1 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:35,799 Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This 2 00:00:36,039 --> 00:00:41,520 is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it 3 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:47,920 to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Follow us on Twitter at 4 00:00:48,079 --> 00:00:54,399 Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, 5 00:00:54,439 --> 00:00:59,640 slash Great Detectives. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your 6 00:00:59,719 --> 00:01:04,120 favorite podcast software. A reminder, as you are making your travel plans for 7 00:01:04,359 --> 00:01:10,879 twenty twenty four, remember to use Johnny Dollar Air dot com. Johnny Dollar 8 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,079 air dot com is a price line affiliately, so part of the purchase price 9 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,079 benefits the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio at no additional cost to you. 10 00:01:19,159 --> 00:01:25,480 So remember when making your travel plans, check Johnny Dollar Air dot com first. 11 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,000 Now it's time for the conclusion of this week's Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Cereal 12 00:01:30,239 --> 00:01:37,000 The Nick Sharan Matter from December twenty first, twenty second, and twenty third, 13 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:48,920 nineteen fifty five. From Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dollar damn 14 00:01:48,959 --> 00:01:52,040 marking here. I was up the street with listening Sheriff. They've traced Kathy 15 00:01:52,079 --> 00:01:55,319 O'Dare here to you A nice little town of Branbury, Oh, Nick Shuran's 16 00:01:55,359 --> 00:01:57,560 boys. One of them, a trigger man named Benny Stark, came out 17 00:01:57,599 --> 00:01:59,959 to the sawmill hell a few minutes ago. I traded a couple of show 18 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:01,319 with him, but he got away in a car. Did he head north 19 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,920 or back toward town? Toward town? I think you can't see the turnoff 20 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,120 from here. All right, Dollar, you're packing a gun. Will you 21 00:02:07,159 --> 00:02:09,879 take a pickup truck and black bet turn off? Hold it until I can 22 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,479 get somebody out there to relieve it. Right, how many deputies you got? 23 00:02:13,759 --> 00:02:16,280 Deputies? Oh? What about volunteers? Is this Benny Stark, the 24 00:02:16,319 --> 00:02:20,759 man Kathy's afrido, he's one of them? Then I'll have volunteers, twenty 25 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,960 men within a half hour, armed with deer rifles, and every one of 26 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:34,319 them a dead shot. Good Night and every weekday Night. Bob Bailey, 27 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,560 in the Transcribed Adventures of the Man with the Action Packed Expenser gout America's Fabulous 28 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:53,120 Freelance insurance investigator, Heirs Truly Johnny Dollar. From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar, 29 00:02:53,159 --> 00:02:58,520 location Branburry, Michigan to the home office Primutual Insurance Limit at Hartford, Connecticut. 30 00:02:58,759 --> 00:03:05,159 Assignment. The Nick arn Matter expense account continued. Itam eight three dollars 31 00:03:05,159 --> 00:03:07,400 sixty cents for two packs of cigarettes and a pint of applejack borrowed from the 32 00:03:07,439 --> 00:03:12,639 foreman's locker at the sawmill. I figured these as standard equipment for holding down 33 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,360 a roadblock at ten degrees above zero, and Mike O. Dare agreed with 34 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,199 me one hundred percent. Oh, I'll tell you one thing. They can 35 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,879 make it out of corn RYE. Piley, make it at a gold if 36 00:03:22,879 --> 00:03:25,599 they want to, but they'll never come up with anything better than what they 37 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,159 make out of apples. Yet here have a short term john No, no 38 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:36,120 thanks, I'll save it for later. Well, I'll just it's got the 39 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,919 taste of Indian summer in it. You ought to see this country around that 40 00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:43,360 time of year, Johnny, break your heart. It's so beautiful. Well, 41 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,719 it's beautiful now with the snow on, and there would be more so 42 00:03:46,759 --> 00:03:49,759 if there wasn't a killer running loose in it. Johnny. I want to 43 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,159 ask you something about my daughter, and I want you to answer me honest, 44 00:03:53,199 --> 00:03:57,319 all right, it's no use training to fool you. She's here, 45 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,439 all right, I know, but she hasn't pulled me. But it was 46 00:04:00,479 --> 00:04:03,319 it happened in New York, but she ran away from it. Somehow, 47 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,919 I figured it was just as well not to ask. You're sure if Dan 48 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,719 Martin said practically the same thing. Den's been in love with Kathy since he 49 00:04:11,759 --> 00:04:15,439 was twelve years old. He's a good man, so so I forged anyway, 50 00:04:15,519 --> 00:04:19,600 she was scared, scared half to dick, and she'd come home for 51 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:24,360 help, so we tried to help. What was it you wanted to ask 52 00:04:24,399 --> 00:04:28,759 me, mister Odare you mentioned a murder case? Johnny? You didn't give 53 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,680 any of the details, just said that Kathy was her witness? Is is 54 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:38,800 she mixed up in this murder? And you wanted an honesstancing? All right? 55 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,800 I'm not sure, you see. That's why I wanted to talk to 56 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,199 her, get her story, the truth. I realized on the start she 57 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,360 might be guilty. I don't think so, but it's a possibility. You 58 00:04:47,399 --> 00:04:50,439 may as well know about it. I guess you realized it wouldn't make any 59 00:04:50,439 --> 00:04:55,079 difference not to me or today. Oh yeah, I figured. In other 60 00:04:55,079 --> 00:04:57,360 words, you're with me as long as I'm trying to protect her, but 61 00:04:57,439 --> 00:05:00,680 you'll fight me if I find reason to think she's guilty about it. Johnny. 62 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:03,839 Well, at least we know where we stand, and I hope it 63 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:08,879 won't come. What's the matter a car coming light on the trees there at 64 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,879 the bend? Yeah, do you suppose? Maybe? Probably not, but 65 00:05:12,959 --> 00:05:15,680 you can't tell. Better get behind the truck just in case, and I'll 66 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,639 have to shift in the load the wedge past us. And if we get 67 00:05:18,639 --> 00:05:27,920 that spotlight on right, I guess so just have another quick one. The 68 00:05:27,959 --> 00:05:30,439 wind cuts right through your bones. It's a dark colored said Dan. It 69 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:34,199 might be him, Fenny. I had been hoping for two months. I 70 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:38,959 kat he'd come home for Christmas, and they didn't figure I'd be out here 71 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,519 in the woods hiding behind a truck waiting to shoot it out with somebody that 72 00:05:43,639 --> 00:05:46,560 wanted to kill. It's a crazy world. Keep your head down a stilt. 73 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:54,079 Yeah, just the driver by himself, wearing a dark cant Oh no, 74 00:05:54,959 --> 00:06:00,240 you know that kind of looks right. What's kid Perkins or wreck? 