Original subtitles

Once upon a time,

there were three little girls who went to the police academy,

two in Los Angeles...

the other, in San Francisco,

and they were each assigned very hazardous duties...

but I took them away from all that,

and now they work for me.

My name is Charlie.

Sunwest Dude Ranch. Climb aboard, folks.

All righty.

Well, folks,

it's an all-night ride to Sunwest,

so, uh, relax, and there'll be

hot breakfast

when we get there in the morning.

Oh... What the devil?

Tres chic?

Whoo... Tres chic!

Boy, we've really run up a bill too.

That is sensational.

Do you like it?

I love it.

Wow.

Whoo!

Now, you heard Charlie, right?

Are you sure we may be going to the Bahamas?

That's right. I made him repeat it to be sure.

He's considering the case.

What's the case?

Well, he didn't say.

He did not say because he was negotiating

with a potential client

the matter of a fee.

Oh, you mean to cover our cover?

Precisely.

And unfortunately, they did not come to terms

so we will not be working on this case.

Oh, Bosley.

Are you saying the whole thing's off?

You grasp my meaning perfectly.

Oh... Charlie can't do this.

I mean, he can't do it, Bosley.

He can't lead us into heaven

and then just pull the plug.

I am sorry,

but the venture was economically not feasible.

With clothes like these,

who needs to be feasible?

But it was not a total loss,

because Charlie did accept a case,

and a certain wardrobe will be needed.

Yeah, but not like this, right?

No, not quite.

Well, Angels, it seems to go like this.

Joseph Frisch

was apparently killed by a blow

with some sort of blunt instrument.

So we must assume

someone on that bus is a murderer.

At the moment, all we have

is a name with each of the pictures.

Now, this lady is Jean Trevor from New York.

Mr. Ed Miller from Phoenix, Arizona.

Ed Cole, the Sunwest Dude Ranch foreman.

Mr. George Jackson, from Los Angeles.

Mr. Jackson I know about, Angels.

He once worked for me as an assistant investigator.

Well, that could be interesting.

What's he doing on the bus?

That's a good question, Sabrina.

I can tell you this... Jackson is not

one of your higher-class gumshoes.

And nobody got on or off the bus

from the time it left the airport

until the time

it got to Sunwest Dude Ranch?

According to the driver, the bus never stopped.

What about the local authorities, Charlie?

There's a sheriff named Hayden.

He's questioned everyone who was on the bus.

It seems no one saw anything, heard anything,

and no one seems, in any way, related to the dead man.

Charlie, who is hiring us?

The man who owns the Sunwest.

He doesn't like the idea

of one of his guests being a killer,

and his guests apparently don't like it either.

Most of them have left or canceled their reservations.

Now, I think you should all pretend

you don't know each other... At first, anyway.

You can move easier.

Your contact will be Sheriff Hayden.

By the way, Bosley,

besides some rather startling bills

for hats, boots, and clothes,

you've submitted one for golfing?

Oh, that's, uh...

That's for rolfing, Charlie, with an "R".

Rolfing? You mean as in deep massage?

Well... Yes.

Yesterday, when I found out what our assignment was,

I rented a horse...

I've, uh, brushed up on my riding,

then, last night,

the, uh, the part of my body that touches the saddle

was suffering from, uh...

excruciating cramps.

So you got yourself rolfed?

Yes.

I went to an elderly Chinese gentleman.

But, Bosley, $85?

Well, I was there for several hours, Charlie.

Well, it was an elderly Chinese gentleman.

And he was working on very elderly muscles.

I think you grasp the picture, Charlie.

Yes, I grasp the picture, but do me a favor, Bosley.

Yes, Charlie?

Either firm up that part of your body

we've discussed, or forget the saddle

and get a very soft horse.

My accountant and I are very distressed

about these added expenses.

Good luck, Angels.

Bye, Charlie.

Sheriff Hayden?

Yeah.

I'm Sabrina Duncan.

This is Kelly Garrett, Kris Munroe, John Bosley.

