It's the mid 1970s. Moving back home with her mother Virginia in Tennessee, Marie Ragghianti was able to leave an abusive marriage to eke out a better life for herself and her three young children - the youngest, Ricky, for who she would have to deal with his major health issues - by waiting tables, all the while being able to complete the degree requirements at Vanderbilt to obtain a B.A. in English and Psychology. She is unapologetic in asking a college acquaintance, Eddie Sisk, for a job, he who has just been appointed legal counsel for just elected Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton. In what he considers a win-win situation, Eddie offers Marie a job as the Extradition Officer for the state, a job offer which she accepts. From there, Marie quickly moves up the chain of command, first to become the liaison to the Governor via Eddie on Parole Board recommendations - the role which is meant to be a two way street, where there is an understood quid pro quo in recommendations from the Board to the Governor, and recommendations from the Governor back to the Board - then the actual Parole Board Chief. Through these jobs, Marie becomes more and more uncomfortable in her working relationship with Eddie, the Governor through who seems to be increasingly wanting parole for inmates who have no grounds to be paroled, and even worse wanting full pardons for inmates who have no grounds to be pardoned. As Marie becomes more and more vocally opposed to what the Governor and Eddie want, she will learn how far they will go to silence and/or discredit her. In return, the Governor and Eddie will learn that Marie will not take what is happening to her sitting down, especially as she believes she has done nothing wrong in carrying out the responsibilities of any of her state duties.