Young sign language professor Emma longs for someone who will stick around. Her dad left when she was fifteen, and now the only creature she trusts is the stray cat she feeds every day. But this morning, while exploring a beautiful old cemetery, Emma meets Locke, a man she forgets to doubt.

Today marks one year since Locke lost his brother to an apparent suicide. He visits the grave full of unanswered questions and dark thoughts. When Emma appears, with her wild orange hair and fiery disposition, she’s a welcome distraction.

Minutes after their introduction, a bizarre car crash effectively binds the two strangers, leaving them to co-parent an orphaned infant (and the stray cat). Before they can set up house, however, they are forced to flee from violent intruders, and they find themselves the focus of a police investigation. That’s when Emma is mysteriously gifted with a skeleton key that connects the crash to the death of Locke’s brother and points to corruption within the police department.

What began as a chance meeting (was it chance?) must become a quick and powerful alliance if Emma and Locke are to uncover the truth and keep their unlikely new family intact.

For your next favorite love story, open The Locke Box. You already have the key.