Jim Blawcyzk gets handed three serious cases within twenty-four hours, and that's a lot for even the most veteran Ranger to handle. First, an apparent murder-suicide at the McDonald Observatory turns out to be a double homicide. By the time he's through with that crime scene, it's mid-morning. He's on his way home to get some much-needed rest before completing his reports and continuing his investigations when another call comes in. A bank robbery gone wrong has resulted in the shooting of a deputy sheriff and a hostage situation in downtown Alpine.