Dragnet: The Big Red, Part Two (EP4944)

Summary

The Great Detectives Present Dragnet (Old Time Radio)
Host: Adam Graham
Episode: Dragnet: The Big Red, Part Two (EP4944)
Release Date: April 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Adam Graham guides listeners through a classic Dragnet radio episode originally aired on January 10, 1952: "The Big Red, Part Two." The story centers on Detective Joe Friday and his partner Ed Jacobs as they continue a tense undercover operation to dismantle a $100,000 Los Angeles narcotics ring. This episode highlights the intricate challenges of deep-cover work, the psychological toll on suspects and officers, and culminates in a dramatic takedown at an unlikely venue—a flower show. Graham also provides historical insights and listener feedback related to the cast and themes.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

Setting the Stage (03:05–04:13)

• Narrator: Prepares listeners with the Dragnet hallmark: “The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.”
• Situation Summary: Friday and Jacobs are in the middle of a major drive to break up a heroin distribution ring. Though they've apprehended two small-time gang members, they haven’t found the main operator or the narcotic stash.

Cooperation from an Insider (04:13–06:33)

• Stan Parish’s Turn: Stan, a low-level gang member, is convinced to cooperate, providing details on “Red’s” pickup apartment and the operation’s structure.
• Addiction’s Grip (05:10): “I could use a fix about now.” (Stan Parish) – Demonstrates the immediate toll addiction takes, even in custody.
• Undercover’s Burden: Joe Friday must confront Red with a fake heroin package to further infiltrate the gang, risking exposure and his own safety.

The Confrontation with Red (07:12–12:03)

• Friday’s Ruse: Friday confronts Red in a hotel room, brandishing a gun and demanding recompense for being “sold” powdered sugar instead of heroin.
• Psychological Chess: Red denies duplicity, claiming to be a middleman.
• Turning Up the Pressure: Friday and the Captain orchestrate a phony police shakedown to win Red’s trust. Ed Jacobs: “Joe could go up to the room, pick an argument with Red and make noise. A lot of odd talking.” (11:37)
• Stakes Raised: Friday successfully pulls off the act, setting up a meet with Red’s boss for a big buy.

The Big Deal—and Bust (13:06–27:20)

• Fake Shakedown: At a staged confrontation, Friday and Red subdue “police officers” (actually undercover colleagues), deepening Red’s trust in Friday.
• Deal Arranged: After waiting anxiously, Red arranges a $20,000 narcotics buy with his boss, “Mr. Big,” using a public flower show as the cover location (22:23–25:04).
• Dramatic Setting (23:05): “Maybe we can make it a permanent tie out here. My car’s this way.” (Tom Leslie/"Mr. Big") – The flower show adds unexpected depth and contrast.
• Final Take-down: As the exchange is about to occur, Friday signals the police. Red and Tom Leslie (“Mr. Big”) are arrested. Tom Leslie’s plaintive last request is memorable:

  “Let me call my wife ... I want her to come out here and get my flowers. ... They’re prized gladiolus. It won't hurt anything, will it? Just let me take some with me. Just a few till I get back.” – Tom Leslie, [27:05]

Case Resolution & Epilogue (27:32–29:02)

• Justice Served: Both “Red” and Tom Leslie are tried and convicted, sentenced to five to ten years. Stan Parish and Max Higby, the cooperating low-level associates, receive reduced sentences due to their assistance.

Host Commentary & Analysis (29:42–44:10)

Adam Graham’s Reflections:

• On Friday’s Undercover Methods:

  “Friday’s play is as daring as the most outrageous con scheme. And he did thoroughly con Red. That’s why Red didn’t dig deep into the money—he was sold on Friday being this big time drug operator.” (29:42)

• On Setting and Characters:

  “I love the flower show as the setting for the drug bust. Not something you’d expect, but really does work well. ... This is a sign that, at least in the early 1950s, drug dealers were not always who you’d expect.” (30:22)

• On Addiction Realism:

  “That's also kind of the nature of addiction—to minimize the problem. He wasn't hooked that bad, and he used no more than a cap a day. That's actually a pretty substantial amount for daily consumption.” (31:20)

• Listener Q&A: Adam responds to several listeners on topics from cast member Barton Yarborough’s career and passing, to the realistic handling of partnership and loss on Dragnet, and casting musings about period radio actors.
• On Replacement Partners & Show Dynamics: Graham discusses Jack Webb’s careful approach to restructuring the show after Yarborough’s death, reinforcing the centrality of authenticity and emotional stakes to Dragnet’s storytelling.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Undercover Tension:

  “What if it doesn’t work, Skipper?” – Joe Friday (06:26)

• Staging a Shakedown:

  “Play it up to the hilt. You give Red the least idea the shakedown’s a phony and we’re washed up.” – Captain Kearney (11:53)

• Addict’s Denial:

  “I’m just chippy with it. Not more than a cap a day.” – Stan Parish (05:41)

• Dramatic Arrest:

  “Let me go back and get my flowers. They’re prized gladiolus. It won’t hurt anything, will it? Just let me take some with me. Just a few till I get back.” – Tom Leslie, as his world collapses (27:05)

• Friday’s Grit:

  “I told you, I can’t afford a shakedown. You ought to know that.” – Joe Friday, shouting down Red and the fake cops (15:05)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:05 – Episode’s official story intro & setup
• 04:13 – Stan Parish agrees to cooperate
• 07:12–10:07 – Friday’s tense confrontation with Red
• 11:17 – The plan for a phony shakedown discussed
• 13:11 – Second confrontation with Red, amidst growing suspicion
• 15:27 – Fake shakedown and aftermath
• 17:20 – Red calls Friday: Big buy arranged
• 22:23–25:04 – The narcotic exchange at the flower show
• 27:05 – Tom Leslie’s arrest and flowers plea
• 27:32–29:02 – Verdict and sentencing
• 29:42–44:10 – Adam Graham’s analysis, listener feedback, host reflections

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Tone and Style

• Radio Drama: Dragnet’s signature terse, realistic dialogue and dry narration foster a sense of suspense and procedural authenticity.
• Host Commentary: Adam Graham blends scholarly analysis with accessible, conversational insights, keeping the tone respectful, informative, and occasionally wry—especially when responding to listener comments and discussing the show’s emotional resonance.

