Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, a Quinn Martin production starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Merriweather. With guest stars Christopher Tabori,

Catherine Hellman, Biff McGuire,

Kathleen Cody.

Special guest star Sandra Locke.

Tonight's episode.

The Orchid Killer.

Oliver, not even a little smile for all your friends?

Look at the nice present.

Isn't it pretty?

Come on, Oliver. A teeny -weeny little smile.

Well, I guess there are still lots of blessings we can count.

It's been such a nice party. And we have all really had a good time, haven't we?

And next year on his birthday... Why, thank you, Charles.

Oh, my, look at the time.

Mrs. Brennan is going to be scolding us tomorrow. You know, it's way past all

your bedtime.

It's past my bedtime, too, and I've still got a long drive home.

Now, gentlemen, I know we've really enjoyed ourselves tonight, but I think

better be...

Good night, Oliver.

Happy birthday.

Good night, Dad. See you in the morning.

How do you do? My name is Barnaby Jones.

I'm here to see you, Mr. Donald Harrelson. Oh, yes, Mr. Jones. Mr.

my nephew's attorney. He's expecting you.

I'm Tim's aunt, Edna Morrison. How do you do?

Please, won't you come in?

Thank you.

Are you going to charge my client or aren't you? Don't push me, Counselor. My

client has a witness that puts him in this house last night. What more do you

want?

Barnaby, what are you doing here?

I asked him to come.

Thanks for making it so fast.

Barnaby, this is my client, Tim Landis. Hello, sir. And his sister, Alicia.

Hello, sir.

I'm very glad you came. Barnaby, I might have a word with you first. Well, sure.

I'll join you if you don't mind. Well, I've just done my way out anyway.

Done? Just what is this all about? All I could get out of Betty was it had

something to do with the girl who was killed last night.

I thought the name Tim Landis would ring a bell with you. He was my client two

years ago in a murder trial, accused of killing a young woman. Declared innocent

by reason of insanity?

Yeah, I think the papers referred to him as the orchid killer.

The young woman that was killed last night, they found an orchid next to her

body, too.

She was a nurse at the state hospital where Tim had been confined up until his

release two weeks ago.

We kept that little detail of the orchid out of the papers this time. Thought we

ought to keep the press out of this for a while.

Counselor, you see that your client doesn't make any quick trips out of

Lieutenant, his sister told you she was with him from 8 o 'clock until after

midnight. You're so sure of that. What's he doing here?

I'll see you later, Barnaby. Lieutenant.

Don, I think Lieutenant Biddle just raised a pertinent question. What am I

here? Mr. Jones, I told Mr. Harrelson to call you.

Dodd said he wanted to speak to you first.

I guess to avoid any embarrassment in case you wanted to turn around and walk

out that door because you know who I am.

I realize I'm not the most desirable of clients.

But I'd like you to help me, Mr. Jones.

Well, it depends on what you have in mind.

Look, I'm due at a probate sale in 20 minutes.

Go ahead, Don. I think I can tell Mr.

Jones everything he needs to know.

All right. If either of you need me for anything, I can be reached through my

exchange. Thank you very much.

Mr. Jones, last night... Would you like a cup of coffee, Mr. Jones?

No, thank you, but a glass of cold milk would do nicely.

I brought some cookies to go with your milk, Mr. Jones.

They are just my instructions, ma 'am. Henry, be careful of that cart, dear. It

has a loose wheel. I know, dear. I know.

Mr. Jones, this is my uncle, Henry Morrison.

Pleasure, sir.

Mr. Morrison?

You've become highly recommended by Mr. Harrelson.

And in this house, that means a great deal. Well, is there anything else I can

get for anyone?

Perhaps we should just leave them alone to talk now, dear.

Oh, very well.

Now, did anyone else see you last night?

Well, I'm not sure.

You make any phone calls?

No, I don't think so.

Mr. Landis, there's an old saying that one rooster can't do another one

scratching for him.

If you keep on hemming and hawing, I can't help you. I don't know where I was

last night.

