CBS’s Tracker season three, episode four finds Colter (Justin Hartley) spending a little downtime in New Mexico. He’s lost in memories of his dad when Randy (Chris Lee) calls with a potential case. A woman named Gracie is searching for her boyfriend, Trey, and needs help.
(The following is a recap of season three, episode four and there are spoilers.)
The case is a couple hours away in Fort Morris, Texas, and even though Trey has only been gone 15 hours, Gracie seemed scared when Randy spoke with her. Colter takes the case and learns Trey is a veterinarian who didn’t show up for work. Gracie (Chelle Ramos) hasn’t been able to reach him after he missed their date the previous meeting. It’s not like him to ghost her.
It’s obvious Gracie’s holding something back, and she confesses he had more money recently. He never told her where it came from. Colter is her only hope, and the $10,000 she’s offering is all she has.
Randy discovers Trey’s phone last pinged at Bellwood Lodge, which seems to be a place he stays a lot. Randy also confirms Trey’s been making big cash deposits recently.
Reenie’s new assistant, Mel (Cassady McClincy Zhang), is super interested in Colter, and Randy says he has an algorithm that tracks reward offers on missing persons cases. If Colter’s near one, then Randy sends him the details.
Reenie (Fiona Rene) arrives looking hungover and wearing the same clothes from yesterday.
Colter steals a key and investigates Trey’s hotel room. There’s a gift box with a tag that reads Maggie and blood on the floor. Colter’s just barely started his investigation when the maid comes in, and it’s obvious she knows Trey. She doesn’t want any trouble but confirms the “Maggie” on the tag is the sheriff’s wife. The hotel manager walks in, asks Colter what he’s doing, and dismisses the maid. When Colter leaves, the manager calls someone and tells them a man is looking for Trey.
Colter fills Gracie in on what he’s learned, revealing he also found out her name is Maggie Holt and she’s the sheriff’s wife. She apologizes for lying and Colter recommends that she stay away from her husband. Maggie isn’t sure if he had anything to do with Trey’s disappearance.
Two deputies pick up Colter right after his meeting with Maggie, claiming they’re taking him to see Sheriff Holt. He quickly realizes he’s being taken out of town to be disposed of. Colter makes his move from the backseat, grabbing one of the men’s guns, punching him, and then leaping from the truck. They pull over and chase Colter but give up too quickly, believing he’s dead.
Colter’s hurt and thirsty as he walks through the hills without any cell phone service. He takes a bite of a cactus before continuing his trek, spotting cattle and a ranch. There’s a horse outside a house and he borrows it to get back to town.
Colter rides through the center of town and straight to Sheriff Holt’s house. He gets the drop on Holt (Patrick Gallagher) using a gun he took from Holt’s cabinet. Holt says he thought his wife had ended the affair and claims not to know about Trey going missing or about the men who just tried to kill Colter.
Colter informs Holt there are dirty cops working for him, and Holt doesn’t seem shocked. He hands Holt back his gun and Holt confesses he’s been suspicious about some of his guys. Holt doesn’t have the resources to do a thorough investigation but is certain evidence has gone missing. His deputies have taken pay cuts, and that probably led to them finding other sources of income.
Neither Holt nor Colter thinks Trey was working with the dirty cops. Holt has Colter look through files on his officers to see if he recognizes anyone. He points out Wade (Mac Brandt) and Cody (Zelman Gabriel). Holt believes they’re both working for Alonzo Diaz, who’s dealing drugs, running guns, and trafficking women. Alonzo is careful and so far, Holt hasn’t been able to take him down. That’s probably because he’s got Wade and Cody tipping him off when Holt gets close.
Holt and Colter head to the last place that Wade’s phone pinged and follow Wade as he drives off in his truck. Cody isn’t with them, but Colter hopes he’s heading to where they’re holding Trey. Wade stops at Trey’s veterinary clinic and Colter and Holt spring into action. They enter the clinic, guns drawn, and Wade starts shooting. Colter fires back and hits him in the shoulder, demanding to know where they’re holding Trey. Wade won’t say.
