 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Pat McCracken Johnny universal adjustment pure oh hi Pat Johnny you handle a lot of difficult cases for the companies We represent you've done a magnificent job save some of them a lot of money Huh sometimes nip things in the body before they've happened I don't there have been times when you've given up personal plans to take them on at a moment's notice and without question Listen that bush you're beating around is getting pretty big. All right, then I'll get to the point Johnny why don't you take yourself a holiday at Why like Mojave resort maybe where I understand you love to fish at company expense, huh? Okay, Pat. I'll grab the first plane. Good boy, but brother. Just wait. Do you see the expense account? I pile up for you because if I ever smelled a rat believe me. It's now Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance Investigator yours truly Johnny dollar And now act one of yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the Universal Adjustment Bureau Home Office Hartford, Connecticut Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the wayward trout matter Expense account item one a hundred seventy four fifty plane fare Hartford to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Las Vegas Item two fifty bucks deposit on a rental car. I headed south on route 95 The Mojave Desert thousands of square miles of sand and sun bleach gravel and rock of cactus sage and Joshua trees high flat maces towering crags Countless trails leading off from the highway long abandoned roads leading up into the harsh bleak mountains With their promise of infinite wealth to the prospectors who scratched away in a hungry search for silver and gold And who knows perhaps some of these were trails of the pioneers who beat a tortuous path westward to the great Pacific Who with their oxen and heavy wagons were lucky if they made six miles a day Yet here I was cruising along in an easy 60 miles an hour and above me a jet plane lazily tearing off 600 miles an hour Yeah, it made me think About the men who lived in struggle here the men who died of hunger and thirst following the same path I was taking never knowing that only a few miles away beyond the mountains was the mighty Colorado Water food and life for those lucky enough to find it But let's to get the more practical things like Davis dam and huge Lake Mojave on the east bank at the lower end Lake Mojave Resort with its clean modern cabins boathouse dock and harbor everything for a fisherman It was after 9 p.m. When I pulled in my old friend Buster favor was waiting for me Hi golly Johnny, I'm glad to see you. Yeah, same here busting. How are you before you start on why I'm here How's the fishing you remember ham prat the general manager sure do how is he went out three days in a row got three limits 567 pounders and I have to come here on business. Yeah, but as soon as you cleared up you and I are gonna do some fishing believe me We'd better and now what's the problem? Oh, let me let me take your bags You're in number eight. Okay. I'll put you right next to mr. Hatch hatch old-time confidence man Johnny and just plain big-time thief Gordon hatch. That's the one used to operate up in San Francisco over in Reno drive Las Vegas, too But they ran him out sure sure he served a couple of short stretches for petty theft things like that But they can never nail him for anything big. That's right. Sit down. Yeah What's he doing here ordinarily we'd give man like that some excuse about being full up something like that I should think so but ham and I decided if we let him stay and with somebody like you here Well, maybe we could do a kind of public service keep talking buster Well, Tuesday morning. I got a call from some wealthy folks in Los Angeles They wanted accommodations for themselves and their wives beginning tonight that they're doing now, so Tuesday afternoon this Gordon the hatch came barreling in my wife Marilyn not knowing who he was put him in number seven What are you getting at buster? Well, those folks from LA have been here before Johnny and the women always come with enough furs and jewelry fishing resort Well, you see every night they drive up to Vegas to gamble and take in the fancy night spot But what makes you think hatch would come here just because of them one of them is a lawyer that got him sent up for Embezzlement once and hatch always swore that someday he'd get even oh, well now buster I don't think he'd run he rough stuff anything like that. He isn't the type it Well, that's why I called Hartford. Well, what's the insurance? I ain't there isn't any Unless a lot of heavily insured jewelry suddenly disappears from around here and your man in Hartford was willing to play along with that Yeah, I see well, so do I hmm. I see we have another guest buster How'd you do my name is Gordon hatch. Mr. Hatch. This is Johnny doll. He's come for a few days fishing