All language subtitles for Barnaby Jones s05e13 Testament Of Power

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

Also starring Lee Merriweather, Mark
Schera,

with guest stars Susan Day, Nancy Olsen,

Roger Perry, special guest star Pernell
Roberts.

Tonight's episode.

I went too far.

This ought to do it.

Well, there we are.

They'll never know this was touched.

Very efficient, Mr. Layton.

Thank you.

It's a good thing you didn't hire one of
those young punks. They need help to

open a can of beer.

Oh, Porter, show the gentleman out.

Remember, Mr. Matthews, if you need me,
I'll be around.

Did you have to hire an ex -convict?

That was the best I could do on such
short notice.

Sorry he didn't have a college degree.

It's not here.

Well, it has to be.

Well, try another file. After 20 years,
don't you think I know where Bradley

kept his personal papers?

but reports, debt on mergers, land
acquisitions, tax statements.

It's a waste of time.

The will must be there.

I did what you told me to.

Bradley sent the will over yesterday and
I destroyed it. Now what happens if the

original turns out?

You know, for an expensive lawyer, you
panic too easily.

There's only one person who knows where
the original will is.

Who's that?

Margaret Jason.

Well, it's good to see you again after
all these years, Margaret. You remember

Glenn Ryan, Mr. Bradley's lawyer?

Hello.

Mr. Matthews, you said Mr.

Bradley wanted to see me. It was
important.

Now, where is he?

Well, there's something else we'd like
to discuss with you first, Margaret.

Richard Cohen, Bradley's will.

Why ask me about that?

That's something you should discuss with
Mr. Bradley.

Is something the matter?

I know he's been ill. Rising a few
degrees tomorrow with light smog in the

basin.

Recapping the hour's top story.

Richard Corwin Bradley, one of America's
richest men, died tonight at the age of

42 aboard his private plane en route to
London for medical treatment.

Bradley, whose personal fortune has been
estimated at $500 million, had no close

relatives, and there's considerable
speculation as to who will inherit.

He was... Still so young.

Such a wonderful man.

Yes.

I'm sure you had every reason to think
so.

According to the report from our
security men, you saw a great deal of

Bradley these past weeks.

Yes, he knew he was ill. He just wanted
to talk to an old friend.

What a touching... How do you account
for the time that he spent at your

secretarial agency Friday night?

I don't see that's any of your business.

We spend a few minutes at my office at
the most.

The report says two hours.

Just enough time to type up a new will,
wouldn't you say? I don't know anything

about a will.

Mr. Matthews, you got me here to see
Richard Bradley.

Now, if you'll have your man take me
back to my... Margaret, you are not

anywhere until we see that will.

You can't hold me here.

See that she doesn't leave the grounds.

It was nobody's fault.

She behaved very foolishly.

Porter!

Make sure the accident didn't happen
here.

Wannabe, you know, I checked the police
report on Mrs. Jason.

and it said that she committed suicide
by jumping out of her office window. As

simple as that. What's there to
investigate?

Well, Betty says that Linda, her
daughter, is pretty upset. The least I

is talk to her.

But what about the grand pre -qualifying
trials in Ontario? We'll never make it.

The drivers will just have to make it on
their own.

Oh, good. I'm glad you're here. Come on
in.

Linda's out back.

She's calmed down a bit. I hope so.

What is so important about Margaret
Jason?

Well, Mrs. Jason used to supply
temporary office help for Barnaby when I

vacation. Yeah, but if she's just an
acquaintance, why are we going through

the trouble of...

Thank

you so much for coming, Mr. Jones.

This is my associate, Jedediah Romano
-Jones.

Hi. Just call me J .R.

How do you do?

Well, would you like to sit down? Thank
you.

I hate to bother you, Mr. Jones, but the
police just won't listen to me.

They think that I'm some kind of a
silly, hysterical kid.

Police are usually very sensible about
things like that.

On Sunday night, when I went over to my
girlfriend's house to study, my mother

was relaxing in the living room.

She was wearing a robe.

She didn't just go get dressed up and
then walk over to the office building

hours later and kill herself for no
reason.

Honey, sometimes there are reasons we
just can't see.

