Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
to me Box thirteen at Greatdetectives dot net. Follow us on Twitter at Radio
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Detectives. If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast
software. Today, I want to let you know about something that's going on
on our YouTube channel, and that is throughout the month of January, I'm
experimenting with posting compilations of podcast episodes, so each YouTube video will have a
week's worth of podcast episodes from our first season in two thousand and nine,
so it's an opportunity to experience multiple detective programs on a single video. We
are also having each episode be a premiere on YouTube, which means that the
video starts playing live. You can listen, slash watch and post comments and
take part in chat while you enjoy the video. Compilation. Plane the premiere
the every Tuesday the month of January at three pm Mountain that's five Eastern,
and then once the premiere is over, you can enjoy the entire video compilation
should be sometime after six pm Mountain time eight pm Eastern. We're trying this
out on YouTube in hopes that will draw new people to the channel and help
out with the YouTube algorithm, as well as giving people a way to listen
to our older episodes on YouTube. Well. On our podcast feed, episodes
I think tend to get a lot more play months after they were posted.
With YouTube, it feels like you've gotten maybe a four to six week period
where episodes will get views and then it will disappear off the face of the
earth. So if you're interested, check it out YouTube dot Great Detectives dot
net. We're going to continue to do this throughout the month of January and
then we'll consider the whole thing once we have a few weeks worth of data
and understanding how people are listening. So again, check that out YouTube dot
Great Detectives dot net. Tuesdays at five pm Eastern time if you want to
be on live with the chat and otherwise should be available by eight pm Eastern
time most days. Well, now it's time to get into this week's yours
truly. Johnny doll or Cereal actually recorded myself saying as always, but then
I remember that this week is going to be a little bit different because we've
got a six parter. So we will be playing the first three episodes of
this serial today, then we will play the final three episodes of this serial
on Friday. Now, if you are did listen to all six episodes together,
then go ahead and pause the podcast now, then come back on Friday
and listen to the whole thing in one block. But now we're going to
bring you the first three episodes, which are labeled not one, two,
and three as you might expect, but one, one, A, and
two. So we're going to be playing episodes one, one, A,
and two of The Cranesburg Matter from August twenty fourth, twenty seventh, and
twenty eighth of nineteen fifty six. Let's go ahead and take a lesson from
Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dellar Bob laughter, Johnny Trinch state guarantee.
Oh yeah, I've been a long time. I wish it were a
longer time. Nothing personal in that is he no, no, just bad
tamper. I'm on the prize, Johnny. We had a pearl next the
swipe and it's got me irritated. Does the same thing to an oster the
way I hear yeah, but in reverse. If an oyster gets irritated and
he makes a pearl, I lose a pearl. I get irritated right now,
I'm irritated. Thirty eight pearls worth saying money twenty thousand clams. Ever
hear of smiley pearls smiley pew oh sure, small time jewel thief. A
couple of raps haven't heard him lately, though, Well you're here now.
He boned us from Ohian hour Goal says he's got the necklace, wants to
talk a deal. Who is your client? Girl named Melbur Crane, a
real snooty tuty. The way I get it, owns a town or something,
anyhouse named after her family, Greensburg, Ohio. Well, if I
can find it on the map, I'll see aim by the plane reservation,
by the Johnny you already got one tonight and every weekday night. Bob Bailey
in the Transcribed Adventures of the Man with the Action Packed Expenser, cout America's
Fabulous Freelance Insurance Investigator Truley Johnny Dollar from Special Investigator Johnny Dollar to the home
office Tri State Guarantee Company, Hartford Connecticut. The following is an accounting of
expenditures during my investigation of the Cranesburg matter. Item one one hundred and five
dollars and thirty five cents incinn nettles in Hartford and transportation to Cranesburg, Ohio.
I checked into the hotel, the Crane Hotel, incidentally, and per
instructions waited for contact by one Smiley Prowl jewel thief. That Crane name was
beginning to run out of my ears. So for the moment at least,
I postponed calling on the family itself. As it happened, though the family
came to me, or at any rate, one of them did come in.
My name is Phineas Crane. Mister Dollar, Oh sure, sure,
come on in, mister Crane, thank you, sir. You're related to
miss Melbury Crane. Melbury is my niece and the necklace belonged to her.
That is correct. It was her own personal property, not a part of
any family holding. Oh I see well, sinner, I want you miss
Crane. Oh thank you. Just two constitutes the family you mentioned well.
As a matter of fact, mister Dolla, only Melbourne myself. Now we're
the last remaining survivors. Oh, now I see your unpacking. So you
just go right ahead and forgive my intrusion. Well, yeah, it did
catch me a little by surprise. I just got in town a few minutes
ago, and I wasn't expecting for listeners. Mister Lawder of the insurance company
wired that you were coming, and I was waiting here at the hotel.