the same as you Excellent. We must go out together. Mr. Dollar. I found a couple of wonderful spots. Yeah, I understand You had pretty good luck sir. Oh, it didn't ham prat tell you about the big one I got over near sculpture rock nearly 10 pounds I'm keeping him in a live box so I can take him back to Los Angeles and have him stuffed live box Yes, big sort of box made a heavy screen Johnny leave it in the water. It'll keep the fish alive for days That's right. Well, aren't you afraid somebody will walk off with them with a nice people who come to this nice place Of course now and there's a fisherman I'm sure you know that even the worst crook in the world wouldn't touch another man's cat. Oh, yeah Look, excuse me. I I hear some cars coming down the road must be the folks. I'm expecting Of course buster. I'll see you later. Right Any plans for the evening mr. Dollar? Oh, not particularly. I'm a little tired and come along into my cabin next door That's an excellent Scott plenty of soda. Oh, well, I've had a pretty long day Oh, look, we can relax and regale each other with Paul tales about the big fish. We've caught here and there After all there isn't anything else to do out here of an evening I kind of thought I'd wonder down to the dock and see if ham prat is about save that for tomorrow Now come along mr. Dollar. I won't take no for an answer Actually, I was glad for the invitation. I wanted to know more about this man sound him out if possible, but it's real reason for being here It turned out we spent a very pleasant evening talking entirely about fishing Only once in answer to a pretty direct question that he speak about what I wanted him to that is all water over the dam Mr. Dollar Possible to make amends for some of the shall be say questionable things I may have done in the past I can only assure you that I'm sincerely trying to make such a Please Please don't embarrass me this way again Yeah, sorry. Oh tomorrow. We'll go fishing. Well, I'll not only take you to one of the hottest spots on the lake But I'll show you the beauties I have in the live box. You'll turn green with an pitch Nightcap. Well, it's been a pretty long day and I really should hit the sack. So should I Well, here we go Bottoms up and may tomorrow bring us each a limit Then I will drink to yeah, and I'll see you at the crack of dawn Sleep well, right? right wrong Sure, I was tired It had been a long day But not long enough to make me drop off to sleep almost before I could get out of my clothes That night cab had had a lot more than scotch in it Yeah, I've fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the world and until I woke up Anything that happened back to of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment And now for another episode in the life of sergeant Donald Bellwether my husband Donald Sergeant Donald Bellwether Please Reba, can't you see I'm absorbed in the sports section. So I see Who's the girl in the bikini a shot put her look? What's the difference if she's an athlete or a Hollywood celebrity? Why do you insist on disturbing me while I'm reading you drop off the laundry this morning? Yes, dear Yes, I mailed the letter did you know that angry brooding and impatient drivers are the major cause of many accidents? Yes, I know What I said angry or impatient drivers behind the wheel cause many serious accidents So when a driver is emotionally upset You more have to make an irrational decision or her take unnecessary chance my dear wife You ought to know by this time that I am a well adjusted individual I have complete control over my emotion. You didn't have this morning Now just because I burned the toast you stormed out of the house in a bit of rage You didn't even kiss me goodbye. Mm-hmm. You're determined to pick a quarrel with me. Is that it? No, I just want you to drive safely I don't want you to be under any emotional strain when you drive a car. I want you to return home safely. I Love you Come here woman You sit right here on my lap and I'll give you that kiss you missed this morning And you promise you'll never again drive the car when you're angry. I promise. Oh, that's my Donald That's my doll Back to of yours truly Johnny dollar and the wayward drought matter All right, here What time is it almost 90 look at those big red eyes? Yeah, you weren't kidding. I feel as though I Was Gordon Hatch without fishing at the crack of dawn said you'd promised to go with him But he pounded on your door and finally gave up Johnny you look like a buster the folks you were expecting in from Los Angeles Yeah, they came right after I left you and mr. Hatch last night six of them Figured you wanted to be alone with hatched to sort of feel them out. Yeah I did but is everything all right. Yes as far as I know the point is did you learn anything from mr. Hatch last night? Oh, only that he claims to have turned over a new leaf is now the soul of integrity. Yeah, well, I wonder you say