 Aitken magazines are not profitable, and former editor-in-chief Edmond Aitken no longer controls the company. New CEO Donald Fletcher changes the tone of each mag, which appalls the executive committee. At a party in his home, Fletcher insults Milly Nash, Edmond s sister-in-law, then his wife, Alyce Aitken, and Edmond punches him in the face. Poet Ben Nicholson consults Perry Mason about his firm, Pleiades Press, closely followed by Edmond Aitken, who discusses his problems with Perry. Later, Ben and Edmond meet at the writers club. Ben quotes the cynical E. A. Robinson poem "Richard Cory," which resonates with Edmond. Wishing to protect her investment and unaware of Edmond s plan to fight Fletcher, Alyce gives her proxy to the new CEO. That evening, Alyce sets out to retrieve her proxy, Edmond and Milly are in and out of the house, and Fletcher winds up killed with his own gun. Lt. Tragg arrests Alyce, who asks Perry to defend her but is less than forthright with her attorney.