The Rich Man’s Wife

Josie Potenza and Tony Potenza plan a romantic lakeside getaway, hoping to patch their strained marriage. Tony's work stress and drinking have pushed Josie to seek reconciliation. When it becomes clear the studio worries will pull him away, she tells him to go home while she stays for a few days.

At a local bar, Josie notices Cole Wilson ogling her and feels exposed. She leaves to escape his unwanted attention and discomfort starts to mount. The encounter plants the seed of danger to come.

Josie’s Jeep breaks down on a dark country road, forcing her to walk to the cabin. Cole pulls up in his truck, offers a lift, and presents himself as harmless while she weighs her options. She accepts the ride, not yet sensing his true intent.

After the lift, Cole invites Josie to dinner, and she agrees, hoping to keep things civil. The invitation introduces a dangerous casualness to their interaction. The night marks the beginning of a troubling dynamic.

Over drinks after dinner, Josie talks about her unhappy marriage, admitting she sometimes fantasizes about Tony's death but remains grateful for what he has given her. She expresses hope for their future together. Cole’s responses are unsettling, hinting at danger beneath his charm.

On the drive back to the cabin, Cole switches off the headlights and drives erratically, sending Josie into a panic. She resists his advances, realizing the danger is real. The situation escalates toward a threatening confrontation.

During the drive, Cole tries to force himself on Josie. She finds a gun in a kitchen drawer and fires, grazing his face as she fights to escape. Cole drives away vowing revenge, leaving Josie shaken and alone.

Months pass as Tony stops drinking and he and Josie begin to repair their marriage. They work to rebuild trust and move forward together. The shelter of their relationship returns, even as shadows of Cole linger.

On a rainy night, Tony stops at an ATM and Cole hides in the back seat, forcing him to drive to a secluded park and shooting him multiple times. Cole then goes to Josie's home and reveals that Tony is dead, demanding $30,000 to keep silent. He warns that he will tell the police Josie hired him if she reports him.

Police question Josie after Tony's death, and Detective Dan Fredricks grows suspicious of her story. Fredricks's partner Ron Lewis accuses him of bias, complicating the investigation. The case becomes tangled in multiple directions.

Josie tells her lover Jake Golden that she knows who killed Tony, but he warns her not to reveal anything. The confession hints at dangerous turns and shifting loyalties. It deepens the mystery surrounding the murder.

Jake reveals his ulterior motive: he had hired Cole to kill Tony so Josie would be free to marry him and benefit from her wealth. The confession adds a layer of manipulation behind the murder. Josie is left weighing danger, love, and possible profit.

Cole's vendetta widens as he kills Jake, removing a key player in the web of lies surrounding Josie. The murder tightens the danger around Josie directly as Cole closes in on her. The situation spirals toward a deadly confrontation.

Cole traps Josie in her garage and she kills him in the ensuing skirmish, claiming self-defense. Nora, Jake's ex-wife, doubts Josie's cleverness and tries to influence the police, but the detectives let her go, unaware that Josie and Nora are partners in crime.