 Frukel Band and Johnny Dollar. Johnny, this is George Reed. Well, nice to hear from you, George, especially when I have no assignment. That's fine. What's fine about it? No expense account to pay. It means how do I keep the wolf from the door? Unless, of course, Floyd's of England has a case for me. Huh? Well? Johnny. Yeah? Now, George, how could I ever kid you? I'll let that one go. Yeah, you better. The point is, you... Oh, no. Don't tell me. I'm afraid. You mean, instead of ensuring somebody against dying, you've insured him against living? Yes, John. Okay, Georgie, say no more. I'll be right over. Signing Adventures of a Man with the Action-Packed Expense Account. America's Fabulous Freelance Insurance Investigator. That was truly Johnny Dollar. That was truly Johnny Dollar. Special Investigator Johnny Dollar. To Floyd's of England, American Office, Hartford, Connecticut. Following us in account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the hope to die matter. Account Item 1, a $1.10 taxi from my apartment at George Reed's office. I found him pacing the floor and wearing an even more worried expression than usual. And believe me, that's something. This thing has me so riled up, Johnny, I can hardly see straight. Well, you should have known better than to wish you a policy like that, George. I? It was Harry Baxter. Baxter? He filled in here for me while I was on vacation. I should have known better. What'd he do? Sell a lot of policies that you shouldn't have to handle? No, just this one. And I swear I don't understand it. He of all people. Alright, you said on the phone that it was kind of life insurance in reverse. That's exactly what it is. Explain, please. Well, usually, of course, we pay the face value of a policy when the insured die. Right. In this case, however, the company will have to pay the $250,000 that the insured doesn't die. $250,000? Yes. How under the sun can a man be crazy enough to issue a policy like that? John, you know how it is. The company prides itself on the fact we'll insure anything. Not only life and property and health and so on, but the voice of a singer, the feet of a dancer, hands of a pianist, even the dimples on the knees of a chorus girl. Yeah, and singing mice, an old alley cat, a sick whale. Of course I can't say that Harry wasn't in position to do it, but Johnny, you've got to help me. First, you better tell me who and why and what it's all about. I don't know. Well, I'm at key. You don't know. I only got back here to the office this morning. I found our copy of the policy lying here on my desk. But if you don't even... Oh, look, I've handled some pretty screwy cases for you, George. Yes, but they've all finally made sense one way or the other. Johnny, we have paid you some very nice fees. You can't deny that. George, have I ever questioned your expense account? Death insurance. It doesn't make sense. Have I? Ensuring somebody against living. Have I? I'm sorry, but this time the answer is no. Listen, if you take this on, I'll okay your expense account without even reading it. Death insurance. Expense account unlimited. Johnny? George, there are some things, even a conniving, chiseling, unprincipled rascal like myself, won't even... Unlimited? Johnny? Okay, George, I'll take it. Act two of yours truly Johnny Dollar in a moment. And now, act two of yours truly Johnny Dollar and the hope to die matters. The Lords of England insure anything. At least that was their boast. And now it looked as though it had finally backfired on them. Because somebody in the organization, some character named Harry Baxter, had issued not life, but death insurance. If it hadn't been for my friendship with George Reid, well, plus his promise of unlimited expense account, I'd have thrown the whole problem right back into his face, as it was. Thanks, Johnny, from the bottom of my heart, I'll never forget you for this. Believe me, George, I'll never forget you for this. And if you can, get us off the hook. All I can do is try, so come on, give me the dope on it. Yes, now here. The name of the insured is Miss Mary Ellen Markham. Yeah, I got it. Where does she live? 514 East 52nd Street, New York City. Pretty fancy address. Yes. Okay, now tell me why this Mary Ellen has insured herself against living. Well, that's the point, Johnny, she hasn't. Well, now wait a minute, you... Albert Schwinner has. You mean somebody else took out this policy in her life, or rather dead? Yes. Holy. Well, what is this guy? A professional gun solo who's going to wipe her out and then collect? I suppose he's the beneficiary, too. Yes, he is. Oh, fine. Well, come on, who is it? I don't know. As I told you, the policy was lying here on my desk when I got back this morning. I don't know this much about him. It's Dr. Albert Schwinner. Dr. what kind? Those are the things you've got to find out. Who he is, what he is, why he's bought insurance against this woman's living beyond November 10th. The 10th? Well, that's only a few days from now. Oh, George, this gets worse and worse. Well, if only Harry Baxter hadn't issued that policy. But he has. Oh, boy, you sure picked a dilly to fill in for you while you were away. Dicked him. Oh, what else could I do? After all, he never did anything like this before. You've known him before? Are you serious? Of course I have. All right, Harry Baxter. All right, now look. Times are wasting and we haven't got much of it. I take it. You want me to see if I can find some legal grounds for cancelling this policy? Yes, immediately. Now have you got an address on the beneficiary, this Dr. Schwinner? No, I've been so upset about this whole thing, I haven't even looked. And let me see. According to this, he lives at... Hmm. What's the matter? Dr. Albert W. Schwinner. C. L. C. L. What kind of a doctor is that? I don't know. The address is 14327 E Street, Union City, New Jersey. C. L. Well, I'll soon find out. Where can I reach this Harry Baxter who sold the policy? In New York at the... Here, I'll jot down the address. I still don't see how Baxter could get away with this. After all, when you consider his position... Here. He offered no explanation at all. I'm afraid I didn't give him much chance. I practically threw him out of here. I can't say that I blame you. And that's another thing. Look, Johnny, perhaps you can reason with... Oh, don't worry, George. He's number one on my calling list. I'll be talking to you. Expense account item 2785, fare to New York and taxi to Harry Baxter's address. A real snooty one over near Sutton Place. And people don't live in that joint unless they've earned... or chiseled a lot of money from somewhere. In the case of Baxter, I suspected a big chisel. My suspicion was considerably heightened when he opened the door. His apartment was luxury from stem to stern. As for Baxter himself... Dollar? Well, of course, old boy. I've heard a great deal about you from my dear friend and colleague, George Reed. Dear friend, huh? Well, you say that as though you doubted it. Oh, I know that filling in for him while he was away was... I really should have done better for the old thing, but I've had so many social obligations to meet these past few months, and after all, one must keep up with those things. Oh, I'm sure one must. Well, I did sell one policy, you know, a real deal, eh? Ah, that's the understatement of the week. I suppose I can't really blame him for being a bit excited about it, but he gave me no chance to explain why I assumed the policy. Why did you? Oh, now, really. Well? Well, I made it very clear to George that I would tell him when he calms down enough to be reasonable. Really, Mr. Dollar, he was in quite a tizzy. Brother, he still is. That's why he sent for me. But when he calms down, he'll be sorry he bothered you. Suppose you tell me why you issued that policy. You? No. What? No, I'll tell George when he's ready, when I'm ready. Oh, now, just a minute. And you may tell George, I said exactly that. Good bye, Dollar. You'll tell me back to right now. I'll do nothing of the sort, and much more, since my claim for Europe is leaving shortly, I have no time to... Would you kind of remove your foot from the door? Not until I get an answer from you, and I'll start talking. If you can show some legal cause. Legal cause? Furthermore, your behavior at the moment constitutes trespass, illegal entry, call it what you like, and believe me, unless you leave here immediately, I shan't hesitate to ring up, please. All right, all right. Now, look, just tell me one thing. I might. What? What is your connection with the beneficiary of this policy? Dr. Schwinner. That's right, Albert Schwinner. Albert happens to be a very close personal friend. Oh, I might have guessed as much. All right, then tell me this. I thought it was just one question. I've given the answer. Good bye. Bye, sir. Are you out of hearing? Look here now. Good bye. Well, there was no point in trying to better down the door of Harry Baxter's apartment, so I left. Downstairs in the lobby, I put in a phone call. That's item 355 cents to George Reed's office in Hartford. I'm sorry, Mr. Dollar, but he seems to have stepped out for a few minutes. Oh, well, then please tell him when he gets back that I want a complete rundown on Harry Baxter. Well, that should be difficult. Right. Having hired him, George shouldn't have much trouble getting that for me. Better than what I did. Now, let George do it. I'll call him back. Item 465 cents taxi to Mary Ellen Markham's apartment on East 52nd Street. A uniformed nurse met me at the door, told me I could stay with Miss Markham only a very short time, then led me into the bedroom. And there, carefully propped up in bed, lay a pale, wan, tired woman who looked to be 65 or 70. The room was full of flowers. You may leave us, Mr. Baxter. I'll ring when I need you. Yes, Miss Markham. Sit down, Mr. Dollar. Thank you. I'm sorry I won't be able to speak with you very long, but as you can see... Yes, yes, I can, of course. I'll get right to the point. You must know, I'm sure, that someone has just taken out a policy on your... well, an insurance policy on you. Yes. It's so smart. And so... And so helpful. Very Baxter. Oh, you see, I am suffering from a rare, incurable disease of the blood. I'm sorry. I don't have long to live. A few days, perhaps. A few weeks, at the most. Excuse me. This is such a different... Why do you... you're getting the best of care, I trust. Yes. It's the very best. Now... Now, what do you wish to know? You know a Dr. Albert Schwinner, don't you? I have known Albert for many years. He's been a great friend. Then why does he take out a policy that... well, that indicates he hopes that you'll die? Hopes? I'll die? Yes. What else could it be? Oh, you don't understand. Don't you see, Schwinner has bought insurance against your living beyond November 10th. Yes. Yes, my 50th birthday. You mean to say you're... The reason... The reason so. Yes? You mustn't. Oh, I know, I'm tired. But just one more thing. Your doctor, the doctor who's taking care of you. Albert. Albert? The same Dr. Schwinner? Yes. Now... Now you must leave. Mary Ellen Markham had been able to tell me he left me more puzzle than ever. I've never been given such a run around in my life, deliberate or otherwise. But I didn't dare tax her strength further, so I left. Item five, another 55 cents for another call to George Reed and Hartford. This time he was in. Yes, Wallace. What do you mean, seemingly absurd? George's whole thing has me in a tizzy, now a double-barreled one. Well, I tried. Chairman of what board? The company... What? I tried to tell you that this morning, but you didn't give me a chance. The company Baxter is also the majority stockholder. Oh, brother. You won't. What? He just left for Europe. Where? I don't know, and right now I don't care. But if I can't contact Markham, he should die before the 10th. Yeah, 250 G. You've got to carry on. Would you like to tell me how? Markham dies on or before November 10th. Floyd's of England pays Dr. Albert Schwinner $250,000. On a policy taken out by him. And he is her doctor with her life in his hands. And if there isn't something wrong with that, set him. Expense account had him $6, $8 for a taxi to Schwinner's address in Union City, New Jersey. And there at last I learned what the C.L. meant behind his name. It was an abbreviation, for this was the Albert Schwinner Clinic, devoted to the study of rare diseases of the blood. But Schwinner wasn't there. He'd gone to New York to see Ms. Markham. Item 7, $10 even for a fast taxi ride back there to Manhattan. As the nurse led me into the unfortunate woman's apartment, he was just coming out of the bedroom door. Oh, Dr. Schwinner, this is Mr. Johnny Dollar. Well, Mr. Dollar, Harry Baxter told me I might expect you. Oh, he did, huh? Yes, he phoned me just before his plane took off for you. You're a pretty smart. But you're an insurance investigator, aren't you? That is right. Oh, you may go in to see Ms. Markham now, Mrs. Haskell. Very well, Doctor. How is Ms. Markham, Doctor? Much better, thank God. Oh, why do you say that? What? If she dies before this week is out, you stand to collect a cool quarter of a million, don't you? I? No, the clinic. Isn't that the same thing? Hardly. Sit down, Mr. Dollar. Now, you're concerned about the rather unorthodox insurance policy that Mr. Baxter issued. I certainly am. You better let me tell you the reason for it. I think you'd better. At the onset of her illness some 15 years ago, the best doctors in the country gave her five years to live at the most. And that's when you came into the picture? Yes. Because of the devotion, the concentration of all our efforts to this one field of medicine, the clinic was able for the first time to give her hope. Her hope was justified. We have given her years of life. But now, wait a minute, Doctor. She told us then that if she could be helped to live until she was 50. And that'll be on the tap? Yes. That would prove beyond the shadow of it out that our methods, our practices were right. That we could prolong and possibly ultimately save not only her own, but thousands, perhaps millions of lives. Therefore, she agreed that if she reached 50, she would make an outright gift of $250,000 to the clinic and its work. Money which is much needed, by the way. But then it began to look as though she might never reach 50. Yes. And she suggested this unusual insurance policy on her death rather than on her life. I see. But why Harry Baxter, chairman of the board of the insurance company, its biggest stockholder, whatever? I don't get it. Baxter's own mother died of the same disease, Mr. Dollar. Of course, then he knew how necessary this money is to the clinic. Yes. And let's face it, Baxter is something of an eccentric. And that's the reason he chose this offbeat way to make sure you'd get the financial help you need, exactly. Then if I try to get this policy canceled, a great many lives in the future may depend on its remaining in force. Of course, if you feel at your duty, Doctor, my duty as I see it is to do just exactly nothing. Harry Ellen Markham did live to see 50, but only for a few days. Just long enough to make a gift to the clinic. Harry Baxter and the company? Well, Harry came back from Europe and he said he found some, quote, mistake, unquote, in the policy that requires the company to pay off one it anyway. Eccentric, we should have more of them like that. Eccentric out total, are you kidding? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar.