 At Caress Cosmetics, Max Pompey fires Karen Lewis for allegedly selling new lipstick samples to competitor Gabe Rawson. Karen goes missing and her boyfriend, Peter Nichols, consults Perry Mason. She may be hiding something from her childhood. Caress owner Silas Vance gets involved in the situation. Pompey meets with Rawson about undercutting Caress. Vance calls Karen, who goes to the plant, finds the night watchman, Charles Knudsen, unconscious and Vance dead. Paul Drake arrives in time to see Karen run from the building. Surprisingly, Karen stands to inherit Vance s entire estate, including Caress. Perry finds an ominous message written by Vance in lavender lipstick. Karen is arrested.