Barely twelve when he was orphaned after an Indian raid, Ryan Tyler was a man before he was finished being a boy. His education in survival came under the tutelage of a man with a taste for Plutarch and a mysterious past. Rye learned to identify hostile tribes by their moccasin prints, read a trail, hunt game -- and use a gun better than most. And in a country where too many reckless men were looking to make a quick name for themselves, Rye was taught the most valuable lesson of all: that a fast draw wasn't something to advertise. But he also learned that in this wild and beautiful land there were times when only a gun could defend the innocent and stop those who's stop at nothing else. When Liza Hetrick vanishes without a trace, Rye follows a trail of dark rumors and ruthless violence to find her. Along the way he will acquire a badge and a cause to which he can put his skill: the law and the woman he loves.