 From Hollywood. It's time now for Johnny dollar. Oh, hi, it's George. What's troubling floor to me on this time? Oh, George, you know, I hate these bodyguard assignments every time I handle one of them it ends up with my own life being in danger I fully realize yeah one of these days my luck may run out Somebody needs protection. Why don't you just call in the police? Yeah, you mean literally physically go along with me Well, now George, that's not the way I usually like to work. Yeah, what does that mean? Okay, George, I'll be able to see you In the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance Investigator truly Johnny dollar Counts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to Florence of England North American office Hartford, Connecticut Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the twin trouble matter Spent the count out of one a dollar twenty for a taxi over to George Reed's office at Floyd's of England in downtown Hartford I found him pacing the floor waiting for me and needless to say he didn't waste any time getting down to business As I told you over the phone Johnny this matter involves my brother my twin brother Adam. Oh, you're a twin Yes, we're identical in every way except perhaps for our manner of speaking. Why is that? Well, you see Adam completed his education at the University of Dublin Whereas I stayed on in England then did postgraduate work over here Oh, I see About 18 years ago Adam and his wife came here to the United States Is he also with some branch of Floyd's of England? No Johnny Adam owns a small brokerage office down in Newark, New Jersey He lives in a nearby town called Upper Montclair. They tell me has this business of his anything to do with the threat against his life Everything I'm afraid now don't tell me he went around selling a lot of worthless stocks and bonds and now somebody wants to get Of course not Adam is a completely honest reliable dealer in legitimate security. Now. What's the term? Well, you see when he first arrived in this country he traveled around quite a bit not only sightseeing but Looking for a good business connection. I guess I don't know West Coast. He met two men Shockley and Baron independent stock brokers. They seem to like him immediately offered to take him in with them Since his funds were beginning to run out. He jumped at the chance naturally But Johnny had turned out that they were swindlers of the worst possible sort dealing in completely worthless securities Oh, yes Because of his lack of familiarity with American manners and methods It took Adam quite a while to catch on but when he did George George a way ahead of you When he finally got wise to them he called in the law So they got set up the river including your poor misguided brother and now yes, Johnny It was Adam's information his testimony that brought the whole foul operation into the open as a result Of course his prison term was a relatively mild one I didn't know there was such a thing but now that the others are free. They're out to get him at least the one named Shockley is It's he who has contacted Adam with this impossible proposition When did he and Baron get out of the clink about two weeks ago? I see So what's the proposition Shockley has made your brother Johnny? Adam has spent the past nine years ever since he was released out there building up this small brokerage office here in the east Now he and his wife are finally beginning to reap the fruits of their labor his children to find Upstanding kids are in college over in New York State So but if it were ever to become known that he once served a term in prison for participation in a stocks Yeah, yeah, I know I would kind of pull the rug right out from under him what would completely ruin him Johnny And it would probably kill his wife What time this nine years of struggle of trying to make up for that one mistake has been just as hard for her as it has for him Right now. She happens to be in the hospital With a serious heart condition. Oh, I see. Is she the beneficiary of his insurance? Yes She and then of course the children. All right. Now. What is this proposition that Shockley has made? He's demanded $75,000 Unless Adam pays it in cash in unmarked bills Shockley will release to the papers anonymously, of course Well, he'll tell them all about Adam's unfortunate part in that stock-selling racket years ago Yeah, which means that if Adam had a single customer left inside of a week it'd be a merry-go-round then Shockley says After he's ruined him. He'll kill him. He'll what unless he pays this money, of course He'll make it look like suicide After all under the circumstances. Well, you know the ruined businessman. Yeah, I do know sure There'll be no reason for anyone to think it isn't suicide exactly wait a minute. That's the insurance angle, isn't it? Yes, if Adam's death is called suicide his policy will be void his wife and kids will get nothing and if this man Shockley is as clever as Adam says He is he'll do it in such a way that