I just blacked out, like I did two years ago.

Your sister told the police she was with you.

She was only trying to protect me. It's not her fault.

Mr. Jones,

Tim may have blacked out last night.

But he didn't kill that girl.

I mean, if you knew him as I do, you'd know he couldn't do such a terrible

thing.

Can you remember anything from last night?

Yes, I can. And everything I told the police, up to a point, is the truth.

I was working on my car.

Alicia was with me till 8 .30, quarter of nine.

Yes.

According to the news reports, the murder occurred around 10 o 'clock.

I know.

The last thing I remember, it was about nine o 'clock.

I was driving my car at the front gate. I wanted to take it for a run.

The next thing I knew, it was dawn.

I was sleeping in my car about three miles down the road.

Mr. Jones, I couldn't have killed that girl.

I don't think I could kill anyone.

Well, I'm not sure I can go along with lying to the police.

Don't you see?

If I told them what I just told you, there'd be no questions, no more

investigation. They'd throw me back in that hospital probably for the rest of

life.

For me, I have to know for sure whether I did it or if I didn't.

What if my investigation proved you did? What then?

Then you'll have no problem with me.

I'll go quietly with you to the police.

Well, sir.

Under those ground rules, I think we can get down to work.

We can talk in here. Thank you.

Doctor, Tim tells me that in spite of a series of exhaustive tests, you were

never... able to determine exactly what causes blackouts, either physically or

emotionally. Well, that's true as far as it goes.

You have to remember that much of Tim's life has been like one long emotional

ping -pong match. First of all, his mother dies, after which his father

Alicia's mother, a woman that Tim actively hated.

Then his father and his stepmother are both killed in a light airplane

This woman that Tim hated, that was Alicia's mother. That's right.

But there is no blood relationship between them. That is, they're not

brother and sister.

Now, that didn't stop Alicia from being devoted to Tim the two years that he was

here. I don't think she missed one day for visiting.

The point I was trying to make is that while we couldn't find any specific

for Tim's problem, there is certainly fertile ground for trouble.

I'm not challenging you, Doctor.

Well, when something like this happens, people always blame the Doctor.

Think of us as gods, and we're certainly not that.

We probed Tim Landis' subconscious.

We used sodium pentothal. We used hypnosis. We used psychotherapy.

We couldn't find any deep -seated hostility or even a penchant for

So, after a time, we recommended for release.

You're beginning to sound as though you're almost ready to change your

diagnosis.

Are the police sure that Tim was involved in that murder last night?

Right now, he's the number one suspect.

I'm curious, Doctor.

That murder two years ago, was Tim ever able to recall it? No, never.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Hey, old buddy. Thought you'd been had.

What do you mean?

Well, I drove by your house this morning. There were cops all over the

Yeah, well, they made a mistake.

They thought I was someplace else last night when, in fact, I was at home. When

I explained that to them, they turned a whiter shade of pale, apologized

profusely, and exited with their tail between their legs.

Why would they care where you were?

A nurse was killed at the hospital last night.

I knew her.

Oh. Anyway, I brought that manifold I told you about.

Here it is, pal.

Look, uh...

You don't have to give me that.

You know, you could pick up a lot of bucks for it.

Go on, take it.

I want you to have it, though, if you'd like to.

Like I said, you don't have to.

I mean, what are friends for?

I'm cool.

They won't get anything from me.

Blood brothers, right?

Are we speaking on the same subject?

All I'm doing is giving you a manifold.

You sure must have done some fast talking to get those cops to buy that

about you being home last night.

What do you mean?

I mean you were at my place last night, don't you remember?

I was at your place?

Yeah, and you were talking about some chick, that nurse.

No, that couldn't be.

Come on, you're putting me on. Tim, you remember.

What time did I leave?

9 .30?

Hey, look, you're shaking.

Hey, man, even if it's true, calm down.

Don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone.

Honest, Tim, I won't tell anyone.

Mr. Jones.

I didn't mean to startle you.

Mrs. Morrison, I was looking for Tim. I understand he's not home, but Alicia

said that I'd find you working out here.