Oh, I understand the thief has approached you. Well no, not me
personally. No, he falled the main office in Hartford and talked to Lawder.
I see, I'll probably hear from him sometimes afternoon. Now you say,
he mister Dollar, are you certain the hall was from a man?
Laughter? Was certain? Do you have some reason to data? Oh?
No, not at all. I just wondered. The name he gave is
a known jewel thief, several previous convictions, sminally pre and the call was
made from here in Cranesburg. Yeah that's right. Well that's very remarkable.
Why so, Well, this is quite a small town, as you've no
doubt noticed. Now, a strange you would draw attention, be somewhat conspicuous.
Oh not necessarily. Smiley may have come here some time ago to establish
himself. You may even have met him, mister Crane. Oh, oh
no, I'm quite sure that I was utterly impossible. Did later we are
you a description? No, no, of course not. And how can
you be so sure? Well? I just have met any strangers in the
last few months, not a one, I see. Well, I am
now at home. Can I can I, alady have something from the bar,
mister Crank? Oh no, no, no, thank you, No,
I really have to run on. I only stopped in for a minute.
Did you have anything special in mine? Oh no, no, no,
nothing at all. I don't believe you, mister Crane. I beg
your pardon. Well, I just don't believe you care for cigarette? Oh
no, no, no, thank you. I never smoked, and I
must say I failed to understand your implication. You understand it all right,
mister. I want to leave, mister Crane. Is there something funny about
the loss of that necklace? Certainly? And what's up? I merely came
here to offer my help, and Melbourne too. Of course, I wanted
you to know that we'll be glad to cooperate fully in any action you may
choose to take. That's very generous of you and your niece. My niece
well, she's a very remarkable girl, Melby. Oh, yeah, she's
a trifle headstrong times course, and not always inclined to use the best judgement.
How has she shown this lack of judge mister cran, Oh, there's
nothing specific at all. But I did want you. I did want to
see you before you talk to her, you understand, and let you know
kind of what to expect. As you might say, Well, naturally,
she's very upset over the loss of her necklace. I imagine you don't have
any hope I suppose of recovering it. Well, as a matter of fact,
I have a lot of hope of recovering it, possibly within twenty four
hours. See. Oh, well in Melbourne. Be very happy to hear
that it was an engagement gift, to understand, and from her fiance Dean
Sells his name. Oh, she was quite broken up when he was stolen.
Well, a twenty thousand dollars necklace is a pretty fair loss, now,
mister Crane. Oh, it's not the intrinsic value at all. Mister
No, I suppose not, since that part of it is covered by the
insurance. Yeah, oh, it's quite so. But I was referring to
the sentimental attachment, you understand, all natural and of course to the sheer
beauty. Oh it was lovely, mister. You've seen the necklace, I
suppose it. No, but I've got photographs of it. Oh yes,
of course, yes, from the insurance company. It's quite an unusual ornament,
with each pearl set individually in a platinum morning and the whole thing is
a part Johnny Dollar. This is you know who mister dollars are right to
talk? Yeah, go ahead, shoot all right, you know where the
green Lion bar is, I'll find it. Well, meet me there then
in a hour and a half check and I won't have it on my dollars.
So don't go smarty pants on me or you'll be holding the sack.
You. I just want you and me, you understand, no cops.
Huh. I've been in this game a long time. Yeah. Yeah,
that's what I'm counting on. So I'll see you later. That was the
thief, I presume. So he says, well, I have got to
be running alone now. If there's anything I can do, well, you
can finish what you were saying about your niece if you will. Oh no,
no, it was nothing, really not. It's just that Melbourne is
a bit too impulsive, time headstrong. You know, she's young, she's
foolish, but she never means any actual harm by it. I no,
not really now, I'm sure you understand that, mister Dollar. So a
good day, sir, item two twenty six dollars even deposit in first days
rental on a hired car. I checked on the location of the Green Lion
fifteen minutes in the center of town, so there was plenty of time to
follow up another angle before I went to meet Smiley Pewl. I parked the
car in front of the Cranesburg Bank, went inside and presented my credentials in
the letter of introduction to Milton Berkley, President step inside. The off was
mister Dollar, we have a little privacy at least, thanks mister Parkney.
I have a sheet all right. Thanks any any recommendation that Bob Laughters is
good enough for me? He handled a lot of investments for Tristate. You
find company, nice company to work for. Now what can I do for
you, mister Dollar. Oh, it's just the usual routine check in cases
of this kind. The general financial status of the Crane Bunch. You mean
the Crane Chemical company or the Crane family. Well, I assume the two
went together. No, no, not for several years now. Melburn's father
sold the last of the family stock a while before his death. Neither Phineas
nor Melba have one cent of ownership in the company. I see now.
The company, of course, is in excellent financial connits the family we're concerned
with. Well, there the picture is a little different. The fact is
that although they're the social leaders of the town and everybody figures they're rolling in
it, the Cranes are broke, flat broke, have been for a couple
of years now. But as I understand that, they live at quite a
fancy estate out on the edge of town. Sure, and it's mortgage.
Did they help? That's very interesting. Of course, lately old Phineas seems
to be going around with a pocket full of money. I don't know where
he got it. It is a funny thing, how lately, since the
necklace was stolen before, oh long before two or three months. The robbery
was only last week supposedly at least. No, I see what you mean,
but it's not the answer. Melville wore those pearls with the country club
lands just a few days before they were taking. Well, it was an
idea. I'll give you a piece of advice, mister Dollar, have more
than just an idea before you get too rough with Melbourne Crane or her uncle.
Oh eh, if money or no money, they're still top society here,
the local aristocrats, and the town kindly takes care of his own.
Well. As I said, this is only routine. I don't have the
slightest bit of evidence that the Cranes are trying to pull an insurance swindle.
But I get paid to be suspicious, that's all. Well, I wondered
myself where Phineas were getting the money? Any ideas about it? No,
old unless he's been borrowing from his prospective son in law, Dean Sellers,
the land who gave miss Crane the pearls. Yes, how is he fixed
financially? A man who can afford a twenty thousand dollars engagement gift. Yeah,
we can assume he's eating regularly. I suppose. Well, Actually,
I don't know too much about him. He's an out of towner, came
here about eight months ago. Doesn't bank with me, I say, but
I will tell you one thing. If he doesn't have money, now,
he's hurt me world had before long. He's a go getter, that boy.
He must be here eight months and engaged to the town bell. Oh,
he's a whirlwind, keep six or eight projects going all at once,
for instance, real estate, business promotions, one thing and another. So
busy even had to postpone the wedding they were supposed to get Hits three weeks
ago. Of course, I hear that that may be due to well two
to what, mister Dollar. This whole thing is odd enough. Just on
the basis of facts the rumors, I think we'll skip. I'm sure you
understand. That was the second time I was supposed to quote understand unquotes.
Phineas Train was sure I could understand about his niece, and banker Milton Borkley
was equally certain about the rumors. As a matter of fact, I understood
less about the whole thing than I did when I first got in town.
I wasn't getting anywhere. I was losing ground. I had them three a
dollar forty two dry martinis in the Green Lion Bar when I waited for Smiley
pro He was twenty minutes late, but he finally showed up, slipped into
the back booth across from me. You are your dollar right, have a
drink? No summer a time? I have only got about one minute,
all right? What's your price? No price? Not now? Oh look,
Smiley, A minute is not long enough to do much bargaining. I
didn't come here to bargain. Well I did. And we assume from the
way you talked on the phone to Hartford you felt the same way. Jes
keep your shirt on, chum. We'll make a deal, all right,
but later, not right now? Why not? Because sums come up.
I gotta get it straightened out. What never mind? And look, you
remember this address and fourteen twelve North Oak Street, Room six boarding house.
Are you meet me there at nine o'clock tonight? What's this all about?
I haven't got time jumped, don't. You'll get your beads back one way
or another. What do you mean? I mean that somebody's trying to hand
old smile a real quick shuffle, first class double cross. And I'm going
to see to it that somebody gets it right in the neck. Who's the
somebody? Ever? Mind? You just sit tight and meet me at nine
o'clock, and I think I'll be in a position to give you a lot
more than just the necklace. You understand, frankly, Noah, you will.
You're gonna understand real good before you're through. So stick around dollar,
Johnny Dollar, I guess dollar. Yeah, apparently. Now who did you
say Bartlett? You mean you work for mister Barton? I mean I am
mister Bardott. I mean miss Bartlett. Oh, now you've got me all
confused. You're confused. Look, mister do the only J. D.
Bartatt in town is me. I'm him? Ever heard? I mean,
now you see what you've done. I'll never forgive myself. Well anyway,
I'm the try State guarantee agent here in Cransburg. This seems at least you
could have done was to look me up. We'll give me time. I
just got in town. You had time to rush out there at that south
side bar and started lushing it up. I came out here to this joint
to talk to what jewel thief you want? Juelsye, it's the guy who
phoned Hardford and offered to make a deal on the crane necklace. He claims
he's the one who stole it. That for a slight consideration, I can
get it back. And what do you think I think I've walked in on
the nuttiest case in the month of Sundays. Hey, look he's waiting for
me at the bar. Suppose I ain't dropped by later? And are you
sure J. D. Bartlett is a woman. You're the first man who
ever doubted it. I'll see you later, mister Dollar. From Special Investigator
Johnny Dollar to the home office Tri State Guarantee Company, Hartford, Connecticut.
The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Cranesburg matter.
Expense account continued when I told her the case was nutty I met it.
The start of it had been fairly ordinary. A pearl necklace in short for
twenty thousand dollars had been stolen from a wall safe in the home of its
owner. Local socialite Melbur Crane Sminy prell And owned small time jewelsy at Ponds,
claiming to have the necklace, and Smiley offered to talk a deal.
But before I'd been in town ten minutes, things began to crumble and change
shape. Melburgh's featherheaded uncle Phineas had called my hotel to warm me that his
niece was headstrong and impulsive, or at least he said that was why he
called when I tagged the rumor that the aristocratic cranes were flat broke until recently.
And now at the Green Lion in Swinley, pre a burglar by admission,
was turning skittish and climbing up. Look, dollar, I got no
time to talk now. Oh relax, what do you? Smiley man?
And your profession can't afford to develop a case of nerves. Oh very funny,
But I gotta blow this joint. I told you before you went to
get that phone call. I got things to do. Yeah, I know
what you're talking. All right? Then you meet me later at that place
and time I told you about it. Now you try pushing me, You're
never going to get them beads back. You ever think of that? I
don't know, I am anyway, I told you, And an hour before
on the phone, you told me to meet you here. We talk a
deal, all right, and so we will. We'll talk later. What's
the matter with you? Now? How many times I gotta tell you something's
come up? And then I got to get it straightened out? Like what?
For instance? Like what? Never mind, it's none of your business,
it's it's like personal. So later Uh, you said you were being
handed a double cross? Now what kind of a double That's exactly what I'm
trying to figure out. Who did it? Who crossed you? Never mind
who crossed me, it's only your business. Did you have a partner on
this job? Oh? Look, don't try to kid me. You checked
my m before you ever left Hartford. If you did, then you will.
You know I always work alone. Well, there can be a first
time or anything. No, I got no time. Have somebody on the
inside smiling, somebody in the crane house who tipped you off, briefed you?
Yeah, you want to know too much? Is that where the double
cross came from? I got nothing more to say more, you haven't said
anything. Well, you meet me tonight where I said do dollar at nine?
You know something? Smiling? I don't think you've got it? What
are you talking about the necklace? I don't think you had anything to do
with the robbery. I don't believe you've got it, or that you've ever
even seen it. You don't know. No, No, I think you're
trying to pull a con of some kind, but it's not gonna work a
dollar. You know what the things look like? Yeah, I got photographs
of them? All right, then check me out. There are thirty eight
pearls. Yeah, and they're pink match color, match size, and are
nut pierced like they usually are. Each one said in a fitted platinum mount
and the mounts are fastened together with those you know, those little links.
What kind of a stone in the clasp in the class? Righty stone in
the hey? What are you trying to do? Okay, okay, all
right, you've got it, or at least you've seen it. So how
much do you want? Meet me tonight at nine o'clock and I'll tell you
fourteen twelve North Oak Street, Room six, and no copy, not if
you want them beats back? Do you understand? Not anymore than I did
when I walked in, But you will, so just keep your shirt on,
smiley. If you can talk tonight, you can talk now. There's
no reason. Now. Look, I got things to do and not much
time to do them in so go find yourself a cool pad somewhere and simmer
down. Huh, so long? Don light them four to seventy five.
I was stuck with the check, naturally, so I paid it and strolled
toward the door. I stopped just outside and the entrance way to the roadhouse
and watch final across the parking lot toward a trechiated taxi stand, where a
couple of waiting hacks had parked out of the sun. A few yards away
from me stood another cab, this one occupying it. I stepped out of
the entrance and walked over to the taxi because I'd recognized the passenger in the
backseat. Afternoon, miss Crane. I'm sorry if I started it. Oh,
oh, not at all, don't. I just didn't hear you walk
up. Yeah, I noticed you seem pretty concerned with something across the lot,
cross lot. I'm afraid it wouldn't be that fella getting into the taxi,
wouldn't what, fellow, I don't know what you mean, mister Dalla.
Oh I could be wrong. I hadn't even noticed the man as a
matter of fact. Oh well, then of course you won't mind if we
just stand here and watch him drive off. I really should get back into
town. Good, I'm going that way myself. I've got a car here.
Be glad to tell you, but I've already I'm off. We'll get
going. Give us a chance to talk on the way in. You might
as well mister Crane, the other taxi is already out of sight, and
I hadn't noticed very well, do you driver keep the chimn My car is
over this way. I pray there may be a misunderstanding of some sort.
Mister You seem to bender, the misapprehension that I was interested for some reason
in that stranger who lift I said, I could be wrong, and I
can assure you that you are. Here's the car. For the best of
my knowledge, I have never seen the man before in my life. Well,
there'll be days like that sometimes. What's a colloquialism of the common man,
mister Crane. What what were you doing out at the Green Lion by
the way, Miss Grank Well, I was just killing time, were you?
As a matter of fact, sir, I was waiting to talk with
you. We don't say I was afraid I may have left the wrong impression
when I talked with you at your hotel earlier today in what way, mister
gran But I mean about my niece Melmo. Well, you said she was
headstrong, impossible, but not a bit more so than any other normal average
girl. Mister Dollan, I see, I don't really know why I considered
it's so important. At the time, it must have been a little upset.
Yeah, well, that's understandable. You don't have a jewel robbery in
the family every day. In the family, I mean stolen from the family.
Apparently we're both giving wrong impression. Yes, I did say there as
I'm glad that everything is cleared up. Now I wish it were. Nothing
has been cleared up yet as far as I can see, the necklace is
still But of course that isn't what I mean. It's what I mean.
It's the only reason I'm here in Cranesburg to recover that necklace, one way
or another. What do you mean by one way or another? Either by
tagging the thief and getting it back through police action, or if necessary,
by making a deal. I just talked to the man who claims to be
in possession of the pearls, as you know, of course, but he
was I make your pardons here, but I do not know, of course.
Well, and let's say may have guessed you were in my hotel room
when he phoned. You heard me arranged to meet him. I didn't really
pay much attention to that phone call, all right. Anyway, when I
flew in here, from Hartford. I expected this to be a cut and
dried matter of routine. I'd meet Prell, make a quick deal to get
the pearls back and catch the next plane out. Only it's apparently not going
to be that way. It is. What what do you mean by that?
I mean I've stumbled onto a whole ness full of question marks, and
nothing seems to add up quite right. Prell, for one thing, I
think he's got himself into a spot of some kind. His attitude doesn't make
sense. And what else, mister dolla, little thing rumors I picked up
around town, hints, and of course the biggest question mark seems to be
right close to home. Which one is that you, mister Crane. When
I dropped him off at the center of town, he was still fumbling with
vague phrases, trying to clear up the misapprehensions, as he put it,
but actually saying nothing. He was sure, however, that I would understand
he was wrong. I didn't even my mistake about J. D. Bartlett,
tri State's local agents seemed to fit in with the rest of them.
Mixed up case. I'd assume from the name that Bartley was a man.
But when I walked into the office A few minutes later. I was suddenly
happy that I was wrong. Your dollar, I presume that's right, miss
Bartlet just make a JD. I've spent a lot of time and effort getting
those initials pounded into the skulls the local inhabitants. Why it's good for business?
Makes me one of the boys, you might say, I kind of
doubt it somehow, As you mentioned on the phone, you are unmistakable.
But that I'm going to drop the dollar and call you Johnny. Pull up
a chair. Yeah, thanks, JD. Can you get anywhere with that
character who snatched the queen's rocks? How come? Oh? He stalled,
postponed the whole deal until nine o'clock tonight. Why uh? He was nervous?
I guess well, that's about the only reason I can figure between him
and old Phineas Crane. I'm getting a little nervous myself. How did Phineas
get into the act? Good question? I wish I had a good answer.
What about these cranes, JD? What makes them tick? Beats me?
Well, you sold them the insurance policy. You must know something about
that. I didn't sell the policy. I just permitted it to be bought
from me, So meil the crane came snooping into the office one day,
dropped the pearls under my plebeian nose, and one of them insured. Why
do you dislike her? She's a good looking dame and I'm pretty well favored
myself, I'd answer your question roughly, yes. So what happened? So
I got Jim Markley, local jeweler in here to appraise him, issued the
policy, and that was that. I understand that the necklace was an engagement
gift from some newcomer in town. Yeah, Dean Sellers. She had him
hook for even got his bags unpacked. That's scart. Has the ethics of
a boa constrictor and about as much personality as a face painted on an egg.
Somehow, I don't feel I'm getting an unbiased opinion. You won't at
this address. Why can't she climb down off her petties still and play ball
with the rest of us? The Crane name, the Crane tradition, the
Crane social position. The only thing they are not so high and mighty about
is the Crane bank account, because there isn't one. Yeah, except lately,
as I understand that Old Phineas has been flashing money around pretty freely the
last few months. Yeah, so I've heard. Don't ask me to explain
it. I can't even explain Phineas. What do you mean he's a rare
one. That'll oh boy, old school time, mouthful of mush, that
sort of thing. But you know, it was a matter of protecting the
family name. I actually think he'd commit murdered Johnny Dollar. This is Melbourne
Crane, mister Dollar. Oh, yes, miss Crane. I phoned a
little while ago and your maid said you were out. She told me,
was there something new? You've had a twenty thousand dollars pearl necklace stolen.
I thought you might want to talk about it. I have talked about it.
The local police were quite thorough. Mister Dollar. Well, let's say
there have been some new developments. Like what that's what I want to see
you about. I suppose you want to come out here. Oh, thank
you? Will a half hour from now be convenient? Couldn't we talk about
this over the phone. If forty five minutes will be better for you,
I'd be glad to cooperate. You seem to be a very persistent man.
