 Johnny dollar dollar. This is Frank Francis at dry Western Lake in Los Angeles. Well, I am Also, do you think you can get on out here? Well, it's early evening here in the east sometime tomorrow morning be all right Well, I suppose noon your time. Yeah, that's easy. There's a jet flight out of New York around 8 a.m. Eastern time It'll give me to LA International around 11 your time What seems to be the trouble mr.. Francis will Bob Reddick in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator Yours truly Johnny dollar this account submitted by a special investigator Johnny dollar to the tri-western life insurance company, Los Angeles office Following is an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the simple Simon matter Expense account item one early the next morning $180 and 40 cents plane fare The usual prevailing westerly wins didn't prevail So the flight was even faster than scheduled and the big jet sat down at the LA International Airport well before 11 a.m Pacific time that is True to his word Frank Francis was there and waiting for me right over here dollar mm-hmm. Oh, okay, Frank Excuse me, please Will you excuse me please if you have any heavy luggage waiting to be taken off the plane? I'm afraid we'd better pick it up later Everything I own is in this kind of glorified brief good good because we have to be sure that we're back in my office before noon Come on my car is out here at the curb. All right, but why is the time element so important because of a phone call? I'm expecting Were you? Get in Johnny phone call for me. Yeah Come on get in from whom I'll tell you all about it on the way in All right, whatever you say Present moment the death of Jerry Hilton Gerald Raymond Hilton to be more exact is on the books as accidental or Possible suicide and you wrote his insurance for some $16,000 straight life with double indemnity in case of accidental death the beneficiary is white Go on Frank Happened about a week ago on a side road or rather off a side road in the vicinity of Newhall Where is Newhall about 35 miles north of here to a 3,000 people some farmland bunch of oil wells go on Hilton was apparently driving around a bad curve on the side of a hill Marrow dusty little dirt road He apparently lost control and went over into a rather deep canyon full of big rocks Wasn't too much left of his car and apparently Hilton died immediately so it looked like an accident Apparently and that's the fourth time now. You know that you've used that word apparently deliberately Johnny Why there isn't much of a police force out that way, but believe me they're on their toes Those boys went over the scene of that so-called accident with a fine-tooth comb What are they fine Frank? They found that Hilton's car had stopped there on that curve or maybe been stopped is a better term Why do you say that? Because of a phone call I got yesterday the one we're expecting at noon a phone call. Yeah Frank that bush that you're beating around is getting kind of big. I know Okay, the tire track showed that Hilton's car had stopped and then not skidded But had been driven slowly over the edge Now I'm at that phone call a couple that with the fact that he was half crazy with financial troubles He'd already borrowed a couple of thousand on his insurance The fact that his wife and believe me he was devoted to her That his wife has been sick and yet still trying to work in some factory to keep them in food and clothing and Well, it pretty clearly indicated suicide made to look like an accident Do the police agree on that all the way? Hilton's been a complete failure. He had nothing except a shady reputation The only thing left to give to his wife to keep her alive was the insurance Needless to say with a three-year-old kid I forgot to mention him with the kid needing an operation for something or other immediately She's already put in a claim but it was suicide. She can't collect exact which I suppose is just what you'd like No Oh, no, Johnny I've known about Marjorie Hilton a long time ever since high school I think she really tried to make a goal that marriage to Jerry despite his failure to support her and his Well is rather questionable record. You mean he had a police record not actually But I'm sure he deserved one I see Now Frank tell me this on the phone last night. You said it could possibly even be murder because of the call I just received from whom somebody who wouldn't identify himself himself. Yes He was quite definite and he said just two things That because of what he knew We'd better get ready to pay off the insurance and second that he wouldn't give his information to anybody but you Now under why you wouldn't say He only said to get you out here right away that he'd call the day at noon and talk But only to you And let's get into your office and wait for that call Thank because according to my watch it's nearly 10 minutes after Number three you forgot to reset it on the way out here. Oh, yeah But you may be right at that Johnny. Maybe it was just some practical joker. Maybe some crank. You'd be surprised at the No You pick it up. I'll take it on this extension here, right? Hello Some call for mr. Johnny dollar. Yeah from where operator san diego. Well, I'm Johnny dollar. Thank you one moment, please That's right. Yeah, wasn't it? What now unless you tell me who you are Meet you where? Has cadero. Yeah, now listen. I'd like to hear a little is this a gag or some kind of a trick All is perfect with these united states But former president Eisenhower did not believe this He formed a non-partisan commission to look into our national ways and to set forth after thorough examination a list of national goals The kind of america we can be in the future the impression we make on the rest of the world Our national image depends on how fully the nation follows the recommendations of this non-partisan commission The complete report has been made up into a booklet, which is yours free if you want it CBS radio and its affiliated stations believe this to be an important national statement We hope you'll send for it Simply send your name at the dress on a postcard to goals box 1776 new york 17 new