01x10 - Murder-Go-Round

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

Starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Meriwether.

With guest stars Claude Akins,

Neva Patterson,

Lou Frizzell,

Dabbs Greer,

James Luisi.

I'd really like to know
what's going on in this town.

I ask that real estate woman
just some plain questions,

and she practically throws me
out of her office.

Why?

And on top of all that,

somebody points a r*fle at me...

That big shot rancher.

What's his name?

Rile. Eli Rile,
not "What's his name?"

I caught him tramping around

on my property, trespassing.

I told you who I was, Eli.

Nicky Gorman's the name.

And I also told you, Eli,

I was up here to meet my friend,
Johnny Arthur.

Well, he didn't show up, did he?

The Spake's waiting for you,
Eli.

NICKY:
Spake?

He's the one who told me
that the boating concession

is closed for the season.

I don't like it.

Well, I know different!

How does he
know different? How?

Hi, Mrs. Johnson.

They all here?

Not Mr. Flory yet.

NICKY: Well, the four
big shots in the town

have made it plain enough
that they don't want me around.

And now something very
mysterious happens to my car.

Isn't that right, Mr. Flory?

Not mysterious at all.

We discovered what it was.

Manifold and carburetor both.

Wait, wait a minute.

Now, you tell me one thing,

your mechanic tells me
something else.

Now, what's all this
stalling about?

Mr. Gorman, I expect
a call very shortly
that it's ready.

Then you can be on your way.

"On my way"? Yeah, sure.

And you'd better
watch out, all of you.

I've been asking
the sheriff a lot
of questions.

No answers.

But I know damn well

something fishy's
going on around here.

Hey, listen!

[door slams]

The only thing
I can't figure out

is if that they all want me
out of here so badly,

how come all of a sudden my car
goes on the blink?

Mr. Gorman,
nobody's trying

to keep you here
in Parker Junction.

You're just upset 'cause
your friend, Johnny Arthur,

didn't show up for that hunting

and fishing you planned.

You're just upset.

It's really come to this?

We agreed.

♪ ♪

Why me?

I never thought
I'd get in this deep.

[door opens and closes]

[door opens and closes]
Now, what's that all about?

The town council.

Listen, your car is ready now.

I didn't hear the phone ring.

I called the garage in there.

Now, listen, I want to know
what's going on here.

Mr. Gorman...
Come on, tell me!

Mr. Gorman!

Pick up your car and leave town.

Go on!

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[starter cranking,
engine stalling]

[whistles]

Hey!

[screaming]

[tires screeching]

Listen, Mr. Jones.

Like I said,
all I know is Nick
was going to...

Well, he said he
was going to meet
Johnny Arthur.

He's an old friend.

Some place in
Northern California

called Parker Junction.

Oh, yes. I know where that is.

Well, Nick said he
was going to come
back with $5,000.

"Maybe even more, honey,"
that's how he put it.

Well, the twins need clothes.

The rent's almost
four months overdue.

All the other bills
have piled up, too.

So, naturally, when I
asked him about it,

he said, "Don't worry, honey."

I, I tried not to.

Now, he's dead.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Gorman.

This must be
very difficult for you.

Thank you.

Mr. Jones,
the reason I'm here is,

why hasn't Johnny Arthur
been in touch?

Nick went up there to meet him,

and Johnny hasn't even called.

And what happened to the money

that he and Nick
went there to get?

Are you convinced your husband

left Parker Junction with money?

That's why he went up there.

You're thinking he might
have been followed

and k*lled for it, aren't you?

Betty learned the investigation
business from my son, Hal.

What is it Hal
always said, Betty?

Oh, he always said
that you always said,

"Look for the obvious."

Right.

Mr. Jones, I need help.

Would you look into it for me?

I-I-I can't pay much, but...

Yeah, well, uh,
we'll work that out.

This, uh, Johnny Arthur,

when's the last time
you heard from him?

Six weeks, maybe even
longer than that.

The night Nick called, he said

Johnny hadn't even showed up
at Parker Junction.

Maybe he never did.