If I could just find that man that she
was seeing, he might know something.

What man, Linda?

About three weeks ago, my mother began
receiving phone calls from a man.

And when I answered the phone, he would
not give me his name.

And then no matter what time it was, she
would just go rushing out to see him.

Maybe she found somebody she liked?

No.

She was never serious about any other
man.

My father died about the same time that
I was born.

He was the only man.

That she ever talked about.

Did you ever ask your mother any
questions about this man that kept

Yes. But every time I brought it up, she
either got nervous or she changed the

subject. Did you ever get a look at him?

No, but I tried.

Last Friday, he drove up in the same
black limousine.

But he just sat in the back. He wouldn't
get out. It was almost as if he was

afraid to be seen.

Well, that man could have killed my
mother.

Linda. Isn't it possible that your
mother could have fallen in love with a

married man?

Then maybe he tried to break it off.

She became despondent.

You knew my mother, Mr. Jones.

She wouldn't kill herself.

Oh, please, God, help me.

All right, Linda, but in the meantime, I
don't want to hear about you just

sitting around moping.

You know, this garden could stand a lot
of work.

Those glads over there are positively
rickety.

I know. I promised my mother that I
would replant them. I haven't gotten

to it.

I've always had a great deal of
therapeutic value in puttering around

garden.

You're not puttering.

Thank you,

Betty. Don't worry, darling. We'll be in
touch.

Day and night.

The law does not require a specific
amount.

Well, that will was written in 1958,
sir. That's a long time ago.

His fortune must have multiplied at
least ten times since then. Didn't he

any later provision?

There is no other will that we know
about. Now, if you'll just clear the

gates... Gentlemen, gentlemen, the bulk
of the Bradley estate will go to

charity. Since he was confident we would
carry out his last wishes, there was no

need for a later will.

Well, didn't the judge raise that same
point in court?

And he accepted the same explanation.

With better grace, I might add.

I hope that answers most of your
questions. If you get out of the way,

All right, let's go.

Thank you.

For a moment there, I thought that you
were going to lose your temper with the

reporters. Did you like those questions?

I've learned how to handle the press.

You just convince them that you're
telling them a lot and you say nothing.

Well, I wish I could take this as calmly
as you are.

I was the one who destroyed the copy of
the will, remember?

Not out of any favor to me.

According to the old will, we are co
-executors.

And with the right bookkeeping, we
should do very, very well.

Not if the original turns up.

Margaret Jason typed the will last
Friday, which means that she didn't have

chance to get to a bank or a safe
deposit vault before her unfortunate

Sunday night.

Well, then where is it?

Well, give me a little time.

I'll find it.

Mr. Jason, sorry about the delay in
returning your mother's belongings.

Police procedure takes time.

I understand.

I can't.

Mr. Jones, I don't care what you want
with them.

I just can't.

That girl's having a rough time,
Barnaby. Why don't you tell her the

I will, as soon as I find out what it
is.

I wonder if I could take this stuff with
me and run it through my lab.

What do you think you're going to find
our lab didn't?

Well, I want to take a look at this mud.

She only had to walk a couple of blocks
through Beverly Hills to get to her

office. I wonder where she got all that
mud. Oh, it could be a hundred reasons.

She might have picked it up gardening.

Pretty fancy shoe for gardening.

All right, so she walked across a lawn
that had just been watered. Maybe she

picked that mud up on the street.

Maybe.

If I find anything, I'll give you a
call. Yeah.

What's the matter?

I'm sorry I made such a scene.

When I saw her clothes, I just couldn't
help it.

Don't be silly. That would be rough on
anybody. Come on.

J .R., you're so sweet.

Giving up your time like this.

Well, it's part of the job.

What I meant was thank you.

You're in a fine security force, Porter.

They're wonderfully inefficient.

The men didn't have time to find the
will.

They covered the front rooms all right,
but then the Jason girl came home with

that young detective.

Why don't we wait a few days, then I'll
send the men over there again to finish

the job.

No, I have another way of handling it.

In the meantime, have someone keep an
eye on the house.

Yes.

Yes, yes, of course, I remember you.

Uh -huh.