york And to keep this date with that that anonymous phone caller I wouldn't the police think hilton was a suicide. No, which would save your company a lot of money No, not a lot as life insurance policies go and I'd much prefer to see it paid out to his widow But of course if it was suicide, you know that voice on the phone There's nothing frank had a familiar sound sounded like some Thug to me johnny and if so but I can't place it Anyhow he said it was murder There's only one thing for me to do and let's keep that date with him johnny. Yeah johnny, don't you see You may be walking to some kind of a trap boy Who wants to trap me over what a man in a job like yours has enemies bound to have This could be very dangerous dangerous I mean like crossing a busy street in a section all now listen or driving around in some of today's traffic I don't care about this who's kidding if you go down there the night and out on that period of meeting Believe me, you'd better have some police protection and scare him away Now he said to meet him alone even so to get it forget it frank. I'll be okay I certainly hope so So do I expense account item two 50 bucks deposit on a rental car Before driving the 130 miles of freeway down to san diego though I got her address from frank and paid a visit to jerry hilton's widow marjorie As she was small thin about 23 or 24 pretty in her own way But with far too many lines of care in her face for one of her age The second floor apartment was tiny and badly furnished My little boy tommy lay on a small cot in the corner of the bedroom And he was a nighty sick-looking kid However, she told me her free clinic had agreed to do the rather serious intestinal operation that was needed I wondered why she hadn't thought of a clinic before And when I get the insurance money, I guess I better pay him for it hadn't I mr. Dollar Well, I hope you do get it mrs. Hilton Oh, no luck jerry wouldn't ever have committed suicide no matter how far down his luck was Not even in the hope that it wouldn't be found out You'd be able to collect the insurance money Or is there anything else that he could do to get you away from Having to live like this. Oh, listen. He tried mr. Dollar. He tried all the time You think it was his fault. He couldn't make a living Doing what I don't know. I don't know how jerry got that money that he had when him and me got married last year You don't know how your own husband Last year then little tommy isn't his child No, sir. Oh, but jerry treated him just like he was he'd do anything he could for him Just anything for the both of us. I'm sure I can see that What does that mean? Nothing Do you know of any enemies that jerry might have had? Oh, I don't even know who his friends were mr. Dollar There was just jerry and me and tommy. Oh, and he treated us good Well until he run out of money But he was sure something was going to turn up pretty soon and something legitimate You mean you think that jerry could ever do anything crooked Do you Then you don't seem to have known very much about him Well, all I know is he was good to me. He was good to the both of us He was a lot better than that punk I mean than tommy's real father was what was his name What if he did give me a lot of fancy clothes and jewels and things? Well, he wasn't the first one Now that jerry's gone. I can have those kind of things again. Who was he margin? His name was ali parson's when tommy was born. He walked out on me Alfred h parson's and the h stands for heroine You're talking about a man the narcotics squad has been after for the past five years Well, all I know he was always hiding away from somebody or something When he come around and tried to see me again a couple of weeks ago Well, jerry threw him out and came to see you and yeah All his soft talk about doing something for jerry and me and the kid What jerry didn't believe it Oh Ali was awful good at that soft talk and the promises Even even to getting me back with him time after time when I was married to him I'm wise to him now. I told jerry and he threw him out a couple of weeks ago Has Ali been back since jerry dined Why should he Would you look a little pale and worn and tired? Maybe even a little hungry mrs. Hilton But you're a very attractive girl nonetheless What oh thanks. Thanks very much Now I've got to meet that man in san diego. Oh, um Here this is just in case tommy needs something extra while he's in the hospital Fifty dollars. I think the insurance company would okay this sort of in advance Well, I thought you were trying to tell me they wouldn't pay Well, maybe I've changed my mind, but there was something about marjorie That puzzled me In spite of the way she talked Or maybe because of it Somehow she made me think of the typical movie gun mile who'd play along with anybody she thought was on the way up I drove down to san diego And while it was still daylight, I got a line on the taskadero pier It was one of the older ones some distance below the main part of that busy port There were no ships tied up to it nothing but trash in the long warehouse built up on it All in all it was in pretty bad shape Probably in line for condemnation by the progressive city of san diego I hope there'd be plenty of light on it and it came time for my meeting out there on the end of it Speaking of time I killed a couple of hours in a movie and then had dinner in the grill room in the u.s. Grant Took in another movie and it all ends up to item three 12 dollars and a half By then it was nearly 11 p.m There was no moon Or if there was you couldn't see it because of the heavy fog that had settled down over the waterfront No, why kid about it I wondered if I wasn't being a little foolish and plotting the length of that abandoned pier in the darkness to keep a rendezvous with With what? Even if the pier had been well-mighted, I wouldn't have been able to see more than 20 30 feet ahead of me I found myself walking softly listening for Well, perhaps for the footsteps of somebody else But who? I didn't even know the name of the man I was supposed to meet out there Much less what he was really up to Sure, I had the old 38 handy But in that darkness In that fog