A well - seasoned sixty - nine, Sheriff Bill Gastner knows his Posadas, New Mexico, territory as well as he understands the foibles of the human condition. So when a backhoe crushes a man to death, it's more instinct than fact that leaves him feeling there's more to this ''accident'' than meets the eye. <br/>Adding to his problems, anonymous letters charging his best deputy, Tom Pasquale, with hustling Mexican nationals for cash are being dispatched around town. Gastner takes this one personally; he's fond of his deputy, but he does want the truth. He also knows it's an election year and dirty politics can happen anywhere. So can murder. <br/>Soon he's got not just one, but two dead bodies. And a strong desire to make sure that when he does retire, it's not by way of a well - aimed bullet....