In this week’s Tracker, Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) goes on a journey that seems like a simple act of kindness but turns into a web of mystery involving a lost dog, a family in danger, and military secrets. Colter is always in the right place at the right time in Episode 7, “Man’s Best Friend.” Or maybe he’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, depending on your point of view.
A Routine Rescue Turns Suspicious
Colter stops at a gas station in Denver, Colorado, at the start of the episode. He sees a stray dog digging through trash while he is filling up his truck. Barkley the dog has an address tag on his collar and a thorn in his paw. Colter, always the good guy, takes off the thorn and decides to give the dog back to its owner.
The situation quickly gets worse, though. If Colter gets out of his truck to get some supplies, someone breaks in and takes Barkley. Colter is shocked and wants to find the person who stole his dog.
A Home Invasion and a Missing Dog
When Colter goes to the address on Barkley’s collar, the front door is open. He goes inside and sees the dog’s owner, a woman named Natasha Burnett, and her scared son, Aiden Stoxx. They say that a man in a mask broke into their house, threatened them with a gun, and took Barkley.
The mother says that she recently got a strange call from someone offering to buy Barkley. Aiden’s emotional support animal, Barkley, helps him deal with the death of his father, so she said no. Now that Barkley is gone, Aiden pays Colter $187 from his birthday savings to find his beloved pet.
Putting the Puzzle Together
The police say that the dog theft is not as important as the break-in, so Colter teams up with his tech-savvy partner Bobby (Eric Graise). Bobby finds important evidence: the masked intruder was caught on Aiden’s gaming webcam. They can use the barcode on the man’s keychain to find a rental car that belongs to Max Miller (Seamus Dever).
When Colter gets to Max’s house, he finds more chaos. The door is broken, Max is gone, and Chelsea, his wife, can’t be found. Nate Riggins (Dylan Bruce), Max’s military friend, walks in on Colter’s investigation. Nate says that Max had been dealing with PTSD and had just reached out to him about Barkley, which is why he was first thought to be a threat.
Barkley’s Strange Past
Nate tells them that Max used Barkley to help him hide drugs while he was in the military. Nate found a new home for Barkley through a charity after Max went to rehab. The dog ended up with Aiden’s family. Max’s recent actions, on the other hand, raised red flags: he called Nate to find out where Barkley was but was cut off by gunfire.
After following Max’s rental car into the woods, Bobby and Colter and Nate find Max desperately looking for buried artifacts. Max tells everyone that Lawson, a shady contractor from his time in the military, took Chelsea hostage and is holding her hostage. Lawson tells Max to get back the Benin bronze statues that they stole together many years ago.
A Dangerous Confrontation
Colter comes up with a plan because time is running out. Lawson is tracked to a remote area where the statues are hidden by him and Nate. Max offers to trade the artifacts for Chelsea, but Lawson won’t show proof that he is alive. Nate gets rid of the danger when Lawson shoots Max. Chelsea isn’t in Lawson’s car, though.
Barkley steps in as the episode’s unsung hero. Colter finds Chelsea’s hiding place with the help of Barkley’s scent. The fact that she was found alive makes Barkley the real hero of the rescue mission.
Colter gives Barkley back to Aiden, but refuses to take payment. He tells the boy to buy something special for his mom with the money. Even though it was a stressful day, the episode ends on a happy note. Colter shows up at Reenie (Fiona Rene) and Velma (Abby McEnany)’s new office as a surprise. They give him a nice gift: a dash cam for his truck.
“Man’s Best Friend” is an exciting episode with both touching moments and dangerous situations. From finding out about military secrets to putting a boy back with his dog, Colter once again shows why he’s the best tracker. Because he is so dedicated to doing what’s right, he has to deal with a complex web of danger and loyalty with each new lead.
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