Thomas Waine has a job for Edward Riss: participate in the fake kidnapping of his wife, Solange. Waine plans to pay a huge ransom then declare bankruptcy thus avoiding taxes and massive debts. Andrew MacCrimmon becomes involved after meeting Riss's wife while working on another case. She tells him she fears for her husband's life. MacCrimmon reluctantly looks into it in spite of marital problems of his own. The fake kidnapping goes off as planned but Solange disappears with the entire ransom, which is not part of the plan. When Riss's body shows up in Golden Gate Park MacCrimmon goes on the hunt for the stolen ransom and for Riss's murderer. He ends up finding a lot more than he bargained for.