Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boys the Idahol. This
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also be host to three other podcasters on Thursday, and I will be a
guest on their programs as well. Next week, and for even more Christmas
programming, check out The Amazing World of Radio, the episodes dropping on Tuesday,
Thursday and Christmas Eve, and The Old Time Radio snack Wagon with episodes
dropping Monday, Wednesday and Friday over at Snackwagon dot net. Well, now
let's get into the conclusion of this week's Yours Truly Johnny Dollar story and we'll
be bringing you episodes three four and five of the Sea Legs Matter from August
first, second, and third, nineteen fifty six. Let's go ahead and
take a lesson from Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dollar. Do you
hear me, Johnny Dollar calling? This is Pat McCracken, a Universal Adjustments
Bureau. I'm Patsy Johnny Dollar. Johnny, what kind of a noisy hookup
is this? Anyway? Pran, this call is being relayed to you from
an amateur radio station. Well, next time, try the telephone from Portogardo,
niggar Ragua. Oh, now you're coming in quite clearly. Port What
it's a little spot on the Caribbean coast, the lands port of call for
the Sea Legs before she was wrecked, Missus Douglas land Er still with you?
No, And I don't know where she's gone, which is why I
called. So she acted just as surprised as I was that we both took
the same plane down here. And Pat, I still don't know why she
decided to come here at all. Maybe she doesn't like the idea of your
going down there to investigate the case. She wouldn't admit it, of course,
but that's what I think. Do you think she may try to obstruct
your investigation. Right now, I don't know, because she suddenly charted a
small plane and disappeared to work her way back here to the States. Yes,
it is as good as mine. Look, why don't you hire a
watch on her place on Long Island? And if she shows there, call
me at the hotel Providence. It's in the city of Bluefield, right any
of that, you think her claims for insurance on the Sea Legs and on
Douglas Land pure of prouder pants. At this point, I don't know what
to think tonight and every weekday night. Bob Bailey, in the Transcribed Adventures
of the Man with the Action Pact expensccount America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator gaus Truly
Johnny Dollar from Special Investigator Johnny Dollar, location San Juan del Perol, Nicaragua
to the Universal Adjustment Bureau, Hertford, Connecticut. Following is an account of
expenditures and report of activities during my invest instigation of the Sea Legs matter.
Pan, I lie to you during that radio contact a few minutes ago.
I do think Connie Landfair's claims for four hundred thousand dollars insurance are fraudulent.
Fraudulent is the very devil. But just why I think so is beyond me
at any rate. The assistant who's foisted himself on me down here as a
real weirdy, whose name, believe it or not, is Oscar Patrick Vladimir
Pascuaro. He rented a plane and has flown me here to Porto Gardo,
a half big little town on Nicaragua's east coast. Here is where a radio
amateur made the last contact with the sea legs before it smashed up and sank
off the Baldero Islands. And who is the operator of this ham station?
Oscar Patrick Vladimir Pascaro. Such a long talker, mister Dollar. I'm cranking
this generator into my arm is nearly dropping off, and I'm sorry. I
ask her for that contact with the States was important. Even my back is
tired. Ha. I know. I'll make an expense account to you,
is say ten dollars. You try that, and I'll fly back to Bluefields
without you, please, mister Dollar, no joking. Please? What didout
me? You would be a lost soul in this vile CONTI Hey, tell
me something. Why did you ever set up a transmitter in this isolated fishing
village. I should set it up in blue Fields. Ha. They even
wanted me to have some kind of license up there. Disgusting and a waste
of money too. That reminds me, do you have a pilot's license?
Who need a pilot's license when those little planes practically fly themselves. Besides,
the pilot's license costs money too. Well, I have one, So from
here on and I stay at the controls. No confidency, no confidence.
Okay, okay, Now let's get out to that flat where you parked the
plane. I want to fly over the spot where the sea legs went down.
Ah. You see how unvaluable I am. You doubt me. You
wouldn't even know where to look for the Buldaro Island, you know, John,
Well, all I have to do is look at the charge of the
conpit of the plane, mister dollar. That wouldn't be fair. The Bollderos
turned out to be only six or eight miles off shore, two narrow,
little rocky islands that poked up out of the sea to keep each other company
in the vast quiet blue expense. One of them was perhaps a mile long,
and the other just a couple of one hundred yards away and stretching parallel
to it was even smaller. Sure to a man at the wheel who was
unfamiliar with these waters, and without charts, the balderos could conceivably be a
menace in navigation in the dark of the night. That is asking, okay,
sir, do you remember what time of day it was when the sea
legs went down? Of course I remember anything, names, dates, places,
How about the sea legs? Of course I was talking to her by
radio. Well, such a lovely day too, just like today. Why
do you know mister Lanter even promised to take me fishing after we finished the
radio contact testing What time he even promised me you would or did? Was
exactly ten one am and the radio is sticking from the up suddenly cut off.
