In August 2005, Bull Maddox is called back to his hometown in Wilton, MO. population 3,500, to attend to his dying father, the legendary Sheriff of Wilton County. After a twenty-five year absence, Bull wishes only to make amends with his father and then get out of Wilton as quickly as possible, a town for which he has no love. But Wilton has other plans for Bull. Interim Sheriff Fran Kalliday needs Bull's help in finding out what happened to one of Wilton's most respected families, the Talmadges.
Bull reluctantly becomes involved when he realizes that Pete and Tammi Talmadge have vanished and their eight year old daughter Rachel is nowhere to be found.
In a race against the clock, Frank and Bull search for Rachel in a hunt that eventually pits Bull against one of Wilton's most powerful benefactors. As the investigation unfolds, Bull learns that other families in nearby communities are also missing. Bull's hunt for answers ensnares him in a soul-searching discovery of Wilton's darkest secrets.