Underworld Crime #7

When John Stephens' father is murdered by Black Hand terrorists in 1928, the young man vows to bring down the criminal organization that claimed his life—a promise that shapes his entire career as a police officer. Years later, tragedy strikes again when his partner is killed during a pursuit, driving Stephens toward a dangerous decision: infiltrate the Black Hand itself from within. Now a sergeant with a personal vendetta and a plan, Stephens must convince his superiors that a one-man assault on the organization's inner workings is possible—no matter the risk.

A tough guy named Muscle Head finds himself in an awkward spot when he misinterprets an innocent request, leading to a comedic mix-up about what he's supposed to bring to the income tax office. Meanwhile, a housemaid named Clara has her own crisis to explain to Mrs. Vander about a treasured family heirloom. This 1953 humor tale plays out the absurd consequences of misunderstandings and accidents in the criminal underworld.

Ace Dodd is a loyal mob enforcer doing time in the penitentiary after taking the fall for a warehouse job, with his partners Sterling and Dobson promising him fifty grand when he gets out. When his cellmate Killer Marrin starts to crack under the strain of prison life and accepts a cushy hospital orderly position, Ace suspects a setup—and when he learns the authorities may be trying to squeeze information out of Marrin, he contacts the gang bosses with a dangerous proposition. Now smuggled a gun and promised sixty thousand dollars, Ace executes a calculated plan to reach the hospital before his cellmate can talk.

"Poison" Mike McCroy has built a ruthless empire running illegal stills and bootleg liquor through Kentucky's backcountry, staying one step ahead of federal agents despite leaving a trail of violence—but when Rafe Patrick and the Alcohol Tax Unit finally crack his grain-smuggling operation, simultaneous raids close in on every one of McCroy's hidden kitchens. With the walls tightening and his operation collapsing around him, McCroy finds himself cornered and forced to make a desperate choice that will test just how far he's willing to go to survive.