The Falcon Strikes Back

Mia Bruger seeks Tom Lawrence, the amateur sleuth known as The Falcon, to help locate her missing brother. Tom considers her plea and agrees to take on the investigation. The request sets the story in motion and introduces the central mystery of missing people and stolen war bonds.

Tom is attacked at a cocktail bar and knocked unconscious. He awakens to find himself in his car on a country road, with no clear memory of how he got there.

A motorcycle officer stops Tom and informs him of an all-points bulletin for his arrest. Donovan accuses him in connection with the murder of a bank official and the theft of war bonds.

Although Tom has an alibi with his fiancée Marcia Brooks and his assistant Goldie Locke, Donovan remains skeptical. Tom makes a daring escape to avoid incarceration.

Back at the bar, Tom, Marcia, and Goldie discover it has become the knitting society's headquarters led by Geraldine Lipton. The atmosphere shifts as they observe suspicious patrons and begin to plan their next move.

The trio travels to Lipton's resort hotel in search of clues. They encounter several suspicious characters, including hotel manager Gwynne Gregory, ex-criminal Rickey Davis, a nurse tending Bruno Steffen, and Mia.

Tom approaches Mia, who pretends not to recognize him. She dives into the pool and is shot, dying as she hits the water.

Puppeteer Smiley Dugan alerts Donovan that the Falcon is at the hotel, increasing the pressure on Tom. Tom now finds himself racing to uncover the truth before he is arrested.

Tom pockets a cigarette case bearing fingerprints attributed to the thief known as the Duchess. He then has Jerry pose as the Chinese Trade Commissioner to buy war bonds, a plan to test suspects and uncover connections.

Tom exposes Mrs. Lipton as the Duchess and accuses her of stealing the war bonds. Donovan arrests Tom, Marcia, Goldie, and Jerry, keeping the case in motion despite Tom's revelation.

Rickey is killed at the hotel, and Gwynne Gregory confesses that she was involved because Rickey was her husband. The confession clarifies the motive and links the players to the bond theft.

Tom is trapped in an elevator with Gwynne, realizing the killer remains somewhere in the hotel. He escapes, rushes to Lipton's room, and confronts the puppeteer as Dugan falls to his death.

Donovan arrives and, convinced of Tom's innocence, arrests Mrs. Lipton for the theft of the war bonds. The case ends with Lipton's capture and Tom's vindication.