Why would two eastern European meatboys want to kill aninnocent cab driver? That's the question that occurs to Gilrein as Raban and Blumfeld press the gun barrel into his mouth. Does it have something to do with the ritual death of Leo Tani? Or does the answer involve Gilrein's ex lover, or the notorious Inspector? And how does Bobby Oster figure in the mix, with his crew of murder-for-hire rogue cops who call themselves The Magicians?