1940 Cool & Lam (A. A. Fair)

Turn on the Heat

Client Dr. Claude Newberry

Case Narrative & Plot Summary

Bertha Cool is hired by a shadowy client who calls himself Smith to locate the long-lost wife of an aspiring city politician. Donald traces her to a small valley town where a corrupt municipal machine tries to run him out of town.

Donald Lam's Legal Gambit

Donald uses municipal utility billing records and tax assessor parcel numbers to uncover an official patronage kickback racket.

Bertha Cool Dictum
"You little runt, if you let us get sued for false arrest I will skin you with a dull potato peeler!"