A police investigator becomes involved in the Jeffrey-Moore affair after a neighbor reports a light in an allegedly vacant, historically troubled house where sudden deaths have occurred. The inquiry unfolds through surveillance, interviews, and the slow unravelling of family secrets, neighborhood gossip, and a locked-room enigma centered on a forbidden chamber and a young woman's uncertain fate. The middle section traces legal maneuvering and courtroom pressures, and the final part follows leads to a grim dwelling where hidden motives and connections are revealed. The narrative balances methodical detective work with atmospheric description and the social forces that hinder discovery of the truth.