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Dragnet is a standout demonstration of the series’ strengths—tight scripting, psychological depth, and hard-boiled realism. The undercover dealings highlight the risk, improvisation, and moral complexity of detective work, while unique touches (the flower show takedown, addict psychology) lend authenticity and poignancy. Adam Graham’s commentary contextualizes both the historical aspect and the impact of cast changes, offering old-time radio fans a richer understanding of what made Dragnet—and this episode in particular—so compelling.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

You know what they say.

[Captain Kearney]

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[Captain Kearney]

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[Joe Friday]

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[Narrator]

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[Joe Friday (main detective)]

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[Tom Leslie]

Foreign.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of tridentet. But first, I do want to encourage you. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. But before I do anything else, I want to do what I wanted to do yesterday and recognize our latest Platinum Patreon supporters. And I want to go ahead and thank Lisa and James, both of whom have been supporting the podcast since April of 2016. Again, thank you so much for your support. Now, from January 10, 1952 here, here is the Big Red Part 2 when

[Grainger Announcer]

you manage procurement for multiple facilities, every order matters. But when it's for a hospital system, they matter even more. Grainger gets it and knows there's no time for managing multiple suppliers and no room for shipping delays. That's why Grainger offers millions of products in fast, dependable delivery so you can keep your facility stocked, safe and running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

[Narrator]

The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a narcotics detail.

[Joe Friday]

You're in the middle of a drive to break up a hundred thousand dollar narcotics ring. You apprehend two of the lesser gang members.

[Narrator]

You still haven't reached the big operation.

[Joe Friday]

You still haven't found their store of heroin. Your job?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Get them.

[Narrator]

Dragnet. The documented drama of actual crime for the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department. You will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

It was Sunday, August 14th. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were working a special detail out of Narcotics Division. My partner's Ed Jacobs. The boss is Captain Kearney. My name's Friday. It was 1:23am when I got to 5th and Series, Southwest corner.

[Joe Friday]

Hi, Joe.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Ed. Captain. You've been waiting long.

[Captain Kearney]

Just got here. All right. Chickens okay.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Where'd you finally book in the Two of them?

[Joe Friday]

77th Division substation watch.

[Captain Kearney]

Parish here is willing to cooperate. Told us everything he knows about the gang.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I'm glad you feel that way, Stan. You won't regret it.

[Captain Kearney]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What's the matter?

[Captain Kearney]

Hope it helps Red and the other guys find out about it. It's gonna be rough. They're not gonna find out from us. We're heading out for East Hollywood, Joe. Apartment house out there. Perry says that's where Red makes his pickups.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Where about the Zach, Stan?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know the address. I know the neighborhood, though.

[Captain Kearney]

I'll recognize the place when I see it.

[Joe Friday]

How you feel now, Stan? Any better?

[Captain Kearney]

Oh, lousy. Sure could use a fix about now. Sorry, Parrish. Can't help you there.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

How are you gonna handle this thing, captain? I mean, picking up Stan and Max Higby? You figure we can keep it quiet?

[Captain Kearney]

Newspapers are gonna cooperate. They're not gonna print a word about it.

[Joe Friday]

I'm gonna handle the court work. Stan and Max are gonna waive their preliminary.

[Narrator]

Ought to give us five to six weeks.

[Joe Friday]

Quiet if we need it. Can't reach the rest of the gang by then, we'll never reach them.

[Captain Kearney]

Sure feel lousy sick.

[Joe Friday]

Never tried to kick the habit before.

[Captain Kearney]

How long does it take?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, it all depends. How bad are you hooked?

[Joe Friday]

Oh, not bad.

[Captain Kearney]

I'm just chippy with it. Not more than a cap a day.

[Joe Friday]

Where we go now, Stan? Keep going straight.

[Captain Kearney]

Yeah, straight ahead. Turnout's not for a while yet.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, how do you figure it from here on in, captain? What do I do about Red?

[Captain Kearney]

Well, you're gonna have to con your way through. I had the crime lab fix up a dummy package for you on the seat there. Has the same wrappings as the one the real stuff came in. Package Stan gave you in the restaurant. You take it back to Red and scream your head off.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah.

[Captain Kearney]

You tell him he got the package from Stan and Max and you paid him the six GS for it? He opened it up and found it full of powdered sugar. Freedom off. Put it on baked. You got a gun?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

No, I haven't. I checked it in my locker when I started on this thing.

[Captain Kearney]

All right. Take mine.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Okay.

[Captain Kearney]

Make it heavy. Pretend you're gonna gun him.

[Joe Friday]

What if it doesn't work, Skipper?

[Captain Kearney]

That's taken care of too. There'll be a couple of men down the street. Joe, if you get your back to a wall, break the window, they'll come running.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Okay, I'll give it a try. You think Red's still at his hotel? Stan? Sure.

[Captain Kearney]

He's probably waiting for me and Max.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Anybody with him, you think? No, I don't think so. All right, Ed, I wonder if you'd call my mother the first chance she gets. She might be a little worried.

[Joe Friday]

Don't have to. She called the office before we left. Oh, I think I convinced her everything was all right.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Oh, thanks a lot, Captain.

[Captain Kearney]

That's it. We'll let you out at the next corner. Head back for the hotel. Right.

[Joe Friday]

Good luck, Joe.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Right, Ed. Thanks.

[Captain Kearney]

How about it, Parrish? Anything else you can give us that might help him?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know.

[Captain Kearney]

It's gonna take a lot of front.

[Joe Friday]

Only one way you can get that.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah, you better get yourself a good fix. I left Captain Kearney, Ed Jacobs and the narcotic suspect, Stan Parish, on the corner of Western and Wilshire and made my way to Red's hotel on West 54th Street. I went up to the second floor and found his door open. I walked in. Red was sitting in an overstuffed chair next to the radio, listening to the police calls coming in.

[Captain Kearney]

What's the matter now, Lindsay? Why the gun?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Don't try any of your conning this time. You too big.

[Captain Kearney]

What's the matter with you? Put the gun down.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

No, not before I get what's coming to me. You and your lousy punks.

[Captain Kearney]

What are you talking about? Where's Stan and Max?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Dead, I hope. That leaves only you to deal with. I should have known better the first time when you had me tamped. I should have gotten out right then.

[Captain Kearney]

What's in your car, guy? Come on, let's have.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Oh, you know what? Now look for yourself. Six G's worth powdered sugar. You didn't think you could beat me for this, did you?

[Captain Kearney]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

There's more in this than me. If you don't square up this thing with us, there's ways of taking care of you. I'm on the lam anyway. Now, one more beef isn't gonna make that much difference.

[Captain Kearney]

Gun down, will you? Now let's talk it out. It doesn't make sense. If you've been beat, then so have I.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Don't try to sell me that line. Get both of them out. I know they're here. Now come on, get them out here.

[Captain Kearney]

Watch that gun, will ya? I don't know what you're getting at, Lindsay. They're not here. Didn't you see them? Max and Stan?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Sure, I saw him. That's why I'm here. I gave him the money. Six yards of it, and that's what I got. Powdered sugar. Now you start explaining, smart guy.

[Captain Kearney]

It's the truth. I don't know where they are. I gave stan and max 20 ounces to take to you. I told Stan to make the meet with you inside the restaurant. Max is supposed to be the lookout.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Oh, yeah, sure.

[Captain Kearney]

So help me. I don't get it. You have never tried anything like this before. Weren't you tipped off at all? Maybe the way they acted. Something they said?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

No, nothing that moot. Stan was a little unhappy. He said he wanted a fix. And you wouldn't give it to him.

[Captain Kearney]

That's right, I wouldn't.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, then you should have known better. It's no time to get stingy with him when he's gonna make a deal for you.

[Captain Kearney]

You know what happened the last time he took a fix before a job. I sent him out to that park to watch you. He ends up by tamping you. I'm leveling with you, Lindsay. I think we've both been taken. I still don't get it, though. I can't understand why they'd run out on me.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Now look, I haven't got the time to draw you pictures, mister. All I know is my dough's gone and you haven't delivered the stuff. Now you get with it.

[Captain Kearney]

Now wait a minute. How do I know for sure?

[Joe Friday]

What?

[Captain Kearney]

How do I know you didn't get the real merchandise? Then you took care of Max and Stan. How do I know you didn't build a frame?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Oh, sure. That's why I'm back here. I got 20 ounces free, and I want another 20. I met those mooches of yours and took care of them all by myself. Now that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? Now get off it, Red. You're not going to poor mouth me out of this. I paid my six GS and I want the merchandise. Full 20 ounces and I want it right now.

[Captain Kearney]

Crazy. I can't do that. You have to give me time. We don't care. Keep this stuff here. It isn't mine in the first place.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What are you handing me?

[Captain Kearney]

It isn't. I'm just a middleman, that's all. You'll have to give me time. Maybe we can work out something for you.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You bet you're gonna work out something for me. You got my six GS. Why'd you try and big shot me in the first place?

[Captain Kearney]

Calm down.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Trying to make me believe you were the big man? You ought to get wise to yourself, Red. Why should I deal with a middleman? I can probably buy the junk cheaper from your boss now. Where's he?

[Captain Kearney]

You couldn't buy it at two GS an ounce. He wouldn't sell it to you. I handle all this stuff. I'm the only one he works through.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What makes you so special? You know you can't even handle a 20 ounce deal. And keep it straight.

[Captain Kearney]

Stay cool. Will you give me 24 hours?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What am I supposed to be doing in the meantime?

[Captain Kearney]

Same thing I'll be doing. Worrying about getting that stuff back.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Why try and cover up your mooches?

[Captain Kearney]

Ran out on you maybe. I want to make sure. I'll get the word out. Yeah. I'll find out what happened

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

before I left Red. We set up a meet for the following night in his hotel room at 7pm Then I left. Went downtown to an all night drugstore and put in calls to Captain Kearney and my partner, Ed Jacobs. I briefed him on what had happened with Red. And the Captain set it up for the three of us to meet early that morning and plan the next move. The meeting point was down off Gallardo street alongside the Santa Fe train yards.

[Joe Friday]

Joe, over here.

[Captain Kearney]

Hi, Ed.

[Joe Friday]

Captain.

[Captain Kearney]

Hi. A little late. Anything happen?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, I did some doubling back. Wanted to make sure I wasn't followed.

[Joe Friday]

Things worked out with Red, huh? No trouble?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, not so far, no. I think he went for my story. He said he's going to do some checking around though. Try to find out what happened to Stan and Max.

[Captain Kearney]

I halfway figured that.

[Joe Friday]

That story you told him. I thought if Red bought that, you'd be in.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

He didn't buy it that far. I guess it made an impression, waving a gun at him. But he still has some doubts.

[Joe Friday]

What else can you do to get yourself in solid?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You decried about it?

