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We welcome you once again to this week's episode of Divorce Ranch.

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When last we left our beleaguered detective, Francis had gained the respect of the Sidewinder by tracking down Little Bella.

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Little do the guests know of Francis and Hondo's other discovery,

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that of a bloody crime scene in the desert, complete with charred scraps of evidence.

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With each passing day, the ranch's denizens reveal secret after secret.

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Our most recent, a trove of Valentine jewels in the room of one Helen Rose.

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Dearest Ma, I have made inroads,

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not only with this confounding case, but with those around me.

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That said, I feel that I'm at a crossroad.

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Right and wrong have always been so clear to me. Yet I've met good people who are presented with choices that are deemed sinful,

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and where the righteous path seems wrong.

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I have always believed that necessary evil is the path of the devil.

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Yet I am being swayed toward the notion that these supposedly sinful acts may be righteously pursued.

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If God guides us, then why has he presented such choices?

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What am I to do? This is some loot you hauled in for yourself.

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Have I detected someone snooping around in my underwear drawer?

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This necklace is one of my favorites. It hangs juuuuust right.

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Where did these come from? Why, Frances, do I detect an accusatory tone in your voice?

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These were found in your room, and apparently much of this is Mrs.

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Ballantine's. If they were found in my room,

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then they must be mine. Did you take this jewelry from Mrs.

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Ballantine? Oh, Frances. As you know,

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we were very close, and on occasion she lent me jewels to enhance my already lovely décolletage.

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There are bracelets and rings and earrings here,

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too. And often she gave me jewels.

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This ring was given to me when she decided to wear the ring that Joey gave her.

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Ah, and here's my tiara.

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That seems awfully generous. Detective,

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these are all cast-offs. Mitzi traded in jewelry just like she traded in people.

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Did you steal these jewels from Mrs. Ballantyne?

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How dare you accuse me of being a thief?

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Mitzi had no one but me. Mrs. Rose!

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Mrs. Rose! I do not care. These jewels are a fair price for my company.

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I brought her to the casino. I introduced her to Joey.

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Mitzi gave me this tiara to wear because we were supposed to go to the casino to celebrate.

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Celebrate what? Hell if I know, but I went to her room to get ready to go to the casino like she told me to.

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But when I got there, I watched her ride away with her Latin lover.

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Honda? Who else can ride like that? And Mitzi's hooting and hollering were unmistakable.

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What did you do? I took all that I could from that jewelry box.

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And then I went to my room. Did you go to the casino?

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Joey's an idiot. But even so, I didn't have the heart to tell him that his girl was with another man.

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And then what? What do you mean, and then what? And then she must have gotten bored with him,

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too, and she never came back to the ranch. And now I am on my own,

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and now I have to find a way to pay for my own meals,

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my own drinks. Mrs. Rose, I... Stop calling me that!

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I just want my life back!

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Queen Helen wants her life back?

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As someone's fancy wife?

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Or maybe the old hag that rode on Mitzi's coattails?

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Sounds like your time as a runaway fiancé is about to run out.

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Be careful who you call a hag. Are you okay?

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Why do you care, detective? I wanted to apologize.

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What for? I often let my singular focus blind me to the task at hand.

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You do what you need to do, and so will I.

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And what is next for you? You heard Helen. I'm a runaway fiancé.

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And now I'm out of money and a job. That is neither a crime nor a sin.

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Oh. Really? Well, thank you,

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Father Francis. Please do not call me that.

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That name is always spoken with such malice.

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That's not really what I meant. I will not apologize for my upbringing.

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Detective O'Connell, I'm sorry.

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That did not come out right. No. No,

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I'm sorry. I meant to be stronger.

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Well, my goodness. It looks like you're just human.

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What will you do now? I guess I'll just go back and do the right thing.

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Thank you. I beg for forgiveness. What is there to forgive?

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For running off, being an ingrate,

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trying not to live under a man's thumb.

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Gosh, I'd be forgiven for being Beverly Brubaker.

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Certainly, your fiancé loves you and will take you back.

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I mean, he's not like Dottie's husband, is he?

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No. He's a good man.

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We've known each other since we were kids. Then how would you be living under his thumb?

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You know, it's amazing how you can know somebody since forever.

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What kind of... I do not know them at all. What does he not know about you?

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On the night that Mitzi ran away. I don't want this night to ever end.

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It doesn't have to. Easy for you to say.

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You're almost divorced! I'm not even married yet!

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And what does that have to do with the price of milk? I thought you said you'd forgotten about him.

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I said when I'm with you, no one else exists.

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Sounds same same to me. But you're gonna be leaving next week!

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I'm leaving the Sidewinder next week. And you're coming with me.

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with me. But where would we go? But what does it matter?

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But it does. But, but, but, but, but... We don't have to go anywhere.

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We could stay right here in Reno. But I can't tell my sister.

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There's that word again. But... You are so beautiful.

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I don't know. I know for certain.

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I'm almost out of... I don't think I can be Mitzi's maid for much longer.

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You don't need to be anyone's maid. I don't have options like you.

