Original subtitles

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

Also starring Lee Merriweather, Mark Schera,

with guest stars Bonnie Ebsen, Charles Siebert,

Michael Zaslow, Alex Cologne.

Tonight's episode, The Coronado Triangle.

No question about it.

And we better call somebody. The police.

I'll do it. Okay.

Mary Ellen.

What'd you say?

Mary Ellen.

Something... Something... Hold it up.

What could do that?

Thank... Hold it down.

Thank... Thank...

Well,

well, Barnaby Jones.

Still in the detective business, huh? I'd have thought by now you'd have gone

straight. Did anybody ever tell you that... Taking money from the federal

government under false pretenses is a felony.

Hey, well, just don't say that too loud. So far, I've got them fooled.

Good to see you, Glenn. I don't think that you ever met my daughter -in -law,

Betty Jones.

It's a pleasure.

Glenn Wilcox. He heads up intelligence and law enforcement for the Coast Guard

here in Southern California.

That's a big job.

Hey, please, sit down.

Thank you.

California's Meridian called my office, said you would be investigating.

I guess you're getting some claims from those mysterious yacht disappearances?

Yeah, about a half million dollars worth up to now.

I'm interested in learning what the Coast Guard position is on those missing

boats.

Well, we think they're hijacked, Barnaby, and then used for smuggling

from South America or Mexico.

Well, what about the boat owners and their crews?

Assumed murdered at sea. No bodies recovered.

Here's where it's all happening.

Now, here we are.

And here's the U .S.-Mexican border.

Now, right here in this area, between the San Clemente Islands, the Coronadas,

and the San Martin Island, eight pleasure yachts have disappeared in the

months.

That's what some people are beginning to refer to as the Coronada Triangle.

Oh, as in Bermuda Triangle, where all those boats have been vanishing for

without a trace? I mean, no wreckage, no survivors, no clues?

Only I find it hard to buy a supernatural legend as an answer.

I don't know.

They still haven't been able to absolutely disprove flying saucers yet.

I grant you, Betty, the occult is more intriguing, but I'm with Glenn here.

hold out for something more tangible.

Well, we do have one lead. Just a name, really.

A yacht salesman. He's a member of the Southport Yacht Club here in San Diego

Harbor. Southport.

California Meridian insures several boats there, including two that

Right. And those boats, among others...

Had new crewmen on board, all recommended by this same yacht salesman,

Lloyd. Think there were plants?

It's a possibility.

Excuse me.

Commander Wilcock.

Another one. When?

The Mary Ellen, huh?

She sank.

How did it happen?

You're kidding.

Mm -hmm. All right, what was her name?

Right. You give me a full report as soon as possible.

You did say the Mary Ellen?

Yes.

Barnaby, I'm sure I saw that name on the list of insured ships.

You happen to remember the owner's name?

I'm afraid not.

Sheldon Lloyd.

Your yacht salesman?

Went down with his boat.

There goes your one and only lead.

Now, hold on.

How do you know the Mary Ellen sank?

Could have been hijacked.

Because for the first time, we have a survivor.

A girl.

She claims that the Mary Ellen was pulled under the water in a calm sea by

mysterious force.

Her name is Dawn Carlson.

Sheldon Lloyd had taken her into Mexican waters for a weekend of fishing on his

boat.

We were coming back from San Diego.

The sun had just dipped down below the water.

It was still light, you know.

You could see.

It was calm.

No wind.

And then suddenly, out of nowhere, we were in the middle of a

violent upheaval.

It just... Take your time, Miss Carlson.

They said you were wearing a life jacket. Did Lloyd put one on, too?

I don't know.

He helped me into one.

And then the whirling knocked me against the rail

and over the side.

Sheldon was calling for help on the radio.

I never saw him again.

But you managed to swim away from the boat.

I just swam with all my might.

Swam, swam, swam. But you did see the Mary Ellen again.

It was spinning.

Faster and faster, like... Like in a big whirlpool.

A giant whirlpool that sucked it under.

It never came up again.

Can't that be enough for now?

For now.

Probably drifted with a current all night and then washed ashore at

Doesn't the Coast Guard record all distress calls?

