TV.com

Banacek finds himself in a race against his old adversary, Chief McKinney of the National Meridian Insurance Company, to solve the case of a missing armored truck which has apparently disappeared without trace, while carrying $1,600,000 of gold bullion, while under a police escort.

When a professional football player vanishes from the field of play before a large crowd and millions of TV viewers, leaving only his helmet behind, Banacek is called in by the owner of the team to solve the mystery of the bizarre disappearance.

R&W Industries' Phoenix, an experimental safety vehicle (insured for five million), was stolen complete with the train car it was riding on en route from Middlefield to Boston. The train never stopped rolling the whole way, and it happened under the nose of guards and the usual train crew on duty. Horizon Engineering, who's head is Andy Cole, which had another experimental car (the A20G) in development and had pirated away employees from R&W. Christine Verdon who used to work at Horizon, then went to R&W, and then was fired for industrial spying. Ruddermond and Wexler themselves because they could have wanted to get the insurance money for a prototype that didn't work. Banacek, saves cigars because they're expensive. Actually explains a Polish proverb. Likes to say "drill press." Poses as a reporter for an auto safety magazine. Is nice to hobos. Has trouble with toy trains. Flies back and forth to southern California in a day. Drinks a lot of coffee. Not afraid to mix it up with two thugs at the train yard. Wears an unfortunate neck scarf / light blue shirt combo. Impersonates W.C. Fields. There was a problem with the Phoenix's compensator (onboard computer system to correct skidding) too close to the deadline R&W had with Concord Motors who they were making the Phoenix for.. R&W framed Christine to get rid of her so she would not find out the problem when the car was due for testing before it shipped out. Through a dead hobo, some new bolts on a track, suspicious noises, and a submerged train car, Banacek is able to figure out how the Phoenix was stolen. Before the Phoenix was loaded onto the flat car, R&W men hid out on the train in a box car ahead of the flat car holding the Phoenix. After the Phoenix was loaded and while the train was in motion, they ran a strong cable from a winch in the forward car across the flat car carrying the Phoenix to the box car behind it connecting the cars. R&W men had also quickly replaced a section of the track along the way to incorporate a switch which led away from the main track. While the train was en route, they uncoupled the flat car the Phoenix was riding on so they could take it off at the switch. The Phoenix was then hoisted up by a crane and removed. The switch area (which was made out of light titanium) was later taken away and the track was restored to it's normal appearance. The R&W people on the train then started the winch in the box car which pulled the cable and connected all the cars together again.

A priceless gold cross disappears en route from Mexico to Los Angeles. It was guarded by an army officer and handcuffed to a priest.

When someone gets a jackpot in Las Vegas by making a million dollars disappear out of a tamperproof display case, Banacek must figure out whom.

Alan Markham's Ten Kings, an antique coin collection (insured for 2.3 million dollars) is stolen. Worse it was stolen from an impregnable hotel room complete with sealed windows, tempered glass, steel core doors, and solid walls. Also, the safe in which the Kings were placed in is on a timer and rigged every time it opens to set off an alarm at the police station. Roland and Oliver Garson for being gaga over the coins and willing to get them at any price. Heritage and roots obsessed Matthew Donniger who was wronged into over-bidding on an item with Markham several years back and wants the coins as well. Markham and his wife because they are broke and a past love affair between Mr. Donniger and Mrs. Markham could complicate things. Banacek, prefers Miss to Ms. Takes things as they come. Is a difficult man to dress for. Doesn't think about money all the time. Wears the dreaded neck scarf again. Reveals his father came from Poland in 1924 when he was seventeen. Doesn't take kindly to offers from married women. Through an encounter with the Garsons which leads to thinking of copies, and an irregular towel count, Banacek is able to figure out how the crime was done. Banacek leads the players to the vacationing Mr. Blazedale's room which is 1120, an exact copy of 920 which is where the Markhams were staying. Since floorplans and furniture for a hotel are basically the same throughout the hotel, this is not an impossible thing, but was ensured to be exactly the same by the chief of security, Ballinger. Ballinger was in cahoots with the mastermind of the crime, Mrs. Markham. Mrs. Lydia Markham liked living the high life that her and her husband were both accustomed to, but didn't like being virtually broke and going to auctions all the time. When the Markhams checked into the hotel, they did go to 920. During the night thought, Allen Markham was drugged and carried up to the duplicate room by Ballinger via the fire stairs. Meanwhile Lydia took pictures of the room and helped to carry essentials up to the duplicate room, to make it look like the real deal to Allen when he woke up. The phone in 1120 was set up through the hotel's phone system to be an extension of 920, so when Allen called down to alert the hotel security and the police he was opening his safe it showed up on the switchboard as 920. Allen then opened the duplicate safe which was of course empty but more importantly through a transmitter radioed the real combination to Ballinger who was waiting below to open the real safe and get the Kings. Finally, Ballinger had taken the phone off the hook in 920 so Allen would be unable to make a call out of 1120 since it was an extension and thus forcing Allen to run to the lobby to alert the authorities and bring them back to 920 which of course was cleared of the real coins and reset to look like they had stayed there the whole night.

Wealthy tycoon, Walter Tyson, is persuaded to display his priceless 'Book of Hours' before the public, but just before it is due to go on show, the book vanishes. Banacek is brought in to unravel the strange mystery and immediately finds several likely suspects.

Banacek must figure out how $23 million worth of paintings have vanished from a sealed truck as it was carrying them from New York to Boston.