In a bid to save the family business, Cane Kensington strikes a deal with sinister businessman Mr. Acme (Jeffrey Jones), owner of Acme Toxic Waste. He pays Cane to allow him to secretly dump toxic waste into Duke Lake, a private dam owned by Cane's neighbor Ethel Duke (Louise Latham), which is the main water source for both the Cane and Kensington ranches. Suspecting that their meeting may have been overheard by the family maid, Bobbi Jo Bobb, Cane decides to get her out of the way by sending her to Bakersfield to appear on a radio talent show hosted by country music impresario Tucker Akerjanian (Jerry Van Dyke). However, Cane's patronage upsets Bobbi Jo's jealous husband Billy Joe, and their ensuing quarrel has tragic and far-reaching consequences.