I'm worried about him, too.

All right, Mrs. Gorman,
we, uh, have your number,

and, uh, we'll be
in touch with you.

Thank you.

I'll show you out.

Now, don't worry.

Everything's going to be fine.

HELENA: Bye.
BETTY: Bye-bye.

Barnaby, what if it was
a hit-and-run accident?

What if there wasn't any money?

What if there was?

I want you to dig up
back issues of newspapers

from Parker Junction
and around there.

How far back?

Six, seven weeks.

Any story that smells
like quick money.

And get a full report
on the hit-and-run accident.

And, um, I'll call you
from Parker Junction.

What do you really hope
to find up there?

A lake.

[chuckling]:
What?

I never did get a chance
to try out

that new fishing rod
you gave me.

There's a lake
right out of town there.

One other thing.

The driver who ran down Gorman
might have enough insurance

to cover a death benefit
for the widow of the victim.

If you find him.

Confidence, Betty.
Confidence.

Russ?

RUSS:
Is that you?

Yeah, it's me.
What do you want?

Are we alone?

Well, yes, we're alone.
What do you want?

Well, you know, uh...

when you had me
gimmick that fella's car

to stall down the road,
well, I've been thinking,

$500 is just not enough.

I mean, ten times
$500 is more like it.

$500 is plenty.

No way, Mr. Flory.

I have to get back
to the store, Russ.

I'll talk to you about it later.

Well, you'd better.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Oh, hi.
Hi.

You Mr. Flory?

No, sir.
I'm the mechanic.

Mr. Flory around?

No, sir. No, he's
up the street.

He also owns the general store.

Oh.

My, my...

He also owns that.

Don't tell me a new car
needs repair already?

No. No, he just likes
to keep it out of the sun.

He'll get over it.

Only got it a month.

How can I help you?

Yes.

Uh, I'm Barnaby Jones,

and, uh, I'm gonna be
in town a day or so.

I'd like to have my car lubed

and, uh, tuned,
if you think it needs it.

It was knocking pretty bad
coming up the mountain.

I'll look at it,
Mr. Jones.

I'll be back in a little while.

Oh, uh, do you happen to know
who in town is in charge

of issuing
fishing license renewals?

Mr. Flory does that, too.

Who else?

Morning.

Well, thanks again.

All right.

Yes, sir?

Mr. Flory?
Yup.

I'm told you're the man to see

about getting a
fishing license renewed.

Mm-hmm.

[whispering]:
Who's that guy?

I don't know.

Barnaby Jones.

Mr. Jones, if you're here
to do some fishing,

you might find it a bit late
in the season.

I wonder if the trout know that.

Good point.

They might not.

I see for occupation,
you put down retired.

Yes. I got a lot of time
on my hands now.

Time to see things

and notice things
I never noticed before.

I was always in too much
of a hurry.

For instance, I notice
that you're wearing a new suit.

That's nice.

And, uh, that fancy car
parked over in the garage.

That's yours, isn't it?

Uh-huh.

You know, new things
have a way of bragging.

Look, I-I...

Oh, nothing personal.

Say, do you know a place in town

that would put me up
for a night or two?

Clover House up at the corner.

That'll be three dollars.

[bills and paper crinkling]

Much obliged.

That's a duplicate of the
fishing license Flory sold him.

Well, the man could be here

for just a little
innocent fishing.

Not this late in the season.

Check on that.

Find out exactly who he is.

And if he's not who or
what he seems to be?

There'll be a meeting
of the town council.

[door shuts]

[dialing]

Barnaby,
I checked back two months

on news
from good old Parker Junction,

and I am now a fountain
of information on 16 marriages,

who gave what parties,
football scores,

but Barnaby,
there were no truck heists,

bank robbers,
kidnappings, nothing.

Not even one wife beating.

I'm sorry. I guess
that isn't much help, is it?

You guessed. It isn't.

Well, do you want me
to do anything else?

Yeah.

Get ahold of our client,
Mrs. Gorman,

and find out all you can

about Nick's friend
Johnny Arthur.

