Due to his lack of knowledge, and not wanting to take on all the work at the top by himself, Walter Kyne decides to create a new second-in-command position of Executive Director. He challenges the men in charge of Kyne's three divisions—wire-service chief Mark Loving (George Sanders), newspaper chief Jon Day Griffith (Thomas Mitchell), and television chief "Honest" Harry Kritzer (James Craig)—to solve the crime and catch the serial killer who has been dubbed the "Lipstick Killer": whoever can do it will get the new job.