75 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:04,480 No doubt about it. All right, shoot better wave him out past. 76 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:10,240 He probably thinks we need help. It's all right, dead, it's my 77 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,399 good hair. Go ahead ahead, We don't need anything. Eh, well, 78 00:06:14,399 --> 00:06:19,480 all right, thanks. Anyway. You know there's one thing about people 79 00:06:19,519 --> 00:06:24,879 around here. They mind their own business and don't ask no questions, and 80 00:06:24,959 --> 00:06:35,279 they don't answer them often either. How's that applejack holding out? Two long 81 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:41,399 hours went past. Only three cars came out from the village, and each 82 00:06:41,439 --> 00:06:45,680 time a long moment of tension while we waited to identify the occupants, But 83 00:06:45,759 --> 00:06:49,560 all of them were townspeople, and he didn't show. One truck came down 84 00:06:49,639 --> 00:06:55,199 the logging road from the back hills, loaded with dwarf spruce and fir peace 85 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:00,160 on earth, goodwill toward men. We were waiting for an assassin. The 86 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,920 truck only carried Christmas trees. The night was crystal clear, with bright stars 87 00:07:03,959 --> 00:07:08,839 hanging low in the blackness, but it kept turning colder and colder, and 88 00:07:08,959 --> 00:07:12,079 believe on the apple jack didn't help much. And the wind too, changed 89 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:18,720 gradually and blew fitful and gusty and strange. It's kind of storm come a 90 00:07:18,759 --> 00:07:24,920 blizzard. Maybe not tonight, tomorrow sometime or tomorrow night. I know this 91 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:29,000 country, know the signs. There's an odd feeling in the air, all 92 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,839 right, there's an even order. When in my leg log rolled over on 93 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:36,079 it, putting it six years ago, bothers me some in the winter till 94 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:40,319 that wears so right before the storm. And that's kind of a handy thing 95 00:07:40,319 --> 00:07:43,759 to have. Well, that's one way of looking at it. I guess. 96 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,240 Like one time when Kathy was little, when the more was still alive, 97 00:07:47,879 --> 00:07:53,519 cried rosterssoul. We had a big measles epidemic here in Branberry, and 98 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,279 every night Kathy used to add a line to a prayer, kid say, 99 00:07:58,439 --> 00:08:01,680 and please let me catch the meat so they can stay out of school like 100 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:05,680 the other kids. Now she's wanted as a witness in a murder case, 101 00:08:07,519 --> 00:08:11,439 and somebody's prowling out there in the dark trying to find her and kill her. 102 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:16,839 Little Kathy, who never harmed anybody in her whole life. Some things 103 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:22,040 just don't make sense, Johnny. Some things never have. There was another 104 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,439 time once when men like Benny were prowling in the dark trying to find a 105 00:08:24,439 --> 00:08:30,439 little child and kill him, and he hadn't harmed anybody either. That was 106 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:35,639 nearly two thousand years ago. Yeah, sure it was. I like you, 107 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:39,840 Johnny, Kathy, you'll like it too. Live a jail, huh 108 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,639 ah, there's a pair for that kid. Looks more like a mother did 109 00:08:43,639 --> 00:08:48,679 at her aid. Another car coming astrol there. Yeah, so there is, 110 00:08:48,759 --> 00:08:54,200 and this just might be the one. Maybe I wish that apple Jack 111 00:08:54,200 --> 00:09:03,519 hadn't run out, But it was only a couple of men. Deputy Martin 112 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:05,519 had sent out from town to relieve us and take over. Big men, 113 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:09,879 calm and quiet, wearing plaid mackinaws and heavy laced boots and carrying Winchester ninety 114 00:09:09,879 --> 00:09:15,360 fours over their arms. They told us Benny Stark had been seen. He'd 115 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,039 come up from the west, driven onto one of the roadblocks unexpectedly, and 116 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:22,559 a flurry of shots he'd broken through. The men couldn't understand his persistence. 117 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,519 They thought he'd run for it, get out of the area once his presence 118 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,919 was known. I didn't bother to explain, to put him straight, but 119 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:33,159 I knew Benny had never run, not now. He was a trigger man, 120 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:37,320 a professional killer with a reputation at stake, and he had his orders 121 00:09:37,879 --> 00:09:45,919 to silence Kathy o'dair. A half hour later, we were back in town, 122 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,480 turning into the main street. Around the village square. Strings of pilly 123 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,600 lights and a tall pine in the center of the square blinked and sparkled as 124 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:56,080 they swayed in the wind. Around one hundred cars and trucks were parked in 125 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,600 the street and in the lot behind the town hall, and the sound of 126 00:09:58,639 --> 00:10:05,360 singing drifted out from inside. They're practicing carols and things for the big doings 127 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:09,559 on Christmas Eve. He did beautiful. The man at the roadblock had given 128 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,399 a description of Benny's car and the license number. It was just barely possible. 129 00:10:16,879 --> 00:10:20,759 Good something in mind, Johnny. Let's take a look through those park 130 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:26,039 cards. I don't know. If it was me, I sure wouldn't be 131 00:10:26,039 --> 00:10:28,200 hanging around here. I'd stick to the tall timber. Yeah, you're not 132 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,039 a city boy, and like tall timorous foreign soil. To Benny, he's 133 00:10:31,039 --> 00:10:35,720 only comfortable when he's close to a crowd. Either. Fellow that's supposed to 134 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:37,519 have done that murder now is the man he works for, a cafe on 135 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,960 or ex gangster, a man named Nick Shearn. Let's check that lot around 136 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,080 at the side. I don't think he'd show here in front. He'd be 137 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:50,000 taking a big chance showing anywhere in the town this size. People know each 138 00:10:50,039 --> 00:10:54,879 other. It's his job to take chances, and he probably doesn't realize whatever's 139 00:10:56,519 --> 00:11:01,639 that's the dan against the building with the side window broken shifting and cool. 140 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:07,639 That's his card, Johnny. Yeah, I wait here. I eased my 141 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:09,960 gun out of the holster and started toward the car. There were no lights 142 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,840 in the lot, only the soft glow reflected from the packed snow on the 143 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,240 foot, and the car itself stood in the dark shadows next to the building. 144 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,759 I couldn't see whether anyone was in it or not. The singing seemed 145 00:11:20,759 --> 00:11:24,639 to swell louder as I approached. I moved slowly, watching for any sudden 146 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:41,679 movement. The car was empty. It was time past time to talk to 147 00:11:41,759 --> 00:11:45,159 Kathy Adare, and, with a pressure tightening, the danger close to home 148 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,080 now, her father was ready to take me to her. We drove over 149 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,840 to Dan Martin's house, where it turned out Kathy and my daughter was staying. 150 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,240 Dan's mother had been looking after her. Dan was there when we arrived, 151 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,399 busy on the phone. Yeah, I know the carl right, the 152 00:11:56,480 --> 00:12:01,600 one Jed bought last spring down in Bay City seven three? Where was it 153 00:12:01,639 --> 00:12:07,360 park? All right? Keep an eye on Charlie. So on. Benny 154 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,759 Stark had stole himself another car. H took Jed Wharton station wagon we went 155 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:13,679 for that was a better one. He had Charlie says the steering gear was 156 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,200 sprung. I guess it happened when he crashed that roadblock. When it was 157 00:12:16,279 --> 00:12:20,879 Kathy and the young and oh fine, they were asleep upstairs. Mom's next 158 00:12:20,919 --> 00:12:28,559 door helping missus Barton stuff a turkey, Johnny, you figured it could wait 159 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,320 two more. I'm sorry, mister, oh dear. I've got to talk 160 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:45,960 to her tonight. All right, I'll go wake her up, mister Dollar. 