Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, starring Buddy Ebsen, also starring Lee

Meriwether, with guest star Margo Kidder, special guest star Clue

Gilliger.

Tonight's episode, Trial Run for Death.

Okay. Now you split.

What do you mean split?

You know you shouldn't be here. It's not safe.

I want to go away with you. I want to be alone with you. No, not now.

I can't do that.

Well, brother -in -law, what brings you away from your desk and down to Pitsy?

Oh,

how'd I get in here, man?

You got to beat those track groupies off with a stick. Oh, stop it, Mark.

Oh, come on. You don't think that I was messing around with Eric, do you? No, I

used to think. Now I know.

I resented driving all the way out here today just to have you sign these

things. But now I'm very glad I did.

Just hand me the pen, Curt.

No, I don't think you'll be signing anything for Fowler Industries ever

Not after I tell Rita about this little wrestling match I just witnessed. What

are you talking about wrestling? My sister might be somewhat gullible and

She was, she was. That's my wife you're talking about. Not for long.

Because if there's one thing that Rita's not, she is not forgiving.

It's not exactly a Fowler trade.

Wait, wait, wait.

Don't worry.

You'll get a satisfactory check for your time and services.

Pocket money until you can snare some other rich, unsuspecting woman.

It was murder.

You mark my words.

When you get to the bottom of this, Jones, all of you, remember I said it.

Dad, please. No, no.

A man doesn't like to see his son beat him to the grave. It's unnatural.

Can you understand that, Jones?

Yes, Mr. Fowler. Yes, I can.

Well, then, what do you think?

Well, I think that I may bang up more than a shoulder if I go to jumping to

conclusions. I'd like to hear what Mr. Landy thinks.

He would drive it. Well, it's not entirely beyond the realm of

Jones, that the car was tampered with.

Don't flavor it with sweet talk about possibilities, son.

He's the only son I have now.

And the bitter truth is that Mark here is the one that they were after.

We don't know that, Dad.

All right.

All right.

Mark is what you might call a carnivorous driver He has brought back

trophies more cash prizes than any other five drivers that I have ever backed

There were an awful lot of unhappy drivers that followed him across the

line And you think that maybe one of these unhappy drivers might have tried

eliminate him exactly

From the look of the face and arm, I would say that the accident is still

painfully clear in your mind.

Do you recall exactly what happened?

Well, it was like I said, it was Kurt's first ride, so I didn't want to spook

him first time out, you know.

But he seemed to be enjoying it after the second, third lap, so I thought I'd

show him what the car would do.

I... I was just easing up toward the

embankment there.

I've got to make a wide turn.

They're going to come down, out of it, full bore.

And she just went.

Went? Yeah, the steering linkage just went. I felt it pulling right.

Like the right arm had completely gone.

And next thing I knew, we were painting the wall with metal. We ended there, and

we rolled, and... By the time I crawled

free.

And it was already too late for Kurt.

Find out who did it.

Find out who tampered with that car.

Have you any idea who may have wanted to do this to you, Mr. Laney? Oh, every

time you take home a trophy, you're going to make some enemies, Mr. Jones.

That's just natural.

I've taken home a lot of trophies.

If my father is wrong, Mr. Jones, please find that out, too.

What's the matter with you? Oh, do you think I could have that one for nights

when I feel like being a little sophisticated?

All right, all right.

Is that it? I'll take it.

On account.

What do you mean, on account?

On account of you loving me.

Yeah, I do.

So let's go.

And on account of... I know that your brother -in -law was going to tattle to

his sister.

What did you say?

It wasn't very nice of him, was it?

I think I would have done the same thing that you did.

What are you talking about?

Oh, I love her.

You said you wanted to see Mr. Landy's racing suit, huh?

If there's anything left of it.

Ruined it when they cut it off him, of course.

I don't even know why I brought it back from the hospital.

You sure tore it up, didn't you? Yep.

Would you hold that?

What are you doing that for?

I'll be doggone.

I thought Mark Landy told me that he was trapped in the wreck for a few seconds

before he crawled away.