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There's lots of money and lots of opportunity. You just need to take it.

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Let's run away. Where?

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I don't know. No one cares, Bev.

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There's lots like us here. My sister would care.

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Dottie only has three more weeks, which means after that,

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she'll be leaving and you can come live with me.

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I can't think that far ahead. But what else is there to think about?

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There's that word again. Wait!

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What have we here?

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Beverly and Hot's ghost sitting in a tree?

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K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

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First comes love. Then comes an institution for women displaying depraved behavior.

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Shut up. I'm the little oriental deviant.

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Your fiancé really dodged a bullet.

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You are perverts, both of you.

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Of course, I understand the jump among us always doing your dirty little deeds.

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But you... I... You have no excuse for such vulgar and disgusting behavior.

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Except obviously coming from a very bad family.

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No trash worse than white trash.

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Dirty yellow monkey.

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So, uh, I guess I deserve whatever I get.

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No, it doesn't- We only have so much of our inheritance left.

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And Dottie deserves to be here. But so do you.

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No, Mr. O'Connell. See what kind of love the Father has bestowed on us,

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that we should be called children of God.

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Yet so we are. The Catholic Boy Act is wearing mighty thin.

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Hopefully this telegram is calling you home to relieve us all.

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Another notice from the Chicago PD. Wondering why Mitzi is not home yet.

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Detective O'Connell! Francis? Get home to mother.

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Priest on his way. Hurry.

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Oh dear. Oh father,

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why do you punish me? Come here.

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No. No!

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Francis, the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you.

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He will never leave you nor forsake you.

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Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.

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Oh, there.

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There. That's it.

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Shh. I

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need a ride to the train station, otherwise the bus gets here in about an hour.

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Where are you going? Why such haste,

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detective? Oh no,

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Francis... Oh,

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your beautiful mother! I can take the bus.

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When did this telegram come? The train you want does not leave until the morning.

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Oh, I'm so sorry, my friend. I'm not your friend.

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What in God's name would lead you to believe that you and I are friends?

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I do not accept that. You are grieving.

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You rode into the desert the night Mitzi went missing. What?

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No. I did not. Where were you the night Mitzi died?

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I already told you. You told me where you were before she disappeared,

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before she died. She left me that night.

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And what did you do after that? I drank tequila.

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I am ashamed. You expect me to believe that you just- Of course I expect you to believe me!

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I drank a bottle of tequila and then went to sleep by the pool house!

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You rode into the desert with her! I did no such thing!

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You knew where the fire was. Oh, don't do! I rode-

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You led me to the crime scene! Stop lying to me!

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Why would you accuse me? I rode with you!

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I hid evidence with you! I told you my story!

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To hide what you knew. I watched it!

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The other ground she walked on! On your mother's bed!

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Where she lays! Don't talk about my mother!

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Think! Think! You must be missing something,

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my friend! Didn't you want to let us in?

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I do not accept that! We are both grieving men!

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I'm nothing like you! I'll go down! I will let you go and help you until we go to the train station.

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By the morning, if you still believe it is me,

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you may arrest me. Reno PD will thank you for handing them another Mexican criminal.

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Until then, you will look for Mitzi's killer and I will assist you.

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Okay, okay. Let's go back to the night where Mitzi went missing.

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Where is your horse? It is in the stable.

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Helen said that you were riding away with Mitzi into the desert.

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But I was not. Which horses were ridden that day?

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I don't know! There has to be something we're missing!

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Wait a minute. Which is your horse? The guest horse.

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What? The guest horse! This one! She wandered back the morning after Mitzi disappeared!

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Hondo! No! Oh, I thought I left the gate open,

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and I did not want trouble from Aoife. I'm supposed to just- Ah,

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champion was the horse Mitzi rode! Always!

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The guest horse! Hondo! Do not accuse me again!

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You kept this from me? What about the people who are going to be waiting?

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I did not. You must come with us!

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You must go to the casino! Talk to Joey! I'm pretty sure Joey doesn't ride horses.

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No, Joey was at the ranch that night! Oh no!

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And if it is not Joey, as I said, I will surrender myself to you.

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Here you are, Honda! Come on! I'm dealing tonight.

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Come with us. It's your last chance. What do you mean it's your last chance?

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Francis must leave to Chicago in the morning.

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I've been called home. Well, then what's the defeat?

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Uh, no offense, detective. To the casino!

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I'll get Hasco and meet you two at the car. I'm not going to-

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I can't feel complete. Hey,

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your work is not finished here. Come.

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We don't have much time. Detective O'Connell is leaving tomorrow on the same train as Beverly.

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Beverly is leaving? Why? I reckon she came to her senses.

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She decided that life of a wife is better than that of a runaway fiancé.

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She's leaving tomorrow. The train leaves at 11.

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But that can't be right. Before he goes,

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the detective will take one last crack at Joey Matinee.

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After what he did to you? They must be paying you a lot of dough,

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because I'm not so sure that Mitzi Ballantyne is worth all that.

