 From Hollywood it's time now for Sunny dollar oh Yes, my name tells me that you were trying to reach me by telephone. That's right. Countess. I want to talk to you Where are you now? Did you think I might come running immediately to your hotel, Mr. Dollar? Not after hearing your description. I'm seldom that lucky What is it exactly that you wish to talk about a hundred thousand dollars worth of diamonds and a dead man? I'm a special investigator Wow, not only beautiful but clever this ought to be interesting then suppose I come over and explain it to you say around eight o'clock You know something countess. I think it's about time somebody built a small fire right under that lovely little complacency of yours I'll be there at eight with matches Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expensive out America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny Deller From special investigator Johnny Deller location Algiers, North Africa to the Home Office Transworld Fidelity Company Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the Larko Diamonds matter expense account continue Item four six dollars and eighty cents dinner and appetizers I'm never any good trying to spar with a lovely female suspect on an empty stomach. I Was finishing up on black Algerian coffee and white Algerian brandy What a slightly green eye at Algerian police inspector sauntered up to my table You special investigators really do live well in the lap of luxury pull up a chair inspector Join me in a sense ruler. It is on your expense account pay my guess Bonbon my favorite brand up yourself. Merci Anything new nothing at all a complete on pass What about the man who sat next to that courier on the plane find out anything about him No, I'm still working on it Which is to say of course my men are working on you police inspectors really do live well I have to do my own legwork But the glory To come into a mysterious affair which has all the local police baffled and to solve it immediately in one Brilliant feet of deduction to leave everyone gasping with admiration to make one's exit to the sound of great applause Not so fast inspector. I'm still back there with that brilliant feet of deduction. You have not yet found the solution Just on the verge Then I will drink to your success with your brandy of course and with your permission go ahead drink up a storm But I'm afraid I'll have to leave you pretty soon, but you can still go no no no mature I suggest you change your plans You will learn nothing which has any bearing on this matter Which plan do you mean that of questioning the counter doctor here? I hope found that up as a matter of fact. She phoned me and inquired about you Oh, so that's how she investigated me went straight to headquarter. I'm a wee wee Remarkable woman Talented beautiful et cetera et cetera and so on and along with it. It's nine-to-one. She's ended right up to a pretty neck No, no, no, no, she's really not the type This is an excellent brandy. Monsieur An Algerian brand All right inspector, let's bypass the buy play and lay them out face. I think I prefer it to cognac I don't know how she does it, but she's got you hypnotized just mention of her name And you go into a tailspin every car guide one of you exquisite love maybe so but in my book. She's a real suspect Elucidate miss you. Well, it's simple enough. She's the only person in Algiers that we're sure of at least Who knew that a shipment of diamonds was coming in on that plane? Why because she's the one who ordered the monsieur It is even simpler. She could not have poisoned the courier because she was not on that plane She could not have stolen the briefcase from the costumed property agent because it was done by a man So where is your case and accomplice a man with the countess calling the shots for him? What man, monsieur? And you got a good point there. Thank you. Don't mention it But from the influence she seems to have it might be any man in Algiers Inspector it wasn't you by any chance You raise a very interesting point Now suppose the counter should ask me to kill someone for her. I Wonder what I would be a page boy came into the dining room looking for me I followed him out and took the phone call in the hotel lobby It was the American consulate with some information. I'd asked for them earlier. I hung up finally and looked at my watch I was already late from my appointment with the countess So I walked out the door of the hotel and flagged the taxi to the apartment of the countess that earlier She lived in the swag Jean-Tier of Broadway a residential district favored by top government officials and wealthy French businessmen But the building she lived in was a little frayed around the edges and the maid she'd mentioned was nowhere in sight The pieces were starting to fit together Good evening, mr. Dollar Countess since you are here won't you come in? Thanks? This way, please I'm rather surprised that you came. I wasn't he really not expecting you. Yes. I know Did the inspector Marcus find you? Look, suppose we get it straight right now You seem to have a lot of influence with the inspector and probably with his superiors too from what I hear Sit down, mr. Dollar. Thanks Well Do we play cat and mouse for a while or do you want to give up right now? I'll hand them over and as they say throw yourself in the mercy of the court I would like a cigarette you could always claim that you fell in with evil Companions or that a man led you astray there in the box there by your elbow a tall thin man For instance with his collar turned up and his hat pulled down Carrying a gun one last scene after slugging a customs agent at the Algiers Airport mr. Dollar Are you opposed to smoking on moral grounds? No, but I'm opposed to murder Have a cigarette. Thank you Lion is there any other way of smoking them? Mr. Dollar, I expected you to come here and be annoying, but I didn't know you were going to be insulting as well That's just my mean personality You seem to be under the ridiculous impression that I actually had something to do with this a crime I think you have plenty to do with it a sort of arch criminal perhaps of what is it you call them in the States? Big shot oh Countess you're a scream. I'll bet that courier died laughing if you have a reason for these opinions or believe you have a reason I Think you'd better tell me about it Otherwise Good night. Oh, I I have more than one reason In the first place I'm not certain that anyone besides you even knew the diamonds were being sent here Except for the local company of course and they wouldn't be likely to advertise Mr. Dollar all of my friends and most of my acquaintances have known for three weeks that I'd ordered the jewelry Well, I have a copy here of a letter that was sent to you by registered airmail from the Lorco company in Amsterdam a week ago today According to post office records you received it two days later remember it It states the name flight number and time of arrival of that courier who was murdered. I said I remember and it Cautions you specifically not to give them information to anybody So even if other people didn't know you're the only one who knew the exact time the diamonds were coming in and exactly who was bringing them Perhaps I am at fault in a way There was a cocktail party at the government club the same evening. I got the letter. I Forgot her for a moment and told someone about who just a girl. I happened to be talking. What's her name? It doesn't matter. She was just stopping over on a world cruise Anybody else here? I don't know the place was packed government men business people army Navy officers anyone might have heard Was inspector Marcus at the party by any chance I spoke with him during the evening Mr. Dollar, I'll admit I was wrong, but these hardly grounds for all right. Let's get to point three the Countess Maria Datalia Italian by birth title inherited all family goes back through one line in fact to Lucretia Borgia I Did not poison the courier your family estates were confiscated by Mussolini Family migrated to Berserkie and then to Lisbon for three years. You left them there and went on to London Since the war you lived in Paris on the Riviera back to London, New Yorker and finally here Have you been following me mr. Dollar the consular was pretty thorough Anyway, you're well known in the international set accepted everywhere and apparently able to get along fine on your title and your looks It is not very pleasant to be dissected while one is still alive as a matter of fact your flat broke You've been living on credit for the last four months. I think you have gone about far enough and yet three weeks ago You ordered a hundred thousand dollars worth of jewelry sent to you on approval How did you plan to pay for it? What did you know you wouldn't have to pay for it because it was never going to be delivered get out of here I don't I have to listen to this I don't have to answer your insulting questions my private affairs are on my own concern the ice finally melted And now you're gonna blow your top get out or so help me. I'll kill you mean me too Settle down and and stop throwing things Good Lord a woman who can even cry beautifully Oh, you're unbelievable, baby. The boys were right. You're everything they said you were It's too bad. All right But before I do Beats me Just call it a sudden impulse Then you have changed your mind You don't really think I'm guilty. Oh Honey, I still think you're in this up to your ears and I'll still bring you to trial if I can And I still want to kiss you You figure it out. I figure it's honey. I Like to do You ought to be locked up if for no other reason just to protect the guys who What is it Johnny, what are you going that cigarette in the ashtray put it off fast get the windows open all of them Where's your kitchen back through the hall Johnny? What are you going to do stay alive if I can? It was gas fumes one of the bottle gases they use for cooking in the higher-priced department districts The concentration had been building up and finally seeped into the drawing room if we'd lit another match We'd have been blown to bits the kitchen was dark But I didn't dare snap a light switch one spark would do it So I held my breath and followed the sound finally found the range Every burner valve was wide open. I could vaguely make out a glass chain door opening onto a terrace. I Grabbed a breath there and moved toward another door that looked as though it might open into a hall It didn't it open into a closet and on the closet floor. There was a body Happy Johnny. Why did you go? Who's that? He's a man from the Lorco company name of Zyndorf Where did you find out there on the floor of a closet? What was it doing here? You tell me There's a no business here Well right at the moment he seems to be a little bit dead There'll be another intriguing episode in our story of the Lorco Diamonds matter tomorrow tomorrow a desperate fight in an Algiers alley A killer is named and a lovely lady confesses her shame Join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar yours 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