In Stranger in the House, we meet Helen, a woman tormented by the absence of her brother, Ted, who has been missing for six long years since embarking on a government mission to the Orient. The backdrop of World War II looms large, and Helen's anxiety grows as she waits for any sign of life from Ted. Her lawyer, George, reminds her that if they do not hear from him by next year, he will be declared legally dead, which complicates her inheritance from their father's estate. Helen's emotional turmoil is palpable as she wishes for closure, even if it means learning that Ted has died.