 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar Ralph Kearns Johnny great planes guarantee. Oh hi Ralph Johnny. You're 52 years old I am eight months ago. You married a lovely 27 year old girl now. I'm with you a must lady You took out a $50,000 life insurance policy on a chief of police's salary. I did huh and who did I name his beneficiary? You're beautiful wife. Who else so so three days ago. You were shot to death. Yeah I had a feeling I wasn't gonna last and 24 hours later your wife files a claim on the policy my friends tried to warn me She was fast. Well, there's the setup. What do you think the same thing you probably do in that case You got just 56 minutes to catch the plane the town is Greensport, Missouri and watch yourself. What do you mean from what? I hear Johnny. It's a wide open town Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action Pact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigators truly Johnny dollar From special investigated Johnny dollar to the home office great planes guarantee company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the open town matter Item one eighty four dollars and sixty cents transportation and incidentals Hartford to Greensport and taxi to the townhouse hotel I was hoping for a chance to shower and change look around long enough to get my bearings And then edge into the case gradually But it didn't work out that way the case was already there and waiting for me right in the lobby of the hotel All dressed up in a shiny black suit squeaky black shoes and a neater than neat little black bow tie. Oh Am I glad to see you mr. Dollar? Are you oh indeed? Yes? I am I just be the great big sigh relief, you know when I heard you tell the clerk your name That's how I know you're you you know you mean there's been some doubt But of course you want to know I me so I'll swear I had a card in one of these pockets Maybe you could just tell me who you are mr. Potser AVR OP Potser I ought to have a car though to make it more official never mind. I believe you I must have given them all away Don't worry though. I'll get some more printed to see that you have one before you leave Well, thanks a lot mr. Potser and now I wait mr. Dollar. You want to talk to me of course Well, I yes, I'm the agent here for the great planes guarantee company I'm the one that sold that policy to the fellow that's dead. Oh, so that's it Of course that he wasn't dead then you understand how I'm glad to hear it feeling pretty lively as a matter of fact With the new young wife and all that I imagine so but not just a dollar you've got to do something about that woman Oh, oh, she's driving me crazy. She wants her money She says fifty thousand dollars and she seems to think I'm carrying it around in my pocket. She's kind of anxious I'll tell you how anxious chief Blake was shot about two in the morning and at three that afternoon Marty That's Mrs. Blake was down at my office after a claim form. Yeah, I understand it was sent airmail special delivery She insisted on it made me take it straight to the post office as soon as she'd signed it pretty cold-blooded about it Well, I've heard Marty Blake called a lot of different things in this town at different times, but never cold-blooded You follow me. I think I'm ahead of you. You know what I mean. All right when you meet her I can hardly wait man. Oh man. Wow I Am to a dollar and 15 cents taxi to the suburban home of Edgar Blake former chief of police of Greensport now deceased On the strength of putzer's description of the widow I added a shave to the shower and change and I hoped I looked a little fresher than I felt The house was a rambling two-story job set back from the street Well kept shrubbery nice lawn quiet neighborhood and plenty expensive I wondered how Blake had been able to afford it I Was halfway up the walk when a man came out the front door He wavered down the steps then stopped and waited for me rocking slightly on his heels a copper. I Can tell him a block away. You're a copper, right wrong private. I maybe no insurance investigating Insurance that's what I just asked her about and you know what she did three you are probably right said I was drunk Ridiculous, that's exactly what I said ridiculous. I told her ridiculous, but you know something she was right I am no I can hardly believe it was a fact though at least a little bit My name is Crayley Joe Crayley. I'm a reporter Greensport Daily Harold Johnny dog. Hi, Joe insurance, huh? And he did had some where you wouldn't have had any reason to be here She was a lion no comment. Who's a beneficiary? It's still no comment It's her of course little smarty-marty has ever loved a little wife How much is she gonna make on the deal? Sorry joy? No comments. All right, let it lay. Oh, wait a minute Tell me something Joe Suppose I want a little action one to get into a poker game while I'm here find a crap table. Maybe Any idea where I could go? Sure any one a half a dozen different Hey How long you've been in town Johnny hmm about an hour your wife's up pretty fast, didn't you I didn't know was a secret The town is wide open isn't it it is But I wouldn't go around poking into things if I were you a guy could get hurt to see what I mean Maybe a guy did get hurt like you mean what makes you think so well if somebody wanted to keep the rack It's going the police chief would be a natural target wouldn't he not necessarily meaning No comment What was Blake sorry Joe? 6,000 a year on 6,000 he was living in a house like this. Well, you see Marty. She's even more expensive So that's why Greensport is wide open The police chief was in No comment. Hmm. Well, he's out now. That's for sure Joe I'll probably be talking to you later. Yeah. Yeah, do that. Just ask anybody Joe Craily the alcoholic that works for the Herald. I'm always around somewhere Well, how do you do this is like? Yes, what can I do Johnny dollar? I'm representing the insurance