The Cat Creeps

Terry Nichols is hired by his boss Sampler at the Morning Chronicle to look into a letter from Cora Williams. The letter claims she found a $200,000 fortune and that it proves Eric Goran's murder was not suicide. Terry agrees to take the assignment, weighing the risks against his personal life.

Cora's letter anchors the case by implying a hidden fortune and linking it to Eric Goran's death. Investigators wonder whether the money could overturn the long-standing suicide ruling. The mystery widens as journalists and investigators debate the letter's credibility.

Walter Elliott, once a murder suspect, is now running for the U.S. Senate against Sampler's brother-in-law. The looming campaign adds political pressure to reveal the truth behind Eric Goran's death. The situation suggests motive for silencing or manipulating information.

Terry hesitates to take the job because he is dating Walter's daughter Gay, but he ultimately agrees to pursue the story. He weighs personal risk against professional duty while the case tightens its grip. The decision sets the stage for the perilous island trip.

Walter denies involvement in Eric Goran's death during an interview and arranges for detective Ken Grady to re-examine the case, via Tom McGalvey. Ken's prior involvement lends credibility to the investigation. Tom's assistant Connie is also drawn into the plan.

Terry and photographer Pidge stow away on a boat bound for a remote island to visit Cora's mansion. The gathering includes the Elliots, Tom, and Connie, setting up a closed-room investigation. The voyage amps up the tension as secrets loom.

Cora is found unconscious in a room with her black cat. The boat's voyage leaves the group stranded after a fire breaks out on their vessel. Connie faints at the cat's sight, and Cora dies, escalating the mystery.

Ken questions the guests while Connie overhears Cora mentioning money stored in a 'little house.' Connie's fear of cats compounds the tension as Cora dies. The stage is set for further suspicion and revelation.

Kyra, Eric Goran's daughter, arrives and claims she has come to confront Cora about her father's death. Her presence raises the stakes as everyone watches for hidden motives. The clues hint at further secrets tied to the island and the mansion.

Gay discovers Ken's business card bearing Cora's last words and attempts to compare it against Connie's handwriting, only to be bludgeoned from behind. Connie, fearing she is a suspect, begins a confession before fleeing and is found dead soon after. Ken has disappeared the card and later admits taking it.

Gay regains consciousness to find the card missing, and Ken confesses that he took the card to manipulate the investigation. The dynamic among the survivors fractures as trust erodes. The mystery continues as everyone searches for the money and the truth.

Terry plants a thousand-dollar bill near Cora's cat, staging that the cat has found the money. Kyra buys into the idea that the feline is possessed by Cora and can lead them to the fortune. The plan advances the search for the 'little house' and the treasure.

The group splits to search for the 'little house.' Gay enters the basement to find her childhood dollhouse, with Ken following behind. An unknown assailant trips Ken, causing him to be impaled on a rake and die. The mansion plunges deeper into shock and suspicion.

Tom reveals that years earlier he ran a bootlegging operation with Eric Goran out of Cora's mansion and murdered Eric to steal the profits. He hadn't found the money, which remained hidden on the island. Ken and Connie had previously blackmailed Tom, complicating loyalties.

Pidge discovers the fortune hidden inside a birdhouse outside Cora's bedroom window, bringing the mystery to a close. The evidence points to many motives and killers, but the fortune finally comes to light. The case wraps with new alignments and unresolved tensions among the survivors.