I thought, gee, that's really something. Fire doesn't make a mark on us, but it

does.

I guess the nurse that cut this off of them must have gotten carried away with

their work.

It's like lipstick.

What kind of a car that Mark drove?

Similar. Needs about a month's work, though.

I always wanted to sit in one of those things.

You mind?

Be my guest.

How's the investigation going there, Mr. Jones?

You uncover any saboteurs operating around here besides Mitch?

No.

Mr. Hammer assures me that the only fingerprints of his I'll find around

would be on a cold beer in a cool place.

Say, the emergency crew tells me that they found Mr.

Fowler's helmet inside the car after they put the fire out.

Wasn't he wearing it?

Oh, yeah, you better believe it. I insist on that.

It must have come off on impact that that happens.

Yeah. Well, I'll be on my way.

Say, where did you say that you had the car taken? Burns Salvage out in the

valley. Pray there isn't much left to salvage.

Probably not.

I don't know too much about cars.

Well, thank you very much for your time, Mr. Hammer, and thanks for the tour.

What's he want with that suit?

Who knows? He was burning it with a match, scraping away at it with a little

knife. Scraping away at what?

Lipstick. Said your suit had lipstick on it.

You still dissecting Mark Landy's racing uniform?

Have a look at this left sleeve and shoulder, Betty.

Interesting?

Torn and dirty, yes.

What makes it interesting?

As you say, it's torn and dirty and embedded with sand and grass.

But you said he dislocated his shoulder in the crash.

I said he said he dislocated his shoulder in the crash.

Well, maybe he was thrown from the car when it hit.

He said he crawled out of the flaming wreck.

But you don't see it that way here.

Not a sign of a scorch or smoke mark on the entire suit.

And the left shoulder looks like it struck with sufficient impact to

it.

Are you telling me that the great Mark Landy chickened out when he saw a crash

coming and jumped?

There you go disparaging chickens again.

There's nothing chicken about a chicken.

We used to have a Rhode Island red that chased dogs. All right.

What I meant was that...

It doesn't do much for his bravery image to abandon ship and let his passenger

die in the crash.

I suppose a man might lie about a thing like that. And then there is this

doggone lipstick.

Is it ready yet?

Almost. It's like some kind of a cream emulsion.

Are you sure it's lipstick?

I'm not so old I've forgotten what lipstick looks like.

Barnaby, do you have any idea how many different kinds there are?

No, but... Pacific Cosmetics know exactly.

And they are affecting you.

I know.

I just don't know what to say. Nothing to say.

It's all decided.

You're going to hang up your racing helmet and take over Kurt's job here

me.

I redid every inch of it, Mark.

Just for you. I can see that.

It's a strange, strange feeling.

I mean, Kurt's office here.

You know, filling his office is one thing, but filling his job, that's

You're the man for it.

I want you to manage the automotive division of Fowler Industries.

Oh, boy.

I've been hooked on the smell of exhaust fumes and burning rubber for 40 years,

ever since I went into the automotive equipment business.

I have spent millions on race cars to sell Fowler spark plugs, Fowler brakes,

Fowler accessories.

I love it.

But the driver is just hired help.

Oh, well, thank you very much.

You know what I mean. Drivers come and go.

But the business goes on right in here.

Yeah, let me tell you something, Morgan. I wouldn't admit this to anyone but

you.

I've noticed the kids are getting a little tougher every year.

So? Leave the driving to the kids.

If Barnaby Jones finds that one of them is out after your hide, fool him.

Quit at the top.

No disgrace to quit at the top.

Retiring, I think they call that.

Exactly.

And what's more...

You won't see this old gray head around here much longer either.

No, sir.

So, get ready.

You're the only son I've got now, Mark.

I'm trying to do a good job.

I don't know what else to say.

Save the speeches for the annual sales meeting.

Well, I'll get out of here now and let you get to work.

Thank you.

It's a good feeling having you here, Mark.

Mr. Landy, congratulations.

Thanks. I guess I was the last to know, huh?

I'll try to be all the help I can.

I was with Mr. Follett.

