Rashad is falsely accused of stealing a bag of chips from a convenience store. The police officer takes Rashad out of the store, handcuffs him, gets him to the ground, and, when he thinks Rashad is resisting arrest, beats him. Rashad is seriously injured and must spend days in the hospital.
Quinn witnesses the police officer beating Rashad, but he has decided to keep quiet about what he saw. Quinn's father died fighting in Afghanistan and Paul, the police officer, has been a surrogate father for Quinn and his younger brother ever since. Everyone at Quinn's and Rashad's school starts taking sides, Paul's family demands loyalty, and Rashad continues to be absent from school. Quinn is forced to start thinking about race, loyalty, and the truth about someone he idolized in this novel told from two points of view and written by two authors.
