The Streets of San Francisco (1972–1977): Season 3, Episode 20 - River of Fear - full transcript
A 12-year-old girl knows her stepfather murdered her mother. But her attempts to unmask him only impede the police's investigation.
(theme music playing)
(jazz music playing)
(trolley bell rings)
Hey, uh, to what
do I owe the honor?
Well, you said it
before the wedding...
Woman's lib, equal rights.
Oh, sure, but we each
carry half the packages.
Mnh-mnh. Only when
I wear what's inside.
So that's what's
been bothering you.
Mm-hmm.
Hey, come on, we're
gonna get you something,
a new suit maybe,
or a-a tie or...
Mnh-mnh. Mnh-mnh. Nope.
Well, yes, come on, you've been
loading me down with packages,
and I haven't
gotten you anything.
The only thing I want from you
is to get you back to
the hotel right away.
Welcome back to the
mainland, Mrs. Dunson.
Aloha, Dr. Dunson.
(sighs)
My mother always wanted
me to marry a doctor.
A very wise woman, your mother.
Not really, just
a hypochondriac.
Oh, Bill, it's almost over.
It's just beginning.
I mean, Hawaii, the
honeymoon, the wedding.
Like I said, it's
just beginning.
Something's bothering me,
and I want to get it off my mind
before we get back to
Duncan Falls in the morning.
It's something I never told you,
and I just don't want
any secrets between us.
You know my first husband
was convicted of armed robbery.
That's ancient history.
Besides, the man is dead.
- No, I want to tell you.
He did do it.
That doesn't matter.
Bill, I still have it.
- What?
The money. I still
have it, all of it,
$220,000.
It's hidden so that if the
children ever need it...
I'll take care of
Julie and Bobby.
Julie knows where it is
in case anything ever happened.
And I want you to know, too.
(scoffs) Betty, Betty.
Betty, Betty, Betty, Betty.
That part of your
life belongs to you.
Nothing belongs to me.
I want everything
I am to be yours
for always.
Money. You should've
returned it. You know that.
You still can.
- You think so?
- Mm-hmm.
We can, uh, we can
explain to the authorities,
tell 'em that it just turned up.
- Where is it?
- In the stable.
In the stable.
In a brown suitcase,
behind the second stall.
The third plank up is loose.
We'll take care of that later.
You have to get into the tub,
or we're gonna
be late for dinner.
Go on. Go on.
Oh, I do love you.
And I you.
I thought you were going
to call for some champagne.
(water running)
Room service, please.
We were in Hawaii
for eight days.
We got married there.
My wife wanted to stay,
but, uh, my practice
in Duncan Falls...
There's only one other
doctor. He's about to retire.
I guess she knew that, uh,
that we wouldn't be getting
into the city too much,
so we spent the, uh, the
entire afternoon shopping.
Stuff for her, for
the, uh, for the kids.
Julie and, uh, and Bobby...
They were her children.
What am I gonna say to them?
Was she in the
bath before you left?
No, she was, uh, she
was just getting undressed.
What time was that?
5:00, 5:30.
I went downstairs
to get a haircut.
We, uh, we had dinner
reservations at 8:00.
Barbershop in the hotel?
Yeah.
Lieutenant.
Occipital skull fracture.
The victim apparently
slipped on the tile floor,
fell into the tub,
and hit her head.
- On what?
- Uh, I won't have any idea
till after the autopsy.
Can you give me the time?
Let you know then.
Probably just an accident,
Mike, a pretty common one at that.
Okay, thanks.
There's a housekeeper
with the kids,
and they're expecting a call
from their mother this evening.
I'd, uh, I'd like to get to
them as soon as I can.
Doctor, if I may
make a suggestion,
there's gonna be a
couple of miles of red tape
you're gonna have
to get behind you,
so why don't you just
call up the housekeeper
and tell her what happened?
(telephone rings)
I hear the phone.
It's not mom. She's
calling at 7:30.
I'm hungry. Let's go in
and get some cherry pie.
I can't believe it.
She was... such
a sweet, dear girl.
She was like a
daughter to me. I...
Yes, Mr. Dunson, I will.
I'm sorry.
I was thinking of myself
and forgetting how
awful this must be for you.
Yes.
I'll call Dr. White first
and whoever else.
No, I'll take care
of everything.
Thank you for calling.
Mom's gonna call
at 7:30. Julie said so.
Well, uh...
things are different
in San Francisco.
She, uh, she might be late,
and, uh, 7:30 is
your bedtime, Bobby.
Who was on the phone, Mrs. Rand?
It was just, um...
well, now I'm entitled
to a personal call.
(crying) Isn't that so?
- Everything check out?
- Just like he said, yeah.
It's gotta be tough.
They only met four months ago.
Duncan Falls?
Yeah, there was an
advertisement for a new doctor.
She had a house up there,
a little summer business,
you know, with tourists,
enough to support the kids.
Kids, huh?
Gonna be tough on them.
Well, he said he was
gonna adopt them.
I guess that's what she'd want.
♪♪
Did he call back yet?
He said he'd be
here in the morning
after he makes arra...
Oh, now come, come, Emma.
There'll be plenty
of time for that.
Are they asleep?
Yeah, about an hour ago.
They don't know then?
I couldn't tell them.
I'll let Mr. Dunson.
You still can't
call him "doctor."
As far as I'm concerned,
you're still the only
doctor in Duncan Falls.
Can I make you
some hot chocolate?
Got any brandy?
Yes, I think so.
Get two glasses.
I'm afraid it's going to be
a long night for both of us.
DR. WHITE: I brought
her into this world
34 years ago, upstairs.
Her mother didn't
believe in hospitals.
MRS. RAND: I suppose she'll
be brought back to Duncan Falls,
buried here.
DR. WHITE: Where else?
MRS. RAND: She was such a kind
and thoughtful human being.
I never felt like a housekeeper.
She made me feel
like one of the family.
DR. WHITE: They're all gone now,
except her sister
Helen over in Edenton.
One of the first
families in these parts,
along with mine.
I've got to go over and
see Mrs. Knox for a while.
Probably nothing
but false labor,
but if I don't get back,
I'll look in on you first
thing in the morning.
Bobby?
Bobby, get up.
I don't wanna.
Come on, it's a secret.
- I'll be back later if I can.
- I understand, Doctor.
(door closes)
(engine starts)
What happens now?
- Get the lantern.
- I don't have any matches.
The battery one.
(horse snorts)
You're very beautiful.
And I love you.
And so did my mother.
Here, help me.
(grunting)
Here, help me.
What's it say?
If we need help,
we should go to Aunt Helen's.
Why do we need help?
In case something bad happened.
But it didn't.
Maybe it did, Bobby.
Julie, what?
You gotta help me get this back.
(dog barking)
It's mom. She came home early.
That's Redwood.
He never barks
when mom's around.
He only barks at Dunson.
I know.
(Redwood barking and growling)
All right, Redwood, go on.
Go on.
He'll wake the children.
MRS. RAND: I didn't
expect you until morning.
I did what had to be done.
I just, uh,
couldn't stay in that
hotel for another minute.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Dunson, so...
(door closes)
I thought they were asleep.
Oh, it's just as well.
I might as well
get this over with.
- Tonight? Don't you think...
- I'll be gentle.
Julie?
Julie, wake up.
Yeah?
Something's happened
to your mother.
I know.
She's dead.
How did you know?
I heard Mrs. Rand on the phone.
And then Doc White came by
and talked about it.
Does, uh, does Bobby know yet?
No.
Well, I'll tell him
in the morning.
No. He'd rather hear
it from me and now.
(Redwood barking)
Oh, there you are.
Julie told Bobby.
They're both in there
crying themselves to sleep.
I'll just sit with
them for a while.
Good night, Mr. Dunson.
♪♪
- (sighs)
- What's all this?
Coroner's report on
the honeymoon couple.
- Something troubling you?
- Yeah.
All right, here's
the point of impact
on the woman's skull.
- Yeah.
Now these are
photographs that were taken
in the bathroom the
way the body was found.
Now Bernie says whatever she hit
was a blunt object
2 inches in diameter.
STONE: Faucet?
KELLER: I put it
through the glass.
You can see it's
beveled. It's not blunt.
Well, nothing else in
here the same size?
Not in the pictures, no.
Well, what are you thinking?
I think we oughtta go
back and take another look.
You got anything
else on these people?
Not yet.
All right, I guess you better
run 'em both through R and I.
Okay.
You were right about the edges.
Beveled, pretty sharp.
Hey, what about this?
Right size, maybe.
But, uh, tell me,
how would she end up in the tub?
(telephone rings)
Yeah, this is inspector Keller.
Yeah, Bill, go ahead.
Tanner's got the
info from R and I.
Are you sure this
guy's a doctor?
Well, That's what he
told us. Yeah, why?
Well, he doesn't show up
with the state board
of medical examiners.
- I called Sacramento.
- You're kidding.
Unh-unh. I checked
back ten years,
and there's never been a
Dr. William Fitzpatrick Dunson
in California during
that whole period.
Did you check the, uh,
the national registry?
Yeah, called Chicago,
the AMA headquarters.
What?
There's no listing of
Dunson being a doctor.
Is he sure?
I heard that.
Tell the lieutenant it's been
checked and double-checked.
He's positive, yeah.
What do you think?
I don't know.
Yeah, is there any
record of the same name
but without the M.D.?
Still checking.
Got something interesting
on that woman, though.
Yeah, go ahead.
Yeah.
Okay, Bill, yeah. Thanks a lot.
What's he got?
The woman's death certificate
says she was married
before to a Calvin Todd.
Now Tanner ran
it through R and I.
What's this, uh, "died Q 1/28"?
He died while he was
serving time in San Quentin.
- For what?
- Armed Robbery.
$220,000 unrecovered.
Wow, that's a pretty
big leap you're making.
You know that, don't you?
I know. I know.
But it's possible.
It's a pretty good motive
for marriage, even murder.
You know, if I were you,
I think I'd have the lab
come up here right away.
Okay.
(dialing phone)
Blunt object.
It's about 2 inches in diameter.
If there's nothing
else, I'll go do the beds.
Fine, thank you.
I, uh, I hope you both realize
that I'm gonna take care of you.
We don't... know each
other very well yet,
but we'll get to. I
promise you that.
Your mother told
me a lot about you.
She told me about the money.
In the suitcase?
Well, I'm gonna get the bank
to take care of that for you
as soon as you tell
me where you moved it.
Moved what?
The money in the suitcase.
I don't know nothin'
about any money.
And besides, it's empty.
It's Doc White.
Julie?
My mama's dead.
Oh, I know, Bobby. I know.
- Doc.
- Oh, Julie.
Julie, everything is
going to be all right.
What are we gonna do?
Oh, now don't you worry.
You and Bobby
have lots of friends,
wonderful people who
care about you both.
- Bill.
- Doc.
I'm, uh, sorry, to
hear the bad news.
I thought I should come over.
That's good of you.
Maybe I could take
the kids for a little ride
and talk about a few things?
We were just doing
that. Weren't we, Julie?
Well, I-I didn't mean
to interrupt anything.
I just thought that since
I've known their mama
all of her life, that...
Well, thank you. I don't
think it's really necessary.
Yes, we'd like it very
much. Wouldn't we, Bobby?
BOBBY: Yeah.
(car doors close)
All right with you?
Sure. Why not?
We'll talk when you get back.
I'll wait for you, Julie.
Oh, Bill, I was gonna
stop by Mamie Dollinger's
on my way to the
office. Would you mind?
- No, I'll stop by, Doc.
DR. WHITE: Thanks.
(engine starts)
♪♪
I was treating Todd
for a slipped disc.
He died on a Sunday.
I was away at the time.
Oh, come on, J.B., don't tell
me he died of a slipped disc.
Nope, heart attack.
He have any previous
record of a heart condition?
No, none that I can see,
but that doesn't mean...
- Was there an autopsy?
- Yes, of course.
It was confirmed by
the medical examiner.
May I ask who found the body?
An orderly named
Cooper. James Cooper.
One of the inmates. Oh, yes.
I remember him. Pretty
good man, knew his medicine.
He was discharged
some months back.
This Cooper, uh,
what did he look like?
Oh, he was 6
foot, trim, late 30s.
