Francis (Zachary Bennett), a brooding pianist named by his mother after Liszt, longs to be on the classical stage, but instead plays the requests of inebriated guests at a hotel lounge. Halley (Katja Riemann), an elementary school teacher who lives with her aging father, is beautiful, lonely and cautious when it comes to matters of the heart. Halley and Francis meet and embark on a passionate affair and Francis acquires a new confidence. But when a girl goes missing from Halley's school, their relationship begins unraveling. Desire's heartbreaking conclusion continues Murphy's probing work into the mysterious and difficult terrain of loneliness and the perverse and destructive power of love.