 Johnny dollar Jack price. Well, how come Jackson now? What do you mean things getting slowed on their corpus Christi? I haven't heard from you in nearly a month Well, that makes you mad sure it does because you're one of a few insurance agents in this country who suck enough to file a nice Extra fee on top of my expense account whenever I handle case for oh, I am sure and I love you dearly for it Not this time Johnny. Oh Why not well brother? You don't need any extra fees and I speak no Jackson You touch me to the quick taking a brother Johnny. Yes, Doug Johnstone Doug Johnstone kid brother the man who writes up those cases you handle for CBS radio. Oh sure. What about him? That seems he has a little problem Because if you won't come down here unless you can pick up some ridiculous extra fee even though a target suffered considerable loss already Jackson, what's it all about? Yes, don't worry about it Johnny. We'll somehow I'll get hold of somebody who really cares about the misfortunes of his old friends. I'll find somebody you doing I'll break your neck and my faith in human nature is restored. What's the problem? I'll be waiting for at the airport Jackson according to this that time table on my desk. You can put in here Hey, I asked a question. See you later Johnny. Look. I said what? Hello Okay stinky I'll be there Oh CBS radio network brings you Mandel Kramer in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-pact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar That's a cow submitted by a special investigator Johnny dollar to the trial Western life insurance company Corpus Christi office Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of The skidmore matter item one ten dollars and twelve cents plain fare to New York Item two one hundred and fourteen oh two for the rest of the trip as promised Jack Price was waiting at the Corpus Christi Municipal Airport He picked up my luggage led the way out to a car at the curb through the stuff into the back end That's one of those rental jobs Johnny. No How come because you're going over the little town of skidmore up in That's where a Doug Johnstone is what's happened to him to Doug nothing Well, you told me over the phone. He is happily running that home for old folks the heart doing a bang-up job of it He said to give you his regards. You'll see you later But that as long as this problem is really ours the insurance company now now wait one minute You said over the high set as little as possible to be sure you'd hike on down here Jackson you're a dog. Sure I am Here's what goes Yeah A dog has been pretty well in the stock market since he came here to Corpus and some other investments Didn't he go for some oil properties to somewhere in these parts? Yeah, and a lot of other things Including a smart buy of heavy machinery and parts for it mostly tractors bulldozers Graders that kind of equipment no stuff that's used around the oil fields and for road building now good for him It was what until he began losing summer Losing it. Well, that is I heard of a man losing a bass drum once but this losing a bulldozer a little ridiculous Oh, you know what? I mean somebody's been stealing a lot of those big parts from out of the big Warehouse, I guess you'd call it that he rents over about a little town of Skidmore and because of the insurance Every piece of equipment gets taken we have to pay for Where is good north and west is here about 60 miles There's a map with their route marked up you're there on the seat So if you want to hire sell for this kid more action Yeah, well tell me hasn't done some kind of a guard or a watchman, you know looking over the stuff he has now What about the police? If you any idea how big a place Skidmore is or I should say isn't no Just follow the route on this map and you can't miss it Okay, and the old watchman will be glad to help. I'm sure what's his name by the way Joe Hernandez All right, Jackson. I'll be in touch Through the freeway to Gregory then west on 181 Jack was right The actual town of Skidmore Wasn't much more than a crossroads Part of it on the road to time and I found the sprawling warehouse that he mentioned As I pulled up in front of it the door of a nearby tool shed opened quickly and out came a man about Maybe four feet ten. I'd say and perhaps a hundred pounds ringing wet His deeply wrinkled face as brown as a proverbial very a Top it was an oversized beat-up old sombrero Then as I started toward him From somewhere under his ragged shirt He pulled out the biggest old-fashioned six-gun that I had seen in years I guess not if if you're gonna wave that thing in my face 41 I'm looking for a man by the name of Joe Hernandez. My name is