When a man points a pistol at a cop, he ends up dead. But minutes later, the suspect's weapon is missing. Officer Chris Martin begins to learn the politics of big city policing, racial tension, and the myth of the 'thin blue line', as he seeks the truth of what happened to the weapon that was pointed at him. Before it's over, he's questioning his decision, trying to keep his marriage intact, and trying to choose a lawyer who can discover the truth from the murky waters of city politics.