Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones.

Starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Meriwether.

With guest star James Olten.

Tonight's episode, Catch Me If You Can.

Hey, Barnaby.

I didn't know who it was at first.

You're not working on Saturday, are you?

Well, two days rest always makes me feel like a loafer.

I'm on my way up to the office to pick up some papers, fly up to San Francisco,

wrap up a case.

You don't look like you're exactly on the way to go fishing yourself.

Haven't got the time.

You really take into this private detective work, haven't you, Eddie?

won't lie to you, Barnaby, and tell you I don't miss the force, but...

Well, a man's got to finish what he started, and I'm this close to finishing

You're not still after that butterfly killer.

Barnaby, I'm breathing right down his neck.

It's just like the department psychiatrist said. He wants to get

Eddie. That's why he keeps writing me those notes, to keep me on the track.

Well, this time he went too far.

One note too many, Barnaby, and I'm going to nail him with it.

You know, it's too bad you're so tied up. I had to turn down a case yesterday.

I've been right up your alley.

Say, maybe I can still... Thanks, Barnaby.

And maybe in a week or so, I'll give you a call to go fishing.

Sounds good. Don't forget it. Right.

Yes, operator.

I'd like the number for Gene Merrick. M -E -R -R -I -C -K.

West L .A.

Brentwood area, I think.

I'll be with you in a minute.

4757. Thank you.

Come in.

It's about a case. I can't take anything new right now.

But I know a good man, Barnaby Jones.

I didn't come here to hire a private detective. I came to get one off my

That last clue I sent you worries me.

I went too far.

This typewriter says that you figured it out.

You're the one.

That's right.

And I'm not ready to end the game.

I'll get it, Mary.

Thank heaven.

Mary's been asking for you.

Barnaby, I'm so glad you're here.

I came down from San Francisco as soon as I got Betty's call.

Thank you.

You knew Eddie so well, Barnaby.

We went back a lot of years.

I know what people are saying, that everything was going downhill for him

lately. But that's not true, not entirely.

Maybe he was depressed about his work, but not his life.

You too saw the garden?

It's beautiful as ever.

Eddie worked in the garden Saturday morning, just as he did every Saturday.

I saw Eddie Saturday.

He was on the way to his office.

What did he say?

He said he was close to nailing the butterfly killer.

He was.

And he had reason to be.

Why do you say that?

It's a feeling I have, Barnaby.

You live with a man most of your life, you can sense when things are going

for him.

Eddie was on to something. I know it.

You know something?

I'm inclined to agree with you.

I think this time, Eddie was close.

Too close.

Do you think the killer found out and murdered him?

It's a possibility.

Barnaby, I have some savings.

Find out what really happened.

Prove it wasn't suicide.

I intend to.

But I'm going to hire myself on this one.

Just like with Eddie.

It's become a personal matter.

Didn't they find her body in a vacant lot somewhere?

Yes, she'd gone to a costume party the night before dressed as Madame

That's right, I remember.

The newspapers picked it up and labeled the murderer the Butterfly Killer.

Did you find anything?

Yes. Some of those taunting notes the killer sent Eddie when he first took

charge of the investigation.

I will turn myself in, but I want to watch you cops chase me a little longer.

I've changed my mind. She deserved to die.

This game is becoming a bore.

Catch me if you can.

What kind of a man does something like this?

A very dangerous one.

Eddie must have started this folder last June when he retired from the force.

I wonder what became of those notes.

When I saw Eddie Saturday...

He said that the killer had gone a little too far. He'd send one note too

and Eddie was going to nail him with it. The killer probably took that note

along with the rest of them from this folder.

Eddie, let's get all of Eddie's papers together. Take them over to the office.

Let's see if we can't find something that resembles an appointment.

Betty, did you find a pair of scissors or a knife in there?

No. Why?

According to the police report, Eddie hung himself with a cord from his lamp.

What did he cut it with?

