01x01 - Requiem for a Son

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

Starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Meriwether.

With guest stars
Bradford Dillman,

Robert Hogan.

Special guest star
William Conrad.

MAN:




♪ ♪

[tires screech]

[coins jingling]

[whistling happily]

[phone rings]

Eh...

[ringing continues]
Ooh.

All right, I'm coming,
I'm coming, I'm coming.

Hello.

Hello, hello, Frank.

Hal Jones.

Oh, Hal, how are ya?

Uh, look, I've got a problem.

Yeah? What's wrong?

Look, we're buddies, right?

In the, in the same business.

I need some professional advice.

Where are you?

In a phone booth.
Look, I've got myself

into one hell of a jam
trying to help out a client.

May I talk to you in confidence?

sh**t.

Not over the phone.

I'm only a few minutes away.

Well, look, uh...

I just put a spinach
soufflé in the oven.

Why don't you come up here
and share it with me, huh?

I'll be right up.

Okay.

Thanks, Frank.

[g*nsh*t]

[car door shuts]

[engine starts]

[tires squealing,
engine revving]

[inhaling]

[sighs]

♪ ♪

[phone ringing]
[sobbing]

[quietly]:
Be right back.

[sobbing continues]

Hello.

Hal?

Is that you?

Who is this?

This is Frank Cannon.

Who am I talking to?

This is Hal's father,
Mr. Cannon.

Hal is dead.

He was k*lled last night.

Oh, Mr. Jones, I...

Uh, give me a minute, will you?

Why were you calling?

Uh...

Well, Hal called me last night.

What time?

Oh, I guess it was about
a quarter to 12:00.

From a pay phone.

He said that he was in
some kind of trouble.

What kind?

He didn't say.

He just said he wanted
to talk to me

and I told him to come on
up to my place.

He said he'd be right over.

I'll be right over.

No, no, no, wait a minute.

Hold on.
Are-Are the police there?

They're here.

Then why don't we meet at Hal's
office before they get there?

I'm on my way.

All right.

Uh, she's, uh,
going to rest now.

How are you
feeling?
Angry.

Betty...
[mutters]

Listen to me.
[gasps]

I've got to go out for a while.

What?
Mrs. Brenner will
be here with you.

I'll be back soon.

Oh, please, please...

Keep the press away from her.

♪ ♪

Barnaby Jones.

Frank Cannon.

I'd like to offer
my condolences.

Thanks.

Hal was a close friend.

I don't have to tell
you how he valued
your friendship.

What did he say to
you last night?

Oh, not much more
than what I told you,

that he'd gotten himself
into trouble

trying to help a client.

A client?

Yeah, and he wanted to talk
to me in confidence.

Did he say where he went?

Just a few minutes
away, he said.

Griffith Park.

He was shot down

in the phone booth he
was calling from.

Place is like an old friend.

And there're not
many of them left.

[chuckles]

Four years ago, when I retired,

I calculated I had lived
exactly half my life out of

this office.

Hal used to love this place.

He used to come here as a boy,

worked his way through USC.

Used to study here at night.

Right in there at my desks.

Sometimes right in here.

Oh, I used to give him some
help now and then: chemistry,

clinical psychology,

forensic medicine, criminology.

Those are my specialties,

you know.

I know.

When I turned the business
over to Hal,

he didn't change a thing.

Barnaby...

I'd like your permission
to take on this case.

I'd consider it a personal score

to find the man who
k*lled your son.

That's very generous
of you, Cannon,

but, uh, this is something
for me to do.

Here's another old friend.

Only had to use it
once in 28 years.

Look, Barnaby, I'm gonna
be blunt with you.

You've been in retirement
for four years now.

You said that yourself.

Yes, but the old reflexes
still sharp as a colt's.

You over work with horses,
Cannon?

[chuckles]

Only at the ten dollar window.

Don't remind me of it.

What about Hal's wife?

I suppose she's gonna be
needing your help now.

Yes, I thought of that.

But the more I think of Betty,

the more resolved I am
to get this man myself.

Cannon, you may be the best
in the business,

but, uh, I did all right
for myself for 28 years,

and Hal was my son.

Okay.

