On the morning after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Zack Bowen turns up at Rios's doorstep with the news that Rios's old friend, Judge Chris Chandler, has been murdered in his downtown L.A. courtroom. Zack says he was Chandler's lover. The problem: Chandler was deep in the closet. Now, in order to defend Zack, Rios must decide how much of Chandler's secrets-and his own-he will have to reveal. While all this is happening, Rios's ex-lover Josh Mandel is dying from AIDS and calls on Rios to help him through his final days.