161 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,279 No matter what she's done, don't hurt her anymore than you have to. 162 00:12:52,279 --> 00:12:54,679 As far as I know at the moment, Dan, all she's guilty 163 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:58,480 of is withholding information, and most people would have done the same thing. 164 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,279 Nick Suran's a rough boy. At a time, she was scared. That's 165 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:05,200 all lost her head. She never did belong in a city. She belongs 166 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:09,240 right here in Branbury. This is her kind of life. Why did she 167 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:16,519 leave? Well, we argued one day and she said she'd show me. 168 00:13:18,919 --> 00:13:24,879 So she ran off and married that fellaw. He treated her bad, finally 169 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:30,679 left her, but she was too proud to come back. She wouldn't have 170 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:33,759 come back now she hadn't have been so scared. Well, maybe it'll work 171 00:13:33,759 --> 00:13:39,639 out now. She ought to stay her kid ought to grow up here, 172 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:45,240 learned the outdoors in the woods like Kathy used to know it where she roamed 173 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,559 through those hills like a young Indian. Knew every trail in that forest, 174 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:54,240 every timber camp and trapper's cabin from here to the ridge. I remember one 175 00:13:54,279 --> 00:14:00,200 time the two of us were up toward what you said. You said, 176 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,480 Kathy were sleep upstairs? That what you said, Dan, Of course that's 177 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:09,080 what I'm Mike. What's happened? They're not up here, They're not up 178 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:33,720 there anywhere else in the house there, God, Johnny Dollar might go there, 179 00:14:33,799 --> 00:14:35,799 Johnny any signed a Cathy. No, the boys of the highway turn 180 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,039 off haven't seen her or Benny either one. Not a soul out that way 181 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:41,679 in the last hour. What about there at this armon nothing, Mike, 182 00:14:41,759 --> 00:14:45,600 No fresh tracks on the logging road, no sign of her. And the 183 00:14:45,639 --> 00:14:48,240 worst thing is it's starting to snow again here in town. Two. Dan 184 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,320 Martin, just phone, no luck. She hasn't shown up at any of 185 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,399 the roadblocks. She's she's around somewhere, and we've got to find her. 186 00:14:54,399 --> 00:14:58,080 We will, Mike, and it's got to be fast. Johnny. There's 187 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,399 a blizzard coming up, and that gunman Benny's is a round two. Maybe 188 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:03,480 he's already found her, maybe even took her from the house Hard and Jiti 189 00:15:03,519 --> 00:15:07,600 both. Maybe she didn't get scared and run. Maybe it was him. 190 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,840 Maybe I stop at that kind of thing. It's not gonna help anything. 191 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:13,000 I don't know, but I've got a half baked idea, and I may 192 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,120 be right. Stay there at the house. I'm coming back to pick you 193 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:26,320 up. And one thing you can do while you're waiting, what Johnny pray? 194 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,039 From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar location, Branbury, Michigan to the home office 195 00:15:35,039 --> 00:15:39,279 Tri Mutual Insurance Limited, Hartford, Connecticut. Assignment the Nick Shuran matter, 196 00:15:39,799 --> 00:15:45,799 or more important, find Kathy O'Dare itdem twelve on expense account four dollars and 197 00:15:45,879 --> 00:15:48,639 ninety cents. A tank full of gas for the county pickup I'd borrow from 198 00:15:48,679 --> 00:15:52,559 Deputy Sheriff Dan Martin. The falling snow was thickening now and the wind was 199 00:15:52,679 --> 00:15:56,240 rising and steadying in the northwest. The night had all the makings of a 200 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,759 blizzard, and wherever Kathy and her daughter had gone, we had to find 201 00:15:58,759 --> 00:16:04,559 them before it hit. It was ten fourteen PM when I pulled up at 202 00:16:04,559 --> 00:16:07,639 the side porch of the Adare house. Kathy's father came hurrying out to the 203 00:16:07,679 --> 00:16:11,519 truck, leaving the door open behind him and butting his heavy mcinaws. He 204 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,759 ran and he knew was my utter king. All right, get in, 205 00:16:15,799 --> 00:16:19,240 shut the door. Hey, we'll get a foot of snow before money with 206 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,879 a zero win behind it. Now, listen, Mike, I think we 207 00:16:22,919 --> 00:16:25,799 can forget any idea that Benny found her and got her out of the house. 208 00:16:26,279 --> 00:16:27,759 In that case, she wouldn't have taken your car. He's already got 209 00:16:27,759 --> 00:16:30,120 one. I know I thought her that, And he wouldn't have given her 210 00:16:30,159 --> 00:16:33,159 time to dress herself and jail the way she did with heavy clothes and snow 211 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,200 boots. And she wouldn't have taken the rifle. And what has happened. 212 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,000 She knew I'd be there to talk to her sometime this evening. I think 213 00:16:40,039 --> 00:16:41,879 she lost a nerve, couldn't face it, decided to run again. Maybe 214 00:16:41,919 --> 00:16:45,240 so, But where Johnny? That's what I want you to tell me that 215 00:16:45,559 --> 00:16:48,240 Now. I don't mean you knew what she was going to do and where 216 00:16:48,279 --> 00:16:51,759 she was going to go, or how do you think I can tell you? 217 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,600 Look, Kathy knew about the roadblocks, Stan Martin sat up to trap 218 00:16:55,639 --> 00:16:57,840 Benny Stock knew where they were, so she didn't want to be seen. 219 00:16:57,879 --> 00:17:02,279 Then naturally she'd avoid She couldn't. Not if she wanted to get away, 220 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,680 take the highway to Flint to Detroit, she'd have to pass one of them 221 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,480 at least. But she hasn't passed any of them. So she's still in 222 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:11,240 this area, and I don't think she ever meant to leave it. But 223 00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:12,720 then then, Martin said, Cathy used to spend a lot of time in 224 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:15,359 the woods when she was growing up. He said, she knew every back 225 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,400 trail in these hills, logging camps, trappers, cabins. She did. 226 00:17:18,559 --> 00:17:22,880 She used to worry that dickens out to be the way she Yeah, Now 227 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,240 where would she go, Mike, if she wanted to hide out back in 228 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:30,359 the hill somewhere? There's a lot of places, Chippewa canyons, one here 229 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:36,079 for timbercamps abandoned in the winter, some cabins along it. No, No, 230 00:17:36,279 --> 00:17:38,480 she couldn't make it. There's a roadblocked before you get to the turnout 231 00:17:38,519 --> 00:17:42,839 there. It's gotta be someplace she could reach without being seen. There's workers 232 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:48,359 flats, ah, but that's twelve miles of foot trail. She wouldn't try 233 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:53,680 it in this weather, not with Gill along anyway. Then there's