Butch Roberson was known by all as a local business owner, a hard worker, and a family man. Then he disappeared, leaving two dead bodies in his wake.

Now he's known as a murderer – though Joe Pickett cannot believe someone as gentle as Butch could have the instincts of a killer. But perhaps the man just cracked.

When Joe investigates further, he finds himself in the middle of a war he never expected and never wanted. Powerful forces want Roberson not just caught, but dead – and the same goes for anyone who stands in their way.