Business As Usual covers an eventful period in the life of Tampa police homicide detective Mike Ash. Before Mike investigates three separate deaths, while teaching in a statewide seminar in Orlando, he learns of the death of his friend, fellow Army Ranger veteran Dennis Stokely. In the course of an opportune meeting with his friend, crime scene investigator Candace Pennington, Mike shares about Dennis' life and how he came to be in Tampa. Upon returning to Tampa, Mike searches for Band-Aid, the cat that he helped Dennis rescue in Afghanistan. During a visit to a local art studio, Mike and Band-Aid are reunited and the owner of the studio insists that Mike and his girlfriend, Terri Foster take Band-Aid home with them. During his death investigations, Mike's relationship with Terri grows in trust and deepens in intimacy. When Terri is rescued from a would-be murderer, she fears that Mike will discover the terrible secret that has been the source of her deepest shame.