 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar oh Hello, doctor. Mr. Comstock of tri mutual insurance asked me to call you regarding the death of Thomas Renee Lamar Yes Thomas Lamar was poisoned I I see I Like to talk to you doctor. I understand you were one of mr. Lamar's closest friends And one of the beneficiaries of his will I didn't it was a shot in the dark Better stick close to your office doctor. I'm on my way over to see you Tonight 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. Yes truly Johnny dollar Expense account submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to the home office universal adjustment bureau Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the Lamar matter now proven to be murder as the facts of this case lined up But appeared that Thomas Renee Lamar wealthy manufacturer of aircraft components had only two really good friends Lawrence Comstock who had issued him a million and a half worth of life insurance policies and Dr. Edward T. Wilson And a wonderful lovely charming adopted daughter LeBon Who might met during my brief vacation in, Ohio, California? Who might accompanied back here to South Bend, Indiana when she received word of her father's sudden death What little evidence I've been able to pick up seemed to point to one Walter Marson Lamar's personal secretary Unknown to Lamar. He had married Bonnie. Therefore stood to benefit from his death. Oh I kid about it. I'd fallen for the girl heavily And when I found out that she was already married to a slick smart promoter Well, let's keep personalities out of this case especially mine I Told Bonnie that I'd come up and see her out at the family mansion, but I thought I'd better contact dr. Wilson first Coming mr. Dollar. I've heard a great deal about you from Lawrence come stuck And please sit down. Thanks doctor You said something over the phone that has bothered me. I won't mince words Apparently you and Larry Comstock were Thomas Lamar's closest friend I don't think there's any question about it my boy, and I'm sure Lawrence will verify that he already has That's why I took a shot in the dark and suggested that you're a beneficiary of Lamar's will not as insurance How would he know that his daughter Vani gets that but his will? Well, is that shock you? I suppose Larry's a beneficiary too. Yes, then Either one of you might conceivably have had a motive for bringing about his death what Now just a minute relax. I make no bones about it. This is the roughest case. I ever tried to handle Unfortunately, I started out by getting myself Emotionally involved with Vani Lamar Go ahead laugh if you want to Hardly she's a very wonderful girl a bit mixed up at times perhaps because of Well Because of what? Are you aware that unknown to her father Vani was married is married? Yes to some water Marston Larry Comstock told Marston was Thomas Lamar's personal secretary. Did Lawrence tell you why she married him? I don't think he knows It was a few short months after Thomas Lamar's wife died the terrible blow both to Vani who was completely devoted to her foster mother and to him By way of quenching his sorrow Thomas drove himself in his work 16 18 hours a day at the plant all his waking hours So that he would have time to think of nothing but his work But Vani had no such outlet for her emotions her friends a lot of rich near-do-wells rich Worthless bums if you like Got her interested in gambling She plunged into it with the recklessness and abandon that quickly got her into debt so deeply and There was only one way out her father didn't know no But young Marston did and he took full advantage of it in return for her agreement to marry him He promised to quietly obtain the necessary funds from Thomas Lamar's investments, which she Marston handled and he did and she married him. Yes But how could she she didn't love him and you must realize her emotional state at that time She was terribly upset over the recent death of her mother and so was her father, of course She knew the shocker would be if he ever knew of her gambling and the tremendous debt she'd incurred She was beside herself Ready to do anything. So she married Marston. I could kill him Now Let's get one thing straight. Mr. Dollar. Yes, you too are a bit upset when you came in here You spoke as though you might think both Lawrence Comstock and I could have motive for wanting Thomas's death I'm sorry doctor. I It's true that we are beneficiaries of his will at least Thomas assured as we were But only in a very minor way Thomas was loyal to us as he was to the servants who have been so devoted to him for so long and whatever little he has left Us and them. I'm sorry doctor. I I guess I was just feeling hurt and angry and taking it out on anyone I could find At least that's the way Larry Comstock put it and he was right Now I got a job to do What are the police found out? Only enough to back up my immediate suspicion that Thomas was poisoned by pirate dameron pirate dameron Yes, it's a little known drug that produces tremendous But only momentary stimulation to the heart causes the heart to almost literally burst And it leaves virtually no traceable residue in the system But you said the chief autopsy surgeon found out. Oh, no, no He found only positive indication that pirate dameron had been used. I found the first clue to it only a minutes after Thomas died Estaining of the tongue that even then was rapidly disappearing. Can you tie this drug in with Walter Marson? No No, the fact that it was available at all is stumped both the police and myself The last known source was a small island off the coast of Greece for many many years ago And all the tiny plants from which it could be obtained as pollen were burned by the Greek government But somebody somewhere must have had some seeds planted them and obtained this poem How do you suppose mr. Lamar took the stuff? Well, it could have been mixed with one of the medicines in the cabinet in his bathroom, but we found no traces Larry Comstock said you used to give him harmless sugar pills as a kind of set of it Yeah, and