Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, starring Buddy Ebsen, also starring Lee

Merriweather, with guest stars Jessica Walter, Jack

King, Betty Ackerman, special guest star Ed

Nelson.

Tonight's episode, Venus as in Flytrap.

Miss Latham, in your last editorial... Miss Latham.

Yes, Miss Latham.

You stated that Lawrence Kinner's reputation as this country's greatest

novelist was deplorable.

No, the reputation was only laughable. The fact that he's living is deplorable.

He's a charlatan, masking a third -rate talent under a cloak of male chauvinism.

If he spent as much time writing as he does talking, the public would at least

be spared the agony of looking at him.

Mr. Kinner, how do you feel about that statement?

Only pity, really, for someone...

Suffering of mental diaper rash while groping around for a misplaced sexual

identity. At least I know your identity. King of the clearance racks, the poor

man's Hemingway. I understand you spent the last six months working on your

latest novel.

Oh, yes, and he got as far as the title. Now, Mr. Kinner, when will we be able

to read the book?

As soon as you've acquired that facility, I assume.

You know, seriously, perhaps if you'd stop maligning women and acknowledge

as your equals, you'd regain your popularity.

My reputation is based on honesty. I couldn't possibly espouse such a

concept. But you're not above living off a woman.

If it hadn't been for your wife, you'd have starved to death years ago.

It's been ten years since you've been anywhere near the bestseller list.

I'm sorry.

I just can't stand to hear you run down.

Well, I guess I better get my stuff together and get out of here. I'll be

for my lecture.

Honey, that last stuff was really below the belt.

I mean about my living off you.

Even if it wasn't true.

Larry, you live with me.

Between a husband and wife, nothing's divisible.

Everything I have, you own.

Larry.

Including all my love.

Hello. I love you.

Love you.

Did you see the show?

It was very convincing.

I was beginning to believe we really do hate each other. What a shot the

public's in for.

When we get married.

How long, Larry?

I'm not sure.

Not sure?

After all your planning?

I told you, it's not easy.

You're stalling, Larry. You've been stalling since the beginning.

Don't you understand?

Timing of this thing has to be just perfect.

I'd be too suspect if anything goes wrong.

I love you, Larry.

I can't wait much longer.

You don't have to wait long, I promise.

Okay, I have to leave now.

I'll talk to you later.

Who was calling?

Draper.

He's still playing like the editor in distress.

He wants my manuscript.

I'll see you. I'll be back before midnight.

I'll wait up. I have to answer some letters.

Hey!

aren't you, Brooke Latham?

That's right.

What do you want?

Your husband.

What are you talking about?

You won't do it.

No. No, no, no.

The police authorities have tentatively ruled my daughter's death due either to

a suicide or an accident.

But both theories leave too many questions.

I don't see how it could have been an accident.

Why not, Mr. Strand? Because Marjorie had a deathly fear of the water.

She almost drowned as a child.

Seems strange she'd have a house with a pool.

That was her husband who insisted on putting it in for his own pleasure.

Marjorie'd go out on the patio sometimes, but...

She'd never go near the pool.

Well, with a phobia like that, it would seem to rule out accident or suicide, as

far as Johnny's concerned.

Did you tell all this to the police?

Yes. They said that there's no simple rationale for suicide.

I understand that she was an invalid and had been suffering a great deal of pain

lately. Yes, but she was too much of a fighter to ever contemplate taking her

own life.

If that's true, there's only one other alternative.

Do you know of anyone who might have wanted to harm your daughter?

No, she had no enemies and... And what?

She never fought with her husband.

Well, I understand her husband was about 20 miles away at the time of your

daughter's death, lecturing to a group of fans.

Yes, it is, just that Larry had become so erratic lately.

His writing had suffered.

Really?

Never forget the first book of his. I read it about ten years ago.

Not a critic, but that man could really spin a yarn.

Yes, but it's been downhill ever since.

He was never able to write anything comparable afterward, even saleable.

It got to the point where he had to keep his name alive with various publicity

antics.

As for money, my daughter was quite wealthy in her own right.

That money now becomes his, Mr. Jones.

