 From Hollywood it's time now for Bob Bailey as Johnny dollar Johnny. I've got it for you Lou Tang good What did you find out that prices on the Tokyo grain market did break suddenly about three weeks ago three weeks? Uh-huh reason over supply the price has been holding since at about 60% of the peak of 40% drop big enough to cause the damage What damage the sinking of the Molly K a double cross a frame-up murder. It's as clear as crystal Lou Come see me later tonight. Tell me all about it. All right, all right any rate come on Tell me about something about a certain night at Paris, maybe I Think I'd like that very much Johnny. Wait for me, Lou. I'll be there later. You can count on it Tonight and every weekday 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 San Francisco to the home office Marine and maritime casually limited Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the Molly K matter expense account final page Item 9 770 long-distance calls to Hartford in New York I was pretty sure before I called but I had to check on it. It checked Item 10 80 cents taxi from my hotel to the waterfront office of Inspector Dan McKay Harbor police That's a funny deal Johnny. I can't figure Captain Brawley has climbed up tight won't answer any more questions Doesn't want a lawyer won't even talk funny deal not when you consider the fact that he's innocent what? What do you say? No, I argued the opposite. I was wrong. What is it Johnny? Just plain stubbornness No, but that's what it is with Captain Brawley. Maybe that's the tip off his stubborn bullheadedness the human elements You mentioned how you're figuring it if Brawley were in a money jam He'd never scheme and connive at planning a thing like that of sinking his own ship He's too stubborn and besides he wasn't in a jam. I'm sure of it Well, no, wait a minute. He had a hundred thousand dollar mortgage to meet I finagle some information out of the bank the Brawley shipping company has a free balance of nearly a hundred and fifty thousand dollars And cash assets look here Johnny. You look I started out with a motive and I built a pretty strong case on it Even you agreed Everything pointed toward Captain Brawley. Sure because somebody was helping things point toward him. What do you mean? It wasn't just the ship itself that was insured. I'm still lost Johnny. Keep talking. All right. Look That cargo of grain was also insured by the owner with another company not mine and for top market value full price Yeah, well keep talking. All right The Tokyo grain market broke just four days before the Molly K was due to sale the first time The shipper stood to lose nearly half his investment if the grain reached Yokohama at that time Well, it didn't reach there. It's lying out there on the bottom of the Pacific Net result instead of taking a loss because of price the shipper gets full price from the insurance company. It ends up Dan Yeah, it sure does The shipper I think Captain Brawley suspected him too. That's what kept the old captain on the prod his ship gone under Suspicion for the sinking yet not wanting to hurt his daughter. He was caught right in the middle But keep on holding him to make it look like we still think he's the guilty party Well, it's that girl of his I feel sorry for Ellen. She's the one caught in the middle I know and it's gonna be rough on her when she finds out and Gauge to a killer who's been using her to smash your own father great setup Well, I get up all up now. We'll pick up this Dean Sutton and bring him in But you know something it'll be awful hard to pin it on him need evidence something definite Look, why don't you let me have a go at him first? That's out of the question. Sure Of course if you should happen to find him before we do well, yeah, I might just do that Dan in fact I've kind of got a hunch. I will It was a hunch but it might be a good one I left Dan's office and walked east along the waterfront following the long curve of the Embarcadero with its miles of docks and wars The night had settled down over the bay in the city and with it a dark damp blanket of fog even heavier than the night before and Because of that and other reasons I felt cold and lonesome and alone. I turned off the Embarcadero and walked out pier 29 I Was about 30 yards from the Brawley warehouse when I was suddenly brought up short On the water below me tied to a wharf pounding was a light cabin cruiser rocking gently with a swell It had no business being there Peer 29 was a commercial birth. My hunch was right I moved quietly to the edge of the wharf and stood watching the little cruiser for several minutes There was no sign of life. No sound Finally, I climbed over the dark rail down the wharf ladder and stepped onto the deck Still no sound no movement I moved over to the companion way door leading down below decks and reached out my hand for the latch Then I stopped short caught suddenly by a sharp feeling of danger It wasn't a sense of being watched. It was deeper more subtle more vague I tried to shake it off reach again for the latch then the boat shifted slightly in the dim glow from the wharf light overhead Moved across the hatchway door Inches in front of my face. I saw the glint of bare copper wires All set to make contact if the door was open One more move and I'd have been blown sky-high That boat was booby trapped There was a light burning in the office of the Brawley shipping company I knocked on the door drew my gun then I stepped back and waited. I leveled the gun on the door Johnny are you alone Ellen? Yes, of course. Come on. Let's get inside. What is it Johnny? Have you seen Dean Sutton tonight? I tried to find him, but I couldn't my father's been arrested charged with murder. Yeah, I know honey I came here to go over the company records to see if I could find something that might help him anything Look look at this mess somebody's been here files dumped in the middle of the floor papers all over the place Yeah, it looks like they're planning to start a bonfire Say tell me something Ellen. Does Dean Sutton own a boat? Yes Light cabin cruiser named the Piper. Why it's tied up at the wharf. He's around here somewhere. Well, what of it? What do you mean? Your father didn't sink the Molly K Dean Sutton did it. He wasn't even on board. He didn't have to be He hired an explosive expert named Benny Wong to do the job He got your father to take Benny on a stuart. That's the man. They're accusing father of murder Dean is the one who did it using your father's gun. Why to collect the insurance on that cargo of grain. Oh Look, I know it's a rough deal honey, and I know how you feel But I guess your best bet is to chalk it up to experience at least your father's in the clear now Think I sensed it Johnny But something was wrong with Dean badly wrong. I Guess that's why I felt like turning to you instead of him Why I still feel that way I Think I'm going to cry then cry Cry it out and get it over with Come here, Alan. I held it close and tried to comfort her She pressed her face against my chest and whimpered like a hurt kid. I Kept stroking her hair breathing in the scent of her perfume perfume The same perfume that had hung in the air of the room where Benny Wong was killed The pieces shifted fell into place again. The puzzle was finally solved, but too late Because I could feel the muzzle of the gun she was pressing against my side easy now Johnny turn around slow and get your hands up That's the idea. I Stay that way I'm a dead shot Johnny You doubt it ask Benny Wong right under my nose right from the start How wrong can a guy be? He's wrong as you were Johnny. It had to be you There was no chance for Dean to steal your father's gun and then return it Not unless you were in on it with him. It was my idea Dean's too weak to plan a thing like that He has to be propped up and pushed and you are just the girl to do it. You ought to know. Yeah, I do now It's too bad. I Like the way you kiss Any chance of working something out Johnny? For you too honest, so that's it The next step is to get rid of Dean and you've already got the trap set not yet, but I'll think of something I'm clever Johnny Don't you think so? I Heard footsteps coming along the wharf Dean Sutton I had only seconds to think of something so I took a chance edge back against the wall inched over closer to the door That's far enough. Don't push your luck There's Dean coming now. He went after some gasoline We're going to build a nice warm fire and you're going to have a ringside seat Come on in Dean. We've got a visitor Dollar, what do you know? So you walk right into it just like a good chance paid off He walked between his blocked Ellen's line of fire and I jumped him I grabbed him around the neck I held him as a shield dragged him back out through the door out to the walk I was trying to get clear of the light before Ellen could blast me with that gun and I made it But Dean broke loose and came in between He slipped and snagged it up against the dock The railing broke split and show and we went over the side We struggled back up to the surface. Dean's hands were clenched on my throat and I couldn't break his grip Ellen started frowning for the warp above us not knowing who she'd hit and not kill him I took a deep breath and dragged Dean under the surface But his hands were still on my throat and I couldn't break loose and lungs were bursting my strength was going fast I brought up my knee He fell away from me. I was free free to fight my way back up to the surface. I Swam around in circles getting my breath watching for Dean, but he didn't come up He didn't come up for two days When I climbed up the ladder under the wharf Ellen was nowhere in sight I heard somebody running toward me Saw the flashing red light back at the land end of the pier and I knew why she'd left Dan McKay and his boys Over here Dan. Are you all right Johnny? Yeah, I'm all right. Do you see Ellen Broly? Well, some girl went up the wharf there toward that cruiser that boats got a booby trap on it. Come on, Dan What's she doing here? She was in on a tool Dean's on the water drowned. I look there She is climbing down off the war. Ellen stop. She's on the cruiser. No Bits booby trap They had it rigged for me and she No She didn't know about it That wasn't meant for me They were both pulling a double cross Dean set that trap for her End of expense account except hotel and plane fare back home total five hundred and forty seven dollars and sixty cents Well, it looks like the company pays off on this one Dave the ship owner was innocent, but you'll make it back I really feel sorry for captain Brawley He commanded his own quarter deck for 25 years strong and proud and unafraid He had a wife once named Molly Kay and a ship named Molly Kay and he had a daughter too And now the sea has taken all of them away from him left him cast up on the beach a broken old man better beaten Alone yours truly Johnny dollar Here's our star Bob Bailey to tell you about next week's story Thanks next week the case of a man who didn't exist except for one thing He suddenly showed up Join us won't you yours truly Johnny dollar yours truly Johnny dollar is transcribed in Hollywood Written by Les Crutchfield the entire production is under the direction of Jack Johnstone Heard in this week's cast were Virginia Greg Peter leads Barney Phillips Victor Perrin James McCallion and high ever back Be sure to join us on Monday night same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking