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1:54

Welcome to the great detectives

1:57

of old time radio

1:59

from Boise, Idaho. This

2:02

is your host, Adam Graham.

2:04

If you have a comment, email it

2:06

to me box thirteen

2:09

at great detectives dot

2:11

net. Follow us on Twitter

2:13

at radio detectives and

2:15

check us out on Instagram. Instagram

2:18

dot com slash great detectives.

2:21

If you are enjoying this podcast, I

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encourage you to follow us using

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make sure you never miss an episode.

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Our listener support campaign continues

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you can become one of our ongoing Patreon

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supporters for as little as two

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dollars per month just by going over

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to patreon dot great attack

2:43

is dot net. Now it

2:45

is time for yours truly

2:48

Johnny Dollar, the original heir

2:50

dates, November second third and

2:52

fourth nineteen fifty 5, and

2:54

it's the Valentine matter episodes

2:57

three through five.

3:02

From Hollywood, it's time now for

3:06

Johnny Deller.

3:08

This is Ann Lord. Missus

3:10

Valentine. Have you heard anything

3:12

about Dan?

3:13

Nothing, missus Valentine. The police are looking everywhere

3:15

for him.

3:15

went to the hospital. The night and they told me you walked

3:18

out. He might die, mister

3:20

Dolan.

3:20

I know, missus Valentine.

3:22

Could you tell me when I was here in New Orleans? If

3:24

you mean did I mention it to the police? No.

3:26

Thank

3:26

you, mister Dolan. It was very kind of you. But it

3:28

makes me mad that I didn't missus Valentine. I

3:31

know don't want anybody to find you related to

3:33

him because of your daughter, but I also

3:35

think you could help the police in this situation. YOU

3:38

CAN HELP THEM FIND DAN AND PUT HIM BACK IN A HOSPITAL.

3:41

MR Dollar, WOULD YOU COME

3:43

OVER TO TALK TO ME, please?

3:53

Tonight, in every weekday night, Bob

3:55

Bailey and the transcribed adventures of the man

3:58

with the action packed expense

3:59

account, America's fabulous freelancer

4:01

insurance investigator.

4:02

Yo. It's Julie. Johnny Deller.

4:13

Expense account submitted by special investigator

4:15

Johnny Deller. To the new Britain Mutual

4:17

Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut. The

4:20

following is an accounting of expenditures during

4:22

my investigation of the Valentine match.

4:27

Some more expense. I believe this is item

4:29

five. Yeah. Four bucks. Four drinks

4:31

for myself.

4:33

When a next big shot of the roaring twenties like

4:35

Dan Valentine carries a fifty thousand dollar

4:37

life insurance policy and walks down the street

4:39

one day and gets himself shot and refuses

4:41

to disclose who fired the bullets, I

4:44

have to do the worrying for the insurance company.

4:46

When he decides to leave a hospital bed

4:48

minus a fighter to a

4:49

blood, I have to worry some more. I

4:51

needed those drinks. You can

4:53

just say

4:54

I liked what I'd seen of the guy and I didn't want

4:56

him to walk around New Orleans bleeding to death.

5:04

In here, please, mister Dolly. The wife

5:06

who hadn't seen or heard from him for thirteen

5:08

years looked pale in one. It

5:10

was obvious that the strain was beginning to tell

5:13

on

5:13

her, although she tried hard not to show it.

5:15

Doesn't it ever cool off in New Orleans?

5:17

Sometimes, but I'm not here to talk

5:19

about the weather, missus Valentine. You know that? Yes.

5:22

No.

5:23

Well, don't just stand there and give me the tears

5:25

then. If you've got anything to say,

5:27

say it. If you know anything that'll

5:29

help, let me know about it. You're perfectly

5:32

right in being angry with me. Mister

5:35

Daryl, I honestly don't know where Dan

5:36

is. Well,

5:37

do you know why he'd get up out of a hospital bed

5:39

and a dangerous life? I

5:40

have an idea he might have wanted to see some, but,

5:42

oh,

5:43

I don't know. The two men have shot at

5:45

him.

5:46

What? I just don't know. We aren't getting anywhere,

5:48

missus Valentine. Look,

5:51

I'm gonna talk to you frankly. Why

5:54

did he come here to live in New Orleans? Well,

5:58

You live in New England with your daughter Teresa.

6:00

Obviously, Dan thinks a great deal of you and

6:02

her. He's given you everything provided

6:04

for you with all of his troubles. Spent

6:07

thirteen years in prison. I can

6:09

imagine his thoughts about you and her while

6:11

he was in there. And Eddie comes out and lives

6:13

two thousand miles away from

6:14

you. He

6:15

didn't want to interfere with Theresa in any way.

6:17

Sure. But it seems to me he'd want to look

6:19

at you, at hers, certainly. Even

6:21

if it was a matter of living in

6:23

Boston, taking a bus to new Salem and standing

6:25

on a street corner one day to watch the tour if you

6:27

cross the street. That sound reasonable

6:29

to

6:29

you. If you put it that

6:31

way. Well, look, there's some reason he picked

6:34

New Orleans. Some reason he didn't give himself

6:36

the little gratification of just looking at you and

6:38

Teresa. Why? Why

6:41

here? I'm sure don't know. And why is

6:43

he running around now? I can't answer that either.

6:45

But it must have something to do with you and your

6:47

daughter. Obviously, you're the only ones they

6:49

ever cared about. Well,

6:53

I

6:53

honestly don't know. Well,

6:57

and I I can't help you, and I can't help

6:59

myself or him. You

7:01

mentioned as having a reason to be in New Orleans.

7:04

Maybe What?

7:07

There was a man named Webster, Conrad

7:10

Webster. He was a member of the Illinois

7:12

bar once in those days. Did

7:15

a great deal of work for Dan and friends of Dan.

7:17

I think he lived

7:19

here. Wait a minute. I've seen that name yeah.

7:21

On copies of the insurance policy, A man

7:23

named Webster had the power of

7:25

attorney. He bought the insurance. There's

7:27

a trust in there for your daughter. Yes. Conrad Webster

7:29

was an old friend of Rhynes. I

7:31

don't even know whether he's alive now or not.

7:34

Drag a great day later

7:35

on. I think he lived here.

7:37

Was

7:37

he the kind of friend Dan would go to if he needed

7:39

help? Yes, I think so. Alright.

7:42

What are you going to do?

7:43

It's just something to look into. I'll

7:45

try and find Webster, and maybe I can find your husband.

7:47

Thank you for coming by. I needed somebody to

7:50

talk to. What?

7:53

I hope he stays alive, missus Valentine.

7:59

Item seven sixteen dollars. The money it

8:01

caused me to find out the location of Conrad Webster.

8:04

I started at his last known address, followed

8:06

a series of bars and finally got information from

8:08

a bartender that led me to the crummy half of

8:10

a decaying duplex on Gentile Street.

8:13

Everything was quiet for Gentile Street.

8:23

Young man in the drugstore delivers what

8:25

I need most. A telegraph office

8:27

when I dread most. Obviously, you represent

8:29

neither and there 4 you? Are no concern of

8:31

Rhynes? a minute. Are you mister

8:33

Webster? Conrad Webster? I am he

8:36

and I am drunk and this travel and

8:38

it is three o'clock kilo more and I'd like

8:40

to talk with

8:41

you. May I come in?

8:41

You may not. This isn't exactly

8:44

the hour for making calls. But I did

8:46

stop by and pick up something to take the edge

8:48

off. Dude. Yeah. It's

8:50

bonded. Oh, it's inside. Inside?

8:55

Now

8:55

then, you were going

8:57

to apologize. Here

8:58

you are, mister Webster. Oh,

9:01

wow. Yep.

9:13

Then as long as this

9:15

lasts, you will last. Alright?

9:18

I'm looking for a man.

9:21

The entire world is looking for a

9:23

man. Just one man. A

9:26

man that blindly presume will break

9:28

off these shackles that binders and

9:30

leaders, force into eternal? Just

9:32

yeah.

9:33

Yeah. Sure. But that's not an ironic anticipation.

9:36

I'm talking about Dan Valentine.

9:40

You are? Yes. I'm a friend of his.

9:43

No. No.

9:45

You don't come from that place. The

9:48

palace is not with you. You're

9:50

right. I didn't say I was in jail with And

9:52

where else would he have made friends these

9:54

long? Yeah. He's

9:55

out of prison now. Been out for three

9:56

months, and I'm aware of that. Did you

9:58

know he was shot at yesterday? Three

10:00

hours ago, he left his hospital bed. I

10:03

thought he might have come to

10:04

you. Is he here? He is not.

10:06

You know where he is?

10:07

I do not. Mister

10:08

Webster, if Valentine isn't back in the hospital

10:10

pretty soon, he'll die. Why

10:13

is the phenomenon of death so

10:15

persistently alarming? So

10:18

he will die. They all

10:21

die. Usually, from a bullet.

10:23

And that's what's going to happen to

10:24

him. Too bullets he

10:25

stopped yesterday. Do you understand me? Acutely.

10:28

Acutely. You've

10:30

impressed me with the urgency of his

10:32

situation. But Dan

10:34

Valentine is not here, nor

10:36

has he been here, nor has he contacted

10:38

me nor do I know where to contact him.

10:43

Alright, mister Webster. Alright. I

10:46

guess I believe him.

10:49

Your your concern for him is a

10:51

distressing irritation.

10:54

What what what is the reason for it? I'm

10:56

an insurance investigator, and it's my job

10:58

to keep him alive.

11:00

More than that, I like him. I told you

11:02

I was his friend. I think

11:04

he deserves to live. You, his friend.

11:07

No. You are too

11:09

young to be his friend. His

11:11

friends for the most parts are gone,

11:14

like the long years, like

11:17

Hamburg Hets in Charleston

11:19

and lime ricky. The

11:22

ones who are left are broken

11:25

tired and fading. With

11:28

old faces, faces like

11:30

mine, like his, and

11:33

we should be gone too. Another

11:36

age is care. This

11:42

is my sadness. As

11:44

for yours, Dan Valentine should

11:46

never have lived in that age or

11:48

this age. He was meant to

11:51

be an explorer, a pioneer who conquered

11:53

a willingness,

11:54

not a racketier who conquered a

11:56

west side.

11:59

Are you sure you're his friend, mister Webster?

12:02

I once thought so. He

12:06

once thought so. Now,

12:10

I haven't strengthened enough to be anyone's

12:12

friend. What's

12:15

your name? Johnny Deller.

12:18

Good night, mister Dollar.

12:24

The look in Conrad Webster's eyes held

12:26

the same sort of sadness I had seen in Valentine's

12:29

eyes, but they were different

12:31

too. They held a weakness.

12:34

The strong sad eyes were somewhere else

12:36

in city walking alone, probably looking for

12:38

two gunmen, and the life blood was

12:40

slowly draining from the body that sparked. I

12:45

went back to my hotel and tried to sleep, but

12:47

sleep wouldn't come. I was still rolling

12:49

and tossing at seven thirty the next morning when orange

12:51

juice coffee in the morning paper came up. A

12:53

nationwide syndicate had picked up the new development

12:55

in the Valentine's shooting and gone to work on it.

12:58

Among other names they mentioned at giving a resume

13:00

of Valentine's career were his wife and daughter.

