Floyd Donnelly's dead body is discovered outside the only nightclub in Cairnburgh. Detective Chief Inspector Carston thinks he knows who's behind the killing: David Burchill, self-made man and Carston's personal "bete noire." Burchill is also a possible suspect in another of Carston's cases: a protection racket. An antiques dealer named Hilden has endured a vicious beating from a thug who also destroyed his merchandise.Carston desperately wants to nail Burchill, but his prey always seems one stop ahead. And with Hilden reluctant to identify his attackers, Carston fears that both cases are destined to remain unsolved for a very long time.