 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Ben Gardley Johnny Amercon Northern Trust. Oh hi a Ben. What are you here from Wall Street save your money? What money money? I'm gonna crazy one Johnny. So naturally you thought of me nothing personal Look, it's a it's a trust setup cumulative endowment insurance rider big deal over a quarter million bucks Maybe half a million from home to home from a Mrs. Ezra Grimley widow to her granddaughter Susan Mrs. Grimley owns the Flint Rock Ranch in Nevada never heard of it our representative out there is Jonas Parks He's a president of the Flint Rock First National Bank never heard of it It's a whistle stop about 20 miles from Las Vegas that I've heard of Park started the deal rolling And then he got cold feet now is yelling for help thinks the old lady may be crazy I mean literally and there does seem to be a reasonable doubt unless Park's himself is crazy That's also a possibility Johnny Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Oh, it's truly Johnny dollar From special investigator Johnny dollar to the home office Amercon Northern Trust Company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the matter of reasonable doubt Item one hundred and fifty four dollars and forty cents transportation and incidentals Hartford, Las Vegas, Nevada Where I checked into a hotel and then phoned the local office of a national business and credit rating bureau that my client retained on a permanent consulting basis I asked for a rundown on Jonas Parks and got it an a1 set of references Parks had been a resident of Nevada for 32 years and president of the Flint Rock Bank for 17 He was regarded locally as a cautious investor of prudent financial advisor Scrupulously honest and as sound as a dollar a silver dollar crazy Hardly Item two thirty two dollars and fifty cents deposit and first-days rental on a drive-at-yourself hired car mileage Las Vegas to Flint Rock twenty three point six Item eyes building appraisal Flint Rock three bar casinos all needing paint one restaurant one general store Barbershop garage welding shop railroad depot also needing paint for dwellings And of course one bank Jonas Parks president What can I do for you young fellow? Well, my name is dollar. Mr. Parks Johnny dollar I'm a special investigator for Amercon and I'm here in regard to the Grimley Trust case No, I might have glad to know you mr. Dollar, and I don't mind telling you. I'm glad you got here Here pull up chair. Okay, sit down It's been a real odd day funny-looking clouds hanging off there toward the river Yeah, I noticed them driving out from town storm clouds That's what they are this time of year son in this neck of the woods It can happen anytime of the year cloud burst come up just like that and they're over just as fast Oh, that's very interesting. You're a hypocrite young fellow What makes you think so you didn't come clear across the country to hear a dissertation on Desert Storm So stop sitting there trying to pretend you're interested Whatever you say, Mr. Parks matter of fact, you weren't even half listening to me No as a matter of fact, I wasn't well What were you doing looking you over sizing you up come to any conclusions a couple such as Well in the first place, I'm inclined to discard the theory that you're crazy. That's what they told you in Hartford Well, they figure one of you is either you or mrs. Grimley. They do hey, and what is your second conclusion? That you were sitting there sizing me up. You're right. I was come to any conclusions mr. Parks. Yeah One such as that we'll probably get along together all right, you and me good good And suppose we're right the Grimley case No wonder they thought what they did. Maybe they're right. Maybe we are crazy both of us Well, as I understand it mrs. Grimley wanted to set up some kind of insured trust for her granddaughter You started the proceedings for her and then stopped cold and called for help. Yes, it's about what happened Well, why was she financially unable to carry out? Of course. She's able. I wouldn't need any outside help But that was the problem. She's been banking with me for mighty near 20 years. Then is she mentally incompetent sir? Grimley is as sane as his belt At least I've always figured she was but confounded mr. Dollar. There's something wrong out at that branch. Oh, what do you mean? I? Don't know what I mean Well, if you don't I mean it's mostly things you can't put your finger on little things that add up finally add up to what? I don't know. It's just a feeling you're kind of a hunch. Is that what you mean? Yes, you want to put it that way so I brought you clear out here from Hartford on a hunch go ahead Say it relax mr. Parks relax I've had hunches of my own and sometimes the horse is one, but I don't even know why I think something is wrong All right, what's the set about there at the ranch? What's the background? Mrs. Grimley is a widow her husband died about 14 years ago, and she stayed on afterward and ran the ranch Of course, her son had and his wife were there with her until three years ago and done most of the work And they moved out three years ago. No, you were killed an automobile accident This girl Susan that Mrs. Grimley wanted to set up the trust for is their daughter. She's going on 17 now Then the two of them live there alone. No, no, there's another couple Walter Grimley and his wife Hilda Walter's Mrs. Grimley's nephew sort of manages the ranch. There's a pretty good job of it, too Then that's the whole family Mrs. Grimley her nephew Walter and his wife and a granddaughter Susan That's the family or better or worse. Uh, mr. Parks Do you even have any idea as to what might