01x13 - Twenty Million Alibis

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

Starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Meriwether.

With guest stars Peter Haskell,

Bert Freed,

Gary Owens.

♪ ♪

TV ANNOUNCER:
And now, ladies and gentlemen,

your best Sunday night date,
Gary Michaels!

[cheers and applause]

Pookie, pookie, pookie.

[laughter]

Thank you.

Thank you, Bill. Thank you.

Well, tonight
we have a great panel

of good guys and bad guys.

No kidding, folks.
Cops and robbers.

Real cops and real robbers.

And they're going to be here to
talk about their own experiences

in crime and fighting crime.

Now, the first guest
I'd like to have you meet

is one of the most
colorful criminals

ever to pull himself up
out of the underworld.

The former international
jewel thief, safe cr*cker,

rogue of the Riviera
and now a best-selling author,

Mr. Anthony Neill!

Anthony!

[applause]

First thing
Monday morning, folks,

go out and buy
Tony Neill's new book,

I Confess: The Story
of a Professional Thief.

Or if you don't want
to buy one, steal one.

[laughter]

And my next guest, representing
the side of law and order,

the very distinguished jurist,

Judge Elden Kuran
of the State Court of Appeals.

So, here come the judge.
Here come the judge.

[applause]

My third guest this evening,

a product of the streets
of Los Angeles,

the Police Academy,
four b*llet wounds

and winner
of the Medal of Valor,

Detective Captain Ben Wyatt.

Ben?

[cheers and applause]

Of course, Ben's going over
to our commissary

in just a few moments,

and we'll see
what makes Wyatt Earp.

Thank you
and I'll be right back.

Bill, take it away.

Gary will be right back
with his first guest,

Detective Ben Wyatt,

and a special panel
of cops and robbers,

following this word
from your local stations.

Where do you want me to wait,
in my dressing room?

Yeah, fine.

Uh, he'll bring you out in
six minutes on the button.

Okay, I'll be waiting.

[ticking]

[trapdoor closes]

Five minutes, Mr. Neill.

[clang]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[picklock jiggling in lock]

[catch releasing]

[removing tools from pocket]

[removing ties
holding tools together]

[tools rattling]

♪ ♪

[lock clicks open]

[box clattering]

[ticking]

[thudding noises inside house]

[footsteps approaching]

[door opening]

Well, we can have dinner
tomorrow night

if she doesn't want me
to pick her up at the airport.

Good night, Charles.

[sighs]

Oh... no.

No.

[straining]

[grunts]

[clacking]

[clang]

[knock at door]

STAGE MANAGER:
Mr. Neill?

Mr. Neill, you're on.

Right now, please.

Yeah. Yeah, sure,
I'm right there.

You guys certainly do run

on a timetable, don't you?

Captain, I know you're as eager

to hear Tony Neill's opinions
of your views as I am.

So, right now,
ladies and gentlemen,

a view of crime from the
other side of the bars,

by a man who's been there twice,

and who perhaps should
have been there even more...

[laughter]

the retired thief

and now best-selling
writer, Mr. Anthony Neill.

Anthony.
[applause]

Welcome aboard.

Thank you.
Welcome.

Captain.

Well, Anthony, in your
book, on the first page,

there are several
interesting things,

and how did you just
get started in crime?

Could you
tell us?
Yes, yes.

In the, uh...
in the first paragraph,

I suggested
that the most difficult thing

facing any jewel thief
is breaking into the business.

[laughter]

[siren blaring]

Your I.D., please.

Yeah, sure.

Can't be too careful, can you?

Barnaby Jones.

Will you-you excuse me a minute?

Hello, Barnaby.

Ben, glad to see you're on this.

Yeah, you, too.

Yeah, you don't catch me up
this time in the morning

with a tie on
unless I'm working.

General Western Insurance
wanted me to...

Mm-hmm.
Look, come on out.

It's a big one, Barnaby.

Jackpot.

Plus a m*rder.

Mm-hmm.

Mr. Jason, the butler.

Probably surprised the thief...
or thieves.

Or he was the inside man who
shouldn't have been so trusting.

Is that the insured,
Mrs. Morrison?

Carole Morrison, divorced,
couple of times.

