 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny Duller. This is Pauline Morris at Victor Turner's office. Continental Adjustment Bureau. Oh, hi Pauline, how are you? Just fine, thank you. Johnny, Mr. Turner asked me to get in touch with you and find out what you're working on at the moment. Why, nothing. I was thinking of going to New York for a couple of days. Well, good. Oh, Pauline, I'm going to New York on a vacation. Well, they shouldn't. Johnny, it's really one of our most important accounts. Well, how much commission can I figure on? Do you want the truth? Sure. Practically none. Oh, fine. Why does Turner voice these things on me? Oh, I guess it's my fault. I told him I thought you might do it as a favor to it. For Mr. Turner or Continental Adjustment Bureau? No. For you? Okay, what is it? Well... Wait, better still. Why don't you tell me about it over dinner? Say at the crystal room? Oh, I'd love that. For months. Hey, you know something? I've been waiting for an excuse to take you there for years. Eight o'clock, Pauline? Eight o'clock. Tonight 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... Australia's truly Johnny Dollar. Expense accounts submitted by Special Investigator Johnny Dollar to the Continental Adjustment Bureau, 418 Elizabeth Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut. The following is an accounting of expenditures during my investigation of the Forbes matter. It started quite pleasantly. Johnny, let's go back to the table and eat. I'm tired of dancing. Yeah, but once you sit down, you'll start talking business again. Of course I will. I do have a job to keep. Okay, okay. Frustrating girl. Besides, the sooner you clear up this case, the longer you'll have for a vacation in New York. I said okay. There you are. Thank you. All right, Miss Morris. Let's have the bad news. Well, the insurance company is Delaware Eastern Liability in New York office. Yes, ma'am. Their client who filed the complaint is a large dress manufacturing company. Oh, Century Styles Incorporated. Yes, ma'am. Oh, and if you can manage to pick up one of their latest creations in my eyes while you're there, I love you forever. Yes, ma'am. Now, let's dance. No, no, wait. The auditors found a deficit in their books. $4,285. Well, naturally, the head of the company wants settlement. Yes, ma'am. Now, let's... And Johnny, your biggest problem will be Mr. Elliott. Mr. Robert Elliott, who I understand is something of a personality problem. He can't be any more of a problem than I'm having with you. Now, let's dance. Expensive account item, too. $28.63. Train fare and incidentals getting from Hartford to Manhattan. With me, I took all the necessary information concerning the indemnity claim of Century Styles with Delaware Eastern Liability and Trust. I arrived at Grand Central at 205 and was checked in at the new Weston by 230. Air brisk, eye-clear, weather cold. Expensive account item, $3.10 phone call to Robert P. Elliott, Century Styles Incorporated. Mr. Elliott said he would be happy to see me, so I went right over and found a four-story building that housed two floors of factory and two floors of offices. The factory was the usual crowded noisy collection of machinery and people. The general office is overstuffed and overheated and overcrowded. Girls, girls, you must get ready. What's this, Sam Hill? Jenny, you'll just have to reduce. How can we fit you when the pins keep popping up? Pardon me. I'm looking for Mr. Elliott. You are? True. I'm Robert Elliott. Oh, you must be Mr. Dollar. That's right. Stand by, Jenny Sweet. Please, please, please. We all suffer for our art child. Now, bear up. I'll deliver you soon. This way, Mr. Dollar, to a quiet corner. Mr. Elliott was small and wary, wearing white warachis, green slanks, a corduroy jacket, and a flower print shirt of no identifiable color. As I followed him across the large and elegant showroom floors, I couldn't help steaming glances at the merchandise, animate and inanimate. Everything I saw was strictly high class, a group of goddesses. Mr. Elliott led me through a pair of swinging doors into an office with a carpet so thick I couldn't see my shoot-ups. A desk in Russian gray, sprawled in one corner. My office, Mr. Dollar. Mm-hmm. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you're here, that the insurance company heated my call. Well, I hope we can help you straighten this matter out. Well, it's scandalous. It's truly scandalous. $5,000, really. Uh, the complaint said $4,285, Mr. Elliott. Well, that's almost $5,000. Besides, I like to deal in round figures. Brett Narnby to my auditors may have said that you are the very important investigator in insurance circles. Well, I'm flattered. Did they happen to leave a copy of their findings? Yes, they did. They most certainly did. But before I give it to you, I must explain how awful this situation is. Please do. Well, you've no doubt heard of Patricia's things. No, no, I don't think so. Pat's these things? Why have you... Oh, you're just joking. I am Pat's these things. In fact, I made Pat's these things. It's our highest-priced line. You know evening dresses? Oh, you don't say. I definitely do. Oh, the nights of thankless work that go into creating just one gown, one supreme gown for the season. Oh, I'm sure. I'll tell you, Mr. Dulley, it's a thankless task in one respect. But that's a different story. What I'm trying to say is that this loss is devastating me. I mean it. I must. I simply must have an adjustment immediately. Well, the insurance company sympathizes with you, Mr. Dulley. We'll try to adjudicate it as quickly as possible. Well, that's comforting. That's very comforting. Rob Elliott here. In my opinion, hats are just not important this year. Yes? No. No. No, no, no, no. Positively, no. No advance layouts on the new line. Not until later. No, not tomorrow. No, I can't. I simply cannot. Anything wrong? Well, that's what I mean. That's what I'm trying to explain. This matter simply must be handled with all despatch, Mr. Dulley. You see, my firm operates on a... On a... Shirstring? Well, spider's hair would be more apt. Five thousand dollars. Mr. Dulley, that comparatively small loss is stopping me from showing my new line of... The evening dresser. Yes. Yes. I