Synopsis
Building contractor Edward Shaw is brooding over his recent business failures, due to his partner's gambling, when he is approached by lawyer Sam Pearson. Pearson, who scoffs at Shaw's determination to repay his debts, offers to introduce him to a client who can invest a half million dollars in his company. Curious, Shaw agrees to meet with Pearson's client, Mrs. Doris Hillman. At the luxurious Hillman home, Shaw is intensely attracted to the flirtatious Doris, who states that she wants to form a partnership with him in which he will build homes on the properties she finds. Doris asserts that Augustus, her much-older, wealthy husband, wants to keep her happy, but Shaw is suspicious of his sudden good fortune. Doris explains that she knows about Shaw's work because her cousin lives in a home he built, and so Shaw agrees to further negotiations, if the Hillmans supply the funds for him to repay his original investors. Doris promises to ask Hillman about the provision and Shaw leaves, although he finds himself preoccupied with thoughts of the sexy Doris. Soon after, Pearson calls to inform Shaw that Doris wants to meet with him again. Doris tells Shaw that Hillman has agreed to his terms but insists that, as the "key man" in the operation, Shaw must have a large life insurance policy taken out on him. Believing the situation to be some sort of scheme, Shaw violently refuses, especially when Doris states that Hillman specified that he take out a $250,000 policy. The couple quarrels and Shaw storms out, although he continues to think about Doris. Later that night, Doris drives to Shaw's boardinghouse and they both apologize while kissing passionately. Shaw agrees to accept a policy for $175,000, and the next morning, meets with Hillman and Pearson to sign the paperwork. Later, Shaw goes to meet Doris for lunch but instead is met by Madge Neilan, Doris' younger sister. Madge explains that Doris was detained, and then inadvertantly reveals that Doris had been married before to Hillman's business partner. The partner died in an automobile accident, and Doris married Hillman after he collected on a large insurance policy that Hillman had taken out on the man. Shaw is stunned by the news, especially when a puzzled Madge confirms his suspicion that her and Doris' cousin does not live in one of his houses. Still uncertain if he is being paranoid, Shaw agrees to meet with Doris in the hills to examine a property she has found. After Doris gets out of her car, Shaw, sitting in the passenger seat, is almost thrown off a cliff when the car's brakes give out. Shaw manages to stop the car in time and, spooked, goes to the police to report that the Hillmans are attempting to kill him. Lt. Hoff is skeptical of Shaw's tale, stating that he does not have enough evidence, but agrees to investigate Hillman. Back at his office, Shaw begins to type a letter to Myles Norman of the insurance agency, explaining why he believes the Hillmans are trying to kill him. He is interrupted by Madge, although he manages to hide the letter in his coat pocket before taking her out to dinner. The couple enjoys their evening together, but when Madge gets Shaw's coat for him, she discovers the letter in his pocket and keeps it. The next day, Shaw and Doris sign the papers for the property she found, then she takes him up to her cabin in Big Bear. Shaw is unnerved by a sheer drop from a door in the cabin, but Doris explains that they had removed a porch from the area and dismisses his concerns. Doris' attempts to seduce Shaw, with whom she has fallen in love, are interrupted by the sudden appearance of Hillman, who offers them coffee. Doris angrily departs but Shaw drinks the coffee. As he is driving down the windy road home, however, Shaw begins to fall asleep and deduces that Hillman has drugged him. Shaw narrowly avoids injury and the next day, in Norman's office, accuses Hillman of attempted murder. Hillman refutes Shaw's claim and offers to cancel the policy, but when he informs Norman that Shaw is feeling guilty because he is in love with Doris, Norman refuses to take Shaw seriously and will not cancel the policy. Believing he has nowhere else to turn, Shaw disappears, telling only Madge where he is staying. Madge urges him to fight rather than run away, and proposes a scheme to turn Doris and Hillman against each other. Madge posits that if Hillman finds Shaw with Doris in a romantic rendezvous, Doris will choose Shaw over Hillman and her husband will be afraid to carry through with the plan to kill him. Madge then goes to Doris, telling her that Shaw wants to go away with her, and that he suspects only Hillman in the plot on his life. Doris finds Shaw's letter to Norman in Madge's desk, however, and alerts Hillman. Shaw meets Doris and, although he had planned to go with her to Las Vegas, reluctantly agrees to accompany her to Big Bear for the night. Meanwhile, Madge discovers that the letter is missing and tells Lt. Hoff, who confirms that Hillman's former partner was murdered. At the cabin, Shaw succumbs to Doris' embrace, and Doris, believing that he truly loves her, warns him that they must leave immediately, as Hillman is coming to kill him. Infuriated that Doris was indeed part of the plot, Shaw attempts to leave, but Doris, desperate to make him stay with her, pulls out a pistol and shoots him in the shoulder. While the hysterical Doris is clutching Shaw, Hillman arrives and reprimands her for shooting Shaw. Hillman then decides to kill both Shaw and Doris, making the murders look like a double suicide, but Shaw revives and fights Hillman. During the ensuing struggle, Doris and Hillman both fall out the window to their deaths. Lt. Hoff, accompanied by Madge, then arrives at the cabin and summons an ambulance. In the ride down the mountain, Madge comforts Shaw and assures him that they have a promising future together.
