Tilly Craven, née Dinger, has been a troublemaker for as long as her small town can remember. As a schoolgirl, she drove her preacher father crazy with her antics. Chester Craven, the son of the local shopkeepers, was attracted to her humor and wild beauty, and they married soon after high school. Now adults, Tillie and Chester run a store together. Chester had a heart attack a few years ago. While he and Tillie can still share a laugh, their sex life is on ice due to his limited physical capabilities. One day, the local police find human bones at the edges of Lester Fiscus’s property. Lester is the town drunk, and the sheriff has always wanted to put him away for good. One couple, the McCrackens, are hopeful that the remains belong to their long-missing daughters. As the townspeople wait with bated breath for news, Tillie can’t contain her curiosity. She cozies up to Lester at the local inn to try to get information. The darkly alluring man rouses a carnal need within her. Soon, news comes out that the bones belong to an adult male. Whispers circulate that the body may be Marlin Fiscus, Lester’s brother who disappeared years ago. One night, Tillie is joyriding with Lester when he comes across a deer. He shoots the animal and lugs it into the bed of his pickup truck. Once back at his farm, he unloads the dead doe. Inside, Tillie and Lester sleep together. Before the peak of his orgasm, she asks him point-blank about the bones. He denies having anything to do with them. In the morning, Tillie returns to the store. As she scrubs and stocks the shelves, Chester closes his eyes to rest. Out of a tense silence, he asks her if she’s in love with Lester. She deflects, saying she’s simply interested in the police case. Then, he asks if she’s ever had her heart broken. She sidesteps his vulnerability to give a terse answer: the death of her beloved dog is the worst pain she’s ever felt. That night, Tillie returns to the inn to dance with Lester. Tension weaves between their bodies. Tillie closes her eyes, easing into the music and his arms. She's no closer to solving the mystery, but maybe that doesn't matter as much as this feeling.