Excerpts from "King Kurowski and the Silver Menace", published in Two-Fisted Crime Tales, by James Corcoran

Addie Dillingham rode shotgun. She wore a tight wool suit and her curves were as dangerous as the rain-slicked New Hampshire byway. In the back seat was my trigger man, Ace Bronsky, a little man with a big disregard for things like law, order, and self-preservation. Me, I just concentrated on driving - we had an appointment to keep with Marcus Aurelius McGill…

I held my piece steady. "I want the straight story, McGill, or I'll be introducing you to Mr. Colt here," I said. McGill laughed and smoothed his weird metallic suit effeminately. "Put the gun down, Kurowski," he said, pressing a button on his desk. We heard the mind control ray thrum behind the painting, just like last time - but the look of crestfallen astonishment on his face was priceless. My aim didn't waver. "Expecting something?" Addie cooed, casually polishing her nails with an emery board.

"The - the ray …" he stammered, looking frightened for the first time, eyes darting left and right. "Useless on us," I said, "our brains are shielded. Now start talking. Where's the money?" McGill seemed to crumble, and soon he had spilled it all - the numbered swiss accounts, the connections to the Reich, everything. Addie took notes. I shut off his ray and cuffed the louse. Suddenly, Bronsky burst into the study. "We've got company," he said quietly in his strange accent, and checked his pistols. Addie and I looked out the window. "Now I know why they're called silvershirts," she said…

My trusty .45 barked once, and a Nazi fell dead at my feet. The slide stayed back - out of ammo! Upstairs, Bronsky was peppering the yard with deadly accurate pistol fire. I was about to join him and cadge some bullets, but a scream - Addie's scream - turned my blood to ice. I ran for the side door, and exploded, blinking, into the harsh sunlight. McGill was struggling in the arms of a silvershirt, and another menaced Addie with a crowbar. Like a man possessed, I hurled my self onto the back of the bastard who dared to threaten my girl. Things went a little hazy. It was a hell of a fight…