Judge Taulbee's visit with an old friend in New York proves increasingly uncomfortable when there is the inescapable evidence of poison- in a canape spread, a murder, a young girl among those missing, and the realization that another Justice had also died suddenly and recently. Taulbee timidly probes and pries here and there and ultimately connects the crimes with the desegregation decision and a personal revenge. Bright touches and a pleasant romance as well.