When
veteran detective Sharon McCone married Hy Ripinsky in her last
adventure, VANISHING POINT, she knew she was marrying a man with a
dark past. Ripinsky is a hostage release specialist with Renshaw
& Kessell International, a security firm made up of two other
partners who share a connection as cargo pilots from years past in
Southeast Asia.
When a series of explosions damage several of RKI's branch offices,
the partners at first suspect terrorism and hire Sharon McCone's
firm to investigate. The violence grows personal as McCone narrowly
escapes a deadly explosion at the San Francisco headquarters where
an employee is killed as the bomb goes off in the lobby. Just
before this occurred, she spotted a man running down the
alley.
During her investigation, other witnesses describe a similar
individual running away from the scene before each explosion.
McCone turns her crew of computer and industrial espionage experts
loose on the case. She decides to investigate the backgrounds of
each of RKI's partners as she begins to suspect that the bomber
carries a personal grudge against the company. This leads to
delving into the past of the newest partner --- her bridegroom ---
which threatens their relationship as questions surface about his
connection to activities with the cargo firm while in Thailand.
Suspicion mounts as the investigation uncovers some unsavory
connections to drug and munitions running by the other
partners.
As first one partner and then the second disappear, McCone is torn
between concern for her husband's safety and suspicion of his
activities. As she closes in on the bomber, both her marriage and
her life are in jeopardy.
Marcia Muller has created a colorful cas