You're sure that, yes, sir, we were talking away back and
forth and they tip nothing. Ten twenty one one question A couple of real
good answers. A daylight today, mate, was clear and calm, and
ten twenty one am and full daylight. The bolderos must have stuck out like
a sore thumb. Hang on, ask you, I'm gonna make a tight
circle over those islands for a closer. Look, you sure you wouldn't like
for me to steer, mister dollar, I'm sure. But if you do
all the work, how am I ever going to earn the handsome restrainder.
You're going to pay me, right, I'm gonna Hey, sir, that
channel between the islands is as smooth as a mill pond. Sure it always
is, except during a storm, and so clear you can see way down
into it. Ask her. I thought there were a lot of pinnacles of
rocks sticking up in that channel. Oh maybe at low tide one or two
on the east side there is shallow the other I'd like to see it now.
And what's supposed to make the channel so dangerous the current that runs through
it when the tide is changing, mister dollary. It's how you say,
ideally, like now, when the tide is coming in and after wreck a
boat like the sea legs. If this skipper wasn't watching the road, you
should see how the current vobbles and squirms. Hey, look, there's a
packing case down there floating around you. You see first one direction then the
other, shifting around like a crazy yeah, ask her, And I think
that packing case is gonna be a big help to us. See maybe there's
something in it that might be worth money or something. I'll stop thinking of
money. Then, how we're gonna see just where the current delivers that packing
case. You want to know where that packing case will be ending up?
That's what I said. Then steer back to Portagardo, to the beach in
front of my superlative radio station. Uh sure, How do you think I
got all the lumber and furniture and stuff from my radio shock? He was
right from the air. We could see that every bit of flats and passing
through the Baldero Island channel on a rising tide, wound up in a tiny
cove on the challow sandbar, directly in front of Oscar's radio shack. Even
now, I was piled high with crates, bits of ships, rigging odd
pieces of furniture that chunk stay down there forever, asking no, no,
mister dollar, want Amantha real big high tight clumbs along and pressed them.
I have a clean front yard again, But I always make a trip up
here before then, what do you mean sure? That's why NI was in
number one beach brush. Oh stop in Corny, what do you mean beach
comber? So I have to brush the sand off everything I pick her up
down there, So you didn't laugh? What do I care? Anyhow?
You should see some of the valuable things I pick up to sell to the
natives. Well, tell me two years ago when the Landfair's other boat went
down. Ah, you should have seen it. Everything that could float in
the drytop in my front yard. It was beautiful. How I want the
sea legs was wrecked. You know that's very funny, mister Dollar. There
was nothing, nothing at all. I don't understand it. Well, I
think I do. I think I'm beginning to understand a lot of things about
this case. Hang on, Oscar. We're flying back to Bluefield expense con
adem twelve thirty cents American taxi from the private airport where we'd rented the plane
to the headquarters of the Federal Maritime I never will get that straight. Call
it the Coast Guard and Captain ramrez Se Senor on July the here it is
did date and at ten twenty one, Captain she that died at ten twenty
one was just after what you call neep. So that's neat. That's pretty
What does that mean? Oh shut up, Oscar, Yeah, I see,
Captain neep tied at nine forty. So it's coming in rising, seeus
in you a dollar rising up? Go ahead, thanks captain here, buy
yourself a cigar, buy yourself a whole box. Grasios. Come on asking
nothing for me. Later, come on, we're going back to the airfield
and from there we're gonna fly down the coast to get But, mister Darton,
I feel so good, I may even let you fly that plane this
time for a small pitantivn for a small pittance. Even now, drag out
your best dialect and call that taxi over here. I had them thirteen six
bucks for the capitad. I had him fourteen fifty cents taxi back to the
airfield. For some reason, the fair and the old model t went up
every time I used it. Or did Oscar wink some kind of a deal
with a driver that he could cut in on later It him fifteen and another
forty five bucks from rental of the plane, and I'm sure it all went
into Oscar's pocket. That is, knowledge of the language enabled him to persuade
the owner we shouldn't pay two rentals in one day. We headed south and
made good time, But there are they going another few minutes and you'll be
down to Puerto Rica. What's that little seaport straight ahead San Juan? Dead
cattle, And according to this map, it has a more than adequate landing
for you. Look you see what I see down there on it? Yeah,
exactly what I hope to see. The twin of this plane, the
plane in which Missus Landfair disappeared this morning. I'll land right beside it.
