Reporter John Cotton of the afternoon Tribune newspaper is in the state capitol building's press room filing his column on the day's political events.

An intoxicated Merrill "Mac" McDaniels of the morning Capitol-Press arrives from a long drinking session with Speaker of the House Bruce Ulrich.

Telling Cotton he's leaving to search for his missing notebook, Mac is found dead seven minutes later, several levels down from the press room, on the floor of the capitol rotunda.

Cotton finds Mac's missing notebook in the rear of a desk drawer, and is puzzled by the columns of unexplained figures on one page.

William "Whitey" Robbins of the Gazette is driving Cotton's automobile when it is rammed by a stolen semi-trailer truck, plunging into the Rush River.

Cotton hooks Adams with his fishing rod, injuring him and ending the chase, and then returns to Capitol City.

Captain Whan confirms Adams' real identity as Randolph Allen Harge, an organized crime hit man.

Whan registers him in a motel under the alias of Robert Elwood, and lets him know that he does not have enough manpower to protect him 24 hours a day.

Cotton informs managing editor Ernie Danilov that he is back in town; the Tribune prints a notice on the editorial page saying the columnist is on sick leave.

He then talks with Joseph Korolenko, old man of Roark’s party, to understand why the scheme of double billing for concrete was done.

[3] The book was summed up thus: “The thinking and documents-based reporting of investigative newshound John Cotton could serve as a textbook of sorts on the practice--and limitations--of journalism.” LibraryThing readers commented, "... a fun, fast read.