Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
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remember when making your travel plans, check Johnny Dollar air dot com. Well,
now it is time to get into the conclusion of this week's Yours Truly
Johnny Dollar Cereal from July twenty fifth, twenty six and twenty seventh, nineteen
fifty six. Here now is episodes three through five of the Open Town Matter
from Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny Dollar. How are you making out?
Johnny boy? Who is this? You disappoint me? Johnny? You
want to recognize the condition of not the voice Joe Cleany, Yeah, that
reporter on the daily Era. I want to talk to you. Where are
you? Oh no, you do not tonight? Why not? In ten
minutes? You'd have me shoot my big mouth off about the rackets here and
the murder of the honorable Chief of Police and the peculiar marls of his lovely
young wife and Joel listen, and the last, but not least, the
ethical and philosophical problems of an intellectual lush a reformed idealist. Once or even
twice all an hour ago in front of city Hall, somebody fired five shots
at me. Joe, are you there? Beat it, Johnny, grab
a plane, train, bus, or walk, but get out now when
they put the finger on it sticks. Greensport, boy, is a wide
open tom tonight and every weekday night. Bob Bailey in the transcribed Adventures of
the Man with the Action Pact Expensercount America's Fabulous freelance insurance Investigator, Yours Truly,
Johnny Dollar. From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar, location Greensport, Missouri to
the home office, Great Plains Guarantee Company, Hartford, Connecticut. Assignment the
Open Town Matter Expense a count continued, itdem seven dollars eighty five cents taxi
to the home of the Mayor of Greensport, Will Lyons. I decided to
go straight to headquarters, so to speak. Joe Crayley, professional reporter and
semi pro drunk, might have been able to help, but I didn't know
where to find him. So far, I had a lot of questions,
no answers. Police Chief Ed Blake had been shot to death in his own
home with his own gun. His young widow Marty and city Attorney Dave Sherman
had been present and both told the same story mysterious prowler. Supposedly the prowler
was Shorty Wells, an ex convict with a grudge against the murdered chief.
But Shorty was missing and the case was at a standstill. So I went
right to the top to may Allons. Come in, mister Dollar, come
right in. Thanks. My wife has going out this evening and committee meeting
at the Women's Club. We can talk here in the library if you don't
mind right fine, take a chair there. Yeah, well, mister Dollar,
I will say it's a pleasure to see you safe and sound. Or
you heard about the shooting, then I heard the shots from my office,
and the acting chief of Police phoned me a few minutes later, Well does
he know yet who did it? And not the slightest There were no witnesses,
at least none who cared to talk. Carr took off at high speed
and then just disappeared, like shorty Wells. Fine. I sympathize with your
feelings, mister Dollar. I'd feel the same way if i'd been made to
target of. But you can rest a short sir, that every facility of
law enforcement in this town he's working round the clock to bring the culprits to
justice. Yeah, that's very comforting me. Eh, But actually I'm not
sure I was the target? What do you mean? Well, when I
left you and Dave Sherman and came out onto the sidewalk, Marty Blake was
waiting for me in a car part of the curb. She'd been there about
twenty minutes. She told me, Yes, but a lot of fire.
Those shots had the set up plan worked out, and I don't think they
could very well a plant it for me. Why not? My schedule wasn't
predictable enough. They didn't know when i'd leave City Hall, whether i'd be
a loan or not, or what I'd do when I stepped outside. It's
a point, all right. Marty, on the other hand, had been
there for twenty minutes, plenty of time to arrange the thing. But why
why should anyone want to kill her? Well, you got me. I
don't know. After the shooting, of course, I had a police officer
assigned to god duty at her home, but I regarded it as merely a
routine precaution. I was certain that the attempt was made on your life,
mister Dollar. Well, those bullets came too close to both of us for
very much peace of mind. Well, at least missus Blake has protection now,
oh yeah, yeah, unless that police officer himself knocks her all.
You're joking, of course, Maya. That's the worst thing about this whole
case. I don't know whether I'm joking or not, But surely you don't
say you are you certain of which ones you can trust in the attorney's office,
the police force, in your own department, even not entirely. No,
the rackets as wide open as they are here, some of the men
around you are bound to be involved. I know it stands to reason.
Every raid we've ever attempted. Has been tipped off before we even got started.