That's the one that's been
missing six, seven weeks.

Now, I already did that.

Uh, Nick and Johnny Arthur
were in the service together.

Paratroopers.

Um, they were buddy-buddies,
hell-raisers, that's about it.

Listen, I'm going up to
Sacramento this afternoon

to get a full report
from the state police

on the hit-and-run accident.

I'll tell the answering service
to pick up, okay?

Check in at the
Star Bright Motel up there.

I'll call you.

All right.

Hey, be careful.

All I'm gonna do
is a little fishing.

Hey!

Is there something
I could do for you?

Mr. Spake?

Yeah, but I'm afraid we're
closed for the season.

Oh, that's a pity.

A man has a good business here,
a bunch of new boats,

turning away customers.

Well, we couldn't let the boats
go out in wind like this, and...

Anyway, the fact is,
I am closed for the season.

I just happened
to be driving by, and I saw you,

I thought I'd tell you.

Yeah, I used to run a place
like this once.

Long time ago.

I got a brand-new rod
just begging to be used.

Do any harm if I fish off
the end of your dock here?

Well, I...

I will need some bait.

I use two hooks.

Ham and eggs on one,
and, uh, cheese on the other.

I get remarkable results.

No, Mr. Jones, I don't...

Did I mention my name?

Oh, I must have, or, uh,
you wouldn't have known it.

Funny, you introduce yourself,
and you forget you did.

[rapid, shallow breathing]

You itch up there?

No.

Just habit.

Well, they do say that, uh,

massaging the scalp
stimulates hair growth.

How about it?

Hmm?

Can I go fishing?

All right, Mr. Jones,
I'll sell you the bait.

I appreciate that.

Is there something
I can do for you?

The door was open,
so I... came in.

Yes, I... I see you did.

I, uh, been looking at your map.

Oh, you interested
in some property?

Maybe.

I was noticing this parcel here,
about 250 acres.

The Eli Rile Ranch. 242.

That's not on the market.

Oh, uh, I see you got
a red pin stuck in it,

and unless I'm wrong,
that means that it's for sale.

Oh, my, did I forget
to remove that?

Then you sold it?

No.

Mr. Rile simply changed his mind
about selling.

I, uh, hope you don't mind,

but, uh, I've been looking

through your book
of listings there.

Oh, then you knew it
was Mr. Riles' ranch.

Well, it says so right here
in the book.

This is a little
out of date, too,

because it says
that it's for sale.

When I saw that,

I wanted to take a look
at it on your map.

That's a pretty big
first mortgage, isn't it?

He paid it off.

He pay off the second, too?

Well...

Oh, yeah, of course.

He would have
to pay off the second

before he paid off the first.

Sounds like
he came into some money.

Did he?

Why are you asking
these questions?

Well, I'm interested

in the price of real estate
up here, and...

Now, look here,
Mr. Jones...

Would you like some fish?

No, thank you.

That's a shame.

Hate to see 'em go to waste.

I'd throw 'em back in the lake,

but I think
it's a little late for that.

You, um, expect to be
staying around here

very long, Mr. Jones?

Well, I haven't made up my mind

just how long
I'm gonna stay around here.

Thank you very much
for your kindness, ma'am.

[man whistling in distance]

I was just admiring your car.

And those private
license plates.

I always wanted
to get some of those,

but my daughter-in-law,
who worries a lot about me

and keeps the books,
keeps pointing out

that we could use the
$25 for better things.

It's real nice.

New?

A few weeks.

Real nice.

Anybody here?

Oh, hello, Mr. Flory.

I didn't see you.

No, I...

I guess not.

I was looking for your mechanic.

Oh, Russ quit
yesterday afternoon.

Just like that?

Well, it's off-season.

Not much business.

It hard to keep a regular
mechanic this time of year.

And I guess I won't
be able to find him.

I mean, to fix my car.

No, I'm afraid you won't.

That's odd.

When I was here yesterday,

he didn't say a word
about quitting.

Well, that's the way it goes.

They get a notion in their
heads, and off they go.

