The Masked Killer strikes again, five more dead, a senseless and insane crime of bombings and explosions. Lamont Cranston, aka The Shadow, sends his assistant Margo among the crowds to cry out that "The Shadow will be able to solve the crime" knowing that the commissioner will challenge The Shadow as much. 

Lamont then appears as the Shadow issuing his own challenge to The Masked Killer to meet him in a busy shopping arcade knowing that he hates crowds.