 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Sure it does so I have that extension. Come on back here in the living room. We'll finish up our cocktails be on our way Extension to from the man who put the extension of my apartment Yeah, it's kind of a lion's shake you dial that number and hang up then if both phones ring, you know the extension is okay There's another line check number that you can dial I forgot what it is and all you get is a busy signal It could be an awfully cute gag sometimes, you know on somebody who didn't know about these numbers. Yeah, oh, let's finish our cocktails I'm sure you didn't make it ring this time. I I kind of left your number with my call service Oh, no, maybe I better take it now. Listen if that's some insurance company Well, you can just tell them they'll have to wait until tomorrow This is the third time in a week that we try to have dinner together first it was that curly waters who tried to kill you Oh, no, no, no, take it easy. Maybe this calls for you one of your faithful boyfriend Well, then maybe I'd better answer it. No, just leave it to me. I'll scare them off Johnny dollar Berton Wells at Masters Insurance and Trust. Oh, I've got to see you Johnny here at the office right away Oh, look, I have a date Bert. So can't whatever's bothering you wait until some other time You have a date, huh? Yeah, that's right. We're just about to go out for dinner. No Johnny unless you get over here right away, you may find you have another date. What a date with death Well Okay, Bert Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar And now act one of yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the masters insurance and trust company home office Hartford, Connecticut Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the date with death matter. I Told my date Betty Lewis to stay there in her apartment until I called her then I spent item one a dollar twenty for a cab To masters insurance and trust Bert Wells was all alone in his office Come in Johnny sit down. Yeah, sure, but Now what's all the excitement curly waters. Oh, I kind of had a hunch that was it lieutenant Howard Daley's on his way over from police had What's happened? Two years ago you had curly set up to the pen and that's right for the Maley's department store Javi Paul then just a few days he swore that he'd get you for that that he'd kill you didn't he so what happened when he Escaped and came here to Hartford a few days ago I know all about that from reading your report Thanks to some quick thinking on your part the police nabbed him instead plus the loot from the department store You know who deserves a real credit for that the girl I had a date with tonight until you spoil things with your phone Johnny as you know either you were the police wounded curly waters Which is why he was taken to the hospital and placed under guard instead of being locked up. So I see you managed to locate him. Yes, lieutenant You okay dollar any reason why I shouldn't be how he has mr. Wells told you what's happened No, but I think I can guess curly waters escaped from the hospital. Yes I had three good men there watching over him But he managed to get by them how with help one of his old cronies Gimpy Taylor. Yes Gimpy created a disturbance out in the hall and when they went after him curly crashed out through the window When they went back in after him Gimpy took it on the land three good men Did you say well the odds were all with curly and gimpy when the boys went out in the hall after Gimpy again It was full of interns and and nurses and stretchers with patients on them If they fired a shot, they might have killed somebody. Well, what goes you want me to go out and look for him No, sir. Don't you see Johnny the reason I called you is because of the threat against your life, of course and Johnny I'm going to provide you with a bodyguard 24 hours a day until curly is picked up No, no, wait a minute. Listen how he listen He almost got to you just a few days ago Don't you forget that and one way or another the lieutenants, right Johnny you said yourself that if it wasn't for your Girlfriend this Betty Lewis. Oh, all right. Let me use you here You said one way or another how he that's right and yeah, maybe through your girl Is that who you're calling? Yes. Are you sure she's at home Johnny? That's where I just left her I told her to stay there not to move until she heard from me Johnny with curly waters ever Come on buddy pick it up pick it up act two of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment Now act two of yours truly Johnny dollar and the date with death matters early waters killer on the loose again I'd left Betty in her apartment. I told her to stay there, but when I tried to call her on the phone no answer Lieutenant Howard Daley and I took the elevator down to the street to his prowl car But it's one way the wrong way Yeah, but it'll give us a short cut after a couple of blocks if truly has got to her say it Haven't you got a key? I have not Stand back Johnny. I'll see if I can smash it open. Wait a minute Betty Betty Wait, look it's open Betty Betty are you afraid she's gone Johnny just gone We went over the apartment with a fine-tooth comb hoping to find some clue as to where she'd gone Yeah, and how she's gone Curly was a desperate man likely to do anything Betty had left in a hurry We were sure of that because the closet in the foyer was left to open the coat hanger lying on the floor And because of the way she'd left the front door unlocked, but that was all we knew At least there was no sign of a struggle because he probably had a gun and your girlfriend probably knows He's one of the best shots in the country. All right. All right. How he now listen, huh? No, let me take it Johnny, but it may be I'll get it. Hello Who's calling? Riley down in headquarters, what you think? Oh, it's Riley Thanks Yeah, we got one of them lieutenant. You can be Taylor. What's that? Where about 11 miles up north road Yeah, you wrap this stolen car on a big olem tree, you know, but dead man's claim Did it kill him? I managed to crawl a couple hundred yards under the brush for he conked out. What's currently what is with him? Riley was curly waters with him. Oh, it was no sign of him But the man they stole the car from said it was two of them. There was two of them then ask him Any sign of Betty there a Riley any sign of a passenger a girl? Also, okay Okay, I'll keep checking with you You hear it all Johnny. Yeah, two men stole the car So the other one must have been curly Whether they were both on the rack and curly was able to get away After all of Kimpy was able to crawl a couple of hundred yards. Yeah Curly may be a couple of hundred miles away by now. Oh, maybe not Howie, I don't think he left town with Kimpy helped him steal a car yet. I make it look as though he was leaving Why do you say that Johnny because of Betty because I think he's holding Betty to get me to him Then maybe you'll agree to a 24-hour a day bodyguard after all, huh? No, no absolutely not Johnny I think that Curly's a jerk. He isn't he's smart. He's smart enough to smell a cop a mile away No, howie. No, there's only one thing to do only one way to flush him out. We Johnny Betty Betty what happened? Where have you been? What happened to you? I got a phone call. Yeah from the hospital We stay said it was the hospital. Yeah He said you were down there that you'd been shot by Curly water. I told you he's clever howie Betty thank heaven. He is not to get you. Oh, this is lieutenant daily from headquarters What were you gonna say Johnny? I say he's clever This means that Curly still in town still gunning for me He called Betty to get her away from this apartment knowing that I'd come here. Yeah And he might have been here waiting for me if you hadn't come to but he's smart Smart enough to want to catch me alone So howie it means there's only one bait in the world. It'll bring him out in the open. What's that Johnny me? Alone John all right Betty you're staying here. Howie. You're going back to headquarters me I'm going to my apartment. I'm gonna sit there and wait for him. Oh Johnny. No, okay sure Johnny You go right ahead But I'll have enough men hidden away surrounding that place of yours Oh, then you'll never get him then he'll have to skip out maybe skip the country I'd like to see him try it. Howie. He's an actor a good one if that costume of a priest He was gonna use before he can well in that he could have walked right by you or me or anybody else And never been recognized and with a phony passport which he already has he'll skip the country All right, but when he comes back, I won't know I won't be ready for him Right now. I am please Johnny. Yeah, let's know how you'd be a sitting duck for it. Sorry It's the only way Act three of yours truly Johnny dollar in a moment No, act three of yours truly Johnny dollar Johnny dollar kitchen Maybe soon to be a dead one The only way to bring curly waters out in the open was for me to wait for him Wait for him to come and try to kill me So after making Betty promise to stay in her apartment and lieutenant daily to go back to headquarters I went over to my own apartment, and I waited Believe me. I felt anything but brave But I'd rather take my chances on having it out with him now and spend the rest of my life knowing he was still alive Somewhere still gunning for me that sooner or later. He'd catch me off guard 11 p.m. 12 12 30 Huh? My impulse was to raise my gun and pull off a couple of shots right through that door. Yeah Who is it? Oh, what the devil are you doing here? Just checking up Johnny checking up You got a bunch of your boys scattered around out there. No bodyguards. You were talking about no Johnny, but Listen, will you sitting here alone waiting for him? You're taking too much of a chance Can't you get it through that thick skull of yours? I tell you it's the only way to make him show