[1] In an art gallery, drama critic John Earl sees a portrait of a beautiful woman painted by James Harlan Corbin [Lederer], gazing at it, entranced.
John Earl works with the police department to arrange for Helen's sister, Linda (Ann Rutherford), to apply for modeling, in order to spy on Corbin.
She is suspicious of Corbin when he acts moodily, when he plays "weird and strange" improvised music on the piano, when he throws away her tiny revolver she brought in her purse for protection, and again when he mixes drinks for the two of them.
Another wealthy woman, Mrs. Ella Randolph (Gail Patrick) tries twice to buy Corbin's art, but he refuses.
Back in his own apartment/studio, Corbin lies down on a couch, exhausted, and has a dream of kissing Helen, who suddenly screams and falls into the water, disappearing in the darkness.
Linda awakens Corbin, who is distraught but explains he made the other women die, and there are some things so fearful the mind rejects them.
As they kiss, they are interrupted by the police, who are looking for Mrs. Ella Randolph, whose car was found abandoned.
The district attorney holds up a piece of fur that was torn from Mrs. Ella Randolph's dress, which was found in his boathouse.
Mrs. Corbin rolls up Linda's sleeve and tries to inject her with a lethal substance before the police shoot her through the window and break down the door.
The police arrive just in time to save Linda from death but not Mrs. Corbin, who dies in her son's arms.