Blake tried while he was alive. Dave Sherman tried. I even organized
to myself, told nobody about them, brought him the state police to carry
them out. Same results. Say what about Blake? He must have been
in with a mob to live on that lavish scale. He did, I
suppose so. Dave and I suspected him at times, but we could never
turn up any actual evidence. Were he in the city attorney friends ed and
Dave. No, they couldn't get along at all. And yet the night
Blake was shot, Dave Sherman was staying overnight in his home. Yes,
I know, I've thought myself it was a little odd. Dave says.
Blake had asked him to invited him to go on a fishing trip the next
morning, a fishing trip, and yet they couldn't get along. Why.
No, I can't explain it any more than you can. Any chance Dave
Sherman was the intended victim that night instead of Blake. I really don't see
how mister Dollar in view of the circumstances. Blake was killed when he heard
a prowler and went downstairs to investigate. No one could have expected Dave to
do something like that. No, No, I guess not. It was
just an idea. I've thought of all kinds of outlandish possibilities myself, but
it always comes back to the same thing. Shorty Wells. Yeah, the
ex convict who swore he'd get Blake when he went to prison. He was
parled just the week before, mister Dollar, and he was seen in town
the day before the killing, and nobody has found hide or here of him
since. Yeah. Yeah, it adds up all right, But somehow I
still can't buy it. Maybe it just adds up a little too well.
Three forces of the criminals who are sentenced make threats like that, but it's
a rare one who carries it out. Rare, yes, but not unknown.
Not true. I admit he's a strong possibility. But when I hit
town this afternoon, I thought Marty Blake was a strong possibility until the city
attorney himself came up with an airtight alibi for her. Why did you suspect
her? Mister Dollar insurance a fifty thousand dollar policy on Blake's life. His
wife's the beneficiary. Well, I don't imagine fifty thousand the last, Missus
Blake very long they tell me something? Mayor? Are she and Dave Sherman
close friends at one time? Yes? In fact, Dave was pretty serious
about her, But after she married Blake last year, Dave turned against her
completely. I see. I don't think he'd risk an alibi for her out
of friendship, if that's what you're thinking. Oh, I don't know exactly
what I'm thinking. Mostly I'm just guessing. I have been doing that two
years now, mister dollar, guessing, figuring, trying to spot the leader
behind these rackets, not knowing which officials I could trust. Mayor is Dave
Sherman one of those you can trust? I am not sure. Good evening,
Missus Blake. Wow, this is a surprise. Come in, Johnny,
join the party. Thanks, because I'm the party. There isn't anybody
else kept my watchdog sitting out there in front? Yeah? I saw him.
Cute, isn't he? I didn't notice? I did. I think
that's terrible, Johnny, A girl who's been a widow four days noticing another
guy? Why not? You didn't care anything about your husband? That's right,
I didn't. Here's to all husbands, May they rest in peace.
He's a good couple. You know what. I asked him to come inside
and have a drink with me, and he actually blushed and stammered. That
wasn't that cute? Devastating? Would you blush and stammer? Johnny? No,
I take a drink, which I will, by the way, if
you don't want here, make me another one too. What's the reason for
this one woman celebration? Missus Blake? I said what I heard you,
and you can call me Marty if you want me to answer you. Marty,
Why have a lonesome gal routine? It's not so lonesome now, Johnny?
Oh, here's your drink? He used to getting shot at, shot
at how Marty, like we were this afternoon? Or like your husband?
Everybody can't be lucky. Maybe I just didn't live right. Well, he's
not living anyway now. I'll bet you know how to live, Johnny.
Oh, sure, what the system tell me about it? Well, the
first thing I do is hook up with the rackets so I can buy my
wife lots of expensive kids. Why don't you lay off that stuff? Why
don't you try being nice for a change. Well, it's not part of
my system. God didn't kill him, you know, that now, So
why don't you relax and be human? Oh? The last time I relaxed
around you, I caught the breeze off of five bullets. You're breathing,
aren't you? I might not be if they'd been after me instead of you.
So he's stelling that kick. Oh, it figures, Marty. I'm
no threat to anybody, not yet. I don't know enough about this mess,
and you're saying I do. I suppose I think so? Now?
Who'd want to get you out of the way Marty? To keep you from
talking? Maybe? Don't you ever give up? All right? Tell me
this. Did Dave Sherman really see that shooting? Or is he just giving
you an alibi? Why don't you ask him? Or is he giving himself
an alibi? By any chance? You're crazy? Maybe? Where short?
