Cop-turned-lawyer Stone Barrington, he of street smarts, dry wit, and debonair charm, becomes reacquainted with a case he thought was buried years ago, and must settle romantic entanglements that haunt him still. Allison Manning, the beautiful and enigmatic woman Stone defended against a murder charge in Dead in the Water, mysteriously reappears to request his help with a set of problems she has never resolved, which involve millions of dollars. She fears, too, that somebody might be stalking her, but she's not sure who - or why. She knows of no one better than Stone, who has both the legal experience and the investigative instincts to guarantee her safety. Stone is happy to enjoy a few days in Palm Beach - and to have left frigid New York and the tempestuous Dolce Bianchi behind - but before he can dig into this latest case, he comes face to face again with Arrington Calder, the one woman who still holds a key to his affections.