In A Deal in Crime, the story opens with banker Joe Deal working late at his bank, focused on balancing his accounts. He feels secure in his locked office, but his sense of safety is shattered when he hears a noise and is suddenly attacked. A gunshot rings out, and he is knocked unconscious by the robbers, who steal a large sum of new paper money. When he regains consciousness, he learns from Sheriff Calhoun that the robbery could lead to a run on the bank, jeopardizing his financial standing and the trust of the townspeople.