Antiques dealer Rodney Whitehead informs the sleuth that neither Claudia nor Matthew is credible, not that Rodney is any better. The search turns nasty when the supposed owner of the Capote manuscript is found dead in the sleazy Crescent Hotel not long after Archy visited the place. Police Lieutenant Georgia O'Hara knows Archy is holding out on her, but he refuses to reveal anything that might interfere with completing his client's assignment as the fee is too good.