must show them before months end or I'll lose my entire opportunity for profit. So, you see, I must have compensation for the loss. I think I get the picture, Mr. Elliott. Oh, there. That was the newspaper calling, and it's terrible. They all want advanced viewings of my new line, and I simply can't afford to. I can't afford to pay my help to produce the models. Mr. Dulley, for three agonizing months I worked, frantically I drew, I stitched. And not one warp over for my creation will be exhibited. Can be exhibited unless this matter is settled. Then, suppose we get down to business. Well, the business is that some ruthless brig and pussy foot are off of my company's money. Well, do you have any idea? I don't. I don't have... No, no, no, not so much as a footprint or a strand of hair. And, Mr. Dollar, if you don't find out who it was and return my money, I'll be cremated. Professionally cremated, that is. Why? I might even have to join the foreign legion. Well, don't worry, Mr. Elliott, if your loss is verified and apparently a reputable business has already done that, I can assure you that the insurance company will reimburse that loss in the time it takes to get a checkmate out and in the mail. Oh, good. I'll be forever grateful. Well, while you're in this mood, would you mind me having a little closer run-down on what happened? Well, the audit is simply uncovered as shortage, that's all. I know that much, Mr. Elliott. May I see their report? Yes, of course. There. Isn't that binder an atrocious green? Well, if you say so. I'd like to keep this, Mr. Elliott, to verify my report. Of course, Mr. Dollar, I don't know anything, anything at all. Just save me. I left Mr. Elliott in a fainting condition, went back to my hotel and studied the auditor's report. The obvious conclusion after an hour's reading was that the funds had been embezzled by someone in the bookkeeping department. A series of cruder ratios and bad fumblings indicated that whoever had done it had been something less than expert. In fact, he or she had been almost idiotic. The next morning, I confirmed my own findings with Mr. Brett at the auditor's office. We uncovered the loss two days ago and advised Mr. Elliott to contact his insurance company first. Sure. Dollar, any reservations on your part? No. No, Elliott's got a legitimate loss here. I'm sending in my report today. He should be compensated in another two days. He'll be relieved to know about that. Yeah, I know. I met him. Well, what's your next step? Well, we'll pay off Elliott so he won't have heart failure. But of course, we'll try to make recovery. I noticed the losses were in book series F6 through G10. Yes. Did you talk to personnel over there at his place? Mm-hmm. A fellow by the name of Forbes handled that series for them. And the accounting office, of course. Oh, yes. Been with sensory styles for five years. Where is he now? He's still there. Huh? Mm-hmm. I thought it was kind of funny, too. A fellow pulling a crude job like this and not trying to run out. No, he's still working for them. Maybe he isn't the one at that. Forbes was in charge of those books. I don't see how it could possibly be anyone else. No, neither do I, Mr. Brett. May I use your phone? Oh, sure. Help yourself. I noticed all the money was stolen in the last four weeks. Yes. You think you'd at least have strung it out. Greedy, I guess. Yeah, I guess so. Hello. District Attorney's office, please. My name's Dollar. I want to talk to someone about a warrant. Embeseling funds, grand theft. Oh, hold it, please. Forbes. What's his full name? Uh, Sheldon Thomas Forbes. Thanks. Sheldon Thomas Forbes, bookkeeper at Century Stiles Incorporated. Mm-hmm. Good. I'm on my way. Expense account item four. Three dollars, camp fare to the offices of John L. Gregory, Deputy District Attorney. I explained the situation to Mr. Gregory and furnished him with the audit as report. An hour later, I was back at Century Stiles with our friend, Mr. Elliot. Well, if it has to be, it has to be. There he is. Forbes. Hmm. Third desk. Sheldon Thomas Forbes was a tall, dark complexion man in his early thirties. His hair was black, straight, and closely cropped. His features regular, not good, not bad. The kind of man you see every day on the street. Somehow, the kind of man I hadn't expected would swipe $5,000. Oh, Mr. Forbes. Yes. This gentleman would like to see you. I feel like Brutus. Oh, and if you run along, Mr. Elliot, I'll handle it from here. Oh, thank you. Hello. Sheldon Forbes. Yes. My name's Dollar, Continental Adjustment Bureau. We represent Delaware Mutual Liability. They cover this firm for losses by theft and fire. Uh-huh. Two days ago, the auditing firm of Brad and Aaron Beach located a loss of almost $5,000 here. Naturally, the matter came to our attention. I'd like to talk to you about it. Why me? There's every indication that the losses occurred in the particular accounts you've been handling. Uh-huh. You do handle books F6 through G10? Yes. Will you step over here a minute, please? Sure. Would you look at this, please? Your figures? Yes. Your handwriting? Uh-huh. Your entries and your initials? Yes. Well, what do you have to say? Nothing. Look, you know why I'm talking to you, why I came to you first. Yes. Still nothing to say? Nothing. Well, aren't you being a little silly? Why? Why? I stole the money. You've proved it. What am I supposed to say? You admit it. How can I deny it? Okay, we've got that much covered. Well, look, my company's interested in recovery of $4,285. Do you understand? I think so. Oh, now Forbes, come to your senses. What do you want to do? Go to jail or do you want to give the money back? Oh, that's funny. Well, no, I don't think it's funny. I doubt if you will. I've got 16 cents in my pocket. Will that help? Where's the money? I haven't got it, Mr. Dollar. You'll have to take me to jail. Shall we go? Okay. There'll be another intriguing episode of the Forbes Matter tomorrow. What makes a man steal? Everybody's trying to answer that question at one time or another. Tomorrow I'll take a crack at it. Join us, won't you? Yours truly, Johnny Dollar. Yours truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood. Written by John Dawson, 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.