 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar hi Johnny Say didn't you tell me one time that you're quite a nut about fishing was that Pat McCracken at Universal Adjustment Bureau? It's all gone It you know you spiked my plans for a fishing trip just a few weeks ago. Oh, yeah, all right What's on your mind big fish real big fish? You ever hear of Douglas our landfair? Millionaire playboy sportsman Jonsman. That's a one. Well, didn't I read somewhere that you sure did Johnny at the bottom of the deep blue And a $400,000 claim has been filed interested an expense account based on that will be a pleasure 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 investigated Johnny dollar to Universal Adjustment Bureau Hartford, Connecticut Following is an accounting of expended yours during my investigation of the sea legs matter Expense account item one 90 cents taxi from my apartment to the offices of Universal Adjustment where Pat McCracken was waiting for me with a Handful and a head full of information Two claims Johnny both filed by Constance land's fear the wife here copies of them I'll come to part number one is against Douglas landfairs life policy with greater Southwest life and casual insurance company 250,000 what's the other 150,000 international maritime organization for the loss of the landfair yacht 400,000 clan that's right. Okay. What's the story? Well landfair was making a triple on the coast of Central America and his yacht the sea legs He ran on to a rock or something the boat sank and he and his crew of one went down with her What do you have any reason to question the validity of the claim by Mrs. Landfair two and a half years ago landfair himself Filed a claim with international maritime. It seems he lost a power cruiser in exactly the same place Near the Baldaro Islands off the coast of Nicaragua $85,000 total loss happened in a spot where not one bit of the wreck could be salvaged Oh, what'd you learn that local authorities and his small Nicaraguan seaport and Mrs. Landfair She was with him on that trip, but she wasn't with him on this one aboard the sea legs No, or presumably she wouldn't be around to file the claim Where's constant landfair now pet home as far as I know lives on their smallest state on Long Island out near the town of Kutchag You want to call her talk to her. No, I think I'll go down there Item two twenty one twenty fair and miscellaneous to Kutchag Long Island Item three a buck even for a taxi from the little station to the landfair estate Estate did you call it mister? Well, doesn't it? Well, it used to be for the landfair sold off a lot of it Oh, that's so yeah, I guess there wasn't nothing else they could do to keep up with that highway of living keep talking fella Well the old man landfair's father-in-law. He had plenty I guess But after he died all kids seemed to do was spend it. You know what I mean fancy yachts That's polo playing Florida in the winter main the summer all that sort of thing. Oh There's place now right up ahead there on the right I Looked and what I saw apparently bore out what the taxi driver had said a big stone wall surrounded what had evidently been the Original rather vast property belonging to the estate Square in the middle of it set what was probably once called a mansion But small new modern homes were crowding in on the old house Mrs. Landfair, that's right. I'm Johnny dollar. I'm representing the Universal Adjustment Bureau in Hartford Oh, yes, of course in connection with the insurance. Yes, ma'am. Well, won't you come in please? Right in here, Mr. Dollar and do pardon the looks of the place. I'm afraid I've neglected things somewhat since Well Sit down, please. Thank you. I I Hope you don't mind answering a few questions, Mrs. Landfair But since you've already filed claims on the insurance policies Well, I'll try to be as brief as possible I don't want to seem cold-blooded about it, Mr. Dollar But the initial shock of losing Doug and the loss of the yacht has passed There's nothing to be gained and just sitting around feeling sorry for myself Particularly in view of the day-to-day problems I have to face what Problems Mrs. Landfair to be perfectly blunt about it financial mostly Well, I must say your attitude is very commendable It's a necessary attitude under the circumstances Now what may I tell you if you're sure you don't mind talking about it I'd like to know all I can about the circumstances surrounding the sinking of the yacht Well, I don't quite know how to start we were on a Well, just a pleasure cruise you were along on this trip. Yes, that is up until Until the day it happened Why did Doug ever happen? I'm sorry, Mr. Dollar Well, we were just taking our time cruising south along the east coast of Central America doing a little fishing We'd often taken the sea legs down there. That's the art. Yes a motor sailor Here on the wall This is a picture of her that's Doug on deck Isn't she beautiful 68 feet overall 20-foot beam solid teak decking everything Yes, that is a good-looking boat terrible to lose something as nice as that isn't it? Yes, yes, anyhow Along the coast of Nicaragua Doug decided to put in at San Juan Del Perro. That's where the sea legs had originally been built But the sandbar formations have almost ruined San Juan as a port so we went on up to Bluefield. Oh, yes I understand that's now the best seaport on the Caribbean side of Nicaragua. You know that country down there Only from what I've read. Oh But go on please Well while we were there. He had some work done on our radio equipment We'd had trouble with it on the way down. Uh-huh when the work was finished, of course He wanted to try it out. He'd found a radio amateur in port Aguardo So he asked me to stay on shore while he and the skipper went out to sea We kept in contact every few minutes while he headed her out toward The Baldero Islands the Baldero Islands, isn't that where you lost a power cruiser a couple of years ago? Yes, the