For as long as Lucia Gomez has been the police chief in the city of HighlandIsle, near Kindle County, she has known that any woman in law enforcementmust walk a precarious line between authority and camaraderie to gain respect.She has maintained a spotless reputation - until now. Three male policeofficers have accused her of soliciting sex in exchange for promotions tohigher ranks. With few people left who she can trust, Chief Gomez turns to anold friend, Rik Dudek, to act as her attorney in the federal grand jury investigation,insisting to Rik that the accusations against her are part of an ugly smearcampaign designed to destroy her career and empower her enemies - both outsidethe police force and within...

Clarice "Pinky" Granum spent most of her youth experimenting with an impressivearray of drugs and failing out of various professions, including thepolice academy. Pinky knows that in the eyes of most people, she's nothingbut a screwup - but she doesn't trust most people's opinions anyway.Moreover, she finally has a respectable-enough job as a licensed P.I. workingfor Rik on his roster of mostly minor cases, like workman's comp, DUIs andbar fights.

Rik's shabby office and even shabbier cases are a far cry from thekinds of high-profile criminal matters Pinky became familiar with in the lawoffice of her grandfather, Sandy Stern. But Rik and Pinky feel that ChiefGomez's case, which has attracted national attention, is their chance to breakinto the legal big leagues. Guided by her gut instinct and razor-sharp investigative skills, Pinky divesheadfirst into a twisted scandal that will draw her into the deepest recesses ofthe city's criminal networks, as well as the human mind.

But she will needevery scrap of tenacity and courage to unravel the dark secrets those closest toher are determined to keep hidden