13:02

Living in new Salem under the name of Ward. Hello?

13:06

This is Johnny

13:07

Dollar. just read the morning paper, missus Valentine.

13:10

Oh, Yes. I'm sorry. I broke for you this way.

13:12

That's very kind of you to say so. Maybe

13:15

it's 4 the better anyhow. For years, I've been

13:17

wanting to tell Theresa who her father is, what

13:19

life. I'm going to call her later

13:21

today because of where I am explaining

13:23

why I'm

13:24

here. I think she can take

13:26

it. You're doing pretty well yourself. Thanks

13:29

again. And

13:31

it weren't it?

13:32

No. No. We still can't find him.

13:34

Mister

13:34

Webster, did you find

13:35

him? Yes. He wasn't much help.

13:38

The New England paper said that missus

13:40

Ward was out of town. Soon,

13:43

they're later to find out what town missus Ward is

13:45

in, I'm afraid. Or

13:46

maybe you better get another hotel. Use another

13:48

name. Yes. Alright. I'll wait to hear

13:50

from you. Mister Donner? Yes. Thank

13:53

you. I

13:58

put in another call to inspect a tobacco and

14:00

asked him about developments. Valentine

14:02

was still unlocated. They were covering

14:04

drug stores and doctor's offices where he might seek

14:07

assistance. The two unidentified

14:09

men who had shot him were still unidentified. The

14:12

police weren't able to dig up any more witnesses again

14:14

any line on the car. By 4 in

14:16

the afternoon, missus Valentine had still not called

14:19

me to report a new address. I got

14:21

worried and went over to the Roosevelt to see what was

14:23

what. I was surprised to see Inspector de

14:25

Buck in the lobby talking to the bell captain.

14:27

Alright. And remember anything else tell me

14:29

here. Yes,

14:29

sir. I sure will.

14:30

Hi.

14:31

Hi, Donna. Well, you

14:33

wanna talk first or you want me to?

14:36

Alright. I'll talk first. Mrs

14:38

Valentine's been standing here under the name

14:40

of Anne

14:41

Ward. You knew that? Yeah. Why

14:43

didn't you say anything to me?

14:44

She asked me not to. Doesn't make any difference

14:46

now anyhow. At boy over there

14:49

called us a little while ago. He said that Dan Valentine

14:51

came in here this afternoon, went upstairs,

14:54

came back down fifteen minutes later with missus

14:56

Valentine that both left

14:57

together.

14:58

Yeah. He must have seen the story in this morning's

15:00

paper and guess she was in town. That's where I

15:02

see it. Where we're right

15:04

back where we started from and I'm about sick

15:06

of

15:06

it.

15:06

We're little better off. Two people are

15:08

easier to find than one.

15:14

We found them alright at seven o'clock

15:17

that night, and it was easy.

15:20

3 squad cars were already drawn up in front

15:22

of the little hotel, and I noticed

15:24

with a sinking heart that a hearse was there

15:26

also. Dan

15:28

Valentine and his wife were dead.

15:48

Johnny Dullum. What is all this, Johnny?

15:51

Who's this?

15:51

Ryvac is Euclid Mutual. What happened

15:53

to Valentine? He was gunned down last night

15:55

going into a hotel with his wife. Oh.

15:57

The police here are turning the city upside

15:59

down, trying to get line on two unidentified gunmen.

16:02

Couldn't you keep him alive?

16:03

I couldn't even find him. Well, well,

16:05

this

16:06

is no time to be yelling at each other. I just left

16:08

her daughter.

16:09

She filed claim already. Through that lawyer

16:11

webster? No. No. She didn't even know anything

16:13

about him until the papers broke the story. But

16:16

I I'm sorry. I got annoyed

16:18

for a second. Do what you

16:20

can, Johnny. A wonderful report. Sure,

16:22

Roy. Sure. Expense

16:33

account submitted by special investigator Johnny

16:35

Dollar. To the new British Mutual Insurance

16:37

Company,

16:38

Hartford, Connecticut. The following is a

16:40

further accounting of expenditures during my investigation

16:42

of the Valentine matter.

16:46

Item nine, seven dollars for dinner.

16:48

I had it with inspector Charles de Bucka, New

16:50

Orleans police. He was a haggard

16:53

tired looking man about that

16:54

time. All of us were.

16:56

You want some more coffee?

16:57

No. No. Thanks. Two men.

17:00

Both got six feet when, dark suits

17:02

and hats. Medium slight build,

17:04

one possibly thirty

17:05

five, the other possibly forty. A

17:07

lot about ties up with a description of the

17:09

two men who pluck Valentine earlier and earned

17:11

him a place in the hospital.

17:12

Yeah. We got more of a chance this

17:14

time. There'll be some other witnesses. Somebody

17:17

asked to tell us what kind of a car they had and what

17:19

direction they went.

17:20

One thing, they weren't using silences anymore.

17:23

No. But they did a professional job.

17:25

I think Valentine knew him, climbed out of that

17:27

hospital bed to go out looking for him.

17:29

Sounds reasonable. How

17:30

do you figure rest of it, inspector? Well,

17:33

Rhynes the newspaper story and knew his wife

17:35

was in town. He went over. Got it.

17:37

And I take they were going to check into a new

17:39

hotel when their Rhynes showed

17:41

up.

17:41

She just happened to get in

17:43

the way. I'm sure. Why did anybody wanna shoot

17:45

her? Would

17:46

anybody wanna shoot him? Well, because

17:48

no matter what he was now or

17:50

how he was playing it, he still lived pretty hard

17:52

way back then. Man who has

17:54

lived the kind of life he has and done the things

17:56

he has. He's bound to make a few enemies remember.

17:59

No. I think it has something to do with his family.

18:02

I agree with you that Valentine's probably made

18:04

enemies all over. But he wasn't

18:06

the kind of man to get excited about any of those

18:08

kind of people. He pretty well knew how

18:10

to take care of himself and handle

18:11

trouble. That's why he was out looking

18:13

for it.

18:14

You sound pretty certain. It

18:16

seems to me that Valentine had been expecting

18:18

trouble some of the old timers, he'd have carried

18:20

a gun. You got a point. But

18:22

then again, he was pretty gentle up.

18:25

You know, I always spent most of his time painting.

18:28

That house he bought out in Jefferson Parish

18:30

was covered with pictures he's done since he's been out

18:32

of oils. Pretty good too.

18:35

When he wasn't painting it, he was listening to music.

18:38

You'd

18:38

hardly

18:39

think a Danny Valentine taking up the arts

18:41

hardly ever. Well,

18:44

I'm gonna make call and get busy.

18:46

Yeah. Inspector. Yep.

18:48

Any objection to me going out and looking around

18:50

at us?

18:51

Your privilege. Personally,

18:53

I'm gonna look around the time for a couple of them

18:56

and

18:56

anyone out there now

18:57

is Cook. Name is Yacchino. Nice

18:59

woman. Okay. I'll keep

19:01

in touch with the inspector. Do that. Nada.

19:04

Nada.

19:05

You forgot to tell me you looked up the

19:07

old family lawyer. Conrad Webster

19:09

the other night.

19:10

Oh, I was trying to find Valentine the same as

19:12

you. But

19:13

if you happen to run into Webster again, you tell

19:15

him to drop in and see me. He

19:18

is missing. I

19:21

didn't know what to say to that, so I left him

19:24

standing there and went back to my hotel and

19:26

shave, change clothes, and try to go over whole

19:28

thing in my mind. I did phone

19:30

into the police station and find out that the slugs

19:32

that had killed Valentine and his wife were from

19:34

an Italian of pistol around barrel,

19:36

thirty seven point five caliber so far

19:39

untraced. Expense

19:41

account item ten, cost of care From

19:43

my hotel to Danny Valentine's house in Jefferson

19:45

Parish. Yes,

19:52

sir. How

19:52

do you do? Are you missus Eicino?

19:54

Yes, sir. Who are you, please?

19:56

My name is Johnny Dollar, miss Eicino. I'm

19:58

from New Britain Mutual Insurance Company. I'd like

20:00

to talk to you if I may.

20:01

About mister Valentine?

20:03

Yes. Not right now, mister Daryl.

20:05

Some of the time.

20:07

Well, if you prefer it that way, missus Yacino,

20:09

but

20:09

It's been a hard day here. I

20:12

I mean, mister Valentine's death in his wife

20:14

and his killed with

20:14

him. All of these policemen in

20:16

and out of here now Miss Ward

20:19

and all.

20:19

Miss Ward, miss Daugherty?

20:21

Yes. She's here. Arrived two hours

20:23

ago. She said stay here. Can I see?

20:26

You come tomorrow, mister Dollar, please? Not tomorrow,

20:29

missus Yacino. Yes, miss

20:31

Ward. Who is it? And mister Dollar,

20:33

he's from the insurance company. I'm sure it's

20:36

Yes. I'd like to talk to miss Regina.

20:41

Theresa Ward stood at the base of the Iron Grill

20:43

stairway. Tall and dark

20:45

eyed. And I saw that

20:47

like our mother, she had a quiet intensity about

20:49

her face that made it beautiful. At

20:51

the same time, ageless. She

20:54

smiled politely at me. I

20:56

could only stand there without speaking for long

20:58

moment looking at

20:59

her. Then missus Eicino

21:02

excused herself and we were alone. I

21:05

wanted to talk to someone who might able to give me a

21:07

little more information about all this. It's or

21:09

quite new to

21:10

me. I'll

21:10

tell you what I can, miss Ward.

21:13

My name is Valentin. Isn't it?

21:15

Really, Valentin?

21:16

Yes. It is.

21:18

Well, I suppose we correct that mistake right now.

21:20

Sure. There's nothing wrong with Valentine.

21:23

From what mister Vicus from the insurance office

21:25

in Hartford told me how to be. Quite

21:27

well off because of this man that was

21:29

murdered.

21:30

You mean Dan Valentine?

21:31

Yes. Dan Valentine. Tell

21:34

me he was my father. Who

21:36

told

21:36

her?

21:38

Old reporters at home, your insurance

21:40

company. Mother

21:42

told me my name was Ward. What

21:45

was the thing? Must have been difficult

21:48

for her over the years keeping a secret from

21:49

me. Yeah.

21:50

She told me she thought it was the best thing.

21:53

She well, the same as he did.

21:57

Tell me about my father.

21:59

Was he a bad man? Oh,

22:01

as good or as bad as the folks that

22:03

I made people. I only met him a

22:05

couple of times. Wake

22:08

in one morning and discover the You're the only

22:10

daughter of a famous racketeer who's been murdered.

22:13

Look, miss Ward, if he had anything to do with the

22:15

way you turned out, with

22:18

what you seem to possess within yourself. I'd

22:20

say offhand that whatever he was

22:23

or did, he thought of you.

22:27

You flattering me?

22:28

I'm not trying

22:29

to. You

22:30

seem like a very nice person. And

22:32

so do you mister Donna? Will

22:34

you tell me all about this, please? Well,

22:36

let's see. You're twenty one. Isn't that right?

