Paid assassins murdered young Nathan Tanner's parents at their St. Louis mansion. To protect Nathan from harm, he is spirited west to stay at the Colorado ranch owned by Alana Birdsong, an aunt he¹s never met. Nathan soon discovers his new aunt totes a rifle everywhere and owns a huge black guard dog with fangs the size of a man's thumb. Sam never leaves his master's side and sleeps at the foot of her bed. Sam is, for certain, an ugly animal, powerful enough to tear the arm off a giant and not at all friendly to visitors. But boarding at a ranch whose owner packs a rifle and keeps a dog big enough to saddle and ride has its advantages if enemies were to come calling. Maybe the assassins won't locate Nathan and the most he will have to worry about is staying in Sam's good graces until it is safe to return to St. Louis. But then maybe they will.