Ira 'Doc' Pearson is brought to an almost-dead body found beside the road. Before the man can reveal who his killer was, he expires, leaving Ira to uncover the mystery. And Ira doesn't even know the identity of the dead man! Meanwhile, someone is bringing in a lot of toughs to Van Bendt, TX, and the surrounding towns. Someone who has deep enough pockets to keep them paid, under controlled, and even satisfied with imported 'working women'. Is someone just reopening one of the nearby gold or silver mines, or setting up a corridor for trafficking stolen goods across the border? Or does someone have imperial designs much bigger than that? Can Dr. Ira Pearson, former Texas Ranger, uncover and even thwart the plot?