company. Oh Come in mr. Dollar. Thank you come this way I'm a little surprised really. I highly expected them to pay off so promptly. I'm on that case. You won't be too disappointed disappointed What do you mean? I mean I didn't come here to pay you anything then why did you come? I'm a special investigator, Mrs. Blake. What does that mean? The company would like a little more information about your husband's death. I told them all about it in the claim I sent to I know but sometimes it's necessary. That's the pitch They're trying to squirm out of it. Why do you say that because they sent you here? That's why and because they always do I know how those companies operate Well, you've had experience with them before no, I haven't but I'm a real smart girl Mr. Dollar and I know a fast shuffle when I see it coming and a smart girl ought to know better than to yell before she's hurt Why else would they send out a special investigator? I told you why they want some more information What information what is it? They want to know the details. That's all exactly how your husband was killed I told them all that in the claim. I know he was shot to death with his own gun right here in his own house Do you mind showing me how it happened? Oh for the love Look there won't be any payment and till I file my report Mrs. Blake All right, you win When you go after something you really go after it, don't you? That's what I get paid for oh And what about something you personally wanted? Well, that would depend on how bad I wanted it I see Would you like a drink? No, no, thanks. You won't mind if I have one really hit Looking at you right now if you wouldn't mind. Yeah, I know stick to business All right, come on Happened over here by the stairway I see right here. This is where he fell. This is where he died His gun was lying on the floor beside it middle of the night wasn't about two in the morning We'd been asleep. Why did he come downstairs? I heard a noise of some kind It woke me up I shook Ed and told him about it and he came down to see what it was he was armed No, his gun was there on the hall table by the front door. Is that where he usually left it? Yes, whenever he came home. He always took it off and put it there on the table then Anyone who knew him would probably know they could find it there Yes, I suppose so all right So what happened like I said it went on downstairs and I walked out of the bedroom into the hall Whether any lights on not down here. I turned on the hall light upstairs Did you hear your husband say anything no all I heard was the shots four or five of them Then I heard someone run out the front door and what did you do? I called out to Ed, but he didn't answer and I ran downstairs and found him lying here dead Did you get a look at the prowler or whoever it was? No, it was too dark and he ran out as soon as he fired the shots. How did he get into the house? Detective said he forced the lock on the front door. I guess that was the sound that woke me up And then he used a gun that was inside the house that he may or may not have known was inside the house That's what the police figure All right, what do you figure mrs. Blake? The same thing I guess I don't know any more about it than they do. I thought you might have some theory of your own I'll string along with them Just an accidental prowler who got panicky and snatched up a gun that happened to be lying around handy I guess that's about it Any idea at all who the prowler might have been of course not you suppose it could have been somebody besides a prowler Somebody who came here for the express purpose of murdering your husband And had a lot of enemies of course because of his job, but what about his friends mrs. Blake? What do you mean you suppose one of his friends could have done it? I Don't know what you're talking about I've been admiring your watch Real nice seven diamonds emerald band Must be worth around two thousand dollars Very nice. Well, thank you in this house the furniture that car out there in the driveway On a police chief's salary mrs. Blake. I Wouldn't know anything about Ed's financial affairs who runs the rackets here in Greensport What rackets mr. Dollar was your husband in on them? Sure, you won't have that drink All right, mrs. Blake play it your way I Thought the insurance company was probably convinced that I was the one who killed him They're not convinced of anything yet, but they think I did it don't they know but they think 24 hours is pretty fast for a Grief-stricken widow to shoot a claim into the office. I am not grief-stricken mr. Dollar. I saw her noticed Do I have to be is there some clause in the policy? No, you don't have to be You think I did it don't you I think there's a strong chance you did then I think you need a little straightening out I'm listening. Why should I make it easy for you? Go see Dave Sherman talk to him Dave Sherman the city attorney See what he says before you get all lathered up see if he thinks I'm guilty All right, I will and then we'll talk And if you're nice enough to me, maybe I'll even cooperate You never know Do you? Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this week's story Before I do that Please let me say thanks to all of you who are so kind about writing and telling us how much you like Johnny dollar It's very gratifying gratifying encouragement to all of us who are involved in production of the program And we appreciate your letters more than you know as always I'll try to answer you promptly But sometimes the mail does pile up In any event, thanks. Thanks very much for writing Tomorrow a smash in the teeth opens things up and an airtight alibi gets air conditioned with bullets Join us won't you yours truly Johnny doll Yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood written by Les Crutchfield It is produced and directed by Jack Johnstone Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly Johnny dollar Roy Rowan speaking