 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar. This is Tom Bates. Oh, how are you? Dr. Praley just called me mr. Dollar. He says you've been threatening him Oh, I wouldn't call it a threat mr. Bates I simply told him that if he won't let me question Miss Parker Then I'll have to get a court order to do it anyway. Well as Acton County attorney here I think I could block that order mr. Dollar maybe but I doubt if it would be a very smart move now You look here. She's in no shape to answer questions. She's under doctors care It's been five days now since the shooting. She's still very upset nervous She might say things that could be misconstrued that she didn't mean. Oh, what things how would I know? I just thought you might Since you've already questioned her once right after she killed her father Wasn't she upset then? Did she say anything you misconstrued? I'm warning you darling. I'm warning you I'm gonna talk to that girl one way or another Tonight and every weekday night Bob Bailey in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator yours truly Johnny dollar From special investigator Johnny dollar location Green Pass, Virginia To the home office shorty mutual insurance limited Hartford, Connecticut assignment the quibono matter quibono Latin for who benefits Item eight one dollar transportation out to Sammy Drake's happy. Hollow Roadhouse on the highway north of town On the way there. I thought over what I learned so far and I realized it wasn't much On the face of it. The thing was simple enough. No mystery at all Five nights ago Dan Parker the local county attorney had returned from a business trip and entered his sleeping house His adopted daughter Luanne mistaking him for a prowler had shot him to death in the darkness There it was an accident pure and simple The coroner said so the sheriff agreed and the whole town was determined to keep it that way But I still couldn't buy it quite that easily Not when there was a hundred thousand dollar life insurance policy payable to Luanne Parker the girl who'd pulled the trigger Maybe I'd find some answers at the roadhouse a happy hollow is like a thousand other places of its kind a neon lighted barn set 50 yards off the road Inside a jukebox a raucous bar and a scattering of tables around a splintery dance floor Saturday nights a four-piece band probably a game or two going on in the back room and whatever else the local sports might demand It was early yet and the joint hadn't started to jump What's the word night? Save your money and buy booze. Yeah, man I'll a ton of depends on which town any town but this one man here. It's for the birds. Oh, I don't know Looks to me like he got a good setup here I'm eating but it ain't easy man. It's rough. Oh, it'll be rougher Sammy with a new county attorney What's the pitch Mitch? That's your name isn't Sammy Drake That's a crime. Maybe might be I don't know yet You were the feds of Syndicate man. No, I'm an insurance investigator insurance You mean protection Not the kind you're talking about Sammy. I'm here in connection with Dan Parker's death You mean you legit that's right Well, tie me up and mail me off. I thought you were somebody putting the bite on me. I am Yeah, yeah, I got some questions Sammy and I want some answers About that Parker rubber, right? Well, you're out of luck Chuck. I don't know nothing from nothing about nothing. See what I mean I got reason to think different How so? Somebody been passing the word maybe To get you five it was a base character. Am I in I couldn't say Sure it was the new county attorney. He's got a big deal now And he'd give his left eyeball to put the finger on me. Why so? Why is he got it in for you Sammy because he thinks his doll has been You mean the Parker girl I forget You want to do it the hard way Sammy no speaking I can get Tom Bates to wish you a warrant You know he'd love to have that chance So you can either talk to me here and now or you can talk to him in the sheriff in the basement of the Courthouse rough and tough that's what it takes. Yes Come on back to the office. All right. What'd you say your name was buzz? I didn't it's dollar Johnny dollar dollar I'm rhymes with color. I always like to be wise to who's putting the slug on me. Come on in. Thanks How about a drink? No, not now. Thanks. Well, I guess I'll have a short one for my health You hungry like a steak later, maybe they're the most This is a crummy joint strictly for the sticks, but the food's good Well, here's a go. Yeah Maybe you think I'm trying to stall. I Know you are Sammy. No, not really not now. Anyway, because when I stop and think about it I can't see where I got anything to worry about. You see what I mean You haven't unless you had something to do with Dan Parker's death. No now Let's relax max the worry the way I get the word nobody had anything to do it except that doll could be Could be nothing did she blast him or didn't she apparently she did thought he was a burglar That's a rich one and she's halfway right at that meaning Look dollar, I'm on a level with you If you got any idea that I wanted Dan Parker knocked off your way out there. You want to know why I can probably yes I'll tell you why he was my fix in this town Three years. I've had this place open and I've never been touched. So why would I want to put myself out of business? Oh How much was the payoff grander than a half a month maybe you figured you could make a better deal with somebody else yeah who Not with that stuffed shirt baits. He's just been itching to get at me, but Parker kept a lid on him How about the sheriff who knows? I'm gonna give him a pitch. Of course. It's my only chance now to stay in business But I don't know if he'll play see what I mean All right, Sammy. Let's go back to the question. I asked you outside there Why does Bates have it in for you because he's got the drooling goose for that Parker kid? And he didn't like it