On the night of the 15th, a stranger comes into the Cafe Tambourine and sits at the bar. He had his coat collar turned up and a faded blue scarf that helped to shield his face. Rocky did not pay much attention to the man, until a girl came in with a gun looking for him. Chris says "Hey Rocky! That girl's got a gun!" Rocky says "Yeah, I see her, Chris, let's get over there! Hey, mister, watch out!" She fires three shots that miss him, but hit the back mirror. Rocky and Chris grab her and attempt to wrestle the gun away. The girl says "I'll kill him, I'll kill him!" As he gets the gun, Rocky says "Not anymore, you won't!" Chris says "The guy ran out. She didn't hit him". Rocky says "Don't bother with him, Chris, she'll tell us all about him, won't you lady?" She says "No, let go of me!" Rocky says "Let's get her back to my office". Once there, Rocky calls for Captain Sam Sabaya to come over. After a while, she began to settle down, but still had no answers. She says "It'll do you no good to keep asking, Mr. Jordan". Rocky says "Your purse should have some identification". He finds a passport with the name "Cora Goode" on it. Rocky says "Does this belong to you?" She says "I'd hardly be carrying somebody else's passport". Rocky says "All right, Cora, I'll take that". Chris walks in and says "I just found this tie clip in front of the bar where the guy was sitting. The one that flew the coop". Rocky says "Oh thanks. It has the initials "BG". Is this his, Cora?" She says "You're doing all the guessing aren't you?" Rocky says "What was his name? Come on, tell me Cora". She says "You'll find out soon enough, when he turns up dead in a gutter". Chris says "Nice kid ain't she, Rocky?" He says "Skip it, Chris". Cora says "Anyways, why should you care? Why should anyone care?" Rocky says "Because it happens that I don't like shootings in my place. What's more, I don't like people coming in here working out their problems at my expense". Chris says "Captain Sabaya is here". Rocky says "Come in, Sam". He says "I see your Tambourine is having it's usual busy evening".

Johnny gets a call from Pat McCracken at the Universal Adjustment Bureau. Pat says "Johnny, I believe you spent a couple of weekends down in Sarasota, Florida, earlier this month". Johnny says "Pat, you know darn well I did". Pat asks "Did you have a chance to get in some fishing?" Johnny says "You know darn well I didn't. That's why I've been sitting here dreaming about those lunker bass at the Lake Mojave Resort out in Arizona". Pat says "Oh, what's the matter with Lake Mead? It's just a few miles this side of Las Vegas, Nevada. There are a lot of big ones in that water, I understand". Johnny says "Okay, Pat, you got me all excited. Now, what's it all about?" Pat says "I told you. Fishing". Johnny says "And?" Pat says "That's all, except". Johnny says "Except what?" Pat says "A slight case of murder". Johnny says "All right". Pat says "Now, Johnny, your contact will be Mr. Rosco Trimmer. He's head of the local office of Greater Southwest Insurance and Liability right there in Las Vegas". Johnny says "You said murder. Can you give me any details?" Pat says "No, you'll have to get everything from Trimmer. All I know is there's a twenty thousand dollar policy involved and double indemnity. So, the sooner you get out there, the better". Johnny says "Pat, I'll grab the first plane I can". He caught a plane to New York, and then another to Las Vegas. It was 9:45 PM, Pacific Time, when he got to McCarron Airfield. Early the next morning, Johnny met Rosco Trimmer at the office of Greater Southwest Insurance and Liability. Roscoe says "I'm glad you could make it. I don't like this one at all. How are you?" Johnny says "Hi, Roscoe". He says "Sit down, will you? But not for long. Johnny says "Huh?" Roscoe says "I've arranged a rental car for you. And the sooner you can get over to Lake Mead, the better". Johnny says "Well, just where, Rosco? That's a pretty big lake". Roscoe says "At Overton, a little town about sixty miles northeast of here. The client, Thomas Mayfield Thomas, went out fishing with an old friend from Chicago, and didn't come back".

About noon at the office, Mr. Keen says "Going out to lunch, Mike?" He says "Oh, I thought I'd grab myself a sandwich, Mr. Keen". Suddenly, there is a knock at the front door. Mike says "Someone's at the door, boss. I'll see who it is". Mike opens the door to see a distraught young lady standing there. She asks "Are you Mr. Keen?" Mike says "No, I'm his partner Mike Clancy. Here's Mr. Keen". He asks "What can I do for you?" She says "Help me, Mr. Keen, I didn't mean to do it. I don't even remember doing it. Please, you've got to save me". Keen asks "Save you from what?" She says "I've just shot a woman to death!" Keen says "Come inside". Mike says "Oh, she looks like she's a bit out of her mind". Keen asks "Who are you?" She says "My name is Helen Taylor". Keen says "And you just killed someone?" She says "Yes, with this gun". Mike says "I'll take charge of that if you don't mind". Mike inspects the gun and says "Two bullets are missing". Helen says "Yes, Mrs. Ellis was shot twice". Keen says "Mrs. Ellis? Is she the woman you killed?" Helen says "Yes". Keen asks "When did this happen?" Helen says "In her home. Oh, Mr. Keen, I just can't understand it. I've never even seen Mrs. Ellis before in my life. What possessed me to take a gun and go to her home to murder her?" Keen says "I'd like to help you if I can. Now, why not tell me the entire story Miss Taylor". She says "Mrs. Taylor. I'm married, Mr. Keen, and that's another thing that horrifies me. This will ruin my husband's life". Keen says "Mike, get the car. I think we ought to go to the scene of the crime immediately". Mike says "Okay, we'll meet you downstairs in five minutes". Keen says "Now, Mrs. Taylor, tell me exactly what happened from the beginning". Helen says "Oh, Mr. Keen, I only know that I found myself with that gun in my hand in Mrs. Ellis's apartment. She was lying on the floor dead". Keen says "And you don't know who she is?" Helen says "Well, her name is familiar, but that's all. I'm sure I've never seen her before".