Any estimate on the loss?

We've got a complete inventory.

Nice work, Ben.

Oh, not really.

One diamond necklace.


total weight... 45 karats.

One diamond drop-pear shape,
ten-and-a-half karats.

Put them all together,

they spell one million
pre-devalued dollars.

Any M.O. on the entry?

Computer's been working
overtime this morning.

We'll let you know when we know.

You let us know?

Sure.

Could you introduce me
to Mrs. Morrison?

Why, sure.

But, Pierre, you've just got
to work me in tomorrow.

Shampoo, set, the works.

Thank you, Pierre.

Mrs. Morrison, this
is Barnaby Jones.

He's a private investigator

working for your
insurance company.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Uh, Mr. Jones,
what can an investigator do

that the police can't?

Well, ma'am,
let's put it this way.

I probably have among my circle
of acquaintances, uh,

some people who would
more readily pass along

gossip or information
to a civilian

than to a police officer.

The, uh, insurance file
on your apartment here said

you had
a very excellent alarm system.

Has it been giving you
trouble lately?

It was shorted out.

Uh, I understand also
that you keep

most of your important jewelry

in safe deposit boxes
at the bank.

Yes, but I wanted
to wear that necklace

to the charity ball
tomorrow night.

Heck, I thought
it'd be safe enough here

for a couple of nights.

Mrs. Morrison, uh,
an attractive woman like you,

divorcée...

Mr. Jones, you're asking me
if I'm having an affair

and if a man has a key
to the apartment.

Mrs. Morrison,
you get to the point

like a wildcat going
through a canebrake.

[laughs]

The point, the answer is no.

No one else has a key.

My butler did.

I won't be staying here,
Lieutenant.

I-I'll leave word
where you can reach me.

You, too, Mr. Jones.

Thank you very much,
Mrs. Morrison.

You've been most cooperative.

Excuse me.

Can I look around, Ben?

Oh, absolutely.

Anything you break, you buy.

[birds chirping
,monkeys chattering]

You're on it
for the insurance company?

Yep.

And who officially?

Ben Wyatt.

You heard he made captain?

Yes, indeed,
that news has reached me.

Sam, if somebody had wanted
to buy the Morrison job,

what would it have cost them?

Oh, $5,000 in cash would provide

blueprints of the apartment,

names of the security guards
downstairs and their shifts,

a photocopy of the wiring
for the alarm system,

telephone confirmation as soon
as the apartment was empty.

You know, sounds like the butler
to me, Barnaby.

[birds chirping,
monkeys hooting]

Thief k*lled him to shut him up?

Could be.

Sam, the insurance company
wants that necklace back

and they'll pay a lot
of money to get it back.

Now, if you should just happen
to hear of its whereabouts...

Don't think I will, Barnaby.

It's out of my league.

Sam, how many poodles do you
have to sell to lonely ladies

to afford stuff like that?

It's still out of my league,

and since it's m*rder,
it's way out.

Why don't you talk
to Tony Neill?

He used to be one
of the million-dollar boys.

k*lling was never his style.

And now that he's a rich author,

he doesn't need to take
chances like that anymore,

but he still hears a lot.

He won't fink on anybody, but
he might pass the word along

that the insurance company
is ready to deal.

Damn it.

A publicity stunt, that's all,
a simple publicity stunt.

Hmm?


were going to see me

on national television
holding that necklace up,

stolen under the noses
of the best cop in the city

and a state judge
while we were on the air.

[sighs]

That stupid butler.

What did he have
to come home so early for?

Now he's dead
and I have a necklace

that's going to end up
being a rope around my neck.

Well, you can always give it
to me, darling.

No, it could end up being a rope
around your neck, too, Angela.

I got to get rid of it somehow.

Fence it overseas.

[sighs]

I'll give you the money, Angie.

It'll be a lot safer.

[phone rings]

Hello.

Hello, this is Barnaby Jones.

I wonder if I could make
an appointment with Tony Neill

for about ten or 15 minutes
of his time at his convenience.

Barnaby Jones?

Uh, does Mr. Neill
know you?

No, he doesn't,
but this is business.

Uh, I'm a private detective.

