As Robert Parker's body is lowered into the grave, Herman Camm introduces himself to the mourning family. He is a beady-eyed, small-framed man with nice clothes and hat - and he is about to drastically change the lives of three women: Mae Lou Parker; her daughter Carrie; and Pearl Brown. On Christmas Eve, trouble arrives when Carrie reveals Herman is abusing her. Mae Lou is fed up with Herman spending time with other women but when she goes to confront him, she finds Herman pointing a gun at her friend Willie. All of the stories converge when Herman is found dead