"It all began with a call for an ordinary house fire, at least to those of us who consider house fires at two in the morning ordinary." When volunteer firefighter Jack Fallon discovers the body of a woman chained to a bed in a house fire, it is an image he is unable to escape. It haunts him through sleepless nights and drives him to search for her killer. This brings him into conflict with the town Sheriff, a simple man elected through small-town politicking, and causes friction with his wife who believes he is risking his life and getting involved in something that is none of his business. When the killer strikes again closer to home, Jack comes to realize exactly what is at stake and that his life will be changed forever.