Dortmunder's old friend and trusted fence Arnie Albright is onto the score of a lifetime: easy access to one of the most lavish apartments in New York. The owner had to skip town, leaving behind a horde of valuables. But when John, Arnie, and the gang round up to plan the heist, they find their beloved gin joint-the OJ-in the mob's clutches. The Mafia plan to use it as a "bustout joint," before closing up shop, courtesy some arson. For tactical reasons, the fate of the OJ is even more important to the crew than the enormous score. Dortmunder and crew are determined to split time, fighting the mob and robbing the rich simultaneously.