Detective Landers Robert Douglas, of the Los Angeles Homicide Bureau, suspects murder when the body of a transient ranch hand is found in a sleazy Los Angeles hotel Unable to be assigned officially to the case , Landers takes off on vacation, and goes to the swanky Glorietta Springs Hotel, a book of matches with that logo having been found at the scene of the murder, but ruled by the coroner as suicide Other clues he has is a bad hangmans knot and a saccharin pill There, he meets the bartender, Andy Robert Alda, and the cigarette girl, Jo Ann Marlowe Helen Westcott Following a tip from Jo Ann, he goes to a nearby ranch where the accidental death of the owner had recently occurred He finds a piece of telephone wire, tracks it back and finds it leads to Andys room at the Gloriette Springs hotel He also learns that Andy had a medical discharge from the Navy as a diabetes sufferer Troubles and complications and an ambush follow