The opening scene of Episode 1 in Season 3 of "Dark Winds" hurtles us straight into the heart of the drama, with Joe Leaphorn lying unconscious on the ground. Suddenly, he jolts awake to find an arrow lodged in his neck. In a flurry of urgency, he yanks it out and scavenges for his radio, desperately transmitting a call for backup. His voice cracks as he pleads with Natalie to send reinforcements; someone is still lurking in the shadows. Joe manages to drag himself behind a rock for cover, tears streaming down his face as he peers cautiously over the edge. There, he spots a monstrous beast, growling ominously and charging straight at him.
We then flashback seven days prior. Joe prepares for his day, only to receive an urgent call to investigate a crime scene in the remote outback. Gordo is still on the beat, and Jim Chee joins Joe in the mission. After exchanging some friendly banter, they dive into the case. The focus is on two 14-year-olds, Ernesto Cata and George Bowlegs, who ran away together but now, Cata is missing while George has mysteriously reappeared at school, being detained for questioning.
Eyewitness accounts mention a red pickup truck in the vicinity, and boot prints suggest another presence. One thing is certain: Bowlegs knows something. His shoes are smeared with blood, and he flees when Joe and Jim confront him at school.
Meanwhile, at the US-Mexico border, approximately 457 miles south of the Navajo Nation, Bernadette is patrolling diligently. She stumbles upon an abandoned Mexican truck by the roadside and reports it, advised to proceed with caution. However, it isn't long before a chase ensues.
Bernadette manages to apprehend a mother and daughter, but in the process, she's outsmarted by the truck's owner, who disarms her and speeds off into the unknown. She's eager to follow up with the pair at Border Patrol, but her supervisor shoots down her idea, reminding her of her duty to deter illegal crossings. The Chief in charge is in no mood for distractions, acknowledging that they "all have stories" but refusing to dwell on the complexities of each case. This poses a challenge for Bernadette, who is determined not to let this one slip away.
Bernadette harbors a suspicion that the duo has fallen prey to human trafficking, and her conviction is further solidified that evening upon discovering their decision to depart voluntarily. Neither is being interrogated, and their imminent repatriation seems imminent. Determined not to let the matter rest, Bernadette seeks a private conversation with the mother and daughter that night. In the dim glow, they meticulously sketch a symbol and whisper a single, chilling word – "pig."
Meanwhile, Jim Chee and Joe arrive at the Bowleg residence, only to find the air thick with tension between Jim Chee and Shorty, their history from school days still lingering. Shorty's younger brother, Cecil, proves more accommodating, sharing that George was visibly rattled during their earlier conversation, mentioning how a "monster claimed Cata." He refers to it as a "ye'ittsoh," the most dread-inspiring tale in Navajo folklore, leaving Joe deeply introspective.
However, Joe's thoughts are abruptly interrupted upon returning to the station, where he encounters an unwelcome guest – Special Agent Sylvia Washington from Washington D.C. She's in town to tidy up loose ends and cases, one of which pertains to BJ Vines. Joe offers vague responses, but Sylvia's investigative prowess has already unearthed discrepancies. She intends to delve deeper, aware of the inconsistencies that plague the narrative. Could this scrutiny spell trouble for Joe? Judging by the meaningful glare she gives him as she closes the office door, it seems all too likely that her scrutiny will indeed come back to haunt him.
The following day, Joe persists in probing Cecil for more information and uncovers that Ernesto and George once frequented the vicinity of the excavation site. Nearby lies a caravan, and the entire area seems deserted, save for a woman named Teddi Isaacs. She is not amused by Joe's nosing around Dr. Reynolds' caravan, who is in charge of overseeing the excavation. Teddi divulges that the boys lent a hand at the site in the past, hinting at a connection to the excavation of Folsom lance points, albeit everything remains somewhat nebulous. She assures Joe that she will keep him informed, but we'll have to await future episodes to see if there's more to unravel in this tale.
As Joe's quest continues, he and Gordo trail some tracks and Joe strikes gold when he spots traces of blood. The duo follows the clues to an abandoned pipe, where they stumble upon a lifeless body inside. It is presumed to be Cata, albeit we lack confirmation at this juncture. However, what shocks Joe and Gordo immensely is an arrowhead lodged in the deceased's mouth, which Gordo extracts with much trepidation.
