Though Gracie Evans is tired of listening to all the town gossips, she begins to worry when they talk about a stranger in town. The man is living with a friend of Gracie's, Addie Masters. Seems he is the elderly woman's son that none of the gossips knew about. When Addie stops attending church, Gracie and the other residents from Moser Mansion wonder if she's ailing. They decide to visit her. A first hand look at Addie's rude son and seeing a wicked bruise on Addie's hand gets Gracie and her friends putting two and two together. They come up with elderly abuse that they think should be reported to the law. Town Marshal Earl Bullock turns their complaint about Homer Masters over to Sheriff Ben Logan. He comes up with some disturbing information that has the sheriff and town marshal worried about Addie. They have to have proof that Homer is abusing his mother, or she has to confess which isn't going to happen. Beloved Aunt Pearlbee is suddenly taken ill and needs attention. The residents of Moser Mansion have to let Addie fend for herself. Gracie worries that by the time they get back to helping Poor Defenseless Addie Masters, she will be dead.