The reader experiences what Chester Luttrell sees in his world. The old man learns by observation. The retired police officer is a mentor. Marlee Kinion celebrates her twelfth birthday with a crisis that only Chester can resolve. The retired police officer quietly and methodically guides the young girl through her problem. Rookie Deputy Jim Chamberlain is faced with a series of burglaries and vandalism in his Forest Hills beat. Chester stimulates the young deputy's thought processes so he can solve the crimes. His former protege, Detective Barbara Johnson, struggles to unravel the mystery of a teenage boy's disappearance. She seeks her old boss's guidance to find the boy before it is too late. Chester knows how to find the answers, but he doesn't want to make the process too easy. He expects each answer found to be a learning experience, a life lesson to be used again and again.