Blue eyes, graying
hair, good talker, bright?
That's right. You know him?
Maybe.
Doctor, there's a lot
of ways to make it look
like somebody died of a
heart attack, aren't there?
Well, yes.
Could this Cooper have
access to those kind of drugs?
I suppose so.
Well, could he have
taken these drugs
and injected them
into your patient?
Now look, Mike,
there was no reason to
suspect anything like that.
There may be now.
See ya. Thanks.
♪♪
♪♪
I really don't think
he's sad, Doc.
What?
Dunson. I know about him.
He's not really sad
that mama died.
Well, that's not so.
He scares me
sometimes, and Bobby, too.
Yeah.
And I don't think he's
a real doctor either.
Well, now that's a peculiar
thing to say, young lady.
Well, every time
a patient calls,
he says he has to
go to the other line.
Then he goes and he looks
up in these medical books.
Then comes back
and tells 'em what to do.
Well, now, that can be
very good medical practice,
double-checking like that.
But, Doc, we don't
have two phones.
BOBBY: Yeah, and he lies.
He wanted to give me a
tetanus shot for a scratch.
See? Here.
JULIE: And you told
me that you only needed
a booster shot when
you punctured your skin.
Remember, Doc?
Yeah. Yeah.
I don't know much
about Bill Dunson.
What about a James Cooper?
Where'd you get this?
San Quentin. He
served time there
the same time as Calvin Todd.
Think he knows about
the money Bill Todd stole?
We think so, yeah.
You think maybe Betty's
death wasn't an accident?
Well, we don't have
proof of that yet.
What can I do to help?
Give us some names,
people we can talk to.
And, uh, we'd like to
keep this on a low profile.
Sure.
It's me, Myrtle. Anybody dyin'?
Two detectives
from San Francisco
want to talk to you.
And Dr. Dunson needs
you at the Dollinger place.
Detectives? What did they want?
MYRTLE: They didn't exactly say.
Asked me about Dr. Dunson.
And what did you tell them?
I told them I wouldn't
let him treat me
for heat rash on my left pinkie.
You never told me you
felt that way about Dunson.
You never asked.
All right. All right, Myrtle.
I'll go by Mrs. Dollinger's.
Meantime, you do just what
you want with your pinkie.
(chuckling)
Give her 10 milligrams
of escadine tartrate.
You know, I've been
thinking about the Lucas boy.
Maybe we oughtta
get him out of traction
and get him to exercise.
What do you think, Bill?
I've been toying around with
the same idea myself, Doc.
Who are you? You're no doctor.
If we took the Lucas
boy out of traction,
he wouldn't have a chance.
And the injection I just
prescribed for Mrs. Dollinger
is a lethal dose.
Before I came here,
two detectives from
San Francisco stopped by
to talk to me about you.
Now you tell me, Dunson,
who the hell are you?
Is anything wrong, Dr. Duns...
Dr. White, I tried
to ask Dr. Dunson...
Your mother's gonna be
all right. I'll be back later.
(engine starts)
Dunson! Dunson, come back here!
Come back here!
(engine starts)
I don't scare like
the kids, Dunson.
Oh, well, uh, that's good, Doc,
because there's nothing
really to be frightened of.
And what I... What I
do know about this stuff
is that it's, uh,
it's painless...
and it's, uh, very quick.
(loud thud)
(sniffs)
Lieutenant.
Janice Dollinger.
Lives up the road a ways.
Says Doc White and Dunson
left her place 30 minutes ago.
Did they leave together, ma'am?
It was very peculiar.
First Dr. Dunson rushed out,
and then Dr. White
left a minute later.
Both seemed kind of upset.
Janice was on her way to do
some marketing in Duncan Falls.
She found Doc White.
It could have been a
heart attack, Lieutenant.
No sign of any violence.
Oh, come on, Sheriff, you don't
believe in coincidences, do you?
Not this time, I guess.
(siren wailing)
- Well, I'd appreciate it
if you'd have that ambulance
take him to the nearest coroner.
Well, that'd be Santa Rosa.
How far is it to the Todd farm?
About 30 minutes south
on the main highway.
- Along here?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
There you go.
I don't know nothin'
about any money.
I'll give you five seconds
to tell me where it is.
I'll tell Doc White!
Doc White is dead.
All right, Julie.
It's in the old well
behind the stables.
You show me where it is.
JULIE: No, I'm scared of snakes.
It's there. I tied it to a
rope and dropped it in.
It's there. I'm
scared of snakes. No!
Maybe the doctor and
Dunson were in on it together.
Nah, you heard what the
sheriff said about Doc White.
He spent his whole life
in the same little town
looking after other
people's welfare.
- Doesn't square.
- Yeah.
The doctor must have
found out something,
and Dunson was
afraid he was gonna talk.
And I keep wondering why
Dunson's still hanging around.
I mean...
if he killed his
wife for the money,
he'd want to find out
where that money was
before he did it, right?
Right.
So why didn't he
just get it and go?
Because he thought
we'd believe him,
and we almost did.
This way he can stick around,
take off in the clear later on.
I keep wondering
about those two kids
that the woman had.
What about 'em?
STONE: Well, if
you were a widow,
you had all that money,
and you hadn't spent it,
what would you be saving it for?
For the kids.
That's it.
You say maybe the kids
know where the money is?
Well, you'd want 'em
to know, wouldn't you?
Just in case.
So Dunson's sticking
around because the kids
got the money first,
and he doesn't know
where to find it.
- Uh-huh.
(horse whinnying)
Stay here.
Julie, what did you do that for?
Now we'll have to walk
all the way to Aunt Helen's.
We can make it.
But Dunson won't be
following us anymore.
He'll follow the horse.
At least, that's what
they do in the movies.
Come on, help me.
BOBBY: It's too heavy.
JULIE: I'm not
gonna leave it behind.
MRS. RAND: I just don't
know where else to look.
KELLER: But they usually
come back for lunch?
MRS. RAND: We
have an understanding.
They can wander off, but
they'll show up come lunchtime.
And you haven't seen
Mr. Dunson since breakfast?
No, sir.
Why, Bermuda... she's gone.
Bermuda. Is that a horse?
Yeah, she belongs
to the children.
