Plot

Waitress Helen Roberts, on probation, gets caught up in a hunt for a mysterious valuable cargo at her workplace. Pursued by cops and crooks alike, she finds herself innocently embroiled in a violent clash.

Helen Roberts, who's on probation, goes back to work as a waitress at Torre's Fish Palace, a San Francisco waterfront dive. The customers are low characters trying to make time with Helen and ex-rum runners trying to make a dishonest dollar. Some of the latter, including Helen's unwelcome suitor Martin Rhodes, are after a mysterious, valuable hidden "cargo"; when violence erupts, Helen finds herself innocently involved, and is soon on the run from both cops and crooks.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

On probation, ex-con Helen Roberts, who was in prison for murder despite solely being caught up within circumstantial evidence, returns to her job as a night waitress at a San Francisco waterfront dive, Torre's Fish Palace, Torre who welcomes her back with open arms as one of the best waitresses he's ever had. Helen wants to stay clear of any trouble, which means staying clear of the many shady customers who frequent Torre's especially late at night. One of the more persistent customers who hits on her is Martin Rhodes, a schooner captain temporarily in town, he a marine transporter for hire, which in the past has included rum running and gun running. Helen has a difficult time trying to disregard him as he has booked one of her tables for three nights in he waiting to meet someone who wants him to transport something unspecified. As she gets to know him, Helen ends up protecting him from possible harm associated with the person he was scheduled to meet. As such, Helen and Martin get unwittingly caught up smuggling, theft and murder, Martin in turn trying to protect her, with both their criminal pasts potentially causing them problems under this situation.—Huggo