Scalped Book 8: You Gotta Sin To Get Saved (#43-49)

"We come here for one thing, son... to kill a man" - Catcher

Welcome to another post on Scalped, the Vertigo series about an undercover FBI agent Dashiell Bad Horse on the fictional Prairie Rose reservation. The rez is a poverty stricken place, the tribal head is Lincoln Red Crow who also runs the new casino.  Dashiell has been place on the rez to find any murders that can be pinned on Red Crow as Agent Nitz believes he was responsible for the shooting of two FBI agents, his mentors and friends, back in 1975 when Red Crow was a member of an Indian radical group called The Dog Soldiers.  Actually the man who pulled the trigger is now an old drunk who sees  visions and believes he is being told things by the Thunder Beings.  Also present at the murder was Dash's mum Gina who was murdered by Catcher when she confronted him over turning him in as the real killer.  Dash started crumbling under the pressure of living a double life and picked up a heroin habit of Red Crow's daughter Carol. But they have parted ways with Carol now part of the Poor Bear's family, and both have gotten clean as well.  Dashiell's dad came back to town to help look for Gina's murderer. But Nitz had him arrested not wanting him to distract or interfere with Dash's mission to bring down Red Crow. Red Crow has his casino, but has steadily started to get disillusioned by his hpyer-capitalist ways and become more interested in protecting the rez in his role as tribal leader.  And after the two one-shots dealing with two men who seem superficially similar but learn different lessons from their experiences we get a five chapter arc on Red Crow dealing with a power grab by another elder, the missing officer Falls Down going through a trial and Dash finally finding out who killed his mother.

Sheriff Karnow.

A COME-TO-JESUS: Art by Jason LaTour. We're introduced to Sheriff Karnow again, a corrupt lawman who oversees the town of White Haven just over the border in Nebraska where Indians used to come and booze before the casino made alcohol legal on the rez again.  He talking to a couple of Indian teenagers relating stories from his time in Vietnam that are obvious fictions made up to make himself look good and it works, the two kids are in awe of him. Karnow tells them that:

Karnow: "The most important thing a man can do is test himself. To put himself in the middle a'something he ain't rightly prepared for and see how he comes out. Every man's got somethin' out there waitin' to test him.  He just gotta be willin' to find it. To face it.  A man that ain't been tested, well... he ain't really much of a man now, is he?"

Then a car pulls up and out gets an older man who introduces himself as "Virgil Drum, U.S. Marshals" and could he have a word with Karnow. The kids ask Karnow if he can show them the moves and how he gutted all those gooks.  J.T. the deputy chases them off.

Karnow asks Virgil what he can do for him.  Virgil shows him a photo of a man called Eugene Evers who escaped from jail and who Virgil has chased four three weeks and thinks he's holed up somewhere here. Karnow says he doesn't know of any Evers round here, but J.T. pipes up about an Evers that lived in the area but died a few years ago.  Karnow shoots J.T. a dirty look and says he was just going say that.

Virgil says that was Eugene's uncle's place which he's already checked out. He starts to leave but says if they see anything contact him. Karnow says he'll put his best men on it.  Virgil says no need he is just here as a courtesy to alert him he is in the area ans to be allowed to do his job.  "Feel free to carry on doing yours" he says and drives off,  Karnow frowns and spits tobacco.

Later J.T. gets ahold of Virgil's records and relates what a badass he is.   He was in Vietnam the same time as Karnow, was highly decorated, was a boxer and won Omaha Golden Gloves in '74 and '75.  Been in the Marshals since then, and has caught many high profile lawbreakers, "guy's a goddamn living breathing John Wayne character Sheriff. Just like you" says J.T.

Livin' the dream. Yay.

J.T. says he is going home now, he's going bowling with his wife and kids.  He says he'd invite Karnow but knows he has other plans.  Karnow just mutters that he'll probably stick around in the station.  J.T. says he thought Cheryl was coming tonight, Karnow says she may not be able to make it.  J.T. says he loves his wife and kids, but sometimes he envies Karnow going from "one gorgeous woman to another.  You're livin the dream, Sheriff.  You really are."  And Karnow is left sadly slumped in his chair, alone.