Just a moment, please.

Tony, a Barnaby Jones...

He wants to see you
for ten or 15 minutes.

He's a private detective.

Well, what shall I tell him?

Tell him that I'm too busy,

that, uh... uh...

No.

No, tell him that I'll see him.

[chuckles]

Tell him that I'll see him.

Go ahead, set it up.

Mr. Jones?

Uh, Mr. Neill does have
this afternoon free.



Yes, thank you very much.

♪ ♪

[doorbell rings]

[sighs]

Yes, sir?

Barnaby Jones to see Tony Neill.

One moment, please.

[security door buzzing]

Come in.

ANGELA:
We're in here, Mr. Jones.

Okay.

When do I end chapter nine?

Is it after he gets
into the countess's bedroom?

Uh, no. He's already
in the countess's bedroom.

Everything's going good, and
then he hears the Alfa Romeo.

That will be the curtain.

Hello, Mr. Jones.

I'm Angela,
Mr. Neill's secretary.

How do you do?
Tony Neill.

How do you do, Mr. Neill?

I want to thank you
for granting me the time.

Oh...

That's quite a setup
you've got on your front door.

Uh, like a bank.

Yes, Tony believes
that you can't tell criminals

by their appearance.

Excuse me.

Hey, that wasn't necessary.

Well, you know,
I bought your book

a long time before it
became a best seller,

and I thought now
might be a good time

to get it autographed.

My pleasure.

Well, we got here?

Looks like a toy store...

or, uh, do-it-yourself
breaking and entering.

My second book is
a novel, Mr. Jones.

I'm laying it all out
realistically...

The exact locks the hero
is going to have to pick,

distances that he'll be
covering within the château,

how far away the young heroine
can actually hear

a window being opened.

There you are.

Oh, thank you.

That's very nice.

Well, "To one professional
from another."

That's very
flattering, thank you.

Well, it's just one reason
that I wanted to meet you.

I have never forgotten

how you got the
Sherman Troxel
jewels back.

Sherman Troxel?

Why, that's... 17 years ago,
Malibu.

How'd you learn about that?

Well, where I was staying, I had
a great deal of time to read.

Oh.

I'm curious.

How did you happen
to phone today?

Did you catch
the show last night?

No, I didn't see that,
I'm sorry to say.

It's a little past my bedtime.

Oh, that's too bad;
we had a ball.

Ben Wyatt was
on the show with me.

Usual deadpan approach.

You know Ben.

Oh, sure, I just left him
about an hour ago.

Hmm?

What are you two mixed up in?

Well, what I want
to talk to you about...

Uh, Ben's on the Morrison theft

and I'm on it, too, for
General Western Insurance.

Oh, really?

Oh, hmm.

From the papers,
it sounds brilliant.

Don't get me wrong.

I wish I had done it myself.

What can you tell me about it?

Well, no, that's about
all there is to tell,

but I wanted to ask you
some questions about it.

For once, a perfect alibi.


were watching me on the show

when the burglar was doing
his work...


if we can believe Gary Michaels

about his ratings.

[chuckles]

If you were still
in the business,

how would you have gone about
pulling that off?

Well, I...

That building is a condominium,
isn't it?

Pretty good security
downstairs, of course.

Uh... you'd buy your way
through the lobby.

I suppose she has
a decent alarm system.

A Mega B, two years old.

Jump it at the junction box.

Again, buy the job
from a hot man... 500 bucks.

What about locks
on the front door?

Patterson 301.

Really?

Oof, well, that's a good lock.

I have one right over here.

This, uh, this double tumbler
system is pretty good,

but, uh, you can use a pick.

That's the first step.

And then a... a magnet, see,

to hold the first set
of tumblers in position...

and then a tungsten pick...

to trip the second set

of tumblers.

[clicking]

You're still pretty good.

You sure you don't do
a little moonlighting?

Well, I, uh,
I think about it, Mr. Jones,

but my publisher
and literary agent tell me

I just can't afford it anymore.

No, it's just...

professional curiosity.

What's General Western offering
for the necklace?

Hundred, maybe up a little.

Any ideas?

Might be able
to smoke it out for that.

Good luck.

Thank you, thank
you for your time.