For if a dedication to duty is the hallmark of a great man, then Edward

Wheelock sleeps among giants at peace with his final reward.

For as much as the spirit of our brother departed hath entered in life immortal,

we therefore commit his body to its resting place.

May he dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen.

He was a fine officer, Mary.

Lieutenant.

Lieutenant, when your boys went through Eddie's office, did they find a knife or

scissors?

No. Why?

I'm just trying to make some sense out of something that's pretty senseless.

Barnaby, Mary told me you were looking into Eddie's death.

Want some professional advice?

That's the best kind.

Accept the coroner's verdict, death by suicide.

Bury this whole tragic episode right here.

This is a good place for it.

I wish I could.

But I'm afraid to bury the truth.

It's got a way of coming back and haunting you.

One hamburger with all the trinkets coming right up.

Oh, Barnaby.

What you really need is a good night's sleep.

No, what I really need is a crystal ball.

I'm trying to make some sense out of this mess.

Nothing? As far as I can decipher, Eddie had one appointment all last week with

Gene Merrick.

Do you know it?

He was Eddie's prime suspect in the slaying until Merrick was completely

exonerated. I wonder why he went to see Merrick.

I almost forgot.

A special delivery letter came for you while I was downstairs.

Who from?

I don't know. There's no return of him.

Jones, the newspapers said that Eddie Wheelock's death was a suicide.

They also predicted rain for the day, Mr. Merrick.

Well, you realize that Wheelock wasn't one of my favorite human beings. Yeah,

according to the reports, he gave you a pretty rough time during the initial

investigation. Rough? He got it into his head that I was the butterfly killer.

Well, you were the last one known to have seen the girl alive. Look, I only

walked her to the car when she left the party, period.

According to the reports, you were also having an affair with her, Mr. Merrick,

one she intended to break off unless you divorced your wife.

Yeah, Wheelock really worked over that little fact, didn't he?

Eddie Wheelock was a good cop. He was working on a tough case.

He was also a fair cop.

He later exonerated you.

But my wife didn't.

Shortly after the news of my relationship with Linda became known,

divorce.

And now I only see my kids on weekends.

I'm sorry about that, but you really can't blame Eddie for your

He was just after the truth. He wanted to find Linda Barr's killer.

Look, I'm a little busy. What do you want to know?

Eddie came to see you last week. What about it?

note or something he got from the killer.

Killer said he was at the company costume party the night Linda was

Wheelock wanted to know if I could give him a list of everyone at the party.

Could you?

Not right away, but my secretary finally gave him one.

Any chance you might have a copy?

A good one.

She's very efficient.

I'd like to see it.

Here's the list, Mr. Jones. You may keep it if you wish.

You're very efficient.

You even listed the costumes everyone wore.

Well, as best I could.

Eddie Wheelock must have asked for this, too.

Yes, he did.

How did you know?

I'm a detective.

Thank you very much.

Oh, what photographer did you use for the party?

We always use the Kenton studio.

Kenton studio.

Thank you.

These are to be processed right away.

Or whatever it is you and your machines do with them.

You make it sound like we're one and the same.

No.

It's just that... Well, this is where you spend so much of your time.

I don't know how you do it.

Computers seem so complicated to me.

They puzzle a lot of people.

But I like puzzles.

Mr. Jones, you're the second person in two weeks that's asked to see the proofs

of that costume party.

Was the first one named Eddie Wheelock?

Yeah, I believe it was.

Said he was investigating that butterfly case.

Mr. Kenton, why is this picture smaller than the other, like a piece of it's

been cut off? Because it has.

Mr. Wheelock asked if he could cut off one of the people in it.

Which one?

Tell you the truth, I didn't even notice. I just handed him the scissors.

Now, these two pictures seem to be the same group.

Same group, slightly different angle.

Except this one, there's a tiger missing.

Here, look for yourself.

Mr. Wheelock must have cut the tiger off.

According to this list, there wasn't even a tiger at the party.

