Charles Foster Sterling, III, a name synonyms with progress and prosperity, brings death and destruction to the lives of the citizens of rural Rapidan County, Virginia. As he turns his corporate conference center into a clearing house for the country's worst criminals, local residents realize that they must fight to preserve their way of life. Pitting neighbor against neighbor as he tries to conceal the real purpose of his presence in their community, confrontations escalate into violent and deadly conflicts that threaten to shatter the fabric of this peaceful community. In this suspenseful and poignant thriller, John, Brenda and Allen Richter and their friends and neighbors are called on to fight to protect their families, their freedoms, their history and their heritage as Sterling works to destroy the lives they have built. Author photograph: Stephen C. Dudley Cover Art: Lou Messa Cover Photograph: Garland C. Gentry, Jr.