Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, a Quinn Martin production, starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Merriweather, with guest stars Larry Hagman,

Bill Balance, Leslie Ackerman,

special guest star Marsha Rod.

Boy, I feel stuffed after that lunch.

If I don't get out of this wheelchair soon, Miss Hollister, I'm going to blow

like a balloon.

All I do is eat and sleep. I'm going to talk to Dr.

Rickers about that. I think it's time we started you on a physical therapy

program. I bet I'd put on 10 pounds.

Start you on a diet as soon as you're strong enough. Be your old, slender self

in no time.

I turned the speaker volume a little low. Some of your neighbors may not

appreciate Mr. Bill Edwards' bedroom humor.

Oh, he's not that bad. It's all fun.

This is station KBEX.

Please stay tuned for the Bill Edwards show.

You just give a holler. You need anything. I'll be fixing myself some

All right, now. Let me carefully emphasize to my radio listeners now

that I've been expounding to 3 ,000 people seated out in front of me.

Well, okay.

Make that 11 people. including the cute little red -headed captivator now casing

my engineer so lovingly that, well, the first platform of women's lib should be

doing away with beauty products.

Now, this would give us men an equal chance at not getting all messed up and

emotionally jostled in such tender ages.

I mean, no makeup, no hairdos, and instead of silk and fluff and all those

goodies which have been giving me high blood pressure long before my time, just

a simple...

sackcloth.

Well, enough of that verbal jousting and down to business. Today's topic for you

dainties out there, I love every one of you, even wearing your smoldering

sackcloth and sporting those mustaches.

Today's topic is, what was your most embarrassing moment when dating your

boyfriend, or live -in for the first time?

Okay, switchboard lighting up. My dear, that does keep Billow off the

unemployment lines.

Mr. Hollister, I don't believe what happened.

When I drove by the Rickers' house, there was a police car, an ambulance.

A neighbor said she was dead. Dr. Ricker's wife, Ellen.

Oh, no.

Did they say how it happened, Mrs. Barnes?

I don't know.

Where's Kathy?

Oh, she's on the patio napping.

Kathy?

Kathy? Kathy?

Are you awake?

Oh, hi, Mom.

Is the Edward show over already?

Don't tell me I slept through it all.

No, dear. I turned it off after you went to sleep. About half an hour ago.

Oh.

Is something the matter, Ma?

What's wrong?

Dr. Ricker's wife, Ellen.

She's dead.

is logged at six minutes past two. He didn't leave his name. It's just that

there seemed to be some kind of disturbance going on here.

You been able to reach Dr. Ricker? He's in surgery since two o 'clock.

But I have him at the hospital to break the news.

Check along the block, see if you can come up with that caller and find out

exactly what kind of commotion he heard here.

Right.

That's all the police have, at least up to the time I asked for their report.

That's all they have?

An eyewitness who saw Dr. Melford arguing with the victim shortly before

police were called about a disturbance in the house?

Yeah, and throw in the fact that said eyewitness saw Dr.

Melford visit that house other times in the past, and you can't blame Lieutenant

Biddle for holding him on suspicion of murder.

Oh, uh, Jim, this is Barnaby Jones, a private investigator I've taken the

liberty of hiring.

Barnaby, Dr. Jim Melford, resident surgeon at Wilshire Memorial.

Why no bail?

I got some creep of a cellmate who's been pushing junk.

He'll be doing business at his old stand in the morning.

Jim, you'll be held for 72 hours.

Uh, the lieutenant.

Um, Biddle. Is that his name?

Why isn't he out there trying to find out who killed Ricker's wife instead of

trying to hang me?

Well, I've known Lieutenant Biddle for a number of years, and it's my opinion

that he doesn't try to hang people.

He's on our side.

Dr. Melford, wouldn't it be a lot more productive if we just sat down quietly

and kind of discussed the charges that are being made?

I got a right to be upset.

Got back to the hospital, parked in my car, and six cops started grabbing me.

You left the hospital at 1 .30 today and can't explain where you were for the

next hour and a half, during which time Dr.

Ricker's wife was murdered.

Right.

Washed up after a session with two burn cases.

Drove to the county tennis courts to see if my usual partner was around. He

wasn't. Back at the hospital at 3 .30.

So you didn't play any tennis?