I usually get what I go after. Know something mister Dollar, So do
I old, and this might turn out to be interesting. See you in
a half hour. From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar, location, Cranesburg, Ohio
to the home office Tri State Guarantee Company, Hartford, Connecticut. Assignment the
Cranesburg Meta expense account continued. Item twenty thousand dollars the face value of the
policy on a pearl necklace stolen one week ago from Miss Melbury Crane, young
socialite, one of the last two surviving members of the town's most aristocratic family,
and, according to her own statement, a girl who always got what
she went after. Well, I'd almost got what I'd gone after. I'd
at least made contact with Smiley Prell, a jewel thief who had phoned Hartford
and offered a deal. But that was all. Smiley had clammed up,
started to stall and implied the whole thing was blowing up at his face,
and now the victim herself was trying to stall, and on top of everything
else, a storm was coming up. I left my hired car near the
coach house and walked down a long arbor toward the entrance to the Crane mansion.
It had been quite an estate once still was but the buildings needed a
touch of paint here and there, and the gardens needed a gardener, just
a hint of wear and tear. It fit with what I'd learned at the
bank. Those still tops in local society. Melbourn Crane and her uncle Phineas
were flat broken. I was reaching to ring the doorbell when I saw the
couple in the sunroom, a man in a business suit and a girl in
a maid's uniform, so busy with each other they didn't even notice me At
first. It wasn't intensely room scene, and I started to feel like a
peeping tom. The girl was still a little red faced when she answered the
door a few seconds later. Good afternoon, sir, my name is Johnny
Dollar. I'd like to see missus Doller. You're the investigator about the robbery.
Laughter must have wired everybody in town. I'm sorry, sir. I
didn't mean to blurt it out, though. Oh I found it interesting.
You know we're going to get a little wet if that rain starts. Oh
won't you come in, mister Dolls. Thanks? You'll want to see miss
Crane? I imagine, yes, I think she's expecting me. If you
will wait here, please, oh, by the way, I I didn't
interrupt you. I hope I'll tell her you're here, mister Dallas. Thanks.
Oh hello, you must be the insurance fella. Did you get a
why? No, Melbourne told me you were coming out. I'm a friend
of the family, mister Dalla Dean Sellers? Are you Sellers? Melbourne?
I are engaged? You know, congratulations? What's not recent? Yeah?
I know, so You're hard to figure out. I'm a complete enigma,
mister Sellers. I believe you're the chap who gave miss Crane the necklace,
right, yes, it's an engagement present. Do you have any lead on
it? Yet? Nothing definite. I understood you'd been contacted by the thief
who stolen That's right. Well, I haven't actually seen the necklace yet,
and until I do, I can't be positive this man, ever, well,
even has it, it wouldn't be the first time a professional jewel thief
has tried to pull a swindle. I see. Tell me something, mister
Dollar. Suppose you do get hold of the pearls. What happens to them?
Then? Well that depends if Miss Crane's claim hasn't been paid at the
time they go to her, if it has been paid, and she refuses
to reopen negotiations. Then we sell the necklace to recover our losses, and
till now, as I understand, the claim hasn't been paid. That's right,
I see. Well, I hope you get it back quick. Then
the insurance won't cover the sentimental value. Sentimental value to whom mister Sawry's to
both of us. Oh, I know I saw you outside the sun room
there strictly unintentioned. What I mean is his appearances can be deceiving sometimes.
I wouldn't want you to misunderstand. Oh, I think I understand perfectly.
Mister Seller's good. Whether Miss Crane would or not may be something else again,
Oh, Melboe's very understanding. She must be. Well, I've got
a run on. She'll be down in a minute at My office is in
the Ridley Building. Drop in it. There's any way I can help.
Thanks, I may just do that. I'm sorry to keep you waiting to
dollar. Oh, that's all right. It gave me a chance to meet
your fiancee. Oh were you talking with Dean? We exchanged a few pleasantries.
Isn'ta darling? Wow? He's a little head strong sometimes and impulsive.
But he never means any harm by it? How did you know? Personal
observation and also by an odd coincidence, that's exactly the way you were described
to me. Oh, instead of beautiful, glamorous, seductive. I imagine
it was assumed that I could see those qualities for myself. I wonder if
I should buy that as it is or analyze it face. I warn you,
I'm dangerously subtled. I think you may be at that. Would you
like a drink? Or are you one of those always stick to business types.
I'm even worse. I could bind the two. I'll have Scotch in
the rocks. That's my drink. I don't know we found something in common.
We already had something the robbery. Yeah, you want to talk about
him? Why not? I want that necklace recovered as much as you do.