Oh, yeah.

Mr. Townsend's people.

Yes, sir. That's right.

Boy, you three are prettier than fresh-foaled fillies.

You really know how to turn a phrase, Sheriff.

How's that?

You have a way with words.

Oh...

Uh, Sheriff, the man who was killed

on the bus,

have you found a motive for the killing?

Well, now, he had no boodle in his poke.

Say that again?

I think he means

he had no cash in his wallet.

Oh, well, then...

then robbery could be a motive?

Say, that's an idea.

Uh, yeah.

What did you find in his wallet, Sheriff?

Oh, some of them there credit cards.

No driver's license.

And where is Frisch's body now?

Coroner's office.

Soon as they confirm up the identification,

they're gonna notify his next of kin.

Oh, there's our ride.

We'll contact you if we make any progress,

and by the way, we're all incognito.

Incog-what?

Undercover, remember?

Oh, yeah. Very good.

Well, you keep in touch, now.

If you get confused or anything, just give a holler.

I'll do everything I can to straighten you out.

Well, thank you, Sheriff.

Are you with the Sunwest Dude Ranch?

I'm Ed Cole. I run the place for the owner.

Well, then we're with you.

Kelly Garrett, Philadelphia.

Heard of it.

Sabrina Duncan, Butte, Montana.

My, you look so, uh... Western.

I just can't wait to get into my duds.

That is what you call them, isn't it? Duds?

Whatever you like, Mrs. Garrett.

I wish my husband had been that agreeable.

Last week, in Las Vegas, I became a "Miss" again.

I'm here to get over the pain of it all.

Well, we'll do all we can to ease your pain.

I know you will.

Oh.

I forgot your name.

Oh, uh, Kris Munroe. I'm from Des Moines.

That's in Iowa.

And I...

I think you said your name was Bosley, right?

Right, Bosley. John Bosley.

Pharmaceuticals, Chicago.

"A pill for your ill?" A little slogan we use.

All right, if you're all ready,

let's make tracks for the old bunkhouse,

as they say.

I bet you say that to just about everybody.

Comes with the territory.

You want to meet later? I'll explain it to you.

I'll give that some thought.

So will I.

Now, the first thing to remember is stay away from Old Sawtooth.

You can recognize him

by the white diamond on his back.

You know, all the cowboys here keep betting each other

they can ride Old Sawtooth,

but nobody's done it yet.

What an interesting name...

Old Sawtooth.

What gender is that?

I think Miss Trevor wants to know

if it's a boy or a girl horse.

Miss Garrett,

I believe out here in the wilderness,

the term "boy" or "girl"

is not applicable to horses.

Old Sawtooth is a gelding.

He's about 10 years old.

Looks like he's probably been a rodeo bronc.

Well, this ain't the first time you ever seen a horse.

No, I use to ride some rodeo myself.

Jackson Hole, Butte...

What are you doing here?

Well, I had a little accident.

I thought I'd just lay back for awhile

while I was on the mend.

You said gelding.

Is that a boy or a girl?

Oh, neither...

Or, I think, as you say here, "neether."

I taught grammar in Des Moines.

Oh, oh... Oh. No.

There he goes.

Hold his head in.

He ain't gonna bite you.

Hey, hey, hey. Hang on.

Easy. Easy. Watch it.

Hey, hey, hey. Hold it.

Whoo! Let her loose.

Whoo!

Yeehaw!

Old Sawtooth's won again.

Hey... Nice ride.

Like the man said,

nobody rides Old Sawtooth.

Well, since Old Sawtooth is eating,

why don't we?

Don't like hay much.

I like a fella with a sense of humor.

Come on.

All right, we'll meet back here for the trail ride

at 2:00, all right?

Mr. Bosley,

maybe we could discuss Old Sawtooth's gender

over a plate of grits or something?

My pleasure.

Miss Trevor, I believe in these parts

grits are out, beans are in.

How quaint. Yes.

This place is like a ghost town.

If they don't get any guests soon,

they're gonna go broke.

