A young man seeking to avenge his mother’s murder discovers the tragic nature of vengeance and the humbling power of grace.

SYNOPSIS:

GRACE AND VENGEANCE

By: JAMES CARLSON heyjc@yahoo.com 3233786433

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It’s 1852. A sultry rendition of Amazing Grace sets the tone as two sets of pistols are loaded. Two men stride into a bank to rob it, along with its patrons. When a young boy refuses to give up his dollar, a robber raises his pistol. The boy’s mother rushes forward, offering her ring, startling the robber and his gun discharges. She dies in her husband’s arms. The boy, Luke, notices an unusual necklace worn by one robber as they depart.

Exasperated by Judd’s recklessness, Robert insisted they hide the stolen money, not spend it, ending their criminal careers and creating a rift between them. By 1865 the robbers, brothers Robert and Judd, are living a calmer life as ranchers, Robert a husband and father.

Meanwhile Luke, now 20, has dedicated his life to finding the killers, carrying an old wanted poster from town to town. One day he sees a man wearing the unusual necklace and after a few days and a brief interrogation, Luke guns the man down using his mother's old rifle. As the man lay dying, Luke searches him but can't find the necklace. Did he kill the wrong man? Conflicted, Luke hauls the body back to Providence. He learns the dead man has a brother with a vicious streak.

Facing murder charges, Luke testifies that his rifle was faulty, accidentally discharging when Robert was shot. The rifle is tested in the courtroom and misfires. In lieu of hanging, the Judge sentences Luke to three years servitude at the widow Grace’s ranch.

Luke’s sentence at the ranch begins as his good nature endears him to Grace’s two children, but Judd's blood is boiling. Judd renews his search for the hidden money and harasses Luke bitterly. Luke misses an opportunity to escape when he rescues Grace’s children from a rattlesnake attack.

Judd, mocked by his friends for allowing his brother’s killer to live, quotes the bible when he claims familial rights to Grace, but she rejects his awkward marriage proposal. Judd accuses Grace of scheming with Luke to abscond with the hidden money.

Luke’s brother Clyde returns from serving in the war. Judd kills him to avenge Robert. Luke discovers Robert’s necklace and realizes he shot the right man, and that Judd was the second robber that killed his mother. When Luke saves Grace from an assault by Judd, her feelings for Luke officially thaw.

Luke finds the hidden money and his mother’s ring. Intimacy between Grace and Luke is interrupted by Luke’s confession to his true role in Robert’s shooting. Grace, appalled, and abruptly dismisses him, granting Luke his freedom.

Luke leaves to find Judd and his gang but he’s outnumbered. The Sheriff barely saves Luke from a lynching, arresting Judd for Clyde’s murder.

Judd escapes custody, recruiting friends to help recover the money and settle the score with Luke. But Judd shoots his friends instead of sharing the bounty.

The deadly feud and impassioned triangle between Luke, Judd, and Grace explodes in a stirring showdown, revealing their passions, greed, and grace.