Connie O named after me and I begged him not to go out there again Why Mrs. Landfair because of the treacherous currents between the two little islands the great deep that lies between them a Terribly dangerous spot with pinnacles of rock that reach up almost to the surface. Well, why did he go out there again to prove a point? That's all to prove a point. Look, I'm afraid I don't follow you Doug had blamed the loss of the Connie O two years before on poor seamanship by the man at the wheel He wanted to prove that he could take a boat through there safely. Oh Kind of looks like he was wrong doesn't his last words over the radio where that a rock had torn the bottom out of the sea lakes Almost a dollar before the signal stopped I could hear the crunching of the hull and the sound of the waters that swept in and over and it was terrible You sent someone out there right away, of course. Yes, but it was no use the sea legs was gone and With it went my husband and the man with him and the The bodies were never before when we lost the Connie O We had time to put on life preservers launch the small boat. I must admit I wanted how it was when the sea legs went down there wasn't time and I could hear it over the radio and it was terrible It was terrible. I'm sorry. It's all right I'm all right job. Mr. Dolla. I Have I may have to go down there Mrs. Landfair and go through the motions of an investigation, you know But then you'll your accompanies will pay the claims. I sort of see no reason now. Why not? Terrible to have to be so frank about it But I do need the money Johnny I was telling the truth. I didn't see any reason why the claim shouldn't be paid Perhaps Connie Lanfair's explanation of why she wasn't grieving over the loss of her husband was true But more than once I wondered if she weren't far more concerned over the loss of the yacht Or about how soon she could collect on the policies Then that deliberate slip and starting to call me by my first name Just what are your plans, Mrs. Landfair plans Johnny? I don't quite know what you mean. Well, suppose the companies make prompt payment on these claims. That'll mean $400,000 really mr. Dollar aren't you overstepping bounds a little bit? Maybe But if it'll make you feel any better, or if it'll help to hasten a settlement, I'll tell you I'll sell what is left of this property and leave the country leave for where Somewhere in Europe on the continent Alone I beg you Of course, I'm sorry. I just wanted Doug and I were too close to even think of my having Boy friends or whatever you want to call it The more I think about it the more I resent that question no particular implication meant Mrs. Landfair Next thing you'll start implying that the sea legs wasn't wrecked at all that Doug is still alive somewhere And that if you can't dig them up out of the sea your precious companies can somehow can try to keep the money That is rightfully mine can get out of paying off The more she talked the more I became convinced that something was very wrong about this case I Let her vent her fury on me. It was simulated fury. I thought then I called the taxi again and left Oh, no, sir. Mr. You're all wrong them landfairs. They was thickest two peas in a party They tell me did you ever notice any particular friends either of them may have had well There was always throwing them big parties that what you mean big society type brawl No, no, I was thinking of girlfriends for him or boyfriends for her. Oh, no, sir. No, sir He was her. She was his and no playing around not like most people in that set and I know I Know everything goes on and cut chalk Bank of New York I found that the best immediate routing to Nicaragua was by plane to Dallas then to Mexico City and finally to Monago on the West Coast I made a reservation on the Dallas plane immediately. That's item 4 and then spent a dollar 40 That's item 5 and a phone call to Pat McCracken back in Hartford. Well, sure Johnny. Yeah I've already made my reservation for the first leg of the truth How you talk but you really smell a rat, huh? Well, look according to report the landfairs were real buddy buddy She loved him. He loved her yet only a couple of weeks after his death She's a lot more concerned over the loss of their boat than she is over him I don't know what to think meantime if you can afford it Why don't you have somebody keep a check on her? Well sure Johnny, but with what specifically in mind? I don't know After all I didn't have any real concrete reason for feeling that this case was fishy It was more a hunch than anything else, but a real strong one And I felt that after my visit to her Connie landfair would do something just what I had the least idea But whatever it was I wanted to know about it It was a couple of hours later that I started to pick up the telephone to order a cab to the airport Johnny dollar this is Pat again Johnny. Oh, hi. I ordered a man to keep tabs on Connie landfair good It's your old friend detective Randy singer fine. Hey, but you know what what she seems to have left town in a hurry. No trace Oh, you still going to Nicaragua? Yeah, but keep looking for right Expensive count items 6 475 taxi and tip to La Guardia feel where my ticket and seat reservation were waiting for me Within a few minutes I was comfortably ensconced in my seat by the window the passengers door was closed and the big planes engines Were warming up for the trip to Dallas Then suddenly the cabin door open again a feminine figure skip lightly in and plunked herself down on the seat next to mine Well, how nice This is landfair surprise Johnny Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this week's story tomorrow the seeds of suspicion really begin to sprout With the help of one of the wildest characters I ever met join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar? Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone who also wrote this week'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