 From Hollywood, it's time now for Johnny dollar. Oh, yes, I've been trying to reach you. Mr. Sherman That's right Well, I've already told my secretary to make all the records. It's not the records I'm mainly interested in mr. Sherman. I want to talk to you personally Because I've been informed that you're able to furnish an alibi for my number one suspect Marty Blake. That's right Who informed you mr. Dollar mighty Blake a lovely widow herself, right? That's exactly what I was thinking 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 Greensport, Missouri to the home office Great Plains Guarantee Company Hartford, Connecticut assignment The open town matter Expense account continued Items five and six seventy cents a copy of the Greensport Daily Herald and the taxi fare to City Hall I open the paper and glanced over the headlines Murder of police chiefs still unsolved City Attorney's Office claims new evidence mayor Lyons demands action I could feel for the mayor my client stood to lose $50,000 life insurance payable to the dead police chief's widow Marty Blake So I wanted action too and I was hoping to get it from City Attorney Dave Sherman. I'll have a seat. Thanks Why did you get in town? Oh? Early this afternoon, and you've already met Marty Blake That figures yes, it does under the circumstances Her husband has been killed he carried $50,000 worth of insurance with my company and Mrs. Blake filed her claim less than 24 hours after his death. So that's why you hot-footed it out here from Hartford, huh? Well, the company figured 24 hours was pretty fast action for a grief-stricken widow. Oh, I Don't imagine Marty is grieving too much. Oh, she's not she told me that herself Marty's about 26 or 7 Ed Blake was in his 50s money. Maybe well not until he met her then he started to make it fast He had to that's how Marty likes things fast And then he married her well, then she married him And now eight months later. She's a widow With an insurance claim for $50,000. Well, she said she liked things fast. Why? Yeah, I know what you're thinking, mr. Dollar, but you may as well back up and start all over You're off on the wrong foot. Well, how do you mean this killing? Oh sure it Worked out perfect for her made to order a man could build a pretty good case against her especially with that 24-hour insurance claim Yes, I would really cinch it with a jury. I pointed that out to her. I figured as much Would you mind telling me what happened? Well, our first move was to start turning on the chair That's one of the easiest things she does if she thinks it might pay off And after all with $50,000 in the offing sure Did she give you any of the details of you know of the night it happened? It bored her to death to even talk about it No, and you thought she was putting on an act who maybe throw you off. What would you think? Well, she wasn't mr. Dollar any more than she was sorry that Ed Blake was murdered and she's pretty cold-blooded Well, that's a moot question. Figuratively. Yes. I suppose she is See she used to be a dancer never good enough to make the big time so she had to well I live by a wits and her charm But you pointed out things that could look pretty black for if the case ever got to court. That's right What happened? She sent me to you Why so I could tell you she didn't kill him. Well, it adds up mr. Sure, I know late at night the two of them alone in the house her husband shot to death with his own I know mr. Dollar, but not by her why not that story about the mysterious prowler has been used before over and over Matter of fact, I broke one of them not six months ago But in this case, it's true. How do you know because you were wrong on one point they weren't alone in the house What do you mean? Who else was there? I was oh, I see Jesus pure as the driven snow well at least so far as Blake's murder is concerned Yeah kind of a neat setup isn't it huh instead of prosecuting attorney. You're the star witness for the defense Yes, I I support if it came to that I'd have to be I was there when it happened so that's why she sent me to you so I could hear it straight from the horse's mouth That's about it. Well, she couldn't have a much better alibi than the city attorney himself. Thank you Well, she's in the clear mr. Dollar How did you happen to be there at two o'clock in the morning? I was spending the night Edna I were planning to leave early on a fishing trip. Oh, I see Like to tell me all about it certainly We'd all gone to bed around midnight or a few minutes before to I woke up I heard Marty and Ed out in the hall just outside my room I opened my door and just then Marty snapped on the hall lights a second later the shots blasted downstairs five quick one Where was she standing at the time? By the door of her room not ten feet away from me. So you see mr. Dollar. She couldn't have done it So that's that She can thank her lucky stars you were there. Oh, Marty's always been lucky Have you known her a long time three or four years ever since she came here to Greensport You and Blake were pretty good friends. I suppose. No No, as a matter of fact, we didn't have too much use for each other. Oh, I know it doesn't make sense going fishing together spending the night in his home, but Well, I know what you're thinking mr. Dollar. Do you yes? You're thinking maybe I need an alibi as much as Marty does Well, it is that kind of an alibi it works equally well for either of you two Yeah, only I don't need an alibi Blake and I had our little differences. That's true But they weren't serious enough to be a motive for killing him Maybe Marty herself could be a motive in what way How old are you mr. Sherman 33? Why and Marty blank is 27 and a beautiful girl Her husband was around 52. I thought wrong guess again, mr. Dollar. I've known her too long And what's more important? I know it too. Well, meaning sure. She's a knockout. I was nuts about her once she's a My summer night wild honey circle