On the Other Hand, Death

Albany based private investigator Donald Strachey is currently working on two cases. The first case is for the husband of Gina Santer, who he believes is having an affair and wants her followed. After he is arrested by the police, Donald learns that Gina is not only not married, she is an undercover cop working on an undisclosed investigation. As Donald passes this case onto his over-eager assistant Kenny Kwon who is tasked with finding out about their client and the nature of Gina's undercover investigation, Donald works on the second case, an unpaid and thus unofficial one, that of Dorothy Fisher and Edith Strong, a long-partnered lesbian couple who live in nearby rural Hollis. Dorothy and Edith's house has been repeatedly vandalized complete with anti-gay graffiti. Dorothy, a high school guidance counselor, believes that it has something to do with one of her students, or perhaps with her current problem of being suspended for having what is deemed a gay agenda in advice provided to a seemingly suicidal student who is questioning his sexuality. Dorothy, who loves their house and Hollis despite the current problems, doesn't want to buckle under the pressure, while softer Edith just wants to pack up and move elsewhere. Donald was introduced to Dorothy and Edith through Andrew McWhirter, an ex-student of Dorothy's and the ex-boyfriend of Donald's longtime live-in boyfriend, senatorial aide Tim Callahan. As the attacks on Dorothy and Edith become increasingly violent and potentially deadly, Donald has to wade through the overwhelming deceit that seems to permeate every aspect of this case to piece together the entire picture.