he's not fishing That's right. No, where he went Well, one of his favorite holes when I told him about is in the big basin about 10 miles up the lake What about the folks from LA? There's still asleep in their cabins Look Johnny like I told you hatch isn't a kind of trying a rough stuff even against mr. Fellows the lawyer who sent him up one time and he's here with that party. He's the one that organized it made the reservations Now listen Johnny, I may be all wrong about that of his threat to get even with fellows I mean, maybe he's gone straight. He well. He certainly acts like a nice enough guy Well, the only thing I can do is keep an eye on him. He makes a play. I'll never if he doesn't Well, my trip out here will have been wasted wasted. I thought you and I were gonna do some fishing. Oh, that's different Hey, I better get some breakfast. Yeah, sure. I'll tell Mary over the cafe to have it ready for you Yeah, okay, buster sunny side up with plenty of strong dark black coffee My head felt like it might split open any second And I was more sure than ever that hatchet poured me a Mickey last night Yet he had expected me to go out on the lake with him this morning Must have been nearly 10 a.m. By the time I'd showered shaved dressed and joined Buster at the little cafe Already half a dozen early morning anglers that come back to boast about their catches and the big ones have got away Don't you tell us all buster with that big one buster? He must have been eight eight and a half Well the place I lost them was in the second cold this side of the dam by the big square rock I can call this side of the dam. Did you say that's right right next to the big square rock? Hey, Jim I know a great spot for us to try this afternoon Now don't you tell us all about that spot buster You are feeling any better Johnny? Yeah much now listen if Gordon hatch is up here after the money and jewelry of mr Fellows this party or for any reason to all connect it with them. Yeah, I think you and I had better hop into a boat Yeah, oh, yes, good morning. Please come outside quickly. Come on Johnny. Hi, miss fellas This is Johnny dollar friend of mine special investigator. Oh, thank goodness. You're here, mr. Buster We've been robbed what when mrs. Fellows sometime during the night all our jewelry mrs. Harkins and mrs. Peterson's and mine why it must be hundreds of thousands of dollars worth my diamond brooch alone Yes, Ralph. Oh, this is mr. Dollar, and he's some kind of an investigator. Good. I've heard of you dollar I've told them Ralph about the jewelry. Yeah, well whoever did it got our money to all we brought along the gamble in Vegas Must be over 20,000 Now we managed to sneak into our cabins without waking us to of course. We were pretty tired Mr. Pratt oh What seems to be? Johnny glad to see you. How are you Ham? I got some bad news for you. Yeah, Ham. It looks like he's done it. Oh Gordon hatch. Yeah, better make a thorough search of his cabin Gordon hatch. Oh, no I'm afraid so great Scott so ham look in his luggage on to the mattresses anywhere else. You can think of right Johnny Mr. Dollar, do you mean to say that Gordon hatch is here at this better look in his car to ham under the car in the upholstery Look here now, mr. Dollar. Sorry, mr. Fellows. I'll have to talk to you later. Come on Buster You and I are going for a boat ride Act three of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment Do you know who uncle Sam's lawyer is? If your answer is the Attorney General you're absolutely right But being legal advisor to the president and other governmental agencies is only part of his job His main task is running the Department of Justice Which makes sure that the laws passed by Congress are carried out and that lawyers are available when the government must be represented in court Let me give you an example Suppose there are some question concerning the amount or kind of tax you should pay or Suppose you and the government don't agree as to which of you own certain land That's when the Department of Justice steps in to represent the government side of the case If anyone is brought to trial for counterfeiting smuggling gold hoarding or passport forging the Department of Justice Prosecutes the case it also handles all matters dealing with legal immigration and All of this activity is the responsibility of an important member of the president's cabinet the Attorney General Just as it is the duty of the United States government to protect each and every one of you It is the duty of the Attorney General to protect the government of the United States And now act three of yours truly Johnny dollar and the wayward trout matters Lake Mojave, Wisconsin millpond Buster made the spray fly as we headed almost due north up toward the Big Basin But we didn't have to go that far Buster with the sharpest eyes have ever known spotted the ripples from the wake of a boat that had pulled into a deep winding Cold