 Johnny, darling, yeah, back out where, and who are you? The fishing guide out there at Lake Mahoney Resort? That's right. You're Ed. Yeah, I'll go along with you on that. And I should have recognized your voice. But where were you last week when I was out there? Oh, what time, right? That night. Favorite in Nicolette? Ed. Yeah? And also to attend to his money and things. He left them to you, right, huh? He told me his will a couple of months ago. Yeah? And some money and everything. So? In place, well, Johnny, somebody changed it. Well, weren't the police and the insurance company able to see that? You're sure? Only trouble is, well, Johnny, if you ever expect to see me again. You mean that somebody's threatening you? Do you ever hear? You're red. And if I was you, I wouldn't waste any time. OK, right, I'm on my way. In the exciting adventures of the man with the action-pact expense account, America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Here goes truly Johnny Duller, a special investigator Johnny Duller, with a greater Southwest Insurance Company attention of Jake Hesler, Kingman Arizona office. Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the will and away matter. Expense account item 1, 154, 50 plane transportation from Hartford to New York to Las Vegas, Nevada. Item 2, 50 bucks deposit on a rental car. Instead of driving directly south to Lake Mojave Resort, I took Highway 93 to Kingman, Arizona. I went straight to Jake Hesler's insurance office on East Palm Drive. Johnny Duller. Well, sit down, Johnny. Tell me all about you. Ah, thanks, Jake. Well, I suppose you're here on account of Avery Nicolette's insurance. That's right. He wrote his policy himself, 10,000 straight lines. And the beneficiary? He'll be named in his will. You swear the policy read? Well, isn't that rather unusual? It's highly irregular with a bit of doing with the company. But that's what you wanted, and that's what he got. And it's made us a lot of trouble. How, Jake? Well, first of all, after he died, nobody knew whether he'd even made out of it. All right, then, well, that isn't for some old character from old Lake Mojave. He'd come along and showed us where he'd hidden it. There in that house he was renting. That was Red Bird. That's right, Lord Bird. He called himself Red. I understand he was a very good friend of Nicolette's. Only real friend he ever had, I guess. They used to do some prospecting, or cattle raising, or something together. And Red was named to get everything Avery had, except insurance. Well, what was there besides the insurance? He was a clue, money. How much money? Couple of thousand dollars he had in the bank. Now, look, about that will. Johnny, we were glad enough to have him find it for us, and it was OK. A whole graphic will, but OK. But when Red claimed that he would leave and everything to him, only the will said otherwise. Red told me on the phone, Jake. Yeah, he threatened to do that. And he told me that will has been tampered with. That's what he told us, only it was done. And if you don't believe me, you can ask the police and the lawyer about it, and we'll ask them gentle. What do you mean by that? Well, they got so fed up with Red having no grounds to differentiate his claim. Well, they told him if he didn't stop lying about it and bothering them, they'd inform them clean. Oh, Jake, I know Red. I know him well. I know that now and then he might stretch the truth a bit about some of his experiences. The place he's been about the big fish over there in Mojave that he knows for their first name. Johnny, that's the very reason. But there isn't a malicious phone in this whole body. And I refuse to believe that he'd ever lie or try to pull a fast one for 10,000 or 10 million. Yeah, but Johnny. Now, who is supposed to get his insurance? A fellow named Louie Moreno. Who's Louie Moreno? Well, according to Mrs. Turner, this is Mary Turner. She was a kind of a nursing housekeeper for Avery the past few months, real nice woman. And according to her? Well, she didn't know much about this, Moreno, but she'd heard Avery mention him once or twice. He lived up in Vegas. Of course, she saw his name in the world when she witnessed it. Who else witnessed that world? Well, Tim Hinton. Oh, what does he say about it? Well, Tim got killed about three months back one night in April. Got dunked and run his car off the highway down towards Newton