 Johnny dollar Johnny. This is George Reid. Well hi at George house dear old Floyd's of England these days if you read the Wall Street Journal Johnny If I what what nothing just keep talking plutocrat Well according to the financial reports the leading insurance companies are doing better than ever Huh, and I'm proud to say that Floyd's of England is among the leaders. Does that answer your question? So as head of the North American office the company has given you a big fat raise No, and you'd like to celebrate by taking me out to dinner tonight. No such luck Just name the time and place and I'll what'd you say listen Johnny You'll get far more than a free meal out of this and you are available completely. All right. I have a problem Rather unusual one. Have you ever handed me one? I wasn't of course. I Well never so what's it all about? Well, I fully realize you're somewhat averse to acting as a body guard I assure you this situation is somewhat unusual You said that therefore and it doesn't change my feeling about these bodyguard assignments At least come over here and talk about it. Will you oh sure if you're willing to pay my taxi fare for nothing for nothing? That's right. We'll see. Oh, yeah, we'll see CBS radio brings you a Bob Bailey in the exciting adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account America's fabulous freelance insurance investigators yours truly Johnny dollar Expense accounts submitted by special investigator Johnny dollar to Floyd's of England North American office Hartford, Connecticut Following as an account of expenses incurred during my investigation of the empty threat matter These so-called unusual problems George Reed handed me we're all too often dangerous But it's a living and so far. I've been lucky. So expense account item one a dollar ten taxi fare to his office at Floyd's of England Come in Johnny sit down. Yeah, sure. Thanks. I'm glad to see you glad you could make it Well, that's a sure. I am what's it all about George Charles stalker Lee is our client's name He's a retired attorney. Ah and somebody that he sent to the pen has got out now and is gunning for him possibly Yeah, where does he live? He doesn't hmm. You want me to act as bodyguard for a dead man? Well, I mean he has no regular address. It's like this Johnny. Yeah, please Let's get on with it stalker Lee had a highly successful career right here in Hartford Married brought up a couple of adopted youngsters all in all managed to live the good life Except perhaps for the fact he worked too hard Now mind you I don't mean to imply that he ever went off his rocker But when his beloved wife died a couple of years ago and was that worthless hateful son of his still around to worry him Adopted you sir. Yes, both the young Andrew and his married sister Joyce. She's a wonderful girl by the way So what about nothing? I simply mentioned them in passing the point is Mr. Stalker Lee has quite a bit of insurance Which is why he didn't hesitate to contact me regarding these apparent attempts on his life You kind of punch that word apparent because when he first told me about this thing Considering his extremely upset and nervous condition. Well, frankly, I didn't take him too seriously Is he an older man in his early 60s? But now apparently now use that word again Yeah, these threats have become very real, which is why he's been running away running away Well, I told you he has no permanent address Now that he's demanded your protection that you stop whoever is trying to kill him if somebody really is Where is he George? At the moment in Tahiti Tahiti. Yes living in the seaport town of Papa Ate well George yes, I don't want this job. No one bet. Oh now John. I'll take it on for just one reason. Yes All my life. I've dreamed about someday seeing Tahiti Item two on the expense account includes eight dollars playing fair Hartford to New York City 785 30 to the Fiji Islands, then we'll call it a total of eight hundred and fifty dollars for plane tickets and a handful of incidentals It took over a full day of flying for me to reach the town of Nandi on the western shore of the little Pacific Island of VT label But it was a lot better than a couple of weeks aboard a steamer another hopped open across the island to sewer and there Well, it's picture postcard country all of it last heavy tropical for us Minions billions of beautiful blossoms everywhere picture a South Sea villages full of batched huts online beaches and The magnificent clear blue water breaking over reefs of coral The people fascinating many of them East Indians the women dressed in saris the men wearing large white turbans And there were plenty of the native Fijians with their wild wiry bushy hair that seems to stand on end From Suva was an overnight flight to Pepe 80 in a flying boat a lot of travel time a lot of expense, but certainly worth Tahiti with its black sand beaches coconut palms It's tremendous carpet