Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, a Quinn Martin production.

Starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Merriweather.

Mark Schera.

With guest stars James Carroll Jordan, A. Martinez,

Cynthia Avila, Taylor Locker,

Ford Rainey.

Tonight's episode, Deadly Homecoming.

Linda, I'm sorry.

I hit a flat tire.

Can you believe that this morning of all mornings? It's all right, Timoth.

After three years, that's all the greeting I get?

Did the bus have air conditioning?

Mm -hmm.

That's good.

Want to see him treating my little sister right?

Let's hear it.

No.

Tomas, you promised to hold your temper.

I have. For three years, I've held my temper.

Now that you're back, things are different.

No different.

Look, you're my sister. Who else is going to look out for you?

I should never have told you.

No, please, Tamar.

No more trouble, please.

pipe should have been hauled out there a week ago.

Might lose half the alfalfa as it is.

Hey, Joe, climb down from there, will you?

I'm getting a stiff neck.

Now, look, Michael, I'm running things around here, and I need some respect.

If I don't get it from my own cousin, I'm sure not going to get it from the

hands. Anything you say, Joe.

Hey, I mean it.

Maybe your little brother will set an example for them.

Anyway, he just wanted to talk to you about the alfalfa.

I got to talk to you, too.

Let's go over there.

Linda Aguilar is back.

Linda?

Well, had to happen someday, didn't it?

Hey, look, don't sweat it.

She's kept quiet all this time. What makes you think she's going to talk now?

I think Tommy knows.

You should have seen the dirty look he gave me in town.

Nick, you're a sandal.

Dirty looks go with the territory.

Now, let's talk about something important.

I told you to water the alfalfa last week.

You better shape up, little brother. You're in big trouble.

Hector, give me a hand here, will you?

Joe was... Joe was so young.

I should have been with him.

Why do you say you should have been with him, Victor?

I always stable his horse every evening.

But you didn't that night.

Some horses got out. I was busy with the others, helping round them up.

Do they often get out that way? Maybe once or twice.

Mr. Jones, I'm Michael Sandel.

Michael?

Carmine's nephew.

I haven't seen you since you were in knee pants.

If you don't need me, I get back to work. Thank you, Mr. Brinton. Thank you.

nada. Gracias.

Mr. Jones, I'm worried about Uncle Carmine.

This accident with Joe, he's going overboard.

Like he's obsessed.

Michael!

Mr. Jones can decide if I'm crazy or not.

I didn't mean that.

Get rid of this contraption.

Barnaby, been a long time.

I thank you for coming.

Carmine, I'm glad to see you again.

I wish it were for a different reason.

This must be Nick.

How do you do, sir?

Howdy.

This is my associate, Judd Adair Jones.

Come on, sit down.

Thank you.

How about that wheelchair?

I hope it's nothing serious.

The doctor likes to fuss.

Well, what did you find out?

This morning we went over the sheriff's report, and just now we examined the

stall with your man Victor.

Everything certainly points to an accident.

Why do you think it wouldn't? There's no way my son could have been trampled to

death by his own whore.

I trained Joe to ride myself.

He was a superb horseman, Barnaby.

Then you're saying it was murder. What else would you call it?

Somebody killed my boy.

Carmine, why would anyone have wanted to hurt Joe?

A rich man's son.

That's all the reason some people would need.

Anything else?

Uh... Pop, maybe Mr. Jones and J .R. would like a glass of wine.

Oh. Of course.

Forgetting all my manners.

Maybe later.

We'd like to talk with the sheriff some more right now.

Find Joe's killer, Barnaby.

Do it for me, old friend.

Carmine, I'll investigate. We'll see what we come up with.

Sick, all right.

I thought I told you to isolate this mare until the vet looked at her.

I know.

But Nick looked at her and said she looked all right to him.

He did.

Well, I'll just have to talk to him.

You tell Victor to leave that mirror in with the others?

Yeah, what about it?

I don't know what it is, but that mirror's got something serious.

I think it's infectious.

Well, who put you in charge, anyway?

Hey, look, you want to lose the whole herd? I'll bet you'd like to be in

wouldn't you?

Now that Joe's dead.

Hey, that'll be the day.

Look, I'm only a poor relation.

You're the one that's next in line.

And right now, everything's going just fine for you, isn't it?

You saying I wanted Joe out of the way?

No secret you hated taking orders from him.

No secret he was your father's favorite.

Is that what you started to tell those detectives back there?

Nah.

I was just going to tell them to go look up Tommy Aguilar.

Now, look.

What if Linda hadn't clued him in until she got off the bus Tuesday?

Yeah? You know his hot head?

He could have exploded like a firecracker and then come looking for

Well, if he's out for revenge, he's not finished yet.

He'll come looking for you and me next.

It'd be better if we found him first.

Barnaby was asking Carmine about who had motive.

Michael started to say something and Nick stopped him.

Sounds typical.

Those two couldn't agree on the time of day.

Boys fight a lot, Sheriff?

Nick and Joe could get into it pretty good.

What the hell, they're still young.

What'd they fight about?

I believe Nick always felt Joe was a favorite son.

Especially since Carmine put him in charge of the whole place.

Of course, Joe was the oldest.

But you know how it is sometimes with brothers.

What about the nephew, Michael? Was he a fighter too?

No, not really.

Of course, he has to feel grateful Carmine took him in after his father

away. Michael's a ranch manager. It's the same job as old man had. That

between the brothers, does that ever show up for any other reason?

Sure, same reason wild stallions like to mix it up once in a while.

Oh?

Any particular filly?

Donna Morgan.

Local talent?

Waitress. Santa Carlita Inn, just south of town.

Hey, Tommy.

What's happening?

I got work to do.

We haven't seen you around for a while.

Not to talk to, anyway.

Yeah, what's on your mind?

We thought you'd been out at the ranch and maybe we just missed each other.

I wouldn't go near the place.

Not even to pay your respects?

You know Joe was killed.

Are you seeing something?

Michael here was thinking that maybe you did it.

But I said, no, Thomas.

What reason did he have?

He had nothing against Joe.

Nothing worth killing him over anyway.

Isn't that right, Thomas?

But then I remembered that you didn't come to the funeral.

Everybody in town was there but you.

And your sister.

She was missing, too.

Keep my sister out of it.

You know...

I always thought she liked Joe.

She did, didn't she, Tommy?

Why don't you get out of here?

You know, Joe always liked her.

He was really crazy about Linda. I don't want to hear you say her name. Why not?

Why can't I say Linda's name?

Linda.

Linda. Linda.

You know why not.

You and your pathetic brother. All of you.

After what you did?

He knows.

You killed Joe.

Now he wants to kill us.

Well, let him try it.

How about it, Tommy?

We're next, aren't we, huh?

You want to get it on right now, huh? You got it coming, I'll say that.

And I think you better get out of here.

Hey, look at this.

Oh, boy, here we go again.

You pulled a knife. You see that?

Oh, that wasn't dumb.

That was really dumb, Tommy.

Because now we're going to have to defend ourselves.

All right, break it up.

Now, I mean it. Put that thing away.

Get him off my back.

Put it away.

When are you boys going to grow up? That's what I want to know. Get out of

Come on.

Get in there and get this thing

out of here now.

Looks like this one -horse town has got more than its share of wild young

stallions. Yeah, I wonder who the guy with the knife is.

Maybe we better find out.

Don't you lie to me.

I saw you fighting with them.

Like I told you, they started it.

Sure. You're the big macho who wants revenge.

And they came looking for you?

Uh -huh. That's right. That's exactly the truth.

Whether or not you believe it, I don't know. But that's the truth.

Hey.

Listen.

Look, I've been thinking about it.

I think they were trying to find out if I knew about you and them.

Yeah, they said I killed Joe. They said I did it because of you.

For revenge.

Oh, Tomas.

Tomas, did you?

Did I what?

Did you kill Joe?

Hi.

I knocked at your door, but nobody answered.

I hope you don't mind. I'd like to talk to you. I'm looking for Thomas Aguilar.

Do I have the right place?

What do you want?

This must be Linda.

Who are you?

My name is J .R. Jones. I'm a private investigator.

I'm looking into the death of Joe Sandel.

Hey.

Why don't you just arrest the horse? They say he did it.

Well, he may have had some human help.

It has nothing to do with us.

That depends on what the fight was about down at the feed store.

Man, we were just fooling around, that's all.

You always pull a knife when you're just fooling around?

Look, what is it between you and the Sandel boys, anyway?

Has nothing to do with Joe.

Just Nick and Michael?

That's right.

You like Joe?

Yeah, sure.

Friends? Yeah, what's the matter, man? Can't you hear?

I can hear. I hear good.

It's just that I read something different on your sister's face.

Look, I think you better go.

It's okay.

You don't have to pretend you're going to order.

Just go ahead and ask your question.

I guess you're on to me.

Well, I'll tell you.

This town has an average population of about 83 1⁄2 on a good day.