The late Mr. Fowler, for many years. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. I

really do.

I tell you, right now, I guess you'd better show me who's first.

Perhaps you'd better see Miss Wright first.

She said she had an urgent appointment about a public relations job you

her. Oh, yeah, yeah.

She's first.

You show her in, would you, please?

Miss Wright?

So my baby's become a vice president.

Well, you're crazy.

You shouldn't have come here.

I was worried.

What's this new job going to mean to us?

What do you mean, us?

You sound like we were a corporation or something.

The Love Corporation, that's us.

Come on, Laurie. Now, come on, come on, come on, come on. Be reasonable. You've

got to spoil everything.

There's getting to be more and more spoil, isn't there?

No, we've just got to be careful.

That's all.

Well, then why don't you carefully take me out to dinner tonight?

The dinner?

You know, dinner. The meal after lunch. Yes.

We could go to some quiet, pretty little place at the beach.

I mean, candlelight's about as careful as you can get, isn't it?

Yeah, well, I don't know.

I'll have to call you on this. Uh -uh.

Phone calls are for alibis.

So make your phone call to your wife.

Well, you're a busy man now. You have a new job. You have a lot of excuses.

Yeah.

You know, this could turn out to be not so bad.

All right.

All right, I'll tell you what. I'll meet you, all right?

Okay. Okay.

Um, I had to take a cab here.

What's the matter with your car?

Well, it's been a car too long.

Oh, yeah?

Well, we'll find you another one.

Well, there was this absolutely stunning sports car at Aston Imports, you know,

that I think that a new public relations girl from Fowler Industries would look

divine. Yes, yes. We'll talk about that tonight.

Do you love me?

Yes, I love you.

I do.

I'll see you tonight.

Okay. Bye -bye.

I know my father means well.

But honestly, Mr. Jones, don't you think this idea of sabotage is rather far

-fetched?

How about that?

That's a second question I was going to ask you.

Now that I've answered your second question, what about the first?

Do you know of any reason why anyone would fix the car to harm your brother

instead of your husband?

Kurt?

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I'm just looking for motives.

I don't think you could find anybody who would even have a bad word for Kurt.

Besides...

I was rather surprised that he'd even get into a racing car.

I always thought he was scared of them.

Oh, excuse me.

Hello?

Oh, yes, he is.

Mr. Jones?

Just a moment.

Your daughter -in -law.

And my secretary.

Hello, Betty.

Well, I'll tell you one thing.

This has taken all the pleasure out of ever wearing lipstick again.

Did you find it?

Finally. I had no idea there were so many dreadful shades with such glamorous

names. Like what?

Like the one we're looking for.

It's called Tamarind Wind.

It's made by Camelot Cosmetics.

Thank you, Betty. I appreciate that.

Talk to you later.

I had her on the phone, and I forgot to ask her.

She was calling from a phone booth, too.

Problem? Well, I told Betty this morning I was going right by a drugstore, and

she asked me to bring her a lipstick. Now, what was the name of that, uh,

that... I'm afraid that's a new one of me. I can't help you.

Darling, you're home early.

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Mr. Jones? Honey,

I'm sorry, but I gotta change. I gotta get back because some guys from out of

town came in and just, uh...

Well, I'm just leaving.

Thank you very much, Ms. Lynch.

You uncover any sinister plots to do away with me yet, Mr. Jones?

Not yet.

But I had an expert out looking over your car all day at Burns Salvage. I was

supposed to meet him half an hour ago.

I'll let myself out.

Bye. Bye.

He shouldn't be bothering you like that. Oh, he's very nice.

But I'm afraid father has him going in all directions.

What do you mean?

Now he wonders whether someone really intended to harm Kurt.

It don't matter.

The companies I represent

don't insure racing cars, Barnaby.

You can sure see why.

That's a $40 ,000 potluck jump.

Not much left to salvage, huh?

Oh, they'll save a dozen pieces of it.

A few expensive parts.

That's all.

Find anything interesting?

Well, you didn't tell me what you're looking for.

That's right.

I wanted an objective, professional opinion.

