 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar This is Carl Walden. There's a message here for me to call you. Oh, yes, mr. Walden I'm with Eastern Trust Insurance Company. We're trying to locate an insurance beneficiary named Lorraine Broderick Understand she lived in your apartment building up until 1953 A doctor she worked for here dr. Pollard. I don't know where she is mr. Dollar I haven't seen her for two years. We're trying to pay off a claim mr. Walden Didn't she leave a forwarding address or give you any idea of where she no no not a thing You've got a job in your hands pal. I don't think that baby wants to be found Got a couple of minutes. Yes, I'll be right over Tonight in every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator goes truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to Eastern Trust Insurance Company claims division Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is incurred during my investigation of the Broderick matter Lorraine Broderick that is missing Expense account continued items six fourteen dollars even photographs The photographer who had taken the pictures of the 1948 graduating class at st. Charles high school still carry the proofs in his files Among them four poses of Lorraine Broderick I'd stop by to get them on my way out to see Carl Walden apartment house manager He hadn't changed his mind about anything since our phone conversation. No, sir She doesn't seem to want anybody to know where she is She'd have left a forwarding address or something like that instead She pulled out in the middle of the night bagging baggage and that's the last we ever saw just when was this mr. Walden About the middle of December or so 1953 yes was a couple of years ago. Oh you want one of these no no thanks. I don't smoke Can you think of any place she might have gone mr. Walden? New York City? Oh, why New York? It's the closest place to go isn't it for somebody like her. I'm not so sure. I know what she was like I've had several different versions mr. Walden say you talked to that doctor. She worked for yeah boy I'll bet his version was a PIP. How do you mean well? She walked out on him that poor guy was around here several times asking if we'd heard From her if she'd written us a change of address He didn't say it, but I think he had it real bad for her. Oh, oh, yeah, and I didn't tell him about the other guy either Well, suppose you tell me about the other guy mr. Walden. Oh, why not? Well, well about a week before she left I saw her in the hall a couple of times with this other guy big gray haired man War humbergs and things like that an older man. Is that what you mean? Oh, no not old Forty-five ish maybe you're no expensive looking character drove a caddy the size of a freight train New York plates Buy and sell this place with his pocket money happen to know his name. No He never came around again after she moved out But they were sure chummy while he was here at least a couple of times. I saw them together can't blame him She was okay. Did she owe you any rent when she left? Nope. Did she give you notice? She was vacating nope just left a note or anything a $50 bill on the desk in an envelope addressed to me. That's all that's it Well, uh Was she friendly with anybody else in the building? Well, not that I know of People here keep pretty much themselves You know, it's a funny thing. What's funny that old boy with the Homburg. I wonder why he never came around looking for her good question Expensive count item seven twenty two dollars advertisements. I placed ads in the personal columns of every New York paper Anyone knowing the present whereabouts of Lorraine Broderick, please contact I Spent the rest of the day interviewing the Cadillac dealers in town on the off chance that one of them might have serviced the Cadillac with the New York Plate sometime in December of 1953 No one remembered the man Walden had described. I even tried the service records impossible to check The case was stale made of that way for five days last Tuesday things picked up Johnny dollar Hello. Hello. Who is this? Johnny dollar. Yeah Can you hear me very well? Johnny, I'm calling from New York. Hey, who is this? Why it's Lorraine Lorraine Yes, yes, I saw your advertisement in the papers Johnny. I wondered what you wanted Johnny That's what I always called you isn't it? You never met me before in your life. Hey, what is this? Just a moment Go ahead. Mr. Dameron Mr. Dollar. Yeah Just what is your business with Lorraine Broderick? I want to find her to pay off an insurance claim now Who are you? I'm sorry. I asked my secretary to say she was Lorraine I've been listening on the extension. I'd like a little more explanation than that. Mr. Dameron 424 East 47th Street. I know how all this must sound to you, Mr. Dollar But I'm not trying to confuse you. Well, I am confused. Do you know Lorraine Broderick? Yes And let's take it from there, Mr. Dameron Expense account item 8 $15 transportation and incidentals Hartford to New York for the purpose of seeing Mr. William Dameron whoever he might be and trying to gather further information concerning Lorraine Broderick wherever she might be 424 East 47th was a 30-story job that housed among other things the Union brokerage company This happened to be located on a ground level suite. It also happened that Mr. William Dameron was president of same He looked about the way I expected Of course, I knew Lorraine Broderick, Mr. Dollar. I Apologize again for that awkward subterfuge on the telephone You say you represent an insurance company. That's right. May I see your credentials? Sure Here Investigator Thank you We're trying to pay off in a policy, Mr. Dameron a man named John Smith left Lorraine Broderick a small estate of $1,500 I see Can you tell me where she is right now? I'm afraid I can't oh Sit down, Mr. Dollar. Sit down. Oh, thanks. I Take it you knew her in Hartford. That's right. I did she came here to