In January 1981 Gary Taylor, a recently separated reporter in Houston, TX, begins dating lawyer Catherine Mahaffey who is a suspect in the killing of her most recent boyfriend in May 1980, Dr. George Tedesco. Gary has an "instant chemistry" with Cathy and brushes aside the gossip as they begin dating, and he thinks the relationship is just casual. Within a month though, Catherine exhibits escalating possessive and disturbing behavior and he realizes she may be as dangerous as rumor suggests she is and attempts to break off the the whole affair. Little does he know just how much jeopardy he is in until it may be too late.