 Donna Kress and Frank Thatcher have a spat. He will not divorce his wife. Driving home that night, Frank runs over and kills a pedestrian in the road, Alexander Collins. Under direction of old Henry Dameron, Frank s father-in-law, Tad Dameron, Frank s brother-in-law, takes care of the body. Frank, as "Danko," hires Paul Drake to deliver $25,000 to Collins  widow, but Paul finds out the gift is a set-up. Paul fights with "Danko" and is knocked out. When he revives, he finds Thatcher/Danko is dead, shot with Paul s gun. Paul calls Perry Mason and is charged with murder. He is further accused of blackmailing Thatcher with the hit-and-run incident. Perry fights Dameron money and influence in defending Drake.