Jeff Regan gets a call from Anthony J. Lyon (The Lion) telling him they have a new client named Able Roderick, whose last name was previously Rodriguez. The Lion wants Regan to go to Abel's horse ranch. When he arrives, Regan is met on the front porch by Kane, who did not exactly provide a warm welcome, and Able's wife, Janie Roderick, who provided Regan with a little too much of a warm welcome. Able soon appears, and shows Regan two small silver replicas of the Nina and the Pinta, two of Columbus's fleet. Made by a silversmith in Madrid, these are prized possessions of the Rodriguez family for seven generations. Regan then asks about the Santa Maria, Able told him that it was stolen, while in Janie's possession.

Inspector Carr of Scotland Yard is called when the body of a red-haired woman is found at the bottom of a railway embankment by some railway workers. It is believed that the woman either fell or was pushed from the train, because the train attendant said a woman answering her description was a passenger. Also, her bag was found, with a ticket to London inside, but there was nothing else to indicate her identification. However, an artist's sketch of the victim led to a name: Mrs. Nancy Fordley of Crewe, England. Inspector Carr found her ex-husband, Michael Fordley, in Crewe, and traveled there to tell him the news.

In an attempt at reform, crime boss Paul Madvig, closes down Nick Vegas's gambling den. He then offers support to Senator John Henry's re-election, in hopes of marrying Henry's daughter Janet. Privately, however, Janet does not seem too excited about the idea. Paul and his loyal bodyguard, Ed Beaumont, are soon in the middle of the brutal murder of Janet's wayward brother Taylor Henry. Opal Madvig, sister of Paul, had been seeing Taylor. She believes that Paul found out about them and killed him. Nick Vegas also says that he has proof of Paul's complicity in the murder.