Former drug dealer Dale "Mac" McKussic is trying to go straight. His close friend Nick Frescia is a Detective Lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who, in spite of their long-term relationship going back to high school, is duty-bound to bring Mac to justice if he should sell drugs again, as
DEA Agent Hal Maguire believes to be the case. Mac is attracted to restaurant owner Jo Ann Vallenari. Nick becomes acquainted with her while attempting to learn more about Mac's activities, in particular his relationship with the Mexican drug kingpin Carlos, who the DEA agents and Mexican federal police commandante' Escalante believe is coming to town. Mac has a legitimate business and is raising a son, trying to distance himself from his old life. However, he tries to help his lawyer sell some cocaine and feels indebted to his old friend Carlos, who is pressuring him to do one last job. Jo Ann succumbs to Nick's charms and a love affair begins. During a meeting at Jo Ann's restaurant with Maguire and Escalante to discuss Mac and Carlos, Escalante gives Nick a pistol as a gesture of good faith. Jo Ann accuses Nick of using her to gather information on Mac, who often eats at her restaurant and hired her to cater his son's birthday party. Nick admits he is investigating Mac and originally approached her because of that. But he truthfully has fallen in love with her. Jo Ann ends her relationship with Nick for his initial deception after catching him trying to listen in on a private telephone conversation. Meanwhile, Maguire and his associates set a trap for Mac and the mysterious Carlos, whose face no one but Mac has ever seen. Jo Ann eventually realizes Mac is in love with her and she has fallen for him. Nick figures out that Mac's cousin Gregg is an informer for the DEA and Maguire has become dangerously obsessed with catching Mac. Mac and Jo Ann make love at his house. At Jo Ann's restaurant, Nick meets her, gives her a pistol (the one Escalante previously gave him) for protection, and tells her to stay there until a deputy sheriff arrives to guard her, because Carlos is expected to arrive at Mac's home later that night. Ignoring Nick's warning, she returns to Mac's house and discovers that Escalante is, in fact, Carlos. Carlos relieves her of Nick's pistol, recognizing it, and takes her to his yacht at the marina. He knows Gregg is the informer and has him killed, leaving his body next to a shipment of gasoline-contaminated cocaine. Maguire and Nick find Gregg's body and the cocaine at the beach. Carlos meets with Mac on his yacht, pressuring him to agree to kill Jo Ann, who now knows too much. He refuses, threatens Carlos at gunpoint and gets Jo Ann to safety on a speedboat. Mac nevertheless promises him that he will be at the rendezvous site as arranged to conclude their business. Nick explains to Maguire that Escalante is actually Carlos and heads for the marina. Mac arrives first and is double-crossed by Carlos. In the ensuing fight, they struggle over the pistol, which fatally discharges, killing Carlos and wounding Mac in the process. Maguire shows up and begins shooting, hitting an already dead Carlos in the face, and then at Mac as he is raising his hands to surrender. The gunfire causes the boat's fuel tank to catch fire, just as Mac jumps in the water. Nick arrives at the marina. Hearing the gunfire, he draws his weapon and orders Maguire to cease fire. He continues shooting, forcing Nick to kill him. The fire causes the boat to explode, and with it the millions of dollars on board. Nick later asks Jo Ann to meet him at the beach. She arrives to instead find Mac and runs to embrace him. A pleased Nick watches from a distance. ==Cast==