Shy, almost to the point of disabling, Sebastian "Nox" Knox, the elder son and heir to his late mother's estate, had to prove he was successful in his chosen position as a musician before age 30, or lose the quarter of a million dollar inheritance to his half-brother, Arthur. The youth stated out well, rising to the position of a virtuoso in a major orchestra, but a series of false rumors forced him to abandon that position. A growing lack of confidence led Nox to the life of a recluse and although he continued composing, fear prevented him from showing his work to others. Hugh Kerr, prominent Los Angeles defense attorney, is hired by Nox's stepfather, Thurman Lester, to represent his stepson on the expectation Kerr's reputation would add credibility to Lester's claim the musician was a failure. The first meeting between Hugh, his associate-wife Ellen Thorne-Kerr and the artist did not bode well for Lester's plans, however, as both were impressed with their client and encouraged him to pursue his rights. An unexpected turn of events and extremely incriminating evidence leads to the shy composer's arrest and trial for the murder of his stepfather. During the proceedings Hugh is charged with ethical misconduct, and complications from an indisputable timetable of events poses a nearly insurmountable problem for the lawyer and the Kerr gang to overcome.