The Shadow Laughs

Bank cashier Oliver Weadon is pressured by a mysterious criminal to rob his bank in order to repay his enormous gambling debts. The shadowy figure kills a guard as Weadon gets $100,000 from the vault, then murders Weadon when he complains about the violence. The next day, police captain Morgan, Sergeant Owens and policeman Clymer question the bank's vice-president, Tenant. They are interrupted by intrepid reporter Robin Dale and his pal, Ryan, who surreptitiously obtain a list of the serial numbers of five stolen $1,000 bills from secretary Ruth Hackett. After the police locate Weadon's body, on which they find one of the missing $1,000 bills, gangster Dinkie Roberts telephones and offers information on the gambling organization behind the robbery and Weadon's murder. While the police identify the body of Herschell Young, the cabby who drove Weadon's car and was also murdered, Dale and Ryan go to their usual hangout, the showroom of undertaker Samuel Durocker. There, Dale's curiosity is piqued when Ruth's brother George orders a casket to be delivered to gambling kingpin Jack Bradshaw at the 13 Club. After George leaves, Dale learns that a murder has been committed at the club. He and Ryan rush over and find that the dead man is Roberts, who has another of the missing bills. When the casket arrives with a note from George that Bradshaw will be needing it that day, the police suspect that George, who was fired by Bradshaw when he objected to his attentions to Ruth, killed Roberts while trying to get to his former employer. Tenant reveals that it was George who brought Weadon's debts to Bradshaw's attention, and the police hold George for questioning concerning the murders and the robbery. Dale and Ryan then have lunch with Ruth, who is sent one of the $1,000 bills and a note warning her to prevent Dale from meddling in the case. Soon after, George is released due to lack of evidence, and the police focus their investigation on Bradshaw. Dale, who has been courting Ruth, is kidnapped by the jealous Bradshaw, but is saved from his wrath by the police, who have been summoned by Ryan. Bradshaw escapes in the confusion, and while Dale is searching for him, the shadowy figure from the robbery enters Ruth's apartment. Ruth telephones Dale and is about to reveal the criminal's identity when he begins to strangle her. George, who has just arrived, struggles with the man, but is also knocked unconscious. The "shadow" flees as Dale and the police arrive, but when Dale finds Ruth clutching half of one of the stolen bills, he deduces the killer's identity. Dale and Ryan then go to Tenant's house, where the banker reveals himself to be the murderer and mastermind behind the robbery. Morgan arrests Tenant and tells Dale that Bradshaw will also be incarcerated thanks to George's information about his gambling operation. Dale then visits Ruth, who is resting after the attack, and gives her a kiss to speed her recovery.