Dick Tracy vs. Cueball

Lester Abbott arrives aboard the ocean liner that has just docked, planning to sell diamonds to Jules Sparkle. Cueball, alerted to Abbott's arrival by Little and Clyde, robs him and strangles him before he can depart. The murder seeds the elaborate plan to move the gems through Priceless and resell them for a fortune.

Little and Clyde, who work for Sparkle, set up a deal with Percival Priceless to pay Cueball a few thousand dollars up front. They intend to recut and resell the stolen gems for a huge profit, splitting the proceeds three ways. This marks the formal kick-off of the diamond-heist scheme.

Little meets Cueball after the murder, hoping to back out of the arrangement. He did not expect Abbott to be killed, and his reluctance increases the tension. Cueball presses ahead with his demands for the diamonds.

Cueball visits Filthy Flora, madam of the Dripping Dagger Bar, and Flora hides him in a secret room to keep him safe from the police. She knows he has the diamonds and demands a large payment in return for protection. The arrangement tightens as other players move pieces into place.

Detectives Dick Tracy and Pat Patton visit Sparkle's establishment to question him about the missing gems. Their suspicions fall on Little and Clyde. Tracy follows Clyde that evening and sees her slip a note under the door of Priceless's shop before walking away.

Vitamin Flintheart visits Priceless's shop undercover as a customer to observe activity. He sees Clyde go in and out but cannot overhear their conversation. Priceless uses what he observes to conclude that Little is an unreliable partner.

Priceless heads to Cueball's room to finalize the transaction, with Tracy and Patton tailing him secretly. Cueball spots the detectives in the bar and becomes enraged. Suspecting Priceless of treachery, he strangles Priceless.

While Cueball is away, Flora searches his room for the diamonds and finds them. She steals the gems, unaware that Cueball is watching her through a window. He confronts Flora and strangles her to keep the loot secure.

Cueball's method of strangling with a braided leather hatband becomes a key clue for the police. Investigators piece together the killer's identity from this distinctive signature. The investigation tightens as the evidence accumulates.

Tracy allows his girlfriend Tess Trueheart to appear as a wealthy diamond client to lure Cueball out of hiding. Tess is kidnapped by Cueball, who recognizes her identity and is about to strangle her when Tracy arrives on the scene. A tense confrontation follows as the trap is sprung.

A high-tension pursuit culminates as Cueball escapes with Tess in tow. He runs onto the railroad tracks, attempting to flee. A speeding locomotive delivers his final, fatal end, bringing the case to a close.