Roy Edberhart and his family move often. His father works for the Department of Justice, and every year or so they join a new community. Roy really liked the last place, Montana, and they actually spent more than two years there. He loved the mountains, the wildlife, and the empty spaces. Now, Roy finds himself in Florida where it is hot, everything is crowded, and there are no mountains. His middle school is okay, but he's bullied on the school bus by Dana Matherson, a kid who is dumb enough not to know when to stop.
On one of these occasion, Roy's face gets smooshed against the bus window, and he notices a barefoot kid about the same age he is running away from the school bus. Suddenly Roy is intrigued. He's never seen this kid before, and there are no other schools he could be going to. He looks for him in town and at school, but can't find him. Looking to solve this mystery, Roy decides to follow the boy the next opportunity he has.
Meanwhile, construction equipment sits idle at the site of the future Mother Paula's Pancake House. The site has suffered vandalism, and the foreman has had enough and files a police complaint. When the police car itself is vandalized while parked on site, the foreman decides to escalate his protection measures.
These two stories gradually intertwine and tie together. A protected species, burrowing owls, live on the property but the company is ignoring its environmental assessment and plans to proceed with construction. As Roy investigates the shoeless boy, he becomes drafted in saving the owls, making new friends, and becoming part of his new community.
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