Oh, about, uh, fences, uh,

anybody come up in
the world recently

I wouldn't know about?

No, Mr. Jones, they
come up so fast now,

nobody can keep track.

New sources of cash,
new organizations taking over

from the older
established outfits.

Yeah, I guess so.

Well, anyway, thanks a million,

and I hope I didn't keep you
away from your work too long.

Not at all, it was my pleasure.

By the way, I want
you to tell me

anything you and
Ben Wyatt turn up,

anything not confidential.

I'm really interested.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

This is what it's come to
living in a city these days.

It's frightening.

[buzzer sounds]

You better never lose
the combination to that.

You're liable to starve
to death up here.

Oh, that wouldn't be a bad way
to go now, would it?

You son of a g*n.

[buzzer sounds]

I thought we were going
to go to dinner and a movie.

Are you still on
that Tony Neill book?

You already read it once.

Twice.

I can't figure this guy.

Why?

You think he stretches
the truth a bit?

No, the book is strictly legit.

Every one of these cases
is a matter of record.

I mean, I can't
figure him today.

I wonder what kind
of razzle dust

he thought he was throwing
in my eyes.

Like what?

Oh, with that, uh,
amateur night theory

of how the job was pulled.

No thief that is smart enough
to case Mrs. Morrison

is gonna buy the security
guard in the lobby.

That just means there'd
be more people to talk.

And he's not gonna
hire a hot man

to short the alarm,
'cause that means

he's got himself a new partner

he'll have to cut in
or get rid of.

And fences.

He says he doesn't know
any fences, old or new.

Baloney.

Well, maybe he's the kind of guy
who likes to put people on,

especially the opposition...
like you.

And if he does, maybe I'd like
to ask a few questions.

Well, don't look at me, Barnaby.

[chuckling]:
I just type and answer
the phones.

The movie?

The prices go up to
two dollars at 7:00.

Thanks.

He ran it
through the police lab.

Ben Wyatt says
you can keep the set.

Did he, uh,

mention any leads?

No, not to me.

[chuckling]:
I gathered he was hoping
you'd come up with something.

Hmm.

Hmm.

Well, I-I guess I'll move in,
Barnaby, if you insist.

I mean, it is a sacrifice,
you realize.

[chuckles]

Betty.
Hmm?

Tell me if I'm wrong.

Now, here's the clock that
the thief knocked over,

presumably in his
struggle with the butler.

Here, on this table, is

where Mrs. Morrison
said the clock belongs.

Uh-huh.

Catch is on the bottom.

Huh?
Oh.

[chuckling]:
Oh.

Oh, I'm sorry,
what were you saying?

The time on the broken clock
gives us

the exact time of the robbery,
m*rder, and...

An alibi for the thief.

Better than that.

He made sure
that the time on the clock was

the exact time he desired

because he didn't knock the
clock off there accidentally.

It was dropped deliberately,
straight down.

Well, how do you know that?

Well, look.

See all these fragments
here when it shattered?

They're sprayed out
in an almost perfect circle.

That clock was dropped
deliberately...

Kerplunk! straight down.

He wanted us to assume

that somebody over here

during the fight accidentally
knocked the clock...

But in order to do that,
it would have had to sail

all the way over to
here and then crash,

but then the pieces would
have skidded on that way.

I'll buy that.

Wish I had more to sell you.

Betty, let's see if I can
sell you something else.

What?

Isn't that studio where they
tape all the television shows

just around the corner here?

We're at Hollywood and Ivar.

Well, the studio's on Vine,
above Hollywood,

diagonally back that way.

Gary Michaels Show

with Tony Neill
last Sunday night.

Yeah.

Morrison necklace...
Last Sunday night.

What?

No, I know,
I don't know where I'm going,

but I don't like coincidences.

Well, how, why?

Don't ask
so many tough questions.

Answer a few.

Now, how long do you think
it would take

to get from the stage door
around the block,

into the lobby,
and up to this apartment?

Well, I have no idea
where the stage door is,

but I imagine if you walked,
ten minutes,

and 20 minutes
if you took a car.

I'm not going to imagine;
I'm gonna time it.

Seriously?