22:38

Yes. Just about fifteen

22:41

years ago or so, your father was on trial

22:43

for income tax excavation. Just

22:45

before he was convicted, he set up trust

22:47

fund with my insurance company to provide for

22:49

you. It's been paying money for your

22:51

support and education ever since. According

22:54

to the terms of the

22:55

trust, all of the money becomes yours now that

22:57

your mother and father are

22:59

dead. It comes to well over fifty

23:01

thousand dollars.

23:04

That's all there is to it. Mhmm.

23:07

I suppose I'm grateful to him. I suppose

23:10

I should be grateful.

23:12

Can't say that I'm particularly sorry about his

23:14

death anymore than I would be any other

23:16

human being died violently somewhere. But

23:20

my mom is dead. I

23:23

miss her very much already.

23:31

She was holding up pretty well until that point,

23:34

then she let go. I

23:36

held her in my arms and I talked to her.

23:39

I told her what I knew of her father's life

23:41

and death. She told me how

23:43

she'd been reared so far removed from anything

23:45

that might have connected her in the least way with a Valentine

23:47

name. Altogether, it was a

23:49

revealing conversation for both of us.

23:51

Missus Eicino brought us some food and wine.

23:55

How long would you be in New Orleans? Until

23:57

all of this is straightened up.

23:59

I mean, until they find out who killed my mother and

24:01

father?

24:01

Yes. How about you?

24:04

Oh, I really don't know.

24:06

After the funeral, I suppose I'll go back.

24:10

But I wanted to see him to see what he looked

24:12

like, what kind of life he laid. He

24:14

was just an ordinary

24:15

man, wasn't he? You've

24:18

seen these pictures before?

24:20

No. This is my first time in the house.

24:23

Look like Italian landscapes to me.

24:25

Very good. Mhmm.

24:27

Must have been something he had with mother. Mhmm.

24:29

But she was from Italy.

24:32

May I ask you something? Yes.

24:36

How do you feel about him now?

24:39

Is this for your report? For myself.

24:43

Since you've been his

24:46

last two hours, I I began

24:48

to think of him for what he was. My

24:50

father, I mean.

24:52

I'd like to know why he was killed and hope

24:54

did

24:54

it.

24:57

When I say you again?

24:58

I hope so. Terry?

25:01

Yes. I

25:03

hope so very much. So

25:06

do I journey?

25:14

I left her at the door that night with a warm sensation

25:16

inside of me. Something I certainly

25:18

hadn't expected in the business at hand.

25:27

The next morning, I was back at the house talking to

25:29

missus Yicino. She gave me all the information

25:31

she could remember about Valentine's activities.

25:34

All of it accurate, but lacking in any possible

25:37

clue is to the identity of the two men who

25:39

had killed him and his wife. I had

25:41

breakfast with Terry there and helped you with funeral

25:43

arrangements. Then I spent a solid

25:46

twelve hours with inspected tobacco. It's

25:48

still not located or identified the two mysterious

25:50

men. However, there were other developments.

25:53

There's maybe something, Johnny. Oh. Conrad

25:56

Webster's been found

25:57

-- Mhmm. --

25:58

up a lake constrain, just identify.

26:01

We shot the desk with a thirty seven point

26:03

five.

26:03

Italian gun. Yeah.

26:04

Just like the one that killed Dan Balengan this

26:07

way.

26:12

It later developed that the slugs taken from Webster's

26:14

body when compared with those that killed the Valentine's

26:17

were fired from the same weapon. The

26:19

case took on proportions. Every

26:22

available bit of information regarding the

26:24

two x big shots of the twenties was located

26:26

red and reread. It meant activity

26:28

in cities like Saint Louis, Chicago, Detroit,

26:30

and New York. But no new information

26:33

as to the identity of the

26:34

killers. I went back to the house.

26:38

You want me to Here. Here. Here. What is this?

26:40

You're shaking.

26:44

I suppose I'm being a terrible problem. I don't

26:46

know to me, but they've been left me all day.

26:49

Cheap little things. Newspaper

26:51

syndicate wants me to write my exclusive story

26:53

as the shadow daughter of Dan Valentine, fairy

26:56

princess of a record. Take it easy.

26:59

Take it easy. Even blue, wood

27:00

code. Upper through oh,

27:03

Johnny, I shouldn't have come here at all.

27:06

And what would I have done, Terry? And what

27:09

would I have done? Make

27:12

yourself a drink journey. I'll go put out a new phase.

27:20

It

27:20

had become apparent to me in the short time

27:22

I'd known her that she'd grown to love. A memory

27:24

of a father. Also that

27:26

the pressure of all that had happened was beginning to

27:28

take its toll. We were

27:30

walking down the gravel path away from the house.

27:33

She was quieted down. I

27:35

suppose I was thinking how nice it would be to kiss

27:37

her. I trusted trying

27:39

for gun inside my pocket, but there was nobody

27:41

to shoot at. The two men who had fired the

27:43

guns were already out of sight. I

27:45

was alone with Terry Valentine who was

27:47

hanging on the gate. I caught

27:49

her before she fell. I

27:55

think She

27:59

was dead before I could answer.

28:18

Johnny Deller.

28:19

Yeah. What are you doing at the Valentine's house? Get

28:21

a car out here quick inspector. Terry Valentine's

28:23

just been shot. Two guys shut down. Slow

28:25

down. Slow down. Dollars happened.

28:27

A few seconds ago. No. Good debacca.

28:29

She she died in my arms. Oh.

28:32

What do you think they're still around there?

28:33

They must be. I'm going looking. Wait

28:35

a minute. Wait a minute. There's a police matter you stay put.

28:37

I have a call in five minutes and you can Johnny,

28:40

I heard that you can. Now

28:42

look at your long enough. I'll do anything.

28:53

Expense account submitted by special investigator

28:55

Johnny Deller to the new British Mutual

28:57

Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut. The

29:00

following is an accounting of further expenditures during

29:02

my investigation of the Valentine matter.

29:06

Dan Valentine, ex gangster, and

29:08

course, your policyholder. But

29:11

then his wife was killed too,

29:13

then his lawyer, then his daughter,

29:16

the girl that I Thirty

29:19

seconds after Perry Valentine died in my arms,

29:22

I was stumbling down the gravel path that led from

29:24

her house to the road. And it all happened

29:26

so suddenly, I can't say to what I did from

29:28

there on or what I felt was entirely rational.

29:31

All I know is I hadn't heard a car leave

29:33

the area, which meant took killers were still somewhere

29:35

nearby. Then in the dim light, I saw

29:37

the car. A man was climbing into it.

29:41

Hey. Hey, snap. Stop

29:43

it all shows. Stop.

30:00

Get out of

30:01

there. Get

30:02

out of there and get your hands up.

30:06

I'm a hit. I'm afraid to move.

30:08

Come on. Get out. Come on. Come

30:10

on. Come on. You too. Come on.

30:12

Yes. No. You son here, mister. Used

30:15

up. You've got him real good. I

30:19

need a doctor. Let me get to

30:21

a doctor right there. Doctor. Standstill. You

30:25

pretty tough, fella. What's your name? Sister.

30:27

Sister what? That's good enough for you.

30:29

I need a doctor, bad. Listen.

30:33

Tell it to me. Tell it to me right

30:35

now. If you don't tell it to me

30:37

now, you'll never tell it to

30:38

anybody. You tell

30:38

it.

30:39

Oh, god. I need doctor tell

30:41

it. I die

30:43

first.

30:47

Johnny. Johnny, what

30:49

is this? Who's he? He's gonna kill

30:51

me. He's gonna kill me. No. You better give me

30:53

that gun, Johnny. It'll still take care of him.

30:57

Thanks.

30:58

I should have done

30:59

it. I wanted to

31:01

dodge a no sign. Come on.

31:03

Let's get out of here.

31:08

But

31:08

I didn't get out of

31:09

there. I waited around while they

31:11

dug the body of the other man out of the smashed up

31:13

car, and while they carried the still

31:15

lymphoma to raise a Valentine away.

31:18

She was the third member of the family who had died

31:20

violently within three days. I'm

31:30

sorry about it, Donna.

31:32

Inspector, I was

31:34

hoping I might have been wrong. But

31:36

she wasn't dead. Oh, you went

31:38

wrong. Which one shot

31:40

him?

31:42

The dead one? The one we still got in

31:44

the hospital.

31:45

Oh, I don't know. Both of my guests. You

31:48

don't feel like talking about it. I'm just trying

31:50

to pin it down. What about

31:51

him?

31:52

Can't get much out of him so far. He's

31:54

in pretty bad shape.

31:55

Let me ask him some questions in Spectre.

31:57

I'm no police officer. I don't have to obey

31:59

any rules. That's a easy kid. You were about

32:01

to do that once and we'd be holding you for murder

32:03

if you'd gone ahead. I know how you

32:05

feel about Theresa Valentine.

32:08

As

32:08

he said anything at all? Nothing. I found

32:10

papers on him and the other one that makes him brother's

32:13

sister in Darby Chiani, New

32:15

York. So far, it didn't seem

32:17

to be any connection with the Valentine,

32:20

but people like Valentine make a lot of enemies.

32:23

That girl doesn't figure.

32:26

Yeah. I

32:27

know you talk to her a lot these last couple of days,

32:29

Johnny? What'd you say? Nothing

32:32

that had anything to do with this. You

32:34

know yourself? She didn't even know her name was Valentine

32:37

until her father got shot at. Yeah. It could

32:39

have been an act. And you're gonna have been twenty feet

32:41

tall. Just trying. Try where that punk

32:43

you got upstairs in the

32:44

hospital. We will, Johnny. We

32:46

will. Just Johnny,

33:02

bad news. Maybe I spoke to you soon.

33:04

Why? Cisto Chiati died

33:07

five minutes ago.

33:12

Expense account, item ten, ten bucks,

33:14

car rental. I went out to the Valentine's

33:16

House once more.

33:21

Hello, missus Hirchenough. Please call

33:23

me. So many

33:26

police and so many reporters. I've

33:28

been trying to close the house. Sure. I

33:32

know how you must feel. I

33:34

mean about

33:34

her. What

33:37

are these Chianti brothers? Well,

33:40

we don't know much about them yet. The New

33:42

York police is still doing a rundown on them.

33:45

Don't let me stop you, whatever you're doing. I'll just

33:47

look around if you don't mind. Alright. Oh,

33:50

one thing. Yes. Did

33:52

mister Valentine make any provision for you?

33:58

A thousand dollars. Whatever

34:01

he was, the man I knew

34:04

was kind and

34:05

good. And his

34:07

sins had been forgiven

34:09

him.

34:14

I spent two hours of better than going from room

34:16

to room. Looking at the oils

34:18

that Dan Ballantyne had painted. Fast

34:21

oil Rhynes, happy scenes,

34:23

gay scenes,

34:25

all of them with colorful Italian backgrounds.

34:29

was thinking about that when I walked into an to

34:31

the Baca's office late that afternoon. I

34:33

don't get it, Johnny.

34:34

Don't get what?

34:35

Yeah. It came from New York on the

34:37

Chandy boards.

34:37

Uh-huh.

34:38

It came this country when they were eighteen and twenty

34:40

one. Both of them were naturalized citizens, live

34:42

with their father in

34:43

records. Other thing, no trouble ever. What

34:45

else? That's about it. New York police

34:47

can't seem to locate their old

34:48

man. This period about a week

34:51

ago, lived on his side.

