 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar ready with your call to happen. Hello, mr. Scottman Johnny dollar hope I didn't get you up I'm gonna hear from you. Well. I thought I'd better call mr. Scottman I just found out that David Perling paid a reporter here in Key West to print that story about his death I see Good morning. Could you meet me there sometime? I can meet you at idle while my plane comes in at 7 20 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 yours truly Johnny dollar From special investigator Johnny dollar to the eastern liability in trust company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the Perling matter Expense account continued item three ninety eight dollars and nine cents airfare and incidentals including board in Rome Key West in New York City Mort Scottman was in the airport coffee shop having tea and toast in the best tradition of a vice president He looks shaved rested and fresh. Would you like some breakfast mr. Dollar? Just coffee for now. Thanks a cup of coffee, please Well, we seem to make nice connections not to 7 30 yet Yeah, mr. Scottman the reporter in Key West who printed that story about David Perling was paid $100 in cash to do it Perling paid her to file an erroneous story that he had been killed in a boating accident You said the cash that's right cash no check no way to prove it one way or another Just the report is word and she said she denied if anybody else asked her to claim the whole thing Yeah, where does that put us? Well, look Perling had to pay somebody to fire that boat probably the skipper I don't know but it's an angle if you're thinking about legal lines. It's very good Of course the boat would demand explanation. Well, let's let it go for the moment I noticed a retraction disclaiming the story of Perling's death is in every paper this morning It was an all of last night's papers, too Now if the story could affect the stock market, when would it show up today at the latest? There was no action yesterday not on the exchange. No How do you feel about this whole thing now in view of the fact you've ascertained that Perling himself Arranged for his own death report to be published I can only assume that he did it for one reason to take advantage of some brisk trading that would occur because of such a report But there's been nothing of that so far Tell me mr. Scottman in the event this does happen. What would you do? I don't know exactly Possibly report the matter to the exchange and see if Perling could be prosecuted for manipulation. Well, let's go over there and see what's what Item four five dollars cab fare for myself and Morton Scottman to Wall Street in the New York Stock Exchange Since I didn't understand too much about the board. I simply sat and kept an eye on Scottman The pinstripes suit the humbreg the tie the shirt the glasses Somehow he tickled me. I was beginning to like the guy About 15 minutes before the place closed he cleared his throat and touched my arm. I Suspicioned wrongs dollar. There's been no manipulation on the exchange I thought certainly if there had been any it would appear in that Alabama company I was wrong and I apologize for taking up your time. You're paying for it besides. I'm glad you did Mm-hmm, shall we go? Yeah, Claire. Well, we know he didn't have the story printed to cheat on the market But we still have the same old question. What's that? Why did Perling pay that reporter to say he was dead? The reporter lied to you you've been lied to before I'm sure sure and by experts But she wasn't a good one not even halfway good. So I still believe her story You believe that board up there. I believe that too. Well, then Perling had a reason for getting such a story printed I want to find out about it Expense account item five four dollars lunch for Morton's Scotland of myself After lunch I checked into the new Western item six fifty dollars deposit car rental a Phone call to the offices of David Perling gave me the information that mr. Perling was at his home on Long Island I drove out there a Smallest state greened up with all the lush things that happened there this time of the year As I reached the place I noticed a group of people in white flannels and dark blue jackets mixing cocktails on the terrace One of them I recognized from previous newspaper pictures is David Perling a Middle-aged woman with iron gray hair in the figure of a 16 year old girl up on the door She looked from behind dark glasses disapproving. Yes. How do you do? I'd like to see mr. Perling if I may I'm Mrs. Perling may I help you? Well, this is a business matter Mrs. Perling my name's dollar eastern liability and trust company Well, he's not in now I suggest you call his office and explain the nature of your business to his secretary. Good day, mr. Dollar Look, I know he's here. I saw him as I drove up You're both impertinent and rude. I'm sure you'll see me if you give him my name and tell him I just came back from Key West and that I had a long talk with a newspaper reporter down there Since you saw so much as you drove up you might have noticed that we're entertaining guests mr. Dollar. Oh, I noticed that Wait here. I stood there a moment on the white colonial porch and wondered what made me such a social outcast a Man who was tending the grounds walked by and turned on the sprinkling system He waved at me and I waved back. I felt better On the terrace I could hear the tinkle of glasses and a little laughter now Finally David Perling showed up. He was a tall man with a hairline that started about an inch above the heaviest eyebrows I've ever seen Two-toned shoes white flannels and a Mexican sports shirt fitted in with a broad shoulders and wide mouth grin That came off just briefly when he looked at me my wife told me to throw you out Can you think of any reason why I shouldn't? I'm about 10 pounds lighter than you But I might be a good 15 years younger. Tell me what you want kiddo and then get out of here