Original subtitles

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

Also starring Lee Merriweather, Mark Schera.

With guest stars Gary Lockwood, Lawrence Pressman,

Bill Lucking, Stacy Baldwin.

Special guest star Jenny O 'Hara.

Tonight's episode, Final Ransom.

Terrific.

You think we'll all be ready by next Friday night? Oh, yeah. I think you

open the ice festival right now. You're perfect.

Okay, if I'm that perfect, I think I'll try a flying camel.

Wait a minute.

The last time you tried that, you sprained your ankle.

Oh, Mother, you're such a worry bird.

My ankle hasn't bothered being weak.

Hello, Angie.

My God.

Doyle. In the flesh, babe.

Nice of you to recognize me after so long.

I never thought I'd see you again.

Yeah, that figures.

You know, but they do let you out of prison when you've served your time.

Hey, you look good.

Ten years didn't hurt you a bit.

Mother, I'm finished.

I'll be with you in a minute.

Well, look how young and pretty she is.

Must be about 12 years old now, right?

Listen, Doyle, I'm expecting my husband any minute.

Yeah, I heard you got married.

What are you so worried about?

Looks like you've done a nice job on the kid. You probably raised her as if she

were your own.

That's my husband.

Would you go?

Doyle, please go.

Okay, Doyle.

But you'll be hearing from me. You can count on it.

Hi, hon.

Who was that?

What? The guy I just passed. You were talking to him.

Oh. I think he was one of the parents.

I don't know his name.

Oh.

Hi, gorgeous.

Oh, Daddy, I'm starving to death.

You know, I'll bet you haven't had anything to eat for half an hour. More

ten minutes.

Chocolate bars don't count.

Right. So why don't you go change, and I'll buy you and your mom two of the

biggest cheeseburgers in this whole town.

You throwing a vanilla milkshake?

You got a deal, pretty face.

See you guys outside the dressing room.

Yeah.

phone for you, darling.

Oh, I'll be right there.

I have to run.

Karen's meeting me at the club.

Hello?

Bentley, William Bentley?

Yes. Who's this?

Never mind.

Just listen carefully. I'm calling about your daughter, Kathy Ann Bentley.

She wants to come home.

What?

What kind of sick... joke is this?

This is no joke.

It'll cost you $250 ,000, Mr. Bentley, if you want to see your daughter back

alive. My daughter was kidnapped ten years ago.

What are you?

Some kind of psychopath.

My name's Scorpio.

Now, do you remember me?

Scorpio.

That was the code word used by the kidnapper after he abducted our baby

from the park nearly ten years ago. As I remember from the newspapers,

The ransom was never paid.

Delivered the money as he requested, but it was never picked up.

We never heard from the kidnapper again, and no trace of Kathy Ann was ever

found.

After a while, we assumed she was dead.

Mr. Bentley, who else knew that code word?

Just myself, my wife, and Mrs.

Jennings, the nanny, who was with our baby when she was taken from the park.

What about the police?

I know what you're thinking.

That someone found out about the code word and is trying to cash in on it now?

I followed the kidnapper's strict instructions and told no one.

Not even the police.

What about Mrs. Jennings, the nanny?

She was heartbroken.

Besides, she died nearly three years ago.

Mr. Bentley, why come to me?

I think this is a matter for the police or the FBI.

My wife knows nothing about this call.

You can imagine what it was like for her ten years ago.

Police and FBI agents constantly in the house.

And in the months afterwards, when the crackpots and the ghouls started

All the false hopes.

Bitter disappointments.

How awful that must have been for her.

I can't put her through that again.

Mr. Bentley, I'd like to help you.

But I don't want to get your hopes up.

Mr. Jones, in my mind, I buried our child years ago.

But if there's any chance, any chance at all,

I've got to know Mr. Jones.

Honestly, darling, I still don't understand why your secretary didn't

present. It's an anniversary gift, and it means you're a special touch.

What else is your taste? Oh, you flatterer. I'll do my best, okay?

Who's this?

Just some business associates.

I thought it would be more convenient if I had them meet me here.

Laura, this is Barnaby Jones and his secretary, Betty. How do you do?

Pleased to meet you, Ms. Bentley. Oh, my, you have a beautiful home. Thank

Well, I must be on my way.

Have a good meeting, everyone.

Seems like a nice lady.

She is.