Well, when they come off the wall that way, it's hard to tell whether it's

negligence, mechanical failure, or what.

Front tires were both burned, but there's no sign of a... Normal blowout.

What about steering?

Oh, they'll be able to use that again, I imagine.

That's a tough article.

About the only thing left intact in the whole car.

You mean it still works?

Yeah, see for yourself. It's as good as new.

What do you know about that?

No, I just can't pinpoint the cause of this crash for you, Barnaby.

Sorry.

I'm going to have to bill you anyway, you know.

I think you're earning your money, Frank.

That's it?

That's it.

Thanks. Appreciate it.

Oh, and say hello to your wife.

She still makes the best lasagna in Southern California.

Hey, cut it out. You're making me hungry.

Well, if you're still wondering about the accident, I'm afraid I don't have

fresh guesses for you. I was just thinking about Mark Landy. He must pick

lot of admirers. He's handsome, rich, wins all the time.

Boy, everybody loves a winner.

I guess that includes ladies.

Sure doesn't hurt your stand with the chicks, that's for sure.

I don't get you.

It's that fresh lipstick on Mr. Landy's racing uniform.

It's just innocent personal business. I don't want to put my foot in it by

asking him questions, you understand?

Okay. But you didn't hear it from me, right?

No way did I hear it from you.

I don't even know her old name.

Which half have you got?

All I know is she wears one of those gold ID bracelets.

And it says Laurie on it.

You drive like that, you're not going to live long enough to break it in, my

friend. Well, look who's talking.

The big, brave racing car driver.

I scared you, didn't I? You better believe it.

Amateurs scare me to death.

Honey, I got to get back.

Get back?

Yeah, I got to.

Every time we get together, all you're thinking about is getting back. No,

that's not true. I just have to... Hey, Lori, wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

How many ways do you expect me to keep dividing my time?

How many?

Well, you didn't have to take that job with your father -in -law. No, it's just

that things have changed now. You know, they've changed.

They could change again.

I don't know what you mean.

We could have everything. We could have it all.

I'm afraid you lost me on the last turn back there. What, uh... Well, don't you

inherit all your wife's money?

I don't know what you're talking about.

I know what I'm talking about.

Don't tell me you haven't thought about it.

I don't believe you.

Don't make me out to be the criminal.

You stop talking like one.

Well, isn't it better than walking around pretending you're not?

That was an accident.

An accident.

Darling, Mark.

The murder may have been an accident.

The accident was no accident.

Mark, I've wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you.

You acted like you wanted me. You said you did.

Were you lying?

No, I wasn't lying.

Then... It's just that, see, I... Well, I never even

considered anything like that with Rita. I mean, it's just... Well, I think you

should consider it.

I mean, you could have anything in the world you wanted, and you could be

anywhere you wanted.

And you'd have me?

You're a lot more woman than I gave you credit for.

You know that?

Well, I'm all the woman that you'll ever need.

Because I'm in love with you.

Miss Wright.

Yes?

Mighty pretty little demon you're driving.

Yes, I just got it.

Oh, thank you, but if you're from one of those car agencies I talked to, I

already got some. Thank you anyway. Oh, no, no, I couldn't make it at a car

sale, but I'm a private investigator.

Oh? I'm also, what you might say, a friend of Mark Landy.

His father -in -law asked me to investigate the car crash in which his

killed.

Well, I'm sort of a Sunday driver, so I thought talking to a dyed -in -the -wool

race fan like yourself might be helpful.

A race fan?

Yes, that's what one of the guards out at the track calls you. He also said

you're very pretty, and he's right about that.

You might remember him, his red -headed, freckled face.

Your car was parked in front of one of the truck entrances out there one day,

and they had to move it, so he found your name from your registration in the

glove compartment.

He said you're out there, rain or shine, race or no race.

Well, as a matter of fact, I guess I am sort of a race fan.

You know Mr. Landy pretty well, then?

No, I wouldn't say that. I know what he looks like. Everybody does.

Were you out there the day of the accident?

Did the guard tell you that?

He couldn't remember.