Yes, I understand it has a high sentimental value. Who told you
that your fiance? Oh, here's your drink? Thanks to pearls the frozen
tears from the eyes of Allah. A poetic cop More cynical and poetic the
man I heard call them that had just knifed a British colonial administrator and blown
up a sampan with six Chinese fishermen aboard. Why nine pearls? He one
of them? There were thirty eight in that nightlace of yours. This man
did he get away with it? Not exactly? He was shot to death
on the Hong Kong waterfronts. This is good, Scotchy. It is another
thing, wass Crane. I am not a cop, poetic or otherwise.
It amounts to the same thing, doesn't it. In some ways, I'm
not professionally concerned with identifying and capturing criminals and bringing them to justice. My
obligations on that score are no more nor less than those of any other private
citizen. So I'm hired by the insurance company to protect their interests. Usually
then involves trying to recover stolen property or looking for evidence of insurance fraud.
I'm afraid I don't quite. Sometimes I make deals, miss Crane, meaning
exactly what, meaning that if somebody should start something and get in over their
head, I might listen to reason, try to work something out. A
cop, wouldn't he's not permitted to. Well, that would all be very
interesting, I'm sure to the person who stole the necklace. Yeah, you'd
think so, wouldn't you? What about that person mister Dollar, the jewel
thief who phoned the insurance company Smiley prone. I talked to him a couple
of hours ago, briefly. Does he have the pearls? I don't know.
Do you mind if I have another drink? Go ahead? What do
you mean you don't know? That's why you came here. Wasn't it to
meet him and get them back? He may not have them. He may
just be trying to swindle the insurance company. That's not too uncommon a game,
you know. No, I wouldn't know. Oh yeah, it's tried
every now and then the nicest people. Sometimes he's looking at you. It
seems to me you're taking this whole thing pretty calmly. Well, that's merely
a front inside him, a seating volcano. Now they tell me something,
Why did you postpone your wedding? I didn't. Dean was the one who
Now what difference does it make? What's that got to do with it?
Do you think he's changed his mind about marrying you? Suppose we leave mister
Cellars out of it. Can't He's already in it. He's the one who
gave you the necklace in the first place, an engagement gift. Has he
called off the engagement, Miss Crane, He hasn't, and he won't,
regardless of any rumors you may hear to the contrary. Now does that answer
your question more or less? Then suppose we leave my personal life alone and
talk about the robbery, that is, if you're at all interested in it.
Where is the safe, miss screen safe? Oh that the necklace was
in. It's there behind that painting. Do you want to see it?
You don't mind, all right? You and your uncle live here alone,
as I understand it. My maid, of course, Betty Well, there's
the safe. I doubt if you'll find any fingerprints or anything. The police
spent hours on it. That's a real old fashioned one. Our family has
been around quite a while, mister Donner. Wouldn't be much of a job
for a professional safecracker, You mean, even without the combination, even without
How did the thief get into the house? Force a window somewhere? Door?
No, with a key? I guess you see. It happened in
the afternoon. I'd gone out and Uncle Phineas was out somewhere as usual.
The house was empty at the time. What about your maid, Betty Well?
After I left, she decided to go into town to do some shopping
or something. They couldn't possibly have picked a better time, apparently not.
Would you like to look around the house? No, no thanks. I've
got a pretty complete story from the police reports. Mostly I came out here
to take a look at you and what's your Maybe i'll do better with Smiley
pro meeting him later. Oh and is he going to produce the necklace?
I don't know. He talked about a double cross, said he might give
me more than I was bargaining for. He was pretty upset why, I
don't know. Incidentally, mister Dollar, there's someone else you'll no doubt be
talking to, and I want to warn you about him. Who's that Uncle
Phineas? Of course he means all right? Is he had? Strong?
And impulsive too. He makes up things sometimes, and he's well, just
a little bit vague Bomby I mean, mister Dollar. With people of our
class, it's referred to as eccentric. I'm sure you understand. I left
the house filled with understanding and with some brand new questions about the cranes that
needed still more understanding. The lowering storm clouds had brought an early dusk,
and it was nearly dark when I reached open the door of my car.
Then suddenly I caught a flash of white at the corner of the coach house.
Somebody had seen me and tried to duck out of sight. I walked
quickly across the driveway and moved quietly up to the corner of the building.
How are you ready? Can I help you with that? No? I
mean I was just going to burn some trash. Well, let me put
it in the incinerator for you here. No, please, sure you sorted
these papers. There seems to be something heavy here. Let me have it.
Please. You won't understand why, missus Craine thought I was very understanding.
You'd better run on. She sounds impatient. I'll take care of this.
