Clinton Windell returns to his Southwest Hills mansion from a successful overseas business trip. Everything was working out even better than he had hoped. After nailing down a major deal for twenty-million dollars in uncut gems that would yield Bellingham Jewelers millions, there was nothing standing in his way. This deal would deliver a coup de grace to the board coup that has been brewing to unseat him as CEO and insure his iron grip on the company would remain. The shareholders would see to that now that he had delivered in a colossal way. Once the dust settled on his major victory, there would be some overdue housecleaning as far as the standing CEO was concerned. Heads were going to roll and Clinton Windell could not be happier.
He would place the gems in Bellingham’s top security vault in the morning. His golden goose purchase would be safe with him for the night. When he entered his master bedroom, Windell was shocked to discover his state of the art wall safe open. A swift blow to the head from behind rendered him unconscious. The intruders were quick and methodical. A chilling death and robbery of the gems were the home coming gift for the conquering CEO.
A well-connected, anonymous client hires ex-DEA agent turned private investigator, C.J. Cavanaugh and his junior partner, Renita Harris, to root out the Windell murderers. There’s only one catch. C.J. and his partner must not reveal to anyone they are working on the case. To complicate matters further C.J. and Renita must deceive Cavanaugh’s lover and dogged Homicide Detective, Destini Pendleton, who is assigned to head the high profile investigation.
As C.J. and Renita pull back the layers of Clinton Windell’s life, they discover a duplicitous and seedy past. The mystery only thickens as C.J. and Renita burrow into the lives of their primary suspects only to unveil ample and varied motives for wanting Clinton Windell dead.
When the killers attempt to execute C.J. and Renita, it becomes personal. C.J. has Renita move in to his place for her own protection. Destini becomes furious at the move. To place Renita, the one person Destini regarded as her chief rival for C.J.’s affection under the same roof as her man was an unpardonable sin. Destini was not buying what C.J. and Renita were selling. Destini moves in with C.J. A move that would normally make C.J. happy but under the cloak and dagger circumstances of the Clinton Windell homicide case it created more problems than it solved. Personal and professional tensions mount.
C.J. and Renita find themselves boxed in. Between the killers, Detective Pendleton, the insurance company, and their omnipotent and ominous mystery client, C.J. has to utilize all of his cunning and training to keep him and his partner out of prison or the morgue long enough to capture the killers.
"Michael Lane does a phenomenal job bringing his story to life. The author goes into great detail about everything from the first chapter. Every detail is critical to the story whether it is to set up character personality, setting, or foreshadowing what's to come. Many events occur throughout the story, but the narrative doesn't feel overloaded with information, instead creating a compelling plot with plenty of twists and turns. The characters are complex and continue to develop throughout the story. C.J Cavanaugh is the type of investigator who is willing to risk his own life to find truth and justice. Readers find themselves both loving and hating him, while Lane transforms this mystery it into an epic thrill ride."
“This is the usual jewel heist, complicated by a ruthless murder. These are the facts: Wealthy jeweler Clinton Windell, a man who is used to getting his own way, is murdered at his lavish Southwest Hill mansion. In the end, it’s a glorious triple cross that makes this reviewer think of good film noir, making the reading time well spent.”
“I don't normally go for Private Investigator stories, but I picked this book up 'to have a look' and the characters had me by the end of the first chapter. I read it over a couple of days and when I finished I knew that I'd be delighted to meet CJ and Renita again.”
