 It means just seven hundred dollars more in the piggy bank and yours truly can start tooling around the countryside in a brand new fancy foreign sports car So unless you can guarantee me a minimum of 700 bucks Why should I travel all the way to Corpus Christi possibly miss out on something lucrative around here a sports car? Oh the ultra ultra George slightly over $10,000 worth You know it sounds like the little hunk of iron I keep stashed away in my garage you When you're talking about a friend Zeddy, aren't you that's the one all right? How do you like it? What do you mean? Well, have you ever driven one of these dreamboats? No the tight fisted dealer wouldn't let me touch it until I lay the cash on the line Why don't you run on down here and get you mean it sure well, okay? I mean come on down here and take over this insurance problem for me and the friend Zeddy is your oh now Wait a minute couple of days couple of weeks as long as you like after handling a case for you No, no, I suppose not Georgie. You're a doll CBS radio brings you Bob Reddick in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to eternity mutual insurance company office in Corpus Christi, Texas following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the rat pack matter Expense account item one one hundred and thirty three seventy taxi tips and plane fare to Corpus Christi It was early afternoon by the time the big silver bird set me down a municipal airport Oh, I kind of thought maybe that beta mine would bring you down here in a hurry. Hi, George. Hi, where is it? The car well, what else my little sports car. That's right the friend Zeddy one stop beating around the bush Where is it safely locked up in my garage? Are you kidding why not a bit? I came over here in the beat-up old crate that I drive to work Georgie you're a dog But as soon as you've cleared up this mess for me the friend Zeddy is yours all yours All right, all right, whatever you say now. What kind of a mess let's put these bags into your car Run on into your office in town. Oh, I know you picked out for me and on the way you can tell me what it's all Did you say no somewhere along the line there? Yeah, why because what you're gonna use pal is one of the new Compacts I've arranged the rental for you and it's sitting right over there at the curb What a guy because you are taking this job on all alone over in a town called Summit Hill Summit Hill Named after hunk of rocks taking up out of the ground or maybe 40 50 miles north and west of skidmore where skidmore Or maybe 40 50 miles north of here I see what's going on in Summit Hill murder embezzlement arson or what no Summit Hill is a nice small well to do Residential spot a lot of nice old folks who made enough in oil and gas to retire there with their families Oh, but the last couple of months all we've been doing is writing checks to settle claims the old folks are dying off No, no, no, no, but like I said, they all have nice homes and a bunch of nice cars And that's where the damage is being done. What kind of damage malicious mischief only mischief is too mild a word Just call it vandalism Like what George like taking those nice new models out on the back roads and hot rod them to death Then reckon whatever is left of them in a ditch off against a tree Well, that sounds to me and you should see what it does to a pretty seed day and a limousine when it's been drag Raced over some of those backcountry roads and then our company has to foot the bill You know that sounds like to me Jordan sure pal, and you are a hundred percent right It's the work of a worthless bunch of kids some rat pack. It's not over the police up there Oh, the police department consists of exactly one sweet old man and a couple of half-witted deputies Just as helplessly scared and upset as the rest of the population Even the police cars been taken out and wrecked a couple of times But don't the state police get in on a thing like this I mean if these kids are using the roads and highways a minute They appear even when they've made some careful stakeouts Johnny and they're pretty smart at that sort of thing Why everything stops the whole town gets just as quiet as a church on the other words I better not let anyone know my reason for going there Oh, you're right pal, and you can see why I don't want you taking my pretty little friends Eddie alone Yeah, you got a point there knows how to cross up those crazy kids. I mean try to protect your property Why they could be killers Johnny. You think they'd go that far. I know this Driving a nice car. I wouldn't even want to be in that town not after dark But you're perfectly willing to send me up there to tangle with that rat pack Well, I mean Well after all pal That sort of thing is your job. Oh sure sure Well, thanks pal