Yes, hold on.

Any luck on the costume?

Seems most companies don't keep records past six months. I'm talking to Mardi

Gras costumes right now.

Do you think this really might be the killer?

Good possibility.

I invited a guest.

Name wasn't on the party list.

The police couldn't check him out.

And there must be some reason why Eddie wanted this picture.

Yes.

You do?

Well, Mr. Jones will be down in a few minutes to talk to you.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Forbes.

Right. Bye -bye.

Mardi Gras has a tiger costume that sounds like the one you're looking for.

It's you.

You remember me.

I never forget a face or a costume that goes with it.

Besides, you're very popular lately.

Popular? A man came in last week asking about that tiger suit you rented.

He had a picture of it and wanted to know your name.

I'm not very good at remembering names.

So I told him I'd have to check in the back files and I'd get in touch with him

later. Did you ever get back to him?

I've been calling him for the last few days, but his line's disconnected.

And just a few minutes ago, a woman phoned, calling about the same thing.

She said a Mr.

Jones was going to stop by to see me.

The woman that called, did you give her my name?

I just told her we had a tiger costume like the one she described.

Where's the rental card now?

Right here in the desk.

Here it is.

Stone. Mr. Randall Stone.

What's it all about, anyway?

You wouldn't understand.

But you must believe I'm sorry.

Sorry about what?

That you've become part of the game.

I don't understand.

Please.

Don't.

Please. Please.

No.

No.

No.

No.

Excuse me. I'm looking for Mrs. Forbes.

Oh, she's probably on her lunch break.

Take the elevator to the fourth floor and just call out. Thank you.

Ms. Forbes?

You hear me, Ms. Forbes?

Ms.

Forbes?

The rent's on the table.

Why you come up for that reason, Randall?

Not that long as I'm here.

I'll just take the check, and you can use the envelope for something else.

You were up early this morning, Randall.

I heard you go out and get the newspaper.

Guess you couldn't sleep, huh?

I know how that is.

Believe me, ever since my husband died, I find it harder and harder to sleep at

night. I think it has something to do with being alone so much of the time.

Don't you, Randall? I mean, we're both alone so much.

I'm late for work, Stella.

Oh, I see you've already done today's crossword puzzle.

Amazing how fast you do them. I bet it's because you used to know all about

those different languages from when you taught at college.

Handel, did you read about the murder?

At the Mardi Gras costume company.

Oh, poor woman.

I bet some creep just probably felt like killing somebody when she was around.

I don't know.

I bet he's just some normal -looking guy you wouldn't even look at twice. The

type that fades into the woodwork.

Don't you think so, Randall?

Brett.

Oh. I told you I'm late for work, Stella.

Yeah.

Sure.

I'll, uh... I'll let you get ready, Randall.

I stopped by Mary's.

How is she?

Oh, as well as can be expected, I guess.

The reality of her being alone is just now getting to her, I think.

Oh, there wasn't much mail forwarded from Eddie's office except for a few

advertisements in this bill from an Apex typewriter company.

For one reeky typewriter?

I thought it was kind of strange.

Sure is.

Mary know anything about that? No.

You ever seen any typewriter in Eddie's office besides that standard portable

head? No.

Neither do I.

Why would Eddie want a typewriter with a Greek keyboard?

That's a good question.

Sounds good.

Yeah, you'd be surprised how beat up some of these things get when you let

out. Sometimes I think I'm renting to elephants.

Anything I can do for you?

Yes, sir.

Did you rent this machine?

Yeah, about a week ago. You returning it? No, I'm Barnaby Jones, a private

investigator, and my problem is that I want to figure out what Mr.

Wheelock wanted with a Greek typewriter. You don't handle many of those, do you?

If I had to make my living off Greek typewriters, I'd be on welfare right

Did he happen to mention what he wanted with it?

I don't... Oh, yeah.

I remember now he said something about he had to translate a note that was

written in Greek.

Translate on a typewriter?

