Original subtitles

(theme music playing)

Starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Meriwether.

With guest stars Lloyd Bochner,

Christine Belford,

Michael Blodgett.

Special guest star Nico Minardos.

I was told you were a man who lived well

down here in Mexico, Mr. Filipe.

Yes. I live well in Mexico.

I live well in Beirut.

I live well in Idra.

I live well in Miami.

In fact, wherever I have a passport, I do live well.

Very well, I'd say.

You like my little sanctuary?

I'm pleased.

Some of these flowers are extremely rare.

You see, plants are my hobby.

It follows.

After all, the poppy is a flower, isn't it?

Oh, it's a lovely, lovely flower, Mr. Stevens.

It's beautiful and profitable.

A rare combination, wouldn't you say?

(chuckles)

Mr. Filipe, a business point, if I may.

Yes?

You take responsibility for delivery.

When the shipment is in my hands in Los Angeles,

then I turn over the million dollars to you.

No. I would prefer to remain comfortably here

in Angelica for the time being.

With my flowers.

My man, Kirk,

will make the trip up north with your man...

Cole. Cole. Of course.

When all is done, Kirk will accept the payment.

And now the performance.

It has become an expert chess game nowadays,

delivering heroin.

Our governments are checking the airplanes,

the ships, the border traffic.

They even search every vehicle that crosses.

Every one of them.

But watch. Kirk.

This container holds the water for the windshield washers.

It's a reservoir.

You see, American cars have all the comforts.

The heroin.

Very neat.

Unless they check this car too closely at the border.

This car will never cross the border.

But this one will.

The same model, same reservoir.

Will be driven by a man above suspicion.

A man that the guard knows quite well at the border.

Who comes to Mexico often

and who doesn't have any idea of the part he's going to play.

And this is the man?

His name is Barnaby Jones.

He lives in Los Angeles.

Comes to Mexico often.

He likes Mexican food and enjoys fishing down here.

If I could just get this catalyst working properly,

I could develop a compound that would crystallize

the faintest trace of oil from our fingers

on any kind of a surface.

(with German accent): Ah, yes, Herr Professor.

You'll laugh all the way to the bank when I get it working.

I'll be able to take fingerprints off butterflies.

(footsteps)

Excuse me.

I'm Eleanor Devers.

Your door was open.

Am I too early?

Yes, Miss Devers.

This is Barnaby Jones.

How do you do, Miss Devers?

How do you do, sir?

No, you're not early.

You're right on the button.

This is my daughter-in-law, Betty Jones.

Hi. Hi.

You said on the phone

you were trying to locate your father in Mexico.

Yeah.

It's the first word I've had in almost two years.

See, Dad just left home... Cedar Rapids, that is...

And disappeared.

Thank you.

Well, he was having a lot of business problems.

Thomas Devers.

Age 44. Height...

See, he's the only family I have.

I just didn't have anything to go on

until I got that letter I told you about

from the woman who used to be my teacher.

She'd seen Dad in Angelica... Out on the fishing pier.

Mrs. Wiggins is her name.

She was in Mexico on a sabbatical.

"He sent you his love.

"He's made up his mind that here is where he wants to be,

like I said, just beachcombing."

Mr. Jones, I know my dad.

If I could just talk to him myself.

Well, it's a pretty fair lead.

Like I said, I can't go to Mexico by myself.

I don't speak the language and, well, you know, a girl alone.

When do you want to go?

Right away?

I'm all packed.

I have my suitcase in my car down in your garage.

Well, that's right away.

(tires squealing)

Okay, go ahead.

Hey, Barnaby, you heard, huh?

Heard what?

The marlin are running real good.

Oh, I won't even have time to wet a line this trip.

Too bad.

Okay.

♪ ♪

Buenos dias, senor.

Buenos dias, senor, senora.

Do you speak English?

Yes.

Good fishing today.

Nice weather.

Yes, it is.

We need some help.

Good fishing.

Yes, sir.

Have you... have you ever seen this man, senor?

Si.

Oh, then you know him.

¿Donde esta el hombre?

(speaking Spanish)

No.

Speak in English.

He come once a week.

He fish.

Thomas.

Do you know where he lives, sir?

Uh... casa?

No casa.

On beach. La playa.

Gracias, senor.

De nada, senor.

Good fishing.

Thank you.

Nice weather.

Adios.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Dad,

it's me.

Elly.

How did you get here?

How did you ever find me?

There was a letter from Mrs. Wiggins.

Well, I found you and that's all that matters.

Oh, I'm sorry.

This is Mr. Jones.

He helped me find you.

Howdy.

Mr. Jones.

I guess I have to say thanks.

Well, you two probably have a lot to say to each other.

I'll just take a look around.

I'll see you later, okay?

How am I doing?

Nice performance, kid.

Do you like the wardrobe I'm wearing?

I'll just be glad when it's finished, whatever it is.

Kid, I don't ask questions...

I just take the dough.

He seemed very glad to see you.

Yeah, but...

But not enough to come home with you?

(sighs)

He said there's nothing back there for him anymore.

Nothing.

He's just given up, Mr. Jones.

Uh, could you take me away from here right away?

♪ ♪

Why are they stopping everybody?

Could be anything.

Somebody tried to enter the country illegally,

contraband, drugs.

Lot of that lately.

Some days, they search every car.

You an American citizen, sir?

Yes, sir.

And you, Miss? Yes, sir.

Would you mind opening the trunk for me, sir?

Not at all.

Now would you open the hood for me, sir?

Sure.

Fishing that bad, Barnaby?

Found one, but he got away.

Hey, Church, he's a good gringo.

(horn honks)

Okay, Barnaby. Go ahead.

Thanks. I appreciate that.

♪ ♪

(tires squealing)

(metal crunching, clattering)

You all right?

Yes.

I really hit it, didn't I?

I'm sorry.

Are you two okay?

We're okay.

It was all my fault.

I wasn't even looking.

I was thinking about something else.

Eh, good way to drive.

(clattering)

My wife and I saw our first bullfight yesterday.

Barbaric. Absolutely barbaric.

You know those fellows on horses that do the poking, the...

Picadors. Will you pull on this fender?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, they started to stick the bull with those...

Bandoleros. Pull out. Out.

Right.

Right. Right. Out.

Right.

I-I bought some tacos later.

I bet it was the same animal.

Anyhow, I took my wife down to the motel

and I was on my way to a drugstore.

Bitters might help her.

Bitters? Really?

Thanks.

Well, anyhow, I-I'm gonna call up

and get a tow truck and we'll get this thing fixed right away.

Where's the phone around here now?

Oh...

Sure you're all right?

Yeah. I'm fine.

My insurance man in L.A. will contact you, Mr. Jones.

And thanks a lot for not blowing your stack

like other people would have.

Well, Mr. Walters, if I thought blowing my stack

would get that wheel fixed quicker, I might have done it.

(laughs)

Well, that's all there is.

If, Officer, I'm clear with you?

Okay.

Thank you. Good-bye.

Any problems?

No sweat.

Give you two a lift to his garage, if you'd like.

Well, thank you, Deputy.

Uh, Miss Devers.

♪ ♪

Shouldn't be too much longer.

Well, about $20 for labor and $15 for the tow

ought to get you on the road.

Okay. Can I have a receipt?

You bet.

I guess that comes under the heading of "expenses," huh?

We'll work it out.

Here you are.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

♪ ♪

Something bothering you, Mr. Jones?

That green car's been following us ever since we left Mexico.

Sorry things didn't work out better for you.

Good luck.

Well, I tried, and that's the main thing.

Thank you, Mr. Jones.

If you're ever in Cedar Rapids, you look me up, huh?

I just might do that.

Okay.

(tires squealing)

Hey!

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(engine starting)

(air brakes hissing)

(tires squeal)

Well, you made good time.

Blue's a divine color on you.

Yeah, except it doesn't match my red face.

What? What happened?

Did you find the girl's father?

We found somebody,

but I'll bet you a chocolate soda it wasn't her father.

What?

Later. Let's see what this tells us.

Don't get any fingerprints on this stuff.

Lipstick. Compact.

What's that?

Looks like a Keno slip.

Gambling.

There's pill box with little white pills in it.

What kind of pills?

I don't know.

Come on, Barnaby. Tell me what happened.

I think I've been had.

Used.

You?

Yeah, the old gray fox.

A chump.

Well, how? By whom?

I don't know.

I don't know why yet.

Now, if I was a courier, I...

The car.

Be right back.

Barnaby, wha...?

Barnaby, wait!

♪ ♪

(door opens)

Barnaby, you know there's just one special thing...

(chuckles)

Hi, Paul. How are you?

Fighting the ol' bug like everybody, Betty.

(chuckles) See ya.

Barnaby?!

Barnaby?!

Barnaby?

(groans)

(engine starts, tires squeal)

Gotta admit, when I make mistakes,

I make 'em in bunches.

If they were after me, they've had their chance.

It's got to be the car.

Will you be sensible and be quiet

and stop thinking about it?

Dr. Reynolds says you're lucky enough as it is.

Dumb luck make that.

And that girl; this damsel in distress,

Now where do you think you're going?

Call Pete down at the garage and tell him I'm on my way.

Barnaby...

And don't act like

a worried daughter-in-law

right now... act like a secretary.

Check on that license number

and maybe that stuff in her purse will tell us something.

Honey, I'm okay.

Well, there's no doubt about it, Mr. Jones,

there's some scratches here; wrench marks.

And one hose connection loose on the container

for the windshield washing fluid.

Thanks, Pete.

What's this all add up to?

Drugs, heroin probably.

Huh?

Nothing. Thanks, Pete.

The alkaloid content of the pills

in her purse is dimenhydrinate.

What's that?

Dramamine.

Oh, for motion sickness.

Yeah. Funny, she didn't seem

to need any on the ground.

For a plane maybe? A boat?

Where is the DMV report on the license?

It's registered to a man.

A Harvey Conwell, 311 Fountain.

There's no telephone in that name.

Oh, and this keno sheet.

It's from a downtown Las Vegas casino.

She does all kinds of gambling.

(reading)

Card's marked in ink. This number's in lipstick.

I thought possibly she used it to make a note for herself.

Telephone number maybe.

Not in six numbers.

Betty, get me Sun West Air.

Barnaby, you're not planning to go

to Vegas tonight, are you?

Said his daughter-in-law.

"615" could be a flight number, too.

Sun West Air? Hold on, please.

Hello? I need some flight information, please.

Do you have a flight number 615

or one leaving at 6:15?

Flight 615. What time's it leave?

7:20.

Las Vegas.

Thank you very much.

You're a pretty smart cookie.

About time.

I'm on my way.

Barnaby, you should be home in bed.

Come on now. Let's, let's get you home and resting, hmm?

You mean you just want to drop everything for a little while?

Is that what you're saying?

What else can you do?

Betty, every day some kid gets a taste of the needle

because that poison is allowed to get into the country.

Every day new lives go down the drain.

All right. Where do we start?

I start at 311 Fountain.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(phone rings)

Barnaby Jones' office. May I help you?

Hello, Betty.

Hi.

I found Conwell, our friend's father.

He's dead.

Back of his head caved in.

Call the Lieutenant

and tell him to come over to 311 Fountain.

I'll call in the details to him later.

Are you all right?

Sure. I'll be in touch.

WOMAN (over P.A.): Trans Western Airlines announces

the arrival of Flight Number Five...

Well, hello.

Mr. Jones.

Don't you look nice? So different.

I, uh, this is a happy coincidence.

Going home?

Uh, yeah, and I don't want to miss my flight.

I thought you'd be staying for the funeral.

What funeral?

Your father.

Found murdered, 311 Fountain.

I'd like you to officially identify the body, Miss Devers.

Look, Mr. Jones, there's something I have to tell you.

You see, the man we saw in Mexico, he's not my father.

He's still dead.

Actually, he's a friend. I stay with him sometimes

when I'm modeling or acting in L.A.

He's an actor, really.

A dead actor. Harvey Conwell.

Okay, you're a clever dude. You figured a few things out,

but you've been paid, and that's all there is to it, Mr. Jones.

Not quite, lady.

Why did you bring me here?

(man grunting)

Well, let's see what we have here.

Looks like a classic case of withdrawal.

You ever see heroin withdrawal before?

They tell me it feels

like your gut's full of worms, hungry worms.

Oh, please!

I see this young lady has OD'd badly.

You know what "OD" is, don't ya?

That's an overdose.

It's when some poor soul gets mixed up

and thinks that twice as much

is twice as good, but it doesn't work that way.

You step across that line,

and your body starts dying in pieces.

(sobs)

(man gasping)

(gasps)

(gasping softly)

Mr. Jones...

(sniffles)

(sniffles)

My real name is Laura Tannous.

I work weekends in Las Vegas as a cocktail waitress

and here as a photographer's model.

I went to Mexico with this photographer

on a big picture layout.

Big deal; big phony.

He cut out and left me with a fat hotel bill.

They were gonna throw me in jail.

And this man approached me.

And he offered to help you if you do him a little favor.

Yeah, and the favor seemed an awful lot cleaner

than most of the favors men ask me,

if you really want to know.

What was this nice, clean gentleman's name?

Raul Filipe, he told me.

Who's his buyer in Los Angeles?

I don't know.

A man named Kirk works for him.

I don't know any more.

Believe me.

They took me for a ride as much as you.

Would you recognize this Raul Filipe

if you saw his picture?

Yeah, I think so.

Let's go.

Where are we going?

Police headquarters to look at mug shots.

Mr. Kirk, I presume.

You got it.

Now, drive.

(revs engine)

You're looking at an agitated man.

I'll be direct. I want it back.

Now.

I'm not following you.

What do you want back?

You switched a million dollars worth of my heroin.

It belongs to me.

If you want to go on living,

give it back.

Isn't that heroin?