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Detective O'Connell wants to know, with certainty,

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what happened to Mitzi. Okay. What's more interesting is the wonderful coincidence that Mr.

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O'Connell here will be escorting my sister for a good part of her journey.

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That is a nice consolation prize.

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Beverly certainly does not need an escort,

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Mrs. Haverford. Or shall I say,

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Ms. Haverford? Ms. Takagi,

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thank you very much. Why don't you do that?

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What? Go back to your original name.

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The war is over, so it's not so bad. But everyone will know that you're Oriental.

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Dottie, look at my face.

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Did you go to the internment camps? No,

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but my parents went, and I avoided that fate by marrying Mr.

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Haverford. How did you do that? When we were married,

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I changed my name from Hatsuko Tagaki to Hattie

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Haverford. Presto change-o. American.

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I fit in. That couldn't have been easy for you.

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My parents gave their blessing to keep me off the internment list.

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But you still don't fit in. Mr.

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O'Connell, I was born in this country. As were my parents.

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We are American citizens. That's not what I meant.

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My parents lost everything. And while I did not spend time in camp,

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I have lost everything, too. Yes, I know.

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You think I want to dance every night for those who see me as exotic when I am on stage,

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but as a dirty yellow dog when I walk down the street?

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I did not mean... My husband was passed over for promotion over and over and over and over.

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It was untenable. So we decided,

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together, we decided to split.

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What? He had to take back his name.

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Sharing it with me was like a noose that had to come off in order for him to survive.

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I'm so sorry for you. Of course you are.

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See y'all later. What will it be?

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Ginger ale, please. Ginger ale?

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Tell me bothering you again? Ms. Rose?

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Really, Francis? Can't we just go with Helen?

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Come on, try it. Helen! There you go.

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Ma'am? My regular. Make that two,

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please. Oh, no, I... It's fine. Sir?

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Sir? Shh. Ms. Rose. Helen!

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Helen. Helen. It is my last day here,

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and I must stay sharp. Where are you going?

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My mother. She has taken a turn, and...

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There you go. Well, an even better reason to drink.

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I wanted to apologize for our last encounter.

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I know you and Mitzi were great friends. Well,

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that doesn't seem so bad... anymore. But? Are you gonna drink this?

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Um, maybe you should.

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Harrison has announced that he is divorcing me.

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But isn't that a good thing? What would make you think that?

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Well, I just thought that. I guess he's no longer worried about being the first divorced congressman in Connecticut.

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But didn't you want to divorce? Yes,

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but on my terms. Bartender.

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I can't even get an honest man to drink with me.

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We'll drink with you. Well, I won't drink with you,

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but... Yes? I'll have another.

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Ginger ale. And for the lady... They're so sweet.

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Cancel his. We'll have one Mai Tai and one Virgin Dark and Stormy.

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For Mr. Pale and Placid. We're gonna charge more for the Virgin?

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They're pretty rare, these parts. Sure! Honey,

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he's joking. I don't find that to be funny.

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And I'm not pale or placid. Francis.

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Detective O'Connell. Yes.

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I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me.

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Francis, there's quite a bit happening in your life at the moment.

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No, not really. Your mother... I have clues,

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but I haven't solved this case. There's not really anything to solve,

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dear. You're in Reno, Nevada. I feel like a failure.

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Hon, nix that virgin, dark, and stormy,

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and give us the good stuff. Coming right up.

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These are on me. Absolutely not. Don't tell me how to spend my soon-to-be ex-husband's money.

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I'm saving my jewelry money for myself for when I need it,

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but until then, this is on Harrison.

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Here is to the wonderful Mrs. O'Connell.

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Francis, pick up that glass. We are toasting your mother.

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To mother. May we live as long as we want,

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and never want as long as we live.

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Two more. Hon, you really want to figure this out?

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Here's my advice. To solve a crime in Reno,

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you better start thinking like a sinner. This is for you.

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Whose gun is this? I detect an engraved handle.

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M... B? She never left home without it.

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A gift from her favorite Goomba.

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M.B. Mitzi Ballantine.

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Divorce Ranch, a Good Story Guild production.

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Created by Rachel Music. Show running by Michi Broman and Elena Christina Wagoner.

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Episode 4 was written by Michi Broman and directed by Rachel Music.

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Starring Christopher Gebauer as Frances. Kate Fugali as Aoife.

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Enrique Quintero as Hondo Lisa Pedacci as Helen

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Laureen Chesley as Sarah Laura Lee Walsh as Beverly

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Laura Holliday as Dottie Tina Huang as Hotsko and Chelsea Lang as Mitzi Ballantyne

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Featuring the Divorce Ranch Players Ted Evans,

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Jamie Lujan, Jesse Birch Megan Falcone,

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Marnina Schoen Caché Monia and Neil Fleming

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Music by Michelle Sudduth Sound Design by Lauren Cooper

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Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Evan Chambers

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produced by Simone Kissel executive produced by the Good Story Guild for transcripts,

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full cast and crew information and to follow this and other Good Story Guild productions please refer to our show notes