Episode 2 of Dark Winds left off with Shorty Bowlegs being attacked by the monster. The monster that Joe Leaphorn thought was his has now left him with deep scratches on his arm. It was at that point he realized the monster was real. It’s gone way deeper than his fear that his life was left unbalanced after killing BJ Vines.
There’s a new monster at play and it’s already taken the life of Ernesto Cata. And if they don’t hurry up and find George Bowlegs another life could be taken from the Navajo Nation far too soon. Here's what happens in Dark Winds season 3 episode 3, Ch'į́į́dii (Ghosts)." SPOILERS BELOW.
The episode picks up with Chee and Leaphorn coming across a chili farm. There are major cult and hippie vibes in the air. It’s not a shock for this time period but something feels off when they come across the red Ford pickup. The leader of the farm, Halsey tries to diffuse the situation before Suzanne Thompson reveals it is her pickup.
This was possibly the truck that was on the road Monday night near where Cato was murdered. Joe wants to know the group’s whereabouts that evening. The leader claims they were at a house meeting and Suzanne confirmed his alibi. They affirm they do not know the boys, but Suzanne’s face is telling a whole other story. Chee knows she is lying and so does Joe, but they must wait until she’s ready to come forth with the truth.
Washington can see right through Joe
Two kids were playing on the makeshift ramp with their bikes when they spotted an old skeleton with a Scorpio crawling on it. Sylvia Washington knows this must be Vines based on the level of decay. But there needs to be confirmation so the body is sent to Flagstaff for proper identification.
When Leaphorn and Washington head out to Vines’ crime scene Joe tries to be sly by asking how he could have gotten out there. It’s the middle of nowhere, miles away from anything familiar to him. Washington is aware she can’t accuse Leaphorn of the crime outright until she has more evidence. But she’s eyeing Joe for the murder much more than she’s letting on.
The cost may be too great
Emma had spent the day visiting her in-laws to help make bread for a wedding, news comes over the radio about the revelation of BJ Vines. Henry couldn’t be more thrilled over the update that his grandson’s killer was brought to justice. However, Emma knows deep down that Joe had to be involved in this. His personality lately was all but giving him away.
By the time Joe walked into the house later that evening, the mood was a solemn one. His wife knows the night Vines disappeared Joe came home very late. She wants to know the truth and Leaphorn finally admits to the Indian justice he unleashed upon the man. He felt like he had to do it for the Diné people.
It may have cost Joe the ultimate price. Emma is not happy with him because now he invited the spirit of Vines into their home, and covered their son's memory in his blood. She cannot take what this has caused. Their partnership is crumbling and it’s hard to watch the agonizing look on her face. Joe was pretty much her world after losing their son, and now she feels as if she’s losing that too. As great of a wife as she is all women have their breaking point when trust has been ripped away from them.
Bernie does it again
Out of the blue Bernadette decides she needs to go apologize to Tom Spencer for overstepping. It could take a blind man to see that Budge is onto Bernadette’s suspicions. Ed Henry advises her that she should go apologize and bake two pies if that’s what it takes. He is undoubtedly the epidemy of a misogynistic pig, but Bernadette takes it in stride.
While Bernie does apologize to Tom for the over-inspection she still questions why security guys are riding shotgun on tankers. They make deliveries to 6 different refineries throughout the southwest. Spencer confesses these drivers get lonely on long stretches of road. Not to mention the undesirables they cross paths with.
Tom begins growing mildly annoyed with Bernadette when she brings up the need to apologize to Budge. He doesn’t see the point when Budge doesn’t have feelings. Regardless, on the way out Bernadette spots a curious-looking building that houses balls of something. And when she questions one of the workers he does his best to evade. There’s fear there and Bernie is on the brink of something not only disastrous for her career but for her life.
Budge De Baca is one of the scariest men I’ve seen in the series. And Bernie is not afraid to size him up when he interrupts her semi-date with Ivan. At first, Bernie tries to take her car to his meeting spot, but Budge will not budge. It was not a thoroughly thought-out plan on Bernadette’s part because it’s a place he ends up leaving her stranded.
Truth’s revealed
Joe starts going through research on AGS Industries but his mind keeps traveling to the BJ Vines file right before Suzanne makes a cryptic call to Joe. Once they meet to discuss a “chili order” Suzanne looks worried and paranoid when she tells Joe she knew George and Ernesto. They hung around last summer before Halsey told them to go. She divulged to Joe that Halsey has a temper and he did take her truck out late that Monday night.
Halsey is now a suspect they must go after and when Leaphorn and Chee surround the chili farm, Joe finds Suzanne with a needle stuck in her and is there to comfort her for what looks like her last breaths. In the same instance Halsey gets away from Chee. Jim's lack of speed has once again failed him.
Dark Winds releases new episodes Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC and AMC Plus.