It's been awhile — too long — since Stern Talbot's last real money case. So long that he's almost grown tired of catching up on his foot dangling.

So when an attorney and founding partner at the most prestigious law firm in town wants to hire him to find out what happened to the attorney's father, Stern jumps at the chance.

But will he regret it?

The man's father is alleged to have died of natural causes — and all clues point in that direction — but the attorney doesn't think so.

Follow this twisted PI tale through the darkness of local politics and the jealousy of a jilted lover. Come along for the ride as Stern investigates suspects one at a time.

There's a mourning widow at the gravesite of her husband. There's a tenant farmer just trying to make a living raising medical marijuana. There's a prominent cattle rancher and his family of uniquely named siblings.

Who, if anyone, killed Dale Abrams, and how? What did they stand to gain?

Stern is always hungry for a new client. But at what cost?