Five years ago Paul Simons, a troubled teen living in an abusive home and understood by no one, brutally butchered his unsuspecting teacher and murdered his mother. Confined to Morning Side Mental Institution until the age of 21, Paul is receiving professional help and is learning how to cultivate relationships as he struggles to find his rightful place in society. Unfortunately, life is not always so simple. Charlotte, North Carolina, has suddenly become home to a series of gruesome murders. Detective John Green is assigned to investigate and begins to unwind a twisting trail of bodies that lead him from one suspect to another. As the brutal murders continue, the bloody path points him back to Paul Simons. Now Green and his new partner Detective Frank Coleman must decide if Paul, seemingly rehabilitated, is fooling them all or if there is a new killer on the loose.