Chris Dale is the chief trial deputy for the district attorney. He is a sharp-tongued, egocentric man who is dominating and abusive to his wife. He learns that Ellen Randle Dudley, accused of murdering her husband with an ax, has been captured in the town of Evanston--which is outside of his jurisdiction. Dale promptly travels to Evanston, rides rough-shod over the local sheriff, and settles down to an intense, grueling interrogation of the woman. It becomes clear that the woman's relationship to her husband mirrored Dale's own marriage. As he comes to realize this, Dale is both repulsed by and attracted to the woman.