When Dr. Lawrence A. Cooper (Coop) and two friends, Harvey Peck and Mack McGeary, saddle up for a wilderness fishing trip, they have no idea what mayhem lies ahead. While searching for a legendary trout lake, not only do they manage to get themselves hopelessly lost, but they also have a bloodied sixteen-year-old girl stumble into their camp. She is severely beaten, sexually assaulted and barely alive. Though Coop does everything to save her, she dies twenty-four hours later. Now they have a body and big problem. It is uncommonly warm for the mountains, and they have no idea how long it may take to find their way back to civilization. Reluctantly, Coop decides to perform a field autopsy to collect and preserve vital forensic evidence before the body decomposes. When he finishes, it is nearly dark and too late to break camp. The next morning they awaken to discover the body and all the forensic samples are missing. Now they must somehow find their way back to civilization, then convince the authorities of a grisly murder, but with no body and no evidence.