(airdate: 3 Nov 95) Strong Arm of the Law sound files
"That is the deal we made, isn't it? I mean the end justifies the means,
a little corruption is tolerated as long as the trains run on time."
"Sheriff, you are losing your grip." Cecil, store owner, to Lucas Buck.
"Maybe I should check you, Sheriff, have a look at that Achilles heel of
yours." Dr. Matt Crower to Lucas Buck.
When Barrett and his boys from Flint set up a protection racket
in Trinity, the townspeople begin to question Lucas' control. The gang kills one man
who wouldn't pay them, beats another store owner, threatens others with arson if they
don't pay, and beats up Deputy Ben Healey.
When Ben thinks the gang is working for Lucas and Gail, who is investigating the gang, tells Lucas that the townspeople want to know why he isn't doing anything about it, Lucas starts feeling unappreciated. He goes to talk to the gang and tells them that he doesn't have any problem with shaking people down but that, as outsiders, they're going to be suspects in Will Hawkins' murder. He offers them a deal to come to work for him.
Caleb was eavesdropping on the conversation and when Lucas gets back into the car he pops up in the back seat. Lucas tells him to stay away from the gang but he later sneaks into their room and takes the suitcase full of loot. Barrett and his boys go to Caleb's room to get the suitcase and he scares them, possibly with Merlyn's help, by "roaring" at them.
The next day, Lucas finds Eddie, one of Barrett's boys, in front of the boarding house. Eddie is still slightly drunk from the night before and when Lucas puts him in the back seat of his car, Eddie tells him he is claustrophobic. Lucas begins talking to Eddie about Will Hawkins' murder and Eddie passes out. We next see Lucas at Will's funeral. As Lucas throws dirt into Will's grave, we see Eddie, bound and gagged, in the coffin with Will.
Gail continues her investigation of the gang by talking to Caleb
at the boarding house. When Caleb tells her that the men murdered Will Hawkins she
sends him to her house. She tries to find out from Earl, another of Barrett's gang,
whether the gang is working for Lucas but when she mentions Will Hawkins' murder he
pulls a knife on her and takes her into the backyard. Gail tries to tell Earl that
Lucas is not his friend but Earl thinks she is a cop and attacks her. Gail fights him
off and then Lucas appears and hits Earl with a shovel. He tells Gail that the next
time she wants information about him she should ask him and then carries Earl off.
When Lowell, Barrett's brother, shows up at the Sheriff's office thinking Eddie and Earl have been arrested, Lucas takes his bail money. When he realizes they aren't there, he becomes mad when Lucas won't give the money back and is arrested for assaulting an officer. We next see Lowell hanging by his own belt in the jail cell. Lucas is talking on the phone but stops long enough to call, very softly, to Ben for help. Dr. Matt Crower revives Lowell after he is taken to the hospital. As Barrett visits with his brother in the hospital, Lucas shows up to offer them a second chance. They refuse and he tells them that there is only one road out of town and that it goes north, to Michigan.
We next see Barrett and Lowell in their car heading south out of town. Lucas and Ben have set up a roadblock and, when the brothers try to avoid the roadblock, their car overturns. Lucas walks over to the car and sees Lowell still inside. Barrett has crawled away but Lucas drags him back to the car and handcuffs him and his brother to the car. Lucas gives them a knife and tells them he doesn't think they could cut through the handcuffs but they should be able to cut through a wrist. He puts a road flare in the gas tank and walks off. Just before the car explodes we hear a scream.
"These things have a thousand uses." Lucas Buck after hitting Eddie with a shovel.
"Evening Lowell, need a lozenge?" Lucas to Lowell, recovering in the hospital.
"What are we doing out here, Lucas?"
"Perfecting justice."Ben and Lucas at the roadblock.
1. August 2002