No sooner said the My name is Oscar Patrick Black. All these little fields
have any personnel. If they get two planes a month, they think it's
the crowd. Hey, but there must be somebody. There's the car back
of the Hunger. Good, then we'll have transportation into town. You still
haven't told me why you decided to come here. Was it because missus Lambteror
did? That was something I didn't know until I saw that plane down there.
All right, easy now on land too close to it. I am
in perfect control. Here we go, No, Oscar, it was a
hunch based on the fact I remember that the Sea Lakes was built in this
town. Hey, nice landing, Thank you, mister dollar. Maybe a
little bonet for such a you don't stop talking about money. You're gonna have
to find yourself. Say, am I crazy? Or isn't there someone in
the cabin on that other plane? Hey the car it's come to go to
meet us. They watch it. I ask your That darn fool is heading
right across the landing Come the engine? Is he crazy? Counts he see
us a swing high? But don't flip us. Come on more throat you
told me there, that's straighten out. Take on. I can't I do
what I do? We have those controls and hang on. Here he comes,
you know, here, hang on. For a long moment, there
was nothing but a vague blackness all about me in the sound of our crackup
seem to roll, and I go almost streamly back and forth in the deep
recesses of my mind, and slowly, hazily I hear I seemed to hear
some of the sound. Yeah, like an engine far off, an engine
of a plane starting up and lazily moving away. Sure, Yeah, of
course I did hear it. It was the other plane, the one that
had been parked on the landing strip. And as my mind began to clear,
I realized that seen something someone else had caught a glimpse before the car
struck our landing gear of the man behind the wheel of it, A man
whose picture had seen briefly at the home of Constant Landfair. But it couldn't
be. Oh, mister Dollar, am I still alive? Yeah? Ask
her? I'm afraid you are. Thank you? But did you? Oh
did you see who was driving that car? You recognize him? Look,
maybe they're both dead like he is, and that's why we saw him.
Douglas Landfair, Yes, sir, mister Douglas Lambfair, Johnny Dollar again the
status Johnny Yes, Pat mccrak and universal adjustment in hortphone. Oh, hi,
Pat, listen as you requested. I had a man sent out of
missus Landfair's Long Island homes see if she'd returned. I suspicion, wrong,
Pad, She's still here very much so when you listen. Shoot, the
man was a little over ambitious let himself into the house or a basement windows.
So while he was there the telephone, right, he wasn't crazy enough
to answer crazy like a fox. It was long distance from right where you
are now, sand Juan del Peril and Johnny, I suspect it was from
the man on whose policy she's made a claim for a quarter million dollars her
dear departed husband, Douglas Landfair right, and if saw her claim on him,
at least his fraudulent. So see if you can dig up some proof,
brother, I have it. The man is anything but dead. It
was Douglas Landfair who wrecked our plane when we tried to land here a few
hours ago. And jem sure if he doesn't get me first. From Special
Investigator Johnny Dollar, location, San Juan del Peril, Nicaragua to the Universal
Adjustment Bureau, Hertford, Connecticut. Following is an accounting of expenses incurred during
my investigation of the Sea Legs matter. Two hundred and fifty thousand insurance claimed
by missus Constant Landfair for the death of Douglas Landfair, an addition one hundred
and fifty thousand for the loss of the yacht. The Sea Legs claim number
one now proved to be fraudulent, as for number two, the claim on
the yacht expense account adam fourteen two dollars American to the banana plantation worker who
pulled us out of the small plane that Douglas Landfair wrecked as we tried to
and another dollar that said plantation worker for a ride in the town in his
ancient truck. I must admit that this is one time that my ubiquitous assistant,
Oscar Patrick Vladimir Pasquero, came in handy through his knowledge of the Spanish
Indian dialects spoken in these parts. Apparently, San Juan del Pero had once
been a fairly busy little seaport, but over a period of years the sea
had slowly inexorably washed in shallow sandbars, and only a handful of small cargo
and fishing boats now negotiated the narrow channels that led out to the Blue Caribbean.
The town itself was scattered around a small marketplace near the docks. There
were a few stone and brick buildings, including the San Andrea Hotel, but
most of them were weather beaten frame structures. An occasional aged American car kicked
up the dust, but most of the street traffic was ox carts. I
had him fifteen two dollars American to a doctor with an unpronounceable name, who
came to our room at the San Andre and patched us up, and about
seven pm he left, after instructing us to spend the rest of the night
in bed. Id am sixteen another two dollars for a sumptuous dinner brought to
our rown American dollars. I learned go far in this place, unless,
of course, Oscar gets his hands on them. You could let me handle
all the bill for you while you're here in Nicaragua, mister dollar. Yeah.
