Former Posadas County Sheriff Bill Gastner, now a New Mexico Livestock Inspector, is enjoying a day on Herb Torrance's ranch - soaking in the sun as he counts a small herd of cattle and thinking about an upcoming lunch with an old friend back in town. But a light breeze stirs dust, a horse spooks, and Bill finds himself ferrying a broken cowpuncher in the back of his SUV, headed out to meet an ambulance. <br/>Moments later, Bill's day goes from bad to worse as he is summoned by undersheriff Estelle Reyes - Guzman to an investigation of an unattended death. Too impatient for Bill to finish up out at the ranch, old George Payton had decided to eat lunch on his own. A couple of bites later, he collapsed - dead of an apparent heart attack. But something isn't right. It may well have been a heart attack, Estelle agrees, but something triggered it. <br/>Before any questions can be answered, the small herd of cattle Bill had just counted is found wandering down a county highway. But there's no sign of cowpuncher Pat Gabaldon or his boss' $40,000 truck and livestock trailer. Forced into two tangled investigations, Bill faces one of the most complex cases in his 35 - year career.