Yeah, you're right.

You know what?

I think I'm gonna take another run at Jackson.

Okay, I'll stay with Cole.

You and your friends, real social types, huh?

My friends?

Miss Munroe, Miss Duncan, Mr. Bosley.

They're not really friends of mine.

We met on the bus at the airport.

Oh, I got the feeling you all knew each other.

Like you said, we're the social types.

Well, let's saddle up for our trail-ride, gang.

Okay.

Sabrina!

Hyah!

Hyah!

Hyah!

Hyah!

Are you okay?

Are you all right, Bree?

Uh-huh.

Careful. Why'd he spook?

I don't know.

Come on, come on.

Hey, what happened?

Well, it's just my special new way

of dismounting, Bosley.

Uh-huh.

Well, it's the old

"burr under the saddle" trick.

You okay?

No problem.

Old rodeo rider like yourself, surprised you got tossed.

Well, like I said.

I'm, uh... I'm on the mend.

Yeah. Like you said.

Well, I'll get you a fresh mount.

Yeah, I'd appreciate that.

Thank you.

You think he's the one that set you up for a fall?

Well, let's face it.

Any one of our suspects

could have slipped me this little jewel.

Well, then, what do we have?

Well, I talked to Jackson at lunch,

and he didn't say too much to me

except "pass the ketchup,"

which he put on his steak.

And let's face it, Mr. Cole is a little uptight himself.

He might have something to hide.

What about Miss Trevor?

Well, she... I think she's attracted to me.

Really.

She... she said, "I like the cut of your cloth."

She likes the cut of your cloth?

Yeah, those were her very words.

She said, "like the cut of your cloth."

Well, maybe she wants to borrow a shirt.

What about Miller?

Miller?

Miller is a business man.

He says he's a businessman, and that's all he says.

Well, then, we've got zilch.

Or worse.

What does that mean?

Well, it means

that we don't know who the killer is,

but he... or she, may know who we are.

Yeah.

Hello?

Jackson? Sloan.

Been waiting for your call.

Yeah, I got the message you left on your service in L.A.

What is this number? Where are you at?

Place called Sunwest Dude Ranch, north of Baja.

He's here.

You sure?

Would I kid you at these prices?

The Sunwest Dude Ranch.

Forty miles north of the border.

We'll be there in five, six hours.

We found him.

All right. Let's go.

Okay, what have we got?

Still zilch.

All right, then let's take it from the top one more time,

everybody on the bus.

Okay, what about Miller?

Did you get anymore on him?

Yeah, well, I found out what kind of business he's in.

He's a plumbing contractor from Los Angeles

and he owns his own business.

Okay, we got a plumber from Los Angeles.

Now, what about our silent ranch foreman, Mr. Cole?

He keeps asking questions about us,

insinuating that we knew each other

before we arrived here.

I don't like the sound of that.

Me neither.

I'll play my fancy-free divorcée bit

on him some more.

Maybe he'll confide in me.

What about our cut-rate gumshoe, Mr. Jackson?

Well, he's still putting ketchup

on his steak, and very nervous.

Well, I don't think he came out here

for the sagebrush and the fresh air.

He doesn't look

like the outdoor type to me.

Okay, who do we have left,

but Miss Jean Trevor?

Who's also not the outdoor type,

which tells me she's not here for fun in the sun.

Okay, thanks, Charlie.

You've been very helpful.

You got something, Bosley?

Well, I think so.

Now, listen to this little scenario.

First, Mr. Cole...

It seems that a few years ago,

he worked for a company called Fantasy Valley.

Which was?

Phony land speculation,

just worthless Arizona desert.

The Government shut the operation down,

and guess who ran the operation from New York?

None other than

our dead man on the bus, Mr. Joseph Frisch.

You mean Cole worked for Frisch?

You got it.

And guess who ran the public relations angle

for the same company?

Jean Trevor?

Right again... so we have all three,

Mr. Cole, Joseph Frisch, and Jean Trevor,

all with the same history.