when he's no help. Well, I find this Mrs. Turner. Still at the house Avery was running. And she swears that Moreno was mentioned in the will right from the beginning, huh? Yeah, but you were a friend of Red Bear. Oh, Jake, I'll see you later. You going over to see her? First, I think I'd better talk to Red over Lake Mojave Resort. You can give myself a room for the night. Ask me, Johnny. You're just wasting your time and your money. Oh, my money? I'm on an insurance case, remember? So I'm on an expense account. What? Sure, with your company putting the bill. Not now, Johnny. You let it, Jake. It was after dark when I reached the Lake Mojave Resort. And yeah, Red was waiting for me in his comfortable motel room. We got right down to cases. And I tell you, Johnny, that when Avery showed me that will, there was never any such a name as Louis Marino on it. And that was a couple of months ago. On his birthday, May 11th. I'd taken him a couple of nice dates to celebrate. No. Now, what was this about you being threatened? Threatened? Well, that's what you implied to me over the phone. Well, now, wait a minute. Were you just stretching things a bit to make sure I'd come out here? Oh, now, Johnny. Yeah, I should have known it was something like that. No, sir. Oh, that is. Well, if you could have seen Marino's face when I told that lawyer, sir, Jake, that somebody meddled with Avery's will, and when I said I was going to stand with you, I'll read you all reprobate. You're in about as much danger. Now, who'd be out there practicing with a gun this time in town? Get down. Douse the lights. Sure will. Johnny, that nicked my shirt. Out there practicing, huh? Those bullets were meant for you. Maybe. Or maybe you, Johnny. And the will and the way matter. I thought Red Ferris, there at the Lake Mojave Resort, was spinning another one of his yarns when he told me he was being threatened by the beneficiary of the insurance he thought that he was entitled to. That is, until a couple of gunshots crashed in through the window in his motel room. Yes, sir, Johnny. That Louis Marino knew that I was going to send for you, so those shots could just as well have been meant for you as for me. Wait a minute, Red. Somebody, stay low. Leave the lights out. Red, Red. It's Buster. Buster, please. Johnny, Red said you were coming out here to help me. Yeah, Buster. Pull down the blinds or I'll be counting the lights on again. Sure, Johnny. Those shots, Johnny, and I heard this window break. They came from a car up on the old mine road above here, and the car took off not over the hill. So it looks like Red was right. Red, how much do you know about this Louis Marino? I tell you, Johnny, I never even heard of him until I dug Avery's will out of the linen closet. There at his house, and I saw Marino's name on it. Only thing I know about him is that he's been living up there in Vegas, working in a garage about three, three and a half months now. Then he must have arrived there shortly before all Tim Hansen died, which probably doesn't mean a thing. Well, Tim was the other witness to Avery's will. Johnny, I knew Tim pretty well. He was kind of a general hand man over there in Kingman. I used to have him come over here and give us a hand on that song. Well, did you hear about how he died? Sure, got drunk one night and ran his car off the road. Only Tim never touched the stuff. You're sure of that, Buster? Yes, sir. Well, did you tell the police in corner? Yeah, and I guess they changed their report. Now, does it mean anything? One dinner. Let me get some dates straightened. Dates, Johnny? Yeah, how long was Avery and Nicolette living over there in Kingman? Since January. And before that? California, working in the oral field. But the doctor told him if he didn't get over here in the desert that his lungs wouldn't hold out more than a couple of months. When did Mrs. Turner take over as his nurse and housekeeper? Oh, Mary started working for him in March when he took real sick. That's when he made out his will, too. And Mary and Tim were the witnesses. That's also about the time Louis Marino arrived in Vegas. Well, yeah. Johnny. No, no, let's not try to tie these things up until we have good reasons to. Well, you asked me. Then it was back in April that Tim Hansen died. Yes, sir. And when did you see the well? In May. That was the time I almost got killed. What? Oh, I'm coming over the