When Kurt Maxxon arrives at the Centralia Racetrack, he is confronted by a gun-wielding man with a wad of cash in his free hand. Inside the driver's lounge, Kurt finds the body of local race driver Melvyn Hightower-shot dead-his wallet rifled. Kurt has no doubt the gun-wielding man did it-until they can't find the dead man's racecar. Kurt learns that Maggie Decker, a waitress in a nearby diner, had gone to the track at the same time as the shooting, intent on having sex with Melvyn. The cops arrest Jason Tobias, the track secretary's husband for the murder supposing a love triangle. In the meantime, Kurt meets a precocious eight-year-old girl-Brittany Grenwahl-who quickly worms her way into Kurt's heart, and convinces Kurt to help her unemployed mother. Who shot Melvyn Hightower? Why? Where is Melvyn's car? Kurt is surrounded by possibilities, but no clear answers. The facts are leading to nothing but dead ends. Could this be the first case Kurt cannot solve?