Unless it turns out
to be stupid,

then I was only kidding.

You get on over to the theater

and set up a running of the tape

for The Gary Michaels Show
any time today or tomorrow.

I'll see you over
there at the theater

as soon as I clock this.

Okay, I'll see you there.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

ARTIE [over intercom]:
Mr. Jones, I'm Artie Monaco
the technical director.

The on/off switch is
to talk to me

and the dial is to control
the volume of the sound.

Got that?

Ready to roll?

Let's go.

[show theme music playing]

And now, ladles and gentlemen,
your best Sunday night date...

Gary Michaels.

[applause and cheering]

Pookie, pookie, pookie.

[laughter]

GARY:
Thank you.

Thank you, Bill, thank you.

Well, tonight we
have a great panel

of good guys and bad guys...
No kidding, folks...

Cops and robbers... real
cops and real robbers...

And they're going to be here

to talk
about their own individual...

I admit I have no idea how
long he was in the apartment,

but with the elevator time
and walking around the block

from the stage door
to the lobby,

if Mr. Neill is off camera for
more than ten or 11 minutes,

I'm gonna start asking
some questions.

But Tony Neill's a successful
lecturer and author now.

Why would he want
to take the chance?

That's a good question.

No answer.
[pushes intercom button]

Could you hold it right there
a minute, Mr. Monaco?

Is this a, uh, an edited tape?

What I mean is:
one minute on the tape here...

Did it take longer
than a minute in the studio?

No, sir, the program is
exactly one hour long.

The tape lasts 60.00 minutes.

That includes commercials
and station break.

Thank you. We can go now.

All right, Jim.

I have 22.

Now let's see exactly
how long Mr. Neill

was off camera.

[no audible dialogue]

Six minutes.

Okay, hold it, please.
Hold it, Jim.

What an ego.

Jobs such as the Morrison job

that made the man
his reputation.

He has a big, fat ego.

But he couldn't have done it,
Barnaby.

The six minutes
he was off the screen

he probably spent
in front of a mirror.

Look.

His hair... he looks like
he's ready for a screen test,

and his handkerchief's
all tucked in neatly.

Would you run it again from
Mr. Neill's first entrance?

Back up, I'll tell you
when to stop.

BETTY:
There.

You see?

His hair's casual and
that handkerchief's all floppy.

Could you run it
forward, please,

to where Mr. Neill was sitting
with Captain Wyatt?

Start it up, Jim.

You see?

Nice and neat.

But what does it prove?

Well, let me ask you one.

The stickpin.

What about it?

Look, where is it?

He was wearing one
when he was first introduced.

He sure was, but it's gone now.

Would you mind running back

to the intro again, please?

[sighs]

All right, Tony Neill is
a great safecracker,

but he's not Superman.

He couldn't have flown
from here to there.

But Neill knows a little bit
about geometry.

He knows that a straight line is

the shortest path
between two points,

and I know that walking
around the block is a lot longer

than taking a diagonal
across the roof.

The roof?

The roof?
Well, Mr. Jones,

you take the door
at the end of the stage,

take the elevator
up to the eighth floor,

down to the stairway, and it
leads directly to the roof.

Thanks, and thanks
for running your tape for me.

No trouble.

Betty, why don't you
go back to the office?

I'll see you in a couple hours.

All right, anything I can do
while I'm there?

Yes, call Sam Koessel
at the pet shop

and see if he's
heard anything new.

Right.

♪ ♪

TONY:
Well, how do you plan
to do that?

Well, we're going to have a lot

of free publicity
on the show, see,

and we'll have glossies, and
we'll have the whole thing.

Now, the reviewers loved it.

Everybody loved the show.

The ratings were
great, but next time,

it's going to be even
higher when we just...

BARNABY:
Well, Mr. Neill!

Huh?

How are you,
Mr. Jones?

It's nice to see you again.

Uh, Barnaby Jones,
this is Gary Michaels.

Well, yes, sir.

A pleasure.

Yes, I recognize Mr. Michaels.

Say, I finally got around
to seeing

that great show
the two of you did.

I just came
from the projection room.

Oh, Sunday night's show.

Well, that's great.

We were just talking about that,

but, uh... why did you
see that one, Mr. Jones?

Well, Mr. Jones is
a private investigator, Gary.

Oh, I see.

And a great fan of Mr. Neill.

You know, Ben Wyatt
is an old friend of mine,

and I missed the show,

and I wanted to see it,
so Ben set it up for me.

Well, that's great.

You know, I was thinking...
A private investigator.

Uh, I want to do a repeat
of that cops and robbers idea,

and I'd love
to have a private eye.

Uh, maybe we can talk
to you about it.

Sure, I'd love it.

Uh, thanks.

And... congratulations.

You know, there are a lot
of swell moments

all through that tape.

Thank you.

How are you and, uh, Ben coming
along on the Morrison case?

Oh, I don't have anything, and I
don't hear him bragging, either,

so I guess he came
up empty, too.

You know,
Mr. Neill,

whoever planned that thing,
he could write a book.

Any day now, Mr. Jones,
I'm going to get

in touch with you,
and in the meantime,

why don't you and Tony
talk things over?

Yeah, sounds great.

Okay. Nice to see you.
Let's do it.

Bye-bye.

You know, what a great
idea that would be...

With a private eye,
a gentlemanly sort,

not the old, uh, you know,
raincoat, "dese, dem and dose."

Uh, listen, Gary,
I thought that those, uh...

those tapes were all erased.

No, no, the network keeps
them for a reference.

So far as I know,
they keep them all.

I'll have another cup
of espresso, Gregory.

Dessert, anyone?

Betty, Angela?

No, thank you.
Not for me.

Uh, another glass
of milk, please.

Angela, I'm sure
the gentlemen will excuse us.

They usually do.

Even when Angela is walking
away from you, there, uh...

there still is a certain amount
of enjoyment.

She's a very lovely young lady.

I assume that Gary Michaels
was serious

when he asked me
to be on the show.

Mm.

Absolutely.

That's why he wanted me
to sit down with you.

Find out what you want to say,
axes to grind.

No, I'm not a commentator...
Just a detective...

And I thought we might
have some fun.

That's exactly what I told him.

I mean, you seem like a...
a relaxed kind of guy, loose.

Why not?

You know, you've been on a lot
of these shows.

I wanted to ask you
about clothes.

You... you know,
color of suit and pattern.

Uh, what about a tie like this?

What you have on right now
is fine.

Uh, some herringbones...
Checks aren't very good.

You have any jewelry
that might flare?

You mean like, uh,
flash in the lens?

Uh, yeah.
Give a bad light bounce.

Like, uh... uh, big centers,
diamond pinky ring or...

Well, take me for example...
Sunday night show.

I was wearing a stickpin...
Diamond horseshoe.

Used to fool around
with the ponies.

Anyway, after Gary
introduced me,

one of the assistants came over

and told me to take it off.

I was giving a bad reflection.

I had it on earlier today...

but, uh...

Angela didn't think
it looked very good

with this shirt and tie.

Hmm?

Well, that kind of criticism
I can live with.

I'm not knocking a good meal.

It was always kind of fun...
[clears throat]

but Tony Neill
never does anything

unless he's got
an ulterior motive.

That stickpin is really
bothering you, isn't it?

All the way.

"One of the assistants, uh,
told me to take it off,

"because it was flaring
the lens.

"I had it on earlier, but, uh,

"Angela said it didn't
match my tie and shirt,

so I took it off."

Why did he go back
to the projectionist?

Mm, maybe it's like
Monaco told me.

Gary Michaels and Tony
were extremely flattered

that you wanted to see the show.

He heard that we ran that tape
backwards and forwards

for the... oh, first
ten minutes of it.

He just wanted to find out
if we learned anything.

[sighs]

You know, Barnaby, I don't know.

I think you're reaching.

Yeah.

I'd like to reach
a little further

or come up about three
minutes shorter.

You can turn the light on.

Oh.

Call Sam Koessel.
Mm.

Ask him if he can see me
within the next hour.

All right.

Captain Wyatt, please.

Oh.

Ben?

Oh, hello.

Uh, this is Barnaby.

Ben, I need a little help.

Uh, can you get me a blueprint

of the, uh,
air-conditioning ducts

and the general utility layout
of the Hollywood TV Theater?

