Jennie Lester thought the stranger she met on the trail close to Grimes Creek was the handsomest man she had ever seen. But the more she learned of Flint Weldon, suspicion and distrust invaded her thoughts. It was 1875 in the Idaho Territory and cattle rustling had begun.  Was it the renegade Indians who were murdering and scalping families, or a band of rustlers using the Indian raids as a cover? Was Flint a part of the rustling? He was able to make many improvements to his ranch with no visible means of income. Flint told Jennie it was from the coyote bounties he was collecting, but how many coyotes could there be? Was he involved in the National Bank of Idaho robbery too? Was her neighbor, an old widow woman, participating in it somehow? Jennie’s near escape of having her own scalp lifted increased her fear and distrust of everyone. Her mother’s recent death left her with no one she could confide in. She loved Flint but his behavior led her to believe he was withholding something.

 The story of Grimes Creek is one of love, suspicion and action. It is filled with realistic characters who could have lived in the Idaho Territory. Grimes Creek, Idaho City, and Boise City all are factual places. The bank and businesses are factual as well. The story is woven around the tumultuous settling of the west and its inherent dangers.