The private plane of Nicholas Spencer, charismatic head of the medical research company Gen-stone, crashes, but his body isn't found. The FDA denies approval of the company's highly promising cancer vaccine. That news is followed by the shocking revelation that Spencer had looted Gen-stone of huge sums of money. Marcia "Carley" DeCarlo, columnist for the Wall Street Weekly, is assigned to cover the story. Carley's stepsister is Spencer's wife, Lynn, a socialite whom she dislikes and distrusts. Accused of having participated in the scam, Lynn appears indifferent to the anger and despair of Gen-stone's stockholders . . . until she narrowly escapes death when her mansion is set on fire.