Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio com boise Idahol. This is
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Now it's time for the first two parts of this week's Yours Truly Johnny
Dollar Cereal. Now. If you want to hear all five parts together,
then pause the episode now and then come back on Friday, when we will
have episodes three through five. Post it but here Now. June twenty fifth
and June twenty six, nineteen fifty six are episodes one and two of the
Long Shot Matter. Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise,
Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a
common and email it to me 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. If you're enjoying this podcast, please
follow us using your favorite podcast software. I don't want to let you know
that I am now available on cameo. If you go to cameo dot Great
Detectives dot net, you can request I record a video to celebrate a birthday
and anniversary, or congratulations on some sort of milestone. Go to cameo dot
Great Detectives dot net. Now it's time for the first two parts of this
week's Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Cereal. Now. If you want to hear all
five parts together, then pause the episode now and then come back on Friday,
when we will have episodes three through five. Post it right here now
June twenty fifth and June twenty six, nineteen fifty six, or episodes one
and two of the Long Short Manner from Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny
Dollar. Welcome to Hollywood, mister Dollar. This is Darryl Darryl Jim Darrel,
Daryln Clark Insurance. We wrote up the pom Quist policy. Oh that,
Darryl. For a minute, I thought maybe, yeah, yeah,
everyone does about the policy. Understand you're worried about it. National Underwriters is
They asked me to take a look. Come on over and help yourself.
It's a simple enough policy. One hundred thousand dollars coverage on both doctor Kyle
palm Quist and his wife. It's that double indemnity clause I'm interested in.
Becomes effective at the end of this week, doesn't it. That's right?
Why what's wrong? An anonymous letter is sent to underwriters kind of hints that
somebody is going to try to collect tonight and every weekday night. Bob Bailey
in the Transcribed Adventures of the Man with the Action Packed expens Account America's Fabulous
Freelance Insurance Investigator, Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, from Special Investigator Johnny Dollar
two, National Underwriters' Association, one, one Eighter River Road, Hartford,
Connecticut. The following is an accounting of expendit yours during my investigation of the
long Shot matter Expense account Item one one hundred and seventy four dollars and ninety
cents airfare and incidentals to Hollywood, California, a good night's sleep at the
Beverly Hilton Hotel, and in the morning sunshine. Hartford's slush was only a
clammy memory. Nobody walks in California, So when in Rome, I had
them two two dollars even cave fair to Daryl and Clark insurance brokers, Beverly
Hills. Where else, Come on in dollar We'll be a minute. That
chair one. Look at the furnishings, and you knew a lot lot of
insurance was sold here. It takes a flock of premiums to pay for the
really good matyor and the long, clean, functional stuff. Impressive. Jim
Darrell was even more so, and I'd have bet the ninety percent of his
policy holders with women. He seemed to be doing two things at once,
shaving and keeping track of passes by on the street. Outside. I watched
him plants quickly out the window for the fifth time, smile happily, then
make a check mark on a Diskpay. I give up, what is it?
Electric shaver? I mean the bit outside the window. Oh, it's
this year's version of counting license plates. You playing alone with Clark, my
partner. You see, he takes charcoal gray suits and I take from you
to shorts based on strictly how many passed the window the other side of the
street doesn't cont loser buys lunch, whereas Clark seeing prospect, we play on
the honor system. Uh yeah, mister Daryl, that's funny. Yeah.
Palm Cliff policy, huh you want to know about it? You sound reluctant.
It's delicate, so is this letter. Look into palm Quist policy.
You may have to pay off soon. Nice corny touch there. Let us
from a magazine pasted on to form the message. Well, the style is
a little old half, but the meaning's clear enough. You want to fill
me in the palm quis, mister Dollar, the last of one of our
oldest families out here, name, social position, money, They've got it
all. That's why I'm not too impressed with this little communicat you were telling
me about the family palm quis. The doctor an important one six dish for
the manner born, complete with iron gray hair and distinguished bearing. He knows
what he wants. Type of man has tremendous practice and still finds time to
go hunting about two months out of every year. And his wife invalid confined
to the house, a huge house by the way out near the beach.