much when she kept hanging around me. How'd you feel about it? You want the truth? I didn't like it much either. Why not she was too wired up and spoiled Used to get in their own way. Oh this town's treated her like a queen or something She figured she could do as she pleased. Well, I don't go in a joint like this. What do you mean? Well these lads come in here get a few shots under the belt dame like that starts to mean trouble I didn't want to hang around I Had a good thing going here, and I wasn't about to get it a lot of stuff But it was no use. I couldn't keep her out. What did her father think about it? He didn't like the idea, but he couldn't do much about it She got her own way with him the same as with everybody else except when she wanted to go to New York Well, nobody can win them all I understand you put that idea in her head Sammy then you better take a different understand Yeah, yeah She was bugged up on that idea before I ever met her That's why she started coming in here. She wanted me to put her hip on how it was in a big wild city She wanted to know how to get in what was the names of all the spots including the rough ones how the rackets work How would I know how the rackets work? How did say words Sammy? You know some in some ways that kids as smart as a mink, but underneath She's a regular hick just like the rest of them around here She thinks that stuff is glamour the big time hot stuff and she was busting her braces to get at it Even this place this this crummy clipped joint the herd was wicked and exciting. Oh, man How squirking you get I suppose you're trying to talk her out of going to New York? Do I look crazy as something I was all for it anywhere as long as it got her off my neck Beautiful girl like Lou Ann Parker on your neck, and you were trying to shake her off. Oh Sammy I'm losing you. Oh look dollar when it comes to dames. I've got as fast an eye as the next guy But with that chick, huh man, I unpack my toothbrush, and I stay home. Why why? She's got this whole town food everybody but me a Sweet little thing in ruffled rompers bucking for a hay all well I got news for your brother. She ain't and you're the only one who really knows her is that what you're claiming Sammy sure It's a big laugh But that kid smart and inside she's colder than a fish I'm a fairly tough baby dollar, but I'll tell you something straight. I'm scared of that girl Expensive count out of nine six dollars and ninety cents steak and incidentals at the happy hollow Roadhouse and Sammy Drake was right The steak was good Item ten a dollar and seventy five cents transportation out to the Green Pass railroad depot three miles east of town I tried to see that night station agent earlier in the day, but he was sleeping then But it was nearly midnight now, and I figured he'd be on duty. He was Good evening, sir. I did son got a message come in here Yes, sirie old number eight's gonna be right on time. I'm glad to hear it. I want it son Got answers, you know mighty important business getting easier trains through. Yes, I imagine it is Yes, sir right on time be here in about two minutes now Well, son much on your mind I wondered if you were on duty the night Dan Parker got back in from Richmond the night he was killed Yes, indeed II you must be that fella Sheriff Jim Peterson must tell me about that fella from the insurance company Yes, that's right. Well, then I guess it's all right talk to you at least wise. That's what Jim said nice Mighty terrible thing downright tragedy for that poor motherless girl making a mistake like that shooting her own father Yeah, rough deal. Did you notice mr. Parker when he got off the train that night? Well, of course I did I always notice anybody getting off. It's part of my job, son. Yeah Well, I was right about this same time of night coming on number eight at the same one. Let's do it now Did you talk with him? Of course I talked with him. I know Dan Parker since with both pups He said he said hi Willie. I said fine. He said how's the family and I said fine And he said well, you know, we talked we had to talk more or two, but then there's some fellow with him Oh, I didn't know that I reckon it was just some passenger. He struck up the time of day with Dan was all There you hear that son. She's out coming across the Briar Creek Bridge right now right on time Look, what happened to this stranger? Did he and Dan Parker leave the station together? Oh, no, no, they just talked while the engine was taken on water The fella got back on the train before it pulled out. He's just going through did you hear what they were talking about? No, can't say that it did son most likely didn't amount to nothing though. No, I suppose not By golly, I did hear one thing Just when the train was starting up the fellow leaned out and yelled thanks a lot. I'll be seeing you Dan just grinned waved back went on down the platform to the telephone booth. You don't know what he meant by that remark Nothing more than likely just one of them things you say, you know But that's life for you because he won't be seeing him after all See she's coming around the bend there son. I gotta get the meal sack out You got any more questions you're gonna have to ask more to run the mail's got to get through I wouldn't think it's stopping it Hey, look you said Dan Parker made a call from that telephone booth over there. You know who he talked to nobody son What do you mean? I come back and said get a busy signal. I guess you'd have to walk home And that's what he done. That was his mistake. I was one of many way You got any more questions. I reckon they'll have to wait. I haven't got any more. How's that sir? I said thanks a lot Well, there you got me. I don't know I Here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow a tense interview a subtle attack by a shrewd and dangerous opponent and Complete surrender 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