I want you to tell me why you paid Gracie Edwards a hundred dollars to print a story about you being dead Who are you anyway Johnny dollar insurance investigator? What's all this to you an investigation? There's no way you can prove I paid that girl to print that story I know that I was telling a friend of mine today that something probably could be proved about the boat if it had to be Then the reporter thing had come out. I don't know You see Eastern liability had an idea that you might have had that story printed to cause a little action on the stock market Who at Eastern liability? I'll keep that to myself. Well, doesn't make any difference anyhow They're way off base or can't you figure that part? That's why I'm here. I figured that part Suppose I told you I don't know what you're talking about. I'd ask you all over again Tell you about a reporter in a boat dollar You've gone this far and it's probably as far as you're going. I'm not gonna tell you anything at least anything specific I will tell you this much. I paid the reporter in cash. I paid the boatman the same way Whatever reason I had it was a good one meant to harm no one You're sure about that mr. Perling as sure as I'm going inside right now and makes another batch of martini For the second time in a matter of minutes, I was standing in a porch feeling like typhoid Mary Somehow I halfway believed David Perling. I also halfway believed that whatever reason he had meant something to me all halfway thinking If you want to be left alone, you don't slam a door once or even twice you invite the asker of the question in give My drink introduce him to your friend slap him on the back and lie through your teeth You don't tell a man to leave because that's the best way in the world to make him keep coming So I waved at the friendly gardener once more climbed into my rented car drove back to the new Weston and sat down with a magazine Johnny dollar this is Celia Perling mr. Dollar Hello, Mrs. Perling. I think I should like to talk to you mr. Dollar David told me why you were at the house I'm downstairs in the lobby. I'll be right down. Mrs. Perling. I Had to drive some friends in tonight, and I thought I'd stop and have this chat with you. I'm glad you did somewhat embarrassing I mean after the way I acted at the house. Oh, well, suppose we forget that part mrs. Perling Does mr. Perling know that you're here. No, I'll tell him when I get home There's something I must know what's that you aren't just a sensation seeker or something like that. Are you? Mrs. Perling let me answer you this way you came to me How you found me I don't know but you did you also found out I'm a legitimate investigator interested in facts Am I right David called a friend of his with the Allied Bureau, and they told him you're an insurance investigator Uh-huh, and they also told you that when I work a case in New York. I generally stay at the new Western Is that about it? I'd like to ask you a question Are you going to continue with this matter the one you discussed with my husband this afternoon? I suppose I am you mean you Believe there was something ulterior and David having that story printed well Let's say I believe his answers about it were unsatisfactory I'm the fellow who's supposed to find out why why it's my job. I can assure you there wasn't anything wrong about it at all It was a rather personal matter and certainly could harm no one. I'm glad to hear that I heard it once before though your husband said it to me today and practically the same words Would you like to buy me a drink sure come on? We walked through the lobby to the cocktail lounge without a word We sat down without a word and I ordered a couple of bourbons and water still no word All around us people poured drinks laughed and talked I Glanced at mrs. Perling from time to time and wore the blankest expression. I knew how Finally it worked. She began in a small voice We have a daughter mr. Darla Her name's Eugenia Jeannie we call her mm-hmm She's the reason for that story in the papers. Tell me about it. It's not easy, you know, it's I mean It's it's admitting a prominent defeat to explain it we're David and myself are considered quite capable people Capable at most everything business home Capable of everything except raising a child into a woman I'd rather not go into the forts that we have mr. Dollar. No need to are they that obvious I didn't mean that I just mean it seems pain for you to even discuss this I'll say it this way We've had too much money and too little time to put it on on Jeannie Now we're suffering for it. How do you mean? Jeannie got sick and tired of being alone and unattended and not understood She left home a year ago, and we haven't seen her hurt from a sense. She left a note saying that we never would I Suppose we deserve it. Well, I wouldn't try to judge that we have no idea where she is what she's doing even if she's with someone We just know she's gone It's really quite ridiculous Now that Jeannie's gone. We know how much we wanted her around. What about the police? Well, we We didn't go to the police. I think you can understand why I mean the publicity Who did you go to the aim? Well agency they've been working on I have heard of them any luck not a sign of her Do you understand now? I don't understand everything. I'm sorry. She's missing But about the story in the paper Davey arranged that I mean that his death would be reported It was a crazy thing to do. I suppose but we've tried everything else He thought that if he were reported dead Jeannie wherever she was Would see the story and possibly contact me you see it's it's unbearable knowing she's alive somewhere Hating us this way We wanted another chance No luck. No luck Not a word Not a word now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow The tramp is all baited and guess who walks in 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 another exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking