 From Hollywood, it's time now for Bob Bailey as Johnny dollar you don't know me mr. Dollar, but you're going to well I can hardly wait You won't have to wait. I want you to meet me tonight. Where on the waterfront nine o'clock Yes, it's dark down there at nine. It might be dangerous. Are you scared strange women always scare me Where on the waterfront here 29? That's where the Molly Kay was birthed before she sank Molly Kay was my mother meet me at nine I don't know blind dates never work out for me. I'm always sorry afterwards. You won't be sorry this time Is that a promise? Tonight in every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar From special investigator Johnny dollar present location San Francisco to the home office marine and maritime casualty limited Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the money came at her expense account continued item three four dollars sixty-five cents food I needed it. It had been a rough day rough from the standpoint of legwork I'd covered most of the usual sources and usual angles and for all I learned I might as well have stayed in bed The freighter Molly Kay had sailed out of San Francisco Harbor and gone down in the Pacific Nobody wanted to talk about it. They were all too busy shaking in their boots and looking over their shoulders scared to death. I Was even beginning to look over my shoulder Item four seventy cents taxi to the Embarcadero sure I kept that blind date. I wouldn't have missed it for the world Here keep the change It was dark and lonely along the waterfront the fog was down drifting in off the bay Dimming the scattered street lights with a damp haze and muffling the sounds of the city Alcatraz lost and hidden somewhere behind the murky wet blanket kept sounding its mournful warning across the water and The nightgull seemed to cry out an answer to it I crossed the siding tracks and headed toward pier 29 and toward whatever was waiting for me there or whoever The office and warehouse of the Brawley shipping company owner of the Molly Kay was about halfway out the pier I'd been there earlier in the day and found it closed and locked but there was a dim light burning there now. I headed toward it Just about then as I passed under the last war flight and turned toward the office door. I Started to get that old feeling. I'd had it before in other places Once in the heart of an Orinoco jungle and an alleyway in the Casbah of Algiers One time in London Soho and again in Suez Somewhere close by hidden by the fog and shadows There was somebody watching I stood listening straining to hear some telltale sound in the darkness nothing But there were a dozen hiding places within a radius of 50 feet and I wasn't fool enough to start searching them not knowing what I'd find I Turned to open the door to the Brawley office get your hands up Mac. He'd been standing behind a post right beside the door Okay, I was restless couldn't sweep and I love that for corn wanted to get close to it Don't say things like that. I faint easy one more smart crack it sure always glad to apply just Come on get up get up. Come on on your feet. So they're right about you You are so there's that what they say I have heard it around and how come you jumped me Didn't know it was you not until you turned toward the light Just saw somebody was prowling around the office here there. What's going on? It's all right Ellen Dean What are you doing here? I could ask you the same thing. I just came down to do some work on the books and oh This is that insurance investigator Johnny dollar. Yes, I know. What do you mean? You know I? Asked mr. Dollar to meet me here tonight What are you up to nothing I? Wanted to talk to him. That's all down here alone at this time of night Dean Suppose we talk about it tomorrow Okay, that's the way you feel not a matter of how We'll discuss it tomorrow. All right. Oh The gun dollar do I get it back? Oh sure Here you are Don't let anybody take it away from me now Don't worry They won't I'll see you tomorrow Dean. Yeah Commend mr. Dollar. I followed her into a suite of offices that were a lot plusher on the inside than they were on the out Mahogany paneling by the chairs rug sofa and open fire burning small but cozy like the girl herself So we talked the weather The fog the weather yesterday how we like San Francisco sparring type talk Then finally came the tip-off that we were gonna get down to business Would you like a drink mr. Dollar? I poured scotch for both of us and the clink of ice served as opening bell for the first round Mr. Dollar sounds so oddly formal. Do you mind if I call you Johnny Johnny it is and you Ellen Brawley I Guess I am a little slow in introducing myself, but it upset me Dean being out there I mean the acting the way he did your captain Brawley's daughter. Yes As I told you on the phone Molly K was my mother's name father thought the world of her Broke his heart when she died Later he named his ship after her and now the ship is gone too. Yes Ellen, what about this man you called Dean? How does he figure in this Dean Sutton? He's an exporter. I've Well, I've known him for some time. He's Not usually the way he was tonight Jealousy always makes a difference sure it's stuck out all over him. He just does business with my father It was his cargo that sank with the Molly K grain bound for Japan. Oh, I see I've Gone out with him quite a lot, but He takes far too much for granted. I'm a free agent Johnny. I Call my own shots Yeah, I guess you do So tonight you call me I Heard about the hearing How you questioned my father? Accused him of sinking his own ship to collect the insurance. I didn't accuse him I'm out of to that didn't I said I was sure somebody had done it He put the shoe on his own foot before I even had it out of the box. What makes you so sure. Oh A lot of little things that don't add up What little things don't add up Johnny. Oh Isn't that Did you know your father put a heavy mortgage on the Molly case seven months ago? How did you find out Bureau of Records Maritime Division? Now when the mortgage comes due Next month He had to install new boilers. That's why he did it and he'd have been able to pay it off after this last forage He'd also be able to pay it off after he collected the insurance and have a lot left over you're wrong You don't know my father. No, I don't Do you know who holds that mortgage a woman named Lou Tang that's right been an honor Shanghai Lou She owns a nightclub up in Chinatown Quite a girl. You know very well All right, Ellen. Let's quit circling around and get to the point. What's on your mind? I don't know Nothing really I guess I Just wanted to tell you that you're wrong About my father. I mean If the Molly K was sunk deliberately He had no part in it. I'll make a note of that even though your opinion may be a little bit prejudiced Well, are you leaving might be a good idea? Don't you think wait? Johnny I was Sort of hoping we'd be friends, maybe oh I feel very friendly toward you. Do you Johnny as much as As much as this That much Johnny That's pretty friendly. I Told you I Call my own shot. I know but you didn't tell me you're engaged to Dean Sutton I found that out from a newspaper file. It's all a mistake. It's his idea. I thought you always called your own shots Don't go Johnny. I Promised you on the phone and if he came you Wouldn't be sorry I'm not Outside on the pier the fog was thicker than ever The war flights were dim glows and the swirl of mist and sounds even close ones were muffled in hollow I couldn't figure Alan Brawley at least not completely where she stood in this and the reason for the pitch she'd made I Left the pier and turned west along the embark of Darrell. Mr. Dollar Over here get out of the light Evening sir you're out late mr. Hawkins. Well, I was waiting around. I kind of wanted to talk to you I saw you come in the taxi cab earlier. All right. Let's talk I hope you don't hold it against me jumping up in the hearing room that way, but I was scared scared of what mr. Hawkins I don't rightly know that's the trouble But there's something strange going on mr. Dollar and it ain't safe for a man to let on he notices The whole crew feels the same way That's why they ain't talking about it about what things. It's happened things. It ain't been brought out yet And I wouldn't be talking either if Bill Mack hadn't been a mighty good friend of mine Bill Mac He was one of the two men who went down with the ship that he did may he rest in peace But you're wrong mr. Dollar. There wasn't two men bill was only one what that Chinese steward Benny Wong He didn't drown He was in that lifeboat that got to shore then the men in the boat knew it. Why didn't they say so? They were scared too He disappeared later, and they was all scared to say anything. I don't know what's happened Here back at this wall keep your head down. I Crouched behind the concrete tide wall my gun drawn and peered into the darkness trying to catch some sign of movement behind the Blanket of fog listening for some faint sound that might be the giveaway Nothing and they go hunting in those shadows against somebody who knew the waterfront would be about as healthy as stepping out in front of a truck I got to get out of here mr. Dollar. I got to get away from here Hawkins wait I ain't doing any more talking and it won't do you no good to ask They know every move a man makes I got nothing more to say all I want is to stay alive So that was that fear again, he was scared to death and I couldn't very well blame him That shot had come close But there was one thing Hawkins hadn't thought I had and I didn't like the thought That bullet might not have been meant for him It could have been aimed at me Here's our star Bob Bailey to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this story. Thanks Tomorrow night we find out that a dead man can tell a tale It all depends on how he died Jonas want you yours truly Johnny dollar Yours truly Johnny dollar is transcribed in Hollywood Written by Les Crutchfield the entire production is under the direction of 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