Captain John Mackelroy has seen his share of horrendous murders, but when a cop is killed, there's a different kind of horror. Sergeant Ted Tindale was a good officer, so it comes as a surprise when he is found shot to death in an abandoned warehouse. Mac has to wonder what happened. What did Tindale stumble upon that got him killed? Mac mourns the man—and breaks the news to his widow.

Ann Tindale wants her husband's killer found, and Mac is on the trail, along with trusted associate Lieutenant Frank Tanner. The FBI agents investigating the crime offer little help, and Mac and Tanner find themselves running down lead after worthless lead. Soon, however, it isn't just Tindale they're concerned about; cops all over town are being murdered.

As the body count grows, Ann and Mac make a romantic connection, pulled together by tragedy. With all these cops dead, though, the city threatens to erupt in anarchy; Mac is caught between duty, vengeance, and love. Will he find the killer in time to save innocent lives, or will Mac end up another fallen cop?