He? Wells? I said, where is short? I heard what you
said? Well? And suppose you turned out? What are you so upset
to get out of here right this minute? Get out? Or so help
me off? To take it easy, Marty? What's that cute cop going
to think? I don't care what anybody thinks. You get out of here
and get out fast. Nine I'm nine fourteen dollars and forty cents drinks,
tips and transportation for a local expedition and playing in fancy pub crawling. I
was looking for Joe Craley, dissolution idealist, and that's y reporter on the
Green Sport Daily Herald. I found him on my third martini. He was
on a separate Oh Johnny, how'd you do it to? What? How'd
you find me? Called your paper? I gave me a list of your
hangouts. I had four more to go. The reputation is a wonderful thing
keeps you from staying off the straight and narrow. He is looking at you,
right, Joe, tell me about Martin. Tell you what about it?
Everything you know before? She's got an alibi. Oh yeah, I
know, I don't know about but you still won't give up. Well,
she hates champagne, but she always orders it. Why because it costs more?
I see. She's every man's dream, Johnny. A pink and gold
doll and spangled tights, and she's a four star tramp. She's an next
answer, isn't she? She's an ex lot of things? Ex girlfriend of
Shorty Wells. Ex girlfriend girlfriend is Shorty well sure Ed Blake took her away
from him. That's why Shorty threatened to kill him, said Blake was framing
him. Maybe he was. I don't know anything could have happened with the
police they got in this time, crooked? Is that what you're trying to
say? Some of them are that. The rest of them are useless.
Like that business with the gun? What gun that Dad Blake was shot with?
They found a line beside his body, his own gun. He just
assumed he shot it out with the killer. It was two days before they
realized he'd been shot with that gun, that Blake hadn't used it, the
killer had Wait a minute, do you think Shorty Wells and Marty could have
planned the thing together? Johnny? I wouldn't put anything past that name.
Why do you hate her so much? John Guess again, my friend.
I don't hate her. I'm in love with her, always will be.
John Yeah, before she met Shorty Wells used to be my girl. H
gives you something to think about, doesn't it, Johnny? Johnny Dellar?
Hello, Hello, Johnny? Yeah, who's calling Hello? Hang on a
second, Johnny, Look what the devil is that you? Joe? Joe?
Sorry to keep you waiting, Johnny, I was trying to get all
the dope on another phone? What Joe and how to just sober up so
fast? It's a big story, breaking boy and lusher or not, I'm
still a reporter. Then go somewhere and report I'm going to bed. You
want to bet I'll look Joe? He sleeps in Greensport, Johnny. It's
a wide open town racket shooting's a murdered police chief with a lovely widow.
Sure, fine, So what's the big story? A fire? Boy,
house burning down, flames fifty feet high, three alarms, Put your clothes
on and let's get going. You get going. The only big story I'll
be interested in is when Marty Blake is charged with murder, Johnny. That's
where the fire is at Marty Blake's From Special Investigator Johnny Dollar location, Greensport,
Missouri to the home office Great Plains Guarantee Company, Hartford, Connecticut.
Assignment, The up in town matter expenser count continued. Itdam ten a dollar
and a half for a breakneck taxi ride to Marty Blake's home, its location
marked against the night sky by a pillar of flame visible for a mile.
The fire didn't make sense, so it fit in nicely with the rest of
the case, None of it made sense. The police chief had blake Marty's
middle aged husband of eight months had been shot to death in his own home
with his own gun, and less than twenty four hours later, Marty had
filed claim on his fifty thousand dollars life insurance policy. She didn't love him
and admitted it good case except for one thing. The city attorney himself was
present at the time of the shooting and backed up Mardy's story of a mysterious
prowler, supposedly ex convict Shorty Wells. But Shorty was missing, and the
whole thing was just a little too convenient, too pat especially in a wide
open town. Joe Crailey was going to meet me at the fire, but
I didn't see him around. The fans had taken a strong hold in the
whole side of the house was blazing. The fireman couldn't do much except try
to control it from spinning. And the whole back of clouds that had collected
on the street lawns. Oh, how do you figure this one, mister
Doner? And how that's present? Was City Attorney Dave Sherman, And you
wanted to get things stirred up and they seemed to be stirred. All right,
were you here when this happened, mister Sherman, No, this time.
I am not a witness for the defense. I arrived after the firing.
Yeah, what about money. She's all right, she got out before
it really caught, sitting over there in my car. Then she was here
when it started. Yeah, alone, so it seems. But there was
a police officer on. God, I thought you meant alone in the house.
