Hard times have descended upon Shenandoah County, Virginia. The paper mill has cut back to one shift and is barely hanging on. Businesses are closing, no longer able to attract customers. For Sale signs abound, reflecting the fear and desperation of homeowners. There are no buyers other than the bank which continues to fatten its portfolio of foreclosed properties. When Richmond Lomax arrives in Shenandoah County the local citizens think they have found the answer to their prayers. Purportedly the scion of an old Virginia family, Mr. Lomax has big plans for this small county in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As CEO of Southeastern Land and Development Company, Lomax intends to build an exclusive five star resort and spa. The project will bring badly needed jobs to the county. A problem soon emerges. The parcel of land the developer wants for his project is Wild Pony Ranch, and John "Cowboy" Howard, owner of the ranch, is not about to sell. John and his family quickly find themselves estranged from people in the community who blame the ranch owner for their plight. When the estrangement escalates to open hostility and violence John knows he needs to find the answers to some troubling questions: Who is behind the violence directed at him and his family? Who is Richmond Lomax and why does he want to build a luxurious resort in a small, rural county mired in a deep recession? Where is Lomax getting the money for such an unlikely project? John finds himself in a race against time as tensions mount and Shenandoah County stares into the abyss of moral and financial bankruptcy.