duller. I need a dollar the famous watcher for the investigate You are a senior down. That's right Johnny dollar. Now. Would you mind putting down that? Ah, when he told me it is and your price and the insurances I would come permit me to introduce myself by my Jose Elgar de Santiago McPherson Julio Hernandez Seniors Would we'd like to stop that over again? Jose Elgar de Santiago McPherson Julio Hernandez. Oh, did I hear a? The next person thrown in there somewhere along the line He's the most very honorable name of my most very honorable what you call answer. Oh, I'm sure he was But there was no need for you to come here senior. No with me Jose Elgar de Santiago McPherson Julio Hernandez at the job He said your Johnson will lose no more of his fine equipment. Yes. I personally I guarantee how you do 24 hours today. I'm here now and with this makes 45 this dollar Nobody would dare to challenge me not to me Jose Elgar de Santiago McPherson Julio Hernandez. Yes Well, so you may lead now senior with the most very peace of mind. I bid you adios now Just wait a minute. Jose. See do you mean to say that since you've come on the job? There has been no more stuff taken out of this place. Oh needy one. What you call skip load it? The skip loader. That's all Well, that's all maybe 10 or $15,000 with huh? I wonder jack price seems to think you need some help What's in your heart now? What kind of help are you see? If you start look matter with you. You see what you've done with that cannon. You're not the side window out of my car I am sorry, senior. Would you see what I mean now? I have these look just Put that back into your shirt, huh? Of course, but everything is safe now. You may go now. There is nothing to worry about Nothing, you know something Jose I Think that's a matter of opinion Skilled assistants on a farm cooperative teach reading and writing to people who want to learn Assist in industry management or nurse the sick These are a few of the many jobs open to members of the Peace Corps Dozens more countries in Asia Africa and Latin America are asking for help from the Peace Corps To find out if you can qualify for this exciting work Right to Peace Corps Washington 25 D.C. Before showing me through the huge windowless warehouse Jose introduced me to his wife Carmela who was living there with him in this kind of tool shed Was she who'd insisted that he buy the gun after the last robbery? Then he took me in for a look at the heavy equipment parts Doug Johnstone was storing there until it could be sold I Know blame Doug for wanting this stuff protected And that is why you select me Jose Algarve the Santiago I'm sure sure Not only tractors graders Bulldozers power shelves skip loaders Not spare parts here to think a ship A couple of hundred thousand dollars worth and like I say that is the reason he said you're just gonna select me Jose Algarve This and yeah, it's okay. All right Jose Now tell me when did you say the last robbery was the night before last right after the day of the wedding, sir What wedding Fernando in Asia Poverry or see my my 30 second what he called it cousin cousin and the party I make here in the Vina The Vina You should have been here. Ah, so that's it. Huh? By the time you and your wife got to bed that night Jose you were boiled to the ears And your how else could you have slept through somebody moving this kind of stuff out here look Jose? I don't know who picked you for this job or why this course and I tell you about He gave me what you called the argument to the senior Johnson. No, he didn't because he know about these things He said equipment this 30 second cousin of yours. See What's he do for a living? This kind of machine what and sometimes you see fix it up in a shop in the town of tres What you call the three rivers? You mean that he operates and repairs this kind of stuff in his own shop She's a very smart hombre by 30 second course how Betty is I wonder he recommended you for the job senior So I dug Johnstone would fall for anything so obvious Okay, Jose, I'm going back to corpus Christi to see mr. Johnstone at the heart You and your wife had better pack up to leave Do leave? Senor because after I talked with him. I suspect there'll be some changes made around here What is it? You mean I'm sorry Jose. I'll see you later I couldn't meet you at the airport Johnny, but this really has me tied down here. I know Doug It's perfectly all right. What isn't all right though is the guard you have at that building over at Skidmore I know Tell me didn't you smell a rat when this 30-second cousin recommended him if there is such a thing cousin? Yes, this or tears I didn't know they were related even that distantly