Wandered around watching a few games.

What's unusual about being on county courts and not meeting anybody you know?

Jim, Mr. Jones isn't questioning your statement.

Of course he is.

Where do we go from I can't account for my time?

How about this eyewitness, Kathy Barnes?

She says she saw you enter the Rickers' house at 2 o 'clock or shortly

thereafter.

Eyewitness.

A girl under constant medication who sleeps half each day away.

She was hallucinating for a week after that skiing accident.

Then you're saying that the witness is not credible, that she is claiming to

have seen things that she didn't see. Exactly.

She suffered a severe concussion.

There is nothing unusual about sensory distortions for days, even weeks later.

Well, Ralph, I'll go over the ground and get back to you.

You don't believe me, that I didn't kill Ellen Rickards.

Dr. Milford.

My job is to investigate the facts as thoroughly as I can and hand a report to

your attorney.

Was there anything in your relationship with Mrs. Rickers which was other than

casual, friendly?

Well, I hardly knew Ellen Rickers.

I held her when she dropped by the hospital and a couple of times Dr.

invited me to the house.

That's it.

Thank you.

Well, I know it was 2 o 'clock because I was listening to the radio talk show

and it had just come on.

That's quite distance away, Kathy.

You had no trouble recognizing the man you saw as Dr. Melford?

Well, like I told Lieutenant Biddle, I met Dr. Melford at the hospital lots of

times. He always wore the same wild sports coat.

He used to kid about a resident doctor only affording one jacket.

So he made darn sure he was getting his money's worth.

And this wasn't the first time you saw Dr.

Melford visiting Mrs. Rickers?

Well, since my accident, being in a wheelchair.

Well, I never said anything about it before.

Because, well, it wasn't any of my business.

Well, we'll talk again, Kathy.

Kathy.

It's that time again. I thought Dr. Rickers said I didn't have to take any

medicine. It's your only vitamin.

Something to build up your strength.

Don't ever try to stem Christie around a tree. Mr. Jones not while you're

watching cute boy going by I'll keep that in mind

I'll just be a few moments

Good

morning

for dr. Rickards

I am sorry.

Lieutenant Biddle gave me permission to look around.

I didn't know you were here.

I'm afraid I'm not altogether here this morning.

I'm Barnaby Jones. I'm a private investigator. I'm assisting Dr.

Melford's lawyer in looking into the facts of the case.

Well, if there's anything I can do to assist you, Mr. Jones, I'll be only too

happy.

Jim Melford did not kill my wife.

Well, Doctor, maybe some other time. No, no, this should be cleared up as soon

as possible.

Not only is Jim's career at stake, but also my wife's integrity.

Dr. Milford thinks that in her present state, Kathy may have hallucinated the

whole story.

Yes, yes, he's right, of course.

That girl's gone through many periods of disorientation since her accident.

I spoke to her a few minutes ago. She seemed alert, clear -headed.

I'm expecting rapid improvement now, but patients...

recovering from head injuries often fall into a dreamlike state.

They imagine events which seem very real to them after awakening.

Ironic, isn't it?

This picture was taken at the Elmwood Spa.

I don't know how many times Ellen phoned me, pleading with me to join her.

Maybe tomorrow, I'd say.

The irony is...

No one can guarantee our tomorrows.

I won't bother you further, Doctor.

Please accept my sympathy.

Mr. Jones, I can assure you of one thing you'll find during the course of your

investigation.

Jim Melford is totally innocent of the charges against him.

They'll have to look elsewhere for my wife's killer.

There's the best relaxing exercise in the world.

And it tones up the midriff.

It does much more.

Try it sometimes, Mr. Jones.

You'll feel that old spine tingling.

Now, to get back to Mrs.

Rickers, she spent some time here.

Did you get to know her well?

Not too well.

Made out a couple programs for her.

You know, classes I thought she'd be interested in.

Never was.

Shame she's dead. I just heard about it an hour ago. Some of the guests talking

about it.

You just heard about it an hour ago.

It was in all the papers.

I didn't see the papers. I've been up in the high Sierras camping with my son.

You know that boy?

You know, Mr.

Sims, what I'm trying to do is to put together a picture of Mrs. Ricker's

her friends.

Did she socialize much with the guests here?