Nothing much ever happens, unless listening to alfalfa grow turns you on.

So when a private detective from the city comes to town, well, that's a

I'm Donna Morgan, Mr. Jones.

What's on your mind?

I think I'm beginning to understand what set off the sparks between the Sandell

boys.

That's ancient history.

But wasn't that a terrible thing that happened to Joe?

You think it was murder, huh?

Well, I guess you do, or you wouldn't be investigating it, right?

Have you got any idea who might have done it?

I thought I was supposed to ask the questions.

I'm sorry.

The fellas all say I never do know when to keep my mouth shut.

Is that what started the trouble between Nick and Joe?

Yep. That's what did it.

I started sweet -talking Joe just to make Nick jealous.

Dumbest thing I ever did.

I heard the fight was a dandy.

$300 worth of damage in here alone.

Made you feel good, huh?

Like a princess.

Two men fighting over me?

Hey. You're not thinking this had something to do with Joe's death.

Well, Cain killed Abel, you know.

Who? A couple of brothers.

You know a fellow named Thomas Aguilar?

I know all the fellows in town.

Any reason why the Sandell brothers may have had it in for him?

Other way around, maybe.

He used to work for them until Joe fired him.

Anyway.

the sheriff saw tommy with the knife it would have been self -defense pure and

simple they're gonna still want to know why he was coming after us why he killed

joe nick the whole story is gonna have to come out no way look i've got to live

in this town the rest of my life you that that's different you got no ties

you don't have to stick around here while these people rip you to pieces you

know what you're gonna do

You're gonna worry so much about what other people think you're gonna let

get away with killing your brother

Still

a lot of daylight left you can do your paperwork later.

I Want to talk to you Nick

I Thought the doc

told you to lay off that stuff sit down

I'm taking you out of the fields, Nick.

You're in charge now.

The whole ranch.

You mean that?

Michael will be over here.

Victor will move up to manager.

You always thought I was partial to Joe, didn't you?

Oh, no, Pop.

Oh, you're right.

I was.

Only thing was, I didn't know it till he was gone.

I always thought it was just because you were so different.

Always giving me a hard time.

Never giving a damn about this place.

But I was wrong, Nick.

Only reason you were like you were is because I was like I was.

I'm sorry about it, son.

Gonna try to make it up to you.

I can't blame you if you hated Joe.

That was my fault, too.

No, Pop.

No.

I never hated Joe.

I miss him, Nick.

I really miss that boy.

And I want the one that killed him.

Me too, Pop.

Me too.

Nick said he was just asking Thomas why he and Linda were the only ones that

didn't show up for Joe's funeral.

Thomas went for his knife.

No, no. No, there's more to it than that. You could just feel the animosity

between them.

They didn't like each other.

Could that be because Joe fired Thomas?

Ah, no, that was two, two and a half years ago. It would have come out

Why did Joe let him go?

I heard it was jealousy.

You see, Thomas knew so much more about horses, it was embarrassing for Joe to

keep him around.

There's something else.

Linda is all wound up, like a spring, you know?

Well, Linda's not a well girl.

About three years ago, they found her wandering in the hills south of town,

really spaced out.

Drugs? Yeah.

She was shaking, went stiff as a board, rushed her to the hospital over at

Culverton. She just got back in town.

Three years.

Staying with relatives in L .A., so I heard.

When did she get back in town?

Uh, last Tuesday.

Wasn't that the day Joe Sandel was killed?

I guess it was.

You see a connection there?

A connection or a coincidence, one or the other.

Tommy!

Come on, Tommy, I know you're here. Your truck's outside.

But why do you want Tomas? Nick Sandell is dead.

His body was found in the hay barn.

Tomas had nothing to do with it.

That's what we want to talk to her about, Linda. Did he or didn't he?

Take a look outside, Roy.

Where is he, Linda?

He's not here.

It's not here, huh?

They'll hurt him.

I don't think they want to do that, Linda.

He had nothing to do with it. But his car was seen there.

He was gone before the fire started.

How do you know that?

He phoned me.

He was going to get something to eat before he came home.

What do you mean? He left his pickup there and he walked?

Down the street to the... Starlight Cafe.

You can ask them.

Well, there's no telling when that fire was started.

You're just like all the rest.

Everybody wants to prove my brother's a killer.

We're just after the truth, Linda.

Sandell's truth?

You're working for him.

Don't you think Carmine has a right to know who killed his son?

It was not Tomas.

Could you tell us anything that might help us to clear him?

Linda, look, we know you've been ill.

Who told you?

Was that Donna Morgan, wasn't it? It wasn't Donna.

