Cut Thin to Win

by Erle Stanley Gardner

**Cool & Lam Mystery #26** (1965) Neither Clayton Dawson nor his tale of wild-child daughter Phyllis and a hypothetical hit-and-run while driving drunk quite rings true. And Dawson makes no secret of the fact that full disclosure on his part could put Cool and Lam in a legal bind. In the course of his visit, however, Dawson has piqued Donald Lam's professional pride to the point where there's no question of declining the case. Except, sometimes, even the brainiest of investigators can underestimate the duplicity of his clients. Not to mention their associates. Suddenly, Lam's PI license and his freedom are both on the line.