[Captain Kearney]

Everything. Joe, I've been kicking around an idea. It might work for you. I don't know. Joe put on a phony shakedown for him. Might give you a chance to show him how tough you're supposed to be. What do you think?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, maybe ought to help out if we stage it right.

[Captain Kearney]

When's your next meet with Red?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

7:00 clock tonight.

[Captain Kearney]

His hotel room 231. That it?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah, that's right. How do you want to work it?

[Captain Kearney]

Oh, I'll get a couple of men from Metro Division. Have them in uniform. We better have him work in a radio car. We're going to have to have a good reason for him breaking in on you.

[Joe Friday]

How about a 4:15, skipper? Joe could go up to the room, pick an argument with Red and make noise. A lot of odd talking.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah, that sounds okay.

[Captain Kearney]

All right. Both of the men in the radio car will be thoroughly briefed. You'll know what to do Friday. You're out to sell yourself. Act as tough as you think you have to.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

All right, I'll give it a try.

[Captain Kearney]

Play it up to the hilt. You give Red the least idea of the shakedowns of phony and we're washed up.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah.

[Captain Kearney]

Phone me at the office as soon as you can. The inside line will be waiting for the call.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Brian, just one more thing.

[Captain Kearney]

Yeah?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

How about that apartment house Stan was gonna show you last night? The place where Red's supposed to pick up the junk?

[Joe Friday]

He pointed the place out all right. It's gonna take some checking.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What do you mean?

[Joe Friday]

Stan said he drove Red to this apartment house about a dozen times. Always had to stay in the car, though. Red went in alone. Didn't know which apartment Red went to.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Can't we check him out, Captain?

[Captain Kearney]

Got some men on it now. Gonna take a little time. Big layout, all right. 47 apartments.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I left Ed and Captain Kearney and caught a streetcar back to. I had some scrambled eggs, toast and coffee in the grill next door. And then I went up to my room and got a couple hours sleep. Late that afternoon I took in the show at a newsreel theater, had a bite to eat and then headed out for Red's hotel on West 54th Street. I got there a few minutes before 7. Red was waiting. Apparently, he'd failed to dig up any information on what had happened to his two operators, Stan and Max. I accused him again of trying to swindle me out of $6,000. I demanded the 20 ounces of heroin. Red had nothing to offer but apologies.

[Captain Kearney]

All right, all right. Relax, will you? Take it easy. I'll work out something.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Take it easy? Nothing you do Enough of that for

[Joe Friday]

the both of us.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You sit there and listen to that radio. Why don't you get out and hustle up those two mooches of yours and get my dough back?

[Captain Kearney]

All right, all right. You don't have to scream. I said I'd work something out.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

All right, then start working. Get it? The dough or the white stuff? I gotta have it by the end of the week.

[Captain Kearney]

What do you want to do, have it all over the hotel? Keep it down, will you?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Why? You take me for six GS and I'm supposed to play it nice? Now, come off it, mister.

[Captain Kearney]

I didn't take you for six GS.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Those two mules did, and you own them. Either you square this up or everybody in the business is going to know about this.

[Captain Kearney]

It's got into you anyway. You've been boozing it up today.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Don't you worry about me. I'll take care of my end. Real big operator, huh, Red? You had all the eights. You handled everything. A real big shot, aren't you?

[Captain Kearney]

All right, forget it.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Red, the big wheel, he handles all kinds of deals. $0.50 to $5.00. After that, they get too big for.

[Captain Kearney]

I said forget it.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Lindsey, when this one gets around, they're gonna laugh you right out of the business. You can go back to selling razor blades and knock that radio off. I'm sick of hearing it.

[Captain Kearney]

You gotta quiet down.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You think you're ready to handle it? Do you?

[Captain Kearney]

I told you I'd try and work out something for you. Now, playing tough's gonna get you nothing. You ought to know that. What's that?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What's it sound like? Yeah, who is it? Police officers.

[Tom Leslie]

Open up.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What is this? What do you got Me.

[Captain Kearney]

Shut up, will you? Take it easy. Can't tag us. What I mean.

[Joe Friday]

All right, open up.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, I'm getting out of here. I'm not going through any shakedowns.

[Captain Kearney]

Get out of your mind. Hold it. I didn't mean to keep you waiting. Come on in, officers. What's all the noise about up here? Nothing. We're just having a friendly argument, that's all. I see your identification. Sure.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You stay put.

[Captain Kearney]

Harry, better shake him down. Yeah, right. All right, back against the wall. Okay, come on.

[Joe Friday]

Hands behind your head.

[Captain Kearney]

Keep him there.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You bet your nausea, fuzz. Come on, grab the other one. All right, good. Both of them.

[Captain Kearney]

You crazy fool. Now what do we do?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

We don't have to worry about the other one. He's out cold. Take the gun off this one here. I'll get his handcuffs.

[Joe Friday]

Good.

[Captain Kearney]

Why'd you have to do it? Why'd you have to start something?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I told you, I can't afford a shakedown. You ought to know that.

[Tom Leslie]

Better give it up, both of you.

[Captain Kearney]

You're not gonna get away with it.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Shut up, will you?

[Tom Leslie]

You won't go far.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Come on, Red, help me drag him over here.

[Captain Kearney]

What are you gonna do?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

A bedpost here. Get his wrists around here. That's it. I don't know. Hold him.

[Captain Kearney]

Lindsey, you're out of your mind. What do we do with him now?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I'll worry about that. How's his partner?

[Captain Kearney]

Nothing doing. He's still out.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

All right now, cop, let's have it. What's the idea of the shakedown? Well, we pick you up again, you'll get the idea. Now, come on, let's have it.

[Captain Kearney]

Why don't you lay off? That's not gonna get us out of this.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

For a big dealer, you got a lot of chicken in you. Now, look, cop, give. Why the shakedown?

[Captain Kearney]

You're wasting your time.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Maybe I can change your mind.

[Captain Kearney]

Lindsey, you're crazy. Put that gun away.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Now, come on, cop, talk. Who gave you the tip?

[Captain Kearney]

Put the gun away, will you? It's only gonna get us in deeper.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I want some answers. These fuzz didn't come along by accident. There had to be a tip off.

[Captain Kearney]

How do you know? You were talking up a storm in here, making a lot of noise. Somebody in the hotel could have complained. Come on, come on, get out of here.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Leave the two of them behind to identify us. That ain't gonna work.

[Joe Friday]

It's gotta.

[Captain Kearney]

What else can we do?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

We can kill him.

[Captain Kearney]

Get out of your mind.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I can kill him right now. They probably wouldn't find him till morning.

[Captain Kearney]

Well, you'll do it alone. Lindsay, I'm getting out.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

We still got business to do.

[Captain Kearney]

I'm not looking for a murder rap. Now, come on, give it up. Let's get.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

As soon as we leave, we're gonna have to start running. I won't be good for more than a day in this town. What do I do about my deal?

[Captain Kearney]

Come on, we can talk about it later.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Come on, we can talk right now. You handed me the stall long enough. I got 24 hours left. I want it settled.

[Captain Kearney]

Okay, okay. I'll talk to the big man. I promise you.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I want to have a meet with him. I don't know you. Listen, that six grand buy was a drop in the bucket. I want to buy more. If the big guy's ready, so am I.

[Captain Kearney]

You got the money?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I Got it? Cash. Now, how about the meat? How about it?

[Captain Kearney]

Rent. Okay, okay, okay. I'll set it up.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Red got his things together and we took the rear fire escape that led down to a service alley behind the hotel. Before the two of us separated, we agreed that Red would call me at my hotel at 10 o' clock the following morning. I wasn't altogether sure, but it seemed as though the act I'd put on at the phony shakedown had impressed Red quite a bit. Before I went back to my hotel, I called ed Jacobs and Captain Kearney and briefed them on the developments. At 10 o' clock the next morning, I was waiting by the phone in my hotel room. At 10:15, Red called.

[Joe Friday]

I talked to the Big man this morning. I told him what you wanted.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah? What's the answer going to be?

[Joe Friday]

A fast deal. Cash and carry.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, I'm ready. Is he?

[Joe Friday]

I think so. Took a lot of talking.

[Captain Kearney]

All right.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What about the meat?

[Joe Friday]

Pick you up at your hotel. I'll take you to it.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

When?

[Joe Friday]

Eight o' clock tonight.

[Narrator]

You are listening to Dragnet Authentic stories of your police force in action.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Tuesday, August 16, 10:33am as soon as I got word from Red about the meet he'd set up for me with the Big Man, I called Captain Kearney on the inside line and briefed him on the way things stood. He said he'd have three teams of men ready to tail me and cover the meat. They'd work alternately in three way radio cars in order to reduce the risk of discovery to the minimum. He also told me the check of tenants was continuing at the East Hollywood apartment house where Red apparently was picking up his supply of heroin for distribution. So far, the detail of men assigned to the job had failed to uncover any definite leads. At 8 minutes past 8 o' clock that night, Red picked me up at my hotel and together we drove out along Alhambra Avenue. We parked alongside the edge of a private golf course just north of the Ocean Highway.

[Captain Kearney]

Smoke?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Okay, thanks.

[Captain Kearney]

Got a match?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah. Thanks.

[Captain Kearney]

Well, what about it?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

We've been here 15 minutes already.

[Captain Kearney]

A lot of time. Deals like this, the boss doesn't like to hurry things.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah, well, maybe he ought to get with it.

[Captain Kearney]

Relax, will you?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

So we waited. 9:30. 10:00'.

[Joe Friday]

Clock.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

10:30, 11. Still no sign of the big man. 11:30, 11:45. No sign.

[Captain Kearney]

What time you got, Lindsey?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

10 minutes to midnight. Have you got any ideas?

[Captain Kearney]

Yeah, I guess I can tell you now.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, you make this one real good, will you? It's been a long Wait.

[Captain Kearney]

Boss wants to make sure about you, that's all. He's checking his contacts. Where? You said you operate up around Fresno. Isn't that right?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

All right, so he's checking on me. What's he want? A blood sample.

[Captain Kearney]

He's careful. He wants to make sure if it didn't show. This is what he told me to tell you.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah.

[Captain Kearney]

If you're cleared all around with his contacts, the meet's set for tomorrow afternoon.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Where?

[Captain Kearney]

I'll get to it. The deal's this. You said you wanted a big buy. The boss has got it.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

How much?

[Captain Kearney]

2 kilos. Same good stuff you sampled. High grade Mexican. You can get it at 10 grand a kilo.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, that's not bad if it's good quality. What's the breakdown?

[Captain Kearney]

It's 40% good. You're getting a fat discount, you know that?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, that depends. Two kilos, ten G's apiece. 20,000 bucks.

[Captain Kearney]

You got it. Cash and carry.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

That's a lot of scratch to get together in a hurry.

[Captain Kearney]

You got a whole day. No dough, no junk.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

All right, I'll get it. Where's the meat?

[Captain Kearney]

Up by South Pasadena. They're holding a big flower show in the neighborhood. You'll meet him there. Contact me for the time.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

When will it be? When do I meet him?

[Captain Kearney]

When you got the 20,000.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

11:15pm Red drove me back downtown and dropped me off at 4th and Main. Before we separated, he told me he'd call me early the following afternoon regarding the time of the meet with the big man. Providing I had the $20,000 for the narcotics buy. 1am after stopping off at a cafeteria and then a coffee counter to make sure I wasn't being tailed, I got to a public telephone, put in a call to captain Kearney.

