While golfing in the Conrad Hilton Open in Socorro, New Mexico, former Miss New Mexico, now detective, Miitrai (pronounced MIITRA) Riley is 'blasted' into a case of attempted murder of young space scientist Will Craven.
Earlier, violence erupted on a dark Sunday night in the small 'rustic', town of Frisco Flats, where Craven and his priest were discussing 'morality questions' of his research of the scientist's 'secret' space discovery. The Vatican was contacted, the answer was 'stop'; a scientist-partner 'mentioned' it to his fiancé at a mega-church; it was a secret no longer.
After leaving the rectory, a bizarre 'bola' assault was made against Cravenby a motor-cycle rider a warning was given to him and the Priest. Later the bike-rider 'dumps' near a bridge in town. His back-pack with a 'pendant' inside is pitched into the water where later a corgi dog finds it. The pack is taken to the local Sheriff, Frank Baca.
Two weeks later, a 'fisherman' arrives in town seeking the pendant, ' I lost while fishing'. Sheriff Baca is suspicious. Lead flies and the fisherman dies. Others arrive seeking the 'pendant'. Native American Detective, Miitrai Riley realizes the pendant is similar to one her old grand mama on theAcoma Pueblo has kept for years. - 'strange'.
Mysteries abound as violence escalates; a kidnapping in front of the cathedral in Santa Fe, a gun fight in Frisco Flats and a violent crash of a multi-million corporate jet at an Alabama airport keep the action level high.
The young woman detective uncovers a crime infested foreign corporation, a huge religious money laundering scam, both seeking to recover the pendant and stopping Craven's research. County, State, Indian Reservation and FBI agencies interact in the final events. The case comes to an explosive end in a mysterious building near the 'atomic city' of Los Alamos. Or did it?