. Fletcher?

When we first met
at Susan’s house,

you denied the existence
of the stolen treasure.

I found it out that later

you were speculating
about its value.

Everyone was
talking about it.

-So what?
-But you went further.

[Jessica] I noticed in your briefcase
a book on celestial navigation.

You told me that McGee used
to navigate in the desert,

but now your interest
seemed to be

more than just academic.

Today, we found sneaker
prints up in the canyon

where forensics says
that Max was killed.

The same prints the arsonist
left in Silverville.

The same ones
you’re making right now.

Yeah, but everyone
wears these shoes.

Come on, this is
purely circumstantial.

True enough.
That’s why we arranged this charade.

Not only have you shown
your willingness to kill,

but my guess
is the ballistics

will match your gun
with the bullet

that killed Max Teller.

You want to tell us
how you got mixed up in this?

You know,
when Max first let me use

Silverville for research,

he wanted to see
if there was any chance

we could find this
lost fortune.

I didn’t believe in it.

Then one day he showed me
McGee’s diary.

Then you realized
what the numbers were.

Not at first.

Later I realized that if
those were map coordinates,

I could get
that treasure for myself.

I knew his sextant
was limited in its accuracy,

so first I got that
book you saw me with,

then I stole the sextant
from the museum

and then burned it down
to cover the theft.

If the sextant had been
the only thing missing,

it would have
looked suspicious.

I was then able
to recreate his reading.

And in the library
I found this newspaper report

on Cutter McGee’s trial

with a description of
where he was captured,

dying of thirst,
and that description

matched this
canyon exactly.

And you took those
editions out of the library

so that no one else could
follow the clue.

I started looking
under cover of darkness.

It was still a big area.

Somehow Max got suspicious
and followed me out here.

He accused me
of a double cross,

said he was going to
turn me in for burning down his place.

I panicked and shot him.

It all happened so quickly.

Then I took
his body back to Silverville.

I didn’t want the police
crawling all over here

finding my treasure.

Let’s go.

Just a second.

How did you know
where this place was?

From the Navajo archives,
oral history

from the sheriff’s uncle.

In his own way, he told us
about the anasazi burial cave.

Mrs. Fletcher
realized that the skull

and crossbones
wasn’t a reference

to pirate’s treasure,
but to the skeletons in here.

I guess dead men do tell tales after all,
right, Mr. Strickland?

It’s very kind of you
to ask me over.

Oh, actually,
it was Jessica’s idea.

-Thank you.
-She said you were an artist.

Art student, more like.

I’m taking a life
drawing course.

How about you, Sam?

-Mmm.
-Do you sketch?

Oh, well, you know,
that’s funny.

You know, I just decided
to take it up recently.

I know a very good class
in Santa Fe.

Oh, Jess.

I wish you could stay
for a few more days.

Well, so do I.

But if I don’t get
to Cabot Cove soon,

my garden is going
to be so overgrown,

I won’t be able to get
in the front door.

Gonna be all right?

Yeah, I’ll be okay.

I just can’t
get over the fact

that Charles Strickland
committed

murder over a bunch
of scrap paper.

You give him
one little chance

and coyote the trickster
will work his evil.

Murder for gain hardly needs
a supernatural explanation.

[coyote howling]

You never know.