Thomas knew they were perfectly harmless, but he occasionally took them anyway It was a kind of joke for this pirate stuff have been mixed with them We found no trace in the bottle, but you would have been able to yes It is only in assimilation by the human body that dissipation is so complete as to make it virtually undetectable I'm afraid I haven't been of much help to you mr. Dollar. I think you have doctor. I think you have It was only a hunch, but in this business. He sometimes have to depend as much on hunches as on common sense I picked out the library nearest to the Lamar residence to do my research Pirate Dameron, you're sure that is the word. Yes, can't you find anything on the subject nothing beyond what you found in the Pharmacopoeia index the name of the plant from which it is derived Bluffara peporis Calandus no common name. Yeah, no Well, thanks, of course the main branch of the city library in Chicago might have something sure. Thanks Yes, yes, I'm sure I can find what you're looking for. You see I myself am quite a student of rare drugs and poisons Oh, what's that after a long dull day here at the library I enjoyed nothing more than curling up in a big chair in my little apartment and reading detective fiction Oh, well, uh, where's the book? I'll show you but quietly, please We must maintain the proper atmosphere for our readers. Oh, sure. Yes. I know the poison Pirate Dameron very well It was used in that wonderful story the case of the yellow-lipped monster. Oh excellent book thrilling. Oh, you should read it Yeah, well, uh, Pirate Dameron was new to me. So as usual I had to find out all about it And I did find out too the planets derived from where it's grown I where it was grown. You see it's been extinct now for many years Yeah, I understand now deadly thing terribly deadly But now here is the book that will tell you all about it. The title is flora exotica mediterania That means exotic flowers of the mediterranean uh flora exotica Hmm Oh, what's the matter? I don't Oh good heavens. It isn't here. You sure but it was I'm sure it was only yesterday. Oh dear Well here. Do you see it was taken off and right here? Well, who took it out? I don't know Won't your record show? No, I never permit any books to be taken from this section without my knowledge But never afraid somebody'd consult the stuff for ulterior motives Oh dear no It's just that the only ones who want these books are the rabid who done it fans like myself and uh Well, I like to talk to them. Well, isn't there some other book that might give me the information I want Oh not another book in the world. I know and now oh tragedy. It's been stolen Well, this was one time a hunch didn't pay off quite the contrary I'd wasted a lot of time Expense account item 9 5 20 taxi out to the lamar mansion. I was almost relieved to learn that vani was not home I'm very sorry, sir But she and mr. Marson left shortly after noon to make the funeral arrangements. Thank you Harrison However, as you know, miss vony wished you to have full access to the house and if you get a weight How is she holding up? Harrison most admirably mr. Dollar under the circumstances Mr. Lamar's passing has been a terrible thing for her for all of us. Yeah, sure What'll happen to the house? I don't know Won't miss lamar continue to live in it this morning She said no that she'd travel for a while and then settle down somewhere else far away from this city. Oh And what about you the servants? Oh, we shall of course have to seek employment elsewhere Say tell me Harrison Didn't mr. Lamar provide for you in his will? I do not know sir, and I do not particularly care His kindness and loyalty to us during his lifetime was far more important than any provision He may have made for us Well, I guess that takes you off the list big part nothing Say tell me has wolder marson been around much since mr. Lamar's death? Yes, he's been most attentive to mr. Lamar, which we've all appreciated. He lives here in the house, you know No, I didn't know Harrison I'd like to see his room sir. I'm going to lay my cards right on the table. I'm an insurance investigator Here my card. Why I oh I see Miss bonnie hadn't so informed because she didn't know well, sir now show me the marson's room. Uh, yes. Yes, this way, please Do you like walter marson? Yes, sir very much now What is that me? I've never spoken of this to anyone else mr. Dollar For years walter marson was a clever scheming conniving young man with overpowering ambition to take over the lamar corporation So I've heard i'm convinced that at one time He even tried to marry mr. Lamar and solely for the purpose of forcing his way into the business just trying to well Yes, sir However in the past year or two mr. Marson has changed completely What makes you think so because of conversations between him and mr. Lamar that I could not avoid overhearing from time to time Mr. Lamar knew what marson was attempting and faced him with his knowledge of it. Uh, here is his room Come on mr. Lamar could have made it very difficult for him in view of his record Present record. Yes, sir for embezzlement But instead he gave the young man another chance So come on and mr. Marson made the most of it. He changed completely I say without reservation so that mr. Marson is as honorable a young man as I know Pretty sure of that aren't you? Yes, sir a butler living as close to them for both for so long can in very Pardon me, sir, but does something give you the reason to think I'm mistaken. No, no Unless perhaps it's this book. I just found lying on his desk book, sir flora exotica Mediterranean Now here's our star to tell you about the final intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow the wind up And a switch that will make your head spin Join us. Won't you yours truly johnny dollar Yours truly johnny dollar starring bob bailey is transcribed in hollywood It is produced and directed by jack johnstone who also wrote tonight's story Be sure to join us tomorrow night same time and station for the next exciting episode of yours truly johnny dollar roi roan speaking