Niekdajší súdny psychológ FBI Terry McCaleb je už nejaký ten piatok na dôchodku a užíva si ho plnými dúškami na svojej lodi. Má za sebou čerstvú transplantáciu srdca od ženy, nedobrovoľnej darkyne - bola totiž zavraždená. Terrymu to nedá a napriek pokročilému veku a horšiemu zdravotnému stavu sa vydáva po stopách vraha.

Big Steve Halloway, gambler and proprietor of New York's Horseshoe Cabaret, is in desperate need of money. He arranges for his fellow bookies, especially Sorrowful Jones, to each pay him $1,000 for his racehorse, Dream Prince, to lose. With all bets being placed at the window, Sorrowful encounters a gambler, having lost $500, wanting to place his bet but unable to come up with $20. Instead, he places his little girl, Marthy Jane, as security, or in bookie's terms a "marker". "Marky", as she comes to be known, winds up under the care of Sorrowful Jones and his lady friend, singer Bangles Carson.

A humble noodle-maker in a remote Chinese province, Ermo feels that she's being taken for granted by family and friends. She decides the best way to impress them is to bring home the biggest, most expensive television set she can find - no matter how many noodles she has to peddle.