So far, she doesn't suspect anything, but it hasn't been easy.

Have you read the money?

It's all ready to be delivered as soon as I give the word.

When a man calls, I want you to tell him that you're having trouble getting it.

You want me to stop?

For as long as we can safely do it.

We need the time so that we can get a line on who the extortionate is.

All right.

Anything else?

Yes.

Tell him you want proof.

Anything that would prove that he had your daughter.

After all these years, how could he do that?

If he's genuine, I think he'll come up with something.

Oh, that must be J .R. May I?

My young associate from Chicago. I told him to check the neighborhood, see if

anybody was watching the house.

Mr. Bentley, this is J .R.

Jones. Nice to meet you, sir. Anything suspicious?

Uh, no, just two gardeners and a plumbing truck.

But they're okay. I'll check them out.

Now, Mr. Bentley, when the fall comes...

Please use this phone over here so Barnaby can listen on that phone over

Anyone else care for a drink?

Three minutes early.

He's anxious.

Scorpio, have you filled that little prescription I ordered?

I... I'm running into a little problem.

A problem?

Now, listen, I told you... Don't worry.

You'll get the money. It's just that the bank manager I deal with is out of

town. What kind of a stall is that, man? That ain't my mule.

You hear me?

What? I don't understand.

Just give me my money.

You've got my word.

I'll have it all by tomorrow.

But not until I see actual proof that you have my daughter.

I tell you, the kid's alive.

That's not good enough.

Show me evidence, and you'll get every cent that you've asked for.

Okay. Okay, okay, you'll get your proof.

You just stay by that phone till you hear from me.

And that's it.

Wait. One more thing.

Why has it taken you ten years to contact me again?

Go to hell.

He... He didn't sound like he was bluffing.

He said he would show me proof.

Well, then, if it isn't a trick, that would mean that... That... Kathy Ann's a

lot.

What are you doing here? Take it easy, Doyle.

Doyle, I'm warning you. Get away from here or I'll... Come on, Angie. I don't

want to hurt you. I just want to talk.

There's nothing to talk about.

Just leave us alone.

Nice little place you have here. I'm glad for you, Angie.

I wouldn't spoil it, honest.

Then what do you want?

Make some money for you, for me.

Doyle, I was a kid when I got started with you.

That was a long time ago. That's over now, like a bad dream.

Yeah, it almost worked.

We'd have had 100 ,000 bucks.

I mean, how could I figure they'd pick me up the same day on an old robbery

charge?

Yeah, that's what I figured happened.

When you didn't come back, I was scared out of my wits.

Didn't leave that room for three days.

Not until Kathy ran out of food.

Angie?

Why'd you keep her?

Well, what else was I supposed to do?

I didn't want to go to jail.

I couldn't take her out in the street. Everybody was looking for her.

And after a while, the people in that building, they thought she was mine.

I wanted that child.

Yeah, well, it all turned out okay. I was a little worried for a while. I

thought they'd nail me for kidnapping, too, if they picked you up.

As it was, they just shipped me back to Tulsa, locked me up for close to ten

long ones.

Look, Doyle, Kathy and Nick and me,

We're a real family here.

So why don't you just go away, huh?

And leave us alone.

Sure, honey, as soon as we get the money.

I called Bentley.

He'll pay a quarter of a million dollars. No!

She's my child now. You can't take her away from me.

That's just it, you see. You don't have to lose her. All we've got to do is show

him we've got her. No!

Then I pick up the cash.

No! Then I disappear.

No! Bentley, it never has to get near Kathy. That's the way I've got it

I said no!

Now you get out of here!

You don't have any choice in this.

You understand?

What's going on here?

Is there some trouble, Mrs. Harding?

It's just a friendly disagreement, ma 'am.

Mrs. Harding, next time, leave the heavy chores to me.

And just tell your husband, talk it over with him if you want to, and I'll be

back later.

Bye, ma 'am.

What was all that about?

Oh, nothing.

Wasn't that the guy from the ice rink yesterday?

What?

That guy.

Oh, no. I don't think it was.

Sure it was. Angie.

What was he doing here?

Nothing, Nick. It's really nothing.

Now, wait a minute. Wait.

What's this all about? Who was that guy?

He's a guy.

He came around here and he asked me if you could do some work. Uh -uh, Angie.

I don't buy it.

I can tell when you're lying and you're lying.

Nick, leave me alone.