of tropical foliage and flowers from the shoreline back to the mountains the soft almost caressing climate. Oh Yeah, it's really an ideal place to get away from it all Sound nice. You want to go there? Now that made me want to stay there Yeah, it's the one place I found where I get really completely relaxed And I made up my mind to take the fullest possible advantage of a job or no job I learned the mr. Charles Starkley the man who'd sent for me lived in the small bamboo house near the water's edge within easy walking distance of The hotel where I'd registered But my nice idyllic dream was quickly shattered when I found him there When I found what was left of it To paraphrase Gilbert and Sullivan and announcers lot is not the happy one Well, not always want to know why tell you why take this safe driving business You have any idea how many times my confrars and I have begged on vended microphone to beg people not to kill themselves on the highways Now once and for all, let's get together on this. Let's understand one another Unless you want a pack of frustrated announcers on your conscience slow down and curb highway carnage If you don't care about yourself, at least have a little consideration for us Act two of yours truly Johnny dollar Mr. Stockley, sir. No, I am dr. Bentley. Oh, well, I'm Johnny dollar a special investigator that he Is that mr. Stockley? Yes, it is What happened who did this to him is he still alive? Yes, mr. Dollar. He's resting as a result of his sedative. I've given you but he looks as though he All right, what happened to all doctor? He was up on the side of car boom mountain gathering flowers on a long and treacherous ledge When he noticed someone following him very furtively. Oh Apparently this someone did not wish to be seen by him. He kept getting closer and closer, but always in hiding Come on, dr. Then let's just stockily realize it was someone there with no good intent That does he sought to escape stepping gingerly carefully along the rim of the leg. Yeah, he Is Certain exactly what happened. He's quite sure he didn't slip. Uh-huh rather that he was shoved by this Someone from behind the bush. He fell about 60 feet down through the tangled brush and remained there overnight If one of the natives hadn't found him early this afternoon, but he isn't sure he was pushed off there Oh, he's quite certain of that the man the person he saw there wasn't just somebody else gathering flowers Mr. Dollar if it weren't for his exhaustion and of course the sedative I have given him He would have fled this island immediately You see, he's a very nervous and I might say apprehensive man Look, do you know of anyone who might want to harm mr. Stuckley? Oh, certainly not, sir Mr. Stuckley in spite of his nervous affliction that a constant kind of fear I would say yes I know why he is one of the most highly regarded I'm certain that no one white or native. Yeah, okay now How long do you think he'll sleep? Oh until sometime late tomorrow morning. All right, then I'd better plan on parking down right here Then they tell me mr. Dollar. Yeah, do you think that he is possibly in danger from someone? Maybe maybe not We'll see When I told the doctor my job, he was completely cooperative Help me improvise a bed near mr. Stockley's and he had some food brought in for me that in his fee for the Care of Stockley came to $9. I Didn't get much sleep that night Every completely harmless sound around that little shack got me up with a start and I know what the morning was to bring I might have asked the doctor for a sedative for myself Promptly at 5 30 a.m. Stockley woke up. He was so worried Nervous and excited. I thought he'd gone completely off his nuts. It's no use We've got to get out of here yesterday. We must get away before he finds me again kills me So he left on the morning plane But it wasn't until we changed at Suva and at Nandi and finally started that long leg of our flight across the Pacific towards San Francisco That he calmed down long enough to tell me what it was all about After a lot of irrelevant chatter about his family the day of my darling wife back in 1958 set me terribly mr. Dollar I confess I became a nervous Rick Temporarily that is it hadn't been for our adopted daughter Joyce wonderful girl. I have lost my mind You uh, what about your adopted son wasn't he any help Andrew? Never given Andrew everything mr. Dollar too much Education money Investments that will keep him wealthy for life and bad mistake. He's never done a day's work in his life Yeah, well now what more he's never shown the slightest sign of gratitude for love for his sister I see but Joyce who asked for nothing on all her life who worked to train herself to support herself And he's now married to a fine young man. Mr. Stockley Joyce has been nothing but a joy and comfort to me About these threats. That is why I never worried about today Threats yes, they've been more than that they've been attempts of all my life Like the one you nearly witnessed there in Tahiti what I thought I finally found safety from whom mr. Stockley from whom from whom Home in Hartford when I tried to tell the police they wouldn't believe me I suppose perhaps because of my nervous condition, but but it must be Harry linker linker. Yes linker Years ago. I had him sent to prison He swore he'd get even with me. Oh, but look don't they all make that What did the police say that he's reformed now that it must be someone else But I knew he'd come back to kill me and he has now listen to his threats over the telephone Right after Martha died as I was about to leave for Europe. Oh And when you left he stopped bothering you stopped between in Paris that I heard from him again It was in Paris, mr. Dollar that I nearly escaped being run down in the street and by an American car But now look so I fled to London. I should have known better than to walk the streets there alone at night But it was there that only the intervention of a Bobby kept me being murdered by him after another warning But mr. Stugley Carter more threats. I found a poisonous reptile in my trunk in Stockholm I found the scorpions in my briefcase just in time. Oh now, please look here I've run and I've run and I've run but he kept coming after me. You're tempted to poison my food I'm sure it was a stuggily there in Tahiti Yes, yes, look every one of those things could have been coincidence coincidence, please until we have some proof This man linker is chasing you around the doctor. The doctor told me that unless I am able to stop this mad fight I'll kill myself perhaps even Deliberately, what'll I do? Where can I go? Well right now? We're heading back to the States back to Hartford What if he's following us then maybe we'll find some proof against proof Proof by having me killed look you'd better take another of those pills the doctor left for you and you You'll stay awake to protect me. Yes. I promise Coincidence Sure, it was There at the San Francisco Airport when the baggage truck ran out of control and almost hit us almost hit him Anyhow, I practically had to hold his hand on the rest of the trip to Hartford There I piled into my car drove straight to my apartment gave him a key and had him go upstairs and wait for me While I put the car away in the garage of the back. It took me three trips up those stairs with the luggage, but then There we are all set aren't you going to lock the door mr. Don, please now don't worry. I've sprung the catch Hey, did you pull down all those shades of course, of course I did Look as I told you on the phone until we get some proof that this Yeah, this place looks a little more cheerful There there you see now stonkily what's the matter with you get away from that window. He thinks you're me Oh, no, please listen. There must have been some kid with a little 22 Now do you believe me mr. Dollar? I Yeah Yeah, you got a point Catching a cold well I guess most everyone knows that the smart thing to do when you feel a cold coming on is to get plenty of rest But there are some days when no matter how miserable you feel you just can't stay in bed And if tomorrow is one of those big days and your cold is complicated by constipation Well, that's when you'll appreciate x-lax most You see x-lax has the qualities doctors consider most important in a laxative It's gentle effective and close to natural acting Taken at bedtime x-lax won't disturb sleep. It works effectively overnight to help you toward your normal regularity and x-lax is so close to natural acting There's no upset or discomfort so gentle. It's even recommended for children So if tomorrow's a big day for you if you have a cold and need a laxative to take x-lax Laxative with the qualities a doctor would recommend x-lax act three of yours truly Johnny dollar and the empty threat matter I Carefully dug one of the 38 slugs out of the wall wrapped it in the handkerchief then put in a fan scald of ill Peters It was not only a good doctor, but when I told him to pack a gun into his medical kits He arrived in short order and did what he could to quiet mr. Stockley's nerves and agreed to stick around He'll sleep a little while now Johnny good good, but listen. Yeah, Bill. Did you hear him? You know, he's not kidding This old coot's gonna take the leap unless we can suicide Wouldn't put it one bit beyond him Believe me This whole business has him in pretty bad. Oh That that just doesn't make sense bill because he's been trying so hard to run away from this Killer or supposed killer. Well, sure. Sure. He hasn't if he wanted to die He had brush up on your human psychology boy. Okay, okay. I'll take your word for it now if you'll stick around I'll get this bullet over to headquarters. I'll be here At headquarters they gave me the story that Stockley had said they want a few years in the clink had changed Harry Linker he was living a model life