Young Tom Flannery thought he had it all. A great job helping out the Maintenance crews at the Pepsi Center—especially during hockey season, the best time of the year, a great girlfriend, a new car, and lots of money. But his good fortune comes to an end when he is killed and his body is dumped in a pile of snow in one of the Arena's parking lots.

Sydney Morgan, and then Felicity Davenport, both come to Mark MacFarland, a former disgraced Denver detective who had operated a hot dog cart near Police Headquarters, and beseech him to find out who killed Tom Flannery. MacFarland has recently traded in his hot dog business to run his own investigative agency, but can he afford to take on a client who clearly can't pay him?

On the other hand, is there any way he can say no to a request from a friend to find justice for the murdered young man?