It's the post WWI era Toronto. Despite Prohibition, Daniel Small continues to operate Corman Distilleries, while his son, Ambrose Small, has just sold his chain of theaters for $1 million. Daniel acquired Corman from the family of Ambrose's wife, Theresa Small. Theresa being wealthy from the liquor business is ironic due to her temperance stance. The sale of the theaters doesn't sit well with Ambrose's business manager, Jack Doughty, to who the theaters represented his livelihood. Immediately following the sale, Ambrose disappears without a trace. Initially, Theresa doesn't want the police involved since she believes he is just out carousing, while his business associates believe he has met with some foul play. Increasingly, the public, especially the anti-Catholic forces, believe devout Catholic Theresa had Protestant Ambrose murdered so that she could funnel his money into the Catholic church. Believing her husband still alive, Theresa hires the young Cole Willis to find Ambrose. Cole is a junior detective with the Tratt Detective Agency, which handles much of the security for the Small family businesses. Edgar Tratt originally hired Cole as a favor to his father and acts as Cole's mentor. As Cole enters into his investigation, he believes that some people know more than they let on about Ambrose's disappearance, whether it be Jack, who absconded with $100,000 of the Small's money, Jack's slatternly wife Vivian Doughty, or Theresa herself, the latter despite Cole's growing attraction to her.