running a store right here in Hartford I called on linker at his hardware store, and I I must say he convinced me that he was behaving himself He was even quite concerned about mr. Stockley offered to help us if he could I Called on stock of these adopted daughter, then I told her the whole situation This is a terrible thing. Mr. Dollar. I know I know only daddy told me so I could have done something to help Well as soon as we clear this thing up. I'll go to him right away. No, no just He needs me well, you can probably help your father more than anyone else in the world, but not right away But you'll let me know the minute we can bring him here and take care of it. Yes Now you're uh You're sure your husband would agree to that of course Yes, of course he would. Oh good. That's all I wanted to know You don't think my husband could be behind it My head feels as much affection for daddy as I do you better answer that phone hadn't you oh, yes, excuse me Hello Why yes, he's right here mr. Dollar. Oh, thanks Johnny darling and calling all over for you is Bill Peters. Johnny. Yeah, doc Listen that there was a phone call right after you left. Oh Stockley was awake and I made the mistake of letting him take it. Yeah He listened for a second got as white as a sheet and then started yelling No, no, you'll never get me Go on bill then he slammed down the receiver and made a dive for the wind bill. It's all right. I Caught him in time. Oh, I Gave him a stiff hypo and Well, that's it Johnny Suicide what's the matter with me? I Tore on over to George Reed's office at the insurance company. Yeah, Johnny our copy of mr. Stocker Lee's policy Yeah, good. Good. All right. Let me see as you'll note his adopted daughter Joyce is the sole beneficiary Yeah, yeah, I see but Andrew the adopted son is specifically omitted irrevocably So if you think he might have anything to gain by mr. Stocker Lee's death, you're wrong. Look look here. It is the suicide clause Well, of course. All right So maybe Andrew couldn't get any of Stockley's money, but if that old man killed himself Neither could Joyce and believe me Andrew would love that. Oh, so these attempts on the old man's life Were they were they really what or were they just part of a long drawn-out careful campaign to drive him off his rocker Make him kill himself But if that's can anybody prove that Andrew actually tried to kill him No, no in spite of all sorts of opportunity and with plenty of money to follow them all over the world to plague him to worry him dead All right. What does he live George Andrew? I mean have you got his address? Well, yes I didn't give it to me quick Travel stickers, huh all this luggage from all the places mr. Stocker Lee has been yes I suppose I should have taken them off my luggage They are gonna hang you Andrew Do you think for one minute that you or the police can ever prove? I actually tried to kill my foster father because I didn't Maybe they won't need to not just a minute. This is one time. I'd better take the law into my own hands. No dollars stand back Oh, yeah, I see But you'd better let me have that gun Indy so the police can compare it with the slug I dug out of the wall What what this is the gun you used to throw a couple of shots through the window of my apartment? That was your apartment where you went. That's right But it was you who drove him over there in the car. That's right But you left him there and I I thought just long enough to put my car away And I'm the one who almost got nicked by those shots of yours, and I don't like that Back I say you better give me that gun. No because if you try to use it now you will be in trouble. Listen, dolly. Yeah The hope is they locked that bird up for the rest of his life And it somehow Joyce and her husband can bring the poor old man back to know Expense account toll hold your hat. It's 2,561 dollars even yours truly Johnny dollar Constipation is something people don't talk about much But it 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 close to natural acting 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 pleasant tasting chocolate at x-lax is effective Overnight it helps you toward your normal regularity x-lax is so gentle so close to natural acting. There's no upset 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 Star to tell you about next week's story next week a story of real intrigue plus a couple of the most intriguing characters I ever met join us. Won't you yours truly Johnny dollar Yours truly Johnny dollar starring Bob Bailey originates in Hollywood and is written produced and directed by Jack Johnstone heard in our cast where Virginia Greg G Stanley Jones Ben Wright Ralph Moody Harry Bartell and Carlton G young Be sure to join us next week same time and station for another exciting story of yours truly Johnny dollar This is John Wall speaking. This is the CBS radio network Your junior radio 590 WROW in Albany, New York