Julie Jarrett comes to Asheville, N.C. as Maid of Honor at her cousin, Dolly Randolph's wedding. On the night of the rehearsal Julie realizes that the prospective groom is the same man she fell in love with at the beach three years before but lost all contact with him. She never forgot Rick but now is devastated that she might be forced to watch her cousin marry the man Julie loves.

Dolly Randolph has never been denied anything in her life before and nothing or no one is going to take this man away from her now, regardless of the consequences.

Richard DuRant Edwards, III knew Julie for such a short time but had vowed his love to her forever; he wants her now, even though he's pledged to marry another woman. He realizes that he might not be able to save her or himself in the long run.

Stan Marx was supposed to be a groomsman at the wedding but he wants the bride more than the reluctant groom. He has to make her understand what is best for them, no matter who gets in the way.

The night before the wedding Julie and Dolly have a terrible argument and everyone in the house hears Julie tell Dolly she wishes she were dead. The next day hours before the ceremony, Julie discovers Dolly's dead body dressed in her designer wedding gown lying out on the grass with a bludgeoned head.

Sheriff Turner investigates the bloody, shocking crime committed in his county; he wants it cleared up now and from his viewpoint, only two people exist with a motive strong enough for murder...Julie Jarrett and Richard Edwards and he doesn't care which one; he'll take them on as a single case or try them together.