Sure, and lets you take a fifty percent commission on all of them,
mister dollar. When the poor fellow who rented us that plane to get
down here starts patching it up, my expense account is going to take a
big enough beating. Have no fear. I will supervise the repair from the
plane myself. Yeah, for a small pittance, of course. Ah,
what a wonderful din there. Now to sleep it off, you sleep all
you want. I got work to do. Work. Yeah. Besides,
you still haven't told me why we flew down here in the first place.
I still don't listen, ask her. A couple of years ago, land
Fair lost a power cruiser off the Baldero Island. I know, I told
you. I helped him and his wife and his captain get the shore.
He collected eighty five thousand dollars for that boat from his insurance company. I
saw the boat it was worth the eighty five thousand, so he should have
and shewed it for more. Maybe one hundred thousand made himself a profit,
A very poor business matter. Will you listen? The ease of collecting on
that loss must have given him ideas. What's more, he could do with
some money. The fdal of state was running law anyhow. A few weeks
ago he brings a yacht, a motor sailor down here, right. This
one's insured for one hundred and fifty thousand, and his own life is insured
for a quarter million. Maybe he's not such a boat businessman after all.
He takes the sea legs out to the very same place where he lost the
first boat. This time he leaves his wife ashore. He and the skiffergoat
alone, presumably to check on some new radio equipment he's installed. Sure,
we made the radio contact from my own personal centd around shore i Portaguardo,
but the contact was suddenly cut off. I had And the next thing we
know, missus ellis back at her home on Long Island, claiming a total
of four hundred thousand. Well why not if she thought he went down with
the board, Because I don't think she did What's more, I'm going to
approve of of course I knew it all the time, because if he drowned
off the Bulnarda Islands, what was he doing here today driving the car that
wrecked our plane unless he was dead? And do you know something, mister
Dolla, I don't believe it, Oscar. There was somebody in the cabin
of that other plane waiting to take off with him after he smashed our landing
gear. You didn't see who, No, but I'll give you odds it
was Constant Landfair. Another thing, she said that when the sea legs went
down, she heard it go over the radio. You said that the signal
just suddenly cut off, mister Doll. You don't think they up us wrecked
at all, not anymore than I think Landfair went down with it. Then
there is it? Well, I have a hunch it's right here in San
Juan del Peril. Yes, But wouldn't everybody know the boat, oh,
Oscar. One of the oldest insurance rackets in the world is to fake a
shipwreck, take the hull to some obscure foreign port, dress it up a
new paint and rigging, then put it to sea again. Why didn't I
think of such an if I remember rightly, I spotted a couple of old
shipyards down here when we circle the land. Yeah. Sure, but there's
only one that does any work. You know what it is, of course,
I do. You see how invaluable I am to you, And that's
where we're going right now. But mister Dollar, but if you do find
the boat, what do you mean Landfair has already flew the goose. He
took off in the other plane after we cracked up. Look, well,
take things as they come along. Right now, while we're here, I
want to look for that yacht. I saw an excellent picture of it,
and I'm sure if I find it, I can identify it. And if
we do find it, we will have twice the case against the landfairs.
Mister, mister Dollar, I am fortunate to be working for such a spelling
silver fourteen cartad genius for the most outstanding intelligent eas Get your hands out of
my pockets. There's one other thing I'd like to find. One person,
unless Landfair murdered him, who is one man crew Ohm Gonzalez. The same
man is on the first three. Well, if he was allowed to live
through the first wreck, he was probably in cahoots with Landfair and therefore is
still around. Would you recognize him if you saw him? Maybe so,
maybe not. The first three he was big and fat. The second tree
he was skinnier. He wore a beard on his face. If he's changed
again, yeah, you're a lot of help. I thought you never forgot
a name or a face, But mister dollar him, I never made any
money off of Well, come on, get into your clothes and let's prowl
around the shipyard. It was only a few minutes after eight, but the
town was practically asleep, except for an old saloon down near the docks.
