Perry receives a telephone call from George Beaumont, a man who supposedly died in a plane crash nearly three years before. In reality, Beaumont missed the plane and after hearing about the accident decided to disappear leaving wife Laura with his life insurance money. Since then, Beaumont has been cavorting with girlfriend Ruth Whittaker and living under an alias. He has grown tired of this life and wants to return home but someone cuts short his return by sticking a letter opener in his back. Ruth is then charged with the murder.

Sarah Werner asks Perry to find her husband, Hugo Werner, who ran off with her inheritance. Hugo, now using the name Hans Breel, is now working on a gem scam but his scheme backfires when he is murdered and Sarah is charged with the crime.

A circus clown is charged with the murder of its part owner when a gun is slipped to him during a gun act.