Well, he couldn't remember because I wasn't there.

Didn't the paper say that nobody saw the accident?

Leastwise, nobody says they saw it.

But the guard wasn't dead sure that you weren't there either.

Um, look, Mr., uh... Jones.

No lie, Jones.

Mr. Jones, I have a date, and I'm afraid I'm not going to be any help to you at

all. I have to go. Goodbye.

If you think of anything helpful, give me a call.

I'm in the phone book. Barnaby Jones.

I'm afraid you drew a blank.

Goodbye.

What is your giant all -seeing eye say, Mr. Jones?

Appears to be the same lipstick car, eh?

Coincidence?

Don't keep any computers around here, but I would say the chances of

are about one drop in a great big bucket.

Drop in the ocean when you hear what I just found out.

A car was bought from Ashton Imports.

where a very nice salesman very reluctantly told me that it was bought

for in full by a check written on Fowler Industries.

And... Don't tell me.

And signed by Mark Landy, Vice President.

You weren't your usual Irving self this evening, darling.

Oh, come on. Now, really, you gotta let me try my new image.

I'm a solid businessman.

Look at that.

Well, I wouldn't carry it too far if I was you.

Oh, boy. Oh, boy, you didn't leave your glasses at the baker's again, did you?

No, I didn't wear them this evening.

Edna says they make me look too old.

Well, Edna's going to have to have her mouth washed out with soap.

Hello, hello.

Mark, I've been trying to reach you all evening.

Yeah, could you wait just a minute, please?

Okay. See what I mean?

Business, business, all ours.

Well, some private investigator came over to talk to me.

A guy named Barnaby Jones.

What did you tell him?

Don't worry, I handled it.

What I want to know is when are you going to start handling things?

I'll tell you, Lord, I need some time.

All right, take some time.

Time's up.

What have you decided?

No, it's just not that easy.

Well, then I'll make it a little bit easier for you.

If we were married... A wife can't be forced to testify against her husband,

right?

Nothing secret about it, Mr. Jones.

Miss Wright's going to do certain public relations work for us with racing and

automotive magazines.

Use of the car is just part of her deal.

And she's worth every penny of it, too.

I'll bet she is.

You can certainly confirm what I've just told you. You talked to Miss Wright.

Just talk with her. Well, I've been trying to talk to Miss Wright about

matter. I couldn't find her. I was hoping that you could tell me where she

No, she doesn't report in here every day.

But when she comes in, I'll have her call you.

What other matter are you referring to? Maybe I can help you.

Well, I discovered some evidence which more or less indicates

that you haven't been entirely truthful about this whole thing.

I'm afraid you better explain that, Mr. Jones.

I'm not used to being accused of lying.

Well, I hope I'm wrong, but I'm kind of like an old carpenter.

Unless all the pieces fit and there are no cracks or spaces left, I'm not

satisfied.

I'm afraid you're letting your zeal and my father -in -law's fancies run away

with you.

Now, your racing suit, the sleeve of it, tells me that you more likely injured

your shoulder falling out of the car while it was moving.

Yes, sir.

Anything else worrying you? I just had your car gone over completely by an

expert, and he says... that one of the few things that wasn't damaged was the

steering. Yeah, so you put that all together along with some lipstick on my

racing suit.

Well, that lipstick was probably Miss Wright's, but it seemed a little out of

place, you being a married man.

Yeah, okay.

Well, I can see why you would be suspicious, and I apologize for snapping

a minute ago.

I could have saved you an awful lot of time and trouble, though, if you'd have

come straight to me.

Miss Wright was at the track that day.

You didn't know that. I told her that Fowler Industries was prepared to give

the use of the car.

And she got sort of exuberant, I guess, and gave me a great big hug and a kiss.

Well, Kurt saw that.

Mm -hmm.

And after the crash, I was in a state of shock.

I quite frankly don't remember whether I was thrown out of the car, crawled away

from it, or...

I don't remember.

Well, then you might not have been clear about the steering, either.

No, no, no, no, sir. It was definitely the steering. Now, maybe it was in the

upper linkage, if your expert says it wasn't in the steering arm.

