A reporter named Pierce is prepared to release the contents of the Argyle album, a list of traitors and war profiteers during World War II. The only reporter he is willing to talk to is William Gargan, but he dies in the hospital room during their interview. A scalpel is found in his chest. He makes his escape, goes to Pierce's office, knocks out his secretary, but cannot find the album. As he is leaving, he is interrupted by Marjorie Lord coming in. He goes to a vacationing friend's apartment, but Lord follows him, insisting on getting the album. She brings in a pre-Hogan's Heroes John Banner with two other strong arms, who work him over. When he comes to, Lord is in the room, still pumping him gently for the album. She tells him that Banner recognized what the album was and its potential for blackmail after the war. She lets him escape, because she wants the album for herself.
Gargan dodges his way through a neighbor's apartment with her policeman son. In a marine salvage shop he encounters the neighborhood fence, who is murdered as he looks on, but the fence revives just enough to kill the other man. But Gargan still does not know where the album is. He goes to Ralph Byrd, a police lieutenant acquaintance, who tells him that he has been cleared of Pierce's murder. He then goes to question Lord and another member of her gang. Banner and his thug trap him in the fence's office. He hides behind an iron door, but the thug cuts through it with an acetylene torch as Gargan explains his deductions to Banner. He thinks Banner is one of the traitors listed in the album who needs to get it to save his reputation. Banner and his stooge kill each other and Gargan escapes.
Gargan meets Lord at the airport. As he kisses her goodbye, she sticks a gun in his side, and starts to take the album, but Gargan gets a busboy to take it to the Byrd, whom he had alerted to be at the terminal.
Gargan (center) and Banner (right)
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