Point is Johnny that I just found out the Lord is owns a piece of our Repair business for road-building machines in the life sure he does all I've known about before was well He did some odd jobs around here mostly earthmoving No, of course, of course all he has to do is get old Jose and his wife drunk Then help himself to your warehouse full of parts certainly looks that way and this sort of tears is a sort of Sharp sort of character. Have you called in the police? No because meantime Jack Price promised to get you down here And well, I figured you'd handle it. Yeah, well, I'll try it First thing of course will be to replace old Jose. Do you think he's wise to this caper? No Such a sweet old man. No, I don't think he's wise, but that's beside the point Yeah, I know the main thing now is to get somebody smart out there before this or tears can hit you again Well, I'm sure he won't tonight Why because he's coming in here to see me. Oh, what about I don't know probably looking for some more odd jobs. I Told him I don't need him again, but he's coming anyway All right, do you mind if I'm among those present? Oh might be a good idea. You can look him over. Please do it 830 good I'll be here Purely on a hunch I drove on over to Skidmore again just to make sure that old Jose was on his toes and would stay that way Then I drove on back to town checked in at the Robert Driscoll and packed my bags Changed and ran up item 3 580 for one big delicious dinner By then it was time to meet Doug and more important Fernando Ortiz Sharp character is right in spite of his working clothes and Regardless of how good a job he might have done for Doug and the rest home. I just didn't like him No, I'm sorry Ortiz. There just isn't a thing. We need you for a moment Mr. Johnstone a single thing now if you don't mind, but if something does come up that I can do for you Will you call me sure or sure? I told you nearly an hour ago when you first got here But now my wife is waiting for Mr. Dollar and oh, of course. I am sorry to hold you up this way But just one more thing or tears if you decide to level off the recreation area all the time or tears very well Whatever you say, Mr. Dollar. It has been nice to meet you. Thank you night. Good night. Good night Well, Johnny, what do you think? I don't know this this visit tonight Well, he kept thinking of just one more thing to discuss Almost as though he was stalling. I got that feeling too. Yeah, but why in the first place Doug He didn't seem a bit surprised to see me here. I know He arrived at 830 on the nose. It is now 902, what are you thinking of? His real reason for coming here for the stalling around. Oh, excuse me. Oh Oh, yes, Jackson sure is For you. Oh, thanks, Johnny dollar Johnny jack price. Thank goodness. I finally ran you down. Oh, yes, Jack I'll meet you there right away. We're going over to skidmore to warehouse. Why what's happened that poor old man Jose? Yes, somebody just murdered him Or tears I'll be right over Johnny. Bye wait a minute Jackson Yeah, just murdered. Did you say when what time according to his wife? It was 825 830. That's too late Well, what that's when he was here with us Jose. No or tears or tears. What do you mean? I mean that he couldn't have Johnny don't got it. I think he did. Will you make some sense? Come on over Jackson? We'll be waiting for you Oh Funny thing I can hear it tune a hundred times and every other words and then boom You know what the tune saying it's like that with Newport filter cigarettes that special combination of good rich Tobacco flavor the right amount of menthol and just a hint of mint makes a difference a man can notice because it freshens up His taste no wonder Newport's more refreshing to begin with more refreshing all the way You're smoking At least sergeant Billy Roscoe an old friend of mine was in charge. I see here Well, it plugged them with that old gun. He's got them real close up Because they've used Jose's clothing them up for a sound. Yeah Tell me there any prints on the gun all wiped off Oh There's wife Carmella. She's anybody around You then later some cousin Fernando Fernando or tears. Yeah, yeah, that was it. Where is she Roscoe sleep a Sleep she was in bad shape the doctor for a sedative. Oh One of my boys who understands Mexican got the whole story from her. Oh, yeah, this It's Ortiz talked with the old man a while and tried to give him a couple of jugs of wine But Jose wouldn't have it chased him away. What time was that? Do you know around five o'clock? She said just before supper All of it now about this Ortiz. Tell me just what happened, Russell Well, and had supper than the old man said he was done house. He was a watchman. Yes. I