 Johnny dollar Johnny dollar. Hey, that's right. Who are you insurance investigator? Well, are you that Johnny dollar? That's right freelance investigator, but now I want the man who worked with the star mutual insurance company Not any freelance. Well, I work for star mutual what on occasion at least on occasion Well, if one of their clients has some trouble you have to get on the job for him, don't you? Well, that depends. Who are you? What are you talking about? Do you work for him or don't you on assignment? Yes, then get yourself an assignment Then get yourself over here right away over where here at my apartment. What's the matter with you? Are you an idiot? Or else could I possibly want you has it by any chance occurred to you sir that I might not have the least idea who you are Well, what difference can that possibly be? Oh, oh, yes, that's right. Yes, that's right. Very well My name is Timothy Jarrett. Now get over here immediately Do you mind if I check with star mutual first and be wasting your time? Check with the map you get here if I get there. Look, what do you mean if you do? You haven't even told me what your problem is Do I have to go out and shout murder from the house tops murder to get you to pay any attention to this? Did you say murder? Of course I did who's and when you suppose I'd be talking to you if it had already occurred Oh, I'm sure I haven't the least idea. Of course. I wouldn't how could I but if you're not over here right away I'll call that insurance company and have you fired. All right. You do that. I'll be waiting for you. You will hello. Hello Well, it may be a nice long wait, mr. Jared CBS radio network brings you Mandel Kramer in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-pact Expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted my special investigator Johnny dollar to the star mutual insurance company home office Hartford, Connecticut Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Lorelai matter It was pretty obvious from that phone call that mr. Timothy Jarrett was a crackpot of the first water And I was all set to forget about him and go on about my business But I had some errands to do in town and one of them took me into the building was time mutual holds for it So I made that my first stop and barged in on Ed Williams Johnny, well, how are you boy glad to see it? Hi Ed. What brings you here? Don't tell me you're having to go around digging up assignments these days Cigarette I don't mind if I do Yeah Thank you. Yeah, I got a lighter Right Thanks, mm-hmm well Then I believe you have a client for the name of Timothy Jarrett. Oh, yeah, John. I'm afraid so What's matter? What a grown a lot of be grateful for him though I guess after all that life policy of his has a face value of nearly two million bucks two million Wow, I thought maybe he was just some old nut. Oh, he is Johnny No question about it just about as wacky as they come Don't you know who and what he was the famous all-or-nothing Jarrett was or is oh he's still alive That's what you mean But Johnny about 40 years ago Jarrett was one of the cleverest stock manipulators ever hit the scene No kidding made himself millions and millions and in those days you could keep what you made really loaded them Well, he was what do you mean by that? Oh, he still has enough to get along on plenty But after the five or six beautiful dolls that he married and divorced well You know what they can do to a man in his money. Well, let's say I've heard thank goodness his present one seems to have a little sense Oh, she's young and pretty enough all right, but well, maybe you've heard of her name is Lorelai Lambert She's an artist and I understand a pretty good one came from Quebec originally Spends a lot of time out of town away from the old coot But I'm sure it's just not a card of her sketching and painting That's the matter of fact the last time I talked to mr. Jared that was a day before yesterday She was off on another of her field trips Well, what about the old boy John? Well, I got a crazy phone call from him Sorry, I I guess I was kind of responsible for it you were another of his complexes working on him And I promised if it proved to have any basis I might call you in just to shut him up But I certainly didn't expect him to call you what do you mean by complexes nothing else to do soon He worries about himself a couple of weeks ago was a persecution complex before that he was certain He was going to be raw but he wasn't of course not before that He was sure that his apartment the whole block Maybe was gonna burn down over his head and so on for the past couple of years What do you tell you it was this time? Well, he mentioned the word murder. Oh, I hope you laughed in his face Who would ever gain anything by killing off that old character? You tell me who's the insurance beneficiary pretty little Larla his wife, but he knows better than to think she'd ever raise a hand against him He's given her everything Johnny everything. She can possibly need or want besides. She