Rachel Baines is a mature and responsible 11-year-old girl with a lot on her mind. With her father again stationed overseas as an Army advisor, Rachel's mom, Valerie, holds down things on the home front. Life is tough but this is nothing new for a woman married to a career military man. Valerie spends her days as the office manager at an accounting firm and her nights taking care of the home that belongs to her dad, Doyle. Rachel's grandfather is a recent widower, now a resident at a nearby nursing home. A latch key kid, each afternoon Rachel makes the short trek from the school bus stop to this empty home, but always under the watchful eye of Miss Edna, the caring, but nosy, neighbor. The widow of the former Police Chief, Edna is practically the town's Neighborhood Watch patrol. Safe within the confines of a securely-locked home Rachel goes about the business of chores and homework. As is often the case, not before first devouring a well-crafted peanut butter sandwich. On this ...