Rancher Henry Marvin (Bert Freed) has married a much younger second wife Therese (Diane Foster), who really has eyes for her stepson Will Marvin (Tim O'Kelly) - something Jarrod notices. Will doesn't know but finds out when Therese tells him that he is adopted - something else that only Jarrod knows. Will's reaction is a bit over the top and he leaves his father to go to work for the Barkleys, but Therese, thinking Will is really after Audra Barkley, goes to get him for herself.
When Therese grabs a gun to use on Audra, they struggle and Therese is killed. Will impulsively tries to take the blame and Audra tries to let him, until Jarrod cross-examines her and gets the truth out. Jarrod goes farther and gets even more of the truth about Therese out until Henry is forced to swallow it.
This episode reminded me of "My Son, My Son," with the malignant family member causing trouble that's denied by the father figure, only here it is the younger second wife and not the son who is the problem. Again, Jarrod finds out the truth and confronts the father figure with it, hard, before the father figure finally accepts it.
Bert Freed and Diane Foster are always good, but Tim O'Kelly is weak in this part. It's not as good as "My Son, My Son," because O'Kelly is so miscast and Foster doesn't gets as spooky sick as Robert Walker Jr. gets in "My Son, My Son" - but who does get as spooky sick as Robert Walker Jr.?
When Therese grabs a gun to use on Audra, they struggle and Therese is killed. Will impulsively tries to take the blame and Audra tries to let him, until Jarrod cross-examines her and gets the truth out. Jarrod goes farther and gets even more of the truth about Therese out until Henry is forced to swallow it.
This episode reminded me of "My Son, My Son," with the malignant family member causing trouble that's denied by the father figure, only here it is the younger second wife and not the son who is the problem. Again, Jarrod finds out the truth and confronts the father figure with it, hard, before the father figure finally accepts it.
Bert Freed and Diane Foster are always good, but Tim O'Kelly is weak in this part. It's not as good as "My Son, My Son," because O'Kelly is so miscast and Foster doesn't gets as spooky sick as Robert Walker Jr. gets in "My Son, My Son" - but who does get as spooky sick as Robert Walker Jr.?