Cody Allen and Nick Ryder run a tourist transportation business with their boat "Riptide" and Nick's rundown helicopter in King Harbor on the California coast. They have also recently founded a private detective agency and brought on their friend, computer genius Murray Brozinsky, as the third partner. The trio is now tasked by gangster king Santana to locate his luxury yacht, which was blown up off the coast and used to smuggle drugs and gold.
Shortly after Cody Allen and Nick Ryder, who run a transportation business with their boat "Riptide" and a rundown helicopter, decided to start a private detective agency, they receive vital support: computer genius Murray Brozinsky becomes their new partner. The third member of the team soon has to demonstrate his exceptional deductive skills, which prove invaluable in unmasking gangster king Santana.
Tina leaves her husband, gangster Rick, after overhearing him place a murder order over the phone. The target is Lieutenant Quinlan. Tina turns to the Riptide detectives for help—while Rick also hires the detectives to find his wife. With the help of a corrupt police officer, Rick manages to kidnap Tina, Cody, and Quinlan. The gangster plans to kill all three. A daring rescue mission is launched using Nick's rickety helicopter.
When a group of brilliant scientists is targeted by assassins, Natalie Kramer, an acquaintance of Nick and Murray, narrowly escapes such an attack. Natalie hires the detectives to investigate the case. It turns out that the scientists inadvertently became witnesses while the killer was preparing an assassination. Now, he must eliminate the witnesses. However, his true target is a senator.
Alison London, who is accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death, has been in a mental institution for three years. Now, the insecure and helpless young woman has managed to escape. Alison turns to the Riptide trio for help: she can no longer remember what happened back then. The detectives' investigation reveals that Alison's boyfriend had multiple girlfriends, including the nymphomaniac Heather Wilson—who was insanely jealous.
Lane Preston sells his restaurant in King Harbor to enjoy life in Mexico with his young, attractive wife Dee Dee. When Lane’s daughter Brandy doesn’t hear from her father for an extended period, she becomes suspicious and hires the Riptide trio. The detectives discover that Dee Dee is in cahoots with gangsters. She married Lane only to get her hands on his money. Murray tries to get close to her but is soon kidnapped by the gangsters.
The kind-hearted but elderly Arthur asks stewardess Connie for a favor: to transport diabetes medication to his brother Walter, who lives in South America. Connie obliges several times—until one day, Arthur is murdered before her eyes. The killer pursues her, and Connie flees into a cinema, where she meets Murray, who helps her on the spot. The Riptide trio discovers that diamonds were being smuggled inside the insulin.
Dr. Robert Atkins falls victim to gangsters who plan a heist from his yacht. The gangsters make a critical mistake when they attack Murray on the Riptide. He discovers the registration of the yacht being used for their operations. The detectives visit Atkins, only to find the police already investigating his murder. Sherry, the doctor’s ex-girlfriend, is the main suspect. The Riptide trio decides to help Sherry.
The aggressive and unlikeable businessman Roger Ramsdale hires the Riptide detectives: Ramsdale suspects his wife of infidelity and wants them to follow her. However, the detectives quickly realize something is off: Mrs. Ramsdale is the epitome of kindness and innocence. It becomes increasingly clear that Ramsdale has ordered a murder. But to Ramsdale's surprise, the killer, Craig, changes his plan at the last minute.
Dell, the lead singer of a rock band, narrowly escapes an assassination attempt. Shortly afterward, he is horrified to discover that a fake tribute album of his band has already been released. It becomes clear that Alan Singer, the head of the record company, is behind it. Dell tries to blackmail him. In response, the ruthless businessman issues another murder order—this time successfully. Meanwhile, a fan club has enlisted the help of the Riptide detectives.
After Nick takes on sponsorship for two Cambodian children, Chin and Mai, he corresponds with them as their "faraway daddy." Mai has a heart condition that can only be treated by a specialist in the U.S., so the two children smuggle themselves onto a plane. Also onboard are an arms dealer and the son of an underworld boss. When the two children witness a murder, their lives are in grave danger.
The detectives are asked for help by Cody Allen's new girlfriend, Sheila: they are to search for Sheila's sister, Marcy, who has been missing for some time. The detectives soon find her: the trail leads to a brothel where Marcy is working. A chase ensues between the brothel owner and the three investigators, during which Cody is seriously injured—giving the detectives a personal stake in the case.
Murray's sister, Dr. Melba Bozinsky, has discovered that a German submarine sank off the coast of California during World War II, reportedly carrying gold bars. The search becomes a dangerous endeavor as several rivals are also trying to recover the wreck and its cargo. Ultimately, the trio succeeds in retrieving the submarine's contents, only to find that it is not gold, but secret German documents.
