 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Who's that? Oh, hello, bye. How are things in Boston? Who says? Murdered mayhem Marsden or what? Now bye bye No, bye listen you dollar you're a sucker Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed Expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar location Cod Harbor, Massachusetts To the intercoastal maritime and life insurance company Following is an accounting of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Meg's palace matter Expense account item one seven dollars and thirty cents cab from my apartment train fare and incidentals to Boston Fire and key was a good insurance broker And I figured he wouldn't have called me over a weekend unless it was pretty important to get right to the point Johnny Insurance on the palace is only for 15,000 dollar wait a minute by what is this palace a fishing boat? No, it's what Meg McCarthy calls a restaurant right down in the dark Cod Harvey is saying that's right Oh, what seems to be the trouble over there that couldn't wait till after the weekend Well, like I told you this character Meg McCarthy runs a so-called restaurant down in the docks the palace I sold her 15,000 insurance on it and Johnny. It's quite a place. What do you mean by that? We also carry 25,000 straight life insurance on Meg herself separate policy, of course Which one are you worried about by both I think huh matter of fact the more I think about it The glatter I am that she didn't fall from my pitch when I tried to get her to increase the coverage on the cafe If she had our necks, it really be out. What's the matter? Isn't it worth 15,000 now? Oh, sure at least even if it doesn't look it You know the stoves equipment and all that sort of stuff are in the coverage, too Then I'm afraid I don't see which thing is this Johnny Meg has been threatened by home. How who knows? Anyhow, she's notified me that there have been a couple of attempts to set fire to her place Since she lives upstairs in it. That means danger to her own life, too Hmm and the whole 40,000 is at stake. Yes. Will you go up there right away and see what you can do today tomorrow? Sunday, look, maybe you can get in some fishing. I understand you're quite efficient The last three times I was promised fishing while working on a case all I did was cut bait Proposition if you don't get in at least a full day's fishing trip while you're up there I'll double whatever you line up on your expense account Sounds money-tempting. How about it Johnny? Okay, bye you asked for it Item two 1195 transportation back to Hartford then on to cod Harbor the next morning Fine way to spend a nice warm Sunday. Nice place, too. If you lost your sense of smell There were two or three dozen fishing boats of all shapes and sizes tied up at the long dock and piers that comprise the important part of the village For housing there was a scattering of weather-beaten shacks one store Meg's palace turned out to be the biggest most Disreputable looking at the dock side eating places and since it was a closed sign in the front door I went around to the back I just come back For the next time that means his curly crew of the lily and comes in here and gets drunk and broads and carries on and Busts up me fine glassware in China to say nothing of a couple of Listen to me darling. Don't you darling me your pig face squint Sir not until you get your filthy hide out of here I'm not in a respectable joint in the likes of you and the bag-tailed crew of yours. I've got no place in it What's more and furthermore? I won't have you around To pay for the damage my boys did last night That's all I have pay for the loss of me dignity to say nothing of me Now get out of here really get out Okay, here's your here's your money man. Who wants your dirty offensive money? Get me put down the frying I'll put it down will avoid if you don't get out here Oh Excuse me miss McCarthy Yeah, darling Ain't he the sweetest man you ever did see? The man you just threw out of here not only comes in to apologize But brings the money to pay for the damage his prank and boys done last night when they were celebrating the big catch They made a lovely bunch of lads. They are too every one of them as loyal to Willie boy Now who the devil are you? And what's the big idea of barging in here on a Sunday when anybody with eyes in his stupid head can see that the place is closed Your eyes are blind in your head. You couldn't see the sign out front I saw and sneaking in here the back way this way. Who do you think you are? I wasn't thinking out and leave a lady alone of a Sunday go on don't get tough with me make McCarthy Just put down that part and shut up for a minute. Well, I tell you why I'm here put it down Me dear departed over barren husband. Yes, sir After all I should have noticed you're a gen standing by the way you done while me and Bill was at its helter and skelter Oh, but he's a dear one ain't he? Yeah, well at this point I wouldn't know but from what I saw a minute ago Oh, don't let that fool you dear you were in love me and Willie boy ain't he a living dog Fine fine husband. He's gonna make me too. That's why I made him the beneficiary of my life insurance policy That's exactly what I want to talk to you about then go ahead and talk what's stopping you standing there like a banty rooster That doesn't know you shut up Of course, I will dearie and then begging your humble pardon But if there's anything I hate it's a lily livered man that may Yes, sir. I'm sorry and listen Yes, my name is dollar Johnny dollar I'm an insurance investigator insurance investigator Well in spite and despite of your pretty clothes and please in manner. I don't want any of already gone. No, no, you don't understand I've got all I can have I'm just and from the looks of things these past come you shut up a minute Of course dearie. I'm sorry. You call the insurance company. Mr. Byron K and intercoastal maritime Yes, dear little pasty faced byron boy Why do you know if he'd had half the guts and get of a he-man he would have sold me twice the insurance he did well That's not quite the way he told it to me Well, it's the way I'm telling it to you What am I going to do darling if they like my place the way they're trying Oh this willy boy as you call him who was just in here. That's a feminine. What is captain? Billy Morgan built to you in any man. What calls it down will you and stop yapping your head off and answer my question Now is captain bill Morgan one of the people you suspected trying to wreck this ugly looking hash house You talk like a real sweet Overbend me and answer my question. Oh, of course. He ain't Willy boy wouldn't hurt me any more than I'd touch a hair of his pretty head if he had a hair on top of it All right, then who? Johnny boy there's a dozen of them like to see Meg's palace burned to the ground blast the blacks even so why Because I give them the best in the most food in the harbor. That's what the man gets here So what happens to the silver plate in Ernie's manor house and Irvians chop suey joint? Well, I'm putting them out of business. That's what so you think they're trying to put you out of business Thank you. I know it It's why I telephoned that sniveling Lopyard buyer and K to send somebody down here and make them stop it before you had to pay off a lot of insurance on it And maybe even on me. What else do you think there have been some attempts to set the place on fire? I understand why else do you think a lady like myself would take to sleep and on the bar down here every night Get in a creek and may sacred lily up, but I am getting sick and fed up with it So now that I blame you now look would you try and to keep awake all night every night to keep them from Burning it out from under me and me whether it is making a fair shadow of me for myself out of me I'm losing my strength, but not your aim. Look while we talk. I'll help you clear up some of this Just not the man's job especially since you ain't romantically inclined towards me, but she would let Bill Morgan clean up for you He was the cause of it wasn't he so if he and his boys don't show up before nightfall and take care of it So help me. I'll keel hard them everyone besides if he's going to be me old man when the fishing season's done He's got to know how to keep in line Now now You say there are people you suspect to try to fire this building three all right three now Who are they the owners of the other restaurants here on the dock? I first this clean hair is what runs the silver plate. Oh, and I slide one here Yeah, what do you mean? He's too soft and polite and soft spoke Me I never trust a man unless he talks up like a man. I guess that's why I like you dear Or who are the others Ernie a Turner at the manor house cafe. Oh, yeah, is that the big place down at the other end? The little hole in the wall next to the bait stand and half the time the customers don't know whether they're getting bad food or thought out to Bait and the third one. Yeah That stubborn mule that runs Irving's chop suey joint Irving who what's his last name Irving? His name's Tony. Isn't it now wait a minute. Would you please sure? Tony fortino, I tell you then why is it go why a chop suey place anybody has eyes He would have saw how the sign was changed first the Chinese had it with chop suey Yeah, then came Irving with kosher. So he added his name to it and now it's Tony Well, then why only there wasn't any more room left on the sign. So stop complaining Okay, Meg you win But have you any specific reason to suspect any one of them one of them? I suspect them all the dirty conniving why because they're a dirty conniving I'll tell you why because they won't sell out to me because they ought to keep open and competing with me And that's three against one. So they're a dirty conniving. All right. You said that well, aren't they? All right Yes, sir I love it when you speak to me that way Johnny so you said now I asked you if you have any specific reason for suspecting any one or all of them Of course I have an account of the threats they sent how do you know they sent them because I suspect them That's why and what happens three times they try to set fire Meg you don't have one bit of actual evidence against any of them. Do you well do you know? But I suspect the dirty conniving please are you sure those fires weren't accidental? Accidental with all the dirt and grease you leave around in the middle of the night with a stove firebank Like I've been doing it for 20 years and with all the fires starting outside where they have no business Look Johnny boy. I'll show you where they started outside. Well, now, that's a good idea because so far I confess I can't get very much a lot of what's happening Don't the whole town know I'm closed on Sundays because it makes fun on a Sunday when everybody knows Oh, of course the gentlemen's right here. It's for you Johnny boy. Oh Oh Hello, Johnny dollar. Oh, yeah, who's we? Well, that's a matter of opinion, isn't it? Come on, let's get to work Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this week's story tomorrow Well, they say that darkness can cover a multitude of sins. It can also cover a strong man armed with a deadly weapon Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood. It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Who also wrote tonight's story? Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking