 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny Duller How's your Spanish CC senior one egg in your beer? I gotta be a linguist yet Tell me about it. Oh price is still the same though. Get on over here. Will you sure but give me a little hint I'd like to start worrying early. All right the promoter world's number one salesman. I'll begin down again older Who I'd settle for the premiums Vic. How come you're worrying like like changing is better. What would you say that means? Means I'll be right over and every week day night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed Expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. I was truly Johnny Duller From special investigated Johnny Duller to the home office worldwide mutual insurance company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the Alder matter Expense account item one a dollar 35 the price of being taxi to Vic Kelly's office a worldwide mutual For a normally easy-going fellow. Mr. K had a bad case of how did I ever get into this? $250,000 that's a big policy big you look like the claims already been filed smile a little dead Yeah, sure at least fill me in how much do you know about Billy Alder? Oh just surface stuff what the headlines say Promoter wildcatter super salesman fellow with a flare for selling anything. Why that's what's rough I can't give you too much more than that He's been in a dozen different businesses headed up a half a dozen corporations a couple of bankrupts He's even a nasty court case. He's been flat broke and six months later Been a walking blue chip been up and down more times in a yo-yo That's a nice life if you can take it but feast or famine. He does everything big like the quarter of a million policy Huh, I didn't seem out of line three years ago. It still doesn't not with the kind of money He's dragging out of the ground and bends a whale and oil Hey, this changing of beneficiaries when did it begin a little over a month ago in succession? It's been his wife his daughter a brother back to the wife and now it's his daughter again Sounds like a woman trying to make up her mind about a dress price tags a little different What does it sound like to you give me a chance to get down there look would you I mean off the top of your head? Oh sounds like he's worrying him like he shouldn't buy any long playing records Look Johnny, there's a clause in the policy that lets us investigate irregularities go take a look Just don't expect him to cooperate. He's a big operator type fella. I don't know. I never met him But I like him already what his style any man who uses a slogan like we lose a little on each deal But think of the volume. Well, he's for me. I got to keep him alive Expense account Adam to three hundred twenty nine dollars and eighty-eight cents airfare and incidentals to Caracas, Venezuela It was about noon Sunday when the big plane lays in over the Caribbean shoreline pointed its nose for the Maguilla Airport in Caracas Well, I'll spread what's laughing they called man's handiwork his progress a Few short years ago. It had been nothing but lush green jungle then came men shouting the magic word oil And the jungle was now disappearing as fast as they could throw up the Derrick's and sink the drills progress a Taxi to the hotel pariah on a good lunch adds up to item three four bucks even I was ready for business Knocking around in this game You learn a lot of ways to save steps on another country deal for instance the local police chief is one person you can't ignore He can save you more than steps blood sometimes He turned out to be 35 ish bright relaxed They might have changed the jungle but nothing was going to alter hefe Velazquez style. He took his time Even after I told him why I was here I'm sorry about the ceiling fancy in your dollar. Oh, what's wrong with it? That's working see but this old Fashion not like the how you say a air condition in a status Unidos. No problem I'm comfortable with all the money from the oil. You think they may modern these offices. No It's air condition in the home in the car, but not in the office. It was this one If I don't get to it if I I get the feeling you're steering away from discussing Billy Alder, of course And there must be a reason see because I do not want to give you the bomb cow Oh, bomb steer. Gracias. What I mean is there is nothing to put the finger on To look at them is a nice family with lots of money living in a big expensive house But you spend a couple hours there, you know, it's not that way It's nothing you can see but All underneath You ever see an oil well fire Juanito all the the burning and burning under the ground Then when it's enough force Everything explode to the sky. It's exactly what you expect when will happen to these people Someday it's still it's hard to figure exactly why but that is all Yeah Well, thanks. I appreciate what you've given me Now what's the best way to get to the house you go there? That's where the job is It's easy enough to get to I tell you how you might have asked a question. I mean shoot In your own office, you got a fan or air condition When I left him he was even weighing the idea of spending his own money for an air condition. I Went right on spending company money for instance item for $39 and 55 cents deposit and first-days rental on a uDrive automobile a 20-minute drive over the autopista. That's a six-lane mountaintop freeway less traffic jams brought me to La Giara a clean Scrub looking suburb on the edge of the Caribbean The older house wasn't hard to find huge and impressive it said all by itself in a high promontory jutting out into the sea I Suddenly found that I'd become Jay dollar intruder because in the doorway of the house a very luscious young lady was being enthusiastically and expertly kissed by a handsome young man My cough must have been pretty frightening because the boy took off around the house like a quarter horse Not so the girl she glared angrily as she came toward me. I Hope you're satisfied. Well embarrassed is a better word. I'm sorry about my time. I'll bet you are Happy now that you've got something to tell my father. We'll go ahead and tell him if you don't need slow down I'm gonna tell him something else that he can hire as many detectives as he likes it still won't keep me from seeing Paul Well looks like you'll need tracks shoes to see him now very funny assuming that was Paul look. I don't Assuming oh now look lady you never gave me a chance to explain Not too hard to figure why well who you think I am but I'm not My name is Johnny dollar and you're right about only one thing. I do want to see your father, but not for the reason you think okay but I I'm sorry, mr. Dollar good. We friends now. I'm Peggy Alder. I figured as much Would you like to come in and wait mr. Dollar wait? My father isn't home at the moment. He shouldn't be over an hour though fine You won't say anything about what you saw about Paul. I mean lady the world is full of trouble Why should I add to it? Billy Alder selling methods may have been wild high-pressure stuff, but there was taste in his home and When Peggy Alder put a drink into my hand and led me out to a patio I was ready to get a drill and go oil hunting myself Patio it was a small exclusive man-made mountaintop 600 feet down to the Caribbean on three sides If you are gonna have troubles this was the place to ponder Peggy Alder still didn't trust me completely Inexperts Lee she tried to dig out my reason for being gave up after a while then excused herself when her father showed up an hour later I'm glad you're here dollar What's wrong? Oh? Just surprised guess I expected to be tossed out why Kind of delicate asking a man why he changes beneficiaries like some men change suits I read the policy your company is allowed to ask we appreciate your feeling that way But it says nothing about my having to answer no, that's right. It doesn't but it's hard not to draw conclusions such as You're afraid somebody is shall we say gunning for you, but you don't know who? Am I right is that what your company thinks too? Well, they don't think anything, but they'd like to know You enjoy your trip down mr. Dollar Well, I take it I've worn out my welcome sorry no no no sit down I told you I was glad you're here then you shouldn't mind a couple of questions. I'll tell you nothing mr. Dollar I admit nothing is that clear is it look here your company is a good deal to lose by my death We just want to be sure nobody's thinking of it as a commercial venture and stay here mr. Dollar here in this house Keep me alive Behind the calm control demeanor Billy Alder was loaded with fear The worst kind of fear the grinding implacable kind of terror that for some reason has to be hidden Two hours later my bags had been sent for and I was comfortably settled in the guest room only slightly larger than Pennsylvania station By dinner time that night the only other people I'd seen in the house with the servants Alder his daughter and I sat down to eat alone Mr. Apologize for Mrs. Alder's absence mr. Dollar she went to the bull fights today. She's staying in town for dinner with the others The other things we have several guests staying with us charming people mr. Dollar wait till you meet them I think we can do without that kind of talk Peggy you defending them father guests. Don't you mean leeches? That'll do At least they'd have the manners not to start a thing like this in front of mr. Dollar You may be excused anytime you like Incidentally Thank you for disobeying my orders to keep Paul Kincaid away from this house You you told him after you promised mr. Dollar told me nothing you seem to forget that servants have eyes and ears Sorry and didn't mean to embarrass you mr. Dollar. That's all right kids Can't do anything with them these days had strong no sense of values Not Paul Kincaid an oil field foreman Can you see him fitting in his Peggy's husband in the Billy Alder enterprises quite a step up if he can make it believe me He never will After dinner Alder and I headed for that fabulous patio. I hoped he would open up, but he kept the talk general Charming witty, but simply conversation Truthfully, I wasn't too unhappy because the setting was one of those once in a lifetime things. I couldn't take my eyes away from the lights far below Glittering shoreline stretching from Canary arrow all the way to Puerto Cabello That's when it happened The bullets smashed into the wooden canopy support just inches from Alder's head so close that the splinters flew buried themselves in his cheek Mr. Alder you all right? I think so stay here. I Raced back through the house headed for the front entrance as fast as I could Outside I tried to stare through the darkness into the only direction from which that shot could have come the rolling jungle slope of the promontory Sure, it looked deserted, but I knew it wasn't Someone had to be out there with five more bullets in his gun and murder in his heart Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this week's story tomorrow One man dances attendance another dances death and a woman calls the tune Join us. Won't you yours truly? Johnny dollar Starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood written by Tony Barrett. 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