Quietly so not to disturb the snoozing night clerk, we let ourselves out of
the hotel and headed for the waterfront. The night was clear and moonment,
so we had no trouble finding the way. I glanced hopefully into the open
door of the dock side saloon as we passed it, and I chuckled at
the incongruity of the music blurring away, But of course saw no one that
Wait a minute, asking sir at that table in there drinking beer, Hey,
can one of them be the Raymon Gonzales you mentioned? So who can
tell from here and send one. There must be a hundred who are skinny
and very dirty? Little beard on the face? Did you tell from close
up? Sure? What do you recognize? You? So that might not
be very healthy for you, Ah, mister Dollar, working on an important
campaign for you, my dearest friend. I would gladly lay down my life
for you for a small pittons of course, of course. Anyhow how would
you know I am working for you? Okay, okay, then sonor and
then take a look. Okay, I'll wait right here. Good evening,
gentlemen. Nice say that that we're having hand es Wendya No mmmm well,
well well if it isn't my old power among gonzales, how are you a
mot? Yes? Me a stranger? Yeah, I'm one of your oldest
and dearest friends. Tell me and eago Remember gald I am Oscar Patrick,
bloody maple Scuerrow. You know, just a fine old Spanish name who helped
you ashore that time when you no no, no, no no no,
we'll put on that bottle the motto mister doll. Mister, I don't think
they like you to interrupt the little beer party. He threatened me that I
Mike, He said he would kill me, is he reminded Zales. Oh,
yes, yes, I'm sure you see, mister Dollar, he did
not go down with the ship. You're telling me, well, aren't you
going to do something about him later? If I locate the Sea Legs.
Cautiously, quietly looking back over my shoulder, now we prowl through the old
shipyard, and finally, led by the smell of fred Wish paint, I
found it. The once clean white hull was painted a gaudy red and blue,
and given the appearance of age. The mahogany rail and taffrel had been
replaced with iron pipe, the beautiful teakwood deck painted a dirty gray. The
whealelhouse have been moved, the cabin aldared, even the mass bouseprit and general
rigging changed, stanchions, cleats, all the hardware that once been polshed bronze
was now corroded or painted over all in all, a quick, very thorough
job of the sky. It's a change from a graceful, expensive yacht to
a rather weary looking fishing schooner. But it was the Sea Legs, all
right. I would never believed, mister Doll, I never would have recognized
it. Are you sure wind your hand over the transfermetor you can feel where
the lettering has been painted over? Bet or not? Somebody? That's two
right now? Do you see where the outline of the lettering is underneath this
last coat of painted see lakes? But it was such a beautiful boat.
No, it looks like like there't the old tramp? Yeah? Well,
what do we do now? Go back to that saloon and latch you under
Roman Gonzales. Make him talk, sure, only I'll wait for you.
He's so big and strong, mister Doll. And that knife in his belt.
Why I thought you said you'd lay down your life. Sure, sure,
but what could he tell you that you don't already know now where the
land first headed when they took off on that plane. Come on, but
I okay you, mister, I was afraid of that. Look the knife
in his hand. Ask her if he makes one move to throw it,
pull the trigger. Trigger trigger? No no, no, no, I
swear, but I have a couple of fish. Well, let's bring him
in, bring him to so I can question. No, no, no,
no, let let's get out of here. Please, mister Dolly.
He may have a friend, that aunt, right oscarr he has and this
one carries a gun aimed straighted. Mister Dallas back well well missus Lambfeir surprised
Johnny Johnny, Hello, captain, thanks for returning my call. You are
wonder Yeah yeah, listen, Captain, I need your help. Can you
get a plane down here for me? The one we brought has been wrecked,
and if I were you had come along with it. A nice chance
to add to your laurels, Captain by making a couple of arrests. Yeah,
one of the killer from Special Investigator Johnny Dollar location, San Juan del
Pero, Nicaragua, the Universal Adjustment Bureau, Hertford, Connecticut. Following is
a final accounting of expenses and report on my investigation of the Sea Legs matter.
Expense account out of eighteen one dollar American phone call to Captain Jose rameris
of the Federal Maritime. I still can't spell it, call it the Coastguard.
But a lot of things happened before I could make that call, like
the fast plane trip that we made the San Juan del Pero in the hope
of finding the yacht the Sea Legs, despite a big insurance claim based on
its alleged loss at sea. Like the fact that our plane was wrecked for
us by one Douglas Landfair, despite a big claim based on his alleged death
at sea. Like our discovery of the yacht carefully altered and repainted in an
old shipyard, our discovery of Raymond Gonzales, a member of the crew who
was supposed to have gone down with it. Let's get out of here.
Oh no, asking not until I revived this Gonzales character and make him talk
arid and with a gun and stray. Well. Well, Connie Landfair,
guys, Johnny not particularly, No, No, I guess you wouldn't.
So you found the sea legs did help you? Then you're familiar with Oscar
Patrick Vladimir Pasquero. Ask him the chiseling money grab? Please please, how
can you say such a think the disc shut up? Oscar? Thank you,
nice job you did it disguising the sea legs, missus Lambfeir. If
Oscar hadn't shown you where to find, if my husband and I would have
it out to sea again and you closed under a new phone. Yeah,
sure. One of the oldest games in the business. And in the meantime
you would have collected one hundred and fifty thousand dollars on a supposed loss,
in addition to a quarter million on your husband, Douglas. Why did you
have to come along, Johnny? I'm afraid you asked for it when you
filed your claims four hundred thousand dollars. We had to. We were in
trouble. Oh sure, because you spent every nickel you could get your hands
off. No, we inherited the estate, I told Uglas, sure,
all his forts true. Well, that ain't the way I heard it,
and I don't intend to believe it anymore than I believe a couple of things
you told me on the plane down here. You don't understand. Nobody has
to lie. Remember how you're sobbd as you're told about the last radio contact
with your husband. As you put it, you could hear the rocks grinding
away at the hall and the water pouring in overside as he desperately fought for
his PLEA. Well, I heard it a little different for Oscar. Here.
The radio signal was suddenly cut off. That's all, no fancy sound
effects, nothing, Oscar and what rocks by the way that smashed the sea
legs. I flew out to the Baldero Islands and tried to find them.
They were as non existent as the wreckage that should have washed the shore on
the Baldero current. I'm beginning to see some things. Johnny, the maid
or skipper or whatever you want to call him, who was supposed to have
been with your husband, had been lost with a bold raym on Gonzales.
Well, as you can see, he wasn't quick enough when he attacked us
here a minute ago. And I had a little rough with him, as
you are, having a gun pointing at my back. Stopped kidding, Connie,
you know more? You were too good for him. Well, a
lot to help you were. That his knife is here, I think i'd
better have it, Oscar, because well, I see Connie land for me
a hasty exit from the seat. Well what do you know about you didn't
see her leave? Well, it's so dark in this old shipyard, and
I was so worried about you, dear mister do you should be plenty of
worry. Look, why won't we get out? I needed only two things
when I came down here. Oscar proofs both of them. Why don't we
get out of this dreary place, mister Dollar and talk someplace else where?
There's shut up and listen. I found them both now proof that Douglas Landfair
never died in the wreck of the Sea Legs, and proof that the Sea
Legs was never wrecked at all. Except for a couple of details, the
case is closed. One of those details is you me? Oh, you
mean paying me for all the unvaluable help? Nice, I'll ask her.
I'm going to lay the cards right on the table, and the money I'll
find it. Listen to me. Connie Landfair slipped away during our little rockets
year, but you could have stopped her as easily as you could have stopped
this Gonzales character from jumping. She she said she had a gun, bluff
She didn't, But you did me. Oh, mister doll, I sparted
that ball gunder your left arm the minute you appeared in my hotel room that
first morning. Well, don't reach for it, because I'm carrying one too,
mister dollar Dear, I don't understand what I do now. I've wandered
from the beginning. Just why you insisted on sticking so close to me from
the minute I arrived here in Icaragua. Oh right, I will tell you
the truth, the whole truth, even if it costs me a small slight
percentage of the munipicent fees you're going to pay me for the unesteemable assistance I've
been giving it. Ask him, you just won't give up with you the
money if that's what it is, the money like I get from all the
Americans who come here to Nicaragua, only from you. It does not for
sightseeing guiding, but for all the hell like for instance, the money you've
been getting from the landfairs. I cannot tell a lie, mister dollar.
I did get some money from mister and this is landfair, you know,
for various and Sunday services when first they came. But by not incline if
you saying it. You see, if I hadn't known they would pay me
well for the using of my radio license, my unlicensed trade you because a
license cost too much, I would never have been able to know about the
wreck that didn't happen. And so skillfully leads you to the Buldana Islands and
all the clues that that I you know what I mean, What you really
mean, Oscar, is that you expected a lot more from them if they're
crazy planned to collect on the insurance policies worked out. You should because no,
no, mister Dollar. No, I was only trying to help you.
Think, mister Dollar, about all the things I've told you about it,
you were careful not to tell me a single thing that I wouldn't have
learned anyway. Why did you insist right off the bat that we fly to
Portagardo, for instance? Why apparently they helped me for a small pittance,
of course, but actually it was to keep me out of the way while
Constant Landfair made contact with her husband here in San Juan del Paradle. Please
no doubt you worked that all out with her before you busted in on me
that first morning. Then when we did get to Porto Gardo, tried to
prevent me from spotting the current would have taken any wreckage from the islands and
washed it ashore on the sand barred Porto Gardo if the sea legs had gone
down. That isn't no no, no, I told you about that strong
Sure you did, but only because you realized at that point that I couldn't
help finding out about it anyway. Mister bar you're making a crook out there,
making a crook, have you? Well? I had this little item
oscar when we started to land our plane and Douglas Landfair came at us with
this car. You know as well as I do that you could have avoided
it kept us from stamping off our landing gear and crashing. Oh it was
nicely done too, so that you wouldn't get badly hurt, would still be
up and around to collect from landfare for it. Oh, mister, how
can you even implicate such a horrible thing? You, my bear is my
own dyke because of your little suggestion along the way that I unfastened my seat
belt and relax, while you, I notice, kept yours tight one thing
after another, and finally, of course, armed as you are. You
not only that Gonzas attack me, but you let Conny land for escape as
well, and all for money. Money, that's all you've talked about.
How did you figure the collect for all this? All right, it's gee,
it's true. All my life, in every country in the world,
I've been, whatever I have done has been because I love money. But
I swear with mister Dollar, I would have never let them kill you,
because I do like mister Doll. I almost even with all the money I
could get from them, I almost gave it up, or whatever you could
get from me yes, and because you're such a nice man. I guess
I'm not used to being around nice Well, missus, l don't be too
hard on her. It was all his doings. He had such a strong
hold over her, the way he treated her. Sometimes I almost thought she
wished he had gone down in the wreck of the boat. What are you
talking about? She's stolen it because by now she's so far in she has
to stick with him, don't you see? Oh, yeah, I suppose
that does make sense, all right? What else? Yeah, that's all
I have opened up my whole entire heart. Well, mister Dollar, For
once in my life, I'm telling the truth. I thought maybe I could
persuade you to pay me more than they could. Then I could be on
your side, on the good side, just for once. But now I
guess I can only beg for your mercy. One thing you haven't told me
where Douglas Landfair is? You must know, well, do you? Yes?
Well, for maybe enough of a small pittance to get out of this
country. Can't get over it, can you? Well, you have much
of a choice. This time you will help me, maybe just a little
bit. If I kill I'm leaving, I hope, mister Dollar, so
I will tell you, mister Lane, mister land Fair is right here and
well armed Oscar ready to blow your brains out for what you just told this
nosey insurance investigator. We careful, please, mister he has again? Yeah,
I see so if you ask her, yes, yes, I have
careful Oscar. And if it is the last thing I do with a man
who got me into this is going. So it was after that I call
Captain Ramirez, the Federal MERI teammates. Someday I'll learned that work and let
him take charge. Extradition proceedings for Connie are underway. The US courts will
have to take over with her, and Doug Landfair's body is being shipped to
the States. Oscar his body, well, I left some money with Captain
Ramirez for a decent burial expense account total eight hundred and forty dollars ninety five
cents. Remarks. I wonder what kind of a deal Oscar Patrick Vladimir Pluscarol
was able to make at the Pearly Gates or wherever he was headed. And
you know something, I kind of hope it was a pretty well, at
least I hope it wasn't too bad a deal. Yours Truly Johnny Dollar.
Next week, the promise of romance in the arms of a lovely girl and
the threat of a knife in the back Join us, won't you? As
truly Johnny Dollar. Yours Truly Johnny Dollar is starring Bob Bailey, is transcribed
in Hollywood. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone, who also wrote
this week's story. Heard in our cast were Harry Bartel, Lawrence Dubkin,
Virginia Gray, Harley, bear, Don Diamond, and Russell Thorson musical supervision
by Amarigo Marino. Johnny Dollar has come to you through the worldwide facilities of
the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service to welcome back such an interesting
story. The timing of the phone call for the final episode was a bit
wonky, but other than that, I thought this was a good serial and
Oscar is yet another memorable Jack Johnstone character. And I have to say that
anyone who had listened to the first four episodes out of curiosity when the fifth
had not been in circulation would be very surprised by the ending. Throughout the
story, Johnny played things close to the best, and so did Oscar.
What Oscar did was really obvious only in retrospect, so it was a great
twist. And as we're Oscar, this is an interesting story because throughout the
series he's mostly a comic character until that last scene where the mask drops and
you really get that moment where you get to see a little bit of the
truth about Oscar and his death at the end is tragic, shocking and really
unexpected. It hit me harder than I expected to me. I think it
speaks to Johnstone as a writer in his view of humanity. Yes, some
people may have things about them that are amusing, or they may be a
bit of a rascal or a rogue, or however you might view them as
people, but at the end of the day, they are people with real
hopes, aspirations and dreams. And he creates these really large characters who have
hidden depths and shows us that there's more to them than their outlandis exterior.
And I think that we're left with a lot of questions too about Oscar Patrick
Vladimir Pascuero at the end of the story and why he was the way he
was. So I think it was definitely very well constructed and written from that
character's perspective, though I do have to say, Oscars, I would have
never let them kill you. Stance doesn't quite jibe with letting Johnny go into
the crash with his seat belt unbuckled. He should probably also give Pat McCracken
an award for corporate euphemism when he described a detective breaking and entering into an
insured person's home as ambitious. I'll say, well, listener comments and feedback,
and we've got comments on multiple serials, so I hope no one gets
lost in all of this. But we'll start out with a question from Saint
Winston on YouTube regarding the long shot matter. Who was the famous Darryl referenced
at the the beginning. Well, I can only guess. I wasn't one
hundred percent certain, so I didn't tackle it on the ceial, but if
I had to guess, I would say they might be referencing Darryl Zennik.
Xanik had been the studio head at twentieth Century Fox for twelve years. He
resigned pretty suddenly in nineteen fifty six, though, the year this serial was
released, and went to Europe to independently produce films, and it definitely raised
some serious problems in terms of twentieth century Fox struggling to be successful after Xanik's
departure, now checking out newspapers dot com. Zanick's resignation appears to have been
in February, and the serial was released in the summer, and even in
a pre twenty four hour news cycle that would seem to be old news.
To have it referenced, it's the main thing I can think of. It
would be appropriate given that the story was set on the West Coast in and
around Los Angeles, and the inclusion of the reference at the start may also
be a testament as to when Tony Barrett started writing the script. But again
that's a guess. If anyone has an idea and you think, no,
I wasn't Daryl Zannik, or there was reason why Darryl Zannik would be top
of listener's mind as late as the summer nineteen fifty six, do let me
know. And then another listener on YouTube comments regarding something in the Shady Lane
matter real radios glow in the dark question mark. I remember when I was
a kid, my grandfather had an old AM RCLA radio in the garage and
when you turn it on, you could hear the electricit popping and smell the
ozone coming off of it. I have very limited experience with that type of
radio, but I think I do know what you're talking about. And then
Eileen commented regarding the modest touch matter, and she writes, my husband was
disappointed. If the killer really did qualify for that shooters association, they aka
Johnny and Buster would not have survived that horrendous ride when they were being shot
at. He knows the qualifications for that group. Well, thanks for the
comment, Aileen, and that's a fair point. There was a book I
read a few years back called four Hundred Things Cops Know, A was written
by Adam Plantinga. I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly, And one of the
things he said in there is that generally criminals are not good shots, particularly
when compared to the police, because the police are required to put in a
certain number of hours with their weapon on the firing range, and criminals,
for various reasons, do not do this as a rule. Obviously, there
are exceptions, so you can realistically have criminals missing all over the place.
But if you make a point of giving a criminal character these serious shooting certifications,
then having them miss our hero all over the place, Like, what
is the point? I mean, so the ear can say, well,
she would have got me, but a trustee plot armor saved me. Of
course, Johnny Dollar's not alone in doing that. I mean, if you
follow these programs, whether radio or television or whatever, you would think that
having these shooting certifications means absolutely nothing. Now, of course, if you're
writing that sort of story and you've got that sort of villain who's was put
in the time and effort to common expert shooter, you just can't have the
hero win because the villain keeps missing inexplicably. I mean, that's just silly.
And then finally on Instagram, have a comment from forty six to thirty
Open Station. I really enjoy Johnny Dollars so much. Thanks for putting these
together. Makes my week. I drive a truck delivering feed. Well,
thank you so much, and keep on trucking. Well. Now it's time
to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. Thank you to James, Patreon
supporter since October twenty twenty two, currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant
level of seven dollars and fourteen cents or more per month. Thank you so
much for your support, James, and that will do it for today.
If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software,
And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, be sure to like the video,
subscribe to the channel, and mark the note of a casing bell.
We'll be back on Tuesday with the start of our yours truly Johnny Dollar Christmas
Cereal. But join us back here tomorrow for drag Netwere the elevator, yeah,
Segre no, thanks? Yeah, yeah, okay, it's down this
way. Let me show you to the left, the window up ahead,
Yeah this one. I don't see anything on the wedows. Say it's on
the outside and open the window and let me check. Yeah, let me
see you. He's trying to jump in here. Back here. 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 signing off.