No, please, you only oh. I watched a disappear into the
shadows, running toward the house. Then I unwrapped the package she'd been trying
to hide in the incinerator. It was a thirty two caliber revolver, and
one chamber had been fired recently. Now here's our star to tell you about
tomorrow's episode of this week's story. Tomorrow, A strange disappearance, a grim
cry in the night, and a quarry is run to earth in Rome three
point thirteen Join us, Won't you Yours Truly? Johnny Dollar? Yours Truly
Johnny Dollar is star rying Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood. Written by Les
Crutchfield. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Be sure to join
us tomorrow night, same time and station for the next exciting episode of Yours
Truly Johnny Dollar. Lloy Rowan speaking welcome back. So far, this is
a relatively slow moving story. It feels like the sixth part is being used
to pad things out. It's worth noting, even though thanks to us playing
three episodes at once, you didn't hear it, the actual ending of a
couple episodes were altered intentionally or unattention to create the illusion that there might be
a seventh episode of this story. It's also worth noting that in twenty twenty
there was an FRS version of the serial Uncovered Now. While the domestic version
of the story was going to be six parts, the AFRs schedule allowed no
such deviation, So what they actually did is cut episode two. While the
discovery of the maid with the gun at the end of that part was important,
the entire second episode takes a while, and I do wonder whether the
serial would be better without it. When I do the omnibus version of the
story, I wonder whether we should try the AFRs version or the network version
of the serial. Probably my favorite part of the story so far was JD.
I really appreciate how unimpressed she is with the cranes and her overall sassy
attitude. Again, really was the highlight of these first few episodes. Well,
now we turn to listener comments and feedback, and we start out with
a comment regarding the older matter from Rosala, who writes on Facebook, despite
your strong American accent, and then she has a emoji of two pink gloves
clapping. Well, thank you so much, I think. Now some comments
on the Nick Shern matter and from YouTube. Rynsa writes, Adam, I
agree with everything you said about the cereal, but you missed one of the
greatest features. Barney Phillips made a great sidewalk Santa. I imagine he and
Bob Bailey had a ball doing that scene. Well, thanks so much for
the comment, Ryan. So there is so much good to say about the
Nick Shern matter. It's hard to cover at all. Plus I tend to
be a bit light on my commentary on the first half of the serial.
But I think Bartey Phillips as a sidewalk Santa, it really was a nice
highlight. Much like Ken Christie playing Mike Odare, Bartey Phillips as the sidewalk
Santa is really different from the typical roles we hear them in, particularly in
these Johnny Doller serials. And I think that one other thing I forgot to
mention now that you mentioned it. It was Virginia Gregg who played the landlady
in episode two and then played Kathy o'dair in episodes four and five. It
really is remarkable just the high quality of her output and how she's really able
to seamlessly play two characters like that. And then I received another comment.
I made this comment before, this is my favorite radio episode. The exposition
is perfect and the scenes are so descriptive that I can easily visualize what's going
on, and Mary says marvelous, simply marvelous. And then we have a
comment regarding the long shot matter. This one comes via Spotify. Susan Wrights
love Johnny Dollar, thank you. And then we have a brand new review
in the Apple podcast Store and DMB writs love Johnny Dollar started listening to him
with my mom on car rights. Takes me back to an era long ago
and in a time in America when things were simple and wholesome. Well,
thank you so much for the review. Now, I know there are some
people might hear review like that and say, well, things back then,
we're not that simple and that wholesome. And then you know, point out
that various things were going on, and I think that there is a point
in that that there were some serious issues in the past and some stuff that
really needs acknowledged. But I also feel that there was an attempt, an
effort at being wholesome that a lot of people tried to practice that we've kind
of just given up on even trying. And I'm of the mind that because
ideals weren't lived out perfectly is not a good reason to give up on the
ideals totally. But any rate, thank you so much. Appreciate you taking
the time to leave a review in the Apple podcast or it really means so
much to us here. Now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the
day, and I want to go ahead and think Bailey. Bailey has been
one of our Patreon supporters since April currently supporting the podcast at the Sharmus level
of four dollars or more per month. Thank you so much for your support,
Bailey, and that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying
the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to
rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We will be back
on Friday with the conclusion of the Cranesburg matter, but join us back here
tomorrow for dangerous assignment where Frida you say, Well, now that's going to
take a bit of thinking. I'm afraid you don't keep a record of your
borders, Missus Farland. Never bothered too, of my diophia. Little nip
of something, I always have a small glass before supper, the eppitite,
you know. Thanks, but I'll skip this around if you don't mind.
Also take the chill out of one's bones, nasty with it out. So
it is now about this advertisement, Missus Farland. It appeared in the Deliverate
Times on April twenty ninth, nineteen forty five. No, I don't seem
to call it at the moment, which if you say so, here's a
copy of the paper. Oh yeah, so I see so I see nineteen
forty five, Hey, we did it proper, if you know what I
mean. Forty one was a nasty year. It was dreadful him Nazi bombers
over a day night. I'm trying to locate a man who might have answered
this ad Missus Farland that was more than seven years ago, did he?
I know? I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime,
do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us
on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram,
dot com slash Great Detectives From Boise, Idaho. This is your host,
Adam Graham's son and Off