A young man zigzags through the sordid vortex of downtown Los Angeles while seeking vengeance on the man that beat his father.

Mrs. Crabtree's health is poor, and Mr. Crabtree is out of work, having been let go from his job because his personnel manager thought he had become too old for the work. He receives a call from an employer to whom he had written, and the employer sends his secretary to discuss the job with Crabtree. He begins working in a private office, reviewing financial information and writing reports, but he is baffled by his employer's secretive nature. Then one day he arrives at the office to find his employer waiting for him, with a most unexpected assignment.

Mr. Appleby's antique shop is losing money, because he is so fond of the best items that he refuses to sell them to anyone. A representative from a supplier visits the shop, and tells Appleby that he must pay his bill within two weeks, or else the supplier will reclaim his inventory. Appleby's wife has a moderate endowment, but she will not help him, so he kills her and makes it look like an accident. He gets away with it, and marries a wealthy woman whom he had met in the shop. But he soon learns that she knows all about him, and has made careful arrangements to protect herself.