and a handful of stars, but there's one great big catch to it And that is she's got a building jukebox hidden way inside of her and when you put in money it plays real pretty music when you don't Nothing had Blake found out and still went on putting in money. Yeah, you like the music And that's why he got mixed up in the rackets. Please cheese salary was Well, well, mr. Dollar, you do get around don't you was Blake running them Or just taking on now. What makes you think there are any rackets here? Maybe it was just a guess. Oh, who told you about them It's funny. I can't seem to remember at the moment. I just bet you can't suppose you answer my question, mr. Sherman who's behind the rackets here in Greensport just a minute I don't get as that is from or was he the one who gave you wait a minute, mr. Dollar. Just take it easy Sorry, I didn't know you had no, that's all right. Well, come on in This is Johnny dollar dollars mayor Lyons. Yeah, Mr. Dollar Mr. Dollar's an insurance investigator. Well, he's here to look into Ed Blake's death terrible tragedy, mr. Dollar We'll appreciate all the help you can give us well so far mayor I'm afraid that doesn't amount to very much the only theory I had just blew up in my face Oh, what was this theory? Oh, mr. Dollar suspected Marty Blake of the killing. Well, Dave Didn't you tell him that you yes? Yes. He told me mayor That's when I blew up in my face Well at various times in the past mrs. Blake might have been there's one might say a bit indiscreet But to consider her capable of cold-blooded murder is utterly unthinkable, sir Particularly when she was standing just ten feet away from the city attorney at the time. Well, yes, that's true Of course just what is the official theory on the shooting gentleman while at the moment? I'm afraid we haven't any I'll tell you mr. Dollar when we find shorty wells. We'll have the killer Shorty wells a local hoodlum Blake got him sent up the river a couple of years ago and shorty swore that he'd get Blake for it If it was the last thing that he ever did oh Well, that's a fairly common threat though for a criminal to make and usually it's nothing but talk But surely was parole just last week mr. Dollar He was seen around town the morning before the killing and we haven't been able to locate him since I see Wells Did it all right? There's not the least doubt in the world Yeah, it seems to end up doesn't yes, and we've got every available man in the lookout for him But so far no luck. There's not even a trace of him. Tell me something here Would Marty Blake know anything about the rackets her husband was tied in with rackets? Why that's the most pretty well well, it's it's no use Mr. Dollar's been talking to somebody and he's found out that our little city isn't as lily white as we'd like to pretend Indeed, it's true. Isn't it mayor as I hear at Greensport is a wide open town May as well admit it will he knows it already. There's no point in trying to lie All right, it's true mr. Dollar, but it's not wide open as you put it But there are rackets as unpleasant as it may be to admit it. Do you have any idea who's back of them? I wish to heaven I did what about you mr. Sherman Well if I had an idea strong enough to talk about I'd be talking about it in court What about this shorty Wells was he in on them before Blake sent him to prison? Yes, supposedly, but he wouldn't spill a word about the setup at his trial afraid you maybe huh probably Wells is the key to this Whole thing mr. Dollar the rackets as well as the killing fine shorty Wells and we can wrap this thing up in ten minutes Then I guess we better find it standard theory number two an ex-convict with a grudge number one young pretty wife middle-aged husband big insurance policy hadn't panned out too well and I wasn't too sold on the second one. It was just two pats somehow And the fact that shorty Wells was missing didn't mean much If I were an ex-con just out of prison and had threatened a man who was later murdered I'd be missing too And yet the pan answer was sometimes the right one the case was still like the town itself wide open I Won't out of city halls started down the sidewalk toward the taxi stand. I didn't know what moved to try next Technically, of course, I was out of it since the beneficiary had an ironclad alibi She'd get paid regardless of who actually did kill Blake I didn't pay any attention to the horn the first time but when it sounded again. I turned to look She was parked at the curb a few yards away Marty Blake I've been waiting for you Johnny. Have you yes, I wanted to talk to you you didn't earlier Well, I guess you just rubbed me the wrong way Weren't very nice to me, you know, sorry You've talked to Dave Sherman, I suppose. Yeah. Yeah, he gives you an airtime alibi Why didn't you tell me he was there that night when I talked with you this afternoon? I might have If you'd been nicer to me, I see you'd have checked it with him anyway Yeah, I suppose I would have done. Well now that you know I'm not a murderous Maybe we can get to be friends Johnny. You think so You're still not being very nice. I am always politely respectful toward new widows, Mrs. Blake At least until after the first week. I told you I didn't care about Ed Who do you care about besides yourself? Shorty Wells by any chance shorty Wells who told you that and you know him, huh? Of course, I know him Yes, I used to know it. Where is he now? How should I know? What are you trying to pull if you think for one minute that you're down quick? Are you all right, Mrs. Blake? Yes, I guess so Shots Johnny somebody was trying to kill you. How do you know it was me that we're shooting at right? Maybe they were out to kill you Mrs. Blake Now here's our star to tell you about tomorrow's episode of this week's story tomorrow an old flame and a new one and two men get burned One becomes an alcoholic the other a human torch 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