Someone in Algonquin Bay is out for blood. A young woman has been shot in the head. She can't remember why anyone wants to hurt her, or even her own name. Then a body turns up, Wombat Guthrie, biker and drug dealer, has taken his last ride. It's unlikely that the two cases are linked, but detectives Cardinal and Delorme keep encountering a name, Red Bear. A Chippewa shaman, Red Bear has recently moved into drugs and has enlisted the help of the spirit world. In return the spirits demand sacrifice: human sacrifice. As the woman regains her memory, Cardinal suspects that she may not be as innocent as she appears. This is the third mystery featuring Detective John Cardinal.