Debt collector Ronnie hires Benny Bould to commit a robbery for him. Benny gives the money to Jock. Witnessing this, Ronnie steals the money back from Jock by force. Benny attacks Ronnie with a cricket bat. A car pulls up and the four Marzeti brothers jump out, equipped with hacksaws, guns and other weapons. They attempt to take the money and Ronnie shoots two of the brothers dead.

These events are commented upon by Benny, Jock, Zico Marzeti and Ronnie in turn, during police interviews. Each has a different take on what happened, serving his own interests.

Benny's defence is that he needed the money for decorating and gave it to Jock to look after. Jock claims to be outside these criminal circles, but says that Benny had paid him the previous evening for some decorating work and that Ronnie stole the money to settle a longstanding debt. Zico claims that he only had a starter pistol and was just trying to help when he saw people fighting in the street.

Ronnie claims he was taking the cash from Jock to return to the shopkeepers, but admits to two counts of murder.