 Johnny dollar Bert Alfred Johnny Merry Christmas to you. Well, hi Bert. Same to you. Thanks only what are you doing in your office on a Friday? Afternoon so close to the big holiday instead of out shopping. Well, I'll tell you now listen Bert I'm overworked. I'm tired, and I'm not taking on any investigations till after Christmas Okay, by me. Hey Bert you sound terrible. What's matter? You got a cold? Oh horrible one I've had it for a week. Well, why are you still there in your office at this hour instead of home in bed? Well, I'm just cleaning up before I take a couple of weeks off Johnny Can you come on over now now? No, any new assignments gonna have to wait till after the holidays Well, sure. I mean, I would kind of like to have a few days free myself, you know So wait till after Christmas, will you? Well, sure. I'll be glad to but who said anything about an assignment. Well, isn't that why you called? Uh-huh, not a bit of it. So come on over. You're not kidding me now are you Bert? I just thought you'd like to pick up the dough for that San Francisco job you did first a couple of weeks ago. Oh Don't tell me you're so rich you've forgotten about it I'll see you there in your office in a few minutes. Right. Only Bert. Yeah You're sure now that's all you really want me for That's all Johnny. Now you won't try to finagle me into something some job You just happen to think of after I get over there Honor bright. Okay, Bert. I'm on the way Radio network brings you Mandel Kramer the exciting adventures of the man with the action-pact expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar That's account submitted by a special investigator Johnny dollar to the Trinity Mutual Insurance Company Hartford, Connecticut following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of The phony phone matter checking out with my call service a dollar twenty for a cab over to Bert Help his office high in the tower of the manly building overlooking most of the city Low and behold there wasn't a soul in the place except bird himself most of the lights were off Rows and rows of typewriters and calculating machines were covered in quiet The filing cabinets neatly cleared and closed Even the telephone switchboard off in one corner was untended although I noticed one patch cord plugged in the tiny light above it burning It was Bert's line in use. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'll take care of it just to get back here in the office again Yeah, yeah, that'll be on Tuesday, January 2nd. Good Thank you and a Merry Christmas to you too Hi Johnny sit down Well, I'll say this for you, but you are certainly the loyal company servant Well, I just want to be absolutely sure everything's taken care of so they won't be calling me down there in Miami Beach to lay down my water Skis and come back here before my vacations over. I can't say I blame you. Here you are, baby Here is the money for that San Francisco job. You want to count it? I'll come in cash Don't you still have some Christmas shopping to do don't we all mm-hmm? And the banks will be closed by the time you get out of here So well, I just tore up the check and pulled this out of petty cash Well, good for you and we're ready for petty cash. Hmm. I must say though There's nothing petty about the way you can run up an expense account Oh, but only trouble is with all this dough and I'll probably go out and spend a lot more than I ought to Oh sure and all that flock of gals you keep on the string jealous mr. Married man sure I am Only I'm not really don't you kid yourself, baby one of these days you'll put on the halter to that chance Now here if you'll just sign this receipt There you are good Oh, and here mm-hmm. I almost forgot why do you were on your way over your telephone answering service called with this message Oh, yeah call x month three five seven seven or immediately urgent who is x month three five seven seven oh You don't know no Well, I'm afraid I do who is the home of a character by the name of Harvey L. Hallett Harvey L. Oh wait a minute any relation to the people who took over that little plant that I passed on the way over here Hallett industries he is Hallett industries. Oh, yeah, look you can see the place out of this window. You see it over there So, you know, I hate to admit it One of the boys in the office sold him a lot of insurance when he took over that place about six months ago What's the matter with that? Oh, we've got a big headache with that account on the inventory insurance How do you mean? Apparently they make a lot of electronic stuff over there and a lot of it's kind of secret I guess you know kept under lock and key mm-hmm and a lot of it's been reported stolen Half a dozen burglaries in the last six months according to mr. Harvey L. Hallett