Robert Snow has a past: an Army officer close to him dead of an apparent suicide and a beautiful former girlfriend murdered. He believes he has left these ghosts behind when he retires as an Army investigator. Although he hopes Winfield Creek will provide him a fresh start, his thoughts of an easy retirement melt like ice on a hot summer day with a visit from Detective Sam Reynolds.
The arrogant and ill-tempered detective is determined to prove Robert Snow is the killer of Marilyn Todd, who had her face brutally bludgeoned. In addition, elderly resident Thelma Burke, a local crime novelist and editorial writer for the town newspaper, keeps the finger of suspicion pointed at Snow. To make matters worse, Jack Cree, a freelance assassin from his past, intends to murder Snow.
Snow's unabashed, straight-talking charm wins over the heart and mind of the local police chief, Laura Bright. As a tough-minded woman, she willingly defies her critics, including the Mayor. Laura's professional and personal reputations are on the line, but she does not allow the media or public perception to dictate the course of her investigation.