Now he was out here in front. The first thing he knew,
flames were breaking out of the windows. And then Marty came running out of
the house. No one had arrived and left a lot that he saw.
You're still trying to tag her. Huh. Oh, I'm trying to take
whoever is skilled. He she figures, that's all not on the shooting.
Oh, I'm not with the alibi you've given her. There's the dollar.
Look, she was standing ten feet away from me in the second floor hall
when ed Blake was shot to death in the dark downstairs. Now that is
not an alibi, It is a fact. Ah, yeah, sure,
I know, unless, of course I'm lying. All right, I am
why for old time's sake, maybe you were in love with there once,
mister Sherman, I could name two dozen guys around this town who were once
Yeah, Shorty Wells, for instance. That's right, that's why Shorty threatened
to kill Blake when Blake sent in a prisoner. He claimed he was being
framed out of the way to give Blake a clear field. Gone, Shorty's
a hudler. He was guilty as charged, all right. But Blake was
in on the rackets, wasn't all It would seem that way. Then there's
also Joe Craley. Marty was his girl at one time, wasn't she.
That's when he started drinking when she threw him over. Why did she throw
him over for the usual reason. Somebody knew who Well I thought. Took
me three months to find out that I was running interference for Shorty well All
right, so Joe Craley took to drink. What did you take to,
mister Sherman, Law enforcement. I set out to break the rackets in this
town and get rid of hoodlumbs like Shorty Wells and all the rest of them.
Yeah, but the rackets are still here and I'm still trying dollar.
Oh look, I want to get one thing very straight. What ed Blake's
killing. It happened just exactly the way I told you. That story is
true. Marty didn't do it, maybe not, but she's in it some
way. She's bound of me. Well that's something I wouldn't know. Everywhere
you turn in this case, you keep hearing about Marty Blake. Marty Blake,
she's a one link that ties everything together. Oh maybe that fire there?
What's the story on that? Why don't you ask her? I left
him standing there, staring into the fire, staring into his own pass.
Maybe I didn't know. To me was still a puzzle question. Mark have
the answer to him, not a much else. In fact, if he
was telling the truth, Mrdy Blake couldn't have killed her husband, and so
far, at least there was nothing to show he was lying. I pushed
on through the crowd of spectators, the thrill seekers, the morbidly curious followers
of fire engines, and walked towards Sherman's car. Marty was sitting there along,
subdued for once in quiet, and she looked scared. Hello, Johnny,
get in and sit with me. All right, Just look at it?
Isn't it terrible? It is be worse if you were in it when
I was when it started. Just how did it start? I don't know.
I think you were right, Johnny about that shooting in front of the
city Hall. Oh, I think it was me they were after, not
you. Now they've tried again. Possible, there's no other reason for burning
down my home. Who do you mean by they? Mighty? Who?
I don't know whoever killed it? If you know, you'd better tell me
why. You still can't. If somebody is out to get you, If
that's what's behind all this, then they obviously mean business. I don't know,
Johnny, I told you that. Well, how about a guess then?
Oh? Maybe Shorty Wells. I don't know why. Why the man
he threatened is already dead. Why would he go after you? Maybe to
get even? And he told me he hated me when I broke off with
him. It's just the kind of thing you think of doing. Or didn't
you know he was in love with me once? Oh? I know,
I'm asking you. How did the fire start? I don't know really.
After you left this evening, I lay down on a sofa. I've been
drinking, as you know, and I guess I just went to sleep.
Anyway, no one else had been there after I left. No, anyway,
I woke up with smoke all around, and flames and all. It
was terrible, Johnny. I was just lucky I got out alive. You
always were lucky, Marty. Joe, what are you doing here? How
about it? Johnny? Glad I phone or not? Oh? Yeah,
sure, I wouldn't have missed it for a million? Has she confessed yet?
We can run a new headline on the extra she I can do without
any remarks from you. Joe. Sure you can, Baby, You're doing
fine just as you are. Get away from here and leave me alone.
Can't do it, baby, I'm assigned to cover the fire. Gotta get
all the angles. Human interests. That's you, baby, You are human,
aren't you? You stupid fool? Financial angles too, got one there
you might be interested in, Johnny. Did you know the house is heavily
insured against fire? Yes? Yes, I know, Joe. I checked
through the company report before I left the hotel. Oh what of it?
What if it is? Most houses are insured against fire, aren't they?
Sure they are, especially by prudent people like you, people who think of
everything. Take it easy, Shoe, get them away from here, Johnny.
