Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Merriweather, with guest stars George Maharis,

Albert Thalme, James Luisi,

special guest star Madeline Rue.

Tonight's episode, The Deadly Prize.

Anything to declare?

No.

What's this?

Coffee.

Coffee it is.

Have a nice day ashore, Mr. Hollister.

Yo, come on.

Get him in. Somebody get him. Come on.

Yo, come on.

Get him in.

Got it. Let's get out of here.

Relax, will you? We know where to find him.

Come on, Brett's leaving. Let's go.

Relax. What's the rush?

That was awful.

There should have been another way.

We didn't have any choice.

Hollis had made the first move when he tried to deal behind our backs.

Still, it doesn't seem right. We were friends.

Yeah, that's right. We were friends until he tried to steal the $600 ,000

himself. Don't worry about it.

You know, we ought to be thankful to Bert.

He found a way to do it quickly.

I'm sorry we're late. I tried to get Vince to keep up, but... Oh, my God.

He's dead.

It's not here.

The thermos is not here, Vince.

Did you talk to anybody, Warren?

What are you talking about?

Only four of us knew about it.

Two are dead. I didn't talk to anybody. It wasn't me. I swear it. I swear it.

You didn't talk to anybody? You didn't make a deal with anybody?

Not me.

Maybe Bert let something slip, or Hollister for that matter.

All right.

But somebody knows about it.

Yeah, but who?

We'll figure that out later.

First, we got to get rid of Bert's body.

Wait a minute.

Not me.

You want to start answering a lot of questions when they find the body?

He's getting heavy.

You know, they've got to find him. Sooner or later, they've got to find

Not necessarily.

All this junk will be halfway to Japan before they even think of looking for

him.

Now all we have to do is find that thermos.

Tomcat caught in the barbed wire fence.

I guess you get used to it.

28 years on the docks, you get used to a lot of things.

Yeah, I guess you do.

You ever see an accident like the one that killed Hollister before?

Cable brake failure?

It happens, not often.

But you can't duplicate it.

Well, that doesn't prove anything.

You know, when they inspected that brake, they found that it wasn't even

Just goes to show you can't trust machinery.

Or people.

You sure there was nobody else around the rig?

I told the police that I was at least 100 yards away when that load fell.

Me and the gang steward was having a little set -to about how fast I was

the cargo.

If you don't believe me, ask that punk steward.

Well, Mr. Fountain, I was hired by California Meridian Insurance to

the accident, determine the extent of their liability.

Roy Hollister has an uncle in Cleveland who stands to collect the bundle.

It's like a lot of those insurance companies. They try to wriggle out from

it. And you feel it was an accident?

Oh, yeah, it couldn't be anything else.

After I got back to the cab, the brake lever was just the way I left it.

How long was that?

Well, it was after the ambulances had left.

Police were still there, of course, and the steward.

I understand.

You don't think of those things at a time like that.

You know how I got it figured?

It was Providence, Mr. Jones.

That fellow's time was just up.

Providence. Well, my problem is to find out whether Providence had a helping

hand.

Boy.

Good boy. Good old boy, yes, sir.

Help you?

Well, I hope so. Nice dog you got here.

Barnaby's one of the finest drug inspectors in the service.

Barnaby?

Interesting name for a dog.

Highly intelligent looking animal.

I didn't catch your name.

Jones.

I'm checking out the accident for California Meridian Insurance.

Oh, yeah. Hollister.

You know him?

Well, only from his passport.

I saw his utility bag.

Name on most of his clothing.

You seem very observant. Well, this is part of our job.

You'd be amazed what some people try to slip past this.

How? Does it give you trouble?

No, his bag contained only the ordinary items.

Like what, for instance?

Well, let's see.

The change of clothing, the thermos, razor blades, the normal toilet

that's all.

Okay? Fine.

Did you notice what happened to the bag after the accident?

It seems they've gotten lost.

No, and the excitement, I'm afraid I didn't. You mentioned the thermos. Was

anything in it?

That's what the customs fellow said Hollister had in his thermos. Yeah,

it. Diesel fuel aboard this tub tastes a lot better.

You didn't build it up too much.

A little thicker, this could pass for axle grease.

It's a fitting cause for mutiny.

Makes you wonder why Hollister would have taken a thermos over to shore.

What kind of a fellow was he?

He was a good worker. He was a heavy equipment operator overseas before he

and signed up with us for the trip home.

Tried to get him to stay aboard, but he didn't.

Hollister was a man with plans.

What kind of plans?

Well, they never did say, but I have a feeling they were big.

You know, when you bid to see as long as myself, you get to be able to read a

man. Ever since he came aboard... Where was that?

Uh, Cambodia. Why?

Just wondering.

Mr. Murphy, that bag that the customs agent mentioned, it didn't show up in

Hollister's effects.

You suppose it could have been brought back aboard and got misplaced somewhere?

We checked everything.

Well, there's this work logger. Maybe somebody stuffed it back in there.

Can we take a look?

Sure, come on.

Well, let's see.

Not a sign of a bag.

Here's something.

Funny, they don't fit.

On the contrary, this may be the only thing about the case that does fit.

Oh, hi.

I wonder when you're home.

Did you decide to do your Christmas shopping early?

I picked up a few things.

A California Meridian call. Did I see you report on the Hollister case?

So am I. So am I.

Listen, I...

What's all this about?

Coffee.

Coffee? Or what Roy Hollister would have wanted people to believe was coffee.

Betty, if I guessed right, you can call California Meridian Insurance and tell

them to hold up payment on the claim for that accident.

Because it may have been murder and not an accident at all.

All because of coffee?

All because of something of value that was supposed to be coffee. Now, would

get me the water?

And watch carefully because I once saw a man in a circus make an elephant

disappear this way.

For all intents and purposes, what do we have?

A thermos of water.

Oh, coffee.

That's clever. What made you think of it? Well, I found some pieces like this

Hollister's personal effects.

The customs officer said that Hollister was carrying a thermos just like this

when he was killed.

And the thermos hasn't turned up.

Right.

So the accident begins to smell not so accidental.

What was he smuggling, drugs?

No, I don't... I don't think so, because the customs dog would have probably

sniffed him out, and he didn't.

There was room in here to conceal something of value.

You're right.

Hollister's death becomes convenient and profitable to someone.

Betty, I'd like to see the dossier that California Meridian sent over on

Hollister.

And I want the name of the firm that Hollister worked for overseas.

That's Westland Engineering, and their home office is in Orange County.

How's that for efficiency?

Better be careful of that, Betty.

You'll leave yourself with nothing to do for the rest of the day.

Hello, Myra. Hi, Vince.

Well, aren't you going to ask me in?

Oh, well, I... Come on, open up.

I'm sorry to bother you.

I wouldn't have come except it's important.

What's the matter, Myra? Something wrong?

No. No, I'm just a little extra nervous lately.

I'm worried about Bert.

I haven't seen or heard from him. Have you?

As a matter of fact, that's part of the reason for my coming.

I have some stuff that I borrowed from Burton. When I tried to return it, I

found that he had moved.

Hold on. Hold on, Vince. Hold on, Vince.

Just hold it, Vince. Just hold it.

What are you doing here?

Put that gun away.

Thank Warren.

I mean, would I be here now if I knew where the Buddha was?

Warren, put the gun away.

Please.

Okay, you guys.

Let's tell me what's going on.

Well, the thing is, we need some information.

Did Bert ever mention any close friends? I mean, other than Warren and myself.

You know, Bert, everyone's his friend.

No, he means somebody else other than the three of us. Somebody that Bert

have trusted. I mean, somebody he met recently.

Did he mention any names?

I don't know. I can't think of any.

Why ask me? Why don't you ask Bert?

You can't ask Bert, can't you?

Something has happened to him, hasn't it?

Well, you see, we were on this job together, and it was kind of dangerous.

Tell her, Warren.

Bert knew what he was getting himself into.

Okay.

Let's tell me.

Where is he?

We had nothing to do with it.

I don't believe you.

How could that have happened?

Well, he... He was murdered.

He was shot.

We don't know who did it. I mean, I guess that's why we're here.

You figured he may have said something. Mention somebody. Give us a line on who

did it.

Where is he now?

Well, we had to get rid of the body.

What do you mean you had to get rid of the body? A salvage yard.

By now he's on a scrap boat halfway to Japan.

There's nothing else we could have done, Myra.

Roy was what I call a perspiration engineer.