Later he drives out to the junkyard where a couple are having sex  He splits them up and gets the woman "Marilyn" to come and give him a blow job.  But he can't get himself hard no matter what she does to it, angrily Karnow says she isn't doing it right. "I didn't know there was any other way to do it" protests Marilyn.  He tosses her out of the car and leaves her walking home.

He sits and thinks then looks at the photo of Eugene Evers and drives back to Marilyn.  He asks her if she ever heard of him.  She says she has, and will say where he is if Karno gives her a ride home.  He agrees and is told his uncle had a cabin along Randolph Creek and has been staying there.  Karnow drives off without giving her a life as she shouts "asshole" after him.

He gets close to the cabin muttering jealously of Virgil's achievements saying he can "kiss my ass" as he picks his way though the wodds.  Suddenly he is knocked out by Evers and when he comes around Evers is exchanging fire with Virgil who plugs him in the shoulder.  He approaches Evers saying "don't make me kill you son".  And Evers surrenders.

While Evers sits cuffed by Virgil's car, Virgil tells Karnow he was staking the place out when Karnow showed up.  He asks if Karnow is alright and Karnow says "I'd appreciate it if... if you wouldn't tell nobody about this."  He says no one ever got the drop before not even in 'Nam, and he starts to tell a story but Virgil cuts him off with a curt, "thanks for your help" and starts to leave.

Evers though starts mocking Karnow saying he could have killed him easy, but knowing the Marshal would be coming he didn't want him to hear, "I give you back your life Sheriff" Evers says,  saying state prison would be preferable to being like Karnow.  This causes Karnow to stand up and come at Evers with his gun raised.  Virgil easily disarms and grounds Karnow and finally says the devstating words Karnow needed to hear:

Virgil: "Sheriff! Grow the hell up."

And he and Evers are gone.  Still on his hands and knees his face contorts in despair and he sits alone in the woods with his head in his hands as he contemplates the life he lives now.

Inspiration strikes.

Next say he drives past the two youths still taken in by his war stories and finds Marilyn walking home.  She says she wants no trouble, but he insists she gets in and he drives her to her house.  Then he drives to the edged of the Prairie Rose rez, the words he said at the start about testing oneself and seeing how they come out and how every man has something out there to test them, "he's just got to be willing to find it and face it".  And with that thought he looks up at the big billboard with Red Crow on it and we can now infer he has a new mission to take down Red Crow.  End of chapter.

THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN:  Arist Davide Furno. We begin with a self pitying Agent Nitz struggling though snow aimlessly, he has beaten and has a gun he sporadically holds to his head.   He reflects on being a failure as a husband and father, a friend and federal agent, as a man, as a human.  "I, am Bayliss Earl Nitz am a complete goddamn failure."  He can't pull the trigger so declares himself a "failure as a suicide" and he falls to his hands and knees.

We go back to the morning of that same day. He is listening in on some people having sex in his motel base when his superior, Terry comes in.  He says he came for agent Newsome's funeral.  Nitz says is that today, Terry says it was three days ago.  Nitz says lamely that he's been busy, Terry looks at the state of the room and says "so I see."

Busy. Uh huh.

Nitz said Newsome understood what they were doing here, Terry says he's stil the one who signs his cheques.   Nitz just demands a new agent. Terry says it appears he can't run things at all here, Newsome dead, Britt Fillenwirth missing and Dashiell Bad Horse compromised.  Nitz says Dash isn't compromised, but Terry wonders then why he's having his father indicted on charges of tampering with a federal investigation.

Terry: "I'm shutting you down. Effective immediately.  You can either be transferred to another office or you can retire. It's up to you".

Nitz says he can't do this, but Terry says he just did.  He protected Nitz for long enough and told him the day would come, "you just never listened."  Nitz yells that Red Crow is a murderer, he killed two federal agents, "then I guess you got something in common now, huh?" and he leaves.

After that he rings round the FBI trying call in any favours he has, but it turns out he has none left.  He smashes his room up in a rage, then starts drinking and stares at his gun.  On the drive to the casino he tries to compose a letter or apology to his kids, but then thinks "fuck it.  I'll never live to write it."  He walks towards the casino with murderous intent.

He stands behind Red Crow and points a gun at his head saying "suprise, asshole."  But Shunka disarms him and nuts him in the face for good measure very easily.  Red Crow cheerily tells the crowd there is nothing to worry about. They tosse him though a door into the back area.  He tells Shunka he is under arrest for striking a federal agent and the rest are also under arrest.

