Jake Ross is an assistant professor of astronomy at a western university. His wife recently died in an auto accident, leaving Jake alone and bitterly unhappy. Leverett Cardwell has been a father figure to Jake, a mentor since Jake was a high school student. He convinces Jake to meet Franklin Tomlinson, a wealthy playboy type who plans to challenge the incumbent Christopher Leeds in the upcoming race for the US Senate. Jake becomes Tomlinson's science...