This is the fifth of the Department of Patterns stories, the fourth to feature Papa Grand.
Portois, a trainee, notices many stolen lorries in one area were never recovered. In six cases the driver has the same description but wears a variety of wigs, and has a dog. Another similarity is that the loads have all included tins of chicken breast from a local food factory. The tricky question is why anyone should want to steal such unappetising foodstuffs.
Argosy, July 1961.
Reprinted as "The missing tins of
chicken breasts", Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine,
June 1962.