 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar Pete Carlson Johnny star mutual oh hi a Pete. How's the family great? The lucky dogs are Cape Cod for the summer while I toil and Fred. What's fretting you at the moment Mark Shady Lane Vermont And the signature I suppose is that famous old name. That's right. And the beneficiary What's the status of the investigation? All right, Pete. I'll fret for you if I can find Shady Lane on the map and every weekday night Bob Bailey and 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 to the home office star mutual insurance company Hartford, Connecticut The following is an accounting of expenditure is during my investigation of the Shady Lane matter Item one thirty six dollars and seventy cents transportation and incidentals Hartford to Shady Lane a quiet little town of around a thousand population Drowsy streets lined with white frame homes picket fences and flowerbed at yards a Town with a well-chosen name built under the protecting shade of venerable elms and spreading maples a Country crossroads town with one of everything one in one restaurant one garage one general store one barbershop and One constable a gaunt and lantern-jawed leather face man of middle-aged named Jed Bramler It's a fact mr. Dollar lived here all my life first time I've ever seen it this hot Yeah, it's warm all right for this time of year at least whether it's changing world to everything's changing Except human nature That too, maybe take this killing don't rightly know how to go about dealing with it. Well, maybe we can figure out something between us Best the bullet that killed him. Yeah, that's the one. Hmm. It's an odd size and shape Hand-poured say it's hand-poured for an old-fashioned squirrel rifle smooth bore single shot I see and I reckon that's about all I can give you in the way of facts or clues I guess you call them all facts will do. All right Ellen Bates was a fine woman had a hard life. She was married. No children. She was alive Now she's dead cause of death a bullet in the heart names all facts mr. Dollar How did it happen don't rightly know what no witnesses could have been an accident even What do you mean an accident? Well, one of them hunters from the city and through here regular Confounded idiots shoot at anything that moved well surely not a human being sitting in her own living room He might have never can tell crazy as they are shot a goat belonged to het wilmer last fall caught him with it Tied on their bumper said it was a mountain sheep. Yes, but yes might have done it unintentional and got scared and run out Yes possibly except for one of those facts which fact this bullet Hunters from the city don't use old-fashioned squirrel rifles mr. Bramler Well, I said it could have been accidental didn't say twars. Oh, I Reckon somebody meant to kill her. Oh, I don't think there's much doubt of that there ain't we said was might not feel So dang worthless then what do you mean? Ellen Bates was a fine woman hate to think of somebody killing her and getting cleaned away with it Then let's make sure they don't get away with it got nothing to go on mr. Dollar not one lonesome thing What about a possible motive? Haven't turned up a single one. Did she have any enemies? Everybody that knew her loved her What about this bullet? Did you have a ballistic check made now send it clear to New York they come up with anything six page report Yes, got it here somewhere. You can look at it if you want to know me to what was their conclusion same as mine Fired from an old-fashioned squirrel rifle Know anybody around here or might own a gun like that. Yeah, but now anybody in the township must be three four hundred them rifles round Keepsakes handed down family souvenirs Then that's one dead end couldn't be much dead up It's like I told you ain't no clues at all at least none speak of Woman without an enemy in the world sitting in front of a window shot fired from outside the house woman's dead And the facts and all the facts No Not quite all. Hey, what do you mean people? Persons of facts, you know and their relations with other persons of facts Facts that we can check on Already told you mr. Dollar Ellen bait didn't have no enemies the person who killed her wasn't exactly a friend Known enemies I mean but she had contacts and relations with other persons and one of them known or unknown was her enemy Maybe an accidental enemy with a motive in the capacity for murder, but you mean by accidental Maybe mrs. Bates saw something from that window of hers something that made her dangerous to someone else Maybe she didn't even know she'd made an enemy. Yeah might be Well, maybe it's just a matter of her death benefiting somebody somebody who otherwise wouldn't be her enemy Mm-hmm. It thought of that course, but it don't lead nowhere. It might I've got a letter here mr. Bramler. I wish you'd take a look at it All right, it arrived yesterday at the home office of my client in Hartford. It was male here in Shady Lane Close to home look real close to home Not signed a no not signed Any idea who might have sent it. Yeah, somebody with a lot of vinegar in their blood No, don't know it's a fact wouldn't count too much on it five of you. What do you mean? Like you just said a matter of her death benefiting somebody so with that insurance policy like tears