Expense account item two six eighty five at a stationery store I bought a large impressive looking blank book with a fancy binding for an extra buck the stationer carefully stenciled on the cover the words official business federal suburban population survey And then I drove north to skidmore took the cutoff and finally ended up in Summit Hill There after going from house to house asking questions conducting a mythical survey I got the impression that this community of six or seven hundred people Might have been a very nice place to live For the older people that is if it weren't for a gang of clever young troublemakers Item three three dollars for some gas Well, tell you this though, mister Want me to fill up? Yeah. Yeah, fill her up Tell you this those dirty owneric kids try to mess around my car take it out and wreck it Well, I've got a good mister and I'd shoot first and ask questions after that's what I do pretty bad bunch, huh? Well, you ask me we better organize some vigilante around here Old chief Forster can't do anything Never any trouble when the state police come around How those kids always seem to know when there's cops around I Can't figure it out Don't the folks around here keep their cars and garages most of them But those fancy houses up on the hill where the moneys have opened car ports Well, certainly people don't leave the keys in their cars. No need to kind of those kids use a jumper wire They hot wire. How do you know their kids? Anybody actually seen them plenty of people, Mr. Plenty now that if their descriptions were given to the police descriptions Well, if you see those Halloween mass they wear and the false beard and hair and those crazy costumes like a Halloween parade How could anybody identify them? I see I'll tell you this I Was that nice mr. Briarly up on the hill with that nice new hot top that was delivered to him today Briarly. Yeah Well, I sure wouldn't keep it around this town tell you that There'll be 286 compacts don't hold very much right There you are. I Don't bother with the change. Oh, thanks Well, now you can get on with that survey you're making be out of town for dog. You said Briarly. Yep Well, I am I seem to have missed that family in my survey out for the hill 27 summit, please Okay, thanks. I'll tell you this I wouldn't bother tonight. I'd come on back in the daytime At a time I could grab a bite to eat That's item for dollar 75 And get up to the Briarly home on the hill. It was well after dark The brand new expensive hard top was there in a carport at the side a Mrs. Briarly I see by that book in your hand. You're the survey man. I heard about well. I know it's late But may I come in? Well? All right, I guess it's safe to let you in Who is it mother? It's the survey man Henry. Oh, my name is dollar Johnny dollar. His name is mr. Johnny dollar. Oh Oh, well, you must excuse me holding a shotgun this way But mr. Dollar, I'm always so worried when somebody comes around at night from what I hear I can't say that I blame you oh dear Henry I hope that Frank and his nice girlfriend are all right and a dance over in Pleasanton course. They're all right, mother We're really worried about ourselves mr. Dower. Why do you say that sir? I just don't think we should have bought that nice new car I mean with all those horrible children around doing such awful things with people's cars Isn't the chief of police chief Foster any help? Oh, he tries but Whenever he puts on extra men to look after folks like us nothing ever happens. Oh, yes, it does mother But somewhere else in town to somebody else's car. I'm just Frightened if only there was something could be done about it mr. Dollar or maybe something is going to be by whom? Even the state police haven't been able to do anything sure because somebody's apparently been able to tip off this rat pack And that means local knowledge Local now of everything that goes on in this town. Do you think they're local boys? What else that couldn't be couldn't they? Well, I've looked over this town pretty carefully I've done a lot of thinking about it because of your survey. It looks like a mighty nice place to live Oh, it is it is it was sure For people of your age But no baseball field tennis courts no movies things like that. Well, I know not even a soda joint with maybe a jukebox No place where the kids can gather and talk and laugh and dance and let off steam Oh, we make up for that mr. Dollar we parents all of us by giving them everything they want Our Frankie has a nice home with us and nice clothes and all the money He was I see and his high-five and his records and things and all the good books He needs and all the others at his age have everything too. That's true, mr. Dollar except perhaps for cars. Oh Well, after all we don't want to spoil you don't want