any court in the land will call it sure George I well, I just can't believe it and yet I suppose he's told Adam that he's already got away with this sort of thing once before Before Adam knew it, but why doesn't he call in the police the FBI if this man already has a criminal record? No, maybe the other one Baron is still working with him. No, Johnny. Don't you see don't you see he doesn't bear? Yeah, I guess you're right If he called in the cops the publicity would be just as bad just as ruinous to him as if Shockley were to shoot off His mouth with the papers. Yes, Johnny if he goes to the police. He'll only bring his business crashing down on his own head George your brothers in a pretty bad spot no matter what he does he loses if he pays off $75,000 But who knows whether that one payment would be the end well of course it would but if he doesn't Don't you see it means not only his business his wife his children, but his own life I know I know if it were me alone a bachelor with nobody else to think about But with Adam Johnny He couldn't do it. He might as well cut his own soul. We'll have to do something about it. What Johnny? What can we do George? I wish I knew It was obvious this was to be more of a personal affair than business in spite of the insurance policy involved So for once I decided to forget patting out the old expense account Okay, then item two four thirty five a tank full of gas from my own car It was after business hours by the time he got down to Jersey So instead of trying to catch Adam Reed in his office George phoned ahead and we went directly to his home on Highland Avenue and up A Montclair George stood beside me when the front door was open and you know something it was like looking at George in a mirror Yes, can I Sure, even their clothes for life. Hello Adam. Yeah, these twins were certainly identical Except for the slight difference in their manner of speech Adam This is the man. I told you about on the phone the man. I hope can somehow help you Johnny dollar. Yeah How are you mr. Reed and excuse me for staring? Oh, it's quite all right dollar quite understandable And please call me Adam if you don't mind sure, but so help me. I've never seen two people look so much alike You know something Well, Johnny, what are you thinking? I had just a while crazy idea Adam George this perfect similarity might Nah, well, we'll see well now wait Maybe you have an idea there. No Look George forget all about it. Come on. Let's go inside where we can talk about this thing I'm in complete agreement dollar because we have no time to waste if there's anything you can do about it Why do you say that Adam? I've heard from sharply again Oh when this morning after the last time I talked to George He called me at the office. I'm afraid I didn't get as much business done today as I might have liked Then I left as early as I could I went to the bank and called on my wife at the hospital She's very seriously ill. Yes, so I understand I've not yet had the heart to tell her about this whole ungodly affair and I can't say that I blame you yet What difference would it make? Whatever happens, whatever this man does to me. It's bound to affect my poor my darling It's a terrible thing now this phone call today. Yes. Yes Shockley says that he's coming here tonight tonight. Yes With my car out front. Well, that's why I stopped at the bank today He says he must have $10,000 as a sort of down payment as evidence of my good faith and thousand. Well, I say that he won't get on Oh, wait a minute. You're no Johnny. Tell you I won't let shockley get away with it You're if he comes here tonight and demand that money I'll kill him rather than let Adam give him a single second listen where I told you Johnny With me it doesn't mean a thing But with Adam his wife his children you think he'd come in here with my car out front if he does I want to be ready for him. Give me your gun Johnny. You are this whole rotten thing has gone too far I tell you that if I have to in order to stop it out No, I don't wait Is there an extension phone in the next room in the library boy? But dollar is it shockley and he hears you pick it up. He won't if we do it, right? No, I don't like cars here then pick it up immediately. I'll do the same on the other end All right, can you hear me? All right, so your man shockley is as clever as you seem to So is George dollar he listened to the phone next to my ear Yeah, the sooner shockley named the meeting place George took the gun out of my desk and left me what he's going up there to kill Shockley unless I can stop a man. I mean he's going up there to get mooted Let's see don't know where shockley will be here dollar. They can show you on a map 15 or 16 miles from here Shockley said it was only about seven then he must have been somewhere along the way when he called Means he'll get there long before George can yes Look now here. It is on the map. Yeah, I see straight up 23 and west of pumpkin Plains. Yes. All right George took your car. What kind