[Joe Friday]

South Pasadena flower show. Sometime tomorrow afternoon. That right?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah, that's it, Kim.

[Joe Friday]

All right. We'll cover it all the way.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, how about the money? What do you think?

[Joe Friday]

You got a little with you, haven't you?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

A little? Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Okay. Fake it the best way you know how. We'll be around as soon as you make sure the guy has the junk with him. Pass the signal, we'll move in.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Right.

[Joe Friday]

Something else. You get any lead at all on the big man tonight?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

No, nothing. How about you?

[Joe Friday]

Good Piece of luck. I think we got him spotted.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Before he hung up, captain Kearney told me that the careful screening of tenants in the East Hollywood apartment house. Pointed out to them by Stan, had netted a couple of prime suspects. They were an elderly couple, a Mr. And Mrs. Thomas Leslie. Besides the fact that he had a narcotics record in the east, Mr. Leslie operated a secondhand bookstore on Beverly Boulevard, which apparently was being visited often by known narcotics peddlers. Early the following afternoon, Red called me at my hotel room and I told him I had the $20,000 for the buy. He picked me up at 1:45pm I flashed a stack of money containing mostly $1 bills and he seemed satisfied. He drove me out to the site of the flower show in South Pasadena. A large glass domed conservatory just off the Arroyo Seco freeway.

[Captain Kearney]

Let's head back this way, huh?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah,

[Joe Friday]

Sure.

[Captain Kearney]

Nice flowers, huh? It's beautiful.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

How many times we gonna have to cover this route? I've seen everything twice already.

[Captain Kearney]

Won't be long. Couple of minutes. Over this way.

[Narrator]

Come on.

[Captain Kearney]

They sure pretty.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Look, I don't get any of this. If we got business, why can't it be in private? This your big man's idea of a joke?

[Captain Kearney]

It's protection, Lindsay. He's gotta be careful. I guess he figures this is the last place they'd look for.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

We'll make another round to this place. We'll stand out like a sore thumb.

[Captain Kearney]

I'll relax. You'll make. Goodbye. Coming up right now. Right. Come on, follow me. Tom, what do you say?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Oh.

[Tom Leslie]

Oh, you're in. What do you think of my gladiola Hentley? Those up there, when you say they're beauties.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah.

[Captain Kearney]

Yeah, they're real great, Tom.

[Tom Leslie]

Took me three and a half years to get blooms like that. South African species. You know, the Chelsea type. Raised them right in the little greenhouse back of our place. You see the scarlets and the whites? Those are mine.

[Captain Kearney]

Yeah. Tom, I'd like to have you meet that friend of mine. Lindsay, this is Tom. Hi.

[Tom Leslie]

How do you do? What do you think of my entries? Raised every one of them from seeds, Lindsay. They take a lot of care.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah, they're all right.

[Tom Leslie]

Plenty of care. Especially those. The South African type. They take a good stiff, sandy loam quality fertilizer. Just the right kind of heat and water. Takes a lot of work. Proud of em?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah. Look, I haven't got too much time to spend. Maybe we better talk outside, huh?

[Tom Leslie]

Yes, it takes quite a lot of work. Beautiful blooms. You have all the money with you?

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

All of it. You got two kilos?

[Tom Leslie]

That's correct. You can go out the sideway. Hey, Red, you follow behind. Keep an eye open.

[Captain Kearney]

Right, Doctor, this way.

[Tom Leslie]

Sorry for the delay. It's necessary sometimes.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah.

[Tom Leslie]

You came out in red. You double checked. You weren't followed.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I double checked. I've been doing business longer in red.

[Tom Leslie]

Maybe we can make it a permanent tie out here. My car's this way.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You always make deals in the open, public places? Not always.

[Tom Leslie]

It has its advantages.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You sure this is the H I sample? Now, I don't want another phony buy.

[Tom Leslie]

It's no phony. You can be sure of that.

[Captain Kearney]

Here's a car.

[Tom Leslie]

Well, the money.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Well, you show me the stuff. Red knows I got the money.

[Tom Leslie]

Red? Yeah, Tom, the money. You saw it before you brought him here?

[Captain Kearney]

Yeah, he showed it to me.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Right here in my pocket. Have a look if you want. Now, come on. I can't afford to camp on this thing.

[Joe Friday]

All right.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Keep a lookout, Brad.

[Tom Leslie]

All right, then in the car. Lindsay. There, under the dashboard.

[Joe Friday]

Here.

[Tom Leslie]

I always find that's the best place.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

You have a car?

[Captain Kearney]

Of course.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I'll go back with Red.

[Tom Leslie]

All right.

[Joe Friday]

There you are.

[Tom Leslie]

Two kilos. Now, the money.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

What about breaking the package? How do I know it's not more powdered sugar?

[Tom Leslie]

Of course it's not. Wait a minute. What is this? Those men coming up to the car.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Take it easy, mister.

[Tom Leslie]

I'm getting out of here.

[Captain Kearney]

Let go.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

I'm here.

[Joe Friday]

Let go. No. All right, Joe, we got him.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Hold him, Ed. I'll shake him down.

[Joe Friday]

We got the other one, Red. No trouble.

[Tom Leslie]

Good.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Okay, he's clean. Red.

[Tom Leslie]

That's stupid, Red. I should have known. I should have known, Joe.

[Captain Kearney]

Good work. Stuff all day.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Yeah, two kilos.

[Joe Friday]

Want us to take him back in our car, skipper?

[Captain Kearney]

All right. We'll take in the other one. Meet you at the parking lot gate. We'll follow you in.

