On the death of her mother, Darcy McClain discovers she has a sister she never knew she had. Upon reading the diary her mother left behind, she finds within the pages no evidence of who the sister is or where she is. Or, who her father is. Growing up without a father, each time she asks her mother about him, the pain in her eyes flooded with tears is too much for Darcy to bear and she resigns herself to never knowing who he may be. The only names given were Hutch and the town of Westerville. Now with this newfound information, she has only one thing in mind and that's to find her sister.

What she doesn't expect after she arrives in the small town of Westerville is to butt heads with the county sheriff which continues to escalate from day one. And… the surprising attraction which develops she can’t seem to shake. Then there's the cheek-licking mutt named Mooch who like her more than his master.

"Well, what do we have here?" he muttered as he rubbed Dusty's neck. "What do you think someone is doing way out here?"

Two vultures were sitting by a ditch on a dirt road not far from a car that seemed to have a flat, watching a woman trying to figure out how to change a tire on her car.

Then he breathed in. Something dead was drawing their attention.

Mooch looked up at him and whined.

"My thoughts exactly," he told him, taking a glance at the black SUV nearly in the ditch. "Wonder if she knows what she's doing."

He gently kneed Dusty to edge closer to the woman, going slow as not to frighten her.

He glanced down at Mooch. "No jumping or whining or licking anyone's face when we get to her. Understand? You keep your butt on the ground."

Mooch glanced up at him, panting, and looked so innocent it was comical. Case shook his head and laughed.

There was no hope for his mutt.

He moved closer, dismounted and moved over to where she stood, staring down at the birds as he went. They paid no attention to him, turning away from him and spreading their wings in the afternoon sun.

He chuckled to himself. She may be out of her element, but it made him wonder what she looked like in full view.

Either way, it got his attention.

The vultures flapping wings caught her attention again. He suppose he should shout out and say hello, let her know he was there, introduce himself, find out why she was way out here off the beaten path.

"Miss? You need some help? Seems you might be having a problem."