Were you at the inn that night?

The night they found you wandering in the hills?

I don't want to talk about it.

Please.

I can't.

about this, Victor?

I only said I think I know where Tomas might be.

Uncle Carmine.

Uncle Carmine, you don't have to put yourself through this. Victor and I can

find him. We'll bring him back to you.

Besides, it is the sheriff's job.

The sheriff?

If he hadn't been so sure that Joe's death was an accident, Nick might still

alive.

You promised me you would not hurt Tomas, or I would not have agreed to

Tomas is my friend.

If your friend is innocent, he has nothing to fear from me.

That's what I promised.

That does it. You're going back to the house.

No.

No.

There are already two dead in the Sandel family.

Do I have to drive myself?

Victor, call the doctor.

Bring out the wheelchair.

Sure I can't fix your breakfast?

No, thank you. We ate at the motel, but I could use a glass of milk. Coffee's

fine. Just wanted to show J .R. here I can cook, too.

I'll just bet you can.

Hey, when you're through playing detective, why don't you come on back?

Saturday night, this place really gets down.

Did you hear that Nick Sandel was killed last night?

Yeah, I heard it.

Lana, did something happen to Linda Aguilar in here about three years ago?

You sure dig deep, don't you?

Yeah, something happened to Linda. Because she was looking for something to

happen to Linda.

You coming here, huh?

Never saw her until that night.

She homesteaded a table over there and waited for action.

She alone?

Oh, yeah. And she had that look in her eyes.

You know, like the kids you see that just got off a bus in the city.

scared, defiant, looking for excitement.

Did you find any?

She found trouble.

A man?

Men.

Are you talking about Nick and Joe Sandel?

That's who you're trying to find out about, isn't it?

And don't forget Cousin Michael.

He was there, too?

He was there, too.

Well, thank you very much for your help.

See you soon.

Hope so.

Good timing.

What do you mean good? It was perfect considering I drove all the way from

Fairview Sanitarium by way of Sheriff Simmons. He told me where you were.

Did you say Fairview Sanitarium?

Mm -hmm.

That's where Linda Aguilar spent the last three years, undergoing intensive

psychiatric care.

Wait a minute, I thought she just checked into the hospital because she

She did, on LSD and liquor.

But three weeks later, they transferred her to the sanitarium.

Did you talk to her psychiatrist?

Mm -hmm, a Dr. Walker.

He couldn't tell me much, or wouldn't.

I have the feeling there's a lot more to Linda's story.

Barnaby, something terribly traumatic has happened to that girl.

And I think it's important we find out what it was.

You think it is a bearing on the case?

It must have.

But why doesn't anybody want to talk about it?

I don't want to talk about me at all.

Here.

Talk about this.

I started it in the hospital.

It's a sweater for Tomas.

Linda, we're just trying to find a killer. The quicker we do, the quicker

brother can come out of hiding. That is, provided he is innocent.

Running away only makes it worse.

Dr. Walker did not betray your confidence, Linda.

So you're the only one who really knows whether your story will help Thomas.

That's just the point.

Don't you see?

It will make everyone sure that he's the one who killed them.

Maybe not.

Maybe you just think it will.

Linda.

Won't you please trust us?

Linda.

At night at the Santa Carlita Inn, I assume that's where the liquor came

Where did the LSD come from?

Someone put it in my drink.

You actually saw him do it?

No.

Dr. Walker explained it to me.

One of the Sandell boys?

It had to be.

They kept me all to themselves.

Now, Linda, it's very important that we know everything that happened that

night.

Won't you please tell us?

I had never been to a place like that.

I'd never been allowed to go out.

Now they couldn't stop me.

Your parents?

God rest their souls.

My brother, he was the worst.

Overprotective?

Enough to want revenge?

But he didn't do it.

He promised me on our parents' grave.

I told him that it was all my fault.

That I had taken the acid myself.

That I'd even asked for it.

Well, that sure would explain the bad feeling.

What did you do? Just stay there and drink?

It was more fun than I ever dreamed it would be.

And then I started having this strange feeling.

I was leaving my body.

There it was. I could see it.

But it wasn't mine anymore.

And then I couldn't remember anything else.

Nothing at all.

Until Dr.

Walker made me remember.

We went in a car, driving up

somewhere in the mountains.

We stopped.

They dragged me into a field.

And...

They

raped me.

I'll look after her.

I'll see you at the ranch.

She's right. It does point the finger at Thomas.

Sounds like the classic revenge motive, doesn't it?

If the motive holds up, Thomas isn't finished yet.

