 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny Diller Johnny This is Bonnie. Oh, yes, please come out here to the house right away. There's something wrong Johnny, I You said you came back here to South Bend, too Well, because you didn't want me to have to be alone to face the death of my father. Yes, dear. I'm Johnny You also said you have business here. Well Yes Is it connected with my father's death? Bonnie please dear don't lie to me. He was insured for over a million dollars Or do you know that I listen was this business of yours connected with daddy? Was it because you too think he was murdered? Johnny I'll I'll come out and see you 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. Yo, it's truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the home office Universal Adjustment Bureau Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the Lamar matter the question was it murder a beautiful girl Funny Lamar and the beautiful romance I found during my so-called vacation in La Jolla, California Well things really got into a bind when she received news that her foster father back in South Bend, Indiana had suddenly died And I received word that I was assigned to the case Not only because of the million-and-a-half policy on Lamar's life But because it looked as though it might be nothing more nor less than murder From Ohio, California to South Bend, Indiana was only a quick flight by plane and the first person I contacted was Lawrence Comstock of tri-mutual Chicago office who'd issued the policies on Lamar's life Yes, Johnny the only two real friends Thomas Lamar had these past few years since his wife died We're dr. Ed Wilson and myself and Wilson is the man you called in when Lamar died Yes, you see time, and I used to spend a lot of time together weekend golf belong the same clubs that sort of thing We used to love playing two-handed p-neckle together I was with him at his house the night he died and so unexpectedly Johnny As I told you he'd had a most thorough physical examination only a few months before Or I'd never permitted him to increase his insurance to a million-and-a-half Must have cost him a fancy premium. It did It did prohibitive But that was the way he wanted it for his adopted daughter for Vani whom you know and If you're a half a man having spent a few days with her in La Jolla You're in love. Oh shut up and tell me what you know. Yeah, you said murder. Oh, yes, I'm sorry Johnny It began last weekend as I often do I spent the weekend with Tom Thomas Lamar Well Friday night dr. Ed Wilson was with us. We played three-handed pinnacle. Yes, Tom was imperfect held I know he was and our evening was all fun completely uninterrupted Except by young Marston Marston Tom's confidential secretary and he's the one Larry You are the one who told Pat McCracken back in Hartford that you thought Thomas Lamar was murdered That's why you wanted me to come on out here to investigate the case. Yes Why now tell me the truth is It because of your great friendship for Lamar because of the million-and-a-half policy through your company Well because you really think he was murdered are you here because of the commission you can earn on a case as big as this I'll because Thomas Lamar happened to be the father of Vani Lamar. I was ordered on this case from Hartford. Oh, yes. Oh, yes, of course Okay, okay All right Now maybe I'm a silly old funny daddy. Maybe I'm more worked up over this case than you are whatever the reason But let me tell you this thing in my own way Come on Larry Well, we know Ed Wilson and I I because of being so close to Tom Lamar so long Ed because of his medical knowledge, we know that Tom was in perfect health his 59 years were nothing for a specimen like him Ed left Friday night. I stayed on Saturday. We played nine-olds golf Tom wanted to play 18 But I didn't feel up to it and that night we played pinnacle just the two of us and we got to bed early Well, Sunday, we just sat around talked until evening when we played cards again There was no strange Johnny even if the man had had a bad heart or something. I understand Now what about this Morrison you name? We quit shortly before midnight. I was tired my years no doubt And I knew Tom would have a hard day plan on Monday. And so I suggested we get to bed. He smiled As only Tom could smile a warm tolerant yet at the same time understanding and friendly Completely friendly smile go on go on And he said he'd probably have to take one of Ed Wilson's sleeping pills to doze off so early But I knew Johnny You know what sugar pills that's all Ed had ever given him sugar pills. I think Tom knew it too Wow, I went up to my room Tom to his I heard the water running in his bathroom About the same time I was brushing my teeth And then the crash crash yes, I ran out through the hall to his room He was lying on the floor of the bath broken tumbler beside him. He left the bottle of sugar pills still open. He'd taken one of them. Yes And he was dead You You mean you know I called Ed Wilson. He was there in only minutes It was he who officially said the Tom was dead had died instantaneously and he was sure it was poisoned Cure your color of the lips or something What do you mean with some terrible stimulant to the heart a very rare drug that only a few researchers would know about Even the heart of a young and healthy boy would find the influence of this drug too much too strong Dr. Wilson told you this yes What is this? I don't know something very rare, but he is sure That's what did what did the police say you called them in didn't