And Brindle's gone, too.
Now that's gotta
be where they are.
Is there anywhere special
that they would ride off to?
Well, yes, these
woods are full of trails.
They go clear here
from here to Healdsburg
and Cloverdale.
STONE: Hey, Mike.
Yeah. Oh, excuse me.
That's about
the size, all right.
Just wonder who got to it first?
Either he's got it and gone...
Or the kids got it,
and he's after 'em.
The kids come first either way.
Mrs. Rand, we want
to phone the sheriff.
We want him to
start a search party.
♪♪
- What?
- Shh.
- (whispering) What?
- (whispering) Listen.
(horse snorts)
He sees us.
(whispering) Get down.
Julie?
DUNSON: Julie?!
He's gone now.
Come on.
I'm hungry.
We'll be at Aunt
Helen's for supper.
Come on, help me.
I can't carry it anymore.
Okay. We'll hide it somewhere
and come back
later with Aunt Helen.
STONE: Any sign of them?
SHERIFF: No, but
I've got a search party
looking four ways.
Doc White didn't die
of a heart attack either.
He was murdered.
It says here a massive
dose of some drug,
escadine tartrate,
directly into the stomach.
Now is there any
small town in this area
where the children could
have friends or relatives in?
Well, there's Miss
Baker, their maiden aunt.
Miss Helen Baker, but she
lives way over in Edenton.
All right, give us her address
and telephone number, please.
(panting)
BOTH: Aunt Helen!
Oh, children, you
scared me half to death.
Oh, you must have been scared.
You know, you really
upset Dr. Dunson.
He's afraid he's to
blame for you running off.
(door closes)
♪♪
♪♪
Do you know how
worried you two made me?
I certainly hope you
don't plan to do anything
like that again.
- Aunt Helen...
No, I think we've bothered your
Aunt Helen enough for today.
Come on. It's time
to be getting on home.
- No, he killed mama!
- Julie.
It's all right, Helen.
They've been through a lot.
Don't listen to him. He killed
mama and Doc White, too.
What are you talking about?
It's all this talk about death.
It's frightened them,
confused them.
Aunt Helen, please,
you can call Doc White
and see for yourself.
He killed them for the money,
the money mama had
hidden in the stable.
That's enough, Julie.
They should be
under sedation, Helen.
I think you better let
me take them home.
No, I-I don't think so.
You're right. They're
just exhausted.
They can stay
with me for tonight
until they calm
down, and then...
(sighs) And then after I'm gone
you'll make a telephone call?
All right, Julie, where is it?
In the woods, hidden somewhere?
I won't tell you.
Yes, you will. This
time you will tell me.
This time you will show me
exactly where the money is.
- Leave her alone.
You leave them alone.
There's nothing.
It's out of order.
- (sighs)
- How far is it to Edenton?
- Eight, ten minutes.
- Come on, let's go.
Thank you, Emma.
I want the money, Julie.
I want it all, and
I want it now.
Now you make up your mind
if you're gonna
play any more tricks,
because I've decided what's
gonna happen to you if you do.
So the truth, all
right? Just the truth.
It's in the tree.
Julie!
Another well of
snakes, huh, Julie?
You're lying, aren't you?
Wait, don't hurt
her. I'll tell you.
We hid it in an old shed
by the river.
- Bobby!
I had to tell him,
Julie. I had to.
Okay, thank you, Bobby.
I'd like the keys to
your car now, Helen.
Don't hurt them.
Please, don't hurt them.
You know where
it is now. Just go.
- They go with me.
- No.
DUNSON: Yes.
Listen to me, Helen.
Things have not gone
exactly the way I planned.
The police already
suspect what I have done,
so I really don't
have anything to lose
if I go a little further.
You understand me, don't you?
Please.
I have to move very quickly now,
so I have no reason to kill you,
unless you give me one.
And I have no
reason to hurt them,
unless they give me one.
But I don't think that
they'll do that now.
Will you?
All right, let's go.
I'll contact you later
and tell you where
you can pick the kids up.
And, Helen,
don't even think
about talking to anyone
until you hear from me.
Good.
It's just up ahead.
Miss Baker!
Miss Baker, this is the police!
Miss Baker?
Sheriff? Oh, I'm sorry.
I was in the back.
I didn't hear you.
Miss Baker, this
is Lieutenant Stone
with the San Francisco
Police Department.
He's looking for Bill
Dunson. Has he been here?
Bill? Why, no. No, he hasn't.
We called you before we left.
Looks like we were right, Steve.
Two horses outside in the shed.
Listen, please, I know
you mean well, but...
How long ago did
they leave, ma'am?
I-I don't know... I
can't tell you anything.
How long ago did they leave?
We know he has the children.
What did he tell you,
that he wouldn't hurt them,
that he'd keep them safe
if you didn't say anything?
I can't tell you anything.
The only way these
kids are gonna be safe
is if you tell us where they're
going, and you tell us fast.
You do know, don't you?
Please, I don't know what to
do. I just don't know what to do.
All right, all right,
all right, all right.
I am not going to tell
you to do anything.
This is gonna have
to be your choice.
You're gonna make up your mind.
They...
they said it was in the
old shed on the river.
It must be the one
by the footbridge.
They said they hid
the money there.
KELLER: You know where it is?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right, where is it?
Dunson, hold it!
White water downstream!
♪♪
My leg. (groaning)
I think it's broken.
Oh, is that right, Doctor?
Well, I wouldn't worry
about it, if I were you.
You're gonna have a
long time to let it heal.
BOBBY: Come on.
Oh, boy, come on.
KELLER: All right, Bobby,
let me give you a hand.
Just a couple more
inches. We've got it.
There we go.
We figured if he did
catch us and made us tell,
we'd bring him to the shed
and say somebody else
must've stolen the
money from there.
That was smart
figurin'. Real smart.
Did my father really
steal that money?
STONE: Mm-hmm.
- Is that why he had to go away?
That's right.
And, uh, this money's
gonna have to go back
to the people he took it from.
For a reward, right?
For a big reward.
And I think it belongs
to the two of you.
These are silver certificates.
So they're out of
circulation, aren't they?
Yeah, but they're
worth a lot more.
Come on, we'd better go
tell Aunt Helen we're all right.
