Maryland lawyer Stephanie Ann “Sam” McRae has handled tough cases before, but two take a turn for the worse. A poor black girl facing delinquency charges is accused of killing her mother. Meanwhile, a white, middle-class man suspected of embezzling from his employer is arrested for murdering his boss.

With help from a streetwise friend of one of the murder victims, Sam discovers the two cases are linked by the seamy world of girl gangs and computer pornography. The murderers are prepared to use brute force to keep Sam from learning all. As the body count grows, Sam races to unmask them and clear her clients before she becomes the next victim.