Which isn't to say

that I might not need your help.

What case was Hal working on?

Do you know?
No.

I doubt if we'll find out here.

He was as uncomplicated
as I was.

Carried everything in his head.

Evidently he went to a party
night before last.

There's, uh,
somebody by the name

of Terry.

Terry McCormack.

Terry McCormack.

That's the lawyer who's
running for Congress, huh?

Yeah.

Hal did some work for him
a couple of years ago

on an industrial espionage case.

McCormack has kept him
on retainer ever since.

Ever heard of a girl by the name
of Karen Armsby?

No. What's this?

Yesterday's newspaper.

It says there that she worked
on McCormack's staff.

So, on, uh, behalf of, uh, my
campaign coworkers and myself,

I'd like to say that we're,
uh, deeply gratified

to learn that we've moved
ahead in the polls.

Let me ask you a question,
Mr. McCormack.

Some commentators attribute
your surging popularity

to your free-spending
campaign style.

[chuckles]

Well, uh, Mr. Russell,
let me say this:

I have, uh, contributed
considerable resources

of my own to this campaign.

But I believe that my exposure

has not, uh, communicated
my personal means

to the voters as much as it has
my spirit of commitment.

I think that that should do it,
ladies and gentlemen.

I thank you very much.

See you all in Washington,
I hope.

[murmuring]

One more, one more.

Uh, Mr. McCormack?

I'm sorry, I have a heavy
schedule this afternoon.

I'm, uh, Hal Jones' father.

Uh, please...
come into my office.

I don't want to be disturbed.

All right?

That will be all for today,
ladies and gentlemen.

Most of your questions will be
answered in this press release,

so please take one
on your way out.

I only heard the news

on my car radio
as I was driving in.

I can't tell you
how shocked I was.

All of us who knew Hal
felt so strongly...

Yes, uh, everyone liked him.

Almost everyone.

I don't want to take

too much of your time,
Mr. McCormack.

Don't you worry
about my time, sir.

Here, please.

Come sit down.

And tell me
if there's anything at all

that I can do for you.

Yes...

yes, you might be able
to help me a great deal.

You see, I'm investigating
Hal's m*rder.

When was the last
time you saw Hal?

Well, as a matter of fact, uh,

he came to a party at my house,

uh, in Malibu
last Thursday night.

Really?

Big party?

I don't suppose there were more

than, uh, 25 or 30 people.

It started out as a...
a get-together

for some of the members
of my campaign staff,

and it just grew.

It's fortunate that, uh,
my wife and children

are in Aspen
visiting her parents.

Was he alone?

Hal? Yes.

But you're asking me, uh,
was he working for me?

Well, the answer is yes again,
but I-I don't understand,

because it was just, uh,
campaign security.

Were you having problems?

No, not at all. I invited Hal

simply to meet
the other members of my staff.

I, uh, wonder if it would be
possible for me to have a list

of the other guests
who attended the party?

Certainly.

I'll have my secretary make out
a list for you this afternoon.

Well...
here's my card,

in case you want to get in touch

with me for any reason.

And, uh, thank you very much

for your time,
Mr. McCormack.

Please call me Terry, sir.

If you stop calling me "sir."

Oh, um...

I forgot to offer
my condolences to you.

On the death

of the young lady
who was working for you.

Karen Armsby?

Well, good luck
on your campaign.

[elevator bell dings]

I think, then, we'd
better check at what time

we're supposed
to be at the station.

Would you let me know?
Okay, Terry.

[engine starting in distance]

[engine starting]

[engine starting]

[tires screeching]

[tires squealing]

♪ ♪

Cannon?

How did you know it was me?

You have a rather
distinctive silhouette.

[chuckles]

I talked to, uh,
Terry McCormack today.

He said Hal was at the
party, but that's all.

Here's a list of
the other people.

Karen Armsby was there, too.

He played it close to his vest
about her.

Awful close.

Hmm.

Two people at the same party.

Both now dead.

One m*rder*d, the other suicide.

One day apart.

Can you make a connection?

What, do you question
the suicide?

I question everything.

Of course,
the medical examiner's report

is pretty conclusive.

She swallowed a whole
bottle of barbiturates.