Lake Pine. 234 00:17:55,559 --> 00:17:59,640 No, it's over the other way, Pine Lake Rows that runs northwest 235 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,480 of town. Not much better than the wagon road. The DAN didn't put 236 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,240 a block on it because it dead ends at the lake about five miles out. 237 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,480 What's out there? Nothing at the lake, but you can go on 238 00:18:08,759 --> 00:18:12,960 up Pine Creek about four miles on foot, and there's some cabins. Maybe 239 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:21,920 you waste the time, Johnny, let's get going expense account. It am 240 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,799 thirteen six dollars and ninety cents one dry cell electric lantern, an extra pair 241 00:18:25,839 --> 00:18:27,599 of batteries picked up at the Branberry Hardware Company. And the way through town, 242 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:32,119 the falling snow, driven by a bitter cold wind, formed a dense 243 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,319 curtain in front of our headlights, and from the turnoff all the way up 244 00:18:34,319 --> 00:18:37,599 the narrow, twisting road to Pine Lake, I had to keep the truck 245 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,720 in second gear. There were car tracts in the road, all right, 246 00:18:40,799 --> 00:18:44,079 several of them, but they were covered now with a new blanket of snow, 247 00:18:44,599 --> 00:18:48,000 and it was impossible to tell whether they'd been made earlier tonight or a 248 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,960 week ago. The road ends a couple of yards past this next turn, 249 00:18:53,079 --> 00:18:59,160 and we'll soon know. There's four or five side turnoffs clearance where you can 250 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:00,720 pack. We'll left to check out of them. I guess all right, 251 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,279 that draw there on the right, that break there in the trees, that's 252 00:19:04,519 --> 00:19:08,880 that's where the Pine Creek trailer starts. I will swing in, Mike. 253 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,640 I guess we won't have to check those turn ups. Eh. Is that 254 00:19:11,759 --> 00:19:19,119 your car over there under the trees, Yeah, that's it. I left 255 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,759 Mike waiting in the cab while I went over to look inside the car. 256 00:19:22,799 --> 00:19:26,880 It was empty, abandoned, and there was no note, no clue of 257 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,440 any kind to tell where Kathy had gone. I raised the hood and felt 258 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,880 the motor block ice cold. The car had been here for some time. 259 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,799 I flashed the lantern on the ground and followed the faint tracks made by two 260 00:19:37,839 --> 00:19:41,720 pairs of snowboats the end of the deep draw that led back into the hills, 261 00:19:41,799 --> 00:19:44,920 the start of the Pine Creek trail. I snapped off the lantern and 262 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:51,759 stumbled through the snow back to the truck. But you, Praine, Johnny, 263 00:19:51,799 --> 00:19:53,359 it's them all right, They've headed up the trail. I found tracks 264 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,759 in the snow. Then we'd better get started. Oh wait, I'll go 265 00:19:56,799 --> 00:20:00,039 after the Mic. You take the truck, go into town. Fi and 266 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,559 Dan Martin, bring help as fast as you can. That storm is getting 267 00:20:02,559 --> 00:20:06,079 worse. No you don't. I know there is starting up that trailer with 268 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:07,960 a blizzard coming on. And if you think you've got to protect me, 269 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,839 but I said, I get off, Mike. There's no time, and 270 00:20:10,839 --> 00:20:12,359 you're wrong. I'm not protecting you. I'm protecting myself. What do you 271 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,839 mean that bum leg of yours. I don't want you on my hands too, 272 00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:19,160 along with the girls. All right, Johnny, I'll go after Dan 273 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:26,440 and hurry Mike. I'm depending on you. Yeah, good luck, Johnny, 274 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:41,480 see you, Mike. I stood there in the snow watching the headlights 275 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,839 of the truck move away. Finally they swung around the bend and disappeared, 276 00:20:45,799 --> 00:20:49,799 and I suddenly felt more alone than I ever had in my life. I've 277 00:20:49,799 --> 00:20:53,640 gotten rid of Mike. Deliberately send him away on purpose, because I hadn't 278 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:57,160 told him everything. I could see no point in tearing his heart out. 279 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,680 There was another car parked on beyond Kathy's, nearly hidden by the trees. 280 00:21:03,559 --> 00:21:07,880 Jed Wharton's station wagon, the car that had been stolen by a killer named 281 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:18,440 Benny Stark. It took me half an hour to cover the first mile, 282 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,519 and the storm kept getting worse. The beam of the lantern penetrated a bare 283 00:21:22,559 --> 00:21:25,359 thirty feet ahead of me before it was smothered out in the white blackness of 284 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,960 the night. After a few hundred yards, the tracks I was trying to 285 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:33,680 follow and nearly disappeared snowbover were blotted out. I gave up looking for them 286 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,519 and struck to Old Mike's description of the trail following the left bank of the 287 00:21:37,559 --> 00:21:41,119 frozen creek. The drifts were deeper down along the creek bottoms, and the 288 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,559 going was rougher, but I didn't dare leave it to look for better footing. 289 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,799 It was my only landmark. The trail itself was buried. Any man 290 00:21:48,799 --> 00:21:51,720 who lost his way to night and wandered off into one of those side gullies, 291 00:21:52,119 --> 00:22:00,240 but wanted us straight to his death. An hour past, then an 292 00:22:00,279 --> 00:22:04,160 hour and a half, or two hours. Maybe I lost all track of 293 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:08,279 time and distance. The wind cut through my clothes, and the numbing pole 294 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:14,839 crept into me deeper and deeper. Gradually, the walking stumbling, breathing, 295 00:22:15,039 --> 00:22:19,039 even thinking became automatic, and without feeling, the world itself seemed to narrow 296 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,440 down to a tiny circle close around me, and all beyond was chaos, 297 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:29,279 blackness, and the roaring storm. I tripped over fallen logs and floundered back 298 00:22:29,319 --> 00:22:33,680 to my feet, dropped my lantern and recovered it, broke through the crested 299 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:42,519 brists and struggled for footing, and kept on moving in the weird nightmare of 300 00:22:42,559 --> 00:22:45,839 the blizzard. I could highly recognize reality when I came face to face with 301 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:49,079 it, and a beam from my lantern touched him, crouching by a tree 302 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:53,119 a few yards away. I could barely accept him as being real. He'd 303 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,880 been watching my light as I approached, waiting for me. It was Benny 304 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:02,359 Stark, with his gun leveled and named, don't be a fool of any 305 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:14,920 drop that gun. A curtain of snow swept between us, then blotting out 306 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,200 the side of them, and I was grateful. I turned and stumbled on 307 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:22,119 into the storm, moving in pitch darkness, now except for the ghostly glow 308 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:26,039 from the snow covered ground. The second shot had smashed my land, and 309 00:23:26,079 --> 00:23:29,200 I had nothing left to go by but instinct and luck, and they weren't 310 00:23:29,319 --> 00:23:41,559 enough. Within fifteen minutes, I was hopelessly lost. That's when I started 311 00:23:41,599 --> 00:23:48,799 hearing the music miles from no place where there couldn't be any music except inside 312 00:23:48,799 --> 00:23:52,960 my head. The cold and fatigue were finally doing their work. I knew 313 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:56,039 the signs. The next step was to start wandering in circles, smaller and 314 00:23:56,119 --> 00:24:00,480 smaller ones, and the last step to drop it, Austin and go peacefully, 315 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:07,119 to sleep, peacefully and permanently. But the sound kept going louder, 316 00:24:07,759 --> 00:24:11,880 and I moved in the direction it seemed to be coming from. It couldn't 317 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:21,920 be just illusions. It had to be real. Hello, Hello, there. 