on the Arizona side hang on Johnny looks to me like hatches both went in that cold You mean to say you can tell what boat made that wake plane is a pair of footprints in the sand When the lake is calm like this First thing I want to do is inspect that boat of his you think he might have the jewelry and money on board He's too smart to have left them around the cabin or his car. Look that's his boat in there All right Tied up that low rocky ledge that sticks out what under the sun is he doing there between his boat and that lead? Well, it looks to me like he's trying to hide something there in the water. Well, we'll soon find out It looks like you've caught me in the act. Yeah Yeah, it kind of looks that way doesn't it hatch Ah What were you so busy shoving down in the water between your boat and that ledge when we pulled out? Hey, well, I figured no one would find it here. Mr. Duller But I decided to move the live box into this hidden Cove when I first came out this morning the live box Well, after all it was you who warned me someone might try to steal some of these beautiful fish I've caught and I'm keeping alive in it But as long as you found me out Well here take a look at Here on his boat Yes, look at them ever see such a nice mess of bass in your life Yeah, they're beauties and that trout on the bottom. I got him way up the lake yesterday morning must be 10 pounds That's the one you plan to have stuffed. That's the one. Well, you better have it done pretty soon He looks dead to me. Yes. He was this way when I came out this morning So when I'm through fishing today, I'll head back to LA with him to a taxidermist hatch There's something I want to talk to you about I know dollar, but it's your own fault I pounded on your door till I thought I'd wake the day. Oh, no. No, that is however since you're here now Well, why not keep our fishing date now, mr. Hatch? Well, you don't know I don't have an extra rod in my boat. Oh, come on Johnny. I'll give you one of my boats Rod and reel. Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure. Okay, I'll take you to fishing spots Even buster doesn't know about a sign of the jewels and stuff on the boat Johnny went through a tackle box Maybe he's hidden the stuff somewhere along the shore if he's the one who took it Ah, he looks and talks as innocent as a baby So the only thing I could do is keep an eye on him and try to feel him out Here Johnny you try this rod on precise. Ah, that looks good to me And it's a long couple of these fast-track minnow hooks if anything they'll get you big bass. They sure will Yeah, or maybe a trout like the one that mr. What's matter Johnny? Come on, buster. What what's the matter? What were you two gabbing about over there say hatch I want another look in the live box at that big trout I don't blame you a bit Step into the boat now raise the top so you can really see no I think I'll pull the whole contraption up here on the ledge Well, you said that trout was dead early this morning. That's right Then why is he on the bottom of this thing? Why isn't he floating belly up here now? I don't know but I don't see Wait, what are you doing all those beautiful fish in there? Oh, I just want a real close look at that trout Not just a minute these live ones a whole still long enough for me to dollar put them back in the water here We are oh Ten pounds here now why this fish weighs 20 pounds if he weighs an hour and no wonder no way You've got him stuff full of How about this a beautiful diamond brooch? I wonder you decided to get back to LA and not to stuff this trout, but to unstuff him and how about this bracelet? Emeralds aren't they and look at these nice new hundred dollar bills a bit wet perhaps you're holding more than money and jewels in your hand Dollar now put that thing away. I'm talking about your life If I won't hesitate to pull this trigger unless you toss that money in those jewels into this boat Well, I toss this over that you have put it down faster or I'll shoot you too Puss me the jewels dollar And bust us stay where you are. How about the whole trout, Mr. All right, drop that boy Johnny Johnny you really clobbered him. Yeah, but oh Buster if you hadn't thrown that or and if you hadn't hit him in the face with that wet fish Johnny He would have plugged you. Yeah, yeah, buster. I always did like trout Expensive on total including boat and bait for five days of really great fishing cabin rental and meals and trip back to Hartford $815 even Yours truly Johnny dollar It's in Hollywood and is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone who also wrote today's story heard in our cast for Eleanor Oddly Larry Dobkin Barney Phillips Edgar Barrier Junius Matthews Russell Thorsten and Alan Reed Be sure to join us next week same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Dan coverley speaking Johnny dollar has been a presentation of the United States Armed Forces radio and television service