Payback/the Bushido Way 2 a Sam Phillips MysteryIt’s 1976 and Sam Phillips, fresh off his old case a year ago, is now the most hunted man in Los Angeles. Ken Yamada, the new crime boss of the Japanese Yakuza is in town to exact some payback on Sam for the death of his sister Michelle Yamada.
Being a P.I. in L.A. is tough enough for Sam and his small investigations team with the addition of his best friend Armstrong Jones, who finally gets his P.I.’s license, and Maria Ozawa, a Little Tokyo beat cop, but Yamada has increased the intensity by putting out a hit on Sam with a price tag on his head, literally. Yamada wanted the head of Sam Phillips on a platter.
The newly crowned king of the Japanese mafia makes his “bones” by intruding on rival gang turfs with the best drugs, prostitution ring from South East Asia, and massage parlors that money can buy.
Sam and his girlfriend, Ramona Hightower, are involved in a high-speed car chase on the Sunset Strip with Yamada’s men in high pursuit and gunfire being exchanged that leaves Sam’s car turned over and Ramona in the hospital close to death.
Sam is told of the bounty on his life when he returns to his old neighborhood in Long Beach with locals placing bets on his life. When Sam’s partner is beaten half to death by LAPD even though he tried to tell them he was working as a Private Investigator for Captain Pierpont, he became disillusioned at the time when Sam needed him the most.
When another attempt on Sam’s life leads to the death of a young detective who jumped in front of the bullets to save Sam, Sam has had enough trying to play defense. He plans an assault on Yamada and hires ex-convicts and a revived Armstrong to take it to Yamada, with the blessing of Captain Pierpont, who gives Sam twenty-four hours to bring Yamada to justice or they’ll go in and burn Little Tokyo down to the ground in this explosive crime drama.