Come on.

Hey, hey, hey.

Why can't you tell me?

Because it's not important, honey. It's not important.

Angie, when I met you, I never asked any questions about you or Kathy.

What are you talking about?

Is he the one?

No, Nick.

He is.

I can see it on your face.

He's Kathy's real father.

Nick, no.

Isn't he? No, he is not.

Leave me alone.

I don't want him around here anymore, you understand?

It's just that the bank manager I deal with is out of town.

What kind of a stall is that, man? That ain't my mule.

You hear me?

What? I don't understand.

Just give me my money.

You've got my word.

You want to hear it again?

No.

The more we hear it, the more frustrating it gets.

It's going to die, Evan.

That mule expression.

Did you ever hear it in Chicago Street Talk?

No. Sounds more like it should come from your neck if it was for me.

Well, check it out with your law classmates while I... Gentlemen,

I do believe I have struck paydirt.

Well, she's not only beautiful, she's got talent.

What is it, Betty?

You remember my friend who's the lexicographer at the university?

Oh, yeah, it's in a dictionary. I never thought of that.

Well, no, his specialty is prison slang, and he really pinned the tail on that

to mule expression.

Where's it from?

He's heard it used mostly by convicts in southern prisons. It means, uh, I don't

buy your lies.

Yeah, it's possible that the caller could have spent some time in prison and

still uses the jailhouse slang.

It might be where he's been for the last ten years, serving time.

Sure would explain why it took him so long to contact Bentley again. Yeah, he

could have been arrested on another charge right after the kidnapping, which

would explain why he didn't make the pickup.

Barnaby, if he's been in prison all this time, then is Kathy Ann dead?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Why don't we cut out all this talk and call Lieutenant Biddle? He's about to do

us a tremendous favor.

Aren't you going to kiss me goodbye?

Thank you. Now remember, I need my costume before we rehearse the grand

Now who's the worry bird?

Daddy, do you think I can trust her to get it there in time?

Look, if she says she'll be there, she'll be there.

Okay, see you in one hour.

Mrs. Morrison, I hope I'm not disturbing you. No. You said that I could use your

sewing machine.

Oh, of course. Come on in. I just put some coffee on.

You never give up, do you?

Just pretend you never saw me.

You're not out of here in one minute. I'm calling the police.

Tell them all about Kathy and Bill.

Why don't you just save us both a lot of time and tell me where you keep the

baby's clothes?

What baby's clothes?

The clothes the kid had on the night I snatched her.

I burned them.

You what?

I burned them.

That was stupid.

Well, it wasn't.

Don't you see, Doyle? It's not going to work.

There isn't one thing that connects Kathy with the Bentleys anymore.

Nothing.

Except one little thing.

What's the first thing they do when a kid's born?

They stamp a copy of his footprint on the birth certificate, right?

Doyle, you're not going to touch her.

It's just like fingerprints.

All Bentley has to do is compare a copy of the kid's footprint with the original

and we're all set. Okay? Now, where's the kid?

Doyle.

Doyle, no.

I'll beg you.

Please.

Leave us alone.

Okay, Angie, you win.

I was always a sucker for those tears.

I won't mess up your life.

Do you mean it?

Yeah, take my word for it.

Just relax, huh?

I won't bother you.

That's right, Sergeant. Let them have all the copies they need.

Boy, the things I do for you.

Lieutenant, you're a fine public servant.

Very funny.

All right, now at least tell me what this case is all about.

Right now, Lieutenant, all I've got is a theory, but... Would you excuse me? I

think that Betty has something she wants to show me.

Oh, listen, why don't you use my office? I've got to check something out with

the list that's here anyway.

Thanks.

Hello, Betty.

Lieutenant.

Hello, Junior.

It's J .R.

Sergeant.

Guess what?

Don't tell me you found him.

Not him. Them. That's right. There are three recently paroled convicts who all

fit the pattern, Barnaby. All three were arrested on or about the day that the

original Bentley ransom drop was made.

And guess where all three of them served time?

In Southern Penitentiaries.

Right. Now, this first fellow, Thomas Deegan, was relieved about a month ago,

but he was killed in a bar fight a week later.

Right. The second guy's name is Jojo Powell. He's a man in his 70s who lives

a retirement home.

That leaves us with a third suspect.

Huh?

Joel Deegan?

