 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar Oh, hi, Tom. What's up at the moment 50,000 bucks worth of life insurance? Oh, yeah We got a policy for that amount in the life of one Edward Russell Russell never heard of him She the beneficiary right so what do you want from me? Well, how do you know anything did maybe he just walked out on his wife For what I can gather Russell was a hothead could be had one argument too many Yeah, it still could be just a guy getting away for a while a car in a storage garage in Colorado Springs. Oh It turned up this morning with part of his luggage in it interested I'm on my way Tonight and every week day night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. It's truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to amalgamated life associates home office Hartford, Connecticut Following is an accounting of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Crystal Lake matter Expense account item one a hundred and twenty dollars and fifty cents plane fare and incidentals to Denver Tom Wilkins hadn't given me much to go on so I figured the logical place to start was with the missing man's wife Leona Russell Their house was in a moderately prosperous suburb of Denver a white ranch house with a shake roof Everything looked neat and well kept but somehow a forlorn feeling came through to me about the place Then the door opened Right away. I was sure something pretty bad had happened to Edward Russell You don't just walk out on a wife who looked like that Yes, Mrs. Neona Russell. Yes, I'm Johnny dollar insurance investigator. Oh, yes, mr. Dollar Mr. Wilkins sent a telegram about you. Won't you come in? Thanks? Cooler in here. I try to keep the house shut up during the day. It helps Please sit down. Oh, thank you I've already told the police what little there was to tell when I filed the They missing persons report. Oh, sure. This is just a routine investigation, Mrs. Russell You probably don't feel too much like talking about it But if you wouldn't mind going over what information there is again Well It was just a week ago that Ed Mr. Russell left you were here when he left. Yes He told me he was driving up to Boulder on business that he'd only be gone overnight. What sort of business is he in? He's in real estate older, huh? But his car was found in Colorado Springs. I know I Can't explain that When he didn't come home on time I got worried I'd call the hotel in Boulder. He never checked in there Yes, I see Did he know anyone in Colorado Springs? Just business contacts as far as I know He might have decided to go there instead of Boulder, but he would have called me, but he didn't know I Haven't heard a thing from him since he drove away from here a week ago Mrs. Russell, do you happen to know if your husband had any well enemies? No Ed was pretty impulsive you might even say hotheaded, but I just can't believe that anyone would hate him enough to To do anything to him. Well, we don't know that anyone has I know Funny that things that run through your mind at a time like this. Uh-huh. What sort of things? It sounds funny, but I've almost been wishing it was in an accident or something like that In a hospital where he might not have a chance to call me, but at least was safe and alive You've checked the hospitals all of them I Did that before I filed the missing persons report Tell me had your husband and been unusually depressed before he left If you're suggesting that Ed did away with himself That's just not possible. Mr. Dollar That's one thing he'd never do. He just wasn't built that way Everything was fine between you two. Yes Of course, we had disagreements arguments in the six years. We've been married who hasn't But nothing serious. I Guess I'm I'm not being very helpful to you, Mr. Dollar. Well, I'm sure that's not your fault You've no idea at all where he could be then or what could have happened. No none at all except except what well, I don't know if it means anything or not, but I I found this under some of Bill's papers on his desk just this morning travel folder Crystal Lake Where's that? It's a resort up in the mountains as I say, I don't know whether it means anything or not Has he ever been there before? Not that I know I'll mention it to you. No, I don't I'm sure he hasn't Well, I'll check it out Thanks, Mrs. Russell. Oh just one more thing. Yes, you're the beneficiary of his life insurance policy Yes, I Know what you're thinking, Mr. Dollar. I'm not thinking anything. I'm just asking questions. It's my job. I know But let me ask you a question, Mr. Dollar Do you think $50,000 or any amount of money could possibly make up for for it One thing about my job you have to ask such nice questions sometimes After Leonel Russell's answer that didn't seem to be much left to say So I told her I'd let her know if I found out anything and I left I Looked at the travel folder again Crystal Lake pretty slim lead, but when you have nothing to go on anything at all looks promising Expense account item to $45 and 20 cents. I rented a car and drove to Crystal Lake It was a beautiful spot 7,000 feet high clean thin air fragrant pines and the clearest water this side of the Jackson Hole country I Parked a moment and looked out over the lake Great place to drop a hook But I had a strong hunch that the fishing I'd be doing was of a little different variety One thing was obvious. There was a lot of money up here Most of the cabins would be insulated to be called cabins and had their own boat landings The village was nestled at one end of the lake a colorful collection of Swiss chalets I had it for the office of the local law deputy sheriff named Ansel Garrett Tall thin rob-on lad in his early 30s who looked like he'd spent all but the first few hours of his life in the open clear keen eyes that showed he had his wits about him Have a seat