Two years after the tragic murder of her husband, Sheriff Willie LaHaye, Missie returns home to be near her parents, Marty and Clark Davis. Taking up a new teaching position, Missie has lost all faith in herself until a chance encounter with an orphan girl, Belinda Marshall, renews her hope for the future.

Dr. Belinda Simpson arrives in the tiny town of Sikeston to take up the post of town physician. Once there, she discovers that many of the town's residents have fallen ill from an unknown ailment. Soon, Belinda begins to worry that she is in over her head, despite reassurances from her best friend, Annie.