No. A substitute.

Ounce for ounce.

Sugar?

Sugar.

Jones, either you're very stupid or you think I am.

Didn't you figure that I'd analyze this stuff?

Mr. Stevens,

this is as big a surprise to me as it is to you.

(sighs)

Kill the girl.

Don't fool with her first.

Just kill her.

No.

Now, Mr. Filipe's going to be here soon,

and I'm sure he's gonna want to handle this himself.

I want that stuff now.

(cocking)

We wait for Filipe.

(tires squealing)

You stay here with them.

Stevens, you don't give me my orders.

Filipe's going to want to talk to me.

All right.

You'd be an idiot to try anything.

Eleanor, listen fast.

We left Mexico with a fortune in heroin.

Somewhere between here and there,

somebody double crossed somebody.

But who? They think it's us.

That's right.

I want them to keep thinking that.

Eleanor, if you've ever acted in your life, act now.

(breathing heavily)

You tramp.

I can kill each one of you

slow or fast or in front of each other.

But I've already wasted too much time eliminating...

Eliminating your father.

You're far beyond your depth.

And you? You're an old man.

I want answers and I want them now.

I'll give you the answers.

Well, I'm glad you're not so old that you've grown foolish.

Where is it?

I've got it.

On the way to Mexico, the lady confided in me

and we decided to turn a quick profit.

(snickers harshly)

You two amateurs?

You decided you want to turn a quick profit?

A million dollars is a pretty big temptation,

even for a solid citizen like myself.

So we switched sugar for the heroin

and left the heroin south of here.

He's already sold it, Filipe.

This is just a stall to keep alive.

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

You undoubtedly have a proposal for me.

All I can offer at this time

is your merchandise for our lives.

Put it away. Please.

He's lying.

And if they're not,

and if you kill them, you've lost nothing,

but I will lose $1 million worth of heroin.

Give it to me.

I'll only say please once.

You will take us to it.

And believe me, if you are stalling,

I will give Mr. Stevens back his gun.

Seems fair.

Good. We will take my car.

It is your party, Mr. Barnaby Jones,

so you drive.

You two, you wait for me until I telephone.

♪ ♪

Why did you stop here?

You should try to stay calm, Mr. Stevens.

I read an article last week

that said that many physical ailments are the direct result

of a, uh, nervous disposition.

Filipe, how much longer you going to let him waste time?

No longer. Where is it?

I don't know.

I don't have it. I never did.

I knew it.

That's a poor choice of words, Mr. Stevens, for a clever man.

The way he said,

"I knew it."

Well, Mr. Filipe, how could he know it?

I, uh, come clean.

We don't have it. That just leaves you two.

And how could Mr. Stevens be so certain I was lying

unless he has it himself?

He's crazy.

He's playing games again.

The way I figure, the switch had to be made

while our car was being towed to that service station.

Your men Cole and Kirk had us under observation

for every second, except for one minute

while we were going through a tunnel.

How much more of this garbage you going to listen to?

A little bit more.

It costs me nothing.

And the story's fascinating.

One more question.

How do you set up something like that

unless the "accident" is arranged?

And Mason, the tow truck man, is in it all the way?

That character with the bellyache and the cameras.

That whole scene.

Yes. That really rankled.

Expensive cameras.

And he ran around, banging them together

like he didn't know the difference

between a lens cap and a light meter.

A real camera nut would never treat his equipment that way.

He didn't even take any pictures just as insurance

in case I sued later.

No, those cameras were just props.

And, of course, he was the one who called the tow truck.

Am I, uh, filling in any holes for you, Mr. Stevens?

Maybe we can sell this to the funny papers

so the trip shouldn't be a total loss.

Come on, get it over with.

I can suggest a way

to get it over with once and for all.

Please do, Mr. Jones.

Why don't you have Mr. Stevens

take a little walk over to that station?

We'll watch and see whether he's greeted

as a stranger or as an old friend.

Please?

To set my mind at ease

and to end all that distrust.

Mason, you don't know me. Don't pay any attention me.

Just keep on walking.

You don't know me.

That's right.

That's right.

You lose, Mr. Jones.

No, I win.

MAN: Steve!

What are you doing back? Behind me!

(car engine starting)

Get out.

(siren wailing)

I think we stopped the whole shipment.

Looks like the real stuff.

Worth a fortune on the street.

You're gonna have to go with them now.

I'll be testifying about you, Eleanor.

Everything.

Including how you helped.

Thank you.

You know, I-I ran so hard for so long,

it might be good to stop running for a while.

Maybe I'll figure out where I belong.

You belong where you earn your way.

This may cost you...

Time, some hurt.

But you're going to be all right.

I think you're going to be fine.

Thanks.

(theme music playing)