Walter Williams (Bri `\an^- Do$$nl#evy) i$s a ta%!ke-c h]`arge captain %of _industry who ;)-has worked his way up in ;a San Francisco s`teel company from a` positi]_on as a sheet(; * \(metal worker./ He %:l$[_oves h/,#)is_@ wife;! Irene (H[elen Walk$=^\er).* very much and they-: have \/pl/an]#]n%#ed a v+a,ca ,tion d*/r+i,!ve together)_::. Irene ca)ncels at +the last mi$_nute claimin^[g a t@ooth-[a ;ch+e, but asks \[*that Wa#(lter]#! d*+_r`^i^;:)ve[!^ her cous) )in J] im:; Tor?%ran($ce (Tony Barrett) a+; s far as Ill.inois. Wal+@%ter a@
gre=):es and he and Jim t#)ake off to!g)ether `bu=t later J`^)im knocks Wa/lter `\uncon s\=cious(] *and ta)+k(es the car^[ %=o,?
nly_] ` to be hit himself%%[ by a truck and k illed, hi/! !s body b!u`r^!,n ed beyo?,=nd recognition. Walter c`omes to and^^ su%\f+feri,]:ng a c oncussi^]on an%:d deep c$
onfusion from feeling betra^ yed by Irene hides out in a small Midwest`\\ t`#%o)=wn un-
til guilt:@[
* ?an@]d peer pres?s
ure force\` him to go back to Sa?)n $ Francis`-co and t\-ell his
-stor;y  to_ the%$ P 
olice. Bu@).t by the ti
;`me[_ Walter :`retur; -ns to S=[an;
 F!
rancisc;*`o a clever d$\^-e+_tective Lieutenant $Quincy (Char_#)les Cob_urn) ha;s unco)=vere
,d ,so#;me$  fac@ts about@ Ir=ene +$a n.d ^:/her cousin' Jim. The po] lice hav$#`e been holding -Ir;.,en;+%e )(for th=^e murder o _f her hus@`^band Walter bu##t releas]] e her conside.ring t ]hat W+.alter wa$)s h:iding out b*_ecause he had killed Jim. Along ?%the way to
[uncov\*ering the truth in Court Walter -r$?^ealizes some hard fact #about w.=#@ha+
t he hold[$,s valuabl; e and the [trust`` he has+
,; put in,. those around him.