Convicted of armed robbery and assault, paroled from the penitentiary three

weeks ago after serving ten years.

President's address, 113 South Broad Street.

Already ran a trace. He lives in a hotel downtown.

Checked in the first week and has not been seen since.

Maybe you better go down there.

He may have left a forwarding address for someone.

I'm on my way. Call you later.

No family?

No, but, uh, you know, I seem to remember in the prior arrest report...

of emergency, notify Miss Angela Comstock, 512 Temple Court.

Probably his girlfriend.

You don't think she...

It's been waiting all these years for you.

No, but I think we ought to check out this address anyway.

Somebody down there might remember him.

You're just a little girl I'm looking for.

You are Kathy Harding, right?

Yes. Well, I'm Ed Foley from the National Ice Skate Company.

For what?

Well, you've been selected as one of the contestants eligible to win a free pair

of ice skates.

Me? Oh, wow. What do I have to do?

Not a thing. All I need is the exact measurement of your shoe size.

So? If you're the winner in the night of our festival, I can present you with a

brand new pair of super flyers.

So if you just remove one skate, I'll get your exact size.

What's going on here?

Daddy, this is Mr. Foley.

You just stay right here.

Hey, you.

First you bugged my wife, now you're messing around with my daughter. Why?

Look, pal, I just made a mistake.

You sure did.

You knew Angela before, didn't you? Didn't you?

Yeah, we're old friends.

So you decided you'd sneak back and take over again, huh?

I think you're nuts, man.

Come on, get up.

Get up!

You better back off me, buddy. I'm warning you, and I mean it.

Miss Ashley?

She's going to sleep.

What do you want?

My name is Barnaby Jones. I'm a private investigator.

We're looking for a young lady who lived here about ten years ago.

What do you want from me?

Well, we thought perhaps you might have known her. Her name was Angela Comstock.

Never heard of her.

How can I go back to bed?

Sorry to bother you, sir.

Good night.

Wait.

Wasn't she that...

Pretty little dark -haired thing, about 19 or 20.

And you remember her? Of course I do.

In fact, I used to sit for that baby girl of hers while she was working.

Baby girl?

She was the little tot you ever saw.

I guess everybody in this building took turns sitting for that child.

She was a widow, you know.

No, I didn't know.

Where could we find them?

They moved away that same year, right after she married Nick Harding.

He was janitor of this building then. Best one we ever had.

Kept everything clean and tidy.

Mr. Ashley, where did they go?

Seems I remember something about Nick getting a job in the valley.

He was a go -getter, that young man.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

There's so many things that I want to say to you about him.

Oh, he loved you.

And he was so good.

He was so good to both of us at the time when I didn't know what I was going to

do.

I want you to remember that.

I just want you to remember that.

We're getting out of here tonight.

We're leaving?

Why?

The killer's still on the loose.

Who knows what's going on in his mind?

He might decide to come after us next.

Why would he do that?

I don't know.

I'll just feel safer if we're not in this house.

Where will we go?

Well, we'll go up to the cabin.

I thought we'd spend a few days trying to figure out what to do.

And maybe by then the police will have caught the man, you know?

Honey, could you finish this?

I've got to go.

You sure there's the only Nick and Angela Harding listed in the valley?

That's the only one I could find, Barnaby. It's got to be them.

Looks like nobody's home.

Let's take a look around the back.

Information? The Lake Crystal area.

I'd like the number of Nick Harding, 2 -2, Lake Crystal Road.

Hello?

Who's this?

Kathy. Who are you calling?

I'd like to speak to Mr. Teal.

There's no one here by that name.

I might say the wrong number.

Sorry.

This is Scorpio.

Have you collected the money?

Yes.

What about you?

Can you prove my daughter is still alive?

You'll have your proof before tonight.

Just stay by the phone a few more hours.

Good morning.

Good morning.

We're looking for the Hardings.

You happen to know what time they might be home?

Didn't you hear the awful news?

About what witness?

Mr. Harding was shot dead last night outside the ice skating rink.

No.

No, we didn't hear that.

What about Mrs. Harding and her daughter?

Unfortunately, Kathy was there at the time.

She took it terribly hard, poor little thing.

Maybe that's why Angela took her away so suddenly.

When was that?

Late last night. They drove off without telling a soul.

Do you know of any relatives that...

Mrs. Harding may have turned to in her grief.

No, I never heard her mention any.

What about luggage? Did they have any?

I counted two suitcases.

And you saw them go?

Well, through my window when I heard Angela packing up the car.

But you can't tell anything about suitcases.

And they were all bundled up in those heavy jackets.

Heavy jackets?

In this season of the year?

Must have been headed for someplace cold.

Maybe they were headed for the mountains.

Why the mountains?

Because that's where Mr. Harding bought a cabin a few years ago.

They were always driving up there on their vacations.

You wouldn't know the address, would you?

No, but I do know it's somewhere in the Lake Crystal area.

Much obliged.

Thank you.

We head for Lake Crystal?

Just as quickly as possible.

me with these.

I've gone so long, I got worried.

I'm sorry, babe.

I was taking a little walk. There were some things I wanted to get clear on my

mind.

We're not staying here, though. I mean, shouldn't there be a funeral and

everything?

I'm going to drive into the village later and call the mortuary.

Well, why not use the phone here?

Connected? No. Well, don't you remember?

Out to the house the last time.

Daddy left it turned on.

That phone worked?

Sure. There was a call after you left. A little over an hour ago.

There was?

Well, who was it?

Take it easy, Mom. It was nothing. Just a wrong number.

Was it a man?

Kathy, answer me! Was it a man?

Yes, but what's the big deal?

We're getting out of here right now.

Mother, what is this all about?

Never mind.

I want you to get your things together and be quick about it.

Where are we going now?

We're going to drive to Arizona.

Nick's got some relatives there.

Hurry up.

Arizona? Why?

Do what I tell you! No!

Now stop treating me like a baby!

If we're in danger, I want to know about it. Now what's making you so afraid?

Tell me!

Kathy, I...

Snipey,

go to your room. Snipe, snap.

It's him!

The tomato killed Daddy!

What's he doing here?

Listen to me, Kathy!

Kathy! Listen to me!

There is nothing to be afraid of.

I'm going to get rid of him.

Now, I want you to go into your bedroom and lock the door and don't come out

till I tell you.

You understand me?

Yeah, Lake Crystal. Have you heard anything?

I've got to go, Betty. Looks like Barnaby got what he wanted. See you

Bye.

The starting place is at 22 Lake Crystal Road.

That's about three miles from here.

Angie.

I warned you, Doyle.

You're not going to use that.

Won't I?

You killed Nick.

It was his fault. I had no choice.

Well, you're not leaving me one either.

Angie, I've waited 10 years for this payoff. Now get out of my way.

You try to get one step.

You're my daughter.

I'm gonna kill you.

You're not the mother, remember?

She belongs to the Bentleys, and there's a quarter of a million dollars waiting

for me if I can prove we've still got her.

I'm not gonna let you.

Angie, this is my last chance. I need that kid.

Call the sheriff. I'm going after him.

Where's the girl?

I don't know.

Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, this is Sheriff Colton. How do you do? How do you do?

Sheriff, is our daughter safe?

We sure hope so, Mrs. Bentley.

Well, could I see her?

You don't know how long we've waited.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Bentley, but I'm afraid I can't do that.

What's happened to her?

The truth is that your daughter is out there somewhere.

I don't understand.

Kathy Ann has just found out that the woman who raised her for the past ten

years is not her mother.

I think that she's a little mixed up and scared.

That thing we talked about earlier, I think we ought to try it.

All right, Mr. Jones.

You have another idea, Mr. Jones?

The only mother that Kathy ever had is up there in that house.

I think she has a chance of talking her out of her hiding place.

What if she won't do it for me?

Mr. Jones, you've got to get her to try.

I think she might have you ask her.

I know what this means for you.

But if you love Kathy...

Mr. and Mrs. Bentley...

Angela Harding...

Please find her for us

spoil the memories we have.

All the good times we had.

Kathy, I wanted to be your mother because I loved you so much.

Come on, baby.

I'm not going to leave here without you.

Whatever happens, we'll face it together.

I just want you to be safe.

Mrs. Bentley.

These are your parents, Gabby.

Kathy Ann.

I want to stay with you.

You can't.

You belong to them.

Now you show them that I did a good job.

You'll be seeing her again.

That's a promise, Kathy.

Kathy Ann, we know how you must feel.

Here. Oh, man, it's really going to be tough on that little girl for a while.

I don't know.

With all those people loving her the way they do, I think everything's going to

turn out just fine.