Calling Dr. Death

Dr. Mark Steele is a renowned neurologist who uses hypnosis to help his patients, but his personal life is unraveling as his wife Maria cheats on him. He confronts her about divorce, yet she refuses to consent and laughs it off. That night he even dreams of strangling his wife to death, foreshadowing darker thoughts to come.

Maria leaves for a weekend rendezvous and Mark drives off afterward. When Monday arrives, he wakes in his office with a blank memory of the weekend and realizes he cannot recall what happened. The sense of danger deepens as he learns that Maria has been murdered.

Police inform Mark that Maria has been murdered and disfigured by acid. Mark finds a button from his own jacket near the scene, which triggers fear that he may be implicated in the crime. His nurse Stella advises him to keep quiet until more is known.

Stella Madden urges Mark not to air suspicions to the police until he has more information. She warns that jumping to conclusions could harm his case and complicate investigations. Mark begins to worry about the implications of his potential involvement.

The police arrest Maria's lover, architect Robert Duval, for the murder. The case intensifies as the investigation zeroes in on possible motives and means. Inspector Gregg continues to keep a close eye on Mark, unsure of his innocence.

Duval's disabled wife visits Mark's office to plead for help proving her husband innocent. She believes Duval is being punished unfairly and hopes Mark's expertise with hypnosis or mental clarity can uncover the truth. Mark weighs the delicate balance of professional duty and personal risk.

Duval is convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death after the trial. The weight of the case piles up around Mark as he contemplates his own possible guilt and begins to seek the truth beneath the surface. Maria's killer remains to be uncovered, and Mark's memory puzzle grows more complex.

In a moment of guilt, Mark contemplates hypnotizing himself to determine if he is the real murderer. He begins the session, but Inspector Gregg arrives and interrupts before it can be completed. Stella records the session audio, revealing Mark's account of meeting his wife at a mountain cabin and leaving before Duval arrives.

Gregg listens to the recording and continues to doubt Mark's innocence, using the evidence to build a case against Stella and others. Mark remains unsettled, realizing there are deeper conspiracies at play. Stella's account deepens the mystery but also hints at embezzlement within Mark's clinic.

Mark visits Duval in prison and learns that the murdered Maria had borrowed $10,000 from him to cover gambling debts. This financial tie complicates the motive and further blurs the lines between justice and temptation. Mark's investigation grows deeper as he follows the money trail.

Mark talks with Stella, who faints in his office from stress or exhaustion. He contemplates hiring another nurse as secretary to handle bills while he delves into the case, and drives Stella to visit her family to recover. A crucial shift begins as evidence accumulates against multiple suspects.

On the night of Duval's scheduled execution, Mark hypnotizes Stella to uncover who truly killed Maria. Stella confesses that she plotted with Duval to obtain the money and killed Maria when Duval tried to return the funds. She also admits trying to burn down the medical office to cover embezzlement. Gregg overhears and arrests Stella, revealing that he had been gathering evidence rather than truly doubting Mark.