Yeah.
That's the trouble
with kids today.
What?
They don't understand
the value of a dollar.
♪♪
(jazz music playing)
(trolley bell rings)
Hey, uh, to what
do I owe the honor?
Well, you said it
before the wedding...
Woman's lib, equal rights.
Oh, sure, but we each
carry half the packages.
Mnh-mnh. Only when
I wear what's inside.
So that's what's
been bothering you.
Mm-hmm.
Hey, come on, we're
gonna get you something,
a new suit maybe,
or a-a tie or...
Mnh-mnh. Mnh-mnh. Nope.
Well, yes, come on, you've been
loading me down with packages,
and I haven't
gotten you anything.
The only thing I want from you
is to get you back to
the hotel right away.
Welcome back to the
mainland, Mrs. Dunson.
Aloha, Dr. Dunson.
(sighs)
My mother always wanted
me to marry a doctor.
A very wise woman, your mother.
Not really, just
a hypochondriac.
Oh, Bill, it's almost over.
It's just beginning.
I mean, Hawaii, the
honeymoon, the wedding.
Like I said, it's
just beginning.
Something's bothering me,
and I want to get it off my mind
before we get back to
Duncan Falls in the morning.
It's something I never told you,
and I just don't want
any secrets between us.
You know my first husband
was convicted of armed robbery.
That's ancient history.
Besides, the man is dead.
- No, I want to tell you.
He did do it.
That doesn't matter.
Bill, I still have it.
- What?
The money. I still
have it, all of it,
$220,000.
It's hidden so that if the
children ever need it...
I'll take care of
Julie and Bobby.
Julie knows where it is
in case anything ever happened.
And I want you to know, too.
(scoffs) Betty, Betty.
Betty, Betty, Betty, Betty.
That part of your
life belongs to you.
Nothing belongs to me.
I want everything
I am to be yours
for always.
Money. You should've
returned it. You know that.
You still can.
- You think so?
- Mm-hmm.
We can, uh, we can
explain to the authorities,
tell 'em that it just turned up.
- Where is it?
- In the stable.
In the stable.
In a brown suitcase,
behind the second stall.
The third plank up is loose.
We'll take care of that later.
You have to get into the tub,
or we're gonna
be late for dinner.
Go on. Go on.
Oh, I do love you.
And I you.
I thought you were going
to call for some champagne.
(water running)
Room service, please.
We were in Hawaii
for eight days.
We got married there.
My wife wanted to stay,
but, uh, my practice
in Duncan Falls...
There's only one other
doctor. He's about to retire.
I guess she knew that, uh,
that we wouldn't be getting
into the city too much,
so we spent the, uh, the
entire afternoon shopping.
Stuff for her, for
the, uh, for the kids.
Julie and, uh, and Bobby...
They were her children.
What am I gonna say to them?
Was she in the
bath before you left?
No, she was, uh, she
was just getting undressed.
What time was that?
5:00, 5:30.
I went downstairs
to get a haircut.
We, uh, we had dinner
reservations at 8:00.
Barbershop in the hotel?
Yeah.
Lieutenant.
Occipital skull fracture.
The victim apparently
slipped on the tile floor,
fell into the tub,
and hit her head.
- On what?
- Uh, I won't have any idea
till after the autopsy.
Can you give me the time?
Let you know then.
Probably just an accident,
Mike, a pretty common one at that.
Okay, thanks.
There's a housekeeper
with the kids,
and they're expecting a call
from their mother this evening.
I'd, uh, I'd like to get to
them as soon as I can.
Doctor, if I may
make a suggestion,
there's gonna be a
couple of miles of red tape
you're gonna have
to get behind you,
so why don't you just
call up the housekeeper
and tell her what happened?
(telephone rings)
I hear the phone.
It's not mom. She's
calling at 7:30.
I'm hungry. Let's go in
and get some cherry pie.
I can't believe it.
She was... such
a sweet, dear girl.
She was like a
daughter to me. I...
Yes, Mr. Dunson, I will.
I'm sorry.
I was thinking of myself
and forgetting how
awful this must be for you.
Yes.
I'll call Dr. White first
and whoever else.
No, I'll take care
of everything.
Thank you for calling.
Mom's gonna call
at 7:30. Julie said so.
Well, uh...
things are different
in San Francisco.
She, uh, she might be late,
and, uh, 7:30 is
your bedtime, Bobby.
Who was on the phone, Mrs. Rand?
It was just, um...
well, now I'm entitled
to a personal call.
(crying) Isn't that so?
- Everything check out?
- Just like he said, yeah.
It's gotta be tough.
They only met four months ago.
Duncan Falls?
Yeah, there was an
advertisement for a new doctor.
She had a house up there,
a little summer business,
you know, with tourists,
enough to support the kids.
Kids, huh?
Gonna be tough on them.
Well, he said he was
gonna adopt them.
I guess that's what she'd want.
♪♪
Did he call back yet?
He said he'd be
here in the morning
after he makes arra...
Oh, now come, come, Emma.
There'll be plenty
of time for that.
Are they asleep?
Yeah, about an hour ago.
They don't know then?
I couldn't tell them.
I'll let Mr. Dunson.
You still can't
call him "doctor."
As far as I'm concerned,
you're still the only
doctor in Duncan Falls.
Can I make you
some hot chocolate?
Got any brandy?
Yes, I think so.
Get two glasses.
I'm afraid it's going to be
a long night for both of us.
DR. WHITE: I brought
her into this world
34 years ago, upstairs.
Her mother didn't
believe in hospitals.
MRS. RAND: I suppose she'll
be brought back to Duncan Falls,
buried here.
DR. WHITE: Where else?
MRS. RAND: She was such a kind
and thoughtful human being.
I never felt like a housekeeper.
She made me feel
like one of the family.
DR. WHITE: They're all gone now,
except her sister
Helen over in Edenton.
One of the first
families in these parts,
along with mine.
I've got to go over and
see Mrs. Knox for a while.
Probably nothing
but false labor,
but if I don't get back,
I'll look in on you first
thing in the morning.
Bobby?
Bobby, get up.
I don't wanna.
Come on, it's a secret.
- I'll be back later if I can.
- I understand, Doctor.
