In a strange turn of events, Grubville, Missouri cattle rancher Chet Harbison finds himself thrown into the political fray of running for office after Jefferson County Sheriff Buck Norton suffers a debilitating heart attack. Although Chet's keen sense of duty and common-sense logic have already aided him in adapting to his law-enforcement duties as a part-time deputy, he soon learns that the political side of the job is substantially more complicated. Two county office holders attempt to control his efforts, while another does everything possible to have him fired. Chet continues to juggle many responsibilities as a husband and father, on top of his job as a sheriff. He encounters an uprising outside his jail, a lynching, and continuous reports of moonshining that cause havoc in the county. If that was not enough, Chet soon discovers that someone in the community wants him dead, but the "who" and the "why" of these assassination attempts remain a mystery. Longtime friends soon learn of Chet's plight and do their best to aid him in handling his political foes as well as the mysterious person who wants to end Chet's new career with the help of a bullet. -- From back cover.