Quietly yeah, I'm sure this big box where nobody could see us. Are you kidding in this piece super? Now listen, I've got a talk there. Simon. Yeah, yeah, Simon hacker a simple sign. That's right But not too simple to look out for myself So now let's you're the punk. I chased halfway across the state of kansas once and then had to let go because you didn't have what I was After only you didn't really have to let me go you could have nailed there's and you're the punk Who couldn't or wouldn't tell the cops where they could lay their hands on ali parson's all right So now I do know where he is. So could I go to the cops? Sure Why you think they'd believe me now? You think they wouldn't just lock me up for life time fool They'd do anything for you to get information on parson's Yeah, but you think ali wouldn't find out if I did You think he wouldn't kill me for it like he knocked off jerry hillson. Maybe Well, did he Simon lesson? I know that you'll protect me. You're the only dick that ever give me a break Simon when you nail him ali parson for what I'm telling you Maybe you could give me off at a hook with the cops. Maybe so listen Up at new hall. They know that was no accident jerry's car going off that curve And maybe they don't say it but maybe they know that jerry was dead Before that car went over you're telling me that ali killed him. Don't you see Ali wanted his girl back that margie that was married to jerry Can you prove that ali murdered him all the proof you'll need? Good good. Now here Simon knowing how you work Maybe 50 Maybe uh Maybe maybe a hundred Here Thanks, dala. You're okay. So listen while I tell you how I know he killed jerry hillson Simon His last three shots from somewhere in the foggy darkness of the pier that meant for me I dove in over the edge and then slowly quietly slamming among the pilings back to the shore Soaking red I piled into my car and drove to the headquarters of the harbor police They immediately sent out a couple of men to look for simon hacker Or what was left of him and gave the regular police an alert on ali parson's They also helped me dry out my clothes How I'd gave me time to think Marjorie hilton was my only real lead to jerry's killer now Obviously the same one who blasted away of simon and me there on the pier Obviously ali parson was all one of his mob And ali was again making a play for margie Maybe she had gone to high school, but she wasn't very bright And of what she told me was true about the clothes and the jewels he'd given her about always going back to him before jerry came along Well in spite of what she'd said about ali. She'd probably be a pushover for him again I thank the harbor police. I got into my car and I tore on back to la to her apartment It was nearly four a.m. But she had a light on Because of the sick youngster Maybe Mrs. Hilton It's johnny dollar Oh I saw the lighter. Well, what does all this mean? Well, well, I told you when you were here before i'm taking little tommy to the hospital for for his operation today You got enough bags packed here for you and tommy. All right margie. What goes I told Yeah, you told me you also told me a lot of things this afternoon. Maybe enough to make me suspicious I don't know what you're talking about. You were pretty emphatic about how good jerry had been to you So much so it began to sound like an act You didn't really expect me to believe that you had no idea where jerry's got his money Or ali parson's when you were married to him Well, how should I know what they did and I wouldn't be surprised that there were Three or four other husbands before them also in the racket. Was there only two before oh Only two Before now you listen mr. Why did ali parson's kill jerry to get you back because he was afraid that jerry might tip off the police to his latest Activities and narcotics they did kill him didn't he The same as he tried to kill or maybe did kill simon hack it or not down in san diego where you knew I was going So you tipped off ali parson's and now you're set to go somewhere and meet him. Yeah Now what's that supposed to mean ali ali don't reach. That's real cute of you margie Hello parson just keep them up real high and I'll take this gun of yours for myself Hmm Might come in real handy for me sometime with your prints all over it Thanks Pleasure ali Now what now oh Now you face that wall there And I'll put a bullet right in your head. You see now that you know, I killed jerry. I've got to get rid of you too Oh, no no no shut up margie. It's the only way of course You know what the sound of a shot will bring parson's with this nice old fashioned silencer Uh, but close the door to the hall anyway, will you margie sure ali, but don't you think shut up and close the door Okay, okay, whatever you say only hold it by simon Hey boys, that's enough. That's enough. Okay. Looks like the u.s. Marines lie tenants Well, dollar when they hold simple simon here out of the drink and he told the boys what was going on Wait a minute. Wait a minute How do you feel simon? That's so hot I I I I guess I kind of waited too long to go straight Easy simon easy, but I tried dollar I tried Yeah simon I'm afraid you did wait too long But you tried Want to take over the tenant I don't know I kind of felt sorry for the poor kids honey, but her I can't help wondering if she even deserves a break Expense account total including a trip back to harford. We'll call it $450 even Yours truly johnny dollar Now here is our star to tell you about next week's story for next week a most ingenious method of blackmail Join us, won't you yours truly johnny dollar First truly johnny dollar starring bob reddick is written by jack johnstone Produced and directed by brunosarato jr. Musical supervision by ethyl huber Here to now a cast where jackson beck is frank francis Elizabeth lorence is marjorie mason adams as simple simon Bernard grant his alley parson's and morris tarplin as the police lieutenant He should have joined us next week same time same station for another exciting story of yours truly johnny dollar This is art hannah speaking ellen jackson's informative feature information central weekdays on the cbs radio network