Rasmussen Carter is grooming Lily Miller, a young jazz singer, to be a star. She's singing at the Greenwood-the new incarnation of the Esposito-now owned and managed by Baron Loftus, the nephew of Sweetie Bogan, an aging jazz diva. The night Lily debuts, Carter is stabbed in a fight by Sweetie Bogan's lover, Alfonso Deal-Jones. Lily then abandons Rasmussen Carter for Edward Dare, who promises to make her a real star.

Carter is killed in the hospital, and Marina asks Elder Darrow, now retired from the bar business, to investigate-since his pal and Marina's soon-to-be husband, Boston Police detective Dan Burton, is still jealous of Carter and Marina's brief fling. Deal-Jones is found beaten to death, and Burton discovers Alfonso was setting up a cocaine deal with Edward Dare, the lieutenant to a major New Orleans gangster, who also happens to be "death" on drug dealing.

On their own time, Elder and Burton must solve the murders of the low-rent impressario and the New Orleans gangster's right-hand man. Burton is sure there's a connection. And in the process, Elder discovers he may not be cut out for a life of leisure just yet . . .