When a successful black urbanite writer buys a vacation home in New England, everything is great—until the police mistake him for a burglar. Chief Tolliver realizes his mistake and to avoid the bad publicity, he offers a jailed thief, Amos Odell, a deal. Amos is supposed to pretend to take Andrew prisoner, hold him for ransom and then let him go and escape. But Amos and Andrew have other plans.
