Trouble Makers

Slip Mahoney and Sach use their sidewalk telescope on a quiet evening and glimpse a man being strangled in a room at the El Royale Hotel. They realize a crime is occurring nearby and decide to investigate rather than ignore it. Their curiosity kicks off the central investigation.

Slip and Sach contact their friend Gabe Moreno, a former gang member turned policeman, and together they go to the El Royale Hotel to probe the incident. They hope to confirm whether a crime actually took place and to learn more about the supposed victim. The team prepares for a closer look at the mysterious scene.

Inside the hotel suite the boys find no one there and no body to be found. The room is said to be occupied by a man named Silky Thomas, but the reality contradicts the rumor. The absence of evidence complicates their initial conclusion.

Gabe’s superiors, Madison and Jones, enter the room and mistakenly believe a crime is occurring before their eyes. After some explanation, the confusion is cleared, and Thomas returns to his room. The misunderstanding raises the stakes but leaves the mystery unresolved.

Back on the street, Slip assists Gabe by gathering information that leads to an illegal gambling operation. The raid is carried out by the police, but the operation turns out to be run by Thomas. The trail tightens around the hotel's criminal web.

Thomas learns that he may be exposed by Gabe and attempts to bribe him for leniency. Gabe rejects the bribe and threatens arrest instead, escalating the tension between the two men. The bribery attempt reveals the depth of Thomas’s corruption.

While reading the newspaper, Slip discovers that Frederick X. Prescott has been murdered and recognizes the strangled man as Prescott from the hotel sighting. The body is found far from the hotel, making an obvious link difficult for the police to see. Slip realizes a possible connection that others have overlooked.

Ann Prescott visits the morgue and informs Slip and Sach that her father Prescott owned a share in the hotel, which has just been transferred to her. As part owner, she arranges for Slip and Sach to work as bellboys to aid the investigation. The new access gives them a foothold inside the hotel.

Hatchet Moran, recently released from prison, arrives at the hotel and tries to secure a room and a partnership with Thomas. Thomas declines the offer, continuing to operate independently. Moran's presence signals a widening criminal alliance and increases the danger for Slip and Sach.

Slip and Sach sneak into Thomas's room and discover a strange coin that ties the hotel scheme together. The discovery raises the stakes and confirms a hidden link between the strangling, Prescott, and the hotel operation. They prepare to confront Thomas with this clue.

Thomas reveals to Moran that Sach is not who he appears to be, prompting Slip and Sach to be summoned to Moran's room. They are pressured to hand over the coin, and Slip accuses Thomas of murder. The tension deepens as loyalties blur between criminals and the boys.

The boys escape through a window onto the fire escape ledge as Moran and his goons close in. They are spotted by their fellow gang members through the telescope on the street, who rush to their rescue. A wild chase ensues, ending with the boys vanquishing the gangsters.

Gabe and his colleagues arrive at the hotel and arrest Thomas as he attempts to flee. With the hotel case closing in, the boys return to their star-gazing setup on the street.