(door closes)
(engine starts)
What happens now?
- Get the lantern.
- I don't have any matches.
The battery one.
(horse snorts)
You're very beautiful.
And I love you.
And so did my mother.
Here, help me.
(grunting)
Here, help me.
What's it say?
If we need help,
we should go to Aunt Helen's.
Why do we need help?
In case something bad happened.
But it didn't.
Maybe it did, Bobby.
Julie, what?
You gotta help me get this back.
(dog barking)
It's mom. She came home early.
That's Redwood.
He never barks
when mom's around.
He only barks at Dunson.
I know.
(Redwood barking and growling)
All right, Redwood, go on.
Go on.
He'll wake the children.
MRS. RAND: I didn't
expect you until morning.
I did what had to be done.
I just, uh,
couldn't stay in that
hotel for another minute.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Dunson, so...
(door closes)
I thought they were asleep.
Oh, it's just as well.
I might as well
get this over with.
- Tonight? Don't you think...
- I'll be gentle.
Julie?
Julie, wake up.
Yeah?
Something's happened
to your mother.
I know.
She's dead.
How did you know?
I heard Mrs. Rand on the phone.
And then Doc White came by
and talked about it.
Does, uh, does Bobby know yet?
No.
Well, I'll tell him
in the morning.
No. He'd rather hear
it from me and now.
(Redwood barking)
Oh, there you are.
Julie told Bobby.
They're both in there
crying themselves to sleep.
I'll just sit with
them for a while.
Good night, Mr. Dunson.
♪♪
- (sighs)
- What's all this?
Coroner's report on
the honeymoon couple.
- Something troubling you?
- Yeah.
All right, here's
the point of impact
on the woman's skull.
- Yeah.
Now these are
photographs that were taken
in the bathroom the
way the body was found.
Now Bernie says whatever she hit
was a blunt object
2 inches in diameter.
STONE: Faucet?
KELLER: I put it
through the glass.
You can see it's
beveled. It's not blunt.
Well, nothing else in
here the same size?
Not in the pictures, no.
Well, what are you thinking?
I think we oughtta go
back and take another look.
You got anything
else on these people?
Not yet.
All right, I guess you better
run 'em both through R and I.
Okay.
You were right about the edges.
Beveled, pretty sharp.
Hey, what about this?
Right size, maybe.
But, uh, tell me,
how would she end up in the tub?
(telephone rings)
Yeah, this is inspector Keller.
Yeah, Bill, go ahead.
Tanner's got the
info from R and I.
Are you sure this
guy's a doctor?
Well, That's what he
told us. Yeah, why?
Well, he doesn't show up
with the state board
of medical examiners.
- I called Sacramento.
- You're kidding.
Unh-unh. I checked
back ten years,
and there's never been a
Dr. William Fitzpatrick Dunson
in California during
that whole period.
Did you check the, uh,
the national registry?
Yeah, called Chicago,
the AMA headquarters.
What?
There's no listing of
Dunson being a doctor.
Is he sure?
I heard that.
Tell the lieutenant it's been
checked and double-checked.
He's positive, yeah.
What do you think?
I don't know.
Yeah, is there any
record of the same name
but without the M.D.?
Still checking.
Got something interesting
on that woman, though.
Yeah, go ahead.
Yeah.
Okay, Bill, yeah. Thanks a lot.
What's he got?
The woman's death certificate
says she was married
before to a Calvin Todd.
Now Tanner ran
it through R and I.
What's this, uh, "died Q 1/28"?
He died while he was
serving time in San Quentin.
- For what?
- Armed Robbery.
$220,000 unrecovered.
Wow, that's a pretty
big leap you're making.
You know that, don't you?
I know. I know.
But it's possible.
It's a pretty good motive
for marriage, even murder.
You know, if I were you,
I think I'd have the lab
come up here right away.
Okay.
(dialing phone)
Blunt object.
It's about 2 inches in diameter.
If there's nothing
else, I'll go do the beds.
Fine, thank you.
I, uh, I hope you both realize
that I'm gonna take care of you.
We don't... know each
other very well yet,
but we'll get to. I
promise you that.
Your mother told
me a lot about you.
She told me about the money.
In the suitcase?
Well, I'm gonna get the bank
to take care of that for you
as soon as you tell
me where you moved it.
Moved what?
The money in the suitcase.
I don't know nothin'
about any money.
And besides, it's empty.
It's Doc White.
Julie?
My mama's dead.
Oh, I know, Bobby. I know.
- Doc.
- Oh, Julie.
Julie, everything is
going to be all right.
What are we gonna do?
Oh, now don't you worry.
You and Bobby
have lots of friends,
wonderful people who
care about you both.
- Bill.
- Doc.
I'm, uh, sorry, to
hear the bad news.
I thought I should come over.
That's good of you.
Maybe I could take
the kids for a little ride
and talk about a few things?
We were just doing
that. Weren't we, Julie?
Well, I-I didn't mean
to interrupt anything.
I just thought that since
I've known their mama
all of her life, that...
Well, thank you. I don't
think it's really necessary.
Yes, we'd like it very
much. Wouldn't we, Bobby?
BOBBY: Yeah.
(car doors close)
All right with you?
Sure. Why not?
We'll talk when you get back.
I'll wait for you, Julie.
Oh, Bill, I was gonna
stop by Mamie Dollinger's
on my way to the
office. Would you mind?
- No, I'll stop by, Doc.
DR. WHITE: Thanks.
(engine starts)
♪♪
I was treating Todd
for a slipped disc.
He died on a Sunday.
I was away at the time.
Oh, come on, J.B., don't tell
me he died of a slipped disc.
Nope, heart attack.
He have any previous
record of a heart condition?
No, none that I can see,
but that doesn't mean...
- Was there an autopsy?
- Yes, of course.
It was confirmed by
the medical examiner.
May I ask who found the body?
An orderly named
Cooper. James Cooper.
One of the inmates. Oh, yes.
I remember him. Pretty
good man, knew his medicine.
He was discharged
some months back.
This Cooper, uh,
what did he look like?
Oh, he was 6
foot, trim, late 30s.
Blue eyes, graying
hair, good talker, bright?
That's right. You know him?
Maybe.
Doctor, there's a lot
of ways to make it look
like somebody died of a
heart attack, aren't there?
Well, yes.
Could this Cooper have
access to those kind of drugs?
I suppose so.
Well, could he have
taken these drugs
and injected them
into your patient?
Now look, Mike,
there was no reason to
suspect anything like that.
There may be now.
See ya. Thanks.
♪♪
♪♪
I really don't think
he's sad, Doc.
What?
Dunson. I know about him.
He's not really sad
that mama died.
Well, that's not so.
He scares me
sometimes, and Bobby, too.
Yeah.
And I don't think he's
a real doctor either.
Well, now that's a peculiar
thing to say, young lady.
Well, every time
a patient calls,
he says he has to
go to the other line.
Then he goes and he looks
up in these medical books.
Then comes back
and tells 'em what to do.
Well, now, that can be
very good medical practice,
double-checking like that.
But, Doc, we don't
have two phones.
BOBBY: Yeah, and he lies.
He wanted to give me a
tetanus shot for a scratch.
See? Here.
JULIE: And you told
me that you only needed
a booster shot when
you punctured your skin.
Remember, Doc?
Yeah. Yeah.
I don't know much
about Bill Dunson.
What about a James Cooper?
Where'd you get this?
San Quentin. He
served time there
the same time as Calvin Todd.
Think he knows about
the money Bill Todd stole?
We think so, yeah.
You think maybe Betty's
death wasn't an accident?
Well, we don't have
proof of that yet.
What can I do to help?
Give us some names,
people we can talk to.
And, uh, we'd like to
keep this on a low profile.
Sure.
It's me, Myrtle. Anybody dyin'?
Two detectives
from San Francisco
want to talk to you.
And Dr. Dunson needs
you at the Dollinger place.
Detectives? What did they want?
MYRTLE: They didn't exactly say.
Asked me about Dr. Dunson.
And what did you tell them?
I told them I wouldn't
let him treat me
for heat rash on my left pinkie.
You never told me you
felt that way about Dunson.
You never asked.
All right. All right, Myrtle.
I'll go by Mrs. Dollinger's.
Meantime, you do just what
you want with your pinkie.
(chuckling)
Give her 10 milligrams
of escadine tartrate.
You know, I've been
thinking about the Lucas boy.
Maybe we oughtta
get him out of traction
and get him to exercise.
What do you think, Bill?
I've been toying around with
the same idea myself, Doc.
Who are you? You're no doctor.
If we took the Lucas
boy out of traction,
he wouldn't have a chance.
And the injection I just
prescribed for Mrs. Dollinger
is a lethal dose.
Before I came here,
two detectives from
San Francisco stopped by
to talk to me about you.
Now you tell me, Dunson,
who the hell are you?
Is anything wrong, Dr. Duns...
Dr. White, I tried
to ask Dr. Dunson...
Your mother's gonna be
all right. I'll be back later.
(engine starts)
Dunson! Dunson, come back here!
Come back here!
(engine starts)
I don't scare like
the kids, Dunson.
Oh, well, uh, that's good, Doc,
because there's nothing
really to be frightened of.
And what I... What I
do know about this stuff
is that it's, uh,
it's painless...
and it's, uh, very quick.
(loud thud)
(sniffs)
Lieutenant.
Janice Dollinger.
Lives up the road a ways.
Says Doc White and Dunson
left her place 30 minutes ago.
Did they leave together, ma'am?
It was very peculiar.
First Dr. Dunson rushed out,
and then Dr. White
left a minute later.
Both seemed kind of upset.
Janice was on her way to do
some marketing in Duncan Falls.
She found Doc White.
It could have been a
heart attack, Lieutenant.
No sign of any violence.
Oh, come on, Sheriff, you don't
believe in coincidences, do you?
Not this time, I guess.
(siren wailing)
- Well, I'd appreciate it
if you'd have that ambulance
take him to the nearest coroner.
Well, that'd be Santa Rosa.
How far is it to the Todd farm?
About 30 minutes south
on the main highway.
- Along here?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
There you go.
I don't know nothin'
about any money.
I'll give you five seconds
to tell me where it is.
I'll tell Doc White!
Doc White is dead.
All right, Julie.
It's in the old well
behind the stables.
You show me where it is.
JULIE: No, I'm scared of snakes.
It's there. I tied it to a
rope and dropped it in.
It's there. I'm
scared of snakes. No!
Maybe the doctor and
Dunson were in on it together.
Nah, you heard what the
sheriff said about Doc White.
He spent his whole life
in the same little town
looking after other
people's welfare.
- Doesn't square.
- Yeah.
The doctor must have
found out something,
and Dunson was
afraid he was gonna talk.
And I keep wondering why
Dunson's still hanging around.
I mean...
if he killed his
wife for the money,
he'd want to find out
where that money was
before he did it, right?
Right.
So why didn't he
just get it and go?
Because he thought
we'd believe him,
and we almost did.
This way he can stick around,
take off in the clear later on.
I keep wondering
about those two kids
that the woman had.
What about 'em?
STONE: Well, if
you were a widow,
you had all that money,
and you hadn't spent it,
what would you be saving it for?
For the kids.
That's it.
You say maybe the kids
know where the money is?
Well, you'd want 'em
to know, wouldn't you?
Just in case.
So Dunson's sticking
around because the kids
got the money first,
and he doesn't know
where to find it.
- Uh-huh.
(horse whinnying)
Stay here.
Julie, what did you do that for?
Now we'll have to walk
all the way to Aunt Helen's.
We can make it.
But Dunson won't be
following us anymore.
He'll follow the horse.
At least, that's what
they do in the movies.
Come on, help me.
BOBBY: It's too heavy.
JULIE: I'm not
gonna leave it behind.
MRS. RAND: I just don't
know where else to look.
KELLER: But they usually
come back for lunch?
MRS. RAND: We
have an understanding.
They can wander off, but
they'll show up come lunchtime.
And you haven't seen
Mr. Dunson since breakfast?
No, sir.
Why, Bermuda... she's gone.
Bermuda. Is that a horse?
Yeah, she belongs
to the children.
And Brindle's gone, too.
Now that's gotta
be where they are.
Is there anywhere special
that they would ride off to?
