After the disappearance of three cattle in three months, Bill Roland Eklund, owner of Double Horseshoe Ranch, files a claim that sends Dan Mahoney to investigate, but a homicide coupled with a flood moves the case in a new direction.

It sounds like some work and mostly play when United Life and Casualty sends its investigator Dan Mahoney to Florida. Five greyhounds--all heavily insured--were lost in a fire at the Daytona dog track. So simple. Five dogs dead by smoke inhalation, bagged, tagged,and cremated. Papers all in order. Ashes in specialty urns on the desk of Dixie Halifax, track and casino co-owner. In jail, a young employee charged with arson to cover a murder he's blamed...