Three Way

Lew Brookbank learns his wife is having an affair and confronts the situation. In a fit of rage, he grabs his gun and heads out to confront the lovers. The encounter ends with both lovers murdered on his boat.

In the aftermath, Lew disposes of the bodies by dumping them into the ocean and abandons the boat. He leaves San Diego behind in a bid to vanish from his old life. The murder case slowly recedes as he disappears.

Lew settles in a town outside Santa Barbara and finds work making signboards. He tries to keep a low profile while adjusting to a quieter life. He also begins to connect with a woman named Rita Caswell.

While working by the roadside, Lew stumbles upon Isobel Delano and Ralph Hagen planning the kidnapping of Ralph’s wife Florence. He immediately devises a plan to steal the ransom money for himself. The sight pulls him into a dangerous new scheme.

Herbert Claremont, the brother of Lew’s late lover, appears and claims to know Lew is responsible for his brother’s disappearance. He offers to reveal a gun left on the boat and uses the threat to pressure Lew. The confrontation escalates the stakes for Lew.

Ralph kidnaps his wife Florence with Isobel’s help and confines her on a boat. The hostage situation raises the tension and sets Lew on a mission to intervene. The plan to extort money becomes more personal and dangerous.

Lew follows the kidnapper’s boat and manages to take Florence away from her captors. He phones Ralph anonymously, threatening to go to the police unless he’s cut in on the ransom. The exchange marks a precarious balance of power among the players.

Lew sends Rita to collect the ransom money from Ralph, hoping to secure a share. Ralph agrees to the arrangement, and the plan hinges on Rita’s success. Tensions rise as the money becomes a focal point of trust and betrayal.

Ralph and Isobel grow suspicious that Florence has an accomplice and may be blackmailing them. Their paranoia tightens control of the operation and draws attention to the fragile alliances. The tension foreshadows imminent trouble.

Herbert suddenly interrupts and shoots Florence dead, creating chaos. Rita returns to the scene and shoots Herbert during the ensuing struggle. The murder dramatically alters the ransom plot.

Rita discovers that the money she retrieved from Ralph is fake. The real ransom money remains missing, leaving the plot in jeopardy. The revelation destabilizes the conspiracy.

Lew confronts Isobel and Ralph to learn the whereabouts of the real money. The exchange reveals cracks in their alliance and pushes the plan toward collapse. Trust erodes as everyone circles for leverage.

Rita secretly informs the police about the criminals involved in the scheme. The net begins to close on Lew, Ralph, and Isobel. Her action shifts the balance of danger from a private plan to a public pursuit.

Police arrest Lew, Ralph, and Isobel. Lew is later released with Rita’s help, who has hidden the real money. The outcome leaves Lew free but under scrutiny, while Rita’s deception remains a crucial turn in the story.