Professor Ronald Hewes, English professor at Euclid College, stages an exercise in observation in which someone he's hired bursts into his creative-writing class and shoot him with a gun loaded with blanks. The students are quickly calmed, but when he returns to his office the fake gunman that had he fired a second shot, Hewes might well have been killed because someone had put in a clip with live bullets. Hewes is separated from his wife Laura, who is supposed to be out of town. Sally Sheldon accuses Hewes of stealing the manuscript of his bestselling novel from her late sister, who overdosed on sleeping pills after learning she was pregnant. In fact, Sally wrote the story for her dead sister which describes the decadent life on a college campus. Hewes learns Laura is staying with friends, Dr. Curtis and Esther Metcalfe, so they agree to meet at the Metcalfe home. When her husband is found dead, she is charged with his murder. Perry, whom Ronald had previously contacted to meet with them, agrees to defend her.
—garykmcd