- Private detective Horace Dorrington sees no conflict in helping himself while helping his clients. A promising new bicycle company presents him with an opportunity to cash in on his insider knowledge. But it's a dirty business, so Dorrington takes steps to ensure he's not taken for a ride.—Anonymous
- Horace Dorrington (Peter Vaughan), a shady private detective, sits in his well-appointed office, looking at a catalog for the Avalanche Bicycle & Tyre Company. Then he unlocks a nearby safe and lovingly sniffs at a bundle of letters bound with a thin silk ribbon. He tells his secretary, Miss Parrot (Petronella Barker), to let in Mrs. Chalmers (Sheila Gish), a client, as soon as she arrives. He puts the bundle in his office desk as Farrish (Kenneth Colley), his assistant, enters the room with a bicycle Dorrington has had him obtain.
Dorrington enthuses about the possibility of becoming wealthy by supporting a start-up business, like Avalanche bicycles. He then asks Farrish for his report on a rival bicycle company, Indestructible. Dorrington plans to read the report after he's done with Mrs. Chalmers. The elegantly veiled Mrs Chalmers enters, distressed about her missing letters, presumably to an illicit lover. Dorrington claims that he has had to pay 200 hundred guineas to get them back. Mrs. Chalmers agrees to add 100 guineas to that as Dorrington's fee. After she leaves, Dorrington admits to an outraged Parrot that he has not paid for the letters, but has stolen them from the blackmailer. Dorrington lights a cigar, before taking Farrish's the report to the Indestructible B Co., pretending he has done the work himself. Giving the report to Mr. Stedman (John Carlisle), the company secretary, he briefly meets Mr. Mallows (John Stratton), company founder. Mallows borrows some black court bandage material from Dorrington for a cut on his finger and leaves.
Under the guise of light conversation, Dorrington questions Stedman about the rival company, Avalanche. Dorrington flatters and finagles Stedman, a retired bike racer, into inviting him to the track where Indestructible's sponsored racer, reigning champion Gillet (Paul Angelis), is training. Dorrington offers to send him a box of expensive cigars.
Mallows arrives just before Gillet strolls in arrogantly. As the pacing begins, the observers praise his style and form. Suddenly the pacing bicycles run into a metal chair that has been placed in a dark spot on the track. The resulting accident breaks Gillet's arm, putting him out of the running. Stedman comments on how this will leave the race free to Lant, the Avalanche rider, while boosting Avalanche stock shares on both first and second offerings.
Investigating the scene, Dorrington finds a hair on the sharp edged metal-slatted chair. Back in the training shed, Mallows confirms his offer of £100 to anyone who can find out who's responsible. Dorrington reaches to shake his hand on the deal, seeing the black tape covering the wound on Mallow's finger.
Back at his office, Parrot and Farrish are about to leave for the day, but Dorrington instructs Farrish to catch the train for Exeter, find some information, then telegraph the results to Dorrington in Birmingham Post Office by 8 am the next morning. He tells Parrot to make out a open £10,000 check payable to himself six months after a date to be filled in later, then the next day from 8 am, she is to follow Mallows until he takes the 10:10 train to Birmingham. When Parrot asks how he knows Mallows will be there, he responds, "because that's where I shall be waiting for him."
The next morning, Parrot sees Mallows go into a theatrical costumier, coming out in disguise, heading to the train station. Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Dorrington picks the lock leading into the Avalanche factory yard. Lighting a kerosene lantern, he briefly searches the nearly empty bicycle parts workroom, then sits down to wait. Mallows enters in a toupée, thinking he's not recognized, but Dorrington points out the bandage, then proceeds to blackmail Mallows, showing his complete knowledge of Mallows' plan to con the public by offering brightly painted cut-rate bicycles and setting up both Gillet and Lant. Dorrington takes the £100 "reward," but then says he wants half the profit from the con, getting Mallows to sign the check Parrot had made up the night before.
A suspiciously smooth-talking Mallows suddenly capitulates, offering Dorrington a tour of the works. Mallows pushes him into a gas oven, turning on the gas jets, but Dorrington quickly picks the lock and attacks Mallows, pulling off his fake side-whiskers, nose, and hairpiece, and chasing him around the plant until Mallows is at the oven door while the gas jets keep hissing. Mallows claims stalemate, smugly pointing out that when the gas reaches the kerosene lantern by Dorrington at the exit door, they could both be blown to bits. "Oh, yes?" Dorrington grins, before tossing the lantern at Mallows, causing a massive explosion that kills Mallows and wounds Dorrington.
Back in London, he walks into the office with scars on his face, to find Parrot and Farrish reading about the Avalanche explosion and scandal in the morning paper. He sends Farrish with two boxes of cigars for Stedman, and has Parrot file the check. As he lights a cigar, there's a knock on the door. Dorrington primps before a distressed Lady Jameson enters. As she hesitates to begin, he anticipates her story of indiscretion and blackmail, knowing Mrs. Chalmers has recommended him. She's amazed that he understands so well. The scene ends as he grins from ear to ear, reaching over to shake her hand on the deal.
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