Al Roberts, a down-and-out nightclub pianist in New York, decides to hitchhike to Hollywood to join his girlfriend Sue, who left to seek fame. Along the journey, he gets picked up by a man named Charles Haskell Jr. During the drive, Al learns about Haskell’s shady past and gambling tendencies. Their trip takes a dark turn when Haskell dies under dubious circumstances, leaving Al with a dilemma. Panicking and fearing arrest, Al assumes Haskell's identity, taking his money, car, and destination in an attempt to cover up the incident and continue the journey.

As Al heads westward, he picks up a hitchhiker named Vera. It soon becomes evident that Vera knows something about Haskell and begins to manipulate Al, holding his assumed identity over him. Their tense relationship spirals into a dangerous game of deceit and desperation as they travel onwards. Vera's ruthless ambition and Al's mounting paranoia lead to increasing peril, culminating in a series of irrevocable decisions that seal both their fates. The story, unraveling primarily through Al’s reflective narration, explores themes of fate, guilt, and destiny as events grow increasingly dire.