Colter sees the alarm’s deactivated, and the horse tranquilizers are missing. Wade continues to swear he doesn’t know where Trey is; he hasn’t heard from Cody in hours. Colter forces him to confirm they both work for Diaz, but they didn’t do anything with Trey. He claims Trey works for Diaz and they took Colter because they thought he was a Fed trying to flip Trey.
Wade says Diaz has quarter horses that Trey fixes up. Diaz pays him to keep his mouth shut about anything he sees.
Colter calls Randy to get into the BBQ restaurant’s security cameras across from the veterinary clinic. They see Trey pull up with a guy they can’t identify, but the car’s license plate is registered to Jimmy Ferris who doesn’t have a record. He was, however, a witness in a murder case that was sealed. Colter asks him to see if Reenie can open that case.
Holt puts out an APB on Jimmy Ferris, a nice kid who moved to town a year ago. Reenie discovers that Jimmy lost his mom during a shooting in which she was an innocent victim. Alonzo Diaz was involved in the investigation. Colter puts the pieces together and thinks Jimmy was following Trey to get to Alonzo, because he wants revenge on Alonzo. He took horse tranquilizers from Trey to use on Alonzo’s horses.
Jimmy holds Trey at gunpoint as Trey drives onto Alonzo’s property. They make it past the armed guards by claiming Jimmy’s a vet tech there to help hold the horses.
Colter and Holt watch the property from a safe distance and spot Trey’s car out front. Cody pulls up as they’re watching and Holt believes Cody’s going to tell Alonzo that Trey flipped, which he didn’t. They don’t have time to come up with a plan.
Colter and Holt sneak around the ranch and find Trey tied up and gagged in the barn. Trey’s shocked to see Holt there too, but Holt assures him they’re there to help. They can discuss Maggie later. Trey confirms Jimmy has been trying to get to Alonzo for years.
Colter has Holt stay with Trey as he heads to the house. Colter sees Jimmy’s holding Alonzo at gunpoint and tries to convince him to walk away. Jimmy tells Alonzo that he killed his mom and he wants to make him pay, but Colter warns him that Alonzo’s men will come running if he pulls the trigger.
Jimmy doesn’t care if he dies; he wants revenge. Colter reminds him that killing Alonzo won’t bring his mom back. Jimmy’s lowering his weapon when one of Alonzo’s men shows up. Colter takes him out as Alonzo and Jimmy shoot each other. Jimmy’s hit and Colter helps him out, taking down multiple members of Diaz’s crew. Only Cody remains, and Holt takes care of him.
Trey immediately begins working on Jimmy’s injury, assuring him he won’t let him die.
Later, the place is crawling with cops as Colter tells Jimmy that he told the sheriff that he shot Alonzo in self-defense. Jimmy’s not sure where he goes from here, now that Alonzo’s dead. Colter shares that someone told him it’s better just to let things go. He believes Jimmy will be okay.
Maggie apologizes to Colter for getting him into this situation. She and Holt will be getting a divorce, and she hands over the reward and thanks him for not quitting on her. “You’re a good man, Colter Shaw,” says Maggie.
Holt tells Colter he’s not going to stand in the way of Maggie’s happiness. They both think Trey just got caught up in something and should be okay if he tells the DA the truth. Colter hands Holt cash to give to the owner of the horse he borrowed. There’s a mutual respect that’s quickly built up between Colter and Holt, and Colter tells him not to hesitate to call if he needs anything.
- Tracker Season 3 Episode 1 “The Process” Recap
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- Tracker Season 3 Episode 5 “The Old Ways” Recap
- Tracker Season 3 Episode 6 “Angel” Recap
- Tracker Season 3 Episode 7 “Eat the Rich” Recap
- Tracker Season 3 Episode 8 “Eurydice” Recap
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