The Duke of Cleveland — Les Roberts

When a young, rather feckless heiress hires Milan Jacovich to find her middle-aged lover--not because she wants him back but because he owes her $18,000--he's thrust among artists and would-be artists who frequent the Coventry section of Cleveland heights. than man Milan is searching for is a potter, and when Milan talks to those who know him, it becomes very clear that his young girlfriend is not alone in caring whether she ever sees him again. Millan also learns that the guy is a con man, a dreamer of big dreams and a maker of deals, and one who has surprising contacts among collectors--one of them being Milan's nemesis, the suave Victor Gaimari. Gaimari is one of the new breed of mobsters who has put aside Borsalino hats and shiny silks suits for a college education and a milion-dollar vocabulary. With such a mixed crew of players, danger isn't far behind. Milan soon discovers another ominous use can be made of a potter's kiln besides firing clay pots...