Yeah, there is something
sticking me,

and if it, uh, all adds up,
I'll, uh, fill you in on it.

Thanks, Ben.

Sam Koessel says anytime.

What was that all about?

About three minutes.

[birds squawking and chirping]

BARNABY:
I could get a half
a dozen jewelers

downtown or in Beverly
to duplicate it,

but I need it done
in a few hours

and by somebody who won't talk.

Shall I say Sam sent me?

Well, like chicken soup,
it can't hurt.

What games are you
and Tony Neill up to?

Lost and found.

I think that he thinks
that I think he lost it.

He thinks that I
think he found it.

Thanks.

[ringing]

Hello.

Angela, this is Betty Jones.

Hello, Betty.

How are you?

I'm fine, thank you.

Barnaby and I wanted
to thank you and Tony

for the delightful evening.

It was certainly nice
meeting you.

We all enjoyed it.

I'll tell him. Thank you.

Angela, is, uh, Barnaby there?

Barnaby? Uh, no.

Is he supposed to be?

Well, he thought he might try
and catch Tony.

Um... listen.

Barnaby's been expecting
some very important papers.

Uh, well,
they're blueprints, actually,

and the messenger
just brought them,

so if he shows up or...
or calls you,

will you tell him that I'm going

to take them over
to the television studio myself

and leave them
in dressing room D?

Sure, Betty.

Dressing room D.

All right.

Uh, what kind of blueprints?

Oh, he'll know.

A-And listen... thank you again.

I hope to see you soon. Bye-bye.

Bye.

[slamming phone]

Hello, Mr. Neill.

Hear you're taping
another show for Michaels today

with that, uh,
Barnaby Jones, too.

Yeah, yeah.

Bye.

[chuckles]
I guess I, uh...

I got the wrong dressing room.

Is something wrong
with the air-conditioning?

No, just exploring.

For what?

What are you looking for?

Well, this is the dressing room

you used the last time,
isn't it?

Are you crazy?

I was on the air.

I know you were.

But you're the only professional
in the business

with the brain,
the physical ability,

who had the opportunity

to case the Morrison layout.

Barnaby, I'm retired.

So was I.

Do you really mean
that you think

that I crawled up inside there...
Wherever that leads to...

And got to the Morrison place
and back last Sunday night?

Want to see how I figured?

I would be delighted.

After you, Alphonse.

BARNABY:
Be careful where you
put your fingers.

I might step on them.

Pretty good for an old goat.

Comes from leading a clean life.

If this ever leads anywhere,
I've got my next book.

♪ ♪

Well, so far, so good.

I can hardly wait
to see what happens next.



And right over there is
Carole Morrison's apartment.

Well, that's nice.

Are you out of your mind?

What was I supposed to do,
sprout wings and fly over there?

How about a rope or a wire?

I read your book.

You've done it before.

I think you're the thief
all right, Neill.

But you don't have any proof,
do you, Barnaby?

I didn't... not till a couple
of minutes ago.

When you walked
into dressing room D

because you knew that was
the only place in the building

where a man could get into
the one air shaft to the roof.

And you knew that the blueprints

that proved it were
going to be there.

[panting]

Now, you nailed yourself, Tony.

Barnaby, Barnaby, Barnaby.

That still isn't proof

that I've ever been
up on this roof before.

That may not be, but this is.

I found it at the
edge of the roof,

where it probably dropped
out of your tie.

I kind of figured
that you'd lost it

after the way
you made a big thing

of waving it
under my nose at the dinner.

Proof?

Old man, no one
is ever going to know that.

Too bad.

Once a thief, always a thief,
I guess.

But a m*rder*r?

I thought you
were smarter than that.

You don't understand, Barnaby.

I wasn't even going to keep it.

Stealing that necklace was
a publicity stunt for the book.

Until the m*rder.

Accidental m*rder.

There's a difference.

Not to the dead man.

Hey, Barnaby?

One question.

What?

That stickpin.

How did you happen
to find it up there?

Never did, Ben.

If he can make a duplicate,
I can make a duplicate.

Right?

[laughing]

Oh!

[still laughing]

[theme music playing]