Hard-luck New Orleans P.I. Lee 'Red' Gammon is cruising on empty. Between a dearth of paying clients and recovering from several prior case which had -- to his dismay -- touched on the supernatural, all he wants to do is sit in his office and idly watch the rain paint the office window with oily streaks.

No such luck. A client who immediately raises his hackles arrives and hires him to recover an ancient idol which has been stolen from her. The set-up is disturbing, but the up-front money is good, and promise of more if he completes the job within 24 hours is even better.

He really should have trusted his initial instincts.