Detective John Marshall Tanner enters the scene for a seemingly routine background check on a prospective surrogate mother. The woman passes inspection, and all continues to be "routine" until the now-pregnant mother disappears without a trace. Initial theories allege that an exortion case is on hand, but this theory is soon abandoned when no ransom requests are made. Tanner must now delve into the past of the Colbert family - the donors the embryo - to uncover the dark secrets that forced their surrogate to become a fugitive.