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You Can Die Laughing

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The Donald Lam/Bertha Cool stories by Erle Stanley Gardner writing under the pen name of A. A. Fair follow a general formula. Bertha is greedy and refuses Donald expense money while Donald works independently and solves the case, earning the firm large amounts of cash. However, within that formula there is a great deal of variation in the quality of the stories. This is one of the better ones.
Lawton Corning is a large man from the large state of Texas and his swaggering demeanor exudes his attitude about the rest of the world. He comes to the office of Cool & Lam and hires them to find Yvonne Wells. It appears to be a simple case of a husband and wife having a serious fight and the wife leaving for a few days of respite. However, the situation is much more complex than that, there are impersonations, great hidden wealth, a hardened policeman and a volatile Corning who is one moment all smiles and the next all snarls with a cocked fist. Donald moves quickly, adroitly and eventually closes up all the loose ends and solves all aspects of the case.
Although the story is a bit convoluted with several odd twists and turns, it is tightly enough wrapped that it is easy to follow and understand. This is a good story to read late at night as you are getting mentally prepared to go to sleep.

When Bertha Cool first interviewed him, it was a case on mineral rights. When he returned, it was a just a missing person case. The client wanted a cheap case, and that was exactly what Donald intended to give him.

However, the case led to a corpse, and then the corpse showed up alive, complete with a lawsuit to go with it. And after the client tells Lam that he makes him laugh, Lam develops a scheme with really does tell the client that he can die laughing.

You Can Die Laughing, A.A. Fair

The 'Foreword' is dedicated to Percy Lainson, warden of Iowa State Prison at Fort Madison. Lainson gives every opportunity to those who wish to better themselves. The public knows far too little about its prisons and the damage done by incompetent wardens.

Lawton C. Corning visited the Cool & Lam Agency so they can locate Yvonne Wells for him. They can start with Mr. Drury Well, he husband (Chapter 2). Donald Lam questioned Mr. Wells and his neighbors, and learned what Mrs. Raleigh heard the night Mrs. Wells went away (Chapter 3). Lam checks the bus drivers and public records, but found nothing (Chapter 4). Corning does not like the results or the fact that Lam thinks it's a possible homicide (Chapter 5). But Yvonne Wells has returned home after their spat (Chapter 6). Lam visits the first Mrs. Wells in Sacramento, and her cousin Lucille. Lam learns more about the situation (Chapter 7). Next Cool & Lam are sued by Drury Wells (Chapter 8). Chapter9 explains why a witness should be careful about what they say or what they sign.

Lam visits the property that was left in the will, and discovers why a dry hole in the ground could be quite valuable (Chapter 10). Lam visited where the Wells used to live and learns some interesting facts (Chapter 11). Next Lam flew to San Antonio to talk to Bedford's widow. He learns more from this other point of view (Chapter 12). Lam does some social engineering and dumpster diving to get clues (Chapter 13). He finds a model who does a lot of special jobs (Chapter 14). Corning returns and signs an agreement so they can locate Yvonne Wells, again. Now Lam has enough knowledge to contact Sergeant Frank Sellers (Chapter 15). They go to that section of land with the old cabin and deep hole in the desert. Lam calls Corning as per the agreement, but Corning is upset (Chapter 16). Sellers uses his experience to get to the bottom of the crime (Chapter 17). Chapter 18 ties up the loose ends. Lam gave Bertha a present in a jewelry case.

Your geology class would have told you about those black rocks found among dry crumbling granite.