Stone Barrington is back in Manhattan and pleased to receive an unexpected visit from Holly Barker, now an assistant director at the CIA. Holly is glad to leave the staid environs of the capital for New York, but her sojourn isn't only for pleasure. An explosive incident requires her immediate attention and Stone's investigative expertise. What initially appears to be a clear-cut case becomes increasingly complex and dangerous. For in the secretive world of government intelligence, national interests all too often conflict with turf wars, and extreme wealth allows even the most pursued rivals to slip through the cracks.