Sky Murder 1940

In this wartime espionage thriller, Nick Carter is drawn into a dangerous orbit when his old ally Cortland Grand invites him to Washington to discuss a committee investigating subversive groups led by Senator Monrose. Nick declines the assignment and flies back to New York on Cortland’s private aircraft, joined by six glamorous models, their chaperone, detective Christine Cross, and Andrew Hendon, a polo star suspected of being a spy.

On the landing strip, Hendon is discovered murdered, with a nail file belonging to Pat Evans found in his throat. Three spies waiting nearby attempt to silence Pat, and they manage to strangle the pilot in the cockpit. Nick takes control and guides the passengers to Cortland’s country house, where he interrogates Pat amidst the tension of an imminent attack.

Machine gun fire rips through the house, and Bartholomew is dressed in Pat’s robes to fool the killers, allowing Nick and Pat to slip away. After fleeing in a sheriff’s car, the pair are arrested, only to face a terrifying moment when the spies plant a bomb and Nick and Pat narrowly escape death.

They take refuge in Cortland’s New York apartment, where Pat reveals that the spies have been threatening to kill her father, who is held captive in Europe. As Pat confesses, Bartholomew and Christine trace the spies to their hideout behind a printer’s shop, but the two are captured.

Pat is sent to a small hotel, and Nick contacts Senator Monrose again, realizing that Cortland is likely the leader of the fifth column. Nick locates Bartholomew by following his bees, but when he goes to rescue his assistant, Kathe, one of Cortland’s spies, abducts Pat.

After rescuing Bartholomew and Christine, Nick alerts the police, who arrest the spies and free Pat. Setting a trap for Cortland, Nick and the Senator board Cortland’s aircraft, and after Nick tricks him into a confession, Cortland dies in a shootout.