Deputy Justin brings Cameryn to look at the body of a dead dog as she is the coroner's assistant. The eyes of the dog are blown out
"I am not a vet deputy!"
Cameryn's teacher is found dead by the most popular boy in school, Kyle O'Neil. His eyes are also blown out.
At the Autopsy of Mr. Oakes it is discovered that he was burned from the inside out, and no one can figure out how or why
"'What is this?' she demanded, whirling around to face Justin. 'You brought me out here to look at a German shepherd? You dragged me from work to look at roadkill?'" (Ferguson 6)
Cameryn and Kyle start dating. Kyle thinks he knows who killed Mr. Oakes a theory that is eventually proven wrong
"I think I know who killed Mr. Oakes."
"'I don't know - I guess the way he's got his arms and his legs all drawn up. It looks like what happens to victims when they're burned, but it's obvious from the condition of Mr. Oakes's skin that he hasn't been. Burned, I mean. See that?' she pointed to where her teacher clutched the sheet in his hand. His fingers had blanched white, except at the tips, which were a deep purple. ' There's nothing that shows scorching on the bed or bedding or anything else. And check out the sheets. They're pulled into his fist, which means he died in this bed. Whatever happened, it happened here.'" (Ferguson 51)
Cameryn goes to Kyle's house while he is gone and discovers that Kyle was the killer all along, which he admits to and ties her up and cuts her neck and leaves her to die or not
"'The heart. Man, I've been around a lot of bizarre stuff,' Ben breathed, 'but this...' 'This what?' Justin asked. He took a step closer, his dark eyebrows slanted in disbelief. Dr. Moore cleared his throat. 'For those of you unfamiliar with the normal insides of a human being, this heart has been cooked. All the way through...'" (Ferguson 98)
Cameryn is freed and reunited with her mother after over a decade
"Kyle took a breath and let it out slowly, a warm plume of air on her lips. For a moment he was quiet, blinking. Then he whispered, 'I think ... I think I might know who killed Brad." (Ferguson 152)
"'I killed Brad Oakes from the outside of his house. That's the pure genius of it. I didn't leave a trace inside the crime scene. Not a hair. Not a fiber. I plugged the klystron into an outside outlet, aimed it, and' - he snapped his fingers - 'that was the end of the man.'" (Ferguson 240)
"If it's meant to be you'll live. If you live, you can tell my story. Anam cara." (Ferguson 243)
"She pulled away from Justin and gazed into the darkness. Tears blurred her eyes as she saw the woman take another tentative step toward the light. The wind howled as Cameryn leaped from the porch onto the uneven dirt road and started to run. And now Hannah was running to, crying out Cameryn's name, her arms flung wide. Hardly daring to believe, Cameryn hurled herself forward, into the thin, strong arms. The arms of her mother." (Ferguson 256)