Jerry Tracy, a noted columnist and radio broadcaster, is convinced that prominent Park Avenue psychiatrist Andrew Stoner is a blackmailer. When Jerry's friend, Al Redman, becomes the latest victim, Jerry uses his broadcast to publicly accuse the doctor of blackmail and accuse Stoner's daughter Gloria of social climbing with playboy Hadley Brown. Although Jerry is certain that the doctor is using hypnosis to extract secrets from his patients, he is unable to prove that it is Stoner who is demanding payment from Redman in order to keep silent about the money the bank cashier had stolen and then replaced in order to pay for his sick wife's surgery. Redman has been instructed to make his payments at a brownstone in Greenwich Village, but because the blackmailer wears a mask, he is unable to identify him. Jerry's accusations anger Gloria, who threatens to kill the broadcaster. That night, Jerry goes to the brownstone where he becomes the target of Mike Orrell, a hired killer.