That could k*ll her
in 15 minutes.

[sighs]

Yeah, that must have been
some lousy party.

And a long ride home
for her, too.

That's what bothers me.

Who took her home?

Or did she drive herself?

I think I'm going
to check her place out.

Have you got anything else?

Just the ballistics report
on Hal.

Slug from a .38.

How did you happen to find her
at 10:00 in the morning?

I was returning her keys.

What key?

The car keys.

Her car had been in
the shop for a week.

They'd just brought it back.

The driver left
the keys with me.

I always put things
away for Karen.

She said I was like
a mother to her.

And somebody else drove her
Thursday night, huh?

I don't know if it
was one of them.

She had lots of beaus.

I didn't see her Thursday night.

Uh, can I keep these
for a little while?

Don't know what good
they're going to do her now.

With all that attention,
why do you think she did it?

[phone buzzes]

Yes?

All right, I'll take it.

Hello.

I could have k*lled you today.

That was just a warning,
Mr. Candidate.

Who is this?

Where were you last night?

We had a date, remember?

At the Griffith Park
Observatory?

You think I was kidding
or something?

I kid you not.

You need a little push, maybe.

Like, next time, I try your side
of the windshield.

I got something better.

I've got Karen's suicide note
right here in my hand.

What are you talking about?

Oh, it's a real valentine.

Like how you were going to
divorce your wife and marry her.

But you lied.

I'll be glad to give you a copy.

I had several made up
this morning for the newspapers.

But I'm keeping the original
just for you.

What do you want?

You've got a very short memory.

The same as before:
$100,000 in 20s.

Have the money ready,

and be at your phone
at 11:00... tonight.

♪ ♪

Hal, is that...?

He's not coming back.

I know, honey.

I know.

This is what I've been
afraid of for years.

He always said, "Oh, honey.

"They don't sh**t
people like me.

"The worse I'll ever get

is a traffic ticket or
a punch in the face."

I know. I used to say
the same thing myself.

Well, I have got
to do something.

Let me fix you a cup of coffee.

I guess I could do
with a glass of milk.

Good. Hold on.

Betty, I've been thinking.

Why don't you come out
to the ranch for a few days?

Been kind of lonely
for me out there.

Well, I guess...

we're both gonna need
someone to take care of us.

Or someone to take care of.

I know.

Let me think about it.

Well, while you're thinking,

I'm gonna make you a promise.

I promise that I'm going to get

the man that k*lled Hal.

The same thing
will happen to you.

No, he wasn't prepared for it.
I am.

That makes all the difference.

[sighs]
Well, I can't stop you.

Hal was the same way.

Have you any idea
of what he was up to?

I didn't think so.

What about that party
he went to Thursday night?

Terry McCormack's?

Did he say anything about it?

No. He acted strange
the next morning.

Strange?

Oh, moody.

Like something was on his mind.

We were going to the ballgame
in the afternoon.

He forgot all about it
when Terry called.

Terry called him Friday?

Yes.

I know they met in Hal's office
that afternoon.

Did he say where he was going
Friday night?

Same thing he always said:

"I'm gonna meet a client."

[phone rings]

I'll get it.

Hello.

Well, I'm glad I reached you.

What about?

I think I have something which,
uh, may help in your search.

I'm listening.

Can you come to my house?

It's Rocky Point Cove,
Pacific Coast Highway.

I'll be there.

Betty...

I have to go out for a while.

Oh... Where?

I'm gonna meet a client.

BARNABY: Quite a view
you got there.

Makes me think of China.

All that water,

and nothing else
between China and us.

"There she lies,

"a sleeping giant.

"Let her sleep.

For when she wakes, she
will shake the world."

You know who said that?

John Foster Dulles?

Napoleon Bonaparte.

Ah.

[chuckles]

Here.

Oh, uh, no thank you.

What's your opinion?

Of Napoleon?

The Chinese.

Are you asking me
as a politician or as myself?

Aren't they one and the same?

Well, the point I'm about to
make is, uh, about the Chinese.

Some of our politicians seemed

to have learned a
lesson from them.

You never know

whether they mean what they say.

One truth concealing another.

Jones, I'd like to hire you.

Why don't you start
by telling me everything you can

that'll help me catch
my son's k*ller?

Hal was k*lled by the, uh,
same man who's blackmailing me.

Then you weren't entirely
truthful with me this morning?

No.

Why?

The blackmailer took a shot
at me this noon

in the garage
at my office building.

And you saw the man?

No, no, I didn't.

I-I ducked.

Naturally anticipating
another shot, which never came.

And by the time I looked up,
he'd gone.

You think
he's trying to k*ll you?

No.

It was a warning shot,

because he called me
in my office

early this afternoon,
to threaten me again

unless I come up
with more money.

How much money does he want?

Another $100,000.

Another $100,000?

Tell me, Mr. McCormack,

why are you being blackmailed?

[clears throat]

I'm a married man, Jones.

The past few months,

I've, uh, been having an affair
with Karen Armsby.

Karen Ar...

Oh, yes.

That's the young lady
that, uh...

Yes, that's the one.

And she was here
on Thursday night, in fact.

This is where
she k*lled herself.

Well, the newspapers said

that her body was found
in her apartment.

It was, because Hal
and I took it there.

You see, I discovered her body
about midnight,

lying in my bedroom.

I couldn't believe it.

She was lying there

with that empty pill bottle
beside her.

Anyway, I went out,
I locked the door,

I went and told Hal.

We waited for the
guests to leave,

which was about 1:00
o'clock in the morning,

and then we took Karen

and the pill bottle
back to her place.

Could I, um, trouble you
for a glass of milk?

I see you're a sailor, too.

[sighs]

Understand me, Jones.

Hal didn't want to do it.

In fact, I'm ashamed
to say I, uh...

I had to lie to him.

I told him that, uh, I'd never
had an affair with Karen,

that she, uh, was simply

a lovesick political groupie

with a history
of emotional problems...

Which is true...

And that her suicide
in this house

would wreck my career,
wreck my marriage.

It would make it look

as if we really had been
having an affair,

and that I tried to reject her,

which was also true.

Anyway, that's why Hal

finally decided to help me.

Because he trusted me,

and because he believed
in my political future.

You mean... you brought
the girl all the way
out here to reject her?

No, no. She came
with, uh, an actor friend.

I'm not sure which.

The place was full
of Hollywood types that night.

Well, wouldn't the person

that brought her have
stayed to take her home?

I don't know. People were coming
and going all evening.

How did all this get Hal k*lled?

Well, uh, we didn't know it
at the time,

but, uh, obviously,

someone must have seen
Karen's body

in my bedroom before I did.

Either that,
or they saw us carry her out.

Anyway...

I received this
at noon on Friday.

It's a demand for $100,000

to be delivered
to the parking lot

of the Griffith Park
Observatory at midnight.

So you hired Hal to go
after the blackmailer?

No, no. He was only supposed
to deliver the money.

But you think he tried
to catch the man?

Well, why else would
the man have k*lled him?

Where's your car?

McCORMACK: It's parked
in the lower driveway.

It lodged in the
passenger headrest.

Mind if I hang on
to this a while?

Not at all.

What are you going
to do with it?

I'm not entirely sure right now.

Have you any idea
who this man is?

No. He told me simply to expect
his call at 11:00 tonight.

So you want me to do what
you think Hal was trying to do?

Yes. I want you
to catch this man.

He's Hal's k*ller.

You said you're out
to get him, and, uh,

neither one of us wants the
police to do this job for us.

McCormack, I don't
want you to think

that I approve of your morals.

In fact, I wouldn't
even vote for you.

But if you can help me
catch my son's k*ller,

I'll be happy to oblige.

How can you eat those things?

I can eat anything.

As long as I can wash it down
with a glass of cold milk.

You know...

I can believe the suicide
part of Terry's story.

I can even believe
Hal's part in it.

He was always fiercely
loyal to his clients.

But I just can't
see him going as far

as helping to pay
off a blackmailer.

Maybe he didn't.

What do you mean?

Maybe that's why
he called me that night.

Maybe he'd gotten himself
into something he didn't like,

and he couldn't
go through with it.

But why k*ll him?

