"Jack Keller's violent past is very much with him these days, despite his efforts to leave it behind. He's back in rural North Carolina, looking for steady work, and trying to establish a relationship with Francis, the son he never knew. But the boy's heard too much about Keller, particularly from Ben Jones, his half-brother and the son of Marie, the woman Keller loves. Ben's alienated, angry, and headed for trouble, and Keller's living with the guilt...