Drew Gavin

Drew Gavin, a former University of New Mexico star defensive end, is reduced to churning out jaded sportswriter commentary for the Albuquerque Gazette. He is suddenly reminded of his glory days when he crosses paths with his college sweetheart, Helen Graham, at the homecoming game. Helen asks Drew to help her husband, Freddie, who is indebted to an intimidating bookie, Three Eyes Sanchez. She asks Drew to buy her husband more time to pay his tab. Acting on nostalgia, Drew is soon exploded out of his familiar office chair, and into dingy back-door betting dens. He discovers more than he wants to know about Freddie's gambling debts and the corruption behind the scenes of professional sports. When a murderer slips into the game, Drew must confront shady bookies, powerful business men, creepy killers, preying journalists, and the ghosts of his own past.

With his new position as Albuquerque Gazette sports editor, Drew Gavin hopes life will slow down. Then a late night phone call brings Drew to the side of his reporter and friend, Curtis White, who has awoken in a strange bed beside a beautiful cheerleader. The problem is the cheerleader is dead, and a pompom blossoms from her mouth like some deadly flower. Curtis can't remember a thing about the night before, but swears he is innocent. Drew begins his investigation checking into the Albuquerque Rattlers minor league basketball team. Team owner Scott Cerf's software company is on the skids, making Gavin wonder why he bought the team. His questions lead to trouble, and the waiting hands of Cerf's Chief of Security, Otis Edgewater. With his friend in jail, Edgewater on his tail and his publisher breathing down his neck, Drew must make the connections between the dead girl, a franchise on the rocks, an increasing number of corpses, basketball, computer technology, and the Federal Government to exonerate his friend.