The president of the Minneapolis city council is savagely murdered in a park a few hours before sunrise. Forensic evidence suggests she knew the killer. Detective Lincoln Barnes and her cerebral partner, Warren, lead an investigation that focuses on the charismatic mayor and the victim's chief aide. Barnes' romantic encounter with a judge turns into an obsession after she discovers startling facts about his past. As she and Warren close in on the killer, events occur that make her question her future as a Minneapolis cop and contemplate a new life with a man who's either the answer to her prayers or the personification of evil.