Mr. Kenner should be down soon. I heard him stirring upstairs.

Thank you. Poor man, he hasn't left his room since the funeral.

Well, you've certainly given the premises a going over, Mr. Jones.

Are you looking for anything special?

No, I just sort of meet the bushes and hope something flies out at me. Mr.

Jones?

My father on my phone said you'd be coming over.

I'm very pleased to meet you.

Isn't often I get to meet a famous writer in the course of my day's work?

Yeah, I'm flattered that you think so. If I can be of any help in what you're

doing here, just let me know.

Well, uh, yes, maybe it could be of some help. I found this over by that fence

there. What is it?

Well, it looks like a piece of a glove.

Any idea where it came from?

Might be the gardener's, huh?

Doesn't look like a work glove.

Teeth marks on it like the dog might have gotten to it.

I understand the dog was loose on the terrace here when your wife was found.

Yeah, evidently he climbed out over the gate.

Had to be pretty agitated to make a jump that high.

He probably got out when Marjorie fell in the pool.

Dogs can somehow sense when their masters are in danger.

Be careful.

Be vicious.

Yeah, maybe.

You know, quite a gift with animals.

He's never taken to me like that.

That's all?

Seems a strange attitude for a dog to have to his owner.

Not his owner.

Belongs to her father -in -law. Gave it to Marjorie as a companion.

Looks like this dog has a kind of a lump over his left ear here.

A lump?

Looks like a contusion.

Anybody struck this dog lately?

Nobody in my house would abuse an animal.

I know a very good bet.

I think I'll call Mr.

Strand and ask him if he'd like me to have the dog look at him.

Okay.

You know, it could be this glove or what's left of it belonged to a

who...

Made a quick exit, maybe over that fence.

We haven't had a trespasser around here.

Don't you think somebody may have gotten in here and killed Margie?

Do you know anyone who would want your wife dead?

No, nobody.

Nobody at all.

I didn't hear you drive up.

You know how involved I always get when I'm working on a new issue.

How are you?

How should I be?

I tried calling, but your housekeeper answered, so I hung up.

Well, I won't lie, Larry, you can't expect condolences from me.

I don't expect anything from you. Least of all a sense of charity, Brooke.

Charity? You hypocrite.

Who used to pay for hours planning his wife's murder? How many times did you

talk about killing her so we could be together?

Or is that all it was?

Talk.

Did you ever really mean any of it?

Yes, I meant it.

Then what's bothering you?

Your wife solved all our problems by committing suicide.

If she really committed suicide.

What do you mean, if?

My father -in -law.

He hired a private detective to look into her death.

Why? He suspects murder.

Then I have a feeling he investigated us, too.

Does he have any evidence?

Only a theory.

He thinks somebody might have broken into the house that night.

On the way out, got bitten by Marjorie's dog.

Why are you hiding your arm like that?

I'm not.

I heard it the other day playing tennis.

Can I see it? It's nothing.

I shouldn't let me look at it!

A cast from playing tennis?

Or is it covering something else like teeth marks?

Larry, please. Now tell me. You're hurting me. You tell me the truth. All

I killed her.

That's what you wanted, isn't it?

What we both wanted.

Yeah. I'm sure you would have done it yourself, but she was so helpless.

If it had been a man, someone evil to you in strength, I'm sure you would have

done it a long time ago.

Oh, Larry.

It's all over now.

We have each other. There's nothing. No one is standing in our way.

I hope you're right.

Trust me. Trust me.

Oh, did you have a nice walk?

He had a nice walk.

I just went along for the ride.

What did the vet say?

Well, the lump behind his ear was caused by a blow.

But the skin wasn't broken, so it was probably caused by a blunt instrument.

That's what I figured.

Did that piece of glove tell you anything?

Good quality leather.

Medium grain.

Probably belonged to a man.

There's something about it I don't understand.

What's that?

Found this inside.

Looks like it.

Piece of broken fingernail.

Painted bright red.

Inside a man's glove?

Hey, you better get going.

A little while ago, you wanted me to stay forever.

Don't do.

We have a lot of time for that later.

Not intruding.

Hi, Tom.

Um, Dr. Reston, this is Bert Shallott.

Mr. Shallott, nice to know you.

Didn't realize doctors still made house calls.

Well, I happen to be in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd look at

Reston. Save her an office call.

I'll talk to you later, Bert.

Yeah, sure.

Excuse me. Nice to meet you. Thank you.

like unexpected visits.

Well, now, you gave me one last week and I kind of liked it.

Tom, look, I'm sorry.

It won't work.

I realize you can't revive something that's dead.

You've, uh... You've been conning me, haven't you, Brooke?

What are you talking about?

All the little bits and pieces are starting to fit together.

Like that bit right there with Charlotte at the door.

Brooke, I've seen Larry Kenner on enough magazine covers and television shows to

know who he is. I mean, what do you take me for?

All right.

He and I are friends.

I didn't want to be seen with him because we're carrying on a public feud,

very profitable one.

Didn't his wife drown last week?

Yeah. He's very broken up about it.

Monday.

On the night that you called me because you wanted to be treated.

Look, Tom, this is getting very tiresome. I wish... No, no, no, no, no.

interrupt.

Now I remember.

The newspaper's building up about a dog grieving over Mrs. Skinner.

And now I know why you wanted this to cover up the teeth marks.

It's not what you think.

Isn't it?

I'm thinking you helped with that lady in the pool.

And then you used me as a patsy.

You used me, Brooke.

Because you knew I'd never say anything revealing about you.

Didn't you?

I only came to you because I needed help.

Well, now, what am I supposed to do?

Keep quiet?

What do you want to do?

Well, suppose we meet at my house tonight.

For dinner.

And we'll talk it over.

All right.

Why don't we find you a comfortable chair?

Oh, Ms.

Latham, this is Mr. Barnaby Jones.

I just have a few questions, Ms. Latham. I only have a minute.

What can I do for you?

I'm a private investigator hired to look into the death of Mrs. Lawrence Kinner.

Yes, I read about her suicide.

Seems to be some question of that.

Why come to me?

Because it's probable that Mrs. Kinner had a visitor about the time she

and I wanted to talk to everyone who knew her or her husband.

Well, I've never met Mrs. Kinner, and I have no connection with her husband

unless you're referring to our public controversy.

I sure am.

You know, I've been reading some of the topics of your television debates, and

I've got to hand it to you.

You really know a lot about your adversary.

Know thy enemy, Mr. Jones.

I do a lot of research, but I assure you it's nothing personal.

That's rare.

I have seen a lot of controversies in my time, and I have never seen one that

wasn't personal.

For your information, the controversy is an idealistic struggle between a woman

freedom fighter and a corrupt, egomaniacal bigot.

I can see you're certainly not in love with him.

Love? Who could love that male sexist chick?

Possibly a female one.

Have you any idea who that might be?

Mr. Jones, I am sorry.

Lawrence Kenner's love life, if it's possible for a man like that to have

is of no interest to me.

Can you beat that?

I think that says it all.

Well, seems he was friendly enough to pose for you.

That happened to be an existing photo. The chauvinist sign is superimposed.

Best superimposition I ever saw.

No tonal differences.

No lines of demarcation.

Mr. Jones, I have a magazine to get out. I'm very busy. If there's nothing

else... I see you hurt your hand.

Yeah, I sprained my wrist.

And you.

Chipped a nail on your little finger.

Well, I sprained it.

Oh. Well, thank you very much.

Oh, uh, in case I ever need one, would you mind telling me the name of the

doctor who made that cast for you?

You would.

Well, thank you very much, Ms. Layton.

I'm glad I caught you.

I just had a visit with that investigator.

Jones?

What'd he want?

He was trying to connect you with a woman.

What'd he have?

Nothing. He was just fishing.

I don't like it.

Quit worrying about him.

He's somebody much more important.

Well, if you're trying to get me drunk, you don't need alcohol.

Just having you here is enough.

That's very sweet.

Well, I'm a very sweet guy.

It's true.

I've never ever stopped loving you.

But now you're... You're gonna be mine, aren't you?

If that's what you want.

That's what I want, Brooklyn.

More than anything.

Come here.

What do you see out there?

A lot of dark sky.

And stars.

a lot more.

Oh, Rhett.

We're going to take a trip.

Maybe Hawaii, Japan.

Just you and me.

Get to know each other again.

Like we used to do.

And you're going to forget all about Barry, can't you?

That's not going to be very hard.

Did he ever come in?

No.

I'm testing it.

We have to make it look like there was an accident.

No, look, I was just thinking it was all over.

Now let me believe it was the only way.

Are you still going over that information I gave you on Kinner?

For the fifth time, and I'll tell you something, there is nothing in here that

tells me anything about who that other woman might be, if there is another

woman. Did you find out anything about Brooke Latham? Mm -hmm. I checked her

neighbors, an ex -roommate.

Believe it or not, I even checked her cleaning lady. But I'll tell you, I

you're on the wrong track there, Mr. J.

Well, I'll tell you something about tracks.

Once you get on one, you've got to stay on it until you reach the end.

Yes, but Brooke Latham and Larry Kinner?

I mean, her hate for him is pure eloquence.

So I've heard, but there are a couple of things that bother me. That cast on her

hand, having that chipped fingernail.

You know, for somebody who is at war with men, she spends an awful lot of

fraternizing with the enemy.

War makes strange bedfellows, Barnaby.

Here's one that's not so strange.

Thomas Reston.

Do you know him?

Well, no, but you say here that he was once engaged to Brooke Latham.

And he's a doctor.

The cast.

That's where he would go to get one.

Why don't you call Dr.

Reston, and if he's not in, find out his own number.

All right.

Well, it might have been an accident.

It's clear he fell over the railing.

It's clear he fell over the railing, all right, but whether or not it was an

accident, that's something else.

What are you saying?

I'm not sure, but it seems to be the one thing a man would know about his own

house, especially if it was perched on a cliff like this, is how far he can lean

over his terrace rail.

How about if the man had been drinking?

From the looks of things inside, Dr. Reston had quite a few before he fell.

Well, that could be the difference.

By the way, uh...

What was it you wanted to see him about?

Putting a cast on a dog bite.

A cast on a dog bite?

Kind of crazy to me, too.

Dr. Reston was... He was such a fine man, I... Oh.

I'm sorry, Mr. Jones.

That's all right. I know how you must feel.

You ever see, uh...

This woman before?

No. No, not that I can remember.

I know she isn't one of Dr. Reston's patients.

Do you know if Dr.

Reston treated anyone last Monday about midnight?

Oh, the office closes at six.

But couldn't he have been called back on an emergency?

Well,

there's no record of it.

Wait till...

Did you say Monday?

Yes.

I remember on Tuesday morning having to clean up one of the examining rooms.

Now, I know the room was clean when I left the night before, so Dr. Reston

have come back to treat someone.

Do you happen to know what the treatment was?

I believe he put on a cast.

The gauze was left out in the plaster compound.

Probably a break or a sprain.

The patient must have had a skin puncture, too.

Why do you say that?

Well, because I remember that the tetanus vaccine was also left out.

Dr. Reston must have given the patient a shot.

Thank you, Ms. Nelson. You've been a great help.

Good morning, Mr. Jones.

What are you doing here?

Well, I went by your house. Your housekeeper said that you were out

he might find you here.

What can I do for you this time?

Do you know a Dr. Thomas Reston?

I should. I was once engaged to him.

But I'm sure you've already learned that.

What about him?

He's dead.

How'd it happen?

Seems like he had a few drinks and fell off his terrace.

Why did you feel you had to bring me the news personally?

You never did tell me you put the cast on your arm.

That's right, I didn't.

Why is it so important?

Dr. Reston made a cast for somebody on Monday night.

Doctors do make casts.

He also administered a tetanus shot. Could have been for a dog bite.

Well, you seem unsure.

I take it there was no record of the treatment?

Not a jot or a whittle.

That's too bad.

That's the first thing we've agreed on.

Fine -looking animal.

Three years old?

