The hotel is host to a beauty contest. Among the contestants is Miranda Harding, whose mother Barbara, a former beauty contestant herself, has entered her reluctant daughter in pageants since the age of three. When contest judge Garrett Rhodes makes a pass at her, Miranda gives in, thinking she's doing as her mother wishes. A quarrel with her mother later prompts Miranda to take responsibility for her own life. Miranda announces the judge's retirement at an appropriate moment during the contest and wins the pageant. Meanwhile, Frank ""Squire"" Vance, a professional thief who once saved security chief Billy's life, checks into the hotel. Squire has designs on Julie, who is a clerk, and on the hotel safe as well, leaving Billy struggling with mixed emotions about his true loyalties. As Julie begins to fall for Squire's charm, Squire pulls a gun and forces her into the vault where Hal, a bonded courier, is removing two-million dollars in blank industrial certificates. As Squire takes the co