Well, maybe he saw
the blackmailer,
like Terry said,

and he was going
to try to take him.

Or maybe the blackmailer thought
that Hal was calling the police.

Maybe a lot of things.

We could sit here and "why
and maybe" ourselves to death.

But I'm taking that phone call

with Terry
tonight at 11:00.

I'm interested in finding out

who's going to be on the
other end of that line.

Party guests?

Yeah.
Couple of them.

A couple of Karen's
other boyfriends.

Ah, let's see.

It's Reed and Marshall.

Their names are
on the party list.

Reed Carpenter
and Marshall Eaton.

They're both actors.

Their addresses are on
the backs of the pictures.

Well, we don't have much time.

Why don't you take one,
and I'll take the other?

Okay.

You know, Barnaby,
I would love to thank you

for this wonderful lunch
but, uh...

but I just don't have it in me.

Sure, I was there, but
I didn't take Karen.

I mean, I took somebody...

What about Karen?

Uh, this is a
friend of Hal Jones,

Donna.
How do you do?

What's he asking you
about Karen for?

Oh, come on.

He's talking to everybody
who was at McCormack's party.

Some coincidence.

You take me to a
party where she's at.

I didn't even know she
was going to be there.

Reed took her.

Reed Carpenter?

Yeah.

She didn't care any more
about Reed than I do.

She probably conned him
into taking her

because it was
McCormack's party.

She was freaky for McCormack.

I don't imagine
that pleased Reed too much, huh?

Pleased him?

They... They had an
argument that night.

Reed walked out.

Who took her home?

DONNA: Oh, she always
found somebody.

The girl is dead, Donna.

Well, I know how that
breaks your heart, lover.

[clears throat]
Well, Mr. Eaton,

perhaps you better go back
and finish your... shower.

Thank you.

Mr. Carpenter?

Yeah?

I thought I recognized you.

You know, I watch
your show every week.

Well, it's not
the greatest part in town,

but at least
it's a running role.

I think you're pretty good.

I really do.

And I'm tough on
those cop shows.

You see, uh,
I'm sort of one myself.

Cop?

Private.

Mind if I ask you
a few questions?

Uh, about what?

Hal Jones.

I'm his dad.

But he was just...

That's what I'm trying
to find out about...

Asking some of the
people who saw him last

at that party Thursday night.

Oh, McCormack's party.

Yeah, I was there.

Uh, not for very long, though.

You remember seeing Hal?

Yeah, I saw him.

You remember anything
else about him?

Well, to tell you the truth,
I, uh, I don't remember much.

You see, I didn't stay too long.

You left early?

The girl I took wanted
to stay a little longer.

Oh, yes, that's right.

Miss Armsby.

You must have been
terribly shocked.

I was.

And...

I wasn't.

How do you mean?

Well...

I knew she was headed
for trouble.

I just didn't know
it'd happen that fast.

You mean you knew she was going
k*ll herself?

Oh, no, no, no.

Oh, another man?

You better believe it.

Somebody that was
there that night?

The host.

Oh, yeah.

I've, uh, I've heard
that rumor myself.

Here, have a mint.

They're good.

Well, say, since, uh,
you left early,

I guess you wouldn't
know how she got home.

What has my leaving early
have to do with Hal Jones?

You're absolutely right,
Mr. Carpenter.

Not a thing.

Unless...

Unless what?!

You think there could
be a connection?

Listen, dad,

why do you keep bugging me
with your questions?

Because your answers get better
and better.

As your manners get worse
and worse.

This is my floor.

Any more questions?

I think you've answered them...
sonny.

Well, I'll tell you this...

That Reed Carpenter
is a real hothead.

He hates questions
about Thursday night

almost as much as he hates
Terry McCormack's guts.

Marshall Eaton said
about the same thing.

Evidently Reed and Karen had
a fight about Terry,

and he left the party earlier.

He could have come back later to
take her home, found the body.

That's a great setup
for blackmail.

But m*rder?

No.

Look at this.

Terry McCormack insists
that the man who fired at him is

the same man who k*lled Hal.

This is a blowup of the b*llet
that k*lled Hal.

See the striations?

Barrel markings along the side.