34:52

What's about him?

34:53

That's another funny thing. He's taken out his

34:55

papers and was due from examination with the immigration

34:57

people this week. They're looking for him to him.

35:04

We went on and had dinner together and talked

35:06

about the case. It had been a strange

35:09

one. The deaths were useless,

35:11

the motives unknown. I

35:14

parted company with inspected tobacco and went back

35:16

to my hotel to trouble that I was

35:17

asleep. About eleven o'clock, I had a phone

35:20

call. Johnny

35:22

Deller. This is

35:23

tobacco. Oh, man. She had it just showed

35:25

up, but I said, hey, Mark. I want to take his two son's

35:27

back to New York, Ontario. Twenty

35:32

minutes later, I was standing in the corner's office

35:34

while inspector tobacco led a small, whizzened old

35:36

man into the room and sat him down at one of the chairs.

35:40

It's Jenny. It's mister Donna. How

35:43

do you

35:43

do, mister Jenny? I

35:46

read about you. You

35:48

killed my boys. Is

35:50

this

35:50

sure? Yes. They'd killed

35:52

four other people. I know.

35:54

I know. But

35:58

Why did they kill the Valentine family, mister

36:00

Chadi? Why did they kill Conrad

36:02

Webster the lawyer? Do

36:04

you know why? She

36:08

I know. Then tell

36:10

me. They're

36:12

all dead now.

36:16

I'm I'm

36:18

still alive with mister Dollar.

36:23

He

36:23

refused to talk about his sons or any

36:25

of their activities. Tabakah

36:27

held him to answer to the immigration

36:29

officials. He remained in his cell,

36:31

silent and noncommittal to all visitors, including

36:33

the

36:34

chaplain. I appeared

36:36

before the coroner's jury the following morning was

36:38

clear of any Rhynes. Pedro

36:40

Chadi still had said nothing. And

36:43

he looked at me as though he was going to

36:45

keep on saying nothing. That's

36:48

a chutty. I see you

36:50

mister daughter. More

36:52

questions. Dan Valentine's

36:55

wife was your daughter, wasn't she? Wasn't

36:58

she?

36:59

Alright. She don't have to admit it. I have a copy of

37:01

the marriage license right here. It came from New York

37:03

this morning.

37:05

She was my daughter. Is

37:08

that all you have to say now? No

37:10

talk. Then I will, mister Chadi.

37:13

Because your daughter, missus Valentine, had

37:16

a daughter herself, Theresa. A

37:18

lovely wonderful girl that your two sons

37:20

killed. I happen know that

37:22

girl. I might have been in love

37:24

with her. I don't know.

37:26

But I do know. She had

37:28

to die too. What?

37:32

This is a Conrad Webster,

37:34

mister Valentine, and my

37:37

own daughter and granddaughter,

37:39

we had to die. All

37:42

bad. You?

37:46

See? I

37:48

order it.

37:50

You ordered

37:51

it. And who

37:53

are you? God, I

37:55

am with a father.

37:58

When a dollar, there is

38:00

a bad man. Only bad

38:03

can come from it.

38:05

The granddaughter was red bad

38:08

he come to our village

38:10

many years ago, take

38:12

her away. He

38:15

and the man webster help him.

38:18

It it lived with me

38:21

and stealing over my own flesh and

38:23

blood. Order this time,

38:25

it grow inside of me.

38:28

I am old, but they keep

38:31

on living only

38:33

so I can come here and find

38:35

him and destroy

38:36

him. And her and

38:38

the daughter and the lawyer man

38:41

who helped

38:41

him and

38:43

I destroyed them through my son.

38:46

A whole

38:47

family. Fantastic.

38:50

Was that it?

38:53

If you like, when

38:56

there, he was

38:58

a bad man who did

39:00

bad

39:00

things.

39:03

Bad man. Okay.

39:09

Nice smoke now. You

39:12

have a cigar. The

39:18

disposition of all Pietro Chowdy is up

39:20

to the immigration harvent. I

39:22

didn't stay around New Orleans to learn the results

39:25

of all the extensive examinations that would have

39:27

to be completed to test his sanity. I'd

39:29

had enough of the town. Expense

39:36

account item eleven, one hundred 4 dollars

39:38

and twenty cents hotel on board. Item

39:40

twelve twenty eight dollars car rental miscellaneous

39:43

that includes flowers to the Valentine family.

39:46

Item thirteen, same as item one, one hundred

39:49

seventy five dollars. Transportation backhaul.

39:51

Expense account totaled twelve hundred ninety

39:54

dollars thirty eight cents. Remarks.

39:58

Whenever I close my eyes, I

40:01

can see a lovely girl standing at the bottom

40:03

of a long curving stairway. Swiling

40:06

me

40:07

because I'm in the room. That's

40:10

all. He

40:12

goes

40:12

to Lee, Johnny Dollar.

40:27

Remember, please. There'll be another exciting

40:29

story for you beginning next Monday night.

40:31

Monday? The local diamond

40:33

matter, in which a trip to Algeria's

40:36

makes come with me to the Casper

40:38

sound like an invitation to a Sunday school

40:40

picnic.

41:08

Yours truly Johnny Deller starring

41:10

Bob Bailey is transcribed in Hollywood.

41:12

Written by John Dawson, it is produced and

41:14

directed by Jack John Stone. Heard

41:17

in this week's cast where Lillian

41:19

Bayer, Betty Lou Gibson, Barney Phillips,

41:21

will write Forest Lewis, Marvin Miller,

41:23

Jane Evelo, and Jack Boyles, Be

41:26

sure to join us on Monday night same

41:28

time in station or another exciting

41:30

story of yours truly Johnny

41:32

Beller. Roy Rolland speaking.

42:31

Welcome back. This story

42:34

was unrelenting from

42:37

the end of episode three

42:39

on. There are so many

42:41

moments that hit like a punch

42:43

in the gut. And Bob Bailey,

42:46

if you wondered why

42:49

I said to the listener

42:52

who was not sure about Bob

42:54

Bailey after the first two cereals,

42:57

that it just needed to stick around

42:59

for the Valentine's banner. Now

43:02

you know, this was such a

43:04

strong performance of really

43:06

good material. I mean, we

43:08

get to hear Johnny Doler really

43:10

push to the brink in this episode.

43:13

And Bailey makes it very believable.

43:16

And I think that he was good

43:18

throughout the entire cereal, but

43:21

he really hit another level

43:23

in that final episode.

43:26

The story is an interesting exploration

43:30

of hate. Even hate

43:32

that. Which you might say

43:34

has some justification or

43:37

at least some basis. The idea

43:40

of a racketeering wirming

43:44

his way into your

43:46

home and taking away your daughter

43:49

to get all caught up in this world of

43:51

crime, I think that there are

43:54

many parents who could relate to

43:56

the anger you would feel of that.

43:59

But when you let that faster when

44:01

it becomes bitter, when it becomes

44:03

the sort of self

44:05

righteous hate with no

44:07

perspective, no mercy, no

44:09

grace, and no consideration

44:13

of the possibility of

44:15

redemption of people growing

44:17

and changing it

44:19

is poisonous. And even

44:21

though this is a nearly

44:25

seventy year old audio drama,

44:27

I think, that idea still

44:30

has some relevance today. Now

44:32

it's worth noting that this is

44:34

a story that actually

44:37

had quite a bit of

44:39

history to it. It

44:42

was actually

44:44

first Glemory had in the

44:46

story was in e Jack Newman's

44:48

Jeff Reagan story, the man in the

44:50

church, from nineteen forty

44:53

and then this got expanded into

44:56

a not beat story, big

44:58

John Mc Masters in nineteen fifty

45:01

one, and then that was adapted

45:03

into the San Antonio matter

45:05

in nineteen fifty three. Now

45:08

I have thought about doing

45:10

sort of twist hold tail specials

45:13

with the Johnny Dollar cereals

45:15

and with some that would be pretty easy.

45:17

You know, you do the Walter

45:20

Patterson matter and then the

45:22

Chesapeake. Broad matter,

45:24

and you've captured it

45:26

entirely. But some of these

45:28

combined elements of three

45:30

or four other stories. So

45:32

that's a little tricky. You know, I think

45:35

that if you did it all as

45:37

long special you'd be looking at, you

45:40

know, two and a half, three hours. So

45:42

they let me know if that's something that you

45:44

would like to hear, and I

45:46

I will give that further consideration. And

45:49

now it's time to thank our Patreon

45:51

supporter of the day. And thank you

45:53

to Doc Patreon supporter

45:56

since February of twenty sixteen,

45:59

currently supporting the program at

46:01

the shameless level of four dollars or

46:03

more per month. Thanks so much for your

46:05

support doc. And that will do

46:07

it for today. If you are enjoying

46:10

this podcast, I encourage you to follow

46:12

it. Using your favorite podcast software.

46:15

If you are enjoying this podcast, please

46:17

rate and review wherever you

46:20

download it. From. We'll be back

46:22

on Tuesday with another episode

46:24

of yours truly Johnny

46:25

Doler. But coming up tomorrow, listen

46:27

for tales of the Texas Rangers wear.

46:30

Show hope for five apartments there. We'll

46:33

know as soon as we get around this bend. Oh,

46:37

hit

46:37

it. Yes. It was right. She should've got a

46:39

good start. The

46:42

farm and can hardly get married. Oh,

46:54

I'm glad you got here and I'm afraid she's pretty

46:56

much on the way. I was trying to go up like Jimisha.

46:59

She filed high with feed, grain, and cotton. Yeah.

47:01

Oh, I sure wish I could get enough in just about

47:03

two minutes, though.

47:04

Two days. I'm trying to get here there. We

47:06

said, I wish Martha or

47:08

Malaysia. And now, you know, I'll have a good screen

47:10

on paperwork. Ironman or having terrible time

47:13

getting close, you can feel I'd eat all the way over

47:15

here.

47:15

Thank the Lord. It didn't happen when someone

47:17

was in there. That's your office. Right? Where

47:19

that win is, isn't it Ed? Yes. Might

47:21

just

47:21

well, mother, no one is it. It was

47:24

it. I saw a face of man.

47:26

Calm down Martha. The way

47:28

screams, jumping around, you just imagined. Yeah.

47:31

There's nothing there now, miss

47:32

Wyndham. Hey, I saw a face

47:33

at that window. But it did seem

47:36

to fall back inside. Officer,

47:37

please. Could anyone have gotten in there tonight,

47:40

Ed?

47:40

Oh, it's not. There is no.

47:42

Look, no. What did you say?

47:43

Yeah. She's right. Yeah. There's someone in there.

47:46

I I know. I I saw him just before he fell

47:48

back. Oh. We're gonna try to get him sure.

47:50

How

47:50

do I get your roast? 4 are you not in your world?

47:52

We can't just stand him, but

47:55

be soaked as you can

47:56

do. Just one thing, man. Praise

47:59

for it. It's too late for anything

48:01

else. I hope you'll be with us then.

48:03

In the meantime, do Rhynes your comments

48:06

to box thirteen at great

48:08

detectives dot net us

48:10

on Twitter at radio detectives and

48:12

check us out on Instagram. Instagram

48:15

dot com slash great detectives from

48:18

Boise, Idaho. This is your host,

48:21

Adam Grahamson and off.