Two down and one to go.

Michael.

We better find him.

You're right.

My life is in danger.

I've known that ever since Thomas pulled the knife on us.

When you and Nick were at the feed store.

Yeah. That's what that whole number was about.

What happened to Linda.

God knows we're sorry.

I can't tell you how I've regretted it.

Over and over.

Why do you suppose Thomas waited so long to take his revenge?

Yeah, it's been three years.

He didn't know then.

I guess Leonard never told him until she came home just the other day. You mean

the day that Joe was killed?

Right. That's why Nick and I went to see Tommy.

To find out if she had told him and to try to make peace.

He did know.

Man, did he ever.

I guess I don't have to tell you to watch your step.

As much as I can, Mr. Jones.

Only someone has to watch the ranch.

Victor, you've got to help me find Thomas.

No, I will not betray him.

But you agreed to take Uncle Carmine out there.

That was different.

He made me a promise.

Victor, Thomas wants to kill me, like he did Nick and Joe.

You do not know this.

I just want to make peace, that's all.

Stop the bloodshed.

Por favor, do not ask this of me.

He is like a son to me.

Okay, okay.

You go see him yourself.

Tell him I'll meet him any place he chooses and I'll come alone It's his

Victor you cannot decide for him

Oh,

mr. Jones, I'm dr. Sloan Carmine wanted very much to see you, but I couldn't

allow it at this time.

You ought to be in the hospital anyway He probably dug in his heels and won't

Even though I'm pretty well Yeah, we've been friends a long time.

Well, then I can tell you this.

Carmine Sandell's a dying man.

Before this tragedy to his sons, I gave him a year.

Now, I don't know.

Of course, he's pig -headed enough to make a liar out of me.

Did the boys know how sick their father was? They were told.

Carmine refused to accept it.

Still does.

What about Michael? Was he told, too?

All the relatives were told.

Dr. Sloan, uh...

He'd be a big help to us if you told us who the others are.

No others.

Just the two boys and Michael.

And now there's just Michael? The only one.

And you're sure about this, Doctor?

I should be. I've attended every birth and death in the Sandell family for over

40 years.

Thank you very much, sir.

Jedediah, keep your eye on Michael.

Don't let him out of your sight.

There's apparently a very important question that we've neglected to ask

Well, tell him you looked and looked, but you just couldn't find me.

Are you sure, Tomas?

Maybe you're wrong.

Better wrong than dead.

One thing I do know.

The longer you hide, the worse it will be for you.

No.

Not if I never go back.

I've saved my money, Victor.

And I think Linda will be better off some other place.

Did you forget something?

I should have realized there were two parts to this thing.

Linda, you explained how you were able to calm Thomas down by taking the blame

for the drugs.

Then there's the other part.

What did you tell him about the rape?

Oh, nothing.

Nothing. I never mentioned that. Never.

You would have killed all three of them.

Barnaby, that means Thomas doesn't have a motive.

For anger, maybe, but not for murder. But somebody else does.

I think that Thomas is the one in danger now.

Where is he hiding?

I don't know.

I really don't.

But Victor, maybe he knows.

I suggest we find out.

Wannabe. I can't find Michael anywhere. He's gone.

Better call the sheriff.

Linda, what are you doing here? Please, Victor, tell them where Tomas is.

We think Michael will try to kill him if he gets there first.

Well, well, well.

You certainly are a hard man to get to see.

Gotta have an appointment.

What do you want?

First off, I want that little pig ticker you carry in your belt.

The knife!

Come on!

Come on!

Slow.

That's making it look good, you know.

I mean, you came on like El Toro himself.

Before I had to shoot you in self -defense.

You killed him, didn't you?

No, Tommy.

You did.

Revenge.

Only thing was, when you came after me, I got lucky.

It was Linda, right? It was the day Linda came home, that's when you got the

idea.

Renachment.

It wasn't hard to get everybody thinking you did it.

Only now I've got to make sure you're not around to prove you didn't.

You can understand that, can't you, Tomas?

I can understand that, Michael.

One thing I can't understand is how you could do something like that to Nick and

Joe. That family took you in. That worked me, like any other hand.

Yeah, well, now I'm not just a poor relation.

Now when the old man dies, I'll be the only living relative, thanks to you.

I said get out of the car, now!

Thomas, from what I've heard, you're going back to work for Carmine Sandell.

what I've heard, he can't get a better man.

Oh, no, he just feels he owes me something because of what happened,

Carmine Sandell?

Don't let him fool you like he fooled the doctor.

He doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do, including dying.