Emil Lime and his kooky wife Abigail visit a newspaper office in California where Emil has been hired to solve a difficult computer problem. Aside from the editor and his lovely wife, they encounter a talented photographer, a suspicious real estate salesman, a columnist who provides a gossip column for the weekly paper and various other characters.
In the course of solving the problem, Emil learns that years ago a wealthy recluse vanished. His body was found in Arizona but his fortune is gone. Further investigation unveils the villain, who promptly disappears.
Abigail's insight into the villain's character enables Emil to locate him and to relieve him of his unearned riches.