Say, that is a beauty.

Cataleya, isn't it?

Well, yes.

Do you know flowers?

Oh, but I had a maiden aunt who used to say, flowers are the sweetest things God

ever created and forgot to put a soul in.

Well, maybe it's just as well.

If these orchids had souls, I'm afraid they'd be weeping now, those horrid

murders.

I had a very interesting lunch today with Mr. Harrelson. I didn't realize

he told me that all this is Tim's. At least it will be after his 25th birthday

next month.

That's right.

And you will be administering his estate until then?

I have been for the past eight years, ever since my brother, since Tim's

died.

You see, my husband and I never had any children of our own.

Well, we've tried to do our best by Tim and Alicia.

According to Mr. Harrelson, you've done a fine job, not only with the children,

but taking care of Tim's money.

Thank you.

But I'm afraid you might get an argument from Tim as far as his money goes.

I think if I had let him, he would have given most of it away by now. He's like

that, you know.

Well, wisdom comes with experience.

I'm sure he'll be looking forward to your wisdom and counsel for many years

come. I don't know.

Thank you very much.

Spoilsport.

Hi. Hi.

I'm very glad that Alicia invited you over to swim.

So that's what you told him.

I invited you swimming.

Well, you did once when we were in school together.

In the 10th grade, remember?

Thanks for the drink, Timmy.

Ah, yes, the 10th grade.

I remember that.

That was the year the headmaster caught you and Bill Dunsley out behind the

bleachers.

You really do get your claws out when somebody gets even close to your big

brother, don't you?

The only thing is, he isn't even your real brother.

Oh, now, come on.

What difference does it make who invited Sherry over?

She's here, so let's enjoy ourselves, huh? By all means.

And after we've all had a swim, Sherry can keep us fascinated by tales of her

exploits in the 11th and 12th grades.

Alicia, please.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come.

I thought you might want to go to a party. I wanted to invite you.

Excuse me.

Sherry. Tim, let her go. She's nothing but a trampy little gold digger.

Why don't you let me decide who I'm going to be with? Huh?

Sherry!

That Sherry's not quite as tough a fighter as some of Tim's other

are.

Most of them last at least three rounds.

Must be pretty difficult to be as close as brother and sister and yet not be.

Is she always that protective of him?

Well, only if Alicia thinks some female is getting too close to him. You know,

once she even tried to have one of the nurses out of the hospital fired.

You know, according to Mr. Harrelson, Alicia doesn't share any estate unless

something happens to Tim.

Well, I wouldn't know about that. Listen, can I pour you a drink, or are

they say, on duty?

I'm on duty. I think I'd better try to catch up with Tim. There are a few

questions I ought to ask him.

Mr.

Jones.

Have you found anything out yet?

Well, Tim...

A lot of times, a detective is like an old hunting dog.

He has to go by his instincts.

Right now, my instinct tells me that if we could just solve the mystery of why

you black out... I've tried, Mr. Jones. I don't know how many sessions I've had

with the shrink.

Yes, I talked with Dr. Reston. He told me that two years ago, when you had your

blackout, several weeks before that, you had a series of spells which made you

dizzy and disoriented.

Yes, sir, I did.

The first dizzy spells occurred about three weeks before the first blackout.

They would last anywhere from a couple of hours to one that lasted almost two

days. Did you have any spells before last night?

No, sir, not one.

That girl who was killed two years ago, she was a former girlfriend of yours,

wasn't she?

Please, Mr. Jones, I don't want to go through that again.

It's all in Dr. Reston's files.

Well, son, I wouldn't be asking if it weren't important.

Alicia and I were having a party.

There must have been 200 people here.

It was around midnight.

I was somewhat smashed when Jeanette called me.

I was also surprised to hear from her. We had broken up two months before that.

But you still agreed to meet her.

She sounded frightened.

She said she had to see me.

She said it was a matter of life and death.

Did anyone else at the party know you got that call?

Just about everyone, I guess.

Aunt Edna answered the phone.

