Judge Cowper of Shimmer Creek hires Buck Halliday to take care of a problem. Jason Henley has taken over the town lock, stock and barrel, and now expects every other businessman to pay him protection money. Halliday might have dealt out death before, but he isn't a killer for hire. Still, maybe he can convince Henley that it might be better for his health if he makes dust and heads for someplace else. Trouble is, Henley has more lives than a cat. And to get to him, a feller first has to go through his pet gunman, the notorious Rafe Murchison. It appears to Halliday that he really is going to earn his money on this job...