Joe Sweek waits in an alleyway and Charley shows up. He figures that Joe is double -crossing him and leads him into a nearby warehouse, saying that he has something to show him for a special accident they have in mind. When Joe tries to leave, Charley tells him to stay put and Joe has no choice but to agree. Once Charley walks off, a man swings down from the rafters and tosses a rope around Joe's neck and strangles him. Charley comes back and finds a photo on Joe's body, of Alex Colony easily walking down a street, and tells his boss that Joe was selling them out to Mike at the Sentinel. The boss says that he'll take care of Mike as well.
Hornet and Kato follow Mike to the warehouse where he's meeting with Joe. The reporter gets out of his car and calls to Joe, and Hornet and Kato spot the masked killer just before he jumps down on Mike. Kato turns on the headlights and Hornet runs over. The killer ducks into the warehouse, and Hornet confirms that Mike is out cold. They take payoff money from him and go inside, and the killer tosses a barrel down on them from the catwalk and then runs off. Mike wakes up, and Hornet and Kato come out and gas him unconscious.
The next day, Mike runs a story about Hornet masterminding an insurance racket. Britt congratulates him on the story about how Alex was faking his injury, but notes that Mike left out the word "alleged". Casey comes in and says that Alex's lawyer has arrived. It's Claudia Bromley, who points out that Mike screwed up and they will easily win in court. Britt turns on the charm but Claudia isn't impressed. Mike has been listening and says that Joe's landlady discovered him with his neck broken at the foot of the stairs. The police are saying that it's an accident, and Britt tells Mike to let the obit people handle it. Scanlon calls and Britt suggests that they "meet for coffee".
Later, Scanlon goes to the penthouse and warns Britt that he's open for a libel suit. He's checked on Alex and found out that he appears to be clean. Britt figures that Alex is involved with the racket, and says that Hornet will pay Alex a visit.
That night, Hornet and Kato go to Alex's estate and confront Alex. Hornet says that he's in on Alex's racket for 50%. Alex threatens to break his neck, and Hornet asks if he plans to do it the same way he broke Joe's neck. A bodyguard responds to a silent alarm, and Hornet and Kato easily knock him out. Hornet warns that he may demand more and tells Alex to make up his mind fast.
The next day, Mike tells Britt that he has a new angle on the story. Britt tells him that they're not going to risk another lawsuit, and Mike insists that Joe worked in a custom car shop and was straight. Casey comes in to remind Britt of his lunch appointment with Claudia. When he picks her up, Britt suggests that Alex might be a phony. Claudia figures that he's trying to get her to drop the case and reminds Britt that he said that he wouldn't discuss business. Britt agrees to go to lunch after they make one shop... at the customer car shop. He tells the mechanic, Pete, that he'll have some work for him in a week and looks around. Britt finds a car with Alex's cane tip underneath it, and pockets the item before going back to his car. Claudia knows that Joe worked there and says that Alex didn't know him, and Britt reminds Claudia that Joe is dead.
Charley and his man pull up, and Charley realizes that Britt owns the paper that Joe was selling out to. Pete goes to the back where Alex is, fine without his cane and neck brace. He tells Alex that Britt was there and Claudia was with him. Alex puts on his gear and goes out, and tells Charley to take care of Claudia that night.
That night, Claudia is getting into the elevator. Charley's thug is there and grabs Claudia. Soon, Hornet receives word that Claudia has been abducted. They go to Alex's estate and accuse him of kidnapping Claudia. Alex denies it, and Hornet shows him the missing cane tip. He blasts the cane off and Alex runs off. Hornet tells Kato to let Alex go because they have to get him and Claudia at the same time.
Hornet and Kato go to the car shop and break in. They figure that there's a passageway between there and the nearby warehouse where Joe was murdered. They spot the secret door and figure that it's a trap, and go into Alex's secret office. A passageway leads to the warehouse, and Claudia is tied to a chair. Alex's thugs jump Kato, and Hornet tosses down a flare. Alex swing down and attacks Hornet, who knocks him out. Once the heroes dispose of Alex and his thugs, Hornet unties Claudia and says that he's going to make sure she gets home safely. Kato ties up the thugs and calls Scanlon, and the heroes leave with Claudia before they arrive.
The next night, the Sentinel is exonerated after the police arrest Alex. Britt and Claudia have dinner at the penthouse, and Claudia is full of praise for Hornet. She figures he isn't as bad as people say, and says that she'll defend him for nothing if he's ever caught.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 10, 2017