Lt. Frank Janek NYPD attends the funeral of his old mentor, Al DiMona. Then Chief of Detectives James Hart assigns him a weird double homicide--a schoolteacher and a prostitute, with their heads switched. Janek also meets Caroline Wallace, who knew Al DiMona. The double homicide threatens to grow cold--but then Janek finds that Caroline lied to him about how she met Al. Surreptitiously entering her apartment at night, Janek discovers the real link Caroline Wallace has with Al DiMona. That link also implicates Chief Hart.
Janek's investigation of the double homicide picks up steam when his team identifies a likely suspect. But he also investigates Chief Hart, and finds a trail of corruption, including the murder of Caroline's policeman father. Hart, by way of retaliation, fires Janek from the case. Janek then takes a terrific gamble to take Hart down.