isn't the type is there a type for murder Well, you tell me He was at the stock manipulator. How about some old enemy showing up? Maybe somebody might have defrauded after 40 years. I guess you got a point there It's just another one of his complexes having something to do something to worry about okay, Ed I'll just forget about him. Oh Johnny Johnny. Don't do that. Why what do you mean got to keep him happy? Old buzzard wouldn't hesitate to cancel out that policy in a minute. I don't want to lose those nice big premiums No, as long as he's asked for you Johnny, you'd better go and see him hold his hand promise him anything you like And then you can forget him, but you go see him Johnny Here I'll give you his address. Okay, Ed. Whatever you say Democracy Why should such a type of society and government be considered the best? For at least one very good and important reason Because the people who choose to live in a democracy have decided that they want to be able to tell themselves How they want to work and live? People who have decided that a democratic society is the best one have taken a tip from nature For the law of nature decrees that all men are born free and equal and are the best judges of how they wish to live When men band together and form a society it is their desire that the majority of them set the rules for all This is democracy and that is what makes democracy mankind's greatest gift a legacy of freedom The Florida Lee's apartments out on the edge of town the old-fashioned ultra deluxe a Solid building of native stone built like a fortress The two uniformed doorman looked over my credentials carefully then told me to go on up that I was expected The old-style elevator with its open cage was somewhere else So I walked up the two flights found sweet number 3a rang the bell a couple of times then when I got no answer Mr. Jared don't bat her down the door I think your partner Just off the elevator a person kind of an attach a case in one hand in a suitcase in the other Was one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen Not just pretty but beautiful in her mid-20s. I'd say petite Dark hair dark brown eyes eyes with an amused kind of a twinkle in them She wore a dark blue suit cute little pillbox hat to match dark blue shoes white gloves Is there something wrong with me? Oh, I beg your pardon. Well, you said that I Guess I did Is there something I can do for you? I'm Mrs. Jared and that is the door of my apartment. You've been looking on you know I know I I came to see Mr. Jared. Oh Why do you mind telling me who you are? No, I'm sorry. My name is Johnny dollar. I represent your husband's insurance company Oh Has Timothy been pestering you people again? Well, he called. That's all he asked me to stop by I might have known it The minute I go away for a few days the sweet old soul conjures up something to worry about he always does Yeah, so I understand. I've been up to Cape and in Massachusetts trying to paint some seascapes Oh, but I just knew he'd get himself all bothered over something or other That's why I came back today instead of next Monday as planned. I just got off the train Oh, it's pretty obvious. You've been traveling horrible traveling in this weather. I Probably look on this Idly but now that I'm home. I can Only what do we stand out here if you just take this bag? No, I said and this little case full of paints and brushes and paper and things and I got it. Good Now if I can find the keys Oh, we are all at me with your hands full. I guess you're right Only When mr. Dollar, yeah, well before we go in What was it this time and you must excuse me if I gave you a kind of suspicious look when I stepped off the elevator I saw you standing here You look nothing but charming and you still do your lovely if I didn't know you knew I am married Probably to slap your face for that. Oh your word would you just to keep up with the propriety? Oh, then I would I would blush and I would apologize and I would try to date you for the evening. Oh Meshon But really now what was it this time mr. Dollar mr. Dollar after getting my face slapped Verbally at least and for only telling the truth. Oh who is being the charmer? I'm sorry, but seriously Johnny. What is it this time? I mean his reason for calling your company I don't know really just said he wanted to see me. It's all All right, if you want to be so mysterious about it. I'll ask him myself Just put those things anywhere Johnny. Yeah Timothy I'm home with Timothy His afternoon nap, I suppose. I hope so. Oh now what that supposed to mean Shall we look for him? Of course this way Timothy Timothy dear Maybe stepped out for a minute. Oh Yes, I guess he must have Timothy are you here you are dear Laura. I don't go in there But there is Johnny asleep in his bed Just one solid blow behind the right ear with the heavy crystal ashtray that laid his feet There wasn't the least sign of a struggle of any kind There was there any look of pride or a surprise on his face Obviously somebody had simply sneaked up behind him aimed carefully and struck just once It was a rather frail old man and the one blow had been enough Laura lie after that first scream of anguish sank into a chair facing away from the body and sobbed pitifully but quietly Her face was pale and drawn, but even in this moment of shock. She was still beautiful. I Called the police then and during the wait for them looked around for some clues to who might have done this Nothing Nor was one of the doorman any help when I had him come up And no sir you were the first one to come here to see him today. You're sure of that yep First it was you and while you was going up the stairs the missus come in and went by the elevator There's a back entrance to the apartment of the kitchen. Yeah, but any delivery boy would have seen him Sir as he come around the driveway at the side Tell me are there any new any relatively new tenants in the building. Well, of course there's that mr. Baskham sir Baskham. Yes, sir. He's the newest. Yes come here in 1937. Oh Nobody came here to see mr. Jarrod today not until you come in sir And mr. Jarrod came back from a trip right after well the fact remains that somebody got to him. Oh Sergeant you made good time. Hi, Johnny. Come on in doc Well private eye, what have you got yourself involved in this time looks to me like a murderer Sergeant Barney Foster is one of the most able homicide men I know After Doc Bennett the coroner examined the body and was satisfied death was due to that blow in the head That it must have occurred only minutes before I got there. He left Sergeant Foster and I went over that place with the proverbial fine-tooth comb but the killer had apparently left no tracks whatsoever The only fingerprints in the last few days were those of the dead man and that means planning Johnny It was carefully planned Have you talked with Mrs. Jarrod about any possible enemies he might have had I tried Barney Look at her sitting out here. I'm afraid she's just too numb by this whole thing to make very much sense Yeah, poor kid better get her out of here Johnny do a hotel or something maybe to some friend's house even if she wants to stay Yep That an order mm-hmm Now we've been over every inch of this place all we found is nothing not very much of that Whoever did it must have been somebody the old man knew let in here himself Even the looks of his face the relaxed position but Bonnie no signs of a struggle all bear that out, right can't argue with you Bonnie so as soon as I leave I'm gonna start a rundown and everybody that she and her husband have known or ever been seen with Over the last five years. I have a lad down at headquarters was really great at that sort of stuff. Good idea Because the fact that apparently nobody could have come up here without being seen but Well now look yeah You know you could be the one suspect in this case Johnny. Sure. I'm not kidding You're the only one known to have come up here before Mrs. Jared got back from her trip Of course in the motive put the old man out of the way to leave a free path to his beautiful wife You think that isn't a common enough motive May have been somebody's Johnny. Well now that I've seen and talked with her. I'm inclined to agree with you. Oh, yeah Yeah Well Oh Nothing, Bonnie building up another one of your wacky hunches Johnny. I Don't know now anyhow, you get her out of here Understand a hotel or something so that nothing will be disturbed until I can come back for another look make sure we haven't slipped up somewhere She can take along her luggage. Can't you just exactly what you yourself saw with her when she stepped off that elevator, okay? Okay, nothing else is to be disturbed I'll seal off the back service door and leave orders downstairs that nobody is to be admitted to the place, okay? Okay, okay, except me All right, Johnny. What is it this hunch of yours, Bonnie? I kid you not. I don't know But there is something cooking in that so-called brain of yours, isn't it? I told you Bonnie, okay? Okay, but when it gels if it gels instead of taking things into your own hands you call me pure promise promise Democracy what does it mean the word itself is of Greek origin Deimos meaning the people and Krahos meaning authority Thus in a democracy the people have the authority to rule themselves But where does the authority come from? The authority comes from the people themselves They put it in their constitution and the constitution can't be changed by anyone except the people That puts the supreme power of the government of a democratic country right in the hands of the people and the people Elect their representatives to run the government in that manner democracy gives everyone equal representation in the government Democracy provides mankind with its greatest legacy of freedom. I Took Lorelai Jared over to the Statler and got her a comfortable suite of rooms Then I called up my best girlfriend Betty Lewis and told her what it was all about and Betty agreed to move in with Lorelai for a Few days to make sure she wouldn't go off the deep end Also, I hope that Lorelai might say something perhaps name somebody that would give me a clue to work on and Betty Of course promised to keep her ears open The silly feeling I had that a hunch was coming I said I couldn't pin down bug me for the next two days During that time there was no word from Betty and nothing but silence from sergeant Barney Foster Half a dozen times I was on the verge of going back to that apartment for another look but why To look for what Then on the afternoon of the third day I decided the only way to make the hunch materialize was to go back there, but not alone Well now I don't know sir a placement set of it's all right for you to go up there, but I'll be completely responsible very well, sir Here's the key you'll need thank you terribly come to me Johnny Don't you think you've deserved it Lorelai and Betty Such a wonderful girl She's been a wonderful comfort. I thought you two would get along if you and Betty ever get married. I Can only hope you'll be as happy as Happy as Timothy and I would be for You sure you don't mind this coming back here this way Anything I can You know that I wish to heaven. I know what kind of help I need Well, maybe if we just talk about most anything You up at Cape and you said yes Sketching. Oh, it's a mighty beautiful country up there, isn't it? I'd never seen it before only heard about it. It is beautiful I hope I can go back again sometime and sketch and paint some more If only till if they had gone along with me, yeah, that's this whole thing might not have happened But he knew the salt air wouldn't agree with him So Do you suppose Johnny that it would be all right if I took some of my clothes and things as long as I'm afraid you'd better not Lorelai the sergeant wants to come back here, you know. Oh, yes, I vaguely remember him saying better. I'm afraid I wasn't aware of much that that day. I don't blame you Lorelai What Johnny? It's kind of a strange name for a nice gentle person like you Is it? Why? went the legendary Lorelai the the sirens who enticed men to their destruction Good heavens, Johnny. Oh, I'm sorry Tell me did you make any sketches up there? K-Pan? Lots of them Would you like to see some of it very much? I know that plays pretty well When here they are Right here in this portfolio. Well, you leave your masterpieces lying around here in the front hall Oh, I wish they were masterpieces Here now, you recognize this. Oh, sure sure that's the big bay on the west side of the Cape Uh-huh, and surely you've seen this that's the bunny cottage Oh, yes The two windows in front that look like eyes and the white chimneys that look like you sticking up Mm-hmm. Well, it's wonderfully quaint, isn't it? And it does look like a bunny a big white bunny And you were never up there before. No never But I'll go again. Oh No Lorelai. I'm afraid not What? Lorelai Lorelai destroyer of men It's a fact, isn't it? But Johnny, what makes you say a thing like that? You were the one person to benefit by your husband's death Johnny. And the one person who could get in here with your own key in that back door without being seen by one of those Doormen came in by the back way and killed him. Johnny, please. You don't know what you're saying I have found out I was coming to make such a nice alibi for you I don't know maybe you overheard him on the phone just before you killed him No, no, please listen to me. Don't don't talk before you left by the back door again You waited when you saw me arrive came in after me this time by the front door Johnny Johnny. No, I told you You know it. I'd just come back from Cape Anne. You know that you helped me with my luggage I helped you with a suitcase and an attaché case You were not carrying this portfolio full of the sketches you made at Cape Anne In other words, you had to have been in here before Well, no, no, I tell you all right Listen listen to me carefully Johnny Yes Yes, I did kill him. I killed him Because he was an egotistical self-centered crazy old man because of the money millions Johnny millions of dollars to play with to have fun with enjoy life Listen Johnny You and I With all that wonderful money Just the two of us Johnny Nice try Laura life But not this time Why do they do it? Why don't they learn? Don't they know it won't work that sooner or later. They're bound to be found out Why a lovely little thing like Laura lie Laura lie destroyer of men Expense account total No, who wants it who wants anything out of a case like this? Yours truly Johnny dollar Johnny dollar is written by Jack Johnstone produced and directed by Bruno Zerato Juniors musical supervision by Ethel Huber Johnny dollar is played by Mandel Kramer Also featured in our cast were Rita Lloyd as Laura lie Sam Gray as sergeant Barney Foster Her Duncan is Ed Williams Arthur Cole as Timothy Jared and Guy rep as the dormant He should have joined us next week same time same station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is our Hannah speaking facilities of the United States Armed Forces radio and television service