CRIME: The Camera Eye

When this dark young guy gave her the long look in a New York subway car, something happened to blonde, empty-headed Pearl Lusk. Here was Mr. Excitement in person—sharp, smiling, hefty; a lonesome Latin with a George Raft face, and a slow burn in his eye. The minute 19-year-old Pearl saw him, she began to feel pleasantly jittery.

The dark man said his name was Allen La Rue. Over drinks, he told Pearl that he was an insurance detective. He was after one jewel thief in particular—a woman he said toted her loot in a hip-belt under...