Only you didn't think of everything. Baby, what it's too bad your
car wasn't in the garage instead of sitting out in the driveway. Then all
your assets would have been converted into cash, nice green, bloody cash.
Get away from me, Get away and leave me alone. Why, baby,
you can afford me now, You couldn't a couple of years ago.
That's why you're tied up with all the other What the devil he came from
the house? Well, they couldn't immun issue. Maybe your husband must have
kept boxes of cartridges around the house. Look thereby the cellar door, somebody's
staggering up out of the basement. Chimmy, looky, he's got a gun
in his hand. He's falling down on the ground. Come on, shoe,
Oh man, when the damn breaks, everything goes. How could anybody
come out of that thing alive? We greensporters and tough cookies, I mean,
unlucky. Apparently he's passed out cold. Another minute, he wouldn't have
made it. His clothes are smoldering. Yeah, let's turn them over and
get that coat off right easy? Now? Oh good lord, what's my
maname? This is the boy everybody in town has been looking for. Shorty
Wells Room six O four Green Sports City Hospital. Time midnight, the time
when the pulsive living starts to slow down, the beginning of the quiet,
time when the city sleeps and the nurses and interns walk even more softly,
when a ticking clock becomes a drum beat, and the ears of restless patience.
The time of crisis, when battles for life are fought in silence and
one are lost. A battle like that was being fought, and six SO
four witnessed at the moment by myself and City Attorney Dave Sherman. Ellis is
always the tough part and the slow board of waiting it at him, maybe
a long way, mister Sherman, nearly three hours and he still hasn't regained
consciousness. You know, I can't understand where he's been hiding out since Blake
was sure. Yeah, well, it's hard to tell. I've turned this
upside down. I just can't understand it. Oh, I can't understand a
lot of things. It's just another one of a lot of things about this
case that are hard to figure out. All. Let's tied up with the
rackets, That's what I'm sure. I'm not sure if anything about this miss,
So if we could just tag the person behind him, we gotta wrap
it up if we get on me excuse me, Dave sureman's me? Oh,
yes, ma'am. Oh. Doctor Morton says he may hang on for
a day or two. As far as pulling through it, he hasn't got
much chance. Oh, he hasn't been conscious at all yet. Yes,
yes, I'll keep in touch on it. You know, the minute isn't
all right? Maya good night me and Lance. Yeah, he's a real
fuss budget sometimes you gotta go to bed. Wait a second, he's trying
to talk. Yeah, thoughts alarm again. Dollar. Do you think he
started that fight? Oh? I don't know if he did. He got
caught in his own trap. I can't figure out what he'd hope to gain
by doing it by Has he been able to talk yet? Not yet?
You get your story fine, just under the wire. Of course. It
consisted mainly of questions. Well, shorty Wells has the answers if you were
only able to give him out. I can't figure him firing those shots,
Johnny, I can't either. He fired them before he came out of the
blaze. He apparently wasn't trying to shoot anyone. He couldn't even see anyone
who waves burn. I'm afraid I wouldn't do is wait, at least we
don't know the whole story once he's able to talk. Suppose he never is
able. Well, he's the only lead we've had, and he's the only
one we've got. Now. The whole case is lying right there on that
bed. If Shorty Wells dies without regaining consciousness, then we can drop it
and forget it because we're beat. Johnny Dollar, It's me, Johnny Mary.
Yeah, how is he all about the same? Doctor Waton just gave
him another transfusion. Has he been able to say anything yet? He hasn't
been conscious? Why Marty? Who's there with you? Joe Crailey and the
city attorney? Look, Johnny, I've got to talk to you right away,
all right, go ahead and talk, not on the phone, all
right. It's room six o four City Hospital. Come on over, not
with them there. Why don't you come meet me? Because Shorty Wells is
the key to this whole case. If he's able to talk before he dies,
I want to be here to listen. Suppose I tell you I'm ready
to talk, Johnny, Are you telling me I'm in an all night lunch
room right across this in the hospital. Can you come over here? All
right, Marty, I'll gamble with you. Be there in five minutes.
From Special Investigator Johnny Doller, location, Green Sports, Missouri to the home
office Great Plains Guarantee Company, Hartford, Connecticut. Assignment the Open Town Meda
expense account final page. I hung up the phone more puzzled than ever,
And heaven knows, the case had been puzzling from the start. Marty Blake,
young widow of the murdered police chief, had been completely uncooperative and unwilling
to talk, and now she was reversing her field. Why her house had
burned to the ground earlier in the evening, and Shorty Wells, number one
on the City attorneys wanted for murder list, had been found trapped in the
flames. Maybe this had something to do with Marty's phone call. She'd been
my number one suspect at first, since she stood to collect fifty thousand dollars
as beneficiary of her husband's life insurance. But then the city attorney himself,
Dave Sherman, had provided her with an airtight alibi, and I'd reluctantly let
her off the hook. Now this, I didn't know what she was up
to, and I couldn't afford not to find out. Summing up, Dolly,
I was Marty Blake, mister Sherman. She's in a lunch room across
the street. She wants to see me. Oh what about She didn't say,
we'll go ahead and talk to if you want to, Johnny, I'll
call you, Shorty stuts to regain consciousness. All right, thanks, Jim.
I'm sticking right here myself. That's when I'm going to follow personally.
Well, if you really want to break the rackets in this town, your
answer is lying right there in that bed, Shorty Wells. I think you're
right if he's ever able to talk, and if your police laddies don't fall
over their own feet again the way they did on that gun business when Ed
Lake was shot, mistake was partly justified. Joe, the chief song gun
that was lying beside his body, was natural to assume that he'd exchanged shots
with a product. Yeah, but two days to realize he'd been shut with
his own gun. All right, all right, they fouled up a minute,
and the ones who aren't stupid are cooked. Every rage you try to
pull has been tipped off. And even when Mayor Lyons brought in state police,
the whole plan was tipped which you took great pleasure in pointing out in
your story. And you, guys, look now, I'll leave you to
to settle this stick on this guy like a leech, and if he shows
any sign of coming to and talking, let me know right away when you
network could. Yeah, I'll see you lady back here in the booth,
Johnny. Wow, what's on your mind? Money? Sit down, Johnny?
Here? Come on, well, the waiters in back if you'd like
some coffee or something. Thanks. Okay, Now what is it? What
is what? You had to talk to me? Right away? How I
talk? Johnny? I'm not too hard to take him. I no,
Oh, you're a pink and gold doll, wild honeysuckle and a handful of
stars. At least that's what a couple of guys said today. I don't
care what a couple of guys said. What do you say, Johnny?
I guess the description fits as far as looks are concerned. And if that's
all you want to talk, No, no, Johnny, I'm in the
clear on this. You know that the night my husband was killed. I've
got an alibi, and nobody could shake right. Well, I'm pretty well
convinced you didn't pull a trigger, if that's what you mean. And you
could convince the insurance company too, couldn't you if you would? Oh?
Yeah, yeah, they go pretty much on my reports. But I don't.
Why don't we get this settled and over with? Why don't you be
nice Johnny and turning a real good report? Oh so that's the pitch.
Well, it's not a pitch. I didn't do it, So why can't
you tell them? So? Why don't we get some more answers? First
to a lot of questions. Explain a few odd angles, maybe, like
what like the fact that you heard the noise and woke up, that you
sent your husband downstairs, that you turned on the light behind him and made
him a perfect target for whoever held a gun, Johnny, the fact that
you found your insurance claim less than twenty four hours after your husband was killed.
Suppose we hear what Shorty Wells has to say before I make any report.
What if Shorty dies without talking, Well, in that case, I
guess you will be in the clear, because right now he's the only lead
I've got don If you excuse him, Johnny, make that report, make
it now. Sorry, I'll give you ten thousand dollars out of the insurance.
You are anxious, aren't you. I just want to get it settled.
Sit down, Johnny, and let's talk about it. Yeah, Joe,
what is it? Fire? When I just came by the hospital,
Johnny, they found out why Shorty fired those shots just before he ran out
of the blaze house. Why that cellar door was pad locked on the outside.
He had to shoot the lock off to get out. Then he probably
didn't set the fire after all. Not if he was locked in the basement.
What about that Marty. Was he the one who was supposed to die
in the fire if he was hiding out in my cellar, I didn't know
anything about it. Just another one of those hard angles. Huh oh,
stop it, Johnny. By the way, Uh, what do you want
to see me about? See you about? What do you mean? Well?
Yeah, the nurse said you phoned the hospital, said you wanted me
to meet you here. You mean you didn't come on shore. Let's get
back there. Sure, that's why she wanted me to meet her there,
to get me away from that room. And somebody phone and got you away.