So I think that I shall join Miss Trevor

for dinner.

You think we're getting a handle on this?

Mm-hmm.

Well, at least we're one step beyond zilch.

You know, I just remembered.

Remembered?

Yeah, it's been nagging me,

but you and I met a few years ago.

I don't think so.

Oh, yeah, I'm sure.

Just briefly.

It was in Arizona.

I was going to buy some desert land

from a company named, uh... Fantasy Valley.

You worked public relations.

Yes, that's right.

The company was owned

by a man named Frisch, I recall,

Mr. Joseph Frisch.

Yes, I think he was one of the people involved.

I knew, that he being your employer,

you'd remember him.

Well, not really.

See, the executive offices were in New York.

We never met.

Why do you ask?

Oh, because I understand he was killed two days ago,

near here.

Yes, on the... on the bus coming over

from the airport,

the local law has been asking a lot of questions.

Small world.

Isn't it?

Mr. Cole?

Now, let me see if I got this straight.

We figure someone shot this fellow Cole,

then tried to make it look like suicide?

Well, if a man's gonna commit suicide,

he's not gonna use a pillow to deaden the sound,

and there was somebody in this room

when I got here.

So the suicide note was a fake?

Sheriff, you understand

why the killer added the fake suicide note,

don't you?

Yeah.

Okay.

Maybe you should explain it again,

so I'm sure you got it straight.

Oh, right...

You see, something was due to happen.

Cole got in the way.

They had to get him out of the way,

but... if a murder investigation

was started here,

liable to mess up their schedule,

so they had to make the murder look like a suicide.

Right?

Uh-huh.

And you want me to officially call it suicide

for a while.

Yeah, because if you start

a murder investigation,

well, Cole's killers are liable to panic and run.

We need some answers,

and we need our suspects

to be where we can get to them.

That makes sense.

Yeah, well, I'll give you something

that doesn't make any sense.

Such as?

I just caught Jean Trevor

in a clinch with Mr. Miller.

A little dude-ranch romance?

Yeah, well, it sure came up all of a sudden.

Bosley, you can't win them all.

It was just an objective observation.

There is nothing personal in it...

Don't feel bad, Bosley.

Apparently Jean Trevor spreads herself around.

Meaning what?

Well, I just talked to Charlie.

He checked the lady out.

Seems she and our dead man on the bus, Joseph Frisch,

had been a romantic item for some time.

Well, now, that doesn't

make any sense at all.

When I questioned her,

said she didn't know anyone else on the bus,

least of all Frisch.

And she told me that when she worked

for Frisch's phony land company,

Frisch was officed in New York, she never met him.

It seems to me we better have

a heart-to-heart talk with Miss Trevor.

Maybe I ought to slap that little lady in a cell,

like real quick.

Well, if you weren't as smart as you are,

you'd probably do that, I would guess.

You mean I shouldn't?

Well, you probably figured out

that we might get further if we level with her,

tell her who we are and why we're here.

Oh, yeah. I'm probably right.

We bring her up short,

and she might catch a case of the smarts

and cooperate.

Yeah, they're going over to confront Jean Trevor now.

What about Mr. Miller?

You get any more on him?

Well, Sabrina, Miller seems quite legitimate.

Well thought of, married.

But he likes to play?

Play? You mean like Miss Trevor?

I mean with Miss Trevor.

Oh? When did that start?

I don't know.

Perhaps you should speak to Miller.

He might give you a new insight into Miss Trevor.

Good idea, Charlie. I'll get back to you.

Are you people arresting me?

We're just hired by the management.

If there's any arresting to do,

that's his ballgame.

Then why am I here?

Because I want to know

why you lied about knowing Joseph Frisch.

According to our information,

you two were more than friends,

shall we say?

All right.

I lied because I didn't want to get involved.

Someone kills a man you care for,

and that's all you wanted,

not to get involved?

Joe ran in rough company.

He's been in trouble with the government

and his business associates.

Business associates?

Oh, I think the popular phrase is he is "syndicate connected."

