 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny teller Hello, 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 did you sober up so fast? There's a big story breaking boy and lusher not I'm still a reporter Then go somewhere and report. I'm going to bed Look Joe Sure fine, so what's the big story a fire boy house burner down flames 50 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 this one Marty Blake is charged with murder Johnny. That's where the fire is at Marty Blake's Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey and the transcribed adventures of the man with the action Pact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar From special investigator Johnny dollar location Greensport, Missouri to the home office Great Plains Guaranteed Company Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the open town matter expense account continued Item 10 a dollar and a half for a breakneck taxi ride to Marty Blake's home It's 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 Police chief had Blake Marty's middle-aged husband of eight months have been shot to death in his own home with his own gun and Less than 24 hours later Marty had filed claim on his $50,000 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 Marty'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 to Pat Especially in a wide-open town Joe Crayley was going to meet me at the fire, but I didn't see him around The flames are taking a strong hold and the whole outside of the house was blazing the fireman couldn't do much except try to control it From spreading the whole bank of clouds that they've collected on the street Another's present was city attorney Dave Sherman You wanted to get things stirred up They seem to be stirred all right. Were you here when this happened mr. Sherman? No this time I'm not a witness for the defense. I arrived after the firing. Yeah, what about Marty? 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 guard. I thought you meant alone in the house Now he was out here in front First thing he knew flames were breaking out of the windows and then Marty came running out of the house No one had arrived a left. Oh, not that he saw Well, you're still trying to tag her huh? Oh, I'm trying to tag whoever is guilty. She figures. That's all not on the shooting No, no not with the alibi you've given her Mr. 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 down stairs Now that is not an alibi. It is a fact. Oh, yeah, sure. I know unless of course. I'm lying All right. Are you? Why for old times sake maybe you were in love with her once mr. Sherman Oh, 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 into prison He claimed he was being framed out of the way to give Blake a clear feel go on Shorty's a hoodlum. He was guilty as charged. All right, but Blake was in on the rack. It's wasn't Ella would seem that way then there's also Joe Crowley 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? me I thought Took me three months to find out that I was running interference for shorty. Well, all right So Joe Crowley took the drink. What did you take to mr. Sherman? Law enforcement. I set out to break the rackets in this town and get rid of hoodlums like shorty wells and all the rest Yeah, but the rackets are still here and I'm still trying dollar Oh, look, I want to get one thing very straight. Why 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 somewhere. She's bound to be well That's something I wouldn't know every where you turn in this case. You keep hearing about Marty Blake Marty Blake She's the one link that ties everything together. Oh, maybe that fire there. What's your story on that? Why don't you ask her? I left him standing there staring into the fire staring into his own past, baby I didn't know to me was still a puzzle a question mark and I didn't have the answer to him Not a much else in fact If he was telling the truth Marty 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 walk toward Sherman's car Marty was sitting there alone subdued for once in quiet and she looks scared Hello, Johnny get in and sit with me. All right Look at it. Isn't it terrible? Yeah, it is Be worse if you were in it. 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 Marty? Who? I don't know Whoever killed it, I guess if you know you'd better tell me what you still can 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 guest 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 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 the sofa I've been drinking as you know, and I Guess I just won't 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? Are you glad I phoned her not? Oh, yeah, sure wouldn't have missed it for a million as she confessed yet We can run a new headline on the extra if she has 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 got to get all the angles human interest. That's you baby You are human aren't you? Stupid fool financial angles to 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 Get him away from here Johnny. Oh, 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 here 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 came from the house well, they couldn't ammunition maybe yeah Your husband must have kept boxes of cartridges around the house look there by the cellar door somebody's staggering up out of the basement Johnny look he's got a gun in his hand. I can't he's falling down on the ground. Come on Joe. Oh The damn breaks Everything goes. I've got anybody come out of that thing alive. We greens porters at tough cookies Johnny Lucky apparently it's passed out cold Another minute he wouldn't have made it his clothes are smoldering there. Yeah, let's turn him over and get that coat off right easy now Good Lord, what's the matter? This is the boy. Everybody in town has been looking for Shorty Wells room 604 Greensport City Hospital time at night The time when the pulse of 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 in the ears of restless patients the time of crises when battles for life are fought in silence and one are lost a Battle like that was being fought in 604 Witnessed at the moment by myself and city attorney Dave Sharon Alice is always the tough part the slow part of waiting it out Maybe a long wait mr. 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 shot. Yeah, well, it's hard to tell I've turned this town upside down 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 Well, let's start up with the rackets. That's I'm sure I'm not sure of anything about this mess So if we could just tag the person behind them, we got a wrap it up forget only Dave Sherman speed Yes, ma'am. Oh, Dr. Morton says he may hang on for a day or two as far as pulling through he has got much chance I hasn't been conscious at all yet Yes, I'm Yes, I'll keep in touch. I'll let you know the minute. There's a All right, man Good night Me a line son. Yeah He's a real fuss budget. Sometimes you gotta go to bed. What is it? He's trying to talk Thought some arm again dollar Do you think he started that fire? Oh, I don't know if he did he got caught in his own trap. I Just can't figure what he'd hope to gain by doing any Johnny Dave. Hi See you've been able to talk yet not yet Joe Get your story found 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 the way he's burned I'm afraid all we can do is wait At least we'll 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 Here's our star to tell you about the final episode of this week's story tomorrow death strikes again Lashes out violently and mistakes its target and a wide-open town blows sky-high Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood Written by Les Crutchfield. It is produced and directed by Jack John stone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking You