- Two brothers struggle with a terrible truth behind a tragedy that aims to tear three generations of a family apart.
- 1983. In a quiet Midwestern town, a young deputy covers up a murder at the hands of his brother triggering a series of events that sends them and the victim's family towards a shattering climax.—Anonymous
- In 1983 in a rural area of Hardridge County, Missouri, Norman Young is a sheriff's deputy living with his brother Ray in a mobile home on the ranch of Tom Campbell. Tom is a widower with two daughters, Abbey and Frances, and depends on an oxygen tank to breathe.
Norman finds the radio antenna on his cop car is bent and takes it over to Tom, who fixes it and says it came off Norman's father's truck. Tom also says Norman's father drove that truck into the area where Norman lives now, looking for work. Tom also says Norman's father died in that truck.
Ray, who has a son Liam with Abbey, shows up kissing a different girl. He and Norman get in a fight which ends with Ray on the ground telling Norman he isn't invited to Ray's upcoming birthday party.
Norman and Ed, the sheriff, have a dispute with other law enforcement officers when a fatal wreck happens on the county line.'
Abbey helps her younger sister Frances look good for a night out, letting Frances borrow her earrings. Abbey says Ray hasn't been the same since he came back from serving in the military.
When Abbey puts Liam to bed, Liam makes an inappropriate comment about Abbey's relationships. Abbey has been seeing another man named Cinch.
At the Whisperin' Pig (the spelling on the building) Abbey and Ray dance, and Norman and Frances just sit and watch. Frances isn't happy. Ray gets in a fight with others and Norman breaks it up. Abbey gets upset and leaves. Ray kisses another girl. Since Abbey has been drinking, Frances asks for her keys, but Abbey takes off anyway in her '67 GTO. Ray and Norman have a more pleasant conversation outside. Norman says Ray is lucky no one pressed charges because Norman has priors.
Before sunrise, Abbey persuades Ray to go somewhere with her in her car. Ray is shocked when Abbey points a gun at him, and Abbey laughs and says Ray needs to teach her how to shoot. Ray succeeds in getting the gun away from her but it is still pointed at her, and when they go over a bump, the gun goes off and Abbey is fatally shot. Ray panics and tries to revive her. He finds a pay phone, where he drops a key without realizing it, and calls Norman. Norman comes and Ray begs him to help, because no one will believe the shooting was an accident, and with Ray's record, that will mean prison. Norman agrees, knowing he is an accessory and will get in trouble if the truth comes out, and Ray disposes of the body.
Frances, Liam and Tom are eating breakfast but Abbey hasn't gotten up yet. Frances checks on her and her bed hasn't been slept in. Eventually, the sheriff gets involved. Norman and Ed find the abandoned GTO with blood beside the driver's seat, and Norman doesn't admit to having been there earlier. Ed studies the clues and decides Abbey was shot by someone outside the car after stopping. A group of men with dogs starts the search.
Ed and Norman go to Tom's house and ask questions. When the fight is mentioned, Norman claims Ray's car had a flat and it is to be assumed one of the fight participants caused it. In flashbacks, Norman is shown sabotaging the tire and then having it fixed.
Eventually, the group searching for Abbey finds her at the lake where Ray likes to fish. Frances is shown crying, and then a pastor reads Psalms 23 as a group is gathered under a tree.
Back at the house, many people are gathered and eating, and Frances seems to be in charge of everything. In the kitchen, she has to stop Tom from smoking, saying he gave that up years before and absolutely can't start again. Outside, Liam blames himself for his mom's death, telling Ray he wished for something bad to happen because he was mad at his mom.
Later, Ed talks to Ray but does not seem to suspect him.
Norman finds an earring and returns it to Frances, and he and Frances kiss, and apparently do more.
In a series of scenes with minimal audio other than music, Norman and Frances spend time together, including Norman letting Frances drive the cop car with the lights and siren going. Ray is shown fishing and otherwise living his life.
Norman and Frances get married in a small church, with Ray and a girl among those attending.
While Tom's health has been shown going downhill, he seems fine at Christmas as he toasts the happy couple. Ray and his new girlfriend are also at Christmas dinner. The girlfriend compliments the turkey, and Tom says Frances cooked it. Outside, Ray and Norman argue over what Norman has been asked to do.
Norman and Frances welcome the year 1984 by watching the celebration on TV. Ray is watching the same broadcast and his girlfriend appears to be asleep.
The location where the car was found is shown covered with snow, and then again when the weather has warmed up.
An old man with a metal detector finds something and goes to same pay phone Ray used earlier. The metal detector goes off when he goes to the phone. He finds a key which says, "Love Abbey". At Tom's house, questions are asked. The car key was found with the car, so how did that key get where it was?
Norman, knowing what the key might be for, quickly changes the lock on Ray's mobile home and gives Ray a key to the new lock. Ray is falling apart and on the verge of confessing, and he has even wondered if his memory of the events is incorrect, wondering if he intended to shoot Abbey.
Frances tries the key on the lock to Ray's place. It doesn't work. However, it does work when she goes to Cinch's place and Cinch isn't happy.
Frances asks Ray to go fishing. While Ray is gone, Tom breaks into his place and looks around. Eventually, Frances ends up where the GTO was found. Ray shows up there too and Frances wonders how he knows where the car was. Frances says there needs to be a cross or something. She also talks about how she wondered if she could have done something to save her mother, and mentions how she used to sit in her mother's chair. She now suspects Ray knows more than he admits.
Norman shows up where the GTO was, and worried about Frances knowing the truth, puts her in the back of his cop car. She pounds on the windows and hurts her arm enough that she has to go to the hospital. Norman is told Frances doesn't want him to go with her. Frances, who is told by the doctor that there was something else, leaves without completing her paperwork so Norman has to do it, and he is handed her X-rays. He puts everything in his pocket.
Ray writes a confession and puts it in an envelope. He wants to confess but Norman knows he is an accessory and will get in trouble. They go to the lake and Norman says the best thing for everyone is for Ray to leave town. Ray still wants to confess, and when he tries to leave, Norman shoots him.
At Tom's house, Tom's health has really gone downhill and Frances realizes he has to go to the doctor. Tom won't go. Frances also realizes what Tom knows and decides not to help him.
Norman returns and Ed shows up, wanting to talk to Ray. Norman says Ray won't be coming back. Frances walks into the house as ominous music plays.
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