Excuse me.

I won't take up any more of your time. Thank you, Mr. Laney.

Hey, you get any more carpenter work you're not satisfied with, you come see

first, okay?

I'll just do that.

Okay.

Yeah? Uh, yeah, I know. I know. I promised to be there.

But I don't like it up here alone.

There were animals howling around all last night.

No, you just hang tight.

Rita and I will be there in a little while.

Well, I don't think I should be here.

Oh, yes, my sweet.

You want a good life, you're going to have to work for it.

Well, what do you expect me to do?

Just be there.

This time we're going to...

Share a little secret together.

You want to share everything with me, don't you?

Hi. Hi.

You working around here?

Only when I'm not starring in some major motion picture.

What can I do for you?

Well, I'm looking for Miss Wright.

The one with the new wheels?

Yeah, that's the one.

Haven't had much luck.

Well, that doesn't surprise me.

Most of the girls around here are part gypsy.

They get around a lot.

You know what I mean?

I'm not sure.

Well, I saw her leaving here yesterday afternoon with an overnight bag and a

couple of heavy sweaters tucked under her arm. Know where she was headed?

She took my advice straight back to where she bought the car.

What do you mean?

Well, I had to help her get it started. Kept dying out on her.

I think the choke needed adjusting.

Well, thanks.

I'm looking for your next motion picture.

Okay, understand.

Look, Mr. Jones, my salesman had absolutely no business telling your

anything about the purchase of that car in the first place.

Our clientele often wishes to keep such gifts confidential.

I'm aware of that, Mr.

Ashton, but I wanted to know whether Miss Wright had brought the car in

yesterday to be worked on. She's only had that car for a few days. Why should

she want it worked on?

Young lady's missing.

I'm doing everything I can think of to find her. Now, would you please check

me?

Malcolm. Yes, sir.

Was Miss Wright in yesterday with her car?

Yes, sir. Minor adjustment. Had her on her way in no time at all.

I understand she had an overnight bag with her. Did she mention where she was

going? She sure did.

Cedar Crest.

Said she wanted to make certain she wouldn't get stuck up there. I told her

had nothing to worry about.

Thank you.

Barnaby Jones' office. May I help you?

Oh, yes, Barnaby.

Cedar Crest?

I understand the fire department up there has every piece of property listed

lot and number.

Well, wouldn't it be simpler to ask Mr. Fowler or Mr. Landy if they have a place

up there?

Maybe, but it wouldn't be as safe for a certain young lady. My ears are still

ringing from the fastest piece of double talk you ever heard.

Mark Landy?

Yeah, you better make it fast, Betty.

I have a hunch that our young gal friend, who was so generous with her

is the key to the whole thing. I don't want anybody burying the key on me.

Something wrong?

No, nothing's wrong.

But you said... Where's your wife?

Rita's home.

The wife's place is in the home, Laurie. I always say.

You mean I've been sitting up here in this empty cabin for nothing?

You didn't really think I was going to blow everything just for you, did you,

Laurie?

I wanted to talk to you.

I changed my mind about... It's too late. It's too late, Laurie.

I can't take any more chances on how you might feel tomorrow.

You can't get away with that. People know I'm up here.

No one knows.

That's how we set it up.

Remember?

Stand right there and throw the gun away.

That's far enough, Landy.

This is 8 foot, under 10 feet, I'm a dead shot.

Oh, thank God you're here.

You tried to kill me.

Is that a nice way to talk about a man who buys you expensive cars?

I keep thinking it was partly my fault.

Now, you mustn't clutter up a pretty day with that kind of thinking.

I just... Don't understand. I don't seem to be able to find an answer.

Oh, look at this.

Oh, dear.

They must have been blown down in the wind last night.

Poor little birds.

They've been working on that all week.

Now, look up there. There's your answer.

The wind didn't bother him.

He's up there bright and early, starting in all over again by tonight.

You'll have the thing half finished.

Brand new.

That's the nice thing about every single day.

Nobody's ever used it before. It's brand new.