They must have searched through the whole house before they found me in the

pool. I'm somewhat drunk.

Last night before the blackout, you spent some time in here.

Yes, sir, I did.

Do any drinking?

The only thing I had to drink last night was a quart of buttermilk.

Don't you think you've had enough already?

I suppose you would.

But then I guess that kind of thing is measured by some sort of standard, isn't

it? Somehow I was under the impression that we had lost all that sort of thing.

We? Yes, we.

What are we even doing here?

None of this is ours.

This is Tim's house.

Tim is my brother's child, and we... I intend to look after him as long as need

be.

People should live their own lives in their own houses.

That's what I think

Him

it's

after 11 o 'clock

Yeah, well, thank you. I'll be in after a while.

It's chilly out here. You ought to have a jacket.

I'll go in the house and get you one. No, please.

I'm not cold.

Something wrong, dear?

Nothing's wrong.

Tim, do you have to drink so much?

What's the matter? You afraid I'll be like Uncle Henry?

I happen to like Uncle Henry!

I'm sorry, Annette. I didn't mean to scream at you.

I just want to be left alone.

Very well.

And, Edna, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...

Tim,

I waited and waited for you at the party, and you never showed up.

Why not? You promised you'd try.

I'm sorry, Jerry. I got involved with tuning up my car.

Still not running right, though.

You want something to run right, you have to take it out and test it

Yes, well, I'm kind of tired.

You don't look tired to me, Tam.

Come on, let's go out and have our own party, just the two of us.

All right, get it.

Why don't we head up to the old cutter's place?

There's no one there this time of year.

What?

I said, why don't we go up to the old cutter... Sam, are you all right?

Don't hurt me, please.

Don't hurt me, please.

Stay away.

He's inside.

Cleaning crew finally ran outside the door and called me. I'll get him some

coffee.

Back where I come from, only preachers and beer drinkers get up at this hour on

a Sunday morning.

We got trouble?

It happened again last night. I blacked out.

Only this time I can remember some things.

I remember the girl.

She was screaming.

I was running.

I hope she's all right.

Where did this happen?

On a mountain road.

I don't know where.

Did you try to get in touch with her this morning?

They called her apartment. Her roommate answered.

Said she hadn't been home yet.

Mr. Jones, I'm not going to go back to the hospital, please. Oh, wait a minute.

Uh, what time did all this start to happen?

Aunt Edna came by the garage to tell me it was after 11.

Terry came by after that.

We decided to go for a drive.

I started to feel that awful, didn't I?

I remember the headlights coming in through the window.

Sherry grabbed the wheel.

Any idea where you wound up? Where your car is now?

No, sir.

Between dinner and the time that Sherry arrived, did you have anything to eat or

drink? No.

Oh, wait.

There was a bottle of red wine. I had a couple of glasses of that.

Barbie, that was Lieutenant Biddle on the phone.

They found Tim's car with the girl's body next to it.

When they finish photographing, I don't want anything touched until the

fingerprint boys are here.

I don't want our little Romeo slipping through our fingers again.

Let it be known, Lieutenant, that my client is giving himself up voluntarily.

Yeah. And if he'd done that yesterday, that pretty little girl might still be

alive. I hate to say this, Barnaby, but this time I think you picked the wrong

number.

Sergeant, cuff him. Read him his rights.

Don't, please.

I'll go freely, please.

Don't, please. If you don't like trouble, just turn around, put your

behind you. No!

Don't shoot!

Hold your fire!

Mr. Jones.

Oh, good morning, Ms. Morrison.

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

Hello.

Mr. Jones, the police were here earlier.

They said that Tim might be involved in the murder of another girl.

Yes, we've seen the police.

But what are you doing here?

Tim hasn't come home yet.

Yes, I know.

I was looking for a bottle of red wine and a glass that he drank out of last

night.

I'm afraid I cleaned up in here this morning. I took the bottle and the glass

into the kitchen.

I'm afraid I ran the dishwasher through this morning.

I think this is the one.

It won't make any difference anymore.

