 Johnny Deller John, this is Harry Branson at Philadelphia Mutual Liability and Casualty Insurance Company. Well, it's about time, Harry. How come I haven't heard from you lately? Unfortunately, we've had no problems recently. That is nothing requiring investigation. Until now, huh? Oh, well, yes. So what's the trouble? Arson? Mayhem? Murder? John, it may be all of them. Unless you're able to put a stop to what's going on. Sounds interesting. Who's involved in all this? And don't tell me you've been selling insurance to some gangster. Well, as a matter of fact, he is. What? A gangster. At least he was known to have been mixed up with gangsters for several years. Who? Bertie Larson. Larson, huh? Well, at least the name sounds appropriate. So tell me what he's...wait a minute. Yes, John? Isn't Bertie Larson the punk they've had before that special investigating committee? Yes. The committee on narcotics and gambling, the one that has the hearings on television now and then? That's the one. Well, then, Harry, if you want my advice, you'll cancel his policy. Pay him off with interest and forget him. I'm afraid that's impossible. The floor, since those hearings began, we've increased the face value of some of his policies. You have what? Yes. But now, in view of the threats he's been receiving, threats on his life, his home, his family. Well, John... Maybe you're in trouble. John, do you think you can help us? And get my head blown off by some gunsle? Harry, this kind of stuff I shouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole. But don't you see... In spite of the big fee, your company will have to pay me. In addition to my expectation. John, just a minute. At least it'll guarantee me a decent funeral. A funeral? That's the way you want it, as long as you're willing to pay through the nose for my services. But John, I didn't say... John, that is... Listen to me, John. Okay, keep your shirt on, Harry. I'll run on down there and see you. CBS Radio brings you Bob Bailey and the exciting adventures of the man with the action-fact expense account. America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator. Yours truly. Shiny dollar. Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. Winston gives you real flavor, full-rich tobacco flavor. Winston's easy drawing to. The flavor comes right through to you. Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. A modern fielder? Sure, Winston has it. But that's only the beginning of a Winston. Up front, up where it really counts, Winston packs exclusive filter blend. Light, flavorful tobaccos, specially selected and specially processed for fielder smoking. Filter blend. That's why it's fun to smoke Winston. America's best-selling filter cigarette. Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. And now, act one of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Expense accounts submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar to the Philadelphia Mutual Liability and Casual Insurance Company. Following is the account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the Larson-Arson matter. Expense account item 1120 for a train to Philadelphia and a taxi to Philly Mutual's office over on Walnut Street. It was late in the afternoon, but Harry Branson, the perennial worry ward, was still there waiting for me, and he wasted no time in getting down to business. Now, Bertie Larson, or more properly, Herbert James Larson, lives out in Penfield, John. Oh yeah, that's kind of part of West Philadelphia, isn't it, Harry? Just beyond. He and his wife live in a very nice one-story brick home that we've insured for some $30,000. And he must have done fairly well in the raggots and had sense enough to put some aside. Also, John, we've insured his personal property, furniture, clothes, all the things in the house and so on, for some $20,000. No kidding. And didn't you say you've increased some of his insurance lately? To the figures I just mentioned. In the beginning, he was underinsured, but the policies provided for the increase at his option provided... Yeah, well, that's all right. You don't need to go into detail. Provided, of course, that in no event should stipulated coverage exceed actual appraised valuation. Yeah, yeah. Well, now, Harry, if you... Paragraphs A, B, and G of Article 21 of our standard comprehensive policy... Harry! Oh, oh, yes, John. Also, his life is insured with us for $20,000. Making a total of $70,000. $70,000, yes. So if everything goes, including Bertie himself, somebody's liable to collect plenty. Exactly. Okay, who's the beneficiary? His wife, Nora. I see. And now you say that somebody's been threatening him. Oh, yes. Ever since he agreed to appear before this investigating committee. Uh-huh. What kind of threats? Over the telephone, he tells me. Warning him that if he continues to testify... Well, they haven't directly threatened his life, as I understand it. But they might as well have. And then, last week... Wait a second, Harry. Haven't the police been in on this? Oh, yes. Yes, they have. And for a while, they kept some administration about his place. So, naturally, nothing happened. But last week, John, when he returned from one of the hearings, he phoned me and said that he'd found a can of gasoline standing on his front doorstep. Ah, just a hint, huh? Of what might happen