The parents of Mallory Petersen, Des Moines private investigator, and martial artist, are hospitalized because of a car accident in Burlington. Arriving in southeast Iowa, Mallory, who has suffered from a forced heroin addiction for four months, soon finds herself involved in a case of a stolen ruby. With the help of her police detective boyfriend, Lawrence Cameron, she jumps on the trail of the missing jewel and two people who may be the latest victims of a sadistic gangster. With her addiction urges mounting, will she be able to handle the pressure?
Meanwhile, Mallory's office manager and fellow private investigator, Darren, has his own adventures while his boss is away. These include trying to capture a pesky and elusive bail jumper and following a couple of cheating paramours. His biggest shock, however, is when he encounters the woman who broke his heart years before...