[Tom Leslie]

Right.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

All right, mister, this way.

[Tom Leslie]

Look, let me ask you. Won't take a minute.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Tom Leslie]

Let me call my wife. I want to let her know what's happened. I want her to come out here and get my flowers. I got some valuable plants on that show.

[Joe Friday]

They'll be taken care of. Your wife couldn't make it anyway. She was picked up an hour ago.

[Tom Leslie]

No, couldn't be. What's going to happen? Every dollar I own, all my merchandise. Two kilos. Best quality, all of it.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

We'll take care of that. Come on, let's go.

[Tom Leslie]

Well, I got those beautiful plants. You can do that much for me. Let me go back and get my flowers. They're prized gladiolus. It won't hurt anything, will it? Just let me take some with me. Just a few till I get back.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Why bother? They won't last that long.

[Narrator]

The story you have just heard was

[Joe Friday]

True, the names were changed to protect the innocent.

[Narrator]

On December 4, trial was held in Superior Court Department 84, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that

[Joe Friday]

trial,

[Narrator]

Thomas Leslie and William Red Forester were filed on in the District Attorney's office for violation of the state Health and safety code section 11,500. Both men were tried in Superior Court and found guilty of the charge. The violation carries a penalty of imprisonment in the state penitentiary for not less than 5 nor more than 10 years. Because of their cooperation in the investigation and apprehension of the narcotics gang ringleaders, Stan Parish and Max Higby were given one year sentences in the county jail with five years probation. You have just heard Dragnet a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police W.H. parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Heard tonight were Barney Phillips and Stacy Harris. Script by Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schumann. Hal Gibney speaking.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Next, it's david harding. Encounter spy on NBC.

[Grainger Announcer]

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[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. Okay, a great conclusion to this episode. I really found this fascinating. And even though Friday's a policeman, his play is as daring as the most outrageous con scheme. And he did thoroughly con Red. That's why Red didn't dig deep into the money he was sold on Friday, being this big time drug operator. And of course, the takedown at the apartment. Apartment was just icing on the cake. Although I will say I do feel bad for those guys from Metro division because it sounds like they got worked over because Red checked one of them and confirmed that they weren't conscious. So I hope for Friday's case give them a concussion was within the realm of showing yourself as tough as you needed to. I would be horrible at an assignment like that and I would get really nervous when he suggested killing us. I'd be like, does he need to show himself that tough? But again, I think Friday had a sense of who Red was and how he approached things and his general caution and that the last thing in the world Red was going to want would be for him to kill Two police officers in his hotel room, because if redhead called his bluff, that would have been problematic. And I love the flower show as the setting for the drug bust. Not something you'd expect, but really does work well. And it also adds some depth to the Mr. Big of the story and a sign that, at least in the early 1950s, drug dealers were not always who you'd expect. Now, the earlier dialogue with the suspect that they captured and who was cooperating is somewhat noteworthy. And I looked it up when they were suggesting that he quit, and he asked how long. He was asked, how bad are you hooked? And he said, oh, not bad. I'm just chippy with it. Not more than a cap a day, which is a good piece of writing because drug users often distinguish themselves from occasional users who are called chippy or chippers and junkies. But as the dialogue says, that's also kind of the nature of addiction to minimize the problem. He wasn't hooked that bad, and he used no more than a cap a day. That's actually a pretty substantial amount for daily consumption. And keep in mind that we've established through this episode that this is heroin with purity of more than 40%, which was a fairly high grade of junk for that era. Well, now we turn to listener comments, and we start on Spotify. Some comments regarding the big sorrow. Peter writes. Adam, when you mentioned last week that it was the last episode featuring Barton Yarborough, I assume that he left to prepare, pursue another role on another program. When I learned today that he died of a heart attack, I was genuinely shocked. So much so that I had to listen to the episode twice to make sure that I heard it right. I will miss hearing his voice. Can you recommend other programs that he appeared in that I can listen to? Well, I can talk about what he worked in, but listening can be a bit of a challenge. Barton Yarborough's most famous radio role, among his contemporaries was as Clifford Barber on the soap opera one man's family. He began playing the role in 1932 and carried on to his death. Like many soap operas, there are a lot of missing episodes. More than that's actually around 90% of one man's family is missing. And of course, the nature of soap operas and the fact that you have this big family and only 15 minutes a day is a situation where you will have characters on and off the program. Now there is a fairly substantial storyline where heap takes a major role Starting in January of 1951, with most of that month's episodes in circulation, though no promise that you get to the end of the storyline. Yarboro also I Love a Mystery in which he played the role of Doc Long as one of three intrepid mystery solving adventurers. This actually led to three different spin off movies in which Yarborough appeared on screen. Sadly, the only complete I Love a Mystery serials are from a 1949 revival of the series. However, you can hear Barton Yarborough playing Doc in the sequel series to the original I Love a Mystery. I Love Adventure. He's also in Adventures by Morse again, another Carlton Morse series. He also starred in the short lived and sadly not well circulated western Hawk Larrabee, and he played a supporting role in the Elliot Lewis series Hawk Durango, another Western. In addition to that, Scarborough did a pilot for a series with Jack Webb and elliot Lewis called 34 adventure. As I think about that series and I don't I said said it at the time, I played that as part of our Jack Webb centennial celebration back in 2020. That pilot was really an attempt to kind of rip off the Morse adventure format. I think I might have an Easter break coming up and I might go ahead and play that episode on the Great Adventurers for our encore then. Beyond that though, Yarborough was a very active character actor. He was in a lot of different productions. He was on Escape often. He did quite a few episodes of Screen Director's Playhouse and he would be in everything from sitcoms to anthology shows to Other place and detective programs. So even though this is the last of Ben Romero, we'll run into him in quite a few other guises as our old time radio listening continues. Dr. Whodunit writes, I can't help but feel Jax Webb's speech at the closing was cut short by the music. It would be a tough one to get through. Well, in that case, that all up to that is our editing there. Want to include some of the remarks about the season without also throwing in the Fatima ad, which is particularly important now that the podcast is actually broadcast over the air every now and again. Over on Patreon, Emmett writes, this was an extraordinary episode unlike any other in either radio or television that I remember clearly. Jack Webb was devastated by Yarborough's death. They were professional and personal friends and I'm sure Webb couldn't imagine anyone taking that role on because Yarborough was there from the beginning. The episode winds up to be fairly bland, as if to emphasize the sincerity of the first 10 minutes. Well, I definitely agree that Webb was devastated and there really was no contingency plan and Webb was not someone who was close with a lot of people, but those that he was close with, it was genuine, and I think it definitely was a blow because this is how the series had been built. And what to do next was a big question. I think that the smartest thing they did is really something that a lot of productions would be nervous with. E.B. gave himself time. This period of temporary partners would continue for a very long time, relatively, and essentially for the entire rest of the first season on television, after the two episodes which had been filmed, which gave viewers a bit more visual continuity. But Webb took his time and got a dynamic that, while not the same as what he had before, was right for the show in a direction that would be very successful in terms of the quality. I don't think making it less interesting was a decision as much as it really was a necessity, because you only have so much time in an episode, and if you do take, you know, 10 minutes of the episode to deal with this major event, you just don't have time for the same quality of story and involved investigation. And you've got to tell something that's a bit simpler. But at the end of the day, what really mattered there were the emotional stakes, for one. I mean, just like Joe Friday, most of us were not emotionally invested in the case as much as we were with Ben's death. Brains. Benton writes on Instagram. What a good way to honor Ben Romero in the show and in real life. Jack Webb picked good replacement partners, but Romero is my favorite. Too bad we didn't get to see him in the TV show. Well, we actually did, but very, very briefly. Two episodes had been filmed when he passed away. Suddenly, those episodes are the Human Bomb and the Big Actor. Now, his part in the Big Actor is not all that large, but in the Human Bomb, that is. And I said that when we released the episode on video theater last year. That was a role that really only Ben Romero could fulfill. And it is such a good episode. Of course, two episodes. That's not even 1% of the 1950s TV series series, but thankfully both of those are in circulation. We did them on public domain video theater, and of course, you can find those online. And then Brian writes, yes, this one was different. Jack Webb did things his way, as you say, in closing, and in this case, it gave us a somber, respectful reflection. Then we go over to YouTube, where we have some comments regarding the Big Overtime. Jeffrey raised some good questions about the practicality of some of the measures portrayed in terms of quickly identifying the bells. And I kind of talked about that last week, but appreciate the comment, though I don't have anything additional to add, but really do appreciate it because particularly on YouTube because it helps us grow so much, Saysoft says. Regarding my proposed Martian Manhunter series, I'm thinking that the Martian Manhunter should star Ray Wilson and Bill Bixby. And of course that is a reference to the TV program My Favorite Martian, which aired from 1963 to 1966. Well, I was imagining this production being done during the Golden Age. Radio Bixby didn't work in radio. He was a little too young by the time he got into acting, radio drama was fading, with the lion's shares of roles in Hollywood going to already established actors. Ray Woolston was of the age where he could have had quite a radio career, but he didn't. He was really a stage actor until the late 50s. The only radio role he had we actually played a few years back when we played an episode of the Woolworth Hour that was a tribute to Tony Barrett. It also featured him reprising the role from his Broadway play. So long story short, or long story somewhat shorter, I would say that Ray Walston was a fine actor, but just not what we had in mind for the part. But appreciate the suggestion. Now it's time to thank our Patreon Supporter of the day. And I want to thank Jesse, patreon Supporter since March 2016, currently supporting the podcast at the rookie level of $2 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Jesse, and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragnet, but join us back here tomorrow. For yours truly, Johnny Dollar.

[Joe Friday]

Where have the police found any actual clues to work on? Well, no, that's where you're wrong, sir. Sergeant Drummond? That's right. Danny boy. How are you? Hi, Sergeant. So they dragged you in on this? Yeah, I'm afraid so. You know how it is, Drummond. When the police can't get anywhere, you call in the expert. Oh, and I thought you were a friend of mine, Mr. Pullman. You said that Bill was wrong, Sergeant. Whatcha? When he told me your boys haven't found any clues to who did this job and knocked off Jimson Coy. Knocked him off, huh? Well, now, what's that mean? One of the boys picked up a drunk last night, right? In this neighborhood. Yeah, late this morning when he'd sobered up enough. We sent him home a little while ago. He comes barging back to headquarters. Seems he suddenly remembered something he saw around here last night. Come on, Sergeant. Oh, must have been around 2 or 3am that's when we figured the robbery occurred. And the murder of Jimson Cooley. Yeah. Please get to the point, Drummond. Well, he was holding up that building across the street, minding his own business and his bottle, when all of a sudden he saw a car come round from in back of this building and head north on the trail. Maybe two of them, he wasn't sure. Anyhow, the one he noticed was a little pickup truck, but in his condition, I suppose he didn't get a license number. You need to, Johnny, because he recognized that truck.

[Captain Kearney]

Old?

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir. And he said it was all loaded down with something with an old piece of canvas stretched over it. The stuff that was stolen from me, maybe. You say he recognized that pickup.

[Joe Friday (main detective)]

Whose was it?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, Johnny, it was that old 1930 motto. He used a whole shrimp in. Why? Whose? That's right. That's right. It was that old Jimson Bulli.

[Adam Graham]

I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to Box [e-mail].