 Against the advice of his wife Grace, Joe Bradshaw joins Tom and Charlie Fowler for an afternoon of bowling. Grace s instincts prove prophetic when Joe finds himself an innocent bystander as the Fowlers rob Mac Benson s roadside diner. Joe flees the scene in their car, leaving Charlie Fowler to be shot and critically wounded by the dying Benson. Joe knows that he will be pursued by the vengeful Tom Fowler and is mistakenly convinced that he is a wanted man. He is eventually forced to shoot Tom Fowler in order to protect Grace and he then makes armed threats against Dan Mathews and his officers. Dan must use guile and psychology to prevent the heretofore innocent Joe from actually committing the most egregious of crimes.