In a fashion studio, a wearer eats a candy contained in a red box and dies poisoned. Nero Wolfe and Archie are called into question by Enrico Frost, cousin of one of the models investigated for murder (Elena). Wolfe quickly realizes that the main suspect is Elena who gave the tailor Lello De Angelis the box of candy, but did not take. While Elena's family proves to be very hostile to Wolfe, the girl reveals that in a month (when she reaches the age of majority) she will inherit a fortune ... She also tells him she is very attached to De Angelis: her family has known him since the war and then they lost sight of them for years and then found themselves in Rome.