Oh, well, now, $10 ,000 is a lot of
money.

Well, it seems reasonable for me not to
speak to the authorities.

I mean, somebody else would hold you up.

Oh, now you have nothing to tell the
authorities, Mr. Layton.

I think they'd be real interested.

Richard Cohen, Bradley's right -hand
man, and his attorney hire a safecracker

open the Bradley vault before the body's
even called?

couple extra days to open it legally.

Well, now there were business reasons
for that. Oh, sure, sure. That's why you

hired me, an ex -con.

You think anybody would believe you?

You want to bet they give me immunity?

Look, Mr. Matthews, you're wasting my
time. Unless you want me to shoot my

off, huh?

All right.

Where do you want me to take the money?

Well, just to make sure there's no
setup, I'll call Mr. Ryan on the phone

tell him where to bring the money, all
right?

All right.

I'll contact Mr. Ryan.

Are you crazy?

Paying blackmail to an ex -convict? You
know he's not going to stop at 10 ,000.

We have no other choice.

Unless you prefer prison.

Well, I'm not an errand boy.

You deliver the money.

Oh, no. He asked for you. You heard him.

Look, Matthews. It wasn't my idea to
open the vault and destroy the copy of

will. And if I have to, I'll say so in
court.

Nobody sold you anything. You saw the
will.

Bradley cut us both off without a cent.

He didn't even trust us to be executors.

I'll take my chances.

And in case you forgot, you also helped
cover the death of Margaret Jason.

Now, let's go get our friend some money,
hmm?

You know, when an ex -convict starts
calling the tune, I think it's time we

a look at things.

No matter what.

Mr. Ryan is going to deliver some money
to Harry Layton.

Take care of Layton and see if Mr. Ryan
is taken care of, too.

Ready? Yeah. Take a look at this.

I found it in the hem of Mr. Jason's
dress.

Beautiful. I didn't like it.

Yeah, I don't think many people have.

Think it's in there?

How do I know?

Give me a little time. You sound like a
client.

I'm sorry.

Could be it.

I don't think I can pronounce that name.

Stymophilum affine?

A vine grown in the jungles of Brazil
and the West Indies.

Banned for importation into the United
States.

But I don't know how Margaret Jason...

could have caught a petal from a flower
like this in her dress walking down the

street in Beverly Hills unless she went
by way of Brazil.

Barnaby, how about this?

Suppose she died someplace else and then
was taken to her office building and

made to look as if she had jumped there.

Betty, you're developing a very fine,
suspicious mind.

Thank you.

You know, we don't know much about
Margaret Jason.

Except that she was a nice woman.

Reliable.

I want you to go down to the courthouse
or the Hall of Records, any place you

have to go and find out everything you
can about her.

All right.

Any calls from me while I was out?
Nothing, Miss Thompson.

What is Mr. Jones doing in there?

Oh, he said he was working for Linda
Jason and that he had to go through the

book.

Well, I thought it would be all right.

Here.

Mr. Jones, may I help you?

Miss Thelma, I don't want to step on
anybody's toes, but there are certain

things that I had to find out about Mrs.
Jason since Linda asked me to look into

her mother's death.

Poor Margaret.

I suppose I was her very best friend.

But I don't understand what that has to
do with the agency's books. And I don't

understand how she could maintain such a
big house in Beverly Hills with such a

small agency.

Well, things are a bit slow right now,
but we do very well, and we have a very

fine reputation.

There's a check here.

Kenray Corporation for $3 ,000, signed
by Glendon P. Ryan.

I haven't had a chance to deposit these
checks since Margaret's death.

If I remember correctly, he is one of
the executors of the Bradley estate,

with a fellow named Matthews.

He had a lot of other clients as well,
big Hollywood stars.

But I don't understand what you're
getting at.

These ledgers, which go back five years,
indicate that these checks for $3 ,000

came in regularly every month.

Were they all signed by Mr. Ryan?

Oh, yes.

He had a great deal of confidence in
Margaret.

I should think so. It's a lot of money
for a secretarial work part -time.

Well, I always thought that they had
some special arrangement.

Did Margaret have a personal
relationship with Mr. Ryan?

