For thirty-five-year-old attorney Ethan Church, Spring Mountain offers a peaceful setting to mourn the loss of his friend and take up the challenge of catching the native brook trout. When his dog, Bishop, responds to screams heard through the trees, Ethan discovers his mentally disturbed neighbor, Molly McCleod, digging in the frozen earth with her bare hands. The encounter leaves Ethan seeking answers to questions he has no business asking.

Molly is said to have broken her neck and become brain damaged after a fall down the stairs at her manor home when she was sixteen years old. She hasn't spoken or left her property in twelve years. After several meetings with Molly in the woods near their homes, Ethan becomes convinced that Molly is in danger on many fronts-and that her home may not be the sanctuary it should be. Fear is etched on Molly's face, and a powerful secret is hidden in her skirt pocket.

The new guy in Belfry County, Ethan could easily look away and avoid coming up against both a deputy sheriff and the highly respected Judge Malcolm McCleod. But from personal experience, Ethan knows he must help those who, like Molly, cannot help themselves.