As good a man with heavy equipment as I ever saw.

Could teach you, too.

That why they sent him to Cambodia?

Yeah.

But then he volunteered for all the hot spots. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, you name

it. Seems to me to be rough enough just getting a day's work done without

gorillas popping out at you all the time. You can say that again.

But then Roy was a cool head at times like that.

You know, he was something of a hero.

I didn't know that.

Yeah. There's a clipping of it. I'm right inside the door of my trailer.

yourself. Thanks.

Sang -gi -dang.

Sound familiar?

You've probably read about it in the papers.

It's an Asian temple.

It says here they were trapped in there for three days.

They might still be there if Roy hadn't sneaked through guerrilla lines to get

help.

These other men, are they still with the company?

Well, Davis is. He's our field supervisor.

And Bucola handles the heavy stuff like Roy. He's still around.

I don't know about Logan. He's freelance. I haven't seen anything of

they closed down the Asian project.

You have any idea why Hollister didn't fly back home with the rest of them?

Seems to be working your way back on the freighters a long way home.

You got me.

Maybe Davis and Bucola could tell you.

You know where I can find him?

Well, uh, Bucola generally hangs out around the maintenance shack.

Davis is another matter. He's all over the place in that truck of his.

Why don't you buy it?

Would you mind if I keep this picture? I'll get it back to you in a couple of

days after I get a copy made.

Sure.

Oh, looks like you're in luck. There's Davis now.

I'm Barnaby Jones, investigating the death of Roy Hollister for California

Meridian Insurance.

Oh, yes, that was awful.

It was funny, though. I mean, after all, he'd been through to go out that way.

I just got a few questions I'd like to clear up. Like what?

Well, I was hoping you might be able to tell me why Mr.

Hollister chose not to fly home with the rest of you.

Why are you signed on that ship?

I'm afraid you're asking the wrong man.

Actually, Roy and I weren't that close.

Oh? I assume from this picture you were.

Look, we just worked together. I don't know why he did things. Still, I'm sorry

about what happened to him. Yeah, I imagine you would be, especially since

saved your life.

Roy knew I was grateful.

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Well, I'm not sure, since you and Roy weren't that close. Friendly, uh, you

probably wouldn't know anything about the thermos that he went ashore with.

Thermos? What thermos?

The one that's missing.

I'm afraid I, uh, I can't help you.

Well, you've already helped quite a bit.

Oh, uh, do you happen to know where I can find Bert Logan?

We, we haven't kept in touch since, since we got back.

What about, uh, Mr. Piccola?

He still works at the firm?

Yes, he does. He's, um...

He's not here this afternoon.

His son got to him.

He went home early.

Would you have that address?

Uh, yeah.

He's at the Wellborn Apartments on Collins near Park.

Thanks again, Mr. Davis. Yeah.

Mr. Pecola?

Mr.

Pecola?

Well, you were right.

The coroner ruled Vincent Bucola's death an accident.

He died approximately one hour before you arrived there.

No fun being right when you know you're wrong.

You don't agree that it was an accident?

Couldn't prove it was anything else.

But you don't believe it. Why?

Too convenient.

I swore I was just starting to get somewhere.

That Davis, I know he was covering himself up, that's for sure.

What do you think, he killed Bucola?

No. Time -wise, too close. Just too close.

What else?

Too many accidents on this case.

Harvey, that's no evidence.

What about the shower curtain?

What about it? It's outside the tub.

Everybody knows that when you take a shower, you put the curtain inside the

when the shower's running.

Well, you can't sway a jury with that.

No, I guess not.

You got anything on Logan?

Nothing definite yet.

He left his apartment about two days ago.

I left no forwarding address, but I did get...

Name of his girlfriend, Myra Staley. That's her address.

I better talk to her.

I just thought of somebody that might be able to help us.

Chick Forrester in the State Department.

Security office. Call him.

Tell him I'd like to see him.

He'll want to know whether it's fishing or business.

Tell him it's business, but I'll be doing a little fishing.

Miss Taylor.

Miss Taylor, can I talk to you?

Okay.

Yeah, what do you want?

My name's Barnaby Jones. I'd like to talk to you a minute.

Look, I don't want to talk to anyone. I don't feel so good.

I just don't want to talk to anyone. Just take a deep breath.

Just sip this.

When did you eat last?

I don't remember.

Well, if you're planning to break any records, you gotta eat.

Or that stuff will break you.

Here, finish it.

Who are you and what do you want?

I'm a private detective trying to find Burt Logan.

Oh.

That's good.

When a lady starts worrying about how she looks, it means she's feeling

You're very nice.

Why do you want to find Bert?

I think he's in trouble.

Serious trouble.

And from the sound of your voice when you mentioned his name a moment ago, I

think the same thought may have occurred to you.

I haven't seen Bert for a long time.

You would assume quite a lot, Mr. Jones.

Not when I can get the truth.

The truth isn't always in people's words.

It's in a woman's eye.

The way she tenses up when she hears a certain name.

Or the ache in her voice when she says it.

I'd say that Bert Logan meant a lot to you, Miss Saley.

I want to help.

Unless I miss my guest, his life's in danger.

No.

He isn't in any danger.

He's dead.

He was murdered.

You know that for certain?

Ward Davis and Vince McCullough were here yesterday.

They told me.

Did he also tell you who killed him?

No.

They were looking for something.

Something that killer had taken, I suppose.

And he thought you might know who had it.

I hate to ask you this, but... Did they happen to say what happened to the body?

There is no body.

I don't understand.

They said...

Good to see you. Just coming up to see you. My girl said that Betty called.

can I do for you?

You still in the East Asian Bureau?

Sure. You want to claim political asylum in Tahiti or something?

Not yet. Just some information.

San Gidon Temple.

Ever hear of it?

Yeah.

Yeah, I've heard of it.

Tell me, is it important?

Could be.

What's the matter? Security?

No, it's, uh...

Just embarrassing, Marvie.

One of those small catastrophes that seem to be plaguing us wherever we go

days. Like what?

The monks at the temple have been screaming bloody murder ever since we

our economic mission out of there.

Let me guess.

They just discovered there was something of great value missing?

How do you know that?

You're right.

It's a small item called the Sun Ming Buddha.

Sun Ming Buddha.

Can you give me a description?

better than that. I'll put you in touch with an expert.

And if you can locate the Buddha, I'll buy you the finest steak in Los Angeles.

Sounds important.

It's a matter of saving face, Barnaby.

It's just one of a series of things.

The monks claim that we looted a sacred object. If we can prove them wrong,

it'll be a big help to us.

What's the Buddha worth?

A small fortune, but even more than money.

Not to some people.

Hi, John.

Hi, I'm looking for Davis.

Well, you'll find him just under the bridge.

Hey.

Good afternoon, Mr. Davis.

Oh, Jones, isn't it?

That's very kind of you to remember.

You got a minute? I got a couple more questions.

I've told you everything I know.

Funny, Myra Staley thought you might have a lot more to say.

Myra Staley's a drunk.

She said you told her that Burt Logan was murdered and you helped dispose of

body.

She can say anything she likes. I had nothing to do with that.

What about Mr. Bicola?

You're a fool if you sent me over there knowing he was dead.

Why would I?

Besides, they said it was an accident.

Like Hollister was an accident?

I suppose you didn't know anything about that either.

You're guessing, aren't you, Mr. Jones?

Am I?

I'm not very good either.

Look, if you don't mind, I've got some work to do.

What if I told you I know about the son, Ming Buddha?

The son what?

Look, I don't know what you're talking about.

You better check your insurance.

It's a bad case of dying going around in your circle of friends.

Mr. Jones.

You all right? Yeah, I'm fine. Where's Davis? I was just talking to him. He

hasn't come down. He must still be up there.

David?

David! Mr. Jones! Mr. Jones!

Davis is here.

I understand the Sun Ming Buddha is 1 ,400 years old. Can't be dated exactly.

Could easily be even older.

One solid emerald.

Very impressive carving.

An antiquarian like yourself can well appreciate the workmanship.

With a precious stone riding at the outcome, the artisan's head was in

also.

How much would something like this be worth?

Properly cut, the intrinsic value of this emerald is approximately 300 ,000.

But as an object of art, well over a million.

That's the way they'll move it.

Well, how can you be so sure?

A freshly cut emerald leaves hardly any trail in the gem market, but...

Whoever has the Buddha has already gone to a lot of trouble to cover up his

tracks. That means they're going for the big money. They're going to try to sell

it in one piece.

Very shrewd.

Mr. Forrester said that you had hopes of recovering the Buddha. Yeah.

Excuse me.

That is right.

I knew when it was taken.

I even knew how it was smuggled into the country. The only thing I didn't count

on is that somebody wanted it bad enough to leave three bodies in his wake.

I thought there were four murders.

Only three bodies.

Count them.

Hollister, Davis, Piccola.

What about Logan?

In his case, there was no body.

All we have is Myra Staley's word, and she got her information secondhand.

It's all over now.

What did you tell me?

I had to make believe I was really dead on it. You couldn't have faked it

through by yourself. We both know that.

Vince and Warren, they made it seem real.

It was real.

For Warren.

I don't understand.

Vince was in on it.

He helped me make it look as though I'd really been shot.

Don't you understand, Myra? If we could convince David that the Buddha was

really gone, we'd only split two ways.

Sometimes you frighten me. Honey.

Honey, here it is.

Look at that.

It's all ours.

Now all we have to do is find the man and pick up the money.

$600 ,000.

A new life.

For both of us.

No, Andy, I don't think so.

All right, take it. It's a present.

Just don't drop it.

Hi, Eddie.

Nice of you to come see me.

Jones, before you start, I'm in costume stuff now, strictly legitimate.

Four years and five months behind bars convinced me.

Seems to me you told me the same thing a few years ago when you were handling

more hot jewelry than Sir Francis Drake.

Yeah? Only this time it's true.

Ask Betty. See?

Looks like a million tells for a buck.

I need information.

This is very big.

Emerald Buddha.

Worth more than a million.

Buddha? What do I know about Buddha? I told you.

I'm out of the hot jewelry racket.

Andy, they have killed three people, maybe four.

Yeah? That could give the business a bad name.

The way I figure, there are only three men in the whole world who can fence

anything this big and this hot without cutting it first.

Granger in New York.

Callinger in Lebanon.

Balfman in Holland.

Cobra Lee could handle it, but he's in Quentin.

Honest, Barnaby, they don't tell me anything anymore.

Andy, you owe me.

Okay.

Maybe Granger's taking a deal.

From New York?

Try to Carlisle Apartments.

He just got into town a couple days ago.

Exquisite.

There's absolutely no doubt of its authenticity. My buyer will be very

Fine, fine, fine. Now, if you don't mind, I'll take the money. I have a

catch. Of course.

What's all that?

600 ,000.

You know, we could have closed the deal two days ago if you hadn't insisted on

small bills.

Hello?

It's for you.

All right, nice and easy now.

The gun, over your shoulder.

How'd you know I was going to pay you a call?

I got a friend downstairs.

But the only one you got left is Myra.

I got a friend downstairs, too.

The manager.

That's fine.

Inside.

Who is he?

Take it easy. He's not a cop. He's just a private detective. This was not part

of the deal. What's going on?

I'll handle it. Yes, like a wolf handled a sheep.

I'm afraid you bought more than you bargained for, Mr. Granger.

Logan here just sold you a piece of three murders.

Is that true?

I said I'll handle it. Now you take the boot and get out of here. I'll take care

of Jones.

Oh, sorry.

We had a deal, but it did not include murder.

You see, Logan, a man in Mr.

Granger's line of work has ethics.

Thieving is one thing, murder is another.

Just leave the money right where it is. Now, look, I told you the deal is off. I

said you take the boot or nothing.

I'm a businessman, not a fool.

Then you get nothing.

Nothing.

Don't try it.

I'll hand it over nice and easy.

Bert?

Bert, is everything all right?

for joining the party.

Saved a lot of time rounding everyone up.

Operator, get me the police.

Sergeant, I'm going to need another copy of this report for California Meridian

Insurance.

Proving it was a murder is going to save them a bundle.

Barnaby. They said you wanted to see me.

Seems to me I remember you saying something about buying me a stake.

You recovered the voter.

Of course, you're going to have to sign a lot of papers.

But you government fellows are used to that.

And when I do, the State Department will be happy to buy you a whole steer.

A whole steer?

Look, I don't want to throw the country into an economic crisis. I'll settle for

a couple of steaks.

You got a deal.