Socialize? I wouldn't say that. No, not at all.

Just went through the health program and kind of kept to herself.

Health programs, Mrs. Rickers?

Would you like to explain that?

Well, to each his own, or her own.

Mrs. Rickers wasn't exactly a desirable guest.

The cottage she stayed in is pretty secluded, but after dark, voices carry.

She had a visitor coming in late, always arguing with him, it seems.

I had to go over there and tell him to hold it down a couple of times.

You know who the visitor was?

At first I thought it was her husband.

But a couple of gals here laughed when I mentioned it to them.

What did he look like?

30 -ish.

Dark. Guy with a temper.

I thought we were going to tangle when I told them they'd have to be quiet.

This the man?

Mm -hmm. That's him.

You're positive?

I saw him at least twice.

But the way the gals talked around here, he had to spend a lot of nights at that

cottage.

Mrs. Ricker's health program, they called him.

You're not only a liar, you're a fool.

You're a fool for not telling your attorney about that relationship.

And you're a fool for lying to the police. I was trying to protect her

reputation. She was dead.

Then why give the newspapers a field day?

Let me give you some sound advice.

Call your attorney right now and tell him the truth.

Wait, you're still with us, right? Still on the case?

For what purpose?

I set out to find out if Ellen Rickers had a gentleman friend who might have

been visiting her that day.

I sure found him. I didn't kill her. When I walked in, she was already dead.

Lying on the floor.

Yeah, that's right. I was at the house.

It was a few minutes after two, so I...

Yes, Kathy Barnes did see me there, but I didn't pound on that door. I used a

key, opened it, and walked in.

As soon as I saw Ellen, I knew I couldn't do anything for her, I left.

I mean, how could I have explained being at the house, having a key, visiting

there at the very time I knew Dr. Rickers was operating?

Are you aware that Kathy Barnes is not only seeing that you saw you enter the

house, but that you saw Ellen Rickers...

Alive, arguing with you?

And that's been driving me crazy. That girl seeing me and Ellen together at the

very time I went into the house.

The only answer I can find is she imagined she saw Ellen alive.

She saw you, but she hallucinated Ellen Rickers all at the same time?

Mr. Jones, I loved Ellen.

I didn't kill her.

You didn't pound on the door.

Why should I?

I had a key.

Where is the key?

Threw it out the window while I was driving.

I don't even remember where. It was an impulsive act. I wanted nothing to

connect me with the Rickers' house.

Dr. Malford, how could you make so many mistakes on just one day?

That key may have substantiated part of your story.

Total panic.

Pure and simple.

How long had the affair been going on?

Six months, maybe.

We started meeting at the Ricker's summer cottage at L .A., but we felt

dangerous, and we started meeting at the spa or at the Ricker's house when we

knew he would be in surgery.

Doctor, as an agent for your attorney, I am privileged. That means that anything

you tell me will be held in the strictest confidence.

Now, is there anything but anything that you're holding back?

Can't think of anything I Want you to call your attorney right

now get him over here and tell him everything you told me I think he'll

to you that your revise your story to the police Then you're staying on the

Doctor I hope I'm not in for any

more surprises

Now, when I let you off, I want you to run a routine check on everybody

connected. And Betty, if you have time, talk to some of Kathy's school friends.

Let's get a fix on what the younger people think of her.

Her credibility or flights of fancy?

Melford is not a stupid man.

He knows that Kathy says that she saw Alan Rickers inside the house, alive,

talking to him.

Now, if that's true, why does he deny it?

Why doesn't he just say yes? He left Ellen in the house, still alive.

Leaving the police with the problem of having to prove that she wasn't killed

later on by someone else.

Exactly.

Now, if Melford has finished lying, we've got to take a closer look at

story.

You're right. I'm not dizzy at all.

There's no reason you shouldn't walk about as much as you wish. Now, try to

outdoors more.

We can take a drive for a few hours tomorrow if you like. Oh, great.

Would you bring Kathy by the office tomorrow morning before you drive?

I want to run some final tests.

You all right, honey? Yeah.

When is Mrs. Barnes returning from San Francisco?

She'll be away just for the weekend.

Dr. Rickers.

Oh, Mr. Jones.

Are you making any headway in the case?

I'm still going around asking people questions.

Uh, Miss Hollister, I wonder if I might have a few words with Kathy.

She's out back on the patio.

Thank you.

Doctor, just about everyone agrees that this case hinges on Kathy's credibility.

I wonder if we could have a talk about her medical condition at your

convenience. Well, I'm tied up today. Perhaps you could drop by my office

tomorrow morning, say about 10?

Surely. Thank you.

It's hard to see that door from here.

Yeah, but it's the door Dr. Milford used.

Bush kind of hides it.

And you could clearly see that it was Ellen Rickers inside the house talking

Dr. Melford. Oh, sure, you can't miss her blonde hair.

And she was wearing a bright red dressing gown.

Getting your sea legs back, huh?

Beyond the slopes come first snow.

Next time, you'll be watching where you're going, won't you? With both eyes.

It's wearing off boys at 40 miles an hour downhill that is.

Kathy, I want to impress you with the importance of time. Now, you say you

it was 2 o 'clock because you were listening to your radio.

Yeah. No, not my radio. It was being fixed up. I had the stereo speaker on.

Was there a time announcement on the program so that you knew it was exactly

'clock?

Some music and then the announcer thing to stand by for the Edward show.

No, no time.

And the Edward show always goes on at 2 o 'clock? Yeah, I always listen. Most

everybody does.

So you were listening to the program, and were you wide awake or sort of

catnapping? Well, I did fall asleep, but that was after Edward started.

You know, giving his topic for the day?

It was, what was your most embarrassing moment when dating your hubby, or as he

put it, your live -in, for the first time?

Sometimes I even call.

You call?

Well, on the topic.

Since I've been laid up, I've been calling.

So you listened to the show for a few minutes, and then you fell asleep.

I began dozing, and then I saw Dr.

Melford and Ellen Rickers arguing.

But you were dozing.

I know what you mean, Mr. Jones.

Lieutenant Biddle keeps asking me if I could have been dreaming.

I don't think I was.

But I don't know...

Maybe it would have been better if I hadn't said anything that day.

No, you did the right thing, Kathy.

Say what you saw or what you think you saw and leave the rest up to the police.

Stopped off for a bottle of champagne.

Oh?

What are we celebrating?

Look. Look at that.

Indicted for murder.

Home free.

I'd be totally satisfied when Melford's sitting in a cell for the rest of his

natural life.

That was the most important part, wasn't it?

Paying Melford back.

I don't know which one I hate the most.

That loud -mouthed, arrogant...

Or Ellen flaunting her purse strings.

Hey.

Celebration, remember?

Cheers, all that.

Or maybe having you is the most important thing.

Now that I'll buy.

Oh, Pete, I can just see you out there. You sound like one of those typical

chauvinistic dudes, you know, with... Well, they're so despised by my doll

babies, and I think with very good reason, pal. Matter of fact, right now

got you in sharp focus with my magic billow bleeper there.

And I can see you sitting out there hunkered down on your spabbing haunches

flea -bitten manner, probably called Crestfallen Plaza.

I can see you out there right now with your phone in one hand and plucking

pensively at your prehensile asparagus -like toes with the other.

I have to kind of defend my doll babies out there, but stay tuned, Chums, for

five minutes of late news, and I'll be back with further acrimonious rebuttal

defending my ladies.

Well, I'm not the neatest person in the world.

One of my ex -wives is so fond of nagging me.

Add that to the fact, Mrs. Jones, that I have a memory like a neurotic hamster.

Oh, here we are. And my life is a constant 24 -hour whirl of anxious

desperation.

Well, I see you certainly have your share of fan mail. I was hoping you'd

notice, my dear. By the way, do you ever listen to my shows?

Almost all the time.

Well, thank you, my dear, for that charitable falsehood.

Now, let's see.

Wednesday, the 19th, Mr. Jones?

Your afternoon show.

Well, here we are. No delay of program.

Could have been a few seconds, no more than that.

How long after your program starts do you usually introduce the topic of the

day? Oh, I would say about four or five minutes. I announce the topic as soon as

possible, just give my callers time to gather their scattered wits. And

incidentally, that was the other woman day, not quite the juicy, succulent

I thought it would be.

Then you would say that no longer than five minutes after the program starts.

The other woman?

