About a year ago, Jiliana Kemp was abducted from a hospital parking garage. Cameras lost her before she reached her car. An hour later, a blue Ford SUV with stolen plates left the garage; the vehicle was later found abandoned and wiped clean. Jiliana’s father is the assistant chief of police. It was never made public that she was three months pregnant when taken. Nine months later, police traced her pawned necklace to Arch Swanger, a 31-year-old drifter with a petty criminal history. After surveillance and two interrogations, Swanger named Sebastian Rudd as his lawyer.

Though Rudd does not need more police trouble, he is initially thrilled by the sensational case, even as he senses it will haunt him. A reporter catches him at Central, and the public immediately knows he represents Swanger. Landy Reardon, the department’s best homicide detective, admits police do not have enough evidence for an arrest and that they will probably let him go. Then, Rudd claims that he is not officially Swanger’s lawyer yet.

Rudd meets Swanger, who complains about police harassment. When Rudd states his $10,000 fee, Swanger argues the publicity should count as payment. Rudd refuses, so Swanger agrees to get the money. Upon reflection, Rudd realizes Swanger has not denied guilt, but still agrees to represent him contingent on payment and an indictment. Rudd instructs him not to speak to police. Outside, Roy Kemp, the father of Jiliana, glares at Rudd.

The evening news announces police have a suspect, with footage of Swanger and Rudd. Unnamed sources suggest an arrest is imminent, and Rudd reflects that police are leaking to manipulate the press and establish a presumption of guilt while their evidence remains thin.

A man named Fango approaches Rudd at the Old Courthouse with a message that Link Scanlon, who escaped death row two months earlier, wants a full refund of his $100,000 legal fee because Rudd’s work was ineffective. Despite Rudd saying no, Fango gives him a 30-day deadline.

Rudd hires Dr. Taslman from San Francisco for $20,000 to testify that Tadeo was legally insane when he killed the referee. Tadeo, who is broke, likes the theory, so Rudd will represent him for free, motivated by publicity and personal affection. Despite having a defense now, Rudd is not optimistic because the video is too damning. He expects a guilty verdict and 20 to 30 years for Tadeo.

On Starcher’s eighth birthday, Rudd meets his son at McDonald’s for a visit. Starcher is initially subdued, which Rudd suspects is because of warnings from Judith. He coaxes Starcher into having an ice cream float, gives him a backgammon set, and begins teaching him to play, hoping to pass on his love of board games.

At a mall, Partner parks the van, and goes inside a restaurant to watch who watches the vehicle. Meanwhile, Swanger arrives at Rudd’s van with a $5,000 check from his mother. As they sign the contract, Partner reports the police are watching. After a beer, Swanger claims the police plan to kill him to avoid a trial. He claims not to have killed Jiliana but does know where her body is. Despite Rudd’s efforts to learn more, Swanger does not say anything other than that she did not give birth in captivity. After Swanger leaves, Rudd discovers the check is worthless.

At 4:33 am, Swanger calls to say he has fled town. Although Rudd reminds him the check bounced, Swanger insists Rudd is his lawyer and wants him to know where Jiliana is buried in case something happens. Despite knowing he should hang up, Rudd listens as Swanger explains that Jiliana is buried beneath a billboard advertising Dr. Woo’s vasectomy reversal clinic on the interstate an hour south of the city.

Rudd sits on his terrace weighing professional ethics against helping the Kemp family, then considers all possible scenarios, including leaking the location to his police mole. Unable to decide, he makes coffee and plays pool to calm his nerves.

Over a week later, Rudd borrows a car to evade surveillance and drives south, locating the Dr. Woo billboard miles from the City. It sits on a weedy patch by a cornfield, anchored by four metal poles. He considers that someone could dig a grave there at night. Staring at the ground, he thinks of the Kemp family and curses Swanger.

Reardon summons Rudd to Central and plays a message from Swanger in which he claims innocence and states that only three people know where Jiliana is buried: himself, the killer, and Sebastian Rudd. When Rudd realizes Swanger has deliberately trapped him, Roy Kemp enters, describes his family’s anguish, and demands to know where his daughter is. Rudd admits he knows what Swanger said but cannot assume it is true nor can he repeat a confidence.

Rudd meets Judith for their monthly drinks. Tension runs high after her failed attempt to terminate his visitation rights. They argue about his upcoming weekend with Starcher and briefly touch on the Swanger case before the meeting ends after 30 minutes.

At City Park, Rudd has bought Starcher a remote-controlled boat. While Starcher goes to a restroom across the pond, two gunshots ring out as one teenager chases another, scattering the crowd. When calm returns, Rudd goes to retrieve Starcher, but he is not in the restroom. Police arrive; a witness confirms seeing Starcher before the shooting but not after. Rudd begins to panic.

Detective Lynn Colfax from Missing Children reconstructs the timeline with Rudd. The shooting provided about 20 seconds of diversion—enough for an abduction from the restroom. After an hour, Rudd accepts that Starcher has been taken.

Rudd calls Judith, who breaks down and refuses to speak to him. She asserts her status as custodial parent and gives Detective Colfax a photo of Starcher for posters and alerts.

At Central, Colfax asks about suspects. Rudd thinks of Link Scanlon but says nothing. Colfax proposes a $50,000 reward; Judith agrees to pay it, and Rudd offers to split the cost. Judith’s parents arrive, blame Rudd, and ignore him. He and Partner search the park into the night. Judith refuses his offer to come to her house. At midnight, he sits on a bench and weeps.

After fitful sleep, Rudd resumes searching at dawn. Late in the day, Reardon appears and tells him Starcher is safe. If Rudd reveals where Jiliana Kemp is buried, he gets Starcher back once they find her body. Rudd realizes the police have kidnapped his son. Reardon explains Roy Kemp is on administrative leave, acting on his own but with support. Revealing Swanger’s confidence could end Rudd’s career; refusing means gambling with his son’s life. Reardon tells him he will have to roll the dice.