El Paso detective Cord Wheeler is on his way home from a wedding when he stops at the little New Mexico town of Cartuna. Walking to his hotel after dinner, he hears a woman scream and is slugged while investigating the noise. The woman has been murdered, and after the local law officers clear him of any involvement, Wheeler finds that this is the third killing in recent months. He agrees to help the sheriff and is forced to take a job guarding a cattle drive in order to trap the criminals, nearly being killed in the process. Will he discover the real reason behind the killings and bring the guilty to justice?