318 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,880 Then suddenly, only a few yards away, a brilliant blaze of light 319 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,960 exploded from the darkness, and it seemed that a golden haired girl was standing 320 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:34,720 in the middle of it, And for a moment my sanity tottered, who's 321 00:24:34,759 --> 00:24:38,039 out there? My golden vision was wearing blue jeans and a flannel shirt and 322 00:24:38,079 --> 00:24:41,720 was holding a rifle. She looked exactly like the photograph I'd seen of Kathy 323 00:24:41,759 --> 00:24:45,519 Adare, And the blaze of light came from an open cabin door. Who 324 00:24:45,599 --> 00:24:52,279 is it? Speak up for our shoe holdly, mistair, it's Johnny Dollar. 325 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,480 Are you getting warm now? I don't think I'll ever get warm again. 326 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:04,920 You will if you don't move away from stove a little the back. 327 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:07,920 You're sure you're starting to smoke? Yeah? I thought I was beginning to 328 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:12,559 feel something. How's the firewood? There's plenty. There's plenty of food and 329 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:17,359 a radio. If I hadn't heard that music, had a blunded right on 330 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,000 past this cabin. We've got everything. You can hold out for a month 331 00:25:21,039 --> 00:25:25,200 if we have to, I hope we have to. What about your daughter? 332 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,759 Is she all right? Sure? She's fine? The picnic for her 333 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:34,240 a camping trip. She's fund asleep back there, maly in too dreaming about 334 00:25:34,319 --> 00:25:41,599 Santa Claus. I suppose I wish I could. How did you find news? 335 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,880 To Dollar? Hunch? Guess work? I was born under a lucky 336 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,920 story. I wasn't. Oh on all, I think you've been pretty lucky 337 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:55,160 considering everything, more so than your landlady back in New York, missus Grobler, 338 00:25:56,039 --> 00:25:59,240 what do you mean? Pretty stark? Want to see her? Tried 339 00:25:59,279 --> 00:26:02,319 to find out where you were. When she wouldn't tell him, he broke 340 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:06,920 her arm. No oh, oh, it's a rough game, is so 341 00:26:07,079 --> 00:26:11,200 they're trying to play it cozy with a mobster like Nick Sheran. You know, 342 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:12,440 of course, that he sent Benny here to find you. You'll have 343 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,400 a hard time finding me in this place. He did find you, what 344 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:21,880 maybe he followed you from the house. I saw you drive through town anyway. 345 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,799 I ran into him back down the trailer ways. I thought that you're 346 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,880 chooting a while ago. You did. He tried to ambush me. He 347 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,519 thought he had the drop and he wouldn't give up. I had to kill 348 00:26:32,559 --> 00:26:56,039 him. Johnny Dollar, Johnny Dollar, spill it. J O h n 349 00:26:56,319 --> 00:27:03,960 n y d O L l a R. That's not right. You forgot 350 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:08,240 to capitalize. You're right, honey. Let me hear you spout your name, 351 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:18,039 okay, capital j I L L jill, capital O apostrophe, apostrophe. 352 00:27:18,319 --> 00:27:22,880 I never can see that capital d ari dare. Of course, my 353 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,960 last name is actually something else I forget, but my mother says I'm really 354 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,839 an o' dare not the least out about it. I could see it in 355 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:33,839 my minna. I like you, Johnny Dollar, and I kind of like 356 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:38,799 you too, jell ol dare. Do you think my mother's pretty I think 357 00:27:38,839 --> 00:27:42,279 she's lovely. Why don't you get married to her so I can have a 358 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:48,480 daddy. Well, that's well, it's certainly something to think about and not 359 00:27:48,559 --> 00:27:52,680 a bad idea. Now I'll be quiet before you wake her up. I'm 360 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:56,839 already awaken. With a plot like that being hatched, I think I better 361 00:27:56,839 --> 00:28:10,640 stay awake. Is there coffee, Johnny? From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar. 362 00:28:10,759 --> 00:28:15,000 Location a small cabin in the timber outside Branbury, Michigan, to the home 363 00:28:15,039 --> 00:28:19,720 office Trimutual Insurance Limited, Hartford, Connecticut. Assignment the Nick Suran matter expense 364 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:26,160 account final page item fifteen one million dollars for a certain feeling. I realize, 365 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:30,279 of course, that the amount of this item is somewhat unusual. It 366 00:28:30,279 --> 00:28:34,400 may be cause for mild criticism by your accounting department unless the accompanying report includes 367 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:40,279 an adequate and detailed explanation. Therefore, to avoid unnecessary correspondence and delay, 368 00:28:40,799 --> 00:28:48,480 I am attaching said explanation herewith here's your coffee, County. Say how long 369 00:28:48,519 --> 00:28:52,680 did I sleep, Johnny? Oh? A couple of hours. It's around 370 00:28:52,759 --> 00:28:55,319 four in the morning. Storm hasn't let up at all, has it? 371 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,759 Oh? It's worse, If anything, Jill, Honey, it's four o'clock 372 00:29:00,119 --> 00:29:03,440 morning and your eyes are just about to fall out, and you go back 373 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:06,279 there and go to sleep. Do I have to move? You have to 374 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:10,279 I long now, mister Johnny Dollar, and you were having a lot of 375 00:29:10,319 --> 00:29:14,119 fun till you woke. Well, that's life, Seetie, night now, 376 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:21,440 good night night. Proud of her. I'm crazy about her, that's what 377 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,680 you mean. She's a great little girl. She's the only thing I ever 378 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:30,799 did in my whole life that turned out right that bad. Huh, Johnny, 379 00:29:32,759 --> 00:29:34,400 it's no good. I know why you're here, I know what you 380 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,759 expect from and the answer is no, you're jumping the gun. I haven't 381 00:29:37,759 --> 00:29:41,759 asked you anything. You will, You haven't done all this for nothing. 