Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

As Juliet Forrest, daughter of esteemed scientist and cheesemaker John Forrest, pleads with private investigator Rigby Reardon to unravel the mystery surrounding her father's demise, a complex web of intrigue begins to unfold. Upon examining Dr. Forrest's laboratory, Rigby discovers two cryptic lists - "Friends of Carlotta" (FOC) and "Enemies of Carlotta" (EOC) - along with an autographed photo of sultry songstress Kitty Collins, whose name appears on one of the lists. The sudden appearance of a gunman, who shoots Rigby in the arm and absconds with the lists, sets the tone for a thrilling investigation.

As Rigby limps his way to Juliet's residence, she tenders her medical expertise, extracting the bullet from his arm. Their conversation also reveals a note left by Dr. Forrest for her brother-in-law, Sam Hastings, which hints at a peculiar gift - a dollar bill with FOC names scribbled upon it, including Kitty and her beau, Swede Anderson. This revelation sparks a chain reaction of events as Rigby tracks down Sam, only to find the dollar bill adorned with FOC names, further entwining him in the enigmatic case.

Rigby's pursuit of answers leads him to Kitty, who, upon being asked if she is one of Carlotta's friends, hastily departs. Undeterred, he trails her to a local eatery, where she thoughtlessly dispatches her brooch into her soup. Rigby seizes the opportunity to retrieve the brooch, which contains an EOC list with all names crossed out except for Swede Anderson's. His subsequent visit to Swede yields a fatal outcome, and Rigby finds himself shot in the same arm once more, necessitating Juliet's expert intervention.

As Rigby's arm heals, he reaches out to his mentor, the illustrious Philip Marlowe, seeking guidance in this labyrinthine case. Juliet hands over a key from Dr. Forrest's desk and a key to train station locker 1936, which Marlowe uses to uncover potential connections between the EOC list and unsolved murders.

Rigby's investigation takes him to the train station locker, where he discovers F.X. Huberman, whose name appeared on one of the lists, hosting a festive gathering. As they engage in flirtatious banter, Rigby becomes increasingly disoriented, only to realize that his drink has been spiked and the locker key pilfered by Huberman. Juliet's subsequent intervention brings news of Sam Hastings' untimely demise - a fatal fall from a window while reaching for a bottle of whiskey.

Meanwhile, Marlowe shares valuable insights about Walter Neff, the enigmatic owner of the Immer Essen cruise ship, which had been mentioned in an article from The New York Times. This revelation sparks further inquiry into Neff's dubious dealings, including his penchant for scouring supermarkets for blondes. As Rigby's quest for truth continues to unfold, the stakes become increasingly higher, and the lines between reality and deception begin to blur.

As Rigby donned a blonde wig to blend in with Neff, he cunningly drugged him and obtained a passenger manifest for the Immer Essen, identical to an Enemy of the Crown list, which revealed articles about the imprisoned captain, Cody Jarrett, who was notorious for his refusal to communicate with anyone but his mother. Rigby's next move was to disguise himself as Jarrett's mother, attempting to gain the captain's trust by explaining the dangers posed by the FOC. However, when this tactic failed, he resorted to impersonating a prisoner, only to be met with Jarrett's swift and deadly response - a bullet that sent Rigby crashing to the ground.

As Juliet slipped away from the scene, nursing her wounds, Marlowe brought news that Carlotta was actually an island off Peru. Meanwhile, Rigby's encounter with Kitty at a local cafe led him to learn more about the island's locals, including her new beau, Rice, who was warned by Carlos, a no-nonsense policeman, to be wary of the island's shady characters.

The next day, one of these locals approached Rigby with an offer he couldn't refuse - leave the island and take his troubles elsewhere. But Rigby was determined to uncover the truth, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way. His determination led him to Kitty's room, where she revealed that Rice was actually a Nazi agent, and that she had been working secretly with Marlowe to bring down the enemy.

As Rigby delved deeper into the mystery, he discovered that Dr. Forrest, a renowned scientist, had been abducted by the Nazis and his death faked to cover their tracks. But before his untimely demise, Forrest had revealed a shocking secret - a powerful cheese mold with corrosive properties that could be used to destroy America. The FOC was formed to counter this threat, but their plans were foiled when the Immer Essen, a cruise ship carrying a list of Nazi agents, became trapped in the conflict.

Rigby's world went into chaos as he found himself captured by the Nazis, only to be rescued by Juliet and her father's loyal butler, Field Marshal Wilfried von Kluck. As Rigby fought his way out of captivity, he stumbled upon a shocking revelation - Dr. Forrest's secret cheese mold had been used to destroy Terre Haute, Indiana. In a desperate bid to stop the Nazis, Rigby joined forces with Juliet and Rodriguez, leading to a thrilling showdown that would leave only one party standing.