Violent Midnight

A war veteran with a fraught family history, Elliot lives in seclusion at the family manor after his wealthy father dies in a hunting accident with Elliot present. He earns a living as a portrait artist, largely cut off from the town. The event seeds suspicion and sets the tone for his fragile mental state.

Elliot's attorney, Adrian Benedict, visits with documents regarding his sister Lynn's tuition payments. The meeting hints at ongoing family tensions and Lynn's looming return. The encounter establishes the support network around Elliot amidst rising social pressure.

That same night, Dolores is stabbed to death by a cloaked figure. Elliot is present nearby, deepening the town's suspicion that he may be involved. The murder triggers a police investigation and a sense of danger that permeates every corner of the community.

The next day, Lynn arrives from New York City to transfer to the local women's college. Her arrival heightens the town's tension as old resentments and new attachments form around her. The events begin to pull Elliot into a widening circle of acquaintances.

Elliot brings Lynn to the college, where he meets Carol Bishop, an instructor who quickly takes a liking to him. The growing connection offers a glimmer of stability amid the town's turmoil. Carol's warmth introduces the possibility of new trust in Elliot's fragile world.

Lieutenant Palmer begins investigating Dolores's murder, questioning Elliot and Charlie about their whereabouts. Silvia, one of Charlie's girlfriends, provides a false alibi for him. The investigation tightens the net around Elliot and his circle of acquaintances.

Adrian steps in to prevent Elliot from being coerced into a false confession by the police. He defends Elliot's rights while the townspeople speculate about guilt. The alliance between Elliot and Adrian becomes essential as the case grows more tangled.

While Charlie works at the college, student Alice St. Clair makes sexual advances toward him, and they have sex in a closet. The encounter adds danger and moral ambiguity to the already troubled relationships around the college. The incident foreshadows the later murders and shifting loyalties.

Palmer tightens the net on Elliot, and he confesses to Carol that he murdered his abusive father, and that Adrian helped secure his acquittal. The confession reveals a hidden history of violence and complicated loyalties. The scene marks a pivotal turn in how others view Elliot.

That night, Charlie knocks Elliot unconscious at the tavern and steals his car. He heads to a lake with Alice, hoping for a reckless escape. The decision escalates the town's danger and widens the circle of suspects in Dolores's murder.

At the lake, Charlie admits he cannot swim, and Alice drags him in, leading to a fight. He punches her, renders her unconscious, and drags her to the shore before fleeing. A cloaked figure then appears and slashes Alice to death. The murder links the night's chaos to the unknown killer.

After news of Alice's murder, Silvia realizes Charlie's guilt for Dolores and Alice and calls Palmer to confess she lied about the alibi. Before she can finish, Charlie attacks her, ripping out her earrings and fleeing on his motorcycle. The town's investigation continues to spiral.

A police chase ends with Charlie’s apprehension, solidifying him as a key suspect in Dolores's murder and the other recent killings. Elliot's vulnerability deepens as his name remains entangled with the case. The community's fear grows as the net tightens.

Back at his home, Elliot receives a phone call from Carol but is suddenly kidnapped by Adrian and his brutish chauffeur Max, who intend to escort him to a mental institution. Carol arrives moments later, triggering a tense chase through the woods. Elliot escapes by hiding in the surrounding forest.

In an upstairs confrontation, Carol encounters a cloaked attacker who is thwarted by Adrian and Elliot. The attacker is revealed to be Lynn, who explains she committed the murders and fired the shot that killed their father to divert Elliot's attention. Her confession seals the fates of several characters.