The body of teenager Gloria Hollinger (Sharon Kelly) is found dead on a Los Angeles beach, and Lt. Phil Gaines (Burt Reynolds) is in charge of the investigation. Gaines learns that the girl, a stripper and prostitute, committed suicide, but he ignores the connection between her and a powerful mob lawyer, Leo Sellers (Eddie Albert). Hollinger's father (Ben Johnson), however, is not satisfied with Gaines's results, and attempts to investigate the case on his own.