Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Radio
Johnny Dollar - The Gina Gambona Matter AFRTS
https://www.solgoodmedia.com - Listen to hundreds of audiobooks, thousands of short stories, and ambient sounds all ad free! Relive the excitement of Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Radio, where each episode revisits the classic tales of Johnny Dollar, the iconic freelance insurance investigator. Discover how Johnny unravels mysteries and battles crimes primarily through sharp wit and keen perception. This series is a treasure trove for enthusiasts of vintage radio dramas and detective mysteries.
- Duration:
- 30m
- Broadcast on:
- 14 Jul 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
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So at four months pregnant, I quit my job and started ritual because I believe that all women deserve to know what they're putting in their bodies and why. I'm so proud of our prenatal vitamin. The ingredients are 100% traceable, it's third-party tested for microbes and heavy metals, and recently received the purity award from the Clean Label Project. You see, we trace like a mother because, let's be honest, no one cares quite like a mother. But don't just take my word for it, trace for yourself with 25% off at virtual.com/podcast. Well, you're listening, and, German, John Lund has... Johnny Darling. Roger Stern, darling. Hold on, Mr. Stern. Got a job for you. It's fine. Our company ensures Mr. Barney Rico. Oh, I know that name. He used to be pretty big in the racket, wasn't he? Yeah. For the past seven years, he's been Mr. 8, number one citizen. Our company ensured his life for 100,000. He was killed yesterday. Oh. He was murdered. C. lieutenant Briggs of the seventh precinct. He'll give you the details. Let's see. Thank you. He was killed yesterday. Oh. He was murdered. C. lieutenant Briggs of the seventh precinct. He'll give you the details. Right. Briggs is an old friend. What can you leave? As long as I pack a bag. Mind if I break in a few seconds to discuss games with you? How many of you, when you were youngsters, ever tried to escape from the world of reality by playing cowboys and Indians or cops and robbers? Today's youngsters have added two more professions to the world of make-believe, spacemen and g-men. And speaking of g-men, do you know where that name came from? Actually, it was used about 20 years ago by gangsters who described members of our federal state bureau of investigation as part of the department of justice and acts as a kind of detective agency whose duty it is to track down those who break our federal laws. The FBI also does counterintelligence work in ferriting out spies and saboteurs. And here's an amazing fact about our FBI men. Despite the extreme dangers of their work, it wasn't until some 20 years ago that they were given the authority to carry guns. With no other weapon than courage, resourcefulness and determination, they had to track down and apprehend dangerous racketeers and spies. Today, however, you will find that the typical FBI agent may be a lawyer, a accountant or specialist in some other profession, but thoroughly trained in scientific police methods and handy with any type of weapon. They spent the gun submitted by special investigator Johnny Daler to home office, intercontinental bonding and indemnity, Hartford, Connecticut. The following is an accounting of expenditure during my investigation of the Geno Gambona matter. Expensive gun item 1, $24.98, train fair and incidentals between Hartford and New York City. I arrived at Grand Central, went directly to the hotel where I registered and called the tenant Arthur Briggs. I caught him on his way to lunch. He agreed to meet me in a small restaurant across from the precinct. Well, good to see you again, Johnny. Well, good to see you. I've been a long time. Investing in a Rico killing, eh? Yeah. Why don't we order and then you can tell me about it. I know what I want. This is going beef, Jay. Good going beef, real lean. Oh, that sounds fine. That's big. I'll be right there. How much is Rico insured for? 100,000. The brother is the beneficiary. Any ideas who killed him? No, not yet. It's always tough when a guy's been in a racket. Even if he's gone straight for awhile. He used to be with a Gambona outfit, wasn't he? Yeah. You know, well, that's fine. Oh, hello, beautiful. Can beef? Yeah, too. Robbie? Yeah, Johnny. Yeah, copy. Beef, too, copy. It's out of soup. Just the car and beef for me. Yeah, I don't want the sound of the soup to sit. All right. You putting on weight. You kidding? No. You're getting a little... I'm going to die. You kidding? Oh, just that. I don't mind. Yeah, that's going to make all the difference in the world. I still love it. All of it, exactly. See? Ha, ha, ha, ha. Excuse me. Yeah, sure is. Yeah, getting back to Rico. I understand. I'm sure you know it. Anytime a guy like Rico gets killed, it's tough to come up with the answer. It could be any one of a dozen guys he was in the racket with. You remember it