Well, we never knew that about him.

The big ones keep a very low profile.

And Frisch was a big one?

Very.

And the people he ran with, if they get mad at you,

they can be very rough

on you and your friends.

And you still say

you saw nothing on the bus?

You have no idea who killed Joseph Frisch?

I told you before. I was asleep.

I didn't see anything.

I guess you oughtta ask her about Cole.

Right. What about him?

Well, what about him?

You never knew Cole?

All I know is that he was the foreman here.

Why should I know him?

Because he worked

on Joe Frisch's Fantasy Valley project

at the same time you did.

200 people worked that project.

It was spread over half the state.

So you're saying you never knew Cole?

No.

Why are you asking about Cole?

Do you think he killed Joe?

His suicide note said he did.

If you cared so much

about Joseph Frisch,

what did you have going with Mr. Miller?

What do you mean?

I saw you and Miller just a little while ago,

in front of his cottage.

Well, Joe and I... things had cooled between us.

I mean, we were still good friends,

but, well, we had agreed

and gave each other freedom to do what we wanted.

With whom you wanted?

Well, you can't arrest a lady for being liberated.

I didn't know we were talking about a lady.

Just a minute, honey.

Right knock, wrong party?

Uh...

I was expecting someone else.

Miss Trevor?

What makes you say that?

Well, it's just a lucky guess.

May I come in?

Well, as I said, I, uh... I'm expecting someone else.

Mr. Miller, if you're waiting for Miss Trevor,

it's going to be a long wait.

You see, she's sweating it out with the local sheriff.

I think you really ought to let me come in.

Be my guest.

You planning to take a ride?

Why is Miss Trevor with the local sheriff?

Why do you care?

What makes you think I care?

Listen, if we keep answering question with question,

we're never going to get anywhere, Mr. Miller.

Ah, you see, I was expecting someone.

Maybe the local sheriff

is finished with Miss Trevor.

Well, well, well.

How did you find me?

It wasn't easy.

Check the door.

And it really don't make no difference, does it?

Uh, look, maybe I better go now.

Just sit tight.

Look, I really don't know what's going on here

and I really don't care.

So why don't I just leave now?

I'll forget everything I ever knew,

which is nothing anyway, right?

Wrong.

Look, I don't know who you are

or what you're doing here,

but you've seen too much,

so you ain't going anywhere...

Unless, of course, you go with Frisch and us.

Frisch?

Joseph Frisch?

Joseph...

You didn't tell her?

Now... Now I've done it, haven't I?

I've told you just about enough to make you permanently quiet.

Are you sure you have nothing else to tell us?

I'd like you to believe

that I'm not really as hard as I seem to be.

Make us believe it.

I'll get back to you.

What's wrong?

That was the coroner's office.

The dead man, it wasn't Joseph Frisch.

It was a man named Miller, Ed Miller.

Miller?

Are you sure?

Positive.

Wait a minute.

Then our Mr. Miller... Your new romance...

It's a switch.

It's really Joseph Frisch, right?

Yes.

Oh, terrific.

We'd better get over there.

No, please. Just... Please, let me explain.

Joe and I have been on the run.

The Attorney General's office

has a warrant out for his arrest.

His syndicate friends are afraid

that he will roll over and sell them out.

That's why they're looking for him.

Seems like Mr. Frisch is in a rough situation.

Miller was one of the men they sent after him.

Joe killed him in self-defense.

Self-defense, huh?

You're sure of that?

I didn't actually see it, I was asleep.

Later, Joe told me that he switched wallets

so that he could

throw the others off our trail.

You can't let it go, can you?

You can't stop lying.

I'm telling you the truth.

Then Frisch has been lying to you.

The man he killed, in "self-defense,"

married, three children,

ran a small plumbing company

in Los Angeles,

and never did anything meaner in his life

than get a speeding ticket.

That's impossible.

It is, huh?

Ed Miller's wife just identified his body.

Well, then Joe made a mistake.

Frisch didn't make any mistake.