Yeah, here it is. Were you ever that other woman in a divorce case?

Well, I was under the impression that the topic of the day, on that particular

day, was what was your most embarrassing moment on your first date with your

husband or boyfriend?

Oh, let's see.

That's an oldie.

Here we are. By the way, Mr. Jones, you've got me throbbing with curiosity

this case becomes, well, let's say, unconfidential. I'd love to hear all

it, full details.

Here it is, the 26th of last month.

Topic, what was your most embarrassing moment while dating your hubby?

boyfriend, or live -in the very first time.

Is it 26 until last month? All right, here. Feel free to make notes.

And by the way, I've got a check on the calls coming in. I'll see you later.

Thank you.

Well, if Kathy was confused about the topic of the show, doesn't that make you

doubt her whole story?

She reminds me of a little girl I met in a spelling bee once.

She was so charming that even when she spelled the words wrong, she had the

judge believe in her.

Look to the left.

Now look down.

Good. Light, Miss Hollister, please.

That'll for a B grade, Dr. Rickards?

A B plus with a certain A coming.

Still want to take a drive this morning, or would you rather do a little

shopping? Maybe both. Spend the morning driving, then shop after lunch.

Yes.

Yes, we're finished.

Send Mr. Jones in.

All right, girls, I don't want you to overdo this first day, so limit it to a

two -hour drive.

And then straight home, nap time no later than one.

Doctor? Morning, Mr. Jones. Kathy, how are the sea legs?

Oh, much better, Mr. Jones.

Such a nice morning.

Let's get started.

Oh, Kathy, I met your Mr.

Edwards yesterday.

You did?

Hey, what's he like? Does he remember me? I called him twice, you know.

Well, we didn't have much time to talk, but we did discuss a topic of the day

that you heard on the patio.

Something about your most embarrassing moment.

Yeah, when you dated your husband or boyfriend for the first time.

Only he said that wasn't the topic of the day. He said it was something to do

with, were you ever the other woman in a divorce case?

No, I would have remembered that. It was the most embarrassing moment.

No, Mr. Jones is right, Kathy.

The program was on in the house, too.

I remember callers talking about being that other woman in a divorce case.

It's not uncommon.

falling asleep believing you're hearing that program, but your subconscious

picking up words heard at a previous time.

I guess.

I think it's time we got started, Kathy.

Bye, Mr. Jones. Bye, Kathy. Thanks, Dr. Ricketts. All right, have a good time.

Dr. Ricketts, if Kathy was totally wrong about what she thought she heard on the

radio, couldn't she have been equally wrong about what she saw or thought she

saw that day?

Ordinarily, yes, but you can't dream or hallucinate something you've never seen

before. I don't follow you.

That red dressing gown Ellen was wearing, it was a gift from me,

her just that morning before I left for the hospital.

Now, if Kathy said she saw Ellen in a red robe, a color she's never worn

it proves that she did indeed see Ellen alive as she looked down to my front

door about 2 o 'clock that day.

I see.

It didn't occur to me until just this morning, and I immediately called

Lieutenant Biddle and told him about the robe.

That does tighten the case against Dr.

Melford, doesn't it?

With Melford admitting he came to my house, I think he should also admit that

that uncontrollable temper of his took over. And he struck Ellen, causing her

death.

Well, if that's true,

it seems to me Dr.

Melford could take the easy way out and plead involuntary manslaughter.

Maybe you should suggest that to him.

I think I'll leave that to it, lawyer.

Isn't it very quiet, Kathy?

Thinking about Mr.

Jones, something he said about the time of day being so important.

And? Well, I didn't think about it too much before, but that day was kind of

jumbled up for me.

For instance, do you remember when you woke me up for lunch and I wasn't

I thought it was too soon after breakfast.

Oh, having a lesser appetite isn't unusual.

But when you wheeled me out to the patio, it was 2 o 'clock, and I woke up

.30.

That's only a half hour's sleep.

I mean, on other days after taking my medicine, I'd feel groggy if I didn't

sleep at least an hour.

You're regaining your full strength now. You need less sleep.

But you see, time again.

I'm getting worried about being so positive with things that day.

I mean, if things seem mixed up to me now, thinking back...

Maybe I was dreaming I saw Mrs. Rickers -Vallad talking to Dr. Melford.

I'm sure you weren't dreaming.

We'll make a stop ahead.

I have to call Dr. Rickers. Something I forgot to tell him this morning.

Yes?

Yes, Mary.

It's not that she's suspicious, but if she talks to Jones like that, how long

would it be before he puts it together?

How far are you from the lake cottage?

About 30 minutes, I think.

All right, I'll meet you there.

Kathy and her mother have both been guests before, so she won't think it

of my suggesting you spend a day at the lake.

Tell her I decided to take the day off.

I thought it might be fun to do a little trout fishing together again.

This is an identical portable to the one Miss Barnes has.

A simple repair.

A resistor in the primary circuit. It worked itself loose.

Would you say it's unusual for a defect to show up in that way?

Ah, yes and no.

What was unusual, I found the warranty seal broken when I opened it up.

Strange, because I delivered it to the house just about a week ago.

It was new.

Perfect working order.

Who brought it in for repair?

I don't know her name.

A nurse. She brought it in and picked it up.

That stereo system that Mrs. Barnes has in her house, did you install that?

Oh, yes.

I know the family well.

I've been doing business with them for years.

Look here.

This is the model they bought just about a year ago.

It's very fine equipment.

Plays cassette tapes.

Records and plays back.

So the tapes could be heard through every speaker in the house, including

one on the patio.

Right.

Mind -boggling.

Oh, it's a common system today.

The cassette feeds through the receiver and out to the speakers.

I was thinking of something else, Mr. Sue.

And the next company Rickers formed went broke just last year.

You know, I sensed from the broker that Mrs. Rickers was tired of bailing her

husband out from all these flyers he's been taking.

Well, what have we got?

A ne 'er -do -well and a wealthy woman.

Motive is there.

Add on to that the sudden failure of Kathy's radio and Nurse Hollister's

convenient correcting of Kathy on the talk show topic.

And Kathy confined to intensive care on the 26th, the day of the embarrassing

moment topic.

And the hospital says they do not have radios in intensive care.

Well, if she didn't hear it, that proves she wasn't dreaming.

But only Kathy can tell us if she heard a radio that day.

Barnaby, you said she'd be home by 1. It's almost 1 .30.

Let's make a phone call.

No, I couldn't say where she is.

Well, I'm just an old friend of Marion's. She told me to give her a buzz

ever happen in town.

I wish I could be more of a help.

She did phone in a while back to talk to Dr.

Rickers, but I have no idea where she was calling from.

Well, do you think Dr. Rickers might have some idea?

The doctor's out. He canceled all his appointments and left the office right

after he talked to Nurse Hollister.

Well, I...

I do thank you very much. I appreciate it.

I heard.

And what kind of a phone call would cause Dr.

Rickers to cancel all his appointments and rush out?

And so any of you hauntingly lovely women who might have any piercing,

penetrating idea on what's the dirtiest trick your man ever played on you, you

just tell me, your secret admirer, all about it. my dear. Hey, chums, remember

that dear little youngster who called in Kathy?

What she did was fracture her tiny feminine flipper up on the ski slopes

two weeks back. Well, I want to hear from Kathy today, but...

Perhaps this youngster abides by Bill O's stern law that you have to wait ten

days. Well, I'm going to set aside that ten -day law right now, which, of

course, has been cast in bronze for permanent remembrance. So, Kathy Plum,

you're listening today to Bill, your chum, you give me a call, tell us all

you're getting along. So you call in, Kathy.

We'll be waiting for you right now.

Mr. Jones, maybe I could be of more help to you if I knew myself what was going

on.

Trust me that I don't want to trigger somebody who may be with Kathy into

something desperate.

And trust me that I'll fill you in on the whole story sometime when you're my

guest at the steakhouse of your choice. With this lovely lady adorning

Tableside, I hope.

Fighting off your fan club.

What a spiffy daughter -in -law you have, Mr. Jones. May I suggest that you

maintain a close, vigilant watch.

Do you think she'll call?

Better question.

Will she be able to?

I don't see how we can prevent Jones from talking to her. We can't.

Our answer is to stop Kathy from questioning the time that day.

To prove to her that time and events become distorted while under medication.

I think the more we talk to her about that day... We have to talk to her.