at all? Yeah, he was the one who testified against Gambona. That's right. His testimony sent Gambona back to Sicily. Could have been anyone at Gambona's mob. It's just been waiting for the chance. I don't know whether you remember or not, but at the trial, Gambona made it plenty clear that he'd get Rico sooner or later. What's happened to Gambona? He's still in Sicily. Rico did pretty well for himself after he went straight. Yeah, he did fine. He opened a string of barber shops, built himself a nice home. The brother's name is Dave. Yeah, he manages the shop. What did he have to say? Well, he scared stiff. He didn't have anything to do with him. Gambona's in Sicily, but he was in the outfit and pulled out of his brother there. He's in a panic. He hasn't got any idea who killed Barney? Well, if he does, he is insane, and I can't say I blame him. Well, after lunch, I think I'll have a talk with Dave. I think probably it's a main shopper at home. Hey, y'all. Well, thanks. Beautiful. Really enough for you? Looks great. Well, I'm glad something around here helped me out too much. Sad, honest. Expensive Con Item 2, $3.55, lunch for the Senate Briggs and myself, after which Briggs gave me Dave Rico's home and business address when I left. Expensive Con Item 3, $1.45. There's a sense cab there that Dave Rico's home, where I talked with his wife. She informed me that her husband hadn't returned from work yet, and suggested I go to the main barbershop of the Rico chain. Expensive Con Item 4, $1.65. More cab there from the Rico house to the barbershop on East 118th Street. It was after 6 when I arrived, and the shop was closed. The interior was dark, except for a light coming from a back room. I knocked on the door and waited. I was about to leave when I saw the figure of a man stagger into the darkened shop from the lighted back room. He stood for a moment, framed in the doorway, one hand clutching his stomach. I banged on the door again and watched as the man pushed himself away from the door jam and started across the shop. Halfway to the front door, he slumped to the floor and lay still. I stepped back, kicked the glass out of the door, locked, reached in and opened the door. By the time I got to the land side, he was dying in a hurry. Yeah, sure, who did it? No. He died looking up at the ceiling and holding his stomach around nice and cut him almost in two. It was Dave Rito, and he named Gambona as his killer. I called the tenant Briggs. Gambona. That's what he said. I asked him who did it, and he said Gambona. Well, that's crazy. Why? You know Gambona is obsessed with it. You're sure? Sure, I'm sure. Sorry, it's over there. Keep a close check. Maybe he meant Gambona's mob. None of them stood around. Oh, wouldn't he know them? Yeah, he'd know them. But he said Gambona. Well, I don't get a cable off the authorities. In the meantime, what if Gambona is in town? He is. He's going to have a hard time getting back out. But a lot of people are dying. I'm sorry. Check it right away. See you, Johnny. The coroner's deputy arrived, followed by the lab boys. And I went back down to the precinct. Riggs made his report to the chief, and a cable was sent to the proper authorities in Sicily. For the next few hours, we went through the mugs and picked out all of Gambona's former associates who were still in town. One of them was a girl. Virginia Barrett. He used to be a steady thing with Gambona, wasn't he? Yeah. He's been a good girl. Oh, got a job? He stayed out in trouble. Well, we're checking. He sings. Not very good, but the joints he sings in to respect anything great. Where is it? It's over on 34th Street. I've been in it a couple of times. What's the name of the plate? Something in here. Pirates? Yeah. You're going to be busy so long? Yeah, you want to say hello, Jimmy? Yeah, I thought I might. Well, let me know how you make out. Sure. If I run into Gambona, I'll give me a regard. Yes, sir. Do that. Excellency count out of five. A dollar and 75 cents are still another cab from the precinct to East 34th Street and the Pirates Inn. It was a small place set down below the level of the sidewalk and filled with enough smoke to keep the walls from falling in. I found a table near the back of the room and gave my order to a swollen eye at waiter that looked like he'd been mixing salad on his apron. When I told him I'd like to talk to Virginia Barrett, he gave me a long look and then wandered off to the smoke. About five minutes later, Virginia Barrett appeared. Do you want a bikini? Yeah. Want you to sit down? Ask me a tell me what you want to see me about. It's a personal matter. I'll preface it with a drink. You're a cop? No. I'm cranky, but I need you more, including it. Heard from Geno Gambona, lady. Who are you? Johnny Dobbler? Should I know you? No. Well, do you have the drink? Right. Now, what's all this about? Do you see him lately? Have you seen him lately? You couldn't? I'll say it another way. Have you seen him lately? Look. You know that sense of Sicily, a long time ago. I haven't been out in New York since the day I was born. Okay. But have you seen him lately? What's missing? I just told you. I haven't seen the nothing today wave goodbye from tier 47. I don't think I want to talk to you anymore. You read about Barney Rico getting killed the other day? Dave Rico was killed to see that. That's too bad. Before Dave died, he named Gambona. You knew the Rico boys, isn't it? A long time ago. Now you'll have to see me again. Excuse me, I'll go on in a minute. I'll wait. Okay, but don't hold your breath. She walked away looking worried and disappeared to a door on the opposite side of the room. I took a beast and got up and crossed the room to the door and had it. On the other side, I found a small, dimly-met hall. And a rather large, muscle-bound man walked towards me. You're looking for something? Yeah. I think you got the wrong view. I'm looking for Miss Barrett. Look in the other room. I have. Try again. Where did Virginia Barrett go? Probably in her dressing room, but that doesn't make any difference to you. Oh, you're wrong. Uh-uh. Now turn around and walk back in that room when you got the strength left. Get out of my way. Like that, huh? Exactly. Okay. Friends, if anyone offers you a job as a bouncer, forget it. I left him lying in a corner and went down the hall, looking on the other side of doors for Virginia Barrett. But Virginia Barrett was somewhere else. I ran out into the alley behind the club just in time to see her climb into a cab on the other side of the street and pull away. Expect the count item six, $1.25 for another cab. We followed Virginia to a large apartment house on the west side of town. We parked a half block away. I watched it go in and I followed. I went up the front steps of the building and looked at the mailboxes. Virginia Barrett's apartment was 203, but the front door had a night latch on it. I picked a name on a box on Miss Adelaide Jones in buzzed. Yes? Thomas Jones? Yes, Linda. A flower. A flower? A flower. From the Ashley floors. A flower? The gentleman wanted them delivered immediately. Oh, Raymond? Oh, wait a minute. Well, I was in. I found apartment 203 and started to knock. But sometimes when you get impatient, you get careless. I'd tailed Virginia Barrett, but I'd forgotten about the big boy and left sleeping it off in the back hall of the pirate's den. Obviously, he knew where Virginia could be found. And obviously, when he came to, he'd hurry right over. Because when I raised my hand to knock, the big boy barged up the stairs and pointed his gun right at my dinner. All of it? Oh, I sure. You're a busy little feller, actually. I have to be here. I lose the game. Yeah? It's a treasure hunt. I have to bring back a pound of three-day-old rhubarb. The lapels are three opera tapes and a dozen assorted heads. I'd like to contribute. Well, every little bit helps. I can guarantee some broken bones. Now, about Geno Gambona. You never can sell. Go ahead and knock. Hey, is it? Michael. Well, good evening. What's he doing here? Go on, get in there. Found him in the hall. Anything trouble, oh, it's a club. You said he's not a cop. Who is he? That guy was telling you about. Michael's with him. Well? Well, what? That's about all I can come up with. Your name's Daller? Yeah. Are you a know me? Yeah. Your name is Geno Gambona. Did you ever stop to realize that four Americans were born in the world? Well, I'm not a cop. Well, I'm not a cop. Well, I'm not a cop. Well, I'm not a cop. Well, I'm not a cop. Did you ever stop to realize that four American coins chose the importance of elections? The first one is the Washington Quarter. It was George Washington who reminded us that on the unity of our government depends our independence, our peace at home and abroad, our safety, prosperity, and our freedom. The second coin is the Jefferson nickel. It was Thomas Jefferson who said no government can continue good but under the control of the people. The third coin is a penny bearing the likeness of Abraham Lincoln who said among free men, there can be no successful appeal from the ballots to the bullet. And finally, the Roosevelt dime reminds us of something Franklin D. Roosevelt once said. Every man and every woman in this nation, regardless of party, who have the right to register and to vote and the opportunity to register and to vote, have also the sacred obligations to register. These four Americans, by recognizing the importance of elections, added another page to your political history. And now with our stars, John Lund, we bring you the second act of your truly Johnny Dollars. Geno Gambona stood in the middle of the room looking at me with a nasty smile as though he just came up with a particularly funny way to kill me. Geno Gambona, one-time lord of the underworld. By all rights, he should have been in fifth place, but the United States government had spent him for the rest of his life, but there he was. And there I was wishing he wasn't. The big man Virginia Barrett had called Marc, oh, shoved his gun in my spine and prodded me over to an uncomfortable chair. Gambona held a nasty smile and walked slowly over to me. Who are you? Johnny Donner, well, it is. The name will mean nothing. Who are you? I'm a special investigator for an insurance company. We hold a policy on the late Barney Rico. Mm-hmm. His beneficiary with his brother. I don't know who insured him. Looks like your company don't have to pay off to nobody. What's that way, isn't it? Tell me, Johnny Donner. How much insurance you got? Just a small policy. I'm expendable. I'm glad. Dave Rico named you before he died. Oh, really? Oh, were we the guy pounding on the front door of his shop? How did you kill Dave for us? I thought you just wanted Barney. Well, Dave's about to name what we call. But not about you, darling. What am I going to do about you? Well, I could make a few suggestions, but I don't think you go for it. No, no, no, no, no, no. I don't think so. Whatever it is, boys, let me have... You've got to push around at it, right, Michael? I'll make guess for it. Mm-hmm. You know, darling, it ain't like the old days. Michael was one of my boys in the old days. Johnny, so was Dan. You couldn't have pushed him around, Dan. Did you come all the way back here just to kill Barney Rico? No, no, no, no. Of course not. I had some things to get. And I couldn't trust nobody to get it for me. Not even my wedding baby here. Are you, uh, you met between your daughter? Mm-hmm, briefly. No, I, uh, I think she's a, she's a singer now. You hear her sing? Let's stop playing around, you know. Mr. Gambona. Nobody calls me Gino. Oh, that's not like him. The police know you're in the States. Mm-hmm. They sent a cable to Sicily. Well, they ain't going to find out nothing that way. I got it all fixed. By the time they really go looking for me, I'll be back like Kurt. I never left. And who's going to say they saw me here? Monte Rico? De Rico? You? Gino. Mr. Gambona. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, Marco, cool this bum off. Take him for a drive down by the river. Sure. What about the stuff? Well, me and Gini will pick it up and meet you. Now get going. Get up. Well, what's a nice meeting your daughter? Charles, I'm sure. Come on. Move. Marco followed me out of the room and we started down the stairs. Suddenly on the upper landing, the most beautiful distraction I'd ever seen shouted. How are you? And Marco turned his head for just a second. Oh, my goodness. Thanks. Yeah, it does. Yeah, you sure did. Well, I don't know what's going on here. I thought so many got some flowers for me. Someone calls him downstairs and say that some flowers for me. Have you seen anyone with some flowers? No, honey. Well, I'm personally going to buy you a whole acre of orchid. I went back to Virginia Barris's apartment. But Gino and Virginia had left a few steps ahead of me. I looked out of the window and saw a car pull away. And I picked up the phone and called the tenant Briggs. Marco came too on the way to the precinct. And after we arrived, Briggs booked him and took him downstairs to the interrogation room. Why were you supposed to meet Gambona? How was it? What was the stuff he was going to pick up? You tell me, two men have been killed, Marco. And that's what I know of. You were supposed to meet Gambona. Was I? He said so. I must not have heard it. I'm going to put two men on you every two hours. We won't get tired, but you're going to be miserable. I know the rules. Why can we find him? Do you hear me, Marco? I hear him. Why can we find him? I don't know. Why are you supposed to meet him? I'm not. When did you get into town? I don't know. When did he contact you? He said you're a liar. If you say so. How did you know he was staying? As I did. Why were you when Barney Rico was killed? When was he killed? The morning of the third. Was it all? You sure? Yeah. Why were you the morning of the fourth? I don't remember. What's that going to do? That's when Barney was killed. That's the third. I was the fourth. Why were you? At home. You said you didn't know. I was at home. I was at home. Did you hear that? Yeah, thanks. Marco? Yeah. No one who can prove you were home the morning of the fourth. Oh. Well, what are you this evening? When? Oh, I'll leave. I'm about five o'clock on. I just can't say. What do you do there? Look, what is all this? I don't know anything about the Rico killing. Somebody does. We don't get Jambona. I'm going to have someone for these killings. No, it's me. Then get us an Autobot. I told you. Dig anyone's feet. No, no, I told you it was in my place. I told you it was a club. That was this evening. What about the morning of the third? You said the fourth. I said the third. At home. And the fourth. Yeah, yeah. At first you said you didn't know. Wait a minute. They are. What do you want to know? Well, we can pick up Jambona in his cigarette. Where were you supposed to meet him? Okay. Not the Jambona. Not for the 10 grand. I'm pushed. I can't think anymore. What 10 grand? 10 grand. Jambona promised me to help him get in and out of his state. Where is he going to get 10 grand? He's at a stash somewhere. Where? I don't know. The help? Even Virginia didn't know. Is she going with him? Yeah. You know, said he'd come back and get Virginia in the dough. You must have a bundle hidden somewhere. I'm Jambona leaving. I don't know. Don't lie to me. You said you were getting paid to get him in and out of the country. That's right. But I haven't made arrangements to get him out yet. You're going to meet him. Where? Grand Central. Bloody Oyster Bar. 1130. Now can I relax? It's a rush. We got to the Oyster Bar in 10 minutes and Briggs had stakeouts placed around the entire area. At 1130 Virginia Barrett and Dino Gambona failed the show. We waited for another hour. The William James reported the information sex. The William James. We'd like to get back to Markle. Oh, the only reason they'd lie is to give Gambona and the girl enough time to get away. They'll never make it. We've done everything covered. Markle's job is to get them out. If you think they've got a chance to make it, he must have already made the arrangement. Yeah, but what kind? Well, we can forget about planes. They take a pretty big ship to go that far. What about some obscure boat? Yeah. Yeah, that could be it. A big payoff to the Academy. Look, they can figure Gambona got here within the last week. He couldn't afford to be gone too long since Italy. He told me he's got it fixed. There's nobody who missed him, but he couldn't be gone too long. Taking two weeks both ways by boat? Yeah. He must have planned it to arrive here, get the money in his girl, take care of the Ricos and get out fast. Let's check the boats that arrived from Italy in the last two or three days and see if one of them is sailing tonight. Right. We checked the arrivals for the past week and then compared them with current departures. We found one looked like it could be it. An independent steamer, the Atlantic star, had arrived from Sicily the morning of the third, the day before Barney Rico had met his death, and was due to sail from Pier 16 at one o'clock in the morning, bound for the Mediterranean. We piled into a squad car and arrived at Pier 16 at 1250, where we identified ourselves to the gangway watch and were directed to the captain on the bridge to the Atlantic star. Hey, hey, what are you two guys like? Yes. What do you want? Police, you're under arrest. For what? You know, Gambon and Virginia Parrot. Who? Your boat's surrounded. You might as well cover it. Yes, they won't be. But right now, he's probably in the gangway. What are you doing there? That's the way he signed on. Cook. Just pretty good at it, too. We took the captain down on deck and bribed the way one of his men aboard. The captain was taken off quietly and bribed and I moved on to statement V. Here is it. Marco! Are you sure? Get out of here! Take your hands off me! I'll calm down, Jenny. One yell out of you and I'll fix it so you don't get to sing with the prison band. Virginia Parrot went off. This is quietly as the captain. And the boat was cleared except for anyone who still might be in the galley. Brigged weighted outside the galley door and I went in. With my hand on the 38th, my pocket. I spotted Gambona behind a long table stacked with pots and pans. He looked up as I moved in on it. Hey, what time is itself supposed to pull out his after? Hello, Geno. Why you? Sometimes I'm so smart to get this circle. There I was, face to face with Geno Gambona. Ready to take him, single handed. Right where I wanted him. In the next minute, I was buried under a pile of pots and pans. Geno, do his gun, made a dash for the passageway. And I was as far as he got. Jenny? What? What? That's the case. Here, give me your hand. What happened? Somebody goofed. ♪♪ Gambona was dead. Virginia Barrett and Marco, form a Marco Dandoy, got five to ten years for their parts in the crime. The captain of the Atlantic Star got two years, and Lieutenant Drake got a promotion. Your fury returned to Adelaide Jones with the flowers he'd promised us. And all in all, everyone got just what was coming. ♪♪ Expense account item 7, $52.88 hotel bill. Item 8, $24.56. Plain fare and incidentals back to Hartford. Expense account total, $112.07. Your fury, Johnny Dollar. ♪♪ ♪♪ An official message from Medicare. A new law is helping me save more money on prescription drug costs. You may be able to save, too. With Medicare's extra help program, my premium is zero, and my out-of-pocket costs are low. Who should apply? Single people making less than $23,000 a year, or married couples who make less than $31,000 a year. Even if you don't think you qualify, it pays to find out. Go to ssa.gov/extrahelp, paid for by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This summer, saddle up with the only sports book where you can bet on horse racing. FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get a no-sweat first bet up to $500. Just download the app or go to fanduel.com/horses to score your no-sweat bet up to $500. 21+ in present in Colorado. 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