Tucked into the mountains and valleys of northern New Mexico are the hidden towns, little enclaves of history and tradition--and secrets. Charlie and her office assistant Sally Bertrand decide to visit Sally's hometown of Valle Escondido over the July 4th weekend, and when they drop in on a friend they learn that Cynthia Martinez suddenly suffered a miscarriage and died. Privately, friends wonder if spousal abuse caused her death. Charlie agrees to ask a few questions and see what she can find out. Meanwhile, Charlie and her brother Ron have an ongoing dispute over gun control. Since the two of them were trapped by a killer only a month earlier, he's insisting that she learn to defend herself. And Drake Langston, the helicopter pilot she met in Hawaii, is coming to visit and the romance is heating up. The three plots intertwine and Charlie discovers awful secrets buried deep in the small town.