John Rother drives away from Chalklands Farm in Sussex for a short vacation - and promptly disappears. His car turns up - with bloodstains - but there is no sign of John Rother - unless, of course, those stains are a sign of foul play. Enter Superintendent Meredith - and the sinister discovery of human bones at Chalklands. Superintendent Meredith comes to the not unreasonable conclusion that he is probably investigating a murder.