pass that night on the way back here. The steering on my car gave out. Give me a minute. Did anyone examine it after that happened? Well, I had it fixed, but that's what you mean. No, that isn't what I mean. What are you thinking of, Johnny? Plenty, Buster. Red, where is that well now? We're still with Laurie Robbins, I guess. Over in Kingman? Yes, sir. He used to serve a gate on it. And he lives right over his office on North Poplar. Good. Then I'm going over there to see him. Well, that's me, Mr. Dollar. You're wasting your time, but, well, here you are. Last will and testament of Avery Charles Nicolette. And it's all in order. Perfectly legal. I couldn't have dictated a better letter myself. The part that Red Barrett claims was added to is. My best and oldest friend, Lloyd Barrett, I bequeathed the whole of my estate. Right here. With the exception of the proceeds from my life insurance policy, which I should go to Louis Marino of Las Vegas, Nevada. You see? It's in his same hand. Yeah, it looks to be. It is. I even have Mr. Brinkerhoff down at the bank. Check the handwriting. Even the police brought in a handwriting expert. Wait a minute. What? Have you got a magnifying glass, Mr. Robbins? Oh, yeah, sure. Now, right here. Thanks. Now, listen, Mr. Darling. Listen, Mr. Robbins, I don't know whether this last part is in Avery Nicolette's hand, or it's just a clever forgery. But if this has been tampered with. And I tell you this. I'm betting that Louis Marino was put in after the will was signed and witnessed. But in that case, the will wouldn't be. Well, what I mean is, well, that is to say that. Instead of trying to think of something to say, Mr. Robbins, I want you to call a meeting for me. Tomorrow morning, here in your office. A meeting? Where is Marino? Right here in Kingland, awaiting payment of the day. I'll bring Red Barrett over from Lake Mahadi myself. But you get hold of Marino, and this is Mary Turner. Well, now, Mr. Dollar, now, wait. Say, 10 o'clock sharp, Mr. Robbins, OK? Now, Mr. Dollar. OK, I'll see you then. As it turned out, I didn't go back and pick up Red after all. Or sure, I started to. Even got a few miles out of the highway. But I ended up by Telefonium for a room I'd taken at a motel right there in Kingland. As for my rental car. Well, I don't want to sound dramatic, but what happened was this. About two or three miles out of town as I was driving along. Yeah, a funny buzzing noise in the motor. And it stayed loose constantly, even when I slowed down. Well, I've heard that noise before. So I decided to get as far away from that car as I could, but fast. And I ducked behind a mound of gravel there at the side of the road. Yeah. Yeah. You know something? As the sordid parts and pieces came sailing down around me, I was kind of glad that I had got out of that car. I had underestimated the Kingman Arizona police. When I called them after having my car blown to bits, I learned from Sergeant Tommy Parker that they too had been suspicious of Avery Nicolette's will, and particularly of the main beneficiary, Louis Marino. First thing in the morning a police had for this Parker laid out the facts for me. Well, it was the police up in Vegas who first ran a make on him, darling. Why, Sergeant? Because he'd got to turn on a couple of gambling joints up there when he tried to get a job before he worked in the garage. Yeah. And the men who run those casinos are a pretty wise bunch. Somebody recognized him as Louis the Penman from Chicago. Hanman, our forger. That's right, and then the mobs. And just for luck, I started checking on this young housekeeper of Nicolette's. This is Turner. Only her maiden name was Mary Polito. Young, did you say? Late 30s. Dark hair, dark complexion. You're good-looking. Well, remember she had herself a flock of husbands? Wait a minute. Don't tell me. Yeah, darling, the last was an old man named Harry Turner. Died about a year ago in a car accident. Car accident? The one before was another old man, Lawrence Fulbright, another car accident. Same pattern. But her first husband was Louis Marino. Right. Well, Miss T, you've done yourself proud. Maybe so, but unless we can somehow hold onto them, which is to say, unless we can find something wrong with that wheel. And don't forget, the handwriting expert I called in said it's OK. Sergeant, maybe that expert will look something. Oh? Come on. It's about time for the meeting at the lawyer's office. Why is there enough Sergeant Parker who decided to stick around outside while I went into the meeting? Present where Mr. Robin's the lawyer, Red Barrett, Louis Marino. I couldn't blame Red for not liking his looks. And Mrs. Mary Turner, at the moment, Red had the floor. And I said, I treasure you. I don't want the money. I'll give it to charity. But I don't want to go into somebody that Avery never even heard of this. What do you mean he never heard of me, you crazy old bum? Because he would have told me. That's why. Because he told me everything. Yeah. Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Barrett, but I'm sure I heard Mr. Nicolette mention Louis, but Louis Marino many times. And when I saw his name in the world. Somebody put it there after I saw it. You're crazy. All right, now, folks. Listen, old man, if you think you can break this, well. Maybe I can, Louis. Huh? Who's this gentleman, Mr. Robin? This is Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Turner, investigator for the insurance company. Well, good. Not that it makes any difference to me whether Mr. Marino gets that insurance money. Oh, I think it does, Mrs. Turner. Mrs. Mary Polito, Marino Fulbright Turner. What? Did you toss in a Marino somewhere along there, Johnny? No, Mr. Dollar. Listen here, Dollar. Marino, it may be tough proving that you caused the death of the other witness of that will, poor old Tim Hansen. It was a car accident. He was drunk. They found the bottle right beside him. He never took a drink in his life. I suspect that bottle, if there was one, was planted in his car by the mechanic who tampered with his steering. Who said? And come to think of it, you are a mechanic, aren't you, Louis? Sure, sure I am, but that doesn't mean a thing. It might be hard to prove you planted that bomb in my car. Now listen, Dollar. I tampered with the steering on Reds and tried to kill him off after you realized he'd seen the original will. But sooner or later, I think these Kingman police will be able to pin these things on you. The only thing I have to prove, though, is that this will was tampered with. And I think I can. Yeah, how? Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Dollar, but that will is exactly as it was in the beginning. Mrs. Turner, did you actually see it written? You can answer them. I both saw him write it. Then Mr. Nicolette signed it, re-signed it, and he folded it up and put it in the envelope. Oh, this paper wasn't folded before. No, it was some new stationery he just got himself. You're sure? Of course. Why'd he ask a thing like that? The paper has a coating on it, like most papers of this kind. Some of that coating cracks a little bit when it's folded. It takes a magnifying glass to see it. Oh, what? So when something's written on it after it's been folded, the ink will spread a bit over the tiny cracks made in the coating. What? Yeah. Like it has on this part. It was added later to give the insurance to Louie Moreno after Mrs. Turner found the wheel in the linen closet. How do you know? I mean, I know. Added after the other witness died after Red Barrett saw it. Take a look with your magnifying glass, Mr. Robbins. Yes, I certainly should. So Louie, despite your excellent copy of Avery Nicolette's handwriting by writing yourself in over the fold in that paper, you pulled up boo boo. You're right, Mr. Dollar. Absolutely right. Well, Mary. Louie? All right, Dollar. Let's see this gun. Louie pulled a gun and started to make even more of a fool of himself. But then Sergeant Parker quietly walked in and took over. And you know something? I think at given time that Mary and Louie in the clinic for this forgery, he'll probably pin those other things I mentioned on him. He's a good man. Expensive control including the blown up rental car, 3,280 bucks. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Sorry to tell you about next week's story. Next week, a beautiful girl, a terrible storm, and a miracle. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Please, Johnny Dollar. Darling Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast, with Virginia Greg, Barney Phillips, Boris Lewis, Barley Bear, Jack Koyle, Billy Halop, and Byron Cade. You should join us next week, same time in fashion for another exciting story of, Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. This is Jim Matthews speaking.