When reporter Henry T. Parker informs Skippy, his city editor,
that he is quitting the newspaper business to write the great
American novel, Skippy persuades the reporter to cover one last
story, the disappearance of prominent sportsman Walter Billings
whom Hank recently persuaded to testify against blackmailer Tony
Bowman.
At a bar, Hank meets Monty de Granville, a society
reporter, who tells Hank that he overheard that Billings was
hiding out at the Hotel McAdams. Hank goes to the hotel, and just
as he persuades Billings to testify, a shot rings out and Billings
falls dead. Hank crashes into the bedroom and runs into Phyllis
Sanderson, Billings' secretary, who has just entered from the
hallway.
Fleeing the scene of the crime, Hank hears a radio
broadcast that reveals his press card was found at the scene of
the crime and that he is wanted for murder. Realizing that he has
been framed, Hank eludes the police and seeks out Monty, who tells
him that he learned of Billings' hideout through Bowman's stooge,
Matthew Mattison, and his girl friend, Goldie Green. After renting
an ambulance, Hank dons an intern's uniform and leads Monty and
Phyllis in search of the murderer.
When Phyllis remembers smelling
the scent of rare perfume in Billings' room, Hank traces the
perfume to Gwen Porter, one of Bowman's lady friends, but a bullet
from Bowman kills her before she can talk. After a phone call to
Skippy reveals who framed him with the phony press card, Hank
persuades Monty to return to the hotel to look for further
evidence. In Billings' room, Monty shoves a gun into Hank's back,
but before he can shoot, the lights switch on, revealing Skippy
with photographers and the police.
Hank then explains that Monty
was supplying Bowman with information for his extortion racket
and, fearful of exposure, killed Billings while Bowman killed
Gwen. Hank continues that he became supicious of Monty upon
learning that he left the reporter's card at the scene of the
murder. With the case solved, Hank and Phyllis inform Skippy that
they are going away to live the great American novel