Yes. We have Lloyd's Mayday.

And there's another tape I know you'd want to hear.

One of your insured boats, the Argonaut, managed to get part of a message

through.

Poor girl.

I feel sorry for her.

I can't get over what she said. Talk about your Bermuda Triangle.

Her story doesn't exactly support your theory of hijacking, does it, Commander?

Not in this case, anyway.

What about you, Barney?

Are you still holding out for hard reality?

The whirlpool is real enough. I see one every time I pull the plug in my

bathtub. But what puzzles me is, how do you pull the plug in the ocean?

Reality, Mr. Jones.

There is so much that man in his infinite wisdom does not even suspect of

reality. Well, I wouldn't question that, Dr. Bishop.

Now, for instance, who knows what might happen if an electromagnetic wave

decided to propagate disturbance in the spectrum, resulting in an

electromagnetic vortex.

Maybe it could even trigger a physical whirlpool in the water.

It's still all science fiction to me, Doctor.

So was the trip to the moon. That's how we did it. You have a point.

But on a more practical level, the bathtub drain analogy really could apply

here. Now, for example, if the sea were to break through a natural cavern in the

floor of the ocean and create just such a whirlpool.

Oh, no, please.

I hope you haven't ordered yet because I am starved. I've been waiting for you.

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

Bishop. How do you do, Mr. Denton? Dr. Bishop is the oceanography professor at

the university. He very kindly agreed to have lunch with us.

Is Brock talkative?

Yes, and very friendly.

But even so, Barnaby, I must say, this is a lot more fun than staying in that

office answering phones and typing up reports.

Oh, it looks like you could lose a secretary.

Yep. Why don't you let a butterfly try her wings? It's very hard to get her

into the cocoon.

I learned that Lloyd lived on a boat full time, alone.

Brock said that he only saw Mrs. Lloyd a few times.

And he claims to know nothing of the crewmen that Lloyd recommended.

What about Don Carlson?

A recent addition to a rather extensive stable.

Tell me, Dr. Bishop, the story about the Mary Ellen.

Is it really possible?

I'll stake my reputation on it.

And finally, someone has actually seen it happen and lived to tell about it.

I'm fascinated by the possibilities I'd give anything to talk to that girl.

You think that's going to do it?

Yeah, it won't take long, Mr. Lloyd.

Sign painter's coming to put the new name on as soon as you come up with one.

Uh, well, call her Fair Lady.

Shelley!

I still don't like it.

It's a nice name. It's romantic.

You know what I mean.

Jose, what do you want me to do? Sit around up there and wait till the Coast

Guard nailed me? I'm talking about the way you did it.

Oh, haven't you been watching the news? They're eating it up, man. I'm telling

you, the occult is going over very big in the United States.

Look, look at it this way. It's a perfect cover for your hijacking

For how long, Shelly?

You're a dead man.

But you're still walking around where somebody might recognize you.

No one knows me here in Mexico.

There's a girl up there someplace.

She can blow the whole thing. Ah.

But she doesn't know the whole thing.

All she knows is that I slipped her into the water just before sunup so she

could drift ashore and convince the world that I am dead.

And she can be trusted.

How do you know for sure?

Very simple.

The lady loves me.

She's dangerous.

And so are you.

All right. Now, before you pursue this line of thinking any further, I want you

to remember just who it is who is setting up the boats for you to hijack

just who is the buyer connection for your dope.

All right, amigo.

Of course I need you.

Even now there's a truckload on its way.

We'll need another boat as soon as possible.

Well, you're going to get it.

I'll see you later.

Dixon.

Right.

Follow him.

Let him lead you to the girl.

And then get rid of both of them.

Kill our connection?

Don't worry about it, Dixon.

I already have a replacement in mind.

Jerry.

The man referred to in that message is the name of the crewman Sheldon Lloyd

recommended to your policyholder.

Now, if we just knew for sure what the sender intended to say.

I don't know what would distract a man who was already calling for help unless

it was a more immediate threat to his life. Which is why we questioned Lloyd.

He did more talking on this tape than he ever did with me.

