While AMC's guilt over B.J. Vines' death, a situation he has kept Chee in the dark about for far too long.

Dark Winds season 3, episode 3 — fittingly titled "Ch'į́į́dii (Ghosts)" — has started to tie those separate strings back together. Special Agent Sylvia Washington found Vines' body in the desert, causing Joe's guilt to resurface in ways both physical and spiritual. Once she sets her sights on him as a suspect, Jim will have to be brought in on the secret one way or another. Meanwhile, the cops raided a farm, where a board contained various photos of police officers, one of which was of Bernadette. Chances are her human trafficking case is connected, despite the miles separating her from Chee.

ScreenRant interviewed Gordon about how he views the dynamic between Leaphorn and Chee now that they're working together once more, whether he thinks Chee and Manuelito have a shot at real romance, and what he hopes to see in Dark Winds season 4.

Kiowa Gordon Addresses Chee & Leaphorn's Relationship Amidst Growing Suspicions

"I Don't Think Jim Believes Leaphorn Is Capable Of Murder"

ScreenRant: How has Jim Chee's relationship with Leaphorn evolved now that they're back on the force together?

Kiowa Gordon: I think these guys know each other now. We've been through some mud together. I've lied to him, he's lied to me, and we're still rough around the edges. As men did back in the '70s, they kept everything pretty close to their chest. It's a lot more of, "Yes, sir. We've got to do our job, but I'm also going to question you at times."

It's a nice give and take, I think. But I haven't earned any right whatsoever to be able to push him on things like my suspicions of his dealings with B.J. Vines, so I have to tread lightly. I also see him as a pseudo father figure, so I want that connection. We're two working colleagues at the end of the day, and we want to do the best work we can together. We know what we're capable of when we come together and solve mysteries and fight crime and help our community.

ScreenRant: Speaking of Vines, Leaphorn is obviously suffering severe guilt over leaving B.J. to die, and it’s manifesting in supernatural ways. How aware is Jim of what his partner’s going through, and how will his understanding of not only this phenomenon but other Diné customs evolve this season?

Kiowa Gordon: Yeah, Jim Chee's not a very superstitious guy when it comes to all the witchy stuff, but he's seeing it how it affects Leaphorn this season. He's got to give him something there, and he can't just completely write it off.

He knows Leaphorn's acting strange, and this isn't normal for him. There's obviously something at play, and he wants to get to the bottom of it, but he doesn't have enough information to really suspect anything of Joe. There is evidence that could point to motive, but I don't think Jim believes Leaphorn is capable of murder.

But also, Jim would take Joe's secret to the grave if he had to. Because that's just the kind of guy Jim Chee is for the people that he cares about.

Jim Chee & Bernadette Is A Dark Winds Relationship Worth Waiting For

“He’s Not Going To Let Go Of Her That Easily”

ScreenRant: We are missing one person he cares about, with Bernadette's story taking her to the border. You two had a touching goodbye kiss at the end of last season, but this season she's getting close to another man. Where was that leaving the two of you?

Kiowa Gordon: I always think back to the phone call in episode 2, which was great. We did that in two days. She did her coverage first, and then I did mine, but I was just laying on my hoodie next to her desk on the floor while they had the camera propped up on her face. She's reading her line, and I'm just reading lines off to her while she's doing it. I was tearing up in that moment, and it was like, "What the heck? I'm not even doing this scene. I'm just reading it to her."

Just listening to her and watching her, I can feel how we're pining over each other. It's going to come to a head at some point, and Jim's been pretty open with her. But they're not really together, so whatever. If she wants a side piece? She can have it.

ScreenRant: It feels like this relationship is a slow burn, but do you think there is hope for them? If not by the end of season 3, in future seasons?

Kiowa Gordon: Yeah, I think it's good to hold onto the hope. That's what Jim's holding onto. He's not going to let go of Bernadette that easily.

Jim Chee Faces His Own Crisis Of Faith In Dark Winds Season 3

"He Has To Sit Here And Live With His Decision"

ScreenRant: You immediately got into an altercation with Shorty Bowlegs when you first saw him, and we quickly learned that history runs deep. How much does that backstory cloud Chee's judgment this season?

Kiowa Gordon: Yeah, when you've got bad blood like that, it kind of infects your senses and your judgment. It impairs you, and you get filled with rage. You see red. Especially because I blame him for my mom's life being ruined and us being run out of town; me not being able to stay connected to the people there.

I think there's a lot of animosity inside of Chee, and he has to blame someone. Why not Shorty? Especially when there's a dead child and his son is involved. Jim's like, "Hey, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." It's impossible for people to get over their ideals sometimes, and tragedy and trauma does get in the way of logic receptors. I think it's Chee's duty to figure that out.

He's never had to really fight his demons before. He's always put them away, but now he has to confront them. He can't just run away, he can't just go to Berkeley, he can't just go to the FBI and live in the White Man's world. He has to sit here and live with it, and to live with the decision of whether or not he's going to put an innocent man in jail or kill him.

ScreenRant: Jim Chee was very dismissive of Navajo traditions and spirituality in season 1. Does his outlook change throughout season 3, and what would it take to make him a believer?

Kiowa Gordon: Yeah, I think he has to lighten up. He has to see things from a 360-degree angle. You have to get a bird's eye view on these things. You can't just rush into it like he did in the first couple of episodes.

He has to rethink how he moves, like in episode 2, where we just had to deal with the reckoning of some weapon being used that had nothing to do with Shorty. I had to try to appeal to him, "Let's go save your son. I'm going to put all that aside for now to save your kid." He doesn't deserve what's coming for him.

Now that he sees what Joe's going through, it's changing him. Chee's skeptical, but he sees something that makes him a little sympathetic. I think by the end of the season, Chee gets pretty open to the idea of anything being possible.

Where Kiowa Gordon Hopes To See Dark Winds Take Jim Chee In Season 4

“One Of My Favorite Tony Hillerman Books Was The Ghostway”

ScreenRant: We've really only seen Jim on the reservation working with Leaphorn. Now that Dark Winds has been renewed for season 4, are there any stories from the books that you want to see for him, or is there an aspect of his life that you want to explore?

Kiowa Gordon: In the books, he's very spiritual, and he's been trained to become a singer by his uncle. I'd like to see that explored. One of my favorite Tony Hillerman books was The Ghostway, and I'd want to see that onscreen. I'd be interested in exploring his spirituality more; his psyche, where he's at now, and where he wants to move on to — not necessarily flashbacks to the path he took to get where he is at.

I do want to see his rez life as a kid with his mom, and what that was like when they left. But things like going to school and then being recruited by FBI can be filled in with your own imagination.

ScreenRant: Have the writers already talked to you about what is happening for season 4?

Kiowa Gordon: We got the first script, and I see where it's at. I've read this book it's based on, and it's so interesting. I'm excited. It's going to be a big, ambitious season, so I'm excited.

Check out our other Dark Winds season 3 interviews here:

• John Wirth (Showrunner)

New episodes of Dark Winds season 3 premiere on both AMC and AMC+ Sunday nights at 9pm ET/6pm PT.