He needed time...

so he killed an innocent man

so we would think that he was dead.

Joe wouldn't do that. I know him.

You don't know him,

because I think he also killed Cole.

Cole committed suicide.

Wrong.

Cole was murdered.

- Why would Joe... - He probably

recognized you and Frisch

from the Arizona days, when he worked

for Frisch's phony land-development company.

Kelly.

Where'd you get the car, Mr. Jackson?

I rented it.

In a hurry too.

I think we better talk.

What about?

Concentrate, it'll come to you.

Listen, I'm in a hurry.

Jackson, we already know about Mr. Frisch.

We also know

some people have been looking for him.

You wouldn't by chance be helping them,

would you?

Look, I don't know anything about what's happening.

I ain't stepped over the line.

I'm a licensed P.I.

Look, you got no right.

Kris, look.

Jackson, who are those two men?

I don't know.

I think you do.

And if you do, you best tell us, pronto.

They're the ones who hired me.

To find Frisch, so they could kill him?

It's not my business

what my clients do when I'm through with them.

It's not my responsibility.

I think it's a no go, fellas.

Oh, no, no. That's no good.

He'll have the roads blocked

in five minutes.

Listen, I vote for giving up.

Told you to shut up.

Sheriff, you take care of these two.

You get on the radio

and you get the roads blocked.

They're going to run for it. Let's go.

Hurry. Okay, Frisch,

you wanted to ride out of here?

Let's all ride.

They're going to get the horses. Come on.

Here. Take these.

Get on!

Get up!

I said, get on!

Get up. Okay.

Hyah! Hyah!

Okay, let's go.

Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

No more mounts.

Kelly.

It'll do. Come on.

Hey, lady.

Sorry, partner.

I've got to borrow your rig.

Oh, jeez!

Old Sawtooth? Oh, no.

Oh, no!

Hyah!

Hyah!

Let's stay together there.

Hyah!

Hyah!

Let's get out of here.

Come on!

Hyah!

Hyah!

Hold it.

You lose, partner.

You okay?

Not something I'd like to do every day.

Hey, you been playing in the dirt again?

Just a country girl at heart.

Yeah.

Okay, come on. Into the wagon.

Why don't you join them, Mr. Frisch?

Oh, no.

Hey, you did it, Bos.

You rode Old Sawtooth.

Piece of cake.

Just a moment.

I really thought that Joe killed that man Miller

in self-defense to protect himself,

to protect us.

I want you to believe that.

The point is, do you believe that?

Angels, I understand

why Frisch killed Miller and switched wallets,

but why did Frisch kill Cole?

Did Cole see the murder?

No, Cole was asleep,

like the other passengers on the bus,

but he recognized Frisch from years before,

when he'd worked for Frisch's phony land-development company.

Cole began to realize what was happening,

and he decided

to take advantage of the situation.

You mean blackmail?

Right.

When Frisch decided to run,

he took all the cash he could get a hold of.

Cole found out about it and wanted a piece of it,

so Frisch killed him

and tried to make it look like suicide.

The Sunwest Dude Ranch was the perfect place to hide.

Frisch and Jean Trevor

were going to steal the horses

and ride into Mexico,

until Sloan and Farrell showed up.

I see.

Now, Bosley, there's another bill here

for rolfing.

Oh, uh, yes, Charlie,

well, I had another session

with the elderly Chinese gentleman.

But, Bosley, $112?

Well, yes, Charlie.

You see, there was this horse called Old Sawtooth.

Very tough horse.

But I told you to get a soft horse.

I know, Charlie,

but there are horses, and then there are horses.

Perhaps we should meet with my accountant,

sit down, and discuss this, Bosley.

Charlie, I am perfectly willing to meet with you,

to discuss with you,

but I will not sit down with you under any circumstances

for some time.

You get the picture, Charlie?

Yes. Yes, Bosley. I think I get the picture.

Thank you, Charlie.

To Old Sawtooth.

To Old Bosley.

Piece of cake. Oh... Ah!