And there's a son, Eric twenty five who lives with them. That's a
family about the policy, Daryl Simile, enough, one hundred thousand straight coverage
on both doctor Palmquist and his wife and the beneficiaries only one, the son
Eric, for both, for both, it's pretty pointed, grunt. Why
not? I was thinking of the double indemnity clause that'll be effective in a
few days. What I thought you were thinking? Well, let me have
a couple of addresses with you. The house of the beach in Palmquiss office.
Sure, office is only a few blocks from here. And dollar,
please be techful with those premiums. They're so lovely. The way to make
sure they keep coming is to keep people healthy. Yeah, I guess you.
Hey, what do you know? Another one? Why? Now?
Bermuda shorts that puts me three up. Glas's gonna scream like an eagle when
he pays that lunch check. Today we did Roman office. I walked the
four or five blocks to doctor Carl Palmquiz's office. It was easy to find
you just look for the most expensive building and the most expensive part of Beverly
Hills, or as the natives sometimes call it, Lootville. As I turned
into the entrance, a young executive type brush past me on the street,
suit charcoal gray. I hoped he wouldn't pass Darryl's window. Doctor Palmquis's office
was all it should be. Tasteful, quietly lush, the kind of place
that made you wonder why he didn't live right there. The nurse who came
forward did nothing to destroy the thought. Blonde complete with doll eyes, retrese
knows and a figure that floated great medicine for the sick. May I help
you? I'd like to see the doctor. Do you have an appointment?
Mister Dollar, Johnny Dollar, No, I haven't. Doctor Palmquist isn't in
right now. Oh what time will he be back? Well, he has
a four thirty appointment. Suppose I show it five then, Miss Lund,
Steffie Lund, Miss Lunn five. I can't promise anything, but you might
try. Oh I will, I'll try. Like man. Expense account item
three thirty eight dollars even deposit in first days rental on a drive it yourself
car and driving an out along Sunset Boulevard was delightful. I had no trouble
at all getting into the California spirit. I pretended that I was a movie
producer going home to his starlet wife. I found the palm quiest house on
a quiet, dead end street, high on the Palisades, overlooking the Pacific.
Daryl was right. It's huge, a single story farmhouse that seem to
ramble endlessly. It was a long way to come for nothing. I walked
around the side of the house and nobody tried to stop me. I moved
through an open breezeway and wished that somebody had because suddenly I felt like an
intruder. Because of the woman sitting in the wheelchair, staring vaguely down at
the swimming pool it sparkled in the sunlight. Because of the way she poured
a drink from the bottle beside her without ever looking at it. Because of
the way she held the glass as though she wanted you to believe it was
sassprilla tea, not whiskey. It isn't really medicine, you know, I
only pretend that it is. Yeah, sure, Look, I didn't mean
to barge in like this. Missus Punquest. Victor says it's disgusting, called
it a sign of weakness. Do you feel that way, young man?
Well, nobody does anything without a reason. My name is Dollar, missus
palm Quist. And while I'd like to talk to you for a little while,
if if you feel up to him weakness. Oh I'm sorry, very
sorry, Victor wouldn't like that idea. Would you mind wheeling me into the
house, young man, I'm very tired. Oh yeah, sure thing.
You just relax. She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes.
She wasn't sleeping, just somewhere off in thoughts of her own. I pushed
the chair toward the house as gently as I could. It wasn't until we
almost reached it that I realized we had an audience. A good looking kid
in his mid twenties watching us from a bedroom window, A kid who didn't
want to be seen. The way he jumped back from the window told me
that he was getting pretty weird out Inside the house, I wheeled Missus Palmquest
into a large living room gently, patiently. I tried to get her to
answer a few questions, but I got no wire. She wasn't rude,
just secreted, smiling and very far away. I was wondering how to get
out gracefully when I'm so very sorry. I'm afraid I haven't been very attentive,
have i. Mister Dollar suddenly just as clear and lucid as that.
I looked around to see what it made, this almost magical change, and
he was standing just inside the room, the kid i'd seen watching from the
window. Eric, Come here, dear, this is my son. Eric.
I'm afraid I've forgotten where you told me you were from, mister Dollar.
My mother's been idle, mister Dollar. She's not supposed to be disturbed.
Oh, I am sorry. I was just leaving good I'll show you
the way out. Oh maybe that would be best. You will come back
again, mister Dollar, when I'm feeling Yeah, sure of course, Please
make it soon. I don't seem to keep very good track of time.
Another sign of weakness, I suppose. When you show mister Dollar out,
please come back. Paul. Oh, yes, mother, you're a good
son. Paul. This way, mister Della, what do you want here?
You can see she'sn't well. Yeah, yeah, it didn't take you
long ago from Eric to Paul that she is not insane. You hear,
mister Dollar, I didn't say she was. Now why does she call you?
Paul? Paul was my older brother. He died three years ago.
That's part of why she's like she is a small part. Oh, I'm
sorry, nobody's asking. Just don't come back here. I had plenty of
time to kill before five o'clock, and a lot of things would have been
pleasant, sopping up the Malibu son, watching the kids on the beach,
you name it. But instead I settled for a visit with an old friend,
Lieutenant Berry, homicide. I wasn't just being social pretty sneaky. As
a matter of fact, the anonymous note, which underwriters had received intrigued Berry,
and he promised to have it gone over by the police lab. At
five on the dot, I was back in doctor Palmquis's office. Hi.
You're a punctual sort of patient, mister Dona. Yeah, he used to
get gold stars for it at school. I'm afraid doctor Palmquis doesn't get fun.
He called just a little while after you left this morning, said to
cancel all appointments for today, that he wouldn't be in I'm so sorry,
Yeah, so am. I I would have called you, but I didn't
know where to read. Oh sure, that's okay. What about tomorrow?
I can give you an appointment at ten. I'll be here, thanks,
mister Dowler. Would you like to give me some information now, like what
medical history, previous illnesses, complaints, the usual thing saves time in the
morning? Well, why don't we wait till tomorrow in case doctor palm Quest
decides to play hooky again. There's one nice thing about this job. You
get around so much you learn to pick up local habits without even thinking about
it. For instance, that evening I had a leisurely dinner, then took
in an endless double feature, all without ever once getting out of my car
drive engine. It was well after midnight when I got back to my hotel.
Feeling a kinship for bus drivers everywhere, I headed across the lobby ran
smack into Jim Darrel as a rounded the cigar standard dollar. Where have you
been? Wow? Hi Daryl? Hey? Who wound up paying for lunch?
Just and I've been trying to get hold of you all night? Where
were you? Dinner? A movie The Wildlifeine? Well, don't look that
unhappy. I didn't do anything illegal. Somebody did? Why what is it,
Daryl? What are you talking about? Missus Pomquist dead shot to death
a couple of hours ago, Johnny Dellar, Johnny, Lieutenant Barry Homicide,
got messages from you three inches thick. Yeah, I've been trying to get
hold of you all morning. Hasn't exactly been a social tea around here,
you know what with the murder of doctor Pomquist's wife and I come down there
to headquarters. Come ahead, and if you're a good boy, I'll introduce
you to the man who did the killing. What. Of course, he
denies it completely, who wouldn't, But when you hear his story, it's
a wild one. All that's your way ahead of me. You're saying you've
got the killer there, That's what I'm saying. Well, who is he?
You wouldn't know him. Nobody seems to make a little sense. What
are you, lieutenant? Look you coming down or not? Right now?
From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar location in Los Angeles, California to a National Underwriter's
Association Hertford, Connecticut assignment. The long shot matter Los Angeles traffic being what
it is, there was plenty of time to think on the way to Berry's
office. But think about what an unsigned warning that someone was going to collect
on one hundred thousand dollars policy, a frail, defeated woman who wasn't going
to have to worry about weakness anymore. There was an awful lot to find
out before this whole thing had begin to make sense. That was pretty obvious.
The man I was going to see was anything but obvious. Big and
round. He was like a fat CB doll with a gun. He always
had the feeling his round little eyes were dreaming, passed you seeing an island
where there was no jail cells. A lot of cons had made that mistake,
found out too late that he was as sharp as any homicide cobb alive.
Life is like that, Johnny. Yesterday your visit was social. Today
it's business. Yeah, just one dead woman can make a lot of difference.
Sit on, Like I said, I'm way behind you. How did
it happen? Why sit down? I can't talk when you're standing, Okay.
Santa Monica Substation got the call about nine last night from doctor Palmquist.
He was real excited, said he was holding a rifle and a prowler would
come in and shot and killed his wife. Oh we got out there fast,
wait a minute, the doctor know, let me tell it my way.
Huh hopes you. We found missus Pomquist dead on the living room floor
and the doctor's still holding this guy at rifle point thirty eight colt lay in
a corner with nobody paying much attention to it. Ballistic says it's the murder
weapon, all right. What's the doctor's story? Says he was out on
a house call, got home a couple of minutes before nine. On the
way to the front door, he glanced through the living room windows saw this
prowler holding a gun on missus Palmquist. The doctor got into the house quietly
and was sneaking up from behind when the prowler heard him and got rattled.
Prowler fired and killed the woman just as the doc brought a paperweight down on
his head. Nice. Uh, a lot of left field funny. I
always thought prowlers and gunmen are two different things. Nothing says it can't happen,
and the evidence says it did. What does that mean that this is
one prowler who's sewn uptight because everything checks out. The thirty eight is his
his prints are on it. Lab found the Lockey force to get in what
else? You want a moving picture? We don't get mad, don't get
mad. I'm just asking now that house call the doctor was out on.
I'm a stranger in town. But isn't that kind of a late hour to
see a patient unless it's a real emergency, not when they look like this
one. Oh. I checked with her this morning. She could make me
go to medical school right now, even at this age. Nice put it
this way. Her first name ought to be Marylyn. Oh, that's pretty
clear. Who is she? A missus? Laura Konstanty thirty five, widow
money and everyone. She'd look like that. She's been doctor Palmker's patient long
three or four years, and she backs up the story of the house call
completely. You sold. I want to know about the prowler? Who is
x con drifter fifty seven years old? Got a record that goes way back?
What kind of record? I was afraid you'd ask, because that's the
fly in the ointment. It's a long sheet and it's veried buncle, con
game, badger, bad checks, pigeon drop, all small stuff, but
not an ounce of violence anywhere. A killing's way out of pattern, isn't
it. Yeah, this prowler, what does he claim. It's so wild,
I'm embarrassed to repeat it. Howse chances am I seeing him? Maybe
he'll tell me. Barry took me upstairs to what they call the hotshot section,
A very exclusive floor, this one because the cells hold only prisoners suspected
of the big rap murder. You know something, I never had a place
like this, But what an old fallacy comes bouncing back into my mind,
that bit about being able to tell a man's character by looking at him?
What does a murderer look like? Go ahead, put yourself out on that
limb, but don't drag me out there with you. Because the man sitting
quietly and sell eight A looked about his heart and dangerous as a Victorian Ada
Macasser Lonnie Miller prowler and murder suspects Lonnie Miller, gray haired, tall and
slam A man with good straight bearing even while he sat yet with a delicacy
about him. Or maybe it was just the natural good manners of the born
con man I didn't know. Yell when you want out, Johnny. Yeah,
I'm not going to change the story. I'll tell it again, but
it'll be the same. Is that what you want of I'm not the police
Miller. My name is Dollar. I'm an insurance investigator. It's a little
late for me to buy insurance, isn't it. Miller. You don't have
to talk to me if you don't want to. But you'd be helping yourself
if you told me the truth. They didn't believe me, not one word.
Why would you? My jobs are different. My interest is in the
insurance angle. Did you kill missus Palmquist. I'm nearly sixty, mister,
and I've done everything in the book, almost everything, But I never killed.
Never. I can't make them see that. Yeah, I know.
