Ex-cop Dave Robicheaux is still grieving over the murder of his beloved wife. It was a revenge killing that nearly destroyed his very soul and would have, but for the little girl from El Salvador whose life Dave and his wife had saved and who is now Dave's adopted daughter. Even as he is picking up the pieces of his shattered life, Robicheaux runs into trouble again in the form of an old friend who asks for help. Before long he's in too deep, and doing what he has to do to get himself free.