know and after a while She got a phone call from Ortiz. What time was that? Exactly 825 You're sure of that time Because the after the time and I caught her hers in the shock is right You have to know what he said to her said to get Jose to the phone She told him Jose was out around her warehouse, but she'd come out and get him 825 so she came on over here big flying dollar the one is to prices looking at Jose always came in by yeah And she started pushing it open bang. She heard the shot. Well, then Johnny Yes, then it couldn't have been Ortiz But why Mr. Johnstone? Because he met us at my office in Corpus at exactly 8 30 he couldn't possibly have been over here only five minutes before yeah Looks as though we were wrong about him right you suspected Ortiz of this Johnny or else. He's a lot smarter than we think Anyway, what happened then Roscoe? She came in and found a body and put in the call was no sign of anyone else in him Well, of course a man could have hidden away in all his junk Listen if he was heisting these machine parts if he knew that Jose been talking to me that I might get on his trail Oh, sure. He'd have reason to kill off Jose, but he couldn't sergeant because he was in corpus at 8 30 with us Now where was he when Jose was killed like I said on the telephone must have been in corpus waiting for Jose to get on this end Was he still on the phone when she got back to call you fellows? Well, I don't know. No, I'm betting he wasn't If he talked to Jose after I was here He knew I told Jose to keep an eye on this place tonight to be here inside this warehouse, okay Then why did he make that call? I'm sure that I don't know So that she would come out here and find the body At about the time he'd be walking into Doug's office. I'll wait Johnny you sound as though. He's the only possible killer. I think he is Suppose he'd killed him earlier. Oh come Ella heard this shot a great big bang. She touched the sliding door even so I Wait a minute You can't lick it. Did you say a great big bang? Yeah, like it was just inside of the door Well, look his body's over here and The way that gun was shoved into his clothing. It should have been a well It should only have been kind of a muffled sort of a thug Well, I'll say you're right and that shot must have been here at the door Johnny What's that Jackson look this funny mark on the door kind of burn Yes, and the smell you smell it like I have dying Yeah Yes, you're right What's it? What is it Johnny? The answer Doug I'm sure the answer to what how Ortiz killed him Some time after I left as soon as Jose came out here to this warehouse Ortiz killed him and then went to keep the date with you Doug Yeah, with the shot at 830 sounded like a shot Get wood to an untrained ear and she set it off when she pushed against this door about the same time that he walked into your office Doug for an alibi. I don't get it Johnny a crazy kid keeper High school chemistry class. What do you remember Doug? Like making stink bombs carbon-dye sulfide, but this one was the best one of all right now nitrogen iodide Remember you made a kind of a soup real carefully out of iodine crystals and a morning coffee I remember sure then we'd filler it then you know get get a get a sort of a paste out of it and spread it around Sure sure on the door hinges on the seat hinges and the assembly hall under a book on somebody's desk and We'd let it dry and when it was disturbed even the least little bit the stuff went off with a bang Yeah, my girl's all squealed and we boys had a ball, but in this case Ortiz is alibi if that is Roscoe you want to scrape off some of that and have a lab man see if it's the residue of nitrogen iodine. I sure do That's really all there is to the case. It was nitrogen iodide All right, and the rundown on Fernando Ortiz brought out the fact that he'd been quite a prankster in his high school days But you know we're giving me a big surprise The way that he made a full confession after I told him exactly how he'd set up his alibi Expense account total 276 28 yours truly Johnny dollar Here's our star to tell you about next week story Next week one of the most beautiful spots on earth that really shouldn't be the site for a murder Join us. Won't you yours truly? Johnny dollar Rato jr. Music supervision by Ethel Huber sound patterned by Joseph Cabebo Johnny dollar is played by Mandel Kramer featured in our cast were Santa Sortega as Jose Hernandez Maurice Tarplin as Jack Price Richard Keith as Doug Johnstone Ralph Komargo as Ortiz and also heard for Bill Lipton and Sam Raffkin Be sure to join us next week same time same station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar, this is Gaylord Avery