In less than a moment, unexplained intentions, then murder, upend life in Posadas County, New MexicoPosadas County, sitting along New Mexico's southern border, has enjoyed a surge in visitors, jobs, and prosperity since rancher Miles Waddell used much of his inherited half billion to create an internationally renowned astronomy complex atop Torrance Mesa. Passion, not profit, drives Waddell. Yet benefits include a narrow gauge train linking the village of Posadas to NightZone. It's a boon to employees and for nature lovers, hikers, and birders as well as star gazers.A ripple of unease is felt across the county with the arrival of developer—no, speculator—Kyle Thompson. Why did he and his wife quietly purchase a large scrubby acreage to the north of NightZone? Any light pollution would jeopardize Waddell's success. "Lights are like cancer cells. One comes, others follow."Unease grows with a drive-by shoot-up at the Posadas Register, its 25...

A newly minted graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in 1890, Dr. Thomas Parks heads to the big timber country of Puget Sound to practice trauma medicine. An hour after stepping off the boat he's nearly crushed to death by a less-than-surefooted mule and finds himself a patient rather than a physician. As he convalesces, he discovers that his host, an aging and venerable physician friend of his father's, is running an elaborate medical scam, selling worthless concoctions nationwide, with enormous sales. Limited to practicing medicine with one functioning eye, one hand, and one leg, Thomas grapples with exposing the old family friend. To make matters worse, an epidemic threatens the town and surrounding area. Will the young doctor's first trip to the Northwest be his last?

What do you do when you inherit $330 million after taxes? If you're New Mexico rancher Miles Waddell, you build a dream. Waddell's dream is NightZone, an astronomy-based theme park complete with giant radio telescope, a bank of smaller scopes linked to a theater, five-star dining in a restaurant with retracting dome ceiling, a hotel/resort, tram car access, and a narrow gauge steam locomotive to carry tourists to the mesa top. But the dream turns into a nightmare when two eco-terrorists chain-saw down power lines that feed the development. One of them is killed by a bucking power pole; the other escapes by car. From 20 miles away, retired Posadas Sheriff William K. Gastner spots a pair of headlights as the dead man's companion speeds from the scene. Charges quickly include murder when the fleeing conspirator is stopped by a cop and guns the lawman down. Hours later a second shooting occurs when Gastner stops to assist Sgt. Jackie Taber during an unrelated traffic stop. Always...