you it did they'd never heard of it either the drug But they've sent samples of the sugar pills to Chicago and to Washington for analysis. Well, we should hear from them shortly Where is this dr. Ed Wilson? Oh here? I'll just write you his address God thanks All right now Larry Yes, you told me earlier. There was one man. You thought might be responsible for this who? Walter Mars who's Walter Mars? Walter has been Thomas Lamar's personal private secretary for some years go on and Walter has been married to Levan for over a year I'm sorry Johnny because I know how you feel about her Well Why should that make him want to murder Vonys father's of Thomas's will Tom made a will Johnny that left virtually everything he owned to the corporation of which he was the head Except for his life insurance. Is that why the amount of his insurance was so bad? I suppose so the sole beneficiary of the policy as you know is Vonys oh go on therefore the only way in which anyone else could share in the estate is by being married to her all right All right, you've knocked down a couple of dream castles for me And I'm not talking about a family fortune. I'm talking about a girl Yes, and I understand if she loved him enough to marry him let him be happy If he shares some of that million and a half bucks, so let him share it he deserves to if she wants him to He married her she married him all right. It isn't as easy as that. What do you mean? You've forgotten he wanted to know why I think Walter Mars and murdered Thomas Lamar Yes, yes, you see I Happen to know Vani did not love what you just said she married unknown to her foster father What are you getting somewhere somewhere along the line Walter Mars and shall we say got something on Vani what it was? I don't know but he had a strange power over it seems Larry. What are you talking about? I don't know Johnny from the time Walter first started working for Thomas Lamar. I Well, I didn't trust him And yet Tom seemed to have the most implicit faith in him Walter was a good accountant Yes handled many of Tom's personal investments and handle them very well too Thomas paid him very well Rewarded him always when he made unusual profits. Why not? But Walter Mars and made it plain from the beginning That he wanted to work his way into Thomas's shoes in the corporation and this Thomas would not have and the reason Because Thomas knew that many of the stock deals Walter had made on his behalf were not completely shall we say? legitimate or legally proper perhaps but not morally so that is Corporation money instead of his own yeah, that's it buying huge blocks in order to inflate the price And then dumping the stocks at their peak that sort of thing. I don't know much of the details. That's out of my line But Thomas knew very well that if Walter Marson were ever put into the corporation He'd use the same slick methods for purely personal gain at the expense of the corporation He'd spent his life building up. How do you know about this? I was Thomas's confidant his closest friend All right, Larry, let me do a little summing up Walter Marson failed to dig into Lamar's money via the corporation So he married his daughter to be sure of latching on to the family fortune and that's it. Yes It's as simple as that Therefore you're sure this Marson poisoned Lamar. Yes, and because of the findings of dr. Ed Wilson Which haven't yet been verified. Well, no and even if you do find proof that Lamar was poisoned You have no proof that Marson was back of it No, Larry What if Vani had something to do with it? Oh No, oh, yes. Yes, that's a real possibility. Good heavens Johnny. You can't mean that you You say you know the girl. Yeah, sure and I fell for her like a ton of bricks Whether it's simply because I'm a sucker for such a charmer or just because she charmed me so well I don't know But why did she want me if she's already married Johnny? What are you getting a million dollars at stake a million and a half? How she could possibly have known I'd be staying at the locker center in La Jolla, California I don't know but with a million and a half at stake you could find out most anything So she worked on me got me on her side even before she needed to and when her father died according to plan She knew there'd be no question of settlement of a claim for the insurance because of the way She'd so successfully drawn me into a cozy little noose Johnny. You're out of your mind. Why what are you talking about you old? I guess I am John I've been a confirmed bachelor all my life even before I was your age But I know very well that if I had ever met Bonnie Lamar my bachelor days would have suddenly ended Oh, you're hurt now that you found out she's married you're hurt and you're angry You're striking out at anything you can reach any one And I'm sorry Don't let it take away your judgment. I'm sorry to larry Didn't mean it I Really didn't it's all right Johnny But now I'll get hold of yourself you have a job to do not only for me for the company, but for yourself Okay, thank you. Thanks good boy, I Don't know what I'm gonna do, but I Guess whatever it is. I I better start doing it Yes Good luck Johnny Here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow Well, it doesn't take long to find out what has to be done on this case Because the turning point in the whole thing comes straight to me and with a vengeance Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Only Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone who also wrote tonight's story Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking