 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar My golly, I knew it. What? Yes, sir. I knew darn well. You'd still be here in Vegas. Peace. That's right Pete Breneman and just how did you know I was still around and here at the stardust simple process of elimination when I call the airlines They said you hadn't bought a ticket flights were all full up. Oh, yeah, that's right Or did you just decide to stay over and partake of some of the joys of living that Las Vegas offers? Nope the only reason I'm still here is how I started calling the big hotels and sure enough the stardust said you're among those present Having yourself a gay old-time Johnny Who's in your shirt at the gaming table? Hey, I told you the only reason I'm still here I hate to put a damper on your fun. See I'm glad you did stay over cuz little problems come up Oh Not another murder case. I hope oh just little problem arson embezzlement burglary. What? Yes, you don't care about a possible extra fee on this trip Why don't you come over here to the office and let me tell you all about it? Okay? Why not? The CBS radio network brings you Mandel Kramer in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-tact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to Western maritime and life insurance company Las Vegas office Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the zip matter In spite of what I've said to Pete Brennan on the phone I was glad to have the chance for another good look at this fabulous exciting town in the middle of the Mojave desert There is something almost incredible about it's a wide open gambling 24 hours a day seven days a week Even the drug and candy stores Groceries and gas stations are equipped with slot machines to quickly relieve you of any loose change that you might have Parts of Fremont Street the main drag have one big casino after another where you can play at the roulette and crap tables Blackjack bingo Shaman DeFair poker backer at you name it And where you can also bet on the mags at any horse track in the country and Every one of the big fancy glamorous hotels as its own private casino and nightclubs where you can rub elbows with broken-down Miners of famous Hollywood stars all gathered to watch the floor shows featuring the finest best-paid entertainers in the country I've seen men in rumpled denim shirts and faded blue jeans wager hundred dollar bills and a single number at roulette lose it and walk away without a whimper I've seen a sweet little gray hero lady Somebody's grandmother win over five thousand bucks of craps and give it all back by the slot machine router on the flip of a car To the blackjack table as For me Well, I've lost a little one a little and I'm thankful that gambling has never been a compulsion with me Or given me the false hope that in the long run I could ever come out ahead Naturally, I wondered if I had anything to do with this new case Pete Brennan had for me Expensive count item one a dollar even for a taxi from the Stardust to Pete's office. Hey, Johnny. Yeah, take a look at this Willard Rayfield Swift yeah Well Pete since when has your company been attaching the picture of a beneficiary to an insurance policy Johnny Western Maritime and life Attach anything to a policy information on anything or anybody even remotely connected with the insured What about this? Willard Rayfield Swift ever see him in the flesh not that I know him and you've been doing any gambling over there at the Stardust Oh, a little well, then you should run into Swiftie at one of the roulette wheel Well after all Pete have only been in town a few hours long enough Johnny long enough That's his favorite place and Swifties are confirmed in curable gambler at that's the what to say here The ripe old age of thirty one Yeah, ever since his papa died about six years ago and left him a lot of dough Which I suppose didn't last very long Oh papa was smart and provided that the money be dealt out to Swiftie in small amounts If you can call 300 a week small amounts, I'd call it a real nice legacy But he's carefully steadily gambled away every cent of it. Yeah, and then so you mean it's borrowed That's exactly what I mean and without the loaners knowing the legacy to him is about to stop now Yeah, even more to the point these loaners don't know the true facts about this policy What do you mean Pete this policy is Uncle Fred's And old Frederick Peyton died only day before yesterday leaving no estate except this insurance $120,000 worth 120. Well, that should hold your boy. Swiftie for a while except for one thing. Yeah Be divided up three ways. Yeah, look at these other beneficiaries Doreen Janice Clayford Wow Pretty name to a niece She really is good-looking is this picture sure is where you see her All that beauty and all that money My ties straight pity my hair look all right You look gorgeous Johnny, but you're too late. Doreen's married to a fellow with a feed store. Oh, you killed your own This other picture is another nephew. You're the beneficiary Kenneth Kermit Kenzie old is one of the three born 1922 says here That's it makes him about 40. Yeah, he has a little I mean a little cattle ranch up near Glendale. That's north of here There's some well-drilling in our jobs in the spare time real hard-working nice guy. Well now what about him Pete? All three are equal beneficiaries Johnny. Oh $40,000 a piece then mm-hmm. That's just about what I understand swift deals, but yes If one of them dies before this money is paid out the remaining two will split 50 50 60,000 it's a big difference sure is especially for guy needs dough And of course if two of them were to go so that only one of them would be left to collect and remember this Johnny Yeah, there never was any love lost between those two I mean between the nephew was Ken Kermit Willard Swift. What about the girl? Oh, she's been pretty much apart from them You know married and all Those boys have always been at each other's throats hated each other's guts would even go out of their way to make trouble Especially swiftly you think maybe one of them would go so far as to kill the other to grab a bigger share of the insurance Can't kermit go that far. No, but Swiftie Yeah, I think he would and Johnny Well, you didn't see Swiftie around the tables there at the stardust and you would have noticed him I think I wouldn't well Johnny if you ask me that means he's up to something and you'd better get on this right away Well Pete, I think you're right When you have to stay alert don't let drowsiness slow you down Per cop per cop with no-dose The safe way to stay alert without harmful stimulants remember when you're driving working studying and monotony makes you feel drowsy Per cop per cop with no-dose There's a second reason for not wasting any time Johnny one I just found out about what's up It's a fact that shorty Callahan is breathing down Swiftie's neck. Who's Callahan the punk? He owes the nearly 40,000 to and what's more Swiftie knows that if he doesn't pay off Callahan and pronto well, nobody can prove anything at least nobody has yet But it's been rumored around that people who try to welch on Callahan can end up very very dead What nice people you know, I wish I didn't Now am I supposed to save Swiftie from Callahan? Why bother? Just Ken Kermler from Swiftie. Yeah, if one of Callahan's boys were to knock off Swiftie Nobody complained one bit your case are good riddance. What did you say that Ken Kermler lives? They said at Glendale about 45 miles north here Then a Swiftie isn't it as usual place at the start us if it turns out that he isn't even here in town, right Johnny You're not better hobby into my car Oh Random and Mr. Brennan. Yeah, Mr. Brennan. This is Dorian Clayford Johnny get close listening to this. I'm right here Mr. Brennan. Yeah, I'll go on Dorian. I'm here at the house in North Vegas. Yeah Well out on the highway. Well only a couple of minutes ago. Yeah, but I met Swiftie. Will it swift? He was in a car he must have borrowed from someone. Uh-huh. Well, he was on his way up to Glendale to see Ken You're sure about that. Yes. He told me so and he'd been drinking He was nasty and he told me not to follow him, but I'm going to anyway now now wait Dorian No, no, I must because don't you see don't you see what might happen up there? I certainly do I mean with Uncle Fred's insurance still to be paid and all that money he owes. Well, I told you about that Yeah, I know and the way Swiftie feels about Ken Well, you know yourself about how he hates him because well Ken won't give him the money to pay off his debt Yes, I know I know Swiftie might do anything in the mode He's in and all the drinks he's had Dorian So if you want to be to get some help the police or something and drive up on there. Will you mr. Brennan? Yeah Thank you. Now. Don't don't don't you go Dorian? You let me take care. Hello Hello Johnny you have a car handy-peaf. It's right out front. Let's go We'll we swung right at the end of Fremont Street and barrel down north on 91 toward the town of Glendale In North Las Vegas He stopped at a little house on one of the side streets But only for a minute and I hope the Doreen was still there and had not gone on ahead But apparently she had So out on the highway again He really burned up the road hoping a cop would spot us would come along and give us a hand Darn it when you need him there never around. Well, I wouldn't say that seat But look ahead. Yeah, I see looks like it's coming across the mountains from the east too If you know what these southern easters can do in this country Johnny. I'm afraid I do Let's just hope we can get there ahead of it hang on one came with a vengeance Believe me it really clobbered us and we had to slow to almost a crawl even with the headlights on Here and there in low spots