Kimball is injured while helping save some children from a fiery crash. While recuperating at a local home, he learns that his caretakers are the local sheriff and his wife. As if this weren't bad enough, a news article describing Kimball's heroic deeds goes nationwide. The all-seeing Lt. Gerard reads the article, and then goes to the small town to arrest Kimball.

Beliving that the one-armed man is in Chicago, Kimble contacts Mike Decker, a newspaper columnist who defended Kimble during his trial. Kimble and Decker organize a city-wide search for the one-armed man. But things get complicated with the arrival of Decker's alcholic wife, Paula, whom gets nervous of Kimble's presence and falls off the wagon. Meanwhile, Gerard learns about Decker's search for a one-armed man and decides to use the writer to set a trap for Kimble.

Kimble answers a classified ad from a certain Ellie Burnett, the daughter of his former defense attorney. They arrange to meet in Kansas City to discuss the information she received about a one-armed man from a private detective hired by her father. But Gerard sees the ad and knows who wrote it because he and Ellie's father were close friends and that Ellie may be in love with Kimble. While Gerard has Ellie investigated, she and Kimble find out that the one-armed man was killed in a fire only a week before. Kimble is devastated, but vows to confirm it. A little later, Ellie's private detective informs her that the one-armed man whom died in a fire was actually in prison at the time of Helen Kimble's murder. But Ellie withholds this news from Kimble and convinces him that they should leave the country, realizing that this may be her only chance at a life with him.