Now, this...

is a slug that I dug out
of McCormack's car today.

Now let me see the other one.

You see, the markings are
entirely different.

Yeah, they are.

Yeah, this is from a .38...
But someone else's .38.

Sounds like we're looking
for two men...

A blackmailer and a m*rder*r.

We're going to a blackmailing.

I want to see
those two men meet.

Reed Carpenter is just a guess.

Educated guess.

Come on, my friend.

I'll hold Terry's hand.

You see where
Carpenter leads you.

Okay.

[starts engine]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[phone ringing]

Hello.

Go down the Harbor Freeway,

across the Signal Street
overpass,

to the first dirt road.

Drive down to the tanks
at the railroad tracks.

Be there at midnight... alone.

When you see another car flash
its lights, turn off yours.

Get out of your car,

leave the bag halfway between
the two cars and walk away.

Stand with your back turned
until you hear a car drive away.

If you turn, you'll be shot.

And this time
I won't try to miss.

[tires squeal]

Well, that doesn't
leave us much time.

Where's the money?

You carry it.

What do you need me for?

If we're gonna catch this man
tonight,

you'd better be there.

If he sees me, he'll know

it's a phony setup.

And don't worry...

you'll have plenty
of protection.

I'll be in the vicinity.

Go.

I hope you know
what you're doing.

Isn't that why you hired me?

I know exactly what I'm doing.

Let me out around
the turn up there.

You go on ahead.

♪ ♪

Better get down there.

No, Frank, this is my w*r party.

Those men are
probably both armed.

I know.

Stop right there!

Put it down.

Get moving,
but stay in the light.

Keep your back turned.

Just don't move.

Well, Mr. Carpenter,

I thought you only played roles

of redeeming social virtue.

Get up.

Hold out your hand.

You're willing to wreck
an entire career

for a lousy hundred grand.

Oh, no.

The gentleman feels

that you have a lot more
at stake than he does.

Well... it was
almost worth it

to see him suffer.

Your life in jail?

My life?

That's the usual sentence
for m*rder.

What're you talking about?

Hal Jones.

You k*lled him Friday night

when you made
the blackmail drop.

Nobody made any drop.

He never showed up.
I waited up there for two hours.

Well, now, that's an interesting
story isn't it, McCormack?

Might even be some truth in it.

What do you mean?

You thought that the only other
person who knew

about Karen's death was Hal.

When the first
blackmail note came,

you thought he sent it.

When you sent Hal
to deliver the money that night,

you followed him.

When he didn't go to
Griffith Park Observatory,

you thought
he was delivering the money

to himself, and you shot him.

And tried to frame me.

You made the frame-up a lot
easier, Mr. Carpenter,

by running around
firing wild warning shots.

Jones, what are you
talking about?

You're supposed
to be working for me.

That's right.

You hired me to catch your
blackmailer and my son's k*ller.

Why, that's
almost a direct quote.

And, by golly,
I think I got the both of you.

I should've known you were
too old to think straight

when I heard you rambling on
about China and Napoleon.

Where's the proof?

You're looking right at it,
right here.

McCORMACK:
What?

This little old bag
full of money.

Just like the other night

when Hal took it out... with him.

You see,

I know this is Hal's

because I gave it to him
for his birthday a week ago.

And how the hell
did you get it back

from him after he was m*rder*d
unless you were there?

Zip up the bag.

Bring it to the car.

I didn't want this to happen...

Believe me, Jones...

Any more than
I wanted to k*ll Hal.

Drop it...

or I'll k*ll you
where you stand.

All right, let it go.

Thanks.

Thank your old friend.

Glad I didn't have
to use it again.

Frank!

Barnaby.
[chuckles]

Glad you could make it.

Thank you.

How does it feel
to be back in harness,

an old warhorse like you?

Well, it's a funny thing.

Life was so good...

Retirement, perfect health,
nice ranch.

Yeah?

But there was something missing.

And now you know, huh?

My work.

And God help me that this is
the way I must rediscover it,

through the death of my son.

Come on.

I used to be
pretty good, you know.

Pretty good?!

The best in the business.

Now wait a minute.

That's my line for you.

Ah, come on.

[theme music playing]