Ted Palmquist's mother finds him in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor and calls an ambulance. Violently ill after a night with his high school friends, Ted's incoherent rants in the ER mention Tammi, who's been missing for six months. As the Pine County deputies investigate his mysterious illness, they encounter a group of teen misfits whose dysfunctional families are oblivious to their truancy and illegal activities.
Deputy Charlene (C.J.) Jensen, takes over the investigation when Sergeant Floyd Swenson, unexpectedly steps aside to deal with personal issues. Still struggling with the recent death of her husband, C.J. is sucked into the world of runaways, bullying, and the unknown cause of Ted's illness. Deputy Pam Ryan, back from maternity leave and restricted to the office, is unable to stay at her desk when the investigation heats up.
Editorial Review
"Mr. Hovey once more gives you a close visit to small town Minnesota. Sheriff Floyd and Deputy Pam are a joy. The characters once more pop off the page, and the mystery keeps you guessing to the end." - Greg Peterson
"Not many authors are able to begin the mystery with the crime, then keep us reading and guessing through the entire book before revealing the killer! Great story lightened with romance and a bit of humor! Dean Hovey's style! Love them all - the Pine County mysteries, Doug Fletcher mysteries, and the Whistling Pines stories. Can hardly wait for the next one!" Jeri Westfall