California Charlie's was a used car lot in California. It was owned by California Charlie and also employed a Mechanic. When Marion Crane stole $40,000 in Phoenix, Arizona and made a run for Fairvale, California, she was interrogated by a policeman, who wondered why Marion was sleeping in her car alongside the highway, which could have been the potential for an accident or a robbery. Although the police officer failed to notice the stolen cash, he had been concerned about Marion's furtive behavior. She then went into a town in California and traded in her car and paid $700 of the money stolen from Tom Cassidy to buy a new car with California tags. Marion then proceeded to Fairvale, eventually stopping at the Bates Motel. Her actions were for naught, because as the business deal was taking