A Tom CollinsTo Go

The story set in 1947 Brooklyn, NY features Harry Parker, a jaded world-weary ex-cop now working as a PI. He awakes to find himself on a kidnapping case for a rich young woman, JE Collins. Her stockbroker father has been taken and she has received a severed finger in return. JE’s snobby lawyer is unhappy with her choice of Harry. Even Harry is plagued by the question of why she has selected him since he‘s not the typical rich person’s detective.
Aided by Doc an uptight, honest old police crony and Cudge, a longtime friend with a penchant for spouting odd facts and underworld connections they set to work, though even Cudge can’t find out why Harry was hired.
Their investigation leads to the gruesome end of a bartender and blonde barfly. The deaths bring the cops in. The cops assigned are two old nemeses of Harry’s.
Further complications arise when Harry’s ex-wife is arrested for murder. She turns to Harry for help and he now has two cases on his hands. As things heat up Cudge is shot and wounded, his instincts tell him that the shooter was a cop,
Following leads Doc and Harry wind up in a local bar where a guy seemingly sent by Cudge offers to help. Through him Harry learns that the lawyer has been involved with insider trading and possibly the kidnapped father. Harry also learns that the bartender and barfly had been working as police informants and that the kidnapping case may now involve the DA and the Feds.
Undaunted Harry digs and finds out that the victim had been making monthly blackmail payments. Putting all his work together Harry gets the cops and his new informant to meet at JE’s home. The informant turns out to be a news reporter working with the precinct Captain to root out corruption. Now Harry lays out the solution. His ex-cop enemy recommended Harry to JE, he had the bartender and barfly done in and Harrys ex-wife’s husband killed to distract Harry’s investigation.