to spoil How much do you check up on their activities say at night? Well, they're pretty grown up. How old is he? Do I this son of yours? Oh, Frankie's 22 And what does he do for a living? I mean Well does he he doesn't have to mr. Dollar why should he And how many other families are they with the same situation kids about the same age plenty of money nothing to do Practically all of us up here on the hill. Well, then what is the matter with you people? I beg your pardon Don't you see haven't you got brains enough wait a minute. Listen what outside the house All right now both of you stay right there. I hear too mother somebody out at the car for Is that a pistol you have there that's right What does the matter with this thing? I can't get the chain off a little pin. I put on underneath there But that gun mr. Dollar for me will you maybe that awful gang out there? Of course it is Would you open this door mr. Briar Lee or do I shoot the chain away? Oh, I'll open it And I'll lock it again after me, but if you go out there if you try to stop I'll just stay inside all right you kids Come on back here with that car Okay, then just one tire just one of those So now your gun is empty, huh? What no don't try to turn around mr. This switch blade is very sharp You turn around it might just cut your throat The switch blade knife at the back of my neck was new just enough to prove it was razor sharp. I Could feel a trickle of blood go down the inside of my collar You see man, I don't fool Not drop the rod drop it sure Now you pick it up Jean like we had that one dark collection That's right Moving only my eyes I Could see this other one plainly Burst the heavy cotton gloves that picked up my gun And then standing there in front of me The tattered blue jeans and sneakers The rotesque rubber mask the sloppy dirty sweatshirt on the figure of a girl Now while you try and sport our fun man, okay tough guy Oh, you mean no panic. You're not afraid of me when you're pretty big with that knife in my neck Aren't you huh? Well, it seems like you thought you were pretty big when you had that gun Too bad you used up all those pretty bullets man But Jeannie knows what to do with it. Well, then you listen to me Jeannie, whatever your name is Oh now you think we use our real names on a caper like this anymore. We use our real faces, huh? We'll turn around real slow and see how you like my face. Don't you hear good? I said turn around but slow and careful so Maybe you don't cut your throat So I started turning Slowly slowly Then as I felt the edge of the knife leave the back of my neck I Swung out with my left and send it spinning away And then I drove a hard right into his midsection I could turn again my own pistol came crashing down on the back of my head We're stretched out on the sofa there in the Briarley's living room a nice crack on my head Taste of bourbon burning in my throat Are you are you all right, mr. Dough? No, no thanks When everything is quiet out there and you didn't come back in yes And when chief Foster called to say our car had been rammed into a tree in front of his place So Henry went outside and found you lying there. Yeah, and uh Well, I went through your pockets mr. Daller. Oh You're a special investigator aren't you? Yeah You're really here on account of the children orchard And I hope and pray that All Frankie isn't one of them. Well, so do I mrs. Briarley, but don't bank on it. Yeah, mr. Daller I've Given a good deal of thought to what you said earlier Well, it's about time you and a few of the other people around here do more than just think and talk about it mr. Briarley I know I know we shall And meantime mother and I can only pray that What's that? Back door all right now listen. Hey, mother Frankie what happened to the car? Where is it? I mean you're snazzy new Who's this Frank? It's mr. Johnny dollar dollar You mean the big insurance investigator? Hey, this is a privilege But what happened to you mr. Dollar? Where have you been tonight Frank? Well a girlfriend and I took a bus over to Your mother pop What's wrong? Those kids again You didn't know Frankie You don't think I'm one of those crazy kids mr. Dollar Are you no sir? Believe me. I hope not. I swear that really sir But you you know something mr. Dollar. Yeah Maybe maybe pop and mother won't like here in this What is it Frank? Yes, huh? Well if you find out who they are mr. Dollar And maybe you can I've heard a lot about you mr. Dollar. No Go on Frank Well, you can't really blame them Oh, I know that what they're doing is wrong. It's wrong all wrong But what else have they got to do around this place? They've got to get their kicks somehow don't they I mean instead of rotting away in a place like this with this Well, there's nothing for kids to do and they're afraid to go away and be on their own because With their loving parents keep preaching to them and will break their hearts And how could they get along on their own anyway? They and me and all the rest of us haven't ever been given a chance to even think for ourselves Just tied down here all of us because they won't ever let us do anything else Now can you blame the kids for wanting to let off a lot of steam Frank? Can you blame them for trying to? Oh, I don't know what to say But don't you see mr. Dollar? It's okay Frank. We understand cause we do darling, but now please you become so overwrought Perfectly all right mother. I'll fix you a nice warm cup of Cambridge tea. No, mother Please just let him work things out for himself. Mrs. Briar Lee just once with the poor boys all up Mary no Mr. Dollar is right Now Frank Thanks, mr. Dollar. It's all right Now it's pretty obvious That you know who the members of the rat pack are Even if you aren't one of them. I'm not sir on my word But you know them. Now you want to tell me who they are Would you think much of me mr. Dollar if I did? These cases of mine usually have big fat dramatic endings and the devil with any kind of a message Or not so this time I Honestly don't know whether I did the right thing or not on this one too much faith in the younger generation Well, maybe I have But the next evening there at the home of the Briar Lee's there was a meeting of parents Of all the wealthy doting indulgent parents of all the kids in their late teens and early 20s Well, I tore into those parents and by the time I'd finished there were plenty of red faces among them Incidentally a couple of times out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw the face of a teenager in the shadows outside one of the windows What I said to those people and laying down the Lord of Well, I honestly don't remember exactly but it must have given them a jolt And if they carry out their plans, there won't be a kid in that town with an idle moment on his hands But their activities their projects will be their own With as little parental advice and guidance as possible Then the following night Thanks to a tip-off by young Frank without the knowledge of his parents. I barge in and a meeting of the kids seven or eight of them as I might have expected They were there and their foolish masks and makeup knowing that I'd be among them And do you think I've been rough on their parents? But again by the time I'd finished with them I Guess you're the only one in this town. Mr. Dahl ever remember he was a kid once But even if you're right even if you got somewhere with the old folks what happens now We all go to jail for all those crazy things we did well I'd say that depends on you. You certainly might have to keep on with the silly juvenile masquerading Or what do you say whoever you are behind that corny mask? Okay, I'll take it off See mr. Dahl maybe you don't know it, but some of us heard what you said our folks last night. Did you yes, sir We did and we heard what they're gonna do and not not for us, but what but with us. I Mean if they really do sure they will I'm betting on them. But what do you kids do? Well, sir, if it means anything, I'll Somehow earn the money and I don't mean for my folks pay for all the damage I've done You've got my word on it mr. Dahl Now as long as you know who we are as long as you got to report us to the police and all that Well, my name why What you you got to know who we are don't you well like I said that depends on you and I mean from here on out. I have seen you now I can come back here and identify every one of you if I ever have to Believe me mr. Dahl believed me Yes, sir, we promise you all right Now it's up to all of you well, I Sure hope I did the right thing By simply leaving it the way it stood And yet what else could I have done have more locked up for something that was only partly they're doing Try to make them into criminals. I Don't think so Incidentally because of a call to get right back to Hartford. I never did drive George Franklin's franzetti But I did get that $700 fee and that'll help me buy one of my own Expense account total including What am I talking about this one is on the cuff yours truly Johnny dollar And now here is our store to tell you about next week's story for next week a doll a purple doll and all that goes with it Join us. Won't you yours truly? Johnny dollar Bob Reddick is written by Jack Johnstone produced and directed by Bruno Zorato, Jr Heard in our cast were William Redfield as George Gertrude Warner as Mrs. Briarley film eater is Frank Jack Grimes as the kid Roger DeCoven as the gas station attendant and Bob Dryden as mr. Briarley Be sure to join us next week same time same station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Dan McDonald speaking