I told them a hundred times for words, step by step. They just
sit and look at me. What do I have to do to make them
believe I didn't do it? From what I hear, they've got an awful
lot of evidence. It says you did. You too, Go away,
mister. You may be a little different kind of cup. You're talking like
all the others, thinking like them. Let me alone. Yeah, haven't
got much chance, Miller, If that's your only answer to evidence evidence.
I know all about that stuff. You can buy it and sell it,
manufacture it, make it, stand up and do tricks the cops. You're
talking through your hat. You've been the route. Do you know one case
where the police ever manufactured evidence? And I don't mean can talk, I
mean one you actually know of what's the difference? Look, why don't you
tell me about it? I think you could listen without sneering. Nobody else
can't try me. Huh? Now, how did you get into this?
I just finished doing time in San Diego and hitchhiking my way up from there
four nights ago. A truck let me off on the Pacific Coast Highway about
fifteen miles south of La A few minutes later, a man in a big
cat gave me a lift. Nice enough fellow, a little nosy about where
I was from where I was going, things like that, but nice.
Here go on. After about five minutes, he decided we needed coffee,
so we stopped at a little tacos joint. Ten minutes later we were back
on the road. After about two miles, he said it felt like we
had a flat, so he stopped. It was a flat all right,
left rear, so he had given me the lift. The least I could
do was to change his tire, so I did it. He was real
friendly the rest of the way, told me to stick around town and he'd
see I got a job. He gave me a twenty, told me where
to get a room, and set to wait for him to phone. He
said his name was Carter. What he said last night he called me said
to be at his house at nine shop to meet a man who had a
job for me. An address in the Palisades. We'll go on. The
house was dark when I got there, so I rang the bell. Someone
opened the door. I took one step inside and got hit on the head.
Next thing I know, I'm coming to on the living room floor as
a dead woman a few feet away, and my friend Carter's holding a rifle
at my head, threatening to blow it off if I move. Only when
the cops got there, they didn't call him Carter, but doctor Palmquist.
Palm Quist melody, You realize what you're saying? I know, and every
word of it's the truth. Now tell me this, mister, how do
I get anyone to believe? Well? I sat there quietly, looking first
at his burning cigarette. That would be. It was as though he didn't
expect either one of us to believe it. I was glad to get out
of there. Well, I'll say this much for Miller. Johnny, he's
got that story down. Pat. He didn't tell you one word that he
hasn't been telling us, Lieutenant. Does doctor Palmquist know what Miller claims?
We haven't discussed it? Didn't. I tell you the doctor's resting at Blair
Hospital for a day or so shock of his wife's death. The intended tell
him. Look, I know you're a fellow who automatically roots for the underdog,
But face it, boy, what have I got an ex khan with
a wild story against a respected citizen with a perfect alibi. I look kind
of silly questioning Palmquist at the moment. At the moment, does that mean
you've got doubts about Pomquist? I doubt everybody to the last page. Boy.
That's how I got to be lieutenant. And that's where we left it.
I had a long, thoughtful lunch which included two very dry martinis,
aimed at helping solve a new problem, to which how best arrange a few
words with a hospitalized doctor Palmquist at such a delicate time. In the end,
I did the only thing I could. Walked into round nine thirteen at
Blair Hospital and introduce myself doctor Palmquist didn't seem at all surprised by the visit.
He seemed annoyed, if anything, but the annoyance was with himself.
I'm not a very good advertisement for my own profession at the moment, am
I, mister Dolla? I I'm sorry to intrude, doctor, or I
probably could have picked a better time for a visit. You've been doing your
best. Which do you prefer, mister Dolla, my office or my home?
Would you like the names of a few friends, Perhaps they can tell
you whatever it is you're trying to find out about people. It's my job,
doctor, And just what is your job, mister Dolla? Insurance investigator
for the company that holds the policy on missus Palmquist and yourself. I see.
Then you can stop running around, now, can't you. You can
simply go to the police and they'll tell you anything you want to know,
doctor may I. I don't usually prescribe without a thorough examination, Bob very
well, I don't in California. Is your cup of tea? I suggest
another acclaimate entirely. The visit was over. Palmquist lay back against the pillows,
no longer interested, and I turned to leave, just As I was
reaching for the door, it opened and one of the most beautiful women I'd
ever seen started into the room. I think you have the wrong room met
him. For a moment, she just stood there, startled. Then without
a word, she turned and hurried out, but not before I'd gotten a
good look at the large block initials on the purse she carried LC. The
two letters, plus the way she looked made Laura Constantine a pretty good bet.
Nice twist. Huh. The doctor is ill and the patient comes to
call. You can't trust anybody these days, can you. Now Here's our
star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story. Tomorrow Own
beauty may be skinned deep, but fear goes a lot further down than that,
sometimes as far as death. Join us, won't you? Yours Truly?
Johnny Dollar? Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey, is transcribed
in Hollywood, written by Tony Barrett, It is produced and directed by Jack
Johnstone. Be sure to join us tomorrow night at same time and station for
the next exciting episode of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, Roy Roman speaking Welcome back.
Given that this aired in June, it doesn't seem likely Harpford is going
to be all that slushy in summer. Of course, this could have been
written with a different time of year in mind. Also, according to John
Abbott's the who is Johnny Dollar matter? And and to Macassar is a cover
used to protect the backer arms of furniture seems a bit florid for yours,
truly, Johnny Doller when trying to describe how suspect look. Otherwise, though,
this is an intriguing first two episodes with a lot of mysteries to investigate,
and so I'll withhold more comment until we get to Friday. Now onto
listener comments and feedback. Received an email here from Jim regarding the laughing matter,
and he writes, while John Dayner may not have pulled it off as
a comedian, Harry Bartel talking in Spanish and Spanglish was well done and almost
comedic. Another listener over on Spotify wrights regarding the laughing matter, and this
is John's CIGT seven to seven says very good quality, interesting episode, maybe
one of the best. And over on YouTube Electric Tofu Muffins Rots of the
Matter of Reasonable Doubt pretty good. And then I also received this comment regarding
the Christmas Radio Detectives playlist over on YouTube and the listener Maloca Rits fabulous podcasting
channel. I was so pleased to see a playlist featuring Christmas Detective shows.
Such a delight. It's a bit early, but happy Holidays to you and
yours. Thank you so much for curating these old time gems. Well,
thank you so much. I appreciate the comment, and I'm always glad to
have that playlist. And we also do have a podcast feed just off our
Christmas programs, and it's interesting. Most months, over the last nine months,
we've had about one thousand or more downloads from our Christmas Detective feed.
I don't have a way of tracking how it goes on YouTube. There might
be a way, and I just don't know it. But there's definitely an
interest in these programs year round. And while I would prefer that corporate celebration
or recognition of Christmas dot come so early in the year, I'm happy to
provide Christmas programs for people to be able to listen to any time of the
year. They need a little bit of Christmas. So thank you so much
and appreciate your listening. Now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the
day. Thank you to Sean, Patreon supporter since June of twenty eighteen,
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, Sean,
and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please
follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure rate and review the podcast
wherever you download it from. We will be back on Friday with the conclusion
of this week's Yours truly johonnied all or Cereal, but join us back here
tomorrow for dangerous assignment Where you sound like USA or so not really? Although
I spent many many years in the States, I was raised there all really
Yeah, New York City, sixtieth Street just off Broadway, are sure not
far from Columbus Circle? Yeah, in Central Park. Had a lot of
fun there as a kid. Later we moved out to California, Los Angeles
correction Los Angeles, huh yeah, soft g it's official now. So I
heard Chamber of Commerce that they're voting or something. Well, let's have a
drink sometime, huh. Sure, be good to talk over the good old
USA. Good night tonight. I see that I've met that friend. Yeah,
he almost caught me listening at his door, drobo. He just got
a phone call. Did you hear what? He No? I couldn't get
any of the conversation that might have been the tip off. So hey,
he just ease out the side door. Come on, Hope you'll be with
us then. In the meantime, do send your comments to Box thirteen Great
Detectives dot nett, 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.