All right.

This is Lloyd? Yes.

And that's it, Barnaby.

Just those two tapes, nothing from the other boats.

Well, from what I could hear, it certainly confirms Don's story.

Yeah, but nothing else does.

A Coast Guard cutter and helicopter were dispatched to the Mary Ellen position.

Absolutely nothing, not even a ripple.

Were you able to find Lloyd's wife?

No, she's in Chicago visiting family. Oh, but I did find out that it was her

money that bought the Mary Ellen.

That's her name, Mary Ellen.

Got brokering, not profitable.

Well, that was a new venture for Lloyd.

Up to that point, he had been working for his father -in -law's vending

firm until the old man fired him.

He's strange, an eye for the girls, needs money.

Oh, and Don, I really didn't find out too much about her except that she moved

here from Iowa several months ago, so I put in some calls to the Midwest.

Seems she had a long -standing interest in some little theater groups back in

Des Moines, and she had done several television commercials.

No names. Just listen.

The lookout point.

I want you to meet me there in one hour.

One hour exactly.

Okay?

Okay.

How are you feeling?

Uh, fine.

Just feeling fine.

Up to answering a few questions?

Look, if you don't mind, I'm all talked out.

We listened to a recording of the May Day from the Mary Ellen. It was just as

you said.

You know, Miss Carlson, I don't understand how your friend Mr.

Lloyd could have gotten up such a long message when only one of the other eight

boats that are missing was ever heard from, and their message was just a few

words.

I don't understand why you're asking me this.

You could see the whirlpool coming.

I wonder why they couldn't.

I don't know about them. All I know is what happened to me.

All right, let's talk about you.

Haven't we already done that?

Just enough to puzzle me, Miss Carlson.

I don't understand how a wisp of a girl like you could get herself out of a

giant whirlpool when a big boat with two powerful engines couldn't.

I don't know. I don't remember. I just did it. You must have swum very hard.

Yes, I swam real hard.

What makes you so smart?

How do you know there isn't some law of physics that says that a small person

can do a thing like that better than a big boat?

Well, I don't know for sure.

Well, then why are you doing this to me?

She has been through an ordeal, Barnaby.

No question about that.

Well, see you later, Miss Carlson.

What is the problem?

I'm telling you, you have to set up another boat for Jose. I can't do it.

supposed to be dead.

Now you tell him you can't manage that? I can manage it, Shelly.

All I'm saying is that Don's giant whirlpool story's working so well,

boat will even go out past the jetty anymore. And even if they do, they won't

out alone. Then you find someone who doesn't believe in ghosts.

I'll do it, Shelly. I'll do it.

Don't worry about me.

Worry about your wife.

Mary?

Is she back already?

What'd you expect?

She's a bereaved widow.

Well, I really don't know how I can help you, Mr. Jones.

Well, Mrs. Lloyd, I have some serious questions about what happened to the

married woman.

Would you like something?

Yes, I have a feeling I'm going to need a drink.

Vodka, rocks, please, with a twist.

Well, let's get Don Carlton out of the way first, shall we?

You knew about her before?

For about three months. She cinched an already pending split -up.

Three months.

I wonder what your friend Brock would have to say about that.

Gary Brock?

Yes, do you know him?

Not too well, I'm afraid.

Oh, brother, what a con job I got.

Among other things, Gary Brock told me that he'd only seen you a couple of

times. A couple of times a week.

He and Sheldon used to have meetings at our home.

What about?

I was never allowed to know.

That's what the last Donnybrook was about.

Gary Brock and the weird people he'd bring around.

Weird? How?

Unsavory is a better word, really.

They were supposed to be crewmen looking for a berth.

That never explained why money always changed hands.

Neither would Sheldon.

So, he went to live on the boat. And then came the dawn.

You don't think he's dead, do you?

Not after what you just told us.

Mrs. Lloyd, for your own safety...

I wouldn't talk to anyone else about this.

You see, when a boat is hijacked, it involves not only drug running, but

Wholesale murder.

Would you excuse us, please?

Barnaby.

You think she's going to be all right?

Yeah, she's tough.

He's Cappy McGuire's daughter. He was a former big -time Chicago hoodlum who

ran a string of crooked slot machines into a legitimate vending business about

20 years ago.

How are you going to prove your hijacking theory?

Maybe with a decoy.

But the boats aren't going out.

I think I know one in Newport Beach that is.

We'll need Jedediah's help, and we better make sure.

that Don Carlson doesn't disappear.

Oh, Sally, I didn't think this moment would ever come.

All the questions.

I've told the story so many times, I was beginning to mourn your passing.

But it's all over now.

You're here, and there's nothing to stop us.

Shelly?

It is all right, isn't it?

You do have a way of getting us out of the country.

Not right this second, baby.

But you said, just as soon as you came back from Mexico. Listen, honey.

This has all made a lot more noise than I thought it would. I shouldn't even be

here now.

We're just going to have to cool it until the questions stop.

Until my wife and her father have accepted my death as a fact.

Especially her father.

Okay, so we wait.

Until Kathy McGuire dies of old age if we have to.

Was that him?

Captain McGuire?

Captain?

Sure. Who else?

Shelly, what can you do?

I'll be all right.

You can't go back to your apartment.

Listen, there's a place you can go. It's the Bluebird Hotel on Hudson.

You just wait for me to contact you, but you don't go near your apartment ever

again. You understand me? All right. Come on. Hurry.

Pardon me, Dawn slipped out of the hospital. She's disappeared.

You fired her apartment?

Yes, the manager let me in. I don't think she even made a quick stop there.

mean, everything had a normal look about it. The bed was made, clothes were

still in the closet.

The dishes were clean in the sink except for a little doggy dish.

She had a dog?

A poodle. But the manager said that he hasn't seen her for several days. They

got sick.

Maybe she took her to a vet.

If we can find a vet, maybe we can find her. I think she's a key to Lloyd.

Barnaby, you think that's it?

That's it.

Do

I

believe what I see?

Goodbye. That Jenna dad does have a way of making the most out of an

opportunity.

Where did you get the outfit?

Well, it's the latest in yachting attire, the salesman said. Oh, by the

sent the bill to the office.

Well, I had to have something to match the boat.

Just don't overplay the part yet, did I?

The third slip on the right, washing the boat.

That's your man.

Got it.

Watch this.

Look, I told you I'd bring you as far as San Diego, but that's it.

No Mexico.

Oh, come on. You're not going to let that Coronado Triangle jive scare you,

you? Hell, I ain't.

But the whole gang is waiting for me at Cabo San Lucas. I can't let my friends

down. Well, I can.

Well, if it's money, you know.

You ain't got enough.

Well, that is.

I can't think of one good reason not to pull this trigger right now.

Can you?

What happened was a misunderstanding.

Sure.

So is it.

My men heard you say something about you leaving the country.

It sounded like a double cross to them.

Of course we're leaving the country.

As soon as this job is finished, how can we stay?

I'm supposed to be dead.

They didn't use their heads.

They were as smart as you or me.

We'll be working for them, right?

This is a dangerous business we're in, amigo.

Tell me.

And tell your friends to stay in front of me from now on. I'll deal with them.

You better do that, Jose.

Now, how about another boat?

Brock will get it.

Soon, I hope.

We'll have the fair lady loaded today.

Stuff's in already?

We'll transfer the cargo at sea, and your new boat will deliver it to your

connection.

All right.

I'll wait here until Brock calls.

Okay.

You want him, we'll dump him now. No.

Not till we get the girl.

You may still need him for that.

Then we'll dump them both.

Chicken skippers!

Now, one man here with the guts to take me to Cabo San Lucas?

I mean, it isn't exactly shiny, you know. It's just to the tip of Baja.

Your key, sir? She's all ready to go.

Go?

She's going anyplace.

She's having a party on board.

Superstition, that's all it is.

Take my advice, you'll do the same thing and stay right here and have a big

party.

Look, the only party I'm interested in is already in progress in Cabo San

Excuse me, Mr.

Romano. I was wondering if I could talk to you about your book. Something wrong?

No, sir. I just wanted to know, what does the job pay?

Hola. This is Brock. Let me talk to Lloyd.

Lloyd's not in. I'm the one you want to talk to, anyway.

We're all set. We got a 60 -foot all -white Flybridge diesel trawler. We

be away by daybreak.

Good. We'll rendezvous at the 60 -mile bank.

Can you get me an ETA?

No, not yet. I'll call you underway.

Channel 70.

You got a code name?

Santana.

Santana, okay.

Brock, I've got a proposition for you.

I'll just bet you have.

Lloyd's all finished here. You need a replacement, right?

You're pretty sure of yourself.

I do most of the work anyway.

And who else knows his connection?

All right, Brock.

We'll make a deal.

You can start now with Lloyd's girl.

I want you to bring her along.

All right, if I can find her.

You better.

She knows too much.

Look, I wanted to get away from all the questions, the reporters. That's why I

came here.

Was that so urgent you couldn't even stop by your apartment?

How do you know I didn't?

I was there, Don. The manager let me in.

Oh, by the way, the vet says that your poodle is well on his way to recovery.

Don, we don't think that you are hiding from reporters.

We also don't think that Sheldon Lloyd is dead.

But he is.

He had to disappear before the Coast Guard tied him to that yacht hijacking.

To what?

Hijacking. Drug running.

Murder? No.

You're wrong.

Wrong. That's the reason you concocted that big story about the giant

isn't it? No, that wasn't what...

I

didn't mean that.

I think you did. You made the whole thing up and it almost worked.

No.

That's where you're wrong.

They didn't believe it.

Either of them. Either of whom?

His wife and her father, Cappy McGuire.

That's why we did it.

Cappy McGuire swore he'd have Shelly killed if he ever left Mary.

It was Shelly's only escape.

Don, somebody's been spoofing you. Cappy McGuire is a pussycat and has been for

most of your life.

No.

Shelly told me. Don, he lied to you.

He didn't.

Honey, can't you see it?

He conned you about the whole thing.

He wouldn't do...

Betty, don't you think we better touch base?

I'm sorry, Mr. Jones.

Don, we have got to stop Lloyd, and you can help us.

Help you?

Now, wait.

We're convinced that you're not one of the gang.

And neither is Shelly.

And if he is involved in any way,

It's because he's being forced.

And whatever he told me, it's to protect me. How could you believe

that? I told you.

He loved me.

JR has a deal with Brock.

I'll have to get back.

What about Dawn?

She's in love.

You better stay here and keep an eye on her.

Just drop me around the corner where she can't see us. I'll take a cab. All

right.

Please, can you take me to him?

I have to warn him.

Please?

Okay.

I'll meet you there.

Okay, turn us loose.

Hey, wait a minute. That guy just came aboard.

Sure, we needed a crew.

I was lucky to get it.

What do you mean? It's a girl?

It's a girl.

Lieutenant Commander Glenn Wilcox, please.

You know, I sure wish you'd told me she was coming aboard.

Well, you see, I figured that when we got down to the Cape, you'd have your

friends to play with and I'd be all alone.

I see your point.

Hi.

Hi.

Her name is Dee.

Meet the boss, Mr.

Romano. J .R.

Dee, care for a drink?

No, thanks.

Not too many girls in this line of work, are there?

I like the scene.

Natural high.

Now you're lucky.

I got to do it this way.

Cheers.

You got a last name?

I don't know.

Maybe I forget.

Well, oh, oh, oh, that's gold.

I'm going to go downstairs and change. I'll see you later.

Hornaby. We got a little complication up there. Yeah, I saw her at the Doan

Carlson. The Whirlpool girl? What is she doing here?

She just wants to go wherever Sheldon Lloyd is.

Well, I guess that pretty much confirms that we're on the right track, huh?

Yeah, too bad. She doesn't know what she's getting into.

Nice girl that's got blinders on.

We should be there about 10 .30.

You ought to be calling, huh?

About time for little Lord Fauntleroy to show up and start getting in the way.

Why don't you go on down below, keep him company for a while.

Hey.

Smile.

You're going to see your man in a little while.

Yeah.

Santana, Santana.

Santana, come in.