And we've had to pay off through the nose Why do you say according to mr. Hallett that way because I wouldn't trust that character as far as you can throw this building In other words, if I could if I could I just cancel out his policy, you know I think a lot of those losses he reported were phonies, but had any sense of what I called you in on him So long buddy as a matter of fact, I wish you would look into it for us after I get back after okay, but not now All right, that's all right by me. I Wonder why it's called me. Well, I'm afraid it was my fault. Why how do you mean? Well, I'd kind of let your name slip out somewhere along the line and yesterday Hallett called me said he'd been thinking it over Asked me for your number and Well, I gave it to him. I'm sorry Johnny. I shouldn't have Especially since I want you to investigate him So as for calling him back if you don't want to don't if what you say about him is true though Maybe I will after the holidays. No Right now Why Burt, you know, it's an old trick and a corny one, but a lot of people still think it's pretty clever trick the cover-up You know a man kill somebody or he blows his safe or tries an embezzlement Whatever he's the one who calls in the cops or even tells them that he thinks it might happen So that nobody else suspect here, of course. I Never thought of that. So if what you say is true if he is the kind of guy you seem to think he is If he's back of his own burglary is on which he has collected a lot of nice insurance money Oh, I bet on it and if he's planning another such caper. Sure. He is Johnny. I think you've got something there On the other hand though, but if he's clean if he really does want to help all that I doubt Let me have the phone. Why don't you wait till after the holidays? Nope. Okay. It's on your own head then This is home telephone number. Do you say yeah, the factory is a weather be number weather be something There will be terribly busy at the moment mask is calling please. This is Johnny dollar. Oh, Mr. Dollar Yes, he said he was very anxious to speak with you, but he's just about to leave for New York. Oh, just a minute. Here. He is Harvey, it's for you I know, but it's Mr. Johnny dollar. You said you want Yes, Mr. Hallad very Christmas and all that and listen, I'm very anxious to see you want to talk to you Well, whenever you've got some problems over at my electronics plant, but I have to leave now immediately Well, I can I call you on Tuesday. Oh sure Tuesday morning. It's about yes. I know dear. I know a dollar I'm sorry, but I have to hang up. I'll call you on Tuesday. Well, look, Mr. Hello Hello, that's what I call a man in a hurry. Yeah, I could hear him something about going to New York, he said Or his wife's it anyway Where does he live but anywhere near that little plant of his are you kidding with an X-Mot number? No, he lives a mile What's that or some kind of explosion it sounded like Johnny look hmm look out the window right over there. Oh Holy smoke is right. I see That's gonna be one big fire. Yeah Don't you recognize that building Johnny? Oh, you're right, but How about industry? I'll say this that fire must have really taken hold with a bang and I don't mean because of the explosion We've heard it was a small building not more than a couple of hundred feet square and by the time I arrived There were flames pouring out of every window and smoke thick black smoke The fire department was already hard at work and by the time I'd singled out police lieutenant Billy Harman to get his opinion of it Things were fairly well under control What brings you here only one thing mr. Harvey L. Hallett, what do you mean by that lieutenant? I'm the patch he got assigned to those burglaries that he had you know something now tell me I got just exactly nowhere on him And you know something else. Yeah, I can't prove this can't prove a thing for that matter simply because well I can't that's all but I also can't get over the feeling the reason I couldn't get anywhere was because our friend Mr. Hallett didn't want me to didn't want to do you mean no cooperation Just the opposite too much cooperation. Oh so much. I couldn't make a move without finding him under foot Making like he was doing everything he could I see actually all he was doing was getting in the way He'd suggest so many possibilities and demand. I follow him up. I didn't have time or opportunity to follow up Those I thought of not probably that is The old misdirection bit if you know what I mean Johnny Johnny, I don't trust that guy Into me. I've heard somebody else give out with that same opinion. Oh, I got the word this place was going up Know what I think Johnny Arson I bet on it The bet is you can be sure the boys in the torch squad will spot it They're in there working on it already You know Hanley and Jimmy Beckett. Yeah You asked me there the two best arson men a police department ever had a pretty good pair No, but it is arson you can be sure my number one suspect will be none other than Wait a minute Hey you mister, I think you're doing a Oh How did this happen I heard the explosion all the way over at my home. Are you claim you were at home, Mr. Hallett? Yes, yes, of course, I was at home and you approve that I Thank you. I'm sorry. Yes. I'm afraid he can look at it. Oh, you're Mr. Dollar. That's right You call off your trip to New York. I was just leaving I heard the explosion and saw the smoke So I drove on over here. No, you just drove on over I did What happened Dollar what started it? Well, I'd say that you know just as much as we do or a lot more What's that? Excuse me a minute. Yeah, what is it back in? Look at it dollar the whole plant the whole business all gone up and smoke. Yeah Pretty well insured though, isn't it? You think that money can make up for all the time and work and worry that went into it All gone up and smoke It's a dollar. Yeah, that was the first thing I noticed. Mr. Hallett Now the order. Yes, I know the store of it full of solvents highly volatile solvents You think that caused the explosion? It must have But how the storage arrangement was approved by this very fire department. It was like a ball There's no way that any heat could get into it. Well, you think then there may be Somebody did But how it was always locked wasn't there supposed to be a watchman on duty? Of course, oh, oh, they're Matthews Dollar if he was anywhere near that explosion when it occurred. Oh No, no, in other words if it was arson by somebody the watchman may have seen us I said yes And if that watchman did see anybody around all right, darling boys is sure of it. They are lieutenants I can't believe as for a Ben Matthews the watchman Well, I don't think there's much question, but that he did see And that I knew him Then you mean and it's still alive that door and a dead latch on it Took a key to open it inside as well as outside. I know old man had orders not to admit anyone Listen, Mr. Hallett, I'm sorry Go ahead lieutenant Ben's key is still in the inside of that lock So he let somebody in That means somebody that he must have recognized. Why do you say that? I knew old Ben I know he had orders not to let anybody in not anybody Isn't that true, Mr. Hallett? Yes, of course it is. So I know he wouldn't But of course if his boss told him to open it now just a minute If you're implying what I think you are well at the shoe fits Don't worry, Mr. Hallett. You'll never be able to testify Thanks to that bullet in his head Good Lord breaks your heart doesn't it? Yes, it does. You know something just a minute just one minute Stop acting like a couple of angry kids Lieutenant yeah, well you say it was awesome with a murder on top of it and Mr. All right. All right now. What kind of a device was used device. What do you mean? What kind of a timer to set it off nothing no device only a paraffin wick You a bottle or tank of some kind of that solvent in there along a wick only a couple of feet And that means that somebody was in there only seconds before it went off and that's somebody mr. Hallett, I tell you I was at home on the other side of town That's right. There was What did you say dollar? He was at home lieutenant. I know because I called him on the telephone only seconds before this thing started Between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a happy one as we busy ourselves with rounds of shopping and parties But for hundreds of thousands of families abroad. It's like any other time of the year a time of hunger So why not share your holiday joy with one or more of the less fortunate family? Send them care food packages They cost only a dollar a piece and contain enough food to supplement family rations for a whole month So send your dollars to care New York 16, New York That's for a phone call. Mr. Jonathan Buckley. It is home What was with me the Hallett industry's account was in Mr. Buckley's bank, but now look here Johnny You know very well. I can't tell you that such matters are completely confidential between a banker and his client Even though arson is involved, Mr. Buckley even though Johnny and a motor That's right. I were simply to say that in spite of all the money originally transferred from the New York Bank That Hallett's financial condition is pretty bad. Oh Would that be of any help Johnny? It certainly would Thanks After those so-called burglars I checked over every one of Hallett's eight employees myself There isn't a cleaner bunch of people anywhere in town. Well, even so I'm sure of it What's more? I've known every one of them personally for years Even went to school with a couple of them You see what I'm getting at Hallett Hallett is the only one we don't really know about Where'd he come from with her? Oh, no, you think he'd tell us The truth that is oh wait a minute To Buckley the banker what's he got to do with it? I'm transferred. He said from Hey, you want to get me to a call in New York? Phone call with an old friend of mine Lieutenant Randy Singer detected division 18th precinct New York Police Department one of the best of his kind I've ever known Okay, Johnny, let's have it. What sort of a jammed expect me to get you out of this time What you're doing down here in New York? I'm not I'm up here in Hartford now. Listen. Oh, I get it You need an excuse to pad out that fancy expense to Connie yours huh to impress somebody and Randi running up a phone bill Randy Johnny talk it up. I'll make like I'm with and everybody will be happy. How are you anyhow, Randy? Will you listen to me? Yeah, does the name Harvey L. Hallett mean anything to you? Hariff and Peterson What? You'll hurt me. Oh, come on make sense. Would you you think we don't keep track of the crooks? We've had a deal with even after they've been chased out of our their city cause we do Randy and Paul Hariff and Peterson. Well, we couldn't get a thing on them by the way Randy the man I'm interested in is Harvey L. Hallett, but we did make it pretty rough on them We dubbed them paraffin feet because of his one and only method of starting a fire and that's the name He took on after we showed him the way out of town He and that dolly is married only mallet be a better word. The name Randy. What? Oh Another one you said Harvey L. Hallett. Yep used to be known in these parts as Paul Peterson Paraffin Peterson. Okay, Randy. Thank you You hear it lieutenant sure it did dollar looks like you were right He's our man. Yeah, but you yourself are his alibi I mean if you were really talking to him on the phone the same time as that fire was Suddenly, I'm not so sure Hallett electronics Well, maybe his product line includes something like Come on lieutenant. We better get going. Yeah, where let's hope he hasn't got home from his fire yet When we got there Hallett was just walking into his front door Which means he didn't have time to put away the device that his wife Mary had been careless enough to leave sitting on a table Not more than two feet away from the telephone now just a minute. Mr. Dollar. Yes, how it's you mind telling me why you two have Borrowed your way in here this way Senate will you please stop fooling around with our tape recorder until I find out what this is all about If it's the music you want I'll put on the radio. There's nothing on that tape No, it's from a party I asked you a question. Are you ready lieutenant? Oh, sir. All right, I'll turn it on just a minute hold it Alice You pull that electric plug, and I just might pull this trigger Ridiculous, I'll see nothing on that tape. I'll tell you there's nothing Merry Christmas and all that it was not I'm very anxious for you and talk to you about some problems over at my electronics But I have to leave now immediately. I was can I call you on Tuesday? On Tuesday morning if I say about um, yes, I know dear. I know Don't I'm sorry, but I have to hang up. I'll call you on Tuesday So Johnny, that's right lieutenant Pre-recorded here before he left to set the fire So when I called and answer to his urgent message All his wife had to do was hold the phone over next to this tape machine No wonder I couldn't get a word in edgewise Then soon as I hung up She called him at the plant to go ahead any comment, mr. Helen expense account total Forget it. I'd rather take this time to wish you all of you Wherever you are a very merry Christmas And that's from the heart yours truly Johnny dollar next week story next week Well next week there won't be any case But I think you want to be here anyway next week at this time You'll be hearing our annual Christmas Eve sing with Bing We'll be back two weeks from now Merry Christmas from yours truly Johnny dollar Music supervision by Ethel Huber Johnny dollar is played by Mandel Kramer Also featured in our cast were Jackson Beck as Lieutenant Billy Harman Michael Cain Harvey Heller William Redfield as Bert Helper Terry Keane as Mrs. Heller Eugene Francis as Lieutenant Randy Singer and David Kern as Jonathan Buckley Remember no story next week, but yours truly Johnny dollar returns two weeks from now with his next exciting story But this time next week by all means plan to join Bing Crosby Kathy Crosby Edgar Bergen Charlie McCarthy Mortimer Snir the Norman Lube off choir and Paul Weston's orchestra With the seventh annual Christmas Eve sing with Bing This is Pat Cannell speaking inhibitions on Arthur Godfrey time weekdays on the CBS radio network