The Adventures of Sam Spade - The Vendetta Caper

Ex-boxer and current millionaire Chandler Gazden, of the Gazden Electrical Appliance Company, walks into Sam Spade's office. He says "Spade, I'm Chandler Gazden". Sam says "Well, I recognize you". Chandler asks "What do guys like you charge?" Sam says "Well, it depends on the job". Chandler says "Investigation". Sam says "Sixty dollars a day and any unusual expenses". Chandler says "Cheap. Well, do you guys have some kind of a code?" Sam says "Code?" Chandler says "You know, like doctors do. You keep things in confidence?" Sam says "Well, most of us do, including me". Chandler says "I don't suppose it would make any big difference if it got out. I'm not afraid of him. I'd just as soon punch him in the mouth as look at him". Sam asks "Who?" Chandler says "Monty Cristoff. He moved into the peninsula, my neighborhood. He bought the Major Dunhill place". Sam says "Oh yeah, I know the estate. It must have cost plenty to buy". Chandler says "Ever since he moved into that ark of a house, he's been throwing parties there like a cross between the last days of Pompei and a Polish wedding. I'm never invited, but he invites hundreds of guests, everybody who is anybody". Sam says "Disgusting, but it seems legal so far". Chandler says "Well, look, I got to tell you some more. A month ago one of my company warehouses burned down. Somebody slipped up and the fire Insurance hadn't renewed. I lost 350,000. Guess who had lunch with my insurance man a week before the fire?" Sam says "Monty Cristoff". Chandler says "You got it. Next, there was a rumor that the Gazden Electrical Company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Of course it isn't, but when the stock prices start dropping, somebody buys them up so fast they disappear overnight. Now, I see all my friends start getting unfriendly as soon as I show up. Everybody stops talking and act as if there's some big secret about me that I don't know. And they've all been to Cristoff's parties. I want to find out why. I don't even know the guy but he's making a big change in my life".