Jessica visits Denver for a TV book review program at KBLR, where her friend, Steve Honig, produces arrogant Kenneth Chambers' program "The Bottom Line", which exposes faulty products, or when he has his way, picks his victim and even doctors the story unethically, while grossly abusing all staff. Janitor Bert Tanaka finds Chambers shot twice in his office chair shortly after he unjustly fired production assistant Ryan Monroe. DPD Lieutenant Lou Flannigan, who was Chambers's unofficial police consultant, lets Jessica observe. The murder weapon is found in Steve's car. Jessica considers motives from ambition among station staff, as many get a better job and Kenneth was considering leaving everyone behind for a bigger one, and toy producer Joe Rinaldi, against whom Kenneth prepared a show, the tapes of which seem missing but are found in his safe with cash and other evidence he used to extort Rinaldi and others potential show targets, but is puzzled by Chambers' chair facing the broken TV set, leading her to guess a major twist and set a trap.
—KGF Vissers