New York with me Let me assure you there was nothing improper about it. I Met Lorraine when she was working for a dentist there a doctor No, whatever it was. I happen to have had a little dental trouble on a trip there I found the dentist and I met her When I suggested she drive to New York with me I Did it with the understanding that we were to be married here You you couldn't have known her very long Mr. Dameron a week No one could have been more surprised than myself at my own conduct and Still more surprised when once we arrived here Lorraine disappeared Yeah, that seems to be a habit of hers. Tell me about it, Mr. Dameron Look, you're talking to me not the insurance company Very well It was Christmas Eve of 1952 Lorraine was staying with my sister Pauline up in Westchester County. I Picked her up about six o'clock that evening to go to a party out on Long Island Between here in Long Island. We stopped for gasoline. I Left the car for a moment and when I came back Lorraine was gone and That's it Did you see her or hear from her after that? No, I didn't did she leave a note in the car a message of some kind No, I don't quite get this mr. Dameron You were going to be married after you knew her only a week You brought her here to New York and a few days later She just stepped out of your car in a filling station and disappeared. It's quite reasonable from her point of view I suppose but not from mine. It doesn't make sense Did you have a fight an argument or something? Oh, no, what was it? Nothing nothing? I don't think I would ever have argued with Lorraine lovely gentle sweet, I know What about her things? What things are clothes out at your sister's didn't she send for them? No, she only had two small bags. They're still there as far as I know. Well, what did you do? Did you call the police? No, no, why well, I would if a girl I was going to marry disappeared like that No, I'm afraid a call to the police would have been well rather awkward a man in my position Let me ask you this Do you have any idea why she walked away? Yes, perhaps it's of no practical value to the you though Any information I can get will be helpful as well. All right then I Think Lorraine was frightened of what of life mr. Dollar Not people or circumstances, but but life Yes, you say that with a lot of conviction. Yes, Lorraine had always been well a poor girl She lived with a rather decrepit uncle for a time after her parents were killed in an accident an automobile accident. She said I think that I I Offered her the happiness and security she had always longed for But I also think she was not mature enough or adjusted well enough to accept it This is of no value is it I might be Can you tell me if she ever spoke of any ambitions? Maybe maybe she want to go on the stage or become a nurse Lorraine simply wanted to be my wife and live here I can see you find that difficult to believe and I'm almost old enough to have been her father That is not the reason Lorraine walked away from the car that night And believe me mr. Dolores. I'm terribly mistaken. She was very much in love with me and wanted to marry me Have you tried to find her mr. Dameron? No, no, I have not I Waited around the filling station that night hoping she'd return But I didn't report the matter to the police as I said before I Intended to hire private detectives to locate her but then I gave that up, too I'm afraid I don't understand this if you loved it I Would this make it more understandable? Lorraine was a rational normal human being when I left her in that car No one forced her away from it or me The man at the filling station said she merely stepped out and disappeared down the street She left of her own free will for her own reasons Hmm. I think I see your point. Thank you I've hoped that one day she would appear at my door contact me come to me But she hasn't the most matchless woman I've ever known Is there any way I can help you more concretely if you can tell me the exact location of that filling station I believe I can do that. But why last place you've seen alive. Oh that word alive just a word mr. Have you spoken to many people who knew her a few the dentist you work for an apartment house manager principal in her high school Yeah, I think they all told me the truth The what the truth, you know how it actually was what really happened. Oh, I had to dameron She would have run out on you in Westchester taken a cab from your sister's place with her luggage Or she could have come to you and called off the marriage dollar now looking at you and talking to you Anyone would be impressed by the fact that you're a reasonable and understanding man. I am She could have left you a dozen easier ways mr. Dameron But it doesn't stand to reason that she'd step out of a car on Christmas Eve on the way to a party and disappear With no luggage with the clothes on her back and no more Women don't do things like that. They want an overnight bag and change a clothes somewhere to go to it doesn't make sense That's exactly what she did they don't do it that way unless there's a mighty good reason a real guilt edge reason mr. Dameron something that says what's ahead is better than what's being left How much did she swipe? What what did she take how much? Close to sixty five hundred dollars sixty five hundred Lovely sweet Gentle she took it from the wallet in my overcoat while I was talking to the filling station attendant. I Would have given it to her Gladly all of this everything But she had to steal it from me She had to steal it from me like some common little thief There's truly no fool like an old fool Is there mr. Dollar There'll be another intriguing episode of the Broderick matter tomorrow tomorrow when the trail really gets hot and goes right down on a police Blotter join us won't you yours truly Johnny dollar Yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood written by John Dawson 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