Seven Keys to Baldpate

Mystery writer Kenneth Magee accepts a $5,000 bet that he can spend a night at the closed Baldpate Inn and craft a story. He begins outlining ideas on his train to the inn, setting the stage for a real-life backdrop to his fiction. The bet kicks off the suspenseful premise of the tale.

A stranger named Mary Jordan boards the train and steals Kenneth's typed pages, creating an immediate mystery about what he wrote. Her action raises questions about authorship and motive as the journey continues. She escapes with the pages, adding a sense of danger to the bet.

At the station, Mary tries to warn Kenneth not to go to Baldpate, hinting at danger that awaits inside. Kenneth is puzzled but continues to Baldpate, motivated by the bet and curiosity. The warning foreshadows a hidden threat in the seemingly quiet inn.

Kenneth arrives at the inn and expects to be alone with the key, but caretaker Cargan is already there and claims he wasn’t expecting him. The power is out in the inn, forcing them to work by oil lamp and firelight. The stage is set for a claustrophobic, closed-room atmosphere.

Mary arrives at Baldpate Inn and is forced to stay because the weather prevents anyone from leaving. Kenneth continues his writing by lamp light, expanding the self-referential frame of the narrative. The isolation intensifies the sense that something is wrong.

More people show up at the inn, their behavior suspicious as letters of conspiracy float around. An old hermit enters through a window, claiming curiosity about the lamplight. The gathering of strangers creates a tense, watchful mood as nothing is as it seems.

Kenneth overhears Mary's phone call and learns there is a plan behind the scenes, but he wrongly assumes the other guests are part of the scheme. He remains convinced they are there to distract him from the bet. The story splits between real danger and Kenneth's rising paranoia.

As more gang members arrive, the criminals plan to stage a false crime to file a fraudulent insurance claim. The group begins to mistrust itself as backstabbing and shifting loyalties emerge. Kenneth and Mary become unwitting witnesses to the criminal web.

Mary tries to call the police, but Cargan slips outside and cuts the telephone wire, cutting off rescue. The isolation heightens the danger as the intruders tighten their control. Kenneth and Mary scramble to understand what is happening while keeping their nerve.

The couple stumbles upon the murdered body of a gang member, confirming that a real crime is unfolding. They attempt to escape, but Cargan and his men block their path, turning the inn into a fortress. The tension peaks as the truth begins to surface.

The hermit summons the police, who arrive with skepticism and struggle to discern truth from fiction. The inn becomes a scene of questioning and accusation as the law tries to piece together who is involved. The criminals' plans start to unravel under scrutiny.

Kenneth uses the moment to stall for time as Max holds Mary at gunpoint. He eventually guides the police to the dead body, leading to the arrest of the crooks. The danger is brought under control, but the truth comes with a price.

Having survived the peril, Kenneth returns to his room to finish his story under a new title, Seven Keys to Baldpate. Mary kisses him as he types THE END, suggesting a personal victory as well as narrative closure. The bet is completed, and romance rekindles in the aftermath.