Martin Temple goes missing with the four million pounds embezzled by his wife Lucy. Using the passport of a recently deceased client, he flees to Palm Springs, USA, while Lucy goes to prison for eight years. Michelle Webb, a nurse, goes missing after waking up one morning to find that she no longer wants to live with her husband and children. She lands a position as nurse/companion to a wealthy invalid, Helen Cotter, with houses in England, Portugal and USA, and she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Martin and Helen's paths overlap in Palm Springs and they become neighbours. Martin has an affair with a vacationing housewife Melanie Benton. Her husband finds out and in the intervening melee both Bentons are killed. Michelle and Helen have returned to live in Portugal. Martin flees USA and relocates near them. Things do not go as planned for Martin and developments necessitate Michelle becoming involved in his schemes. Meanwhile the police on two continents are closing in.