At the age of 58, career criminal Forrest Tucker is a wanted man, having broken out of San Quentin State Prison. In 1981, after escaping from a police chase, Tucker sees a woman with a broken down truck on the side of a Texas highway and pulls over to assist. Jewel, who is grateful for his help, buys Tucker food at a diner. Despite introducing himself with a fake name, Tucker becomes drawn to Jewel to the point of revealing that he is a bank robber. The two spend further time together on Jewel's farm where Tucker says he is childless as far as he knows. Tucker makes a plan to pay off the rest of Jewel's mortgage as a surprise but becomes frustrated after the bank tells him that this type of gift would require Jewel's signature.