In ’68, the hot smoke and cold eyes of ‘Nam stalked ELVIN SUGGS. Now, it’s a blonde in a red dress—and, he doesn’t want to run. Suggs is no stranger to heartache. Years have passed since the Hubble brothers murdered CHERIE, his ex-wife. When he receives an offer on his Memphis home, Elvin decides it’s time to confront his poignant past. With his Airedale, VANNA, beside him, he leaves St. Louis. Thirty minutes outside of Memphis, he passes a silver Caddy with Tennessee plates, by the side of the road. He decides to stop, and meets SHELBY SWAIN. 

Vivacious and sultry, Shelby also has a rocky past. She is working at a St. Louis nightclub when her ex-husband, MYLES LAMOUR informs her that a potential client, sleazy RONALD “JUPE” JUPITER, solicited his defense in a mysterious murder charge. SHELBY knows Jupiter, from a shady past. When she returns to the Galaxy Apartments, managed by parolee, NESTER ARSENEAUX, she discovers her look-alike friend, Claire Ireland, dead in her living room. Was the bullet intended for her? Shelby decides to run from St. Louis. In fact, she has been running from ARTURO PRIMO, and his two hombres, EDUARDO RUIZ AND SANTOS (Santy) COREJOS for months. When she stole enough cash from Arturo’s safe to start a new life, she killed Arturo’s brother, HECTOR, and ran, first to Reno, then to Chicago, and finally, St. Louis. She thought she would stay, but now, decides to hide out at her Mama’s trailer in Memphis. That’s when the Caddy broke down—and Elvin showed up.