A committee, which includes Perry Mason, hopes to hire retired General Roger Brandon to lead a law enforcement commission in the city of San Carlos. Brandon is a highly respected leader and troubleshooter and the hope is that he will rid them of mobster George Emory, who has made San Carlos his base of operations. Before he's even had a chance to accept or reject the offer, Brandon finds himself being blackmailed into declining. If he doesn't, a compromising photo of his wife, Laura, and his aide, Warren Cotton, will be sent to the press. Cotton's uncle, Bill Cotton, is a professional photographer with a shop in San Carlos who is known to work for Emory. His shop, a drop for payoffs to Emory, is set afire by someone. When Emory is found dead shot, with Brandon's gun, Brandon is arrested for the murder. Brandon did visit the mobster that evening but he was alive when he left. A badly exposed negative gives Perry the vital information he needs to identify the real killer.
—garykmcd