The Silence of Darkness (1) (American Back Roads Stories)

How is the disappearance of a sixteen-year old Hispanic boy connected to the suicide of a young farmer twenty years in the past? Through a turbulent journey over the back roads of a rural America quilted with lush farm landscapes and quaint traditions, The Silence of Darkness searches for the answer to this question while exploring a trail of violence, tears, confession and justice. When university professor Paul Thornton takes his best friend Deputy Billy Truax's suggestion to move to the country and resurrect a struggling veterinary practice, Paul and his young daughter find the small community of Prairie View shocked by the disappearance of Hector Gonzalez. On duty when the boy vanished, Billy blames himself for missing clues in the silent darkness masquerading as an ordinary Saturday night. Frustrated with prejudiced citizens and his own department for framing a local misfit for the boy's fate, Billy vows to uncover the truth at all cost. Paul and Billy join forces and quickly move to expose the string of lies and organized deception holding the truth in darkness. Without regard for the consequences, Billy risks his career, while Paul risks his relationship with the woman he loves. Their chase follows familiar back roads, and what they find has the potential to rock a small town—and affect the lives of its residents for years to come. Genre: Mystery & Suspense "How is the disappearance of a sixteen-year old Hispanic boy connected to the suicide of a young farmer twenty years in the past? The Silence of Darkness answers this question by taking readers on a turbulent trip over the backroads of rural America." -- page 4 of cover