382 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,319 You're going to ask me to come back to New York and testify against Nick 383 00:29:45,359 --> 00:29:48,240 Shuran. I might ask you to tell the truth. Is that just another 384 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:53,319 way of wording. I didn't see anything, hear anything. I don't know 385 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:56,559 anything about it, and I have nothing to say. So next Sharan gets 386 00:29:56,559 --> 00:30:00,880 away with another murder, I wouldn't know anything about that, and sooner or 387 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,920 later, of course he'll kill you two. He sent Benny Stark out to 388 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,279 do it and Benny missed. But he's got other boys, or he might 389 00:30:07,319 --> 00:30:10,880 even handle the job himself. Why by now he ought to know that. 390 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:12,759 I'm not going to tell, but there's always that chance you might change your 391 00:30:12,799 --> 00:30:15,519 mind. And Nick's a gambler, but he likes the odds on his side. 392 00:30:15,559 --> 00:30:18,519 He doesn't take chances. Whenever he can, he stacks a deck. 393 00:30:22,119 --> 00:30:25,680 I wish I could help you, Johnny, but I don't know anything about 394 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:29,839 it. I left before it happened. How long have you worked for Nick? 395 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,799 Sharon known him two years. I'm not wide eyed about him, Johnny. 396 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:40,079 I've heard what he's been what he may even still be a gangster, 397 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:45,640 hoodlum, racketeer, but that's none of my business. The club was legitimate. 398 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,559 My job there was on the level, and he never got out of 399 00:30:48,599 --> 00:30:52,039 line once and now doubt. He's always been kind to his mother and loves 400 00:30:52,119 --> 00:30:56,039 dogs and children. I wouldn't know except children. He's crazy about them. 401 00:30:56,160 --> 00:31:00,920 He was always buying something for Jill. Ask him about it. And they 402 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:07,160 also shot and kill Milk Priker. I couldn't say, I see, well, 403 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:11,279 you're letting a lot of people down, people here in Branbury that you 404 00:31:11,319 --> 00:31:15,920 grew up with people that love you, your father, Dan Martin. What 405 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:17,880 have they got to do with it? You know, it's a great country 406 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,319 up here. I like to spend more time in it. And it's a 407 00:31:21,359 --> 00:31:26,079 big country, big and beautiful and dangerous like that blizzard outside there. It's 408 00:31:26,119 --> 00:31:30,680 not the kind of country that turns out cowards. Cowards. Your father said 409 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:36,839 something yesterday that some people belong in cities and some don't, and that you're 410 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,960 one of the second kind. He was right. The city's made a coward 411 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:42,359 of you. You don't understand. They know it, oh, Mike, 412 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:45,759 Dan, all of them. Of course, they'll never mention it, but 413 00:31:45,799 --> 00:31:48,640 you're letting them down, and they know it, and you'll know it, 414 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,920 Kathy. They don't have a daughter to think of it. It's not her 415 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,200 fear we're talking about. It's yours, all right, I'm scared. I 416 00:31:55,319 --> 00:31:56,759 got reason to be. It's easy for you to talk. You don't know 417 00:31:56,759 --> 00:32:00,119 what fear is, what it can do to you. I don't. It 418 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:01,759 can push you and drive you and make you do things you hate yourself for, 419 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:06,200 and it can destroy How would you know? How would any of them 420 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,400 know? Who haven't felt it, who haven't been there. I can think 421 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:13,079 you are not alone. We've all been there. It's not the fear that's 422 00:32:13,119 --> 00:32:16,160 important, it's the courage you bring up to fight it. I've tried, 423 00:32:16,279 --> 00:32:21,279 I've I've nearly goten crazy trying to think it out. But it always comes 424 00:32:21,279 --> 00:32:24,440 back to one thing. Jill. She is what counts. Nothing else matters. 425 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:28,599 And if you love her, teacher to grow up without fear, sacrifice 426 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:30,480 anything. If you have to leave in your life, but teach your courage, 427 00:32:31,119 --> 00:32:40,160 there's nothing greater you could do for Sorry, all right, Sorry, 428 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:45,200 I knew what was right, Johnny, I knew all time. Sure, 429 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:51,359 of course you did. All you needed was a little push. I want 430 00:32:51,359 --> 00:32:57,720 to tell me about it now. I was to hear at the club that 431 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,640 night when it happened. I stayed after closing. I had some presents for 432 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:06,839 Jill and I wanted to wrap them before I took them home. Nick and 433 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:08,839 North Priker were upstairs in the office. Nick was there, Yes. I 434 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:13,920 could hear them arguing they didn't know I'd stayed in. Then go on, 435 00:33:15,079 --> 00:33:17,279 I heard Mel yell out. He said no, Nick, No, And 436 00:33:17,279 --> 00:33:21,839 then I heard the shots. Yes, I didn't even think. I ran 437 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:24,160 up to the office. Mel was lying on the floor and Nick was standing 438 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:28,319 there with a gun. He told me to get out and to keep quiet 439 00:33:28,799 --> 00:33:32,960 if I wanted to keep on living, that's it. Yes, will you 440 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:38,240 make a statement to the police, testify at the trial. Yes, I'm 441 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:44,200 going there. Will you help me, Johnny, Will you stand by me? 442 00:33:44,359 --> 00:33:47,599 You know I will got too, because I'm scared. I'll be scared 443 00:33:47,599 --> 00:33:51,559 all the way. But I'll do it if you will help me. I'll 444 00:33:51,599 --> 00:33:54,839 help you. Kathy all away. Why don't you curl up here and get 445 00:33:54,880 --> 00:34:01,359 some sleep? Come on, maybe, no, I can't sleep. It's 446 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:07,840 going to be all right, thanks Johnny giving me the push. Oh sure, 447 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:16,079 honey. You know something, Johnny, I'm with Jill. I like 448 00:34:16,159 --> 00:34:23,039 you too. She went to sleep with a face against my chest, and 449 00:34:23,079 --> 00:34:27,599 after a while little Jill came tiptoeing in and curled up on the other side, 450 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,719 and I sat there, holding them both, thinking and waiting for the 451 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:37,199 dawn. So that's what I mean about a million dollar feeling. True, 452 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:43,000 it wasn't my little girl or my big girl either, but for the moment 453 00:34:43,039 --> 00:34:47,960 at least, well, that item still goes. I'll still tag that feeling 454 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:55,400 at one million dollars. And I was sorry when the storm was over and 455 00:34:55,480 --> 00:35:00,880 the rescue party came up from town. Because I felt I'd had one moment 456 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:12,320 in a lifetime that I'd never find again, went went. The big event 457 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:15,280 of the year in Bramburry was the Christmas Eve show in the town hall. 458 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,000 There was music and a pageant and singing, and everybody took part in it, 459 00:35:19,039 --> 00:35:22,400 from the youngest kid in town to the toughest, old grizzled lumberjack from 460 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:24,639 the back hills. Jill was in the children's car as and Old Mike was 461 00:35:24,679 --> 00:35:28,800 to operate the spotlights, so they went on ahead. I took Kathy, 462 00:35:29,679 --> 00:35:31,119 and since she wasn't quite ready to face people yet, we made a point 463 00:35:31,119 --> 00:35:35,199 of getting there late. I didn't care when we got there, as long 464 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:39,519 as I was with her. We slipped in quietly and took seats at the 465 00:35:39,519 --> 00:35:43,760 back of the room. The spring group from the high school orchestra was playing, 466 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:45,400 and no one noticed us, not even Old Mike, Kathy's father, 467 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:50,960 who was working in the spotlights. I hope Jill Daggar actually hadn't had any 468 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:54,119 time to practice with him, or she'll do all right. We'd been there 469 00:35:54,119 --> 00:35:58,639 about ten minutes when somebody else came in and slid into the one seat between 470 00:35:58,679 --> 00:36:01,440 us and the door. I didn't look around until I felt Canty stiffened beside. 471 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:06,960 Now it was Nick shran. Nobody gets excited now the s any sudden 472 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:09,599 moves. I just said, here quietly. He slid his hand over the 473 00:36:09,639 --> 00:36:15,079 feeling inside my coat under my arm. I'm backing Auna perfect. I'd left 474 00:36:15,119 --> 00:36:16,880 my gun at Cathy's house. Old Mike had been duious about it, but 475 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:20,599 with Benny dead, I'd seen no reason to carry it. And after all, 476 00:36:20,639 --> 00:36:22,320 it was Christmas Eve all no, I was gonna ease out of you 477 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:28,639 know it, out, attract no attention from any crazy and just don't forget 478 00:36:28,679 --> 00:36:32,320 one thing now and that whole next gun. I knew he seem right at 479 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:37,320 the mill of Cathy's back. Let's go, no choice, Candy. Come 480 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:43,079 on. The back of the room was dark, nobody paid any attention, 481 00:36:43,159 --> 00:36:51,880 and somebody was always leaving or coming back in. Come on, I got 482 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:57,280 a car over to side here, Johnny, watch your dollar. We'll be 483 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:00,719 right back. Mike. Just gonna get some there, all right, Johnny, 484 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:04,440 But don't go running out before I give you your present. Huh here, 485 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:08,639 and don't uncork that until you're ready for some serious business. All right, 486 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:13,760 I'll i'll thanks, Mike, thanks a lot, don't mention it. 487 00:37:14,199 --> 00:37:22,639 Good luck, Johnny. Come on, let's get away from here, Johnny, 488 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:28,639 Jill go back. You tell me you're coming here, do you hear 489 00:37:28,679 --> 00:37:36,599 me? Listen? Please take your hands on your pocket and pick me up. 490 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,719 Look, Jill, you run alone. Now, who's that Dan Martin? 491 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:44,320 He's a deputy sheriff and he's a dead shot. Better do like she 492 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:45,559 says, Nick, take your hand out of your pocket and pick her up. 493 00:37:51,679 --> 00:37:54,119 All right, reach in my pocket, Johnny, take my gun. 494 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:07,800 Later, Kathy and I walked around outside. We could still hear the children's 495 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:15,599 cars singing inside. Jill saved our lives time. No, she saved Nick's 496 00:38:15,639 --> 00:38:20,760 life. What do you mean that present your father gave me up there at 497 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:23,400 the spotlights. He could see what was happening, and he thought real fast 498 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:29,039 that present was a gun. I had Nick covered from the time we stepped 499 00:38:29,039 --> 00:38:32,440 off the porch. I'm glad he didn't move. I'm glad it happened like 500 00:38:32,559 --> 00:38:37,400 it did. Yeah, so, my I thought we'd never see those stars 501 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:42,760 up there again. You kept holding yourself, Kathy. You showed a lot 502 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:47,639 of courage. No, but maybe I can learn to show it. I 503 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:52,800 was just thinking, Johnny, looking at the stars up there, there was 504 00:38:52,840 --> 00:39:08,079 fear in the world then. Two thousand years ago Key Head Courage expense account 505 00:39:08,119 --> 00:39:13,559 Item sixteen two hundred and thirty dollars and forty cents incidentals in Bramburry and transportation 506 00:39:13,639 --> 00:39:17,320 for two adults and one child Branburry to New York. Expense account total four 507 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:21,480 hundred and eighty six dollars and twenty cents. End of account and of report 508 00:39:21,559 --> 00:39:25,679 remarks, Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to all of you from all of us 509 00:39:25,679 --> 00:39:30,679 here on the program, and God bless you, Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, 510 00:39:36,559 --> 00:39:39,400 Yours Truly Johnny Dollar is starring Bob Bailey, is transcribed in Hollywood, 511 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:44,920 written by Les Crutchfield, It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard 512 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:47,599 in this week's cast were Virginia, Greg Peggy Weber, Don Diamond, Ben 513 00:39:47,639 --> 00:39:51,840 Wright, Jack Prussian, Barney Phillips, Sam Edwards, and Ken Christie. 514 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,320 Musical supervision by Arigo Marino. Be sure to join us on Monday night, 515 00:39:55,400 --> 00:40:00,400 same time in Station for another exciting story of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. Roy 516 00:40:00,519 --> 00:41:04,280 Roman speaking welcome back, Well, I'll be honest, this is my all 517 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:08,159 time favorite, yours truly, Johnny dull or Cereal, And there's so much 518 00:41:08,159 --> 00:41:14,159 to talk about on this one. We'll start with some of the smaller items 519 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:19,559 and then go into the big overarching themes as we get to the close of 520 00:41:19,679 --> 00:41:24,559 the commentary. First of all, let's talk about the scene with Johnny on 521 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:31,800 the trail and episode four looking for Kathleen and dealing with Benny Stark and a 522 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:37,760 blizzard. This is, simplite, some of the best radio you will ever 523 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:44,880 hear, with the mix of music, sound effects and Bob Bailey's narration and 524 00:41:45,119 --> 00:41:50,320 acting. Just grab your attention and carry the scene through. And this is 525 00:41:50,519 --> 00:41:57,519 actually the only scene that I've ever actually paid someone to animate, and I'll 526 00:41:57,519 --> 00:42:01,440 include a link to it in the show notes. It's to see how they 527 00:42:01,559 --> 00:42:07,840 interpreted it at Even if the pictures don't quite match the vivid ones that would 528 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:14,079 be in the heads of most listeners, it's just such a well executed and 529 00:42:14,199 --> 00:42:20,199 suspenseful and dramatic sequence. And of course that comes down to Bob Bailey, 530 00:42:20,559 --> 00:42:28,119 and let's just appreciate how good he is in this serial. Bailey is praised 531 00:42:28,199 --> 00:42:34,400 oftentimes for being the best Johnny Dollar actor, but in this serial, I 532 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:39,519 think it really is at another level. He has so many great scenes and 533 00:42:39,599 --> 00:42:46,800 really his performance is just a masterclass. And having listened to the serial a 534 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:52,239 few times this time through, I noted some of the actors, and the 535 00:42:52,280 --> 00:42:57,360 first few times through I was so into the story, I didn't pay a 536 00:42:57,440 --> 00:43:02,000 whole lot of attention, but I noticed that you had a couple of actors 537 00:43:02,039 --> 00:43:07,280 in this who were playing parts that were very different from the sort of roles 538 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:13,480 that you would associate with them. Now. Ken Christy tended to play a 539 00:43:13,559 --> 00:43:21,000 lot of generic cops and policemen. It wasn't exclusively, but that's probably the 540 00:43:21,039 --> 00:43:25,159 most common role I've heard him. And of course he had ongoing roles as 541 00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:32,000 Lieutenant Johnson on Let George Do It after Wally Mayer was no longer available to 542 00:43:32,039 --> 00:43:37,079 play Lieutenant Riley. And he was also the second actor to play Noah Danton 543 00:43:37,159 --> 00:43:44,000 on Mystery as My Hobby, and in the serials Don Diamond. I've noticed 544 00:43:44,039 --> 00:43:51,079 he plays a lot of younger, edgier hipper characters. For example, in 545 00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:57,559 the Broderick Catter he played a jazz musician. In the Que Bono Matter, 546 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:04,880 he played the guy who is running the underground club sort of top from the 547 00:44:05,239 --> 00:44:09,039 city, and that tends to be his roles. Yet in this one, 548 00:44:09,239 --> 00:44:17,039 Ken Christie plays Old Mike and Don Diamond plays the sheriff's deputy, and I 549 00:44:17,079 --> 00:44:22,719 think it really works well. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a Ken Christie 550 00:44:22,719 --> 00:44:29,880 performance more than in this story. The start of the final episode was really 551 00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:37,039 interesting from a character perspective, not just for the way it handled the Johnny 552 00:44:37,079 --> 00:44:43,280 Dollar opening in a very different way, because Johnny, of course is a 553 00:44:43,559 --> 00:44:51,199 bachelor, and that's a conscious choice. If there's any part of the character 554 00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:58,280 that carried over from the O'Brien era, it may be from that one story 555 00:44:59,039 --> 00:45:07,880 where Johnny said he didn't like policeman's wives and it was applied to both policemen 556 00:45:08,039 --> 00:45:13,880 detective what have you. And what he meant by that is he didn't like 557 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:20,480 what the job did to them and how hard it was on them. And 558 00:45:21,039 --> 00:45:30,599 so Johnny says a really strong conflict between his job and having a family life, 559 00:45:30,400 --> 00:45:35,800 and he loves his job, you know, plus the fact that his 560 00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:40,239 heart has gotten broken so many times probably doesn't out matters. Yet in this 561 00:45:40,599 --> 00:45:47,159 brief moment, Johnny indulges in a bit of imagining what if or what could 562 00:45:47,159 --> 00:45:52,000 have been, but which he never expects to happen. I think that the 563 00:45:52,079 --> 00:46:00,000 fact that Johnny has conflicting desires about family lives actually makes him more interesting than 564 00:46:00,119 --> 00:46:05,320 those sort of characters who you just know they're never going to get married and 565 00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:09,480 have no interest in anything other than their work. And I think it's really 566 00:46:09,559 --> 00:46:16,719 particularly well handled in his interactions with Jill. As for the story itself, 567 00:46:17,079 --> 00:46:22,719 it's such a story of striking contrast. The majority of this serial after like 568 00:46:22,840 --> 00:46:27,920 the first episode and and a half in New York, takes place in Bramberry, 569 00:46:28,559 --> 00:46:32,599 which feels like the sort of town a Hallmark movie would be sent in. 570 00:46:32,599 --> 00:46:38,400 Instead Johnny's hunting for a killer. The contrast between the Christmas atmosphere and 571 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:45,400 the deadliness of the situation occurs time and time again. Christ Miss music is 572 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:52,320 often played at times of extreme peril. It's such an odd but intentional juxtaposition. 573 00:46:53,079 --> 00:47:00,360 The conversation between Mike and Johnny in episode three, when Johnny can here's 574 00:47:00,440 --> 00:47:07,320 Benny to those who haunted Baby Jesus drives home the point that this contrast between 575 00:47:07,360 --> 00:47:13,960 the spirit of the season and the cruelty and harshness of the world has always 576 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:17,760 been present. I think there can be a view that Christmas, with its 577 00:47:19,559 --> 00:47:23,880 joy and hope and peace on earth, really can only fit into a sort 578 00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:30,360 of idyllic place, a sort of fantasy, because reality is far harsher, 579 00:47:30,599 --> 00:47:36,480 because the more we look at the world and all that goes on, the 580 00:47:36,599 --> 00:47:44,079 more Christmas and all of its themes can seem out of place. Yet, 581 00:47:44,119 --> 00:47:47,760 one of the big themes of this episode is that evil in the world and 582 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:53,320 Christmas have always coexisted, and so they coexist in this story. The other 583 00:47:53,360 --> 00:48:00,559 big theme is courage. Johnny's confrontation with Kathleen, as well as her final 584 00:48:00,719 --> 00:48:10,239 line, really drive homeless theme and the idea that fundamentally Christmas is about courage. 585 00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:15,400 It takes courage to celebrate peace on earth and goodwill toward men in the 586 00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:20,599 face of all the evil and heartache in the world, to do the right 587 00:48:20,760 --> 00:48:27,360 thing in your life all the year round, no matter how fearful the consequences 588 00:48:27,480 --> 00:48:30,679 might be. And it explores this idea through the Christmas story and what I 589 00:48:30,719 --> 00:48:37,519 think is a really effective way. The Nick Scharn Matter manages to be a 590 00:48:37,679 --> 00:48:45,880 very good detective story and also a very good Christmas story while also offering some 591 00:48:46,280 --> 00:48:52,079 unexpected thematic depth. It's acting is on point, and its use of music 592 00:48:52,159 --> 00:49:00,000 to drive the themes home is effective without ever feeling overbearing. I'm the opinion 593 00:49:00,159 --> 00:49:04,760 that this is one of the truly great audio dramas ever made. It's an 594 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:07,559 all time classic, and it's always such a pleasure to share it with you. 595 00:49:07,920 --> 00:49:12,280 Well, now we turn to listener comments and feedback, and we have 596 00:49:12,360 --> 00:49:15,519 an email from Tom, who writes, Adam, I've been joining the Old 597 00:49:15,599 --> 00:49:22,400 Time Detectives Christmas shows very much before my time, but a really interesting glimpse 598 00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:25,039 into the not too far past. Well, thank you so much, Tom. 599 00:49:25,119 --> 00:49:30,000 And now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and 600 00:49:30,039 --> 00:49:34,159 I want to go ahead and thank Jonathan. Jonathan has been one of our 601 00:49:34,199 --> 00:49:38,480 Patreon supporters since March of twenty twenty. He's currently supporting the podcast at the 602 00:49:38,679 --> 00:49:44,079 shamous level of four dollars or more per month. Thank you so much for 603 00:49:44,159 --> 00:49:47,199 your support, Jonathan, And that will do it for today. If you're 604 00:49:47,320 --> 00:49:52,880 enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Be sure 605 00:49:52,920 --> 00:49:58,480 to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back 606 00:49:58,719 --> 00:50:04,239 a week from Tuesday with our next yours truly John ead All or Cereal as 607 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:09,559 we'll be bringing you on core presentation starting on Sunday and continuing through New Year's 608 00:50:09,719 --> 00:50:17,000 Day for our recording break, but join us back here tomorrow for Dragnet where 609 00:50:17,679 --> 00:50:21,559 sure a lot of people from the Mission Church come in here. Do people 610 00:50:21,559 --> 00:50:23,840 ever come in and sell back a religious article like a prayer book? A 611 00:50:23,960 --> 00:50:28,159 rodaries? Yes, sir, second hand? You mean, yes, sir, 612 00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:31,119 not since I've ever been around. It's hilly Why people don't have religious 613 00:50:31,199 --> 00:50:34,199 articles so they can get rid of them. They happened, so they can 614 00:50:34,199 --> 00:50:36,760 happen. But if a man had a statue and wanted to sell it, 615 00:50:36,880 --> 00:50:38,400 he'd come to a place like this, sure, But he wouldn't want to 616 00:50:38,400 --> 00:50:42,480 sell it. He would if it was stolen. No, sir, if 617 00:50:42,480 --> 00:50:45,119 a man was to steal a statue, he'd be crazy or something like that. 618 00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:47,199 The only place he'd want to go is where crazy people are. You 619 00:50:47,280 --> 00:50:50,800 may be right, mister Flann. I don't know what your fellas are looking 620 00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:52,320 for. But if it's somebody who stole the statue, he's crazy and you 621 00:50:52,360 --> 00:50:55,440 won't find him. You won't find him as long as you live or in 622 00:50:55,480 --> 00:51:00,400 a million years. That should cover it. I hope you'll be with us 623 00:51:00,440 --> 00:51:05,079 then. In the meantime, do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great 624 00:51:05,159 --> 00:51:09,360 Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us 625 00:51:09,360 --> 00:51:15,719 out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho. 626 00:51:16,039 --> 00:51:19,920 This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.