A musician is framed for the killing of his teacher, a violinist whose long-lost brother was in the mob.

While answering a high-rise apartment burglary call, McCloud stumbles on a body, which then disappears. The case leads to a VIP madam under indictment, whose girls are apparently being murdered by a serial killer.

Paroled bank robbers from New Mexico think McCloud took off with their $400,000 twelve years before. They kidnap Chris Coughlin, shoot two FBI agents with McCloud's .45 Colt Frontier Six Shooter, and force him back to Taos after the money.