 Sheriff Mort Metzger is shot at by an unknown in his office, but not hurt. Jessica came home for the annual rummage sale she s in charge of this time, but her New York accountant warned her financial situation requires an audit and local accountant Sam Bennett didn t even answer- he s gambling at Lou Keramides  clandestine casino; the sheriff gets the judge to sign a search-warrant for his restaurant, where Jessica and Dr. Seth Hazlitt insist to talk to him but a tip-off allowed him to clean it in time, again. Deputy Ethan Loomis has an affair with Sam s in-living daughter Candace Bennett and is surprised by Sam in his patrol car. Mort shows Jessica anonymous threatening letters telling him to return to New York. Dr. Seth Hazlitt found his quarterly mutual fund purchases were neglected by Sam, whose wife Laura also learns about the complaints. Ethan gets paid for tipping off Keramides. College drop-out Chad Macinoy, the son of local gazette editor Irene Macinoy, is back in town from Philadelphia, and still in love with Candance, who doesn t want him back; her parents throw him out, under gun-threat from Sam and Ethan, who gladly arrests his rival. The next morning Ethan is shot while driving the sheriff s car and dies. Jessica realizes the killer must have been able to recognize the driver, so Mort probably wasn t the target. Jessica now checks out the  private game room  to tell Kermaides she suspects him and gets a covert threat not to insist. Deputy Andy Broom confirms he suspected Ethan tipped the casino. The sheriff arrests Sam Bennett, having found in his house a recently fired hunting gun of the killer s caliber; Jessica believes he s only guilty of gambling with clients  money and suddenly realizes an inconspicuous clue...