Grant Foster hasn't been back to Lakeridge, North Carolina in over a dozen years. Not since his father's funeral. Now he's back for another funeral.
No hotel for him - he had to stay at his mother's place, or he'd never hear the end of it.
"Grant Davidson Foster," Lacey chided. Yep, she'd used all three names, so he knew he'd stepped in it.
"You're my son and it's the first time you've come to my home. This isn't trouble, this is appreciation for you finally showing up at my front door."
Then she told him everyone was home. Logan, Chase, Zach, and Mykal were all back in town.
This was going to be harder than he'd expected.
He used to consider the Chess Club his family, but that was a long time ago.
Most people wouldn't understand, but their high school Chess club became family until their teacher was murdered two weeks before graduation. That had broken something. They all scattered far and wide, except for Wes. He'd stayed in Lakeridge.
Now Wes is dead, and the Club is returning to bury their friend and help figure out who killed him.
When Redmond Jefferson, Wes's uncle and a senior agent with the FBIS asks for help, they all agree to try. Red tells them, "I know that you all have unique talents and skills that, when combined, could become something special. We need those skills to solve Wes's murder."
When the local sheriff threatens his family, Grant meets one officer who's not dirty.
Sergeant Ellery Adler doesn't think much of Grant at first, but soon they're both fighting to stay ahead of Sheriff Halstead and his twisted games.
Blood doesn't always make family, but shedding blood together sometimes does.
Grant had let himself forget what family truly meant, and being back with his Chess Club friends is a sharp reminder. Working with Ellery convinces him coming home was a good start.
Will coming back heal what's broken in him, or break him worse than before?