Book excerpt: Wolf Mallory already has his share of problems—including a congressional investigation and trying to figure out what to do with his life in southwest Florida after his forced retirement from military intelligence. When a friend asks him to talk to a young woman suspected of murder but claiming her innocence, Wolf has no idea what will happen. Vicky Agincourt is smart, beautiful, and Wolf quickly finds she’s likely guilty of nothing more than trusting the wrong people. Someone murdered her lover, but Wolf is convinced Vicky didn’t pull the trigger. Unfortunately, well-connected people hiding along the fringes of the investigation have a lot to lose if Wolf succeeds in his mission to clear Vicky’s name. They’ll stop at nothing, including calling in favors from people in high places, to force Wolf off the scent. But Wolf has friends of his own in low places. While he’s dancing on a tightrope to stay ahead of the killer, can he clear Vicky’s name in time before someone takes her—and him—out for good?