Wonder what kind
of a notion it was.

You might as well take your car.

Yeah, I guess so.

I thought I'd have a look
at the real estate up here.

Any real estate in particular?

Well, I thought
I'd have a talk with Mr. Rile.

He seems to do real well
with his place.

[engine starting and revving]

[tires squeak]

Hey!

You're trespassing.

You don't have
to sh**t me, Mr. Rile.

I'll come along peaceable.

What are you doing
on my property?

Well, I heard it was for sale.

I couldn't raise anybody
at the house,

so I thought
I'd just look around.

Well, the ranch is no longer
for sale.

Oh, everything's for sale
at the right price.

Why don't you just get the hell
out of here?

You always this friendly?

To trespassers, yes.

That's exactly
how friendly I am.

Well, in that case,

a fella could get himself k*lled

just walking around
on your 242 acres,

especially if he was a stranger.

This your boy, Mr. Rile?

Yeah.

Well, I'm Barnaby Jones.

What's your name?
Eddie.

Hi, Eddie.

Very happy to make
your acquaintance.

Kind of late, isn't it?
What time is it?

Oh, quarter to 4:00.

Well, be dark in no time.

Sorry to bother you,
Mr. Rile.

Come here.

[engine starts]

I said, come here!

Give me that watch.

I told you to get rid
of all the gear.
Everything!

You want to advertise
to the whole world

that we buried a hijacker here?

Mr. Jones ain't the whole world.

No, he ain't the whole world.

But do you know what we go to do
to Mr. Jones now?

Do you?

We have to k*ll him.

I had a chance at
him in the garage

but didn't work out.

You're crazy, all of you.

I agree.
We can't k*ll

every stranger passes
through Parker Junction.

Bea, he knows.

Oh, calm down, Eli.

How does he know?
I caught him

tramping all over my property.

I'm sure he was looking
for the grave.

Mr. Jones was interested
in your property.

I told him it was
no longer for sale,

but maybe he just wanted to
have a look at it anyway.

Try this on, then.

He saw my kid wearing
the hijacker's watch.

He what?!

Oh, my Lord.

I know. I know.

I-I told that kid not to take
anything, but he did!

And that's the giveaway.

Everybody knows that
hijacker bailed out

a hundred miles from here.

That watch is something

you could've picked up for the
boy at an army and navy store.

Barnaby Jones may not
suspect anything.

Bea's right.

Now, we're jumping
at our own shadows.

We've got to get control
of ourselves.

We're suspicious of everybody.

That's not good.

Why didn't you three
leave me alone?

You wouldn't be in this
if you had left me alone.

Nobody would've known
I had it except...

you saw me bury the body.

Now, what right did you have
to be on my land?

Trespassing?

And all your questions

about... how was I able
to pay off the first

and second mortgages?

And you told him, Bea.

You had to tell him.

And than you guessed
where the money came from.

A million dollars

in unmarked bills.

And you moved in on me.

Blackmailed me for your share.

Eli...

Your share of my money!

Calm down!

Greed got into this...

Filthy gut greed.

No one would've suspected me,
and...

and now look where we are.

Gorman is dead, and...

Where does it all end?

It can and here and now,

but not with the m*rder
of a man who may very well

be up here on a fishing
trip and nothing more.

Well, it may be just a little
more than a fishing trip.

I ran that check on Jones.
Who is he?

He's a private detective.

BARNABY:
Oh, hi, Sheriff.

Say, uh...

Uh, it just occurred to me
that I probably should've

laid my cards on the table
when I first got here.

I'm a private detective,
and I'm working on a case.

Is that so?

Well, I'd be interested to know
who hired you.

BARNABY:
The wife of a man
named Nick Gorman.

SHERIFF:
The hit-and-run victim?

Yes. Uh, Ms. Gorman got
a copy of the police report

of the accident,
but it didn't satisfy her,

so she asked me to look into it.

Well, it's very
tragic, Mr. Jones,

but there's nothing
to look into, really.

I received an eyewitness report

that a Cadillac struck
and k*lled Nick Gorman.

