A young woman's bludgeoned body is found floating in the ocean off Cape Cod. Strikingly attractive with swimsuit model looks, the victim has left behind a string of male admirers, and is suspected of having had ties to a local drug dealer. Because of its lurid details, the crime receives broad media coverage, and the State Police are under intense pressure to find the killer. When they seek the assistance of the local police, Brian, a young cop who is still haunted by nightmares from his combat service in Iraq, volunteers to help with the investigation. But as he delves into the victim's shadowy past, suspicions gradually begin to creep in about Brian and whether he may have in fact played a role in the young woman's past himself. Struggling with his demons, Brian becomes trapped in a different kind of nightmare, this time one that is all too real. It is only the unmasking of the killer that finally unlocks the truth about Brian and about the beautiful young victim.