As a cold autumn wind whips through the darkened streets of San Francisco and shakes the courthouse windows, a sardonic smile crosses the deputy district attorney's face. As he revels in his success at finally turning innuendo and rumor into fact, a light illuminates a dark figure in the doorway of his office. Seconds later, the deputy district attorney is lying in a pool of his own blood, important papers are missing from his desk, and a brutal killer is on the loose. District Attorney Glynnis Lomax is overworked and troubled by memories as she attempts to come to grips with the brutal murder of her colleague. Unable to tolerate imperfection from anyone, Glynnis immerses herself in the investigation and is soon irritated by the novice detective assigned to the case. Desperate for help as the mayor and press relentlessly hound her for answers, Glynnis places her faith in her long-time friend and mentor Detective Murphy. Only a week from retirement, Murphy reluctantly takes on the case. As the body count increases, though, Murphy and Glynnis must find a murderer with an insatiable thirst for revenge before it is too late.