Megaconda

Man.

This don't look good.

The heck with this.

- What do you think we got trapped today, Hoke?

A possum?

Maybe a raccoon?

Maybe a bobcat, Jerry.

I don't know.

Quiet.

- I've never ate no bobcat before.

What's that taste like?

Chicken.

Now keep it down, will ya?

What are you so worried about?

- I don't want that damn ranger to catch us up here

like last time!

That can't happen.

The hell it can't!

Don't you read the paper?

Ranger budget got cut last month by the feds.

He's all packed up and gone.

So who's in charge?

They got to send somebody up here to catch poachers.

Like us?

Yes, Jerry, like us.

- Well, Sheriff Carey's got jurisdiction.

Wayne Carey?

Hell.

I taught Wayne Carey everything he knows

about setting traps up here years ago.

Wayne Carey ain't gonna cause us no problems.

Come on, Jerry.

You go check them big traps up there.

I'm gonna keep on going out.

Damn.

No, no!

Jerry!

Jerry!

Jerry!

Jerry!

Damn it, Jerry.

Whoa, Jerry.

Mornin'.

Hey, Dad.

How do you stomach that stuff?

Wendy turned me on to it.

Is that the new girlfriend?

- She's into wheat germ and tofu and all that stuff.

- So naturally, you're into wheat germ and tofu

and all that stuff.

Well, I'm trying.

Do you like it?

No comment.

She must be awful cute.

Who's her dad?

Steve Armstrong.

Yeah, I do know who she is.

She is awful cute.

She's okay.

Is something the matter, son?

I was thinkin' about Mom.

Today's the day, you know, three years ago.

Yeah, I know.

I think about your mom every day.

Hey, what do you say we go to Mary Jane's Cafe

and get some real breakfast?

I can't, Dad.

They'll be here soon.

We're gonna head up to Boulder Canyon

and try out my new video camera.

Eh, tofu, bacon and eggs.

Just be careful.

And don't forget, stop by the TV station on your way out,

and check see about that job.

I will.

Hey, be careful!

- Hoke, you look like you've been up all night.

Have you seen a ghost or somethin'?

- Has that dang Jerry been in here?

- No, I haven't seen him since last Thursday.

He paid his tab.

Maybe I did see a ghost.

Or what's left of one.

Mary Jane, give me a shot of somethin'.

- Honey, you know I can't sell liquor till afternoon.

I ain't buyin'.

- Well, I guess I ain't breaking the law

if I just give it to you.

(sighs) Thanks.

- Good mornin'. - Morning.

Mornin', sheriff.

Jake Deveroe.

It's been a while.

Yeah, it has.

It's nice to be back in my own home town.

How long you been back?

About a week.

It's my signature on those construction papers.

- Yeah, I thought I recognized the name.

Stay out of trouble, okay?

Good morning, beautiful.

Good morning.

Whatcha gonna have?

- I'm gonna have two eggs over easy,

toast, bacon, and a big cup of coffee with cream.

The usual.

Okay.

Sheriff.

I had a man disappear off the job site last night

up in Boulder Canyon.

He stayed behind to do some grading

after the rest of the crew left,

and he didn't check in.

Boulder Canyon?

Well nobody's reported anything, Jake.

It was Friday night.

It's payday, right?

Maybe your guy just wandered off

for the first beer of the weekend.

- Well, he didn't pick up his paycheck, either.

- Willard Parker's paying for this venture.

I guess at what Willard pays,

he probably would've needed that envelope by now.

- Willard Parker pays a fair day's wage

for a full day's work.

- Well that's not what I've been hearing, Jake.

Your guy probably quit on you.

You and Willard have to expect this kind of thing.

I have no problem with what you guys are doing,

but you can't come into this town

and do business on the cheap.

I'm tellin' you that as a friend.

Friend.

That's a good one.

We haven't been friends since you stole my girlfriend.

- I didn't steal your girlfriend, Jake.

I married her.

And you got her killed, too.

Oh, I'm sorry Wayne.

You weren't driving that car, were you?

My point is, that my man did not just walk off that job.

I think there's something bad going on

up in Boulder Canyon.

- Something is, and that's for sure.

- Isn't it a little early to be drinkin', Hoke?

- Believe me, this morning, I need it.

- All right, put your bottle down, tell me what's going on.

- Well, we got the entire day to kill.

See ya!

Beautiful, isn't it?

I love you.

- I'm just not big on four letter words.

I knew that would scare you.

Thank you, darlin'.

You're quite welcome.

- Look here, I saw what I could, and I heard the rest.

The fact is, Jerry is missin'.

- Swear to me that you're not just drunk, Hoke.

- You think what you want, sheriff.

But I was sober enough to find this.

All right, all right.

I'll take a drive up there and see what I can find.

Give me about half an hour to finish my breakfast.

Then both of you meet me out by my car, all right?

All right.

- I guess this is what they call progress.

- It's like seeing your childhood playground all torn up.

- Couldn't have been more than a few days ago.

This was all fresh dirt.

There's been a fire up there.

Maybe.

Looks like a smaller, controlled blaze.

Burn all the brush and clear the land as fast as possible.

Is he here, Tina?

He is here.

Somebody's gotta keep an eye on things around here.

You look lovely today, Tina.

Now make yourself scarce.