Detective Tumbler takes the case of a serial killer who roams the backwoods of Missouri with a band of followers. This is a man who many believe doesn't really exist. Meanwhile, Detective Tumbler faces threats at home as he waits to testify at the impending trial of Barnabus Shield and threats on the road. He finds new allies in a district attorney, a tracker and self-proclaimed outlaw named Princeton Wright, and an enforcer named Chester Swanson who could be his next partner.