 After his in-laws are brutally murdered, Deputy John Cooper is ordered to escort the accused, his life-long mute friend, Martin Lowery, to be hanged. As they make the journey to the gallows, John struggles between his duty as a lawman and the desire to exact revenge on his best friend. Unknown to John, not only is Martin carrying a dark secret that holds many lives in the balance-they are being hunted by a band of ruthless killers who want to make sure the truth stays buried.