I'll examine her arm when she wakes up, be dissatisfied with the healing, and

put her on a drug program.

Yeah, she'll be mildly hallucinating even before she goes to sleep tonight.

But that means her credibility will really be questioned.

Wouldn't Melford go free?

Highly doubtful.

As I told Jones, no one can imagine something they've never seen before.

That little touch of mine.

Buying Ellen that red robe.

Well, enough of that jousting. All right. I'm going to wait for my next

You know, I still haven't heard from my skiing chum who broke that lovely arm of

hers, fending off the panting hordes, admiring her triangular slalom up there

the ski slopes.

Where are you, Kathy Plum? This is Billo, breaking my ten -day rule to hear

dulcet tones telling my 40 million listeners how you're coming along.

Well, listen, by the way, you know...

I'm going to remind those 80 million listeners right now to tell me this

afternoon what's the dirtiest trick that your man ever played on you.

Okay, I think I've got a live one here standing by.

Here we go. My next caller with a well -justified beef on her nimble brain

herself... Hi, Bill. This is Kathy.

Kathy, my dear girl, are you cheating on your chump, Bill? I mean, here it is 15

minutes into the show, and I thought, sure, you'd be my very first caller. I

tuned in late. I'm sorry. I just heard you say I could call.

Forgive you this time, sweetheart.

By the way, I'm now switching on my magic viewer.

Aha! You're going to have to clamber down off the lap of that ski bum, honey.

Dude will pick you up this afternoon up there and act with a little more demure

decorum.

Oh, I'm nowhere near skiing country. My arm is still in a cast.

Are you getting plenty of exercise otherwise, sweetheart? What are you

today to keep that lullaby bod of yours in shape?

Well, some fishing after I take my nap. Not much else.

Fishing? You don't mean to tell Billo that you're out on somebody's swank

perhaps calling ship to shore, do you? No, this is lake fishing from a swank

rowboat. Well, Kathy Plum, we're going to have to have a hasty station break

here. We'll be right back.

Do you want me to go?

Keep her talking, but don't press her for her location.

Fishing on the lake.

It has to be the Ricker Summer Cottage.

It's on Cove Road, last cottage. It's right on the lake.

That's 20 minutes from here.

If you don't hear from me in 30 minutes, call Lieutenant Biddle.

Okay, Kathy, let's talk a little more about that fishing business.

No, really, I've always been a fishing bug, especially for lake trout.

Well, when my dad was alive, we used to go... Who are you talking to?

The radio station, the talk show.

Who gave you permission to do that?

What? You were told to go to bed. What's that talk about a lake?

Well, there I go again.

Yelling at my patients for disobeying orders. It's a habit I've been trying to

break myself of for ages.

Forgive me, Kathy.

But I do insist upon that nap.

Here's a little something that will get you to sleep.

Here.

This will make you sleep for an hour or so.

And then it's off to see if we dine on fresh trout tonight. Wash it down, huh?

I think I'll also have a little snooze in the sun. That's something I haven't

done for years.

Be comfortable.

She'll be asleep in two minutes. She won't feel this.

What effect will it have on her?

She'll be docile.

More dependent on you if she'll question her judgment.

It'll be weeks before her self -confidence returns.

By then, Jones will be long out of the picture.

Kathy?

Kathy?

Where's Kathy?

Where is she?

She... She and Dr. Rickers took a walk.

Probably on the other side of the lake by now.

Miss Hollister.

I believe it will all soon be proved that Kathy was drugged to the point she

could no longer keep track of time.

That you induced her to believe it was 2 o 'clock that day when it was much

earlier.

That it was just play acting that you and Dr. Rickers performed on at his

for her benefit.

I don't know what you're talking about. How long do you suppose it'll be before

the police trace where that identical sports coat was bought or where that

blonde wig was bought?

It's over, Miss Hollister. You can only make it worse.

She ran away from us.

Into the woods.

Dr. Rickers went looking for her.

Mr. Jones?

He's carrying a gun.

Kathy? Are you imagining things again?

You've been ill, Kathy.

Much more so than you've been told.

Nurse Hollister and I are trying to help you.

Jackie, why do you think we'd want to hurt you?

I don't know.

Let's go down by the lake and just have a nice quiet talk.

No, please. Come on, down by the lake. No, no, no.