 Flavia Pierce, fashion designer, and her husband/partner Charles appear on a celebrity television show to promote their upcoming preview of the new line. They argue over a proposed business deal with another designer, Henry De Garmo, which Flavia rejects on the air. She suspects the deal will benefit one of Charles  favorite models, Hope Sutherland. Henry contacts Flavia s brother, George Halliday, to see if George can influence his sister. Charles consults Perry Mason about the situation. Hope gives Charles a bottle of champagne to celebrate the preview, after which she plans to leave the firm. Flavia drinks some of the champagne and falls to the floor. She makes a dying declaration to her assistant, Leona Durant, that Charles has poisoned her. Charles is arrested, and Perry questions whether the death is murder or suicide.