if he doesn't clam up. Yeah, that's an old-style gang warning. Yes, a very obvious threat to burn up his home. But he's continued to appear at the hearings? Yes. And if he's killed off by these people... If his home is burned out from under it? By what people, Harry? Has he any idea who might be behind this monkey business? Well, of course. It must be someone who was involved with him in narcotics and illegal gambling at one time or another. But he doesn't know exactly who. Not specifically. He says he never recognized the voice on the phone. And, of course, it was probably well disguised. Uh, do you suppose he's still involved in the rackets? Oh, apparently not. Or we'd never have sold him insurance. But then who can be sure? The point is, John, that if anything does happen to him or to that home of his, the company will have to pay out sizable sums of money. Naturally, we don't want to do that. No. And if he can be protected properly... Well, John, that's why I telephoned to you. Yeah, but, Harry, the kind of protection you seem to want for him is something for the police to provide. John, I am convinced that the protection they are giving Bertie Larson is wholly inadequate. You told them so? I most certainly have. But they simply refuse to listen to me. Well, that is why I called you. Oh, I'm sorry, Harry, but it seems to me that... Well, okay, give me his address. Tell me who the police contact is, and I'll see what I can do for you. I dropped my bags at the Bellevue Stratford. Then, having missed my lunch, I spent item two, five and a quarter for a drink at some early dinner. Item three, 50 bucks to deposit on a rental car, and I headed out through West Philadelphia to the address in Penfield. As Harry had said, it was a nice place, not large, but neat and modern, sitting at the end of a new street. Apparently, there was no one home. I looked around to see if there was a patrolman watching over the place. No one, nothing. And the street itself was deserted. I was just about to swing around and head for police headquarters when I noticed a thin streak of light from one of the rear windows in spite of the drawn shades. Yeah, I suppose I'll learn one of these days not to be so curious. But I walked quietly up the driveway beside the house. And then I heard something, just a little sound, as though someone had quietly opened a closed door at the side of the garage at the rear. And I suddenly caught the smell of gas, of raw gasoline. It was coming from the garage. I carefully edged my way on back there, hoping I wouldn't trip over something in the darkness that would give me away. The smell of gasoline was stronger, now much stronger. My next step was into a puddle in front of the garage door. I remember bending over to sniff at it, and it was gasoline all right. And I remember a flashlight stabbing through the darkness behind me. But as I rose and turned, two of yours truly Johnny Dollar in a moment. Question, where will you find the leading stars of the entertainment world? Answer, right here on CBS Radio. Gary Moore, Arthur Godfrey, Andy Griffith, Bob and Ray, Art Linkletter, Amos and Andy and more. The gang's all here. You'll also find the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera back on the air. Remember the star's address, CBS Radio. And now, act two of yours truly Arson, Arson met her. I came to her in a hospital room, and I had company. One of them was in a blue uniform with brass buttons with the stripes of a sergeant on his sleeves. So you decided to come back to the land of the living, huh? The other was a man of about 40, big beefy. And in spite of his rather flashy clothes, he looked as though he hadn't shaved his fat truck in his face for a couple of days. Well, I'm sure glad he's okay, sergeant, only how was I to know he wasn't somebody come to carry out them threats against me. You mean those shots at him, Bertie? Me, actually, 20. Kill somebody, sergeant. Like I told you, I know the noise it'd bring on the nearest flat foot. Bertie, huh? Yeah. Gee, Mr. Dollar. Now, you just take it easy, Dollar. Bertie nearly broke your head when he found you prowling around his home a while ago. Oh, brother, you're telling me. I didn't know, Dollar. I didn't know who you was till me sneaking around and gasoline all over my garage like somebody was going to put a torch to it. Okay, okay, but... You can't blame me for slugging me. Yeah, yeah, now, Bertie... I'm sure, sorry, I did it, Dollar. Oh, uh... Dollar, the hospital bills on me so... a little bit up, huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Okay, now, Bertie, Dollar's going to be all right, so you go along, huh? I'll check with you later. I'm going up in the country to make sure my wife's all right. Up in the country? Yeah, up in the caskles with a couple of relatives, Mac and Josie. Oh, you don't think I'd leave a stay around here with those people on the phone saying they're going to burn me out if I don't stop yapping that committee? And you don't know who it is making the threats, huh? I sure wish I did. Okay, run along now, Bertie. No, wait, please. What is it, Don? Well, I'd like to talk to Bertie some more. Well, sure. Now, not until the medics say you're all right I want to talk to you myself. Now, go along, Bertie. Well, yeah, sure. All right, now, look, Sergeant. Yes, stay flat on the bed, Dollar. You know, your lucky Bertie didn't kill you, and I can't say I would have blamed him. Why didn't you come to me before trying to contact him? I could have given you all the information you need about this case. Now, look, Sergeant. I not only have saved you a lot of trouble, but kept you from getting banged on the head. Okay, okay. All you private dicks are alike. Now, listen, would you? As for that nosy guy over at your insurance company who's been bothering me three and four times a day, well, now I've got two of you to keep from upsetting the apple cart. What's that supposed to mean? Bertie Larson isn't the man this investigating committee's after. What? Of course not. He's strictly small-time. He hasn't even been that since he served a stretch on a burglary arson wrap. What about the narcotics and gambling that's under investigation? He was never any more than a messenger boy for the big shots. Well, now, what's the importance of these hearings? Now, don't you see if the committee can hold him up as a guy who talks and doesn't get hurt by him, it'll help them flush out some of the others. And who knows? Maybe some of his information might have a little value, and he'd be glad to give it. Yeah, why? Maybe he's been trying to run a used car business. Legitimate, or as a cover-up or something else? Legitimate. You're sure of that? Darling, that stupid punk has been so scared since he got out of the clinic. And listen. I'm listening. The publicity that he's been getting from the hearings, you know, because of cooperating with the committee. Well, it's practically made a public hero out of him. Who knows? Maybe it'll help his business enough to get him out of the red for once. That's why he's singing like a canary, making half of it up just to keep his name in the paper. Well, what about the threats he's been getting? You know something? We've only got his word about those threats? Well, we know. Yeah, he's making them up himself. Maybe. Oh, all right, all right. So what if some of his old pals are calling him up? Telling him to lay off, huh? If they try anything foolish, we'll nab him. Matter of fact, there are a few of those guys around here. We'd just love to have something on. Well, maybe all this will flush him out for us. Or get Bertie killed. Ask me. I don't think anybody'd even bother to rub him out. I hope you're right, Sergeant. Sure, sure. Oh, well, that's that. No, always. When you're up and around, come on over to the station and see me. But meantime, leave this to me, will you? Oh, wait a minute, will you? What about that gasoline he mentioned that was spilled all over his garage? Oh, one of those shots he fired. And now look. And I've drilled a hole in a can of gas he had lying around. Yeah? Sure, saw it there myself. Look, Sergeant. See you later, darling. Wait a minute, will you? Sergeant. Sergeant. Here's one of three of yours truly Johnny Dollar in a moment. 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Fitch can also leave hair up to 35% brighter. Get Fitch dandruff remover shampoo today. And now, act three of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. There was something all wrong about the whole setup. I'd smelled the gasoline around that garage before Bertie Larson had slugged me. And what about the can of gasoline he said was left on his doorstep as a warning? Like somebody'd burn him out if he kept on testifying before the Special Investigating Committee. Were the police overlooking that? And then, suddenly, I began to smell a rat a big one. Don't ask me why. I climbed rather painfully out of the hospital bed, put on my clothes, and pulled the corny trick of going out my way of the fire escape. Luck was with me. The police had left my rental car in the hospital parking lot. I spent on them four a buck and a half in a bar and a grill for a slugger brandy and some hot black coffee. But I was still feeling pretty rocky, so I took my time driving out to Bertie Larson's place again. As I stepped out of the car, I noticed a light coming from an open window at the rear and a big sedan back in front of the garage, the trunk of a wide open. The police or the car of someone who'd come to put the torch to his home. I didn't have to wait long for an answer. Going up in the country, huh, to see your wife. Oh, darling. Yeah, that's right. Hey, listen, darling, it's lucky you come by here. Is it? Lucky for you or for me? Oh, no, listen, I come by to pick up some things. You know how to haul it to my wife? You know what happens here? When I pull up in the driveway, there's some guy running away out back, so I yell to him to stop, but he keeps on going. And it's so dark I can't see where to throw a shot. And listen. I'm listening. Then I smell gasoline. It's coming from inside the house. So I unlock the door and go in, and you know what I find in there? Go on, Bertie. Come on. Come on inside, darling. I'll show you. Lucky I come by here. That's all I got to say. Hey, wait a minute. Were you figuring out moving out of here? Well, now, don't tell me this is all the furniture you keep in this place. Of course not. I sent a lot up to Josie and Mac from where my wife is staying with them. What if the place burned down, you wouldn't hesitate to collect insurance on all the furnishings, would you? You're trying to be funny, darling. Now, now, look. Look here in my den. You see? You see where somebody dumped gas all over the rug? Lay them celluloid strips and out over the window sill so as you could put a match to it from the outside? Yeah, I see, Bertie. Well, it's a guy I seen running away from you who was going to burn me out. You see how he broke in by forcing a screen on that window? I see where this screen was bashed out from the inside. What do you say? And I fail to see any footprints in the flower bed below it. No wonder you served a term for arson, among other things. Well, listen. I mean, the sloppy scent of you made here. What are you talking about? You've been losing your shirt in the used car business. So it looked like you might have to take a chance on the rackets again. Well, you had your mind... But then this investigating committee came along, talking freely before them, gave you an excuse to claim you were getting threats. Oh, now listen. You filled up the insurance on this place to the limit, then gave out the tale about gasoline left on your doorstep as a warning. You're making the threats. In the meantime, of course, you've carefully emptied the place of anything valuable. In storage with these pals of yours, Josie and Mac have been the cat skills. If any such people really exist, this home and the garage would probably be nothing but ashes right now if I hadn't come along earlier. I could have killed you then, Dallas. So maybe I'd better... Kill me! I think you were just a lousy shot. Yeah? But when all that noise brought the police and you found out who I am, you need to help build up your case for whenever you decided to fire this place. You thought. But it didn't work, Bertie, because... Oh, no, you don't. Come on, put your head up. Come on, over your head. Get him to pull a gun quickly, can you? You don't need to, Dallas. Don't move, I'm right in back of you. Drop the gun. Kill him. Yeah, yeah, in order to kill him. We'll fire that joint and get up in a country where Josie and Mac will swear and win with him all the time. Yeah, Bertie. Yeah, that's what we'll do. Listen, we'll strip this guy after you knock him off. He'll find his bones after the fire and he'll think it's me. That's another 20 grand of insurance a collector. No, Bertie. What? I'm leaving both of you here. You got crazy. After this nice setup, I'd be crazy if I didn't take all I could get out of it. Come on, come on. All right, darling, now it's you. Come on, Nora. Where'd you come from, you dirty cunt? Thanks, Sergeant. Oh, it's okay, dollar. But you can be mighty glad that hospital called me up when they found you'd sneaked out on him. You know something, Sergeant? Yeah. I'm mighty glad. Expense account total including my hospital bill, my room at the Bellevue, my apartment, $79.75. Remarks? Why bother? From here on in, it's up to the company and the police to straighten things out. We owe us truly, Johnny Dollar. Our star will return in just a moment. Constipation can be a problem for anyone, even doctors. And when constipation occurs, it's interesting to see just what doctors consider important about a laxative they might use or recommend. Well, a majority of the doctors we heard from had this to say, a laxative should be effective, gentle, as close to natural acting as possible, and a medicine that can be used with complete confidence. Now, X-lax has been popular with many doctors and millions of people over the years because chocolate at X-lax is effective overnight. It helps you toward your normal regularity. X-lax is gentle. Next morning, it gives you the closest thing to natural action. And that's why many doctors and millions of people use X-lax with complete confidence. X-lax, the laxative that helps you toward your normal regularity gently overnight. Is X-lax in your medicine cabinet? Now, here is our star to tell you about next week's story. Next week, Sarasota, Florida, a body floating in a bayou and one too many suspects. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Barring Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood and is written, produced and directed by Jack Johnstone. Heard in our cast were Virginia Gregg, Harry Bartel, Don Diamond and Bert Holland. Be sure to join us next week same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly, Johnny Dollar. This is Dan Cumberley speaking. Take the last trip a bizarre way to end a romantic triangle on suspense. Next on the CBS Radio Network. My name's Henry J. Mitchell. Mrs. Mitchell and I are standing here on the second deck of this ocean liner waiting to start our trip around the world. You know, now that the day is finally here we can hardly wait to get going. Naturally, we started saving toward this day some time ago by investing regularly in United States savings bonds. We felt that by saving with series E bonds we were making the wisest, safest investment possible. What's more, our dollars were also helping our country. You see, the money that goes into U.S. savings bonds helps to keep America strong. We all know that peace costs money. Money to help keep the peace through industrial and military strength and money to make it lasting through science and education. We're mighty proud to do our share in securing the future of our country. Are you doing your part? Start today. 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