rivers of mud rolled across the road and half a dozen times We passed cars with their engines drowned out Or maybe the drivers were simply smarter than we were and decided to sit out the storm because visibility was almost new Now then we had to make our way cautiously around sizable boulders that had rolled out of the road Just just no use Johnny Doreen's gotten there got in their way ahead of us and you think her life might be in danger, too Swiftie as well as I do Slow down and take it easier. We'll end up in a ditch. You know, you know what I wish Johnny, but One of Callahan's boys had taken care of Swiftie. No, no, maybe that's the real reason for his heading out of Vegas I sure hope so but if he has gone out to Ken's ranch now wait Here's a turnoff goodness. This side road is paid Pete Yeah, Johnny, you seem pretty sure that Ken wouldn't try to get rid of one of the others. Sure. I'm sure absolutely. Why oh, I just Sort of thinking about the whole situation all the possibilities And the Doreen Doreen. Oh now Johnny. How's her husband's feet business? You know something that poor guy's had more bad luck since he took over that No, no, no, no, there's no reason in the world suspect. She might be up to Up to what we suspect they've been married long. Sure a couple years What'd she do before that old dancer in one of the nightclubs, but now listen John Looks like the storm's letting up. Yeah, and there's Ken's ranch right ahead There's two cars parked there one right next to the porch is Doreen's She got here all right Just hope she's still all right Isn't that Doreen standing there the doorway? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, she's okay. Thank goodness. I wonder Look Yeah, she's waving at us kind of frantically Come on Johnny Doreen. What's the matter? I only got here a minute ago. Mr. Breneman Yeah, Swiftie's car was here and this front door was wide open and Yeah, well Who's this man? He's Johnny dollars special investigator. Oh, thank heavens. What's happened to ring? Well, I hear a voice Shouting like he was mad from back in there with that little door is nor the shop where Ken has all his well-drilling tools Yes, who's voice Doreen? I don't know they always shouted so much alike But then then I heard a shot from inside the tool shop. I don't know but when I tried that door It was locked and nobody answered when I called all right. Come on I heard your car coming up. So I went out to meet you. It's locked. All right All right, stand away now. All right, both of them. Yeah Maybe over here Johnny This one's not like a light and this one is dead. There's that new port theme again Comes through like the taste of a new port filter cigarette Fresh clear like the voice of a girl you used to know I see Like when you light up your first new port man, you've never tasted anything like this Good rich tobacco flavor the right amount of menthol just a hint of cool refreshing What is it that fellow in the commercial says about Newport? Are there any questions, man? Questions. No, I got the message Newport's more refreshing to begin with more refreshing all the way Newport Ken Kerman He'd been shot through the chest with the 38 slug which had then bounced off the wall and back of him and lay on the floor While Pete and Doreen with a wet towel and some whiskey they found went to work on the other on Swifty I went over that tool shop of a fine-tooth comb. I Looked around outside to and very thoroughly but found nothing of any help Then when Swifty was feeling better and able to talk This awful lump on your head What happened? But what happened in here? Yeah a lot. You care. Don't you Doreen? Don't give me that You wish it was me laying here dead. Well, I care. What did happen? Well, okay, okay, give me a second So much to my thoughts and I'll give it to you straight. I think you better Well, I came here to oh you better not try to move yet. I Came here to see if there was any possibility that Kenneth let me have some money again Swifty. So what? What's it to you? All right, Swifty just tell your story. Okay? Okay? At first he didn't even want to let me out of the rain. He he blocked the door But then he saw Doreen's car make the turn off from the highway So he brought me in here and locked the door on us There you see it They locked it with the key. Yeah on the inside here then what happened, and we have a big argument Brother, I mean a real big one That's when he hit me. He didn't hit you with what how do I know? Like a jerk and against my mama's best Instructions I turned my back on it this little piece of pipeline here beside his hand Maybe so don't touch it Pete. We may have to look for Prince. All right. All right, Swifty go on. What happened next? How should I know? Don't you get a dollar? He knocked me out Cold as a pancake The next thing I knew I This loving Doreen here was splatter and water all of me just now. You didn't hear the shop. It killed him How could I? When I was laying here on the floor out cold See listen Listen, you know what I think darling what? This little sweetness and light character here must have done it You mean me yeah, yeah, I mean you oh And then lock the door on the outside on the inside and crawled out the keyhole It's no good swifty. You'd better think of a better one. Call ahead Like maybe you did it your own self after he hit you wait a minute wait Through the gun out of the window and that's why it's broken why the window is broken. Oh wait, I said Shorty Callahan It had to be One of him or one of his boys Yeah, yeah, yeah after Kenny knocked me out Possibilities I sure through the window He must have followed me up here in the rain and all he thought it was me that he saw through the window Only it wasn't it was Ken He could be right Johnny. I don't think so, but I look Johnny if he's Well, you know what I think much as I hate to what? That he's right about Kelly sure I am Didn't find any sign of a gun. Did you I didn't find any footprints outside either So the storm must have washed him away storm was over Pete. There was still a lot of water draining off out there You see how the window was broken and the outside in all the glasses here on the floor Broken that way by a bullet why not? But only have left a hole maybe some cracks are you crazy dollar? It must have been busted by the bullet all you had to do was raise the flash and strike it from the outside me Oh, no listen. I think you killed him swift in for a very obvious reason the insurance money And I say you're crazy because like he says dollar wears the gun. Did you find one? Inside or outside or wherever you look answer me that no I didn't But how did you lying here supposedly unconscious know that I was looking around outside? Well, what are you dumb? Because of the fresh mud all over your feet. That's how I know You've got nothing on me Not even you're lying about Kermit seeing Doreen's car down at the turnoff That's nearly half a mile switch in it was raining then and raining hard give it one about this You think I slugged myself on the head exactly what I think so that nobody would suspect you then Where's the gun I'm supposed to have used? Yeah. Yeah, tell me that dig that up And maybe somebody I believe this crazy accusation of yours, but until you find a gun Yeah, I'm Afraid he's right Johnny you bet. I'm right or Maybe you think I could have swallowed it Maybe a zip gun That would take up 38 Don't make me laugh You sure you look through everything Johnny Zip gun Don't had to be somebody outside because only Kenny and me were inside here. You're sure of that. Yeah, I'm sure I swear to it on a stack of Bibles So it had to be somebody outside Maybe Doreen here stepped out before you got here with no mud on my shoes So what you got here after the storm parked up close to the porch. No Swifty you did it without a minute ago You told me how and I said you won't let you can find a 38 But you can't and then prove it belonged to me a zip gun you said all right here in this shop This world river's plumbing shop is material enough for a dozen of them a hundred of them What do you mean Johnny? I knew there was something wrong about this bullet that went through comer You gave me the answers with Dean. I said you're crazy Johnny no marks from the rifling of a barrel on it All right Pete here. Take this gun of mine and hold it on him. Sure, but I still don't get it Well, I take a look through this stuff here this pile of pipe Till I find one that fits for 38 Johnny and that still smells of gunpowder And maybe a hammer with powder burns on it that he used to fire the cartridge Maybe the cartridge case still in it then when I find Swifty's fingerprints on them on the zip gun he improvised so that nobody would find a pistol around Well Swifty Watch it Swifty It's okay Pete Okay, now I'll cooperate. It won't do you any good Swifty It's still murder. I know Maybe a judge wouldn't Or a jury would Well, anyhow, it's that short one that hunk of steel pipe on the workbench And the hammer beside it So once again, it's up to the courts and I'm sure that Swifty will go up for life at the least Expense account total including the trip back to Hartford call it 200 even yours truly Johnny dollar Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story next week the fastest jailing of a murder suspect you ever saw me Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar truly Johnny dollar is written by Jack Johnstone produced and directed by Bruno Zorato Jr. Music supervision by Ethel Huber sound patterns by Joseph Kibble Johnny dollar is played by Mandel Kramer Also featured in our cast with Jim Stevens as Pete Reneman Leon Johnny is Swifty and Rita Lloyd a story Be sure to join us next week same time same station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is our tennis speaking You