Santana, over. Yeah, I got an ETA for you.

1048, okay?

1048.

Everything cool?

Like clockwork.

JR? Yeah?

Anything I can do for you? Dry your clothes? Wash your shirt?

No, no, no, that's okay.

Come on, it's my job.

You know, Brock told me I'd appreciate you being on board, and he was

right. There you go.

This is all now, you sure? That's it. I'll be up in a minute, okay?

The latch caught. I hope she didn't see me.

Gary. Yeah?

Does J .R. have a chick stashed aboard?

Chick? No, what?

It's probably just my imagination, but I thought I saw the bowel cabin door

close like somebody was in there.

No, there's just the three of us.

She's on automatic pilot. Keep an eye on her for me, will you?

Hey, boss, gotta make a pit stop. Why?

Okay. You know, I noticed that our course is over 220 degrees. That's more

southwest and south, isn't it?

Well, I like to get away from shore deeper where the sea is smoother.

Oh, that's too bad. I thought we'd put in an Ensenada for the night.

That's too late, I guess.

Hey, Don, didn't I promise to get you back with Shelly?

When he wakes up, you and Shelly will be holding hands on the Mary Ellen.

That's her, all right, the Mary Ellen.

Won't be long, huh?

Let me see.

I think I see Shelly. Look.

Mr. Jones.

Move, Don. Move.

All right.

That's it. I got on the deck now.

Who would have thought it?

Little Lord Fauntleroy pulling a scam on me.

Mr. Jones.

I don't understand.

It's still the way I told it to you. Only now you're going to see it happen.

No, Shelly's not a hijacker.

Tell her, Brock.

Tell her what's going to happen to some of the people on this boat.

Gary, Shelly's not in it.

Only up to his ears, sweetheart.

Funny you didn't know about it.

Oh, no.

Isn't there something we can do, Commander Wilcox?

Can't we at least let helicopters find them?

Well, you've got them in the air already.

But if the hijackers spot them, they'll just scatter.

And unless we catch them in an overt act or carrying a cargo of drugs, we might

as well forget the whole thing.

You mean you can't move until Barnaby radios the location?

That's right.

I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you, Mr. Jones.

I could have helped you and I didn't. All right, break it up. Come on, move it

over there.

Come on.

Like we're going into the fourth quarter, Barnaby. Maybe we can get a tie

into overtime.

Not you, sweetheart. I got orders to deliver you alive.

Back together!

on the post.

Calling Coast Guard San Diego.

Coast Guard San Diego. Come in, please.

Wilcox.

Got it.

Barnaby came through.

Push the button.

What the hell?

There's another man aboard.

I think they got Brock.

Bring us alongside.

Fast.

John, what the hell is she doing there? I said bring us alongside.

Move.

Let's get out of here.

Jose, another one.

They got us locked in. We got no place to go.

Let's dump the junk. Let's dump it now.

It's too late, Jose.

Looks like we got that overtime after all.

Yep. Also known as sudden death.

Not just for the losers, Jedediah. Just for the losers.

That doesn't have to include you, Don.

Just give it time, you'll see.

You're a winner.

Glenn, I'm sure you'll remember that, uh...

Jedediah and I might well have become shark food if it hadn't been for Don.

Oh, sure, Barnaby.

I anticipate you'll just have to answer a few questions and that'll be the end

of it.

Listen, Skipper would like to get an early thought.

So if it's okay with you, I'd like to welcome you common folks to the

overwhelmingly wealthy world of J .R. Romano.

Oh, it is such a beautiful boat.

Yacht. Oh, right. Yacht.

The only trouble with going back on it is that it returns me to my world of

typing reports and answering phones.

Oh, well.

I do hope we see you again, Don.

Oh, you will.

I'm moving to L .A. just as soon as they cut me loose.

Oh, I bet you're going to pursue your acting career, hmm?

Yeah. Mr. Jones kind of talked me into it.

All I said was, after your performance here in San Diego, no one could ever say

you don't have talent.

You know, nobody said anything about my performance here.

Oh, I'm sorry, Jedediah. I didn't know you were acting.

Shall we go?

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