Well, yes, these
woods are full of trails.
They go clear here
from here to Healdsburg
and Cloverdale.
STONE: Hey, Mike.
Yeah. Oh, excuse me.
That's about
the size, all right.
Just wonder who got to it first?
Either he's got it and gone...
Or the kids got it,
and he's after 'em.
The kids come first either way.
Mrs. Rand, we want
to phone the sheriff.
We want him to
start a search party.
♪♪
- What?
- Shh.
- (whispering) What?
- (whispering) Listen.
(horse snorts)
He sees us.
(whispering) Get down.
Julie?
DUNSON: Julie?!
He's gone now.
Come on.
I'm hungry.
We'll be at Aunt
Helen's for supper.
Come on, help me.
I can't carry it anymore.
Okay. We'll hide it somewhere
and come back
later with Aunt Helen.
STONE: Any sign of them?
SHERIFF: No, but
I've got a search party
looking four ways.
Doc White didn't die
of a heart attack either.
He was murdered.
It says here a massive
dose of some drug,
escadine tartrate,
directly into the stomach.
Now is there any
small town in this area
where the children could
have friends or relatives in?
Well, there's Miss
Baker, their maiden aunt.
Miss Helen Baker, but she
lives way over in Edenton.
All right, give us her address
and telephone number, please.
(panting)
BOTH: Aunt Helen!
Oh, children, you
scared me half to death.
Oh, you must have been scared.
You know, you really
upset Dr. Dunson.
He's afraid he's to
blame for you running off.
(door closes)
♪♪
♪♪
Do you know how
worried you two made me?
I certainly hope you
don't plan to do anything
like that again.
- Aunt Helen...
No, I think we've bothered your
Aunt Helen enough for today.
Come on. It's time
to be getting on home.
- No, he killed mama!
- Julie.
It's all right, Helen.
They've been through a lot.
Don't listen to him. He killed
mama and Doc White, too.
What are you talking about?
It's all this talk about death.
It's frightened them,
confused them.
Aunt Helen, please,
you can call Doc White
and see for yourself.
He killed them for the money,
the money mama had
hidden in the stable.
That's enough, Julie.
They should be
under sedation, Helen.
I think you better let
me take them home.
No, I-I don't think so.
You're right. They're
just exhausted.
They can stay
with me for tonight
until they calm
down, and then...
(sighs) And then after I'm gone
you'll make a telephone call?
All right, Julie, where is it?
In the woods, hidden somewhere?
I won't tell you.
Yes, you will. This
time you will tell me.
This time you will show me
exactly where the money is.
- Leave her alone.
You leave them alone.
There's nothing.
It's out of order.
- (sighs)
- How far is it to Edenton?
- Eight, ten minutes.
- Come on, let's go.
Thank you, Emma.
I want the money, Julie.
I want it all, and
I want it now.
Now you make up your mind
if you're gonna
play any more tricks,
because I've decided what's
gonna happen to you if you do.
So the truth, all
right? Just the truth.
It's in the tree.
Julie!
Another well of
snakes, huh, Julie?
You're lying, aren't you?
Wait, don't hurt
her. I'll tell you.
We hid it in an old shed
by the river.
- Bobby!
I had to tell him,
Julie. I had to.
Okay, thank you, Bobby.
I'd like the keys to
your car now, Helen.
Don't hurt them.
Please, don't hurt them.
You know where
it is now. Just go.
- They go with me.
- No.
DUNSON: Yes.
Listen to me, Helen.
Things have not gone
exactly the way I planned.
The police already
suspect what I have done,
so I really don't
have anything to lose
if I go a little further.
You understand me, don't you?
Please.
I have to move very quickly now,
so I have no reason to kill you,
unless you give me one.
And I have no
reason to hurt them,
unless they give me one.
But I don't think that
they'll do that now.
Will you?
All right, let's go.
I'll contact you later
and tell you where
you can pick the kids up.
And, Helen,
don't even think
about talking to anyone
until you hear from me.
Good.
It's just up ahead.
Miss Baker!
Miss Baker, this is the police!
Miss Baker?
Sheriff? Oh, I'm sorry.
I was in the back.
I didn't hear you.
Miss Baker, this
is Lieutenant Stone
with the San Francisco
Police Department.
He's looking for Bill
Dunson. Has he been here?
Bill? Why, no. No, he hasn't.
We called you before we left.
Looks like we were right, Steve.
Two horses outside in the shed.
Listen, please, I know
you mean well, but...
How long ago did
they leave, ma'am?
I-I don't know... I
can't tell you anything.
How long ago did they leave?
We know he has the children.
What did he tell you,
that he wouldn't hurt them,
that he'd keep them safe
if you didn't say anything?
I can't tell you anything.
The only way these
kids are gonna be safe
is if you tell us where they're
going, and you tell us fast.
You do know, don't you?
Please, I don't know what to
do. I just don't know what to do.
All right, all right,
all right, all right.
I am not going to tell
you to do anything.
This is gonna have
to be your choice.
You're gonna make up your mind.
They...
they said it was in the
old shed on the river.
It must be the one
by the footbridge.
They said they hid
the money there.
KELLER: You know where it is?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right, where is it?
Dunson, hold it!
White water downstream!
♪♪
My leg. (groaning)
I think it's broken.
Oh, is that right, Doctor?
Well, I wouldn't worry
about it, if I were you.
You're gonna have a
long time to let it heal.
BOBBY: Come on.
Oh, boy, come on.
KELLER: All right, Bobby,
let me give you a hand.
Just a couple more
inches. We've got it.
There we go.
We figured if he did
catch us and made us tell,
we'd bring him to the shed
and say somebody else
must've stolen the
money from there.
That was smart
figurin'. Real smart.
Did my father really
steal that money?
STONE: Mm-hmm.
- Is that why he had to go away?
That's right.
And, uh, this money's
gonna have to go back
to the people he took it from.
For a reward, right?
For a big reward.
And I think it belongs
to the two of you.
These are silver certificates.
So they're out of
circulation, aren't they?
Yeah, but they're
worth a lot more.
Come on, we'd better go
tell Aunt Helen we're all right.
Yeah.
That's the trouble
with kids today.
What?
They don't understand
the value of a dollar.
♪♪