I'm sorry if I spoil something.

Where did you put the bottle of wine?

That's odd.

I'm sure I put it in here.

Henry.

I hope you're not accusing me of consuming that soda pop that Tim calls

Well, it couldn't have disappeared by itself.

Where do you keep your trash cans?

Come here, I'll show you.

Yeah, that's the stuff that Tim drinks.

Clean as a whistle.

Clean?

Now, who would go to all the trouble to wash out a wine bottle?

All except the cap.

I'd like to take this down to my office and run a few tests. Do you mind?

Thank you.

What's he doing?

He says he's taking the cap from the bottle of wine with him.

He's going to have it tested.

I found the chloroform. I knew I'd ordered it. Thanks.

This will start us out.

What are we looking for?

It's called a thin layer test.

If there are any foreign particles in the wine, this ammonia will bring it

Do you think something was added to Tim's wine?

Well, I would explain why they couldn't figure out what was causing his

blackouts at the hospital.

Well, it makes sense. Something could have been added to his buttermilk the

other night and to his drink two years ago.

And there it is.

Any guesses?

Well, if I'm right, it's hallucinogenic.

Probably LSD that's easiest to get.

LSD.

Well, that would fit ten symptoms of the periods of disorientation and the

blackouts.

Now, all we have to do is wait for this to dry, and we'll have our sample.

Then, a microscope, we compare it with one of these, and if it matches, we're

business.

Are these hallucinogenic?

Yeah, they were loaned to me by a friend of mine in a police lab.

He said we could have them as long as we wanted them, provided that no wild

parties break out up here.

Barnaby Jones.

I'm a friend of Tim Landis'. He says he has to talk to you and that I'll wait at

the corner of Stratford and 3rd. Who are you?

Hello?

Hello?

I've got to talk to Tim.

Tim?

Betty, all you have to do is wait for this to dry, scrape some out, put it on

the slide, microscope.

I'm trying to match it with one of these. Think you can do that?

I'll try.

See you in a little bit.

All right.

I did okay, huh?

Barnaby? Barnaby, it's just about time. Can I make the slide anywhere?

Betty? Betty!

I'm in here, Barnaby.

Thank goodness you're all right.

You know, when I realized that was a phony address, I called the police right

away.

Barnaby, I got so scared I just ran out of here. I didn't even see who it was.

Come here.

If you think I'm going to be upset with you for not becoming the Orchid Killer's

fourth victim, you're in for a big disappointment.

We've lost the test.

I mean, now we'll never know what it was.

Yeah, but on the other hand, the killer has proved our suspicions.

Well, why would he or she sneak in here to seal back a couple of drops of cheap

wine?

If that's another one of Tim's friends, I'm not in.

Barber Jones' office. May I help you?

Hello, Betty.

It's Tim.

Can I speak to Mr. Jones, please?

Yes.

It's Tim.

Really?

Tim?

Mr. Jones, I wanted to call you to tell you I'm sorry for running out on you and

for letting you down the way I did. Listen, Tim, I've got something

tell you.

Listen very carefully.

Mr. Jones, I can't turn myself in. I can't go back to that hospital. I don't

care what happens.

Tim, listen to me.

Listen, you are not the Orchid Killer. You understand?

a killer.

All those blackouts and dizzy spells, those murders, they were all part of a

plan to set you up as a patsy.

How? Why?

I'm still working on that. Now, Tim, do you know anyone who may have had access

to or used a hallucinogenic, possibly LSD?

LSD?

You that private detective?

Yeah, you're Tim's best friend, Jack Meyer.

Is this something you want? I understand you used to manufacture LSD.

Tim, I told you to go to the police. I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, I couldn't miss this

one.

What's this all about?

The orchid killer, Jack.

Someone who put acid in my food and my drink.

Hey, now you're coming on awful strong.

You don't think I did that. Who else, old pal?

You're the guy who used to make and sell the stuff.

That was a long time ago.

So was that party two years ago.

You were there when Jeanette called.