Mr. Jones, I know what you're thinking,
but I absolutely refuse to believe it.

Margaret Jason was a wonderful woman.

Her personal life was absolutely
impeccable.

If you want to start some horrible
rumor, I... Thelma, I'm not trying to

Margaret. I'm trying to help her
daughter.

It's the last payment.

Yeah, sure.

Wait a minute. Let me check this out.

The whole 10 ,000.

I don't want to waste my time with you.

I want a fingerprint ballistics report
on that as soon as possible.

Well, Barnaby, you want to tell me what
you're doing here?

I've been trying to get a word with
Glenn Ryan.

Last time I called the secretary, she
said she had just heard about this.

What's your answer to Ryan?

I thought you were working on the Jason
suicide case.

I am, but I've got a couple of questions
I want to ask Ryan.

Too bad a mugging got in your way.

Mugging? For the moment, that's what I'm
calling it.

See, Layton had a record a mile long.

Now, he could have lured Ryan up here,
tried to rob him. They struggled for the

gun. Layton got shot, but he managed to
kill Ryan, then he collapsed.

Yeah, that's one theory, but what do you
really think?

Well, Layton served time all right, but
it was for safe cracking, not armed

robbery. Why pick on Ryan?

Prominent attorney, managed the Bradley
estate.

Layton must have told him a pretty good
story to get him up here to be mugged.

There's got to be some connection
between them.

You got any ideas?

No, but when I do, I'll communicate with
you.

I got your message.

It's Jane. Why did I have to drive all
the way out here?

I have someone I want you to meet.

I just came from the Hall of Records.

Margaret Jason was not married when she
gave birth to Linda. Oh?

She had been divorced from Ted Jason two
years.

Well, maybe they reconciled after the
divorce.

Some couples do that, you know, without
getting remarried. Well, I thought of

that, so I checked with the Air Force.

Ted Jason's co -pilot runs an air
charter service here.

Well,

listen, there's several things I'd like
to show you. This little number here,

this twin -engine push -pull, it's a
real beauty.

Handles easier than a compact car.

Well, Mr. Hutchins. Cap.

That's what everybody calls me.

Well, Cap, we don't have to be in the
market for buying a new plane today, but

my secretary tells me that you used to
know Ted Jason.

Ted? Oh, I sure did.

We flew over 20 missions together in
Korea.

We were together at Kelly Field when he
crashed.

Never were two guys any closer.

Do you happen to recall whether he
started seeing his wife again after the

divorce? Margaret?

Never mentioned her name.

No, I'm wrong. I think he did once.

He said how lucky he was he got off
without paying any alimony.

Margaret got this good -paying job.

She was working as a secretary to that
big millionaire, the one who just died.

What was his name?

Richard Corwin Bradley.

That was about 20 years ago.

And he never returned to Los Angeles.

What for?

He was going with another girl. They
were going to get married.

Then he died in a crash.

Thank you very much. You've been a big
help.

Say, I'd only just sell planes if you'd
be interested in flying lessons

sometime. If I ever get the bug, I'll be
back to see you.

He was talking to me.

Oh.

This is ridiculous.

I don't know anything about gardening.

You can learn.

Please.

I promised my mother I'd replant glads.
Look, in a neighborhood in Chicago where

I come from, flowers just don't grow.

Something you see in store windows, you
know.

J .R., I don't know what I'm going to do
with you.

Linda! Thelma.

I'm so glad you're home.

I've been sitting at my office worrying
about you.

Thelma, you're such a dear.

You're so pale and so drawn.

I should have been checking up on you
long ago.

Oh, I didn't realize you had company.

Yeah. Come on.

Thelma Thompson, this is J .R. Jones.

Hi, how are you? Hello.

Thelma was my mother's closest friend.
She practically ran the secretarial

service. And as far as I'm concerned,
you can keep on running it for as long

you want.

Oh, thank you, dear.

Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge
in on anything.

Don't be silly.

J .R. is a relative of Mr. Jones.

He's also his associate.

I've asked them to investigate Mom's
death.

Oh, so I understand.

Mr. Jones was in the office this
afternoon, poking around things.

Linda, are you sure you're doing the
right thing?

Positive.

There have been a lot of strange things
going on.

Earlier today, two men broke into the
house.

They were searching for something when J
.R. and I surprised them.

Oh, no.

But you can't possibly stay here while
things like that are going on.

Why don't you come to my house? Stay
with me a few days.

I really couldn't do that. It's okay.

I'll keep an eye on it.

But what about at night? I mean, you
shouldn't be alone.

There I go again, putting my foot in it.

It's okay. I was going to stay on the
couch anyway.

Well, I was just thinking about
appearances.

Linda,

look.

I've offered to do what I can, but if
you would prefer...

Maybe film was right.

You've done more than enough already.

All right, all right. If it'll make you
feel better.

Look.

Why don't I toss a few things in a bag
and come right back here?

That way you wouldn't have to close up
anything. It would be no trouble.

Well, if it wouldn't be too much of a
bother, I'll be back in no time.

Thank you.

Goodbye, then.

It's not that I don't trust you, J .R. I
know, I know. You just don't trust

yourself with me around.

Oh, sure, because you're just so
irresistible. No, I'm ticklish!

Help me fix up the guest room for
Thelma.

Eh, nothing's too good for good old
Thelma.

I can talk to you, Mr.

Matthews. Mr. Matthews is not seeing
anyone.

Tell him I'm the detective on the
Margaret Jason case.

I think it'd be better if I talked to
him than to the newspapers.

Wait right here.

I don't know what to tell you.

Mrs.

Jason was his personal secretary, but it
was so long ago we lost track of her.

Margaret Jason was receiving these
checks for $3 ,000 a month until the day

died. It's not possible.

They were all drawn on the Ken Ray
Corporation.

According to the Commissioner of
Corporations, that's the wholly owned

Company. Well, those checks never came
to my attention.

They were all signed by the attorney for
the corporation, Glenn Ryan.

Unfortunately, I was unable to speak
with Mr. Ryan.

Yes, poor Glenn.

It doesn't seem possible.

I never knew much about Glenn Ryan's
personal life.

So I suppose it's possible that he had
been having an affair with Mrs. Jason

using corporate funds to pay her off.

According to the bank records, it went
on over 19 years.

Mr. Bradley was one of the world's
shrewdest businessmen. You suppose this

could have escaped him?

Well, Mr.

Bradley had many interests.

Isn't it possible these payments were
made for Mr.

Bradley himself?

That's ridiculous. What for?

Well, maybe he was having an affair with
Margaret Jason.

Richard Corwin Bradley.

Did not have casual affairs with
secretaries.

I didn't say casual. 19 years, that
comes to a lot of money.

Mr. Jones, if Glenn Ryan was dishonest,
that's unfortunate.

I have nothing more to tell you.

Thank you.

I'll find my way out over the
drawbridge.

Shall I do something about him?

Oh, you're just guessing.

Sir, I don't think he's just...

Mr.

Matthews.

What's he doing?

I don't know.

I don't like it.

He's working for the Jason girl.

Suppose he finds the will.

If he does, it'll be his last act on
this earth.

Mr. Jones, are you saying that my mother
had a secret lover?

All I said was, after the divorce, it's
possible that your mother may have

fallen in love with another man.

All those years she was lying to me?

Maybe she was trying to protect you.

Linda. Your mother took a job as a
private secretary with Richard Bradley.

A year later, she quit.

According to the hospital records, she
was pregnant.

Ever since then, the company has been
paying all her expenses.

Mr. Jones, are you positive?

The company checks have been coming in
as recently as last week.

Do you think the man that was seeing my
mother was Richard Bradley?

He was a very sick man.

He could have turned to someone he
trusted.

Why would he wait 18 years?

Because it's a lie.

How can you tell her things like that?

Miss Thompson, somebody broke into this
house because they were afraid that she

could prove a claim to the Bradley
estate. That's the only possible reason.

I worked with Margaret for over ten
years. We had no secrets. And I never

heard her mention the name of Richard
Bradley.

Linda's had enough trouble.

Can't you let her keep some decent
memories of her mother?

Mr. Jones, I think it'd be better if you
would leave.

Linda, you hired us to help you.

J .R., please.

I won't.

Linda, your mother was a wonderful human
being.

You mustn't listen to stories like that.

But why would Mr. Jones want to lie to
me?

I don't know.

Maybe he's after some quick money.

in some nuisance suit against the
Bradley estate.

All I know is that I can't bear to hear
those terrible things said about your

mother. Oh, no, no, please don't get
upset.

I can't help it.

I'd better go and make some dinner.

Oh, Linda, I'm so sorry you had to
listen to all that.

Everything's working out just fine, Mr.

Matthews. Is the detective gone?

Yes.

Now I'll have plenty of time to look for
the will.

Oh, this is gorgeous, isn't it? Oh, I
wish I could find someone like that.

I'm so excited.

Is, uh, is Thompson in?

No, she, we haven't seen her all day
today.

Well, uh... We have to check something
in Mrs. Jason's office. Please, Mr.

Jones, I got into such trouble last
time. Oh, it's okay. Barnaby squared

everything away with Miss Thompson.

Okay.

Check the tape recorder.

Barnaby, you really think we're going to
find a will here?

Margaret was up here typing for two
hours.

If that was Bradley Wither, I doubt if
he was dictating personal

Tape recorder's no good. There's no
cassette.

Let me check the file.

This thing is too worn to read.

Well, there's nothing in here but some
bills, payroll records, and

correspondence.

Hey.

Listen to this.

This document supersedes all previous
wills.

Down here, I leave to my dear friend,
Margaret Jason, and my

hitherto unacknowledged daughter.

Linda's Bradley's daughter.

This is a proof.

We gotta get that will.

Call Linda.

All right.

Busy? I searched all the rear rooms.

There's no trace of the will.

Well, you'll have to go through the
house again. I know it has to be there.

How's the girl around?

Well, I might have a little time. She's
working in the garden.

Mama, Mr. Jones was right. I found this
when I was replaying The Glads. Well,

what is it?

Richard Bradley's will.

I'll just read you the important part.

I, Richard Corwin Bradley, leave to my
dear friend, Margaret Jason, and to my

hitherto unacknowledged daughter, Linda,
the bulk of my entire fortune apart

from charitable... I just can't believe
this. My mother never said anything.

She never said anything to me, and we
couldn't have been closer.

Oh, Linda.

I'm so happy for you. It's crazy.

Well, I better phone Mr. Jones and J .R.
right away.

Oh, Linda.

Don't track that garden dirt all over
the house. Go ahead and change.

I'll call Mr. Jones.

I really am a mess.

Well, tell him to hurry.

Mr. Matthews?

The girl has found the will.

It was buried in the garden.

I don't get it.

First the line's busy, then there's
nobody home, now it's busy again.

Let's get over there

Where's

the girl she's in the bedroom

I thought that it was... Miss Jason,
would you give me the will, please?

Velma, what is it?

Give Mr.

Matthews the will.

Miss Jason, we don't want to hurt you.

You were my mother's friend.

I'm sorry, but it won't be convenient
for you to be around.

No!

You left a message with the exchange
where there's nobody home?

It's the same white band.

We are being followed.

Lose them.

Get her out.

It's okay.

Nobody's going to hurt you anymore.

It's all over.

Mr.

Jones, he has the will.

I think I better file this.

Linda, it is absolutely beautiful.

If only my mother... Hey, hey, you sure
you're not going to get lost in all

these rooms now, huh?

It is awfully big, isn't it? And it's so
formal inside.

Well, just keep in mind that in case you
want to make any changes, you'll be

able to.

Looks like you have company.

I'm sorry.

I wanted to spend the afternoon with
you, but the lawyers are here to discuss

the probate.

Well, we'll do it another time.

Is that a promise?

Sure.

Okay.

Gentlemen, madam, I'm so glad that you
could come.

I'm Linda Jason Bradley.

Looks like she was born to it. Isn't
that what we just finished proving?

What's the matter, J .R.? Is she
suddenly too rich for your blood?

Yep.

Well, of course, Barnaby could give me a
raise. What do you say, boss?

Listen, Jedediah, I just don't get too
rich for my blood.