dollar. Thanks Edward Russell you said yeah, that's right Disappeared about a week ago left home in Denver hasn't been heard from since So so he could have come here. His wife found a travel folder about Crystal Lake in his papers It's supposed to prove something. No, it doesn't prove anything ants, but it's my only lead Yeah, take a look at this picture You recognize him yeah looks sort of familiar you've seen him up here at Crystal Lake Yeah, I think so four or five days ago. Oh, what do you know looks like my luck's changing I hit the jackpot of my first nickel. Well depends on what jackpot you're talking about Johnny What do you mean? Well for one thing I could be wrong about the identification I guess you haven't been wrong about many of them in your time. I suppose he was the guy so what? Why are you looking for him anyway? May need to find out if he's still alive What makes you think he's not nothing definite, but a hunch that's getting stronger by the minute. Oh Insurance investigators are operating on hunches these days. Huh once in a while just like deputy sheriff's hands Yeah, all right, so hunches sometimes do pan out, but you could be way out in the pasture Johnny Maybe the guy just had an argument with his wife and he walked out. Oh sure. Yeah, I thought of that But then I saw his wife Nobody in his right mind would walk out on her Like that like that Look ants. Can you give me any dope on this guy? No, not much. He came to see me about five days ago Why you're mainly to ask me a silly question silly. Yeah He asked me if there was a guy named bill around Crystal Lake somewhere. Oh, I take it there's more than one No fistful Johnny bill Cullen who tends bar at the hotel bill Jensen who runs the boathouse bill pickings who clerks at the hardware Yeah, okay. Okay, I get the idea. I take it Russell didn't know which bill he wanted, huh? No Well, at least I know he was here at Crystal Lake now You were you haven't seen him since huh? Yeah, just once that same night. He was in the bar at the hotel talking to Betty Norton who she heirs to the Norton estate Mining she's got a big place in the other side of the lake near lookout point No, anything about it fuel. I want to oh he travels at a pretty good clip. I see Well, thanks for the information. It's you know, what are you gonna do now try to find Edward Russell alive or otherwise That the hunch of yours still operating. It hasn't gotten any weaker. Oh just one thing Johnny This is a pretty high-grade resort here. Things are nice and peaceful. I Yeah, I like to keep it that way sure so don't go off half cocked, huh? For instance For instance, don't start accusing anybody of murder unless or until you find a body And if I do find a body, oh then looks like we'll have to start doing a little accusing I left Ansel Garrett's office and walked around the village All I knew so far was that Edward Russell or somebody who looked like him had been in Crystal Lake several days ago inquiring about a man named Bill and then he'd been at the bar with a dough heavy girl named Betty Norton There were a flunk of bills in town, but there was only one Betty Norton So I decided to start with her I drove around the lake to her home an elaborate large-type place that sprawled along the shore Betty was down on her boat dock in a bathing suit, and she was a pretty elaborate looking job herself I was just going for a swim. Come on join me. I'm sorry miss Norton. I'm not equipped at the moment Oh, there's some trunks in the dressing room. Yeah, well look, I'd like to talk to you about something But I don't feel like talking right now. I feel like swimming, but this is important So is swimming. If you want to talk to me, you've got to go swimming first Okay, we'll play it your way. That's the only way I ever play it. Mr. Dollar So we went swimming and I swam hard But mainly to keep from freezing to death The water should have been accused by the feel of it, but Betty seemed to think it was normal After a while we climbed back on to the wind Wonderful, huh? Here's a towel It's great sure only about 20 degrees too cold Makes the sun feel better hot and cold Johnny contrast That's what puts the charge in life. Is it I wouldn't know Hey, look, do you mind now if I ask you a couple of questions go ahead? You know a man named Edward Russell. I Don't think so. I think you do you had a drink with him at the hotel several nights ago So this I do once in a while am I supposed to remember all of them this one might have mentioned he was looking for a guy named Bill Well, I remember now he thought the bartender might be the one he was looking for Bill Collins. So what happened? How should I know I left you haven't seen Russell since no Haven't missed him either. Oh great And for this kind of information I practically freeze to death and the ice trough you laughing they call a lake Maybe your trip wasn't a waste of time after all Johnny. Oh, we met Well, uh, what do you do with your spare time? Well a I don't expect to have much and B isn't that sort of a leading question. I'm pretty good at leading You must have trouble finding guys to dance with huh? Why don't you try it sometime? Huh I left on this feeling like a fly who spotted the web at the last moment and Right now I was feeling just about as useless as a fly to I wasn't getting even close to locating Edward Russell Went back to my room in the phone Johnny dollar and scared Johnny Sheriff's office. Oh, hi. Well, you can quit looking for Russell. We found him Well, that's good news. Is it now? Here's our start to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this week's story tomorrow Cabin with a lovely view of a beautiful like a nice comfortable quiet spot for murder Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood written by Robert wife It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking