Traveling independently of each other, Americans Nick Cochran, Julie Benton, and Lawrence Trumble are among the latest passengers on the Hong Kong to Macao ferry. Nick and Julie, an ex-serviceman and singer respectively, are escaping life in looking for work in Macao, while Trumble is a traveling salesman, Macao just his latest stop. They come to the attention of casino owner Vincent Halloran as they are the only three on the ferry he does not know. An American criminal, Halloran cannot leave the protection of Macao in the international police having no jurisdiction on the island. As his thugs killed undercover New York City Police Detective Lombardy who was working to bring him back to New York to face justice, Halloran is certain that the international police will be sending someone undercover to investigate Lombardy's death, he coming to believe that someone being Nick. With Halloran keeping an eye on Nick, the situation is complicated by both falling for Julie, who Nick has hired to sing at the casino. But an issue involving Trumble, unknowing to Halloran, makes Halloran look at Nick in a different but no less dangerous vein.
—Huggo