The Reckless Moment

Hard-boiled reporter Mike Kent investigates the murder of a prominent scientist and stumbles upon a sinister plot to steal a fortune in jewels.

The Bar Association disbars attorney Tyler Cradon when it appears that he was implicated in the murder of a prominent vice crusader. Cradon, not wishing to be without an income and impressed by the way Joan Carroll handled a small-town murder, poses as a real-estate agent and offers to get her into his friend's law firm. Placed in Roberts' office, running a front for Cradon, Joan is taught every trick of the trade. With her cases all prepared for her, she goes from one courtroom victory to another, soon becoming the darling of the underworld and the despair of all law-enforcing authorities. Her performances impress young assistant district attorney Bradley Kent, and romance buds despite Kent criticizing her connections. But when Roberts asks her to defend a notorious racketeer who has murdered a policeman, she realizes that Kent was right and immediately joins the district attorney's office as a deputy. Learning that the authorities are on Roberts' trail, she goes to see Cradon, whom she still believes to be a hard-working, honest real-estate agent, to warn him about the kind of company he is keeping.

After newlywed Claudia Rankin's husband is murdered, she sets out to avenge his killing by posing as a criminal and successfully infiltrating the gang of car thieves responsible for his death. However, this puts her own life in peril.

Inspector Cork pursues a bank robber who serves in the army and receives facial injuries. After plastic surgery he shows up as a bank president planning an enormous robbery.

Gambling boss Greg Morella runs a crooked ship-- all the gaming tables on his floating casino are rigged. Because the ship operates outside of the three-mile state limit, the authorities can't get the evidence they need to convict Morella. Roving reporter Jim Carver thinks he can get the goods on the kingpin. He enlists Morella's secretary Laurie to help him secure evidence of the fixed games as well as proof that Morella murdered his partner Max Gates.

Muriel is the scheming widow of the fabulously-wealthy Hartford Chaney III. Muriel's husband has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, freeing her to marry her playboy paramour Frederick St. Clair. However, Chaney's daughter from a previous marriage suspects that her father has been murdered.