The Scent of Rain & Lightning

Now a young woman, Jody Linder grew up on her grandparents Hugh and Annabelle Linder's Oklahoma ranch, the ranching community there tight knit in everyone knowing everyone else. Jody is informed by her grandfather, and her Uncles Chase Linder and Meryl Tapper that Billy Croyle, at the time a fired ranch hand of Hugh's who was ultimately convicted of murdering Jody's parents, Hugh Jay and Laurie Linder, twelve years ago, is being released from prison, his sentence having been commuted, and for her own safety in not knowing what Billy might do that she should move back to the ranch. Since the murders, Jody has led an existence of emotional pain. Billy's son, Colin Croyle, was able to convince the Governor to take this action since there was lack of due diligence. As such, Sheriff Don Phelps is forced to reopen the investigation. Jody is initially incensed by these developments. The further she asks questions, the more Jody does begin to entertain the notion of Billy being innocent due to inconsistencies in logic, regardless of Billy hating the Linders and having demonstrated that he was and is a mean, angry and violent man. In the process, Jody is forced not only to relive the murders, this time from an adult rather than child perspective, but examine the evidence including the involvement of members of her extended family. The actual events surrounding the murders are shown in flashback.