 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny Deller Earl poorman Johnny and Sarasota. That's right, Florida Well, hi, Earl. How are things in the land of infernal sunshine? What do you mean infernal? Well, it's got pretty hot down there these days, isn't it makes good fishing weather Johnny? Yeah, but without a case to work on what possible excuse would I have? Maybe I have one for you. Oh, yeah, and maybe it's murder Earl, I'll be down on the next plane Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny Deller Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny Deller to try state life and casualty company branch office Sarasota, Florida Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the parley baron matter Expense account item one a hundred thirty one fifty transportation and incidentals to Sarasota, Florida Knowing Earl poorman. I didn't bother checking into a hotel But instead took a cab to his office in the Conroy building tall lanky easy-going. He welcomed me like a long-loss brother Oh, Johnny, you're looking great And I'm glad you're here because you can clear up this case in a hurry and then you and I can get out in the Gulf and do some real serious fishing. Oh, well, that's okay by me or our last trip down here You remember they weren't biting so good, but oh Johnny so help me now. Oh, I see you've got your bags with you Well, yeah, good because you're going to stay with us out the house now. I'm not gonna take any argument I told that old battle acts. I'm married to to hang out an extra towel for how is my oh, she's great Just great. I never did understand how I was lucky enough to grab that dame Johnny Oh, well, no, I think maybe she kind of cares for you too Now about women show funny taste sometimes hey, maybe the old horse will go fishing with us Mike Yeah, anything over 10 pounds that pull her right out of the boat. Oh, but now what kind of a problem She's been getting pretty good with a rotten reel look will you this fishing target just making my mouth water first? I'd we better discuss. I know once I get started on fishing. I know all right now. Let's get down to cases, huh? All right, if you insist I insist Okay Just trying to stall off having to You know where Lido key is well, they don't yeah, the mile or so offshore just beyond St. Armand's key where we live. Oh, yes, sure Well a client of mine is a man I've known for years He retired bought himself a piece of property there built a nice little home on it. His name is Piley Baron. So Well, I've handled all his insurance for him including a straight life at 50,000. Uh-huh beneficiary his wife Laura Baron And what's happened to him? well Friday morning now, that's day before yesterday. He left the house just to do some errands Well go on. Yeah, well he hadn't got back home by about 5 p.m. And his wife started calling around trying to find out where he was and nobody seemed to know So finally she put in a call to the police. Who's your man there? Sergeant Harry Brackett. Oh, I remember him sure go on Well then around 7 p.m. They found Baron's car found at Park down by one of the fishing docks But no sign of him not a sign not then or since Are you going out fishing police questioned everybody the boat owners all the boat livery everybody Old Will Brighter runs the dock with a car was parked. He was closed up sign on the door saying he'd gone up to Gainesville Well, could Baron have had any reason to disappear. Oh, no. Well, not that anyone knows of what kind of a person is his wife You know No, she's very sweet. She's a bit of a bore. Oh, they don't it on each other. All right. How about enemies? Barley Baron never sweet old guy I Sure hope you can find him. I But he's still alive I'm afraid I doubt it. Well, so far you've given me no reason to believe he's dead It's just a feeling I guess and I don't like it. Hmm What else can you tell me your own? Nothing really then maybe I'd better talk to Mrs. Baron and to the police. Yeah. Yeah. Oh here you take my car Oh, thanks. It's the new air-conditioned cat out in back the building. What did you do? Oh, Michael pick me up We'll see you at the house for dinner. Well, that may depend on what I find out in the meantime whenever you're ready There's food and there's a bed waiting for you and I Hope you Well, I just hope you find Barley Baron Pretty good friend of yours isn't oh, yeah, Johnny He was Earl seems so sure that Baron was dead. I was pretty down in the mouth about it But I wondered Did he know something about the old man that he hadn't told me? Now that didn't seem like her He gave me the Baron's address on Lido key and I drove out there Laura Baron was a fragile gray haired little old lady wearing steel rims spectacles and with Well with almost a sanctimonious heir about her She sat primly Properly straight in her chair as we talked a Bible in her hand then mr. Earl poor man has told you as much as any of us knows Mr. Dollar I see But even the smallest bit of information may hold the key to finding your husband only