That's exactly what I said.

As a matter of fact, I suggested to him that he take the note to somebody who

spoke Greek. And he said he already did that.

I had no choice except to fall back on the old businessman's creed.

What's that?

Never argue with a customer. I read in him the typewriter.

Thanks.

The young ones, Barnaby, are not like their mothers who came from the old

country.

You got to give them credit for trying.

You got a point there.

All right, all right, you convinced me.

Be here at 8 o 'clock tonight.

Oh, thank you.

Isn't that wonderful?

Sad thing about your friend Eddie Wheelock.

Yes, that's what I came to talk to you about, Kelly.

Eddie stopped by to see you recently, didn't he?

Just last week.

Something about a message in Greek?

That's right. He wanted me to translate it for him.

Did you?

Barnaby, when I was a young man in the old country, I was always moving around

from place to place, and not always by choice, Marty.

But in my travel, I thought I mastered every Greek dialect known to man.

Until I saw Eddie's number.

There was no way on earth for me to translate.

What was the difficulty?

The difficulty, my friend, was that it didn't make sense.

The letters were Greek all right, but they didn't spell anything. Just so

much... How do you say it? Mambo mambo?

Mambo jumbo.

Mambo jumbo. And nothing more.

Eddie told me to keep trying, and then he left.

Do you still have the note?

He left me a copy.

I've been showing it to some of my friends, but...

Barnaby,

believe me.

Mambo Jambo.

He's got to be here somewhere.

Somewhere in his note.

Some kind of a code, something.

Got to figure it out.

It'll still be there in the morning.

And you'll be a lot fresher, too.

I got to keep at it, Betty. I'm still... Close.

Barnaby, didn't you get back to any of these people yet?

Where would I get to time?

Well, this Mr. Jensen called three times.

He needs your help. He said it was very important. I'll get back to him in the

morning.

Sorry, Betty.

Don't you see what's happening to you, Barnaby?

You're becoming as obsessed with this case as Eddie was.

He couldn't think of anything else either.

Yeah, you're right.

See if you can get Jensen.

It's his office phone. I'm not sure he's there yet.

I guess he isn't in his office.

Eddie, come here, quick.

I think I've got it.

What does it say?

I don't know. It's all Greek to me.

Betty Jones.

It's a code.

A killer's own personal code.

You see, this note was typed on a Greek typewriter, but the words are really in

English.

Now all the killer did was to substitute a Greek character for an English

letter. Look at the two keyboards.

Keys are laid out the same.

Now all we have to do is reverse the procedure and hit the equivalent of the

Greek letter on the American machine.

Now here is the first letter.

couple of minutes and I have this thing translated.

You think Eddie broke the code too?

I'm almost positive he did.

And that's why he was killed.

In some ways it's like opening Pandora's box.

What does it say?

I worked with the butterfly.

I have good reason to believe the killer worked here, Mr. Merrick, and possibly

still does.

Well, then, Mr. Jones, obviously the police would have checked him out at the

time of the murder. Not necessarily.

The police only checked out the people who went to the costume party.

Oh, but that was everyone who worked here, Mr. Jones.

It was a company party at the Pavilion Hotel.

Everyone was invited.

I know for a fact that everyone came.

No one was left off this guest list for any reason?

Not that I can think of.

Did you see anyone at the party dressed in a tiger costume?

Oh, come on, Mr. Jones. It's been almost a year.

And besides, I'm the wrong person to ask about that.

Why? Because I only stayed at the party for about an hour or so.

Did you get sick?

Not me, Randall Stone.

Who's Randall Stone?

He works in the computer room.

I don't find his name on the guest list.

That's right.

I forgot.

Randall wasn't invited because he was working the night shift then.

I just saw no reason to send him an invitation.

But he got sick the night of the party.

Yes, and I had to come back here to find someone to take his place, which wasn't

easy on such short notice.

Where's Randall Stone now?

In the computer room, I imagine.

I'll find out for you.

Randall Stone.

What do you know about Randall Stone?

Oh, not much, really. He knows his business, but he keeps pretty much to

himself.

He's just one of those people that nobody seems to pay any attention to.

Oh?

Thank you.

Well, isn't that a coincidence?

What?

Randall called in sick today, too.

What's his address?

Can I help you?

Is Mr. Jones here?

No, I'm sorry he isn't.

Would you like to leave your name and number?

Is it all right if I wait?

I'm not sure when he'll be returning.

It's very important.

Certainly. Have a seat.

I realize I wouldn't allow this under normal circumstances.

Normal circumstances?

If Randall hadn't been so rude to me lately.

Listen, private detective or no private detective, I don't believe in spying on

my tenants.

What are you looking for, anyway?

For what may be the final piece of a puzzle. Oh, Will, you've come to the

place. Randall's always solving puzzles.

I have a feeling he's also good at creating puzzles.

Okay. Didn't know Randall had a typewriter. I'd never heard him use it.

What kind of a typewriter is that?

Read.

Well, I'm sorry. My father -in -law isn't back yet, and I've got a lunch

I'm going to have to close the office, so if you'll leave your name and number,

I'll have him call you when he gets back.

I said I'd wait.

Now look, I, uh... I think we'd better go in there. We'll wait together.

Why don't you say something?

Anything.

Don't want to know who I am, but you know already.

I have an idea.

You know already.

That's why you're so quiet.

She was afraid too.

The little butterfly was so afraid she started to cry.

Do you understand why I killed her?

I never understand why anyone kills.

Because...

She was a tease.

You know what I mean.

She used to make me think that she cared for me.

Smile at me.

Come in my office sometimes and talk.

That's why I had to be at that costume party with her.

I was surrounded by friends.

So I waited until she left.

And I followed her home.

And I thought she was going to be.

She called me a creep.

Started laughing and kept on

laughing until there was only one way that I could stop her.

Ready? I found the missing piece.

I know who the butterfly killer is.

It's a shame that information won't do you any good, Mr. Jones.

You must be Randall Stone.

That's right.

Well, if you've decided it's time to kill me the way you killed Eddie

you're too late.

I've already talked to the police. They have your name. They're out looking for

you now. I don't believe you.

Talk to your landlady, Stella.

I used the phone in your apartment.

It's all over, Stone.

It's just a matter of time.

Time can be to my advantage.

Especially with her as a hostage.

Your gun.

Take it out.

Put it on the desk.

Slowly.

Now turn around.

What do you hope to gain by this?

I'm just not ready to spend the rest of my life in jail. Come on.

You hurt her. Now you just sit tight, Jones.

Don't try to follow us and don't pick up the phone.

Not if you ever want to see her alive again.

My car's in a parking lot.

Act normal.

You'll never get away with this.

For your sake, you better hope I do.

Slide over on the other side.

You're going to drive.

Go on.

Jones, pull it.

Or you'll get it with your own gun.

Gun's not loaded still.

I don't go around with a loaded gun when I don't think I'm going to use it.

Got the shells right here in my pocket. You want to see them?

Barbie!

Stand right where you are.

Put your hands up.

I thought you said it wasn't loaded.

Back where I come from, they'd say you'd been flim -flam.

Barnaby, you're quite a gardener yourself.

You know, when I was a boy, my father used to say there are three things that

make a good gardener. Sharp tools, rich soil, and an occasional glass of cold

lemonade while you're working.

He knew what he was talking about.

Oh, wait till you see what we're having for lunch.

Baked ham, sweet potatoes, and fresh corn.

You didn't have to go to all that trouble.

It's no trouble.

I like having both of you here.

You going to be all right, Mary?

Yes.

Even though it doesn't bring Eddie back, it helps knowing the truth about how he

died.

Thanks, Barnaby.

Lunch will be ready soon.

I'll help you with the table.

Yes, sir.

He really knew what he was talking about.