is it a little coupe? I saw out in the street. That's it Oh fine. There are 10 million up on the highway all alike. What's the license number? Well, come on. I Don't know I don't remember it And then I'm all I can do is try to get there before George does before he gets himself killed Why but highway 23 was lousy with police I wanted to stop on them tell them to come along with me, but this was one case where I couldn't So instead I drove within the speed limit except for a cutoff above modern view where I could open her up for a few Miles before getting back on the highway I probably buy fast George as well as the highway traffic, but the important thing was for me to get there first That's why I left 23 again took the curving narrow, but much shorter back road to see to know Finally, I could see the know a sort of big mound a high barren hill I could see the little building on top of it in silhouette against the moonlit sky And I could see a car parked up there a big sedan So shockly had arrived and was waiting there At the bottom of the know I pulled off to the side cut the engine doused the lights and went the rest of the way As I slowly approached the shack through a drawn window shade I could see a light in it waving around like a flashlight and the shadow of a man No, wait For a moment there there were two of them two shadows That meant shockly wasn't alone and knowing they'd be well armed both of them killers Well, this whole thing might not be so easy Yet somehow I had to keep them from hurting George. Yeah Killing out Slowly cautiously I edged over to their car. I slid down under it and went to work with my pocket knife A small piece of tubing near one of the wheels It was slow and awkward there in the dark under that low-hung car. It was the one thing. I knew the Was George and of all the times to pick with me sprawled out under that sedan unable to even pull up my gun Wasn't shot. He's got a gun. Yes, I'll kill both of you if I have to This isn't Adam Reed. Here he is. No, he talks differently. This is his twin It's George. You're right, Shockley, and I'm here to put a stop to this nefarious scheme of yours Well, listen to the fancy talk Of course it isn't Adam, so it must be George and George my name. No, don't move Just drop your guns both of you. Mr. Baron. I'm afraid that Mr. Reed the Mr. George read has the advantage of us Yeah, well listen. He shoots at you. I get him. He shoots at me. You get him. That's right I'll kill at least one of you so under the circumstances. I'm afraid there's only one thing we can do Yeah, what and over our guns to it. So here you are And just in time to have George land right square on top of me before I can push him away and get Without like a light and both shock me in this power on top of me. I never get off the ground You had enough You had enough mr. Get away shock. Let me shoot it. No, but listen You've got to get out of here No shots he got off the cops will be coming up from the highway to see what they were But don't you see if we leave him here He's got to but we're not leaving this state until we kill his brother. Come on. Oh, are you wait? You want some oil never get away. Oh, no use that car kill yourself stop No, listen Okay, okay Are you okay, George? They're not going anywhere George what I cut the brake fluid line They have no brakes by the time they get rolling down that hill George they're not going anywhere I'm the highway police got to the scene of the crash there on the back road And of course that car exploded and burned They had forgotten all about the gunshots if they'd heard them at all So George and I were able to leave by the main road on molest At the bottom of the hill I picked up my own car without attracting attention. I Suppose I'll have to make some sort of report to the police But I don't see any reason why I should have to reveal the name of the man they were out to get to you It's certainly too late to need anyone to bring charges against them As for the expense account so what's a couple of gallons of gas in so good at cars? It was truly Johnny dollar To tell you about next week's story Before I do I just want to say thanks to all you good people are right in to tell me how much you like the show It may seem like a little thing to you, but it means a great deal to all of us believe me I'll answer your letters just as fast as I can get around to them But you will just have to be patient if it takes a little time now as for next week Well, I suggest you read the cask of a Monteado by Edgar Allen pole then join us Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar It's in Hollywood and is written produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Heard in our cast where G Stanley Jones Alan Reed and Frank Griskell Be sure to join us next week say in time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is Dan cover Lee speaking Frank love their joy stars in a hair-raising psychological thriller a friend of daddy's as suspense follows next on the CBS radio network