Red Crow said he had a very interesting chat with his boss, "or should I say... your former boss."  So it's Nitz in trouble now, "funny how things change."  Nitz just threatens to kill him and rants at all of the "fucking red nigger cocksuckers" there.  He tells Red Crow not to look at him like he's better than him, he's going to wipe the smirk off Red Crow's face.  Red Crow backhands him and Nitz slumps to the ground and vomits.

Red Crow: "You come here again, Nitz and I'll have you arrested.... how's that for fucking irony?"

He tells his men to get that "pathetic piece of shit out of his casino.".  They drive out somewhere on the rez, kick him out the car and toss him the gun saying it's loaded "so if you feel like doing the world a favour".

People do vomit a lot in this series.

He staggers on through the snow, and sees what he thinks might be salvation. He can't bring himself to commit suicide but he could go down in a blaze of glory.  He sees an isolated house with many cars parked outside and realises it's a meth lab.  He kicks down the door and the firing starts while compoing a bitter screed in his head aimed at everyone he leaves behind.

When the firing stops he's taken a couple of bullets and is faced by the last surviving member in there. Who instead of shooting Nitz like he begs four, blwos his own brains out.  Nitz can't believe he fucked even this up.  And he passes out.

Sometime later he returns to his HQ in the motel, patched up with his arm in a sling.  There are several agents who hail him as a hero and applaued when he comes in. The people he killed were Jordanians on student visas making meth to rasie money to func terrorist actions in the USA.  Now they are all working for him to pursue accomplices and bring them to justice.  Nitz pins up a photo of Red Crow on the board and says with a smile,"All right boys... lets get to work".

A mission renewed,

YOU GOTTA SIN TO GET SAVED:  Art by co-creator R.M. Guera. We begin with Red Crow deep in thought, that how some people spend their whole lives running and never get anywhere "don't matter how long or how hard you try...their just ain't no escaping from yourself."  He and his goons are visiting the house of elder Hassell Rock Medicine,  his grandaughter Maggie tries to stop him going inside.   But Hassell invites Red Crow inside.

Red Crow says he can't believe Hassell would betray him like this, he was Red Crow's teacher.  Hassel says he is still trying to teach him.  They argue about God's will, with Red Crow saying that it isn't something you sit back and let happen, you have to make it happen.  Hassell says he is not doing God's work.  It's his own, "your problem is you don't see the difference anymore".  Suddenly Red Crow stops and stares at something and Hassell asks what he sees. 

Before we are told, we jump back to two days ago.   Things are wrapping up at a tribal council meeting and Red Crow introduces Dash, promoted to "Executive Adjunct" to the tribal president.  As the meeting ends and the tribal elders are all introduced to Dash, Red Crow says they are all thinking of ways to ruin Dash, "welcome to politics".

Dash say that politics isn't his game, but Red Crow asks why he came back after all these years?  Dash says where else was I supposed to go?  Red Crow says he came back because he knew deep down this was the only place he's have a chance. Then he shows Dash the President's chair saying he doesn't trust anyone else in the room to sit in it, he wants Dash to take on the responsibility when Red Crow leaves it.  Dash says he can't be serious but Red Crow said he saw himself as a warrior not a chief too. 

Red Crow: "But that's exactly what our people need.  A warrior who'll fight for them no matter what."

But then Maggie, Hassell and some other's come in and Maggie says what the people need is change.  They have gathered enough support to allow Hassell to run for tribal president.

Hassel Rock Medicine.

He says to Red Crow that he can't stand by and watch him sell of what's left of their pride.  He tells Red Crow, "you've failed us Lincoln. You've failed our people.  You've failed our rez.  My friend, it's time for you to go."

Maggie tells him that they have the support of half the council and once the people here about how he sold them out to drug gangs he'll be lucky not to be sitting in jail. Red Crow offers Hassell and advisory position.  But he says he's prayed and this is God's will.  He says that now this phase of Red Crow's life is ending he might remember how to serve the will of God again and with a "Toksa Ake" he and his group depart.

Shunka comes up saying he'll "dissaude" him and his grandaughter, but Red Crow tells Shunka he is to go nowhere near them.  He says he could at least dig some dirt on them even though Red Crow says Hassell is the closest thing to a saint they have.  He tells Shunka to do it anyway, and takes Dash with him which results in a jealous frown from Shunka.

Red Crow and Dash are standing in a dilapidated house.  Red Crow tells Dash that his father was a drunk and only ever lifted a finger to beat his mother.  But never hit Red Crow no matter how much he dared him too.  He died choking on his own vomit and when they came for his body, Red Crow put all of his things in the garden and burned them so he was buried in the clothes he died in.  Hassell Rock Medicine helped his mother raise him, taught him how to be a Lakota, how to be a man. "Sometimes you father is just a guy who fucked your mother" says Red Crow "He doesn't define who you are".

Dash asks what are they going to do about the election.  Red Crow thinks Hassell's age and inexperience will let them beat him fair and square.  Dash says Shunka doesn't think so. Ignoring that, Red Crow asks if Dash is still seeing Carol, Dash says no he hasn't seen her in a while.  Red Crow says "we're not our fathers, Dash.  We're better men than that. We are".  Speaking of Carol, she is fast asleep in her room at the Poor Bears.  Dino sneaks in and climbs onto the bed and lies against her, but he is gone when she wakes up.

Dino's in love.

Later Red Crow is sitting in his office  lost in thought.  Shunka is tellling him Rock Medicine could win and "take all this away."  Red Crow says he knows.  Shunka says Hassell is spotless so they'll have to go through his family.  Red Crow says he and his family is not to be touched.  "Was that Bas Horse's advice?" says Shunka snippily.  Red Crow says he's going to have to deal with his dislike of Dash.  Shunka says that makes him sound like a jealous schoolgirl, he doesn't trust Dash and neither should Red Crow.  Red Crow says Dash has come through a damn sight more that Shunka has lately.

Shunka says if he trusts him so much, why hasn't he told him about the fact Falls Down is missing while Shunka keeps searching for him.  Red Crow says Shunka has been with him a long time and he's been made a very rich man but this doesn't mean they are partners or friends or anything of the sort.   He doesn't want Dash involved in anything to do with his mother's murder, he's not asking for Shunka's opinion and if he can't follow orders anymore please tell him.  Shunka says he can follow orders as long as the man giving them hasn't forgotten who he is or how he got where he did.  And we see a montage of money and murder and Red Crow says "I haven't forgotten a thing."

There is a prayer ceremony going on at the Rock Medicine's house.  While elsewhere teenagers get drunk and fight, sitting up on a ridge completely alone is Red Crow, he drinks some booze and he cries a single tear.  And then we're back in the now and we get to see what Red Crow saw, it was himself carrying the rotted, maggot ridden stag across his shoulders.   As he looks he asks Hassell if they can pray.

Alarming.

We finish the chapter with philosophy from Catcher, that there is no escaping from yourself and no way to change the way God made us, "good or bad we all got our parts to play".  Everyone is trapped, the key is to find the freedom in that. To never want more than you're given and to make your prison as big as the whole damn world.  And we see that he is dragging along behind him the blindfolded and hands-tied Falls Down as Catcher concludes by saying "I hate to see a man who don't know when he's trapped."

We begin the next chapter with Falls Down still blindfolded and bound and Catcher telling him his trial begins now.  They are inside a cave and his trial is simply to walk out of it, the Thunder Beings have told Catcher he must test Falls Down, he gets out safe he passes, he doesn't then he isn't going anywhere.  And we pull back to see the cave is full of snakes and traps, "all ya gotta do is open your heart and start walkin'."

Catcher tests Officer Falls Down.

Red Crow has gone to the Kansas prison where Lawrence Belcourt, the only man serving time for the FBI killings has summoned him.  Lawrence tells Red Crow that Gina was angry and dejected after she last saw him and told him she was going to see "the only man alive who could get me out of here".  Red Crow realises who he means, "he wouldn't".  Lawrence replies, "wouldn't he?"

Red Crow says Catcher loves Gina, but Lawrence says could either of them say how Catcher would react to her asking him to turn himself in.  Red Crow is quiet for a moment then askes Lawrence what he would have him do.  Lawrence says he isn't asking, "you know what to do."  He then tells Red Crow to stop paying off guys to keep in safe, he'd rather get hurt, he'd rather die than be saved by Red Crow.  He then says he hears Hassell Rock Medicine is standing against him, so he better do what he is going to for Gina fast.  Red Crow wishes him a long life and departs.  Outside the prison, Red Crow's face contorts in rage as he calls Shunka to find Catcher.

Back with Falls Down, he's not doing well as he trips and falls onto a load of broken glass.  Catcher says the Thunder Beings don't seem to be giving him much help.  Falls Down says the Thunder Beings have nothing to do with this, he's here because he knows he killed Gina.  Catcher says he did, killed the only woman he ever loved.  He didn't mean to but he did.  But Falls Down needs to be more concerned with his own shortcomings and he yanks Falls Down to his knees.

Falls Down says he isn't playing along anymore, no one up there is listening to Catcher, least of all God.   Catcher gets angry and tells him not to blaspheme.  Falls Down says "it wasn't God who made you do those things Catcher.  It was you.  It's always been you."  Catcher says he is only trying to help.  Falls Down says he saw the blood splatters in his trailer, Gina didn't seem to appreciate his help.  "Sometimes... folks is beyond help" says Catcher.

Falls Down says that's him, and if he means to kill him, to shut up and get it over with "you pathetic piece of shit".  Catcher holsters his gun and brings out his knife.  And sticks it into Falls Down's side.  We cut back to Lawrence, thinking of all the ways death could come for him in prison, now he's on his own.  Then we see Falls Down still alive, swearing at Catcher who says he doesn't deserve a quick death.  Then suddenly Falls Down seems to hear a voice talking to him and it appears to be Gina.

A mystical saviour.

Falls Down stands and starts walking, negociating the traps as he does so as Catcher panics saying he can't be talking to Gina, that Falls Down is lying.  But we see Falls Down being lead by a fox spirit out of the cave and he finally reaches the outside, declares victory and promptly collapses with the blood from his side wound spreading across the snow. 

Meanwhile Lawrence is back in his cell, he didn't die today, he wonders if no one cares.  He doesn't know what scares him more, the thought of being murdered in prison, or to be "simply forgotten". Catcher goes and breaks into Dash's house, he tells him that he's come to offer Dash his help "assuming you're still worthy of it". He is going to tell him who killed his mother and then "I'm gonna help ya kill him."

We then get a chapter catching us up with Dino Poor Bear and Carol who is living at the Poor Bears and training under Granny now.  We get an ominous start as we see Dino unblocking a toilet at his work in the casino and the narration states:

Narration: "Years later, people would wonder just when it happened.  When he changed.  When he became the man nobody ever expected him to be.   Some would say it was when he lost his eye.  Others wuld guess the change came much later, aftr things on the rez got really bad."

But they'd all be wrong, it all started with a girl he never met and had nothing to do with her death,  a fourteen year old called Brandy Two Trees who was the victim of a hit-and-run and that a reward was offered for information regarding her killers.

We then cut to him and Carol driving to White Haven to pick up some things. Dino finds Carol in the jewellry shop trying on some earrings just for fun.  Dino watches her through the window, smitten and they go for lunch.  Dino is recounting what happened to his eye when a boorish gentleman comes up and hits on Carol, but she clasps Dino's hands and says "I'm with him."  Dino once again goes quiet and looks at her with surprised intensity.

Dino is definitely in love.

They go to the car, but Dino goes back to the jewellry shop and tries to buy the earrings but doesn't have enough money.  Later that day he walks in on a happy Carol bathing his daughter Angie, while he looks on them both with love.  He goes to his friend Griff's house asking if he wants to do a run getting cold medicine for the local meth cookers but Griff slams the door in his face saying he isn't driving anywhere right now.  Dino goes and checks Griff's car and finds a dented bumper and blood.

While at work he hears the news that a $5000 reward is being offered for information on Brandy Two Trees killers.  He sees it on the news at home as well and runs out feeling torn.  He finds Carol outside crying.  She says she feels so guilty about the girl who died.  She says it doesn't seem right that her family should be so miserable, "when I've been so happy."  She looks at Dino and says that they have all saved her and she is so glad she found them.  "'I'm so glad I found you' that's all Dino heard" says the narration, "It was more than enough".

Next day he goes to Red Crow and informs him of who killed Brandy Two Trees, and we see a news report saying his three friends were arrested and confessed to the hit-and-run while intoxicated. Dino comes into Carol's room holding the box with the earrings in.  She wakes up saying she was having the weirdest dream.  She was pregnant then had the baby and everyone was there, even Dash.  And he seemed so happy.

She admits she's been thinking about contacting him again, that there still might be something between them. She apologises for dumping her problems on Dino then she tells him she loves talking to him, "I've never had a brother before, you know. But now I feel like I do."  At that a crushed Dino leaves and goes off for a walk, tossing the earrings in a dumpster on the way.

And with that, a grim new path is chosen,

The narration closes out this chapter.  It tells us that we all choose the roads we walk down, but people can also be pushed toward a road they never would've suspected.  And that's what happened to Dino, "he got pushed".  And now he has a choice coming.

Narration: "This new road that's waiting for him with all it's little surprises... all the anger and despair.  All the sickness.  All the killin'.  Well... that'll all come later".

We start the next chapter with a naked Dash outside contemplating a spiderweb.  He thinks about how a mans fate can be decided in a single moment but sometimes it's a whole series of moments, "all reflecting what was decided a long time ago".  And we see him think of Red Crow who tells him it's now or never, Nitz who wants to know what is so important and Catcher saying whatever he chooses, somebody will die.

One moment made of many moments.

We go back in time a few days, Red Crow has just finished addressing a re-election meeting when Shunka delivers him the news.  Sheriff Karnow has been turning up the heat along the border, big time. "Karnow?  Since when is he anything but a joke?" says Red Crow.  Since now it seems also Lawrence Belcourt wants to meet with Red Crow too. Shunka and Dash eye each other and Dash whispers "whenever you feel like it sweetheart" to Shunka.  Red Crow calls Dash away saying they'll be back in a day and everything will have to wait.  "No I don't think it will" mutters Shunka as they leave.

Red Crow and Dash are walking back to their car carrying groceries and Red Crow says Dash and Shunka need to knock it off especially as the whole rez is watching now.  Waiting by the car is Nitz and a couple of agents.  Nitz tells Red Crow he's a hero now because of the terrorists he killed.  Then he sees Dash and taunts him over his mother's death then punches him in the stomach. He leaves and Dash asks Red Crow who that "asshole" was, Red Crow says never mind.

He takes Dash to a sweatlodge tent he has set up and they both sit inside naked and in silence before Red Crow admits he loved Dash's mother

Red Crow: "And for far too brief a moment... she loved me.  But all I ever did was push her away.  I have more than my share of regrets.  God knows I do.  But none greater than her."

Dash admits he never knew her, never tried to know her and now she is gone... he tails off.  Red Crow tells him tonight is for cleansing the both of them.  Dash sits and watches the smoke and suddenly it transforms into a demonic face saying his name is Diesel and he is still where Dash left him.

Meditation time.

Red Crow wakes Dash up, he'd fallen asleep and they leave the tent, still naked, and go running.  They jump into an ice cold river and swim across it.  Red Crow tells Dash to call him Lincoln and to watch the sun rise with him. He then tells Dash that he'll tell him anything he wants to know, everything.  If he wants to know where the bodies are buried, "the door's open.  If you're ready to walk through.  All I need to know at the end of the day.. can I trust you?"

Red Crow: "Can I trust you to follow my orders and to carry on after I'm gone? Can I trust you to make the hard choices to do what's best for the rez.  No matter what it costs you?  Can I trust you to let go of your mother?"

Das asks why he wants him to let go when his mother's murderer is still out there?  Red Crow says if they find out who it was they will make him pay, both of them.  But he can't have him stirring up shit on the rez right now. The sun is coming up, he needs to hear Dash say it, "now or never".  We don't hear what Dash says as we cut to him in the FBI motel base.

Dash tells Nitz he has Red Crow. Then we jump forwards to Catcher in Dash's room saying he'll take him to the man who killed Gina, but he has a choice to make.  Falls Down is out there dying, the choice is go to confront his mother's murderer or help Falls Down.  They can only do one tonight.  Then we jump back to Dash telling Red Crow he is like a father to him and he can trust him, one-hundred percent.  Then we're back with the FBI saying that two more weeks and he'll be able to bring Red Crow down.  Finally he tells Catcher to take him to who killed his mother. As Dash gets his gun, Catcher mumbles to himself that he thought Dash was ready, then they both set off into the night.

They take a lengthy drive in Dash's truck.  Catcher starts describing the person who murdered Gina but of course he's describing himself.  He's old, lives alone, no one will miss him when he is gone, he's been waiting to die for a long time.  "When we kill him we'll be doing the poor bastard a favour" he tells Dash.  This person didn't even mean to kill Gina, maybe it was God or he could just be crazy.

Dash grows irritated saying he better not be getting dragged out to commune with the spirits.  Catcher tells him to keep driving.   He asks Dash if he is ready to kill a man he doesn't even know.  Dash says he's here isn't he? Catcher tells him this man has been watching Dash since he returned, he knew he was the one meant to kill and replace him.   But there is one last trial.  And when Dash was given the choice back at the house he picked the wrong one, he "let us all down son.  I'm sorry." He points a gun at Dash's head, but Dash sees Falls Down struggling along and swerves and the bullet passes through his cheek instead.  The truck hits a tree.

At Hassell Rock Medicine's house, Red Crow is there praying for "understanding".  Hassell says is it for the will of God or the will of Red Crow?  Red Crow say he prays for the understanding of everyone, Hassell included.  Hassell tells him he's not praying for understanding, he's praying for "vindication".  He wants a sign that God is on his side, that he always has been.

Red Crow: "I'm not looking for nobody's blessing.  Not even God's.  That ain't coming, and I know it.  I just want to see... I want you to see.. than a man is better than the worst of his deeds."

He stands saying that sacrifices have to be made for the betterment of all.  And if his soul is that sacrifice so be it.  All of a sudden Hassell clutches his chest and starts gasping, he is having a heart attack.

Dash and Catcher have a very close range gun fight.

Back in Dash's crashed truck, he manages to pull his gun and fires at Catcher who had been briefly stunned by the collision.  He manages to escape and Dash, nursing a shattered face staggers away from the crash site and finds Falls Down.  Meanwhile Hassell writhes on the floor in agony and Red Crow just watches. The injured Catcher sees his horse Festus and calls him over, but Festus walks past him as Catcher yells, "I only did what I was told!"
Later in the casino office Shunka congratulates Red Crow on what happened to Hassell.  Red Crow just says that he almost let him die.  He hesitated before calling 911.  The man who raised him, "the most decent man I've ever known."  Shunka says he won't be running against him now anyway because he's in hospital and they have work to do now.  Red Crow then gives the order, "shut it down."  He wants his whole drugs empire to be closed.  He said he was praying for a sign and he got one.

Meanwhile Dash is carrying Falls Down back into town, when Festus comes along and lets them both ride on him.  We finish up with Catcher in hospital who had been discovered wandering across the highway gutshot saying "Festus" over over. They put him in a room with their other Indian  who turns out to be Wade, also cuffed to the bed.  And that brings this story arc to a close.

An unlikely rescuer!

The pieces are being put in place for the finale now.  With many players playing different angles. Sheriff Karnow, so far something of a joke character turns out to be someone who when faced with the kind of man he pretended to be decided to start trying to live up to the legend he created round himself.  Nitz is still blinded by hatred and his blinkers don't allow him to see anyone but Red Crow as the man he believes is guilty.  Red Crow however has been showing disillusionment with his hyper-capitalist attitude and it feels like opening the casino has not been the key to happiness he thought it would be.  His grooming of Dash to replace him as tribal leader as well as his interactions with Hassell Rock Medicine show that taking care of the rez and the people on it has become more important to him as he regains his sense of spirituality.  Catcher himself remains the pain in the arse he's been the whole series.  The question is he just using madness or visions from God as an excuse to carry out murders in a self serving manner or is he genuinely seeing and hearing instructions from beyond. An added wrinkle to this is when Falls Down has a fox spirit show him the way out of the booby trapped cave as Gina maybe speaks to him from beyond.  But now even Festus has abandoned Catcher and he'll go even further off the rails in the final books.  Dash is placed in an interesting position in this story, he now has Red Crow's complete trust, even though Shunka knows he is hiding something (and Shunka should know about leading a double life) and he is going to use that trust to sell Red Crow out to the FBI so he can finally leave the rez.  We'll see how that pans out along with Red Crow making the momentus decision to shut down his drugs operation in the penultimate volume, "Knuckle Up."  See you in a few days.