Acclaimed chef Brett Baldwin and his Native American friend Jud Garcia are called to the scene of a gruesome torture-homicide in the funky border town of Terlingua. The victim is Juds adopted uncle, craggy-faced, ponytailed Texas blues legend T.J. Rattlesnake Garcia. Rattlesnake has lived for years in a kind of holy poverty, but his recordings have sold millions, reaching back to the 1950s. He was a beloved icon, an eccentric piece of Texas fauna who performed live only once a year attracting thousands to close out Terlinguas storied chili cook-off. There were always rumors of a secret surrounding Garcia, however, some say going back to the witch hunts of Sen. Joe McCarthy. Everything about his murder implies that something he had was something somebody wanted. Real bad. In the hours and days after Garcias mangled body is discovered, the international news media fill Terlingua and nearby Marfa with the circus for which they are famous. The spotlight shifts, however, to a refined older woman abandoned by Garcia long ago, who claims shes still his wife and heir. And if she werent complication enough, her sexy wild-child of a daughter also shows up. Each is looking to claim Garcia's fortune, if one can be found. And each sees Brett as something else worth claiming along the way. Suddenly, the chef and the love of his life, Marfa-born Hollywood star Meridyth Morgan, have a lot more on their menu than a spicy bowl of red.