be wrong? Not the slightest. You're on your own, son How did this trust business start? How did it come about? Miss Grimley came into town one day about two months ago and sprung it on me out of a blue sky First time she'd been in town nearly a year Did she say why she wanted to set up the trust? No She says it was nobody's business, but her own she's changed a lot in the last year She's not herself anymore and the trust was intended in its entirety for her granddaughter Susan That's right. Well then the next three years she wanted the whole estate transferred to the girl Let Susan know about it according to Mrs. Grimley. Nobody knew about it and she didn't want anybody to know All right, then you started the ball rolling and then you stopped her nephew Walter came in to see me last week He knew something was up and there was no use trying to lie to him when I told him what she was doing He said that she would never go through with it. So I went out to the ranch to see her laid all the cards on the table I told her what Walter'd said. Oh, it's a reaction. She said maybe he was right. Maybe she wouldn't go through with it Then she started rambling not even making sense talking about the auto accident and her son's death But before I left she told me again that I should keep pushing the trust yet it set up So you call for help. I call for help Well, I guess I'd better go talk to the lady. That's not going to be so easy. Why not? Walter won't let a stranger on the place You mean he's holding her captive. No, no, I think he believes he's losing her mind. He's trying to keep it quiet What do you believe mr. Parks? I don't know Well, maybe we can find out. I hope so just one thing who? Be careful of what I Don't know Jonas parks had one other suggestion that I pretend to be a special investigator for the cattleman's association. I agreed to try it Four miles from Flint Rock the narrow ranch road left the plateau and began climbing up through the broken bluff country A mile and a half from the ranch house I pulled out the choke flooded the engine and let the car cough to a stop the old out of gas gimmick And about ten minutes later. I was wishing I thought of some other plan When Park said cloud burst he wasn't exaggerating the rain came down in sheets in 60 seconds I was soaked through and in another two minutes the dry ground was a muddy bug I kept on walking or trying to walk on the footing got worse By then I'd had it or at least I thought I had Hit the mud rolled into a pile of boulders and pulled my gun man was riding slowly toward me on a horse holding a rifle over his Arm I edged down between the rocks took a sight on him and waited He dismounted and walked toward me carrying the rifle carelessly Apparently thought he dropped me and let him get within 12 feet All right hold it drop that rifle get your hands up. I said drop it What's the idea? Well, that's a good question. Only I'm the one to ask it the trespassing We've been losing cattle. So I've heard you What do you mean you've heard I'm an investigator for the cattleman's association Are you Walter Grimley? Yeah, that's right What do you expect to find sneaking in here on foot this way? Now what I did find at least Look, I've got a car back there on the road. I ran out of gas. I Understand the owner of the Flint Rock is a Mrs. Ezra Grimley. He's my aunt. I like to see her I'm afraid that's impossible. Why? What's your name dollar Johnny dollar? Mr. Dollar go back to your car and wait I'll send some gasoline from the house. Huh when you get it turn that car around and get off the property You're working for me, you know, I'm a member of the Association and you know as well as I do that You've got no more authority than any other private individual So get out and stay out And if I don't well then you're a trespasser and I won't miss twice The next time I'll kill you Is that clear? It was clear perfectly clear and at this point I wasn't ready to force the issue So I conducted an orderly strategic withdrawal and short I went back to the car the rain stopped before I reached it And a few minutes later a station wagon came lumbering down the road from the ranch and break to a stop a few yards away The girl who came toward me carrying a five gallon gasoline can was a living little doll a daffodil as perky and bright as a brand new Hello there. Hi. I'm Susan Graham Lee and you're mr. Dollar and you're out of gas and I've got some for you Well here. That's pretty heavy. Let me take that. No, just stand back and avoid the splash I'm an old-hand at this in fact, I'm a chronic empty tanker myself and I What's the matter out of gas are you? Big deal, huh that tank is almost full. Yeah. Well, there's no use lying to you. I suppose nope I'm too smart. I see another thing. You're not with the cattleman's association, mr. Dollar. I'm not nope I Think you're here to dig up the past Because of what has happened and what might be going to happen all of that huh? Yep, and you know what? I think it's just fine and dandy you do you bet I do I Loved my dad. I loved him more than anything They knew what he always did when he got mad sure they knew I figured it out a long time ago Like to tell me about it Susan. You'll find out mr. Dollar. I Think you're the kind of a man who smashes into things right into the middle and break some wide open Be careful though. Oh Because you know something You're smashing into a bomb Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow The dead pass speaks in a musty morgue or tries to and a living lady gets cozy or tries to really tries to Join us. Won't you yours truly? Johnny dollar Or is 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