 From Hollywood it's time now for Johnny dollar Mrs. Galen, I think mr. Welch told you I'd be around to see you Oh, yes, you're the special investigator the insurance company sent out. That's right. Mind if I come in All right, mr. Dollar. Thanks And through here Your company didn't waste any time did they sending you out here? I mean no no more than you did and filing your claim I have a right to it with Eddie gone now. I need the money I see sit down. Thanks How many keys are there to that door keys? What do you mean your front door? How many keys do you have? Just one Of course Eddie had one. Why what difference does it make just about enough difference to hang somebody? cigarette, Mrs. Galen 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 does truly Johnny dollar From special investigator Johnny dollar location, Los Angeles to the home office Trinity Mutual Insurance Company limited Hartford, Connecticut Assignment the Kailin matter expense account continued Quite a dramatic statement. Mr. Dollar. Are you prepared to name that somebody who may get hanged not at the moment Could it be that you don't have a name? That's possible, of course that you're just fishing so to speak bluffing Now why would I do that with you? I don't know frankly, but you must have come here for some reason Yes, I wanted to ask you a few questions and you'd be smart to answer them under the circumstances What circumstances the only one I know anything about is the tragic one of losing my husband only three days ago You have my sympathy, Mrs. Kailin. Sergeant Manosa questioned me for hours. There's nothing more to answer Will you go now, please? All right, if you say so Your unwillingness to cooperate will undoubtedly prejudice your claim for the insurance. That's all you care about, isn't it? Finding some excuse for not paying off the policy. Wait a minute, Mrs. Kailin I'm not crooked and neither is the company if a claim is legitimate. They pay it always I'm sick of being under suspicion of being accused. I'm not accusing you of anything All I'm after is some information and if you refuse to give it Good night, Mrs. Kailin No, wait Wait, Mr. Dollar. Yes, don't go Come back, please. I'm sorry Been under such a strain on edge forgive me. That's all right forget it I didn't mean what I said, but I've answered so many questions And to go through all of it again. Well, it seems so pointless. Yes, I understand But I've found that people say things to me sometimes that they forget to say to the police They're more relaxed, I guess don't feel they're on the spot so much. That's true, but I thought it was just me Oh, you're not alone. I Remembered something like that after I talked to Sergeant Manosa He wanted to know where Eddie hung out mostly bars and so on I don't think of two. What are the names of the bars, Mrs. Kailin? Are the the Eloines on Beverly Boulevard and the brass monkey in down the strip What difference does it make Eddie wasn't killed in a bar? No, but he probably met people there talk to them You see it's a matter now of trying to reconstruct his life step by step right up to the moment he died You'd be surprised how much bartender see in here and remember I suppose they do All right, Mr. Dollar I'll be glad to answer any questions you want to ask good one thing though. I Wasn't expecting visitors of course and I wonder if I could have just five minutes to change and freshen up a little Well, that's unnecessary. I won't be here long, but I'd feel better really do you mind? No, of course not go ahead. I'll be right back Pour yourself a drink Johnny I Had the drink and waited and got ready to brace myself I've been through this before Attack plan number two a common garden variety when you can't beat him join him And when the joiner is a lovely woman the maneuver usually starts with some paraphrase of Slip into something more comfortable. Why don't you have a drink and a sudden switch to first names? and it always ends up with you and I against the world and Couldn't you forget just one little mistake? The little mistake being something like arsenic and a husband's coffee Yeah, an old familiar pattern and a first resort just as often as a last She was gone 20 minutes not five, but it was time well spent Carefully casual touch with a hair make up skillfully softened perfume And one of those frothy nylon jobs designed for that special evening in You will call charge Like another drink Johnny Thanks. I still have some I think I could use one. Would you mind sure? What do you have scotch and soda, please? Thanks for being so patient I Feel better now more Comfortable something like that easy on the soda, right? There you are. Mrs. Killen. Thanks. Would you do something else for me? Oh, I'd be happy to but I don't know your first name Touche All right, what are your questions? How do you think it happened? I Don't know Not some enemy because Eddie didn't have any just friends Too many friends. Who are some of them? There's only one who really fits the definition who who's really lasted his name is Pete Steimer Pete Steimer, where can I find him? You can't or at least the police haven't been able to nobody's seen him since that night He's had nightclubs off and on and in between he makes books What about those other friends the ones who don't last? They drift in drift out depending mostly on whether he had any money at the moment, of course there were women Showgirls mostly dances strippers so on know any of them Hardly ever hear any of their names. Oh, he's made a point not to otherwise I'd have killed him long ago Did you kill a Mrs. Killen? No, did you love him? That's a good question. I Think I'll have to pass it though. I don't really know I Feel all hollow Smashed up inside over what happened And yet there were times I'd have killed him myself if I'd had a gun But there were other times too and it was so crazy sweet you wanted to die Because you knew it'd never be like that again Yeah, that's where it was with Eddie mad mixed up Like watching a ten-ring circus from the front seat in a roller coaster That's why a woman flocked around him That's why they always ran from him later. You didn't run Can I have another drink? Oh sure Were you trying to run when you went up there ahead by yourself? Maybe you had a fight I Ran out and told him I wasn't coming back And only three days later over the radio I Heard where he'd been found dead Burned up in his car. There you go. I Guess they call it shock. I Still can't really believe it even though I know it's true. Well, I guess you shouldn't know I understand You're the one who identified the body. I identified a wallet Burden black the wrist watch a ring all of them things I bought for him They told me there wasn't anything that Could be called a body. Yeah, well, I'm sorry mrs. Kailin. I know this is painful. Sorry Like I said, I can't believe it Not really Do you have any other reason for not believing Eddie is really dead? I mean besides just a feeling No No, of course not. What do you mean? What do you mean? Well, I was just a question. That's all forget it Let's get back for a moment to another question. You said you were sure it wasn't some personal enemy who killed your husband Then what do you think? Well, the same as the police. I guess they said Eddie won a lot of money that night from some gambler named Toppo Lienley, you don't know this Toppo Lienley, huh? No, but I suppose that's why he was killed the money wasn't found. So I guess it was robbery Did you know about the money? It all happened while I was up at arrowhead and anyway Eddie ever had any money. I'd be the last one to know about it He always spent his money where it would show where it gets something for it laughs bells whistles balloons going up Not at home never yeah, I'm sorry Forget I said that I hate women who sit around drooling with self pity like you said I Didn't run guess. Maybe I did love you mr. Dollar. Is there anything else? No, no, I guess not at least not tonight and you look a little beat Yes, I'm afraid I am You'd go around trying to keep up a front But it's been rough. Yeah, I imagine that business a while ago fixing myself up a little This robe I Just had to do it There are times when a woman has to feel like a woman in order to feel anything Even sane I Guess you wouldn't understand though And I'm afraid I gave the wrong impression No, I think I do understand now And I also think I owe you an apology for what for walking in here with a preconceived opinion for being rude being wrong I'm sorry forgive forgiven forgotten and And Come back again, please Regardless, I might on one condition. Yes, your first name. Would you mind? It's Lila Thanks, Lila Good night. Good night. I Caught a flash of movement from the corner of my eye and whirled around just in time to see somebody slip off the corner The terrace and edging of the shadows of the shrubbery. I stepped off the porch and moved toward the dark hedge of banana and scrub palm I was watching for a sudden attack, but nothing happened Then I heard a slight sound on the next terrace level up the slope a rustle of bushes an accidental scrape of a shoe on the cement walk And I slipped along the walk. I stopped at the head of the steps and listened Nothing The only way out of the patio to reach the street was to come past me I started searching Even though I was on guard when the attack came it caught me off balance All I could see was a dark shape in the glint of metal in an upraised fist I grabbed the arm and twisted and drove my left into his stomach and again He rode his knees and raised his right hand and again, I saw the glint of metal I jumped warm grabbed his hand twisted it back and at the same time I swung my foot and kicked him out of the jaw Yeah, I'm all right Call Sergeant Rainosa. Would you Lila? I turned him over in his back and struck a match to get a look at him He was a big man stocky bull neck blonde haired. I slid my hand inside his coat and fished out his wallet and opened it His name was Toppo Lienly Here is our star to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow We meet a latin doll from Santa Monica an erudite bartender and a terpsichorean Ecstasiest and they're all in the cast 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