himself And I tell you it's the surest way in the world to get murdered You don't think I'm able to take care of myself. I didn't say that well in I'm a cop Johnny. I just can't let you do this. Oh, you mean you're worried that maybe you'll be set down to pounding a beat again Oh, no you crazy fool. I'm worried about you Won't you change your mind? No, no now you better leave howie and for heaven's sake don't come back again But unless I do how can I tell How will I know oh, you'll know you'll know if he does come and I'm sure he will if you don't scare him off I hope and pray he doesn't bow when it's all over. I'll call you Johnny If he go on howie would you you're just holding things up and I'll tell me he doesn't know you've come here So go on baby beat it Okay, you give me your word that you won't come back until I call you but what if He gets you your word on it Okay, Johnny I went back into my little kitchen and brewed a pot of coffee a big one Fatigue was a possibility. I hadn't thought of it. So right now Maybe curly what his head Yeah, he probably thought of a lot of things a lot of tricks Because at least one thing was sure after what happened a few days ago He knew that somehow he'd have to get me off guard I Hoped and pray that how he would keep his word would keep his men away from the whole area that he himself would stay Away not even call until this whole thing had come to a head And I heard it Who's at the back door of my apartment the kitchen door that led to a fire escape? Fortunately, I turned the light off in the kitchen It's sneak in without being seen Betty get in here quick. Oh Why did you come here? I mean crazy with worry isn't the lieutenant have brains enough to put some men around your place to keep an eye on you I threw an old tin can out the window and when they went to investigate I sneaked out the back way through the alley ready. You're insane to have come here Don't you see if curly comes and there's a lot of shooting think I could just Sit there knowing what might happen here any minute knowing that if curly got lucky or honey, honey I don't know what to tell you and I can't send you back without a police guide And if the police come around it'll only keep purely away I just been sitting here hoping that how he'll have sense enough not to come back again Oh, yeah, you got worried about me too. I'm not Oh Johnny. Yeah, maybe it is. All right. Go on into the bedroom here Stay there no matter what happens stay they understand stay there Yeah, who is it how I open up? I told you how are you idiot you would? Just don't try to raise that gun dollar drop it Drop it dollar over there sitting that chair Yeah, I guess right you sent the cops away so I'd come after you but I had to be sure That's why I've been sitting an empty apartment across the hall all afternoon all night to make sure That's how I knew what the lieutenant's voice sounded like Real clever boy curly. All right. I'm not gonna waste any time that dumb lieutenant might try coming back again I'd have to kill him too So dollar I'm not even giving you time to pray. You're you're pretty sure there aren't any cops planning around here Aren't you I'm not only sure but gimpy tail his wife is spotted where she can see if they try to come around. Yeah Just what do you think she could do about it one shot into the alley across the street and they'd forget all about you Dumb cops. All right. Tell me curly. I get it Goodbye dollar Don't answer Not a word dollar not a word Just hang it up early Who is that or should I early? I'm gonna fall and don't move move with a gun on me here Curly yeah, who is it myrtle gimpy's wife Myrtle now listen dollar isn't alone. He was in the bedroom waiting for you Is the door to that bedroom open? No, it isn't what goes curly quiet If the door of that bedroom starts to open don't wait start shooting the dollar Hold his phone keep the line open and don't move out of that chair. Why telling me why quiet quiet. No, no you don't Okay, buddy Thank heaven you remember the number to dial and make those phones How about the way I had his guide my boys for him You realize what a chance you were taking if he hadn't turned to fire when you kicked open that door if I'd missed him when I threw That phone at him it worked. That's all that and look look one of his bullets nicked you right here on the arm. Mix me. Yeah. Oh God Hold me Johnny Curly's back in the clinic and this time to stay When the necessary papers were signed I hauled them over to the state pen myself So expense account total including transportation forty seven dollars even ready ready Lewis Well, I'll tell you this if I was a marrying kind believe me yours truly Johnny dollar Originates in Hollywood and is written produced and directed by Jack Johnstown Herdyn our cast were Lucille Meredith James McCallion Russ Thorson Sam Edwards and Herb Bygren Be sure to join us next week same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Dan coverley speaking