Coffee?

No, thanks.

Who was that eye witness?

Eli Rile.

He has a ranch nearby.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

He's the man
that drives the jeep.

Yeah, I met him today.

Did he get the license number?

No. No, I'm afraid not.

That car was really traveling.

I took out after it,
but it had too much
of a head start.

I reported all that
to the state police.

That sounds pretty thorough.

Guess that kind of wraps it up.

Of course, uh,
Mrs. Gorman seems to think

that her husband
was carrying a wad of money.

I didn't find any.

Could be pure conjecture.

You know how wives are,

and, uh, what husbands tell
them to keep them happy.

[chuckling]:
Yeah.

Do you mind if I tell you
a little professional secret?

Sure.

Taking on this case

was just an excuse for me
to get a little fishing in.

[laughs]

Did you hear that?

I suppose you believed him?

Well, you people
don't believe anybody.

That's right.

We got to check on every
outsider coming in here,

and he's smart
enough to know that.

Identified himself
to throw you off.

Well, he didn't throw me off.

And you four aren't
putting me off another day.

Sheriff wants
his cut of the money.

Yeah.

Well, how long do you
expect me to stand by

for a string of homicides?

Hit-and-run or any kind.

You'll get your money.
You bet.

I'll see to it, Sheriff.
I'll see you get it.

You'll see to it?

You people make me sick.

A private detective gets here,

and you have sudden riches
showing all over town.

He's not an idiot.

I don't know which one of you
got the "X" this time,

and I don't want to know.

But whoever it is...

better not miss.

The coroner reports
that when Gorman was hit,

his body made violent
contact with the vehicle.

A Cadillac?

Well, Mrs. Jones,

there's now a serious
question about that.

There was glass
from the headlight

all over the road.

And the lab's been putting
the pieces together.

Some of them as tiny as slivers,
so it's quite a job.

It might not be
a Cadillac headlight, huh?

We don't know yet.

But we suspect it's
too big for a Cadillac.

A car like that has
double headlights,

and the glass covering each

is approximately
six inches in diameter.

The headlight now being
reconstructed in the lab

is considerably larger.

Really?

A single headlight
with a dual beam.

The kind used
on smaller vehicles

such as compacts, jeeps...
On that order.

I see.

So we'll know more about it
once it's all pasted together.

But the Sheriff
in Parker Junction said

that the hit-and-run
vehicle was a Cadillac.

Well, he probably didn't
really see it himself

and took somebody's word for it.

These accident witnesses
are wrong half the time.

But still, that's no excuse.

Hit-and-run is
a serious felony.
Right.

Well, thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Say hello to your
father-in-law for me.

I'll do that.

Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.

Afternoon, Mr. Jones.

Afternoon, ma'am.

Just Molly.

Everyone calls me Molly.

Have a nice day?
Awful.

What's the matter?

My car.

You know, it's a funny thing
but, uh,

you know, Russ the mechanic
down at the garage?

Uh-huh.
He was going to do
some work on it,

and he just disappeared.

Now, why would he do
a thing like that?

Isn't like Russ.

I sure wish I knew
where he lived.

Oh, Russ owns a house
here in town.

I sure would like to see him.

I need work done on my car
that just won't wait.

Well, why don't you just

run on over to his house
and talk about it?

He lives at the corner
of Orchard and Market.

A little house
with pillars on the porch.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Russ?

Anybody here?

♪ ♪

[muted music playing
in The Tavern]

[door closes]

Look.

Evening, gentlemen.

What is it,
a town council meeting?

Hello, Mr. Jones.

Beer?

I wonder if I could have
a glass of milk.
Yes, sir.

Shot of whiskey in it or double?

Straight.

Straight milk?

Well, Mr. Flory, looks like

I'm going to have
my car fixed after all.

I don't know
who's going to do it.

Your mechanic, Russ.

I told you, Russ Lee
took off for parts unknown.

Well, that may very well be.

But it does seem strange.

Why would a healthy,
young man leave town

without taking all
his things with him?

His clothes, skis,

picture of his mother.

Not to mention that house
of his.

Seems to me he'd want to sell
that before he went anywhere.

No use, Mr. Spake.

What's no use?

You're never going
to grow hair up there.

Yes, sir, it looks like, uh,
Russ is still around.

He's going to be to work
bright and early in the morning.

Of course, he will.

[billiard ba*ls clacking]

What were you doing
at Russ's place?

Well, I had a fool notion I
could get my car fixed tonight.

There's nothing wrong
with your car.

Did Russ tell you that?

Yeah.

Well, that's good.

Spake, you going to play?

[blows]

[ball rattling
in ball-return trough]

[ball settling in racking end
of table]

Tsk, too bad.

Well, it's getting on
towards my bedtime.

This mountain air
sure makes you sleep good.

What do I owe you?



Keep the change.
Thank you, sir.

[whispering]:
Russ tried to
blackmail me.

He tried the same thing with me.

Wanted more
than the 500 I gave him.

A lot more.

Ten times 500.

But I didn't k*ll him.

I suppose, tomorrow, your kid

will have a wristwatch
on the other arm.

You shut up.

What are you going
to do about Jones?

You're the one that got the X.

Tomorrow morning.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[sighs]

My directions okay?

[laughing]:
Oh, well, let's
just say I'm here.

What's going on?

Well, when I called you
in Sacramento last night,

you told me
that the hit-and-run car

that k*lled Nicky Gorman
was not a Cadillac.

Yeah.

Well, they think it's
some sort of, uh...

compact or jeep, maybe.

Well, yesterday, I saw a jeep

with what looked like
a brand-new headlight.

At least the other one
was all spattered with mud.

Are you saying you
know the identity

of the driver of the
hit-and-run accident?

It wasn't an accident.

He was m*rder*d.

I'd say so.

Betty, there is new money
around here.

A man named Flory,
a real estate woman,

both driving big,
expensive new cars.

There's a rancher

with a great big mortgage
all paid off.

New boats on the lake.

New money... it sort of...

Sticks out a bit.

Yep.

Yeah.

You know, Betty, I could
put this all together

if you had told me there'd
been a bank robbery

or a stickup of an armored car.

Barnaby, there's nothing.

I dug all the way from
the hijacking at Redding

to the truck heist in Seattle.

There's just nothing.

Hijacking?

You remember that
sky pirate who bailed out

with a million dollars
a hundred miles from here.

They never found him.
The FBI...

Does anybody remember his name?

[chuckling]:
I don't think he
ever gave it out.

Betty, do you remember
something else you told me?

Nick Gorman and
Johnny Arthur were both

paratroopers.
Paratroopers.

Oh...

BARNABY:
Nick probably masterminded it
for Johnny Arthur.

He had a survival kit
stashed in the woods.

Told him to lay low
for six weeks

until the big search
for him was over.

At which time Nick was

going to meet him here
at Parker Junction.

Nick showed up, asked for him
by another name

but described him so perfectly
that somebody panicked.

Somebody who'd already found
the million-dollar ransom.

Found Johnny Arthur along
with it and m*rder*d him.

Took his life,
his money and his watch.

And when Nick began to
suspect what had happened...

They had to k*ll him, too.

It's m*rder-go-round, Betty.

And once it starts,
it's hard to stop.

That young mechanic
at the garage, he caught on.

He's missing.
He's probably dead, too.

[g*nsh*t]

Are you all right?

No. I'm scared silly.

Let's get out of here.

Okay.
No. Your car.

What? What?

Let's hope he's watching mine.

[starter cranking,
engine stalling]

[tires screeching]

Well, what do we do now?

What I'm going to do
is have a talk with them.

A talk, after what
just happened?

There's no proof against
the k*ller of Nicky Gorman

that would warrant
making an arrest.

Well, then what can you do?

I must've stirred them up

pretty good last night
in The Tavern.

Now, I'm betting that they're
going to call a panic meeting,

and I'm going to be there.
Barnaby...

My guess is that
the skyjack seeker

is among the four of them...

Five, counting the sheriff.

