Nick Polo, the private detective whom readers last met in Polo's Ponies, has stooped to bodyguard work. Well, why not? All he has to do is "slosh around Pebble Beach a few hours and have the evenings to himself." He's guarding a writer named Jack Slate in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where Slate plans to play in, and Nick plans to watch, a big golf tournament. Slate has been receiving death threats. He is an investigative journalist, and right now he is onto something very hot indeed. Then Slate, and a stranger later identified as an FBI agent, die in the decidedly accidental crash of a small plane they had somewhat inexplicably taken up. Far from being over, Polo's job just begins with Slate's death. Slate's lawyer, who had hired Polo in the first place, wants Nick to get hold of the dead man's explosive manuscript before anyone else can. One delightful obstacle to Polo's try is a beautiful young woman named Vanilla.