Successful Hollywood writer Ray decides to return to the New Jersey projects of his youth in order to give something back to the community, and volunteers to teach creative writing at his old school. But one night he's savagely beaten and rushed to hospital. The only cop interested is a childhood friend, 'Tweetie' Ammons, who owes him one from long ago. It turns out that Ray knows who did it, but he's not talking. Although Tweetie is on the cusp of retirement she is determined to help Ray but finds herself being drawn into a dark and deadly drama.