Elevator's coming down now, Johnny short he's the one big threat to whoever's
gilly. They know that if he talks their tag, you get up to
his room, I thought, mister Sherman leaving, well, yes, phoned
it's the mayor. He wants me to meet him across the streets. Anybody
out there with Shorty wells doctor will be back in a few moments. Sherman
back into the air. A minute. Look, I've got to meet Mayo
six floor six may I ask what's going on here? I haven't got time
to go back upstairs. I told you you'll have to take time, mister
Sherman, it was all right to leave. Dollar. Shorty wasn't showing any
signs of coming to Did you make sure that did that? But Dollar,
I don't hit what you're driving frying? Come on now, let's go.
Would somebody please let me in on this. Let's take a look at Shorty
first, mister Sherman, Johnny, what happened to? Copo was on duty,
was here in the hall when I left. Just a moment ago.
I got to walk down to the did you leave that door a jar?
Mister sherman. No, no, of course not. Come on, wait
but quietly, are we interrupting something? May Alliance? Well, what do
you do with that pillow? Nothing? Nothing, I wasn't doing the thing.
We were holding it down over shorty face, get out of the way.
I think you were sure he's dead. You smothered him with that pillow.
No, he was. He was dead when I came in, I
was. I was just moving the pillow. Dave, did you have to
get us all out of this room and then send the police guard away just
to move a pillow? Dollar? Are you suggesting? Well, I'm suggesting
it for one dollar. I've been sure for months that may Alliance was back
of the rackets here, but I didn't have any way of proving it until
now, Perhaps until now, Mayor very well, don't move any of them.
Oh no, wait a minute. That gun isn't really your ansom.
Mayor. There are three of us, you know you can't get us all.
Tell me something. Why did you have Ed Blake killed? Wasn't he
one of your own boys? I can tell you why. Now, Ed
Blake was going to pull out of the rackets dollar and spill the whole setup
to me. That was the reason for that fishing trip. Then it must
have been Marty who tipped off may alliance. Sure sure it figures she loved
that racket money that it was bringing home. And surely Wells was in town
with a grudge against that already. It was real convenient for you, wasn't
it, Mayor? A matter of fact, Dave, it was very convenient.
Then. Surety hid out in the cellar Amani's house until she decided things
would be less complicated if she locked the cellar door and burned the house down.
He was a weak link, you might say. She stayed out.
You better give me the gun. No, get back to what he says,
Mayor, you haven't a chance. I'm warning you, Dollar if you
try, I hear, but I doubt if you can do go over Mare,
drop that gun. Let go off. No thanks, Now, if
you got us getting away, what don't you never stop me for a car
that we don't? You tried it six floors down? Yeah, well he
got out of being prosecuted. As a matter of fact, there's nobody left
to prosecute. You want to bet she was still sitting there in the lunchroom
across the street from the hospital, and she'd heard what had happened. I
knew it the second day, and I walked in from the half smile of
triumph on her face and from the way she greeted me, too bad,
Johnny. You should have taken my offer because I don't need your help.
Now your company's going to have to pay off. I'm really in the clear
now you are. Huh. And poor Dave, when nobody left to prosecute,
he still has you, Marty, accomplice to your husband's murder. Aunt
Johnny Surety died without talking. Mary Lyons is dead. No witnesses, no
case. Sorry, Marty, there is a witness. Oh who you?
What are you talking about? What's that paper? Well you intended it to
be an insurance claim, but actually it's more of a confession, signed and
witnessed. What you were over anxious, Marty, and you filled it out
in complete detail. It says we found my husband's body at the foot of
the stairs. That's right, that he'd been shot and killed with his own
gun. It's true, isn't it. That's what happened. Yeah, But
this claim was in the main office of the insurance company less than twenty four
hours after your husband was killed. The police didn't find out he'd been shot
with his own gun until two days later. Real need confession, how Marty
expense account out of twelve three hundred and ten dollars and forty five cents incidentals
in Greensport and transportation back to Hartfred expense account total five hundred and sixteen dollars
and twenty cents. End of account and of report remarks. Marty Blake never
was able to explain how she knew about that gun. She sure tried.
Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Now here's our star to tell you about next
week's story. Before I do that, please let me say thanks to all
of you who are so kind about writing and telling us how much you like
Johnny Dollar. It's a very gratifying experience. It's encouragement to all of us
who are involved in production of the program, and we appreciate your letters more
than you know. As always, I'll try to answer you promptly, but
sometimes the mail does pile up. In any event, Thanks, thanks very
much for writing next week. A yacht that wasn't there and a man who
wasn't there. They never were, but that's where I found them. Join
us, won't you? Yours? Truly Johnny Dollar. Yours Truly Johnny Dollar
starrying Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood. It is written by Les Crutchfield and
produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard in this week's cast were Gene Tatum,
Paul Dubov, Joseph Kern, Stacy Harris, and Russell Thorson musical supervision
by Amarigo Marino. Be sure to join us on Monday night, same time
and station for another exciting story of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. Roy Rowan speaking
Welcome Back. This is yet another story that was expanded from a John loun
episode, in this case the Dan Frank matter. A few months back,
a gentleman was posting quite a bit on our YouTube channel and made the argument
that the serials expanded pointlessly on thirty minute stories. I disagree with this in
general, because we have quite a few stories that are original anyway. But
if you want to make that case, this serial would be a prime exhibit.
Of all the serials we've heard so far, it's hard to think of
one that added less to the original story than this one. Most will either
combine storylines from multiple old time radio programs or add more emotional weight or side
characters to a story to give it more depth. I mean, where's a
taco truck when you need it? In this story, this one pads out
the runtime. We have a lot of recapping and characters kind of circling each
other and relitigating their old grudges, particularly over Marty. This story itself is
still a solid one in terms of its mystery and plot, but doesn't really
do a whole lot with its expanded runtime. I do wonder what was going
on behind the scenes on this one. Given that next week's story got delayed
by week. It's possible that less Crutchfield script had to be pushed forward because
he could really get it finished and just did the best he could, even
if the results were not optimal. Shorty's murder at the hospital was a very
risky maneuver, but at this point you're dailing with a desperate man. In
the case of the mayor, I don't think Marty was desperate. I think
she fully expected how things would play out, only being surprised that her own
eagerness in filling out the claim form did her in. This makes the mayor's
statement about her being a weak link in his plans ironic. Since I think
he was probably the weak link in hers. Also, I appreciated Bob Bailey's
note to letter writers who support an encouragement had to be vital for their continued
success on radio in an era when radio was in decline, and really the
people who kept listening are the only reason that we have the last few years
of the golden age of radio. Now we turn to lessener comments and feedback.
And we have a comment from Reiser regarding the IDAs Touch matter. Lake
Mahovey is my favorite Johnny Dollar location. Love the relationships that develop between Johnny,
Buster Ham, et cetera. A great show. And then I also
had a comment regarding the monster we had a few weeks back. This one
comes from Gypsy Gypsy Rites. Green Archer Comics isn't a great company name for
people who use search engines when they can't remember the url. I'm sorry if
you struggled with finding the exact url. It did actually include it in the
show notes of the episode, and I had a card pop up when the
video played on YouTube with the website for Green Archer Comics. However, for
anyone who missed it, I'll go ahead and repeat it. It's Johnny Dollar
dot i oh and I know dot i owe is not one of the the
old school domains so many of us are familiar with, but that will get
you there. Johnny Dollar dot io as in India, oh, as an
oscar and just Johnny Dollar completely spelled out. Now, by the time this
episode airs, their Kickstarter will be over. But the good news is,
at the time of recording it has already surpassed its goal. So issue two
of yours truly Johnny Dollar, will be printed and when it is, you'll
be able to get it from that website, along with issue one, which
is available now at Johnnydollar dot io. Well, now it's time to thank
our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to go ahead and thank
down. Down has been one of our Patreon supporters since October twenty twenty one,
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, don
and that will actually we do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast,
please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and
review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back on Tuesday with
the Johnny doll or cereal. We were promised last week, but join us
back here tomorrow for dragnet, where you get anything from the neighbors, the
usual ed, no jealous boyfriend's ex husbands, nothing like that. Boys find
any evidence yet, Sgaber, I'm still working on it. You got any
theories? And we know the killings well done by the same game. Cuts
the same pattern of the window screen, cuts the same pattern with a glass
cutter out of the window, reaches in and flips the luck all right,
where's that leaving? And before he gets inside, he makes sure there are
only women in the house. That means he probably watches the house for a
few days. Once he gets inside, he wants only one thing to kill.
He's never taken any valuables as far as we can tell, He's never
searched for any kind of a man work like that. I think the guys
killed crazy hey Follas, Yes, Donnie, hope you'll be with us then.
In the meantime, do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives
dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us out
on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, slash Great detectives from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.