Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Margot Brenner is a happily married housewife whose husband frequently is away on business trips. When she discovers a leak downstairs in the basement, her husband asks her to call the plumber, but to get an estimate first. The next day, Jack Staley arrives at Margot's home. Jack comes across as overly familiar, making remarks about her husband's income and other inappropriate comments. Margot is taken off guard but doesn't say much. She follows him upstairs to inquire why he needs to be there when the leak is in the basement. Jack comments on items in her bedroom and a painting that she did, and even picks up one of her nightgowns. Two hours later, Jack is about to leave and tells Margot that the repair will cost her $500. Shocked, Margot discovers that this is actually a blackmail scheme, in which Jack intends to claim a lawsuit against her for a fake injury on the job. In court, he will also say how she seduced him - the knowledge of the painting in her bedroom, the nightie, and the fact that he took the phone off the hook while her friends tried to call will all count against her - unless she pays up the five hundred dollars.

Trying to bring in a police officer to overhear Jack's scheme the next morning backfires, as Jack pretends that he's never bribed Margot. Margot is faced with one solution: when Jack arrives to collect on his blackmail, all the other ladies in the neighborhood are sitting there. Margot begins to dial the police, but Jack stops her, reluctant but forced to meet their demands. Their wishlist includes all the expensive plumbing repairs necessary in each of their houses.