Shane Thompson is a professional shooter with a volatile temper. His return to Mt. Thomas creates a rift between Tom and Nick. Tom is concerned that his return spells trouble for Shane's wife and young family while Nick has been Shane's sponsor, getting him out of town following the breakdown of his marriage, finding him work as a shooter and facilitating the exchange of letters between Shane and his oldest son. Shane is desperate to return to his family and reconcile with his estranged wife. Unfortunately, she now has a new boyfriend and will not have him back. To Tom's dismay, Nick takes a close personal interest in the situation and offers Shane temporary accommodation at the warehouse keeper's residence, his box of guns stored for safe keeping in a corner of Nick's living room. When Zoo Hamilton's gun goes missing the culprit turns out to be the son, angered by his father's broken promise to buy him a gun and disturbed by the tension and conflict between his parents. The new boyfri