Mike Barnett, Man Against Crime #5

Mike Barnett finds himself forced into an investigation when the ruthless gangster Joe Kilt demands he look into a suspicious tax notice directed at him—supposedly from a federal investigator—that threatens blackmail. As Barnett digs deeper, he uncovers a con artist's scheme and must navigate a deadly crossfire of criminal betrayal to survive. Caught between a criminal empire's paranoia and the truth, this case becomes far more dangerous than Barnett bargained for.

Peter the Prisoner tries to get a laugh from his physician—and makes a crack about his sentence instead of his surgery.

Mike Barnett's fishing vacation takes an unexpected turn when a college co-ed reaches out with warnings of danger at a local sorority—only to reveal it was a prank. But when she returns the next day with a genuine crisis, Barnett learns that dope dealers are using hollowed-out toothpicks to distribute morphine to wealthy girls at Tuxton College, and he agrees to help her set a trap for the supplier. What starts as a setup to catch the handyman Oscar spirals into something far more dangerous when a notorious gangster enters the picture.

When Colonel Corn faces losing his beloved new car to the finance company, his pal Korny Kobb tries to cheer him up with increasingly tall tales about his own supposedly souped-up automobile—complete with fenders already smashed and reversible license plates that flip to "Florida" when it rains. As the jokes pile up faster than the payments Colonel Corn can't make, patience wears thin and the humor turns physical in this quick comic romp from 1952.

Sawyer the Lawyer secures an acquittal for his client, only to discover the defendant himself isn't entirely sure whether the case was won on the merits or simply on the strength of a very persuasive courtroom speech. It's a wry take on the power of courtroom oratory—and how a skilled defense attorney's words might convince everyone involved, including the accused.