Season four picks up months after the events of the exceptional third season finale. Our three main characters — Lt. Joe Leaphorn, Deputy Jim Chee, and Officer Bernadette Manuelito — have all done some major soul searching. A more peaceful Joe remains separated from his wife, Emma, and is contemplating retirement. Meanwhile Bernadette and Jim’s relationship has blossomed, however she has not returned to work. This placid contentment is broken when a vicious crime breaks the evening silence.

Word of a runaway from the local Catholic school, St. Catherine’s, reaches the Navajo Police department. Joe and Jim begin their investigation by questioning the missing girl’s classmates. They learn the 16-year-old’s name is Billie Tsosi, and she’s disappeared with a male companion. Her friends do not share much, however one mentions how Billie isn’t lost.

After some questioning of a store clerk who sold the couple a map, they learn from Billie’s grandfather that the man she’s with is her older cousin, Albert Gorman. The grandfather describes Albert as a criminal and plans to handle the search himself.

Later, Jim convinces Bernadette to return to work. She’s hesitant, afraid their relationship will affect how they work together. But Jim assures her that it won’t be a problem. However, Bern becomes weary after Joe informs her about his plan to retire and that he wants her — not Jim — to be his successor.

Back on the squad, Bernadette revisits St. Catherine’s and gathers more information from one of the girls, Jane. Jane reveals a diner Billie would visit when she’d flee the school, because she liked its milkshakes. The trio head out to the Red House Diner. But they’re too late.

They walk onto a deserted, blooded scene with no sign of Billie or Albert. With shell casings littered throughout the diner, they find the owners shot dead behind the counter. The episode opened with the same scene, minutes before the police’s arrival. Billie and Albert sat in the diner, arguing about needing to find someone. Suddenly, a heavily-armed blonde woman enters, guns drawn, looking for Albert. The two engage in a shootout that left Albert wounded. Fortunately, Billy and he were able to drive off into the darkness.

This first episode does a great job of building tension with its opening scene, balancing the well-crafted action with the equally solid drama throughout. Establishing the threat immediately gives the season a certain urgency, while allowing viewers the opportunity to solve the mystery along with the protagonists. While it’s pretty easy to see future complications with Jim and Bern’s new work-life balance, one can’t help but root for them. Franka Potente gives a chilling performance as the assassin, and the show beautifully introduces guest star Linda Hamilton as Sheriff Sena’s (A. Martinez’s) wife, who is suffering from early Alzheimer’s. It will be interesting to see this development in contrast to Joe and Emma’s relationship. Overall, episode one was a solid reintroduction to this wonderful characters and world.

Rating: 7.5/10