the person that had benefit most would be her husband Ben Bates Forget him. Why like you said motive and capacity Even if money was motive enough for Ben. He just hasn't got the capacity for murder. Forget him Is Ben Bates a good friend of yours mr. Bramler? Since we were boys together I see mm-hmm. Maybe you only think you see I ain't making allowances for him. Just know him. That's all Maybe I'd better meet him. All right Farms just out of town of ways. I'll drive you out there if you want. Oh, I'd appreciate that Only one thing go you you've got an expense account of some kind, didn't you sure that's right Why well, we're not exactly poor folks up here But we ain't rich neither and the township is kind of frugal with their money. I see gonna have to charge it For the car expense if it's all right with you. Oh, sure. That sounds fine. Yeah, well, maybe we could make a couple of other calls On the way who do you want see well mostly? I like to talk to the corner here and you where you already have Huh? Yeah, I'm the corner mr. Dollar. Well, are we ready? Expense account item to three dollars even transportation and constable jet Bramler's car from Shady Lane to the Ben Bates farm It was a pleasant trip some a time and a country road winding among the farms climbing lazily over the ridges The heady pungent scent of flax and clover the hum of bees But I couldn't completely enjoy it. I kept wondering how much real help I could expect from a constable who'd already made of his mind that the top suspect wasn't capable of murder a Constable who was also coroner and for all I knew County Attorney and District Judge a Constable who might even be just an idle thought might even be a murderer This is a preemie farm Ben Bates's place is the next one about a quarter mile I see that's a Martin preemie there at the side of the road working on that fence Much well past the time of day with him I reckon where the preenies and the Bates good friends. Yeah, real close afternoon jade Martin And ship must be getting lax letting you go gallivanting around on pleasure trips being paid for Martin facial business This year's a mr. Darnie dollar from down around Hartford Martin preemie mr. Dollar mr. Pini That's quite a job. You're doing there mr. Pini Well rockwalder just fine if you stack them real careful so they lock together looks pretty difficult It takes a natural doubt about that and work and time But if it's dug in below the frost line rock wall will last a lifetime and That's what I believe in mr. Dollar planning ahead and building right. That's a good philosophy And then to rock wall is site cheaper that fence and and right there is his real reason mr. Dollar A man that wastes the substance the fool and a sinner. I believe in prudence. It's your only virtue Martin. It'll sticks We got call of Sarah come on out here. No ain't stay and Martin just passing just a minute Martin Just what so-called official business you on jet murder vellyn Bates mr. Dollar here as an insurance Investigator, he's come to look into it. I see Well, it's a terrible tragedy mr. Dollar sad thing the whole township especially for Sarah and me. Yes, I imagine so They've been good neighbors fine people folks about it be proud to know so I understand Couldn't help feeling sorry for just didn't seem to get ahead in spite of Ben being a good hard worker and all And then this and top of all the other probably there. What do you mean by trouble afternoon gentlemen? Come here Sarah? Once you meet a friend of Jed's mr. Johnny dollar my wife Sarah Mr. Dollar comes from Hartford, but then he's here for he works for an insurance company He's given Jed the hand with this Ellen Bates thing. Oh, yes. I I see. Well, don't let me interrupt Hey, I just tell him mr. Dollar what good neighbors the baits have always been a body couldn't ask for a better friend And Ellen Bates mr. Preni you said something about all the other trouble they'd had Yeah, I was referring to Ellen's illness. Why after that operation last year she was pertinent in the lead you might say Ben had to wait on her hand and foot along with doing for the house and running the fire Lot of time you spent taking care of her now Sarah Not half as much time as he spent hanging around that girl What girl is that mr. Why that little flippity jibbit that works there up? I'm sorry Martin, but it's true, and you know it Mr. Dollar, I'm afraid my wife had just repeating gossips And they to define young man any story to the contrary idle rumors nothing more Well, sometimes the best way to stop an idle rumor is to check into it If you'd care to tell me who I know the girl mr. Dollar. Her name is Millie Wells She's a waitress at the Shady Lane Cafe. I'd like to talk to her you can when we get back to town Well, folks reckon we'd better be getting on there mr. Dollar Ellen Bates was a fine woman whoever it was killed her. I hope you get them. I believe we will oh And by the way, mr. Spraney the company was very grateful for your letter my letter. I Mean, how did you know I didn't know I was just guessing nice to have met both of you. See you again Now here's our start to tell you about tomorrow's intriguing episode of this week's story tomorrow of two who are not even accused One confesses and one denies and both very strangely 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