Really? When you think about teeth, human or animal, they're kind of like

fingerprints.

No two sets alike.

I've taken an impression of the Kenner dog's mouth.

Just why are you telling me all this?

Well, I'm hoping that you'll show me what's under your cast so I don't have

bother you again.

I'd be happy to.

Of course.

It could just be an infringement of personal rights.

Depends on how you look at it. Mr. Jones, do you have a court order

to remove this cast?

Can't say that I do.

Then perhaps we'd better say goodbye.

Could you hear? Yeah.

He knows, and I'm worried.

Good morning.

Hello.

Did you just rent Miss Latham a horse?

Sure did.

Was she alone?

Nope.

She had a man with her.

Yeah, that's the fellow that rode out with her.

Anything wrong?

No.

Thanks.

Rawr!

you

Somebody didn't read this.

What is it? What's wrong?

Well, it looks like we've got a sick dog here.

He's probably still grieving over Marjorie's death.

No, there's more than that.

Look at this saliva around the muzzle here.

You think it's distemper?

Or rabies.

I'm taking him back to the vet.

My boy.

Mrs. Jones.

Thanks for your help, Mrs. Crane.

I hope this works.

I thought I'd better tell you right away.

Oh, Larry. Take it easy. I still can't see how the dog could have been exposed

to rabies. Fine, now call the vet.

Yes,

Mr. Kinder, the dog is here.

Any diagnosis?

Well, the dog is under observation, and then we're going to run some tests.

Look, can you do those tests now?

Oh, I don't understand the urgency.

Has the dog bitten anybody?

Well, no, but... We'll have some results for you in a day or two.

Yes, I'll keep in touch.

Thanks, Doc.

Thank you very much.

If that dog is rabid, I've got to have treatment right away.

There are going to be questions asked wherever you have it done.

We have to think about this. There's no time, Larry. Help me, help me. We'll go

out of town.

Santa Barbara, maybe.

Great. Thanks.

You say there's no chance in finding the dog that bit you?

No, it happened while I was hiking. A stray mongrel. I'm sure it didn't belong

to anyone.

I see.

Why was a cast applied?

I also sprained my wrist.

Why didn't you have your own doctor? Well, he was going to start, you see,

he was called out of town on an emergency.

Can't you help me?

Yeah, I'd like to take a look at that wound.

I'm going to consult your doctor first.

Is there a number where he can be reached?

No, I told you, he's out of the country.

Oh.

Well, what about his office number?

They must have your medical records on file.

There isn't any file. I'm... I mean...

I'd better get this okayed. Yeah.

I'll be right back.

What do you say? What's going on?

It's Cass. They're asking questions.

All right, then we'd better go someplace else. No, they just ask the same

questions. Here, you take this. You take it off.

He won't help me. We'll find somebody who will.

Doctor, it's a patient who just came in a few minutes ago. Excuse me.

I'm a private investigator. Where do you have that patient?

First examining room on the left. Why? What's wrong?

Call the police and clear the area.

Now, call that doctor. Hurry!

Now let's have a look at that wrist.

It was a trick.

That dog didn't have rabies.

Not unless you gave them to him.

How'd you find out?

The case is like a kaleidoscope, Mr. Kenner.

You have to keep twisting until the pieces form a pattern. I had nothing to

with my wife's death.

That may very well be, but what about Dr. Reston? I don't think he fell off of

that terrace by himself.

And I don't think she was strong enough to push him.

Let's go.

Drop it.

I've got a gun on your back, Jones.

All right, Brooke.

Let's go.

You won't make it.

I'll call the police.

All right, then you're coming with us.

Let's go out to the parking lot. We're going for a drive. Open the door!

Pig. That cowardly pig.

What do you expect from a male chauvinist?

Thought I'd bring Hans back to you.

Did Larry confess?

Yes, to everything.

How could he do it?

Mr. Strand, do you know how a Venus flytrap works?

The victim is drawn in by sheer beauty and seductiveness.

Your son -in -law was a very weak man.

Well, thank you, Mr. Jones.

You've done a good job.

Couldn't have done it without Hans.

We make a pretty good team.