prayer can help us now Mr. Dollar or help him if he's gone to the great beyond how uh Well, tell me how is he dressed on Friday morning when you last saw him as you see him in the picture there on the Table in old gray pants and a rather tattered sport shirt and that old straw hat that shirt is blue Yes, he was so happy the day that picture was taken. He just finished making an addition to our dock with his own two hands He was so proud Now Yes, I'm sorry. He'd hope to get his own little boat too for fishing. He loved to fish so yes Well, tell me please. Do you know of anyone who might have wanted to harm your husband? Oh dear? No, no, mr. Dollar, and you'd had no no argument or disagreement with him before he left here that morning We had had no disagreement even about little things in 41 years of blessed marriage Not even about his work. I see What did he do before he returned? Oh, I I had hoped you wouldn't ask that because I I've always felt that the good Lord wouldn't approve of his work I'm a very religious woman mr. Dollar and as I say in 41 years. We'd never questioned one another's thoughts or actions, but What was your husband's work? I won't say that it was sinful because he wasn't a sinful man Polly was a good man at many times. He made it plain that his work helped to save lives, too And I accepted it because he felt he was doing right. Well, you still haven't told me mrs. Barron always deep in my heart Mr. Dollar, yes Have you thought that perhaps it may have been the intercession of divine providence that has taken Polly from us? No, but you must consider it mustn't you because the workings of the power that guides our destinies our birth and our Mrs. Barron, they are sometimes too mysterious for us mortals fully to comprehend much less question Well, and so if my beloved Polly has been taken from us for some Divine purpose or for something he might have done unknowing that was not in accord with the supreme I'm sorry, but I would like to know what your husband's work was I know and perhaps it was my humble mission on earth the cross I had to bear to guide him away from it to Chemicals he was a chemist mr. Dollar Explosives Explosives. Yes heaven, please forgive me for not having led him into some other where did he work? Tampa Dufresne Chemical Corp Explosive things to kill in defiance of the Almighty's purpose that we love one another Yeah, but now how how long ago was this? He retired in 1951 and since then here in Sarasota and to keep himself occupied. Oh this lovely home Of ours and his fishing though. He never caught anything. Oh, I see never caught anything, mr. Dollar Do you suppose that that was some retribution for the work? He had done so long for some error in his living or thinking. Well, I Well, who knows of course. Yes Who knows but we should consider it shouldn't we? Oh, where did he do his fishing? He never told me but he left here almost every day to try his skill and Always he came home empty-handed Well, thanks, mr. Barron. I'm sorry to have had to ask you so many questions. It's all right, mr. Dollar My faith will sustain me through this ordeal. I'm sure it will. Thanks again here You must take some of these pamphlets with them Any aid to piety of the mind is good for all of us. Yes. Well, thanks. The inspired word may help us all Oh, sure. Sure. Thanks. Thanks very much. I like to think that on the whole I Well, maybe I'm not too religious in the sense of going to church regularly and that sort of thing But at least I try to live a decent sort of life and observe the golden rule and stick to some ideals and But an atmosphere like that Well, I couldn't help wondering if her husband didn't have good reason for wanting to get away for a while In any event I'd got nowhere on the case. So I phoned sergeant Harry Brackett. That's item two ten cents But the desk at headquarters said he wouldn't be back until about 6 p.m And since I really had nothing to go on until I could see him I dropped in on early again You're kidding. We'll take the boat run out into the Gulf and get some fish for dinner It's the best time so who is I to refuse and within the hour We were fighting the tide through the pass between Lido and Longboat keys on our way along into the Gulf Yeah, Johnny, I find I always have my best luck along about this time of day just before sundown I still ought to be back there working. Why sergeant Brackett will be back at headquarters until 6 o'clock You told me yourself now. What can you do until you talk to and find out what leads he may have? Oh, man, you are a funny one you call me long distance to get down in a hurry then insist I go fishing instead of working. Don't you know fishing is the answer to more problems anything else in the world You got worries go fishing you'll forget them got a nagging wife. Oh, don't have Mikey you say Well, she's different to a little shrimp But you know what I mean a rider he wants ideas he goes fishing a businessman a detective Huh, I go ahead and say it and it sure is a bit sure I'll bet that more than once when you've been stumped on a case Why if you would just relax your mind by going out somewhere and wedding a line I wish it were that easy and so far as this matter is concerned. I haven't even got started on it Relax anyway, who knows maybe the answer to what's happened the poor old Polly Baron will well just come to you Oh, yeah sure sure instead of you chasing her. Oh, huh? Yeah, I'm ahead just to the right there. Well, oh Yeah, somebody's old beat-up straw hat and a little further something the tide will carry that skimmer right smack into the air and if the fellow that lost look further over to the right What is that floating there? I don't know Well, that looks like Oh good Lord Johnny It's a body Johnny We'll drift over that's a body. All right, and that straw hat looks exactly like one. I saw in a picture this afternoon Yeah, I got it. Can you reach him Johnny? Yeah? Oh good boy. All right now. Let's see is it. Yeah Are you sure? Oh, yeah? Yeah, Johnny, it's poor old Polly Baron two of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment Everyone loves kids and every kid loves candy American servicemen have heard the tearful cries for candy in most parts of the world in Europe and the far east during World War two and after and there's never seemed to be enough candy to go around Well more than a dozen years ago during the Berlin airlift an Air Force lieutenant from the United States Discovered he had no candy to offer some German children However, he promised to drop them some candy the next day as he came in for a landing Improvising a parachute out of his handkerchief Lieutenant Gale Halverson dropped the candy bars the next day as he had promised This idea caught on among other Air Force men in the airlift and that's how operation little vitals began The idea spread far and wide and soon Military personnel civilians business firms began to aid the Goodwill program by supplying candy and Hankerchiefs Time after time as the sleek cargo planes of the United States Air Force Swooped low over the landing field a shower of little bundles of sweets dotted the sky as their Tiny parachutes carried them safely to the ground and the hungry German children Gathered up these bundles of mercy which the communists try to keep from them The men of the United States Air Force did a great job Satisfying a lot of appetites, but they did more By a wonderful sense of understanding They nourished the cause of freedom the right of all men and children everywhere And now act two of yours truly Johnny dollar and the parley Baron matters Two days exposure to the elements and the creatures of the sea had made almost Unrecognizable a body that Earl poorman and I found floating in the Gulf of Mexico off, Sarasota, Florida But Earl was certain it was the remains of old parley Baron who had disappeared two days before The men on duty at police headquarters confirmed the identification and placed the body in the morgue to await the autopsy search On a hunch I asked Earl to drive me over to Wilbright's boat dock where a Baron's car have been left parked The police over the telephone I wasn't here when poor old Baron come for his boat on Friday What a shame such a nice old man. Where were you mr. Bright? I was up to Gainesville picking up some fish and tackle from a wholesale Well, and mr. Baron must have got a boat from someone else that morning. Oh, no, no, sir No, no, sir. Why not mr. Bright? Oh, he never took out a boat from anybody else but me his own boat At least it was the one I kept set aside for him and that's what kind of puzzled me mr. Dollar is it? That's right. Well, you see when I come back here Saturday night His boat was right here at the dock, but it weren't tied up in its usual spot We're always tired up somebody had moved it must have and it weren't my helper Pete No Johnny that means he may have taken it out, but whoever did him in returned it possibly Mr. Bright, which one is his boat? Right here. I'll show you. I always give him the same one never let nobody else use it That's why he kept this fishing tackle just laying in it always ready to use here. Yeah, I see I've heard he wasn't a very good fisherman. No. No, he never brought in a thing Of course, maybe it was a soft heart and he put back everything you caught Well, maybe his daily excursions were just to get away from his wife, mr. Bright Now don't you say nothing against her, mister? Maybe she is a little touched on religion So she tries a different kind every couple of months, but she's a fine woman Just like he was a fine man and everybody knows it. Yeah Excuse me Well, I just noticed something about this tanker lying in the boat Mm-hmm. Thanks a lot, mr. Bright. What I think might have happened. Yeah, maybe later. Thanks What did you what did you find there Johnny Earl did probably baron ever go fishing with you? You were good friends. No, no, he always wanted to go out alone. Yeah, but not to fish Huh that tackle box hasn't been moved in months. The paint is still dark under it What and that real I could hardly turn it. Well, then what I don't know what but Baron was using that boat every day for something Besides fishing Any ideas, you know him pretty well. Have you? No Let's get over to headquarters Earl felt he ought to go back to his office where his wife Mike had promised to pick him up So I borrowed his car again and went over to headquarters alone Sergeant Harry Brackett was assigned to the case. It returned. It was on the phone when I walked in on Yes, ma'am, thank you Yes, so what Johnny? Johnny, I'm sure glad you here. I got a real mixed-up case on my hands. So probably burning matter Well, you know about it. That's why I came to Sarasota Earl poorman call me. Have you found out anything other much of you? Only what's here the autopsy report. What's in that hurry? Doc Snowden says that parley Baron was dead before he was put into the water out there in the Gulf No water in the lungs. You see it. I mean He probably means murder. Have you told anybody this? No, not yet. Why not? Well, I don't know maybe because I just can't figure anybody in the world would want to kill parley Baron Did you talk with will bright down at the boat dock just before you came in? You know it sounds like somebody went with Baron in his skiff that morning killed him dumped him over the side and then brought the Boat back alone doesn't it except for one thing Pete marina a little kid who plays around bright stock all the time You're sort of a self-appointed caretaker when bright isn't there. What about him? Well, Peter saw Mr. Baron take off in his skiff Friday morning alone But he didn't see him come back Pete went home for lunch when he got back the dock skip was in Then whoever did it met him out on the water somewhere Maybe several people so that one of them could return the skiff taking an awful change with it. How do you mean? Docs in pretty isolated spot alright, but the killer showing up in barren skiff without the old man long That's too much of a change. How else could it be returned? Tired tight little Pete says it when he got back the dock of skiff was there But not as usual please so well bright mention also wasn't tied up. It was just sitting there Oh, then you met untied. No, I'm at TIDE when the tides rising it floats everything from the past between Lido and Lambo keys right up to wills dark you think the boat just floated back by itself You got a better idea Harry yeah, are you sure it was barren's body? We picked up out there After all the fish and whatnot disfigured it pretty badly I've known him for years and didn't Earl Pullman recognize him immediately. Yeah in the clothes He was wearing his own straw hat Well, if you checked on this dental work things like that wait now for dr. Dana He was his dentist to get back that you know, that's a funny thing Why I called Dana the minute that body was brought in after all teeth about as solid identification as you can get I thought you were sure anyway. Well, I wanted to be doubly sure Anyhow when Dana didn't get here right away. I called him again. I got his wife on the phone According to her he suddenly left for Tampa Urgent call or something. We're in Tampa. She didn't know at least she wouldn't say but it's kind of fishy to me May just be the one of his patients are Dainter that's right. The man who got so much publicity about atomic radiation studies affects on the teeth and so on. That's the one What's matter, Johnny? When you're stumped on a case says Earl Pullman go fishing we did we found a body What are you getting at me when I'm stumped? I play my hunches no matter how crazy they may seem and the hunch I have right now man is the craziest. I'll see you later I learned a long time ago in this business when you got a hunch on the line You played for all its worth Item three ten cents for a phone call from a booth in the drugstore just around the corner Hello, hello, Mrs. Dana. Yes, this is Mrs. Dana. My name is Larkin Mrs. Dana from the Federal Bureau That's right, so you can see why it's important you say nothing to anyone about this call I'm simply checking to make sure your husband has followed instructions. Oh, I see has he left for Tampa Did he tell you who called well, no, but I did hear him mention the name do fraying do fraying Just be sure you don't mention it to anyone else Item 4 390 at the side of the flying red horse and the way to Tampa At least I could do for the use of Earl's car was filled a gas tank on expensive countercourse The FBI gig had worked before so I used it again to blow my way through the gate at Dufresne chemical corporation into the office suite of Dufresne himself I wasn't all surprised to see activity in the suite despite the late hour Yes, that's right FBI, which is the door to mr. Dufresne's office. I'm afraid he asked some people with him sir What did you say your name? Never mind. Is this the door sir? Oh, I'm Arnold Dufresne This is dr. Dana, and this is mr. McLaughlin of the Federal Bureau. How are you? We've been expecting you Have