You knew I was going over there. Only she wasn't my girl anymore, was she? She

was your girl. The girl you told everyone you were going to marry.

Unfortunately, she was some low -life tramp.

And it was me she wanted to see. Me she called.

So how does it go, Timmy? I get crazy mad, dope you up with acid, rush over

kill her before you show up?

You must admit it's a pretty good motive for murder. That's right.

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess it is.

Except for one stupid thing.

I loved her.

So maybe she was a bit of a tramp.

Secondhand. And my whole life's been secondhand from Tim. My car, most of my

clothes. Anything I happen to want or need, he throws it to me like someone

would throw scraps to a dog.

Now, if I'd have killed anyone that night, it wouldn't have been Jeanette.

It would have been you, Tim.

Right there.

You told them I'd be here, didn't you?

Only in the event you didn't turn yourself in.

Go with them, Tim. It'll be better for you.

Don't have much choice, do I?

Thanks, Barnaby.

Anytime, Lieutenant.

Only don't make any long -range plans for holding them.

Goodbye, Jack.

You really meant that about Tim being doped with acid?

Yeah.

Who? I was kind of hoping you'd tell me that.

If it wasn't you... It wasn't.

I may have a lot of hang -up, but when it gets right down to it, Tim's still my

best friend.

What about that girl, Jeanette?

Did she have access to acid?

She wouldn't do that to Tim.

She may have taken some, but that's all.

Did you supply her with any LSD for a month or so before her death? I mean,

uh... Maybe enough so she could deal?

Yeah. I think I did give her some extra.

She said she had a customer who was willing to pay three or four times the

rate. This customer, do you remember her saying anything about him?

Name?

Description?

Oh, my God, yes, I do.

Mr. Jones, come in. Come in. Thank you.

Can I fix you a drink, Mr. Jones, or are you still on duty?

I'm afraid I'm still on duty.

Oh, well, that's too bad.

I'm afraid Edna and Alicia are down at the police station with Tim.

You know, the police finally caught up with that poor boy. Yes, I heard, but I

wanted to see you, Mr. Morrison.

Is that right?

I just had a talk with Jack Meyer.

He told me the story of the girl, Jeanette.

You remember Jeanette? That was the girl that Tim was supposed to have killed a

couple of years ago?

Oh, yes.

I remember her indeed.

You should have seen her in a bathing suit, Mr. Jones.

Jeanette was selling LSD.

No.

My, that is disappointing.

She had a customer that you wouldn't expect an older man.

and an eye for the chicks, and never without a drink in his hand.

The customer was you, Mr. Morrison.

How very clever of you, Mr. Jones.

Please, may I have your gun?

Put your hands up, please.

I don't think you were a murderer to start out with, but when you saw Tim

getting older and realized one day this place would slip away from you... We all

do develop these terrible habits, Mr. Jones.

Tim would have left us without a cent when he was 25.

I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I just gave Tim enough of the chemical to make

act strange every once in a while.

That way I felt I could...

Have him declared incompetent, and then... And Jeanette found out what you

doing with the drug. She called up to tell Tim. That's what happened, wasn't

Well, I did what I had to do. Then Tim was released from the hospital, so you

had to start killing again. First the nurse, then Sherry.

Well, when they lock Tim up this time, I'm quite sure that they'll throw away

the key for good.

Shall we step outside, Mr. Jones?

It's not going to do any good to kill me because I've already called the police.

Boy, you're bluffing, Mr. Joseph.

I want the police and an ambulance.

4645, cart right away.

We'd like to thank you, Mr. Jones, for everything you've done for us.

I'm just sorry about Aunt Edna. After everything that's happened, she still

loves that man.

Too bad that Henry didn't find out a long time ago that that's worth more

money. Well, son, what are you going to do with your life now that you can live

it without being afraid?

I thought about going back to school.

How does Dr.

Tim Landis sound to you?

That sounds great to me.

I figure there's no sense in living this life unless you can make some good of

it.

Looks like all those months you spent in the hospital weren't wasted.

Good luck, Tim.

Thank you.

Bye. Thank you very much.