After a body has been found at the foot of the Sunsphere at the World's Fair Park in Knoxville, Shy Tempest, Knox County Chief of Detectives, goes to the scene of the crime. Tempest helps to investigate this brutal murder because the victim is his longtime friend who was an ex-cop. As he travels around Knox County, he encounters people from all walks of life, from university professors to strippers to recent Hispanic immigrants to the inner workings of the justice system.