Nobody else in town knows.

And they're not fools enough

to raise a hand to me
in front of citizens

who may turn out
to be witnesses later on.

What witnesses?

You'll find some...

That Molly that runs
the hotel up there.

Get anybody you can.

That's the reason
I brought you up here.

Barnaby, wh-what good is
a confrontation with them

when you just said
there's no proof?

Here they come.

It's a meeting of
the clan all right.

Andy Spake coming in.

And Rile's jeep.

John Flory coming up.

And dear Bea Johnson.

Full cast.

Well, time for me
to go to the party.

Barnaby...

Time for you, too.

RILE:
Man, you missed him?
SPAKE: I couldn't help it.

BEA:
Shouldn't have left
anything to you!

SPAKE
Would you listen to me? Will you
listen to me just one minute?

Listen to me! Look, I had him
right in the sights.

This woman drove up.
BEA: What woman?

How do I know?!
If you had him right
in the sights,

why didn't you just
pull the trigger?
Look, she kept moving!
She'd move one way,

then he'd get up
and he'd walk around...

[all talking over each other]

SPAKE:
I was trying!
I did the best I could.

BEA:
Well, the best
wasn't good enough!

SPAKE:
You do it!

Spake.

I got a message for you.

A message for me?

State police are
on their way over,

pick up that jeep
you were driving

the day you k*lled Nicky Gorman.

No, not me.
I wasn't driving.
Shut up.

It's Rile's jeep.
Doesn't make any difference.

You were driving it.
I wasn't driving it.

I swear!
Can't you keep
your mouth shut?

Of course you were driving.

Left headlight
shattered on impact.

Pieces of glass in Gorman's
body, they'll match up.

Mr. Jones, don't you hear me?
BEA: Spake, you fool!

You're doing exactly
what he wants!

It's m*rder, Spake.

What about him?

Oh, I know, Mr. Rile
k*lled that hijacker

that Gorman came up
here to meet.
I-I didn't k*ll anybody.

Where are you going?

You buried him on your property.

Buried everything he had
with him except his watch.

You crazy fool!
That's how he knows.

Do something!
Will you do something?

You buried the mechanic
Russ Lee there, too,
didn't you?

Hijackers are
a menace to the world

and Russ was a blackmailer.

Oh, dear God, Rile!

Well, he knows, doesn't he?

They'll be digging up
the graves.

Shut up, Rile!
Just shut up!

Look, Mr. Jones, you
got to believe me.

When I found that
suitcase full of money,

I-I was gonna turn
it all in, but...

but I was gonna lose my ranch.

I needed the money.

I waited my whole life
for a chance like that.

And then they moved in on me.

Are you insane? Be quiet!
Okay, you dumb...

Hold it!
Hold it!

Now, that's enough.

You four are under arrest.

Well, Sheriff...

That took a lot of gall,

since you're a part of it.

And particularly...

since we have an audience.

Come on out.
See for yourself.

They heard every word.

BARNABY:
The whole confession.

All the squabbling
about who k*lled who.

Oh, Mr. Flory, uh,

if you're thinking
of going out the back door,

it won't do any good.

Why don't you join us?

[chuckling]:
Hi. Mm!
Hi.

How you doing?
Fine.

Did you catch anything?

Not a nibble.
Aw, that's too bad.

You want some lunch?
Yeah, don't mind if I do.

Well?

You were right.

Eli Rile did carry
liability insurance.

Which means that Helena Gorman

stands to collect about $20,000.

And we stand to collect
a little fee.

Did you call her?

Of course I did.
Right after a judge

formally charged
all those involved.

Including the sheriff?

Yep.

And that means there is no
lawman in Parker Junction.

And they asked me if you'd like

to, um, temporarily
take over the job.

You might be able to
get in some nice fishing

the next couple of days.

Before the fish quit
for the season.

[both laughing]

[line reeling]
Here we go.

You got one, Barnaby!
Here we are.

Hey, forget about the sandwich.

I got a better lunch coming.

[laughing]:
Great.

[theme music playing]