In the heart of the Nevada desert, Sheriff Conor Armenta is thrust into a chilling mystery that begins with a grisly discovery: the fragmented remains of a young Moapa Indian found along a lonely stretch of railroad track. The absence of blood raises unsettling questions, hinting at a death more complex than it first appears.

As Conor delves deeper, a peculiar belt buckle becomes a pivotal clue, connecting disparate witnesses with conflicting tales that weave through the social fabric of Las Vegas. One witness claims intimate knowledge of the victim, revealing unexpected ties to Conor himself. Each revelation adds a layer of intrigue and blurs the lines between obsession, hatred, addiction, and love.

Following a trail fraught with desert perils and buried secrets, Conor relies on flash floods and shifting sands to uncover forbidden secrets. And as the case builds toward a showdown challenging the very meaning of justice, he must navigate the blurred boundaries of guilt and innocence, grappling with the elusive truth of whether justice can ever truly be served.