Detectives on the Air

The Valentine Matter Ep 2

Originally Aired: November 1, 1955 Johnny Dollar #252, "The Valentine Matter Ep 2," Johnny Dollar continues his investigation into the attempted murder of Dan Valentine, a former bootlegger and convicted tax evader who recently completed a prison sentence and was living quietly in New Orleans. Inspector DeBaca remains suspicious about the timing of the shooting, noting that Valentine met Dollar for drinks just before someone opened fire on him. While Valentine refuses to cooperate or identify his attackers, the insurance company wants Dollar to ensure their policyholder stays alive. A milk truck driver named Willie Blakely comes forward as a witness, describing how Valentine seemed to recognize the two men in the black Buick sedan before they shot him. The peculiar detail that catches everyone's attention is that Valentine appeared to smile sadly at his attackers rather than reach for a weapon, suggesting he knew them well. Dollar's investigation deepens as he reviews Valentine's extensive criminal file dating back to 1915, revealing a complex history involving the Irish Rebellion, the drug business, and prohibition-era crimes. When Dollar attempts to visit Valentine at the hospital, he learns the patient's condition has worsened from blood loss and requires a transfusion. A mysterious gray-haired, well-dressed woman also inquires about Valentine, prompting Dollar to follow her down the corridor.

The Valentine Matter Ep 1

Originally Aired: October 31, 1955 Johnny Dollar #251, "The Valentine Matter Ep 1," Johnny Dollar finds himself with unexpected free time in New Orleans after a case involving a bellhop who stole a diamond necklace and ran off with the hotel manager's wife wraps up quickly. While killing time at a bar on Burgundy Street, Dollar recognizes a solitary, gray-haired man as Dan Valentine, a former prohibition-era gangster who recently finished serving 13 years for income tax evasion. Valentine insists he's gone straight and just wants to live quietly in New Orleans without police harassment. Dollar believes him, and the two spend a pleasant evening together dining at Jimmy Moran's and making the rounds of local clubs. The next morning, Inspector DeBaca of the New Orleans police calls Dollar in, revealing they've been watching Valentine since his arrival three months ago. DeBaca questions whether Dollar had any business dealings with Valentine, but their conversation is interrupted by shocking news: Dan Valentine has been found on a sidewalk with two bullet wounds in his shoulder. When questioned, Valentine claims he was cleaning his gun, but Dollar and DeBaca know he's lying about what really happened.

The Alvin Summers Matter Ep 5

Originally Aired: October 28, 1955 Johnny Dollar #250, "The Alvin Summers Matter Ep 5," Johnny Dollar finally comes face to face with the man he's been hunting. After Gloria Harris leads him to a remote jungle hut where Alvin Summers had been hiding, Johnny is confronted at gunpoint by an unseen voice in the underbrush. The mysterious stranger orders him to return to his hotel room alone within the hour, claiming to have information about Summers. When Johnny returns to his hotel, the man reveals himself to be none other than Alvin Summers himself, the embezzler who made the original anonymous phone call that brought Johnny to Mexico. Summers confesses that his elaborate plan to steal seventy-five thousand dollars and live the good life has turned into a nightmare of constant hiding and paranoia. Unable to endure the pressure any longer, he contacted the bonding company himself, hoping to negotiate some kind of deal. As Summers hands over his gun and the key to a safe deposit box containing sixty thousand dollars, Johnny explains there can be no bargain. Just as Summers begins to explain why he's been so elusive, their tense conversation is interrupted.

The Alvin Summers Matter Ep 4

Originally Aired: October 27, 1955 Johnny Dollar #249, "The Alvin Summers Matter Ep 4," Johnny Dollar confronts Gloria Harris after catching her searching his hotel room. What started as a romantic evening takes a dark turn when Gloria reveals she's been stranded in Santo Tomas, Mexico for four months without a passport. She knows where embezzler Alvin Summers is hiding and offers Johnny a deal: help her get a passport, and she'll lead him to Summers' hideout in the jungle below town. Despite her claims that her earlier romantic overtures were genuine, Johnny remains suspicious of her true motives. As Johnny prepares to meet Gloria and locate Summers, Lieutenant Gomez arrives with troubling news. Someone brutally beat Kraus, and the police lieutenant warns Johnny against taking the law into his own hands, grimly noting that informant Benito Escanzaro already ended up dead. Meanwhile, Johnny's boss Fred Wilkins calls from Hartford, frustrated that their mysterious telephone informant contacted him again. With Gloria leading the way down a narrowing beach path into the jungle, Johnny remains wary that someone might be following them to Summers' hidden location.

The Alvin Summers Matter Ep 3

Originally Aired: October 26, 1955 Johnny Dollar #248, "The Alvin Summers Matter Ep 3," finds freelance insurance investigator Johnny Dollar in deep trouble with the Santo Tomas police. Lieutenant Gomez brings Johnny in for questioning about the murder of Benito the bellboy, whose throat was slashed in Johnny's hotel room. While Johnny has an alibi courtesy of Gloria Harris, he reveals his true purpose in Mexico: tracking down embezzler Alvin Summers, who stole $75,000 from a bonded company. Benito had promised to show Johnny where Summers once lived, but someone silenced him permanently before he could help. As Johnny explains the case to Gomez, new complications emerge. The mysterious muscle-bound Krause, who already roughed Johnny up and told him to leave town, turns out to be a known fugitive. Meanwhile, the supposedly harmless zipper salesman Carson gets arrested for drunken antics at the very hotel where Gloria provided Johnny's alibi. Most intriguing of all, Gomez reveals that Gloria's "vacation" in Santo Tomas has lasted for months, raising serious questions about her real motives for befriending Johnny in this dangerous border town.