 From Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny dollar Listen, sure if they've traced Kathy O'Dare here to your nice little town of Brambury Oh, Nick shurns boys one of my trigger man a Benny Stark came out to the sawmill a few minutes ago I traded a couple of shots with him, but he got away in a car Did he hit north or back toward town toward town? I think you can't see the turnoff from here All right dollar you're packing a gun will you take the pickup truck and block that turn off hold it until I can Get somebody out there to relieve you right how many deputies you got What about volunteers He's one of them Late in 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 yours truly Johnny dollar From special investigator Johnny dollar location Brambury, Michigan to the home office Tri-mutual insurance limited Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the Nick shurn matter expense account continued Item eight three dollars sixty cents for two packs of cigarettes and a pint of applejack borrowed from the foreman's locker at the sawmill I figured these is standard equipment for holding down a roadblock at ten degrees above zero and Mike O'Dare agreed with me a hundred percent Yeah, I'll tell you one thing they can make it out of corn right probably make it out of gold if you want to But they'll never come up with anything better than what they make out of apples here here have a short one Johnny No, thanks. I'll save it for later. Well, I'll just It's got the taste of Indian summer in it You ought to see this country around that time of year Johnny Break your heart. It's so beautiful. It's beautiful now with a snow on and it would be more so if there wasn't a killer running loose in it Johnny, I want to ask you something about my daughter and I want you to answer me honest all right No use trying to fool you. She's here. All right. I know But she hasn't told me what it was that happened in New York, but she ran away from it Somehow a figured it was just as well not to ask your sheriff Dan Martin said practically the same thing Dan's been in love with Kathy since he was 12 years old. He's a good man. So let's so I forget Anyway, she was scared scared half to death And she'd come home for help. So We tried to help her. What was it you wanted to ask me Mr. O'Dare? You mentioned a murder case Johnny He didn't give any other details just said that Kathy was her witness Is She mixed up in this murder and you wanted an honest answer All right, I'm not sure I see that's why I wanted to talk to her get her story the truth. I Realized when the start she might be guilty. I don't think so, but it's a possibility. You may as well know about it I guess you realize it wouldn't make any difference enough to me or today. Oh, yeah I figured in other words you're with me as long as I'm trying to protect you But you'll fight me if I find reason to think she's guilty. That's about it Johnny Well, at least we know where we stand and I hope it won't come to What's your matter car coming light on the trees there at the bend? Yeah You're supposed maybe probably not but you can't tell Better get behind the truck just in case you'll have to shift into low-to-edge past us Let me get that spotlight on me. I guess I'll just have another quick one That's right through your bones. It's a dark colored sedan. It might be him funny I've been hoping for two months if Kathy'd come home for Christmas And I didn't figure I'd be out here in the woods hiding behind a truck Waiting to shoot it out with somebody that wanted to kill it. It's a crazy world. I keep your head down, Mr.. Yeah, just the driver by himself wearing a dark cat You know That kind of looks like huh? All right. Curly it is what that's Ted Perkins old wreck. No doubt about it All right, you better wave him out past he probably thinks we need help There's one thing about people around here They mind their own business and don't ask no questions and they don't answer them often either How's that applejack holding on long hours went past? Only three cars came out from the village And each time a long moment of tension while we waited to identify the occupants But all of them were towns people Then he didn't show One truck came down the logging road from the back hills loaded with dwarf spruce and fur Peace on earth could will toward men We were waiting for an assassin, but the truck only carried Christmas trees The night was crystal clear with bright stars hanging low on the blackness But it kept turning colder and colder Believe in the applejack didn't help much and the wind to change gradually and blue fitful and gusty and strange It's kind of storm come a blizzard. Maybe not tonight tomorrow sometime or tomorrow night. I Know this country nor the signs There's an odd feeling in the air. All right. There's an even order one in my leg Log rolled over on it putting it six years ago. Oh, there's me some in the winter Till that worse all right before a storm well, that's kind of a handy thing to have well That's one way of looking at it. I guess Like one time when Kathy was little When I'm always still alive Congress just old We had a big measles epidemic here in Brambary and every night Kathy used to add a line to her prayers She'd say And please let me catch the measles so I can stay out of school like the other kids Now she's wanted as a witness in the murder case And somebody's prowling out there in the dark trying to find her and kill her little Kathy Never harmed anybody in her whole life Some things just don't make sense Johnny some things never have There was another time once when men like Benny were prowling in the dark trying to find a little child and kill him And he hadn't harmed anybody either That was nearly 2,000 years ago So it was I Like you Johnny Kathy'll like you too and little Jill. Oh There's a pair for That kid looks more like a mother did at her age another car coming. Mr. O'Dare There is and this just might be the one maybe Wish that Applejack hadn't run out But it was only a couple of men deputy Martin had sent out from town to relieve us and take over Big men calm and quiet wearing plaid mac and Oz and heavy lace boots and carrying Winchester 94s over their arms They told us Benny Stark had been seen he'd come up from the West driven on to one of the roadblocks unexpectedly In a flurry of shots he'd broken through The men couldn't understand his persistence. They thought he'd run for it get out of the area once his presence was known I didn't bother to explain to put him straight, but I knew Benny had never run not now He was a trigger man a professional killer with a reputation at stake and he had his orders To silence Kathy O'Dare a half hour later. We'll be back in town turning into the main street around the village square Strings of curly lights and a tall pine in the center of the square blinked and sparkled as they swayed in the wind Around a hundred cars and trucks were parked in the street and in the lot behind the town hall And the sound of singing drifted out from inside The practice and carols and things for the big doings and Christmas Eve It is beautiful the men at the roadblock had given a description of Benny's car and the license number It was just barely possible Got something in mind Johnny. Yeah, let's take a look through those parked cars Yeah, I don't know if it was me. I sure wouldn't be hanging around here I'd stick to the tall timber. Yeah, but you're not a city boy like tall timbers foreign soil to Benny He's only comfortable when he's close to a crowd either fellow that's supposed to have done that murder now as the man He works for a cafe on her ex gangster a man named Nick shurn Let's check that lot around at the side. I don't think he'd show here in front He'd be taking a big chance showing anywhere in a town this size people know each other It's his job to take chances and he probably doesn't realize minutes That's a Dan against the building with the side window broken That's his car Johnny. Yeah, wait here I Ease my gun out of the holster and started toward the car There were no lights in the lot only the soft glow reflected from the packed snow underfoot and the car itself stood in the dark shadows next to the building I Couldn't see whether anyone was in it or not The singing seemed to swell louder as I approached. I moved slowly watching for any sudden movement The car was empty It was time past time to talk to Kathy O'Dare And with a pressure tightening the danger close to home now her father was ready to take me to her We drove over to Dan Martin's house where it turned out Kathy and her daughter was staying Dan's mother had been looking after Dan was there when we arrived busy on the phone. Yeah, I know all right. Keep an eye out Charlie so long Benny Stark has told himself another car. I took Jed Wharton station wagon. What for that was a better one He had Charlie says the steering gear was sprung. I guess it happened when he crashed that roadblock Well, how's Kathy and the youngin? Oh, fine. They were sleep upstairs Mom's next door helping Mrs. Barton stuff a turkey Johnny you're You figure it could wait till morning. I'm sorry mr. O'Dare. I've got to talk to her tonight All right, I'll go wake her up mr. Dollar No matter what she's done Don't hurt her anymore than you have to As far as I know at the moment Dan all she's guilty of is withholding information And most people would have done the same thing Nick shurns a rough boy to tangle with she was scared. That's all lost her head She never did belong in a city She belongs right here in Brambury. This is her kind of life. Why did she leave? Well We argued one day and she said she'd show me So she ran off and married that fella He treated her bad finally left her But she was too proud to come back She wouldn't have come back now she hadn't been so scared. Well, maybe it'll work out now She ought to stay Her kid ought to grow up here learn the outdoors in the woods like Kathy used to know it Why she roamed through those hills like a young Indian knew every trail in that forest Every timber camp and trappers cabin from here to the ridge. I Remember one time the two of us were up toward What's the matter? What is it? Mr. O'Dare? You said Jill and Kathy were asleep upstairs. Isn't that what you said Dan? Of course, that's what I Might what's happened? They're not up here. They're not up there anywhere else in the house There'll be another intriguing episode in our story of the next shurn matter tomorrow A little girl who believes in Santa Claus a big girl who believes in very little and both of them facing death Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Hey Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood written by Les Crutchfield 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