Steve Harrison receives an urgent request from Joan Wiltshaw to come to Lost Knob to help her husband, Brax Wiltshaw, who has been charged with the murder of John Richardson. The Richardsons, a prominent local family, suspect Brax due to an old family feud and the discovery of a knife with his fingerprints near the crime scene. Brax was found near the river, claimed to be searching for a stray cow but was suspected of fleeing.

Upon arrival, Harrison learns about the long-standing feud involving another family, the Barwells, who had left the area decades ago under a cloud of threats against both the Wiltshaw and Richardson families. He speaks with the Richardson siblings, who run the family business, and discovers internal conflicts, especially envy towards Esau Richardson, who inherited most of the family wealth.

The situation escalates when Harrison finds the jailer murdered and Brax Wiltshaw missing from his cell. That same night, Saul and Isabel Richardson are murdered, and an attack is made on Joan Wiltshaw, which Harrison thwarts.

Harrison deduces that someone orchestrated Brax's escape to frame him for multiple murders. His investigation leads him to uncover that Dr. Dick Ellis is actually Joe Barwell, who returned to enact revenge on both families. Barwell had manipulated Esau Richardson into believing there was oil on the farm to fuel greed and conflict within the family.