characters amber ashmore , ironside , alabama amy ashmore , dead sister of amber , mountain stream , alabama amanda ashmore , dead wife of oscar , montgomery oscar wisner , dead husband of amanda allison ashmore , dead wife of governor wharton ashmore governor wharton ashmore , dead husband of allison foster gordon , dead groom of amy davidson ashmore , uncle of amber , alabama congressman brynard hawk hawkins , us deputy marshal cody mack , deputy-in-training , us marshal , birmingham service rob mcdonald , us marshal , birmingham district shirley mink purcell , us deputy marshal russo belfort , fbi special agent , birmingham eighteen months ago greenville .