The Chief receives a worrying phone call from Ted Ollinger, an old friend, and he sends Ed to investigate. In the tiny town of Grant Bay Ed can find no sign of his former colleague; but he soon discovers that the locals are determined to hide something from him and that at least one of them will stop at nothing to keep him from the truth.

A violent gang kills two men during a robbery, and the Chief enlists the help of a regular informant in order to capture those responsible. The informant, Baxter, is a happy-go-lucky gambler with a wife and child, who has been keeping his duel identity a secret for years. This time, however, it looks as though his secret is going to become known to everybody.