Book excerpt: High school sweethearts Brad Andrews and Monika Johnson are about to have a baby. On top of planning for their graduation ceremony, they must now plan a wedding and prepare for a child. They both had university scholarships but have given them up to take over the Andrews family business. It’s not the life they dreamed of, but it’s one they can be happy with. Five years later, Monika is found dead, and her young son is missing. While the town has suspicions about Brad, the police have no evidence to suggest foul play was involved. As the small town grapples with this tragedy, they must also process another: a car crash that leaves a young mother without her husband and son. After recovering from her injuries and a strange encounter with the owner of a local auto wreckage business, the woman leaves Deer Lake and never looks back. She has made a decision that has given her a new life.