you sit down darling? I guess this is your show now McLaughlin My credentials mr. Dollar First I suppose I should prefer charges against you for impersonating a member of the Bureau Yeah, well, I can hardly say that I blame you though under the circumstances Incidentally our man in Sarasota's had quite a timekeeping track of you You mean there was a tail on me from the moment you arrived. No kidding We didn't dare take the chance that you might upset things for us after all you've a reputation for being pretty sharp We should have anticipated that you might be called in on the case, but no we planned things very carefully. We Shall we say overlooked you even as we almost slipped up with dr. Dana here who would identify that body Look, will you please tell me what this is all about a man named poor man called you in Hartford and asked that you come Here to investigate the disappearance of his old friend and client parley Baron yeah, that's right Now where is he what happened to Baron you know we do and we were afraid you might find out and let the Shall we say cat out of the bag that is why we were all ready to send for you to come here But well as it turned out you came over yourself mr. McLaughlin by the way mr. Dollar is all right alive healthy and happy Then that body we picked up dressed in his clothes during the last war mr. Baron as a research chemist made vitally important contributions to our Shall we say national security? Oh, he was too valuable a man to lose even though his wife object to his work for Religious reasons yeah, I gather that from talking to her or perhaps you even thought she might somehow be implicated in his Disappearance and the thought certainly edit my mind well in any event so that he could continue to have a happy home and at the same time carry on his tremendously important work we arranged for the Little deception that has been going on for some years now his so-called daily fishing trips That's right, but each morning in a small hidden Cove. I needn't tell you where he was picked up and brought here to Tampa to carry on his work Well, I'll be done no one was the wiser even our Shall we say your competitor nations in atomic and missile research who were bound to keep tabs on such a man? They knew only that he was working for the Defraene Chemical Corporation and they didn't know that Well, we must suppose so International espionage is pretty well organized these days but now this disappearance were changes in plans for Nuclear developments had made it mandatory that he spent some time in the Well elsewhere where? Well, shall we say somewhere in New Mexico or something like that so to openly send him there would have indicated to our competitors What these new developments could be? That had to be avoided at any cost therefore the plan for his disappearance was carefully worked out and Carried out then whose body was it we picked up Some poor unidentified old derelict who was on his way to Potter's Field Well, believe me if the Bureau functions this thoroughly and everything it does we try But what about Mrs. Baron? Oh, she'll bear up. We of course made sure of that in the beginning And then when her dear husband does return I would be When his work is finished and of course that'll be too late for our Friends across the sea to catch up with us and we've worked out a completely plausible story to cover his absence Oh, I'm sure you have now dr. Dana here will return to Sarasota in the morning He will confirm identification of the body that was fished from the sea with only Sufficient reservation to protect his professional reputation when parley Baron reappears all right now What an insurance claim is filed on well, I'm sure mrs. Baron won't file for some time Unless urged to by your friend poor man. No, I can prevent that without telling him anything. That's fine What's more with the pension that some companies have for shall we say slow action on claims? Well, don't let them he you say that well, Baron will be back before you need to worry about it now That okay with you mr. Dollar Shall we say okay? And once more I tip my hat to the FBI Expense account total including plain fare and incidentals back to Hartford $421.50 remarks For obvious reasons. I have used fictitious names throughout this report and of course delayed filing it until obtaining official clearance yours truly Johnny dollar And now here's our star to tell you about next week's story Next week a strange old character the most beautiful girl I've ever met and money all over the place counterfeit Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone who also wrote tonight's story heard in our cast were Virginia Greg Jeanette Nolan will write Barney Phillips Lawrence Dobkins Stacey Harris and Harry Bartell Musical supervision is by Amarico Marino Be sure to join us next week same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Dan Cumberley speaking Johnny dollar has come to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces radio and television service