My partner, Miles Archer, and I were ready to practice against our secretary Effie and whoever might walk through the door of our San Francisco detective agency. A beautiful woman arrived and said she was in distress over her sister, who ran off with a dangerous overbidder from New York named Floyd Thursby. We sat her down in the East chair and told her to relax. I opened one spade and Miles bid 3, but I wasn't sure if he was looking more at his cards or at her ankles. Should I try for slam?

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 South Sam
   A 10 8 6 5 2
   K J 3
   7
   A Q J

I cuebid and Miles cuebid in return. Meanwhile, our new client took out $200 and flashed them at us. Would we try to find her sister? Thursby is dangerous. I had another decision to make.

 South Sam
   A 10 8 6 5 2
   K J 3
   7
   A Q J

I cuebid again and Miles cuebid again. So I bid the slam. She made an arrangement to meet us at the Southwest corner of Blackwood and Mulberry Street at 11 p.m. where she would lure Thursby, if she could. Miles insisted on handling the case himself. Effie led the king of diamonds.

 South Sam
   A 10 8 6 5 2
   K J 3
   7
   A Q J

I won the ace of diamonds and was happy to see that Miles had only three hearts. I wouldn't have to guess where the queen was, because one heart could be discarded on one of my clubs. How should I play the trumps?

If the king is singleton, I simply play the ace. If it's doubleton on my right, with the jack singleton on my left, I must lead the queen from dummy. It seemed that the odds were two to one to play the ace, catching the king singleton in either hand.

 South Sam
   A 10 8 6 5 2
   K J 3
   7
   A Q J

Excuse me, she said on my right, but I must leave. I told Thursby I would meet him at his hotel.

Not so fast I said. She seemed disinterested in the game, but I led the 10 of clubs anyway. I decided to check where the king of clubs was before making my trump decision. When my queen of clubs won the trick, I realized we had no losers outside of trumps.

It might be safer for Miles to escort you to the hotel, I said. Then I led the 10 of trump from my hand. I was now able to handle any trump break for one loser.

 South Sam
   A 10 8 6 5 2
   K J 3
   —
   A Q J

She won the 10 of spades with the jack and I claimed, announcing I would ruff a diamond return, lead a heart to the ace, take a spade finesse with the queen, and then a club finesse. I could discard a heart from the board and ruff a heart with dummy's last trump. Why, she had the club king, the heart queen, and both trump honors, and all the while was acting like she held nothing. You're good, I said to her, very good.

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THE END of Part 1

 South Sam
   A 10 8 6 5 2
   K J 3
   7
   A Q J

South 1 4 4 6	West pass pass pass all pass	North 3 4 5	East pass pass pass
Opening lead: K

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